Pinterest Told Me To

What I'm Obsessed With Now! And some reader input! And A Story!!!

2013-05-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

I have lots and lots of goodness to share with you today!

Sometimes on Obsession Friday I share things that I've seen that I really like (even though I don't own it), but this week I'm featuring a lot of stuff that I

actually own and am wearing ALL. THE. TIME.

I'm also featuring a couple of reader comments....and I'm telling you a story.

So get comfortable! Lots going on today!

Don't forget that GAP is an additional 40% off of everything that is already on sale in every department!
Click HERE to shop.

And as of Saturday morning, LOFT is having all sorts of sales.
30% off of everything (including new arrivals).
PLUS.....$50 savings cards for every $50 spent!
So, you'll save now AND you'll save later!
Click HERE to shop!

(AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE FORMATTING OF THIS POST. TRIED TO FIX IT BUT CAN'T.) boo!

Obsessions #1 (shorts) and #2 (TOMS)

THESE GAP cut-offs are awesome!Why?
They are short (but not too short), just like I like 'em. (They are pretty short, so keep that in mind if you don't like a short short.They are like Bermuda's to Shay.)
AND THEY HAVE STRETCH IN THEM!I think that all pants should have a little bit of stretch in them. Amen?
I have them in denim (click HERE for the denim).....

t-shirt: GAP outlet (not online)
shoes: TOMS - Nordstrom exclusive (click HERE)

*My friend Lisa bought these in the store this past weekend. She was trying to decide between THESE and a crocheted pair HERE. The Nordstrom salesperson told her to go for THESE because they were a Nordstrom exclusive and would be phased out.
I know I'm going to be wearing them all summer...I'm already wearing the heck out of them!(I've been giving so much public love to the wedges, I thought it was time these babies got some attention too.) :)

And remember to get THESE to go with your TOMS.
If wearing TOMS in the summer, they are essential to help keep your feet and your shoes dry.
And if you buy 3, you save!

I also have the cut-offs in white (click HERE for the white).

shirt: GAP outlet (not online)
shoes: surprise......my beloved putty wedges found HERE
*OKAY PEOPLE! I'VE GOT SOME BREAKING NEWS HERE.
I'M HEARING FROM SEVERAL OF YOU THAT YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE ORDERING THE WEDGE (LOTS OF COLORS AND SIZES APPEAR TO BE ON BACKORDER).
WELL, I'VE GOT SOME GREAT NEWS! I WAS AT NORDSTROM TODAY AND MET MY BELOVED WEDGE'S COUSIN. THIS ONE IS BRAIDED LEATHER INSTEAD OF PATENT, AND IT IS JUST AS SASSY AND COMFY AS MY FAV PAIR!!!!
CLICK HERE!!!! IT'S A DIFFERENT STYLE, BUT OH SO CUTE. I LOVE THE BROWN AND THE BLUE, AND I LOVE THAT IT IS LEATHER!!!! CLICK HERE NOW!!!!

I think both pair look great with shorts!
I also have the shorts in olive green (click HERE), and coral from last season (but they also have a coral this season, click HERE).
I wore my coral ones constantly last summer, so I was keeping my fingers crossed that they were going to come back out with them this year.
They not only came back with them...they have tons of new patterns and colors.
I'm telling you.
These will be your GO TO summer shorts.
Get at least 2 pair.

Also, do you notice my "tan"?
"TAN" is in quotation marks because it's a result of THIS fabulous Rodan + Fields product.
If you order some now you will be bronze by summer.
A nice, even, NON-ORANGE bronze.
It's a foam, it's easy to apply, and the only place I streaked (only because I wasn't taking as much care as I should have been while applying) was my right ankle.It really is great! It doesn't smell weird and I really love the color.
And you know one of the mottos I live by:
Tan fat looks better than white fat. :)
My sweet friend Betsey from R+F will get you all hooked up!

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Obsession #3: Another pair of TOMS. See? Obsessive.
Here is an outfit I wore earlier this week. I tell you, I thought the outfit was super cute. I stand by the fact that it was, but the pictures don't do it justice. THESE are my other TOMS that I am loving. The rope detail on the bottom totally kicks them up a notch. Click HERE.

If you don't have a pair of TOMS yet, well then shame on you.Your feet are probably mad at you. Need the extra nudge? Read about their One for One Campaign! You buy a pair of their shoes, they give away one pair of shoes to a child in need.You buy a pair of their sunglasses, a child in need gets a pair of eyeglasses.

See what I just did there?
Now you can buy a pair of TOMS without any guilt. You're welcome. ;)

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Obsession #4: My Oatmeal Linen Blazer
I received this picture from a reader yesterday.
Just look how cute Lindsay looks in the Oatmeal Linen Blazer that I've talked about HERE and HERE *(the link includes my most favorite outfit recreation EVER, and it's with the blazer!)!
Click HERE for the blazer. Some readers said they were sold out of a couple of sizes earlier this week, but I just checked and they have been re-stocked!
Get while the gettin' is good! :)

Here is an excerpt from her email:
I just wanted to send you a quick note to let me know how much I LOVE the oatmeal linen blazer from Nordstrom that you recommended! I received it in the mail yesterday, and I paired it with black pants, a gold statement necklace, and a white tank for work this morning. I am obsessed... I can't wait to pair it with jeans on the weekend.
Thanks Lindsay for sending me the pic! Love how you styled it! You look great!

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I asked for people to comment on the blog yesterday about THIS suit if they had it.I got several GREAT comments from people that are singing the "THIS SUIT IS SO FLATTERING!" praises, 1 "eh" comment, and then this comment:
I totally subscribe to the Book of Sheaffer and I am a faithful follower...however, I tried on the black crochet swimsuit the very day you debut it here on the blog and I must say that I was not that impressed. The best part was the crochet on the belly, but the leg holes and bust area just weren't that flattering (and I have a fairly large chest). I did however end up buying a suit there that I am in absolute love with and you HAVE to check it out (click HERE)... The ruching on this thing is so flattering, the ring details class it up, the girls are covered, but pushed up in a flattering way, but the best part is the back...the back goes down into a deep V and the leg holes are cut a bit higher up, so the whole affect is very flattering on the back side! I have never before spent this much on a suit, but it is well worth the money. Sheaffer, I urge you to try this suit! You will LOVE it!

Well, the e-mail was very persuasive! I HAD to look up this suit. I loved that she said "the girls are covered, but pushed up in a flattering way!" That's what I like to hear!

Click HERE for the suit!
(Remember it is often recommended to buy 1 size up in a swimsuit!) It does look AWESOME! Thanks so much Jenn for the recommendation, I promise to check it out!
You know what I like most about it?
I think I might feel like a Bond girl when wearing it.

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Now a quick story for you ladies!
Okay, I lied...it's not quick...but it's fun....so bare with me please.....it's one of my favorite stories EVER. :)

Let me just start off by saying this...
I HAVE THE MOST DARLING READERS IN THE WORLD!
How do I know?
Well, first of all, did you not see the picture above of Lindsay? :)
Also, all my friends read the blog (thank you friends!),
and I know first hand about their darlingness.
Just act like it's a word.
I also know because I've been lucky enough to have readers introduce themselves to me! This happened to me last weekend and I LOVE the story, so get ready for story time.
I was at Stonebriar in Frisco in the Lego store with the little man.
Somebody said my name, and I turned around to see a girl (who was darling, of course).
She introduced herself to me as Keesha (hope I'm spelling it right!), and told me that she loved the blog! So fun! We talked for a minute, and she told me that she was actually going to be buying the wedges at Nordstrom before she left the mall (which I got such a kick out of!).

Carter and I finished up in the Lego store, and then we stopped through Fossil where I saw THIS new bag. LOVE. It is totally affordable and a great way to add a nice summery bag to your closet without totally breaking the bank.

But I digress. After strolling through Fossil, we breezed through Banana Republic. After that, the little man was DONE with shopping, so we started heading to the car.
I had parked outside of Nordstrom (no surprise there, right?), so we were heading through there when we saw Keesha again, trying on the wedges! LOOK HOW CUTE SHE IS IN THOSE WEDGES! The black look really great on! I never really wanted black before, but now I do. Thanks a lot Keesha. :)
Click HERE if Keesha has finally convinced you that you need these. And if that's the case....I feel compelled to ask....why are you believing Keesha and not believing me?!? :)

I said good-bye to Keesha again, and because I am who I am, I strolled by the Nordstrom jewelry counter on the way out. Why?...well, because I can't go through Nordstrom without going to play in the Sequin bracelets.
True story. (I'm just kidding.) (Okay, so I wish I was just kidding.) That light blue one on the right is one I was just trying on at the store a couple of weeks ago. I left it there. I should have known better.

Anyway, I saw two things while at the jewelry counter.
1) THESE rings. They are BIG and BRIGHT and FUN! Wouldn't they add a nice pop of color to any outfit?

2) As I was trying on the bracelets, there were 2 other ladies there trying on bracelets.
I told them that I LOVED the bracelets and wore mine all the time.
One of the ladies kind of started laughing and then said.
"Okay....do you have a blog?"
WHY YES.....YES I DO!
She told me that she was there buying the bracelets because I had talked about them on the blog!
WHAT the WHAT?
You're Kidding!
I then said (okay, so I might have kind of yelled it in a really high pitched voice which tends to happen when I'm really excited), "DO YOU SEE THAT GIRL OVER THERE IN THE BLUE SHIRT? THAT'S KEESHA! AND SHE'S HERE BUYING THE WEDGES!"
Y'all.
I was dying.
Kelly, you might even say I was chawed. :)

So, Keesha (darling!) was buying wedges, and Kristy and Sally (both darling!) were there because Kristy was buying some Sequin bracelets. (If you want to see the whole collection, go HERE and then type "sequin bracelets" in the search bar.
Can I tell you who else was darling? Kristy's baby.
My readers have darling offspring too.
See the bracelets in the picture on Kristy's arm? She decided to go the monochromatic route! Fun! And check out cute little E!

So, WHAT ARE THE ODDS of having 2 people in the same Nordstrom at the same time buying things that I was pimping out on the blog?
I gotta tell you, I wanted to grab them both by the arms and march them up to HR and demand some sort of monetary compensation. :)
I mean seriously, you're dying at the story...right?

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The winner of the ABC Scripture Cards giveaway is.......Angie Bramley (#123!) E-mail me at pinteresttoldmeto@yahoo.com by Monday morning at 10:00 a.m.! If I have not heard from you by then, I will draw another winner.
!!!!!!!!!!!HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!

Linking Up on today with:
The Pleated Poppy

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Dancing With The Stars!

2013-05-16T05:00:00.001-05:00

First up, let's talk about something serious and so much more important than anything I have to say.

My friend Mel posted something on her blog yesterday that touched my heart.
She introduced us to Anna, a mom who is trying to move forward with an adoption.
Anna's little boy is far from home.
She tells how she met him 2 years ago and loved him like a momma immediately.
Can you imagine? This is her baby, HER son..and he is so far away.
Let's all help to bring him home where he belongs.
Click HERE to find out what you can do to help.
It is really SO easy.
Let's bring this baby home to his forever family!

Before we get started with the DWTS, remember that today is the last day to enter the contest for the ABC Scripture cards. Click HERE now and go enter!
I will announce the winner tomorrow morning. Good Luck!

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Okay...on to DANCING WITH THE STARS!

Listen up people.
I was a bit lazy while writing my recap.
I have no scores for you....no names of dances....just some pictures and brief commentary.
This week has been a doozy for me, and it was all I could do to get a post together at all.
HOWEVER, some of the dances and costumes inspired me, and I have some great things for us all to add to our closets, if we so desire. And just in case you're wondering, I DO desire! :)

Kellie and Derek

Their first dance was PHENOMENAL. They started dancing where you could only see their silhouettes and it was PERFECTION.

They also danced a flamenco which I thought was just "eh" (shrug and tilt ladies).
I have no idea why the picture is posting so small.

I really really really like Kellie.
I want her to win (even though that means that Derek gets to win too).
Boo. Derrick.
Apparently I hold a grudge. I haven't been able to forgive him since he was so hard on Kellie in rehearsal earlier in the season.
She is a beautiful dancer and is just precious.
Yep, I love me some Kellie.
Loved her ever since she was on Idol.
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Ingo and Kym
I have no idea what their first dance was and was unable to find a picture. And since it's been a long week, I'm not gonna look any further.
This was their 2nd dance.
Kim is cute as can be and I just love her.

Couldn't find pics of their first dance, but I did find some individual shots of the two.
I have watched Ingo on GH for years (where he plays the dashing Jax).
And while it may be true that I have a little bit of a crush on him....

It pales in comparison to the crush I have on Kym.

I have always liked her, but I fell hard for her when she was Jerry Springer's partner. She seems to be super sweet, so encouraging to her partners,.....plus she has a rockin' bod.

I did a swimsuit post HERE with lots and lots of swimsuit options, but I've found some other suits and bags that I thought you ladies might want to see!
First of all, I know a lot of you ordered THIS suit (it comes in mint and coral also)!

If you have this suit, please leave a comment saying if you LOVE or HATE it.
All of the reviews online at Nordstrom are glowing...but I am still on the fence so I want your opinions too! It's hard to shell out this much money for a suit, so I'm anxious to see if you ladies that have it think it is worth it!
(I had a friend at work order it and she is singing it's praises.)
If any of you want to take a picture of yourselves in this suit and send it to me,
I would love to put it on the bog!
Takers?

No?

That's a crying shame.
Click HERE for the suit.
And remember, please leave a comment if you have this suit!

Look at THIS absolutely DARLING striped bag.
I think the red is my favorite....but the black might be. I just can't decide.
Love the canvas. Love the leather handles. Love the size. Love.
I mean, COME ON! This is a great bag!

And look at THIS cover-up!
It has some tribal flavor for sure! And such a good price at under $40!
I am totally picky about my cover-ups, and this totally meets my standards. :)

Or what about THIS one? It's long, strapless, and I think it could easily be worn as a cover-up or a dress. PERFECT for a beach vacay with your man! :)

LOVING THIS navy, white, and pink striped number. SO CUTE!
OH MY GOODNESS. THIS little thang can be worn as a skirt or a dress. The black and grey tie-dyed ombre thing is really working for it, and I think it would be just perfect with a white v-neck and a simple necklace.

Now for other swimsuits.
THIS little black and white striped number with a vintage feel caught my eye.
Actually, ModCloth has a huge assortment of retro swimsuits that are oh so cute. Click HERE.

Two really great tankini options:
Love the back on THIS one and the fun colors. I think this could hide a multitude of sins.
THIS one is like a one piece I highlighted a couple of weeks ago. It's got a fun paisley pattern!

Some bikini options:
Fringe is SO IN! Click HERE for the suit below (comes in black and watermelon).
Reviews say it runs small.

THIS one is still one of my favorites. If I wore bikinis (which I don't....wish I had the courage, by the way), I would totally wear THIS.

If you have been super blessed up top, THIS suit is perfect for you!
SO CUTE with the tiny polka dots and 26 near perfect reviews.
Apparently, even if you are a 38FF, this suit has you covered. Impressive.
Here is one of the reviews:
I'm a great fan of Freya, swimwear as well as underwear. If you are a D or bigger cup, you are going to love it too. I bought this top because I needed a pregnancy bikini, so this was in fact 2 cups larger than my usual size. For this reason I had some doubt it would have been as nice and supportive, because we busty ladies know that the bigger your cup, the ugliest your bras. Not in this case! Fit as a glove, supports great, it's stylish and extreme good quality. I'd say it feels a little bigger than tag size, but that is a plus for me, since I might still grow. Would definitely recommend this product.

And two plain bandeaux tops HERE and HERE that are lovely.

REMEMBER WHEN ORDERING SWIMSUITS THAT IT IS MOST OFTEN ENCOURAGED TO GO 1 SIZE UP.

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BACK TO THE SHOW!

Mark and Aly

I have no idea what their first dance was, but when I look at this picture, I am beginning to understand why Mark wears hats all the time.
Am I right?

Their 2nd dance was Afro Jazz.
It was high energy and lots of fun....

Okay...so the afro jazz dance inspired me to pierce my nose and go topless.
Not really.
It did however inspire me to add a little tribal flare to my wardrobe.
The tribal/aztec theme is HUGE right now, but I have nothing in my closet that lends itself to either of these trends at all.
I think I found some great choices.

First up, LOVING THIS bag. Click HERE.
Isn't it awesome? Totally tribal without being over the top.
My favorite is the black.
Here is what one reviewer wrote:

I absolutely love this tote. It is big enough to fit my laptop and other books for school. The color is a great mint color, I received compliments on it the very first day I went out with it. The snap closure is great, and the quality of the bag is awesome. The bottom of the bag is solid, so it can stand up on its own. Very very happy with my purchase.

Don't need a new bag? A super affordable way to add some tribal sass to your closet would be with a scarf. I love this scarf, I just can't decide which color combo is my favorite.

Check out THIS super cute Lucky Brand t-shirt (only 2 sizes left!).
Or what about some tribal-ish shoes?
I found 2 tribal chic (I just made that up) pair of sandals from Sam Edleman.
HERE (my personal fav) and HERE
Here's my fav. LOVE the turquoise stone.

I even found a couple of dresses.
This one HERE from Nordstrom (dressy enough to even be worn to a wedding).
Another one HERE that is coral and gorgeous.
This one HERE is from ModCloth.
I think this one could be dressed up or down.
It would be cute with wedges or heels and some great jewelry......
Or, it could be worn with flip flops depending on the occasion.
Great reviews on it, but a few mention it is snug in the chest, so you might want to consider sizing up.
Several reviewers also commented on the fabric saying that it is the perfect year round dress. Perfect in the summer with bare legs and no layers and just as good in fall and winter months with tights and a cardi.

And look at THESE flats that have a little bit of a tribal flare. Love how colorful they are!
(only 4 sizes left)

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Jacoby and Karina
I don't know what they danced (do you sense a theme emerging here?, the theme is I pretty much don't know anything...I watched the show while doing paperwork), but it was the best he's ever danced.

Here is a pic during the dance where Karina looks as if she is whispering sweet nothings into his ear.
As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I can only hope she's gently
reminding him to enunciate his words.

Karina's costume was black lace and GORGEOUS!
I have a black lace dress that I absolutely adore.
I think it is so classy (and a little bit sexy) at the same time!
THIS lace shirt is totally classic (comes in white or black).
THIS dress is just precious.
THIS dress is gorgeous and just went 33% off!

THIS dress is SUPER sophisticated and has 99 reviews if you want to read about it. Lace top and sleeves with a black (not grey as it looks in the pic) skirt.

The next dance was the jive (I think) and it was awesome.

A reader just brought it to my attention that I totally left off Zendaya and Val.
Oops!
Soooooooooooooooo sorry!!!!!

Looking forward to the finals next week and Dance Center! :)

Before you go.....

GAP is an additional 40% off of everything that is already on sale in every department!
Click HERE to shop.

And one more reminder to enter the contest for the Scripture Cards HERE.
See you guys back here tomorrow for my newest obsessions!!!!!

you can follow me on facebook HERE
you can follow me on Pinterest HERE
you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Style Soiree Week 1: KATE SPADE COLOR, PATTERN, AND FUN!

2013-05-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

I'm co-hosting a Soiree today. A Style Soiree!

Yep, I'm big time. ;)

(Before we get started with the Soiree, remember to enter the contest for the ABC Scripture cards HERE. I will announce the winner on Friday morning!)

And if you missed yesterday's post, click HERE. (I heard there were lots of technical issues yesterday with pictures loading and such.) You have got to see my new neutral blazer. I LOVE it!

The Other Lovely Ladies co-hosting The Style Soiree with me are:
Carmel @ Our Fifth House
Camila @ Effortless Style
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof
Heather @ Southern State of Mind
Today we are looking to Kate Spade for inspiration.

When I look at this Kate Spade collage of goodness, it makes me happy!

All of the bright colors, polka dots, and stripes just make me smile.

via

While searching for Kate Spade inspiration, one thing became clear.

When it comes to style, Kate has 1 rule:

1) There are no rules.

Okay, maybe she has 2 rules.

2) Boring colors and boring patterns need not apply.

Okay, maybe she has 3 rules.

3) If you think you have enough color, go ahead and layer on one more color.

OUTFIT #1:

Here is my black and green inspiration collage.

Here is my interpretation! I had on a gold necklace at first, but I took a cue from Kate, and threw on an orange necklace. And you know what? I liked it!

Green Shirt| GAP, sold out

I'm sooo sad for you guys that this shirt is sold out, because I've been wearing the heck out of it.

I had NO IDEA how much I would wear a solid color button up, but I do...ALL THE TIME.

I looked for a solid color option in cotton all over the place with no real luck.

Then I found this silk option HERE in 20 colors. 20 colors!

And it has lots of great reviews (many commenting on the flattering fit).

I think it would be a great wardrobe staple.

One review said this:

This is my second Nexx blouse and it is the perfect "go to" wardrobe staple for anyone. It has just enough structure to be really flattering for any body type.
Black Shorts| GAP, click HERE (sold out of black, but a polka dot option still available)

Orange Necklace| Sam Moon

Wedges| Nordstrom, click HERE (mine are putty)

*If you haven't ordered the wedges yet, then I just feel sorry for you. Ha!You are going to see them over and over on the blog in my outfits all summer.Eventually you will cave...but hopefully they won't be sold out by then! :)

I really really liked this outfit.

Even though I was wearing shorts, I felt very put together and polished!

Outfit #2:

Kate Spade Polka Dot Collage

Kate Spade loves her polka dots, and I love my J Crew Factory polka dot shirt (found HERE), so it was perfect to pull out for this challenge.

I've only ever worn it with skinny jeans and tall boots or under my pink blazer.

So, I thought, how would Kate Spade wear it?

I channeled my inner Kate and paired it with mustard pants, leopard flats, a coral shift coat, and a green and blue necklace.

Fun, right?
Now that I've created the outfits, I thought I would highlight some of my favorite Kate Spade items (and one Kate Spade-esque item, that is much more affordable) that are out right now that I am drooling over.

First up, THIS bow tote that is available in black or white.

IT. IS. DARLING!

And.....it's 33% off right now!

The black is definitely my favorite. This bag is an outfit maker for sure.

I am totally LOVING THIS cute cross-body bag in her signature colorful stripes.

I've been lusting over THESE leopard and hot pink flats for awhile now, but I just can't make myself spend that much on a pair of shoes! Would y'all pay that much for shoes?

I am of course drooling over THIS bag and THIS bag. Such bright fun colors and so big!
Can't afford the above bag, but still really want a bag? Check out these patent leather totes.
They are 33% off and much less expensive than the large totes above.
Click on a picture if interested.

Want a little Kate in your life, but can't afford something big? Check out THIS wallet.

It's shiny...my favorite is the hot pink...and it would be so much fun to pull out of your purse!

It's on sale too! Swipe it up right now for 33% off!

(Things that go on sale at Nordstrom never stay in stock for long.)

Still too much $?

What about THESE signature Kate Spade bow earrings?

They are under $35!

They would be a great an inexpensive way to add a little Kate to your closet.

And just for fun, THIS bag is not Kate Spade.....

but it's very Kate Spade-esque I think!

The stripes are fanastic!

I mean, look how cute it is! And it's under $60!

Warning, some of the reviews say that if you put too much in it that the handles start to break (but that was a girl carrying her laptop in it.)

I think if you just have a normal load in your purse it would probably be fine.

Here is one of the reviews:

I adore this bag. It can hold two changes of clothes and a pair of shoes (because yes, I have actually done this) and it is cute and fashionable while still being casual. I've found that the print looks great with every outfit despite my original reservations and I would definitely purchase this bag again. I've had it for four months now and have had no issues with quality (and I admit I push this bag to the limit a lot more than I probably should.)

Click HERE to get it!

Stripes are SO in and I LOVE the shape of this bag!

So...that's it for our first week in the style soiree!
I had such fun putting outfits together that I would not have put together on my own.

Link away...and make sure you come back on June 12th with Lilly Pulitzer!

Click on the pic below if you want to get to the Kate Spade collection at Nordstrom.

OH WAIT!
BEFORE YOU GO....

This is the LAST DAY for 30% off at GAP with the code GAP30!
Click HERE to shop GAP.
And there is a flash sale until 10:00 am at LOFT where you get $50 off your first $100!
Click HERE to shop LOFT.

Linking Up on Wednesday with:
The Pleated Poppy
Get Your Pretty On
Because Shanna Said So
Mommy in Heels
Tucker Up

you can follow me on facebook HERE
you can follow me on Pinterest HERE
you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

I Dare You to Not Like This Blazer

2013-05-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

Before we get started today, I have a cool new feature on the ol' blog that I want to tell you about!

My friend Andrea (the creative genius behind Simply Askew Designs and the designer of this blog) installed some type of code on my blog that allows you to pin items you like directly to Pinterest. Just hover over a picture with your mouse, the Pinterest "P" will appear, and click it!

I hope you guys use this option and pin away!

(I'll be mentioning this every so often for awhile just to make sure everybody knows about it!)

Also, I have a GREAT story to tell you ladies about the Callisto wedges (HERE) and the Sequin bracelets (HERE). I will tell it on Friday!
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If you haven't figured it out yet, there's something you need to know about me.
When I like something or feel like I got a good deal on something, I feel a deep need to let the whole world know about it. This might help explain why even when a stranger tells me that they like my shirt, I will almost instinctively yell out where I bought it and how much I spent on it.
Imagine this if you will.
Nice lady at Starbucks: "I really like your shirt."
Me: "THANKS SO MUCH! I GOT IT AT LOFT....AND IT WAS ONLY $12!"
I know, I know.
A nice "thank you" would do.
But that's just not how I roll.
Just ask my friends.
I have such fun sharing great things with them, and I often won't shut up about them until I have them all agreeing with me.
Let's take the sandwich of the summer of 2011.
I created the perfect summer sandwich. I really did.
I brought it to the pool every day and talked about it incessantly.
And guess what?
By mid summer, everybody else was totally and completely hooked on the sandwich too.
(I would tell you how to make it, but then I'd have to kill you.)
J/K
Shay is actually doing a lunch series on her blog that she just started last week, and this sandwich will be featured soon! I'll of course link to it when it is up!

So anyway, I think it's been well established that if I REALLY like something, I'm going to talk about way more than 1 or 7 times.

I am however talking about THIS oatmeal blazer again.
But only because I wore it again...and I thought the outfit was definitely blog worthy.
Here is the outfit I recreated.

Blazer| Nordstrom, click HERE
*REMEMBER TO ORDER 1 SIZE UP IN THE BLAZER BECAUSE IT IS A SLIM CUT!

{To see my other post on this blazer with one of my favorite outfits ever, click HERE.}
Other blazer options:
HERE is a good option for you if you are looking for something dressier.
It is a bit darker in color, but still a slim cut!
THIS one is collarless (which is a cool detail), it's on sale, and it has great reviews!
This one comes in petite HERE.
A belted option HERE.
THIS one is on sale too.
Jeans| Gap, similar HERE
I love my distressed jeans! Make sure you get the length you need to.
White Shirt| GAP, HERE
(GAP is 30% off today so you could get the jeans and/or the shirt for a great deal!)
Wedges| Nordstrom, click HERE
Mint Green Necklace| J Crew Factory
You guys know how much I love my J Crew Factory mint green necklace. It's been sold out forever, but I do love THIS option.
The only thing similar to my necklace is the color, but I think it's great and could be so versatile...especially in the summer months. I have been astounded at how the mint green is so often the perfect accent color to an outfit (especially white, pink, and coral).
Silver Watch| Michael Kors, similar HERE
White and Silver Bracelet| Nordstrom, similar HERE

So, here I am in the 1st 3 looks I've created with THIS blazer.
My next blazer look is going to be with dark jeans and a dark shirt.

So, I'm dying to know?

Are you guys loving the blazer as much as I am?
Oooohhhh...while browsing the internet on Mother's Day, I found a purse at Modcloth that is crazy similar to a designer bag from Nordstrom. One is from Modcloth for $54.99 and one is a Rebecca Minkoff for $350. Pretty similar, huh?

I saw the designer bag in person on a friend and it is GORGEOUS. I haven't ever paid that type of money for a bag like that, but I could totally spend $55!

Which one do you think is which?
Click HERE for the splurge, click HERE for the steal.
(I heard reports that the pics weren't loading on some computers.)
Before you go, Stella and Dot is having a 1 day sale today!
Did you catch that? IT'S TODAY ONLY!
So, if you've been pining after 1 or 2 things, now is the time to act!
The savings will be automatically applied at checkout. NO CODE NEEDED.
Click HERE to shop.
I know that several of you have been wishing for The Kimberly Necklace (click HERE).

This would be a great time to get it!
(I'm wearing the Kimberly necklace on the left in the 3 picture collage above. It is by far the most worn necklace in my closet. I absolutely adore it!!!)
Also, if you need something to get you to the $100, THESE are a fantastic pair of everyday earrings (which would also be great for end of the year teacher gifts).
Did you never jump on the bandwagon for the sparkly green earrings? Do it now! Click HERE!
Or....what about their new line of bags? Click HERE for all of the new travel bags!
If you are going anywhere this summer, you could get a great carry-on and an awesome jewelry organizer (click HERE). I have the jewelry roll and it is awesome.
The poufs have been so popular (click HERE) and keep selling out, but they are in stock now, so get while the gettin' is good!

See anything you like? Click HERE to place an order!

Linking Up on Wednesday with:
The Pleated Poppy
Get Your Pretty On
Because Shanna Said So
Mommy in Heels
Tucker Up

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE
you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

What I'm Obsessed With Now!

2013-05-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

MAKE SURE YOU READ TO THE END OF THIS POST FOR A

FABULOUS GIVEAWAY!

And GAP is 30% off. Click HERE to shop!
I highly suggest you get THESE shorts.
SOMEBODY I know may have purchased the white ones....and the olive green ones....
and the denim ones.
Okay, maybe it was me.
*************************************************
So, what am I obsessed with now?

Well this first one will come as no surprise.
I hardly believe it myself, but I'm about to talk about THESE shoes again.
Yep, I am.

I know.

I can't help myself.

It's like I think it's my personal responsibility to spread the wedge love to the ends of the earth.

Let's make a deal....

I promise to stop talking about them when you ladies stop talking about them.

I am getting at least 1 (and sometimes as many as 4-5) e-mails, blog comments, or facebook messages each and every day telling me how much you guys LOVE the shoes just as much as I do!

thankyouverymuch

I thought I would highlight some of the comments and e-mails for those of you that are still doubting the pure awesomeness of these wedges.

(A small number of you did comment that they were too tall for your liking, but the majority of you are in love.)

And for the record:

If loving these is wrong, I don't want to be right.

I am wearing them in putty above (the shots are taken on 2 different days...with 2 different pairs of jeans...and 2 different shades of toenail polish). I've been wearing the heck out of these shoes.

They are a really great neutral. Not grey. Not nude. But more of a taupe.

They are really really pretty.

Totally pretty enough to wear with a church dress, but totally sassy enough to wear with shorts.
They are kind of like that girl we all know that is the incredibly sought after combination of cute AND beautiful at the same time. Do you know her? The girl we would all hate if she wasn't so flipping nice too. Yeah. You know the one.

So, here are just some of the comments and e-mails I've received:

I just bought the wedges in putty yesterday. When I tried them on in a store a woman came over to me and said "OMG, your legs look fabulous in those!!!". SOLD!

Beth

Dear Skeptics,
I am the Wedge Queen. I wear them every single day...I own dozens of pairs...you will never find any one more knowledgeable on the subject of wedges. That being said, I have purchased 2 pair of these famous wedges because they are the most comfortable wedges I've ever worn. Period. Trust Sheaffer. She would never lead you astray. In this instance, she has led you to the wedge promise land.

Buy them. Today. Right now.

XOXO
Shay a.k.a. The Wedge Queen

You convinced me on the wedges and my putty pair came in yesterday too! I was so excited to put them on and you know what? You were right!! The most comfortable wedge I've ever had on my feet! Love love love. I can't wait to wear them. Yup. It's going to snow here today :( but I will wear them soon. Everyday. Thank you!
Sarah N.

I'm not ordinarily a wedge person....but I totally fell to the peer pressure. AND I AM SO GLAD I DID! These wedges are so comfortable. I got the putty color too, and they really do go with everything. I'm going to order a second pair. Which color do you suggest?
Anonymous

People shouldn't doubt you! These wedges are fantastic. I've read the other comments, and they are tall, but I don't think they are too tall at all. Just the right height to work well with my trouser jeans that I normally wear a heeled boot with. They look great with all of my skinny jeans too. Can hardly wait to break them out with shorts and sundresses. Thanks for introducing them to us!
Anonymous

I wear wedges ALL THE TIME (like Shay). And I completely agree. They are by far the most comfortable wedges I own. I bought 2! The pinky red color (forgot what it's called), and the putty color. Both are awesome! The only question is now...do I get the black pair or the yellow pair next? Not even kidding. ha!
Sandy

I had read the first blog post about these wedges and thought "Man, those are so cute." And then went about my business. Two days later I'm walking around Nordstrom and see these shoes. I tried on the black ones and have been hooked ever since! I'm debating what color I should get next-I can't decide between yellow, turquoise, and putty-suggestions are welcome. These are seriously the best wedges I've had!! Thanks for the recommendation!
Danielle

First I have to say that I love following your blog! You have definitely pinspired me and you're hilarious! I don't normally buy shoes without trying them on, but with your encouragement, I ordered two! I got the putty and black yesterday and don't regret it! I will wear them all the time!! Thanks!
Kelsey

Decided to succumb to the wedge pressure and bought myself a pair in black. I would tell you how I liked them but my 16 year old daughter has been wearing them non stop. So I guess the only option is to but another pair!
Trish Allen
SEE?
You people totally agree with me!
Oh...and a salesperson at Nordstrom told Shay earlier this week that he has sold more of this shoe than he ever has of any other shoe. That's something people!
I keep expecting them to sell out at any moment!

Click HERE if I've finally broken you down. :)
If you are a 1/2 size, size up!

*************************************************
You are probably going to both hate me and love me for this next one. I'm pretty sure I mentioned these in the very early stages of the blog, but it's high time I talked about them again.

The Chick-fil-A Chocolate Chunk Cookie

I die.
I don't even really want to describe this cookie because it feels like too much of a responsibility.
Like I won't do it justice.
Buy one.
Eat one.
Think of me when you do.

And while we are on the Chil-fil-A train, you should also know about their brownie.
Again, there are no words.

I do however have some troubling news to report.
When searching for pictures of these treats, I went to the Chick-fil-A website first.
The brownies weren't on there.
What?

HOLD. THE. PHONE.
Say it isn't so.
If they have in fact been taken off the menu, then I hope you will join me in writing a strongly worded letter to your congressman. Or maybe just your local Chic-fil-A.
After all, it's important to take a stand on important issues.
**************************************************

I don't know what the weather was like yesterday where you live, but it rained in my neck of the woods! WooHoo! You know what that means!
That's right!
HUNTER BOOTS BABY! (found HERE)

I am now kicking myself for waiting to get a pair of THESE for so long. I should have just caved two years ago when I first started pining for them.

In my opinion, they are 100% worth the investment.
Read the reviews to decide what size you need.
I'm a 6-6 1/2, and I ordered a 6. There is plenty of room.
Most of the reviews to say to order up if you're a half size.

*******************************************************
And don't worry, I'm still completely in love with THIS blazer. I have already worn it again.
That makes 3 x in about a week and a half. It's just that good.
You will get to see the look early next week.
Click HERE if you want to see my first 2 looks.
**********************************************************

One last thing before the big giveaway.

Great savings on women's clothing at Nordstrom right now!

Sign me up.

Great deals to be had, like THIS shirt (classic with great reviews) and

THIS shirt in a great coral color!

And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in THIS basic black trench.

Click HERE to shop the whole sale.

There is SO MUCH GREATNESS to choose from.

********************************************************

Now, for the GIVEAWAY!

I have a seriously special treat for you today. Courtney DeFeo of the lil lite o' mine blog had a brilliant idea that turned into a fantastic product, and I know you guys are going to LOVE IT.
Check out THESE ABC scripture cards.

ABC Scripture Cards are comprised of 26 tastefully designed 5x7 cards that feature easy-to-remember Bible verses from the NIV translation. Each set comes with natural storage box that includes a 5” gold or wooden easel to display all 26 or a magnet for display on a refrigerator. The size of the card also makes for easy framing in a case if a more permanent display solution is desired. The product is designed for the mom's style and the child's heart. Keeping it visible and merging into your daily routine is the key! Visit the resource and blog sections for more ideas on incorporating scripture memory into your home.

And let me tell you something sooooo cool that is on the horizon for these cards! Read HERE about how they are probably going to be featured on The View as one of Elizabeth Hassleback's favorite products! Amazing!
What do you have to do to enter the contest? Just go "like" the facebook HERE, and then come back and leave a blog comment saying that you liked them.

Easy Peasy!
Have a WONDERFUL weekend ladies!

you can follow me on facebook HERE
you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Dancing With The Stars

2013-05-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

If you only come around here once a week to see the Dancing recaps, I'm hoping I might persuade you to swing by my other posts this week.
I have an awesome guest post HERE from The Hollywood Housewife.
She features some lace shorts, and I feature some nude heels and wedges that would go GREAT with some of the dresses you are going to see in this post.

I also have a post singing the praises of my new neutral colored blazer HERE.
You'll want one. I promise. :)

********************************

So....let me start of by saying that I was so sad to see Sean go.
I thought he did a fantastic job working his hiney off and getting better week by week.
He did his family proud!
I was kind of surprised to see him go (because I know he has such a big following)...
but I don't think anybody was more surprised than Ingo and Kym when they
found out they were safe! :)

First up,
Zendaya and Val / Foxtrot

Lovely dance, and she is just as cute as can be, but it was a little bit boring for me.
Also, I have an observation.
This girl has super long legs AND crazy long arms.
I almost think that if placed side by side that her arms would be longer than her legs.

Score = 28

Now, before I go on to the other dancers, Zendaya's dress inspired me to look for some floral dress options for us girls!
Floral print is HUGE right now, just look at any fashion magazine or on the runways!

I found some very pretty options that would be FANTASTIC for shower and wedding season which is all of a sudden upon us!

Check out THIS Max and Cleo option.
It is SUPER similar to the middle picture of above.
One review said Looks like it is a handpainted watercolor work of art with a retro feel.
I like the idea of that!
The colors are beautiful, the neckline and waistline are so pretty, and the pleats and hem are great!
Another fit and flare floral option HERE.
Check out THIS one that is more fit and less flare, with a unique neckline.
And I even found 2 more casual options HERE and HERE (w/ spaghetti straps with a low back).

If you aren't interested in a dress, but want to try the floral trend out...
Look at THIS GORGEOUS top. It would look great with white skinny jeans.
Less expensive top options HERE and HERE.

When I saw Zendaya's dress I also thought about THESE colorful TOMS.

Oh...and THIS floral swimsuit is getting a lot of attention all over blog land.
I also REALLY like THIS pretty floral suit that I highlighted it last week.

***************************************

Okay...back to Dancing With The Stars....

Sean and Peta / Tango

First of all, when did hammer pants come back in style?

I must have missed the memo.

Actually, these are like hammer pants on crack.
And let's just take a minute to check out Peta's abs in the above pic.
I bet she's hungry ALL the time. ;)
I tell myself that to make myself feel better.

They danced the foxtrot and I thought he did a very nice job; however, the judges disagreed.

Score = 21

****************************************

Jacoby and Karina / Vienesse Waltz

The dance was great.

And I love seeing Jacoby's mama talk smack to Len.

I will say this however, I have NO FLIPPING IDEA what Jacoby says about 90% of the time.

AND I'M A SPEECH THERAPIST.
Do you guys understand him?

Score =27

*******************************************

Ingo and Kym /

Still couldn't find a picture of Ingo and Kym.
What a shame. ;)

Score = 24

*********************************************

Kellie and Derek / Vienesse Waltz

In the rehearsal piece they talked about how the dance was supposed to convey cherishing every moment with people you love. Derek asked her who she would like to dance with that is no longer here and she said her Grandma. (She was basically raised by her grandparents and she lost her grandmother at 15.)
It brought out a lot of emotions in her.

The dance was lovely, but I wasn't blown away. I didn't really feel it was "29" worthy.

Score =29

***************************************

Aly and Mark / Argentine Tango

Looked high and low and couldn't find a picture.
Actually, that's not exactly true. I looked about 30 seconds and then gave up.

Score = 29

**************************************

THERE WAS ALSO A TRIO DANCE THIS WEEK!

Zendaya and Max with Gleb / Salsa
I bet most of you ladies would take a side order of Gleb any day.

FIRST PERFECT SCORE OF THE SEASON!
Score = 30
Val was soooo excited with his score that he tried to pick up Brooke (the host), but she was having none of it. Come on Brooke! Loosen up!
I was going to try to find a pic of the shennanigans, but when I googled "val trying to pick Brooke up", this is what I got:
Huh?

I have no idea.

****************************************

Sean and Peta with Sharna / Jazz

Sean talking about how he was too much of a man for just Peta in the rehearsal piece was hilarious.
I'll be honest, when I heard they were doing jazz I was a little worried.

Bruno said "Plenty of Magic with a Little Bit of Tragic".
The writing was on the wall.

Score = 21

*****************************************

Jacoby and Karina with Cheryl / Paso Doble

Well, we all know that Jacoby can jump over Karina's head.
He did it here...

and here.....
(By the way, his face in this picture makes me laugh so hard! HILARIOUS! If you just saw his face you would never now he was in flight.)

Well, now we know he can jump over Karina's and Cheryl's heads at the same time.
Couldn't find a google picture of the jump, and was too lazy to watch on the ipad and screen shot it. Sorry.
There were flames...and lots of throwing...and lots of jumping.

Score = 25

******************************************

Ingo and Kim with Lindsay / Jive

Score = 24

******************************************

Aly and Mark with Henry / Jive
Look. Mark convinced everybody to wear stupid little hats with him.

Score = 27

*****************************************

Kellie and Derek with Tristan / Paso Doble

There were strobe lights and fog...but there was also REALLY GREAT dancing!
At least I thought so.
Carrie Ann thought so too. She gave them a 10.
Bruno agreed with us. He gave them a 10.
Len threw a little temper tantrum and gave them a 7.

Here are the faces of the contestants as the judges were vehemently arguing.
Kellie was scared and said that they "shouldn't fight in front of the kids!" :)

Score = 27

So.....who do you think is the next to go?
My money is on Ingo and Kym.
**********************************************************

Make sure you come back tomorrow to see my new obsessions!
Good stuff people! :)

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Neutral Blazer LOVE!

2013-05-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

I highlighted THIS blazer (in OATMEAL) several weeks ago, and I ended up getting it for myself.
I convinced myself to get it after putting together this style board with inspiration from Pinterest.

I never imagined a neutral colored blazer could be so versatile, but my girl Pinterest convinced me that it was, so I bought it! Pinterest is just about as bossy as I am.

I've already re-created two of the above looks, and I'm SUPER SUPER happy with my purchase!

Super happy.

Like, for real.
Look #1 (the middle picture in the above collage):
neutral blazer, dark jeans, white t-shirt, and edgy necklace

I LOVED this look and felt SUPER stylish!

I mean, really....don't you guys think I look kinda cool? :)
This is without a doubt within my top 3 favorite looks that I've created.
In fact, DARE I SAY?, it might be THE FAVORITE!!!!!!

I felt classic and polished.

Ladies...blazers are no longer "stuffy" and for business meetings only.

I don't when it happened, but they are totally hip now!

Neutral Blazer| Nordstrom, exact blazer HERE

White t-shirt| J Crew Factory

Trouser Jeans| White House Black Market years ago,

high end similar HERE (with great reviews)

GAP (type "women's jeans in search bar and find one you like!)

Kimberly Necklace| Stella and Dot, HERE

Gold Watch| Fossil, similar click HERE and type "Natalie Chronograph" in search bar, it's on sale!

Look #2 (bottom right picture in above collage):
neutral blazer, white jeans, white t-shirt, and brown belt

Neutral Blazer| Nordstrom, exact blazer HERE

White t-shirt| J Crew Factory

White Jeans| GAP 1969 boot cut (type "women's jeans in search bar and find one you like!)

Necklace| Stella and Dot, HERE

Earrings| Stella and Dot, HERE

Silver Watch| Michael Kors, similar HERE

I love so many things about THIS blazer:

*The color is a perfect neutral (it's called oatmeal).
I feel like a lot of times that this color can lean yellow or pink...but this one doesn't.

It really is a perfect neutral.

*The blazer is linen, which is the perfect spring and summer material for a blazer.

I tried on a lot of blazers that were for meant for spring and summer, but even though they were pretty spring colors, I thought the weight of the material was too heavy.

*The cut of this blazer is so cute. It is a slim cut, so I would definitely order one size up. However, the slimness of this blazer is what I like most about it because it makes it super flattering.

*I love the rounded edges on the bottom. It's a nice little feminine touch.

Did you pay attention to my bolded statment? Order 1 size up!

I mean y'all! SERIOUSLY!

I never imagined how versatile a neutral blazer could be!

I pinned even more images yesterday and love them too!

The next look I am going to re-create is dark jeans with a dark shirt as seen in the next 2 pics.

THIS (pictured below) is my blazer.

See what I mean?

perfect color

perfect material

perfect weight

perfect cut

PERFECT

If you are interested in a neutral blazer, but for some unknown reason my choice doesn't float your boat (for the record, you're crazy) :), some other options follow:

HERE is a good option for you if you are looking for something dressier.

It is a bit darker in color, but still a slim cut!

THIS one is collarless (which is a cool detail), it's on sale, and it has great reviews!

This one comes in petite HERE.

A belted option HERE.

THIS one is on sale too.

Dear Neutral Blazer,

I Love you so much.

I don't know why it took me my whole life to realize the importance of having you in my closet life, but rest assured that I've now seen the error of my ways and I am going to make up for lost time.

All My Love,
Sheaffer

****************************

I also wanted to highlight a shoe today in addition to the blazer.

After showcasing my fav wedge (found HERE) over the last several weeks, some of you expressed interest in wanting a wedge that wasn't patent.

I searched high and low, and found what I think is a great option for a basic black or brown wedge.

Click HERE to see for yourself.

It is 33% off right now, which makes it under $60!

In addition to black, it also comes in Cognac.

I think the braided rope on the wedge is great, and I think the black pair could be the perfect thing to help you with the black and brown trend this summer! (I did it all winter, and I'm definitely going to be doing it this summer too.)

Click HERE to see the cognac.

(Every size is available right now in both colors, but once things go on sale at Nordstrom, the variety of sizes doesn't typically last long.)

Now, a couple of more thing before you go...

If you have a blog or have ever thought about starting a blog, you need to go HERE and read Shay's post immediately.

She collected advice from lots of awesome bloggers and compiled it all in one place.

It's good stuff. :)

AND...the winner of the Stella and Dot earrings found HERE:

Kelly Gale Wilson!

Kelly, you have until Thursday at noon to contact me!

Click HERE if you would like to see the official Rafflecopter announcement at the bottom of the original post.

ALSO, GAP is 30% off your entire purchase right now!
Use code GAPGIFT and click HERE to shop!

Now...what are you people still doing here? You should be off shopping for a neutral blazer!

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Linking Up on Wednesday with:
The Pleated Poppy
Get Your Pretty On
Because Shanna Said So
Mommy in Heels
Tucker Up

Pinterest Told The Hollywood Housewife To!

2013-05-06T07:12:00.000-05:00

Hi Girls! Hope everybody had a wonderful weekend!
I know I did...I even have a bit of a sunburn to prove it! Love a little pink on my cheeks!

Well, it's been several weeks since the last guest post,
so today I'm excited to introduce Laura to you!

She blogs over at Hollywood Housewife , and she is SO L.A.
(in a fabulous way!). :)
Go check out her blog and say "hi"!
Go HERE to see her "Lazy Beauty" series where you can click on a post on anything from How I Style Jeans and a T-Shirt to Tips for a Spray Tan to Lazy Beauty Products!

Or, if your visiting from Hollywood Housewife and want to see what I'm about, you can click on the following links to see what I do on a typical day.
Every Friday I have an OBSESSIONS post, click HERE to see some of my latest obsessions
(good stuff people)!
Most of the time I'm just recreating Pinterest outfits like
HERE (with my new military jacket) and HERE (if you love a blazer, this post is for you!)
I also do specialty posts such as my Mother's Day Gift Guide HERE and a Swimsuit Guide HERE.

Anyway, enough about me...
TAKE IT AWAY LAURA!

*******************************************
Hi PTMT! I’m Laura and I blog at Hollywood Housewife. Sheaffer and I found one another through Hi Sugarplum and she instantly made me laugh. I love the internet.

Hollywood Housewife is where I chronicle my life as a wife, mom, and writer in Los Angeles. I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma and even though I’ve been in California for over a decade, I still find myself at a crossroads between my roots and my reality.

I have to admit that I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. I was all about it when Pinterest first came on the scene, but I grew icy fast. I wrote about how women are losing what is cool about their natural style. Still, I’ve been sucked down the Pinterest rabbit hole on many an evening.

And then this experiment arose when Sheaffer asked me to guest post and I fell in love with Pinterest all over again. I learned something about my own style and stepped out of the box!

I got this pair of white lace shorts last summer and not only are they darling, they have an elastic waistband. I’ve had two kids, folks. Elastic is my friend. My best friend. I’ve only ever paired the shorts with a colored top, but when I was browsing Pinterest I noticed that most people were doing white on white. It had never occurred to me!

This was my first attempt.

It was...cute-ish. It kinda looks better in the pictures than it does in real life. Maybe it’s because my sweater was just a hair off-white? I decided to try again.

Probably I should have chosen an inspiration picture that wasn’t quite so model-y. Oh, well, I aim high.

To my surprise, it worked! It looked really summer-y and polished. This is never how I would have styled these lace shorts myself, so I feel like I really accomplished something. If putting together a single outfit counts as accomplishing something.

Thanks, Pinterest!

What I’m wearing: white lace shorts by C. Luce, white button down shirt from Anthropologie, shoes by Christian Louboutin, bag by Michael Kors

You can find my blog here, and I'm on twitter, Facebook, instagram, and of course, Pinterest.

**************************************************************

Thanks Laura!
I am IN LOVE with your white bag and nude shoes,
and you are ROCKING those white lace shorts!

I've been seeing white on white all over Pinterest too, but I hadn't tried it until last week.

(My white on white post.WITH a blazer goes live tomorrow morning!)

It was a little scary to put together, but once I did it,
I loved how fresh it looked!

So, we've established that WHITE ON WHITE and WHITE ON NUDE is a seriously huge trend right now....but if you ladies are anything like me and Laura, it's not something you would necessarily think of doing on your own.
In addition to white, lace is also totally "IN" right now.
So.....because we are SO in the know over here at Pinterest Told Me To, I thought I would offer up some choices for people in case they are interested in going for this look too!

Here are 2 white dresses that are classic and oh so pretty.

Or what about THIS white lace shirt HERE. I love it and feel like it would be an easy way to incorporate the white lace trend into your wardrobe. You know, if you aren't brave enough to try the white lace shorts.

Speaking of white lace shorts, I found 4 choices.
I actually found lots of choices, but you wouldn't believe how much $$ people are wanting for white lace shorts.
Not to mention, people are really playing it fast and loose with the word "shorts".
So many options would barely cover your hoo-ha.
So, 4 appropriate options follow at varying price points.
an affordable version HERE
another option HERE
a really pretty pair HERE (check out the video in the link)
a super expensive pair HERE
(if you have $188 extra dollars lying around to buy lace shorts with, well then go on with your bad self)

If you are still too scared to do the white on white thing like Laura pulled off, here's some other inspiration for how to style the white lace shorts.

Ooh wait! I just thought of another way to incorporate the lace trend into your wardrobe.

Check out THESE natural colored crocheted TOMS. There are soooo many fanastic reviews online. Some of them say to order a whole size down, some say to order a 1/2 size down....so read some of the reviews and determine what is best for you!

Okay, enough of the lace, on to just some white and nude choices to add to your closet.

Everybody needs a great pair of white jeans, click HERE to see a fabulous pair of white skinny jeans or HERE to see a pair of white trouser jeans.
And I just got THESE white cut-offs. These are a great option if you want some white shorts but aren't quite ready to get a pair of lace ones for yourself. They have stretch in them, so they are super comfortable. I actually got them in the denim too!
And I recently purchased THIS henley tunic.
Interested in a skirt? Click HERE for a sweet little skirt.

White bag choices:
Other white bag choices here:
another white cross body option from Jessica Simpson HERE
4 different big buddha bags from Nordstrom:
HERE, HERE (a bucket shape with stud detail), HERE, and HERE (with braid detail)

And are you guys LOVING nude shoes as much as I am?
I don't have much use for a nude heel...but a nude wedge would fit nicely into my closet.
(You guys know I ADORE my putty wedge HERE,
but I would have liked a nude option too. If you are new here, read about my obsession with THE MOST COMFORTABLE WEDGE ON THE PLANET right HERE!)
I think these shoes are so so pretty and I like the detail on each of them.
(All 3 of them also come in white.)
I also like this flat with an ankle strap HERE.
A Michael Kors super nice peep toe wedge HERE.
Loving this Charles David option HERE.

And I'm not in need of a nude heel, but I know it's shower and wedding season...so maybe some of you ladies are in the market for one
I've found some gorgeous ones that might strike your fancy!

So, if you were inspired by Laura to pull off a white and nude look, I hope I gave you lots of good options to consider.
Thanks again Laura for stopping by and giving us some of your Hollywood glamour!
Maybe we should all aspire to have a little Hollywood in our lives!?! :)
Don't forget to visit her over at Hollywood Housewife HERE!

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

TWO more things before you go:
1) Hop over to Shay's blog HERE for an Origami Owl giveaway!

2) I am excited to tell you about an upcoming series of link parties that I am co-hosting this summer.

I will be joining 4 other bloggers to host a Style Soiree Summer Series, and you are invited to join in on the fun!
Yep...I'm co-hosting a Soiree.
I'm big time. ;)

The Other Lovely Ladies co-hosting with me:

Carmel @ Our Fifth House

Camila @ Effortless Style

Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof

Heather @ Southern State of Mind

The Style Soiree Summer Series is a link party where for one day each month this summer, we will feature a style icon to pull inspiration from.
This inspiration can be applied to anything as long as
it ties back to the style icon, so be creative!
Think fashion, table settings, home interiors, DIY, crafts, entertaining, recipes.
Anything goes!

Then on the designated day, come back here and link up your projects at the link party. When you link with one of us,
your project will seen on all five of our blogs.
FUN! FUN! FUN!

Linking Up on Wednesday with:
The Pleated Poppy
Get Your Pretty On
Because Shanna Said So
Mommy in Heels

What I Am Obsessed With Now - COME ON RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

2013-05-03T05:30:00.000-05:00

Quick Sale Alert:
GAP is Buy One Get One 50% off all regularly priced items with the code BOGO50.
Need a denim jacket? THIS looks like a good one!
Click HERE to shop!
LOFT is an additional 60% off sale. WOW! That's basically free. Click HERE to shop.
Also...check out this promotion Starbucks is doing!

******************************************
What am I obsessed with this week?
Several things......
but my VERY FAVORITE one is up first!

I woke up on Thursday morning and was so disappointed that it wasn't raining.
Why?
Well, because I got my new Hunter boots in (I might have squealed when I opened the box) on Wednesday afternoon and couldn't wait to introduce them to the world.
There was a 30-50% chance of rain, and that was enough for me.
And here's the truth, if Greg Fields had so much as hinted at the fact that there could possibly be a slight chance of a sprinkle at some time during the day, I would have worn them.
Sprinkles? Yes, please.
Rain? Oh goody.
Torrential downpour? SIGN ME UP! I'm ready!
WooHoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

(For the record, I have ZERO idea why these pictures have such a yellow tint to them.)

Once again, my collage of Pinterest images convinced me to make the purchase!

You've got to admit, this collage is pretty flippin' persuasive.
All of the pics make me happy, and I'm thrilled that I pulled the trigger!

I decided to go with the High Gloss Smoke HERE.

Kendi wore her Hunter boots (she has them in "Flame") last week. Love how she styled them!
You can find the Flame color HERE.

Other colors available at Zappos HERE.
These boots don't come in 1/2 sizes. I'm usually a 6 or 6 1/2, so I ordered down and got the 6. They have PLENTY of room in them for when I'm going to want to wear a think sock with them. I am so glad I ordered a size down. However, lots of the reviews say to order up. So keep that in mind. Read the reviews and decide for yourself!

And I'm telling you, they will go with everything.
Don't believe me?
Check this out.

via

See?
And how DARLING is that bride?

If you're not into the boots, you could always go the flats route.
Click HERE for some Hunter ballet flats in lots of great colors (the camel and pink are my favs)!
Do your kids need some Hunter boots? Click HERE for kiddy sizes!
(My little man has rain boots and not only does he love them, I love them.
They are NECESSARY for rainy days for the little guy.)

fyi: I left the house at 7:20 a.m. and I returned at about 4:45 p.m.
Not one drop of rain. Not one.
It finally sprinkled a little at around 5:00.
Oh well.....I was prepared as all get out, and I looked good. ;)

Come. On. Rain.

*********************
You guys know I love the J Crew Factory v neck tees like my striped one HERE.
Well, I found a new one.
THIS white graphic t-shirt.
Isn't it SO fun?
I had trouble linking to it for some reason,
so click HERE and then type "neon squares" in the search bar.

*********************
THIS MAC lip gloss.
If you're a follower of this blog, then you are probably saying "What the heck? I thought she loved NARS lip gloss?!?
And I do. I really do.
HOWEVER.
Shay has been talking about this lip gloss for a sweet forever, so I finally tried it.
In my head, it was kinda just to shut her up. :)
Well, she shut me up with this one.
I must say, Shay is all sorts of right about it. THIS lip gloss is flipping awesome.
It's like $10 cheaper than the NARS gloss, and I like it more.
So, I stand corrected.
I got Viva Glam.
It goes on so smoothly, is super shiny (which I love), and not at all goopy.
I wear it over a pinky red lip and it looks great.
Click HERE for it.
****************************

I'm still wearing the heck out of my new military jacket that you can find HERE.
The green is only left in Large and Extra Large.
The khaki color is still available in all sizes and would be just as versatile.
It's the perfect weight and is truly a "throw on with anything" jacket.
It sounds kinda weird...but it makes an outfit look more polished and put together.

After getting this jacket I have realized that having a lightweight jacket like this as a part of my wardrobe was SO needed. My first "military jacket" was more fancy (w/ brass buttons and a little peplum hem). Having a plain one like this is awesome. You can literally throw it on with anything.

Lots of other jacket options:
LOVE THIS one. It's a little more fancy and more expensive, but I love it.
THIS one with some cool embellishments.
Nordstrom Juniors Department option HERE.
Another Nordstrom option HERE.
They call THIS one a bomber jacket, but the Olive color looks like a military jacket to me.
HERE (an embellished option from Nordstrom)
THIS one is a fun sleeveless option
An oversized option HERE that is grey. It has a fun collar and a cute drawstring detail at the bottom.
And last, but certainly not least, a super fun camo option HERE!

******************************

Don't forget that my Stella and Dot trunk show is still open through my friend Jenny!
Shop around for GREAT gifts for Mother's Day, graduation, and/or teacher gifts.
(I gave THESE as teacher gifts last year and they were a HUGE hit! They came in a super cute little box and everybody loved them.)
I got THIS necklace last year, but I just added a "C" charm to it to represent my little man. Now I want to add either the "with love" charm or the cross to it. It's so special and I love it!

And here's their guide for building your necklace!

And here are some other choices for gifts for you or your mom!
I mean, what mama wouldn't want these things?

*********************

If you're new here today, you definitely need to check out my Mother's Day Guide from Monday!

Click HERE for a lot more ideas for you and/or your mom!

And you can also enter the contest for some great

Stella and Dot earrings .

And you gotta see my Swimsuit Guide from yesterday HERE where I highlight lots of different types of swimsuits at lots of different price points.
**********************

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Dancing With The Stars and some BIG news!

2013-05-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Before I get started with the recap, I have some REALLY big news.
My putty wedges came in.
What?
You don't think that's big news?
Whatever.
IT MADE MY DAY.
I love them.
I love them more than I love the black bean and avocado tacos that I am obsessed with eating right now. And I love them a lot.
I am going to wear THESE babies with EVERYTHING.

I will say that I continue to get questions from you ladies asking if they are really as
comfortable as I say they are.
Wow, some of you are doubters. :)
I promise you that these wedges are crazy comfortable.
Like, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a thousand needles in my eye promise you they are comfy.

In case you need to hear somebody else say it, I got this comment yesterday from Lauren (a reader):
Thank you for the push to try on the famous wedges because they ARE super comfortable and now that I bought one color I'm trying to decide what other colors I "need".
Thanks for the comment Lauren!
Maybe people will believe you!
After all, there is no better endorsement for the wedges than wanting a 2nd pair!:)

Anyway, click HERE for the putty pair in all their glory.
Seriously, people.
Aren't they SO cute?
I love the height of the heel. It's tall, but not so tall you think you might twist your ankle while dancing at a club (yes Betsy S. - I'm talking to you!) :)
And I love the shiny patent. SO fun, summery, and sassy!

Okay, enough about the wedges....for now. :)
Oh wait, I have an idea!
If you ordered this shoe and already received it,
please leave a comment on this post about them!!!
Even if you've already e-mailed or facebooked message me about your love for the shoe (because lots of you have), please comment again so everybody can see all the wedge love in one place! :)

**************************************
We will now get back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

DANCING WITH THE STARS!

There were 7 couples left, and it was Latin night.
Gotta love Latin night!

Let's get started!

Jacoby and Karina / Salsa

The man can MOVE.

The lifts were out of this world, and the choreography was just plain fun!

I wasn't a huge fan of the jump where her face ended up in his crotch, but maybe that's just me.
Karina, listen to me. We all know now that Jacoby can jump over you.
No need to continue to incorporate into every routine.

Score = 27

***************

Ingo and Kym / Rhumba

First of all, how old is Kym?

Check out her bod. I want it.

The dance was super sexy. Technically, not so great. But again, super sexy.

Ingo is simply unable to wiggle his hips.

(And this is a little off topic, but it made me thing about something my high school Young Life leader used to say. He used to call "it" the "BIG wiggle." Ha!)
Funny, but for the 2nd week in a row I couldn't find a picture of Ingo and Kym. (wink, wink)
Oh well, I guess we'll just have to settle for this shot.

Score = 22

***************

Kellie and Derek / Samba

Ok. So Derek oogied me out on this dance. Am I the only one?

Like, he totally oogied me out.

First off Derek, let's get rid of the white trash stache. Like yesterday.

I have however been looking for a great pair of red skinny jeans, and I think my search is over.

Score = 29

**********

Andy and Sharna / Rhumba
There wasn't much dance to this dance. Andy tried his best (like he always does BLESS HIS HEART), but so many of the people remaining are legitimately good dancers.
If the show was called "WHO DO WE LOVE THE MOST OF THESE STARS", then Andy would have it in the bag. But it's called "DANCING WITH THE STARS", so he had to go.

Watching him listen to the judges critiques is heart-wrenching.

He SO wants to do well.

I must say that violent tendencies came out from deep within me and I wanted to punch Carrie Ann in the face when she gave him a 5. Like I seriously wanted to punch her.
And I might have yelled at the t.v. Allegedly.
CARRIE ANN! HAVE YOU NO REGARD FOR THIS SWEET MAN'S FEELINGS?
GIVE HIM A 6!!!! COME ON!

Score = 17
When they called his name to go home on Tuesday I was so SO sad for him.
Still, I am SO HAPPY for what this show has done for him. It really seems to have given him a new lease on life. And I heard that he's now going to have his own t.v. show as a result of his popularity on this show.
WAY TO GO ANDY!
I will be watching for sure and rooting you on!

***********

Aly and Mark / Salsa

I don't even want to talk about the dance yet..

I want to talk about these 2 things:

1) Mark's hammer pants during rehearsals. What the what?

2) His hat with his hospital gown.
Mark - take. off. the. hats.

The dance transported me to Rio with lots of shimmying and neon.

The performance was high energy and lots o' fun, but I thought it looked sloppy at times.

Score = 29

**********

Sean and Peta /Rhumba
Sean is definitely better at the slow dances than the fast ones.
It was super passionate.
At some points I couldn't decide if I was watching Dancing With the Stars or if I was getting a peak into what the fantasy suite would look like if Sean and Peta were a couple!
As you can see in the pic below, Catherine came to rehearsal to try to help bring Sean's passionate side out, and I was reminded of how gorgeous Catherine's hair is...but that is neither here nor there.
Bruno was right...his hiney was sticking out quite a bit. Tuck that hiney in Sean.

Score = 24
****************

Zendaya and Val /Paso Doble

Was it great?
Of course it was great....but I just didn't love it for some reason.
Score = 27

After all of the individual dances they also had a dance off.
I'm just too dang lazy to talk about that too.

Bye Bye Andy.
We'll miss YOU, your charm, you hard-working spirit, and your big heart.

And for the record, I would like to say that I TOTALLY called it.
On my first recap I said:
He is going to cha cha his way into America's hearts.
Mark my words.
I hate to say "I told you so."
Wait, no I don't.
I told you so! ;)
****************************************************

If you're new here today, you definitely need to check out my Mother's Day Guide from Monday!

Click HERE for a lot more ideas for you and/or your mom!

And you can also enter the contest for some great

Stella and Dot earrings .

[Nashelle Necklace/TOMS*/Fossil Tote]

*If ordering the crocheted TOMS, it is suggested to order either a 1/2 size or a full size down because they stretch. If ordering canvas TOMS, I generally order a 1/2 size down.

(Check out all of the amazing reviews on them in the link.)

And you gotta see my Swimsuit Guide from yesterday HERE where I highlight lots of different types of swimsuits at lots of different price points (including the one below).

And don't forget to check out Shay's DWTS recap HERE!

See you back here tomorrow with my current obsessions!

I'll give you a hint about one of them...I am SO glad it's raining today! ;)

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Get Pinspired: Getting Ready for Summer and Swimsuit Shopping!

2013-05-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

Time to GET PIN-SPIRED today with me, Shay at Mix and Match Family and
Mel at The Larson Lingo!

You can grab the code on my sidebar!

My post for today's Get Pinspired linky party is going to be a little bit different.
Ok. It's going to be a lot different.
I am going to be talking about swimsuits.
No. You're not going to see me in a swimsuit.
People. I still have 4 solid weeks to get swimsuit ready.
And let's be honest, you are never going to see me in a swimsuit. ;)

What you are going to see today are some Pinterest images that got me PINSPIRED to get ready for swimsuit season! And then I'm going to highlight around 23,000 swimsuits.
So, what inspired me on Pinterest to get my hiney ready for a swimsuit?
THIS card.

Hilarious, right?
I knew it was time to stop listening to my beloved red sweatpants with the
white stripes down the side and the drawstring waist.
What?
They're AWESOME.

Okay...so talking about swimsuits isn't my favorite topic in the whole world...

And I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's not yours either.

We all have different body types, so it's hard to find a common ground when looking at swimsuits.

big bottoms, flat bottoms; big boobs, little boobs, tall legs, short squatty legs....etc....

So, I thought before I started highlighting the swimsuits, I would help us find common ground.

Something we could ALL agree on.

I thought we could perhaps all agree that we hate this girl.

Agreed?

Good.
Common ground found. CHECK.

Moving on.

Below is the 2nd image I saw on Pinterest about a week and a half ago that got me thinking about the fact that I really needed to get my hiney in gear. (Here's something you probably don't know about me. Every April-May ish I lose about 15 pounds. Then, I gain it back during the year.
Then, I lose it again in April. I am well aware that it's stupid. It's just how I roll. .)

The image below is the one that finally kick started my summer program.

This suit has ME written all over it and it got me excited about summer!

I'm a one piece or tankini girl, and I really like a strapless option due to tan lines.

Yep, THIS baby is right up my alley.

The stripes are classic but fresh, and if you look closely you can see that it

has rouching in the middle.

Rouching? Yes, please.

Click HERE for the suit.

Now, before I start throwing up a bunch of options, please remember that these are swimsuits we are talking about...so you will need to order 1 size up.
Did you read that?
YOU WILL NEED TO ORDER 1 SIZE UP IN MOST SUITS.
Also, you might want to get comfy. Once I got started highlighting suits, I found it hard to stop. I seriously must have looked at around 1,000 swimsuits for this post. I've chosen lots of my favorites.
I hope to be highlighting options for every body type and at varying price points.
But let's remember that with swimsuits, you often get what you pay for.
Most years I buy Target swimsuits, and I like them for the season (they definitely have some super cute ones!)...but sometimes they don't even last the whole season. Last summer two of my Target suits had to be retired before summer was even over. The underwire broke in both of them. Boo.
(fyi: I literally almost cried when my orange tankini with the little polka dots pooped out on me.
I LOVED it. I loved it a lot.)
So, you need to decide...do you want to buy a couple of different suits from Target that are most probably going to last you 1 season...or do you want to spend more $ on a suit that you love that will last for several seasons?
It's kind of a toss up.
Variety? or Quality?
I've always gone for variety before, but I'm thinking this year that I'm going to go for quality.
I bought 1 suit from Target already, but I'm going to invest in 1 really great suit. (I usually buy 3-4 suits from Target...which is a little bit more expensive than buying 1 nice suit. We're at the pool almost every day over the summer, so I justify my purchases!)
Decide if QUALITY or VARIETY is more important to you and then shop accordingly!

So....let's get started!

I of course HAVE to mention THIS suit again.
In addition to the OUTSTANDING reviews online (seriously, go read some of the 269 reviews),
I also got the following blog comments this week.
Comment #1:
I have that swimsuit!!! I got it in navy a couple of months ago and it really is fabulous!!! Sexy, but not too over the top. The crochet in the middle totally tummy-tucks your belly!!!
Comment #2:
I, too, have been coveting that Nordstrom bathing suit! After your post, I finally ordered it! It came today, and I LOVE IT!!!!! I am in my early forties and have two kids, and it is still flattering! I ordered two sizes up. I cannot express how awesome this suit is! :) You NEED it! :)

I am seriously considering ordering the above suit even though it is a little out of my comfort zone. I typically prefer to have my stomach fully covered,
but I think I might go out on a limb and try this one!

Okay.....
Let's start with the more inexpensive options.
Like I said previously, I usually get most of my suits from Target, and I'm able to find some really great ones! But like I said, beware that they will probably only last 1 season. If you're good with them not lasting long, HOW CUTE are these polka dots?!? And I think the bright colors are so fun.
And here are some one piece options from Target.
What about these cute tankini options from JC Penny?

Okay...now we are going to get into "nicer" suits that cost more $.
The good news here is that with more $ you often get higher quality lycra and better construction, two things that are very important in a swimsuit! You get what you pay for! And I'm TOTALLY willing to shell out some extra cash if the swimsuit is going to make me look better!

Do you happen to be extremely blessed up top? Here is an option that seems awesome!
If you want a little extra coverage, here are a couple of good options. They are from Zappos, and there are around 14 billion suits on Zappos if you want to do some browsing. Just click HERE and type what type of swimsuit you are looking for in the search bar. (You can see a cute red tankini with a bow detail and pleats HERE and a turquoise strapless one piece HERE.)
What about some suits with a little extra somethin' somethin' to make you look good?
There's also another good option HERE that has some magic in it and some cute ruffles.

The next group of suits are ones that I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have for myself.
I want all of them (in addition to the crocheted one above.)
I'm just going to choose 1, but I'm excited about having a well made suit this year! Is that weird?
I like all of these for different reasons,
and I think they would look great on lots of different body types.
Lovin' these monokinis...although I don't think I have the guts to wear one.
And I KNOW I don't have the guts to wear these....but I love them. If I were to wear a bikini, I would love to rock one of these.
And here are some other bikinis that I really like:
a navy or black bandeau bikini HERE (with great reviews)
a hot pink two piece with great review HERE
a cute striped bikini with a push-up top HERE

Got a bun in the oven? I've got some options for you too!

In addition to swimsuits, you also need all of the "extras" for the pool or beach.
Check out these Vera Bradley bags. DARLING!!!! Click on a pic.
A cute striped bag option HERE.
A neon yellow and pink bag option HERE.

And you of course need to have some cute shades!

And a beach towel!
Super cute one HERE.

Want to get your tan on safely before you even hit the pool?
I have 2 options for you.
Option #1:
THESE tan towels.
I used these last summer and really liked the results. Shay swears by them. They are easy to use and give a very nice color. You can also get the entire Radiance Set HERE.
Option #2:
THIS self tanner from Rodan + Fields.
Betsey, one of my sweet sponsors, sent this self tanner to me. I'm only 3 days in, but so far I LOVE it. It's a foam, it doesn't smell bad, and it goes on easily!
I will talk about it again next week after I've used it for longer.
Click HERE to order the tanner for yourself.

And you can't forget about cover-ups. Just ask my friends, I'm the queen of the cover-up.
The middle one isn't super practical for being at the pool with the 4 year old...but if you are planning on heading to the beach with the hubby, it would be awesome!
Other cover up options:
a multi-colored chevron stripe HERE
a turquoise chevron stripe HERE
a color block option HERE
this one might be my favorite HERE

Well...that's it for my swimsuit guide!
I hope you saw something you liked!

Don't forget to see my Mother's Day gift giving guide HERE and enter the contest for the awesome Stella and Dot earrings!

Listen, I'm exhausted after looking at all of those swimsuits and thinking about all
of the lunges that I need to be doing. Are you?
If you have any strength left, then link up!!!!

Mother's Day Gift Options! I've done ALL the work for you. You're welcome. :)

2013-04-29T05:30:00.000-05:00

SALES:
GAP is 35% off your entire purchase with the code GAP35. Click HERE to shop.
I got THIS shirt, and I thought maybe some of you would want to get THIS jacket or THIS dress.

LOFT is 40% off you entire purchase! Even new arrivals!
Enter code NOW40. Click HERE to shop. Ends today.
***********************************************************************************
Let me start off by saying this.

You might think your mom is the best mom ever, and that's sweet of you to think that.

But you'd be wrong.

MY mom is the best mom ever. :)

Okay Girls.

Mother's Day is just around the corner, which means 2 things:

1) We need to find something fabulous for our moms.

2) We need to find something fabulous for ourselves. ;)

Don't worry, I've done all of the work for you.

I've compiled a list of some FANTASTIC things at every price point (as low as $20 and as high as $250) that would be so much fun to give OR receive!
I'm doing the post today so there is PLENTY OF TIME for them to arrive by Mother's Day.

I highlighted these 3 things over at Alison's at Get Your Pretty On on Friday.

[Nashelle Necklace/TOMS/Fossil Tote]

I think the Fossil Tote HERE is just fabulous. Love the stripe, Love the canvas, Love the size, Love the shape, Love the leather on the bottom. Love everything about it.
Chris - consider this a HUGE hint! :)

Check out a Tory Burch striped tote HERE. Gorgeous.
I dare you to tell me one mama who wouldn't LOVE to call THIS her own.

I do love the crocheted TOMS I highlighted on Alison's blog (see them HERE)...and I was all set to ask for them for Mother's Day (I have one friend with the cream pair and one friend with the purple pair, and they are so cute!) .....but then I went to the mall on Monday and saw THIS new design.

I couldn't even wait for Mother's Day. I bought them right then and there.
Look how cute they are going to be this summer!
(And full disclosure here, I got THESE for my birthday.
I think the rope detail on the bottom is so great.)

They look very grey in this picture, but in real life I would say they are
definitely more of a taupe.
And look at all of the other colors available. Navy, Pink, and Green. Love.

TOMS are a perfect mom shoe that are comfortable, yet stylish.
If you do want a pair, or if you want to give your mom a pair, keep this in mind...
I highly suggest you get THESE too.
They are no-show socks that will keep your feet (and your TOMS) dry during the hot summer months! You can buy 1 pair, or you can save if you buy three. Click HERE to see.

(If getting the crocheted TOMS HERE, I've been told to order a full size down
because they stretch out. If ordering canvas TOMS like HERE or HERE,
you might want to consider ordering a 1/2 size down. That's what I did, and they fit great.)

The identity bars necklace is such a sweet Mother's Day gift. I know I would be thrilled to get one with Carter's name, and how much would a grandma love this necklace with her
grandbabies' names on it?! This is a gift that any mama would treasure.

You can find it HERE.

And if you're a mama who NEVER buys anything for herself, and you want this gift to be something you will get a lot of miles out of, you know I am going to recommend THESE wedges (I know I've been talking about them non-stop, but if you have a pair yourself, I know you understand). You will wear them constantly, and it will feel like you are walking on air.
And if you need a little sparkle in your life, get several of THESE bracelets. You will feel so sassy wearing them, and you will get TONS of compliments.
They will kick anything you are wearing up a couple of notches!

And you know how much I love my new military jacket found HERE. Here I am again wearing it this past weekend to a kid's birthday party (and I had my new TOMS on too)...and one of my favorite J Crew Factory v-neck tees you can find HERE.
Any of the above things mentioned would be awesome to get or give!

If you're looking for a really nice gift, how about a watch? Click on a pic if interested.
An inexpensive idea for a gift would be a great scarf!
Click on any of the options below if interested.
Or are you or your mom into make-up? I found THIS great set from Bare Minerals.
It's a fantastic value and has great reviews!
If your mom is into perfume and likes to get her yearly bottle every Mother's Day, click HERE.

Maybe your mom loves to spend her time in the kitchen.
What about a GREAT cookbook HERE from The Pioneer Woman and a cookbook holder HERE.
Or what about a crock pot HERE and a crock pot cookbook HERE.
Does your mama love Paula Deen and her family? Click HERE for Paula's Southern Cooking Bible, and click HERE for her boy's cookbook.
(fyi: Shay has become friends with Brooke Dean, Jamie Dean's gorgeous wife,... and I'm maybe more than a little bit jealous!)
Look at THIS set of small stone cookware bowls.
SO cute for soups and individual casseroles, and they come in just about every color in the book.
(You would be amazed at the selection of cookware that ZAPPOS has. Click on the Zappos graphic below to see what they have to offer!)

I have another idea!
What about you throw together a little gift set for your mom?!?
You can look back HERE when I first posted about the book Sparkly Green Earrings written by one of my favorite bloggers, Big Mama!
Melanie is HILARIOUS, and when you read the book you will feel like you are just sitting around with her swapping all of the crazy and heart-warming stories that go along with being a mama.
You could give the book and a pretty pair of earrings to go with it!
I'm telling you, every mama needs this sweet book.
find the book HERE
earrings on top right HERE
earrings on bottom right HERE

Not feeling any of the above options? Well, you're crazy!
JK!
That's okay...click HERE or on the Nordstrom graphic below for a well-organized gift guide.You can shop by price or by category and it makes it sooooo easy!

Another great gift giving guide HERE from C. Wonder. An awesome retailer that I'm just recently becoming familiar with! They are able to personalize many of their items by monogramming!
Click HERE to shop their well-organized guide.

Also, please remember my sponsors for possibilities of where to get some great Mother's Day gifts!

The following sponsors have GREAT jewelry:
Noonday Jewelry
I know my mom would love this necklace HERE, and she would love the story behind it too!

Charles Emerson Designs
THESE earrings would look great on my mom!
Simply Chic Boutique
Check out their auction on Tuesday night for jewelry, a bag, or a scarf for your mom!

If your mom is anything like my mom, she LOVES good skincare products.
You can find those here:
Rodan + Fields
Look for some great products for dullness as well as sun and age spots HERE and
their Re-Define line HERE.
Arbonne
You can find their most popular line HERE, my favorite line of theirs HERE,
and awesome make-up HERE.

Also, check out all of Stella and Dots new bags HERE.

graphic via Particularly Practically Pretty

So....make things easy on yourself.
I think there is surely something above that most mamas would love to get!

And......just because I love you guys.....
what about another giveaway?
I've got a great pair of Stella and Dot earrings HERE that go with everything!
A little silver, a little gold...and a unique shape that makes them so fun!
Enter on the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

What I'm Obsessed With Now

2013-04-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

{I moved the SALE ALERTS up to the top of the post since some of them have changed

as of Sunday morning.}

GAP is 35% off your entire purchase with the code GAP35. GAP never goes more than 40% off, and it only does that 2-3 times a year...so 35% off is just about as good as you are going to get!
(It has some exclusions. For ex., denim bottoms and swimsuits are not included.)
Ends today (Sunday) at midnight. Click HERE to shop.
(I had stalled on getting some things I wanted...but not I'm going to pull the trigger. I'm getting THIS shirt for sure. And I thought maybe some of you would want to get THIS jacket. I don't need it since I just got my new military jacket, but this is a great jacket.
And at 35% off it will be a GREAT deal!)
Or check out THIS dress.
This cool, convertible jersey dress can be worn four ways:
MAXI SKIRT Long skirt folds to desired length.
TEA LENGTH Dress folds to mid-calf length.
NATURAL-WAIST MAXI Full-length dress with seam at waist.
DROP-WAIST MAXI Full-length dress with seam at low waist.

LOFT is 40% off you entire purchase!
Even new arrivals! Enter code NOW40. Click HERE to shop. (Not sure if this ends today.)

J Crew Factory is 30% off all new arrivals! Prices as marked, no code needed.

Click HERE to shop.

Okay....
DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....
the winner of the HUMONGOUS giveaway.................

Nancy! You just TOTALLY scored!
Like STRAIGHT UP scored.
You have AMAZING prizes from Stella and Dot, Rodan + Fields, Arbonne, Noonday, Charles Emerson Designs, and Simply Chic Boutique ALL FOR YOU!

A HUGE Thank You to all of my amazing sponsors who participated in the giveaway!

Nancy, you have until Monday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. to contact me.
If I don't hear from you by then, another winner will be chosen.
(And Nancy, let me warn you.. there are like thousands of other girls hoping you are out of town or have a super busy weekend and won't be checking any blogs!)
:)
****************************************************************
Now, on to my current obsessions:

Next week I'm doing a swimsuit and cover-up post.
I know, I know. GROAN.
I can almost hear you running to the store to buy carrots.
So, I have an entire post dedicated to this next week...but for now....
I'm going to highlight my favorite one piece that I've found so far.
It's expensive, but with swimsuits I often find that you get what you pay for.
And I am willing to pay TOP DOLLAR people if it's going to make me look good.
TOP. DOLLAR.

There are 268 reviews of THIS suit online.I have never seen anything with that many reviews.
To me, that means that it was so popular last year (and maybe the year before) that they brought it back again (and again). Of the 268 reviews, 189 of them are 5 STARS, and 53 are 4 STARS.
WOW.
That's an overwhelming majority of ladies that LOVE THIS suit.
I gotta be honest, I loved the look of this suit when I first saw it, but then I tried to imagine myself in it....and I wasn't so sure I could pull it off.
HOWEVER, when I started reading the reviews I was all...
if she can pull it off, maybe I can pull it off too?!?
***If you order THIS suit, remember to order AT LEAST 1 size up.
Some of the reviewers said they ordered 2 sizes up.
So, read the reviews and decide what you think you need.***

Oh....and if you know me....you know I am the QUEEN OF COVER-UPS.
I really am.
No lie.
My favorite one I've found so far is THIS one. 33% off and 3 great colors! I like how it's simple.
I really like THIS one too.
There are no reviews on it yet (which I don't like), but I think I might risk it.
It's obviously super short, but I don't mind that in a cover-up.

*************************************************
THESE Hunter rain boots.
I ADORE how they are high gloss, and I am absolutely LOVING all of the spring colors.
Can you tell that I'm also loving pulling boards together with Pinterest images to convince me of purchases that are a little bit more pricey?
I did it HERE for my military jacket....which I ended up buying.
I did it HERE for my neutral colored blazer...which arrived in the mail on Wednesday and I wore it on Thursday. LOVE it.
I bought both of those things after putting the boards together...so I'm guessing a pair of Hunters might be in my closet very soon.
The board is pretty persuasive, and every single time it rains I curse myself for not having a pair.

***********************************
I don't know if I've mentioned it ;), but I'm obsessed with THESE.
I just ordered the putty color for myself too.
************************************
I also wanted to show you guys THIS necklace from Anthrolopologie that my friend Alli sent me a picture of last week. The mint one is pretty, but I ADORE the red one.
I put it on my Pinterest board last week, and I can't get it out of my head.

All of the reviews on it are great, but several mention that it is a really BIG necklace.

So, if you are a statement necklace girl...this one is for you.

Alli is obsessed with hers, and I don't blame her.

Can you imagine how great the necklace would look with almost anything you would put on?

Especially with a stripe.

Wouldn't it look FANTASTIC with a stripe?????
Why, yes.
Yes it would.
p.s. How gorgeous is Alli?
And you know..she's just as funny and sweet as she is gorgeous!
And just for funsies...here is a screen shot of our conversation last night. I'm in blue.

A couple of more random links to things I found on sale that you might be interested in:
THIS pair of shoes.
They seem to be super similar to my sequin leopard TOMS, but they are like 1/3 of the price!
THIS pair of white skinny capri jeans. They are Citizens of Humanity and 33% off.

Oh....and if you are wondering what to buy your Mom for Mother's Day...or if you are wondering what to put on your list and start dropping hints for :) , head over to my friend Alison's blog HERE to see what me and some other mommy bloggers are wishing for this year!
I ~~think~~ know you'll love what I've chosen!

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND FRIENDS!!!!!

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Dancing With The Stars Recap!

2013-04-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

Before we get to the recap, I have a little housekeeping to do.
It's SO interesting to me that sometimes I put things on the blog that I just know that everybody is going to go cuckoo over (and they often do!). However, other times I put something on the blog, and I don't think much about it, and people still go cuckoo over it.
I want to share one of those things today.
THIS is a bag that I briefly highlighted last week.
It didn't really catch my eye all that much, but I was trying to find bags under $100 to answer a reader question, and I thought it would be fun to include a Michael Kors option that was under $100.
It ended up getting a lot of attention from you guys, like A LOT.

After I saw all of the love you guys were giving it, I went back and read the reviews.
(If you haven't noticed before...I am all about product reviews. I feel like if somebody takes the time to write a review, good or bad, that they must feel pretty passionately about the product.)

The reviews were great, and one thing that stuck out to me was that this bag seems to span the ages.

Here is a review from a young lady that is under 20 years old:
This tote is the perfect size. It will fit my Louis Vuitton Sara wallet, a water bottle, snacks, a wristlet, gum, a notebook, and honestly - everything! There are five pockets (Including the zippered pocket) on the inside and it's so wonderful! I also use it at school and all those pockets are incredibly useful for keeping everything organized. The strap are not too thin so it doesn't hurt your shoulders. The bag is light to begin with so stuffing it with things doesn't make the bag too heavy :) I got it in the lacquered pink. The MK zipper is a wonderful touch, I've carried it for 2 weeks and not a scratch on the hardware. I love how it doesn't SCREAM Michael Kors, but when you open the bag and see the MK lining it's like an added little touch/surprise :) I love this bag! Also stays very very clean and washes right off with water. SO happy with this purchase!

A woman who fell in the 45-49 year old category wrote this:
As most of you who shop MK know that the price can be up there...for less than $100.00, you get all of the convenience of MK's inside pockets, the outside zip pocket and the inside zip pocket, which all have the matching trim of the bag. The size of the bag is great as is the length of the drop to allow to carry in hand or on shoulder. Zip top hides away for easy access or easily zips for extra security. Plenty of width and depth to carry everything day to day and add the extras for "those days". Nylon outside allows you to carry it in all weather. Such a great bag!!! Black and brown... goes with everything, light weight, and the gold just gives it that little something extra.

It also comes in yellow, orange, red, royal blue, and black and brown.
People are LOVING this bag.
Like, people seem to love the bag as much as I love my wedges.
(I know that I can't stop talking about them, it's a problem).

So, in case you didn't even give it a second glance (I'm guilty of this too),
I thought it was worth showing again.
If you like the idea of it, but don't like the size,
HERE is the large version and HERE is the small (crossbody) version.
It could be a great Mother's Day gift for you OR your mom!
If it's not quite right for a Mother's Day gift, click on the below graphic or HERE.
You're sure to find something for you and/or her!
They have the gift ideas organized by category or price...it's a really handy guide!

Oh...and in case anybody is interested...I wore my new military jacket AGAIN.
We got a little big of cooler weather where I live and it was PERFECT for the cool mornings and the warm afternoons.
You can find it HERE.
This time I paired it with lilac skinny jeans and a different spring scarf.
Isn't it so cute?
This is definitely the new favorite staple in my closet.

Okay...enough stuff.....

Now It's Time for Dancing With The Stars...

and freaking STEVIE WONDER was in the house!

Isn't She Lovely might be one of my favorite songs ever.

And one of my favorite episodes of a t.v. show in the history of t.v. shows is when Stevie Wonder was on The Cosby Show. Did you guys watch The Cosby Show? The hubby and I both watched it growing up, and we have so much fun catching it now on Nick at Nite!

In the Stevie episode, Theo and Denise come in telling Cliff and Claire how they had just been in a car wreck. Check out their faces. HILARIOUS.

Here he is singing I Just Called To Say I Love You with Claire. LOVE.
And my goodness I love Claire Huxtable....BEST T.V. MOM EVER. Right?

And for anybody who remembers that episode, I have this to say to you:
"Jammin on the One, Jammin on the One. Baby. buh buh buh buh buh Baby Baby. Robert.
La La La La La La."

Okay....on to the show!

Zendaya and Val / Cha Cha Cha
This girl is a rock star. She can dance her hiney off.
That's all I have to say about that.

Score = 29
**********

Andy and Sharna / Samba
They danced to Signed, Sealed, Delivered. GREAT dancing song!
I gotta say, I LOVED it SO SO SO much!
Andy makes me smile from ear to ear! And listen....he showed us that he has a little bit of GROOVE!
I'm like Carrie Ann, he is in my heart.
And I love how Len seems to be Andy's biggest cheerleader.
There is no doubt that he has won some lifelong fans and friends.

Score = 18
Y'all.
When he got those sixes, he was absolutely CRUSHED.
I wanted to just hug him like crazy.
And did you see how happy all of the dancers and contestants were for him
when he didn't get kicked off?
#heart-warming
**********

Sean and Peta / Samba
I don't even know what to say.
Okay..maybe I know what to say.
I can't roll my tongue.
I can't wink.
I can't whistle.
I would hope that I would never be asked to do one of those things on National t.v.
Some people can't shimmy.
Sean happens to be one of those people
Sean had to shimmy on National t.v.

I mean, rolling your tongue is like a recessive gene or something isn't it?
Okay...I took a moment to google "is tongue rolling genetic?"...and it was
as if I was reading Mandarin or something.
However, I did read some things that do make me think that it is in fact a gene
that enables a person to roll their tongue.
Sooooooooooooooooo......
MAYBE THERE IS A SHIMMYING GENE TOO PEOPLE!
It's like I'm breaking new ground in science.
So, I say all that to hypothesize that perhaps Sean didn't get the shimmying gene.
This may come as no surprise to you, but I never won the Science Fair in elementary school.
Score = 21
**********

Aly and Mark /
First off, what is the deal with Mark and his stupid hats? Almost every time it shows him in rehearsal he is wearing a ridiculous hat.
Anyhoo.
They danced to Isn't She Lovely.
It was great.
And I continue to like Aly more and more.

Score = 27
**********

Ingo and Kym / Tango
The judges loved it, I thought it was just "eh".
I was too busy (and too lazy) to take screen shots of the couples this week on the ipad, so I just did Google Searches. For some reason I was unable to find one of Ingo and Kym this week.
I did however find this.

You're welcome.
Score = 24
**********

Kellie and Derek /Quick Step
In the rehearsal piece Derek messed up a couple of times, and it tickled Kellie to death.
I loved it too.
Mr. I Think I'm So Perfect needs to realize that he's not perfect all the time.
They danced to Part Time Lover.
It was awesome.

Score = 29
**********

Victor and Lindsay / Rhumba
They danced to I Just Called To Say I Love You.

Victor seems like a sweet guy, but it was time for him to go.
I did really like Lindsay, and I really hope they bring her back in future seasons!
Score = 18
**********

Jacoby and Karina / Quick Step
They danced to For Once In My Life.
I actually liked Jacoby more today than I ever have.
I thought the dance was surprisingly good. Bruno and Carrie Ann liked it, but Len did not.
My favorite part of this picture is Sean in the background. Good stuff.

Score = 22
**********

TEAM PASO
Ingo and Kym, Val and Zendaya, Jacoby and Karina, Victor and Lindsay

Score = 22
**********

TEAM SAMBA
Sean and Peta, Kellie and Derek, Andy and Sharna,They danced to Very Superstitious.
Derek's glasses kept on on falling off, and I kept thinking about the poor costume girl that he was probably gonna get fired now that we know Derek has a bit of a temper.
(sidenote: I used to love Derek, but he totally ticked me off last week when
he was picking on sweet Kellie.)
They should get 10s for how Groovy they look.

Score = 25

So......that's it....now there are 7 left.
Can't wait to see what they have in store next week!

And don't forget to check out Shay's blog HERE for her recap!

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

A Look Back and some Randomness

2013-04-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

I am in the trenches at work right now...7 more weeks...I can do this.

I won't go into detail, but I have around 1 million assessments and 2 million ARDS.
At least that's what it feels like.
Oh, and then there is of course the actual therapy!

Breathe in, Breathe out.

So, to help out with my time management, I had a BRILLIANT idea if I do say so myself.

The majority of you haven't been reading my blog since I started (last August).

So, I've decided to re-post some of my first looks!

I thought why not start at the VERY beginning.

This is the outfit from my VERY FIRST post from August 14, 2012.

Navy Striped t-shirt| LOFT
Navy striped scarf| Francesca's
Hot Pink shorts| GAP outlet, similar HERE
If you would like your shorts to be a little longer, HERE is another option.

White watch| Fossil
similar without bling HERE ,
with bling HERE (this one is my fav and has GREAT reviews!!!)
and HERE (if you like a smaller watch)

I think a white watch is so much fun to wear in the spring and summer. I got mine last year and was very surprised how much I wore it and enjoyed it!
The above options are my favorite out there right now.

And for you're viewing pleasure, while searching for pink shorts for you ladies...I came across two images that were very upsetting.

Image #1:
This picture on Zappos.
Don't ever trust a guy that looks better in pink shorts than you do.

Image #2:
This one is not so much an image as just something that is burned into my brain.
There were a pair of hot pink shorts in the junior's section at Nordstrom that were the same idea as mine, but they looked extra super short. I was going to link to them and just say "BEWARE...THESE MIGHT NOT COVER THE GOODS".
However, then I saw that they came in a triple zero.
Like the size chart went like this:
000, 00, 0, 1, 3, 5,......
WHAT?
TRIPLE ZERO?
I didn't want link to them on principal.
However, I decided to link to them HERE so you could see the size chart yourself.
What does a 000 look like? Like a toddler size?
WHO IN THE WORLD HAS ANY BUSINESS BEING A TRIPLE ZERO?
Sorry, I'm all worked up.

Okay........time for me to calm down.
Moving on.

And I must say, looking back to my post on Friday, some of you think that I'm lying to you about my feelings for THESE wedges.
I would NEVER lie about something so important. :)
I got sooo many texts, e-mails, facebook messages, etc this weekend asking me if the wedges I talked about HERE were really as comfortable as I say.
Here's a text from a friend yesterday morning saying that she was trying to figure out just exactly what she wanted to buy to start her summer wardrobe. (I am in the blue).

I don't know what I have to do to convince you guys that this pair of
wedges is both cute AND sassy.
It's like Mr. Cute met Little Miss Sassy, and they had a pretty little neon patent baby.
Whatever that means.

And don't worry....I'm about to start applying self-tanner daily.
AND I'm on the exercise bike getting ready for summer.
That's right people.
It's like T-40 days or so until I have to be in a swimsuit.
Things just got real.

DON'T FORGET:
The HUGE giveaway is still going on.
LOTS and LOTS AND LOTS of goodness.
Click HERE to enter.
And make sure you click "SHARE" on my Friday post on facebook (the one with the berry colored wedge in the picture), you get 10 additional entries when you do!

Anyway...enough of the randomness (for now...), back to my outfit from my first post.
The post is HERE.
I thought you might find it interesting to look back and see what my vision was for the blog!
I gotta tell ya, I've stayed pretty true to my vision and had SUCH A BLAST doing it!

p.s. If you want some of the gorgeous Charles Emerson jewelry for yourself that is featured in the giveaway, click HERE and use the code Pinterest20 to get 20% off your entire order until the end of the contest! I know lots of you bought some things the first time around because I've been seeing some of it on twitter and instagram!

A MUST HAVE jacket for Fall and Spring

2013-04-22T05:30:00.000-05:00

First things first:
The HUGE giveaway is still going on.
LOTS and LOTS AND LOTS of goodness.
(Ends 04/24 at midnight!)
Click HERE to enter.
And make sure you click "SHARE" on my Friday post on facebook (the one with the berry colored wedge in the picture), you get 10 additional entries when you do!

My new military jacket came in! WooHoo!
I talked about wanting to add a 2nd one to my closet HERE (check out that post if you want to see all the ways I have worn my first jacket), and I decided to take the plunge.
I bought THIS one (I got it in army green, but I also like it in the khaki color).
I LOVE it.
LOVE. IT.
It's arrival got me to searching for ways to wear it.

All of these inspiration pictures are super springy and show how the jacket transitions so easily into warmer temperatures!

Did you recognize anybody in the below pics?
The gorgeous girl on the right is my friend Alison from Get Your Pretty On!
LOVE how she styled her jacket with a neon t-shirt, boyfriend jeans, and wedges. Greatness!
{You are going to see me on Alison's blog later this week for a fun Mother's Day post!}

So, when my new jacket came in, at first I didn't use a specific Pinterest picture for my inspiration...
I just stepped into my closet and came up with something all on my own.
Here's what I came up with:

I liked it...but the mustard pants definitely made it look a little more "fall" than "spring".

Military Jacket| Nordstrom HERE

(Prepare yourself, I don't think it could be styled any worse than it is in the link.
WHAT IN THE WORLD is that skirt?)
Striped Shirt| LOFT (years ago), similar HERE , it has a wide stripe and it's under $30!
Mustard pants| Nordstrom,
I looked, but I can't find a reasonable pair of mustard pants right now.
Stella and Dot Necklace Kimberly HERE
Noonday Bengali Sunset earrings HERE

Sidenote...when searching for a striped t for you ladies, I found this one HERE. It's not like the inspiration, but it is so dang cute. It's 40% off, but they only have size SMALL left (and probably not many of those). I love how easy going it is (yes, a shirt can totally be easy going), and the color of the stripes make me happy.

I also found THIS one. So unique with a solid front and great stripes on the back.

Okay....so yes, I liked the outfit I put together.....but like I said previously, it wasn't super springy.
This picture screams "SPRING!" to me, so I set out to recreate it.

All I needed was a pair of light jeans, a bright scarf, and a bright bag.
My pink was in the scarf, my blue was in the bag....but it still had the same "look".

It's like I'm screaming "SPRING IS HERE PEOPLE!"
I REALLY liked this combo.

Military Jacket| Nordstrom HERE
Pink Poka Dot Scarf| Simply Chic Boutique (in the current giveaway HERE!)
Earrings| Stella and Dot (in the current giveaway HERE!)
Fossil Bag| exact HERE, and an awesome crossbody option HERE

After putting this outfit together, I convinced myself that this type of jacket can function year-round in my closet. It is such a great staple piece to have. If you don't have one, consider getting one!
I think you will be shocked at how many different ways you will be able to wear it!


all images pinned via Pinterest - That's Kilee from One Little Momma on the bottom right!

Other Military Jacket Options that are all under $60!:
Nordstrom Juniors Department option HERE
with FANTASTIC reviews
Here's what one of them had to say:
After trying a safari jacket from Travel Smith at twice the price, some cargo styles from Old Navy and the Gap which were heavy and distressed looking, and literally combing the web for a replacement for my beloved old jacket that is sadly ready for retirement, I ordered this jacket from Nordstrom with little confidence that it would work. Not only did it fit well, I love the lightweight fabric! It looks crisp and polished while still very casual. I also love the snaps with zipper option in lieu of buttons. I am crazy about this jacket and will get a ton of wearings this spring, summer and fall.
Well done, Nordies!
I really like the review said the fabric is lightweight. PERFECT for spring!

Another Nordstrom option HERE
They call this one a bomber jacket, but the Olive color looks like a military jacket to me.
HERE (from JC Penny's - not sure about the fit of this one)
HERE (from Target, under $60)
HERE (an embellished option from Nordstrom)

And for the record, I'm wearing THESE TOMS with both outfits.
(I know, I know...I've got to get better about including my shoes in the pics.)
Sequin Leopard TOMS| CUSP, HERE
I adore these shoes. ADORE. I wear them constantly, and I get compliments on them constantly.
Cute, Sassy, Comfortable....everything you would want in a shoe!

And, I received a couple of blog comments this past weekend asking me where my rhinestone bracelet was from that was in the middle of all of my Sequin bracelets.
It's from LOFT, and you can find it HERE!

Last thing:

If you are planning on traveling to Disney with your kiddos at any point, you have got to read Shay's post HERE. It is a how-to guide to Disney with your kids!

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Linking Up Today With:

I know it's not my money, but I'm still gonna tell you how to spend it.

2013-04-21T07:44:00.000-05:00

Okay.......so I want to be clear......

I hope you know that if you have any extra $ laying around that you are supposed to buy THESE.

At least 1 pair.

I hope I've made myself clear.

If I haven't, then the only alternative left seems to be to rent a plane that will sky write it for me.

Don't make me.

Because I will.

If you still have $ laying around, then you are supposed to buy some of THESE.

I now have 6.

I wish I could say I'm ashamed, but that would be a lie.

I have a friend that bought 3 bracelets and a pair of wedges on Friday.

On Saturday I received a text that said this:

My issues may be worse than yours. I went back and got the red pair and another bracelet.

Lord help me!

She needn't worry. She still has to buy 3 more bracelets before she tops me. :)

Now, if you STILL have $ laying around, or if for some unknown reason neither of the above suggestions make you do flip-flops.....then I've got some sales you might want to check out.

Surely something below will float your boat! ;)

Click HERE to shop LOFT. It's 40% off of EVERYTHING.

It ends today, 04/21.
THIS. IS. HUGE.

GAP is 25% off you online purchase with code GAP25.
Enter the code GAPMORE.
I'm thinking about getting THIS and THIS.
Click HERE to shop.

I know a lot of you have tried to buy the GAP camo pants but they are out everywhere.

THESE pants would be a nice alternative...

and I am loving all of their tunics and button ups right now.

Banana Republic is 35% off full priced styles with code BRSHOP35. Click HERE to shop.
Ends today 04/21

The Limited has a couple of different promotions going on.

Old Navy is $15 off your purchase of $75 or more with code ONSAVE15. Ends 04/21.

J Crew Factory is an extra 30% off of final sale items with the code GETMORE. They also have 30% off all women's jewelry.

Click HERE to shop.

Now........I feel silly even mentioning this....

but SURELY you've entered the GINORMOUS contest that I posted on Friday HERE.

If you haven't, do it NOW!

You can't win if you don't enter!!!!

Why I Am Almost Certifiable....And a GINORMOUS giveaway!!!

2013-04-19T05:00:00.001-05:00

People have told me all my life that I can sometimes be a bit dramatic.

All right, fine. I'll own that.

BUT I AM NOT BEING DRAMATIC WHEN I SAY THAT THESE ARE THE MOST COMFORTABLE WEDGES THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED.
{Sorry for yelling, but I felt the occasion called for me to raise my tone.}

I like them so much, that my obsession is now bordering on crazy.

I know I talked about them briefly HERE on Monday.

But now it's Friday, and I feel like they deserve to be highlighted on an Obsessions post.
As if they have feelings and their feelings would be hurt if they weren't included.

I am aware that I'm like one step away from being carted off to a looney bin in a straightjacket.

But I can promise you this, I will have the straightjacket accessorized with fantastic wedges and darling bracelets. Me and all of my crazy friends at the looney bin will be the best dressed psychiatric ward you have ever seen.

Let me just give you a small peek into my crazy.

I wore my new yellow wedges to work this week.

5 people complimented me on them.

3 out of the 5 were then forced by a crazy person (me), to actually put them on themselves so that they could fully appreciate the cuteness AND the comfort.

What's that you say? You're not my size?

I don't care.

Put them on anyway.
Now.

And by the way, after you put them on, I expect appropriate "oohs" and "ahhs"

about how delightful they are.

See what I mean?

Crazy.

Shay and I were at Nordstrom on Monday, and she tried them on too.

Here she is in the yellow pair.
She shares my passion and enthusiasm for these shoes, and

she is now the proud owner of a turquoise pair and a putty pair.

And don't tell Andrew, but she is actually considering buying a 3rd pair.

Why?

#becausesheisjustascrazyasiam

These wedges are high, but I promise you they are more comfortable than most of my flats.

It's like I'm walking on little pillows.

It's heavenly.
Do you know what they are?

They are a rare combination of SASSY and COMFORTABLE!
Two qualities that are often sought after in as shoe,
but very rarely found at the same time.

They will be cute with shorts, with skirts, with maxi dresses, with little sundresses, with skinny jeans, with trouser jeans, and if you are one of those girls....with your swimsuit.
Hey, I'm not judging.
But in the interest of full disclosure, I may be talking about you behind your back.

And how fun are the bright colors?

Here are three of the choices.

They also have red, black, and white.

(A word of caution with the white, in person I think they look a little cheap. Also, in the store, the red was a true red. In the pics they look more maroon. Not sure what color is in stock.)

And I almost forgot, if you don't believe me and Shay....check out the reviews!
You will be amazed.
Out of 52 reviews.....40 of them are 5 star...and 9 of them are 4 star.

In short, the general public is a fan of this shoe.
I read the reviews before I bought mine, and I have to admit that I thought the lady who said she had 4 pair was a nut job.
Now, I get her.
She is my kind of people.

So, won't you join me in the crazy ward?

Buy THESE wedges. At least one pair.
Now.
I'm not kidding.

Your feet will thank me.
(sidenote: My local Nordstrom did not have a great selection of sizes in each color. Shopping online might be your best bet. Luckily, Nordstrom has free shipping and a fabulous return policy, so it's really no risk!)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, even though these exact bracelets were highlighted in last week's obsession post, here I am talking about them again. Like a crazy person.
There seems to be a theme emerging here.

You know I was given 3 of them by some of my besties for my birthday (see left).
But, I really wanted to add 2 or 3 more to my collection (see right).

I was talking to my friend Andrea trying to justify the fact that I wanted to add two to my collection.
Andrea happens to be a middle school math teacher (shout out to Andrea and her new precious baby girl!), and she created a word problem for the occasion.
This is some girl math at it's finest.

Sheaffer has five fabulous Sequin bangle bracelets.

If she wants to wear three bracelets at a time,

how many different combinations of bracelets can she make???

I have no earthly idea what those letters and number actually mean.

But what they mean to me is this: Buying two more is totally justifiable.
It's simple math really.

So, the official answer appears to be "10".
Now, imagine if we were to do equations for if I wore 1 bracelet at a time, 2 at a time, 4 at a time, or 5 at a time. I'm thinking the options would be up in the hundreds. Maybe even thousands.
Can you tell how awesome I am at math?

my white one is HERE
my purple and green ones are HERE
my orange one is HERE
my pink one is HERE
the blue one is HERE (love how this one has a bamboo look)

I tell you this only because all of the options are so overwhelming,
and I thought you might want some guidance!
And don't forget that my favorite one is HERE (it just also happens to be the most expensive.....but it is FABULOUS). I also really like THESE with the raised gold dots.

If you want to see the entire Sequin jewelry selection in one place,
go HERE and just type in "sequin jewelry".

Wouldn't they be a great Mother's Day gift?!?
You should just get them for you mama now and cross that off your "to do" list!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now...on to the GIVEAWAY!

I am sooooooooooooooo excited about this!!!!
After hitting 1,000,000 pageviews - I knew that I wanted to do something big....
So, the idea for this giveaway was born.
Several of my sponsors were very generous, and I have thrown a couple of items in there too!
LOTS of prizes. 1 winner takes all.

Wanna see what you're playing for?

First up, THIS red ikat bag that was featured in People StyleWatch!
$89 value
Thank you Jenny!

Next, THESE pink and coral chandelier earrings.
$44 value
These are from me.

Also, THIS jewelry roll that supports autism awareness -
a cause dear to me because of the field that I work in.
20% of sales from the Autism Awareness Collection in April will go towards
the HollyRod Foundation!
It's no secret that I love shopping...but I love shopping for a cause even more.
$39 value
This is from me.

Here is the inside of the jewelry roll.
(I have already ordered this for myself too!!!!! Love it!)

The Rodan+Fields Redefine Multifunction Eye Cream.
$59 value
Thank you Betsey!

And do you want to see a seriously impressive Before and After shot for the eye cream?

Wowza.

An Arbonne make-up primer

$38 value
Thank you Lola!
Click HERE if you want to order for yourself or e-mail Lola at: lola.hurt@att.net
I have heard this stuff is AWESOME.

The Ariana Necklace from Charles Emerson Designs
$32 value
Thank you Erin!
And GREAT news for you guys!
From now until Thursday, enter the code Pinterest20 for 20% off your entire order.
Go HERE and shop!

An arrow necklace and a pink polka-dot scarf from Simply Chic Boutique
(used to be Accessory Mix Auctions).
$34 value
Thank you Simply Chic girls!

A Brightly Wound Bracelet from Noonday Collection
$28 value
Thank you Laura!

AND GIRLS!

THAT IS A TOTAL OF $363 WORTH OR PRIZES!
1 WINNER TAKES ALL!
You will have TONS of jewelry, a fabulous way to store your jewelry on trips, flawless make-up, and eyes without a wrinkle in site. So basically you will be gorgeous and flawlessly styled.
Cross your fingers, hold your breath, say a prayer....
and enter as many times as possible so you can win! :)

Before you go....
LOTS of AMAZING sales for your weekend shopping!

GAP is 30% off of all orders with code GAP30. I'm thinking about getting THIS and THIS.
Click HERE to shop. Ends 04/24.

Click HERE to shop LOFT. It's an extra 50% off SALE styles.

Old Navy is 15% off your purchase with code ONSAVENOW.

There is also a Nordstrom Spring Sale!
After you click HERE, type "spring sale" in the search bar in the upper right hand corner
. Then, on the left sidebar, you can scroll through more specific categories such as "women's apparel, men's shoes, junior's, or kid's shoes".
LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of great spring stuff on sale!
But I know this about Nordstrom sales.....great deals tend to fly off the shelves, so if you love something.....get it!
If it doesn't work, you can always return it. Nordstrom is great about returns.

J Crew Factory is an extra 30% off of final sale items with the code GETMORE. Click HERE.

ENTER NOW!
THE GIVEAWAY ENDS WEDNESDAY AT MIDNIGHT!!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Linking Up Today with:
Random Wednesday
Look What I Got
Style Elixir

Dancing With The Stars and GET TO KNOW ME!!!!

2013-04-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

Before we get started today, I want to first take a moment to acknowledge the terror attack in Boston as well as the plant explosion in West, Texas.
Prayers going out to everybody affected by these 2 horrible instances.
God has a way of showing up in these times, and I pray people see and feel his presence.
********************

On a much different note, tomorrow I have a HUGE giveaway.
Epic, really.
Lots of prizes....and 1 winner takes all.
It's gonna be good, so don't miss it!

DANCING WITH THE STARS
Dancing With The Stars is doing a really good job thinking of ways to make the show new and different each week. This week each couple danced alongside a professional couple for 15 seconds of their dance, which means they had to be totally in sync.
And I've gotta say, this scared me. It scared me bad. :)
I thought Len had lost his ever-lovin' mind.
However, I must say that Len knows what he was doing. I was pleasantly surprised, and it was such fun to see the couples dance side by side!

**********

Ingo and Kym: Cha Cha / Danced with Tony and Emma
They danced to Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge.

Bruno said "Lady Marmalade got you in a bit of a jam."

Hilarious.

The bows and ruffles on the girls hineys reminded me of THIS dress that I've been seeing all over Blogland.The bow/ruffle on this dress is on the shoulder instead of the hiney (good choice), and I think it's a really fun!
SCORE = 21
**********
Jacoby and Karina: Jive / Dancing with Max and some chick (didn't catch her name)
It was fun and the judges liked it a lot, and I do like watching him dance.
However, when he opens his mouth, he loses me.
I can't put my finger on why, but his attitude just robs me the wrong way. Do y'all agree?

I will say this, the dude has got some serious ups.
He jumped clear over Karina's head when she was pretty much standing straight up. CRAZY!

I thought the neon yellow and pink color combo in the costumes was so pretty,
and I found THESE earrings with the same color combo
They are SUPER cheap!
SCORE =26
************

Victor and Lindsay: Vienesse Waltz / Dancing with Tristan and Emma
Victor was wronged by his lady friend this week, and it was really affecting him.
Man, we have all been there.
The unison portion of their dance was very good.
I was just sure that Lindsay was going to go all Janet Jackson on us and have a wardrobe
malfunction right here.

SCORE = 21
***********

Ali and Mark: Samba / Tony and Whitney

No surprise here, the dance was really good.
And Aly is starting to win me over a bit.
The black and coral sequined costumes were so pretty! I own one tank that has sequins on the front of it, and I think it's fun and a little bit fancy that it is so sparkly.
I found some other sequined items:
a military jacket with sequined sleeves HERE
a neutral sequined skirt HERE
a pink sequined shirt HERE (it's 60% off...but still expensive!)
SCORE = 25
***********
Sean and Peta: Quick Step / Tritan and Chelsea
I thought that the recorded piece of Sean imitating everything Tristan did was hilarious.

I also thought that was his best dance yet. BY FAR! And the judges agreed.
Len did tell him that he was "like a pigeon". I have NO idea what he meant by that, but I'm pretty sure it was meant to be a compliment. :)

Way To Go Sean!
SCORE = 24
p.s. I do want to point out that several of you commented yesterday on my gold lame picture saying that at first glance you thought this was Sean.
Laughing. SO. Hard.

**********
Kellie and Derek: Foxtrot / Anna and Henry
Okay.....who else here thinks that Derek came off looking like a total hiney-hole?
(pardon my language)
I'm here to tell you that he went all Ike Turner on sweet little Kellie.
I mean, DEREK! Who do you think you are?
Here he is throwing a tantrum.
Seriously.

At one point he even kind of threw himself up against the wall momentarily, and at another point he motioned for Kellie to come over to him in a way that made me think there seems to be a man with a super short temper under all of the spray tan, spandex, and glitter.

Still, in the end, they put together an amazing dance.

SCORE =27
**********

DL and Cheryl: Tango / Chelsea and Sasha
He definitely deserved to be the one to go home, but I do respect him for how he kept his cool all season as he was getting hammered by some of the judges. Way to keep it classy DL.

SCORE = 18
Cheryl's all black costume inspired me to look for a perfect little black dress.
And I think I just might have found the PERFECT dress.
I know that's a big claim, but I'm standing by it.
The dress is fantastic. Period.
It's fun, it's flirty, and it's classic at the same time!
Click HERE.
Now, it's from the juniors section at Nordstrom, but it is GREATNESS! There are only 2 reviews, but they are both glowing! One is from an under 20 year old, and one is from a 50 year old!
I feel like it is a cut that would look great on every body type and every age, and it is only $52!
And the reviews say the fabric is good quality!

Another option for a little black dress HERE that is gorgeous.
***********
Val and Zendaya: Argentine Tango / Anna and Max
WOW.
That's all I've got.
WOW.

This girl is good.
SCORE = 29
**********

Andy and Sharna: Paso Doble/ I didn't catch the names of the professionals.
All I know is that the professional dude walked in wearing a cardigan without a shirt on.
Listen buddy, I'm a huge fan of the cardigan, and even I thought that was all sorts of wrong.
Andy came in on a zip line and I LOVED it.
He was Zorro for crying out loud, a role I'm assuming Andy never thought he would
get the chance to play.

The dance wasn't nearly as good as last week, but I still adore him.

SCORE = 18

Also, don't forget to read Shay's DANCING post HERE!

And I know I've already posted SALES several times this week, but I would feel remiss not passing them along again. There's some GREAT deals out there people!
UPDATED SALES:
GAP is 25% off of all orders, 35% off of orders over $100!
Enter the code GAPMORE.
GAP only goes to 40% off a couple of times a year, so 35% off is just about as good as you are going to get!
I'm thinking about getting THIS and THIS.
Click HERE to shop.
Click HERE to shop at LOFT.
I'm a cardmember at LOFT (shocker, I know), and If you are a card member too, EVERYTHING is 40% off today thru April 21st. If you aren't a cardmember, maybe you should be? They give great rewards (I get a $25 gift card every once in awhile) and they often have sales for their cardmembers.
Banana Republic is 30% off full priced styles with code BRSHOP30. Click HERE to shop.
Ends 04/21

**************************************************************************
Before you go today, I'm answering some questions over at a friend of mines blog!
Like you, I'm a huge fan of blogs, and bloggers....and so is Cassie over at Hi Sugarplum!
She put together a fun little series where we can get to know some other bloggers.
I'm over there today to answer 20 random questions to help you get to know me better.
I feel like I'm an open book, but I don't believe you know the answers to any of these questions!
So, click HERE to get to know me better!

There are some really fun bloggers participating in the series, so you need to stay tuned next week, as well as go back and see what the others had to say.

Do you recognize the girl 2nd from the left? Shay participated on Tuesday, so be sure you see what she had to say too!

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Dear Sheaffer: It's a Purse-a-Palooza

2013-04-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

First of all, I feel like I need to go on record and say that I never say the word "purse" anymore,
I say "bag".
However, "Purse-a-Palooza" had a nicer ring to it than "Bag-a-Palooza".
So....Purse-a-Palooza it is.
And if my Mammaw was still alive, she would call it a "Pocketbook-a-Palooza". :)

So, like I told you guys a couple of weeks ago, I'm starting a series called "Dear Sheaffer".

I will be highlighting some of the questions I get (the questions that I think many of you might be interested in the answer to) and making them into blog posts!

Here's the 1st installment of Dear Sheaffer.

Enjoy!

Hi Sheaffer!

I've got a question for you.

I really love your new turquoise purse, but I'm in graduate school and am not at a point in my life where I can spend over $200 on a purse.
In fact, I would actually like to spend under $100.

Do you have any suggestions in this price range for a fun spring purse that I can get excited about?

Thanks for your help,

Amy M.

Hi Amy!
Thanks SO much for your question! I had such a great time "doing research" for this!
I have to say..I never imagined I was going to find such a large variety of options for you under $100!
And not just options...options that I REALLY like!
I was planning on going to several different sources, but I found soooo many at Nordstrom that I didn't need to go anywhere else. I like one stop shopping.
Since you weren't specific about what type of bag you were looking for, I'm just going to highlight several different types and several different colors.
I just know there will be at least 1 here that you are going to LOVE.

I think THIS bag is very cool.
The bag looks white, but it's called "lemon ice" so it might be a soft yellow? I'm not sure. I also absolutely LOVE the coral option. Both are great colors for spring! It comes in right under the $100 cut-off. You can't put it over your shoulder, so make sure you are okay with that...but I like the shape of this one.

Here are some cross-body options:
GOSH! CAN YOU BELIEVE THEY ARE ALL UNDER $100?
I think cross-body options are great all year round, but especially in spring and summer . They are so easy to just throw on. They are great for shopping by freeing up your arms, and the same for vacationing. I feel like a cross-body is a MUST for a vacation.
Unless of course you prefer to rock a fanny pack.
And if that's the case, well then ROCK ON SISTER.
Except, don't.

If you prefer a large bag, I found 3 big Buddha bags that are all under $100! In fact, one of the bags is under $70. If interested, click on the pictures to see which one! 2 of the 3 highlighted come in a variety of great spring colors!
HERE is another option with a really pretty turquoise accent color.
I believe I've highlighted this bag before, so I guess I must like it!

Oh wait, I lied. Not all bags are from Nordstrom. THIS one isn't.
I like the color (even though it's a color I wouldn't normally gravitate towards), and it is a large bag that can be carried both over the shoulder or in a fold-over cross body option.
Okay. So this one might be my favorite!
And it's under $80!

I lied again. Another great bag HERE (not from Nordstrom) for under $70!

HERE is a mid-sizes Michael Kors tote that comes in 8 different vibrant colors.
And the reviews are phenomenal!

Metallic fold-over clutch option HERE.
This clutch is super chic, and I am totally a fan.
Not sure I'm a fan of the metallic lame (there needs to be a slash over the "e", but I have no idea how to do that) shorts the model is wearing, but that is neither here nor there.

And just because.....here's a little beauty I found when I searched "gold lame".

I know, you're speechless.
Gold Lame hammer pants.
Let's all take a moment to let this image sink in.

#hammerdon'thurtem

UPDATED SALES:
GAP is 25% off of all orders, 35% off of orders over $100! That's a great deal!
Enter the code GAPMORE.
I'm thinking about getting THIS and THIS.
Click HERE to shop.
Click HERE to shop ALL shorts for $25 at LOFT. And select cropped pants are $35.
I'm a cardmember at LOFT (shocker, I know), and If you are a card member too, EVERYTHING is 40% off today with the code PREVIEW for 04/17 only.
Banana Republic is 30% off full priced styles with code BRSHOP30. Click HERE to shop.
Ends 04/17.

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Linking Up Today with:

Because Shanna Said So

Update!

2013-04-16T05:24:00.002-05:00

I updated my SALE ALERT HERE, at the top of the post.

Where are there $10 tees (tees that used to be $22.95)?..well click HERE to find out.

I TOTALLY Have a Personal Stylist and an updated SALE ALERT!!!

2013-04-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

When I was out of town this weekend at our family ranch with my little family and some friends,
something BIG happened on this little ol' blog of mine.
Yep, when I was enjoying my favorite people in my favorite place......
be still my heart

Pinterest Told Me To reached 1,000,000 pageviews.
No...that's not a typo... I didn't put too many zeros there.
The blog actually reached 1 MILLION pageviews.
WHAT?
HOW IN THE WORLD DID THIS HAPPEN?
I don't know how it happened, but I am forever grateful to all of you for making it happen!
You read the blog, you come back day after day, and you tell your friends!
So...THANK YOU!
On Friday I'm going to do a big giveaway to celebrate YOU!
So, stay tuned for a giveaway announcement!!!
It's gonna be good. It's gonna be HUGE!!! 1 winner takes all!

I do want to acknowledge that the main reason the blog has grown so quickly has been because of other bloggers and friends that have been sweet enough to mention me on their awesome blogs.
First and foremost, I wouldn't even be coming close to 1 million pageviews if it weren't for Shay and the constant mentions I get over at Mix and Match Family.
THANK YOU SHAY! LOVE YOU!
You have been my biggest bloggy cheerleader, and I am forever grateful for your support!
Plus, it's just plain fun to do this blogging thing with you! :)
During the last 7 months I have also picked up lots and lots of new readers from Kelly's Korner, Big Mama, The Blue Eyed Bride, Hi Sugarplum, and The Larson Lingo.
So....THANK YOU KELLY, MELANIE, ERIN, CASSIE, and Mel!
I have learned so much about blogging from you ladies (I read most of your blogs before Pinterest Told Me To was even a thought in my head), and I'm happy to now call you all friends!

*****************************************************************

Thanks to my personal stylist,
today I'm blogging yet another outfit I wouldn't have put together on my own.

And even if I had put it together, I wouldn't have styled it this way.

And even if I would have thought to pair all of these pieces together, I probably would have wrapped or tied the scarf...and it just wouldn't have been right!

This is why I can TOTALLY say that Pinterest acts like my own personal stylist!

Pinterest is GENUINELY affecting how I get dressed and walk out of the house each day.

And I feel cuter and more confident because of her input!

CRAZY!

Okay...here is my inspiration.
Cute, right?

via

And here is how I interpreted it:

I really liked my outfit, but I feel certain it would look even better if I was standing on a cobblestone street with good lighting. ;)

Cream shirt| LOFT (years and years and years ago)

Scarf| Old Navy (last year - see below for great options)

Purple Skinny Jeans: similar HERE in lilac
These look perfect, and they are on SUPER sale - an additional 30% off the sale price!
And if you don't like lilac, there are several other color options.
I really like the "pistachio" color also.
A pair from GAP HERE on sale!
Turquoise Bag| Fossil HERE (not at all similar to the pic)

Green patent sandals| LOFT (years and years and years ago)

Necklace| Stella and Dot HERE

Bracelets| Nordstrom HERE

I think spring scarves are soooo great. They are bright, cheerful, and they can add so much life to an outfit. Just picture the above outfit without my colorful scarf! It would have been seriously boring.

With the scarf? A happy spring/summer outfit!

Here are some options for you.
The left one is my absolute FAVORITE (I cannot imagine an outfit that it wouldn't go with!), and the middle one comes in 5 different color combinations.
Click on the pic for information.

Another great scarf option from Old Navy HERE that is cheap!

1 more great floral scarf options from Nordstrom HERE (I love all of the colors in this one..it could go with SO many different outfits!).

And a GAP option HERE.

The shoes in the inspiration picture are great (love the neon- HUGE trend right now), and I have lots of great NEON and brightly colored options for you in both flat and wedge options.
I think THESE are a very reasonable option.
They come in 6 different colors (pictured below - not sure why I can't get the picture to rotate) and they are AWESOME. They seem like the perfect little summer shoe to me. I LOVE the bright color choices, and I also LOVE the little bit of glam with the gold on the strap.
Click HERE to see all of the colors up close.

THIS shoe is another option. I actually think this might be the exact shoe in the inspiration picture.
It comes in lots of different color options too, but several color choices have
only limited sizes available.

Yet another great option HERE. I really like the zipper detail in the back on THESE.

AND....if you want to rock a neon sandal...but you would rather have a wedge, check out these!
The middle one is just a wedge version of the ones highlighted above.
Click on the pic if interested.

I tried on the far left sandal last week and I LOVED it. (That's me below trying it on.)
It is a pretty tall wege, but crazy comfortable. I feel like it would be very versatile.
And for the record, I don't think the above picture does it justice. It is much younger and modern than it appears (see below).
Casual enough to throw on with cut off jean shorts and a t-shirt...
or the patent makes it dressy enough to go with a cute little sundress.
You can find the below wedges HERE, and they come in lots of great bright colors (as well as neutrals). There are 49 reviews of them..and 39 of them are 5 stars!

Review examples:
I saw this shoe originally at the Nordstrom store. I bought them in black, white and yellow. I was so excited to see this show in Aqua and ordered it on line. I have 4 pairs of these and LOVE Them. I can wear them all day and my feet do not hurt. I am a 91/2 and I bought a 10. So if you are half size, make sure you go up to the next size.
I get lots of compliments on these shoes.

I went to the Nordstrom in Dallas and saw that these were a great value. I tried them on and they felt so comfortable and cute that I bought two pairs in white and red. It was a great find. I'll be wearing these all summer since they're so easy to match any outfit with. They're so comfortable, it felt like I was walking on air.

REMEMBER THE REVIEWS SAY THAT IF YOU ARE A 1/2 SIZE TO ORDER A SIZE UP.
So, if you are normally a 6 1/2, order the 7!

So, what do you think?
I think it's time we jump on the neon shoe bandwagon.
I'm going for the wedges, what about you?

And make sure you check out the sales before you go. I just updated them 04/17 a.m.
We are talking as much as 35% and 40% off!

GAP is 25% off of all orders, 35% off of orders over $100! That's a great deal! Ends 04/20.
Enter the code GAPMORE.
I'm thinking about getting THIS and THIS.
Click HERE to shop.

Click HERE to shop LOFT. If you are a cardholder, it's 40% off of everything through 04/21.
That is HUTE.

Banana Republic is 35% off full priced styles with code BRSHOP35. Click HERE to shop.
Ends 04/21

There is also a Nordstrom Spring Sale that started last night!
After you click HERE, type "spring sale" in the search bar in the upper right hand corner
. Then, on the left sidebar, you can scroll through more specific categories such as "women's apparel, men's shoes, junior's, or kid's shoes".
LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of great spring stuff on sale!
But I know this about Nordstrom sales.....great deals tend to fly off the shelves, so if you love something.....get it!
If it doesn't work, you can always return it. Nordstrom is great about returns.

J Crew Factory is an extra 30% off of final sale items with the code GETMORE. Click HERE.

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Linking up today with:

The Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On, Because Shanna Said So, and Style Elixir ,

and the Casual Friday Link-Up

FLASH SALE!!!!!!

2013-04-14T19:34:00.006-05:00

Click HERE to shop the FLASH SALE at LOFT!

Select Vacation and Swim Styles starting at $12!

Ends at 10:00 EST on Monday, April 15th.

LOOK HOW CUTE THIS SWIMSUIT IS

AND CHECK OUT THIS COVER UP

Enter code BEACH at checkout.

Click HERE to shop!

p.s. It's not just beachwear on sale...they are tons of cover ups....and t-shirts...and shorts...and dresses. You need to at least check it out!

What I'm Obsessed With Now!

2013-04-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

HAPPY FRIDAY FRIENDS!

LOTS and LOTS of stuff that I'm smitten with this week.
So, kick back and get ready for lots of pretty things.
You're welcome.

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I've never owned a clutch. I know, I'm SO behind the times.

I just never thought they were very functional. However, now that they are ALL OVER THE PLACE, I've been contemplating getting one thinking I would want one for the occasional date night or girl's night out. I've looked around here and there, but I hadn't found any I loved.

That all changed when I saw these.

I like how they aren't tiny (like so many of the clutches out there), and I like how they have structure.
I really like the colorful one. I feel like it would go with everything.
fyi: There is 1 review of this clutch online, and it's not so great. It says "poorly made", but I keep studying the picture, and it looks good to me. I tried to go see it in the store, but they didn't have it there. I'm thinking it might be worth the risk, but I haven't seen it in person so I'm just not sure.
If you have this clutch or have seen this clutch in person, leave a comment telling me your thoughts!!!

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Next up, have you ever heard of Sequin hinged bangles?
I did a little teaser about them earlier in the week about how my OCD tendencies are totally kicking in with them, and I wasn't kidding. I want one in every size, pattern, and color.

I had never seen them until I saw my friend Rachel wearing some a couple of weekends ago at one of the kiddos birthday parties. I literally saw them across the room (they are SO eye catching), and I'm pretty sure I asked her about her bracelets before I even said "hi"...
cause I have awesome manners like that.

CHECK THESE BABIES OUT.

(And the below pics are just a small representation of what is available.)
I'm telling you, the possibilities are endless.
They come in various sizes and at various price points ranging from low $20 to high $50.
I think they just scream "SPRING" "SUMMER" and "HAPPY"!

Well, thanks to some great girlfriends, I now have some to call my own!

Some sweet friends who know me oh so well gave me three for my birthday!

Woo! Hoo!

I mean, I loved you girls before...but now I love you EXTRA! :)

Check out the pictures below.

The pictures don't do them justice.

They are sparkly, and shiny, and gorgeous.

Those are Rachel's bracelets in the middle.

Yes, I made her let me take a picture of them at the party because I knew immediately that I was going to put them on the blog.

Rachel's pink and coral bracelet is HERE (LOVE this one!)

Rachel's coral and bling smaller bracelet is HERE

The side pics are both me...wearing my birthday bracelets with 2 different outfits.

my white bracelet is HERE

my green and purple bracelets are HERE

Here's another pic of me yesterday with some of mine on:

MK watch similar HERE

And here is a pic I took in Nordstrom last weekend that gives you an idea of the options (there were 2 more trays of different colors I didn't get pics of!).

I mean, COME ON. Who wouldn't love this arm candy?

They are all hinged, so you can get them on and off very easily,

and the possibilities of stacking them are endless.
Some are accented with gold and some are accented with silver and they look great mixed and matched!

Different sizes, different patterns, different colors, different order when stacking.

I wasn't kidding when I said the possibilities are endless.

Here's the thing (the only downside) about these bracelets...

they are not cheap.
However, you get what you pay for.

They are IMPRESSIVE and will get noticed.
They are something that would be hard to buy for yourself (at least for me), but after getting them as a gift, I'm totally getting 2 more because now I know they are worth the $$ to me.
I just have to decide what 2 additional colors I'm getting.

If you want to see the entire Sequin jewelry selection in one place,
go HERE and just type in "sequin jewelry".
But listen, I'm warning you, your OCD tendencies will probably kick into high gear too.
These bracelets ROCK.

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When looking for the clutches I highlighted above, I also ran across THIS in the store.
IT. IS. DARLING.
I mean, SUPER SUPER DARLING.
It's a great size, and the round wooden handle is fabulous. It's very "resort".
It comes in 3 great colors (coral, navy, and sunflower yellow), and I love each of them.
Click HERE to see the colors available. My goodness they make me ready for summer....and maybe a tropical drink with a little umbrella in it.

*****************************************
And just when I thought I was finished writing about my current obsessions,
I started exchanging e-mails with a sweet reader yesterday, Kathrin.
(Kathrin was the first to respond to my offer for the 40% off Banana Republic code on Wednesday, so we started e-mailing back and forth. Using my coupon code, she got a pair of fab BR wedges, and then we also started talking about a bag she was going to get. But not just any bag, THIS bag.
I just look at the bag and my heart starts to race a little bit.
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In case you want to get your shop on at some sales over the weekend (not sure when some of them end), here are your options:

GAP is 30% off with code GAPSHOP. Click HERE. LOTS of new things in! (goes down to 25% off Saturday)
The LOFT is an additional 40% off of sale items. It's also buy one top get one 50% off with the code TOPSBOGO. Click HERE to shop! (not sure when this ends)
J Crew Factory is up to 40-50% off women's and men's polos and shorts. Prices as marked.Click HERE.
Banana Republic is 30% off your purchase over $150 with code BRTAKE30. They are also having a suiting event. If you or your man needs a new suit, now may be the time! Click HERE.

Old Navy is 15% off women's and maternity with the code ONSAVENOW. Click HERE.

And don't forget that Nordstrom is having an amazing free gift with purchase offer right now. If you are needing make-up, skin care, or perfume you might as well get it now and benefit from the free gift. Just click HERE.

***********************************

AND THE WINNER OF THE SUNLESS TANNER IS Jamie of Simple Southern Ways!
You also win a small sample of their mini-facial product line!

And the 4 additional people who will receive little sample packets of the facial kit follow:
Hello Fabulous, Beesmama, Mollie, and The Stein Five

All winners please e-mail me with your information so I can get you in touch with Betsey!

I'm here to tell ya, your face will feel like a baby's hiney! ;)

Remember you can like Betsey's facebook page HERE to stay informed of products and specials.
If you would like to check out the full range of products,
check out Betsey's Rodan + Fields page HERE. I continue to hear awesome things about this company and their products!

And for your weekend reading pleasure, I thought I would highlight some goodness that I've seen around blog land this week.
Check out THIS post from my friend Cassie about her daughter's rainbow art party.
DARLING I tell ya!
Check out THIS post from my friend Emily (we were Kappas together at OU) highlighting how she transformed a thrift store bamboo table with a can of gold spray paint. You will be amazed.
My friend Shay is involved in a blogging series on marriage HERE, and it's good stuff people!
Shay also did a post HERE this week about traveling with children. She is an EXPERT on the subject. If you are planning on traveling with children anytime in the near future, it's a must read.

Oh wait,
I have one last thing for you to do today.

PLEASE.

I BEG YOU.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE read THIS post here.
It is MUY IMPORTANTE for you to read this in order for me to keep my sanity.

This post is probably written for you and you don't even know it.

In fact, just assume it is written for you, and go ahead and follow the steps to correct the problem.

PLEASE!

and THANK YOU!

Have a wonderful weekend everybody!

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Dancing With The Stars!

2013-04-11T04:00:00.000-05:00

If you're new to the blog today, you need to make sure you check out
my ode to the spring blazer HERE. :)

SALE UPDATE! (things have changed since yesterday):
GAP is 30% off with code GAPSHOP. Click HERE. LOTS of new things in!

The LOFT is an additional 40% off of sale items. It's also buy one top get one 50% off with the code TOPSBOGO. Click HERE to shop!
J Crew Factory is up to 40-50% off women's and men's polos and shorts. Prices as marked. Click HERE.
Banana Republic is 30% off your purchase over $150 with code BRTAKE30. They are also having a suiting event. If you or your man needs a new suit, now may be the time! Click HERE.

Old Navy is 15% off women's and maternity with the code ONSAVENOW. Click HERE.

On to DANCING WITH THE STARS!
(if you are like me, you can't say "Dancing With The Stars" NOT in the voice of the announcer.)....
All of the dancers were supposed to do a dance representative of the best year of their lives.
And....get ready to hide your face...the celebrities all have to do 15 second solos.
Um, yeah.
I might have cringed once or 7 times.

First up...
Sean and Peta: Viennese Waltz
Sean chose 2012 as the best year of his life because it was the year he met Catherine, and he ended the dance by laying a big fat smooch on her.
Cue the "awwwww" soundtrack! Okay...so MAYBE it was a bit cheesy. :)
But I must say, I think Sean and Peta are LOTS of fun to watch, and there is no doubt he is getting better and working his tail off.
He and Peta seem to have really good chemistry together, and that makes it fun for me to watch them!
Score = 20

Sidenote: I was totally loving the light blue and grey combo of their costumes! (I am going to have to totally put an outfit together with these colors in the future.)
Anyway, I went to do an internet search for "light blue and grey dress" to see if there was anything out there already put together. I didn't find anything that was light blue and grey,
but the search highlighted THIS dress for some reason.
It's not blue and grey, but I LOVE it and it's a good price!
I feel like it could be dressed down for church or a shower...but dressed up for a wedding!
Make sure you watch the little video clip of it because the back is awesome!

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Victor and Lindsay: Pasadoble
Victor chose 2011, the year he won the World Championship of Boxing.
He talked about how he went into that exact fight with no money, and that the win provided him with so many opportunities.
He started out strong, but I felt like he lost steam quickly.

Score = 18

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Jacoby and Karina: Foxtrot
Jacoby chose 2012 for the birth of his baby boy.
His little boy was sooo stinkin' cute rockin' his little afro and white 3 piece suite and tie. PRECIOUS.

Score = 24
I think we should tack on an extra 2 points just for the cute baby fro.
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Aly and Mark: Contemporary
Aly chose the summer of 2012 for when she competed in the Olympics.
The dance was FANTASTIC. I mean...really REALLY good.
Yes she tumbled like she was fighting for a place on the medal stand...but even without the tumbling, it was a beautiful dance.

WOW.
The scores reflected the greatness appropriately.
Score = 27

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Andy and Sharna: Viennese Waltz
Andy chose 2013 as the best year of his life.
And if you weren't routing for him beforehand, then surely you are now.
If not, well then you must have a heart of stone.
SERIOUSLY.
He said 2013 has been "his best year ever because of sobriety,
and getting another chance to redeem himself to his kids."
Bruno said it was "simple and effective". WELL SAID. I totally agree.
Carrie Ann was bawling her head off, and you wanna know something, so was I.
#myhusbandkeptlookingatmelikeiwasacrazyperson
#sorryi'mnotsorry
Len said that Andy came on the show as a man but would leave as a hero. Loved that.

I will say this...if in a couple of months I hear that Andy has fallen off the wagon, I'm
going to be SO sad.
I am routing for him to stay on the show for a couple of more weeks,
but I am really routing for him in LIFE.
Score = 21

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Zendaya and Val:
Zendaya chose 2009 because it was the year she got discovered.

THE DANCE was FREAKING AWESOME.
She. was. fierce.
It was sassy and spunky and all sorts of fun.
She was poppin' her body all over the place, and I enjoyed every second of it.
I might have watched it twice.
Okay..you got me..3 x.
Carrie Ann called her Baby Beyonce, and she totally was.
Score = 26
I think she deserved at least one TEN for that dance. WHY didn't she get higher scores?
Why?
WHY?
p.s. This girl's legs go on for days.
**********

Ingo and Kim:
Ingo picked 2009 for the year he married his wife. It looks like he has such a great family life.
Ingo and Kim looked beautiful dancing together.

Score = 23

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Kelly and Derek:
Kelly chose the year she got married.
She talked about how she never had a strong family unit growing up and how her husband is now that for her. It was very very sweet.
And do you see that guy on the guitar singing behind them? That's her hubby.
I thought the dance was good and very sweet, but it wasn't her best dance.

Score = 26
**********

Lisa and Gleb:
So, Lisa was exhausted, she had a touch of the flu, and she fainted right in the middle
of rehearsal (on film).
Did anybody else think that Gleb seriously UNDER-reacted when she completed passed out cold on the floor? I know the picture below on the left look like it was staged (in fact, in kind of looks like a crime scene), but it wasn't.
Gleb kind of walked away and then just casually came back over and asked her if she was okay.
I would have been all, "Um....no Gleb. I am lying here on the floor in and out of consciousness."

She ended up dancing, but it was a last minute decision. It was obviously under-rehearsed, but what are you gonna do? Sometimes life just gets in the way.
And listen, I know she's 51, but I want her legs....and her arms......and her boobies.
Score = 18
p.s. Good call on Gleb's shirt coming off.
#losethesuspenders

Okay...I don't know how this happened, but I somehow didn't do a write up or pics
for D.L. and Cheryl.
He did MUCH BETTER, and the judges were finally nice to him!
They got a 21 and DL fell down on the floor out of pure shock.
He also said that was higher than his SAT score. Funny!

Don't forget to check out Shay's blog HERE for her recap!

Each and every time I watch Dancing With The Stars, my feet ache.
I wore a pair of black patent heels to church on Easter Sunday, and I literally felt like my feet were going to just detach themselves from my body after walking from the sanctuary to pick up the kid from Sunday School. How in the world are these people dancing in heels 8 days per week for several hours per day?
Seriously, if it's not a wedge, I have issues.
Still, I've been seeing nude patent heels all over the place, and I totally want a pair.
These are some of my favs. And I have to say, I totally dig the ones with the bow.:

Or if nude isn't your thing, check out these hot pink patent ones (with a peep toe) HERE.
They are 20% off right now and oh so cute.
OR if you are in the market for a super sexy shoe, THIS one fits the bill.

See you back here tomorrow for some new obsessions!
(and I will be announcing the winner of the Rodan + Fields sunless tanner!)

you can follow me on facebook HERE

you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp