Blazers!

Normally at this time of year (where I live) it is snowing and cold and you really need a warm winter jacket. However, this year, mother nature has given me the short end of this stick because it is still in the mid to low fifties.

On to the topic for my post. Because its been so warm I want to talk to you about blazers. I have been looking for the perfect blazer for some time now. I just can't seem to find one that is made for me. I wanted to write a post to inform all of you about a few kinds of blazers and what could be right for your style.

All of the blazers that I'm going to show you are from www.piperlime.com

The first blazer is the Slouchy Blazer, it is going to have a fit similar to the boyfriend blazer. It's $89.00, a little bit of a splurge, but worth it if you use and it lasts a long time.

This is a super cute blazer to wear exactly how the model is wearing it, white shirt and jeans. You could also accessorize this with a chunky necklace or bracelet. Pair this outfit with some cute boots and you have an awesome weekend outfit. Perfection!

The next one is the Tux Blazer, it's great for dressing up an outfit. It would look great with most anything (especially sundresses)! It is a lot more expensive than most of you would want to spend but you can see this style and know what to look for at the store of your choice. It is $264.00 (WHOA)!

I personally would not wear this blazer the way this model is, I don't think that the deep v-neck looks particularly classy. I would wear this blazer with a sundress or something along those line. Even wearing it with jeans and a solid colored t-shirt would be great.

The next blazer is called the Bleecker Blazer, it is more of a fitted blazer. This style is great for really any occasion you can think of, just beware of the color, the one I am showing you is coral colored just so you can see everything. I would recommend a black or navy blue colored one for a more professional feel. This one is $69.00.

This kind of blazer is really one of my favorites. It looks good on just about anyone and is super comfortable. You could also wear one of these with a dress or jeans or anything else you can think of.

This blazer is sort of the style most women I know want, it is the Gabe B Blazer. This is the most basic of all blazers and should be a must have in any woman's closet. This one is also pricy, a whopping $395.00, but again, this is an example of something you can go out and look for at a cheaper price.

You can literally wear this is anything you own. A dress, jeans, or even a suit, as shown above. Like I said before, a closet staple. It is well worth the investment if you ask me!

The last kind of blazer I want to talk about are the exciting and fun ones like this one, the Ruffle Blazer. These are great for those of you who can't help but love the statement pieces.  It is $99.00, so a little bit more than you might want to spend but a great addition to your wardrobe.

Again, just a really fun and flirty blazer to add to your wardrobe. It's always good to have fun with clothes and really enjoy what you are wearing.

On a side note, if you are thinking about purchasing a blazer please try it on before you buy it. I have had a lot of blazers that look cute online or on the hanger in a store but don't look fabulous when its on. So remember to try on everything before you buy it!

I hope you read this and feel compelled to buy a blazer for your closet, it really is something that no woman should be without!

Until Next Time
- xoxo

Fashion Controversy: The Cowl Neck...

Most people I know are either pro-cowl neck or anti-cowl neck, no one is in between. I cannot figure out why people are so against the cowl neck. I personally love to wear these kinds of shirts and sweaters during the winter. Side note: please do not wear anything with a cowl neck during the warmer months, you just look silly.

Cowl necks are one thing in fashion that you love or hate. I'm going to show you a few different kinds of cowl necks using my all time favorite designer, Michael Kors.

All of these are available for sale at various stores, I will include price and web link below each picture.

To kick off this post, I'm starting with a basic cowl neck.

This is MICHAEL Michael Kors Cowl Neck Sweater it is currently $45.90 on Nordstrom's website. It's the most basic kind of cowl neck to buy if you feel you need to play it safe.

Next we have the deep cowl neck.

This is MICHAEL Michael Kors Deep Cowl Neck Sweater it is currently unavailable so the price isn't listed but I would expect to pay around $69.50 for this kind of sweater. This adds so much drama for those of you (like me) who like to play with volume and texture.

The next cowl neck sweater I have for you is the plunging cowl neck.

This one is  MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS Plunging Cowlneck Sweater this one is also not available, but is just to give you an idea of what kind of cowl neck you would prefer. I like this one because there is nothing around your face that may make you feel uncomfortable. I know that's an issue for some of you out there. This kind of sweater lays more flat than the previous one.

This next one is one of my absolute favorites, a MUST have for the holidays.

This is MICHAEL Michael Kors Sweater, Long Sleeve Fringe Cowlneck and it is $89.50, it's a little bit of a splurge but I'd say well worth it! This to me is a perfect cowl neck sweater.

The last kind of cowl neck I want to show you is the neck warmer.

This is MICHAEL Michael Kors Neck-Warmer Sweater this is $99.50, this is really a beautiful sweater. You can see why it's called a neck warmer, because there is so much fabric up by your neck, thus keeping it warm. Again, another splurge, but really cute and a lot of fun.

So where do you stand on the cowl neck line? For it? Against it? Let me know!

Go try some cowl necks this weekend! You can find a lot of them at much cheaper prices, I just used Michael Kors as an example because he also loves a good cowl neck!

Until Next Time!

- xoxo

Gloves, Gloves and more Gloves!

So I'm home sick today, it would seem that the sickness everyone else has I now have.  So I am writing a post to kill some time and to entertain you beautiful people.

Today, I want to talk about gloves. With the weather getting colder and the frost gathering on my car over night I am in the market for a new pair of gloves. I have to tell you that I've never been very enthusiastic about gloves before but I've seen some very cute ones over the past couple of weeks (at cheap prices too)!

All of the following gloves can be found at Target for $19.99!

Red is a fantastic color for gloves for the girl who loves a pop of color!

Purple is a great color also! And how cute is the tie on the side!

Brown with accents of light brown, cute!

So I know that this mustard color yellow is a color that a lot you may not like, but there is just something about it that is appealing to me and is something that I would wear with a vintage looking outfit.

These blue ones are my absolute favorite. The bow on the bottom and the dark blue color is amazing.

Here are a couple of pairs of gloves for those of you that can afford to splurge.

These are black leather ruffle gloves from Banana Republic and are $69.50

These are so cute, but definitely a splurge.

These next gloves are UGG Australia 'Kotah Shorty' Tech Gloves, these are so cute and you can use them outside on your iPhone/Smartphone or iPad/Tablet.  They are $95.00 and definitely a splurge but really worth it. They are a Nordstrom exclusive so you can only get them there!

The next pair of gloves is also from Nordstrom and they are $68.00, they are the 'Diamond Stitch' gloves.

This pair of gloves are brilliant purple and can be found at Saks. They are $75.00 and silk lined.

So if you are on a budget or not you can afford a really great pair of gloves! I hope you take a look at these gloves and buy the perfect pair for yourself.

Until Next Time!
- xoxo

Lets Talk...Nail Polish!

I want to talk to you guys about nail polish today! I am a huge fan of nail polish, I have a lot of it and I do my nails close to once a week. I love to change up the color.

My favorite brands are OPI and Essie. I've had the most success with these brands. They stay longer and look nicer than any of the other brands.

Right now I am wearing "Allure" by Essie.

It's great! This is a beautiful color, it looks fantastic. It's an awesome color for a clean look, it's perfect for work or a wedding!

My favorite nude color from OPI is called "Malaysian Mist".

I also love purples this season.  Last week I was wearing "We'll Always Have Paris" from OPI.

I also really love "Siberian Nights", it's another dark purple.

Purples are fantastic for going out on the weekends, they are bold and I love to wear them

Another color that I really love for this season are silvers!

My favorite one at the moment is called "Brand New Skates" by OPI

The next one is from Essie, it's called "Loophole".

 Another one is "Sheer Your Toys"

So the last color family I want to talk about are browns. I love browns, they are so understated but so beautiful.

My absolute favorite is from OPI and it's called "Suzi Loves Cowboys"

This next one is from Essie and it's called "Chocolate Cakes".

The other brown that I love is called "Suzi Says Da!" by OPI. It has a little bit more of a reddish hue to it.

I think that I've told you how much I love nail polish and I hope that you try some of them!

10 Ways to Show Some Love to Your Body Today...and this Weekend!

So today I want to talk about loving your body. I've come up with a list, a short list of just ten things you can do to shoe your body love today and this weekend!

1. Drink Water. Drink a tall glass of water. Drinking water is one of the best ways to show your body you care about it! The water hydrates your cells and helps boost your immunity.

2. Eat Some Veggies. We all had parents who told us to eat our veggies, and for a good reason. Most veggies are naturally low in fat and have virtually no calories. They also have sources of potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. Your body loves all of these things!

3. Go for a Walk or Run Outside. The fresh air is great for making you feel good and you get lots of vitamin D from being in the sun. Also when you exercise your body creates endorphins and endorphins make you happier!

4. Stretch. You can stretch anywhere, even at your desk! Stretching loosens you up and will make you feel better.

5. Take a Hot Bath. This is going to be so relaxing!

6. Identify a Worry and "Let it Go". When you consciously make a decision to let a problem go it feels like a ton of bricks lifted off your chest, it makes your day just a little bit better.

7. Drink Green Tea. Green tea has so many health benefits. It has things like antioxidants and it can help your body absorb less fat during your next meal. Great for weight loss!

8. Take Five Deep Calming Breaths. This is an instant calm! It's perfect for that time of day when you are feeling anxious or super stressed.

9. Go To Bed a Little Bit Earlier. Sleep is one the best things you can do for your body. Just like when you're sick when you sleep is when your body repairs itself. If you aren't getting enough sleep you aren't loving your body.

10. Sing in Your Car. Sing at the top of your lungs in your car.  This always makes me feel better! Sing so loud that the person in the car next to you looks at you and all you can do is smile at them because you feel so incredible!

I hope that you try some of these things today! Love on your body, you only get one!

Until Next Time!

- xoxo

Apple Banana Cupcakes!

I came across a cupcake recipe that I made and absolutely loved... Apple Banana Cupcakes! This might sound like a strange combination but I thought I would try it anyway and they were fantastic! Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3 Cup shortening
1 1/4 Cups white sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 Cup buttermilk
1 Cup ripe bananas, mashed
2 Apples, peeled, cored and shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour 24 muffin cups or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set Aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Then stir in the vanilla and buttermilk.

3. Beat in the flour mixture just until it is incorporated. Fold in the mashed bananas and shredded apples. Fill each muffin cup half way.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.

These were some of the best cupcakes I have ever made, so yummy, perfect for fall.

Just as a side note, if you eat these with apple cider or hot tea they taste even better! I hope you try the recipe. It's a little bit difficult but well worth the time.

I am going to be trying a few new cupcake recipes over the next couple of weeks so expect more yummy recipes to come!

Until Next Time

- xoxo

Ice Cream in a Bag and Homemade Apple Chips!

What I'm going to post about today are two new things that I tried over the weekend.

The first thing is Ice Cream in a Bag! This is really tasty and only takes around 10 minutes!

This is what you're going to need!

1 Cup of half and half
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 Cup of course salt
Ice cubes
1 Pint-sized plastic baggie
1 Gallon-size plastic baggie

So what you're going to do add the half and half, sugar and vanilla into the pint-sized baggie and mix it.

Next you're going to fill the gallon-sized baggie about half way with ice cubes and sprinkle the course salt on top of the ice cubes. Then place the pint-sized baggie into the gallon-sized baggie.

Now shake the bag until the mixture turns to a solid ice cream. This will take anywhere from 3-8 minutes.

Finally, take the pint-sized bag of ice cream out and rinse it to get all of the salt off the bag. Now open the bag and eat it!

This was really yummy! I think the next time I make it I'm going to put in some coconut extract or maybe some orange peel!

So the next thing I'm going to write about are apple chips! These are super simple and super yummy.

What You'll Need:
2 Apples (I used a red delicious and a honey crisp)
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1 Teaspoon of cinnamon (I used a little bit more because I love apples and cinnamon!)
Non-stick baking spray

First, preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Then, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Now, you're going to core the apples. If you've never done this before it might be a little bit difficult. I had never cored an apple before so here is what I did. First I cut off the bottom of the apple, then I cut around the core and pushed it out! That's it!

You are going to cut the apple into slices, the easiest way to do this is by using a mandolin. They need to be cut about 2 mm thick. This can also be done with a knife if you don't have a mandolin.

Place some parchment paper on a baking sheet, spray some of the non-stick spray onto the parchment paper. Now arrange the apple slices in a single layer. Once all of the apples are lined up sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture on top of the apples.

Finally, bake in the oven for about 2 hours. My apples took a little bit longer, I had to bake mine for about 2 and a half hours. You really want to look for the apples crisping.

Now eat them! They are so yummy!! You're going to love them!

I hope you try these out at home for yourself because they are both really simple and really delicious!

Until Next Time!
-xoxo

All About Plaid!

Today I am going to be talking about my all time favorite thing for fall...Plaid! I normally write about two or three things per post but I really feel as if plaid is something that should get its own post.

Okay, so I know a lot of people who stray away from plaids but I happen to love them. Plaids are a staple in my wardrobe. I think that most people who I know who stray away from plaids do so because they associate them with farmers and other people like that, but really, it has become appropriate for all of us non-farmers to wear plaid!

Plaids are making a comeback, finding themselves on runways this season!

So you might be asking yourself, how do I wear plaid? Well, I normally wear plaid with jeans and boots (either a flat black boot or the Ugg type of boots).  For me wearing plaid is all about it looking effortless and comfortable. Plaid is so easy to wear that anyone, any shape and any size can pull it off.

Whenever I go shopping with friends and they ask about buying a piece that is plaid I always tell them to go for it! Plaid shirts are great for Autumn weather, they look cute one everyone and just really are a great way to ease yourself into the Fall season.

Another item that is plaid that I really like is the plaid dress. This might seem odd to some of you but you really have to give it a chance.  Most women, in most cases that I have seen who wear plaid dresses tend to look like they are 12 years old, and none of us want that, right? So here are some tips on how to wear a plaid dress.

To wear a plaid dress appropriately it would be a good idea to accessorize, wear a belt or a solid colored scarf for example. Accessories like these are going to downplay the plaid and make you look more age appropriate.  Another way to wear a plaid dress is to buy it in a more sophisticated cut and pairing it with tights and a nice pair of pumps. There are examples of both of these in the pictures below.

So I've talked about shirts and dresses and now I want to talk about plaid accessories! These can be a great way yo ease yourself into plaid if you aren'e someone who is comfortable with prints.

The very first thing that I would suggest you go out and get right now (regardless of if you love print or not) is a plaid scarf. I am really in love with the plaid scarf. During the cooler seasons I wear scarfs almost every day and I have a few of them that are plaid. 

This in my opinion is the easiest way to wear plaid. There are so many ways to wear scarves and they flatter everyone, no matter your body type.

So another accessory that I love are purses. I have been seeing plaid purses everywhere lately, and they are so cute and so easy to find.  My personal favorite is Coach, their plaids are just beautiful and in so many colors.

Another way to add plaid to your wardrobe is by buying shoes that have hints of plaid in them. I love this because you can wear a solid colored dress and then wear these shoes and add your print on your feet.

The last and final way to add plaid to your outfit is by getting it on your nails. This may sound odd but it looks very understated and beautiful if it's done the right way.

One last note, this is a plaid DON'T. Please do not ever wear more than one plaid item at a time. It really doesn't look good and you just look like you got swallowed by your grandmas quilt. So for example, do not wear a plaid dress and plaid shoes. Another example, never wear a plaid shirt and a plaid scarf, you get...right?

I really hope that this has inspired you to love plaid! Or at the very least, try it on and maybe start with baby steps, like a scarf or a purse. Just remember to have fun with it and remember my rules!

Until Next Time!

- xoxo

I've Been Gone, But I'm Back! Some New Items for Autumn!

So I haven't blogged in quite some time, sorry for my absence. But I'm back now and, and I'm going to try and write at least one post a week, maybe more depending on how much time I have.

So today I am going to write about two things, both pertaining to Autumn, the absolute best season of the year!

The first thing that I want to write about is one my favorite things about Fall, Apple Cider. It's one of my favorite drinks during the colder months. I live in Virginia so the weather has steadily been dropping over the past week or so. So if you are like me and love to drink apps cider, try this recipe!

4 Cups of apple cider
2 Tablespoons and 2 teaspoons of real maple syrup
1-1/4 Cinnamon sticks
4 Whole cloves
4 Whole allspice berries
5/8 orange peel, cut into strips
5/8 lemon peel, cut into strips

Here are the instructions:

1. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.

2. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.

3. Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.

4. Remove the cider from the hear. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big  cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

It's perfect for those cooler days, I even like to substitute it for my morning coffee sometimes!

The other thing that I want to write about is Halloween candy. I got an email from Godiva Chocolatier and they just put out their Halloween treats! I say that if you are going to candy on Halloween (as an adult and who doesn't want to eat chocolate!), it might as well taste and great and what's better than Godiva chocolate.

Godiva has a lot of chocolatey treats for Halloween, the first being Milk Chocolate Mummies! Aren't they cute?!

The second item that I think looks so delicious are the Assorted Halloween Chocolate Lollipops! The lollipops include a pumpkin, a ghost, a skull and a bat. They are so festive for Halloween!

The last thing from Godiva that I want to mention are the Pumpkin Patch Truffles! These truffles are filled with creamy pumpkin-spice ganache wrapped in milk chocolate. YUM!

I think that about wraps up this post! I'll try and post again next week, enjoy the long weekend! Happy Columbus Day!

Until Next Time

- xoxo