Happy Monday! Can’t believe this is the last week of July. The summer is flying by. Since a lot of y’all know that we are pretty petite (5’1″), we wanted to share how to style and wear jogger pants, even if you are mini-sized, like we are.
We love how comfortable jogger pants are, but most of the time, we can get swallowed up in them. Below are some tips we like to reference when looking for jogger pants, and also styling them!
Find The Right Pair
You want to be sure you don’t just look at any pair of joggers. You are ideally looking for a pair that comes in petite sizing, or shorter lengths, so you don’t get swallowed up in a big pant. This olive linen pair is great for petites, or any size, because it comes in the petite sizing. We are wearing size xxs petite, and these fit perfectly.
Another option is to get them hemmed, but most of the time, you’re not going to want to do that. Also, option for a pair that is cuffed at the bottom can help with a pair that runs longer.
Keep It Fitted
You want to try and wear tops or shirts that are more fitted. If you wear something more baggy with it, you are going to look like a box, and have no shape, and nobody wants that!
In this case, we paired a stripe v-neck tee (we have on size xs), and it is good basic to have. You can wear it with jeans, too! When it starts getting cooler out, you can throw on a denim jacket!
Pair A Fun Shoe
Of course, we tend to think of joggers as more athleisure wear, but they’re not just for workout attire. You can wear them with fun shoes, too. We are wearing these really cute snakeskin mules that are actually a type of espadrille, so they’re comfortable, and also stylish. We have a size 7 in these.
We found these great joggers and the rest of the outfit we have on at Nordstrom. We actually ordered all of these online, but used the curbside in-store pickup, so we didn’t even have to get out of our car, haha. Total definition of laziness, but we are okay with it;)
We are SO excited because we are finally sharing an updated hair tutorial with you all, and there is even a video! We had shared one a while back, but this one *should be* easier to follow, so hopefully it is helpful!
Even though we have different hair lengths, and Alexis has a shorter haircut, we still use the same method to curl our hair. We have a few products that are budget friendly to achieve the effortless wave “look”.
What You Need
Curling Iron:
Of course, you’re going to need a good curling iron. We have several that we use, but this Babyliss Pro Nano curling iron is the best budget friendly one we have used. It comes in several barrel sizes, but we have found that either the 1″ or the 1 and 1/4″ is most effective. We have also noticed that a lot of hairstylists use this one, and our hairstylist uses it as well, so you know it is a good one! Also, it is only $31!
Heat Protection Spray:
You need something to protect your hair from all of that heat you are going to put on it. We have several products we like to use, and this Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil is one of our favorites because it smells good and is so easy to apply!
Shampoo and Conditioner:
This Adria by Thalia shampoo and conditioner smells AMAZING, and is free of sulfates! It really is great at moisturizing and nourishing your hair, and leaves our hair super soft. It is also great for the summer heat, and when using lots of heating tools on your hair!
Hairspray:
Of course, you need hairspray to make your waves last! We don’t like any heavy hairsprays that are hard to brush out, so our go to is this Amika one because it has a flexible hold, meaning it brushes out easily for lots of wear on your hair, and it smells amazing!
Dry Shampoo:
You all know we try to go as long as we can without washing our hair, so dry shampoo is MUCH needed. We swear by this Batiste one and this Amika one. Both smell amazing and do the job!
The Method
Watch the video below on how we curl our hair and create the waves. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or message us on Instagram.
It is pretty self explanatory, but to start:
Brush and section off the hair.
Spray with heat protection.
Curl hair in 1″ sections away from your face (with clip of barrel facing your face), leaving a small section of hair out of the clip.
Repeat with rest of hair.
Finish off with hairspray.
Brush through curls once hair has cooled off.
Other Tips
We recommend trying to go as long as you can without washing your hair because dirty hair always holds a curl the best, and also looks the best, believe it or not!
Make sure you don’t use the highest heat setting on your irons as that can burn your hair more easily, if you’re not careful
Be sure to brush out your curls when you are finished styling so you don’t look like Shirley Temple 😉
All of these great beauty products and tools we used can be found at Walmart. They have so many products for every person you’re shopping for, or that you may need. Our favorite things to order online are essentials like mascara, nail polishes, dry shampoo, and lip shades. We love that they offer two-day shipping and in-store pickup!
Many of you all know that we have been working out consistently for a while now. Just like it is for many of you all, it is part of our lifestyle. We feel better being active, and getting ourselves moving every day. Similar to everything else in life, it is important to have a balance. We have definitely been through phases where we have done more intense workouts, rarely taken rest days, etc.
We have also been through phases where we were forced to take time off for a couple weeks and months because of how lethargic we felt. While working out can be so great for you and your body, it is important to recognize when it becomes obsessive, and not balanced.
Of course, working out is great for you, and it is important to stay fit for cardiac purposes, as well as mentally. For us, we have recently been doing a lot of Pilates, jumping on the rebounder, lots of walking outside, and some running mixed in.
There was a period of time where we were very into lifting weights and hitting the gym pretty much everyday, without taking many days off. It was more so that it was a stress reliever for us, rather than “burning calories”, but we know how easy it is to get caught in that cycle.
Commit to things that help you mentally
Think about doing workouts that will help you clear your mind, make you less anxious and stressed, rather than just thinking about burning calories. Of course, both are important, but you want to be doing stuff that will help you mentally!
For us, sometimes that is just going on a walk vs. doing sprints or intervals. Sometimes, doing a more intense workout will do the trick for your stress and anxiety!
Focus on workouts that make you feel your best
When we are feeling burnt out, and our body has had enough, we know it is either time to take a day off, or to just choose something less crazy intense on our body. For example, we have been doing a lot of pilates and p.volve, and while they are challenging, they are not crazy intense on your body and joints.
Running can be great, but after a while, it definitely takes a toll on your body, so it is all about finding that balance between workouts.
Take days off
This is something that we used to struggle with a lot. Since we love working out so much, and love the feeling of accomplishing a task (in this case, a great workout), it was harder for us to take the needed rest days we all should be taking. Working out is something that helps us take our minds off stress, work, etc, but it is also important to keep in mind that your body needs a break, too.
Without recovery days, your body can’t relax and catch up on rest. These are crucial in staying fit, too! For us, sometimes a day off can be doing absolutely nothing, or sometimes it is going on a short walk outside with Lucy.
Shift your mindset
If your goal in working out often is to stay fit, we have learned that so much of it is what you are eating. As long as you are being mindful of what you eat, working out is secondary to that, in our opinions. You just want to make sure it is not obsession, rather just something you are doing to stay balanced and healthy!
All of these functional and cute pieces are from lululemon. We have been major fans their workout clothes for years, and we love all of these lighter ones for summer. While we love their Align Leggings SO much, we wanted something a little less heavy for these warmer temperatures.
The Hotty Hot shorts are the best running shorts, and we wear them for things other than running, too! They come in a ton of colors, and lengths. We have on the 2.5″ shorts in a size 4 in the “breezy” color, but they also make them in a 4″ length that our mom wears! We paired the shorts with the Ignite Bra (wearing size 6), which has a really cute high neckline.
The bra has medium support, so it is great for training and also ventilation for sweaty workouts or runs!
If you all love the Align pants as much as we do, you will LOVE these Align shorts! We are wearing the 4″, but they also come in a longer length, if you want more coverage. We couldn’t help getting the camo print, but they do make a lot of other prints and colors. We have on the size 4 in these.
We paired the shorts with the Energy High Neck Bra (wearing size 6), which is also great for training and has medium support. If you are looking for a good basic tank, this Sleek Simplicity Tank is great for any workout, and also has a higher neckline for more coverage. We have on a size 4 for reference.
Feeling like being really raw with you all, and opening up like I have in these posts. To be honest, I (Alexis), have been having my moments where I feel down and frustrated with being single. As I shared in this post , it can be hard to be the single sister.
I know Samantha has been there, and was single for years before finding Taylor, but I just want the same thing. I have chatted with many of you all who are going through the same thing, and can relate on so many levels. The truth is, no matter how many people you have surrounding you and supporting you, nothing can totally change the way you are feeling.
Not that I am old, but at 28, I thought my life would look a lot different, and I am totally okay with that. I just thought that I would be married, or at least already with my “match”. The truth is, it doesn’t always work the way we plan in our minds, and since I am quite the planner, it has been difficult for me to not be able to control this situation.
As frustrating as it is, I am really takin this time to embrace this period in my life where I can be totally selfish, have tons of alone time, and be picky about who I want in my life partner.
I have learned so much about myself already. Dating just sucks. Plain and simple. Of course, there are times that it can be great, like anything else, but often, I am just frustrated. It can be a full-time job, with no reward sometimes, which for the perfectionist in me, can be difficult. Between spending time swiping for matches, making small talk, going on dates, etc, it can be a rollercoaster of emotions.
Then, after all of that, realize you’re not a good match with them, get “ghosted”, or it just fizzles off. Can you tell I am frustrated and a whole mix of emotions?! haha.
I decided to share this stuff with you all, or whatever is on my mind, because 1: it is a therapeutic, and 2: I know a lot of you all can relate to this. Just know you aren’t alone in any of this. So, I wanted to share some things I have been doing, or trying to do help myself as I navigate this stage/phase of my life.
Make Friends/Make Plans
This has been a big one for me. Of course, living with Samantha, it can be easy for me to just hang at home, especially when her and Taylor are here, but I know I need to be out and making friend and being social (more on that in this post). I have been back on Bumble BFF, taking workout classes, and am going to try and get involved with volunteering for a charity. It does help a lot with what I am feeling, and being social just makes you so much happier!
Be Selfish
As everyone tells me, this is the one time you will never get back. I will never have this much alone time and quality time with myself to do literally anything I want to, when I want it. If I want to go get a manicure at 9 PM, or binge watch my favorite girlie shows until 12 AM, I can do that. Not that you can’t with a guy in your life, but it is all a balancing act that I see people in relationships having to play. This is also a time I have been taking to read all the inspirational books, quotes, and more!
Be picky
I know there are mixed feelings about this. We talked about in this podcast episode, but for me, I feel like if you are choosing your life partner, you need to be picky. Of course, some people have limits on their standards, but after dating a few people that I learned a lot from, I feel like I know what I want and don’t want, and that is really what dating is all about. You are fine-tuning, until you find your match. I am trying to be better about being more open-minded, but I do have quite the list going of standards 😉
You should totally be picky because if you don’t think you’re worth it, then who else will?
Speaking of dating, this outfit is perfect for any kind of date– not too dressy, but not super casual, and it shows the perfect amount of skin. We love this grey cocooon cardigan to transition into fall because it is super soft, and it matches everything. You can wear it with shorts, jeans, or pair it with a skirt or dress for work!
We paired it with this silk camisole (such a staple!– wearing size s) and these white jeans that come in a shorter length for petite girls, like us. For accessories we put on these suede peep toe booties and round crossbody bag from Sole Society. Both are great fall transitional pieces, and can be worn so many ways. The bag you can wear crossbody, on your shoulder, or in your hand, and it will match everything you wear.
The shoes are also great because they can be worn into the fall months with jeans and sweaters! We have size 7 for reference in the “honey” color. Sole Society has so many great things to wear as we start preparing for fall clothing (even when it is triple digits out, haha!) We love that almost all of their items are under $100!
Happy Friday and Happy Anniversary Sale Day! The BIG sale is here for everyone to shop, so in case you didn’t get what you wanted to, or your favorite items sold out, we decided to put together a fall capsule wardrobe that you can build TONS of outfits with, and best part is, most of these items are in stock in lots of sizes (for now!)
In case you missed our HUGE dressing room try-on post, you can check that out HERE. Some of the pieces sold out, but some may have been restocked, so click away on any links you want to take a peek at 🙂
WHAT IS A CAPSULE WARDROBE?
Before we get into the items, we wanted to answer what a capsule wardrobe is. Basically, it is a collection of basics you can wear multiple ways and put a lot of great looks together. Think of it as your basics for fall to build upon!
JACKETS/LAYERING PIECES
With cooler temperatures, you’re going to want some lighter pieces to throw on like a long cardigan, and then some thicker pieces, like a suede moto jacket.
You can really wear a cardigan so many ways. Since grey is such a good neutral, you can wear it with blacks and browns, and it pairs nicely under a camisole, basic tee, or even a plaid shirt. This one is on sale for under $32.
This black blazer is actually a softer, more flexible material, unlike typical blazers, which we love. You can wear it over a casual tee, or dress it up with some leather leggings and some black booties! You could also pair it with a pencil skirt or dress pants for work. This one is under $40!
We have had our jacket for a few years now, and actually originally purchased ours during the Anniversary Sale a while back. You can truly wear this one all year, whether it is in the summer over a dress, or into fall layered over a tee or sweater. This one is marked down from $188 to $125.
A leather jacket, whether it is faux or real, is a must in any closet. We wear ours so much, and this faux leather one is a great option at just under $60! It is super soft and comfortable, and comes in two other colors.
A cami is very much needed, and can be dressed up or down. In the summer, wear it with some shorts or jeans for date night, and into fall, pair it under a moto jacket or black blazer. This one is just $22.
You have to have a good basic v-neck tee in your closet. This one fits perfectly, and comes in lots of color options. We go with a size s, just so it is not super fitted, and can be tucked in or knotted in the front. This tee is under $12.
Another basic tee you need is a white long sleeve tee. You could do another color, if you prefer, but this kind of tee is great for layering under jackets and cardigans. This one is only $15.
If you are not much of a plaid person, listen up! It does not have to look farmer style, as long as you don’t make it that way! Tuck it into your favorite jeans, or wear it with some faux leather leggings for an edgier look.
Of course, you have to have a good sweater. With black, you can’t go wrong, and this one is great tucked into your jeans, or layered under a moto jacket or leather jacket when it gets cooler out. This one is under $50.
We know the hype is real with these Spanx leggings, but trust us, it is reeaaal. We love love love ours! You can wear them with basically anything! These are marked down to $64.
A dark jean is always classic and can be dressed up or down. This brand is more of an investment, but they fit like a glove, and they are great quality.
Even if you are not a ripped jean fan, this pair has just the perfect amount of holes in it. Love a mixture of rips and chunky knits for fall with some cute booties.
This bag is a great every day bag, and can be worn on your shoulder, crossbody, or on your wrist. Also holds a good amount and is comfortable to carry!
Best neutral color and can be worn over your favorite leggings or jeans. This brand is always very comfortable and lasts for years. This pair is marked down to $150.
This pair keeps selling out like crazy, so don’t miss out on these! You can wear these to work, too, so thats a major bonus! Oh, and they’re under $60.
We have been looking for a good black bootie, and we love how these have a pointed toe because it makes your legs look way longer. Love how they look with an all black outfit! These are under $100.
Happy Wellness Wednesday! It has been quite some time since we have shared one of these with you all. If you missed our last post, you can check that out here. This week, we are sharing five plant-based side dishes we are trying this month that we are super pumped about!
Many of you all know that we eat mostly plant-based, and frequently share a lot of our boring salad dishes and steamed vegetables in our instagram stories, but we wanted to try some new, and not-so-boring dishes you all can try out with us! If you do eat meat and seafood, you can totally add these as a side dish to your proteins!
Before we get into the amazing recipes we found, we want to talk about this all white look! With summer here, you can’t beat an all-white outfit. When we think of all white, we think of classic, clean, and chic. There aren’t many ways to mess up an all-white look, in our opinions 😉
For this one, we paired one of our favorite white skinny jeans (which are AMAZING!) with an off shoulder white eyelet top–both from Express. These jeans fit so perfectly, and we love that they come in a “short” length, so they fit our petite legs! They also come in a regular and “tall” length if you’ve been gifted with longer legs.
We love that Express offers denim for all shapes and sizes. We are so petite, and have shorter legs, so we love that we can find jeans that fit us right, without having to get any tailoring done.
We are wearing size 00 short in the jeans, and size xs in the eyelet top. The eyelet top is a great summer piece that you can wear with shorts and darker jeans as well. We love the bell sleeves on it!
**PS– they are giving all of you $25 off orders of $100 or more with code 8144.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Cut larger potatoes in half and leave smaller potatoes intact.
Spread potatoes out on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, flipping halfway.
While potatoes are cooking, heat remaining olive oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. Once butter is melted add garlic and shallot to the pan. Once shallot has softened (approx. 2 minutes), add thyme, rosemary and thyme to the pan. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Set aside.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and toss with garlic and herb mixture. Place back in the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.
Preheat oven to 415 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss cauliflower florets in avocado oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast for 35-30 minutes, until fork tender and slightly browned.
While cauliflower roasts, prepare pesto. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until ingredients are combined, but still a bit chunky.
Toss pesto with cooked cauliflower until well coated.
Rice the cauliflower. Slice the florets from the head of the cauliflower. Fit a food processor with the s-blade. Place half the florets into the bowl of the food processor and pulse until riced, scraping down the sides once halfway through to catch any larger pieces. Scrape out the riced cauliflower and repeat with the remaining florets.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and sautee until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, 5-6 minutes.
Add the garlic and jalapeno and sautee until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, salt, cumin, and paprika and stir into the vegetables.
Add the cauliflower rice and stir continuously until all ingredients are incorporated. Continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower releases its liquid and is dry and fluffy.
Remove the Mexican cauliflower rice from heat. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Serve immediately.
Roast the spaghetti squash according to these instructions, along with the garlic. To roast garlic, cut the top off, of the bulb, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap in foil. Place in the oven with the spaghetti squash for the whole duration of roasting. Roast the walnuts for 5 minutes if desired.
When the spaghetti squash and garlic (and walnuts) have finished roasting, allow them to cool enough to handle. Once cool, use a fork to release the strands of spaghetti squash and place in a large bowl. Peel the garlic cloves, give them a rough chop, and transfer them to the bowl with the spaghetti squash.
