*Top 6 Inexpensive Prom Dresses for Spring 2018 | Yoins

Hey everyone! Prom is coming soon and today I partnered up with the online store yoins.com to share with you more inexpensive options and ideas for prom dresses. Yoins sells a variety of different clothing items online, ranging from various fashion tops online to gorgeous sexy dresses for women
I am going to share with you my top 6 favorite dresses from their website. Hopefully you are able to find some inspiration for the style of prom dress that you want to buy! Many of these dresses could also be worn for formals or any type of fancier occasion. Check out my last prom related post if you want to see more ideas for dress options!

Green floral dress | White floral dress | Maroon v-neck dress | Red chiffon dress | Gold chiffon dress | Pink cold shoulder dress

I love the floral trend of prom dresses because it makes the dress more versatile for other occasions. I also really like the look of simple and elegant dresses too! Lastly, the trend of goddess looking dresses is stunning, especially on tanner skin. Overall, I think my favorite of these dresses is the white floral one, because it looks very bohemian and flowy and can definitely be worn to prom or to any fancy gathering!

I hope you enjoy this post and find inspiration for your prom dress!

Prom Dress Ideas and Trends for 2018

Hi everyone! Long time no chat. I took a bit of a hiatus from my blog but now I am back and better than ever. 

Prom season has begun and today I am going to be sharing some of my favorite prom dress trends and styles. A lot of people at my school are already starting to look for dresses! It's important to buy them early so that you have many options to choose from and have plenty of time to make any alterations or adjustments if needed. 



Floral Prints
It is very fashionable for prom dresses to be more casual and fun! That's why I love the trend of floral print prom dresses. They are perfect for the spring and summer, and they make the dress stand out. What's great about floral print dresses is that they can be worn for many different occasions. That way, if you buy an expensive dress, you can keep on wearing it after prom.

Asymmetrical Hems
Asymmetrical hems on dresses are very striking and show off a little glimpse of skin. They also make your legs look longer and give your legs some breathing room, which is nice when you're dancing in a hot and cramped dance room.

Colorful
Colorful prom dresses are a lot of fun. Picking colors that look great on your skin tone will make you stand out from the rest of your group and make you look stunning in pictures. Certain colors look best on specific skin tones, so make sure to try on different dresses and compare colors in order to find what best suits your skin tone. 

Short Slip
Another trend is having a dress with a short slip underneath and a long skirt overlay that is see-through. Normally, the skirt overlay is either mesh or lace. This is another way to show off your legs while also wearing a sophisticated long dress. These types of dresses will also make you look taller!

Ruffles
Lastly, ruffles are another prom trend. They especially work nicely on a body shape that is more straight, as the ruffles add dimension and curves. 

I hope this post gave you inspiration for the type of dress you want to wear for prom! 

Thanks for reading :)





New Years Eve Party Outfit + Makeup Look

Hey everyone! New Year's Eve is right around the corner and it's that time of the year when people are busy shopping for the perfect New Year's Eve party outfit. Here is an outfit that will give you inspiration for your outfit!
NYE Party Outfit

Velvet has been a huge trend recently! I think this blue velvet crop top paired with the silver sequin skirt is a perfect festive outfit. You will definitely stand out and sparkle in a crowd. The motorcycle jacket looks really good over the top and adds a edgier detail while also keeping you warm.

Fake eyelashes will add a lot to the look and make your eyes pop. Kohl eyeliner is also a great makeup staple for a New Year's Eve party look because it's easy to smudge around your eyes to add a more dramatic look. A dark blue smoky eye would look nice with this outfit also! If you decide to do a dramatic eye look, then you should definitely keep the lips simple by swiping on a layer of nude or pink lipstick so your makeup isn't too overpowering.

Of course add some festive nail polish and spritz on some perfume and you should be all ready for NYE!

Thanks for reading! I hope you all have a great NYE!

Thea
xx

Tips on How to Eliminate Stress in High School

Hey everyone! It's been a busy school year for me so far. I'm a junior in high school and I've had to learn how to manage my time and eliminate stress that school, extracurriculars and other activities bring. I'm part of the International Baccalaureate program, and I am currently taking 8 IB classes. I'm also the leader of clubs; I am one of the officers of DECA and I am also the co-president of a human trafficking awareness club at my school. I am also a member of National Honor Society, IB Council, and an IB Leadership Group. I play recreational soccer and basketball with my friends, and I babysit and tutor kids to make money. I also like blogging obviously! My plate has been super full this year. A big change from my Sophomore year has been having 8 classes at a time instead of 4 or 5, that would change after one semester. 

Here are some of my tips for eliminating stress if you are in high school! 

First off, make a list of all the activities you have going on in your life and prioritize them. When prioritizing, think about what activities and aspects of your life are most important to you. If you have a lot of things going on in your life, than most likely cutting down will decrease stress. Figure out which things on your list aren't as important as others or are causing you this stress and cut back! I quit my job in September because I had too many things going on and not enough time for them all. I would leave school at 2:15, go to work at 4 and then come home as late as 10. Then I would start all my homework and studying. I also had certain days that I couldn't work because of clubs or sports. I decided to quit my job because it took up way too much time and wasn't as important to me as school and clubs. Lucky for me, I didn't need the money and I quit early enough that I my job never got too much in the way of my school work. Once I quit my job, a lot of time opened up for other things that I wanted to do.

Another tip I have for decreasing stress is to exercise. It's scientifically proven that your brain releases endorphins (think of it like happy hormones) while you exercise that make you feel calmer and happier. If you aren't a sporty kind of person, than try yoga. There are many different types of yoga, yoga that deals with more breathing exercises and yoga that is more focused on flexibility and strength. You also don't have to go to a studio to do yoga, you can just do it in your house and follow a video on YouTube. My favorite channel to watch for yoga is YogaWithAdrienne. 

This next tip goes along with exercising and it is to eat healthy food, drink plenty of water and spend time outside. Eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables can put you in a better mood than eating unhealthy foods like chocolate or fries. Healthy food will give you energy and will overall make you feel more positive. Also, drinking a lot of water can reduce stress. It clears your mind and can have a restorative effect. It helps you to think more clearly and gives you energy. Spending time outside, whether it's reading a book or taking a walk will also clear your mind and is better for your overall well-being. It can definitely help if you are feeling overwhelmed of anxious about school or anything else you have going on.

Something that I struggle with is turning off screens. Everyone can get wrapped up in their technology at times and it's important that we power off. Reading is a great way to get your mind off of things and feel less stressed. If you are feeling overwhelmed, checking out a book at your local library that interests you and reading it.

My last and most important tip is to take time for yourself. Relax and spend time doing things you enjoy. Maybe make your room nice and cozy and listen to music or create a peaceful playlist. I make my room feel cozier by turning on fairy twinkle lights and throwing a bunch of blankets on my bed. You can also get a fireplace app on your laptop that will set the screensaver to a fireplace. You can also change the settings to make it crackle and sound like a really fireplace. I also write in a journal to feel less stressed. I constantly juggle things around in my head so putting my thoughts to paper makes my head feel clearer.

Those are my tips and tricks on how to feel less overwhelmed and stressed about high school and life in general. I hope you found this post useful!

Thanks for reading!
Thea
xx

2 Gossip Girl Inspired Outfits From Serena & Blair (Back to School Edition) ♡

*This blog does not own this picture. It was taken from Pinterest!

Hey elites! It's Thea here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite. Someone so kindly sent me this picture of S & B (otherwise known as Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf) getting ready for school. As you can see in this picture, they are looking seriously unhappy about this new school year coming up... they'll be more annoyed when they see that I've leaked more of their secrets out in the open for you all! It's going to one hell of a school year for these too. Will they spend their days having study sessions with Dan and Chuck, or will they instead be up all night dancing on table tops and getting in more drama? We'll just have to see...

You can read my last posts here if you want more fashion secrets from these two:
Lunch Date outfits: click here
Shopping outfits: click here

Here are a few more secrets on how to steal their back to school outfits on a budget you can afford!  This will definitely help if your school dress code is as strict as these girls'. Keep reading to learn how you can steal their style! Sorry S and B, more secrets are out in the open. 

Serena's Outfit

serena school outfit
Shirt (on sale!) / skirt / heels (on sale!) / vest / bracelet (on sale!) / neck tie / purse

Serena's back to school look is cute and casual like usual. She wears her school uniform very laid back and fun, by tying her neck tie low around her neck and wearing a vest over her shirt. She makes her school look more feminine by wearing a mini plaid skirt and nude heels. If you don't own nude heels then I highly recommend buying them- they will make anything more dressed up! Serena wears a fun snakeskin print handbag too that really makes her outfit look unique and different- everyone at her school is going to be wearing snakeskin this year now that Serena has started this trend! 

Blair's Outfit

blair school outfit
Blouse (on sale!) / skirt (on sale!) / heels / neck tie / scarf / bracelet / headband / purse

Blair is back at it again with a chic and sophisticated look- this time for back to school. She adds a parisian chic flair by tying a silk neck scarf around her neck over her neck tie. She keeps it classy with a pearl bracelet and then wears fun shoes to spice it up a bit. She also wears an oxblood colored handbag, which she can carry all her school assignments (or not) in. 

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this Gossip Girl inspired post :)

And who am I? That's another secret I'll never tell. You know you love me. XOXO. 

-Gossip Girl (aka Thea)

2 Gossip Girl Inspired Outfits From Serena & Blair (Lunch Date Edition) ♡


*Picture used from https://www.styl.sh/articles/838-blair-waldorf-serena-van-der-woodsen-s-best-summer-outfits

Hey elites! It's Thea here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite (or into the boring life of a high school blogger). There's been another spotting of S and B (otherwise known as Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf) out and about. As you can see in this picture, they are happily coming out of their favorite little lunch spot in Manhattan, looking as carefree as ever... they won't be after I'm through with them (letting their secrets out of course). They thought they could get a break from me over the Summer now that schools out- think again!

So many of you enjoyed my last post about these two beauty queens, so I thought I would let you in on a few more secrets on how to steal their outfits on a budget you can afford! Keep reading to learn how you can steal their style! Sorry S and B, more secrets are out in the open. 

Serena's Outfit
serena outfit 2
Shirt / skirt / necklace / shoes / bag / bobby pins

Did Serena and Blair coordinate their outfits, because they both look perfect for this summer! They both have pops of green in their outfits- I'm definitely looking green with envy at them! I love Serena's comfortable and simple look, as she pairs a green short skirt with a tank. I also am obsessed with her hairstyle. It's actually quite easy- just put your hair in a ponytail, leaving out a section of hair. Then take the section you left out, wrap it around the ponytail and bobby pin it in place. It's as easy as that!

Blair's Outfit
blair outfit 2
Headband / necklace / dress / bracelet / bag / shoes / belt / ring

Blair (as usual) looks very feminine, classy and sophisticated in her floral dress. I love how she added the headband to add a fun vibe to her look. She's also carrying a woven straw handbag that looks like a picnic basket if you ask me. It's very festive for the summer though!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed another Gossip Girl inspired blog post!

And who am I? That's another secret I'll never tell. You know you love me. XOXO.

-Gossip Girl (aka Thea)

4 Outfits for 4th of July ♡

Hey guys! I’ve put together a few different looks that are fourth of July themed! I tried to incorporate a lot of red, white and blue (colors of the American flag if you didn’t already know) and a lot of stars and stripes into the outfits. Whether you’re out with your friends watching fireworks or going to a neighborhood barbecue, these looks will have you covered. I hope you guys find some inspiration from these looks when you are putting together your own outfits! Do you guys have any fun plans for 4th of July? If so, comment them down below! 

Look 1
fourth of july outfit

I think this outfit is super cute and laid back. I think it would be perfect for watching fireworks in at night or going to a family barbecue. The off the shoulder white shirt also makes this outfit look more bohemian. I love the trend of tie up sandals and I think these ones would be super cute! They are also very versatile and could be dressed up or down.

Look 2
fourth of july outfit 2
Hat / jean jacket / dress / earrings / lipstick / shoes / nail polish / bag

I think this outfit looks super comfortable and effortless. This dress is super flowy and seems very soft. I think adding the jean jacket to this dress makes the outfit more casual and cool. I also love the look of red lips for fourth of July! It's very bold and matches the theme of red, white and blue.

Look 3
fourth of july outfit 3
Shirt / necklace / bag / jeans / watch / blue and silver bracelet / red bracelet / blue bead bracelet / wallet / key chain / shoes

This look is more fancy and chic. It would be perfect for a more fancy brunch, lunch or dinner. This might be one of my favorite looks in this post, because I think the off the shoulder denim top trend is so cute!!! The silver hardware and jewelry dresses this outfit up and looks great with red and blue. It also reminds me of silver stars!

Look 4
fourth of july outfit 4

Now this outfit is hardcore patriotic. It's like the American flag just hits you in the face. There is so much going on with this look and it would look crazy if you wore it any other day except fourth of July. 

Thanks for reading!

2 Gossip Girl Inspired Outfits from Serena & Blair (Shopping Edition) ♡


Hey friends! It's Thea here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite (or into the boring life of a high school blogger). S and B (otherwise known as Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf) are out shopping on 5th avenue when they see a not so friendly face (like their expression shows). Luckily they have bottomless trust funds and cute outfits on to make any sane person jealous (trust me, we all are!). 

Me being an insider in all things S and B, I can let you in on how to steal their outfits but on a budget you can afford! Keep reading to learn how you can steal their style! Sorry S and B, your secrets are out in the open. 

Serena's Outfit

Serena summer outfit 1
Hat / necklace / shirt / pants / belt / ring / shoes / bag

A typical Serena outfit that is 100% cute while also being super comfortable.  I love how you can pair these comfy sweatpant looking pants with a casual tank top and then spice it up with some cute accessories. I am all for Serena's style because she always looks so effortlessly put together. She's the kinda girl that can get the messy bun perfect on the first try (not me who tries 10 times and then decides to do a ponytail). 

Blair's Outfit

blair waldorf outfit
Dress / necklace / belt / bag / bracelet / shoes

Queen B always keeps her outfits sophisticated and chic. You can tell that she's the kinda girl who puts a lot of effort into her outfits and it definitely pays off! She always looks classy and girly, which she can afford to do. It's harder to pull off this kind of look when you don't have the budget for the diamonds and the sparkles, however it is still possible.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this Gossip Girl inspired blog post!

And who am I? That's another secret I'll never tell. You know you love me. XOXO.

-Gossip Girl (aka Thea)


Life Update: Acai Bowls, Hanging out at a Park, New Haircut + More ♡

Hey guys! These past few weeks have been super busy. I haven't done a life update blog post in a long time, so I thought it was a good time to do one. I got my first summer job a few weeks ago at a women's resale clothing store. I love working there because the store is always super busy so I am never bored. It's also like I can shop while I'm working. Whenever the employees see something we like, we can put it in the back and buy it later on an employee discount. Last Thursday, June 16 I had the day off, so my friend and I decided to get acai bowls. We went to a food truck called Rico's Acai, which is located downtown. I got the rainbow bowl, and I love how it's aesthetically pleasing and also yummy. It's also super healthy and the fruit is always fresh and tasty. 

After we got our acai bowls, we drove to Romare Bearden Park. We found a parking spot right near the park, but we had to parallel park. Unfortunately, neither my friend nor I knew how to parallel park so parking proved to be pretty tricky. What made matters worse was that we were parking right on a busy street. My friend was driving and she ended up backing in and out of the space about 50 times and wasn't really moving positions much at all. At one point I even got out of the car and tried to direct her into the space. We finally got into the space (10 minutes later). We brought my two dogs with us to the park which became a hassle because they kept pulling the leashes and barking at everyone. Above is a picture of my dog Robin.  

This turned out to be one hilarious outing. My other dog, Ollie decided to pee on my friend's Birkenstock shoes right as we sat down on our blanket at the park. 

Here is a picture of Ollie looking guilty for peeing in her shoes.

I ended up finishing my acai bowl. My friend's bowl melted a little bit and she decided not to finish it. Two dogs were walking past us and my dogs went berserk. Robin tried to run towards the other dogs and ended up knocking over my friend's acai bowl all over my blanket. The food also went all over my friend's phone, car keys and sunglasses. 

It was definitely an interesting experience going to the park with my dogs, and I have come to the conclusion that I will not be taking my dogs anywhere public anytime soon.  


List of things that got ruined by my dogs
-Birkenstocks (friend's)
-Blanket (mine)
-Car Keys (friend's)
-Sunglasses (friend's)
-Phone (friend's)

Overall, more of my friend's things got ruined than mine. We were able to clean everything which was lucky!

We also decided to bake cookies. This turned out to be sort of a disaster. We didn't have all of the ingredients and then the cookie dough we made ended up being way too powdery. The recipe we found didn't include any liquids other than butter and eggs. We added a few tablespoons of water to make it stick together. We also made the cookie dough balls too big so it took forever to bake. The outsides got extremely hard but the insides weren't ready to be taken out of the oven. The cookie turned out to be pretty good, except for the fact that you had to bit super hard on the outside. 

Shop my outfit ♡

Sunglasses // Nordstrom BP
Earrings // Macy's
Romper // Madewell
Nail Polish // Essie
Shoes // Franco Sarto

I also got a haircut last Monday on June 13. I got about 4 inches cut off and my hair felt extremely lightweight after. Since I have layers in my hair, the pieces of hair by my face are shorter and the pieces in the back are longer. I usually don't like when I get a haircut because I like when my hair is really long. I do like my hair at this length though, because it doesn't get as tangly and frizzy.

Thanks for reading!

Tips for Accessorizing: Stacking Bracelets ♡

 Long time no write! It's been a crazy few weeks with Spring Break, midterms and projects, but I am back with another post. Here are some tips for accessorizing with bracelets and stacking them! 




When I pair bracelets together, I pick 3 or 4 main colors to focus on. When picking my bracelets, I try to stick to these colors, so they will match and complement each other. The bracelets usually are other colors too, but I find that as long as most of my bracelets have one of the main colors then they will match. I also try to pick bracelets of the same style, such as the ones above that are cute and fun. I picked bracelets that were more casual with beads. My last tip is to pick bracelets of similar sizes to pair together. I find this tip extremely important, because when one bracelet is bigger than the others, it tends to slide over the smaller ones and get tangled up over them. You don't want to keep messing with them and fixing them the whole day!

Thanks for reading 

Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are mine :)


Spring Break 2016: Bikini/Swimwear Trends ♡

Spring Break officially starts today for me! I am not going to the beach over Spring Break, because I am going college touring. I know a lot of people go to the beach over break, so I made a list of all the different swimwear trends for Spring and Summer! I love buying swimsuits, because there are so many fun prints, patterns and styles. I really think that there is a swimsuit for everyone and every body shape. I hope you guys have a great Spring Break and that you find some inspiration from this post. Check out my Pinterest bikini board to see more bathing suits that I'm loving for the Spring and Summer! ♡

Light Blue Bikini Top- TopShop
Maroon Wrap Top- Suboo 
Halter Coral Bikini Top- Mikoh
Strappy Black and White Top- Mikoh
Black Crochet Halter- Style Moi
Triangle Bikini- Look Book Store
Blue Tie Die Halter- Beautiful Halo
Bralette Bikini- Rip Curl
Crochet Trimmed Bikini- Kiini
Pink One Piece- Tart
Black and White One Piece- Etro

Strappy Backs-
Lately I have been loving bathing suits with really intricate straps on the back! They look really  cool and fun, and they also form really pretty designs. Fun strappy backs add a nice touch to an otherwise plain bikini top. 

High-Neck Lines-
High neck lines are extremely popular right now, and swimwear companies are finally adopting this trend! It gives good coverage while also looking super cute and stylish.

Crochet-
Crochet has also come into style, and there are some crochet bikini tops that can also be worn as barrettes and crop tops! Crochet bikini tops are perfect for the Spring and Summer and are always made in pretty designs. 

Bralettes-
These are super comfortable and really cute. They give a sporty and athletic look and offer good support.

One Pieces-
One pieces are back in style! There are some really cute one pieces with cute straps and fun prints. One pieces also give you a lot more coverage and won't slip off you if you are doing a lot of swimming and water sports.

Stores-
Here are some of my favorite swimwear stores! Some are more pricier, and some are more cheaper.

L. Space- www.lspace.com
Victoria's Secret- www.victoriassecret.com
Athleta- www.athleta.com
Pac Sun- www.pacsun.com
Lookbook Store- www.lookbookstore.co
Triangl- www.triangl.com
Forever 21- www.forever21.com

Thanks for reading my post! I hope these trends have helped you in picking out your swimsuits for this Spring and Summer ♡

Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are mine :)


Cosmetic Animal Testing Awareness Project ♡

Hey everyone! I am doing a research project on the awareness of animal testing on cosmetics. I am a sophomore in high school, and I'm in the the IB program at my school. Instead of a senior exit project, we have a sophomore personal project, where we research and explore a topic that we are interested in knowing more about. I picked cosmetic animal testing, because I'm really interested in makeup, but I don't really know much about the experimental process of makeup in regards to animals. I would love it if you would answer my survey for the project that I am doing! Thanks ♡ 



Casual St. Patrick's Day Outfit, Makeup and Hair Look ♡

Here is a fun outfit that is perfect for a St. Patrick's Day party or if you just want to be more festive! This outfit incorporates a lot of green and is more casual and laid back than the other outfit I put together in my previous post. I hope everyone has a lucky St. Patty's Day! ♡



Earrings- Party City
Bracelets- JCPenney
Stickers- Party City
Sneakers- Nordstrom
Socks- Overstock
Necklace- Party City
Phone Case- Cafe Press
Long Sleeve Shirt- Etsy
Leggings- Calvin Klein
Headband- Kirklands
Oil Blotting Sheets- Sephora
Mascara- Bobbi Brown
Lipstick- Smashbox
Purse- Michael Kors
Foundation- Urban Decay
Primer- Clinique
Bronzer- Lorac
Eyeshadow- NYX
Eyeliner- YSL

This outfit is pretty crazy and out there, but it shows a lot of spirit for St. Patrick's Day. You can add fun inexpensive decorations to your look such as stickers, headbands, earrings, plastic bracelets and necklaces. I suggest getting these things from a party store, such as Party City because you can usually find a lot of cool stuff that's really inexpensive. Since this is a casual outfit, I would wear my hair in a loose pony tail or bun, with some pieces hanging out to frame my face. You should keep a clean looking face with a lightweight foundation and adding some shimmery bronzer. Finish the look with a swipe of red lipstick, which will look great with all the green.  

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post and found inspiration for your St. Patrick's Day look!

Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are my own :)


Fancy St. Patrick's Day Outfit, Makeup and Hair Look ♡

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner- March 17th! I usually don't celebrate or do much on St. Patrick's Day, but I wear a little pop of green sometimes. I have put together a look that is St. Patrick's Day themed. I think this kind of look would be great if you are going out to eat and just want a few little subtle pops of green without going all out. It's pretty sophisticated and chic, and the outfit won't hurt people's eyes when they look at you, because it incorporates darker greens! ♡



Bracelet- Alex & Ani
Necklace- Dogeared
Makeup Bag- TopShop
Lipstick- NARS
Jeans- TopShop
Phone Case- Michael Kors
Eyeliner- Clarins
Foundation- Too Faced
Mascara- Lorac
Perfume- Jo Malone
Primer- Smashbox
Eyeshadow- Urban Decay
Bronzer- Lorac
Brow Gel- Anastasia

I think this outfit is perfect for St. Patrick's Day, because it looks like a regular outfit, but still throws in some green spirit! You can add small little clover accessories and other lucky symbols. For the makeup, I think it's great if you throw in a red lip color, because red and green compliment each other perfectly (they are complimentary colors after all!). You don't want to have too much red mixed in with your green, because that will look too Christmasy. Green eyeliner will also be a nice pop of color, and the silver eyeshadow will make your eyes stand out even more. For hair, I would do a loose messy ponytail or curl it!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the post and found inspiration for your St. Patrick's Day look!


Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are my own :)