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the boden maya maxi dress

6/26/2014

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PictureBoden Maya Maxi Dress $148
When it is hot outside, you don't want to be adding layers and accessories to make your outfit look polished. In fact, you are probably choosing your look based on what has the least amount of pieces. The dress is the ultimate summer outfit because it is easy, light, and fun! If you choose a brightly colored and boldly patterned dress, you can minimize the need for accessories so it becomes the ultimate grab and go option. 

When I saw the Boden summer catalog, I immediately fell in love with the Maya Maxi Dress. It looks effortless, but still has tons of visual interest. I love how the model has added only sandals and a floppy hat, which lets the pattern take center stage. Last week I ordered the dress during Boden's 40% off dresses sale, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. Well, it just arrived this morning and I can say that it exceeds all expectations! Available in regular, long, and petite lengths and in 4 color options (2 of which are solids), this is the must-have dress of the season. 

Although it is hard to see in the full-length photo, underneath the bust line there is a band with great detailing that helps define the waist and give the maxi dress some structure. The photo below highlights that detailing and also shows another color option. (The solid colors available are black and teal.)

Not sure when you would have occasion to wear it? A maxi dress is the perfect piece for street festivals, outdoor concerts, dinners on the patio, and evening walks. For a dressier look, add a couple bangle bracelets and a metallic sandal. If you have a vacation planned, this is a great option to pack because it can effortlessly transition from daytime to dinner. The jersey fabric has some stretch to it and it is machine washable making it the perfect intersection of flattering fit and no-fuss maintenance. 

Like the dress as much as I do? Boden is having a 30% off sale until midnight on Friday so it is the perfect time to update your wardrobe with a stylish piece that will keep you cool all summer long. The Maya Maxi Dress can be found here.

Where is your favorite place to wear a summer dress? Share your ideas in the comments to inspire stylish looks at fun, summertime events!
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Waist Detail on the Boden Maya Maxi
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february birchbox goodies

3/12/2014

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Although I blog about fashion and love clothing, I know very little about makeup and other beauty products. Since there are seemingly endless options to choose from, I joined Birchbox last November. This way I get a variety of samples sent to me each month (for only $10) without having to brave the beauty aisle.

I was definitely overwhelmed when I got my first couple boxes because there were so many new things to try. I only tried a few, select items out of those first boxes, but I am now making an effort to try everything, no matter how out of my comfort zone it is. So this is the first in what I hope will become a monthly installment of reviews of products from my Birchbox. 
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February Birchbox
Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Shampoo & Conditioner
I don't have any strong preferences about shampoo & rarely even use conditioner, so I was pretty skeptical about this set. However, I loved it. I was worried that it would make my hair greasy, but it made it feel light and shiny. I probably still won't use it every day, but it is great for a day when you want your hair to look its best. Plus, the olive oil scent is very neutral so it won't interfere with any other fragrances you want to wear.

Coastal Scents Revealed Palette Sampler
The eyeshadow sampler consists of four neutral colors (bronze, gold, silver, & black), but the full set available in the Birchbox store has 20 color options in it. I don't wear lots of makeup on a daily basis, but I do wear eyeshadow when I dress up. This color set is perfect for that because the colors are shimmery, but not overtly sparkly. 

Harvey Prince Hello Perfume
I find perfume to be one of the hardest things to shop for. I prefer light and citrus-y scents (Clinique Happy is my favorite) because they feel cheerful. Hello is a delicious combo of meyer lemon, mandarin, grapefruit, forsythia, and plumeria that smells like spring. It is fresh enough to wear for day, but sophisticated enough to transition into evening. 
32 Oral Care Effervescent Breath Crystals with IsoVoxy
This is the item in this month's box that I was least interested in. There are a million and one breath fresheners out there, but most of them have a very strong after taste. I don't like tasting peppermint in my mouth for long periods of time, so I am personally a fan of Trader Joe's Gingermints. I tried the lemon flavor of the breath crystals and I was pleasantly surprised that there was not a strong after taste. However, I am still on the fence about these. They are packets of little crystals that dissolve in your mouth, which sounds harmless enough, except the crystals pop and fizzle. You are supposed to swish them around for 60 seconds, which means that for a minute your mouth is full of tiny explosions. It was a very strange sensation and not one I am particularly looking forward to repeating. But the end result was fresh breath without a strong aftertaste, so it ended up being worth the effort. I probably won't buy these on my own, but they were definitely an interesting experience and I'll try the spearmint flavor at some point.

I just received my March Birchbox today so I am looking forward to trying out the new products over the next couple weeks and reporting back to you next week! Want a sneak peek at what's in my March Birchbox? Here you go.
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watches are not obsolete

11/19/2013

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Just a few weeks ago, a friend joked that only the technologically un-savvy still wear watches. When I pushed up my sleeve to show off the watch I wear everyday, I was met with astonishment. Then the inevitable question: "Why don't you just use your phone to tell the time?"

1. People are less offended when you glance at your watch than when you
pull out your phone. Even if you're only checking the time, the phone can feel like a barrier to conversation. The other person can't see your screen so for all they know, you are reading a quick email or surfing the web. Plus, with the movement to ban smartphones from social occasions such as weddings and dinners out, you don't want to be left wondering if it's 8pm or 1am.

2. A watch is one of the most practical accessories. It can double as a bracelet without making you feel overdressed. Since I wear a watch everyday, I rarely wear bracelets because I am already rocking a statement piece on my wrist. My watches are among my most complimented accessories.

3. You get to show off a piece of your personality. A watch says a lot about your style. Are you classic, sporty or trendy? The options are almost endless.
I got my first watch in elementary school, a Timex with a very thin, black leather band. A few years later when my classmates were wearing the oversized Baby G watches in bright colors, I still gravitated towards narrow bands and classic, clean lines. That first watch had a huge impact on my style for almost twenty years! So when I was given the opportunity to review a watch for Timex, I decided to try out something new.
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This is the Timex Dress Chronograph in gold. I love that this design is classic and can be worn for many seasons, but that it also embraces the current trend of larger, more masculine watches for women.
After wearing small watches for so many years, I was a little worried that a larger watch would be cumbersome. Instead, I was surprised by how light it felt on my wrist. Although I normally wear silver jewelry, I love that the gold tone can really warm up an outfit. And the best part of a great watch is that it works with all of your outfits, from casual to work to dress! You might finding yourself cuffing or scrunching up your sleeves just to show off your timepiece!

For me, one of the most important factors in choosing a watch is that it will stand up to everyday life. My past experience with Timex watches has been very favorable in that regard. Their motto is "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking®" and that is what makes their product not just stylish, but practically stylish. Features like an Indiglo light and the date on the watch face also help make this fashion statement more than just a pretty face.

What is your wristwatch style? Let me know in the comments. And if you don't have a watch you love yet, check out some favorites from Timex.
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Disclaimer: I was provided with the Timex Dress Chronograph to review, however all opinions stated here are my own.
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the new Jockey volumetric bra

10/6/2013

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    I hate bra shopping because I always feel like I end up settling. That is why I was so excited that Jockey was a sponsor for BlogHer13. I had read about their new volumetric fit system online and had even watched the videos and hoped that they would have a booth so I could talk to someone about the new product. But they went one step further by giving all the attendees a free fit kit of their own and it was the most exciting piece of swag I got all weekend. Now it has been over two months since BlogHer which I will pretend has been because I have been dutifully trying out my new bra and not just because I keep forgetting to write this post.

    So for anyone unhappy with their current bra, my short answer is try out their new collection. Long answer: even though I was very excited about the possibility, it surpassed my expectations. For anyone curious about how the fit kit works, I would suggest checking out their video because it will give a much better explanation than I could hope to. Basically you receive a set of ten molded plastic cups and a tape measure. You use the tape measure to determine the size of your band and the molded cups for your cup size. This gives a more customizable size than a traditional bra. Word to the wise: the molded plastic cups are the the size that the fabric cup of the bra will be. After years of "full coverage" bras not really covering as much as I had hoped, I was wary about the sizing and ended up ordering up a cup size. Huge mistake. It arrived and I immediately realized that I should have just followed the instructions and not second guessed myself.

    I did exchange it for the correct size (trust in the fit kit!) and it really lived up to the hype. The edges are so smooth that you can't see any lines even under even the flimsiest of t-shirts and their claim of a more comfortable resin alternative to underwire (of which I was quite dubious) was true. After wearing the Jockey bra for a couple weeks, I can barely believe that I was ever satisfied with my previous bras. As a large-chested woman, it is the greatest feeling in the world to be able to forget that I am wearing a bra. No surreptitious adjustments required here. You truly have to try it on to believe the difference it can make.

    Even the two small issues I have do not dampen my enthusiasm. The first is that exchanges have to be done over the phone and you end up having to send the original back as a return and just order a new one. It's not a huge deal, but I do prefer filling out an exchange form to send back with my item so I can avoid multiple credit card charges while I wait for a refund. The second is that these bras are truly full coverage so they don't work with my wrap dresses or shirts that have a deep v. Basically if you are trying to show off some cleavage, part of this bra is going to show. However, they only have a limited selection of the volumetric bras right now so hopefully as they continue to refine the product they will be able to offer demi styles.

    As an everyday bra, this is truly incredible. The tag line for the volumetric series is "the closest thing to custom" and that is what it feels like. If you have any misgivings about your current bra, order a fit kit online or head over to one of their stores. And don't think that you have to be a DD to benefit from their new sizing format; the 10 different cup sizes instead of the traditional A-DD give many more options for women of all sizes. It was one of the easiest and most rewarding bra fittings I have ever had and best of all, I got to do it in the privacy of my own home!
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