Just a four hour drive from Geneva, we discovered a region rich in wine, culture, food and storybook views. I’ll share our 36 hours in Strasbourg post tomorrow, but until then, here are views scenes from our weekend!
It’s the time of year when every day my inbox receives another notice from a retailer about Spring sales, enticing me to click through even though I’m not in the shopping mood right now. These days I would far rather spend money on travel than fashion. But, that doesn’t mean that a little bit of “window shopping” or online browsing can hurt. I spent some time on two of my favorite sites yesterday, Nordstrom and JCrew Factory, browsing their sale sections and new arrivals.
For today’s Friday Favorites, I bring you the 15 pieces that I’d add to my wardrobe this Spring to give it a fresh update. Many of these are staples which you may already have in your closet while other are more trendy pieces. I love finding trend pieces on sale or at discount retailers so I’m not dismayed at wasting money when they are no longer in-style, just one season later.
The best part about each of the pieces below is that they are currently on sale!
1. JCrew Factory Long Sleeve Stripe Shirt – A great transition piece which can go from Spring to Summer depending on what it’s paired with, this nautical shirt is especially fun in the navy & pink combination!
2. JCrew Factory Distressed Boyfriend Jean – These scream weekend to me, especially when paired with the Converse. Or, you can add a bit more edge by pairing with the perforated slides and the black t-shirt.
3. JCrew Factory Trench Coat – A great trench coat is always on the list of essential closet items yet the lust worthy Burberry is beyond an investment piece due to it’s price tag. If you are looking for a great Spring trench this one is far more affordable.
4. Lilly Pulitzer Bentley V-Neck Shift Dress – I love all things turquoise, especially after my skin gets the first hint of tan. This fun dress is perfect for any Spring or Summer weddings as well as a date night.
5. Pleione Faux Wrap Blouse – This top is great piece that can go from work to after hours just by changing accessories or pant options. Gold earrings and heels can make this a date night top while a pencil skirt or black pants make it office appropriate.
6. Converse Chuck Taylor Low Sneaker – I’ve wanted a pair of these fun, throw back sneakers since seeing them all over Europe this Summer. These would be perfect for weekend errands or Saturday brunch when paired with the boyfriend jeans and stripe shirt or slub sweater.
7. Vince Camuto Faux Wrap Blouse – Tops like this are my favorite “going out” tops as they are easy to wear, fun to accessorize and pair perfectly with any pant option.
8. JCrew Factory Slub Cotton Sweater – This is a perfect, bright Spring sweater for those days when it’s too cool to go out in short sleeves but you’re tired of your Winter sweaters.
9. JCrew Factory Drapey Pant – I dabbled in the drapey pant trend at the end of the Fall season and immediately fell in love. These pants are as comfortable as pajamas, yet are work and weekend appropriate due to their material. Pair with heels for the office or the perforated slip on shoes for the weekend.
10. JCrew Factory Lace Dress – This is the only item on this list I’ve personally ordered. The under $80 price point and extra sale discount makes this a perfect dress for Spring engagement parties, weddings or special occasions. I can’t wait to pair it with classic nude heels or fun strappy tan sandals in the Summer and a pair of statement earrings.
11. JCrew Factory Perforated Slip-On Sneakers – Remember what I said about not spending too much on trendy items? These are less than $35 and I love the fun gold color and perforated detail. If I wore these for travel I’d probably put an insert in the sole to provide more support, but otherwise they are perfect when I don’t want to be out and about in running shoes.
12. JCrew Factory Denim Jacket – Another item which seems to reappear on every Spring fashion list year after year. I wear my denim jacket over maxi dresses in the Summer and over my favorite cotton t-shirt in the Spring.
13. JCrew Factory Tissue V-Neck – This is my absolute favorite t-shirt and I own a rainbow of colors. It’s slim fitting enough to pair with a blazer and statement necklace but comfortable enough to wear on the weekends. I recommend buying black, white or grey as these are the essential colors I find myself wearing at least once a week.
14. JCrew Factory Flared Skirt – In the neon colors this is a great way to add some color to your work wardrobe. If it’s too short for your office, pair it with the jean jacket and t-shirt on the weekends.
15. JCrew Factory Embellished Rope Necklace – Last but not least, a fun necklace that can add fun detail to almost any of the above items.
Your turn – What’s on your Spring wish 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!
Hey party people! It’s hump day! That means that we’re half way through the week and you can already see Friday evening over the horizon! How has your week been thus far? My office is pretty empty this week as most of the local schools have Winter Break this week. That has been WONDERFUL for my productivity. Half as many meetings means that I feel as if I’ve already squeezed 5 days of work into 3!
I can’t believe that the half marathon is just 8 weeks away! I’m really looking forward to being back in Savannah for the half marathon! My friend Gretchen is visiting Savannah this week for work and seeing all her pictures on Facebook made me yearn for warmer weather, blue sky, sunshine, the beach, Southern Food and seafood. I’m hoping that in between the half marathon we can squeeze in some family time on the boat!
Speaking of the race, the discount code (healthyhappierbear) is now good for $10 off entry fee! I love that the race is sponsored by New Balance and that they are giving out the awesome gym bags as swag instead of t-shirts! New Balance is hosting the Fashion Fitness Expo on the 27th which means there will be lots of great apparel and gear to try!
Last week’s training went really well, making me feel like my goals for this half marathon are attainable. The course has LOTS of turns which worries me a bit but, worst case scenario, I have a second goal race just 4 weeks later as I’m most likely going to run the Geneva Half Marathon again this year. It’s a gorgeous course and simple since it’s local. But, I can’t think about race day yet because I still have weeks of training to complete and last week’s training to recap for you!
Monday: Oh sweet, glorious yoga Monday. Kerrie and I are both craving this class now, texting with excitement during the day. Each week I fall a little bit more in love with it as the teacher is now familiar with us and providing lots of adjustments. I also attribute this class to my recent choice to commit to a yoga challenge. My body just needs yoga these days. My muscles and mind thank me even if I only do one pose!
Tuesday: This was a fun daily double day which included BodyPump during lunch followed by spin class with Bo after work. I took it a bit easier in spin as my legs were already toast from the thigh and quad focused BodyPump class.
Wednesday: My mid-week tempo/speed workout became a 3 mile fast paced run as I was at the office later than expected and just felt blah. The frigid weather combined with tired mind and body meant that my heart wasn’t in it. Afterwards, when I told Jess, she commended me for not forcing it. I was proud of myself for being honest with her as it is easy to try and cut corners, especially when the coach is based in a different country.
Thursday: My running buddy enjoyed one too many drinks during a work dinner, so I ran 8 miles solo. The pre-dawn miles were frigid but the cold air only motivates me to run faster! I kept a 9:44 pace which felt almost easy at times. I came home and immediately moved into legs up the wall position followed by some hip openers as the run combined with spin left me feeling a bit tight & “crunchy”.
Friday: What started out as a relaxing first day of skiing quickly became a physical challenge. The slopes were far steeper and technical than what we typically ski which meant I was sweating the entire afternoon. We got stuck in some off-piste areas which required navigating through deep powder. Luckily the company was wonderful because otherwise I would have been miserable! My muscles were screaming after 6 hours of skiing!
Saturday: Our group headed to Les Houches for 5 hours of skiing which was a non-stop cardio workout. We were going longer, skiing down to the base of the mountain at times, and pushing our pace. The views were surreal and this picturesque area quickly became one of my favorites.
Sunday: My entire body was sore when I woke up but luckily I had Casey & Joel to push me out to the slopes. We spent 2.5 hours skiing Le Tour, braving the wicked wind gusts. At moments it felt as if we would blow over but luckily, we made it through the day with no serious falls.
So like I said, it was a pretty great week of training even though it only included two runs. The week previous included four runs and this week will include at least 3. And hey, skiing is great cross-training right? Winter and snow this good only lasts for a while, even in Switzerland!