September Amazon Try Ons

 When I want to add something to my closet it first has to check several boxes. I don't like having too much stuff and I don't like having clothes that I never wear so I like to make sure that I can wear something several different ways and that I feel comfortable in it. This month I took some of these Amazon articles of clothes and styled them several different ways to show you how I could style them & my process for deciding what to keep.

This sweater dress is a winner for sure. I styled it several different ways and love every single one. Isn't it crazy how shoes and accessories can completely change a look?  It comes in several other colors and is true to size. I am wearing my usual small. 

This oversized leopard sweater is so cute! I'm wearing a size small and it is long enough to pair with leggings or tuck in to high waisted jeans or a skirt. It's still pretty warm in California so I'd even pair it with denim shorts. 

I love this striped sleeve sweater. This one is also long enough on me to be paired with leggings, although, if you have a long torso you might want to size up if you want to pair it with leggings as well. I'm wearing a small.

I sized up two sized in this leopard zip up so it runs very small. I still would need to size up one more size to completely cover my tush. It is so cute and lightweight and comes in two other colors.

This autumnal striped cardigan is perfect for fall! I love the lightweight fabric so much. I am wearing a size small. 

How stinking cute is this wrap sweater? It is amazing quality! I love the color and print so much. I'm wearing my usual size small.

I wanted a lightweight peasant top and found this one at a steal of a price! It comes in several different colors and is TTS.

This sweater dress is so cute! The fabric on this one is not my favorite, but it is still super cozy. It is a lightweight & kinda slinky sweatshirt type of material, but I wish it was a regular sweatshirt fabric so It would warm me in the upcoming cooler temps. I still love it and love the fit. This is a size small. 

This off the shoulder leopard dress is a dream! SO pretty! It has slits on both sides and doesn't slide up your arms like other OTS dresses. It is a lightweight fabric and true to size. I'm 5'1" and it hits at my ankle. 

I love this dress so much. The colors are perfect for fall! It has a ruched bodice with a tie to adjust the amount of cleavage you want to show. The frilly straps are so cute too. It is true to size and I'm wearing my usual size small.

I'm on an Amazon Pajama set kick so here's another good one for you. I ordered a size small and it fits perfectly. It has pockets and a warm fabric for the upcoming cooler temps.

I also picked up this leopard set. This one is made of the same fabric as the last ones and also has pockets. This is TTS and I'm wearing a small.

Spanx Leggings Vs Similar Target Pair

I love my Spanx leggings so much, but I know how pricey they are so I am always looking for similar pairs. I recently picked up a pair at Target for $15 and I'm amazed at how similar they are in look. Can you tell below which are which?

I feel like there is only one dead giveaway because of my height and that is, obviously, the length. Spanx leggings also come in short sizes which is perfect for my little 5'1 frame and this is something that isn't available with the Target pair.

So, here they are. On the left we had the $15 Target pair. 

What's similar?

They are both a more matte faux leather look as opposed to a cheap looking, shiny material.

They aren't too noisy which can be annoying in other pairs.

Based on looks alone, it really is hard to tell the difference.

What's different? 

The Fit. Spanx leggings really suck you in. The Target pair doesn't.

There aren't short sizes available in the Target pair.

The crackle-like finish in the Spanx pair is a little different. Similar, but different. 

Which is which?

Left - Spanx

Right - Target

I wear a size small in both.

While it's pretty obvious that nothing will ever be as good as the original Spanx leggings, there are some really great similar options available including this Target pair. I only order my Spanx when they're on sale for around $60 so that always helps swallow that pill, but if you still want a greater deal check out some other similar options I've linked below.

Affordable Denim Roundup

 I just ordered some new affordable denim options and am amazed at how great they are! All but one of these was $20 or under, but you would never be able to guess from looking at them. They are all such great quality and very comfortable. I am 5'1 and 115 pounds with most of my weight in my thigh/butt area for reference.

This pair of Mom jeans are an absolute steal at $18. They are a tiny bit long on me because they don't come in short sizes, but the fit otherwise is really good. They are high waisted and the knee holes hit right at my knees. 

This is the same pair of Mom jeans as the previous ones, but in a darker wash. I sized up one size in both.

This $20 pair of skinny jeans is also high waisted and has the perfect amount of distressing. I need to order my size in the short version now that they are back in stock because I had to fold these to hit at my ankle. I ordered my usual size.

I only order jeans from this retailer when they are on sale so I picked these high waisted skinny jeans up for $39 which is a great deal as opposed to their over $70 price tag. I ordered my regular size in short and they fit like a glove. They are high waisted with distressing above each knee. I highly recommend these!

The Easiest Leopard Pumpkin DIY

I have the worlds easiest & cutest pumpkin DIY for you today! And you only need a few things to make them! They are perfect for adding a touch of leopard to your fall decor without being too intense of a leopard print if done in these light neutral colors.  Let's jump right in

I picked up these pumpkins at Walmart for about $5 but you can find similar ones on Amazon, Target, and Michaels. You will be painting the pumpkin so the color doesn't matter. Mine were orange

What you need:

Pumpkins

Spray Paint

Permanent Vinyl Decals

Spray Clear Coat

You can find these waterproof vinyl decals on Etsy if you don't have a cutting machine to make your own. They are permanent so they won't just peel off while they are stored away for next season.

I used white spray paint to paint my pumpkins and stems. I debated on painting the stems rose gold, but ultimately decided for a simple look and left them white, but you can do whatever combo you want!

Once your paint is dry just apply the stickers! This is great for those of us who enjoy peeling stickers. I find it to be so relaxing so this is perfect for me, but if that's not your thing ( I get it) you can apply them with transfer tape in large sections.

After you're done applying the stickers just spray a light coat of the clear sealer and that's it! So easy right? And they look like you picked them up at Homegoods so Win-Win! 

Shop Amazon Fashion Like a Pro | Tips and Tricks

I have a love\hate relationship with Amazon for a variety of reasons. I regularly share some great finds and deals that I’ve scored, and occasionally I’ll share some fails. I’ve found that I’ve gotten pretty good at sorting through the site and finding the best stuff so I’m rarely having to return anything these days. On a site that has thousands upon thousands of products to pick from, how do you find the winners? I’m sharing my tips and tricks for making sure you don’t end up with a stack of fails to return.

Look for reviews. Pictures are even better. 

When I find an article of clothing I’m interested in I immediately scroll down to read the reviews and look at customer photos. I look for comments about quality, sizing and fit. Pictures are great because you’re able to see how the fit is on different body types and it also allows you to zoom in and take a good look at the fabric. Zoom in girl!

Read the description thoroughly

Photos posted by sellers on Amazon can often be misleading and occasionally aren’t even of the exact item you’ll be receiving. If the photo looks like it’s made of 100% cotton, scroll down to the description just to be sure. Often, you’ll find that the fabric listed is clearly not the same type of fabric used in the photo meaning the product pictured isn’t exactly what you’ll be getting in the mail.

Sizing Charts aren’t always accurate

I take the sizing charts of items on Amazon with a grain of salt. Instead I head to the reviews and compare comments and photos of people who have purchased to help me order the right size. This works for me the majority of the time! There is also a small notation near the product description that will tell you if it is true to size based on reviews.

Beware the ol Bait and Switch Scheme

Sometimes sellers will take a product that already is popular and has a lot of reviews and they will switch it with a lesser quality product. When I go to the reviews I am always sure to change the order of appearance from “Recommended” to “Most Recent” so that I can be sure that the people who most recently bought the product are matching up with older reviews. Sometimes you’ll see a product that has 200 five star reviews from two years ago, but suddenly in the last two months they have started to receive many one star reviews. This is a red flag and is a product I would avoid.

Make sure it is Fulfilled by Amazon

I try to only purchase directly through Amazon. This means that Amazon is the company that will ship the product from their warehouse and Amazon is who you will deal with if you need to return the product. This just makes the process so much easier and ensures that I won’t have any issues. It also means you will not have to pay additional shipping fees directly to the company who sells the product and you’ll likely receive your order more quickly.

I must say, occasionally, my method does still fail me. This happens especially on new products that don’t yet have reviews or photos, but the return policy and process is just so darn easy that I don’t even mind. And I kind of get a thrill with the process of trying and testing that a fail is kind of exciting and good information to share with you guys. It’s all in the name of…. uh science?

Our Little Central Coast Vacation

After months of being cooped up at home and slightly losing our minds (maybe more than slightly), we decided it was time to switch up our scenery. Ronnie wanted to surprise me for a belated anniversary trip and planned it all himself- for the first time ever. I'm the planner and planning vacations is one of my favorite things to do, so it was admittedly a little hard for me to let go of the reins here, but also it was exciting! This trip was a little easier to plan, since everything is closed and we wanted to stay put as much as possible and cook our own meals. Hello 2020. 

Ronnie refused to tell me where we were going since he wanted it to be a surprise. I begged and begged for a clue so I would have an idea of how to pack so finally he relented and told me there would be "beachy weather". We live in California so that wasn't really much help. We agreed to stay pretty close to home so I had a few ideas of where we could be headed, but really the clue didn't help much. So I packed a bag, or two, full of clothes that might work and hoped for the best.

I had a feeling we were heading to Cambria and I am so glad I was right! Cambria has to be one of my favorite towns in California. It is beachy, but feels like a small town and is situated at the bottom of small mountains in some areas. We normally stay right on the beach which is nice, but as a huge mountain lover, I'm glad Ronnie picked a place a little further up, nestled at the bottom of a windy mountain.

Our beautiful Victorian Airbnb had the most serene back deck area that almost felt like a treehouse. Within hours of arriving we had already spotted two bucks and a doe so I was already so excited. We would soon find out that a mama and her two babies would be regular visitors to us while we lounged on the deck. I loved it! We definitely don't have deer where I'm from so I appreciated every second.

I loved how much wildlife we had all around us and with the beach just a super short drive away. It truly was magical.

I'm not kidding when I say we spent the majority of our time on the back deck. The weather was perfection, the view was amazing and it was exactly what I was needing. There was a barbecue on the deck,different levels of seating and tables to eat at so we really had very little reason to leave at all.

Moonstone beach always has the best assortment of colorful pebbles, sea glass, shells and driftwood. I bring a bunch home every time we go and I love admiring all the colors and textures.

We enjoyed walking on the beach and doing a little bit of hiking on the bluffs above. The views were incredible!

We did venture out a few minutes outside of Cambria to the teeny tiny town of Harmony to pick up some glassworks and pottery.This town is so so charming and full of so much character and artisan shops. Harmony itself has a population of only 18 if you want an idea of how small the town is. It truly is one of a kind a definitely somewhere you need to stop when you are in the area.

A block away from our Airbnb was the center of the small town. I enjoyed freshly made cinnamon rolls from a little cafe there almost every day. Cinnamon rolls on the beach have to be my favorite!

We had the most relaxing time and definitely were so sad to leave, but we were recharged and ready to get back to reality. It was a different kind of vacation this time from what we were used to, but the change of scenery and our wonderful stay at the Victorian Castle were exactly what we needed!