Bobbi Brown, Clarins, Estee Lauder & More Beauty Products

Hi! This month’s Beauty File is filled with tried and tested beauty products that have made my list.  I’ve personally tried each of these and recommend them all.  Most are shadows and lip products.  The first three are Bobbi Brown because I'm on a Bobbi Brown kick lately. 

Actual products and swatches after the cut.

How to Style A Denim Vest

2024 Edit: links have been updated with current items. Amy Matto is no longer selling and Earl Jeans has been bought by Jordache. 

You may have caught my post from a few days ago, in partnership with Earl Jeans.

Below, are the details of what I wore. 

All photos by Gissi J.

For the event, I wore a fitted, white v-neck dress by Amy Matto (get the the look with this Lulu's dress) paired with a trendy Earl Jean denim vest. (Try this dress for a similar style) I really liked the quality on the vest and the wash was perfect.  It looks and feels high end. The vest retails for about $40. 

The vest is a cropped style, which complimented the style of dress I wore, because both nipped the waistline. I added a long lariat style necklace and a shorter hamsa, mother of pearl necklace. 

These Vince nude peep toe mules were the perfect match for the entire set. They have a wooden heel which means they go well with so many outfits. Updated for 2024, here.

Update:Fashion trends really always do come back around; back when I wrote this post years and years ago, vests were trending then and now for 2024, they're definitely back. Current brands carrying them include Rag & Bone, Abercrombie, Madewell, Reformation and Levi's and more. Try a v-neck version instead of a collared style, for a more updated look.

Denim vest: c/o Earl Jean //Dress: Amy Matto // Bracelets: c/o Tiklari // Sunglasses: Chanel

Shoes: Vince 'Allison' Peep Toe Mule more affordable version here // Necklace: Furor Moda

Hosting Lunch with Earl Jeans

Before I developed a love for the finer things in life (ha), I fell in love with jeans.  Yep, regular denim.  To this day, I own an obscene amount of denim.  The number of pairs of jeans that I call 'mine', is embarrassing, so I'll spare you the exact numerical value.

When I was a teenager in high school, online shopping was just sort of starting to take off.  I remember the biggest websites were Amazon, that had just launched, and Bluefly.  Bluefly was where I procured my very first piece by Earl Jeans,  a denim pencil skirt, with a straight cut and a  light wash.  It was perfect and hit at the knee. I was so excited about it!  I was 15, living the dream, aaand my parent's paid for it!

Those were the 90's, and while my love of all things sartorial only grew, I never forgot the cool,
it-girl vibe me and my Earl Jean skirt had going on.  Aside from large denim providers like Guess and Bongos, I don't really remember any  high-end denim lines being in business at the time, other than Earl.

But, as with all good things, the line faded a bit, and then our friends as Seven For All Mankind took over the luxury denim market.

Juliana, Annie & Ginger

Today, Earl Jean has re-branded and introduced itself back on then scene as an affordable, premium denim and clothing brand.  The line is carried at Macy's, Steinmart, Belk's, and more.  It's not just strictly limited to jeans, either.  You can find tunics, vests, and tops.  I've incorporated some of their tops into my workwear looks and they look great underneath blazers. 

I recently had the opportunity to host an Earl brand lunch for some of my Miami social media besties. The lunch was held at Love Is Blind in Coral Gables and it was an amazing time.  The service was top notch and the food was delicious and flavorful.  For those of you who have never been, you must order the mushroom gnocchi and the chicken. 

I created the tablescape with with Earl Jean cosmetic pouches, personalized name cards, and potted succulents by Cristy Hevia of CH Creations (Instagram).  Pictures of what I wore will be coming up in a future post.  Some photos by Gissi J.

Clockwise: Short rib pizza, chicken, mushroom gnocchi and ham and cheese croquettes 

Miami Swim Week 2015: Maaji, Gottex, Indah and more

This is the last of my Swim Week recap.  Starting off with Maaji's Rhapsody Road runway show - a big hit! No surprise there!  It's generally one of the most anticipated shows of Swim week, right up there with Wildfox and Mara Hoffman.  The theme was sort of a "Destination Unknown" meets a Fashionable Camper.  The thing I really like about the Maaji line is the level of attention paid to detail.

The show began with low, dramatic lighting, showcasing some of the new activewear.   Soon thereafter, it kicked into high gear as both guys and girls strutted down the runway, in pairs, and trios, having fun and dancing the entire time.

The look: loose, messy, no-fuss hair.  Pretty little dream catchers and feathers attached to the swimsuits, suits that lace up the back and side, cute baseball caps, and accessories like backpacks, and tennis rackets decorated canteens and guitars.

Gottex Swim 2016

The Miami Beach Edition Hotel, one of the newest and most unique looking hotels on South Beach, hosted the Gottex Swim 2016 show.

Everything (except that supremely annoying, blaring, red "Exit" sign in all my photos, behind the models) was perfection.  The swimwear was on point - bright and vibrant, with unique cuts and patterns.  The cover ups were some of the best I saw this year. They were so flowy and beautiful, they evoked a regal quality.  

I thought this seasons' collection showed a shift from past years, in a good way: more florals, and more innovative swimsuit shapes.