It was a cloudy, chilly and rainy morning, so what's a girl to do? Wear booties and jeans in June! My hair went up into a bun (yay, humidity), I dabbed on some pink lipstick and was determined to bring a little sunlight to the day! I actually loved this outfit, the booties are amazing and pairing a heavier piece with the flowy floral top made me feel like I wasn't too out of season.
Basically, Ted Baker is one of my favorite brands so I was looking for an excuse to wear these amazing shoes. I love these booties! I got them during a Ted Baker sale at Nordstrom Rack, which made me even more excited because there's nothing better than Ted Baker at a price that won't break my bank! The hardware is a rose gold color, which is a cute added touch. I also love them because they run so narrow and my foot wasn't sliding around inside the shoe all day! I recommend taking a bit of sandpaper to the bottoms before you wear them because they are quite slick. The clumsy side of me was a little worried about slipping, especially since it was rainy.
Also, on the bottom there's a quote pressed into the arch of the sole: "Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life." I love small details like that and I couldn't agree more!
Remember that sometimes you just have to create your own sunlight!
Diane Von Furstenberg is one of my all time favorite designers. She understands women's bodies and makes clothes that make us all look good! I mean the wrap dress? Genius!
For the next three days there's a special sale event going on at Nordstrom Rack and the spotlight is on all things DVF. These are the a few of my favorites from the sale!! Stuff is selling out fast! If you see something you love don't wait!
I am a huge fan of Tanya Burr. I think she's a great role model for women, a super fashionable individual and a ray of sunlight in the darkness that can be the Internet. When I first started this blog and wanted to add in a YouTube component (a slowly growing channel) Tanya's channel was a huge inspiration. When I found her book I had to get a copy not only to support her as she's, unknowingly, offered me support and guidance through her channel, but to see what else she had to say.
There were three sections that I adored: Fashion, Baking & Recipes and Confidence & Happiness. I liked the whole book, but those three "chapters" especially stood out.
The fashion section was, of course, a big draw to me because talking about skirts, shoes and bags is one of my favorite things ... like, ever. I loved reading about how her style evolved over the years and how she learned to dress for her. I think owning your personal style and dressing the body you have rather than lusting after someone else's figure is an important thing to keep in mind. Tanya does a great job talking about parts of her body she might not always love (we all have them), but sharing how important it is to be confident and buy clothes that fit you and make you look fabulous. This is advice that I think we all need sometimes. I'm not a fan of my very short torso, but this chapter reminded me to find clothes that accentuate the parts I love rather than buying clothes to hide the parts I hate. I also loved reading her top ten favorite fashion pieces. It made me think what my top ten would be!
I'm a sucker for a new, good baking recipe and now I have quite a few. KB is going to be very excited because thanks to Tanya, I have a new lemon drizzle cake that I need to make! I've watched her baking videos and haven't tried to bake any of them yet, mostly because she bakes in UK units and I never took the time to convert, but this book has them all converted for me. No more excuses, it's time to pre-heat. There's also a recipe for a winter soup that is just full of vegetables and I can't wait until it starts to get cool again so I can make it!
Tanya is very open in her book about her battle with anxiety. While I don't have anxiety, I struggle quite a bit with stress. Her chapter about being confident and happy really helped me on a day that I felt like my to-do list was too much and I was failing at life. I was tense and this chapter helped me put things into perspective and encouraged me to keep dreaming big!
This book is a fun read, the pictures are great and I would kill for the floor-length skirt Tanya is photographed wearing on the back cover.
Tanya spread some sunlight in my direction, now it's your turn!
When you have one of those long, summer days with nothing to do, don't start a Netflix and junk food binge! Grab your BFF and knock out this super fun partner workout! Put on your favorite workout playlist or catch up on your gossip (Kind words only!). There is no prescribed time or number of reps, just do each exercise until your muscles are tired and you're all sweaty. (Your best friend won't judge!) Then if you're so inclined start over and do it all again! This is the perfect workout to do on a lazy summer day!
I love working out with a friend because it always makes me work harder!
Have a blast and spread some sunlight to your new workout bestie!
I know we are in the middle of June, but I needed to share these things with you! Due to a few internet connection issues (read: small town living) and an influx of "grown-up" responsibilities, I'm very late to get this video posted. So sorry! But take great comfort in the fact that even two weeks into June, I'm still using each of these everyday! What are some of your favorite summer products?
I love getting home to find a new PopSugar Must Have box on my doorstep! I have been a subscriber for almost a year now and I still get pumped every time a new box shows up! It's like a little secret present that I buy for myself.
Most recently I got the Special Edition Summer box! This was definitely one of my favorite boxes so far! The special edition boxes are always more pricey than the regular monthly box, but they're so worth it because the products you get are also more expensive!
Unfortunately, the Special Edition box is sold out, but here are all the products from this video!
The Cuff: I am in love with Kendra Scott. I think most people are! Her jewelry is so cute and fun just like this cuff. I love PopSugar boxes for this reason exactly! Never would I have thought about buying this bracelet, I would have thought it was too big, but since it was in the box, I gave it chance and LOVE IT! Plus, the silver version is really cute, too!
The Honey:I can't wait to break into this delicious-looking honey! I love starting my day with warm water with lemon and honey. Yes, yes it's made for cheese. I'll have KB create a summer cheese plate, we'll have over a few friends and they can enjoy it to! Plus, now I have a honey dipper that I couldn't be more excited about!
Shimmer Oil: No one can deny the desire for the perfect summer glow! This product really seems to enhance my tan (it's still a work in progress). I think this will definitely be a special occasion product for dinner dates and summer cocktail parties, but I am excited to get some more use out of it! I recommend pumping the product directly to the place you want it to go and then rub it in. I noticed a lot stayed on my hands and was washed off. There's also a travel size available!!
Beach Paddles: I love sports and spending time outside during the summer is the best way to enjoy an evening or weekend. Next time I have people over I'm definitely breaking these out for a backyard competition. (Can you tell I'm competitive?) I also am really excited about how flat these will pack and how light weight they are, perfect to put in my luggage for a trip to the beach! Sunnylife also sells the inflatable flamingo I've been obsessed with!
The Tray: I am so in love with this tray! I love buying glass trays to put all over the house because they're so cute, add color and keep clutter at bay. The saying on this one is adorable and the color works with my decor perfectly! It's the perfect summer addition to my home! According to the website, there aren't many left so if you love it like I do act fast!
The Gigantic Beach Bag: This is going to become my summer carryall! I'm taking it to the pool, the beach and everywhere else! It has so much room in it! I haven't tried to pack it yet, but I bet I can fit all my summer essentials, a change of clothes and even more! I just have to make sure I don't let it get too heavy! I love the stripe and the color because it's so summery and is the perfect nautical accent for any beach trip look!
Like I said, I get the monthly boxes from PopSugar, so there should be a June box arriving very soon :) I am currently not sponsored by PopSugar, I just really love the product and wanted to share with you guys! If you're interested check out the monthly boxes and the Special Edition Must Have Boxes on their website.
Happy summer time to you all! Make sure you spread some sunlight today!
I have never been the type to wear a single perfume. I don't have a signature scent and I don't think I ever will. The reason being is that there are so many amazing perfumes out there, so many amazing scents, why not try them all out! I change my favorites with the season, with what I'm wearing and what I'm doing on any given day, but these are my four favorites at the moment:
Thymes Aqua Coraline: I love this perfume because it reminds me of the beach! I actually bought this at the beach so maybe that's why, but also it just smells like summer. Thymes describes it as bamboo leaves, driftwood, water lily and cyclamen. I've been loving this fragrance for everyday use lately. It's clean and not too strong, and I just adore it! This scent is under $50!
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire: This was a present from KB after he went on a trip. It was a gift from the Duty Free shop at the airport. My bottle was a special edition, but I am almost positive that it's the same scent. I went to Sephora and did my best to double check! This is my "I feel pretty," going out on the town scent. It's a little richer than the others on this list. Guerlain describes it as "fruity, floral, fresh, mischievous and spellbinding." I love that! I couldn't describe it any better myself!
Penhaligon's Empressa: The Empressa Eau de Toilette is my newest perfume! I talked about it in my London Haul videoand it's not a purchase that I regret. Penhaligon's is a more expensive brand. I'm not going to lie to you it's $160 and that's a lot for perfume, but you should also know that it's a pretty big bottle and will most likely last you a very long time. The lasting power will extend even more if you're like me and mix it up which scent you're wearing everyday! Everything from this brand is really strong, so you only need one or two spritzes to last you and you'll smell it all day long. This scent is a little sweet and little crisp. It's really complex and lovely so make sure to check out the scent notes on their website.
Burberry Body: This was another gift from KB. I was obsessed with this scent, but never bought it for myself. Then for Christmas KB surprised me with the gift set of Eau De Parfum and the Body Lotion. This is the ultimate "model off-duty" scent. I love wearing it on casual days with my jeans and T-shirt. This is a deep sweet scent that I find really beautiful with scents of peaches, roses and undertones of vanilla. This is one perfume that I will probably always have one my shelf.
Whether it's candles, perfume, room spray or bath bombs, I love all things scented. I have a pretty wide variety of favorites, but I hope that these four give you some new ideas!
