The Skate Shoe Comeback

The skate shoe has been making an appearance in high fashion lately, and the trend is starting to trickle down into more consumer friendly lines. Ahem, Steve Madden. In fact, I should just title this post "Steve Madden Does Celine" because truth be told, the plaid slip ons I am wearing in this very post are extremely similar to the plaid Celine skate shoes from Fall/Winter 2013. Although the plaid prints are not identical, the Steve Madden shoes give off an extremely similar effect that is within my student budget. 

For this look, I paired the plaid shoes with a full denim on denim ensemble. I never thought I could pull of that trend but it is easily done as long as the denim contrasts in shade. In this case, I obviously paired a light wash denim shirt a la Urban Outfitters with my favorite dark wash Zara skinnies. 

Now, I cannot forget to mention my new addition to my handbag collection. My new "everyday" bag is the mini-a-satchel from the Kate Spade Saturday Line. I think this bag is similar in style to the Celine Nano Tote or the Phillip Lim Mini Pashli, yet is unique and quaint in its own way.
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I am really trying to work on the relationship with myself lately, so I want to sign off with a quote I've been enjoying…
"Chic is when a woman is in harmony with herself." -Giambattista Valli

xx Michelle
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instagram: michellegilbertson
twitter: @itsmemichelleg

Photos by Justine Solan.
#teenvogue

The Balm Squad

So this post is going to be entirely about lip balm. Irrelevant to some, but of the utmost importance to us lip balm addicts. Being my most essential beauty product, I am going to give you a run down of my favorites. Eyyy get it? The "balm squad". Hah.

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Let's get down to business…

My very first favorite is the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, with SPF 15. This baby retails for $22, but it is well worth it in my opinion. The reason why I think this lip balm is so unique is due to its thick, creamy texture. This is one of the most moisturizing treatments I have ever found. With a citrus smell and added SPF, I don't see how you can go wrong here. Fresh does offer tinted versions of this (I have tried the Honey shade), but for the money I think it is better to just go for the standard original. 

My next go-to balms are the Korres Lip Butters, which are fairly hyped items on the market---well deserved hype, of course. Whilst these are smooth and moisturizing, I love these for their ability to add moisture with a tint of color. Korres offers a wide range of colors, of which I have Jasmine and Plum. Jasmine is the coveted nude-pink and Plum is the darker berry shade. 

If I had to put one of these on the top of my list, that spot would have to go to the Jack Black Lip Balms. These are my absolute favorite--they moisturize my lips so well, they have the best range of scents, and they contain SPF 25. My favorite scents (or flavors?) are the Black Tea & Blackberry and the Shea Butter & Vitamin E. For a whopping $7.50, these are my must-haves that never seem to fail. 

Last, but not least, I would like to mention Smith's Rosebud Salve. This is probably the most trusted, multi-purpose lip balm that is commonly found in my backpack and purse. I constantly repurchase this product for its ability to moisturize my lips while adding a nice gloss. If I want to add a gloss to any lipstick I just pat a little bit of this stuff on to the center of my lips. This is also my go to cuticle moisturizer and make-up artists even use this to add shine to eyelids for a more editorial look. You just can't go wrong with this stuff.

If your generic Chapstick is just not doing the job anymore, I recommend checking any of these out. Hope you enjoyed!

xx Michelle

twitter? @itsmemichelleg

instagram? username: michellegilbertson

Serotonin

derp

Lately, the marine layer has not been burning off by the beach, which has enabled the "sweater weather" ensemble. As a southern california native, I am very conflicted with "cold" weather. Although I love the year round sun, I also get bummed when I am unable to dress all cozy in layers. 

I know there is not much to this outfit, but it was a gloomy afternoon in Santa Monica and I thought it was appropriate. Ok, maybe booties aren't beach appropriate but it wasn't beach weather anyway. This outfit consists of a bright coral chunky knit sweater I snagged at the Topshop sale a while ago. The color of this sweater is a little overwhelming, so I kept the look sweet and simple with my go-to Sam Edelman booties and some old ripped up jeans. The bright color was definitely a pop on such a gloomy  day. 

As for the title, I am really content with my life recently. I've really learned this week that everything does happen for a reason and you may not know it now, but there is good in everything. I think you should also listen to the song Serotonin by the Mystery Jets.

Hope you enjoy!!

xx Michelle

Photos by Justine Solan.