Hello there.

Hi!

Thanks so much for hanging with me during my Mariah Carey breakdown.  I'm getting pretty good at this "perspective" thing and now know that everything will be okay when all is said and done.  I'm a big believer in taking baby steps towards your goals and with life in general and so that has been my mantra in recent weeks. In any case, thanks for your support and thanks for showing me continued love. 

So let me tell you a story about my pants.  When I first saw them at Tarjay I was totally like "Ewwww".  But anyone who knows me well knows me that I have a love affair with things that are ugly.  So even though I was like "Ewwww" I found myself passing them like ten times.  But I didn't buy them.  Sometimes Izzy needs to sleep on decisions as major as whether to buy an ugly pair of pants.  And so the next day I went on the Tarjay site to see if I could see a picture of them on a model.  No dice.  Ultimately, I just bought them because the Tarjay site told me to.  Well, not really but with all those glossy headers and colors saying how you can save 20% if you by 3 or more clothing items AND you can get free shipping if you spend over $50....I mean you'd be a dummy not to take advantage right? Right?? *looks around for affirmation*

 

Funny story for you.  Today I was shadowing a patient at my job and she looks at me and says (very sincerely) "you have such a beautiful face". Now, I'm accustomed to hearing the "you have a pretty face" comment (or some version thereof) and sometimes I accept it and sometimes I feel like messing with the person who issued the compliment.  Today, I felt like the latter.  "Oh?" I replied, "what about the rest of me?" She literally looked me up and down a couple of times then said, "You have nice eyebrows too". womp womp.

  

Top: F21 (main range)

Pants: Tarjay

Belt: H&M

Shoes: H&M

Brown coinlet: H&M

Teal clutch: F21

Necklace: Anthro

Bangles: F21

Earrings: F21

In closing, I want to say that I'm very sad that the warm weather has gone. I'm definitely a spring/summer gal and tend to get a bit ornery during colder months. I know warm mugs of cocoa sprinkled with nutmeg and footie pajamas should make me happy but they just don't.  You wanna know who is excited by these things? Take one guess.....

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to get up to speed on all of my shenanigans then follow me on Instagram: Izzygetsbizzy1 or Twitter @Izzygetsbizzy! 

<3

Izzygetsshrinky: trying again...

Hi!

I want to start my post off by saying I feel gross.  Yes, I am still battling a cold but that is not the reason why I feel gross.  When I started this blog, I initially had a section called "Izzygetsshrinky" where I wanted to chronicle my weight loss journey.  After giving birth to my daughter last September, I lost about 30lbs and was really proud of myself for making substantive changes to my diet and lifestyle.  Recently, I have been back-sliding and I feel totally unhealthy as a result.  Not only do I feel unhealthy, but I am unhealthy as evidenced by my blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and a host of other clinical health determinants.  My physical state has also begun to impact my mental state in that I am feeling depressed and withdrawn.  This attitude has also started to adversely impact my relationship with my hubby and my kids which to me, is unacceptable.  I've made up my mind to take baby steps to improve my health and invite you all to witness this journey. For many of you, weight is a sensitive topic and by no means do I want to alienate anyone by making it the focal point of this blog.  I would, however, be remiss if I did not acknowledge the topic and let you know my plans for change.  To keep myself accountable to my fitness and weight loss goals, I plan on posting my progress every other Sunday. This is me not wanting to skinny but wanting to be healthy.  I owe it to my kids who don't deserve to have their mom tell them "another day" each time they ask to go to the park. If you are going through a similar journey and would like to be virtual fitness buddies, please do drop me a line!  You can also find me on My Fitness Pal under the name "Izzygetsbizzy". Let's do this!

And because I didn't want to post without sharing a pic, here is a pic of me in my (now returned) kimono top from Tarjay.  I returned it because I felt it looked a bit frumpy (I'm wearing the XXL) and it made my shoulders look too broad.  Also, I was trying to experiment with the color teal but clearly, it is teal overload!  Although the top didn't work out for me, I strongly recommend Tarjay's ponte skirt from Mossimo which comes in an array of colors and is super stretchy and comfy!

Top: Tarjay

Belt: NY & Co

Skirt: Tarjay

Shoes: GAP

Necklace: ASOS

Hat: H&M

Clutch: Payless

Rawwwwrrrrrr....

Hi!

This morning I was feeling a bit like a vixen so I decided to spice up things a bit.  I recently bought a slinky leopard top from F21 and have been trying to find a reason to wear it to work.  After much deliberation, I was like: why the heck does leopard print anything need to be justified? So I know what you are thinking: Izzy, I thought you hated leopard print? Well I kinda still do when it's all-up-in-your face.  I do, however, like leopard print in small doses and when it doesn't comprise the whole of an outfit. 

The skirt I am wearing is from Torrid and was purchased during their haute cash promotion.  If you have been on the fence about this skirt, I definitely encourage you to get it.  It has a banded top (bonus) and an off center front slit and feels great on.  Easily, the skirt is one of my favorite pieces from Torrid.  I decided to throw on my sheer BCBG cardigan that I got from TJMaxx a long time ago.  I love this particular piece because it is very versatile and has amazing stretch.  My accessories include my patent belt from the Gap and my hammered hoop earrings from Ashley Stewart.  The shoes I am wearing are pointed flats from Tarjay.  I love these shoes because they are super comfortable but they are really beat up because I've worn them so much.  I've been  really trying to wear flats less often but it is sooooo hard!  Flats are my go-to because I have realllly flat feet and they make walking a bit easier.  My challenge for the new year though is to start wearing more heels.  I've made several amazing shoe purchases the past few weeks that I can't wait to share with you all.  They are all heels too!  I'm working up the nerve to wear at least one pair before the year is over.

One outfit, different styles:

Leopard top: F21+

Skirt: Torrid

Wrap top: BCBG via TJMaxx

Belt: Gap

Earrings: Ashley Stewart

Bracelet: F21

Watch: ASOS

Shoes: Tarjay

The one with the pencil dress

Hi Lovelies!

I had a hard time figuring what I was going to wear this morning and after seeing how late it was and freaking out, I opted to wear my ASOS Curve pencil dress.  I added a red patent belt to break the monotony of the black.  I was going to wear some funky red  patent flats but I decided not to (read: I couldn't find them in my messy closet) and wore my black pointed patent flats from Tarjay instead. I like the simplicity of the dress but it has the a very Amish look to it (perhaps because it is all black?) and I'm trying to think about different ways to style it because I would hate for it to end up in the back of my closet (which is no-woman's land). Underneath the dress I am wearing the Torrid Extreme Push-up bra. This is my second time wearing it and I honestly don't know how I feel about it.  I think I should have gotten a larger cup size because I get serious spillage with this bra.

I also wanted to share with you some pics of my new fave coat from Tarjay.  It is a beautiful marigold color and I am in love with the fur lapels. It is a bit snug in the bust area but I am hoping it will loosen up once I wear it a few more times.  What do you think?  It was originally $69 but I had a $10 gift card which I ended up applying to the purchase.  It is lined and actually does a good job of keeping me warm which is a plus.

Dress: ASOS Curve

Belt: Gap

Tights: Gap

Shoes: Target

Earrings: F21

Me and my smedium (small + medium) coat. The button on the right is holding on for dear life!