Goings on + recent buys!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you had an amazing holiday!

I know it's been a long time between blog posts and I promise to do better in 2013.  My life has been a bit crazy with my new job, family obligations and just plain life!  I thank you for the numerous "check-in" emails I've received and appreciate you for sticking with me for this long! Just to prove to you that I'm only a slacker when blogging is concerned, here are some of the notable things I've done since November:

Yanked a tooth

Got freaked out by a rat...lolz @James' face!

Brined a turkey...it's buttermilk in case you're wondering!

Painted my nails (well, one hand...I always get too lazy to do the other hand...)

Went to  "Medieval Manor" for Rosa's bday

Tried sun-dried basil chicken sausage...tasted worse than it looked

Spent time with my "little sister" (by the way, if you have the time, please consider being a Big Sister/Brother!)

Dropped toys off at a shelter

Built a dollhouse...took me 5 hours but luckily I had this!

Bought stuff

Baked cookies

Watched "Sabrina"

Painted my nails

Bought stuff

Makes me look extra busy right? He he he.....

So several posts ago I shared with you my plan to open my own online clothing shop. I have put this plan on hold for now and have been focused on designing and crafting my own line of skirts!  I don't want to share too much right now because everything is still in the conceptualization phase but I encourage you to stay with me to see what awesomeness I have planned for 2013! Here is a sneak peak of a smocked skirt/dress I made for my daughter Ava.  I am working on mine as we speak and will be sure to model it when it's done!

Isn't the pattern and color fierce??? For those that can't tell, the pattern is a series of Africa continents that have this cool gilded effect....all on a fuchsia background! :swoons:

So I want to talk a bit about recent purchases. I know I'm not the only one who took advantage of all the sales this month and in November.  I'm not gonna even lie, I was pressing the "submit order" button so much that I formed a callous on my index finder! Here are some of the things I've purchased recently:

Bought the entire outfit

I've been eyeing this Zara bag forever and finally got it! I'm still waiting for it to arrive...

My first pair of Frye boots!

Peplum pants! I've been sweating peplum pants ever since I spied Nastygal's version.  These aren't the exact same but they're close.  I got them here in a size L and they fit great with room to spare!

Bought a Furby...ok, so I bought it for my son but still.  Have you seen these things??? How you treat them affects their personality! I'm scared  to go home now because the Furby we have has turned evil from the kids mistreating it!  It talks in a gravelly voice, burps, and laughs maniacally for no reason...there is no OFF button people!! It's like I always say, it's all fun and games until your Furby turns evil and wants to murk you in your sleep.

Now it's time for you to fess up! What big/small purchases have you made recently?  Is there anything you've been eyeing but haven't yet bought? Please share!

Seeing red

Hi All!

I've been heavily perusing the webs lately for perfect fall/winter pieces in rich red hues.  Whatever shade of red you are into, oxblood, claret, wine, or burgundy there is no denying that this color is perfect for many of  the current fall/winter fashion trends.  I've recently pinned many items to my Pinterest board in the hopes of amassing a virtual clothing collection as rich and variegated as the color itself. I am currently on the hunt for the perfect velvet legging in a burgundy color and saw these leggings that literally made me gasp.

 

Isn't the color perfection?  Of course the challenge in finding the perfect velvet legging is making sure that said legging comes in your size (lamentably this one does not).

///

I've was also able to snag the ultimate holiday dress by way of Monif C.  The vibrant color of this dress literally made my heart flutter and I had to snag it when I learned of their $50 off Friends and Family promotion! It is called the "Alexandra" and it is a body hugging, head turning, gasp-inducing creation of utter proportions. See for yourself:

 

 

Now, I already own this dress in a gold sparkly color and wore it for New Years 2 years ago.  I wore patent red Corso Comos and felt like a goddess.  Seriously, no one could tell me nothing! Here is a pic of me trying on the dress for the first time:

 

 

I also recently spied this little number from River Island and I'm absolutely feeling the lace/peplum combo:

 

 

Unfortunately, RI sizes only go up to a US14 so this was purely a "wish I could buy this dress" moment.

 

If you ever have the patience and the time, eBay and Etsy are also great places to find unique pieces in various shades of red.  Look at this dress I recently came across on eBay:

 

(ugh, I strongly dislike watermarks)

This dress comes in a plus sizes but the sizing seems to be more Junior's sizing.  It is jersey material which is naturally very stretchy so take that into consideration if you plan on buying!

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With regards to baubles and bling, the color red makes me think vintage and old world charm.  I fell in love with these earrings from ASOS because they had such a great vintage feel without looking overly gaudy:

 

What colors have you been drawn to recently? Have  you been successful in finding pieces that adequately capture the colors you like? Share your finds with me below!

<3

 

Colorblock...

Hi!

I'm sorry about the inconsistent blogging but my life has been super crazy as of late! I recently got a new job! I'm super excited and start in early September. I will be working on some Affordable Care Act stuff with a major hospital system in the Greater Boston area.  It's a welcomed change from what I'm doing now which is more policy-based.  Also, my son is starting Kindergarten in the Fall and I am freaking out! He doesn't do well in large group settings and he has been placed in a classroom with about 23+ kids.  I've already had several meetings to devise his Individual Educational Plan and am not really pleased with the recommendations the school system has made with regards to his plan.  I can't help but think about the parents who do not know how to navigate the system and are essentially forced to go along with a plan that may not be right for their child.  That won't be me though.  The entire school system will know who I am when all is said and done!

So what inspired this outfit was the lack of clothing options.  Our washing machine is broken and I've been forced to seriously dig through my closet for practical pieces.  We are getting a new washing machine in a couple days but it's Lord-of-the-Flies-type chaos in my house right now!  I purchased this jumpsuit from Macy's over a year ago and could never figure out how to wear it since to me, it looked plain.  After much rifling through my stuff, I decided to throw on a bright pink sash I got from Marshall's.  The material of the jumpsuit is very clingy and has a slight sheen to it.  Shiny fabrics seem to accentuate everything so admittedly, I was a bit wary to put it on. 

Here is the jumpsuit on a model:

 Here it is on me:

Jumpsuit: Macy's (sold out)

Sash (originally a scarf): Marshall's

Shoes: Old Navy

Bug necklace: ASOS

Turqoise necklace: Urban Outfitters

Earrings: F21

Zig Zag Cuff: ASOS

Bangles: F21

Lippy: Dear Diary by MAC

If I had a do-over, I'd probably wear heels instead of flats (my flats are looking a bit worn...womp, womp)  and would have added a clutch. I love the fact this jumpsuit has pockets! I also appreciate the tapered leg because in my opinion, wide leg jumpsuits do not look as sleek and sexy.

And to close, I'm including a pic of Jessie from Toy Story because my daughter Ava sked me to! ;-)

I've got my eye on you...

Hi!

It's been awhile since I've done a Polyvore set so I wanted to share with you some of the items I've been coveting as of late.  A lot of retailers have been releasing their "Fall previews" recently which has irked me to no end (I want to hold onto summer as long as I can)! The plus side has been that I get to see what is in store for next season.  If you know me then you know that I typically wear what the heck I want to wear when I want to wear it.  I don't venture as far to wear shorts in the winter time but I have been known to rock florals and bright colors in the fall and winter months. Fashion "rules" are meant to be broken (someplace, somewhere, Karl Lagerfeld just cringed)!

JACKETS
I've had my eye on leather/leatherette jackets for some time because...well just because.  I think a broken-in (preferably cropped) leather jacket is a must for any wardrobe. I'm especially feeling the one by Forever 21 that has yet-to-be released.  It has spikes on the shoulders! When I first saw it, I did this little shriek and, after I told him why, my hubby was like: "Is it that serious???". Clearly, he doesn't get me....
Here's a cool hint if you are ever perusing the Forever 21+ site: Go to the "Shop by outfit" section of the site to see a preview of the items that aren't for sale yet. I also like visiting the UK site for the same reason.  Am I obsessed? Why yes, yes I am.

TOPS
With regards to tops, I've been into crazy patterns, florals and peplum anything. I can envision myself wearing the Staring at Stars cardi with some black leggings, mesh/sheer black top, a fierce boot, and a bright red lip. I've also been pleasantly surprised by some of eloquii's pieces as of recent.  The muted vibe of their previous lines have given way to a robust/vivid color palette with very fashion-forward silhouettes.  I love the color-blocked peplum top below--it's a great wear-to-work and after work piece. Rounding out my other selections for the "Tops" category is a denim shirt from Talbots and an open-backed floral blouse from Lucca Couture (via Urban Outfitters).  I chose the top from Talbot's because I am loving the rich denim color.  Denim shirts are very versatile and are fast becoming a staple in my wardrobe. The floral shirt is a great layering piece (I can see it being worn under a solid-colored blazer) and will add some serious flair to an outfit.  I actually tried this on in the UO store and it is cut very large.  I was able to close the buttons without any gaping....win! Hint: Don't feel like trying a shirt on  but are doubtful about the fit?  hold a shirt by it's armpits and match it to your armpits to determine how it will fit across the bust.  If it takes effort to match up with you armpits then most likely the shirt will not fit.

ACCESSORIES
The accessories I've been eyeing recently have been very bold and loud and the ones I have selected below are no exception.  I have a million obi belts (okay, I have 3) but I must have this one from the ASOS Curve line.  It is 100% leather and reasonably priced at $33.  There is also a beige-colored one on the site for $23! The leopard oxford with the neon sole is from Target.  You've probably spotted a similar one on the Forever 21 site.  The Target version is a steal for $20 versus $26 for the Forever 21 version. Oh, and the linked finger tip ring from ASOS? Well, does that even need justification???

What do you think of my picks? What do you think of the fall previews so far? 

As always, thanks for reading my blog! I love hearing from you all so please comment below!

I've got my eye on you... by izzygetsbizzy featuring long tops

Lucca Couture button down blouse
urbanoutfitters.com

Talbots long top
talbots.com

Staring At Stars long top
urbanoutfitters.com

Double breasted jacket
asos.com

Flat shoes
target.com

ASOS leather waist belt
asos.com

Peplum Shell
eloquii.com

ASOS | ASOS Finger Tip Linked Ring at ASOS
asos.com

Eff it!

Hi!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! My weekend was...well, "eh".  My daughter's friend came over for a sleepover which was....interesting. They have this thing where they love each other one second and hate each other the next. I know that may be typical for four-year olds but I almost pulled out my hair after hearing "I'm not your friend!" over a million times.  Also, the hubby was was celebrating his 30th birthday at a casino so I was feeling a bit like a hater resentful.  Imagine me cleaning butts and wiping up stickiness all while envisioning my husband in a club swinging his shirt over his head while gyrating on some female.  Yeah, I have a vivid imagination. Well, it turns out he did none of the things I was imagining although I was giving him my "yeah, mmm-hmm" face as he described his angelic behavior.  

So...my clothing purchases have recently started reflecting my "eff it" attitude.  What do I mean? I mean that I've been opting for styles that I wouldn't normally wear.  I don't really know what spurred the attitude but I like it! Case in point: I recently spotted this dress from the ASOS website.

Cute right? Well, after clicking the link I tried convincing myself why the dress wouldn't work for me. It was strapless! It was fitted! It was too stripey! It was strapless! For those of you that are new readers know this, Izzy no likey her arms. I embrace all my other lumps and bumps but for some reason my arms upset me. With the dress languishing in my shopping cart, here is a sampling of the argument I had with myself:

"So what if it's strapless? I can just throw a shrug over it"

"Kinda defeats the purpose of it being strapless though"

"The peplum is nice and flattering"

"You have 400 things that are peplum, underwear included"

"But my arms!" (said in a really whiny voice)

"Woman up"

"But my arms!"

"Yeah? so what about your arms? You use them to hold and comfort your children, to console others, to cook, to clean, to carry burdens and joys...basically, to hold it down!"

...

"yeah, eff it!"

So after the "place order" button was pressed, I felt great! I waited a week for my package to arrive and began to assemble the outfit in my mind...

So what do you think? I'm not totally crazy about the dress on me but I feel triumphant nonetheless.  I still don't love my arms but challenging myself in this way brings me one step closer to accepting and loving all of me...without conditions.  I didn't intend to be so matchy-matchy but that's how things kinda worked out. Also, I was not trying to style my hair so I decided to throw on another banged wig.  This one is "Lala" and it's by FreeTress.  I think it's safe to say that my fascination with bangs has come to an end...for now...

Dress: ASOS (main range but the dress is super stretchy)

Clutch: Aldos

Necklace: Free People

Earrings: F21

Shoes: Corso Como "Del" pump

Bangles: Oasis via ASOS

So what about you? What part of your body are you the least comfortable with? What steps are you taking to be more accepting of your body?

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog! I love hearing from you so please comment below!

It's like Christmas every day...

Hi!
So it should come as no surprise to you that I love to shop.  My shopping addiction has caused me to be quite friendly with my neighborhood UPS, FedEx, and USPS guy.  They know me. My hubs often jokes around when there isn't a package delivered to our house.  "What happened?" he usually quips, "was the internet down?" Hardy har har. In any case, my package fom ASOS came today.  They switched from their usual grey plastic packaging to a more eco-friendly brown box. That made me happy. I was quite pleased with my purchase and have decided to only return the Fiorelli wristlet as it is much tinier than I thought it would be (can you please post dimensions ASOS??).  It's cute but not functional enough for my purposes.  I used the 25% off Memorial Day code that was circulating and was able to save some serious bux on my overall purchase.  That also made me happy.  I'm looking forward to styling the aztec print dress and the bodysuit so look out for future outfit posts featuring the two!

1//ASOS body in diamond print
2// Bodycon dress in aztec print
3//Basic scoop neck vest in lime green (I also purchased one in black)
4//Fiorelli wristlet coin purse in orchid
5//Collar necklace (more burnished bronze than gold)
6//Nail Rock tribal nail wraps

Did you make any Memorial Day clothing purchases? What did you think of all the deals?

Pink and Teal...

Hi!

I officially can't wait for the warmer weather to be here.  For the past several days, it's been super dreary and just plain "blah" in Boston.  People here have exchanged their winter coats for trench coats.  Not the cute ones but the the long shapeless ones a la Columbo.  I tend to flout convention when it comes to dressing "weather appropriate" and tend to let how I feel dictate what I'm going to wear for the day.  Case in point, although it is considered "chilly" here in Boston, I couldn't resist wearing my recently-acquired sheer top from Forever 21. It features softly puffed shoulders, a jersey yoke, and blouson sleeves...plus it's stretchy!

Another purchase I am excited about is my Pieces "Nunne" belt.  I initially wasn't going to buy it because the biggest size on the ASOS site was a large.  Needless to say, I am sooooo glad I made the purchase! The belt features the cutest floral design and is able to accommodate my waist...winning! The pairing of the teal with the pink was a spontaneous decision as I believe there to be a great interplay between both colors.  The lipstick I'm wearing is my new obsession and is from Make Up For Ever (also known as MUFE for short) and is their Rouge Artist Intense in #36.  The color is so rich and vivid and the lipstick so emollient that I know it will be my go-to shade this summer.  Unfortunately (for me), this color has officially been discontinued by MUFE but you can still purchase it here and here.

What color combinations do you like pairing together?  Please share!

Top: Forever 21

Pants: ASOS (main range size 14) Style and size sold out

Belt: Pieces via ASOS

Shoes: Talbots "RiRi" suede pump Color currently sold out

Earrings: F21

Mini clutch: H&M

Pieces "Nunne" belt close-up

MUFE Rouge Artist Intense in #36 (additional colors available at Sephora)