Game Changer: I found the best (cheap) red lipstick!

I've long admired ladies who can pull off red lipstick on an everyday basis.  Even though I'm old enough to have been her babysitter, I'll admit that Taylor Swift's makeup routine makes her one of my personal style inspirations.

it makes her white shirt and wayfarers look fancy, doesn't it?

Since becoming pregnant and gradually outgrowing my button downs and skinny jeans (Make it stop! I had enough of a chest to begin with!), I've started to rely on little tricks like a red lip to make me feel pretty on a morning where I'd otherwise just feel too big for my clothes.  However, it's hard to find a shade that works with pale skin and dark hair without feeling as though it says "Hey everybody - Haley got some lipstick!"  I also don't like spending lots of money on cosmetics because I am a cheapskate when I wanna be.

That's why I was pretty pumped to discover the Sonia Kashuk Velvety Matte Lip Crayon in Rosey Nude.  It's only $7.59 and goes on more like a lipliner than a sheer balm, which look lovely but don't stay put on me. You can get it at Target, and I highly recommend it!

Here I am wearing it at work, not looking quite like Taylor, but close enough.  It's a little brighter in person, but I am terrible at selfies and felt like a fool taking it in my cube:

And no, this is not a sponsored post.  I'm not going to get rich recommending this to you - I just get excited about important issues such as these.

P.S. You can't really see it, but I'm wearing this Live in Pink by Suzanna Dai necklace c/o LOFT and it's so chic and nicely made.  The proceeds benefit breast cancer research, and I highly suggest you check out the line.  It comes in a big fancy box, and with all of the usual discounts at LOFT, it would be a nice Christmas gift if you don't want to spend much but like to look as though you did. ;-)  

Maternity Style: The First Trimester

I completely agree with my doctor who says that the first 4 months of pregnancy are just lame.  You may not feel great, and your body starts changing, but you don't yet have the obvious baby belly that makes everything feel real.  I personally just look like I got a little bit fat, and it's not fun. 

However, I decided to approach my maternity style experience as a challenge and so far it's been easier than I thought thanks to a few smart purchases, existing basics, and acceptance of my shape. 

Here are the pieces that have gotten me to 19 weeks (as of today!) and the lessons I've learned:

first trimester survival by cardiganjunkie featuring a red star t shirt

old navy flannel shirts  /  denim shirt (similar)  / 

boyfriend cardigan (similar)  /  gap dotted tee  /   always skinny jeans  /  gray jeans (similar)

Buy maternity jeans on eBay and wear them as soon as you need them

I scored two new pairs of Gap skinny jeans for about $24 each, and have been wearing them nonstop since about the 12 week mark.  I did not like securing my jeans with a ponytail holder, and it made for a bumpy silhouette that looked terrible on me.  The way I see it, I'm dressing my current body and since I did not pay much for the pants, I will have gotten my moneys worth even if I outgrow them in month 6-7.  It's better than 5 months of ill-fitting jeans when I can wear them to work and everywhere else. 

Don't forget about tailoring

Like with straight sized clothing, a little tweak to a seam or a hem can make a world of difference.  I noticed that lots of maternity jeans have wider legs than I need, so I had a pair of my jeans taken in at the knees of all places and now they look great.

Pair a loose top with fitted bottoms

Wearing oversize clothing on top and bottom just makes you look large.  In my case, I'd look like a refrigerator if I wore wide legged pants and a boxy top like the Old Navy flannel.  However, when paired with my skinny gray pants and some wedges, it's perfect for my casual office and disguises my changing shape.  (Side note: These maternity jeans from Topshop are the BEST, but the gray isn't online.  I highly recommend them!)

Layer long tanks under shirts that are getting too short

This season, my cardigan collection is getting lots of use.  I have been layering Target Merona tanks (they're perfectly long and thick) under long-ish cardigans, which is possible thanks to my sweet maternity jeans not making my waistline lumpy.

Accessorize!

I have been going nuts with necklaces and scarves along with basic v-neck tees, and not giving a damn about repeating the outfit. 

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For all the mommies out there - what's your maternity style secret? 

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday, internet! I hope y'all are about to enjoy a long weekend like I am, although I'm not quite sure what I'll do with my free Monday since my husband's company doesn't offer many holidays and he has to work.  Any suggestions?  A White Queen marathon on Starz On Demand?

While I decide, here are five things worth sharing on the internet:

1. Isn't this $7.99/yd Ikea fabric so pretty?  You could make pillows, or just frame panels of it and fake some West Elm-ish art. 

2. N and I want to take a long weekend babymoon in early November, but aren't sure where to go.  We've been to Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, and New Orleans and want to visit somewhere new, but I'll be about 22-23 weeks pregnant so winery tours and bars are out.  We are considering Charleston and Portland, but would love some opinions. We like eating, museums, and some light hiking would probably be ok unless I suddenly stop feeling great and exercising.  Thoughts?

via wmagazine.com

 via portland.cleanweb.com

3. I made these zucchini tots this week, and they were so easy and delicious!  Next time I'll be adding more zucchini and a little less onion, but I foresee them being a recurring addition to my limited menu of dinner items.

 via The Curious Country Cook

4. If you are in need of a New Year's Eve dress, I would try this one before it sells out.  The price is right, and the style offers enough coverage for winter weather and will look great with tights.

5.  I was clicking through blogs this week and saw this book mentioned, and instantly remembered reading it and loving it when I was in the 3rd grade.  If any of you have daughters (or sons), I highly recommend it.  Hitty: Her First Hundred Years was originally published in 1929 and is still compelling 84 years later.  (P.S. Be sure you get the original text, and not the updated version for kids with no attention span or vocabulary)

Bonus 6th Thing!  This print is bananas!  And it's from Spoonflower, so it's affordable and you can get it printed on all kinds of fabric or even wallpaper.  I'm really hoping Baby D is a girl so it can go in a nursery.

 Jungle Passion by Joan McLemore

Have a great weekend!

My London Travel Guide

It's no secret that London is my favorite place.  I've been an Anglophile since about 1992, and used to practice my fake accent while on vacation as a child.  Yes, really.  I was an odd little kid.

Anyway, I've been lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time there thanks to an internship in college and subsequent visits, and I know the city fairly well.  Since I am often asked for travel tips, I decided to transform my usual cut/paste email into a post that I can distribute instead.  If any of you have other tips or recommendations, please leave a comment!

[Disclaimer:  I'm familiar with London, but not an expert, and I do not live there.  I'm sharing what has worked for me, and how I save money and time, but you might totally hate it.] 

image by me (as are all of these, unless otherwise noted)

Getting Around
If you're flying from the US, you'll likely end up at either London Heathrow or Gatwick airports.  Both are pretty far from the city center, and unless you've booked in advance for a large group, a taxi is not an economical option.  Seriously, it's about $150 USD for a cab from central London to Heathrow.  

However, the Underground runs all the way out to Heathrow, and you can buy day passes at the terminal and ride all the way to the city center in about an hour, but isn't a great idea if you've got lots of luggage.  You can also take the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station in about 15 minutes, and then transfer from there via Underground or taxi.

You'll probably find the Underground (aka the tube) and bus system easy to use once you take a moment to sit down and study the map.  The Transport for London site has several online tools and maps that you can download, including bus routes that take you to major sites.  To avoid confusion, I recommend buying a multi-day pass (for Zone 1) and paying the small deposit for the plastic card that you scan in/out of stations and on buses.  It's much simpler than keeping single fares on hand, and you can get your deposit back at any station before you go.  I buy mine at the Heathrow terminal before heading downstairs to the trains.

Only take the official black cabs if you are hailing one on the street.  Unmarked "minicabs" can rip you off, unless you book them in advance through a reputable company.   I use a service called UniCab to book taxis, and they have an app for your phone/tablet.  You can put in your start/end destination and then reserve a cab and pay in advance online.   It's safe and the car companies are legit.  This will be cheaper than hailing black cabs, but you need a mobile phone number to confirm everything if you're booking online.


Where to Stay
You will not hurt for choice in London, and you can rent hotel rooms or flats for a huge range of prices.  However, it's worth paying for a central location.  I recommend a place near a Central line station (the red line on the tube map) because it has connections to pretty much every line you would need and makes coming home at night quicker.

Before you book anything, use Google Maps to see how long it will take you to walk to the nearest Underground station and bus stop. You may be doing this in the rain, and with sore feet.

Sightseeing
Here are my thoughts on the main sites in the city (in no particular order):

Pushing My Style Boundaries: Wedge Ankle Booties

This weekend I was super productive.  I ran a list full of errands, including WalMart on a Saturday, which reminded me why I don't go there very often. This emotional pregnant lady walked past the fish tanks looking for dog beds and teared up a little at the abysmal state of the tanks and all the dead and dying fish.  Today I'll be calling the store manager, who probably hears this often and doesn't care.

As a reward for surviving retail hell, I went across the street to Target where aisles have labels and the employees don't stare at you like cows when you ask where to find the under bed storage bins.  I wasn't planning on getting any shoes, but this pair caught my eye and I tried them on:

They don't make my feet look like hooves (a common ankle bootie problem that you'll notice everywhere now that I've pointed it out).  The quality seems decent - they're not a shoe I expect to wear for years, and I'm not looking to invest $79 - $150 in a comparable style.  However, I need a little inspiration and some closet shopping time to convince myself to keep them. [10/9/13 Update: I've decided to take these back after wearing them around my house. The angle of the wedge hits my foot in an odd place. The hunt will continue!]

Here's the first part of that process:

image of TracyQ via Chictopia.com

image via The Styleograph

image via Lands End Canvas (not current)

image via Restyle. Restore. Rejoice

At the moment, I think these little boots will be a cute addition to my dark denim, gray, black, and olive green maternity pants (how versatile!) and a great alternative to ballet flats and smoking slippers this fall.  Plus, my office is casual, and any of the outfits above are more than adequate. Purchase justified?

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday, internet!  I hope y'all have had a great week.  Mine was wonderful, thanks in part to all the sweet comments and emails I got after sharing my big news.  Thank you for all the well wishes!  Now I'm looking forward to a weekend of housework (the bathroom reno is almost done!) and pinning baby stuff on Pinterest.

Until then, here are five things worth sharing on the internet:

1. In the event that you haven't heard, Domino magazine in back.  For real this time, and Michelle Adams, formerly of Lonny, is the editor. (Hooray!)  However, it's also an online store (ok?) and the magazine will only be published quarterly (dangit), and it costs $12 but is about the same size as other shelter mags (y'all tell me how you like it).

The New York Times published an interesting article on the topic, with quotes from internet mavens Grace Bonney and Jaime Meares.  I'm excited to check it out, but as one NYT commenter put it, it sounds like a catalog that you pay for.  I'll be reading the first issue at Barnes and Noble.

2. I love these little felt masks, and think they'd be such a fun thing to have on hand for little people playing pretend.  The cheap yet confident side of me thinks that I could make something like that, but I know they wouldn't be nearly as cute!

3. These are some kick ass pants.  I saw them in person, and I wish they came in a maternity version for holiday events this year.  Think how chic they'd be with a cozy sweater, or a fancy top for New Year's Eve.  Sadly, there aren't many left online, but you might find them in store.

4. I want my friend with cool handwriting to make me something like this.  I will pay her 5 American dollars.  Are you reading this, Maryam?  ;-)

5. I read a lot of blogs, but as I scrolled through my Feedly this morning, I realized that I don't know of very many mommy bloggers besides the very famous ones.  Do the rest of you know of any that I should check out?  I'm not interested in extreme stances on evil foods, or all crafts all the time, but rather some ladies who've maintained their style after having kids and provide product recommendations or links to interesting information.  I'm sure there are a million, but I haven't found the right blogroll yet.

 I wish Kristen Bell would launch a mommy blog.  She is my favorite.

Have a great weekend, ladies!

Real Life: Things I Don't (Want to) Care About

You know how I said you may see more personal content on this blog now? Well, lucky for you, it starts now.  This is the start of a recurring feature that I'm going to use as an outlet for writing about what's on my mind as I approach some crazy life changes, or less serious things like TV.

Now that you're up to speed, right now I have been thinking about some advice I got from my grandma.  I was going on about work and all the other things on my plate, and she told me "you can't care about everything - you'll go crazy" and she is totally right.  So, here are some little things I've decided not to worry about, and I'm so much better for it:


1. Blog Stats - Did you know that if you get overwhelmed at work and then spend a week in Europe without the posts you planned to prepare in advance, you can lose 30% of your readership?  It's true, and it takes a lot of outfit collages to get it back.  I was sad at first, but when I decided not to look at the Stats tab, blogging got fun again.  I will never have the time to make this site a part time job, but I love that it's become a record of some of the best years of my life and I plan to keep it up.  Even if it starts to feature baby photos and maternity style advice.

 Still worth every lost reader.

2. Repeating Outfits - According to Nina Garcia, style goddess, style has nothing to do with the quantity of things in your closet.  It's about how you mix them, and make choices that are flattering and appropriate for your event.  The idea that people are watching me and keeping track of what they've seen before is ridiculous, when I think about it objectively.  So, as I face several months of limited options, I've decided to quite kidding myself and wear what fits well and makes me feel good.

She knows what she's talking about - just look at the fit of that blazer!

3. Twitter - I've never liked Twitter very much, and I don't think I'm going to do it anymore aside from responding to people who are nice and tweet at me.  

4. Things That Don't Make Me Happy - I know this is easier said than done, but I've started making myself take breaks at work and get some perspective.  I cut back on the overtime, and lo and behold, my life got better and my work performance hasn't suffered.  I was bringing almost all the stress upon myself at the expense of time spent doing things I love like reading, putting in a good workout, and just being with my husband in the 5 child-free months we have left.  If I were less intelligent, I would say my motto is "YOLO", but I'll go with "Carpe Diem" instead. 

Getting enough sleep makes me happy, too. 

Painting by Clare Elsaesser