My Top 5 Spring Fashion Essentials

Hi Friends,

I'm back with another fashion post, and this one if part a spring collaboration with my friends from the Geeks and Beauties Community.  So for other great top 5 lists please scroll to the bottom of the post!

My Top 5 Spring Fashion Essentials

#1 - Pastels

A classic springtime favorite pastels can work for anyone.  If you're not a fan of the traditional Easter inspired hues you can always try grayed down versions like old rose, sage green, dusty blue, and mushroom.  Personally my favorites are mint and lavender, but I've also been playing the trends and adding touches of this year's Pantone colors - Serenity (pale blue) and Rose Quartz (soft pink).  Here's a peek at some of the pastels I'm using in my wardrobe:

Sweater - Torrid, Dress - ModCloth, Leggings - LuLaRoe

#2 - Great Jackets

A good jacket keeps you warm through the last hints of winter, a great can also be styled for spring just as beautifully as it might November.  My military style jacket pairs pinks with with olive for the right combination that works for both spring and fall looks.  A light denim jacket does this well too, though I don't own one yet.  And for colder days a soft white coat flatters most anything you pair it with, but keeps you from looking too drab with colorful skirt peeping out!  Additionally a soft flannel shirt can layer like a cardigan with a touch more interest thanks to the plaid print.

White Coat - Target, Military Jacket - Maurice's, Plaid Shirt - Old Navy

#3 - Ballet Flats

As the weather warms these become a staple for their versatility.  A more comfortable pair with insoles can get you through a whole day on your feet, the floral ones certainly did for me back when I was working at Anthropologie!

Blue Shoes - Payless, Floral Shoes - Payless, Mint Shoes - Forever 21

#4 - Soft Florals

Speaking of florals what spring closet is complete without a bit?  Light or dark they can set a cheerful tone, or make a solid colored outfit perk up fast!  Florals paired with text can set a nice modern tone as well.  Floral shoes can soften a more somber outfit.  Or you can wear the floral with pastel for an ultra feminine look.

Skirt - Torrid, Sandals - ModCloth, Tee - Switchfoot

#5 - Pops of Bright Accent Colors

Finally, sometimes between all the gentle colors I want to add something bold to the mix!  Bright purple nails with lavender or mint work great.  Or let a bright floral print paired with all pale or dark colors shine.  Jewelry, bags and shoes can all let bold colors in to keep a more approachable feel at work too.  (See the cobalt blue flats pictured above!)  Dark floral prints often have a more edgy feeling as it is, and the brighter the colors paired with the dark color the more they'll pop.  Bright solids can also work wonders with pale or dark shades in the same color family for a monochrome style.

Nail Polish - Julep in Sherri, Leggings - LuLaRoe, Top - Torrid

I hope you've enjoyed my spring looks, and if you have more fun ideas for how I could work with these items let me know in the comments below!  Thanks for reading.

My Friend's Top 5 Spring Essentials

Starting off with a bit more about clothes there's Sadie By Design's Top 5 Spring Cosplay Essentials.

Next up is this fun video by Dusty Sabot!

Sasha Kron of Fizzyfreeze shows us her Spring Essentials on Instagram!

Zainey Laney bridges the gender gap with essentials for men and women in this video.

Bethany Summers shares her beauty picks with us on Instagram as well.

Zombiieeninjja Beauty gives us a look at her hair essentials in the above video.

Jessica Forbes shows us some of her beauty favorites in this video as well.

A few more friends will be added too, so be on the lookout as I add their work to this post as the week goes on!

If you're a blogger or vlogger and would like to learn more about the great support offered through the Geeks and Beauties Community please click here for more information.  We create collaborations monthly and we'd love to have you join us!  Thanks for reading.

Styling with LuLaRoe

Hi friends,

UPDATE - June 21-July 4 2016 you can enter to win a new leggings giveaway here!


To let you all know this post is semi-sponsored.  My friendly LuLaRoe rep Nicole Fitts has agreed to do a giveaway when I told her I wanted to write about LuLaRoe here, which I will tell you more about along the way.  However today's post is all about reviewing some of my favorite LuLaRoe items and inviting you all to join me at this weekends LuLaRoe party!  (The party's over, but you can still buy from Nicole's shop, and yes she ship worldwide!)

LuLaRoe Company Overview

First off a bit about LuLaRoe.  They're a great brand that still fairly new.  They started out making all their items besides leggings here in the USA.  But in the past year they've grown a lot through their model of locally based consultants who do pop-up sales in home or online.  They now have 7500 consultants and have started sending some of their designs to overseas factories.  But the good news is they're committed to paying all their workers fairly and all their factories are certified through SGS (More about SGS here!)

The biggest draws for me besides their ethical work is their amazing variety of prints that come is a nice range of sizes including plus size options of course!  Most of their women's clothing is available in sizes XXS-3XL!  They even have some kids sizes too.  Secondly all their prints are limited edition runs of 2500 pieces in each cut.  Some days that's maddening if you see a design you don't snag in time, but it also means you have a fairly unique piece.  And lastly, their quality is fantastic!

My Plus Size LuLaRoe Review

So far I've tried the Nicole and Amelia dresses, the Madison skirt (purchasing a Cassie shirt this weekend), the Sarah cardigan, a Perfect T, and their famous, buttery soft leggings.  I hope to attend an in person party in the future to get a better feel for how some items fit as well!

The Nicole I own (pictured below) is a XXL and I love how it fits, though it's most snug in the arms, and then fitted at the bust.  The Amelia in the same size was too small for me, but Amelia also has a zipper closure and pockets, so it's a slight bit more fitted or else I got lucky with the Nicole I chose.  I included this dress as a late addition to my fall capsule wardrobe and in my December (Dressember!) mini capsule wardrobe.

Here's a shot with an Amelia, two Nicole's and a second Amelia:

Modeled pictures thanks to my LuLaRoe consultant Nicole Fitts

The Julia dress

Next up is the Madison a great little a-line skirt that unfortunately I've only seen go up to a size XL.  I tried the XL and the one I tried would fit a 14/16 as a low waist skirt or an 18 as a high waisted skirt.  I'll be trying the Cassie in a 3XL, though I might also be able to fit an XXL, I just liked a print in 3XL better.  I really like how versatile the Cassie is, I've seen it used as a top and as a scarf as well as the intended skirt!  Below are examples of each:

The Cassie I'm getting

Madison and a Lindsay kimono 

Cassie

Next up is the Sarah cardigan, which brings back the duster sweater with lovely colors!  Mine is a XXL, but I could have also gone with a XL since it has lots of stretch and is fitted most in the arms.

I also had good luck with the Perfect T, believe it or not I went with a size L, and would wear that to a XXL in most of their tops such as the Irma, Classic T, and Randy.  I'm trying a XXL in a Classic T soon as well.

My Perfect T

The Classic T I'm trying

A Randy and a Maxi

Irma top and leggings (leggings as pants? yes!)

Ah and finally the leggings.  I love the two pairs I have and purchased a third in the Pantone color of the year Serenity!  The fit is a bit variable, mostly in terms of where the waist hits.  My 8-bit hearts fit low on the waist and the floral print can be worn high beautifully.

Outfit of the day 2/20/2016

I love these!

A perfect match for Serenity right?

Hopefully this has given you a taste for what LuLaRoe carries and how well they might fit you.  Feel free to contact me if you have more questions, I'm happy to help in any way I can.  And now that you've had a peek at the great selections please enter my giveaway below for a chance to win a pair of leggings in your choice of size and print.

Thanks so much for reading!

UPDATE - Missed this giveaway? Go here for another chance at LuLaRoe leggings June 21-July 4 2016!

LuLaRoe Leggings Giveaway

Store Directories and Giveaway Winner

Hello folks,

Giveaway Winner

Thanks so much for participating in my Julep giveaway!  Rachel M. is our winner, and her prize will be sent out in the next 48 hours.  I'm sure there will be another giveaway in future, sign up for updates via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Bloglovin (links to all on the right toolbar) to hear about them first!

And if you're still interested in trying out Julep's nail and makeup products you can get a free introductory box.

Store Directory

I know I've had a list of places you can find ethical plus sized clothing, and I've loved putting it together.  And for a while I've been working on compiling a new list of places I currently shop, for both clothes and other items, so if you're looking for new places to try you'll have a list at your fingertips.  Hopefully it'll also be a place you can come if you'd like to work on holiday shopping or finding your style.  If you want geeky shirts in plus sizes it's also got a good variety, as does my next list.

I'll also have a list of places I'd like to try with an area where you can suggest places you think I'd like.  There are several great shops with geeky designs that have plus sized options available that I'm itching to try.

Between these lists you'll be able to find all my different affiliates, so if you want to support my blog as you shop you'll find it as easy as possible.  I'll be updating all the lists regularly, so if you've visited before you may find new treasures the next time you look.  You'll find the lists in the top bar as well as in this post:

Ethical Plus Size Fashion 

Places I Shop

Stores I Want To Try

I'm sorry I don't have more of a real post today, but I've had an awful cold and can't concentrate nearly as well as usual.  This was much was a struggle honestly, but I can't wait to see you all Wednesday!

Love,
Lydia

Unboxing Fun

Hi everyone,

So today I'm going to do a bit of a beauty post.  I love the concept of getting curated boxes in the mail, and I've tried a bunch of different ones over the last two years.  I've done art supplies, snack, and some of my favorites are beauty boxes.  I really enjoy these kinds of boxes because for beauty items Bryan gets bored if he goes shopping with me, and I don't really want to drag him out to specialty stores like Ulta, Sephora, and the like to make it even worse.  Additionally I'm not always sure what to try, so trying a bunch of smaller samples can be great for someone like me since I don't usually wear a lot of makeup in the first place.

It's not because I don't enjoy wearing makeup, but mostly because I'm really pale so foundation and concealer are near impossible to find.  I once tried to get makeup from MAC, but everything they made was just a shade or two too dark and probably oxidized on my skin before I left the mall.  Not that I even knew it could oxidize, I thought it was just different in the sunlight than under artificial lights, and maybe I was right.  It's been to long to know for sure.  Plus my skin is rather sensitive, so that's another thing to work around.  But with beauty boxes most of the items are less skin focused other than general skin care.

Without further ado let's get on with the unboxing!

The first box I want to share with you all is this month's Glossybox.  The advantages of Glossybox are getting 5 (usually full size, if not travel size) items each month for $21.  I find they're usually very good about picking things I would enjoy, and the more I fill out surveys the better my boxes are!  Their products are also premium quality, mostly items that are found in specialty beauty stores, with some exceptions.

This lovely box comes packed inside a more sturdy shipping box.

Inside there's a product explanation and use sheet, and sometimes a coupon or other fun item of some sort.

In this box I received Emite blush in shade 108 (it came damaged, so I contacted Glossybox and they gave me my choice of a new item, pictured later below, since they had run out of the blush.  I was actually happier about this because the blush was too dark for my skin anyway, which was a first for Glossybox items.), 12 Benefits Love At First Lather Shampoo, Biossanse Revitalizer serum, Nails Inc Uptown Nail Polish, and Julep's Luxe Up Your Lips in Sheer Pink.  Here's what the information card was like folded open:

It has a ton of great info, I love how detailed it is and often refer back to it if I'm unsure of anything.

I was excited to get this because I really love lip products, and Julep makes very good ones, which you'll see more of later.

And this is the item I chose to replace the Emite blush, Nexxus Color Assure Shampoo.  This is actually a size larger than what I'll be getting, but I received one a few months back and realized how well it worked on my brightly dyed hair and made the switch.  I was using Herbal Essences Color Me Happy, which smells great, but doesn't work half as well as this!  If you use more temporary colored dyes in bright shades like me I highly recommend it!  This full size bottle can be found for about $14 at Kroger or other grocery stores (they recently had an online coupon for $3 off) or on Amazon too◊.  If you like the sounds of Glossbox I feel it's definitely worth a try.  If you do join I'd love it if you could use this link to tell them I sent you!

Next up is the Julep Maven Program's Jule Box

This is how it comes in the mail, a bit simpler than some boxes, but packed quite safely.  It's my favorite beauty box for several reasons. 1 you can skip a month anytime you want, for as many month as you want.  It's perfect for someone on a budget.  2. There are two box options, one gets you the monthly curated selections for your chosen profile for $20, which sometimes allows you to select a color for certain items like lip or eye color.  Or you can pay $5 more and get to choose from about 100 different options for your box contents, usually ending up with 3 items, plus any add ons you might choose at a discounted price.  3. They specialize in nail polish!  I may not be super when it comes to makeup, but with my nails I really try to be on point and keep them beautiful.  So this is the perfect box for me!  But if you only want a little nail polish that's ok too, they usually have boxes with both things and at least one with just makeup too!

When you open up the box it's got recyclable paper packing material inside, your items, plus a monthly card highlighting the items and sometimes a technique related to some of them, and sometimes an additional goodie or coupon.  In this box I got a Plush Pout lip crayon in Magenta Plum Creme, and 3 nail polishes, one of which was an add on item.

It looks pretty dark, and I was a little scared it wouldn't suit me when I pulled it out, but as you can see below it's a great color for me!

This month's card has a couple lip techniques plus how to get the dewy look.  And yes, feel free to use that code if you're already a Julep member, but if you're not keep scrolling down because there's a better deal for new members below.

Here are the three nail polishes.  Julep names their polish colors after women, so these colors are Ellis, Delores, and Lydia!  They're really beautiful shades with Eliis being a soft pinkish lavender with silver undertones from the holographic qualities.  It doesn't come off like glitter polish does, but is much easier to remove, which I love!  Delores is also a holographic with a purple and silver finish.  And finally Lydia (yay after 2 years they finally made my name a color!) is a pyrite metallic that shifts between old gold, olive, and brass tones and has a stardust finish.  Julep's stardust finishes are highly textured, with a little less shine, but a bit more glitter mixed in.  They dry really well and there's an example below too.

Here we have Delores on my toenails.

And on my hands I've got Glam Roc a purple black stardust finish, to give you some idea of the level of shine it gets.

  
And here you can see swatches of each color, Delores, Ellis, and Lydia.  Their polishes are free of the 5 big toxic components that have been traditionally used in nail polishes.  And the quality of their polish is amazing.  Without a top or bast coat they last about 3-4 days without chipping, and with the base and top coasts I usually go a week without chipping.  If you use this affiliate link you can get a great deal on your first box◊!  And after that you can skip as many months as you want, though if you do buy anything they do pass a $15 credit on to me, and you can get the same for referring your friend, who can also get free boxes.  There is really nothing to lose in trying this box out, which makes me love it more.  And no, I don't get paid to say anything about the content of this post, just normal customer rewards programs, which you all can take or leave as you wish.

And for those of you who aren't as interested in this type of post, don't worry, I plan to only do one per month of this sort, and I'll be rotating through some other boxes, so perhaps another one may suit your interests better!  Next month I'll show you the goodies I get in my trial of Japan Crate, a box with over a pound of Japanese snacks.  I'll see you all Wednesday for a new book review and more.

Love,
Lydia

5 Fall Favorites

Hi folks,

This week it's finally feeling like fall, and I'm thrilled for it!  Bring on all that cooler weather, cause for cocoa, and copious amounts of cinnamon.  Mmmmm, and so many other magnificent munchies.  Ok, I'll stop it with the alliteration, but all you fall lovers know just how I feel!

I just got involved with a fantastic Google+ group called Geeks & Beauties, which happens to be running a fall "Sweater Weather" swap.  The idea is you create a box of some of your favorite autumn inspired items and someone else does the same for you.  I'm already thinking up fun things I can add in, but it got me thinking I should share a list of some of my favorite fall things.  In no order whatsoever:

5 Fall Favorites

1. Bonfires

Whether they're in home firepits, out camping, or at fall events with friends they are some of my favorite times spent in the chill air with friends.  Summer ones are just too hot, unless you're in Maine or someplace with equally cool summer nights.

2. Hoodies

Sometimes a fire alone isn't enough to keep you warm, so you put on your sweatshirt and it fills up with the smell of woodsmoke that lingers till the next time you wash it.  They're the coziest piece of casual clothes you can own.

Picture taken by Corey Ann Carlton 2008

3. Pumpkin/Cinnamon spice things

I'm not sure I even need to explain this one because it's so common.  My favorites are not the Starbucks beverages (I prefer Dunkin's), but all the fantastic baked goods and my favorite cinnamon apple chamomile tea◊.

4. Less humidity

Unless you've been to the south I am not sure you can fully appreciate this one.  Put simply, I like being able to breathe, not sweat when I walk outside, and be able to see the stars on a clear night.  Feeling stuffy and humid makes me angry, kind of how some people get "hangry".  I love crisp air that allows me to wear those hoodies from #2.  This is probably why so many of my pictures have been taken indoors lately.  This is where I'm tempted to live all summer:

5. Fall Leaves

You know my list couldn't be complete without this one.  The best place to see leaves is the Blue Ridge Parkway, and I always want to visit most in the fall.  I may have moved away from the mountains, but they always feel like home in a way.  And I still can't resist crunching leaves underfoot.  My favorite chore?  Raking leaves!

Honorable mention goes to knitting, because while I always feel like it in the fall, I often knit year round.

So what are your top 5?  Tell me in the comments!

Love,
Lydia

Rereading YA Fiction

Hi everyone,

I've got to the part of my reviews where I started rereading books I've owned and loved when I was younger.  Honestly I still love them, despite their young adult designation.

Young Adult Books Round Two

My two favorite books in my preteen years were Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine and Wren to the Rescue by Sherwood Smith.  I think Wren to the Rescue and many books about fairies were what began to interest me in fantasy books.  With Ella Enchanted I think I was 14 when I first read it, and it was an easy read, but I loved it so much I had to immediately read it again before returning it to the library.   Something I'd never done before with any book.  Ella (an adapted Cinderella figure) is spunky and at times obstinate as she fights her curse.   It's been a little while since I read Ella Enchanted, but I still read it every few years.  All the books below fall into the category of books that are great for advanced readers in 3-6th grade on up, though they're generally classified as "middle grades" level.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine -

A pair of sister princesses, a mysterious illness, fairies, a young wizard, and an epic quest are fairly average fantasy subjects.  But Levine writes renewed fairy tales and her own fantasies masterfully adding wonderful humor, and strong female characters that make great role models for young readers.  Characters also work to overcome their personal fears and weaknesses, with all problems being resolved neatly by the end of the book.

 Wild Magic, Wolf Speaker, and Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce - 

are the first three books featuring the character Daine, a young girl with wild magic.  Pierce's books have a much more fleshed out magical system and characters that appear in one book often make cameos in others too.  Daine has some interesting quirks, her wild magic is much stronger than in others who might have it, and those who do have it are an oddity in her world or specialize in one area, taking care of horses for instance.  But Daine's power goes beyond all that and her family origins are mysterious.  Throughout the series we see her grow into her powers and encounter new enemies as her new home is thrown into chaos with various immortals being unleashed from a realm they've been confined to for generations.  The books have both adventure and quest elements as well as mystery solving in a swords and sorcery world created for teen and preteen readers.

Wren to the Rescue by Sherwood Smith - 

Has all the coming of age story hallmarks, orphans, a princess, sorcerers in training, and evil wizard kidnappings.  But it uses the familiar story line to introduce great characters and concepts that help shape young adults.  We see a woman with ambiguous morality and learn that people don't start out good or evil necessarily, but can be taught morals along the way.  The heroine and her best friend continue their relationship despite changes in status and new friends join them.  This book is the start of a series with the original trilogy available in both print and ebook, and the 4th book, written a bit later only as ebook.  The whole series is worth reading, and get a bit more serious in tone as they go on, but this first book is very lighthearted and would be a perfect introduction to fantasy books for young readers.  I have an 8 year old cousin who is about ready for it in fact.  The great part about Smith is she has also written books for teen and adult readers, so her books are perfect to grow up with.

Thanks for joining me, I'll be back with a full report on my capsule wardrobe Friday and more book reviews next week.

Love,
Lydia