MDW Sales

Happy Sunday! There are so many great sales happening right now! I've rounded up my top product picks from Nordstrom and included some sales happening at a few of my favorite stores below. Hope you all are having a great weekend!

Nordstrom: Up to 40% off, including major designers

J.Crew: 40% off with code WEEKEND 
Banana Republic: Extra 40% off with code BRTAKE40
Ann Taylor: 50% off full-price purchases & extra 40% off sale with code SUMMER50 Anthropologie: Extra 30% off all sale items

10 Ways You're Stopping Yourself From Meeting "The One"

Feel like you've been searching far and wide but haven't had any success in finding "the one"? Tired of feeling like your person just might not exist? News flash: you're not alone! And you won't be using #foreveralone forever. But let's be real, you could probably improve the way you're going about meeting your dream guy/girl. Here are 10 Ways You're Stopping Yourself From Meeting "The One":

1. You're not making any time to date.
How are you going to meet him/her if you're not making it a priority in your life?

2. Your expectations are WAY too high - read: impossible.
Nobody is perfect. Make a list of non-negotiables -- characteristics that you can't live without in a partner, but remember that everyone has flaws, including you. It's okay, even IMPORTANT to have high standards, but make sure your standards aren't impossible to meet. Keep your list of non-negotiables someplace where you can review them semi-frequently. Make a list of "nice to haves" too -- things that are not "required" but would be nice to have in a partner.

3. You haven't done enough soul searching, so you don't know what you want/need in a partner.
If you don't know yourself well enough, you won't know what your non-negotiables and nice to haves are. 

4. You won't even try online dating.
I met my significant other online. I was skeptical of the process at first, but here we are three years later! It's not for everyone, but at least give it a try. Protip: if there are certain characteristics that are non-negotiables for you, i.e. you want to date a Christian, try a Christian dating website and save yourself a lot of wasted time. Protip #2: Text at least one friend the name of the person you're meeting, location, day and time for safety precautions.

5. Your idea of a relationship watering hole is a bar. (Hint: it's probably not.)
Some people meet their significant others at a bar and that is totally fine. No judgment. But at least in LA I do not know that many people who go to bars looking for the love of their life. They typically are hanging out with friends (and are not even open to meeting new people,) or are looking for some casual fun. 

6. You aren't investing in dating or the idea that you are a hot catch.
You need to invest in yourself first before you can expect someone else to invest in you. Enough said. Two books that helped me in my very early twenties after I graduated college and went through a devastating breakup are Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey and Why Men Love Bitches by Sherry Argov.

7. You refuse to get set up.
If your friends or parents have someone they think you'd be great with, don't shy away from that! I know it might get annoying if you've been set up a ton before and you feel like you're "the single friend everyone wants to set up." Maybe you've heard "I have someone GREAT for you to meet -- you'll be perfect together!" one too many times. If that's the case, show your match making friend or family member your list of non-negotiables and nice to haves. That way they won't waste your time or the other person's if they clearly don't meet the items on your list. 

8. You don't have any hobbies.
You need to have things that you like to do, for you.

9. You have too many hobbies (see #1)
If you have too many hobbies, you won't be creating space to date. If you don't create space to meet someone, how do you expect to find him or her?

10. You've never been to therapy and you''ll never go, either. 
Therapy in the traditional sense is not for everyone. My personal belief is that it can be vital in figuring out who you are and what is important to you. Maybe your therapy is yoga or walking your dog. If you have that thing in your life that allows you to reflect, learn from past mistakes, see yourself and your goals, and really know what you desire in a partner, then that counts. The real deal might not hurt either, especially if you meet with a therapist you really connect with. That is key.

***

What do you think of this list? Anything you think I missed? Which item resonates with you the most? Happy soul searching!

Los Angeles Business Journal Women's Summit

Today I went to the Los Angeles Business Journal Women's Summit for work! I'm so grateful I got to hear from so many inspiring women in business.

Here are some key things I learned that I hope you'll find helpful, too!

1. Ask for what you need
Too often women are too shy to ask for what they need. A woman might never ask for it or might ask for it when it's a little too late. Don't be afraid to speak up! Let your voice be heard! What you have to say is important and you should voice your concerns. Do you think (stereotypically) a man has trouble asking for what he needs?

2. You can't be good at everything
Figure out what you're bad at (if you don't already know) and delegate/outsource to someone who can do it better than you. It's fine to want to learn new skills but some things we will just never be exceptional at and that's okay. Don't shoot yourself in the foot because you're trying to be perfect at everything.

3. Life and business are like a sport
Grab your people, create a team, rely on each other, practice, practice, practice. Some days you'll win the game and others you'll lose. Keep picking yourself up and dusting yourself off and get back in the game.

4. Success requires an army
See item #2. You can't do it alone. You need to know who your people are, have faith in yourself, and build a community who will support you on your way to greatness.

5. Have a model for your life
Define your purpose, visualize yourself achieving your goals and realizing your dreams, make a roadmap on how to get there, practice and persevere. If you need some ideas of what to strive for, try finding someone to admire/emulate. Read biographies for inspiration (they don't have to be women!)

Flight to Catalina Island!

Happy Monday! So...

Did I ever tell you guys about the day SH and I flew to Catalina Island??!

#nofilter :-p

As some of you may know, my boyfriend, (aka SH,) is a pilot and is very avid about all things airplanes. He eats, breathes, and sleeps airplanes (every book or magazine he reads are practically all aviation related!) He co-owns an airplane and we flew it with our friend Mike to Catalina Island a few weekends ago. It takes less than an hour to get there from where we are in SoCal so we popped over and had lunch at the airport restaurant. It was soo delicious!!

Buffalo burgers om nom nom

Did you know Catalina Island has buffaloes? Random, right?

View of the island from the air

When you get to the airport it looks like this:

And you find your way to the cute little restaurant which looks like this:

Isn't it charming?? It looks like a vineyard, no??

The outside patio where we ate. We saw a fox too!! He was very cute and got very close to us humans!

It was such a beautiful day, we got really lucky with the weather. After lunch we took the airport trail and went for a little hike. These views are NOT filtered - it's the real deal! So gorgeous! If you get the chance to visit Catalina sometime, I highly recommend it!

Instagram Roundup

Hey babes! It's been a while since I've done an Instagram roundup! If I couldn't find the exact item I linked similar items/styles. I hope you find something you love! Don't forget you can shop my Instagram by signing up for Liketoknow.it and liking my instagram photos. Then my outfit details will be sent straight to your inbox! :) Let me know if you have questions about anything!

Dress (pink color is sold out) almost exact dress in hot pink here |
Heels (nude color is sold out, cute alternatives here and here)

 

Top | Hat (cheaper hat option here, less than $25) |
 Necklace | Bag

 

Top | Jeans | Booties (more summery open-toe alternative here) |
 Hat (cheaper hat option here for less than $25) | Necklace | Bag

Sunnies | Perfume | Bag | Phone case

Dress (sold out but another cute Chicwish dress here) Also love  this dress | Platform sandal dupes (40% off!) | Clutch | Bracelets | Ring | Sunnies | Hat (cheaper hat option here for less than $25)

Dress (This exact print is sold out - linked the same dress in a different pattern) |
Platform sandal dupes (40% off!)

Platform sandal dupes (40% off!)

 Top (sold out, similar here) | Platform sandal dupes (40% off!) | Ring | Bracelets | Hat (cheaper hat option here for less than $25) 





Dress | Shirt | Necklace

Tie Dye Maxi Dress

Tie Dye Maxi Dress c/o The Mint Julep Boutique | Similar sandals here and here | Similar woven totes here and here | Sunnies (less than $90! Designer dupes for these!) 

Similar hat here | Bracelets

 

Hey babes!! Happy Monday! Did everyone have a good weekend and a nice Mother's Day? 

I feel super lucky because I got to spend all of yesterday with my mom and dad :) I wore this amazing boho chic tie dye maxi dress from The Mint Julep Boutique yesterday for our Mother's Day festivities. SH and I popped over to the beach for a quick photoshoot before kicking off mom's day with some homemade breakfast and gifts, then I planted some succulents for mom as part of her Mother's Day gift lol and then mom and I went to Target to run some errands! A jam packed, fun day! No, I did not plant succulents in this dress lol it's way too pretty to get dirty! I did change back into it immediately after planting though because I'm obsessed! Have you guys heard of The Mint Julep Boutique any way?! They're an online retailer and all of their stuff is so cuuute! I guarantee you will wear this tie dye maxi dress all summer long. It's got two high slits which add a fun and sexy flair. It also has a pretty/sexy low back to show off those back muscles you're working on before bikini season ;) I paired it with a panama hat I got two seasons ago from J.Crew and a straw tasseled tote. To accessorize I added an arm party and some cute sunnies! I seriously want to wear this dress every weekend! The detailing is so cute and don't you just love the tie dye print? Thanks for reading!

Tie Dye Maxi Dress c/o The Mint Julep Boutique | Similar sandals here and here | Similar woven totes here and here | Sunnies (less than $90! Designer dupes for these!) 

Similar hat here | Bracelets

Shop the post:

Guest Post from Thays of Silly Crazy Me! Mother's Day Gift Guide!

Hey beauties!! Sorry for the lapse in posting, I have had a crazy couple of weeks with two BEAUTIFUL back to back weddings, changing jobs, travel, etc. But I'm back in action with an awesome guest post from my blogger friend Thays of Silly Crazy Me! I'm super excited for you to meet her today and if you don't follow her on social media or read her blog yet, you need to! She is all about being fashionably unfashionable, or finding your own way in the fashion world and wearing what makes you, YOU! She also operates on a budget which I love! Here are her picks for Mother's Day which is THIS SUNDAY!! Read on for her post :) 

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Hello friends! My name is Thays and I write a fashion blog, Silly Crazy Me. I am so happy to be a guest blogger on my friend Christine’s blog. She is the sweetest human being and I wish she did not live all the way in California!

Since mother’s day is just around the corner, I thought I would share with you guys 6 gift ideas that you can give your mother this year. The best part is that they are all under 50 dollars. On my blog, I try my best to only share things that are at a reasonable price range because most of us do not have a crazy amount of money to spend.

The types of gifts I love giving my mom is things that I know she will use. My mom is someone who loves to take care of herself! She always goes to the gym and worries a lot about her beauty/health. You have to remember that each mom is different so you still need to make sure that what you are giving her is something that you know she will love.

 

1.  MAMA BEAR: I thought that this shirt was the cutest thing and it is perfect to just wear around the house on lazy days. Since I am a graphic design major in college, fonts and graphics are very important to me. I thought that this shirt had a lovely feminine font and the little heart at the end adds a nice touch.
2.  COOK BOOK: I chose the book Cravings by Chrissy Teigen because first I love her and secondly this book is amazing. It gives you perfect recipes for days that you feel like dumping your diet. Since my mom is always working out, I thought this book would be nice for her to try whenever she wants to have a break from being healthy.  You can choose a cookbook that goes with the types of food your mother loves. Maybe that is Italian or even a vegan.
3. _{SKIN CARE:}  Most moms never have time to do anything for themselves. They are always busy worrying about their kids, work, and everything else. On mother’s day, I love to pamper my mom. I do not have the money to buy her a facial or a massage, but I do have money to buy little goodies that she can use for herself. This can include face masks, lush bath bombs, lotions, or anything else that will make her feel amazing/relaxed. I heard that the brand Purity was great so I popped it on the list in case you wanted to try it.
4. PRETTY NAILS: I do not know about your mom but my mom is always getting her nails done…at least once ever 2-3 weeks. Since she loves having pretty nails, I thought I would add nail polish to the list of gifts. I love Essie nail polish because of all the different colors they have. My favorite is urban jungle!
5.  ART PRINTS: As you guys read before, I am a graphic design major. So, I love posters and art. I was searching online for good companies that sell high quality posters when I found Society 6. They have some really cute designs for a not so crazy price. I think prints are a great gift for moms because you can find something she likes and frame it so that she can put it around her house.
6. MAKEUP: I am the type of person who will walk into Sephora and walk out with no money. I absolutely love makeup and I think it is a great gift to give your mom. Whenever I say makeup, it does not mean you have to give her lipsticks or foundations. Instead, you can give her other makeup essential or even a gift card. I know that some moms don’t really like to wear makeup and that is okay. Maggs London is a company that sells adorable makeup bags that can be used in different ways. Usually what I do for my mom is get her a little cute bag and put all her gift inside it. This way she can keep that bag to store whatever she wants.

I hope that this post helped you come up with some ideas to give your mother this year. Don’t forget to shop for YOUR mom. Maybe my list wasn’t exactly what your mom would love and that’s okay. Use these last few days before mother’s day to get to know your mom. Think about what she always wears or enjoys doing. Then go out and buy her something or make something that she will love. Because at the end of the day, your mother will love whatever you get her…even if that is one big hug.

Love,

Thays

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