Fashion Challenge: Brown? Cognac? Both...

Today's Fashion Challenge neutral color was cognac.  I googled cognac color and the image results came up with a wide range of medium brownish shades.  I was pretty unsure where to go with it so I picked different shades of brown in the hopes one of them would be cognac.  Since I missed out on yesterday's color of brown if none of my choices are cognac, I'm doing brown a day late.

Little Frankie is modeling his cute self in these photos as well.  Its was also too much effort to get the tripod out and watch the puppy so I'm back to using the deck railing and tables as perches.  Considering all that, I think my photos turned out pretty darn well.

Cardigan: H&M-Orange ruffle cardigan-$20
Dress: H&M-Khakhi shirt dress-$35
Tights: Marshalls-Brown striped tights-$4
Shoes: Kmart-Flats with buckles-$8

Be sure to check out the other lovely bloggers participating in the Fashion Challenge this week.  You can find links at Casual Chic Kiki or Megan Mae Daily.

Fashion Challenge: Grey Day

For today's Fashion Challenge was to wear grey.  This is one of my all time favorite dresses.  Its super comfy jersey material, has pockets and came with a belt (which I can't find at the moment).

Dress:Ross-Heather Grey Jersey Dress-$14
Jacket-New York & Co-Grey Wool Jacket-$35
Jeggings-Target-$22
Boots: Ross-Aerosoles Black Boots-$20

And the reason this post is so short on words and has taken me all evening, my new puppy Frankie!  He's an early Christmas gift from my husband. He's half dachshund half english bulldog and absolutely adorable.

Fashion Challenge: Neutral Black

This week I'm participating in the Fashion Challenge hosted by Megan Mae Daily and Casual Chic Kiki.  The theme this time around is neutrals.  Some of you may have noticed I have a pretty darn colorful wardrobe and could use a little help with wearing neutrals.  So this week I'm going to stay away from my safe colorful items and try out some neutral looks.  Today's neutral color of choice is black.  I'm often criticized by my best friend for the distinct lack of black in my wardrobe and I dedicate this post to you Rupie!

Jacket-White Elephant Sale Oakland, CA-Grey 3/4 sleeve jacket-$3
Top-H&M-Black and white printed poofy sleeve top-$10
Skirt-Clothing Swapped-FREE!
Tights: Nordstrom Rack-Polka dot tights-$4
Shoes:Ross-Black Flats-$14
Approximate Total Cost-$31

I'm pretty sure this is the most black I've ever worn in an outfit.  I don't even own a quintessential little black dress!  I wanted my outfit to consist mostly of black (grey is a shade of black, right?) but still be young and playful.  I think I accomplished this by pairing my black skirt with polka dot tights, an eye catching black and white printed top and my favorite floral embellished black flats.

Be sure to check out the other fashion challenge takers, listed here!

Tomorrow everyone will be wearing grey!  So I guess it doesn't really count as a shade of black, BUT I can wear my jacket again, right?

Shopping ban fumble

I fumbled. Faltered. Failed. Or whatever you want to call it.  I gave in to the holiday shopping fever.

I was out at my local thrift store this past week looking for a dress to wear to my husband's company holiday party.  I wasn't sure if I had anything in my closet that fit or appropriate for the occasion so I thought I'd just see what was available for cheap, you know, just in case.  I found a dress I really liked but walked away from it.  I did great! I remembered my shopping ban and decided to stick to it and search my closet instead.

At home I tried on a few possible options.  They all fit for the most part.  The one my considering wearing is blue, white and grey animal print one shoulder number which fits great except in the underarm of all places.  Its still totally wearable though.  I'm feeling good about my decision at this point.

The fumble begins the next day when a coupon arrives in the mail for $5 off a purchase of $15 or more for the thrift store!  In my moment of weakness I take it as a sign that the dress I left behind the other day was meant to be.  I switch out my bra for a strapless one and head out to the thrift store, gotta try the dress on with the proper undergarment this time.  Sadly, the dress didn't fit as nicely as I remembered so I continued my search for something for the party.  The rest is history.  I end up walking out of the store with a skirt (which I may wear the the party and if not I wear it to another holiday event), cream sweater, and two turquoise sweaters.  I don't feel too bad though, all four items cost me $12 total after I used my coupon!

Black pleated skirt with bead border, Talbots label.

And, the other turquoise sweater I purchased.

Sweater-Thrift Town-Charter Club Turquoise cardigan-$4
T-shirt-Black T-shirt too old to remember
Jeans: JCPenny-$20
Scarf-A gift from my friend

Tribal & Mustard

December already...I feel like November flew by so quickly.  The past few weeks I've been unable to keep up with blogging.  I blame it on the shorter days, gloomier weather and a busier schedule.  But yesterday the sun was shinning brightly while I was getting ready for work so I decided to add a little bright happy color to my outfit by wearing my tribal print dress.  I played up the yellow splashes of color on the dress by pairing it with my yellow cardigan and sneakers.  Seems I inadvertently matched the leaves on the trees too!  Fall came a little late here in California!

Dress: Target-Tribal Print Dress-$10
Cardigan: Macy's-Charter Club Mustard yellow cardigan-Gift from Mom-FREE!
Jeggings: Target-Dark Blue Jeggings-$22
Shoes: Macys-Naturalizer yellow sneakers with bow-$15
Approximate Total Cost-$47

Hosting Thanksgiving

My husband and I hosted our first thanksgiving dinner in our new home. My husband woke up early to BBQ the turkey in the rain. And between the two of us we made mash potatoes, cornbread souffle, gravy, cranberry sauce and provided some appetizers.  My husband and I got the house cleaned our dishes prepared well before the guests expected arrival time of 10:00AM.  We sat around anxiously twiddling our thumbs for nearly an hour and half before the first guests arrived.  Consequently, dinner was served a little later than usual, but no complaints were heard.  My husband family's Thanksgiving is done potluck style so the rest of the feast was brought by guests and included green bean casserole, corn and jalapeno chowder, stuffing, yams, coleslaw, and fruit salad .  There were probably 8 different types of dessert! All of which were barely touched, everyone was too full from dinner to even think of dessert.

Skirt: Fab India-Blue with grey diamond pattern-Hand me down from my cousin
Top:Forever 21-Grey Tee-$4
Necklace:Macy's-Copper colored beaded necklace-Gift from my nephew
Flower pin: H&M-$3
Earrings-Gift from Mom
Shoes:Old Navy-Silver strapped sandals-S20
Approximate Total Cost~$27 

 I thought our living room was a decent size until after dinner nearly 20 adults were standing and sitting around watching football and the room suddenly felt half the size!  The weather was a little drizzly so most of the time everyone was indoors making our home quite cozy and warm.  

Beautiful pie made by my mommy

Our Thanksgiving feast!

I apologize for not posting much these past two weeks.  Things have been pretty busy with Thanksgiving planning and life in general.  I'm way behind on reading my favorite blogs, but I'm going to try doing a massive catch up session tomorrow.  

Inspiration Monday: Olivia Munn

I'm not sure who Olivia Munn is but what I wore today is loosely inspired by her outfit.  I decided at the last minute this morning to participate in Inspiration Monday after checking out what a few other bloggers wore.

I decided to stick with a slouchy theme based off of her shirt and wore one of my only slouchy loose fitting tops with my wide leg incredibly soft jeans.  They may as well be pajamas they are so soft and stretchy!  I even slept in them the first night we stayed in our house because I hadn't moved any pajamas yet!  I can't really tell what Olivia's pants are like but I'm pretending she's super comfy too in yoga pants.

Jacket:Target: Red Fleece Jacket-Gift from Mom
Scarf-Wedding gift from family member
Top: Anthropologie- Mulitcolored slouchy shirt with beading on shoulders-$20
Pants: Nordstrom Rack-Worn Jeans-$15 (Previously worn here)

Superhero tights

Every time I wear these tights with my black boots I feel like a superhero as I bought them originally for my Incredibles costume. My sweater dress is a little out of my comfort zone.  I tend to wear dresses that flare away from the body at the skirt and hide my hips and rear.  This dress clings to the body now and I was a little self conscious at first walking around in it.  But I remembered I had my superhero tights on and decided I must look SUPER and that's why everyone was staring!

Dress: H&M- Black short sleeve sweater dress-Gift from cousin-FREE!
Belt:Francesca's Collections- Black flower belt-$10
Tights: H&M-Red Tights-$5
Boots:Ross-Aerosoles Black Boots-S20
Approximate Total Cost~$35

My husband and our friend Myles put wood tread on  the stairs and a new hand rail! Doesn't it look spiffy?

Shopping Ban Outfit #13

I'm staring to get worried how my shopping ban will affect my holiday shopping or most likely how my holiday shopping with affect my shopping ban.  I love going out the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas for the great deals and mad rush at the mall.  Parking and people can be a nightmare, but its the nightmares, annoyances and such that make for great storytelling later.  Such as the time it took us over an hour to exit a parking garage, we were only parked on the second floor :O!  Or when I was 16, had my license for maybe 5 months max, and had a panic attack while trying to find parking....good times! 

Do you like to go out the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas? Are you the type to wake up super early for those special deals? Or, are you like my husband and have your Christmas shopping done in mid-November?

I bought this sweater because I loved the color and the fact that it was 70% off.  I held it up and figured a size small would work and didn't bother to try it on.  Apparently, I didn't look closely because the armpit region features a pretty big arm hole that makes it look like I have flying squirrel arms...not the biggest fan of this look, but I'm learning to like it.  Its much easy to wear a layer underneath, as I don't have to worry about the sleeves bunching up under my arm!

Sweater: GAP Outlet- Green pull over sweater-$12
Shirt: Marshalls-Grey button up ruffle shirt-$8 (also worn here)
Jeans: Macy's-Levis Bold Curve ID dark wash-$58
Shoes:H&M Green sneakers-$12
Approximate Total Cost-$90

Beauty Products I Use

I'm pretty simple when it comes to beauty products and make up, but I've definitely added a few steps and products to the routine over the years.  I like when other bloggers post what products they use or do reviews so I thought I'd share my "secrets" with you today. Below is a glimpse of the products in my beauty routine.

1. Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Shampoo, Conditioner and Mousse ~$3-4 each available at most drug stores

The secret behind my curl, wavy, big hair is this line of hair products.  I have course curly/wavy hair that is dry and frizzy if not managed properly.  Not only do I have thick hair strands, but I have a whole lot of them crammed on to a tiny head so I need volume control not volume enhancement.  The shampoo and conditioner keep my hair clean, moisturized and the frizz under control.  The conditioner is on the lighter side and leaves my hair feeling soft and fluffy (doesn't weigh it down).  I've tried other hair products for curly hair, dry hair, frizzy hair etc and this is the best one I've found for my hair type.

The mousse is also really light weight and has a flexible hold.  For me, its really important that my hair has natural movement to it and is touchable.  A lot of other mousse products for curly hair cause curls to be really stiff,crunchy to the touch, and look perpetually wet.  I towel dry my hair so its not dripping wet, comb through it once with a wide tooth comb and apply about a Pillsbury biscuit sized amount of mouse to my hair.  I apply it mostly to the ends of my hair and scrunch up my hair a little.  I don't flip my head over or apply it near my scalp as this causes too much volume.

If you look for this product in your local store, the Herbal Essences line for curly hair is a similar shade of purple so be sure to read the label!  My friend mistakenly bought it after I recommended Tousle Me Softly Mousse to her.

2. St. Ives Whipped Silk Body Wash ~$3-4 not available anymore at most drug stores...i have to do a bit of searching.

I've been using this body wash for almost 10 years now! I absolutely love it.  It has a light scent and creates tons of suds which are my main requirements for a body wash.  It also leaves my skin feeling silky soft...I've had people pet my arms before...its that soft.  I'm allergic/sensitive to most bar soap and quite a few body washes.  I start sneezing in the shower and my skin gets red and itchy.  This product is gentle enough for my skin and I've tried hypoallergenic soaps that weren't :( .

3. Trader Joes Lavender Salt Scrub-$7 available at Trader Joes only

My esthetician turned me on to this product and I've been using it two or three times a week since!  I have dry skin on my legs, so dry that I scratch at my legs til they bleed.  Not a pretty sight, believe me.  Also, after I get my legs waxed I'm prone to in grown hairs which also itches.  This product takes care of both of those problems.  The salt scrub prevents the in grown hairs while the lavender oil keeps my legs moisturized.  I rarely scratch my legs now! If you have really dry skin you'll probably love this product as its really thick and sticks to your skin.  I've read other reviews that commented it was oily and left people feeling greasy so its probably not for everyone.  After you use it the bathroom smells like lavender which I consider a extra bonus!

4. Clinique Even Better Spot Corrector

I used this product for a few months last year, saw an improvement in my skin, and then stopped using it. I stopped mostly because of the price.  After several months I felt my skin had noticeable spots again so I've picked it back up and I've decided I really do like it and I think it works.  It reduces the appearance of dark spots, but I haven't noticed an affect on pockmarks.  I think its worth the price if you buy it when Macy's has a free gift with purchase...who doesn't love free makeup!

Anyone else love these products? Or just tried them?

Inspiration Monday: Kelly Ripa style

I've gotta say, this woman knows how to dress. I'm really happy with how my interpretation of her outfit turned out.  Heels with longer jeans is a winning and slimming combination when paired with a blazer.  She looks long and lean and I think I do too!  

 In recent years, I've been hesitant to wear denim with denim.  In high school my "uniform" was a dark denim jacket I bought at the GAP and jeans of some sort. I wore that denim jacket to death...when I finally donated it, the jacket looked like it was purchased faded with whiskering but no, it was all naturally created.  My jeans today are a medium blue wash while the blazer is charcoal grey color and my shoes are a darker blue...yes, all three are denim!  I don't feel overloaded with denim since that colors are dissimilar.

Top:Ross-Purple Ruffle neck and sleeve top-$8
Belt: Stilettos and Diaper Bags Blog-Came with my yellow blazer-$10
Blazer: White Elephant Sale Oakland, CA-$3
Jeans: Macys-Levis Bold Curve ID jeans-$30
Shoes: Payless-Cork and Denim Heels-$12
Earings: Gift from my Masi (Mom's sister)
Approximate Total Cost~$63

Be sure to check out the other beautiful bloggers participating in Inspiration Monday over at Two Birds!  I also feel visible in my purple top and yellow belt and scarf so I'm going to link up to Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style for the first time!  Also, I'm starting a new job tomorrow so feeling visible this week is extra important for me!

Frugal Friend Friday, vol. 5

I haven't done a frugal friend friday post in a few weeks.  Mostly because I haven't been pestering my friends to send me photos or requesting ones from readers.  So if anyone out there would like to be featured on my hopefully more regular frugal friend friday post, just send me a photo or two or a link to your blog post featuring you looking great in a cheap outfit, preferably something under $100.  You can email me at anjali.cheapfrill@gmail.com.  I love seeing what cheap looks other people are wearing :).

So, this week we have my friend who was featured on my last edition.  I think she liked seeing herself on my blog because she sent this to me without me asking! Woot! She wore this outfit for an interview yesterday. From what she told me she rocked this look and her job interview!  Best of luck to her with the interview process!  Her look is JCPenny from head to toe.  I just love the wide leg trouser on her!  Blue and teal are her favorite colors which might be why she looks so happy and not nervous before her interview.

Top:JCPenny-Blue cowl neck top by B. Wear-$26
Pants:JCPenny-Black  pants by Star City-$17
Shoes: JCPenny-Arizona Brand-$22
Approximate Total Cost-$65

Pastels

I had a friend in college who wore pastel pink a great deal and I really didn't like the color on her.  It didn't go well with her skin tone and somehow this turned me off from pastel colors in general.  ( Let's just say I'm not her biggest fan anymore).  So that is probably one reason I've had this sweater in my closest for years and never worn it.  I even remember the day I bought it.  It was an after Christmas sale at JCPenny and the store was crazy madness.  I grabbed this sweater and a red wool coat and headed straight to the checkout line.  Sadly, I don't get to wear the wool coat much.  It really doesn't get cold enough here and its more formal than I normally dress.

Sweater: JCPenny-Lavender chunky knit cowl neck sweater-too old to remember
Belt: Ross: Came with a shirt-$10
Jeans: Nordstrom Rack-Joes Jeans-S$70
Socks: Target-Pink with yellow dots-$1
Shoes: Payless-Pastel Teal sneakers-$8

The other reason I've never worn this sweater is that it is a size medium and I used to be extra small.  I seem to mention my former size often so I figured (hah. pun not intended) I'd show you a few pre-marriage photos. The photo on the left is from my bridal shower and the one on the right in from my bachelorette party. As you can see I've filled out a little :P.  The funny thing is at the time I was so happy I had gained a couple pounds in time for the wedding!  I'm actually really happy with my weight right now.  As long as I stay in the healthy weight range for my height I'm not planning on losing weight any time soon.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program, more pastels! This next outfit I'm wearing today and although its very comfy and cozy I don't think the style is my own.  What would you pair a baby blue maxi dress with? I feel like I should be going to a 70's prom in this.

Dress: Macy's, gift from Mom-Baby Blue maxi dress-FREE!
Blazer: White Elephant Sale Oakland CA-Blue Tablots Blazer-$6
Top: Old Navy-White lace tank top-$4
Shoes: Naturalizer yellow sneakers with bow-$15
Approximate Total Cost-S20

These two outfits are shopping ban outfits #11 and 12! I have 13 more pieces to go so I'm pretty much at the half way point (a few of my outfits featured multiple shopping ban items).  Technically I'm wearing another new item today, a pair of Spanx.  Yes, I was a Spanx virgin before today.  Anyone else have an issue with the elastic band on the waist not staying put? Other than that, I quite like them.

Everybody Everywear: Freeze your butts and wear tights

I'm cold. I know I have no right to complain about the cold because living in the bay area we enjoy pretty mild weather. However,  this makes even the slightest dip in temperature feel cold.  If I freely chose my outfit today I'd be in jeans right now. I'm just saying.  Anyway, you should check out other (non-whiny) bloggers doing today's Everybody Everywear: Colored Tights edition.

Despite having a pretty colorful wardrobe, I don't own many colored tights. Don't worry, its on my list of things to purchase post-shopping ban.  Today I'm wearing a kinda grayish green pair of tights with a greenish gray dress.  Yes, the placement of the -ish makes a distinction between the similar colors.  The dress doesn't cover the girls modestly so I tried out an idea I saw over at True Fashion Confession.  She has nearly the same shirt and wore it over a dress and tied the bottom. And in case your curious I would say the top is blueish gray.

Top: Marshalls-Gray button up ruffle shirt-$8
Dress worn as skirt: Ross-Gray floral print dress-S15
Tights: Target-Grayish green tights-S4
Shoes: Meryvan's-Black wedge heels-Too old to remember

Random: Do these count as wood platforms? If so my score is 9/10 on this article about must have shoes my friend posted on facebook.  I very clearly don't own suede booties, but after seeing many blog posts with booties recently I'm considering finding a pair.

See! My grayish green tights.