Spring to Fall

It's officially Fall folks. It means boot season is in full force and I'm loving it.

I love the fall palette.  The colors are reminiscent of leaves. Pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin pancakes, well pumpkin everything.

Haunted houses. Apple cider. Corn mazes.  So many wonderful things!

I decided to take a springy approach to welcoming fall.

Gray Pullover Sweater- TJ Maxx

Mint Green Jeans- Ann Taylor Loft

Gray Leather Boots-Dolce Vita Boots

Gold Necklace- Express

Bracelets- F21 & Giles & Brother

Mint is not a traditionally Autumn color but I really liked the way it turned out.  I paired it with a fitted leather black jacket and a Pour la Victoire auburn leather satchel. Comfy cute and a great transition.

What are your transition trends?

xo's

-A

Next season...

I know, I know. I can't stop talking about fall.  After you see this post you won't be able to blame me.

As per usual, my mind wanders to shopping with any viable excuse. Current excuse: new season.

So I've been looking around to add a few good pieces to my wardrobe to transition my look to fallen leaves and crisp mornings.

First up: the blazer.

I love blazers. They are flattering and smart. You can dress them up or down and they keep you warm so you just cant lose.

Here is my pick for this look:

Navy double-breasted blazer, Banana Republic, $130

I tried this on at the store and it was instant love. The clean lines, the solid construction, the PERFECT  fit, the substantial buttons and great quality sold me. I had to have it. It is on it's way to my mailbox and expect to see it on heavy rotation this fall. Swoon. 

Soft light-weight sweaters. Easy to throw on with slacks or jeans, under a jacket or stand alone. What's not to love about these cozy little numbers?

Here are some of my picks:

 

Elbow patch zip sweater, Banana Republic, $59.95

I love this sweater because of the details. Cute little zipper on the shoulder. Quirky elbow patches and the color options are fab.  This will surely find its way to my closet soon enough.

Colorblock crewneck sweater, GAP, $39.95

This little guy is sooo cute! I love the color palette and it's very on trend with the color blocking that we're seeing everywhere. It's soft and airy and easy to match with everything.  They're sold out in my size in both color combos, sad, so I will be watching hoping for a re-stock.

Plaited cable hooded sweater, Anthropologie, $88

This little frock is feminine but comfy and  I can't wait to head to my local Anthro to see how it fits. I love it!

THE pants.

I am totally obsessed with getting a good pair of "leather" pants. They are tricky to find but I have high hopes for these:

Coated trousers with zips, Zara, $69.99

Fingers crossed that they are the ones. :)

Then there are the basic pair of jeans. I'm still digging skinnies and I think after my love affair with really dark wash denim I may need to venture back to the land of other washes.  I have my eyes on these:

1969 Always Skinny Jeans, GAP, $69.95

This GAP style fits me very well so why stray from what I know works.  Give 'em a whirl!

So there are some of the staples I have on my list for Fall.  How about you?

xo,

-A

Sweet Potato Inspirations...

I will kick myself later when it's subzero but I'm kind of excited for fall. :)

Today I made some very fall oatmeal. Read: sweet potato. So filling, delicious and easy to make.  Here's my recipe:

Sweet Potato Oatmeal
Serves 4

• 1 large sweet potato
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla bean sugar (optional)
• 1 cup oats (not instant)
• 1 cup Water/Milk 

1. Wash sweet potato and slice into circles.
2. Place them on a pre-greased baking dish.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon to taste (it will melt all over the sweet potatoes #yum). You can stick a fork into the them a few times if you want the sugar to seep into it better.
4. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until tender. For the purpose of this recipe the mushier the better.
5. You can remove the peel or leave it on. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a pot and mash them up.
6. Add oats and and milk or water. (I like to add a 1/2 almond milk 1/2 water mixture).
7. Cook on low heat stirring occasionally until it reaches desired consistency.
8. Enjoy!

I pretty much made this up so feel free to make it your own.  I found that I didn't need to add any additional sugar/splenda because the sweet potatoes took care of that but I was generous with the brown sugar.  You can easily make this in the microwave as well if you are on the run by following all the steps but instead use a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 3 minutes for 1 serving.

It took me quite some time to eat it because it was so filling. It tasted decadent and I was still full at 1:30 p.m. Let me know if you try it, like it, modify it or have any other sweet potato inspirations of your own.

xo,
-A

Catching up... 13 miles/cupcakes/dressing

I will commit. I will commit.

Ok. I'm back. Yet again.

The last month has been a whirlwind of trips and busy work schedule.  It's not an excuse I know.

Meanwhile. I ran my very first half marathon!  It was so exhilarating to cross that finish line and know that I just reached a goal I'd set for myself.

I had some shoe and alarm issues that faithful morning so I might be running another half this month. Might.

On an unrelated note and speaking of cupcakes (which I always am) has anyone out there tried Sprinkles cupcakes? How about sprinkles ice cream? You have to try the cupcake ice cream sundae. You have to!

I'd like to recommend Red Velvet. Do it.

And since this entry is so scattered I will add one more thing. A recipe. It's easy. It's delicious. You have to try it and let me know what you think.

Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

Juice from 4 limes

1 small avocado

1/3 cup cilantro (about)

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Take all these ingredients throw them into a food processor or blender. Ta da! This zesty dressing will go amazing with a simple or elaborate salad, drizzled over grilled chicken or even used to marinate some veggies or chicken. I made it twice in the last week and it's a win win. 

Summer Color

It's 100 something in Chicago. It's officially summer folks.  And I couldn't be happier. I love warm weather and even when it's spicy out I stop and think about snow and smile for being able to walk around in flip flops and shorts.  There's so much to love about summer. The frozen treats, the sun, excuses for bikinis and of course it's the perfect time to add a punch of color to your life.  From a pair of bright jeans to a colorful piece of statement jewelry, you just can't go wrong by coloring your world beautiful this summer. :)

........Inspiration

Punch up any outfit with a bold piece of jewelry. I recently picked these up. (No longer available) But I have some fun alternatives for you:

                             

KSpade, Gumdrop Stud, $38/Adia Kibur,Two Stone Drop, $24/Juliet & Co,Primaire, $50 

So no matter what you're style, stud or chandelier, there's a punchy pair of earrings out there for you!

 Big statement necklaces will transform every t-shirt in your closet.

Mine is old and I got it a F21 for under $15.  I was inspired by a much more expensive piece by Kenneth Jay Lane. 

                      

Kenneth Jay Lane, $286                /    F21, $12.80            /                   Adia Kibur, $72

Splurge and my inspiration                    Total steal!                                 Mid-point price

Something for everyone!

 A summery yellow bikini. 

Or color-blocking on neutrals.

Make the sand your runway ...err I mean playground.

 Target, $26.48                   /                     Victoria Secret, $78     /    Shopbop, Tyler Rose, $189

So go out there and take advantage of the beautiful weather and let that sun catch you in something colorful!

xo's

-A

Cat eye not black eyes....

Monday again! Time flies when you're incredibly busy.  I'm not complaining though :)

Here I am with the promised dedicated post: eyeliner! I am a big eyeliner fan.  It's one of my top 3 make-up must haves.  I just don't feel the same without it. Today I am going to share with you some eyeliner reviews. The good, the bad, the bargains, the splurge.  Then you can decide what works best for your needs.

Let's start.

Last weekend I shared with you that I went to Bikram yoga: aka sweat-central party.  I threw on some MAC Superslick Liquid Eyeliner in 'On the Hunt' (true black), $18.50.

Woah Nelly! This is some serious stuff right here folks.  Not only did it come out unscathed from a 90 minute  yoga session in a room heated to 105 degrees, it survived a 6k run and a walk in the rain this weekend.  With that said it's not for the faint of heart.  The applicator is a felt tip but you have to be careful because a smudge in the wrong direction can have you with a mistake that might merit starting over.  Steady hand recommended for this one.  It's a really dark dark black.  It looks a bit, well... slick.  So if you're not into that this will not be the product for you.  I don't use it on a regular basis because the shiny slick look isn't something I want to wear everyday but if I'm doing a particularly dark eye and want the liner to stand out (or if I'm headed out for a night of dancing) I don't hesitate to turn to this. verdict: Thumbs up!

Here it is. Untouched by rigorous exercise.  

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Next up another MAC product: Fluidline in Blacktrack. I am personally a big fan of this product and have been loyally buying it for years.  I use a liner brush to apply it.  My personal preference is the MAC 208 Angled Brow Brush, $19.50.  It's a smooth application and once it sets it stands up pretty well to a full day of wear (but it's most definitely not waterproof so if you're going to watch a tear jerker this might not be your best option).  You have to make sure you wash the brush to remove residue or else your application will start to look messy.  I have even used this as a base for a super heavy smokey eye with great success. You do have to make sure to close the pot or else the liner will dry out, crack and be useless. Verdict: thumbs up!

Great combo.

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One more MAC liner (can you tell I'm a MAC lover?). MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder, $15.00.  The good: it's a soft pencil that glides on.  Good pigmentation. Great for the waterline and for smudging and blending. The bad: it's soft so it can get messy through the day. It's good for smudging so it does smears.  I don't recommend this if your after a precise defined look.  Verdict: for a cat eye, thumbs down.

Not great if you want to keep it defined.

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Now moving on to an incredibly affordable option, as in $1 affordable!  elf Essential Waterproof Eyeliner Pen, $1!!!! I tried this on a whim and I didn't regret it.  It's super easy to apply and it stays on all day without feeling like I tattooed it on my eyelids.  It dries out pretty quick but for that price you can afford to go crazy and replace it every month!  I really recommend you pick one up at your nearest Target. 

Fabulous find!

You've seen this picture before. I'm wearing this eyeliner with no mascara so you can see how nice it goes on.

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Lastly, I want to share an eyeliner review from a great blog run by a California-based up and coming make-up artist: Maribel from Passion for Make-up.  She does amazing work so check out her looks, like them on facebook and read all the great product reviews! Last week they featured my post on  L’Oreal Voluminous Power Volume 24 Mascara. I want to share with you her recommendation for another eyeliner option: Make Up Forever Pro Waterproof Eyeliner. It got the make-up artist seal of approval but if you want to hear more about it you will have to head over to her blog and find out more!

Planning on picking on any these up?  Have any must try options of your own? Let me know!

xo's,

-A

Friends, fitness and fun!

Happy Monday!  One work day closer to the weekend. I know you're not supposed to wish your days away but I really do love my weekends.  Especially when they go something like this most recent one.  I did some working out, some eating, some running, some shopping, some yoga-ing and some self-pampering.

Saturday morning started out with a hot hot session of Bikram Yoga.  For those of you who don't know what it is let me explain a bit.  Bikram is a 90 minute, 26 pose, 2 breathing exercises, 105 degree, 40% humidity yoga class.  It's intense and super rewarding. I hadn't been to a class in a while but it was just a hard and amazing as I remembered it being. To find a class near you click  here. You literally come out the class looking like someone shoved you in a pool. I went with my friend, it was her first time and she did awesome!  (sidebar: I wore eyeliner to class. Now hold on, before you roll your eyes at me let me tell you that I did it so I could review a waterproof eyeliner.  Look for that in an upcoming post). We spent the rest of the day visiting with another friend and we were able to paint our nails,  have some wine and bite into some ice cream cake without feeling too remorseful.

Sunday I woke up bright and early to beat the heat and get a run in. 7.5 miles readers.  I can't stop gushing over it because it's my longest distance to date :)  I was very generous to myself since the rest of the day included a pedicure at my favorite nail place, a face mask, 3 new lipsticks (more on this later), lots of fruit and a bubble bath. Bliss. :)

Here is my weekend in pictures:

Well that's all for me today.  What's your favorite thing to do on the weekends?

xo's
-A