Be There: Closet Purge Hfx

Bloggers love to have well stocked closets. Bloggers also love to purge said closets to make room for new pretty things. This is where YOU get to benefit!

Saturday, June 6th, join your favourite bloggers for an epic closet sale. The event takes place at Nova Fashion Incubator, 1531 Grafton St in downtown Halifax. Doors open at noon and the event runs til 5:00 (or til we sell out!!!)

The event is CASH ONLY and obviously everything is final sale.

There are bloggers of many shapes and sizes, and we're selling shoes and accessories too!

Here is the link to the event on Facebook and please follow me on Instagram (@jennifermerlin14) for sneak peeks all week on some of the items I'll have for sale.

Please tell all of your stylish friends. Can't wait to see you there!


XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Little Loves Lately: May 2015

I seem to have a bunch of new products.... yay! I think a lot of it has to do with the Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum cash-in I did in April.

First up is a product I received when I went to Waxon to get my brows and lashes done. This body cleanser and scrub is by FAR the best shower product I've come across in a long long time. I love to exfoliate, especially in the summer when I'm usually under a moderate coat of sunless tanner. Sometimes you need to clear the canvas, you know? On the Rocks lets you skip the step of cleansing, because while it exfoliates, it cleanses too. I kid you not. The scent I have is Japanese Peppermint and Eucalyptus and it is soooo divine. It's really gentle as it's a sugar based formula.

This tiny little bit cleansed and exfoliated my entire body. Wow.

Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster is one of those products that is so genius it blew my mind. Why didn't I invent this? I hate putting sunless tanner on my face as it seems to always dry it out. I remember slathering on moisturizer the night before our wedding to make sure my skin looked okay for the big day. This is a concentrate that you mix in with your regular face moisturizer and it makes you TAN. Three drops is all it takes to get a nice glow, and you don't even need to apply it every night, so this little bottle is going to last a long time! Plus it's kind of like playing mad scientist when you get to mix it up in your hand.

When I had my hair dyed red, I had to change up my make-up a bit. The same eye colors I've always used still looked good (lots of bronze, brown, beige, and some purples) but my usual pink blush just didn't look right. Some YouTube browsing lead me to seeking out a coral blush. When I went to Sephora, I was a bit overwhelmed with the selection so I asked for help and was shown three different brands. This was the one I liked the best - Sephora Colourful in the shade "oh my gosh".

It is SO bright in the case and when you swatch it, but when applied with a light hand, it gives a lovely glow that complements my fair skin and red hair. I don't think I've ever in my life used up a blush... I just throw them out when they get old and start to crack!

Have you stumbled upon any great products lately?

Have a great weekend!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Buds

Is there anything more exciting than green leaves on trees after Snowmageddon 2015? Public Gardens last weekend was bursting with new foliage, and it was beautiful to be among it!

Details

Vest and Pants: Gap

Shirt: Smart Set

Bag: Kate Spade

Sneaks: Converse

Sunnies: Coach

Bracelet: Joe Fresh

Necklace: Gift

I think this vest is going to be my third piece a lot this summer over sundresses! It feels very 80's rock star, but I'm okay with that. 

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Waxon: Brows on Fleek

If you've taken a walk on Spring Garden Road in Halifax lately, you may have noticed the vibrant storefront of Waxon. The decor is so inviting! Once you step inside, the scent is just as fabulous as the sight. Waxon has developed their own line of wonderful smelling skin care products that will optimize your waxing experience.

The company's founder Lexi was in town for the day, and she spent some time with me explaining the expansion of Waxon from Toronto to Halifax. She went to university here (yay Dal!) and Halifax seemed to be the natural next step for the brand, given her love for the city. 

I was lucky to be treated to a brow shaping (wax), a brow tint, and a lash tint. The whole experience was very relaxing and not painful. I'd had my brows waxed many times before but never had lash or brow tinting done.

The results? I was very pleased with the experience. My brows were a perfect shape for me (and kept natural at my request).  There was no redness afterwards either (shocking!). The brow tint actually turned out a tiny bit orange BUT it evolved over the next 24 hours to a shade just one level darker than my natural brow. I haven't even felt the need to use my Benefit Gimme Brow (which is normally a daily must for me). As for the lash tint... I think it would be fabulous for someone who had full, long lashes that were just too light. For me, my own lashes are still too skinny and short to be able to go without mascara, even with the tint.

I went home with three great products - it was SO hard to choose which scents as they were all wonderful. I have the Body Shot moisturizing oil, On the Rocks (exfoliant and cleansing product) in Japanese Peppermint and Eucalyptus, and Loofah scrub in Blood Orange & White Grapefruit. The loofah is so neat - an actual loofah embedded in soap! What a great concept.

Thanks so much to Waxon for having me! I will be back!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Third Piece

The concept about the third piece was something I usually did, but wasn't actually conscious of it. The idea is, when you're getting dressed, your outfit looks much more interesting if you add a third piece (besides your shoes).

For example:
Jeans, sweater, scarf
Dress, vest, hat
Shorts, tank, denim jacket
Skirt, top, statement necklace

Sure, I could have stopped at the top and jeans, but I think adding the vest elevated the look. Well, as much as you can elevate a pretty casual ensemble!

Details

Top: Banana Republic

Vest: Vero Moda via Envy

Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Sneaks: Converse

Necklace: Forever 21

Sunnies: Coach

The Who What Wear article on the third piece explains the idea even more. Start using the third piece to make your look a lot more fun!

Hope everyone's long weekend is going gorgeously!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Sunday Right Now 05.17.15

Reading: I've been reading a lot lately which is so great. Sometimes I spend way too much time on-line, so I know if I'm getting through more books, my web browsing time is less. In the past few weeks I've finished two great - but very different - books. Wild by Cheryl Strayed is one I've been meaning to read for a long time. It was a wonderful memoir of her time backpacking as a twenty-something on the Pacific Crest Trail. Although my own backpacking year wasn't nearly as arduous as hers (my actual hiking was fairly minimal) it reminded me of that feeling of not knowing for sure what the next step would bring. It wasn't a terribly fast- paced book, but it held my attention well and when I finished the book, I was so glad she was able to share her story. The other book I read was The Girl On the Train by Paula Hawkins.  I flew through this in five days, which isn't bad for a full time worker (and part time blogger). This was one of those books that was really hard to put down. It reminded me of Gone Girl or Room in that aspect. The main character drove me nuts most of the time, but the book was written in a way that you didn't have to like her to enjoy the plot.
Writing: Blog posts, wedding think you cards (yes, still) and jotting down ideas for novel #2 which I will never have time to write (le sigh)
Clicking: I made an impromptu on-line order last week at Zara. I don't mind ordering from there as they have free shipping and returns so your only loss is the time it takes to go to the post office. I ordered four things - three are going back. Most hilarious of the rejects are these...

You know those ads, "Lose 5 pounds overnight!"? These are "Gain 30 pounds, instantly!"
Seeing: A massive mountain of patio furniture cushions. We need to buy covers so these don't have to be taken in at night!

Smelling: B&BW Sundrenched Vineyard candle to mask the gross eggs from R's breakfast. I loathe eggs and their stink.
Hearing: Every night for the past few weeks we've been hearing peepers outside. They live in the water hazard on the golf course. I find their noises soothing to fall asleep to.
Watching: Catching up on Grey's Anatomy! We were eleven shows behind! Now we only have two left for the season. I'm also loving The Royals.
Feeling: Pretty blah today. It's raining and I slept too late. I used to feel great after sleeping in but now it usually makes me groggy for the entire day. And by sleeping in, I mean 9:20.
Wearing: Jeans, tee, cardigan, slippers. My blah mood has made me feel uninspired in my clothing choices for the day. No blog photos on this lazy Sunday.
Anticipating: Selling off my wardrobe. Not all of it, but a sizeable chunk that I'm not wearing anymore. Hopefully I'll have more details about the Blogger Closet Sale soon! Purging feels so freaking good!

XOXO
Gitterary Girl

Celebrating Moms

Brunch, roses, quality time? Count me in! I was lucky to get spend Mothers' Day with my mom and mom-in-law.

It started off with some yummy food (brunch is becoming a wonderful tradition) and ended with some much needed outside time. It was a gorgeous day - sunny and 23 - to wander around the golf course and stop in to some open house condos.

Getting dressed was a flurry... I actually didn't have anything picked out to wear until the morning of!
Luckily, my tried and true formula (blazer, top, jeans) seemed to do the trick.

Details

Blazer: Ann Taylor

Jeans: Joe Fresh

Top: Dynamite

Shoes: BCBGeneration

Necklace: Forever 21

Bag: Kate Spade

I might have to get another pair of white jeans, maybe distressed ones. I can't seem to stop reaching for these! 

XOXO

Glitterary Girl

Ankle Party

It might be impossible to be in a bad mood while wearing these sandals. These are perfect for getting the fun fringe trend without going too far to the boho side. As for my obsession with this olive green color.... hey, it's OK, it goes with everything!

Excuse the dazed look on my face. These photos were taken at 8 AM before heading to work, and I don't actually fully wake up until around 10-ish.

Details

Shirt: Forever 21

Pants: Top Shop

Sandals: Aldo

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Bracelets: Stella & Dot and gift

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Morning Photo Ops

Happiness is when hubby offers to take photos in the morning before work! I rarely get a chance to blog on my work style.

Details

Shirt: Smart Set

Pants: H&M

Sandals: TopShop

Glasses: Burberry

Bag: Kate Spade

Bracelet: Gift

On Toes: c/o OPI Hawaii "Go With the Lava Flow" 

I'm all about the H&M pants lately! These are from last year and are multi-seasonal. I wore them this winter with tall boots.

Big handbags have been a necessity. I have to lug around my Invisalign supplies and my prescription sunglasses case... plus two cell phones Don't you hate it when your handbag gets cluttered? I'm constantly cleaning mine out.

Have a fashionably fabulous weekend!

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Fresh Start Season

The white stuff officially melted completely from our property on April 29 - three days ahead of my prediction. With sprinter behind us, the weekend was gloriously warm and I was excited to put on fancy pants.

Details

Shirt: Mavi (super duper old)

Pants: H&M

Shoes: BCBGeneration

Sunnies: Coach

Watch: Guess

I'm slowly getting used to the new hair. It definitely feels healthier and looks fuller than my blonde. I've had a lot of people say it looks like it could be my natural color, which is nice! It was a bit scary the first time I washed it. Lots of red ran down the drain! It still looks the same to me though - no fading yet!

These pants are recent and I think I'm going to go buy them in at least one more color. They are so comfortable and only $18.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

My Monthly Purchases: April 2015

Every month, I break down my clothing expenses and share them. I used to have a monthly budget, but partway through 2014, I switched to a quarterly budget of $500. This can be rolled into the next quarter if it's not all spent. My goal is to keep my out of pocket expenses within $2000 a year. Gifts and gift cards don't count towards my budget.

This was the first month of a new quarter, and I have some extra money to roll forward from birthday gifts. I also have a $50 Joe Fresh GC from my birthday that I haven't spent yet. I spent slightly more than I expected to this month, but I just HAD to have the sandals... scroll down to see.

Sweater: Banana Republic
Reg $110 - on sale for $10
Like I would ever leave a $10 Banana Republic sweater at the store. This is slightly big on me, but looks great for a cozy casual look. It's in the laundry now, so no photo. Color is cream.

Scarf: H&M
Reg $7 - I paid $2 after using my Conscious coupon
I didn't own a lightweight animal print scarf and now I do. I've worn it a few times already, including with the above sweater.

Pants: H&M
Reg $18
These are seriously the funnest pants I've bought in a long time, and I'll be showing you them in a blog post later this week. They are really comfortable and hit the ankle at the perfect place to show off your shoes. Next time I'm in H&M, I'll probably buy another pair in a different color.

Shorts: H&M
Reg $10
These were an iffy purchase as they kinda look like jammies.... which was my Plan B for them if I got them home and couldn't style them. They look really cute paired with a white top and heels.

Hat: Forever 21
Reg: $23
I wear my big black hat a lot, so I felt a big olive hat would get some mileage in my wardrobe as well. I can't find it on-line but it was a new item in-store when I bought it.

Shorts Club Monaco
Reg $129 - on sale for $35 (even more on sale now!)
These are high waisted faux leather and would look good with bare legs or with tights in the winter.
35 was 129

Tights: Club Monaco
Reg $30 - on sale for $6
For $6 these Marsala tights will get some use. They might even go with the above shorts in the winter.

Boots: Stuart Weitzman via Crimson Clover
Reg (who knows how much, likely $500-ish), priced at $150 consignment - on sale for $5.
FIVE DOLLARS. They are in almost perfect condition. Makes me almost excited for the fall (just kidding).

Tee: Hollister
Reg $23 - on sale for $11
I need to stop collecting pineapple shirts.

Tee: Gap
Reg $20 - on sale for $3.50. 
A basic grey long-sleeved tee. I have the same one in navy and white stripes and black.

Cords: Gap
Reg $70 - on sale for $8.50
I haven't been a huge fan of cords lately, but I love these! I think it's because they have a worn in and casual look.

Sandals: Aldo
Reg $90 - I had a $25 off coupon, so got them for $65
Remember last month when I  said I wanted to buy something with fringe? These shoes are like a party on my feet. The heel height is great too! Can't wait to wear these!

Original value of items: $680
Price I paid: $196
I saved 71%

I also bought new pants from the Banana Republic Factory outlet with a gift receipt from a birthday shirt I had to return due to gaping buttons - which is often a problem for me. I've already worn them in this post.

That leaves me $304 to spend for the next two months. If I want to add my leftover birthday money, it's $434, but I'm going to try to save some for New Hampshire this summer.

Did you catch any great deals in April? I'm linked with Franish if you'd like to see how some of the other bloggers did with their April shopping.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl

Ginger

I was all set to write a fabulous post on my new hair, but a migraine struck after work today! After meds and a long nap, I"m feeling much better, but not up for writing a long post.

I've been toying with the idea of red for a long time. I thought about it a few years ago, but at the time, I was newly engaged and my smart stylist encouraged me not to try something so drastic while in the midst of wedding planning... smart! Red is sometimes not easy to reverse!

Lindsay and I had a lot of fun last night. I told her to just dye it and not let me see anything in the mirror until it was done and styled. It was really hard not to peek! She used Olaplaex on me, which is a great new treatment for color. My hair feels SO soft!

I've had a lot of reactions to it today - it is VERY different for me - impossible really not to react. I'd say about 95% were positive (or doing a very good job of covering up a negative). Sorry that I wasn't feeling up to a good face shot this evening, but I'll be sure to take some photos this weekend.

XOXO
Glitterary Girl