Clothing Sizing & Body Image

Since I've been trying to build up my spring wardrobe recently, it's inevitable that I've been in more fitting rooms than I can count.  While I can safely say that I've been successful in my quest for new spring pieces, I've noticed a big disparity in sizing from brand to brand.  I may be one size at one store, but fit into a size smaller or larger at others.  On top of that, I have this idea in my head of the size that I'm supposed to be everywhere, so that's what I end up settling for.  It's been pretty eye-opening, especially lately, as to just how different clothing can be from place to place.  

Let's go back to last weekend.  I dug out my swimsuits from the bottom of a bottomless drawer to try to them on since I have a beach trip this summer, and I honestly can't remember the last time I went swimming.  I wasn't all that shocked when they didn't fit, given that I know I've put on the corporate 15 as I like to call it.  You know, the weight you probably gain when going from a job during high school and college where you're on your feet all day to a sedentary desk job post graduation and you suddenly realize you should probably do some actual exercise.  Or maybe that was just me.  Any who, I did some online shopping on a very popular site for swimwear, figuring I'd just size up because that was the brand of the suits I already had.  Fast forward a few days to when my order arrived, you can imagine my dismay when the new suits, a size larger, fit the same if not tighter than what was currently in my drawer.  Needless to say, those will be returned.  

I was led to another popular online shopping site where I did a complete change of style and found the most adorable retro swimsuits.  I opted for a high-waisted bikini and a one piece to try, and let me tell you, these are the most amazing suits I've ever worn!  I can't remember the last time I felt so confident wearing something that makes you feel so exposed.  But here's the thing again, even these suits (Esther Williams swimwear for anyone who is curious) were labeled as running small, so please size up!  It's easy to let vanity get the best of you and pick the size you think you should be, but I will say that by following the measurements and guide I picked the suit with the best fit.  

What am I trying to say here?  I've become so stuck on the idea of the size that I think I am everywhere that I almost get upset when I have to purchase something in a different size.  Even if it's smaller.  It might be the OCD in me and wanting to have everything the same in my closet, but it's also the frustration of the inconsistency between brands.  It happens often in my normal shopping routine, from work clothes to casual and now even swimwear.  We really shouldn't let a number on a little tag define what we think of ourselves or our bodies.  Instead, the focus should be on finding things that fit properly.  So what if you have to purchase a certain top in a larger size.  If it looks great and more importantly makes you feel great, that is what matters the most.

I am going to challenge myself to not let that little letter or number control my self-worth, and I challenge you to do the same.  It may mean an extra trip or two into the fitting rooms, but the confidence you gain from it will be completely worth it.

xoxo,

Amanda

Behind the Blog: Bloopers & Outtakes

The scientific theory of fashion blogging states that for every awesome outfit shot, there's an equal and opposite cringe-worthy shot.  Or two, or three, or ten.  You know the drill - those closed eyes, hair in your face, mid sneeze photos that are oh so flattering and are banished to the depths of your hard drive, never to be seen again.  Until today, that is.  Chelcey had the brilliant idea to share some of these photos with you all, you know, to prove that I am still human after all.  Because I definitely am.  Since she is usually the one who picks which photos to edit for me to post, this was just as big of a surprise for me too!  I think it's good to be able to laugh at yourself and that ugly facial expression you sometimes make every now and then and not take blogging so seriously!

To see which photos from these shoots actually made the cut, check out these posts!

Spring Dreams

Black & White Polka Dots

Leopard & Dots

Perfectly Fair Isle

Jewel Tones

Black & Red

Happy Friday!

xoxo,

Amanda

Five Reasons Why Brunch is the Best Meal of the Weekend

When the weekend rolls around, it's time to party like there's no tomorrow.  Sike - it's time to watch an embarrassing amount of Friends on Netflix and fall asleep at 10.  At least that's how it goes for me sometimes.  Luckily, brunch is here to save the day (imagine a song straight out of School House Rock).  If you haven't hopped on the brunch bandwagon yet, I promise you will in about five paragraphs.

1. It'll make you feel more like an adult.  It's so easy to wake up Saturday morning, pour a cup of coffee, sit down on the couch to watch a couple of those Friends episodes when before you know it, it's 2:00 PM and you're still sitting there in your pajamas wondering what is life.  Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything.  Crickets.  But when it comes to brunch, you have to get up and get ready for the day at a reasonable time.  You'll be surprised by how much you can accomplish when you're not being a bum for half of the day.

2. You still get to sleep in.  The beauty of brunch is that it's not breakfast early, but not lunch late either.  Meaning, you get an extra couple hours of sleep compared to a work day, but you don't feel like you wasted too much time being a bum.  This is very important to me, because my sleep during the week can be somewhat lacking.  And if you partied a little too late the night before, there's still time to recover.

3. The choices are endless.  I mean this both in terms of the restaurants to choose from and the food itself.  I'm very lucky in that Louisville has so many great locally owned restaurants that offer brunch on the weekend.  We're almost spoiled really.  But even if you don't have so many places to choose from, the  menu will usually have a variety of options ranging from true breakfast to pretty much lunch.  So if you're feeling an omelet and bacon one week, but a sandwich the next, you can totally do that.  And it's still brunch.

4. It's an excuse to drink before noon.  This one doesn't need much explaining.  More mimosas please!  And bourbon in your coffee for my fellow Kentuckians.

5. It's the new dinner.  Ok I'm totally going out on a limb right now, but at least for my group of friends, brunch is our go-to social meal.  We get to start the weekend off with a bang, hang out for a couple hours, eat great food and catch up on everything that happened the last week.  And let's be honest, it's a lot more fun to pencil in "brunch date" on your planner than dinner.  Just saying.

xoxo,

Amanda

Tips & Tricks for Shopping Sales

Last weekend, Chelcey and I did some serious damage at the mall (well maybe I did the damage, but she also scored an amazing dress for an upcoming work event!).  The beauty of it all though?  Everything I purchased was on sale, including the gorgeous Michael Kors bag and glittery Kate Spade Keds in the photo above.  I'll give you a minute to pick your jaw up off the floor now.  You can absolutely score some killer deals like I did by following my tips and tricks so that next time you have sticker shock, it won't be because the price is crazy high but because it's so low and too good to pass up.

1. Patience is a virtue.  I've had my eye on a particular polka dot sweater (shocker, I know) but at $80 I couldn't take the plunge.  Some sales came and went, I know this because I practically stalked the website, but I wanted to hold off for an even better deal.  We decided to pop into that store, really to look for a dress for Chelcey, when I spotted two of them hanging on the sale rack.  And guess what?  Sale items were an additional 50% off that day.  You best believe I snatched one up right away.  

2. You have to be flexible.  Part two of my sweater story - I was a little disappointed when I flipped over the tags on the two sweaters and saw that neither of them were my size.  However, one was a size up so I went with it, knowing that I could layer shirts underneath it for multiple looks.  Don't turn down an awesome deal just because something may not your typical size.  If you can make it work, it's worth it!

3. Online and in store sales aren't always the same.  Part three of my sweater story - I went with the bigger sweater, but immediately checked their website again when I got home.  If it was online in my size, I was fully prepared to go ahead and buy it and then return the store one.  Come to find out though, this sweater wasn't even marked down online, and therefore not the additional percentage off.  Morale of the story, don't assume you can't get a great deal just because it's not on sale in one place or the other.

4. Check for deals often.  Sometimes stores offer spur of the moment sales for very limited time, as in hours.  You really won't know about this unless you have impeccable timing at the store in person or constantly stalk the website.  That's totally possible, but not the most efficient method.  The best way to keep track of this is to sign up for e-mails.  Just be aware that you have to walk a very fine line though, because the constant barrage of emails can entice overspending.  As long as you have any sort of self control, you'll be golden.

5. Be ready to splurge.  This is more for bigger ticket items, such as a handbag.  I had been doing more online stalking of the Kate Spade and Rebecca Minkoff websites' sale sections, but when it comes to handbags I really prefer to purchase them in person unless I've already seen it before.  There were a couple online that did catch my eye, but I was hesitant to purchase because I had no idea what it would look like when it came to my door.  I checked the sale racks at our local Von Maur, and lo and behold this beautiful Michael Kors quilted bag was hanging there, just begging to go home with me.  It was perfect and exactly what I was looking for - a medium size with a long strap - and did I mention it was marked down twice!  Now when it comes to something like this, I really had no time to waiver on whether or not I wanted to buy it, because chances are if I waited and came back, it would be long gone in the home of some other lucky lady.  With Chelcey's encouragement, I made this bag all mine.  This is one of the best deals I have gotten on a splurge-worthy item.  Part of it is the right timing and what just so happens to be available at the time, but part of it is also willingness to make the purchase.  My biggest advice if you are looking for a deal on a new bag, is to go for it if you find something you think you'll love!   

What are you best tricks for scoring the best deals?

xoxo,

Amanda  

February Favorites

Just like that, we've got two months of 2015 under our belt.  Yikes!  For me, February was a slow transition back to normalcy after the craziness of January.  I got back into a regular makeup routine despite Mother Nature's attempt to snow on my parade, and it didn't hurt that I had some new goodies to play with.  Here's a look at what I've been loving this month.

Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Palette

Did I need to buy this?  Probably not.  But I wanted to, and that 20% off at Ulta coupon was burning a hole in my pocket.  And did I mention that it smells like chocolate?  It takes a lot of self-control to not eat this thing every morning when I'm doing my makeup! The colors are buttery, blendable goodness that I can't get enough of at the moment, and I'm having fun trying new looks, especially with that gorgeous blueberry shade.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation

Like I mentioned earlier and in previous posts, we got hit with a big snow storm and extremely cold temperatures this month.  I don't know why, but the cold makes me not want to even bother with makeup, especially foundation and the whole shebang.  It might have to do with the fact that my skin gets really dry.  For that reason, I gravitated toward this mineral foundation a lot this month.  I am so impressed with this product, because the coverage really is quite amazing for a powder!

Nars Albatross Highlight Powder

When I think back to the very first highlighter I ever used on my face, which was actually a Jane eye shadow, I can remember being mesmerized by the simple effect of a little sheen on the high points of your face.  Now I was probably in middle school at the time, so needless to say I've stepped up my game when it comes to choosing products.  The glow of this Nars powder reminds me so much of that shadow.  It's such a beautiful shade and perfect for every day wear.

MAC Plumful Lipstick

As much as I'm itching to break out the bright pink lipsticks, I reserved February to finish out the berry shades in my collection.  In my mind, March signifies the start of spring whether or not the weather agrees with me, so I wanted to get in the last few wears of my winter-deemed shades while I could.  I love this particular shade because it's not so vampy that I can't wear it comfortably to the office, but it's not so sheer that it feels like I didn't apply any lipstick at all.  As Goldilocks would say, it's just right.

Redken Cleansing Cream Shampoo

It's no secret that I hate washing my hair with a burning passion so when I do I want to be sure that I get all the gunk out, for lack of a better word.  This clarifying shampoo does just the trick, but is still gentle and safe for my color-treated hair.  Because let's face it ladies, salon color isn't cheap and it's a tragic loss to see all of your color washing down the drain.  Plus, with the amount of time I go between washes, buildup happens.  It's inevitable.  With this shampoo, my hair feels clean for a good three to four days before I need to apply dry shampoo again.

Sperry Duck Boots

All I can say is thank goodness I bought these boots back in November!  I'll let you in on a little secret though, I definitely bought these in hopes that by me being properly prepared for snow, we wouldn't get any.  All through December and January I thought my voodoo had worked, but then snow.  Lot's of snow.  But hey, at least I had proper footwear.

The Bachelor

If I wasn't hooked enough in January, now it's hook, like and sinker for me.  I blame the Sunday-Monday back-to-back episodes that I actually watched consecutively on a snow day at home.  That was four hours of the Bachelor, half of my work day, spent on the couch engrossed in the drama of farmer Chris and his ladies.  I'm at the point where I want to go back and watch some of the former seasons, but sadly they aren't available on Netflix.

What are your favorites for the month of February?

xoxo,

Amanda