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In the Tweeds

I had worked from home for so long I forgot what it was like to have to actually get dressed every day. When I started commuting into the city again over the summer I think part of me was most looking forward to playing with more “sophisticated” pieces.

DRESS | SWEATER | JACKET | BOOTS | HAT | BAG

I will say I typically wear this dress with tights and ankle booties… the over the knee boot is a tad extreme for the office. Also, these boots are insanely comfortable but not made (in my opinion) to be worn a full day, or trekking to and from the subway station, ha. I’ve been wearing this hat a lot lately and I just found it in yellow on Poshmark! I’m obsessed with Poshmark, guys. OBSESSED! I’m selling a bunch of stuff on my own account… a lot of things you’ve seen on the blog before. So if you feel like shopping you can do so here. ;] YAY.

Can we talk about this velvet bomber jacket for a hot minute? I was obsessed with it because of the color, and it’s even more stunning in person. I constantly wear nothing but black, especially in the winter, so one of my wardrobe goals was to incorporate more color and this was just the item to get the ball rolling. A few of the items I’m wearing here are from Shein; a kind of discounted online retail site. I personally adore the site, but I know some women can be a little bit weary because of the prices. Here are my tips to shopping a site like Shein:

  • Try to only shop items that have customer reviews.
    • A lot of the pieces they upload onto sites like this look great in pictures, but you can’t be 100% sure that is exactly what you’re getting. Pay attention to the customer reviews, they will be way more honest about how it fits, the quality of the material, the color, etc.
  • Try to shop items that have customer pictures.
    • One of the best ways to shop is to see an item on a real consumer versus on a model. One; it’s more realistic if you have an average body type, and two; it’s a picture of the actual item you will be receiving versus the piece they shot on a model which could be totally different quality.
  • Pay attention to shipping times
    • The first time I made a purchase through Shein it took over a month for me to receive my order. I was like WHAT THE #$%&! is happening here??? Little did I know some items aren’t available to ship right away. They do make note of this on the site, but you kind of have to dig for the information. Otherwise, shipping is pretty standard if not relatively quick.
  • If you’re paying $10 for a sweater, expect a $10 sweater.
    • These aren’t the classic, timeless pieces that are going to last you the rest of your life. If you’re paying $10 for a sweater, you’re going to be getting a $10 sweater. Do not expect amazing craftsmanship. I mean, don’t expect to receive crap either, but just be realistic about your expectations. I recently received a sweater that looked cute in the picture, but when I tried it on it had NO shape. Just a big grey box with sleeves. Because it’s a sweater you kind of make due and work the whole ‘oversized’ trend, but if it was anything else it would have bothered me. I bought a pink faux fur coat (that I am obsessed with!!!) and it arrived with the buttons hanging on by less than a thread. You may need to do some fixing up yourself on little things like that.
  • Use a site like this to shop “trendy” pieces
    • I was dying for a mid-length leopard print faux fur coat but wasn’t sure whether or not I would really love it. I found one on Shein for like…. $30 maybe… maybe even less. I’m happy to say I am in love with it, and it’ll be on the blog next, but I’m glad I didn’t splurge on something like that. It’s not the kind of piece you’ll wear every day (even though people say leopard is a neutral) and being that it’s a heavy faux fur coat it’s not something I can wear all year long either. Sites like that are perfect for trend shopping because you’re not going to want to spend a lot of money on something with limited wearability. (is that a word??)

This is, according to Brian, his favorite picture of me. This is the result of him speeding towards me taking a million pictures a minute and me getting ready to smack my very expensive camera out of his hand if he didn’t stop, LOL, but the smile is big and cheesy and genuine. He and Charlotte both shot these pictures for this post… and while it’s not horribly complicated, I’m so impressed with the pictures Char took! She was way more into taking the pictures than being in any and I love teaching her how to use the camera. I’m so glad she has a little knack for it already. To be honest, Kennedy loves taking pictures too, and for a 4 year old, she isn’t bad either. Proud mommy!

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Wide Leg Obsession

I currently have four pairs of wide leg pants hanging on my clothing rack. It’s one of the main things I am obsessed with this year. You can also add overalls to that list… I now have 3 pairs and the collection is growing. So, naturally I adore these wide leg overalls A LOT.

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PANTS, TOP, SIMILAR SHADES, HEELS 

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LOL this last picture actually cracks me up… that’s what happens when you just keep snapping and hoping at least one picture comes out. Not that I think this picture is ‘blog material,’ so to speak, but I think it’s a pretty funny one so whatever. I tried on this ruffle top and fell in love immediately, so I purchased it without having any idea what the hell I would pair it with. I held onto it for a couple weeks, and then these Shein pants came to me and, wa-la! The perfect pair. The straps on these overalls are actually detachable, and they came with a long belt in matching fabric, and we all know versatility makes my world go round, so I was pretty stoked on that.

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Spring is in the Air… Right??

My favorite meme so far this year said, “2017 sucked but at least it had a spring.” AND MY GOD. Have truer words ever been spoken? I was starting to get spoiled thinking New Jersey was no longer going to have long, horrendous winters, but we were so wrong. Winter started late and it just won’t seem to go away. Here and there we have been catching little glimpses of warmer weather and I am here for it. I’ve been changing my outfits 4 times a day just to get everything in before it gets cold again, hah.

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TOP & SIMILAR SKIRT, SHADES 

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We’ve been spending tons of time outside trying to soak up the warm weather while it’s here, and I’ve been forcing myself to sit outside and read as well. I started a book right after Christmas and I cannot bring myself to get through it! Actually, some of ya’ll have probably read it. The Sinner? It was made into a TV show this past year for TNT. I have yet to watch it, but I feel like I should because I am more than half way through the book, still incredibly confused, and bored. DOES IT GET BETTER?! I need answers. Anyway. This top was $10 at Forever21. It’s one of those tops that you can throw on with pretty much anything, jeans… if you’re brave enough (which I am not), overalls, over a bikini at the beach. $10 seemed like a pretty legit investment for this piece. The skirt is old, but I’ve linked to a very similar style above.

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Seeing Stars

If you have been following along on my Instagram, then you’re well aware by now I have recently purchased a pair of high waisted faux leather leggings I am obsessed with. I’ve been trying to find any and every excuse to wear these bad boys as often as possible…seriously, I’d wear them to work if I thought my boss wouldn’t kill me.

LEGGINGS, TOP, HEELS, HAT

I really cannot say enough amazing things about these leggings. I am obsessed with the fact that they’re high waisted. I love leggings but I feel like they’re all super low-rise and my ass crack is hanging out half the time. I’m always stopping to hike them up… it’s just not comfortable. These fit like a little leather glove. They suck everything in like Spanx and yet are incredibly stretchy. I bought a small and when I took them out of the package they looked like they would fit Charlotte. I was like oh hellllllll noooooo. But they fit perfectly and they’re so comfortable. I wore these out for drinks last week with a long tank top and booties because it was still pretty chilly, but it’s going to be all crop tops and body suits as the weather gets warmer. They are a little more on the expensive side, especially for leggings, but Revolve has FREE 2 day shipping and they’re seriously so comfortable and flattering they are worth every single cent. It’s worth mentioning that this is in no way a sponsored post… I just really, really love them that much, haha. 

Isn’t this top so fun? I bought it in December when I had to bar tend on New Years Eve and wanted something festive… however I didn’t end up wearing it because I figured the bell sleeves would get in the way. It’s been sitting in my closet since, waiting for the perfect bottoms to pair it with, and here they are. I love the sheer star print… I’m also feeling this top, and this one!

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Over Winter Weather, Faux Real.

It’s the first week of spring and how are we celebrating? With a snow storm! COME ON MAN. I am not usually one to complain about weather but this year threw me for a damn loop. We had a very mild winter. December and January were hardly even considered winter. There was a week in February I spent in a bikini on my back deck. And now March? Snow storms galore! I took advantage of one day in between freezing cold weather and snow to snap a quick set of photos of this very 70’s inspired look I’ve been loving lately.

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CROPPED FAUX FUR JACKET (similar here, here, here), T-SHIRT, SIMILAR JEANS, SIMILAR BOOTIES, SIMILAR SHADES 

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I’ve had 90% of this outfit for over 3 years now. Basically the t-shirt is the only new thing… whoops. This cropped faux fur jacket my x-husband bought me for my 22nd birthday maybe? Or 23rd? Jesus that was so long ago! I only break it out for special occasions, typically, which is how it’s been kept in such good condition all this time. These Tory Burch sunglasses I’ve had for just about as long, really. Basically everything I’ve linked to above is a similar style as these exact items are no longer available.

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I’ve been big into my bandannas lately… they’re usually something I wear throughout the summer but I have been styling them in different ways, as shown in a recent post which you can check out here. I wore this outfit to work the other night, minus the fur and swapped out the flares & booties for skinny jeans and sneakers, and a co-worker of mine walked in wearing a bandanna tied in the exact same way! We were twinning and it was adorable. One of my favorite ways to style these is folded and wrapped like a choker, with a necklaces hanging slightly below it, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be wearing these in a variety of ways for the foreseeable future. I mean, they’re less than $2.50 at a craft store.. how can you beat that?

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Friday Favorite

Let me tell you a funny story about this week’s favorite item. My first job out of college was for a shoe company (whose name is not important) and the CEO of that company was a pretty amazing guy who invested in a bunch of companies. He was a joy to work for, and eventually after we all ended up going our separate ways we kept in touch. One day myself and two of my former supervisors met him for lunch in the city. He was pretty jazzed about this new company he was working with and he couldn’t stop talking about the product. “It’s a brush that’ll change your life!” And we’re thinking… Ok guy… a brush is a brush. Fast forward maybe a year later and I get an e-mail from an old sorority sister of mine who was then interning for this company and she asked if she could send me a sample of this brush. I was like WHAT?! What are the chances?? I gladly accepted, and let me tell you, my life was forever changed.

wet brush

The Wet Brush

I have naturally very curly hair, my daughter has naturally VERY curly hair… and not all brushes were made for our type of mane. If you have read up on hair care, typically you are supposed to brush your hair dry to avoid damage, but the wet brush was designed to be used on, duh, wet hair. The combination of bristles gently glides through your hair, de-tangling as it goes, without any pulling. Another plus? It can also be used to massage your scalp and it feels UH-MAZ-ING. This is the only brush I can use on my girls’ hair. Literally, the only brush they will let me use. If you read my post on my hair extensions  then you have already heard me mention this brush before, and I was gifted the first brush 5 years ago. Since then I’ve purchased 4 more; two mini’s for Charlotte and Kennedy, and two more for myself. My dog’s ate my first one when they were puppies… Oh! Speaking of. They also make pet brushes! I say this all the time but I think I might have to invest in one for my boys as well. Anyway, click the link above to grab one for yourself if you haven’t already, you’ll be glad you did! This is legitimately a product I love and I think you will too.

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Wednesday Worst

I typically hate online shopping. It’s not my jam. I like to test things out before I buy them… and also, I very rarely, if ever, return anything I purchased online. I have a pair of Under Armour sneakers I received like a month ago that I wore twice that are too small for me that are just sitting on my dresser. I’m quite lazy when it comes to that. So anyway, my point is, I don’t usually buy things online… much less from a Facebook ad (insert palm over face emoji here). I’m not sure if I blacked out when I bought this or what, but it was definitely a horrible purchase.

wednesday worst products

Activated Concealer Lifting Serum

Let me tell you WHY this was the worst purchase ever. 1. I’m stupid for buying something through a Facebook ad, as we have already established. 2. This wasn’t the product I purchased. I watched like 17 videos on Facebook about a foundation and concealer was basically like paint, and that was exactly what I was in the market for. I have skin that absorbs makeup even with the help of primer and setting spray or powder. After a few hours it looks like I have nothing on at all. I saw these videos and testimonials and I was like yes this looks like something I can really use… BUY! It took over a week to arrive in which time I had already forgotten all about it, but when it showed up at my door I was super excited! The first thing I noticed when I opened the package was that the bottle looked different. First red flag. I pumped a little bit out onto the top of my hand to blend it in to see what we were working with. It was basically tinted water. Purified water is the first ingredient. Second red flag. I gave it a go anyway and it literally just blends right into your skin………. like you’re not even wearing it. With zero coverage AT ALL. This is no paint-like foundation concealer. I don’t even know if it has a single benefit. I also tried it as just a concealer instead of foundation for a little spot treatment and it still does nothing. The product is useless. So lesson learned… stop shopping like an old lady buying the first product you see on a commercial or facebook ad and start doing a little research on the things you want. I have been using Kat Von D’s full coverage foundation and I do love it. I use No. 7 products as well for days when I’m just running errands or even if I am going to the gym and want a little coverage but don’t want to appear as though I’m wearing a full face of makeup. If you have a foundation you use that offers full coverage and is long lasting please let me know! I need recommendations!

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Leg Day, Bro.

I MISS LAST WEEK WHEN THE WEATHER FELT LIKE SUMMER! Remember when we didn’t all have seasonal depression for two days? Remember when we went out wearing dresses without tights or coats because it was legitimately 80 degrees? MAN. Those were the days.

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DRESS || SIMILAR FLANNEL || SHADES || SNEAKERS || NECKLACE || RINGS

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This is how all outfits should look; no layers! Well, I mean, technically the flannel was a layer BUT I didn’t even have to wear it because it was no joke 80 degrees. In February. It’s kind of exciting but as I was literally laying out on my back deck in a bikini I couldn’t help but think… ok yes the Earth is definitely in trouble. Also worth mentioning about this dress, I’m wearing a medium. It runs a little on the smaller side and I was way worried about it shrinking the first time I washed it.

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My brother turned 32 last week (I think he’s 32….? Yes I’m 30 so that must be it) anyway… we went out for a quick drink at our local dive bar which apparently turns into a friggen college club now on Tuesday’s. It actually hurts my heart. I spent my 21st birthday at this sports bar and now there’s a DJ, fist pumpers, girls dancing on the bar in items that I wouldn’t even classify as clothes, napkins being thrown in the air. It’s ABSURD. AH. I digress. The point of that story was that this is what I wore that day and night. I ran out of the house with a coat on because I expected it to be freezing and the air was still warm. It made me so so so so happy, for two days, and now it’s back to big puffy winter coats and boots. BLEH.

So on my instagram this week I went on a little rant about body image, and what I decided was that I am going to stop tweaking my photos to make myself appear to be physically different. I’ve only ever done this to my hips and butt area, really, (maybe a little smoothing of the skin up close) but it’s got to stop. I’ve been working very hard on my body in the gym and while I have a long journey ahead of me before I feel like I’ll be completely happy with my body, if that ever happens, I am so happy with where I’m at today. It is SO EASY to beat yourself up and compare yourself to others, ESPECIALLY if you are a blogger. It used to be oh she has more followers than me, she gets more likes than me… and then it snowballs into her boobs are bigger, her legs are longer, she has a thigh gap, her hair is perfect, she’s also had two kids and she doesn’t have any stretch marks or that extra saggy skin around her mid section that won’t. fucking. go away. It started to drive me insane. I became so fixated on how I don’t look that I wasn’t appreciating how I do look. I shit you not, it was one of the biggest factors in why I stopped blogging in October. The pressure of comparing myself to others became way too much for me. I took a little step back from social media and blogging and started working on myself. Not only physically but mentally as well, really accepting who I am and what I bring to the table. I’ve had two kids… and sometimes I’m like well jesus Kennedy is almost 4 there’s no excuse to still look like this! But then I’m like jesus Kennedy is only almost 4 and I’ve come a long way from where I was! I can’t compare my body now to the body I had when I was in college. I can’t compare the body I have now to someone else’s body who may or may not have had kids, who may work harder than me on getting the body they have, who may eat all the right things and never touch a doughnut. I am who I am and I’m working with what I got but I am going to try my absolute hardest to keep it 100% authentic moving forward. No more making my ass look thinner in my photos. What you see is what you get from now on!

xx

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Wednesday Worst

Hola friends! So on Wednesdays I am most likely going to be sharing things that I am less than pleased with. They will, for the most part, be beauty related purchases. I might throw in some clothing items and whatnot, but the main focus will probably be beauty and wellness items. First off!

eos lotion

EOS body lotion. Let me first start off by saying that I am a big fan of most EOS products… their shaving cream is amazing and I live for their lip balms… so I was quick to grab this off the shelf when I was in the market for a new body lotion. (I don’t typically like to buy the same product twice in a row unless I absolutely love it). 

SO anyway. The lotion started off pretty good, nothing too magical about it… however I guess I expected more from an eos product. AND THEN after like a week or two of using it, it just stopped coming out. Maybe I got a faulty bottle?… but the pump mechanism on this particular lotion blows. It just stopped pumping. I was like…. there is no way I went through an entire bottle of lotion THAT quickly… and sure enough, I did not (obviously). The bottle is completely full. And you can’t even pop the top off to dump out the rest of the lotion if you had to, because once the pump comes off there is no opening to the rest of the bottle, it has to come through the faulty pumper. WHAT THE EFF. The lotion itself also felt like it was basically water. Maybe it’s supposed to be suuuuper hydrating, but it didn’t feel like it was settling into my skin at all. Overall, I would not recommend this product to anyone, for the sheer fact that the bottle is terrible, lol, but also the lotion isn’t that great either.

My mom had purchased a bottle of O’Keeffe’s Skin Repair Body Lotion and holy hell, that stuff works. I am quite a fan! I’ve used their hand lotion before at work since being a server and a bar tender your hands are always in water and lookin kinda scary and I loved the stuff. I was unaware they made actual body lotion until last week, but it gets my vote!

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Dead or Alive

You ever have one of those treat yo’self moments? Well duh, of course you have. Mine usually come when I’m buying donuts, to be quite honest, but every once in a while I like to treat mahself to something I feel like I might live in. This Skull Cashmere sweater was definitely one of those things.

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SWEATER || LEATHER LEGGINGS || SIMILAR SHADES || SIMILAR HAT || BOOTIES similar here, here (also OBSESSED with these!)

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I purchased this sweater between my birthday and Christmas and really had no where to wear it for a while. I begged people to take me out so I had an excuse, LOL. Now I pretty much wear it once a week. I throw it on with these leather leggings or black skinny jeans. When the weather starts to get a little warmer I foresee myself wearing it tucked into a black mini-skirt with my over the knee boots. Soon guys! So soon. (we hope!) It’s cashmere, so it’s obviously soft AF. I bought a size medium so it hangs a little loose. There is nothing I hate more than a tight uncomfortable sweater and I like the way the baggy tops look paired with leather leggings.

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