A LOYAL LOVE

SHOP & STAY - A FAMILY STAYCATION AT NATIONAL HARBOR

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 10:00:00 +0000

This past weekend we had the opportunity to take our first mini vacation as a family of four. The destination: The National Harbor - a shopping, dining, and resort oasis just outside of DC in Oxon Hill, MD. I was invited by Tanger Outlets National Harbor to “Shop & Stay," shop Tanger Outlets and stay at the Gaylord National. Tanger Outlets let me in on the many ways to save money on their wide array of designer brands, and the Gaylord National treated me to some of their new salon services at Relache Spa. Keep reading to learn more and get some tips on traveling to The National Harbor with a family.

Shop: Tanger
Tanger is home to some of my favorite clothing brands like Theory, Kate Spade, Coach, Cole Han, and H&M. At Theory I saw several cute, linen (this seasons most popular fabric) dresses, and they were all 40% off, plus an additional 20%. Coach was offering 70% off their clearance bags, shoes, and jackets with an additional 20% off, and Kate Spade had clothing and accessories up to 70% off. The prices were unbelievable! I took home a pair of floral pants from H&M and some buttery, leather sandals from Steve Madden (see next picture). On both items I got an additional 20% off using coupons available in the Tanger Outlet Mobile app. There are many ways to save at Tanger Outlet National Harbor. Here’s how to make sure you’re getting the best deals:

Five Ways to Save More at Tanger Outlets National Harbor
1. Join TangerClub for exclusive deals
2. Download the Mobile App to track your spending and rewards
3. Text TANGER to 55695 to sign up for Text Deals
4. Follow Tanger Outlets National Harbor on Instagram and Facebook for giveaways and events
5. Use Tanger's Best Price Promise to pay you the difference if you find a better price elsewhere

For Families: Since both my husband and 3 year old daughter, Blair, have a low threshold for shopping, they spent some time at Tanger's Children’s Play Area while my son napped in his stroller. I took a few shopping breaks to go nurse him and loved seeing that Tanger provides private nursing areas on site.

Stay: Gaylord National
After shopping we checked-in to our room at the Gaylord National. Our room included a comfy king size bed and a balcony overlooking the hotel atrium with a view of the Potomac River in the distance. The room provided plenty of space to set up our travel bassinet for my son.

We've been lacking sleep lately as my newborn son, Brantley, is still waking up several times at night to nurse. I was feeling pretty anxious about how and if any of us would get sleep staying together in the same room, but I’m happy to report that by 8pm everyone was sound asleep (everyone but me). Brantley had a nice first stretch of sleep and then woke up a few times in the early morning to nurse. My biggest concern was that Blair, my champion sleeper, wouldn’t get any rest, but she slept well. I woke up a few times to find her sprawled out on the bed - head on my chest, hands stretched out onto my face, and feet on my husband. She later told us she loves sleeping at hotels.

Relache Spa - New Express Bar
In the morning, I slipped away to Relache Spa for some me-time and to try out their new express services - beauty treatments designed for their guests who don’t have a lot of time to spare but still want to squeeze in some self-care and pampering. Perfect for this Mom traveling with her family. All services take 25 min or less and cost $65 or less. I got to try out the LED eye treatment, eye and lip treatments, the express facial, how to brow, hand massage, and blowout. The express facial only took 15 minutes, and I saw immediate results. My skin felt rejuvenated, firmer, and glowed for the rest of the day. Currently, the Express Bar services are only available for walk-in appointments.

For Families:Feeling refreshed, I met back up with my family to take the kids to the huge, heated, indoor pool and the outdoor splash pad. Again, Brantley napped in his stroller while Blair had the time of her life.

After showering and packing up the car (thank you Gaylord for the late checkout!), we walked down to the National Harbor to ride The Capital Wheel. On the way, we stopped to play in the beachy sand by The Awakening sculpture.

The Capital Wheel
Blair was nervous and SO excited to ride The Capital Wheel. I’m mildly afraid of heights myself and was also nervous, but The Capital Wheel is unlike any other ferris wheel I’ve been on. It's completely enclosed, air conditioned, and plays music. I loved watching Blair point out all the things she recognized from inside the gondola. We could even see the Washington Monument in the distance.

For Families: We parked our stroller at the bottom in the stroller parking area and took Brantley inside the gondola in his car seat carrier.

Lessons Learned: Traveling with a 3-year-old and a Newborn
Taking a vacation close to home (aka staycation) is a good way to practice traveling with kids. If you forget something major (we didn’t) or the kids completely freak out (they didn’t), you’re close enough to home to remedy the situation. In the future, we'll make sure our hotel room has two beds so Blair can have her own, and we can sleep without limbs in our face, or even better, book a suite or adjoining rooms so my husband and I can spend some time together without fear of waking the kids.

It was such a fun little trip, and I’m already thinking about my next visit to the The National Harbor. Next time, we want to ride the Carousel and pedal boats and check out Tanger's deals on kids clothes.

Have you ever been to The National Harbor? What's your favorite thing to do there?

Thank you to Tanger Outlets National Harbor and the Gaylord National for hosting us and partnering with me on this post. A really big thank you to Tanger Outlets National Harbor for being so kind to my family and making special accommodations for them. As always all opinions are my own.

MY HOSPITAL BAG FOR BABY 2

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Tue, 01 May 2018 15:28:00 +0000

After feeling like I packed way too much stuff for the birth of my first child, I took a more minimalist approach to my hospital bag this time around. It's important to note that I have no problem using and wearing all the supplies provided by the hospital (gowns - birth is messy, no slip socks, pillows, baby shirts, diapers, blankets, etc.). There's so much to think about as you get closer to your due date - why not take advantage of what the hospital has to offer.

Labor Bag
ID and insurance card (I actually forgot this. My mom had to take a picture for us.)
Phone
Charger w Long Cord
iPad & Headphones*
Flip flops
Face Wipes
Hair Ties
Comb
Lip Balm
Snack Bars

Postpartum Bag
For Me
Going home outfit
T-shirt gown and soft robe
Button-up PJs
Belly Bandit*
Nursing pillow*
Disposable nursing pads
Motherlove nipple cream
Nursing bras
Hand Lotion
Dry Shampoo
Make-up
Hand sanitizer
Prenatal vitamins (small supply in a zip-loc bag)
Travel toiletries: face wash, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant
DSLR camera*
Letterfolk board and props

My mom DIY'd this t-shirt dress for me using this tutorial.

For Dad
Blanket
Pillow
Extra set of clothes
Toiletries: deodorant and toothbrush
(He made daily trips home to check on our daughter and showered and changed there.)

For Baby
Going home outfit w gloves
Muslin swaddle blanket
Car seat installed

*Things I packed but didn't end up using at the hospital.

SHOP THIS POST:

5 THINGS FROM THE JPMA BABY SHOW THAT ARE ON MY BABYLIST

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 10:00:00 +0000

I kept most of my daughter's baby stuff with thoughts that we might have another child. Now that those thoughts have come to fruition, it's been a relief to not have to worry about investing in too many new things. We've also had cousins and friends hand down so many wonderful clothes (he's set for his first year) and a few supplies. However, if you've been following me on Instagram Stories, you've seen that I just can't help myself from buying a few items on sale for baby. I've also discovered that since having Blair over 3 years ago, so many new products have come out that would help make my newborn months go a little smoother.

MY BABYLIST
I created a BabyList to help me keep track of the few items that I still need for baby and some items that would be nice to have if I can find them on sale. I also have some very sweet and generous people in my life that want to give gifts, and I find it's best to give ideas. Babylist is a registry that allows you to add anything from any store into one list.

JPMA BABY SHOW
I attended my first ever baby show last month called the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) Baby Show where almost 300 baby and kid brands were there showing their latest products. I had the best time, left with some goodies, and added some items to my Babylist. Keep reading to find out which items I saw from the show that are on my Babylist.

1 . CHICCO FASTASLEEP GO PLAYARD
Playards or pack-n-plays are great for traveling. It's one item I never purchased for my daughter but have borrowed many times when we've traveled. We have a family road trip planned in August, so I knew I really wanted to have one this time. I saw this playard while researching best travel cribs. It's a brand new design, and the Chicco rep was demo-ing it when I walked by (side note: I learned at the show that Chicco is pronounced Kee-Ko and not Chee-Ko). There are three features that sold me on this playard:

(1) Easy to assemble and disassemble - Basically snaps open. The pack-n-plays we've borrowed always had some sequence of events that needed to occur to get them opened and then closed. They definitely weren't easy.
(2) Easy to carry - Folds simply into a carrying bag.
(3) Padded mattress velcros securely and folds in half - This prevents your child from ripping the mattress out while standing on it like the typical trifold mattresses. Blair has done this a few times in revolt of sleep.

2. SNUGGLE ME SENSORY LOUNGER
Baby loungers have become super popular. Just about every new mom I follow on Instagram owns a baby lounger / baby positioner because they're designed to offer a snug, soothing, womb-like environment for babies and toddlers. They are known amongst moms to help baby sleep better. Just the sheer popularity of this brand had my curiosity peaked, and I was highly considering them until I saw Snuggle Me in-person. I chose (and purchased at the JPMA Baby Show for an amazing deal!) the Snuggle Me Lounger over other brands because of its patented center sling that gently pulls in against baby - giving the feeling of a hug. The narrow width forms a tight fit around baby's torso (no open spaces around baby) and prevents baby from rolling. It's also made of 100% organic cotton.

3. NEW SWADDLES
Swaddling was something I found very helpful with comforting Blair during her first few months of sleep and because of that, lovingly passed them down to Blair's cousin. Those swaddles have since been passed on to another new niece, so I knew I wanted to get more swaddles.

- SUMMER INFANT SWADDLE
The Swaddle Me swaddles from Summer Infant were a life saver with Blair. In our lack of sleep we could never really get the muslin swaddle blankets wrapped tight enough to be affective. Blair always managed to slip an arm out which would wake her up. The Swaddle Me is a velcro swaddle that is super easy to snuggly wrap around baby. I got to see these new prints in-person and was reminded how much I love and needed these swaddles.
- LOVE TO DREAM SWADDLE UP
I'd never heard or seen this swaddle prior to the baby show. It features a patented design that allows you to swaddle your baby with their arms up, a more natural position. Most babies have a desire to have access to their hands to self-soothe by stroking their own cheeks or sucking on their hands. Based on my experience with Blair, I can see the value in allowing baby to have their arms up, so I'm very curious to try out this swaddle.

4. FRIDABABY DERMAFRIDA THE SKINSOOTHERI love the FridaBaby brand. I think their most popular product is the NoseFrida snot sucker. It sounds disgusting but is so necessary when baby gets congested. I've used it so much and still do with Blair. She's gotten really good at blowing her nose, but the additional help doesn't hurt. Blair was also born with cradle cap on the top of her head and face. I remember her peeling for the first couple of months, and I had a hard time getting all the dry flakes off. I was also worried about hurting her and ended up just waiting a couple months for the flakes to go away. The DermaFrida was so gentle to touch and sounds like the perfect solution to eczema and cradle cap.

5. BAMBINO MIO MIOFRESH
The main reason I attended the JPMA Baby Show was because I was invited there by Bambino Mio. I'm so excited to be working with them to cloth diaper my son. It's something I really wanted and had planned to do with Blair (I even took a cloth diapering class), but in my post-natal fog wasn't able to make the goal a priority. I plan to share more details on all the amazing products they introduced me to soon, but one item I know that I will be using often and will need to replenish is the MioFresh. It's a diaper cleanser that is designed to clean, freshen and deodorize cloth diapers and other garments. It contains antibacterial agents to perfectly clean cloth diapers at low temperatures and is ideal for sensitive skin because it contains no enzymes, synthetic perfumes, chlorine bleaches or optical brighteners found in other conventional diaper cleansers.

Have you tried any of these products? Am I missing anything on my list? Let me know!

SHOP MY LOOK

SOULEX FLOAT SPA

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever heard of a float spa? I wasn't indoctrinated into the world of float spas until a couple months ago. My mom has long recommended epsom salt baths to me, and so I'd known of the muscle and joint relaxing benefits. However, I didn't realize that whole spas existed and were dedicated to the therapy of floating in salt filled pods.

WHAT IS A FLOATING
Simply stated - you float in a dome-shaped, shallow pod filled with warm water and 1000 pounds of epsom salt for an hour and reap in the benefits. One hour of floating is equivalent to 4 hours of meditation and 8 hours of sleep. Intrigued? Here's what the experience has been like for me.

BEFORE
My first float was a part of a media preview day of Soulex float spa. I got there early to meet the owner, Pedramin, and learn about the Soulex float spa process.

I like to arrive early to everything - especially if it's my first time trying something. I like to give myself time to adjust to my surroundings and prepare. For me, arriving early is particularly important for relaxation. If I feel rushed at all, my stress levels increase.

First, I removed my shoes and changed into slippers provided by Soulex. Since my float room was open, I was able to change into my robe and come back out to the lounge area and enjoy some tea - a special blend made by Pedramin herself. While I sipped on my tea, I admired a large scale painting of a buddhist monk whose quiet presence in the room made me feel calm. I later learned the piece was painted by Pedramin's husband and fell even more in love with the design of the spa. I love personal and thoughtful accents. Once I finished my tea, I took time to go to bathroom. I only mention this because I think it's a very important step prior to floating.

In the Float Room
Once I was ready to go to my float room, I was lead back by someone from Soulex who started filling the pod with a simple touch of a screen. It takes several minutes for the pod to fill completely. It's a beautiful thing to watch the water flow in and the pod change colors - blue, green, purple... While the pod filled, I got into the in-room shower to wash off my body and then put in the ear plugs provided. The ear plugs prevent the salt water from getting into your ears. They also provide petroleum jelly in case you have any small cuts that you may not want to feel salt on. Fresh towels were also ready in the room. Because I'm pregnant, Pedramain offered me a pool noodle to rest under my lower back for some added support.

DURING
When I got into the pod, I immediately closed it all the way. This is optional, but I wanted to get the full experience. I put the foam halo "pillow" under my head and the pool noodle under my lower back and laid back. My body immediately floated. Part of me was worried that it wouldn't. There were a lot of thoughts running through my head as an automated woman's voice calmly spoke to me. I couldn't quite make out her exact words because I had ear plugs in, but I understood that she was letting me know that my float session was about to begin. The lights within the pod continued to slowly and softly alternate, and I could hear the sound of running water and birds chirping. I closed my eyes and tried to relax. The water and the lightness of my body felt great and then after 5 minutes or so the room went completely dark. I suddenly felt panic set in. Pedramin did let me know in advance that the lights would turn off completely, but in the darkness, a complete pitch black, I was startled. For a second, I worried about feeling enclosed. I reached my hand to touch the top of the pod but wasn't even close to touching it. This calmed me, and I told myself to "Let go."

Lesson learned: I recommend waiting until the pod completely fills before laying back. I didn't do this during my first float, floated into where the water came out, and got salt water all in my eyes. There's a spray bottle with fresh water and a cloth in the pod to wipe your eyes if this happens.

While I've never truly meditated, I've been practicing yoga for years and know the benefits of focused breathing. I used it to labor without medication for hours when I had my daughter, and I immediately turned to it to help myself relax here.

Breath and Mind Connection
I breathe in for 5 seconds and then breathe out for 6 seconds. I also say a mantra in my mind. With each inhale I say to myself "feel" and with each exhale I say to myself "well". I picture the air flowing through my body - filling my belly, providing fresh air to my baby, and then all the way down to my toes. The air fills any space in my body that feels uncomfortable, and then I exhale and release all of that discomfort. If I'm losing you right now, I get it. It sounds weird and is hard to write about, but I've been practicing it in yoga for years.

My mind wandered often during this first float. Because I knew I wanted to share my experience, I jotted down notes in my mind, and then thought about my to-do lists for the day. I'd also just watched Altered Carbon on Netflix and started thinking about about how futuristic the pod felt. Once I realized my mind had drifted, I refocused on my breathing and my mind eventually followed.

(I've floated three times now. My third float was the easiest to relax in to. I was so relaxed that when the session ended my body had rotated 180 degrees in the pod, and I had no idea until the end.)

Before I knew it, the light in the pod slowly came on and started cycling through the colors and the sounds of chirping birds returned. Next, the automated calming voice returned - letting me know that my session had come to an end. At that point, the pod started to drain.

AFTER
I slowly climbed out, using extra caution because I have a baby I'm protecting in my body. I then showered with the body wash, shampoo, and conditioner provided. While I washed, I could feel salt residue on the edges of my face. I also felt that my body was more relaxed and looser than when I came in.

Once I got dressed, I went to the make-up area to dry my hair and reapply my make-up. Soulex provides complimentary, organic hair and beauty products to use. I used the mouse and detangling spray. I left already knowing that I wanted to float again.

All pictures taken by Tasha James. I'll be honest, the last three pictures were taken pre-float so that Tasha didn't have to wait around for me for 60 minutes. Thank you to PinkBlush for providing my maternity swimsuit.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SOULEX FLOAT SPA
Floating forces me to truly disconnect from everything and fully relax. When I soak at home, I'm on a device the entire time - watching Instagram Stories or a show on my iPad. Allowing my mind to be unstimulated by a device and focusing on my breathing for an entire hour is incredibly restorative. Additionally, it's a fun and unique bonding experience with my baby as floating in the pod is very womb-like, and for that hour I'm free of any added strain or pressure on my body. I especially love getting a good workout in prior to floating and then letting the float relax my muscles.

Soulex also offers a large open-air tub that allows you to float with someone else at the same time. I'm not sure I'll try it. I'm pretty sure my husband would just want to talk the whole time.

WHAT TO WEAR AND BRING
I'm wearing a very comfortable 2-piece maternity swimsuit, but I've also gone completely naked. Both experiences have been good, so it all depends on what would make you most comfortable.

I'd recommend bringing your own body lotion, deodorant, or any specific toiletries you like into the room with you. I tried wearing a shower cap during one float to prevent my hair from getting wet, but water still got in. If you want to keep your hair dry, perhaps try a swim cap.

Have you ever been to a float spa? What are your thoughts?

Thank you to Soulex for partnering with my on this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

HOW I'M TRYING TO STAY IN SHAPE WHILE PREGNANT

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 11:00:00 +0000

There are many benefits to continuing to exercise and to staying active while pregnant for you and your baby (read here). For me, I'm motivated by the added energy it gives me and how much better I feel overall when I do it. Though, I'll readily admit it's not easy - especially while trying to keep up with a 2-year-old. With my first pregnancy, my schedule was much more flexible, and I was free to workout whenever I wanted. I went to pilates, barre, and yoga classes, and also to the gym regularly for light weight training and cardio. With my second pregnancy, I've had to look for alternatives that work with my limited time schedule.

Here are some pregnancy fitness resources that have worked for me:
Make sure to consult your physician before doing any exercises and most importantly, always listen to your body.

PRENATAL YOGA - ONLINE AND IN-PERSON
It takes some coordinating with my husband, but I try to make it to an in-person prenatal yoga class at least twice a week. Going to a studio gives me access to all their props - blankets, blocks, bolsters, and an instructor who can show the correct pregnancy form and what moves to avoid. It's a great place to meet other pregnant women and start building your mom squad. Going to the in-person classes also helps me feel more confident about doing online yoga videos at home. For online yoga, I really like Sara Beth's prenatal yoga series on Youtube. All the free classes are about 20 min or less, and I can usually manage to fit one into my day. I also got myself a set of yoga blocks from Marshalls for $10, and find that they're critical on days I'm feeling a little tighter.

ALEXA JEAN FITNESS - FIT PREGNANCY GUIDE
Three times a week I do exercises from Alexa Jean Fitness' Fit Pregnancy Guide. I first found Alexa Jean on Instagram and used a few of her 30-day workouts to help me get back into shape after my first pregnancy. For pregnancy workouts, she's created a guide for each trimester. I purchased the bundle of all three trimesters and love that each daily workout consists of only 4 exercises that you repeat 4 times. It's quick way for me to get a little bit of strength training in.

STROLLER WORKOUT GROUP
My friend, Kathy, introduced me to a local stroller workout group called S.L.A.M (SWEAT LIKE A MOTHER). They're a part of Stroller Strong Moms and are unlike any group I've worked out with. It's one of the best and continually challenging workouts I've ever done. Honestly, due to weather and location changes, I haven't been to a class in a while but did go a little in my first and second trimester. The best parts of S.L.A.M are that you can bring your kid(s) with you and that you're surrounded by other moms who understand if you're late, if your kid is fussing, if you're struggling, etc. The instructors are also moms (some were even pregnant while teaching) and are incredibly kind and motivating. It's a great supportive group of women. I'm looking forward to working out with them again soon.

WHAT TO WEAR TO WORKOUT WHILE PREGNANT

If there's one item of maternity clothing I'd recommend buying it's maternity workout leggings. Personally, I prefer the ones that have a band that goes over the belly. It helps the leggings stay up, and I think they're just more comfortable. I have one pair that sits below my belly and there are certain times and moves where I feel like the waist band digs into me. Also, find a top that's long enough to cover your bump so you're not constantly adjusting yourself or worrying about baring your belly.

Thank you to PinkBlush for sponsoring my leggings and top.

I hope I've helped motivate you to stay active while pregnant. I truly believe in the benefits for you and your baby. Do you have any other recommendations on things that have worked for you? Please share, I'd love to try them!

BABY 2 GENDER REVEAL

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 11:00:00 +0000

When people learn that I've passed the 20 week mark of my pregnancy the first question I typically get is - Are you finding out the gender?

Of course I'm finding out! Waiting to find out my baby's gender at birth has never occurred to me or my husband. We like to know, and we like to plan. I'm really amazed by people who can wait. I like the idea of it, but it's not in my semi-Type A personality to not know if I can know.

If you're anxious to know the gender, just scroll down to the Big Reveal section.

MY DAUGHTER'S PREFERENCE

The questions that quickly follow the gender question are related to my daughter. Does Blair realize you're pregnant? Yes, she knows there's a baby growing in my body, and that she was once there too. Does she have an opinion on the gender? Yes, a very strong opinion.

Blair quickly became enamored with the story of Frozen after reading this book. In case you don't have kids or have avoided knowing anything about Frozen, it's mostly about a fearless princess, Anna, who is determined to find and convince her sister, Elsa, to return to their hometown and use her icy magic powers to save their town from an eternal winter - a situation Elsa inadvertently created. Blair has never seen the movie. She's only read that book and listened to the soundtrack on repeat. She's also seen Disney on Ice - Dare to Dream. She obsessed with the story and songs and will tell you it's her favorite book. She dressed up as Anna for Halloween and convinced my husband to go as Elsa. Spoiler alert - she loves when Anna saves her sister, Elsa, as an act of true love. Couple that sisterly love with her love for the adorable baby sister tiger, Margaret, from the show Daniel Tiger and you have a preschooler who only talks about wanting a baby sister.

The fact that she was so fixated on one gender was slightly concerning. My husband and I thought it best to prep her for either gender. We tried to talk to her about the idea of having a baby brother, how we both had baby brothers, and how wonderful that was. We often had to remind her when she referred to the baby as a baby sister that baby could be a brother. Despite this, her thoughts were still focused on a having sister.

To reveal the gender to Blair, we wanted to do something special so I bought this balloon kit off Etsy.

THE BIG REVEAL

Her exact words were, "I DON'T WANT A BABY BROTHER!"

It was the most visceral reaction I've ever seen from her. I couldn't help but laugh and also feel sad for her about her raw disappointment. My husband and I acted fast. The one thing we've learned about 2-year-olds is that they often just need their thoughts\attention redirected. So my husband told her "Look! Your baby brother wanted you to have all this blue confetti to play with!"

That helped A LOT. She played with those little pieces of paper for hours - pretending it was water, swimming in them, throwing them as snowballs, etc.

By now, she's stopped asking why the baby isn't a baby sister and is very excited about her baby brother. She talks to him daily and says things like "Oooh baby brother's so cute!" and tells me "When baby brother gets here I'm going to teach him how to jump so high". She'll randomly cuddle up to my stomach during the day, and kisses him\my belly every night before bed. It's adorable and melts me every single time. Both my husband and I are overjoyed at the thought of a welcoming home little baby boy and are so excited to see our kids interact.

Have any cute baby gender reveal stories? I'd love to hear them!

SHOP BLAIR'S BIG SISTER OUTFIT:

DO WELL WITH MADEWELL

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Earlier this month I got the opportunity to volunteer with Madewell on a build for Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC. It's one of my favorite partnerships to date. Community service used to be a big part of my life, but since moving to DC, I haven't been able to do it as much as I'd like to - due to work, family, excuses, etc. It was so nice to take a full day to do something for others in need.

Madewell and Habitat
You may be wondering what Madewell and Habitat for Humanity have in common - good question. Madewell runs a denim recycling program called "Blue Jeans Go Green" where you can bring in any pair (and any brand) of used denim, and they'll turn it into housing insulation for communities in need and give you $20 off a new pair of Madewell jeans. You get $20 off for EVERY pair you bring in. How cool is that?

What's also cool is how much better the cotton from jeans is as a material for insulation. It's a very durable material and stands up really well to heat. It's a much better product than typical fiberglass insulation, and because the denim insulation is being donated to Habitat, the total cost of building the homes is lower. This lower cost allows Habitat to be able to help more families. Continue scrolling to see the denim insulation, read more about my experience, and learn how you can get involved too.

My Experience
The Habitat Team has a list of things they want to accomplish each day. The day I volunteered, they needed a team of volunteers to help unload a semi-truck full of insulation (made from repurposed denim donations) and stack it in their warehouse for temporary storage. Six of us piled into a truck and drove off to the Habitat warehouse to meetup with the shipment.

The insulation wasn't heavy, it was just bulky and required at least three people to safely carry it off the truck. After we unloaded the entire truck, we helped clean up the warehouse to make room for another shipment of insulation they expected. We quickly worked up a sweat but had such a fun and hardworking group with us, that the morning flew by.

After we completed our warehouse job, we returned to the build site for lunch and then got assigned our next task - create wall frames. (This is where I got a little nervous.) I honestly can't remember the last time I used a hammer to build something - maybe never. When I previously volunteered with Habitat in Florida, the house I volunteered at was pretty much built. We were there to help with some yard work (pulling out old weeds and helping to laid down sod). My first couple tries with a hammer and nail were pretty embarrassing. I bent a few nails, and twice I nailed a 2x4 into the ground (insert palm face emoji). I started to feel like I was hurting more than helping, but the Habitat Team was so kind and patient with everyone. They gave me a few pointers (like don't hammer with your wrist, use the power of your whole arm and to start the nail at a little bit of an angle) and assured me that they too made those same mistakes in the beginning. By the end, my nails were going into the wood like a hot knife through butter, and I felt empowered to go home and build my daughter a toddler-sized playhouse. Now construction terms like party wall, king stud, jack stud, and cripple are a part of my everyday conversations, and I think I'm ready to add carpenter to my resume (not really). In all seriousness, I left that day feeling really proud of myself for actually building something and happy that the Habitat Team said that we helped them accomplish a lot that day.

How To Get Involved
Hopefully, by sharing my experience, I've inspired you to get involved too. For more information on how to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity click here. Can't make time to volunteer? No worries. Don't forget - you can also donate your pre-loved denim to Madewell and help out in a big way!

What To Wear To a Build
I recommend wearing comfortable clothing that you don't mind getting dirty, close toed shoes, and lots and lots of deodorant. I opted for sweatpants because sweatpants are all that fits me right now (ICYMI). These terry trouser sweatpants are THE softest and comfiest pair of pants I own, and I'm living in them. Originally, the forecast for that day was to be highs in the 50s, but we ended up with the warmest and most beautiful 70 degree day. I was happy that I layered a funnelneck tie-sleeve sweatshirt on in the morning and wore a cotton crewneck tee underneath. I was also thankful to be wearing Tretorn Nylite Plus sneakers - the EcoOrtholite insoles made my feet feel like they were cushioned by clouds all day.

If you think you're going to start a construction career, then investing in heavy duty pants and steel-toe boots might be best, but if you're just interested in being an occasional volunteer, I feel I was appropriately dressed for the day.

Photos by Julien Garman. Also pictured - Sarah from 52 Thursdays and Abbey from District Dress Up.

GET MY BUILD LOOKThank you to Madewell for providing my clothing and for inviting me to participate in this project with them.

NEW NATORI BRA FROM NORDSTROM

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:00:00 +0000

If you've never been properly fitted for a bra or if it's been a few years, I strongly urge you to make some time for it. After two years (maybe more) of wearing ill-fitting bras, I'm finally in the correct size, and I feel like a brand new woman.

I regret not buying new bras when I got pregnant. I kept wearing the bras I had because I'm frugal and I loved my new found cleavage. Sadly though, all the weight I gained stretched out my favorite bras. At the very least, I should have ordered these bra extenders. Post-pregnancy, I lived in nursing bras for 14 months and then automatically bought the bra size that I used to wear pre-pregnancy without getting resized. It was okay until I started working off my pregnancy weight. I'd find at random times that one of "my girls" would fall out the bottom!

I chose to go to Nordstrom because I've always heard good things about their bra fitting service, and because they're known for their amazing return policy. I didn't schedule an appointment - I was already at the Nordstrom Beauty Trend Show at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and decided to stop by on my way out.

I was able to meet with a fit expert immediately. She walked into a dressing room with me, found my band measurement, and then asked me what size bra I was currently wearing. Additionally, she asked me what colors I preferred (nudes) and if there was a style I was looking for (I wasn't sure, but I thought t-shirt bra?). She came back with several options to try on. She stayed in the room while I tried on the first few so that she could visually ensure that she picked out the right size and adjust the straps for me as needed. She actually increased the cup size of the bra pictured because she said they're known to run smaller in the cup. This was definitely a boost to my self-esteem, but what I learned is that cup size means nothing without the band size. A D-cup with a 32 band is completely different from a D-cup with a 34 band.

Photo taken by Tasha James.

I absolutely love this bra and would NEVER have chosen it or the right size on my own. I now own it in three colors (see below) with matching panties.

Did you know it's suggested that you not wear a bra two days in a row and that you should replace your bras every 8 months? This was news to me! Read more bra tips here.

SHOP THIS POST

Thank you to The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City for providing me with a gift card to purchase my lingerie. All opinions are my own. Please do not use these images without my permission.

PEARL SANDALS

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Chanel's 2017 Resort runway show was the first time the pearl sandal\slides caught my eye, and they left a lasting impression. I'm now seeing the trend everywhere, and I can't stop wanting the precious gems on my feet. Below are a few of my favorite pearl sandals including a very affordable nod to Chanel and many styles at budget-friendly price points.

Runway image via Vogue

What do you think of the pearl sandal trend? Which pair(s) are your favorite?

GLAM SQUAD IN DC

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever watched behind-the-scenes footage of celebrities getting their hair and make-up done for a big, red carpet event and thought "I wish I had my own glam squad!" Well, if you live near Washington, DC, now you can. GLAMSQUAD just launched their service in DC (already available in NYC, LA, & Miami) and invited me to try them out. Here's what you can expect:

SCHEDULING YOUR APPOINTMENT
I booked both a blowout and make-up service with only two days notice. I did this from their website, but you can also setup an appointment through their app. After booking, I received a confirmation email with tips on how to prep for the service (nothing difficult: shampoo hair 15-20m before, leave hair damp, have outlet nearby, and clean + moisturize face). On the day of the appointment I received an email with the name of the two stylists that would be working with me.

THE STYLISTS
I scheduled the appointment at my house which, to be honest, made me a little nervous. I'm somewhat private (I realize this is slightly ironic as a blogger), and the thought of two strangers coming into my home had me feeling a bit uneasy. However, those feelings were put to rest when I learned more about GLAMSQUAD's vetting process. Each qualified applicant is deeply background checked and goes through a thorough character assessment before joining the GLAMSQUAD team. Once selected, each person is then put through a rigorous 40-hour assessment program where their skills are evaluated by GLAMSQUAD's senior creative team. The two stylists that I worked with were so sweet and friendly and have been working in their industry for 6+ years.

DURATION
Their website shows that a blowout will take 45 mins and make-up 60 minutes. So, in my mind, they would be at my house for almost 2 hours. What I didn't realize is that they work at the same time! My entire appointment with both services took less than an hour. There is a menu of styles for you to choose from. For hair, I requested something in between "the Weekender" and "the Off Duty" style - beach-y undone waves but with volume. For make-up, I asked to look natural but an elevated version of myself. Throughout the appointment I was asked questions regarding my preferences - questions like, do I want a light weight foundation or full-coverage foundation (full-coverage) and can hair spray be used (yes, please!)?

Photo taken by Tasha James.

MORE NOTES
-My hair stylist used all Kerastase products provided by GLAMSQUAD and a Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer.
-My make-up artist used her own preferred products - brands like MAC, Smashbox, and Anastasia Beverly Hills.
-They told me if you find a GLAMSQUAD stylist or artist you really like and want to use them again, you can try to request them in the notes section when booking.
-GLAMSQUAD can meet you anywhere that's convenient for you - at your office, home, etc.
-A 20% gratuity is already included in the service price, so there's no need to have cash on hand.

THE VERDICT
I loved how easy it was to book my appointment and how quickly they worked. Would I book again? Absolutely! See more of my final look in this post.

If you'd like to try GLAMSQUAD, use my link for $25 off your first service (that's only $25 for a blowout!)

SHOP THIS POST
Thank you to GLAMSQUAD for inviting me to try out their service for free. All opinions are my own.

BLUSHING

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 10:00:00 +0000

I've always loved the color pink. When I was a little girl I had a huge collection of pink piggies, my favorite animal still. I squeal at the sight of them and dream about one day owning one. After college, I went through a phase where everything I purchased for my kitchen was pink. I'm a proud owner of this mixer. Then somewhere along the way my color preferences morphed into black-and-white monochrome. I can't really pinpoint why it happened. Maybe it was a mood shift or maybe I felt influenced by my male-dominated, corporate culture. Black and white is clean and simple - two adjectives I always crave. However, lately, I'm naturally gravitating again to my old friend - the color that immediately puts a smile on my face - pink.

Photo taken by Tasha James.

I found this pretty pink set at Zara. The trousers are are a little thinner than I'd like (be careful with your panty choice), but I love the high waist and how they move and feel. My heels were an unbelievable Nordstrom Rack find, and my hair and make-up was provided by Glamsquad (more to come).

How do you feel about the color pink? Do you shy away from it or are you in love with it too?

SHOP SIMILAR PIECES

CHELSEA COLLECTIVE STYLING EVENT

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 18:07:00 +0000

I'm so excited to invite you to a Holiday Sneak Peek Styling Event at Chelsea Collective in Tysons Corner Center! On Thursday, November 3rd, I will be offering FREE 20-minutes styling sessions from 5 to 7 PM in their store. Space is limited so please register here. Any purchases you make after our styling session will be 20% OFF (that day only). There will also be light bites, drinks, and a special gift with purchase. So come hang out and shop with me!

If you've never shopped at Chelsea Collective, let me show and tell you more.

Chelsea Collective offers everything you need to look and feel ready for an active lifestyle. Their stores carry a curated selection of the most stylish brands of activewear apparel, footwear, accessories, and beauty supplies - all items that you will feel comfortable wearing to work out, run errands, or hangout in. They carry all of my favorite sportswear brands like NIKE, Adidas, CALIA by Carrie Underwood, Lorna Jane, Spiritual Gangster, ALALA, Varley, Koral, and many more. I love just about everything in the store and could spend hours putting together looks. So I can't wait to put some looks together for you!

The sports bra I'm wearing is unbelievably comfortable. It's called the Sash Sports Bra and is by Lorna Jane. The leggings are Adidas by Stella McCartney. Both items are currently available at Chelsea Collective. Post workout, I would throw on a white v-neck t-shirt and layer on my leather jacket.

If you're not lucky enough to live near one of Chelsea Collective's 2 locations, you can also shop the exact items below:

Thank you to Chelsea Collective for sponsoring this post.

MOSAIC FALL FASHION CAMPAIGN

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 11:00:00 +0000

I'm so excited to share some images from the Fall Fashion Campaign that Blair and I took part in (along with Natalie, Julien, Alicia and Josie) for Mosaic! All clothing is available for purchase from the shops at Mosaic. I'm wearing a suede moto jacket, dolman sleeve top, and tiger eye necklace from Bevello, my culotte pants are from Anthropologie, stacked heeled sandals from Madewell, and black bucket bag from Scout and Molly's. My hair was styled by Cherry Blow Dry Bar and make-up done by Bluemercury. Blair's entire outfit is from Dawn Price Baby.

If you've never been to Mosaic (or even if you have), you're definitely going to want to stop by next week because it will be Mosaic Fashion Week! The kick off party starts on Wednesday, September 14 at the Angelika Film Center. There will be a music, happy hour cocktails, a special fashion show at 7:30 pm and a benefit screening of Dior and I at 8:30 pm. See mosaicdistrict.com/mosaic-fashion for all the details.

Did you see my last post from Mosaic?

More links to our looks:

NEW CAMERA BAG FROM LO & SONS

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 11:00:00 +0000

I love pictures - taking them, looking at them, sharing them. For me, pictures save moments that sometimes my mind doesn't, and they allow me to see people and places that I might not get to otherwise. When I bought my first DSLR camera, I didn't get a camera bag right away. I tried carrying it in my large carry-all purse but was always worried about damaging it. Then my husband bought me a standard camera bag which was nice for traveling but not something I wanted to carry around with me all the time. Thanks to Lo & Sons I finally have the perfect camera bag.

I'm so happy to be the owner of Lo & Sons' Claremont leather camera bag. It's light weight, stylish, and very functional. The padding inside the Claremont securely holds and protects my camera and lens, and the leather body has additional pockets for extra memory cards. There's also a back zipper pocket that is large enough to hold my phone, ID, and credit card. With an adjustable cross body strap, it's the perfect every day camera bag.

ROSE PARK

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 11:00:00 +0000

As a mom, I spend a lot of time at parks & playgrounds, and I've come to learn that not all parks are created equal. I didn't realize it (why would I before Blair?), but DC has so many good parks with playgrounds. One of my favorite DC parks is Rose Park in Georgetown.

At Rose Park there are two different playgrounds - one for toddlers and one for bigger kids. This is huge when your child is still figuring out what to do on a playground. Blair will go up the steps and then down the slide in record speed in one instance but then the next time will slowly crawl up while waving to everyone and then will sit at the top of the slide pointing out birds the next. Obviously, I think this adorable, but it can get frustrating for the older kids. In the toddler playground, there's a big, shaded sandbox with a few toy shovels and buckets. Any outdoor space for kids in the shade wins the gold medal in the summer - especially in this heat wave. We can only play inside for so long without going stir crazy. On Wednesdays, there's a Farmers Market from 3 to 7 pm where I love getting almond and chocolate croissants for date night and some fresh fruit to share with Blair. There's also a nice basketball and tennis court, and the public bathrooms are clean and have a changing station.

I'm thinking about starting a "park series" where I'll share our favorite parks and playgrounds and show you what I'm wearing to them. My hope that it helps new DC moms and visitors with kids find things to do. What do you think about this idea?

I'm wearing a chambray romper c/o Marshalls #MarshallsSurprise with a Zara scarf (similar here for only $5), and Dolce Vita Paris sandals (here and here too). Blair's wearing a top from Gap (similar on sale), capris from Carters, and Salt Water sandals.

MY FIRST BRAZILIAN WAX

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 11:00:00 +0000

I've thought about getting a Brazilian wax since college but always found ways to talk myself out of it. There were always so many questions running through my head - Will it hurt? Of course it will...but how much? Will it look good? Will it make me look like a little girl? Will I be comfortable letting a stranger see my lower lady parts? Will it be awkward? Would I have to grow my hair out first? How long does it last? How long will it take? What will it look like when the hair starts to grow back? And so on... Does this sound familiar? If so, I'm writing this post for you.

When Shobha invited me to visit their brand new location in Rockville, Maryland, I knew this was my opportunity to give a Brazillian wax a try. I've been to Shobha in DC many times for brow threading and have always been happy with the treatment, service, and cleanliness of the salon. The brand new Rockville location is especially beautiful because it is the first location to have a whole new modern look with rose gold accents and white leather threading chairs. It's the most sophisticated place I've ever had hair removed from my body.

Before I was taken back to the waxing area. I was treated to some liquid courage, aka sparkling rose, and got my brows cleaned up. I joke that I have "old man brows" because I have brow hairs that grow upwards and downwards. It's a mess, but the women at Shohba always know what to do with them. For the Brazilian I opted to get sugaring instead of waxing because it's 100% natural, is less painful than wax, and is better for sensitive skin.

If you're wondering why I'm wearing a flower crown in the picture on the right, that's the picture I took of myself right before getting my brows threaded with a snapchat filter on. Are you following me yet? @aloyallove

Next, my sugaring specialist greeted me and took me to this very clean room. She asked me to remove all clothing on the lower half of my body and lay down on the bed. At this point, I quickly came to terms with the fact that (1) we just met, and she's going to see my va-jay-jay and (2) I was wearing the last thing you want to wear if you're shy like me (you'll see why later on). Honestly, it wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. I'd say it was similar to visiting a gynecologist for the first time. It's a little weird, but they're a professional who's there to help you.

Once I was laying down, she asked to put my legs in a butterfly or diamond position - for you yogis out there I was in supta-baddha-konasana. As she freshened me up with some powder and a cleansing cloth, I nervously told her that this was my first time getting a Brazilian, and that I was feeling anxious about it. She smiled at me and asked me if I wanted all the hair gone (my answer was "sure?"), and how I normally groom down there (a combo of razor, small electric razor, and scissors, but I'd let it grow once I knew I was coming in). She then took out a small electric razor and let me know she was going to trim a little first. Guess I let it grow a little too much. Oops!

The sugaring itself was just like any waxing session. She put the warm, sugar wax on, applied a strip, and then ripped it off. Nothing seemed different in that technique. There were times when she asked me (and this may be TMI and NSFW) to pull my skin tight. So be prepared to help. After ripping each piece off I'd feel a burning sensation (on a pain scale of 1-10, I'd say the first strip was a 7). After each rip, she applied pressure (wearing gloves) to the exact area where it was burning the most which was extremely helpful in soothing the pain. There were a few strips where she would pause and tell me to "take a deep breath". These strips were the doozies! After each one of those, I found myself saying "Wooo!" because holy $hit they hurt! There were 3 strips that were this painful. At one point she asked me to lift one leg up, and then the other, and then both legs to allow her to sugar everything because if you say you want all the hair gone, then EVERY-THING will be gone. At the end she asked if I wanted a rose water cloth to help sooth my skin. The correct answer to this is "yes". It feels and smells great. Overall, the whole service took about 15 minutes to complete.

Are you ready for the before and after images?

HA! JK!! How weird would that be if I included those pictures? You guys would never look at me the same. Let's just say that I'm very happy with the results, and I definitely want to get it done again! My sugaring specialist recommended that I come back in 4-6 weeks and assured me that the first time is always the most painful. However, if I wait longer than 6 weeks, then the sugaring will feel as painful as the first time again. She also recommended that I not apply anything to the area for 2 days and then afterwards exfoliate every 2-3 days to prevent ingrown hairs. A week after the waxing, I started to see a few hairs grow back and by now, two weeks later, I have a bit of a 5 o'clock shadow and have had to do some touching up myself. This will obviously vary from person to person. My hair tends to grow quickly.

I also got to briefly chat with Shobha Tummala (pictured above), the founder of Shobha. She is a Harvard Business School graduate who now lives in Potomac, Maryland. When I joked with her that she should have been on the Real Housewives of Potomac, she shared that she's actually neighbors with Charrisse Jordan. Fun fact for you Real Housewives fans!

Earlier I mentioned that I was wearing the wrong thing, and it's because I was wearing a romper! This means I had nothing on but a bra for my service. My sugaring specialist was so sweet and immediately sensed that I was uncomfortable. She gave me a paper apron to drape over myself. I could not have asked for a better first experience and highly recommend Shobha for brow threading and Brazilian sugarings.

If you're still curious about my outfit, I wore a yellow, tie-front romper from the Zara sale and Dolce Vita Paris sandals. I've linked to some similar rompers and the exact same sandals.

NEW KIND OF DATE NIGHT

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 03:04:00 +0000

This month my husband and I celebrate 12 years since our first date together. 12! YEARS! It's feels pretty amazing to say it out loud. We've come a long way, grown together, and experienced a lot of life in these past 12 years. So much has changed since that first date (not just physically). We moved from Florida to DC, we both earned our masters degrees while working, we changed jobs a few times, and we had a beautiful daughter together. We've always lead busy lives, and through it all we've learned that the key to keeping a relationship strong is to make time for each other. It hasn't always been easy to do that, especially now with Blair, but we've managed to have date night twice a week. We've just had to get creative with it...

DC is the most expensive place in the US to raise kids - mostly due to the cost of childcare. We've used UrbanSitter a few times to go out and have had overall good experiences with their sitters, but it's tough to stomach paying $15-20/hr for a sitter on top of a paying for a night out. We don't have family that lives close by that we could ask, and we've only asked a friend once to come over and watch her monitor while she sleeps. I don't like to burden friends with that. So we realized after a visit from my genius brother-in-law that we could FaceTime with our short range baby monitor and have date night "alone" together up on our rooftop while Blair sleeps. It's been great. Lately, we've been filling out this book together during date nights. It's opened up some interesting and some times uncomfortable conversations.

We don't always dress up for these dates nights, but it's nice to every once in a while. Even just putting on a great lipstick like this one from LIPP makes me a feel dressed up. I'm wearing a vertical striped, pleated dress from H&M (it's only $40), Amber heels from Tibi, and circle sunglasses from Free People.

A TRANQUIL SPACE

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 15:56:00 +0000

Before my husband and I started trying to have a baby, we talked a lot about what we wanted for our family, and we both agreed that we wanted me to be the one to take care of our baby the majority of the time - meaning we wouldn't put her in daycare or have a full-time nanny early on. We both worked hard to prepare for this time, and I feel extremely fortunate that I can spend my days with our daughter. Caring for her has been the most challenging and most rewarding thing I've ever done. (I have to say I pass no judgement on families with kids in daycare or whose kids are taken care of by nannies. Many daycares and nannies are wonderful. Everyone's situation and needs are different and decisions regarding children are personal. I don't believe in "perfect parenting". I believe in doing what you feel is right for you and your family.)

One question I get a lot is - what do you do all day? At this age (she's 15 months old), my goal is to expose her to new things, talk/sing/read to her about as much as I can, keep her active in fun ways, and to make sure she gets rest and eats well (and take care of myself and spend time with my husband). I'm lucky that DC has a good amount of activities for young kids. When Blair was about 3 months old, we started Baby and Me yoga classes at a local studio called Tranquil Space. It was so good for BOTH of us.

The Baby and Me classes we took were a mix of yoga poses for the baby, for mom, and then some fun poses together (like Warrior I holding your baby in the air). The overall feel of the class was relaxed. I felt comfortable feeding, changing, or even leaving at any point in the class. It was one of the first places where I felt at ease breastfeeding outside of my house, and it was so nice to be around other women going through a similar thing. I even made some great mom friends. Since Blair has started walking, we've moved up to the toddler class. She spends most of the class watching the bigger kids and clapping for everyone, but we when get home, she practices all the moves. It's adorable.

Yoga has been a part of my life since college, and I love that it's now something I can share with Blair.

If you're a new mom in DC or just visiting the area and are looking for things to do with a baby, I highly recommend checking out Tranquil Space. It's also a great yoga studio in general, and they currently have an amazing deal for new students - $60 for 60 days - through the end of August. (FYI - they in no way sponsored this post. I just truly like their studio.)

I'm wearing the Puma Yogini Live bra and Lorna Jane top (c/o Chelsea Collective in Tyson's Corner) and Koral Shiny Metallic Active leggings from S3 Active in DC. Blair is wearing an Old Navy tank top, Carter's Tie-Dye Capri leggings (long on her because she's petite) and polka dot denim sneakers from Baby Gap.

IN ONE PIECE

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 11:11:00 +0000

Becoming a mom has changed me in so many ways. On the surface I may look the same, but there are parts of my body that, at times, feel completely unrecognizable to me. It seems obvious now that growing a person in my body would make some lasting changes, but prior to having Blair, I was ~~naive~~ optimistic (based on images of many moms on social media) that with some work, my body would go back to its old self. While I am envious of women who look like they've quickly bounced back from pregnancy, it's taken a lot of work and time for me to strengthen and re-tone my body. My new body has a lot of stretch marks, a stretched belly button, and extra skin that I'm still getting used to. So for now, my days of bikini wearing are on hold, and one piece swimsuits are everything. Whether you're a mom or not, there are now so many cute one piece swimsuits to choose from!

I found this fun Clover Canyon one-piece at T.J. Maxx for less than $50! (Here's a link the to the exact suit.) I've always loved Clover Canyon's ability to mix and create vivid prints and colors, and the triangle top with v-neckline and small side cut-outs help make this full suit a little flirty.

Throughout this post, I've rounded up a bunch of pretty Clover Canyon one-piece suits - many of which are on sale! Have you guys gone through any body changes this past year (good/bad)? I'd love to hear how you're adjusting to it.

HOME UPDATE WITH MINTED

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Decorating has always been a challenging process for me. It's completely different than how I am with fashion and styling - where I often dream up outfits in my head and know instantly if a piece of clothing will complement other pieces in my closet. Finding decor for my home takes me a lot more time. That's why design sites like Minted are perfect for someone like me. They make searching for art really easy, they frame it for you, and their inventory is filled with unique and affordable options from a community of independent artists.

My husband and I moved to DC from FL and loved the idea of bringing a piece of the beach into our city apartment. I used Minted's search filters to find a landscape, beach style and voila!, out popped Mint Beach by Alexandra Feo. I love how the perspective of this photograph puts you right in the sand, looking into the water as people enjoy the shore. The best part - it only took a week from the day I ordered it for this piece to arrive at my door.

If you're looking for art, home decor, stationary, or even last minute gifts, I recommend checking out Minted. Here are more pieces I love from Minted.

My sweet Blair wondering why I'm taking her picture.

NYFW S/S 2016 TREND: MORE WHITE

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Sat, 12 Sep 2015 11:00:00 +0000

The old adage "never wear white after Labor Day" is just that - old. These days, there are no rules in fashion. You can and should wear white whenever you want, and as seen over and over again on day 2 of NYFW, white can be worn from head-to-toe. Here are some of my favorite white-on-white looks from the runway and how to incorporate them into your wardrobe now.

Jason Wu \\
Get the look:

Wes Gordon \\
Get the look:

Cushnie Et Ochs \\
Get the look:
All images via vogue.com

PROJECT FAB TRAVELING BAG

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 13:47:00 +0000

The #FABTravelingBag is making its way all over the US! Each Project Fab Blogger was given two weeks to style and take this bag by Catherine Malandrino ($49.99 at Marshalls, normally priced at $108.00) around their city or on a summer vacation.

Living in DC means living within walking distance from many monumental structures - making it easy to play tourist whenever I can find the time. One cool DC morning, my family and I took the #FABTravelingBag on a walk by the White House. I paired the very versatile bag with a chambray dress layered over a striped shirt and my go-to Nikes for a comfortable and casual look.

It was so much fun being a part of this "Sisterhood of the Traveling Bag". See all the locations and blogger's styling here.

OUTFIT DETAILS \\
Forever21 chambray dress, Zara Striped shirt & sandals, Le Specs Neo Noir sunglasses, Nike Roshe Run sneakers

SHOP SIMILAR \\

EVERYDAY KAFTAN

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Tue, 26 May 2015 19:18:00 +0000

OUTFIT DETAILS \\
Zara dress, Tibi sandals, H&M Bag, Free People sunglasses

SHOP SIMILAR \\

THE 10 BEST SLIDE SANDALS FROM THE NORDSTROM HALF-YEARLY SALE

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Wed, 20 May 2015 15:11:00 +0000

The Nordstrom Half-Yearly SALE is on!! Nordstrom has marked down new Women's shoes from brands like Sam Edelman, Steve Madden, Ivanka Trump & more through May 31!

I picked out 10 of the best slide sandals - this summer's hottest shoe trend - from the sale!

Shop now! The sale ends May 31st! And remember...Nordstrom always offers free shipping and returns. Happy Shopping!

WHITE LEATHER

noreply@blogger.com (A Loyal Love) — Tue, 19 May 2015 19:32:00 +0000

My mom left me this white leather skirt on her last visit, and it's the new favorite in my closet. I felt kind of guilty taking it since it's something she'd been looking for ever since she saw a similar skirt on Claire Cleary from the movie Wedding Crashers (the bike riding scene), but she insisted. So I'm going to say I borrowed it with every intention of giving it back to her, and then because my mind wanders...I can't help but think about whether or not Blair will want to borrow my clothes someday. Either way, the thoughts make me smile.

OUTFIT DETAILS \\
Achro brand shirt via Anthom, Calvin Klein skirt, Zara pumps, Louis Vuitton bag, Le Specs sunglasses

SHOP THE LOOK \\