Fashion Finds Lately

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

Shopping brings me so much happiness, wait is that healthy? When you lose weight there’s no better way to celebrate then by buying a new outfit in a smaller size. A wedding, birthday, or first date are just a few events that excuse a trip to the mall. This month I’ve picked up a few more fashion favorites.

This month I was feeling the black and white look. Buying basics means that you have endless opportunities for mixing and matching using your current wardrobe. With that said, here are my fashion finds for April:

Baseball Season: Support Your Team While Looking Cute

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

meeshme.com

Baseball season is here whether you like it or not. Whether you are a baseball fan yourself, or attending games to please your boyfriend, there isn’t a reason why you can’t look cute. Just because you’re a sports fan doesn’t mean you can’t look feminine. Gone are the days where over-sized jerseys are your only option. Victoria Secret offers an MLB line with plenty of flirty fun pieces to choose from. As a Dodgers fan, I am partial to the white and blue. Below you will find some cute options for female baseball fans. Click on the image to be redirected to the Victoria Secret page where you can get additional information, or purchase these items. GO DODGERS!!

Dressing for Success

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

Dressing for the workplace can be stifling, especially when you work in a corporate environment. Just because you have a serious job, doesn’t mean you can’t look seriously stylish. There are so many options for today’s working woman, that there’s no reason why you can’t brighten up the drab notion of work-ware. I attend quite a few tradeshows a year, and it’s always shocking to me how many women show up in black and white. Don’t be afraid to stand out ladies! Wearing color doesn’t mean you won’t be taken seriously, but wearing black can prevent you from standing out against your competition.

That being said here is my favorite professional look of the month. The pencil skirt is from Victoriasecret.com and the peplum top is from the current Spring line in Express stores now.

Happy Easter & Sizdah Bedar

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Easter holiday this weekend. Easter means different things to different people. To many it is a very religious holiday, and Sunday morning is spent at Mass. For others it’s about decorating Easter eggs, and time spent with family. For many children, it’s about finding the most eggs or getting the biggest basket.

For my family Sunday was a celebration of two holidays. For Persians, Sunday was the celebration of the coming of Spring. The Persian New Year is actually 13 days long, and ends with a celebration in the park called Sizdah Bedar. Sizdah is the Persian word for 13. Friends and family gather together at the park with tons of food and music. One major destination for Sizdah Bedar is in Orange County. Learn more about the festivities here.

My family and I abstained from visiting one of the overcrowded parks, and instead opted to stay local. Of course my aunts still made kabob in the park, but we hunted for Easter eggs as well. I think one of the most amazing things about my family is how they were able to keep their cultural traditions while embracing American culture. It has given me an extra identity, instead of a lost one. I am very appreciative to be able to take part in wonderful traditions from both cultures.

No matter how you celebrated, I hope that you celebrated with loved ones! Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

Hot Spring Buys

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

March may be coming to an end, but there are still a few more weeks of Spring time to enjoy before you have to get into a bikini. Spring time is always a beautiful time for nature. Everywhere I go I see trees blossoming, with beautiful flowers of pink and purple. It’s also causing my allergies to go haywire. Always remember to take some type of allergy medication (Claritin, Zertec, etc) before heading out to enjoy the natural beauty of Spring.

Spring time is also a lovely time for fashion. Pretty floral prints are abundant, and pastel colors are in. Walk into any store during Spring, and you will find items in mint, soft pink, and pastel purple all around. The weather begins to warm up, so you can ditch your heavy coats, and show some leg. Trouble with that is, your legs might not be in the best shape after a winter of comfort foods.

That is why some of my hot buys for this Spring included items that will help me get in shape for the summer months. Here are my hot buys for Spring 2013:

: Elliptical for at home

: Nike Fuel Band for motivation

: Flattering swimsuit

: Floral Flirty Dress

: Embrace Spring Colors

: OPI Pastel Nail Polish

The Birthday Dress

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

You have to stand out on your birthday, it is a must! Last year I wore a full length silver and gold sequin dress. Crazy right? Not for me. I don’t believe that just because I’m not a movie star I don’t deserve to look glamorous. The dress was amazing, and I felt great in it, even though everyone else was in normal club attire. Many of my friends abide by fashion rules, and worry about what everyone else is wearing. Not me. I would always rather be over dressed than under dressed for an occasion. So when I saw that sparkling dress I knew it had to be my bday dress.

This year I was celebrating my birthday at Carthay Circle, a restaurant modeled after the 1920’s theater where Walt Disney premiered Snow White. I was looking for a dress that had old Hollywood glamour, that I could wear at a restaurant without feeling too over the top. My search seemed endless, and I was out of luck. I decided to visit my mother’s closet, which I have done throughout the years much to her dismay. I found a dress she wore back in the 80s, that I had always liked. The gold and white sequins and beading reminded me of the theme of the restaurant. I removed the 1980s shoulder pads, and I had my birthday dress.

I paired the dress with a pair of hot pink Steve Maddens, which have the most delicious jeweled heel. The shoes gave the outfit the pop of color it was missing. I decided not to wear jewelry, since the dress was so amazingly embellished. I had an amazing birthday, and felt like a Hollywood star for the evening. Remember it’s your birthday, dress to feel good about yourself. If you want to look glamorous do it! If you rather be in a T-shirt and jeans, it’s your special day.

Here’s a side by side of my mother and I in the dress:

Oz Screening: I’m Off to See the Wizard

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

This weekend I was lucky enough to get to see a screening of Oz: The Great and Powerful at the Walt Disney Studio lot in Burbank, California. This wasn’t my first time seeing a screening at this beautiful theater, but it was my boyfriend’s first time. He was impressed by the light show introduction, and the plush red reclining seats. I was more excited about the film I was about to see.

I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of this film for months now. What’s there not to love? Amazing fashion worn by the three lovely witches, the always hilarious James Franco, and the magic and mystery that comes with every Disney film. If I was going to attend the screening, I had to look the part. To prepare for the release of Oz, I bought a few “OZ inspired” items. Emerald is the color of the year, and you can find it in plenty of stores. Sephora recently released a new emerald make up line. Find out more about it here. With my emerald dress, gold belt, green eye shadow and nail polish I was ready and off to see the wizard! See how I connected with my witchy side below:

To purchase this Oz inspired emerald dress, visit Venus here. Sizes run big, so order a size smaller than usual. To learn more about the film visit here. And go see Oz: The Great and Powerful out in theaters now!

Minty Fresh

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

My new obsession this month is with the color mint. Whether it’s dark or light in hue, mint is a fabulous color. It can highlight a great tan, or even compensate for a lack of one. Three purchases this month have me really excited. Check out my new buys:

It all started with a trip to Las Vegas. My boyfriend’s little sister flew from New Jersey to celebrate her 21st birthday. She was having an amazing time, but learned a very important lesson the hard way, when visiting Vegas pack your hottest pair of comfortable shoes. Sure Vegas is the city of excess, and we all want to look hot, but when in Vegas you want to party all night long, and that requires a comfortable pair of shoes. I would never suggest wearing an frumpy pair of flats, but there are plenty of sexy styles that won’t kill your feet. We took a trip to the Fashion Show Mall to find her a pair of shoes that she could dance in the rest of her trip. Of course we had to stop by Aldo, and of course I had to find a pair of shoes I just had to have.

These mint leather sandals were too good to pass up. The heel is low enough for me to be able to wear them whether I’m going out on date night or attending a conference. The silver heel adds a bit of sex appeal, to an otherwise average shoe style. The shoe is light, easy to walk in, and comfortable to wear. The mint hue brought out the tan in my legs, which need a lot more sun light if you ask me. You can find these shoes at your local Aldo store or online here for $80.

Once I had these shoes I needed something to wear with them. I came across this skirt on Lulus.com. The style is a little 1950’s which I think matches the style of the shoe perfectly. The only issue I encountered when the skirt arrived was the tulle underlay. It added a lot more volume to the skirt, which can be unflattering. I simply cut the tulle from under the skirt (it came off very easily) and the skirt fell closer to my hips. The color was described as mint, and it’s a very rich mint tone. The skirt is high waisted, so a cropped t-shirt or tank works well with it. I bought two different shirts from Express to go with this outfit. You can find them here. I purchased this skirt here at $45 with free shipping.

The bracelet is also from Lulus.com. The light blue tone matched the soft mint tone of my Aldo heels, and the fake jewels add a little sparkle. This bracelet can be found online here for just $16. For my neck piece I found a pretty mint toned necklace at Express. The necklace can be found here or in stores for $40, but buy one necklace at Express right now, and get the second for $9.50.

I hope you fall in love with mint this month like I did!

Under the Sea

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

I love the sea. The blue hues of the water, the pink and peach tones of the coral, the color combos have always been a favorite of mine. This next outfit was inspired by the sea. The necklace can be found at Express in stores and online. The shirt can also be found at Express in stores currently. The skirt is from H&M, but no longer in stores, but check out these peach colored options at Polyvore.

February: Things I love (This Month)

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

I get really obsessed with certain products, and then play them out until I can’t have anymore. I like what I like, and I don’t stop liking it until I do. Right now I’m obsessed with:

SNACKS

Special K Fruit & Yogurt Cereal

I have always been a fan of special K, a cereal I can eat to help me keep the pounds from fighting their way back. I can however, eat more than one bowl of special K at a sitting, negating the dietary benefits of the cereal. That’s why I love the new fruit and yogurt version. This new twist on the classic fills you up much quicker than the regular cereal. Added bonus: the dried berry clusters transform the remainder milk left into the bowl into a bowl of strawberry milk. Find the fruit and yogurt special K at your local market.

Pretzel Crisps & Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges

When I was around 5 years old I used to spend a lot of time with my Arabic uncle Emad. He would give me these triangle of soft cheese as a snack. He ate a lot of traditional food back then, so I thought he was giving me some special Arabic cheese. Fast forward 20 years later, and I finally realize that those yummy cheese triangles came from Vons. The laughing cow makes a variety of flavors now including a delicious sun dried tomato flavor. At just 50 calories for the regular, and 35 for the light version, these cheese wedges can calm your hunger pains when you’re in between meals. OMG do I love pretzel crisps. So much better than a regular cracker. At just 110 calories for 11 crisps, you can enjoy this treat guilt free. I’ve recently topped my pretzel crisps with the Laughing Cow swiss cheese flavored soft cheese. It’s a great snack and fills me up.

MAKE-UP

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

For years I went without using foundation. I hate the feel of caked on make-up, and I was fortunate to avoid acne growing up. It wasn’t until two years ago that I started to think I needed a little foundation. I started using M.A.C tinted moisturizer, because it gave my skin a little color, concealed small imperfections, and protected my skin with it’s SPF. I used the tinted moisturizer for almost two years, but started to notice that it gave me an orange look, especially in pictures. I was afraid to try a true foundation, but the girl at the NARS make up counter insisted a try their foundation. She said it was light, and she wasn’t lying. I am in love with this product. She worked with me to find the perfect color for my skin. The light coverage hid what I wanted it to, but didn’t leave my skin feeling or looking cakey. My skin looks smooth and soft. The best part is that my skin doesn’t look white in pictures. Most foundations contain a chemical that turns white under a flash, but it’s not found in NARS foundation. The only downside is that the foundation can dry skin if you already have an issue, so always put on moisturizer before applying the foundation. NARS sheer glow foundation can be found at your local department store for $44.

Disney Collection for Sephora

For Christmas my boyfriend’s little sister bought me the Cinderella eye shadow palette by Sephora. Not only is the case beautiful, but the eye shadow variety is amazing. I hate it when I have to use a ton of eye shadow just to make the color pop. That’s not the case with this eye shadow palette. The color pops with a small amount of shadow, and lasts throughout the day. The variety was awesome as well, with shadow colors ranging from purple to brown. No matter what outfit I put on, there is an eye shadow to match. Sephora recently released the newest set which is called the Jasmine collection. View the collection here. You can order from Sephora online with no shipping cost for $55. A great price for the amount and variety of shadows you get.

Shopping

Lulu’s

I tend to purchase a lot of clothing from one particular store. I’ll find an outfit I love, and keep going back. This month I’ve been obsessed with Lulus.com. I love pretty, delicate things, and Lulu’s has so many lovely things to choose from. I’ve purchased four dresses from them so far, and one pair of heels. If you love to look feminine, you have to check Lulu’s out. Visit them here.

MeeshMe

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