Lifestyle Archives - Page 3 of 33 - Traveling With Meghan

November 2014 Beauty Product Empties Reviewed

Though I haven’t been doing a good job at actually linking up, part of my Sunday posts is Weekly Wishes now. There’s something about putting your goals down in writing that helps them stick. One of my goals is to start using all of the samples I have from my Birchbox and Ipsy subscription bags. Here are my November empties and what I thought of them::

Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair:: I think this one may have come in one of the Goodeboxes I got for a few months a while back. This was thick and creamy, but weighed my hair down quite a bit. I would pass on purchasing this one again.

Harvey Prince Ageless Liquid Loofah:: This product gets a million stars! Mostly because of the way it smells. I personally didn’t notice any exfoliation when I used it, but I love the way it smells. It’s grapefruit scented. Grapefruit is my favorite. I can’t wait to purchase this!

Naobay Body Radiance Lotion:: At first, I used on my hands and really liked it. Very moisturizing. Then I used it on my legs and the avocado smell got over powering. I hope I didn’t smell like an avocado when I used it on my hands previously. Though the quality is great, the smell falls short. Won’t be purchasing this.

Neil George Shampoo and Conditioner:: These were nice and basic. Great size samples. I was able to use these and get a clear idea of if I would purchase these. I decided I wouldn’t. No smell and nothing special.

Davines Love Soothing Shampoo:: I have long been out of the conditioner that came with this generously sized shampoo sample because I LOVED both the “love” shampoo and conditioner that came a few months ago. This shampoo made a difference in the frizz factor of my hair, smelled great, and it’s on my to purchase list to put in my shampoo rotation.

Have you tried any of these products? Any interest you?

My Favs on Thursdays:: Things that Keep you Warm

My Favs on Thursdays is a weekly link up with my best bloggy buddies Katy and Nicole and share our favorite thing of the week. Link up with us below!

The title of this post reminds me of the show Pyramid, but right now anything that makes you warm is my favorite thing, not just this Thursday but I have a feeling for many days to come this winter. Here are five of the things I’m reaching for to keep warm::

knit hats:: first and foremost, hats are my favorite way to keep warm. I don’t really like the way I look in hats, but since heat escapes through the head if you’re all bundled up outside, pick up a hat!
knit scarf:: you have to have a scarf to go with your hat of course. The infinity style is my favorite because I don’t have to worry about if I tied it right.
fingerless gloves:: being warm shouldn’t make you as immobile as a puffy suit. Fingerless gloves are my favorite way to keep warm and still get stuff done! I picked my linkup buddy Katy’s fingerless gloves. She makes a fantastic pair!
fun socks:: lounging around the house, there’s nothing better to keep your feet warm than a pair of socks. They might as well have a fun patten on them too. The ones I picked are covered with corgis. You’re welcome.
tea:: though I’m a hardcore coffee drinker, there’s something about a great cup of breakfast tea or green tea. It’s soothing and warms from the inside out. My favorite is Twinings breakfast tea and has been since childhood.

What are your picks to keep warm while it’s really cold? Don’t forget to link up with the three of us and share your favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up

Emily Ley Daily Simplified Planner Review

Staying organized is a priority to me and pen and paper are still one of the top ways I do that. I’m very picky about my planners. As we quickly approach January 2015 (oy!) lots of people grab planners and calendars that just hang on the wall or sit empty after a few months. Right now I’m using the Kate Spade planner that I reviewed here, and even though it has the full 2015 year in it, I will using it for work and adopting either the Emily Ley daily Simplified Planner for my daily use or the Whitney English Day Designer. Look for the Day Designer review for next week. Today I have an in depth look at the daily Simplified Planner.

emily ley simplified planner in depth review :: www.hayesdays.com

Around July/August when I started digging for planner options, I realized that most of the planner “alternatives” (Emily Ley, Erin Condren, Whitney English) are already planning for the next year at that time, so I patiently waited for their 2015 launches. This is the first year Simplified Planner has been offered in daily and weekly, which Emily reviews on her blog in depth here.

The things that I look for in a planner are the page layout (obviously) concerning how much it pertains to me and what I do every day and the durability aspects of it. It has to last all year! My durability criteria are::

Cover:: pretty solid. If it’s not banded closed though, I could see it being bent if you were really rough with it. I mean purposely-bending-it-back rough with it. This cover is a plus. It also has gold corner protectors. The cute dots are a bonus.
Binding:: when something gets this thick, it’s hard to find a substitute for spirals and keep the product affordable. I ordered this pretty back in September and just being in storage the spirals have started to shift. This unfortunately, is a minus.
Gold elastic band closure:: Though not the most durable material, this is something other planners don’t even have, so this is a plus, even though the elastic probably won’t last a year. It’s very pretty and complimentary to the cover designs.
Paper:: plus plus PLUS! I love the weight and the bright white. I write with either paper mater flair pens or staedtler fine tip pens, so the ink more than often bleeds through. Not so with this paper, so I’m incredibly happy.
Tabs:: these are a plus too. Heavy duty lamination on those suckers. Tabs may not be something you notice, but I’m constantly flipping back and forth. These are definitely not tearing off. Also a plus is how they open. If you grab the tab, you’re looking at the entire month view instead of having to turn the page. (I’ve noticed some are like that.)
Page Layout:: this is a plus for me. I end up diving a day timer very similar to the way the Simplified Planner is already laid out. If you work, run a house-hold, have multiple things to accomplish each day, you will love this page layout.

Some additional things I love about the simplified planner are the motivational quotes at the top of the day’s page, the pocket on the inside cover, and the fact that she gives some very straightforward instructions on how to use the planner and simplify your life.

If you’re in the market for a planner for 2015, and need more detail than the Kate Spade gives for your day space, I recommend giving the Simplified Planner a try. Though sold out in her shop, many retailers across the US have them in stores so find one near you. I would also be more than happy to share more pictures of the planner details via email if you’re interested in purchasing one, so as to not compromise all Emily’s hard work on her planners.

Would the simplified planner work for you?

Fall Capsule Outfits 33-37 :: Final Thoughts

Good morning! Welcome back to the fall capsule final documented outfits. I ended up taking last week off. That was unexpected and not planned, but a great break none the less. What made it even better is that we were in Disney World for five out of the seven days. Catch up with our adventures on IG if you’re interested. Before the last five outfits, see the initial items here, outfits 25-32, outfits 18-24, and 1-17 (that post links to 3, 11, 12, and 13 which were separate posts). Here are the last five outfits I documented and some observations::

jacket:: GAP (similar)
tee:: GAP
jeans:: Old Navy
booties:: Sam Edelman (same this year)

This outfit was worn more than just once. Easy, peasy, throw it on and go. Fortunately this is office appropriate for me too.

scarf:: Merona
popover:: J.Crew (similar)
dress:: Madewell (similar)
leggings:: Aerie
booties:: Sam Edelman (same this year)

It’s hard to tell that I’m wearing the popover because of the scarf, but it was cold and this worked. I kinda like how the stripes and scarf look together too.

sweater:: Lands End Canvas (similar)
top:: J.Crew (factory version)
pants:: J.Crew
shoes:: Madewell

Let’s not talk about this outfit. I think you can tell how badly I felt by how badly I look in this outfit. I wish I had looked at these photos before I left the house. Oy. Moving on…

necklace:: J.Crew (for a steal)
sweater:: J.Crew
belt:: Vintage (similar)
dress (as a skirt):: Madewell (similar)
tights:: GAP (similar)
booties:: Sam Edelman (same this year)

My least favorite outfit was followed by one of my top three outfits of the entire capsule. Going home and resting for the rest of the prior day made me feel better and try this. I loved it too. This outfit makes me want to keep out one of my white dresses for the winter capsule. Time will tell.

necklace:: J.Crew (similar)
vest:: J.Crew
sweater:: J.Crew
jeans:: Old Navy
booties:: Sam Edelman (same this year)

Another simple get dressed and go outfit. My love for the cognac booties continues to grow day by day. They’re just perfect! Also I realized all the hype behind the excursion vest. Love it too.

I’ve showcased 37 outfits (there were at least four more that didn’t get documented) and if the weather was going to stay a little more temperate I could easily keep going with the items I picked because I didn’t even wear all of the original 35 items I picked. There were some items that were subbed out and sold along the way, but I could keep going with the 32-ish items seen in the series of posts.

The most popular item hands down was the burgundy jeans. Those were worn seven times. The black ones were probably high on the list too since I wore them in a lot of undocumented casual outfits. I’m so glad I went back to Old Navy and got those. They’re so comfortable and the color is perfect. Second most popular item was my chambray popover– definitely not surprised at that one. Worn four times throughout the entirety of the capsule. There were several items worn three times so third place would be a ten way tie or something like that.

My top five favorites were 36 (above), outfit 30 (here), outfit 12 (here), outfit 17 and 2 (here)

Many of these items will be carried over to the winter capsule, which I plan to debut next Monday on the blog. Also I’m debating including cardigans. Not vests and jackets, but just cardigans. What do you think? What outfits were your favorites? Let me know!

Linking up with:

Lauren at Fizz and Frosting

Budgeting Bloggers:: November Finals

Budgeting Bloggers is a linkup hosted by Fran of Franish where you recap what you purchased and spent in the past month in an effort to curate a functional closet!

With this budgeting bloggers post I get closer and closer to a year of doing this. Part of me wants to do a year round up and see how much I spent all year. The other part of me doesn’t want to see the number. Oy.

This month was a little strange. Though in the thick of my fall wardrobe, it got VERY cold towards the end of November and I veered off track just a little. I also had rewards and coupons from some retailers that were too good to not use. My hope was to shop less, but I think I shopped more since it was already so cool and I wanted to get a jump on my winter capsule. I also found a few classic additions and a wardrobe hole I had been shopping for. Here’s what I got::

1. and 2. Merino v-neck cardigan:: Orig $79.50, paid $17.99
3. Gold Star Ecru Shirt:: Orig $88, paid $10.19
4. Rib-stitch dolman sweater:: Orig $89.50, paid $25.50
5. Excursion vest in pinstripe:: Orig $138, paid $45
6. Quilted tweed vest:: Orig $39.94, paid $24.94
7. Waist length wool blend coat:: Orig $59.94, paid $9.97
8. Enzo Angiolini black pump:: Orig $109.95, paid $21.99
9. Cole Haan Chelsea low pump:: Orig $298, paid $59.60
10. Sam Edelman Spye Belle (Clark’s dupe this year):: Orig $140, paid $54.97
11. Martina Canvas mini wedge:: Orig $98, paid $25.49

Not pictured::
12. Charm Tassel Necklace:: Orig $35, paid $7.64
13. Floral short sleeve dress:: Orig $29.94, paid $7.49
14. Knit, Pray, Love Infinity Scarf:: Paid $35
15. (r-ki-tekt) flexible headband:: Paid $12
16. Lou and Grey specklestripe Moto Jacket:: Orig $79.50, paid $29.99
17. Stripe knit pencil skirt:: Orig $49.95, paid $4.49
18. Slim cropped pant in burgundy:: Orig $54.95, paid $14.98

Total:: $425.22 (made $332 off sales)

Total saved off retail prices:: $1091.45

The collage makes it look like I brought home less than I really did. If you can’t tell, I was kind of lazy putting it together. I also got some handmade items from two shops that I highly recommend. Both Atlanta locals, I was very impressed with what I brought home from ICE. I wish the girls behind Knit, Pray, Love had a website because their infinity scarves are between $10 and $15 more than a mass produced counterpart, but INCREDIBLY well made. So soft too and not itchy at all. Numbers 3, 4, 13, 17, and 18 and the only items I bought that “break” the rules, since they aren’t outerwear, shoes, or off my wish list. I did save my coupons and rewards though.

So! How did you do this past month?

Fall Capsule:: Outfits 25-32

There are a few outfits missing in this set. I’m really much closer to 40 different outfits from this limited set of clothes. It’s exciting to think of what I’m creating with less than half of what I normally work with. It’s getting close to time to re-work the fall capsule just a little bit. The high today in Athens is 39 degrees. Tomorrow’s high is 49 degrees. Though it’s going to warm up a little bit more through the end of the week (and we’re supposed to see 70 again this week– thanks Georgia), I think it’s time to add a few more cold weather options to the capsule.

cardigan:: J.Crew
tunic:: Madewell (similar)
leggings:: Aerie
flats:: DV by Dolce Vita (similar)

Tunics are one of my favorite options when you just don’t quite feel like wearing dress and want the comfort of leggings. It was a long day at work this day, in case you can’t tell by my lack of hair style and make up– and jewelry. Oy!

vest:: J.Crew
popover:: J.Crew (similar)
skirt:: GAP
booties:: Sam Edelman (exact same from Clark’s)

OMG guys these booties. They make me so excited I forget how to talk. I’ve been wearing them ALL THE TIME. There’s one outfit between 25 and 26 where I’m also wearing them. I almost wore them out of the store that day. I can only assume that Clark’s version from this year is just as comfortable.

cardigan:: J.Crew
dress:: Merona (this year’s)
heels:: Franco Sarto (similar)

This outfit is pretty much outfit 20 with different shoes and a different color cardigan. I love this dress though and am dying to figure out other ways to wear it. Any suggestions?

cardigan:: J.Crew
top:: Madewell
pants:: J.Crew (similar pattern, similar fit)
flats:: Madewell

These cardigans are easily the star players of my capsule wardrobe. I highly recommend taking a trip to your nearest Crew and scooping them up with the 40% off sale. Though I didn’t officially count them in the fall capsule, I think I will count them in the winter half in an effort to continue to simplify. I’m still not going to count heavy coats, vests, and other true outer wear items.

hat:: American Eagle Outfitters (similar)
coat:: J.Crew (similar)
scarf:: Merona
dress:: Madewell
leggings:: Old Navy
boots:: Aldo (similar)

In case you can’t tell, it got really cold there for a day. I also think this one is out of order. I think it actually goes between 31 and 32.

cardgian:: J.Crew (similar)
top:: Madewell
belt:: Vintage
skirt:: Topshop
booties:: Sam Edelman (exact same from Clark’s)

Corey kept calling me the woman in black in this outfit. I told him Johnny Cash wore ALL black. I have cognac mixed in. This may just be one of my favorites of this set though.

vest:: J.Crew
tee:: GAP
skirt:: Madewell (similar)
booties:: Sam Edelman (exact same from Clark’s)

Can you tell I LOVE these booties? Also the morning, when I took these pictures, it was almost 70 degrees. At some point during the day a cold front blew in and by the time I left for home it was 40 degrees and I was not wearing enough clothing for 40 degrees. Sad to say, but this skirt is going to get swapped out for something warmer during the winter capsule.

button up:: Old Navy
skirt:: Asos (similar)
tights:: GAP
booties:: Kenneth Cole Reaction (they also come in navy!)

All of these pieces are staying though. I am more than thrilled with these booties too. If you’re looking for a black suede pair, check these out. I found mine at Marshalls. I noticed the pull tab for the zipper on the back is strange though. I’ll probably end up changing it.

So out of this batch, which one is your favorite? What do you think should go for the winter?

Linking up with The Modern Austen

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