Ear Candy: Free People

Ear Candy: Free People by elbonner featuring Free People

Ear candy may sound like a weird wax fetish, but that's totally NOT what I was going for. I'm talking about all the beautiful earrings and ear-related jewelry that's been coming out recently. The pieces I've been eyeballing the most come from Free People, and man are they out of this world! They have a new collection of really beautiful ear cuffs by jewelry designer, Knobbly, that I'm so in love with. They manage to be very delicate, but make a cool statement at the same time. My absolute favorite is the rose gold hammered cuff pictured below:

 The color blends in to make it not such an in-your-face piece, but is still really different and super cool. 

Free People also has a lot of really cute stud sets that are good for those with multiple ear-piercings or if you just want a bunch of cute new earrings. This little set is my favorite, mostly because of the triangle studs:

I went without wearing earrings for a very long time. I wasn't into the super intricate chandelier earrings that were popular for a few years and I just never thought to buy earrings. After getting some really cute one from the BF for Christmas, I've gotten back into earrings and now all these beautiful pieces are coming out to taunt me! If you've got the spare cash lying around or want to get a special someone a special gift, have a looksie at some of these pieces from Free People. They will not disappoint!

All Pieces Available at Free People

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Pretty Livin!: New Beauty Goodies

Pretty Livin! by elbonner featuring a straight iron

It's been super cold and unseasonably warm, all within the same week. It's wreaking havoc on my poor hair and skin! Luckily, I've come across some products that will do well spanning the seasons and are helping with my weather-related skin and hair problems. 

My mom was lovely enough to purchase me some hair products from Living Proof for Christmas. This line did themselves a huge favor by making Jennifer Aniston their spokes-model because really, who doesn't want her hair?! First of all, it smells A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I often find myself just grabbing the bottle and smelling it whenever I'm in the bathroom like I have some kind of huffing problem. It's a fresh, almost peppery smell that just smell luxurious and fancy! My mom got me the anti-frizz line which is good for my wild hair. I have three different hair textures on my head: wirey and thick on the bottom, normal midway up my head, and then super fine on the top. That and it's super dry! This formula moisturizes while keeping the frizzies away without making my hair greasy. I can easily go a day or two between washings which is only helped by the style extender spray I also got. Top that off with the Nourishing Styling Cream and you've got yourself a fabulous head of hair. I feel like this will work well in the summertime too to keep the humidity from making my hair frizzy and flat.

My skin has been super dry too and I've been trying to solve the problem by slathering my face with various oils. They have been doing the job, but I always wake up with oily bangs and have to douse my hair with dry shampoo. I recently came across this moisturizer by Nuxe that is super moisturizing, but very light and not greasy at all. The Creme Fraiche 24 Moisturizer does have a pretty strong floral scent. It's very jasminey which is actually pretty nice at night time, but if you're sensitive to fragrance, be aware!

The BB cream I was using was also too drying for my face, so I bit the bullet and purchased the Tarte Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer that I've been putting off for years. It's very light, but keeps my skin moisturized. I got the wrong color, but it blends so nicely that I can usually fix it with some blending and bronzer. It's got an spf of 20 which is also a big selling point. This is a great wintertime tinted moisturizer that provides light to medium coverage.

I actually had a great first week back to work after the holidays. It went by pretty quickly, and I received a beautiful gift from a great company. They took an interest in my previous post and showed me just how great of a company they are. The girls over at Pearl. Love. Jewelry sent me this beautiful bracelet as a thank you for my write-up and I haven't taken it off since I got it!

A little piece of Tahiti I can have with me every day! I don't want to be braggy, but I was so blown away by their generosity that I wanted to tell everyone how wonderful they are!  Thank you, ladies; you've made 2014 start off in the greatest way possible! Hope you all have a good mid-January and stay warm y'all!

Pearlicious Tahiti!

Pearlicious by elbonner on Polyvore

No, this isn't a post about how great pears are (pears are the worst), it's a post about how great Tahitian pearls are! I am obsessed with these little guys and can't get enough of their dusky, iridescent loveliness. Grown in special pearl farms in the lagoons of French Polynesia, Tahitian pearls are very sought after and make the most beautiful jewelry. Black pearls are really my only expensive jewelry interest (screw your blood diamonds!) and they're the only thing I would maybe super splurge on if I had the chance. My favorite creator of Tahitian pearl jewelry would have to be Pearl. Love. Jewelry. Every featured above is from this little dynamo of a company and I find myself coveting everything on their site at least three times a week. I would die to own one of their multi-strand bracelets! If you are fortunate enough to get your hands on one of these pieces, watch out, I may burgle you. Just kidding (don't test me)! What's great about Pearl. Love. is the way in which the pearls are displayed. There aren't any gaudy jewels or weird settings/metalwork you'd find if he went to Jared to get your pearls. It's as if someone just pulled the oyster from the ocean, popped it open, strung the black pearl on a leather string, and gave it to you. I love the rawness and simplicity of it all! It's like someone made it especially for you on a rainy Sunday afternoon after a fabulous pearl hunting trip to Tahiti. Anywho, before I get too whimsical, check out Pearl.Love. Jewelry for a nice gift for a friend, family member or loves one. It would make the most schmooze-worthy Valentine's Day present ever, and it's not that far away, ladies and gentlemen! Hope you all had a good New Years and hello 2014!!

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Pineapple Paradise!

Pineapple Paradise by elbonner featuring beach bags

Who knew fall would be so full of such great pineapple themed stuff?! I can't get over how wonderful it is seeing one of my favorite summer fruits all over everything! I partially blame it on all the Australian designers coming out with stuff for their summer season (stop gloating and posting all of your beach pictures on Instagram you jerks!), but it's all okey dokey with me because I wish it was summer all the time. There are tons of bags, home decor items, shirts, shorts, scarves, and accessories that are all pineappled out! If there is a true God in this universe, he will keep this whole tropical fashion trend going until the day my ashes are packaged into firework shells and lit up on the Forth of July. It doesn't have to be summertime to enjoy pineapples! Eat it up!

Endless Summer

Endless Summer by elbonner featuring chan luu

I have to be honest with myself; fall isn't that far away, and as far as I'm concerned, it can eat a dick. We just got our first 76 degree day since April and everyone is ready to pull out their boots, scarves, and pour pumpkin spice all over fucking everything. I'm sorry, but I just won't have it! There are plenty of good summer days left without being tainted by maroons and closed-toed shoes. It is around this time that, though I am fighting fall tooth-and-nail, that my outfits start to transition from neon, Miami beach fluorescent Barbie, to a weird hippie/ wannabe Native American hybrid, that will ultimately turn into biker slut once I have to start wearing jackets. For breezier evenings I am liking the whole printed kimono deal, it's technically a light jacket, but it's sheer enough to not feel like you've surrendered to layers again. The rubber flip flops turn into intricate gladiator sandals, patterned Toms, and old school Vans (NO SOCKS DAMMIT). I usually go back to a more neutral bag or something that can be fun and a little bit less in-your-face. I'm not surrendering, I'm merely adapting because summer will be back I tell you! And I will dress with a vengeance when it does!

Kimono- Anna Sui

Tank- H&M

Shorts- One Teaspoon

Sandals (L)- Guess

Sandals (R)- Modcloth

Shoes (R)- Toms

Bag- Linea Pelle

Wrap Bracelet- Chan Luu

Shoes (L)- Vans

Clutch- Samudra

Bracelet- Stella & Dot

That's all for now everyone! Keep the summer alive and have a beachy transition to make the hell that is the next six months just that much easier to stomach! Stay hot!

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What I Would Wear to NY Fashion Week...If It Was Cold

NY Fashion Week by elbonner featuring beaded tops

Etro beaded top / H&M super skinny jeans, $32 / Acne leather boots / Proenza Schouler satchel handbag, $1,945 / Kenneth Jay Lane gold jewelry, $68

New York Fashion Week couldn't come at an unsexier time of the year. It's still hot here on the east coast and everyone is just sick of the heat and how it ruins anything where you have to be in a crowd of hot sweaty people. You're caught between seasons which really throws a wrench into your outfit creating because you don't know which season to go for. Should you prolong that summertime feeling and look like you're going to Coachella in last seasons clothes (barf!), or go for it and risk Visible Butt Sweat in fall clothing while schmoozing with the fashion elite (I bet Anne Wintour hates people with VBS). I'm at the point in my wardrobe where I'm just ready for fall to get here already. I've poked holes in all of my thin summer shirts, I've gotten weird stains on all of my shorts, my flip-flops and sandals all have dirty feet outlines in them; it's time for new stuff. 

I think they should push NY Fashion Week back a few weeks. Just have it in October! We're all ready for new stuff and nothing makes someone who's life revolves around keeping up with the trends life suck more than wearing your summer deodorant-stained $150 t-shirt at a show reminding you you're already behind the times! So this outfit is a bit early in it's makeup, but would be great if they had Fashion Week at a reasonable time... LIKE OCTOBER!

Blouse by Etro

Jeans from H&M

Ring from Kenneth Jay Lane

PS1 Bag from Proenza Schouler

Pistol Boots from Acne

Treasures

Until now, I have never really been that into jewelry. I still don't like really gaudy pieces and big jewels, I like simple things that will look good for years to come.I also like things that look like someone just pulled it out of the ground and slapped it on a ring. I essence I like lots of natural pieces clothing and jewelry-wise. I think it just looks more down-to-earth and not so show-offish. I made a collection of a few pieces I've found around the internets that show what sort of stuff I'm into and these pieces go from fall to winters and back to spring and summer. I think it's important to have a wardrobe that can transition easily from season to season so you're getting your moneys worth out of your stuff! This set features lots gold, leather, and jewel tones that just look exotic and lush and I want all of them. Come on lottery I've got shopping to do!