21st Birthday

Hey everyone! Today was my 21st birthday. I just thought I'd make a quick post to share some of the highlights.

I can hardly believe what my boyfriend got me -- these gorgeous Prada baroque sunglasses that I've been lusting over since the first time I saw them in a magazine spread. I saw a girl wearing them when we were in Puerto Rico and that was the first time it actually struck me that people could actually buy them. I mean, it's not like I didn't know that, I'm just so used to flipping through magazines and seeing a barrage of designer items that I'd never be able to actually own that I start to gloss over the more reasonably priced pieces after a while.

I didn't have time to do it myself, so I asked the boyfriend to snap a quick picture of my outfit before we met some friends for dinner. He's not very good at photography (despite my insistence that all the best style bloggers have photographer boyfriends) and seemed to think that the picture was more about showing off his car than my clothes... My shoes aren't that exciting anyway, black leather pumps. Just use your imagination! 

Kinda sucks that my 21st was on a Monday (and I had an exam in the morning) but I'm not too big on partying most of the time anyway so I don't mind waiting until the weekend to celebrate a bit more.

Thanks for reading! 

Outfits Inspired by Betsey Johnson Earrings

If you caught my Link Love post yesterday, you'd have seen an article about the ever-fabulous Betsey Johnson getting back into the game after filing for bankruptcy. Even though her accessory line has remained in-tact, this is really exciting news for those of us that love her quirky, over-the-top designs. 

If you were to skim through my outfit posts, you may notice that virtually every. single. one. of my outfits utilizes at least one Betsey Johnson accessory. It's safe to say I'm obsessed.

My favorites are always the earrings. I have several from her brand, but I tend to stick to safer choices like basic heart-shaped studs. As much as the more outlandish pieces make me swoon, I all too often find myself asking "What in the world am I going to wear that with?" 

So I decided to challenge myself to style two pairs of earrings! Here are some ideas for how to inject some of Betsey's eccentric style into two wearable outfits. 

{earrings, shoes, clutch, bow}

Cute black polka dot bows with gummy bears and conversation hearts dangling from them... an oddly specific choice of accessory, for sure. But by anchoring the outfit with a basic black polka dot dress, you can incorporate a host of the various pastel, candy-coated colors from the earrings into a sweet but sophisticated ensemble. 

{dress, shoes, earrings, necklace, ring} 

I love how Betsey Johnson jewelry can take a simple design like a star and turn it into something unique. The vibe I get from these earrings is somewhere between sorceress and fortune teller. You can balance the gold color of the earrings with a matching pair of pumps, and add some detail with metallic gold nail polish as well. The nebula necklace adds a pop of color to the murky blue dress while tying into the mysterious space inspired aesthetic.

How would you style some of Betsey Johnson's earrings? Tell me in the comments!

This post was created as a submission to IFB Project #79: Your Best Earring Bling. 

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. 

What's In My Bag?

I finally got my first Coach purse as a birthday present this year! I've never been a big fan of the repeated C print, I wanted something in a solid color that didn't scream "LOOK AT THE BRAND OF MY PURSE." I spotted this beauty from across the room and it was love at first sight.

I think it's the quilting on the front pocket that did it for me. It's a little reminiscent of the famous Chanel handbags that I covet.

Another detail that I love is the hot pink lining. I actually bought a hot pink trench coat for spring because I love being subtly matchy-matchy.

Of course, I had to get a huge one because I'm one of those ladies that likes to cart around all of her material possessions, y'know, "just in case". I can safely say that at any given time I am relatively well prepared for most non-life threatening emergencies. So, let's take a peeksie at what's inside, shall we?

1. {Guess Wallet}

I would love to have a matching Coach wallet some day, but for now I thought this Guess wallet went well enough with my purse. 

2. {Fashionably Late Compact}

I was a model in my University's first fashion show, and I got this in my swag bag. It lights up!  

3. {Cateye Sunglasses}

I think I've mentioned these on my blog like three times now, I love them! The shape isn't so dramatic that I get weird stares, but it adds a nice little retro touch no matter what I'm wearing. 

4. {Strawberry Hand Sanitizer} 

Because you never know when you'll touch something icky. 

5. {Too Faced Makeup Bag}

This came with a Too Faced kit that I bought a few years ago, I love all the super-girly motifs. Roses? Check. Pearls? Check. Butterflies? Check. Eiffel Tower? Check. It's like someone just threw a bunch of things they figured girls like into a picture and called it a day. I'm not complaining. 

6. {Emergency Kit}

I bought this little "emergency" kit from Sephora last year. It comes with things like deodorant wipes, a nail file, mini-sewing kit, etc. It's nice to have on hand for those little "Oh shit!" moments. I've added a few extra things, like bandages and bobby pins. 

7. {Notebook & Pen}

I keep pen and paper handy to write down ideas for blog posts, or just little tasks that I need to accomplish. 

8. {iTouch}

Nothing gets me through the hour and a half drive back home like plugging in my iPod and singing at the top of my lungs. I think half of the songs I have are by Nine Inch Nails, any other NIN fans out there? 

9. {Various Lip Things} 

I like to keep my options open when it comes to my lip products. I keep a stain, gloss and balm handy. 

10. {Point and Shoot Camera}

I wish I could lug my DSLR around everywhere I go, but it's just not practical. 

What do you keep in your purse? Tell me in the comments!

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!