FBFF: What's In My Bag?

These posts are always fun - I like snooping! My bag is from Zappos (no longer available - see similar here). I have been changing my purse a lot but this is my casual bag that can hold tons of stuff! Dare we take a look inside:

4th of July Flag Nails

                                                                                          Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Dratha on Pinterest

Anyone who has been following my blog for awhile now knows... I like to get in the holiday spirit with my nails! July 4th is coming up so I decided to do some red, white and blue nails. In the past I did detailed flags on each nail:

Review: Dove Nourishing Dry Ends Serum

I have been searching high and low for this... even had my family looking for it! But I'm glad I was able to finally get my hands on it because I love it. Dove's Style+Care Nourishing Dry Ends Serum is  formulated to smooth frizzy, rough, dry ends. Its lightweight formula deeply nourishes to restore softness and protect from heat styling, for beautifully smooth, healthy-looking hair. For a 1.7 fl oz bottle it costs around $2 (although I've oddly seen it for higher online). I wanted to compare it to TRESemme's Split Remedy Split Ends Serum, which I felt was a little heavy for my hair.

What I've Been Up to On Pinterest

Calypso St. Barth and AG Adriano Goldschmied held a Pinterest contest to select a print for an exclusive pair of denim! The people have spoken, and in the fall of 2012, AG Adriano Goldschmied Jeans will manufacture denim with a hand-painted zebra print, to be sold exclusively at Calypso St. Barth.

Happy Pride Month!

Image via MSNBC

June is Pride Month for the LGBT community and the world. On Sunday, I watched the Pride Parade march down 5th Avenue and I couldn't help but be moved. It was so inspiring to see so many youth out there in support. But there were also many signs of the struggles the LGBT community still face. There was an old man in boy scouts uniform who carried a sign "85 year old boy scout who was kicked out for being gay." I'm lucky to live in a liberal city like New York who is far ahead of most of this country when it comes to gay rights. But I'm hopeful seeing so many youth because I know when they become old enough to vote that they will make a difference.

Weekend Recap: Surprise Parties & Yankees

As I mentioned, last weekend was Father's Day and my brother's birthday. We decided to have post celebrations the following weekend so each of them would have their own special day. On Saturday, the surprise party for my brother I had been planning finally happened and I think we surprised him! Mission accomplished. 15 or so of his friends met me and my parents in the East Village at Royale for some beer and burgers. Along with some Buttercup Bake Shop cupcakes.

FBFF: One Person's Trash is Another's Treasure

Image via

This week's FBFF topic is about what you do with unwanted clothes. I have become quite the swapping pro having hosted two swap events!

Essie's "Cute As A Button"

This color really is cute as a button.

Review: Cristophe Professional Glossing Shampoo & Conditioner

It has been in the 90's here in New York this week! Summer has officially arrived and that means you need to start thinking about your hair. The warm summer months can be pretty brutal on your hair. UV rays can change the texture of your hair along with free-radicals. Argan oil is one of the beauty industry's favorite not-so-secret secret for great hair. It penetrates deep into the hair's cuticles and pores to hydrate and restore elasticity, smoothing unmanageable hair. It is rich in Vitamin E to help repair damage caused by styling tools, color, and free-radicals. Monoi oil have been used by Polynesian women to replenish and moisturize their hair after it was stripped by the salt of the sea. It is a mixture of Tiare petals and coconut oil.

5 Pedicure Must-Haves Under $20

Original image source: refinedstyle.tumblr.com via Christa Jean on Pinterest

It's sandal season and you know what that means, GET A PEDICURE! I cannot emphasize this enough ladies and gents. It's one of my ultimate pet peeves. Seeing people without a pedicure wearing open toed shoes. It's really not that hard to give yourself a quick pedi at home (or that expensive!). Here are my must-haves for giving yourself a pedicure at home on the cheap so there are no more excuses:

I'm Bringing Back the Brooch

Cardigan: Uniqlo | Polka dot pants: Ann Taylor | White blouse: LOFT | Silver loafers: Zappos (similar here) |  Neon bracelet: Ann Taylor | Brooch: Vintage via Etsy

I go through phases with my style. One phase I always come back to is brooches. I have built quite a collection of vintage and new finds. I've been adding them to my outfit lately like to the PRINCE Magazine launch party. I wore this outfit to the Barney's & Haper's BAZAAR's Beauty Breakfast event last Thursday. I got this super comfy and lightweight cardigan at Uniqlo during their holiday sales. The brooch has beautiful gold leaf detailing with purple gemstones:

7 Signs She's Not Interested

Once again, I find myself feeling the need to write posts to men about things I thought they already knew like things NOT to do on a date and now knowing when to walk away. I find myself running into these situations where guys are trying to chat me up and I have no interest (it's never the ones you want to talk to, am I right ladies?). Some guys really can't take the hint and I would like to save us all a little time and awkwardness. Guys, if a woman does any of the following, please just walk away. No ifs, ands or buts.

My First Kabbalah Experience

Image via

Why I love New York. One minute you are having coffee with a friend the next you are attending a Kabbalah lecture. My friend volunteers at the Kabbalah Centre which has celebrity clientele who attend (saw one in the elevator - sssh!) and after talking about all the negativity going on in my life she suggested I attend the lecture "Mastering Negativity." I was intrigued. While I am Atheist, I do appreciate some of the teachings religion has to offer. The "Golden Rule" is a very nice rule that people should practice no matter what their faith. However, as the lecture progressed she quickly realized that it was an advance class so I moved to the introduction of Kabbalah in another room.

PRINCE Magazine Launch Party

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending PRINCE Magazine's launch party here in New York City. It was held at Truman's Gentleman's Groomers which provided a chic spot to launch a magazine about men's style. I had the pleasure of interviewing Matthew Grimsley, the Editor-in-Chief, for my blog in May and the boys deserve such great success. Speaking of boys, it was nice to finally be at an event with men around!

Weekend Recap: Celebrate Good Times

He matched the cupcakes (from Crumbs)

This past weekend I went to Jersey for many celebrations - Father's Day and my brother's 25th birthday! Part 1 was Father's Day which was sports themed:

Celebrate John Day at Our Household

At my brother's graduation

Today is unofficial "Celebrate John Day" in our household because it's Father's Day (John Sr.) and my brother's birthday (John Jr.). The two men in my life! We are having a simple family picnic for the day. I've posted our Father's Day traditions which typically includes relaxing now that he's retired. My brother is turning 25 and is heading to law school so it's a momentous birthday! He's all grown up!

30 Books to Read By 30

Source: notetosarah.tumblr.com via Britt on Pinterest

Flavorpill posted this list and I was intrigued. Being a book nerd, I'm always interested in great reads. As I mentioned, I'm turning 27 soon so perhaps I need to get started! Some of these I never heard of and some are classics. According to them these are the 30 books everyone should before turning 30:

Marc Jacobs Resort 2013 Inspired Nails

I have been browsing all the beautiful Resort 2013 collections on Style.com. There are a lot of great prints that I'd like recreate into nail art like these Marc Jacobs dresses. I liked the one on the right because of the mint color. Here's my interpretation:

Review: RoC Multi Correxion Nourish Stress Repair Night Cream

I'm at that age where you should be starting to get your anti-aging regimen going. However, most of the anti-aging products I've tried have been too harsh (if that makes sense) on my screen especially under eye creams. My eyes feel like botoxed out and super tight. Not a fan. I'm just looking for a nice cream to keep my skin hydrated. RoC's Multi Correxion Nourish Stress Repair Night Cream showed promise!

Check Me Out On Cut On Your Bias!

My image is splattered all over Cut On Your Bias today (lol!) hope the readers don't get too sick of me. They graciously added me as a "Featured Member" on their homepage. I'm a huge fan and love voting on all the designs like the Jane Oh collection. They also interviewed me about why I started my blog and trends I'm loving - check it out!

My Target Goodie Bag Arrived!

I was getting so impatient seeing everyone else get their Target goodie bags! Last time I received my bag most of you said you never heard of this so I tried my best to get the word out to you so hopefully more of you were able to score a free bag of goodies! I really like this month's bag because most of the products I've already purchased in full size, which means I like them and happy to receive more. It came in this cute blue bag from Contents by Allegro. There were also a lot of shampoo products:

5 Father's Day Gift Ideas

Does anyone else find shopping for the men in their life extremely difficult? Men aren't very good at making lists of things they need or want. If it comes to mind, they just go buy it. I've been keeping a birthday list for months! I have the unfortunate pleasure of having my brother's birthday AND Father's Day fall on the same day this year (this Sunday!). Doubt gift dilemma. I don't typically find any of the suggested Father's Day gift guides helpful because 1) My father doesn't drink and 2) He's not a tool man either. These are general categories I stick to when shopping for him:

26 Things to Do By 27

Source: sbryant.me via liz on Pinterest

I was inspired by The Mow Way to make a list of things I want to accomplish before I turn 27. I'll be 27 years old in 54 days and I thought I'd share with you my list:

My June Birchbox

This month's Birchbox theme was Jet Set: "this month's box is devoted to products that will indulge your inner jetsetter, from hardy formulas that can last throughout a long-haul flight to imported finds that we've picked on our global adventures." I'm not jet setting anywhere this month but I do make frequent trips to California to visit my sister so I'm always in need of travel sized products.

Polka Dots + Snakes!

Polka dot pants: Ann Taylor | Sweater: LOFT | Oxfords: Zappos (similar here) | Satchel: Nila Anthony (via LittleBlackBag) | Necklace: Express? (very old) | Snake ring: Kohl's (on sale!) 

I wore this outfit to the AOL Conversations event on Thursday night. It was a great panel talking about socially conscious journalism and covering the stories that the mainstream media doesn't. I had purchased these pants while my mom and aunt visited me in the city. They are so adorable! Although they are "cropped" they're still a little long on me so I had to tuck them under (#shortpeopleproblems). And in typical Kim fashion, I thought "what goes with polka dots? Snakes!" This snake ring is from Kohl's (I find such great jewelry there) and goes across three fingers. Here's a close-up shot:

Introducing Caitlin Kelly Swimwear

Swimsuit season is in full affect! On Wednesday, new swimwear designer Caitlin Kelly debuted her collection. She's an FIT grad and has worked for great designers like Badgley Mischka and major department stores like Target. While her fabrics may be imported from Italy and Canada, her designs are manufactured right here in New York, which I think is awesome! The line features convertible bikinis, monokinis, and chic one-pieces with accompanying cover-ups, as well as men's trunks.

FBFF: What Happened to the Blogging Community?

                                                                                       Source: marcusdesigninc.blogspot.com via Kecia on Pinterest

This week's FBFF topic is blogging community. IFB had a recent post that discussed the lack of community and I couldn't agree more!

1. What blogging communities do you belong to?
FBFF, SingleEdition, IFB, etc. Most of the ones featured on the right sidebar!

Sunset Nails

I'm back to ombre nails! I think they look like a sunset, no? I took my own advice and used lighter colors for a better ombre affect than last time I attempted. Here's what I used:

Jersey is For Lovers & Outlet Stores!

Top: J. Crew Outlet store | White slacks: Target | Wedges: Target | Necklace: The Limited | Ring: Kohl's

Over the weekend I headed to Jersey because it was my Grandma's 88th birthday! While down the shore, my brother wanted to hit the outlets to build his law school wardrobe. I was doing good not buying anything... that is until we reached the J.Crew store. Couldn't hold me back from the neon! I scored this awesome pink neon blouse (sorry I can't find it online!). I also have the t-shirt version. My cousin snapped this picture of me in the backyard for a quick outfit shot. You may remember these white pants from the post "How to Wear White Pants in the Summer" - I'm still doing it!

3 Trends Flat-Chested Girls Can Wear

I believe women come in all beautiful shapes and sizes. I come in a more voluptuous size and while my flat chested friends may be envious, I envy some trends that they can wear and I can't. There are some trends that not every body types can wear. Yes, I'm for breaking fashion rules but sometimes you need to know what works for you and what doesn't. Not wearing a bra doesn't work for me. As for flat chested girls, you should follow stars like Kate Hudson, Keira Knightley and Eva Longoria who pull off the itty bitty titty committee quite well.

My June Sample Society Box

Love getting my monthly deliveries! Sample Society is a beauty subscription site by BeautyBar.com. For $15 a month, you'll receive 5 deluxe-sized samples, $15 gift code to redeem on a $50 purchase, and get expert beauty advice to accompany your samples from the editors of Allure. I joined because I felt like other beauty subscription services gave very small samples, so small you could barely even get one use out of them. Two of the products were SUPER tiny this month which is unfortunate. Here's what I got:

Cut On Your Bias Let's You Pick The Designs That Get Created

Ever wanted to be a designer but just didn't have the skill set? Cut On Your Bias let's you be the designer by voting on your favorite looks. COYB is a crowdsourced, social design platform allowing fashion designers to engage users in the creative process. Fashion brands provide sketch, fabric, and color choices, and Cut On Your Bias makes these options available to users in an elegant, fun, gamified format. All options available for online interaction are pre-selected by the designers themselves, creating an opportunity for virtual collaboration between consumer and designer. Designers can then elect to make the winning styles available for purchase.

My June Julep Maven Box

TWO WORDS: PIXY STIXS! The ladies over at Julep Maven get me. Love that they include sweets each month in the box. I haven't had pixy stixs in ages. This month's box was about being bold. "It's the season to make a statement with your  fashion and color. Do what you're afraid to do - you might surprise yourself!" Love this idea and this month's nail polishes were definitely bold.

Interview WIth LookSupply + GIVEAWAY!

I had the pleasure of meeting the founders of LookSupply.com at a friend's birthday party and turns out that one of them went to the same grade school I did - small world! I loved their personal style and admire any entrepreneur who goes after their dreams. I asked if they would be answer to interview a few questions for my blog. They were very gracious and I learned a lot.

Hair Inspiration: Game of Thrones

For those who follow me on Twitter... you already know what a huge Game of Thrones fan I am! If you're not into all the gory stuff... there are some beautiful hairstyles to admire. My favorite is Daenerys who is "Mother of Dragons." She can go from tough warrior to beautiful queen. She is known for her braids. I would like to one day attempt these!

My New Little Black Bag Goodies

Attention handbag addicts - you must sign up for The Little Black Bag! I wasn't going to purchase anything this month but then this neon satchel caught my eye and impulses kicked in! I've bee wanting to add more color to my handbag collection and Nila Anthony's Yellow Trim Crossbody bag did that with it's awesome neon color. It has a great textured leather in gray with bright colored lining inside. It's a little bigger than I expected but I think that's better because then it can carry more things. Will be helpful for those weekend trips to Jersey!

I Wore My Maxi Dress As a Skirt

Dress worn as skirt: Target; White tee: H&M; Necklace: Unknown; Gladiator sandals: Zappos (similar here); Ring: H&M

Call me crazy, but I liked the look. The dress is actually from the kid's section at Target because that's where I've had the best success with maxi dresses. It ties with two strings like a halter top at the top so I have to wear it with a strapless bra. I wasn't feeling in the mood for that look so I thought 'what if I rolled it into a skirt?' VOILA! I paired it with a loose fitting white cotton tee from H&M and some bold turquoise jewelry. Sorry I can't remember where the necklace is from (bad blogger!), I've had it for ages and never knew how to wear it. The look was just what I needed for a hot and humid day running around the city.

Instagram #FBPhotoADayMay Challenge Wrap-Up

I really enjoyed Modly Chic's Photo A Day Instagram challenge this month. As an Android user, I am new to Instagram and found this challenge a great way to stretch my creativity. Here's a wrap up of some of the photos I took.

Naked Metal

Don't look at me, that's what the nail polish is called! This week I wore POP Beauty's "Naked Metal" on my nails. It's kind of a rose gold/chrome looking polish. I love it!