21 Gifts for Fashion Forward Ladies

Shopping has been on the back burner for me the past few months other than for the essentials and random things from Amazon. It's the pretty things I've been avoiding by not clicking on that email from my favorite shop offering BOGO on jeans or some other irresistible sale. Online browsing leads to online purchasing, well it does in my case, so I've done a decent job at avoiding it.  Until recently.

It just so happens the majority of ladies in my life (my sister, mom, favorite cousin, and a ton of girl friends) have birthdays towards the end of the year, and with 2016 technically being half way through, browsing happened over the weekend.

Building a wishlist has to start somewhere so these are some of my favorite finds:

I'm clearly adoring all the soft colors for clothing yet shiny and glittery for accessories. And those coasters are my favorite for the home!
 

 Off the Shoulder Dress / Kate Spade Glitter Stud Earrings / 'Surf' Flat Sandals
 Kendra Scott 'Elisa' Necklace / MAC Mascara / Sleeveless Knit Romper

 BaubleBar 'Bold' Necklace  / MAC Eye-shadow  / UD 'Naked' Palette

Strappy Tank Dress / Floppy Straw Look Hat / Timex Leather Watch

Lumino Gilded Coasters / LP Dry Shampoo / Paisley Off the Shoulder Dress

MAC 'Look in a Box' / Ray-Ban Sunglasses  / Bobbi Brown 'beach' Body Oil

Kate Spade Journal  / Red Carpet Manicure Kit / Crossed Arrow Bookends

Weekend Whereabouts

This weekend was the perfect break to recharge those batteries. Of course it's never long enough but I had no big plans so I took advantage of sleeping in and being productive around the house. On Friday night K decided to play chef and cooked up a nice dinner at home so it was a relaxing night.



Saturday morning was spent cleaning and organizing the house before heading out to Target, Home Goods, and a few more stops to get some last minute shopping done for our trip this week. I love all the pride clothing that Target is now carrying.

 I didn't go too crazy shopping but I did get a gorgeous pair of rose gold sling-back sandals along with a matching crystal headband and a Stila Lip Gloss in Rose Quartz for my cousin's beach wedding on Saturday.

We all know shopping builds up an appetite so K and I went to Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen for some lunch and shared this delicious cocktail called a painkiller. I don't usually drink rum but all of the other ingredients hid the rum taste and it was so good!

I also bought these super comfortable dupe Michael Kors Espadrille wedges from Target that I've been eyeing for months now. They were 30% off so it was finally time to pull the trigger.

Before heading home for the evening, we stopped off at Publix to stock up on some groceries and I stumbled on this new blueberry beer from Abita. I always rave about Abita's Strawberry beer and this one was equally as good. Strawberry and blueberry happen to be my favorite flavors when it comes to pretty much anything. 

Sunday was another relaxing day. K left for a work trip around 6 am so Lola and I slept in a bit. Well more so her than me!

Then it was time for some breakfast, coffee and, blogging. I also got laundry and cleaning done, food prepped for the week, and put together this Jamaican Curry Chicken recipe in the crockpot to let dinner cook itself.

If you've been following my blog, you might already know that I recently bought a new house and posted that our previous house was sold pretty quickly. Well I spoke too soon and things ended up falling through with those buyers so life has been a little crazy trying to get it sold asap. Nobody wants two mortgages! Well not me at least!

We've had to put decorating and fully furnishing our new home on hold until we can get it sold which explains why I haven't posted many house photos. I'm praying that will change soon!

There's always the good, the bad and the ugly in life but the weekend was a good one and I'm counting down to our little vacay,

Have a great week!


Joining the lovely Biana for her Weekend linkup.

Weekend Whereabouts

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Mine was a fairly quiet one since K was traveling for work so I enjoyed lots of "me time" and tried to sleep in but early-bird Lola woke me up at 6 am on both Saturday and Sunday morning.

On Friday night I did a whole lot of nothing other than relaxing at home catching up on some shows.

On Saturday I had a hairdresser appointment which is always a process but I love how my hair looks after getting a trim and some fresh highlights. After the salon, I went to Pier 1 to browse some of their gorgeous mirrored furniture. I talked about some of my current home obsessions on Friday and a pretty mirrored nightstand was on the list - These are the two I have my eye on - one  / two

Kate and I met up on Saturday evening at Brio Tuscan Grille to catch up over some delish Italian dinner and wine. The sweet potato and chicken risotto was amazing even though it looks like mushy baby food in the photo (ha!). The rest of the evening was spent relaxing at home watching the movie Sisters with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler which had some funny parts but altogether not a highly rated movie.

Bright and early on Sunday the bestie and I drove out to Cocoa Beach for some sunshine and fun. We stopped at Ron Jon Surf Shop first to do some shopping and I bought my first floppy beach hat.

 It's so lightweight and comfortable which is perfect for the Florida heat!

Once we got to the beach, we went to Coconuts for some much needed frozen cocktails to sip on while we relaxed on the beach for a few hours. After getting some sun we went to Jazzy's Mainely Lobster & Seafood Company for some local seafood dinner and then made the drive back home.

The weekend was capped off with some food prep and house staging on Sunday night to prepare for the week ahead.

Joining the lovely Biana for her weekending linkup.

Scalloped Style

Happy May 4th!
Some people like to celebrate today (like my company) but I've never really gotten into the whole Star Wars thing. What I do love is fashion and shopping so today I'm talking about some fashion finds of the scalloped variety.

I actually don't own one piece of scalloped clothing but I do love the look so I was browsing some affordable yet cute options online and wanted to share some of my faves. Let's be real, some scalloped styles can be on the tacky side so with that in mind I was looking for more sleek and versatile dresses, tops, and bottoms. Here's what I found:

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight

nine / ten / eleven / twelve / thirteen / fourteen / fifteen

 What do you think about the scalloped style?

Loving Lately: Fashion

 

Spring is a tricky season to dress for here in Florida because it can surprise you with 80-degree weather one day followed by a random cold front bringing in 50-degree temps. Typically the days are warm and the nights can be chilly so you need to have to be prepared with a good mix of Spring and Summer outfits.

Over the last couple of years, Express has been my go-to store for good quality work and weekend clothing (other than my occasional bargain shopping at Marshall's or T.J. Maxx). I was recently searching for some outfits with cute patterns and pops of color that are comfortable and versatile for this time of year.

Blue Halter Romper  *  Floral High-Waisted Skirt  *  Marled Cowl Back Tee

Handkerchief Sundress  *  White Distressed Jeans  *  Chevron Halter Top

Elastic Waist Caftan  *  Deep V-Neck Bikini Bodysuit  *  Floral Sundress

My motto when it comes to clothing and shoes has always been comfort is key so that's what I was going for here. I know that anyone residing up north will probably classify these outfits as summer wear so I'm not trying to skip the seasons with these fashion finds. You can definitely be thankful you don't have to deal with the sweltering heat of Summers in Florida.

There's always that silver lining, right?

Friday Faves

Thank heavens! I know I say that every week but that's seriously how I feel by the time Friday rolls around! Anyone planning to do anything fun this weekend? I plan to get some rest and make it out to the beach if the weather plays nice which it's been doing for the most part this week. So, as usual, just a quick weekly recap and some of my favorite finds.

Freebies!
Anyone run over to ULTA this week to get the free Clinique Chubby Stick? No purchase necessary so it's completely free. Go get it while supplies last. I went yesterday and it looked like they had a good amount left but that could easily run out this weekend.

Beauty Department
Last week I spoke about winning a box of goodies from Amanda's giveaway and I was excited to try the Pixi Rose Oil Blend. I've applied it to my face every night this week after washing my face. It makes your skin soft as a baby's butt face the next morning. I will definitely purchase this again (sold at Target) and the good news is it costs half the price of other rose oils I've seen in stores.

Food Trucks
The food truck trend really hit it big in Orlando a few years ago and has died down since. They still have food truck events on the weekend but it's hard finding one for lunch. Unless they pull right up to your office! The Toasted Food Truck blessed us with their presence on Tuesday and came bearing fancy variations of grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Win!

Shopping

I should say TOO MUCH shopping. The past two weekends got a little out of control with shopping in Coral Gables and then last weekend with the bestie. In my defense, mostly everything is from Marshall's or Target so it was more like out of control bargain shopping.

One of my favorite finds is this cute graphic tank beach coverup from Target. Having said that my spending freeze has begun!

Health Eating
I've been sharing some delish salad recipes for the warmer months ahead. It's already quite warm here so I've started making different variations of salads which I shared here and here.

That's all for today. Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking up with fellow Floridian Amanda.

Weekend Whereabouts

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! It was fairly relaxing for me but I had a fun girls day yesterday with my bestie visiting which was soooo good for the soul!

K and I didn't do much on Friday night. Lola was sick on Wednesday and Thursday night so I wanted to stick around to take care of her.  We had some Vietnamese food for dinner and caught up on some shows. Steph gave me a recipe for upset stomachs so I wanted to get that prepared for Lola for dinner and her next few meals. It worked wonders and she hasn't gotten sick since. Thank you Steph!

On Saturday K and I spent most of the day looking at new construction houses in the Orlando area. We've been wanting to customize a home since our current house lacks some features we think are important. We saw some amazing floor plans but I'm not sold on the location so the search continues.



After about 5 hours of house viewing we settled for some dinner at Lee and Rick's Oyster Bar which is seriously the biggest hole-in-the-wall restaurant but no one has better oysters around here.

 

Sunday morning came quickly (thankfully!) because it was time to meet up with my bestie of 25 years who's in town visiting to do a course for the next few months. We had SO much fun catching up over pedis at the day spa, lunch at Wich Wich, and TONS of shopping.

My whole backseat was filled with shopping bags but mainly for her. I can't wait to wear the cutest beach coverup from Target (pictured below) next weekend.

I also can't wait to see my bestie next weekend for more girl time at the beach!

How was your weekend?

Joining the lovely Biana for her Weekending linkup.

Spring Casual

When I think of Spring fashion, comfortable florals and colorful outfits come to mind. My closet once used to be very black and white but I've been adding lots of colorful tops and accessories over the past few years. I don't however own many floral pieces probably because I'm very picky with florals as they can't be too "flowery". Does that even make sense? I guess I don't like too much noise in my outfits. This cute yet subtle floral top from Forever 21 has been in my closet for over 7 years and I still love it! It's has a super comfortable elastic waist and is light and airy for Spring and Summer in Florida.

 

We took these photos while exploring the historic district in St. Augustine over Easter weekend. One of my favorite (and must-have) accessories for traveling is a good size cross body purse that can fit more that just a couple credit cards and a lipstick. My pink Kate Spade cross body purse is the perfect travel companion (this particular one is sold out but they do have similar cross body purses in a variety of colors).

I don't consider myself a fashion blogger and I don't have a professional photographer sidekick so these photos come to you as they are - unedited and imperfect. I love fashion and will share some favorite outfits from time to time.

Has anyone tried mid-rise jeans as yet? They are life-changing!! At least they are a life-changer for me and my particular body type. Express has a good variety of styles and after wearing my first pair for a few weeks (the Dark Wash Mid Rise Supersoft Jean Legging that I'm wearing in these photos), I've gone back and purchased two more styles.



Mac's Flat Out Fabulous matte lipstick is still one of my prettiest lip colors and it was the perfect touch for this spring-inspired outfit.

While we were exploring downtown St. Augustine, we had to make a stop at one of my favorite spots,  Sangria's Wine & Piano Bar to cool down and have a refreshing glass of fruity sangria.



I bought these adorable Purple Flash Mirror Aviators in Las Vegas last year from the Michael Kors store with some winnings from the Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Purple is my favorite color so I couldn't resist but they definitely don't go with just any outfit. Luckily I was able to wear them out that weekend with the outfits I packed.



My latest Kendra Scott addition (purchased from Rocksbox) is this adjustable Jamie Bracelet in Platinum Drusy which I love because it sparkles in the light. Rocksbox just sent me the matching necklace and earrings so temptation is running high to purchase those as well. I mean they're meant to be worn together, right?

Shop The Look

Express Mid Rise Jeans * Michael Kors Watch * Kendra Scott Jamie Bracelet * Kendra Scott Elisa Necklace * Kate Spade Cross Body Purse * Michael Kors Chelsea Aviators * MAC Flat Out Fabulous Lipstick


What do you love about Spring fashion?

Weekend Whereabouts

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. I'll start by saying my whereabouts were pretty minimal the past few days. It was a rainy weekend so it was perfect for catching up on some R&R since I have a few busy weekends of travel ahead.

I did venture out on Friday afternoon for some puppy playtime and a quick dinner.

After dinner we watched the movie Steve Jobs at home and had a quiet Friday night which was much needed!

 On Saturday I stayed local to get some errands done and rest up at home. I shopped around for some essentials for our Easter dinner party, did a ton of laundry, took some naps and spent lots of couch time with Lola watching TV.



Some inevitable online retail therapy happened on Saturday night since I had all the free time to browse. Maybe this is why I try to keep myself busy on weekends?

On Sunday, I went to Kohl's to pick up a dutch oven I had ordered to make the Guinness Beef Stew I posted about last week for my Friday Faves. It came out amazing by the way and I have to thank the lovely Andrea for helping me out with a few secret tips!

 Of course I ended up venturing over to the clothing department in Kohl's but not too much damage was done. I purchased these cute coral-colored shorts and navy crochet shorts for the Spring/Summer time weather and used a 30% off coupon.

 I'm so excited this is a short work week (we get Good Friday off) and I'm looking forward to our quick road trip adventure this coming weekend.


Joining the lovely Biana for her weekending linkup

January Beauty Haul

I was finally in need of a good beauty haul from ULTA last month to repurchase some of my favorite basics and try a couple new items recommended by friends and my esthetician.

1  / 2  /  3  /  4  /  5  /  6  /  7  /  8

Repurchases:

I received a sample size of the Better Than Sex Mascara almost a year ago and it's just about to be done so I decided to get the full size since it's one of my favorite mascaras. I do still love the less expensive Maybelline Falsies Mascara for everyday wear so I mainly use the Better Than Sex Mascara for nighttime wear or special events such as weddings.

This is my third tube of Tarte Amazonian Foundation because I love the full coverage it provides and the variety of skin tones it caters for. I reviewed this foundation in greater detail here but if you're looking for full coverage, this foundation is on point.

I bought this same EcoTools Bamboo Brush Set about 5 years ago and although I cleaned my brushes often, I decided it was definitely time for a new set. I use the bronzer brush on a daily basis and the price tag is very affordable for such amazing quality brushes.

The Clarisonic Radiance Brush Heads are a self explanatory purchase but I did decide to go with the 'radiance' brush heads instead of the 'normal' this time around to see how they differ. I don't notice a huge difference but they are both soft and gentle on the skin which is ideal.

I used to buy expensive toners until I found the SO Totally Clean Facial Toner. The smell isn't harsh and it works just as effectively as the expensive toners except with a $5.99 price tag at Ulta.

NYX Butter Lip Glosses are a repeat purchase times a million. When you find the perfect texture lip gloss (not sticky) that comes in a variety of pretty colors and is 1/4 the price of expensive cosmetics it warrants a repeat purchase for life.

New:

The Murad Facial Moisturizer was recommended to me by my esthetician recently when I went for a facial. I expressed to her that my combination skin often results in a slightly shiny forehead later in the day yet the lower half of my face seems to be on the dry side. She recommended the Murad moisturizer because of it's matte finish for oily skin and I've noticed a remarkable difference.  

Essie Gel-Setter Nail Polish - The set includes a colored nail polish + a gel-setter top coat and no lamp is needed to set the polish. I chose the color Watermelon which is very pretty in person and I thought it would be perfect for Spring and Summer. Admittedly I haven't used this set yet because my nails are currently the shortest they've ever been so I'm working on growing them out before prettying them up.

Well, that was a mouth full of a post. If you made it this far, thanks for reading my reviews and feel free to share any of your favorite beauty products that are a must try!

2015 Amazon Purchases

I became an Amazon Prime member exactly a year ago and I don't think I could go any other way. The wide variety of things that I buy from Amazon plus two-day shipping makes the annual fee well worth it. And when I say wide variety, I mean I really purchase the most random things. Let's take a look (titles are clickable):

FYI: If you download the Amazon App you can get an instant $5 credit.

#Tweet Mug
I bought this mug for a white elephant gift exchange at work around Christmas last year. I figured it was office appropriate and well-suited since I work in the digital marketing department. 

Makeup Organizer
This is a space-saver compared to the organizer I had before and it fits all of my makeup beautifully. Blogger blame for this purchase goes to Biana from BLovedBoston.

Tan Towels
I used to use self-tanning lotions which can be a huge mess until Kerri recommended Tan Towels so these have been a major repeat purchase to keep a slight tan throughout the year.

Pink Flamingo Pool Float
I bought this pool floatie as a birthday gift for Kate since she has a pool in her backyard and was looking for something different from the norm.

Solar Garden Lights
Another really random purchase but we needed some lighting for the walkway in the front of my house and instead of venturing to Home Depot, I browsed online on Amazon and found exactly what I wanted with free shipping.

Doggie Dental Treats
Lola absolutely loves these and I try to give her a toothbrush treat once a week usually on the weekends. Of course I like the fact it's good for her gums and teeth.

iPhone Case
This case is more pretty than it is protective but I bought it anyways because I thought it would compliment my rose gold phone nicely. Well I somehow purchased the 6 Plus size when I actually own the regular size 6S phone so I ended up giving it away to a coworker but it was still a purchase nonetheless.

I ended up purchasing a more durable and protective sparkly iPhone case which is also clear so you can see through to the rose gold. I'm jealous it's now on sale for 54% off from what I initially paid.

Mac 'Flat Out Fabulous' Lipstick
This lip color is just gorgeous and lasts a long time because of it's matte texture. Just being able to buy good quality, name-brand cosmetics from Amazon Prime is so convenient.




Blog Planner
I bought this planner as a Christmas gift for myself and, admittedly I haven't used it to it's full potential as yet but it's certainly a good way to stay organized and plan your blog posts ahead.




What are your favorite products to purchase from Amazon?