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Showing posts with label zella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zella. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Summer plaid popover 2 ways + my life hacks
I really tried to put a more interesting outfit together for you today, but it's been raining for what feels like an eternity, and I just could not bring myself to wear anything other than an easy popover, plus leggings, and my wellies. I figured I would compensate for the not-so-exciting outfit by sharing (and re-sharing) another way I've styled this top as well as some of my favorite life hacks. Random, I know, but let's get started!
Outfit details--- Sunnies: Ray Ban (similar) | Necklace: Kendra Scott "Milla" | Plaid popover: JCrew | Stripe tee: bp (option) | Bag: Rebecca Minkoff "Regan" | Leggings: Zella | Rainboots: Hunter ---
I totally stole the idea of layering this plaid over a long sleeved stripe tee from J.Crew's stock photo. The top is very, very lightweight so even if I'm wearing it over a long sleeved tee, it still feels comfortable enough for spring weather. I will say that the striped tee is pretty thin also, and the temps were in the 60's thanks to the incessant rain. Regardless, I love plaids and stripes together, so it's a pretty foolproof combo.
Why these are my favorite rain boots
The thought of wearing anything but my rain boots made me cringe because I hate the feeling of wet feet. Absolutely one of the worst feelings ever! I have legit been living in these boots for the last few days. I have three pairs of rain boots now, this solid black pair being the most recent purchase of the three, and I definitely wear these the most. For some reason, my feet don't sweat as bad in these as my other two pairs which are both glossy. And as much as I adore my red wellies and my dotted wellies (hello old school awkward post!!), there's a time and a place for them, and the solid black are more universally outfit friendly. Also, the red pair require a lot of tender love and care. I have to shine them up every few wears, so just for the sake of time, grabbing this black pair without thought is way easier.
This outfit would work equally as well had I worn black, white, or traditional blue colored denim pants or shorts. The JCrew model is wearing shorts, and I loved that look so much that I created a flat lay of it here to remind me to wear it! I mainly chose leggings today since I was tucking them into boots, and let's be real, leggings are way less effort than jeans and this rain is sucking all effort out of me!!!
Original post here
As promised, here's a reminder of the last way I styled this top. Plaid shirts tied around my waist are one of my favorite accessories! But I do love the way it layers over this olive dress as well as in today's striped tee. Any piece that works well on its own or as a layer is worth spending money on! It will be great under a sweater or utility vest, too, come winter!
Life hack #1: Faux knot your top
See original post here
You'll notice that I knotted the plaid top in both outfits. That segues nicely into my first life hack that I wanted to remind you guys about! I'm a knot-tying addict. Sometimes a partial tuck just isn't enough, or it's so fussy and never stays put. But I never have enough material on my top to make a true knot, so I use the teeny clear elastics to fake a knot for me. Someone asked me if this stretches out the top, and my answer is no. I'm only gathering any excess fabric - I'm not overly pulling onto the material (because if I did, you'd see my back muffin top, and no one wants to see that!) It does leave wrinkles when you remove the elastic at the end of the day, but it's nothing my steamer can't remove in 2 seconds or less!
Life hack #2: Lash extensions
It's been awhile since I've talked about my lash extensions, so I thought it was time to bring it up again, especially for any new readers that previously missed the topic. This weekend, the photo on the left popped up as a Facebook memory and every time I see myself pre-extensions, I kindly freak out a bit. My lashes grow straight, perpendicular to my face. And since they are short and I have hooded lids, there really is nothing mascara can do to help my case. I've also tried false lash strips and they are so uncomfy and a lot of work!
I took the photo on the right this weekend for comparison. I got a fill about 2 weeks ago, and I'm wearing a baseball cap and lip gloss, but otherwise no makeup. My extensions definitely perk up my face right out of bed. I realize this is a big time and financial commitment. I get my lashes filled every 3 weeks at $60 per fill. Each appointment takes an hour. But, there are some time and cost savings to help offset the investment! I rarely wear eyeshadow, and only apply liner and mascara to my lower lashes every day. On top of that, they give me confidence, as superficial as that sounds. But it is the truth! My extensions look so full because my lash gal uses a volumizing technique so each extension is 2 smaller lashes instead of one thick lash. I told her she must never leave me!
Life hack #3: Wash, shave, moisturize, and go!
L'Occitane Cleansing and Softening Shower Oil (also sold here)
I stopped by the L'Occitane booth in the networking hall last week at the rewardStyle conference, and the rep totally reminded me about how this shower oil truly is a life hack! I was first turned onto it thanks to Noelle. It's a little bit pricey at $25 per bottle, BUT, when I use it, I not only use it as a body wash, I can go ahead and shave my legs with it and not worry about applying shaving cream as an intermediate step. On top of that, the oils soak into my skin so well that I can typically skip lotioning up my body outside of the shower! If my skin is suuuuper dry and cracked in the winter, that may not be the case, but for this time of year, I can definitely just wash and go. It is worth the try if you have never used this before! I was thrilled that L'Occitane gave me another full sized bottle to have as a backup once my current stock is depleted!!
And that's all I have for you today! Some of this may be old news to you guys, but hopefully the reminder is still helpful!! Thanks for reading!
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Monday, November 16, 2015
Hello Monday: Myrtle Beach
Sunnies: Oakley (borrowed from the husband) | Necklace: Kendra Scott | Bag: Longchamp | Top: Express (similar in Tile Blue) | Jacket: Halogen (option) | Leggings: Zella | Boots: Frye (in Grey Antique)
I'm writing this from Myrtle Beach! If I had a quarter for every city I've blogged from! I wouldn't normally choose to blog on vacation, but I realized I wouldn't be home until after 11pm last night, and I knew if I didn't blog now, it certainly wouldn't happen any later! Not that I'm complaining because I honestly love sharing with you guys anyway! It's been a whirlwind of a weekend!!
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Toronto: What I Wore
Last week, I recapped what I wore on my work trip to Providence and Boston, so I figured this week I would do the same for my Toronto trip I went on late last week. Packing for work trips is so hard for me. My struggles for this trip were: 1) I had never met anyone I was meeting, so I had no idea if they were casual or super dressy 2) I hate meeting new people wearing flat shoes, but I also knew I'd be doing a lot of walking so the shoes needed to be comfy. 3) The weather seemed to be cold, windy, and rainy. With that in mind, let's get started!
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Workout #ootd
Happy almost Friday! I thought I would do something a little different today and share a typical workout outfit of the day. If you follow me on Snapchat (carylee07) this uniform should look familiar to you, since I feel like the majority of my snapping is to and from Pilates! Ha!
I've found that these muscle tanks are perfect for Pilates! If you've even done work on the Pilates reformer or tower, it can get pretty sweaty. And a sticky, sweaty body means friction between your back and the mat. I love that these muscle tees give me full back coverage so I can maneuver easily on the equipment, and the higher crew neck in front ensures that no one is seeing my goodies when I'm leaning forward or in some obscure position. I'm wearing a small in these tees - they run pretty true to size with a nice relaxed but not oversized fit.
Tank: Old Navy (current options here) | Sports Bra: C9 (current colors here) | Leggings: Zella | Shoes: Nike
These Zella leggings are so fabulous. Not only are they comfortable, but they're nice to look at. I've been wanting some perforated leggings, and these definitely fit the bill! I wear a small in all of my Zella leggings. Very fitted, but I don't feel like I get a muffin top at all, which is pretty nice. A lot of times I have to size up to avoid muffin top, but then I end up with a saggy crotch. These fit perfectly on me in a small. You will see they gather just a little bit at my ankles since I'm only 5'-2" but I can either fold the hems under or simply leave it as is - the little bit of extra fabric does not bother me at all
Naturally, I'm not wearing my Nikes when I'm actually doing Pilates. I enjoy wearing these Toesox with the grippy soles. I like that the socks keep my toes separated, but the cut-outs at the toes and at the top of my foot keep me from feeling like I'm wearing actual socks. My feet still get to breathe while I'm working out, it's nice.
If you've never done Pilates before, I highly recommend it. I've done yoga as well, and I would say that yoga was more stretchy-meditation for me while Pilates is more core strength. There's definitely some stretchiness to the exercises as well - especially when it comes to your spine. Last week in class, the instructor had us bend over and touch our toes at the start of the class. I could get my fingertips touching the floor. At the end of class, she made us touch our toes again, but that time, I could place my palms face down and flat on the floor. Amazing the difference one class could make!
Anyway - hope that was helpful! I love seeing what people work out in and I realized I've never really shared my workout outfits here! So, there you go!
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Linking up for: Thursday Favorites, What I Wore to Work, Spotlight Weekly Linkup with Elle and Jacqueline, Thursday Fashion Files, Thursday Favorite Things
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Recap
As promised, I'm here to recap my early access shopping spree at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! If you want to see what my wish list was and compare it to what I actually bought, you can read this post from last week here. Overall, I was pretty pleased with the sale. I didn't have high expectations only because I didn't find as much stuff in the catalog as I have in years past. What you're about to witness took about two and a half hours from start to finish. On an empty stomach and no coffee, mind you! Well, let's not waste any time, let's just get to it. As always, I started with shoes.
Sale price $59.90 After sale $89.85
I really had my heart set on the Vince 'Adley' sandals I featured in my post last week, but sadly they weren't in my store so I mayyy have to order them. None of the boots were catching my eye - I'm not sure if it's just too early to think about boots, but I strangely had my eye on two pairs of flats instead, and I'm not normally a flats person. These studded Halogen flats are pretty perfect. They're true to size, if not a touch on the long side, but I purchased my normal size. I walked around in them for a bit and was surprised how comfortable they were. This was an easy yes.
I also ended up trying on the Louise et Cie 'Barry' flat. Again, I was surprised how cute and comfortable they were. I did have to go up a half size because the toe box was a little narrow in my normal size. I decided to go ahead and hold on to both of the flats and then we were off to Handbags and Accessories.
Sale price $250.90 After sale $375
Luckily, I sent my list to my SA right after I made my appointment so she had an idea of what I was looking for because she grabbed this bag for me before it was gone! It was the only one left in the store, and the more I stared at it and held it (because I never put it down the entire time we were shopping) I just loved it! The color is more of a reddish brown than a cognac, which I loved since I already have a large cognac bag. And it's great that I can wear it single or double strapped, which transitions it from shoulder to crossbody. Versatility!!
Tasha Beaded Multi-Cord Long Necklace | Sale price $31.90 After sale $48
Current/Elliott "The Stiletto" Stretch Skinny Jeans | Sale price $126.90 After sale $198
Louise et Cie "Barry" Ankle Strap Flat | Sale price $89.90 After sale $138.95
Ahhh, how gorgeous is this multi-cord necklace? And it comes in so many other fabulous colors, I would definitely snag it! If the necklace isn't your thing, it also comes in matching bracelets! I resisted the bracelets, only because my cart was adding up quickly already, but they were pretty adorable! I did end up getting another Nadri bangle. I already have something similar in gold that I wear incessantly, so I thought having it in silver would come in handy!
Zella "Live In - Out of Bounds" Leggings | Sale price $41.90 After sale $64
In Black and Navy Eclipse Wonder Blur
I was a little relieved because just as we started looking at clothes, my SA told us (Jenna ended up meeting us) that her appointment after mine was pushed back, which allowed us to take our time! I was going to save activewear for an online order so I could prioritize my in-store touchy-feely time to "real" clothes. But since we all of a sudden had more time, I quickly grabbed my favorite Zella leggings in this mesh combo. I always buy a small in Zellas, which is my true size. And I normally size up in leggings, but I do not for these.
Halogen Relaxed Slub Knit U-Neck Tee (in ivory black scenic print) | Sale price $15.90 After sale $25
Louise et Cie "Barry" Ankle Strap Flat | Sale price $89.90 After sale $138.95
Halogen Lace Pencil Skirt | Sale price $45.90 After sale $69
As far as the regular clothes, the lace pencil skirt I was eyeing in the catalog definitely lived up to my expectations! I ended up going with a regular size 6 (not petite), so I would say it runs pretty true to size. I love that it actually has some stretch to it, which many lace skirts do not! I wanted a shirt to try on with it since I knew I'd be taking dressing room selfies, and Jenna handed me this tee. It ended up being the perfect tee, not only for the skirt, but for real life, so I took it home with me. I bought a small.
Current/Elliott "The Stiletto" Stretch Skinny Jeans | Sale price $126.90 After sale $198
Hinge Woven Hem Tee | Sale price $44.90 After sale $68
Halogen "Olson" Pointy Toe Studded T-Strap Flat | Sale price $59.90 After sale $89.85
And last but not least are these two pieces. I wanted to try on some designer denim just because it's been awhile, but I wanted to make sure they were a pair I would not have to get hemmed (ain't nobody got time for that.) Jenna recommended these Current/Elliott jeans because they came in more of a cropped length. Cropped for her, regular length for me. Not complaining! It was my first time trying this brand, and I loved the way they fit. I purchased a size 28 in the jeans and a small in the long sleeved tee.
My measurements for reference: Height 5'-2" | Bust: 34" | Waist: 28" | Hips: 36"
If you follow me on Snapchat (carylee07) then you got to see the play by play of my entire spree. But I didn't want to deprive my non-snapping blog readers of these selfies especially since I know some of you prefer to see the real life model verses the flat lay. I would say the length of the pencil skirt looks a little deceiving from this angle - while it does go passed my knee, it's not quite midi-length.
The only thing I am missing is beauty and cosmetics. But don't fret, I have that covered as well. Apparently the anniversary sale is the only time the ginormous pump bottle of Amazing Grace is available, so I was sure to purchase this set.
Quite a haul, eh? The hardest part was checking out. Let's tally this all up!
Rebecca Minkoff "Lexi" Bucket Bag in Cocoa | Sale price $250.90 After sale $375
Halogen "Olson" Pointy Toe Studded T-Strap Flat | Sale price $59.90 After sale $89.85
Current/Elliott "The Stiletto" Stretch Skinny Jeans | Sale price $126.90 After sale $198
Hinge Woven Hem Tee | Sale price $44.90 After sale $68
Zella "Live In - Out of Bounds" Leggings (black) | Sale price $41.90 After sale $64
Zella "Live In - Out of Bounds" Leggings (Navy Eclipse) | Sale price $41.90 After sale $64
Philosophy Amazing Grace set | Sale price $38 After sale $66
Halogen Relaxed Slub Knit U-Neck Tee | Sale price $15.90 After sale $25
Louise et Cie "Barry" Ankle Strap Flat | Sale price $89.90 After sale $138.95
Halogen Lace Pencil Skirt | Sale price $45.90 After sale $69
Tasha Beaded Multi-Cord Long Necklace | Sale price $31.90 After sale $48
Nadri Pave Station Bracelet | Sale price $39.90 After sale $60
Sale price TOTAL $827.90 After sale $1,265.90
But wait! I saved up my Nordies notes ALLLLLL year for this sale. I ended up with $426 total in notes, so my grand total after the notes and after tax was…. $476! That is $789.90 in savings. Yes, I could have saved myself $476 by not shopping at all, but that's not the point right now! :)
Whew! That was a long post, so thanks for sticking with me. I'm happy to answer any questions, and I would absolutely love to hear what you all have your eye on and/or what you've already purchased! This is seriously the happiest sale of the year. There's just something about buying stuff on PRE-sale that makes it better than buying end of season or clearance stuff, you know?
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Thursday, April 23, 2015
Random roundup
This week went by so fast, yet so slow at the same time! How does that work! I have a pretty uneventful weekend in front of me, which to be honest, are always the best. I swear I feel like I have weekends planned already through the summer! I'll be back in tights and boots before you know it! For now, here are some springy looks for you that I've accumulated on my phone! Happy random roundup!
Scarf: JCrew Factory | Top: Express | Bracelets: Stella & Dot, Cara | Bottoms: American Eagle | Shoes: Kate Spade (limited sizes in black here)
This is what I ended up wearing for Easter. We just went to his cousin's house for some grub and to hang out. I couldn't resist these blush skinnies again. I'm obsessed with them, and if I can't wear them to work, I will wear them anywhere else I can!
Top: Express (similar) | Tee: Express | Bottoms: Zella | Shoes: Steve Madden
This is what I wore to fly to San Antonio for all of 3 hours just to start our drive back with Petie. Needless to say, I needed something I could spend all day in. Something that would keep me at a comfortable temperature, and also something that I could easily wear all day. This certainly did the trick! Though I should have brought a jacket because it was colder than I anticipated as went through north Texas!
Jersey: Target | Tank: Victoria's Secret | Shorts: American Eagle | Socks: High Sock Sundays | Shoes: Converse
Ah, baseball! I'll be mixing in these game day looks every once in awhile! Opening day ended up falling on Easter, so this is what I changed into after I stuffed my face with ham and other yummy goodness.
Bag: Kate Spade | Top: J Crew Factory | Necklace: Banana Republic | Bottoms: Express | Sandals: Sam Edelman
To be honest, I have no idea where I was going when I wore this. I think I was running to the mall or something? Not sure, but it was definitely a weekend look. Oh! I remember! I did go to the mall in this. Then afterwards we went to one of the eat-in movie theaters to watch Furious 7. I loved the movie, but it still makes me sad about Paul Walker. I can't talk about it!!
Top: Express | Necklace: CS Gems (c/o) | Bottoms: Express | Shoes: Kate Spade (budget option)
And last but not least is this outfit, which is one of my all time favorites. Nothing overly complicated-- just a portofino, but the heels. The heels make it special. And I wish I could record my co-workers' reactions when they turned the corner and saw me with their eyes popping out of their head at the shock of my shoes. It's priceless, I tell ya. Sadly, only about a dozen people made comments about them. I expected at least 20!
Hope everyone has a great weekend! I'll be back on Monday with some great photos from my closet room shoot!
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Friday, January 30, 2015
Random roundup
I gotta say, I'm glad you guys like these roundups so much because it definitely makes it a lot easier on life to "only" photograph 4 outfits for the blog each week vs. 5. Really the best solution would be if the husband would just let me quit my day job so I had all the time in the world to invest in this little corner of the interweb! Ha - that may take some time to convince him, so until then - here's your random roundup for the week! I will only be linking to the items that are still available, unless I have a good option handy!
Necklace: Kate Spade | Vest: JCrew (Factory version here) | Sweater: JCrew Factory | Top: JCrew Factory | Skirt: Express | Fleece Lined Tights: Target | Booties: Cole Haan
I really love this vest, you guys. It's one of those pieces that I wasn't sure if I should take the plunge on, but am glad that I did. I also love me a good mini skirt in the winter. Maybe even more so than the warmer months! Oh, and these fleece lined tights. You need them. The softest most comfy pair of tights ever, and I love how super opaque they are!
Watch: Kate Spade | Necklace: Stella and Dot (gifted) | Blazer: Express | Top: Express | Bracelets: H&M (gifted) | Bottoms: Express | Booties: Hinge
This is what I call my Gina outfit. She's a master at styling her olive cargo skinnies, as evidenced by this post here. I'm not sure why I never would have come up with this classic combination on my own, but I adore the way it came out.
Jacket: Express (option) | Necklace: Express | Top: Express | Skirt: Express | Fleece Lined Tights: Target | Booties: Vince Camuto
This ruched skirt is a fan favorite. Don't believe me? See it on Gina, Rachelle, and Noelle. It all started with Rachelle and kind of had a domino effect from there. That tends to happen with this circle of ladies. And it's awesome because that means 4 times the fashion inspiration when it comes to styling the same pieces!
I feel like this is just a couple bars higher than leaving the house in pajamas. Ok, perhaps that is being a bit dramatic. But I had to wake up and pick the husband up Saturday morning at the airport, and I thought about just going in jammies and Ugg boots, but realized he'd probably be hungry and want to go to brunch. So, I reached for comfy things that were still acceptable to be seen wearing in public. And in a selfie. Glad you guys keep me accountable!
The husband had to take a picture of my hair this day because he said it was ridiculously big. Haha! #sorrynotsorry One of these days I will do a tutorial for you guys. It's what I call my prom updo, which is a bit different than my regular top knot. And yes, I love this vest. And the scarf. Together, they are unstoppable.
REMIX RECAP
Left and Middle: Same vest, two ways | Middle and Right: Same skirt, two ways
Same jacket: Two ways
Left and Middle: Same chambray shirt, two ways | Middle and Right: Same scarf and boots, two ways
Same vest: Three ways
And here's a quick recap of all the remixes since last week. Three weeks into the challenge, and I'm still feeling good about it. And it's quite gratifying to see all of the looks I'm able to create with my limited stock of pieces. Kind of excited to see this through!
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