Makeup: Lippie Review with Makeup Monsters!

Pinterest & Google are my best friends, I use these two to search for anything and everything new, especially when it comes to looking for new lip products to try out.  And while searching on Google I came across my new FAVORITE cosmetic line, Makeup Monsters!  Makeup Monsters, like many companies, are a cruelty free and vegan cosmetic brand based out of Washington designed to provide comfortable and long lasting products, and they aren't lying!  Like this is my favorite over Nyx's 

and you guys know how I love my Nyx.

PACKAGING

If you're familiar with Jeffree Star's Velour Liquid Lipstick, then you'll love Makeup Monster's packaging on their matte liquid lipstick.  Clear almost crystal like tubing enclosed around fun colors, their tubes are lightweight and portable to pack in a clutch but holds a lot of product to it.

PRICE

$15.95 which to me isn't a bad price at all.  Again you get a lot of product for what you're paying for and compared to brands such as MAC who's liquid lipstick costs more but the quality or amount you're getting doesn't compare to Makeup Monsters...it's worth every penny.

FORMULA/COLORS

Oh god there are so many colors!!! And I don't just mean those basic nudes, reds, blah blah, I mean stunning, vibrant shades such as violet, plum, and lime!  Not only are the colors bold and fun, the wear of these lippies are everything you want and need.  I wore one out to run errands, and didn't have to re apply once in a 4 hour duration, and that included me smashing some Chipotle in the process.

From left to right: Cyclone, Backlash, Purpetrate, & Surge

|e a r l i e r| #fashion #fashionblogger #justbloggers #werejustbloggers #beauty #beautyblogger #makeupblogger #trialanderror #cosmetics #lovelovelove #makeupjunkie #makeuplover #makeup #makeupaddict #makeupmonsters #makeupmonsterscosmetics #productreview #lippies #blackbloggers #blackblogger #lippiecartel

A photo posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ak Brown (@akjapbae) on Mar 26, 2016 at 7:12pm PDT

Makeup Monsters is definitely among my favorite brands, getting 5 stars out of 5!!!  I highly recommend them and I definitely believe they are worth trying!


 If you love Makeup Monsters as much as we do comment below and drop a selfie of you in one of their signature shades!  Or better yet post on IG and make sure to use the hashtags #makeupmonsters #werejustbloggers #lippiecartel

Fashion & Style: Nontraditional Holiday Style (5PSG)

Happy belated Easter lovelies!  For most, Easter means eggs, bunnies, and vibrant pops of color but....I didn't want to do that.  More so I couldn't find the dress I wanted so I had to rethink my outfit.  While I was strolling in Target looking for a bra, I so happened to look to the right and saw....WhoWhatWear!!!  I know I am very late in the game but to my knowledge WhoWhatWear is Target's latest designer collaboration.  What struck my eye the most was this beautiful army green utility vest, which is something I have been LOOKING for in anticipation of our upcoming photo shoot, so I had to cop and rock.  Again, my Easter attire was the complete opposite of the traditional color palette, but it's ok, because different is great when pulled off in a tasteful way.

My outfit consisted of military chic, army green, black, with a hint of gold and a pop of color.  My black midi dress is something that I live by, avaialble at Old Navy and other similar retailers.  Comfy and versatile to wear to the office or to the bar, I love it. it's my best friend and I have it in more than one color.  My sleeveless army green utility vest is from the beloved collection of WhoWhatWear for Target.  There are so many possibilities for this vest, it's not even funny.  You can pair with jeans, a skirt, a dress, or even dungarees!   Now for outfit purposes, because my day consisted of church, I decided to go with something very classic, a black strappy heel which goes with the midi dress to a tea.  Because my new glasses, courtesy of Polette are so distinctive, they stand as an accessory alone.  With that being said I decided to ditch the earring and keep my jewelry simple, playing around with the idea of hints of gold.  Last but not least, this accessory is often overlooked.  Faux fur poms are all the rage, either as a nice addition to your handbag or to use on your wallet ot key chain, it's fun.  As you can see, my pink pom brough a different pop of color into the mix but definitely worked.

Blogger Insight: DIY Photography Background

This might not be a new trick but it is to me, and if it is to me, it is to someone else so of course I had to share.  Thinking, contemplating, and looking through pics I wanted to find ways to enhance my phtoography, and the easiest way to do so is with the scenary and background of your pics.  But imma be all the way 100, I'm not living in a house with marble every fucking where, I'm just not.  And I also know that all white backgrounds can get real boring real quick.  So what to do?

Well this might be the most creative yet inexpensive way to make your photos POP.  Go to Home Depot or your local hardware store that sells flooring.  Go to the kitchen and/or bathroom tile aisle and pick from any squares you choose.  With kitchen and tile flooring, if you didn't know, they sell them by the squares, from $1-$12+.  And that's it, these small squares are excellent for product shots (like makeup)

 and other compact shots.  I'm telling you, 

best investment.  I bought four tiles for 

$12 and I interchange them like clockwork.

Remember, don't need to spend a lot of money to create quality photos, it's all about finding those tips and tricks and creative hacks! 

Makeup: The Ultimate Nyx Lippie Review Part 1!

When I tell you guys we are GEEKED for this post.  First off let me say that it does pay off to be an addict (hoarder even) because you start to find uses for everything you have.  In our case, we have an abundance of Nyx lipsticks from probably each collection they have.  And instead of being stingy, we decided to share the wealth with our lovely readers for one of the biggest lippie reviews we've done thus far, The Ultimate Nyx Lippie Review Pt. 1! (yep, we had to break it up, that should tell you how many lippies we have).  Why are we wasting time, let's get started!

The first collection of this ultimate lippie review is Nyx's Liquid suede, a waterproof liquid lipstick infused with avocado oils and Vitamin E. Best of all it goes on opaque and dries to a matte.

From left to right: Amethyst, Sway, Cherry Skies, Kitten Heels, Vintage, Soft Spoken, Sandstorm, Pink Lust, Stone Fox.

|Selfie| 💜💜 #TheBargainBeauty #LipsForDays #Kissable #FurSeason

A photo posted by Aziza-Lynn "TheBargainBeauty" (@thebargainbeauty) on Oct 26, 2015 at 2:52pm PDT

PRICE

$6.99

PROS

Waterproof, long lasting, and very vibrant, pigmented colors.

CONS

Staining, some colors more than others.

These lippies are somewhat sticky.

Can be hard to take off, even with a makeup remover.

The next lippie is definitely among one of my favorite collections and one of Nyx's newest collections, Lingerie.  Lingerie is a weightless liquid lipstick with a plush matte finish.  When they say weightless, they really do mean it!  And all of their colors are beautiful nude shades representing every sexy element when you think about lingerie.

From left to right: Corset, Honeymoon, Teddy, Exotic, Embellishment, Beauty Matk, Bedtime Flirt

|n o + b r i g h t + c o l o r s| #happyeaster

A photo posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ak Brown (@akjapbae) on Mar 27, 2016 at 8:38am PDT

PRICE

$6.99

PROS

Very lightweight, doesn't feel like you hae anything on, but great coverage at the same time.

Various shades of nudes that look good on any skin tone.

Easy removal, non staining.

The third collection in our review is another one of my favorites, the Wicked Lippies collection.  Jewel toned lippies consisting of a velvety smooth formula with a dazzling metallic finish and is richly pigmented.

From left to right: Scandalous, Trickery, Wrath, Sinful, Immortal, Risque, Power, Gold Hearted, Envy

So day #2 of my #lotd is #sinful by @nyxcosmetics a very vibrant metallic electric blue but it isn't ratchet lol and doesn't require loads of coats for great coverage which is what I love! #fashion #fashionblog #mindofafashionista #MOAF #beauty #makeup #lipstick #lippies #lippieoftheday #lotd #mattelipstick #nyx

A photo posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ak Brown (@akjapbae) on Aug 23, 2015 at 8:52am PDT

PRICE

$5.99

PROS

Cream base with a metallic finish

12 bold colors

Last but certainly not least is Nyx's Intense Butter Gloss, but please don't be fooled by the word "gloss".  These lippies are silky glosses bursting with color that I have many times substituted for a lipstick.

From left to right: Blue Rasberry Tart, Oatmeal Raisin, Rocky Road, Cinnamon, Spice Cake, Funnel Delight, Apple Crisp, Orange Spice, Berry Strudel

|y a s s| #stlfashion #stlfashionblogger #fashion #fashionblogger #fashionista #fashionable #fblogger #fbloggers #fblog #fashionaddict #fashiongram #fashionlover #justbloggers #werejustbloggers #musiclover #poetryaddict #lyricaltherapy #lyricalexpressions

A photo posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ak Brown (@akjapbae) on Jan 31, 2016 at 9:25pm PST

PRICE

$6.99

PROS

Non sticky like most lip glosses

Very pigmented which can be used alone as a lipstick

For us to say that a lipstick brand is among our favorites is something pretty special because we're tough critics, but Nyx's lippies are among the best with super affordable prices.  And the fact is, we've only covered HALF of our collection (yes only half), so make sure like, share, and comment on this post so you can stay up to date on when we premiere The Ultimate Nyx Lippie Review Pt. 2!

Rants & Raves: In a World Where Trump CAN be President

I never thought I would be morbidly terrified of living where I do, not in the sense of safety, but in the sense of my basic rights as an "American" not being respected, and yet I have this constant fear of that very idea each and every time I hear Donald Trump speak...it's revolting. Yet no one wants to believe me when I say this man has a STRONG chance of becoming our next President (he's currently ahead in the Republican Party).

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To say the least, I honestly don't know what Donald Trump believes in, on the 5 main issues each candidate is asked about (immigration, abortion, guns, foreign policy, and taxes) it seems as if someone gave him the typical "republican" answer to say.  He comes off as a dictator, a bigot, but most of all, a big ass idiot in the sense of politics (not to mention he is full of himself), but when you have billions of dollars and come from a long line of wealth...all that flies out the window.

And to top it off... most (not all) of his supporters are brained washed black people (including Mike Tyson and Chingy) and racists white people who have been caught on camera wearing shirts saying "Make America White Again" and harassing black citizens at a Trump Rally.

And yet, we still don't have a fighting chance as Hilary Clinton fronts as leader and top dog according to the numbers but I'm not confident with her either.  I don;t genuinely believe her position because...well it's not genuine.  She has re-nigged (in our language) on views she previously had and her original "first female president" ploy is beyond outplayed ever since the first election she ran in.  Frankly, I believe she still plays off the popularity of her husband, and that's going to fuck her over whether she does get elected or not.

The only person I'm actually confident in and comfortable with to lead this country is Bernie Sanders.  From his views on free education for the little ones to us big kids, and helping the ones who already earned degrees with our student loans, to bringing his experiences of fighting for civil rights to the forefront with addressing issues such as gun violence and police brutality....there's no other choice.

The only problem is, not enough of us are voting.  Far too many of us believe we're only suppose to vote when we're deciding on who are next President will be but ask yourself this, how do we even get to that point of deciding who TRULY runs for President?  It's called the Primary's.

Each state has their Primary Election where it's decided for that state what candidate will run for each party.  These "winners" will be announced at the convention and will continue to run against each other until the Presidential Election in November where it's decided who will be our next President.

So to all my readers this is what I want you guys to do, for anyone in the following states:

FLORIDA

ILLINOIS

MISSOURI

NORTH CAROLINA

OHIO

Please make sure to hit your local polling center tomorrow and VOTE!  I can't stress how important this is.  For everyone else, definitely Google when your Primary election is to be held and do what you need to do to get your voice heard. This could be the difference between true change and a dictatorship lead by a badly tanned oompa loompa...your choice.

Blogger Insight: Why Companies Didn't Contact You!

As a blogger, it is SUPER IMPORTANT that you make yourself readily available for potential opportunities from other bloggers and peers, whether it's just a warm hello or a business opportunity.  This past week, I took the time to reach out to a lot of bloggers we know to thank them for their continued support and to introduced our new brand.  Do you know how annoyingly frustrated I was after looking through all of those blogs!  I was frustrated for the simple fact that a lot of these bloggers didn't have any contact info which made it very hard for me to accomplish my goal.

Bloggers...if anything, contact info is the most important, yet the SIMPLEST element to add to your blog.  Just by putting your email address, you have a direct line for interested people to communicate but more so invest their time into you.  Many bloggers however fail in many ways to have an effective contact method including:

NO CONTACT TAB/NAVIGATION BUTTON

Companies are not going to search up and down on your page looking for a way to contact you.  If the info isn't there, they won't bother looking.

CONTACT INFO IN THE ABOUT ME TAB

This is definitely a good place to put this information, but if you don't have a separate "contact" tab. then your efforts could go to waste.  When I'm looking on a website and I want to contact a company, I don't necessarily think to look in the "about" tab.  The about tab, in most cases, gives background and company history, and where potential clients and customers look LAST for contact info.

BEING "EXTRA" WITH YOUR CONTACT INFO

I don't know what "expert" some of you guys are listening to when it comes to what to include in your contact info, but I'm here to tell you, you've been steered wrong.  PLEASE STOP PUTTING:

thislooksstupid{at}wtf{dot}com.  It's a pain in the ass to copy, paste, and fix this retarded bullshit you call a "creative" way to display your email and once again, major companies won't take the time to do that.  Also, PLEASE STOP PUTTING your personal mailing address as your contact info!  I don't mean a PO Box, or a business location, I mean your home, where you live, your parents live, your spouse, or your kids.  Like...do you not know how easy it is to get murked out here, so why would you put that sensitive info on the internet?  Don't give spammers, hackers, or dangerous people any reason to do harm to you, and I can guarantee you don't need to use your home address for blogging purposes.

The best piece of advice I can give to steer away from all of these no no's is to have a simple contact tab with one or two email addresses as a contact method.  One simple email can go A LONG WAY.  Don't make it more complicated than it has to be and potentially block those opportunities that are trying to come a knockin'!

10 Signs That You're Petty AF! (Petty Chroncles Part 1)

1. You've put a bitch...or four in their place, turned a fuck boy into a cry baby, maybe even "accidently" mushed or snatched a wig off here or there....it's ok, you tripped and her hair just came off.

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2. This is your signature look when a bitch thinks she's cute and you know damn well that track is showing but...you're trying to get right with God.

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3. When you see complete bafoonery, this is your signature outburst...no matter where you are.

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4. And tea is your signature drink.

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That you're ready to serve to the crew.

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5. And "but that's none of my business" is your signature line.  That Kermit emoji is probably the most used in your phone huh?  But that's none of my business...

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6. You like to spark some shit up here and there.  Nothing to where anyone will get shot, just enough for an argument to come about, feelings to get hurt, and footage for you to record and send to world star.

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7. And then you act completely shocked like this is news to you.

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8. And when someone confronts you you're completely taken back by the accusation of creating such a hot mess.

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9. But behind closed doors you're laughing your ass off at the drama you just created, in group chats crying tears with your besties.

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Who are just as petty as you.

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10. And with each time someone has called you a bitch, rude, blunt, non chalant, and down right petty (as if it was something bad) you hold your head up high, and say...

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Or...just deny and act like you don't know wtf anyone is talking about.

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Either way, pettiness is a way of life, welcome to the club, because once you're in, you're in this bitch...

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The fucking end.

Makeup: Find That Dupe "Purple Rain"

You guys know what time it is, it's Find That Dupe time!  Let me first start off by saying being a "hoarder" can have its benefits.  If I didn't have my collection of lippies (200+ to estimate) I would have never discovered my purple rain trio.  If you're looking for a gloss/lip cream in a vibrant, electrifying color such as purple, then look no further!

Pictured above are 3 great lippies I highly recommend anyone to use.  The first is PLUMVITAL by Lipland.  Lipland Cosmetics is a company I discovered on Pinterest and I loved their products from first site and first touch.  Plumvital is apart of their creme gloss line, and this product can definitely be used as a lipstick because of how much the color shows up, it doesn't feel or look like you're applying a lipgloss.  For $14.99, you received a nice size tube, and it's definitely worth the money.  Now if you don't want to spend $15 on a lip gloss then I suggest our second option, BERRY STRUDEL.

A photo posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ak Brown (@akjapbae) on Jan 31, 2016 at 5:11pm PST

Berry strudel is apart of Nyx Cosmetic's "Intense Butter Gloss" line, and just like with Lipland's creme gloss, it applies like a liquid lipstick (peep my pic above).  This is a great alternative to Lipland with the same color payout, if not better, and it's only $5.99, available online, at ULTA, and other select drugstores.

If you're STILL looking for something a bit cheaper, you're in luck!  Our last option we have is COY by L.A. Girl.  Everyone knows L.A. Girl and it's affiliate brands as being the affordable yet quality choice when it comes to makeup products, and their lip paints exceed this standard.  Priced at $3.50 you get the exact same formula and color payout as you would with the Nyx Intense Butter Gloss, so if you're money is a little funny, L.A. Girl is your best bet.

Well there you have it, your complete purple rain guide for each price point.  Stay tuned for more "Find That Dupe" segments and comment below on any colors or brands that you wamt us tp dupe!

Blogger Insight: 10 Struggles of a Blogger

Bloggers have their own secret world that "common folk" can't even begin to comprehend.  There have been so many times blogging problems have corrupted my mind and trying to explain them to a non-bloggy is as useless as ever. Like the struggle is f***ing real, such as:

1.  Coffee becomes your best friend and lowkey addiction

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2.  Your face after spending hours at the computer fixing a coding issue

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Just to find out...it stopped working the next day after you fixed it

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3.  Every day you come straight home to the computer

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4.  You find yourself blogging...everywhere

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5.  To the point where someone has to force you to stop

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6.  Praying to the heavens you saved your work before your computer KO'd on you is a normal ritual

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7.  You find yourself spending days on days ON DAYS...on one post

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8.  Not to mention all of the hours spent finding the right light for photos...just for them to look like shit

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9.  But after your hard work, your post is ready, and you hit publish with a big sigh of relief

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10.  And you think everyone will like, comment, and share your post, it'll go viral, and you'll be a blogging sensation just to find out...

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No one read it...but your mom

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So the next time you joke about a blogger's problems, kick yourself in the ass and buy said blogger a $50 gift card to Starbucks.

The f***ing end.

Rants & Raves: March's Playlist

I've seen many of my blogging friends post about the music they have going for the month.  It's fun to see what friends have the same msuic taste and I've been put on game to some songs I never would have listened to, so I decided to share my playlist for the month of March!  No particular theme, new, old, and in between, these are the songs I've been hooked the most.

Let me know what you guys are currently listening to, who knows, we might have some of the same songs on our playlists!

Kevin Gates 2 Phones

Bryson Tiller Exchange

Bryson Tiller For However Long

Beyonce Formation

Kendrick Lamar Alright

Kendrick Lamar ALL OF THE UNTITLED MASTERED ALBUM

Fame & Fortune Come FWM

Justin Timberlake Tunnel Vision

Kut Klose Surrender

Jodeci I'm Still Waiting

The Weeknd Acquainted

Jaunts & Junkets: The Literary Experience!

Long flights, a busy city, and fine ass basketball players.  That only sums up part of my past weekend when I hit Charlotte, NC for The Literary Experience CIAA Edition.  Lowkey, I actually didn't understand the magnitude of what CIAA entails, which stands for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. consisting of mainly HBCU teams.  This competition has happened in Charlotte for the past 8 years (if I'm not mistaken) and with the renewal of their contract, we cam see many more competitions.   Not only does this event bring an ENORMOUS turnout but inspires other events to take place all around the city, including the Literary Experience.  Bloggers and black authors alike, we came to network, mingle, and celebrate the work of many published novelists, many of whom were releasing new works there at the event.

Not only was I able to dive into a realm I'm not too familiar with, but am eager to learn more about, I was able to hear some great tips, tricks, and tales of personal experience from a great panel group including Jelisa Cook and Vivian Billings.

All in all I had a good time, and it was refreshing to get out of STL for the weekend.  Most importantly I learned some great ways to increase, grow, and promote this brand, and grabbed some great reads along the way!

Music: Untitled Mastered...My Life Is Complete

As I sat on Facebook, lurking and slipping into my slumber I see a green screen with "Kendrick Lamar" above it.  Anyone who knows me well knows this man is my husband in my mind.  Yes he may be engaged to his high school sweet heart of 10+ years but in my own delusional world, I am Mrs. Duckworth, so to no one's surprise, a status containing his name immediately woke me up and struck my interest.

untitled unmastered. http://smarturl.it/untitledunmastered
Posted by Kendrick Lamar on Thursday, March 3, 2016

Low and behold, I see that my baby, Mr. Duckworth, decided to drop a surprise album...Untitled Mastered, tracks made in 2013 and 2014 in preparation of the best work of his (in my eyes), "To Pimp A Butterfly".  Again, this is coming from a female who claims herself as his wife and has anything he has ever created in album form and downloaded on her phone.  Not to mention I've loved him ever since his "K Dot" days...so the thirst is REAL!

Untitled is all it is, 8 untitled tracks with dates of origination and nothing else.  Not an album, but a project as my Mr Mr considers it is available on iTunes, Spotify, & Tidal (let's see how long they last) and you already know I have this on repeat in my office.

Have you downloaded "Untitled Mastered"?

Fashion & Style: The Ultimate Nasty Gal Bag Shopping Guide!

Handbags are my top obsession (in line with lipstick, glasses, and hotwings), and finding affordable handbags that don't look like my grandma would rock it can be difficult.  I can't tell you how many times someone looked at my bag before they looked at my face. A unique stylish hobo, cross-body, or clutch is key when pulling off the ultimate look.  I might be a brand snob for ALDO when it comes to my purses, but I will admit, Nasty Gal has become my new obsession.  Their bags range from simple chic to outrageous, quirky, and fun.

Never bought a bag from Nasty Gal? For one, you're tripping, and two, we're here to help you out with our bomb ass bag shopping guide!  Our favorite pics range from bags you can rock to the office or out for a casual night to when you just want to be...spontaneous, check them out!:

Nila Anthony Highway Unicorn Crossbody Bag-$48-Be one with the unicorn.

Nila Anthony Hologram At Me Bag - Gunmetal-$48-Holographic everything bish.

Electric Feels Embellished Bag-$48-All black with this baby? Yasss!

Hitch a Ride Vegan Leather Backpack-$65-Can I hit a ride there mate?

Nila Anthony Gridlock Metal Crossbody-$65-Channel your inner Rihanna & Madonna with this one.

Kiss It Better Magnetic Clutch-$48-Come kiss it Zadddddy.

Paradigm Vegan Leather Bucket Bag - Brown-$48-Simple yet bold and chic.

From St. Xavier Aby Crossbody Bag-$85-Lets go under the see shall we?

Skinnydip London Liquid Sarcasm Crossbody Bag-$48-If this isn't me than I don't know what is!