Get the Look: Toddlers and Tiaras Halloween Costume!

Hi lovelies! It's almost time for one of my favorite holidays of the year, Halloween! As you guys know, I always love an excuse to get glam, and Halloween is the perfect reason to go all out! And what's more glam than a toddler pageant girl, right? So today I'm going to show you how to steal my look!

Costume

1. Raid Your Closet!
Some of the items for your pageant princess look can more than likely be found right in your wardrobe! I just used a basic white top and black leggings as the base for my costume.

2. Track Down a Tutu!
The bigger and poufier, the better! I can't find the exact tutu I ordered, but here is a super similar one on Amazon!

3. Accessorize It!
What's a toddler beauty queen without her tiara? I found mine here, but there are also tons of other affordable options on Amazon and other party stores! Of course, you'll also need a pacifier and a sash!

Makeup

1. Doll Up Those Eyes!

I opted for glittery silver shadows, but any sparkly color will do just fine! Super long, babydoll lashes are also a must for this look. So glob on as many coats of mascara as you can, or break out the false lashes!

2. Cake On the Blush!

So as you guys know, I'm usually all about the natural "lit-from-within" look, but not today! I piled on as much hot pink blush as I could without scaring people on the street. 

3. Lips That Make Barbie Jealous!

Break out your best bright Barbie pink lipstick and layer it on! I also added a bit of pink plumping gloss to amp up my lips even more. 

Hair

1. Curl That Hair!

I used a 3/4 inch curling iron and a boatload of hairspray to create super tight ringlets!

2. Tease It Up!

Although I definitely can't compete with the mountain-high poofs found on Toddlers and Tiaras, I did my best to back-comb the front section of my hair to add volume. 

And that's how I made my Toddlers and Tiaras inspired costume! Have a wonderful Halloween and be sure to tweet me pictures of your costumes or share what you're going to be in the comments below! 

This month my Ultimate Sparkle Sponsor is be happy live pink. To find out more about advertising on Sparkle & Mine, click here!

The Best Sites to Shop for Cheap & Chic Jewelry!

Hi lovelies! I apologize for being a bit absent these past couple of weeks! Life has been pretty crazy for me lately with midterms, my 21st birthday, and joining a sorority! If you'd like to hear more about what I've been up to (including my experience during sorority recruitment weekend) please let me know in the comments!

And now to get to the point of this post...cheap & cheap jewelry! Keep reading for all of my favorite sites to score fab pieces for a total steal!


1. BaubleBar
BaubleBar is filled with on-trend statement pieces and sparkly gems! They aren't quite as affordable as some of the other stores on the list, but they make up for it with super high quality! Plus, they have this addicting little promotional offer called the "Buried Bauble" that's basically like a scavenger hunt every Monday and Friday for marked down jewelry throughout their site. I feel like a kid in a candy store going on the hunt for all the crazy good deals!

2. Charlotte Russe
So I've actually talked about my love of Charlotte Russe before, but I just couldn't leave it out of a post about affordable jewelry! This site is seriously the ultimate jewelry jackpot, with most items about $5 each! With so many adorable pieces at such low prices, I probably get giant boxes from Charlotte Russe delivered to my door a bit more often than I should!

3. Daily Look
If you haven't checked out Daily Look yet, you seriously need to get on there right now! Every day, a new outfit is posted on their shop made up entirely of items you can buy right on the site. It's great for girls like me that fall in love with individual items but struggle to figure out what to pair them with! Plus, they have an amazing selection of super trendy and unique jewelry at great prices!

4. JewelMint
What makes JewelMint stand out from the crowd for me is the style quiz you take the moment you get on their page. After a few fun questions about your personal style, you're taken to a showroom filled with items specifically chosen for you! JewelMint also has tons of awesome promos and coupon codes happening all the time for new members. Right now, you can score any full-priced item for $8.99!

5. Sole Society
I know what you're thinking- Sole Society is for shoes! However, they also have a pretty amazing collection of super chic jewelry! Just like their footwear, all their pieces look very high-end and designer, but without the crazy price tag!

I'd love to hear all about your favorite sites to shop for affordable jewelry in the comments down below!

This month my Ultimate Sparkle Sponsor is be happy live pink. To find out more about advertising on Sparkle & Mine, click here!

My Favorite Budget-Friendly Looks for Class!

Hi lovelies! So I have a confession. In high school I used to rock sweatpants and a hoodie to class almost every day. It wasn't that I didn't like getting all dressed up, it was just that I was a little too lazy to make the effort to dress up at 7 a.m. But now that I'm a little older, a little more fashion obsessed, and my classes start a little later, I really enjoy putting together fun outfits for school! Of course, as a college girl on a tight budget I definitely have to find ways to look high end on a super low budget, and today I want to share a couple of my current favorite looks with you!


Keep in mind, since I scored some of these pieces months ago, they are not all still available online. So I just went ahead and included a link to the most similar item I could find, or marked the piece as unavailable and linked to the store it's from!

Outfit #1

I absolutely love the combo of a classic, almost masculine chambray shirt with super girly pastel pink & gold accessories! I know pastels are typically more for spring, but I say break the rules and rock 'em year round!

Sole Society by Julianne Hough Cut Out Flats* | American Eagle Modern Rinse Jegging | Old Navy Pin Dot Chambray Shirt (Similar) | Merona Skinny Belt  | Reecie B Pastel Necklace (No Longer Available)

Outfit #2

Lately I have been completely obsessed with these mustard ballet flats! They add such a fun pop of color to any outfit, but I especially love them with this anchor blouse!  

Sole Society Mustard Flats* | American Eagle Modern Rinse Jegging | Xhilaration Anchor Blouse (No Longer Available) | Forever 21 Gold Chain Bracelet (Similar) | DailyLook Bow Midi Ring

And those are two of my favorite affordable outfits for class right now! Now I'd love to hear all about your favorite school looks! Sound off on the best stores, new items, and anything else your heart desires in the comments down below! ♥

School Sparkle: DIY Crafts to Deck Out Your Dorm Room!

Hi lovelies! You all gave such amazing feedback from my School Sparkle guest blogger series, I decided to invite one of my favorite bloggers, The Caro Diaries, to come write one final post all about making this school year the best one ever! And for all of my fellow college kids, a huge part of having a great year is having a great dorm room or apartment on campus! So today, Caro will be sharing some of her favorite DIY crafts to spruce up your room!

I'm lucky enough to be entering my second year of university this year, and I know what it's like being a broke college student. When the exchange rate between your home country and the US is 6:1, broke becomes your middle name. That being said, I can't afford expensive accessories and decorations for my dorm room, and I've been forced to be creative. Dorm rooms can be boring. This is the place you eat, sleep, study and just hang out in all day every day for nine months out of the year, so sprucing it up is recommended, but managing to do it without spending big money is the challenge. So I headed on over to Pinterest (my favorite thing to do whenever I need any sort of inspiration - check out my Wednesday Wisdom posts every week!) and created a list of some great, easy and inexpensive DIY pieces to turn your dorm room into your home.


1) String Art
Nothing says home like making something creative to depict not only your state, but your hometown. Home is literally where the heart is with this cute decoration that's easy to make and adds so much character and a great story to your room. Click here for instructions!

2) Jewelry Board
There's no better way to showcase your fashion sense and style than by creating a jewelry board. Choosing fabrics that express your personality, and showing off your fave accessories add a unique touch to your room, and is also super convenient! Click here for instructions!

3) Photo Letter 
When you go to college, you're going to want to be surrounded by photos of home, friends, family and loved ones to remind you of them and provide a familiar face in all your new experiences. By buying a wooden letter and some mod podge, you can create a new dorm room accessory that's not only cute, but also personal! Click here for instructions!

4) Charging Station 
In college, you'll be using your phone, laptop, e-reader and iPods pretty regularly, and need to charge them daily or weekly. This power station transforms your charger cords into a cute little station, and organizes and pretties up the usually cluttered section. It's fairly simple to do and makes a big difference when compared to tangled cords. Click here for instructions!

5) Photo Lines 
Sticking up photos all over your room is highly recommended while you're at school. It's a great way to surround yourself with friends, family and great memories, and to keep you calm when you're so far away from home. Using twine and clothes pins, this transforms your room and empty wall space so much more than a regular photo collage or frames would. Click here for instructions!

6) Magnetic Makeup Board 
This one is super useful and adds a girly touch to any room by showcasing your own makeup. It also forces you to filter through and only keep what you actually use. It would be great to stick next to your mirror and make your daily makeup routine so much easier! Click here for instructions!

7) Crayon Art 
I've seen this one all over Pinterest and I've always loved it, so when I stumbled across this one I absolutely knew I needed to make it! It's so colorful and a quick way to brighten any room, but the inspirational word (or you can use a quote) adds some motivation daily which is always a plus when you're living away from home! The instructions sound easy enough.. but knowing me, I'd end up on Pinterest Fail! Click here for instructions!

8) Framed Weekly Calendar 
When you're in college, you HAVE to be organized. You have no mom telling you to wake up and go to your 8am class, and no one is there to keep track of the 16 credits you're taking, all those tests and projects, as well as meetings and other extra curricular activities. I love the idea of this weekly calendar in these frames because it's a sort of to-do list, which is always useful when you're away from home. Click here for instructions!

I hope you enjoy these cheap and easy DIY crafts to spruce up your dorm room! You can stop by my blog, The Caro Diaries, or find me on Bloglovin, Facebook or Pinterest for even more posts like these :)