Month: July 2015

Summer Fun: Festival Style

Two weeks back a group of us went to the Big Barrel Country Music Festival in Dover, Delaware. The festival is the sister to Firefly, which also takes place in Dover Downs, just with more mainstream artists. I was so excited for Big Barrel, and it was my first festival experience. I had NO idea what to really bring, and should have prepared better beforehand. Firefly was the weekend before, and the storms were so bad they had to evacuate. We were SO nervous about how to cope if it rained. (And it certainly did!) So I wanted to put together a post about what I brought/wore, and what I should have had with me!

Day One: Blake Shelton

The night before we discovered that there would be a ton of mud because of how bad the storms were. We went out and bought rain boots/sneakers to help us get around. I bought some fun tank tops before the concert because I really wanted to be festive! Below is the one I wore to Blake Shelton, and I bought it on Etsy. The temperature dropped a bit, and we couldn’t even wear shorts. If I didn’t wear jeans, I would have been pretty cold that night. Also, I chose to bring a backpack to have a hands free night. This wound up being great, and made it very easy to tote along all that we needed.

* Make sure to bring camping chairs! Double check they are allowed at other concerts, but we loved having them because they didn’t sink in the mud.

Overall the first night was so fun! We took pictures, and began to sample all of the different food trucks. [BBQ was amazing…] and my non-country music loving boyfriend really got into the Blake Shelton concert! Major win.

The Etsy shop is InkLabPrinting, and the shirt was PERFECT! Big thanks!

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My backpack is from Macy’s made by Steve Madden ( I got it on major sale and paid much less!)

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Day Two: Miranda Lambert

It POURED all day. I bought ponchos from Walmart before we left for Delaware, and made sure we had the thick kinds with hoods. And boy did we need them. We were staying near the outlets, and I stopped at the Bass outlet and picked up a pair of shoes for $30 which was the cheapest we could find. I got them so nasty with the mud, I wound up leaving them in the parking lot after the third night. A hat was also something crucial. It kept the rain out of my face, and allowed me to see in the storm. I bought a shirt from Etsy for this night, but wound up wearing a more comfy t-shirt because it was raining so hard. Below is what I originally bought. I purchased the hat from Marley Lilly!

The rain subsided for Miranda Lambert, and we were able to just relax and watch the concert. We were wiped that night!

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Day Three: Carrie Underwood

This was by far, the most gorgeous day of them all. We got there very early, and everyone got to see their favorite performers. We went and bottle fed some goats and lambs, saw the Budweiser Clydesdales and then secured our spot for Carrie Underwood. We wound up getting bumped to VIPS and were only a few feet from the stage.

I bought a shirt in a boutique in NYC that I thought reminded me of Carrie Underwood’s style, and was so excited to wear it! If I can find a link, I’ll be sure to add it!

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We had the BEST weekend, and can’t wait to go back next year! What are your concert must-haves?!

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Review: Birchbox June 2015

SO sorry I didn’t post this last month! I’m working on a regular posting schedule. Last month I wasn’t super thrilled with my Birchbox, and ultimately was the reason I forgot to post.

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Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner – Full Size $11

This came in a gray color. Not my style – to swap it goes!

Supergoop! Everyday SPF 50 with Cellular Response Technology Full Size $19-$48

I actually like Supergoop! so I think this will be great for the summer.

Temple Spa Shampoo and Conditioner – Full Size $14 each

This smells ok, and I’m glad I got both the shampoo and conditioner. I figure I can use these deluxe samples for travel.

W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Mascara – Full Size $23.50

I wasn’t really into the brush when I first examined this. Much too small for my liking. This too goes to swap!

L. Erickson Narrow Grab and Go Ponytail Holder – Full Size $12

I can always use another, so this was a good extra!

It would have been much better to have more summery products. I think they were trying here, but it didn’t quite deliver, in my opinion! How were your Birchboxes last month?

Vacation 2015: Myrtle Beach, SC

This year I wanted to take a really relaxing vacation. My parents have a summer home in Myrtle Beach, SC, and I decided to go down for a week over July 4th weekend. Luckily, my boyfriend was able to come down for a few days while I was there, and we could celebrate the holiday together. We made sure to capture our vacation with lots of photos! If anyone is headed down to MB this summer, I’ve included some places you must go!

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Broadway at the Beach! Dress: Francesca’s Collections

One of the best (and most tourist-y) places is Broadway at the Beach. It is a mix of shopping, attractions, restaurants and a lot of walking. I’ve been going down to MB for years, and always make sure to stop here each time I visit. About a year ago Carolina Vineyards opened up a shop there, and we decided to stop in for a wine tasting. It is super affordable, and the wine slushies are a MUST. Later in the weekend we went for a ride on the speed boat there – I was terrified, he loved it.

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Myrtle Beach State Park! Bathing Suit: Amazon

On the 4th we made sure to do a beach trip! We had gorgeous weather, and we definitely got a little tan from our time there. Later on that day we played mini golf, and went back to Broadway at the Beach to walk around and watch some fireworks. I made sure to bring red, white and blue clothes just for the occasion!

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Back at Broadway for fireworks! Dress: Kohls

I couldn’t have him leave without us doing an all you can eat seafood buffet. We LOVE seafood, and I know that Captain George’s in MB never disappoints. We truly dined #southernstyle.

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Dinner at Captain George’s! Top: Express

I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation! Where are you all headed for vacation this summer?

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Perfect way to end vacation!

Favorites: June 2015

So, yet again, I’ve failed to maintain my blog for the month of June. But there have been crazy big changes in my life! I wound down my job in NYC, and accepted an exciting job back in New Jersey. It means I’ll no longer commute four hours a day to work, and will have time for more things in my life. I’ve been car shopping, picking up things for my new job, and even vacationing. Life has been busy, to say the least. But my goal here is to do a recap of things I loved over the month of June, and to do posts in the coming days around some of my experiences (ex: what to wear/bring to an outdoor country music festival). This new life change has me excited about blogging again. So what was I busy loving in June?

I discovered Audible! Okay, so I know I’m late to the game here, but this is seriously incredible. I must say that I can’t get into it when there is a narrator that isn’t the author (read: I can only listen to biographies/autobiographies or memoirs) but I’m nearly finished my first book and it has just made me fall in love with reading all over again. My first audible book was I, Justine An Analog Memoir. Her style of narration is captivating, and although I’m not super into the tech world, the book is fascinating. Everyone who signs up for Audible gets a credit, so their first book is free! It is SO worth it.

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I made a series of large purchases this month. When I realized I would be leaving my job, I wanted to take the time and invest in new pieces and things to elevate me for my next position. It all started when I saw a picture of these sunglasses on Kim Kardashian:

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I knew I just had to have them. I’m so into large aviators, and these Porsche Design sunnies are NO joke. They take up half of my face. I ordered them from Otticanet.com which is based out of Italy and had read mixed reviews. I have nothing bad to say. They seem to always offer a 5% discount of some kind, and even reimburse you for the charges from FedEx, because they don’t want their customers to pay international fees. I LOVE my glasses, and really want the same pair but in purple. The style number is: P8478 in the largest size 69/10/135.

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The blogger/Youtuber I’m loving this month is Kristina from Pretty Shiny Sparkly. I ADORE her, and watch her videos religiously. I’m so enamoured with things she buys, I always end up picking up the same things for myself! Go check her out!

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Because I knew I had several big events/vacations approaching I decided that I would get a keratin treatment on my hair. Typically these are very expensive, but because I have massive, lion’s mane type hair, my stylist was kind enough to offer a massive discount. I never realized the process until I was actually in the chair getting it done, but it is kind of weird. You can’t wash your hair for 72 hours (I think) and it was REALLY hard because my hair gets so greasy when I put heavy product in and straighten it. Overall though, my straightening time has decreased immensely, and it doesn’t pouf so much when I’m in the humidity or on the beach. It will only last a few months, but I’m going to enjoy this time of easy hair prep. If you have thick, curly, coarse hair like mine, then this is totally worth a shot at least once. But make sure to have it done by a highly educated stylist. Below are the results!

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What were you all loving in the month of June?!