I finally found the one... (sponsored post)

FYI: This is a sponsored post. I was provided with a product to review, but all opinions are my own.

Confession time: I have never owned a maxi dress. Seriously. In all the time that they have been a popular fashion item, especially in the last few years, I've never owned a single one. This is mainly because of two reasons: one - many of them are strapless, and that just doesn't work for girls with, ahem, chests like mine, and two - just about every one I've ever tried on is way too long! I mean, come on! Every maxi is made for some girl who is several feet inches taller than me, at least - or so it seems.

So, I'd pretty much given up on my chances of every joining the maxi-dress trend. Womp, womp. (That's the sad trombone sound, you know!)

And then one day, eShakti came along and changed everything. When I was first contacted by the company and offered a complimentary item to try, I wasn't sure I'd find anything I liked. I actually really hate shopping for clothes online, because nothing ever seems to fit the way I'd like when it arrives. But eShakti customizes their clothing based on the purchaser's size, height, and preferences... Could is be true? Could I have a maxi made just for me?! I placed my order and hoped for the best.

When I received the package, I ripped it open and immediately tried on the dress. I looked in the mirror and... I was so pleasantly surprised! Not only was the color gorgeous, but the quality of the dress was really nice, and it actually FIT! I packed the dress for our trip to OBX in July, and wore it for a date night with C. I made him get out the real camera and take a few pics so that I could do it justice. Take a peek!

 

I love the maxi-dress feeling, and love how comfy this piece is while still looking put together! I wore some fancy sandals for our dinner date, and also wore it for an afternoon of wine-tasting and paired it with my regular Rainbow flip-flops. The Grecian style gives it an air of classiness, while still being casual. I love it!

And.... because I love you, one that's not my fave but that lets you see one of my favorite features of the dress: pockets!! I'm totally sold.

Awkward City, population: 1. Oh well!

Thanks, eShakti!

Winners & losers

Happy Monday! Did y'all watch the Golden Globes last night?? C & I watched the first few hours, but missed the end... and most of the big awards. Whoops! We did devote a good amount of time to the red carpet pre-show, though (while flipping back to the football game every few minutes - there were some good games yesterday!) Like probably everyone else, I have some strong opinions regarding the dress choices from last night. There were some FANTASTIC ones... and also some horrible ones. Here are my choices - agree or disagree?

All photos from Huff Post

Reese Witherspoon went for simplicity, and she looked fabulous. Does she age?? The color of her dress is unusual for winter, and just beautiful on her. I love her new shorter haircut, too.

Mila Kunis, what can we even say? Hottest woman alive! Great color choice for winter, and I liked the embellishments at the top and simplicity at the bottom. Her dress even looks like it might be comfortable!

Olivia Wilde did pregnancy perfectly. And that color! I die. 

Sofia Vergara caught my eye because she just looks like she owns the red carpet. Basic black can be SO gorgeous, and I love her sassy pop of color with the necklace. 

All photos from Huff Post

I ADORE Jennifer Lawrence.... But I am not loving her style right now at all. I don't like the dress, I don't love her hair like everyone else (but give her mad props for the brave chop!), and I didn't love her makeup last night, either. A little too dark for me. I like her better when she looks young and fresh. 

Emma Stone is another actress I love, but who I could just not stand behind last night. Does that actually even count as a "dress"? Looks like a sack. And is it just me, or does she look a little ill? So frail.

Lena Dunham... Just no. She should probably consider firing her stylist. Terrible color for her, cut that is not flattering at all, and, to top it off, her hair has that "just rolled out of bed" look, but NOT in a good way. 

Julia Roberts must have just come from some sort of business meeting... Right? I actually like this dress - I just don't think it was nearly fancy enough for an occasion like the Golden Globes. 

All photos from Huff Post

I normally don't particularly care about Miss Golden Globe, but I did want to call her out this year - Sosie Bacon looked fantastic. I LOVE the dress, her hair is gorgeous, and she looks so elegant and classic. Definitely a stylistic win!

And finally..... sending a big congratulations to the winners of my birthday giveaway: Ianni & Elizabeth! That's right, I said winnerS...... I got so excited about it that I picked two! I will be emailing both of you and coordinating getting your surprise packages to you - be on the lookout for that!

Five for Friday - A Twist!

In a twist on my usual completely random "Five for Friday," I've decided to have a theme this week. Allow me to present to you the Five for Friday: Things I Can't Live Without - Sports Edition. (That's an awkwardly long, awkwardly formal title. This is the shit I need for the gym/running. Obvi.)

Five for Friday

Things I Can't Live Without - Sports Edition

1. My shoes. I have three four five pairs of athletic shoes in my closet right now. (Well that's slightly embarrassing.) I rotate through three pairs for the most part - a pair of  random Nikes (don't know what they are) that are lightweight and stable for BodyPump class, a pair of Shox for random free-weights/whatever days, and a pair of Brooks Glycerin 9s for running. I'm on my second pair of Glycerins, and I really love them. They're the shoes that were recommended to me at the VA Runner store in my area, and they have worked beautifully for me for the last 10 months! Apparently they are currently on sale, and I'm thinking perhaps I should invest in pair number 3... hmmmm.



[Brooks - Glycerin 9]

2. My pants. The infamous Suzann (my running buddy) recently introduced me to Lucy. I am in love. They have amazing clothes! I bought two pairs of pants from them - the Hatha crops and the X-Training Knee Pants - and I pretty much want to live in them. So comfortable! Great for running, group classes, yoga, everything.

[Lucy X-Training Knee Pants]

I also have a couple of pairs of crops from Under Armour that I love, and some ColdGear compression pants from UA that I wear in the winter. All are equally fantastic.

3. My shorts. This is definitely a different category from #2. Like so many other people out there, I love Nike Tempo Shorts. I don't really love the price, so I pretty much just rotate through the pairs I have, or else buy a few if I find them at a great sale price. Tempo shorts are another item that are great for lots of things - running, weight lifting, errands... totally fine.

[Nike Tempo Shorts]

4. My shirts. The Under Armour Charged Cotton Sassy Scoop T-Shirt is hands-down the best workout shirt ever. I have six of them. I would like to have 16. The Charged Cotton fabric is fantastic. It's light-weight, four-way stretch, moisture-wicking, and I absolutely adore them. This shirt is thin without being see-through, even when I'm wearing the white one with a neon sports bra and drenched in sweat. That is a sign of greatness. Seriously!

[Under Armour Charged Cotton Sassy Scoop Tee]

5. My socks. As any runner or high-intensity athlete knows, socks are super important. Socks can make or break a workout. My absolute favorite brand of athletic socks will probably come as a surprise - they're from Old Navy. Seriously. I only have three pairs, and I ALWAYS want to buy more, and I ALWAYS forget. (Shocking. From the girl who regularly goes to the grocery store for "one thing" and comes home with five bags and not the "one thing.") They are truly the best socks I have though, and my favorites for running in. They're thick but not too thick, and they don't get weird and squishy when sweaty like some socks do. AND I've had my pairs for I-don't-know-how-long, and they've never gotten weirdly stretched out or pilly. Also, they're low-cut without being too low, which is one of my pet peeves: I don't want ankle socks, but I want my whole foot covered. Why does that seem to be too much to ask sometimes?? Anyway. At $6.50/3 pairs, these socks are a steal. Reminder to self: buy more!

[Old Navy Sport Socks]

So there ya have it. The five pieces of clothing I can't live without when it comes to fitness. Obviously, this list doesn't include any of the other things I love, like pre-wrap for headbands, my iPhone armband, or my weight-lifting gloves. (If you want recommendations for any of those things, just ask!) Good workout clothes are key to a good workout - if you feel good, you will do good! Or at least that's what I tell myself. I want to be comfortable, warm & cool (both are necessary), and be wearing clothes that fit well. If I have that combination, I'm bound to have a good workout (or at least start on the right foot).

I tend to be very brand-loyal when it comes to fitness gear. If I find something I like, I buy multiples. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!! Hence, two pairs of the same running pants, two pairs of the same running shoes, four of the same sports bras, etc. Find something that works for you, and stick with it!

CLEARLY all these opinions are my own - I wasn't compensated by any of these companies, though I happily would be if they offered. :) I just love these products,and want to share what I love with anyone who enjoys a good workout.

Well dang... We clean up good!

All that talk about dressing "professionally" got me thinking, and I realized that my sister DOES pretty much get to wear pajamas to work every day! I am in the wrong line of work, folks. Nat teaches high school PE - that's right, she wears t-shirts, shorts, sweatpants, and tennis shoes to work every day. Comfies, every day! While I'm in heels and skirts and blah. Just. not. right. (Down side... she teaches high schoolers. I do not know how she does it. She's a saint.) Meaning, most days we find her like this:


Rough life.

Sometimes, though, the joke's on her - like when she's going to be observed by the principal while teaching - and she has to wear "real" clothes to work. Hence, the call I got last night: "I need something to wear!" Don't you worry - I worked my "professional attire" magic, and today I got this picture from her:



So cute. Not your typical high school PE teacher, methinks... Oww oww. Hottie with a body! Mwahahaha. She cleans up pretty well though, don'tcha think?? Though I still haven't forgiven her for looking in the mirror and yelling, "I LOOK OLD!" Ahem. That's basically what I wear every day. Rude!

I told her the kids were going to fall over when they saw her today, since they've probably never seen her in "real clothes." Point proven - I also received this text:

Cannot. Stop. Laughing.

Not to be outdone, I obviously have to show that C & I aren't too bad ourselves, when we try... We managed to pull ourselves together this weekend to attend the wedding of a childhood friend of C's, and I had to admit, I was pretty pleased with how we did.


Fall leaves make me happy.

Not too shabby. As luck would have it, it turned out to be a perfect September day for a wedding - we were nervous about rain up until about an hour before hand, but then the clouds parted and the sun came out, and this was what we got as a backdrop to the sweet wedding ceremony:

My cute husband was channeling his inner GQ:

And there were cupcakes:

What more can a girl ask for?? BTW - that Pancake Maple Bacon cupcake was amazing, and I think I'm going to have to try to recreate it. Add that to the list of potential baking adventures!

Pajamas at work are frowned upon

Contrary to how it may appear, I have not forgotten about posting my last piece of the “How to Dress like an Adult” puzzle. I actually put together the pictures (saying that makes it sound legit, and not like I did it in Paint) one day last week, and then life happened (doesn’t it always) and I never got around to writing the accompanying post. C’est la vie.

So here it is – Week 4 of “professional” outfits. I’m actually really impressed with myself regarding this little project, for two reasons.

• One: I forced myself to think about what I was putting on a little bit more than usual. I wanted to ensure that I had no repeats, and I wanted to show outfits that had potential for other people –  because I, personally, hate it when I see an outfit post and a blogger is talking about her “totally affordable!!!” whatever and I find the same article of clothing and its $200. Because there is nothing in my wardrobe that is that expensive, and I like to think that that is applicable to the majority of other girls my age as well, despite what the blogosphere would like to indicate. So, like I was saying. I thought my way through these last four weeks with the goal of showing actually inspiring combinations that normal people could recreate or use.
• Two: I actually finished this project. I took pictures of my outfits every single day for four weeks, just like I said I would. I didn’t have to recreate anything – I actually remembered to take the picture every day. And I didn’t abandon it after two weeks! For someone who is a chronic start-and-not-finish-er (so, so guilty), this is a major accomplishment. Gold stars all around! Hooray!

Enough chit-chat; on to the pictures!

 

Week 4

• Monday: Shirt – Express; Pants – LOFT; Sandals – DSW; Necklace – “borrowed” from a friend (AKA she left it at my house – thanks, Lush!)
• Tuesday: Dress – Target; Sandals – DSW
• Wednesday: Wrap – Express; Tank – Express; Pants – The Limited; Shoes – Calvin Klein/Macy’s
• Thursday: Shirt – Express; Pants – The Limited; Flats – Target
• Friday: Blouse – Target; Jeans – LOFT; Flats – Target

Fin.

I really, really appreciate the comments I’ve gotten regarding this series – it makes me happy to know that there are a few people out there who have found this useful, or at least worth taking 60 seconds to write a comment. Writing a comment means you didn’t immediately dismiss the post, and that, in itself, is worth my taking the time to take all these ridiculous pictures.

It is 100% likely that I will never be a fashion blogger, or a fashionista, or anything related to fashion. I will still always be happiest in sweats, and I will always be most comfortable in my workout clothes. It’s just who I am. However, I have embraced the fact that, during the day, I have to be dressed appropriately for “public” and therefore I do my best. As the title says, pajamas at work are frowned upon. The reasoning here will always be a mystery to me, because I maintain I'd be more productive if I was wearing flannel pants... Sigh. Anyway. I take my inspiration from the people I see around me (the ones who aren’t frumpy old ladies – because there are some. Avoid avoid avoid!) and I repeat what works and nix what doesn’t. I get by until I can get home from work and immediately put on my "comfies." That is the only goal most days. Normal!

And now that you’ve completed reading this post, you’ve successfully finished this Crash Course in Dressing like an Adult! A+, everyone. A+.  

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Sadly, I do not have Carrie Bradshaw's closet

...but I still manage to make it work. It's Week 3 of "How to Dress Like an Adult (Or at least fake it!)" and we're still going strong. I'm actually shocked that I've managed to take a picture every single day and haven't had to recreate my outfit a single time... thought for sure that would have happened by now!

This week's lesson: taking pictures like this is really awkward. It's also really hard to hold an iPhone steady while trying to get your entire body in a picture and have the picture turn out clear - solution to this problem is obvi to have your husband take the picture, but then there's a lot of pressure because he will only take the picture one time (unless I beg really bad for a second try) so I have to not look awkward and make sure my clothes are straight and blah blah blah..... pressure, I tell ya. I can't imagine actually being a model and needing to do these things correctly. Although, I guess, in that case, there would be a hundred people standing around making sure everything was correct for me and taking a zillion shots and then someone else could pick the best one..... that doesn't sound so bad........ ok sorry. Distraction. Onto the pictures!

Week 3



• Monday: no picture - it was a holiday! Honestly, I spent the morning wearing a Ninja Turtles T-shirt and compression socks (so cute!) and I'm sure that no one wants to see a picture of that. The afternoon and evening were spent in various VT gear while running errands and watching the football game.
• Tuesday: T-Shirt - LOFT; Pants - LOFT; Brown Pumps - Target
• Wednesday: Dress - LOFT; Belt - LOFT; Sandals - Unknown/DSW
• Thursday: T-Shirt - Express; Pants - The Limited, Black Flats - Target
• Friday: Button-Down Shirt - The Limited; Pencil Skirt - The Limited; Belt - Target; Black Pumps - Nine West

Two some-what casual looks balanced with two dressier looks - that's what I call "business casual." Easy-peasy. You may have started to notice some repeat pieces... duh! Mixing and matching is essential to a good, functional wardrobe. The majority of articles of clothing that I own can all be mixed with a number of other pieces to create "different" outfits. No one notices, believe me! Those staples are essentials. A few unique items and a few bright spots of color totally work to stretch out the "boring" pieces, like plain black pants. And mixing and matching means its usually pretty easy to find an outfit in the morning! Which is perfect for someone like me, who hates (I mean, truly hates) getting out of bed.

Looking for more ideas? Check out Week 1 and Week 2.

**Kudos & a cookie if you noticed something change between Wednesday and Thursday of this week... that would be my hair color. Back to dark brown for fall! Wheeeee!

Nope... still not a fashion blogger.

Last week, I started something new – a month’s worth of showing you what I wear to work, week by week, in order to demonstrate some ways to dress professionally and fit into the working world.

This is generally hilarious, because I’m pretty much the worst adult ever and have a really hard time being a “Working Professional” but c’est la vie. I will do my best. I’ve been told that I have “good fashion sense” which I also think is a joke, but people keep asking where I get my clothes and how to shop on a budget, so maybe those people are serious… which I find shocking. I will ALWAYS be that girl who wants to wear my “comfies” at all time – I hate being dressed in real clothes. Give me sweat pants, leggings, PJ pants, old t-shirts, and hoodies any time, and I will be your best friend. Promise. (Sorry, L2, you’re easily replaced. Love you!)

Anyway. 

Week 2

• Monday: Button-down shirt – The Limited; Pencil Skirt – The Limited; Black Pumps – Nine West
• Tuesday: Cardigan – J. Crew; Tank top – Target (actually a deep ocean blue, with ruffles on the front… photo skillz lacking); Pants – LOFT; Flats – Target
• Wednesday: Cardigan – Target; Tank – Target; Pants – Express; Flats - Target
• Thursday: Blouse – The Limited; Skirt – The Limited; Black Pumps – Nine West
• Friday: Cardigan – Target; Dress – LOFT; Sandals – DSW (Brand unknown, as they are so old that it’s completely worn away)

And there ya have it. Days 5-10, in the books!

Tips for this week:

• Again, I shop sales. Sale, sale, sale. It’s rare that I purchase something (from anywhere other than Target) for full price – I always look for free shipping, coupon codes online, and/or in-store sales.
• Take full advantage of discounts! Don’t be afraid to ask if a store offers discounts. Some of my favorites are the Teacher Discount that LOFT offers (my mom pays for everything with her ID, then I pay her back) and the student discount that The Limited and J.Crew offer. I carry my student ID everywhere – yes, I graduated 3 (EEEEEK) years ago, but that baby has no date on it, and I pretty much still look the same. Except for my hair color. But that’s never the same. Totally fine.
• Everything you own does not have to be name-brand. Embrace Target. Just do it. You’ll thank me later. Are the clothes the absolute-best quality? No. Is that fine for staples that I wear the heck out of, like my black cardigans, and definitely get my $15’s worth? You betcha. Trust me: no one knows the difference between my cardigan from Target and my cardigan from J.Crew. And honestly, I think I like the Target one’s better… they hold their shape better, and they are a little thicker.

I have successfully been taking my pictures to go with Week 3, and will have that up sometime next week.

Any secret tips for me? Anyone actually reading this and enjoying it? I’m enjoying the fact that this is forcing me to (somewhat) keep my bedroom clean… HA!

Also, C is clearly enjoying this project as well - or at least, he enjoys photo-bombing me while I take silly pictures of myself.

Yup.

Proof That I'm Not a Fashion Blogger

I've found that it can be hard to piece together outfits that work in the "professional" world when you're fresh out of school (or a few years removed...), especially if you're working on a limited budget. There is an art to the mixing of cheap and expensive pieces, and there is skill required to put together a combination of "the basics" plus some pieces that are unique and fun. I'm certainly no fashion blogger, and I don't claim to have to amazing, fantastic outfits that everyone wants copy - but I do think that I put together outfits that are office-appropriate, comfortable, affordable, and not too entirely shabby. Mostly.

Jill over at Strawberry Blonde Life recently did a series where she photographed herself every day during the week to show her outfit and then went on to describe where she got the pieces and some basic details about how she gets dressed for work. After seeing her posts for a month, I figured that was something that wasn't too difficult - even I can commit to taking a picture five times a week! And so, here you have it: Week 1 of "How to Dress Like a 'Professional'" (because I'm not entirely sure I really qualify as a professional yet).

**Disclaimer: As it says in my profile, I am NOT a professional photographer (duh). I am not a fashion blogger. I am not anything other than a girl who got a college degree, has a job she's good at but doesn't necessarily love, and doesn't particularly like getting up at 5:15 AM therefore gets dressed with her eyes half closed. What do you expect from me?? Jeeeez.

Week 1

• Monday: Sweater - Target; Shirt - LOFT; Skirt - LOFT Outlet; Pumps - Nine West
• Tuesday: Shirt - Express (it's actually purple... hmph); Pants - Express; Flats - Target
• Wednesday: Shirt - Express; Pants - American Eagle (they have an indistinguishable blue, white, and black plaid pattern); Flats - Target
• Thursday: Dress - LOFT Outlet; Sandals - BareTraps (DSW)
• Friday: Dress - Lands' End; Belt - Express; Sandals - BareTraps (DSW)

And there you have it. The majority of these were purchased over the course of the last three or four years, so I can't tell you where to find it right now. There's your first hint from me: buy items that last. If I buy a dress, I don't want to get two wears out of it, I want to get two years out of it. Same goes for pants. Shoes should also be good quality - it's so much better to get a good, sturdy pair of pumps that fit well and feel good, and have to get the heels repaired a year later, than to buy crappy pair after crappy pair. Trust me - investing is worth it! As long as you will actually wear whatever it is you're buying.

I'll be honest - I'm currently having an issue because a lot of the things I bought right when I graduated from college don't fit me anymore. I was probably a good two sizes bigger then (let's not talk about it... or at least talk a different day) and I needed 'professional' clothes that fit, so I had to shop. Now, those things look ridiculous on me. I can't tell you how many times my mom has looked at me and said, "Lindsay, your butt looks so saggy in those pants." It's NOT because my butt is saggy - it's because my pants are too big and therefore loose and silly looking! So that's a struggle. I don't really want to replace my whole wardrobe, so I'm working with the pieces that sort of fit (belts are fantastic) and researching how much it is to get a few pieces tailored rather than discarding and rebuying. Hint #2: tailoring can be very, very worth it. It's amazing what a stitch here and there (or ten or a hundred) will do for an article of clothing that you didn't think fit. So consider that as an option, too! (Also, I've realized I need to get the pants I wore last week hemmed, or stop wearing flats - those make me look shorter than I already am. Sigh.)

I realize that this post is coming almost a full week after Week 1 finished - sorry 'bout it. I'll try to get Week 2 up quicker. I've been taking the pictures, and finding that knowing that I have to document what I'm wearing makes me think a little harder in the morning - even if it is the crack of dawn and I'm more or less still asleep.

Any suggestions of your own for dressing like an adult? I love a good sale, I love coupons, and I seriously love outlets. Where do you shop??