Bye Bye February: OOTD

February is almost over, so we thought we'd end the month with an OOTD post.

 

Unfortunately for us here in Australia, Summer is drawing to a near, so we have been trying to make the most of the warm weather and sunshine.

  

 

 

 Top: Paper Scissors

Skirt: Valleygirl

Shoes: Ipanema

 

What are some of your wardrobe obsessions this month?

♥ M + K

Beauty Report Card: Crabtree & Evelyn Floral Collection

We love the sudden assault on our senses the moment we step foot amongst the bottles, tubes and bars of goodness in any beauty store.
 

Crabtree & Evelyn is a store we can rely on for this sensory experience every time. So when we spotted their 50% off Storewide Sale, we weren't passing by without a little peek. But even with the temptation of the sale and lingering scents from all their beautiful products, we were able to stand our ground and only walked away with a single purchase! It is set of eau de toilettes from Crabtree & Evelyn's Floral Collection.

The gorgeous set of four 15ml single-note floral fragrances would make the perfect gift and great samplers that you can try before comitting to a full sized bottle. Suckers for exquisite packaging, we love the glass-etched designs which make a great addition to our dresser. Light fruity and floral scents are among our favourites, so naturally these have become some of our most worn scents! Iris however, is a little strong for our liking and definitely a more mature scent (so it has found it's new home on our mum's dressing table!!)

Breakdown

Affordability   A
Any regular reader of our blog will know that we preach a frugal philosophy, so we are thrilled that we snagged this not for it's original price of $49, but for $24.50! (that's less than $6.15 per bottle). To be fair, the original price is pretty decent for a set of four beautiful fragrances from a brand of this calibre.

 

Availability   A

Crabtree & Evelyn has a number of stores in Australia and worldwide, and also sell their products online so don't fret, you still have time to pick this set up on sale.

Packaging   A+

The glass etched designs make for gorgeous bottles that take pride of place on our dresser.

 

Longevity   B

They are eau de toilettes so we weren't expecting their smell to linger or last quite as long as our perfumes, but these are perfect if you want a light body spray.

 

Range   A+

The four scents are very different, but all lovely in their own way!

 

~

Overall Grade: A

 We would definitely recommend this collection! The packaging and scents themselves would make the perfect gift for any lover of sweet, floral fragrances.

 

Have you tried anything from Crabtree & Evelyn? Let us know and make sure to follow us on GFC , Bloglovin' and Twitter!
 

 © 

M + K  

 

We're going to the Chapel: Summer Wedding Outfit Ideas

Summer seems to be the season of choice for Brides to be. If you're one of those lucky wedding hoppers with a full social calendar of nuptials to attend, you don't need the added stress of what you're going to wear on top of deciphering the gift registry. So we've put together 3 outfits to give you a little inspiration this wedding season.

 

If you're going to take anything away from this post, it is embrace bright colours! We certainly don't like wearing black to weddings, but if you are going to, then ditch the silver and gold accessories in favour of pastel and bold coloured statement pieces.

 

Lilac Love 

This has to be one of our favourite dresses. The pale lilac skirt and crochet top make for one romantic piece. The crochet detailing makes this a cool option for a warm wedding.

 

 

 

Dress: Unknown boutique

Singlet: SES fashion

Earrings: So Good

Shoes: Novo

 

Aztec Awe

 If you're not a fan of the textbook girly look, then this is the outfit for you. The woven aztec dress is a bit more edgy and risqué in terms of wedding wear, but we definitely would not hesitate to wear this to the next wedding we go to. The cut-outs on the back make this one unique dress. As you can tell, we love dresses that cinch in at the waist and flare out to a fuller skirt because it is universally flattering!

 

Dress: Unknown boutique

*Earrings: Mall of Style

Shoes: Sandler

Lace Love

Whether you're going to a small low key wedding or an extravagant reception, lace is always such a trusty choice. We opted for a bright neon dress because it's perfect for showing off that sun kissed tan. As the rest of the outfit is quite bright already, we finished off with a pair of simple nude shoes, so as not to take away from the rest of the ensemble. 

 

 

Dress: Dotti

Necklace: Ritual

Shoes: Novo

Let us know which of the 3 outfits you would rock to a wedding? 

 

If you enjoyed this post as much as we did putting it together, tweet us @MxKstyle or better yet, share it with your friends!

 

© M + K

Beauty Report Card: Sinful Colors "Crystal Clear"

Ok, so we don't need reminding that 'tis no longer the season, and that we're at the time of year where most of us have already broken our New Year's resolutions, but who says a girl needs to surrender her magpie tendencies for all things sparkly just because the holidays have ended?!

"Crystal Clear"

We're not going to lie, we like LOVE our nail polishes (see our Nail it posts), and in recent months our collection has been steadily growing. One particular polish that has skyrocketed to the top of our favourites is this glitter nail polish called "Crystal Clear" from Sinful Colors.

Do you remember getting a new toy as a child and refusing to part with it until your parents got you the latest My Little Pony, and then that toy became old news? Well, this polish is that new toy, only we don't think we will ever get sick of it. We've already worn it so many times, and as preachers of a frugal philosophy, the versatility of this nail polish bumps it up a few places on our favourites list!! "Crystal Clear" looks amazing on it's own and just as great over other polishes. We also love that it has different size and shaped glitters, and for $3, you really can't go wrong.
 

Breakdown

Affordability   A+

Originally $4.95, we managed to snag this polish on sale for $3. It really was cheap as chips!

Availability   A

Sinful Colors is available in Australian stores such as Target, Priceline and Kmart. It is also stocked in selected US, Canadian and UK stores. Unfortunately though, they do not have an online store, so there will be no crazy midnight impulse nail polish buys!

Packaging   B

The packaging is pretty simple, we guess you really can't go wrong with that.

 

Longevity   A+

"Crystal Clear" is an amazing standalone polish and top coat. We've had it last on our nail for almost 2 weeks, and found that it can help other colours remain chip-free for almost as long.

 

Range   A+

Sinful Colors have an impressive range, with everything from glitter to neon and your favourite pastels. We're pretty sure we won't have any trouble picking out more colours to try out!

 

~

Overall Grade: A

 

We would definitely recommend this polish and even repurchase it ourselves. If all Sinful Colors' nail polishes are as awesome as this, we'd better hurry up and get our hands on a few more bottles! Have you tried anything from Sinful Colors? If you have, let us know which one you think we need in our collection in the comments below or tweet us!

 

♥ M + K

Nail It Valentine's Edition: Blooming love

In between cards, gifts, the date and a spanking new outfit, the prospect of a professional manicure for Valentine's Day is probably out of the question. Love-struck beauties, read on! We've got the perfect DIY nail art to have your cuticles hand holding-worthy.

 

You'll need

♥ Clear base and top coat

♥ Nail polishes of your choice

♥ Sharp pointed instrument (eg.nail striper, toothpick, or even a twig!!)

 

Time to Nail It!

 

1. As always,  protect your nails with a clear base coat

 

2. Apply 1-2 coats (or until opaque) of a base colour

3. For want of a better word, blob on nail polishes of your choice. This will form the base of your flowers. There is no need to be too precise here (we actually prefer our blobs more irregular and messy!)

4. Dip the tip of the pointed instrument into white polish and swirl it around the still wet blobs

 

5. Clean off the tip of the instrument and using a green nail polish, draw in some leaves and stems

6. Apply a clear top coat to seal your design

 

Of course you can do this on all your nails, but creating an accent nail with this design is a great way to spice up your nails if you're afraid of being too OTT! If you enjoyed this Nail It post, let us know. Also, if you have a nail design you want us to nail, then tweet us a picture or request with the #MKnailitplease

 

♥ M + K

Valentine's Day

It's the holiday some say were created by card companies to scam love struck couples. But then again, for some, cards are the last thing on their minds. Instead, many of us torture ourselves over what we'll be wearing on the day. Whether your plans involve a lazy picnic lunch, a romantic candle lit dinner, or even a night out with girlfriends to celebrate singledom, for a handful, this is probably a feeling you know all too well. While some choose to splurge on new frocks for Cupid's Day, we like to stick to our philosophy of frugal fashion and advocate restyling and recycling existing pieces in your wardrobe. If you've bee keeping up to date with our posts, you'll notice that this isn't the first time that many of these pieces have made an appearance in a post. Remember it is all about smart styling and accessorising.

This wouldn't be a Valentine's post without the odd, wait let us rephrase, 3 outfits worth of floral prints. As we've shouted from the rooftops many a time, we are big champions of floral prints. Since the 60's they have become a timeless trend, transcending all seasons. If we were to define floral, the words that come to mind are feminine and romance which is why it is the perfect choice for Valentine's Day.
 

 
Smoking Scallops

What better way to save a buck on your Valentine's outfit then to whip out an existing closet favourite. A skater skirt is a staple piece which should have a firm place in every girl's wadrobe. Paired with a unique top like this pastel scalloped one, you can revamp the basic skirt into an outfit that will have your date in awe!

 

 

Top: Paper Scissors

Skirt: Cotton On

Sandals: Ipanema

Ring: Lovisa

 

 

Blushing Babe

 

Ask any historian and they'd tell you that blush tones were invented just for Valentine's Day! Right?! We love the way the statement necklace ties in with the floral print in the shorts, and of course a touch of Cupcake lip crayon to seal the deal!

 

 

Top: Valleygirl

Shorts: Valleygirl

Shoes:Sandler

Necklace: Ritual

 

Stylish Sweetheart
 

With a name like that, the sweetheart neckline is the most romantic neckline which makes it perfect for the most roamntic day on the calendar. Considering the price of this dress, we were impressed by the amazing quality. The dress has black lining and a built in corset to give shape and structure to the sides, and all the while ensuring that the dress stays in place! For those living in the Northern Hemisphere who will be experiencing a slightly cooler Valentine's, don't shy away from rocking a dress like this. Paired with tights and booties, you'll be toasty warm whatever your plans are this 14th of February.

 

Dress: Miss Shop $59.95 $10

Necklace: Lovisa

Ring:Lovisa

Flats: Kagui

What are your plans for Valentine's Day?

If you liked this post, make sure you follow us on Bloglovin', GFC and Twitter so you don't miss out on all the fun!


♥ M + K