Maybelline Fit Me Collection: Review

I've never really been that big on makeup, but I figured that since I'm starting college it would be a good time to at least learn the basics of it. The main reason I decided to stick with the Maybelline brand is because I already use their Falsie mascara and I've been really pleased with it. Plus, I didn't really want to spend a lot of money on MAC products because I don't think I'll be wearing it that often.

The Fit Me collection has a wide range of shades which I liked. My shade is 330 in the foundation and powder, and 30 in the concealer. The concealer is the product that I particularly like because I can just dab two or three dots on the dark spots under my eyes and rub it in. I didn't think that I would like wearing the powder because sometimes it can look cakey or dry your skin out; but it's actually very light. I take pretty good care of my skin so I won't really have a need to constantly apply the foundation, but I like that it doesn't make my face feel greasy or oily.

It seems that I've gotten it right on the first try with selecting a foundation/powder/concealer trio.

VMA Predictions

I look forward to the VMAs every year. Everything is voted on by the fans, literally anything can happen (feel free to Google Miley Cyrus's performance from last year), and you can tell that the artists are having just as much fun as the fans. Here are my predictions for this years' awards:

Artist to Watch
- Five Seconds of Summer
- Charli XCX
- Fifth Harmony
- Sam Smith
- Schoolboy Q


My Pick: Five Seconds of Summer
The band has had a really good year in the US, which tends to happen when you tour with One Direction as their opening act (twice!). And let's face it, you couldn't go anywhere this summer without hearing "She Looks So Perfect".

Best Collaboration
- Problem ft Iggy Azelea - Ariana Grande
- Drunk in Love ft Jay Z - Beyonce
- Loyal ft Lil Wayne & Tyga - Chris Brown
- The Monster ft Rihanna - Eminem
- Dark Horse ft Juicy J - Katy Perry
- Timber ft. Kesha - Pitbull


My Pick: Drunk in Love
If you're going to work on a secret album and then release it without any promo, you might as well feature your superstar husband on the first single with you. I've lost count of how many times I've attempted to do the little hip swivel move from the video (emphasis on attempt). #surfboardt

Best Pop Video
- Problem ft Iggy Azelea - Ariana Grande
- Wake Me Up - Avicii
- Fancy ft Charli XCX - Iggy Azelea
- Talk Dirty ft. 2 Chainz - Jason Derulo
- Happy - Pharrell


My Pick: Problem or Fancy
I can't decide if I love the mod vibe of "Problem" or the Clueless theme of "Fancy". Either way Iggy Azelea wins and Ariana Grande will still be a flawless siren.

Best Hip Hop Video
- 3005 - Childish Gambino
- Hold On, We're Going Home ft. Majid Jordan - Drake
- Berzerk - Eminem
- Black Skinhead - Kanye West
- We Dem Boys - Wiz Khalifa


My Pick: 3005
I've been raving about Childish Gambino and Because the Internet lately and when I saw that "3005" was nominated, I was pleasantly surprised. His music has just now started to get regular radio play, so he's breaking into the mainstream. As much as I really want him to win, I feel like "Hold On, We're Going Home" could take it as well.

Best Rock Video
- Do I Wanna Know - Arctic Monkeys
- Fever - The Black Keys
- Demons - Imagine Dragons
- Until It's Gone - Linkin Park
- Royals - Lorde


My Pick: Do I Wanna Know
The Arctic Monkeys are one of my favorite bands and it was a bit of a surprise to see that they were nominated this year. As amazing as AM was, I didn't think that they were as famous over here as they are in the UK.  I think that "Do I Wanna Know" is easily the best song and video in this category, but there's also a chance that "Demons" by Imagine Dragons and "Royals" by Lorde could win.

Best Male Video
- Sing ft. Pharrell - Ed Sheeran
- The Monster ft Rihanna - Eminem
- All of Me - John Legend
- Happy - Pharrell
- Stay With Me - Sam Smith


My Pick: Sing
I love Ed Sheeran and for anyone who has yet to jump on the band wagon, I play this for them. It's hip hop-esqe, but it's still completely Ed. Plus, it was produced by Pharrell so it has to be a winner, right?

Best Female Video
- Problem ft Iggy Azelea - Ariana Grande
- Partition - Beyonce
- Fancy ft Charli XCX - Iggy Azelea
- Dark Horse ft Juicy J - Katy Perry
- Royals - Lorde


My Pick: Partition
Where do I begin to describe the perfection? Beyonce playing the role of the seductress? Jay Z's cameo? Or maybe the hella sexy chair dance at the end? I think this one is just a given.

Best Lyric Video
- Don't Stop - Five Seconds of Summer
- Really Don't Care ft Cher Lloyd - Demi Lovato
- Mmm Yeah ft Pitbull - Austin Mahone
- Problem ft Iggy Azalea - Ariana Grande
- Birthday - Katy Perry


My Pick: Don't Stop
This is a new category for the award show, but it shows that MTV is keeping up with the times; seeing as lyric videos are becoming more and more popular. The lyric video for "Don't Stop" actually matches the real music video for the song, featuring the band's superhero characters in comic book form. This is the only award that is voted for via Twitter. MTV's website shows the number of votes that each video has, and currently "Don't Stop" has 40,800,000 votes, with Demi Lovato's "Really Don't Care" close behind with 40,500,000.

MTV Clubland Award
- Summer - Calvin Harris
- Grab Her! - Disclosure
- Turn Down For What - Lil John & DJ Snake
- Animals - Martin Garrix
- Stay the Night ft Haley Williams - Zedd


My Pick: Stay the Night
It was interesting seeing Haley Williams do something outside of Paramore for once, and I'm really glad that she lent her voice for this song. This is one of the few songs that I can hear on the radio and not get sick of. Since it is still in constant rotation on airwaves, a lot of people have heard it so it's chances of winning are very good.

Best Video with a Social Message
- Battle Cry ft Sia - Angel Haze
- Hey Brother - Avicii
- Pretty Hurts - Beyonce
- One Voice ft Mikky Ekko - David Guetta
- Crooked Smile - J. Cole
- Dirty Laundry - Kelly Rowland


My Pick: Pretty Hurts
What I love about "Pretty Hurts" is that it shines the light on insecurities and images of "acceptable" beauty in a setting that anyone can understand: a beauty pageant. She shows herself working out, having her body critiqued, purging. There's even one shot of an already very skinny contestant eating a cotton ball to stifle her appetite. Both the song is very compelling, and I love the cinematography of the music video.

Video of the Year
- Drunk In Love ft Jay Z - Beyonce
- Fancy ft Charli XCX - Iggy Azalea
- Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus
- Happy - Pharrell
- Chandelier - Sia


My Pick: Drunk In Love
Beyonce has always been a VMA favorite, so there's no doubt in my mind that she'll take home the moonman for Video of the Year. To quote Kanye West, "Beyonce had the best video of all time!"

MTV Video Music Awards Fashion Spotlight

VMA Style by jasmynewearsthis on polyvore.com

With the VMA's coming up this Sunday, I thought it would be a cool idea to shine a sartorial spotlight on three of my favorite nominees: Sia, Charli XCX, and Lorde.

Sia is a bit of a mystery both in her music and her fashion. She doesn't seem to dress too out there, but she doesn't seem like a big trend follower either. I really like this printed black and white silk/wool shirt dress from Victoria by Victoria Beckham for her because of the silhouette of the girl on it. It makes the dress a bit dramatic, but the black and white keeps it toned down. She'd probably go for a simple boot, like these Pull and Bear ones. Accessories would be minimal, so instead she would opt for this black Alessi watch and white Givenchy clutch; the white of the clutch helping it stand out from the rest of the ensemble. Also, because she prefers to sing with her back to the audience as to not take attention away from the music, a paper bag to put over her head; much like she did for her Billboard magazine cover.

Charli XCX is a wildcard when it comes to fashion. She could, and can, wear anything and it look amazing on her. I can see her pairing this cropped Mickey Mouse sweatshirt from Forever 21 with distressed J Brand boyfriend fit jeans. If she chose to roll the cuffs of the jeans, these peep toe boots from Topshop would be perfect. I think she would be a fan of large circular sunglasses, and a small crossbody bag like this one from Celine would round out the ensemble.

I have no shame in admitting that I have a girl crush on Lorde. She speaks her mind and could not care less whether you agree with her or not. Her style, ever evolving, is what I would describe as dressy, goth, grunge; but this is mostly when she's performing. On an off day, she would probably stick to basic items like this sweatshirt crop top from H & M. She's shown a preference for high waisted pants and rings, so she'd probably love these high waisted jeans from The Ragged Priest and this set of rings from Asos. With footwear, she leans towards chunky heels/soles, but I personally would love to see her with a pair of Vans. When I originally made this set, I was listening to the Tennis Court EP so I added a Chanel tennis racket set and some circular sunglasses from Pretty Green for fun.

I'm thinking I might try to do more posts like this. Thoughts?

Boohoo Lottie Cutout Buckle Boots Review

After lusting after these boots all summer, I decided to buy them. I'm beginning to develop somewhat of an obsession with shoes, and my obsession with these began with the Balenciaga Buckle Strap Ankle Boots. Although those boots came out a few seasons ago, they made a triumphant return to the fashion world in the Boot Craze of Fall/Winter 2013. It just seemed like these boots were featured on every fashion blog and that anyone who's anyone owned a pair. Naturally, I wanted to join in on the leather soled fun, but then a sad truth hit me: the boots were $1,275.00. For a while, I gave up on my Balenciaga boot dream; but then I found these beauties.

Although they aren't exact lookalikes, these boots from Boohoo are just as perfect. They do run wide, so I ordered them in a size seven instead of my normal size eight. Luckily, I ordered them before they went out of stock (there were less than ten pairs left). I'm currently brainstorming different ways to style them, but I think that they're versatile enough to where you can dress them up or down.

Good Listener

I love the funky sound of The 1975's songs and I love it even more when they add touches of jazz (like the epic saxophone solo featured in this song).


Sky Ferreira is, in my opinion, the perfect anti-pop pop artist and it absolutely kills me that she doesn't get the recognition that she deserves. I love this song because it feels very 90s, and also her playing the role of a badass, drug dealing, gang leader in the video is pretty amazing too.


One of the great things about Jhene Aiko is her ability to completely lose herself emotionally in her songs and this one makes me want to cry over a bunch of guys that I haven't even dated. I highly recommend you listen to this if you've gone through a bad breakup, but I wouldn't suggest that you key the guy's car or go all "Waiting to Exhale" and burn all of his belongings like she did in the video.


Paolo Nutini is an eternal man crush of mine and the funk/rock/bluesy-ness of his new album is beyond perfect. This is one of those songs where you kind of have to get up and dance to it because it makes you feel that good.


Earlier this week I did a post on a mood board I made that was inspired by this song, so of course I had to feature it.

White Teeth Teens Mood Board

One of my favorite hobbies is making mood boards. I'm a big magazine junkie, so when I'm done reading a magazine, I'll just cut it up and save the captions and pictures to use for a mood board. I'm almost always listening to music while working on a board, and while I was picking out the pictures for this one, "White Teeth Teens" by Lorde came on. Songs don't usually directly influence the theme of my boards, but listening to "White Teeth Teens" had me gravitating towards pictures of things like wine bottles and rock star heiresses modelling sunglasses on a yacht.

Once I had pasted the pictures onto the board, I decided to go back and hand write lines from the song and add them to the board. I'm pleased with how this board came out, so I think I may try to do another song inspired mood board soon.

Idle Life Update: It's Getting Real

August is proving to be a very busy month for me. Summer vacation is over and I'll be going off to college later on this month. Right now I'm mostly just getting last minute things together for my dorm room, buying my books, and trying to enjoy my last days of freedom.

I feel a little weird because I'm not nervous about college, but I'm also not jumping off the walls with excitement. The way I see it, I'll be starting school just like I have in the past; the only difference being that I won't be at home and I'll only have two or three classes a day. My major is mass communications with a focus on journalism, and I'm looking into minoring in public relations. I'd also like to be able to do something with English, but I want to see just how much I can handle for this first semester.

Currently, I'm thinking of different post ideas about starting college and also a mini-post series about the MTV Video Music Awards since it's one of the many award shows I look forward to every year. A lot of content is coming so don't give up on me yet :)

Skin Routine

A lot of bloggers have been making posts about how and what they use to take care of their skin and so I figure it's about time I jump on the bandwagon and do one too! My skin doesn't get oily, but it does dry out easily and is very acne prone; especially around my t-zone (the forehead and bridge of your nose). It took me a while to find the right skincare products that worked for my skin, but I've finally found the best collection for me: the Neutrogena Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes and Oil-Free Acne Wash in pink grapefruit, Clearasil Vanishing Acne Treatment Cream, Olay Oil Minimizing Toner with Witch Hazel, and Jergen's Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer (not pictured).

In the mornings, I use the acne wash because it is also a scrub and can exfoliate my skin as well as cleanse it. Then, I take a cotton pad and go over my face with the toner. The toner is a recent addition to my routine and since I've started using it my skin has really healthy glow to it. Finally, I use the moisturizer; and I don't know about anyone else but I also moisturize my neck and under my ears. No particular reason, I've just always done it.

At night, I use the wipes and cleanse my face the same way I would if I were using the acne wash. I still use the toner and the moisturizer, but after moisturizing my face for the night, I'll apply the acne treatment cream to any trouble areas or wherever I see a spot getting ready to form.

Hope this was helpful for everyone!

Forever 21 Haul

These are just a few things that I've bought from Forever 21 recently.

This is the holy grail of plaid skirts and I'm so excited to style it. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it because it has all three of my favorite colors in it: black, white, and red. The fabric is really light, the pleats aren't too big (I've seen that in a lot of other flared skirts).

I found a great sleeveless white, black, and red plaid shirt and a dark blue/green plaid shirt. The material of the shirts is actually a lot softer than I expected. Even though the sleeveless plaid shirt is cropped, I could probably wear it in the winter if I layered it with a cami underneath because of the knit material. I ordered the dark blue/green plaid shirt one size larger so that it would have a loose, oversized fit to it.

I don't typically go for polka dots, but these two tops are an exception. They both look simple enough to be worn with jeans and sneakers, but I could also easily dress them up. Also, how perfect is that shade of red? (Answer: Very perfect.)

It's been a while since I bought a proper pair of pajama's, and these two sets are perfect! They're extremely comfortable and both sets were $12.80, so it was a great deal.

Bang, Bang

I was lucky enough to have gotten a Nikon l820 digital camera as a late graduation present towards the end of June, and I brought it with me when my family went to Gulfport, Mississippi for the Fourth of July. People always go to the beach and shoot off fireworks on the Fourth, so my family decided to go too and I took it as a chance to give my camera a proper test run. I'm still very new to photography, but I think I did a pretty alright job for a beginner.

The last two are my favorites because I caught right as the fireworks were beginning to settle in the air. I especially love how the next to last photo looks like a big mass of mini sparks.

July Favorites

I know July hasn't completely come to a close, but I was just too excited about this post to wait the last few days. July was a pretty good month; I've been taking things easy for the most part since I'll be going off to university at the end of next month. It still hasn't quite hit me that I'll be a college student soon, but I'm sure that once I get there and start my classes I'll be fine.

I've never been big on makeup, but I figured that I should at least know the basics of it. After looking into different makeup brands and decided on the concealer, powder, and foundation from Maybelline's Fit Me collection. My shade is #330 in the foundation and powder and #30 in the concealer. So far I'm pretty pleased with the collection; everything goes on easy and it's very lightweight so I don't feel like it's clogging my pores. I also decided to try out some lipstains and I'm loving the Revlon Colorburst Balm Stains. It took me a little while to figure out which colors would look good on me, but I decided on two balm stains: Charm (the peachy tone) and Sweetheart (the darker pink shade). One really nice surprise that I found at TJMaxx when my family was in Gulfport for the Fourth of July was this bottle of Harajuku Lovers perfume in the scent "G". Usually these fragrances go for about $40+, but I seriously lucked out and found this one for $6!

I found this sweatshirt and kimono top at Ross. The sweatshirt is insanely soft and I got it in the next size up so it's very comfortable. I'd been looking for a kimono top for the longest time, but couldn't ever find one that had a pattern that I liked. This one is black (like most of my wardrobe) and has a pinkish floral pattern. I also bought this one size larger and I'm glad that I did because it looks so flowy when I wear it.

These last few items are probably the best things that I bought all month. I went to Books-a-Million with my mom a few days ago and found a box set of the classic novels Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Little Women all for $5. The next day, in Walmart of all places, I found a book of all off William Shakespeare's plays. I could have cried, I was so happy!

Pretty Badass

From left to right: Crystal Reed as Alison Argent, Holland Roden as Lydia Martin, Shelley Hennig as Malia Tate, and Arden Cho as Kira Yukimura

I'm very big on television, but every Monday night I make sure that I'm in front a TV to watch that week's episode of Teen Wolf. Having been a fan of the show since the first season, I haven't missed a single episode  and I've even developed emotional attachments to the characters. Aside from it being incredibly well written with well thought out storylines, what I love the most about Teen Wolf is that the female characters are able to hold their own against the male characters and then some.

Last season, when the lead cross-bow wielding heroine Alison Argent (played by Crystal Reed) was killed off the show, I was sobbing right along with the rest of the fans. It had been confirmed that someone was going to be killed off the show that season, but who would've thought that it'd be dear, sweet Alison?

In the first season, Alison went from being a love interest for main character Scott McCall (played by Tyler Posey), to being a fighter against supernatural right along with him and his best friend Stiles (played by Dylan O'Brien). Her best friend, Lydia Martin (played by Holland Roden), goes from being the superficial it girl to being the resident banshee (a woman who begins to wail when she senses that someone is about to die) and becomes a huge help to Scott's pack.

In the last season, two more female characters, Malia Tate (played by Shelley Hennig) and Kira Yukimura (played by Arden Cho), were added to the cast; both with heavy influence on that season's storyline. Malia began the season as a werecoyote stuck in her animal form, believing that she killed her mother and younger sister when she shifted for the first time eight years earlier. Scott and Stiles find her, help her shift back into her human form, and she is now a member of Scott's pack. Kira started off as a new student in their high school and a potential love interest for Scott, with him and Alison having broken up two seasons prior. One thing that I love about Kira's storyline is that when she was first introduced, we didn't just see her as a love interest; the writer's left room for there to be a little mystery surrounding her. That mystery turned out to be that she is a thunder kitsune, a mystical creature that gets its power directly from electricity. 

When Alison died in the episode before last season's finale, I really appreciate the writers showing how her death affected the other characters; affirming that she was a major part of the show. Even though the show is now short one female character, I'm not at all worried about testosterone taking over. When you've got a banshee, a werecoyote, and a thunder kitsune, you can't get any better than that.

Good Listener

I always listen to Regina Spektor when I'm working on something or feeling creative. She's very creative with her song writing and her songs are the perfect balance of upbeat and mellow to keep my imagination flowing.



"Florida Kilos" is one of the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of Ultraviolence and it might be my new favorite. It has a very Scarface vibe and the chorus is insanely catchy.



I love the use of drums in this song because they sound really tribal and I feel it would fit well in a post apocalyptic scenario. If or when the end of the world comes, this song will be playing.



"I was scared of dentists and the dark/I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations"
I found this song after Lorde tweeted some of the lyrics a few months ago and just recently started listening to it again. I think that Vance Joy has a very unique voice for a man, and it fits him and his songs very well.

Ked Double Up Sneakers

I bought these shoes a few weeks ago and decided to do a short post on them because they're probably the best Ked sneakers I've owned. I really like the thick rubber sole and they even came with an additional pair of black shoelaces. They're very comfortable and I feel like you could probably get more wear out of these sneakers than Keds' classic plimsoll style sneakers because of the thicker sole. Another reason I love these shoes is because they look almost exactly like this pair of Supergas that I was planning on getting, but only cost $55.

A Little Help From My Friends

This week I met up with Melissa and Micaela, two of my best friends for the last four years, for a goodbye dinner of sorts before the three of us go off to college next month. To say that they've played really big parts in my life would be an understatement. They've seen me grow from an extremely awkward freshman to an extremely awkward soon-to-be college freshman and I couldn't have chosen two cooler people to spend the last four years with.

We went to an arts magnet high school where each student goes to a class that focuses on a specific art each day in addition to their core classes. Our art was creative writing and that was where we met (but technically I met Micaela back in kindergarten because we were in the same class then). One thing that I remember clearly about that first day was that I really liked what was on their feet: Micaela was wearing purple low top Converse and Melissa was wearing really cool mock ultra-high top converse knee socks. We've been an awesome trio ever since!

One loveable quirk about Melissa is that she loves to be barefoot. There was a fountain near the place that we went to eat, so of course she had to dip her feet in.

Another ever so loveable quirk about Melissa is that she likes to get everyone to join in the fun. Here she is trying (and failing) to get me to go into the fountain with her and then me spazzing out afterward. These two lovely photos where taken by Micaela.

The three of us have been through a lot together and I just hope that any other friends I gain in the future are at least half as great as these two are.

Idle Thought: Childish Gambino's Camp and Because the Internet Album's and How/If They're Connected

In a couple of past posts, I've mentioned how I've started listening to Childish Gambino's Because the Internet album again. A few nights ago I decided to listen to his first album, Camp, and Because the Internet back to back while I was working on a collage and I think I've stumbled onto something really interesting.

In the screenplay that accompanied Because the Internet, the main character is called "The Boy" and everything starts with him getting off the bus from camp and driving home with his dad. I feel like the Camp album is actually a lead in to Because the Internet because it tells the back story of "The Boy". The last song on Camp, "That Power", has a really long spoken monologue at the end of it where he's talking about how he doesn't think he's ever really gotten off the bus coming back from camp. Because of all the things that he's experienced in the past, "The Boy" becomes very cynical about life, which is then expressed in (drum roll please) Because the Internet. I'm not sure if the two albums were intended to be connected by a central character or if I'm just late in figuring this out, but I think it's a pretty genius idea and once again I am blown away by Childish Gambino's creativity.

Lana Del Rey "Ultraviolence" Track by Track Album Review

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a huge Lana Del Rey fangirl (and just a huge fangirl in general). She is one of my queens and I admire her as an artist; so you can only imagine how excited I was when I found out that she was releasing her new album, Ultraviolence, after two years of touring around the world for her critically acclaimed Born to Die album. My excitement for Ultraviolence was so extreme that I actually drove to Target the morning of its release and bought a physical copy of the album so I could really see and feel the glory of Queen Lana's new gift to the world. I swear from the moment the first song started I was transported to a euphoric paradise. Ultraviolence is brilliant lyrically and since it was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, the album has a great hazy, soft rock feel that's perfect for summer.

Cruel World
An ode to an ending relationship, "Cruel World" is the perfect opening track. It introduces the rock elements of the album, but doesn't stray too far from the style of Del Rey's past songs. The lyrics also stay true to past songs, referencing the "little red party dress" that she's so fond of.
Favorite lyrics: "Because you're young, you're wild, you're free/You're dancing circles around me/You're fucking crazy"

Ultraviolence


Del Rey's versatile vocals shine with simple piano chords accompanying the verses and diminished drums and a faint, idling guitar riff for the chorus. Fun Fact: in an interview with Kulturenews, Del Rey said that the song is based on her time as a member of an underground sect in New York that was run by a charismatic guru.
Favorite lyrics: "I can hear sirens, sirens/He hit me and it felt like a kiss/I can hear violins, violins/Give me all of that ultraviolence"

Shades of Cool

If you can imagine a slower, more haunting version of the generic ballerina music box song, you have "Shades of Cool". The first time I listened to it, I started thinking of "Blue Jeans" from Born to Die, only with an epic guitar solo during the bridge that almost drowns out the poignant ending lines: "Hot neglectful lover/You're crumbling, sadly/You're sadly crumbling"

Brooklyn Baby

This is the type of song you would listen to on a long drive along the coast with the top down on your convertible. Talking about her infatuation with a rock star boyfriend (but claiming that really she's cooler than he is), and fondly referencing the past ("They think I don't understand the freedom land of the seventies"), "Brooklyn Baby" is definitely a song to listen to with your lover.
Favorite lyrics: "You never liked the way I said it/If you don't get it, then forget it/So I don't have to fucking explain it"

West Coast


Being the first single for the album, it was important that "West Coast" give fans an idea of what Ultraviolence was going to sound like and it didn't disappoint. You can hear touches of The Black Key's sound, courtesy of Dan Auerbach, mixed in with the song's surf rock sound and the way Del Rey casually throws in Spanish phrases that just roll off her tongue make me feel a little guilty about almost failing it my senior year. This track is one of my favorites on the album and I can remember singing the chorus at the top of my lungs in my friend's living room one day during the first week of its release: "I can see my baby swinging/His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up/On the balcony and I'm singing/'Ooh baby, ooh baby, I'm in love'"

Sad Girl
Giving off a very jazzy vibe, "Sad Girl" is another song where Del Rey plays off on one of her favorite subjects: seducing or being admired by a dark and mysterious suitor. One small thing that I love is how she goes from describing herself as "being a mistress on the side" to "being a bad bitch on the side"; using "bitch" as a term of endearment.

Pretty When You Cry
I dub this track Ultraviolence's "Summertime Sadness". The emotion in her voice is what truly makes the song, and then the vengeful guitar solo at the end as she's wailing out the last few lines practically forces you to play air guitar.
Favorite lyrics: "I'll wait for you, babe/That's all I do, babe/Don't come through babe/You never do/Because I'm pretty when I cry"

Money Power Glory
Trying to get a man to leave his current life (and possibly his current wife) in exchange for a more exciting, rich life with her; Del Rey plays the role of the seductress well.
Favorite lyrics: "You talk lots about God/Freedom comes from the call/But that's not what this bitch wants/Not what I want at all"

Fucked My Way Up to the Top
The title itself raises eyebrows. In an interview with Grazia magazine, Del Rey explained that the song is about another artist who originally described her as inauthentic, but ended up copying her musical style (you know, cause she's totally not bitter).
Favorite lyrics: "I'm a dragon, you're a whore/Don't even know what you're good for/Mimicking me is a fucking bore"

Old Money
The use of piano and violins makes this song on reminiscing about luxurious childhood trysts all the more emotional.
Favorite lyrics: "But if you send for me, you know I'll come/And if you call for me, you know I'll run"

The Other Woman
Del Rey closes out the album with a cover of a Nina Simone classic that fits the context of the album perfectly. Keeping true to the original bluesy-ness of the song, her voice quivers and rings out in the right places and the right tone. I'd say that she did the song justice.
Favorite lyrics: "The other woman will always cry herself to sleep/The other woman will never have his love to keep"

Fourth Of July Weekend: Lookbook

This year my family decided to spend the Fourth of July with my dad's mother in Gulfport, Mississippi. The trip was extra special because my mom's mother also came with us.

Thursday

Thursday was a traveling day so I wore this comfortable black and white tribal print romper that I found at TJMaxx back in April with a simple white cami underneath. My boots (which were the only shoes that I decided to take with me) are G by Guess.

Friday

Friday was spent around family, with everyone going to the beach that evening to watch the fireworks. Since it was cool on the beach, I had my New Look denim jacket with me. When I first saw this muscle tee, I immediately fell in love with it. It's very lightweight and cropped with dropped armholes. Since I was around some older family members, I paired the top with high waisted jeans so that my stomach wasn't showing.

Saturday

We decided to go out and look around some stores on Saturday, which gave me the perfect opportunity to debut my plaid shirt dress (as featured in my June Favorites). Since it buttons up, it would be really easy to slip it on and off when trying things on. Sadly I didn't find any clothes that I liked, but I did find a small bottle of Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers perfume for $6 so the day wasn't completely wasted.

Sunday

We left Gulfport Sunday morning, so to stay comfortable during the four hour car ride home paired my favorite muscle tee with these black high waisted shorts (also featured in my June Favorites). I hope everyone had a great holiday :)