First things first: food. Let's be honest. We eat pretty healthy at home, but when we go out, I'm just not going to order a salad. Nope. Not gonna do it. I just can't, ya'll. Restaurants fix things the best so when I go out, I'm gonna go all the way. Go big or go home, right? So chicken fried steak, here I come. And I've decided that I won't even feel guilty about it. I'm also going to keep on drinking my coffee. The dentist told me that it stains the UNDERNEATH of your teeth, not even the front where people see, so hello, this is obvious. What you can't see won't hurt you, so I will consume all of the coffee. If there's anything me and DJ do right, it's food, as exhibited here when we had pie for breakfast. No regrets, just love and calories.
Hair. I've tried lots of hair products this month and the reality is this. My hair is still just a crazy hot mess in the back and a weird mix of straight and wavy up front. It is what it is. I am still trying to figure out what to do about this, but in the meantime, I am learning to embrace the au naturale look and just go with what God gave me. I just can't waste my precious down time on all this hair fixing so I've spritzed and lathered with a few simple things and then off I go. Here are the few things I have tried: Chi Silk Infusion for softness and shine, Redken Curvaceous for curl definition and frizz control, and Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray to bring out my natural waves. Also, for days that I am feeling especially fancy I use the Bed Head Curlipops wand and I love, love, love it. I'm not saying I actually know how to use it. See how those curls are going in the same direction? I don't think that's right. The plus is that DJ doesn't care about which direction hair should curl, nor does he know the difference anyway, and that's really all that matters, right?! The point is that I'm trying. And I have the burn marks on my arm to show it.
(Also, lest you think I just sit around and take selfies like the young folk, I'll have you know that I took this picture for my friend Julie to ask her how in the heck I am supposed to make those left side curls go the other way. Friendship at it's finest.)
Power Colors. My friend Grace, who is pretty much the trendiest girl I know, sadly informed me that my power colors are lavender and light blue, which made me want to cry because I just can't do pastels. So, blacks and grays and whites it's been which is fine and classic and never goes out of style. As if I know anything about style. I did give Grace's suggestion a try one day, though, when I tested out a light periwinkle toenail polish, and I have to say that she was right. I loved it more than I thought I would. Shout out to my girl who knows what's up. Here's a picture in the only light blue shirt I own, and it's basically made out of plastic which means it ALWAYS needs ironed so I never wear it. So cheers to the one time I wore my power color!
Clothes. Okay, I really want to do a capsule wardrobe or have Stitch Fix be my stylist, but a girl can only have so much rattling change at one time, so I haven't spent much focus here. In the meantime, I did buy all the plaid and all the button up shirts that Target had to offer over the course of the winter season so I basically look the exact same every single day. I also found out about Alison Lumbatis over at Get Your Pretty On and she has a phenomenal Capsule Wardrobe Guide that I subscribed to. It tells you EXACTLY what to buy to get it done and is a perfect How To for a black and white Type A like me. But alas, for a girl who basically always wants to be pregnant, it might not be the best time to invest in clothes. Although I did get a pair of jeans from Gap because I had a gift card and they were 50% off which made them free. You guys! Gap jeans! Nobody told me!! They fit perfectly and do not stretch out by the end of the day, or by the end of the month for that matter, which I know because I never wash my jeans. I have spent the past ten years spending no more than $20 dollars on jeans which basically means they showed my butt crack every time I leaned forward and they thinned out and ripped within months. I have tasted the goodness of good quality blue jean and I will never go back. Lastly, I also bought a pair of booties from Amazon that I adore more than I thought I would. They make me feel trendy even when I am not. PS: Who buys boots from Amazon? Apparently me. Here is one of the many plaid shirts that defined my entire winter wardrobe. Also, see my section on Accessories for a link to those super fun earrings.
Perfume. I think I mentioned in my last post that DJ surprised me with my own brand new bottle of real perfume! Never in my life have I splurged on something so fancy, so nice, so womanly! Perfume makes me feel like my mom and since I am a mom now, I figured I should have some. He got me a bottle of BVLGARI Coral and now I smell like flowers instead of the dirt and pee and toot stench I pick up from my kids. Hooray!
Skin. Ya'll, I went to Lush and splurged. I never, ever, ever spend money on myself and I made myself do it and it was fun! You know I am cheap, so I am not sure if I will ever do it again, and I also secretly am not sure if I can really tell much of a difference anyway, but for now I am enjoying the Dark Angels black sugar and charcoal exfoliate and Imperials moisturizer for my face. I also got the Tea Tree Water toner, but this is nothing to write home about it as I am almost certain it does basically nothing except make my face feel wet and drippy, which gross. For my hands, I am super loving the Lemony Flutter cuticle butter and Handy Guru lotion. I basically never wash my face, so for the past six weeks it has been the most fun to put the boys to bed and practically run to my bathroom to wash the day off my face before I head downstairs to enjoy the evening with my man. So clean and so fresh! Who knew a washed face could make such a difference? For the record, this one IS a selfie and you're welcome.
Accessories. Ya'll, my friend Andrea got me these super cute leather earrings that I LOVED (see the picture above under section: Clothes). And then I went to Chicago and lost one and basically wanted to cry. So next on my list is to replace them because just look at how fun they are. Also, my eyesight basically deteriorated and my glasses were doing zilch for my vision so I decided to get new ones and Warby Parker became my new BFF. I got the Rose and Oliver frames because our insurance is amazing and fully covered both pairs. BOTH. Holla! I never knew that glasses could be so fun.
So there you have it. I spent all my Christmas money and tried lots of girly things and that's my report. My overall analysis is that I'm pretty low maintenance, casual, and cheap and want to find a way to be trendy that doesn't require any work and will highlight the quirks God gave me. If it's not simple, I'm not going to do it. If it's expensive, I might buy it once, but probably never again. Unless they are Gap jeans. I am sold for life.
I have been having fun though, so I'm still looking to you to send me a list of your favorite products.... My birthday's coming up so I'll have a new stash of cash to splurge with soon.
xoxo,
courtney
