Eco Chic

{water woes meet the Bobble}

We all know the benefits of drinking 8 glasses of water daily and staying properly hydrated like more luminous skin, fuller lips, stronger immune system, fewer headaches, etc.


For these reasons, I am always that girl carrying a water bottle. I keep them in my purse, in my car, in my gym bag, even in my garage, so I can grab one on the go.


So needless to say I have tons of empty water bottles, all of which I recycle. Still, at week's end, I can't help looking into my recycle bin and feeling really guilty about all the waste I've created trying to give my body a little H2O.

Enter, the Bobble, a refillable water bottle with a built-in carbon filter. Not only is this genius water bottle really cute, it's super eco-friendly, and the filter can be reused 300 times! A feature I find truly fantastic because it means I can fill up my Bobble at any faucet or water fountain and have yummy, purified water! Another plus? No need to keep buying water bottles, one 18.5 ounce Bobble is $10. That's about 3¢ a bottle.


Celebrities such as Kristen Bell and notoriously eco-conscious Rachel McAdams are fans of the Bobble.




Bobbles can be purchased at www.waterbobble.com

Or for those of you that crave instant gratification:

AMERICAN APPAREL

BED BATH & BEYOND

BLOOMINGDALE'S

CONTAINER STORE

CRACKER BARREL

GNC

HALLMARK GOLD CROWN STORES

JC PENNY

KITCHEN KAPERS

MACY'S

WEGMAN'S

Haute Hosiery

Over the weekend, the temperature plummeted! Having chosen my outfit for my friend's birthday party earlier in the week, I couldn't go with my originally planned black dress and bare legs. Such necessity gave way to the brilliance of pairing my burgundy hose with my lbd and black boots, creating a really subtle contrast but a definite departure from an entirely black ensemble.

When I arrived, the chill in the air had noticeably affected the party attire. It seems legwear of all kinds was the choice for the evening! I had more than a few favorites that night; an elegant lace pair, many variations on non-traditional fishnet, and even metallics.

{WOLFORD bondage tights. KATE SPADE enormous swiss dots tights. VICTORIA'S SECRET signature stripe stockings. WOLFORD leo tights. HUE bold lace tights. URBAN OUTFITTERS open panel tight.}

{ASOS 80 denier opaque tights; ochre. EMILIO CAVALLINI opaque tights; heather gray (ASOS). HUE opaque control top tight; navy. ASOS 80 denier opaque tights; damson. DKNY HOSIERY opaque control top tight; port. SPANX tight end tights; cobalt}

Honorable Mentions:

www.asos.com*

Bloomies*

Nordstrom

Urban Outfitters

Target

Victoria's Secret

Macy's

www.hue.com

Headbands & Hairbows

As a child, I took particular pleasure and pride in the beautiful bows my mother made for my hair. My St. Patrick's Day bow was by far my favorite. It was a gorgeous combination of two green grosgrain ribbons, one with black polka dots, the other with black stripes, and adorning the center was a precious little pot of gold. I called it my "lucky bow".

{Little did my mother know, my little girl love of hair accessories would endure.}

While many of my headbands are little treasures, like my faux coral cluster, whose entire appeal lies in their prettiness, the best part about hair accessories is the attention they draw to your face. Plus, they are the easiest and chicest way to jazz up a ponytail or extend your blowdry one more day.

With the onset of colder weather, I discovered this headband that covers your ears but is cute enough to wear indoors! So bring on the those chilly November days!

{D&Y hand made knit headband}

Honorable Mentions:

FOREVER 21 bow knit headband

WOODEN SHIPS Isadora turban (Urban Outfitters)

URBAN OUTFITTERS oversized flower earwarmer

AMERICAN RAG flower ribbed knit earwarmer

DAVID & YOUNG knit flower headband

All content property of Lauren Mantilla.

Glitter is a Girl's Best Friend

What girl can resist glitter? When it comes to sparkle, I'm in! And nails are the newest accessory! So give your baubles a break and bejewel your nails instead!

On my most recent trip to my beauty mecca, I saw OPI's latest limited edition line, Burlesque, based on the movie starring Cher and Christina Aguilera. There are twelve shades but most importantly, six dazzling, high glitter polishes! I couldn't decide on just one, so in honor of my Katy Perry Halloween costume, I painted each nail a different shade! I received so many compliments this weekend, I couldn't wait to share!

OPI nail laquer {Simmer & Shimmer. Show It & Glow It!. Sparkle-icious.

Bring On the Bling. Glow Up Already!. Extra-Va-Ganza!}

Honorable Mentions:

LA SPLASH in Fuchsia, Gold, Lavender, Oceanspray, Rose, & Stratospher (available at ULTA)

HARD CANDY White Glitter

SALLY HANSEN HARD AS NAILS EXTREME WEAR In the Spotlight

ULTA GLITTER SALON FORMULA After Party & Starstruck

All About Olive

Wading through the leaves just to get to my mail, I realized, Fall is officially here! So it's time to get the rake and dig into fabulous Fall fashion!

I'm loving olive cargo skinnies. They are a perfect Fall addition! The rich green reflects the gorgeous shades of autumn and they are the perfect substitute for your favorite jeans since they are so versatile. Wear them with a white boyfriend t, vest, and flats, or dress them up with killer platforms and a shoulder bearing top.

Forever 21 {twill moto cargo capris}

Honorable Mentions:

EXPRESS cargo skinny pant. Small pockets keep the military theme minimal.
JOE'S chelsea-military. Stretch cotton makes these comfortable pants look amazing, too.
ABERCROMBIE & FITCH christa pant. Your old school cargos graduate with honors.
GRANE skinny cargos. Love the moto detail stitching on this pair.
FOREVER 21 twill moto cargo capris. Pocketless tush make for a super flattering long leg.