Ka'Oir Lipsticks // Rude Girl and Pool Party

I have been wanting to try out some Ka'Oir lipsticks for quite some time. I think it's obvious through my past reviews of Lime Crime that I'm very into the idea of colored lipsticks, and with my desire to move away from companies like LC, I finally was able to give Ka'Oir a go!


With twenty-six colors to choose from, naturally it took me a while to settle on only two. In my go-big-or-go-home mindset, I opted for Rude Girl and Pool Party. All of the other colors are very appealing (I mean, just look at Golden Goddess!), so I started small and will be going from here.

I made my order last week and they were sent via USPS — not my favorite, but they got to me in a reasonable amount of time. They were packaged very nicely in a smooth, black pillow box and some tissue paper. My first impression was how bright they were. The second was how solid the sticks seemed — I didn't know if that was going to be good or bad. The sticks didn't have any smell, which is a factor that I'm almost entirely neutral on.


I gave Pool Party a try first. It is described as "a bright turquoise lipstick for unique, edgy, and confident trendsetters." Given that turquoise is my favorite color, I wanted to try this out. I found it to be a little bit brighter than the swatch on the website, but lovely nonetheless. The application was flawless and quick. It only took a couple of swipes and a little work with a lipstick brush on the edges to get this looking crisp.


My worry with this, as with any colored lipstick, was that it would look strange against my pinkish skintone. I found the blue to be a bit calming and played against my light eyes. Keeper? I'd definitely say so. It's not a color that I'll be able to pull off on a day-to-day basis — but I'm excited to rock it out on special occasions or days when I'm feeling extra sassy for work.


Next up is Rude Girl. I already have the Lime Crime D'Lilac but really wanted a lipstick in a deeper tone. Rude Girl is described as a "deep, bright purple" and it does not let down! Again, the application was easy and smooth — and the staying power is fantastic with primer.


This color I can especially see myself wearing very often. Depending on what I wear I think I can swing it to one of two sides — fun goth-y or bright poppy. What do you think?

My first experience with Ka'Oir is definitely a good one. Their lipstick prices range from $14.99 to $18.99. While they are not vegan, they are not tested on animals (still better than many other cosmetics companies!) and are made in the USA. I look forward to trying other lipsticks and possibly even their nail polishes and glosses!

Disclaimer: These lipsticks were purchased with my own money.


Also, congrats to Elizabeth for winning the 3 Month Birchbox Subscription! Thanks so much to everyone who entered and I will be having another makeup giveaway coming up soon.

Poshmark Summer Staples

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Tonight after work I made my way downtown for the Poshmark Summer Staples event at J Bar on Rush Street. I wasn't totally sure what to expect, but the atmosphere was really dark and chill, so it ended up being a great closeout to my day.

First of all, the big news of my day was that I am going to be heading to Philadelphia in roughly a month! We had a video contest at work and my video ended up winning (*yippee!*), so I get to go visit Urban Outfitters home office in good ol' Philly. Fancy, yeah? So if I have any followers in the city of brotherly love who can give me tips on food places or awesome things to see, let me know. I'll only be there for a couple of days but I am SO. EXCITED.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

If you're not aware of Poshmark (and have an iPhone), I suggest checking it out. I was only vaguely familiar with it prior to the event and now I'm super amped to give it a go. Essentially it's a mix of Instagram and Etsy — you have a feed of "products" (what other users are selling. Everything from DIY to designer) with set prices and can buy them straight from the app. It's a free download in the app store, so what's the harm in taking a look?

So we had a glass of wine each and some tasty snacks, met some fabulous ladies (again, I'm always so excited by how friendly the bloggers are in this city!), and had a good laugh at the awesome photobooth that was set up. Plus, how cool are these custom pencils? I thought they were just darling. I nabbed a mint-colored one for myself (of course).


I've been particularly fond of picking up new bags lately. It's a downward spiral, I suppose. This bag is my current favorite, and luckily only set me back $19.99 at the Urban Outfitters Surplus. It's plenty roomy and I use it for going out or going to work. Come to think of it, I should probably look into picking up the brown version as well...


All in all, it was an excellent day. The weather has been crazy hot, but today was just breezy enough to make it bearable. Tomorrow it's supposed to be even hotter, though — woof!

90s Calvin Klein lace bodysuit, thrifted
Mesh and nude bralette, Jenna Leigh NY
Black stretch belt, thrifted
Square-hem skirt, UO Surplus
Platform sandals, UO Surplus
Antique clock necklace, UO
Mint Heart Necklace, XXI

Weekstagram // June 23

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Summer is here and Chicago is hot and humid!

• I caved in and bought a fan — now I don't wanna leave my bed.
• 90s floral dresses really make my day. 
• So many bike rides this week. That is until I broke my chain. :(
• Checked out the new Emporium Arcade in Wicker Park last night. Basically it's a bar with arcade games. Verdict? Cool bar, terrible crowd and drinks. Save your quarters for earlier in the evening or happy hour.
• Addicted to oranges.
• I picked up some new floral platform shoes!
• Fred Perry for errands. (I must get more...)
• Earlier in the week I made sangria. Yum!
• I hear Hawaiian shirts are in and I like it.

Follow me on Instagram @Chaplinnn

Sassy City Chick Chicago // Fashion Bash

Happy Thursday, Minis! I spent my evening at the Sassy City Chick Fashion Bash and Sample Sale in the West Loop. I thought I'd highlight a couple of my favorite booths from the show.



The first booth to catch my eye was JoJo and Sofia. The table was full of recycled pieces. My favorites were the cuff links and tie clips, but they also had great upcycled women's necklaces. Their booth set up was very cohesive and full of goodies to look at. Highly recommended if you're looking for unique menswear accessories!


I totally fell for the ladies at the Kiwi's Boutique booth. They were so kind and ready for me to photography this amazing bib-style necklace (I noticed earlier in the show that there was also a neon yellow version !!!). Upon further looking at their stock, a few dresses really caught my eye. I had to refrain from purchasing a gorgeous mint-green collared dress that was absolutely to die for. You can check out their collection online or visit their store near the West Loop!


And finally, I loved the jewelry at Nomadic Ant. There were some really nice brass and enamel necklaces in every shape — from paper cranes to animal skeletons. Their set up was very woodsy and charming. Be sure to check them out at the Randolph Street Market this weekend where they will always be selling clothing! I really hope to make it out, but with the Chicago Pride festival, I'm not sure what my plans are just yet.


I wish I would have had company this time around — especially to shoot my outfit. I paired a Mezzanine partially sheer blouse with thrifted high rise coral shorts and these lovely thrifted Charlotte Russe (yes, you read that correctly...) wedges. I finished it all off with a top knot, creamy orange lip stain, and a gold choker.

I also want to sent a special hello to the ladies at LuLu Blossom. Great to see you again! Also, it was great meeting Lisa from 312Style. I'm always excited to meet other bloggers in this city.

Cheers, everyone — I hope you have great plans for the weekend!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

There are few things more nostalgic for me than attending a baseball game at a big stadium. My parents used to take us to Cleveland Indians games when we were growing up — and I didn't know it at the time, but I would certainly grow to appreciate those hot summer nights with pretzels and swirled soft-serve ice cream.

Fast forward to now. Of course, living in Chicago, it's hard to ignore the charm of the Chicago Cubs. Okay, so their record isn't the greatest. Regardless, my friend Nate's birthday is next weekend. He moved here from Boston about two months ago and his aunt was so grand and got us tickets to see the Cubs play the Red Sox at Wrigley Stadium.


My immediate thought was "YES, SWIRLED ICE CREAM CONES!" You can tell where my mind is with sports.


With my friend being such an adamant Boston Red Sox fan, I knew his was going to show up in his team garb, and I had to out do him:


So before the game, I stopped by the thrift store and nabbed a kid's Chicago Cubs jersey (Derrek Lee to be specific... and to be brutally honest I have no idea who the guy is). I cut off the sleeves and paired it with my high rise gingham shorts. Wha-la. Babely Cubs fan!


So naturally, as with most things between us, we clashed.


We had a great time and ate a lot of food and all that jazz. Nate is super into sports (while I am the exact opposite), and mostly I just got a kick out of cheering when the Cubs did something super — only to get under his Boston skin. My only complaint about Wrigley? No veggie dogs. They had veggie burgers, but no veggie hot dogs. What gives? How am I supposed to watch a baseball game without a hot dog?!

The food service rep that I was speaking to about veggie dogs felt my pain and gave me a complimentary veggie burger — and I have to admit that Wrigley did the black bean burger very, very well. Barbecue sauce, cheese, and all. Recommended for any vegetarian Cubs fans!


So my Cubbies ended up losing. There's always next season, right?

Weekstagram // June 16

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I had an insanely busy week! I can't complain though — I got in plenty of work and social time. Plus I'm getting organized for summer — cheers!

• Movies in the Park with a friend 
• Beach day in Michigan at Warren Dunes
• I finally hemmed and wore my TrippNYC studded denim!
• Beach makeup - basic!
• The weather this week was great for bike rides. Perfectly chilly at night!
• TGIF meant so much after a long work week!
• I went a few days without doing my nails and it drove me bonkers.
• Picked up a few new spring/summer dresses
• Finally saw Prometheus — and I enjoyed it. 

I'm gearing up for summer street festivals and have my calendar all planned out (woo!). Let's do this, Chicago!

Follow Mini Penny on Instagram @chaplinnn

Giveaway // Three Month Birchbox Subscription

Last week I blogged about my breakfast with the wonderful ladies behind Birchbox and had made mention of a giveaway for a three-subscription to their service! Guess what, Minis... it's here!

For those of you unfamiliar, Birchbox is a beauty subscription service. Similar to magazine subscription, you pay a small fee to have a box delivered to you each month. In this case, you receive 4-5 samples for beauty products specially geared towards you. I recommend checking out some of the blogger reviews on YouTube if you're curious!

This giveaway is going to last until Friday the 22nd, so you have just over one week to enter! The winner will be chosen at random using the generator below. The more entries you make, they more chances you have to win!

Due to Birchbox's Shipping Guidelines, this giveaway is for US Residents only! Don't worry, I'll be having another worldwide giveaway soon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beach Party

I've been in Chicago for six months now and up until this past Sunday, I had not left the city. I haven't visited a suburb, I haven't visited home, nothing. I've stayed happily in my little Chicago bubble.

The strange part is that I didn't even realize this fact until I was invited by my friend Gedi to go to the Warren Dunes in Michigan on Sunday. On our way out of the city, it came to my attention that I had yet to make a road trip of any sort (being carless and all) and became pretty excited about the excursion.

And rightfully so!


It was a devilishly hot day, so I packed my bag with my favorite Pendleton Chief Joseph oversized towel, cameras, and (duh) sunscreen. I popped on my suit and hit the road.


It took roughly an hour to get there — I went from not leaving my city to crossing two state lines in a day. Not bad.


But the weather was wonderful, the water was chilly, and the beach was perfectly un-crowded enough to lounge around and enjoy my day off. We had some food and wine to hold us over for the afternoon.


We ended up watching the sunset before heading back to Illinois. On our way we stopped at a little roadside restaurant called Redamak's. I ordered what could have been the most basic veggie burger I've ever seen — but I suppose I should be thankful that a place in the middle of nowhere actually served vegetarian dishes. Regardless, it hit the spot and we continued on our way back to the Windy City.

I've been to Chicago beaches before, but this has been my first beach trip of the summer. I'm pretty pumped to get out in the sun with my friends over the season and in the fall with my upcoming trip to Florida.

Have you made it out to the beach yet? I picked up a couple of new swimsuits this year, you?

Chicago // Movies in the Park

Anyone who lives in Chicago will boast about how incredible our summers are. Sure, it's hot. And yeah, it gets really humid. But the city buzzes in the summer time in a way that's hard to explain to anyone who has never experienced it.

Something I've always wanted to do (and have been waiting through the six cold months of my residency here) is attend the Movies in the Parks events. Chicago is, naturally, loaded with parks — and there's a little something for everyone.

Tonight I went to my first Movie in the Park — and what better way to start it than by viewing Pee Wee's Big Adventure at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion downtown in Millennium Park. Nate and I biked down around 6 o'clock, grabbed some snacks, and hung out on the lawn until dusk. This movies was always one of my favorites growing up and it was amazing to see it against the back drop of my favorite city.

Are you a resident of Chicago or maybe plan on visiting this season and what to know what's playing? Check out this comprehensive list by the Chicago Park District. There are lots of films to enjoy and a few months ahead of us to enjoy them!

This is Nate, by the way...

Lots of green grass! Floral brogues by Big Buddha

I know that my hometown of Columbus did these sort of events (sparingly). Does your city or town have any fun schedules for the summer?

Weekstagram // June 9

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Killer week with some killer food — plus a work party thrown in the mix. Here are some of my favorites:

• Early birthday present wool shoes for Nate!
• My $5 fluffy cream princess dress
• Work party and too-sugary massive drinks. Oh and Xtina.
• I live on oatmeal and apples nowadays. True love.
• Amazing floral ties at Haberdash.
• Chips and guac break at Big Star.
• New haircut by Barbara and Barbara.
• Jordan belting out some 'Genie in a Bottle' at the work party. So good!
• Complimentary almond windmills from a coworker <3

Follow @chaplinnn on Instagram

DIY Tutorial // Woven-Back Tops

Recently I was out shopping and noticed a really cool woven-back dress. I took about five minutes to study it and figured out how it was done so I could come home and mimic the style with some of my shirts.

I did two versions of this — one with a tank and the other with a men's graphic tee (which has also been cropped and the shoulders cut wide.

You will need:

• A shirt/dress of some sort. Jersey or cotton is best!
• Scissors
• Cutting board (preferably one small enough to fit inside the top to prevent from cutting through to the front).
• Straight ruler
• Rotary cutter
• White chalk

First lay out your shirt flat. Cut off the bottom band — save this piece. You will use it later to finisht the bottom of the weaving.  This cut can vary depending on how you want the crop.


Next you will use the white chalk to make a "V" on the back of the shirt. These lines will be your guide while cutting!


Now you can slip your cutting board between the front and back of the shirt and start cutting. As you go along, take each strip and stretch it so that the edges curl. Be very careful not to cut them terribly close to one another! You don't want them to tear!


This is the "tricky" part. To make the illusion that the shirt is actually woven down the back, you will have to create a repetitive motion down each slit. To begin, you will pull the second strand and pull it above the top strand (on the underside). Then grab the second strand and pull it back down over the first on the topside. Repeat with the third strand down, treating the second strand as you did the first. You continue to wrap the lower stands behind and over the upper strands until you're all the way down to the bottom! It's very easy once you get the hang of it!


Once you make it to the bottom, use the strand you cut off back in step one to tie them together! This will prevent your weave from unravelling.


And wha-la! Throw it over a cami, a cute bandeau, or simply by itself.

Chicago // Free Tickets to the SCC Fashion Bash!

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Hey Chicago! I recently was invited to this upcoming event and wanted to extend an invite to all of my local readers.

So the first 25 Minis to enter the code PENNY at checkout will receive a FREE Sassy Tote Ticket! The ticket includes admission, a swag bag, free cocktails, and spa treatments! Please feel free to check out more about the event and get your ticket here.

All you have to do is add the Sassy Tote Ticket to your cart, enter your information, and then enter the discount code to deduct the $20. And remember, there are only enough for the first 25!

See you on the 21st!

Birchbox Media Breakfast

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This morning I was invited to attend the BirchBox Media Breakfast at NoMI Kitchen downtown. As many of my long-time readers know, I am an ex-subscriber to this product, so I wasn't really sure what I was going to be in for. Naturally, I was excited to meet up with other Chicago bloggers — since I still feel new here, I haven't gotten many opportunities to meet my peers.


Aside from the obvious — a room full of lovely bloggers — the restaurant itself was so beautiful. It overlooked Michigan Avenue and the Water Tower. NoMI was a great venue for the breakfast and I am glad to have discovered it.

I was greeted with lots of smiles and introductions (a lot to take in considering my still humble beginnings here in Chicago). Everyone was dressed for spring and looked wonderful. Heading into the dining area, we each had a BirchBox at our seats, along with drinks, followed by a wonderful spread of breakfast goodies.


Firstly, the chocolate croissants were to die for. I must figure out how to make something of this sort (hey, maybe even with Nutella...?). I wanted to try everything on the menu, but ended up ordering the omelet — sans chorizo of course. I couldn't help but to swoon over the potatoes — I'm admittedly a sucker for spuds.

Overall, I loved the breakfast. The company was fantastic, I met some admirable bloggers and entrepreneurs, and filled my tummy with delish food.

Onto the goodies!


We were given a complimentary BirchBox along with a cute reusable bag, a three-month subscription, and (drumroll please)...


A three-month subscription to give away! I've decided to give it to one of my readers. I will be starting this giveaway here in the next couple of days, so keep your eyes peeled!


I think it's important to point out that I am a previous subscriber to BirchBox. Tish turned me onto it a long time ago and I happily jumped aboard. After a few months, I decided to stop my boxes due to the fact that I felt dissatisfied by the samples. It's been almost a year since I gave up on them, so this is an opportunity for them to prove themselves to me!

In the box I received during today's breakfast, I got some usable goodies that I look forward to giving a shot.

"Love" ring by Rings&Tings, hinged ring by H&M

Color Club Nail Laquer in Disco Nap - I was excited to see Color Club on my card and was really hoping for the Age of Aquarius color. I was a little disappointed to receive the Disco Nap, but only because I already own an identical color. Either way, the coverage is great and is has a wonderful sparkle. I added stripes on my ring finger for an accent. Pick it up at Birchbox for $8.


Lulu Organics Lavender + Clary Sage Hair Powder - I'm a big believer in dry shampoo, especially since I cut my fringe. I love this packaging and am looking forward to giving it a shot. Updates soon! Pick up the full size here for $30.


Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash - I'm always on the lookout for new face washes. My skin is so sensitive (plus I have combination skin), that I find it difficult to settle on something. This wash is nice and smooth with a great lather. Pick up the full size here for $19.50.


Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Starry - Even though it takes two coats to get a nice solid line, this stuff's staying power is killer. I would love to try the non-sparkle version! Definite thumbs up. Pick it up here for $22.

And the bonus in the box was another Twistband. I had one of these from my old box (in black) and I loved it — but lost it. So goes the way of hair ties and bobby pins.

Overall, I'd say this is a good box. I look forward to seeing what the next three months bring to my door step and will certainly share with you!

Photo credit: Nate Dias (thank you!)

Polka Dot Bustier, Lucca Couture
Floral High-Low Hem Skirt, Urban Outfitters Surplus
White Belt, thrifted
Banjo Necklace, thrifted
Gold studded bracelet, XXI
Pink caged platform sandals, H&M
Love ring, c/o Rings&Tings
Hinged ring, H&M