"Show Us Your Life: Fashion Tips..."

This week's topic is sharing your Fashion Tips... Hummm?!... Where should I start??...

I like to think of myself as a fashion-savvy person... You could also say I'm very opinionated & know what I like and don't like. So here are my fashion tips to live by... take 'em or leave 'em...

TIP #1- **Splurge on key pieces of your wardrobe & you can be thriftier on the rest! I believe there are a few essential items every woman should own AND spend a little more money on... These are my TOP 5!...

1) A great everyday purse- (yes, I admit I am a little bit of a purse-addict) but they really are good investments! You use one everyday, so why not get something you love & that will last?! Plus, I am a firm believer that you can throw on a pair of jeans, a plain t-shirt, & a great, expensive bag and look super chic! ;) In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a Louis Vuitton! ;) ... Special occasion/going out bags or real trendy stuff that will be out of style next year, you can just buy at TJ Maxx, Target or Forever 21!

2) Black heels- no matter if it's patent leather, peep-toe, pointy-toe, or round-toe; every lady needs a great pair of black heels (or in my case 10)! My fav is the black leather peep-toe. It's great for going out on the town, work, church & even with jeans! Just make sure you spend the $money$ on a good, comfy pair! I've learned not to even waste my money on cheap, uncomfortable shoes that end up hurting your feet.
3) A great wool coat- C'mon ladies... we're not 18 anymore walking around downtown in a spaghetti strap shirt in the middle of winter with no jacket on! Spend some money on a great jacket & stop looking like an idiot in the freezing cold! My favorite is a single-breasted, wool peacoat... If you can only get one, I suggest a tan or winter white color that will go with black or brown.

4) A fitted, white button-up shirt- (especially if you're a career woman, this is a MUST!)... For some people they might feel their best in jeans & a t-shirt or a sexy little black dress... for me, I feel my most sexiest & feminine in a crisp, fitted, white button-up shirt, a knee-length pencil skirt, high heels, & a wide belt cinched at the waist! I'm getting myself excited just thinking about it! LOL... Is that weird? :) I love the ones they have at Ann Taylor! No matter where you get it, just make sure it's not see through, fitted, & has a strong collar.

5) A great fitting black blazer- This is another fav of mine! A black blazer can be dressed up or down... Aside from a solid work staple, you can put it over a cocktail dress at night or pair it with jeans, a white top & your black heels & you're good to go! ;)

TIP #2- **Have fun with the extras!... Personally, my fashion wardrobe mainly consists of what I like to think of as "fashion basics"... I have a ton of basic pieces like solid color cashmere sweaters, plain, everyday cotton tees & tanks, timeless dresses & skirts, jeans, & dress pants... then I just play those basics up with purses, shoes, & jewelry!

I am a firm believer that accessories you might think not go with anything at all actually go with everything! For example, a pair of leopard print or red shoes or an off the wall colored purse...

Leopard print shoes can not only be worn with your basic black, but throw them on with a fun colored dress too!...

You can totally spice up your casual look too!... I love this as an everyday "around town" outfit! My leopard everyday shoes are ballet flats though! ;)

Here's an example how a fun colored bag can be worn... You don't always have to "match" people!! Have fun with it!...

My favorite "fun" bag is this white Coach with giant green C's all over it! I was a little hesitant at first spending as much on a "non-classic" bag but over the years, this has been the one I turn to the most to "add a little extra pop of color" to a basic outfit... :)

This is a great example of how to take everyday, basic pieces & turn up the volume with fun extras!!...

TIP #3- **Don't hide behind "TOO MUCH"!... There's nothing I hate more, than when I see girls putting on "too much"!!... Too much jewelry, too much make-up, too much hair, too much cleavage- you name it! Ladies, don't disguise your true beauty behind all that craziness!! When in doubt just remember the words of Coco Chanel, "Take one piece off before you leave the house"... or cover it up!

Boys and their toys...

For once in my marriage, I am being the sensible one!... What is it with boys and their toys?! In this case, it's my hubs and buying a new car...

We are coming towards the end of our lease on an SUV we got a few years back before we had a baby. Well hubs thinks we need to upgrade to a much bigger SUV as our "family" vehicle... And that I do agree with a little...

We have realized the arrival of a baby also comes with all of their "stuff" too!!!... and with an already high-maintenance wife who overpacks for all occassions {me}; we are already out growing our small-size SUV when we go on road trips. However, this will be the car I will mainly be driving so I'm a little hesitant to go too big because I'm not a very good driver to begin with... (I've been known to come to a complete stop in the middle of a two-lane road if a big truck passes!) LOL :)

So for the past few weeks hubs & I have been talking about possible options... It has been excruciating!!!!!!! He is the PICKIEST person when it comes to car buying that out of all the SUVs in the world, we can only come to an agreement about 3 different models.... SHEESH!!
I am about to throw my hands up in defeat because I'm so sick of debating about it!! But I know if I tell him to just get whatever he wants, there's no telling what he'll come home with!!
Wish me luck cause I have a feeling this is going to be a long, bloody battle! :-(


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Perfect Love...

This morning at church, the Pastor's message was one that I have been thinking about all day... Don't worry, I'm not going to preach to you guys tonight, but I do want to share a quote he talked about today that really stuck with me & has had me thinking all day about how I "love"...



When you read this below, please read each line slowly so you can really take it in & question how YOU "love"...



Perfect love is...

Slow to suspect- quick to trust

Slow to condemn- quick to justify

Slow to offend- quick to defend

Slow to expose- quick to shield

Slow to reprimand- quick to forbear

Slow to demand- quick to give

Slow to provoke- quick to conciliate

Slow to hinder- quick to help

Slow to resent- quick to forgive



-John Haggai



After I read over this a few times, I started thinking about my "love life"... mainly with my husband, but also with my friends and family.

I'm no theologist, but I've been going to church long enough to know that the only "perfect love" is the love that God has for you! But as we live our life on earth, we should all try to imitate that love as best we can to the people around us!...

I know my faults (most of them anyway)... and I can certainly admit that in my marriage I am guilty of not showing my husband the kind of love this quote describes! It has been more of my nature to jump to conclusions and suspect, resent or condemn instead of trust & forgive... I'm guilty of doing that in some of my friendships too!

I can probably go on and on talking about the ways the "love" I share with people around me is more imperfect than anything else... but after today, it is my hope that the re-reading of this quote from time to time will remind me of how truly loving someone means to trust them before anything else... to be less demanding of love & attention and to give more of it away... and to be more forgiving instead of resentful for the things I might be lacking...



So folks, if anything, I hope this will get you guys thinking about the "loves" in your life... whether it's a "love" that needs improvement or a "love" you are lucky enough to be receiving from someone!... I know after examining my "love life" I am even more thankful of the "perfect love" my husband has for me even when I haven't been so perfect back... ;)

"Show Us Your Life: Favorite Shops..."

Well I've decided to jump on the Kelly's Corner "Show Us Your Life" posts... ( http://www.kellyskornershowusyourlife.blogspot.com/ )This week's topic is "Where do you shop?"... For me, it should really be "where don't I shop!" LOL ;) Here are a few on my favorites (aside from Target & TJ Maxx)...

VICTORIA'S SECRET

Other than bras & panties, VS is really my go to on-line shopping destination for clothes too! That's probably where most of my clothes come from! I especially love their PINK collection, swimsuits & cashmere sweaters but surprisingly they have awesome work clothes too!!

WHOLE FOODS
This place is like my version of Disneyland!- REALLY! I started getting into organic & natural foods a few years ago when I first got married and it was kinda hard to find organics at regular grocery stores... then we finally got a Whole Foods in Nashville and it was like all my prayers were answered! This place just makes me happy! :) I find myself going there a lot more now to get fresh fruits & veggies to make sweet baby girl's baby food!

http://www.amazon.com/

So I know this has been around for a while, but I kinda just discovered it & fell in love! I used to only use it to buy books but I have finally discovered the great deals you can find on everything else!... and not pay taxes or shipping!! We used Amazon to buy most of our Christmas presents this year.

http://www.etsy.com/

My friend Beth told me about this site & I am literally on here every week! There is SO much to look at. Its a place for people to buy & sell handmade items. They have the cutest one-of-a-kind baby things... I could go broke getting things for sweet baby girl on here!

ANN TAYLOR

I used to joke that I was gonna name my dog "Ann Taylor" because I love this store so much! LOL!... I've been going through Ann Taylor withdrawals! :( As a SAHM, I have no reason to shop here anymore, but in my working days I couldn't get enough of this place! (Which is kinda funny cause when I was younger I always thought this is where old lady's shop! LOL) But they have such classic, feminine clothes & jewelry that is totally my style! It may be on the pricier side, but with age I have realized you get what you pay for & investing in well-made, classic pieces are the best buying advice I can give! Their clothes are SO worth every penny because they will last a lifetime! My Ann Taylor wardrobe is actually one of the things motivating me to keep loosing the baby weight because I will be so bummed if I can't fit in that stuff any more!

To pierce or not to pierce?!...

Before I became a mommy, I always thought to myself when I had a little girl I would get her ears pierced when she was a baby.
That's what my mom did with me & I am so thankful! I'm such a wuss when it comes to things like that I don't know if I would have had the courage to do it on my own. And I really love that I have no horrific memory of the piercing.
Well now that I have a little one of my own, the decision has been a lot harder than I expected! I have been so torn!?!?!?!
I have read a few blog posts about this topic and let me tell you I had no idea how controversial this is to some people!... I honestly don't see any problem with it myself because just about every girl I know has their ears pierced (I know one person that doesn't & she really wants to get them done but is really scared).
The struggle I am dealing with isn't an issue of right or wrong... I just see my sweet baby girl as just that!... A BABY! The thought of putting holes in her sweet wittle-bittle ears and how painful that will be for her breaks my heart! I can barely stand watching her get her vaccines every few months!
I've done a little bit of reading on the suject & have heard from other moms that there is a window of time that is best to do it if your gonna do a piercing on a baby... And that time is now for us!! I've heard it's best to do it when they're first born or around 6 months because if you wait til their an older baby, they will be big enough to grab & possibly infect their ears.
I've also heard stories of moms waiting til their daughters were old enough to ask to get it done & they get the first ear pierced & are to scared to do the other side & end up walking around with one earring til they muster enough courage to go back. (they don't recommend getting both done at the same time anymore because there's a greater chance they'll be uneven)...
So what are yall's thoughts?! And how old were you guys when you got your ears pierced??

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Golden Globes...

I LOVE fashion- especially award show fashion! One of my dream jobs is to be a celebrity stylist!... So in honor of the Golden Globes that was on last night, here's my two-cents on what people were wearing or should not have been wearing... :)

Sandra Bullock... I thought this wasn't too bad. Sandra has a tendency to make some bad red carpet fashion decisions, so I thought she looked great compared to her track record :) The purple color looks beautiful on her & I love her earrings & make-up... I don't, however, like that scraggly long piece of hair falling on the side...

Kate Hudson... I am not a fan of this at all! I get that architeural shapes are in right now, but I don't think Kate pulled this look off very well... to me, this dress is better suited for a tall, model type (like Heidi Klum or maybe Nicole Kidman)... and the sky-high platform pumps were just too over-the-top for this already "too-much" dress... The hair & tassel earrings were a little too old lady-ish also!

Cameron Diaz... I love Cameron Diaz! To me, she can do no wrong! She takes fashion risks & pulls them off very well I think... Even though this red dress is on the safe side, I think she looks stunning as usual! Her simple swept back hair, red lips, & black pumps are so classic!... I love it! :)

Christina Hendrick... Oh dear!... I LOVE Christian Siriano (the designer from Project Runway who designed this dress) but this is NOT his best work! I'm not loving the flat panel skirt under the ruffles (or this color on her for that matter)... I think if the bodice was fitted more like a mermaid shape & then a lot of ruffles at the bottom might have been more flattering... I think her hair & make-up looks great though! I love seeing red-heads with red lips!

Fergie... Ok, so I know a lot of people might like this look on Fergie, but this looks a little "cheap prom dress from Sears" to me! You can't see it in this picture very well, but the ruched chiffon material & the spaghetti straps under her hair looks a little bridesmaid too... all she needs is an ugly rose wrist-corsage or a wedding bouquet & her look would be complete! :(

Drew Barrymore... I think she looks great! Drew took a fashion risk & pulled it off! She has a quirky personality that can wear this dress well... I appreciate the artistic accents on the shoulder & side... the biggest thing that makes this work so well for her is her hair, make-up, & accessories are understated enough to make this bold statement dress look so classy! This color looks great on her too!

Christina Aguilera... This wasn't that fantastic but I just had to include this one cause its a refreshing change for Christina! I think she looks great! :)

WORST DRESSED...

Tina Fey... Oh Tina!... She gets a B+ for her effort but not digging this! Plus the peach satin bow shoes are totally off base?!

Diane Kruger... This is horrible! The color on this looks like part of it has been washed away in the rain... BLAH, BLAH, BLAH... :(

Mariah Carey... NO MA'AM!!!! THIS IS NOT OKAY!! I'm sorry but there are certain things big-boobied ladies should not wear and this is one of them (unless you're a porn star!) Now, I can appreciate a nice rack with the best of them, but there are better ways to showcase the "girls" and not look like an over-priced call girl!

MY FAVORITES...

Anna Paquin... I love this gold dress on her! Sequins & metallics are so IN right now!... Take note Mariah- this is how you do a deep-v neckline without looking like a total ho-bag!! ;)

Courtney Cox... She looked stunning!! These earrings MADE this dress & I hate that you can't see their true beauty in this picture because they are fantastic! They are a smokey-brown color that surprisingly worked well with her simple black dress... LOVES IT!!

BEST DRESSED...

Emily Blunt... She was my favorite! I LOVE this!! The color, her hair, her make-up, accessories- everything was spot on! I just wish I found a picture of the back of this dress cause its gorgeous! BRAVO! ;)

Investments...

There have been a couple recent decisions in our life that have me thinking a lot about investments.
Since I used to work as a banker pre-mommyhood, I think I have a pretty good understanding about this topic... I have definitely seen first hand the benefits of smart investments & saving your money.... So starting the new year, the hubs & I have decided to make a few "investments" of our own.

With the arrival of our sweet baby girl, you start thinking about her future from the very beginning... So we've decided to start her a college fund. {my friend, Beth, had the great idea of starting her a "purse fund"... I'm still trying to convince the hubs on the importance of this one! LOL}.... anyhoo, I'm really happy about this decision because I didn't have a college fund when I graduated high school & know first hand how much student loan payments cost each month! And it's never too early to start right!?
We talked to our investment guy & figuring the cost of college tution going up every year, it would take at least $250 every month for 18 years to afford the University of TN!!! That's insane! Can you imagine if she goes to an out of state college! Good thing we're starting before she's even a year old! {sheesh!} ... Hopefully Anniston can get a scholarship somewhere though & we can use her college fund money to buy her a brand new BMW & Louis Vuitton instead!... The really important things! Lol ;)

Another big investment we started this year is into the stock market... Hubs & I have usually played it pretty safe & invested our money in low risk mutual funds... But hubs started a side business last year that has produced some extra income & instead of all that sitting earning no interest in a business account, we decided to take a little gamble & invest it in some stocks... This I'm a little nervous about, I'm not gonna lie! Hopefully it'll work in our favor! {fingers crossed} ... I've always been a believer in the "Carrie Bradshaw philosophy of investing"- it should be in your closet where you can see it!! ;) but it's a new decade right!?...

And aside from financial investments, hubs & I have started a personal investment in our marriage & family life... Every night when the hubs comes home from work we have family time. I cook dinner while hubs plays with baby girl then we all sit at the dinner table to eat.
This is a change for us cause we used to always use TV trays & eat infront of the TV & catch up on our shows. I'm happy to say we've spent every night at the table since Christmas. We talk about our day & what's going on & dont normally watch TV til the little one is asleep. It's been really nice!... We actually didn't plan this one, we just sat at the dinner table one night and really enjoyed our time together and have been doing it ever since. Hopefully we can keep this up after American Idol starts again! ;)


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It's a new decade, folks...

I can't tell you how proud I am of myself right now!...
In my last post about my New Year's Resolutions, I told you all I buy WAY TOO MUCH CRAP!! and I was going to really think before I buy from now on... Well today my will power was put to the ULTIMATE test!... I needed to go to Target! ;)
I LOOOOOOOVE me some Target!!! (who doesn't really?!) For as long as I can think back, no matter if I make a shopping list, I ALWAYS "over shop".... Really if I can make it out of Target under $100, I'm surprised!
Well today... I walked in with exactly 5 things on my shopping list & left with those exact 5 things!!!!... NOTHING MORE!!!... Not even a pack of gum!... I was really tempted to grab that new Trident Layers gum I've been wanting to try but I resisted the urge!
I am so proud of myself!... I couldn't wait to get home to tell the hubs of my miraculous achievement!

*note to self- put Trident Layers gum on shopping list for next trip ;)


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Oh my stinky 2...

So we just started feeding our sweet baby girl real food (i.e. stuff other than milk or rice cereal)...
I had been looking forward to starting solids for a while! I have always wanted to make my own baby food so I couldn't wait to get started! Well I've come to learn one drawback to feeding your little one "real" food... Their poop takes a major turn for the worse!!!
I had always heard that breastfed babies had a lot less stinky poop than formula fed babies... and I have to say my little girl's poop wasn't THAT smelly! Don't get me wrong, it wasn't roses, but it was a lot better than what I thought it would be. (I am really sensitive to smells... I was probably a hound dog in my other life cause I can sniff clues & stuff)
Anyhoo... So a few days into feeding the baby her first food (butternut squash)... She dropped the motherload in her diaper!!! Thank goodness my sweet hubs had taken the week off & was home cause I went to change her diaper & as soon as I unfastened the sides I started gagging!! {I thought mothers were supposed to be impervious to their little one's poopie diapers?!}... well that's a lie!
It took two days of sweet hubs changing all the poopie diapers before I had built up my smell tolerance to get through a changing without throwing up in my mouth at little! :-x
Ugh! I was actually ThisClose to switching to cloth diapers but after the poops I've come across the last few days there's no way I want to deal with that any longer than I have to!... {Sorry Mother Earth but you'll just have to deal with my daughter's stinky diapers in your landfills for a few more years!}


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