I need your help

Paul and I are going to wedding this weekend in Pennsylvania. It should be a blast and since it is one of Paul's friends, I am excited to see a group of people that we don't get to see all that often. I am wearing this black peplum dress that I picked up from Anthropologie and really love (though just a heads up, I am totally not wearing it with those tights or shoes-- I think that I might go with these that I picked up this fall)

But here is where I need your help....what jewelery do you wear with this dress? I have never rocked a peplum before and don't really know if a necklace works with the neckline. So fashionistas out there..help!

Brow Down

How do you guys feel about these super dark dark eyebrows? There is something that really attacks me to them but do you have to be on a red carpet to pull them off? And even if I wanted to rock them, how would I tap into my internal Bobbi Brown to create them? Let me know what you think.

Ms. Alba seen here

These bad boys seen on Aremo

Seen here

Cat Couture

Guys, have you noticed the feline trend that seems to be blowing up everywhere. Cats are where it's at(s) - just go with it for the sake of rhyming. It's suddenly cool to be a cat lady! What do you think? Would you get on this kitty trend? Wanna know something that I often think about? Has Pasha ever met a cat? And does he realize that it is a cat? Wow, anyway, let me know your thoughts. Meow!

Seen on ShopBop

Seen on Brian Lichtenberg (Thanks Sophie!)

Seen on ModCloth

And of course...Grumpy Cat

French Hair

Low effort, high style of Francoise Hardy seen here

This past weekend, we spent some time with a friend Genevieve who has been living in Paris on and off for the past 3 years. While I wore my hair braided and my sister rocked a pretty badass blowout, Genevieve looked as french as they come, letting her hair be natural, slightly messy and in all honestly beautiful.

Since PB and I have been talking more and more about a trip and France has been on the list, I have become increasing aware of how gorgeous French womens hair is. I was so glad that I came across these rules in Vogue so that maybe I can mimic their (and Gen's) style.

 Rule #1: “The more supermarket the shampoo, the better the hair looks,” says de Maigret, who uses Pantene or L’Oréal Elsève. “I don’t know why, it just does. Wash it once in the morning, not twice, like they do at the hair salon.”

Rule #2: “French women never put conditioner in the hair. It makes it straight and flat.”

Rule #3: “After you get out of the shower, don’t touch it.  No hair dryer, nothing. You just let the air do it naturally.”

Rule #4: “Don’t brush. Also, you know, Parisian girls walk a lot, which makes the hair a little messy from the wind. If you’re going to go outside and have it get messy anyway, it’s better to just not brush it from the beginning.”

Rule #5: “Sometimes if you put some dry shampoo, it gives a cool texture—instead of washing it every day. I wash my hair every two days. I know. It’s really too much.”

Could you guys ever abide by these rules? I am tempted by the idea of dry shampoo, especially after a yoga class. Have you ever tried it?

on a quest

Ok, so I have to come clean. My spending freeze it over. It started with a J.Crew 30% off all sale items and I never looked back. With the holidays approaching, spending is in full effect, though I am trying to make smart buying decsions. One item on my list that is really a must have is new black boots. I have worn my last pair to the ground and am ready for a style update. So I went to my Pinterest page to look for ideas. I settled on the idea of a fold over boot. First of all, these tend to be a little wider in the calf which is a must for me. They look great with skirts and bare legs but also totally cute tucked in to jeans. And they are like nothing else I own, a recent requirement I have implemented to eliminate the predictable. The problem is that they are incredibly hard to find. So please feel free to chime in, point me in a direction, drop me a line, text me, tweet me, instargram me cause mama wants some new boots. What do you guys think....

The Inspiration

The I Won the Powerball Option. Givenchy at Saks

The I Won the Pick Six Option. Vera Wang at Shopbop (sold out anyway)

The I Won the Scratch Off Option.  Steven by Steven Madden at Bloomingdales

Should I?

Seen on They All Hate Us

Ever since I pinned this picture onto my Pinterest page, it stuck in my head. I love her entire approachable look but I especially love her sneakers. Since I still have my classic grey New Balance shoes that I wore in middle school (I am not kidding) and another pair that I wore in college, I am thinking that these might be what I want to break my spending freeze on. I am only slightly hesitant since the color is pretty different. Is it trendy? Could I wear them with lighter colors? Do I even wear light colors? Let me know what you guys think? Have you ever bought something you saw on Pinterest or in a random photo like this one?

Seen on Zappos

Mine are Blush and Bashfull

MP Daily Nail Picks by madelinepolton featuring essie nail polish

Play Clothes

Seen on J.Crew

When I was growing up, my dad had a pattern. Around 6 o'clock, he could come home in his suit from work and announce to us that he needed to change into his play clothes. He would head upstairs and return downstairs in jeans and a t-shirt. As a child, I thought for some reason that this was hilarious, this idea was my dad needing to put on clothes that made him fun. But now, as a 30 year old working stiff, I completely understand the concept of play clothes. After work, there is nothing more that I like to do is change into my "play clothes." From a  blouse, skirt and heels, does anything feel better than a broken-in t-shirt, leggings and slippers? Since I have been working at home this week due to Sandy, my play clothes have become my work clothes and each day, it's a pair of leggings with a new top for me. Looking at my work clothes, there is a small part of me that misses them. But these leggings sure do feel good.  Do you have play clothes? Clothes that you want to right away change into when you get home? What is it?

while on the topic of breaking the bank

When I opened my email this morning, staring at me was a notice. Take an additional 25% off all sale clothing at Anthropologie. This is what I call being tested. I actually find it helpful to look through all of it , even adding things to my basket and then quickly closing the page and walking away.  For anyone interested in what I did place in my basket, here is  a peak.I found the Blue Suede Skirt to be particularly hard to walk away from.  Please feel free to email me for size information if you feel like making a purchase in my honor. :) Did you see anything that you liked?

Pants Seen Here, Suede Skirt Seen Here and Tee Dress Seen Here 

if i were going to thaw my spending freeze

it would be on this skirt. come to mama. seen on Asos Here.

heading to austin

Right now should be packing for my trip for Austin. But instead I will blog. 

I am heading to Austin City Limits for the weekend but more importantly 

hang out with my friends Amy and Barbara. Whenever I go to these type of 

concerts, I inevitably hate what I am wearing when I see all the super cool girls 

and what they are rocking.  I am also notoriously bad at packing. I tend to throw 

all my favorite things in a bag without really thinking what will go together. Or 

I pack only nice tops and nothing to hang in during the day. Or no underwear. 

So at least I am starting to make a plan. Jeans, shorts, button downs, nicer tanks, comfy 

shoes, a bag that makes sense. Here is what I wish would be in my closet when I take 

my travel bag. I should get cracking...

ACL by madelinepolton featuring fossil handbags

approaching a stranger for the sake of fashion

Penfield Landis Jacket Seen Here

Last winter I saw a few dudes in my hood wearing a really cool looking similar looking jacket. It was kinda two toned, looked warm, cozy and not like every other jacket out there. Then, PB and I were in Fairway doing a grocery shopping. I noticed this dude wearing a vest version of the same jacket and I had to ask him what the deal was. He didn't know but his girlfriend was quick to help and let me know that it was a Penfield. After a quick google search, I was already planning my Fall 2012/Winter 2013 jacket. I love the outdoorsy edginess to them,  and I am totally loving their duffle bags too. What do you think? Are you getting a new winter jacket? Should I break the spending freeze for it?

Penfield Evansville Bag Seen Here

Penfield Rockwool Jacket Seen Here

the hills are alive

I know that a lot of you know about this site already but for those who don't, The Beauty Department is where it is at. First of all, lets all give it up to Lauren Conrad for having a real normal non-seemingly drug induced life, post reality television. Way to get it girl! But honestly, this site has been my go to when I am am trying to figure out a new way to do my hair, nails or make-up. I found their cat-eye tutorial really helpful.

Seen here

Could false eyelashes be next? Have you ever used them? Is it as easy at they make it look? Let me know.

Seen Here

is it cold in here? oh no, it must be a....

Oh yeah, just my stuff

After the holidays this past year, lets just say my credit card statement wasn't exactly what I wanted it to be. Once I did the math, I made a plan. I put myself on hold from buying anything that wasn't a necessity from January 1st until February 14th. The thought process was that there was a deadline and I could see it. It wasn't like 6 months, this was totally do-able. And I still allowed myself to go window shopping, even try stuff on. If I was still thinking about whatever it had been, and it wasn't a total budget buster, then after the 14th, I told myself that I could buy it. The thing was that I never went back for anything. A great resource and a way that I got through it was looking at Pinterest and putting clothing together to make an outfit that I wouldn't have otherwise.
So now with the summer packed full of vacations, moving and new jean shorts, its time for another spending freeze. It's actually been on for me since post-Barneys Warehouse Sale and I am trying to make it until Halloween. This time, it hasn't been as easy. With the fall season in full effect, oxblood being the color of the moment and me still desperately wanting leather leggings, it might not have been the best planning (so far only cheating once due to my iphone case and these new lipbalms that I have been meaning to tell you about). But lord knows I feel better when I see that Amex statement at the end of the month.

How do you save money? Any tips? Do you use an app for budgeting? Dudes, lets talk.

i fell in love with an iphone case, i fell in love with an iphone case*

*sung to the tune of the Rihanna hit "I fell in love in a hopeless place"

Seriously guys, I am totally loving my new InCase Iphone case. It comes in a ton of really cool metalic colors, golds and silvers but this Rose Gold is totally my favorite. I will be honest, I happened to be around Lincoln Center one day having lunch during fashion week and saw two different highly stylized ladies rocking versions of this case. And in the words of Wayne Campbell, I thought "It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine." And with ShopBop free ground shipping, in 5-7 days it was! It's totally zang!


Purchased on ShopBop Here





are you badass enough?

guys, leather is in. keeping up with the kardashians told me so. kim is always getting on a
private plane to meet up with 'ye wearing tight as all get out leather leggings. and you
know what? she looks hot. Sure, I take the subway to meet PB. And I don't travel with a
team that does my hair and make-up. But lord knows, I can and plan* on rocking some
leather leggings.

*by plan, I mean I plan to take out a loan. These puppies ain't cheap. Pleather is looking
better and better. What you do guys think? Is fake leather totally cheese city? Anyone want
to sponsor me on this quests of tight leather pants?

the kim-speration by madelinepolton featuring cynthia rowley dresses

blowing up like i thought i would

here are some of the pins that have blown up on my Pinterest page.

Bleached Out Heart T-Shirt. This seems like something that could be a total DIY. Repined 28 times 

Seen Here

Leather Jacket, White T-Shirt. What a hot look. Repined 79 times

Seen Here

Double Heart Bracelet. Currently not available on esty but fingers crossed it will be back soon. Repined 43 times

Seen Here, hope they come back!

Pink Shoes and Jeans. I don't own anything like this but I sure with I would. Repined 62 times

Seen Here

Leather jacket, amazing hat. I see this look and I CRAVE the chilly weather. This look will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine. Repined 51 times

Seen Here

How rad is the kitchen table set up. I am not sure PB would ever go for it but I love the layers and the cool pink table base. Repined 57 times

Seen Here

Neutral paint colors. This was one of my early pins and I still really like it. Its the kind of pin I hope to come back to in a few years when I don't have to ask a landlord about painting. Repined 43 times

Seen Here

Which is your favorite? Are you on pinerest? Anyone that I should follow?

my fall steeze

Maybe not today, but coming soon...the weather will change. And when it does, I want to 

be ready. One look that I am pumped to wear are long sleeves and short skirts. With legs 

that are still slightly tan (thanks Jergens!) I can still show some skin but stay warm and 

appropriate on top. Dude, its going to happen. Here are some of my favorite looks. 

my fall steeze ps. i am totally new to this polyvore program, am i doing it right?
 please tell me! send back up- help!