We don’t get to share a ton of workwear, but it is a goal of ours to share more because it is something that everyone needs ideas for, and we get so may requests to share more work pieces, so we are super pumped for today’s post! Even if you don’t get this dressed up for work, we all need a more dressed up look at some point, right?
We wanted to share how you can take a basic black dress and take it from day to night! Whether you’re going from work to happy hour or a dinner with girlfriends or your significant other, you will want something that brings it down a notch from business-y, to more fun!
We paired the black dress with some leopard pointed flats for the work/daytime look. These flats are perfect for work because they are so comfy, and add a fun pop to any outfit. You can also wear them with jeans or leggings on the weekends!
This black tote is a great carry-all. You can fit all your purse necessities in there, along with a laptop. Also, great for traveling or for the beach/pool.
For the evening look, we paired this same black dress with this gorgeous purple suede moto jacket, which is amazing! We are wearing xs in both pieces. You can wear this jacket with dresses and shorts into spring and summer, too. This color is so perfect for spring, but we also think you could wear it year-round!
We found all of these great workwear pieces at Nordstrom. They have so many good options at different price points, and the best part is they offer free shipping and returns, AND they have in-store pickup, which we use pretty much every week! It is just so convenient.
Happy Wellness Wednesday! In case you missed last week’s post on our go to natural supplements, you can read that post here.
Today, we are sharing some good gym bags for any workout! We typically have been working out at home or going to Pilates, but we love a good bag to stay somewhere for the weekend or to bring in a change of clothes for any kind of class you’re taking. You can also use all of these as travel bags!
#4 is super expandable and has a laptop sleeve area to hold your tech devices!
One of our favorite retailers, Shopbop, is having a big sale where you can save up to 25% off so many cute pieces for spring like sandals, denim shorts, and cute, basic tees!
Happy Monday! Hope you all had a good weekend. We both slept in pretty late this weekend, which was much needed! One of us (Alexis) went on a short run yesterday and we made a late brunch of blueberry waffles with coconut cream. SO GOOD! We also got to spend some time with our family, and that is always nice.
On a different note, I (Alexis) wanted to write about a topic that a lot of you have requested, and one that I think is therapeutic to write about sometimes. I don’t like to get too personal on here, especially about relationships, just because some stuff has to be private, you know? I also think that it is something we all go through at some point, and it is comforting to know other people go through it, too.
In 2018, I went through two breakups, so the beginning of 2019 has been the year of focusing on myself and my self care and love. I am not going to sit here and tell you either breakup was easy to go through, because it isn’t, but I can tell you, as cliche as it sounds, I have learned more about myself with each breakup, and even more since I have been single.
Of course, everyone says dating and relationships are about learning about who you ultimately want to spend your life with, and with that comes figuring out who you are, what you want, characteristics you don’t want in a partner, parts of their lives you want to be supportive of (or not).
I truly believe that. It is about refining and refining, and figuring out who is the best match for YOU, and compliments you.
I can tell you I learned A TON from my relationships and breakups. I’ve had experiences with addictions, insecurities, some cases that bordered on verbal abuse, and so much more that I swore I would never put up with, but again, it happens, and we all go through it at some point or another. Have I sat there and cried for hours, felt sorry for myself, and just been down? 100 percent.
You have to go through those feelings and really deal with the breakup. Burying those feelings, or not addressing them will only make it worse.
When I was in each relationship, I was so wrapped up in it that I didn’t realize how much I felt like I had changed in the relationship, and that I had lost who I was. I do think you can evolve as a person, but you should’t lose who you are and your values. In some of them, I found myself constantly stressed and angry, and ready to snap at any point, which is not a way to live.
With some of my breakups, I had been drained emotionally and had so many rollercoasters of emotions throughout it, that once it ended, I was ready to move on quicker than others.
After my last relationship, I expected to feel ready to jump back into the dating scene (which is a whole other post in itself), but honestly, I wasn’t, and still am not.
I am truly taking this time to focus on ME, which I really haven’t done in a few years. As silly as it sounds, I didn’t want to end some of my other relationships because the thought of having to date again, and do this whole song and dance felt like torture. Don’t get me wrong, it is great to meet people, but it does get old after a while.
The other times I was ready to jump back in, I was just ready to date again. It had nothing to do with rebounding, or not being able to be alone. This time it just feels different.
It is comforting to know I have so many people in my corner, always supporting me, and also knowing and trusting it will all fall into place when it is right. I have my moments, thinking that it feels like everyone is in a relationship and happy, and feel like I am just getting older, and time is passing me by, but then I think about how much I have learned and grown, and know it is all supposed to be this way.
I also want to note that what you see on social media is not how it always appears. Of course, there are happy moments, but there is so much behind the scenes that we don’t all get to see. I think it is also important to realize YOU have to be ready to leave and move on. Trust me, you will know when it needs to happen. I got that intuition in ALL of my relationships, and I think that is probably the biggest factor in not regretting ending it (at least to me!)
Some of what has helped me (and what I am focusing on) is surrounding yourself with people that bring out the best in you, actually talking about it with friends or family, journaling what you love about yourself/what you don’t love, what you want in a future partner, things that you could improve on, etc. I also think this is a time to embrace doing stuff on your own time. Want to eat dinner at 5PM? Want to sleep in until 10 AM? Want to lay on the couch like a bum? Well, you can because all you have to focus on is yourself. And, yes, it feels amazing.
I am honestly just really content right now and not in any hurry to date someone, which I feel like is unlike me, but I really think this is all for a reason, and I am just feeling so grateful for my family and friends (some newer and some older), and for all of you! Like I said, I have my moments, but overall, I am so thankful.
On a side note, for those of you just here for the outfit details, which I can’t hate on, I LOVE these mules from Sole Society. We have them in blush suede and leopard and they are so comfy! We love them with this blush shrug cocoon sweater and this white tote (great for traveling or every day).
This hat (also from Sole Society) is a great spring hat when you don’t want to look too beach-y!
If your question wasn’t answered, be sure and send us a message on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]
We skipped last week, but we are back this week with another FAQ round for y’all! If you asked something that didn’t get answered, we most likely answered it in a previous FAQ post! Check out the last few here : #1 here , #2 here , #3 here,#4 here, and #5 here.
Happy reading! Xo
F A S H I O N:
WHAT ARE THE GOLD NECKLACES YOU WEAR WITH YOUR INITIALS?
We actually have several. The two main ones you always see us wearing are this single initial one and this one that has both our first and last name initials. We also wear this one a lot. They are all gold, so they don’t change colors.
CAN YOU SHARE SOME AFFORDABLE ONE PIECE SWIMSUITS?
Also, be sure to check out our post on cover ups here.
DO YOU LIKE HAVING A BUMPER ON YOUR WATCH?
YES! Love it. The face had gotten all scratched so this bumper protects it and prevents scratches!
H E A L T H / F I T N E S S:
HAVE YOU RESEARCHED BII? DO YOU THINK THAT COULD BE RELATED TO YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS?
We actually have been looking into this, as we have seen it all over Instagram. We definitely think it is an issue, and unfortunately it has affected so many women. We will say, had we known about it before getting them put in, we can’t say we would have gone through with it.
We had been suffering from Hypothyroidism for 5 years prior to getting the implants, and had already felt the weight gain, swelling, and fatigue a year or two before the surgery, so while we don’t think it helped our health issues, it is not the sole cause. We are doing what we can to detox our bodies from anything the implants could be causing like heavy metals and toxins by eating a ton of fruits, veggies, and vitamins.
We do think removing them can be beneficial for some, but we do think you have to look at the big picture like what you’re eating, what you’re taking, etc as well.
HOW DO YOU LIKE EATING VEGAN VS THE AIP/PALEO FOR OVERALL HEALTH?
We like eating vegan personally for our health issues. We feel the cleanest and lightest, if that makes sense. We also believe it is the best in healing and cleansing the body. We also want to mention that we eat lower fat as well like with oils and nut butters, etc.
CAN YOU UPDATE US ON YOUR BREAST AUGMENTATION? RECOMMENDATIONS ON BRAS?
Sure! So we have had ours for two years now, actually to the day, haha! We would say the most important part is to wear supportive bras when you workout and when you sleep. When we are doing an intense workout or cardio, we wear a high impact bra like this one.
When we are sleeping, we wear lighter bras like this one.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE CHEAT DAYS?
Yes, of course! Our cheat days are probably not as exciting as most, but that is what works for us! We have been eating this way for so long that we crave fruits and veggies. If we crave sweets or pastas, we always make something at home to satisfy that! Or, we will go out and have it! We don’t deprive ourselves, but we truly love healthier foods and cooking/baking.
HAVE THE SUPPLEMENTS HELPED RAISE YOUR LEVELS SUCH AS B12/IRON?
We have not had a blood test for a while, so we can’t fully answer that, but we do feel great!
DOES YOUR DOCTOR SUPPORT YOU TAKING THE THYROID SUPPLEMENT? HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOUR TSH?
We are actually not seeing a doctor right now. We had seen so many doctors last year and the year before that we made the decision to not take our medication for now. We will retest our thyroid soon.H
CAN YOU SHARE A REBOUNDER WORKOUT?
We actually shared a rebounder workout in last week’s Wellness Wednesday post, along with the benefits of it! We will be sharing more as well!
I NOTICED YOU HAVE BEEN DOING PVOLVE WORKOUTS A LOT. HAVE YOU SEEN ANY BENEFITS?
Yeah! We have actually been loving it! We actually shared more about it in this post. We love that it targets all your muscles, especially ones you typically don’t work a lot, even though you feel like you may be with your current workouts. It is great because you can do it at home, or stream it from really anywhere! You use things like gliders, light weights, and resistance bands, and it really burns! We have seen a difference in our butts and abs.
Also, it is just convenient to do for a quick 30 minute or 40 minute workout in between working or whatever!
WHY ARE YOU NOT LIFTING AS MUCH HEAVY WEIGHTS ANYMORE?
We honestly just got burnt out. Our bodies were exhausted, and we had put too much pressure and stress on them. Of course, we are not saying it is bad, but we just needed a break. Not that we aren’t pushing our bodies now, but we are doing workouts that are less intense like pilates, rebounding, and P.volve.
CAN YOU SHARE THE RECIPES FOR THE BLACK BEAN BROWNIES AND BLUEBERRY LOAF YOU MADE THE OTHER NIGHT?
Of course!
The black bean brownies came from this vegan cookbook, and the blueberry loaf came from Medical Medium
BLACK BEAN BROWNIES:
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
6 tbsp water
1 cup oat four
1 1/4 cups cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup water, add more by tsp if needed
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and 11 x 7 in pan.
Mix flaxseed and water in small bowl and let it sit for 10 min. Add the oats, cacao, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne to the food processor and grind the oats into a flour.
Add the beans, flax egg, maple syrup, vanilla, and water and process until batter is smooth and creamy.
If it is too thick, add 1 tsp of water a time until it is spreadable but not watery.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
WILD BLUEBERRY BANANA BREAD LOAF:
INGREDIENTS:
3 ripe bananas 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup coconut sugar 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 2 cups gluten-free oat flour 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries Chopped walnuts, for topping (optional
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
Place the bananas in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract and almond milk. Mix well.
In another bowl, combine the oat flour, sea salt, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk until lump free. Add the wet ingredients and fold gently until you get a uniform batter. Add the blueberries and stir very gently, just enough to incorporate them.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. After this, turn the oven off but leave the banana bread in the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.
CAN YOU SHARE WHAT YOU EAT IN A DAY?
Of course! We actually shared an entire blog post of meal ideas and what we eat in this post!
B E A U T Y:
DOES WEARING THE PERMANENT EYELASHES BOTHER YOUR EYES? HOW LONG DO THEY LAST?
They last 2-3 weeks each fill. They don’t bother us, but unfortunately, Samantha is having issues with hers and had to remove them. I (Alexis) am fine with them!
That is a great question! We make sure to always apply our skincare creams, oils, and sunscreen all the way through our neck. We need to be better about our chests;)
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE NON TOXIC BEAUTY BRANDS?
HOW DO YOU GET SUCH GOOD LIGHTING IN YOUR MIRROR PICTURES?
That is a very good question! Lighting is everything. We just use our iPhone and make sure it is bright outside. If it is more dark and stormy out, the pictures tend to be more grainy, but we just roll with it. You can brighten the pictures on your phone when you are done, but having good lighting is key for a good picture! Also, try to have the windows in front of you or on the sides. If they are behind you, you want a good amount of space so you don’t look dark.
IS THERE ANY JEALOUSY BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR SISTER BLOGGING?
Not really! We support each other. We usually fight over clothes, haha, and picture spots, but other than that, not really. Obviously when one of us gets more ‘likes’, it can be hard, but at the end of the day, we support each other!
HOW DID YOU BECOME INSTAGRAM FAMOUS?
We don’t think we are famous at all, but truthfully, it is so awesome we get to connect with you all and reach so many fun people. We are SO grateful!
WHAT IS YOUR AVERAGE SCHEDULE FOR A DAY IN THE LIFE?
This is a tough one! We kind of touched on this in this post, but basically, we work a LOT. A lot more than most people would think. We spend a lot of time behind our computer screens and phones, and the other parts of the days are prepping content, on the phone for calls, or working out/eating.
Typically, we wake up and meditate, make our juice, get in a workout, eat breakfast, check emails and work. Then, we will either shoot content, get our posts ready for Instagram, head to a meeting, etc. In between, is a lot of snacking, cleaning up the messes we made in our home office, and more working, haha. We don’t really have a cut off time, which makes balance tricky, but we try our best;) Usually, we work until we go to bed, but we honestly love it so it is hard to put away!
PS-if your question wasn’t answered this week, be sure and check back next week for more! Xo
Happy Thursday! We are definitely creatures of routine and habit, and with that comes morning routines. We will be honest, in the morning we have way more a routine than in the evening. Although we typically do the same things in the evenings every night, we aren’t as much on a routine. In the last few months, you have noticed that we have changed up our workouts a little bit and have also been incorporating more meditation into our days as well.
Before we get into our updated morning routine, we wanted to quickly talk about this spring outfit!
One of our favorite prints as of late is leopard. Well, actually it has always been a favorite! Back in the day, circa 2000, we had this cute pair of leopard sandals that we were every day! The brand was MIA, so you all may remember those chunky sandals. They were a great shoe because they matched everything!
That is why we love this leopard wrap. It goes with blacks and browns, and pops of color!
You can also wear it over a swimsuit or with some denim shorts! We paired it with some black jeans and a basic silk cami!
This makes a great casual brunch look or a travel look for upcoming spring travels!
And, now for our updated morning routine! We really think life is all about refining and adjusting. Our routine has looked different over the years, and that is what it should be. Some days we get up earlier than others, but we always do pretty much the same thing, which helps us to stay on schedule and still regimented and focusing on our best selfs!
As soon as we get up, we do our daily 10-minute meditation using the Calm app. We love it because it is a guided meditation and has a really good, inspirational quote at the end that starts our day off on a positive note! More on meditation in this post.
After we do our meditation, we both make our beds (yes, it is VERY important to do in our opinions!) and then head downstairs!
We always joke that we are like a married couple because we share duties! One of us will take Lucy out to the bathroom, and the other one will start getting our lemon water ready and our supplements together, as well as juice the celery.
After we do all of that, we will either get in a workout at home using the rebounder or do a P.volve workout, or we will go to pilates at Session Pilates!
If we do a workout at home, we will eat our usual breakfast either before or after our workout and then get to emails and work, or if we go to Pilates, we will eat something right before and then get to work right when we get home from class!
We have been trying to be better about getting on our email or Instagram right when we wake up. We try to not check until after we have meditated, but it is tough!
