Summer Biker Gypsy Style with True Religion + Adventuress + Jane Tran [sponsored]

[post sponsored by True Religion]

I've never been too obsessed with trends when it comes to what I wear, that is, unless we're talking about the classics. Things go in and out of style, but a few incredible pieces are worth investing in, and they will only get better and more comfortable with time. The spirit of True Religion as a brand fits this, just like a pair of their sleek skinnies.

I'm a longtime devotee of biker style with a twist. One could say there is a "uniform" for biker chic, but most who love it place their own personal stamp on it. Take True Religion's Moto Jacket in off-white (below). I don't personally need yet another black leather moto jacket, but white... white is so hot. Its versatility in color, design and style is staggering. I love it with their women's Moto Jean in black, paired with their Hamsa-adorned Crescent Heights Muscle Tank in tango red (shown) or black.

Moto Jacket  in off-white ($695)

Moto Women's Jean in black ($228)

Crescent Heights Muscle Tank in Tango Red ($68)

Then, there has to be a couple of maxi-dress options, because I love them dearly. True Religion's Gypsy Printed Maxi Dress (below) has the kind of worn-in softness that usually only a favorite garment decades old might have. One of the things I love about the brand is that you don't have to fret about things feeling too new and waiting and washing for your pieces to feel more worn in. The Gypsy dress pairs perfectly with the Shelby Studded Western Vest in Optic White, and would also be very smart with the Moto Jacket for evening. In the summertime, you want easy, you need easy. You can neatly fold this lightweight dress into an impossibly tiny bundle and carry it in a bag to take with you anywhere. Toss some little sandals in there too, and you can jump off your bike and into your cool and breezy beach party clothes.

 Gypsy Printed Maxi Dress (on sale for $99.99!)

Shelby Studded Western Vest in optic white ($228)

The Indigo Knit Maxi Dress (below) reminds me so much of my friend Angela, who moved from Brooklyn to Southern California about 8 months ago, and she's been loving it. She is the girl you know who looks amazing in everything, and that's because her smile makes you forget your name or what you were just supposed to be doing... her energy is infectious. The dress has the quiet cool of simplicity and topped with the Shelby Studded Western Vest or the White Moto Jacket, would make the sort of outfit you could really live in all Summer. 

Indigo Knit Women's Maxi Dress ($148)

All of these pieces are mix-and-match-- you just can't go wrong. Of course, the jackets and pants sail straight through Summer and into the Fall season.

Now that we've got the clothes, you may need something specially suited to your skin's needs if you're going to be traveling on the open road or exposing your skin to the elements in any way. Adventuress Skin Care is a company which directly addresses that need. Their products are all portable, all formulated with the traveler in mind, and all designed to protect and nourish your skin. I recently had the pleasure of attending a webinar all about Adventuress and its founder, Michele Carter, who is an avid biker herself. She had the ingenuity and foresight to see a gap in the market for a very niche group of people, but what Adventuress' collection of products turned out to be is something that everyone can use-- especially frequent travelers by any method.

Sunscreen Swipes, Facial Wipes, Cleanser, Skin Purifier (like a toner/serum) and Moisturizer comprise their well-priced introduction kit. It all comes inside a really (REALLY) cute bag that you can stash anywhere. I love the idea of Adventuress and also the practicality of their offerings.

Intro Offer Collection ($85)
Includes: Cleanser, Skin Purifier, Moisturizer, You Vee's Sunscreen Wipes and Facial Wipes.

Adventuress Intro Offer Collection

Here are a few quick features of  the products:

The Naturally Liberating Cleanser has hempseed and olive oils.

The Vividly Restorative Skin Purifier has quince, willowbark and sugar maple.

The Boldly Nourishing Moisturizer contains a host of micronutrients, antioxidants and vitamins.

You Vees Sunscreen Swipes have 4% micronized titanium dioxide and 3% octinoxate to protect against UVA and UVB rays with sunflower oil and vitamin E to hydrate and soothe.

The Fearlessly Refreshing Facial Wipes contain gentle, soothing natural ingredients to comfort reddened, sensitive and rosacea skin, removing dirt and debris without stripping the skin of its natural oils.

Also available on the Adventuress website (but not in the Intro Offer Collection) is the Wickedly Protective EnviroBalm, which contains ingredients like aloe, beeswax, jojoba and olive to act as a skin protectant for your face (and other areas too!).

And for a finishing touch, how about a fabulous hair accessory you can use once you take off your helmet (or hat, etc.)? I absolutely love Jane Tran's hair accessories.Something you can wear as jewelry and then put your hair up with it is the order of the day. A perfect, pretty, fuss-free accessory with major points for coolness. You can wear all three of the options below as bracelets, with the headbands wrapped 2 or 3 times around the wrist.

Jane Tran Thin Ruffled Pony Set: 3 for $7.50

Beaded Mosaic Stretch Headband: $65

Beaded Array Headband: $47.50

I love how just a few key pieces invite so many cool combinations, proving that low-maintenance can translate into high style.

[All photos are property of their respective brands. This post was sponsored by True Religion. Adventuress Skin Care and Jane Tran are not sponsors.]

Top 5 Cool and Covetable Valentine's Day Gifts: Fragrance and Beauty

This year, I was in the mood to put together a short but sweet Valentine's Day gift guide, which features goodies from the practical to just plain pretty. There's still time to order up your gifts, so I'll keep the intro short!

Shea Terra Argan Oil Beauty Kit ($26) and Divine Ginger & Orange Fair Trade Chocolate Bar ($3)

I am a HUGE fan of Shea Terra Organics and the brand's proprietor/globetrotter/mix mistress/Mom of 14 Tammie Umbel. While we enjoy her lavish products, she's sourcing ingredients in far off lands while 8 1/2 months pregnant, slipping and sliding down sand dunes. This Argan oil sampler has a lot to offer for a small price, giving you a taste of some of their best-selling products (which also happen to be some of my favorites). The Argan Oil Beauty Kit contains: Argan & Rosemary Cleansing Oil, Argan Oil, Argan & Rose Serum of Youth, Argan & Green Coffee Eye Serum (7.5ml each). The Divine Fair Trade Chocolate Bars they sell are all delectable and there's a wide choice of flavors-- and every one of them is $3 apiece. Shea Terra proves that thoughtful, earth-friendly gifts don't need to cost much at all.

Hamsa Perfume and T-Shirt Gift Set ($65)

Newcomer to the fragrance scene Hamsa by Celine Leora has a very cheery scent disposition with bright but rich notes of white lotus, frankincense, blackcurrant and coffee. It's clean and uncomplicated, and I would categorize it as "happiness juice". This lovely gift set which includes a bottle of the perfume and an adorable blinged-out girly t-shirt is begging to be given to a beloved University girl this year. This fragrance screams of youthful exuberance and hope, and  having a Hamsa-adorned bottle in her dorm room at all times is definitely stacking the deck in her favor. That can only be a good thing!

Aurelia Skin Care Relax & Repair Night Time Gift Set ($100)

This is one of Aurelia's brilliant gift sets that I love so much. This one contains a full-size bottle of Cell Repair Night Oil (which smells mainly of mandarin, orange blossom, lavender and rose) with teacup & saucer, special evening tea blend; all gift boxed and beautiful. I love and frequently use the Cell Repair Night Oil- it boasts a crazy-gorgeous list of exotic oils & extracts like Mongongo, Ootanga, Baobab and Kigelia-- I am a devotee of these uncommon African gems and what they do for my skin. I could spend the next hour expounding on my love of this product, but I must quickly mention the incredible blush-salmon-colored teacup and saucer and the specially blended caffeine-free loose herbal tea. Equally desirable is their gift set containing a morning blend of tea and a jar of their amazing Miracle Cleanser plus an anti-bacterial soft bamboo muslin cloth. That set goes for $85, which you can also get through Aurelia's website or Beautyhabit.com here in the States. If you have an adored friend, sister or co-worker who you are shopping for this Valentine's Day that is also a confirmed beauty snob, here's your chance to one-up them and blow their mind. Like, forever.

Jane Tran Sprouting Crystal Bobby Pins ($25 for 2) and Crystal Sprout Pony Box ($35 for 2)

In my tireless search for the cutest hair doo-dads in the world that don't annoy me, aren't juvenile, are super-attractive like jewelry but don't stand out too much, Jane Tran usually does it for me. Her prices are generally below France Luxe's prices, which is another hair doo-dad brand I love. These incredible Sprout accessories have charmed me completely. I must have silver, and prefer colors that don't stick out too much, but there are brights and gold-tones available as well. Jane Tran gets it. It's better to have a few killer designs with lots of color options than to have a bazillion of everything, or even worse, your entire line in one metal-tone or color palette, so that 50% of the world won't even look at what you've got to offer. Anyway, GO JANE! Whether your girl has a ponytail fetish or is a bobby pin freak (or both, like me), these are super-chic, day-to-night accessories that won't ever look wrong.

Cinq Mondes Aromatic Scrub With Spices- Java's Ritual: Indonesia and Kassa Glove ($60/$18)

CINQ MONDES! Where do I start? Okay, that's right. Short Valentine's gift guide. Breathe in, breathe out. I've recently had the chance to sample a bunch of Cinq Mondes products because I got a sweet gift-with-purchase sampler from BeautyHabit.com. I had a blast with everything, but this was in my top 3 must-have products from the lot of samples I tried. The Aromatic Scrub With Spices is one of the most heavenly things I've ever experienced. From the fragrance (mixed spices and herbs with plenty of resins and salts) to the scrubby, then melty texture and the way it feels on your skin- it's absolutely astounding. A complete sensory pleasure- and one of the only high-end spa bath products I would ever lay my money down for. I can spend on facial cleansers and masks without hesitation, but not nearly as easily for the bath/shower. I feel differently about that now. One or two indulgences of the highest order will only help your mind focus and your body relax-- and that's living out your full potential. Tell people that the next time they tease you for your beauty product obsession. They will still think you're weird, but your aesthetician won't.

This is the real deal, and used with the Kassa Glove for extra exfoliation (and so as not to tax the skin on the palms of your hands too much with rough textures), it's the perfect vigorous, aromatic scrubbing you need to begin or end your day. It softens your skin so well that if you're running short on time, you really don't need to moisturize unless you'll be facing harsh elements. This would make the perfect gift for... well, anyone with a nose who also takes showers, baths, steams, anything. That's probably a few people you know. If you plan on treating yourself for Valentine's Day (and why not?), this is the one product I would recommend the most. It's a self-love thing.

Now here's what else you should know: though I love and support BeautyHabit all the time, all Cinq Mondes products are less expensive at Dermstore.com. Plus, if you add the products to your shopping cart from your favorites list, that's an additional 10% off. Also, there's a nice gift with $60 purchase- a 15ml bottle of Cinq Mondes' Olivia Giacobetti fragrance called Eau Egyptienne (it's amazing). Good products, great deal!

I hope you have at least found my list entertaining if not informative, and best of luck to any of you who still have shopping to do. I'm lucky, because my Valentines (husband and cat) are very easy to please-- they both want noms and cuddles, and that's what they'll get!

HAPPY ST. VALENTINE'S DAY!