InStyle Magazine recently released their list of the ten top fashion items every woman should have in her closet.  Check them out below and see how many you own!

1. A black blazer

2. A leopard print scarf

3. A pair of red flats

4. A striped shirt

5. A statement necklace

6. A little black dress

7. Black opaque tights

8. An oversize watch

9. A classic trench coat

10. Flared jeans

I didn’t do too well… I only have six of these ten items (though, to be fair, I have variations of some of the others.)  What about you?
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Which of these fashion “must-haves” do you own?  Do you think anything should be added to the list?  Anything you’d take off the list?

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blazer and shirt courtesy of forever 21, necklace courtesy of jcrew, shoes courtesy of zappos, scarf and trench courtesy of bluefly, jeans courtesy of gap, LBD courtesy of Macy’s, watch courtesy of nordstrom, tights courtesy of amazon

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My graduation is in eight days (eek!), and I’ve decided to pull out all the stops, considering there will be lots of photos taken in the days surrounding the ceremony.  This means, I’m busting out the Crest Whitestrips and doing my best to freshen up my smile.

Interested in in joining me?  I’ve got a bunch of tips for making your teeth look whiter…

1) Whiten them. Ok, duh… this is a no-brainer, but I had to put it in.  There are tons of whitening options out there— you can pay the big bucks and get it done at your dentist’s office, or you can use an at-home kit, like I am.  Get Crest Whitestrips at Target.

TIP: If whitening makes your teeth sore (it kills mine!), use a fluoride rinse before and after you whiten to lessen the pain!

2) Switch to an electric toothbrush. Travis’ mom bought us electric Sonicare toothbrushes for Christmas and… they rock.  My teeth look WAY nicer and they feel so much cleaner!  The high-powered scrubbing really buffs out those stains.

3) Use a whitening tooth paste. Not on board with the whitening strips?  A toothpaste (especially one with baking soda) will freshen up your teeth for way less!  Just don’t expect the same results… whitening toothpastes take time.  Get Arm & Hammer toothpaste at drugstore.com.

4) Avoid foods and drinks that stain your teeth.  Most of us know that coffee, red wine, and dark sodas can be major teeth-stainers.  But did you know that other foods that fall into this category are: curry, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, beets, and tomato sauce?  Neither did I.  If you do eat one of these foods, try to brush right away so the stains don’t set in!

Brush your teeth after you eat this!  Photo courtesy of Sporkist.

TIP: At a party and can’t brush?  Munch on some apples, broccoli, carrots, or celery to clean your teeth after you eat.  (Or chew a piece of gum!)

5) Boost your tan. No time to whiten?  Use a self-tanner and tinted moisturizer to deepen your skin tone.  Your teeth will look instantly whiter and your dark complexion will make you look thinner— double win!  Try Alba Sunless Tanner to get the look without the dangerous UV rays!

6) Pick the right lipstick. Coral lipstick is everywhere these days, but the orange and brown undertones aren’t doing anything for your teeth.  Pick up a red lipstick with a blue undertone to make your pearly whites really stand out!

Here’s what a blue-red looks like versus an orange-red:

blue-red……………orange-red

Did I miss any great teeth-whitening tips?  Ever tried any of these tricks yourself?  Tell me about it below!  And have a great weekend!

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So, I don’t usually like to re-post from other blogs but,

1) I am in the final days of my Bachelor’s degree (a.k.a. I’m super busy), and

2) This is just too cute not to share!

Check out this adorable D.I.Y. project from Design*Sponge…

The prints you see are actually made from construction paper and snippets from book pages. Here’s a closer look:

Don’t you just love how the stems have little words on them?

Here’s how you do it:

1) Get some simple frames from a craft store/flea market/around the house

2) Use a solid color for the background, so the “print” really pops

3) Grab an old book (I bet a newspaper would work too) and cut shapes, like you see above

4) Paste it all together and enjoy!

Not to shabby, huh?  You can check out the original post here.

What do you think of the D.I.Y. pieces of art?  Could you see one of these hanging in your home?  Ever done a cool project like this one?  (It feels so taboo to cut up a book… I kind of like it!)

Remember, today is the last day to enter for the giveaway!  Click here if you haven’t done so already!

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I ran in to a reader last night who asked me if I knew of any good products that would keep her foundation from sinking into her pores throughout the day.  She could not have asked me at a better time.  I recently discovered an awesome (and affordable!) product that does just that.

Introducing: L’Oreal Studio Secrets Face Primer!

This primer does exactly what it says: it primes your face by filling in fine lines and pores, which smoothes out your skin and keeps foundation from settling into these spots throughout the day.  I hear many women have stopped wearing foundation after using this product because it smoothes and evens out their skin so well!  Now, that’s impressive!

L’Oreal Primer is also very easy to use.  After moisturizing, dab it onto your face (especially those trouble spots) until it’s completely rubbed in.  Then, continue your normal makeup routine, and enjoy the compliments from jealous coworkers and friends!

You can find L’Oreal Studio Secrets Face Primer at Target for just $10.99.  Not too shabby, if you ask me…

Have you ever used this L’Oreal Face Primer?  Do you have another primer that you swear by?  Which other L’Oreal products do you love?  Tell me all about it in the comments below!

And don’t forget to enter this week’s giveaway!!  Click here for all the info…

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I got a much-needed hair trim yesterday at a super cute and trendy salon in downtown San Francisco, called Blow.  (If you’re in the area, I definitely recommend them!)  However, with my budget, I can’t actually afford to get my hair cut there.  So how much moola did I throw down to get my hair done?

photo courtesy of Photos by Lina

None.

Okay, technically I paid a little bit (I had to tip the woman, for goodness sakes!), but thanks to Craigslist, the cut itself was f-r-e-e!  Since I moved to San Francisco two years ago, I have paid very little for cuts and color.  With the abundance of salons, there is always someone offering free (or super cheap) services at often very fancy places.

The downside, of course, is that I don’t have a regular stylist and I never really know how my look will turn out.  But it’s hair— it will always grow back, after all!

What about you lovely ladies?

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How much do you pay to get your hair cut?  What about color?  Do you have one stylist that you go to religiously, or do you jump around like me?  Ever scored a great Craigslist deal?

And don’t forget to enter this week’s giveaway! Click here to enter!

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