Thursday, September 28, 2017

{yellow dress for a beach walk in the hamptons}












Photography by Allie Provost



The hot "fall" days with the sun setting really early has me dreaming of summer... Now hear me out first! I'm really excited for fall but I love slow mornings followed by long happy hours out in the sun. Maybe I'm not fully embracing the new season because it doesn't "feel" like it yet. When I was in the Hamptons last month we soaked up every bit of sunshine. Walks on the beach in the morning, exploring in the afternoon, and sipping on wine at a vineyard in the evening. During the fall months I like to spend my evenings outside because of the cool air - that ain't happening this week haha. Thank goodness daylight savings is right around the corner because these dark mornings make it really hard to get out of bed! Especially when I can't pick an outfit from my fall/winter clothes ;)

Yellow is one of my favorite colors to wear, I don't think I have enough of it! This felt like the perfect dress to wear on a beach walk... blowing in the wind, light against your skin, and keeping you light as a feather. It's a great staple to have. In the cooler days you can add a jean jacket and espadrilles!





How are y'all handling this weather?!


Love Always,

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

{BeYu Cosmetics mascara | my secret to long lashes}


It's no secret that my lashes are my power move. When I put mascara on I feel more like myself - more feminine! If I could only put on one piece of makeup every day I would choose mascara. Y'all have seen my beauty reviews before... I'm always looking for the next best mascara that will make my lashes look longer, thicker, and fuller. I love combining mascaras to achieve the look I love! After a couple of failed mascara attempts from well-known popular brands (chunky lashes, flaking, etc.) I decided it was time to go back to the drawing board. Then BeYu cosmetics was introduced to me!  First, I learned all the excellent basics: no animal testing, fragrance free, good for sensitive skin, and in a wide variety of pigments and shades (hello, options). Then, it came down to the true tests - application and lasting power.




I tried four different types: Lash Expert - volume & curl, Power Volume - boosting effect, Power Volume - boosting effect & waterproof, and Beauty Queen - volume mascara waterproof. I was really surprised to like all 4 (I'm seriously picky haha)! None of the bristles made my lashes clump on first swipe and the product was distributed evenly across the bristles.





My favorite combo was the Lash Expert Volume & Curl first and then Power Volume with Boosting Effect layered over. The volume & curl distributed really well and I could already tell it was lengthening them. The boosting effect helped thicken up the roots and define my outer and inner lashes (those tiny lashes that never seem to hold mascara for me). I have really long, natural lashes but they're just blonde haha.





I applied this mascara early Sunday morning for a day of shoots, brunch, car ride home, and then dinner with my girl friends followed by some casual tears through a movie (typical Jenn). I'm not lying when I say that my mascara didn't run AT ALL. I wasn't even wearing the waterproof mascara!! I was shocked and thrilled that I didn't look like a hot mess after.




On the left: my right eye with one application of Lash Expert Volume & Curl mascara (bright blue tube) and my left eye is bare.
On the right: both eyes with Lash Expert and a layer of Power Volume Mascara Boosting Effect (silver tube).




So where can you find my new favorite mascara brand?! Wegman's! The magical store (I could spend hours in) sells this magical mascara. Looking for your closest Wegman's? Find the one closest to you here. If you don't have a store near you then you can shop online at Target here!

Have y'all tried this brand before? I'd love to know your thoughts. Also, if you purchase it let me know! I'm excited to have fallen in love with a mascara that's actually in a reasonable price range!!

*This post was sponsored by BeYu Cosmetics - but all opinions, photos, and thoughts are my own. I've been using these mascaras for the past month and am genuinely a fan and am excited to keep using them!*

Love Always,

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

{hot pink lunch date in the hamptons}









Photography by Allie Provost





How is it almost October and it was 90 degrees yesterday? I figured this was a perfect time to share this casual lunch/exploring outfit that I wore in the Hamptons last month. I grabbed this easy off the shoulder dress from Francesca's and paired it with my favorite gold accessories and straw tote. I found these Julie Vos hoops shopping in East Hampton. I've never owned hoops before and I can't stop wearing these - they're hammered metal and the perfect size. I was so happy that I had a loose dress on and we were sitting under the umbrellas because the sun was beating down that day. We ate at the Lobster Roll in Montauk - a location that is well-known from the tv show The Affair! The girls all had lobster for lunch but I had the fried fish and chips. They were delicious! I highly recommend everyone take a stop at the Lobster Roll if you find yourself in Montauk... definitely a local favorite as well!


Love Always,

Friday, September 15, 2017

{TBScon day 3 | gingham set at navy pier}













Photography by Lindsay
Gingham Two-Piece Set - Top & Shorts // Sandals // Yellow Tassel Earrings // Straw Purse //



Day 3... It's a good thing I had had a lot of pasta the night before because after all of the wine that Laura, Lindsay and I drank at Eataly that night... well, you can guess. However, I was ready for the speakers on Saturday morning - the view of the conference room alone was enough to get me excited for the day! I have been following blogs since wayyyy before I started my own. I love learning advice from other bloggers first hand. 

We kicked it off with Cathy and Jessica giving us some stats about The Blog Societies and then moved on to Dandy and Grace talking about traveling. This topic was what I was hoping for the most. I've attempted to kick off the travel section of my blog this year - it's something that was missing from my life and really brings me great joy. Dandy and Grace are a travel duo that I've been following for awhile - they are true #girlbosses. They gave us the run down on how they pick a location, to how they pitch a brand, and then their game plan when they arrive... scouting out locations, outfits they bring, tripod use, hiring a photographer, etc. Y'all I've never been so inspired to email a PR company! Every bit of info was fascinating.

Then the always gorgeous Rachel Martino took the stage. Can we talk about a more perfect human? She made every girl in the room feel like we were best friends and that her chat was just a catch up session between two best friends. Adorable. She gave us some great life advice along with the story of how she went full-time. I'll let you in on a little secret... almost every blogger wishes they could go full time but can't let go of the ties to their job or are simply too damn scared (seriously. If you're reading this as a blogger and thinking 'nah' then you know you've had the thought at least once). We all love our jobs if we aren't full time but seeing people like Rachel turn her hobby into a career is awe inspiring. She got down to the nitty gritty about money and expenses. So real and still inspiring. Did I mention she's bilingual? She has TWO YouTube channels - one English and one French. And then she followed me... AH! #fangirl

Last but not least was Brittany from Lawyer Lookbook. Can we talk about girl power for a second? Because I was feeling all of the "yas honey" comments when she schooled us about FTC guidelines and how to write your own contracts. Moral of her speech: stop letting brands own you and STOP doing work for free. Now you can understand my "yas honey" comments ;) I love women who empower other women!

We wrapped up the speeches (before an adorable outdoor picnic lunch with Charming Charlie) with a brand panel. Questions such as "how do you stand out in a brand pitch" to "what is the outcome you want from a collaboration" to "how do you find us" were asked. It was insightful to hear the other side of the collaboration give their input. 

After lunch, my roomies and I went to the 3 Arts Cafe (inside the Restoration Hardware store) and sipped on rose while eating grilled cheese and burrata - my favorite stop in all of Chicago. We sat on the roof and reflected on the wild weekend that we'd had and everything that we learned. I love those two girls with all my heart - it was amazing just being able to see them and feel like old times!





That wraps up my TBScon days! I'll be doing a Chicago Travel Guide soon and will share everywhere I ate and my favorite things to see and do! As usual, if you have any question feel free to leave a comment below or email me.


Love Always,

Thursday, September 14, 2017

{my studio apartment tour}


The most requested blog post I've had (for the past year) has been a tour of my studio apartment! It's taken me awhile to get this post up... I knowwww. I'm never 100% satisfied with how I decorate so I'm always changing things around (mainly pillows and my bedding) and rearranging my bookshelf. I also love to style my bar cart differently depending on the season.  After being here for a year I'm finally feeling that my design decisions have made this place feel like home.

I've teamed up with Houzz to show y'all my home and explain how I've chosen to decorate! Be sure to check out my interview here - there are a lot more photos of my studio and I explain the process of decorating and finding my place!

So without further ado... my 525 SF studio apartment in Washington, DC!


























Sofa // Palm Print Pillow // Dalmation Print Pillow // Red and White Striped Pillow // Coffee Table // Gold Tray // Emily Ley Coffee Table Book // Floor Lamp // TV Stand // Ikea Vittsjo Bookshelf // Rug // Plant Basket // Herman Miller Eames Chair (Knock-off Version) // Floor Length Mirror // Bar Cart // Gold Champagne Glasses // Yay! Confetti Wine Glass // Hurricane (filled with limes) // Acrylic Tray // Ikea Hemnes Dresser (Knobs are Home Goods) // Ikea Hemnes Bed Frame // Bedding // Beach Picture over Bed // Ikea Hemnes Nightstands // Lamp Base + Shade // "Don't Quit Your Daydream" Pillow








If you have any questions where something in particular is from just leave a comment below! Don't forget to check out my interview on Houzz! Ryan did such an awesome job with the professional photos!
Love Always,
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