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| Don't Call Me Angel |
I feel like 2019 has really been Ariana's year. She kicked off the year with the release of a new album, headlined Coachella (where I got to see her perform!), and is still dropping new songs with Lizzo and on the Charlie's Angels soundtrack. So it felt like the perfect opportunity to pay homage to her style—and more importantly, her iconic ponytail.
I gotta say, I have mad respect for Ari for wearing this tight, giant ponytail all day, everyday. I rocked this look for only a few hours and needed to massage my scalp and neck for a solid 10 minutes. But once I donned the pony, I felt newly transformed and really confident, so I understand why it has become an essential part of her style persona.
Here's how I transformed into Ariana Grande:
Hair & Makeup
I have never worn any sort of extensions before, so this was a little tricky to put on. My roommate attached the pony to my head, and we even needed a third person just to hold up the hair because it was so heavy! But still, definitely #worthit for the glorious ponytail. I even fooled quite a few people into thinking it was my real hair! 😂
For the makeup, I channeled Ariana's classic stage makeup with a strong cat eye and nude lips. For my eyeliner, I used Stila Stay All Day liquid eyeliner. To get the nude lip, I lined my lips with Maybelline Color Sensational lip liner in "Magnetic Mauve", slightly over-lining them to get that plump lip effect. Then I filled them in with Flesh Cosmetics's Fleshy Lip Lipstick in "Chew".
I also used my BH Cosmetics Desert Oasis eyeshadow palette to give my eyes an orange-nude color and sculpt my cheekbones. For the finishing touch, I added a pair of false eyelashes (my first time wearing them!) to get those big doe eyes.
Outfit
I opted for one of Ariana's out-and-about sweatshirt dress looks for my costume, which was super comfortable as well as easy to create! To be honest, I would wear this look on a normal basis, sans giant ponytail, because it is so cute and comfy.
All you need is a sweatshirt dress—I picked this one from ASOS—and a pair of thigh-high boots, which I already had in my closet. I also threw on a black choker for good measure, but you could easily wear a pretty crystal one as well.
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So there you have it! An easy-to-create Ariana Grande outfit! What is your Halloween costume?
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| HBO |
Your fall style icon is here.
If you are a fan of good television, you're probably watching Succession. If you aren't, well, log into your friend's HBO GO and correct that oversight, girl! I'm not alone in saying that Succession is one of the best things on television right now. It may market itself as a Shakespearian tragedy about a family-run media empire—and at times, it is gut-wrenchingly devastating—but it's also a dark comedy about a bunch of ill equipped, out-of-touch rich kids stepping all over one another to win the unattainable affection of their father.
The characters may be total monsters (if you're caught up, just the mere mention of "Boar on the Floor" will make you shudder) and even the (more) sympathetic characters like Shiv and Greg have the capacity for sinister behavior, but it's fun to laugh at their incompetence.
But even if you haven't caught up on the HBO show yet, we can all appreciate the style icon that is Siobhan Roy. The only daughter of Murdoch-esque media mogul Logan Roy, Shiv is fierce and independent. She's got a clear opinion on the world and a distinct point of view that sets her apart from her brothers, and she means business.
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| HBO |
Even though the Roy Media Empire is relatively "new money" in the grand scheme of things, Shiv carries herself with the unassuming chicness of a well-pedigreed woman. Her color palette is neutral and muted, with the occasional jewel tone slipping through, focusing instead on luxurious materials like cashmere and silk.
Since the second season of Succession started airing a month or two ago, I've found myself admiring Shiv's style each week. With her penchant for plaid wide leg pants, fitted turtlenecks, and cozy fair isle knits, Shiv is essentially a walking Pinterest board for autumnal style. So today, I'm breaking down the MVPs of Siobhan's wardrobe so you can get her look this season!
Since the second season of Succession started airing a month or two ago, I've found myself admiring Shiv's style each week. With her penchant for plaid wide leg pants, fitted turtlenecks, and cozy fair isle knits, Shiv is essentially a walking Pinterest board for autumnal style. So today, I'm breaking down the MVPs of Siobhan's wardrobe so you can get her look this season!
Turtlenecks For Days
Wide Leg Pants
Silk Blouses
Elegant Dresses
Fair Isle Knits
It's hot out there. I get it. We all get it.
And some days, you just aren't feeling the fussiness of a dress or skirt.
But it's hot. So pants are pretty much out of the question. What ever is a girl to do!?
I've always been a bit hesitant of shorts; I love my denim cut-offs for off-duty days, but as a tall girl with long legs and an even longer torso, finding shorts that fit all of me and don't leave my butt half hanging out is next to impossible, especially these days where I feel like your only options are Daisy Dukes or Bermuda shorts. Hello? Where is the middle ground!?
But fear not, my friends, because it appears we have finally reached a happy medium between beach day booty shorts and knee length khaki shorts that make me look like a midwestern mom. Hooray!
I found these shorts on Sunday while quickly bopping into H&M. I was immediately drawn to the color, and after initially thinking the pair was actually a skirt, I decided to try them on anyway and see if I liked them. I wanted to hate them, but I just couldn't. Here are shorts that look like a fun skirt, cover all the parts they need to cover, and are comfortable too! It's nothing short of a shopping miracle.
Here are a few styles that you should check out if you're looking for work-appropriate shorts:
Paper Bag Shorts
A high-waisted style is always chic, and the folded waistline lends itself to work-friendly shapes.
Bermuda Shorts
Think of these as the anti-bike short.
Wide-Leg Shorts
Wide-leg shorts, like the pair I found at H&M, allow you to rock slightly shorter styles, especially if they're flowy and lightweight!
Do you wear shorts to work? Tell me how you style them in the comments!
After spending many semesters delving into the world of the Italian Renaissance, I was extremely excited to visit Florence, and it lived up to all my expectations.
Florence is smaller than Rome, making it extremely walkable, and if you are an art lover like I am you will find plenty of points of interest to fill your days. My mom and I spent three days here and I wish I had more time to soak up all the culture this city had to offer.
Here are the highlights of our time in Florence:
Spots To See
The Uffizi Gallery
As an art history major in college, the Uffizi was at the top of my list for this trip. The large museum, once the offices of Florence's ruling family the Medicis, features some of the most important art of the Renaissance, from Verrocchio to Caravaggio and beyond.
You could spend hours in this maze-like museum, as there are hundreds of Greek and Roman sculptures (not to mention a ton of portraits) in the main hallway, and that does not even begin to cover the many famed artworks that are on display in each room.
The museum is arranged in chronological order, so you can easily see the artistic progress from the Middle Ages all the way to the Renaissance and Baroque eras. It felt like I was walking through my entire Renaissance Art History class, the text book come alive before me!
Galleria dell'Academia
This museum is much smaller, but it is home to perhaps the most famous sculpture of all time: Michelangelo's David. I was incredibly surprised by how in awe I was, witnessing this immense sculpture in person. The David is completely ubiquitous in our culture, but it must be seen in person to work its full magic.
Standing quite tall at 17 feet, The David is monumental in every sense of the word. It is no secret that Michelangelo was a master at capturing the human form in marble, but this art work is a true masterpiece, and visiting the Galleria is worth it for this reason alone.
P.S. Make sure you reserve a time to visit in advance! They do a great job of limiting the number of visitors into the museum at a time, so that means if you try to enter standby, you could be waiting a long time! I'd recommend reserving all your museum tickets ahead of time, actually.
Pitti Palace
My mom and I had a few hours to kill in the morning before seeing The David, so we decided on a whim to visit the Pitti Palace, and I am SO happy that we did!
Just a quick walk across the river, the Pitti Palace is a magnificent estate that served as the new home of the Medici family (after they outgrew the Palazzo Vecchio). With vast gardens that inspired Louis XIV's own at Versailles, this building gives you an immediate understanding of how wealthy and powerful the Medici were at the height of their power.
Inside the palace are dozens of ornately-decorated rooms that are covered with priceless artworks, sculptures, and furniture. You will get a great sense of what it must have been like to be a Florentine noble!
The Duomo
As one of the largest cathedrals in Italy, the Duomo—aka Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore—is the bustling center of Florence. With an intricate marble façade and large tiled dome, it is a testament to Renaissance architecture and engineering, so you should definitely stop by to admire it!
However, I will say that the interior of the cathedral is a total letdown, especially after the exquisite excessiveness of St. Peter's. I assume that the architects of the cathedral spent all their efforts on the exterior of the building, and as a result, the inside is disappointedly plain. Save your time waiting in line to enter the cathedral and grab a cappuccino at one of the nearby restaurants around the piazza instead.
Day Trip To Siena and San Gimignano
On our last day in Florence, we took a small guided tour (about 20 people) to the hillside towns of Siena and San Gimignano, with a pitstop at a Tuscan winery for lunch!
Tuscany is beyond beautiful, so if you have a day to spend driving through the countryside and visiting a medieval town or two, I highly recommend it! Siena was especially charming and has a fun city-wide competition each year that I loved learning about (and you can learn more here). San Gimignano was much smaller by comparison but just as quaint, and it featured the best gelato shop ever.
By the end of our day adventuring through the Tuscan countryside, my mom was already planning to open a bed and breakfast at an old villa, so be warned that this gorgeous landscape will win you over!
Where To Eat
Tuscany is known for several regional treats like wild boar and Chianti wine. Do yourself a favor and try out some of these delicacies while you have the chance. It's not every day you see boar on the menu, after all! Here are the must-try items while in Florence and Tuscany:
- Chianti Wine: the signature red wine of the region, this wine has very specific standards for production, including that you can only water the grapes with rain; no sprinklers or artificial irrigation! If you are a red wine fan, grab a nice glass of chianti (no fava beans necessary) and enjoy
- Wild Boar: Wild boar are like deer in Tuscany—they are everywhere. That being said, they have become an incredibly popular meal in the region. When I tried my plate of wild boar, I almost wondered if I had been served someone else's dinner, because it doesn't taste like pork at all! I'd say it's very similar to short rib or boeuf bourguignon.
- Gnudi: this came at the recommendation of our bartender at the hotel; it's essentially a gnocchi (potato pasta) that is stuffed with ricotta cheese. So yeah, it is heavenly
- Florentine steak: steak in Florence is another go-to, so if you are a fan of red meat (I know I am!) be sure to treat yourself to a delicious steak! We ended up getting pasta when dining at Torcicoda near Santa Croce, but they had a fantastic selection of steak if you are looking for a specific spot!
Where To Stay
In Florence we stayed at another boutique hotel called Relais Santa Croce, but while the one in Rome was new and modern, this one was quite old—in fact, it was originally a palace in the 18th century! With just over 20 rooms, the service here was incredibly attentive, and they had a delicious breakfast...and cocktails!
It was also right by one of the other big churches in town, Santa Croce, which made for another fun photo moment even in the rain!
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Stay tuned for the Milan recap, coming soon! Check out my Rome recap if you missed that HERE.
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