Five Friday Favorites

Today I'm headed to see Kyle for the weekend, but before I finish packing...

Here are my favorites things that have happened in my life recently:

1. My little brother graduated high school! I'm so proud of him!! He's off to do amazing things in college, and in fact he is following me to FSU. So excited to embarrass him by randomly showing up at his dorm with baby pics... jk... maybe :)

2. An update on the cleanse I'm doing: so far so good! A lot of the recipes are turning out really yummy, putting ingredients together that I wouldn't have thought to do. There is a lot more prep involved than I normally care to do, mainly because of the nature of the cleanse involving no processed foods--lot's of fresh vegetables that require chopping! However, I plan on repeating many of the recipes post-cleanse, with some adaptations here and there.

3. Now getting intimate: This week, after noticing for quite some time that my bras were fitting weird, (lots of extra space in the cup, my constantly adjusting them), I decided to do some research and re-measured myself at home, and found out I was not a 32B, but instead a 30D. How can this be?! I asked myself. So I went to Dillard's with the intent to try on some 30D's, and a very helpful clerk measured me as well and, sure enough, my girls are much happier in 30D's! My mind is blown, my girls are happier, and I'm swapping out old bras for new (can I get a cha-ching?! Why are bras so expensive?). If you're curious about your actual bra size, the articles I read can be found here, here, and here. My tip: make sure you measure yourself using the "modern" method, because that is what all the brands are using now, and that is how the very knowledgable lady at Dillard's measured mine. Also keep in mind that cup size is proportionate to band size (i.e. why my small boobies are actually D's).

4. I recently fell in love with this chambray romper from LOFT! (Shop it here). If you're thinking about ordering online, I recommend going a size down, as fit was generous. 

5. As many of you know, I sell Premier Designs Jewelry. My 3-year anniversary came along the other day, and I just got to thinking about how blessed I am to be able to have such a fun part-time job in college! Which brings me to something I've recently realized... I have been saying Premier is my part-time job, but I work it like it's a hobby. There is a disconnect there, which needs to change if I really want to be as successful as I know I can be. Cheers to change and a fresh mindset!

Happy Weekend!

--Caroline

Simplicity & Minimalism

The other day, I found myself sitting (unexpectedly) at Firestone Auto Care waiting for my car to be looked at. After checking emails, and fiddling around on my phone, I turned to their magazine collection and picked up the March 2014 issue of Ladies Home Journal.

That was a great decision, a fantastic decision. And let me tell you why.

While thumbing through, I came across the article "The Joys of Living Small: Three Families Share Their Tiny Houses" (read it here). Thinking it was an article about designing for small spaces, I naturally started reading, and I can tell you it wasn't about designing for small spaces. It was about so much more, and truly got me thinking.

I have always had a knack for organizing, a love for purging unused items. Yet I continue to have a lot of stuff. If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you probably have read about my many challenges I've attempted to curve my spending: my Post-Birthday Shopping Challenge, my Fit2Shop Challenge, and my most recent No Shopping In February Challenge. But this Ladies Home Journal article, and the subsequent research and blog-reading I did, has got me thinking about why these challenges haven't helped my habit. 

In the article, Dave Bruno's 100 Thing Challenge was mentioned. Curious, I typed it into google, and came across his blog and information about his book. Fired up about the negative effects of consumerism here in the United States and the ability to fight it by leading a simple life, the words on his blog by both him and his contributors lept off the page right at me. (literally, I swear! lol). I got to thinking about why I like clothes, why I like to shop. I got to thinking about how I don't want to be in debt for the rest of my life, how I don't want to pass down negative traits to my (very future) children. I thought about how I want to be able to afford travel & experiences for both myself now, and in the future. 

"Temporary and fleeting things..." is a compelling way of wording it...

(Take a look at Dave Bruno's blog here, watch his TedTalk here, and read another blogger's version of the challenge here.)

Additionally, I came across the blog INTO MIND, written skillfully about minimalistic capsule wardrobes, and finding your style. The articles that really spoke to me were "How To Build The Perfect Wardrobe: 10 Basic Principles"  and "10 Wardrobe Building Projects for Sunday Afternoons." 

Even though I wrote about how to do a closet clean out not to long ago (read here), I can still learn much from both articles "Closet Cleanout: The Only 10 Pieces of Clothing You Need" and The Order Obsessed's blog entry archive, "Category Archives: build + edit a wardrobe." They both outline some unique ideas I've never heard of that might actually push my de-cluttering skills! 

Due to my research and readings, I have decided I would like to make a change. I believe that why my previous challenges and closet-clean-outs have failed to stick is that they 

1) only affected the physical buying of clothes, not the mental thought processes or emotions involved with shopping.  

2) did not encourage me to think about my personal style or my favorite pieces and why they are my favorite pieces

3) they only acted as temporary changes, not lifestyle changes.

4) I was far too easy on myself!

Check back soon to see the results of my research! I'm excited to finally push myself like never before when dealing with my wardrobe which always seems to grow.

Do you have the same problem? How do you deal with never-ending clutter? How do you feel about the 100 Things Challenge?

--Caroline

Spring Break 2014: Facing My Fears

Spring Break was a blast! I spent the better half of it in Daytona with... my better half! Kyle is the fairly-recent owner of a beautiful Harley Soft-tail motorcycle that he loves and has put time into making it look good. He has a scheme going with black, lots of chrome, and skulls--it is a nice looking bike (and he looks pretttyyyy darn good on it too!). 

I have been a little nervous (okay, a lot nervous) to ride it outside the neighborhood just because he's told me so many stories of accidents he's both seen himself and heard of from other medics. I trust him, just not other cars. And with motorcycles, they always say "it's not if you get in an accident, it's when you get in an accident." But because Daytona Bike Week and Spring Break line up... there was really no putting off the inevitable any longer.

Us before the ride

On our way to the mass festivities & vendors at Destination Daytona

Kyle bought me a helmet, and I decided to match his

It was actually a lot of fun to ride on his bike, and now that I have my own helmet (and am not using his full-face while he settles for a sub-par get up) I can be at peace that our faces are both well-protected. I'm looking forward to riding it more for sure, and there might be a small part of me that is kinda a ballsy biker chick! lol! I am really proud of myself for facing my dears, and Kyle even said he was proud of me. :)

Other than bikes, we spent time hanging with his family, and his sister Krystal and I had a nice day of bonding on the beach. With my new tan, I finally look like I live in Florida!

It was a fun several days, and I really didn't want to leave. The break from schoolwork was such a blessing, and yesterday being the first day back was definitely a little hard. I'll just let my mind wander back to the fond memories and keep on moving along I suppose.

--Caroline

Tech Thursday: Favorite Apps

There are a couple apps on my phone that I just really really love, and I thought I'd share them with you today!

ENVELOPES 2

This is my favorite by far. If you've heard about the envelope system for financial management, this is the modern-day version! You can set up your envelopes with whatever name you'd like, and then put however much money you want in them (you can also have the app automatically set monthly budgets, but I haven't used that myself). Why this is so perfect is, if you are not a 100% cash carrier, you can take out money from your envelope after every debit card purchase. The Envelopes app has really helped me to track my spending, and know exactly what I have in my accounts (rather "envelopes") at any given time! Plus, it's secure and doesn't actually like to your checking or savings accounts because it's all manually entered. Even better? It's FREE! Check it out here, via iTunes. 

AFTERLIGHT

A great photo editing app, it's like having photoshop on your iPhone (with a little bit of Instagram thrown in there). With high-quality photo editing and lots of cool filters to choose from, I definitely recommend this app for anyone who loves having editing photos. Doesn't Berlioz look so much cuter when the lighting issue is fixed? Only 99 cents on the iTunes app store. 

RED STAMP

I heard about this app through some of my Premier Designs Jewelry ladies, who use it to make cards to either message virtually or print and send out to jewelry lovers. There are a variety of designs, occasions, and messages to choose from, all of which are customizable! You can, like I said, save it digitally to your phone to text or email out, or you can send it to Red Stamp and they will print them for you and mail them to you. How cool! I used this app to send my mom a virtual card on her birthday, and the other day played around with it to write a cheeky message to go with a photo of me crossing the finish line at a 5K (I might have been a little bored, okay?!). Free on the iTunes app store. 

WATERLOUGE

My graphics professor told me about this one... It's an app that turns your pictures into watercolor images! So cool! Makes your Instagram posts a little more French, and brings out the artist in everyone. I tested it out with the beautiful flowers Kyle gave me for Valentines Day. $2.99 on the iTunes app store. 

SIMPLY BEING--GUIDED MEDITATION FOR RELAXATION AND PRESENCE

I read about this app, I believe in a magazine (don't remember which one, honestly could be making that up even!), and decided to try it out. I usually listen while I'm going to sleep, and I've noticed the nights I use it I tend to sleep much better! Always a plus. The app has lots of customization options, and I've found it to be a soothing asset to stress-relief. Definitely worth the mere 99 cents on the iTunes app store. 

What do you think of these apps? Do you have any favorite apps to share? Share in the comments!

--Caroline 

Linking Up with: What I'm Loving Friday's

Let Go, Let God, & Bad Habits

Today, I hope you don't mind getting a little deep and spiritual...

Those of you who know me personally know that I've been struggling with an amazing job opportunity thrown at my feet related to my studies. Those of you who know me personally also know that I already have a lot on my plate: family, school, long distance boyfriend, a growing (finally!) Premier Designs business, sorority life, and a passion for blogging in my spare time. The past week I've been in a personal struggle... why did I even think I could fit this in? Should I make it work? It would look great on my resume... Why do I keep adding things to my plate? I've done this before... Long story short I clearly have a case of "eyes bigger than the stomach" that just won't heal. 

How I've gotten through it was talking to God. I grew up going to church, but in my adult life I have become significantly closer to God, a lot of which has stemmed from being in Premier Designs, a Biblically based High Fashion Jewelry company. So this past week I've been asking Him what to do, thinking He put this job in front of me to take but confused at why because He already has me doing so much else. Finally yesterday I said no more, I physically don't have time this week to even think about it. It was the practical response, but I got my spiritual answer later last night.

I went to Premier training, which I willing drive an hour to because I just love those ladies so much. We had some people missing, so it was small and intimate, much more personal. I've been to lots of great Premier trainings, but this one was definitely in the top 5. I was just overcome with this reassurance about turning down the resume-boosting job, and overcome with the feeling that Premier is really what I'm meant to do right now. 

I don't know how else to explain it, but I just got this feeling last night that everything was right in my little world, that now I'm back on track. I've learned a lot recently about just giving in and trusting in God. He has a plan, and let Him work His magic over you and bless your life. When you do, amazing things happen!

How has God touched you? How have you gotten through tough decisions? Do you over-book yourself like I do?

Thank you for letting me share a bit of what's been going on in my life! Have a happy & blessed Tuesday, my lovely readers!

--Caroline

New Beginnings: No Shopping in February Challenge

I cracked down on myself last night. I made a new email address just for shopping coupons/mailers. I unsubscribed from all the store emails (some I transferred over to my new email), cleaned out my now "old" email... it had to be done.

I've said it many a time on here, and I'm sure I'll always say it. But I have a shopping problem. I love clothes. And shoes. And bags. I love it all! I have this idea in my head of the "life" I want to live-- the niceties of having a "big girl" job and having an expendable income for spur of the moment closet additions. After all, I am a fashionista at heart and it is hard for me to just NOT SHOP. Those words are like death! The reality, however, is bleak (so dramatic, I know. LOL). I am a college student, and a broke one at that. My parents, thank God for them, pay for tuition and living expenses, as well as gas & my sorority. (I honestly don't know what I would do without them. I'm very very very grateful!). But clothes, fun excursions, and dinner are all on me. I have some allowance money and some Premier money, but having school as my focus there just isn't much time to have another job. 

Something had to change. Something has to change. Enter the...

So I fixed up my email, and I will not be checking that store email daily. Or weekly. Or at all. Hopefully I'll forget my password. I also "Unfollowed" many stores on Instagram. My hope with these things is that by not looking at "New Arrivals" or "Sales" or anything of the sort, I will be less likely to venture to the store's site. For y'all, this also means no "Shopping Picks" posts, if I can avoid it, because I don't need anything tempting me. I'm also going to avoid brick-and-mortar stores... This is going to be hard! The end goal? Not buy a single thing for the month of February, rather the rest of February. (YIKES)

My only exceptions are as follows...

So here it goes, wish me luck, feel free to join me! And thank you for listening to my constant frustrations with my shopping problem! 

Have a great Thursday, my sweet readers!

--Caroline 

Five Friday Favorites

It's been a very full week, and I'm looking forward to a four day weekend to help me get ahead on some things! Classes are finally picking up and I already have a lot of design homework... But that's ok. I enjoy it!

Interestingly enough, most of my "favorites" for the week stem from my goals for 2014 (outlined in part 1, 2, and 3 here)...

1. I attended my second class at a fitness studio in Tallahassee called The Refinery. They feature barre classes, but this week I also tried their Piloxing class and loved it! I've always been intrigued by boxing, but never thought I'd be able to do a full class without getting bored, so this class is perfect for me! I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a great full body workout... I woke up sore the next day, always a good sign. If you aren't in Tallahassee, you can find Piloxing studios in your area on their website, www.piloxing.com.

2. As mentioned in yesterday's post, I've made some great strides in figuring out what beauty products feel great on my skin, and what products I'm never going back to!

3. I've been to Whole Foods before back home, but I finally went to the one here in Tally. To be honest, I'd be avoiding it! The parking lot is always congested, and I don't have the same "never seen it before" excitement some of my classmates and sisters have for it. Anyway, I picked up this coffee beverage to try and I'm in love! It tasted great, and it's made of coconut water and a bunch of other good-for-you ingredients. I felt focused and ready to start my day, but not in a fatty, sugary way. 

4. My Wednesday outfit was pretty cute!

5. Today, I'm planning on focusing some time on building my Premier business. To keep me focused, I'm referring back to this quote for motivation.

Overall, it's been a great week in my world! I hope y'all had a good week too, and have a happy and safe weekend :)

--Caroline

Healthy Beauty

So as you know, one of my goals for the new year was to be more conscious of what was in the beauty products I use. After all, your skin is your largest organ, and everything you apply to it gets absorbed in, so it's a good idea to watch what is being absorbed into your body! Through these two articles, 8 Toxins to Avoid in Shampoo and Body Wash  and Killing Me Softly: The Ugly Truth About Cosmetics, which I found via Pinterest, I compiled a list of toxins I wanted to avoid. 

Before I shopped I familiarized myself with the list, but when in doubt I followed this rule: if I can pronounce the ingredient (the pronounceable bad ingredients are easy to remember!) and I know it's not on the list, then we are good! Another rule of thumb I stick to as well is to look for products with as little ingredients as possible--those are typically the really healthy ones. 

So far, it's been a success! I'm still experimenting with different brands (the natural deodorant I tried has left my underarms bumpy and unhappy!) and obviously some of the healthier cosmetics come with a bigger price tag which for a college student is not ideal. But I have always been okay spending a little bit more on beauty products when you know you are getting your money's worth.

Enough about the boring stuff, let's skip ahead to me sharing with you some of the products I have grown to LOVE!

Arbonne Tinted Moisturizer

I'm really really really excited about this one! Shout out to my (basically) mom-in-law Sandy for hooking me up with a sample! I love that this makes my skin feel incredibly soft and healthy, but at the same time it doesn't look like I have a thing on. Plus it has yet to rub off on anything, unlike other tinted moisturizers/BB Creams I've tried. What I love even more is it has allowed me to replace the series of 3 products I was using perviously. Before this magical moisturizer, I'd mix a BB cream with regular moisturizer, then follow with a layer of primer. What I didn't realize until yesterday, when I randomly decided to use primer, was that the primer I was using was severely drying out my skin. This and my 3-step system was probably the root cause of all the dryness and more-acne-than-normal that I had been experiencing for some time. Now I cannot find the ingredient list for this moisturizer but quite honestly, I know Arbonne puts good ingredients in their products (I went to a party awhile back) so for now I will ignore any potential toxins. It certainly makes my skin feel amazing, and I will continue to use it! You can find it through an Arbonne consultant, found via their website. 

Tarte Maracuja Oil

I have been using this face oil for more than 6 months now, and I love it! It's a little on the pricy end (could be a lot worse though), but a little goes a long way and it is worth every penny. I put it on at night, and then I rub two drops in my hands before I apply the Arbonne Moisturizer in the morning, just to help it go on more easily. And the best part? Only one ingredient! You can find this at Ulta, Sephora, or online at Tarte's website. 

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder

I bought this to try for just a slight oil absorbing layer over my tinted moisturizer, and I've been pleased so far! It's perfect for everyday, and is light, does it's job. As far as ingredients goes, it has nothing on my "bad list". Winner! You can find this at Ulta, Sephora, or online at Tarte's website. 

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara

Yes, this mascara is smart! It goes on without clumping, makes my lashes look full and luscious, and doesn't smudge though out the day. At night, it comes off easily with eye makeup remover. It has two ingredients on my "bad list" so I might keep shopping around, but I had started using this mascara sometime last year. You can find this at Ulta, Sephora, or online at Tarte's website. 

Like I said, I'm still trying products, but these are the standout ones to me thus far. They make getting ready in the morning fun! And I'm all about fun! Sound off readers! Do you read the labels on your products? Or do you think I'm just a crazy hippie?

(Note: These opinions are my own, and I have no affiliation with any of the mentioned brands or retailers.)

--Caroline

New Me 2014: Fashion & Blogging Goals

I’ve shared my life goals, my health & beauty goals, so today is all about my fashion & blogging goals!

FASHION

De-clutter my closet. I do this throughout the year, but I’d like to de-clutter and organize for the start of the new year.

Realize that it’s okay to be casual. I think this past year I have forgotten that I don’t always have to be dressed in a perfect outfit everyday. I’m still not breaking my rule of only wearing workout clothes out if I’m actually working out, but it’s okay if I don’t have a perfectly put together outfit everyday. I am in college. I have a whole career of dressing up everyday to look forward to.

BLOGGING

Post more variety. I’ve strayed a little far from having a nice variety here on This Styled Life, and with 2014 I want to bring that back!

Consistently post at least 3 times a week. Hopefully more but keep that my minimum.

Re-design This Styled Life. The restless designer in me wants to switch up the design of this blog, so look for that coming up here soon!

Thanks for letting me share my goals for this year. Check back over the next couple months for updates on how they are going, and tips & tricks that I’ve (hopefully) discovered to help you in your goal making!

--Caroline

New Me 2014: Health & Beauty Goals

Happy Tuesday! Yesterday I shared with you my life goals, and today I’d like to touch on my health & beauty goals for 2014.

HEALTH

Workout more consistently, and have fun doing so! I’m going to get back into the habit I love so much this year. I’ve got a barre class lined up to try, and I’m going to do yoga, weightlifting, and cardio.

Eat out less. This is hard to not do in college, but I’d like to at least limit myself to twice a week on campus during the day and once a week for dinner. I want to bring more lunches and healthy snacks with me to campus.

Avoid the things I’m “allergic” to. I got some tests done in summer of 2013 by a man that practices Chinese medicine, and I found out a lot of food ingredients I’m very moderately allergic to. Aside from a couple things, nothing gives me a severe enough reaction to really avoid it, but I know I feel better when I avoid as much as I can. So 2014 will be my year to get back on track.

Plan my meals. This way I can buy the groceries I actually need!

BEAUTY

Limit damaging ingredients in my beauty products. The skin is the largest organ, and absorbs easily anything you put on it, including all the nasty ingredients found in most beauty products. Also within this goal is trying to not layer as many products/not putting on a full face everyday if I don’t need to. Natural beauty in all forms for 2014!

Get rid of products I don’t use. I am a beauty product junkie. No more!

BOTH!

Floss. I go through phases of flossing every night, and then I slack for weeks. Time to fix that!

Drink more water. I feel like this is a resolution every year! Lol! I think because I’m always good about drinking water, but I know I could be better-- I notice a huge difference in my skin and energy the days that I drink more water.

Check back for tomorrow’s post on my fashion & blogging goals!

--Caroline