2014 Resolutions report card

Well, it's New Year's Eve and I hope you all have something fun and fabulous and glittery to go to, if that's your thing. The husband and I will probably be grabbing a bite to eat then watching the ball drop from the comfort of our own home. But before we do that, I wanted to look back at my 2014 resolutions and see how I did.

1. Work on my fitness.

Fail. OK, so I can't say I failed completely, but I certainly did not live up to my 10,000 steps a day challenge. I did manage to take 65+ pilates classes this year, so that was a definite win, and I know I will continue to go in 2015. I just love it so much. It's the cardio where I am lacking, and cardio is what I need to really see results. And that's why I give myself a D for this.

That's me! Second from right.

2. Paint my fingers.

A+++ I passed this one with flying colors (no pun intended.) I was worried that my nails would be dry and brittle, or that I simply wouldn't have time to maintain them, but this has been the easiest resolution thus far. I now feel incomplete and uncomfortable if I have naked nails, and I've come to appreciate that pretty polish is a great accessory, in and of itself!

Bag: Express | Bracelets: Stella and Dot (1,2) and Nadri | Polish: Essie Double Breasted Jacket (gifted)

3. Walk Annie the beagle.

F. This is a giant F. We went on a few walks, but nothing that would even substantiate anything higher than an F. I have no excuses for this other than my own laziness and lack of time management! Clearly she is disappointed in her mommy also.

4. Wear shoes.

I will give myself a B on this. While I do have some special occasion shoes that truly merit something special for me to wear them, I've definitely done a better job this year dusting off some old favorites and giving them more air time. It's too bad I didn't have a resolution to wear more leopard, because I'm pretty sure any footwear with leopard on them in my closet room got the most miles!

BCBG pump

5. Purge.

D. I had one huge eBay listing this year - I managed to list and sell 20+ items in one round, and on the first try. I was amazed how easy it was! The bad thing is, I haven't done any more listings since then! The listing and selling aren't even the hard parts - it's the photographing that's the worst. I do have a ton of clothes already set aside to sell/donate, but I know I could go through my closet right this second and purge a ton more. In the meantime, I've been doing the exact opposite of purging and buying multiples of the same pieces. Sigh.

Express oversized plaid shirt: Red, blue, white

Well, that was thoroughly depressing! I guess I'll have to do a better job at either lowering the bar with my resolutions or actually having enough drive and energy to get stuff done in 2015! Either way, I've got some work to do!

Have a safe and happy new year!!!!

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Show and Tell Tuesday: Lash Extensions

Left: Before | Right: After

When I was in California last week, I got eyelash extensions for the first time ever. I've worn fake lashes in the past before, and while I like them just fine - I was intrigued about how lash extensions would look, feel, and work. One of our friends has a salon and she was running a special -- typically it is $199 for a full set of lash extensions, but I was able to get mine done for $125. Had I brought someone with me, we both could have had them done for $99 each. For this price, and with some extra Christmas money, I thought it was worth the try! The added bonus is that my sister surprised me by taking care of my bill!

My before and after photos

Lash Extensions from Reynalyn Hair and Fashion

These eye photos look a bit scary because you do have to show up without any makeup on, but the before and after photos of the lashes themselves are incredible. If you've never gotten these done before - here's a quick summary of what you can expect.

How much does it cost?

$175-200 for a full set; $75-85 for a fill

How long does it last?

About 4-6 weeks. The lashes will end up falling out on their own.

How long did it take?

About 2 hours for the full set. It should take about an hour for fills. Each lash is applied individually. So, yeah. The good thing is, I simply laid down with my eyes closed for two hours and I know I dozed off in the process.

Can I use mascara on them?

I've read that you can use water based mascara, but the purpose of lash extensions is to allow you to wash and go and *look* like you're wearing makeup, when you're not wearing anything at all. I've only been doing shadow on my top lids, nothing on my top lashes, then liner and a little mascara on my bottom lashes.

How do you remove your makeup?

Very carefully. I've always used makeup removing wipes in the evening and then Clarisonic plus face wash in the shower every morning. For the wipes - I wipe my face as usual, but for my eyes-- I wrap the wipe around my finger and use that finger to remove any shadow on my eyelid, and avoid rubbing my upper lashes at all.

The shower is much of the same. The extensions don't affect the way I use my Clarisonic since I don't use the brush on my eyes anyway, but I'm just careful not to rub my eyes/lashes when trying to remove water out of my eyes. I will say that this has been my biggest adjustment so far.

Is there any other maintenance required?

Outside of just being careful not to rub your eyes, no. They did give me an eyelash brush (it just looks like a dry mascara wand) that I use to brush my lashes every morning so they don't look clumpy.

Photos after lash extensions were applied

Left: without makeup | Right: with makeup

I had to show you some after photos with and without makeup because I feel like they look extra long in the photo without any makeup. Although, now that I've been wearing them for a week and a half, I'm getting used to how my face looks with them on, and they don't look as long anymore. They're really comfortable - I can't feel them at all, which is definitely unlike the traditional fake lash strips which, even on their best day, are still noticeable.

I was skeptical about whether or not I would get them again. My biggest struggle was washing my face in the shower. But the more I look at them (and trust me, I've been taking LOTS of selfies to analyze them), I love them. I like that it's just a subtle change, and although they're an investment, I will end up saving time (and money) not having to apply three different mascaras every morning! And, I'm only applying shadow about 50% of the time now, too, because I don't really feel like my eyes need it.

My brother is getting married in March, and I would definitely like to have them then. Since it's only a couple of months from now, I hate to let these fall out completely then have to start from scratch all over again in just a few weeks.  So, I think I've talked myself into getting them filled at least until my brother gets married. 

Anyone else have lash extensions done before? Did you love them or hate them? Would you do it again?

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Manic Monday: The best of 2014

Where the heck has 2014 gone? The last year has been such a whirlwind - it seems like it has just sped by, but at the same time, so much has happened along the way: Jamaica, I have a God daughter, "the" walk, I met Gina in person and am also becoming great friends with Jenna, my nephew was born, I won a blogger award plus all the other St. Louis Fashion Week festivities, and somehow I have managed to keep this little blog afloat for another year. I really enjoyed recapping 2013 for you at the end of last year, and was excited to do the same for 2014. I've tried to pick just one outfit favorite of mine for every month, so here you go!

JANUARY

Original Post: "Manic Monday: Shoe Shopping Fate"

I'm not sure if this outfit is a favorite, or if it's the shoes that make me love it so much. There's really not much to it, though I will say that 2014 was the year of blazers for me. I really tried to put more effort into buying and wearing blazers, and the color and subtle pattern of this one was perfect with the black and white background.

FEBRUARY

Original Post: "Color, pattern, texture, shine"

I've always loved this outfit probably because it has everything included with it that I love - stripes, metallics, color pop. And there's just something about blacked out tights and booties that always make mini skirts my favorite in the winter.

Original Post: "Icy Cool"

OK, so I cheated and picked two for February. But I figured that this second outfit is definitely more of a segue into spring vs the previous outfit that definitely screams winter more. I still adore this outfit - I love that every piece is old but since the combination was new to me, it felt like everything was just purchased and being worn for the first time.

MARCH

Original Post: "My Beau"

Another awesome combination. This light blue portofino is still one of my favorites to date, and it pairs so beautifully with my Beau bag. This gets me excited for spring all over again!

APRIL

Original Post: "Remixed to the max"

I'm not going to lie - sometimes I really impress myself! It was genius to pair this more casually styled vest over this top and skirt to make it read like a dress. The accessories make it look dressy, but not in an overdone way. The vest will always be a wardrobe staple of mine!

MAY

Original Post: "Manic Monday: This vest"

And speaking of the vest - here it is again, and it proves its versatility with this outfit. I love how utilitarian this outfit is, but then I add in the glitter pumps and bright pink bag to keep it fun and feminine!

JUNE

Original Post: "Manic Monday: The beaded necklace"

And here's example of how new outfit pairings made me feel like each piece was fresh from the store. Blogging and pulling inspiration from others are truly great ways to push the limits with your creativity and shop your own closet in ways you would never think of before. And it's so gratifying especially since there is no money being spent in the process!

JULY

Original Post: "Red bag, white blazer, and blue jean shorts"

Another case of pinspiration here. I would have never put this together in a million years, but I've always loved how this turned out. And I also forgot how much I loved those distressed shorts and suddenly miss them incredibly!

Original Post: "Manic Monday: Tea Party"

OK, so this is technically a second outfit in July, but I couldn't not include it because the dress is perfection. The open back is stunning and I need to wear this again stat!

AUGUST

Original Post: "Things I do in Bed"

Absolutely nothing special here - just a simple pullover top, skinnies, and the chunkiest of wedges. Maybe it's the fact that my hair cooperated that day, but I've not only always favored this outfit, but I've always liked these specific photos and how the depth of field turned out -- I really pop against the background. I was using my tripod and remote to take these photos, too!

SEPTEMBER

Original Post: "Buffalo plaid: now and later"

Ahhh, once September hits, the scuba leggings come out to play! I'll need to try this outfit again, but with my leopard Sam Edelman booties instead now that it's cooler!

OCTOBER

Original Post: "The blanket scarf and Montreal - Things we ate"

I not only love the way this outfit came out, but I especially love this photo. The husband was actually on his way to a meeting, but I made him take pics of me because I knew it would be too dark by the time the work day was over. I was trying to hurry, but then he saw these steps and asked if I wanted him to take some of me there. I naturally obliged, and I think he captured the outfit very well. I also love even more the way the mirrored version looks that I posted on IG here.

NOVEMBER

Original Post: "Less is more"

Funny story about this outfit. Grace and Lace shared this outfit on their Facebook page here. Well, later that week, a coworker came up to me. I work in an office of 500 or so people, so while we all may recognize faces, we don't always know each other's names, especially if our departments never interact with one another. Long story short - a  coworker who falls into the "I know your face but not your name" category, said that she follows Grace and Lace on FB, saw my photo and was so excited when she recognized me. That was my "celebrity" moment of the year.

DECEMBER

Original Post: "Layers"

I mean, you guys knew I was going to include at least one more vest outfit in this roundup! This outfit formula is certainly one of my favorites right now and I can't wait for more layering opportunities and MORE VESTS.

Original Post: "Sequin skirt remix"

I had to end with sequins. It is the holiday season after all! I love the way this clutch pulls the whole outfit together and that my feet disappear to let the sequin skirt really shine!

____________

That's a wrap! I would love to hear if your favorites made the cut!! I do have a couple more posts to finish out the year, so I hope you'll check back again before the ball drops!

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Random Roundup: Christmas Part 2

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays! Since I couldn't take proper blog photos for you, it actually worked out quite perfectly for a random roundup post instead. It also gives me a good opportunity to recap the week for you in one concise post, so let's begin. As with other random roundup posts, I am only linking to those pieces that are still available.

Necklace: Stella and Dot (gifted) | Blazer: Express | Tank: Express | Bag: Stella and Dot | Bracelets: Stella and Dot 1, 2, Nadri | Bottoms: Express | Shoes: Sam Edelman

This was my travel outfit on Monday except that I wore these black booties instead of the heels. We were meeting Gina and Noelle for dinner that evening and I knew I wouldn't have time to do much more than just freshen up when we landed. I would have opted for something a little more festive but needed something that would be easy to transition from airport to evening. I've had this tank for a few weeks now, but it's never been worn. This was the perfect occasion to break it in - meeting two fellow Express lovers!

Necklace: Express | Top: Express | Tank: Express (in Panama Beige) | Skirt: Express | Booties: Cole Haan

This was a backup outfit for the blogger meet up - hence the head to almost toe Express pieces. This tank is another piece that I hadn't worn yet, and since I didn't wear it to dinner that night, I thought sequins would be appropriate for Christmas Eve on Wednesday when we started AND finished Christmas shopping for my family. Tuesday was spent recovering from whatever bug happened to hit both of us, and while I did manage to get dressed that day in my new blue plaid top, it quickly got ditched for pajamas.

Necklace: Express | Dress: Topshop (other color here) | Clutch: Express | Bracelet: Tiffany (gifted) | Shoes: Sam Edelman

My dad always has Christmas Eve service at his church, so this is what I picked for the occasion - my take on green and red. These wouldn't have actually been my first choice for heels for this dress, but for the sake of packing light, I thought they would do. Oh, and my brother walked in as I was taking a selfie, so naturally, I had to take a sibling version. 

On him: Sweater: Old Navy | Top: Express (similar) | Pants: Obey | Bag: Dr Martens

I'm sporting a couple of Christmas gifts - the clutch was a gift to myself. I could not resist it at half off, and Gina said this purchase was justifiable even though I already have this bag seen here. So, how can I say no to that? The bracelet was one of two gifts from the husband. I mentioned recently that I would love a blue box one day, and this Christmas he got me two of them! 

The blue box and white ribbon themselves are just classic and pretty. I love that the necklace is dainty and simple but the bracelet is the perfect statement piece. A very well rounded gift!

Top: Express | Tee: American Eagle | Leggings: Zella | Booties: Cole Haan

And last but not least, is my outfit for Christmas day. We celebrated with my extended family - the typical eating and gift exchange frenzy. I definitely didn't need to be fancy, so I just gave my plaid top a second go at it and wore it over this tee that ended up being an impulse buy while I was getting a gift card at American Eagle. Pop, fizz, clink, repeat. Definitely appropriate for family time, eh?

Thanks for stopping by - now to spend my Christmas money!

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Merry Christmas!

Annie the Beagle

Sorry for the unexpected radio silence. Although I'm out of town for the holidays, I had every intention of blogging throughout the week-- like about my triple blogger dinner date with Gina and Noelle PLUS all of our husbands! And about my new eyelash extensions which ended up being a surprise gift from my sister!

But, the first day here, I woke up in the middle of the night with what I thought was food poisoning, but realized the next afternoon when the husband couldn't keep his food down either that it was likely a flu bug instead. After almost 24 hours of full on sleeping, we were both better just in time to last minute shop on Christmas Eve and celebrate with my family.

I thought I would send you all some Merry (and healthy) Christmas greetings, with help from our beagle, Annie! I'll catch you up on the other fun (and non-sick) deets of this trip soon! 

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Manic Monday: Christmas part 1

The Christmas celebrations have officially begun over in these parts! We are headed to SoCal today to see my family, so we had an early Christmas with the husband's family this weekend. This outfit was from Saturday night when we celebrated with the extended fam - just a casual house party where the kids entertained us with song and dance. I certainly wanted to be comfortable for the marathon eating and drinking.

The necklace reads "Shake it off"

Necklaces: Gifted, The Foundrie, Express | Bag: Lauren Ralph Lauren (other colors here) | Tank: Express (option) | Sweater: Old Navy | Sweater leggings: Express (still available in grey here, option) | Shoes: Sam Edelman (option)

Yesterday, we exchanged gifts with his immediate family. We met for breakfast, opened gifts, and then basically lounged around watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel. I may or may not have taken 3 naps during this process. 

My in laws are very generous gift givers. They do ask us for our lists, which are always hard for me to put together because I always buy everything I want as I want them. (I'm just impatient like that.) This year, I decided to ask for a few pieces that would make my little corner of the living room where I blog more functional and complete.

Left: New side table and lamp | Right: New lap desk

I was using the smallest stool ever as a side table, which just ended up being all my necessities stacked on top of each other, as balanced as possible. I was looking for a legit side table with a drawer and space below to stack magazines. I already have a padded lap desk, but I wanted one that was more like a stand, so my laptop could sit up a little higher. And finally, I wanted a floor lamp because I feel like the other lights in the living room are too bright when all I'm doing is blogging.

Yes, we do have an office, but the majority of the year, I'm watching baseball while I'm blogging, and well, I am just more comfortable under a blanket and in my recliner vs. sitting upright at a desk. Not very extravagant, but I'm definitely enjoying my freshened up space!

Have a great week! If you have to work this week, I hope it's quiet and goes quickly!

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