Brianna: On A Budget

20% Off Your Purchase at The Attic Thrift Store!

2013-10-27T12:57:00.002-04:00

www.theatticthriftstore.storenvy.com

Urban Outfitters Opens Halloween Shop!

2013-10-17T13:18:00.001-04:00

This is something I am SO extremely excited for that I can barley put it into words. Urban Outfitters added a "Halloween" section to their website and the merchandise listed in that section is AWESOME. I've been on the Halloween section of Urban at least 5 or 6 times this month and each time I look at it I get more and more excited for Halloween!

In case no costume really speaks to you this year, Urban has you covered! This online section is filled with low-price items that are perfect for last-minute costumes.

For $12 you can get a shark fin to top off your Sharknado costume, or for $40, ensure that you'll win best-dressed at your party with their sumo wrestler costume (which is inflatable)!

If dressing up isn’t really your thing, but you still want to be festive, the shop also features fun graphic tees—think: cats, pumpkins, and skeletons—that are perfect to wear to any Halloween party!

Corner Shop Laundry Costume Muscle Tee- $24.00

Besides the amazing accessories and dinosaur onesies, the best part about the shop’s is its tagline—“Costumes, makeup and everything you need to creep it real…”

Check it out!

Inexpensive (Halloween) Beauty Must-Haves!

2013-10-16T13:00:00.000-04:00

Halloween is ABSOLUTELY one of my favorite holidays! I plan on doing many blogs throughout the month of October revolving around Halloween! So, obviously, today's post will be about.. You guessed it! Halloween! Well, Halloween beauty acessories!

I totally understand that as you grow, dressing up becomes more of a chore than something you look forward to. But who said you need to wear a full costume to be considered a "Halloween spirit"? I'm going to list some accessories that you can throw on and join in the Halloween fun!

Foam Wigs - These fabulous wigs can be found at Target. They range from $15-20. Throw on one of these fierce hair-do's, a basic black dress and you'll be set for the night!

Lip Tattoos - If you love doing make up, these lip tattoos are the perfect Halloween accessory for you! They're EXTREMELY easy to apply and only cost $9.99!

You can find more lip tattoos at Violent Lips!

Glow in the Dark Nail Polish- This is a quick and easy way to get into the Halloween spirit all through October! Almost every girl loves getting their nails done and if you don't this polish color is so transparent that the only time you'll notice it is when it's glowing at night!

This glow in the dark bottle can be found at Tilly's for $3.49.

Disney Villain Eye Shadow - This is definitely, without a doubt, one of my favorite products on the list! Not only do I LOVE Disney, I love this cute and simple idea! The shadows are extremely inexpensive ($9.99) and can be used after Halloween too!

Find your favorite Disney Villain Eye Shadow at your local Walgreens!

If you think I'm done with the Disney Villains you are soooo wrong! Here are some magnificently evil nail art kits that are perfect for the spooky month of October! Also available at Walgreens and also $9.99!

I hope everyone is having a GREAT pumpkin-filled October so far! I look forward to chatting with you lovely witches, ghouls and ghosts later! ;-)

ATTENTION!

2013-10-06T14:37:00.000-04:00

Please pardon the appearance of my blog! I am in the process of renovating it and I can't wait for everyone to see the finished product!

Back from Vacation and Ready to Blog!

2013-10-05T14:18:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! I've missed blogging so much. I just got back from my vacation in Orlando, Florida. I went to Universal's Halloween Horror Nights as well as both theme parks. I definitely intend on making a post about that later in the week but for now I want to talk about a new nail polish brand that I stumbled upon!

The brand is called Julep and they have some of the most ahhhhmazing colors I've ever seen! The nail polish comes in a tube that resembles a lip gloss tube, which I think is extremely different and innovative! And the best part? They come out with new colors daily! They constantly update their website with new colors as well as their "retired" ones. I am a huge nail polish fan so, I was absolutely gushing over the funky and fun colors. I'm going to share some of my favorite colors off the Julep website with you!

Esmeralda - $14.00

Candice - $14.00

Cleopatra - $14.00

Eden - $14.00

Okay, I know what you're thinking.. "$14.00 for a tube of nail polish!?" And I know, it's expensive but have you ever really thought about what you're putting on your nails when you apply nail polish? You need to make sure you're keeping those nails healthy. That's why Julep Nail color is great.. It's “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Their professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because they've tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, they have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.

Also, they are "Powered By Girlfriends"
Julep donates a portion of the proceeds to organizations that support women through our Powered by Girlfriends program.

Sounds like an awesome brand and one that I'd love to use! They carry other products and merchandise too.. so check out their website for more info!

Nail Polish - Favorite Colors for Fall!

2013-09-13T10:58:00.004-04:00

Put away those summer shades and make room for some amazing and eccentric fall nail polish colors! Fall is definitely one of my favorite times of the year and nail polish is one of my favorite beauty products. Luckily, for a few moths during the year I get to combine my love for both fall and nail polish! I always try my best to keep up with the nail polish colors that are currently in style, I rocked mint on my nails and toes pretty much the whole summer! But, now, it's time to move on to fall and switch your shades!

Raspberry

Show off your chic side from day one with a bold, raspberry polish! It's an unexpected, darker shade that's more exciting than plain black nails, but not quite as overtly girly as a bright pink.

Try:
1. "Laurel Canyon Lolita" by NCLA, $16, shopncla.com
2. "Pulp Fiction" by Sonia Kashuk, $4.79, target.com
3. "Intuition" by Seche, $8.50, Ulta and salons
4. "Don't Make Me Wine" by China Glaze, $8, salons

Dark Cherry

If you and your crush have plans to walk through the park drinking maple lattes, give your mani a subtly romantic vibe with some this deep cherry polish. It's a bit more mysterious than your average red, and the darker shade pairs perfectly with cozy fall flannels!

Try:
1. "Dinner Party" by Candie's, $8, kohls.com
2. "From The Heart" by SpaRitual, $10, sephora.com
3. "Lost on Lombard" by OPI, $9, ULTA
4. "Control Freak" by Sephora X, $9.50, sephora.com

Chocolate Nails

Brown is the new black! From milk to dark chocolate, this creamy color goes with everything, so you don't have to worry about clashing with your perfect homecoming dress.

Try:
1. "Souffle" by NYX, $4, nyxcosmetics.com
2. "Louise" by Zoya, $8, zoya.com
3. "St. Martin's Lane" by nails inc, $9.50, macys.com
3. "Black Sepia" by Lancôme, $15, lancome-usa.com

Orange Nails

Obviously you'll save these polishes for Halloween parties, but they're a fun option for weekend sleepovers as well! Plus, they're great for anyone who isn't quite ready to completely give up the bright polishes of summertime.

Try:
1. "Stage Dive" by Topshop, $10, Topshop stores
2. "Snap" by Marc Jacobs, $18, sephora.com
3. "Orange Oasis" by CoverGirl, $3.49, ulta.com
4. "Juice Bar" by BONGO, $2.99, Kmart stores

Gold Nails

Rich, gold polishes can act as a glitzy neutral for a spirited homecoming manicure! Paint your nails with your school's colors, then layer up the glitter on an accent nail or paint it over top for a wash of sparkle.

Try:
1. "Sinfully Sweet" by MAC, $16, maccosmetics.com
2. "Glamorous" by wet n wild, $2.99, walgreens.com
3. "Off The Chain" by BONGO, $2.99, Kmart stores
4. "Fake It Till You Make It" by Deborah Lippmann, $17, deborahlippmann.com

Holographic Silver

This metallic polish might seem a bit over-the-top for the first day of your internship, but hear us out. From far away, they look like a sophisticated dark gray, but up close you get a cool, multicolored shimmer. Especially if you're going for a gig in a creative industry like fashion or design, they'll appreciate your eye for new trends!

Try:
1. "For The Twill Of It" by essie, $8, salons
2. "Peace & Love & OPI" by OPI, $9, ULTA
3. "Addiction" by Urban Decay, $15, sephora.com
4. "Aurora" by Topshop, $10, Topshop stores

Deep Green

When you're on that after-school grind, a dark emerald or army green is close enough to a neutral to match any silly uniform you might be forced to wear. These polishes come out almost black, but have a hint of shimmer that shows your personality!

Try:
1. "Laughin' To The Bank" by Deborah Lippman, $17, deborahlippmann.com
2. "Bewitched" by Sonia Kashuk, $4.79, target.com
3. "Bewitched" by Laura Mercier, $18, us.spacenk.com
4. "Ivy League" by Salon Perfect, $3.98, Walmart stores

Light Teal

Not all fall polish has to be dark and mysterious! If you're known for starting all the dance-offs at casual weekend kickbacks, this bold blue is your autumn go-to.

Try:
1. "Sea Cloud Cruise" by Red Carpet Manicure, $9.99, redcarpetmanicure.com
2. "Surf" by NYX, $4, nyxcosmetics.com
3. "Klepto" by Sephora X, $9.50, sephora.com
4. "Pretty Ugly" by ORLY, $8.50, orlybeauty.com

I totally intend on trying out these bold nail polish colors during fall! Nails are the perfect accessory to any outfit and with these unique polishes your nails can be considered statement pieces!

Which nail polish color is your favorite? Which are you going to try out? What's your favorite nail polish color (that's not included) for fall?

My Summer Must Haves!

2013-09-12T20:46:00.000-04:00

Now that summer is officially coming to an end, I've been trying super hard to think of my favorite fashion pieces for this season. I've gone through so many different items of clothing and accessories this summer, which makes it almost impossible for me to choose just one but I think I have a solid list together!

#1 summer must-have: day dresses

Charlotte Russe "Belted Chevron Striped Dress" - $24.99

Charlotte Russe "Belted Zip-Back A-Line Dress" - $32.99

Charlotte Russe "Color Block Skater Tube Dress" - $22.99

Charlotte Russe "Open Back Shift Dress" - $28.99

Charlotte Russe "Printed Surplice Maxi Dress" - $32.99

Charlotte Russe "Eyelash Lace 2-Fer Dress" - $32.99

All of the dresses listed above are from Charlotte Russe (charlotterusse.com) and they have a great SALE going on right now! Their dresses are BUY ONE GET ONE FOR $12.50. They also offer free shipping on orders over $65. I've been buying dresses non-stop all summer. They're so simple and easy to throw on, rather than buying a bunch of different pieces to put together one whole outfit. They are also convenient considering we've had such a hot summer; dresses tend to keep me cool. Definitely top of the list on my summer must have.

#2 summer must-have: oxfords

Urban Outfitters "Kimchi Blue Teen Dream Oxfords" - $39.00 ON SALE $29.00

Forever 21 "Windowpane Cutout Oxfords" - $29.80 ON SALE $20.99

Wet Seal "Crochet Oxford" - $19.90 ON SALE $8.00

I'm not the BIGGEST fan of wearing heels. I mean, I like wearing them but if I had an option I'd definitely try to be a little more on the comfortable side. Oxfords are a nice alternative from heels. They're dressy enough to wear with a dress and casual enough to pair with jeans and a cute flannel. I plan on wearing mine throughout fall, too!

#3 summer must-have: midi rings

Urban Outfitters "Delicate Initial Midi Ring" - $6.00

Urban Outfitters "Delicate V Midi Ring" - $6.00

Urban Outfitters "Tiny Stone Midi Ring" - $8.00

Midi rings are the perfect bohemian flare for any outfit. They're comfortable, chic and you can pack your fingers with them! They add a trendy and new look to your accessory collection.

What has been your summer must have? Comment below to share!

Fall Definig Beauty Products

2013-09-12T20:41:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love fall? I sure do! Once I feel the crisp air start to creep in, I immediately get super excited and start to prepare myself, my skin, and my wardrobe for fall! While it's extremely important to make sure your wardrobe matches the weather, it's also very important to change your beauty routines to match the weather, too.

Cold air means chapped lips and cracked skin which is a huge no no! One very important thing to remember during the chilly months is to keep your body hydrated and drink lots of water to keep your lips fresh and your skin smooth! You also want to change your make up products to blend in with the fall season; hot pink eyeshadow isn't as cute for fall as it is for summer!

Since fall is right around the corner, I've gathered up some fall beauty products that I am DYING to try this fall! So, put your credit card down, stop buying oversized sweaters and direct your attention toward some fall defining makeup!

Eyes: Colored Mascara

Enhance your eye color with mascaras in shades other than black and brown! These might look scary, but one swipe provides just a hint of color that will subtly brighten up your peepers. Pick one in a shade that’s opposite your iris on the color wheel for the ultimate enhancement!

WINK Mascara, $20, butterlondon.com

Eyes: Individual Lashes

Wearing full-on fake lashes to school is a bit intense, but a few individuals at just the outer corners add a flirty vibe that looks totally natural! Apply mascara once the glue dries to make them blend into your real lashes.

Sephora Collection Individual False Lashes, $10, sephora.com

Eyes: Shadow Crayon

Instead of messing with traditional shadow palettes and brushes at school, throw these colorful crayons into your backback! Their creamy formula goes on incredibly smooth, and comes in a bunch of trendy fall shades.

FLOWER Eyes On The Prize Eyeshadow Chubby, $7.98, Walmart starting in November

Hair: Keratin Mask

As the weather gets cooler, it’s important to give your strands a little extra love to keep them silky smooth! This hardworking mask contains amino acids and wheat proteins to replenish your hair’s natural flexibility and shine.

L’Oreal Pro-Keratin Refill Masque, $31.50, us.lorealprofessionnel.com for salons

Hair: Quick Curler

If big, bouncy waves are your go-to style, this new, basically foolproof tool is about to change your life. Instead of wrapping your strands around a hot curling rod or iron, simply place a small section into the curl chamber and it will be gently drawn in and surrounded by heat. After a few seconds, open the chamber and a perfect, long-lasting curl will fall out!

Curl Secret from Infiniti Pro by Conair, $99.99, target.com

Hair: Fast-Styling Brushes

For days when you oversleep but absolutely can’t skip washing your hair, these amazing brushes will seriously cut your styling time! They have super absorbent microfiber bristles that work like a towel to soak up excess water before you reach for the blow dryer.

Goody QUIKSTYLE Brushes, $11.99 each, target.com

Smile: Lip Balm with SPF

Just because it’s fall doesn’t mean you can forget everything you know about sun protection! Especially if you spend tons of time outside, it’s important to pick a lip balm that has tons of hydrating power and contains an SPF of at least 15.

Marc Jacobs Lip Lock Moisture Balm, $24, sephora.com

Smile: Lip Gloss Stick

Glosses are great, but they can be so messy! This thick crayon offers the same, shiny finish you’d expect from a traditional lip gloss, but without all the sticky residue.

e.l.f. Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick, $2, drugstore.com

Smile: Super Dark Lip Color

If the craziest lipstick you’ve tried is a bright red, fall is the perfect excuse to go even bolder! Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetic’s lip tars make the trend a breeze to pull off, since the creamy formula is crazy easy to apply. This color contains a hint of gold sparkle, so it actually warms up your skintone instead of making you look washed out!

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Black Metal Dahlia, $18, sephora.com

Skin: Blush and Highlighting Papers

Instead of throwing all your compacts into your backpack (where they will inevitably crack into a huge mess), try these handy little paper packets instead! Similar to blotting papers, they’re a mess-free way to give yourself a touchup between classes. Just rip out a sheet and gently rub on your cheeks for a rosy blush or shimmery, sheer glow!

Mai Couture Trial Pack, $24, maicouture.com

I plan on purchasing and trying each item throughout fall. Aren't they great!? Definitely new and innovative. A special thanks to Seventeen Magazine, I found most of these new fall products located on their website!

What are some beauty products you're dying to try this fall?

Model Confession - "Why I Quit Fashion Week"

2013-09-10T12:16:00.000-04:00

Fashion Week is something that is looked forward to, by many people, for months and months. A lot of time, hard work and preparation goes into each Fashion Week pre-party, after party, event and Fashion Show. If you're not sure what Fashion Week is.. it's a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers and the media to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, these events let the industry know what's "in" and what's "out" for the season.

Now, while this seems fun and exciting, it can be tiring and very stressful to some people; especially the models. While I was doing my daily browse through Cosmopolitan's website, I came across an article called "Why One Model Quit Fashion Week." This article immediately interested me because who would ever want to drop out of something as fabulous as Fashion Week? However, as I began to read, I started to understand why she made the wise decision.

The life of a tall, gorgeous runway model seems glamorous and heavenly. But for this model, walking in fashion shows was anything but.

Modeling isn't all drinking Champagne on yachts and being told you're fabulous. Runway modeling especially can be brutal. Ahead, one anonymous model shares the story of why she left the runways.

“I did Fashion Week from the ages of 18 to 21, with big dreams of landing a campaign. But because it’s all about booking the right shows, when you don’t, all you do is walk away with fried hair, clogged pores, blisters and around $200 per show. Eventually, I realized that catalog and print advertising work was the way to go because the money is so good and the job isn't stressful. Until I had that epiphany, show after show, I’d have barely enough money to pay my rent, which was $1500 a month, and a book's worth of backstage horror stories to tell my mother.

Everyone thinks fashion week is crazy, but it’s really the two weeks beforehand for models that is really insane. You’re expected to go all over the city to fittings and castings. There’s no time to eat lunch. And you’re so stressed out that you’re not even hungry anyway. Yet, a designer will see an outfit on you once, wait until you leave the casting, and then call your agent and ask why you’ve gained weight. And all you can think is, Seriously?! Once, while staring at my breasts, a designer said: “Have your boobs gotten bigger?” I said, “Yes, I just started taking a new birth control pill.” This designer then told my agent that I had to switch pills or else I wouldn’t be hired. Luckily I never had any other weight issues, but some of my friends did and they lost out on a lot of work.

The hardest part of fashion week for me though was when I sat in the hair and makeup chair. My skin is sensitive and I’d breakout almost immediately after they’d apply foundation. It actually got so bad that I started carrying around my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation to each show, asking the makeup artists to use that instead, or else my face would start to burn and I’d get an inflamed rash all over. And — ready for this? — makeup artists set the makeup with hairspray (yes, they spray hairspray in your face), which didn't help matters! So basically, my skin never had a chance to calm down because the next day, the layers-of-foundation plus hairspray would go on. And on. And on.

Oh, and you think cotton pads are soft, right? They’re not. During the day it's a lot of putting on — and wiping off — makeup with cotton pads. And there's nothing gentle about that process, especially when you get your makeup changed about five plus times a day. A Q-tip ends up feeling like a tiny knife after it’s used to straighten eye liner and get rid of smudges for the one hundredth time (a lot of the shows call for a smoky eye). Needless to say, my skin—and my eyes—looked tired, irritated, and always felt super dry after each day of shows, so I'd have to sleep wearing a mask of Cetaphil Lotion every night.

Hair was another problem. I have super fine, thin hair that is also bleached. When I was going to the shows, I wouldn't know the hairstylist and he or she didn’t care how my hair looked after eight days of torture. They’d put gel in it and then brush it out, mess it up and have to redo the whole thing all over again, hairspray the shit out of it, pull on it every which way, until it was approved by the top hairstylist on the show. I'd look down and see all of my hair on the floor—in clumps.

While, in all fairness, some tried to be gentle, the truth is, most were more concerned with getting the job done. I felt like they didn’t think about how a human was attached to the hair and that I was a mannequin head. And with all of the styles, tangles, and tight braids that I endured, I'd have to go home and throw a ton of conditioner in my hair every night. Then after each season, I'd get a few inches cut off, since it was so matted and damaged.

I also have a bad habit of biting my nails, so the manicurists often put on acrylic tips, which would make my nails thin and weak. And if I didn’t have blisters from running around to the castings, I’d get them from wearing shoes that didn’t fit. Designers only order a certain number of each size shoe and whoever gets to the casting first, gets the right shoe size. The others just have to make the pairs that are left fit.

Even though I have a lot of nightmare stories about Fashion Week, it's still a cool thing to be able to tell people that you've done. And the fact that you walked in a Prada or Oscar de la Renta show gives you good bragging rights when you're pitching yourself to a potential employer. But there comes a point when you realize that some clients don't care if you've walked in Fashion Week, and those clients are easier to work with. So once I realized that, I decided to take a walk from the runway and focus more on making money doing modeling jobs that don't have any downsides.

- Anonymous

I'm Back and Blogging!

2013-09-08T12:26:00.001-04:00

Good morning everyone! If you frequently read my blog, or follow me on one of my social networks, you've probably been wondering what I've been up to considering I haven't blogged in ONE WEEK! Eeep! I know it's very unlike me to go that long without blogging but I have a very justifiable reason..... I started school again! For those of you who don't know me from Adam, I am (technically a sophomore in college but since all of my credits didn't transfer) a freshman in college. I do not dorm or live on campus because I am only about 20 minutes away from the beautiful and amazing college that I attend.

So, what does school have to do with me blogging? Good question. I've been super busy! I had my first week of classes and I'm just trying to get settled in and enjoy my college experience without overwhelming myself. I took Sept 2nd and 3rd off from work to get some school shopping done and prepare myself physically and mentally for the loads of school work that I was expecting to be thrown at me. If you're looking for copybooks or school supplies I got mine from Wal-Mart, they're really cute and super cheap.

Mead Five Star 1-Subject Notebook, Two Pockets, College Rule, 100 Sheets
- $3.12 ea.

You could get cheaper notebooks, these are just the ones I prefer. They're very resistant and last through the entire year (there's even a guarantee). I bought four of them and my total came to approx $13.00. I also picked up some pens, the inky ones are my favorite, and an agenda book. I can not stress enough how important an agenda book/planner is during school. Most people seem to think that having an agenda book is a waste of time, but trust me on this one.. they come in handy. Write down EVERYTHING you have to do for homework and check it off as you go. Also, schedule some of your daily obligations and hobby's in there. It ensures that you keep a tight schedule and definitely ensures that you will follow it. If you're planning on meeting up with some friends for coffee one day, write it in your planner; it will make you want to go and not cancel on your new college buddy. The agenda book I purchased is also from Wal-Mart.

They currently do not have it listed on Wal-Mart's website right now, I'm assuming it's sold out, but I think I paid around $12.00 for this. And keep in mind.. that you could get planners just about anywhere! Even your favorite designers (Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Coach) carry agenda books!

I know this may seem like a lot of stuff to carry around with me and trust me, it is! Which is why I was very careful picking a bag to use for school. Now, I tend to rotate a lot and match the bags with my outfit but for the last two days I've been carrying..

Michael Kors Hamilton Ecru Natural Canvas with Leather Trim Large Satchel Tote Bag - $375.00

This bag is from last summer and is currently not available anywhere (or I would provide the link to purchase). I love this bag because it's HUGE! I can fit everything in there, especially my books. It's extremely versatile, it matches with almost anything and you can carry it around your arm with the mini handles or around your shoulder with the large strap. The inside is filled with pockets to store your everyday essentials in. Now, I'm not telling you to go out and purchase a $400 bag and I'm not bragging about mine either. I got this bag as a going away gift specifically for college use. If you're looking to save money or don't like this particular style for school you can check out two of my previous blog posts.. "Back to School Backpacks (On A Budget)" and "Back to School Bags (On A Budget"!

On Tuesday the 3rd, before my very first day of class, I decided that I wanted to treat myself to a new dress in honor of how hard I worked all summer. I also wanted to ensure that I looked my best for the first day. I went to my local mall with one of my great friends and drove the poor girl insane! We shopped for 4 HOURS! But I couldn't stop until I found the PERFECT outfit. Which I, eventually, did.

Charlotte Russe "Strappy Back Printed Challis Dress" - $19.99

I chose this dress because I thought it was exemplary for the end of summer and I was loving the detail across the upper back! It was simple and the mint blue-ish color really made my olive skin pop!

Urban Outfitters "Kimchi Teen Dream Oxford" - $39.00

I decided to wear a pair of oxfords from Urban with the dress. Oxfords just scream studious and there's a teeny bit of pink in the dress that matched perfectly with the shoes. When I purchased these amazingly comfortable oxfords I paid $19.99 for them and they were on sale. Since UO decided to carry them over to the fall season they put the shoe back at it's originial price. Other colors available.

As I was shopping, I noticed that Charlotte Russe had a GREAT deal going on! "Buy One Dress Get One For $12.99" (available online, too.) so I couldn't resist! I caved and bought another dress! I wore this fabulous dress on my second day of classes.

Charlotte Russe "Geometric Print Shift Dress" - $26.99

How the deal works: Charlotte Russe takes the dress with the lowest price and adjusts the price to $12.99. In total I paid around $40.00 for both dresses. Which means each dress was (technically) only $20.00! I was happy with the purchase, especially since the dresses were made out of great material and I knew they would last me awhile.

Since I wore closed-toe shoes the day before I knew I definitely wanted to wear a cute pair of sandals and make the most of the scorching weather before it turned cold.

Kennith Cole Reaction "French Braid Sandal" - $39.20

I loved my shoes, outfit and bag for the first day! But more importantly, I loved my classes and professors! The campus was beautiful and I really enjoyed walking from building to building and meeting new people!

To wrap up this very very long blog post, I had a great first week of classes! And I hope you did, too. The start of a new school year means the start of hard work and new beginnings, so, make sure you put school first! School is very important. When you wake up in the morning, just think that you have the opportunity to learn and grow; an opportunity that not everyone has. Since school will be taking up a lot of my time, I've decided to blog on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.. So, stay posted and check back! Have a great week!

How was your first day of school? What did you wear? Comment below to share!

Labor Day Weekend Madness

2013-09-01T14:48:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon! I just got back from a great breakfast, or lunch, considering my friends and I went at 12:00. Well, this weekend has been very hectic considering I live near a beach where almost everyone vacations to! I've barley had any time to myself which means I've had no time to blog! I'm still writing the blog posts from my phone since my Internet isn't working well, and unfortunately I'm going to have to cut this post short to get ready for work! HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

The video below is about an autistic girl who was told she may not even be able to speak let alone form a proper sentence. She over came the odds and now plays the piano and can sing. Check it out..

It's amazing and very touching.

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX-xToQI34I&sns=em

Tumblr Thoughts

2013-08-31T18:11:00.001-04:00

A website I frequently use is Tumblr. It's a blog based website, mostly for quotes, pictures and gifs. Whenever I have time to spare I go on my Tumblr app and reblog interesting things onto my personal tumblr page. Yesterday as I was reblogging some new stuff, I got the idea to do a blog post on some of the stuff that can be seen on Tumblr as well as things I like to post onto my personal tumblr (tumblr.com/brimazzuca). Check it out below!

Sorry to cut this post short but I have to go to work! Definitely check out Tumblr, it's a great website and have a great Saturday!!!!

FRI"DIY - Illuminating Candle Holder

2013-08-30T13:52:00.000-04:00

Good afternoon and happy Friday! I know everyone is in a great mood today because, who doesn't love Friday? The reason I do is because I get to blog about DIY projects which happen to be one of my favorite down time hobbies. Today's DIY is very quick and easy but awesome! Anyone who knows me, knows I love candles; especially fall scented ones :-). Which is why you'll probably be seeing a lot of candle-based DIYs on my blog. Anywho, this blog is really simple and fun, only took about 15-20 minutes and I can show you in three short steps!

What you'll need:

A candle holder (of your choice) I purchased this one from The Christmas Tree Shops - $4.00

A glue gun, I purchased this one from A.C Moore and it was around $3.99. I would also grab extra glue sticks, too!

Mosaic Stones, I purchased the mini bags above from The Christmas Tree Shoppes, they were $1.99 each. I didn't need as many stones as I bought, I just figured it's better to buy more and have some left over than to be short stones. You can choose whichever colors you want *HOWEVER* they must be transparent (see through) or the light will not shine through them. I chose red, orange, yellow and clear because they're fall colors and I love fall!

Time to start!

Step 1: After letting your hot glue gun warm up, begin gluing the mosaic gems of your choice to your candle holder or jar. This is a really simple and easy DIY! There is so much room for personalization and you can arrange the stones in any pattern of your choice. When you're gluing, remember that you will only need a tiny bit of glue to hold the stone in place, don't over glue or it will seep out of the sides.

Step 2: continue gluing!

(if you get any of those stringy pieces of glue (as seen above) after gluing its completely fine! The strings are extremely easy to brush/pull off once the project is completed)

Once it's all finished..

.. you can move onto the third and final step!

Step 3: put a tea light or candle in your completed mosaic candle holder, turn off all the lights and prepare to be amazed!

I was so happy and impressed with the results! It's such a beautiful sight to fall asleep to and I definitely plan on making more!

I took the picture above from my phone with the flash on, that's why it looks a little brighter!

Well, there ya have it! Your simple three step DIY. The whole project cost about $13.00 (since I already had the glue gun. Sorry to cut this post short but I have to grab my ID from college, which I start in less than a week! I'm extremely excited, so prepare for a blog post (hmm, or maybe video blog) on it! Thank you for reading today's blog and I hope you have a great Friday!

*A special thanks to my boyfriend, Cody, for helping me out with this DIY. He can be seen wearing the Aztek sweater from Forever 21 (21 Men) which I absolutely love :-)*

If you're looking to get a sweatshirt similar to Cody's:

Forever 21 "Southwestern Print Pullover" - $16.80

Discount Designer Dresses at Rissy Roo's!

2013-08-29T12:04:00.000-04:00

One thing that comes with a new school year are new school dances. Although prom and homecoming are fun (once you get there) it tends to stress a lot of people out; wondering who's going to ask you, what friends you're going to go with, how you're going to do your hair and (most importantly) what dress you're going to wear! Picking a dress can be very troublesome and most people actually dislike school dances because they'd rather not spend $500+ for a dress that can only be worn a limited amount of times. Well, I'm here to lift some of that weight off your shoulders because I found a GREAT website that offers (100% authentic) DESIGNER dresses at a very affordable price.

Rissy Roo's is a well known formal boutique in Linwood, NJ. I've gotten my junior and senior prom dresses from there and I felt like a princess in each of them. They have over 8,000 dresses on their website, but that's not the best part. They're currently having their "Sizzlin' Summer Sale" which offers designer dresses at CRAZY LOW PRICES! Save 50-90% off authentic designer dress styles from Sherri Hill, La Femme, Faviana, Tony Bowls, Alyce Paris, plus more! Sizzlin' Summer Sale items start at a mere $19.99 and they're flying off the pink ribboned racks at Rissy Roo's, so let's start shopping!

Below are my favorite "Sizzlin' Summer Sale" dresses, however there are many many more on the website!

Sherri Hill (style 2541) - $398.00 ON SALE $199.99

Grace & Hart (style 25628) - $220.00 ON SALE $19.99

La Femme (style 17505) - $450.00 ON SALE $225.99

Gigi (style 16224) - $298.00 ON SALE $150.99

La Femme (style 16288) - $398.00 ON SALE $199.99

La Femme (style 17154) - $450.00 ON SALE $225.99

La Femme (style 17458) - $398.00 ON SALE $199.99

La Femme (style 16701) - $298.00 ON SALE $150.99

Panoply (style 14563) - $530.00 ON SALE $265.99

Sherri Hill (style 8508) - $398.00 ON SALE $199.99

Sherri Hill (style 1565) - $750.00 ON SALE $375.99

Shail K (style SK3171) - $170.00 ON SALE $85.99

Aren't these dresses great? The prices are even better! There's so many more beautiful and unique dresses in the Sizzlin' Summer Sale section as well as the entire website. There's also shoes and other accessories on sale!

Night Moves Shimmer - $69.00 ON SALE $29.99

Every dress and accessory listed on Rissy Roo's website is authentic and can be verified by the designers. If you have an event coming up, start shopping now and take advantage of the great prices Rissy Roo's has to offer!

Superb Student Discounts (Part 2)

2013-08-28T11:29:00.000-04:00

Good morning! Yesterday, I wrote a post on some great student discounts from your favorite retail stores. As I was researching and writing the list, I wondered if retail stores were the only places to offer student discounts. After an hour or so of searching and typing, I got a great list together of hang out and food spots that offer amazing student discounts. Let's start saving money!

Cultural Experiences and Entertainment

• AMC Theatres: student discounted movie tickets every Thursday

• The Art Institute of Chicago: $50 annual student membership, plus other various discounts within the Art Institute

• Broadway in Chicago: Ticket prices as low as $14.50 for select performances

• Carnegie Hall: $10 student rush tickets for certain performances

• Cinemark Movie Theaters: Discounted movie tickets with student ID

• Metropolitan Museum of Art: $9 admission for students or $9 admission for students outside New York City, $4 for students within New York City with groups of 10 or more

• Museum of Modern Art: $14 admission for full-time students

• Regal Theaters: Up to 25% off tickets for select shows and dates

Computers & Gadgets

• Academic Superstore: provides student discounts on computers, electronics, software, and other college necessities

• Adobe Software: 80% off certain programs

• Amazon Student: free Amazon Prime trial for 1 year; includes unlimited free 2-day shipping with all orders and one-day shipping upgrade $3.99 per item

• Apple: Back-to-school discounts for college students every year, plus promotional deals for iPods, gift cards, and printers.

• Dell University: savings vary by college

• HP Academy Store: offers exclusive student discounts on laptops and desktop computers

•JourneyEd: provides student discounts on computers, electronics, and software

• Lenovo: 30% off certain computers

• Sony: 10% off merchandise for college students

Travel and Transportation

• Amtrak: The Student Advantage Card gives you eligibility for 15% off of rail fare.

• The GM College Discount offers savings on Chevrolet, Buick or GMC cars

Food

• Arby’s: 10% off

• Buffalo Wild Wings: 10% off

• Burger King: 10% off

• Chipotle: free drink with purchase

• Dairy Queen: various student discounts based on location

• Dominos Pizza: various student discounts based on location

• Kroger: 5% off at select locations

• Papa John’s: various student discounts based on location

• Pizza Hut: 10% to 20% off (depending on location)

Phones

• AT&T: 10% off

• Sprint: 10% off

• T-Mobile: between 8 to 15% off your monthly bill (at certain colleges)

• Verizon: 18% off your bill

I am LOVING these deals! Especially the food ones :-) I hope you have a great Wednesday and remember you're already half way through the week!

A special thank you to Seventeen Magazine for the discount listings.