Hella Coachella

Coachella is around the corner and I'm going to help you be HELLA COACHELLA.

We all know that Coachella is its own vibe. And if you don't know, now you know. (I hope you all heard Biggie Smalls when you read that lol.) It's time to bring out your cutest crop tops and most fashionable statement pieces. There are so many ways to make your outfits festival ready. For me, I'm all about accessories. I prefer more simple outfits and accents to set the tone. 

In these looks, I have one piece that really makes the look pop. In the picture above, it's (obviously) my skirt. It's breezy and flirty and is perfect for the weather in the desert. What makes this skirt stand out is, yes the print, but the cute high slits on both sides. This particular one is from Fashion Trend LA. It's actually a dress (which is no longer available, but I will link similar items below) that I made into a skirt by tucking the top into the skirt. I paired it with a Top Shop crop top, which was only ten dollars and comes in almost every color. I got mine from Nordstrom. You can also wear basic tanks and bodysuits to achieve this look. (Forever21 has a lot of floral maxi skirts too.)

I'm also obsessed with high waisted anything! For those of you that aren't really into rocking skirts, you can still get the same kind of look with shorts. (I will link some below.) If you are doing simple denim shorts, you can get really creative with your tops. I have linked some really fun tops that you can pair with anything to really make a bold statement. For those of you that are more low key, throw a crop top with it and call it a day! Just have fun with these looks. This is your chance to wear something festive and different from your everyday look. Mix a basic look with a fun hat or funky sunnies to add some flavor. The sunnies I am wearing below are from Quay Australia and I got them from Nordstrom. 

And then there's just flat out extra! I live for a comfy set. You hardly see satin sets, but leave it to me to find one lol. You can never go wrong with a matching set outfit. It kinda does the work for you. I have linked this exact set below.

Let's talk accessories! I am a total gold girl. I just prefer gold with my skin tone and red hair. You can do so much with this area -- big hoops, layered necklaces, earring cuffs, stacked rings. The options really are endless here. I have really been into jewelry from Civion -- there are so many fun pieces for affordable prices. Anddddddd I have a discount code for you! Use code: ELISE25 for 25% off your entire purchase! Hollaaaa. 

I think my favorite thing about my Coachella looks is my henna! It's so unique and give off such festive vibes. I know two amazing henna artists that I found on instagram: Henna Dil Se and Glory of Henna. 

I hope this guide helps you babes and that you all have a wonderful and safe time this year at Coachella! Leave comments below if you have any questions or need help finding something specific. 

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Kissable At All Times

Nobody likes kissing chapped lips!

As I get older skincare (and body care) have moved really high up on my priority list. Everyone talks about how hydrated we should keep our skin causing us all to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on moisturizers that do so. We buy face mask after face mask and exfoliate at least once a week like clock work. Am I right? That's rhetorical because I am obviously right. ;) 

So we spend all of this time working on our skin so we can be part of the trending "Glow Up," but we neglect one of the sexiest features of our face -- OUR LIPS. There is nothing worse than having beautiful, fresh skin with chapped, crusty lips. 

"But Elise, what's the solution?!" 

I'm so glad you asked! Just as you would exfoliate your face and keep it moisturized with serums, masks, lotions & potions, do the same to your lips. I think people tend to forget that your lips have skin too. (I chuckled as I typed that because it sounds so silly, but it's true.) There are three things I routinely do to keep my lips kissable at all times. You never know when your man is going to sneak up and surprise  you with a big one. I exfoliate my lips, on average, twice a week. During winter I may do it a little more because my lips getting really chapped when it's cold, but this will vary from person to person. You'll get to know your lips and their tendencies the more you start giving them attention. To exfoliate, I use MAC's Lip Scrubtious (I prefer the sweet vanilla). 

There is a mask for every part of your body! So, naturally, I had to find my favorite lip mask and stock up. I apply Laniege's Lip Sleeping Mask every single night before I go to bed. (I got mine from Sephora.) I waited to write this blog until I had tried this lip mask for a month to see the genuine results. I promise you, if you follow these steps, you will see a noticeable difference in the softness and healthy glow of your lips. This product carries Vitamin C and lots of fruit extracts. I will link the items at the end of the post to shop. 

Now that you have products to use at home, what are you using during the day? It's equally important to find a good moisturizer for your lips that lives in your purse. I always carry with me Josie Maran's Argan Lip Sting Plumping Butter (I got from Sephora) and Aquaphor Lip Repair (you can get it from Target, CVS, or any other drug store). Aquaphor has been my go-to for years. Before I discovered lip masks (I was shook when I did), I was using Aquaphor to deep moisturize at night. So now I have been carrying it around with me as my chapstick. I have recently started using Josie Maran's lip butter and so far so good. I really love Josie Maran's products (they are all based with argan oil) and have for awhile. The lip butter has a creamy/velvety finish (which is nice considering it's a stick) and does have a sting at application (it goes away after a minute or so) that create the plumping properties. I'll never say no to plump. ;) 

*If you do not like the tingly feeling or are not looking for a plumping product, this one is not for you.

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I'm Just Pretty

"You're pretty for a black girl," is NOT a compliment!

Last night a guy I do not know asked me my ethnicity. I told him I am Palestinian and Black. He followed up with, "you're pretty for a black girl." 

As a little girl, I considered myself pretty, maybe even gorgeous. I went to an elementary school that was diverse in color, language and culture. I blended in with all of the other beautiful mixes of colors. It wasn't until I moved in junior high school that I started to question if I was ever really pretty at all or if I was just part of the only thing I knew. I spent my most impressionable years in a predominately white community. My best friends, and the other groups of girls I desired so badly to be part of, were tall, slender babes with clear blue eyes and flowing blonde hair. I became a generally accepted kind of pretty. Adults saw my thick, kinky hair and freckles as additions to my cuteness and my peers were genuinely curious about my hair. I got asked to "touch my hair" a lot as if I was a featured piece in a museum. I never knew if I should take that as a compliment or be bothered that I was made out to be a show piece. I wasn't ugly, so I guess it was okay - that's what I told myself. 

It wasn't until I got into eighth grade that I realized I wasn't pretty, but rather pretty with a caveat. The boys I wanted attention from only wanted the girls I ran in close circles with. They didn't want kinky hair, french braids or buns because I didn't know what else to do with my hair that I didn't know how to manage. I developed a complex I can only hope my (future) daughter never experiences. I didn't know who I was, who I should have been or who others wanted me to be. I felt short of mediocre in the outside world and a prized possession when I got home with my (Arab) family that always made me feel beautiful - but they are my family, that's their job right?

I did whatever I could to feel pretty - the kind of pretty I now believed to be genuine. I took hot tools to my luscious kinks, relaxed my hair to be as shiny and silky as ethnically possible. I was introduced to weaves and was so excited about being able to cover up my hair. I added ounces of silky hair that I would deny wasn't mine. (I still wear extensions and weaves, but for healthy reasons rather than to hide who I am and am not afraid to tell people.) I was determined to be "one of them." I tried to be white - only further confusing my sense of self as you can imagine. Transitioning into high school I decided to surround myself with more black people, people more like me, so I thought. Turns out, we weren't as alike as I had imagined. I became "too white" for the black crowd and "too black" for the white crowd. I spoke too white and was too "swaggy" all at the same time. (Even with relatives on my black side I was told to "not come around here talking like that," which resulted in them thinking I put myself on some higher level than them. In reality, I tried so hard to fit in with even my own family and never really felt accepted for my unique mix.) With my black friends I still "didn't understand the struggle and wasn't the same," and with my white friends I was the token cool black friend. I didn't realize someone's color or background made them cool. I guess they told me. 

Now that I am an adult and have learned to genuinely love and flaunt my Black and Palestinian assets, I find that everyone around me are spending countless hours in the sun and getting lip injections to try to look like me. Ain't that a blip? The crimping iron became the white girl's best friend and freckles were being drawn on with makeup. 

So, when someone tells me I am "pretty for a black girl," my inner little girl wants to curl up and cry. At the very basic level of the sentence, you do think I am pretty, exotic, ethnically ambiguous (that one is my favorite) because all of my beautiful differences make me pretty. Just pretty. 

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Airplane Mode

I like to travel comfortably! Period. It doesn't matter if it's an hour flight or a fifteen hour flight -- you'll never catch me getting on a plane in anything else but comfortable clothing. I admire the women who can travel in heels, dresses, etc. but the way my laziness is set up - I just can't. LOL You just never know when you'll end up with empty seats next to you so you can spread out. I have to be prepared for all levels of lounging. Feel me? 

I am typically in sandals or slip ons when I travel, but I always keep a pair of socks with me in my carry on because these airlines are so disrespectful with their AC. I'm like does it have to feel like the North Pole the whole flight?! I've been fortunate enough to have traveled quite a bit, so I have my outfits down to a science at this point. 

Preferably I will be in sweat pants/yoga pants that give me bloating room (lol don't judge), a tank top, and a comfy, warm coat. Contrary to the photos in this post, I prefer an actual tank top instead of a bodysuit because you're already limited on space in the bathrooms, so I am not trying to hit my head on the door trying to bend over to unbutton a bodysuit. 

Along with feeling comfortable on the outside, I also like to feel fresh and comfortable on the inside too. I like to shower before I leave for the airport because, regardless of how long your flight is, you just always seem to feel funky after traveling. I keep my face clean and fresh and, believe it or not, I'll use a face mask during my flight if it's long enough. These little steps really help in keeping me feel comfy. 

I'll link whatever is still available from this particular look along with other items that I think are great for a cute and practical airport 'fit. (click the image to shop)

A Matter of Time

Timing is everything.

I know, I know -- everyone says that. And I know, I know -- it's hard to accept. It's hard to let go of wanting to control everything in your life.

If you want to make God (The Universe or whichever higher power you believe in) laugh, tell him your plans. 

This past year, in all of my life, personally and professionally, I've had to learn to be patient. I've learned to let life happen because if you just keep plugging away and moving towards your greatness, whatever life offers you will be exactly what was meant for you. 

If my life went by "my plan," my blog would have successfully launched this last year; I'd be living in my dream home by now, and I'd probably be married with a cute lap dog I don't really have time for. Although I launched my blog this year, I am still living at home and am not married, (but I do have an adorable cat and an amazing boyfriend and family) I am so grateful for everything I have learned in this past year. I've never energetically felt a shift in my life so strong as I did in the transition from 2017 to 2018. I have completely surrendered to God & The Universe. I now look forward to the moments that will stretch me and force me to grow because I have always received such amazing outcomes from them. 

This is my beginning - I have officially (re)launched! I am so excited to share my new sense of self with you all because well, it's time! I felt it was only appropriate to launch this newly remodeled Blazers & Bralettes with this beautiful piece from Jord Watches so you can also enjoy your time. xx

I have partnered up with Jord Watches to give one of my special followers a watch of their very own! *hand clap* I am always looking for unique accessories - who doesn't want to stand out? I'm obsessed! 

click to enter giveaway

All photos are taken by Nicole Balsamo.