Schooliosis

Things are getting hectic now that summer is coming to a close and school is taking its turn in the spotlight. With the new school year comes a wave of new faces, and with them comes attached a sea of new style inspiration. Especially in college, it's interesting to see how people evolve (stylistically speaking) coming from their high school years. I've spotted so many cute outfits today for the first day of classes, that I decided it only fair to post my "first day of school outfit."

While shopping for some back to school supplies I brought with me my absolute bestie and gull, Meggie. She looked so cute that in a span of two hours she got about 6500 compliments I'm absolutely sure. So it's only fair that I let you see and see what all the hulabaloo was about. 

In our same school supply hunt, Meggie and I spotted this absolutely adorable gal, Ashly (without and "E".)  We spied her at the mall and were too lazy to approach but when we came back an hour later she was just leaving and luckily Meggie talked some sense into my lazy brain and we accosted her immediately. She was all too compliant and a real doll to photograph, her beaming smile gave us instant good moods that kept us moving through the sea of back to school last minute shoppers confidently! Thanks Ashly!

I hope everyone is having a smooth transition back into the school/work year! Don't forget that if you smile bright enough and feel fabulous enough, not only will you improve your own mood for the day but you may cheer someone else up in the process. So throw on somethin FAB! 

New Apartment!

So good news, I'm not dead. I only fell of the face of the earth for a little while. It's been a hectic couple of weeks of moving in and moving out and driving one million hours across one of the biggest states in our great country. But luckily its all over now and the only thing I have to worry about is my last year of college.

I've been overcoming my fear of pink makeup as of late. Specifically lip stick, for some reason I feel my teeth will automatically look yellow, don't ask me why. I love this lipstick from Revlon called "Temptress" (Oh-la-la) paired with some gloss for the summer months.

I love the back on this top it just makes me smile. As does the fedodo which I almost never wear because I am terrified of wearing hats.

(Madden Girl sandals, Forever 21 skirt, Rumors top, Claire's fedora, Icing sunglasses)

Our new apartment is hotter than hot, so pants are absolutely not an option. That means I've had to get creative with the few skirts/short I have. I had never worn this skirt till today and I think pairing it with a strappy baby pink top was just the ticket!

(Forever 21/PacSun rings, Walmart watch, thrifted belt)

Well I'm back, and I'm glad to say you'll see more consistent posts from me. 

Le Poisson, Le Poisson, How I Love Le Poisson!

Listen, so I have a love/hate relationship with fish. I mean its nothing personal, its just that some fish are disgusting. But when it comes to salmon its a whole 'nother ball of wax. I absolutely love salmon and I love finding new ways to spice it up! Literally. This time around I decided to stuff it with some delicious goodies:

First step is to cut the salmon horizontally about two and a half inches. Wait I lied, the first step is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. THEN you can slice your salmon. After which you can stuff it this combination of deliciousness:

• 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
• 2 scallions
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 
  
• Mix these in a bowl and voila! You're ready to stuff!

The suspicious brown sauce you see pictured above is essential! Better than that, it's super easy!

• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 teaspoons honey

After placing your salmon onto an oven-safe pan, mix these up in a bowl and brush it onto the salmon. Be sure to add plenty of salt and pepper.

Pop the salmon in the oven for 20 minutes and it's ready to eat.

On a final note, the best side for salmon in my opinion is wild rice. It takes longer than regular rice to make so if you choose to make it, start early! If you need guidance check THIS out. Try it and love it darlings!

We Live in the Same Rabbit Hole

Don't you just hate it when a friend wears your clothes and they look 10 times better in it than you do? This here is just one of those cases. I adore this vintage inspired dress with all of my heart, though my chicken-like spindly legs disagree most fervently. However Jane, as you can plainly seen, has an hourglass shape that rivals most which means she can rock this dress like none other!

Modernizing old classic shapes can be tricky. An old throwback to classic ideas like pearls, and these vintage colors, can look dated if you aren't careful. Be sure to add modern heels, like these nude ones by Gianni Bini. 

Here are some other great vintage looks you can incorporate into your wardrobe without going over the top:
1.) Wing-tipped Eyeliner

2.) Cigarette Pants

3.) Shirt Dresses

4.) Cat-eye Sunglasses

5.) Leather Satchels

Hot Mamaaa

A local hot mama, Stacy Batie, suggested to me that I ought to create a post about Moms on the go who have a lot to do and less time to do it in. Of course it was a brilliant idea so I got to work immediately.

 

(Above: Perfect Straight GAP jeans, Below: Perfect Flare GAP jeans)

The first thing a hot mama needs is a pair of perfect jeans. Gap offers the best fitting jeans with great cuts and washes for every woman. What is truly important is understanding what cut of pant you need for your body shape. A great point of reference is this website --> http://www.shapeyourstyle.com/ It has a ton of information on what you should wear for your shape, not only for jeans but for most everything! 

(all Forever 21)

Specifically Stacy suggested that I talk about interchangeable tops. As a mom I know you may not have time to change a whole outfit between events. But when you're invited to a lunch date after going to the park, you need something to switch into to kick it up a notch.

The first top is a comfortable knit that is perfect for running around town in. throw on some bangles and a ring and you're out the door. 

The second top is ideal for a lunch date this teal color is fun and the exposed zipper adds some interesting detail. I would add a bib necklace for some extra glam and throw on some heels.

The third top is also perfect for lunch date type occasions or you could even add a colorful cardigan and head to a PTA meeting.

The real key to interchangeable tops is neutral bottoms. Great fitting dark washed jeans are always a great bet. But any neutral (blacks, khakis, greys) on bottom will allow for interchangeable tops.

(Old Navy, AmiClubWear, Urban Outfitters, GAP)

I find a touchy subject with moms is that of shoes. Heels specifically seem to be a forbidden territory. Now, I absolutely understand that you need to be running errands, being a driver, running in sandboxes, and generally just running  24/7. So the shoe has to be comfortable, but why oh why must it be a sneaker? I say it doesn't! 

My solution is as follows: do not sacrifice fashion for comfort, but do not sacrifice comfort for fashion. Wedges are the perfect answer to the heel problem. Wedges provide you with a more stable base to balance your body weight and potentially even other small people's body weight upon.

My favorite of the above shoes are the 3rd ones down. They're from Urban Outfitters and are the most comfortable oxford wedges.

(The oxford wedges with a pop of color can be paired with some legging jeans and a basic white t for running errands. This kind of pairing will exude effortless style.)

Here's what you need to look out for in a wedge: T-straps, ankle straps, or lace ups. These things help make walking/running a snap!

And of course if all else fails and you're a real wienie find an adorable ballet flat, cute and inexpensive ones are really easy to find these days.

I realize that date nights are sometimes few and far between. However, that just means that you can splurge on date wear! This is your chance to shine, time to glam up and go out!

Whatever you choose to wear, just make sure it flatters your body, make sure you feel great, and make sure it knocks your man off his feet.

This single shouldered dress adds a touch of drama to an already sexy cut. Pairing this with some gold bangles and a necklace like this one from JCrew:

will be easy and make you feel great. And since this is a special occasion and you deserve to feel like the sexiest woman alive try adding something like this from Chinese Laundry:

Obviously there is so much more to say about mommy fashion and I definitely have some more ideas brewing so standby for more mama friendly posts!

  P.S. kids love pizza, and making it homemade is a totally fun project that really is quite simple. For a quick, easy and delicious recipe reference --> this! Happy baking!

Special Things

Once again I am the lunch time cook for the Spire family. I absolutely love this chance I get to plan and make meals for my parents, especially because no matter what I make praise abounds. And really, who doesn't love an ego boost? This time around I've decided to focus on one thing that makes a meal special. Anyone with a busy schedule knows that making a fabulous meal every single day for three meals a day is just not possible. Adding one special element to each meal that doesn't take very long to accomplish, is just the ticket for taking a meal to the next level.

(Raspberry/Orange Limeade)

(Pink Orchids)

(Lime Parsley Bruschetta)

  Fresh squeezed limeade is always delicious, but as it turns out adding slices of orange and some raspberries makes it AMAZING beyond belief. Seriously. 

Adding some fresh flowers to your table will make your meal feel more distinguished. AND they can even relieve stress according to this -->(Trustworthy??...?) Article Okay so maybe the article is a bit much, but when did you ever see flowers and get unreasonably angry? That's right, never. 

More recently, specifically tonight, I made the Lime Parsley Bruschetta. The original recipe (Found here: Yay Foodnetwork.com!) It was a welcome addition to the Lemon Pepper and Garlic Chicken meal we had. It is a super easy recipe and takes about five seconds make, which is perfect for limited time. 

Hoorah for making dinner/lunch time awesome!

Looove,

Eli