Puppy Love and Pet Peeves

Jake insisted on making an appearance for the Valentines Day photo shoot.  And who am I to deny him his place in the spotlight?  It is pure puppy love!

 
Luckily we had a "dress down" day at school on Tuesday for Valentine's Day so I was able to be a bit festive with my clothing.  There are certain things I have to keep in mind while choosing an outfit for school though...

1. Will I be devastated if I get product on my outfit?  I work with various facial cleansers, lotions, clay masks, waxes and other messy things while I'm at school and chances are, I will be wearing some of it by the end of the day. I wasn't going to be devastated if I got product on any of the pieces and they are all machine washable - yay!
2. Will I be comfortable in this outfit while giving facials, providing waxing services and while walking around on a tile floor?  I love wearing skirts and dresses but they require a certain amount of awareness.  While giving a facial, it isn't my priority to make sure I'm sitting lady-like.  The leggings addressed that concern and kept me from inadvertently flashing anyone!
3. Is the outfit "salon professional" or comparable to what a client would expect to see if they were at a salon, day spa or professional skin care setting?  While I wouldn't wear this if I worked in a day spa setting, I felt like I could walk in to a salon and be right at home with this attire.  Although, I was surprised to see what others considered appropriate - not judging - ok, maybe I'm judging. 

Some general thoughts on dressing salon profesh: UGGs = Ugg! If your look makes Ke$ha look modest, reconsider! Hooded sweatshirts make a statement and that statement is "I didn't care enough to get dressed this morning."  A pink pajama shirt has its place, and it isn't at school.  If you walk in heels like both of your ankles are sprained, I have a hard time taking you seriously. --- That's all, rant over

Just joking, rant not quite over.  One final pet peeve:

No where in the word is there an "M" - I can't even tell you how I cringe when I hear "Happy Valentime's Day!" 

VAL - EN - TINE'S DAY

Say it with me now!

VAL - EN - TINE'S DAY!

 I'm terrible, I know. 

Outfit Details
Pink Dress: Merona via Target
Denim Jacket: Bacci via Ross
Black Leggings: Ann Taylor Loft
Black Belt: NY&Co
Blue Ballet Flats: Lindsay Phillips via Marshall's
Blue Hinged Watch: Charming Charlie

Nothin' Too Fancy

Black and a pinch of color from Charming Charlie!

Keeping within the dress code at school, I bring you an outfit of entirely black.  I really shouldn't complain too much about this.  A few years back the school had a dress code of ALL WHITE.  You heard me correctly... white!  I'm in school with people interested in careers the beauty industry, not future health care professionals.  Thankfully there was a student rebellion a few years ago and now we have a wide horizon of white and black!

Tuesday through Thursday we have theory (class) in the morning and then we see clients in the afternoon. I tend to keep it pretty simple on those days.  I dress for comfort and warmth.  But on Friday and Saturday we see clients all day long.  I try to dress it up a little by adding a splash of color or print with accessories.  Colors and patterns are permitted as long as they are kept to accessories.

I thought the bright blue watch would be a great addition to this all black ensemble.  It was one of the items I recently picked up at Charming Charlie.  Training as an esthetician includes having my hands in cleanser, lotion, moisturizer, wax, and other cosmetics all day long.  I also have many timed treatments through out the day so it is more important that I regularly wear a watch.  When I saw this hinged watch in bright blue I knew it would be a great way to add a dash of color to my limited wardrobe. Not only is it cute and sparkly, but the hinge allows me to remove the watch with out getting product all over the band... score!

Here is a close-up of my make up for the day - mind you the photos were taken after a full day at school.

The other thing about a limited wardrobe is that it really pushes me to be more creative with my hair and makeup. It is a small way to feel a little different in a sea of black lab coats.

Would there be any interest in cosmetic reviews or tutorials in the future? I don't claim to be a pro (yet) but I'd love to share some of the not-so great products I'm running across as I get further in to my learning. Let me know what you think!

Outfit Details
Black Dress: Fashion Bug
Black Leggings: kikaPaprika
Black Belt with Snake Detail: NY&Co
Black Patent Flats: Nicole via Ross
Blue Hinged Watch: charming charlie

Guess What We Have? - Charming Charlie

Argh, this post took forever to post! I couldn't get the pictures to upload correctly and kept having to walk away from the computer.  Now for your viewing (and retail) pleasure, I bring you a new post!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last summer I saw a post by Tina from T Minus, T Plus regarding Charming Charlie, an accessory store that had yet to reach the west coast.  A few months ago I was in Reno, NV and saw a sign for Charming Charlie and I was thrilled to know that there was finally a store within driving distance from my house!  Unfortunately I didn't have time to stop that day.

I recently found out that we got our very own Charming Charlie at the Fountain's in Roseville (much closer than Reno, NV).  My boyfriend's daughter and I wandered in on New Year's Day and spent well over an hour examining every bracelet, purse, hair accessory, pair of sunglasses, and ring in the store.  I was expecting a super jewelry store but it was much more of an accessory experience! 

The store is arranged in color categories making it very easy to find that perfect pair of earrings for that pink dress or a great green watch to match your favorite scarf!  From tops to sun glasses, purses to shoes, bracelets to necklaces... the store had it all!  Not only was the selection fantastic, but the prices were as well.  The majority of the pieces I looked at were well under $40.  There were also many cute bags under $50.

Being on a budget stinks to say the least.  Being out of work and going to school has virtually eliminated my shopping budget so I chose one pair of glasses for under $10.  But being in the store gave me some great ideas of how to dress up my school uniform (black and white) without breaking the budget.  We are allowed to wear colorful accessories so I may have to run back to Charming Charlie in the near future to add some flare to my otherwise predictable daily wear!