All girls need that one "role model" or person that they look up too. We all have that one person who just gets us and who we aspire to be like.

A lot of teenage girls would say their mother, their aunt, or their grandmother are their role models and idols. I definitely agree but my idols and role models always were out of reach, fictional characters or actresses or singers...someone famous.

I have found a new phrase to not sound so corny when it comes to role models and idols; I like to say "spiritual animal".

I have a few spiritual animals but my favorite one, the one I love more than anything is...Miss. Carrie Bradshaw.

WHO DOESN'T LOVE HER?

Sex and the City was definitely a little before my time; I was too young when it first came out on HBO and for years after that, I never really caught on. Then, one day I took my mom's DVDs and sat on the couch for two weeks watching all six seasons.

I immediately fell in love and identified with Carrie Bradshaw.

I mean really, we all know who we are, we are either a Carrie, a Samantha, a Charlotte, or a Miranda. I am the biggest "Carrie" you will ever meet.

I've lived in NYC all my life, love boys, love fashion, and am studying to be a journalist. I have insanely curly hair, fall in love too quickly, enjoy a nice drink, and my friends mean the world to me.

There are so many reasons why I feel like I am destined to be Carrie Bradshaw. She is just amazing. She is a normal woman, living in New York, making her dreams come true, and just living life the way she wants too. Carrie makes mistakes...dam she's made a lot of them but she never lets them define her.

Bradshaw goes after what she wants and even if she trips along the way, she puts those heels back on and doesn't give up.

Her relationship with Mr. Big was so complicated but such a lesson for her and women everywhere. In the beginning it was so fun, so wild, she was head over heels and didn't know which way was up,

Then it got the best of her, she let a man define who she was and how she acted. That's how in love Carrie was with Big.

I think it taught me that you could love a man beyond words but that doesn't mean he's good for you. He can say the sweetest things in the world and sweep you off your first but it could all mean shit.

He broke her heart more times than I could count and she kept giving him second chances and in the end, it did pay off.

It wasn't the perfect relationship but it was perfect for her, in the end.

Carrie always has the best advice, her words have kept me going. I'm the type of person that needs a quote or  a saying to get through the day. I have many life mottos and Carrie Bradshaw has given me plenty of mottos to live by.

This is silly I guess but I have really curly hair and I always straightened it. I hated my curly locks, they were too unruly, too frizzy, not pretty enough. Then after discovering SATC and Carrie Bradshaw, I saw that she had unruly hair, her curls were wild and it gave me a little boost of confidence to wear my hair naturally.

It might sound stupid but it's just something that really sticks out to me.

Not to mention, she has the most insane fashion sense and makes everything look good. A pink tutu? A newspaper dress? That gorgeous green dress she wore in Paris?

Carrie is a fashion icon.

I don't really care if she's fictional...Carrie Bradshaw is amazing in my eyes. She symbolizes a sense of hope for me. She says things and does things that I'm afraid to say or do.

Carrie Bradshaw is someone I model myself after.. I am myself, my own person, but Carrie has gotten me there.




Everybody goes through those awkward tween and teen years where you are trying to find your place in the world.

You're not a kid anymore but not an adult and there is a lot that comes with that.

I'm going to be 20 years old this year, leaving my teenage years behind and it's scary. I feel like just yesterday I was turning 13, ready to embark on my adolescent years and all the drama that would come with it.

These years have definitely been rocky but I got through them...barely, but I got through them. I've had a lot of help though and received a lot of advice from my family, my friends, or quotes that just got me through the day.

One thing that I think I owe a lot of my teen years to is books.

I'm a book nerd, if I haven't mentioned that already; I read more than the average person and I could read a book in a day if I wanted to.

Reading books about teenagers who are going through the same stuff you are (maybe on a more exaggerated level) really helps a lot. They clear the sky for you and say the things you're afraid to say or say the things that you need to hear the most.

I owe keeping my insanity throughout the past six years of my life to an eclectic group of characters.

1. Catcher and the Rye


Everyone has a touch of Holden Caulfield inside of them; a boy with a tragedy who is a bit rebellious but nonetheless, just misunderstood. He is the ultimate literary character and when you read his journey through the troubles of teenage years, you'll learn more about yourself...and life. 

2. The Perks of Being a Wall Flower


Charlie is a bit introverted; he's awkward, a little slow, and doesn't have many friends. ...but he seems okay with that. Like Holden, Charlie is a bit like all of us in some way. Then he meets two people who change his life and make him who he is. Reading this book gave me such happiness and taught me so much about what it means to be alive. It's hard to explain in words but this will forever be one of my favorite books. It's flawless. 

3. Harry Potter

Do I  even need to explain this one? It's our childhood...we are the Harry Potter generation; even if you never read the books or saw the movies, you still lived through this epic saga of wizards, dark lords, Hogwarts, and growing up. We went on the journey with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We were there from the beginning when we didn't know where Harry was headed and stuck with him till the end, when he defeated Voldemort. Harry Potter is the ultimate coming of age book, if you haven't read it, you haven't lived properly.

4. Looking For Alaska


This is the same category as Charlie and Holden; Miles Halter is sent off to boarding school where he meets a girl who drive him insane, Alaska. The book has the same tone that "Catcher" and "Wallflower" have...a distraught boy, growing up, and learning how to love and how to live. It might seem a bit repetitive but it's a must read. Plus, John Green is one of the greatest authors of our time. 

5. The Outsiders


Greasers, Socs, murder...it all comes together in "The Outsiders". You probably had to read this in school, that's where I read it and where I fell in love with it. Ponyboy and Johnny and the rest of the Greasers are hoodlums, boys with shitty home lives and band together in this group where they take care of the rest. It teaches you that you can build a family, build a home anywhere...it doesn't have to be blood related people or a fancy house...you could have a family and a home with anyone who loves you truly.

6. The Secret Life of Bees



A story about a girl who believes she killed her mother; she goes on a journey to escape her abusive father and find her mother's "nanny". It's the 1960s during segregated times when blacks were still considered lower class. Lily wants to know more about her mother, who died when she was a baby. On the journey she takes by herself, she finds a home and people who love her dearly. This was also a mandatory read in high school and everyone just ate this book up. It's incredible.

7. Speak


This is a book that I think everyone has read. A teenage girl gets raped at a party and completely shuts herself out from the world. She doesn't talk to anyone for months, she doesn't tell anyone about the rape. She keeps in inside herself, driving herself nuts. Another school read, another wonderful, heart wrenching book.

8.The Fault in Our Stars




The other books I have listed are pretty old...definitely not written within the past five years but now we have something that is very recent and truly wonderful. The story of Hazel, a cancer patient who attends a cancer support group where she meets Augustus, another cancer survivor. The two of them strike up a friendship which quickly turns into full blown teenage romance. It's the most beautiful love story of two teenagers who were forced to grow up very fast. They make each other's dreams come true and truly teach us what it means to live life to the fullest and to fall in love with whatever makes you happy, despite the struggles.

9. Stargirl

When I first read this book, I HATED IT. I thought it was stupid and weird and I just didn't understand it. And that is exactly why I appreciate it so much more now. In a straight edge highschool, Stargirl comes to town and blows everyone away, especially Leo. She is odd, very very odd. Stargirl is eccentric, she does not care what people think of her. At first, Leo is thrown off guard, he's a follower and thinks like the rest of the people at Mica Highschool...he doesn't like Stargirl. She's too different. But then, something changes and he falls for her, head over heels and she teaches him, she teaches the rest of the us that there is no greater reward in life than being different and just being yourself.

10. Anything written by Sarah Dessen.


There are too many to pick. She is one of my favorite authors and I've read almost every book that she's written. There is something about the way she writes for teenage girls and the message that is the same, yet different in all her books. Us girls need to hear that things will turn out alright in the end, we need a message, a quote, a story to put into our heads and listen to. Sarah Dessen gives us that in many different ways, with many different books, with different characters. You could definitely find a Sarah Dessen book to be your best friend.

All these books sounds the same, they have the same message, and some might be too similar but they all have one thing in common.

They have taught me more about life and friendship and love than anything in the world. These books have gotten me through everything and I am a better person because I read them and lived in their world.

Birchbox!

in , , , , , by RoyallyPink, 9:01 PM
About two months ago, I was on the computer, just looking through some stuff when I stumbled upon the fabulous Birchbox.com.

Birchbox is every girl's dream, in my opinion.

It's a website where you sign up and for $10 a month, you receive a little box in the mail filled with the latest and greatest sample beauty products.

It's amazing!

I signed up in late May and it took a little bit for me to confirm a membership (there's a slight waiting list, it took maybe two weeks for me to get my confirmation email) and I received my June Birchbox filled with a Still beauty bronzer, a lip and cheek stain, a sample of "Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift", and a few other great products that I love!

I love the idea that for just $10, you get a little present every month. The great thing about Birchbox is that they give you the opportunity to purchase the full sized product on their site with free shipping!

Score!

The products that they give you are extremely good quality; it's not some poorly made beauty product, you are not getting ripped off, not in the least.

There are select different products every month and every Birchbox is different; not one are alike.

This month was another great month for my July Birchbox which was sponsored by Glamour Magazine (which I LOVE).

Here are the products I received:

1. amika Obliphica Hair Treatment
2.amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask - 60 ml
3.boscia B.B. Cream SPF 27 PA++
4. Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner
5.Harvey Prince Hello - 50 ml
6.LÄRABAR® über

As a bonus I also received a pair of pink and blue ear buds which are so adorable and are probably some of the best ear buds I've ever had; when you put them on, you can't hear anything but the music from your iPOD. AMAZING!

I haven't tried all the products from my Birchbox yet but my favorite so far is the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner; it's not so much a liquid so it doesn't have that difficulty of application, it just goes on really smoothly. I'm obsessed and will probably order the full size one.

Birchbox is a great product and I think for all you get, it's definitely worth $10. It's cheap, it's useful, and why not treat yourself every month to a little present?

You deserve it!

Go sign up today!

I think it's every girl's goal in life to find the best lip balm. I know mine is.

Ever since I've discovered Smackers Lip Balm in like 4th grade, I've been obsessed with lip balms and lip gloss and lip stick. 

I love them but it's really hard to find the perfect lip balm and I've struggled, just like all of you. You don't want anything too sticky or too glossy and it has to moisturize and help your chapped lips.

I've searched high and low for the perfect balms and I've found three that I adore.

Carmex Moisture Plus

I've only heard good things about Carmex Skincare before checking them out and I've always meant to buy something by them to see what all the fuss was about. One day at CVS, there was a sale on Carmex lip balm so I bought the Moisture Plus balm and was completely sold!

It's not a gloss but not a typical chapstick type balm, it's a mixture of the two. It goes on really nicely and keeps your lips extra smooth. 

Eos


Eos is a really fun lip balm. It comes in an egg shape and a variety of different scents. When you apply it to your lips, you can feel the moisture coming. It's a rich, creamy balm and works wonders for chapped lips.

Rosebud Salve

I had a Sephora giftcard laying around and needed to buy something cheap since the card wasn't for that much. I was searching the site when I stumbled onto Smith's Rosebud Salve. I've heard of salve before and seen some products with it but never tried it out. 

I saw that it could be used for your lips or cuticles or another dry part of your skin and decided to purchase it. It was one of the best purchases I've ever made because this is a product from heaven. I use it mostly on my lips but it's a mix of a gloss and a lip balm because it comes out of the tube in a lube form and has a little shine but it's really great for a slightly chapped lip.

All of these products are really amazing and I swear by each of them; my favorite would probably be Eos because I love the fun egg shape and different flavors but they are all really wonderful.

If you need a new lipbalm, try one of these out!
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I have an odd obsession with notebooks and planners. I love writing and I love being organized, there's nothing better.

I have quite a few empty, fancy notebooks just waiting to be used; too many notebooks, not enough time.

I love patterns, colors, and anything I can customize, and lately, I love monograms.

I've found something that perfectly combines all of those things.

Maybooks.com is a company where you can customize a notebook, planner, or another type of notebook with different colors, patterns, and can even add a monogram for an extra few bucks.

It's the ultimate preppy site for someone who loves chevron stripes, anchors, and a lot of color.

The notebooks are a pretty decent price, usually coming out to $17 not including tax and shipping.

They're the perfect pocket notebook, not too big or small, great for jotting down some thoughts or to do lists.

The books are soft canvas and very environmentally friendly.

I got mine a few weeks ago and I already started filling it up with random thoughts and ideas. A Maybook is a great thing to have.

I chose the Mod Rose Orchid in Mauve with an Octagon background shape along with my monogram in the Fancy Script print.

I plan on ordering another one ASAP, I'm addicted!

This is such a great company and everyone should go and buy their first Maybook today! You'll be addicted before you know it.
One of my favorite things to do on a rainy day is to cuddle up and watch movies, all day. My favorite type of movie?

The ever loved and guiltiest of pleasures...THE CHICK FLICK!

Who doesn't love a good, cheesy love story or a group of high schoolers with a weird and unrealistic story line attached to them?

I don't care who you are, you've watched a chick flick before and you loved every second of it.

Some people classify chick flicks as different things but in my simple terms I think of a chick flick as either a love story filled with romance and tears, a fabulous 20-30 year old woman living in Manhattan with a fabulous job but she's missing something in her life, or a story that surrounds a group of high school girls who are catty toward each other, mixed with a little something else.

Basically, a chick flick is a movie a guy would not want to be caught dead seeing...at any given time, whether it's in the movie theater or in the privacy of his own home.

There are A LOT of chick flicks out there and they date back to years and years ago; this isn't a new concept, people.

I've seen a lot of chick flicks and sometimes it's hard for me to pick just one that I love the most so I decided to compile a list of some of my favorites.

12.  Dirty Dancing:


This is one of the older chick flick movies but it's one of the best! Baby is dragged to a country club/inn for the summer with her family. She's different from the rest of her family, she just doesn't fit in and she's kind of an ugly duckling, awkward and a little strange. That is until she meets the beautiful Johnny Castle who is a dancing god and a forbidden item, which obviously makes Baby want him even more.

This beautiful, hot and heavy love story is paired with forbidden romance and a lot of dancing, which makes everyone swoon. Espiecially the famous last dance and the quote that sends hearts racing every time we hear it, "Nobody puts Baby in the corner".

RIP Patrick Swayze

11. My Best Friend's Wedding:

Julia Roberts is one of the reigning Queens of the chick flick and this is one of my favorites from the lady with the big smile! The storyline is relatable and a lot of woman can connect with it because at some point in their lives, they've fallen for their best guy friend who didn't return the feelings. There was that other girl who has done nothing wrong to you but because the man you were in love with, loved her, the site of her made you want to vomit. And we have all kind of dreamed of stopping a wedding...haven't we?

10. Breakfast at Tiffanys:

Where would we be without Audrey? She is the epitome of what a woman should be, elegant, classy, and absolutely timeless. In "Breakfast at Tiffanys", Holly is a carefree spirit (something a lot of us wish we could do) who doesn't want to be attached...to anyone or anything but eventually she finds that one guy who makes her want to change all that.

This is a timeless movie with a timeless story with a timeless star. It's one of the first and best chick flicks out there.

9. He's Just Not That Into You:


I consider this movie the BIBLE. It surrounds the lives of a few different kinds of characters who are all going through romantic situations that are completely normal in everyday life: the clingly girl who can't hold onto a boyfriend, the married woman whose husband is cheating on her, and the woman whose been with her guy for years but still isn't married.

It makes you think, it makes you open your eyes and see that things in love aren't perfect but you can make them your own kind of perfect. It's a GREAT chick flick with a great message and insight behind it.

8. 27 Dresses:

Katherine Heigel is the most recent queen of Chick Flicks; she has everything a queen needs to be and has appeared in loads of chick flicks since she hung up her scrubs as Izzie Stevens. 27 Dresses is my favorite because it's such a relatable story but with that extra cheesy feature, like being a bridesmaid 27 times, that makes it a movie. Being in love with someone who doesn't love you back is the worse, but having that person almost marry your sister? That's just plain cruel.

This movie defines what a chick flick is, in all the right ways.

7. Legally Blonde

Everyone's favorite sorority girl, Elle Woods, is out there. She's the star of her own life and this movie is a movie that no man would ever be caught seeing. The storyline is beyond crazy, a dumb blonde going to law school to chase her college boyfriend...it's out there and it's perfect.

6. Clueless: 

AS IF! Cher is the typical Beverly Hills high school girl with a rich daddy, fancy cars, and a closet that could make Kim Kardashian jealous. This movie is a cult classic filled with romance, tears, fights, and all things high school. It's a 90s perfect fit.

5. Titanic:

Do I even have to explain this one? I mean, it's Jack and Rose, Leo and Kate...it's that song! The handprint on the window, the forbidden love, the modern day Romeo and Juliet. Titanic is more than a chick flick, it's one of the greatest films of our generation.

4. How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days:

UGH THIS IS MY FAVORITE! This has ALL the elements of the chick flick; the fabulous job in New York City, the gorgeous girl, the sexiest man ever, and the extremely crazy plot line that fails both characters at some point in the film. I remember watching it in the movie theaters and just being completely fascinated with the life that Andy lived and the romance she had with Ben. It's one of those cheesy chick flicks and I'm not ashamed to say I love every second of it.

3. Mean Girls:

Now, this is a bit different from the rest of the movies on the list. The main point isn't romance but life in "girl world". It shows the viscous side of America's most misunderstood breed, the teenage girl. This film is considered Lindsay Lohan's last great movie and has become a cult classic with some of the most quotable and notable lines to ever grace the silver screen. This isn't the typical chick flick...it's for everyone.

2. When Harry Met Sally:

Meg Ryan was the first chick flick/romantic comedy queen and has graced us with her presence in many girl only films. This is one of her best, definitely. It's the "two strangers turn into best friends turn into couple turn into enemies turn into a couple again story". It's the typical chick flick story line but it was one of the first and one of the most memorable. While watching it, you don't feel like you're watching this cheesy film because even though there are cheesy tendencies throughout the movie, it's a great film. 

Can anyone guess what #1 is?! THE ULTIMATE CHICK FLICK, ROMANTIC DRAMA TO EVER EXIST. THE MOST TEARJERKING, HEARTFELT, MOST BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY EVER!

1. The Notebook:

It's Noah and Allie. It's a broken love story, forbidden in all the right ways. It's love that comes fast and leaves even faster. It's short lived but forever. It's love and tears and the perfect chick flick. It's one of the most romantic movies of our time and I'll be dammed if there was a person who walked this planet and said they didn't secretly cry at some point throughout the film. It's the ultimate chick flick; it screams GIRLS ONLY. All in all, The Notebook is a beautiful love story and a wonderful film.

So there we have it! My top 12 favorite chick flick movies. If you've seen them, good for you! If not, the next time we have a rainy day, I advise you to grab some icecream, get in bed, and indulge in a guilty pleasure.
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