The 5 Sparkliest Posts of 2012

I just recently hit my one year anniversary with Rhinestone Religion, so 2012 has been a huge year for me in finding my footing in the blogosphere. I've done a lot of learning by trial and error as well as just plain experimentation. After a year, I'm glad to say I've made several posts that I'm proud of -- posts that I think show off the personality and overall feel of my blog. 

Without further ado, here are my top 5 favorite posts from my first year of blogging!

Fashion Inspired by Game of Thrones

I spent hours making the collages and writing the descriptions for this post, but it was well worth it. Not only was it a huge success with readers and new visitors, it also allowed me to show off some of my personality and incorporate some of my geekiness into my content, win-win for everyone! 

In this post you'll find outfits inspired by Daenerys Targaryen, Melisandre, Sansa Stark, Margaery Tyrell and Cersei Lannister, as well as a brief description of the character and their style!

My Favorite Accessory

Sometimes simple posts can be just as rewarding as long projects. This post is a showcase of my favorite piece of jewelry -- a cream and gold colored rhinestone watch by Betsey Johnson. Just from looking at it, it shouldn't be too terribly hard to figure out why my blog might be named the way it is. This piece fits perfectly into my style and aesthetic taste, and it photographs beautifully to boot!

Life and Style in Iceland

One of the best parts of 2012 for me personally was getting to see my friend Svanhvit for the first time in two years. I met Svanhvit when I was a senior in High School -- she was a foreign exchange student from Iceland. We bonded over our love of Pokemon and by the time of graduation we were practically inseparable. She came back to visit over the summer and we got to spend two weeks together.

Before she went back, I took some pictures of her style and did a mini-interview with her. It was a great opportunity to introduce some unique content and give my readers some fresh perspective on an international level. 

Top 5 Favorite LUSH Products

To my surprise, a post I wrote during an interim pit class last year ended up being my biggest source of pillar content; information that stays relevant and continues to draw in new readers. 

I've tried a bajillion LUSH products, and in this post I share my absolute favorites -- from facial cleansers to perfume, if you're feeling overwhelmed by LUSH's options, this post will start you in the right direction. 

Poison Ivy Halloween Costume

I spent almost the entirety of my free time in September and October making my own Halloween costume -- I was a pin-up inspired version of Poison Ivy from Batman!

When I was a kid I used to watch the Batman animated series and Poison Ivy was always my favorite character. I've wanted to make a costume in tribute to her for years now, but this year I finally got around to doing it. I hand-sewed glitter sprayed leaves onto a corset and made eye masks out of craft foam... it was a lot of work but I was so glad to be able to share it!

I'm looking forward to continuing blogging in 2013, and all the inspiration it will bring!

This post was created as a submission to IFB's Project #75: Share Your Greatest Hits of 2012. 

Classic and Feminine Summer Accessories

First off, hello everyone! I'm (mostly) moved in to my new apartment, which means I'm back to blogging on a regular basis. The place is lookin' pretty, pretty good so far, but I'm missing a few key pieces of furniture and some other finishing touches, but I promise pictures once everything is perfect!

And now, let's jump right back into the swing of things shall we?

Dressing in summer can be difficult, especially if your personal style utilizes a lot of layering like mine. It's extremely tempting to throw on a billowy dress and walk out the door -- but don't! What if I told you it's entirely possible to add some pizazz to your otherwise unimaginative outfit without overheating? Doubt not ye nonbelievers, it's true. The secret is in the accessories!

Make sure to have an assortment of accessories that coordinate well with your closet's color palette, and have them on hand to add to any outfit for an instant pick-me-up.

I went through my jewelry and decided a couple key pieces to liven up my summer style, take a look to get some ideas!

Gold Chain Necklace {Express}

Rose Combs {Handmade}

Light Pink Jeweled Earrings {Forever 21}

Cat Eye Sunglasses {Target}

Gold Jeweled Earrings {Express}

What are your favorite accessories for Summer? Tell me in the comments!

My Favorite Accessory

I love, love, love Betsey Johnson jewelry. Somehow it always manages to strike a perfect balance between gaudy and glamorous. 

I went shopping at the mall with my mom a few weeks before last Christmas. I remember passing a case at Boston Store and gazing in awe at the rhinestone laden watches on display and possibly salivating a little bit. In case you couldn't tell, I really like sparkly things. 

I was genuinely surprised when one of the watches ended up being one of my Christmas presents. It's so amazing when a gift reflects how the person who bought if for you really pays attention to what you like. I'm especially happy that she bought if for me in the cream color scheme rather than the pink (which is what I would have chosen) because the neutral color goes so well with virtually everything. 

I get lots of compliments on my obnoxiously sparkly watch, and it's become my go-to piece to jazz up any outfit that looks a bit dull. I somehow even think that this watch is a perfect reflection of my personality and style; a little quirky and gaudy, yet classy. 

What's your favorite accessory or go-to piece? Tell me in the comments!

Current Obsession

Swan, $8.80 (Forever 21) Dragonfly, $20 (1928) Red Parrot, $20 (Avalaya London) Blue Gems, $30 (Macy's) Butterfly, $29 (Alilyang Fashion) Black Lips, $205 (Sonia Rykiel Vintage) Chameleon, $20 (Alilyang Fashion) Crystal Cluster, $30 (Juicy Couture)  Roses, $182 (Forzieri)

I did some research on the toucan brooch that mysteriously came into my possession a few months ago, and discovered that it's a vintage piece by Kenneth J Lane, which certainly adds some value to it. And while traversing the Google trying to find my exact piece, I stumbled upon so many gorgeous brooches and I got to thinking about how they aren't really in style anymore. I suppose brooch conjures up images of old stuffy ladies going to church, but I can't help thinking how easy it would be to add interest to an otherwise boring outfit just by adding a statement pin.

The Wonderfully Tacky Toucan Brooch

A few months ago my mother was sorting through some old jewelry when we discovered a bizarre pin shaped like a toucan, on a gold setting with rhinestones and a very cabana color scheme of ocean blue and coral. She had no idea where it had come from, but I spent several minutes trying to sort out the emotions that this mystery toucan brought upon me. I was simultaneously repulsed and intrigued. Did I love it or did I hate it? I couldn't decide. But, if video games and movies have taught me anything it's that if a strange piece of jewelry comes into your life with no explanation it probably either has magical powers or will bestow a horrible curse upon you. I'm hoping for the former.

I've been mulling over how to incorporate it into an outfit, and when I found a coral color White House Black Market cardigan while thrifting I was finally inspired. So, here is what I wore to work on Friday, the seventeenth.

Outfit Rundown

Tank Top: Wet Seal

Cardigan: White House Black Market

Jeans: Old Navy

Shoes: Madden Girl 

Necklace/Earrings: Express

Brooch: ~*MYSTERY*~

How would you wear something tacky? Tell me in the comments!

Happy Holidays!

I hope whatever Holiday you and your family celebrate was fantastic! My family isn't religious, but we still celebrate Christmas. On Christmas Eve we have an extended family party. I taught my family how to play Werewolf. For those of you unfamiliar, Werewolf is a fairly simple role playing game where you draw a card that assigns you the role of either a Werewolf or a Villager, and the goal is to kill off the opposite team without knowing the other players' roles (It's very Christmas-y, no?) It was my first time moderating the game, and it was actually kind of fun being "in the know."

Christmas Day I have dinner with my immediate family and my grandmother. My sister woke me up early to open presents. It's a little funny to think back to when I was a kid and how I couldn't sleep because Santa was coming, and sometimes I'd wake up in the middle of the night and stare at the presents under the three waiting until morning so I could open them. Now someone has to wake me up and I roll out of bed only begrudgingly.

Here's what I got!

I love, love, love this Betsey Johnson watch. I remember being at Boston Store with my mom a few weeks ago and pointing these out to  her. She picked a good color, I probably would have gone with hot pink only to realize it doesn't match anything I have. I like the gold face with rhinestones and the iridescent cream colored band though, I'm sure it will go with almost everything.

On the same trip to Boston Store I was helping my mother pick out a new perfume, and I told her I liked Armani Code. She went with a different Armani Perfume: Acqua di Gioia, but I guess she picked this up for me too. I love it when I get presents that show that the person was listening closely to the things that I said I liked earlier in the year.

My sister bought me this gorgeous tea pot. I got a teacup and saucer from her last year, she certainly knows how much I love tea.

Tell me in the comments what you got for Christmas!