Campus Closet

Our first student feature is Analisa Blanco. This Fordham Freshman, and devout Frankly Giggles fan, embodies class with a purple peacoat, orchid scarf, and matte berry lips. Speaking of class, the Vera Bradley printed tote is perfect for this busy commuter. Congrats Analisa!

Truly lovely Colors Series. Radiant Orchid

by Jessica

Let's talk about color shall we? This is the first part to my Truely Lovely Colors of 2014 post series.

This year's Pantone color of the year is Radiant Orchid. Each year Pantone chooses a new color to showcase and we see it all around from Sephora's Pantone line to fashion and so on. I must say that Sephora's collection of truly gorgeous orchid color make-up is stunning. I'm eyeing some totaly radient purple products. What are they?

First, It's the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Tender Night - iridescent lilac. In the short time I've been co-running this blog I've been raving about lipstick pencils and I really really really REALLY want this one! NARS claims these are "pigment-rich sticks [that] provide a matte, creamy finish that will not dry the lips." Did I mention that I love matte lip colors? and this is ideal because it has the faintist shimmer so it won't make lips look dry and flaky. Plus, not many people can pull of a purple lip, this color is light enough that it can work. Interested in seeing swatches? Vampy Varnish has some. The price point is a little high-- retailing at Sephora for $25.

Enough about my obsession with lip products, blush is where it's at. I never seemed to be a big blush fan, I always wanted to minimize my face's redness, but I have lately realized how wonderful blushes are and how much I need them in my life. I really want to try Maybeline's new  Dream Bouncy Blush especially since they have a shade called Orchid Hush. The line is afforadble, and from my research it's also pigmented. And who doesn't want an orchid color on their cheek bone? It's the ultimate pale color this season. Amber from Beauty Junkies Unite has some swatches available. I seriously need to pick these up on my next drugstore spree. Plus they only cost $7.99 who can beat that?

So since this is my 2014 dream list, I'm going to go for it, I'm dreaming of buying the Marc Jacobs  plush shadow pallet in The Tease. And then I go to the Sephora website and I wake up...PLUSH! Does'nt that sounds so dreamy? unfortunately this pallet may just stay in my dreams, it's $60 price tag is not in my current reality. It really is a tease. My heart is telling me buy it, but my brain is telling me I can find some nice dupes. But who knows, Maybe the paycheck gods will align with the shoper in me and I will splurge. But for now, I will have to just view the wonderful swatches on Weekend Ramblings.

My orchid dream beauty look would not be complete with out one of my most serious obsessions-- nail polish. I have too many. Out of my collection, one of my favorite brands is Zoya. They make stunning colors that have metallic tone and I love the pigment! Which color I'm I eyeing now? Well it's Hudson from their new Spring 2014 colors. The $9 price tag is very reasonable for the quality you are receiving! Look at that color!It's a perfect match for the Pantone color of the year that I love so much!

The 4-Gotten

By Alex

What happened to the iPhone 4? I feel like one of the few users left. Everyone has switched to some version of the newer, longer 5 series. But honestly that doesn't bother me at all. Those who want the latest thing should do as they please. However, what does make me upset is society rapidly forcing phone users to upgrade as soon as possible. I love my 4S, so when I dropped it in the sink and destroyed it I was devastated. The next day I went to the Verizon store to replace it and struggled for 20 minutes with 'Amanda' behind the counter who didn't agree. "What a waste of an upgrade!" "You should reconsider." "You are making a mistake."
A mistake? Because I love my phone and am perfectly happy with its size and performance? Good to know, Amanda. 

As if the battle ended when I left, I struggled to find a suitable case when I left: something simple, sophisticated, and fairly inexpensive is all I ask for. After hopelessly searching through F21, Anthropologie, J. Crew, H&M, various electronic stores, and even two flea markets, I came to realize 4/4S cases fitting my description were extremely rare. It was a miracle I found the one I have now, just the other day, from a store going out of business. It was the last one they had, hidden way at the bottom of a pile of 5 and Galaxy cases. 

No doubt a miracle. I don't even know what brand it is, since the box was missing, further proving my point at the lack of consideration.

I'll leave you with this, phone users everywhere: updates ≠ upgrades

Globes and Wardrobes

Alex and Jess give you an inside look at our favorite style moments from the 2014 Golden Globes.

Alex's Red Carpet Scoop

The White Is Right: Margot Robbie stunned in an off-white Gucci gown. Minimal jewelry , a neutral palette, and a clean up-do kept the plunging neckline sexy but extremely elegant. crystal trim complimented her satin green heels.

Glamorous in Geo: Elisabeth Moss never disappoints in a bold print. This metallic J Mendel dress is daring yet classic with a dark color scheme and a sophisticated short sleeve. The matching red lip echoed the sparkling oxblood and pulled this look together, something that Mad Men's Peggy Olson would definitely wear.

Beautys in Black: Newly-engaged Emma Roberts donned a black body-hugging Lanvin gown.  The curvy off shoulder neckline accentuated her figure. The pop of turquoise in her chandelier earrings topped off the look.  Sofia Vergara had the same idea with her Zac Posen gown and aqua necklace.

Red-y or Not: Emma Watson turned heads last night.  Not only was her red Dior dress edgy and sophisticated, she added a pair of navy trousers.  It is understandable that she would want more coverage for this backless frock, but she looked no less elegant than usual.

Jessica's Make-Up Favs and Fails

No critique of the Golden Globes would be complete without a look at the hair and make-up seen on the red carpet. Let's take a look at the best in hair and make up. First, I adored Zooey Deschanel's look. I know some criticized her vintage ensemble  and make-up, but I think it's timeless and stunning! She balanced her nude dress with a bold lip that was just perfect! Not to mention her side swept hair looked beautiful with her bangs and jewelry. Although I would have done without the white flower.

It's no lie that I love the vintage inspired apparel and looks on the red carpet this year. What else did I love? The bare minimum make-up look. This natural look is stunning and showcases any celebrity's natural beauty.  Sarah Hyland is a good example of this look. Again, some criticized her choices but thick and filled in eyebrows and nude lips are simple and elegant. Further, her hair was different, in a good way. I love the braid. Who knew militaristic would look so gorgeous? 

Michelle Dockery successfully maintained a vintage yet natural look with her hair and make-up. Her coral color was the perfect shade for her fair skin, bringing the color into her eyes tied the look together. 

Yes, there were some looks that were not up to par with these gorgeous divas. First Hayden Panettiere. I'm not a fan of the slicked back hair. It looks greasy and dirty. Next, Megan Mullally. Her bold hair color, overbearing glasses and short bangs just did not come together nicely. And finally Jacqueline Bisset's frizzy hair and  make up made her look older, not wise decisions for her red carpet look.

 

Fresh Finds

My luckiest find so far! - Alex

Tennis has always been a more fashionable sport: the white polos, pastels, colorful racquets, etc. However, speaking as someone who plays, I tend not to care what my equipment bag looks like. Wilson has recently come out with more high-end bags that look nice on and off the court.  The other day, I purchased this Wilson Marseille bag at Sportech, an athletic store in Rye Brook, NY.  It's a cognac colored imitation snakeskin bag with gold imitation leather straps.  It looks so great I have decided to make it my everyday bag for school, work, and the gym.

The second to largest zip compartment has an open top for a racquet stem, but the rest of the bag is enclosed with plenty of storage. Straps are adjustable. I noticed that there was another Wilson back, similar in style, but in a plum colored imitation leather with a flap over the stem holder.  Both bags include a matching cosmetic pouch in the inner most zip compartment.

Lip Love

Hello lovelies! If you're in New York and the surrounding areas, we hope you are staying warm. We decided that we are going to share with you a little about our favorite lip products from 2013. These products consist of products we reached for most during 2013.

Alex's Lips

My absolute favorite lip product I purchased two weeks ago at Sephora in the Westchester Mall. Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick glides on so smoothly. Although it looks black in the tube, it comes out as a sheer berry color (preventing it from looking too intense).  It is sold individually and in a set including matching nail polish, matching lip gloss, and a black mini mascara.  Although the color is subtle, it makes a difference and lasted through multiple water-drinking breaks at the gym. It is not waxy, so the material doesn't break up on lips. Also, it does leave lines around the rim of your mouth as it wears away. I recommend this lipstick for just about everything. It is understated enough to be worn with a casual outfit, but sophisticated enough for a dressier occasion. So far, I have worn this to the ballet, a date, and a few basketball games. 

Jessica's Lips

My first product that I want to feature are the Tarte LipSurgence sticks. At the end of 2012, as a Christmas gift to myself I purchased the Tarte LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Tint in Fiery. As of very recently these chubby sticks have been very popular. I've seen brands such as Clinque, Revlon and Cover Girl come out with their own version of the convenient tinted sticks. I loved my LipSurgence so much that I went back to  purchase Lively- a gorgeous hot pink and Exposed-a classic nude shade. This Christmas I was lucky enough to snag the 8-piece sample set before it sold out! The larger versions of the product that I own have a menthol scent and flavor and have a pretty good lasting power. You might have to reapply a time or two during the day, but the formula does not feel heavy on your lips or anything! I see myself wearing these in 2014 as well and trying the other brands' version of chubby sticks. These products were my go to shades for the year. Bellow are a couple of different events were I was wearing the LipSurgence products. 

*I've also tried the Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance 12-Hour Lipstick and loved it as well!

My Next favorite lip product is the bhCosmetics 32 Color Lip Gloss Palette. I like this product because it has so many shades to top off any lip look. I got this product in my first Little Black Bag (This site is amazing! Sign up with THIS link you can get 25% off your order!) I love the variety of shades-- light, dark, neutral-- you name it! The only cons about this product is that it's not convenient to carry around. I cant just throw this in my makeup bag and touch up  the color later on. I've used this product to set a number of my looks.

In Our Bags

Take a look inside our bags. Be sure to comment bellow with what you keep in your bag!

Alex's Bag

Bag: Carlos Falchi Gloves: Unknown Train Pass: Metro North- New Haven Line Lipstick Palette: Little Beauty Book - Bloomingdales Book: The Human Figure - John Raynes Planner: Fordham University Book: The Naked Olympics - Tony Perrottet Lipgloss: Laura Mercier Mascara: Black Honey - Clinique Sunglasses: Earth Nail Polish: Le Vernis in Rose Cache - Chanel

Jessica's Bag

Bag- I'm currently using my 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target large tote in black. The bags are currently sold out everywhere and the only way to buy them in online. I was lucky to snag this one on Poshmark. I love this bag so much because it's big enough to fit everything I need and super stylish.
Pouch- This "happy everything" pouch is from American Eagle and it's currently sold out. I purchased it on Black Friday and I use it to keep my feminine items, allergy medicine and some Tylenol.
Wallet- This is another Poshmark find. I love this hot pink Kate Spade wallet it's the perfect size to use when I decide to switch to a smaller cross body bag.

Beauty- Compact mirror with 5x zoom, Tarte LipSurgence in Enchanted, Bare Minerals lip gloss in papaya smoothie, Mary Kay Lash Love mascara, anti bacterial in Coral Reef from Bath and Body Works, Victoria Secret's Pink lotion in fresh and clean, Eos lip balm in summer fruit, Secrete travel size deodorant, Shaka juicy peach hand wipes (I got these in Italy and sadly they're not available online which sucks because they smell so good!)  And of course some pink Hello Kitty tissues. I also have a hair tie and a small clip and some scattered bobby pins.

Other: I also carry my car keys on a Fordham lanyard, my office keys on a CSA lanyard, a phone charger for my Galexy S4 and some pink shoelace headphones (similar.) I also carry my Erin Condren life planner which I got customized in Fordham maroon and it even says my name on it! I have a Hello Kitty pen, some stride gum in mint and a Weight Watchers snack bar in toasted marshmallow.

Getting to Know Each other!

Hello! Welcome to Frankly Giggles a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog maintained by Alexandra and Jessica. We're are two college girls attending Fordham University and our goal for this blog is to update with reviews, inspiration and tutorials regarding our hobbies. Here is a little bit about us.

Alex "Frankly"

Salve! (Latin for “Hello!”) My name is Alexandra Frank, a resident from the not so small village of Port Chester, NY. I am 19 years old and currently a sophomore at Fordham University in the Bronx. Balancing school, an internship, and half a dozen extra-curriculars isn’t easy, but I always make time for the arts (fine, performing, culinary, etc.)

Beauty: My everyday makeup look is typically cat-eyes with sheer berry lips, cheeks, and nails. For dressier occasions, I stick to black mascara, copper shadow, and poppy lips. My favorite makeup brands are Stila, Two-Faced, and Clinique.

Fashion: To be honest, my closet has a bit of everything. If I had to sum up my style, it would be 50% Anne Hathaway, 40% Keira Knightly, and 10% Gwen Stefani. I own a lot of embellished tunics, oxford shirts in various colors and prints, pencil skirts, and skinny jeans. Most of my everyday outfit pieces come from Anthropologie, Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, Gap, and J. Crew. My special occasion pieces are a mix of Anthropolgie, BCBG, and Calvin Klein. I often like to throw in some edgier accessories from Nasty Gal and Asos.

Other Hobbies: I might have a food obsession. Eating, cooking, even drawing doodles of food. Sometimes I go to bed early dreaming about breakfast and afternoon tea. I mainly cook Italian and Cuban food, but I have recently gotten into Israeli cooking and I love it! Also, I love dancing. I’m not the greatest, but I’m learning. Swing, Bachata, the Robot, and I even tried belly dancing recently. Can’t wait to do some more.

Current Obsessions: If you go in my purse, you’ll definitely find Clinique Black Honey Lipstick and Mascara, Stila Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Dark Brown, and Essie’s Berry Naughty. I recently discovered almond butter and practically devoured an entire jar along with some white fig jam (Thank you Whole Foods!). Also, do celebrity crushes count as obsessions? Daniel Sunjata, Chris Hemsworth, and Hayden Christensen. That is all.

Jessica "Giggles"

Hello Lovelies, I'm Jessica a 20 year old student at Fordham University studying Visual Arts Graphic Design and Marketing. As you can tell, I'm definitely a makeup junkie and I have a little bit of a shopping addiction. But who doesn't? I love to cook and bake and consider myself crafty although I'm sad to admit I don't have as much time as I would like to craft.


Instagram & Twitter @sealedwithabow

Beauty/Make-up- As a kid I always loved the idea of wearing make up. Being able to borrow my mom's make up was the ultimate best part of playing dress up. My own collection consisted of Lip Smakers and brightly colored nail polishes. As I got older I entered  the tragic period in my life where I tried to put on makeup with out really knowing how (YoutTube tutorials were not a thing at this time.) I started with pencil eyeliners and soft colored lip glosses. Eventually I discovered the beauty Mecca- Sephora! I became a beauty insider member and an obsession with beauty products blossomed. Of course there were some hit or miss items. I had to get to know my make-up style and the type of skin I had. I've tried many brands and right now my current obsessions are Tarte, Stilla, Mac, Clinique and Lush.

Fashion- I'm a typical shopaholic; I love to buy clothes! I'm not really sure how to explain my clothing style. I pull inspiration from vintage clothing- I love lace, floral prints and bows. But I also like to pull inspiration from other clothing styles. A few of my current obsessions are big cozy sweaters, chunky jewelry and peplum everything! Where do I shop you ask? Anywhere where I can find good deals! More specifically I love Forever 21, H&M and recently Promode. I love online shopping as well. It's the best form of "window shopping" available. My Life is kind of like the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic, just a little less severe.

You can also find my online closet on Poshmark, just in case you want to shop my closet!

Other Hobbies- Like I said I love to bake and craft. I started enjoying baking sometime in high school. Ironically I don't really have a sweet tooth, so my friends and family are the ones who benefit from my love to bake. I also love the idea of crafting. For a while I really loved to make cards and scrap book. I'm kind of a paper hoarder. I collect my scrapbook paper and have an awful time using it, so I don't get to craft as much as I like.

Current Obsessions- Beauty wise, I'm loving Lush products such as Sea Salt Scrub and Charity Lotion. My favorites in my make-up bag include- Stila liquid eyeliner marker, Lorac pro pallet and my beauty blender! Like I said, I'm loving over sized cozy sweaters and scarfs right now. Who wouldn't in this weather? I'm also OBSESSED with my 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target tote! I was able to find one on Poshmark even though they are all sold out! I'm saving up for the original because I'm so in love with the Target version! Among some of my other obsessions are American Horror Story (just watched seasons 1 and 2! and Can't wait for 3 to start up again!) I also started watching Breaking Bad and just finished Orange is the New Black. Thank God for Netflix!

I'm really excited to begin the journey of blogging! I've been watching beauty guru and haul videos for so long on YouTube and I always wanted to try it out!