So, I was looking for a season-less blazer. If this year's Spring cleaning taught me anything it's that there is almost no point to having so many clothes that can only be worn for a few months out of the year. I was looking for something out of the ordinary and slightly punk-y when I spotted this plaid power-shoulder blazer at a store called Angel Secret on eBay:
Don't worry - I had no intention of wearing it the same way as the model. That would be a bit much, even for me. No, I saw myself toning it down with a plain white shirt underneath, a well-worn denim skirt, and my strappy Aldo wedge thingees. I saw that the seller Angel Secret was locatedin Hong Kong, which meant the jacket could take a long time to arrive, but I took a chance and bought it anyway. A couple of weeks later it arrived in good condition. Here's my experience: The jacket is made in several sizes, but I was surprised that it fit as well as it did. I thought the sleeves might have been a tad too long. I'm not sure that's actually the case or if it has to do with my personal preference, but I rolled them up. This turned out to be just fine since the entire jacket is lined with a satiny dotted material. It has cute brass-y buttons down the front but they don't actually button; instead a super-strong hook-and-eye mechanism holds the blazer closed in the front. I thought this was a well thought-out detail because it's the same way that my favorite military blazer works. Anyway, here's the final result. (Forgive the blogger-at-work pics and the flat hair and the leggings- it's very cool in my office.)
I could definitely see myself buying again from Angel Secret. For $49 and free shipping I received a lightweight blazer that could be dressed up or down. In fact, I recently ordered this jacket from there...
...and I'll have a review of it very soon. As you can probably tell I'm a hard core fan of blazers because they help me to get out of the door in a hurry. There are lots of mornings when I'll just throw on a pair of jeans, a random top and a blazer. Regardless of the season, the blazer pulls it all together. Do you have your own secrets for looking "pulled together" in a hurry? If so, please share! Also, where do you get your blazers? I'm always on the lookout.
Angel Secret Review
DIY Almond Rosewater Facial Scrub
I've been playing around with this for a few weeks, but I think I now have the perfect all-natural facial scrub. My skin is pretty clear right now and I think I owe it all to my new creation. I've been using it every night and I made it with four really simple ingredients. Here's what I used:
1/2 cup of almond meal (I got mine from Trader Joe's but there are lots of sources online, too.)
A generous amount of rosewater
2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil or almond oil
1 teaspoon of natural witch hazel (different from the kind at the corner drugstore)
Optional: capful of gin or vodka
I added the almond meal to a bowl and mixed in enough rosewater to make a very thick paste. (Feel free to experiment with the consistency, though, and make it the way you want!) Then, I whisked in the oil and followed with the natural witch hazel. I used a whisk or fork each time I've made it, though I supposed you gourmet-types could get a smoother concoction using a hand-mixer or blender. Any way you mix it, it's a great little scrub that isn't too rough and won't leave your skin all red and angry. In fact, it's pretty soothing. As with all natural products you'll need to think about how to keep it fresh. I've been either refrigerating mine or adding a capful of gin. With the gin it will last 3 or 4 days in a cool/dry place, but it'll keep for more than a week if you shove it in the refrigerator when you're done.
I'm really pleased with the results (obviously, right?) so I just had to share. But I'm still fiddling with other creations, so I'm pretty sure I'll have more of these projects to share down the road. Do you make any of your own skin care products? If so, which ones?
