!i$@ bee™: Shoppin' it up

Showing posts with label Shoppin' it up. Show all posts

9/15/11

My scores from the Missoni for Target Collection :-)

Can you smell the ~couture~?

As all you fashionistas out there may have realized, the Missoni for Target collection was released this past Tuesday to much fanfare. By the time I got to my local Target around noon that day, most of the merchandise was completely gone; what was left looked like a tsunami hit it. Luckily, two of the three items I came up there looking for were still in stock and in my size, too (yay!):

Missoni for Target silk floral scarf and suede pumps

What I didn't find--at least not in my size--were these cute and comfy-looking flats:

I hit up the Target website once I got back home, only to find that Target's servers had crashed from the sheer demand. It's that serious, yo! I know Target has had other prominent names in fashion on its racks--Isaac Mizrahi, Alexander McQueen, even lesser-known but still costly and chic brand Tucker--but nothing of the magnitude that Missoni brought to the table.

For the uninformed, Missoni is an Italian knitwear label best known for its colorful zigzag patterns. They also specialize in striped, geometric, and abstract floral prints. These prints come in a variety of fabric choices, primarily wool but also cotton, linen, rayon and silk.

The Missoni for Target collection has women's clothing and accessories (of course), but also chic and unique items for kids, men, and the home. The campaign runs from September 13 to October 22, though I've heard that the collection is so popular, Targets everywhere have been wiped out of the collection and are unsure if and when they'll get more items in stock.

If you haven't already, get thee to a Tar-jhay tout suite!

5/18/11

Designer... nails... in... the... club

Since the coveted Chanel 2.55 bag is a little out of my budget at about $3,500 (to say the VERY least lol), I decided to get my Chanel fix in a more attainable manner: on my nails!

Peep 'em:

I got these interlocking "C" decals off eBay, the holy grail for all things random, cheap, and awesome. Next I think I'll get some YSL decals. How hot would that symbol look against a nude polish background?!

4/6/11

Tuckered Out In

I've been a big fan of a little indie clothing label called Tucker for a while. I first picked up one of Gaby Basora's highly coveted, loosely-cut silk tops while scouring the racks at my favorite consignment shop a couple years ago and I was hooked. Seeing as how the tops are 100% silk, come in beautiful, limited edition prints, and are worn by celebrities and fashionistas alike, it was more than a steal to pick up this lovely for a mere $25 (the tops retail for $200+ at Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth, and other high-end retailers):

Dressing room photo shoot!

I love Tucker's whole hippie-chic vibe. The colorful vintage-inspired prints are gorgeous, and if I had the money, I'd snatch up a few more tops and dresses for the summer. The pieces are so versatile, too: with the cut and fabric, Tucker's tops and dresses can easily transition from day to night, season to season.

Imagine how thrilled I was to find that Tucker is part of Target's Go International campaign, in which designers are handpicked to craft affordable, high quality versions of their lines for the masses. The campaign is five years old this year and to celebrate, Target's released some highlights from current and previous Go International collections. With such big names in fashion as Luella Bartley, Paul & Joe, Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, Rodarte, and Zac Posen contributing to the campaign, it goes without saying that the pieces released get snatched up with the quickness.

Browsing the aisles with my homegirl Ashley this week, I spotted the very last of these $34.99 Tucker cuties on the rack:

Fun fact: This is John Legend's ~~beard~~ girlfriend, Christine Teigen

Of course, it was the last one AND it was just my size. It had to be a sign from the fashion gods

I'm totally digging the fit of this dress. It falls at a flirty mid-thigh length, is lightweight but not incredibly sheer, comes with pockets (!!!), and has that wonderful vintage-inspired print I've come to know and love from Tucker. I also dig the comfy waistband; it draws the dress in and keeps it from looking too boxy and shapeless. It can also be covered with a chunky leather belt if visible waistbands aren't your thing. The only thing I'd change is the buttons, which say "Tucker" on them--kinda tacky in my opinion. But they can be easily replaced with something less "Look At Me, I'm Wearing A Brand Name."

UGH, "Tucker" buttons

The Go International campaign is only good for a few more days (ends April 10), so snatch up some of your high-end designer faves from the store while you can!

3/29/11

This made me LOL: The AB-hancer

I said "I want a six-pack, fool" not a fool with a six-pack!

"I couldn't believe how effective AB-hancer was, chicks dig it." - Jeff

I suspect this isn't a real product, but I'll offer up an "LOL/LE SIGH" anyways.

3/18/11

NOTD: St. Patty's Day & mini-haul

Just in time for St. Patty's Day, the homie Debbie blessed a sista with the very hard-to-find Sinful Colors Green Ocean! It's been on my polish wish list since seeing Enamel Girl use it in a look of hers:

[via Enamel Girl]

Green Ocean is a gorgeous blue/green flakey glitter polish. The shade is supposed to be part of the St. Patrick's Day display at a number of drugstores, but of course, it's sold out or just plain not sold at all everywhere I checked. In terms of its finish and price point (a very purchase-worthy $1.99), Green Ocean is reminiscent of the uber-popular Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure, which I also was never able to find on shelves. I was able to find a dupe for it on eBay though: Nubar's 2010, which I'm currently wearing on my toes between a base color of Nicole by OPI The Grape Debate and Nicole by OPI Pitch-Black Glimmer as a top coat:

Rainbow flakes, glitter, and purple?! Oh my

Green Ocean is like the turquoise version of Hidden Treasure. Though it looks very green in the bottle, when applied the color pulls more blue. Here, I used 3 coats of it over Sinful Colors Black on Black:

I had no problems with application. The flakes in Green Ocean are bigger and chunkier than those in my Nubar 2010 and the formula is thick and almost gel-like in its consistency, but none of this makes the polish difficult to work with. The formula dries rough to the touch, which is typical of most glitter polishes. Nothing a couple coats of Seche Vite can't fix though.

I also picked up love & beauty Fuchsia yesterday, a very springy hot pink jelly, using that color as an accent to break up the blue.

I really like this mani, it reminds me of chillin' in a hot pink bikini in a shimmering pool

Obviously, summer can't get here soon enough, lol.

Besides Green Ocean and Fuchsia, this week's haul also includes a vintage Gucci sweatshirt. I can't wait to pair this with my favorite leggings, a gold dookie chain, and some fresh kicks.

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5/24/10

Full frontal nudity (so sexay, I'm blushing)

I know everyone's been waiting with bated breath to find out which lip product I decided to return (ha). Well, it was two: the MAC Lipglass in Lychee Luxe and the KORRES Lip Butter in Mango. Pour some on the ground for my returned homies With the money I saved, I invested in a great nude lip color*, one of the shades I currently don't have in my beauty arsenal, and also a lovely peach cheek color from the Victoria's Secret makeup line.

I hit up this place called The Cosmetics Company that sells discontinued and discounted brand name makeup--mostly Estee Lauder, but also YSL, Prescriptives, Clinique, and everyone's favorite, MAC. I found this great product there in MAC Slimshines. It's the perfect formula for me: a lipstick/lipgloss combo with sheer yet buildable color. Great for the summer months, when I don't feel like being bothered with the goopy heaviness a true lipstick or lipgloss would leave. I picked a shade that was close to my own skin color but slightly pinker, to avoid that "dead lips" look.

MAC Slimshine in Ultra Elegant

This lippie will be fantastic for when I do up my eyes (since I'm more of an eyeshadow girl anyways) and also for work or everyday wear.

I also picked up a Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Cheek Tint in Just Peachy. It comes in a tiny deodorant stick container like my Stila Color Push-Up. I love the ease of portability and application with these and how the color creates a pretty, natural flush.

VS Cheek Tint in Just Peachy (cheeks) & MAC Slimshine in Ultra Elegant (lips)

The VS Cheek Tint has a watermelon candy scent to it (yummers), while the MAC Slimshine has a faint vanilla scent familiar to those of you who use their other lip products. Each product wears well, with the Cheek Tint fading only after scrubbing it off with makeup remover and the Slimshine lasting about 2-3 hours with regular application after drinking or meals.

What great packaging, too. I already told you I'm loving the deodorant stick shape of the Cheek Tint, and the Slimshine casing is so sleek and shiny it's like pulling out a work of art every time I apply it, lol. All in all, I'm quite satisfied with my purchases

*TIP: You can use concealer and a lipgloss to create a nude lip as well, if you don't feel like investing in a nude lipstick. I tried this before buying the MAC Slimshine, but the particular concealer I have made my lips look greenish, like I'd been noshing on baby poop. Nast.

5/8/10

Beauty Haul! ROCKET CITY, STILA & SMH

OK, so for the past couple weeks I've been completely obsessed with makeup blogs. I was never heavy into makeup myself, but lately sites like Temptalia and YouTubers like Fafinettex3 and macNC40 have been providing me with all the makeup and beauty porn I never knew I wanted. These chicks (and sometimes dudes) are even getting shine in the New York Times! Inspired by all the different looks and colors palettes available, I decided to do a little beauty haul of my own.

Look what came in the mail today:

L to R: ROCKET CITY Space Case for Eyes in RC-67; STILA Color Push Ups in Rose Flash;
SMH Eyeshadow Single in Metro

I'd been on the lookout for a silver or pewter eyeshadow, so I could recreate the eye in this video:

I'd heard good things about the Stars Makeup Haven (SMH) brand of eyeshadows; in fact, one beauty blogger says the quality and variety in color is on par with MAC shadows, but for less than half the price (!!!). Metro is a beautiful dark metallic gray color. The color is true to how it looks in the pan and goes on smoothly. Here, I paired it with a base color (NYX Eyeshadow Pencil in Black Bean), which really intensified the color payoff:

In this pic you can also peep the STILA Color Push Ups in Rose Flash on my cheeks and lips. Color Push Ups come packaged like tiny deodorants. It's a cute idea and the unique packaging makes for easy application (a definite plus, as these are an all-over color product, meant to be used on cheeks and lips). These would be great for travel.

The formula for Color Push Ups is creamy and sheer; it took about 4 applications for the color to show on my cheeks and lips. You will need a gloss or balm if using these as lip color though, as the formula isn't very moisturizing. I'm liking the color payoff; Rose Flash lends a natural flush my cheeks, like I just got through running around the block (ha). It doesn't leave my skin feeling like there's product on it either: no stickiness, no goop.

Last up we have the ROCKET CITY Space Case for Eyes in RC-67. I was watching some girl's YouTube makeup tutorial and she used the MAC Spiced Chocolate quad (below) for the look.

MAC Spiced Chocolate quad (L to R): Nanogold, Brush, Sweet Chestnut, and Spiced Chocolate

Only prob is, that quad was limited edition and came out two years ago

If I was to recreate the look, I'd have to find dupes of the colors in that quad, which is exactly what I found in this ROCKET CITY palette. Yippee!

ROCKET CITY Space Case for Eyes with the MAC Spiced Chocolate quad dupes highlighted

What makes me truly proud of this purchase is the money I saved. The original MAC quad of these colors was $36. The ROCKET CITY palette--which in addition to the colors I was really looking for comes with an additional four, pretty neutral colors--came to a resounding $1.99. That's right folks, I got twice the color for 18x LESS of the price of the quad!

I haven't tested these out yet, so color payoff, texture, quality, etc. have yet to be seen. But I shall be using these shadows in an upcoming experimentation (gotta recreate that chick's look after all), so stay tuned!

P.S. Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!

4/15/10

I racked up at Shecky's Girls Night Out

Here is but a sampling of all the products I received in my infamous Shecky's goodie bag. I say infamous because when I arrived yesterday, b*tches were wrapped around the block waiting to get in. After about 30 minutes in line and a couple of hours browsing the tables, I can attest to the fact that it is NOT THAT SERIOUS, other than the goodie bags and drinks, which were delicious.

I had never heard of Shecky's or Girls Night Out before this event, but I liken it to the free-for-all chaos that ensues when a store first opens its doors for a sale. Yeah, something like that. Back to the goodie bag though: that thing had to have weighed five pounds AT LEAST. It was nothing the complimentary drinks being served couldn't cure though. Not bad for $20 admission, eh?

Cheese!

3/21/10

Window shopper

There are few things worst than shopping with little to no $$$ (yes, I ran through my b-day dough like nobody's biz. Sigh). It's like pouring vinegar on an open wound! Oh well, it was a gorgeous day today and a girl has to start planning her Spring wardrobe sometime, right?

Miss Sixty: I loooove this jumpsuit. The jersey knit fabric and tapering at the leg are so flattering.

Here's the bottom half of it

H&M: This dress is so cute. Pairing it with the motorcycle jacket (below) makes it less "girly" and more "Imma take your lunch money, punk"

These WILL be mine!

12/8/09

My boots came today

It's like a party on my ankles.

11/12/09

Which pair of Air Jordans should I get?

I'm normally a Dunk girl, but I've been leaning toward coppin' my first pair of J's. These, my friends, are fiyah.

Air Jordan 1 Retro. These actually look a lot like Dunks to me

Air Jordan IV Retro (as seen on my fave celebri-whore Amber Rose)

Air Jordan 60+

But I'm torn between the three of them. So...
EDIT: The last poll closed before anyone got a chance to break the tie between the Retro Is and the Retro IVs. So here's your chance, lovelies. You have 14 days to vote!

11/5/09

!i$@ tries a new hair product

Now that the top part of my head is behaving, I've focused my hair energy on another problem I've been having: dry scalp.

I went to the beauty supply store yesterday looking for a spray moisturizer or spray oil to put on my hair and scalp after I wash it and twist with shea butter. As I searched the natural hair care aisle, the "Jamaican Mango & Lime" line of products jumped out at me.

Maybe it was the bright yellow label, or maybe the fact that the bottle says "Jamaican" (who knows dreadlocks better than a Jamaican, mon?), but I gravitated toward the No More Itch Gro Spray. The label says it's specifically for "Rasta locks and twists." Yes!

Then I looked at the ingredients. There's only ten ingredients that make up the Gro Spray; I could barely pronounce most of them. Aside from mineral oil, olive oil, and glycerin, I had no idea what those other ingredients were. For the price, I decided to take a chance anyways. Once I got home I did a little research on those mystery ingredients:

Deionized Water: Purified to remove the minerals
Polyquatemium 32: Hairlicious did a post on this ingredient and says it helps the hair lay flat, promotes elasticity and shine, and reduces static and fly-aways
Propylene Glycol: A humectant; a combination of glycerin and water
Diazolidinyl Urea: Anti-bacterial preservative
Methylparaben: Emulsifier (thickening agent)
Proplyparaben: An anti-fungal preservative
Fragrance: Yummy citrus [thanks A Kinky Hair Monologue!]

Great, all stuff that my hair could really use (except for the thickening agent and the anti-bacterial stuff. I keeps my dreadies clean!). I lightly sprayed my entire head, lifting the locs and massaging my scalp as per the label's directions. And... it worked! The formula isn't greasy, which I love, and no more itchy scalp. Plus every time I shake my head it smells like Froot Loops. Hotness.