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Peace & Prosperity!
Blue Elephant

Find your Thanksgiving look!

In Your Closet: Fall '13 Staples

1)  Leather, leather, and more leather!  This Fall, fill your wardrobe with leather staples!  We are stocked with leather shorts, leather skirts, leather dresses, and leather jackets (okay, okay, they're pleather, but the price is mucho better...). 

2)  A good basic boot or shoe in brown, and one in black!  Find your go-to style and stick with those two shades for a look that will take you through to Spring '14!

3)  Tribal It On!  Tribal and ethnic-inspired prints are still all the rage.  Make a statement in a piece by BB Dakota or Chaser!

4)  Slouchy pants: printed, plain, pleated, this is one fall staple you cannot go without.  Dress them up or down, go sporty or go casual.  (It's like fancy sweats, y'all!)

5)  You know a trend has gone viral when they make it into a couch.  Now, we aren't suggesting a change in your home decor.  Try a dash of army green on your nails or lids, or go casual-cool in an army jacket or coated green denim.

Peace & Prosperity!

Road Test: bareMinerals Round the Clock Waterproof Eyeliner

So, we get super excited around here when we get to bust out a new cosmetic product.  Always on the lookout for the lastest and greatest in making ourselves look amazing, I guess.  We have been anticipating the launch of the new bareMinerals eyeliners for some time.  Now I, for one, actually really liked the old liners.  The twist-up function was really handy.  The liner, however, seemed a bit hard and brittle to pull across those tender lids.

This new liner, however, glides on like a little dreamboat!  It's very similar to the Smashbox liners, almost a gel consistency.  If you are used to old-fashioned eyeliner pencils, the smooth, rich texture of this liner may be a bit hard to control at first.  It finishes almost exactly like a cream liner, so it is definitely a more dramatic effect.  (I have yet to attempt the of-the-moment cat eye with this pencil, so I will keep you posted on that.) 


The big test for a liner, for me, is does it stay put when I'm sweating my pants off during my crazy workouts??   The short answer is YES.  After an hour of grunting and sweating, the only part of my appearance that did not resemble a wild banshee was my bareMinerals perfectly lined eyes. 

MUST-HAVE!!!

Visit the bareMinerals website




-rm

Easy, Protected, Lovely Skin!

Because we love easy, fool-proof makeup with added sun protection for those looooong, hotttttt, Austin summer days!  These are one-step tinted moisturizers with SPF that make looking good easy and a five minute ordeal.  

Clockwise from top left:
1.   BECCA Luminous Skin Color SPF 25+  $42
2.   Kiehl's Ultra Facial Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15  $24.50
3.   Philosophy Hope In A Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20  $39
4.   Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 $30
5.   bareMinerals Advanced Protection SPF 20 Moisturizer  $30

It's been awhile! Stay tuned for what's new!

We are gearing up for many new, exciting blog posts.  In the meantime, please check out this sneak peek into our fashion shoot for our new Austin Monthly ad. 

Don't forget to Like us on Facebook for daily posts on what is new and hot!!

Be Discovered = BE BEAUTIFUL!

Whoa!  We are blown away by the new Smashbox collection!  If you stop by the store, you will notice that not only do we have the new amazing colors, but we also have a brand-spankin-new fixture to hold it all in!  Smashbox truly is our go-to line for crazy beautiful eyes and lips, not to mention they recently came out with their Studio FX foundation, a rival to industry leader Makeup Forever.  If you need studio caliber makeup, you have to come in and get color matched on these foundations!  Think birthday, wedding, event makeup.

Okay, so here is the breakdown on what's new and hot:

Spring 2012:  Be Discovered

There is a pastel palette, two cream blush/highlighter trios, two cream liners, and three amazing lipsticks.  Here are some images of the girls testing out the pigments in the collection:

Be Discovered Palette

 Be Legendary Lipsticks

So, now you see why we are simply obsessed.  What's more, Smashbox completely reformulated their lipsticks.  What used to be great lip colors is now RIDICULOUS lip colors.  Think MAC-worthy obsession status.  Check out all the new colors on the Smashbox website here.  There is also a really informative video on how to get the best pastel eyes using the Be Discovered palette, amongst other great videos on their site.

-RM

Something Known and Something New!

We are completely smitten-kitten over the newest arrivals from Austin-based jewelry maker, Vinca!  The genius behind this quirky line, Amanda Dimova, incorporates laser cut wood and acrylic creating a whimsical, yet totally spot-on fashion jewelry line.  She also carries the real thing (gold and silver) on her website.  Here is a taste of what is on the floor right now.  Irresistible!  I picked up this adorable "love" ring today!!

 

Yep!  This key reads, "the key to my heart is in Austin." 

Too true, too true.

Can't you just see this off-beat jewelry paired with classic Marc by Marc?  It's almost like they are meant to be!  Here are some of the new arrivals in the new Marc by Marc Jacobs collection, always a sure thing:

-RM

Uggs Are On Her List

Well, the weather has finally caught up with the season for us Austinites.  Time to pack away those flip flops and bundle those little piggies up for the winter!  What better way to treat your feet than in a pair of cold-weather-classic Uggs???  We know, we know, they aren't the most aesthetically pleasing shape in the world, but they are the cosiest, the softest, the most comfortable winter shoe in the universe!!  If you aren't a believer, you clearly have not walked up and down the aisles of the Armadillo Christmas Bizarre for hours on end only to realize that your feet were completely happy and content to keep on trucking through your Christmas list!  Once you go Ugg, you won't go back. 

Check out the styles we are offering this year in extremely limited sizes:

OMG Sparkles!!!

Also available in black!

Detachable sweater detail

WHOA! Give me these pants!!!

So...

I know we JUST posted yesterday about the fabulous textured skinnies and leggings that are on sale right now, not to mention right on trend, but everyone on staff is FREAKING out over two new denim styles that arrived today.  

First, let's talk about leather trim as a hot new trend.  No, we can't all throw down $1000 on a deliciously luxurious pair of sleek leather leggings.  We work hard for the money, know what I mean???  What we all can get down with is leather trim updates on tried and true styles.   

Check out this Joe's Collection sweatshirt with the perfect little leather triangle trim dressin' it up fancy-like.

 And....drum roll please...these SICK Joe's petite fit skinnies with leather trim.  Yes, leather. Trim.  Leather up the side seams, leather belt loops, and a delicate little leather pocket in front.  

And last, but obviously not least, this adorably quirky pair of Current/Elliott plaid stiletto skinnies also arrived today.  I think we all know that patterned pants and jeans are a major trend right now, but doing it right is sooo important.  Throw these on with a comfy Joe's sweater or Splendid cowl neck slouchy top and a Marc bag.  Hip nerdy!

Tis the Season for Textured Jeggings!

Velvet leggings and corduroy jeggings popped up every this holiday season.  The weather is getting crisp and we are breaking out the layers.  Update your winter wardrobe with some velvet jeggings or corduroy flares, layer last year's tops and sweaters, and you will look just as dashing as Kim K. and, er, that chick from the Disney Channel who is wearing my FAVORITE J Brands for this season (below).

Take 30% off your purchase of velvet or cord pants until Sunday!!!

Black Friday & Beyond!

We may not have recovered from our turkey comas yet, but we are here and ready to offer you some spectacular shopping deals today (although we did not open at midnight, and we will still be closing by 8...)

Here is what we are offering this weekend.  Pretty sweet deals on extremely sweet merchandise!!

 

See you @ the Blue!!

Groupon Holiday Gift Guide!

Hmmmm...what to use that handy Groupon on....

Here is a list of our favorite easy holiday gift ideas (if you are generously gifting your Groupon, that is.  We wouldn't judge you for splurging on a little gift for yourself):