Poolside Playlist (Pt. 1)

1. That 70's Song by The Cab

2. Animal by Neon Trees

3. Under Cover of Darkness by The Strokes

4. Compliment Each Other Like Colors by PlayRadioPlay!

5. The Immortals by Kings of Leon

6. Climbing Walls by Strange Talk

7. Dawn Of The Dead (Station X Remix) by Does It Offend You, Yeah?

At Ease, Sailor

By Julia


I have a slight obsession with nautical items for clothing.  Over the past few weeks, I've bought too many striped items but I love it!  I think this look is great for a day on the lake or anytime during the summer.

via Jcrew.com
J.Crew Earrings
 Are they not the cutest thing?

Old Navy Swimsuit
It was only $12 total.

via Jcrew.com
J.Crew Seersucker Shorts
I love the zipper details.

Sweet Little Nothings: 5.29.2011

By Soraya

via Blogspot.com

This month's style watch was amazing- I tore out and cut up half of the magazine to put in my Look Book the second I got it.

 

Hair wippin' at a pool party.  The only person with hair long enough to pull this off was Emily... now I really want mermaid hair.

via Lintcoat.com

I love the vivid colors (and the music!) on Friendly Fire's new album.

via Weheartit.com

"Look for the stars as the sun goes down, each breath that you take has a thunderous sound.

Everything, everything's magic."

- Angels And Airwaves

Happy Summer everybody!  Let's make this year's the best.

Strange Talk

By Soraya

This Melbourne based band has become an instant favorite of mine.  Many have said that if Phoenix and Yeasayer were to get married, Strange Talk would be their golden child.  Their music is a mixture of indie rock and electronic beats- a delightful combination.


I stumbled upon them when I was downloading songs from the Foster The People album on iTunes.  At first, the quartet's music sounded like a catchy song you'd hear browsing the racks at Hollister.  I almost shook off the impulse to spend more money buying more songs than I'd limited myself to, but the more I listened, the more I couldn't get enough of the up-tempo tracks.  The lead vocals did resonate the unique tone of Thomas Mars, Mr. Phoenix himself, as I had read in an article.  In fact, I'd say that I'm much more fond of this new band than Mars; and I was obsessed with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.  I decided that these songs would easily become hits on a party playlist and that I had to have them... best. choice. ever.


Strange Talk has only recently released a self-titled EP, but I look forward to a full length album- which I will definitely be pre-ordering.  Though it was extremely hard to pick, here's my favorite song from the EP:

Playlist - Week of 5.25.2011

1. Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People

2. Saviour (Acoustic Version) by Lights

3. Come Back Home by Two Door Cinema Club 

4. Words I Never Said (feat. Skylar Grey) by Lupe Fiasco
5. Show Me Lights by Friendly Fires

Colonel Mustard

By Julia


In Austin, it's perfect weather to put on a skirt. Instead of the usual denim shorts, I decided to wear a unique pair: a chambray shirt and corduroy. We often think corduroy is strictly for winter and fall- but if it's in this light color, it's perfect for spring and summer. I paired this with my favorite shoe... knotted Sam Edelman gladiators (which are so easy to wear with anything). I wore this outfit to school and out on the town later that night. I would say it's the perfect weekend outfit. 


J.Crew corduroy skirt, Levi's shirt, J.Crew cheetah print belt, Sam Edelman shoes, Dooney and Bourke wallet



The Look Book: Blue Crush

By Soraya

Beautiful beach-worthy buys in shades of (you guessed it!) blue:

Sweet Little Nothings: 5.22.2011

By Julia

J.Crew Quorra Sandals 
via Jcrew.com

I watched "No Strings Attached" this
 weekend... and this picture doesn't even
 begin to show how cute this movie is.
via Pinterest.com

Carmelita Bars: I got a summer job as a camp counselor
 and this is a camp recipe favorite. I've been dreaming
about one of these all weekend. Can't wait!
via Pinterest.com

 Flowers Bloom by High Highs
via Weheartit.com

Summer Makeup

By Soraya

When the hot and sticky months come along, you may find yourself struggling to fix your melting makeup.  However, a few simple changes can take all that wasted time away.  Here are a few painters to keep your makeup looking fresh, clean, and current this summer:

1. Don't skip the primer!  It'll keep your makeup on for a longer period of time, especially in the summer when you tend to sweat it off. 
(Smashbox's Photo Finish & Bare Escentual's Prime Time)

 

 2. Switch to tinted moisturizers instead of foundation.  They're much lighter, don't look cakey, and can include a great deal of much-needed SPF.
(Philosophy's The Supernatural & Josie Maran tinted moisturizer)

3. Bronzing: Don't go Jersey Shore!  Bronzer has the potential to give everyone a healthy looking glow- but remember to apply only where it looks natural.  And of course, make sure it compliments your skin tone.  A little can go a long way.
(Sephora Collection Sun Disk & Smashbox Bronze Lights)

4. Blot! You do NOT want to end up looking like a literal hot mess.  Always have a stash of blotting paper on hand.
(This is pretty self-explanatory)

5. Waterproof your look; especially mascara.  Also lighten up on eye makeup.  Summer months make everyone more prone to raccoon eyes.
(Lancome Definicils High Definition Waterproof Mascara & Urban Decay's Cannonball )

6. Avoid heavy lipsticks.  Go for a sheer gloss or lacquer.  Peach is the color of the moment.

(Philosophy's Fresh Peaches With Cream Lip Shine & Korres Mango Lip Butter)

7. Go for brighter and pastel colors.  Summer is not the time for dark, dramatic colors.  It allows you to have a little more fun with your color pallete!

all pictures via Sephora.com, except Korres Lip Butter (priceinspector.co.uk)

Sunday Girl

By Julia

"Self Control" by Sunday Girl

Jade Williams is a British pop artist that is also known as Sunday Girl; she caught my eye about the same time as Ellie Goulding.  After her performance at the royal wedding, I gained a new obsession with British pop artists. I found out that Sunday Girl went on the Lights Tour with Ellie. Unfortunately, Sunday Girl only has three singles. But if you’re looking for more Sunday girl, check out the many remixes she released and Youtube for her performances of MGMT’s “Time to Pretend”, Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok”, and a couple others. Beyond music, Sunday Girl is also known for her great taste in fashion. Her style is inspiring and has been featured in many European magazines and on the Asos.com blog.

Sunday Girl's Blog: http://www.wearesundaygirl.com/category/blog/

Sunday Girl (on the right)
picture via: wearesundaygirl.com

Playlist - Week of 5.17.2010 (ACL Edition)

With the Austin City Limits lineup just released, we thought we'd change it up a bit and post amazing songs from the acts we'd like to see most:

1. Under the Sheets Remix (feat. Ellie Goulding) by Chiddy Bang

2. Rebellion (Lies) by Arcade Fire

3. Speed of Sound by Coldplay

4. Runaway by Kanye West

5. Hang Me Up to Dry by The Coldwar Kids

6. Uncharted by Sara Bareilles

7. Flying Overseas (feat. Devonte Hynes & Solange Knowles) by Theophilus London

8. Starstruck by Santigold

9. Swimmers by Broken Social Scene

10. Surprise Hotel by Fool's Gold

11. Ophidiophobia by Cee Lo Green
12. Happiness Is Overrated by The Airborne Toxic Event
13. Superstition by Stevie Wonder
14. Ragged Wood by Fleet Foxes
15. Hot Like Sauce by Pretty Lights

 

Tee Party

By Soraya



1. Barrowby Tee by Jack Wills- $39

2. Old Navy Licensed Character Tee- $15

3. Unisex Midnight Snack Tee by Wilfox Couture

4. Improvd Nude Tee- $69

5. Delia's Giraffe Short Sleeve Tee- $17

6. Vintage Vandergrift Threadbare Shirt by American Apparel- $32

7. Rock T-Shirt- $55

8. Super Dry Tee- $50

The comfy all-American uniform for those lazy summer days when you're looking for a simple top to make a bold statement.

Link to Polyvore

Sweet Little Nothings: 5.15.2011

By Soraya

picture via Blog.ninebyzero.com

I love the color of this lip lacquer: Hot Wired by Nars

picture via Blogs.mix947.com
I'm dying for a sneak preview at the ACL lineup; thankfully the full list comes out this Tuesday!

picture via Freepeople.com
I love this new look from Free People.

      

Three new nail colors: Hot & Spicy, Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous, and Lucky Lucky Lavender (all by OPI).

picture via Weheartit.com

"What if I knew how to yell; what would I pray? What if I knew how to tell; what would I say?"

- The Fray

Catching Waves

By Soraya

The cutest summer hairstyle that works on almost everyone: beachy waves.  They're beautiful and look absolutely effortless- just like you really spent the day basking in all the glory of the sun at the beach.  Now must of us aren't blessed with those tousled tresses, but I know of a couple of products that are sure to impress:




Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray
 (Smells AMAZING)
picture via Thisnext.com

Fekkai Summer Waves
picture via Milo.com




Psychedelic

By Julia

Via: weheartit.com
tutorial help from pinterest.com

Daring enough for the 70's trend? Wanna know how to get nails like these?  
Well here's how: First get a bowl of water, pour little bits of all the different shades you want; it should float on the top.  Swirl with a toothpick.  When it looks the way you want on top of the water, dip your nails through the water.  Once they're dry clean up around them.

Rub A Dub Dub... Fun For The Tub

By Julia

I bought a Groupon to Bath Junkie a while ago. The package I bought was for a Aloe-lu-yah Lotion, Sugared Sorbet Body Polish and hydrating body mist. I took my little sister there one saturday and we had lots of fun smelling every fragrance. If you've never been to Bath Junkie, it's different than your regular bath store because you design your bath products yourself.  
They make it easy by separating the process into steps. First you pick what product you want to make. Then you pick the fragrance, a variety from florals to a coco-chanel-wannabe are at your fingertips.  You can mix and match them to see what you like! My sister and I decided on the mix fragrence of spring fling and peach. I absolutely love the smell of its fruity and floral fragrance and citrus highlight. It accents the peach perfectly. Lastly, you get to pick from the vibrant colors to make your fragrence more fun! We colored our lotion turquoise and our scrub coral. Bath junkie would be a great place for a girly or bachelorette party.

Flower Child

By Soraya

Gilly Hicks dress, vintage Ralph Lauren Black Label belt

I've probably mentioned numerous times how floral dresses are my favorite spring into summer pieces; It's just hard to go wrong with this timeless look!  (Unless you turn to dark colors in granny cuts)  When looking for floral dresses, keep in mind the cut- it's extremely important for the dress to flatter your figure.  Personally, I like looser fitting dresses that are cinched at the waist.  I like belting my dress to give it a little more of an edge.  Because I'm petite this also gives the illusion of more curves. 

Also keep in mind that you want something unique!  If you buy a floral dress from the front display rack of Nordstrom, it's highly likely that you'll find about five other girls at your school wearing the same dress at some point.  Try shopping at boutiques or stores that sell only a limited number of each piece. I love shopping on trips because there are tons of stores you won't be able to find where you live.  Don't be afraid to hand over a little more money for this type of piece- it's classic and you'll be able to wear it forever. 

My favorite floral dress is from Gilly Hicks.  Though it's common for most, there surprisingly isn't one where I live; it caught my eye when I was making one of my annual trips to Los Angeles.  I have people come up to me and asking where I got it all the time- it gives me the greatest feeling ever.  To personalize this piece I wear a paper-thin skirt underneath to serve as a slip, given the dresses short length.

Top 5 Playlist - Week of 5.10.2011

1. Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars

2. Chaos by Mutemath

3. Pull My Heart Away (XX Remix) by Jack Penate

4. Four Floors (Diplo Remix) by Sunday Girl

5. The Garden by Mirah

Short Story

By Julia

American Retro retro short, $451
3 1 Phillip Lim satin short, $425
True religion short, $149
Joe s Jeans denim short, $132
Madewell denim short, $59
Club Monaco city short, $59
Pleated short, $38

Link to Polyvore

Sweet Little Nothings: 5.8.2011

By Julia

Soraya painted my nails with the playful "Happy Birthday" by Deborah Lippman over "A True Ab-Original" by OPI.
 

Via: Weheartit.com

Taylor Swift: I love her friendly attitude, her music, and her Wildfox sweatshirt

 

Stacked bracelets: turquoise and leather from a vendor at a festival and; silver ones from Forever 21.

Via: Swankboutique.com

These Seychelles sandals have been my obsession for a while now. I just gotta find a way to get my hands on them!

Enjoy your week, everyone!

The Black & Blues

By Soraya

Early this week a cold front ripped through Austin, leaving summer-ready girls shaking in their itty bitty shorts.  Thankfully, this gave me an excuse to pull out my trusty riding boots with a crisp button down.  I had the perfect outfit planned- only to discover that Julia and I were matching during our lunch period.  Our friends thought it was adorable, but we made sure we didn't walk too close to each other to avoid looking like Mary Kate & Ashley.

On Julia: J. Crew Chambray Shirt, Citizens of Hummanity Jeans, Me Too flats
On Soraya: Hollister Shirt, American Eagle Jeans, Etienne Aigner boots

Mommy Dearest

By Julia

For the past few years, I've always wanted to give my mom the best mother's day present.
I haven't found the best, but I always put thought into it and that's what counts.

This is a card I made my mother for mothers day. Yes, I'm in a Chinese language class. I think that Chinese characters a beautiful; My card says "Happy mother's day, I love you, You are the best mom ever. Love, Julia."  With the card, I'm giving my mom a gift card to a nice spa; she loves to be pampered!

Embellish Spa
This is a boutique and spa in Austin. It has a super cute girlie flare to it.

By Soraya

Like Julia, I'm a huge fan of homemade cards.  It shows your mom that you care and allows you to personalize the message just for her- rather than simply signing a generic Hallmark card.  Another great idea is flowers, which we all turn to in a time of doubt.  My favorite flower to give to my mom is an orchid.  They're gorgeous and require minimal watering.

via Weheartit.com

We're also quite familiar with our mom's favorite fragrances or lotions.  This mother's day, I'm getting my mom products from her favorite Thyme's line called Kimono Rose.  With this, there's 100% satisfaction guaranteed. 

via Carolandco.com

Now remember, and I'm pretty sure that you've heard this a million times, you don't have to break the bank to give your mom a memorable mother's day.  A couple small gifts are perfect, but a day spent with her is much more valuable.

The Look Book: Prints+Neutrals

By Soraya 

Top 5 Playlist - Week of 5.3.2011

This week has been a rough patch for some of us with the AP testing and end of the year projects beginning.  When I come home, all I really want to do is turn off all the lights in my room and take a calming nap on the couch so I can forget about all the stress in my life.  In order to get that sense of peace, we decided to change up the type of music in this week's playlist.  This week, we're slowing down the tempo and softening the percussion, leaving you with a soothing setlist:

1. Brick by Brick by Katy Perry

2. Happiness by The Fray

3. Nicest Thing by Kate Nash

4. Always Remember Me by Ry Cuming

5. Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars

A Night to Remember

By Julia

Vintage dress, Bottega Venetta minibag (circa 1980's), Banana Republic heels

At the end of the of every school year Soraya and I have a Banquet for the numerous different activities we are in. This weekend we went to our choir banquet at a country club. There was a wonderful slideshow, senior presentations, and awards. Overall it was a fun night to get dressed up and look over the memories from the past year.

Free People dress, White House Black Market heels, Henri Bendel Bracelet