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Yearly Archives: 2019
Workwear: Striped A-Line Skirt
Hello ladies!! How was your weekend? I had a pretty good one enjoying some yummy Houston restaurants. Friday night, we headed to one of Houston’s hottest spots, Nancy’s Hustle. We made the reservations like a month ago, and I was so excited to finally check this place out. The food was so good, and I definitely plan to go again! Saturday we enjoyed a healthy lunch and then followed it up with a stop at a chocolate store to keep it balanced. LOL. We wrapped up the weekend enjoying Mexican food with the family for Father’s Day. It was a fun and very delicious weekend!
I’m kicking off this week’s posts with a little workwear for you. I’m loving this mauve and navy color combo. You can also pair this top with a pair of navy cotton shorts for a dressy casual summer day look. This top is a go to of mine for office clothes, because they usually don’t need to be ironed. I own some long sleeve versions and decided to pick up this sleeveless blouse version for summer. It was their perfect piece to pair with my striped a-line skirt.
This full skirt is so cute and fun! I paired it with a thin striped tank for a friend’s baby shower about a month ago. I really loved the play on stripes. This skirt pairs perfectly with button down tops for the office. Because of the fullness of the skirt, I do recommend pairing it with something a little more fitted to keep your proportions balanced. One thing I like about both of these pieces is that I can continue wearing them in fall and then again next spring. This top is perfect to layer with cardigans, and the skirt will pair great with fitted sweaters.
I hope you all have a fabulous week ahead! Also for all my Houston area ladies, I will be hosting an event at Loft in Sugar Land this Sunday evening. I’ll be sharing summer outfit ideas and helping with a little shopping. You can get all the info on the Facebook Event page HERE, be sure and RSVP so I know you will be coming. I hope some of you can make it out, so we can meet and chat fashion for a bit!
| OUTFIT DETAILS |
Sleeveless Blouse | c/o Striped Skirt | Nude Colored Heels | Similar Clutch | c/o Nashelle Necklace | Sophee Earrings | Similar Gold Bangle | Links Bracelet | Nails: Essie Minimalistic
Photography By: Banavenue
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Asian Style Brussels Sprouts
Happy Friday!! I’m back with another recipe post for ya’ll! This Asian Style Brussels Sprouts recipe is one of my favorite side dish recipes. It was inspired by a few local Houston restaurants who serve crispy brussels sprouts as sides and appetizers. I decided to try and re-create this look at home, and I think I came pretty close!
It’s a pretty simple asian inspired sauce with only 4 ingredients! I love to use this sauce as a marinade and on other vegetables too.
Two key things for creating this dish – chop the brussels sprouts thin and preheat your baking tray. The preheated tray and thin pieces gives the sprouts a little extra crispiness. For a shortcut, you can buy shaved brussels sprouts and leave the chopping to someone else.
I bake them until they just start to brown, so that I have a mix of crispy and soft pieces. You can let go a little longer for more crispiness, but keep an eye on them. These sprouts can go from crispy to burnt quickly.
I toss the sauce on at the end to coat every piece and then serve immediately. I love to serve this as a side dish with salmon or as part of vegetable bowl with sautéed cabbage and roasted cauliflower. If you try out this dish let me know what you think!
Asian Style Brussels Sprouts
Crispy Brussels Sprouts topped with an asian inspired sauce perfect as a side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts
- 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1/8 cup coconut aminos
- 1/2 tsp fish oil
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place baking sheet in oven to preheat.
- Finely chop brussels sprouts. I chop off bottom and discard stem, then chop in half, and then chop each half into 3-4 slices.
- Toss brussels sprouts in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Once oven is preheated, pull baking sheet out of oven. Be Careful it will be hot! Pour brussels sprouts onto pan, and spread out evenly with spatula.
- Bake brussels sprouts for 20-30 minutes. Stirring about every 10 minutes. Remove Brussels sprouts when they reach the desired crispiness.
- Toss brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl with fish oil, sweet chili sauce, sriracha sauce, and coconut aminos. MIx to combine, serve immediately.
Notes
Serve alongside Salmon or as part of a vegetable bowl.
How to Style a Denim Skirt
Denim skirts are back ya’ll and back with a vengeance! The last time I owned a denim skirt was about 10 years ago. I found denim skirts had faded in popularity and trendiness, so I donated mine. Fast forward and denim skirts are cool again. Personally, I could not be more excited about it. I love wearing skirts! I wear a skirt to work 2-3 times a week. On weekends, casual skirts are a great alternative to shorts! I find my denim skirt to be so much more comfortable than shorts some days too.
I wanted to share my main tip on how to style a denim skirt this summer, so you can pull off this trendy item. My main tip is actually pretty simple and easy – wear it with the same tops you would pair with jean shorts. Yep, I treat my denim skirt the exact same way I do my shorts from my tops to my shoes. Fitted tank tops are my top pairing of choice. You can tuck it in and and on a wedge sandal or flat for a casual day look. You can also add on a white denim jacket for a more polished look or a flowy kimono for a boho look. Your top doesn’t have to be fitted. A few months ago, I paired this skirt with a flowy crop top for a rodeo look.
I purchased this skirt earlier this year, so I linked one that is the same style and brand just a slightly different color. So, how do you plan to wear your denim skirts this summer?
| OUTFIT DETAILS |
White Denim Jacket | Striped Tank Top | Similar Denim Skirt | Brown Wedge Sandals | Circle Straw Bag | Gold Stud Earrings | c/o Nashelle Necklace | Similar Gold Bangle | David Yurman Bracelet | Nails: Essie Blanc
Photography By: Banavenue
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The Best Finishing Powders
Hello friends! Happy New Week! I’m starting off this week with a little beauty post and sharing all about finishing powders. I was first introduced to finishing powders a few years ago by It Cosmetics with their Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder. It was the first time I had tried using any kind of finishing powder and the results had me hooked.
I have experimented a few different finishing powders since then, and I wanted to share a few of my favorites with ya’ll. I hit a variety of price points ranging from $10-$58. Lately, I have been also introducing clean beauty products into my routine, so I included a clean option too. But before we dive into my favorites, let’s talk about why you need a finishing powder.
BENEFITS OF USING A FINISHING POWDER
+ sets makeup for a longer all day wear
+ gives a smooth airbrushed finish
+ smooths and blurs fine lines and wrinkles
+ absorbs oil and shine
All of the products that I am sharing with you today hit all 4 marks with flying colors. For me, the biggest difference is how much do you want to spend. So let’s dive into my list of the best finishing powders for a flawless look. I always apply my powder with my big powder brush. I apply a light dusting all over my face.
HIGH END SPLURGE – c/o Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder in 7 Voila Rose
Of course the most expensive is also going to be my favorite. You have a few different color options with this one, I like using the one with some pinks in it. With all white powders, I find they do lighten up my ending makeup look a bit. This one doesn’t do that because of the addition of a little color. This one in my opinion gives the best smooth and airbrushed look. When I was discussing new fave makeup products with a girlfriend, she raved about her favorite new finishing powder. She sent me the link and I laughed a little because it was one I already loved too.
MID-PRICE RANGE – c/o It Cosmetics Airbursh Perfecting Powder
This product can be used as a finishing powder or a light foundation. It has build-able coverage if you want to use it as foundation. I like that it is a tan color and doesn’t wash me out. One of my favorite things about It Cosmetics products is that they infuse skincare goodies into their products. This one includes hydrolyzed collagen and peptides along with a few other anti-aging ingredients. A flawless finish and helping improve my skin all at once.
DRUGSTORE – c/o NYX HD Finishing Powder
This option may be the most affordable option, but it doesn’t make it any less fabulous!! This finishing powder creates a beautiful smooth and airbrushed finish to my look. It is a white powder, so it does wash me out just a bit. I usually apply a little bronzer over it to add back in some of my color. Honestly, I was super impressed when I started using this product at how well it worked for such a steal of a price tag.
CLEAN – c/o Au Naturale Pore Minimzing Finishing Powder
I mentioned that I recently started dipping my toe into the clean beauty world. Clean beauty products are made without any proven or suspected toxic ingredients that are ethically sourced. As someone who loves clean eating, clean beauty was an area I have been wanting to learn more about. There is so much to learn, and right now I’m definitely in the early stages of learning. I’m using a a few different brands and products to see the effects on my skin. I love the slight tint of this finishing powder and the airbrushed look it gives me. Bonus points for the healthy, good for the environment ingredient list too.
Have you used a finishing powder before? What is your favorite?
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