Dia De Los Muertos Costume

Hi friends! Sorry this post is so late! I have been having terrible sinus issues and have been sick with a fever for 3 days straight! I have finally started to feel better, thankfully! So, I guess a late post is better than never, right? Today I’m bringing you a fairly easy costume tutorial! I put my Dia De Los Muertos costume together in about an hour on Sunday afternoon! Now, the face painting took a little longer… but more on that later. Let’s start with the costume first!

I made my own flower crown and flower choker! Let’s start with the crown first. You’ll need a headband (maybe one a little larger than mine), fake flowers, old fabric you don’t mind cutting up, and a hot glue gun! First, pull the flowers off the stems. Second, cut rectangular pieces of fabric and hot glue it to the bottom of the flower.

You will want to leave a little flap to be folded over the headband. Third, Start hot gluing your flowers around the headband. I tried mine on a few times before I actually got the look I was going for.

Next, you’ll want to make your choker. I cut a very thin strip of black fabric and folded it over. Then I pulled the flower off the stem, and hot glued it inside the folded over part. That’s it! Easy peasy!

After the costume accessories were complete, I painted my face! I wanted a very pale face, so I got some white grease paint (I chose that instead of a cream base so my other colors would not mix) and smeared it on my whole face with a sponge. I didn’t do much around my eyes because I knew I would be painting them black.

Once the white is done, get going on that black! I blacked out my eyes and the bottom of my nose! To be honest, you can do whatever designs you want! I got inspiration from several pictures on Pinterest!

You can stick to black and white or add some color in there! Totally up to you, and that’s the best part!

Now, I’m going to say it again because I feel it needs saying, I’m obviously not great at make-up. With that being said, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. So, I’m sending you a huge confidence boost because if I can do it (even if it took me 2 hours), so can you!

Lastly, you’ll need your actual clothing! I bought this skirt about 10 years ago when I went to Mexico on a mission trip. So, this pretty thing is authentic, but I’m sure you can find something like it or make it with a pattern.

I also wore a black lace top to add a little bit of detail, since my skirt is so plain. To complete my look, I wore my new favorite lace up heels in black! (Thanks Mom!)

This costume was quite fun to create and not too hard!

I hope y’all have an amazing Halloween tomorrow! Eat lots of candy and don’t get too spooked!!

❤ Abbie

Feelin’ 25… I Guess…

Hi friends! So I recently celebrated my 25th birthday… which feels unreal. For some reason I feel like I am more like 20. Young at heart, I guess. I have some advice if you’re turning 25, just tell everyone you are excited to rent a car for your birthday. They will look at you strangely and ask “why?” To which you reply- “Because I can!” Trust me, it cracks people up. I don’t know why, but the age restriction on car rentals has always stuck with me as some sort of goal. I’m weird, I know.

Today I get to share one of my loveliest birthday gifts from my sweet Momma! I had my eye on this beautiful Piper and Scoot dress for awhile, so my Mom bought it for me! I’ll tell you what, if you haven’t checked out Piper and Scoot you are really missing out! They make some of the most beautiful (and modest!) dresses out there! They have a ton of other really cute clothes too, but I’ve recently been in love with the dresses! This dress is called The Parkland Dress.

Ok, aren’t you just dying!?! I love it so much! They make this dress in beautiful mauve and charcoal colors as well!

I adore all of the embroidered detail! It’s so feminine!

I wore my wedge sandals as a good neutral.

I also wore my wedding earrings that are made out of old buttons.

A huge shout out goes to my Momma for this lovely dress! THANK YOU!!! Another shout out goes to my husband who rocks at photography and never ceases to amaze me at his skill! Love you handsome!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend! I’m looking forward to having a fantastic girls weekend with my Mom!! To say I’m SO EXCITED is an understatement! Goodbye lovelies!

❤ Abbie

Please Respect

Hello lovelies! It’s been a bit since I’ve written. To be honest, I’ve been lacking motivation and time so sometimes these things get pushed to the side. This past weekend I traveled into Atlanta and got to explore around Krog Street tunnel and the market! Both will be on another wandering post, so stay tuned! It was such a nice day outside! Here in Georgia it’s starting to feel a lot like fall and my little heart is ecstatic! The mornings and the evenings have been in the 60s and it warms up during the day. In my last fashion post I talked about how to manage the hot/cold temperatures of the workplace, and for this post I’m taking some of that inspiration!

I was so excited to wear this outfit because it’s really easy, comfortable, and works with several different temperatures! I just got these black jeans from Target for $15! They really are a dream. When it comes to black jeans it’s almost impossible to find any that are truly black, most of the time they are faded. I bought these jeans because the tag said that after washing they would still stay solid black, so I thought I would give them a try. I’m happy to announce that they did stay solid black after washing!! So if you are looking for solid black jeans (that aren’t leggings) check out Target! I rolled these jeans because during the day it was warm, but in the evening when my ankles start to get cold I could just unroll them!

I adore this grey striped t-shirt from Aerie! Grey is just the best color, don’t you think?? It goes with everything and it’s just a very flattering color! I tied my chambray shirt around my waist because I knew in the evening my t-shirt just wasn’t going to be warm enough. I have to say that tying shirts around your waist is one thing from the 90s that I’m actually glad came back! It’s easy for girls who get chilly like I do!

I wore a simple statement necklace to dress up my t-shirt. I also wore my favorite red tennis shoes, also from Target. Sometimes when you have a very monochrome outfit adding a pop of color really helps! I love my red tennis shoes for that very purpose!

I had such a fun day walking around the graffiti tunnel of Krog Street! I can’t wait to share it with y’all! Have a super weekend!!

❤ Abbie

Ps- 20 points goes out to whoever figures out why my post is titled this way! 😉

That’s Fall Folks!

These punny titles are becoming harder and harder to come up with! I hope y’all are having a lovely Friday! Today I’ll be sharing one of my favorite fall looks! I had so much fun setting up this mini shoot, because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love fall? You get to mix leather and suede, plaid is everywhere and hats are all the rage. It’s literally the best time of year. So let’s enjoy this cozy picnic-inspired Fashion Friday!

First things first, I’m dying over this lipstick. It’s currently my favorite shade I own! It’s called “Verve” by Mac. Their matte lipsticks are amazing! I’m also really into statement necklaces lately. They really can spice up an outfit! Mine was given to me by my wonderful Mother-in-Law! I just love it!!

I was going for a boho-chic look. I love the long vest over a chambray button down. The vest is from Aerie. I’m also loving my burnt orange hat from American Eagle. It seems like the perfect shade for fall!

I wore my new chukka boots to kinda make this look more outdoorsy. With some cute booties you could easily dress this outfit up for a date night. My chukka boots are off Amazon by a company called Sebago. You will definitely be seeing more of these boots!

Here’s my little picnic basket! It broke while I was taking the picture…  wahh waahh.

Jackson got this mug from a Poler pop-up shop while we were in New York on our honeymoon. It’s the perfect little tin cup! Definitely check out their other stuff too, it’s super adorable and perfect for the outdoors! You can find them at http://www.polerstuff.com

I seriously loved doing this mini fall shoot. I wish I were able to do shoots like this more often! I hope you enjoyed it and get to go on a little fall adventure of your own!

❤ Abbie

Shaaawl-Right, It’s Fashion Friday!

Feliz Fashion Friday my friends! Last month Jackson and I traveled up to Louisiana to see his sister Julia graduate. Well, on the way home we got to stop for the night in Pensacola. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hit some historical sites the next morning, so stay tuned to see more about this super cool fort and lighthouse we visited! You are going to get to see a sneak preview today because Jackson took some pictures of me for today’s Fashion Friday while we were there! This outfit has quickly become a favorite of mine, so I’m excited to share it with you!

I got this adorable shawl from Aerie! It’s very lightweight and perfect for hot Florida days! I belted it with my favorite bow belt from New York and Company. It’s amazing what a belt can do for an outfit! Nothing like a good belt to give you your shape back!

I paired the shawl back to some medium-wash jeans and some brown sandals! I love the unevenness of the vertical stripe pattern in the shawl. Vertical stripes are almost always more flattering than horizontal. It’s all about elongating and not widening!

 You also can’t really tell from these pictures, but I didn’t belt the shawl all the way around. I belted the front and around the inside of the shawl so that the back just hangs straight. It becomes more cape-like. I really enjoy this outfit and I hope it gave you a little inspiration! Thank you to my sweet husband for totally rocking it with the pictures and giving this post the punny title! Have a happy Friday y’all!

❤ Abbie

Little Red Riding Hood Werewolf Hunter: Part 2

Hey everybody!! I am finally finishing up this tutorial and just in time for Halloween!! Tomorrow I will post pictures from our Halloween party last Friday, because everyone’s costumes were so adorable! But for today I have the tutorial for the wolf vest and a makeup tutorial for Little Red! Let’s get started on the vest! When I went to JoAnn’s I looked in the fabric section for fur that I felt most resembled werewolf fur. I was lucky enough to get the fur for 50% off! So the vest cost me $7! I got a yard and a half of fabric.

First thing I did was lay the fabric out length-wise. I took the fabric and centered it around my shoulders. I decided that I really didn’t want to have to sew the vest, so I took a pen and made marks on the inside of the fabric where my arms would come through. Once I marked the spot on each side, I cut a 10ish inch line down the fabric to fit my arms though. Then I tried it on!

Now onto the makeup! I started by applying a smoky eye. I wanted something harsh and heavy feeling. For a full tutorial on a smoky eye you can check out the link here.

Next thing after your makeup is applied, we will do the scratches! There are 2 products you need for this tutorial: Rigid Collodion and Bloody Scab. Both products you can find in the makeup and prosthetics section at your local Halloween store! And they are like $5 for both!

Rigid collodion is the first thing you are going to apply. This stuff is so cool.  It’s perfect for making fake scars because it sucks your skin in and makes actual indentations in your face. BEFORE YOU APPLY it’s important for you to know that it’s going to sting a little and it has a very strong smell.  Your face is literally going to feel like it’s stuck. But don’t worry after it dries you can move around and that stuff isn’t going anywhere!

So what you do is paint it on your face like you would paint your nails. I did 4 long lines down my face to look like claw marks.  The key to using the rigid collodion properly is to wait for it to dry then add more layers on top of the previously dried section. After 2 or 3 layers your face should really look sunken in. Next I took a purple-rose color eyeshadow and put some color around the scar to make it look bruised.

Next, take a paintbrush and your bloody scab gel and start putting that in the creases over the rigid collodion. I like to bunch it up in some places and thin it out in others.

Once that’s all done  apply your lipstick and your makeup is complete!

After that put your costume on and bask in the glory!!

I wore a belt from Fossil with some hunting knives looped in. My boots are from Fossil as well, and I love them. So much.

I wore all black underneath just to keep things simple, because I have a lot going on with the vest, cape and scars.

Well this is it for Fashion Friday Halloween edition! I hope you all had as much fun as I did! I hope you all have a fabulous Halloween tomorrow!!

❤ Little Red Riding Hood

Fashion Friday: 5 Pop Culture Costumes with Julia!

Hello everyone! I am excited to announce that today and the 30th we will be having a guest blogger!! My amazing sister-in-law Julia is taking over Wanderings and Beautiful Things! You’ve met Julia once before on another Fashion Friday but today and the 30th she is bringing you 10 easy costumes from Pop Culture! Take it away Jules!

Hi! My name is Julia LeFort, and I’m Abbie’s sister-in-law. I’m a geeky, fandom-loving girl who always has her nose in a book. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I always have a lot of fun trying to come up with a good costume. Unfortunately, I tend to spend so much time coming up with different options that I run out of time to actually assemble my costume. So here are 5 pop culture related costumes that you should be able to whip up straight from your closet! On the 30th I will have 5 more!

1. Amelia “Amy” Pond — “Doctor Who”

    I love “Doctor Who” and I’ve (humble brag) met Matt Smith at a New Orleans ComicCon. Amy Pond is my spirit animal, and her outfits are easy to replicate. This one is from her most heartbreaking episode, “The Angels take Manhattan.” Wear dark jeans, a black-and-white striped top, brown oxford shoes (or flats,) and a khaki jacket. Part your hair straight down the middle and let it fall in soft waves. (Lucky you if your hair is as red as Karen Gillan’s.)

    Optional: Sporting a Scottish accent and small round glasses

2. Mary Poppins — Do I really need to type it twice?

    She’s practically perfect in every way. You can make the perfect costume with practically nothing. Black skirt, white oxford shirt, black tights and heels. Tie a red ribbon in a bow around your neck. Wrap your hair into a bun and wear makeup worthy of Julie Andrews.

    Optional: An umbrella!

    Bonus points if: You wear a black hat with flowers

3. Wednesday Addams — “The Addams Family”

    This was my Halloween costume last year. It is super simple and very fun. All you need is black clothing and a white collared shirt to wear underneath. Part your hair straight down the middle and braid both sides. Wear very dark makeup and do not smile. All. Night. Long.

    Optional: Cut the head off of an old doll

4. Castiel — “Supernatural”

    Misha gripped us tight and raised us from perdition. (P.S. – Met him too.) Everyone’s favorite “Supernatural” character is easy to emulate. Black pants, white shirt, trench coat, and a backwards blue tie. Wear little to no makeup and it’s okay if your hair is kind of a mess, because you just fell from Heaven. Speak in a pseudo deep voice and act confused at every reference.

    Optional: A knife sharpener looks surprisingly like an angel blade.

    Bonus points if: You wear black angel wings

5. Princess Leia — “Star Wars”

    Princess Leia is the best of the best. This costume isn’t an exact replica. Instead, I just wore white clothes and the dark lipstick. The hair is key. Everyone can recognize the Leia buns. Twist up sections of your hair and pin them to your head very carefully. (There are about a million and two bobby pins in my hair.) Hairspray A LOT. Be sassy. Because you are a princess.

    Optional: THIS IS AN AIRSOFT GUN AND YOU CAN HAVE ONE TOO!

It’s Abbie again! I don’t know about you but I am SO EXCITED to see what else Julia has for us on the 30th!!! Thank you Jules for helping out this month!!! Have a happy Fashion Friday everyone!

Fashion Friday

Hello everyone! I’m currently in beautiful North Carolina on vacation! I have to say that North Carolina might just be my favorite state I’ve ever been to. There are mountains, lakes, woods, and all other things that are wonderful in this world. I think I might just live here forever! Well… maybe not… but a girl can dream right? Needless to say you are going to see some fun places in North Carolina for some upcoming Wandering Wednesdays!  However today is Fashion Friday and we are going old school with an updated 1950s outfit!

This outfit has been a long time coming for me. I bought the skirt almost 6 years ago at Anthropologie. It was actually a dress when I bought it originally. It had a detachable top and there were a few buttons missing that kept the top on. So I threw the top out and decided to just leave it as a high-waisted skirt. No 1950s outfit is complete without oxfords! They are some of my favorite shoes and it shows. But hey, the wear gives them that vintage look!

I love  a good chambray top! They are so versatile! My chambray shirt is from PacSun. I put a dusty rose colored undershirt on then tied the chambray shirt over top! I love the rose and green colors together.

 I just love vintage style! It really is my favorite and it’s quite easy to replicate! Hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

❤ Abbie