Last Week In Review

This past week treated me pretty well in almost all areas. Key word in that sentence, however, is almost. Interestingly enough, the one area that would have been graded with a "Needs for Improvement" mark was my diet. I arrived at Saturday realizing that in the four days prior, dinner consisted of either restaurant or take-out food. By then, my body was screaming at me to get back to my more healthier ways.

Whenever I go out, I do my best to "behave," knowing that restaurant fare has a lot of extras attached to it even if you opt for the "guiltless" or grilled options. I try to portion control as helpings are often too big to justify consuming in one sitting, and I am unafraid to substitute vegetables for french fries or a baked potato in the place of mashed. Not always though, mind you. I enjoy french fries as much as the next person; I just don't always have a hankering for them. So when I don't, I pass. When I do, I gobble them up! :)

What bothered me about my lack of home cooked foods was not so much in the potential calorie or fat content, it was that I knew my body was not getting the best nutritional value from the foods I had chosen to eat. I was not agonizing over this turn of events; simpley, i was eager to regain control of what I was putting in my mouth. So, Saturday night I broke the evil spell I was under and made burritos with ground turkey (instead of beef), saffron rice, red & green peppers, chick peas, re-fried beans, onions, and shredded cheese. They were delicious!

Yesterday, I was still bent on continuing with my healthy food rampage, which was quickly confronted with a potential upset. We were invited over to our pastor's house to fellowship with some old friends and fellow church members, and the meal option of choice was...pizza! Now, pizza is certainly not a terrible food choice. It was just not what I was hoping for. However, upon arrival, I breathed a sigh of relief when among the pepperoni, cheese, and sausage, there was a salad pizza. I had never tried salad pizza; it was pretty good and chocked full of greens. I was a happy camper.

The week will continue with more conscious effort (a little goes a long way). I have determined the "menu" for Jon and I for the next few days. I'll be using 2 recipes from Rocco Dispirito's book, Now Eat This! - a Philly cheese steak recipe for tonight and turkey bolognese over noodles for Wednesday. I'm excited! And I highly recommend this cookbook. It slashes the usual calorie and fat content associated with some of "America's favorite comfort foods" and presents them with an easy to make recipe. I've had good success with any of the recipes I have tried from here.

In terms of exercise this week, I logged 4 sessions of Zumba, 3 20-minute ones and one 45-minute. I love the fact that I can do a simple 20-minute dance workout, work up a good sweat, and just get my body moving without having to spend a ridiculous amount of time. It's like my Wii Balance Board tells me often enough on Wii Fit Plus, "...even 5 minutes a day can make a difference." I am thankful for expedient workouts.

In the fashion realm, I scored off the charts this week. My mother-in-law and I went to Dress Barn Saturday armed with a coupon to save 25% off on items already reduced at least 50% or more. We are bargain shoppers, so there was little discussion when this invitation to savings arrived in the mail. We spent an hour or so looking through all of the racks of discounted merchandise. I was having a little trouble finding anything that was really striking me until I decided to put on a brave face and try some things that had caught my eye but was uncertain how they would look on me. I grabbed about 6 items and headed for the dressing room. I ended up buying 3 things.

My mother-in-law chose two simple but pretty tops for work. Here's where it gets good.  Before we had even applied the extra 25%, we had already saved over $104 on the 6 items we were buying. The coupon knocked off another $17 off the price dropping our total to $52.50 and a grand total savings of $121. We left Dress Barn beaming!! How 'bout them apples!?

So like I said, this past week ended very well for me, and I have high hopes for this one. For now, I'm off to do some yoga. Best of luck to you in the week ahead and feel free to share any recent highlights from the various areas of your life! I'd love to hear about 'em!

Hanging With The Big Kids

Breaking news for me in the health and fitness field!!!! Barring any natural disasters or unplanned, earth shattering events, I will be getting my Zumba Instructor Certification by the end of February. I cannot even begin to tell you how much this excites me. It is a dream becoming realized.

So on Tuesday, I figured it best that I take my Zumba "expertise" (I use that term incredibly loosely) away from the front of my TV and actually take a group Zumba class at my local gym. Having gotten several different moves down through the use of the Zumba Fitness Wii game, I felt up to the task, yet not knowing who the instructor was, let alone what steps he/she would decide to take us through, I was a bit nervous. At any rate, I knew I was in for a fast paced, high energy, shake my whammy fanny good time.

Those who were already on the floor when I got there would probably have never guessed that I was a bit nervous; I stepped into the group aerobics room like I owned the place. Yeah! I intentionally arrived a little early so I could warm up and stretch. But before too long, the instructor appeared - a petite lady who had some sort of Spanish influencing her ethnicity, not to mention calf muscles and deltoids to die for! The class began...

Thankfully, she started with moves I knew from the video game, which helped me get right into things, and before long we were shakin and dancing to the beat (which at certain points during rather fact paced songs made me feel like a seizure was imminent).  :)

I was blown away by someone's Grandma who was in the thick of it. Granted, she wasn't swaying her hips quite as quickly as the 20-somethings in the room, but she hung right in there (and then stayed for a second group class!!!). What a cool lady!

Now in the video game, I've mostly done 20 minute sessions. Last week, I amped it up to 45 minutes. This was a 45 minute class. By 15 minutes in, I was feeling the burn and then some! About 25 minutes in, she slowed our groove down a little bit but kept things going for another 20 minutes. She never stopped smiling. At some points, I think she was enjoying herself more than we were. But I think we were the happier ones when it finally came time to cool down.

It was a blast and a killer workout. I'm excited for next week's class. The instructor said she would be the one to lead during that time slot, so it will be neat to see how/if she changes it up. Surprisingly, I'm not as sore as I thought I was going to be. My body was very tired after the fact; it really is a full body workout.

I am so excited about getting my certification. I have wanted to involve myself in Women's Fitness for a long time, but never really had the opportunity or the proper venue to market a certification if I had one. Time has changed that, and prospects look good. This is going to be such a huge step for me in achieving my utmost desires and goals.

Hurray for ZUMBA!!!!

Dirty Hair Works Better

So I've come to the realization that my hair must be "dirty" for it to cooperate when it comes to styling. I have great hair, beautiful even! It is au natural, free of dyes, bleaches, and chemical treatments. It's healthy, and I enjoy it. But its extremely fine and cleans very well. Too well, in fact. I can't just let it dry and go. It gets a bit out of control, somewhat poofy, and exceptionally wispy. My segmented, choppy do doesn't help with that either. It needs something.

I've experimented with various hair products - pomades, texturizing creams, and even waxes. The "problem" with many of these types of products, there is an element of gumminess to them. They act somewhat like a gel, but offering a bit more give and play than a pure gel would. But I don't need my strands to stick together. I just need them to behave a bit better.

I stopped in at the local Dollar Tree and perused the hair products aisle on the chance whim that they may have something I could use. There were slim pickin's. Gel, hair spray, and ethnic beauty products were about all that were offered. That, and a product called "hair mayonnaise." The name is enough to turn me off despite its boast of containing olive oil and my mother having once used it. There were a few different ethnic products that seemed interesting. I read about 3 or 4 different canisters.






I did finally find something that made me stop and ponder a little more. I didn't need anything to help my hair grow. Putting something in my hair with oil as the main ingredient didn't seem like the best option. I don't want to end up with a greasy head. But I did find this...

It does contain olive and bergamot oil but it claims to be: "An all-purpose conditioner that repels water with olive oil...prevents dryness, aids in styling, protects from breakage, adds sheen." I knew I was taking a chance, but figured at the worst, I'll be out $1. So, I bought it. As soon as I got home, I applied the "hair dress." At first, I thought, "Hey, this could work!" It tamed my tresses and made them incredibly soft, and my hair didn't appear overly greasy. However, by the end of the night, having had time to sit in my hair, it did appear a touch to the greasy side. *sigh* I'm not totally throwing this one out yet. I want to give it a few more go's, but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

In the past, I've had the best luck with L'Oreal's Studio Line Out of Bed Weightless Texturizer, which retails for less than $5. It has very little gum to it and doesn't add bulk. To be honest, to get the best results, I probably need to spend a little more time on my hair when using any product. But out of all the ones I've tried, I've liked this one best. 

If anyone has any hair care products that work great for them, feel free to share. As you can see, I'm up for trying just about anything so long as it doesn't break the bank in the process. :)

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As a followup to my last post, "Popular Pairings," I just wanted to quickly share the below photo. (I apologize that the quality is not the best, but you get the idea). My sister sent this to me with the tag, "Steve (my brother-in-law) reads your blog :) Ok I might have helped him a little lol." As you can see, he paired his striped shirt with the argyle print sweater, keeping within the color scheme of both and looking dashing as a result. Go Steve-o! :) And thank you to Erica for being the first one to provide photo feedback. I love it!

Popular Pairings

Great fashion comes from great pairings. I'm talking about colors, fabrics, prints, accessories, shoes - the works. However, the key is in creating a balance. If your top stands out, your shoes should not. If your handbag and shoes pop with color, the rest of your outfit should be muted, or basic. If you choose to wear a statement piece of jewelry, you should then pick other wardrobe pieces that will compliment and thereby enhance the jewelry, not compete with it. Etc., etc., etc..

One of the most helpful pieces of information I ever came across was concerning fabric pairings: If your top skims your body, you will balance your look best by having a flare to your pant leg or a more flouncy skirt. Or, vice versa, if your top is flowy and roomy, like a tunic, you can break out those leggings.

 Emma Watson 

 Victoria Beckham 

One of the more difficult but potentially high payoff pairings is achieved when you mix prints. Only recently did it become in vogue to mix stripes with polka dots and florals with plaids. The thing to keep in mind for this trend is to stay within a color scheme.

 From yournextdress.com 

 From more. com 

Length also plays a factor. Depending  on your body type and what features you want accentuated, where your clothes fall on your body also plays a big role in creating balance. I found a helpful article concerning this topic at eHow.com, entitled "How to Accent Your Best Body Part." Check it out!

As always, possibilities are only as endless as your wardrobe is big. :) I recently put together a great outfit with a simple, deep sea green turtleneck sweater with a gray pencil skirt that fell just at my knees. I accessorized with one of my vibrant brooches and wore calf-high black boots. I looked and felt very chic. I meant to snag a picture, but didn't get a chance. I was quite proud of my pairings and was happy to have employed a few different techniques to arrive at such a great look. See what you can come up with with your next outfit!

My BMI Scarred Me For Life

In a recent conversation, strong feelings of hurt and anger resurfaced, reminding me of how much I hate standarized measurements when it comes to health and fitness. The BMI index is such a standard. It attempts to provide a rule by which one's "body fatness" can be measured and correlated to his/her overall health. The breakdown is pretty simple:

BMI	Weight Status
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5 – 24.9	Normal
25.0 – 29.9	Overweight
30.0 and Above	Obese

It uses one's height and weight to determine these numbers. They fall as follows:

Here's where I start to get upset. Currently, I stand at 5'4.5" and weigh 147 lbs. Based on the above chart, my BMI is 25.2; I am "overweight." This is an interesting turn of events as two people just today remarked at how thin and "good" I looked. Your weight and height alone do not take into account body frame size or muscle tone - two aspects of one's anatomy that has a huge effect on his/her weight.

Now, you may think I'm overreacting a bit here, that as an adult I should recognize the fallacy of such standarized charts and not get hung up on them. But what happens when as a 5 year old I am told that I'm overweight, essentially fat, by a physician because of those numbers? And, because of my physical condition, my whole family had to start drinking 1% milk because it was deemded a contributing factor to my unpleasant numbers. And as I continued to grow up, the story never changed.

Now, admittedly, I was "chunky" growing up. I was not thin, never was. But I wasn't overly fat, certainly not obese. I have a medium frame, and puberty wasn't the kindest. Nevertheless, I never "measured up" when it came to my annual physical and those darned numbers. So, as one thing often leads to another, helped along by ridicule from my peers, I developed an eating disorder my junior year of high school. Indeed, I suffered from anorexia. 

I wasn't the typical anorexic. I was one of the "smarter" ones and masked it well. I figured out using calorie and metabolic rate calculators how to measure out only enough food as I could burn until the next time I had to eat. That was my first "strategy." Secondarily, I drank gallons of water, and I mean gallons. Typically, after a meal, I would drink two full Brita pitchers of water, which amounts to approximately 160 ounces (a gallon is 128 ounces). I had learned in science class that when cells are "drenched" in enough water they will break down; therefore, in addition to severely limiting my food intake, my over-hydration would cause any fat I would consume to be drowned and never given the chance to stack up.

My plan worked...all too well. I dropped to 117 lbs. and fit into a size 2 jean. According to the chart, 117 lbs. is within the healthy range, but I was far from healthy. Due to my dramatic weight loss, my period stopped coming every month. In addition, I stopped sweating. I was heavily involved in karate and would often leave class with my t-shirt damp and in need of a shower. After having lost too much weight, my body decided it did not need to sweat. I am still uncertain of the biological reason behind this.

My harmful pattern of behavior lasted about a year. My family knew something was up; my mother brought me to counselling, which did little for me. My sister was exceptionally angry with me for being so unhealthy, yet remained generally supportive. I started to turn from my ways in the latter part of 2002. I was overwhelmed by my lifestyle and academics (as I was in my Senior year) so much so that I had a nervous breakdown. I just couldn't take the pressure of it all any more - pressure to fit into the mold to which doctor's prescribed me, pressure to perform above and beyond academically (an expectation I placed on myself), and the pressure to perform to other's expectations in my social/extracurricular life.

My mother was incredibly supportive the night I fell apart. She suggested we go out shopping, to Wal-Mart of all places, and take the day off from school the next day. That night I ate a whole pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream - admittedly, a huge step for an anorexic. A paradigm shift began the next morning after having done that and then seeing and realizing that I didn't magically pack on 25 lbs. It was a difficult weekend, but I worked some things out within myself. I realized I was pushing myself far too hard, and for what? So, I dropped Calculus, an elective I did not need, and spoke to a few of my teachers, who freed me to relax my overachieving tendencies. I also took a break off from karate for a period of 2 months; I had never had more than a week off since I began in 1997. During this time, I freed myself to do what I wanted to do, not bound to any particular schedule except for what I made for myself. What a beautiful thing that was!

I would say that it was not until April of 2003 that I was fully over my condition. The two months off had done wonders for me in all areas of life. The numbers continued to haunt me off and on for a while afterwards, but over time I learned how to make healthy choices and not overly restrict myself. I am thankful that people I am very close to (my husband and sister, for example) know my story and have kept me accoutable when they see me even looking in the direction that could lead me back to destructive habits. I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on things now, but it was undoubtedly those darn BMI numbers and cultural pressures to be thin that started me down a dangerous road.

The lessons I have learned and the wisdom I gained from the whole experience is one of the biggest motivating factors for why I started this blog. I wish for no woman to feel so poorly about themselves that they would acquire an eating disorder and have to go through what I did...or worse. Pop culture makes it difficult for any woman, thin or otherwise, to be happy with themselves; it does not promote self-acceptance that's for sure. But despite what society or even a doctor tells you, you know yourself better than anyone else. Even if your mind is clouded by denial, deep down you know when you're acting in an unhealthy way. That is not to say it is easy to change your habits; it took me having a nervous breakdown before I could even think about changing. But with the support of family and friends, you can do just about anything.

I am certainly not writing this post, hoping to gain pity. I write in the hopes of helping another man or woman who may be stuck in a rut as I was. If you need anything, dietary advice, assistance in creating a healthy living plan, or just a listening ear, I offer myself to you. But at the very least, I encourage everyone who reads this to strive to find peace within themselves with who they are, however tall, short, fat, or thin. The first step towards any type of personal improvement is self-acceptance (kind of like the first step towards resolving a problem is admitting you have one). Self-acceptance is indispensable when it comes to achieving whatever you dare and dream to be. Best of luck to you and please, please, please don't blindly believe everything you are told or read! Be confident in who you are - you are the only you this world will ever know.

Jillian Michael's "Fat-Burning Grocery Guide"

In my quest to lead a healthy life, I am always on the prowl for good ideas in the food shopping/consuming department. I was reading in SELF magazine today and came across this list. As I am in the midst of being a health/fitness coach for a few, I wanted to share this knowledge with the rest of the world. This is taken directly from SELF's website and their 2011 Jump Start Diet plan; click here to go directly to their page.

Jillian's Fat-Burning Grocery Guide

Wondering which foods help steady your hormones to elevate fat burn? Check out Jillian's cheat sheet!

22 fat burners

• All vegetables
• Avocados
• Black olives
• Coffee
• Cold-water fish and shellfish without mercury, such as halibut, wild salmon, sardines, shrimp, tilapia and trout
• Dark chocolate
• Fresh fruit such as apples, citrus fruit and pomegranates (but see 11 to avoid)
• Fresh herbs and spices
• Low-sodium beans
• Mushrooms
• Natural sweeteners such as agave, maple syrup, raw honey, Truvia and Xylitol
• Nuts and seeds
• Onions
• Organic Greek yogurt or kefir
• Russet and sweet potatoes
• Sea vegetables such as arame, nori and sea palm
• So Delicious coconut milk
• Squash such as spaghetti and pumpkin
• Tea
• Tomatoes
• Whey protein powder
• Whole grains such as barley, oats, quinoa and whole-wheat bread
• Whole organic eggs, fortified with omega-3 fatty acids

11 to avoid

• Bamboo shoots
• Butter, shortening
• Dried fruit such as dried apples or apricots
• Granulated sugar
• Millet
• Noniodized sea or kosher salt
• Peanuts, pine nuts
• Processed foods with artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, butylated hydroxytoluene, trans fats, MSG or high-fructose corn syrup
• Processed soy
• Swordfish, shark
• White flour

5 to use in moderation

• Alcohol (two glasses wine per week, max)
• Full-fat cow cheese and dairy products (not including Greek yogurt)
• Oils (Olive and coconut are the healthiest options.)
• Table salt
• Tuna

Happy Food Shopping & Snacking!

The Magic of the 4-Way Nail Buffer

How many of you were stopped in the middle of one of your holiday shopping excursions by someone from a hand/nail products kiosk??? I was snagged only once this season, and the sales rep presented a fantastic demonstration of how simply you can achieve a healthy, shiny looking nail just using a unique buffer. Admitedly, I was impressed, but I did not have $50-$75 to drop at the time for the packaged deal.

Now, I enjoy a manicure as much as the next gal, but manicures and I do not mix well. Generally, unless I get acrylic or gel tips, I can't even walk out of the salon without already smudging the polish, and I barely last a day before I chip one. Notwithstanding, I do appreciate healthy looking nails. So, I did a quick search on eBay for a 4-way nail buffer. Turns out, they are incredibly cheap. I purchased one from karlinsu88 Nail Expert eBay store for a grand total of $4.00.

The flowered side serves as an emory board. The black side (unpictured) strengthens the nail by smoothing out the ridges that make them more fragile and/or brittle. The gray side (also unpictured) prepares the nail for the final buffing it receives from the white side. You do not need to use any type of chemicals with this product; it uses the natural oils of the nail to strengthen and improve their overall appearance.

Unbuffed Left Hand

Buffed Right Hand

Above, I have photographyed my hands to demonstrate a before and after effect. You may not see a tremendous difference here, but I can attest that the buffer does indeed yield results. It is a bit more clear when comparing one finger from each hand.

Unbuffed Left Index Finger

Buffed Right Index Finger

On the left, the ridges are clearly visible. They are much more minimized on the right. It is hard to capture with a camera the difference in shine, but the unbuffed nail has a far more matte finish while the buffed nail now carries a definite sheen.

The sales woman who attempted to sell me her product claimed that the shine would remain for a whole month. I would say truthfully that it lasted about two weeks. Nevertheless, it is quite literally a small price to pay and very minimally time consuming to keep your nails healthy and healthy-looking for two weeks at a time. When she mentioned that the ridges' absence would add vitality and strength to the nail, I was a bit skeptical. But, when I trimmed my nails following her treatment to only my right thumb, that nail was much firmer and seemed "thicker," indeed stronger than the others. It was then that I performed my eBay search and made my purchase.

If you are able to maintain manicures well, kudos to you. I think this product will only serve to better your nails' overall health. If you are like me and struggle with keeping your nails looking nice but enjoy the fine tuning, you can't go wrong with this simple device. I find it helpful and valuable, and it never hurts to share a good thing!

Revving Up Your New Year's Resolution

Many people resolve at the start of a new year to grab the health and fitness bull by the horns and take back control. Bravo if you are among such a crowd. My father is among you as well, and I was happy to hear when I called today that he had already "hit the ground running." I had e-mailed him these "Pre-Game Notes" yesterday to prepare him for what is ahead. I think they are quite practical and pretty simple steps to take if you are looking to whittle your middle or just improve your overall health in the weeks ahead. I hope you benefit from my sharing of them.

Prepare yourself.

• Get your scale in working order and take a starting weight measurement. Weigh yourself at a time when you think you can consistently continue to weigh yourself for the duration, i.e. when you first wake up Monday morning.
• If you want, stock up on some healthier snack choices and/or the fixings for bag lunches to give you one less thing to worry about.
• Find or invest in a water bottle so you can keep yourself hydrated throughout the day and during workouts.
• List, mentally or on paper, the reasons you want to take better care of your health. These will be helpful in maintaining motivation. If your reasoning centers around a person or group of people (kids & grandkids, for instance) you could take it a step further and tape a picture of them on your scale to serve as a visual reminder.
• If you want to be hardcore, you could measure your middle, or at the very least, take note of the size of your pants as of right now so you can compare them to the smaller size you'll need to shop for in the weeks ahead.
• Mentally prepare yourself for the change in lifestyle you are about to undertake. Recognize that you are going to have to make different choices and say "No" to some very enjoyable treats (or at least "not as much"). But remember also, its about "everything in moderation," so it is possible to have your cake and eat it too.
• Go to bed early. You're going to need the extra rest.   

Good luck!!

Wardrobe Favorites

For most people, one's wardrobe is rather expansive with more shirts, pants, and sweaters than you have occasions for. Nevertheless, there are always a few pieces that are the go-to's, the favorites if you will. Naturally, I have a few of my own, and I thought it might be fun to share my favorite pieces with you and hope that you, reader, will tell me of yours!

1. My #1 wardrobe staple is men's A-shirts, or "wife beaters" as they are commonly called. (A terrible name, but nevertheless, that is what I grew up identifying them as). I wear them constantly-many times as pajamas, but also often enough as just a comfy tank to throw on after a long day at work. They come in basic colors-black, white, navy, brown, and even green-which makes them easily matchable with jeans or sweats. With their poly-cotton blend, they have enough cling to them to flatter one's figure without being uncomfortably tight. Initially, I ended up with one as a hand-me-down from my husband, and liked it so much that I went out and bought a pack of my own. They really are great!

2. My Hailey Flare Distressed Jeans by Aeropostale - These jeans were a steal. I was in the market for distressed jeans and had attempted to purchase a pair  from Victoria's Secret. But, when I finally clicked "Add to Bag," they were sold out of my size. Bummer. One evening, as Jon and I were strolling through the mall, we stopped into Aeropostale, which was having a big end of season sale. To my delight, I found these beauties, and they are currently my favorite jean. The kicker: originally priced at around $45, I bought them for a little less than $16. You can't go wrong with a buy like that!

3. Also in the leg covering department, I love, love, love my GAP Long & Lean Jeans. I first received them from a mother whose child was in my class when I worked at a preschool. She had bought them, never worn them, and they were on the way to the Salvation Army had she not offered them to anyone who could fit into them.. When told the size (which happened to correspond to my waistline), I volunteered to take them. I am still so glad I did. They wear great. The hem at the bottom of the legs is wider, which is a look I really like. And, there is a little flare to them, which makes them perfect to wear with just about any shoe. I have a light blue and a black pair. They are fabulous. The only downside is that they normally retail for almost $60 (currently on sale for $20), but when these jeans finally kick the bucket, I would not be opposed to saving my pennies and buying replacements. They're that desirable.  

4. My fourth staple is plain and simple-solid tees. They are so versatile. You can dress them up or down depending on what you pair with them, and since they are not trying to make a statement in and of themselves, they provide an effortless and solid foundation off of which you can build your look. I do prefer boat necks or v-necks over the regular circular collars. They accentuate my collar bones and shoulders better-features I rather like about myself. But I don't think anyone could do without a basic tee.

5. Boots that are made for walking round out my list. In the last few years, a black boot with a 2-3 inch heel has become a must-have for me. I was bequeathed a pair by my mother-in-law, which I wore into the ground. Then, I bought a new pair last year from Sears. The pièce de résistance came this year when I found this amazing 3-in-1 boot from Charlotte Russe. The material is flexible, so you can wear it at knee height, mid-calf, or a bit taller than your ankle. I own the grey pair pictured here as well as a black pair. I bought them during a buy one get one for $10 sale. Originally priced at $50, add $10 for the second pair, but subtract 10% due to a text-in promotion, I got 2 pairs of boots for $56! Which if you think about it really equates to 6 pairs because of their adaptability. A major score! I only wish they came in brown too!



So there you have it! 5 of my wardrobe favorites. As I stated at the start, I would love to hear from you, reader, concerning what your favorite pieces are. I learn a lot about fashion from what I see on and learn from other people, so your feedback is valuable to me. I hope you had a wonderful New Year and look forward to what 2011 holds in store for this blog.