Life Lately & Current Loves

My friends Gina and Rachelle do little blog updates periodically on things they are doing and loving at that moment. Since I got some responses on my reader survey that included more lifestyle posts, I thought it would be nice to start today.

Wearing //

Express tank

Love Street Apparel cardigan, similar

Old Navy jeans

Street Level tote

Sole Society pumps (available in multiple colors), similar color

Stella & Dot necklace & ring

Banana Republic Y necklace, similar

What I'm wearing:

I've joked about this before, but these jeans are my absolute favorite.  I can't take them off. They are soft as can be, fit like a glove, have only slight distressing, and are the perfect wash. I hope you don't mind seeing them so frequently, but I can't help myself. The price is right, so I highly recommend them. 

What I'm eating: 

Lunch is my favorite meal of the day, and I prefer a hearty salad with lots of veggies and just a simple drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. This picture was taken a few months ago at our favorite restaurant, but it's what I replicate at least three days a week at home because it's so simple. I just use whatever produce we have on hand, mostly tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, avocado, olives, peppers, feta cheese, and chicken pieces we grill on Sundays.

I also must eat a sandwich once per week, and I discovered a place here in town that has great options called Urbane Cafe.

What I'm listening to:

Music gives me energy, alleviates stress and worry, and is just overall a big part of my daily life. I also love watching music videos because well, I grew up when MTV actually played those. Songs on repeat: 

Bastille - Send them off! (bonus is that the singer is easy on the eyes)

The 1975 - Somebody else

Lana Del Rey - Love

The Lumineers - Ophelia 

What I'm watching:

Intervention - To feed my fascination with addiction and mental health. 

Disappeared - Although this show breaks my heart, it's a great reminder that tomorrow is never promised. People go missing under suspicious circumstances every day, and sadly many go unsolved. 

Housewives of BH and NY - Obviously fun, neurotic, over the top, funny, embarrassing, superficial, and absolutely entertaining!

What I'm looking forward to:

Nate and I are going camping in Lake Isabella for our friend's birthday the last weekend of this month. We are taking the essentials: our jeep, our dog, and his parent's trailer so we can enjoy amenities. You know, like an actual toilet and running water. It's not really camping I guess, but it's something that all of our friends enjoy doing because it's a great excuse to get together, be out in nature, and the kids and dogs love it! Then the next weekend in May, my best friend is celebrating her birthday and I of course will be there with champagne in tow. 

Okay, now let's talk about my reader survey results! I just want to express my sincere gratitude for the responses I received and for those of you who took the time to complete it.

Here are some stats:

*Most of you have been following me for over one year.

*The age range of my readers goes from 25 to 45. That's quite a span and I appreciate your support so much!

*Most of you enjoy seeing my style, but I did also get requests for more beauty and lifestyle posts. One person would like to see home decor, but I'm a terrible decorator (I just choose things I like with no real direction) but I will try my best to figure out how to incorporate that topic. I also had a reader comment that she would like to know more about my growing family when that happens, but on the other side, one reader strongly requested that I don't post about children at all. That made me laugh because I don't plan on turning this space into a mom blog. I'm sure I'll do little updates here and there but don't expect too much.

*As for sponsored posts, the vast majority of you don't mind them as long as they are relevant to beauty and style. You won't see me shilling feminine hygiene products or alcohol, although I'm still waiting for a La Croix/Perrier sponsorship 😉 That's not a joke.

*Lastly, you guys want me to post three days a week, ideally. I'm not sure I'm interesting enough for that, but I will do my best to keep a set schedule and do more when possible. I've decided that I will post on Mondays and Wednesdays, with posts also on every other Friday beginning next week. If I go back to Tuesday, Thursday I will make that clear.

That's it for now, have a great rest of your week!

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Spring '17: Tie Waist Trousers

Wearing //

1.State top, similar here & here

Express pants

Express mini bag

Asos pumps, similar

Kendra Scott bracelet & ring

Beauty //

Lips in Nudestix "Mystic"

Let me preface this by saying that I bought these pants because of Rachelle. After seeing them on her, I immediately headed for Express and fell in love with the easy, breezy style of the tie waist trouser. They come in four different colors, but of course I had to go with my favorite shade (although the olive pair she has is very tempting. They didn't have any in stock so I went for the next best thing). This is quite the departure for me in terms of what I normally feel comfortable wearing, but I can't rave enough about them. Is it appropriate to go out in public wearing pajamas? Not unless you're heading to the ER, but these feel like pajamas, and who can complain about that?

A few quick notes:

1) At 5'2, these are definitely long on me, but they don't drag on the floor even when barefoot. However, they look best with heels. I may get them hemmed a bit...thoughts?

2) The material is a stretch jersey, so they are incredibly forgiving. I normally wear a size 8 in jeans, but was pleasantly surprised that I took a size small in these. Size down if you're interested. Also, I highly suggest wearing spanx or any type of under garment that is seamless for a smooth appearance from behind. No shame here, you guys know I love my spanx!

3) They don't have any zippers. Just pull them on and go! The tie can be pulled into a bow like I did here, but note how Rachelle wore hers.

4) A tucked-in top is a must, otherwise you'll look ridiculous. Crop tops would be cute as well, but I'm way past that phase in my life. I mean if I had great abs, I'd go for it though 😉

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Kevyn Aucoin Neo-Limelight in Ibiza

Indoors with no flash

Natural sunlight outdoors, no flash

This won't be a review per se because I've only recently purchased this highlight powder and I've used it a handful of times. I normally like to test out products for a longer period so I can really feel confident I'm giving my best opinion possible, but this product is so damn beautiful that I just had to chat with you about it.

It's the Kevyn Aucoin Neo-Limelight in Ibiza, and it's described as an irridescent glow. I've really changed my perception of highlighters in general. I used to go for golden shades, but after discovering M.A.C. extra dimension skin finish in Soft Frost, I now prefer more of an incandescent gleam that changes colors as you move in different lighting. It's much more modern, and I'm noticing these types of other-worldly beauty products everywhere! You would think that they give off too much shimmer or look unnatural but I find that the very opposite is true. With this palette in particular, you can use the various shades on their own, ranging from soft gold to purple. Or you can swirl your brush into the whole thing which is what I do. The result is a beautiful lavender sheen with hints of pink and gold. I dab the powder onto my cheekbones, down my nose, and even above my cupid's bow. I attempted to swatch them on my arm, but the colors are so subtle that you couldn't tell. I recommend looking at it in store (I got mine at Sephora).

Would you try these new modern highlighters, or are you hesitant? If so, don't be! Start with the M.A.C. Soft Frost first, and then get back to me.

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My Weekday Style

I've never worked in a corporate environment or in an office with strict dress codes. At my last job working with kids, comfort and being able to dash at a moment's notice were of utmost importance. In fact, I could get sent home if I wore heels or open-toe sandals.

This was essentially my weekday wardrobe, and now that I work from home, it still is. On any given day, my formula includes jeans, a pretty blouse or top, flats, simple jewelry (usually a necklace and ring), and a bag that I can throw over my shoulder for convenience.

Wearing //

Loft bell sleeve top in petite

Old Navy jeans (I'm fearing these are becoming permanently glued to my body! I wear them too much)

Loeffler Randall bag, look for less

Flats found here

 Neutral, but still eye-catching in velvet

Stella & Dot necklace and ring

I like this because although it's really easy and comfortable, I still feel put-together. Some days I'm tempted to just wear athleisure, but I feel so awkward running errands in workout clothes. Do you? I know the trend is popular but unless I truly am out and about after exercising, I prefer regular clothes. 

I tend to blog different looks that are more interesting because they make me feel good, but on most days, the above outfit or some variation of it is what I'm really wearing. 

What's your weekday style? Do you have to dress up for work?

Linking up with Carylee and Rachelle today!

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