I am so excited to bring you this blog post as this has been one of my most requested blog topics over the past year. Last year, I had found some cute sandals while scrolling through my favourite sites and I realized I had seen something similar from other designer sites. I realized shortly after, that they were great lookalikes that I wanted to share with everyone. Since late February and early March are around the time that the spring and summer trends are released I have been busy spotting trends for the year. ✨While I don’t only shop trends but instead lean towards classic re-wear items, shoes definitely are the item that I look forward to seeing what’s trending. After looking through Target’s website, I realized that so many of the new arrivals, I had seen before but the most importantly at a better price point. The look-alike items are only a fraction of the price and still look like great quality. In this post I have compiled several versions for “save or splurge” and I’m excited to share them with you. 🛍
A mixture of neutral shoes to compliment your wardrobe in the warmer months
1.2.3.
I’ll have one of every neutral shoe, please and thank you!
I actually bought the splurge option last summer of these platform heels and fell in love with them. I am usually hesitant on buying anything in a neutral/tan colour because it usually doesn’t look right with my skin tone but the version I bought which is pictured in the graphic is the ‘dark nude’ and it worked perfectly. I can’t believe Target has a look for less now available but it’s great to know.
I hope you found a look for less that you could see either adding to your closet or adding to your style inspo mental notes. Please let me know if these are helpful for you and if there are other categories you would like to be featured for “Save or Splurge”. Thanks for reading along! Have a great week, friends. ❤️
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I own the rights of all pictures of me in them. Any picture that is not of me has a link attached where you can find corresponding items. I do not make commission off of these links.
This past weekend, I went to afternoon tea at the Hay-Adams in Washington D.C. Here is a snap of me enjoying my tea!
Welcome to the month of love! Valentine’s Day is less than a week away and after talking with some of my friends, I had realized that I haven’t done a couples fashion blog post yet. While I would love to get my boyfriend involved with pictures, he is more interested in being behind the camera taking the pictures. Regardless, this blog post I have written below is for outfit inspiration for different date activities/ideas for Valentine’s Day or weekend. Shout out to my dear friends Meaghan and Katie for planting this seed in my head and inspiring me to think outside of my usual box for this post 💗 I wanted to provide a range of activities that you could do as a couple so for this posting I have included, netflix and chill, let’s get physical, and a night on the town.
Netflix & Chill
Pizza, chinese delivery, takeout food ordered, whatever it is… it will be for a night in. The Netflix and Chill look inspo is for the couples that plan on kicking back and not getting fussy with extra plans. Binging rom-com movies, playing card games, blasting music for a dance party and eating your fav cuisine in your comfy clothes is exactly what these looks are supposed to be for.
Hers:
His:
Let’s GetPhysical
To all my active couples, this one is for you. I am so inspired by the couples who love to go to the gym together or find some type of hobby to do that involves exercise to try out. All of those sporty spices out there who want to do a workout class together, play a ball game outside or walk/run/bike together, these outfit looks will suit you for your fun activities.
Hers:
His:
A Night on the Town
It’s a date night on the town type of weekend! If you have chosen to make a reservation at an all-time fav or a new place that has been on your list, we gotta break out a new outfit for your couple. I wanted to gather a few silhouettes, colours, and styles for you to browse through. If you aren’t keen on wearing pink or red, I love wearing black/white/cream and then throw on pink or red accessories to spice it up like heels, shoes, jewelry, or coats if it is going to be cold where you live.
Hers:
His:
V-Day Accessories
Every activity needs an accessory. I have rounded up some favourites to add to any of your outfits. Many of these outfits and accessories can also take you well into spring and summer so if you are on the hunt to add to your wardrobe there will be more uses than just for Valentine’s Day.
I hope these visualizations of outfit inspos for couples have helped you plan your style for the weekend. Some of these items can also pull inspiration from your current closet so if you don’t want to spend any more money, look through your wardrobe and see if there is anything that you can mix and match for the occasion. This blog post was a bit different of a style than my normal but I really enjoyed taking on the challenge and expanding my style inspiration looks. Whatever your Valentine’s Day plans are, I hope you enjoy the time together with your significant other, children, friends, family or even most importantly, yourself ❤️
Message me with your Valentine’s plans, would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading along and always supporting.
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I own the rights of all pictures of me in them. Any picture that is not of me has a link attached where you can find corresponding items. I do not make commission off of these links.
Now that is the end of January, I figured it was as good of a time as ever to share with you my thoughts from last year and what I’m looking ahead to in 2023. I reflected heavily on 2022 to bring me out of a lull I usually get myself into between Christmas and New Year’s. I decided to make a “2022 brag list” where I write down all of my goals I actually accomplished from 2022 and then I can see what was achieved and which goals I can continue to work on. In this blog post I have detailed 5 of my goals/accomplishments from last year. This gave me a great mindset on how to work on my vision board and future goals for the upcoming year. I have a few categories of goals that I focus on however the ones that I am going to share with you today are food/dietary needs, personal development, and travel. 🌎
Everyone conducts their goals/resolutions/words of the year a little bit differently so that’s important to keep in mind here. I will explain my system to y’all but please don’t feel like you automatically have to do the same. What works for me may not work for you but I know I like to span my 2023 visions through different levels to make it most productive for me. First, I don’t make big overarching goals because then I am unsure of how to actually achieve them. I instead split up my goals into categories and then write tangible smaller goals within those sections to focus my efforts in. If you are still trying to figure out your style, keep trying different methods because one size doesn’t fit all! 💗
While I was working on the brag list, I also realized that I had a few other goals that weren’t goals in the beginning of the year but were spur of the moment or things that just came up throughout the year that I hadn’t planned for. I highly recommend making a brag list for the year before because it helps bring the year into perspective and frames a good mindset to move forward. Below I will explain my five goals/accomplishments from 2022 and the corresponding category it belongs to.
Re-introduced gluten, dairy, and alcohol back into my diet (Food/Dietary Needs)
As many of you know, I had some very intense medical issues that happened during 2020. All throughout 2021, I was focused on healing. In 2022, I really wanted to focus my energy on re-introducing certain items back into my diet that I had to temporarily eliminate/reduce. I successfully, added all three (in small doses) back into my regular lifestyle all within moderation. I usually limit myself to 1-2 drinks a week and 2-3 times a week having some sort of gluten. As for dairy, I try to have lactose-free cheese when I can and then I opt for non-dairy alternatives such as almond and oat for everyday use. All of these things took time for me to get accustomed to which is why it took a full year to feel successful. It will continue to be a daily choice this year but I finally feel like I’m moving in the right direction.
Read 17 books (Personal Development)
I picked back up my love of reading when the pandemic hit…. i know *shocking*. I set quite a large goal for myself and I was pleasantly surprised when I hit it in October! By the time the end of the year came around, I had read 26 books and felt so accomplished. I was prioritizing time 30 minutes before I went to bed so that I could get a few chapters in every night. Some of my fav authors are Taylor Jenkins Reid, Christina Lauren, and Julia Quinn. Don’t forget, I have a book highlight on my instagram of all my ratings and book recs.
1 holiday with my boyfriend (Travel)
Anthony and I have been planning at least one trip a year just the two of us to go explore a different state and in 2022, there wasn’t an exception. In 2020, we travelled to the mountains (to socially distance) in the blissful Highlands, NC. In 2021, we went to the Great Smoky Mountains, TN. In 2022, I was itching to go to the beach and I figured we could go together since we had never been to the beach together. We settled on going to the panhandle in Florida, specially 30A. We stayed for 6 days there and explored so many beach towns it was absolutely stunning there. I wrote a blog post here “Travel Guide: 30A, Florida” if you would like to read further details about it.
10 yr Friendaversary trip with my best friend (Travel)
You may be asking… gee Sara where is the blog post about this trip? I confess that the end of the year caught up with me and I wasn’t able to sit down and regurgitate everything. I will give spark notes here: My best friend Gabby and I had been planning on going on a big friendaversary trip (we made that word up to celebrate) to mark 10 years of us being besties. She came into my life in high school in 2012 and has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. Fast forward 10 years, in 2022 we wanted to choose a location that we both hadn’t been to before, that wasn’t too far form VA, and that would have a bit of everything for us to do. Enter, NASHVILLE. We went on a 4 day trip to Nashville, TN and when I say it was one of the most fun trips I’d been on, I am not exaggerating. We truly did a bit of everything… museums, tours, customizing our own cowboy hats, bar-hopping, restaurant-tasting, dancing/singing in honky tonks, even took a chocolate tasting class! Somehow, we fit it all in and it truly was an amazing experience. Nashville…. we will be back for you.
Expand blog to better serve my online community (Blog)
Since I already had a year under my belt of having my blog, I was searching for ways to expand. In the fall, I got my first discount code for Electric Picks which was truly a pinch me moment. I was so excited to be able to offer an exclusive code for my followers to get their hands on some beautiful pieces at a discounted price. Electric Picks is a top notch jewelry brand who I have been a loyal customer of for a couple of years now. I am in the works of getting another discount code soon as well so I am hoping that I can continue to provide better tools and rewards for my blog community.
It means so much to me that you guys take the time out of your day to read and consume my content. You absolutely have a choice on who you follow and I really appreciate your support while I have embarked on my incredibly exciting blog passion project. Thanks for reading along and I look forward to creating more content for you in 2023✨
P.S. I have recently started posting more on TikTok as well… my username is sara_elise0, follow along over there if you haven’t already.
Today is my blog anniversary!!✨ Today marks two years since I brought my blog back to life. On January 25th, 2021, Sara Elise Blog was born and I can’t believe that it has continued to grow into what it is today both through my home website and on Instagram. I am so happy to write this post and talk to you about how my blog has not only grown but has served as a positive outlet for me. As a bit of background, I originally started my blog in early 2020 however I shut it down shortly after because I had some intense health issues that I had to sort out first. I had to dedicate my time and energy into first healing and strengthening my body. So when 2021 rolled around, I was terrified of starting my blog up because I had tried before and “failed”. After a few days of reflecting, I thought to myself that I hadn’t necessarily failed but rather was redirected for that specific time in my life. I decided that since I hadn’t given myself a real go at this new hobby, then it would be short sighted to not even try and see where it led.
Well that was a huge leap of faith and looking back, I am proud of myself that I took it. Those types of leaps especially the ones where you put yourself out there in a world of uncomfortable, may just be the leap you needed to take to realize how much you are actually capable of. I remember when I hit my first blog anniversary last year, I was genuinely surprised that I hadn’t given up yet because of the work it took to continue a blog. Both backend work and front facing can be draining but when it is a passion or a creative outlet, like it is for me, the work doesn’t bother you because you know that the experience is a rewarding one.
Now let’s be realistic, there are always ups and downs of any given year, but for me I know that 2022 was a very hard year for me to get through. However during the lows, I knew I had not only my blog but my community that I’ve been slowly building up to turn to. Sara Elise Blog has been a small beacon of hope for me during a trying time and I hope you, as my readers, have also found a positive and fun light from my posts. ⭐️
I wanted to pull together a few of my best posts from 2022 to look back on. These blog posts and pictures above are from the following blog highlights: 1 outfit, 3 looks: Valentines Edition, Wedding Wednesday- Guest Dresses, Travel Guide: Raleigh, NC, and Travel Guide: 30A, FL. While there were other posts published between all of these, the four I listed were some of my favourites to write.
I want to express my sincerest gratitude to all of you, my readers and supporters. I am so very thankful for all of you.💗 I have received so much love, encouragement, and genuine interest from this past year. Connecting with each of you on an individual basis is definitely a highlight of my days. Thank you for believing in me and challenging me to keep going even when life got a little tough and busy. In 2023, I hope to bring more fashion, beauty and lifestyle content to y’all in whatever way I can. If there is anything specific that you would like to see this year, I’m happy to hear!
Is it just me or does the sale madness begin earlier and earlier every year? This year, I even noticed that most of the big names started early Black Friday deals at the end of October which was probably the earliest I’ve ever seen. Even though I love finding the best deals and sharing with all my friends (all of you), it definitely becomes overwhelming to see all of the sales blasted all over social media, emails, and TV. Since I find it overwhelming, I could only imagine how stressful it might be especially when someone is trying to shop for gifts and they barely like to shop at all. To make it easier, I figured I would put together this blog post with a list of the sales/places I plan on shopping this year. Some of them have already started but at least this list will be comprehensive by the time Thursday and Friday roll around.
I hope this helps you guys this week while you are shopping for either yourself or for people on your gift list. I wanted to put a quick little reminder out there that even though there are sales and marketing tactics all over the internet right now, things are just things. While there may be some deals that are better around this time of year, the stuff will be there another time so please don’t feel pressured to buy buy buy right now. Material goods are not the key to happiness and if the holidays need to look different this year for whatever reason, family/friends/experiences are all the things that can truly mean the world. If it was between a new shirt on sale or making a memory with a loved one, I would choose the memory making in a heartbeat. Anyway, if there is anything I can help with to find a good sale on, please let me know. I am happy to be a resource for you during this hectic season.
Thanks for reading along with this post! Happy Thanksgiving week ⭐️
*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. Website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
With November right around the corner, all my beauty-lovers out there know that it’s about that time of year for the Sephora Holiday Savings Event! 🛍 This event runs from October 28-November 7, 2022 and opens to shoppers based on Sephora status, the same as years past. I couldn’t be more excited to cover this sale for the third year for all of you. Just leaning into my Type A tendencies here …in preparation for the sale, I start saving several months before each Sephora sale. As you may know, there are 2 sales, one in spring and the holiday sale now. After the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale in July, I knew the next big sale I was looking forward to was this holiday sale. I started saving for this sale in August which has given me 3 full months of savings SPECIFIC to the sale so I can freely shop within that budget. The reason why I look forward to this sale is because it is a great time to restock on favourite products that you’ve been loving. Some of the items in my cart are tried and true products that either I repurchase every year or that I found last year and love it enough to restock. Another reason why this sale is such a good time to place an order is because with the discounts, it makes snagging more luxurious or high-ticket items at a better price. Of course with the holidays right around the corner, there are many gift sets available that would be great for anyone on your list. I have laid out the basics below:
The Basics
For those of you who have been following along with me since the beginning of my blog, this is the same spiel with all of the basic info that anyone needs to know in order to shop the event. First, you must have an account with Sephora. If you don’t have an account with Sephora, you can sign up for free here. If you are Rouge status, you will be able to shop first with early access with 20% off from October 28-November 7. If you are VIB status, you can start shopping with 15% off from November 1-7. If you are an Insider, you will be able to shop with 10% off from November 3-7. Make sure to use the code SAVINGS when you are checking out to receive your holiday savings! All these discounts are multi-use and can be used in-store of course, as well. ✨
I have split this post into several sections so it is easier to plan your shopping strategy (and yes I take this sale that seriously). The sections include makeup must-haves, other holy grails, and currently in cart. If at any time, you need a more comprehensive review of a particular product or have additional questions, please reach out to me ~ I’m happy to help!
Makeup Musts
Sephora Collection PRO BLUSH BRUSH #99– $30 My biggest advice for the sale? Don’t sleep on the Sephora Collection items! I bought this brush for my cream blushes last year and it’s the only brush I use now. Plus all of Sephora Collection is 30% off.
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ (shade: neutral tan, light brown shade with neutral undertones)- $44 This CC cream is very buildable and I love it because of the good coverage it provides. I wear this everyday for work and I used to wear it in the office when I would work in-person. I also always use this cream to the pool, to the beach, or any outdoor events specifically during the summer because of the amazing SPF coverage. In the depth of winter, I transition to the shade of neutral medium.
Patrick Ta Major Beauty Headlines Double-Take Creme & Powder Blush (shade: She’s a Doll) – $34 This blush is the perfect shade for that pop of pink on your cheeks. I use the creme blush first using the Sephora #99 brush above and then I put the powder on top for a very youthful look. The brighter the pink, the better.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Ultra-Slim Precision Brow Pencil (shade: ebony) – $25 If you watched my videos from the spring sale, you already know that brow products have never been a priority for me. I got a couple of recommendations on using a very low-key brow pencil so I decided to try this one out and love it now. I have very dark brown almost black coloured hair so the shade ebony was a perfect match for me.
Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight (shade: Mesmerize) – $22 This liquid highlight is everything. It blends into the skin seamlessly and I am obsessed over the the shade Mesmerize which also happens to be Selena’s go-to shade as well. The pigment is so intense and I love the beautiful payoff it has on the skin.
Sephora Collection 12 Hour Contour Pencil Eyeliner (shade: coconut) – $11 I love to use this eyeliner in this shade as a liner on my waterline to awaken the eyes. It instantly rejuvenates and brightens the eye area, a daily must for me! Stays on all day and doesn’t smudge.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick (shade: Pillow Talk)- $34 First I use the lip liner then I use the lipstick and to top it off you can use either the lip gloss or the collagen lip bath. The colour is universally flattering which is a major plus because it is a true nude and not only is soft on the lips but I find it hydrating too.
Lancome Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer– $28 The absolute best eyelash primer that has ever graced this planet. No, I don’t say this lightly either. Every sale, I buy in bulk because I just can never run out of it. I have three in my restock drawer already. The trick is to let it sit for about 30 seconds so it gets a bit tacky and then apply the mascara of your choice for a beautiful wispy and full effect.
HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder (shade: banana bread- light, medium, and tan skin tones)- $35 The best loose setting powder on the market! This was a recent find from the Sephora Holiday Sale and I am so glad I picked it up because I don’t go a day without using it. The powder is so finely milled and it applies beautifully on the skin. Doesn’t crease at all and it brightens the area applied. I don’t need a restock because I still have plenty, but I will definitely make sure I don’t ever run out of it.
Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm (shade: Rosewood) – $38 This is definitely my go-to shade for everyday use. I love the glow balm because not only is it moisturizing but it also gives a bit of colour on the lips. Plus I am usually sold on Dior packaging as well.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil (shade: bourbon, glimmering dark brown)- $22 This eyeliner is a beautiful brown with slight shimmer in it which I love to use on an everyday look. I line my top lid and smudge it with with a brush so it creates a soft glow look. I also wear this liner without eyeshadow if I just want a subtle outline to make my eyes shine a bit more.
Lancome Idole Ultra-Precise Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner – $22 This was a recent purchase this year and I was so happy that I tried it out because it surpassed all of my expectations. It is jet black, ultra fine so that it can be easily maneuvered, and long staying power. I would definitely repurchase if I didn’t already have a restock.
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer – $26 I have been gravitating towards this primer for as awhile to put underneath the Rare Beauty foundation. It grips the makeup and blurs my pores which is the only request I have from a primer.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (shade: ginger, medium with warm undertones and a golden tone)- $31 This concealer is the one of the best concealers I’ve used before. It doesn’t settle into my fine lines and it actually conceals redness and my dark circles under my eyes. When I first tried it, I got the mini-size and it lasted such a long time. Ever since then, I’ve repurchasing a full size bottle and always keep it on my vanity.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (shade: happy, dewy cool pink)- $20 This blush is absolutely stunning. The formula, the colour, and the pigment are top tier. I thought this colour might’ve been too bright for me however just a dab on my cheek is all I needed, and blending it out made it look like I had just naturally blushing cheeks. I liked wearing it in the summer because of the naturalness of it but I also am liking it during the colder months because of how nourishing it feels on my face.
I made one more graphic below to showcase all of the items in the other sections, skincare, hair and fragrance, that are my holy grail items. However, I want to make sure that it is clear that I will absolutely not recommend products to you if I don’t actually use it myself. All the products that are on my graphic are all ones that I currently use or have been using in the past that I would recommend to grab during the sale. With that being said, feel free to message me if there are any specific questions you might have about any of the items.
I have made the below graphic with all the items that I have in my basket. Most of them are new products to me that I haven’t tried before or at least in that particular shade. For the ones that I haven’t tried before, I don’t have reviews on them yet but I will soon! That will have to be my next blog post!
I know I just threw a lot of information at you but I wanted to make sure that you had as much information available to you right when the sale opens, no matter which tier you shop in. I am also always available to answer any questions you might have or share my thoughts/experiences with certain products. This is such an exciting time of the year because the holidays are quickly surfacing and all I can think about are the items I want to gift to my loved ones. I will definitely be back soon with another Sephora sale update. Happy shopping! Can’t wait to chat all about the goodies purchased! Thanks for reading, if you made it this far 🤍
*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission of any of these items.
I have been dreaming of a beautiful beach holiday for many many months and finally, I got to go on one.🌊 I felt so blessed that I was able to take some time away from the hecticness of life and travel with my boyfriend, Anthony. We both needed a getaway and this was how I wanted to spend my 25th birthday trip this year. He was the best travel partner I could ask for because he indulged in all of the things I wanted to do but also kept reassuring me how much he too was enjoying each leg of the trip. Anyways, as a couple traveling from several states away, flying made the most sense to us. While it would’ve been nice to drive one of our cars down to have and be able to bring beach gear with us, it wasn’t worth the over 20hr drive. Instead, we opted to fly into ECP, rented a car down there and rented an AirBnB that had beach gear included in the rental. At the very bottom of this blog post, I rounded up food/drinks all into a list format so if you are using this as a reference blog, you can easily get names and locations quickly.
Day 1: Travel Day and Settling In ✈️
Okay y’all, I haven’t been on a plane in over a year and with all of the news stories about delays and cancellations, I was a little nervous to fly to Florida. However, I knew I wasn’t going to survive driving from VA to FL so I went ahead and made the arrangements to fly several months prior. Our flight was early early, like 6am early which meant getting to the airport by 4:30am and waking up to get to the airport around 2:45am. Thankfully there were no issues with our flights or luggage getting into Florida. Luckily grabbed Whataburger as well during our brief connecting stop in Dallas, TX. We arrived to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) on time and around 11am which gave us the rest of the day to get sorted and explore the area a bit. We rented a Jeep through Turo for this trip and it was one of the best decisions we made. Not only did both my boyfriend and I take turns to drive in a new vehicle we had never tested before, we also had free reign to go wherever we needed. Okay getting back to the actual travel days… after getting into the Jeep at the airport, we still had the rest of the day to get our bearings. I am a big believer in getting as early a flight as possible to maximize the time I have in the new location. We drove around Panama City Beach (PCB) for awhile to explore a bit since we weren’t going to be staying in that area for the rest of the week. There were a couple of toiletries that we needed to get so we found a Target and picked up what was needed. After that it was around 2pm and we couldn’t check into the airbnb unit until 4pm so we decided to have a late lunch in PCB. I genuinely didn’t make many plans on this trip other than visiting various beach towns along the Gulf. All I knew was that I wanted to be on the beach with a margarita in my hand. With that in mind, I looked at some local reviews and I picked Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant in PCB. The name is all I needed, beachfront? Sign me up. Waltzed right into the restaurant and dined right on the Panama City Beachfront. I had the no chilli nachos, the Hawaiian chicken sandwich, and a ‘Sharkarita’ their version of a jumbo margarita. They even gave their speciality drinks out in their signature cup which was a bonus because it automatically made my first souveniour easy.
It only took about 30 minutes from the restaurant to get into 30A and the whole ride over, I was so giddy. I had seen pictures of the beautiful landscaping of the beaches on 30A but I was finally going to see it in person. Just entering into the strip was amazing and I was driving super slow to take it all in (and to be careful of the pedestrians because pedestrians/bicyclists run the town). We stayed inside the Village at Seacrest Beach which was an amazing location for us. Seacrest beach is nestled right in between Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach which were the two beaches I was most excited to visit. There was a wristband that went along with our rooms and it provided a free trolley service from our front steps to the private beach access walkway. This was such a lifesaver so we didn’t have to lug all of our beach equipment. Additionally, it gave us access to the pool and grills within the village. After settling into our rental condo, I ~naturally~ wanted to go to the beach and dip my feet into the water. The timing worked out perfectly because by the time we walked down to the private beach area, it was sunset and the water looked absolutely spectacular. The scenery was breathtaking and at that moment, I knew that this trip was everything I needed. 30A is a very family friendly beach area which has definitely driven the tourist numbers up in addition to the small town beach charm of the area. With that small town charm also comes early closing hours so many restaurants were closed around 9:30pm and if you don’t have reservations, there isn’t usually a lot of room to accommodate large parties towards the end of the evening. We like to do pizza on the first travel day because it’s usually the easiest to find before getting groceries. Again, basing my decision off reviews, I found Angelina’s Pizzeria & Pasta located in Seagrove Beach. They closed at 9:30 so we were able to be seated around 8. I am a big fan of Italian food so this was very exciting to me. We split a cheese pizza and a gorgeous antipasta salad. After a lovely but very long travel day, we were happy to go back to our rental and relax before making our plan of action for the rest of the week.
Day 2: Beach Day… FINALLY 🏝
I woke up our first full day in Florida to the realization that I could finally go down to the beach and sit in the sun. The smile that was on the my face the whole day was massive. There are many beaches along the 30A coastline so I wanted to see as many as we could while we were visiting. First stop was Blue Mountain Bakery to go get coffee and pastries. We drove over to Blue Mountain Bakery early in the morning before getting on with the day. I had heard about huge cinnamon rolls but you must get there before 10am to be able to grab some, they were sold out by the time we arrived. However, I had some other great bakery items and there were even gluten-free options available which is why I wanted to go there. While I was there, I ordered the bacon and gouda breakfast roll, a gluten-free apple cinnamon muffin, and a peach green tea. They were all so yummy. The bakery is just a couple quick blocks away from Blue Mountain Beach so if you would like to grab some pastries and take them over to the beach to enjoy in the morning, it would be the perfect morning. The bakery was on the way to the grocery store which was the best scenario because I wanted to go get a few groceries at Publix before we went to the beach. Nothing compares to a good ole-fashioned sandwich while sitting in the sand and looking out at the water. After picking up a grocery-cart full of items from Publix, we drove back to our apartment to get ourselves ready for the beach. Thankfully we had chairs, an umbrella, and a cooler all in our Airbnb to be able to take our fruit and sandwiches in to enjoy lunch at the beach. The whole afternoon we spent at the beach in the water and in the sand and it was truly amazing. Feeling the warm water, jumping through the waves, reading under the umbrella, and laying out in the sand was exactly what I was there to do and I did it all week long. After getting washed off, we decided to stay local to our beach town for dinner. Our apartment was in the building above La Co so it seemed like the best option for us. A wonderful mango margarita and a chicken taco salad later, our first full day in 30A was complete.
Day 3: ANOTHER BEACH DAY 🏖
Another beach day today! That is all I wanted out of this trip so of course I was going to make sure we made the most of our time on the beach. Before our big beach day, we had to grab some breakfast but again, didn’t want to go too far so we walked down in The Village and saw this cute creperie right down the block. Creative Crepes had so many different options available and it seemed very popular. We got there in the knick of time because as soon as we got in line, more and more people lined up behind us all the way out the door and into the street. When there is a long line like that, you know it’s a good place that’s worth the wait. I am not a big sweets person so I decided to try one of the savoury crepes. I ordered the Pesto Turkey one (pictured) and it was so delicious and filling. Plus the creperie is right next door to the Starbucks so if you need a quick caffeine jolt in the morning, it’v available. After the creperie, we didn’t want to waste any time in getting to the beach this day. We packed up a few drinks and snacks and headed out to the beach for the rest of the day. It was of course amazing, just hanging out in the sun together and wading through the warm waves. After a long day at the beach, we had made dinner reservations the night before for Cafe Thirty-A. It is an upscale casual beach restaurant so we decided to dress up a bit and go with our beachiest upscale look. This restaurant was one of the best ones we went to during our stay in 30A. It gives off the James Bond old school beach vibe which was so fun to experience. The service was great, the food was remarkable, and the drinks were strong… everything we wanted for a fun evening out. I was very interested in their martini and cocktail menu so I tried the Hendricks Tini which was so good. We started with the Beef Carpaccio, I had the Grilled 12oz Prime NY Strip (AMAZING), and ended the meal with Warm Rum Raisin Apple Bread Pudding which was worth every rich bite. We were thoroughly impressed with this restaurant and still talk about the food today.
Day 4: Rosemary and of course, another Beach Day 🌊
Saturday morning at the beach? That means brunch, of course. Before we got down there, I had done a good amount of research on the places to stay and best restaurants to eat at. If I was only there for a couple of days and wanted to stay at a top hotel, it would’ve been at The Pearl hotel in Rosemary Beach. We decided to go anyway though for brunch so that we could see the hotel and try the food. We had a wonderful brunch on the outside terrace which was a great start to the morning. They even served freshly-squeezed orange and apple juice which was a big win for both Anthony and I. After brunch, we walked around Rosemary Beach shops a bit and it was so cute. It’s one of the smaller beach towns but it is definitely geared towards more adult couples than little kids. Shortly after walking around Rosemary, we decided to quickly get our swimsuits on and head down to the beach for a few hours. Enjoying the sun and the crash of the waves everyday was one of the best highlights from the trip. We weren’t able to stay for too long on Saturday because we had to get ready to go to Destin that night. It just so happened that some of my cousins from Texas were in Destin which was only 45 minutes away from where were staying so we all decided to get together. This was the perfect opportunity for Anthony and I to drive over to the Destin area and look around a bit. We all met at Captain Daves on the Gulf right in Destin and it was amazing. The food was pretty okay but the view is what pushed the experience to the next level. The restaurant was right on the beach and since we were seated by the window, we were able to look out and enjoy the blue water view right from where we were sitting. After dinner, we snuck away to the beach to see if it was much different than 30A beaches and other than a bit more crowded, it was still beautiful white sand and clear blue water with a breathtaking sunset. Lastly, we hadn’t had any dessert so when we made it back to the Seacrest area, we stopped into the cupcake shop right across from our Airbnb, Smallcakes 30A. I even splurged and got a gluten-free chocolate cupcake with pink frosting because duh, of course I had to. It was a jam-packed Saturday but a great one for sure.
Day 5: Alys, Seaside and Blue Mountain Beach 🤍
Did I wake up at 6:30am to go get donuts? Yes i did! I had read so many good reviews about Charlie’s Donut Truck but many of those good reviews said that they were the best in the area unfortunately they are sold out by 9am. Beach donuts just hit differently, I couldn’t not try these amazing donuts for myself. Originally, the truck was located in Alys Beach so I headed on over there to look for it. Unfortunately, there was a sign that said it is currently under construction so the donuts are actually being sold at different locations, one being a hut right in front of out Airbnb. By this point, it was already 8am and I was nervous about the sell-out potential so we both ran back over to Seacrest Beach and found the hut. Thank goodness because nothing had sold out yet. The chocolate rainbow sprinkles, maple bacon, and blueberry are absolute musts! These donuts were amazing, so amazing that we went back each morning after this one. This was the day we decided to give the beach a break at least from laying out in the sun to save Anthony’s sunburn. After we enjoyed the donuts, we got ready and drove over to Seaside. Throughout the week, I knew I wanted to visit Seaside but I wasn’t sure when, it turned out Seaside Sunday was the best way to go. We spent a few hours walking around looking through all the shops and people-watching. It was such a relaxing way to spend time together that wasn’t directly right on the beach. If you go, you have to try the food trucks! They are so good, unlike any other food trucks I’ve had before. We ate at Barefoot BBQ but the meltdown (grilled cheese-centered menu) definitely caught my eye but I knew it would’ve caused a stomach ache. A sad part of my reality but if you have the chance, you gotta try it. For lunch time dessert, we stopped by Dawson’s Yogurt and Fudgeworks to grab a milkshake and a scoop, wow did it impress. Such a refreshing dessert on a very hot day in the sun. Before we left for the afternoon, I made sure to stop into the the bookstore, Sundog Books and picked up a very cute beach read to take home with me. All of the boutiques in the area have such cute items, very worth stopping into. Once we exhausted ourselves in the heat, we went back to our Airbnb and showered to get ready for our dinner reservations. A few days earlier, I had made a reservation at Blue Mable Smokehouse and Provisions for the evening of and since it was located in Blue Mountain Beach, we decided to go to the area again and walk along the beach during the sunset before our dinner time. The restaurant was so delicious, we enjoyed everything we had from the menu. It also seemed to be a local favourite because it was completely packed the whole night we were there. The drink I tried was Heart of Pearl but I’ll admit the Pardon Me Dolly definitely caught my eye. As an appetizer, we shared the brisket nachos and WOW some of the best nachos I’ve had (and that says a lot). Instead of having a main, I ordered a wedge salad and a side of fries because that’s what I do best….mix greens and fries. A very gluten-friendly menu was very much appreciated. Sunday was filled with amazing food, funny conversations, and beautiful scenery making it such a treasured day of the trip.
Day 6: Last Day in Paradise🌅
Our last full day in 30A was intended to be a full beach day which is exactly what we planned for. First, we wanted to make sure to grab a couple of last minute souveniours so we walked over to Rosemary to do our shopping. Since many boutiques did not open until 10am, we decided to go to Charlie’s Cafe at Rosemary and thankfully, they had the donuts from the truck! We grabbed donuts, breakfast wraps and a couple of morning drinks to pass the time. Once the boutiques opened, we grabbed a few sweatshirts for me (my vice) and then headed back to our place to get our swimsuits on and headed to Seacrest beach. I tried to maximize the time I had on the beach today because I knew the next day I would be headed home on a plane. The views were absolutely incredible, minimal junegrass, and bright sun rays that put me in the best mood. I think we stayed about 5-6 hours on our last day, I had lots of time to read my book. After our fun at the beach, we got cleaned up and embarked on our last dinner out. For our last date night dinner, we drove to Watercolor Beach to dine at Fish Out of Water (FOOW). We didn’t get seated until about 9pm but while we waited, we walked around the area and it was such a nice area that if we go back, I had thought about booking there. FOOW was amazing food and a great ambience as well. I ordered the Filet medallions for dinner and we ate the “Dirt Road Anthem” for dessert. The name sold me on it for the most part. Whenever we go on a holiday, we make sure that our last dinner conversation consists of what our favourites restaurants and activities that we did there so of course that was a priority we talked about. After, finishing at FOOW we had to head back to Seacrest to pack the last few things up in our suitcases to get ready for our next travel day.
Food/Drinks Places:
Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant (Panama City Beach)
Angelina’s Pizzeria & Pasta (Seagrove Beach)
Blue Mountain Bakery (Blue Mountain Beach)
La Co Latin Coastal Kitchen (The Village at Seacrest Beach)
Creative Crepes (Seacrest Beach)
Cafe Thirty-A (Seagrove Beach)
The Pearl Hotel (Rosemary Beach)
Captain Daves on the Gulf (Destin)
Smallcakes 30A (The Village at Seacrest Beach)
Charlies Donut Truck (Alys Beach)
Seaside Food Trucks
Dawson’s Yogurt and Fudgeworks (Seaside Beach)
Blue Mabel Smokehouse and Provisions
Charlie’s Cafe at Rosemary
Fish Out Of Water- FOOW (Watercolor Beach)
The last day was just a travel day back to Virginia so I didn’t feel the need to go into great day breakdown detail. 🧳 All in all, this trip was so well-needed and well-timed. It was more than I could ask for to have some uninterrupted time with Anthony away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. 30A was truly a little slice of paradise and if you are looking for a relaxing beach area with amazing views and cute beach towns, then this is the trip for you to take. I would love to continue to visit the area and make it an annual or bi-annual tradition, I loved it that much. For those of you who have known me for awhile, you know I’m a big traveller. I travelled a lot growing up and still have a long list of places I want to visit. I believe traveling is one of the best ways to spend your time so I really put a lot of intention into this trip to ensure it would be memorable. I hope you liked reading along with this post and hopefully by now, you’ll be on the flight with me next time I visit 30A. If you have any other questions about the trip, let me know! I’m happy to answer any and all. Have a great week and enjoy the last bit of summer left.✨
Alright, friends… it’s time to start preparing for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale aka NSale! This sale is seriously like Christmas in July 🎄. When my boyfriend asked me last year when the sale started, what the big deal was? I answered, this sale is like the Super Bowl of sales.🏈 It is, the sale of the year, if you will. Today, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale preview officially releases where you can see the items that will be included in the highly-anticpated sale. Okay for those of you who think that I’m being ~dramatic~ thats fine, but let me explain to you why this is the sale of all sales…
Why does this sale matter?
When most people (including myself) hear the words sales, the first thought is whatever season you are in is about to end. Usually most sales are supposed to get rid of the clothes on the shelf in order to make room for the next season of clothes. What sets the NSale apart is that the items that are included are the new fall/winter clothes of that year being put on sale before they are even able to be shopped. Once the sale ends, those pieces will all go back to full price and will be *currently in season. This is basically unheard of, except for when it comes to Nordstrom. 🛍
When does the sale start?
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty now. The NSale has several tiers that it opens up in. All Nordstrom credit card holders automatically get early access. It begins with early access on July 6th with subsequent phases of cardholder statuses. The sale then opens up to the public on July 15th where anyone and everyone can take advantage of the sale prices for the upcoming seasons. The following schedule is how the 2022 NSale is operating and when every tiered status can begin shopping:
Icon status: July 6, 2022
Ambassador status: July 7, 2022
Influencer status: July 9, 2022
NSale opens up to the public on July 15, 2022
The sale will be in-store during open hours and will begin online at 9:01pm PST on July 14th/12:01am EST on July 15th.
This sounds confusing, where do I start?
There is a lot of information out there when it comes to the NSale. You can easily make a wishlist if you sign up/in to your Nordstrom account, PRO TIP. This is so helpful when shopping so that you are fully aware of what you are looking for and tracking for restocks. If an item is on your wishlist, you will be notified when it is restocked in the size/colour you wanted. Be sure to keep an eye out for restocks and new items they sometimes throw into the sale when it opens to the public.
What should I do in the meantime while I wait until my access opens?
I have been shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for many years friends, even when I was too little to shop, I would walk through the department store hand in hand with my mom while she shopped it. There is a bit of nostalgia associated with the sale for me but more than anything I find it the most practical time for me to jump ahead of the fall fashion trends before the season starts and fill up my wardrobe with the must-haves. Before I think about shopping or even making my wishlist, I go through my closet and do a major clean out of the items that I don’t wear anymore or don’t fit anymore. This way, I am not duplicating efforts when I am shopping and accidentally buy something that I already have something similar. I would strongly encourage you to do the same so that you can be focused during the shopping event. This is also the best way for me to stick to my budget 🙂 Which leads us into the next question…
How do I budget for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?
I received this question quite a few times last year when I shopped it so I figured I would go ahead and throw it in the pre-sale blog post to address it. Like I mentioned in my previous blog stories, I wait and plan for this sale all year which is how I budget for it. I usually save a portion of my paycheck once a month for 6 months and that will usually get me in a good spot to be able to buy the items on my wishlist. Again, I stick to my list of items needed from my wardrobe as well to make sure I don’t go overboard. Most of the items I buy are shoes and fall/winter staples that I can reuse year after year such as jeans and jackets. Many of the items with the sale prices are under $100 which is what I anticipate. These pieces are great investment pieces that can be used throughout the year and will keep the quality of the item long after the year is over.
I hope this information has provided some helpful tips on how to shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale this year. I’m so pumped for this year’s sale, lets get shoppin’!
Y’all… when I tell you a girls trip is good for the soul, IT IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. 🧳I went to Raleigh for a long weekend with some of my best girlfriends and it was such a fun trip. I hadn’t ever really had Raleigh on my bucket list to travel to but just given where my friends and I are all located right now, it seemed like a good trip choice. We truly just wanted a new city to explore all together and Raleigh (known as the “city inside a park”) was just that. Y’all know I always do extensive research and plan out trips well in advance. Between the craziness of the past couple of months, I looked up a few things to do but didn’t plan extensively which also made it fun when we could just pick what we wanted to do given the time of day it was without any pressure. We travelled down to North Carolina on a Friday and then left midday on Monday which gave us almost 3 full days to explore. I’m going to break down each day in this blog post so that it is clearly laid out in a chronological order.
Day 1: Friday
I came from Northern Virginia which meant Friday was largely spent in the car. Thankfully, my friend and I made the journey together so it wasn’t a lonely ride. It took us about 6 hours to arrive to our destination with a few stops here and there. One important thing to note is that we drove to meet our friend who already resides in North Carolina so we didn’t go straight to Raleigh right away. We caught up with our friend and got to explore where she now lives. The nice thing about heading down a day early was that we didn’t have to rush to Raleigh on Saturday and waste a day on travel, as soon as we arrived we could just begin exploring. If you are flying into Raleigh or if it is a farther drive, I highly recommend trying to make the most out of the travel day to make sure you can fit everything in.
Day 2: Saturday
Our official first day in Raleigh! We weren’t too far away from downtown so we stopped at Starbucks in the early morning and then hit the road to head over to the Airbnb. Like I mentioned previously, you can either drive into Raleigh or if it’s easier/quicker, you can also fly directly into the Raleigh airport which is what one of my friends ended up doing. It is not far from downtown at all either. Since our Airbnb was unable to be checked into until later in the day, we decided to grab a quick bite in the morning to hold us over until a full lunch. We had heard that Raleigh is known for their food halls so we decided to make our way over to one that was walkable from the Airbnb. Transfer Co. Food Hall was our first stop but since it was still early in the day, there was only one vendor that was open for us to get a breakfast bite from. No complaints though because Benchwarmer Bagels was so so good! Any bagel-lover’s heaven for sure, you can pick any type of bagel and they have an assortment of spreads, butters, and fillings all with a fully functioning cafe so you can enjoy a coffee or tea with your bagel. Somehow I forgot to take a picture of my bagel but I split one with my friend since they were massive and I’m not much of a breakfast person. It was an everything bagel and (When in Raleigh…) I ordered a honey bacon butter spread and ohhhhh my goodness it was heavenly. While we were enjoying our bagels, it started to sprinkle…. then pour down rain. When traveling, I usually bring layers so that in the event that I have to quickly change for the weather it would work. So this time, I had brought my raincoat but didn’t have closed-toed shoes… can’t have it all though. Since the rain was only supposed to last for a short period of time, we needed to find an indoor activity that would help pass the time. Indoor mini golf it was! We went to ParTee Shack Mini Golf is where we went and we had the best time all laughing together playing around. They had very unique courses to try which made it way more enjoyable, so if you need a rainy day activity, indoor mini golf is fun! Thankfully, the rain lifted and we were finally able to check into our beautifully appointed cottage of an Airbnb. I will leave the link for the rental we used below at the bottom of this post. We headed out for lunch and decided to explore the city by walking through downtown. We stumbled upon our lunch place just by fluke but we were so glad we made the stop because it was such good food and the right amount of portions for us all, plus a good margarita choice too. The Mexican restaurant we went to was El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant right in the middle of downtown. I ordered a lovely house margarita and the yummiest carne asada street tacos. After enjoying lots of chips and salsa, we walked through the streets to look around local shops. There are some great small business shops sprinkled throughout the downtown area. We ended up making our way to the North Carolina State Capitol which was wonderful to see. It is a beautiful capitol nestled in between grassy grounds and large trees which provided many patches of shades to easily take a rest under. I really enjoyed that we got to see several pieces of history on this trip. After taking a few hours to explore downtown, we all freshened up for dinner at the Rye Bar & Southern Kitchen (located inside of the Marriott hotel) which was definitely one of the best restaurants we went to on the trip. Gin & tonics all around the table made for such a fun night as well. I ordered the steak salad with a side of french fries, topping it all of with the table desserts of a chocolate torte and a Kentucky chocolate bourbon pie. We spent quite a few hours at this restaurant but we wanted to make sure that we still go to end the night at a speakeasy we researched. The Merchant is located on a quiet street and since we went around 11:30pm, there weren’t clear markers that people were coming in and out. The drinks there were spectacularly creative and very instagram-able including the drink I ordered, Femme Fatale.
Day 3: Sunday
A sunny Sunday was exactly what we were looking forward to on this trip. Of course, we had to have a lovely brunch all together in the morning just like old times. We settled on Big Ed’s Restaurant which had the most amazing buttermilk biscuits I have had in awhile. I couldn’t recommend them more. They had an extensive menu where everyone had plenty of options to choose from. We arrived at the restaurant around 10:30am and while it was still full, there wasn’t a wait at all. However, once we left at 11:30am, there was a line wrapped around the corner to get a table and with the warmer months coming, I highly recommend trying to get in as early as you can on the weekends. After brunch, we decided to take the day by storm by eating/drinking some of the best things…. chocolate and wine! First was the Videri Chocolate Factory a few blocks from our Airbnb cottage that we walked to. They had a self-guided tour available through the factory showing the process from bean to pure chocolate. I brought back some chocolate as souvenirs for my friends and family too. Since it was a hot day we all decided to get soft serve from the chocolate factory, my order was a swirl soft serve with a solid chocolate cowboy hat… yes you heard that right and it was the most adorable cup of ice-cream I’ve ever had. Right after the chocolate factory, we walked right over to the newest location of the Raleigh Wine Shop which worked out perfectly as it was just down the street from our cottage. We settled on doing several wine tastings and then went on to look through the aisles of wine to see which bottles were going to come home with us. I settled on two bottles of white, a red, and a rose. If you are interested in the specific international labels, let me know and I will send the names. After several wonderful afternoon hours at the wine shop, we decided to get freshened up before dinner. One of the musts that I wanted to do on this trip was to visit a rooftop bar, turns out Sunday night was the right night for it. The spot we landed on was The Willard Rooftop Bar & Lounge and it was absolutely perfect for our last night in Raleigh. They had great seasonal cocktails on the bar menu so I would definitely recommend trying whichever best suits your taste. I also recommend ordering small plates with the drinks because they were such a good pairing. At this rooftop bar, we received excellent service and enjoyed all of menu items we tried. It also gave beautiful panoramic views of downtown Raleigh, a city my friends and I all enjoyed exploring. I loved that we chose to do this rooftop the last night of our trip because it gave us the opportunity to recap and appreciate our much-needed trip away from reality.
Day 4: Monday
Our last day in Raleigh, we decided to get a yummy breakfast all together before we headed out our separate ways towards home. Before going to bed Sunday night, we agreed that we all wanted to try the restaurant The Flying Biscuit Cafe. Right when we woke up, we got packed up, left the cottage, and made our way over to the cafe all together. It was such good food and of course, the biscuits deserved to be in the title as they were so warm and fluffy. It was a great send off meal for us all in Raleigh. We had a bit of time left before we all had to hit the road so we decided to do the one activity that we didn’t have time to do over the the weekend, boutique shopping!! Going inside different local boutiques, trying on different items, laughing together piecing outfits together, it was an absolute blast. Plus we all got to leave the boutiques with a little something we all found and loved. Two of the boutiques I chose items from were Madison and The Impeccable Pig all in the village of Raleigh. After our little shopping sprees, we said our goodbyes which of course was bittersweet since we had the best weekend all together.
I couldn’t have asked for a better girls trip weekend away. It truly just meant the world that we were all able to schedule time out of our busy lives to make sure we nurtured our friendships and made the most out of the limited time we have together now. From living together as roommates our senior year of college to all embarking on our individual adult lives, our love for each other has only grown but as we all have different things going on, we always make the effort to spend time with each other. It’s so important to have friends you can trust and depend on no matter what season of life you are in. I know I am so thankful for all of my dear friends💗 I hope y’all enjoy the travel guides, I’ll keep them coming if you do like them.
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I own the rights of all pictures of me in them in this blog post. I do not make any commission from links provided.
Finally sitting down and writing this blog post for y’all! We are officially in wedding season, my friends!!👰🏽 I have been talking with some of y’all in private messages about the amount of weddings that are happening this year and all the outfits we are looking for so I figured I would put some of my picks in a blog post all together. There is always a lot of preparation that goes into attending a wedding, not to mention everything the engaged couple is going through. One of the most nerve wracking things is to find the perfect outfit to wear as a guest. I already know what you’re thinking… okay so no white/cream/ivory duh? Is this too bright of a colour? If the floral print has white in it, is it automatically a no? What’s the dress code and does this outfit blend in? Am I going to get too hot or too cold during the ceremony? Oh i hope this doesn’t look like the bridal party, does it? If those types of thoughts are racing through your head, you are most definitely not alone, we’ve all been there. Over the years, I have been to my fair share of weddings- definitely up in the double digits. Regardless of the wedding, it’s always nice to calm your nerves over fashion anxiety… trust me, it happens to the best of us. So without further ado, let’s get into some fabulous dress options, FOR THE GUESTS!🥂
This was my favourite way to break down the dresses, by venue style. Of course you aren’t locked into the venue style if it doesn’t suit you. For example, any one of these dresses could be for a winery/garden wedding not just the one pictured by it but I wanted to give some creative options. All links are provided within each style as well. The best part is… they are all under $100!
How beautiful is this pink puffed-sleeve dress? If you were around for my Valentine’s Day outfit haul, you’ll remember seeing this outfit before. That is half the reason why I love the dress because it could be used for several different occasions. I’m wearing a size small and it fits very comfortably. If you are unsure of what to wear if you are attending a religious wedding, for example like a church wedding, a good rule of thumb is to wear some sort of sleeve. Short, 3/4 or full sleeves all work well and if your outfit is sleeveless then bringing a cardigan or a scarf/shawl would be great as well. Any nude heels would work with this dress but I chose to wear the white strappy heeled sandals to match my clutch. This dress is so romantic which makes it the perfect outfit to wear on a day to celebrate love. 💒
The warm weather is finally setting in!🌈 This means that there will be quite a few backyard summer weddings coming up. This darling little lilac dress would be perfect for such an occasion, I can’t say enough good things about it. It is ruffled throughout which makes it look feminine and girly without constricting. I could easily eat a full plate of barbecue and be good to go. I’m wearing a small in this dress and it is very comfortable. I decided to lift my hair up and wear an up-do for this dress to show off the neckline. Since it is an off the shoulder fit, I think it uplevels the look a bit more with hair up. Keep the accessories minimal because the dress is the focal point, perhaps no necklace and statement earrings to truly shine.
Alright, Alright, Alright…. This dress reminds me of the showstopper dress from one of my favourite movies with Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”. ✨It is so hard to pick a favourite outfit out of all of these pictured, but this one might be it. I just absolutely love the stunning gold colour of the dress because it is super unique. The slit on the dress is very flattering and since the dress is a satin material, it is one of the most comfortable to be right on the beach with. The fabric also makes it to be an easy travel dress if you are flying for a destination wedding. Imagine this gold dress against the white sands or the beautiful clear blue ocean… can’t get any better, other than the bride of course. I ordered both a small and a medium in this dress for sizing options. I’m wearing a small and it fits great however if you are in between, size up in this dress. Keep accessories minimal and gold to match.
My sister called me Tinkerbell in this dress and I instantly loved it. 🧚🏽♀️The satin wrap portion of the dress is so forgiving and lightweight. Could you imagine strolling through a beautiful grass field with a glass of wine in your head for cocktail hour? This dress makes the absolute perfect option as a wedding guest dress. The colour is so beautiful and can be rocked throughout the remainder of the spring season and into summer. Since this dress is strapless, I decided to wear my hair half up and half down so that my shoulders were covered but most of the attention went to the dress. Likewise, I wore clear wedges so that it wouldn’t take away from the satin stunner. I’m wearing a size medium in this dress as I sized up for my bust and hips.
I have loved putting together these looks for this post and I hope they have provided some help and context for your next wedding outing. Enjoy all of the wedding festivities this year and please let me know if you have any questions or need helpful opinions on outfit options. Cheers to love!! 🤍
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I own the rights of all pictures of me in them in this blog post. I do not make any commission from links provided.
Hello my lovelies 🙂 I am following up on my previous blog post to share the items that I ended up purchasing during the sale. It is officially open to all tiered members and if you aren’t a member, you can sign up for free and still receive a discount!✨ For more details about the nuts and bolts of the sale, click here for my previous blog post. I will link all the items with the shade names as well throughout the post. Please keep in mind that for the majority of the products, I haven’t yet tested them out so I can’t speak to the wearability but I hope to do an updated post in a few weeks after getting good use out of them. Any product that has a double asterisk (**) next to it is a restock for me.💄
Some of the products I went in-store for, especially to get shade-matched. However, some items are online-only so I placed orders for them the first day of the sale.
Makeup:
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Pore Diffusing Primer – $26, I bought the full size after I used a sample last year and really liked the formula. This is great for oily skin (like mine), the illuminating primer would be best for dry skin.
I wanted to section off all the products so you could easily find what you were looking for. All items have links tied to them and a picture to go with the item. Like I said in my previous blog post, this is truly one of the best times to stock up on your favourites from Sephora while you can get a discount. 🎀We all know that makeup and beauty items can add up real quick which is why I make sure I wait for this event to restock my tried and true items as well as experiment with new ones. Let me know if there are any products you see here that you need further explanation of or any recommendations for a type of product you don’t see in this list. I am more than happy to help! Thanks for reading along and following along through the sale!
*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
Cheers to the Sephora Sale and my sister’s 21st birthday happening all on the same weekend
The Sephora Spring Sale is finally here; it runs from April 1-April 11 and I couldn’t be more excited to cover this sale for the third year. 💄Fun fact about my blog, the first sale I covered was the Sephora Spring Sale back in 2020 before I re-branded in 2021. Many of y’all have been around since last year’s sale so you know the drill! I tend to … fall into my Type A tendencies …in preparation for the sale because I start saving several months before each sale. As you may know, there are 2 sales, one now in spring and the other during November for the holiday sale. Since I covered the holiday sale in November/December, I started saving for this sale in January. Which has given me 3 full months of savings SPECIFIC to the sale so I can freely shop within that budget. The reason why I look forward to this sale is because it is a great time to restock on favourite products that you’ve been loving. Some of the items in my cart are tried and true products that either I repurchase every year or that I found last year and love it enough to restock. Another reason why this sale is such a good time to place an order is because with the discounts, it makes snagging more luxurious or high-ticket items at a better price. Okay enough rambling from me, I have all the details laid out for y’all below.
If you don’t have an account with Sephora, you can sign up for free here. If you are in the Rouge status, you will be able to shop first with early access with 20% off from April 1-11. If you are in the VIB status, you can start shopping with 15% off on April 5-11. If you are an Insider, you will be able to shop with 10% off from April 7-11. Make sure to use the code SAVESPRING when you are checking out to receive your spring savings! I have split this post into several sections so it is easier to plan your shopping strategy (and yes I take this sale that seriously). The sections include makeup, skincare, hair care, and fragrances. Within each category, I have listed products that I have on my wishlist and want to buy during the sale. If at any time, you need a more comprehensive review of a particular product or have additional questions, please reach out to me ~ I’m happy to help! 🛍
First off, is the Daily Makeup Favs graphic, which includes the items that I quite literally use daily. For the most part, I like a full face of makeup if I bother to put it on so these items are my go-to’s.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Instant Eyeshadow Palette, $75 This palette has four different sets of looks with three different shades in each. I really like how CT separates her eyeshadow palettes because it gives the user direction on where to use them and what to use them for each occasion. There is a holiday collection that comes out every year and I use last year’s quite a bit as well.
Tarte SEA Breezy Blender Cream Bronzer Brush– $29 This bronzer brush is really convenient because of the shape of it. It fits perfectly into the hollows of my cheeks so that it beautifully applies my cream contour and bronzer.
PAT McGRATH LABS Bridgerton MTHRSHP: Diamond of the First Water Eyeshadow Palette– $65 Calling all Bridgerton fans!! I was so excited when I heard this limited edition collection was coming to Sephora. The colours of the shades are beautiful for spring and summer. The shadows are beautifully pigmented with the same quality of the other MTHRSHP palettes. I highly recommend this palette, I wear it almost everyday now and I always get really lovely compliments.
ILIA Fullest Volumizing Mascara– $28 This has been one of my favourite volumizing mascaras that I have tried. I used to wear the Marc Fisher Velvet Noir but unfortunately it has been discontinued. This was my replacement and so far have been loving it.
Lancome Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer– $28 The absolute best eyelash primer that has ever graced this planet. No, I don’t say this lightly either. Every sale, I buy in bulk because I just can never run out of it. I have three in my restock drawer already. The trick is to let it sit for about 30 seconds so it gets a bit tacky and then apply the mascara of your choice for a beautiful wispy and full effect.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (shade: ginger, medium with warm undertones and a golden tone)- $31 This concealer is the only concealer I use hands down. It doesn’t settle into my fine lines and it actually conceals redness and my dark circles under my eyes. When I first tried it, I got the mini-size and it lasted such a long time. Ever since then, I’ve repurchasing a full size bottle and I won’t use anything else.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder (shade: 2 medium)- $45 This finishing powder is the only powder I use under my eyes because it truly has a flawless finish to it. It sets my under-eye and on top of my lid perfectly. I like that it has a subtle brightening effect as well for my dark circles under my eye.
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation (shade: 6 medium olive)- $65 This is a fan fav, although honestly it is not my favourite foundation. It is light to medium coverage with a natural finish. When I first bought it, my skin was glowing so the makeup applied beautifully. Now that I have been breaking out and uneven texture, it doesn’t look nearly as seamless as it used to before. This will be perfect for anyone who has dry-skin, as I have oily skin this does the opposite effect it’s supposed to. Currently on the hunt for a new everyday foundation.
HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder (shade: banana bread- light, medium, and tan skin tones)- $34 The best loose setting powder on the market! This was a recent find from the Sephora Holiday Sale and I am so glad I picked it up because I don’t go a day without using it. The powder is so finely milled and it applies beautifully on the skin. Doesn’t crease at all and it brightens the area applied. I don’t need a restock because I still have plenty, but I will definitely make sure I don’t ever run out of it.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick and Lip Liner shade: Pillow Talk)- $34 First I use the lip liner then I use the lipstick and to top it off you can use either the lip gloss or the collagen lip bath. The colour is universally flattering which is a major plus because it is a true nude and not only is soft on the lips but I find it hydrating too.
Charlotte Tilbury Jewel Lip Gloss (shade: Pillow Talk)- $32 Unfortunately, pillow talk is sold out so I linked it up to Rose Jewel which looks so beautiful and is the same formula as pillow talk with a bit more gold to it. Absolutely obsessed with the packaging on this one!
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ (shade: neutral tan, light brown shade with neutral undertones)- $42 This CC cream is very buildable and I love it because of the good coverage it provides. I wear this everyday for work and I used to wear it in the office when I would work in-person. I also always use this cream to the pool, to the beach, or any outdoor events specifically during the summer because of the amazing SPF coverage. In the depth of winter, I transition to the shade of neutral medium.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (shade: happy, dewy cool pink)- $20 This blush is absolutely stunning. The formula, the colour, and the pigment are top tier. I thought this colour might’ve been too bright for me however just a dab on my cheek is all I needed, and blending it out made it look like I had just naturally blushing cheeks. I liked wearing it in the summer because of the naturalness of it but I also am liking it during the colder months because of how nourishing it feels on my face.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil (shade: bourbon, glimmering dark brown)- $22 This eyeliner is a beautiful brown with slight shimmer in it which I love to use on an everyday look. I line my top lid and smudge it with with a brush so it creates a soft glow look. I also wear this liner without eyeshadow if I just want a subtle outline to make my eyes shine a bit more.
Gucci Mascara L’Obscur (shaded: eve black)- $35 I fell in love with this mascara last spring sale and I haven’t looked back. I think for a designer brand, it is a reasonable price especially now during the sale. It is a great everyday mascara that lengthens the lashes and gives a beautiful rich and flattering look to the eyes. Plus the packaging is dead set a winner to me.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation (shade 7: medium skin with neutral undertones)- $44 I tried this product when the last sale was happening and I really liked it. I kept wearing it over the weekends and I found that this is one of the best full coverage foundations I’ve tried. The finish is flawlessly matte but doesn’t ever finish cakey. This is what I wear to weddings, photoshoots, and any event that I need my makeup to picture beautifully but not feel heavy on my face.
MY WISHLIST
I have made the above graphic with all the items that I have in my basket. All of them are new products to me that I haven’t tried before or at least in that particular shade. Unfortunately, I don’t have reviews on them yet but I will soon! That will have to be my next blog post!
I have made a few graphics below to showcase all of the items in certain sections. However, I want to make sure that it is clear that I will absolutely not recommend products to you if I don’t actually use it myself. All the products that are on my graphics (unless it is a wishlist item) are all products that I currently use or have been using in the past that I would recommend to grab during the sale. With that being said, feel free to message me if there are any specific questions you might have about any of the items.
I will stop my rambling here as I think I have covered quite a bit of info for one blog post. My next post will be of the items that I actually purchased with the shade names included. I definitely placed an online order and went into the store to get shade matched for a few things. Clearly, I’m so excited for this sale and I hope y’all are too. It only comes around twice a year, after all. Please let me know if there are any questions about the sale or any of the items I listed. Can’t wait to chat all about the goodies purchased! Thanks for reading, if you made it this far. 🤍
*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
aaaaaand the countdown is on! Valentine’s Day is on Monday and I can’t contain my excitement. This past week I have been working on expanding the ways I can share content with y’all so I’m trying my luck with reels. I have a reel on my instagram with the visuals for this blog so that I can continue marrying the two platforms together. 🤍Anyways, I wanted to share with you guys 3 different looks that can be styled from 1 outfit… and even better one piece, a black sweater dress. If you live in the deep south than perhaps you don’t usually spend Valentine’s freezing, but here in Virginia it is usually pretty cold/snowy here around Valentine’s Day which is why I chose to style the black sweater dress for this post. It’s simple in the essence of it and most people already have a version of it in their wardrobe. If not, it isn’t too hard to hunt down. I will link mine here for those of you who are interested; I’m in a size small. In case it gets restocked, make sure to note which size you’re looking for.
Having 3 looks to work from ensures that there is some type of inspiration for various types of styles. Let’s be honest, some days I want to look very girly and feminine but other days I need to have that fun western chic vibe… and then other days, everything else in between. Again, most of the items in this blog post are from my closet (and a few years ago) so do some digging in your own closet to see if you can put together an outfit of your own.
screenshot from the reel
Look 1: Western & Trendy 🌹
Super simple look to achieve with 2 pieces total- the black sweater dress and cowboy boots. Of course, I chose the red glitter ones but you could wear whatever colour or version you would like. To set the true trend report on fire, bust out the white cowgirl boots and shimmy on out the door.
screenshot from the reel
Look 2: Chic & Comfortable 🎀
If it happens to be a bit more chilly where you live for Valentine’s Day, then this is the perfect outfit. Black sweater dress, knee-high black boots and a mini heart purse for a splash of Valentine’s colour. If you don’t have a specific heart accessory, anything red or pink would suffice.
screenshot from the reel
Look 3: Glam & Flirty 💄
The perfect way to dress up an outfit is to enhance the accessories. I’m a big believer in “it’s all in the details” so for this look I pulled out my sparkly bow shoes that I got for the holidays and my LOVE clutch that would be perfect for a dinner date or a night out on the town.
This year, now that my blog has a foundation, I want to get creative with the ways I can utilize my current closet items. I don’t want to spend too much money on all new things when I have quite a good amount of items in my closet that could probably be made into a new outfit with just a few finishing touches. This was my first experiment with this idea so I hope you are able to draw some inspiration from this blog post! I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day weekend with your loved ones, family and friends. May it be filled with love, joy, good food and laughter 💘
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I own the rights of all pictures of me in them in this blog post. do not make any commission from links provided.
Happy Groundhog Day friends! It appears that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning which means that there will be six more weeks of winter.❄️ I was really looking forward to warmer weather but I am starting to believe that Phil is right because of the projected ice and snow storms rolling in. Today is also 2.2.2022 which is a fun play on numbers for a date. Would’ve made a great wedding date! Valentine’s Day is a little less than two weeks away, I can’t believe it. Since it basically snuck up on me, I wanted to make these Valentine’s Gift Guides as soon as possible for everyone to look through. There should be plenty of time to get these items in with shipping so there shouldn’t be any problems with that either! I have made 2 guides, one for her and one for him with all the details below each graphic. Without further ado…
I have a few more ideas up my sleeve for Valentine’s Day content so keep an eye out in the coming week for some more posts. I hope these gift guides were helpful, I usually get questions on what to get friends’ SO’s which is exactly why I started these last year. Of course, these are just ideas so whether you get what is actually linked or something that sparked off an item included in the gift guide, it’s meant to be useful. I also wanted to point out that there is no need to have to spend a lot of money on Valentine’s Day gifts because one of the most important gifts that you can give someone you love, is your time. Spend time together, plane a date, connect while doing something you both love… those moments are the best gifts.🎁 Plus if you wanna throw in a bottle of wine, box of chocolates, and some flowers, well that is just the icing on the cake. Let me know if any of these items are the one you’re going to get! Thanks so much for reading along!🤍
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I own the rights of all pictures of me in them and the pictures that are from other websites have links tied to them in the descriptions.
Welcome to a new week friends! I am excited to announce that today is my blog anniversary! It has been exactly a year, today January 25th, that I relaunched my blog website with the intention of fulfilling a pipe dream of mine. What started as a dream, has become a reality, and now a passion of mine… and of course, I have YOU to thank for that.🌈 In this blog post, I want to reflect a little bit about the past year and bring out the vision I have for 2022. Let’s take a look back on my first full year of blogging…
The first picture I took for my first blog post/instagram post- January 25, 2021
I cannot believe how much has happened since the above picture was taken. It was one whole year ago and I had no idea what would’ve unfolded after this. I remember that all I wanted to do last year was to build up the confidence to just sit down and publish one blog post. I did that on January 25th, but then I kept going. Now I know that seems like the obvious next step but I really wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about continuing after publishing. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made in awhile. With this being said, I also learned a lesson through this. I was very close to robbing myself of the joy it has brought me and losing out on the connections I have made throughout my blog if I had let my fears stand in my way and get the best of me. I couldn’t have imagined that my blog would’ve grown to what it is now back then.
We all know that the world has been filled with negativity for awhile and sometimes it feels like there isn’t really anything to look forward to/be positive about. However, having this blog to look to when times have gotten tough either professionally or personally, has really helped me bring things into perspective. It brings me happiness to escape into my blogging world and connect with all of you through our common interests. I hope that my blog can serve as just a small beacon of positivity for all of you as well.🦋
Some of the highlights from last year through the blog were some of the self-love/positivity mindset posts, Sephora Sale posts, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, OBX Travel Guide, and Thanksgiving Inspiration Outfit Posts. Of course, I filled the blog with many other posts webbed between all of those but to me, those were definitely the ones I was most proud of. With the upcoming year ahead of us, I would love to build on all of those posts and amplify them as much as possible. I intend to focus on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle categories throughout the year.
I have two main goals regarding my blog for this year. I am happy to share them with you below:
Consistently publish my blog posts weekly. At the minimum, I would like to post once a week but I want to strive for twice a week. Last year, I had a lot of momentum so I was trying to post twice a week. However towards the end of the year I think I got a little burned out after Thanksgiving. I think if I keep my goal consistent and then work towards the challenge of posting more than once every week, it will expand my blogging skills. After asking you guys what posting schedule would work best a couple of weeks ago, I want to try to keep posts to Monday and Wednesdays. Of course, if there is a special event or excuse as to why it would be posted on other days then that will be that day. Like for example, today is a Tuesday but its my blog anniversary so it was going to be published today regardless.
My next goal for the year is to upgrade my blog website. Most of last year I was trying to get my head around the writing tools and understanding how to best market my content but this year I would like to work on the design of the website and enhance the features. I don’t have a hard timeline to complete this, but if I work in phases, I hope that it will be done by the end of the year.
I want to express my sincerest gratitude to all of you, my readers and supporters. I am so very thankful for you guys and all of the encouragement I have received this year. For those of you who always saw the potential in me and challenged me to keep going even when life got a little tough and busy, you are the best type of human. Y’all know who you are and I can’t thank you enough. In 2022, I hope to bring more fashion, beauty and lifestyle content to y’all in whatever way I can. If there is anything specific that you would like to see this year, don’t hesitate to reach out! Much love for all of you💖
** If you are receiving this post in your email inbox, please click on the title of this post so that it will redirect you to my website… trust me it looks WAY prettier 🙂
Two weeks into the new year and still talking about goals? Well duh, how else are we going to achieve our goals? Consistency! Consistency is the key and I want to be better about keeping consistent this year than how I did last year. It’s just as important to check in on your progress of goals throughout the year as it is to make them in the beginning of the year. I only checked them twice after I made my 2021 goals last year and it wasn’t very helpful towards the end of the year because I started to feel down on myself. I wasn’t able to see the progress I had made throughout 2021. This year, I want to check in with my goals perhaps seasonally. I will check them once in winter, spring, summer, and fall which to me is enough to keep on track but also not too much that I feel overwhelmed/controlled by reaching the goals. ✨
I can’t believe we have already entered in to 2022, the past two years have been beyond anyone’s imagination. With this in mind, I try to extend myself grace and understanding on days of frustration and anxiousness… which if you knew me before 2020, would be very uncharacteristic of me. As I stated in my previous blog post Reflecting on 2021, I have a bit of a different system than others on how I set my goals. While I have a good amount of goals set aside for this year, I want to keep some of them private as they are personal. However, I will be sharing 5 of my goals in this post and categorizing them into one of my twelve sections. Without further ado, let’s talk GOALS:
Commit to (2) clean outs a year (i.e. spring cleaning, etc) – Lifestyle 💖
Y’all know how much I love a good spring cleaning! However, that is usually the only time I do a big clean out every year but it shouldn’t be. I have decided to commit to at least 2 clean outs a year including the spring cleaning event because I don’t want clutter to build up. I decided to not limit myself to just closet clean outs though. It could be accessories, books, storage, random junk lying around. I couldn’t believe how much randomness is lying around my space so I wanted to make this goal a priority this year. This will also help feed into my donating more clothes goal, by nature.
2. Stay true to 2022 savings priorities – Finances 💰
This one encompasses a large portion of my finance goals this year without having to go into specifics. I have quite a few savings goals for 2022 but the only way I am going to be able to achieve them is to focus on them every month. When I had a rather large financial goal of becoming debt-free last year, the first few months of the year I was hyper-focused on that so that drive made me act accordingly. A tangible way that I want to work towards this goal is to educate myself on different forms of investing. I know there is a lot for me to learn so I want to read a few financial literacy books and attend workshops/classes like I did last year.
3. Drink at least 70 oz. of water a day- Health 🚰
This goal is pretty self-explanatory. Water is important and I think we all know that. For me, it helps clear up my skin, makes me feel hydrated and more alert throughout the day, and helps my headaches go away 🙂 I know I can easily hit this goal if I keep it on my mind because it just means I need to drink at least 3 of my 24 oz water bottles. One in the morning, one in the afternoon and one after my workout for the evening which will get me to my daily goal. If you are reading this, I implore you to make a daily water intake goal and challenge yourself to see if you can do it.
4. Read 17 books this year while utilizing the public library – Personal Development 📚
Last year, my goal was to read 15 books and I beat the goal by 2 meaning I read a total of 17 books. I wanted to match last year’s goal by setting the bar at 17 books. Hopefully, I will be able to read more and just keep adding a few on every year. The other part of this goal is the public library. Somehow in the midst of staying inside, keeping to myself, and being afraid of germs everywhere, I completely forgot about the public library. It is insane how expensive books are nowadays and I think I spent wayyyy too much money at Barnes & Noble last year. So I would like to go back to the library and see if I can borrow more books rather than buy them outright. Of course, there will be a few books that I truly want to buy to keep in my collection but there are certainly others that I don’t need to buy for only a one-time read. Plus, I found my public library card in one of my old wallets so it’s a win-win.
5. Take a holiday trip with my boyfriend – Travel ✈️
This goal is very special to me because my boyfriend and I’s work schedules are basically the opposite of each other so for us to be able to take time off at the same time in order to travel to a new spot is a bit challenging. However, that doesn’t stop us from trying! Ever since we graduated college, we have planned at least one out-of-state trip a year. We’ve had the best time exploring new areas, experimenting with new foods, and trying new activities together. Eventually we want to go on a trip internationally but that has obviously been put on hold the past 2 years so hopefully that is on the horizon but if not, we will pick another place outside of Virginia to take a trip to this year. In 2020, we went to The Highlands, North Carolina and in 2021, we explored The Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee. Here’s to seeing where 2022 will take us.
I would love to recap this blog post at the end of 2022 or at the beginning of 2023 to see if I am able to achieve my goals. If you would like to share a goal of yours for the upcoming year, feel free to share with me! I would love to hear all about your intentions for 2022. Additionally, if there is anything specific that you would like to see in a blog post this year, let me know because I would love to continue to connect with you in as many ways as I can. Thank you for reading along on my post today!
** If you are receiving this post in your email inbox, please click on the title of this post so that it will redirect you to my website… trust me it looks WAY prettier 🙂
Happy New Year, my lovely friends! Welcome to 2022! Wow, have I missed y’all. I didn’t realize that I haven’t talked to you since Thanksgiving. I didn’t meant to ghost in December and I didn’t think I had since I was keeping up with documentation on my instagram but I am back on my blog posts now!
Over the past week, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on 2021 and how things unfolded. I didn’t speak much about this towards the end of the year but I was starting to feel a little down about how the year went. Obviously, I wasn’t thinking of the big picture and so when I started to spiral, I was only thinking of one specific section of my life and basically chalked up the rest which was forgotten. I really wanted to enjoy the holidays and not miss out on the joy to be experienced. With this attitude in mind, I dove head first into celebrating the holidays with my loved ones and tried to soak in the moment because I knew that when the new year hit, that I would try to shift my mindset. During that awkward lull time between Christmas and the New Year, I was fortunate enough to see some of my extended family which was very grounding for me. I think we can all agree that we haven’t been able to connect with our relatives as much as normal or as much as we would’ve hoped over the past two years, so the fact that I was able to see two of my tia’s (aunts) after 2 years was a very special time.
Right after we rung in the New Year, I sat down and started brainstorming for 2022. However , I wasn’t able to get very far because I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to focus on this year. That’s when I realized, I hadn’t taken the time to look back on 2021 because I was so focused on getting out of it. I took a VERY deep breath and went back to the 2021 goals I laid out for myself last January. I decided to make a “2021 brag list” where I write down all of goals I actually accomplished from 2021 and then I can see what was achieved and which goals I can continue to work on. From those, that created areas of opportunity for 2022 later on.
Everyone conducts their goals/resolutions/words of the year a little bit differently so that’s important to keep in mind here. I will explain my system to y’all but please don’t feel like you automatically have to do the same. What works for me may not work for you but I know this is my method that has proved productive. First, I don’t make big overarching goals because then I am unsure of how to actually achieve them. I instead split up my goals into categories and then write tangible smaller goals within those sections to focus my efforts in. I have a total of 12 categories which are Love & Relationships, Lifestyle, Food/Dietary Needs, Personal Development, Health (Physical/Mental), Finances, Travel, Fitness, Work/Career, Faith, Blog, and Misc/Extras. Within each of my categories, I have 2-4 smaller more attainable goals that coincide with that overarching theme. Now for some people, all of that organizing into sections might sound like overkill but to me, it made it manageable. If you are still trying too figure out your style, keep trying different methods because one size doesn’t fit all!
While I was working on the brag list, I also realized that I had a few other goals that weren’t goals in the beginning of the year but were spur of the moment or things that just came up throughout the year that I hadn’t planned for. I’m not going to share all of my goals that I achieved with you because I do want to keep some of them private as they are personal but I have decided that I will share 5 of them with you here in this post and will include which category they were from.
Try new gluten-free and dairy-free recipes from new cookbooks weekly (Food/Dietary Needs)
As you know from my previous blog posts, I dealt with quite a bit of health issues in 2020. This resulted in many different doctors, medications, time in bed, and a lot of food that all of a sudden didn’t work with my body almost abruptly. I ultimately had to switch my eating to gluten-free and dairy-free centric. My family and friends were so supportive and always were so accommodating. I also got a couple of cookbooks that Christmas that would aid me in my new lifestyle. Since I cook weekly from those cookbooks, I was experimenting all the time to find some favourites. This was a huge success for me because not only did I actually love the recipes but so did my family and some of my friends who I made them for. Not only was I finally noticing a difference in my health but I was exploring a whole other way of eating and fueling my body. I felt accomplished meeting this goal!
2. Read 15 books this year (Personal Development)
This one was definitely a big goal for me to set because even though I love reading, I have never had enough time to make it a priority…until the pandemic. So instead of doing 12 to account for a book per month I padded the goal with a few extra to see if I could make it. Happy to report that I exceeded this goal and finished reading 17 books total in 2021! As a reminder, I have a book highlight on my instagram of all my ratings and book recs. If you would like me to recap best books of 2021 in a blog post, let me know! I felt accomplished meeting this goal!
3. Pay off Loans/ Debt-Free (Finances)
I cannot believe I considered 2021 a failed year when I hadn’t even remembered I had accomplished this goal! To be fair, I reached this goal in March of 2021 so it was definitely earlier in the year so by the time December hit it felt like a lot of time had passed. ANYWAY, I was so excited all over again when I was making the brag list. I remember doing a lot of financial literacy courses during 2020 and realized that I felt very tied down by my loans (as I’m sure many of us have felt before/currently feel). That is why I was determined to pay off my remaining student loan and car loan to make me debt-free. I was able to accomplish my goal by the end of March by paying my final payment of both loans. In April, I celebrated with my family. I felt accomplished meeting this goal!
4. Sit, Write, and Publish another blog post (Blog)
Well I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since I started this blog journey but wow oh wow has it been such a positive addition to my life. I have loved getting to connect with you guys in a different way this past year; it was exactly the passion project I needed to start at just the right time. Obviously, just by the wording of this goal made me hesitant to even begin again after how negatively 2020 went but I am glad that I swallowed some of my fear and just began to write again. I have some exciting plans for this upcoming year and I can’t wait to share them with you as they unfold. I felt accomplished meeting this goal!
5. Full Invisalign Journey (Misc.)
This goal was apart of the miscellaneous section of my goals because I didn’t anticipate going through it during the year when I was crafting these goals. For a good amount of time in college, I felt very self-conscious of my smile because my bottom teeth were starting to shift after my wisdom teeth surgery. I realized that I could definitely take advantage of the fact that many of us were still stying indoors and wearing masks when outside so if I started my Invisalign, not many people would even notice. I went in for my consultation in January, got my first set of liners delivered in March, completed those in September. After that, I got re-scanned for a last set of 6 weeks as a victory lap which I completed in November shortly after Thanksgiving. I also made sure I was paying it off every month so that the process was paid off by November before the year-end. Now I have continued my debt-free lifestyle and have sparkly straight teeth again… sounds like a win to me. I felt accomplished meeting this goal!
That’s a wrap on my reflection of 2021 so let’s finally say that’s a wrap on 2021 itself. I am so glad that I was able to share this part of my life with you over the past year and I hope to continue to find new ways to connect with y’all in 2022. If there are any questions or need any guidance on goal-planning or would like to know more about 2021, feel free to reach out! I am always happy to chat! As always, thank you for reading and supporting 🤍
** If you are receiving this post in your email inbox, please click on the title of this post so that it will redirect you to my website… trust me it looks WAY prettier 🙂
Finally we have hit day 5 of the Thanksgiving outfit inspo series! I hope throughout the week you have been able to get some Thanksgiving outfit inspiration, whether its casual, comfy, or dressy 🧡🤎 I always struggle every year with what to wear for actual Thanksgiving because I want to feel comfortable (hello all of those yummy sides), dressed for the occasion (whichever your family decides for the day) and stylish (because thats just how I am). In this blog post, you will find my outfit details so if you do end up liking one of the outfits enough to recreate on your own, tag me and show me! Below are the details for day 5 look:
Cropped Faux Fur Jacket- Okay first on the list is my favourite but of course, its completely sold out and not even on the Abercrombie website anymore😭 So sorry about that guys however, I found some beautiful alternatives that could easily substitute with the outfit.
Magnificent Style Plum Purple Faux Fur Coat, $98- You guys, this coat is everything!! I stumbled upon it a few days ago and wow if I didn’t already have the one pictured, I would 100% grab this in a heartbeat. The rich plum colour combined with the fur look is just absolutely divine. If you want to incorporate it with the look pictured, go with the purple coat, an ivory/cream bodysuit, the skirt and boots pictured… *chefs kiss.
Collard Plush Faux Fur Coat, originally $98/sale $59- This jacket is currently on sale for 40% off, you seriously can’t beat it! I think this would be a great piece to pick up mostly because black is always chic and this can be used on so many occasions, especially for the holidays coming up. Not only for Thanksgiving but for Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years, any and all holiday celebrations! I would echo what I said before about an outfit though: any coloured bodysuit (black can pair with it all), the skirt and boots pictured and there you have a wonderful look.
Double-Layered Seamless Fabric Scuba Bodysuit, $39- I cannot say enough good things about the Abercrombie bodysuits. I was introduced to them over the summer and I now have 4 different ones because I was obsessed with the fit. Unfortunately, my exact colour/texture is sold out. Mine is the green ribbed but this one I have linked is the exact same style just a seamless texture and in a few other colours/sizes. This bodysuit in particular is very flattering because it seamlessly has a beautiful scuba cut which is unique to me. This particular neckline can also double as a more conservative top paired with a cardigan or jacket. These bodysuits are very soft, suck you in, and do not feel uncomfortable when wearing them for long periods of time. I do wear my true size in these bodysuits which is a small. There are a few different colours available on the website and I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them for Thanksgiving.
Caitlin Covington X Pink Lily The Ella Side Slit Tan Suede Skirt, $48- I have been on the hunt for a suede skirt like this for years and had not found one that was the right colour, length, or style until I saw this one! It has a comfortable zip closure on the back, a flattering side slit, is not the type of tan that looks exactly like my skin colour, and has enough stretch in the waist to not feel like you’ll have to hold your breath while eating your 2nd plate of leftovers. Truly love the texture of it as well, I don’t usually wear suede clothing items but I have a feeling this skirt is going to hold up well. Especially with the colour of it, it will tie into a lot of different outfits in my closet. I also like the fact that this type of skirt can be used in the fall, winter and even spring with some sneakers or short booties. I wear a size small in the skirt and feel very comfortable saying that this skirt does run true to size.
Steve Madden Tava Over the Knee Boot, $135- Another great purchase from the NSale, these over the knee boots are just amazing and can go with so many different outfits. The heel height is a great average height where it’s not too high to walk around comfortably. I love that these are actually pretty high because if you have a short romper, dress, or skirt that you want to wear during the winter, these are the perfect boots to wear with it given that they come up so high and can keep your legs warm. I fell in love with this rich cognac colour but they are also available in black and are mostly stocked in all sizes. Perfect shoe to add to your Christmas wishlist as well.
Well that concludes my 5th and final blog post of the week which wraps full 5 days of Thanksgiving outfit inspiration. I have had the best time this week putting together the outfits and styling various different looks for each level of dressiness. I hope you found some inspiration between outfits days and if you did, please let me know which one was your favourite?! I really appreciate all of your support and reading along with the blog posts 🤍
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving with your family, loved ones and friends!
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
** If you are receiving this post in your email inbox, please click on the title of this post so that it will redirect you to my website… trust me it looks WAY prettier 🙂
We have made it to day 4 of the Thanksgiving outfit inspo series! This is to give some Thanksgiving outfit inspiration for y’all. 🧡🤎 I always struggle every year with what to wear for actual Thanksgiving because I want to feel comfortable (hello all of those yummy sides), dressed for the occasion (whichever your family decides for the day) and stylish (because thats just how I am). As a reminder, every day this week, I will be releasing an instagram and blog post with an outfit to help spark inspiration on what to wear for the day of. I will include my outfit details as well so if you do end up liking one of the outfits enough to recreate on your own, tag me and show me! Below are the details for day 4 look:
Caitlin Covington X Pink Lily The Nancy Foldover Ivory Fitted Off The Shoulder, $46- I am so excited to be able to feature a two-piece look from Caitlin Covington’s fall collection with Pink Lily. As the queen of fall blogging, I absolutely fell in love with her collection when it was released so I placed a huge order and will be able to mix and match several of those pieces for future looks for you guys. I wear a size small in this shirt and most of the sizes are still stocked! I really like this shirt because not only is it comfortable but I like that it does cover my arms (I’m most self-conscious about this part of my body) however does give a bit of a flattering fit with my shoulders and top of my neckline showing. The shirt is soft as well which is a must for me. It can easily be paired with a skirt like how I have pictured in my outfit or with jeans/leggings for more of a casual look. I figured the ivory would be a great colour to have handy in my closet but it is also available in black too.
Caitlin Covington X Pink Lily The Ella Side Slit Tan Suede Skirt, $48- I have been on the hunt for a suede skirt like this for years and had not found one that was the right colour, length, or style until I saw this one! It has a comfortable zip closure on the back, a flattering side slit, is not the type of tan that looks exactly like my skin colour, and has enough stretch in the waist to not feel like you’ll have to hold your breath while eating your 2nd plate of leftovers. Truly love the texture of it as well, I don’t usually wear suede clothing items but I have a feeling this skirt is going to hold up well. Especially with the colour of it, it will tie into a lot of different outfits in my closet. I also like the fact that this type of skirt can be used in the fall, winter and even spring with some sneakers or short booties. I wear a size small in the skirt and feel very comfortable saying that this skirt does run true to size.
Vince Camuto Afelia Knee High Boot (size 5, Tortilla) $240- Another one of my Nsale purchases that has not disappointed. I absolutely love these boots and can’t recommend them enough. I have already worn them every weekend since the beginning of October lol. What I particularly like about this boot is that the actual shape of the boot is on trend with the western shape but also extremely comfortable. The heel height is not too high so you don’t have that pain in the ball of your feet when wearing for too long and they stretch a bit around the calf for a comfortable fit. I really appreciated how Vince Camuto just slightly elevated the incoming western boot trend of this fall with the beautiful neutral tan colour and the added suede component. As a side note, I did treat these shoes with water protectant to stop damage from rain and snow that might come. Additionally, I tend to keep to my true size when it comes to Vince and I would say these run true to size as I am in a size 5 and they fit perfectly. For the look that I styled, you can easily use any knee high neutral suede/leather boots I just loved the western boot trend and I recently purchased them so I wanted to make use of them. They are worth every penny. I will add some links below of a few other options:
That is it for day 4 outfit inspo– i hope y’all liked it and could use some of the items to create your very own Thanksgiving outfit for exactly a week away from today!🤍 Tomorrow will be the 5th and final outfit reveal so be sure to not miss it.
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
** Reminder, if you are on my email list and receiving this post in your email inbox, please click on the title of this post so that it will redirect you to my website… trust me it looks WAY prettier 🙂
Day 3 of the Thanksgiving outfit inspo series is now here! This is to give Thanksgiving outfit inspiration for y’all. 🧡🤎 I always struggle every year with what to wear for actual Thanksgiving because I want to feel comfortable (hello all of those yummy sides), dressed for the occasion (whichever your family decides for the day) and stylish (because thats just how I am). Every day this week, I will be releasing an instagram and blog post with an outfit to help spark inspiration on what to wear for the day of. I will include my outfit details as well so if you do end up liking one of the outfits enough to recreate on your own, tag me and show me! Below are the details for day 3 look:
Of course the show stopper here is the cardigan but as I am writing this blog post, it’s sold out 😭😭😭. I’m so sorry guys, I wish I could directly link to it but I did find an alternative to link from the same website and a similar look. It’s called the Playful Personality Ivory/Tan Animal Print Cardigan (small). If for any reason my actual cardigan comes back into stock, you can search for The Kenny Fuzzy Animal Print Ivory/Taupe Cardigan which is the item’s full name. For this casual look on Thanksgiving, any cardigan would fit with the outfit but y’all know how much I love leopard print and the fact that it’s a neutral leopard, I had to use it for the outfit. This particular cardigan is also super soft and buttery which just adds to that comfortability factor that many look for on Thanksgiving.
Seamless Fabric Tank Bodysuit (Rust Red), $39- I cannot say enough good things about the Abercrombie bodysuits. I was introduced to them over the summer and I now have 4 different ones because I was obsessed with the fit. This bodysuit in particular is very flattering because it has a square-neckline which can be paired with both cardigans and jackets without it cutting your chest at a weird angle. They are very soft, suck you in, and do not feel uncomfortable when wearing them for long periods of time. I do wear my true size in these bodysuits which is a small. There are a few different colours available on the website and I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them for Thanksgiving however I really liked this rusty red colour.
Ripped High Rise Super Skinny Ankle Jeans (Dark Wash with Button Front), originally $89/currently on sale $62.30- This was the closest pair of jeans I could find to the ones I am wearing in the picture because I believe the ones I am in are last season’s and they are no longer available. However the ones I linked are this year’s version with the cut off hem in the front which gives such a super flattering look and elongates the leg (I always look for this as I am petite and not very tall) however the main difference is that this pair has a full button closure whereas mine just has one button. I wear a 27 short in A&F jeans and they fit so well, I always gravitate towards their jeans because they are one of the few retailers that carry short in jeans. I almost always wear these jeans with any of my bodysuits.
Steve Madden Cedar Bootie (Tan Suede), orginially $135/currently on sale $79.96- While my exact pair of booties are last year’s version of Steve Madden booties included in the NSale, there isn’t much of a difference over the year. I love this suede taupe version of the block bootie because it is so versatile and can truly get paired with any outfit. The slit on the ankle is very flattering which again elongates the leg and so when paired with the same jean trick from above, I feel like my leg looks ways longer than it actually is. These booties are very comfortable and I couldn’t be happier with how well they have held up over the past year even when I wore them all the time last year. With the pointed heel in Steve Maddens, I did size up half a size just to make sure I could wear no-show socks with these as well so I am wearing a 5.5. I added a few more versions below that could also work well with the look:
On this lovely hump day, I wanted to post specifically a more casual look for y’all to draw inspiration from for a Thanksgiving outfit. I very rarely wear jeans on the day of but if I did, I would wear this outfit especially since I can just cuddle into my cardigan later in the evening. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s 4th outfit of the week! Thanks for keeping up with the posts!! 🤍
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
On to DAY 2 of Thanksgiving outfits inspo!! This is the second out of five full outfit looks I put together for my week of Thanksgiving outfit inspiration for y’all. 🧡🤎 I always struggle every year with what to wear for actual Thanksgiving because I want to feel comfortable (hello all of those yummy sides), dressed for the occasion (whichever your family decides for the day) and stylish (because thats just how I am). Every day this week, I will be releasing an instagram and blog post with an outfit to help spark inspiration on what to wear for the day of. I will include my outfit details as well so if you do end up liking one of the outfits enough to recreate on your own, tag me and show me! If you missed yesterdays post, click here. Below are the details for day 2 look:
Caitlin Covington X Pink Lily The Krista Cable Knit Ivory Sweater Dress (small) $58- I am so excited to be able to feature one of Caitlin Covington’s pieces in my week full of outfits. As the queen of fall blogging, I absolutely fell in love with her collection when it was released so I placed a huge order and will be able to mix and match several of those pieces for future looks for you guys. The first being, this beautiful knit sweater dress in ivory. Among the reasons why I really like this piece is because it is ivory and not a true white as I don’t usually wear white pieces during the fall and winter. This would be known as a winter white but it still pairs beautifully with the rest of my wardrobe. The dress is great quality as well with an affordable price tag. It is thick enough where it is not see through at all, will keep you warm, but is not too heavy that it would be uncomfortably warm. If you wanted, you could easily pair a fun scarf with this dress as well to add some colour (any colour would work against the ivory). A staple piece to add to any wardrobe, for sure. The sizing runs true and is also petite-friendly as in it doesn’t make me look like I’m swimming in the material. Last thing to mention, I love that this is a thrown on and go outfit. I just had to put on my dress, zip up my boots and I was out the door- def will work for any Thanksgiving plans you have plus leaves lots of room for turkey!
Vince Camuto Afelia Knee High Boot (size 5, Tortilla) $240- Another one of my Nsale purchases that has not disappointed. I absolutely love these boots and can’t recommend them enough. I have already worn them every weekend since the beginning of October lol. What I particularly like about this boot is that the actual shape of the boot is on trend with the western shape but also extremely comfortable. The heel height is not too high so you don’t have that pain in the ball of your feet when wearing for too long and they stretch a bit around the calf for a comfortable fit. I really appreciated how Vince Camuto just slightly elevated the incoming western boot trend of this fall with the beautiful neutral tan colour and the added suede component. As a side note, I did treat these shoes with water protectant to stop damage from rain and snow that might come. Additionally, I tend to keep to my true size when it comes to Vince and I would say these run true to size as I am in a size 5 and they fit perfectly. For the look that I styled, you can easily use any knee high neutral suede/leather boots I just loved the western boot trend and I recently purchased them so I wanted to make use of them. They are worth every penny. I will add some links below of a few other options:
I hope you have been able to draw some inspiration or ideas from my day 2 look. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post! As always, appreciate all of you reading my posts. 🤍
All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
We have officially hit the ultimate autumn vibe as we begin the week before Thanksgiving. I cannot believe it is already going to be time to feast with family and friends soon.🍁 It truly feels like there isn’t enough time in the day but then the days pass by so quickly. Y’all feel? Anyways, I’m so excited to begin my series of Thanksgiving Outfit Inspo this week!🧡🤎 I always struggle every year with what to wear for actual Thanksgiving because I want to feel comfortable (hello all of those yummy sides), dressed for the occasion (whichever your family decides for the day) and stylish (because thats just how I am). For the next few days, I will be releasing an instagram and blog post with an outfit to help spark inspiration on what to wear for the day of. I will include my outfit details as well so if you do end up liking one of the outfits enough to recreate on your own, tag me and show me!
A couple of months ago, I published my blog post that talked all about the incoming fall trends which you can read about here. After a few weeks, I have been able to assemble my outfit that was one of my visions for the fall trends that are happening. The details are as follows:
Abercrombie & Fitch Women’s Sweater Vest Mini Dress (Tan Houndstooth) $79- I knew that the tan was the best neutral colour but initially I wasn’t sure it would look up against my skin since I also have tan skin. However, when paired with white accessories, there is a break up of colours which helped me achieve the look I wanted. I also just saw that my sweater vest is currently 15% off which is great if you are eyeing this piece. There are a few patterns and colours available that would be great for any of the upcoming holidays in the coming months. As far as sizing, I wear the petite small as I am 5’0 and I always lean towards petite sizing when offered. I would say it fits true to size however I could’ve gone down a size to xs for more of a form-fitting look.
Target Women’s Raglan Long Sleeve Button-Down Shirt (White) $20- Y’all, I can’t believe I found this shirt!! If you’ve been following this trend, you know that these shirts are sold out everywhere. However, I went on a couple days worth of a search and finally found this one that actually is comfortable and affordable. Target never fails me! Of course there are many colour options available as well but I chose the classic white to add to my wardrobe. The reviews are right in the fact that it does run oversized. I sized down to an XS and it does have quite a bit of movement in it but paired under the sweater vest dress, it doesn’t look baggy from the outside. For $20, you really can’t beat it.
Billini Caela White Crocodile-Embossed Knee-High Boots $95- Okay, another trendy item that is hard to find right now. I’ve seen them in all different types of pics but when I actually go to find them and check out, they are either ridiculously overpriced or they are sold out. Thankfully, I found these at Lulu’s a couple of weeks ago with only 2 size 5’s lefts and I jumped on them because they were already sold out from Nordstrom where I originally wanted to get them from. While these boots are so pretty in person, I will say the knee-high description is a little misleading because they definitely are more of a mid-calf boot on me and I’m quite short in comparison to most people. I was so happy that I found these particular boots because of the croc embossing, such a beautiful touch. I have provided some additional links below so you can also look at other similar options that are in stock. If you are interested in this exact pair, be sure to sign up for the restock alert!
*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
All the beauty posts coming out this week!💄 Here is a blog post I have put together that includes my current beauty picks. Below you will find my holy grail products I have discovered over the past couple of years and then I divided up the post based amongst face, eyes and lips so that there is a flow to the post that you can follow along with.
Face
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation (shade: 270N, medium with neutral beige undertones)- I love this foundation for everyday wear, it doesn’t oxidize over time and it stays in place for as long as I need it to throughout the day. If I am going to meet up with friends, have dinner out or go on a date night throughout the week, this is exactly what I reach for.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation (shade 7: medium skin with neutral undertones)- I tried this product when the last sale was happening and I really liked it. I kept wearing it over the weekends and I found that this is one of the best full coverage foundations I’ve tried. The finish is flawlessly matte but doesn’t ever finish cakey. This is what I wear to weddings, photoshoots, and any event that I need my makeup to picture beautifully but not feel heavy on my face.
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ (shade: neutral tan, light brown shade with neutral undertones)- This CC cream is very buildable and I love it because of the good coverage it provides. I wear this everyday for work and I used to wear it in the office when I would work in-person. I also always use this cream to the pool, to the beach, or any outdoor events specifically during the summer because of the amazing SPF coverage. In the depth of winter, I transition to the shade of neutral medium.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (shade: ginger, medium with warm undertones and a golden tone)- This concealer is the only concealer I use hands down. It doesn’t settle into my fine lines and it actually conceals redness and my dark circles under my eyes. When I first tried it, I got the mini-size and it lasted such a long time. Ever since then, I’ve repurchasing a full size bottle and I won’t use anything else.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand (shade: medium/dark)- I bought this product after seeing it going viral on TikTok like I’m sure many of you have seen. It’s still sold out in most places but if you do get the restock notification, I highly recommend this. It is a super blendable and beginner-friendly liquid contour.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Matte Bronzer (shade: tan, medium deep bronze)- I love this bronzer, its so smooth and I always set my contour above with this lovely shade. It doesn’t look dirty on my face rather just slightly bronzey and glowy through the finish.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder (shade: 2 medium)- This finishing powder is the only powder I use under my eyes because it truly has a flawless finish to it. It sets my under-eye and on top of my lid perfectly. I like that it has a subtle brightening effect as well for my dark circles under my eye.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (shade: happy, dewy cool pink)- This blush is absolutely stunning. The formula, the colour, and the pigment are top tier. I thought this colour might’ve been too bright for me however just a dab on my cheek is all I needed, and blending it out made it look like I had just naturally blushing cheeks. I liked wearing it in the summer because of the naturalness of it but I also am liking it during the colder months because of how nourishing it feels on my face.
NARS Blush (shade: dolce vita, dusty rose)- If I don’t use a liquid blush, I like to reach for this one as a very subtle flush of colour on my cheeks. This particular shade works well for my skin tone but any of the shades are from a great formula.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray– This is the best setting spray I have used thus far. I spray about 3-4 times all over my face at the very end of my makeup routine. The way I know this works is that whenever I have to wear my mask, the foundation doesn’t come off into my reusable mask for quite awhile. It hydrates my face but also keeps the makeup in place, the absolute best!
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder (shade: Translucent, perfect for very fair to medium skintones)- This powder is very useful especially when I want to bake certain areas of my face for special occasions. Additionally, it leaves a beautiful veil over the face when I want to set my face to preserve long wear.
Eyes
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eyeshadow Palette (Pillow Talk Collection)- This palette has four different sets of looks with three different shades in each. I really like how CT separates her eyeshadow palettes because it gives the user direction on where to use them and what to use them for each occasion. There is a holiday collection that comes out every year and I use last year’s quite a bit as well.
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner (shade: black)- I really like to use this eyeliner for looks when I need more of a “put together” look. If I’m going out to dinner or have an even that day, this is exactly the eyeliner I use. It shows up bold and black with a very easy application.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil (shade: bourbon, glimmering dark brown)- This eyeliner is a beautiful brown with slight shimmer in it which I love to use on an everyday look. I line my top lid and smudge it with with a brush so it creates a soft glow look. I also wear this liner without eyeshadow if I just want a subtle outline to make my eyes shine a bit more.
Lancome Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer– The absolute best eyelash primer that has ever graced this planet. No, I don’t say this lightly either. Every sale, I buy in bulk because I just can never run out of it. I have three in my restock drawer already. The trick is to let it sit for about 30 seconds so it gets a bit tacky and then apply the mascara of your choice for a beautiful wispy and full effect.
Gucci Mascara L’Obscur (shaded: eve black)- I fell in love with this mascara this past spring sale and I haven’t looked back. I think for a designer brand, it is a reasonable price especially now during the sale. It is a great everyday mascara that lengthens the lashes and gives a beautiful rich and flattering look to the eyes. Plus the packaging is dead set a winner to me.
Sephora Collection 12 hour Contour Pencil Eyeliner (shade: 54 coconut)- If you are looking for a subtle way to awaken tired eyes, then this eyeliner is great for your bottom waterline. It is a beautiful skin colour nude that instantly brightens your eyes and makes them look more naturally awake.
Lips
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Secrets Set (shade: pillow talk , nude pink)- Not only is this set a great value set from the sale, it has everything I need for a beautiful pinky nude lip look. It includes the liner which I use first, then I use the lipstick and to top it off you can use either the lip gloss or the collagen lip bath. I usually go for the lip gloss since it’s more sparkly but the collagen lip bath works well for a more full look. I use this lip set every week and I have also gifted it away. The colour is universally flattering which is a major plus.
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Liner (shade: iconic nude, nude)- I like this particular shade of the liner because it is a true nude and not only is soft on the lips but I find it is slightly hydrating and doesn’t dry out on the lips. I like to use this with various lipsticks because of how easily it blends and lines.
Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick 2 (shade: glowing jen, soft rose)- Can you tell I like CT products? This lipstick was actually the first Charlotte product I bought and instantly fell in love with the brand and formula. Its a gorgeous rosey colour that matches lips with many blushes to give that uniformed look. This particular shade is inspired by Jennifer Aniston, whom I love, so I definitely wanted to be able to use it daily. If want a bit more colour on my lips when I’m not wearing Pillow Talk, I reach for Glowing Jen. Another reason why I love the Hot Lips lipstick line from CT is that the packaging of the bullet is made to be reused and you can easily get the refill of the colour of the lipstick to reload into the same bullet to decrease waste.
As you can tell, I tried to be as thorough as I could be when it came to my makeup routine. I included both my everyday items and full glam makeup items as well so that this could be a comprehensive list to go along with my makeup tutorial on my instagram.💓 I hope you find this type of blog post helpful and I would love to know if any of these products you also like to use or if you need additional details regarding any of them. The Sephora Holiday Sale is a great time to restock daily-use products or splurge on big ticket items you have had your eye on. If you missed my blog post about the 2021 Sephora Holiday Sale, click here to read it. Thanks for reading along with my blog posts!
*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
Hello, my beautiful friends! I hope your week is off to a great start. One of my favourite things to do is to put together different outfits that could be used for multiple occasions. Today, I knew I wanted to be wrapped up in my cozy flannel but also was looking to elevate the look slightly with some statement shoes. Even though my white boots are a neutral shoe, I think the stark contrast between the black leggings and the white boots makes it more of a statement. Can you believe all of the beautiful fall leaves too?🍁 I just had to get the red leaves in the picture because they deserve to be shown off. I have listed out all of my outfit details in this blog post so you can shop and find inspo as well. Huge BONUS: Each individual piece is under $100 right now!
BP Boyfriend Plaid Button-Up Shirt (XS, $49)- I bought this flannel during the Nsale this summer and it was one of the best purchases I made because it is a great basic that I was able to add to my wardrobe. I love the neutral colours of the plaid shirt because it can be used for so many different types of outfits. I can wear this flannel like I did in my pictures for a casual look or I could sport it up with an unbuttoned shirt, black crop top/sports bra, leggings, and athleisure sneakers.
Gymshark Leggings (S, $50)- I’m a little bummed that my exact leggings are no longer being sold but I did look through the selection and I believe the ones I linked are the most similar to mine. I wear a size small in all Gymshark leggings and even though they are athletic wear, I love to dress them with casual outfits (and to motivate me to do a quick workout later too). They are very flattering and suck you in, no matter what.
Marc Fisher LTD Padmia Chelsea Boot (Size 5, orig $199- sale :$99)- I cannot believe that my new pair of Chelsea boots are 50% off! This is the lowest I have seen them marked. I recently purchased this pair of boots during the Nsale because I was looking for a pair of comfortable Chelsea boots but ones that would actually pop. These were it. They fit true to size on me and I like to wear thick socks to secure my footing. This pair comes in three different colour combos and I cannot recommend them enough- Marc Fishers are always winners in my book.
As mentioned above, all my individual outfit pieces are under $100 which is an amazing deal. I am so excited to be able to share this casual fall outfit look with you guys because it is something you can wear any day of the week and will definitely be a comfortable fit. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions about the pieces in this post or if you need any fall outfit inspo. More blog posts like this to come…Have a great day! 🤍
*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
Shopping for makeup products makes me feel like a million bucks 🙂
Hello again, my friends! I wanted to follow up with a blog post since I recently shared on my stories what I picked up during the sale.💄 As a reminder, it is currently open to Rouge members, then it will open up to VIB on 11/9 and finally to all Insiders on 11/11. The sale will end 11/15 so if you have been looking around and browsing the website, now is a great time to purchase anything that you will need a restock on or if there is a gift you want to pick up for someone on your list, it’s a great opportunity to do so. Similar to my previous Sephora Sale blog post, I have divided this post into different sections such as Makeup, Skincare, and Hair (I didn’t think I really needed any fragrance this time around). If a product is a restock for me, I will put a double asterisk ** next to the product name.
I may or may not need to place a second order soon because some of the items I had on my list were not able to be picked up in store. If I do make another order, I will be sure to tack it on to this post so everything is all in one place. I hope this is helpful for you, please let me know if there is anything else I can do to be a resource for you if you’re shopping the sale.
*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I do not own the rights to the images provided unless the picture is of myself. All other pictures have website links tied to them through the item name. I do not make any commission off any of these items.
