A Blonde's Moment

Blush Pink Spring Cardigan

March 23, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

Blush pink, spring blooms and tulips: just a few of the best spring things. Now that spring has officially arrived, light layers and fresh colors are ready to become a part of your daily wardrobe. And this blush pink cardigan is one of my can’t live without items for spring.

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Blush Cardigan: Halogen via Nordstrom {available in 10 colors & under $70 — this is the “pink peach” color} | White Blouse: old {similar style HERE} | Jeans: Old Navy | Lace-Up Flats: Halogen, last season {similar HERE} | Bag: Sole Society | Earrings: Gray Monroe c/o {style is “seed bead”} | Watch: MICHELE | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Lips: Snob & Turkish Delight

I picked up this cardigan a few months ago {you may remember it in black from THIS post} because I knew it would be a great sweater to have come spring. With it’s lightweight, linen fabric, it will be easy to wear into late spring and even on cool summer nights. I had been waiting for the trees to bloom before photographing these pictures and they were almost there until the snow came last week. This was the pink-iest tree we could fine last weekend so we went with it. Since the cardigan is such a closet staple for this time of the year, I didn’t want to wait another week to share it with you in case it sold out! As a side note, by Monday afternoon the trees were in full bloom. Isn’t that always the way?!

I hope you all have a great weekend! Any fun plans? We are off to the beach this weekend to celebrate Ella’s 5th birthday! Although her birthday isn’t until Monday, we are making a long weekend of it and thankfully the weather is suppose to be nice. We take her to the beach every year for her birthday {it’s her favorite place in the whole world!} and each year it is freezing. We’ve actually had snow for the past two years! Needless to say we are looking forward to the 60 and 70 degree temperatures they are forecasting 😉 Be sure to follow along on Instagram {rach.mccarthy} and Snapchat {rach.mccarthy7} to get a peek of the birthday girl at the beach! See you back here on Monday, friends!

This post is linked with: Mix & Match Fashion | Twenties Girl Style | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color | Pumps and Pushups | Thursday Fashion Files | Rachel The Hat | Fashion Friday | Friday’s Fab Favorites | Daily Style Finds | East Coast Chic | Friday Favorites | Casual Friday | My Refined Style

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Staple Spring Pieces: Splurge vs. Save

March 22, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

Spring Outfit Inspiration on a Budget A Blonde's Moment

There is no better way to start off a Wednesday than with an all new splurge vs. save! This week, I’m sharing a few spring staples, at both price points.

You can’t talk about spring’s hottest trends without mentioning a few of these items. Here are a few of my favorites:

Bell sleeves and ruffles go with spring like peanut butter and jelly. I can’t get over the price difference between THIS splurge bell sleeve top and THIS save top. And same goes for the chambray dress: THIS designer version is more than $400 more than THIS save version. Personally, I think I like both save versions better!

Since there is no denying my love for shoes, I couldn’t help but to include both of these pairs in the post. Lace-up sandals and slide loafers are both trends for spring and after seeing the save versions of both of these, I knew I had to include both in the post! The splurge sandals are so similar to the save sandals, the only striking difference is the tassel on the save version. And when it comes to the slide loafers, they are pretty similar too. With the exception of the number of tassels and a slightly different shade of beige, these are almost clones of each other!

Lastly, I will never pass on the chance to share a leopard find with you and the clutches are no exception! I have loved THIS splurge clutch for years, but since I already have a similar style from Mark and Graham {you may remember it from THIS post}, it was never economical to purchase one so similar — especially at that price. But, with THIS save version, I could totally justify the under $50 price tag. Now, do I reallllly need another leopard clutch? 🙂

What are your favorite spring staples? Do you like more from the splurge or the save side? Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Wednesday, friends!

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Mediterranean Breakfast Quesadillas

March 21, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

After reading through the reader surveys, make ahead and freezer friendly breakfast recipes were one of the most requested kind of recipes. And I totally get it because I struggle with ideas too! Everyone has a busy schedule, and coming up with healthy and quick meals can be a challenge. Going forward, I will be sticking to mostly quick and healthy recipes: breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner recipes that are perfect for the busiest of schedules. Although, there could be a splurge-worthy treat every once in a while, especially around holidays 🙂 Without further ado, here is the latest freezer friendly breakfast recipe: Mediterranean Breakfast Quesadillas.

breakfast quesadillas recipe A Blonde's Moment

It’s probably pretty obvious by now that we really like Mexican food in our house and finding a way to incorporate one of our favorite cuisines into breakfast had me oh so excited. For me, there are only so many ways to eat an egg sandwich. Yeah, you can switch up the toppings or have it on an English muffin instead of toast or a bagel, but that has been done and re-done so many times.

Since we have Mexican at least once a week for dinner, I typically have tortillas on hand, looking for a way to use them up before they expire. Sometimes, I will make homemade chips, but a few weeks ago when I realized that I needed to use these tortillas sooner rather than later, I thought of making breakfast quesadillas. Not that breakfast quesadillas are by any means an earth shattering idea, but it was definitely different from the usual toast and other breakfast breads. And instead of the typical eggs, cheese and bacon, I thought I would put a Mediterranean spin on these and add spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Check out the recipe below. Once these are cooled, you can easily wrap them in plastic wrap and foil and store them in the freezer for a quick, on the go breakfast!

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Mediterranean Breakfast Quesadillas

by Rachel McCarthy March-21-2017

Ingredients

10 ounce bag fresh spinach
8 – 8 inch tortillas
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
16 ounces egg whites
1/3 cup feta cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Cook egg whites, scrambling, over medium heat. Transfer cooked egg whites to a clean plate. In the same skillet, add olive oil and cook spinach just until wilted; season with salt and pepper. To assemble quesadillas, place one tortilla on flat surface and top with enough egg whites to cover the tortilla, leaving a border around the edge. Top with desired amount of spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Heat a clean skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Transfer quesadilla to skillet and brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas. Once cooled, wrap the quesadillas in plastic wrap and foil and place in the freezer until ready to eat. To warm frozen quesadillas: wrap quesadilla in damp paper towel and microwave for about 2 minutes, or until warm. Enjoy!

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Thanks for stopping by, friends! Have a great Tuesday!

This post is linked up with: Tasty Tuesdays | Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday | Two Cup Tuesday | Weekend Potluck | SITS Girls

Best Spring Layer: The Utility Jacket

March 20, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Monday, friends! Now that we are halfway through March, I’m hoping to see only spring temperatures in the upcoming forecasts! On that note, today I am wearing the best {and one of my favorite} spring layers: the utility jacket. A style that seems to come back each and every year that is easy to style a number of ways, my favorite being with jeans, espadrilles and a sweater.

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Utility Jacket: Old Navy | Sweater: old {similar HERE} | Jeans: Current/Elliott | Bag: Tory Burch {updated style HERE} | Espadrilles: Marc Fisher | Earrings: Sheila Fajl | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Lipstick: #47 & #200

One of the reasons I love the utility jacket so much is because you can throw it on with just about anything for an extra layer. And with the crazy temperatures we have been experiencing, an extra layer is a total necessity! Usually, I pair THIS jacket with a short or long sleeve tee, but when I wore this out to a casual dinner Saturday evening, it was pretty cold {with a massive rain storm approaching as we were taking these pictures!} so I decided to wear a light weight sweater. Pair it with your favorite sandals {THESE have been on serious repeat for me when there hasn’t been snow on the ground!} and you have a comfortable and casual weekend look!

I hope you all have a great start to the week! Stop by tomorrow for an all new make ahead, freezer friendly breakfast recipe. As always, thanks for dropping by and see you tomorrow!

This post is linked up with: B Loved Boston | Fizz & Frosting | More Pieces of Me | Lipgloss & Crayons | Start the Week Stylish | Still Being Molly | Pink Sole | Fashion Frenzy | October Fashion Series | On Trend Tuesdays | Style Me Wednesday | Layers and Lipstick | Mix & Match Fashion | Twenties Girl Style | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color | Pumps and Pushups | Thursday Fashion Files | Rachel The Hat | Fashion Friday | Friday’s Fab Favorites | Daily Style Finds | East Coast Chic | Friday Favorites | Casual Friday | My Refined Style

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A Night Out in DC

March 16, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

Almost to the weekend, friends! Last Saturday, my husband and I attended the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Ball downtown D.C. It was our first black tie event here in D.C., so needless to say it was a fun excuse to dress up…and for a wonderful cause. Incredibly, that evening, LLS raised over $4 million — talk about impressive!

Sharing a different kind of post today: a super dressy look and more about my hair and makeup for the evening.

formal black and navy dress rent the runway

Dress: Pamella by Pamella Rolland via Rent the Runway | Shoes: Nordstrom {under $60!} | Clutch: old {similar HERE} | Earrings: Panacea | Bracelet: similar HERE | Ring: David Yurman | Lipstick:

Boldly Bare lip liner, mixed #47 with Kim KW, finished with #200

When we found out that we were attending the Ball, my first reaction was what will I wear! Rent the Runway has become a favorite of mine in the past year — this is in no way sponsored by RTR, I just have had really good luck with them! — so needless to say that’s where I started looking first. I love that you can narrow your search results down to style, color and even size. The color is so important to me because with my fair skin tone, I can only wear a few colors this time of the year! When I saw this one shoulder navy and black number, I just knew it was perfect. I loved the ball gown style, but it was a little more modern with the shorter front, which made walking a lot easier!

I’m normally not one to take a chance on a dress fitting without trying it on, but for the past few dresses I have ordered from RTR, I read the reviews to get a sizing idea. I have to say {knock on wood} each time the sizing and reviews have been spot on! This particular one shoulder beauty was true to size and I went with the long instead of the regular. I’m 5’8 and the length was perfect! As for accessories, I thankfully didn’t have to buy anything to go with the dress {don’t you love it when that happens!} and my husband was able to rent a navy and black tux.

Since it is starting to get close to wedding and bridal shower season, I thought a dressier post was fitting. My cousin is getting married this summer and I know that I will be renting from RTR again, the process is so easy and so much more cost effective.

Just a quick note about my hair and makeup: I decided since it was a formal event, I would add my Irresistible Me hair extensions {original post HERE} for a fun hairstyle. For those interested, my extensions are the Royal Remy in Royal Honey Blonde, 18 inch extensions and 140 grams for thickness. As for the makeup, I went with a blush/pink palette for a fresh look.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! You can find me in the kitchen all weekend working on upcoming food post and food prep for next week. My no carb diet ends Saturday morning and I could not be more excited! I’ll be sharing the results and a few of my favorite recipes in the coming weeks. Thanks for stopping by!

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Spring Statement Accessories

March 15, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Wednesday, friends! I hope all of you on the east coast survived the snow storm! We didn’t get too much snow but we did have some ice — I ended up staying home because I have about a 30 mile drive to my office and didn’t want to get stuck. It happened once and it was awful!

Anyways, all these bright and colorful pieces are just what we needed after a snowy day! Whether you are heading to a warmer climate or you are just ready to incorporate more fun spring pieces into your wardrobe, this post is for you! I am a firm believer in statement pieces. I think that you can easily wear a basic top, pants or a dress and by incorporating one or two statement accessories into your look, it can totally make the outfit. These are just a few of my current favorite spring accessories:

It would be difficult for me to pick a favorite kind of accessory, but statement earrings have to be pretty high on my list. I love THESE ombre tassel earrings and THESE sequin petal earrings would instantly dress up a look.

Another favorite accessory is a handbag. Although I have several classic bags, I think that having a few fun bags — specifically clutches — can really complete an outfit, especially in the spring or summer. How cute is THIS winking camel pouch?! I love all the tassels and pom pom details — it’s just too fun. Although, it is on the more expensive side for a trendy piece, but I think it could definitely be splurge worthy!

Lastly, shoes. Where to even begin! THESE lace up sandals are the prettiest color of yellow or citron {also available in other colors} and THESE fun pom pom and tassel slides are great to throw with shorts, skirts or even dresses. Both the lace up and slide styles are going to be trendy this spring and summer, and I can’t think of two better ways to wear these trends!

How do you feel about statement accessories? Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Reuben Dip with Shamrock Chips

March 14, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

With St. Patrick’s Day on a Friday this year, I thought it would be fun to share with you a quick and easy appetizer that would be perfect for a party or even just family while celebrating over the weekend. And, a St. Patrick’s Day recipe would not be complete without the cutest homemade shamrock chips!

For as Irish as I am {my maiden name also begins with a “Mc”!}, I’ve never been a huge fan of Irish food. One of my first experiences at an Irish restaurant was after moving into my freshman dorm room at college. My parents and I went out to dinner before orientation was to start and I got so sick after eating at that restaurant! I don’t know if it was food poisoning, but since then, I’ve kept my distance from Irish food. Not to mention, I’m not a huge meat eater and never really cared for corned beef or Reuben sandwiches. I decided that it was just a cuisine I didn’t care for…

Let’s just say this dip completely changed my mind about corned beef and made me feel like a true Irish girl! My mom made this dip a few weekends ago and she suggested sharing it with all of you since it was a quick and easy dish {thanks, mom!}. Ironically, I had already decided to share these cute shamrock chips for a St. Patrick’s Day post and this dip would complement the chips perfectly.

The dip is warm, creamy and delicious {a combination you truly can’t beat!} and the shamrock chips add just the right amount of crunch to every bite. You could easily serve the dip with vegetables, regular tortilla chips or other crackers, but with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, what better way to eat an Irish dip than with shamrock chips! Check out both easy and festive recipes below…

print recipe

Reuben Dip with Shamrock Chips

by Rachel McCarthy March-14-2017

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
4 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 ounces deli corned beef
1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1 package spinach tortillas

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cream cheese, mayo and Thousand Island dressing in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and stir in the Swiss cheese, corned beef, sauerkraut and chives. Spread mixture into baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. For the chips: Using a shamrock cookie cutter, or any other shape, place on the spinach tortillas to cut into shapes. Transfer to baking sheet and spray the chips with cooking spray and add a little salt. Cook about 10 minutes until crunchy.

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Thanks for stopping by, friends! Have a wonderful Tuesday!

This post is linked up with: Tasty Tuesdays | Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday | Two Cup Tuesday | Weekend Potluck | SITS Girls

Spring Trend: Cold Shoulder Top

March 13, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Monday, friends! This top is like two spring trends in one shirt. With the cold shoulder style and ruffle detailing, it’s easy to pair with jeans for a casual look or dressed up for the perfect spring date night look.

Cold Shoulder Top: Gray Monroe c/o {currently sold out, but keep checking back — other cute styles HERE} | Jeans: J.Crew | Espadrilles: Marc Fisher | Clutch: Mark and Graham {similar HERE} | Ring: David Yurman | Watch: Kate Spade | Earrings: J.Crew, sold out {love THESE} | Sunglasses: Le Specs | Lipstick: Kim KW

Black and cognac is one of my favorite color combinations in the fall and I’ve even been continuing this color combination into spring mainly because I want to wear these espadrille sandals every chance I get! And if there is one print that goes with black and cognac it’s leopard. Unfortunately, it seems that Mark and Graham is no longer carrying the clutch in the leopard print {you can see the same clutch in different colors HERE} but HERE is a similar leopard clutch if you are searching for one. Also, one more note about this cute top: it is currently out of stock, but keep checking back. Gray Monroe has so many cute tops and dress for spring and summer and they are super affordable! You can see the full collection HERE.

Apologies for the shorter post today. We have had a crazy weekend and have been trying to prepare for the snow storm that is starting tonight. As of now, they are forecasting 8-12 inches for us, let’s just hope the totals don’t go up! Although I’m dreading dealing with the snow, we have hardly had an inch this entire winter so I guess we were due. I just wish it wasn’t happening in March when my flowers have started blooming!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to come back tomorrow for a St. Patrick’s Day inspired recipe! Have a great start to the week, friends!

This post is linked up with: B Loved Boston | Fizz & Frosting | More Pieces of Me | Lipgloss & Crayons | Start the Week Stylish | Still Being Molly | Pink Sole | Fashion Frenzy | October Fashion Series | On Trend Tuesdays | Style Me Wednesday | Layers and Lipstick | Mix & Match Fashion | Twenties Girl Style | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color | Pumps and Pushups | Thursday Fashion Files | Rachel The Hat | Fashion Friday | Friday’s Fab Favorites | Daily Style Finds | East Coast Chic | Friday Favorites | Casual Friday | My Refined Style

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The Top That’s On Repeat

March 9, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

A couple of weeks ago, I dressed up this printed bell sleeve blouse with blush pumps for a blogging conference in DC. And just last Saturday, I wore the top again with more casual accessories making a comfortable weekend look.

Printed Blouse: Madewell, runs small, size up! {also HERE} | Cropped Jeans: cabi c/o last season, similar style HERE | Bucket Bag: Mark and Graham c/o | Espadrilles: Marc Fisher | Hat: Nordstrom, old {similar HERE} | Earrings: BaubleBar, also from BB & almost identical HERE | Watch: MICHELE | Ring: David Yurman | Lipstick: Snob, Turkish Delight

I know that I’ve mentioned it before, but I will say it again: this printed bell sleeve top is not only cute but so comfortable! You know that I always try to find pieces that are versatile and easy to wear both dressy and casual and this top truly accomplishes that. Next up, I’m planning to style it with a lighter wash of denim since there is that pretty light blue/periwinkle color in the print. As soon as we experience warmer temperatures because it’s back to cold for us this weekend. Just a heads up, the top runs pretty small so I sized up.

I wore this outfit a few Saturdays ago while exploring a cute little town not far from where my parents live. There was a huge Mardi Gras celebration going on and each of the shops and restaurants had events and specials for the day. We had the most amazing crab nachos at The Copper Fish — they were to die for! It was a gorgeous day, but rain was in the forecast for the afternoon. By the time 2pm rolled around, we noticed the sky was getting pretty dark so we decided to head back to my parent’s house. We had planned on stopping at a Virginia winery on the way home, but the rain had already started so we decided to just head home. It all went downhill from there. My mom had to stop at the store to pick up a few things for dinner so my cousin and his fiancé and I decided to wait in the car since the rain was coming down pretty hard. As soon as my mom went in, the storm went into full force: half dollar sized hail, tables, carts and trash cans flying through the air and hail that was so loud it was deafening. The sky got really bright and I was like is this a tornado? All three of us freaked out and crouched down into the wheel well because we didn’t know what else to do! After about 5 minutes, it was over and my mom came out to see the hail that had accumulated in the parking lot — she had the look of utter shock on her face! Trees were down blocking the roads and trash cans and carts {that we saw fly by} were scattered all over the parking lot. If that wasn’t a tornado, it had to be pretty close! We all were so scared — needless to say I don’t have a future in tornado chasing 😉

Any fun plans for the weekend? We have big plans for Saturday night {which is completely unlike us} that require black tie attire! More on that next week 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

This post is linked with: Mix & Match Fashion | Twenties Girl Style | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color | Pumps and Pushups | Thursday Fashion Files | Rachel The Hat | Fashion Friday | Friday’s Fab Favorites | Daily Style Finds | East Coast Chic | Friday Favorites | Casual Friday | My Refined Style

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Top Spring Trends Under $100

March 8, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

top spring trends for 2017 A Blonde's Moment

Stripes: bell sleeve top | earrings | espadrilles | skirt

Yellow: eyelet dress | eyelet button down shirt | lace up sandals | tassel clutch {more HERE}

OTS & Cold Shoulder: dress | black cold shoulder top | ruffle cold shoulder top

Raw/Fringe Hem Jeans: fringe hem jeans | grey raw hem jeans | distressed raw hem jeans

With each new season, I always look forward to purchasing a few of the hottest trends. For me, it doesn’t make much sense to pay a lot for something that may or may not be in style next year {although, off the shoulder is still going strong!} — I like to save the expensive purchases for more classic pieces. In that spirit, I’m sharing a few of my favorite trends for spring and how you can snag this season’s hottest trends without breaking the bank.

First up is a trend that seems to appear each spring: stripes. Although, this year’s stripes are a little different. The usual nautical stripes {i.e. THESE cute espadrilles that are under $55!} are always a classic, but this spring there are a lot of bold statement stripes along with “banker stripes”. Obviously THIS skirt is the definition of bold stripes and with it’s bright colors, how can you not think of warmer temperatures? As for banker stripes {think Wall Street inspired and borrowed from the guys} THIS bell sleeve top is a perfect example. Priced at $78 and also available in the classic blue, this top also combines another trend that’s sticking around for another season: bell sleeves.

Next up is yellow. I truly have a love/hate relationship with the color. I always see dresses or sweaters that I love but feel that it makes me look washed out with my blonde hair and fair skin. But, after seeing more and more of the color for spring, it’s really growing on me and I might just have to take the yellow plunge! I typically stick with accessories when it comes to yellow and I can’t think of two more fabulous pieces to take you into spring and summer than THESE lace up fringe sandals {available in other colors} and THIS cute tassel clutch {also available in other colors}. Since this is the year to dive into yellow, I do have my eye on THIS eyelet midi dress. This dress is priced at $95 and could be worn from late spring to a warm weather vacation and all the way through summer. Now, I just need to work on getting a tan 🙂

As I mentioned above, the off the shoulder trend that was everywhere last spring, and even into fall and winter, is returning but there is also a different spin to the style: the cold shoulder. I love this modification to the off the shoulder top mainly because a strapless bra is not required! THIS black cold shoulder top with the ties on the sleeves elevates the classic black tee and is easy to dress down or dress up with the right accessories. And speaking of ties on the sleeves, how cute is THIS off the shoulder dress with the bows on the sleeves? And it’s under $50 making it a complete steal!

Last, but not least, the raw and fringe hem trend. I remember seeing a few raw hems last spring and summer, but the majority of them were designer jeans with a price of upwards of $200. But, when I discovered THESE raw hem jeans earlier this week with a price tag of $59, I couldn’t help but to put them in my shopping cart! And if you are fully ready to embrace the fringe trend THESE fringe hem jeans are totally for you. A similar fringe style in white is on sale for under $60 HERE.

What spring trends are you looking forward to most? I would love to hear in the comments section below! I’ve included the prices for each item in the tool below so you can check out all the deals. Have a wonderful Wednesday, friends!

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