The Eyebrow Game

Ever since I was 12, I’ve been up to bat at the Eyebrow Game. It’s a dangerous game. I’ve spent countless hours in front of the mirror tweezing, shaping, grooming and landscaping my eyebrows. I’ve gone through stages of over plucking and stages of hardly plucking. They look fine now but it’s taken years of work. I think I’m finally winning the Eyebrow Game. Yay!

You know how I know this? Big and bold eyebrows are now in style. This isn’t news. Every time I flip through a magazine, I see more and more ads for eyebrow pencils, brushes, tools, etc. Even on the internet there are videos everywhere for filling in your eyebrows and shaping them. I’m always struggling to keep mine in check and under control, and here the nation (or world?) is pushing for bold and big eyebrows.

I don’t have a problem with this trend at all, it’s less work for me. I actually LOVE it. I welcome it. I just find it a little funny. If only I could write a letter or send an AOL Instant message to my 12-year-old self and tell her it’s going to be okay. Big, but maintained, eyebrows will be in style someday so ease up on the fussing. You will survive this and it will work out.

Adios for now!

Single Girl’s Guide: Surviving Valentine’s Day – Round 2

Hey friends!

Remember when I wrote a post about fun ways to navigate Valentine’s Day as a single lady? That was nice. Well I wanted to share it with you again so here’s what we covered last year (in case you missed it):

Single Lady Must-Dos for VALENTINE’S DAY

• Send out cheesy Valentines. 
• Make plans for Valentine’s Day.
• Treat yourself to a salon date.
• Pick up a heart-shaped pizza from Pizza Murphy’s.
• BE HAPPY.

And my new suggestion for this year…

Host a Galentine’s Day Party.

For those of you that are obsessed with the TV show Parks and Rec like me, you should host a party for your girls. And if you’re not into the show, throw a girls night anyways. Trust me on this one.

“What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, Leslie Knope and her lady friends leave their husbands and their boyfriends at home and just kick it breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies.” – Online Source

I’m going to have a group of my girlfriends over for a nighttime brunch to celebrate Galentine’s Day this weekend, then I’m headed home to spend a few days with my parents. I’ll be surrounded by the people I love.

This is a super “cheerleader” post but I still stand behind everything I wrote last year. Show your friends and family you love them and are thinking of them. Just because you’re alone now doesn’t mean you’ll be alone forever. Stay positive!

4 Sites You Need to Keep Tabs On

Just wanted to share a few sites I enjoy visiting and revisiting every so often. Maybe you’re familiar with them, maybe you’re not! It’s worth sharing anyway.

• HelloGiggles – These writers get me. Especially this fun story about celeb powerbesties and this other story about things not to say to single ladies.
• Refinery29 – It’s the bee’s knees in my book. I like this how to dress for your body type story and I’m saving this $10 quick dinners anyone can master story for a rainy day. Let’s be honest, I’m saving it for the next time I go grocery shopping.
• Greatist – A sister site to Refinery29, it helps me be healthy. Or helps me want to be healthy. Maybe I’ll try out any of these 34 breakfast recipes for busy mornings. I’m getting burned out on oatmeal. Sorry Quaker Oats guy on the box who always looks too happy. (Who can possibly be that happy about oatmeal??)
• Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine – The best place for me to keep track of what’s happening here in Minnesota. Well, the fun stuff that’s happening like new restaurants, breweries, shops and so on.

Tell me. What are your favorite sites?

*NOTE- I’m not an airhead. I have digital subscriptions to actual newspapers where I stay updated on what’s really going on — the good and the bad. But you and I both know that newspapers aren’t very sexy content for a blog.

Happy 4th of July!!

Who’s excited for the 4th of July?? THIS GIRL. I’m flying down to Kansas City to visit Kala at My Breezy Room for a long weekend. I’m so pumped! I haven’t left Minnesota since January and it’s about time. Kala and I became friends at Camp Friendship in Annandale, MN three summers ago now — it’s crazy that’s been that long — and have kept in touch ever since! It was definitely the most challenging and difficult summer of my life, but also the most rewarding. This is going to sound super vague but it was so much fun.

I’m looking forward to rehashing hilarious camp stories with Kala this weekend. I also missed her wedding last month so I’m excited to get all the details on that!

So, to celebrate July 4th, I need to pack a few red, white and blue outfits tonight! Wouldn’t any of these be cute?

Too bad I don’t have red or American flag shorts. I guess I’ll work with what I’ve got. Happy 4th of July, friends and fam!

Favorite Florals

Let’s talk about my favorite print: floral. It’s my go-to print for dresses, shirts and everything else. Sometimes I look back on pictures and I’m like, “Jenna, is that all you own?!” Ummm… maybe? Here are a few pretty floral things to get you pumped up for spring/summer! It’s almost summer, right? (We actually got robbed of spring here in Minnesota so I’m not too sure if I can say it’s almost summer. The leaves in my neighborhood just started budding this week. And no, I’m not being dramatic. It’s true!)

peonies

plywood covered in floral fabric

If this dress were still available, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

#anthropologie

 

What You Need to Try from Trader Joe’s

I’ve been hitting up Trader Joe’s pretty hard lately. I love how it’s a small-format store and doesn’t take me eight minutes to trek all the way back to the produce area if I forgot something on my list. I love their produce selection and lots of other things which is why I decided to share my favorite Trader Joe’s items with you. Here we go:

Frozen roasted vegetable pizza (no cheese) — You guys. This is amazing. I can eat pizza without getting an angry stomach ache and without sacrificing  great flavors. Try it at your house, add even more veggies and sprinkle a dash of red pepper flake.

Three-flavor layered humus — That’s right! The bottom layer is cilantro lime, next its regular humus (boo) and the top is roasted red pepper. It’s perfect for dipping pita chips, carrots and celery. I’m addicted. The “party style” tub of humus is tempting…but I don’t have a family of eight so I know that’d end up in the trash. And I can’t let TJ’s down like that.

5-lb bag of grapefruit — YUM. Do I need to say more? I’m turning into my grandpa and eating half a grapefruit most mornings. Come to think of it… I love the taste… and I love the smell in soaps and perfumes. (Remember Gap’s “So Pink” body spray from back in the day?!) I also love the bold color. I should find a grapefruit-colored dress! Maybe I’d be taking this grapefruit thing too far. Whatever.

Cage-free eggs — I like buying cage-free eggs there. Then I know I’m not making chickens uncomfortable at the expense of my obsession with scrambled eggs and omelets. I can pay one extra dollar to give the chickens a little wiggle room and a better quality of life.

ASPARAGUS — It’s really good. Drizzle that bundle with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic and bake it in the oven for a while.

Orange Juice carton (with calcium) — I’m not wild on orange juice. The pulp messes with my stomach and I can only have small quantities (don’t judge). I do love their orange juice with added calcium! Gotta squeeze that in whenever I can since I’m dairy-free. The pulp-to-juice ratio is spot on. (Tip: Do not offer me a mimosa. I will kindly refuse it and ask for a Bloody Mary. It’s not you, it’s me. Really.)

Okay, I’ll cool it here. I could go on and on but I’m not sure how much you’d like that. What do YOU like to buy at Trader Joe’s? Let’s hear it!

The Best Buns

Buns are a great go-to hairstyle all year long. In the winter my hair is always full of static and sticking to my face, and in the summer my hair is really heavy and I want it off my neck. So, buns are the way to go! I don’t need to tell you this though. If your hair is longer than your chin, you catch my drift. I love a more formal bun for work (because I feel fancy and put together) and I love a messy bun for weekends and nights with friends.

 

 

 

 

Sophia Bush

Well, there you have it! Have a great Saturday and wear a bun.

A Take on New York Fashion Week

I asked the most stylish friend I know if she’d be interested in guest blogging. Guess what? She is! I’m excited to have my first guest blogger on here! 🙂

Meet Emily. We go way back…to like senior year of high school when Math class nearly killed us and choir practices energized us. Stay a while and soak up every word of her New York Fashion Week wrap-up. I think you’ll like her digestible take on fashion (something I definitely don’t have a knack for). If you really like what you see, be sure to visit her Tumblr at itsemmalou.tumblr.com.

Emily and me last summer.

NYFW Wrap by Emily 

The most stylish week in New York has just wrapped, New York Fashion Week. A week when putting your arms in your coat sleeves when its 16 degrees out is not the norm, when wearing heels isn’t a choice; it’s a must, when all the fashion crazed bloggers stuff their purses with cliff bars and cell chargers. It’s a week that I look forward to.

This year’s shows were most impressive. If you were only able to watch two shows (how could you choose just two?), I would highly recommend Marc Jacobs and the great Oscar de la Renta. THAT MAN OSCAR!! Year after year he tops himself. Let’s talk about the bold striped ball gown that stole the show at 2013 RTW show, the Strapless Striped Gazar Gown, I wasn’t sure it could get any better than that. Thankfully la Renta proved me wrong (I knew he would). His fall collection showcased a lot of patterns, separates, and my favorite colors; black and white.

Oscar de la Renta; great suits in my favorite colors black and white.

Marc Jacob’s show was especially enjoyable for each guest because he made sure they all had a front row seat. How you ask? Think of the world’s most winding runway. Guests were seated beneath the clouds on individual white pods and models walked the maze to a spoken track that honestly mesmerized me from the start. From sheer to sparkles, and fur to shearlings, some of the most notable new trends were shown. (As a side note, those ombre fur coats are a must in this frigid weather.)

Marc Jacobs’ unique twist on the runway.

The biggest complaint I have about fashion week is the unrealistic looks that sashay down the runway. While every fashion week will undoubtedly have a few of those avant-garde looks sprinkled into the collections, this year had an equal amount of wearable looks. As a working woman, 90% of what I buy needs to be able to be worn to work, so the steady flow of two and three piece suits was right up my alley. A suit is just like a dress. I love dresses because you can put that bad boy on and you are set. A suit is the same way. Slip on that skirt or pants, add a neutral top (or crazy pattern if that’s more you), add the jacket and boom, instant respect.

The best part of fashion week you ask? The street style photos! Its like the Superbowl of outfit inspiration! When bloggers, fashion editor’s, buyers, and over all capital F- Fashionistas put their best foot forward, their best jacket, or whatever it takes; to get a photo snapped. Which, from the looks of it, can’t be to hard by the swarm of street style photographers that hang out around the different show sites. My favorite photographer is with no doubt Bill Cunningham, the 84-year-old man who captures their expression of personal style. This is where I draw inspiration, I challenge myself during NYFW to dress as if I was going to a show (in my dreams…).

Street style photographers capture music producer Caroline de Maigret, wearing
Proenze Schouler outside the designers show.

Vogue puts together a slide show of the street style of off duty models and the above mentioned attendees, that is without a doubt, a jackpot for outfit inspiration. It features some of my favorite people to follow for style, Russian magazine editor Miroslava Duma, model and British Vogue editor Alexa Chung, fashion editor Taylor Tomasi Hill, and blogger Leandra Medine (The Man Repeller; highly recommend checking her blog out).

If you’re looking for a way to freshen up your look, check out the street style photos and see what you can recreate to work for your personal style with the pieces you already have. Then make a wish list of new pieces to help complete your wardrobe and the look. These trends are whats going to be on the racks six months from now, so why not get a jump start and be ahead of the trend! Check out itsemmalou.tumblr.com for some of my own looks, as well as what I find inspiring.

More info:

Photos of Oscar de la Renta’s 2014 RTW show.

To view Marc Jacobs 2014 show click here.

Street Style Slide Show (the creepy old looking lady, Anna Dello Russo, I just find her weird)

Single Girl’s Guide: Navigating Valentine’s Day

So February 14 is around the corner. It’s like an elephant in the room and there’s no way to avoid it. Maybe you’re like me and you have a flower shop directly outside of work  on the sky way level. Maybe this flower shop is a total eyesore with a countdown to Valentine’s Day scribbled on chalkboards, and placed directly in front where you can’t miss them. “17 days until Valentine’s Day!” …. “2 days until Valentine’s Day!” This particular flower shop, and hundreds of other businesses, are sending not-so-gentle reminders that Valentine’s Day is fast-approaching.

A pretty cake I could never whip up. But it sure is nice to look at.

Just like New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day will come and go. If you’re a single lady like me, you might feel the need to suppress feelings of hostility and  loneliness so your couple-y friends don’t pity you. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Just because you don’t have a special someone doesn’t mean you should hate Valentine’s Day. That’s a waste of energy and it’s not necessary.

So, I wrote up a little guide to help you navigate Valentine’s Day this Friday in a happy and positive way. Here’s what you’re going to do:

Send out cheesy Valentines. Go to Target and buy the cheap boxes of kiddo Valentines. You know the ones I’m talking about with the stickers and tattoos. I bought One Direction Valentines in January (sorry to the third grader who’ll cry when her mom tells her the 1D ones are sold out. That’s on me) for my coworkers and friends. Not only are kid Valentines hilarious, they’ll show the people in your life that you care about them and that you’re thinking about them. You might just surprise someone who really needs it. (OR you can impress people and make witty Valentines with the help of Real Simple.)

Real Simple // homemade Valentines

Make plans for Valentine’s Day. You heard me. Make plans! Do you want to sit home and watch hours of Netflix alone? Of course you don’t! You’ll only set the stage for feeling vulnerable and sorry for yourself. I don’t care what you do. Visit your parents, meet up with high school friends, host a Just Dance party, round-up a bunch of your cousins and go to a movie. Just do something so you can get your mind off being alone.

Treat yourself to a salon date. Schedule a manicure, fix up those highlights or sign up for that massage you’ve been dying for. Whatever it takes. Primp! Feel pretty. Just because the dating/engaged/married girls are looking glam for Valentine’s Day weekend, doesn’t give you a free pass to look sloppy.

Pick up a heart-shaped pizza from Pizza Murphy’s. Do I need to justify this? It’s the best Valentine’s Day special ever for $7! You can’t even go to a movie for $7 anymore. Trust me on this one, you won’t regret it. Devour it yourself or share it with friends. I’ll leave that up to you and I won’t judge.

Papa Murphy’s “HeartBaker” Pizza

BE HAPPY. Now I’m getting a little cheesy but…what makes you laugh your face off? Is it YouTube videos of kids falling off swing sets? (Guilty.) Is it your favorite SNL skit? Is it giving your brother or best friend a quick call? Do something that makes you laugh really, really hard.

And if you really, really just want to stay in… I get you. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be alone. But whatever you do, get off social media. Ignore Facebook and Instagram. Out of sight, out of mind. Make sense?

Just because you don’t have someone now, doesn’t mean you won’t have someone forever. There’s a difference between being alone,  and being lonely. Which one do you want to be?

And for more single girl tips, check out my guide to surviving New Year’s Eve post. Have a HAPPY Valentine’s Day everyone!

Three Grammy Red Carpet Trends to Steal

Last weekend when the Grammys were on, I saw a few beauty trends I knew I just had to write about. I didn’t catch the entire awards show (since I get really antsy after two hours), but I saw a good part of it. Anyways, enough about my TV habits, here are a few red carpet looks from Popsugar.com I want to steal and attempt to pull off this year:

I do not own any of these photos. I’m borrowing all of them from Popsugar.com.

Miranda Lambert at the 2014 Grammy Awards, Popsugar.com

I love Miranda Lambert’s Hollywood glam makeup look. Holy crap! She looks like a million dollars, literally. Let’s work on sporting bold red lipstick and loose retro curls to be just like her. And don’t forget the bright statement earrings.

Taylor Swift at the 2014 Grammy Awards, Popsugar.com

Words cannot express how much I love Taylor’s dress. She looks mature and classy while still staying modest. Modesty always gets bonus points in my book. This reminds me I don’t have a gold or champagne-colored dress…that might be something I need to invest in this year.

Katy Perry at the 2014 Grammy Awards, Popsugar.com

I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right. Katy Perry’s bun is a little loud. But don’t let that distract you from checking out how stunning her makeup is. I love the light eye shadow paired with a soft pastel lip color. I think this makeup look would work well for spring or for a casual date night.

So there you have it! Those are my favorite looks from the Awards. What did you like the best?