Nail Polish Organization & Essentials

Today's post is all about nail polish - how I organize my collection, and what I think are the essentials for a pretty at-home manicure. I've never been particularly obsessed with nail polish, but I do like to have painted nails.  

I like to keep everything I need in a shower caddy - it's portable and it keeps everything organized and easy to find. I like being able to take everything with me to the tv room or outside, or wherever I want to paint my nails. Also, I store the caddy in my closet to save space in my dressing table. The only negative is that it collects quite a bit of dust. But luckily, everything is easy to clean with a damp cloth.

My at-home manicure essentials:

1. Nail Polish Remover - an essential! I like to keep this medium-sized bottle in my caddy and refill it from a larger bottle I keep in the bathroom. I use the Target brand Strengthening Nail Polish Remover. Underneath the bottle, I keep a few cotton pads.
2. Nail Files & Cuticle Pushers - pretty self explanatory! 
3. Nail Clippers, Toe Separaters, and Cuticle Creme - again, these tools kind of explain themselves! 
4. Nail Polish - some of my favorite brands are Wet & Wild, Revlon, and Sally Hansen.
5. Manicure Ideas - I've pulled these little booklets out of magazines. They're great for inspiration when you're feeling bored with your polishes. 

And that's it! This organizing solution has worked for me for years. It's convenient to have everything in one place, and to have everything visible. 

How do you store/organize your nail polish collection? What are your manicure essentials?

XOXO

Fashion Friday: How to Style Culottes

Current Trend: Culottes by haleympettit featuring a crop tank top

It's a skirt! It's pants! No... It's culottes! Culottes are one of my favorite current trends - they're sophisticated, but they're also incredibly comfortable. The style of a skirt, but with the ease of a pair of pants. 

With their signature wide leg that hits mid-calf, culottes can be a little tricky to style - you don't want too much volume anywhere else. But the great news is that culottes can work for many body types. With a high waist, culottes are great for elongating the legs and emphasizing the waist. 

Here are some tips for how to wear culottes this summer:

1. Choose a pair that's black, navy, or white. They go with basically anything, and will slim more than a printed or bright colored pair.
2. Choose a top that will further emphasize the waist - either a fitted crop, a tie-front blouse, or something flowy you can tuck in. You want the waist to always be defined.
3. Pair with shoes that will further elongate the leg - like a heeled sandal - or that will provide fun contrast - like a tennis shoe. Flats or sandals will work too, depending on where the culottes hit your leg.

If you're into the culotte trend, but aren't sure if it's for you, I hope this post encourages you to rock a pair this season. I like to think of trends as inspiration - an ever changing book of new ideas for how to dress. Trends aren't rules that have to be followed. So have fun with them!

Will you be rocking a pair of culottes this season? What are your favorite current trends?

XOXO

Why I Started A Blog

After blogging for a few months, I figure it is time I share why I started this blog. The simple answer is: I love reading blogs. I could spend hours scrolling through my Bloglovin' feed, checking out the latest posts about beauty, fashion, health, design, career tips, and travel. More than my particular interest in any of these topics, is my love for writing and art. Blogging is a great platform for people who love to combine well-written text with beautiful images.

When I graduated from college, I finally started thinking seriously about creating my own blog. More than anything, it gave me the opportunity of having a project - but one that was for my own enjoyment, not for a grade! During school I spent a lot of time writing (which I loved!), but I wanted to do something that would let me also express my love for art, design, and photography. And even though my photography skills are seriously lacking, I like the challenge of finding new compositions and editing techniques to keep things exciting.

This blog may seem a bit all over the place in terms of content, but everything I post is about something I enjoy - whether it be a makeup look, an organizing project, or a book review. It's an honest look into the bright things of my life, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

XOXO