January Fab Favorites

Rather than make New Year's Resolutions, for the past few years I've adopted the practice of choosing one word for the New Year. For 2016, my word is going to be horizon - I feel like it kept presenting myself to me, so I accepted it! I'm not sure what's on the horizon for me - the future is a blank slate for me to fill with my hopes and dreams for the future. Will I buy a house, write a novel, get a pet, travel the world, or make a new friend this year? I'm making positive changes in my life and habits and hoping that positivity will come back to me. Here are a few favorites making those changes a little easier to adopt.

1. Creative women building each other up - I've kicked off the year with two memoirs by funny women in creative fields (who are not too much older than me), Everyone's Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day (read my review from yesterday here) and Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling. Both share a common theme: boss ladies shouldn't be competing with one another, we should be building each other up - Felicia addresses #Gamergate and Mindy tackles topics from "Who Wore it Best?" magazine columns to Instagram friendships. Two of my favorite essays in Mindy's book are "(Minor) Fame Has Changed Me" and "Things to Bring to My Dinner Party." My favorite passage in Mindy's book comes from the essay "Some Thoughts on Weddings" (she kind of hates them due to the sense that the bride is leaving her behind):

With my friends, the sad truth is that our best "best friend" days are behind us. In college, we used to be able to meet each other in the common area of our off-campus housing, excited about our evening ahead, which consisted of someone making an enormous tureen of pasta and drinking wine from a box while we took turns regaling each other with details of our terrible love lives. Playful arguments would become fits of uncontrollable laughter, and like magic, that experience would get crystallized into a private joke, and the private joke would get boiled down to a simple phrase, which would become a souvenir of the entire experience. For years to come, the phrase alone could uncork hours of renewed laughter. And as everyone knows, the best kind of laughter is laughter born of a shared memory.

2. A routine that helps me glow - When I finally got my long-awaited Clarisonic Mia2, it came with a bottle of Fresh Soy Face Cleanser which I've been using religiously. Not only has my cystic acne improved, but I think my face looks glowy and my skin looks plumper in the mornings when I wake up. In addition to the obvious soy proteins, this cleanser is full of healthy ingredients like cucumber extract and borage seed oil.

3. Fashionable accountability - I've wanted a fitness tracker for a while now, and Mr. Q got me the Jawbone Up2 for Christmas. I liked the Up2 a little better than some other trackers because it includes a smart alarm feature than I can set to wake me up during the lightest part of my sleep cycle! So far, I'm using the Up2 to track my sleep, daily step count and workout lengths, and food (the Up app has a barcode reader feature or the option to type in what I've eaten and search through a database). I also have an idle alert set so that the wristband vibrates when I am still for a set length of time - currently, I've got it set for 45 minutes. I like that the app gives suggestions to help me reach my goals - for example, on Saturday night, we went out to eat, and when I opened the app to log my meal there was a suggestion from Smart Coach to take a 17 minute walk in order to maintain my average step count for the week - a short stroll was easily accomplished by doing some window shopping after dinner, but probably wouldn't have happened without the gentle nudge. I've lost two pounds since Christmas and I think the Up2 has definitely helped!

4. A cozy glow for cold winter nights - Mr. Q's aunt got us the Bath and Body Works Winter 3-wick candle for Christmas and it's my new favorite smell! The main notes are pine, mandarin orange, and "winter woods," and it's perfect for creating a cozy atmosphere in the evenings when we get home from work.

5. An inspiring calendar - If I have to look at something for 12 months, it had better be cute! I chose the Illustrated Bible Verses calendar from Workman Publishing, which I found at Barnes & Noble. If you still need a calendar to get your 2016 organized, Style Me Pretty has a roundup, and Lauren's featuring the best planners for boss babes at Style Elixir.

Linking Up:

Friday's Fab Favorites at Style Elixir

Style: A Gift to Myself - My First Stitch Fix

Several of my blogger friends have posted about their experiences with Stitch Fix, and I decided 2015 is time to take the fashion plunge!  In case you're still fuzzy about the Stitch Fix phenomenon, it's an online service that provides users with personal styling services.  So fancy!  After Christmas, I felt like it was time to do something nice for myself.  I'm usually very hesitant to spend money on myself, especially on clothes, but you know what?  I'm turning 30 this year and I'm still wearing clothes I bought during my first year teaching.  It's okay to upgrade!

The first step to joining Stitch Fix is filling out a personal Style Profile with information about your age, size and shape, style and modesty preferences, budget, and wardrobe needs. Users can also include information about what clothing, jewelry, and accessory categories to avoid along with any fabrics or materials to leave out.  In my profile, I said that I like a healthy mix of pants and dresses, I'd occasionally like to incorporate a few "adventurous" pieces, and that my style is a blend of bohemian, classic, casual, and preppy.

When completing the Style Profile, Stitch Fix users can add a link to a Pinterest profile. After a few Stitch Fix reviews I'd read on various blogs I knew this would help my stylist get a better idea of the kinds of pieces that would be perfect for my wardrobe.

When my Fix arrived, it included a personalized note from my stylist, Alyssa.  Per my note, she focused on classic, work appropriate pieces.  The note came with suggestions on how to wear the five pieces included in my Fix.

At first glance, the pieces were definitely my style, but hmmm... that's a lot of black.

Alyssa's picks for me were the Renee C Kirkwood Mini Dot Crew Neck Sweater, the 41Hawthorn Benson 3/4 Ruched Sleeve Blazer, the Margaret M Emer High Waisted Cropped Trouser, the 41Hawthorn Moni Stud Detailed 3/4 Sleeve Blouse, and the 41Hawthorn Jordanne A-line Skirt.  I liked that the pieces seemed really easy to mix and match with each other, and that the styling suggestions Alyssa provided included a lot of items I already have - straight leg jeans, leopard print shoes, a sheath dress, flowy tops, a striped tee, and booties.

Here's the Benson 3/4 Ruched Sleeve Blazer ($78) over my favorite Old Navy dress and GroopDealz bubble necklace.  A quick Google search reveals that it has also been made in burgundy, teal, navy, and gray - this seems to be the case with a lot of Stitch Fix items. Unfortunately, a lot of the items in my Fix seemed to run small - this blazer wouldn't button! I liked the ruching, but did not like the Judy Jetson vibe I got from the shoulder pads.  Additionally, I already have a similar jersey-material black blazer from Old Navy.

The Kirkwood Mini Dot Crew Neck Sweater ($48) is definitely my style, but the sleeves were a bit too long - I would probably end up cuffing them.  The biggest problem I had with this sweater was how thin the material is, more like a t-shirt - I would always have to wear a dark tank top underneath for modesty.  I did try it with my herringbone vest, jeans, and boots, and it was so cute I was almost convinced, but here's the deal:  Virginia is cold in the winter; if I wear a sweater, it needs to be a sweater.

I really liked the Emer High Waisted Cropped Trouser ($98) - I'm petite (5'2") and the length was perfect with ballet flats (mine are from Payless).  Unfortunately, the fabric seemed a little too fussy for my middle school workplace and with their elastic waist, they did not pass the bend test.  Also, $98 for a pair of pants?  Not happening on a teacher budget!  I am still in search of the perfect pair of straight-leg black pants that are work appropriate, and I'm hoping to find a pair with belt loops.

Here's my keeper: the Moni Stud Detailed 3/4 Sleeve Blouse ($58).  It's not something I would have chosen for myself - the studs would definitely scare me off it I saw this on a store rack or online - but when I tried it on, I liked the Sargent Pepper vibe from the studs and that the sleeves are a little puffed at the shoulder - so pretty.  I prefer 3/4 blouses, and black will be really versatile.  This seems to be one of Stitch Fix's most popular pieces, with bloggers modeling the same style in emerald, cobalt, mint, and even horseshoe print!

Mr. Q really liked the Jordanne A-Line Skirt ($68), and I liked how soft the material was, but unfortunately it wasn't a great fit and the length was a little on the short side for work.  As far as 14-year-old boys are concerned, I don't have knees.  I love the color and would love to find something similar to add to my closet.

Since the blogs I've read have led me to believe that Fixes get better each time, I've already scheduled my next Fix for February!  I added "Romantic" to my list of styles and included a note about the dress code for teachers at the school wear I work.

Here's how the pricing for Stitch Fix works: to sign up, users pay a $20 styling fee.  The styling fee is credited toward any items from your fix that you keep.  If you buy all 5 items, you get a 25% discount.  For me, since $58 is more than I would usually pay for a blouse, I thought of the price as being $20 to pay Alyssa and cover the shipping, and $38 for the blouse.  Any returns go in a prepaid Priority Mail bag within three business days.

Overall I'm really satisfied with my first Stitch Fix experience - I got to try on fancy clothes without leaving my house, and I liked my new blouse so much I wore it that weekend for a night out with friends.

If you'd like to try Stitch Fix, you can sign up here - please note that this link contains a referral code to help me earn credit toward my future Fixes!

Which of the pieces from my Fix is your favorite?  Have you tried Stitch Fix or any other subscription boxes?

Linking Up:

Manic Monday at More Pieces of Me and The Daily Express

Passion 4 Fashion at Rachel the Hat

Style Sessions at Style Elixir

Style to Inspire with Rhea Et Cetera
Style Me Wednesday at Shopping My Closet

My January {Fab} Favorites

Disclaimer:  Amazon links contain an affiliate code.  Thank you for supporting Beyond the Aisle!

1. Marc Jacobs Salty Pretzel Stud Earrings - These were my special Christmas gift from Mr. Q this year.  I'd had them on my Pinterest forever, but apparently they'd gotten really popular and he had to order from a store in London, England to get the rose gold - which, to me, makes them even more special.  I had a pretzel (and beer cheese, let's be honest) obsession in 2014 that I don't see stopping any time soon.  They're a great conversation piece - I wore them on a teacher workday and got a lot of "are your earrings pretzels?!?!"

2. Xhileration French Terry Lounge Pants - My mom got me these pajama pants for Christmas and they are the greatest - they are styled like jogging pants but made of super soft jersey.  I pretty much put these on every single day when I get home from work (sorry, Mr. Q.)

3. Orange Circle Studio 2015 Wall Calendar by Katie Daisy - I've seen several of Katie Daisy's lovely watercolors online (her Etsy shop is full of awesome), so when I saw a whole wall calendar of her work with nice big boxes for writing I knew it would be perfect for the new year.  It includes quotes from Shakespeare, Rumi, and Emerson among others and it's so cheerful!

4. Old Navy Fleece Dress - My love of sweatpants material really knows no bounds and this dress is my own personal heaven.  I wore it with tights, boots, and a cardigan to a baby shower and no one called me out on basically being in sweats.

5. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater - Finally got around to the newest book in my favorite YA series.  This one's got a lot of material from Blue's point of view, as well as Adam's, which I appreciated because I missed his voice in The Dream Thieves.  I'm hoping that the fourth book will have more chapters from Gansey's perspective.  

6. Bath and Body Works Cinnamon Caramel Swirl 3-Wick Candle - Another Christmas gift from my mom, this candle is the current key to creating cozy in my house.  Be careful, though - with all three wicks lit, it doesn't take long for a whole room to smell like the inside of a cinnamon bun, and it can be a little overwhelmingly spicy.