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It’s All About the Tee

The T-shirt has always been such a  quintessential part of our wardrobe that we can easily forget how essential and necessary it is. Take the white tee, arent we always on the hunt for the perfect version? We all want it to be crisp, clean, soft, and most importantly NOT see-thru. If you are lucky enough to find the perfect one it can be the perfect mate to a blazer and jeans, it can go underneath a little slip dress for daytime casualness or be “french tucked” into a cute pair of cigarette capris for ultimate classic chic. As we are moving into the back end of the summer and heading into the fall of 2020.  Here are a few faves that can easily add some freshness to your wardrobe for prices that will still keep cash in your bank account. THE SHOULDER PAD TEE This tee is a modern twist on an 80’s look.  To make it current I would keep everything else super simple.  Perhaps a pair of super long faded jeans or I also like the idea of topping it with a classic clean pencil skirt and little white pair of fresh Supergas. THE “DETAILED” TEE While I still like the idea of the graphic tee (especially under a very well-tailored blazer) I think that a more grownup version is a tee with special detailing. This can be gorgeous beading, a nice textured material, or some other distinctive aspect. I love this tee from Maje with gorgeous bodice work in the back.  It gives me big 1990 Madonna vibes.  Obviously good with denim, but I think that an unexpected pairing would be over maxidress. THE OVERSIZED TEE The oversized tee can be magical in many ways.  First of all, you can purchase them for a packet of quarters at your local CVS.  Yes, grab a 3 -pack of men’s Hanes tee-shirts.  From there the styling possibilities are endless.  Knot it over shirts or do this season’s hot trend of wearing it over a pair of biker shorts.  Obviously, if you are younger and have perfect abs you can tie it crop style.  For the rest of us, we will wear it long and strong or at the most do a tiny half-tuck but have the rest cover our thighs and COVID muffin tops. Cute. simple and comfortable and will have you out the door in minutes. CLASSIC IS ALWAYS BEST No matter what, in any decade the classic tee will always walk away with the gold.  There are maybe a dozen pieces of great style (including a great neutral suit, a black cardigan, a pencil skirt, a perfect-fitting pair of jeans, a striped button-down, a grey cashmere,  a red pump, etc.)  It can take ANY bottom you have and elevate it to instant chic.  It’s my favorite pairing to a cute denim skirt or jeans and under layer to either a boyfriend or cropped blazer.  It does need to be replaced often so I suggest not spending too much.  Just make sure that you have one or two in your wardrobe arsenal.  

by bloomistablog

BloomsFair Floral Art

As I walk around London, I can’t fail to notice magnificent floral arrangements adorning shop windows and entrances. I happened to be organizing a fundraising event and thought it would be wondrous to have some of these beautiful floral decorations at the event. I was thrilled to find out the name of the company that created the arrangements and gave them a call.  BloomsFair is a London based floral company that uses the finest quality silk flowers mixed with fresh foliage to create the most natural-looking and long-lasting floral art. One of the owners of BloomsFair is Yana Sheptitskaya-Leach. I met Yana when I called BloomsFair to see if they could design the florals for the event that I was working on. I was very impressed with her professionalism and sense of style and I knew the outcome would be even more spectacular than I had hoped for.  Yana started BloomsFair with her partner Olesya when she was going through a very difficult time in her life. She had lost her husband to cancer and it was hard for her to imagine she would ever be happy again. Prior to her husband passing away, Yana worked with him in the automotive industry, but once he passed away, Yana quickly realized it was mentally very difficult for her to work alone in a male-dominated industry. A year passed and Yana and her daughter celebrated their birthdays together as their birthdays fall close to one another. They decided on an Enchanted Forest theme as they wanted their birthday party to look magical. As Yana searched around she realized that there were not many floral design companies that were flexible, creative, and able to provide a service at an affordable price. After some inquiring, she happened to meet Olesya, who was already running a successful silk flower decoration business. Yana and Olesya ended up setting up the events business together and it has gone from strength to strength ever since.  For Yana and Olesya, the key to making their floral installations look amazing is to create scale and make it all look organic. They mix dried branches, dried foliage, and silk flowers of excellent quality. The materials used are recycled and they make sure the flowers are UV resistant so that they do not fade in the sun. Yana and Olesya went through a huge number of suppliers to find the ones that provide the most realistic flowers and use the finest materials. Yana has been a creative director for eight years and has worked with many different spaces, so when she meets up with a client at their venue, she can almost immediately come up with an image in her head of how to create magic in that particular space. For Yana, it’s extremely satisfying when the installation is finished and she sees the look on her clients’ faces that tells her she did a great job.  I asked Yana if there is a lesson that she has learned from being in business for herself. In her opinion, she said, “never be afraid of starting a business, especially if it is something that you love! One learns as they go along. You don’t have to start big. Focusing on what you really know and helping your clients to achieve even more than what they are looking for is enough. The rest you can learn, but you need to learn constantly to become the best in your field.” For BloomsFair it is a very difficult time right now as so many companies are suffering. But they are launching new services to keep up with the evolving times and with their creativity, artistic ability, affordable prices, and professionalism I know they will be great in all that they do. For more information or to get in touch please visit them at  http://bloomsfair.co.uk/   @bloomsfair

by bloomistablog

Magnetic Eyeliner

Goodbye, sweet, sweet lipsticks. My red lippies are in the trash. Just kidding. These beloved staples of my makeup wardrobe will be in the drawer as my pout will be covered in public for the foreseeable future.  (See Mia’s article to get great masks!) It is time that we make-up wearers up our eye game. I have never been good at putting on falsies myself – they shifted, didn’t stay stuck, made my eyes water and I worried I was pulling too hard on my delicate eyelid to get them off. So on a whim this week, I dipped my toe in the magnetic eyeliner and falsies pool – and it was more successful than I expected. I tried the KISS Magnetic Eyeliner and Eyelashes and the Eylure London ProMagnetic Lashes. ($14.99 at Target) First Thoughts  The eyeliners are a little thicker and goopier, so be careful lining or it will go thick. Magnetic Lashes make it easier to reposition the lashes if they are not lined up correctly. I researched a little online, and optometrists have said magnetic lashes are safe to use around the eyes. Of course, always do your own research if you are hesitant. It is safer than getting eyelash glue in your eyes!  It is safest if you remove them and clean your eyes before bed. The video I made was my first try, but with a little practice, I was able to get the liner to line a little thinner. How to Actually Put on the Lashes Always trim the lashes to fit your lashline length. They will be uncomfortable if they go to close to your inner eye. Many users seem to prefer the accents (fake lashes that span just the mid to outer eye) for comfort and a more subtle look. This might be a good first step to ease in. Different brands vary on the number of eyeliner coats to apply (seems to primarily be two or three), but typically, you are to apply the eyeliner and let it dry a little before the next coat, then repeat. Allow drying before applying the lashes. Make sure to line as close to your lash line as possible – the lashes will be placed where the liner is and you want them to blend. The Verdict It took me two tries but I got it. Then – because quarantine – instead of going out to show off my fine ass self, I sat down next to my husband on the couch. But! Chris turns to me and says, “you look pretty, you did something to your eyes.” As good as going to the bar – these lashes got me laid! The Eyelure was better – although the eyeliner was even thicker than the KISS eyeliner, the lashes stayed secure. Very secure. They made it through the day, and bless the people at Eyelure, they stayed on through a particularly frisky evening. This leads me to the last part of the magnetic lashes review – they’re sex-proof! Additional Recommendations KVD VEGAN BEAUTY Tattoo Eyeliner has stayed put when I was in a Hawaiian waterfall… because I really had to pee and going in a port-a-potty that sat in the sun all day was a nonstarter. ($21 at Sephora.)  Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Instant Full Volume Mascara has the most amazing wand that you can wiggle around to get close to your eyelid and the tips of your lashes. Tip: If you wait for beauty events at a department store, you can typically get free lipstick, eyeliner, and eye makeup remover in a bonus package with the mascara! ($27.50 at Bloomingdales)  

by bloomistablog

Bananas for Bandanas

Remember when bandanas were worn on almost every teenager with the classic red paisley print? It seems nowadays bandanas are mostly used as masks for your bi-weekly trip to the grocery store. Believe it or not, bandanas have been around for almost three hundred years. An adaptation of the good old handkerchief, bandanas never seem to go out of style. They have made their way through time by minors, sailors, farmers, cowboys, bikers, gang members, construction workers, and the LGBTQ community. All of these incredible people have had an incredible influence on fashion. The late 1990s and early 2000s brought us icons like Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Tupac, Jennifer Lopez, and the one and only Carrie Bradshaw who made the bandana a worldwide phenomenon. Let’s take it back to the Limited Too days when those bright colored bandanas were everything. Fast forward and the well-known paisley printed, 20inch by 20inch square piece of cloth has evolved into what seems like an infinite amount of unique prints, fabrics, and sizes. We now have more than just a staple accessory for our fabulous heads. I have to say I will always be a lover for the traditional cotton paisley bandana; however, the silk scarves are here to stay. I have definitely hopped on the bandwagon as my grandmother sent me all of her oldies for me to wear. Also, with 3c curly hair, they are a must. But people aren’t just wearing them on their heads. For those skinny folks, they are becoming the cutest tops. I wore a rainbow bandana from Journey’s as a top for the pride parade because that was all I had for the occasion. So, not to toot my own horn but, I was ahead of my time. Now, as for the coronavirus, bandanas are becoming some of the most used homemade face masks. As for that. WEAR WHATEVER YOU HAVE, BUT PLEASE WEAR A MASK! There are so many different ways to wear these beautiful pieces of art, which is why I love them so much. Here are a few of my favorite ways. Now go buy all of the scarves and bandanas your heart desires and just have fun! P.S this is my current favorite from Coach.

by bloomistablog

Hair We Go!

Okay, one word. No, wait. Two words. Hair removal. None of us women like it, but here we are; abiding by society’s pressure to be a baby’s bottom even at the age of 25. I know you all started with the typical razor you found in your parents’ shower or from your older sister. Now we are waxing, shaving, and wiping away every embarrassing hair we find. As a fellow woman who has tried it all, the pain we think we have to endure to be desired is brutal. I tried the waxing phenomenon and am too cheap to be paying for bi-weekly removal. The first time and last time I got my upper lip waxed, maybe one hair was removed, and my skin was permanently irritated for the entirety of the next day. I am also a single woman, so sometimes going months without sex brings on a whole new level of lazy. Quarantine, especially, brought on a whole new beast. I mean, there was a full forty-year-old mustache growing on my face.  For those out there embracing the hair on your body – I praise you. Society has definitely created this idea that women do not poop, fart or grow hair where men do. Shocker. We do. Post quarantine opened my eyes to how I always think I must shave my armpits when I want to wear a tank top or shave my legs to wear shorts. Don’t even get me started when it comes to wearing a bathing suit. It always happens last minute, too. Right as you’re about to leave, you look down, raise your arms or get too close to the mirror and realize you’re looking back at Big Foot. I did come to the conclusion, however, no matter how hard I try, I just cannot be an all-natural queen.  All in all, some of us can embrace our natural bodies and some of us are just incapable. Hats off to those who can and to those who can’t; here’s how I can help. When it comes to waxing your who-ha, at-home waxing is the way to go. However, you need to get the good wax. Do not get the janky wax strips at CVS. They are not it. I stand by the GiGi Brazilian Bikini Wax. It gets the job done without the hassle of spending hundreds a month. It may take a couple tries to figure out and get used to, however, it is completely worth it. Especially if you’re getting tired of shaving every couple of days. After a couple of uses, you only need to be doing it about once a month.  Now, when it comes to that irritating facial hair you want gone, Nair is my go-to. This is the time to hit CVS and get the Nair Hair Removal Face Cream. I use it on all the unwanted hair on my face, including my eyebrows. It does tend to leave a slight red rash, it does not last for more than 15 minutes. It can, also, be easily covered with my favorite Fenty foundation. Although it does have this flaw, the reason why I stand by this product is that it eliminates every single hair and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. There is only a 5-minute wait period and BAM! Gone! Also, it is super affordable and easy to get, as it is almost at every convenient store.  Last, but not least, the good ole fashioned razor. I am going to say this one time and one time only. Do not use women’s razors. A long time ago someone recommended I get a man’s razor and I would never in my life go back. I have been using Schick’s Hydro 5 razor for almost 4 years and refuse to use anything else. It has this Hydrating gel reservoir, which enhances the smooth glide of the blade across your skin. There is no cutting or little nipping that sometimes occurs when you use other razors. I promise you. Life-changing.

by bloomistablog

Dior presents a beautiful fashion film for its Autumn-Winter 2020-2021 Haute Couture Collection

Human nature is astounding as people have adapted so much and so quickly during Covid-19. The pandemic has forced so many of us to make changes, and Couture Fashion Week is no exception. For the first time ever, Couture Fashion Week has been forced to go digital. From the 6th to the 8th of July, the prestigious couture designers will showcase their latest collections on a digital platform with live streams, films and digital lookbooks. Designers will now present their latest collections via a schedule of videos online. To keep up to date with Couture Fashion Week, head to hautecouture.fhcm.paris. We have decided to showcase the Dior autumn/winter collection for its outstanding cinematography and creativity as Dior invites you into a magical world of mystery via a whimsical fashion film in Dior’s Le Mythe Dior. 

by bloomistablog

Fave Insta Photo Turned into Wall Art in a Flash

This is a project that I have been in love with for years. The medium of these fabric sheets that you can run through any standard printer is really quite magical. I like everyone else who takes an average of 20+ pictures a day. Some get deleted and a tiny amount will get printed for my old fashioned photo album.  However, the bulk of them live on my phone, then there is the other amount that go to the cloud. I still have yet to discover where this cloud is. I just pray that when the time comes I will be granted to wisdom and knowledge to find them.   This is why I really love projects like this that can at least take one dearly beloved picture and turn it into something beautiful that I can admire day in and day out. The other bonus that I like about this project is that you do not need any special skills beyond the capacity to print and thread an embroidery needle with floss. If you are able to sew some hidden gems and beads lying around the house you will be a master at this game. What You Need Fabric paper Embroidery floss Needle Thread Extra beads and trinkets Embroidery hoop depending on size Disappearing ink pinks  How To In the spirit of the BLM I wanted to celebrate the mixed racial background of my 2 daughters, so I chose this picture of them being silly and fab in front of our bathroom mirror.  First, I edited the photo to black and white but obviously you can do whatever you want to your picture and whatever suits the pic and your decor. You just need to insert the 8×11 sheets into your printer and then remove the backing paper. You are then left with this awesome piece of fabric with your custom picture.  You can add words or any other graphic of your liking to be printed on the sheet as well. Then really the fun begins. You can add ribbon, fabric scraps, beads, shells, or literally anything you have lying the house. Below is one that I did ages ago that included a favorite vintage piece of fabric.   I think that is a good idea to lay out all of your elements to get a general idea of your layout. Once happy you can draw in your text. As you can see from the picture I asked my daughter to use her lovely handwriting but then thought it was too small so asked her to make it larger. At this point there is no need to “erase” it as the heat from your iron will remove all traces of ink of your Frixion pens once finished. It’s an awesome project to take to your garden, deck, or beach as it’s so small and easy.  I especially love it as all mistakes just come off as “artsy.” Once finished, tie in all of your loose ends and place it in your embroidery hoop.   Then, cut a 1.5 border of your excess fabric and hot glue the border inside the frame on the back. You could obviously opt for an actual frame if that is the look that you are going for. And voila! One less picture that is away from the mercy of the cloud and up and your walls to admire 24/7/365!

by bloomistablog

Learn to Create Peony Arrangements with Judith Blacklock

At the end of a charming flower filled cobblestone mews in Knightsbridge, one of London’s most glorious and prestigious neighborhoods, you will find the wonderful Judith Blacklock Flower School which has an exceptional reputation for teaching classic flower arranging skills and cutting edge floristry methods.  In the early twentieth century, the mews houses that surround the school, served as the stables for the mansions behind them on Wilton Place. The horses were stabled on two floors and if you look around the cobblestone mews, you will see the stairs (which back then was a ramp) that enabled the horses to walk up to the second floor. The houses that surround the mews used to belong to the groomsmen, but are now glamorous and desirable mews houses worth millions. As you reach the Judith Blacklock Flower School you can’t help but notice the buckets full of beautiful and different varieties of flowers in all sorts of vibrant colours and fragrances. The flowers are used for the students.  Most are delivered from Holland and some are bought from either the flower market or local sources. As you enter the school, you will immediately feel a sense of calm and serenity. It’s impossible to believe that this tranquil environment is just a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the famous department stores and boutiques of Knightsbridge. The Judith Blacklock Flower School is widely acclaimed as one of the UK’s most renowned institutes for giving excellent flower arranging courses. The school offers a large selection of fascinating courses for all abilities. Judith takes pride in giving every student a personal learning experience in a warm and happy environment. She encourages every student to develop and reach their own potential. Judith Blacklock is the author of 17 bestselling books. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Horticulture, for whom she designed medal-winning stand at Chelsea Flower Show. She has taught floral design in many continents. She organised Flowers@Chicheley and Flowers @Oxford, the largest contemporary cut-flower events that have been staged in the UK. She has appeared frequently on television and has taught at Chelsea Flower Show, Bahrain, Canada, China, Dubai, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Turkey, UAE and the USA. Presently, the Judith Blacklock Flower School is closed due to Covid-19 but will re-open on July 21st. However, Judith is offering a 10% discount on three online courses. If you are looking to brighten your home and bring joy to your surroundings, why not learn a new creative skill with Judith. You don’t need to go out and buy your flowers, the courses can be completed with an order from the supermarket or an online local florist. Do contact the school if you would like more information at judithblacklock.com Why not start a new career. The Judith Blacklock Flower School also runs an accredited two-week professional business and events styling course enabling students to start their own flower business and make money with flowers.   I recently had the honour of interviewing Judith. She is a warm, friendly, and highly inspirational person. If you want to give yourself or someone you know a special treat, I greatly recommend you sign up for one or more of her courses.  Below is my interview with Judith along with a few videos she has put together on how to arrange peonies in your home. A beautiful flower arrangement is the perfect way to enliven and beautify a room or a table. Enjoy! How did you begin your career and where did you learn your talent? My mother was in inspirational amateur floral arranger. She won gold medals at Chelsea Flower Show and was founder President of her local flower club. She is 100 in July and still arranges flowers beautifully – far better than I will ever be. What inspired you to begin your career and when did you start? I had been living in Europe for 12 years where I met my husband. I returned to the UK with two small children and not sure of the route to take. My husband had been to INSEAD – the European business school at Fontainebleu. All his friends were seriously clever. I found I had to do something I could do well, and it was not being CEO of BP! My mother persuaded me that flowers could be the route. Until I started I didn’t realise just how much I loved it and had found my passion. Were there many women in business at the time? In my husband’s year at INSEAD there were 214 men and 6 women. Things have changed so much. My generation were brought up to be secretaries, nurses and teachers before getting married and becoming housewives. You had to be really clever to step outside this mould. Can you tell us about the Judith Blacklock Flower School? After studying floristry, I taught in a college part-time for ten years whilst I brought up the children and wrote my first book ’Teach Yourself Flower Arranging’. I knew location was extremely important, so when I was offered the premises in Knightsbridge I accepted despite being the grand old age of 50. The site is wonderful – I knew I would never have a second chance of finding somewhere so charming that is centrally located, pretty, safe and calm. How many books have you published? Seventeen – I keep vowing never to do another and am scared to tell my husband I have a suspicion of an idea for number eighteen! Can you please give some tips on making a flower arrangement for the home? Of course I can. These are my favourites: Find the right container for the flowers. One that is half the height of the stems always works well. Try and find a source of greenery to add to your flowers, it softens the looks and fills out the arrangement. If you are choosing flowers that you want to work together always include one type of flower that is round such as a […]

by bloomistablog

Summer Reads 2020

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” – Mason Cooley What’s Left of Me is Yours By Stephanie Scott A gripping debut set in modern-day Tokyo and inspired by a true crime, for readers of Everything I Never Told You and The Perfect Nanny, What’s Left of Me Is Yours charts a young woman’s search for the truth about her mother’s life and her murder. In Japan, a covert industry has grown up around the “wakaresaseya” (literally “breaker-upper”), a person hired by one spouse to seduce the other in order to gain the advantage in divorce proceedings. When Satō hires Kaitarō, a wakaresaseya agent, to have an affair with his wife, Rina, he assumes it will be an easy case. But Satō has never truly understood Rina or her desires and Kaitarō’s job is to do exactly that..until he does it too well. While Rina remains ignorant of the circumstances that brought them together, she and Kaitarō fall in a desperate, singular love, setting in motion a series of violent acts that will forever haunt her daughter’s life. Told from alternating points of view and across the breathtaking landscapes of Japan, Stephanie Scott exquisitely renders the affair and its intricate repercussions. As Rina’s daughter, Sumiko, fills in the gaps of her mother’s story and her own memory, Scott probes the thorny psychological and moral grounds of the actions we take in the name of love, asking where we draw the line between passion and possession.   Big Summer By Jennifer Weiner “A deliciously funny, remarkably poignant, and simply unputdownable novel about the power of friendship, the lure of frenemies, and the importance of making peace with yourself through all life’s ups and down. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Good in Bed and Best Friends Forever, Big Summer is the perfect escape with one of the most lovable heroines to come to the page in years. Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favor to ask. Daphne hasn’t spoken one word to Drue in all this time—she doesn’t even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media—so when Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honor at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless. Drue was always the one who had everything—except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne’s no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She’s built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song. A sparkling novel about the complexities of female relationships, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most.   The Guest List By Lucy Foly A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party. The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner – The bridesmaid – The body On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed. But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast. And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?   The Wife Stalker By Liv Constantine The bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish returns with a psychological thriller, filled with chilling serpentine twists, about a woman fighting to hold onto the only family she’s ever loved—and how far she’ll go to preserve it. Breezing into the upscale seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome, successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is permanent. Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo, the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self, paying attention again to Evie and Stelli, the children they both love beyond measure, Joanna is shocked to discover that it’s not her loving support that’s sparked his renewed happiness—it’s something else. Piper. Leo has fallen head over heels for the flaky, New Age-y newcomer, and unrepentant and resolute, he’s more than willing to leave Joanna behind, along with everything they’ve built. Of course, he assures her, she can still see the children. Joanna is devastated—and determined to find something, anything, to use against this woman who has stolen her life and her true love. As she digs deeper into Piper’s past, Joanna begins to unearth disturbing secrets . . . but when she confides to her therapist that she fears for the lives of her ex-husband and children, her […]

by bloomistablog

Ballet Flat Makeover

This idea really is a throwback to a trend from the 1950s. It was a time before fast fashion and women did not have access to the clothing that we have now.  Where now, the average closet might hold around 20 plus pairs of shoes back then the average was more on the side of 4-5.  So the ladies had to be creative.  Enter the shoe clip!  It was such a brilliant idea and I wish we still had them now. Kind of like earrings for your shoes. With a quick ‘clip” a simple pair of black pumps would get a completely different look. This is something that I have been doing for years but as we don’t have easy access to shoe clips I discovered the easy alternative of vintage brooches that I could easily find at second-hand stores, Etsy or at local outdoor flea markets.   Recently, I bought this very cheap pair of flats during quarantine at Zara. While they were nice enough I felt like they needed a little “something something.”  So I went back to my old favorite bag of tricks.  As I was not able to hit any cute vintage markets or my local goodwill, I went to the next best thing on my computer….Amazon.  I was able to find this cute pair of bees for very nice $8 each. Together with the flats that brought this bespoke pair of shoes to a smooth $34!   I wore them on my first day back at work this week and I must have received at least 6 compliments. Everyone just assumed they were a pricey pair of shoes as the bees gave them a Gucci-esque vibe. What I especially love about this is that you can change them up as much as you want since it is just a matter of pinning and un-pinning. I think that you could even do 2 different brooches/pins as long as they are around the same size.  The possibilities are literally endless.

by bloomistablog

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