Ahhh, today’s a good day. Know why? Well it’s Friday and it’s fall and it’s also the Friends & Family sale over at GiGi New York. If you aren’t familiar with their bags, then it’s time to get familiar, girl. The designs are just classics, and the leather is the softest ever. GiGi New York bags seriously are investment pieces that will last you years and years. Whether you’re a backpack kind of gal or looking for that perfect going-out clutch, there’s something for everyone. My top picks? Well besides DYING over that new calfhair beauty at number 6, the Madison Crossbody is a clear favorite for this crossbody-loving girl. It’s the perfect little size for day or night and comes in a bunch of colors. I’m also loving the new City Wallet because it seems like the most convenient wallet ever and just might be my new companion for NFL football games. (That whole clear bag thing, killing me.) Every bag is also customizable with your initials, and as a Southerner, that’s just something I can get behind. Just enter “WEAREFAMILY” at checkout to receive 30% off your entire purchase. It’s a good sale, y’all, so don’t miss out! Hope everyone has an amazing weekend!
If you’ve been following along here for the past few months or over on Instagram, you probably know that I’m currently in New Orleans for my wedding week! It’s been a long time coming, and I can’t believe the big day is almost here. While planning for our wedding, I spent SO much time finding the dress, the shoes, the accessories, the little things that I wanted to make our day so special. So when it came time for packing, I was a little overwhelmed to say the least. There were so many things I needed to remember to pack! And then it came to planning outfits for the rest of our trip, I went for easy dresses and caftans, gladiator sandals, versatile handbags, and some of my favorite “athleisure” pieces for traveling. And this new “Mrs.” weekender was the icing on the cake. So today I’m sharing a few of the pieces that made it into my bag for our wedding trip to New Orleans. Whether I forgot anything important or not? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
So last week I’m strolling through Target (as I tend to do, like, way too much) and mindlessly make my way over to the shoe department. As I was wandering around playing shoe dress-up, I noticed this pair and thought the label looked strangely like a Dolce Vita label. Double-take and then, whaaat?! They actually ARE DV booties. At Target. Why did no one tell me this? Obviously I put them on and could barely get them off in time to pay for them and head home without the actual items I went to Target for. #Typical They’ve made their way to the top of my favorite booties list because they’re super comfortable. Plus I’ve got a little thing for peep-toes and fringe. Pair ’em with a dress, with denim cutoffs, with your PJ’s before bed. (It’s your prerogative…) But whatever you do, don’t miss out on these because they’re, ahem, under $40. Happy almost Friday, y’all!
Happy December, friends! Ahh, my favorite month of the year. It’s the month of so many fun gatherings – Christmas parties, boat parades, girls’ holiday dinners, our annual white elephant party – and so many opportunities to get dressed up. While we don’t have anything fancy on deck (yet!) this year, there will be plenty of occasions to pull out these go-to sweater dresses. These two above and below are my absolute favorites right now – so easy to dress up or down – and they happen to both be affordable finds.
So if you’ve got an upcoming holiday shindig that has you stumped in the wardrobe department, try one of these comfy, cozy sweater dresses. (And don’t forget to scroll through the options at the bottom of this post for even more fun finds.) Hope everyone has a great December ahead!
By now I’m sure we’ve all heard what the Gen Z crowd thinks of our “uncool” skinny jeans. And while I surely don’t place much importance on what the Gen Z’ers think of my tried and true skinnies, I’ll admit that after a year of stretch pants and too many days at home I’m just not grabbing for them like I used to.
About a year ago I bought and fell in love with this pair of mom-ish jeans from Daze Denim, and I’ve been obsessed with the brand ever since. Something about this brand, y’all – I’ve loved almost every pair that I’ve tried, and the mom jeans above are just the latest fave. (I’m also obsessed with this pair that I recently found in a few sizes on major sale – under $32!)
The high rise somehow hits at just the right place for me every single time, and the denim itself is so comfy. And while I normally gravitate towards dark denim, I’m actually loving this light wash for spring. Pair them with a sweatshirt, a duster cardi, a spring sweater, or just a plain old tee – if you haven’t tried the “mom jean” trend yet, you may just be pleasantly surprised when you do.
Happy Wednesday, friends! This morning I realized that I blinked and February was just about gone. Just like that, it’s almost March, and in my mind, almost spring. Wardrobe-wise, I’m SO ready for ALL things spring. Bring on the shorts, the dresses, the sandals, and everything else in between. And for today, here’s a little photo dump of so many looks from the last few weeks because spring or not, my favorite sneakers, loungewear, and comfy denim are here to stay.
And just like that, you wake up one day and it’s December. I can’t believe that Thanksgiving has already come and gone, but I can’t say I’m not excited for the weeks ahead. The house is decorated (will be sharing our tree soon!), and I’m turning my attention to the holiday parties and all things sparkly.
We’ve got our first holiday party this weekend, and I’ve been scouring the internet for something fun to wear. And the good news? I’ve come across SO many holiday-ready picks that won’t break the bank. (With a couple of splurge options thrown in.) So if you’ve got holiday sparkle on the brain, click below to see some of my favorites right now. Here’s hoping everyone has the best party season ahead!
September, y’all. Can you even believe it? Labor Day weekend has come and gone, and I’m over here like, didn’t summer just start? I’m hopping on a flight back to California today from Louisiana (hoping to beat Tropical Storm Gordon, fingers crossed), and despite the warm temps in both places, I’ve currently got all the fall feels. I’m excited to pull out all of the fall fashion, whip up a chili, shop for a pumpkin, and kick off week two of football season. (Any other gals excited for football season? Because I’m stoked.) And in addition to the usual, I’ve decided to put together a little list of September goals. Because what good is a new season if you can’t do a few new things? So here goes.
Decorating our house for fall – This is the goal I’m probably most excited about, and it’s all my mom’s fault. I’m fresh off a trip home to Louisiana for a few days, and my mom already had their house totally ready for fall. Door wreaths, little touches here and there, and even fall dishes on the table – she’s kicked summer to the curb and is ready for the leaves to change. In our home, there’s nothing I love more than decorating for Christmas, so I figured, why not add in a little seasonal spruce in the meantime? Once I get some pumpkins, colorful leaves, and turkeys in the mix, you know I’ll be sharing with you guys here and over on the ‘gram. (You can follow all of my HB home posts here.)
Find a new book…And read it – As much as I hate to admit it, it’s been *cough* years since I’ve read a book cover to cover. I’ve started a couple that I never finished, but reading from page one and finishing the whole shebang? Years. My main problem is a) finding the right book and b) falling asleep after reading a couple of pages. I’ve decided that maybe bedtime isn’t my prime reading time, so I plan to carve out a little time during the day, maybe a couple days a week. Also, I’m currently taking book suggestions, so please, please let me know your favorites! (As far as categories, I’d love a little suspense, something funny or a good love story, just no self-help, por favor.)
Kick up my workout routine – Before Eric and I got married about two and a half years ago, I was in a serious pilates routine. I went to a reformer class about five times a week for over a year. (I had an unlimited monthly package, so it helps that my frugal side wanted to get the most out of the package.) After our wedding, I got a little burned out on pilates and felt like my body just kind of started to plateau. I tried out Orangetheory classes and really liked them, but juggling the classes with my schedule at the time and Weeze’s tough puppy phase proved to be a lot, so I just didn’t keep going. These days, I get my workouts in by taking Weeze on a long walk (usually 2 to 5 miles, depending on the day), but I’d like to start adding in occasional classes and workouts to switch things up. I’ve heard amazing things about SeaFit Pilates in Huntington Beach and think I’ve got to give it a shot this month.
A return to at-home facials – There was a time not too long ago when this was an every-Sunday type of thing. I’d remove my makeup, wash my face with two different cleansers (also love this one), and take a long bath with a masque on my face. Post-rinse and post-bath, I’d follow up with my PMD (Personal Microderm – such a face-changer), these toning pads, a serum, and my favorite undereye cream. (See a full review of my favorite eye creams here.) Right before bed, I’d usually add on one more moisturizer or facial oil. I know, it’s a LOT of steps, but it was my relaxing, end-of-weekend thing that happened to really change my skin, and it’s something I’ve been missing for a while. Blame the hiatus on laziness or the fact that it’s been WAY too hot for baths, but this month, I’m planning to get this skin back in its best shape, one at-home facial at a time.
Getting back to basics with Instagram – Once upon a time, many algorithms ago, Instagram was just plain fun. Take some grainy photo with your iPhone 3, slap a filter on it, create some emo caption with a hashtag that meant nothing, and call it a day. Then came 400 different photo editing apps, a non-chronological feed, blogger pods (groups of girls who DM each other when they post a photo so that everyone can go “like” and “comment” on each other’s photos – I’m not kidding), bots and fake followers, paying for comments, and brands and snooty PR reps who like to dump on the 7 years you’ve been actually running a website because your Instagram engagement isn’t up to their made-up standards. Instagram can be an amazing tool for growing a business so I’ve tried to play the stupid games, and really, I just don’t care anymore. I want to get back to posting photos and images that make me happy, so I kicked off the month the best way I know how – a photo from a friend’s wedding with some of my high school besties. Suck it, algorithm.
What are some things you guys are looking forward to this month?
Greetings again from Pueblo Bonito Pacifica! Yes, I know I’ve now posted SO many photos from this resort, but when the entrance looks like this, what’s a girl to do? Especially since I brought this pretty little blue romper for Jenn’s wedding welcome party. The color, the gold embroidery, the jeweled neckline, the long sleeves – it’s seriously my favorite romper that I’ve tried in years and so perfect for any upcoming springtime party. (Especially if said party is a welcome party on the rooftop of the penthouse of The Cape Hotel in Cabo with a mariachi band, churros, and yummy margaritas. Have I mentioned how fun Jenn’s wedding weekend was?)
And then there are these jewels. If you’ve been following along here for a while, you’ve probably noticed I’ve got a thing for Julie Vos jewelry. Like, a serious thing. If you type in “Julie Vos” in the search bar of this blog, you could scroll through more posts than you even care to see. But there’s one thing that I’ve never, ever worn on the blog since its start in 2011: earrings. And there’s a pretty easy explanation: I can’t.
Now before you go suggesting this kind or that, real diamonds or nickel-free metals, trust me when I say that I’ve tried them all. I’ve had my ears pierced four or five times, and once I even had them done at a doctor’s office thinking it was the most sanitary. And each time they’ve gotten crazy infected, swollen, and eventually close up. So I gave up on earrings a long time ago and figured it was more fun wearing 4,000 bracelets at a time anyway. (Seriously, I used to stack those bracelets HIGH.)
Fast forward to a few weeks ago while scrolling the Julie Vos site and wondering why the hell I’ve never tried their clip-on earrings. They’ve carried them for years and now offer so many pretty styles. One more accessory to add on? I’m never opposed. I’m loving the all-gold style in today’s post but also seriously heart this pretty pair. I’ve got a couple more styles coming up on the blog soon, but if you’re like me and can’t do the whole “real earring” thing, then these are definitely worth checking out.
A little over a week ago, Kathleen and I headed to Mexico for Jenn’s wedding in Cabo and stayed at the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica resort. We had been planning the trip for what seemed like forever, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Last week I shared a little peek of the hotel, but today I’m so excited to share a few reasons to L-O-V-E this place.
The People. This to me is far and beyond, without question, my numero uno favorite thing about staying at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica. The people here were JUST so nice, and the level of service was pretty amazing. We were lucky enough to stay in the new Towers at Pacifica which boast a 24-hour butler service. Shoutout to our main man Manuel who seriously hooked it up – everything from scheduling dinner reservations, booking beach cabanas, arranging transportation, mixing up the prettiest cocktails (gotta do it for the ‘gram), and even showing up with duct tape when we had a little luggage snafu. From the moment we arrived to the time we checked out, we were pretty blown away by the friendly faces and beyond helpful staff.
The Beach Cabanas. This was by far our favorite daytime activity. The pool looked really nice and had a swim-up bar, but when the ocean is just a few steps further, it has to win, right? There is a flat option and swinging bed option, and no worries about walking over to the bar for your next drink. Rene and Juan will be by periodically to make sure you never need to get up. You have to book the cabanas ahead of time as they do tend to fill up, but for around $40 a day, it’s totally worth it.
The Location. The location of the resort is really pretty great. It’s located on the beach (hello, panoramic ocean view) but just minutes from the main part of town. It was also a perfect fit for us as it ended up being about 15 minutes from the wedding venue.
The Food. Pueblo Bonito Pacifica is an all-inclusive resort which means you can leave your wallet in the room and just bring yourself to breakfast. (And lunch and dinner actually.) I’ve been to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico before, and the food was just pretty, meh. This time around the food was definitely better (especially the breakfast – loved it). I’d definitely recommend the nachos by the beach or pool, room service shrimp fajitas, and the Sunday brunch for sure. Oh, and that whole all-inclusive thing, it also includes the booze. Get yourself a piña colada and live your best life, girl.
The Spa. Kathleen and I both enjoyed massages at the Armonia Spa on our first full day at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, and let me tell you, there’s just no better way to kick off a trip. Breakfast, massage, and then an afternoon in a beach cabana? Sign me up, sister.
The Views. Is there anything better than waking up and looking out at the ocean? In my book, probably not, but Pueblo Bonito Pacifica takes it a little further because everything around the hotel is just plain pretty. From giant cacti to tons of bougainvillea, water features to daily hand-designed sand art, and even the buildings themselves, there’s just no shortage of pretty scenery.
Overall we had an amazing four nights in Mexico, and next time, I’m definitely dragging Eric back to Pueblo Bonito Pacifica with me. If you’re looking for a laidback vacation filled with the friendliest people to help make your stay easy-peasy, then this is your spot.
1. City Wallet 2. Jenni Saddle Bag 3. Jenn Bucket Bag 4. Casey Saddle Bag 5. Olivia Shopper 6. Calfhair Grace Satchel 7. Henley Duffle 8. Abbey Backpack 9. All in One Bag 10. Crossbody Bag 11. Madison Crossbody
Becca tunic (
dRA jumpsuit (c/o)