the elephant trunk

welcome to my world. well, purse.

 

Maybe it's just me being nosey - but I'm always curious to see what's inside other peoples bags. For girls, a purse is like a secret world, and what you keep inside of it can tell you a lot about a person.

So, here's a look into my purse : by friday it will be filled with Monday's grocery list, random business cards, and gum wrappers - but for now, it's got the essentials minus the clutter.

 

 

- bobby pins :: I've got a lot of layers, so I keep bobby pins on hand in case I want to put my hair up. 

 - badger stress soother :: LA traffic gets stressful, this salve smells like a lot of natural oils and reminds me of a spa.

 - Advil :: headaches freak me out, and they come at any time. I always have advil just in case of emergency.

 - pens :: I'm always jotting down notes, ideas, wishlists, ideas, lyrics. I have a small notebook I keep in my purse that's not pictured. 

 - gum :: this is my FAVORITE type of gum, and the only one I buy. why so specific? I have no idea. I just like this gum, and I'm sticking with it. 

- glasses :: I recently got percription glasses (yay! I've always wanted glasses) to wear while I drive. gotta keep those suckers handy!

- cough drops :: you never know, a little vitamin C comes in handy when you least expect it. 

- Frederic Fakkai glossing cream :: I love running a dime sized dollop of this cream throughout my hair! It keeps it soft and shiny.

- Stainatic lipstain by The Balm :: loving this natural lip stain lately - it can either be really natural, or bright red, depending on the number of layers you apply.

- eyelash curler :: gotta keep them perky!

- mini Tarte cheek stain (in flush):: perfect for adding a little natural color to my cheeks when I've been running around all day and my makeup isn't as "fresh" as I'd like.

- Maybelline Big Eyes mascara :: for touchups. 

- leather wallet :: I bought this little leather coin purse in Paris this year and I LOVE it. It's small and convenient to throw in any purse. plus I love the color blocking. 

- spare rings :: just incase I forgot to throw some on. 

- vanilla body spray :: a MUST. my go-to scent. 

- sunnies :: convenient and architecturally interesting. (ray-bans)

 

what are some essensials in your purse?

monochromatic summer days

|top: Bisou Bisou shorts: free people here sandals: target|

Scenes from a summer day. (pictured with my stud of a cousin, Dillon) 

take me back?

Okay, I fully expect to be shunned from the blogging community. I am completely aware that I cannot disappear for months on end without an incredible excuse - and even with an excuse, I'm pretty sure I could have mustered up a blog post.

But alas, I haven't been faithful to The Elephant Trunk and I am terribly sorry. (I promise I'll do better!) In my defense, blogging, even on the minimal scale that I am at with this blog, is a lot harder than I anticipated! 

 

This post is to 'catch up' :: here's a peek into some of the things I've been up to while I've neglected you. 

| went on a brother/sister date to pick up some plants |

| loving on stripes at Gap |

|documenting kind acts :: a stranger bought me flowers |

|quality sibling time|

| playing dress up in the middle of summer for a themed birthday party|

|selfie central during the NO BULL Teen Awards|

|shirley temple + over the shoulder leather jacket with my best friend|

 

So all in all, I've had a busy fun-filled summer- but I'm coming back to blogging, I promise. I'm gearing up for fall (my favorite!) - chunky knit sweaters, boots, and knee socks, oh my!

lazy monday on a thursday

 

| top : h&m    leggings: victoria's secret |

Depending on your day, your best accessory could be a fuzzy blanket, or it could be an arm party of bracelets perfectly accompanying a favorite outfit. But today? I'm having a lazy monday on a thursday. Today is perfect for something like: black leggings, a thin white button up, and slip on some cute sandals if you've got errands to run. 

Slack off on the beauty routine today - our faces deserve a break sometimes too. I suggest a messy bun, curled lashes and a swipe of blush. I'm going back to the basics today and sticking with two of the staple pieces in my wardrobe: leggings and a button up. 

Lazy day tip: invest in killer shades to throw on when you're running around on days like this (and toss in a book to be productive.)

new brand alert

 Last week I was invited to attend an Urban Outfitters + Space 15 event where multiple brands were being showcased. One in particular, Della (Della x UO) is a new spotlight brand at Urban and is currently being sold in stores and online. The line is made up of about 4 different prints and multiple mix and match items such as a romper, shorts, jackets, etc.

 Aside being fantastic pieces that will add a little tribal inspired style to your wardrobe (a go-to look for me), it goes hand in hand with a wonderful story. Della is a line that is run out of Ghana and provides steady jobs for women out there. Through Della, these women are given the opportunity for a better life, and chance to get an education.  With their collaboration with Urban, Della x UO, it's getting the word out there about this amazing brand and sharing these women's story. 

 I, personally, can't wait to get my hands on one of the trek bomber + trek short combos for the summer!

Here's a few pictures from the event:

(picture source: BAZAAAAR facebook page)

 You can shop the line here and read up about Della + their partnership with UO  on their website here.

listen up

This looks like a lot of words, and it is, but bear with me, you'll thank me later. 

 When it comes to my beauty routine, I like simple; the easier the better for me. I've always stuck to random drug store brand face washes (like cetaphil)- whatever was the MOST sensitive formula because my face is extremely sensitive. Thankfully, I am very lucky when it comes to my face - it doesn't break out often and it's very low maintenance. With that being said, lately, I felt like I could be taking steps toward taking better care of my skin; just giving it a little TLC. 

 

In deciding I wanted to take better care of my skin, I started using a Rodan + Fields regimen. I was skeptical. I didn't think it would make a difference. I was worried it wouldn't be sensitive enough for my skin, and if it WAS sensitive enough, would it have anything in it that could have a positive effect on my skin? 

 

Now let me pause here for one second, and preface all of this with: I very rarely "promote products". I like the certain things that I use, and leave it at that. I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to try a lot of things and even with that being said, I don't like to venture out and try new things. I would also like to say I am not being paid to promote this product. I am just so astounded by the results I've seen, and the results I've seen for other people that I WANT to share this with anyone who could benefit from it! 

 

I started using the Rodan + Fields Soothe regimen, and HONESTLY after a week I could tell a difference. My skin is glowing, it's smooth, and is completely clear of breakouts. I've never liked to wear a lot of makeup and I've been told countless times how bad it is for your skin, but of course to have a "flawless face" you have to wear foundation/powder/ etc. Since I've started using Soothe, I put on the moisturizer, let it dry, and skip foundation all together when putting on my makeup. It's THAT good. 

 

Rodan + Fields are two incredible dermatologists, who are also the women behind Proactive. With Proactive being such a success, they started working on an anti-aging, a less harsh acne regimen, and a sensitive skin regimen. I love how good these women are at their jobs, and I love this product so much I've become a consultant and distributor. You may think the price is a little steep, but each order lasts AT LEAST two months..this product also has a 60 day, money back guarantee; this means you can use every drop in the bottle and if you're not happy, you can return it and get every penny back (even though NO one has returned this product after using it). With that kind of guarantee, and the results I know this product gets, you've got nothing to lose when you try it. 

 

You can buy any of the Rodan + Fields lines straight from me, here! You can also explore my consultant page, check out incredible before & after pictures, and just read up about the product to see which one is right for you. I hope some of you try Soothe of the Unblemish for pesky teenage acne, especially if you're sick of dealing with any skin issues!

 

Tweet me at: @ssavannahjaydee to let me know if you checked it out. Let me know if you buy it and I'll give you a shout out! 

 

p r e v i e w

Here's a preview of the little photoshoot I did with a friend. I only have a few of the pictures at the moment, but I'll get some more of them on here. Hoping to have a few more shoots coming up that I can post about!

 

 

so tell me, what do you think?

I've been seeing these sneaker wedges pop up everywhere lately, and I'm sure you have too. I wasn't sure what I thought of them until I saw them in action; front and center of an outfit. Verdict? I'm a fan, and have now begun searching for "the perfect pair". 

 

What are your thoughts? Love 'em or hate 'em? I want to know!

I'm jonesing for

Newest additions to my want list: 

 

a good pair of overalls (yes, they ARE coming back. and yes, I  HAVE been waiting for this day since  2001)

 

cut out booties

lots of thin stackable rings

leather kicks

slouchy tees 

 

|pictures: google, tumblr, ascotfriday.typepad.com|

back to blogging + Paris

I'm back, I promise! These last few weeks (month, really) have been extremely busy with work related things + my trip to Paris!  I'll try to get back on a "posting schedule" and per request, include things like OOTD (outfits of the day). 

 During my stay in Paris, it was incredibly cold and dreary. With that being said, most of my outfits consisted of layered shirts, sweaters, a very large black scarf, and a jacket that covered the entire thing; not the best week to showcase a killer outfit on the streets of Paris. 

 Here are a few pictures from the trip:

               (vintage sweater, polk-a-dot sheer tights from UO, over the knee suede boots)

There was one (relatively) sunny day while we were in Paris, which required de-layering for the afternoon by wearing only one sweater & breaking out the sheer tights I packed in hopes of basking in the Paris sun.

 

Outside of the one warm day, my daily outfit consisted of very little color and layers to the point of suffocation. My sherpa lined leather jacket, massive knit scarf, and suede boots were a daily staple; thankfully being as stylish as they were warm.

 (sherpa lined leather jacket- similar to Zappos Moto Jacket, oversized knit scarf, Jbrand leather pants, over the knee suede boots)

Pictured above at The Louvre and Versailles- missing Paris already.