I'm a sucker for fall and winter trends, and one that I particularly love every single year is velvet. I love velvet anything and everything. You name it, I love it. Velvet loafers, velvet dresses, velvet blazers - I want it all!
I just bought this velvet wrap skirt that I think is in the most perfect color for this time of year and the holiday season! It got me thinking that I needed to share some of the other velveteen things that have caught my eye.
I think most people associate this trend as being something more appropriate for dressier occasions, and while I agree, I think it's a great casual every day item, too. A pair of velvet sneakers with dark skinny jeans and a comfy is a great option for a casual Friday work outfit. I also love the look of an all black outfit with a bright velvet choker. Or a velvet dress with a flannel or chambray shirt! Love it.
I rarely share very personal things on my blog or YouTube, but today I would like to talk to you about my grandma.
My grandma was quite the lady. She was born in the Philippines in the 1920s and moved to America with her husband, my grandpa, and my mom in the early 1980s. She worked as a pharmacist and throughout my life always told me the good and not-so-good things about any prescriptions. She was funny and laughed at all my jokes. She told me when she thought I look pretty; I always knew the comment was coming just by the way she smiled. She was the best cook, and to this day, I still compare all Filipino food to hers.
She was so upset when my grandpa passed away in 2013. In fact, I think it was the first time I'd ever seen her cry. She spent the next 13 years without him because she was too strong to do anything else. And that's why it was such a surprise when she was diagnosed with lung cancer last fall.
My grandma? Lung cancer? She never smoked or even had a sip of alcohol a day in her life! I still remember that the day she got the diagnosis, I had it in my mind that she was just going to take some medicine to make the pain go away, not get life-changing news.
I spent the rest of 2015 in NJ, my apartment in the city pretty much forgotten. We all tried to carry on with life as if nothing was really different, minus a really scary Stage 4 diagnosis reminder that was always in the back of our minds. For several weeks, she was doing so well. She was happy on her birthday, still laughed at all of my jokes, and kept trying to feed me more rice than I could ever eat. But then, as expected, things took a turn in November. She passed away on a cloudy Saturday just after Thanksgiving.
Today would have been my grandma's 91st birthday. It's very strange to think that it's been nearly a full year without her. In the beginning, the sad days seemed to outnumber the happy ones. But then life goes on and everything goes back to the way it was. I can look back fondly on the years I spent with my grandma and know that they were happy ones.
I signed up for Influenster in 2012 because it seemed like a such a cool program. And guess what? It is! You don't need to be some super popular blogger or YouTuber to join. Influenster is for anyone and everyone! You can go on their website and read and write reviews to see what everyone else is loving. And they cover a ton of products - makeup, hair care, coffee, snacks, clothing. You name and I bet it's there.
And if you want to receive free products all you need to do is connect your social media accounts, answer a survey whenever its sent to you, and voila! A VoxBox will most likely be headed your way. I promise you'll love it once you get started!
Want to know what type of boxes you might receive? Here ya go! I filmed a unboxing video because I was so excited about this collaboration box with Bustle. Make sure to watch and then go sign up!
Over the weekend, I took on the daunting task of decluttering all of my make up and nail polish. I let go of a ton of things that I just wasn't using, and I'm so happy about it! It was honestly such a relief. I highly suggest doing this since you're most likely going to find things that you haven't used or things that have expired. I promise it's super helpful and that you'll be so glad to have cleared up some space in your makeup collection.
... Especially since that means more space for new makeup goodies ;]
When I moved to NJ, I noticed that my work wardrobe changed almost immediately. Part of it, I'm sure, is because I'm a lot happier living here. And I think the other half is that I actually wanted to look nice when I walked into my office. I'm not saying that I looked like a slob previously, but I definitely wasn't putting in the same amount of effort.
And ever since that started, I'm constantly looking for work-appropriate clothing when I'm shopping. I work in a pretty casual office so there are some things that I can definitely get away with that definitely would not be OK in a corporate office. I have a few rules and tips that I wanted to share with you that I think apply to any office or work place.
1. If your shoe makes a sound when you walk, don't wear it. Aka, it's never acceptable to wear any style or height of flip flops to work.
2. A top that shows cleavage should be worn for weekends and nights out. Really low-cut tops or v-necks are really inappropriate for desk life. If you really want to wear it, I highly suggest wearing it with a cami underneath.
3. If the top is so sheer that you can see your bra, rule #2 applies here. Again, wearing a cami underneath makes it much more acceptable to wear. Or save it for happy hour.
4. Don't wear a skirt or dress that you're worried is too short. I've learned that if I'm worried that it's too short, it most likely is. Remember that rule in Catholic school about whether or not your skirt reached the end of your fingertips? Yeah, that applies for the work place, too.
5. Your shirt or blouse needs to cover your behind if you're wearing leggings. I'm a firm believer that you can make leggings work as pants. But that's only if your top covers your bum. If not, leave those leggings for the gym.
6. Cover up those bra straps! Please, please, please don't let your bra straps show. If you don't have a strapless bra to wear or can't tuck them in, wear a cardigan or a button-up. Or don't wear that outfit at all and save it for another day.
7. If worse comes to worse, it's always better to be overdressed than underdressed. And you know what? Being overdressed and looking polished often means that more people will take you seriously.
There aren't really any hard set rules since those who work in a conservative setting or creative space will have standards that differ. These just happen to be my top 7 rules that I always keep in mind when shopping and getting dressed in the morning. And since we're talking about shopping, I also wanted to share my top five favorite places to buy work clothing!
Those that know me know that I love a good sale. And we're right in the middle of a really great Shopbop sale! I've been browsing the site since yesterday, and added so many things to my cart before realizing that I needed to restrain myself. I put together my top picks to share what's on my radar in terms fall and winter fashion. Nearly everything on the Shopbop site is on so I'm sure something will catch your eye ;]
Use the code MAINEVENT16 to get up to $30 off your purchase.
CLICK TO SHOP!
Things are going fast so don't wait to get what you want! If I wasn't watching my spending right now, more than a few of these would end up in closet. But I'm trying to be good so I only plan on purchasing one or two {... or three} things. I'd love to know what you're getting!
And don't worry, East Dane is on sale too so the guys can pick up a few things!
Vests are one of my staple pieces for the fall and winter seasons. Not only are they great for an added layer of warmth in colder weather, but they're so stylish nowadays. I own quite a few already but am always looking for more to add to my closet. I can't help it. It's like I have an addiction to vests. Quilted, faux fur, fleece... I want them all and I want lots of them!
Here are some of my must-haves for this fall and winter!
I love the J. Crew Excursion vests. The quilting adds such a classic touch, and it pairs well with everything. I purchased the plush fleece vest just before going to Minnesota and have been wearing it non-stop. A long plaid vest might not immediately seem like a staple item to you, but I promise it is! I purchased something very similar last season, and it's one of my go-tos for work. I wear mine with simple dresses, jeans and booties, and skirts with knee-high boots. It's much easier to style than you think!
If you're thinking about scooping up a J. Crew vest {or really anything from J. Crew}, make sure to purchase it today since there's free shipping and 30% off sale the ends tonight!
I got back from Minnesota on Monday night and immediately started working on this video. I was just so excited to share another travel video that I jumped right into it! There were so many clips {literally over an hour's worth} that it was hard to edit it into just a five minute montage, but I did it!
I hope you all enjoy this little peek into my life! And get ready to see a whole lot of red, white, and blue...
