Friday, September 30, 2011

what's your pajama personality?

Happy Friday!

I don't know where you are but where I am we're fixin' (yes, I said fixin') to have a cold front. It's going to be a high in the 60s tomorrow and tonight it's going to be down to the high 40s!!

It's also gonna be kind of overcast a maybe rainy where I live so I plan on spending a lot of the day on Saturday lounging around and possibly baking up a batch of these with the B.

It got me thinking about pajamas. Whether you say pah-jahm-ahs or pah-jam-ahs, it's still the comfy go-to clothing that you wear when you aren't really trying to care. There are lots of kinds of pajamas out there nowadays, too. You've got your girly chemises, your pj pants, pj shorts, mens style pjs and then the "homemade" pjs which consists of old t-shirts and shorts that are no longer appropriate for wear outside of the house. ;)

So, out of the choices below, which one would you say best fits your style? Which one do you gravitate to when you think about spending a day inside lounging away or perhaps reading or crafting or baking?

what's your pm persona?

1. The old t-shirt and boxer shorts type of gal. It's all about comfort and convenience. You're most likely to spend your day writing a song, listening to/playing music or more mundane (but necessary) tasks like laundry or cleaning up after your toddler. :)

2. The girly chemise type of gal. You're gonna spend your day baking, online shopping or perhaps catching up on some amazing blogs or the latest magazines.

3. The athletic sleep shorts type of gal. You're kind of sporty. You maybe used to be a tomboy. You'll probably spend your day watching some college football or maybe some baseball. You might even decide to toss back an alcoholic beverage or two.

4. The down-to-earth, pj pants & tank type of gal. You're a sucker for some cute pj pants. You'll be using your free Saturday doing your chores (first) and then rewarding yourself with some delivered pizza and a Project Runway marathon.

I think I'm a mix of #2 and #4. What about you??

Thursday, September 29, 2011

things I love Thursday

I'm borrowing today's post idea from Kaelah Bee's blog. She basically posts a random collection of things she has enjoyed lately. Lately, I've been into.....um....well....SPARKLES! Sorta like...

This absolutely gorgeous ring.

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This amazing glitter eye makeup.

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These cute li'l glitterumpkins. (that's glittery pumpkins in shorthand or something)

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These subtle yet sparkly neutral nails.

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These sparkly crystals hanging on trees. Imagine a bunch of these interspersed with some hanging lanterns at night. Ahhhh.

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This amazingly gorge dress (and Olivia Wilde is pretty stunning too)!!

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Gorgeous cobalt blue glitter pumps.

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Every girl needs a little glitter in her life, right?

DEFINITELY.
All pics courtesy of Pinterest.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

splurge vs. steal

This is the final post in the Wednesday series Splurge vs. Steal about affordable fashion. After you read, I'd love to hear some feedback as to whether or not you enjoyed this series and/or would like to see more posts like this in the future.

Now, for the outfits! Emerald green is another big trend this fall. You can dress down a cardigan with a boyfriend t-shirt, skinny jeans and mocassins or "mocs" as my friend says. One outfit is $172 and the other is $723. Now, which one is which??

splurge vs. steal 3

If you guessed that the Splurge is the outfit on the right, you're correct!! This is just another proof that the fashionable don't have to be filthy rich or debt up to their eyeballs from buying expensive clothes.

I hope you've enjoyed this series!! Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

my first VLOG

I was tagged in an accent VLOG from Kimberly at A Little Bit of This (one of the blogs I sponsored for September) that was originally from this blog. I've never done a Video Blog Post before, but I thought I would make my first one about accents, because, who doesn't love accents??

I'm tagging Kate from Kindly Kate, Kim from A Cuppa Kim and Jill from Lost and Not Found in this VLOG!! Ladies, let me know if you post one!

Okay, and now for my VLOG. Comment away, y'all! (DANG, that thumbnail is sseeexxxxyyy, right?)


A few comments after the initial watching:
-the sound at the end is my dog, Hewitt shaking (it's actually his collar)
-I now know what the most unflattering camera angle is...this one
-I have also learned never to do a VLOG in the evening after work with flat hair and worn off makeup

The end.


for the gentlemen: COLOR!

Awhile back I posted a little about incorporating some fashion stuff for the guys into my blog post repertoire. So, to all of my male readers (both of you!!), here you go!

There is an alarming trend in menswear that doesn't ever seem to go away. It resurges in popularity right around this time every year. You know what trend I'm referring to? Well, I don't know the exact name, but I'll just call it the "Bleh" trend.

Basically all menswear shirts, sweaters, and long sleeve tees that come out every fall are bland, boring and bleh colors. Seriously. Don't believe me? Pay attention the next time you go shopping at what inhabits the mens section. Burgundy. Navy. Gray. Beige. Black. Tan. Light tan. Dark tan. Dark Beige. Medium beige. You get the idea...

I know lots of guys that jumped on the pastels trend for spring/summer and will rock the colors during those seasons, but for some reason, when the weather turns a bit cooler, they forget their colorful wardrobe and go back to bleh. Does it have something to do with the start of the football season? They feel the need to assert their masculinity by wearing boring colors? Perhaps. Or perhaps it is the fault of the clothing stores who don't believe our men are fashion forward enough to want to wear colors other than what they put out.

Gentlemen, let me introduce y'all to my friend Color. Color CAN be worn in the fall and winter. Just because pastels aren't appropriate doesn't mean you should drop Color completely. Take Color for a little drive and you may end up liking him. Think of it as a more everyday-appropriate version of a football jersey. Yeah.

Need some ideas?

If you normally gravitate towards dark green or navy, go for brighter blues and greens like royal blue, kelly green or teal. Wait, let me put it in "boy language", instead of Notre Dame blue, we're going more for a Boise State color.


If you normally roll with burgundy (yeesh) or maroon, try a more crimson red. Think sports teams here, guys. Less Texas A&M maroon and more Alabama Crimson.



Now, how about purple? I promise it's a very universally flattering color, guys. So, in sports-talk we're going for more of a Minnesota Vikings color to a nice plum. (I can't think of any teams who have "plum" as one of their colors. And, NO, I will not mention the team-I-do-not-speak-of who is also purple and orange.)


And finally, if any of you guys have thought about experimenting with yellows, now is the time. I'm not talking about a pale yellow which works for spring, but a deeper, richer goldy yellow. Any shades from Redskins/Packers Yukon Gold all the way to a mustardy yellow. (Again, not sure there are any football teams that use "mustard" yellow as a color.) If you normally wear a lot of gray, adding yellow to it is a GREAT way to incorporate our friend, Color. :)


Note: All clothing from Old Navy.
Note 2: B, if you're reading this, you may as well tell me which of the striped sweater zippered mock neck sweaters you like, because you'll probably get one for Christmas. I'm kind of partial to the green myself...

Good luck guys!

Monday, September 26, 2011

OOTD: Pan Animal

I'm back with another outfit post. Hooray!! It's been a LONG time since I've done one. Today's OOTD post title was inspired by 2 things:

1) Pan Am. Did anyone watch the premiere of that show last night? I LOVED it. I loved the clothing and style of that era and I was swooning over the royal blue Pan Am stewardess uniforms.

2) My dog, Hewitt, decided to make an appearance in my outfit photos today. Not because he was feeling friendly, but because I was infringing upon his territory...aka...the back porch. Needless to say, by the end of the shoot, he was ready for me to leave. :)


I would also like to point out that I'm STILL that sunburned...8 days later. :( Yeesh.

Cardi: Gap
Top: Target
Skirt: Marshalls
Shoes: Nine West

Happy Monday!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

outfit experimentation

After I saw a coworker rock this look last week, (Hi, K, if you're reading!!) I became convinced that I could pull it off too. She totally looked adorable and it inspired me to try wearing one of my staple pieces the same way.

The staple? This blazer, from The Limited.


If you've cringed because you know how expensive it is ($158), have no fear! Your favorite cheapskate blogger snagged this puppy (in rich brown) for a mere $20. (Clearance, 50% off clearance...BAM!)

Anywho, so here's the look I'm talking about...

blazer and jeans


Mustard Mix



So, there you have it. There's my inspiration. I especially love the girl with the CURVES! :) I'll see if I can get someone to snap a pic of me today and I'll post it later on this week. (pics courtesy of Tumblr.com and The Limited)

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Friday, September 23, 2011

the A to Z of me

Happy Saturday lovely readers! I saw this cute post on Sherry's blog and loved it so much that I decided to post it on my blog too!

Here we go!

A. Age: 26
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore that you hate: Loading the dishwasher
D. Dogs: Hewitt, my furchild

E. Essential start to your day: Breakfast
F. Favorite color: Aqua

G. Gold or Silver: Definitely silver. I don't think I can wear gold with my pale skin.
H. Height: 5’5"
I. Instruments you play(ed): Trombone (in school), Guitar, Piano/Keyboard
J. Job title: Business Development...something...?

K. Kids: None
L. Live: Wilmington, NC
M. Mother’s name: Marianne
N. Nicknames: Apes, Lirpa, Geegs

O. Overnight hospital stays: Never
P. Pet peeves: Arrogance, bad grammar, being taken advantage of, lateness.
Q. Quote from a movie: "You know how I know you're lying?? Because COPS doesn't come on until 4!" - Stepbrothers
R. Right or left handed: Right
S. Siblings: Older sis Allison, younger sis Ashton
T. Time you wake up: Between 6-7am normally. Naturally. I know, it's scary!

U. Underwear: I enjoy the underwears. They are helpful AND useful. ;)
V. Vegetable you hate: Most of them except for potatoes and tomatoes.

W. What makes you run late: I am almost never late. (see letter "p")
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Shoulder, teeth, chest, sinuses.

Y. Yummy food that you make: Banana Pudding
Z. Zoo animal: It's a toss up between the flamingos and the seals.






Feel free to copy and repost on your blog!

instaFriday

I cannot BELIEVE it's Friday again. Bright and early tomorrow morning, I'm heading back home to Charlotte for the weekend. It's been a whole 2 weeks since I was there. I'll be back to bring another load of stuff (including clothes...because I'm out). But I did do something fun this past week...I went to the beach!! Hooray!!! And I got sunburned!! Not hooray! Anywho, I have a shiny new batch of Instagram pics to share with you today.

I'm linking up with Jeannett over at Life Rearranged for another week of InstaFriday!!

I don't think I've shared a pic of my purty new lunchbox. Isn't it cute?? I don't feel embarrassed to carry this around at work AT ALL! HA! It's made out of scuba gear fabric so it's ... um... stretchy.

So, the B's parents came into to town this weekend and we did some of the fun touristy things that I've wanted to do but didn't have a reason to. We went to see the Battleship North Carolina in the Wilmington harbor. It was majestic and beautiful and surprisingly technologically saavvy for WW2.


We went to Wrightsville Beach this weekend too. It was really fun because for most of the day it was kind of overcast and not too hot...

But it was still "sunny" enough for me to get a KILLER sunburn. Yes, that is my leg disguised as a hamhock. I had my feet buried in the sand...hence the whiteness. Sunburn is definitely something I don't like!

Here's a shot of the B and I at the beach. We both look rough (Hi B!) but we were bummin' it that day anyway. :)

Best part of the beach trip?? I got me some purty li'l shells for a future project! I can't wait to use them for something crafty or decor-ish.


Thursday, September 22, 2011

hair dare: the results

Last week I posted a Hair Dare for my readers. I've witnessed the resurgence of the some-up-and-some-down hairstyle. (I confessed that I don't REALLY know what this hairstyle is officially called, but that's what my sis and I called it growing up.) My sister is a sometimes reader. Sister?? What is the official name of this hairstyle? Sister is a hairstylist so if anyone knows, she would.

Anywho, I had 2 of y'all take me up on my Hair Dare.

The first was my bestest [real] friend in the entire earth, Amie. Being the style maven that she is, she actually rocks this look pretty often. Some people are just innately fashionable...


The next participant was my newest [blog] friend Kate! Seriously, she and I are probably twins that were separated at birth. Side note: This is the hair color that I've ALWAYS wanted. Deep, rich, brown. Ahhh.


And here is my attempt this week...


Hooray for some-up-and-some-down/half-up hairstyles!! Join me for another Hair Dare coming to ALOTAT very soon!



inspiration workshop: family room

Gosh, I love participating in the Inspiration Workshop hosted on the Gussy Sews blog. It's such a great way to share my inspiration and get inspired in return!

This week's prompt is FAMILY ROOM. I love me some living room/family room photos. All you have to do is browse around on my Pinterest "Pretty Home Stuff" board to tell that. While I don't necessarily have a family to put in my family room, I still want to have a room that is inviting and open to friends, guests and maybe eventually, my own family. To keep this post from being a mile long, I'll just post a few of my favorite family rooms and tell y'all why I like them.

HouseofTurquoise.com

I love the colors and natural light in this room. The jute grass, bamboo and other natural elements help to ground the light color and bring the outdoors in.



bhg.com

For some of the same reasons as the first one, I love this one too. I heart the colors (aqua!!!) and the lattice/geometric patterned upholstery. The clear glass lamps and beachy accents are adorable!



bhg.com

This one drew me right in as soon as I saw it. The glass and beachy accents are just perfect with this room. It's not too fussy and not too fancy. The blue, green and pink accents really stand out against the white couches and table. Oh, and that table? It reminds me of something my great grandmother had a long time ago.

What about you? What kind of FAMILY ROOMS do you like?


Linking up with Gussy Sews' Inspiration Workshop here!



Wednesday, September 21, 2011

splurge vs. steal

[Splurge vs. Steal is a series about affordable fashion every Wednesday in September on A Little of This and That.]

Hey everybody, we're back again with another Splurge vs. Steal post. One of the outfits below is $3,394.00 and the other is a mere $158.00. Which one is the splurge and which one is the steal?

splurge vs. steal 2

If you guessed the splurge as the one on the left, you're correct!! A printed mini dress with colored tights and ballet flats is a HUGELY popular trend this fall, but for this trend, you definitely don't need to shell out a couple thou or two. Raise your hand if you have a few Gs to spend on one outfit?

Bueller?

Bueller?

That's what I thought. Thanks to cool stores like TopShop, H&M and department stores, you can definitely be a part of this trend for not a lot of money.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

top 5 tuesday: have it your way

I'll thank the lovely B for today's blog post inspiration. He enjoys teasing me about how I like my eggs. It got me thinking about how for many foods and drinks, people like to "have it their way". You like their eggs cooked a certain way or take your coffee a certain way. To you, it's JUST right. You know what I mean?

For today's Top 5 Tuesday, it's the top 5 things that I have to get my way or else I won't eat or drink it.

1) Eggs. I only do scrambled to the point that they aren't shiny anymore. I like 'em so done they are almost dry and I can eat 'em with a fork. With salt. Occasionally, with some American cheese. Mmmmm.

2) Grits. Slightly creamy with butter and either cheddar or American cheese. Only.

3) Wine. Slightly sweet and smooth. Red or white. Definitely not dry.

4) Cereal. Dry cereal only with no milk. The only exception is regular Cheerios with sliced bananas and 1/4 of a cup of skim milk.

5) Tuna. I only eat canned (or in a pouch) tuna with ranch dressing and dijon mustard. Occasionally a hard boiled egg chopped up. No relish or mayo on my tuna. No way.

What about y'all? What are your "have it your way" foods or drinks?

4463006780_914e8a9034_z_large
via WeHeartIt

And a special Happy Birthday shout-out to my Mom! She knows how to make my scrambled eggs and grits JUST RIGHT. Love you Mom!

Monday, September 19, 2011

welcome fall (and a freebie)

So, maybe it's not "officially" fall yet, but it sure did feel like it this weekend. On Thursday it was 88 degrees and sunny outside. By Friday, it was cloudy and cool with a high of 68 degrees!!

That's the good news.

The bad news is that because I'm in the middle of my "soft move" (temporary housing in Wilmington) I only brought enough clothes for 2 weeks to Wilmington and none of that included fall clothing. SO, I was sort of a little bit cold. But, I'm not complaining, no sir-ee.

It sort of got me thinking about all the stuff that I LOVE about fall. It's my favorite season and every year I get more and more excited about its approach. Even if it's hot where you live, it's close enough to the official start of fall to share a few pictures with y'all, right? That's what I thought. :)



I found these pretties on Pinterest. You like??

One way I've celebrated fall is by purchasing some of Bath and Body Works' fall candle line. They had mini candles 3 for $5 this weekend and I got Apple Crumble, Marshmallow Fireside, Pumpkin Caramel Latte, Hot Chocolate, Autumn and Creamy Pumpkin. (Okay, so I got 6 for $10...heh.) So far I've burned the Apple Crumble and it is amazing. Anywho...

In honor of fall's approach (and to help y'all get in a fallish mood) here are a couple pretty li'l pics for you to use on your computer as a wallpaper, screensaver or as a stock image. (PC users right-click and "save as" to use) Personal use only, please. :)




 
Happy Fall, y'all! Don't forget to send me your hair pics by Wednesday night if you want me to be included in the hair dare challenge post. See the original post here.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

blog lurvin'

I LOVE discovering new blogs. I find new ones I love ALL THE TIME and I'm always looking out for more.

Do you enjoy finding new blogs too? I've got a page on my blog that shares some of the main blogs I follow and read daily. Please peruse my list and maybe you'll find something to add to your list?!? Check out my blog love page here.

Among some of my newest blog loves:

A Blonde Ambition (fashion, life, style, blonde-ness)
A Little Bit of This (life, weight loss, parenting, style )
Simply Kelly (design, style, home stuff, life)
Jessica N Designs (crafts, handmade, style, design, diy)

Are there any blogs that you follow that you think I'd enjoy reading?? Feel free to email me a link or leave it in a comment below.

Thanks friends!! Happy blog hunting!!

Friday, September 16, 2011

insta-Friday

I can't BELIEVE it's Friday. I've been in Wilmington for almost 1 whole week. That is some craziness. Anywho, I've got some delicious instagram pics for you and I PROMISE to have some beach pics in next week's edition because this weekend, the B and I are hitting the beach with his parents. (They're coming down from "the north".)

Here we go!! (Linking up with Jeannett over at Life Rearranged this week!)

Not gonna lie, this is how I celebrated my last day of work. ;)

A new and delicious Froyo joint in Wilmington that the B and I tried this week. LOVE! They have the coolest toppings and you just get a cup and fill it with frozen yogurt and toppings and then they weigh it and you pay by weight. So stinkin' good.

After a freak rainstorm, I snapped the reflection of the clouds in a flooded drain. So beautiful!!

I brown bagged it every day this week because I wasn't sure when I'd get a chance to eat lunch during training at my new job. Bologna sammy, cookies, applesauce and Mickey Mouse shaped cheese cubes. I know, I know... I'm 4.

Got this awesome shower curtain for the B from Bed, Bath & Beyond. It's the D.C. Metro Map.

For those of you (or the one of you) who despise Instagram pics of Hewitt, I'm sorry. It's been awhile since he has been in an Insta-Friday post, so boom! He was laying on the B's blanket last night.


Well, folks, that's all I got for today. Have a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

hair dare

Y'all I must admit that I often have hair lust. I love pretty hairstyles and hair colors and I am so jealous of those ladies who have GORGEOUS locks. Curly, straight, blonde, red, brunette, you name it. I'm an equal opportunity hair envy-er. ;)

Maybe, this is because I have the weirdest hair on the planet. It's not straight and it's not curly. It's slightly wavy if I scrunch it and sort of straight if I use a flat iron and it is FINE, FINE, FINE. Like, so fine that you can often see my scalp through my hair. Sadness... My sister is a hairdresser and she always says I'm one of those people who has a lot of hair, but the strands are very fine and not dense like normal hair. She says I have "goat hair". (whatever that means) So, when I see beautiful head of thick hair, I'm totally jealous.

Today, I'm rolling with the quasi-wavy look. Here is what I'm working with...


Lately, I've been in a hair rut. I've either been wearing it down or in a ponytail and straight or wavy. When I was younger, I used to wear a hairstyle that my sister and I called "some up and some down". I still don't think it has an official name but I've really been digging it lately. It seems like a great way to wear my hair wavy OR straight and it could make my fine hair look, um, not so fine. ;) It's no longer a little girl hairstyle and it may just help to get me out of my hairstyle rut. I did some browsing around on Pinterest for some "some up and some down" hairstyle inspiration and came up with these pretties.






All of these looks are appropriate for work or play. They're put together enough to look like you tried, but not SO rigid that it looks too formal or too wedding-like.

So, here's my dare...wear your hair in this style sometime in the next week or so. (or maybe you just pull your bangs back off your face if you're hair is short) Snap a photo of yourself (or have someone else take your pic) and email it to me at aprilanne147 [at] hotmail [dot] com. I'll post all the pics I get next Thursday. I'll do this too, so we'll all be united in our hair dare!

Now, I DARE YOU!

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