My Favorite Jeans

I have gotten several emails from readers asking me my favorite jeans.  I have tried on many, many jeans.  I know what I like and I know exactly how I want my jeans to fit. 

A few musts for me:  I prefer a darker wash, it is always more slimming in my opinion.  I also prefer higher waisted jeans.  After a baby the higher waist really just helps suck things in, so you have no over hang if you know what I mean.  I am also a huge fan of skinny jeans.  They are all I wear.  I think they are the most versatile because they work with boots over them, with ballet flats or with heels.  I also like my jeans to have a touch of stretch, not too much and not too little- it has to be the perfect amount.  Not too much to ask for in a pair of jeans, right?

The four jeans below are my tried and true favorites.  I own them all and I promise they are flattering.  I know jeans are not cheap and I take jean buying very seriously.  I wear mine for years before I buy new ones.  These all wash and wear well.

{Seven For All Mankind "The Skinny" in Rinsed Indigo}

I am not going to lie, I own two pairs of these because I am terrified one pair will be dirty and I will have nothing to wear.  That is how much these rock.  I bought one pair before I had Sterling and then after I picked up another pair to have a back-up.  I get compliments everytime I wear these.

I also have "The Skinny Jeans" in black as well.  As you can see they sit higher up on the waist and look super slimming.  I high;y recommend the black and blue in this jean.

{Rag and Bone Midnight | Legging Jeans}

I used to be very loyal to my 7 jeans til my friend Katie introduced me to these.  They are seriously the best fitting jeans.  I swear they suck you in and make you look 5 lbs thinner easily.  They are a dark Navy color but could almost pass for black.  These are an everyday staple of mine.

{7 For All Mankind "The Slim Illusion" | Colored Jeans}

I blogged about these a few weeks ago and trust me they are the best colored jeans you will find.  They suck you in and slim you in like no others!  I swear these feel like they have Spanx built in them.   Plus all the colors are pretty fabulous.

{J Brand 811 Mid Rise Twill Skinnies}

I own these in Nude and love them.  They sit high up and never really stretch out too much!  The pockets on the front are sewn shut too which creates a sleeker and slimmer look.

They just came out in these two new colors for Fall and I really want the light green pair.

{J Brand Jeans in NightFall and Sage}

So there you have it, all my favorites jeans!  So tell me am I missing out on any fabulous jeans?  What are your favorites?  Any must haves I need to add to my Fall Wardrobe?

Spicy Thai White Bean Dip

Alright, lets dish.  Do you get in a recipe rut?  Always cooking the same things?  Well that was true for me in the appetizers department.  I had gotten pretty comfortable with my cheese and hummus tray.  Always a hit but I was eager to spice things up and try something new.  My girlfriend Erin recommended this recipe to me.  I made it last weekend with a few tweaks, because I am always tweaking recipes (it's what I do, plus I always like things spicier than they are- hello Sirachia).  It turned out great, such a fun new appetizer with crazy good flavors.  I did find that it was better after it sat overnight and had time for the flavors to really set in, so keep that in mind. 

The three main ingredients are below.  Bad part is you have to hit up two different grocery stores for the ingredients.  The Thai Peanut Sauce is from Harris Teeter and the chopped veggies are from Trader Joes.  Worth the trip though, just buy them and have them on hand for next time you need an easy app.   Try this recipe next time you are in an appetizer rut.  It is a refreshing change.  Plus if you love Thai food this will be a huge hit in your house!

{SPICY THAI WHITE BEAN DIP}

- 1 Can Cannelini Beans, Drained and Rinsed

- 1 bottle Harris Teeter Thai Peanut Sauce

-Trader Joes Healthy Chopped Veggie Mix

- 1-2 small scallions sliced

-Handful of Cilantro finely chopped

- Several dashes of Siracha and Texas Pete

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- Tostidos

Mix all ingredients together and let sit several hours or overnight.  Serve with Tositidos.

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Obsessions

TRADER JOES BLOOD ORANGE SODA

My parents had some of this sparkling soda from Traders Joes and we drank it at my mom's birthday lunch over the weekend and it was fabulous.  Not too sweet and the perfect amount of bubbly.  I would image this would be killer with vodka added in!  It is fabulous to have on hand for parties.  My mom and sister also love the Pomegranite flavor.

BAUBLEBAR GEM CHAIN COLLAR

I went on a little necklace buying hiatus but now I am back.  Love this one from Baublebar for fall.  It is delicate yet makes a statement.

SAHALE SNACKS

This little snack was a result of me grocery shopping starving.  I of course added so many unnecessary things in my buggy because I was ravished.  These were such an unexpected treat and amazing.  I bought the Parmesan Cheese and Herb flavor and it was so good.   Can't wait to try the other flavors.

PAINTED PUMPKINS

Love the metallic shades these Pumpkins are painted.  Fall is my favorite season and this is one project I just might have to take on!

T BY ALEXANDER WANG JERSEY DRAPE BACK MINI DRESS

I am beyond obsessed with this dress.  I want it in every color.  It is the perfect plain dress to jazz up with statement necklaces, cute jackets,  and killer shoes.  The back is my favorite part.  Such a great dress you could wear so many ways!

It also comes in this nude version which I equally love.

Get Your Butt to Madewell (Or just shop online)...

Remember my post a few weeks ago, about me finding the perfect Chambray Shirt at Madewell?? 

Here she is if you forgot:

Love it and seriously wear it all the time.

{Perfect Chambray Ex-Boyfriend Shirt in Ferrous Wash}

Sadly, we don't have a Madewell store in Charleston, which is ok because I am no stranger to online shopping- I sometimes prefer it because I love the excitement of getting packages delivered to my house.   Seriously seeing the UPS/FedEx truck makes me so excited- does that make me weird?
 
 However I do love to shop in person at stores when possible.  Since I was in Charlotte this past week,  I knew I must hit up the Madewell store while I was in town.   True story, I had never even set foot  in a Madewell store until about a year ago.  Now I am hooked, I really love the store and so far all my items of clothing from there have held up super well.  It is not crazy expensive and the clothes are good quality.  My trip there last week was no exception, the store was stocked full of goodies.  These three items stole my heart and quickly became my favorites.   Lets see if you can guess which one came home with me?

{Silk Gatehouse Dress}

I first spied this dress in the Madewell fall catalog they sent me and truth be told it was the main reason I stopped in there.  It did not disappoint.  

It also comes in this gray color which I loved as well- forgot to snap a photo in the gray version.  Ignore what the model is wearing with hers.  The knee high socks and scarf make it look frumpy and stupid.

It was way cuter on than it looked on her.

My next love was this leopard dress because, Duh, I love anything and everything leopard.  It fit great, plus it is onsale online right now:)  I think it was cute for now and would also look great with black tights when the weather gets cooler.

{Leopard Shift Dress}

Again what is up with the model's shoes?  Who is styling these Madewell shoots?

My third find was this Paisley Blouse.  The colors were even better in person.

{Silk Paisley Blouse}

Two things I wanted to try on but they did not have in the Charlotte store were:

{Contast Tunic}

Love the easy feel and look of this.  Plus navy and green is always a good combo.

{Round Collar Shift Dress}

The color of this dress is just perfect, plus I love the idea of it paired with leopard booties/heels.

I may have to bite the bullet and order these two to try on at home!  

So can you guess which piece came home with me????

If you guessed the Silk Gatehouse dress you were right!  I wore it Saturday night to a party.   Lucky for me my mom bought the Paisley Blouse so we can trade!  Moral of the story, Madewell rocks and you should be shopping there!  Right now online they have free shipping on orders over $100 and extra 25 % off all sale items with code YIPEE.  So, go on and get your shop on, I promise you will love whatever you find there.

Don't you just love Sterling in this picture??  My parents tried to get him to smile but he would not put the sippy cup down.  He does this on purpose when he knows you are trying to take a picture.  Typical man. 
Happy Monday.
**Btw Madewell did not ask me nor pay me to write this post, I just truly love the store and wanted to share some fab finds.**

 

Thoughts For Friday

I am pretty much a stalker when it comes to Gwyneth Paltrow.  She always has and always will be my number one girl crush.   Love everything she does.  First she kills it with this casual outfit.  Now I am convinced I need red booties too.  

Then on Goop she modeled some amazing outfits from JCrew and of course now I want to recreate all these as well.   She has such amazing style.

Remember our new Hutch in our dining room?  Well I think I found a color a want to paint it, this dark gray and I think I may style it similarly as this bar.  Problem is Matt says I can't paint it.  He says he grew up with it the color it is and it reminds him of his childhood (lame).  How do you persuade stubborn husbands that your vision is the right thing to do??  Or should I just ignore him and paint it anyways- ha!

I am still struggling to shed the 5lbs I put on this summer.  I work out and I eat fairly healthy so I am not sure what gives.  Might help if I cut out alcohol but that's a joke.  Not happening.  So awhile back I read that Fergie drinks Apple Cider Vinegar 3x a day.  Then I saw on Jenny's blog that she does too and it helped her shed her extra baby weight.  I am home visiting the family this week and my mom has been drinking it too,  so now I am on the bandwagon.  3 tablespoons 3x a day in 8 oz of water.  It is said to speed up your metabolism and help with digestive issues. I will report back with details and results.  This is the kind you need to buy.

Can we talk about Blake Lively's wedding ring??  First she gets sexy Ryan and then this amazing ring?  Plus you know her closet is fabulous.  Can a girl be any luckier??

Latest obsession for my little man= High Top Chuck Taylors.  Found these at Marshalls.  Sterling loves them already.  His outfit of choice to sport with his new shoes, Elmo PJs.   My man is very opionated about what he wears!

Had a great girls night out Monday with my gals Caycee, Chassity, and Amy.  Here is what I wore:  A.P.C Leopard Dress.  Love this dress and really anything by A.P.C, it is one of my favorite brands.

My particular dress is sold out, but they have a fab turtleneck version for fall that I am pretty sure I need!

{A.P.C Leopard TurtleNeck Dress}

This pretty much sums it up.  Happy Weekend.

I am also guesting posting today over at Alex's blog, Things That Sparkle sharing one of my favorite end of summer recipes.  Be sure to check it out HERE. Alex is getting married this weekend so send her lots of best wishes!  I know her wedding will be perfectly planned and gorgeous just like her!

have a great weekend! xoxo

The Look For Less + Novel Sale

Remember this Heidi Merrick Tommy Blouse??  Oh how I loved her, but not the $350 price tag. 

Well, I was browsing Piperlime and came across this almost identical blouse.  The colors are different but it's exactly the same style for only $69.50.  Get yours before they sell out!

{Collective Concepts Stripe Blouse}

After I found the fabulous stripe blouse, I stalked all the Collective Concepts Stuff.  They have some super cute blouses for cheap!  These are three other favorites I found!

{Collective Concepts Soho Color Block Blouse}

{Collective Concepts Palm Beach Nights Blouse} 

{Collective Concepts Short Sleeve Stripe Peplum Top}

And speaking of shopping, for any of you locals, Novel is having their big end of Summer Sale today from 12-7:30.  Trust me you don't want to miss this!  Huge discounts on all Blue Chickadee, Vintage Library Summer Clothes, Bon Vivant Custom Stationary, and Balboa Jewelry!   Definitely worth stopping in and I think there are mimosas too- that's enough reason in itself to shop!
Novel is located at 341 King Street, Suite B!

Enchilada Lasagna

Let me start by saying the top picture is not mine.  The hubs and I scarfed this meal down so fast we forgot to even take a picture.  It was just that good.  I made this casserole for a friend who had surgery and made enough for us to have one as well. It was so super easy to make and off the charts good.  If you discriminate against casseroles and using cream of anything soups then this recipe is not for you.  But if you are like me and love a casserole and Mexican food,  this will be right up your alley.  It was so creamy and delish.  Serve with a side of black or pinto beans and you have an easy weeknight dinner.  It also reheats just as well the next day!  Next time I may try it with beef and for any vegetarians you could definitely sub beans or sauteed veggies for the chicken. Enjoy you will want to add this tasty meal into your weekly dinner rotations!

{Enchilada Lasagna}

adapted from Mogwai Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of vegetable oil

1 lbs chicken breast, chopped to bite pieces

5 cups of Mexican blend cheese

1 can of cream of celery

1 can of cream of chicken

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/4 cup canned and chopped green chillies (drained)

small corn tortillas

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Brown chicken in a pan on 2 tbsp of oil. Season with salt and pepper.  (For this step I used a Rotisserie Chicken)  I shredded it and then tossed it with salt and pepper and cumin.  Then I added some of our homemade taco seasoning. just a few sprinkles of it for more flavor.

In a bowl combine cream of celery, cream of chicken, sour cream and green chillies.

Prepare a bowl of water that you will dip your corn tortillas in (dipping them in water keeps them from getting dried out in the casserole) and the dish you will assemble the lasagna in.

Put 1/2 cup of cream mix on the bottom of the baking dish and spread. Layer a row of tortillas followed with cream mix, chicken and cheese. You should be able to make 3 layers like this. Last layer doesn't need chicken, just a ton of cheese.  

We served ours with sour cream, fresh diced jalapenos, and taco sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees about 30-40 minutes.   

-Photo via Mogwai Soup-