Can't Leave Home Without It...

Hola,

How are all my fashionistas doing? Here's hoping you all are having a great evening or a great morning/afternoon if it's already a new day in your area. My day was pretty exhausting but not too bad.

So I was a busy bee last week and posted not one but THREE new blogs in a row. How about that? Go ahead and applaud while I take a bow and pat myself on the back for a job well done. :D ... Did everybody read those three posts? If you haven't, please check them out after you read this one. I added some great information about fashion for the season in "What's Trending ... Fall/Winter 2013" plus the beauty issue "Beauty Trends ... Fall/Winter 2013" and last, a very important post on a human rights topic for Blog Action Day. I chose to write about bullying because I feel it's a very important cause especially in our schools with our young kids. Too many of them are suffering and some cases turn tragic. We need to put an end to this and save our children. Go on and read them all and let me know what you think. You all know how much I love feedback and comments so don't be afraid to voice your opinion.

On that note, in trying to keep up with my "editorial calendar," I decided to post a short blog with a little fashion tidbit and ask you to participate. We all know that there are times when we cannot or do not wish to carry a huge handbag around. Say perhaps you're going out dancing, attending a wedding or attending an award show (hey it could happen); you usually have to opt for a small clutch bag or a wristlet. My question is on that night out on the town: What are the essential items you'd carry in a small bag? The items that you KNOW you will need and CANNOT leave the house without?

  

I went out this past Saturday and had to use a small bag due to the occasion. So this made me curious about what are the items that most women tend to put in their tiny little bags when going out. What is it that they absolutely cannot leave behind? The wristlet in the photo above is one of my favorites because it is not too small so I can fit a few extra things, and it is the one I chose to use on my night out this weekend. I purchased it at my favorite store: Express. So when I have to leave the house with a tiny bag like this one, my must-haves are the following (aside from cash, credit card and ID):

- My keys

- Cell Phone

- Lip Liner and Lip Gloss

- A retractable blush brush w/some powder to reapply

- Travel sized lotion

- Tissues

- Asthma Inhaler

- Candy/Gum

Yes, all of the above fits perfectly in my little wristlet from Express. I've tested it many times, and there's a little room to spare... I make it work! ;)

So there you have it my darlings. The items in the above list are my go to picks to carry with me wherever I go. Anything else can stay at home. If you can only pick what you think is most essential to take with you, what would you choose? Share your choices below. Let's turn this post into a fun game. For the fellas, you can join in too. What are your must-haves when you go out to hang with the guys or for a hot date with that special lady? I know for the fellas it's way less than for us gals, but let us know regardless. I know the inquiring minds of women everywhere would like to know. That being said, you all know the deal... Comment below and let's see how many of us have favorite items in common that we love and cannot leave the house without. Go! #engage

Once again, thank you for stopping by my "Open Closet."

Until next time my loves.

Gracias,

AnnaCris <3

Rise Up Against ... BULLYING!

Hello everyone,

This post will be a bit different than my usual...

Today is Blog Action Day. What is Blog Action Day you might ask...? Well, it's a day that brings bloggers from different countries together to blog about one important global topic on the same day. I found out about this last night and was excited that I was just in time to register my blog to participate. This year's topic is focused on Human Rights. Bloggers around the world can choose a human rights topic that is important to them and share their thoughts. I chose to write about something that continues to break my heart whenever I hear stories about this... I chose to write about BULLYING!

One of the most common types of bullying happens in schools with young kids. However, bullying can also happen at home, in the workplace, in relationships, etc. It can consist of one-on-one bullying or a group against one person and the behavior is repeated. Bullying, as defined by some, consists of emotional, verbal and/or physical abuse. The "bully" shows aggressive behaviors towards someone they feel they have power over by using different forms of intimidation and harassment.

Bullying can rob a person of so many feelings, choices and it interferes with a person's human rights on many levels. Bullying strips a person of almost everything that is positive like their dignity, their sense of well-being, hope, happiness, joy, security, peace of mind, freedom and any reason to enjoy their lives. It causes a person to live in fear, even in fear for their lives. It causes depression and many health issues that may sometimes be irreparable. By no means am I an expert on this subject, but I will give you my personal take and feelings and why I feel this strong need to speak out against it. I'd like to focus on BULLYING in schools because this is affecting our children of the world.

"Last night I read yet another article where a 12 year old girl committed suicide because of bullying from girls at her school. The bullying was not only at school but with the explosion of social media she was being sent awful text messages as well as being harassed on the networks. So not only was this happening during the six to seven hours that she attended school, but just when she could be looking forward to going home so this could end for the day, the torment continued by phone and social media. How in the world could this young lady ever find peace of mind? I'm sure her sense of security even at home was non-existent. Her mother finally took her out of school and began home schooling her but the bullying did not stop. The text messages escalated from bad to worse to the point where one even said "go kill yourself."  Sadly, that is exactly what she did. When she could no longer take this nonstop abuse, she thought her only way out was to jump to her death..."

The heartbreak, anger and sadness I felt while reading this article last night was profound. So many questions went through my mind. Questions that have no logical answers:

WHY? I asked myself this question repeatedly. Why such a senseless, unnecessary tragedy of a young life just starting out. Why was this allowed to go on for so long - over a year?

HOW? How in the world can this type of behavior be allowed to continue without any consequences?

WHERE? Where are the parents of these bullies? What are they teaching them as they grow? What is their home life like that they feel the need to go out into the world and torment others that have nothing to do with what they're going through? Where are the adults in these situations to put a stop to this?

WHAT? What is being done to finally end this type of behavior? These are OUR YOUNG for heaven’s sake, the future of our world!

Does ANYBODY have the answers to any of these questions? Does ANYBODY care?

The repercussions of BULLYING in schools are endless. The way this type of aggression affects the victim is immense. It prevents them from wanting to go to school first off. Even if they do go, they cannot focus on learning and getting the education that they rightly deserve. The bullied victim can become violent in later years whether it's anger issues or becoming physically violent themselves. Living in fear every day is not healthy for anyone let alone a young child. Speaking of health... How about the onset of depression, suicidal thoughts, the young lady in the article even began cutting herself, it can cause poor appetite or over-eating, problems with the nervous system, anxiety, panic attacks, the list can go on...

Something needs to be done to save our children. To give them back their rights as human beings to live freely, securely and to just enjoy their young lives. School is a place meant to learn and expand your mind. To make friends and to have people that you can turn to for help not a place where you dread going to because someone or a few people are making your life a living hell. The world needs to stand together and find ways to prevent more senseless deaths, to prevent more kids with health issues and children who are just unhappy because of their situation.

While there are a few organizations that focus on anti-bullying, I personally feel that it has to start in the home. Parents have to try and pay more attention to what their kids are doing. If you notice that your child has aggressive tendencies, find out why and get your child help early on. If your child is the shy type, teach them that there are ways for them to defend themselves and not accept any type of harassment towards them. Talk to the teachers, visit the schools, check their phones, pay attention to who their friends are, talk to other parents and in this technological world of social media, see what they're doing on their computers. Tell your kids the importance of showing respect, being kind, having empathy and just being nice to others so that the same can be given in return to them. If I were a parent, I would certainly do all the above as my single mother did with me. Again, I am no expert in this matter I'm just someone whose heart breaks every time I hear these stories and am anxious to find a solution. Someone who wishes more was being done to avoid this ongoing problem. I do not stand for this type of behavior from anyone and never have.

As a united front, let's try and do more. If you know someone is being bullied, stand up for them. ONE person that does this can make a difference. Bullies are usually cowards so the moment someone steps up, they usually back off. Rather than just shake our heads and then forget, let's all try to find a better way to let our children of the world know that they have a right to live free of fear, to attend school and get the education they deserve without being harassed and most important, that suicide is NOT the answer. There is always a way out if they only seek help early enough. They should not be afraid to speak up and find somebody who is willing to listen and to help them. If they're not comfortable going to a parent, let them know that they can find another adult who they trust and let that person know the situation they're in. There are many ways that we can all pitch in. If we all make an effort, we can make the world a better place for our beautiful children because these children are our future. When we're gone, they will be the ones teaching their kids what a beautiful world this is free of the word BULLY! Let's all take a stand to end this kind of treatment so our children can flourish into what they were meant to be. I for one am going to take a stand to do more and participate more in any way I can to help put a stop to this issue. Do you?

Thank you for listening. These are my personal opinions and were not intended to offend anyone. If you have any suggestions on this topic, please feel free to comment respectfully below. Maybe you have gone through this yourself or know of someone who has and has gotten through it. I would love it if you shared your story. It could enlighten me and others on what more we can do to help. So by all means, please leave a comment and let's start a conversation on how to end BULLYING, and make this a better place for our children.

Thank you again,

-AnnaCris

Beauty Trends ... Fall/Winter 2013

Hola,

Well hello again my dears. How are you all doing and how was your day? Mine was pretty good. It was a beautiful fall day in NYC and I loved it. I hope wherever you find yourselves at this moment that you also had or are having a good day.

So as you may know because I'm hoping that you've already read it, last night I posted the "What's Trending ... Fall/Winter 2013" fashion edition. If you haven't read it yet, please go and check it out. I'm sure you'll like it. Anyway, this morning as I'm riding the train to work, I got to thinking... I said to myself why not write a second post about fall/winter 2013 beauty trends. I mean we all love to dress up in the best there is, but what is a great outfit if your hair isn't just right and your makeup isn't absolutely radiant? The answer... It's blah! Beauty routines play an important part in our overall appearance so even if you're wearing an incredible outfit, if your hair and makeup aren't up to par, your outfit will not shine. Therefore, as a result of all this thinking, I got excited because those thoughts led me to tonight's post; which meant that I’d write two consecutive posts as opposed to slacking off and posting every few weeks as I've been doing lately. I know, shame on me! ;)

In any case, I rushed home tonight and I combed through many images along with fashion and beauty sites to bring you the beauty trends that I feel stood out the most on the fall 2013 runways. Keep in mind that every designer chooses their own makeup looks and hairstyles to complement their designs but usually in the end, it turns out that there are many similarities among all of the shows. So without further ado again...

Let's get started...

MAKEUP TRENDS

RED LIPS: Red lips were popular for this season which I love because it's my go to color. When wearing red whether it's matte or with shine, the rest of your makeup should be subtle so as not to take away from the sexiness of that gorgeous shade of red.

WINE STAINED LIPS: If you're not big on red, try a wine color instead or any berry color. The preferred tone on the runways was a matte finish but hey if you want to shine, go with just a little bit of lip gloss. Keep your eye makeup nude to complete your look because again, the lip color will be the focus.

SMOKY EYES: Definitely "IN" this season. However, it is my opinion that the smoky eye should never be out. It is so sexy and glamorous if done correctly. Be careful and do not go overboard as the result could be what we like to call "raccoon eyes."

Here is a smoky eye done with purple eye shadow. This look is great for those of us with caramel or darker skin... So lovely!

PURPLE SHADOW: I've always been a fan of purple shadow, mostly the darker shades. This season the brownish purple was popular at some of the shows like my favorite man, Oscar de la Renta, also at Max Mara and Gucci. I'm in love with the luminescent look in the photo below. The darker shade of purple goes well with every skin tone.

LONG EYELASHES: Just gorgeous! Long lashes define glamour and they are so trending this season. I have to gloat just a little bit because my eyelashes are naturally super long, top and bottom! I hardly need to use mascara. Yeah! :) ... Okay I'm done. As I was saying, long lashes are hot. I love the look below because her dark lashes are the center of attention while the rest of her makeup is subtle, almost transparent.

PINK BLUSH: The girly, sweet look as I like to call it... Just add a light dusting on your cheeks to give your face that rosy, dewy glow and you'll look like perfection this season. Add a touch of lip gloss to complete your look but not too much as you want this look to appear effortless and barely there.

BOLD BROWS:  Yes! I'm so happy about this look because my brows have always been bold and full. If you like this style, you should start growing out your brows right about now. My brows are also a bit long so I keep them from getting bushy by trimming the ends and applying a tiny bit of vitamin E oil and using an eyebrow comb to keep the brows smooth through the day.

Other trends in makeup this season were cat eyes, orange shadow, nude lips and metallic liner.

HAIR TRENDS

THE SIDE BRAID: From the moment I saw this look I fell in love. I'm so happy that my hair is long enough to pull off this style. You can go with the messy braid as in the photo below or nice and neat. As I mentioned in my previous post, you can also wear a side braid when wearing a beanie or slouchy hat. All in all, braids in any style are in but this is my favorite.

LOOSE WAVES: This look is super girly and so sexy. It can be pulled off even if you have short hair so go on and give a try. Loose waves go with any outfit from casual to glamorous so go ahead and rock that hair!

LONG SIDE BANGS: Very pretty and sleek. If you have longer bangs in front, part your hair on the side and sweep it on over and behind your ear to get this look. You can leave the back loose or put it up in a ponytail, braid it or even tie it up into a messy bun. This is a cute and versatile look. My bangs are shorter now, but they should grow out in a few weeks so I'm going to try this. :)

LOW PONYTAIL: No caption necessary. This look never really goes out of style. The ponytail also goes great with any outfit and you can vary between sleek and neat, messy, high up and bouncy or low on the nape. You cannot go wrong with any style you choose.

MESSY BUN: Chic! While I'm not really one to put my hair in a bun, I really like this look and may try it. This goes great with red lips as shown below... It's also one of those styles that works fabulously when going out on the town or dressing for work and/or a business meeting.

...And last but not least:

SUPER STRAIGHT: Again, this look requires no caption. It's beautiful, classic and never goes out of style. A super straight short bob is so glamorous if you have short hair.

Other trending hairstyles were the sleeked back look off the face as shown in photo number four, punk hairdos in colors like pink or blue, and hair with lots and lots of volume.

- The End -

So there you have it love bugs. Once again, it was hard to pick just a few because there were so many great choices. This season is full of diversity and extremes. You can go from bold and intense to natural and sweet; from messy hair to sleeked back and neat. It's really your choice. With the exception of a few, I plan to try most of these out this season. I'm in the mood to change things up and have some fun. Will you? Are you willing to try something completely out of your element and see how it turns out? I say go for it because you never know if you might like it and will choose to stick to it at least until spring. Plus we all know how much fun it is to go shopping for new makeup.

My goal with this beauty issue was to give you an array of new ideas to try. I know most of us find a beauty routine and stick to that, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to change things up. Go for that bold smoky eye, those super red lips, maybe try the nude, barely there look on a Saturday afternoon, try that messy bun on a night out on the town and then mix it up the next day with volumes whether it's curls or loose waves. You all should know what's coming next.... "Play with it," your hair and makeup choices, and choose what "works best for you" but don't dismiss the chance to have fun and be daring. Go ahead and try it then come back and let us all know how your new beauty routine worked out for you. Take some photos and post them in the comment section because I'd love to see the outcome.

As always, if you have suggestions or ideas or would like to share some of your beauty habits with the rest of us, you all know the deal... please feel free to comment below. Let's start a conversation on how to make us look and feel more sexy and beautiful than we already are. Go! #engage

Once again, thank you for stopping by my "Open Closet."

Until next time my loves.

Gracias,

AnnaCris <3

*The pictures in this blog are not my own. They were borrowed from Google Images. Please contact me if any of the above photos are yours and you'd like them removed from this blog.

What's Trending? ... Fall/Winter 2013

Hola,

How are all my fashionistas doing? I know it's been a while since we've connected, but here I am. I hope life has been treating you great, and that you are all preparing yourselves to look fabulous this season. While I have not been posting any new blogs, I have about six in the works that I've been working on simultaneously so I'm hoping to complete all of them soon. Sometimes I just get stuck on how I want to word things so I leave it until I find my way and I move on to another. Haa I know, multitasking at its finest but darn that writer's block! :)

So my favorite season has begun: FALL! I adore these next few months because the fashion is so wonderful. Even though the weather is not that cold, you can still wear sweaters, hoodies, jackets, scarves, hats and my number one favorite: boots! There is just something in the air that calls for the elegance and classiness of dressing up to honor this beautiful time of the year. Beginning with the outfit and accessories, and adding the outerwear with the classic coats, the shoes and not to mention the mix of delightful colors. Even the leaves feel the need to cater to the season with their change from green to orange, yellow, brown and red giving the world a charming hue. It's no wonder many of us are in love with this lovely time of every year.

On that note, I wanted to discuss the fall/winter 2013 trends and give everyone an idea on what's hot this season. I've gone through many photos and designer's websites to pick and choose all the cool trends. There was so much variety this season. Pants, dresses and skirts (short, knee length and below the knee) ...oh my! There were coats, sweaters, shoes and boots. Also, great accessories and wonderful colors that lit up the runways. I was in fashion heaven! It was hard to choose just a few to show, but I hope these will give you an idea on what to shop for.

Let's get started:

WINTER WHITE: I laugh at whoever says you cannot wear white after Labor Day. Gone are those days. White was all over the fall 2013 runways. There were coats, tops, skirts, pants and even shoes. The runways look so beautiful and so calm. Just check out the photo below. Don't be afraid to go all white. You'll look so classy and elegant. Go for several pieces in white and wear them all as shown below or mix with colors.

PLAID: This pattern made an appearance in many runways. The trendiest were coats and pants. I adore the coat in the photo below because of the wonderful fall colors that were mixed. You can be bold and combine your plaid item with another print or let it shine on its own with a solid color. Either way, plaid is in! Other popular prints were pinstripes and houndstooth.

OVER-SIZED COATS: Also rocking the runways were over-sized coats in a variety of lengths, colors and prints. Coats are on my list of weaknesses so I am definitely investing in one of these. I'm in love with the idea of a plaid over-sized coat and I also adore the short capelet version in the photo below... hmmm. The belted version is great for both slim and curvy ladies as they give both shapes a different kind of contour. Over-sized coats are great for those of us who like to layer and wear bulky sweaters.

TURTLENECKS: These were very popular for this season. In the photo below you can see that "layering" look I was referring to above. Also, you don't really need to use a scarf although I certainly would. The scarf can be your accessory. I'd go with a printed one in bold colors. You can also layer a fitted turtleneck under an over-sized sweater for those blustery days, under a short biker leather jacket or with a blouse.

*The photo below is great because it shows so much of what's in for the season. Check out the beautifully tailored coats, bright turtlenecks, boots, leather and velvet to name a few, as well as the trendy colors: black, brown, orange and white.

THIGH HIGH BOOTS: They were everywhere. Boots! Oh how I love thee... If you don't already know, boots are my number one weakness. If I can find a pair of fitted thigh highs, you can bet that I will be rocking a pair this season. These boots go great with skirts and jeans. Unless you're going to a club to dance the night away, I'd stay away from wearing them with mini-skirts because well you know....

KNEE HIGH BOOTS: Do I really need to caption? I feel like knee high boots will always be "in." You can invest in any style: Flats, wedges and heels or all of the above. Go for it!

The IT color of the season was...

GREEN: This color was used by almost every designer. Emerald green was the winning color, but anything in between goes as well. Green believe it or not, can be mixed with several unlikely colors. Don't be afraid to go out of the ordinary. You'll be surprised.

Other colors that the runways made popular were deep purple, dark blue, bold orange and red, dark gray, brown as well as white and black. You've got variety this season so take advantage of it and have some fun. You can also add your favorites to this list and incorporate them into your new wardrobe.

SLOUCHY PANTS: Although I'm still not sure how I feel about these pants because the majority were high-waisted and I'm more of a low-rise kind of girl, the slouchy pant was popular with designers. As seen below, you can pair with a fitted or loose top and even a blazer. This style looks great with heels or flats for comfort.

LEATHER: Let's be honest, will leather ever really go out of style? Coats, biker jackets, skirts and if you're bold enough, pants. I love that designers did not stick with black but went with bold and bright colors.

And last but not least, the cutest accessory...

BEANIE HATS: I adore these oh so cute hats. I love the slouchy ones too, and I actually bought an adorable one which I will post in my next "look book" series. Beanies look great with a casual look as well as with a cute short or a maxi dress. They can be worn whether you have short or long hair and even with a side braid for a sexy look. Plus, let's not forget that they can keep your pretty little head nice and warm on those cold days and nights. 

- The End -

So there you have it mis amores. It was hard to pick just a few because there were so many great choices. However, these more or less will give you an idea on what's trending for this fall/winter season. You can always add your own touch of what you like and mix it up with the above suggestions. You know two of my favorite phrases are "play with it" and "find what's best for you." Don't forget to accessorize with pretty scarves, over-sized watches, large sunglasses and a great pair of gloves.

I hope I've helped you make your decisions on what to wear for the cold weather. I wish you all a wonderful season, may you all be the best dressed in the crowd and the ones turning all the heads. Most importantly however, don't forget to stay warm while you're looking fabulous. Even more so, stop in and have some delicious hot cocoa or a caramel macchiato at your local coffee shop and show off that spectacular fall outfit. Oh yeah! :).

As always, if you have your own ideas and would like to share, you all know the deal... please comment below and let's have a conversation and help each other look like the fantastic fashionistas we all are. Go! #engage

Once again, thank you for stopping by my "Open Closet."

Until next time my loves.

Gracias,

AnnaCris <3

*The pictures in this blog are not my own. They were borrowed from Google Images. Please contact me if any of the above photos are yours and you'd like them removed from this blog.