Fashion Friday: Lace+Stripes

My favorite neutral is probably grey. To me, it’s a little happier than black but still goes with just about anything. I love dark greys, but certain shades of light grey are really pretty too.

When I got this scarf at ALDO over the weekend (hail yes to Memorial Day sales!), I was already planning on what I’d wear it with. I love scarves, but I don’t have nearly enough (I think I have 6 now). And they’re certainly not a fall/winter staple only. Oh no. I love lightweight scarves in summer too. What I love about this one is it’s infinity (my favorite kind) AND it’s got three different striped patterns, making it totally versatile. And it’s grey/white too, so it basically works with anything.

Scarf love.

Grey cropped lace-trimmed sweater (Hollister), multi-striped infinity scarf (ALDO), burgundy twill shorts (Abercrombie).

I decided to pair it with more grey, and offset it with one of my favorite pairs of colored shorts. I have a serious addiction to colored twill shorts. I own way too many to count (most from Hollister/Abercrombie) and I will never have enough. And they’re totally work-appropriate…well, at least in my workplace. Believe it or not, I’m one of the dressiest people there, aside from the anchors/reporters who HAVE to dress business casual when they’re on-air. For me, I could roll in wearing running shorts, a t-shirt and a baseball hat, especially since I work mornings, but I don’t. The outfit above is more my style. And the shorts are a little short, but since they’re looser-fitting and a dark color, they look pulled together.

Grey-sequined Sperry’s knockoffs (Payless Shoe Source).

Snake ring and banded ring (American Eagle).

I pulled the look together with my signature rings, and my knockoff Sperry’s (scored for under $20 at Payless!) instead of my usual fancy sandals. Perfect for a (casual) work environment or a day spent shopping at the mall. Totally up to you. But if I were you, I’d so choose shopping over work 😉

Side note: anyone guess what time these photos were taken? 3 AM on Wednesday morning. My great bathroom lighting fooled ya! Also, promise I’m not a freak who wakes up at 3 to take outfit pics. I’m just a freak who works from 3:30-11:30 AM! 

What kind of clothes do you wear to work? 

Fashion Friday: Just Keep Swimming

If you even glance at the cover of pretty much any fashion or fitness mag, there’s probably something on there about swimsuit season–getting the ‘perfect’ bikini body, finding a swimsuit for your budget, etc. I’m not here to talk about those things, though. I want to talk about how to find the perfect suit for the body YOU have, right now, that’ll make you feel your very best.

First things first: the hard truth. Not every swimsuit’s gonna look good on you. You may fall in love with a cute halter bikini that looks amazing on your friend, but when you try it on, it just doesn’t look right. Remember that it isn’t your body that’s to blame, it’s just that not every style looks great on every body, and that’s ok. There’s definitely at least one style out there that’ll make you love what you see, so don’t get discouraged when a certain style doesn’t look so great.

For example, I was shopping at Hollister the other day when they were having a sale on swimsuit separates for $10 each. What a steal, right? I found plenty of cute options, and tried a few of them on. I have a smaller chest, so the halter bandeaus and triangle bikinis made me look even smaller, but a ruffly halter push-up bikini made me look a little fuller up there and enhanced what I have. With bottoms, I liked the look of the high rise boyshorts but since I am pretty straight up-and-down with no curves, it looked awful on me. Sticking with bikini style bottoms with side ties gives me some shape.

Look for detailing that looks good on your body, like side ties or ruffles.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match. A lot of stores sell two pieces in separates, partly so you can buy them in different sizes if you need to, but also so you can mix and match patterns and colors. I personally like to go for neutral, solid colored bottoms with a patterned top featuring the same color as the bottoms. I have a pair of white side-tie bikini bottoms that I wear with three separate patterned tops. It was cheaper than buying 3 full swim sets, but it’s like I have 3 different swimsuits.

Mixing and matching can save you money and give you a unique look.

This might be obvious, but make sure the swimsuit fits. Don’t worry if you have to buy separate sizes in the top and bottom to fit right. I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t freak out about the size on the tag, either. I know I still tend to stress if I have to wear a size other than my usual one, but different suits fit differently based on style and store, so you may be one size in one store and another one in another. It’s good to find a store, or style, that fits you well, so you have a better idea that another suit from that same store will fit similarly.

You can have fun this summer, soaking up the sun and enjoying the water, without worrying about how you look in your swimsuit…because you’ll know you look good!

Do you have any swimsuit shopping tips? 

Spring Break Fashion

As spring break comes to a close for me (with some snow to end out the week, how perfect…not!), I’m trying to gear back up for 8 more weeks of the semester, picking classes for my senior year of college (scary how fast time flies) and planning out my summer. Not so much fun stuff to look forward to, but I am looking forward to spring and summer like weather, so I can finally wear all the clothes I splurged on over spring break!

Aqua sandals (Target).

I have a new-found obsession with Target’s shoe section. I love wandering the aisles to find amazing deals on shoes, and I’ve scored some pretty good ones. I got a pair of gold sparkly loafers last month for $6! They’re not the comfiest or most practical shoes, but they’re cute and definitely worth their low price. These sandals were also a steal at $12, but I’ll be getting a ton of use out of them this summer. The color is my favorite part, and now I want to go back and stock up on these in all the other colors too.

Light wash printed jeggings (Hollister). Royal blue ruffly tee (Hollister). Navy floral scarf (American Eagle). White watch (American Eagle).

I’m always in need of another good pair of jeans, especially jeggings. I used to HATE tight pants with a passion, because I was so self-conscious about my thighs, but now I’m embracing the skinnier jeans. This new light wash pair was on sale at Hollister (love!) and the shade will be perfect for spring. I love the subtle print they have too.

Coral twill shorts (Hollister).

I have a problem with colored shorts. I just can’t stop buying them! I currently own a khaki pair, a navy pair, a burgundy pair, a bright pink pair, a blue plaid pair, a red plaid pair, a brown pair, a bright red pair and a dark grey pair. These coral ones are the perfect addition to my closet–I love anything coral and it’ll look great as a pop of color with a more neutral top.

Aqua striped crop sweater (Hollister). Dark wash jeggings (American Eagle).

Another aqua piece to add to my closet! I actually don’t own much in aqua, but I think this will be my go-to shade this spring and summer. It just makes me happy! This sweater will work well even into summer because it’s lightweight and cropped.

Black decorated tank (Forever 21). Black/white printed harem pants (Forever 21).

Forever 21 harem pants closeup.

This outfit is very unlike my usual style, or at least my style from a year ago, but I love adding unexpected pieces like this to my wardrobe to mix things up. I’m normally not a fan of black but when it’s paired with a tribal-inspired black-and-white print, it’s so chic. I feel totally fierce in this outfit and I’m really excited to wear it for the first time!

What’s your latest clothing purchase? Do you like bright colors for spring and summer?

 

Fashion Friday: Christmas Clothes

Remember when you were younger, and all you wanted for Christmas was toys? Some of my favorite presents from Christmases past include a dollhouse, an Easy Bake oven and Beanie Babies…good times 😉 As I’ve grown up, though, my Christmas wishlists have been pretty much been devoted to one thing–clothes. As an aspiring fashionista, I have an obsession with clothes shopping and I feel like I could never have too many outfits. This year, as in recent years, I got quite a few wonderful things not on my wishlist (such as pink-colored office supplies–my dad knows me too well–and a new blingy phone case) but most of what I received was clothing-related, or could be used towards buying clothes. And you better believe I was thrilled about our family’s post-Christmas shopping trip in Denver!

White easy fit sweater: Abercrombie & Fitch. Royal blue chiffon skirt: Abercrombie & Fitch.

This was the outfit I unwrapped on Christmas. They were actually wrapped up separately but they go well together. I’m planning on wearing this during the winter paired with grey tights and my grey wedge booties and in the spring sans tights with a cute pair of flats.

Sparkly pink makeup bag (Forever 21) and a handbags daily calendar.

These were two unexpected fashion-related gifts but I love them! I was in desperate need of a new makeup bag as my old one was starting to rip, and this calendar is perfect for the designer bag-lover in me.

The riding boots I’ve been wanting for months!

Once I unwrapped these, my Christmas was complete. I’ve been wanting a nice pair of riding boots since at least last Christmas, but haven’t been able to track down the perfect, inexpensive pair. My mom got these from Macy’s and they’re just the right color and style to go with everything.

White flower bouquet ring: Forever 21.

I’m a sucker for cheap, quality jewelry, especially rings. American Eagle used to be my go-to but now I prefer Forever 21 and ALDO Accessories for their wider selection. This ring was under $4! The only thing I hate about shopping for rings is finding my size–I wear a 6, which is sometimes even too big so I always have to try before I buy.

Light blue faux leather jacket: Forever 21. Dark wash jeggings: American Eagle.

This jacket is probably one of my favorite purchases from my haul, or possibly one of my favorite buys ever. I almost convinced my sister to buy it but I ended up with it, and for under $25 too! Forever 21 is a lifesaver wallet saver for sure. My only issue with shopping there is the ridiculous selection–it’s such a giant store.

Jacket closeup.

I love the detailing on this jacket. It makes me feel like a bad ass 😉 More like a bad ass vegan who likes the look of leather but not the cruelty aspect of it!

Navy easy fit sweater: Hollister. Pink plaid PJ shorts: Hollister.

Hollister was having a huge post-Christmas sale (50% off everything in clearance!) and I had a gift card there so I went a little crazy. Okay, not really, I only bought 4 things but I only ended up having to pay $10 for it so that was a nice surprise. The PJ shorts might not get too much wear until spring but I love them so much that I might be willing to freeze my legs off to wear them earlier. The sweater is a basic but I like the looser fit and it’ll look great with anything.

White sheer sparkle tank: Hollister.

Another basic–you can’t go wrong with a white tank, especially when it has some sparkly details. I’m planning on pairing this with my burgundy jeggings and my brown faux leather jacket.

Coral easy fit sweater: Hollister.

Another favorite buy–I just love the bright color of this sweater! Besides getting a lot of sweaters for Christmas, they’re also all easy fit sweaters which I like because they’ll look great paired with skinnies and jeggings. Loose+loose and tight+tight are no-nos but pairing a looser top with tighter fitting bottoms definitely works! And this sweater isn’t too heavy either so it’ll work into the spring months.

Do you prefer looser/longer sweaters or tighter/shorter ones? Did you get or buy any clothes for Christmas? 

WIAW: Tricks & Treats

I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween (can it just be Christmas already?) but I had to tie in this week’s WIAW with it. Well, at least a little bit. I’m not going to be dressing up, other than for my campus TV station’s special Halloween live show (I’m reporting on the weather!), or indulging in any candy, but I do have some product reviews for you this week. How’s that for a treat 😉 Plus I’ve been kinda burned out on food lately–some of my favorites haven’t been sounding so appealing sometimes so it’s been kind of boring on the eating front so I decided to do this instead of a usual WIAW.

Whole Foods canned pumpkin.

I usually buy the Farmer’s Market brand of canned pumpkin, because it’s organic and the cans are BPA-free, plus they now come in boxes which is even better than cans. But I spotted the 365 brand of canned pumpkin and couldn’t pass it up since it was a dollar cheaper than my usual brand. When I opened the can, the pumpkin was more orange and a bit runnier than the Farmer’s Market pumpkin, but it tastes about the same. I might just stick with my favorite brand though because I like the fact that there’s no BPA.

Bella single cup coffee maker.

I originally took the coffee maker my dad used when I moved into my apartment 2 months ago because he said he wasn’t using it very much. I didn’t mind that one, but it made way more coffee than I needed at one time. So when my dad said he wanted his coffee maker back, I was more than happy to return it in exchange for a brand new one. I got this baby for under $20 at Kohls…isn’t it adorable?  It only makes one serving’s worth of coffee which is great for a single lady like me. And it works perfectly, so I’m happy. Plus I like that it’s green, and not black like the other one. What can I say, I’m a sucker for bright colors!

Saturday’s shopping outfit: grey lace tee (Hollister), fish necklace (American Eagle), burgundy jeggings (Hollister).

I bought these jeggings last weekend because I was in desperate need of some more jeans. I paid more than I would have liked for them, but they fit great and the dark red color goes with a lot. I can’t complain!

Maranatha raw maple almond butter.

My go-to brand of nut butter has been Archer Farms for quite awhile. I love their almond peanut cashew butter, it’s so creamy and nutty. But–surprise–it was one of the recalled nut butters under the salmonella scare. So I’ve been APCB-less for a month or so, and it’s been sad. I especially loved it because it was pretty cheap for an all-natural, nothing-added nut butter. I finally decided to try this Maranatha variety after seeing it on a few blogs. And while it’s no almond peanut cashew butter, it’s really good! It’s not overly sweet, but I prefer it over the Justin’s maple almond butter. And it’s only a couple bucks more than my favorite, so I guess that’s not too bad.

Tessemae’s vegan hot wing sauce.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a buffalo wings fan, not even when I was omni. However, you all know my love for all things spicy. I was in the market for a new dressing, and when I saw this one on the shelf at Whole Foods, I knew I’d love it. It has very simple ingredients, basically just lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and spices. You know it’s good stuff because it separates and hardens up…gotta love all-natural foods with all their quirks! P.S. This stuff is amazing massaged on kale!

Letting my nerdy side show!

I have been dying to get a pair of reader’s glasses since they first came into vogue. I don’t know if you think they’re cute or not, but I sure do! I bought my pair for 15 bucks at American Eagle and it is the best 15 bucks I’ve ever spent. I love the tortoiseshell print and how they add a hipster touch to any outfit. Best part is, I can wear them with my contacts since they’re not real glasses, just a fashion accessory!

So Delicious no sugar added chocolate coconut milk ice cream.

My usual coconut milk ice cream brand is Nadamoo, and I love all their flavors and pronounceable ingredients, and they’re much cheaper than most coconut milk ice creams. But when I saw the So Delicious no sugar added variety for the same price, I had to give it a try. This stuff is a little less creamy than Nadamoo, but it’s only 100 calories for 1/2 cup and has just 1 gram of sugar–the rest is all erythritol, which is a natural no calorie sweetener. It tastes basically like a Fudgesicle, which I loved, but I wish they had had one of their other NSA flavors available for me to try since I usually go for more exciting flavors. Guess I can always jazz it up with toppings though!

Feather print jeggings from American Eagle.

Two new pairs of jeggings within a week?! A year ago, this never would have happened. I was scared to death of tight-fitting jeans because I hated my legs (still kinda do) and I didn’t want them to look big in skinny jeans. But around Christmas last year, I finally caved and bought a pair of dark wash jeggings from American Eagle…and finally fell in love with them. I now have 4 pairs and am definitely embracing the trend. I prefer the pairs with more structure, like pockets and zippers and actually made from denim or a thicker material so they look more like jeans. I love this new pair because it’s very unique but it’ll still go with everything because it’s in a dark color, I think feathers are cool and these fit perfectly. American Eagle is definitely my favorite store for jeggings, they always fit me just right. And they were $15 on clearance, you can’t pass that up!

So Delicious mint chocolate coconut milk.

Too soon for the holiday-inspired drinks? Never! I’d been dreaming of Silk’s mint chocolate soy milk since last Christmas, but now that I don’t do soy milk (too processed) I was excited for a different nondairy version. And So Delicious definitely delivered! I’d never had refrigerated coconut milk before so I wasn’t sure what to expect but this was pretty thick without being overwhelming. The flavor was perfectly sweet and partly sweetened with stevia so that lowered the sugar content a lot! There’s only 50 calories in half a cup which makes it a perfect lower calorie sub for Starbucks peppermint mochas! And as a huge mint chocolate lover, I totally approve of this drink!

What kind of jeans or pants do you like to wear? Do you drink holiday-type beverages?

A New Decade (Birthday Weekend Recap)

Hi everyone! Did you all have fab weekends? Mine was the best I’ve had probably all summer, and as promised, I’ve got a recap of my birthday weekend for ya! (Warning: Plenty of photos ahead!)

Who doesn’t want their own birthday banner?

I woke up on Friday to this–my mom taped it up there while I was asleep, how sweet is that?! My morning continued with an unpictured homemade chocolate chip oat flour waffle topped with fresh raspberries and chocolate protein frosting.

I love having a summer birthday because I can always wear a cute dress on my big day!

Most of the morning and afternoon were low-key. My mom and I stopped at the store to pick up a few things she needed and then we headed downtown for a special Olympics event they were holding. We got there around 4, which was when it was supposed to start, but not much was going on when we first got there. There were some cool things set up, like a giant trampoline, BMX ramps, a mini tennis court and a synthetic ice rink but no one was really doing anything. We did end up getting on TV though–one of the guys I know from my TV internship saw us and he interviewed my mom! And I also got some free Starbucks (unsweetened iced coffee) so it was worth it.

Whole Foods cold bar dinner: jicama apple quinoa salad, sweet potato/pepper/currant salad, marinated artichokes, zucchini pickles, chipotle orange tofu, curried potatoes and Korean slaw.

For my birthday dinner, I chose the Whole Foods salad bars! I am obsessed with the one near me, they always have the best stuff and they change it a lot so I can always get something new. My mom got some of the Mexican things they had, I got a random mish-mash of cold salads and my dad got a seafood sandwich (my sister was at her rehearsal for the theatre camp she’s at, so she missed out on the WF fun). Oh, and we of course watched the Olympic opening ceremonies! The best part is watching all the countries come in and making fun of their outfits.

My first birthday cake in a couple years! Totally vegan, and totally yummy!

I’m usually not a huge fan of cake. I’ll eat it if it’s a really interesting flavor, but I definitely prefer giant warm cookies or vegan ice cream for desserts. In fact, the last couple of years for my birthday, I’ve requested gelato instead of cake. But this year, I was super excited to try one of Whole Foods’ vegan cakes. I was planning on getting a slice of raw cheesecake but (full disclosure) the fat and calorie content kinda freaked me out. I loved how simple the ingredients were (cashews, coconut oil, raw chocolate) but I ended up with a slice of their vegan chocolate raspberry cake. And I was not disappointed at all! I split this giant square with my dad, who also loved it. With most cakes, I scrape the frosting off immediately because I’ve never been a fan. But this vegan frosting was so rich and delicious that I couldn’t skip it.

My special birthday nails (that match my laptop!)

Saturday wasn’t too exciting. I had work in the afternoon, but after dinner, my dad and I watched The Descendants. George Clooney and Shailene Woodley were perfect in it and it was a really great movie. Funny in some parts, and super sad in others. Plus it made me realize that I need to move to Hawaii!

Ready for a day of shopping!

Sunday was the day I was really looking forward to. I decided to forgo birthday presents in favor of a parent-funded shopping spree in Denver. I live for shopping, seriously! I just love looking through all the stores I love, laughing at some of the weirder items and finding the perfect outfits. We started out at the Pavilions at the 16th Street Mall and hit up H&M and Forever 21. Both of those stores are HUGE at that location so it can be kinda hard to find something you want to buy, but it’s still super fun. And I bought my first-ever item at H&M!

From top to bottom: navy lace tee (Hollister), pink printed tank dress (Forever 21), colorblock skirt (F21), navy bow leather flip-flops (HCo.)

I love long necklaces: pink heart pendant (Forever 21), jeweled parrot pendant (ALDO Accessories).

We also went to my favorite mall on the south side of Denver. My sister and I ventured off on our own and ended up going to a bunch of stores: Hollister, American Eagle, ALDO Accessories, Bath & Body Works and Abercrombie & Fitch. It sucked though because it was a Sunday, and we got to the mall around 4:30…and all the stores started closing at 6. We got to Abercrombie as soon as they were closing, so we had to rush around trying to find something to buy and I left the store empty-handed. We’ve never gone up there on a Sunday, so it was weird being kicked out of the stores so early, but we’ll know better next time.

I feel so French in this dress: light pink/black striped T-shirt dress (H&M).

Cute in stripes: orange/navy striped cropped tee (Hollister).

Apparently I love orange: strapless orange dress (Hollister).

Garbanzo is one of my fave places to go! I ordered a plate with falafel, tabbouleh, cilantro sauce, grilled eggplant, lettuce, red cabbage and hummus.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to go to the vegetarian restaurant because it was a little pricey but I’m planning a visit to a vegetarian/vegan restaurant in my college town sometime soon. We did go to Garbanzo, though, which I could eat at every week. They have a lot of vegan options too which I love and everything there is so fresh and pretty cheap. Their tabbouleh and hummus are my favorite of any Mediterranean place I’ve been to!

So that’s pretty much my entire birthday weekend. I had such a fun time, treated myself a few times and did some major shopping. I couldn’t have asked for a better 20th birthday!

What did you do for your last birthday? What do you like for your birthday dessert?

Friday Faves (June 8th)

Is it just me or did this week go by super fast? I guess staying busy will do that to you–I’ve been going to my internship, grocery shopping and packing for an upcoming move. I’ve barely had time to whip up any recipes lately so sorry for the lack of them this week!

Favorite Find: Fruit Infusion Pitcher

Who wouldn’t want fruit infused water?

I saw this baby at Target–aka, the store I could spend hours in looking at all of their stuff, especially their kitchen and patio stuff. This pitcher is really cool because you just put fruit in the inner cylinder and it infuses the plain water with it. So basically like juice but without the added sugar. How cool is that?!

Favorite Video: S*** Vegans Say

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the S*** ________ Say video series. This one and it’s sequel are flipping hilarious because I have definitely said some of those things before. Even if you aren’t vegan, you’ll probably find it funny because a lot of the stuff mentioned is pretty popular around the blog world. And maybe you’ve even said some of those things before yourself 😛

Favorite Breakfast

Chilled quinoa mixed with u/s vanilla almond milk and vanilla stevia, topped with peanut flour, raisins, sunflower seeds almond peanut cashew butter, chocolate chips and drizzle honey vanilla agave.

Move over, overnight oats! Overnight quinoa is where it’s at. When I first made this, I was worried it would turn out weird. But it’s actually really really good and a nice change from oats. The toppings are what make it, though!

Favorite Buy: Harbor Beach pinstriped skirt from Hollister

Mine is actually orange-striped, but you get the idea.

For such a girly girl, you’d think I’d own more skirts. I actually only have 6, not including my latest purchase. I love this one though because it has a summery, nautical feel and it feels fun to twirl around in. Yes, I am 5 years old, apparently.

What breakfast are you loving lately? What’s the best thing you’ve ever found at Target?

WIAW: Branded for Life

Sadly, spring break came to an end for me and now it’s back to the daily grind. The break really got me excited for summer and I can’t wait to start my TV internship in exactly two months! I just want school to be over with already–just six and a half more weeks left in the semester. It’s actually pretty crazy how quickly this school year’s gone by for me. I can’t believe I’m almost a junior and I’ve got less than 2 months left of dorm living. Trust me, I’m not complaining though–I think I’m going to start a countdown til I move in to my apartment 😉

This WIAW, I don’t have any exciting food pictures or recipes to share with you, since I just got back from break and my dorm room eats have been sub-par but I still wanted to participate in the part-ay so I’m gonna do a little twist on the typical WIAW. This edition is all about brand loyalty, whether it’s to clothes or food or beauty products. I know most of us have some brand preferences so I wanted to share a few of mine.

Sorry for the repeat picture, but it was too good not to share twice!

When it comes to coffee, it’s Starbucks or nothing for me. Really. I’ve tried Archer Farms’ flavored coffee blends and they were just nasty. Yes, Starbucks is an expensive habit, but luckily I only go maybe once or twice a month right now, so it’s not too expensive. When I want coffee at home, I buy their VIA instant packets and pretend I’m drinking it inside a real ‘bucks.

A tempeh-topped salad with a side of frozen bloobs and half a yam topped with almond peanut cashew butter and raisins.

I’m one of those vegans who eats fake ‘meat’. I’m not a fan of the overly processed stuff, or of meat-like subs such as seitan and tofu (tofu is alright, just not my fave) but I do love me some tempeh and soy pepperoni slices. For those, I always rely on LightLife. Their faux meat products are always vegan, and full of protein and fiber. They are a little processed, but they don’t have a million and one ingredients and I can actually pronounce all of them. Plus they’re tasty, so they’re winners in my book.

My Coach Poppy backpack is probably my favorite designer purse.

I haven’t talked about it much on this blog, but I am a designer purse fanatic. I currently own 5 (all of which I was so lovingly gifted with for my birthday or Christmas over the past few years) and I love them all, from my orange Gianni Bini hobo bag to my brown leather Fossil tote. However, if I had to pick a favorite designer brand, I’d go with Coach. I have 2 Coach purses (well, one’s a backpack) and I just love their classic but standout designs. I realize they aren’t cheap by any means, but I take good care of them and they are well-worth the price…at least for me!

My favorite banana whip smoothie made with unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

Oh, almond milk. I go back and forth on this one. Not that I don’t love it, because I most definitely do. But I do switch between three brands on occasion–Pacific Naturals, Whole Foods 365 Organic and Almond Breeze. I love Pacific Naturals’ unsweetened vanilla flavor–it’s so creamy and thick. Whole Foods’ organic brand doesn’t have a u/s vanilla flavor, so I stick with their u/s original, which is pretty good for using in recipes. And Almond Breeze is the only one I know of that has a u/s chocolate flavor, so I buy that. They’re all good in their own ways, but for my personal favorite, I have to go with Pacific Naturals.

My new mini lotions (and lip gloss) for spring: Coconut Lime Breeze, Bali Mango, White Citrus and Liplicious Limeade.

Is anybody else obsessed with Bath and Body Works? I really just love going into a BBW and smelling all their lotions–they’re just so yummy-smelling! Of course, sometimes I do actually buy some of their products and as far as lip gloss and lotions go, they’re the only place I’ll buy from. They have the best quality products at fairly low prices and so many amazing scents.

Maybe I like this chip brand because my birthday's in Late July?

You guys all probably know this by now, but I am way more of a sweet snack fan than a salty snack fan. However, there are some times when I could really go for something salty and crunchy–like Late July multigrain chips. These chips come in a ton of varieties (I’m really loving the sweet potato kind right now) and they’re all gluten-free and most flavors are also vegan. I love that they’re baked and made with organic, whole foods ingredients like brown rice, chia seeds, quinoa and amaranth. I love plating them up with sweeter stuff for an afternoon snack plate.

Greek yogurt and frozen blueberries make a perfect sweet treat.

I’ve mentioned it before, but I am NOT a “Cho Ho” or whatever fans of Chobani like to call themselves. I realize I am in the minority here, but my favorite brand is and always will be Stonyfield Oikos. Why? Because it’s organic, I like the flavors they have (like superfruits, peach mango and even chocolate) and they don’t have as much sugar as Chobani. I’ve yet to try the new Oikos by Dannon, but I’m too busy enjoying my one true Greek yogurt love…

Spring break = perfect excuse for a shopping spree!

A fashion-lover like me must have some favorite brands, right? Of course. But I’m not a fan of runway styles or a lot of high-end designer pieces (mostly because of the price) so I stick with fairly high quality but lower price options such as Abercrombie & Fitch (okay, not exactly cheap but I love them anyway), American Eagle, Forever 21, Gilly Hicks, Hollister and VS Pink. The styles that these stores carry really just appeal to me and the prices are reasonable. If I had to pick one favorite, I’d go with Hollister, because I love their bold beachy style and most of my closet is made up of stuff from that store. In fact, when I went shopping over spring break, I picked up three things from Hollister, one thing from A&F, two things from American Eagle and one thing from Forever 21. So I am definitely obsessed with Hollister! Oh, and in case you were interested, you’ll hopefully be seeing some of my new purchases on here soon!

These are a few of my favorite bars!

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with bars. But I am pretty picky when it comes to the brand. I have tried out several kinds, but my personal favorites are Clif (Mojo and kids bars only), Kind bars and Pure bars. I still need to try my new cappuccino Larabars and the raw cacao chia bar I got over break, but Clif, Kind and Pure are definitely my top three. I’m weird when it comes to bars, though, because I’m even more picky about the flavor. Like with Clifs, I really don’t like the originals anymore and I only buy the Mojo bars in mountain mix and white chocolate macadamia. With Kind bars, I’m obsessed with the PB & strawberry, but I also kinda like pomegranate blueberry pistachio. And I’ve tried all the Pure bars except the naturals line and their new dark chocolate berry flavor (which I’m dying to try) and I like them all but I only ever buy the chocolate brownie, cranberry orange and wild blueberry.

What are some brands (food, clothing, etc.) that you’re loyal to? What’s your favorite lotion scent?