Summer Essential: Denim Shorts

If you don't have a pair, get a pair.  If you don't want a pair -- you should.  Denim is an essential fabric that everyone should have in their closets in some shape or form.  Denim shorts are an essential that everyone should have on all summer long!  If you haven't got any yet, don't fret!! You can watch my easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy tutorial on how you can cut your own denim shorts here.  The one's I'm wearing in this post are the direct result of hacking away at a pair of thrifted pants!

Outfit Details:

Bag: Lionel Mazzie Clutch from Little Black Bag | Tshirt: Street Shopping | Shorts: Thrifted from Talize & DIY'd by me | Necklace: Love Nail Tree from Little Black Bag | Shades: 'Kitty' by Loeffler Randall for Lookmatic.

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(Quietly) OBSESSED: Crop Tops!

I say 'quietly' because I've been loving crop tops, but haven't actually WORN any.  The truth is, as much as I love the trend right now, I can't seem to find any that are the PERFECT length and fit.  And before we go any further into this discussion, when I say I am "loving the trend"; the TREND I am referring to is a tastefully-fitting and appropriately-designed garment to be worn with, and over, a necessary bra.

SO, that being said, what the frick is up with the short-arss tops?!  Srsly, what is up with all of these belly-baring boob covers?!  In it's essence, I know that 'crop' means to cut.  I crop pictures all the time (photoshop PRO here...jk).  But when it comes to fashion and clothing I feel like 'crop' only makes sense when the full garment is still there, but just slightly shorter; slightly smaller; slightly trimmed. This has been done successfully with the cropped pant and the cropped jacket, but I feel as though some may be getting a bit carried away with the 'cropping' of the tops.  The trend is frightfully turning into a 'what shirt?' trend.  Remember when wearing tights as pants was a 'new thing' and everyone was all like, "what pants?"??  Well, apparently wearing your bra as a shirt is now, too, a thing.  Go to Brandy Melville -- you'll see what I mean.

Anyway, I digress.  What I mean to get across is, I LOVE the crop top look (as I do love high-waisted bottoms), but I haven't been able to find one on the market that is the perfect length; I want a crop top that is short enough to show off the entirety of my high-waisted shorts, but long enough to NOT show the entirety of my lady bits, if you know what I'm sayin'.

To be clear, I am not spreading 'Hatorade' on the super short crop top (which should be referred to as a bralette --LIKE, WHAT THE HELL PEOPLE?!).  Alls I'm sayin is, the super short ones (aka bralettes) should be reserved for appropriate occasions in which they are welcomed and severely cute (think vacationing, trips to the beach, pool parties, etc.).  And you know what?  Yes, these models look great in them, but I just feel that the everyday normal situations and environments aren't quite fitting for this bra-as-top trend; I just felt that the shorter-than-appropriate-for-public-spaces-crop-top-issue just had to be addressed.  Let's move on.

On a lighter note, here are some of my "crop top" picks from affordable places...but I must warn you: though they are cute, some are very short!!  Bras as tops, anyone??

All can be found and purchased here on forever21.com.

All can be found and purchased here on gojane.com.

I must mention that I am lusting hard for the Textured Heart Top and the Sweet Heart Crop Top (but in a peach colour).  I am on a strict 'no-buy'...MAYBE I'll be able to whip up some sort of crop top DIY (would you Dandies be interested??)...

All can be found and purchased here on tobi.com.

Anywhoots, I'll leave you with some styling ideas, as that is why I assume you're here.  Intrigueing Polyvore set to follow...

How To Style Crop Tops by thelittledandy featuring long skirts

And of course I have to ask:  What is everyone else feeling about crop tops?  Are you getting me when I saw I'm kind of quietly obsessed??  Love 'em or hate 'em?  Will you be wearing one this weekend??

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Nail Wraps: The Easy Peasy Lemon-Squeezy Edition

Hello my Lovely Dandies!  Hope your Wednesday fairs well.  Some of you seemed genuinely interested, so I've filmed a quick Nail Wraps How-To "tutorial" for your viewing pleasure!  For those of you who feel inclined to read rather than watch...my Step-By-Step is below...

What You Need:

• Hands...with nails...on them.  (If this is a problem, you may want to consult a physician.  As it is quite unusual to only just discover that you do not have nails.  *Awkward*.)
• Nail Polish Remover (to remove old yucky polish)
• Cuticle Removing Accoutrements (These are the secret weapons to having beautiful hands people!  Cuticle dissolvers, pushers, trimmers, etc)
• Emory Boards or Nail File (to shape your nail...if you don't care about the shape of your claws...then whateves, skip this!  ...You'll also need an emory board/nail file to remove excess nail wraps if your kit doesn't come with one)
• Base Coat (I highly suggest you DO NOT use the base coat that I am using in the video.  As mentioned, it is terrible)
• Top Coat
• Cuticle Oil (again, optional.  If you don't want beautiful soft cuticles, then you can skip this as well as please don't touch me.  Ew...jk haha).
• Nail Wrap kit (should include at least one set of nail wraps and an emory board/nail file)
• Scissors

Step 1: Clean and Prep Your Nails
Remove all polish from nails and then proceed to push and trim your cuticles.  Shape your nails if need be.  Give your hands one final wash!

Step 2:  Apply a Base Coat
This is self explanatory.  Apply one coat to your nail and allow to dry.

Step 3: Pick Your Wraps
Check out the nail wraps you're using.  Size them up to the size and shapes of your nails.  You'll  be surprised that more often than not, you don't have to mess around with trimming the edges of the wraps to fit your nail bed if you've done a good job grooming your cuticles.

Step 4: Apply Nail Wraps
Once you've chosen the perfect size for your nail, carefully apply the bottom of the nail wrap as close to the centre of your cuticle as possible.  Then, proceed to press down on the nail wrap from the bottom of your nail bed to the top (from cuticle to nail tip).  Firmly press along the edges of your nail to ensure that there are no bubbles or wrinkles.

Step 5: Trim off Excess
Using your scissors, trim off the excess nail wrap.  I like to save these for future nail art projects, so I stick the excess back on the plastic backing of the nail wrap sheet (I'm also kind of a pack-rat, so....).  To each their own, though.

Step 6: File Edges
File downwards along the edge of your nail to get rid of any excess nail wrap.  This will ensure a smooth and 'perfect' fit!

Step 7: Apply Top Coat
Once you've filed away any excess, and your nail is perfectly wrapped, simply apply a top coat.  Allow to dry and you're done!  Admire your lovely nails :).

Step 8:  Show Your Cuticles Some LOOOOOVE (Totally optional.  If you hate your cuticles, it's really none of my business...)
Once your top coat has dried, apply a generous layer of cuticle oil to your cuticles.  Let your thirsty-arss cuticles drink up and prepare to have the awesome-est nails EVERRRRRR!

fin.

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Obsessed: Nail Wraps!

THINGS have a way with me.  No, really.  They do. My heart is so fickle when it comes to something brilliantly convenient and cute; it's always love at first wear.  Allow me to share with you Dandies my newest obsession: NAIL WRAPS.

If you haven't already tried them -- you should.  If you've no idea what on earth they are --omgZ let me tell ya!

Essentially, nail wraps are nail-shaped stickers that are 'ready-to-apply' to the nails in place of nail polishes.  I know your first thought is only the horror you could imagine with trying to smoothly apply a sticker to your nail...flattening out the bubbles and wrinkles...yadda, yadda...

I felt the same way, trust me.  I avoided nail wraps as long as I could because, as someone who already has trouble trying to paint a smooth coat of polish to my nails, nail wraps just SEEMED like they would be annoying and srsly too intricate a process for these hands of mine that lack any sign of dexterity.  I was pretty steadfast in my belief that nail wraps were the sloppiest idea ever created in the world of the invention of pretty things.  I'd even tested out a few different (hideous) designs that I picked up from my local Dollarama.  All efforts were foiled.

Now,  I'll confess that my growing dislike for nailwraps was mostly due to the fact that I had NO idea how to put them on.  I was going at it blind.  Slapping them on, and then attacking my fingernail with scissors.  Bad. Just.  Bad.

A few months ago I watched the NCLA x Little Black Bag nail wraps tutorial, and my face was all like  'OHHHHHHHH!...oh.  That makes way more sense'.  

Anyway, recently my mother brought be a slew of cheap nail wraps from Daiso in Korea.  I was ready to give this whole nailwraps thing another go.  And OMG people.  OH-MY-GAWWWWD.  

As soon as the first nail wrap was flawlessly applied, it was like the angels were singing, and I swear there was a bit of a white light shining down on me in my puny bachelor apartment.  Oh.  My. LAWDY.  Love.  

Anyway, the long and short of it is (or just the long...because clearly I just always have too much to say) GO TRY NAILWRAPS!!  They are way simpler to apply than nail polish, and there is no dry time!  Srsly.  I am fully converted.  Throw all my nail polish into the dump for all I care.  Nail wraps all the way!

I'm thinking about filming my own simple nail wrap tutorial.  Would you Dandies be interested?

Have a happy weekend! 

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