Tutorial: DIY Gradient Nails for the Lazy

I'm posting this little fancy-ass picture tutorial of my fun nails because 1. They're a hit with strangers on the train, so that must mean something, and 2. Every tutorial I looked up on the internet involving a similar look involved tools, time, and a physics degree to achieve, and we're all about minimal effort here. Let's do it.

Step 1:
Assemble your arsenal. As you can see, I spared no expense for you.

All you need is a base color, some glitter polish, and a top coat. Boom.

Step 2:

Apply base color as normal. I'm especially angsty and goth today.

Step 3: This is when you need to put the wine down for five seconds and kind of concentrate. You need to glob that glitter onto the very tip of the nail. 

GLOB IT.

Do not fear the glitter. The glitter and you are one now.

After said globbing, wipe the excess off of the brush.

Step 4:

Using light, quick strokes with the brush, blend the glitter toward the cuticle for the gradient look. LIGHT. If you use the same pressure you normally would, your entire nail will end up just glitter, and you will have disappointed Auntie Mary.

Look at you go.

Step 5: Look smug. Tell that office bitch that "it's really too complicated to explain" when she asks how you did it. Repeat for one week straight, because glitter nail polish is positively bionic and that shit will not chip.

Top coat and done.

I know...I love you too.

Mary

What I see on the train lately

...That makes me sad I struck out on Christmas bonuses this year. I work in a fancy part of Manhattan now, and lately all of my train rides are nothing but visual envy.

Shearling

Awkward layering

Dr. Martens

Old-world patterns

Textured tights

Shoe embroidery

Leather sleeves

Public transit in this city is hilarious. In one area, I might be sitting next to weathered old man listening to him talk to himself about Vietnam, and a few stops later, I'm blinded by a Prada bag logo and a sparkly holiday manicure. Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to take actual photos...until then, I'm the girl weirdly staring at you and then pretending to look at my phone. Yes, I know there's no reception underground.

In weirdness,

Mary

Bright December

blazer & triangle necklace: Forever 21

dress, cross ring & shoes: Urban Outfitters

clutch & watch: vintage 

arrow necklace: NYC Christmas market

I love the idea of bright colors in December. It's my middle finger to the idea of winter. I'm so accustomed to wearing dark neutrals year-round that I've been yearning for something to lift me out of my seasonal doldrums and add something festive to an otherwise everyday look.

 Speaking of everyday look- I got my hair colored today at the Charles Elias salon in Brooklyn, NY. If you live in the NYC area, I highly recommend miss Nicole! Merci mademoiselle!

Au revoir, bebe.

xoxo

Mary

P.S. I'm cold.

shirt: thrifted 

shorts/formerly pants: thrifted H&m

tights & boots: UO

bag: Century 21

hat: street vendor

The jewelry, I think, has been in literally every other post, so...

This was probably one of the last no-jacket days of the season. It's about to get real. Willing myself to not eat my feelings over the passage of summer and stay on the couch all evening. I still have too much Brooklyn to explore...

Mary

Hello, October.

dress: vintage

cardigan: borrowed

bag: Century 21

boots: Urban Outfitters

My first self-post in a while is, of course, centered around new shoes. Let's just please pass right over the glaring fact that I have the palest legs you will ever see and get down to biz-nass: Fall. One may or may not recall me whining for six months straight about how I hate cold weather, but the Scrooge in me will always admit that it does allow for much tastier outfit options. I'm about to take these babies out in Brooklyn for the day. If you see a walking cliche hanging out in Williamsburg wearing an oversized sweater and drinking a pumpkin spice latte, say hi!

Mary 

Blogger's Wardrobe: Gaia and E&E Sunglasses

I noticed a lot of posts lately mentioning this site/company. Blogger's Wardrobe is an online marketplace geared specifically to bloggers, and promoting the exposure of designers one wouldn't typically come across in mainstream media.

I'm all about this. They have so many unique brands and I'm loving the overall aesthetic of who they are promoting: clean lines, flattering silhouettes, minimalism, and a light, pastel palette are pretty dominating. 

Danish label Gaia is feeling the knitted, vintage look.

The yellow sweater on the left? I'd be willing to wear actual color for a day.

Another one that stood out to me is E&E.

I'm not European enough to wear these, but I'm not minding staring at them right now.

www.bloggerswardrobe.com and wine are my evening right now. Not mad about it.

Mary

Mathieu Mirano SS 2013 Presentation

In the category of "awesome things that accidentally happen to me",what happened at this event was a close second to Catherine Malandrino suddenly appearing right next to me (and probably ending up in the background of about 100 photos akwardly looking at the floor). But I'll get to that. 

This line looked like pure decadence. Even though it is a Spring collection, it was set off perfectly by the glacially-themed sculptures. My inner 6-year-old could've stood there for hours: Sparkles. Sparkles everywhere.

So I'm just hanging out, trying to look like I do this all the time, wondering if anyone would believe me if I said my $4,000 camera was being repaired and that's why I was using an iPhone, when the man himself shows up right next to me and starts conducting interviews. I didn't say anything. I just stayed where I was. His PR person assumed I was in line to talk to him and said "Just keep it to one or two questions, please." Well...obviously, of course. That...that's standard.

I can say with sincerity that Mathieu was a complete sweetheart, very down-to-earth, and very invested in his craft. I was blowing my own mind with my awkwardness and he was super cool about it. I don't have a recorder, but it's all in the steel trap:

Me: How does your Spring collection differ from others this year, or keep your concepts from blending in with other designers'?

MM: I'm actually glad you asked that. This season I kept the base color a fresh white, but I also added pops of bright color, as with the stone work you see here. Other designers have amazing things happening right now but there's a lot of pastels, a lot of neutrals...

Me: (nodding). That's...it's gorgeous. Um. Thank you so much. That's all I have to bother you with.

Just showing up is half the battle.