DetroitDuchess, Author at Detroit Duchess

Spring 2015 Favorites

March 24, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 5 Comments

I couldn’t wait to do my spring favorites post this year. I am SO ready for spring and everything that comes along with it. This year is especially exciting because we will spend our first spring in the new house and I can’t wait to enjoy every second of it! It is still pretty cold in Michigan but the snow is almost gone and we are starting to see signs of spring life around every corner. I am ready to jump into spring with some fun colors and this year’s favorite things:

Kate Spade Cedar Street Maise Satchel ($298)

I have been eyeing this pretty in pink bag from Kate Spade for a while now – there’s no time like the present to add this to your spring wardrobe!

Jessica Simpson Chandra Two-Piece Dress Mules ($89)

I stumbled across these the other day and thought they were SO perfect for spring!

OPI’s Just Lanai-ing Around Nail Color

I love this color for spring and they also have it available in OPI gel!

Lauren Ralph Lauren Lace Crepe Dress ($194)

I originally saw this dress on Bloomingdale’s site but they only had one size left, so I had to hunt it down until I found it in my size. I LOVE this dress, it is perfect for Easter!

Kate Spade Little Ladybug Thin Cuff ($88)

John and I love ladybugs! They are a sign of good luck and this cuff is adorable!

Trench Cape ($124.60)

This is from The Limited’s Scandal Collection and I thought it was such a fun way to wear a trench this spring.

MAC Flat Out Fabulous Lipstick ($16)

This was Kaitlyn’s favorite lipcolor from The Bachelor and I’m sure we will see more of it on The Bachelorette.

The Limited Open Front Blazer ($76.80)

What’s spring without some Tiffany blue to add to your wardrobe? I need to add some different color blazers to my wardrobe and this will do just the trick!

Vince Camuto Sleeveless Color Leopard Print Blouse ($79)

I thought this blouse was a lot of fun for spring!

Charles David ‘Gina’ Wedge Sandal ($99.95)

I just love the color on these wedges!

What are your favorite things for spring?

If you missed last years Spring Favorites post, you can find it here.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Spring Favorites

Bachelor 19 – Week 2 Recap

March 22, 2015 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

Week Two of The Bachelor picks up where we left off with the rose ceremony. Kimberly appeals to Chris to give her a second chance and he does (his first mistake). This sets a bad tone with the ladies.

After a few hours of getting settled, Chris Harrison arrives to give the ladies the lay of the land and the first date card. It was a group date for Jade, Tandra, Ashley I., Mackenzie, Kimberly and Tara get to “Show me your country…” with Chris.

The group date kicks off with a pool party, followed by a tractor race throughout downtown L.A. I liked Tara’s Victoria’s Secret Colorblock Bandeau ($22.50):

I wasn’t a big fan of the girls having to streetwalk in their bikinis to the second part of the date for a tractor race. They weren’t allowed to put on their cover ups? Ashley I. wins the tractor race and gets to spend some one-on-one time with Chris, but is upset when Mackenzie ends up getting the rose and an evening date with Chris. Their date was SO awkward and she even tells him that he has a big nose…who does that? I didn’t see any chemistry here and don’t see that going far at all. She does also reveal that she has a son.

Back at the mansion, Juelia reveals that she has a daughter and that her husband committed suicide (such a sad story). The next date card comes for Megan and reads “Love is a natural wonder.” Megan didn’t realize that she was actually getting a one-on-one date, she thought it was a love note…

Megan and Chris take a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon. Their date was okay, they seemed to connect over the story of her father’s passing and Chris gave her the rose.

In the meantime, the next group date card comes for Kelsey, Trina, Alissa, Tracy, Jillian, Becca, Amber, Ashley S., Juelia, Kaitlyn and Britt and reads “Till death do us part.”

The girls go on a group zombie-hunting date in what Ashley S. calls the Mesa Verde. The highlight of this date was watching Ashley pretty much lose her mind. I’m not sure what was going on there. Things between Chris and Britt heat up, but it is Kaitlyn who gets the group date rose. I don’t understand how Chris was making out with these girls and their bright lipcolor. My husband wouldn’t have any of that – I think if you are going on a first couple of dates I wouldn’t wear that sort of lipcolor that might be a kissing barrier. Don’t get me wrong, I love lipstick, but it’s not so conducive to making out.

A few things about Britt – she has amazing hair – whatever she is doing, I would like to bottle it. I also liked her turquoise drop earrings. I found these similar earrings on Etsy for $26.85:

At the rose ceremony Whitney did a great job creating a special moment with Chris and she got him a bottle of his favorite whiskey. I loved this because that is totally something I would do. She looked great in her Stop Staring! Gathered Ava One Shoulder Dress ($163):

The most disturbing part of the episode was when Ashley I. reveals that she is a virgin and Mackenzie is so jealous because “guys LOVE taking a girl’s virginity.” What is she smoking? Also, what is Ashley I. wearing? It didn’t get any better when she allowed Chris to make three wishes on her belly button ring. He seemed to like it because they had the weirdest makeout session where she pretty much ate his face.

Amber had a cute Gold Lang Syne Dress (sold out) that helped her snag a kiss with Chris. This Open Back Short Black and Gold Sequin Dress with Sleeves ($32.95) is similar:

Poor Jillian almost took a spill when Chris called Juelia’s name – so embarrassing – but she handled it well. I also liked Becca’s lace dress and found this V Neck Lace Bodycon Dress in Wine Red ($34.99):

Alissa, Jordan, Kimberly and Tara didn’t receive roses. Tara took it hard, but she looked great in her sold-out Cache Pleated Halter Gown. This Bisou Bisou® Sleeveless Chain-Neck Pleated Maxi Dress ($47.99) is similar:

Next week Jimmy Kimmel is coming to The Bachelor which will make for an interesting show.

Here is a deleted scene that didn’t make it into the episode:

Jordan hosts a “sunflower” ceremony:

I enjoy reading Bachelor spoilers and if you are interested in finding out what happens in advance you can check out Reality Steve for more information.

If you missed Episode Two you can still watch it here.

Chris Soules posted his second Bachelor blog on People here.

Chris Harrison posted his Week Two blog here.

Former Bachelor contestant, Sharleen Joynt posted her thoughts here.

Former Bachelorette, Desiree Hartsock offered her insights on Week Two here.

Some of you may remember Zak Waddell from Desiree’s season. His sister, Carly is vying for Chris’ heart this season and he is posting his recaps on Desiree’s blog here.

Former Bachelorette, Jillian Harris is blogging this season here.

To catch up on Jason & Molly Mesnick’s podcast, click here.

For more Bachelor/Bachelorette posts, click here.

Filed Under: Bachelor, Fashion, TV Tagged With: Chris Harrison, Chris Soules, The bachelor

Frost Yourself with Anjolee

March 18, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 7 Comments

Disclosure: I received a complimentary ring from Anjolee in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was thrilled when Anjolee contacted me for a ring review. I love jewelry and I have always wanted a right hand ring. Back in the day, I had planned to buy myself one (that never ended up happening). I also want a motherhood ring one day to top off my wedding band and engagement ring, so I thought it would be fun to try one on for size.

For those of you not familiar with Anjolee, the company was founded in 1977 by two brothers. They were inspired by their mother, Lee’s angelic nature and her passion for beautiful jewelry. They name is a combination of the word angel, Lee’s name and the French word “jolie” which means beautiful.

I had a list of rings to choose from and then Anjolee made a replica for me to keep! I tried to find a ring that matched my current wedding and engagement set so I could get an idea of what it would look like. I ultimately selected the Brilliant Eternity Ring with Side Stones:

I thought this ring was stunning and I loved the detail with the side stones. When it arrived in the mail, the ring was even more stunning in person, plus it came it a beautiful box that had its own light!

I am pretty much in love with this ring, even though this version is only a cubic zirconia, it is one of my favorite pieces of jewelry.

I also tried it on with my wedding set:

So now that I have the jewelry bug, I figured I would check out some Anjolee anniversary bands. These would make a beautiful anniversary present or even a great right hand ring option for myself:

Prong Set Designer Diamond Anniversary Ring

Stylish Woven Diamond Eternity Ring

During Black Friday, I was also eyeing a pair of diamond earrings from another retailer, but one of the reasons I didn’t purchase the earrings was because of the mixed reviews. Many of the reviews complained that the earrings didn’t look as good as they appeared in the picture and some of them even had flaws. The great thing about Anjolee is that they ensure the highest standard of quality for all of their jewelry. When I decide to purchase my diamond studs, I will definitely go through Anjolee because I know exactly what I will be getting. I just added these studs to my wishlist! I also noticed that all of the studs have screwbacks so you won’t lose them.

Circle Designer Diamond Stud Earrings

I had a lot of fun wish list shopping with Anjolee and can’t wait to make one of these pieces a reality. What pieces are on your jewelry wish list?

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Anjolee, diamond, engagement rings, jewelry, ring

Cougar Town “American Dream Plan B” Recap

February 2, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 3 Comments

I am so happy that Cougar Town is back, but so sad that this is the last season!

We left off last season with Laurie (Busy Phillips) and Trav (Dan Byrd) announcing their pregnancy. Jules (Courtney Cox) doesn’t think that they are prepared for a baby yet. Jules wears a Mara Hoffman Snakes Print Midi Dress ($138.05):

Laurie is under the impression that she will keep her girlish figure throughout the entire pregnancy, much to the amusement of the group. I love her style in a Clover Canyon Floral Sheath Dress ($195):

Flash forward to the end of the pregnancy and Laurie is miserable…and definitely not rocking her tight-a** dresses anymore. I still love her pregnancy look in a sold out Cynthia Vincent Sheer Caftan Silk Dress. I thought this Natori Tatiana Long Caftan ($153.09) is a similar look that Laurie would wear:

I loved the header for the beginning of Season 6:

So we know that Bobby (Brian Von Holt) left the show for season 6 and I was wondering how they would write him out. They have him talking on the phone to Andy (Ian Gomez) and he is on a golf trip in Georgia. It will be interesting to see what happens with him next. Jules wears a L’AGENCE Contrast Trim Zip Front Silk Blouse ($89.97). I thought this Vince Camuto Sleeveless Colorblock Blouse ($59.99) was similar:

Ellie (Christa Miller) is having fun tormenting Laurie as usually, but Laurie isn’t having any of it with four weeks left to go. Ellie wears the sold out Rag & Bone Marissa Cardigan. This White House Black Market Colorblock Cardigan ($88) is similar:

Jules spends some time teaching Laurie the perks of being pregnant, this goes well until Laurie takes it too far. On the flip side Grayson (Josh Hopkins) helps Trav prepare for a baby with a baby pig! (Love this part!). Laurie gets Jules to agree to stop drinking wine until she has the baby. Laurie wears a pink hi-lo maxi with a jean jacket. I liked this SugarLips Hand Over Heart Neon Pink Dress ($61) to recreate the look:

Jules tries to convince the rest of the group that they have to join in but as you can imagine that doesn’t go over very well. Jules wears the Barry Shirt by Frank & Eileen ($198). This Ralph Lauren Striped Cotton Shirt ($89.50) is similar:

When Andy asks Ellie how they will make it through the month, she tells him by cheating. Ha! They just have to find a place where nobody will think to look for them. She wears a floral blouse. I found a similar Women’s Woven to Knit V-Neck Blouse – Black Rainn from Target ($29.99):

Enter Tom’s (Bob Clendenin) basement speakeasy. Tom has never been cooler! That is until he starts tweeting pictures and Laurie finds out and they are all in trouble.

In the meantime, Jules reveals that she can squeal like a pig which she has to do in order to find the pig that Travis lost. Sort of showing that Jules will always come to the rescue.

What did you think of this week’s Cougar Town? Are you ready for #OneLastPour?

If you missed this episode, you can still watch it here.

For more CougarTown recaps, click here.

Filed Under: CougarTown, Fashion, TV Tagged With: Big Tippi, Bob Clendenin, Brian Van Holt, Busy Phillips, Christa Miller, CougarTown, Courtney Cox, Dan Byrd, Ian Gomez, Josh Hopkins, Ken Jenkins

Win $500 for Sharing Why #MichiganisAuto

January 15, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 3 Comments

Disclosure: I was selected for this sponsored post by HayThereSocialMedia.com. All opinions expressed are my own.

I thought this was the perfect post to write this week as I have spent all week at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). I had the opportunity to attend Press Preview and Industry Preview days for one of my clients and it just blew me away. I have worked in the automotive industry for a number of different clients, but getting to be involved with the show with one of the premier sponsors was an awesome experience. There was a buzz in the air and it was so fun to be a part of.

An Auto Show selfie with one of my coworkers on the show floor Monday

I went to a lot of fun press conferences, but was busy working so I only got a few pictures for myself. It was so much fun!

Ford’s press conference felt like a concert – they hosted it at Joe Louis Arena and it was just massive:

I also got some great pictures from the Ram press conference:

Now, here is the fun part for you. MICHauto, the state’s automotive accelerator, is using NAIAS to reinforce why Michigan is the epicenter of the auto industry.

From Jan. 12 through Jan. 23, MICHauto will award two $500 VISA gift cards to the entry that posts the best, most creative reason why #MichiganIsAuto. To enter, post your submission on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #MichiganIsAuto. You can also tag MICHauto using their handles:

Twitter: @MICHauto
Facebook: www.facebook.com/michauto
Instagram: @MICH_auto

To learn more about MICHauto and the #MichiganIsAuto campaign, visit http://www.michauto.org.

I encourage you to enter the contest and have some fun with it. I can’t wait to see what how creative everyone gets.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: #MichiganisAuto, North American International Auto Show

The Bachelor 19 – Week 1 Recap

January 14, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 9 Comments

The Bachelor is back!!! I am very happy that I get to kick off viewing parties again with my friend Tracy!

This season ABC decided to have a live red carpet premiere and I didn’t hate it. I read a lot of mixed feelings about the red carpet, but in my opinion three hours is more wine time. I wasn’t thrilled with the fashion choices on night one, but the Bachelor/Bachelorette alum gave me much more to work with in the pre-show. So thumbs up for the red carpet.

First up – meet Chris or “Prince Farming” as we are calling him this season. I really liked Chris during Andi’s season of The Bachelorette and am looking forward to seeing how he does as The Bachelor. It will be interesting to see who he ultimately ends up with (I already know since I read Reality Steve) and to see if it works out in the middle-of-nowhere Iowa.

Let’s talk about some of my favorite looks from the red carpet. First up is my favorite, Michelle Money. UPDATE: Michelle posted on Instagram that she rented her dress from Rent the Runway and it is the Badgley Mischka Curves for Days Gown ($170). I found two different dress options to recreate her look. The first, a $29.95 find from Sexy Dresses – this “Sabrina” Black Long Strapless Mermaid Evening Dress. The second is this Nicole Miller Felix Techy Crepe Strapless Gown ($365). I found a few different necklaces that are similar to the one Michelle was rocking from H&M (not available). This first is this Circle Bib Necklace by Panacea ($58), the second is this Tiered Baguette Stone Bib Necklace from Express ($49.90) and the third is the Tallulah Bib Necklace ($138) from Stella & Dot:

Michelle was wearing the Pink Velvet lipstick from Lime Crime Makeup ($20).

I loved Clare Crawley’s look. Her BCBGMAXAZRIA Locket of Lace Gown is classic. You can rent it for $125 at Rent the Runway. If you want a dress for your very own, I found this similar Tadashi Shoji Colorblock Lace Bodice Ruched Gown ($418):

Chris Harrison interviews the former Bachelor/Bachelorette couples including Catherine/Sean, Lacy/Marcus and Andi/Josh. So we all know now that Andi and Josh ended their relationship shortly after this aired. Reality Steve called this one for a while and it doesn’t surprise me. I wanted her to pick Nick last season – I never thought that Josh was as into her as Nick was. But you never really know. I loved Andi’s dress, which she made on the plane!

I found this similar James & Joy Poncho Dress ($54.40):

I thought Nikki Ferrell did a great job of keeping it classy on the red carpet. She didn’t say anything negative about her breakup with Juan Pablo and I respect her for that. She looked amazing though – there were a lot of articles about her new boobs, but if I just got new boobs I would have probably shown them off too. I have two dress options to recreate her look – a Zac Posen Tanya Knit BodyCon Dress ($490) and a Charlotte Russe Plunging BodyCon Dress with Slit ($24.99). She also wore the Showgirl Fringe Crystal Strand Necklace ($54).

Now onto the show!

They really focused on Chris’ background as a farmer and I think this was important for the audience to know that he needs to find a girl that will fit in with his lifestyle in Iowa. I have a feeling that some of the women we will see this season won’t want to move to middle-of-nowhere Iowa and be a farmer’s wife.

Here are a few notable looks from the first night:

Britt Nilsson, 27, Waitress from Hollywood, CA

I thought Britt was cute and apparently so did Chris because he gave her the first kiss and the first impression rose! She mentioned on her Instagram page that her dress was less than $100 and her lipstick was from the drugstore. I found a similar look with this XSCAPE Gemstone Embellished Gown ($229):

Whitney Bischoff, 29, Fertility Nurse, Chicago, IL

Whitney has a classic look, with a bubbly personality. I love that she is a fertility nurse. She seems very genuine, which is abnormal for The Bachelor. I liked her little black dress here and found this similar Sleeveless Mesh Iconic Black Sheath Dress from White House Black Market ($160):

Amber James, 29, Bartender, Chicago, IL

I wasn’t too swayed by Amber one way or the other, but I liked her Rebecca Taylor Frayed Strapless Gown (sold out). You can rent this similar Rebecca Taylor Meteor Shower Gown for $70 and I also liked this Erin Fetherston Gisele Metallic Spotted Sweetheart Gown ($148.75):

Tara Edding, 26, Sport Fishing Enthusiast, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

When I first watched the show, I thought it was sort of weird that Chris kept Tara after she got drunk the first night. After watching her one-on-one time with Chris in the deleted scene below, it is pretty obvious that she received a bad edit and the show played up her antics. It makes a lot more sense why Chris kept her after seeing that. She looked smokin in her little black dress! This American Apparel Cotton Spandex Jersey Double U-Neck Long Sleeve Mini Dress ($44) is similar:

Becca Tilley, 25, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA

Becca was very welcoming and seems sweet, I’m sure she will go far. I thought this Warehouse Scatter Sequin Dress ($104.23) was similar to the dress Becca wore.

Tandra Steiner, 30, Executive Assistant, Sandy, UT

I loved Tandra’s motorcycle entrance. It didn’t hurt that she looked fabulous! This Jovani Lace Gown W/ Deep V Illusion ($710) is similar:

The cocktail party was interesting, mostly because Chris ended up kissing Britt and giving her the first impression rose. I think that might be a first – a kiss on the first night! Obviously, Britt will be the girl to watch out for.

At the rose ceremony Amanda, Bo, Brittany, Kara, Michelle, Nicole, Reegan and Kimberly did not receive a rose and were sent home. Except that Kimberly decided to pull another Bachelor first and didn’t want to leave. They left it as a cliffhanger so we will see what happens next week.

Here are some additional deleted scenes that didn’t make it into the episode:

This is an extra introduction scene with Chris at the Iowa State Fair:

This deleted scene had me puzzled as we see more of Ashley S. weird behavior:

In this scene, Kaitlin raps about her childhood:

This deleted scene shows Tara talking to Chris about fishing and giving him a gift – it explains why he kept her:

I enjoy reading Bachelor spoilers and if you are interested in finding out what happens in advance you can check out Reality Steve for more information.

If you missed the Week One Premiere you can watch it online here.

Chris Soules posted his first Bachelor blog on People here.

Chris Harrison posted his Week One blog here.

Former Bachelor contestant, Sharleen Joynt posted her thoughts here.

Former Bachelorette, Desiree Hartsock offered her insights on Week One here.

Some of you may remember Zak Waddell from Desiree’s season. His sister, Carly is vying for Chris’ heart this season and he is posting his recaps on Desiree’s blog here.

Former Bachelorette, Jillian Harris is blogging this season here.

To catch up on Jason & Molly Mesnick’s podcast, click here.

For more Bachelor/Bachelorette posts, click here.

Filed Under: Bachelor, Fashion, TV Tagged With: Chris Harrison, Chris Soules, Clare Crawley, Michelle Money, Nikki Ferrell, The bachelor

January Fun

January 11, 2015 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to the Henry Ford Museum for this exhibit and Buddy’s Pizza is a client of the firm I work for. All opinions are 100% my own.

I mentioned in my Be the Best You in 2015 post that I wanted to have more fun in 2015 and go on more dates with John. I started off my January with a great fun-filled weekend and wanted to share it with you.

I decided that I wanted to try out new fun brunch places this year, so when John headed out to work on a Saturday, I called up one of my friends to try the brunch at One Eyed Betty’s in Ferndale. I had been meaning to try their brunch for a long time and it seemed like the perfect day to do it.

I was pleasantly surprised when my Bloody Mary came with a side car of Ghettoblaster (this is a beer from Motor City Brewing Works)! It was a good Bloody Mary too! I had the Cotswold and Chives.

On Sunday, I planned a double date with our friends Brittany and Dave to see the Gridiron Glory exhibit at The Henry Ford Museum. Since the Lions were in the playoffs, we figured it would be a great opportunity to get the boys together for a football themed date. The boys were in heaven in the exhibit, there was so much football paraphernalia for them to check out and we had a lot of fun taking pictures. (The exhibit has more stops in 2015/2016 in case you are interested you can check out the link).

Brittany and I wanted to be one of the crowd…

The boys are checking out the grips of their favorite players:

We found the Vince Lombardi Trophy (designed by Tiffany!):

You could also go into the booth and make your own call, which was really neat:

John and Dave were checking out the gear the players had to wear. I got into these too and they were not comfortable. I don’t know how the players do it!

We had a lot of fun watching the guys get so excited about all of the football stuff. Then we headed over to Buddy’s Pizza to get some food and watch the Lions lose in the playoffs:

This was such a great football-themed date, we had a blast! I can’t wait to have more fun weekends like this in 2015!

I would love to hear about your favorite brunch spots or date ideas below.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: brunch, Buddy's Pizza, Date, Football, The Henry Ford Museum

Be the Best You in 2015

January 3, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 3 Comments

Happy New Year!

When I started this series last year, I said, “2013 was a year of preparation, getting us ready for what’s to come in 2014. I’m looking forward to 2014 to bring us a new home, a puppy and maybe even a baby!”

We don’t have a puppy or a baby, but we do have a fabulous new house that I cannot wait to move into!

You also may have noticed that I didn’t finish any of my Be the Best You projects in 2014 – I am still working on all of them. This is a common theme in my life, I LOVE to start new projects and the majority of the time I never finish them. The one thing that has been consistent is this blog. I am really proud of myself for keeping this blog going for a year and a half. My goal in 2014 is to finish all of the old projects I have started and to see any new projects all the way through to completion.

Aside from that resolution/goal, I find that most of the time I am always working on something, whether it be work, or teaching, or this blog, etc. I rarely take time out to just do nothing or relax, so in 2015 I want to find the fun!

Aside from finishing my projects, I want to spend more time with friends and family doing fun things, like brunch, happy hour or general merrymaking. Once we move into the new house I want to host more parties and start having weekly family and/or friend dinners.

I also want to spend more time this year “dating” my husband. I’ve noticed that most of our quality time consists of us watching TV and interacting with our various devices (laptop, iPad, iPhone, etc.). I want to do more fun and exciting things that keep the spark alive. The Dating Divas have some amazing ideas that I hope to use this year.

I plan to document all of my fun right here on this blog, which I hope inspires you to go out and have some fun in 2015.

What are your New Year’s Resolutions for 2015?

You find more posts in this series here.

Filed Under: Be the Best You, Be the Best You in 2015 Tagged With: Be the Best You, Finish What you start

50 Shades of Grey Makeup Sets

December 29, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 4 Comments

Make Up For Ever recently launched the 50 Shades of Grey makeup sets inspired by 50 Shades of Grey Makeup Department Head, Victoria Down. They released a great interview that gives you more details about how she created the different looks for Anastasia Steele.

Victoria Down, courtesy of Make Up For Ever

If you’ve read the books, you know that Anastasia’s style evolves throughout the story starting with a natural look and moving to a more sophisticated look as her relationship with Christian develops. Victoria had to create a transformation from natural to more sultry using Make Up For Ever products. The good news is that you can get these looks yourself before the movie is released on Valentine’s Day.

There are four different kits in this collection, a makeup kit, a cheek set and two lip sets.

Give In To Me Makeup Kit ($79)

This kit includes an Artist Shadow palette, Graphic eyeliner, Smoky Extravagant mascara, Rouge Artist Natural lipstick, Lab Shine lip gloss and an exclusive keepsake box.

Desire Me Cheek Set ($49)

This set includes three cheeky Artist Shadow blush shades, Artisan Powder Brush and a velvet keepsake pouch.

Tease Me Lip Set ($32)

This comes in two different colors, passionate and innocent. They each come with an Aqua Lip lip pencil, Aqua Rouge lipstick and Lab Shine lip gloss.

Each of these sets contains Victoria’s tips on how to use the products and recreate the looks yourself. Which of these will you be picking up?

For more beauty posts, click here.

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: 50 Shades of Grey, 50 Shades of Grey makeup, Make Up For Ever, Victoria Down

Splurge vs. Steal: Mulberry Double Breasted Coat

December 28, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 5 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that I am in love with the Duchess of Cambridge’s style. Her recent trip to New York City didn’t disappoint. From meeting Beyonce and Jay-Z to touring the September 11th Memorial and Museum, William and Kate made the most of their trip. I am an avid follower of What Kate Wore and was thrilled when they identified the hot pink coat that Kate wore to the September 11th Memorial. What I loved about this color was that it feels like a total nod to the American girl style. It was the perfect piece to wear in New York.

What makes this look even better is that Kate is around five months pregnant. I wonder if the pink is a nod to a little princess? Only time will tell. Kate is wearing the Mulberry Double Breasted Coat in Cerise. The coat was originally $2,600 and has now dropped to $1,300. Mulberry posted this video so you can see how the coat flows in person.

To get this look for less, I found this Isaac Mizrahi coat in Pink Raspberry on clearance for only $64.42! I thought this was a great match and you can’t beat the price! I especially like how the collar is so similar. The one thing I would do is change out the buttons to match the horn buttons on Kate’s version. If you check out the product video on QVC, the pink looks a little darker than it does in the picture. I am a big fan of how many size options QVC has for this coat. Everyone can have it!

Do you have a splurge that you want me to find a steal for? Let me know in the comments. Or let me know if you find another steal for this Mulberry Coat.

For more Splurge vs. Steal posts, click here.

Filed Under: Fashion, Splurge vs. Steal Tagged With: hot pink coat, Isaac Mizrahi, Kate Middleton, Mulberry, pink coat, splurge vs. steal

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