September Luxury Beauty Favorites

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Lately I haven’t been using as many new to me products as I have in the past. This is likely in part due to skin issues I’ve experienced. But also from just having a pretty good idea of which products work best for me.

However, I have tried a few products that have quickly become new beauty favorites of mine.

One such product is the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base. What I like most about it is that in addition to being an effective moisturizer, it doubles as a makeup primer. Which is ideal for the days that don’t require a full glam face beat (so most days).

Another is the new Prada Beauty Paradoxe Intense Eau de Parfum. This I discovered at their NYFW pop-up and now keep a sample in my bag.

The same goes for my Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask, it’s always in my bag. I love it so much that I need to also try it in their new limited edition tint.

Not in my bag, but something I’ve been using religiously since I got it, is Manucurist. I love doing my own nails, but giving them a break has been tough. Their Green Flash system was the perfect solution!

Speaking of solutions, makeup removal can be a nightmare. Especially when you’re tired. The Elemis Cleaning Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is my current go-to and a crucial part of my nighttime skincare routine.

Serums aren’t something I really believed I needed. Now I love one that really nourishes my skin, and Sulwhasoo makes my favorite, now with ginseng.

If you haven’t heard of ShopMy and you create content, you should consider joining. Most of the products I’ve mentioned were gifted to me through the ShopMy platform. If you join using my referral link, then we’d both earn an additional 10% bonus on all earnings for 6 months.

You can shop my September Luxury Beauty Favorites here.

The 5 Best Belt Bags and Fanny Packs of 2023

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Like any other fashion trend handbag trends will for sure come and go. I often reach for bags that are more functional and practical, over the latest most popular ones. That said, belt bags (or fanny packs) are now back in a big way!

1. Louis Vuitton Monogram Bumbag

There’s a reason you see this bag on everyone from celebrities to street style fashionistas, and why it sells out so quickly after it’s back in stock. If you’re looking for a designer everyday handbag, I can’t recommend the Louis Vuitton Monogram Bumbag enough! Shop it secondhand via Fashionphile.

2. Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag

I almost hate how much everyone everywhere loves this bag. But I cant, because I absolutely get it. The Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag is the perfect on the go bag for when all you really need are the basic essentials.

Grass Metro Sling Bag
image via MZ Wallace

3. MZ Wallace Metro Sling Bag

I don’t personally own this one (yet), but I do love my MZ Wallace tote and how much it holds so when I saw it on Ashley of Everyday Pursuits’ Instagram, I immediately added it to my wishlist, same color and all. Whether you’re a mom or not, if you have a lot of stuff, the MZ Wallace Metro Sling Bag is for you.

CALPAK Luka everyday Belt Bag with puffy exterior in pink
image via Calpak

4. Calpak Luka Belt Bag

This is another belt bag on my radar thanks to Instagram. I use the Calpak packing cubes when I travel and their Luka Belt Bag looks perfect to add to my travel essentials.

Dagne Dover Ace Fanny Pack
image via Beyond Yoga

5. Dagne Dover Ace Fanny Pack

The Dagne Dover Ace Fanny is my favorite of these belt bags picks for the minimalist. It comes in 6 different core colors, and has enough pockets to stay organized.

Are you here for the return of the fanny pack trend? Which belt bag best suits you? Let me know in the comments!

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Things To Do in Boston: King Richard’s Faire Plus a GIVEAWAY

Fall is far from my favorite season, however, there is so much to do in Boston this fall that I’ve been looking forward to!

Sure there’s apple picking and pumpkin patches, and trips to Salem. But one of my favorite things to do in the fall is to visit King Richard’s Faire.

If you’ve never been, here are some things to look forward to, in addition to their themed days–

Costumes

As the fashion lover that I am, one thing I love most about going to King Richard’s Faire is seeing all of the outfits and costumes that people wear. Don’t do cosplay or have anything to wear? You can rent a costume for the day from Seams Like a Dream located right by the entrance!

Food

The chicken tenders, fries and ice cream are always a hit with my niece and nephew, but if you really want to get into the Renaissance Faire spirit, I can’t recommend the turkey leg enough. 

Shows

Are you a theater kid at heart? I know I am, so I make sure to catch at least one musical performance on the King’s Stage. You’re sure to recognize a melody or two…

Jousting

Perhaps the most memorable experience is the jousting, a joust to the death and so much blood! But all in good fun, of course. 

Rides

A medieval amusement park, if you will! The swings were a favorite and worth waiting in line to ride several times.

Shopping

My personal favorite part is the shopping. We walked around with the queen of the faire herself, and learned about all things fashion and costuming. I will for sure have my own dress from Moresca Clothing & Costume, boots from Son of Sandlar and chainmaile or jewelry from Mardigan’s Maile to wear next year! And if you’re ever not sure of what to get for a gift for someone you know who happens to be into LARPing or role playing games, you’ll absolutely want to check out Dragonfly’s Realm and Dragon’s Den Candles.

Have you ever been to a Renaissance Faire? Sad you missed out on going to King Richard’s Faire with me this year? Well there’s still time! AND EVEN BETTER, I’m partnering with King Richard’s Faire to give one of you the chance to win four (4) tickets to their Fantasy Finale Weekend! To enter, leave a comment on this blog post sharing what you’re most looking forward to at King Richard’s Faire, along with your email address (so that I can contact you if you win). One (1) lucky winner will be selected and notified Monday, October 17, 2022. 

And make sure to check out my Instagram for even more photos from the faire!

cabi Clothing Rebel Shirt Two Ways

Disclaimer: This post is in partnership with cabi.

Working with cabi Clothing and being one of their ambassadors this year has really been such an immense pleasure! Before this, when I was gifted pieces, I would love to style them two different ways. I had so much fun styling these pieces, that I want to bring this back and style my favorite cabi Clothing top, the Rebel Shirt two ways!

The quality of cabi’s jeans is so good that I own 4 different pairs. And when I found out that they had a denim shirt, I knew that there was no way I wouldn’t love it. 

The first look is denim on denim. The ever popular cabi Cinch Skinny jeans, complement the Rebel Shirt perfectly. There’s honestly no wrong way to accessorize such a good  and classic outfit, so I kept it simple with a half tuck and neutral ankle boots.

For my second look, I wanted to show that you can easily dress up denim, even if it’s a shirt, while still keeping true to my more casual style. Pairing the Rebel Shirt with a wrap skirt, oversized hoop earrings, and statement booties. 

I love both of these looks so much, that I can’t even begin to decide which of the two I like more.

Which one is your favorite and why?

10 Reasons to Shop Nordstrom Made Brands During the #NSALE

Disclaimer: This post is in partnership with Nordstrom and ShopStyle, and contains affiliate links.

I’m still not over how good the Nordstrom Anniversary sale is! I’ve found all my fashion essentials for fall and with new deals daily, I find myself going back to shop it day after day. Which is why I’m so elated to be partnering with Nordstrom and ShopStyle again, to share my Nordstrom Made brand picks currently available as a part of the #NSALE.

Sale aside, I flat out adore Treasure & Bond. Of all the Nordstrom brands this one resonates with my soul on such a deep level. Classic cool girl style, with just the right amount of edge. I am especially a fan of their graphic tees. And if you’re looking for something that is both timeless and trendy, this is the brand I would search first. My first pick is the Treasure & Bond faux leather shirt. You better believe that this got added to my cart and purchased!

Fall for me is all about layering. I hate being cold, so stocking up on long sleeve shirts is a must. I like them to be a little on the fitted side so that I can wear a jacket or sweater over them, if I need to, no problem. My next pick is actually three picks because BP, Caslon, and Halogen, all have great options and all for under $20, so it was hard for me to pick just one. 

While jewelry isn’t really what comes first to mind, when you think of style, I had to include these studs! I’d been looking for a pair that I could wear every day and these are exactly what I was hoping for. I’m wearing them in my second holes in the photos above and right now as I type this (and it’d be a safe bet that I also have them in as you’re reading this). 

You’ll also notice the olive cardigan I’m wearing. It’s by BP and still available in three different colors. If you only get one thing this season, I highly recommend a sweater and this cardi is it. Not too thick or too thin and the quality is amazing. 

Now, if you’re thinking you need footwear this upcoming season and not so much clothes, fair point. Here are four Nordstrom brand shoe choices: the Kallie Mule, the Aidy Water Resistant Wedge Sneaker, the Gabriella Chelsea Boot, and the Maya Mule

Just add a pair of jeans and you’re good to go!

And remember, Nordstrom has free shipping and returns as well as curbside pickup. Plus, The Nordy Club, with which you earn points for every dollar you spend and get exclusive access to specific brands.

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Follow Black Creators

I am one of many Black creators.

With everything going on, I haven’t felt very inspired to create. Especially not a blog post. But in light of the Black Lives Matter movement and the progress being made, I want to use my voice to help non-Black people support us at this time.

On Instagram I posted that “I’m all for solidarity idgaf about your little black square. It’s like having your partner cheat on you and then bring you flowers.”

I wasn’t saying that I didn’t see the value behind the little black squares that people were posting to show that they stood with BLM, but I wanted it to be clear that it was not enough. Many people have donated and amplified Black voices on social media since, others have protested. And for that I thank you.

Yet I am not blind to the fact that there are still so many people who posted a little black square and that’s it. So, I said what I said. I meant it and I stand by it.

But that’s not the purpose of this blog post. The purpose of this blog post is to get you to follow Black creators and diversify your feed.

In my Instagram stories, I shared over 100 Black influencers. I was requested to share that list here, so I am. And while I don’t expect you to follow us all, I want you to be mindful that if you follow 1,000 people and did follow just 100 Black creators that’s only 10%.

Additionally, I implore you to do your own homework as well, as this list is not even the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Black creators.

@gabbymbeki

@alexamjdotcom

@nailthecocktail

@africancocktail

@lisaalamode

@georgina.whalen

@vanavain

@vanablack

@theayamba

@chardlinechanel

@stylemeetsstrategy

@thesportsbrat

@dani_authentic

@jenesaisquoithe

@opalbyopal

@thedailyseyi

@thekelleydoll

@modern.day.classic

@jnaydaily

@jungleinaroom

@ashmarieee_

@krystyajay

@janie.wonders

@sinmi.araoye

@carinec83

@laya_charon

@itsasiam

@aritzystyle

@oliviaomega

@thekachetlife

@heybriajones

@astyledmind

@peigystyles

@tanika_nyclifestyle

@noneesworld

@shanelamari

@petitemarienyc

@cookayemonster

@mama.photog

@thevicstyles

@chasingdenisse

@squarepearls

@skylarmarshai

@kellyaugustineb

@signedblake

@joce_blake

@cphilipp

@gavyntaylor

@damasklove

@itsbritneynicole_

@clarkandstone

@laysummers

@warlenerene

@itsmekellieb

@josephineslooks

@saudahsaleeminteriors

@iknowlee

@dlolo

@ruthieridley

@theinspiredi

@mikaela.pabon

@corporateincolor

@yvettecorinne

@waityouneedthis

@aminamarie

@cocobassey

@typicalblaqueen

@stylenbeautydoc

@essiegolden

@jenjeanpierre

@signedwithatblog

@cmariekwarteng

@monroesteele

@imgoodlikemeghan

@hiltoncarter

@chescaleigh

@sunitav_

@natashagsamuels

@daynabolden

@tinsleyerin

@laceandpearlsblog

@jodikayedwards

@_happygocurly_

@piecesofonye

@ijeomakola

@lola.akw

@candicenikeia

@theyusufs

@themattiejames

@surgeryandthecity

@offthekatwalk

@naptural85

@karenbritchick

@casondra_cronk

@specsandblazers

@botanicalblackgirl

@plantkween

@goodtomicha

@curissadeleon

@latonyayvette

@tyalexander

@essenceandstyle

@moemotivate

@kelawalker

@kekecameron

@currentlykherington

@beingmarrica

@rahelbrhane_

@curlsandcouture

@lifeinbeverlyheels

@myepiphany

@itsnkenge

@brittanny

@thebubbleista

@_jazmynanderson

@bklynmavens

@simplycyn

@closetconfections

@caribbean_cowgirl

@melrwhite

@talesandturbans

@nikiaphoenix

@shotbykmarie

@grownandcurvywoman

@tamiastyles

@therealkamie

@daniellecooper

@micaelaverrelien

@outofbarbarasbox

@musesuniform

@aeoristheheiress

@lilyyange

@darling_tee

@makeupshayla

@torontoshay

@chiziduru

@the_real_chi

@whitneymadueke

@walkwithmswalker

@kiitana

@ohtobeamuse

@thebeautifulbostonian

@nycxclothes

@frilancy

@theboxwood_diaries

@venitaaspen

@sandramorganliving

@hayet.rida

@tiffbenson

@tiffanymbattle

@actually_ashly

@meccajw

@tach.j

@thenotoriouskia

@freddieharrel

@shaymone

@authentically.b

@newtexacali

@carmenreneeblog

@candacemread

@carmeon.hamilton

@colormecourtney

@yourstrulyyinka

@thelanguageofyolande

@sadesolomon

@twentysomethingplus

I want to point at that these are just handles. It is up to you to check them out and learn about the voices behind them on your own time.

Whoever you do decided to follow, don’t just follow, engage! Be a part of their community. Keep them in mind for opportunities that come along. Pull up a seat to the table for them, or (if you haven’t already) you might as well delete your little black square.

The ShopStyle Experience and My Budget-Friendly Holiday Gift Guide

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by ShopStyle.

I recently received the opportunity of a lifetime to create a budget-friendly holiday gift guide in partnership with ShopStyle. My gift guide featured Gifts to Give (Or Get) Under $50 which I was able to share at The ShopStyle Experience in NYC, alongside the holiday gift guides of Ellen V Lora, The Mom Edit, Atlantic Pacific, and Alice Gao.

Whether or not you’ve already begun your holiday shopping or not, with ShopStyle you can shop smarter. And not just for the holidays.

The ShopStyle Experience brought the things that make ShopStyle great to an IRL pop-up experience. Our inspirational influencer gift guide displays, a gifting suite with some of the hottest products, and even a cash back video booth!

Something new to ShopStyle is the ability to now search and favorite influencers. If you haven’t favorited me already, you can find me here. What that means is that every time I (or your other favorited influencers) creates a new look, you’ll be notified and never miss our posts! You can also favorite individual products and receive sale alerts when their prices dropped.

Now, I know that most of you (or so I’d at least that’s what I’m telling myself), have been waiting for me to share my picks for the gift guide I created here on the blog. If so, you’re in luck! 

When selecting what I felt would make the best budget-friendly gifts to give this holiday season, I thought about the things that I not only owned and love, like the Caudalie Power Glow Essentials set, but also what I wanted or needed, like a Google Home Mini or the Umbra Trigem Jewelry Stand. I also made sure to include some trendy hair accessories, and things for the home.

Make sure to swipe through and check out all of my picks!

Photos: Will Ragozzino for ShopStyle

Mrs. Bethany Everett-Ratcliffe

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Sorry for the near radio silence the past several months. Things have been kind of a blur over here. For starters, if you haven’t been following me on Instagram, and couldn’t tell from the title of this post, I got married.

Yes, you read that right, I got married!

We eloped.

It’s not like I was exactly anti-marriage or anything like that, but I certainly didn’t think marriage was something I wanted for myself. And whenever I would start to change my mind, it felt like the universe would conspire against me.

Turns out it wasn’t me, or him, it was the wedding. Once we made up our minds to forego tradition everything simply fell into place.

And I mean everything. Both of our jobs. Our dream apartment. Everything. So yeah, I’ve been a little busy. There’s still things in the works (no, not a baby), but I do still want to make an effort to be better about blogging.

Photos by: Nicole Adrienne Photography | Bouquet by: Twig and Briar | Hair: Knappy Hair | Dress: Reformation | Ring: Catbird

An Edgy Feminine Festival Outfit Idea

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Even though I won’t be attending, Coachella is right around the corner. You don’t have to go to Coachella to appreciate the style. I have long since loved taking and mixing styles to make them my own. Here’s a feminine yet edgy festival outfit idea that you can wear to a festival or in your own backyard. Or on the grounds of the Parker Palm Springs, like I did!

Bohemian inspired style, while cute for a festival outfit, don’t feel grounded enough for me. So, I styled this lace For Love and Lemons dress with my Matisse biker boots and a red lip to make it a little more chic and classy. The grey fedora hat is from Gigi Pip, of which I am now a brand advocate and will be sharing a promo code for on Instagram very soon…

My initial vision for this festival outfit shoot involved a trip to Joshua Tree, but Denisse Benitez of Chasing Denisse, made magic happen right where I was staying!

Have you ever been to a music festival? I’ve been to Boston Calling. What are your festival plans for this year?

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NYFW: Street Style

Before I recap my second (and much more gratifying) NYFW experience, I wanted to share about one of my favorite parts of Fashion Week.

Street style.

I will also be sharing my own outfits from NYFW, but that will just be in a later blog post.

While this time around, my overall experience was about 1000x better, I still didn’t delve into NYFW as much as I could have. That’s not a bad thing, though! What I did do felt surreal in the best way. But more on that in another later post.

Scout the City

I saw enough outfit inspiration while at NYFW to make Andrew worried I would want an entire new wardrobe.

However, when Sai De Silva walked by us and was inevitably stopped by street style photographers for photos, something came over me and I sprung into action. Snatching my camera from a very confused Andrew (who had been taking photos of me) snapping photos like my blog depended on it!

prêt-à-provost

Sai wasn’t the only blogger I crossed paths with at NYFW. Very similarly, I witnessed photographers clicking away camera directed at Allie Provost and her beautiful Kate Spade ensemble.

I’ve followed Allie of prêt-à-provost on Instagram for so long, that I felt like I knew her and asked to take a photo with her. She is super sweet and of course she obliged, resulting in a photo that I absolutely love!

For all the other fashion obsessed out there, what is your favorite part of NYFW?