7 Favorite Things for Transitional Weather

  The early signs of spring brings hope for some resemblance of normalcy, and that has me excited to get out of my sweatpants.  It's been a long year of hibernating, working and schooling (and everything) from home and zero needs to dress up or get ready.  I've kind of forgotten how to even get ready, to be honest.
I am interested in merging the way things used to be and the new more low-key look of what this year has brought. I'm excited to forge a new style that  reduces fast fashion, works together better and adds some fun back in to getting dressed again.
As I start to pop around on the internet for things of this nature again... here are a few things catching my eye:
1. Any simple jewelry that I can wear with anything. I love simple huggie earrings for everyday wear, but also leveling up a bit for a slight drop style earring.  I also love that simple delicate chain necklace, but leveling up for the chunkier chain necklace.
2. I love comfy pants as much as the next person. But I'm adding to my fav go-to black leggings some pants that can be dressed up or down but still in comfy material.
3. I have a drawer full of white tees (I swear they're all slightly different), but I'm leveling up this season with some BRIGHT colored tees, like hot and/or bubble gum pink tees (lighter pink here & long sleeve here).
4. I'm leveling up my morning face routine by moving from foundation to tinted sunscreen the majority of the time. Sunscreen is so important, and even the days I don't plan to be outside, I sit by a window and always find myself on a walk or spending at least a little time outside.
5. I'm not giving up my sweatshirts but leveling up from frumpy to fancy ones, and the options are endless out there! Like this color-block style, sleek white one, fun tie-dye print, and one for summer with short puff sleeves.
6. I have to be honest... I have rarely worn a real bra this entire last year, and I really don't want to go back.  Finding a supportive and comfortable bra that is flattering is my ultimate goal. Right now, for a larger chest, I'm pretty smitten with this sports bra that has shape and is super comfortable from workout to every day wear!
7.  From make up to skincare, this is one habit from a year at home I hope to upkeep! I plan to spend less time and money on changing the way my face looks to taking care of the one I have.  I found my current favorite skincare line at the start of the pandemic and have been using it since.

What habits from the pandemic do you hope to change or keep? What is inspiring you this season of transitions?

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Simple Jewelry with a Big Impact

  Time to revisit your jewelry drawer (or dish, or stand). What are you actually wearing these days?  For me, I have a drawer full of costume jewelry that I rarely use and a small dish of fine (but affordable) jewelry that I wear everyday. I've been obsessed with simple gold jewelry now for years, and my love for ear huggies has sky rocketed.
I think these simple jewelry pieces can add up to make a sophisticated impact. I like to layer necklaces of different lengths to dress up or add interest to a basic or solid color top.  And my newest obsession is the ear cuff.  I love that you don't have to add another piercing to your lobes to add a piece of jewelry.
And actually, it's been a long time since I've worn earrings in my second piercing, but I wanted to layer multiple ear huggies, so I had to re-pierce the hole a tiny bit and now I'm back!  Truth be told, I pierced these second holes myself back in high school in the first place (and that's why they aren't in the best placement - so I don't recommend that route).
Finally, I also wear thin gold rings, and stack them to add more impact when I want to punch it up. I don't even take my rings off since they're so light and thing - and they don't tarnish at all. 
What ways do you give simple jewelry a wow?
You can see how I styled my gold ear huggies with a bright pink blazer here.
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This post is in collaboration with Nakturnal, but all opinions are my own.

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Favorite Wears: Favorite Gold Earrings

 

  Sometimes the best part of an outfit is the smallest part. I've struggled with wearing jewelry that irritates my skin or turns my skin green too many times to count, so as I've gotten older (and wiser?), I've invested in prices that will last and make me feel good. 
This brings me to my current obsession of affordable gold earrings that feel great on my sensitive ears. I also love all the other jewelry by AU-Rate because they make jewelry guaranteed for life with ethically sourced materials. They cut out the middle man to get you gold jewelry at affordable prices with options (of gold plated, 14K or 18K) so you can find something that fits your budget.
You can see my first pair of earrings from AU-Rate here. I like to get something that I'll always love, but, like that last pair (hoops made with little hearts), I want something with a little extra personality, too. I love these huggable hoops with the added bar dangling.
 

And what looks better with gold than pink and leopard?  I've been wearing pops of leopard for years, but have recently really fallen for pink, especially in unexpected ways.  My favorite unexpected way to wear pink? A pink blazer. My go-to blazer is no longer avail, but you can find the exact one on eBay.
A blazer, and having at least one in a fun color, can be worn dressed up or down - and is the perfect layering piece. I wear my pink one often, and love it over a simple white and black graphic tee (this one of a women's face is always a fun addition and definitely not boring).
So, mixing my pink blazer with gold earrings not only matches the packaging, but a classic go-to of mine (top the look off with a leopard headband for an extra wow!) - or skip the headband and blazer and go for a cozy leopard sweater (it all goes with gold, you can't go wrong!).  
You can shop my look here:

 Because this post is full of favorites - these are my favorite booties. But they're a couple years old. Here are this year's version by the same brand.

Alt outfit with a cozy leopard sweater (cute sidekick can't be replicated):

Find yourself a good pair of earrings and let the rest fall into place. What would you get from AU-Rate? This post is in collaboration with Nakturnal, but all opinions are my own.

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Simple, Beautiful Jewelry to Wear Everyday

 
I have sensitive ears, but I'm also lazy and tend to keep my earrings in for multiple days and nights in a row... sleeping, showering and exercising in them. If the earring isn't quality, my ears get really itchy and I have to take them out within only a few hours. Does that happen to anyone else?
I found these delicate hoop earrings (that upon close look, you can see are made of little hearts) that are gold from AU Rate. I can not even feel them in my ear, and after wearing them for a week straight, still don't feel them and my ear is completely fine.  I wore them in this post with my oversized blazer outfit.

Other simple and delicate jewelry I love to wear are necklaces. I wear this Bezel stone gold chain necklace almost all the time (similar to how I wear my earrings... through showers, workouts and sleeping).  
Etsy is also a great place to buy price-conscious and unique jewelry - and support small businesses!  Two recent favorites are this dainty north star necklace and this moon and stars coin necklace.  I usually wear these layered with my bezeled necklace above.

I'm not a big bracelet wearer (except to match my daughter, like the ones worn above) since I work a lot on the computer, and they tend to just get knocked around making noise and annoying me. I go in and out of wearing my watch - I still love my white and gold one.  I will sometimes wear bracelets on the weekends, but I'm still looking for the one I love and can wear all the time. 

I'm a HUGE fan of dainty, stacked and several rings - but I haven't found all my dream ones yet. That's definitely on my to-do list. :)  It's super important for me to find high quality rings, as most turn my finger green so quick, and it's kind of embarrassing.  I found this article on why some metals turn your skin green - and ways to remedy it (and good news - it's not just buying expensive metals, you can use clear nail polish to act as a barrier).  
I love these sweet, thin stacked rings, and will give them a try, and one I have and still love is this diamond shape ring (wearing in photo above).  What do you think about rings on pinky fingers and above knuckle? I haven't found something that works for me there, but like the look in theory!
Shop my favorite jewelry pieces here:

Disclaimer: partnership post with agency, Nakturnal. Earrings were provided to me, but all reviews and opinions are my own.

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Favorite Wears: Leopard

  The flu epidemic is strong this year, and Kansas City (as I'm sure other areas) has been hit hard. I was feeling pretty cocky that we'd be spared - we got the flu shot after all, and my husband has been nuts about having everyone wash their hands until our knuckles are raw - but Friday we got the dreaded call from school. After a quick flu test - it was positive. 
The doctor reassured us that starting on Tamiflu and having had the flu shot would help lessen the impact - and he was right. L was back to himself by Saturday night.... and when Sunday morning rolled around, we thought we had all made it!  Soon into the day, N spiked a temp, and I started feeling crummy - so back for more Tamiflu we went (and this time it made us both nauseous - a common side effect). By Monday, we had spent a pretty penny on the stuff (Tamiflu is expensive!). 
While I wore this outfit a couple of weeks ago, just looking at them makes me feel better. There is something about leopard that can break up a boring day, make me feel a little bit better and bring on confidence. It's definitely a don't-mess-with-me pattern. ;) . Here are a few of my favorite leopard pieces available now:

Earrings by Janesko!

hotos by the talented Elizabeth of Elizabeth Ladean Photography.  

She shoots portraits, engagements/weddings and lifestyle sessions all around Kansas City.  You can follow here on Facebook here and on Instagram here to see more of her work!

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Holiday Gift Guide | Kansas City Favorites!

  One of my favorite gifts to give to those that live in Kansas City and those that live elsewhere are artifacts and unique pieces made right here in my home town.  When you shop local, there is always a special spin to your gift, no matter what!  
I've rounded up 7 of my favorite Kansas City gift ideas for anyone on your list:
1. A Kansa City Wellness Gift card for BBL (BroadBand Light) treatments, hair treatments, fillers, microneedling, or some of the other services from the comprehensive anti-aging and aesthetic center.  I know there are several wellness centers in the KC area - but this one is founded by Dr. Amy Carter, DO, is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist in private practice, who delivered both of my babies and is the best OB/GYN in the area!
2. Kansas City has no shortage of amazing jewlry by local artisans. I'm particularly always going back to Janesko and Nickel & Suede for earrings (but they have so much more, too!).  I actually have a these gold Janesko studs on my own Xmas wish list after I lost my own pair. These don't tarnish or make my earlopes react poorly. They are my go-to. 
3. Just the newest brilliance by the Ampersand Studio ladies.  These bright stars of Kansas City create the most colorful gift wrap, party, stationary and more supplies - and adorable fashion that leaves you even more excited to support KC.  This Kansas City shirt has the perfect amount of retro for any girl or guy on your list.
4. Even something sweet for the little ladies on your list! You guys have to do some of your shopping from Hazel & Ollie, a shop of hand made modern goods for cool kiddos (and grown ups, too!).  You can see Nora's fun jewelry and both Liam & Nora's personalized clothing from the shop here!
5.  Chances are you have probably heard of Trapp candles, but you might not realize this is a local KC brand and shop!  They certainly are some of the most beautifully smelling scents you could ever possabliy get!
6. Try getting someone SUPER unique this year - a gift that keeps on giving all year around.  Is it a stool, a shelf or a piece of art? How about all of the above. This stool/shelf by flotsmist is a beautiful hard working piece, doing way more than just one thing - just the way I like it! It comes in white, too!
7. Mmmmm.... can you smell that?  This might just be the perfect gift for that hard to buy for dude on your list!  Try the KC Signature Gift Boxed Steak Combo which includes Boneless Ribeye Steaks, Super-Trimme Filet Mignon and Kansas City Strip Steaks. For something a little smaller, try getting a customized amount of Super-Trimme Filet Mignon, the most popular steak and hand selected from premium corn-fed Kansas beef!

Do you have any favorite Kansas City gift ideas??

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Favorite Wears: Casual Sweatshirt Dress

This is the easiest, and yet chic enough for a weekend brunch.  These days I'm running on less than average sleep, so simplicity is key.  Anything I can easily grab, layer with the same simple gold jewelry I've been consistently wearing and pull together with a swipe of bright lipstick and hat is on repeat.  
So, I'm curious, how many hours of sleep a night do you need?  I've been only getting about 6 - which is just enough to get by, but not enough to feel energized nor healthy. I just feel tired all the time. I think I'm someone who needs closer to 8, so I'm working on it. :)  Of course, 6 hours is a far improvement from when the kiddos were babies (though we've actually had some toddler sleep regression to make me painfully recall those all nighters from the baby stages), so at least there is that!
Despite toddler sleep regressions (night terrors, I think), my biggest challenge is shutting down my mind at night.  My creativity typically comes alive, I get sucked into work and trying to get stuff done.  The work is endless. :)  So, tell me if you have any tricks for getting on a better night time/sleep routine so that I can get more sleep!  Please!
{Outfit Details: Dress, Bag, Booties, Initial Necklace c/o, Hat - from Denver Farmer's Market (similar), Bracelet for FitBit, Lips}

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Favorite Wears: Winter Holiday Look

The worst part about a winter holiday, is putting on your cute holiday outfit and going out in the not-so-cute holiday weather (it's been rainy and cold here - ick)!  So, I wanted to share my transitional look from winter weather to winter soirée! PLUS, I'm also essentially saving you money because I'm also using jewelry that transitions to several different pieces (you're welcome).  Seriously, this current trend is the best one because you get so much more out the one piece!
This is your last chance to shop the online Stella & Dot party happening now!  You can see some of my favorite picks right here! They are excelling at transitional jewelry pieces (and bags, even!).  You can choose one piece to dress up and down, dramatically changing the piece itself each time with many of their current items.  
Let me show you what I mean...

 By simply removing the additional layers of this Stella & Dot necklace, I kept the sparkly part and therefore fancier look to my holiday getup. You can actually wear this Sutton Necklace a total of FIVE ways!  And while I kept these earrings the same - you can wear these Vintage Starburst Ear Jacket earrings FOUR different ways!

So, there you have it!  It doesn't have to be a total drag to get out in the cold, but still don your holiday wears!  Now click on over to shop the Stella & Dot party for last minute gifts for your loved ones and holiday wear needs (don't forget about upcoming NYE!!).  You have until 12/17 to get your order in to guarantee delivery by Xmas Eve!

Also, shop TODAY to take advantage of the BUCK BACK deal happening now...

 {Full Outfit Details:  Dress (on sale!), Vest - Friend's hand-me-down (similar), Winter Boots, Party Heels - old Nine West, Black Tights c/o, FitBit Bracelet, all other jewelry - Stella & Dot}

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Favorite Wears: Layers of Jewelry

It's easy to dress up a casual outfit with layers of simple jewelry - and it's super easy to afford pieces of simple jewelry to layer with if you shop the special deals happening right now via my Stella & Dot online party (you can read & see the specials right here or go straight to shopping for you or gifts right here)!  All these necklaces and the ring are from Stella & Dot, and I wear them constantly! Mainly separately, but love this look of them all layered together.
Paired with my beloved Kansas City tee and this season's 'it' print, plaid, this outfit feels spunky, casual and unique (is that a nice way to say weird?).  Regardless, I love it.  See what a difference some pops of gold (jewelry and shoes!) can do?!  And it truly is the one sized item that will suit all those ladies on your gift list this year!
{Outfit Details: Tee c/o; Ruffled Sweatshirt Cardi c/o; Pants - Loft (similar); Necklaces; Ring; Gold Sneakers}
Oh, and this just in!  Ends tonight at 9pm and only while supplies last... up to 50% off fan favorites!

So, go shop them right now as fast as you can before they're gone!

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