Cooler Weather Fashion + Favorites

If I had to choose my favorite time of the year to dress it would be Fall. Not the "it's not cold but not hot" phase but the "it's cold but not freezing" phase.

If I had to describe my style in one word it'd be: simple. My ideal outfit and one I would wear if I had to choose one for the rest of my life would be a white tee and dark skinny jeans. I've always been a girly/preppy dresser. For a short stint of time I tried to be somewhat "hipster" because that was the trend but it just wasn't me. I never felt confident. I think the most important thing when it comes to your style is to find what you feel the most confident in and go with that. It also makes getting ready in the mornings SO much easier.

I'm a layer nut. Which is why I love Fall. It's hard to layer in the Summer without becoming a sweaty mess. That white tee and jean combo I love? Still works when it's cold. Add a vest, jacket, scarf, boots, and go. Basics are your friend. Invest in them and wear them different ways.

Here are some staples I'm loving for Fall and my favorite ways to wear them with the basics that are already in your closet.

Plaid & Gingham

Plaid isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Plaid has become a neutral. It goes with anything and can be worn however you like- whether it's around your waste or around your neck.

cyndispivey.com

theodysseyonline.com

stylishwife.com

brandedgirls.com

Vests

I really hate wearing jackets. Especially when you're just going to be running around. No one wants to lug a jacket around. Enter vests.

thesweetestthingblog.com

southerncurlsandpearls.com

uoionline.com 

foiclothing.com

thissillygirlslife.com

Cardigans

Again with the alternative to a jacket. Cuter and still warm.

lizmarieblog.com

buzzfeed.com

lolajefeed.com

fashionqe.com

Boots

You can't have a Fall outfit without boots. I wait all year long to break these babies out. If you're going to get one pair of boots, I'd grab a pair of camel color boots. The color goes with black or brown, they're clean, and pull any outfit together. I have to say I turned my nose up to those "duck boots" that started appearing last year. After all this rain, they're next on my list!

glamradar.com

ae.com

pinkpeonies.com

Leather

Okay. I know I said I don't like jackets. When I do wear a jacket, it's normally leather (unless it's 20 degrees or I'm skiing then I'll bring out the puffer jacket). I know leather can be scary, especially the pants BUT if done right, I think they look great!

stylishwife.com

fashiongum.com

blog.styleestate.com

stephaniesterjovski.com

So when you're out shopping, grab a few things that can be paired with many other things. I try not to buy a lot of "trendy" items because next season they'll be out so invest in a few of these things that are classic and will stick around for a while. P.S. I don't think plaid is going anywhere so all you hipster kiddos and student pastors are good.to.go. ;-)

My Favorite Summer Nail Polishes

It's not a secret that I live for a good Nailpolish and Summer is the best time to experiment with those crazy colors you've been eyeing since December but as of lately I've been more drawn to the more traditional colors...with a twist. These are the ones I'm loving rotating through so far this Summer!

Pale colors are easy, go with everything and every skin tone, and ahem..you can't tell when they start chipping. If I'm having a hard time deciding what color to use, I just go nude. With the nail polish, that is.

I love a bright, orang-y pink & orang-y red even though those colors tend to look better on warmer skin tones but I LOVE them anyways.

My absolute favorite color to wear right now is a good bright cool-toned pink. Again, goes with everything, and looks good on most skin tones.

If you're like me and have to cheat to achieve that warmer skin tone, this is still my go-to. I can't even count how many bottles of this stuff I've bought. I should just buy stock.

What's your favorite sunless tanner?

Pale Cashmere//Passion Fruit//Icing On The Cake//Pinkalicious//Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi

Favorite Posts Of The Week

Hope you all have had a productive, but enjoyable, week. Here's some inspiration to round out your weekend!

How to Fit Everything You Need Into a Carry-On (Seriously) WhoWhatWear.com

I like to pride myself on my packing skills. I used to be such an over-packer until I started flying to FLA when Hux and I were dating and I had to fit a weeks worth of stuff in a carry on because we were both too cheap to pay for a checked bag. Ever since then I love inventing new ways to pack lighter my stuff tighter ;)

Six Secrets To Having A Good Hair Day Every Day! by Career Girl Daily

I love these posts because who doesn't want to wake up "really looking like this?"

13 Ways to Give Your Space a Mini Makeover by LaurenConrad.com

No, I don't technically "work" from home but I do like to have a little area of the house, the living room in our case, where I can sit and have my QT, write thank you notes, or write blog posts. It's my own little space where I can be organized!

5 Easy Workouts for Beginners by Sweet Electric 

For all you folk in high pursuit of your Summer bods, I like little (no workout is little to me) workouts like these. 

Five Spring Beauty Favorites by Little Baby Garvin

I used to be a product junkie. My husband would tell you that I still am but I have actually scaled way down on the product hoarding underneath my cabinet! I just love trying new things. Some things I will repurchase forever (foreshadowing an upcoming blog post?) but with some things I like to experiment. 

Favorite Posts of the Week

Hope you enjoy a little bit of this week's inspiration!

DIY Dollhouse by The Yellow Cape Cod
We don't buy Brooklynn toys. Not because we are bad parents but because she doesn't play with them. She'd rather carry around household items. However, there are two things I think she will eventually get. One being a play kitchen and Two being a dollhouse. I think I about fell over when I saw this. If you know anything about me, you know those big plastic obnoxious toys give me twitches. I'll be DIYing this, for sure.

A Functional and Pretty Vanity by The Small Things Blog

Funcation and pretty. My moto. Only thing left to mention is "simple." 

DIY Skin Firming Coffee Scrub by Rachel Talbott

Another title-catching post. Firming and coffee. I need both -- always. I'm eager to try this soon!

That's all for this week! And next week, too...our team leaves for a mission trip to Jamaica at 6:20am tomorrow! 

See you in a week!

Favorite Posts of the Week

It's that time of the week again. A little inspiration to end your week and take you into next week!

Simple Tips For Taking Better Pictures by One Good Thing by Jillee

One thing that I could definitely be better at is taking pictures but here's the problem: laziness. Changing all the settings depending upon where you are and how much light/shutter you need...makes me tired just thinking about it. This post makes things very easy...like, how-to-take- pictures-for-dummies type of easy.

The Most Dangerous Spot at Target by Thrifty Decor Chick

If you've even just skimmed through my blog, you'll know why this post made the cut this week. I feel like Sarah and I relate on so many levels! She even shows you how she uses everything she found...double bonus:-D

It's no surprise to anyone that knows me (or my family) that we are coffee fan.at.ics. So, this Crazy Coffee post by The Pioneer Woman immediately made my mouth start watering. Just look at the recipe. You better believe I'll be trying this ASAP.

When I can't get to the gym, my go-to workouts are done at home using the Blogilates App on my Tablet. She also has a YouTube channel you can follow. Her Fat Flushing Detox Water post is good for two reasons. 1-It's good for people who don't like water & 2-It's good for people who are lazy. In other words, it's healthy and fast to throw together.

If there were two rooms in a house that I obsess over it's the kitchen and children's rooms. Apartment Therapy is one of my favorite blogs and this post, Golden Child, had me swooning. Aren't all of these rooms to die for?

Happy Almost-Monday!

September Favorites

Every once in awhile I will come across little treasures that I love that I want to share with the world. Here are some things during the month of September that I have loved and that I continue to re-purchase.

Elf Studio Flawless Finish Foundation I don't normally wear foundation. To be honest, I really only break out the foundation when fall comes around and then I really only wear it maybe three times a week when I actually wear makeup. This is my go-to foundation because it's $6 at Target, it covers what it needs to cover, and since I have seriously dry skin, this doesn't accentuate the dryness.

Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara A cult favorite. I have a couple of mascaras that I will rotate through and this is one of them. I only need one coat and my lashes are good to go.

Gap.com

Baseball Tee's - I live in my baseball tee's. My favorite's are from Cotton On and Old Navy but you can really find them anywhere. You can dress them up with cute flats and a chunky necklace or wear them on Saturday with a baseball hat and flip flops. My style = versatile and comfortable.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion My skin has been ridiculously dry the past month around my nose and NOTHING would help. I had a travel size version of this lotion in my bag from the summer time and whipped it out and it has helped more than anything I've used. It's a little heavy and a little greasy feeling but I only use it at nighttime and can really tell a difference when I use it.

GoJane Statement Necklaces This summer for my birthday I treated myself to some of these statement necklaces from gojane because they were having a great deal on them. They are super inexpensive and great quality. Honestly, I wear them a lot to keep Brooklynn entertained. Gotta do what ya gotta do.

The Hunt I discovered this app earlier this month and I gotta say, It's pretty neat. There have been many times when I have come across something on Pinterest and there's no link to the original source. With this, you can screen shot anything you find on the internet, upload it, and other people can tell you where to find it. Whether it be a cute pair of boots or a fun piece of wall art! 

Happy October!

Second Trimester Favorites

As the third trimester comes speeding in, thank goodness, I've rallied up some of the things that have helped get me through.

1. Clearasil Refreshing Superfruit Scrub: I'll start by saying for the first trimester and first half of the second trimester, my skin was...well, hellacious (for lack of a better word) Now I know, this has salicylic acid in it (which is a no-no during pregnancy) but it's fine to use as long as it doesn't sit on your face too long. Now normally I cannot use any kind of face wash/scrub unless it's natural or ultra gentle because my face doesn't like it. But, as everyone says, pregnancy turns the normal into the abnormal and vice versa. Basically, this has tremendously helped my skin!

2. Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter: Along with my skin, i've had crazy dry lips. I use this every day multiple times a day and I'm good to go!

3. Loreal Thickening Shampoo/Conditioner: As some of you know, my hair has decided to start falling out a little earlier than "normal". I picked this up and can already tell a huge difference. Whether it's all psychological or not, I don't care...I feel better! 

4. Bella Vida Maternity Jeans: Picked these babies up from Ross for like $10.00. If you ever see me in jeans, these are them. They get the job done!

5. Heating Pad: This isn't the exact heating pad I use. I stole my parents old heating pad and use it at night when my ribs begin to make popping noises. That's not an exaggeration. They pop.

6. Spring Valley Prenatal Gummies: I could eat these as candy. Enough said.

7. What to Expect When You're Expecting: "The pregnancy bible". I like reading this because I don't have to sit and read the whole thing. You just read as you go throughout your pregnancy because it's broken up into weeks. Light reading = that's me.

8. Pumpkin Spice: I don't think this has anything to do with pregnancy and everything to do with the season but anything Pumpkin is for me (creamer, cake, candle-scented, etc.). I'm not a Krispy Kreme girl either, I prefer the cake donuts from Dunkin but holy moly... the Pumpkin Spice donuts from KK will rock your life. Go get one, or a dozen.

Fall Lusting

I'm going to do a two-parter here when it comes to things I'm lusting over for Fall and then things I'm lusting over for baby girl. You can say there's going to be a lot of sinning going on here. Haha. Since baby girl isn't here yet, I might as well put myself first while I can. Haha, that sounded bad. Anywho, here are the things I'm lusting over for this season!

1. Vests & Booties: I'm thinking that being pregnant is going to clearly work in my advantage this year. Normally, I'm always cold. My husband calls me "cold-blooded". Obviously, I'm not so cold this year {yet} so I'm thinking more times than not I'll just throw on a vest as opposed to my eskimo coat to go out. One perk of pregnancy. I also am determined to dress cute while I have the energy to do so, so booties will keep my feet warmer than flats and they'll give this short girl some height because though pumpkins are cute around the house, they're not so cute to look like. 

2&3. Plaid: I hope plaid never goes out of style. It's a go-to. I'm completely loving the way that you can mix & match plaid with other textures and patterns. It adds a more casual feel to a more dressy piece. And this girl ain't dressy. Which leads to the next one...

4. Casual comfy: If I had to describe my style it would be "laid back yet put together". Chunky sweaters with a cute graphic tee and a statement necklace is my deal. I basically live in leggings and baggy sweaters anyways. I try to get away with it during the Summer time around the house, too,  though it doesn't always work out. 

5. Harem pants: Though I don't own a pair of these, my mom does and they're so cute. It goes along with my laid back yet put together style. I'm not sure how a pregnant girl would rock these, but I'm tempted to try. To balance out the baggy pants, just add a fitted top, some booties with a heel, and you're good!

6&7. Light makeup and a bold nail/lip: Sorry Kardashians, but this year's Fashion Week set the stage for a clean face and eye added with a bold lip. Though I'm a hardcore mascara girl at heart, this would guarantee a faster getting ready approach to your day!

8. Nails: Nails have strayed away from being trendy. What I mean is; anything goes in the Fall. If you want a bright metallic pink nail or a matte black nail, it's okay to go for it! 

As far as home trends go: burlap, lanterns, pumpkins...basically, cozy.

Happy Fall Ya'll,

First Trimester Favs

As my first trimester ends, I thought I'd share some "must-haves" that came in quite handy these past few months. 

1. Fruit: Random, I know, but my taste-buds have craved healthy foods opposed to my usual fried-lovin' self. But don't let it fool ya, I've had my share of McDonald's cheeseburgers ;)

2&3. Mustela Hydration for bust and body: I started off using Palmer's Cocoa Butter to prevent stretch marks and I used it sparingly because of the caffeine in it. But, thanks to my girl Ginny, I'm now using these which feel so much lighter and smell SO much better than Palmer's. That stuff is straight gross. 

4. Be Maternity BeBand (Target): Though I can still fit into all of my pants, they aren't the most comfortable. But heck, what is these days? I can put this over the top of my pants and that way I can leave them open on certain days if need be.

5&6 Saltine's and Ginger Ale: Worked as a kid with an upset stomach. Works as an adult with an upset stomach.

7. Full of Life by Nancy O'dell: Now, I'm no reader, but I read this book in one afternoon. Thank you, Ginny for letting me read :) This is all the little things that no one tells you when you're pregnant. Until now! 

Cheers to the First Trimester,

Warm Weather Essentials

Normally, I would start a post like this by saying something like, "As we welcome in the warm weather...", but if you know anything about living in the south (the Carolina's especially) you'll know weather here can never make up it's mind. So, as the last few chilly days are hopefully leaving town, I'll say "as the warm weather approaches us again...hopefully...soon..." I'm going to tell you my must-have products for the warmer days! Most can be found a drugstore unless stated otherwise :)

1. Clean & Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub

I really can't go without this! Not only because it works but because of how it feels! I like using this after going to the gym because it gets the grime off, or if I have to get up super early (which let's be honest, is once in a blue moon) because it tingles and wakes you up! 

2. Loreal Magic Beautifier BB Cream

This is my favorite BB Cream because it gives the right amount of coverage without feeling cakey. I like it also for warmer months because it helps mattify my face. I have pretty dry skin until the Summer time when the shine comes out! The only down side to this product is I don't believe it has a built-in sunscreen like most BB creams so you'll have to layer that on underneath :)

3. Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo

This is a cult product for me year round but it's especially nice to have in the Summer. I normally only wash my hair 3 times a week and in the Summer when I sweat more, this helps me not look like a hot mess!

4. Tangle Teezer

This little thing has saved my life arm & hair! When I say I have extremely tangly hair, that's an understatement! My high school gym coach used to be so impressed by my arm muscles, especially when he found out they were just from brushing my hair! It's a feat to brush out my hair but with this silly looking "brush" it's a breeze! I don't know where it has been all my life! (You can get it at Sally Beauty Supply)

5. Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri Wheat Leave-in Conditioner (whew, what a name)

I use this product year round but in the Summer my hair doubles in dryness so I use this everytime I wash my hair right out of the shower. It helps the detangling process, keeps my blonde hair from snapping so much, smoothes, and protects it from the heat! (You can get it at Ulta or TJMaxx on occassion)

6. got2b Beach Trippin' Waving Spray

This product saves me so much time in the Summer. My hair is especially thick, especially frizzy, and especially crazy during the hot months so I pass on the straightener and pick this up after I get out of the shower and it helps keep my mane tamed while letting it do it's natural thing (whatever that is, ha!)

7. Elf Mineral Infused Primer

Now, I don't use this a lot! And you can really use any form of face primer! I actually like just using Monistat Chaffing Relief Powder Gel, also! (don't be grossed out, it serves the purpose!) Like I said, my skin is normally very dry but if I'm going somewhere (an outdoor wedding, etc.) where I need my makeup to not sweat off, I like using a silicone based product to keep it on my face! (You can get this at Target or eyeslipsface.com)

8. CoverGirl Lash Blast Waterproof Mascara

Okay, I really hate waterproof mascara because as long as it takes me to get the tangles out of my hair, it takes twice as long to get this baby off my lashes. However, if I ever go out of the house with no makeup on, 99% of the time I have on mascara so yes, I will wear this to pool parties or the beach...call the cops ;)

9. Maybeline Baby Lips

So "maybe I was born with it baby lips", but no anymore. Just like my skin, my lips are dry if I don't keep something on them! I have to have these in the summer! I use them around the house and at the beach because they keep my lips from peeling off, they have a high SPF in them, and a lot of them add color so why not?

Go get you some and enjoy :)

'Til next time,

January Favorites

Per husbands request, I have channeled my inner "blogger" once again and hopefully can keep up with it! The only way I knew I would be able to keep up with it is if my Type-A self made it a part of my schedule. So we'll see how successful I can be. :) Normally on Mondays (according to my new schedule), I will post a weekend/Sunday service re-cap, but this Monday will be an exception because I wasn't in our services yesterday. We had a special guest at the Hux household and Team Church this weekend! The Simpsons spent some of the weekend with us playing the role of our great friends...and Cinderella :) Our church has been navigating through a parenting series for the past couple of weeks, "OMG...I'm a parent!",  and yesterday was centered around raising your daughter, so naturally we needed a princess and Monica is a princess for a living so we hired her for Sunday! We escorted her around the children's areas and it was hilarious watching kids try to put together the fact that Cinderella had left Disney World for the day to come see them!

So, long intro short, today I'll do a little something that I started doing before my hiatus and mention some of my favorite things from the past month! So, let's jump in :)

BEAUTY PRODUCTS

COVERGIRL LASH BLAST VOLUME MASCARA IN BLACK, EUCERIN AQUAPHOR HEALING OINTMENT, LOREAL MAGIC SKIN BEAUTIFIER BB CREAM IN LIGHT, PHILOSOPHY PURITY FACE WASH, CLARISONIC MIA, CLINIQUE ACNE SOLUTIONS SPOT HEALING GEL, NYX BUTT NAKED EYES PALETTE, ESSIE NAILPOLISH IN TOPLESS & BAREFOOT, WET N WILD NAILPOLISH IN TICKLED PINK, TAYLOR SWIFT WONDERSTRUCK "ENCHANTED" PERFUME, BIG PEARL & BOW STUDS (FOREVER21), NYC BRONZER IN SUNNY, REAL TECHNIQUES BRUSHES (MULTI-TASK, EXPERT FACE, & ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION) ULTA EYESHADOW IN CAMEL, STILA LIP PENCIL  IN CHARMING

FAVORITE SONGS

FAVORITE EVENT

Passion 2013

TV SHOWS

 

PIC

VERSE

"You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance."

Psalm 65:11

'Til next time!

Happy Tuesday! {May Favorites}

I'm starting something new...maybe you'll like it :) At the end of every month I'm going to try to post a "monthly favorites" post that includes all the things that I have been loving from that month! So...here's my loves from May - enjoy :)

{Sidenote}Those of you that know me the slightest bit, know that I have one weird obsession for nailpolish! I own probably 50 polishes! Maybe one day I'll do a "polish post". But this month I've had two favorites that I've worn constantly!

Orly : Fancy Fuchsia (My husband loves this one, LOL!)

Essie : Topless and Barefoot (Nailpolish names crack me up!)

Liz Marie...My most favorite design blog right now!

Long Sweaters...with this May weather, I never know what to wear...so I throw these over everything! I have this one from Old Navy in grey that I got for a whopping low price on clearance!

Layered bracelets

Viva La Juicy Perfume by Juicy Couture. I have been eye-ballin' this perfume for QUITE some time now ... then I saw it in Home Goods marked down from $50 to $27.99 Cha Ching :)

Dry Shampoo! I've used the TRESemme FreshSTART for practically the whole month of May...and before that! Love this stuff! It helps me go more than one day without washing my hair! I've just recently started using the Suave Dry Shampoo and the scent is still great and it feels a lot lighter...we will keep using it though to see if I'm convinced that it's better!

mark.'s just pinched color. I use the Cheeky (far left) and LOVE IT!! I use it as blush and a lip color. It stays on and gives me that "dewy face" look that I love! *you can buy it here :)

Hope you enjoyed my May fav's! It will be a few weeks before I post again because we head to Garden City Chapel Beach Camp with the students on Sunday for 5 dayssss!! Please keep them (and us leaders) in your prayers!!

~Chrissie~