metal nails

I’m sure you have spotted the newest rage in finger nail polishes – metal nails. Celebrities such as Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Victoria Beckham have been showing their sassy side with this newest trend.

Yes – celebrities always get to try the fun stuff first… but where can I get my hands on some of these awesome shiny nails? That’s what I wanted to find out. I did some light research and found that these ‘metal nails’ are actually called Minx Nails. You have to find a salon near you who is certified to apply these ultra-chic, fabulous colors.

You can get metallic or even patterns. I really want the gold ones! I did a search to see if anyone around here (Kentucky) did this type of thing… and I came up with some bad news. The closest places who will do this are in Ohio or Tennessee. Ugh.

HOWEVER, my friend Meredith found a cheaper alternative and one that didn’t require her to travel anywhere! She has been wearing Steel-ing the Scene by Essie and is getting a similiar look.

If you do decide to bite the bullet, travel, and spend some extra cash… I thought you might want to know what to expect. The salon will apply a sheet (with adhesive) to your nail with heat. It is apparently a no muss, no fuss kinda thing. It will run you anywhere from $40 and up.

Let me know if you have any ‘metal nail polish’ I should know about!

lola gem

Ladies… I have found some INCREDIBLE jewelry online – for INCREDIBLE prices! With the holidays coming up, I have been on the hunt for some fun and fantastic gifts… and LOLA GEM is one great place!

I recently got a little package in the mail from LOLA GEM and let me just tell ya – exquisite! The packaging is even incredible!! Another amazing tid-bit? The chains are 22K gold plated and the silver chains are silver plated.

I have been emailing the owner and jewelry creator, Allison, and here is what she said:

 “The whole jewelry thing came about a few years ago when I was going through an old box of stuff and I found a couple of strands to this bracelet I bought years ago.  I searched online to see if I could buy another one of these amazing little creations but had no luck, so, I decided to try and make the other strands myself.  It was a success!  Not only did I have my favorite bracelet back but I found a new passion for jewelry making.  I know your probably wondering-  where are all  bracelets?   Well, as I got more involved in creating jewelry, I wanted something that was a little more meaningful to people, something personal,  so I began creating necklaces and rings.”

I asked her about her inspiration…

“I like to make jewelry based on the type of people I see and meet.  It’s so interesting to me to see who picks what necklace or ring because in some way that reflects who they are. I feel that jewelry should be personal so in my pieces I use a lot of charms and gem stones.  Charms can tell you a lot about whats close to peoples hearts and it can give you a little glimpse into their personality.  I have had an obsession with gem stones for a while now and I particularly love how each piece is different.  Since each stone in unique in its own right my pieces will never be identical and I love that! It all depends upon what inspires me at the time!”

Click here to check out her awesome jewlery! –> Lola Gem

arm yourself

My friend, Meredith, had on some amazing bracelets the other day… and of course, I wanted them all! My personal favorite was the one that is the leather wrap. Incredible. The brand is ‘sleeveless’ and they run about $95.

At first I was turned off by the price tag… until I tried it on and felt the leather. I knew I had to have whatever was touching my skin. It is also very versatile – you can wrap it to make a bracelet or rock it as a necklace – I even thought that you could clip something fun into the clasp – a pendant perhaps, to change it up.

Check em out on their website!

www.wearsleeveless.com

Meredith let me know that she is planning on grabbing up the ‘Adina’ necklace next!

(These items are sold locally in Louisville at the Dressing Room.)

fit of the week

A fellow blogger, life-long lover of fashion, and new fabulous friend, Myrna, has been kind enough to share some of her amazing finds with us!

Myrna’s blog, My Beat Boutique, is super fun and full of great fashion finds! Hope that you all LOVE it as much as I do!!   🙂

http://mybeatboutique.blogspot.com/

Myrna breaks down her fit for us… 

Thrifted top – (was long sleeve and really long) $2.49

Jeans – J Crew (got them on sale for,  are you ready for this…)  –  $14.99

Wedges – Urban Oufitters – $39

Scarf – gift from my mister when he ported in Spain – FREE!

Handbag- old Banana Republic (have had it for about 3 years)

Glasses – Rayban

Leopard coat- Forever 21 – $19.99

Tank – J Crew – $6.99

Red Slacks – Express (about 3-4 years ago) – $19.99,

Heels – Nine West – $39.99

Bag – Vintage – $35

 Thanks Myrna and My Beat Boutique!

sunless tanning

Once  upon a time, I would regularly visit the tanning bed (gasp). I couldn’t help myself – I loved having a little color to my skin. You see, when I was a wee one I had strawberry-blonde hair and we all know how redheads tan – we don’t. We freckle and burn, only to become ghostly white once again.

So  when I discovered the magic of the tanning bed and how you could SLOWLY but surely build a tan, I was all over it.  Only it wasn’t so great… My skin started to look leathery and my freckles tripled. I love the freckles but leathery skin? I think not…

So I hit up the NEXT best thing – the spray tan. Back in the dark ages they had something called the Mystic Tan – and I was addicted. A few sprays in a booth and viola! Instant tan. However, looking back over some photos I realized I looked more like the ‘great pumpkin.‘ Orange and me do not mix. Exhibit A to the left…

Next up was the Versa Spa – the newest thing in sunless tanning. I LOVED it. I would hit it up once a week and would order up the ‘dark tinted’ mixture to be saturated with. I love this and still do – but it’s costly. Exhibit B to the right…

Being on a budget meant that the weekly spray tan I wanted so much couldn’t happen as often as I would like… so I considered the infamously BAD tanning lotions. I tried many, many kinds and brands but my all time favorite? Loreal Sublime Bronze. Its AMAZING. Seriously. I do not even hit up the spray tans any more – just slap on a little of this and I’m ready for a night out!

It is tinted so that you can see exactly where you have put it and if there will be streaks or not. I like the medium color and prefer the gel instead of the lotion – but both work well. It dries quickly and gives you a little extra color right out of the gate. After a few hours on the skin you have a beautiful, natural-looking tan! It’s about $10 a bottle but the bottle will last me over a month – sometimes two.

So in summary – its cheaper than the spray, healthier than the beds, and overall looks better… And you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home!

Tips: wash your hands afterward, exfoliate the bod before application, shave the gams so that the lotion/ gel can spread evenly and smoothly, put lotion on your elbows and knees and ankles before application. (I prefer to do it at night so that I can wake up with a tan, wash off the lotion, and be set for the day.)

Happy Tanning!

fit of the week

The fit of the week is a wave goodbye to summer and big hello to fall… In this ‘fit of the week’ I have paired two different patterns that were in the same colors.

This high-waisted wrap skirt is in a beautiful floral with navy blues, baby pinks and bright teals. The top, snuggly fit, is in matching baby pink with navy blue stripes. This combo is much more interesting than the typical white tank that we all feel comfortable to throw on with a busy skirt such as this…

By picking something else that is patterned, the outfit has more dimension and becomes instantly more interesting. This is an easy thing to do – put down the plain white or black top, and hold up your patterned pants or skirt to your closet – you will be amazed at what will POP out and match!

Top – Forever 21  –  $7

Wrap skirt – Forever 21  –  $22

Sandals  –  Zappos Outlet  –  Kensie brand  –  $12

Remember, they are just clothes… have fun with ’em!

southern belle, city style

A fellow blogger, Kristy, recently asked if she could do a Q & A with me… of course I gladly said yes!

Her blog is called Southern Belle, City Style. How appropriate!

She asks me everything from fashion to blogging to the reality show to my tanning products!

Be sure to check it out!

Click here:    Hadley Hartz on Southern Belle, City Style – Blog Interview

hadley’s reality in the news

I was recently approached by the local Louisville newspaper, the Courier Journal, to be a “Stylemaker” in the Saturday paper… of course I accepted! Below find the link to the article as well as some pictures of my favorite things.

Hope you guys enjoy it!

Courier Journal: Hadley Hartz – Stylemaker Article

hair care

Many of you have been asking by my hair care routine… so here it is!

I have recently been using the horse shampoo and conditioner (Mane ‘n Tail)  from my local grocery store. Yes it is for animals AND humans – and it does wOnDeRs for the locks!

At $6 each you can’t beat the price – and you get HUGE jugs of the stuff. It has made my hair so thick and smooth! The conditioner says is texturizes – which adds body. Truly love…

I am also enjoying the Suave shampoo and conditioner in Rosemary Mint. It smells super yummy, really cleans my hair – leaving it silky smooth. In a previous life I was obsessed with the Aveda shampoo and conditioner that smelled like rosemary mint… until I discovered this version for a fraction of the cost!

I also take vitamins with Biotin for skin, hair and nails. This is a new one for me… I have only been doing this about a month and a half but can already tell a difference! I feel like I have more new hair growing in – plus my nails are stronger than ever – two for one!

I only blow-dry my hair twice a week (all the other days it air dries), I do not brush it when it is wet, and I only straigthen it about once a week – to avoid breakage. All the heat we put on our hair makes it damaged and causes the ‘fly aways’.

Remember to take good care of your locks – they can be the first impression we make on someone. If you have long hair or short hair, curly or straight, a buzz cut or rainbow highlights – it all reflects on you and your fabulous stlye!

halloween and beyond

So Halloween is right around the corner… and we all know what that means – candy, creepy masks, and plastic costumes.

I am SO OVER spending $60 on a Halloween costume, only to wear it once. Not to mention that the outfits are WAY overpriced, they are also super itchy, ill-fitting and frankly, CHEAP looking.

I was recently passing by the Queen of Rags in the Highlands (a really cool little vintage store) when I had a thought… Why not buy an awesome outfit that can play as a costume, not break the bank, and not look like you are wearing something made out of a garbage bag? PLUS you can wear it AGAIN!

If you find the right outfit, makeup and accesories can transform it into a costume – and then you can wear it again – either as an everyday fit or recycle it and make it into something for next Halloween.

Example – buy a cheap wedding dress. One year you can be 1980’s BRIDE – big hair, tons of neon jewelry, hot pink lips, lace gloves with the tips cut off. Next year you can be Elizabeth Taylor – she ony married 8 times (youch). The following year you can be Zombie Bride – rip up the dress, add some blood and dirt and tease up your locks.

With outfits like the ones I saw in the window, you can easily be transformed into: a retro pin-up girl, mod or go-go (think Twiggy), a flapper, Sandra Dee or even Carmen Miranda. You can find old prom dresses and really have fun.

You can find an outfit fom almost every generation and decade: 1960’s flower child, 1970’s hippie, 1980’s punk, or even 1950’s (think MADMEN).

Be sure to check out vintage stores, thrift stores and even your mom’s closet! You might be surprised at what all you can come up with when you have only $10 and huge imagination!

What do you plan on being this Halloween??