Style Lush

The Top Ten Most Popular Style Lush Posts (Ever)

2013-02-01T15:00:00-05:00

By Jennie

I wanted to end this wonderful site on a fun note, a note that looks back on some of the fabulous content Style Lush has produced over the years. Here, for you, on the last day of the site (at least for a while), let me share with you the Top Ten Most Popular Posts!

10. The Official 2010 Style Lush Holiday Gift Guide

This wasn't the first (or the last) gift guide, but it was the most popular. Click on a few of those links, and see if any awesome items are still available.

9. Scrapbook in a Bottle

This is one of my personal favorites, so I was thrilled to see it pop up as the #9 most popular post of the site's life.

8. Have Beautiful Plates? Hang Them Up!

A round-up of fun ways to display plates on your walls.

7. A Birthday Card for Everyone

I still love this card (and it's still available for sale!), so stock up on a handful for all your favorite birthdays.

6. Inexpensive and Stylish DIY Party Decor

Five cheap ideas for sprucing up your next party.

5. Shadow Box Keepsakes

This is a post I wrote, actually, and I'm a little weepy over 1) the post itself and 2) those teeny tiny shoes that fit my then-12-month-old baby boy who will be four next week.

4. How to Reverse a Terrible At-Home Dye Job

At-home dye regret? This post will have you forgetting regret. (Thanks, Emily!)

3. Currently Coveting: The Victoria's Secret Ruched Multi-way Dress

A lot of people were coveting this dress, it seems. It's our third most popular post! Sadly, this dress is no longer available direct through the VS website, so people must be desperate for some sign of it.

2. Gorgeous No-Heat Curls

I can't blame anyone for wanting to look as lovely as Janet.

Drumroll....

1. Magical Mason Jars

Oh, wow, did this post shoot to the top of the post charts. Mason jars are popular, no denying, and this round-up is exceptional. I still owe Lauren a drink for all those page views!

***

There you have it! You've seen our favorites and our most popular posts. Tell us, on the last post you'll see for a while, what's your favorite Style Lush post?

And, to end this beautiful internet ride, let me say a sincere thank you to our readers. If I could thank you each of you over champagne, I would in a heartbeat. Goodbye.

A Goodbye Interview

2013-02-01T14:00:00-05:00

Editor's note: For our last week at Style Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

By Janet

What fun it has been to write on this corner of the Internet for the last few years! I'm delighted to have been part of such an amazing team of women. It's near impossible to choose a favorite post from the archives, but Sara's roundup of dresses for a Paris elopement made me want to get married all over again (in Paris! in a BHLDN dress! to the same fellow!). That's the great thing about this site: it has been a constant inspiration.

***

For the past several months, I have been interviewing bloggers about their personal style. It's been so much fun to hear about their style inspiration and favorite trends. These are the favorite posts I contributed (in part because they are actually not by me, but by a whole bunch of fabulous gals I got to correspond with). I'm nowhere near as stylish as the amazing women I have interviewed for this feature, but I thought I would say goodbye by answering the very questions that I have been asking others over the past several months. Thank you for indulging me one last time!

How would you describe your personal style?
I wear predominately black and gray, but I try to add a little twist. On most work days, I wear a black dress or black skirt, but I might add red shoes, patterned tights, or a hot pink scarf. On weekends, I've been living in skinny jeans and a black sweater, but I might add fun boots or bright flats.
What trend are you loving this season?

They’ve been back in style for a couple of years, but I’m still over-the-moon for polka dots. They are constantly being reinvented (Apartment Therapy says polka dots will be trending in home décor in 2013!) and they are just so delightful. Just yesterday, I complimented a woman on her polka dotted trench coat and she responded that she wore polka dots because "you can never have a bad day in polka dots." I agree! A confession: I have four pair of gray polka dotted tights. It's a little bit of a problem.

Where do you find your style inspiration?

Old photos of the lovely Audrey Hepburn and new photos of our beautiful First Lady, Michelle Obama.

What beauty product do you always splurge on? What is your top drugstore beauty buy?

I love to splurge on BioSilk Silk Therapy. It makes my hair super shiny and the smell reminds me of college (in a good way--NOT in the way that the smell of cheap beer also reminds me of college). My favorite drugstore buy is L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Blackest Black. It's the best drugstore mascara I've found.

What five items should every woman have in her closet?

A little black dress, a good pair of opaque black tights, a nice pair of black heels, something that sparkles, and, of course, something with polka dots!

I say goodbye, you say hello (to gorgeous skin)

2013-02-01T13:00:00-05:00

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Christina

Well, here we are, our last day. I'm so sad to go, and I really wish there was a big party tonight with all of us and all of you. We could all wear our sparkly shoes, lets do that, okay? Wear something tonight that's a little fun! Please?

I've been here since the beginning and choosing one single post I loved is impossible, so instead I'll tell you my favorite catagory. Style Lush Cribs. Design is my first love so I adore seeing everyones homes and on occasion, helping to make yours more you.

***

So, on to my last post.

My favorite beauty product. It's a gel (chemical) peel and it's teriffic. It's gentle and easy to use, just rub it on your face until it dries up and takes the dull top layer with it. The resutls are an amazingly smooth texture ant glows. GLOWS!

Now the down side is it comes from that kisok at the mall, you know the one, they always want to buff your nails? Well, one day I said sure and I ended up buying a few things.....So, order it online! (beware: there's music)

(photo via deep sea cosmetics dot com)

Caramel Brownies, All-things-Christina and a New Front Door

2013-02-01T12:00:00-05:00

Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

By Elisabeth

I have had such a lovely time coming here for the past three years sharing what I considered to be "stylish." Being the only female in a house full of three little boys, trying to maintain my inner goddess needs to be a major priority in my life. Style Lush has reminded me that I'm important and so are those ADORABLE SHOES. OMG, I MUST HAVE THEM RIGHT NOW.

I'd say my favorite post(s) came from Christina. If they had to do with painting anything in the house big or small, or simple DIY projects around the house using items you already had or additional items that didn't cost very much, I was hooked. I began day dreaming what I could do with my space and most of the time it sent me off to the races. Thank you Christina for giving me/us insight into your creative mind.

Funny enough, my favorite post I wrote had to do with food. Go figure. Before Food Lush came along, I posted what I believed to be the BEST BROWNIES KNOWN TO MAN. The caramel brownies I have been making with my mother since I was little have been crowd-pleaser for as long as I can remember. If you haven't had the chance to make them yet, get on that! The Superbowl is on Sunday! GO NINERS.

***

We replaced our front door a few weeks ago. Like Sara, we purchased our Craftsman door from Home Depot, but we did not, I repeat, did NOT, do it ourselves. (Way to go, Sara! Jaw-dropping impressed!)

We had some draft issues after we replaced our entryway with new hardwood floor. The old threshold and door had a space any bug could crawl through. We tried replacing all the right pieces, but, in the end, decided to get a new door and have someone else deal with sealing that puppy up. Plus, the old door had the tiniest of windows and was downright sad looking.

We ordered the "red" one and chose specifically what we wanted out of a huge selection. If you're in the market, I'd suggest grabbing some catalogs in the store and perusing at your leisure. When you're ready, head on in and add your specifics into the database. Weeks later some dudes will show up and get down to it. We love how it turned out. (Now, to just repaint the door frame again...)

*****

And there you have it! We're still focusing on updating many parts to our '64 ranch house. Up next? Maybe replacing all the inside brown doors with white ones (ourselves) and a new bathroom? (ourselves?) Let's hope. I'll be updating my site, Little Miss Mel if you'd like to follow along. Oh, and those three little boys. (Plus a bigger one.) They'll be there too.

(photo credit: me)

Music Recommendation: Robert Vincent

2013-01-31T14:00:00-05:00

Editor's note: For our last week at Style Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Hillary

I can't tell you how much I love this site and my Lush family. I still can't believe Jennie let me write for a style blog. Thank you for giving me this space to pretend I know what I'm talking about every Thursday.

My favourite Style Lush post is Jen's on homemade laundry detergent because I immediately started making (and loving) my own laundry detergent and haven't looked back since.

It was tough to choose a favourite post written by yours truly but I think my sock bun post wins that honour.

***

You guys, you need to be listening to Robert Vincent's Life in Easy Steps. He's kind of what would happen if Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash had an acoustic singer-songwriter baby. His lyrics are beautiful and I don't want to stop listening to this album.

"Light of the Stars" and "Second Chance" are standout tracks for feeling all the feelings (if, for example, you happen to be saying goodbye to a favourite blog. Or something.)

{Photo credit: robertvincentmusic.com}

Swim Shirts

2013-01-31T13:00:00-05:00

Editor's note: For our last week at Style Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

By Megan

I'm horribly sorry to be saying goodbye to Style Lush. It's been a daily source of inspiration for me, and choosing favorites is hard to do. I really loved Rebecca's post Style Memories From My Mom. From my own archives, I had a lot of fun with these finger knit scarves, and I recently saw a tutorial online for arm knitting, which uses the same concept, but creates these beautiful chunky infinity scarves. I've let my craft side lay dormant for far too long.

***

Now, onward. For the last time. (WEEP.)

One of my favorite things about Style Lush has been the feedback from the community. So today I come to you with yet another style question. Today, I'm talking swim shirts. I'm very fair skinned. I know you think you're fair skinned, but I win the white legs contest every day of the week. It's not a very fun contest to win, I promise you. That said, we spend a lot of time at the pool and the beach during the summer. I'm usually the girl in the shade with a large hat and long-sleeved cover up. However, there comes a point when it's 99 degrees outside and there's no comfortable place except for the middle of the pool.

Which brings me to my question. My son always wears a swim shirt, and I prefer two piece suits with a rash guard top for my daughter also. So why not one for me? With a UPF of 50 in the fabric, doesn't it make sense for me to throw one of these on over my swim suit?

Swim Tee Cover-up from Lands' End $39

Look at those stripes! It's like someone made my favorite wardrobe staple into swimwear. Now if only I can find a swim maxi dress. (I kid, I kid.)

So tell me dear readers, is this something I should embrace in the name of sun-protection? Or, does this scream, "I'M A MOM. FUNCTION OVER FASHION 'TIL THE END."

{Photo credit: landsend.com}

Magnetic To-Do List

2013-01-31T10:00:00-05:00

Editor's note: For our last week at Style Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Elizabeth

I really want to talk about how sad I am that Style Lush is ending! I do. I am very sad. However, I think it's more important that I take this last chance to say thank you. Thank you most especially to Jennie for giving me this chance, for creating this space and working so hard on it, and for building this community. It was been an amazing ride, and I am so very grateful. Thank you, Jennie, and thank you to all the amazing writers over the years, and thank you to all of you.

My favorite posts that I've written are the Holiday Gift Guides, even though I probably wouldn't have told you that in the middle of adding 100 pictures to the post. :) But I will be continuing them from now until eternity over at my personal site, so never fear, next November, the Gift Guide will live on.

***

My favorite post someone else has written is this one, even though I'm writing it. I know, it makes no sense, but bear with me here.

Last November I was visiting the lovely Jennie in Dallas, and I spent some quality time wandering around her house looking at her stuff, as you do when you're waiting to get on a flight at 6 AM and only have so much time available to study someone else's cute art and champagne prints and pictures. I noticed, on the side of her refrigerator, a magnetic to-do list. Someone had printed a list of things to get done around the house on magnetic paper, cut out each individual item, and stuck them all on the side of the refrigerator.

As soon as I saw this I said "That's such a cool idea, Jennie! I love it! You need to post about that on Style Lush!" but she waved her hand at me and said disdainfully, ""Oh, that?! No! Mike did that."

AH HA HA HA HA HA.

Poor Mike.

Anyway, the joke's on you Jennie, because I am choosing this post you never wrote as my favorite Style Lush post of all time. And you have strict instructions from me to get to work on that To Do List, starting next week. It's a good one, despite its provenance.

Cheating On My Dyson

2013-01-30T14:00:00-05:00

Editor's note: For our last week at Style Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

By Jessica

I kind of can't believe I am writing my final post for Style Lush right now, I've been here from the beginning, so selecting a favorite post of mine, or anyone else's, through all this time is proving too difficult for me in light of the reality of this being my final post. I have found so many wonderful products, artists, musicians and friends through this site (and Food Lush as well) thank you for allowing us the opportunity to be a part of your world.

***

If A'Dell tells you that the chocolate cake at Costco is THE BEST and that you should go get some, you should probably believe her, because she's serious about that chocolate cake and she's right, of course. And if A'Dell gives good reviews on a Roomba? Well then maybe you should go get one because she's probably right about that too. At least, her review sure makes a convincing enough argument to maybe push two people already looking at a Roomba right over the edge into buying one. See, we are really committing to making changes (large, machine based changes) for my health needs this year and we thought maybe this might help tackle the never ending cycle of dust and debris the dogs love to track in from the yard. Now, we have a Dyson and it has served us admirably for years

but the lure of something that could be running while I was doing something else? Something that could run everyday (because let's face it, that is not happening with the heavy and cumbersome Dyson)? The lure is very strong indeed.

A lure we were unable to avoid, thanks to Costco having a great price on a special version apparently only they offer which comes with extra filters and extra brushes, definitely a great deal. Obviously you can tell Mayday (the dog in the photos above) was much more concerned about this thing than she is the Dyson (and yes, it was running in that top photo while she was sleeping in the sun) and the Roomba "chased" Maddie (our other dog) around the kitchen for a bit, she was--unthrilled.

I, however, am THRILLED with this little thing. Yesterday I was able to swiffer, spray paint a piece of furniture, run a load of a laundry and take a shower WHILE my floors were being vaccumed. It was fantastic. So far we are keeping the Roomba for the main parts of the house and the Dyson for our bedroom because our spoiled princesses each have full-sized comforters on the floor on either side of our bed and I don't want to deal with picking that up each time but maybe someday they'll deign to have dog beds.

It's so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up*

*Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Recent Drugstore Finds

2013-01-30T10:00:00-05:00

Editor's note: For our last week at Style Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

by Lawyerish

Before we dig into the exciting discoveries I have made at my corner pharmacy recently, I want to say that I've had a great time writing for this site for the past 2.5 years, and I'll be sorry to see it go. As a last hurrah, I wanted to acknowledge my favorite post by another Lush writer (difficult though it is to narrow down from such a wide array of tips, recommendations, and advice): Elizabeth's Gift Guide for 2012. Girlfriend nails the gift guide every time, and this year was no exception. I'm going to be referring back to it all through 2013 and beyond. Of my own posts, I would say that Five Places to Find Quiet in New York City sums up so much of what I love about my city, and the pockets of peace within it. I hope you'll spend some time going back through the great posts all over this site in the coming weeks. I know I will.

* * *

Sometimes cheaper is just better, am I right? A few months ago, I got tired of shelling out $15 every time I needed more razor blades, and I was also weary of the ever-increasing variety of shaving options. I also began to suspect that having four or five blades was really not giving me a better result than the crappy plastic single-blade disposables I used back before women's razors became such a hot niche market. I ended up tossing some under-$10 disposables into my shopping basket, and now I am never going back.

Despite its grandstanding name, the Schick Xtreme 3 Eco is all I wanted and more. I only use a little soap and this doesn't hack my legs to pieces or anything, and the moisture strip is helpful without being cloying or leaving me with goo all over the place. I feel mildly better about buying these because they're made from recycled materials, but in fact they also last a surprisingly long time. Venus, you are dead to me.

My next surprise success is that Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer has become the only lipstick or gloss I ever use. At $4.99 you truly cannot beat the price, and it comes in flattering, versatile shades (mine is Fig, but I am thinking of adding Raisin and Plum to my repertoire). It's also lip-balm-y enough to soothe chapped lips, and there's a subtle shine that makes it hold up even for nighttime outings.

Thank you, drugstores, for letting my cheapskate nature prevail!

(Photo credits: drugstore.com)

Entryway Storage Problem Solved! (and a Sad Goodbye)

2013-01-29T14:00:00-05:00

By Sara

Wow. So this is it, friends. Our last week of posting (for now). It has been a pleasure to see you here every week for the past few years, and I'm really going to miss you. Before I say goodbye, I wanted to share something I've finally checked off my To Do List. Let me take you back to 2010 and my desperate plea for help in dealing with our complete lack of storage in our entryway. Here are the photos I posted to show you what I was dealing with:

You'll notice a lack of closets, hooks, pretty much anything that resembles coat/shoe storage. It was a...problem. I improvised these past few years with an over the door rack on the basement door but that was cumbersome and provided hooks for only a few coats. On New Years' Eve a few weeks ago, my husband and I sat down and came up with a House To Do List for 2013 and at the tippy top of that list was "entryway storage plan". I'm proud to say we actually came up with a plan, executed it, and are now enjoying a much more welcoming and organized entryway.

First, my husband and I installed faux board and batten on the short wall separating the living room and dining room and parallel to the stairway:

I say "faux" board and batten because we cheated and didn't actually install the "board" part which would sit behind the "batten" or vertical pieces of wood. We attached the vertical wood trim pieces directly to the wall and painted it all in a semi-gloss white to match the existing trim. I won't go into detail on our process since there are already great detailed DIY tutorials on the web but suffice to say it required triple measuring, quadruple leveling and a loud nail gun.

The hooks and bench are from Ikea and the basket for shoes is from HomeGoods. The new front door is from Home Depot and we installed that sucker last winter ALL BY OURSELVES. Why yes, I am feeling rather smug and proud of us. To combat the influx of mail and give us a place to drop our keys, I moved a console from the living room into the entry:

The bottom baskets hold our hat, gloves and scarves in the winter and then sunhats, sunscreen, and sunglasses in the summer. A console like this is really functional in the entryway and if you have the room, I highly recommend one.

I have a few more improvements coming for this space and I hope you visit me over at my personal blog Belle Plaine to see the final reveal. Again, thank you all for making Style Lush one of your daily reads. It's been a fun three years and I look forward to seeing you all again!

xoxo.