Palm Springs, I love you...

So, I finally made it to Palm Spring! I am so excited! The weather is just perfect and I have to confess I am rather enjoying a few days off. I am not taking a break from blogging, ok maybe a little bit.... But I will be back on Monday and I promise I will blog my heart out:)

I hope you are enjoying your weekend,
Love,
 Annabelle

Dress -  Marc by Marc Jacobs, Bag - Michael Kors, Wedges - Dolce Vita, Belt - Forever 21, Bracelets - Belina

SUMMER WARDROBE - WIN A $150 GIFTCARD

{Look 1: Goodnight Macaroon Daisy coral skirt, Rebecca Minkoff Circle Quilt bag, pureDKNY crochet sweater - similar here | Look 2: Goodnight Macaroon scalloped hem shorts, Sandro silk top, Reed Krakoff Boxer tote available at Neiman Marcus | Look 3: Goodnight Macaroon pastel asymetric top, Helmut Lang Ember blazer, Reed Krakoff Boxer tote, J Crew neon yellow shorts, Zara sandals & ASOS claw ring & spike stretch bracelet throughout}

First, I would like to congratulate Marina from Me, My fashion and I with winning Etiika GIVEAWAY! Hope you love those bracelets as much as I do!

Secondly, this week I teamed up with Goodnight Macaroon to style 3 of my favorite items from their current collection and get 2 lucky readers ready for Summer. This time 1 lucky reader has a chance  to win a $150.00 GIFTCARD and 2nd a $50.00 GIFTCARD

THIS GIVEAWAY is open to everyone,

OLD FRIENDS AND NEW and it will SHIP INTERNATIONALLY

TO ENTER:
1. LIKE this post on BlogLovin by CLICKING HERE

2. FOLLOW Goodnight Macaroon on Twitter by CLICKING HERE & LIKE Goodnight Macaroon on Facebook by CLICKING HERE

3. FOLLOW VivaLuxury on Twitter by CLICKING HERE or LIKE VivaLuxury on Facebook by CLICKING HERE

4. Mention this GIVEAWAY on either Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or Pinterst with a link back to this post

Please leave a comment here including your email address and tell us what your favorite Goodnight Macaroon item is! The GIVEAWAY will last for 14 days until Monday June 11 2012. I wish everyone the best of luck!

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

SUMMER SINSHINE STRIPES

Open back crop tee in neon orange and bandeau bra in hot pink via Victoria's Secret PINK | Giuseppe Zanotti Patent Colorblock sandal  | Woven east/west bright tote via Rebecca Minkoff  | H&M Skirt | J Crew bright pink bracelets | ASOS  spike stretch bracelet  | Crystalized nail ring via  Minusey | OPI nail polish in Y'all Come Back, Ya Hear | YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in Rose Toupe

After yesterday's post I've gotten quite a few emails asking how I keep my make up from melting off my face Summer time. So, I decided to take this opportunity to talk a little about some of my tried and tested beauty tricks and favorite products. 

Face:

Normally I start with applying Laura Marcier Secret Finish Mattifying gel on a cleanse face, designed to control shine and keep your skin matte, it also helps to keep your make up in place. I've been using it for a while now and so far have not found anything that works better. Since I am not a big fan of foundation and only use it on very rare occasions, I skip it all together summertime and instead opt for a little concealer in a few strategic areas:) All time favorite is YSL Touche Eclat concealer, which provides a perfect amount of coverage and makes skin look absolutely luminous.

Cheeks:

I prefer to use cream blush summertime, I find that it stays on much better than powder. My favorite one at the moment is Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Cheeks and Lips in Pale Pink. Oh, and I know that most make up artists use a brush to apply cream blushers, but I actually like to use my fingers. I think it allows me to achieve a much softer effect and use a lot less product:)

Lips:

I love matte lipsticks, in my opinion, they stay on much better than regular lipstics or lip glosses. Normally, I start by applying a little lipstick using a lip brush, then lightly dab my lips with my finger for a more even distribution. Current favorite is Lancome Color Design lipstick in Stylista. 

Eyes:

Finally, I keep my eye make up minimal, most of the time I line my eyes using a water proof eyeliner like MAKE UP FOREVER Aqua liner and apply a little YSL Volume Effect mascara for some eyelash drama:) 

So, that pretty much completes my everyday look. If you have any questions about  products I use, shoot me an email, I will be happy to answer!

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

SHORT TEMPERED

Sunburst ombre bubble statement necklace via ILY Couture | J Crew neon yellow shorts  & silk blouse - similar here & here | Zara heels & handbag | ASOS claw cuff bracelet | Crystalized nail ring via Minusey 

Feel like these neon yellow shorts from J Crew are going to be my unofficial uniform this Summer. I am not sure what I love more about them the color or the fit, but I must confess I've been wearing them everyday as of lately. I simply change my tops and heels and voila - a whole new outfit:) 

Today was another one of those blazing hot days in LA and because I had a few errands to run, I threw on this breezy silk shirt to keep me nice and cool. Funny thing about this shirt is that I first saw it on J Crew website but was always too busy or lazy to go to the store to try it on. So, by the time I got there J Crew was completely sold out. After calling a few stores, I managed to find the very last one in size Large. Determined to have it anyway, I tried it on and I have to say that I rather prefer the loose fit.  Guess the lesson is you never know unless you try:)

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

COLOR ME BRIGHT

Open back crop tee in bright blue and bandeau bra in hot pink via Victoria's Secret PINK | Giuseppe Zanotti Patent Colorblock sandal  | Woven east/west bright tote via Rebecca Minkoff  | J Crew neon yellow shorts & bright pink bracelets | ASOS  spike stretch bracelet 

As I have mentioned last week, Emil and I were finally able to carve out some time to go to Palm Springs. Normally we like to go down there in May or September, reason being that it gets pretty hot in Palm Springs Summer time. How hot? Well, this weekend the temperatures soared to about 109F or 42C!!! Now, I don't really mind the heat, but my poor Emil was completely measurable. He spend most of the time soaking in the pool. Boys and heat, don't mix, have you ever noticed? I am always cold and he is always hot:)

Of course I brought half of my closet on this trip but ended up wearing as little as possible:) This top from Victoria's Secret Pink was a complete God send. Cropped and flowy, it kept me nice and cool in the blazing heat! Don't you just love these cotton, easy to wear pieces for summer:)?

To see pics from our Palm Springs via INSTAGRAM, CLICK HERE or follow me at @vivaluxuryblog

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

CORAL POP

Tudor pocket tank via Gap | 3.1 Phillip Lim Minute clutch | Zara bleached denim jacket & platform heel sandal | ASOS claw ring, spike stretch bracelet & skinny cross bangle

I am so honored to once again take part in Gap's Summer Styld.by campaign. Since I am such a fan of Gap and bright colors, it was absolutely amazing to style pieces from their Summer12 collection. To see the full feature on Gap.com, please CLICK HERE, or click on the images in the post above!

My inspiration for this particular outfit was one of my favorite fashion trends for Spring/Summer 2012, which is bright color. My take on wearing this Summer's saturated hue trend is by pairing bright colors with a neutral base. To emphasize the richness of the coral top, I threw in a pair of heels in a matching hue.  

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

RETRO RENDITION

Laura sandal in Black/White polka dot via Pink & Pepper | Rachel Zoe Lydia dress | JCrew Havana bright red clutch | Crystalized nail ring and Crystal spike necklace via Minusey 

Most of the time my looks start with a single item, whether it’s a pair of jeans, a bag  or a dress, I chose an item I feel like wearing today and then build an outfit around it. Today’s look is no exception it started with a pair of shoes. My favorite pair of shoes at the moment, might I add. Completely obsessed with the black and white polka dot print! Added bonus, they are super comfortable to wear! No purple toes is always great in my book:) And of course, I love shoes that magically work with everything in your closet and can be styled in an infinite number of ways. So, don’t be surprised if you see them on my blog over and over again:) 

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle