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the lob

The lob is still going strong people! And if you’re on the fence about a new spring look– now’s the time! Spring officially starts this Sunday, March 20, 2016. Get on it.

As previously posted, I kicked off my own spring mini-makeover earlier this month with a hair chop. lob1

And in recent news, Miranda Kerr and Chrissy Teigen have also gone under the scissors!

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Aren’t they beautiful?! Need more inspiration?? Have a look at these lovely lobs–

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GORGEOUS! Now make that hair appointment and let me know how it goes!

xoxo

March 17, 2016March 17, 2016

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Happy Monday! I couldn’t wait to wear this great dress that I picked up over the weekend. A versatile and budget-friendly dress that can take you from the office to date night with ease. And it’s currently on sale at Target via a “buy 1 get one 50% off clothing, shoes, and accessories” promotion – seriously unbelievable deal!!! The Who What Wear line has some mix-and-match pieces that are great for the work week.

As you may have noticed from my posts, I’m a big fan of investing in statement shoes that I often pair with bargain clothing finds. For me, shoes get more use than most clothes, they can be repeated more often (wear the same shoes 3x in one week to work, no prob; same dress… LOL), and they fit no matter what the current weight fluctuation. And, in my opinion, designer shoes can elevate most any outfit and make you feel oh so sexxxxy!

Sleeveless fluted shift dress in black/white stripe by Who What Wear at Target for $29 (currently on “buy 1 get one 50% off” promotion!!)

Valentino Rockstud T-Strap pump in Ivory available at Nordstrom $995

xoxo

March 14, 2016August 21, 2016

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gold crush

I love gold. The bolder and glitterier the better. A bold gold accessory or two can add polish to any outfit. A chunky gold watch and glitzy gold shoes can make even distressed jeans and a t-shirt into a stylish outfit. Case in point-

Gold shoes: (from left to right) Dolce Vita old, but similar are Kenneth Cole REACTION on sale for $39 and Steve Madden on sale for $29; J. Crew D’Orsay Flats old, but similar are the J. Crew Sloan D’Orsay Flats $158; and Tod’s Metallic Fringe Sneakers available from Farfetch for $491 or if you prefer local then Nordstrom’s for $725.

Gold watch: Michael Kors old, but similar are Michael Kors Women’s Chronograph Mini Bradshaw $146; Michael Kors Runway Watch $272; and Michael Kors Cooper Ladies Watch $139.

Gold clutch: Jimmy Choo old, but similar are Jimmy Choo Milla Glitter Fabric Clutch $725; kate spade new york ‘cedar street’ crossbody $148; and Rebecca Minkoff Micro M.A.C. crossbody on sale for $98.

Gold rings: vintage but similar are ASOS Gold Plated Infinity Ring $16; ASOS Gold Plated Open Square ring $13; and ASOS Pack of 3 Mixed Simple rings $10.

Jeans: AG Adriano Goldschmied Ex-Boyfriend Skinny Jeans on sale for $141 (orig. $235); and J Brand Rail Slim-Straight Jeans in Venture on sale for $79 (orig. $180).

Tops: LOVE YOUR SELFIE graphic tee from Target, old – similar ‘love your selfie’ t-shirt via Buckle for $19; I NEED COFFEE graphic tee at Target $14; Meda Lace Top by one.september at Anthropologie $118; Ottoline Blazer by Cartonnier in Ivory at Anthropologie on sale for $79 (orig. $148).

Sunnies: RETROSUPERFUTURE (SUPER) Ciccio Sunglasses $189.

Shine on, ladies!
xoxo

March 4, 2016March 4, 2016

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spring cleaning

The official start of spring is just a few weeks away (yay!). And it’s the perfect time to get a jump start on your spring cleaning. I live in a small house and my guy has hoarding tendencies, so decluttering and organizing are recurring themes.

Here’s how I’ve managed to at least organize our spices and free up some much needed kitchen cabinet space. And further below are some decluttering tips and motivational reading from Japanese organizing sensation Marie Kondo. I love her notion that you should only keeps items that spark joy! Then thank the items you decide to part with and then let them go.

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With an inexpensive auto drip pan from Walmart and some magnetic spice canisters from World Market, I was able to free up several shelves in my kitchen– and I’m actually able to find the spices I’m looking for when I need them! Just screw the metal pan to the wall, fill your spice canisters, and voila! This project could not be simpler.

Below is a list of items if you want to order on-line. Note that auto drip pans come in various sizes, so if you don’t see the size you’d like just have a Google for more options. I simply walked into my local Walmart and bought one they had in-store in the auto section.

Lumax Galvz Drip Pan 47”x25” on sale at Walmart for $25 (was $31)

Lumax Galvz Drip Pan 18”x25” on sale at Walmart for $10 (was $13)

Blitz Oil Drop Pan from Ace for $15

Magnetic spice tins at World Market – set of 5 for $10

De-cluttering and organizing seem overwhelming? Not sure where to start? Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizational consultant who teaches that you should:

Only keep items that spark joy!
Thank the items that you decide to part with.
Organize and tidy what is left.

Her books are best sellers and you can find tons of reviews and information about her philosophy on-online. Good Morning America recently had Marie on to help declutter a couple’s apartment. (View the GMA clip here.) And several articles have been written on her work, like Purge sentimental tat and get rid of every ‘joyless’ item: The top 10 tips for decluttering your home, according to the ‘KonMari craze’ sweeping the world. The top 10 tips list includes things like:

Avoid using stacking storage boxes as they encourage hoarding; and
Don’t keep things ‘just in case’. It’s a false economy (they cause clutter, let them go).

But perhaps most important of all: Don’t tell all your loved ones about your decluttering plans – especially if they have hoarding tendencies themselves. Note to self. 😉

Happy spring cleaning!
xoxo

March 3, 2016August 21, 2016

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spring mini makeover

March is just a couple days away and with daylight saving time, spring, Easter, and St. Patrick’s Day- it is a month full of change and new beginnings. Still working on how Patty’s Day fits into that, but point being – March is a great time for a mini (or MAX) makeover!

Schedule a haircut, do some spring cleaning on that skin, get a fresh face complexion, a warm glow, and a sweet pout. Want some suggestions on how to do all that? Here’s how I’m getting it done! —

Haircut: The wob and lob (or wavy bob and long bob) are still going strong. I’ll be going for the lob. It’s a great length to update your look without going too drastic. The lob is long enough to throw in a pony tail or top knot, and to camouflage those clip-in extensions for the days you’re craving length.

Skin spring cleaning: Whether you schedule a facial or do an at-home peel, give your face a pamper and jumpstart that glow with some spring cleaning exfoliation. I’m partial to the annual laser peel coupled with regular at-home treatments. The 3-step Power Peel by Ole Henriksen (6 treatments for $50) is one of my all time favorites!

Fresh face: I recently discovered the Burberry Beauty ‘Fresh Glow’ BB Cream ($44, I wear the Medium) and I love it. Super hydrating, it’s perfect for bringing winter skin back to life. Mix a pump of the BB cream with a pump of Burberry ‘Fresh Glow’ Luminous Fluid Base ($48) for an extra shot of radiance. The Luminous Fluid Base comes in two colors – Nude Radiance (perfect for spring), and Golden Radiance (for that summer glow). I, of course, have them both.

Warm glow: Last month I searched all over and tried many products in my hunt for the perfect bronzer. I wanted something not sparkly and not orangey. And Burberry came through for me again. The Burberry Beauty ‘Warm Glow’ Natural Bronzer (No. 1 Warm Glow, $52) is everything I hoped for and more… except for the price. It was hard to part with $52 for a bronzer (?!!?!), but when I say I tried many products – I really mean a $#!+ TON. And for me, the Burberry Warm Glow Bronzer was – at that point – worth it. And I will say that the Burberry bronzer seems to be really highly pigmented, i.e. a little goes a long way, so I’m hoping it will last and last and last.

Sweet pout: While at the Burberry counter I also discovered the ‘First Kiss’ Fresh Gloss Lip Balm (No. 1 Soft Peach, $26). A soft glossy balm with a hint of color and not at all sticky! Want a bit more color? Check out the color lineup from my lovely lips post a few weeks back.

xoxo

February 28, 2016February 28, 2016

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seeing green

St. Patrick’s day is a little less than a month away (March 17) and the outfit options abound! Here are some green bits that I found during my ongoing search for something festive to wear. In general I find H&M to be a fun place to shop for seasonal items on a budget– just make sure to shop quickly as sizes seem to go fast. And I pop into Anthropologie on the regular, so not surprisingly some anthro pieces wound up in the round up. Any idea what you’ll wear?!!

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