mod bod Review and Giveaway!

YAY I have been waiting for this giveaway for a week now! You guys know I don't do a lot of giveaways. I'm super selective about the stuff I choose to do (if I wouldn't wear or buy it, I can't let you guys either) and plus, I think blogs that do a giveaway every day are buggy. But this one is great, so pay attention!

mod bod contacted me to see if I'd like to do a review of their store and their latest line They started me off by sending me their Signature line to try. And not to sound like a suck-up, but they've definitely become my favorite layering tees and camis. My problem with layering stuff is I usually hate the cut. Like, the neckline is basically a turtleneck and it ruins the way things look when they're layered. mod bod stuff is super modest, but not like, nun modest. Which I appreciate. So when they invited me to come take a look at their store, I was like um, OK! Why would I turn that down?

So I popped by last Friday and started trying on stuff. When I shop, I like to put things together like a collection. Instead of grabbing willy nilly stuff that I think I like, I pick a few different pieces that I can mix and match into a ton of different outfits, so that's how I tackled this shopping trip. Check out some of the awesome finds I tried on!


Like this!


... I'm totally kidding. mod bod is absolutely not the place you'd find Pauly D crop tops. I shudder. SHUDDER.

Instead, I found gorgeous stuff like this:


I saw this cream skirt when I first walked in and was all "Hello, lover." It was the first thing I snagged to try on. I also freaked out over that leopard cardi - it's the perfect pattern without being boozy.


Right? (Excuse the mirror pics. My sister in law came with to snap some shots but the lighting in the fitting rooms was TOO good. Like, I want to go try on swimsuits there, that's how good it was.) But seriously. I love this outfit. The shirt is super textured with a brocade pattern, so it's interesting without being like I HAVE A SKIRT crazy. Oh, did I mention they had it in pink?


They do. How cute would an outfit like this be for a Valentine's Day date? Plus blush pink is HUGE right now. And with an open cardi? I die. I love the mix of the leopard with the texture of the skirt. They were meant for each other. And check out the texture and bandage effect of the shirt. It's super flattering. And the belt came with.


I also really loved this layering tee on its own. It's basic but it has the double-V to make it a little different and the fit is amazing. I'm a solid size 6 and this is a medium shirt, just for size comparison when shopping. It fit like a glove without being too tight -- another major issue with layering tees. Also, baby got back. But it's OK.


I loved their girly stuff, but they also had some harder-edge pieces that I had to try too. This old-school fisherman's sweater went right over the layering tee and looks all snuggly and hot chocolate warm.


Finally, I tried on this leather jacket because I'm OBSESSED with them and already have seven, so naturally I would want another. I loved the asymmetrical zipper and ruffles on this one to make it a little girlier. Also, boots and socks woo!

See what I mean about shopping in a collection? Literally every one of the pieces that I picked can be worn with each other, meaning I get the most bang for my buck when choosing new pieces.

Altogether, I had an awesome time at mod bod. For one, the first thing the manager said to me was "We have tons of other sizes in the back." Don't you hate it when you go to a store and they're like "Oh, if it's not out here we don't have it." Annoying, right? Plus they had super basic stuff like layering tees and camis, but then "special" stuff like a cool leather jacket or a flared ruffle skirt. Love. The sales staff was super helpful without being buggy and I loved how all the pieces went together. Kinda makes it a no-brainer when trying to make outfits.

Want to see what I went home with?


You know I can't say no to leopard, right?
Cami, cardigan and skirt: mod bod
Shoes: Steve Madden
Jewelry: F21
Also, like my new hair?


I love a mix of super girly with the pinks and floral and then tougher stuff, like leopard and dark patent leather on the shoes and belt. It's a big-time "Jae" look.



Anyway, I'm super happy with my mod bod experience and the pieces I picked up. They're awesome quality, super cute and the entire store was made up of stuff that I already love. And I'd be lying if I said my leather jacket count didn't now rest at eight.

But mod bod wants you to try out their newest line too. Seriously, I keep reaching for my camis the second they get out of the dryer, which for me is the biggest indication of how much I like an item of clothing.

SO, mod bod is offering a 25 percent off code for all online purchases when you use the code BLOGFRIENDS25 during checkout, yay! They are also having some awesome sales going on right now, so that's extra cool.

Local girls, they have stores in Springville, University Mall in Orem and in American Fork, but they also have a great online store.

And to win $70 worth of mod bod swag for yourself, click through to our swag page over here and enter away!!

What I Wore: White After Labor Day

Omg, I have a major case of the Mondays today. I've been sitting at my computer for like, two hours and gotten nothing done but watched videos on Youtube, played Scramble with Friends and checked Facebook obsessively. I need a shot of motivation like, NOW.

I never understood obscure fashion rules about the colors that you can and can't wear and when to wear them. And when does the "after" Labor Day part of the rule apply? I mean, every day BUT Labor Day technically comes after. It's confusing and annoying. So I ignored it and wore my white skirt with my chambray shirt and black tights and called it good. Take that, obscure fashion rules!


Chambray shirt: Papaya
Belt: I have no earthly idea.
Skirt: Ricki's (Canada)
Tights: F21
Shoes: Charlotte Russe
Watch: Gucci
Necklace: Nordstrom



I loved the mix of a super casual shirt with a super glittery heel. I'm all about mixing and matching the two.



Glittery neck AND feet? I die. I've also heard that you shouldn't wear navy and black together. I say a hearty "Whatevs" to that!

I had my hair done last week so this is the last long hair pic. I had some cut off and went tons blonder. WOO! But I shall reveal on Wednesday, because....


...we're going to have a giveaway! Check back then for an entire store review plus some super cool swag that YOU can win! So definitely come hang out with me on Wednesday. In the meantime, I have a 1p.m. deadline for other work and it's almost here so I have to get going. Thank goodness for Mango-Peach Crystal Light and an iPod stocked with Lily Allen or I would never get anything done.

Freaky Friday: Fun with Keywords

Today is one of those Fridays that I have been off and running since the alarm hit. And I'm super excited because this afternoon I'm heading off to do some prep work for a giveaway on Wednesday, so be excited too!

The more posts I have on my site and the more colorful language I use, the more weird searches I get in my Statcounter. I'm always super amazed at how people stumble across my blog -- like, seriously, people. Besides the completely perverted, I've got an entire new batch for weirdness that came up in the keyword analysis of my website's stats. OH YEAH.

"Kama sutra snuggie."

If tacky infomercial products turn you on, you're beyond my help. Also, ew.

"How to not be like your husband's mother."

My advice would probably be to not be like your husband's mother. Because it sounds like you kind of hate her.

"Padded butt jeans."

Might I introduce you to Booty Pop? Or you can totally have some of my booty, because I'm just nice amd charitable like that.

"Sexy lamp."

I saw this in the Sky Mall catalog the last time I flew and I was like yeah, just what I need. A light fixture that is skinnier than me.

"Pictures of cute hamsters eating pencils."

...........................

I don't even know anymore.

"Foot undies."


Look, I know that these are for dance and stuff but please, they are a foot fetishist's dream.

"Wearing overalls and desperate to pee."

Oh hey, welcome to my site, anyone who has ever worn overalls. It serves you right for 1) wearing overalls in the first place and 2) Googling this instead of just using the washroom. It honestly makes me wonder what is wrong with the human race.

"Worst tube top ever."

I believe that it would be any tube top ever. This isn't "In Living Color," so you can go ahead and put some clothes on.

"Freaky bustier."

I decided to Google that exact phrase and came up with this. I believe it's from "How to Dress Like a Terrifying Russian Spy-Lady."

"Pimp clothes."

Ooh, how about a sexy pimp costume? As a special touch, this was listed for teens and it said it came with "shorts." Let me know if you can find them.

"Why I'll never dress like my parents did."

Because my dad got married in a powder blue leisure suit and that's a good enough reason for me.

"Clever ways to hide a microwave."

Well, it definitely won't fit in your purse, so I'm thinking you should just splurge and buy the popcorn AT the theatre.

"Half skirt half shorts."

These are called culottes. I had some when I was seven. STOP IT.




Well, whatever way people get here, I'm just glad you come to hang out every Friday, you big pervs!

Happy weekend, everyone!

**Please note that I moved the comments link back down to the bottom with my latest bloggy facelift. So click it and use it often or I'll be forced to eat my feelings kthanx.**

Jae Raids the Drugstore: Best (and Worst) Beauty Buys Under $10

Since my family has literally been sick since November, I've had the opportunity to reacquaint myself with a very strange place: the drugstore. You see, when I was a teenager living at home, the closest place for me to buy makeup and hair stuff was the drugstore that was two blocks away from my house. I spent all of my tiny paycheques on massive amounts of eyeshadow and butterfly hair clips and whatever else was cool in 2001. Seriously, I loved that place. I would take hours to pick stuff out and then I'd rush home and try it all on like a demented beauty queen.

Since I've become oh so more mature in my old age (you guys, I was playing in the snow with my kids the other day and I fell and I've been complaining like a granny ever since) I started buying more of my makeup and hair stuff at beauty specialty stores, department stores and online. Honestly, I hadn't been in a drugstore in forever because usually we use a Walmart pharmacy and I'm picking up milk and Pullups with my prescription, not lipstick. But a couple weeks ago, Walmart didn't carry my prescription so I had to head down to Walgreens and since then, all of our stuff has been going there. The result? Hours upon hours of waiting for prescriptions that I have now spent trolling the makeup aisles for new products.

Since I totally understand that not everyone wants to go have their bank account manhandled by the ladies at the Nordstrom makeup counters, I give you some of the best (and worst) products that I've picked up during my drugstore escapades -- proof that you can find totally awesome stuff while you're picking up antibiotics and Advil.



L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes

I know I've reviewed this mascara on here before, but I picked up another tube when my pricey brand was out the other day and I remember how awesome it is. For a $8 mascara, this stuff rocks. It's the closest I've found to Diorshow, which is my all-time fave. My favorite part about it is that you can layer it really well. I hate when I go to put a second coat of mascara on and it's all crispy and gross. With this, I put on a layer, wait two minutes and then add one more for superthick lashes. I was wearing it at Christmas and my sister-in-law thought I falsies on. Score!



Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter.

I am a sucker for new types of lip color, just because I'm not a hardcore lipstick girl. I love gloss, but I feel like the color fades super fast so it's kind of a pain. When I saw this I was excited because it's kind of a mix between lipstick and lip blam. Like, it feels like chapstick going on, but gives awesome color like a lipstick. This would be AWESOME if you're new to lip color or want to try a bolder shade (red please?) I bought this color, which is a bright pink in the tube but is just pretty and rosy on my lips and it lasted forever. I also liked that it was all smooth n' stuff.


(I'm wearing it in this picture. LOVE! PS My son looks like a tiny banker.)



Suave Volumizing Mousse

It makes me really mad when spell check says that "volumizing" isn't a word. Um, shut up. OK, I am a sucker for hair products, especially ones that promise to give me big hair. And I'm kind of a mousse-aholic. But I love this stuff. It dries really soft, even when I do scrunchy curls, so I use it for both curly and straight looks, since my hair is pretty wavy in real life. And i think I paid like, $2 for this, so it was totally worth it. I used a Big Sexy Hair version of the same thing and really can't tell a huge difference, despite the fact that BSH cost $24.



Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips

I would literally rather have a root canal than try and mess with these again. I picked up a box because I hate doing my nails only to have them chip and figured this would last longer. It might have if I'd actually been able to put them on. First of all, each strip is encased in roughly 79 pieces of peely plastic, which means they make a HUGE mess. Second, they're pretty much impossible to apply I gave up and put them on my daughter. She loves them but I don't have the heart to tell her that they're slightly crooked. So I won't. Stab me with a spoon these were annoying.



Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation

I ran out of my precious Bare Minerals right before my trip to Canada, so I rushed to the drugstore since I didn't have a chance to get to the mall. I figured that all mineral powders were created equally, and I was close. This is a really great substitute for the real deal. If you want to try mineral foundation but don't want to fork out $25 for the stuff, try this. The coverage was fine, although I don't think it lasted as long as Bare Minerals. Also, you don't get the range of colors that you do with Bare Minerals, so it wasn't the exact match I usually get. But totally worth it to stash in my makeup bag -- I really liked the supersoft brush that came with it too!



Beyond the Zone Rock On Dry Shampoo

K, this is kind of cheating because I didn't buy this myself. But I went to a "Favorite Things" party with my friends and this is what I won. One of my friends (Hi, Tamera!) brought this to share and I'm glad she did, because it was magical. Everyone knows about dry shampoo, right? It's a powder spray that you can use to revive your hairstyle when it's oily or just flat. You might not be able to find this brand at the drugstore, but I've also tried the Suave dry shampoo and liked it a lot too. Definitely a must for time-crunched mornings.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll give a pic of me with dry shampooed hair. BUT I literally took this picture as I rolled out of bed and sat down to work for the day and i am not wearing a stitch of makeup. BEWARE.


But see? My face looks tired but my hair looks like it's actually DONE. I sprayed my roots with dry shampoo and then just fluffed with my fingers and got like 30-second hair right out of bed without doing anything special. It's awesome and one of my secrets to faking like I actually put myself together everyday. Totally doable.

Alright, so now I have divulged my guilty pleasure for low priced cosmetics (hence my insane obsession with buying stuff from e.l.f.). What's your favorite budget beauty buy that you can't live without?

What I Wore: Reformed Tomboy

Growing up with four brothers, I was a hopeless tomboy. I feel bad for my mom, who thought that she finally got her girl who she could dress up and do girly things with. At age five, I threw a tantrum about my waist length hair and had it cut to my chin. At age nine, I quit dance class to play soccer. And at age 12, I was wearing my little brother's clothes on a daily basis. Did I mention that my brothers are all freakishly large? Despite me being three years older, my brother and I shared the same shoe size when we were kids. I have this amazing picture of me as a 12-year-old, backwards hat, oversize shirt, cutoffs and high tops. You would NEVER know it was me. I was 16 or 17 before the switch in my head turned on and I started acting like, you know, a GIRL.


(Case in point: this is me at age 11, dressed as a hobo for Halloween. Like, really? I HAVE A BEARD.)

But, I still consider myself a bit of a tomboy. I don't mind getting dirty, I have a secret love for video games and I'll always have a soft spot for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. So when I spotted this sweater, it reminded me of my tomboy days and I had to have it. It kinda reminded me of a referee, so I added some super awesome knee socks and paid homage to my weirdly boyish soccer-loving heritage.


Sweater: F21
Jeggs: F21
Socks: Abercrombie & Fitch
Boots: Breckelle's
Necklace: Local


And yes, those socks do have bows on them. I bought two pairs. It was one of those shopping triumph moments. I thought they were $13 and when I went to check out they were only $4 so I was like WAIT I WANT MORE. So I also have them in gray. Knee sock love forever.

I don't think anyone would accuse me from being anything but supergirly now, but aside from the hot pink socks I would say this look is all tomboy. It makes me want to go throw a yellow card at someone.

I won't though, because that would be really weird.

Freaky Friday: Reader Submissions

Hey guys, you all know how much I love you, right? Blogging seriously sucks if you don't have awesome readers and hilarious comments and if I didn't get either I'd basically become depressed and eat more Chick-Fil-A than I already do (and trust me, the entire chain is not ready for that.)

My favorite thing about my readers is that they always take time to send me awesome Freaky Friday posts, which make me inexplicably happy. Let's keep doing that, OK? You can email them over or post them on the Facebook page (see the box to the right) so we can all make fun.

But seriously, let's check out some of the stuff you lovelies sent me over the holidays.



Ohh more droopy pants from Stephanie. She knows how I roll. My favorite part is the loin cloth that ties to the knees for no reason at all.



Anna alerted me to this picture of Jennifer Hudson.

*Awkward pause* Um, look. Jennifer. Jenn. Jenny. I'm really ahppy you're skinny and stuff now, but that does NOT make it OK for you to dress like Drew Barrymore from Never Been Kissed. For one, Drew Barrymore looks HORRIBLE in that movie. Secondly, she was high when she wore the outfit. SO. Yeah.


Stop looking so excited, Drew.


Nat (our former maternity fashion guru) sent me this on the Facebook page because she knows well that I have a peacock obsession.

I just wonder if it's ENOUGH peacock, you know? She could have at least worn a feather in her hair.


Ashley snapped a picture of these shoes when she went to a party over the holidays and I LOVE HER for it. Listen, ladies. If your shoes have eyes, they're probably looking up your skirt and that's weird and uncomfortable.

Andrea sent me this Vera Wang offering. What I love most is that it looks like my face when I really cold and wear a hoodie cinched as tight as it can go to stay warm. Except it is cinched around her crotch. I've never had cause to do that... even when it's really, really cold... but to each his own!

Also, I should point out that wearing my hoodie like that is super unattractive and I look like a small Gremlin and my husband makes fun of me. So I don't recommend it.


Oh, Mina, thank you for sending me these pants. It's proof that your pants don't have to be tight for you to have the droopiest case of camel toe EVER.

Also... those are some gnarly Aladdin ankles.


Like... I don't even dry clean clothes that say "dry clean only." Do you really think I'm going to detangle my dress? (Thanks, Tracy!)


I got these gems in my email from Beth. These 100 percent remind me of when the Beast turns into a human and for a few seconds he has weird foot-paw hybrids. And then I cry even though I'm a grown woman.

Thanks for the submissions friends, and keep 'em coming! I make audible *squee!* noises when I get them and they make us all happy, right?

Good Bones

*** Did any of you miss the most awesome Kardashian photo ever? If you did (and SHAME ON YOU) check out my page and let's all make fun. Also, I saw a headline that read -- not kidding -- "Kim Kardashian replaced by French bulldog in Super Bowl commercial. It was a great day. ***

SO. Today I wanted to talk about something that has always bugged me a little. And since I generally have a short fuse, that category includes things like helicopter parents, people who think that their baby is a genius, people who walk slow in malls, Lady Gaga's shenanigans and people who confuse tights as pants. But you know what really annoys me?

The show "What Not to Wear."

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love me a makeover show and I wish Clinton Kelly could join Tim Gunn and be my best gays -- or best... ambiguous sexual orientation friends -- but one thing really bothers me about the show. You know the part when they throw out all of the poor person's clothes? That bugs me.

Here's why. When was the last time a fairy godmother -- or Stacy London -- appeared out of nowhere with $5,000 for you to spend? So there's probably a good chance that you'll never in your entire life have cause to toss out your entire wardrobe and start fresh. So that means you're pretty much workin' with what you have at this point. And while some clothes really need to be trashed, I generally think it's a rare person who doesn't have the good bones of a decent wardrobe already in her closet.

Even if you don't have a ton of money to spend on your clothes, I bet you have a couple of bucks here and there to buy the elements that could update a sloppy tee or your old faithful pair of jeans. Can we talk about this and I'll show you how? While I wish I could go through everyone's closet and yank out the pieces that don't work, you'll have to be satisfied with seeing some of the ways you can work stuff you already own into different, HNTDLAM-approved looks.

A Sloppy Shirt


This Gap tee is one of the most unstructured pieces of clothing I own. In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of a high-detail super structured girl. While I think it's great, it can definitely look a little sloppy when I wear it with the wrong stuff -- especially my husband's basketball shorts. And who doesn't own a baggy white tee? If you don't, I would say you're probably a martian. Either way, you can totally update it by pairing it with skinnies. These are my beloved red ones and I scored them for $19. I just tucked the shirt in messily and added some heels and it's an instant upgrade. Another thing I sometimes do to make a white tee look more feminine is just roll the sleeves up once or twice. It just makes it look a little less I-won-this-at-a-school-fundraiser-esque,

A Button-Up (Or Button-Down I am So Conflicted)

Abercrombie Fitch long sleeve shirt, $24
Billabong long maxi skirt, $44
Wet Seal flat shoes, $15
Pewter jewelry, $13
Pendant, $15

I confess, I think I like button ups more than the average bear. It's like I'm just drawn to them because I love masculine styles with feminine touches. Yeah, button ups look super cute with boots, but how awesome would it be with something super girly, like a maxi skirt? Totally unexpected but still comfy enough to wear to lunch with the girls. I would wear major jewelry for fun but you could totally ditch the jewels and wear this to something super casual. It's a great way to get more mileage out of one super simple piece of clothing.

A Good Pair of Flats



I use flats to help tone down outfits that might be otherwise too va-va-voomy for regular use. It's like you can always get two outfits out of the same skirt: wear it with heels for superlong legs and to impress your hubby or tone it down with flats and you can wear it to a PTA meeting -- not that I have ever been to one. I wore this to something pretty casual, so out came the flats. Seriously, they are like no-fail footwear and you should absolutely fine a pair that you love. When it doubt, bring 'em out because they're more formal than sneakers but more casual than heels. Win-win, right?

A Pair of Straight-Legged Jeans

Old Navy fair isle cardigan, $30
Old Navy graphic tee, $17
H m blazer, £25
Quiksilver straight leg jeans, $42
High heels, $50
Toms shoes, $48
Fergalicious black flat boots, $40
Crystal earrings, $30

Miss Selfridge circle earrings, £8.50
TopShop white shawl, £22
Dorothy Perkins tan belt, $9

If you only had the budget to buy one pair of jeans, I would definitely recommend a dark wash straight-legged pair. If you already have some in your closet, you need to know how super versatile they are. I'm wearing mine today! Check out the outfits above. They all have the same jeans. But since the leg is straight, you can cuff it over heels, tuck it into boots or even wear them with your super casual outfits (So I love TOMS, shut up.) Most other jeans need a specific type of shoe to look good, but you can get away with all of them if you have a good straight legged pair. Seriously, try and see how many outfits you can put together with them and you might not need to do a lot of shopping.

A Skinny Belt



I make no apologies for this: I love my Walmart belt. It was super cheap and it's reversible between cream and white. All I have to do is click the belt buckle around. I wear it SO MUCH. Obviously. If you have a skinny belt on hand, you can update a ton of outfits by just slapping a belt around them. I love the cardigan in this picture, but on its own it can look really conservative and that's just not me. I'll seriously belt anything... cardigans, jackets, pencil skirts, you name it. It's an awesome way to define your waist and look like you know what you're doing in one fell swoop. Just don't wear it to Thanksgiving dinner or you'll feel like it's going to pop open and hit someone in the eye.... not that I know that from personal experience or anything.


So, I challenge you to take a look at your closet and identify it's good bones. You'll probably find that instead of having nothing to wear and being sick of anything, there's a few pieces that can be reworked and worn in different ways to make them look more flattering and current. And since that saves you money, you can send the rest of it to me! YAY!

PS: What is your favorite closet staple? I would definitely say my straight-legged jeans and my beloved boots, but I'll take suggestions!