6.19.2014



I  wore this outfit on Father's Day:


Wearing: Express portofino shirt (also in blush and sleeveless versions)
Old Navy d'orsay flats (also available in other colors. I want the black!)
Kate Spade bag, similar


But does it look familiar? I first wore it around this same time last year, with a few slight variations:


J.Crew pumps, similar


Last week was a culmination of bad luck and mishaps. Let me explain. Tuesday night, Nate and I had a visitor. I usually don't mind people stopping by or staying over, but this visitor was one I am deathly afraid of. The kind that don't leave. It was a mosquito. He claimed our bedroom to be his as well, and I literally spent that whole night trying in vain to kill him while he buzzed about the room. Nate finally got to him at 6 o'clock Wednesday morning, after being awake all night long. My right arm was (and still is) covered in bites. So there was that. Then on Thursday, my car decided to shut down in the middle of the freeway. It was also in the middle of the desert, a hot 112 degrees. My battery and alternator went out. It cost us 400 dollars for me to get a tow home, not to mention a few glasses of wine and a migraine pill later. I was a wreck.  So when the weekend gleefully rolled around, I was more than ready to relax. I reached for a no-brainer outfit of classic pieces, most of which you have already seen before. Who says you can't repeat outfits? I do it all the time!

What are your go-to pieces?

6.17.2014









Loft skirt (pictured with the tee too)
J.Crew pumps, similar


I'm getting braver when it comes to picture locations. I've come a long way from the days of standing in front of a mirror. My husband often jokes with me about my fear of onlookers. I'm not a model and I don't pretend to be one, so I wonder what others are thinking while posing coyly in parks and public places around town. Maybe that's why I look so sheepish and am either always smiling like a fool from ear to ear or am touching my hair. Heck, I still worry when we take pictures outside of our condo! I mean, what will the neighbors think? I know it's silly to react like this, so I'm pushing myself more and more to go out in scary places. You know, where people go. I may look happy in these photos but I was telling Nate to hurry up because "people are looking". Now it makes me laugh a little.

I must say, I picked up this pretty floral skirt while popping into Loft for something entirely different and I am loving this impulse buy. I really try to avoid buying things on impulse because that has led to some poor judgement in the past. But this printed skirt was a must-have. I've been needing more prints in my wardrobe, and it seems to be very versatile. I dressed it up for Friday night, but I can easily see myself wearing it with sandals or flats and a simple white tee.

6.13.2014

I haven't shown you girls what makeup products I've been loving lately, so I thought I'd go ahead and share today. Most are new, with a good basic staple in the mix. I've been experiencing a resurgence in wanting to buy more makeup and I really think I have Instagram to blame. All of you beauty junkies are setting me back to my old ways!

Untitled #6

1) Make Up For Ever HD Foundation - I'm in the color soft sand, or 120. It's funny because it really took me a long time to warm up to this stuff. I bought it last year for my wedding, but my makeup artist Raeleen used a special airbrush foundation instead. But after the pressure of wedding makeup wore off, I really started enjoying this foundation and now I'm addicted. I just finished buying my third bottle! It's perfect for bloggers because it's meant for photography, so you never have to worry about the dreadful ghost look. I wear it all the time though, not just for pictures. It's sheer but buildable, and it always looks natural. Think your skin but ten times better!

2)  Benefit Lip Tint Lip Balm - I have mine in the color Posie, a candied pink (pictured is a red hue). I bought this a few weeks back on a whim while browsing. It's very similar to Fresh's lip treatment if you're familiar with that. It's buttery smooth with actual color. Sheer of course, but still noticeable on my lips. Worn here.

3) L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara - I plan on dedicating an entire post about this, but let's just say it's all I've been wearing. I normally don't have good luck with mascara. I'm loyal to Benefit They're Real and Cover Girl's Lash Blast. Sadly, I'm cheating on them with Miss Manga. If you like soft volume and lots of length, you have to try this! Psst, the bonus is that it's cheap.

4) Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Mushroom - I know many of you already swear by these liners, but do you have the shade mushroom? If not, you should try it! I love how neutral it is. Not as severe looking as black, but a little more pumped up than your basic brown or grey. I love the taupe color on my brown eyes, as it seems to bring out the gold tones in them. I think it would look beautiful (and natural) on just about anyone. It looks great with next-to-nothing makeup, but also pretty with a smokey look too.

5) M.A.C cosmetics Alluring Aquatics blush in Seduced at Sea - I hope those of you that really wanted this blush were able to get it! I'm not sure if it's even available anymore, but the link I posted should work. I honestly don't pay much attention to their collections anymore. Too hard to keep up with! This caught my eye because of the cute packaging. There, I admit it. But it really is a lovely rose bronze shade. If you want something similar, try Benefit Rockateur. I own both and they are very similar on the skin. Perfect for that Summer glow.

6) Jergens BB Body Cream - The commercial sold me. "BB Goes Body!" I know it's a lame reason to run to Target and buy a tube, but such is the life of a blogger. It happens. Good thing too, because I'm almost down to the end of it and my overall impression is that I love this stuff. The smell is pretty, which is rare for Jergens. Those self-tan creams to mind. This smells nothing like those, it's very soft and feminine. Does it perfect my skin like it claims? I really think it does! My skin definitely looks more even, and it imparts a natural looking glow as soon as it's applied. I may not like BB creams for my face (those have been a big fail for me) but I'll happily use them on my arms and legs.

7) Oribe hair products: Dry Texturizing Spray and Hair Refresher - God, where do I even begin with these? Well I'll tell you how they came to be in my possession. I'm jealous of those of you ladies who have access to blow dry bars. We have nothing like that in my town. Nothing even close, until I found Anastasia. She used to work with my sister-in-law at a salon right by my house, and now she has her own salon. She does the best blow-outs! While treating myself to one a couple months back, I discovered she also sells the highly coveted Oribe brand, and I decided to give the dry texturizing spray and the refresher a go. Well, the rest is history. These are hands-down some of the best hair care products I've tried. Volume and sexy smelling hair abound. I'm happy and husband is happy.

All of these products were used in my Pleats & Picnics post here if you want to take a look :)

Congratulations if you were able to get through this list without nodding off. Happy Friday!