xoxo, lm

Gilt City Beauty Steal

2012-02-15T16:06:19-06:00

I'm giddy with excitement over here. There are few things I love more than a deal, and although I signed up for Gilt City months ago, today is the first time I fell head-over-heels.

They are offering $40 to Bloom.com for $20. I scoped out the site and it's a beauty-lovers dream! Stila and Essie and Matrix, oh, my! The prices are not discounted but you do get perks, like 10 percent back in rewards.

To sign up for Gilt City, click here, and to join Bloom.com, click here. I subscribe to the Chicago edition of Gilt City but they do have several other cities, and it looks like the Bloom.com deal is national.

Could not wait to share with my loves!
xoxo,
lm

Nail It: Tips for Keeping Polished & Pretty

2012-02-14T23:31:36-06:00

Nothing looks better than nicely painted nails. Shiny or matte, square or round, I think polish adds class. If you're looking for nail tips and ideas, read the smart and simple tricks below so you can keep your fingers chic and smudge-free.

♥ I don't know about you but I hate smudging my nails, especially after I've spent time painting them. One wrong move and you can end up with a sad-looking manicure. After mentioning this to my friend Jenny, she said to dip my fingers in cold water to quickly dry polish. After a little research, I found that it's best to let the nails dry for 2-3 minutes and then dip them in a bowl of ice-cold water for about 3 minutes. Genius!

♥ We all know glitter is fun but it can be difficult to remove. Lately, I've seen a lot of polishes with micro-glitter. One close friend of mine noticed that micro-glitter not only gives nails an extra flair, it also keeps polish from chipping. I tested this out myself and it's true! I painted my nails on Sunday and by the following Thursday, they were still chip-free. Best of all: removing the polish is easy! OPI's It's My Year and Ulta's Chic Peek (right) are my favorites.

♥ I still dig shine but matte nails first hit the runways two years ago. If you want to give your nails a matte finish, my girlfriend swears by Essie's matte top coat, Matte About You.

♥ My most fashionable friend has been toying with nail trends and recently tried contrasting nails. It looks awesome! The first time, she used a robin's egg blue on her fingers, except the ring finger on each hand, which she painted a seafoam green. The next time she made a nail statement, she used a solid color on her digits, except for the ring finger, which had a sparkly polish. Adorable!

What are some of your nail tips? I'm always looking for more!

xoxo,
lm (freshly painted with Ulta's Pink-A-Boo)

Photos courtesy of Essie, Ulta, OPI and StyleCusp

FYI:

2012-02-13T17:09:36-06:00

A girl can dream!
xoxo,
lm

Things That Make My Soul Happy:

2012-02-12T22:33:59-06:00

My sweet little Michael man. Yesterday, we celebrated a big milestone in his life: baby's first Starbucks! Of course, it was caffeine-free, but his mom was less-than-thrilled that aunt Lisa spoiled him with such a sugary treat on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

This sweet-toothed 1.5-year-old was in Starbucks heaven, happy to slurp, slurp, slurp as his mommy and aunt drank their frothy beverages.

And Michael only had one thing to share with us:

"CHEESE!"

Such a ham, that one is.

Happy Monday, everyone. Don't forget to smile at the world, and get your morning Starbucks!

xoxo,
lm

Style for all Seasons

2012-02-10T17:13:39-06:00

Here in Chicago, the snow has started falling again, which got me in the mood to wrap up in a cozy sweater.

It also got me in the mood to look at spring clothes, but I didn't get very far. Instead, I found these neutral-colored numbers which can be dressed up or down for any wardrobe.

Étoile Isabel Marant Acan Open Knit Pullover

J. Crew hacking jacket in tipped double-serge wool

shopfriiscompany.com

If you want some more fashion this weekend, follow my friend and editor Anna at @fashionfilesmag. She is live tweeting from New York Fashion Week, where she is attending shows and interviewing designers!

Have a great weekend, all!
xoxo,
lm