What I Wore: Something Old, Something New

I was looking at this outfit and I realized that all the pieces I'm wearing are very old – except for the jacket, which is a new addition. And I bought a small and when I got home I realized it was a little oversized, so I endured an internal struggle over whether or not to send it back for a smaller size, but in the end, I decided I actually loved the oversized fit. As one of my friends pointed out, it's very Tori from Saved by the Bell and I'm not hatin' it. 

I've been wearing it and pushing people into lockers evvvvvverywhere lately. 

The other stuff though? They're just basics that made it through my latest round of closet purging. 

Jacket: Calvin Klein (here and on sale!)

Tee: Abound (here and still my favorite basic v-necks)

Skirt: F21 many moons ago. I can't remember the last time I shopped there. (similar and super cheap) (this might be this season's incarnation of mine)

Shoes: Steve Madden (similar)

Necklace: Cara via Nordstrom (mine is sold out but here's a pretty close dupe) (cheaper)

I cycle through clothes pretty fast (I know, you're shocked) so it's nice to have some old favorites still making the cut. It makes me feel good about my clothes-buying abilities. 

Deep Thoughts on Jamberry Nails

Since I was confined to my bed with a sore throat and super stiff neck yesterday, I decided to pull out some Jamberry nails that super awesome reader Lindsay sent me.

It was actually really funny, because a couple of weeks ago, I was hanging out with some friends. We ordered in Thai food (pumpkin curry get in my belly) and everyone brought their Jamberry stuff to do nails while we ate and gossiped. And I'm always in for food and gossip, but I've never even bothered with Jamberry nails because I actually have no nails. Like, I have the hands of a small growth-stunted child. It's ridiculous. Also, I bite my nails when I drive, so there's that too.

So I told the girls that I'd come and eat and opt out of the nail stuff. And everyone was like "You should totally get some" and I was like "Guys, remember how I'm a child and can't be trusted with fancy things like nail wraps?" And I went home. Nailess.

But lo and behold, the very next day there was a big package of Jamberry nail stuff at my door and oh, the irony! Lindsay sent me the works: A few sheets of wraps, a heater, the manicure set, etc. And I decided I would try them, but I had to let my nails grow for a week.

So, fast-forward to yesterday, where I was working from my bed and binge-watching Scandal and feeling sorry for myself when I realized that my nails were probably long enough to bust out the Jamberry stuff. Here's what I started with:

I definitely had to YouTube an application video because I have tried to use nail stickers before and they SUCKED. Or maybe I SUCKED. 

Sally Hansen in 2013. Never forget.

But these are not the same. So, here's the gist: You push down your cuticles, try and find a good match from the nail sticker sheet and then peel it up. Then, you use a heat source (I had the fancy dancy heater) to warm up the wraps before you stick 'em on your nails.

There's a lot of rubbing.

That's what she said.

It took one episode of Scandal for me to do both hands, but I was going super slow so as not to screw the entire process up and make Lindsay disappointed in my abilities. 

Here's the finished product: 

Ignore my sleep-legging bedecked thigh in the background there. I can see the spots in this pic where I screwed up, but they're passable and I know what not to do next time. 

Some tips I learned from my hour-long foray into Jamberry nails:

• The video I watched said err on the side of smaller when you're choosing the wrap size and I wish I had listened. Instead I was like "Gurl whatchyou talkin' bout" and went too big and sure enough, those were the ones with ripples in them. Like my pointer finger up there. 
• Heating helps, so don't be bashful. I the wraps before I put them on, as soon as I got them on, and again while I was smoothing them out to make sure they really got the point. 
• I kind of wish I had chosen a non French tip pattern. These look cool, but because my nails are so disproportionate and weird, a couple of nails had a smaller strip of silver than the others and it drives. me. crazy. Next time I'll just buy a random pattern. I'm eyeing these right now. 
• They were really hard at first, but by the time I got to my right hand, the process was easy. Plus, Scandal was on so it was actually kind of enjoyable. I felt like a real, live girl who does her nails and watches dishy dramas with hot presidents (I don't know what's wrong with me, I've had a massive crush on Tony Goldwyn since he was the bad guy in Ghost and spent like, every casual scene just wandering around without a shirt on and he awakened feelings in my 14-year-old self I didn't know existed. 
• I'm super glad Lindsay sent me the whole manicure set, because the scissors and cuticle pusher backer thingy were lifesavers. I know you could probably skip the heater if you wanted, because all my friends used blowdryers. But I still thought the heater was super handy to have. 
• I really have no earthly idea how long they'll stay on. It's been 24 hours and I've clipped a few shorter to get rid of some excess but so far, so good. They stay on for two weeks, according to Jamberry, but I'm really hard on my hands so we'll see. I'll keep you updated. 
• Also, if you have creepy baby hands like myself, the kids' wraps will fit. Lindsay sent me these babies for Addison and I'm not gonna lie, I'm probably going to steal some for myself. 
• Each sheet is $15, but I only used the four smallest on the sheet (and probably shouldn't have used the big one on my pointer finger ugh) so I still have enough for two more applications. If you were really handy with the scissors you could totally cut up the big toe ones and use them on your fingers if you were so inclined. 

Aw baby mustaches and bows, you will be mine. 

All in all, my friends will probably say "I told you so" when I see them tonight. Because I was so against them and now I'm like "OK, I can see where these would be handy." 

Really, my only complaints would be 1) That I'm an idiot and didn't choose smaller wraps when I should have and 2) They're a little shinier than I would normally choose for my nails. I think using them only for a feature nail here or there would make more sense for someone like me.  But that's fairly subjective and coming from someone who maybe does her nails like, twice a year. 

If these stay on for longer than a week, I might have to reevaluate my choices in life. 

Therefore, if you're interested in these and don't want to do the whole home party scene (which gives me like, heart palpitations because sales pressure makes me very nervous), you can buy from my girl Lindsay. She will not give you heart palpitations. Unless the nail wrap you choose is named Heart Palpitations. But I checked and there's none named that, so it's a moot point.

This is how I actually talk, guys. I'm SO bad at staying on topic. Ask my husband: It took me 10 minutes to tell him my friend's husband is a cop, because I spent most of the time retracing my entire history with said friend and that she used to have an above-ground pool and lived near the grocery store in my hometown, you know the grocery store that has the lobsters? 

So sorry. Moral of the story, my experience with Jamberry was mostly positive and you absolutely will see me with mustaches on my nails in the near future. 

What to Wear: When You Don't Feel Like Getting Dressed

I was at the passport office yesterday and a woman wheeled her stroller in. Her 2-year-old was sick. Like, kind of looked like a zombie baby, red eyes, goopy face sick. And she proceeded to park his stroller beside my chair, where he coughed on me for 20 minutes.

I woke up sick this morning.

And, since I'm not a hypocrite, here's a repost of what I'm wearing today. Hint: It has an elastic waist.

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There's probably a solid three feet of snow on my lawn, but you know what? I don't care because I don't have a single place to go today and that is glorious. I actually purposely plan all of my week's stuff on one or two days. Tuesdays and Thursdays are always my busiest days, but that means I can relax a bit on the other days. And, since the roads are a mess, I'm absolutely taking advantage of that fact. I plan on hiding in my house, getting some work done and reading while my son naps.

What I'm saying in the most roundabout, least fashion bloggy way is that I'm not getting dressed today.

And guess what? Anyone who posts pictures of their outfits is probably showing off what they wear about an eighth of the time. Because mark my words, the rest of the time, they're in their sweats, hiding from their well-meaning neighbors like EVERYONE ELSE.

SO I'm not lying when I tell you that while I have a very extensive closet of cute clothes, I also have a HUGE collection of lounge clothes too. And I'm wearing some right now. And that's OK. Although I will say that even if I'm hanging out in the house all day, I'll wear something more than PJs to get through it. Because even if no one else is going to see me, if I stay in PJs all day, I'll undoubtedly start feeling gross and unproductive and unshowered all day. Simply changing into cute, well-fitting lounge stuff means I'm still totally comfortable, but I don't end up wallowing in self pity, Downton Abbey and poor food choices all day.

Here are some super cute options for getting dressed when there's no point in actually getting dressed.

Volcom pocket tee / Victoria's Secret vintage top / Knit shirt / Black tank top, $24 / Activewear pants / American Eagle Outfitters stripe pants / Accessorize button shoes / Pastry snakeskin shoes, $47 / Minnetonka bow shoes / Gap Logo Lounge Pants / Aero 87 Lace Full-Zip Yoga Hoodie

Fit is EVERYTHING. There's a huge difference between a cute pair of lounge pants and wearing your hubby's sweats. If your lounge clothes make you look like you and your hubby have roughly the same body shape, it's a problem. Hoodies and yoga pants are totally fine. When they fit. Also, a cute pair of slippers or house-approved shoes helps too. I have mukluks that I love, but I'll also wear moccasins and sneakers around. Just don't tell my Canadian parents, who think it's appalling when I wear shoes in my house.

And now, what not to wear.

Striped top / J.Crew flannel pajamas / Topman Heather Jersey Sweatpants / Supersoft Zebra Print Onesie, $31

Men's sweatpants, actual pajamas, that gross souvenir T-shirt that you wear when dyeing your hair and ONESIES. Do I really need to even say this? If you slept in it the night before, change out of it. UNLESS you're sick or just had a baby because those times don't count.

For the record, I'm hanging out in Calvin Klein yoga leggings and a Roots Canada half-zip sweater today. And that's pretty much how I'll stay all day.

And I'm thinking about eating the loaf of bread I bought my neighbor.

Also, I'm a horrible, awkward shell of a human being.

Alright, sock it to me. Are you a "get dolled up every day" type? Or are you more of a "Put on pants when I have to go to Wal-Mart" kinda gal?

What I Wore: Recharged

I had two loooong naps over the weekend and I can't lie: It was glorious. Now I'm ready to tackle the week. Until Wednesday, when I will become very tired and require more naps. Funny how that works, right?

Seriously though, there's something to be said for a recharging weekend like that. We went out to dinner, took the kids to the arcade, rented a movie. When I was like, 19, I would have thought it was boring. Now I'm like "Pleaaaase can we just stay inside and watch a movie?" Putting the kids to bed and watching 22 Jump Street is basically my dream date now.

Anyway, this is what I wore on Saturday, which was ideal for both napping and eating. 

Top: Calvin Klein (here) (I also have this one in black and love it.) 

Jacket: Stoosh via Nordstrom (no longer available. I can't tell if it sold out fast or this brand just rotates through product really quickly) (similar) (super obsessed with this one)

Jeans: Calvin Klein (here)

Boots: Ardene - Canada (similar) (similar)

Bag: Coach (here) After a few weeks with this bag, I can say I'm definitely a fan. It's massive inside, so I can carry things like my Kindle, my obscene lip gloss collection, and an old-school planner. Yaaas. 

In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I got rid of the boots and wore moccasins to the arcade because come on, who wears heels to the arcade? My children would be happy to report, however, that they each came home with a pair of fuzzy dice, a dinosaur model, and a recorder for the low, low price of $20, my sanity, and about a gallon of hand sanitizer in the car.

The arcade is gross.

I just bundled the kids off to the bus, so now it's all work and Pandora from here on out. (Right now I'm listening to an instrumental version of Hotel California.)

Mondays really aren't so bad sometimes.

Freaky Friday

Happy Friday, guys! I just got home from a workout and might want to die. Everything hurts and I'm ravenously hungry, so food and a nap it is!

After Freaky Friday, natch.

Attention everyone: New fashion rule!! No wearing harem pants unless you are in a legitimate harem. See, it's handy and it's not as confusing as the whole white after Labor Day thing. 

How many bathroom mats does it take to make a hideous Muppet shrug? 

This looks like something Effie would wear in Hunger Games. 

Also, I hate that Hanging Tree song because in the middle they play Jennifer Lawrence saying "You" over and over again and it sounds like she's saying "Ew" repeatedly. 

"Little House on the Prairie: The Artsy Discovery Years" 

I always had cats growing up and they had the unfortunate habit of barfing into backpacks and my brothers and I wouldn't realize it until we got to school.

This sweater is bringing up some seriously repressed memories for me. 

Maybe it's because I've been listening to the Game of Thrones soundtrack lately, but this tunic makes me want to like, grow some grain, marry a cousin, and start a peasant uprising. 

My, aren't we fancy in our pom-pom bedecked pantaloons? 

If Seasonal Affective Disorder were a pair of pants.

No, seriously, I'm going to shower so I can go grab something to eat. Gotta look nice for my chicken. 

Review: RevelationsRX Masks!

Blaaaaaargh the last few weeks have been bananas. Working in marketing means that in January, every client renews their budgets and suddenly needs all sorts of writing, which means I've been glued to my phone and computer like woah. Yesterday, I was quietly trying to chew through a turkey burger while on an hour-long conference and I was hungry and it was torturous.

The struggle.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, RevelationsRX sent me some of their super-cool new products to take for a test drive. At first, I was like AGHHH I'm too busy to do a product review. But it ended up being a really good thing.

Here's why: When stuff gets crazy, I go go go from morning until night. So I need to physically be made to stop, and these face masks MADE ME STOP. At least, for two 45-minute stints each week. And that was enough for me to stop, recharge, and do something that was good for me.

After the kids were in bed, natch. I cannot relax when they are buzzing around.

Anyway, RevelationsRX sent me the kits for two of their products: The Deep Hydrating Mask and Serum, and the Tired Eyes, Puffiness, and Dark Circles kit (IT'S LIKE THEY KNOW ME).

It's pretty straightforward: Each kit comes with four masks, along with a rollerball serum for use throughout the week.

Now, I've used cloth masks that stay in one piece before and I freaking hated them. Mostly because they were stiff and they never stay on, and you have to scare your children because you 100 percent look like Rubberface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

So I was super happy to find that while the masks were on that cloth stuff, they're actually made of coconut fibers and really actually conform to your face. Like, you put it on, let it conform and peel off the backing. The mask is super thin and it just glues itself down. So I looked like I had a plastic face, but not a scary murder face. I appreciate that.

No pictures exist of such face. You wear them for 45 minutes and I used that time to have a bath and read. Shockingly, I don't snap a lot of naked bathtime reading pics. I'm not Courtney Stoddard and I'm scared of the Cloud.

My favorite of the two was definitely the puffy eye patches. They work in  the same way: Glue themselves down and you wear 'em for 45 minutes. I've also been keeping the rollerball serum next to my bed. It's part of my morning and night routine now. You can't take that away from me.


I get pretty dry winter skin and these forced me to slow down and take care of it. You use them once a week, and I've gone through two of each of the masks and feel like my skin is super soft.

I've always struggled with dark circles under my eyes, so I've been pretty happy to see the puffiness go down and my eyes lighten up a bit. Seriously, I'm very vain about looking younger than I am (as referenced by this post-patch picture of me in a cheerleader ponytail and hoodie). Dark circles make me actually look my age. That's not cool, man.

While I'd file the full face mask under "Great to have but not completely necessary," the eye patches are definitely keepers. I've tried eye patches before and didn't really see a difference, but these definitely made me feel like my eyes were brighter for the rest of the day. The serum is also loaded with caffeine and it's COLD so I felt like that really helped with puffy, tired eyes first thing in the morning.

The RevelationsRX line can be pricey, but I was super happy with the results. Luckily, they are offering free shipping and $15 off their products through this link. There, don't say I never do anything for you.

In the meantime, let's all be thankful for beauty products that force you to stop, do something nice for yourself, and read a good book simultaneously.

(This post was sponsored by RevelationsRX obviously, but the opinions are mine. I wouldn't steer you wrong.)

What I Wore: Black on Black

Yesterday, as I was cleaning up from breakfast, I sent my daughter to run up and have a quick shower before church. By the time I got upstairs, not only had she showered, she also drew herself a luxurious bath, using up all the hot water in the house.

So, because we had to sit around and wait for the water to warm up again for everyone's  shower, we were definitely late. And when I'm late, I default to monochromatic colors, and natural hair texture. When I blow dry my hair without a round brush, it grows to gospel country singer proportions and I have to get it under control. Still, it's way faster than the whole flat iron routine, even if we just called it a wash and skipped the first part of church anyway.

Eh, you win some, you lose some.

Top: Calvin Klein (here) (similar) (hahahaha)
Skirt: Freebird (similar) (similar)

Shoes: Steve Madden (similar) (so cute)

Watch 

So basically, this is great for any occasion where you think you're going to be late, but you're so late you decide to can it. 

I think we've all been there, right?