Fashion Friday 10.16.05 || Twinsies

Happy Friday y'all!

Let me be clear... this is the first time I have ever had any desire to dress like my child. But the outfit was so cute and coincidental that I couldn't resist. For us to have 4 items of clothing that were almost identical was some freakish accident. But the results are awesome!

These boots were made for walkin'!

Amaya likes to hike her socks waaaay up her legs! I guess it's her signature style!

 The concept is simple: white tank, skirt with a print and denim vest (the "completer" piece). I jazzed it up with cowboy boots because hey! Who doesn't love a cute pair of cowboy boots??

Seriously, I don't make it a habit look like my daughter, but she was just too adorable! 

My vest and tank are from Target, along with Amaya's vest, tank and boots. My skirt is from Old Navy and hers is from Osh Kosh B'Gosh. Rack Room Shoes has so many cute and affordable boots, and that's where I bought them.  

The whole idea, like always, is to keep it simple and effortless. Three pieces, cute boots and you are good to go. Here's the rundown of where you can get some of these items.

Amaya:
boots
vest
tank
skirt

Mom:
vest (in the darker wash)
skirt
tank
here is the page for several pairs of boots at Rack Room Shoes. I have the Coconuts Gaucho, but they don't have the dark color anymore :(

Hope you guys enjoyed it! Feel free to let me know what you think!

Have a great weekend :)

always,

astreia

Fashion Friday 10.09.15 || Spanx you very much!

A super cool mommy friend of mine requested this topic for the blog: 

SPANX! Yay or nay?

What do you think???

I am YAY all the way baby! Especially after I had the twins, there was no amount of sit ups or crunches I could do to get rid of that post-baby pooch. In winter of 2010, Jesse and I were invited to a wedding in April of 2011; only 7 months after the twins were born. I wanted to look nice, but everything I tried on that was even remotely form fitting showed the pooch. There was a lot of internal conversations about it: 

"Do I really need them?"
"It's not really that important."
"Why do you care so much about how you look?"
"People will know you just had the twins so they won't care."
"The pooch is a sign of motherhood... like a battle scar. You're a hero!"

Then one day, Jesse and I were out and about and we stopped for gas. I went inside to use the potty and buy some water. The cashier looked at me all lovingly and said, "Oh my goodness! When are you due?"

I. Was. Mortified.

I smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm not pregnant, but I did just have twins." The cashier was clearly embarrassed and very apologetic, but once I got back in the car, I burst into tears. 

No more self talk...I went the next day and bought some.... and it was life changing. Yes, it's a bit of a struggle to get them on, and I had to take some deep breaths afterwards, and sometimes I had to sit down because I got light-headed....but it was so worth it. They instantly slim you, they hold you in snug and smooth lumps,  bumps and panty lines. Over time, they loosen up, so I was happy once I stopped having shortness of breath. The first pair were the kind with the bike shorts. The waist band came right under the bust line and the shorts stopped about mid-thigh. I actually liked them the best. The second pair was purchased about 6 months afterwards. This pair was the same at the top as the others, but there was a panty attached at the bottom. That pair wasn't my favorite only because you see the panty line, but they were both effective in keeping my tummy tucked.

I wore out the ones with the shorts about a year ago. I definitely got my money's worth over the course of 4 years. Truth be told, I still wear the other pair. If I am wearing a form fitting dress, it helps keep me snug and tight and looking right!

Before I put this together, I poked around on their website and they have a ton of stuff! Bras, bodysuits, hosiery, slips and a bunch of other stuff. They even have Spanx for MEN! 

Here is a little history about the company that I pulled off the website: Spanx founder Sara Blakely was getting ready for a party when she realized she didn’t have the right undergarment to provide a smooth look under white pants. Armed with scissors and sheer genius, she cut the feet off her control top pantyhose and the Spanx revolution began! With a focus on solving wardrobe woes, the Spanx brand has grown to offer bras, underwear, jeans, pants, active and more. SPANX also shapes the world by focusing on their mission: To help women feel great about themselves and their potential.

Check it out their website here for their full line of products. Spanx are sold in most department stores and Kohl's as well. Just like any other product, there are other styles from other manufacturers out there. I have only tried the original Spanx, but that's not to say another type isn't as good. 

Hope this helps you! If you have a cool story to share, please feel free!

always,
astreia