Sponsor Spotlight: Nicole Lee

I'm SO excited to tell you guys all about Nicole Lee today on SS.  They're an LA based handbag company that first launched in 2004.  They define fashion as, " an ever changing entity that is consistently incorporating cultural and social traits in his designs."  Created with top quality fabric, their fashion forward designs take the world of handbags to a new level.  They draw inspiration from European runways, NY lifestyle, and Cali's casual yet trendy street fashion.  Their designs are available in thousands of fine boutique shops throughout the the and abroad such as London, Paris, Tokyo, Milan, and more!

I had a chance to review their Tori sandals, and I'm totally in love!  They're so comfortable, and I absolutely love the whimsical print.  I've been wearing them everywhere - they're perfect for running errands, and in my opinion, they're cuter than Birkenstocks.  Regarding size, I recommend that you go down a 1/2 size for the correct fit!  The bottoms massage your feet like whoa.  They're currently on sale here for $49.49 - they were originally $65.99.

Here are a few of my other fave Nicole Lee picks...

 LEFT | MIDDLE | RIGHT

LEFT | MIDDLE | RIGHT

3

Shop for a Cause: Look fabulous while Supporting Amazing Organizations

I'm very excited to share today's post with you guys.  Over the years, I've discovered several fabulous brands who really make an effort to give back.  I'd like to take a moment to tell you all about 7 amazing companies who sell gorgeous items AND support incredible causes.  

1.  The Starfish Project

Sells:  Gorgeous handmade jewelry & accessories

Ships: worldwide

Supports: post-trafficked women in Asia.  Jenny McGee founded SP in 2006 after seeing the needs of women in exploitation in her city.  Since then, Starfish Project has grown to three locations in Asia, reaching out to hundreds of women each year.  Women who come to work at SP receive dignified employment, counseling, housing, food and vocational training.  

How you can help: purchase their fair trade jewelry, become an advocate and sell their pieces for commission, host a jewelry party, or donate to Starfish Project, a registered 501c3 non-profit.

2.  Warby Parker

Sells: fashionable glasses of all sorts

Ships:  free standard shipping + returns

Supports: a nonprofit organization train men and women in developing countries to give basic eye exams and sell glasses to their communities at affordable prices.  They then work hard to spread awareness and make eyecare available to their communities.

How you can help:  purchase a pair of WP glasses.  They tally up the number of glasses sold and make a monthly donation to their nonprofit party, which covers the cost of sourcing that number of glasses. 

 3. Roma Boots

Sells: Rainboots

Ships: worldwide

Supports:  Roma Boots Foundation by providing a new pair of rain boots to street children and orphans.  With every pair of Roma Boots sold, a brand new pair (stuffed with educational supplies) is donated to a child in need.  In addition, 10% of all their sale proceeds go to the Roma For All Foundation.

How you can help: Purchase their boots to donate directly to their foundation here to provide educational supplies.

 4.  Vaalbara

Sells:  Unique, vibrant and environmentally conscious bags handcrafted in the USA.

Ships:  free domestic shipping.

Supports:  Surfrider's mission.  A portion of your purchase goes to this wonderful organization to help protect oceans, waves, and beaches.

 5.  Bracha

Sells: one-of-a-kind, handmade jewelry + interior

Ships: worldwide

Supports: A21 Campaign and others who work relentlessly for enslaved women and children around the world. 20% of their proceeds go towards abolishing human trafficking.

 6.  Skyline

Sells: cool socks that represent your hometowns

Ships: worldwide

Supports:  They partner with different organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs, United Way, and Seattle Children's Hospital to name a few.  Socks are one of the most vital and overlooked articles of clothing that people need.  TIME Magazine found that 1 in 50 kids in America are homeless, and many more are living below the poverty line.  With every pair of Skyline Socks purchased oline, a pair is donated to a non-profit program in your city so another kid can keep their feet feeling and looking good.

Additional info:  They design custom socks for events and teams.

 7.  Elegantees

Sells:  Fashionable apparel

Ships: worldwide

Supports: the fight agaisnt human trafficking.  They currently employ 6-10 rescued women consistently.

How you can help:  Purchase their clothing to help them become a big company firmly rooted in the truths of purity and modesty, as well as to help more victims of trafficking become overcomers.  They'd like to eventually compensate their full-time volunteers fairly, as 100% of their company's dividends will be given to non-profits fighting modern-day slaver.

I hope you all enjoyed this post!  I don't usually ask you guys to share my content, but I'd really appreciate a re-post/re-pin/whatever of this article because I strongly believe these amazing brands deserve as much attention as possible.  Are there any brands you guys would like to spotlight? Please let me know why commenting below so I can check them out!

3

Sponsor Spotlight: Glamhive

I'm super excited to tell you guys all about Glamhive today on SS.  It's seriously the coolest fashion platform out there so I suggest joining STAT! You can post your own looks AND shop the fab ensembles of others.  There are so many amazing bloggers and fashionistas on there already (myself included obvi, ha)!  I guarantee you'll be addicted within minutes.  Let me tell y'all how it works:

1.  Post your OOTD and tag exact or similar pieces.

2.  Find and follow other stylistas for outfit inspo & info on the latest trends!

3.  Cop any look you love!  Every ensemble posted is shoppable, and it only takes ONE click to get the 411 you need. 

4.  Search for specific pieces with ease, and shop your fave brand through the site to get points!

5.  Get rewarded when your outfits are shopped or you shop through GH.  You can cash in your points for gift cards to your fave stores (!!!!!)

They've partnered with over 600 online retailers including Asos, Nordstrom, and Nastygal.  I totally flipped when I saw Nordstrom listed, ha.  Y'all know it's one of my fave stores!  Anywho, let's talk a bit more about points because, well, everyone likes earning free stuffs!  You earn 'em by...

1.  Shopping stores through GH.

2.  Posting a pic and getting shopped by another GH member.

3.  Sharing your GH pics on social media platforms like pinterest, twitter, and facebook.

4.  Inviting friends to join the network!

Yeah.  It's pretty much a win-win situation so make sure y'all join me ASAP by clicking HERE. Points accrue and are redeemable for gift cards to popular retailers.  2,000 points = a $10 gift card to any store of your liking (!!!!)  Awesome, right?  Here are a few stores you can score GC's from:

What do you guys think of this BAMF site?  Do you already use a site like GH?  I bet this one's better *grins*  

Sponsored by Glamhive, but all opinions are my own.

0

Sponsor Spotlight: Sizers

Every women struggles with finding shoes that fit, it's almost impossible to know your real shoe size. Personally, I'm an eight at Forever 21, a seven and a half at H&M, and a six at Timberlands! So, as you can imagine, like most women, I have about ten different pairs of shoes that don't fit. Luckily, Lavina Bonar, the inventor of Sizers, prides herself in being able to fix that problem.

After an experience in which Bonar had to wear shoes that were much too small into an interview, Lavina became sick of wearing ill-fitting shoes. She realized that she wasn't the only one struggling with the issue of not being able to find the perfect fit of shoes -- every woman struggles with the same issue! So, Lavina created Sizers "out of necessity."  Basically, Sizers are little foam pads that you can pop into the tips of shoes to alter sizing. They come in three sizes:  1/4 (pink), 1/2 (purple), and 1 (orange). They can be used for tons of reasons:

1.  You want to borrow someone's shoes, but they're too big.
2.  You own shoes that don't fit quite right.
3.  A shoe brand doesn't seem to carry your perfect size.

These pads were a godsend!  How many women can really say that their heels fit them perfectly? I sure as hell can't.  Not only are some pairs slightly too big, I've also actually stretched out faves of mine from over-wearing.  Thank god I didn't throw them out because now I can wear them again!

It has long been thought that "beauty is pain and women have to endure sore feet and blisters in order to look beautiful. Thanks to Sizers, that's no longer true - pain is now a thing of the past!  Make sure you guys check this fab British brand out HERE.  You can also check 'em out on facebook and twitter.

Written by Zoe Luiz

5

IPromise Jewelry

Promises mean a lot in our society, but to IPromise Jewelry's creator Karen, they mean everything. She started IPJ because of a promise she made her daughter - she wrote her a letter while she was away at camp, and years later Karen's daughter got that same promise tattooed onto her arm.  It made her realize just how powerful a promise could be, which in turn inspired her to start her fabulous company.

Each piece on the IPJ site contains a promise - either a promise to yourself or a promise to another person. The outer edges all say "I Promise..." and are accented with four stunning diamonds.  The insides offer personal inspirations - it's like you're keeping a little secret to yourself.

They also sell bracelets that benefit different causes - IPromise contributes to Quinn for the Win and JDRF - so you'll be helping wonderful foundations on top of it all.  It's really a win-win - you look stylish AND you give back to society!

If you want a gorgeous piece of jewelry or you'd like to make a promise to a loved one or yourself for that matter, make sure you get yourself a piece from IPromise Jewelry's fabulous collection!

Sponsored by IPromise Jewelry

Written by Zoe Luiz

6

Berricle Jewelry

This post is ALL about Berricle, a jewelry brand that opened in 2006.  They originally called themselves "New Outlet." They changed their name to Berricle in 2011 - after their love for berries (!!!) Cute right?  Anywho, Berricle's all about quality jewelry at sensible prices. I mean, their mission is "affordable elegance" after all!

They sell EVERYTHING on their site: engagement rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets, brooches. You name it, they have it!  They have 3,000+ different jewelry designs and never use anything other than at least AAA grade stones.

They also offer a 30-day 100% satisfaction guarantee -- if you don't like your jewelry. you can get a full refund! If you want amazing sterling silver, gold, or Cubic Zirconia jewelry, make sure to check them out!

What do you guys think of Berricle? Let us know if you buy any of their pieces!

3

Sponsor Spotlight: Jord Wood Watches

In Swedish, "Jord" means "earth, soil, land." This reflects Jord's goal in creating watches that are inspired both by nature and modern design. Their watches are created entirely from wood so they're both functional AND stylish. Their slogan is, "telling more than time..." because their watches represent simple yet efficient individuals who appreciate contemporary aesthetics.

Jord sent me the Ely Maple watch to review, and I couldn't be more obsessed. Every part of this piece is luxurious, including the gorgeous wooden box it came in.

The watch's design is simple and sleek. When I initially ordered the watch, I planned on styling it with a set of wood bead bracelets, but when I saw it in person, I decided that it needed to be worn alone.  How would you guys style this piece?

Jord has in-house artists, designers, and watch smiths that design and create with intricacy and care.  You can see the beautiful detail (shown below) in the logo alone. 

This watch is amazing; the craftsmanship, functionality, and design are all on point. Jord carries both men and women's pieces so make sure you guys check them out!  They ship internationally - US residents get free shipping - AND you can get it sized beforehand for a small fee.

Written by Zoe Luiz

5

Sponsor Spotlight: Nature's Time

I'm SUPER excited to tell you guys all about Nature's Time today on Sensible Stylista.  Nature's Time was created in the heart of SF by founder and active registered nurse, Christian Panaligan.  After hearing story after story of suicides and shootings linked to bullying, he decided to step up and take a stand.  As a victim himself, he found solace in the strength and beauty of nature so he incorporated it into his vision: a chic fashion accessory - made of natural materials - that would spread compassion and awareness.

"Through nature, each and every one of us is connected and it's our TIME to start making real impact for each other.  We don't know what tomorrow will bring, so why not make the best of today for the good of society?" - CP

Support NT and help #endbullying by purchasing a sustainable eco-friendly, toxic free watch that'll make a serious fashion statement.  Each watch purchase helps 6 bullying victims, and NT has partnered up with Free2Luv to fight bullying through community outreach, awareness campaigns, and events.  Make sure you guys help them out on their Indiegogo campaign HERE.  

The men's and women's limited edition prototype is available only for the first 100 sales.  After that, no more will be made!  The men's designs start at $89 each.  Once they reach $100,000 in fudning, the women's line will be released.  They use natural wood and 316L steel to handcraft all their pieces, and they're water resistant.  FYI: the watches have pins and holes in every link of the band so the re-sizing is hella easy.

2

Diamond Lighthouse: Selling Diamonds

Alright guys, for today's post I'll be tellin' you all about Diamond Lighthouse on SS.  For those of you looking to sell, this is a must-read.  

The DL platform bridges the gap between people looking to sell & pro diamond dealers and jewelers.  DL's expertise in evaluating + understanding market trends is critical for fair business because every diamond is unique.  

They're a trusted member of the Better Business Bureau so the diamonds they broker are secure and safe.  They have a flat commission (10% on diamonds over 1 carat) so you know they'll try and get the most money possible for you.  Their sole purpose is to SELL so you know they aren't offering you the lowest price to make a margin.  Instead, they aim to get you the highest bids possible.

Unlike other methods (selling to a jeweler, pawning the piece, etc.), DL provides user access to professional buyers and dealers.  When you send your jewelry to DL, you're connected to a wide network of trusted pros who offer competetive bids. During the process, you have complete (and anonymous) control over your sale!  You can choose when and if you'd like to sell through your personal portal.

Selling's super easy.  All you have to do is register online or call 212-776-0003.  Gemologists will do a complete evaluation on video and reach out to a network of buyers.  Offers will pour in, you'll agree to a sale, and DL will send you your money.  Super simple, right?  FYI: they'll insure your jewelry.

You can also buy on Diamond Lighthouse.  Their GIA trained gemologists will report cut, carat weight, color, clarity, and fluorescence.  They'll also share clear images of the product.  They'll post the item on their online marketplace and provide detailed descriptions.  If you decide to purchase, you'll receive a GIA certificate (if one was provided) or any other relevant documents regarding authenticity.  If you live in NY, you can always schedule an appointment and review the item in person.  

You then place bids.  DL will inform you promptly when you've been outbid.  You can make new bids until the bidding period is over, and DL'll quickly let you know if you've won.  Once you're approved by the seller, you'll pay for the item by check or bank wire, and the item will be sent to you in 2 business days (shipped via FedEx overnight, fully insured) once payment's confirmed.

This post was sponsored by Diamondlighthouse.com, but all opinions are my own.

2

Sponsor Spotlight: Lindi Skincare

The Lindi Skin brand was created in 2003 as the first complete skincare line designed for those undergoing cancer treatment - clinically-proven, safe and, gentle for anyone with compromised skin.  Although the line originally targeted patients undergoing chemo, the gentle nature of the line appealed to anyone with delicate skin - the healing botanicals and antioxidants delivered ultimate hydration!  

The line's ideal for winter skin, older skin, allergy-prone skin, bad sun, wind burns, and much more!  Many dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons recommend Lindi products for post-peel and laser treatments based on their anti-inflammatory healing properties.  

2

Sponsor Spotlight: Scentbird

Alright guys, if you're a fan of monthly subscriptions & fragrances, you'll absolutely love Scentbird.   It's the best of both worlds *grins* SB's an awesome designer perfume subscription service.  You can experience luxe scents without committing to full bottles.  Get a generous 30-day supply of YOUR pick for $14.95 a month.  

I don't know about you guys, but I'm super fickle about perfumes.  I like using different ones depending on my mood.  If you're like me at all, you'll really enjoy this service.

You can choose from over 350 luxury scents by Chloe, Gucci, Hermes, and more!  These fragrances are delivered in a sleek purse spray (pictured on the right) that's easy to take on-the-go.  Super convenient for sure!  I'm currently sampling Issey Miyake's Eau D'Issey Absolue, and it's sublime.

 The purse spray's really easy to use.  Twist to spray, twist to close!  Just like lipstick.  FYI: make sure you hold onto your case because SB will send you refills in the future.  

What do you guys think of this service?  Are you interested in subscribing?  Out of curiosity, do you guys use any other service like this? Think Le Tote, AdoreMe, BirchBox, etc.  Oh, and before I go, I'd like to give you guys a special discount code.  Enter SCENT25 at checkout to get 25% off your first perfume!  

4

Sponsor Spotlight: Anjolee

Alright errbody, I'm super excited to tell you guys all about Anjolee today on Sensible Stylista.  If you're lookin' for fine jewelry, you need to check them out STAT.  They're one of the largest diamond jewelry manufacturers in the US!  Their innovative jewelry customization process gives you complete control over designs based on taste and budget.  They offer 7 types of metal, various total carat weights, and diamond quality and size for each item on their site.  

If you're nervous about buying fine jewelry online, don't be - their return policy is AWESOME! They'll give you a full refund within 30 days of purchase if you're unsatisfied for ANY reason.  The timeframe starts with the date you RECEIVE the order, not when it's shipped.  Oh, they also offer FREE FedEx shipping on orders within the US and Canada.  Free FedEx Priority Overnight with orders $500+, and free FedEx 2nd Day Air for everything else.  All orders place on Anjolee are sent fully insured.

FYI:  they also provide a certificate of authenticity for each diamond order.  If you wish to add a third party certificate (ex. GIA or IGI), simply add one to the product as you're customizing.  The price for the certificate will show on your order total.

Now let's get to the fun stuffs!  Here are some of my FAVORITE pendant necklaces...

And earrings of course!  Which babies do you like best?  Oh, and they also sell eternity bands!  So check them out STAT.

2

WeStyle

Alright guys, it's safe to say that I'm obsessed with the new WeStyle App.  Think of it as a magical pocket stylist of sorts.  It's kind of like instagram - you follow peeps, they follow you, you upload fashion-y shots, browse cute OOTDs, and scroll through your feed, BUT (yes, I needed to type in all caps) you also get to give fashion advice to frands and strangers alike in real time.  Awesome right?

Let's take a peek at my discovery page!  You can search for people, brands, the whole shebang.

Here's what my profile looks like!  Only 6 followers so far *sniffles*  Come find me so I'm not lonely on there, guys.  I could really use your fashion input, and of course, I'd be more than happy to give YOU style advice on there as well.

Now onto posting.  You can "ask", "decide", or "inspire" - I'll give you guys examples of each to clarify.  Snap a pic and "ask" a question like, "would you guys wear this to a first date?"!  If you need help "deciding" which bag to get, make a collage and ask your friends.  Now, if you want to show off your sweet OOTD or share a bomb look you found online to "inspire" others, definitely do so.

I really love this app because it's great for men AND women - I feel like style apps are usually geared towards women *shrugs* I can't wait to see you guys on there!  Come join me, errbody!

4

Sponsor Spotlight: Apparel Candy

Totes excited to tell you guys all about Apparel Candy today on Sensible Stylista. They carry some seriously cute stuffs - yeah, I said "stuffs" - at ridiculously low prices including wholesale tops, dresses, tees, etc.  They even carry cosmetics and fragrances!

Apparel Candy has a huge online presence - definitely known for fab wholesale clothing.  I recommend checking them out STAT.  FYI: they carry plus size pieces and garb for men and children.  Don't forget to use code NEWCUSTOMER for an extra 15% off your first order.  After that, you can use code AC10 for an extra 10% off. Yeah, you're welcome in advance!

This post is sponsored by Apparel Candy.

3

Sponsor Spotlight: Three for Twelve

I'm super excited to tell y'all about Three for Twelve!  If you guys haven't heard of them, head over to their site STAT.  They're a fab tee-shirt company based in Cali, and yeah, you guessed it - they bundle three shirts for $12!  ANY top of your choice!  Sounds like a seriously sweet deal to me.  SO for today's post, I'll be featuring MY picks.  Lots of fun shots for you guys today *smiles*  

How could I resist making this face?  I know I should but whatevs, ha!  Don't judge me *smiles*

Cause I'm a boss...

...who makes hearts and blows kisses, HA!

BTW, I ordered tops in size M for a loose fit.  If you guys have any questions, please feel free to ask by commenting below!  I always LOVE hearing from you guys.

0