A Blonde's Moment

Happy Fourth of July!

July 4, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Fourth of July, friends! I hope you are all enjoying the long holiday weekend. Just a quick post today to share with you some of my favorite sales happening now. With all these great sales, there are definitely a few things on my wish list!

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for a healthy weeknight recipe. Thanks so much for dropping by! Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Ann Taylor: 40% off full-price styles; Extra 60% off sale styles

Anthropologie: Extra 30% off sale items with code EVENBETTER

Banana Republic: Extra 50% off sale. Ends 7/7.

H&M: $4 deals, including tops & dresses. Ends 7/4.

J.Crew: 40% off summer styles & 40%-60% off sale with code COOLSTYLES. Ends 7/5.

Kate Spade: up to 50% off plus extra 30% off all sale with code SUNSHINE

Macy’s: 20% of & free shipping at $50 with code FOURTH. Ends 7/4.

Sephora: Choose 1 of 4 deluxe samples with any $25 purchase with code SPARKLE. Ends 7/4.

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Patriotic Look #2

June 30, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

cabi striped dress c/o | denim jacket, last season {similar style} | red sandals {this season HERE} | red bucket bag, sold out {in tan color HERE, similar red HERE} | cuff bracelet, link bracelet | sunglasses | red lipstick {#09}

With the Fourth of July weekend upon us, I just had to share another festive and patriotic look with you today! There is no denying my love for stripes, especially in the summer, so when I saw THIS cabi dress, I knew I had to have it.

I can’t lie and say this is my only striped dress, I actually have quite a few {oops!} But what I love about this striped dress is that it’s unlike any other one I have, or have seen for that matter! The high neckline, tie at the waist and tulip hem details make this nautical dress a fun twist on your standard striped summer dress.

And since we are celebrating the Fourth of July this weekend, I couldn’t resist pairing the dress with my favorite red accessories: my bright red bucket bag {similar style} and red sandals. As I mentioned in this post, I’ve been wearing them A LOT this summer! I also added my go-to denim jacket, a perfect accessory for a stripe dress while watching fireworks, right?!

What are your plans for the Fourth? I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

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Splurge vs. Save: Black & White

June 29, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Splurge: dress | sandals | watch | earrings | crossbody bag | lipstick {#01} | sunglasses

Save: dress | sandals | watch | earrings | crossbody bag | lipstick {candy yum-yum} | sunglasses

Sharing some summertime black and white outfit inspiration with you today! Splurge vs. Save is one of my favorite posts and I realized I haven’t shared one with you in awhile so I thought it would be fun to compare looks and obviously price points with this summer look.

Black and white are classic colors that look good no matter what season. In the summer, I love pairing a white sundress with black accessories and a bold lip — it’s classic, striking and more on the dressier side, which would be perfect for a date night!

Of all the splurge and save items, my favorite comparison is between THESE splurge sandals and THESE save sandals. I have the save sandals in nude {last seen HERE} and I’ve been wearing them so much this summer. At a fraction of the price, these save sandals are a must for your closet. Also, they are available in a variety of colors {brown and hot pink are next on my wish list} and are currently on sale!! Hurry and scoop them up before they are gone!

A few other things to note:
1) The entire “save” outfit is about $330.

2) The entire “splurge” outfit is almost $5,000!!

3) There are SO many designer dupes for a fraction of the price, including THIS splurge watch and THIS save watch! Often times, it’s great to stick with the save option!

What is your favorite splurge vs. save item? Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Patriotic Mini Berry Pies

June 28, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Tuesday! As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’m coming to you today with a fun spin on a classic summer dessert that is quick and easy and just in time for the Fourth of July. If you have been following along for awhile now, you may remember THIS berry pie I made last year for the Fourth. There is something about desserts with berries that are so perfect for the Fourth of July — red, white and blue perfection! And as delicious as the pie was last year, I wanted to share something that was a little less complicated, quick and ideal for a crowd this year.

When serving a crowd, I always love the idea of bite-sized or mini dishes. It allows your guests to try a little of everything and also makes for a cute presentation, especially when it comes to desserts. With the idea of serving a crowd in mind, I went with the most basic pie ingredients: refrigerated pie crust and canned pie filling. Although you could easily make your own pie crust and filling — I just went the “semi-homemade” route for this recipe 😉

In the patriotic spirit, I used blueberry and raspberry filling, but you could also use any other filling of your choice. To complete this bite-sized Americana pie, I added a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries. If you are looking for an even shorter cut, you could also top the pies with Cool Whip!

Check out the recipe below, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser! And so much easier than baking several pies if you are expecting company this weekend for all your Fourth of July festivities!

Thanks for dropping by and have a great Tuesday!

print recipe

Patriotic Mini Berry Bites

by Rachel McCarthy June-28-2016

A bite-sized version of the classic berry pie

Ingredients

1 refrigerated pie crust
20 ounces canned pie filling {I used a mix of blueberry & raspberry)
Whipped Cream or Cool Whip, if desired
Fresh berries, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place pie crust on floured surface and roll the crust until about 1/4 inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter (the one I used was a 3 1/2 inch circle) cut out the circles and place them in a mini muffin pan, making sure the crust fits tightly around the pan. Poke the crust with a fork as if it was a regular pie crust. Cook the crust for 4 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Fill the mini pies with the pie filling and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Cool completely before topping the mini pies with the whipped cream or Cool Whip and fresh berries. Serve and enjoy!

Yield: 16 mini pies

Printed Off the Shoulder

June 27, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

printed off the shoulder top {runs large, size down} | black jeans | pink monogrammed clutch | black sandals {under $60!} | pink tassel earrings | nameplate bracelet | black onyx ring | sunglasses | lipstick {#31}

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I had a busy weekend of cooking and photographing food posts, so stay tuned for those! Although, it wasn’t all work — I did get to play some golf and tennis on Saturday! Overall, it was a very productive weekend with the most gorgeous weather!

I know, another off the shoulder top! I have obviously completely embraced the trend and can’t seem to stop. But, the one thing I love most about THIS off the shoulder top is that it’s a lot different from the other ones I have or seen in stores: with the stone and black colors, it’s easy to dress up! And since it has more neutral colors, I’m looking forward to wearing it into early fall since it’s still pretty warm here during September.

Of course I couldn’t miss the opportunity to accessorize with my favorite pink accessories: tassel earrings and monogrammed clutch. As far as I’m concerned, pink goes with everything! And to complete the look, I went with THESE black patent leather sandals that are ridiculously comfortable! They are available in 10 colors and under $60! A great staple sandal for summer.

I hope you all have a great start to the week and see you back here tomorrow for a special Fourth of July dessert recipe! Thanks for dropping by!

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Classic & Patriotic

June 23, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

chambray shirt {under $30!} | white denim | red crossbody | red sandals, last season, this season HERE | David Yurman cuff bracelet, link bracelet | earrings | Karen Walker sunglasses via DITTO {first month of Endless Eyewear free with code ABLONDESMOMENT} | red lipstick {#09}

Happy Friday Eve, friends! We are one more day closer to the weekend! In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that I have started incorporating more patriotic colors into my wardrobe lately…and I obviously wasn’t kidding!

One of my favorite ways to change up a look is by wearing different accessories. Adding red accessories {like a bag, shoes and lipstick} is a great way to make a regular look more 4th of July-ready. Although, I must admit, I love this combination for all summer long. There is no denying my love for chambray each and every season {I wear THIS chambray shirt all the time, it’s definitely a closet staple} and pairing it with white denim gives a clean and crisp look — perfect for the summer months!

These particular red sandals were from last year, but I did link this year’s version and I think I actually like them more with the eyelet detail! When I bought these last year, they were on final sale and I honestly did not know how much I would wear them. I had one outfit in mind, but I figured they were on sale for a great price so I would get them. Only recently have I become a fan of the color red so I was pretty skeptical. Much to my surprise, I wore them a ton last summer and I have worn them at least three times in the last week {oops!} So if you are wondering how often you will wear bright red shoes and if you should buy them or not, I say buy them — they go with a lot more than you think in your closet!

As always, thanks so much for dropping by! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and see you back here on Monday!

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Fourth of July Outfit Inspiration

June 22, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Sharing a special Fourth of July Wednesday Wishes for you today! As I mentioned last week, I have been adding more red, white and blue into my outfits in preparation for the Fourth, which is only a little over a week away! No matter what your plans are for the holiday, I am sharing two patriotic looks I am currently loving.

red linen tank with fringe | navy tassel earrings | red lipstick {color: bang} | tortoise sunglasses {also available in white & rose pink} | retro floral shorts | navy fringe clutch {available in coral & yellow too — only $35!} | navy Jack Roger sandals

For look one, it’s all about THESE patriotic floral shorts! I have been searching for a fun pair of shorts for the past two months and have yet to actually buy one, but these might just be them. I always love floral prints and the red, white and blue is a fun twist on the typical floral colors. No summer outfit would be complete without two of the biggest trends: tassels and fringe! I have the tassel earrings covered for you in both looks {more on the red ones below!} and the fringe with THIS linen tank {also available in white, blue & navy!} and THIS cute clutch.

red tassel earrings {more colors HERE} | striped off the shoulder dress | patriotic straw tote | red lipstick {color: Starlett Scarlet} | cat eye sunglasses {only $12!} | red platform espadrilles {available in 7 colors!}

The second look is definitely more about the red accessories. I’m sure you know by now that I love matching the color of my accessories with my lipstick, so this look has my name written all over it! THIS patriotic tote, complete with the fun pom poms, makes a great accessory for the day or a day by the pool/at the beach! And I love THESE bright red platform espadrilles — they would look fabulous with dresses, skirts and even cropped pants. Lastly, I have been lusting over THESE tassel earrings for the past week. As much as I love the red {and I’m still searching for red earrings for my Fourth outfit!} they also happen to be available in hot pink. For me, hot pink always takes the cake 😉 You can see all the color offerings HERE….too many pretty shades!

What are your plans for the Fourth of July? Do you have your outfit picked out yet? I would love to hear in the comments section below!

Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and thanks for dropping by!

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Easy Frozen Dessert for Summer

June 21, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

It’s not often that I crave desserts. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind them every so often, but generally, I don’t have a major “sweet tooth”. But, when it comes to this Chocolate Almond Pie, I’m pretty sure I could eat the entire pie in one sitting, by myself…it’s that good.

I’ve always been a fan of the Hershey’s almond bar, the combination of chocolate and nuts is just so good! My mom has been making this pie for years and it is probably one of my favorite desserts ever. And it’s ridiculously easy to make with only three ingredients!

The best part is that upon taking the first bite of this deliciously creamy pie, you will have no idea it has only three ingredients. It seems way more fancy than that! If you aren’t a fan of the almonds, you can also easily use the regular Hershey’s chocolate bars instead. Check out the recipe below. These are the measurements we use, but you can adjust the chocolate to less or more depending on how much you like chocolate 😉

print recipe

Three-Ingredient Frozen Chocolate & Almond Pie

by Rachel McCarthy June-21-2016

A no-bake, three-ingredient pie that is the perfect dessert for summer!

Ingredients

12 ounces Cool Whip, additional for serving if desired
7 ounces Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds
1 Keebler Ready Crust 10 inch Graham Pie Crust

Instructions

Place the chocolate that has been broken into smaller pieces in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds, stir the chocolate and microwave in additional 15 second intervals until completely melted and smooth. In a large bowl, combine the Cool Whip and melted chocolate, mixing until combined. Pour the Cool Whip mixture into the graham cracker crust, making sure the top of the pie is smooth. Place the lid on the pie and freeze overnight or until set. Serve with an additional dollop of Cool Whip, if desired.

Yield: 1 10″ pie

The Dress You Need For Summer

June 20, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

midi coral dress {only $68! I’m wearing a medium, but I probably could have gone down a size} | wedge sandals, old {super similar style by same designer HERE} | Tory Burch tote | Mark & Graham monogram cuff c/o | pearl earrings {on sale!} | Karen Walker sunglasses | Lancome lipstick {#110}

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! We had such a productive two days — we accomplished all of our indoor cleaning, yard work and even all our errands! After so many weekends away from home, it was amazing to get things done around the house. It’s just the best feeling!

I have been stalking THIS dress online for a few months now. I loved the color, the cut and the length while browsing online. The only thing that stopped me from buying it sooner was at this price point, I suspected that the fabric would be thin and it wouldn’t be lined. On Saturday, I stopped by Nordstrom and saw the dress. I decided to go over to check it out, since I had admired it from the Internet for so long. Much to my surprise, this dress was even more gorgeous in person and believe it or not, it was lined! I couldn’t believe my eyes, I kept staring at the tag to make sure this was the dress I had been looking at for months, and it was! This summer essential is also available in white, but the coral color is SO pretty and vibrant, I couldn’t resist. And at $68, it is such a steal! I went with my regular size, medium, but I could have probably sized down. Although, I do love the extra movement the bigger size gives the dress 🙂

Now, why you NEED this dress. Like I mentioned in last Thursday’s post, I pretty much live in dresses during the summer. And what finally sold me on this dress, besides the quality and color, was that I would be able to wear this so many times over the next few months, it would completely justify it’s reasonable price. This dress can easily be worn from date night to work day {I already have it planned for this work week!} depending on how you accessorize. It was super hot yesterday when I wore it, but it would be so cute with a denim jacket for cooler days, too!

P.S. If you buy THIS dress, than you need THIS lipstick too. It’s a perfect match!!

Thanks so much for dropping by and have a wonderful start to the week!

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Embroidered Dress

June 16, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

karen-walker-super-duper-sunglasses-blogger

THML Clothing embroidered dress c/o | Mark and Graham monogrammed clutch | pink tassel earrings | Karen Walker sunglasses | David Yurman cuff, link bracelet | studded sandals | lipstick {#31} on sale!

There is no denying my love for dresses, especially maxi dresses in the summer. Dresses make up pretty much my entire summer wardrobe — actually, I have worn one each day this week to work, whoops! Maxi dresses are so comfortable and cool and are the perfect way to combat the DC summer heat.

Embroidered details have been a big trend for the past few months, I’ve been seeing it everywhere! But, when I saw this dress from THML Clothing, complete with the fun details around the neckline AND the embroidery, I knew I had to have it. Not only is this a great daytime dress or date night dress, it would also make the cutest cover-up at the pool or beach!

And since I have a serious obsession with pink {did you catch Monday’s post?} I couldn’t resist adding my favorite hot pink accessories: trendy tassel earrings and my monogram clutch. I finished off the look with my comfy flat studded sandals {you may remember them in red from yesterday’s post!} for the perfect summertime cool look.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Believe it or not, this is the first weekend since before Easter that I have been at home. Needless to say, it’s been non-stop travel for the past few months for me! I have big plans for cleaning, relaxing and grocery store shopping. It’s the little things 😉

Thanks for stopping by and see you back here on Monday!

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