Feb 10, 2017
TGIF and time for another round of Friday Favorites! Let’s hop right in.
Favorite #1 – Scarf Print Results
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for voting for the first scarf designs for my new product line launching this spring.
You’ll be learning more in the coming weeks about these silk scarves, including the Brooklyn-based female artist who created these designs and the special charity that we’ll be donating a portion of proceeds. The scarves will be available for purchase in late March.
Drum roll please….
Here are the three winning prints that have gone to production!
1. Green Floral
2. Blue Floral
3. Pink Floral
Favorite #2 – Sugarfix by Baublebar
I usually don’t get too excited over a Target collaboration but this one really got me. Baublebar has released it’s new Sugarfix line for Target! And the pieces are SO cute and on trend for spring. Oh and the prices! Everything is super affordable. All of the earrings below are $9.99 – $14.99.
I’m hosting a giveaway on my Facebook page for one of these pairs of earrings. If you haven’t entered yet, hop over there and do it now!
[1/2/3/4/5/6]
Favorite #3 – Easy Hair, Don’t Care
One thing I dreaded most about cutting my hair short was not having the (lazy) option of putting it in a ponytail every day – which means I have to actually fix my hair on a daily basis! This week I did a Facebook Live of how I curl my short bob. It only takes about five minutes a day and I love it SO much more than a ponytail. If this is one of your reasons for not getting your hair cut, let me tell you that it’s not so bad!
Here’s a quick video of how I style my hair, in case you missed it.
Favorite #4 – A Girl’s Night Out (without the hangover)
Once a month, my dear friend Crystal puts on this outstanding event to help women connect meaningfully in our busy seasons of life. It’s called HeartStories and is designed for us to have more joy, more connection, more purpose and more fun. Crystal is truly one of the most positive women I’ve ever met and has such a gift for connection. Oh and did I mention the amazing wine and food? Two of my favorite things.
I’ve recently signed on as one of the sponsors of the monthly GNO and would love to see you there in person if you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Each month, I’ll be sharing a five minute style tip. You can learn more and sign up for next month’s GNO at heartstories.com.
Favorite #5 – Valentine’s Date Night Outfit
Do you go out for Valentine’s Day? Craig and I usually do but we pick a week night to celebrate when the restaurants aren’t as busy (and they don’t have fixed menus, I hate fixed menus). This year I’ll be pairing up this navy striped blouse (under $25!) with my new frayed hem jeans, adding this tassel necklace for a festive pop of red and finishing it out with my comfy block heel sandals.
[Blouse: Same/Jeans: Same/Necklace: Same/Sandals: Same]
It’s Your Turn: What are you loving this Friday?
Feb 8, 2017
If you’ve never heard me talk about Stitch Fix before on the blog, there’s a great reason for that. Mainly because I learned that if you don’t have anything nice to say…
Well, you know the rest!
I’m just not one to give bad reviews of products or services and especially not on my blog. My philosophy has always been to promote what I love.
And honestly I didn’t love Stitch Fix.
A couple of years ago I signed up for my first fix and was super excited for it to arrive – only to find that most of the pieces were dressy or business casual and poor quality for the price. I felt like my stylist totally ignored the fact that I was a work from home mom on a budget. It was very disappointing and needless to say, I sent every piece back and canceled my subscription.
Another Try?
Fast forward a few years and I’ve started seeing other subscribers fixes and reviews and decided it was time to give them another try. It seems that they’ve gotten a LOT better with both the styling and the pieces. I love it when companies take customer feedback and improve their products and services and it seemed like this is exactly what Stitch Fix did!
How it Works
If you’re not already familiar with Stitch Fix, which I’m pretty sure most of the world is, this is how it works. First, you fill out a questionnaire to determine what your personal style is and select your sizes. You’re also given a free form fill-in where you can share information with your stylist on any special events you have coming up or what you dress for on a daily basis.
I shared with my stylist that I’m a work from home mom who likes to feel put together for my day to day life. I also attend a few events each month that require me to be a little bit dressier, including date nights. I was also able to submit my Pinterest board of outfits so she could get an even better feel for what I wear.
The styling fee is $20 but this comes off the total of any pieces you decide to keep. After filling out my questionnaire, my first fix was scheduled and arrived the following week.
The Styling
I’m thrilled to say that this time the stylist totally got me. The pieces in my first fix were dressy enough for a casual date night, yet could also be easily dressed down for a day at home. They also featured some of the latest trends, like fringe and frayed hems, floral and a sueded texture jacket.
The Pieces
The Prices
Priced individually, the pieces were higher than what I normally spend. The floral top alone was $64! BUT they give you a deep discount if you buy all five pieces. The discounted total for everything was only $211, which I found to be really fair considering the jeans were $88. If all of the pieces had fit me properly, it would’ve been a no-brainer to keep all five.
What I Kept
Although I LOVED all of the pieces, I only kept one – the fringe hem top. It’s so cute and versatile! My total spend on this fix was $27.83 (not including my $20 styling fee which was subtracted from the full price of the top).
As for why I chose not to keep the other pieces, I have a similar floral top, the jeans were super cute but a size too big, the jacket didn’t fit me right in the sleeves (and I don’t think I’d wear it much anyway) and I have a similar necklace from Stella and Dot that’s better quality.
An added bonus that I also kept was the styling card included with the pieces. It shows you two different ways to pair up each piece using items from your closet, or that you can shop for on your own. I kept it in my closet for outfit inspiration, along with all of my GYPO Style Challenge outfit ideas.
Here’s how I styled the fringe hem t-shirt.
My Verdict
I’m excited for my next fix! It’s an easy and affordable way to add trends in monthly and Stitch Fix is not a competitor of my own GYPO Style Challenge – as a matter of fact, the two play extremely well together. Style Challengers that subscribe to Stitch Fix are able to easily incorporate their pieces into the challenge. The GYPO Style Challenge and Stitch Fix use the same seasonal trends which makes it even easier.
It’s Your Turn: Do you subscribe to Stitch Fix? If so, what are your thoughts?
I Feel Pretty Link Up
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.
Getting my pretty on with Style Elixir, The Pleated Poppy, Style Elixir, Jo Lynne Shane, and A Little Bit of Everything.
There are just a few simple rules:
1. Follow GYPO. (Bloglovin‘, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest)
2. Link up your pretty post.
3. Link back to GYPO (using the button above or your own link).
4. Visit other pretties.
Feb 6, 2017
Welcome to another edition of SAHMonday – weekly outfit inspiration just for the stay at home and work from home moms of the world (like me!) who aren’t heading out of the house on Monday morning. You can check out the other outfits in this series here.
These outfits are perfect for when you want to feel comfortable, yet put together, so that you can face the day and any errands you may need to run. Plus, most of these outfit formulas can be pulled straight from your closet. If you don’t have my exact pieces, that’s ok. Just use one of the substitutions that I recommend.
The Power of the Outfit Completer
Let’s talk a minute about how to make a basic outfit feel special. I’ve always been a big believer in adding a third piece or an “outfit completer” to a top and jeans. You may have already noticed but all of my SAHMonday outfits use this formula.
My tassel necklace is the third piece in today’s outfit. Some other “outfit completer” ideas are a cardigan, printed scarf, statement necklace, statement earrings, utility jacket, quilted vest, denim jacket, pendant necklace, leopard print belt and printed flats. For more outfit completer ideas check out this post.
Today’s SAHMonday outfit formula utilizes one of my go-to favorite color combos – blush pink with olive green. All you need is a blush top, olive jeans or jeggings and gold ballet flats. Add in an outfit completer like this tassel necklace for an instant outfit.
Blush Tunic + Olive Jeans + Gold Flats + Long Necklace
[Tunic: Similar/Jeans: Similar/Necklace: Similar/Flats: Similar]
Substitutions and Shopping Options:
Tunic: Any blush or neutral tunic, sweater or tee. Shopping Options: 1/2/3
Olive Jeans: Any olive, camo or gray jeans. Shopping Options: 1/2/3
Tassel Necklace: Any long pendant or short statement necklace. Shopping Options: 1/2/3
Gold Flats: Any metallic or neutral flats. Shopping Options: 1/2/3
Show me YOUR SAHMonday outfit! Tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #SAHMonday.
Feb 3, 2017
TGIF and time for another round of Friday Favorites! But before we jump into this week’s favorites, we have some important business to take care of.
I have a very exciting project in the works for you that I absolutely cannot wait to share. This spring I’ll be launching a line of 100% silk scarves made in the US. There is so much love and intention woven into every inch of this line – but more on that to come 🙂
I want this line to be designed for and with YOU. With that in mind, I’m asking you to vote for your favorite prints. The top three prints will be turned into scarves available for purchase this spring.
Here are the five patterns to choose from. Please pop over to my Facebook page to cast your vote!
Favorite #1 – Hidden Figures
My daughter Aubrey and I had a mother/daughter date night last Saturday. We went out for Mexican food and then watched Hidden Figures. I highly recommend this movie if you haven’t seen it yet. Aubrey is a total wiz at math (she gets that from her dad, trust me!) which has always made her feel different – in a good way. She starts college next year so we’ve been talking a lot lately about careers and using your strengths and passions. I took her to see this movie in the hopes of inspiring her to follow her dream for a career in math but instead it was about so much more.
We both left very inspired by the example of these three brave women who never stopped fighting for their rights as women and as minorities. Parts of history were hard to watch, which makes it that much more significant. Go see it, it’s great for kids too.
Favorite #2 – Eye Makeup Palette
You asked for it and my daily eye makeup tutorial is up on Facebook. Thanks for continuing to push me out of my comfort zone to do these little videos on Facebook Live! The eye palette used in this video is the Tarte Styled by Hrush Eye and Cheek Palette. I love the fresh spring colors in it!
Here’s the video, in case you missed it.
Favorite #3 – Lash Extensions
One of my Christmas presents to myself this year was a membership to a lash extension studio. I’ve been going for a few months now and wow, how did I live without them? I get mine done at Amazing Lash Studio, they are a chain with locations in several states. If you have skimpy lashes like me, you might want to give them a try.
Favorite #4 – Gray Jeggings
I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t wear these gray jeggings three times in the past week (don’t worry, I washed them…once). 🙂 Maybe it’s because they’re the jean equivalent to stretchy pants. Or maybe because I love the color and the released hem on them. They’re perfect with flats or ankle boots!
[Gray Jegggings]
Favorite #5 – Yogi Kava Stress Relief Tea
Since turning 40 a few years ago, I’ve had my share of nights with insomnia. My doctor can’t seem to figure out why but I’ve tried just about everything to get some sleep – magnesium, sleep aids, melatonin, you name it. A few weeks ago I read a good review for Yogi Kava Stress Relief Tea so I decided to give it a try. It definitely gives a feeling of relaxation, more so than a lot of other things that I’ve tried. Now I have a cup every night before bed and while I still wake up in the middle of the night, I do fall asleep much easier.
It’s Your Turn: What are you loving this Friday?
Feb 1, 2017
I’m not sure about your neck of the woods, but February’s weather in north Texas can definitely be unpredictable. One day we’re in boots and sweaters, the next it’s t-shirts and sandals! It’s hard to have an “in-between” wardrobe that can run the gamut of daily temperatures.
This month’s Pretty Fix is perfect for this time of the year. It features a lightweight rib knit sweater that’s not too hot and some preppy touches like suede loafers and a tassel tote. Sometimes I love an outfit so much when I’m putting together a fix, that I order all of the pieces immediately. This is one of those special outfits!
If you’re new around here, the Pretty Fix is a monthly feature with five budget-friendly recommendations for staying on trend. The idea for it was born out of frustration some of you have had with box styling services. The Pretty Fix allows you to shop for the pieces at your favorite stores so it’s budget and quality conscious. Of course, I always recommend that you shop your closet first!
This month’s fix has three of my favorite trends for spring – frayed hems, a skinny scarf and menswear inspired loafers that convert into mules.
Here’s your February 2017 Pretty Fix.
Pretty Fix – February 2017
Navy has quickly become one of my new favorite neutrals. This rib knit is lightweight enough for warmer days but is also great for layering. Try it with a basic white t-shirt under it. If you’re not into navy, use your printed scarf as inspiration and choose a different color. Here are some other options: 1/2/3
Skinny scarves are all the rage for spring. I love this one because it can be worn as a hair band, neck scarf or tied to the handle of your handbag. Additional options: 1/2/3
Ah, nothing says spring is coming like a happy, yellow tote. The tassel detail on this yellow tote adds a preppy touch. If yellow isn’t your thing, choose another fun color like poppy red, kelly green or bright pink. Here are some shopping options: 1/2/3
If you don’t have a pair of frayed hem jeans yet, you’ll definitely want to add some to your spring wardrobe. I love the distressing on this pair. Tip: also search “released hem” to find this trend. Here are some other options: 1/2/3
I’m swooning over these premium suede loafers at an awesome price! They come with a “soft heel” so you can also wear them as a slip on, as pictured below. Even though the price is great on the pair featured, don’t be afraid to invest a little more. They’re a classic that will never go out of style! Additional options: 1/2/3
SAHM Capsule – Coming Soon
You asked for it and the SAHM Casual Wardrobe Basics Builder is coming soon! This one is made up of must-have’s that I pulled right from my very own closet. It’s the ultimate guide to building a functional, fashionable wardrobe that works for your every day life.
It includes a 20 piece capsule wardrobe shopping list that you can shop for the items at your favorite stores. You’re free to spend as much or as little as you want and most women shop their closets first! After your pieces are in place, you get 20 days of outfit ideas created from the pieces on the list. It includes a handy printable of all 20 days of outfits to hang in your closet for daily outfit inspiration.
You’ll never walk into your closet and wonder what to wear again. The SAHM Casual Wardrobe Basics Builder includes:
- 20 days of outfit ideas that work for your daily life from running errands to lunch with girlfriends and casual date nights
- 20 piece capsule wardrobe shopping list including accessories with links to recommended items
- Beautiful printable PDF’s to take shopping with you and hang in your closet for daily outfit inspiration
- Includes plus size options
- Ideal for women who are rebuilding a wardrobe
The best part? It’s available for only $29. Stay tuned for more information on the opening coming soon!
Please Note: This mini-capsule is in addition to the GYPO Spring Style Challenge. The Spring 2017 Challenge will be opening in mid-March.
I Feel Pretty Link Up
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.
Getting my pretty on with Style Elixir, The Pleated Poppy, The Mix, A Good Hue, Jo Lynne Shane, and A Little Bit of Everything.
There are just a few simple rules:
1. Follow GYPO. (Bloglovin‘, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest)
2. Link up your pretty post.
3. Link back to GYPO (using the button above or your own link).
4. Visit other pretties.
