Gypsy Warrior

Meet Nicla DiCosmo and Michel Bezoza, the two New Jersey raised Co-Founders of the lifestyle, clothing and accessory company called Gypsy Warrior! First launching the first edition of Gypsy Warrior's website back in 2010, the brand is heavily inspired by tattoo culture, rock n roll, high fashion, NYC, and vintage! In no time at all, the brand exploded overnight and rocketed straight to the top of shops and brands similar in style! By 2011, they opened their doors to the first GW store in Ridgewood New Jersey! On my recent trip to New Jersey last week, I was able to visit the Ridgewood store! Gypsy Warrior carries everything from clothes, accessories, shoes, pillow cases, tarot cards, candles, flasks, tapestry, and tons more!

Now, you may be asking yourself, well Melanie, what the hell does Gypsy Warrior mean?

These girls have made a complete image and a character for their brand, and I think that is so brilliant! The girl I see in my head is the kind of girl you see at music festivals, running around barefoot, and dancing her nights away, lost in the music. She's bold, careless, and just wants to have fun! I feel we've all met girls like this, and Gypsy Warrior is the perfect brand for her! Not only does GW have their own designs, and styles, but they also carry a lot of other brands in store, and online as well, such as Disturbia, YRU, MINKPINK, REVERSE and so much more!

So admittedly I went to New Jersey for this store. I was born in New Jersey, but the town I'm from is gross now, so Gypsy Warrior is what I was looking forward to seeing the most! It was so great to finally get there, after wishing that one day I'd be able to! It was almost surreal. I'm a huge nerd I know. But when we went in, we were greeted by the girl who was working there, and she was very helpful the whole time, and it felt like I was being taken care of while I was shopping! Also, I'm almost positive that Michel was actually at the store when I was shopping, which was pretty cool! 

I didn't buy too much, because a lot everything I wanted, they didn't have in my size (What a relief.... My bank account would have hated me..) However, I did end up getting this cute "Girl Gang" ringer top, a Gypsy Warrior Jack Daniels inspired sleeveless top, a cleaver necklace, and an ADORABLE Ouji Board embroidered iron-on patch!

I was so in love with the general set up of the store, and the merchandising of it. I have this huge obsession with pink neon signs, and there were these two gorgeous ones that say, "Wanderland" and "She loves adventure" If you live close by Ridgewood New Jersey, and have time to stop by the store, you absolutely should!! Also, there's a delicious donut shop right next door, so double reason to go! 

Gypsy Warrior is the perfect representation of a Vile Girl, 100%!! 

SHOP GYPSY WARRIOR!
Follow Gypsy Warrior on Instagram: @GypsyWarrior
Follow Co-Founders Nicla and Michel on Instagram: @MagicalNicla & @MichelGypsyWarrior 

XO
MELANIE

Eye Liner Talk: Finding What Works Best for You!

I had my first experimentation with makeup the Summer before 9th Grade when I was finally given permission to start wearing it from my parents. It's definitely safe to say that it was not cute, and thank goodness I don't have any pictures to go with this awful story. That was about 7 years ago now, and since then, I've been able to try tons of products from all over the makeup spectrum, and I think I've finally found what I think works for me! By no means am I a professional, or think I am. Lots of trial and error, and I still end up with wonky eyeliner wings, and just deal with it because I can't be bothered to fix them for the 50th time. Who has the time?

The makeup I like most, would have to be eyeliner, and that might be very obvious... I've tried lots of eyeliners over the years, drug store and high end, and I have a few favorites! My personal favorite kind of eyeliners are the spongy, felt tip pointed liners! I feel like I have a lot more control over them when I apply it to my eyes! Brushes can get messy! Gels aren't bad, I just hate cleaning makeup brushes.

Here are some of my most used drug store eyeliners! I didn't put any coal/pencil/ crayon liners on here, because I don't use those for anything but tight-lining my eyes. All of these are ones I've bought once, and bought again! 

Wet n Wild Mega Liner:  $2.99 at any drug store! For such a cheap price I was so skeptical about this one, but after doing a little internet searching reviews on this guy, I gave it a chance, because I found it had generally good reviews. Also Kreayshawn uses this eyeliner, and I used to be all about her eyeliner wings! It stays on all day, it goes on very dark, and dries pretty fast! I never found that it smudged horribly either! It also comes in waterproof, but I'm terrified of waterproof eyeliner/mascara because it NEVER COMES OFF. I stay clear. Final verdict: 4/5

Maybelline Master Precise: ~$4.79 at Target! I've used this one more recently, and I recommend it to anyone who asks what eyeliner to use! I've only started using sponge felt tip liquid liners this year, and this eyeliner is great for getting a perfect wing, because of the sharp point it comes to, and the length of the applicator! So you can keep it small and sweet, or big and bold! It goes on very black, and dries very fast as well! I've never had any smudging or transferring onto my eyelids! 5/5 WOULD recommend!

Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Liner: ~$6.99 at Wallgreens! This is the liner that I'm CURRENTLY using! It's still pretty new to me, but I've been using it every time I put my makeup on! The found this eyeliner on Pinterest with the caption saying "BEST EYELINER IN THE WORLD FOR ONLY $6.99!!!!" So the easy to please consumer in me went out on the hunt to find it. Not all drugs stores carry Milani, so you may have to hit up a few stores! The search is very worth it! It goes on black, the sponge felt tip applicator is the perfect length, and it also dries very fast! It's my new go to, and I will recommend this one to anyone who asks me here on out! 5/5 WOULD recommend!! 

E.L.F. Cream Eyeliner: ~ $3.00 at Target! This was the first gel liner I ever used, and it was what I needed at that point, and it worked for me at the time. I still use it to tight-line my eyes, or to smudge my bottom lashes, but I wouldn't use it for eye-lid liner wings! 2/5 

Maybelline Eye Studio Cream Liner: ~$9.00 at Target! I really like this liner a lot, and if I still used Gel Liners for doing my wings, I would go to this one if I was in a pinch, and couldn't get to a makeup store! It's great for tight-lining as well! My mom bought this, which is how I first tried it! 4/5

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner/ Ink Liner: BOTH $19.00 // I'm just going to give my two cents about these together, because I feel like they're very similar. I didn't notice much difference between the two, to be 100% honest. They both worked pretty well, but I feel like they smudged by the end of a long day. Which is unfortunate because they're basically $20.. Also, in my experience, I couldn't get a line out of it at the very tip of the applicator! I like to get right into the inner corners of my eyes, and it was very difficult to do with these. They're lovely liners, very pigmented, I just didn't get what I thought I'd be getting when I paid almost $20 for them! Everyone else I ask about these liners, they love them. So maybe I'm just not advanced for these babies just yet. Try looking up some review on them yourself, and you may find different opinions! This is just my two cents~ 3/5

Sephora Brand Fine Line: $14.00 // I find that I had the same problems with this eyeliner, that I had with the two Kat Von D ones! They went on very dark, but the applicator wasn't all the way to the tip, and these one smudged over the course of my day as well! 2/5

Sephora Brand Dramatic Line: $14.00 // Was not a fan of this one... The little flat tip seemed practival, until I tried to use it, aaaaaaaand boom, a square on my eyelids. Returned instantly. 0/5 

MAC Liquid Last Liner: $20.00 // I enjoyed this eye liner when I first purchased it! I'm not very great with brush liners, I feel like I have very little control with them, and the wrong FLICKOFTHEWRIST could mess up your fleekness~ So I try to avoid brush liners. Anyway, after using it and when I started to get to the bottom of it, the applicator started to get little clumpies on it, that were built up and was pretty gross. It also took a minute to dry after being applied. But it stayed on very well, and was very pigmented! 

 My biggest advice with eyeliner is THEY ARE SISTERS NOT TWINS! DON'T STRESS TOO MUCH, OR YOU'LL JUST GET FRUSTRATED AND IT WILL NEVER COME OUT GOOD THAT WAY! 

Watch this video of Mykie of GLAM&GORE on Youtube of "How to 'WING' Your Eyeliner" She's really hilarious, and this is my favorite eyeliner video out of the HUNDREDS of winging your liner on YouTube! 

Amme B's Handmade Clothing & Accessories

Amme B's is a clothing, accessories, and lingerie shop run through Storenvy and Etsy, based out of Southern California/Denver, and owned by Miss Amme B herself! A good portion of her products are handmade, and you can even do custom orders to Amme B's! They have a ton of the strappy, harness looking pieces, that are huge right now, in lingerie design.

The dainty florals, crossed with the strappy harness silhouette really make Amme B's stand out for sure. I know personally, whenever I wear any kind of lingerie that is even remotely similar to this, I feel like I can take over the entire world. 

Amme B's has been seen on people such as Youtube blogger Leda Muir (Instagram: @TheLedaBunny), countless Suicide Girls such as Peggy Sue Suicide (@peggysue_suicide), and Arwen Suicide (@dametualma) and tons more!  

Use code: FEELPRETTY to get 15% off your purchase!

 

MEL XO

Woman Crush: Wednesday Addams!

Who knew an 11 year old Christina Ricci, as Wednesday Addams, in a black with white peter pan collar dress would flash forward to 2015, and end up being such a huge trend. An effortlessly chic dress look, or a very last minute Halloween costume, accompanied by some braided pig-tails, tired eyes, pale skin, and a widows peak, the signature dress can be found at most clothing stores or websites! One of my favorite brands who kills the Wednesday Addams collar trend is a California based clothing, accessory, and shoe company, Deandri.

One of my favorite brands, Deandri , is consistently serving up some Wednesday Addams realness, whether it's a black with white collar dress, or a collared suspender crop top! They even have these fabulous BIBS! It may seem strange, but I feel like I remember thinking back years ago, "WHY hasn't anyone made something that I can put under any shirt/high neck dress as a collar?!" The internet is FULL of just little detachable collars, but when Deandri came out with the full bib, they changed the whole game! If it still sounds bizarre, check out the slideshow below, and be informed. Deandri is seriously killing the game with all of their innovative different takes on this contrasting collar trend! Every blogger I follow has sported pieces by Deandri, and tattooed mega babe, Kat Von D is crazy about Deandri. She's even gone as far to call their Black and White Grady Dress, "Dress of the Year!" I think Deandri fits the whole "Vile Girl" style so perfectly!

All Deandri photos taken from their Instagram: @Deandri

Well now that you've got your Wednesday Addams dress, you just need the make-up and hair to go along with it. Watch the video below to complete the look!

This signature style looks great on anyone, and I myself have a few pieces that go along well with the theme, so for Halloween at work, I did a Wednesday look, to keep it within dress-code. Tons of stores like H&M, Romwe, and Forever 21 have all carried, or carry pieces like these, at reasonable prices!

 

XO

Melanie