Greetings from Austin! It’s been an amazing week for SXSW. Interactive just ended and now comes the music portion of the festival. With all the decadent eating out here and endless BBQ’s and Tex-Mex (not to mention my training for Machu Picchu), I hooked up with a local cycling studio, Ride which I highly recommend to anyone who’s visiting Austin.
Lara Eurdolian, Pretty Connected Beauty Blog
Beauty workout bag essentials
Va Va Voom Lashes with Physicians Formula Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit
There is an impressive amount of launches coming out of Physicians Formula right now. Last month I attended a breakfast with the brand and by far the product most excited about is their new Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit.
Spring it on in Sperry
Spring is in the air! At least in beautiful Austin, which is such a refreshing change from the never-ending winter we’ve been experiencing in NYC. This trip has been the perfect opportunity to take my drawstring pants and crop tops out of retirement and wear my new Sperry Authentic Original Washed Canvas 2-Eye boat shoes! They are super lightweight and insanely comfortable (and easy to pack). With non-marking runner outsole and shock absorbing heel cup for added comfort, I’ve been basically living in them since getting to Texas.
Whether you’re going for a preppy look with khakis or something more nautical to go out boating in (or do as I do and wear them as a casual every-day shoe), Sperry is mixing up their classic silhouettes this spring. Having invented the original boat shoe in 1935, the brand has come a long way at 80 years young and are more versatile and trendy than ever. Expanding into casuals, they now offer a variety of styles spanning beyond boat shoes to include wedges, flats and sandals.
I’ve owned many a Sperry boat shoes (my step-mother gets them for me every Christmas!), and what I really love about the Authentic Original Washed Canvas 2-Eye boat shoe is how soft the top part of the shoe is. My other pairs are more traditional boat shoes and stiffer. These are so comfortable they feel like slippers on. Available in six shades and patterns (I’m rocking the Turquoise) for $80, check them out at sperry.com
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Sperry through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Sperry, all opinions are my own
Promotional Items People Actually Want (As Seen at SXSW)
If there’s one thing every person has is a promotional item. Whether it’s a pen, reusable bag, or a tee shirt, you see brand logos on everything. Personally, I’m not big on being a walking advertisement and normally pass on taking them — however since being out at SXSW I have to say the tech brands know what’s up! Mixed in with all the usual branded merchandise I past on accepting, I thought I’d give a shout out to all the brands that are doing it right! Take note PR peeps, this is the stuff we actually want!
Headed to SXSW? Here are some parties to have on your radar
It’s official, I just extended my trip to stay in Austin a stay a bit longer to be here for all of SXSW. Rather then post individual invites like I’ve been doing, I’ll just keep updating this post with new events that seem worth checking out!
Here’s just a few of the events I plan on making it to… join me!
March 14 – 16th – Starting at 10:30am have coffee with Cosmopolitan Magazine and kick off the opening of their Style Lab! Sponsored by Intel and COVERGIRL see their lineup of events and speakers from 10am-5pm at the JW Marriott HERE
March 14 – 16th – GE is cooking up some BBQ. See invite above for more info and RSVP at GEBBQLab.Everbrite.com
March 17th theme your drinks to the music from 7pm-2am at the DJ-51 App launch party at The Contemporary Austin. Details above.
March 18th – 21st Join NOISETRADE for a series of SXSW Day Parties, presented by Clif Bar GreenNotes. RSVP at http://found.ee/NTSXSW15RSVP
March 18 – March 20th Neiman Marcus Make Some Noise Event featuring Marina and The Diamonds, Rebecca Minkoff, Laura Dern, Frieda Pinto, and so many more. Full lineup and RSVP: HERE
March 19 – March 20th Dr. Martens at SXSW event at Bar 96 Rainey St. Full lineup and RSVP HERE
March 20th at 11am join SPIN at Stubb’s with a complimentary taco brunch available until 12:30 PM. From the time doors open in the morning, until 5:00 PM, SPIN at Stubb’s will host 9 bands on the club’s north and main stages. The lineup will include hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, the new wave-flavored pop of Twin Shadow, the mesmerizing indie punk of Screaming Females, the acclaimed folk stylings of Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, the transcendent noise rock of METZ, Will Butler of Arcade Fire, the spiraling post-punk of Viet Cong, the smoldering electro pop of Kate Boy, and the skillful rhymes of hip-hop whiz kid Earl Sweatshirt. SPIN at Stubb’s is sponsored in part by Esurance, MixRadio, Jack Daniels, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Steel Reserve Alloy Series. RSVP: HERE
March 21st from 12-5pm SPIN and AXE® are making SXSW 2015 extra special with the AXE White Label Collective Party at Cheer Up Charlies. Headlined by John Legend and lineup will also feature live performances by YG, Lolawolf, ASTR, James Davis, and an eclectic lineup of handpicked new talent.
AXE White Label is a refined grooming line designed to boost guys’ confidence by helping them look and feel their finest. The AXE White Label Collective mentorship program is designed to help rising talent “take the leap” (#taketheleap) by giving budding creators the tools they need to take their skills to the next level, in both music and style. RSVP: HERE (Note: This is open to the public with badge holders having priority to enter).
Win your pick of any 20Legz leggings! {Giveaway}
{Outfit Details: Kilt Leggings c/o 20Legz, Cat Colorado Boot in Alias M c/0 Cat Footwear, The Tiny Tote c/o Dagne Dover, Nadia Pullover Sweater c/o Callina}
If there are two things I love, it’s leggings and a good deal. (How cute are these plaid leggings!?!) With the amount I travel (and how light I try to pack) my wardrobe is filled with printed leggings from Brooklyn-based clothing company 20Legz. The website sells fashion forward leggings for just $20 plus $5 shipping. I mean come on $20!!! And they have so many cute styles! (This is just a handful you get to pick from!).
Join Neiman Marcus at SXSW and Make Some Noise!
There is an amazing amount of talented women speaking and performing during the Neiman Marcus MAKE SOME NOISE 2015 event during SXSW. Celebrating bold women with bold voices, the multi-brand prestige retailer is returning to Austin with a three-day event celebrating its empowering, female-driven initiative, “Make Some Noise, Bold Women Bold Voices”.
Check out this lineup! Rebecca Minkoff, Marina and the Diamonds, Laura Dern, Rosario Dawson (and that’s just the icing on the cake)! People, get in on this!
Make Some Noise is a Neiman Marcus brand platform championing bold woman with bold voices who are shaking up the status quo and leading the way forward. Celebrating noisemakers in technology, fashion, music, food, art, and business, Neiman Marcus inspires all women to join in, use their voices and make some noise. “Make Some Noise” in Austin will serve as the peak event for the year-round campaign celebrating women.
To join in on the fun be sure to RSVP at www.NeimanMarcus.com/
Henri Bendel Launches New Fragrance Suite 712
Launching in May, Henri Bendel will debut their first fragrance since the retailer announced last spring that they would no longer carry 3rd party brands (including beauty) and exclusively sell their own brand of fashion accessories.
Isaac Mizrahi Launches New Makeup Line
He’s done clothing, shoes, band-aids, even designed the packaging for condoms! So it should come as no surprise that iconic designer, Isaac Mizrahi has expanded his empire to partner with True Cosmetics to launch TRUE Isaac Mizrahi.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup {Review}
Finding the right foundation shade can a struggle, so when my friends at Conde Nast asked me to partner with them to get matched and try Estee Lauders Double Wear foundation I was all over it. (Especially since I’m a foundation junkie). The process is simple, visit an Estee Lauder counter at Macy’s or Nordstrom for a customized iMatch consultation. At which time their beauty advisor will place this remote control (pictured below) up to your cheekbone to read your shade. I was an unexpected Desert Beige (which is lighter then I usually go).