The Itsy Bitsy Spider

The clock is ticking away and in less than three days we'll all (hopefully) be dressing up for Halloween! I have a last minute Halloween week #manicuremonday for you all to use or be inspired by!

You can do the candy corn nails, or the new 'bloody' trend, OR you can come up with something completely original drawn by your own hand. The nail art pen I've used for manis in past posts is great for any kind of design, as opposed to previously made decals that can't be changed. I drew up a classic creepy style for Halloween week: graveyard theme. 

One hand covered in cobwebs, the other reads R.I.P. Personalize this idea yourself, the spookier when the lights turn off the better. 

What better way to match graveyard nails than to pair a cobweb look alike sweater with neutral 'tomb color' tones? Here's my fall weather approved/tombstone inspired/manicure Monday outfit.

This time of year leg warmers are obviously a must.

button up: american eagle (mens)

sweater: guess

jeans: my pretty denim by cache cache

necklace: ralph lauren @ buffalo exchange

leg warmers: wet seal

shoes: candie's @ kohl's

Giant, shapeless sweaters may leave you stumped as to how to wear them. Instead of just layering the same white tank top underneath why not try a patterned button-up or a flannel next time you cozy into the knit holes.

Someone's always watching....

Ever wish you could have an extra set eyes on the back of your head? This #manicuremonday I have found you a fix for that. With Halloween just around the corner I bet you're looking for something spooky to adorn. Even if you aren't, you've come to the right place for Halloween-ready unearthly nails. 

Don't limit yourself to decals and decorations made specifically for nails. Think outside the box and try a craft store for nail enhancement. I've finally come up with the best way to dress up your nails, Halloween style, have the most creative nails at the costume party and freak out your friends all with one style.

Two words: googly eyes (although I'm not sure if that counts as two words because I'm not sure if googly is actually a word. oh well)

Eyeballs are this season's perfect charm, didn't you hear? Black and white nails can go with any costume, especially the scary ones, and no one else will have thought of this inventive ornament. If you're looking to match it with something other than a Halloween costume, black and white all over works fine,  but I took it to the next level and played with an eye theme.

sweater: forever xxi

shorts: h&m @ buffalo exchange

tights: urban outfitters

necklace: claire's

sneaks: converse

Think outside the box this Halloween and every day. Manicures are the easiest and most fun way to express and decorate yourself. Paint responsibly.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Welcome to another wonderful week of school, work, schoolwork, or constant napping (whichever lifestyle you lead). I missed you all terribly during the weekend :)

If anyone had any super outfit or part of an outfit they wore over the weekend and want to share it with me, post your photo on instagram and tag me (@goodbetterdressed) and I'll decide which is my favorite and post it. We can all have some fun playing games and stuff. 

I've been in quite the October-y mood lately, although I can't say the same about this Boston weather. If only Mother Nature would coordinate with my fall wardrobe I'd have nothing to complain about (ha).  Staying true to my fall-like mood while somewhat cooperating with 75 degree days, my (very photogenic) friend, Taylor and I put together this fall oriented/ warm weather-approved manicure monday-accompanying outfit. Here's the mani I chose to play around with on this lovely October day:

Nothing says October quite like a pumpkin and no season has been rung in properly without a manicure to honor it. Although in a very minimalist and less-than-obvious way of showing it, my hand is the new home of the world's smallest pumpkin patch. Halloween/fall nails are probably the most fun to create and the month of October holds a series of kooky/scary/tricky/treaty nails for Good Better Dressed. Here is what Taylor and I selected

  

shirt: bob's clothing

pants: one clothing @ marshall's

necklace: forever xxi

bracelet: francesca's

shoes: nine west

I'm so into the shirt tie being worn backwards versus the way it was meant to be worn. Taylor says she wears it that way because of convenience, but this tactless choice is pointedly chic. For more HallOctoberween inspired manicures, check back in next Monday to see what boo-tiful thing I do next (sorry, I had to do it) ((when life gives you the opportunity to make a pun make it))

- nali xo

A blogger is only as good as their wireless connection

"Sorry for the wait" - Lil Wayne, YMCMB


*shows up 2 hours late with Starbucks

It's now 1 pm and I'm just getting around to posting because my computer charger nearly blew a fuse and burst into flames therefore unable to charge my computer because it was otherwise occupied.  So I am now furiously typing away with my freshly manicured hands to bring you the first good better dressed mobile post woo0o0o0o0o0o

OKAY back to business. As you all know it's manicure Monday and today's mani is a mermaid inspired look.

Here's how I used color and pattern to help recall the magical mystery we all believed in when we were young and maybe still do. 

If you need help believing, listen to this guy for 3:31

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nilUlU6fM0s

To decide on a matchy-matchy nail/outfit mermaid look I played a lot with cooler colors and peplum or ruffle-y tops, the only way us humans can have fins. This was my favorite combo

top: forever xxi

pants: tinsletown @ marshall's

necklace: claire's

shoes: report @ sears

earrings: forever xxi

bracelet: urban outfitters

hat: calvin klein @ t.j.maxx 

Always be on time and when you can, always always always be a mermaid. Sorry for the iPhone quality pictures... I'll do my best to get back on a computer ASAP! Thanks for reading!

- nali xo

lights, camera, action

This #manicuremonday, I decided to create a look for my nails with a look that came to me while i was watching the Great Gatsby the other day. It could have been any movie really that would have inspired this idea, except for the fact that I LOVE that movie and had gone to see it in theaters more than once. On the big screen, the colors, movement and chemistry between characters literally got under my skin because it was so overpowering. Once I got the DVD however, I realized that A. I will never have a television as large as a movie theater screen and B. the DVD only played the movie in widescreen format. (dun dun dun....) I hope I'm not the only one who hates watching movies in widescreen format because otherwise I just sound like a big baby (which I probably am) but now at least I know after having read this, some other people won't be able to stop noticing those unnecessary parallel lines of doom. Because I spent so much time trying to pretend the top and bottom borders on the screen weren't there, my movie experience actually ended up revolving around them (surprise, surprise) and my efforts were fruitless. *wipes tear*

ANYWAY

Here is what came out of my series of complaints

widescreen nails!

People do all kinds of crazy things with their nail polish so I figured why not take something positive out of something very, very negative (;

Although completely unrelated to the Great Gatsby or Hollywood moviemaking at all, here is the outfit I chose to pair with this design

Anytime I feel like a big, fall sweater is not dressy enough, I pair a flannel or other patterned collared shirt underneath for a small pop of color. I dare you to try something way out there next time you wear a sweater and leggings.

flannel: target

sweater: segue (vintage)

leggings: pink @ victoria's secret

shoes: etienne aigner @ macy;s

- nali xo

It's #manicuremonday !

With the temperatures dropping and days getting shorter it's plain to see how quickly autumn is falling upon us (ha ha). This was my first seasonal attempt at converting to darker, fall nail colors and my final chance to squeeze bright, summer-like colors into my look as well, doing my best to honor both seasons as they should be. 

And what is a unique manicure without its complemental outfit? Absolutely nothing, even though it seems to be Miley Cyrus's thing lately... we wouldn't want to take that away from her though.

 

            
           
                                                                                             
                  


                   No one ever said denim on denim couldn't be a thing and paired with darker tights and shoes it can be a fall thing too! I love mixing colors and a paint-splatter statement nail gave me the perfect excuse to bring turquoise, orange and blue together into one beginning-of-fall-ready outfit. Happy Monday everyone! Hope your day is full of autumn colors and hot apple cider.





- nali xo

sunglasses: aldo
shirt: vintage
belt: wet seal
skirt: forever XXI
tights: urban outfitters
necklace: new york & co.
midi rings: aldo
bracelet: etsy.com
shoes: payless shoe source