My Forever 21 Finds

I'm usually a fan of braving the crowds for Black Friday but for some reason, I could not motivate myself to leave the house. I decided there wasn't anything major on my list that couldn't wait till the madness died down. I did however venture out Saturday morning and wander into my local Forever 21 store. I was browsing the website the day before and had a mental list of items that grabbed my eye. Since their sizing can be a bit off for me (and since you can't return anything for a refund), I wanted to actually see these items in person before dishing out my debit card.

 

 

 

The Items I Left Behind:

 

 

High-Low Satin Pocket Top

 

This top looked like it would be a cute top to throw on and the fit was alright, but I wasn't sure I liked having a black satin square on my lady parts.

 

 

Glittered Cross Tee

 

I really loved this top - it looks much better in person than in this photo. I had it in my hands all the way to checkout but decided to pass because it was bigger than I would have preferred (it was from the Forever 21+ line). But for $12, I may just have it taken in.

 

 

Bejeweled Collar Necklace

 

I have NO idea why I left this behind. It was so gorgeous and the quality was much nicer than you would expect from Forever 21. And how perfect would this be for the holidays!?

 

 

 

The Items I Brought Home:

 

 

Buckle Tab Utility Jacket

 

I have been on the hunt for a utility/military style jacket like a crazy person! But because it's not something classic like a blazer, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on it. I happened to see this on a random rack and immediately tried it on. I loved it! It's a tad bigger than my normal size but I think it will work out great with whatever I wear underneath.

 

 

Heart & O Rings (not seen online)

Round Rhinestone Ring (black)

 

 

Black Triangle Earrings (not seen online)

 

 

 

It had been some time since my last Forever 21 visit, but I was pleasantly surprised by some of the finds within the store. I think it's a great place to find some current trends at such an affordable price point!

 

 

*Not a sponsored post - just my own opinions!

OOTD // Seaweed & Coral

I wore this Seaweed & Coral outfit this weekend for church. It's such an easy dress that can easily be dressed up or down. And I love throwing on a denim jacket over dresses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target Dress (similar option) / Old Navy Denim Jacket / Jessica Simpson 'Astor' Shoes / Necklace (similar options here, here, here, here & here) / BaubleBar Bracelets / Guess Watch / Jessica Simpson Sunglasses (similar option)

 

 

 

 

And I am totally loving my sock bun. I practiced this all through Tropical Storm Isaac and now I am almost a pro. Practice makes perfect - check out the 'how to' here!

 

Beauty Trend: Rose Gold

Rose Gold by theprettyfactor

Top Row, L-R: Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose Gold, Stila Cosmetics All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminzer

Middle Row, L-R:  Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Rose Aurora, Topshop Metallic Patchwork Makeup Bag, Dolce & Gabbana Rose The One Eau de Parfum

Bottom Row, L-R: Tweezerman ProCurl Eyelash Curler in Rose Gold, Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Highlighter, Forever 21 Love & Beauty Nail Polish in Rose Gold Glitter   

My Girly Weekend

This past weekend was one of the girliest weekends I have had in awhile. Granted, I am usually found doing something girly, but this weekend was non-stop girl stuff.

And I enjoyed it thoroughly!

Most Friday nights for me are nights in. I don't usually make plans for Friday nights because at the end of the work week, all I want to do is veg out at home and RELAX. So I swung by Target to grab some things & picked up Essie's "Ole Caliente" for my at-home mani/pedi.

Saturday morning/afternoon brought about laundry & other house stuff before GIRLS NIGHT OUT! A few of my girlfriends & I were just meeting up for dinner & dessert but I swear I was putting more energy into getting ready for it than I do for a night out with my hubby! ;) Just kidding....I put in effort for him too! But I think it's because when you are married (& all of your friends are married), your schedules aren't as free...so it takes quite the effort to plan a GNO. In any case, I was really excited for it.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you caught a sneak peek of this outfit...

Dress: Forever 21

Leopard Belt: Target

Rhinestone Bracelet: J. Crew

Cuff: Jewelmint "Gehry"

Watch: Guess (first seen here)

 Earrings: (I don't remember!)

Ring: Gift from Husband

Wedges: Steve Madden "Riddgge"

Dinner at Bonefish Grill with Raisa & Cheryl

Sunday didn't start out so hot - I woke up with a killer headache so I stayed in bed for awhile until I felt better. I had breakfast & relaxed because it was storming outside. The other day I shared a picture on Instagram that was so quintessential South Florida - it was sunny as all heck but it was raining at the same time. Typical. Anyways, I had a baby shower for a friend later on in the afternoon so while I was feeling the urge to stay in my pj's, I got it together.

Dress: J. Crew 'Maritime Anchor' (now on sale!)

Sandals: Sam Edelman

Watch: Guess

Necklace: J. Crew via eBay

Cuff: Jewelmint "Gehry"

Chain Bracelet: Spike the Punch

Rings: Jewelmint "Forget Me Not" Trio

Book: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (first seen here)

My weekend ended with Sarah Jessica Parker...in the form of watching her movie, "I Don't Know How She Does It"...finally! This movie has been out forever!

It was cute. Then again, my opinion may be biased because I just love me some SJP!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

What did you do?

Stripes on Top

As of late, I have been going through my closet and making a mental note of things that I need to add to my wardrobe (remember my Resolutions post? More classics, less fads) and things that I need to rid myself of (more of that to come in the future!). So during this process, I couldn't help but notice that many of my tops were striped. I do remember buying a few striped tops back in December (as mentioned in this post) but I guess I have purchased even more since then!

I know the rule of thumb is that vertical stripes make you look taller/longer, while horizontal stripes tend to make you look wider. But honestly, I don't pay too much attention to rules like that - unless it's extreme in some sense. I just buy and wear what I like. I think everyone should dress that way! Here are some of the stripes I wear on top.

J.Crew

I just received this from an online order the other day & I love it!

Forever 21

I love this top - the metallic stripes add just a hint of sparkle!

Tinley Road - Piperlime

Another recent purchase...and on sale!

StyleMint also has great striped tees for just $29.99!

I have the Broadway tee in red (which now also comes in a dress style!), but they also have other great striped tees in different colors! Search for - Venice, Fillmore & Lenox!

And I think this dress from Old Navy needs to be added to my closet asap!

Do you wear stripes on top? Do they play a major role in your closet?

*Thank you to everyone who entered in the JewelMint giveaway!

Stay tuned - the winner will be announced soon!