I Feel Pretty | Graduated

I Feel Pretty | Graduated

I had a different post scheduled today but on Monday I posted a photo from my son’s graduation that ended up creating quite a buzz around the dress I wore.  You wanted to know where I got it and how I paired it up.

It’s a black sheath faux wrap dress from Tahari that I picked up on clearance for a steal.  It was love at first sight.  Bad fashion blogger that I am (I never really claimed to be a good one),  I didn’t even get any full-length pictures of what I wore.  So I tried my best to recreate the whole outfit from the night – black dress, coral accessories, leopard heels and a color block purse.  Unfortunately, I can’t link up my exact dress but here’s a very similar one that’s definitely not so budget-friendly.

Graduation Dress

[Earrings/Watch/Shoes/Dress/Bracelet/Handbag]

Tahari dresses fit me amazingly well, every time. The styles are so classic and are my go-to for special occasions.  So when they go on sale, I try to add a new one to my collection.  Here are some other Tahari styles that I love.

Sheath Dress for Graduation

[1/2/3]

And here are a few more photos from the evening.

DSC_0452_1

My sister Andrea, Devon, my sister Heather and me.

DSC_0460_1

Our proud family posing with the graduate.

Just for fun, here’s a little throwback to my graduation year.  I’m not sure which is more impressive, the ginormous sleeves or the even bigger hair.  Hmm, maybe I didn’t always have such good taste in dresses!

Alison 1991

TONE + TUNE UP CHALLENGE

Tone and Tune UP. move your body. dates.jpgIf you’re like me and haven’t quite met your summer shape up goals yet, my trainer friend Elyse Sparkes is doing a really cool challenge for summer.  It’s a 21-day workout program called the Tone + Tune Up Challenge that you can do at home or at the gym and includes five full-body workout videos, e-mail inspiration, a 21-day calendar, journaling and meditation assignments, access to a private Facebook group and more.  It starts on June 16th.  You can get more info and sign up HERE!

Summer Style Me Pretty BannerIf you missed the deadline to sign up for the Summer Style Me Pretty Challenge, there’s still time to join us.  The shopping list went out last Friday and late registration is open now through June 15th, when the first outfit will be released.  The women participating are sharing so many awesome shopping tips in the Facebook group.  You can sign up now and get your shopping list immediately.  Join in the fun HERE!

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
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 pretty peeps. That’s it!



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

I Feel Pretty | On a Typical Day

I Feel Pretty | On a Typical Day

This post is a bit of a departure from my regular Wednesday outfits, but it’s something a few of you have asked about and I thought would be fun to do.  Last week, I got this e-mail:

Alison, I love your blog, it’s really helping me find my style again!  I have to ask though, how do you find time to get ready every day?  Most days I’m still the “yoga pants mom”.  I have three kids too but feel like my days are always getting away from me.  I’d love to see what one of your typical days actually looks like.  Thanks! – Jennifer M.

Great question Jennifer.  The simple answer is I don’t get ready every day.  🙂  Even though I try to for my Daily Style Diary posts, I still have the occasional day when I wear my yoga pants most, if not all of the day.  Especially on the weekends.

But most days, I do make an effort to get ready.  Getting dressed helps me stay structured and that’s what I need more than anything.  When I started working from home a few years back, I had a VERY hard time getting into a routine which is exactly how I ended up in my mom rut.

If you’ve read my e-book Get Pretty, Kick Butt!, then you already know about the time management system I use to plan and structure my days –  the Power Hour and Kick Butt Routine.  This system has worked for me almost every day for three years and counting.  (If you want to find out more about the Power Hour, there’s a free download you can get by signing up HERE.)

Because Craig has been traveling so much lately, it’s become even more important for me to make time for the Power Hour and stick to the Kick Butt Routine.  I have to get WAY more done and have a lot less free time.

Here’s what my Monday looked like.

5:45 a.m. – Alarm goes off.  I get up, brush my teeth and grab my first cup of coffee before sitting down in front of my laptop to start my morning Power Hour.

5:55 a.m. – Sort through e-mail and open my two daily devotions.  Read both of them and write in my prayer journal.

6:15 a.m. – Get a second cup of coffee.  Visit some of my daily blog reads.  Start working through blog e-mail, answer questions from readers and respond to comments that came in over the weekend.

6:30 a.m. – Answer my personal e-mail, sign up to work concessions at Devon’s track meet and start looking through scholarship opportunities at one of the colleges he’s considering.  Check the online status of his first choice college application.  Still no decision. 🙁

6:45 a.m. – Take the fastest shower in the world and throw on an easy outfit – my green popover with my favorite jeans and boots.  I have a doctor’s appointment in Dallas at 9:30 and will have to go right after dropping Aubrey off at school.  This is my only time I have to get ready before the girls get up.

022414-green-popover6:55 a.m. – My Power Hour is up, time to wake Ava up to get ready for school.  While she gets dressed, I make her breakfast and pack lunches for both girls.

7:10 – Craig calls to chat for five minutes.  He tells me to say a prayer that he can resolve his work issues today and head home soon.  He’s been gone for over a week.

7:15 – Devon pops his head into the kitchen to say goodbye on his way to track practice.

7:20 a.m. – Drive Ava to school.  She’s having a bad case of the Mondays and doesn’t get out of the car on our first pass.  I make a loop and drive by again, she spots her favorite teacher and hops out of the car to meet her.  Crisis averted!

7:30 a.m. – Quick Clean-up – I make the bed, wipe down the kitchen, unload the dishwasher and tidy up the living room.

7:50 a.m. – Wake Aubrey up, make her breakfast.  Finish my make-up and hair while she gets ready for school.

8:15 a.m. – Make my breakfast, a two egg scramble with red and yellow peppers and sliced avocado.

egg-pepper-scramble8:20 a.m. – Dermatologist’s office calls to reschedule my appointment, my doctor is sick.  All dressed up with no place to go!

8:40 a.m. – Drive Aubrey to school.

9:00 a.m. – Return home with a block of time and nothing planned, dangerous combo.  Waste time on the internet for 15 minutes.

9:15 – 10:30 a.m. – Decide to put my extra time to better use by editing pictures and working on Friday’s white jeans post.  It’s a doozy, lots of information, but I love putting posts together.  It’s one of my favorite parts of blogging.

Loft Modern Straight10:30 a.m. – Even though it’s supposed to be my day off from working out, I think about going for a run on the treadmill to get through my mid-morning slump.  Instead I make a to-go cup of hazelnut coffee and head out to run some errands.  Definitely more fun.

10:30-11:30 a.m. – I stop by a local spa to get Craig a much-deserved massage gift certificate.  He worked over 80 hours last week.  I go next door to Michael’s to shop for a new spring wreath for our front door.  There are no pre-made wreaths that I’m in love with so I buy supplies to make my own.

11:30-12:30 – Craft time!  I get out the floral wire and hot glue gun to put together my new wreath.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been crafty and it feels good.

12:30 p.m. – Finished with the wreath and it’s on the front door!  It didn’t turn out exactly like I planned but I like it anyway.

spring-wreath-initial12:30 – 12:45 p.m. – Social Media Time.  Spend a few minutes scrolling through my personal Facebook feed.  Go to my blog’s Facebook page and tout today’s post, then do the same on Twitter and Pinterest.

12:45 p.m. – Lunch!  Left over rotisserie chicken on top of field greens with raspberry vinaigrette.  I’m still hungry so I have a side of veggie chips.  Didn’t work, still hungry.

1:00 p.m. – Back to e-mail.  Answer blog comments that have come in since this morning and respond to e-mail.

1:30 p.m. – Craig calls to check in again.  I send him a picture of my wreath, he says it looks great.  He’s too nice. 🙂

1:45 – 2:00 p.m. – Afternoon devotions.  I have two pieces of Dove Dark Chocolate with almonds – my daily afternoon “me time” treat.

devotions-chocolate2:00 – 2:30 p.m. – The calm in my day before the storm.  I make a quick phone call to my mom.  Soon all three kids will be home and I’ll be on the go all evening.

2:40 p.m. – Ava comes home.  We chat about her day while I go through her backpack.  She has homework to do and gets started.  Devon gets home at the same time, he has double early release his senior year.

3:20 p.m. – Time to pick up Aubrey from school.  We stop at Target on the way home for a few things that we’re out of.  She has a snack and starts her homework when we get home.

4:20 p.m. – The girls and I head to the barn for Ava’s ride.  We take the Gator out to the pasture to catch her horse, bring him back to the barn and help tack him up.  Devon is at the gym to working out.

braiding-horse-maneBraiding Clue’s mane.

6:30 p.m. – Bring Ava home from riding and get her in the shower.  She smells like the barn and so does my car.  I start preparing dinner while she gets cleaned up.  We need something quick and easy so it’s a breakfast for dinner night – waffles, turkey sausage and fruit.

breakfast-for-dinner7:30 p.m. – Clean up the kitchen while helping Devon with a paper for his government class.  Then I get a quick shower and put on my PJ’s.

8:00 p.m. – Sit down to watch The Voice with all three kids.

9:00 p.m. – Take Ava to bed.  Craig calls to tell her good night.  We end up having a nice long conversation, our first of the day.

10:00 p.m. – Aubrey turns in for the evening.  I’m getting tired too but decide to do some online shopping for a new trench coat.  I can’t decide between this one, this one or this one.  Hard, right?

10:30 p.m. – I call Craig again to tell him good night and start to doze off.  Devon wakes me a few minutes later by being noisy while taking out the trash.  I’m just happy he didn’t forget.  🙂

E-BOOK NEWS

Book CoverSpeaking of my e-book, a lot of you have asked when it would be available in another format besides Kindle.  My period of exclusivity with Amazon is over (woo hoo!) so I’m now able to offer Get Pretty, Kick Butt! as a downloadable .pdf.  It’s still available in the Kindle version too.  If you want more info on downloading the .pdf, you can get it HERE.

Next Wednesday, Aubrey and I will be back with the March installment of our mother/daughter style series featuring Kiki LaRue.  We’re looking forward to it!

It’s Your Turn:  What tips do you have for making time to get ready every day? Share them in the comments!

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
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 pretty peeps.



Getting my pretty on with The Pleated Poppy.

I Feel Pretty | Blue

I Feel Pretty | Blue

blue-wool-coat-full-2Have you ever heard of Blue Monday?  I just found out about it myself, it’s supposed to be the most depressing day of the year.  Apparently it already came and went at the beginning of January this year.  I have no clue if this has any scientific validity but I do know that, keeping it really real today, I struggle with the winter blues every year at this time.  I don’t know if it’s the lack of sunlight, the slacking on workouts, the fact that spring seems so far away or a combo of all of the above.  But it’s very real, at least to me.

Even though there’s no magic bullet, here are a few things that help me plow through these long winter days.

1.  Exercise – Even though I want to be a total slacker, I know that working out is the best way to boost my mood.  I pop in one of my Jillian Michaels DVD’s and get my sweat on.  Love her or hate her, one thing’s for sure, she will kick yo’ booty!  This one is my favorite.

2.  Upbeat Music – This song has been on my playlist lately because it makes me feel, well, “Happy”.  When it comes on in the car, I crank it up and dance every time.  This video will definitely make you smile!

3. Summer Scents – I switch out from my winter candles to summer scents.  Ahh, aromatherapy.  If I close my eyes, I can pretend like I’m at the beach.  My favorite lately is Tiki Beach from Bath and Body Works.

Tiki Beach 14.5 oz. 3-Wick Candle - Slatkin & Co. - Bath & Body Works

4.  Plan Summer Vacation – We have our family meeting in February to decide upon and start planning our summer vacation.  This year’s trip is still TBD but as soon as it’s decided, we’ll set a countdown on our phones and start looking forward to it!

5.  Wait it Out – My winter blues usually lift in early March.  That’s when the sun starts to make a regular appearance and I’m back to taking daily walks outdoors.

Until then, my favorite light blue coat and a bright scarf help brighten up these dreary winter days a little too.  Hurry up and get here March!

blue-wool-coat-scarf-2

Blue-wool-coat-scarf-half

beige-sweater-scarf-half

Brown-Boots

blue-wool-coat-full[Coat:  Similar/Sweater:  c/o Scissortail Clothing/Scarf:  c/o Chic Tweak/Boots:  Similar/Jeans:  Paige/Watch:  c/o Fossil]

I bought my light blue coat years ago but it’s still one of my favorites.  It’s not available anymore but here are some options in similar styles and colors.

[Mint Longline Wool Coat]

[Light Blue Wool Blend Coat]

[Double Breasted Wool Coat]

It’s Your Turn:  Do you struggle with the winter blahs too?  If so, what tips do you have for getting through this time of the year?

SCISSORTAIL CLOTHING COMPANY

ScissortailLogoI just love retailers that make it a no-brainer for us to stay on trend.  My latest sponsor Scissortail Clothing Company is one of them.   Scissortail carries fun date night dresses, trendy casual pieces, accessories and footwear all at affordable prices.  The sweater I’m wearing today is just one of their many pieces available for under $40.

Yarn & Oatmeal Knit Sweater

[Yarn and Oatmeal Knit Sweater]

These Aztec sweater are perfect for leggings now but will also look cute paired up with shorts as the weather gets warmer.

Black and White Aztec Sweater[Black and White Aztec Sweater]

They have a great selection of dresses that would be perfect for a Valentine’s date night.

Lace Mini Dress[Lace Mini Dress – On Sale!]

Romance & Lace Skirt[Romance and Lace Skirt – On Sale!]

And check out these unique, earthy accessories.  I want all of them!

Slice of Geode Necklace

[Slice of Geode Necklace]

Druzy Earrings in Black

[Druzy Earrings in Black]

SCISSORTAIL CLOTHING GIVEAWAY

Scissortail has been kind enough to sponsor a giveaway for GYPO readers.  One lucky girl is going to win her choice of any dress.  Just pick any of the easy ways below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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
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 pretty peeps.  



Getting my pretty on with Fashion Friday.

I Feel Pretty | Humbled

I Feel Pretty | Humbled

Last week, I sent out my very first reader survey.  When the responses started to roll in, I got that same feeling that I used to get right before a performance review at my corporate job.  The butterflies, the sweaty palms, the fear of finding out what you all really think of me.

The great news is, it wasn’t that scary after all.  You guys are truly the sweetest, nicest, most helpful and BEST READERS EVER!  Even when you did offer criticism or suggestions for improvement (which I asked for), you did it in the most constructive and helpful way possible.  And the positive feedback?  Well it completely overwhelmed me.  I am so humbled and honored to be able to share this blog with you.

On to the results!

The top five pieces of feedback I got were the following:

#1 – You want more personal posts.

This was hands-down the biggest request.  You have NO idea how happy this makes me!  This was something that I had no clue you wanted more of.   There are so many things that I wanted to share here but just skipped out on it because I didn’t know if you’d be interested.   But I’ve been dying to tell you!  Life is exciting right now – our son just got his first acceptance letters for college and we’re scheduling visits.   We’ve had our challenges too – our daughter made the decision to quit gymnastics after ten years.  Lots of changes and transitions going on.  There are so many more things I want to share with you guys and I’m beyond excited that you actually want to hear about them!

#2 – You want less sponsored content.

A million times THANK YOU for being honest about this.  The last thing I want to do is be inauthentic or sales-y.  Yuck.  I would totally suck as a salesperson, that’s why I’ve never been one.  🙂  Please forgive me if I turned you off with sponsored posts and most of all, thank you for sticking around if I did.  I totally get it now and my goal is to strike a better balance.

I wish I could blog for free, I really do.  For the most part I did up, until I got laid off last year.   While I am first and foremost a personal blogger, I am also a digital publisher.  I’ve had the privilege of being accepted into some pretty awesome publishing networks like BlogHer.  They provide me with an opportunity to supplement our family’s income through blogging.    The primary way my blog makes money is through sponsored content and ads.  Affiliate sales are just a small percentage.   Most readers are here for inspiration, not to buy anything, and that’s perfectly fine. But it does put me in a position where I have to post sponsored content sometimes.  Otherwise, blogging can be an expensive hobby and I’m not in a position to have one of those right now.  Especially with a kid going off to college in a few months!

Having said that, monetization is important but what good is it if nobody wants to read your blog?  This has slapped me upside the head.  Unfortunately some sponsored content is a necessary evil but I will try my hardest to only accept opportunities that tie in well with what you want more of.  Much like flipping through the ads in a magazine or DVR’ing your favorite show and skipping the commercials, feel free to only read what you like here too.  I won’t mind at all!  Just don’t let it be something that keeps you away for good.

#3 -You like that I interact with you.

If not for this community, there wouldn’t be a blog!   You truly are what makes this worthwhile.  If you’re a reader who doesn’t comment because you don’t see me responding in the comments section, I want you to know that I respond to every single comment that I get through e-mail (or by visiting your blog, if you’re a blogger).   My reason for doing it through e-mail is because I can get more personal and I know that you’ll read them.  Not everyone goes back to a blog post to see if they got a response on their comment.  I love connecting through the e-mails we send back and forth and have made many new friends through my comments section, some that have become real-life friends.

#4 -You’re here for the outfits.

By a landslide, outfit posts were the winner with 80% of respondents preferring them most of all.  The runners-up were beauty, trend watches, home decor and health.  I hear you loud and clear and will be giving you more of what you want and less of what you don’t!

#5 – You want casual, affordable, easy to put together, age-appropriate outfits, that fit your body well.

Amen sisters!  My goal is to create effortless outfits that are affordable and on trend, yet completely age-appropriate.  A lot of you also mentioned fit and dressing for your body type as challenges.  I’ll be more aware of that and try to offer options and advice for fit when I can.

Many of you also mentioned wanting to see more casual outfits.  So, on Monday I started a Daily Style Diary post of my photos on Instagram to show you my outfits I’m wearing for everyday.  I can’t promise you there will be one every single day but I’ll try to post as many as I can.  You can find the outfits I’ve posted so far by searching hash tag #dailymomstyle.

Again, thank you for your honesty and candor.  Your kind responses were just simply overwhelming.  The fashion and beauty challenges that you shared have given me so many ideas for future posts and I couldn’t be more excited to dig into them.  I want this to be a place you enjoy coming to every day where we can be friends talking about style, beauty and all of the things that girlfriends love to share.

trench-coat-skinny-jeans-boots

striped-sweater-skinny-jeans-fur-scarf

taupe-ankle-boots

tunic-sweater-skinny-jeans-boots-fur-scarf[Trench:  c/o eShakti (similar)/Sweater:  Loft/Jeans:  Paige/Scarf:  American Eagle (similar)/Boots:  c/o Wallis/Watch:  c/o Fossil/Earrings:  c/o Zocorra/Sunglasses:  Ray-Ban]

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
There are just a few simple rules:

1. Follow GYPO. (Facebook, Twitter, Bloglovin‘)

2. Link up your pretty post.

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

4. Visit other pretty peeps.

‘); // ]]>


Getting my pretty on with Fashion Friday, Fashion Informant, What I’m Loving Friday, Friday’s Fab FavoritesWhat I Wore to Work, Tres Chic ThursdayThe Pleated Poppy and Shanna.

I Feel Pretty | Refreshed

I Feel Pretty | Refreshed

First off, thank you all SO MUCH for allowing me to take a couple of weeks away from the blogging world.  It was so good for my soul.  I got to spend lots of quality time with my family – watching movies, playing card games, taking the girls to get our nails done.  Hubby and I reconnected by going out on a real date night and getting a massage together.  I also tackled some long overdue home projects, like cleaning out the fridge and organizing our pantry.  It’s not Pinterest worthy, but it’s a heckuva lot better!  I even found time to take an online business course, read a book and set some 2014 goals for myself and GYPO.  It was definitely a much needed, productive and very refreshing break.

Thanks for coming back this week for the I Feel Pretty link up.  In case you missed yesterday’s post, I’m now one of the co-hosts of the new Beauty Buzz link up every Tuesday along with Lulu of Simply Lulu Style, Nicole of MomTrends, and Janise of Mama in Heels.  Each week, we’ll be taking turns hosting the link up and sharing beauty news you can use.  You’re invited to link up your beauty posts and join in the fun.  Check out yesterday’s link up HERE.

I also took advantage during my break to spend as much time in leggings as possible.  Real pants not required!  Here’s one of my warm and comfy looks featuring my favorite faux leather leggings.

Tribal Scarf Leather Leggings Full

Tribal Scarf Cobalt Sweater

Tribal Scarf Cobalt Sweater Close

Leather Leggings Outfit

Tribal Scarf Leather Leggings Full[Coat:  Similar/Sweater:  Mossimo/Scarf:  Michael Stars (Similar)/Leggings:  Mimi Chica/Boots:  Frye/Watch:  Fossil]

My plum double breasted wool coat has been one of my closet staples for the past few winters.  The color works amazingly well with just about everything.  The one I have is no longer available but here’s a similar one on sale now for 33% off.

[Double Breasted Lambswool Coat]

These faux leather leggings are also available for a steal.  They add a fun edge to your leggings outfits.  Pair them up with long chunky knit sweaters for a more subdued look.

[Mimi Chica – Faux Leather Leggings]

NEW YEAR GIVEAWAY!

Have you entered my New Year Giveaway yet?  You could win a prize package worth almost $500.  Click the image below to enter.

Bling, Ring and Sing Graphic

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!

Interested in co-hosting the I Feel Pretty Link up?  E-mail me HERE for more information!

I Feel Pretty
There are just a few simple rules:

1. Follow GYPO. (Facebook, Twitter, Bloglovin‘)

2. Link up your pretty post.

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

4. Visit other pretty peeps.

‘); // ]]>


Getting my pretty on with What I Wore to Work, Monday Mingle, Shanna, Style Sessions, Trend Spin Fashion Friday, Fashion Informant, What I’m Loving Fridays, Friday’s Fab Favorites and The Pleated Poppy.