OOTD {Christmas outfit}

Christmas is one of my favorite times to pick out an outfit for. Chances are we all have some event or gathering to attend where we want to look our best and maybe even a bit dressy. My dear hubs bought the two of us tickets to see Michael W Smith and Amy Grant's Christmas concert when it came to Minneapolis. I was beyond excited. I have been a fan and have listened to these two for nearly 25 years! I wanted to put together an outfit that was at once festive yet everyday wearable at the same time. Right now I am totally MAD for PLAID (it's totally Outlander's fault I am sure) and could not say no to this plaid skirt on a screaming deal during Black Friday. A few spins around the rest of Old Navy and I had my outfit. I have since worn this ensemble two more times and it just keeps getting better!

{Shop the Style}

Pretty much just stop by Old Navy and you will see it all!

Sweater: Old Navy

Blouse: Old Navy

Skirt: Old Navy

Tights: Target 

Socks: Target

Shoes: JC Penney

Bracelet: The Limited

Necklace: Kohl's 

{OOTD} faux fur vest

 I like to be trendy when it comes to fashion. Not too-too trendy though. When I see a new trend I tend to sit back and watch for a bit. Who all is jumping on the trend? What age group claims it? How long is it going to last? One of the trends I waited THE LONGEST to join was the skinny jean trend. I was convinced it was going to be a flash in the pan! Hah! What do I know?!

Anyway- faux fur is a trend I've been watching for a while. I'm still not convinced I'm an any kind of fur gal. I kept seeing faux fur pieces like everywhere and they just wouldn't let be be. When I fear something is über trendy and I think its popularity will burn very quickly, I buy it in its cheapest form so as to not feel guilty when it hangs lonely and forgotten in the back of my closet. I saw this fur vest at Target nearly a month ago but didn't want to pay $27.99 for it and vowed to keep my eye on it. Well, during Black Friday Target had ALL of their clothing 40% off! I went for it. $16 is perfectly fine for a trendy items in my book. Turns out I absolutely LOVE IT! Hears hoping I can wear it for a good while!

{Shop the Style}

Vest: Target

Sweater: Target 

Leggings: American Eagle (cutest zipper at the ankle)

Socks: target

Boots: JC Penney

Necklace: Forever 21 

Product Love {Primer & Foundation}

I no longer have the fresh, dewy, even skin of my youth. There are many aspects of aging that I actually enjoy, however my skin showing the signs of it is not one of them. I am constantly in search of products that will brighten this and hide that when it comes to my face. A huge lover of makeup makes this a fun process. Lately I have been on the search for a great medium coverage foundation. I don't need a ton of covering up but enjoy an even skin tone as much as the next girl. Here are two (three if you count the beauty blender which I have mentioned before!) products that I have fallen in love with and have each made my morning routine something to look forward too.

Even on my 5 minute face days, I use a face primer. Face primer evens out your skin tone and helps your foundation blend easier and stay on much longer. I have tried MANY primers from high end to drugstore and have landed on one that works well and has several features that I just love. This is the Flawless Beauty Primer from Pixi. This brand is sold at Target. I tried the primer first in its trial size and knew almost immediately that I would purchase the full size when it ran out. There is the tiniest bit of shimmer in this product that gives the face a gorgeous glow. It dries to a smooth finish is the perfect prep layer for foundation. 

Finding the perfect foundation can be a daunting task. You want one that covers well but doesn't look like its covering too much. I enjoy a medium coverage foundation that does not break down during the day and doesn't oxidize (turns orangish) on my skin. I try a lot of foundations and have settled on a few of my favorites. New ones come out all the time though and I feel compelled to try them out! One that recently come out on the market is the Ready, Set, Gorgeous line from Cover Girl. I usually am not a fan of Cover Girl because I feel like they have a scent to their products that is a turn off for me. However, I tried this foundation after a beauty guru recommendation and I absolutely LOVE it. This foundation is definitely more for people with oily skin which I do not have. However I tend to sweat on my face (its a long story....) and I need a foundation that won't break down under those conditions. I apply the foundation with my Sigma F80 or my beloved beauty blender. It dries to a pretty matte finish and really stays put the whole day. Best part? It is only about 6 bucks! 

Let me know if you try these out! 

Surviving Winter

Anyone who knows me knows that I DESPISE the winter season. Living in Minnesota seems like an absolutely ridiculous thing for someone like me but I don't have much of a choice about it. Winters here are looooong and coooooold (last year we had 6 days off of school because it was too COLD to go outside--like -30 too cold) and can really bring a gal down. Pretty much the only thing I kinda enjoy about this season is the fact that I can wear all my favorite pairs of boots for a really long time. That's about it though. I don't like to drive in it. I don't like to dress for it. I don't like what it does to my skin and hair. I really am not trying to be a Debbie Downer here...just keeping it real folks. Maybe it would be different if I enjoyed some winter sports or hobbies but I am not into anything that requires a temperature below 32 degree Fahrenheit to be successful. I can't guarantee that I will stop complaining about the winter weather altogether (sorry babe) but I have made it my goal to make some sort of truce with winter this year. Someone once told me that there was no such thing as inappropriate weather, just inappropriate clothing. Well....here are my tips for surviving what could be a long winter.

1.  Invest in a good coat. 
For me this meant owning a dressy and functional coat that were both warm and fashionable. I scored this season and found this adorable wool polka dot coat from Target on sale. What you can't see from the picture are the amazing, vintage style buttons all down the front of the coat. My other more functional coat is a Michael Kors puffer coat in navy that I got on major sale at Burlington Coat Factory. Key factor with both of these coats is that they cover my bum!

2. Boots
I can't live with out my Bogs. These boots are rubber outsoled and are guaranteed to keep your tootsies warm to below zero! They are essential for running errands after a big snow. My feet stay perfectly warm and dry. They look adorable with skinnies and leggings too. I also recently invested in a pair of Uggs. I'll be the first to tell you that I don't think they are very cute. However, they are super comfy and unbelievably warm. I wear them to work and then change into my flats or heels once I get to school. Warm feet go a long way in keeping me winter happy.

3. Winter Accessories
Now that my feet are warm my hands are getting jealous. I am one grumpy camper if my hands get too cold in the winter. I swear by my Eddie Bauer mittens and have gone through at least two pair over the last few years. I also have a pair of glittens so I can expose my fingers for my smart phone. The last thing I throw on to stay perfect and toasty is a chunky knit scarf---my faves are from Old Navy or I do knit a few for myself. For me, a scarf adds a good ten degrees to my overall winter temperature. I never leave the house during the winter without one! Here's to maybe not just surviving but actually thriving this winter!

Share in the comments below how you survive winter! 

OOTd {Fave Floral Fall Dress}

I kept eying this dress at Target over several shopping trips. My hesitation centered on the fact that I am not really a "floral" person. Animal print. Of course. Houndstooth? Sign me up. Floral?? Ummmm...? I am not sure what it is. Maybe its my fear of looking like a set of curtains, or a table cloth, or a couch from the seventies. Floral print is HUGE right now and I really wanted to attack it one way or another. This dress caught my eye for two reasons- (1) I enjoy the navy background. Navy is my go-to neutral as of late. (2) The floral print seemed large enough to not seem busy but small enough to not seem like I should come with a scent of some sort. The tipping point on the scale was actually SEEING it on someone else at a school event. SOLD! I have styled this dress so many different ways over the last few weeks that I am so glad I didn't skip on purchasing it! I also wore it for our fall family pics! Sneak peak at the end!

{Shop the Style}

Dress: Target 

Sweater: Target

Necklace: The Limited

Boots: Steve Madden

Socks: Target

Belt: Old

My hubs is sooo handsome ;)!

OOTD {animal print}

No one is going to be sporting their shocked face when I profess my undying love for animal print. I have it in so many clothing pieces that it feels like animal print and I should be besties seeing how we spend so much time together. I stumbled across this amazing cardigan at Target and realized I had always wanted a  black based animal print cardigan but didn't even know it until I saw it. It's a wonderful caramel color and it fits blissfully true to size. I paired it with my favorite leather trimmed pixie length pants from the Limited. Adding heels for my shoes really brought the whole outfit up a notch. If I was wearing this to teach in however, I would sport some leopard print flats for sure. A double necklace takes the guess work out of layering jewelry and adds the perfect final touch.

Product Love {Too Faced La Creme Lip Cream}

Just popping in after a bit of break from the blog! We put our house up for sale and the last month has been a whirlwind! Sure is nice to come home to a clean house each night though. Wish us luck!

I HAD to share my love for the Too Faced La Creme Lip creams. Bah! These are A-Mazing! They have the creamiest and softest texture that simply glides on. They have a great hydrating finish that lasts. It feels more like a balm than a lipstick. The color payoff is exceptional and the color line is beautiful and has over 20 shades. These babies are not cheap--$22 each. I own two--Sweet Maple and Nude Beach-- and feel a bit guilty about it. I am hoping I get a gift card for my birthday so I can snag another one. Terrible, I know! However, splurge a bit on one of these and you won't be disappointed!

OOTD {houndstooth}

All dressed up today for parent teacher conferences! It's a tough balance between dressing professionally and dressing comfortable for a 12 hour day! I'm in love with this pixie length pin stripe dress pants from the limited and knew they would be crisp and comfortable at the same time. The weather is cool enough--sweater weather-- and I finally busted out this adorable hounds tooth sweater. Love me some pop of color so yellow shoes it is! 

{Shop the Style} 

Sweater- Gap outlet

Pants- The limited

Shoes- Gap

Bracelet- boutique 

{Pinbuster!} Gallery Wall

I have pinned so many gallery wall configurations it is borderline unhealthy. I love the eclectic look of them and how they become a focus piece for a large or small wall space. However, I don't really have a natural knack for putting things like a gallery wall together. The event that pushed me over the edge was this discovery of THE PERFECT furniture piece. Since the day we moved into our house we had a very large, very dark, and very old china hutch on the main wall in our dining area. It had been there so long we kinda didn't even look at it anymore. That is until my obsession with creating a gallery wall in its place. We searched and searched for a buffet piece that wouldn't break the bank and would open up the wall space that I needed. I stumbled across a local company~ Carver Junk Company~ that refurbishes and re-purposes furniture in the most unique and beautiful ways for the most reasonable prices. It was here that I found THE PERFECT buffet for my gallery wall vision. Once the behemoth china hutch was out and the buffet was in I got to work! Thank goodness for Hobby Lobby (mostly) and this local "junk" company! I drew my plan out first and then over a few shopping trips over a few months, slowly gathered the items that would make up the "gallery."It took me weeks of having all the pieces laid out on my den floor until I felt confident enough to actually put a whole in the wall to hang it up.  Here is the final product!

The BEAUTIFUL buffet!

Most of the items were purchased at Hobby Lobby--that store will be the death of me! 

Several of the table frames are from Home Goods

Lamp is from Target

Metal letters are from Carver Junk Company 

Plants are from Home Goods

Canning jars are antique

Thanks for looking! 

Check back soon for my closet makeover!

FINAL teacher outfit post!

Ok folks- this is it! Day 10 of my teacher outfit challenge. I'm not going to lie and say the 10 days were a piece of cake. I'll admit there were days where I changed out of my school outfit, made supper, and then realized I never took a photo of my outfit. Ugh. Really? I'd then head back upstairs, put on the entire outfit and snap the pics. Awesome. I was SO proud  of myself when I would remember right away. Whoo hoo! I am going to share another two weeks of my outfits soon. Thanks for all of your kind words! 

{Day 10}

I actually wasn't in school this day-- had to get a cortisone shot in my thumb. I would NOT recommend that by the way. The day was filled with appts and errands. I wore THE GREATEST FIND of the last year-- a white, fitted, structured blazer from The Limited that I paid $13 for!  Go quick as they still have it in stores! 

{Shop the Style}

Blazer: The Limited 

Tank: Gap

Jeans: JCrew

Necklace: The Limited 

Shoes: Target 

Two Weeks of Teacher Outfits! {Days 8 & 9}

Wow am I enjoying this small tiny Indian summer we are having here in MN. I am squeaking out a few last days with my summer dresses and sandals. The weather has been nearly perfect and despite really wanting to bust out some boots, I will relish these last few warm, sunny days and the outfits they bring.

{Day 8}

This is one of my favorite Old Navy clearance finds from the summer. A super cute shirt dress that I dropped a mere $8.99 on sometime in August. I adore mint and couldn't pass up on the stripes either. This dress transitions well to fall with an outer layer cardigan. Throwing on my Emily sandals from Target made me super happy as well. The necklace is from Groopdealz and is hands down the necklace that I get asked about most often while wearing. Pssst...I have it in four colors! Side story--I spilled smoothie on the sleeve of the sweater and four WHITE stripes on my way to work. Argh! The curse of wearing white! Thank goodness for baby wipes!

{Shop the Style}

Dress: Old Navy

Sweater: Old Navy

Sandals: Target

Necklace: Groopdealz 

Tank: Old Navy

{Day 9}

Oh. My. Goodness. I saw this top in a Limited email and it haunted me for the better part of a week. Turquoise? My favorite color. A little bit of peacock vibe? Smile. Loose, drapey fit? Swoon. How about 40% off? Why thank you very much! I'm head over heals for this shirt AND I already owned a cardigan that matched it perfectly!!! (Insert evil laugh here!) I busted out some black booties and I was one happy camper. 

{Shop the Style}

Top: The Limited

Skirt: Old Navy

Booties: Target

Cardigan: Vanity

Necklace: Charlotte Russe

Two Weeks of Teacher Outfits {Days 6 & 7}

Here we are at week two! I have kept up with all of this better than I thought considering its the BUSIEST time of the year for people like me! Whoot Whoot!

{Day 6}

I really had to put an outfit together for Monday {Day 6} because it was school picture day! There are few professions where you get to see yourself age from September to September, year after year. I even get a few pictures to give away to my friends and family. Am I too old to be doing this? Eh. Who cares?! This outfit has so many separate pieces that I love and it all adds up to a pretty snazzy picture taking outfit! These pants are the new ankle length from The Limited~ the waistband and pockets are faux leather trimmed and so chic. I love the bold print of the top as it adds just enough wow to stand out in a picture. I just had to match the studs on my shoes to the ones on my necklace to complete the whole ensemble.

{Shop the Style}

Cardigan: Target (Merona)

Top: Target

Pants: The Limited

Shoes: Von Maur (Naughty Monkey)

Necklace: Charlotte Russe

{Day 7}

Well the temps here in Minnesota are following the typical, fickle Fall trends. We are now having highs back in the 70's. It is very chilly in the morning, but by the afternoon it settles right down on gorgeous. A maxi skirt is the perfect match for this kind of weather as it allows my legs to be covered when its chilly but offers air flow for the hotter temps later. In the morning I sported a full sleeved jean jacket and traded it out later for the sleeveless version. I love accenting black with gold and adding it with the necklace and shoes was the perfect flair. 

{Shop the Style}

Tank: Old Navy

Jean Vest: Old Navy

Skirt: The Limited

Necklace: The Limited

Shoes: Born 

Check back for Days 8 & 9! 

Two Weeks of Teacher Fashion! {Days 4 & 5}

Turns out doing two days at a time is waaaay easier than everyday! I wrapped up my first week back at school this week. Over 300 sixth graders are now feeling like real middle schoolers and I am exhausted! Thank goodness I planned my outfits out ahead of time so I could hit the snooze button once. Or twice.

Day Four~

We are barely topping out at 50 degrees right now--leave it to MN to go right from 80 and humid to needing to wear two layers. Oy. I am pretty pumped to be adding blazers to my outfits now but dread the frigid temps that are around the corner. Fall is a perfect time to wear summer pieces mixed with fall pieces to create a great transition outfit. My day 4 outfit is a perfect example!

{Shop the Style}

Top: The Limited

Blazer: Kohl's

Pants: American Eagle Skinny Kick

Wedges: Target

Necklace: Von Maur

Day Five~

We have school spirit days on Fridays--especially if there is a home football game. I'll be honest and tell ya that I don't take advantage of these days very often. I'm not really a sweatshirt kinda gal. I like comfy clothes when I am doing comfy things. However, when I am teaching I really do like to look professional. I AM willing to do it ever since I found this stellar home team sweatshirt in groovy tie-dye. It is a wonderful light weight. An outfit like this also gives me an excuse to where my Converse. Win for me. Now let's hope our team wins too! 

{Shop the Style}

Sweatshirt: Local team store

Pants: J Crew Skinnies

Converse: Shore from Von Maur

See you on Monday! 

Two Weeks of Teacher Outfits! {Days 2 &3}

Throwing two days together as I meant to sit down and do Day 2 LAST NIGHT, but the day just got away from me. I woke with a start at 1 a.m. and thought, "Dang-I didn't get day two up on day two--not a good way to start." I fell right back asleep so I must have been okay with it.

I am using my outfit menu to plan my week of outfits. It just really makes things simpler and less hectic in the morning when I know exactly what I am wearing and am assured that all of the outfit pieces are ready and wearable. I am so not a fan of last second ironing and this method helps with that a ton.

For day two I went with one of my favorite color trios--black, white and a pop of color. The dress is a clearance score from Target and it has a great vintage feel to it. I continued the vibe with wedges and a simple bead necklace.

{Shop the Style}

Sweater: NY&Co (older)

Dress: Target

Wedges: Nine West

Necklace: Maurices 

For Day 3 we had a major weather change that I knew was coming--I always look at my 10 day weather forecast when planning my outfits. I have to admit---for a gal who loves heat and summer-- I was pretty excited to pull out some skinnies and ankle booties. This outfit was super comfy and cozy yet had a great classy look. The top from the Limited has great detail at the neck that carries over to the back and shoulder. 

{Shop the Style}

Top: Limited (just scored on clearance!)

Skinnies: JCrew Factory 

Booties: Jessica Simpson

Necklace: homemade 

See you tomorrow! 

Two Weeks of Teacher Outfits Starts NOW! {Day 1}

I received TONS of great feedback on the last post about teacher basics for your wardrobe. I am going to challenge myself to take a picture of EVERY outfit I wear for the next two school weeks and post them EVERYDAY! We just started school today as our school district had summer construction projects and needed a tiny bit of extra time to get the schools ready for us all. So....Here goes day 1!

{Shop the Style}

Dress: The Limited (marked down as we speak---such a cute dress!)

Shoes: Target (current)

Jacket: Kohl's 

Necklace: Origami Owl

Back to School Basics for Teachers

Back to School Basics by embellishedangel

Part of the initial reason why I started this little fashion blog was to share some teacher wardrobe inspiration with my two teacher nieces. As teachers, we must be appropriately dressed each and every day and being fashion forward and functional can be a bit of task. Not to mention that we don't want to spend loads of cash on our staples either. I'm going to share a few items that show up in my outfit choices week after week as I work my teacher closet. 

1. Basic pencil skirt: This is a perfect skirt option for teachers as it is a great length and fit for the rigors of a teaching day. I recommend getting one in a basic neutral (black, navy, gray, or tan) and you will be pleasantly surprised at its versatility. This type of skirt also looks great with nearly every shoe type....flats, heels, boots....go for it! 

2. Fitted neutral blazer: If your school is anything like mine, the temperature in the building can be a bit unpredictable. Mine even changes from one hallway to the next. I adore my neutral blazers and have one tagging along with me to school every day--especially in the tricky fall and spring seasons. Blazers also add a perfect professional vibe to any outfit.

3. Dark denim skinnies: Some schools have rules about wearing denim. Whether you can wear them on Fridays, workshop days, or any day, having a dark wash skinny is a must. The dark wash makes them look less like jeans and more like trousers. The skinny fit should be appropriate and match the overall dress vibe of your school setting. Throw the blazer mentioned in #2 with these puppies and you can get away with jeans more than you think. 

4. Floral Print: My favorite trend for fall are the bold floral patterns. However, I am having the hardest time investing in a large floral fashion piece like a top or dress. Yet, I have loved adding it in my accessories. I snagged a floral scarf at Charlotte Russe and have been throwing it over so many tops! The florals add a perfect feminine touch that is needed sometimes. 

5. Flats: Flats are a teacher's best friend. I use to try and schelp around in heels when I first started teaching but my feet rebeled. Boy did I love it when flats made a come back. You can find some darn cute flats in every color with all sorts of embellishment. I could not live without my neutral cognac pair, but don't forget what a great pop of color flats can be! 

6. Flowy tops: Professional outfits can be a bit dowdy looking if the blouse is too stuffy. Call on my favorite gal Lauren Conrad (I like to call her LC--we are peeps ya know!) if you want a professional looking shirt for under a blazer or cardigan that has loads of style and fashion flair. LC adds just the right print and detail to her tops to make them not-so-ordinary. They are also light weight and breathable. 

7. Trouser/dress pants: I have a pair of these in every neutral color and they cycle through my teacher wardrobe enough to make somebody dizzy. They drape beautifully and look utterly professional whilst still being comfy. My favorites are from NY& Co but I just bought a pixie length pant from The Limited (they have leather trim...bah!) that I am head over heels in love with. Whether you like a straight length and cut or you prefer more of a trouser hem, these pants will be a work horse while you work. 

8. Gold accessories: Gold is in gals. Jump on the bandwagon if you have not already. Get yourself a layered gold set and wear it with everything. Tell people that ask you that I told you to. Its the perfect compliment to nearly every outfit. 

{OOTD} Anniversary!

My sweet hubs and I celebrated 17 years of wedded bliss this month! Hands down, he is still the most amazing man I have ever met and I am not sure what I ever did to deserve such a gem of a spouse. Each year we take turns planning our anniversary date. It was his turn this year and I was completely looking forward to what he had in store. He told me to dress cool and comfortable but still dressy. We ended up spending the afternoon at a local art fair followed by paddle boating on a local lake and dinner at my FAVORITE restaurant (Asiago encrusted walleye to die for!). We had perfect weather and simply enjoyed celebrating the day we chose to become one. So very blessed!

{Shop the Style}

Dress: The Limited

Necklace: The Limited

Shoes: Target

{OOTD} Stripes and bubbles

Here I am fresh from our family vacay to the Black Hills of South Dakota! You would NOT want to see any of my outfits from the trip. Nothing cute but everything comfy. Outfits for car riding, hiking, and kid wrangling. Instead, an outfit from the week before....I was singing in church and decided to go bright with stripes and a bubble necklace. I paired it with a simple denim-ish skirt and wedges that pulled out the army/khaki/brown stripe in the shirt. I love this top and love it more that my daughter calls it my "lifesaver shirt"! Hee hee! (Eek--there is even a little peek at my cute puppy Phelix! Love him!)

Check back soon as I will be doing a few posts on back to school wardrobe ideas for teachers!

{Shop the Style}

Top: The Limited

Necklace: Groopdealz

Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft

Shoes: JC Penney

Puppy: not for sale! 

{Beauty Sleep}

Here today to talk about something beauty related although it might not appear so at first glance. I'm talking about sleep. That elusive thing that taunts you at 2:00 in the afternoon while you are responding to emails or changing diapers. That thing I wish I could store up and use as needed. That thing that totally, 100% impacts all your moods and reactions of the next day. Sleep. Pardon me while I yawn. I love me some good sleep. I like a nice dark room with a fan whirring blissfully in the background. Heaven help my husband if he even dares to snore....which he does not very often. Whew. However, the thing that impacts our sleep the most is our mattresses. We know just how we like them too. Firm. Not too firm. Squishy. Pillow top. Sleep Number. The preferences go on and on. My hubby and I slept on a pretty soft pillow top for YEARS. Despite how a good mattress impacts a good night's sleep, we were totally penny pinching when it came to buying a new one. You can drop a pretty decent amount on a mattress and I'll be the first to tell you its worth it. How well I sleep impacts my face the next day and my brain. Let's invest here and do it right. Or not? My hubby and I set out to find a new mattress and did the whole big mattress store thing to start off with. We were leaning towards memory foam aka Tempur Pedic. We laid on a lot of mattresses. Lots. They were awesome and awesomely expensive. Wow. After a little research to find an off brand memory foam mattress, we settled on one sold at Costco for around $500. Not bad.

However, on a random trip to Aldi's for some strawberries and pineapple, we stumbled across the same mattress (Pictured above--it comes in a compressed state in a box) for $149!! Regularly $199 for a queen size. We confirmed their return policy and brought that baby home! The experience of opening it is pretty cool as it quickly decompresses and becomes an 8-10 inch mattress in just an hour. It had a bit of a scent to it that went away quickly as well. Nearly a year later we are SOLD on this mattress as it has completely changed our sleeping. No more ab workout as I try to sleep on my side and not fall back into the middle "dip" of our old pillow top. I can barely feel when my hubby moves next to me now and it has resulted in far better sleep for the both of us. I'm writing this post now because Aldi only sells this mattress ONCE a year---right now. They have them in stock until they are all gone. We bought ours last year in September. Beauty sleep is important to how you feel and look and this mattress is comparable to a Tempurpedic for a fraction of the cost. Excuse me while I go take a tiny snooze!

OOTD {Navy and Gold}

Uffda! Who was I kidding when I thought it would be EASIER to post to the blog during the summer? Crazy talk I tell ya! Between my beloved family, teaching graduate credits, photography, and just plain life I have not had any extra moments to share my fashion and beauty moments. To be honest, I try to not even put on makeup in the summer. Yet, some of you (who are so awesome by the way) nicely asked me where I had disappeared to so I have renewed my fashion focus and hope to post twice a week from here on out. Thank you so much for your support! On to my latest OOTD......

Run. Don't walk to the Limited and grab yourself this skirt. Right now they are offering 40% clearance styles. It is the most flattering skirt in an uber versatile brushed denim hue. I have already worn it with navy, white, coral, and mint!

I accessorized with gold--skinny belt and my fave Origami Owl locket necklace.

Also on clearance right now are these fab strappy sandals from Target. I was checking out the shoe department and came upon these sandals--aptly named the "Emily" sandal! A week later they were on clearance for just over 9 bucks (They aren't as cheap online but check your local store!). I ended up snagging them in coral, mint, and navy. They are such a great finish to any summer outfit!

Beauty Beat {My Skincare Routine}

It seems strange to share my skincare routine here on the blog where I rarely, if ever, show my face! However, in my real life I do often get comments on my skin and how I take care of it so I thought I would go ahead and share it here. It is a pretty simple routine with reasonably priced and available products. I'll share with you what I do each day, two-three times a week, and once a week.

{ONCE A WEEK}

1. Get yourself some high quality tweezers. I have gone through my share of off brand tweezers and am almost always disappointed in the sharpness of the edges. I finally spent the money on an actual Tweezerman pair and am completely sold on the quality. I find me some good light and only tweeze single stray hairs.....promise me to NOT over tweeze, K?

2. I actually don't wax once  week....more like once every three weeks but I didn't want to create a category just for it. My sister in law convinced me to wax my own about 3 years ago and I have never looked back. I do go and get mine professionally shaped about once a year but I do all the maintenance in between. Sally Hansen has many waxing options and they all work well for me.

3. Yes, I shave my face. There I said it. You may think this is weird and I totally did too at first. However, I have quite a bit of "fuzz" on my face and felt that it kept my makeup from settling well. These razors are very gentle and take care of the peach fuzz perfectly. They are great for eyebrow and mustache touch ups too. Here's a video that gets right to the point.


{TWO TO THREE TIMES A WEEK}

4. I am a BIG, no HUGE believer in exfoliating. My theory rides on the fact that my makeup is only going to look as good as the skin underneath. If my skin is dull and covered in dead skin, my makeup is not going to look good regardless if it is drugstore or high end. I wash my hair every 3-4 days (maybe a post on that later, especially to convince those of you that just cringed when you read that) and these are the days I do steps 4, 5, and 6. I swear by St. Ives apricot scrub for its smell and its ability to slough away dead skin.

5. I received a Clarisonic for my birthday last year and quickly became a convert. Based on the same mechanism as the sonic toothbrush, its bristles move in a fast sonic fashion that really deep clean your face. It feels like a mini facial too which is a huge plus. They are a bit spendy but worth the investment.

6. Who doesn't hate a big 'ol blemish? Ugh. They are the pits. I have been fortunate enough not to have to deal with many of these bad boys (a true result of my skin care regimen in my opinion) but when I do I reach for my ELF zit eraser. It works best if you apply this in the early, early stages to let it really do its job. I see great results with this and it is very inexpensive...bonus!


EVERYDAY! Morning and Nighttime 

{AM~Morning Routine}

1. I religiously wash my face morning and night. If your face is dirty and makeup caked, your pores will be clogged, and in turn you will run into more breakouts. I am a DIE HARD Cetaphil face wash fan. Your local dermatologist will most likely recommend this too over MANY other face washes. Simple, gentle, and inexpensive. Bam.

2. Two products that I use daily are by Aveeno. They make really great products and one of my great "friends" Jennifer Aniston is their spokeswoman so....I love their Positively radiant moisturizer and truly believe it has diminished some of my freckle/sunspots over time.

3. I was not sure whether or not to put my fave Smashbox primer in this post or not. I don't use it if I am not going to wear foundation but it is such a part of my routine that I felt it had to be mentioned. This is definitely my most expensive product, however you don't use much and it does last a really long time. It fills in fine lines and give your face a smooth canvas for your foundation. It is stellar in helping your makeup last all day long.

{PM-Night time routine}

4. Love the Neutrogena eye makeup remover. I have very, very sensitive, allergy ridden eyes and this one bothers me the least. It is good at taking my gel eye liner off and I don't feel like I have to rub and tug to get the job done.

5. Who knew you could buy makeup remover towelettes in bulk? Yay Costco! I have tried many different brands and types of these in many different price ranges. I somehow keep coming back to these for their results and price. And the fact that I can buy and pack and my two daughters and I are good to go for awhile. These do a great job of removing my foundation so I am not sleeping in a face of makeup all night.

6. This is the Aveeno cream I use on my face and neck before I go to bed. It has a light scent and offers a good deal of moisture...especially for me in the winter when I get really dry. I wake up with a nice glow too which is a nice bonus no matter who you are!

Would love to hear in the comments what face routine product you can't live with out! 

Product Love {VS T-Shirt bra}

Sometimes a girl just has to share something a BIT on the intimate side! For realz! Waaay back in this post we here at TMS talked about how important what you wear UNDER your clothes is important to how your clothes look on the OUTSIDE. The proper undergarments really do make or break the fit and silhouette of an outfit. This is so so so true for bras. Most of us wear one for 360 ish days a year for more than 12 hours a day. They deserve a little consideration don't you think? I'm not asking you to wear lacey, matchey, ruffly concoctions on a daily basis Not. At. All. I'm just asking you to fork over a bit of cash for a well fitted, appropriate bra. Don't go complete utilitarian with your bra--it can be functionable and fashionable all at the same time.

My latest FAVE? The new T-Shirt bra by Victoria's Secret. You can snag it for $39.50 regular price or $29.50 with one of their stellar $10 off coupons. OR you could grab one RIGHT NOW while they are on sale during their semi-annual sale! It is uber comfy with straps that do not dig into the shoulders (if you have a proper fit) and stretch sides that move when you do. There is a small amount of padding at the base of the cups for that little extra lift for the girls! It offers a nice seamless silhouette under a t-shirt and comes in a great selection of colors. You should really treat yourself to one of these bras!

PS--If you have not had a bra fitting in a while (especially if that last time you had one was before you had your last kid) you need to get one. VS does an ok job but they will do it right there on the store floor. The best bra fitting I ever had was at Nordstroms. Check it out if you are able.

OOTD {Casual Converse}

School's out for the summer!!! I am trying not to fill my already precious summer days with all my to-do list items. Still, I can't wait to share some of the projects I am working on with all of you here on the blog, so stay tuned!

Despite it being summer, we are still in the midst of spring basketball with our third daughter. She has quite the knack for the sport and it has been so fun watching her grow in her skills and confidence. I always want to dress comfy for the all day tourneys in order to be able to stand up and yell and cheer. It was a bit cool at our last tournament which let me extend the wear of my ALL TIME FAVE skinnies from J.Crew factory. I am also sporting my new white Converse and I adore them!

{Shop the Style}

Top: Limited (similar)

Pants: J Crew Factory (exact)

Shoes: Converse (Von Maur)

Watch: Michael Kors (similar)

Bracelet: Limited

Necklace: Boutique

Product Love: NYX Butter Gloss

Sharing a little product love on the blog today! I've been a fan of the NYX brand ever since seeing a YouTube video on how their single shadows are pretty good dupes for MAC. Every time I stopped at Ulta I just had to grab a new NYX shadow. Doing this exposed me to a few other NYX products that I enjoy including their eyeshadow base and several of their blushes. However, my local Target starting carrying the NYX brand (whoo hoo!) and I have been experimenting more and more with this "drugstore-but-acts-high-end" brand over the last few months. 

One of my FAVORITE products that I have snagged as of late is their butter glosses. They are a mere $4.99 each and I have four shades. If you've hung around here on the blog at all you know from this post how I feel about lip products and my lip routine. I don't really mind reapplying my lipstick as a trade off for a great formula that is comfy on my lips. These glosses are like butta.... very smooth and very NOT sticky. They apply a bit streaky but a few lip smacks and you are good to go. They also have the faintest vanilla~brown sugar scent that is warm and yummy. The lightness of the formula and the great color selection makes these the perfect summer lip product! Enjoy! 

The shades I have and LURVE...

Maple Blondie: 

a coral/peach 

Strawberry Parfait: 

a bright pink

Eclair: 

a faint pink

Tiramisu: 

a lovely warm brown/mauve

OOTD {Nautical}

Whew! It has been hard to get posts up these last few weeks as I am winding down another great school year with my middle schoolers! It has been a fantastic year but I am royally ready for summer. Only three days left...whoo hoo! Despite the spring weather I have still had to dress rather warmly as my building is fortunate enough to have air conditioning and it's a bit chilly. I am grateful for this but also anxious to bust out a sundress.

The other day I snagged one of my favorite cardigans and caught the nautical vibe and went all the way with it. I am obsessed with anchors and love how the necklace really finished the look. My latest obsession is with slip on tennies. I have been searching everywhere for the perfect Vans. My goal was to lace them in a way that I would not have to tie them--just slip them on and deal with the laces inside. Turns out I was not a fan of this set up. I instead settled on this adorable pair of Sperry tennies with the laces already curled and set. I wear them with some non-slip footies and they are so comfy.

{Shop the Style} 

Cardigan: Limited (old)

Tank: Limited (similar)

Necklace: Limited (similar)

Pants: Old Navy (similar)

Shoes: Sperry--Von Maur (same)

BY THE WAY----if you are looking to add to your summer wardrobe THIS is the weekend to do it. Memorial Day sales are in full swing and they are amazing. Many of my favorite stores (Old Navy, The Limited) are having 40-50% off of everything through Monday. Eeeeek! JCrew Factory--where I got my favorite distressed skinnies---is having 50% of all women's clothing. The skinnies end up being $44! 

Have a wonderful Memorial Day! 

Wedge Love

Wedge Love by embellishedangel featuring wedge shoes


Tis the season for strappy and sassy sandals! I have FINALLY said so long to my beloved winter boots ( be sure that the "beloved" referenced the boots, NOT the winter) and have jumped both feet into the wide, wonderful world of sandals. I love pedicures and once I show my toes in the spring there is no turning back! Woot! Woot! One of my favorite sandal trends is the versatile wedge. I know, I know--wedges scare some of you because they appear sky high and highly uncomfortable. Let me dispel a few myths. First off, wedges are waaaay more comfy then they look. I mean, don't go crazy with the height of your wedges and you'll be just fine. I tend to choose wedges where my foot is actually still pretty straight despite the wedge underneath (see #2 below). You can find wedges that are very comfortable if you look for ones with stretchy straps and good ankle movement. I especially love my wedges because I am on the shorter side and they give me great height for maxi dresses, maxi skirts, and trouser pants. I firmly believe that a black wedge, a cognac wedge, and one pop of color wedge will be the perfect additions to your summer closet and you will reach for them again and again. Walk tall ladies!
Check out the links below for some of my favorite wedges available now at Target!

Comes in black too! This cognac goes with everything! 

Comes in so many colors and animal print! 

Target--comes in a great cream too! 

OOTD {Pop of Color}

I'll be the first to admit that I love me some neutrals. I used to have WAAAAY too much black in my closet and actually had to self-impose a moratorium on buying anything black for a year! Yes-a year. What did I learn from this experience? That color was my friend--bright, funky hues especially. I also learned that blacks and grays and tans look AWESOME with pops of color. The whole process made me rethink how I put outfits together and really helped me rework my closet.

Today's outfit of the day has TWO of my fave purchases from the last month. I searched high and low (price wise and location wise) for a great pair of distressed skinnies. I needed my skinnies to be distressed in a way that looked grungy but actually contained no "real" holes so I could wear them to work. I finally settled on a pair from J.Crew Factory and am in LOVE. 1) They are a midrise so those of you that hate the low rise trend and what it does NOT do for the ever lovely pooch, these are perf! 2) They are not skin tight skinny. The have just the right amount of give and stretch which makes them very comfortable and flattering.

My other favorite recent purchase are my lemon yellow moccasins from the Gap. They are literally like wearing slippers but offer the ultimate pop of sunshine to my neutral gray button down. This outfit was super casual but had such a put together vibe that I could get away with wearing it anywhere! LOVE!

{Shop the Style}

Top: Old Navy (similar)

Skinnies: J.Crew Factory

Shoes: Gap (similar)

Blog Birthday!

What? This little blog has been in existence for a year? Really? Doesn't seem possible. What started out as a silly little idea has become such a fun and liberating outlet for me. I officially put up my first post in mid-April of 2013 but really had no idea what I was planning to do with my little space of internet. It wasn't until the first Six Ways post (at the end of April) that I finally felt like I had a vision for this undertaking. Thanks to Holly for taking a risk with me and being such an awesome partner in crime. Holly is moving away back to her home town and will be missed in person and on this little blog. I sure hope she is able to pop in now and again.

So--what will this all look like in year two? I hope to keep showing how I make affordable fashion and outfit choices and I pray that a few of you stick around to share what you think too! I am hoping to add a few new contributors to the blog so we can offer a bit more content, a bit more often. Thanks a TON for your support this first year. It has been such a trip! Please let us know what you would like to see more of!

OOTD {Easter}

I love to plan my outfit for Easter. I'll admit, its partially because I have an excuse to buy a new dress. Not just for me either~ my ladies all get new dresses too. My youngest even asked if she could get a maxi dress this year! It was a pretty proud mama moment I must say!

Fashion aside, my hubs and I really try and make sure the true message of Easter gets to the hearts and minds of our girls. We were actually really shocked this year at how much Easter is starting to feel like Christmas with people's need to buy gifts. Gifts? Really? Maybe a few eggs hidden here and there and a new tub of sidewalk chalk but c'mon. Bottom line--Jesus died for our sins. That is THE gift. He is Risen!

I should have snapped a few outfit pics of the whole fam because we were really all decked out to head to church for Easter. AND....it was the most beautiful day so far this year. 75 and sunny with a slight breeze. Such a blessing! So, here's what I wore...

{Shop the Style}

Dress: Target (similar)

Cardigan: Marshall's

Shoes: Target (same)

Necklace: F21 (same)

Bracelets: Mix

Palette Passion

Palette Passion by embellishedangel featuring a matte eye shadow

I have a pretty deep love for eye shadow palettes. I love the ease of a palette for traveling purposes. I love having several eye looks come from one stellar palette. Today I am rounding up THE four BEST neutral palettes in my humble opinion. Now you may ask, why would one need FOUR different neutral palettes? My gut reaction is to say, "Why not?" But the real answer is....you don't need four neutral palettes. One really great one will totally do the trick. These palettes all have similar shades and any one of them will offer you tons of eye look options.

 I will admit however that each of these palettes has its one little sweet spot that makes it different from the others. I do own all four and rotate them on a pretty regular basis. I firmly believe in subtle, neutral eye looks and I adore experimenting with each of these and even mixing them together. Each of these palettes are considered "high end" and do cost a pretty penny. However, the quality and staying power of each is not easily matched by a drugstore version. Be patient and wait for an Ulta or Sephora coupon and you'll be golden!  I'll share the unique features of each and link you to a great tutorial on how to create an eye look for each! 

1. Naked Palettes (Naked 1, Naked 2, Naked 3)

I personally only own the first version of this uber popular palette. My oldest daughter owns the Naked 2 and speaks highly of it was well. This is probably the ultimate neutral palette. Soft, creamy shadows in several matte and shimmer shades. The color payoff of each shadow is super and they blend perfectly. The names of the shadows are a riot too! Let me know if any of you have purchased the Naked 3 palette--I am hesitating as it has an overall rose tone to it and worry about its versatility! 

2. Too Faced Chocolate Bar (Get it here!)
Before I purchased this palette I got one of Too Faced's limited edition Christmas palettes called A Few of My Favorite Things. This palette was unbelievable and I became a huge fan of Too Faced instantly! I also have there Chocolate Soleil bronzer and use it religiously everyday for contouring. Too Faced believes in the antioxidant power of chocolate and incorporates it into many of their products. So...guess what? This palette is not only shaped like a chocolate bar but it SMELLS like chocolate. No lie! It is sooo yummy. On top of the chocolate goodness, the shadows are dreamy and creamy. The shimmer shades are not glittery at all and have a perfect iridescence to them that is hard to resist.



3. IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty (Get it HERE!)
This is a recent palette discovery of mine and I sought it out because I feel like other palettes never have enough matte shades. A really good palette should have at least 3-4 matte shades that can be used for your crease and blending. This palette is all MATTE with a twist. All 14 matte shades are silky and smooth and are perfect blended. The twist?! The palette comes with a pearl transforming shade that turns any of the matte shades into beautiful shimmer versions of themselves! Sweet! Video is a review of the palette--its pretty new so there are not a ton of tutorials yet. I will post one when I find a good one!



4. Lorac Pro (Get it HERE!)
This is a perfectly balanced palette. It has 8 matte shades and 8 shimmer shades. The shadows are extremely pigmented and go on so effortlessly. I love the gradation from light to dark and find this palette to be very versatile in creating looks. I find myself reaching for this palette whenever I want a simple, put together look.