1 Skirt, 2 Ways

Skater skirts have been pretty big for the past year.  They are easy to wear, comfortable, and just plain fun.  I bought this particular floral, skater skirt from ASOS several months ago.  I like to dress it up or down, I even wore it with leggings and boots a few times back in February.

Here I paired it with a cropped cardigan from Lane Bryant, white cami, and yellow sandals from Aerosoles.

Brittani wore it with a grey tank from Target and black sandals from Lane Bryant.

ASOS still has this skirt in stock and on clearance, right now.  You can check it out here: ASOS .  They have several others as well, in prints and solids. 

Sometimes when we are taking photos we (ahem I) get a little bit ridiculous with our posing; I obviously need to watch more America's Next Top Model.  

Brittani is too cute!  That's a smize if I ever saw one.

Further proof that Bittani and I are style soul mates.  Recently we were doing some bargain shopping at Ross Dress for Less and we came out of our fitting rooms in the same dress, at the same time.

Lots of love, Kelly

This Summer, Rock Your Emeralds and Nectarines!

For my day job, I keep a Pantone Color Wheel near me at all times. So, why would I not do the same when clothes shopping? ;-)

Pantone has listed the must-have colors for Spring/Summer. Among them? Two of my favorites, emerald and nectarine! Or as I like to call them, teal and coral!

Dress: Pinky, Shoes: The Avenue, Bracelets: Belk

The other Stripers and I have been having tons of fun shopping the Summer Dresses at Ross. As you can see above, I am loving my Pinky dress in Teal. Best $20 I've spent in a long while.

Capris: The Avenue, Shoes: The Avenue, Blouse: Kohl's

And would a post from Ginny be complete without a pair of colored jeans? This pair are so soft and comfortable, they could be worn as pajamas, in my opinion!

I love this top I picked up at Kohl's too! It's nice and breezy with an adorable tie!

Whatever you're wearing this summer, keep it cool an comfortable. Stay lovely ladies!

Ginny

Hey Pretty Wahine.....This One's For You!

Hey Horizontal Stripers,

       It's officially summer! I'm in Hawaiian Tropic mode, where summer breezes and flip flops conjure up memories of the 2 opportunities I've had to live on the island of O'ahu in Hawai'i. The first half of this blog post title is in homage to one of my favorite songs -- check it out if you're so inclined! Alas, I'll wrap up my rambling so you don't have to sweat your buns off standing still for too long. Don't be afraid to bear your arms or your back in the summer months! It's way too hot to be self-conscious. Be confident and most importantly cool!

                              

      Dress: Forever 21, Pleather Studded Sandals: Lane Bryant, Flower: Cato, Earrings: Charlotte Russe

        If you want to make something sleeveless or backless office appropriate, you can throw on a cropped cardigan like the one below:

   Currently available at Target

        Or, if you still prefer the traditional long sleeved cardigan, look for one in a lightweight fabric and bright color like this one, also available at Target:

 

        A cute accessory will jazz up any summer look. As you can see I'm partial to flowers and earrings, but also appreciate the details on a great shoe or sandal! 

         

 Dress/Flower: It's Fashion Metro, Tube: Cato, Coral Mirror Sandals: Lane Bryant, Optimus Prime Earrings: Rainbow, also available at Ashley Stewart

I hope you'll celebrate the season with some fresh fruit and fun concerts. Don't forget the SPF!!

             

Aloha a hui hou or until we meet again!

Brittani



Pretty is as pretty does.

As you are reading this, Rachael Santillan, photographer, Horizontal Stripes' MVP, and all around awesome gal is in India.  She is volunteering her services as a photographer to Apne Aap Women Worldwide, which is a charitable trust based in India that is dedicated to putting an end to sex trafficking.  

Apne Aap was started by twenty-two women in prostitution in 2002 and since then they have formed 150 self-empowerment groups throughout India to help women lift themselves out of prostitution.  Apne Aap is doing great things and helping so many women and children everyday, we would love it if our readers would take the time to check out their website.  

If you would like more information on sex trafficking and human slavery, please take a look at our Fashionable Philanthropy page. 

xo, Kelly

Formal Wear: Four Ways

Greetings Gals! 'Tis the season of awards ceremonies, graduations, and weddings! What's a sassy Sally to do? Why, break out her frocks and strut her stuff of course!

   Rachael is lookin' fierce on the other side of the camera! It loves her!

Kelly couldn't look more like the portrait of a lady.

Ginny is workin' her LBD with her lovely new bangs!

 And lastly, it'sa me, Mario! Well I'm not as cool as he is since I've never gotten to meet Yoshi in person, but tell me this! Can he pull off a sequin swing dress with lace?

Four gals, four styles! 

 The perfect complement to every outfit is a smile!

I hope you'll enjoy dressing up this summer for all your special occasions as well Horizontal Stripers, and though they're not pictured here, feel free to wear floorlength styles as well. Just don't be afraid to sass it up and show a little leg if you're so inclined! Until next time, stay chic, and don't forget to enter our giveaway!!

Brittani

XOXO





I ipsy! Do you? A side-by-side subscription box comparison... Plus, Giveaway Alert!

I love makeup! I spend so much time traveling back and forth between Ulta and Sephora, I'm surprised they don't charge me rent! So when I learned of the different companies that offer beauty box subscriptions, I had to give them a try!

Now, there are many, many different companies offering beauty box subscriptions. There's Wantable, Julep's Maven Box, Glossy Box and more. But I heard the best feedback for Ipsy and Birchbox so those are the two I decided to try. 

And I am soooo glad I did! It is so much fun to come home once a month and I find my postal carrier has left me some treats! It's like Christmas morning! So, I thought it might be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison of the two companies' June bags. This will give you an idea what to expect in each bag, in case you have thought of subscribing to a beauty box yourself!

PLUS! We are doing our very first giveaway! I've picked out some samples from some past ipsy bags and Birchboxes. Which we will be giving to one lucky follower!

Now, on with the comparison!

Birchbox • $10 per month

I've been subscribing to Birchbox for several months now, and while I like it, I think ipsy may be spoiling me as they pack many more full-size samples in their bags each month. But Birchbox has a wider range of brands and items to offer. This month's box, however, was a little bit of a letdown for me.

Birchbox June 2013

The June theme is Wanderlust and it is meant to bring summer travel to mind. Here's what's inside:

• A Pack of post cards from different travel destinations
• One of four nail polishes from a brand called Color Club. Mine was the neon green London Calling.
• A tube of SPF30 Facial Moisturizer from COOLA. Unfortuantely, my tube was broken, so it went straight in the trash...   :-(
• Two packets of a vegan nourishing body cream
• A Lil' Lip lip pencil from Laqa & Co. I received the color Lambchop. While it does feel very nourishing and has a pleasing minty smell, I don't think I will ever wear it because it is sooo pink! Here is a swatch below. If you can rock this color with confidence this Spring, this brand certainly feels good on the lips!



Laqa & Co.'s Lil' Lip in Lambchop

• Lastly, I received the Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser from suki. I am most excited about this. It smells amazing and I cannot wait to try it!

This is just an example of what you might receive in your Birchbox. When you join, you fill out a questionnaire that helps determine which items are included in your box. While I said this box was a bit of a disappointment, I have found some great finds in previous Birchboxes and am not ready to even consider canceling my subscription!

Here is a link to Birchbox, if you'd like to give them a try: http://birch.ly/150L6c2

ipsy Glam Bag • $10 plus tax per month

I found ipsy through a video from one of my makeup icons, the awesome Kandee Johnson. This beauty box isn't really a box at all, it's a bag. A glam bag, filled with all kinds of goodies! 

I have loved almost everything I've received in my ipsy bag and this month is no different. Their June theme is On The Wild Side, so of course everything came is a totes adorable leopard print bag! Let's take a look inside:

• Eyelashes and eyelash glue from J.cat. I was beyond excited about this, because false eyelashes have been something that I've wanted to try for a while, but I've been too intimidated. I am soooo excited to give these a try!
• A full size lipliner from Starlooks in Nude. I wear a lot of lipliner to even out the uneven color on my lips so I was excited about this. Unfortuantely, I found the color too brown for me and it was "stolen" by my friend, Lindsey. It will look adorable on her!
• Also from J.cat. a palette of sparking glitter. These are not safety glitter and should not be worn on the eye, but they are still so pretty and I can't wait to wear them. Maybe on my nails or cheeks? I've swatched them below, though it is hard to see the difference in colors. The green is really, really beautiful!





J.cat glittery cream palette.

• A full size mosaic powder in Cafe from NYX. If ipsy keeps giving me full size blushers and bronzers, I may never need to buy another face powder again. No complaints here.
• Lastly, a Chella highlighter pencil in Ivory Lace. I love using whites and creams on the water lines and in the corners of my eyes to brighten things up, so this will definitely be used!

Sorry the lighting is bad. From left to right this is the Starlooks lip liner in Nude,
Chella highlighter pencil in Ivory Lace and NYX mosaic powder in Cafe.

ipsy, too, picks your bag items based upon your survey and I have never been disappointed. Each month, I scour their Facebook looking for clues about that month's goodies. If you'd like to join ipsy, and I highly recommend that you do, here is a link with my referral code: http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hby0dwv8qtd55s

On To the Giveaway!

I've really enjoyed my beauty boxes and thought you all might enjoy them as well! So, comment below on your favorite beauty box subscription service, your favorite summer makeup trend or anything else that's on your mind and you can win this bag o' goodies! We'll pick a winner on Friday, June 28, at noon.

What inside?

• A sample of Benefit's the Porefessional. Minimize the look of pores and fine lines with this great product.
• A sample of Urban DecayEyeshadow Primer Potion. I use this stuff and it's wonderful! It helps your eyeshadow last all day and keeps it from creasing as well!
• A sample of bareMinerals lip glosses in Wild Honey and Sugar Plum
• An eyeshadow duo in Heartache from Two Cosmetics
• A deluxe sample of Juice Beauty's Hydrating Mist -- perfect to pack in your bag for a day at the beach!
• A sample of M Perfect Cover BB Cream
• A sample tube of Joanna Vargas Daily Serum
• Lastly, a sample of Vitivia vitamin capsules, which prevent wrinkles, refine pores and reduce fine lines.
• All packed in an adorable white cosmetic bag from ipsy!

Thanks for stopping by; stay beautiful!

Ginny

Bangs on a Round Face? Absolutely!

This is me. 

When I was a little girl I had long, thick hair and I loved it! Even though I needed my mother's help to keep up with it. 

As I got older, I was told more and more frequently that "big girls" shouldn't have "big hair." That long hair would make me look even larger and that bangs would make my face look wider.

So I chopped it off and kept it short for years and years, never letting it grow past my shoulders until I decided, I want my long hair back! Who cares what everyone else thinks?

I grew it out and I loved it. But I was still afraid to take the plunge into bangs territory... 







Until now!

This is me today. With bangs!

I love them! I think they make me look a little more youthful and they are so much more fun!

Long layers cut an inch or two below the chin can make your face look longer and less wide. And a wider bang like mine (inspired by Nicole Richie and Taylor Swift), can prevent the face from looking shorter. Hair pro Oscar Blandi says bangs that are longer on the sides and curve with the eyebrows, give the face angles and avoids making it look wider.

Here I am being silly. Bangs will do that to a girl!
Dress: Forever 21+, Shoes: The Avenue

Bangin' Out This Summer,
Ginny

Pattern Mixologist

I love to mix prints; it's so much fun and I always get compliments when I do it.  I know a lot of women are nervous to try this trend, if you want to give it a go, my advice it so pair a simple print with a busy print, or a big print with a small one.  It's also a good idea to chose patterns that share similar colors.

I love a dress with pockets!  They should be mandatory.

Dress by Very.com (Sadly, they do not deliver to the U.S. anymore), Old Navy cardigan, Naturalizer wedge sandals.

XO, Kelly

Sizzlin' Summer Outfit Inspiration

Hey Ladies! What's going on?
I just wanted to give you some ideas for what to wear when the temperatures outside are rising, but you work in a building that is cooled. Sometimes the heat to chill ratio can leave you with goosebumps followed by a heat wave or vice versa. Here's to summer finally emerging!

Top: Target, Pants/Ring: Lane Bryant, Shoes: R&J via the Shoe Dept., Earrings: Cato, Flower: It's Fashion Metro

Hey you! Did you ask if I was chic? Why yes, I am!

Smiling beauties make the world go round! Carpe Diem! Don't be afraid to mix patterns!

Until next time ya'll! 

XOXO, Brittani