Happy Friday Eve! You may remember this dress from the summer {here} and I still can’t get enough of it! Although it is almost the end of September, we are still having some warmer days, like yesterday and today! This was the perfect opportunity to pair this dress with my leopard loafers and clutch {which is on sale!} with a floppy hat for the perfect early fall look. These loafers are older, but I love that they are still on point! {You can see some of my favorite loafers, and other fall shoes in yesterday’s post here}
One of my favorite things about chambray is that it is truly a blank slate. It is so easy to style, no matter what season, and this dress is SUPER comfortable. I cannot wait to wear this dress with leggings and boots when the fall temperatures arrive, but until then, I love accessorizing with lots of leopard 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!
Happy halfway through the week, friends! This week is going so fast, but I am totally fine with that! Last week, I shared with you some of my favorite fall trends all under $100 {you can see that post here}. And today, we are continuing to talk about fall trends but this time with shoes! Shoes are by far my favorite item to purchase, although I have WAY too many. I’m sure that my husband would testify to this since he trips over them in the morning because there just isn’t enough room in the closet!
Although there are many more shoe trends this fall, I’ve included three of my favorite: statement pumps, menswear flats and ’70s boots. There is no questioning my love for leopard, and I am thrilled that we are seeing these statement pumps again this fall. I love all the details on these heels, especially the back bow and the beading on the toe. These pumps can instantly make an outfit.
Loafers are some of my favorite shoes to wear, especially to work because they are super comfortable for long days. I have so many pairs of flats and probably do not need another pair, but I am obsessed with the tassel trend for fall. I love these silver flats with the tassel, but if you are looking for a non-tassel version, these are just as gorgeous!
And last, but not least, the ’70s trend can be found anywhere these days. I’ve already jumped on the flared jeans bandwagon, and the boots could be next. I love how fringe was incorporated into this pair for a fun, trendy boot. Not to mention, it’s also such a fabulous color for fall!
What are your favorite shoe trends for fall? Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Wednesday!
Happy Tuesday! I’ve been all about the quick weeknight meals lately. Don’t get me wrong, I always love quick dinners, but with our hectic schedule last week, it was definitely needed! {In case you missed yesterday’s post about that, you can read it here} And although our crazy week is over, yesterday was a recovery day and I had no desire to be in the kitchen making a complicated dinner after work!
I find that quick dinners are easier in the summertime — you can easily throw something on the grill or mix a salad together, but in the fall, it becomes more challenging. And with fall weather just around the corner, it’s time to start planning some quick meals. Yesterday in DC, it was cold! It actually didn’t make it out of the 60s which is pretty chilly for us for this time of the year. Naturally, when it’s cold, I always start craving comfort food. And what says comfort food more than pasta?!
For those of you who have been following along for awhile now, you may know about my obsession with Wegmans. Each season, Wegmans mails a magazine with the latest products, recipes and in-store events. I probably get way too excited for mail day! We just received our fall guide last week and while browsing, I saw these mushroom ravioli. The recipe that Wegmans provided was centered around a quick meal as well, but they used a store-bought sauce. I’m all for shortcuts, but I wanted to make my own sauce for a fresher, more healthy alternative. If you did decided to purchase the store-bought sauce, I definitely think this could be considered a 10 minute meal! {As a side note, I also bought the Eggplant Parmesan Ravioli. We had the ravioli with just a little olive oil and Parmesan cheese the other night and it was AMAZING!}
For those of you who do not have a Wegmans close by or cannot find the mushroom ravioli, you could easily substitute it for cheese or spinach ravioli. This quick and delicious pasta will be a go-to meal for the cooler months and it definitely satisfied the craving for a quick comfort food!
Mushroom Ravioli with Marsala Sauce & Greens
{what you will need: Marsala Sauce}
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces mushrooms {I used baby bella}
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 1/2 cup beef broth {I used low sodium}
Salt and pepper, to taste
{what you will need: ravioli}
2 {9 ounce} packages mushroom ravioli
{I used this but could easily substitute cheese ravioli}
5 ounces greens {kale, chard & spinach}
1 1/2 cups Marsala Sauce
Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Pepper, to taste
{directions}
Begin by preparing the Marsala Sauce. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Add the Marsala wine to deglaze the pan. Stir in the beef stock and allow to cook until the mixture becomes thick. Season with salt and pepper, if needed, and turn the temperature down to low. About 3 minutes before you are ready to serve, add the greens to the sauce and stir to combine {you want the greens to be just wilted}. Cook the ravioli according to package directions. Top the cooked ravioli with the Marsala and greens sauce and garnish with Parmesan cheese and black pepper, if desired.
Happy comfort food cooking and thanks for stopping by!
Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! I will have a new outfit post for you on Thursday, but a short explanation as to why I don’t have a new outfit for you today! This past weekend, our Rally for a Cause charity tennis tournament took place. After months of planning, we ran a wonderfully successful tournament and raised $4,500 for two charities. We grew from 37 players in 2012 to 96 players this year! We spent 12 hours at the courts each day, so needless to say, there wasn’t much time for outfit pictures this weekend!
So, since I wasn’t able to share an outfit with you today, I wanted to discuss one of my favorite store’s New York Fashion Week Presentation. Unfortunately due to work events and the tennis tournament, NYFW wasn’t in the cards for me this year, but I wanted to share some of the trends we will be seeing in Spring/Summer 2016 from J.Crew.
I don’t know about you, but I am having a difficult time thinking about spring right now — I’ve got sweater weather, boots and anything pumpkin on my mind! But, it’s still fun to start planning for the fresh spring weather — needless to say, it’s always welcomed with open arms after a cold winter! There is no doubt I love prints, and gingham and stripes could possibly be two of my favorites! This gingham dress is SO perfect…I love the v-neck, wrap style and the side bow is just icing on the cake!
This striped, nautical look screams spring! I have been obsessed with this nautical trend for the past few springs, and I am so glad to be seeing it again. And I love how these nautical pants are on the high-waisted side, which we have been seeing a lot this fall.
And, lastly, this green, off-the-shoulder, plaid dress is definitely something to add to your spring wish list. Not only do I love the shades of green in this plaid print, but I am beyond excited that we will be seeing the off-the-shoulder trend next season. I didn’t totally jump on the off-the-shoulder train this past spring and summer, but I am very much looking forward to finding the perfect piece come spring.
Since we do have a few months to get our spring wish list together, I wanted to share a few of the J.Crew arrivals that I’m currently loving! Just this past weekend, I really started to notice that fall is just around the corner. There was a chill in the air yesterday and the leaves are beginning to change. It’s time to start planning your fall wardrobe, because sweater weather is upon us!
Happy Friday Eve! As you can see, the hair extensions were still in when I took these pictures. I love how the curls started to loosen as time went on — I could definitely get use to this long hair! In case you missed Monday’s post about my experience with IrresistibleMe hair extensions, you can read it here 🙂
You may remember a few weeks ago I styled this dress for an end of summer look. I was very much looking forward to wearing the dress as we transitioned into fall and today I wanted to share with you one of the ways I have styled it since the unofficial end of summer last week. I had been searching for a faux leather jacket since last fall and never was able to find one that (a) was at a good price point and (b) didn’t look like plastic. During the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I saw this jacket online and with only one day left of the sale, I made a split second decision to buy it. And I’m so glad I did! I love the moto jacket feel and the zippers are so fun. Also, it’s under $100 even after the sale!
The leather jacket and open-toe booties completely transform this floral dress into a more edgy look that is perfect for the fall temperature change. Although it’s a little “out of the box” for me, I’m really loving this trendy outfit! Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and see you on Monday!
Happy Wednesday! There are so many trends I am loving for fall, it was hard to share just three of them with you today! There is no question I love the classics, but I think it’s fun to incorporate trendy pieces of the moment into your wardrobe as well. But, when it comes to trendy pieces, it’s not necessary to break the bank! So in that spirit, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite trends for fall that are all under $100!
We started to see a lot of fringe during the spring and summer months and I’m so excited it is continuing into fall. Although I haven’t actually jumped on the fringe train yet and purchased something, I think I could definitely get behind these cute fringe booties. With the block heel and the open-toe style, they are made for comfort and fall days!
My favorite of the fall trends has to do with the colors. For a few weeks now, I have mentioned how I am loving the crimson and dark green colors this fall {see here}, and these three pieces are no exception. There is something so rich and sophisticated about this olive green color and I just can’t get enough of it. Especially this dress — it would be perfect for the warmer September days and could easily be paired with a jacket and boots for the cooler fall weather.
Last, but not least, the ’70s. Although you may classify fringe as part of the ’70s vibe, all I can think about are these flared jeans! I have been obsessing over flares for a few months now and finally ordered a pair {I wish some of my flares that I wore back in middle school still fit!} and I cannot wait for them to arrive. I loved the style back then and I am so glad it is making a comeback.
I’ve included a few more of my favorite pieces for each of the trend below — I found so many pieces I loved, I couldn’t fit them all in a collage! What are your favorite trends for fall? Any fabulous trendy purchases you have made recently? Do tell! 🙂
Has anyone else been super busy lately? Do you find it difficult coming up with new {and most importantly!} quick meals for the weeknights? If you are anything like me, life is so busy! To say this week is hectic is an understatement. With an event going on with my work during the week and co-chairing a charity tennis tournament this coming weekend, it’s going to be a stressful few days! So, please forgive me if I am a little MIA this week!
As much as I love to cook, making complicated meals on weeknights isn’t always that practical. And I am really not a huge fan of takeout, so I am constantly trying to come up with new quick and healthy meals. Salads are a simple and healthy dish that are easy to mix up with different ingredients. But, I have to share with you my latest trick to keep meals quick on the week nights. It’s two words: rotisserie chicken. This is a HUGE time saver for weeknight meals.
While at the grocery store on Saturday, I will buy a store-bought rotisserie chicken, take all the meat off {I discard the skin/my husband eats it!} and place it in a freezer bag and stick it into the freezer. The morning of my planned chicken dinner, I take it out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. As soon as I get home from work, I take the chicken out a allow it to reach room temperature. You are now free to make any chicken dish you like! This is especially helpful for me because I really dislike chicken…especially raw chicken. I can tolerate every now and then, but it has to be covered in a sauce. I know, totally strange 😉
If you are looking for a delicious and quick weeknight meal, give this BBQ Chicken Salad a try — and try the rotisserie chicken too, it’s such a time saver!
BBQ Chicken Salad
{what you will need}
1 bag Romaine lettuce {I used half a bag of Romaine & half a bag of Arugula}
1 rotisserie chicken {chopped into bite sized pieces}
1/4 cup barbecue sauce {just enough to coat the chicken}
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese {I used low fat}
Garnish: ranch dressing, tortilla strips
{directions}
Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add the barbecue sauce and stir to completely coat the chicken. In a large bowl, add the lettuce, red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla strips and any other ingredients you like. Top the salad with the chicken and ranch dressing, if desired. Mix and serve.
Happy weeknight cooking and thanks for stopping by!
Happy Monday, friends! No, your eyes are not fooling you and no my hair didn’t magically grow overnight — my hair is significantly longer in today’s post! Today, I want to share with you IrresistibleMe Hair Extensions. Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted really long hair. My mom can testify to the fact that I had long clip in hair and fake pony tails from the time I was in elementary school. Since I have very fine hair, my mom always wanted to keep my hair short growing up. By the time I was in high school, I decided to grow my hair out. Although, as soon as it would reach a certain point, the ends would look thin and I would eventually cut it back to it’s normal length.
I have always been interested in hair extensions, but never was able to find extensions of good quality. When IrresistibleMe contacted me about reviewing their hair extensions, I was super excited to give them a try. Never having had extensions, I was pretty clueless on how to attach them. I went to my local blowout bar, FLOW Blow Dry Bar, and not only did they attach the extensions, but also styled it in these gorgeous curls! Not to worry if you don’t have a blowout bar or salon near you, you can easily clip them in yourself.
When choosing your extensions, you will have the option of color, weight {hair thickness} and length. For me, I went with the Royal Remy in Royal Honey Blonde, 18 inch extensions and 140 grams for thickness. When I first took the extensions out of the box, I could not believe how perfect of a match they were to my own hair color. The girls at FLOW were also impressed by the quality of the hair, along with it’s thickness. They even said it was some of the best extensions they’ve seen!
As for the process, it was pretty straight forward. My hair was teased just a little to give the extensions something to attach to, since I have super fine hair. After putting three sets of extensions around the back of my head, two at the top and two at the sides, the extensions and my own hair were curled and perfectly styled. My hair looks pretty curly here, but the curls did loosen as the day went on.
And since these IrresistibleMe hair extensions are 100% human hair, I am looking forward to styling them again on my own soon! I would definitely recommend giving extensions a try if you have ever considered them. Not only did my extensions add length, but I loved the body and thickness that also came along with them!
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!
I was provided with product for my review; however, all opinions remain my own.
There is no question I am in total fall mode {I’ve only mentioned it about a hundred times, right?!} But my love for fall goes beyond my wardrobe. I love anything and everything pumpkin. It’s as if the first day of September brings all these fall feelings, and cravings of pumpkin spice lattes. Last year, I shared a simple pumpkin muffin with a vanilla glaze. The muffin recipe only has three ingredients and makes for the perfect sweet treat. As much as I love this version, I have been making it for a few years now and I wanted to {literally} spice the recipe up! I substituted the vanilla cake mix for a spice cake mix, which only enhanced the flavors of the season. You can easily add the vanilla glaze or even a cream cheese frosting to this spiced version, but I personally like them plain. So if you are looking for a quick and easy pumpkin recipe, give this one a try. They are so delicious, I could literally eat an entire pan! P.S. For those of you who follow me on Snapchat {rach.mccarthy7} I only ate one of the muffins last night — and one this morning 🙂
Pumpkin Spice Muffins
{what you will need}
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1 spice cake mix {I used Duncan Hines}
A few tablespoons milk {I used about 2 tablespoons almond milk}
{directions}
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the cupcake wrappers in a cupcake pan. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and the can of pumpkin. Stir very well {it will be thick}. Add a few tablespoons of milk to help with the consistency. Fill each cupcake wrapper about 3/4 full. Take the back of a spoon to round the tops of each muffin {the batter does not settle much during baking}. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the tops of the muffins begin to brown. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely. Makes 12 muffins.
{optional glaze}
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
{glaze directions}
Pour the milk into the confectioners’ sugar and mix well. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Once the muffins have completely cooled, spoon the icing over each muffin covering all sides.
Happy Wednesday! Don’t you just love these short weeks — we are already halfway through! Now that Labor Day is behind us, I have really started thinking about my fall wish list. I am loving all the jeweled tones for fall: like this faux fur vest and this blouse. But, what I am most excited for is the return of leopard! Don’t get me wrong, I love leopard year round, but fall seems especially appropriate to wear my favorite print. And how cute are these leopard lace-up flats?! I’ve been searching for a pair of lace-up flats for a few months now and I think I found the ones I need. Best part: they are under $50!
Also, I am obsessed with this reversible tote — isn’t it perfect for back to school?! It comes in a few colors, but I think the blush and beige is my favorite. Although it is kind of spring/summery, I can never pass up any shade of pink! I don’t know about you, but my fall wish list is growing my the day. Now if the weather would just cooperate… 🙂
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