Adrien: Summer Wanty.

I was going to do a round-up post about the stuff I bought in June, but do y'all really need to hear about my Birkenstock Gizeh obsession again? I kind of think no. I will say the most impressive thing I bought in June was this:

Sunday Riley Good Genes

SERIOUSLY. I know this is enabling and mean but if you want your face to glow like an angel get on down to Sephora and get a sample of Good Genes. It's really all that, I promise.

Moving on, I thought it might be more fun to talk about the stuff I WANT to buy. The more I try not to shop the more stuff I seem to want. First, Marianne has these Pilcro shorts:

Pilcro Distressed Denim Roll-Ups

I love them. I tried them on (size down!) and they are everything you want in a distressed jean short except they're not on sale. I'm waiting, Anthro. What is on sale is these earrings which I think would look pretty in my ears:

Athropologie Carillon Earrings

Then, Kim France posted this beautiful top:

jm drygoods™ short-sleeve san vicente tunic top

OH MY GOD I WANT THAT. It would look great with the shorts! I cannot afford it in any way but this embroidered top by Lucky Brand is something I've had my eye on and might fill that niche. And... not yet on sale. (Edit: It's now on sale!)

In the Continuing to Torture Me file are these Chie wedges that I posted last week that are now marked down to $152 but only in certain sizes (read: not mine):

Chie Mihara Rupas Wedge Sandal

WHAT IS THAT. It's for the best, but really. Shopbop has them even cheaper but they're final sale which, nope. Alas, Chie Mihara. And finally, lest you think I'm no longer a grown person I have been stalking this DVF dress hard:

Diane Von Furstenberg Naoki printed wrap dress

It's marked way down but not quite enough for me, so I'll keep an eye on it for now. It also comes in a blue colorway but that one is more expensive and my size is sold out anyway. Eyes on the green prize. Eyes on All The Things. Sigh.

Adrien: Stuff with Stuff.

This is one of those outfit where I just throw things on until I don't make a sad face at the results. I switched out my top a few times and my necklace a few times and yes, I was late for work. It happens. Anyway, I think the resulting outfit is pretty basic, but not unsuccessful:

I'm wearing my favorite J.Crew Skinny Twill Utility Pants which I always forget I have and then I find them and get excited all over again. The army green olive color somehow magically works as a neutral. It's magic, I tell you! They're super on sale right now (very limited sizes) and slightly on sale if you get the "slim" version. Otherwise I think this LOFT pair looks like a great inexpensive dupe.

My t-shirt is Ann Taylor and has interesting details that are totally lost in this photo. You'll just have to take my word for it. My necklace is J.Crew from a few years back but they do have a similar-but-more-crazyballs necklace right now. Honestly, though? I'd check out J.Crew Factory for really cute (and much more inexpensive) teardrop necklaces. They have crazyballs over there too!

And then we have my old faithfuls - my MBMJ Hillier Hobo, Giles and Brother skinny railroad spike bracelets, and my Lotta From Stockholm peep toe clogs. Absolutely can't go wrong with any of them. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Something Worth Celebrating.

Banana and Gap have been disappointing me lately but Old Navy has all kinds of cute stuff, especially with the 4th of July coming. Check it out:

Cute Boy Friday: Too Hot.

A: Cute boy Friday requests?

M: Hmmm. It's too hot to find people attractive.

A: I agree. Wait:

M: That makes me sweat to look at.

A: He should just take that off.

M: Yes. Dress for the weather, Idris.

A: Here:

M: That's more like it.

A: Sneaking this in because it came up when searching “Idris Elba shirtless”:

A: I'LL TAKE IT.

M: Heh

A: Google really knows me.

Adrien: New Sandals, Old Outfit

This is my favorite summer look: stripes, red bag, flat sandals, big pendant necklace. That pretty much covers it, I think. This dress is from the Gap a few years back, but they always have a cute striped dress or two:

This dress is quite similar to mine and this JCrew tuxedo shift is a cool take on the basic striped shift dress. I didn't get a good pic of the Lulu Frost for J.Crew necklace I'm wearing but this pic from another outfit shows it in detail. Lulu Frost does really good tassels and so does Kendra Scott.

I am obviously wearing my new Birkenstock Gizeh sandals and I'm carrying my beloved eBay-purchased vintage LV Epi Speedy. Do you have a red satchel yet? No? Maybe this gorgeous thing is what you need. Or this one! OMG. No cat pictures today, but I did capture a Very Wintour/Priestly Moment right here:

...please bore someone else with your... questions. 

BUY THIS (So We Don't Have To): Shopbop Sale!

Ah, it's that time again where sale stuff that you can't afford goes even more on sale to make it slightly less un-affordable and much more tempting. Shopbop is currently offering an extra 25% off sale items with code 25MORE, plus 3.0% cash back with eBates. Good stuff is selling out fast!

Here's what I'd buy if I could:

A Denim Tragedy In Three Acts.

Act One

M: These are Rag and Bone knit shorts printed to look like distressed denim.

A: …

M: Je suis confuse

A: WHAT IN THE WHAAAA

M: Like

M: What

A: No no no

M: The button is screen printed on

A: It's turrible

M: It's like a PHOTO of their $200 jean shorts

A: How much were they?

M: $50

A: It’s funny. And MEAN.

M: I got excited for .0005 seconds.

Act Two

M: WHY

A: Again! NO. It’s just so mean!

M: $70!

A: WTF

M: THEY ARE NOT EVEN DENIM

A: What are they made of? Disappointment?

M: Thick jersey. Like sweatpants. They are so awful, pics don’t do justice.

A: Um, those shorts come in a jean version.

M: SHUT UPPPPPP

M: BURN IT ALL DOWN

M: 

Act Three

A: I'm getting a pedicure. It's being ruined by the lady next to me who's loud and seems to think the pedicurist is also a free podiatrist.

M: I just got a mani pedi for the shoot tomorrow. I went back to the mint green on my toes.

A: That was so cute.

M: I'm getting to you. Next you'll get distressed shorts.

A: I only want distressed shorts if they're a photograph of distressed denim shorts printed on regular shorts.

M: I can hook you up

A: SWEET.

Birkenstock Gizeh Review and Fit.

Regular readers might have noticed that I've been a little obsessed with the Birkenstock Gizeh lately. Hippie comfort shoes are not generally my thing but there's something about certain styles of Birkenstock that work for me and when comfortable things become fashionable, I like to take advantage of it.

I already have one pair of Birkenstock Papillio Gizehs in silver and I've worn them a ton even though I bought them a size too small. It took me forever to figure that out! Birks are supposed to fit your entire foot inside the footbed - your toes should not hit the top edge and your heels should be contained in the heel cup. If you look at this pic, you can see I'm wearing the wrong size:

But hell, I wear them anyway and really, it's fine. I've broken them in and my toes are still happier than when shoved in high heels. However, when considering the purchase of a new pair I couldn't decide what size to get. I wear an 8 which Birkenstock says is a 39. My old pair is a 38 but they're also the (slightly) different Papillio style and what if they run smaller? Ugh. So, I ordered both sizes of the black Birko-Flor version from Zappos VIP and figured I'd return the other pair. 

Zappos, being the magical monkeys they are shipped them immediately via One Day Business. Hooray! Then they promptly vanished. Boooo. I finally called on Friday about my disappeared order and they re-shipped them immediately and gave me a $30 credit for my troubles. Zappos is the best, y'all.

SO. Now the comparison:

Birkenstock Gizeh

I tried on the 38s first and they felt a little tight. The straps felt shorter and tighter around my foot and my toes definitely hit the top edge. Also, my feet are a little bit, uh, square and the outside edges tend to slide off the side of regular sandals, so they were a bit squished:

Gizeh size 38

The size 38 wasn't terribly uncomfortable, just a little small all over. If I hadn't had the 39 to compare I probably would've just assumed they were fine and kept them. But oh, the difference:

Gizeh size 39

The 39s just felt better. My toes have room, my weird square feet have space to sit more comfortably and the straps had a bit more height, so even in the same hole setting they weren't pressing on the tops of my feet like the 38.

One important note about the Gizeh: the thong part is made of fairly thick plastic and it takes some getting used to. Some people hate it. I know my first pair definitely took some breaking in, but I feel like Birkenstocks in general require a bit of break-in. The footbed is pretty firm and takes a while to mold to your feet. Just something to keep in mind if you buy a pair and they initially hurt your feet. Give them a few wears first!

As always, nobody ever sends me free stuff ever (WHY IS THIS?) including Zappos, so these sandals were purchased with my own dollars and my review is as honest as I can make it. 

Adrien: Outfit By Nina.

I realized when I was looking through the pictures that, as usual, two of the things I'm wearing are because of my friend Nina. Of course! My Calvin Klein dress (CK is so good for print dresses!) was a Ross purchase from a few years back, purchased because Nina told me I had to, that the colors were perfect. Yes ma'am.

My MBMJ cuff bracelet was a birthday gift from her from a few years back. I dig it and it's perfect with the dress. (She knows what she's doing.) The bracelet is long out of stock but this one by MBMJ is similar with the good leather and the cool clasp and this one by Panacea has the same center hinge action. This beauty you don't want to click on unless you like crying over things you can't have. Sorry, man.

Stuff! My bag is, of course, my MBMJ Too Hot To Handle Hobo and it's been a great purchase. Sleek, easy to carry and goes with almost everything. When I eventually replace my black Hillier hobo it'll probably be the THTH hobo in black instead. It's perfect.

My sandals are Chie Mihara and I keep linking to their adorable (on sale!) update because they have that same cute top buckle! I want them. And also these. So much. 

That's it for today! Daniel was busy bird watching and declined to be photographed. 

Weekend Window Shopping: New Summer Dresses.

Ugh, I hate all my clothes and my summer dresses are so sad. I want new ones - work, casual, party. All of it. And I want them to be under $100. And from Nordstrom because I'm lazy like that. Here, this is what I mean:

Cute Boy Friday: Chalmanzo Strikes Again.

Oh Chalmanzo Tater, how could I have ever thought you were boring and unformed? Every time you hit the news it's funnier than the last time. I mean, this?

Oh man. I love Pinterest. Swear to god. Just to not think about all the shit I have to do or what's going wrong, I just go and look at Pinterest. 

COMEDY GOLD. Tater is checking out your Pinterest board, y'all! That is adorable. (I'm sure he knows it, but still. Adorable.) Aaaaand, photos:

You're welcome. Have a great weekend!


PS. Thanks for the inspiration, Briana!

BUY THIS (So We Don't Have To): Great Blue Bags on Sale.

I'm a regular creeper on 6pm.com, usually just seeing what good stuff has been added to my favorite brands. Lately I'm obsessed with blue and y'all know I like my blue MBMJ a LOT. So, I decided to troll 6pm and see what nice blue bags they have, all well under $200:

Calvin Klein

Diesel

DKNY

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Rebecca Minkoff

Creepers Gonna Creep.

source: The Sartorialist

A: Thank goodness the Shobbit managed to catch this moment.

L: #CasualBillowing

A: #SuperCreep

L: If he weren't so short as to make this a near-up-skirting, it wouldn't be as bad, buuuuuuut....

A: Oh, he can toooootally see up her top. 

L: He can, can't he?

A: He can probably see up her skirt too.

L: I was going to try to justify with something like, "It's Europe! They're not uptight about boobs!" But he's American.  

A: It's really more an issue of creepy Shobbit taking advantage of that moment to be creepy.

L: He is a pervy little troll, for sure.

A: HEY. You met him, right? Am I remembering that correctly?

L: I did! I stopped him on the street. He seemed like a terribly shy little gnome who uses his camera to talk to/stare at girls that would otherwise be way out of his league. Gave off a real sad vibe. 

A: *claps hands with delight*

Adrien: Simple Summer Outfit.

Nothing really exciting here, just a good example of how pared-down my style gets when the weather heats up. I bought this dress at Old Navy last summer and probably should've bought it in another color! It's a good, simple design. They have a very similar version available and also a few other cute dress options that seem work-appropriate.

Now that Birkenstock Gizehs seem to be having a resurgence in popularity I've found myself wearing my pair a lot more and I love them so much I want another pair. I'm thinking maybe licorice? This pair is cute too, and on sale. Too many options! My charm necklace is one that I made years ago, but if I were to buy one it would absolutely be this Lulu Frost beauty. (Ugh, I wish I'd never seen it! So pretty.)

Here's your cat-bomb!

Reviews: Bumble & bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer, Korean Scrubby Mitts

I am back on Bumble & bumble, y'all. If you use their products it's absolutely worth it to sign up for the emails because they have really, really good deals. I made an order recently and got a TON of free deluxe samples and free shipping. They ship fast and the packaging is fancy. (Obviously not necessary but I do like a nice box.) The current deal is free standard shipping and deluxe samples of Don't Blow It and Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer with any purchase: BBHOWTO.

Among my samples I got a deluxe sample of the Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer which has been getting good reviews. I don't generally do oils on my hair because it's so fine, but this primer sounded intriguing and people seem to love it.

My name is long!

I've been using it with the Straight Blow Dry (and a little Styling Creme at my roots) and the results have been really good. After styling and a bit of straight-iron action my head looks like this:

Yes, I totally stole that from my last outfit pic. But hey! My hair looks good there. I've only been using it a few day so I don't know how well it'll do long term, but for now I'm really happy with the results right now. Also, I'm happy to report that the Straight Blow Dry is still the bomb. I have no idea why I stopped using it.

The other thing I wanted to review is something you all probably already know about, but if you don't, you should. My friend Lara first turned me on to Korean scrubbing towels and I loved the results - skin so soft you won't even believe it. I used the one she gave me until it was done and then bought another version (that wasn't Korean) and it ended up being disappointing weak sauce. Then I forgot all about them until someone on a forum recently recommended the mitt version:

scrubby mitten!

They also make a towel version which works great for scrubbing your back. Either one will get you amazing results. Here are the recommended instructions:

1. Relax your skin in hot water for 15 minutes. Gently rub with the mitten to remove dead skin layer along with any impurities. 2. Apply skin moisturizer for better results of protecting healthy smooth skin. 3. After each use, wash the mitten with water and hang to dry. 4. With directed care, it will last at least one year. 5. Facial use is not recommended.

If you aren't a bath person just take a long shower and don't use a moisturizing product before scrubbing. Once you're all good and soaked, use the mitt (either with your hand shoved in it or put a washcloth in it and use it folded) and get to scrubbing. If you do it right it will hurt a little bit and you will notice disgusting little rolls of skin and OH MY GOD AFTERWARDS YOU WILL BE SOFT LIKE A BABY. LIKE WHIPPED CREAM. LIKE UNICORN FLUFF. It's really quite amazing is what I'm saying. And fun in a weirdly sick way. You're welcome.

Adrien: It's All About The Tabby.

I'm going to shamelessly front-load this entry with a cat photo-bomb picture:

Boom! Look at those stripes. And aren't I being matchy here? I should've switched out my bag but I didn't have time. So, it's all very navy & white nautical. I'm wearing a silk MaxStudio top Marianne gave me (this Joie version is really similar and a bit more interesting. This one looks identical, but with a party in the back.) My white jeans are Ann Taylor and they have become such a summer staple for me. I never thought I needed white jeans until I had a pair. Is it dumb to want another? I like this AG Stevie pair quite a bit.

My necklace is a really cool giant Vince Camuto pave spike that Nina gave me for my birthday. I love it but it's serious business. VC also makes a more wearable version if you don't want to worry about stabbing yourself. My shoes are Chie Mihara and this current pair is a very very VERY nice update. Ugh, so good.

My bag is an MBMJ Kirsten Globetrotter which is long sold out but, honestly? You should just get this mineral blue MJ Ligero hobo instead. That is an amazing color (and on sale!)

Yay for indoor photo shoots! This makes things so much easier and it means I can post more outfits, assuming you guys want that and all. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Stick It To J.Crew.

J.Crew has been getting some bad press lately, but that's no reason to not take advantage of the really good sale they have going on right now. You have to dig, but the deals are definitely there, especially in the final sale section. Right now you can get an extra 30% to 60% off sale items using promo code SHOPSALE plus 1.5% cash back with eBates. Here are my picks:

Cute Boy Friday: Young John Wayne.

I love a cute boy submission, especially one that surprises me. Like this:

ORLY? I was shocked, you guys. SHOCKED by the level of hotness of young John Wayne. Hark:

I know, right? He looks like the very best kind of trouble. I mean, look at this face:

Ooooh, yep. Trouble. And he played college football. Of course he did:

I saved the best one for last. Please look past the lady-suit and check out those legs. Woof:

Happy Friday!

Review: Shiseido Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Edge Meister Mascara.

I bet you were wondering when I was going to try the next weird mascara, right? RIGHT. I have your back. I am still loving my Fairydrops but it's starting to get a little dried out so I thought it was time to try something new. Someone recommended the Shiseido Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Edge Meister Mascara (seriously, whaaaaaah?) and it showed up almost immediately thanks to the magic of Amazon Prime.

Edge Meister, etc!

First, the packaging is adorable. It's just really pretty and appealing and that makes me happy. And then there's the brush:

fibery!

Oh, that is some Advanced Mascara action right there. The formula is fairly wet and very fiber-y and the flat brush took a little bit of practice. The result after a few coats was very long, feathery lashes. I actually had to pull off a couple of the fibers because it made my lashes too long. What it's not great at is volume. My lashes were super long, but it doesn't really thicken unless you do multiple coats. It did have decent staying power, though. Here's my before and after for the Lash Extender:

Before - sad and stubby

After - long and fluttery

Good stuff. I will say that I think the Fairydrops (reviewed here) does a better job with staying power and volume and is a bit easier to apply, but your mileage may vary. These are both very nice, very advanced formulas if you want all day fiber-length in your life.