Category: fashion

fashion · maternity · stitch fix

Stitch Fix #2: Maternity

Jess11 Comments

I had great results with my first Stitch Fix, and really wanted to try another round of maternity items. My previous fix, I ended up buying all the items and I still wear most of them frequently. This time, I asked for more nursing-friendly pieces, since we don’t have too far to go till the due date (Sept. 24th) and I want some items I can wear afterward.

I ended up getting some things that may have worked later on, but weren’t working for me and my bump.
Note: I forgot to keep the paper that came with my items and Stitch Fix doesn’t have an option for viewing your order history, so I can’t tell you the actual names or prices of the items! I’d like to blame the pregnancy brain, but honestly I figured there would be a way to go back and check. They were all between $50 – $100 each.
2nd Note: I had to hold my camera at that height.. believe me. I was getting some extreme Star Trek-style lens flares when I held it at the normal height that day.
#1 Set of Cami’s – Returned
These were soft and long, but I didn’t really need any cami’s so I sent them back.

#2 – Blue Maxi Dress – Returned

This was really pretty, but I didn’t think it was that flattering with the bump. Also, a great nursing dress but the over $80 price tag was a bit high for me.

#3 – Patterned Nursing Dress – Returned

This would also be great for nursing, but didn’t fit me well right now, and I wanted something I could wear right away.

#4 – Maxi Skirt – Returned

I’m not a big fan of maxi skirts, and this one wasn’t a good length or fit for the bump.

#5 – Wrap Dress – Returned

I’ll be honest and say I don’t know how to tie a wrap dress. I felt like it could fly open with it only being held together by a piece of string.

Overall, I felt like none of the pieces were very flattering with a bump, although they may fit well later on.

The only one I would have possibly kept was the blue maxi dress, but it would have had to fit perfect for the price.

I didn’t keep any items this time but I will possibly order another Stitch Fix in the future. If you sign up and use my referral link, I get extra credit towards shopping, totally up to you.

Have you tried Stitch Fix? How’s your luck been?

fashion · pregnancy · stitch fix

Stitch Fix #1: Maternity

Jess8 Comments

I recently heard about Stitch Fix offering maternity styles, and after having shopped myself for maternity with no luck finding things that were my style, I decided to give it a try. My only maternity items I’ve purchased on my own have been a couple pairs of shorts, a pair of pants, and some tank tops, so I want to look a little more stylish sometimes!

If you haven’t heard of Stitch Fix before, they are like a personal stylist. You tell them what styles you like and show them your Pinterest board, if you have one, and they send you five items which you can either keep or return. You pay $20 for the styling fee, which can also go towards any items you decide to keep.

If you decide to try it, this is my referral link; I’ll receive $25 in credit in order to keep my addiction going.

Okay, so on with what items I received! Have you ever received a Fix where you loved all the items and kept them all? No? Just me.

This Fix, I asked for some dresses and skirts and pieces I could mix and match during the summer.

#1 Eight Sixty Gabre Eyelet Maternity Dress – $88.00 – Kept

The things I like about this dress are the fit and the color. It is so easy to wear and long enough that I can bend over without worrying. It has plenty of room for my bump to grow, but I think I could also wear it post-pregnancy. It also has this cute back scoop, which I really enjoy and hope you can see from my goofy picture below.

#2 LA Made Maternity Skirt – $54.00 – Kept

This pencil skirt is made of a soft and stretchy jersey material, which fit what I was asking for in versatile pieces. It has a lot of ruching in the front, which should allow room for the belly to grow. While I’ve never owned a pencil skirt before, I think this navy blue one could go with a lot of tops.

#3 Full Moon Peppy Knit Maternity Top – $44.00 – Kept

This is the top you saw above, and I love that it can be worn with the skirt or on its own. It has cute ruched sides, and I like that it is polka dots and not stripes! As a pregnant lady, I do not always want to be wearing stripes! It is made of a really soft material.

#4 Full Moon Phay Henley Ribbed Maternity Knit Top – $44.00 – Kept

This is the only one I wasn’t crazy about, because while it works great with the skirt, it doesn’t fit well on its own. It’s a little big, and I sent a request to Stitch Fix to see if I could get it in one size down. Besides the size, though, the quality is there and the material feels wonderful, like the others. I also like that it’s a henley top, which I could possibly use during nursing.

#5 Loveappela Carlita Knit Maternity Maxi Dress – $78.00 – Kept

This was probably my favorite of the bunch. I’m a fan of maxi dresses, and it is long and stretchy and actually fit well in the top for now. I’m hoping it will stay that way if my bra size goes back down, but it works great for maternity and nursing in the future. The top actually seems to stay where it is without there being a huge gap.

The good news is I loved almost all of my items and decided to keep them! My favorites are the eyelet dress, the polka dot top, and the maxi dress.

If you buy all five, you receive a 25% discount, so there was only one dollar difference between me buying the three items and buying all five, so a total of $210 vs $211. I’m all about economy. I’ve also seen a lot of mixed reviews from other’s Fixes, so I felt like I should take advantage of my stylist doing well on both my style and what I asked for.

That takes care of my clothes spending for a while, but I haven’t been purchasing a lot since I became pregnant, just a few necessities like shorts and things. My pre-pregnancy dresses don’t fit, because they’re all a bit tight in the ribs. I’m also hoping that a lot of these can carry over into post-pregnancy clothes.

I’m a happy lady with this box. It may be a while before I can order my next, but I look forward to it!

fashion · travel

Packing for Iceland: What to Wear on a 9-Day Trip

Jess2 Comments
I’m in the midst of working on moving posts over, so you may notice weird things, please ignore them, thanks!

The months are sneaking by, and suddenly we are one month away from vacation! Greg and I have planned a trip to Iceland this year. I use the word planned very roughly, because I have about a thousand things to do before I can say everything is planned. Itineraries, people. It is my first time making one for real.

Naturally, what I was worried about is what I would wear in Iceland. Thankfully, I think I have a basic idea now. There may be some more things coming along, and maybe I will do an update before I leave if there are. Here is my plan for now.
This is a summer wardrobe plan; if you were going in winter, you would probably need lots more layers and sweaters.

Tops & Dresses


Swimsuit & Bottoms
Jackets
Columbia black coat with hood (similar) // Vegan leather jacket (similar)

Shoes & Accessories
Merrell hiking shoes // Steve Madden Troopa boots // Red scarf (similar) // Flannel scarf (similar)

I considered buying some new boots, because mine are several years old and the soles are cracking, but since good quality vegan boots are super expensive, I decided to get mine repaired instead and throw in some Dr. Scholl’s insoles for comfort.

The repair cost is not cheap, but cheaper than a new pair of shoes, and I get to keep my favorite boots. I would hate to get rid of them after taking them everywhere with me for so long. Note: my current boots are NOT vegan, but I bought them before I went vegan and decided that I will use everything I already have.

Most of our hiking will be done wearing the hiking shoes, since they are supposed to be able to dry very quickly if they get wet.

Have you ever been to Iceland? What are your clothes packing essentials?
fashion

Fashion Finds Lately

Jess11 Comments

I am not yet in the swing of this blogging in the new year thing, yet. Although, to be honest, I’m glad it’s a new year. I’m ready to move on from last year.

2014 was awesome. But also sucked. So many ups and downs, there was a lot of personal stuff and events, which is why I am crossing my fingers for this year. I know there is a lot of stuff that we don’t blog about, so if you had some rough parts of the year, I am there with you. But I hope we can move on, and I send lots of good thoughts everyone’s way for the new year.

So, I’ve been trying to stay frugal throughout the quadrabillion sales going on, and I have been successful for the most part.

Actually, I was so overwhelmed by choices, that I hardly bought anything.

I found some destroyed denim which I had been looking for for a while, during American Eagle’s sale.

These turned out to be just what I wanted – they’ve got holes in just the knees, and they are stretchy and soft. And they were only 30 bucks. They are great for the weekend when I can dress them up a little.

Top: Forever 21 (similar) // Jeans: AE // Scarf: Old Navy (similar) // Shoes: Target (similar)

I also tried on a few other pairs, but they were a little too destroyed for me.

I got another pair of their sky high jeggings, and they are good so far. I found that the sizes vary a lot between the different styles and materials, so I have one size in the destroyed denim style, but I ended up switching sizes in the other jegging, because there was too much extra material.

My work uniform a variation of below: pants (jeggings, jeans, etc) and tops / layers. I’m even wearing my work badge. I’ll give you a hint and tell you that in my badge picture I had my eyebrows waxed that day, and it’s a constant reminder of why I don’t get my eyebrows waxed anymore.

Top: Francesca’s (similar) // Sweater: Target (similar) // Jeans: AE // Boots: Modcloth (similar)

The only thing I purchased besides the jeans was a pair of boots on sale at Modcloth. They have my favorite selection of vegan boots, and they were on sale.

I’ve been looking for a pair of black boots, and these look like over-the-knee. I haven’t gotten them yet, so I’m not sure about the fit.

Boots: Modcloth

Did you find any after Christmas sales?
Did you stick to your budget?

fashion · favorites · food · makeup · winter

Not A Creature Was Stirring – Friday Favorites

Jess14 Comments

Despite yesterday starting out totally poopy at work, I’m happy it’s Friday! Some people at work drive me crazy by making everything a big deal, when it’s just a small thing. I try not to let them bother me. Too bad I have to work this weekend (at my once a month job), but I’m still hoping to get in some good food and relaxing.

Favorite Makeup:

I heard about Too Faced Melted on MakeupAddiction on Reddit, and tried them. I can say, wow.. if you want bright, these are definitely them.
They have great staying power, even when some comes off when I drink/eat. The color is usually still bright afterward. Not saying it won’t come off on food and everything else when you eat – that shit will get on all your napkins! But it will still be on your lips when you’re done.
I’ve also never had anything with such amazing color, before, with no weird texture.

I bought the set of four minis at Sephora, which seems to be sold out, now. You can still buy individual lipsticks in the full size, with lots of color options. I like all the ones that came in the set, especially the nude and fuschia.

Most days, I just use my favorite lip balm I tried out, because I am too lazy to put on lipstick before leaving the house. This one feels awesome on my lips and has lots of color, too.

Favorite Food:

I made vegan zucchini brownies all for myself this week, because Greg doesn’t eat any baked good with a vegetable in it. I thought about tricking him, but that would just be cruel… Not saying I wouldn’t do it. But at least I get to have more later. I stuck a ton in the freezer to eat next week.

I took out a good chunk of the sugar and replaced it with a banana, because the recipe is pretty sugar-heavy. They turned out nice and soft, though, and you can always taste the batter to see if it needs more sugar.

Favorite Purchase:

I just ordered these boots today. Last year’s winter made me realize I need a pair of snow boots. We had temperatures of -10 F, and my feet were always freezing, especially when we went to an outdoor concert. This year, I want to keep my feet warm and dry.

I really hope these work – they are the Kamik Seattle boot. I liked that they can fold down into the shorter boot, or you can wear them as a tall boot for more coverage. It is hard to find vegan snow boots!

Favorite Outfit:

I’d like one of everything from Spool 72. Everything is cute and cozy and I could wear their oversize knit sweaters everyday.

That’s it! Enjoy your December weekend, and may the merrymaking begin. This cracks me up so much, I can’t even explain why.

Linking up with Amanda at Meet @ the Barre today for Friday Favorites.

about me · fashion · food

Things I Do When My Husband’s Not Home

Jess13 Comments

Get ready, this is about to get very scandalous. Greg was helping a friend move back, and I was forced to entertain myself. There are some things I do when my husband’s not home that I just don’t do otherwise.

1. Wear a new dress.
Because the best time to wear a new dress is when no one except that guy selling me my tacos is going to see it. That will be explained in the next one.

Just kidding, I was too excited not to wear my new dress and was going to wear it at home or anywhere.

It was purchased from Sandy a la Mode at her shop my closet. Made by Everly.

2. Order tacos.
If you do this, make sure you order enough that it looks like it may feed a family of roughly 12 people. Although, really, that guy probably knows it’s just you and your cats tonight.

I also took no pictures, because when there’s a plate of tacos in front of you, you don’t ask questions or leave evidence.

3. Browse Amazon.
And then come to the amazing realization that I need a teeth whitening kit. And Amazon wants me to try ANOTHER free trial of Prime AND is giving me a $7.00 off coupon?? How could I say no?

Anyone tried these? I’m going to try every other day, since I heard they can make your teeth sensitive.

4. Bake cookies.
Then pretend to be a rogue and decide I don’t need timers. And promptly forget when I stuck them in the oven and be forced to check them every 2 minutes.

Peanut butter cookies made from this recipe. They were chewy and delicious.

5. Watch Outlander.
What am I, obsessed? Reading the books and watching the show. I have no words, but it’s really good so far. And if you are into Highlanders and/or historical dramas at all, you should check it out. And not Sean Connery, although he is a fantastic Highlander in his own right.

Luna fell asleep beside me wrapped up in the heating pad.

I also did some productive things, like clean the bathroom and do the dishes. I made a trip to Old Navy, but quickly decided online shopping would be easier, with more discounts, and no walking behind people who walk really, really slow.

Holiday traffic and shopping is beginning!! I took my happy tacos home and watched some TV in a warm house.

What do you do when/if you have a day by yourself?

cats · fashion · favorites · fitness

Friday Favorites: Cat Swagger

Jess12 Comments

Despite finding a spider in my shower this morning (HELLLOOO not the best surprise first thing in the morning), it has been a decent week and I can’t wait for the weekend to begin. I had to work all last weekend, so it will be the first day off in a while.

Favorite Purchase:

Top: Urban Outfitters (old) (similar) // Cardigan: Converse One Star (old) (similar) // Jeggings: Hue // Booties: Target (similar) // Scarf: Old Navy // Bracelet: Target

I finally bought the Hue jeggings I had been looking at for a couple weeks, after my Old Navy ones starting wearing out (why does Old Navy stretch denim always stretch out after a few wears?).

Then Kathy posted about these and they seemed a million times better. So far, so good, after one wear. They are definitely more legging than the Old Navy brand, so I’m crossing my fingers for them. They fit really well.

You can see the texture a little better here. I promise they are blue.

Favorite Workout:
I did yoga today, and it felt great. When it first started, I thought it might be a little slow, but it flew by and I was burning during most of it.

Some of you may be more experienced, but my legs were shaking like a leaf when I tried some of the moves. It felt soo good, which is weird.

Favorite App:
I just downloaded Run Sackboy, Run a couple days ago and want to play it all day. The graphics are adorable.

I actually have Little Big Planet, but my Playstation collects dust. I’m much more likely to play a game on my phone than use any type of console, because I can play this anytime.

He’s so cute, and you can earn points for even cuter costumes, like a unicorn.

Cat Pose:
Boba in his swagger pose. He hangs out like this all the time, and he’s just asking for me to grab his toes.

Favorite TV Show:
Gilmore Girls, because there is nothing like rewatching their mother/daughterness. It makes my heart all warm and fuzzy.

Linking up with Amanda at Meet @ the Barre for Friday Favorites. Have a great weekend!!

cats · fashion · favorites · food

Friday Favorites – Fashion & Food

Jess7 Comments

It’s time again for my favorites this week. I’m working all weekend, so I’m going to fuel myself up aka stuff my face with Chipotle tomorrow to hopefully get me through.

Favorite Fashion:

Jean Jacket: AE Outfitters (~3 years old – current version) // Top: Lucy and Lyla via Groopdealz // Jeggings: Uniqlo // Booties: Target (similar) // Belt: Target (similar)

I got this colorful top in from my Groopdealz order and it’s awesome. Not that soft on the inside, because it has an extra layer/liner, but the material didn’t bother me all day. I don’t think the top is on Groopdealz anymore, but you can still get it at Lucy and Lyla.

Favorite Bag:

I’m not usually a fan of Betsey Johnson or over the top accessories, but the bow + leopard print is adorable.

Favorite Food:

We made these cookies last weekend, but you are just going to have to believe us, because we ate them all before I could take any pictures. Don’t be scared away by the vegan part – my husband is not vegan and still devoured them.

Crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle…perfect!!

Favorite Moment:

Probably when my cat got his head stuck in the handle of the brown paper recycle bag and ran around like an idiot until the handle ripped off. And he also sat contentedly on the package from my new top.

Favorite Funnies:
Hahahaha..Love whoever this Nevada person is.

Winter is coming.

Me when I’m doing something not quite right, but can’t figure out what it is:

Have a great weekend! Link up with Amanda at Meet @ the Barre for Friday Favorites.

cats · fashion

Top 5 Fall Essentials

Jess7 Comments

It’s finally cooling down after our mini heat wave last week. Temperatures are in the 70’s and 80’s here in Delaware, it’s fantastic.

I had to work all weekend, and it was fairly stressful, so I’d like to relax this week.

Greg’s been busy tormenting one of our cats, Luna, by layering her with Tough Mudder headbands:

Now that it’s September, I’m getting closer to being able to wear fall clothes again. I found out about Raise, which is a cool idea, if you are planning on doing some shopping. Basically, it allows you to buy gift cards for places you already shop at a discounted price and sell unwanted gift cards for cash. They also have restaurant and food gift cards – I need a Red Robin one! It was my favorite pre-vegan days place & I still love it.

Top 5 Fall Essentials
1. I can’t wait to try these out. I bought them when they were on sale at Nordstrom’s, but it’s been too warm to wear them this summer. You can bet I’m going to be trying to pass these off as pants all fall and winter.

Does anyone know why these are reversible if they are the same color inside??

2. I’d like a nice deep color to wear on my nails, like this dark blue red.

3. Bows and bows. Put a bow on the back and I’m in.

4. I like to pretend I’m wearing pants, while I’m cheating and actually wearing leggings. It was my first time wearing jeggings today. I feel like I could fight crime.

5. Booties, booties, booties everywhere. I love how booties give me a little heel without making me think I’m going to lose control of my feet like an unbalanced panda.

What are your fall essentials?
Do you make your pets wear clothes/objects??

fashion · food · weekend

Sunday Thoughts

Jess12 Comments

Three day weekends are the best – it feels weird (actually, fabulous) not to have to work on Monday.

My favorite fashion find this week is this inexpensive dress from Forever 21. I accidentally left the $12.80 tag on it for a good couple hours while I was out, but who cares…share the sale.

I admit most of my day revolves around food. Mostly the eating, not so much the cooking. If you need someone to eat your food, please invite me. I don’t mean to brag, but I can consume plenty of food.

Greg and I pooled our powers together (okay, mostly his) to cook our favorite tofu recipe, General Tso’s Tofu. I could eat endless bowls – SO GOOD. Homemade General Tso’s sauce is crazy delicious. And I like my tofu best fried in yummy oil.

We were planning to visit Washington, D.C. this weekend.

We set the alarm.

We turned the alarm off.

And slept till 10:30 AM.

It was fantastic… I lie in bed thinking, “Put clothes on or sleep?” Ummmmm, we doesn’t need clothes, hobbitses.

We went to see Let’s Be Cops, and I was prepared for it to be a disaster, but it was hilarious. It doesn’t beat The Other Guys or 21 Jump Street for me, but I enjoyed it. You should probably just watch all of those, because they’re all great buddy comedies.

How is/was your weekend?
Have you seen any good movies, lately?