I Feel Pretty | On My Birthday

I Feel Pretty | On My Birthday

Sep 10, 2014

Birthdays really should last more than one day, am I right?  If possible, I’d like to celebrate all month long.  Since I can’t do that (and quite frankly, my family would get tired of it really quickly) I do at least stretch it out for a weekend.  Even though my official birthday was on Sunday, this past weekend was all about me.  🙂

On Friday I got my hair cut and then did some “research” at the mall for the fall style challenge.  If you’re following me on Instagram, you already know that this whole outfit came home with me.

 [Scarf/Shirt/Pants/Shoes]

On Saturday, I had my first surprise, Devon came home from college!  That evening, we had a dinner party at our house.  Craig cooked a delicious feast and invited my sisters and brothers-in-law.  My brother-in-law Victor brought me my first ever pinata in the shape of a giraffe.  It was almost too cute to crack open, but we did anyway.

photo-1

After dinner, we had my all-time favorite cake, the Berry Chantilly cake from Whole Foods.  I could eat the whole thing myself. Then it was present time.  In traditional Craig fashion, he tricked me by wrapping up a little box and hiding my real gift, a new Macbook Pro, in the bottom of the laundry basket.  When I found it, I started crying.  You have NO idea how long I’ve been waiting to get one.  My dinosaur PC was five years old and gave me grief on a daily basis.  The Mac learning curve has been a little steep but I’m getting the hang of it!

On my actual birthday, we went to brunch at my favorite Mexican restaurant and relaxed the rest of the day.  It was so nice having Devon home and being able to celebrate as a complete family!

This is what I wore for our dinner party Saturday night.  It felt good to get a little dressed up, even if we were just staying in.

pink-blouse-jeans-leopard-clutch-heels

pink-blouse-jeans-leopard

pink-blouse-leopard-clutch

pink-blouse-leopard-clutch-jeans

[Blouse: Same/Jeans: Same/Clutch: Similar/Necklace: Same/Shoes: Similar/Earrings: Same/Watch: Same]

Let’s talk about these jeans that I’m wearing for a minute.  I love them so much that I walked out of Loft with four pairs in different colors.  That NEVER happens!  They are perfect in every way – great length for ankle boots, just right stretch, hold their shape, perfect rise.  Just get them already, you’ll thank me later.

I FEEL PRETTY

It’s the day of the week at GYPO where we celebrate what makes us feel pretty. Whether it’s a new outfit, hairstyle, or makeup, the I Feel Pretty link up is about anything and everything that makes your life prettier. Even if you’re not a blogger, you can still play along. Just tell us what made you feel pretty this week in the comments! I Feel Pretty Logo

There are just a few simple rules:
1. Follow GYPO. (Bloglovin‘, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest)

2. Link up your pretty post.

3. Link back to my blog (using the button above or your own link).

4. Visit other pretties. That’s it, now go have some fun!

Getting my pretty on with Friday Favorites, Fashion Friday and The Pleated Poppy.

Easy Outfits | How to Wear Printed Pants

Easy Outfits | How to Wear Printed Pants

Sep 5, 2014

Want to instantly update your work wear wardrobe?  Just add printed pants.

Solid black, khaki and navy pants and skirts have long been the (yawn, boring) standard for work wear. But your tops shouldn’t get to have all of the fun.  Today I’m going to show you two easy ways to pair up printed bottoms.

If this trend is slightly outside of your comfort zone, start out with a pair in neutral colors with a smaller print.  You can work your way up to bolder colors and bigger patterns from there.

I highly recommend a slim fitting ankle pant.  They flatter all body types and give your work wear a more modern silhouette.

1. Keep it Simple.

Pair your printed pants up with a simple solid blouse that you can leave out or tuck in.  Add a long necklace and low heel for a work wear look that’s sure to wow.

The Pieces:  Blouse/Earrings/Necklace/Watch/Purse/Pants/Heels

2. Mix it Up.

Subtle pattern mixing gives your basics, like a white button down and cardigan,  a fresh new look.  Leopard plays well with others and works with just about any other print.

Work Outfit 4

The Pieces:  Cardigan/Blouse/Necklace/Watch/Purse/Pants/Heels

Printed Pants Options

[Tailored Ankle Pant]

[Plaid Ankle Pant]

[Printed Pant]

As you may have guessed, printed pants are one of the items on the Work Your Work Wear Challenge shopping list.  Here’s some great examples of ways the ladies in the challenge paired theirs up this past week.

how-to-wear-printed-pantsIt’s not too late if you still join want to join us and give your work wear wardrobe a makeover.  Sign up now to get your shopping list and access to the outfits immediately.  We’d love to have you!

Fall FB Cover Graphic White Learn More

Project Runway Inspired Eyes

Project Runway Inspired Eyes

Sep 4, 2014


OK, girls, this was a really fun post for me to create so I hope you enjoy it too. As you know by now, I work from home and don’t get a lot of opportunities to get really glammed up, which I sometimes miss. So when Mary Kay® asked me to create some Project Runway-inspired eye makeup looks, I jumped at the opportunity. Mary Kay® supplied the tools and products to create two ready to wear makeup looks inspired by season 13 of Project Runway. Both of these looks were created by Mary Kay® Global Makeup Artist Luis Casco. My teen daughter is obsessed with Project Runway, so she was more than happy to be my assistant to help photograph and create the looks for this post.

Emerald Smoke Look

Green is one of the hottest shades for fall and I love how it brightens any color eyes!” – Luis Casco

To create this look, I followed these steps provided by Luis and Mary Kay:

1. Apply Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color in Meadow Grass to eyelids as a base. Then apply Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Emerald on top. Next brush Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Lime to the inner thirds of the yes with the Mary Kay® Smudger Brush to brighten up eyes.

mary-kay-green-eye-shadow

2. With the Mary Kay® Eyeliner in Black, line the top and bottom lash lines and smudge it slightly to create a smoky look.

mary-kay-green-eyeliner

3. Next apply two coats of Mary Kay® Lash Love Lengthening Mascara.

4. Blend Mary Kay® Cream Blush in Cranberry onto the apples of cheeks using either your fingers or a foundation brush. I’d recommend starting as sheer as possible and then building up to the right intensity.

mary-kay-cranberry-blush-green

5. For lips, first line them in Mary Kay® Lip Liner in Cappuccino and then top off with True Dimensions Lipstick in Mystic Plum.

mary-kay-lipstick-green

The Final Product

mary-kay-green-makeup-look

My Take:

This look is really wearable for my every day. I don’t typically wear green eye makeup but I loved how it looked with my brown eyes and have found some new go-to colors. Overall it was a much subtler effect than I thought it would be. The bold cranberry cheeks and lip color were really nice with green.

Graphic Eye Look

There’s nothing cooler than a cat eye right now. Try combining black gel eyeliner with an unexpected shade like blue for a look that’s right on trend.” – Luis Casco

mary-kay-at-play

For the graphic eye look, I did the following:

1. As a base, apply Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Moonstone to eyelids. Next brush Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Driftwood to the creases and under the eyes to create depth using the Mary Kay® Eye Crease Brush.

mary-kay-graphic-eye-shadow

2. In a very thin line, apply Mary Kay® at Play Bold Fluid Eyeliner in Blue My Mind from the upper inner corners to the middle of your eyes. Then apply Mary Kay® Gel Eyeliner in Jet Black from the outer corner in to meet the blue eyeliner.

mary-kay-graphic-eye-blue

3. Next apply Mary Kay® Bronzing Powder in Light-Medium to the cheeks as a highlighter for a bronzed look. Use the Medium-Dark bronzer shade around the hairline and under cheekbones to create contour.

mary-kay-graphic-eye-bronzer

4. Apply two coats of Mary Kay® Ultimate Mascara in Black.

mary-kay-graphic-eye-mascara

5. For lips, apply True Dimensions Lipstick in Pink Cherie and top off with Mary Kay® NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Au Naturel. mary-kay-graphic-eye-2

The Final Product

mary-kay-graphic-eye-look

My Take: This was so much fun for a fantasy look! I’ve always wanted to try a cat eye but haven’t really had the opportunity to wear one. I’d definitely try this look again for a night out or special occasion. The bronzer contouring was my favorite part. It gave my skin such a nice warm glow that still looked natural. The key to wearing a bold eye like this is a subtle lip and this pink was perfect for that!

For more inspiration and videos featuring both of these looks visit Mary Kay® on Facebook, Youtube, and of course, their website!

It’s Your Turn: Which makeup look is your favorite? Tell me in the comments for your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card and a special collection of Mary Kay® products. 

Sweepstakes Rules: 


No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1.  Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2.  Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3.  Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4.  For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 9/4/2014-10/7/2014.
Be sure to visit the Mary Kay brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Q & A Wednesday + A BIG Thank You!

Q & A Wednesday + A BIG Thank You!

Sep 3, 2014

Happy Wednesday pretties!  Before we get to today’s Q&A post, I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  On Monday, my book went on sale and you all responded in a BIG way.  So big that you put “Get Pretty, Kick Butt” at #1 on the Parenting & Relationships best sellers list on Amazon!

Thank YOU for making my dream of becoming an Amazon best selling author come true.  I’m over the moon!

Now back to today’s business.  I put out a request to GYPO Facebook followers yesterday to submit questions for a Q&A today on the blog.  First off, I LOVED your questions.  Some of them made me outright giggle, so I knew this was going to be a lot of fun.  So much fun, that I might just make this a regular monthly feature.  Without further ado, here are my A’s to your Q’s.

Facebook Q and A

Q&A Wednesday with Alison

Q:  What was your worst style purchase/decision?  What was your best?  What’s the one item you’ve had the longest and still wear?

A:  Worst, hmm.  Can we just count most of the 90’s and early 2000’s?   I didn’t understand fit back then so I had a lot of ill-fitting clothes.  Mainly baggy jeans and pants that made my lower half look out of proportion.  Now, I know myself so well that if I don’t love how something looks on me, I just don’t buy it.

On the other hand, my biggest appearance faux pas (which my kids are more than happy to remind me of) was when I got my hair chopped off super short while wearing braces…as an adult.

Not my best look.  🙂

short-hair-braces

Moving on…

Best style purchase?  Definitely my Frye Boots in Cognac.  When the weather turns cooler, I wear them almost daily.  Totally worth the splurge on a cost per wear basis.

The item that I’ve had the longest and still wear is my pair of cheap leopard flats from Target.  I’ve had them for five years!  They’re starting to wear out now but they’re just so darn comfy and worn in that I can’t quit them.  Really, I should just spring for the $14.99 for a new pair but I don’t want to break them in all over again.

Q:  If they made a movie of your life, which actress would you want picked to portray you?

A:  Tina Fey or Sandra Bullock.  Yes, I’ve given this some thought. 🙂 They’re both incredibly funny, smart and down to earth brunettes who aren’t afraid to poke fun of themselves or look silly.  I LOVE that.

[Via]

Q:  Who is your style hero?

A:  Another easy one.  Hands down, Kate Middleton.  She has classic style nailed.  I love that she throws in some trendy elements and sometimes even wears things that I can actually afford.  What’s not to love?

[Via]

Q:  Can you give us some ideas on transition pieces that we can turn into fall outfits?

A:  My all-time favorite transition piece is a boyfriend cardigan.  You can throw it on over t-shirts, button downs, tank tops and pair it up with skinny or boyfriend jeans and ballet flats or ankle boots for a cute fall look that takes the chill off without being too warm.

This outfit is totally me in the fall.

boyfriend-cardigan-striped-tee-jeans-outfit

Boyfriend Cardigan + Striped Top + Scarf + Gold Watch + Boyfriend Jeans + Leopard Loafers

That’s it for today’s Q&A.  Thanks everyone for submitting your awesome questions.  Let’s do it again next month!

I FEEL PRETTY

It’s the day of the week at GYPO where we celebrate what makes us feel pretty. Whether it’s a new outfit, hairstyle, or makeup, the I Feel Pretty link up is about anything and everything that makes your life prettier. Even if you’re not a blogger, you can still play along. Just tell us what made you feel pretty this week in the comments! I Feel Pretty Logo

There are just a few simple rules:
1. Follow GYPO. (Bloglovin‘, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest)

2. Link up your pretty post.

3. Link back to my blog (using the button above or your own link).

4. Visit other pretties. That’s it, now go have some fun!

Fall FB Cover Graphic White Learn More

Getting my pretty on with Fashion Friday and Friday Favorites.

Easy Outfits | Floral Blouse + Bright Cardigan

Easy Outfits | Floral Blouse + Bright Cardigan

Aug 29, 2014

We’ve completed the first week of outfits for the Work Your Work Wear Challenge. If you’ve never done a challenge with me before, this is how it works.  Participants get a shopping list of wardrobe basics (for this challenge, business casual basics) and ten days to get all of their pieces in place.  Then every day for the next three weeks, they get a new outfit combo created from the pieces delivered to their inbox every day.

For the next three Fridays during the Work Wear Challenge, I’ll be featuring an outfit from the challenge along with some of my favorite interpretations by the participants.

This week’s easy outfit combo is perfect for a business casual environment but works just as well for lunch with friends.  The key to this outfit is coordinating the colors of the blouse with the cardigan and flats.  You can repeat the formula over and over again with different pieces to create completely different outfits.

Easy Outfit Formula

Cardigan + Printed Blouse + Neutral Pants + Bright Shoes

The Pieces

Cardigan – A colorful cardigan brightens up your office days.  You can never have enough cardigans!

Floral Blouse – The colors on this floral blouse are even prettier in person.  They make it perfect to transition into fall.  A simple graphic pattern also works great.

Earrings – These simple statement earrings in a trellis design will be your new go-to.

Over Sized Watch – Forget the fussiness of stacks of bracelets for the office, an over sized gold watch makes a big enough impact for your every day.

Pants – A slim fitting ankle pant gives this outfit a more modern silhouette.  You could also opt for a stretch trouser or pencil skirt for a dressier look.

Flats – These cute bow flats keep feet comfortable and happy all day.  Or try swapping them for a bright heel to elevate the look.

Here are some of my favorite interpretations of this outfit by real members of the style challenge. Work Wear Week One

If you’d like to join us for the Work Wear Challenge, it’s not too late.  Sign up now to get immediate access to the shopping list and outfits.   Work Wear Header 2Getting my pretty on with Fashion Friday.