I kind of hate New Year’s resolutions.

It isn’t the idea behind it, striving to improve is always a good thing. It’s the emphasis that it should occur on January 1st of every year that bothers me. Ideally, if we would be constantly making resolutions for self improvement throughout the year. Then the rest of us dedicated folks wouldn’t have to deal with the January “lose weight” influx of people at the gym.

That being said, it’s still a good time to reassess your life and how things can be better. Which for me, include just about every aspect of life, including style! I can easily think of 5 style resolutions to strive for in 2012:

1. Book more facials

Forget manicures and pedicures, my face is the first thing people see–it’s best to take care of it as much as possible!

2. Wear less jeans

Not that they aren’t comfy, I just feel like jeans totally stunt my fashion creativity. Skirts, dresses and creative layering are much more fashion forward.

3. Audit my closet

I probably don’t need to hang on to that blouse circa 2000 and should audit my closet for items to give away much more frequently. Maybe that will get me closer to having a closet like this some day? Hmm…

4. Use hair treatments

I own a ridiculous amount of sample hair products. There’s hair masks, leave-in conditioners and overnight treatments galore and yet, they somehow don’t manage to actually make it to my hair. This year, the complaints of breakage and dried split ends are over and I’m using the tools I have on hand.

5. Accessorize!

If I were to point out my biggest style weakness it would be accessories. I love accessories, but I’m not an avid collector.  It’s a quick and easy way to punch up your wardrobe and go from “meh” to “wow.”

Do you have any style resolutions for 2012?

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The end of the year is so much fun, don’t you think? There’s plenty of glitter and glamour, celebration is in the air and whether you’ve had a good year or a bad year there’s the hope for everyone out there that the best is yet to come.

2011 has definitely been a good year to me and I have plenty to be thankful for, including all you readers who have helped this blog grow tremendously over the past year! In case you missed something, here’s the top 10 most-read posts of 2011.

1. How to Wear a Maxi Skirt
2. 10 Vegas-Worthy Party Dresses
3. How to Prevent Boob Sweat
4. Are French Manicures out of Style?
5. 5 Fashion Trends to We’re Bound to Regret
6. How to Make Your Butt Look Bigger
7. DIY Wedding Shoes
8. New Beauty Trend: Elf Ears
9. Fall Fashion Trend: Bright Pants
10. Top 7 Arizona Swimwear Stores

Be safe celebrating tonight and hope you have a Happy New Year! Let me know in the comments below what you’d like to see more of in 2012!

xo

-M

Feeling a little sparkle this holiday season? It’s almost impossible not to! For me, the thought of glitter, sequins and sparkles sometimes scares me off but when it’s done right, it’s just downright glamorous.

You don’t even have to do all-over sparkle either; there’s plenty of accessories and fun ways to add a bit of glitz and glam to your outfit this holiday season.

1) Robert Rodriguez gold sequin dress 2) Vintage sequin hat 3) Gold miniskirt 4) White sequin dress 5) Jimmy Choo Passport Holder 6) White sparkle pumps 7) Silver sparkle dress 8) Blue glitter heels 9) Shellac Glitter Manicure 10) Sequin party dress

By the way, if you aren’t wanting to splurge there are tons of DIY glitter shoe tutorials I’ve found online. I like this one from The Glitter Guide.

Have you added any sparkle to your wardrobe this season?

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Dear Santa,

Everyone thinks shopping for the fashioinsta in the family will be outrageously expensive. But I swear, it doesn’t have to be! I have a whole list here of fabulously fun stuff that would make any fashionista like me totally happy, without breaking the bank.

xo

-M

1) Kate Spade Sparkler Gia clutch, $95. 2) NARS Yorokubi Super Orgasm Set, $49. 3) Philosophy “the Care Package” set, $85. 4)  MICHAEL Michael Kors Python iPhone Wristlet, $79. 5) Survival of the Hippest Social Media Necklaces, $49-$89. 6) MICHAEL Michael Kors Fingerless Gloves, $48.

What’s on your wish list this year?

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5 Holiday Party Dresses under $50, does such a thing exist? Why yes it does. Between office holiday parties, family holiday parties, parties with friends and parties…just because? There’s plenty of outfits to be scouted this time of year. Here’s 5 that won’t bust your budget.

1.  Karl Lagerfeld for Impulse dress, $35.99.
2.  Forever 21 belted one-shoulder dress, $24.80.
3.  H&M black chiffon dress, $34.95.
4.  Modcloth Take it to the Banquet Dress, $44.
5.  Gianni Bini Coco One Shoulder Dress, $37.80.

Where do you like to shop for budget-friendly party dresses?

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‘Tis the season for giving! And I’m pretty feeling festive, so it’s the perfect time to offer up $150 to Ted Baker! Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for the perfect holiday gift idea, Ted Baker has plenty of picks for the fashionista (or your other half) on your list.

Here’s a few of my favorite holiday looks from Ted Baker I’m coveting.

I’m so loving this last outfit; it’s such a cute, cheeky outfit that’s perfect for date night or a holiday party.

So how can you win $150 to Ted Baker?

Just leave a comment below and tell me, what are you coveting most for Christmas this year? I’ll announce the winner on the blog next Monday, December 5 by 5pm MST. Good luck!

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Got your shopping strategy? Picked out your Black Friday outfit? Sounds like you’re just about ready to go! Here’s my top 5 picks for the Valley’s best Black Friday deals.

Scottsdale Fashion Square is opening at 6am!

1. Neiman Marcus Last Call- 40% off your entire purchase and the store opens at midnight. What better way to walk off the turkey than by some midnight shopping?
2. Ted Baker- 30% off the entire store, all weekend long. No need to rush in on Friday, the deals will still be there Sunday!
3. Barney’s Breakfast Pop-Up Shop-Scottsdale Fashion Square will be opening at a bright and early 6am this Friday; Check out the Breakfast Pop-Up Shop in the Barney’s wing.
4. Mariée-Brides-to-be won’t want to miss this special deal: the high-end luxury bridal boutique is having 30% off floor gowns, all weekend on. By appointment only. (480) 946-4343.
5. Midnight Madness-Can’t wait until Friday? Soon, it’ll be called Black Thursday. Arrowhead Towne Center, Chandler Fashion Center, Desert Sky Mall, Paradise Valley Mall and Superstition Spring Center are all opening midnight, November 25.

What deals are you most looking forward to?

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I fell off the map.

Sometimes, that happens with blogging.

Every once in awhile, real life kicks in and initiates a time when you need to step back, take a break and reevaluate things a little. For me, everything happened at once. A trip to Europe, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, moving, and a proposal from my now fiancé. Did I mention this happened all within a few weeks? Yes, sometimes life gets you that way.

A preview of my press trip to Costa Rica

I have to say, although I often blog about how to dress, trends and other style secrets I can say without a doubt that an engagement ring matches with EVERY outfit. Cute dress? Oh it goes. Just my PJs? Well, there’s nothing wrong with a little extra glam now is there?

Engagement rings match with everything!

Needless to say, if you’re a blushing bride or hoping to be, don’t be surprised to see a lot more posts in the “Bridal” section in the coming year. And if you are an Arizona Bride, please do share your tips and secrets!

xoxo

P.S. A special thanks to Oliver Smith Jewelers at Gainey Ranch for creating this absolutely stunning engagement ring.  They are truly just lovely people there and their jewelry is amazing. Not engagement ring shopping? In addition to Oliver Smith creations (like my ring, pictured above) and custom-design work, they also carry high-end jewelry faves like Chopard, Hermes, TagHeuer and David Yurman, to name a few.

For more bridal bliss, check out my Behind the Veil bridal video series and Wedding Wednesdays. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter, too!

Bella Swan's wedding makeup look

The teen wedding of the year is finally here! Well, I won’t go that far since most Twi-hards I know are well over their 20s (and 30s and 40s). The Twilight Saga’s Breaking Dawn part 1 finally came out in theaters this weekend, giving us Team Edward folks a chance to finally watch Bella marry her sparkling vampire soul mate. Recreate Bella’s bridal makeup look with tips from Emmy Award-winning makeup artist, Kevin James Bennett.

Skin

Bella’s skin looks beautifully smooth and even toned. This begins with the correct complexion products. Always start with well-moisturized and primed skin. Foundation needs a correctly primed surface (like a painter’s canvas) to apply evenly and stay put. CoverFX Skin Prep (normal/dry) or DermaDoctor Tease Zone (combo/oily) are two faves, but there are many other amazing primers out there. So experiment and see which formulas work best with the foundation you use. Try silicone-based foundations which won’t sink into or clog pores and are also naturally water resistant.

Brows

Brows must be groomed and filled in softly. Use an eyeshadow that matches the hair color and mix it with a little hard hair wax to color and groom eyebrows in one step. If you don’t feel like being a home chemist, try Benefit Brow Zingsor Smashbox Brow Tech.

Eyes

The first thing to do is neutralize any discoloration on the eyelid. Use a little foundation, concealer or a flesh-toned eye pencil (Three Custom Color Clarifier Pencil) all over the eye area up to the brow, then set with translucent powder.

Bella’s eyelid is washed with shimmering eyeshadow that reflects light without sparkling. Start with a shimmering Champagne color like OCC’s Loose Color in Clove. Apply to the very inner corner of the eye and blend this color outward towards the center of the eyelid. Next, use a honey brown color like Inglot Pearl Eyeshadow #421. Apply the eyeshadow starting at the outside corner of the eyelid, blending inward up into the crease.

Bella’s eye softly defined and smudged. Try a powder kohl pencil for this like MAC Eye Kohl Liner in Phone Number . Hold the pencil tip parallel to the lash line (not point in), begin drawing the line from where the inner lashes start and graduate from a thin to a thicker line as you reach the outer corner of the eyelid. This gives the eye a slight upward tilt and keeps it looking fresh and open. Take a small eyeshadow brush and diffuse the line by blending and smudging the liner into the lashes and blurring the hard edge. Now set the liner (using the same brush) with a matte taupe eyeshadow. Nars Matte Eyeshadow in Bali is a good choice. Use the same eyeshadow to line the lower lashes 3/4 of the way in from the outside corner.

Cheeks

Cheeks should look naturally flushed. Try using a cream/gel blush and then blending it into the skin with a foundation brush that still has a slight residue of foundation on it. It tempers the color and makes it look very realistic. One of my all time bridal blush faves is Tarte Cheek Stain in Blushing Bride (the name says it all, right?).

Lips

Bella’s lips are very natural looking but with a lovely innocent shimmer. Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip #3L. is the perfect rosey nude and waterproof. Define and fill in the lips entirely with this pencil, let it set for few minutes and then top it off with Armour Beauty Shimmering Gloss in Gypsy, a soft peach with gold shimmer.

As a beauty expert, KJ has appeared on national entertainment shows including Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, “E” Entertainment Network and HSN (Home Shopping Network). His advise has also been featured in the pages of Vogue, Glamour, Elle, InStyle, Town & Country and Self as well as trade publications WWD, Makeup Artist Magazine and American Salon.

To read more about Kevin James Bennett, click here.

For constant style and beauty chatter, connect with me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

Get your head out of the gutter folks, this post isn’t about throwing on your 6-inch YSL Tributes and holding a frying pan naked for your beau to see. (Though obviously, this would impress, I’m sure.)

It’s about the dinner party, or cooking any dinner for that matter. I have a particular knack for getting grease stains on just about every brand-new-I-can’t-wait-to-wear-this item. So I’m loving the whole “housewife chic” trend of totally trendy aprons.

A few brands to look out for, Sugar Baby Aprons, which is based out of Vancouver, and makes super cute vintage housewife photo shoots to show off their aprons, and Flirty Aprons, which has sassy modern aprons.

Check it out:

Above: Sugar Baby Aprons

Below: Flirty Aprons

Does this make you wanna bake some cupcakes or what?!

P.S. If you’re one of those gals who can’t or doesn’t like to cook, this getup will totally help convince everyone that you did not just order takeout, plate it and throw away the takeout boxes in the trash. Win win!

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