Saturday, August 31, 2013

Kate Spade Labor Day Sale

       I am so excited about all the Labor Day sales this weekend. I'm hoping to get out at some point and score some end of summer deals. Even though summer is coming to a close, I'm hoping the weather will continue to stay nice for awhile so I can wear some of the summer deals I hope to pick up this weekend. One of the deals I am most excited about is Kate Spade. If you have a Kate Spade outlet near you, you need to drop all of your Labor Day plans and head to the outlets. Everything in the store is 40% off, plus an additional 20% of handbags. ANDDDDD if you have your student ID you'll get an additional 15% which basically means you'll be robbing Kate Spade and getting things for dirt cheap.

     Don't forget to check online for Labor Day sales as well. I'm hoping to score something from C Wonder's online store because I don't have one near me. Sigh... I really need to hit the lotto, there's so many great fall trends that I need in my closet.


Who wants to take a trip to the outlets with me this weekend?!
What sales are you looking forward to?
xoxo

Friday, August 30, 2013

Guest Post: Blown Away!

My Queen

       Hi fashionistas! My name is Megan and I am one of Alex's close friends. I have know Alex since 7th grade, and since then our small group of friends has been inseparable. Alex recently came to all of us and asked us to post a "guest blog." Of course I was extremely nervous because I do not have the same fashion taste as my Carrie Bradshaw-esque friend, but she insisted we all write something that held a special interest for us.
      Anybody who is close to me knows that there is one person I have an insane and sometimes sick obsession over and that is the one and only Kate Middleton. When thinking of what to put in this blog and trying to think of a way to tie my queen in I could think of one enviable trait of hers that most women share...her perfect hair! Well resent no more ladies; her perfectly styles lock are now easily accessible to all thanks to the new trend sweeping cities, Blow Out bars.
Pin Up's in Saratoga
    Everyone has a bad hair day, and if you are like me you would rather sleep a little extra in the morning rather than style your hair for work. Also, if you hairdresser is anything like mine, he or she is impossible to get into. Blow Out bar's offer a new solution to all of this. Blow Out bars do not cut or color hair, they are simply there to wash, blow and style! Whether you have a wedding, party, event, a girl's night out, or just want to feel great, Blow Out bars are a cost effective way to add that extra touch in making your ensemble perfect!! They are also a great solution when traveling out of town for an event and not knowing the area. Instead of looking for a hairdresser in an unfamiliar city, Blow Out bars allow you to walk in without an appointment and quickly get styled! The closest Blow Out bar in our area is located in Saratoga Springs:
Pin Up's Blow Out Bar
57 Railroad Place, Saratoga Springs NY, 12866
Phone: (518) 306-6533

Pin Up's is open from 9AM to 7PM daily, appointments are required after 3PM. They offer great packages for brides and private parties and will also do make up and up-do styles for fancier occasions. Visit their Facebook page for more information as well as upcoming deals! With a wedding in the areas coming up next month I am hoping to check out their services in the near future!

Happy Styling!
Megan

Thursday, August 29, 2013

What's in your Bag?

        Guys, I'm probably going to have some serious back problems when I get older because I am constantly carrying my entire life with me in my purse. I'm guilty of the "well what if I need it?!" mentality and my purse can be quite heavy. I've been trying to be better, I recently took out my digital camera that I used to tug around with me just in case I needed to take a picture, and have been relying more on my iPhone. I've also been better about keeping different bags for different occasions, I have a "pool bag" which is constantly packed with a bathing suit, towel and magazines so I'm not lugging that stuff around with me in my purse. Unfortunately since I'm a big bag lover I don't think I'll ever fully get over my carry everything trend. 
      You know how some magazines feature an article on "Whats in _________ (random celebrity's) Purse?" Well I have decided to do a similar post to highlight what I keep in my bag on a daily bases. 
Here are some highlights of my purse:
  1. My wallet obviously, I got it at the Kate Spade outlet a couple of years ago for super cheap. It's metallic with little spades on it, I really wanted a wallet I could use all year long because before I had a summer wallet and a winter wallet, but the metallic transitions well no matter what the season.
  2. (Sun)glasses. I always keep two pairs of sunglasses in my bag at a time because depending on my mood or outfit different pairs work on different days. I also have a spare pair of regular glasses in case I forget mine at home and have to read something far away like a Panera menu board.
  3. Coupons. I always have so many coupons in my bag, the second they come in the mail I immediately cut them out and put them in my bag. I get so mad when I'm randomly out at the mall and realize I left a coupon I need at home. It's gotten a lot better now that coupons get emailed to me but some stores still go with the basic paper coupon. 
  4. Random necessities. I keep that striped Coach wristlet that I got when I was in high school in my bag to hold all my random neccessities. Some of my random necessities include a pill box holding some Advil, chap stick, pens, mirrors, hand lotion and a mini sewing kit. The sewing kit seems weird but I cant tell you how many times in college we randomly needed a needle and thread.
  5. Accessories. I normally will have a bracelet or two in my purse because I take them off at some point and never take them out of my purse. This ends up being a positive when I need a costume change!
  6. Keys. I'm one of those crazy people with 10 different keys on their rings. I have keys to my house, my car, all of my parents cars, and keys to all of my aunts and uncles houses. It seems weird but I'm guilty of showing up to their house to lie by the pool and I sometimes need to get in the house. 
What's in your bag? 
Do you hoard like I do?
xoxo

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Fabulous Find: Vestique Online Boutique


    Now that summer is wrapping up (I hate that I had to type that statement), I've been wearing a lot of maxi dresses. The nights have been getting a lot cooler and although I still like to sit outside on the restaurant decks when I am getting drinks with friends, my legs get cold so I need something to cover them when the sun goes down. My jean jacket has also been getting a lot of use, but thats a post for another day. I recently found this really cute website called Vestique on Pinterest that I'm currently obsessed with. Vestique is an online boutique started by two college friends and they create "unique fashion that helps their customers look and feel great." 
      They had so many cute dresses but I especially loved their collection of maxi dresses. They have a variety of different styles and patterns, plus they're affordable! So I suggest you browse their website for some end of the summer-beginning of fall dresses! I especially loved the three dresses above, such great eye-popping colors and the silhouettes would be flattering on a lot of different body types. 
Side note: Vestique has more than dresses, they offer really cute tops and statement jewelry. Loving these two necklaces!


xoxo

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

New Recipe: Jambalaya with Corn Bread


          So I'm always on the lookout for new dinner recipes, mainly because I get super bored when I eat the same thing for dinner all the time. It's good to keep things fresh, first of all you gain a skill (woohoo I can cook!) and second of all who doesn't love to eat delicious food? Last week I made a Jambalaya for dinner using the crock pot. If you don't own a crock pot, put it on your Christmas list because it allows you to put all these raw ingredients and spices in a big bowl and THATS IT, you get to sit back and watch Netflix while the crock pot magically blends all the ingredients to make a whole dinner. I've cooked plenty of meats in my crock pot (corned beef and cabbage dinners, pot roasts with potatoes and veggies, even a couple of homemade soups....). Just wait till my winter recipe blog posts, you'll be eating good during those cold months! 
         Anyways, here is my recipe for Jambalaya in the crock pot and corn bread for dipping that I made last week. Since putting all the ingredients in the crock pot takes all of 3 minutes, I figured I should bake some corn bread from scratch with the extra free time I had. The corn bread takes like 10 minutes to prepare so when all is said and done it looks like you've been slaving away in the kitchen for hours but really you've been in there for 20 minutes tops. Also check out my fellow blogger Meggie July's jambalaya recipe because we weirdly made jambalaya for dinner on the same night... great minds think alike!

Jambalaya Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cubed
  • 1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
  • 1 bag frozen mixed peppers and onions thawed
  • 1 pkg jambalaya rice mix (I use Zatarain's)
  • 1 lb large shrimp cleaned
  • 1 lb hot sausage broken up into little pieces
Jambalaya Directions:
  • In crock pot, combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes and vegetables. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add rice mix and shrimp during the lat 30 minutes of cooking. 

Cornbread Ingredients:
  • 1 cup corn meal
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/4 cup oil (I used vegetable oil)
Cornbread Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  • In a large bowl combine milk, egg, and oil.
  • Add dry ingredients (corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) to milk mixture.
  • Stir until blended
  • Pour batter into an 8x8 greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until top is golden brown
I added the shrimp and rice to the crock pot then prepared the cornbread and put it in the oven. They should be ready at the same time.

Enjoy!
xoxo

Monday, August 26, 2013

Oxfords


      I'm really excited about the oxford trend for fall. I was in Macy's a couple weeks ago and was able to pick up a pair of black suede oxfords which will be perfect for those October/November months. As mentioned before, I'm pretty uncoordinated so anytime there's a shoe trend that doesn't involve 5 inch heels, I typically jump on board. Although the oxfords have a masculine feel to them, there are lots of ways you can dress them up or dress them down depending on your mood. Obviously pairing them with a comfortable boyfriend jean would be perfect but since these shoes have a masculine feel pairing them with some feminine pieces (think florals) would add a nice balance.


     I researched some oxfords in a variety of different styles and prices and came up with 6 pairs that I'm currently digging. The top 4 are a little more casual, but each have their own special touch. Since I'm a big navy fan I had to look for a brown oxford that I could pair with my navy wardrobe. I am a big fan of ALDO's shoes, I always find them really comfortable and the brown oxfords are cute and affordable. 
        The Nine West patent leather black oxfords with the bow ribbon would look really cute for a night out where you don't want to wear heels, because the patent leather still adds a dressy-feel. I would definitely pair them with a brightly colored dress or a black blazer. Of course if you're feeling brave and are looking to really make your shoes a statement piece, than you should definitely go for those Kate Spade black tipped oxford. They are pretty jazzy looking but sometimes you have to go out of your comfort zone. 


      For you heel lovers, I did pick out a couple heeled bootie oxfords that I can only dream about wearing. These shoes make me want to strut my stuff down the street, I feel like you would automatically turn into a bad ass the second you put them on. I really like how the heeled oxfords transition well from workday heel to after work drinks with friends heel. My mom has this great pair of black patent leather oxford pumps from Nine West that she calls her "nun shoes" because apparently nun's used to wear heeled oxfords back in the day.... but I'm more than happy to take that trend from them. Hallelujah! 

Are you into the Oxford trend?
xoxo

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Another Day at the Races



       Once a year I head to Saratoga Racetrack with my parents towards the end of summer. We go up super early in the morning and get breakfast at the racetrack. If you're from the 518 area, I definitely recommend breakfast at the track because they have an awesome buffet with every breakfast item you can imagine (including some mimosa's!) and you get to eat outside at the rail and watch the horses warm up.
     After breakfast, since the races don't actually start until 1:00 we always head to downtown Saratoga (much to my dads dismay) for some shopping. My mom and I prefer to spend our money on clothes rather than bets... my poor dad really feels the pressure to hit a big race after we get done with shopping. They have a variety of stores including a Talbots (my mom's favorite), Loft, Banana Republic, Gap and a Pink Paddock (which is our local Lilly Pulitzer store). Thank god I bought a bunch of stuff at the Lilly Summer Sale because everything is so expensive at the Pink Paddock, they never have sales. I ended up getting a necklace and pencil skirt on clearance at Talbots, and the Blue Oxford Shirt from Banana that I've had my eye on for 40% which, I'm stoked about. 

    I only won $10 at the track...which didn't make up for my spending spree from earlier in the day but it was a fun day out with my parents. My dress was from Target (got it a couple years ago), my bangle was from Kate Spade and my clutch was from ALDO. I've attempted to re-create my outfit with similar styles since none of the stuff I wore is still available, except for my Dog Lover necklace and my Ray-Bans




Whats your summer tradition?


xoxo

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Bracelet Holder

                                        
        I've been working on organizing my closet and accessories so they are more visible. As I mentioned before, I'm guilty of the out of sight out of mind mentality and because my closet is chuck full of stuff it's easy for things to slip by me. Last month I bought this great necklace holder on Amazon, but I still continued my hunt for a display for my bracelets. Well, I finally found one... actually I found two. I find some of my best deals when Amazon shows you "Products you may also like"... The black velvet T-bar was on sale (deal of the day) for $2.50, but since I own a lot of bracelets and the bar itself isn't really big I decided to buy two. Since I bought it from a private seller it won't be arriving for a couple of weeks, but it's definitely worth the wait for the deal I got, with shipping my total came to $8.00! Now if I could only find a way to organize my handbags....

How do you organize your jewelry?
xoxo


Thursday, August 22, 2013

Amrita Singh on HauteLook


My new favorite jewelry designer is being featured on HauteLook! The sale ends on Saturday morning and it features a selection of bangles.... all of which are under $30! Woohoooo! I recommend you check it out! I really dig the 3 statement bangles above.

xoxo

The Perfect Polish

      I'm very no nonsense when it comes to beauty products. I love my clothes and my accessories but a good tan is all I really need on my face and I'm ready to go. But I do love to have my nails painted. No color can scare me off, I own every color of the rainbow. Despite having short nails (I'm a dreaded nail biter....the nail technicians shun me like I have a disease), I still like to have paint on my nails. Plus, I ALWAYS have paint on my toe nails...even in the dead of winter, it's my personal rule.
Come over and paint your nails at my house!
     Nail polish can be expensive. I tend to stick to three brands of nail polish Sally Hansen, OPI and Essie. Sally Hansen is my favorite because it's on the cheaper side, cost wise, but it stays on my nails for awhile without chipping. I have a nasty habit of picking up a polish at CVS whenever I stop in to pick up a prescription or magazine.  I have some cheap nail polish in my bin that turns my nails weird colors and I hate them. Even if I love the color, I'll shy away from them in fear that when I remove them my nails will be green underneath. 
     My mom is super dedicated in the summer, every day she repaints her toe nails to match her outfit for the day. Isn't that crazy.... Aint nobody got time for that! But, I'm not complaining because sometimes she'll come home with a new color as well...because she need's something to match a skirt she's going to wear tomorrow. Last week alone she had neon orange, yellow, blue and hot pink on her toes, crazy! You should see the amount of nail polish remover we go through in this house. 


     Anyways, some nail polish brands are expensive! As much as I love Essie, I don't have the cash to spend $9 on a bottle. But, I was excited when I found a special nail polish deal that is currently going on at Sephora. They have a OPI by Sephora brand in their stores and normally they are $9.50 (!!!) a bottle but they currently have a discount....buy 3 nail polishes for $10! That's right in my price range. Plus the deal includes top coats as well. I own a couple top coats from Sephora and I highly recommend them because they go on smoothly and last a long time. I'm thinking about picking up a green nail polish and the rainbow and turquoise top coats, but I also love that metallic mulberry! 
What's your favorite nail polish brand? 
Are you brave enough to shy away from the typical pink!?
xoxo

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Sparkle


I am really not a big fan of inspirational quotes, but I saw this and thought it was fitting...
xoxo

Lilly Pulitzer Annual Sale

                                         
       So the Lilly Pulitzer summer sale started on Monday at 8am and I was ready. I set my alarm for 7:30am, made my account the day before with all my information so I wouldn't have to worry the day of the sale and I checked the Lilly Facebook page to see what types of sales I could expect. I was ready to scoop up some deals! And then at approximately 8:01am the site crashed...again...and again...and again.  I'm sure I looked pretty crazy just throwing items into my shopping bag whenever I could get on the site without really thinking about it. I decided to, as Carrie Underwood would say, "Let Jesus Take the Wheel" and I was just gonna buy stuff and worry about my credit card later. I was super lucky in the sense that I was able to get all my items into my "Checkout Tote" within the first half hour but I was unlucky in the sense that 4 hours later I still could not check out. I came so close so many times, getting all my information confirmed and exactly at the moment I hit "Place my Order" I got the dreaded "Oh Shift" page handed back to me. The WORST.
The kiss of death
       I was checking the Facebook page and realized that thousands of other people were in the same boat. It was like a little frustrated Lilly community that all rallied behind one another (Ladies Unite)! Around 11:30 (3.5 hours of refreshing my page every 5 seconds later)... Lilly closed the website. Now I was happy they were shutting down to try and resolve the issues, but I was worried all of my items in my shopping bag would delete and I would have to start from scratch. So I took a half hour break, checking the Facebook page occasionally for updates. Then, out of nowhere some girl posted "the site is back up" and I immediately got right back into my shopping bag, all my stuff was there, and I made my purchase. No problem. Then I immediately got up and did a dance, high-fived myself and hugged Misa because she was the only one home. 

    I ended up getting 3 items, the Delia dress in the white spring fling pattern, a shoreline tote and a bangle in the same pattern as my dress. Plus I got such a good deal on everything... and I debated forever whether I should buy more bangles since they were only $14 and a Posey dress (which is still available in my size). I originally really wanted the Tria maxi dress but while I was waiting for the site to load I looked at a bunch of reviews and many people said that the fit was weird...since everything was final sale, I didn't want to take the chance of the maxi being too big on me, so I'll just have to wait and see if I can find it in stores, oh well.

So friends, how did you make out with the Lilly Sale? 
Feel free to share your horror stories or triumphs!
xoxo

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Converse

        
       I love my navy Converse sneakers, they are my go-to fall shoe choice once it becomes too cold for flip flops but still too warm for a boot. You know that feeling you have when you put on your favorite worn sweater that you've had for years.... I feel that way with my sneakers. They're sorta dirty and worn in from wearing them so much but I love all the dirt and grime because they carry a lot of memories. I like that my converse are pretty versatile, I can pair them with shorts/jeans or add a little tom-boy attitude and pair them with a skirt. As I've mentioned plenty of times before, I am clumsy and uncoordinated and wearing any type of heel or wedge make my feet hurt pretty quickly, so I would definitely choose a sneaker over a heel any day. 
       I got my first pair of converse sneakers when I was a freshman in college. Even though I had wanted a pair for years I always was holding out because I was worried that they would make my feet look huge because they're a long shoe. I don't even have really big feet (I'm a 7.5), but I was convinced I would look stupid, until my mom finally talked me into it. I've been wearing them ever since!

    I've got quite the sneaker collection and have been really digging the new Keds lines I've seen in stores but I always go back to my converse at my go to sneaker. HauteLook is currently doing a two day sale on converse sneakers. Typically they're about $50 but they're on sale for $30 and they have a bunch of colors and styles. If I hadn't spend so much money at the Lilly online sale this week, I probably would have considered buying a new pair of white converse. 


Whats your favorite sneaker?
xoxo

Monday, August 19, 2013

Polo's Pony Canvas Bags

      Recently I was digging through my closet and I found these Polo bags that I bought when I was in high school. This is one of the reasons I hate the way I store my bags, because I forget about things when they are out of sight. I have so much stuff shoved into my closet that need to see what's in my closet to remember whats in it. I was super excited with my find because it was like getting a brand new bag! The totes are not super big but they hold the typical items (wallet, sunglasses, keys, etc) and moving items from my big purse to a smaller tote helped me clean out the non-essentials, which was good. The one thing I need to look into are ways I can clean the totes. The light yellow bag on the left with the seersucker handles is a little dirty from use... does anyone know a good way to clean canvas?!

     Finding these two bags in my closet inspired me to research other cute Polo Ralph Lauren canvas totes. I know that I bought those two at the outlets. I was looking online for bags and I especially loved the multi-colored pony bags I came across, it gives a fun preppy vibe. These canvas totes are a little bigger than the ones I own and the black would be perfect if you want to conceal dirt. 

    These two bags are similar to the one's I own. I'm a big fan of black and bright yellow together, they did have other black bags with different colored polo's but the yellow was my favorite. Another color combo I love is navy, pink and white and I thought the striped tote was unique. The best part about all of these totes is that you can buy them online for $50 or you can go to your local outlets because they always have similar polo totes in the stores.

What have you dug out of your closet that you forgot you had?!
xoxo

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Kate Spade at HomeGoods

       I was wandering around HomeGoods this weekend and I came across two different Kate Spade Duvet Cover sets for super cheap! I didn't end up buying them because I couldn't decide which pattern I liked better (and I wanted to save my money for the big Lilly Pulitzer sale). Since I would be buying the Full/Queen set it would only come to $40 and the pillow cases for a set of two were $14. I would still have to buy a sheet set, though. Although I liked the bright pink and orange pattern I thought the lavender and grey pattern was really simple and different. 

       Too bad they didn't have the Live Colorfully pillow or I probably would have convinced myself to get the set. Home Goods had so many cute accessories for the home for a bargain, and I definitely will go back next time I'm looking for new sheets!
Which duvet set do you like better?

xoxo

Liebster Award

        I am super excited because one of my fellow bloggers Hunter has nominated me for the Liebster Award which was created by bloggers to bring attention to up and coming bloggers with great potential but not a lot of followers. I love this idea because I am always looking for new ways to get my blog out to other people who might enjoy it and at the same time find ways to connect with others who are similar to me! The main idea is that you nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers and ask them to list 11 random facts about themselves and give them 11 questions to answer.
        As I mentioned before Hunter from Prep on a Budget nominated me. She writes about affordable designer pieces, new trends she's loving and provides other great tips for us young adults trying to find our way in the world, so please check out her site. Thanks again Hunter! xoxo


Here are my 11 random facts about myself:
Okay, now to answer my questions....

1. What genre of books/movies do you like?
In regards to books I love a good series because it keeps me occupied for a long time. I just finished both the Sookie Stackhouse series (which the show True Blood was based off of) and Game of Thrones (which I highly recommend). I'm pretty open to all movies, but I'm not a big romantic comedy fan (I know, blasphemy). Give me a good old superhero movie and I'm all set!

What trend are you loving?
As of this moment I'm digging the holographic trend I saw in two of my fashion magazines. I just bought a super cute holographic clutch in H&M and it added such personality to my outfits. 

Where is my ideal vacation?
Both Hawaii and Italy are on my bucket list. Hawaii because I'm a beach girl and I'd love to have that ultimate vacation where the waters are beautiful and theres so many fun things to see and do. Italy because I'm 75% Italian so to visit my roots and eat amazing food in Italy is a dream of mine. 

Navy or Pink?
Navy. I'm a little bit of a tom boy when it comes to clothes, I've been a navy fan forever. Plus it goes with almost everything! In my opinion, navy is better than black.

Who inspires you the most?
My mom is my best friend. We love to shop together and plan outfits. She's never afraid of bright colors or big statement pieces, and her bravery has rubbed off on me. Basically, we're always willing to try anything once and she inspires me to step out of my comfort zone in regards to fashion...and in life!

What type of music do you like?
I'm such an old lady when I comes to music, I'm always behind on the latest hits and artists. This is probably due to the fact that my car radio is always set to the classic rock or oldies stations. I've seen Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi in concert and I don't think much could top either of their performances. But... once November comes along it's strictly Christmas music till New Years.

What store do you find yourself shopping at constantly?
I'm a J Crew girl through and through. I've never found something I didn't love when I entered the store. J Crew is basically a style representation of me! However, whenever I hit the mall I also always hit up Macy's. I swear by Macy's coupons and have gotten a lot of great designer items for a discount there. 

What's your guilty pleasure movie or TV show?
I've been watching Survivor since season 1 and I've never missed an episode. I know it's weird but I just really enjoy the game. I'd love to apply one day but I know I would never be able to handle not showering or eating for a month... I get that hangry feeling after a couple of  hours haha!

Whats your favorite animal?
Obviously Misa is my favorite animal. I named my blog after her and once you see her chubby face you could never love another animal more than her.
Isn't she precious?!
What is your favorite dessert?
I'm a sucker for ice cream, which is another reason why I love summer so much! The heat is a perfect excuse to stop and get a cone. 

Why did you start blogging?
I had so many fashion idea's in my head that it felt right to get my idea's out there. It has helped me organize my thoughts and share my life experiences. I was definitely due to take on a new project and give myself a new hobby now that I am done with school so I can feel like I am still doing something with my life. It's nice to see people reading and responding positively to what I put out there!

My Nominees: 
Rachel at Makeshift Munch
Anna from Stitch Fox Blog


Since I am new to the blogging world I am still exploring other peoples blogs as well. I know I am supposed to nominate 11 people but at the moment, I cant because I'm only following a couple myself that have less than 200 followers. Plus some of the people I would have nominated have already been nominated and wrote about it already! In the future I hope to continue to highlight other peoples blogs that I love and discover! 

So for the 6 that I did nominate, here are your questions:

1. Who is your favorite designer and why?
2. What are your best tips for saving money on purchases?
3. On your perfect day, what do you do?
4. What is your favorite food?
5. Whats that one fashion item you would love to afford but currently cannot?
6. What trend are you most excited about this fall?
7. Whats your favorite magazine?
8. Favorite item in your closet currently?
9. Name 3 words that describe you.
10. What is your favorite food?
11. Why did you choose to start a blog?

Now it's up to you 6 to nominate other people blogs who inspire you! Make sure you create a post with 11 random facts about yourself, answer my 11 questions and add questions for your new nominees!

Thanks again Hunter for the Nom!
xoxo

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Liebster Award...A work in progress

Hey Guys! I got nominated for a Liebster Award. I'll be working on my post about it sometime this weekend so please be patient with me!

xoxo
Alex

Bomber Jacket

    I hate the idea of fall being around the corner but that hasn't stopped me from looking at all the fall fashion. I came across this silky bomber jacket on the Nasty Gal website. It's a light jacket perfect for those fall afternoons or those cool summer nights. I'd probably pair it with a long black maxi dress. Clearly I'm trying to hold on to bright summer colors for as long as can. But, I do like a bold print, so many ways you can dress up or dress down this jacket.
Thoughts?

xoxo

Friday, August 16, 2013

Afternoon at Lake George

     Yesterday I spent my entire day up in Lake George with Chris. It was a beautiful day and we were looking for something different to do so we decided to take a drive up, get lunch and do some walking around. I'm surprised how crowded it was for a weekday, there were plenty of people hanging out on the beach. I wish I had brought my bathing suit so I could have joined them!
      The morning was a little cool before the sun came out in full force so I was glad that I packed my J Crew jean jacket. I really hate wearing any type of jacket/sweatshirt in the summer time because I wait all winter to be able to leave my house without bundling up, but this jacket is so light weight that its perfect for those cool mornings or late nights. I bought the jacket at the J Crew Factory store a couple years ago, it has this worn look with small rips in it that makes it look like I've had it forever. Plus the jean is super soft (I hate when jean material have that rough to the touch feel, so uncomfortable!).

      We sat in the park across the street for awhile to get out of the sun and watch all the boats go by. Being by the lake really makes me want to own a lake house and a boat when I get older. It's so relaxing and I love the breeze that comes off the water. Wouldn't it be so great to have a lake house where you could invite your family and friends up to all summer long....ugh...I need to hit the lotto ASAP.
     I went full on J Crew yesterday, not realizing it until I got home and was thinking about what to write about in my blog for today. I got this navy strapless dress at the actual J Crew, probably 5 or 6 years ago. It was a ruching on the top and elastic so you don't have to keep pulling it up all day (typically I hate strapless dresses because they always fall down and I have to wear the dreaded strapless bra ugh). I'm a huge fan of belting dresses because it gives my body some shape. You can't see in the picture above but I paired the navy dress with a brown and gold belt, that accentuated my gold chain necklace. Finally, I brought my hot pink Michael Kors bag to bring a pop of color to my outfit. I got that at the outlets a couple months ago on a super sale, they probably still have it (in other colors as well) so you should go check it out. 

    We ended our day with ice cream and mini golf (can you think of a better way to end a day haha!). I was pumped that the girl gave me a chocolate/strawberry twist instead of the boring old vanilla/chocolate! Ice cream is my guilty pleasure. AND I got two hole in ones during mini-golf, maybe I'm missing my calling.

Close up of my outfit. J Crew from head to toe except for the MK bag...whoopsies!

Whats your go-to day-date outfit?!
xoxo


Thursday, August 15, 2013

J Crew Factory New Arrivals

     Yesterday felt like a fall day in the 518, and I was not a fan. I plan on keeping my shorts on until October so this cool trend better not become a permanent fixture, its only August! I did get an email from the J Crew Factory store letting me know all their new arrivals are 30% off and they have free shipping with a code, so I did browse a little.... They had some great pieces that helps with the transition to fall like weather. J Crew had a lot of houndstooth, which I'm not complaining about. I loved the houndstooth blazer above (the J Crew blazers always fit my body really well), they also had a houndstooth sweatshirt that I liked, perfect for those dress down days where you still want to look somewhat presentable. I would like to pair this blazer with the black scalloped lace top and a pair of skinny jeans for a nice dinner date.

     A couple months ago I purchased the pencil skirt above in cobalt blue. I originally wanted it for work purposes and even wore it to an interview with a black blouse but I realized that the pencil skirt can be quite versatile because I also paired it with a black crop top for a birthday celebration with friends. It made me want to own that skirt in every color, so my next conquer will be the green pencil skirt from J Crew, possibly paired with this great statement necklace. Since I'm short I worry about the length of some skirts because I run the risk of my legs looking short too but these pencil skirts are super flattering. 

     I hate the idea of buying sweaters but I loved this color block teal and navy sweater that was also on the new arrivals list. I own other waffle sweaters from J Crew from past seasons and they were nice for the office because they weren't super heavy so I didn't get overheated. Finally, although I am currently saving up for a different invitation clutch, I thought this cheaper version found at the factory store was also cute. You can really never go wrong with a good leather bag.

Whats your favorite "factory"store?