GLAMOUR

Dress: eShakti // Shoes: BCBGeneration  // Bag: Coach (Similar here, here, and here)

     Lately I have been looking for a dress to wear to a formal occasion I have coming up soon.  Whether it was size, fit, style, or just everything altogether, I have had such a hard time finding something I like.  

This dress from eShakti solved all my dress problems!  I found the Virginia dress and fell in love because of its simple and classic style with a retro flare.  

    Upon choosing which dress I liked, I was able to give them my exact measurements and have the dress custom made to fit me perfectly.  They also let me choose dress length, sleeve type, and neckline to design it to my exact tastes!  

I submitted my measurements and style preferences when I placed my order and within a week it was shipped out to me, and I got it about a week later.  For a custom made dress it came so quick, I was so pleasantly surprised when it arrived!

    The dress is literally perfection, I'm obsessed! It fits me like a glove, hugs me where it's suppose to but isn't too tight, flares in the right places, and it's such great quality! You can just tell it was made very well. And I love the details I chose for the length, sleeve, and neckline.  

Because of the material and style, I can wear this dress anywhere.  This time around I chose to style it with lots of little gold detailing to accent the dress, with soft makeup and curls.  I can't wait to style it differently next time, it's versatile!

    If you're ever looking for a special occasion dress or a quality, custom piece, eShakti is affordable and reliable.  They have so many classic and basic pieces, as well as trendy currant styles.  I love everything and I was so pleased with the service!

I also linked some of more of my favorites from eShakti below so make sure to check those out too :)

**Make sure use the COUPON CODE "athenaalex" until November 17th to get an extra 10% OFF your order!**

Check out eShakti on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Dresses

Tops

Jackets

Skirts

Thank you eShakti for sponsoring this post

COMFY COWL NECK

Top: Marshall's - Kim and Cami (Similar here, here, & here) // Jeans: LC Lauren Conrad (Seriously my fave right now, I went and bought another pair!) // Shoes: BC Footwear // Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs // Sunglasses: Ray-Ban // Watch: Michael Kors

I love basic tops that are so chic all by themselves and are so easy to just layer up and add to.  This one from Marshall's is just the perfect top for this time of year, it goes great under sweaters or jackets and it's even long enough to wear over leggings.  I hate tops that are too short! 

Plus it has this asymmetrical pattern on the bottom that adds some detail and I love it!
I was never really into turtle necks or cowl necks but recently I've fall in love.  They're so much more flattering than you would think.  Plus they're so in style this season.  Definitely a must have this year!

I paired it with jeans (these are actually jeggings but look like real denim and they are my fave!) for a casual look, but added in these booties that I got a few seasons ago (in stock here!) for a more dressed up look.  These booties are great because they're a little edgy and this thick heel make them so easy to walk in.  This outfit is great for a lunch out with friends or a casual meeting!

Have a great rest of the week :)
xo

LAST MINUTE DIY HALLOWEEN COSTUME

This past Saturday was my first little nephew's 4th birthday party!  Since his birthday is so close to Halloween his party is always Halloween themed.  It's so much fun because almost everyone gets dressed up, the kids get their faces painted, and then at the end, they all "trick or treat" at the party, it's just so cute!  

So of course, every year I go all out and I usually do a DIY costume but this year I was just so busy that I left picking a costume until the last minute and did not know what I was going to be.  I figured I would just end up wearing some cat ears or a witch's hat and calling it a day.  But then, two nights before, I thought, "just google 'DIY halloween costumes' and see what you find."  So I did and when I stumbled across Rosie the Riveter, I realized I literally have all the basics needed for this costume!  

I wanted to post this ASAP for anyone that's still trying to figure out what to wear, since Halloween is this coming Saturday. I think almost everyone has what they need for this costume and if you don't, someone you know you can borrow from does!  Nothing has to be EXACTLY like I did it (except maybe the red bandana.)

  The jeans don't need to be high-waisted, your shirt doesn't need to be tied up on the bottom (mine was super long and baggy so tying it made it more retro!), and your boots (you don't need to wear boots if you don't have them but they definitely give the costume a more rugged look!) don't need to be brown.  I made a simple list for you below!

What you'll need:

-A denim/chambray shirt (dark or light, whichever you can find)

-Jeans (Dark, light, skinny, loose, high low, even shorts would work if it's hot where you are!)

-A red bandana (if you don't have one you can literally find one at Michael's or any craft store for like $2!)

-Combat boots (I wore brown because that's the only color I have but it doesn't matter what color they are)

-Red Lipstick (NOT NECESSARY - I just love an excuse to wear red lipstick and I loved matching with my bandana.  Plus, I think the red lipstick just added a little extra retro pop!)

For my makeup, I just did my usual foundation routine with a little extra blush, defined arched brows,  a soft cat eye with some black eye shadow and an angled brush, and of course the red lips! (I used lip liner to line and fill in my lips and then went over it with the lipstick.)

For my hair, I curled it (not necessary,) parted on the side, and then put it up in a bun more in the middle of my head.  So not a super high bun, but not a low bun.  I made sure I also had some volume in the front so if you need to you can kind of tease the front before putting it in a bun.  Then I took my bandana and only folded it twice so that it was a little thicker and tied it around my head with the knot right in the center.

I also added a little worker's name tag (that I literally wrote and cut out 5 minutes before the party) in case anyone needed a little help figuring out who I was :)  If you don't have anything, I linked exact and similar pieces below!

Shirt (Similar one and get it in 2 days with Amazon Prime!) // Jeans (Exact) // Boots (Similar - 2 day shipping with Amazon Prime) // Bandana (Get this one in 2 days with Amazon Prime) // Red Lipstick and Red Lip Liner (Exact)

MY IN-FLIGHT SKINCARE ESSENTIALS

Whenever I travel, I always end up overpacking in every possible way; clothes, shoes, makeup, you name it.  But the one place you can't overpack: in flight skincare items.  With there being a strict enforcement on the size of liquids and bags for liquids being brought on a flight, I've had to move some essential skincare items of mine into my suitcase. Airplanes leave your skin feeling dry and just overall dull (or at least my skin!)  So after traveling a few times in the past few months, I've narrowed it down to a select few items that keep my face feeling fresh and moisturized during a flight, whether your wearing makeup or not.  

The first step to narrowing down your skincare essentials for a plane ride is figuring out what your must-do skincare routine is.  So at the end of the day when you're tired and all you want to do is crawl into bed, what is the one thing you force yourself to do before going to sleep?  For me it's washing and moisturizing my face, whether I have makeup on or not.  I have combination skin and if I don't do one of the two, I either brake out insanely or my skin gets so dry to the point that it gets flaky, or if I'm REALLY lucky, both happen ::side eye emoji::  

On a plane, there's not really room in the bathroom to wash your face with soap and water, so the simple solution is face wipes.  My faves are the Yes To Blueberries Cleansing Towelettes.  They're anti-aging and super moisturizing and I can usually take off all my makeup with just one single towelette. They also come in a travel size, which makes them great to bring on a plane.  You can use these in the bathroom or just in your seat and they don't have to be squeezed into your liquids bag, so that leaves room for other necessities!

After cleansing your face, The Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray is the perfect way to moisturize or add extra moisture before a cream.  Since it's a spray, you don't need to touch your face, which makes it a quick and easy way to moisturize, especially if your sitting in your seat or in a rush and don't have time to cleanse your hands before touching you face. If you're just on a short flight and you won't be washing your face but want to just refresh your skin, this facial spray is a great way to do that and maintain hydration throughout the flight.  It's so easy to use and the travel size is perfect for a carry-on! If you're wearing makeup, light or heavy, you can spray this on your face to refresh your makeup before getting off the flight.    

These two products are absolute essentials for me from now on because they condense my must-do skin care into two small, easy, and convenient products to keep my face feeling and looking clean, fresh, vibrant, and soft while traveling.

This quick and easy skincare routine isn't just great for air travel, but also for road trips, long train and bus rides, and even after the gym if you don't have the time or place to wash up.  You don't  even need a bathroom or a mirror to use either product!

Then of course, I bring my contact case, glasses, toothpaste, and a toothbrush to give my eyes a break and freshen my mouth, especially for a long flight.  

I hope this post helped you, whether you're flying tomorrow or planning your next trip.  Let me know in the comments below if you would like me to post my quick and easy travel makeup routine that would, of course, go hand in hand with these skincare essentials!

 OUTFIT - Top: Target // Sports Bra: Gap Factory // Bottoms: Gap Factory // Sneakers: Nike 

Sponsored by BrandBacker

COZY CARDY

Cardigan: Charlotte Russe // Leggings: Kohl's // Hat: Merona // Shoes: Similar here and here! // Shirt: H&M (Similar long sleeve) // Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs - Almost identical here 

This past weekend I was back on country roads and it's amazing how much the leaves on the trees changed in just a week!  Last weekend they were just starting to change on some trees, most were still all green, and there were a few here or there that were mostly yellow or red.  This week there were so many trees that were completely changed or in the process and it's so beautiful!! I feel like one more week and it will be prime time for the fall leaves this year! 

Now that I've talked about leaves for a whole paragraph let's get into my outfit lol.  I'm all about a comfy cardigan that I can throw over anything (and that will cover my butt) or I can layer with, so when I found this at Charlotte Russe and I felt how soft it was it was a done deal (it's such great quality too and it's under $40!)   

I've been on the hunt for the perfect leather leggings for YEARS and I've bitten a lot of bad apples, but I think I finally found the perfect pair!  These leggings from Kohl's are lined on the inside so they're not a flabby material, they stretch and conform, the waist comes up high, and they're so comfy like regular leggings (I'm wearing a size Medium.)  Finally! Plus they're on sale :)

Happy Wednesday and hope you're all having a great week!

xo