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Friday Favorites – May 27th, 2016

dance dance

 

Happy Friday! Are you guys doing the long weekend dance yet?  I have just a few more hours of work before we head up to Vermont for the weekend. My family has a home in Manchester Center, Vermont which is the perfect place to visit when we need a weekend out of the city.  We are doing something new this weekend and spending a bit more time in town enjoying some new restaurants, workouts and shopping. While we’re not in town we’ll be hiking and breathing in the fresh, clean air and enjoying the warmer than normal weather.

I hope you guys enjoy a wonderful, long weekend. Please take a moment to remember the reason and history for this long weekend as it isn’t just about cookouts and welcoming Summer. So since there is very little time between now and the weekend, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • How can I not address this week’s opening picture. Wedding dancing is definitely one of my favorite things as there is nothing more fun than our group of friends, great music and a huge dance floor. This picture was taken two hours into the reception and what you can’t see is that I was dancing barefoot and sweating profusely. Can we have another dance party soon guys?
  • Thank you Time.com for this explanation of  why Memorial Day is a three-day weekend.
  • I finally caved and ordered my first off-the-shoulder blouse. Miraculously, both Bo and I find it flattering and fun. I’m going to wear it to dinner tonight with my new sandals, white jeans and simple gold earrings.
  • I loved this OPI nail polish so much that I bought it at Rite Aid following this week’s manicure. It’s a bright, cheery pop of pink that coordinates with almost any color or skin tone.
  • If I’m craving something other than an apple and almond butter for an afternoon snack, I’ll turn to this popcorn. The hint of olive oil and sea salt gives it a rich, delicious flavor while still only being 24 calories per cup! There is nothing artificial or crazy on the ingredient list just popcorn, sunflower oil, olive oil and sea salt!
  • Earlier this week I had the opportunity to hear two employees from LinkedIn talk about the perfect profile. This graphic easily helps anyone take a lackluster or non-existent profile and quickly transition it into a profile that will get attention and build your equity online. As they reminded us during the speech, a profile isn’t only important for job-seekers but also people who manage others as these days employees go directly to LinkedIn to learn more about future employers or team members.
  • While I take a pre-natal vitamin daily, I think it’s very important for people to understand more about vitamins. This quote articulated the importance of understanding the why and aligning it with your doctor.  There are only 13 vitamins, which are essential for health, compared to over 85,000 dietary supplements for sale in America.

Have a great weekend friends! I’ll check in from Vermont with some of our adventures but until then, I hope you enjoy some rest and relaxation.

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Stitch Fix Review #4 – April 2016

Greetings from Savannah! This visit has been so wonderful I’m already dreading tomorrow’s flight back to New York City. Luckily we have another trip down here in a month for the big wedding weekend! Until then, I’m going to share my latest Stitch Fix experience with you guys in this post this morning and then spend the rest of the day disconnected from social media, celebrating my mom’s 65th birthday with a manicure & pedicure, lunch with her girlfriends and then a fun, family dinner tonight at our favorite restaurant – Elizabeth’s on 37th.

This month’s Stitch Fix shipment was especially fun as my mom helped take the pictures and give her opinion on each piece from the fix.

Stitch Fix twirl

In case you missed it, I joined Stitch Fix back in January. Each month I share with you a recap of what I receive (January , February and March) and my thoughts on each piece. In case you haven’t heard about it previously, Stitch Fix is an online personal shopping and styling website. 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. Your personal stylists selects the items for your individual fix based on the answers you provided in the survey. 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.

Many of my friends who have loved Stitch Fix for years told me to give my stylist time to figure out my personal style, and therefore expect each box to get better. This month’s box was a great one as the styles were definitely Spring and she listened to my requests in regards to fun prints and a Spring dress.  I’ve already put the requests in for next month’s box – SHOES! I am so excited that their stylists now have access to over 200 different types of shoes including brands like Dolce Vita. A fun, in-style pair of shoes is the perfect way to add a new pop of fun to an outfit, whether it’s on the weekend or for the office. Since Stitch Fix just launched their shoe collection, I am going to request at least one pair of shoes in next month’s fix!

You can also give your mom a Stitch Fix card for Mother’s Day! I did this two years ago, and it was so fun to help my mom style her boxes! 

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!

This month's stitch fix

Renee C Alecto Halter Top Medium $44.00 – Return 

Stitch Fix Bright Top

I have been searching for a fun, vibrant Summer top that I can dress up or down and was hoping that this would be the one. I loved the vibrant print but unfortunately the straps didn’t allow for a bra and the fit wasn’t as flattering as I’d like.
Market & Spruce Girona Eyelet Detail Top – M – $64.00 – Return

Stitch Fix White top

I was in love with the cut, style and design of this top as soon as I took it out of the box. Even though I have a similar top from Target’s Lily Pulitzer collection, this top was a winner in that it had the notch detail, flattering sleeveless style and it was the perfect length. I originally planned to keep this item but then I saw the $64.00 price tag and just couldn’t rationalize the price for a top so similar to one I already own.

London Times Lynx Dress – 8 – $88.00 – Keep

Stitch Fix Green Dress

Obsessed is the only word I can use to describe this amazing dress. The emerald color brings a pop of color to my skin even before this weekend’s touch of sun. The ribbed, textured fabric is very forgiving and complements versus showing any flaws. The dress’s longer length makes it perfect for tall gals like me as it hits right below the knee. Paired with fun earrings and wedges, this will make the perfect rehearsal dinner dress for Meg and Russell’s wedding next month.

Dear John – Finnegan Roll Cuff Chino Short – 8 – $58.00 – Return

Stitch Fix shorts

Even when my legs are at their leanest, cuffed shorts are the least flattering style. These were loose in the waist and fit in the thigh but I just couldn’t bring myself to embrace the pattern or style. If they were a true seersucker, things may have been different but this pattern just wasn’t me.

Gilli Arden Printed Maxi Skirt – M – $58.00 – Return

Stitch Fix Maxi

Every fix seems to have one item that just makes me laugh out loud. As soon as I saw this maxi skirt, I could think of a few people who would love it – especially my Florida gal Meghann. The loud print was out of my comfort zone and the front slip went way too far up my leg. While the skirt didn’t work for me, the maxi style and stretchy fabric was very comfortable!

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

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Top Ten Picks from J.Crew 40% Off Sale

Happy Wednesday guys!

Even though the weather in New York City this week is below freezing and more like Winter than Spring, it is in fact Spring. As I spent a few hours cleaning out my closet and donating anything that didn’t fit or I didn’t wear, I realized that there were a few basics I needed to replace. Just as I started putting together my shopping list and perusing online, JCrew sent an email announcing their Spring sale. Like many retailers, their typical sale is 25% off so anytime a sale announces discounts of 40-50% off, I always take a few minutes to click to the site.

jcrew sale

Lucky for you guys, I did the heavy lifting and spent an hour last night sifting through the sale. My rule of thumb when shopping a sale is to make sure that is something I’d buy whether it was on sale or not. If you’d pay full price for an item then there is a good chance you’ll wear it often versus buying something just because it’s on sale and pushing it to the back of the closet.

Here are my top ten items to add to your closet this Spring to update your wardrobe. Each of these items are currently 40-50% off which means that they will sell out quickly!

JCrew Spring Sale Items

  1. Tippi Sweater – $35.99 – Available in 30 different colors, this flattering sweater is a perfect way to add a pop of color to any outfit.
  2. Silk Cami $29.70 – In the Summer I wear this silk cami with a blazer, jeans and heels for work then add a fun necklace and remove the blazer for rooftop and rose filled evenings out with friends.
  3. Striped Sweater with Side Snaps $47.99 – A sucker for navy and white stripes, this sweater is perfect for cool Summer evenings at the beach or in the mountains.
  4. Downtown Field Jacket $82.80 –  A Barbour look alike, this waxed cotton, water-resistant jacket can’t be beat for the price. The side snaps allow you to adjust the fit and the multiple pockets allow you to easily stow your keys, phone and credit cards, leaving your hands free for iced coffee and shopping bags.
  5. Vintage Cotton V-Neck T-Shirt – $15.90 – Most weekends during the Spring and Summer months, I can be found pairing this shirt with joggers, shorts or jeans. The v-neck and cut is flattering and the necklines pairs perfectly with a fun necklace or lightweight scarf.
  6. Tortoise and Pave Bracelet – $38.99 – The Pave bracelet has been a favorite of mine for the past few years and this update is a fun, updated way to wear tortoise shell.
  7. Sleeveless Silk Dress  -$83.99 – When I cleaned out my closet I realized that I desperately needed a new little black dress. This gorgeous dress looks far more expensive than it is and the draped back makes it an elegant choice for office or evening.
  8. White Matchstick Jeans – $66.00 – Once Memorial Day arrives, I tend to swap my dark rinse matchstick jeans with the white version. This jean style is straight without being skin tight and the thicker material means that it flatters your curves without leaving you worried about “see through wardrobe malfunctions”.
  9. Pleated Faux-Leather Mini Skirt – $44.95 – I bought this statement skirt on a whim last summer and was able to wear it all year long! In the warmer months you can pair it with a tank and necklace or a long sleeve blouse with the sleeves rolled and a fun bracelet.
  10. Denim Shorts in Dark Von Wash – $29.95 –  I have these shorts in two different rinses but this one is my favorite. A Summer staple, these shorts run a little big so you may want to consider sizing down unless, like me, you’d rather your shorts run loose versus tight. 

Your turn: Which of these items is your favorite?

 

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