Pinterest!

Hello! Just a quick announcement here. Today I created a new Pinterest for leather & rouge. Click here and follow me! Since this is my first Pinterest ever, I might not pin much at first. However, as a lover of all things internet, I can assure you that will change soon. 

Only two boards. Sigh.

So, get pinning! I'm here to stay.(:

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Comment here and email me at leatherandrouge@gmail.com.

Poll Post: Here's What I Rock Out To

Now that both the fall and school are in full swing, life can feel a little dreary. There are only so many cute animal videos and celeb gossip articles out there to help cheer you up or relieve you of your boredom on those long weekday nights filled with cold weather and tons of homework. Plus, I suck at finding them in the first place. 

Heads up: There are probably curse words in some of these songs. Nothing hardcore; I'm not into that. But they're still there.

I haven't done that many music posts before, so you may or may not know my taste in music. I wouldn't say that I exclusively listen to a certain genre, but I do prefer alternative rock above all. It probably makes up about 90-95% of all the songs I listen to. My favorite song is "R U Mine?" by the Arctic Monkeys. Or "Do I Wanna Know?". You know what? The Arctic Monkeys are my favorite in general. So basically when I want to listen to something upbeat, I just go with alt rock. Point is, I'm not much of a hardcore-rock-out-session type of person. Here's what I listen to when I need a simple pick-me-up.

However, there are some classics you can't beat when you're in the mood to jam. Some artists in this type of rocking out include Avenged Sevenfold, Three Days Grace, and Switchfoot. Their music is aggressive compared to alt rock, so I don't listen to it often. But I also included artists like Thirty Seconds To Mars, who are intense but not as aggressive. There are plenty more types of rock; punky Green Day and P!ATD tunes and classics from the Foo Fighters, for example. 

So what do you think? Let me know what songs you liked and what you rock out to in the comments or in an email to leatherandrouge@gmail.com. 

Switching Platforms? Just Kidding (For Now)... + Why I Disappeared For A Week

Hey guys! This is a follow up on my recent Facebook announcement and the fact that I am now late with two Poll Posts. (Yikes.)

First, like I said on Facebook, I've been really busy for the past week. Specifically, homework and tennis games for three days in a row. Now that tennis is over for this year, I can start writing as soon as my homework's finished. So, to sum it up, those two should be up within the next two days. Sorry!

As for my deal with WordPress, let's just say I thought up that whole idea on a whim. My main motive for moving there was to get more customization options because the Blogger Template Design feature is currently not working. I really didn't want to wait because there are several things I'd like to change about my current site, and I didn't want to wait for Blogger any longer. Unfortunately, I did not reach nirvana by moving leather & rouge there. (Not as much customization as I'd anticipated and too many things to pay for. Ugh.) Soon after setting up the WordPress site, I visited the Blogger site and realized I liked it way better. In fact, I almost went back and deleted the WordPress site. However, I ultimately decided to leave it for now in case something changes. Check it out here if you want. So for the time being, home sweet home. 

Let me know if you have any ideas on how to change the current website, whether it be to add gadgets, change font and/or color, or add a background. Do you like the WordPress site? As always, you can comment and email me at leatherandrouge@gmail.com. 

8 Great Fashion and Beauty Apps

Since I'm not a fashion or beauty editor, I mostly rely on the internet for inspiration. My high school recently started an iPad initiative, so I use mine pretty frequently, and sometimes apps can be more convenient to use than Safari or Chrome. Having apps keeps information readily available for you to use whenever and wherever you need it. So, here are 8 fashion and beauty apps that will keep you looking chic all day long.

1) All Women Stalk

Truthfully, All Women Stalk covers many topics other than fashion and beauty; it's more of a lifestyle app. I chose to feature it here because I think it's great for inspiration. Check out the Beauty, Makeup, Fashion, Streetstyle, and Celebrities categories for tips, advice, and ideas on beauty and fashion.

2) ShopStyle by Popsugar

This app is mainly for shopping, but it also includes a section with countless articles about trends and celeb style. Both aspects are really helpful. The shopping part is great because it provides you with a customizable way to browse. First, pick a clothing category. The app shows matches from all across the web. Now, all you have to do is set a few filters and find your perfect match. You can even favorite items and then check the sale alert tab to see when it'll be marked down (if it isn't already). Can it get any easier than that? If you're not sure what to look for and need a little inspiration, go to the Fashion News tab and flip through a few articles. (You can also look at all of their other sections, which includes but isn't limited to beauty, fitness, etc.) There, you can also sign up for a newsletter that will be delievered to your email regularly.

3) Stylish Girl

Stylish Girl has multiple uses. Its main purpose is organization. You can take pictures of your clothes and organize them into a virtual closet and into different outfits. There's a wishlist you can create to have ready for your next shopping trip. You can make a suitcase list for your next vacation. Use the Fashion Mall feature to browse through thousands of products and visit the Fashion Lounge for inspiration. Personally, my favorite part is the Sale feature, where you can add your favorite labels to a list and then go through them to find items from all across the net. You can set up a few filters if you're looking for something specific (similar to Popsugar), too. 

4) Fashion Kaleidoscope

Fashion Kaleidoscope is all about fashion inspiration. It's simply a collection of blog pictures that you can scroll through for outfit ideas. What sets this app apart from others is that you can shop the look. The two problems I have with it, though, is that you rarely can shop every piece in the outfit, and in the case that you can, you are directed to a page full of similar pieces, not the actual one. In a sense, that's still good because you can browse through the options and figure out what it is exactly you like about the piece. Therefore, this app is best for general outfit ideas and inspiration.

5) Pose

Pose is basically Instagram for fashionistas. You can follow super famous people like model Coco Rocha (who, I must say, is awesome and Pose-ing) and countless members of the blogosphere. Like Fashion Kaleidoscope, you can shop the look. Also like the previous app, you can't always shop each and every piece, but what they do feature is the same exact one as the picture's. Since Pose is really similar to Fashion Kaleidoscope  I'd recommend it for people who are more into social networking.

6) Covet

Covet, launched by designer Rachel Zoe, is mostly a game, but I included it on here for a reason, which we'll get to. Here's how the game works: You build up a closet with money you get from entering events. You put together outfits for these events, which each have a theme, and they get voted on. If you get a high enough rating, you win a virtual prize for your Covet closet. There are some events that have minimum closet value requirements of $10 $25, $50 K. Others have requirements like wearing a certain color, combination, or brand name. You vote to earn tickets, which you need in order to enter events. Make sure to regularly go shopping to increase your closet value and variety. A bonus feature included in this game is the online shopping button you can click on when viewing a single item. It'll take you to a website where you can view and buy the real product. There are also features that allow you to interact with others through social networking and get advice from pros like Rachel Zoe herself. Covet is great for people who love high-end brands and going shopping because that's what this app is all about. As long as you don't get too hooked, go for it!

7) Beautylish

As you can see from the title, this app is all about beauty. Find tutorials, the buzz on the latest trends, advice, and a store, the "Beautylish Boutiques", full of top-rated beauty products. They offer free shipping over $35. You can also find product photos and ratings for inspiration and information to help you make well-informed decisions about buying. 

8) Makeup Alley

Ever wish you had done just a little more research before buying a new cosmetic? If so, this app is for you. Enter a few lines of information about the product and scroll through tons of reviews to help yourself decide. You can filter the reviews by age range and skin tone and type so you can be sure the product will work similarly for you.  

So, how do you find fashion and beauty inspiration? Magazines, celebrities, friends? Or are you into apps like me? Comment and email me at leatherandrouge@gmail.com.

7 Fall Essentials Under $30

New season, new stuff. Problem is, most of us mere mortals don't have enough money to splurge on new clothes and accessories every season. Here, I've compiled 10 great fall essentials that can last you through the season and then some. For $30 and under, you'll get quality and a great price for it.  

1) Leather Leggings

Mimi Chica Faux Leather Leggings, $28, nordstrom.com

Leather is a wardrobe staple, but not all of us can afford to shell out a couple hundred bucks for the real thing! That's why I love BP, Nordstrom's junior section. Not only are their clothes always cute, the majority of them are under $30. As for the more expensive pieces-- they usually drop to a reasonable price when they go on sale. 
These leggings are awesome because they're affordable, trendy, and super versatile. Wear them with a long sweater or a tee and an oversized chambray button down. If you're not that into the legging look, get a faux leather skirt, dress, or jacket instead. The possibilities are endless!

2) Denim/Chambray Shirt

Rubbish Chambray Boyfriend Shirt, $24.90 (on sale), nordstrom.com

Speaking of chambray, another wardrobe staple, BP also has that! I remember when it first got popular last year; I couldn't find one that wasn't $50! Eventually, I settled for an H&M style, but I find this shirt to be much cuter. 
Before we talk about chambray, let's quickly go over the difference between it and its close cousin denim. Denim is a heavier material with a wider range of washes; dark blue and black chambray isn't as popular. Chambray's texture and weight is closer to that of muslin and linen. It's most commonly dyed in light to medium washes, as you can see in the picture above. However, certain places, like Madewell, offer a huge range of options.
Chambray clothes are great for dressing casually and toning down semi-dressy pieces. Shirts seem to be the most common chambray items, but you can also find chambray skirts, dresses, rompers, and even lightweight parkas, among many others. I'd wear this shirt with a lace dress and rugged ankle boots for a girly but tough look.

3) Natural Jewelry

BP. Stone Statement Necklace, $22, nordstrom.com

When it comes to natural jewelry, the best pieces use natural stones like turquoise, jade, or even geode. They're better for investments, though, because they can be pretty expensive. Of course, you can always buy fakes, which can look almost the same, depending on where you buy. I chose not to feature natural stone jewelry here because the smooth texture of this necklace can be easier to style with a wider variety of clothes. I also liked this piece because of the colors. (Sorry about the bad quality of the picture, I can't figure out why it came out that way. The original picture, which you can find by following the link, is much better.) The muted colors are very pretty and keep the potentially cheap-looking plastic material from becoming the focus.

4) Wear-everywhere Sweatshirt

Heathered Zip Front Sweatshirt, $19.80, forever21.com

This essential is a new trend this season. I've seen so many street-style looks that pair a sweatshirt with dressier pieces like leather skirts and clean-front shorts. The general theme I've been seeing is dressing the sweatshirt up just a little. It looks a little off, but the exact balance between casual and dressy gives it a super trendy feel. To pull this off, choose a sweatshirt that's cute, casual and well-fitting with something on there to keep it from getting boring. On the style I featured here, there are zip details. For a really versatile sweatshirt, get one that hits at the hip and has v-shaped stitching detail at the neck. This style by Aerie has the fit and weight I just described, while this one by Gap has the v-shaped stitch. 
Of course, you can also wear sweatshirts where they're supposed to be worn-- at night, on the plane, and with sweatpants. But that's not fashionable, now is it? 

5) Thick-knit Cardigan

Forever 21 'Forever Cool' Colorblocked Cardigan, $24.80, forever21.com

Here's another pick from Forever 21. They're crazy about knitwear! I love chunky cardigans because there's something about thinner cardigans I just don't like. I think it's easier to layer thick knits because they don't make me look bulky. In addition to that, they're warm and stylish. For a versatile knit you can wear with anything, pick a style with a fit similar to the one above and in a color, preferably solid, that goes with the majority of your closet. Black isn't always the answer; for example, if you wear a lot of brights, white will work better because it's also bright. 

6) Sweater

Nasty Gal 'Spell It Out' Knit, $27.20, nastygal.com

You definitely need several of these for a stable fall wardrobe! However, have at least one go-to sweater that you really love. It doesn't have to go with everything unless you want it to. Instead, make everything go with it. Wear it whenever and with whatever you want to. I chose this Nasty Gal sweater for the random letters. They make it it unique but simple. My favorite sweater is an oversized Aztec print knit from BP. I wear it almost every week! 

7) Scarf

'Easy-glowing' Afternoon Circle Scarf, $29.99, modcloth.com

This scarf caught my eye because it's thick knit and cozy for the coming cool weather but also stylish because of the mixed mustard and cream yarn, which keeps it from looking grandma-y. Also, mustard is a great fall color. I'd say this scarf would go best with natural colors. A possible ensemble could be an off-white linen shift, tights, and deep green heels.

So, those were just seven of the many fall essentials on my list! What about you? Let me know in the comments below or in an email to leatherandrouge@gmail.com. 

Poll Post: What's New With House Music

I've never been a house music person. I listen to tunes by Deadmau5 and a few others when I feel like it, but not often. Instead, I comfort myself with (who I consider) classic alt rock artists like the Arctic Monkeys and Spoon. Plus, a few Pandora sessions here and there keep me from getting bored by providing me with new favorites and playlist fillers. Recently, though, I haven't been using Pandora, and songs are starting to annoy me when they get stuck in my head. So I thought I'd hit refresh and turn to a genre I haven't listened to in a while: house music. 

Although house music isn't my personal favorite, I think it's great to get yourself pumped up while exercising, dancing at a party, or just in the mood for house.

House is a mixture of electronic, pop, and dance music. Sometimes it can even cross into dubstep territory. The balance of each of these depends on the artist and their style. House music is pretty popular, so you can usually catch a few tunes on Top 40 radio stations like Z100 and 92.3 Now. And house music is basically all that's played at clubs (hence the name "house").

Most popular house songs have dancey and/or poppy melodies with an electronic twist. This can get boring because the main focus of the song is the melody, with the electronics as an enhancer in the background. However, there are definitely some creative artists out there. One of them is Avicii. You may know his super popular song "Levels", a sorta-remix of "Good Feeling" by Flo Rida. It was huge this past summer. Avicii caught my eye because 1) A kid in my first period class really likes him and told us about his new album, and 2) Since I wanted to do a post on music, I looked into his new album, True, and thought his style was pretty cool. (True was released on 9/13/13. So technically it isn't that new.)

Avicii always features some sort of melody in his songs; you never feel like you're waiting for the song to start after a full minute. "Dear Boy"'s vocal melody does start late, but the catchy tune preceding it was skillfully edited to make a smooth transition into the melody. Although vocals are usually a significant aspect of Avicii's music, it's waay more electronic. It took some analysis on my part to discover this. I used to think that "Levels" was just a plain old remix of "Good Feeling", but if you actually listen to the song, you'll find that the vocals are just used as support for the electronics. It's also pretty obvious in "Dear Boy", an 8-minute song whose majority is electronic despite the flowing melody it seems to be centered around. 

A big part of Avicii's style I think is really cool is how he can take two very different types of music and fuse them to come out with a happy medium. Let's use "Dear Boy" as an example again. The tune leading up to the melody is very exact and driving. It almost seems too harsh to be leading up to the flowing melody that comes next. To rule out that imbalance, Avicii added electronic background music to make the vocals more driving. He also adds an electronic melody to harmonize with the vocals, which sounds surreal but totally cool. 

He emphasized this "fushion" in some of his songs on True by remixing country tunes into his songs. Country! To hear it, listen to "Wake Me Up", which is his most popular song right now (according to Spotify). Personally, I'm not into country music or "Wake Me Up", but regardless, I really admire that Avicii's going in that direction because it's so different. Most DJs would be scared to do mix country songs, but he gladly took the plunge.

So, have you just been enlightened? How do you feel about house music, Avicii, and what he's trying out? Share your thoughts in the comments below and email me at leatherandrouge@gmail.com.

Poll Post: 4 Ways to Update Your Eye Makeup for Fall

I love fall makeup. It's bold, dramatic, and beautiful, especially when it comes to eye makeup. There are so many ways to bring out the eyes. Let's explore 4 ways to do so in the Fall.

1) Classic smokey eye

Source

This look is great for whenever you wanna make a safe but bold statement, whether that be at work, school, or out with friends. But wait-- it's possible or something to be safe and bold? Yup. It's bold because it draws so much attention to your eyes but still safe because it looks good on everyone. Just remember: Smoky eyes should be worn during the day only in the colder months, when heavier makeup is generally in; light and simple makeup is reserved for the spring and summer. Also, since they draw all the attention to your eyes, it's best to keep all your other makeup light. If you want a really dramatic look, add a statement lip, but no more! 

Although there are many ways to do a smoky eye, I just follow the directions on the bottom of those little smoky eye palettes (What can I say? I'm a drugstore girl.). If you need some guidance, though, take a look at this All Women Stalk article.

2) Smudged Kohl-Lined Eyes

Source

I love this look and will continue to try to pull it off for the rest of the season. This look is feminine but super laid back, relaxed, and simple. Wearing this would make you look like the kind of girl who throws her makeup on in the morning and manages to look good in probably half the time it took you to match that. It also kinda looks what I imagine would happen in this hypothetical situation: you stay up writing an essay until 12 AM and skip washing off the makeup, then end up late to school. Then later, when you have to go the bathroom and are dreading that inevitable moment when you see yourself in the mirror, you actually look...acceptable? Dare I say...cute? So, yeah. I looove this look. It's super cute and easy, so of course I do.

As I've mentioned multiple times above, this look is very easy to recreate. First, you'll need a soft, smudge-able kohl eye pencil. (If it's a traditional pencil, get a sharpener too.) Next, figure out what looks good for your eye shape. When applying your liner, you may need to alter things like the thickness and intensity so your face isn't overwhelmed. I learned this for myself from experience, but you can also get an expert's opinion at a beauty store or research. 

3) Updated Cat-Eye

Clockwise from top left: Source 1, 2, 3, 4

This new spin on the classic is also exciting. I made a collage for this one because there are many different takes on the updated cat-eye. As you can see, however, there are two main additions: color and eyeliner. 

• Color
• Eyeshadow
• Make the wing with a strong sweep of eyeshadow.
• Add color to your lids
• Use a subtle amount of eyeshadow all around your liner for a pop of color
• Colored eyeliner
• Add a pop of color above your liner on your top lid
• Use colored eyeliner instead of black or brown eyeliner
• Eyeliner
• Shape
• Exaggerate the traditional shape by extending it out further
• Go graphic and change the shape of the wing
• Thickness
• Thin and subtle
• Thick and bold

As you can see, there are endless ways to change up your everyday cat-eye. If you want to keep your makeup in season, I'd stay away from bright colors and instead choose deeper tones like emerald, plum, and burgundy. 

4) Graphic Liner

Source

This look really ruled the runways when it first came out, and will probably continue to for seasons to come. I especially love this look because for the amount it takes to create, it dramatically accentuates your eyes by giving your lids more depth. Like the makeup in this picture, many graphic liner looks feature liner on the lids--stripes, contouring, you name it! There are many graphic liner looks to copy out there, but before you look a tutorial up, try it out yourself. You never know what you could come up with...

As I've said before, eye makeup is my favorite cosmetic. There are so many ways to make up your eyes, and we can enjoy the more dramatic looks in the Fall. Which of the above variations are you going to try? Comment below and email me at leatherandrouge@gmail.com.