I can’t believe Valentine’s month is here! Give me all the heart-shaped pizzas, dark chocolate and pink and red everything. I know it’s cliché, I know it’s basic – I don’t care. I’ll eat Valentine’s cookies and watch cheese rom-coms with anyone who will have me.
I’ve said it before, but some of my best Valentine’s memories were “galentine’s” dates and girls nights. My mom let me finally get my ears pierces on Valentine’s Day when I was 12, and I got engaged three days after Valentine’s Day after finding out Christian actually bought my ring on Valentine’s Day. My Dad’s birthday is the day before Valentine’s… so I just think it’s a fun time of year to have FUN with it.
I wanted to share some of my favorite girly, pink and red things right now. And I’d love to hear some of your favorite V-Day memories! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
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When I saw this set, I knew it would be the perfect number for a Valentine’s Day date night! I’ve said this before, but I love sets because you can get so many looks from them.
– Lula still loving her new bed, and me loving it because it isn’t fugly –
Happy Friday! We are currently in Mississippi for Christian’s little brother’s wedding. We’ve had this celebration on our calendars for so long, it’s so exciting that the weekend is finally here!
We got in town on Wednesday evening, and it’s been so wonderful getting to catch up with my former boss and some of our best college friends (Christian’s high school, college and med school friends – they breed some smart cookies around here). I love living in California, but it always gives me the warm and fuzzies to come home to visit those friends who really know you to your core. Love these people.
Christian will head back to Orange County on Sunday and I’ll head over to Atlanta for the week to spend time at the Atlanta Apparel Market! I have had this planned for months, and I’m so excited to speak on a panel about spring and summer trends. My grandparents actually owned a ladies clothing store and would go to market every year, so I feel this happy connection to them experiencing something they did year after year.
I’ll be a part of a Q&A session on Wednesday, February 7th and then styling the live model demonstration that evening. If you’ll be attending this tradeshow, I would LOVE to meet you!
Thanks so much for reading and I hope y’all have a beautiful weekend – XO –
One of my most commonly asked questions is about my engagement ring. Christian designed the ring himself in Mississippi (where we got engaged), so I thought it would be fun to invite him to share how he designed it and what his tips would be for someone looking to go through the process.
AKA – feel free to send this post to your boyfriend! No shame in that game. When C and I knew we wanted to get married, I sent him photos and emails so he knew exactly what kind of rings gave me the heart-eyes. If he was going to make the biggest purchase of his life… he wanted to make sure it was something I would love for 50+ years!
So now I’m handing this off to him…
Let’s start with the caveat- I’ve only done this once so this is more of my experience than it is expert advice.
Go to a jewelry store together if you can.
You have to get a feel for what your partner wants. If they say they do not have an opinion they still have some idea of what an engagement ring should look like whether that’s simple, complex, solitaire, gold, platinum, or whatever. Get what ever details from them that you can. Find out which stone shape and metal they like. Knowing what they hate is equally useful.
Like Kathleen said, she was not bashful about sharing her preference (big and sparkly). We went to just one jewelry store together. It was not the one I ultimately bought the ring from but it had a variety of antique and new, big and small. Her favorite game to play was for me to guess which one out of a row of rings was her favorite. Once I was consistently guessing one of her top choices it was time for me to go out on my own.
Research diamond grades and determine what’s appropriate for you.
If the person wearing the ring really does not care and picks the first ring they see then great, go with it. They are the person who you have to make happy. If your partner is more in tune with the details then you need to do the same. Once I knew the specifics of what Kathleen wanted (cushion cut with a halo) it gave me something to google. I clicked through tons of google images and saved pictures of rings that I liked something about.
I did not set out to design Kathleen’s ring. Once I had an idea of what she wanted I made the rounds through the area jewelry stores. People were very happy to educate me on the process and teach me about diamonds. I was pleasantly surprised how reasonable people were since I thought they would just try to push me toward more expensive, flawless stones.
Instead I learned that a round or brilliant cut stone will refract the most light (read: sparkle) while other cuts like cushion, princess, and emerald will not be as bright at the same carat weight. I also learned that you can get a larger stone for your money by getting one that has inclusions (imperfections). Natural occurring stones have inclusions and are rated by experts based on the size and number of these inclusions. In general there are stones with almost no inclusions, stones with inclusions too small to see, and stones with large inclusions. After looking at different stones under a magnifying glass I found a grade of stone I liked. Kathleen’s diamond has a small inclusion that I could barely see under a magnifying glass, and it’s now covered by a prong.
Jewelers get their stones from wholesalers instead of holding a large collection of diamonds themselves and hoping that they sell. Your jeweler can requests several stones with your specifications you can choose from which helps you get exactly what you want. It came down to two jewelers for me. I got lucky and realized they both used the same wholesaler and had access to the diamond that I wanted. I went with the one who gave me the better deal on the diamond after the other could not match his price.
This calculator might also be helpful in helping you see the cost difference between grades of diamonds. You can decided how much more valuable it is to you to have the ext step up in quality.
My final step was having the ring made for the diamond. I gave my jeweler the picture closest to what I wanted and notes on changes I had in mind. I got a drawing of the design from the jewelers ring maker and gave them the green light.
What I Learned –
In terms of timeline, it took 8-10 weeks from looking at rings to getting the final product with the production taking the most time- about a month.
The jeweler I worked with was great but I do wish the split shank bands that hold up the diamond were more delicate. Maybe a 3D rendering would have helped in that regard. That is the downside of designing one yourself – you do not know exactly what you are going to get until it comes in as opposed to buying one off the shelf.
Try on different wedding bands and be open-minded.
This is Kathleen now, but I wanted to add this to Christian’s helpful tips. I was thrilled with the ring Christian designed. It was so much more beautiful than anything I could have dreamt up myself. I loved hearing all of the work, time and thought he put into it, and to this day whenever I receive a compliment I text or tell him.
One mistake I made that I wish I could do again was selecting my wedding band. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted – a classic diamond band. When I went to the jewelry store I beelined straight to that selection, found a matching set that I loved, and called it a day after Christian told me there was no way he was buying me more than one wedding band.
He surprised me with the second band on the way to our honeymoon. Smart man!
My engagement ring is platinum, as are my wedding bands, but sadly they haven’t “aged” the same. As the years go by, my engagement ring continues to be much sparklier and brighter than my bands, no matter how many times I clean or polish them.
A couple of years ago I received this infinity band from Henri Daussi and I couldn’t believe how beautifully it pairs with my engagement ring. I adore it! I think it adds so much to the setting, and I wish I had been more adventurous with trying different bands to see what really complimented my engagement ring best.
I hope this information was helpful! To those who just want to know the exact style of my ring – it’s a cushion cut diamond with a halo and split shank band in platinum, paired with an infinity band in white gold. I wear one of my original platinum wedding bands with the white gold infinity band and my engagement ring. Let me know if you have any specific questions that I may have missed. Thanks so much for reading – XO
Before adding trendy pieces to your closet, you gotta make sure you have the classics. Of course, I could list around 20-ish pieces I consider basics, BUT this is a start!
White, blue and black denim are clutch. If you can have shorts or skirts in these washes as well you’re set year-round! Same goes for collared shirts or tees – white (I have and love this one), gray, denim and black are your staples. A trench coat is a timeless layer that always looks chic, and this may just be me, but I think a jogger/sweatsuit/tracksuit set is essential. You can wear it in the carpool line, grocery store or even to the airport for a comfortable yet put-together look.
A few weeks ago I shared some style tips for dressing down a slip dress here. I also shared how to dress down a velvet blazer here. Today I want to share another way to dress down some of the fancier midi skirts and dresses in your closet… add a pair of sneakers!
I think the key to adding sneakers to a dressier piece is to balance it out up top. In this case, I wore a tee that I cut myself (so it doubles as a crop top tee). I’ve also seen a similar look with a tucked in white collared shirt or a chambray shirt – so cute!
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Make those midi skirts and dresses double as a daytime look – maximize your closet! Versatility is key in creating looks, you don’t always have to buy something new.
Do you like these “dressing down” kinds of posts? I’d love to hear what kind of style posts help you create looks in your own closet. I appreciate your feedback, always!
Thanks so much for reading! XO –
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I can’t believe it’s been four weeks eating plant-based! This was a really cool experiement, and shockingly, not that hard to pull off. Yes I had moments where I failed (flashback to week three‘s mahi mahi tacos and pizza), but I did my best and for that, cheers!
My main reason for this monthly trial was to force myself to explore more meat and dairy-free meals and substitutes, and I definitely think I achieved that. The plan is to continue to try to eat this way in my own house and kitchen, but will be more flexible with dairy and fish when dining out.
Christian was a trooper and happily ate everything I cooked without complaining, but when I left town for four days he bought steak and bacon and ate both all weekend – ha! We both agree that we want to be more intentionally with where we buy our meat, dairy and fish from. It was an eye-opening experiment.
What I Learned:
Plant-based groceries cut my weekly grocery spending by at least $20 – $40 a week.
My stomach only hurt when I was traveling and trying to do my best (aka eating pizza, soup that had cream, etc.). When I was home and cooking for myself I had no stomach problems or pain whatsoever.
I lost three pounds and half an inch in my thighs and waist. Honestly, I thought I might see more of a difference here but then I thought about how I didn’t really eat that much meat and diary anyway (I’m allergic to pork and midly lactose-intolerant)… so it kind of makes sense. Perhaps that is why this trial was so easy for me!?
Cooking plant-based cut my time in the kitchen down big-time. On average, dinners took around 30 minutes or less.
Unlike my experience with Whole30, eating plant-based is usually a one grocery trip visit. Almost every grocery store has everything you need which is awesome.
Almost every single restaurant has a vegetarian option (usually a veggie/black bean burger or salad). So eliminating any dairy from that dish is usually pretty easy.
Roasted Jalapeno Queso | I made this in this post and… it ain’t queso. I mean, it’s a good dip – but if you know queso… this isn’t it. Just being honest!
Better-than-Chipotle Burrito | This is also featured in this post! SO GOOD and very easy, even if it’s not that photogenic! My tortillas were too small, rookie mistake, so next time I’d be sure to get bigger tortillas.
The recipe is correct, the grilling at the end with a weighted pot lid on top is key. Delicious. So delicious that Christian insisted on having a second one, but wanted to roll it up himself as he seemed to think he could do it better (insert eye roll).
I had several meetings this week that required eating out but per usual, it wasn’t a problem.
We are traveling back to Mississippi this week and I’ve already looked up a few restaurants that I know we are eating at. All of them have vegetarian options, so it makes me happy that I can order off the menu without looking/sounding difficult (I never want to be the difficult orderer… it’s one of my fears)!
Thank you so much for going on this journey with me! I loved exploring new recipes and sharing them with you, but I’m going to be honest – I’m not going to miss writing down everything I eat everyday. It was hard to keep up with – especially when traveling!
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I shared in yesterday’s post that I spent last weekend in Park City, Utah to attend the Sundance Film Festival with Stella Artois. We got back to California Monday night, and it was most definitely a trip to remember.
We had tickets to three movies – TheKindergarten Teacher, Colette and Search. I think one of the coolest part of the trip was watching the excitement of the cast and crew for the first premiere of their film. Some of these films take years to create and produce, so we are sitting in the room, experiencing it with fresh eyes and providing the first feedback for these directors. It’s an incredible energy – a mixture of intense passion, emotion, excitement and eagerness.
We spent a lot of time in the Stella Artois lounge on Main Street. There were Q&A’s and panels hosted there that held conversations about being women in film, the persistence and patience it takes to create documentaries and what it’s like to be a female in the entertainment industry today.
I would be remiss not to mention the elephant in the room – it was a very interesting time to be amongst some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. There was a thickness in the air given the recent “Me Too” movement and energy of the Golden Globes, and it was very cool to watch both women and men respect and voice women’s rights. There was a march in town on Sunday, and the message was clear.
Where We Stayed
Newpark Resort | The rooms here are amazing. Huge, with balcony jacuzzis, a full refrigerator, kitchenette, giant tubs, fireplaces – it was fabulous. We loved staying here and although it wasn’t walking distance to Main Street (which would have been nice considering it takes 45 minutes to go 5-7 miles during Sundance), everything else was fantastic. The staff was great, the rooms were gigantic – would definitely stay here again if I were to come ski/snowboard in Park City.
Where We Ate
It was extremely hard to get in anywhere on Main Street. Without a reservation, people don’t even want to put you on the waitlist. I’m not kidding – I was literally denied to even be added to a waitlist. SO, unless it’s first come, first serve at the bar or you have an existing rez… you are better off eating somewhere other than Main Street.
Thankfully we had a meal and some bites at the Stella lounge so we were able to stay afloat even when we couldn’t get in places.
501 on Main | We had dinner here our first night and it was fantastic. They had vegan/vegetarian options that were excellent, and sitting by their fireplace with a coffee at the end of the meal, I definitely wanted to stick around forever.
Tupelo | We grabbed drinks here and the vibe vas very cool. A beautiful restaurant, and I would definitely be interested to come back for dinner.
Bistro 412 | We also grabbed drinks here in between events and the staff was really friendly and attentive. The dining area downstairs looked really charming and the menu looked good as well.
Twisted Fern | We grabbed dinner here because it was walking distance from Search, and it was fantastic. I had a mushroom and lentil burger that I’m still thinking about, and their roasted brussels sprouts appetizer was amazing.
Movies | Obviously this was our main priority of this trip!
Snowmobiling in Deer Valley | I was a little nervous about hopping on a snowmobile but I have no idea why. It was SO FUN. The only negative was that we were only driving these bad boys around for a few hours. I kept telling Christian how much fun it was, and that we should do it together. If you ever get a chance to snowmobile – definitely do it!
Jacuzzi Life | Nikki and I vowed that we wouldn’t leave Park City until we got in the jacuzzi on the balcony of our hotel. So we popped in that bad boy from 2-4AM on our last night and it was epic. Drinking ice-cold Stella in a bubbling hot tub in 10 degrees. Amazing!
What I Wish I Had Also Done
Midway Ice Castles | Call me crazy, but I didn’t even know this was a thing until Monday, a few hours before we left town. It looks incredible!
It was definitely an experience I’ll never forget, and I’m so thankful to Stella Artois for taking me along for the ride! If you’ve ever wanted to go to Sundance, I would strongly encourage you to add it to your bucket list.
For those with Park City questions – let me know if I missed anything! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
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I mean… going from 70 degree California to 10 degree Utah was a major body shock, but in a really fun way! I didn’t realize that Park City hasn’t gotten much snow this season. When we arrived on Friday, there was hardly any around (but of course the mountains were still gorgeous).
And then Friday evening it began to snow, like magic. And it snowed more and more and more for two days. I felt so lucky to experience the magic of the snowfall and you can tell in these photos, it was really coming down!
Christian and I skied together in Utah a few years ago, but I was so excited to return to the gorgeous area this year with Stella Artois for the Sundance Film Festival. Stella has been a huge supporter of both Sundance and Women in Film for years. I was so inspired by all the creative people showcasing their talent, and I can’t wait to share more on the experience tomorrow.
As for now, can we talk about this coat?! You guys – IT’S REVERSIBLE. Brilliant! I had to really put my mind to work when putting together stylish but warm outfits for the festival. Believe it or not… the only part of me that was cold when wearing this outfit were my hands. Seriously!
On that note, let’s get into my three tips for staying stylish and warm –
Mix your fabrics
I was layering cashmere and wool but was careful not to dress in too many layers because then you’re sweating anytime you’re inside. Which is the worst. I’d rather be a little cold for a 15 minute walk than sweaty for hours inside, so think about your indoor comfort too.
Pockets
Depending on how long you’re going to be outside and how big your bag is, you might want to sacrifice gloves. On this trip, I only brought gloves on one day and never wore them because we were constantly looking up directions, taking photos or texting other girls in town. This means having pockets is really important so you can shove your hands in them when you’re outside! Even better if you have hand warmers.
Layer your Socks
Yes, I wore these boots in the snow. I wear heels all the time and I didn’t realize how much snow there was until I was already outside… so I went with it. We were mostly inside during this trip, so I sacrificed some of my outside comfort so I could feel confident inside. I mean… I’ve been suffering for fashion for as long as I can remember. Let’s be real!
BUT, every single day I wore two pairs of socks. I would wear a regular sock and then layer a wool sock over it. I always think wearing warm, wool socks can make a big difference. No one likes to have their toes going numb.
I’ve loved these Old Hangouts so much that I recently added the Post Modern Blues to my collection as well (seen in this post, scroll to bottom for sizing recommendations). Now I think I need to snag the Black Coast. They’re high waisted and totally on-trend as a nod to classic old school denim.
Because I’ve shared several looks featuring this pair of jeans, I wanted to share a twist of how I styled denim on denim. There are so may ways to rock this trend! You can wear a classic blue denim jacket with white, black or blue denim. You can rock a chambray with white, black or blue denim. Play with different shades, textures and so on. You can wear it with sneakers, boots or heels – anything goes.
I thought this article and this article had some great inspiration and do’s/don’ts to wearing denim on denim.
I LOVE the look of a denim jacket tied around the waist. It’s easy, cool and effortless while being functional. It took me a while to get on the denim jacket train, but now that I have one I’ve found it goes with almost everything.
Scroll down to see how you score 30% off your Levi’s purchase this week!
denim in Old Hangouts (I sized up one size), also have and love the Post Modern Blues (runs TTS) | jacket, also love this one | similar sweater here, here, here and here
And for the dudes, Christian has and loves this pair. They’re a great fit for a tall, slim guy – so much so that he’s considering getting a second pair, and if you read Monday’s post, you know this is no easy feat.
Right now you can get 30% off your Levi’s purchase with the code 30VIP. This is the time to get on the Levi’s train, my friends! Trust me, you’ll live in them.
My third week of eating plant-based! I shared the first week’s recap here and the second week here. I must admit, this week was a little less impressive in terms of photos/recipes. Christian and I took Monday off for MLK Jr. Day, and we spent the day in Laguna Beach. It was magical (!!) – but the days that followed were filled both playing catch up and working ahead because I was in Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival from Friday – Monday!
I know, I know – cry me a river. BUT my reason for explaining this is because I don’t have a photographed recipe or an extensive list of recipes. Girl… I was making it work!
That being said, let’s get into it.
Last Week’s Recipes:
Black Bean Soup – so good. So very good! We topped the soup with avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips. Also made great leftovers.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie – I’ve made this for my three y/o nephew and Christian – a crowd pleaser no matter your age or gender! A great quick breakfast or snack.
Quinoa Black Bean Tacos – This was the recipe I was hoping to feature in today’s blog post, but as you saw in my cry-me-a-river excuse above… I didn’t get around to it. SO yummy though! Will definitely be making these again.
Power Balls – I made these as a snack option for me and breakfast option for Christian. He will eat almost anything and will eat healthy if there’s something already made. I thought this recipe was ok, next time I’ll be trying this recipe. I used organic peanut butter and a lot of the oil was gone so it made them a little dry. Then I added some coconut oil which made them better… but I need to play around with a few recipes before I perfect them!
Dining Out:
I have a confession. On our Laguna-filled day of fun we were having a late lunch on the beach and… I got mahi mahi tacos. I was going to get the vegetarian sandwich but then the server was saying it was “alright” and raving on the tacos and I was on the water… I cheated! I wanted to be honest because while they were good, they didn’t rock my world. I found myself thinking afterwards, “that wasn’t really worth it.” I would have enjoyed veggie tacos just as much. Surprising, right?
I left for Sundance on Friday and thankfully there were vegetarian options everywhere thanks to all these California hippies (finger pointed at myself here) in town. So it was rarely an issue except one day when I hadn’t eaten since 6AM and pizza was the only lunch option. I opted for veggie pizza but it did have cheese on it, I confess.
How I’m Feeling
I was extra hungry last week. Which was annoying because I was also extra busy so I was basically shoving food in my mouth while answering emails and making a packing list. #Godbless.
A few months ago I shared a post about shopping for a dude, and what I’ve learned through the years. Believe it or not, I sometimes have a hard time shopping for guy stuff for Christian. Not only is mens clothing totally different than women’s, but he is also incredibly particular. If the fit is slightly off or the quality isn’t to “his liking”… he’s out.
He’s a minimal wardrobe kind of guy, which is why he hunts so hard for the perfect items. He wants one pair of black boots and he wants them to be perfect. A few years ago he decided he wanted to buy a vest. After A YEAR of looking for the perfect vest, he bought this one. It took a year!
This is why I love shopping from Nordstrom for him. They have an enormous selection, an incredible return/exchange policy, and they’re constantly adding to their mens shop. Also, when he is taking 45 minutes to pick out a belt, I can be one floor below shopping for myself. Really, it’s a win-win.
So I thought I’d share C’s rule of thumb for adding to his wardrobe. I can’t believe I’m typing this… but maybe I could learn a few things from him?
Invest in Classic Pieces
One thing that’s a mantra here on Carrie Bradshaw Lied (or some might say I taught her this) is to invest in your classics/basics. You can add a trend item here or there to update thing or keep it fresh, but if you’re shopping for something you know you’ll wear a lot, it’s ok to invest in quality.
Fit
Learn what fits your body. Once you’ve figured out what you feel comfortable and confident in, stick to that fit and/or brand. Your favorites are your favorites for a reason – because they meet all of your requirements: comfort, fit and confidence. More isn’t better. Stick with what you like because if you can’t find it now, you’ll find it later.
Dog Hair
We have a yellow lab, and after living with her for 10 years we’ve found our house and clothes slowly but surely match her because… her hair is on everything no matter how hard we try. We wear “Bailey colors.”
PS – I’ve added a new category to CBL at the top of this site! In the “family” category you can now find all couple/love/marriage/wedding/relationship content. I hope this will help keep everything in one place for anyone with questions related to these topics!
I’d love to hear what you guys think of these “his and her” kind of posts. Do you like them? Are they helpful at all if you’re the one shopping for the guy in your house? I’d love to hear what you think.
