Friday Favorites – March 31st, 2017

 

Heading into the weekend

Anyone else ready to head into the weekend immediately, if not sooner? This week was a really tough week emotionally and mentally. As you may have seen in the news, a retailer who I worked closely with is going through some major changes which impact both myself and my team. In addition, both Bo and I had multiple evening commitments this week which forced both of us to eat out more than we’d like and get home later than normal. I’m looking forward to a weekend here in Brooklyn. Our schedule includes some time with friends, lots of work in the nursery and a few quality workouts.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • Similar to Julia, I’m craving smoothies these days and her three acai smoothie recipes are great updates to the basic smoothie I’ve been making.  I had no clue that you could get unsweetened acai packets but this is definitely on my shopping list after reading her post!
  • Did you see the latest ClassPass news? They now offer over 100 different workout videos that you can stream using your phone, computer or iPad. I love that these don’t count towards class credits and are just a new, added benefit for users of all levels.
  • This faux leather jacket is loose enough to accomodate my growing belly but chic enough for an after work happy hour. Even though I found it on A Pea in the Pod, it turns out that it’s not a maternity jacket and sold at multiple different retailers!
  • I love learning tips and tricks from others as many times their habits or tips can help me be a more effective leader, better friend or supportive wife. These nine habits of highly succesful people may not be relevant for everyone but I’m sure there is at least one tip that will be helpful.  Right now I’m doing 1, 4 and 7 very well but am continuing to improve on 2 and 3.
  • The BaubleBar earrings I’m wearing in the above picture have quickly become a favorite of mine this Spring as they add a perfect pop of color to an otherwise drab, all black outfit.
  • The dressing recipe for this Chicken Avocado Salad made me want to pin the recipe immediately but the pictures of the bowl made me want to make it imediately. I just added all the ingredients to this week’s shopping list as I’m hoping to make it for dinner on Tuesday night!
  • I am pretty low maintenance when it comes to my makeup but my mom taught me years ago that a quick swipe of lip color can go a long way. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect lip color but right now I’m loving this Beauty Counter Lip Gloss. As you can see from the picture, the bright, vibrant Dahlia color adds just a hint of color while also being easy to apply, hydrating and a great, natural lip gloss option.
  • I just started reading Lilac Girls and can already tell I’m going to love it. The next books on my Goodreads bookshelf are Paris for One, America’s First Daughter and A Man Called Ove.
  • I carry this MZWallace Metro backpack on a daily basis and am constantly amazed at how much it holds, how well it wears and the different pockets I continue to discover. I love putting my makeup and gym toilitries in the removable pouch while I store my laptop, water bottles, hard drive and phone in the other pockets.
  • When I bought new foundation at Sephora last week, I received a tester kit of OleHenriksen Three Little Wonders and have been surprisingly impressed with the products. During pregnancy my face has started to show some dullness and uneven skin tone so I was impressed that after five days of constant use, my face looked brighter and more radiant. While it is called natural by Sephora, I can’t figure out whether it’s truly a natural product so before I stock up on full-size products I’m going to do some more reserach BUT if you’re looking for a great trial size skin care kit this is a great option!

Your turn – What books should I add to my list?

 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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Friday Favorites – Fall Fashion Essentials

in-nyc

Happy Friday!

I wanted to do something a bit different for this week’s Friday Favorites. Instead of sharing recipes, articles and other items that I am loving this week, I am going to focus on my Fall fashion essentials. These are the items that I look forward to wearing each Fall, year after year. These are the pieces that are always at the front of my closet or on my top shoe rack. Regardless how long I’ve owned the pieces, I seem to fall more in love with them each year.

faux-fur

As you guys know, I tend to focus more on quality over quantity, streamlining my closet over the past few years. Some of these pieces are what I consider to be investment pieces. Their initial cost was a bit of a sticker shock but once I realized that I would wear them for years to come, their style and quality convinced me to purchase. Some of the items on the other hand, are so reasonably priced that I own either multiple pairs or own the piece in a few different colors.  If I think about the outfits I’ve worn for meetings, dinners and social events over the past month almost every outfit includes at least one of the below items. My style tends to be Northeastern preppy, especially in the Fall months with a hint of edge thanks to the inspiration I find in New York City.

In no particular order, here are the twelve pieces I look forward to wearing and styling each Fall season. The below list includes the link to the actual product I own as well as a few similar options.

Your turn – What is your favorite piece of clothing each Fall?

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links! 
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Stitch Fix Review #7

Good morning and happy Thursday guys! This month’s Stitch Fix delivery caught me by surprise but man was I excited when I opened the box. I immediately saw Fall colors, booties and layers which are a few of my favorite things to wear when the weather turns cool in New York City. Even though the temperatures are still in the low 80s each day, trying on these Fall items helped put me in the mood!

In case this is your first time hearing about Stitch Fix, I signed up for the membership back in January and have received seven “fixes” since then. It is an online personal shopping and styling website which allows you to schedule shipments to arrive based on your needs or schedule. After registering for the site, new members fill out an in-depth style survey and profile which helps the Stitch Fix personal stylists get to know you. The questions include things like sizes, styles, favorite colors, brands, and other likes and dislikes.  Once you finish the profile you are able to schedule your first Stitch Fix delivery. Each Stitch Fix delivery is a box of five pieces of clothing or accessories. There is a $20 styling fee which you have to pay up front, but, the good news is that this $20 works as credit towards any of the items you want to keep. Each month I receive a Stitch Fix shipment, I share with you a recap of what I receive (January FebruaryMarchAprilJune and August) and my thoughts on each piece.  So far, I have kept an average of one piece per fix and have gravitated towards dresses and tops.

Here we go! Remember – If you see anything that you like below, feel free to pin and/or ask your stylist in the notes section of your next fix for something similar! Your stylist does her best to get to know you and therefore will read your blog, check out your Pinterest board and even your Facebook page if you give her access so she can see what you wear and love! In addition, remember that while I do get a small amount of compensation if you join Stitch Fix, all thoughts and feedback are my own opinion!

Diba Triumph Cutout Booties – Size 10 – $95.00 – Return – Okay, my stylist finally answered my wishes and included shoes in this fix, even though she warned me that they may night fit since Stitch Fix currently doesn’t carry shoes larger than size 10. These booties were cute in the box but unfortunately they run small, meaning there was no way I could squeeze my feet into them for a picture. I tend to be a quality over quantity girl when it comes to shoes, especially boots, and therefore would rather invest a bit more in a pair of booties that I will wear for years.  While I liked the notched, cutout detail and the color, these didn’t feel like real leather nor was the material soft and flexible.

Stitch Fix Booties

London Times Kecia Knit Dress – Size 8 – $68.00 – Keep When I first saw this dress I rolled my eyes wondering why my stylist would choose such a boring option, as it seemed to be a plain, grey dress. Once I put it on and styled it with my favorite heels and necklace, Bo immediately insisted I keep it. When I glanced in the mirror, I saw exactly what he saw – the fit and flare detail of this dress flattered my body and the knee length makes it perfect for a work dress.  When the temperature drops, I will style this with either a blazer or long cardigan and heels in Fall and then with tall boots and a cardigan in the colder, winter months.

Stitch Fix London Times Kecia Knit Dress

Market & Spruce Palos V Neck Knit Top – Size Medium – $48.00 – Return – This lightweight top is perfect for those in-between weeks when the seasons are changing. Unfortunately, this faded grey and white color is not flattering with my complexion. The longer length and lean cut was more flattering than I expected but unfortunately it just wasn’t the right color. If I received this in either a rich Winter hue or a vibrant Summer color, I could see this quickly becoming a closet staple.

Stitch Fix Market & Spruce Palos V Neck Knit Top

Staccato Dinah Open Front Cardigan – Size Medium – $48.00 – Keep – Even though I love the ease of open front cardigans, I only own two, both of which are plain, neutral colors. As soon as I saw this lightweight cardigan, I fell in love. The deep colors will pair perfectly with my Fall wardrobe and I can either style it with lighter color layers, such as a white long sleeve top or darker, as I styled it here.

Stitch Fix Staccato Dinah Open Front Cardigan

Lila Ryan Lila Skinny Jean – Size 8 – $98.00 – Return – I told my stylist that I was in the market for jeans as I recently donated four pairs which were showing signs of wear. I love wearing skinny jeans in Fall and Winter as they pair perfectly with tall boots or booties. These jeans fit perfectly and were even long enough but unfortunately, they are the exact same color as my favorite pair of skinny jeans. If you are in the market for dark skinny jeans that will instantly make you look leaner, request these in your next fix.  I’m wearing the jeans in three of these pictures, so you can see how they pair with different tops.

Stitch Fix Staccato Dinah Open Front Cardigan

Your turn: What piece is your favorite? What would have you kept?

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