Pretty Things

If you follow my blog on a regular basis (in which case, thank you) you may have noticed I've been off the grid for a week. This is mainly because I had to have a biopsy on my foot and it has been too painful to do a lot of standing/walking and also partly because Dan and I were traveling for a wedding we were both in. Oh, it sounds like those two things wouldn't mix well? You are not wrong. But now my foot is on the mend and my brother is married, so all is well.

I decided to make a comeback with a post I've been considering for awhile now. One of the things I love most about Pinterest is the multitude of storage ideas it brings. I absolutely love displaying pretty things whether it's accessories, lipsticks, or even cute little samples. These four ideas are a mix of Pinterest inspiration and my own ideas.

1) Jewelry Cup
A couple of years ago I was garage saleing with a friend and I spotted this gorgeous blue colored glass goblet. Besides the word goblet making me think of Harry Potter, I loved it because of how pretty light looks coming through. Since there was only one and not a set, I put it in my room instead of my kitchen and over the weeks it just started being a collection place for chunky necklaces.

2) Samples in a Jar
These jars from Michaels have always been handy for cotton balls and Q-tips, but only recently did I discover they do a great job displaying samples. I subscribe to Birchbox, and although the adorable boxes are useful, I don't like to leave the samples in there. Out of sight, out of mind is way too true with me, and I end up forgetting what I have to sample. By having a little jar of products on my vanity, I never forget to try the latest BB cream.

3) Lipstick Tray
For the same reason I mentioned above, I hate throwing lipstick in a bag. I also just happen to think they look cute displayed on a tiny crystal saucer.

4) Scarves in a Vase
First off, I'd like to assure you I say vase like "face" no matter what I put in them. I'm pretty sure that's a prerequisite for stuffing them with scarves. Not only does this add color to a space, but it's easy to remember what my scarves look like without having them tied on the end of every chair, bag, and clothing rack. Space saving and cute! Why not?


So now it's your turn. What is your favorite way to add cute little touches to a space while having practical value?

DIY Friday: Sea Salt Spray

If you're like me, and I assume you are, you are always on the hunt for a good sea salt spray. And then when you find one, you are dismayed to see the exorbitant price tag attached. I mean, who wants to pay $40 to replicate the messy hair you get at the beach? And when I say "you" I definitely don't mean me. I never had good beach hair. I'd be the girl with braids in her hair to try to capture the salt water and then go home and spend a good hour just trying to untangle the mess. I'm still pretty jealous of the girls you see coming off the beach with their whimsical waves and sun kissed skin. But back to my point, a good sea salt spray is hard to come by. Until now. I've seen a lot of posts on Pinterest about making your own sea salt spray, but something was always missing for me. I'd follow the recipe and then end up with a spray that made my hair crunchy, sticky, or the worst, greasy. What I figured out is that while the ingredients are the same, there needs to be a level of customization.

Basic Ingredients:
Sea Salt
Coconut Oil
Leave in Conditioner
Hair Gel
water

I've created a few customized recipes that I believe will have the best result judging from my own experiences making these sprays. You know your hair better than I do, so if you know that leave in conditioner makes your look greasy, skip it! Use your own judgement with these guidelines and hopefully you'll end up with perfectly messy hair.

Fine hair/ very straight hair:
You might as well almost skip the coconut oil all together as it will weight your hair down and leave it greasy. Instead, focus on two parts water, one part salt, one part strong hold gel, and a TINY little half part light weight leave in conditioner. Shake it up in a spray bottle and then spray up towards the ends of your almost dry hair while you scrunch. When your hair dries, use a dry shampoo at the roots for volume.

Thick Hair/ Strong Curl:
Unlike fine hair, we need to weight yours down a tiny bit for the beachy waves look. You will be wanting 2 parts water, 1 part everything else with a little extra salt. Shake it up and spray at level with your hair while it is still damp, then scrunch the ends. Spray more when your hair dries to style and add control.

Weird hair (mine):
My hair never really decided what to be. It is curly on the bottom and does weird waves throughout with annoying kinks near my face. I made a very thick spray using 1 part water and 1 part leave in conditioner, 2 parts salt and gel, and then a tiny bit of coconut oil. I scrunch in my hair while it was damp, let it air dry, and then use my straightener to make some of the crazier pieces less crazy. Then I sprayed a little more and messed it up to give it a beachy vibe.

I hope you try to make your own sea salt spray so you can comment below and tell me how it worked for you. If you know of any other secrets to achieving beach hair, let me know. I live in Florida so it's a constant expectation.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Give Yourself a Hug

One of the funniest things about working in retail is hearing people criticize the items I own and love. Take this top for example. The second I saw it in our store I had to try it on and then BAM I had a new favorite top. The back is my favorite part, but I also love the loose shape. So naturally I'vea been shocked to hear the reactions of clients who try on the piece. I hear a lot of "ew, it looks like a maternity top on me" from super skinny ladies who no one would guess to be pregnant, and also some "I hate how it makes my arms look" from other people. Remember that emerald dress I wore recently? I had one lady tell me it made her look like a sack of potatoes and that there's no way anyone would actually feel good wearing it. These comments amuse me because I feel great in both pieces, but they also make me worry about the body image problems so many women have.

I don't buy into all that body shaming, thin shaming, fat shaming, or whatever the current trend is, but I do think it's important to consider how women feel about their bodies. In retail I've heard everything from "it made my fat rolls show" to "my ankles look fat in these pants." Believe me, I'm as quick as anyone to judge myself based on how I look trying on clothes, but I feel like there's a pretty obvious fact to consider. If every single piece of clothing was perfect on my body type, what would the other 100 body types wear? Is it really fair to hate and blame my body for not fitting into everything when not everything was made to fit my body? And on the flip side, is it realistic to get angry with clothing companies for not making everything to fit my body when I'm not the only body type out there? Every time we criticize our bodies somebody is watching. When I think about being a mom one day, it breaks my heart to think about having a daughter who feels like she can't be happy with her body without being some sort of freak in our culture. If you're healthy and taking care of your body, you have every right to like what it is and rejoice in how you were created without having people think you're conceited, and I want my daughter to know that. So here's my message to my clients and all the ladies out there: you are beautiful because of who you are inside and no piece of clothing can change that. If what you tried on doesn't work, there are hundreds of other pieces that will. Smile, shrug it off, and go ask the nice shop girl what other clothes she recommends (because I'm always happy to help!).

My top is currently sold out online, but it's definitely still in stores and should be back online soon!

Shop My Look: Similar T-back Top / White Jeans

The Importance of Second Chances

The first time I wore this shirt was on a teacher training day. I remember that clearly because I also had on boyfriend jeans and Sperry's boat shoes, and when I looked down I realized that my outfit could be worn by a hipster boy. For that reason this shirt immediately went in my "must never wear again, please donate" pile. But somehow it kept avoiding my donation drop-offs, probably because Dan loves this shirt and so I had trouble parting with it even though I would never wear it. Then something magical happened. I've been trying really hard not to shop as much and that has pushed me to start searching for new ways to wear items. I love this skirt, but always seem to wear it the same way (with chambray) so I wanted to find a new option. As I flipped through shirt after shirt, I finally reached this blue and red polka dot number from Old Navy stuffed in the back of my closet and decided to give it a chance to redeem itself. And that's how this perfectly preppy look came together.

I guess what I've learned is that if you pair a boyish button-down with boyfriend jeans and unisex shoes, you're pretty much asking to look like a man. But if you take that same shirt and girly it up with a skirt and red lips, it can actually work out okay. I probably should have figured this out sooner, but better late than never, right?

Shop my look: similar skirt / similar top / MK Bag / Lipstick in "Beso" / Similar Sperrys

Starbucks Memories

This dress has been a favorite of mine since I bought it last year. It is soft, easy to throw on, and versatile. I'm not sure why, but this outfit reminds me of something I'd wear to go study at Starbucks while I was in college. Yup, I was one of those students. I'd pack up my laptop, headphones, three or four textbooks that for some reason were not digital, notebooks, a million pens, and then I'd buy an iced coffee and get at least one refill. I may or may not have also had snacks in my purse. Of course, if I were really going to Starbucks I'd need a coat and socks. Why is that place always so cold? I've been thinking of my favorite Starbucks a lot lately because one of my best friends from college is coming to visit this weekend! That's what I love about summer. It's the perfect time to reconnect with dear friends who just happened to move away after college. Why guys? I stayed here.

Also, for the record, your eyes are not deceiving you. This is the third time I've worn this necklace from The Shopping Bag in a week. And that's only on camera. When I find something I love, I wear it until it falls apart! Which won't actually happen because it's so well-made. ;)

Today I've linked up with Confident Twosday and Garay Treasures. Visit their pages for this post and others like it!

Sappy Monday

I'm going to get a little sappy with you today. <---See that? That was fair warning. If you're not up for sap, I'd recommend going to my favorite blogs tab and checking one of them out today haha. Still with me? Here we go.

When I wanted to start a blog, I got some mixed responses from people in my life. Some people seemed confused (what is a style blog anyways?), others simply disinterested, and some extremely supportive and excited for me. All I wanted from those people is for them to read or at least like a post once in awhile. But there's one person in my life who I've asked a lot from. One person who has to follow me out into whatever weather, whatever location, and take pictures of me. You know who I mean: my husband Dan. From the start, Dan has been so encouraging and has never complained about what I've asked him to do. Even when I'm stressed out and starting to panic that we won't get any good photos and I'll be post-less, Dan calms me down and convinces me it will be okay. Every time I'm smiling in these pictures, I'm not thinking, "I look awesome and this outfit is the best" I'm thinking "I can't believe this guy married me!" He makes me shine. He gives me the confidence to get in front of the camera even when I don't feel like it. I am so thankful for my husband! He is my best friend and I wouldn't be who I am without him as a blogger or a person.

Save or Splurge: Essie Gel Setter Review

I'm a big texture person. I can't take the feeling of lotion on my palms, hairspray making my hair sticky, or nails that are anything but smooth all over. For this reason, the second a nail chips or breaks, I have to redo all ten. I started getting gel manicures about a year ago because it seemed like a good idea. I mean, a manicure that doesn't chip for two whole weeks? Amazing! But at $30 a pop at least twice a month it comes out to $720 a year. For fingernails. And then you have to factor in additional costs, like when my nail tore from bowling too many games (maybe my thumb is a weird shape or something because this always happens to me), or when I tried a new salon that didn't do a great job but somehow charged more. It doesn't take a financial genius to figure out that there are better ways to use that much money.

Now, this is going to sound really crazy, so don't ridicule me, but I was scared to stop getting gel manicures. I was worried about what I'd find underneath the gel. Every time gel is removed at the salon they use a file to rough up the nails so that the next gel polish will stay on better. Naturally I was worried that after I removed the gel, I'd have to have bumpy nails until they grew out, which could take months! But I was determined to save money, so I went to Target to buy gel polish remover to start the process. Then, something in the aisle caught my eye. I hadn't shopped for polish in a year, so somehow I'd missed out on the latest, greatest Essie product: the Gel Setter Top Coat claiming to have the shine and durability of a gel polish. I figured I might as well try it, and at $10 it was still cheaper than a real manicure, so I bought it.

I'll spare you the details of removing gel polish at home, but suffice it to say that it is terrible, burns, and smells like a chemical spill. Once I had my nails as bare as I could get them, I buffed them with a simple four step buffer, shaped them, and then began the manicure process. One base coat, two layers of Essie polish, and then the top coat. I practically held my breath with anticipation while the top coat dried. I kept waiting for it to lose its sheen, or for the bumpy texture of my beat up nails to show through...but it didn't happen. Three days later, my nails are still super shiny and in perfect condition. It feels just like a gel manicure, but the removal process is easier (no soaking involved) and it didn't cost me $30. Essie, you're a dream come true!

Black Maxi, White Top

Maxi skirts are my go-to piece when I want to be super comfortable but still look somewhat cute. Once I had the skirt on, the abbreviated top from Loft was my next choice, but it just didn't look right. Then I added this necklace. Yup, that's the same necklace I featured on Monday from The Shopping Bag and it's already making a second appearance. I'm telling you, this outfit was not the same without it. One good necklace can take some thrown together pieces and make them look like an outfit.

I'm up early today because I have to work, and I haven't even had coffee yet, but I hear the water boiling so this is where I'll leave you. In an effort to cut back on caffeine, we donated our coffee maker and started using our Chemex or French Press in the morning. It's a little more of a process since it can't be set the night before, but woah the flavor is worth it! Happy Thursday. :)