Do you dress up for Thanksgiving, or is it more of a casual holiday for your family? I would say that my family wavers between totally casual and a little festive. I can't quite imagine having to go to a Thanksgiving where you needed to really dress up, you really need some space for a little turkey baby belly!
Last year we managed to schedule just one, quiet Thanksgiving for ourselves, but that won't be the case for 2018! We're planning to drive out west for Jeff's dad's family Thanksgiving in the morning where there are usually at least 15 people present between all of Jeff's aunts, uncles and cousins, and where one uncle usually "carves" the steaming hot turkey with his hands instead of a knife! Then we'll head up north to my parents' house to hopefully catch a little football (for Jeff) and a nap (for me) before we go to my grandma's house, where it should already be completely decked out for Christmas and we're expecting at least 20 of my extended family. Phew, I'm tired just thinking about it, but also excited for two servings of mashed potatoes in one day ;)
I'll probably be sticking with my pregnancy uniform of a cardigan and leggings for all of the eating and travel, but here are two outfit ideas for Thanksgiving in case you're looking for some inspiration.
I'm not sure when it happened, but I somehow went from owning one or two winter hats (a black option and a white option of course) to a huge collection. A colorful beanie can make an otherwise boring winter coat (or fall outfit) so much more fun! I mean, how cute is the pink?! Especially with my sneakers, which are back in stock in pink! After buying this bright red/orange hat last winter, I had too add pink and green to my closet.
These hats from J.Crew are the best. They're actually thick, and the double layer over your ear actually keeps those cold Chicago winds out. Am I the only one who has to have my ears covered when it's the least bit windy? I always end up borrowing Jeff's wrap earmuffs (you know the kind all the business men wear that fold down flat - not the cutest haha) when we're out on not too cold days because the wind makes my ears hurt!
In contrast, I would not recommend the hats that J.Crew Factory makes - not as warm, and they definitely don't keep the wind out!
So now that you know my strange ear preferences, I guess we can call it a day ;)
...kicked things off by babysitting Jeff's baby sister Isabella on Friday night. Jeff had never babysat for an infant before and it was so cute watching him figure it out. Of course he literally spent two hours staring at the baby monitor to make sure she was breathing - it's going to be a little tough for him when we have a kid haha! Thinking about getting one of those overly expensive socks that monitor the baby's vitals to give him some peace of mind.
...since we were in the Gold Coast, we ordered in dinner from Nico Osteria, and oooo girl that place is good! Must be fun to have that place be your corner restaurant, in contrast to the dive bar by our house ;)
...got a ton of stuff out of the baby's room and donated, and somehow the room still feels full! We had to make some space though because our crib and dresser are getting delivered today!! I'm working on a post on our nursery design inspo to come soon, so stay tuned!
...went with Jeff to a Bull's game on Saturday night. They lost, but there were snacks and I always enjoy watching Benny the Bull throw popcorn on the opposing fans, so it was a good night for me ;)
...spent a ton of time finishing up freelance projects and doing laundry and starting to think about packing because we're leaving for Hawaii on Thursday!!! It's half a family trip with Jeff's extended family, and half a babymoon for us. You'd think since I'm pregnant I'd be buying tons of new stuff to wear, but I haven't actually bought anything! (Besides a donut pillow and compression socks for the plane!) I've determined I still have swimsuits that fit, and we're trying to pack in just carry-ons so I'm just going to be bringing mostly shorts & tees with cute accessories, and a couple of my roomier dresses.
Here's hoping you had a good one!
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Happy Friday!! We have minimal plans this weekend, which I am very excited about since I spent all week recovering from a cold. Colds are not fun regularly, and are super not fun when you're pregnant and the internet tells you that any medicine you take will do something terrible to or the baby (just a note, my doctor said taking Tylenol was fine, but it is way less effective than Nyquil!!)
Here are my finds for this week. Now that we're past Halloween it's time to start shopping for holiday clothes, aka my favorite things ever. How freaking cute are those red flats?!
I'm at the point now where I still buy a ton from Sephora, but try to limit my shopping only during sale times. I mean, if you can get your favorites for 20% off, why not?! I came back from my weekend away at a friend's wedding to discover that there was a sale going on (currently only for Rouge level), and I placed an order right away!
The remaining sale dates are:
11/2 – 11/5: Rouge Bonus Weekend
11/9 – 11/12: VIB Member Access
11/16 – 11/19: Beauty Insider Member Access
If you aren't currently a member at Sephora, just sign up here and you'll get access during the Beauty Insider dates.
I really can't believe this is a holiday sale already, but when you look at the sale dates I guess it makes sense! I think the point is to order some of the new holiday sets that came out, but I scoured through all of the pages of holiday sets and only saw one worth purchasing - the Urban Decay Setting Spray Duo which basically gets you two for the price of one. Besides that, I just reordered some of my favorites! Here are my top picks from the sale:
MAKEUP:
Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara - this has been my favorite for years now - it's great for lengthening and thickening! They still have this adorable glitter anniversary packaging in stock, how cute!
Urban Decay Lash Subversion - a lash primer that helps you get even more length and volume from your mascara. I use this under my mascara every day and love that it gives more staying power and prevents flaking.
Laura Mercier Longwear Concealer - the last time I went in for a makeover at Sephora they used this on me, and I love it! It doesn't crease and gives me really heavy coverage without looking like it's really heavy coverage, if that's even possible ;) I use color 1N.
Urban Decay All Nighter Spray - I originally purchased this three years ago but only used it sporadically since I didn't typically wear foundation. But now that I'm wearing foundation on the daily, I've been using this every day to make sure my makeup stays in place all day - it definitely works! The makeup artist at the wedding this weekend even used it on all of us. If you'll be using this frequently, there's a holiday two pack that'll get you two sprays for the price of one, which is what I ended up purchasing!
Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector - I've been using this for about six months now and love the additional bit of brightness it adds to my under eye. I have a feeling once the baby comes and I'm pressed for time, I'll just be using this on its own as a quick fix.
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder - another undereye product - it's a powder that adds additional brightness also. I bake this under my eyes to ensure my concealer stays put all day.
Bare Minerals Original Foundation - I started using this on the daily after pregnancy hormones started making me breakout like a teenager! It somehow almost covers all of the redness on its own without the help of concealer. I also love that it's a powder foundation, which helps me feel like I'm not wearing foundation at all. I would just recommend not going too heavy when applying or it can start to look cake-y. This definitely made its way into my shopping cart for a repurchase - I use the shade Fairly Medium.
HAIR:
T3 Whirl Trio - I bought this during a previous sale and it has totally changed my hair curling game. I definitely notice that my hair curls faster and that the curls last longer. I've even woken up the next day with my curls still intact! I love the interchangeable barrels too, I use the big barrel for when I want more casual waves or when my hair is longer, and the smaller barrel for more defined curls. The interchangeable barrels also means this is great for traveling since you can take it apart. It's definitely a splurge, but the sale price helps!
T3 Hair Dryer - over the summer my old hair dryer started sparking at me (a hair fire is definitely not how I want to start the day!) so I ended up buying this during the last Sephora sale. I have to admit, I partially bought it because it matched the trio and the travel hair dryer I already own, but I'm so glad I did! It dries my hair amazingly fast, and I love that the buttons are on the back so I don't accidentally hit them while I'm drying my hair. The dryer also has a cool button that actually blows out cool air, which if you've tried a lot of driers you know is not always the case!
Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast - I use this every time I curl my hair and love it - it's definitely a game changer! My curls used to start out full of volume but fall by the end of the day. With this spray, they stay big and full all day long! I occasionally use this on straight hair too, but don't notice it makes as big a difference then.
HOME:
Nest Pumpkin Spice Candle - the perfect fall scent! I ordered one during the last sale and it's nearly gone, so I added another to my order to get me through Thanksgiving.
Nest Birchwood Pine Candle - and this is my favorite holiday scent - just like a fresh Christmas tree! I order the giant size during this sale every year and it usually lasts me through the month of December.
SKINCARE:
L'Occitane Hand Creme Mini - I always have one of these in my purse, I'm literally addicted to hand lotion and love this size because it fits in even my smallest handbags. These hand cremes feel so luxurious and keep my hands soft and hydrated. The cherry blossom scent is my favorite!
OLEHENRIKSEN Power Peel Transforming Facial System - I've been noticing as I get older that the pores on my face are getting bigger, and this mask makes the immediately look better, and the effect lasts for days! I also love the pods and three step system - it's weirdly fun to put on. I just ran out trying to prep my skin for this wedding, so this definitely made it into my cart!
Herbivore Coco Rose Body Scrub - I use this in the shower on the weekends and it feels so luxurious and makes my skin feel amazing. I usually just put it on my arms and legs, but now I've been using it on my belly also for a little extra moisture as it grows to try to prevent stretch marks.
Origins Out of Trouble Mask - I initially bought this years ago and actually just managed to finish my first bottle! I use this just on my chin which is my trouble spot (and makes for a really good look - nothing like a Santa goatee!) and helps prevent and heal acne.
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Over my long weekend, I went to not one, but two rehearsal dinners with "casual" dress codes. Let me tell you, a casual dress code for a normally dressy event like a rehearsal dinner or a wedding is basically the most confusing thing. Some people will still really dress up because they feel the event calls for dressing up, whereas other people will show up in jeans. I always try to ride the middle in this type of situation, with some pieces that feel more dressed up but casual elements too.
To break it down for this outfit - just wearing a dress in itself can make your outfit feel dressed up, while the actual fabric (it's just basically a giant tee shirt) help it hit that casual note. According to my sister, the tights also make me look dressed up, although really, they're just tights ;) And the color helps too - black automatically looks dressier than other colors.
Instead of choosing heels, I went with my favorite casual booties which brought things down a notch, and added a longline cardigan for a little more visual interest (and warmth since we've already hit icy tundra stage in Chicago!). A cardigan like this is great because it really toes the line - it's appropriate with a dress, with jeans, with leggings, and even with dress pants for work. Oh and my jewelry - this long necklace reads casual, while a sparkly statement necklace or statement earrings would dress things up a little more.
In case you're wondering what I wore for the second rehearsal dinner, it was basically this outfit but with the black tights, booties, and bag. Outfit repeats for the win!
Oh and hey, look at that bump! We're at 23 weeks right now and I'm feeling the baby kick a lot - especially after I down some ice cream ;)
Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some and a little to others, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2017 budget here.
Yay for fall, the season of plaid and sweaters!! I know that come January I will be so tired of wearing sweaters, but for now I'm all about it! Here's what I purchased in October:
J.Crew Factory Plaid Scarves - originally $29.50, on sale $17.70 x2. I ordered one of these last year and loved it, so I snagged a few more when they were on sale. I wear these with my winter coats but also just over a sweater or tee. New Balance Sneakers - originally $69.99, used coupon $49.99. I saw these on Jill and basically had to have them - I mean, how cute is the leather tag?! These are also the sock style of sneaker that I love, which makes them super comfortable and also means they easily slip on and don't need to be worn with socks. J.Crew Factory Plaid Flannel Shirt - originally $42.50, on sale $25.50. I'm just getting to the point where I'm having a hard time buttoning shirts, so I've been wearing this open over a tee shirt. I love the white base, it's different than everything else in my closet and will be fun for the holidays but doesn't scream Christmas so I'll be able to wear it outside the holidays too. Loft Open Cardigan- originally $59.50, on sale $29.75, used giftcard $0. I discovered a couple gift cards from last Christmas and ended up ordering this - it's so cute and luxe looking in real life! I've only worn it once because Jeff spilled beer all over it and it's been in the laundry pile since then, but I'm excited to get more use out of it! Oh and just a note, I don't know what the fabric is but it's basically impermeable, because I didn't notice being spilled on until Jeff freaked out haha ;) Definitely size down - I ended up getting a medium and the fit is perfect. Loft Striped Poncho - originally $69.50, on sale $34.75, used giftcard $0. I wanted another layer since cardigans are basically my pregnancy uniform, and this one definitely fit the bill. Just a note that this is not particularly warm, probably better if you're in the South and have not already entered winter haha. I usually size down in Loft ponchos but ordered the L/XL because it was the only thing available at the time, and the fit is actually fine. J.Crew Factory Sweaters - originally $49.50, on sale $29.70 x2. This was another favorite from last year that I reordered. I got XLs this time (last year I ordered larges) to be able to wear them for longer and the fit is way oversized but not enough to look crazy. I wore one here, and you can see that they typically fall off of one shoulder which I think is cute, but if you want them to fit less oversized I would size down. J.Crew Quilted Field Jacket - originally $168, on sale $100.80. I've been wanting this for over a year now and decided to pull the trigger during a sale earlier this year. It was backordered in the tall sizes for six weeks, but finally got delivered and was definitely worth the wait. I love that it's warmer than my regular field jacket and has snaps on the sides to make the fit more flattering. I'm hoping to get a lot more wear out of it this fall before my belly gets too big!
Total Spent: $271.09
Total Saved: $167.40
For November, I'll probably be looking for some holiday pieces (it's my favorite to dress for!) but I also already ordered a few things (including this vest) that I'm waiting to come that have already taken a chunk of the budget for the month.
Did you score any good deals this month??
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