A Blonde's Moment

nine to five

July 6, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Jacket: Zara, old {similar here & here} | Tee: Old Navy | Jeans: Old Navy | Shoes: ChasseChic Shoes with leopard accessory c/o | Clutch: Mark & Graham | Necklace: BaubleBar, sold out {almost identical here} | Earrings: Nordstrom | Ring: BaubleBar | Sunglasses: Prada | Lipstick: YSL {#13}

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful, long Fourth of July weekend! Since it’s Monday and it’s back to reality, today I am sharing with you the perfect shoes for the 9-5 workday. Finding a comfortable work outfit is essential for me. And although I love sharing fun outfits or my “weekend wear” with you each week, the reality is that I spend most of my days in 9-5 attire {with the exception of Fridays when my #ootd could be something like this :)}

There is nothing worse than having uncomfortable shoes at the office. The only thing worse for me is having uncomfortable, unattractive shoes at the office! There are so many options when it comes to leather flats and pumps, but the biggest difference typically is round-toe vs pointy-toe. And although that is standard “boardroom” attire, sometimes you want to add a little excitement to your look, even if it’s just the smallest touch.

ChasseChic Shoes has developed the answer to all these problems with their interchangeable shoes. It’s easy to enhance your work attire by picking the perfect accessory for your outfit. Start with the basic {and super comfortable I must add!} black leather flat or pump and add the ChicCessory of your choice to make for not only the perfect shoe for your outfit, but also a super affordable way to achieve several different looks!

Not only do I love the concept of these interchangeable shoes, but I must comment on how comfortable these flats are! I typically have blisters on my feet for at least the first couple times I wear a new pair of shoes, but these literally felt like slippers! I typically wear a size 9.5 and since ChasseChic does not carry half sizes, I sized down to a 9 and they fit perfectly!

Be sure to check out ChasseChic Shoes for more ChicCessories, there is something to compliment every look! Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

relaxed in red

July 2, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Tee: Leith via Nordstrom, sold out {similar here, under $20 here} | Jeans: Current/Elliott {love this style too}| Sandals: J.Crew | Bag: Sole Society {on sale!} | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban | Watch: Kate Spade {similar here} | Bracelets: here, here | Ring: Pink Peonies Collection | Earrings: Nordstrom | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban | Lipstick: Bobbi Brown {pink blossom}

Happy Thursday/basically Friday! I am so excited to be off tomorrow and for the long holiday weekend! Today I am wearing my final Fourth of July inspiration and this one is all about being relaxed in red! For me, there is nothing better than a comfortable tee and jeans. It’s such a basic look, but by adding just the right accessories, you can have a fun outfit! This seems like it would be the perfect outfit for a night of watching fireworks. And since it is such a basic look, you can easily throw on a jacket if it gets chilly!

I have had my eye on a few bucket bags since springtime and I’m so excited I finally got this one! I was going back and forth with picking a color, but I thought this bright red would be perfect for a trendy bag and something that could carry me into the first of fall. My favorite feature has to be it’s magnetic closure — I’m always afraid of things falling out of “drawstring only” bags, so that closure was definitely a bonus! I’ve linked a few more of my favorite bucket bag styles below to browse 🙂

Wishing you all a wonderful Fourth of July weekend and see you again Monday!

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summer dress up

July 1, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7.

8. | 9. | 10. | 11. | 12. | 13. | 14.

Happy Wednesday! There is something about summer and skirts that just go together. I have always found myself gravitating towards dresses during the summer, but this year, I’m all about skirts! I love how easy it is to dress a skirt up or down depending on the occasion, but I have been obsessed with dressing them up lately. And there is no better time to do this than the summer when you can experiment with bright and vibrant colors.

Today, I am sharing two ways to dress up a skirt: outfit one is on the more conservative side, while outfit two is loud and in your face! Most days, I am more inclined to wear something like outfit one, I love that the second outfit has conservative pieces that make a statement. How cute is this geometric skirt?! I love it paired with the turquoise cashmere tee {yes, I am loving cashmere for summer!} but the list of colors this skirt could be paired with are obviously endless!

How do you like to wear your skirts, dressed up or dressed down? Thanks for stopping by and have a great Wednesday!

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triple berry crumble pie

June 30, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Tuesday! Today I am sharing a berry pie with the most delicious crumble top that is just in time for this weekend’s festivities. Usually, I find myself making a berry trifle, the perfect fresh and light dessert for summer, around the Fourth of July. But, this year, I’ve been craving a pie. Why a pie, I have no idea, but I decided it was the perfect excuse to make one!

Berries are by far my favorite fruit, especially raspberries. There has been such a wonderful selection of fresh berries at the store the last couple of weeks, I decided it would be perfect to incorporate them into a festive dessert. It’s super patriotic too 🙂

As I was preparing all the ingredients for this dessert, it came to my attention that I did not have a pie dish! With all the cooking and baking I do, how do I not have a pie dish?? And why wasn’t that added to our wedding registry over four years ago?! Regardless, I found a pie dish at the grocery store and I am now the proud owner 🙂 Stay tuned, more pie recipes to come!

Since I obviously don’t have much experience in pie making, I decided to go with a Martha Stewart blueberry pie to start as a basis for my recipe. You can’t go wrong with Martha! Although I did not make my own crust, this was one of the most delicious pies I have ever tasted! You could definitely make your own crust, but for me, it was much quicker to buy it.

The crust comes two in a package and the crumble that is on top of the pie makes enough for two pies, so it looks like I will be making it again for this weekend. No complaints from me!

Triple Berry Crumble Pie

{what you will need: for the pie filling}

5 cups berries {2 cups raspberries, 2 cups blueberries, 1 cup blackberries}

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Store bought pie crust

Pie dish

{what you will need: for the crumble}

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into pieces

{pie recipe}

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the berries with the sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt in a large bowl. Pour mixture into the pie shell. Top with half of the crumble recipe. Adjust, if necessary, your oven racks so the rack that holds the pie will be in the lower third of the oven. Place the pie dish on a foil-lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is brown. Allow to cool at least 3 hours.

{crumble recipe}

In a large bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, sugar, salt and cinnamon with a whisk. Cut the cold butter into the mixture with a pastry blender until clumps begin to form. Divide the mixture in half; freeze in plastic bags.

Thanks for stopping by and happy baking!!

stripe dress

June 29, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Dress: Old Navy | Sandals: J.Crew | Hat: J.Crew | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban | Bag: Louis Vuitton | Watch: Burberry | Bracelet: J.Crew | Earrings: Nordstrom | Lipstick: Bobbi Brown {pink blossom}

Happy Monday! To celebrate the 4th of July, I am sharing three holiday inspiration posts for this week! A super comfortable and cool shirtdress with sandals and a straw hat is the perfect look for your Independence Day celebration. To me, this entire look has “4th of July parade” all over it! As a matter of fact, I’m thinking a variation of this look is what I’ll be sporting on Saturday 🙂

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

beautycounter

June 25, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Thursday! I am so excited to share Beautycounter, a skin care and cosmetic line, with you today. For me, skin care and cosmetics have always been difficult. I have super fair, dry and sensitive skin. What a combination! Over the years, I have tried countless beauty products that are “designed” for my skin type. It’s very rare that I actually find something that does not cause a reaction or leave my skin feeling terrible.

I was recently introduced to Beautycounter and was so intrigued by their concept. Their mission is “to get safe products into the hands of everyone.” The risk of serious health issues and diseases are on the rise and much of this can be attributed to toxic chemicals. At Beautycounter, they have banned more than 1,500 ingredients in an effort to set a new health and safety standard in the industry. It’s shocking to think that the United States has not passed legislation regulating the ingredients in personal care products since 1938! While Beautycounter is very particular about their ingredients, the quality of the products remains high. After years of using a myriad of products and having numerous reactions, I am beginning to question if the toxic chemicals could be part of it.

The first product I want to share with you is the Lustro Face Oil 1. This best-selling oil is super lightweight and absorbs into the skin quickly, making for the perfect primer or even for use at night. I find myself using it at night because I love the floral smell. This oil is ideal for sensitive skin like mine and leaves your face feeling hydrated and soft.

The Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer is also a great product, and especially useful for the summer months with it’s SPF 20. I love finding a foundation that not only is a moisturizer but also has protection from the sun. The one thing I hate more than anything when it comes to foundation is the feeling of heaviness, as if the foundation is plastered to your face. Dew Skin is anything but that — it’s lightweight and leaves your skin with a glow that provides just enough coverage.

Lastly, the Hydrate Everyday Body Lotion is literally the best lotion I have ever tried. I’m the type of person that actually gets dried and cracked skin in the summer. Yes, my skin is that dry! Because of my super dry and sensitive skin, I’m always looking for a lotion that not only can hydrate my skin, but also not cause an allergic reaction. I know the theme of today’s post has been “soft skin” but I honestly cannot believe how soft my skin was after just a week of using this lotion. The lotion smells of delicious citrus and mint, which is addicting in and of itself! I’ve been using this day and night, so I think it’s safe to say I am hooked!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Brought to you by Beautycounter. All opinions are my own.

dressing for the fourth

June 24, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Backyard Barbecue: 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9.

Day at the Pool: 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9.

Happy Wednesday! Can you believe the Fourth of July is next week?! Where has this year gone!! There are so many ways to celebrate Independence Day, whether it be at a backyard barbecue or lounging by the pool for the day. For this week’s Wednesday Wishes, I’m sharing some outfit inspiration for both! What are your plans for the Fourth and what are you planning to wear?

Have a great day and thanks for dropping by!

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even more 4th of July inspiration!

mint limeade

June 23, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Tuesday! The weather has been so ridiculously hot here, I am already sick of summer. And it’s only the end of June! Needless to say, we have a long way to go before the heat breaks, and what better way to cool down than with a super refreshing mint limeade?!

I made this mint limeade drink on Sunday and it was the perfect way to cool down after taking pictures in the morning! It was super simple and only requires 3 ingredients, not including the glasses and cute straws 🙂 I can definitely see this becoming a summer staple in our house!

Mint Limeade

1 1/2 cup lime juice {for me, it was 9 limes, plus 1 additional lime for garnish, if desired}

1/4 cup sugar

5 cups water

2 sprigs fresh mint, chopped

Mix the lime juice, sugar and water in a large pitcher until completely combined. Stir in the fresh mint sprigs and pour into glasses. Garnish with lime on rim of glass and cute straws, if desired. Enjoy!

Mason Jars

Striped Paper Straws

Towel

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

navy stripes

June 22, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Top: Old Navy | Jeans: Old Navy | Necklace: Happiness Boutique c/o | Shoes: Vince Camuto | Hat: J.Crew | Watch: Kate Spade | Rings: here, here | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban | Lipstick: NARS {Madere}, Lipgloss: NARS {Turkish Delight}

Happy Monday, friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! My weekend was spent resting and catching up on some house work. Apparently with all the storms we’ve been having, it has brought in terrible new allergens that I am allergic to, causing a terrible reaction! I have to say, I’m pretty relieved it was just allergies because the way my throat was hurting, I was fearing strep throat!! Thankfully, I’m feeling so much better and now have a strong allergy medicine ready to fight off any more storms haha!

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, I wanted to share my first patriotic outfit of the year. Regardless of the month, I always have an obsession with stripes, but they seem like a necessity for this time of the year. And by adding this red flower necklace, I think it creates the perfect patriotic look for celebrating the Fourth! This necklace is my latest obsession and makes for such a fun piece for summer.

Happiness Boutique has some of the most gorgeous statement necklaces I have ever seen, not to mention other fabulous earrings, bracelets and accessories. From pearls to stones and everything in between, Happiness Boutique is a great place is find affordable jewelry to complete your look. And, not only am I loving all their jewelry {these earrings are definitely on my wish list!} but Happiness Boutique also offers free shipping and has an awesome reward program for their customers. By purchasing, reviewing and sharing your purchase on social media, you can accumulate points for a free gift! How easy is that?! It’s the perfect way to mark a few pieces off your wish list extra quick!

Hope you all have a great week!

cobalt & leopard

June 18, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Dress: Shabby Apple c/o | Necklace: J.Crew | Earrings: Mikimoto | Clutch: Mark & Graham | Shoes: L.K. Bennett | Sunglasses: Prada | Lips: Lipstick: YSL {#31}, Lipgloss: YSL Pop Water {#205}

Wedding season is in full swing and the age old question remains: what to wear?! Whether you are planning a wedding and looking for dresses for bridesmaids or attending a wedding this summer, Shabby Apple has an amazing selection to fit any need. When we were planning our wedding, all I could think of was the movie 27 Dresses {which is such a fun movie!} and the many dresses Katherine Heigl had collected over the years that could never be worn again. I knew that I wanted to find dresses for my bridesmaids that could be worn again, if they wanted to that is! Let’s just say I wish I would have known about Shabby Apple four years ago!

This silhouette makes for the perfect dress for a bridesmaid, guest of a wedding or even just a fun party dress! It’s so easy to accessorize {I couldn’t pass up the chance to carry my leopard bag!} and it comes in other gorgeous colors too — the pink is so vibrant!

And, best of all, Shabby Apple is not just dresses. They have a wonderful selection of skirts, tops and even swimsuits! Hope you all have a fabulous Thursday and weekend!