Everyday Style - Chambray Shirt and White Denim

Shirt: American Eagle (similar, similar)

Pants: Hautelook (Jag Jeans, similar, similar)

Shoes: Hautelook (Keds, exact)

Necklace: Zulily (Mindy Mae's Market, similar, similar)

It's been a rough week blogging-wise. I have a baby that doesn't want to nap anymore and lots of things to do to work on buying a house. Thus why there was no post on Tuesday. I'll try to make up for it later since I still have a birchbox review to post for the month. 

Anyway, on to the outfit. As a fashion blogger, I get outfit ideas from many places: pinterest, polyvore, fashion magazines, and other bloggers. In the case of the outfit today, I was inspired by One Little Momma's outfit from yesterday. Obviously I put my own spin on it since it was much too warm for the cardigan and because I wanted my personality to come through in the outfit. 

I'd been looking for the best way to style this chambray shirt that I bought last year. It had been sitting in my closet calling my name so when I saw the post yesterday, a light bulb turned on. I went for a casual look with the sneakers, but then used the necklace to fancy it back up a tad. 

I loved my other teething necklace so much that I went on the hunt for another one and I thought this one worked well into my style. They really are the best mom accessory! 

Overall, the outfit made me feel put together while still being comfortable. Definitely a mom-on-the-go look!

If you're interested in signing up for Hautelook, I would appreciate if you would use my referral link here. If you're interested in signing up for Zulily, you can use my link here. Both are awesome flash sites that frequently have great deals on clothes, shoes, home goods, and other great stuff for someone on a budget. 

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore to Church - Happy Halloween!

Cardigan: ThredUp (Mak)

Skirt: ModCloth Breathtaking Tiger Lilies Skirt in Orange

Tights: Walmart

Shoes: ThredUp (Mojo Moxy)

Yes, I know Halloween isn't until Friday, but I didn't want to wait until next week to do my Halloween outfit. 

Originally I was going to turn my Breathtaking Tiger Lilies skirt into a jack-o-lantern, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't going to work. So I opted for some simple poodle skirt styling and affixed a felt bat to the skirt instead. My husband kindly drew me the silhouette since he's the artist in the family, and I cut it out of the felt with my mad scissor skills (no really, it took me like 15 min to cut out), and attached it with double stick tape and safety pins. I'm pretty happy with the result. It's an outfit in the spirit of Halloween without going in full-on costume.

I nabbed this adorable cardigan from ThredUp. I was so excited that it fit. It's the same brand as the Charter School Cardigans (Mak), so I figured it would be good quality, and it is! The embroidery on the peter pan collar is gorgeous!  

When I put the tights on this morning, I asked my husband if they worked with the outfit. He said, "you look like you should be burned at the stake." My response: "perfect!" I got them in the clearance bin at Walmart for $4. You shouldn't let me wander around that store. I just went in for Squirt soda and I came out with 4 infinity scarves, 2 pairs of tights, and 3 pairs of boot socks. It's pretty handy for cheap accessories. 

The shoes I've discussed before. Another fantastic find from ThredUp!

If you're interested in signing up for ThredUp (it's SO worth it!) use my link and get $10 off your first order.

If you haven't purchased from ModCloth before, use my link and get $15 off $50.

Happy Shopping and Happy Halloween!

Everyday Style - Spring Colors in Fall

Top: ThredUp (Lauren Conrad)

Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Jade

Jeans: JustFab Signature Skinny Multi Zipper

Booties: ThredUp (Aldo)

Necklace: Chewbeads

I absolutely adore fall fashion. The boots, the cardigans, the scarves, but sometimes I miss my bright spring colors. Well you don't have to give them up. One small detail like adding some booties and you're back in the right season. At least I think so. Or it's very possible that I've just decided in my head that this is now a fall outfit. In all reality, fashion is about wearing what you love, not about the rules. So if you want to wear your bright colors in fall, just do it!

Shout out (again) to ThredUp for the super cute polka dot blouse and my FAVORITE ThredUp find so far! These Aldo booties. I wear them constantly! Cute, comfy, and WAY cheaper than they had any business being. 

Have I mentioned how much I love JustFab jeans? I'm pretty sure I have. I love how stretchy they are and they have such a wide array of sizes that pretty much anyone can wear them. When I was on the search for post pregnancy jeans, JF jeans were the only ones that fit comfortably without making me feel like a stuffed sausage. They are definitely worth the money if you're willing to deal with their subscription service. 

If you're interested in checking out ThredUp, use my link here for $10 off your first purchase.

If you're interested in ModCloth, use my link here for $15 off $50.

If you're interested in JustFab, use my link here for 20% off your first order. With that is my usual disclaimer that it is a monthly shoe club, so be sure to read the terms and conditions!

Happy Shopping!

Ipsy Review - October 2014

In lieu of Tell Me About Tuesday, I'm going to give you my ipsy review for October. I'll start out by saying I thought this was an excellent month. The theme for this month was "Beauty Candy" and I thought for the most part, everything went along with that well.

 

The bag itself was a nice teal color with quilting. I can't say that the bags themselves usually get much use, but this one was one of the cuter ones. 

As for the products, per usual, we'll start with the good:

ModelCo VolumEyes Exteme Black Mascara (sample size)

As my frequent readers may know, my favorite mascara ever is a ModelCo mascara so I was super excited to try this one. It lived up to the brand hype! It went on smooth, volumized well, stayed on all day without flaking, and came off easy. What more could a girl ask for? Will I be switching from my other ModelCo mascara? Probably not, but that's because I can use BB points to get the other one at a discount, but I was pleased that this was such a large sample size so I don't have to buy either one for awhile. 

Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in Rose Berry (full size)

If any one product epitomized the theme of Beauty Candy, it was this one. It smelled like sweet tarts! It was delectable. It wasn't too thick, moisturized well, and I couldn't get enough of the smell.

Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquer in Very Cherry (full size) 

I couldn't actually find a link to this anywhere and this color wasn't listed on their website which is a shame because it is gorgeous. It took 2 coats to get to the above consistency but that's fairly standard. I love that from far away it almost looks black, but the closer you get, the more cherry color you can see. 

Moving on to the bad category:

Starlooks Lipgloss in Guilty Pleasure (sample size)

Normally I'm super excited about lip products and this one looked like it had some potential. However, it was the stickiest lip gloss I've ever put on my lips. I swear it has hair magnets worked into the formula. It took much less than the usual gust of wind to blow my hair into it's sticky web. Literally every step I took, I was pulling hair of my lips. I just couldn't do it. It came off pretty quick. 

Lastly the meh:

Epice Purifying Exfoliant (sample size) 

Did this exfoliant work? Sure! Did it feel nice? Yeah. Why is it a meh? I don't plan on spending $32 on an exfoliant when you can get one that is just as effective for much less.

So there you have it folks. October was pretty good. The hand cream and the nail polish made the whole bag worth it despite failings in other areas. 

If you're interested in signing up for ipsy, I would appreciate it if you would use my referral link!

Happy Shopping!

What I Wore To Church - Touches of Leopard

Dress: eShakti Fall Floral Embellished Poplin Dress

Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Sage

Scarf: Christmas present last year (similar, similar)

Shoes: B.O.C. (similar, similar)

I'm a believer that leopard is a neutral. It's a semi-controversial topic in the fashion world but that's where I stand. It can be paired with almost anything if done right, and it brings a level of interesting detail to any outfit. I thought it complemented the embroidery on this dress quite well.

I got the dress in eShakti's summer sale (which I find funny since part of the name of it is "FALL floral") and almost sent it back. It fit fine, but I wasn't sure if it was enough of a statement piece. I have so many dresses, so I'm always looking for dresses that pop. I seriously almost sent it back without even trying it on, but my mom convinced me to at least put it on and I'm glad I did. Not only is the embroidery beautiful, but it was a lot of fun to style. Also, it had been awhile since I'd worn an eShakti dress, and I forgot how awesome they were because POCKETS! Machine washable is also a plus when it comes to dresses. 

Is that the same awesome sage cardigan that I wore in my Thursday post? Why yes it is. I almost feel like I'm starting an outfit chain. Boots carried over from Sunday to Thursday. Cardigan carried over from Thursday to Sunday. Maybe on Thursday I'll wear the scarf or flats again. We shall see.

eShakti is doing their Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal again so it's worth a second of your time to pop over and check it out. I have a feeling my mom and I may be pooling our resources to get a couple dresses.

Happy Shopping!

Everyday Style - Polka Dot Blouse, Sage Cardigan, and Boots

 

Top: ThredUp (J. Crew)

Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Sage

Pants: H&M Slim-Fit Pant

Boots: JustFab Landry

Necklace: Chewbeads

Boot weather is here (at least for a few days in Texas) and I'm so excited. Yes, these are the same boots that I wore on Sunday but that's because they are awesome.

The blouse was one of my first purchases from ThredUp. I forgot about it for awhile until I decided to go on the hunt for a black-on-white polka dot blouse. Shortly after starting my hunt, I remembered I already had one! It's a great staple piece and can be styled so many ways. I definitely think we'll be seeing it again in the near future.

I really think this color may be my favorite Charter School Cardigan. It's a close one between this one and the honey. It's just such a great, rich color and one that you don't see very often.

The necklace is a mom essential. It was a gift from my great friend Shawn. She knows me so well. It's a rubberized material made specifically for teething babies to chew on, and it looks fantastic too! I love it so much that I bought a similar one in a different color recently. Whoever came up with the idea is a GENIUS!

Hopefully the weather stays as pretty as it's been for awhile. Cardigans and boots are my favorites! This combination of styling is one that will probably pop up on the blog often. Hopefully the weather is cooperating with you too!

If you're interested in checking out ThredUp, use my link here for $10 off your first purchase.

If you're interested in ModCloth, use my link here for $15 off $50.

If you're interested in JustFab, use my link here for 20% off your first order. With that is my usual disclaimer that it is a monthly shoe club, so be sure to read the terms and conditions!

Tell Me About - My Fave Beauty Products

Those of you that know me in person, and those that have been following me for awhile may have deduced that I am a pretty low maintenance person when it comes to my beauty routine. While I love trying new things with BIRCHBOX and ipsy, I tend to keep going back to the same beauty products and make up for my daily use (although some of those items I found through my beauty subscriptions). For Tell Me About...Tuesday, I thought it might be fun to go through a couple of my favorite everyday beauty products.

We'll start with hair:

Beauty Protector Shampoo, Conditioner, and Detangler
I tried this trio of products from Beauty Protector through various Birchboxes and I fell in love right away. They smell amazing. They leave my hair feeling soft and smooth, and I love how shiny my hair looks after using them. The detangler acts as a thermal protectant during blow-drying, and it works great. They are a bit pricey but Birchbox offers them in a package for $50 which saves about $16 off buying them individually. I typically save up my BB points to take off some of the sting of the price.

Moving on to moisturizers:

Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 50 Daily Moisturizer 
It's light, it feels nice, it's not greasy, and it protects my face from the sun. Need I say more?

Make up-
Brows:

Mary Kay Brow Definer Pencil in Blonde
Having blonde eyebrows has it's perks (I've never plucked ever!) and it's downside (if I don't color them in, you can't see them!) but one thing is for sure. A good eyebrow pencil is a necessity! I've used the Mary Kay blonde eyebrow pencil for as long as I've been drawing on my eyebrows. It adds just enough color so you can see my brows without making me look ridiculous. As you can see, I use this pencil a lot as it's starting to look short and stumpy. Don't worry! I've got another one on the way. It seriously lasts close to forever though.

Mascara:

ModelCo Fibre Lashextend Lengthening Mascara
This is the mascara that I compare all other mascaras to. I got it in one of my first Birchboxes and I've been hooked ever since. It goes on smooth and non-clumpy, it stays on all day without smudging or flaking, and it comes off super easy.

Eyeliner:

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner
It took me some time to feel comfortable using liquid liner, but I think I have it down. I like how smooth and even, this liner goes on and the tip is pointy enough that it goes on precisely.

Eyeshadow:

Julep Sweep Eyeshadow Palette - Neutrals
You may have guessed that I don't go crazy with the eyeshadow. I typically stick to neutrals and this palette that I got in one of my Julep boxes usually does the trick. Who knew that a nail polish company would do eyeshadow well?

Lips:

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
I'm a sucker for a classic. Why is this lip balm so popular? Because it works! I've never found something that works better. I don't like any of the fancy Burt's Bees lip balms either. Just the plain old, yellow tube beeswax lip balm.


Nails:

Julep Annemarie
Nude nails are having a moment right now. I picked this color up at one of Julep's sales for a steal. To be fair, it leans more towards brown than nude, but I love it. I like that it's subtle color, but still makes it look like you put in some effort. The last time I wore it, I couldn't stop looking at my nails. They just looked so classy.

So there you have it folks: my super simple and low maintenance beauty routine. Are there any beauty products you can't live without?

What I Wore to Church - Fall Florals

Top: LOFT Shoulder Button Boatneck Tee

Cardigan: ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Navy

Skirt: ThredUp (Down East)

Boots: JustFab Landry
Scarf: Walmart

Soo...This wasn't the outfit I had planned for today, but alas, I had a button crisis and not enough time (or coordination) to sew so this is what we have instead. When the going gets tough, the tough make lemonade (bonus points if you get the reference).

As you may have noticed, I love florals, and I'll be darned if I let a tiny thing like seasons determine when I wear them. It's helpful when you have florals that come in fall colors. I found this magnificent skirt on...I'll give you one guess (or you can cheat by looking above)...ThredUP of course! 

I've been asked how I find such awesome stuff on there. My secret? Scan the app constantly on my phone. While most people are waiting in line playing Kwazy Kupcakes or whatever game is hip these days, I'm scrolling through skirts, Commercial break while watching Brooklyn 99 on Hulu? Checking out shoes. Taking a mental break at the office? Take a peek at the dresses. You get the drift. You'd be amazed what you can find. I've revamped my entire wardrobe and for a fraction of the cost. Wow, this is starting to sound like a sponsored post. Is it? Nope! I just seriously love ThredUp.

Another awesome find in this outfit? That scarf. I'd been eyeing one on ModCloth for awhile, and I was about to buy it, but I took a quick trip to Walmart with the mom and what do I find? This lovely dupe. It was marked $5 which was a steal so of course, I took it up to the register. How much did it ring up? $1.98!!!! I'm not kidding. I love when the stars align.

I was planning on wearing this outfit with heels, but since it was a tad chilly this morning, I opted for the boots (which is also why I threw on the cardigan). I think it gave the outfit just a touch of country styling without going full on "hay ride". I'm pretty particular about which outfits I wear boots with. There needs to be a little bit of space between the top of the boots and the bottom of the skirt for it to work. Otherwise, your legs end up looking stumpy. This skirt was the perfect length. Just a bit of my knobby knees peeking out and we're good. 

I really liked how the outfit turned out. Although I like to at least try on an outfit the night before to make sure it'll work as imagined, I got lucky with this one. 

If you still haven't checked out ThredUp despite my weekly badgering, use my link here for $10 off your first order. 

If you haven't spent any time on ModCloth, use my link here for $15 off $50.

And If you'd like to check out the extensive brown, black, and grey boot collection on JustFab, use my link here and get 20% off your first order. Fair warning it is a monthly shoe club so be sure to read the terms and conditions. 

Happy Shopping!

Everyday Style - Military Styling

Top: Old Navy Women's Perfect Crew Neck Tee

Vest: Old Navy Canvas Utility Vest (no longer available, similar, similar)

Pants: H&M Slim Fit Pants

Shoes: ShoeDazzle (no longer available, similar, similar)

You can take the girl out of the military but you can't take the military out of the girl. Military styling is huge this fall which pleases me greatly. I'm absolutely obsessed with the color olive right now. I've already collected this vest from Old Navy (thanks to my sister for the birthday present!), a cargo jacket, a cardigan, and I'm on the hunt for some pants and a scarf. 

I bought the shoes last year on super clearance at ShoeDazzle. I really debated buying them because at the time I thought, "I wear camo 5 days a week. Why wear it on my off days?" But I'm SO glad I did. Not only are they some of the most comfortable flats I own, but camo is big this fall, and I find myself missing the camo now that I don't wear it daily. It's a win/win. 

One tip for styling the typically bulkier jackets and vests that are big right now: The rest of your outfit should be form fitting to counter balance and maintain that femininity. It may be common knowledge to most, but some of us are slow learners. 

Hopefully you can find some good military pieces for this fall if you don't already have them in your closet. 

Happy Shopping! 

Tell Me About - ModCloth Stylish Surprise

It's Tell Me About...Tuesday! And yes, I'm going to be talking about another ModCloth phenomenon. Don't worry, not every TMAT is going to be about ModCloth. It just so happens that something exciting happened in the ModCloth world this past week.

A few times a year, ModCloth offers what they call their "Stylish Surprise". You select a category and size, and they send you a SURPRISE, and you know me. I love surprises. I've seen it offered in a couple of different options and prices. This most recent time, they had shoes for $10, dresses for $10, and apparel for $10. I heard mention of an accessories category as well but I never saw it. I would've done apparel since it's more likely that separates would fit me than dresses but they sold out in my size before I could get to it. What I decided on instead was 3 dresses and 2 shoes (to total $50 and get free shipping. I'm a sucker for free shipping). The results are below.

The Windy City Dress in Coral. Originally sold for $64.99. I was most excited about this dress. I'd seen it on ModCloth's site and almost ordered it a few times. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to zip so it's in my swap pile.

The Elite the Way Dress. Originally sold for $99.99. This dress was super cute, but again did not fit. I loved that it had a tulle underskirt. I was able to swap this through the #stylishswap tag on Instagram for a super cute green skirt. Sidenote: If you'd like to follow me on IG, you can here!

The Ink Positively Dress in Purple. Originally sold for $74.99. This dress did fit, but I was not a fan of the print, it was baggy in the bust which was unattractive, and I didn't like that the print on the bust didn't line up. It looked sloppy.

The Cottage Wedding Wedge. Originally sold for $89.99. They are cute, but not quite my style. I'm hoping to swap them for something that I'll actually wear.

The Kensington Markedness Bootie in Tan. Originally sold for $74.99. I loved the look of these when I pulled them out of the box, but after trying them on, I decided they made my feet look long and narrow. Not a look I strive for, so I sold them to a friend. 

If you were keeping track of that total, my $50 got me $404.95 worth of merchandise. While it may appear that I was 0 for 5 on things I like/fit, I'm hopeful that I'll get some good trades out of it. I've recently been introduced to the world of swap groups, and I can already see it's going to be fun. 

And if you were wondering, I still plan on participating in the Stylish Surprise the next time it swings around. It's quite the adrenaline rush since they usually sell out in less than an hour.

If you've never shopped with ModCloth before, use my link here and get $15 off $50.

Happy Shopping!