Blogger Beauty Advice | Girl Meets Life | a lifestyle blog by Gracie Gordon

my favorite spring/summer fashion trends.

15 April, 2014 by Gracie 7 Comments

I don’t know about you, but even though it’s only April, I’m all sorts of excited about trading in my sweaters and layers for tank tops and cut offs.

The other day I posted some of my spring/summer wardrobe and got a few requests to share my favorite fashion trends for the warmer weather, so here it is!

(I thought about waiting until it was closer to summer, but if this year is anything like last – the cooler part of spring is going to flash before our eyes. So why not get the wardrobe ideas started now?)

While compiling my favorite styles and trends, I realized that they kind of all overlap and fall under one big category. So I’m going to call my favorite fashion look(s) for the spring/summer Boho…with an Edge.

If I had to describe this “Edgy Boho” look, it would be…

KIMONOS // STRAPPY // FLOWY
CROCHET // CROP TOPS
CUT OFFS // LAYERED JEWELRY
WHITES // BRAIDS // NATURAL MAKEUP
OFF THE SHOULDER // DISTRESSED DENIM
MESSY HAIR // BEACHY // EFFORTLESS
HEAD SCARVES // FLARES // OVERSIZED // FRINGE

(all images found via Pinterest. Click the image for source)

Some of my favorite places to SHOP for Edgy Boho clothes are:

URBAN OUTFITTERS // BRANDY MELVILLE // NECESSARY CLOTHING // LF // FREE PEOPLE

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What are your favorite styles & trends for this spring and summer?
Which of these do you like (or dislike) most?

snapshots.

13 April, 2014 by Gracie 13 Comments

Shipping out Speakable orders is my new favorite way to start the day.

Okay fine…there’s a better way, and it’s called brunch. Even if it doesn’t “start” the day until 3pm.

A la Essex…

The other day I got these Amy’s Sandwich Rounds to give a try. They’re really tasty, but really small.

If you look really closely, there’s one hidden under there…

But it’s all good because I got the extra carbs I needed from a green smoothie.

Why do smoothies taste better in a jar…?

My summer wardrobe is growing at a much more rapid pace than most years.

But…how much do you want to bet I’ll never wear those crop tops?

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Have you started getting summer clothes yet? Any colors/trends your especially loving lately?

color lovin’.

8 April, 2014 by Gracie 8 Comments

If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my newly BLUE hair.

No, I didn’t actually dye my hair blue (although, it IS quite trendy right now according to Pinterest…). That optical illusion is thanks to Shimmering Lights, odd lighting, and a cool-toned filter. I’d never forsake my beloved blonde, but the blue is kinda cool looking, huh?

More color has been making an appearance in my life via my accessories. I definitely tend to lean toward neutrals when it comes to my clothes, but jewelry is a fun and easy way to add a pop of color.

I got this great bracelet from Target. I don’t usually check out their jewelry section, but they had some great finds! I thought this was just so fun for the spring and summer.

Speaking of jewelry, did you know that Speakable necklaces look great with any color? Shameless plug – sorry not sorry.

On the food front, this go-to meal has continued to make an appearance quite often. I always knew this combo of avocado, eggs, and sweet potato was delicious and filling, but it’s also quite the colorful one, yeah?

And then there’s Baby Bo’s Cantina, which is one of my favorite hidden gem restaurants in the city. They have hands down some of the best authentic Mexican food I’ve ever had. Not to mention it’s clearly quite festive there.

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What do you think of the bright and bold hair colors trending right now? Would you ever try something like that?

what i’m loving right now.

20 March, 2014 by Gracie 9 Comments

ombré lips.

For my birthday Erica got me this great dual lipstick from Bite, which is perfect for doing easy ombré lips.

It was so simple - I just did the dark (red) shade on the outside of my lips, and the lighter (fuschia) shade on the inside. It’s not as fancy as the ombré lips/tutorials I’ve seen on makeup blogs, but it does the trick. Voila!

ribbon hair ties.

ALSO a gift from Erica…thanks E

Um, why didn’t anyone tell me about these things sooner?! They’re so much better than regular hair ties as they don’t break or leave creases in your hair. Not to mention they just look cuter in your hair and/or on your wrist.

vaseline spray & go moisturizer.

Ok – this stuff is a game changer. I’m slightly OCD about using body lotion every day, and Vaseline Spray & Go makes it SO much easier. I still love regular body lotion and body butters, but when I’m in a rush this is great for quick application *and* quick drying.

I’ve only tried the Cocoa Radiant one, which I love – it smells like cocoa butter!

roasted veggies.

Nothin’ fancy or new here, just good old big bowls of roasted vegetables. I’ve mentioned before how roasting vegetables (with lots of spices) is the best way to make them taste good, and lately I’ve been making big batches ahead of time.

Smothered with some Annie’s Goddess dressing = perfection.

(I have a great guide to roasting vegetables on this post)

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What are you loving right now? Any of these things?

what i’m loving right now.

10 March, 2014 by Gracie 6 Comments

Ellovi body butter & lip butter.

Hi my name is Gracie, and I have an extreme obsession love for all skin moisturizers. I’ve never met a body lotion I didn’t like, but I was especially excited to accept a sample of Ellovi body butter when I learned that it’s all-natural, handmade, and includes just six ingredients. Made from macadamia nut, coconut, marula nut, hemp seed, and shea, there are no synthetic ingredients, preservatives, parabens, or other secret ingredients in Ellovi.

Their lip butter also has just six ingredients - Hawaiian coconut, sunflower, hemp, macadamia, Ghanaian marula, and shea.

Both butters smell amazing, and they feel incredible on my skin and lips.

Madecasse toasted coconut dark chocolate.

Not much explanation necessary here. If you see this in stores, get it. Trust me. If not, you can order it on the Madecasse website.

UV Sriracha vodka.

That’s right, sriracha really can add flavor to anything and everything. Rachel and I used UV sriracha vodka to make “Srirachaberry Margaritas” (with raspberries instead of strawberries) before going out, and it was the perfect way to kick off the night!

this meal combo…

This isn’t anything new or revolutionary, just a meal that I’ve been loving and eating just about every day for either breakfast or lunch.

It’s pretty simple – just a combination of soft boiled eggs, sweet potato, and avocado. It’s so filling and delicious!

Liquiteria.

In case you didn’t notice, cold-pressed juice is like, really in right now. Especially in NYC, at least. I’ve tried a handful of juice brands, and Liquiteria is definitely one of my new favorites. I had a discount code so grabbed their Level One Cleanse the other day, and I loved it. I drank the juice in additional to my normal (slightly smaller) meals, and it left me feeling really energized throughout the day. I didn’t even need my afternoon coffee fix!

(Oh, and I also like how Liquiteria’s juice 6-pack is the most inexpensive I’ve found yet.)

Arrojo PrIMP working spray.

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with hairspray. Since I add waves to my hair often, hairspray is a necessity. But even with my (then) favorite brand – one spray too many left my hair feeling and looking crunchy. So when I got the suggestion to try Arrojo’s PrIMP working spray, I figured it was worth a try.

The verdict: it’s the hairspray I’ve been looking for all my life! It’s super light but still holds my hairstyle in place. Best of all is that it still allows you to switch up your hairstyle if you want to do different shapes and styles (it was actually created for that purpose for photo shoots). It also smells amazing and works well with heat tools.

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What are you loving right now?

snapshots.

9 March, 2014 by Gracie 14 Comments

Gym things.

More Juice Press goodness. This time their Anytime Taco.

Sometimes ya just have to ditch the makeup for a day.

And sometimes it’s time to trade in all black attire for the lighter side.

On Saturday we had brunch at one of my favorite spots, The Fat Radish.

I can’t not get their avocado toast…

Epstein’s is always fun for some Saturday silliness.

lol Mon.

Fuel to keep the fun going into nighttime…

A random pup in a cup. Clearly blog-worthy.

Last but not least, this…

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What’s been the highlight of your weekend so far?

all about layering {jewelry}.

29 January, 2014 by Gracie 11 Comments

If Speakable doesn’t give enough of a hint, you should know that I’m a HUGE accessories girl. While I love clothes, my personal style is attributed mostly to how I accessorize my look(s) – be it handbags, scarfs, shoes- but especially jewelry.

Sometimes I like to keep my jewelry minimalistic, and other times I like it over the top. Layering is a great way to take simple pieces and combine them with others to turn your jewelry into an eye-catching statement.

some tips for layering jewelry:

1. DO mix it up. Styles, lengths, colors etc. Make it fun!

2. DON’T layer necklaces & bracelets at the same time – pick one to emphasize (unless they are subtle pieces).

3. DON’T wear big earrings if layering necklaces.

4. DO trust your own judgment. If it looks like it may be too much, it probably is.

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Do you like layering jewelry? What’s your favorite jewelry piece?

a lovely saturday.

19 January, 2014 by Gracie 15 Comments

As usual, the weekend couldn’t have come at a better time. After a couple of crazy weeks with planning to move, Speakable, etc., I was so ready to have a few days to relax and spend time with my friends!

If I’m being honest, the days I work from home are spent makeup-less with my hair in a ponytail, so yesterday I took the opportunity to get a bit more dolled up.

Aaaaand POUT.

Then I met up with the girls for brunch at Diablo Royale in the West Village.

I had been wanting to go there forever, and it was great! I loved the look and feel there, and you can never go wrong with Mexican.

Afterward we went to Hudson Clearwater, where we ended up spending the remainder of the overcast day. I tried to be all fancy with my new camera by snapping Monica’s espresso shot…

…I’m getting there, right?

But don’t worry, I’ll never be above taking selfies.

The night ended early for me since I had a busy day (today), so I wrapped Saturday up by watching documentaries on Netflix. I’m cool like that.

Last but not least is this great devo from yesterday. “Gain happiness by letting go of this life…”

(from the daily devotional God’s Promises Day by Day)

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How did you spend your Saturday? See any good documentaries lately?

what i’m loving right now.

29 December, 2013 by Gracie 3 Comments

clarins double serum.
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m kinda sorta a skincare freak. So when I saw this Clarins serum all over a ton of “best skin products” lists, it went straight to the top of my Christmas list.

So far, I love it! I haven’t been using it long enough to notice any results, but it goes on so smoothly and leaves my face feeling healthy and refreshed.

pom pom beanies.
I’ve mentioned before how much I love pom pom beanies, but I had so much trouble finding the perfect one! I looked everywhere, but it was lying right under my nose at good old H&M.

back-draping necklaces.
I fell in love with these necklaces since Jennifer Lawrence dawned one at the Oscars. Since then they’ve been all over Pinterest, and have come out in more casual forms – like this one from Urban Outfitters (also something I got for Christmas, yay!).

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What are you loving right now? Get any of them for Christmas this year?

gml approved: oscar blandi {2}.

20 December, 2013 by Gracie Leave a Comment

Earlier in the year my friend Gina who works as Oscar Blandi sent me some of their great products to try out, and I’ve been using them ever since! That’s why I was so excited when Oscar Blandi offered to send me some more to give a try, and these turned out to be just as life hair-changing.

1. Oscar Blandi Dry Conditioner Spray
I had heard of and used dry shampoo before, but never a dry conditioner. I wasn’t sure to expect, but this is definitely going to be one of my new go-to hair products. First of all, it smells amazing (which, for me, is one of the first things I look for in a hair product). Secondly, it gives the perfect “freshen up” your hair needs – especially this time of year with the cold weather. It’s weightless, renews shine, detangles, and nourishes your hair with a mist of oils and vitamins.

2. Oscar Blandi Olio Di Jasmine Hair Serum
I’m a huge fan of this serum. Just a few tiny drops made my hair look and feel shiny, soft, and so much healthier. Apply a few drops to hair as needed – on dry hair to finish a look or on damp hair before blow-dry to protect from heat. This is definitely a new hair secret weapon of mine.

3. Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo
I’ve mentioned before how much I love OB’s spray version of dry shampoo. Well this one is their powdered version, and I love it just as much. It has the same great scent, is lightweight, and leaves my hair feeling fresh with an extra bump of volume. I’ve tried just about every dry shampoo one on the market, and Oscar Blandi’s is hands down my favorite.

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Which of these products would you want to try most? What’s your “hair secret weapon?”