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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Best Dressed: Emmys 2014

Hi beauties! Last night the 66th Annual Primetime Emmys took place in Los Angeles celebrating the best of television over the past year. This was an exciting red carpet, and the stars brought their fashion A-game. Red was certainly a theme of the night, as numerous actresses and personalities alike donned the bold color. To me, the winner of the evening was designer Christian Siriano - you'll find a number of his gowns on my best dressed list here - his designs, silhouettes, and tailoring are immaculate! Here are my favorites, let me know who yours were!!

(Photos below provided by stylebistro.com and eonline.com)
 Coming out to support her husband, Matthew McConaughey, Camila Alves wowed in this stunning Zuhair Murad gown.

 Wearing the color of the night, Giuliana Rancic was elegant in her Gustavo Cadile dress. Though, I must say, I prefer her as a brunette rather than a bright blonde - I know summer is the time to have fun with hair color, but fall is just around the corner so let's lock it up ;)

 Sofia Vergara was statuesque in this strapless Roberto Cavalli gown. The dress was tailored to perfection to hug every curve and elongate every line of her figure.

 I will admit that this dress took me a little bit to warm up to, but the more I looked at it, the more it grew on me. At the very least, I LOVE that Kerry Washington never plays it safe with her fashion choices, she's not afraid to take risks on the red carpet and I always look forward to seeing what she wears. The tangerine color complements her skin tone and enhances her already natural glow. PLUS, the woman had a baby 4 months ago. Let me repeat: SHE GAVE BIRTH 4 MONTHS AGO AND LOOKS INCREDIBLE!!!
 
 Lizzy Caplan in Donna Karan Atelier was the first gown of the evening that really blew me away. I love the drama, the cutouts, and lines of the dress. Honestly, even though she didn't take home a trophy, she definitely won the red carpet - gorgeous.

 WILL SOMEONE GIVE AMY AN EMMY ALREADY!?! If you don't already watch Parks & Recreation, (which if you don't I demand you stop everything right now and go to Netflix and begin from Season 1), Poehler is fantastic. Yes, we all know and love her as a comedic actress, but she can definitely do drama as well, and she plays her character, Leslie Knope, with such honesty and earnestness that I'm always captivated by her performance. And she deserves a damn Emmy. Whew, okay, had to get that off my chest! Now, Amy was absolutely beautiful in her metallic silver Theia gown, and her hair and makeup were seriously on point.
 
 While OITNB didn't win tonight (which I'm pretty salty about), Samira Wiley was a winner in this canary yellow Christian Siriano gown. I love the bold color - such a gorgeous pop on the red carpet, plus it shows off her flawless skin! The mermaid cut fit her body to perfection, and left a striking impression on the red carpet.

 This is my absolute favorite look that Sarah Hyland has ever worn. Ever. She is flawless in her Christian Siriano ensemble - the white crop top is sexy without being overly revealing or mature, and the full red skirt added the perfect amount of fun and flair to her look. Her hair is lovely in a pulled back (but not overly perfect) bun, and her makeup is amazinggg: that dark mauve lip is the "mic drop" moment of the look. Done.

 Hayden Panettiere does pregnancy right on the red carpet. The mother-to-be is stunning in her silver metallic Lorena Sarbu gown! She showed off just a bit of cleavage, without being excessive, and was radiant as she walked down the carpet. 

(Photo courtesy of mycoloures.com)
 The OITNB winner is sublime in this red Christian Siriano strapless gown. She has been owning the red carpet at award shows lately, and is quickly becoming one of fashion's "ones to watch." I love how she effortlessly looks both strong and feminine in this ensemble. She's an incredible actress who I was already been a fan of, but she's also becoming one of my favorite fashion mavens, adding further to my adoration for her!

So these were my favorites, who were yours!? Let me know your thoughts BBs :)

xox ~ KB

Thursday, August 14, 2014

33 Short Films in 33 Days

Hi loves! I want to share a very special project with all of you! My dear friend Robert Alex, both a talented filmmaker and actor, has embarked on an amazing artistic adventure. The project is called 33 Short Films in 33 Days, and it is just what it sounds like (as incredibly challenging as that is)! Robert is creating 33 short films in 33 short days, and I just had to write about this inspired project.
The biggest challenge that Robert describes of the project is to let go of the idea of "perfection," and to simply create art for art's sake. In film-making, often months/years are spent creating and perfecting a single project - Robert wants to push the boundaries and the norm by being in a constant stasis of creativity in these 33 days without pressuring himself to obsess over perfection in a project.
 Having worked with Robert before, I know his dedication and passion for his art, and that this project will be fantastic! There are so many ways that you can participate in 33 Short Films in 33 Days, and I urge you to click on this link and visit 33 Short Films in 33 Days and see how you can be a part of this awesome production!!

Side Note: if you're curious about Robert's styling in the above photos, his wardrobe is from Diamond Supply Co.!
 
See you there BBs!!
xox ~ KB

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Windmill

Hi BBs! I'm so excited to share with you the Windmill music video!!! I worked on both styling and makeup for the video, and the entire production was gorgeous. The artist is Connie Lim, an incredibly gifted songwriter and vocalist - her voice and lyrics are both deliciously powerful. The dancer in the video is Kylie Lewallen, a stunning artist both in her dancing ability and her physical presence. I'm so so lucky to call these two beauties my best friends - we grew up together and truly they're my sisters in every sense of the word - so I'm filled with pride to share this accomplishment with all of you!


For Connie's look, we wanted to exude strength and power, so for styling we had her layer pleather leggings with a simple white wifebeater tank and toss a leather jacket over it. The look is effortless but strong and sexy nonetheless. As for her makeup, we wanted to add more drama to her natural beauty and do a smokey eye and add a touch of intensity. And as you can see in the video, the results were her looking both gorgeous and confident!

We wanted Kylie's look to be more natural, so no heavy eyeshadow or extreme contouring - we stayed more with neutral tones and played up her natural glow. We didn't need to do anything extreme because her natural features are already beyond lovely, so we just played those up! Her styling was simple because we needed her to be in dance attire the way she would be if she were rehearsing on her own. For a pop of color, we went with the bright sports bra underneath her black top. What a beauty!

So there you have it, what do you guys think!? I hope you love the video and song as much as I do, it was an honor to be able to work with and help my best friends, and especially to see Connie's artistry continue to succeed! 

Lots of love
~ xox ~

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Get the Look - Kendall's Paris Street Style!

Hi beauties!! As I'm sure many of you know, Couture Fashion Week in Paris has kicked off, and there's plenty of fashion to be had! That being said, I'm always intrigued and slightly obsessed with the street style looks of the models off-duty. Here's a very chic look that Kendall Jenner wore while walking the streets of Paris this week - and if you want this look FOR LESS then keep reading, cuz I got your back!! ;)

(Photo courtesy of www.refinery29.com)

GET KENDALL'S LOOK BELOW + LINKS PROVIDED:
 These black skinny jeans can be found on Tobi online for just $66 here!

This basic cropped tee can also be found on Tobi for just $26 here!

 Love this fitted, floral-printed jacket - get it from Forever 21 for just $32.80 here!

Get these suede loafers from H&M for $99 here!

 I'm a little obsessed with this shoulder bag from H&M - and you can't go wrong for $34.95 ;) Get yours here!

I love Ray-Bans, but if you're like me and lose, scratch, or damage your sunglasses constantly, then you may not want to shell out the full price for Ray-Bans. Instead, you can get these look-a-likes from Nordstrom BP for just $12 here!!!

And there you have it! You can now have Kendall Jenner's awesome Paris street style look right in your own closet! I'd like to think of myself as an "off-duty model," just, you know, permanently off-duty LOL!!! Have a great week BB's!

Bisous,
xox ~ KB 
 

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Jamberry Nail Wraps

Hi loves! I tried Jamberry's Nail Wraps last week and wanted to give you my thoughts on them! I was in between manicures and didn't want to leave my nails completely bare, so luckily, Jamberry had sent me a strip of their nail wraps to try and they were the perfect solution!

I will say, these wraps weren't the easiest ones I've tried before - they were a little more stiff and took more effort to file off just right. However, I really love the prints they offer, and received a bunch of compliments on my nails! I took some photos of the process so you all can see how they work :)

When you pull the sheet out of the wrapper, you will see that there is just one strip, but worry not!

With scissors, cut the sheet in half to create wraps for both hands!

Choose size that fits each nail and apply!

With your nail file, just file off the excess on the ends so the wrap is now perfectly sized on your nails! (Please ignore how short my nails were at the moment, gahh!)

 Ta da! The results...


 These wraps are great in a pinch when you either don't have time to go get a manicure or want to give your nails a break from polishes! I love the floral print on these ones, be sure to check out all the different types of wraps they have at Jamberry Nails!

Do you guys like nail wraps, have you tried them? If so, what are your thoughts and what are your favorite brands of nail wraps!?

xox
~KB~

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Summer Festival Outfit Ideas!

Hi beauties! Sorry for how irregular my posts have of late, there's so much going on in life right now and I'm having trouble finding the time to do everything! However, that doesn't mean I've forgotten the blog or any of you - I actually have a mountain of ideas for posts, I just need the time to execute them, lol!

Anyways, today I wanted to post a few outfits to give you all some ideas and inspiration for awesome outfits to wear this summer when attending a music festival or show! I will be at Lollapalooza this summer and I'm beyond giddy, so OBVIOUSLY I'm thinking of outfits months ahead lol! Let me know which one is your favorite!
(All photos courtesy of www.pinterest.com)
 Love the lace and soft muted tones of this outfit.

 Umm, I really need this skull crop top you guys. Seriously.

 I love combining soft and hard elements into an outfit. These floral shorts with the ruffled hemline are so perfectly juxtaposed with these combat boots. Together they create a perfect balance to the outfit, allowing you to look both feminine and tomboy chic all at once!

 This look really panders to your inner beachy-skater girl. Yes, that's a thing.

 Love this high-neck crop top: it's a great piece with lots of versatility for multiple outfits and occasions. 

 This look has a bit more of a boho flair to it, if that's more your style! I know I've got a little flower child in me - hence my obsession with flower crown and all things floral print, lol.

So, which look was your favorite? Do you guys have any requests for posts for me to do? Leave me a comment here, or on Instagram: @blushandbangs OR Twitter: @thekaylabarr :)

xox
~KB~

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Met Gala 2014

Last night the Met Gala (aka Met Ball) took place in New York City. The event is quite arguably fashion's biggest night of the year, and with a guest list hand picked by Anna Wintour herself, the red carpet was alight. 

 To be frank, I found myself underwhelmed by numerous looks, however, I have collected a number of my personal favorites to share with you all here. I did find many dressed too casually for such a fierce fashion event (it is a ball after all), however, you'll find a couple more "casual" looks on my list because I just couldn't resist. You may also find yourself surprised by not seeing certain looks here and vice versa!

I have organized my favorites down into three categories below. I won't comment on them here, because, honestly, we'd be here forever. But! If you'd like to discuss the couture more, I'd love to hear from you!! You can do so by either commenting at the end of this post, or tweeting me: @thekaylabarr :)

Black & White
(All photos courtesy of www.stylebistro.com)
 Sarah Jessica Parker in Oscar de la Renta

 Rihanna in Stella McCartney

 Naomi Watts in Givenchy Couture

 Kendall Jenner in TopShop

 Charlize Theron in Christian Dior

 Gisele Bundchen in Balenciaga

 Diane Kruger in Hugo Boss

(Photo courtesy of www.justjared.com)
Cara Delevingne in Stella McCartney

Ball Gowns 
(All photos courtesy of www.stylebistro.com)
 Liu Wen in Zac Posen

 Arizona Muse in Zac Posen

 Toni Garrn in TopShop

 Sarah Silverman in Zac Posen

Romantix
(All photos courtesy of www.stylebistro.com)
 Emma Stone in Thakoon with Andrew Garfield in a Band of Outsiders jacket

 Taylor Swift in Oscar de la Renta

 Blake Lively in Gucci

 Kate Bosworth in Stella McCartney

  Suki Waterhouse in Burberry
 
Alright BB, that basically wraps up my favorites from this year's Met Ball. Who were your favorites and any disappointments?? I'd love to hear from you!

xox ~ KB
 

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Nail Art: Spring Time!

Hi beauties!!
It's April and the weather has been so warm here in LA that it's felt more like summer than spring! However, I don't want to skip over spring and jump right into summer, so let's savor some spring beauty ideas - starting with our nails! Pastels are some of my favorite go-to shades for fashion, beauty and even household items, plus they always remind me of the spring season and immediately make me more cheerful. Here are some great nail art ideas to get you into that sweet springtime mood - and these would be perfect for Easter too if you wanna get a mani before the holiday ;)

(All photos courtesy of www.pinterest.com)




  Which one's your favorite!? And what are some of your favorite spring trends?? You can let me know via a comment below or via Instagram: @blushandbangs. I'd LOVE to hear from you!! :)

xox ~ KB