Do I win the Worst Blogger Award? I’ve been MIA for quite a while and for the life of me, I cannot find a place in my new apartment to take good outfit photos. Here’s my proof:

There are so many important details to this outfit that I just couldn’t capture. I’ve got a great shametuck going on, but can you tell? No. My shoes are awesome. Not that you’d know. Well, I’m determined to find the perfect blogging spot, so bear with me. And stay tuned…there’s a giveaway coming up!

shirt – J. Crew
dress (as a skirt) – Alternative Apparel
shoes – Jeffrey Campbell

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Yes, I am still in home decor mode. Also, I still can’t quite find the best place to take outfit pictures in my new place and I have an irrational fear of taking photos outside and looking like a crazy person. How do you other fashion bloggers do it?!

Anyway, I’m trying to pace myself when it comes to decorating and cleaning. I was all “Clean All the Things” over the weekend and found myself exhausted and on the verge of a cold (presumably from cleaning up gross boy germs). So from now on, little steps.

A fancy new showerhead. My roommate keeps his head shaved so when I mentioned that the lack of water pressure made it difficult to wash my hair, he was unmoved by my distress. Whatever. Some fancy googling led to Water Management, a Boston-based company that touts the best showerheads to increase water pressure. I’ll be sure to review when I get it!

While I’m in the bathroom, how adorable are these soaps?? They’d totally be for decor, not bathing.

An easy take on artwork for the bathroom? How about placemats? They’re affordable enough to get a few to hang together for bigger impact.

The cabinets in the kitchen are the Lindsay Lohan of cabinets; they’ve lived a fast life and they look like it. A facelift in the form of removable wallpaper is just what the doctor ordered. These from Chasing Paper have caught my eye. Do you know of any other brands of removable wallpaper?

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Since I moved, I’ve been totally focused on unpacking, cleaning, and figuring out how to take the apartment from bachelor pad to…anything other than bachelor pad. I took a break this past Sunday for a special shopping trip to Wrentham Village Premium Outlets with Lei Ann, Sami, Kara, and Kristen. I hadn’t been there in a while, but I remember finding great deals when I had gone in years past. Let me just say…it’s totally worth the trip!

 (Photo taken by Lei Ann)

After a yummy brunch at OAK Long Bar & Kitchen in the Fairmont Copley (the french toast rocked my world), we headed out Wrentham and were treated to a quick tour and learned about the stores that had recently opened, like Max Studio, and stores that had been there for a while and I’d totally been missing out on, like Joe’s Jeans.

Need jeans in every color of the rainbow? They’ve got you covered. I left with a pair of skinny jeans in a perfect grey-tinged wash and a cropped sweater and I seriously love both and plan to spend all weekend in this outfit.

My favorite find of the day? This VPL dress at Off Saks. I’m a huge fan of the brand and this is my first piece from them. And trust me, the price was right!

Thank you to Fairmont Copley and Wrentham Village Premium Outlets for putting together this awesome shopping trip!

**I was given gift cards by Joe’s Jeans and Wrentham Village Premium Outlets, but content and opinions are my own, yadda, yadda, yadda**

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NUDE Skincare ProGenius Treatment Oil

Many moons ago, I was sucked into the face oil hype and tried out one from a major brand with a great reputation. It was a disaster. I went from oily to oiler, red, and covered in pimples. I swore them off for nearly a decade. But this past winter my skin’s been drier than normal and after a rave about this face oil on Fashionism, I scored a sample. As George Takei would say..

It is fantastic. It leaves my skin glowing and soft and creates a fantastic base for my foundation and concealer. It hasn’t broken me out at all, and I’ve been using it both morning and night. Of course, a little bottle of this magic is pricey. I was able to use my Spehora VIB member points for 3 sample sizes which will last me a while (you only need 2-3 pumps per use). Once it’s gone, I’ll likely fork over the dough. It is worth it!

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I wish I could say I’ve been radio silent the past few weeks because I was on a secluded island with kittens, puppies, and Tom Hardy, but no. I was packing up all my shit, wondering how it’s possible to own so much clothes and still have nothing to wear, and gleefully anticipating my shorter commute to work. My arms hurt from lifting boxes and moving, and my legs are killing me from the stairs at Porter Station* but I am now a resident of Somerville and no longer living in my parents house! It’s practically like I’m an adult.

I’m loving the new place, and when it isn’t a total mess I’ll share some photos. In the meantime, you’re stuck with photos of me. In a shirt that *could* be Missoni if I wasn’t perpetually broke and a scarf that I love so much I want to be buried with it.

shirt- Jones New York
jeans- Forever21
boots- Elie Tahari
coat- Zara (old)
scarf- vintage

*Porter Station is approximately 12,000 feet underground and you have to climb approximately 257,349 steps to get in and out. Boston-based folks know I’m exaggerating only a tiny bit.

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This may come as a surprise to you, but I will occasionally take some time out of my busy day to visit one or two online stores. Today I found myself checking out mikkat market, an online boutique with a small range, obvious atheistic (trends done in a clean and wearable way), and low, low prices that make my wallet happy. I’ve ordered from them before and I’ve been pretty pleased with the quality at the pice point.

These items all caught my eye recently, especially the button-down peplum shirt (close to the Tibi one I missed out on) and the white lace shirt (perfect for spring)!

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Silly pose. Cute outfit. Take my word for it that it was much better in person.

vest – DKNY
shirt – Lands End Canvas
jeans – Forever21
sneakers – Target

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Foundations promise so much – poreless skin, no wrinkles, and the radiance of an angel brought to earth with a few swipes. Most are pretty good, some are great, some are utter crap. This? This stuff is just beyond.

 Giorgio Armani’s Maestro Foundation is made with fancy oils and science-y things that I don’t quite understand but it’s weightless and incredibly light. It’s basically bottled Photoshop/airbrushing. It’s very sheer, so you’ll need a little concealer to cover any blemishes or dark circles. But redness, dullness, pores? All magically gone. I find myself reaching for it even on days when I’m just running a few errands nearby and I don’t really need any makeup – because I look 1000% better with it on.

 So yeah, it’s Armani which means it’s expensive. It’s worth it. Not just because you only need a few drops to cover your entire face but because it’s so freaking awesome. Go to the Armani counter, get a sample (I wear shade 7, for reference), fall in love with it, and then email me with effusive proclamations that I’ve drastically improved your quality of life. I’ll take gifts in the form of kittens.

To sum up…

When I brought home a sample and got ready to try it on:

After putting it on for the first time:

And now, whenever I catch my reflection in a mirror and I have it on:

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I want to make a line of winter hats that say “I’m not really this fat. I’m just wearing a ton of layers. Winter, ya’know?”

Some of you may know that I’m not a born and bred ‘merican. I was born in the Caribbean, spent a few years in Chile, and then was plopped in Boston just in time to enter grade school. I wasn’t made for this weather! Doesn’t matter than I’ve been here 20+ years, my genes ache for the humidity and heat of the tropics. So in the winter, I layer. I’m talking long johns or fleece stockings, thick socks (or two if I can get away with it), pants, and knee high boots. Not to mention a tank top, a long sleeved undershirt, and a sweater. At least. Skirts require two pairs of fleece tights and thigh-high socks. And yes, this is all topped off with my Michelin Man puffy coat.

Right around this time of the year, I get real tired of it. The layers, the pants that won’t zip because I’ve stuffed two other pants underneath them, and feeling like I might Hulk out of my coat because I’m wearing four or five shirts. So…this is what you wear when you can’t bear the thought of anymore layers and you just want to wear your skinny jeans without feeling like a busted can of biscuits. Look, that’s the smile of someone whose thighs aren’t crying.

sweater – Vince
tee – American Apparel
jeans – Levi’s
necklace – vintage
sneakers – DSW

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A few nights ago, I arrived home to find my parents snuggled up in bed together. Aww cute. Then I went to my bedroom and found my two cats, also snuggled together. It hit me – I’m the fifth wheel in MY OWN HOME. So if you’re like me and spending Valentine’s Day alone when seemingly every other person mammal on earth is coupled up, here’s a guide on how to handle it.

Buy shit. Specifically shit that is not pink, red, romantic, or flirty whatsoever.

How about some jewelry as black as your withered heart?

1. Charles Albert

2. Rebecca Minkoff

3. Iosselliani

4. Dinosaur Toes via Etsy

5. Crystal Ship Creations via Etsy

6. Not One Sparrow via Etsy

1.  Funktional; way cooler than any button-down you could borrow from a man-friend.

2. Topshop; this would be great to throw on when you roll out of bed at 2pm on a Sunday because you didn’t have to get up early and cook a fancy brunch for your boyfriend’s parents. Accessorize with a beer and plateful of bacon.

3. Dolce Vita; feminine in a “grandmother’s handkerchief or tablecloth” kind of way.

4. Topshop; yes, it’s a basic black sweatshirt. But in really cool neoprene fabric. It’ll leave men befuddled, trust me.

A classic red or pale pink nail is a perfect Valentine’s Day manicure. Say fuck it and try one of these instead.

1. Grungy black via Pinterest

2. Grumpy cat (via Spektor’s Nails) is the single girl’s spirit animal.

3.  Faded and chipped blue via Pinterest

Skip the overpriced, crowded restaurants and treat yourself to a meal perfect for somebody who won’t need fresh-smelling breath at the end of the night.

1. Rosemary Garlic Steak via The Steamy Kitchen

2. 40 Cloves of Garlic Soup via Kitchen Treaty

3. Linguine with Arugula, Garlic & Parmesan via Gimme Some Oven

4. White Pizza Grilled Cheese via Kitchen Treaty

For dessert, eat these. These are the best caramels I’ve ever eaten in my life. Seriously. If you want to emulate me, say you’ll only eat 2 or 3 and then eat half the bag in one sitting and wait for the caramel sugar coma to sink in.

Now…for some entertainment. Don’t worry there are no star-crossed lovers or Nicholas Sparks crap here.

Who has time to worry about things like relationships and love when you’re got a full-time heroin addiction to nurture? Trainspotting is one of my favorite movies ever – the sharp humor, bleak story line, wicked soundtrack, and unexpected happy (?) ending can’t be beat. Also, full frontal Ewan McGregor. Just because I’m anti Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean I’m frigid, people.

If you like your movies with a bit more bite…how about Teeth? Not for the squeamish, and definitely not man-friendly, this movie might actually leave you frigid for a little while.

There you go. I am confident that if you follow my careful instructions you will have a kickass Valentine’s Day despite the fact that you’re alone. All alone. Forever and ever and ever.

Oh, and if anyone brings up Valentine’s Day around you, follow my lead:

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