Brilliance Of B

Peplum

2012-05-25T18:35:00.000-05:00

Hope you all enjoy it and don't eat too much barbecue!

Happy Memorial Day!

Black Heart

2012-05-15T22:32:00.001-05:00

Blouse: H&M | Faux leather skirt: F21 ($5.99) | Heels: Zara | Clutch: Sonia Kashuck Brush Holder

Hi Everyone. I have a massive headache tonight and I have no idea why. This weekend I traveled back home to visit my parents and grandparents for Mother's Day and I returned today. It may be from the long drive back to Houston, or the fact that I didn't eat dinner tonight. But in any case, my bed is calling my name! I stayed up just enough tonight to watch the Finale of Fashion Star to see all the designs.

Did you watch any of the show? Which was your favorite designer?

I have to say congratulations to Kara Laricks for winning Fashion Star! She's such an "out-of-the-box" designer! Love her work and she deserved it. Anywho, I hope all of you are enjoying your week so far! For daily updates, follow me on Twitter!

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL!

Swapnista Houston + Ten Dollar Outfit

2012-05-08T21:06:00.000-05:00

If you follow me on Instagram (@brillianceblog), you remember seeing this picture from my recent trip to the thrift store:

I literally paid $10 dollars for this little get-up! I was beyond excited how these paired together.

Here's how I styled it:

Floral blouse and pants: Goodwill | Heels: Zara | Clutch: Neiman Marcus via consignment | Jewelry: Michael Kors, Target, H&M

A little over a week ago, Houston had their first Swapnista event held by Two Stylish Kays where fashionable ladies came to swap trendy clothes from each other. The event was held at Couture Blowout, which was a second hand store that carried brands like Louboutin, Chanel, and Emillio Pucci. Although I didn't swap anything, I had such a great time and I look forward to the next one!

Swapping is the new shopping!

Timi of Naturale Chronicles was the winner of the Style Wars. I love the print and peplum on this dress!

All the models rocked all of the latest trends. Which one did you like best?

Neon + Sheer

2012-05-03T22:48:00.000-05:00

Okay, I apologize for the late post but Scandal took over my life for an hour. My husband and I ran a few errands and got back just in time for the show. Do any of you watch it? If so, follow me on Twitter and let's watch together! I love Olivia's style. Plus, she's a woman who takes care of business. I love her!

This sheer skirt is all over the blogging world. Discovered it at Cotton On for $10 bucks! This neon shirt was purchased at Express during their BOGO on everything in the store. I'm sorry but I can't miss a sale like that.. I just can't! lol

Hope you all had a wonderful week. Make sure you relax tomorrow so you can party on Saturday! (Cinco de Mayo)

Remix

2012-04-29T19:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a sucker for sheer shirts. They can be worn in all seasons. I had been dying to wear my LC Khol's high-waisted shorts again (since our recent encounter). Plus, they are so comfortable! You've seen this shirt here and these shorts originally worn here.

There's nothing wrong with remixing your pieces. No need to shop all the time. Just extend your wardrobe!

Shirt: H&M | Shorts: LC Lauren Conrad for Khol's | Wedges: Jessica Simpson | Earrings: Aldo | Bracelet: H&M

Enjoy your week loves!

Wonderful Weekend

2012-04-27T00:43:00.000-05:00

It's so wonderful to see a group of people, come together, from all walks of life, to dedicate their time to spread the word about a disease their family, friends, or someone they don't even know are suffering with. I was overwhelmed with the support and dedication companies, individuals, and on-lookers showed. They supplied great spirit in routing bikers on, who devoted months of training to finally finish the race to advance the knowledge of individuals who have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. From Houston to Austin, MS150, a college friend of mine took the challenge to bike three hours to support this cause. I'm so proud of her! Congratulations Courtney!

In addition to this wonderful weekend, I caught word that Lauren Conrad was stopping in Houston for her book tour and release of The Fame Game. So many girls lined up to see her! I've not read any of the previous books but I bought this one just to get a glimpse of her!

Pics via Instagram

Hope you enjoyed!

Pastel and Neutral

2012-04-21T10:52:00.000-05:00

Tank: Forever 21 | Pastel shorts: Zara | Blazer: Zara | Necklace: LoveCulture | Watch: Aldo

Stepping in Zara lately has been a Dreamland for me. I really wish I could get everything in the store! These lovely shorts are so comfortable and a great color to brighten up an outfit. The pastel and neutral trend is booming right now and there are many ways of wearing it.

If you follow me on Instagram, (thebrilliantlife) you've seen these shorts but I'm stuck on what top to wear! Didn't want to do the typical white sheer top, so what do you think?

Any ideas?

Shorts: Zara

Irony

2012-04-16T21:23:00.000-05:00

Now that I've moved back to the South, I've been suffering severely of seasonal allergies. Sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion is my everyday battle. When I was younger, my allergies were even worse. Constant pills, shots and preventive methods were apart of my daily life. Today I decided to see the doctor and instantly regretted it due to MORE shots, etc. The irony of it is, although I'm allergic to grass, pollen, certain trees --- I LOVE flowers and being outdoors! This is definitely going to be a tough summer.

Sheer Floral Blouse: H&M | High-waisted Disco pants: American Apparel | Shoes: Zara | Watch: Guess

Florals has to be my favorite trend this season -- hence my love for flowers! These are the times that I miss Boston. Clear air and less pollen!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter and Follow my Instagram @thebrilliantlife! :)

Happy Monday!

Picnic Denim

2012-04-11T00:35:00.000-05:00

Denim Shirt: H&M | Shorts: Urban Outfitters | Sneakers: F21 | Jewelry: Bakers, F21, Aldo | Watch: Guess | Sunglasses: RayBen

I've seen bright orange lips on everyone. Celebrities like Solange, and even models on the runway have been rocking it lately. I went on the search to find the shade and I found Morange by MAC which is a scary color straight from the tube. I really had to manipulate this color to fit me by using a flesh tone lip pencil that would blend well with my skin tone.

Would you wear bright orange lipstick?

If not, TRY IT! I dare ya!

Easter Sunday

2012-04-10T01:28:00.000-05:00

I call this my Mrs. Obama dress! It's actually a very light peach color which isn't picking up very prominent in the pictures. And I absolutely love the fit of it. I'm usually never keen on wearing dresses that come with a belt but it works.

I had such a wonderful time visiting my in-laws for Easter. I had plenty of food and good laughs. Easter is always a time to reflect on how the Man above has done great things for us. For those who celebrate, I hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Casual Neon

2012-04-04T22:07:00.000-05:00

Blazer: H&M | Neon Shirt: F21 | Jeans: Armani Exchange | Shoes: Target | Bag: Vintage | Watch: Michael Kors | Jewelry: Aldo

Wore this out to look for Spring/Summer shoes which have been a job to find lately. I've seen a million shoes online that I love but I'm indecisive when purchasing. Asos.com, NastyGal.com, ShopBop.com are the online retailers I check regularly. But I've come to realize that it's EXTREMELY difficult for me to buy things online. I'm not sure if it's laziness as far as returning the item if it doesn't fit, ~~which could very well be the case,~~ or If I NEED to be able to touch and feel the item before buying.

Do you shop online often?

Happy Wednesday!

Floral Obsession

2012-03-29T22:49:00.001-06:00

Unpacking has been hectic but I've just started to arrange my clothes so that I can see everything. I'm realizing now that I have WAY too much stuff and some things need to be sold or thrown out. I call myself actually cleaning my closet before we left Boston, but I'll tackle that another day!

Outfit

Floral top and shoes: F21 | Jeans: Random Boutique | Watch: Guess | Necklace: Bakers | Accessories: Aldo

I've been a bit crazy with florals lately. If you follow my Instagram, you've seen that my past outfits has been some interpretation of floral. This top was actually bought last year and since I've seen it to be big trend this year, I became inspired to wear it.

Which spring trend do you like best? -- Florals, Mixing Prints, or Neon?

Well the weekend is near loves! Enjoy!

New Beginnings

2012-03-23T13:10:00.000-06:00

OMG.. I have no idea what my husband and I were thinking when we DROVE from Boston to Texas. I wouldn't wish that on ANYONE. But for those who were wondering, we made it safely. We stopped in North Carolina where majority of the city was celebrating March Madness and St. Patrick's Day combined. Such a sight to see! lol

Now that we are here, it's been okay to adjusting. Spending time with family and friends has made this move worth while. And this WEATHER is... absolutely lovely. I can't wait to burst out my new neon brights to get in the Spring spirit.

Are any of you wearing neons this Spring?

Hope you guys are having a wonderful spring so far!

If you haven't already, follow me on Twitter!

Dropping by...

2012-03-08T12:10:00.000-06:00

Hello loves! Thanks for your sweet comments on my last post. I'm trying to soak up as much as Boston as I can before I leave!

Here's an outfit worn some time ago. I scored all of this outfit (except for the shoes) in a Zara sale a couple of months ago.

Outfit

Blouse, Grazers: Zara

Pumps: Target

Clutch/Bag: Vintage

How do you guys feel about the pointed shoulders on this shirt?

I was skeptical at first but I think it adds interest!

Hope you enjoy!

Change

2012-03-03T02:00:00.000-06:00

Change has always been something I was very comfortable with. I loved change! I loved new experiences, new people, a new focus, a new adventure.

Now that it's final that I'll be moving from the New England area (the crazy roller coaster), this change is a little..... sad.

Although I've complained a lot about the cold winters, the not-so-friendly people (which is NOT true), the horrible drivers (which is VERY true), I've come to realize that Boston was the very thing I needed in my life to overcome fears and accomplish goals that I've always wanted to do.

For the past month or so, I've been preparing this move and preparing myself for what life has in store for me. In this, I've noticed that I've neglected some of you (blog, twitter, texts, events, etc.) and I want to apologize. This has been heavy on my heart and expressing it here is appropriate to me.

OKAY.. enough of the deep stuff! Thanks to a couple of people, I've already depleted gallons of tears from saying goodbye and I don't want to start again! :'-)

Thank you Boston for being so good to me! I love you!

Outfit
Woven Cardi: Vintage
Bustier, High-Waisted shorts: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: JC Fairlane

Be on the look out for more posts this weekend! :)

Playsuit

2012-02-15T23:05:00.000-06:00

Outfit
Romper: F21
Fishnet Tights: Target
Blazer: H&M
Shoes: JC Fairlane

Hi Guys! Hope you all enjoyed your Valentine's Day! The Mister and I went to a small restaurant in Cambridge where we knew there wouldn't be a big crowd. I would have taken pictures but we were running late ~~because of me~~ and I forgot my camera. :-\

Anywho, remember in this post when I mentioned this year was already a 360 degree turn roller coaster ride? Well, I'm still strapped in with my hands high in the air!
For the rest of the month, I'll be featuring previous outfits worn and also a couple of reviews until I've settled in. Don't be alarmed if you see posts of me with extensions and then short hair (lol). I'll be randomly choosing them as these were taken at different times.

This colorful outfit let's you know I'm so ready for spring/summer. Rompers/Playsuits were such a hit last Spring season and I loved the different patterns and colors. They're literally the easiest thing to throw on and get out of the door!

Are you a fan of rompers/playsuits? Do you think they will make a comeback this Spring/Summer Season?

For updates during the day, you can follow my Instagram @thebrilliantlife, or follow me on twitter @brillianceblog! Check out my Tumblr too!

Also, if you have any request that you would like to see me feature, comment or send me an email!

Thank you all for taking the time to visit!

Have a good rest of the week!

xoxo Brittany

Treat Yourself

2012-02-13T09:50:00.000-06:00

Outfit

Blouse: Zara

Jeans: Armani Exchange

Shoes: Steve Madden

Bag: Aldo

Well, Valentine's day is almost here and it's time to celebrate! Okay, you may be an anti-Valentine's Day person, but you can celebrate loving yourself and being single! I say it's a win-win. :)

This outfit shows that you don't have to wear the pink or red just because of the holiday. The pop of purple is girly enough for me..

What are you planning on doing for Valentine's day?

If you are single, buy YOURSELF some flowers, chocolate or even something you've been dying to treat yourself to. Always remember that you have to LOVE yourself before you love anyone else! ;)

xo, Brittany

Groovy

2012-02-02T13:14:00.001-06:00

Take away the skinny jeans and make them bell-bottoms and this could be a get up of hitting the disco dance floor! If only I had my oversized sunglasses with a floppy hat, I'd be ready to boogy down!

These colors remind me of the era where life was all about good music that made you want to dance. Although I'm an 80s baby, I still love music from that time. You can blame my parents for that. I loved hearing stories from my parents from back then.

I've always wanted to experience a 70s vibe party with soultry songs from back in the day. Or even get my chances to groove down the Soul Train line!

Have you guys ever been to a 70s party? If so, what did you wear?

Outfit

Blouse: H&M

Jeans: Zara

Pumps: Aldo

Necklace: Aldo

Hope you all are having a great week so far!

*RIP Don Corneilus*

xoxo, Brittany

Rocker

2012-01-29T18:59:00.000-06:00

Dress: TJMaxx
Leather Jacket: BB Dakota/Jack
Spike necklace: F21
Tights: Target
Bag: H&M
Shoes: JC

Blue, spikes, and leather scream rocker style! This combo was resulted of me wanting to add more color to my outfit. I'm ready to bring out the brights for spring/summer since there's no snow and it's incredible warm for New England. And since there is a cool breeze, opaque tights would for sure keep the legs warm. You'll be seeing them a lot in upcoming post.

How's my rocker face?
FAIL! haha

xoxo, Brittany

Shoes from Jeffrey

2012-01-27T14:38:00.000-06:00

I have been stalking NastyGal for these babies and they were FINALLY available in my size. Swooning over these trendy, leather, COMFORTABLE heels is what I've been doing since they arrived at my door.

I'll be featuring them soon! :)

Jeffrey Campbell - Fairlane

Size: 9 1/ 2

Happy Weekend!

xoxo, Brittany

Hanging On

2012-01-23T23:10:00.000-06:00

Heeellllllooooo! Yes, I know. It's been a while. But I'm back...briefly. First I want to say welcome to the new people following and visiting my blog and welcome to the old for sticking with me!

This month... has literally been crazy. My new year definitely started off with a 360 degree turn roller coaster ride and I'm trying to hang on. Just taking it one day at a time.

It's cold and I haven't been 'brave' enough to take photos out in the cold yet. I'm such a PUNK! lol Hopefully, I can muster up the courage to do it.

Outfit

Blouse: Zara

Jeans: F21

Studded Booties: GUESS via Buffalo Exchange ($20 bucks!!)

Hope all of you are doing well. Happy Tuesday! :)

xoxo, Brittany

Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr

Tu Thousand Twelve

2012-01-02T21:10:00.002-06:00

It was so hard finding something to wear for NYE. I just knew it was going to be bitterly cold, so my first thought was to have my legs covered but fortunately it has been pretty warm considering it's January. I'd been eyeing this dress in H&M (actually in the beige one) and thought it was simple and the tutu skirt made it fun.

I'm back to work tomorrow! :( Oh how I have enjoyed doing absolutely nothing. lol Hope you guys are having a wonderful first of the year! Let's make this year our best year yet! :)

Outfit
Tutu Dress: H&M
Cropped Blazer: H&M
Faux Fur Stole: H&M
Sparkly Belt: Express
Pumps: Aldo
Earrings: Aldo (Christmas gift from the Mister!)

Twitter | Facebook

xoxo, Brittany

New Heart

2012-01-01T15:28:00.002-06:00

It's here. The mark of a new season to start off right. Many say they'll eat healthier or lose weight or maybe even become more active. Taking care of your body is very important and with commitment and positive thinking, anyone can achieve it. But today, I was thinking of something probably most of us don't think about for a resolution. How can I become a better me (on the inside)?

In this, I thought about a few trying times I had in 2011. I thought about how when things went bad or my feelings were hurt, I wanted to feel better again. I wanted to control my thinking. I wanted to teach myself how to forgive easily and to take slow to offense.

Today, my pastor reminded me of this and how I wanted to thoroughly make optimistic thinking and positive outlooks a daily reminder in my life.

The mouth can speak 'life' or 'death'. 'Life' meaning positivity. 'Death' meaning negativity. Speak 'life' and hear it. Believe it in your mind and heart. That's where it starts.

I want to thank you all for supporting and visiting my blog and all of your wonderful POSITIVE comments. I love you all and I wish you a POSITIVE THINKING new year! :)

Outfit
Dress: H&M
Shoes: Aldo
Bag: Thrifted

xoxo, Brittany

Red Light

2011-12-28T19:08:00.000-06:00

Hi loves! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I've been home all day with the puppies watching Food Network and HGTV. I can't wait to buy a house! lol

Decided to play in a little makeup today. I've been dying to try OCC's Red Light which is a Cranberry Red Shimmer I purchased from IMATS at the beginning of this year.

Base: NYX Strawberry Milk

Lid: OCC Red Light

Transition: Inglot 450 & MAC Texture
Outer Corner: MAC Carbon
Highlight: MAC Ricepaper

Liner: MAC Blacktrack
Mascara: Blinc

PS: I've ran out of mascara and I'm looking for a new one. Any suggestions on what brand I should try?

xoxo, Brittany

Eve

2011-12-24T13:20:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays everyone!

It literally feels like time is flying. I've started my cooking and cleaning so I can wake up and see what Santa brought me! My Christmas music is playing (which consists of Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and more!) and I'm in the spirit!

I hope that you all are with your loved ones on this special time of year. It's important to remember the reason for celebrating this season. Remember to not only be generous during this week, but be generous EVERYDAY!

Trevor, Tucker and I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas!

Blouse: Thrifted (Another $1 deal!)
Jeans: Armani Exchange
Jacket: Target
Heels: Zara
Sunnies: RayBan

xoxo, Brittany