choosing to be fit

i have decided to focus my time and energy on myself lately. fitness is becoming more apart of my life than it has been ever in a very long time. even back in high school, i kept myself active with cheerleading and volleyball but i had never been to a gym. i think choosing to care about your health and getting fit is one of the biggest rewards anyone can do for their own body.  your body needs it more than one may think.

now, i know this is supposed to be a "fashion" and "style" blog for those girls like me who are on a budget, however, i feel there is a strong correlation between fashion and the fitness world. confidence comes with how you feel about yourself, as well as how you look. before, i use to dream of wearing certain things and knew they were not worth trying on because they were not the right fit for my body type. after several months of working out and focusing on my own health, i have noticed myself making different choices in clothing that before i would have never laid eyes on.

one more positive thing about choosing to work out more and being cautious of the food we eat, is being able to get that body we want and have strive for, as well as being able to to fulfill the needs of staying healthy.  plus, the more time i have spent in the gym, the less time i have to spend on spending money.

this website is free, and a great way to keep track of calories and your calorie burning exercises.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
i have the free app on my smart phone, great tool when i am working out :)

best,
alyssa

the needs

after all day yesterday, i realized i was having such a hard time coming up with my true "needs" in life. no one person can say they want nothing else in life, and that they truly are satisfied with everything they have. choosing between the wants and needs made me realize how important it is to make myself step back every once in awhile to reevaluate the things you may want  but can definitely live without.

the needs:
- a haircut.. it's been well over two months.
-face moisturizer.. i've come to the point where i have dug up all of my sample face lotions, and now those too are all empty. yet, i still hold on to all the empty bottles with the hope of maybe just a dollop of lotion will escape the emptiness of the dried out half of a travel size bottle.
- sunglasses.. this is when i start thinking to myself about whether or not i am actually making a needs list.
- manicure & pedicure.. i like my feet healthy, clean and cute... so this is where i stop, because  i can give myself a perfectly fine mani and pedi.

overall, it was a good last two days. just like every other working college girl, i am just waiting for the next check so i can prepare my own budget for treating myself as well as taking care of my needs.

best,
alyssa

p.s. sorry for the boring "no picture" posts... pictures to come once the lousy weather and busy schedule go away.

i want

it has come time to make a want list. it really is getting out of hand. i want too many things. i am going to just list all of the things i want at this moment of time. i am going to sound like a spoiled little brat that just always says "but daddy, i want, i want, i want..." and i do not at all want to be that girl. so here is my list, and follow it, i will be putting a list of my current needs (i.e. things i feel weird living without). then my job throughout this week is to narrow down this want list by choosing the things i could actually use and afford on my  want list.

the want list:
- concert tickets: glee, kenny chesney, josh turner, josh thompson, brad paisley, justin bieber, taylor swift ( yes, i am a total chick.)
- nike free women's running shoe, black and hot pink.. so cute.
- nude colored platform sandals... like a wedge, but fat :) michale kors and juicy couture have so many cute ones right now.. the cognac color is also beautiful!
- a floppy hat.. preferably straw
- a new bathing suit
- a nautical maxi dress
- cute big tote, almost passable for a beach bag, but small enough to use as a book bag or purse!
- and most of all a pair of sunglasses, i am so picky and i feel like nothing can fit my face accurately.

the need list will be prepared by tomorrow. i would love to hear what everyone else's "want"s are right now, so let me know :)

best,
alyssa

if it glitters it must be...

gold? silver? platinum? yes... platinum. continuously i am looking for styles that are timeless, luxurious and well of course... beautiful. i have discovered style.com. this consists of all of the above.

of course i watch e!'s fashion police, oh how i love guliana rancic, joan rivers and kelly osbourne. (the guy on there is pretty cool too) anyways, kelly osbourne had slyly mentioned how she had seen the dress rhianna wore to the grammy's on style.com. so immediately, i had to see if there really was such a miraculous thing. not only does this site capture my full attention and interest, it has a platinum level of advice. it definitely is hard to not feel like a vip with advice that the stars follow. style.com has an infinite amount of inspiration and advice, unlike a magazine.  however, i do like a magazine because having a hard copy of an article or picture that inspires you lasts a lifetime.

so prepare yourself, and browse like crazy. there's beauty advice as well!

choose to explore what interests you, want to strive for success, and need to not always believe that if it "glitters" it must be gold.

best,
alyssa

interested in pintrest

my new found love.. pintrest.com. i was recently asked what inspires my style, and many mental images appeared. browsing the pages of magazines, fashion documentaries, or even old books of the history of fashion. there are so many things that inspire me on a daily basis, it actually bothers me to not have a direct answer to that question. the beautiful, the ugly, the interesting, anything that captures my eye really does inspire me. and whether its my style or just simply something that gets the wheels turning in my head, i love the idea of a website that can help me organize my inspirations.

pintrest is a place for people to share their photos, as well as browse through the infinite "pins" and albums of others. whether you're a photographer, blogger, or just someone who enjoys a good photograph or two.. pintrest gives you the opportunity to share and organize those photos without the hassle of using all the memory on your computer. the nice thing about this website is that it is almost "exclusive", instead of over populating their site, they want to keep the quality they have a reputation for. anyone is free to browse the site, however to make your own account you must request an invite. this can take anywhere from a day to a couple weeks to get a response. i was lucky enough to have a friend invite me immediately. so please keep in touch with me if you would like an invite. i will be slowly organizing my photos on there as time goes on.

i would also love to share one of my best friends, melissa rose photography. here are her two most prized possessions, and my two all time favorite pictures from her collection of new photos. in spirit of february and her new beautiful baby girl. please "like" her page on facebook, click here!

brandon, the flirt

madison rose, born february 4th, 2011
and i'm already loving her style!

choose to enjoy life at a slower pace, need more down time to enjoy life, and want a new camera, so i can practice with my photography skills.

best,
alyssa

brings a smile to my face

this weekend was jam packed with a busy schedule of work, as well as many highs and lows. as valentine's day approached, i want to admit working in retail (where many girls are asking their boys to go to get them the perfect gift) i wanted to shake all the boys by grabbing them on the shoulders and telling them they were doing too much. one might say, "too much? how can a guy do too much for valentine's day?" well, after helping multiple guys pick out their so called "perfect gifts" i made sure to do my best to give them a slight piece of advice as i wrapped up their transaction. girls want a surprise. yes, we want the designer handbag, fragrance, and jewelry. but most of all, we like when you put some thought into that day.

my valentine's day could not have started off much better. one of my close guy friends knew i was in a down kind of mood and not really oh-so-in-the-spirit off the holiday. he was very adamant of taking me to breakfast and fitting it into my busy schedule of class, work, and class again. it made me giggle a little to think that he was worried about picking me up in what he called a "beater car," when in actuality, the flowers that were hand picked from his neighbors yard and blasting the old school music is what really brought a smile to my face.  now, yes... all of us girls would of swooned for the guy in the amazing sports car or big lifted truck to have come pick us up from school. but the three little flowers on the front seat of the car was way better than any showy kind of guy could have done.




here's a glimpse of how my morning began. and of course, i had to at least show off my own proud purchase from several years ago.



my day ended much better because the little ounce of faith i had in having a "loving" valentine's day came through. and i would of photographed my outfit yesterday for all to see, however i looked like i was going to st. valentine's funeral. i did bring out my wonderful prized possession, the kate spade graphite knightsbridge quinn. it's from over a year ago.. but oh how i love it.

a diy thing i did this weekend was accomplish a cupcake sandwich and help set up a blog for a friend of mine. please check his first post out! chivalry alive, it's perfect for all the boys out there to read. and quite pleasurable for us ladies as well. and the cupcake sandwich is described better on his blog.

choose to enjoy the little things in life. want for the best and for things to work out. need to share love and have confidence.

best,

alyssa

be mine

i am overly excited for valentine's day. i love being in love, and i absolutely adore over indulging myself. whether or not you are single or taken, valentine's day should be celebrated at it's fullest. i mean why not have an excuse to show your love for your significant other, as well as yourself. this coming weekend, i am choosing to pamper myself, wanting to do a diy project, and needing to manage my time a bit better, so i can do what i want.

here's some pictures of inspiration for this coming valentines day.

all pictures from pinterest.

more on valentine's day ideas coming through the weekend. hopefully i will make some time to do some inspiring diy projects! also, so excited my gift for my boyfriend for valentine's day has already arrived... now just to wrap it all up.

with the best of love,

alyssa

five too many days

i apologize for neglecting everyone! i feel like i have been slacking way too hard on way too many things, yet at the same time i feel like i may be just "burning the candle at both ends." i really hate that saying; but considering the fact that my dentist told me that exact quote and it was like the third time i had heard it this week, i decided to maybe take it more to heart. sharing my clothes and style, and fun findings with all of you is a pleasure of mine. i thoroughly enjoy sitting down and writing about what i have noticed or discovered in the wonderful world when it comes to style. 

this windy weather really has me loving my grey scarf that i bought from some random kiosk in las vegas. i'm obsessed with infinity scarves and this is the next best thing i own, in which i can imitate that look. so here's to choosing to step back, because we all need to do the things in life that we want, because it makes us happy. 

i'm happy for the sunshine the previous last couple days has offered us, now i must take more advantage of it!

tunic: juicy couture printed tunic / leggings: forever21/ riding boots: target/ scarf: random kiosk in las vegas/ lipstick: bare escentuals "italian ice"

mommy cropped my toes off! at least she's learning!

i promise to never neglect any of my followers for more than three days, five was way too many. i love you all and thank you for checking in. more to come tomorrow, or so i hope :)

best,
alyssa

p.s. on days you feel like you are missing that "kick" or "oomph" in your outfit, wear red lipstick.. it makes me feel so much better. and i don't care if boys say they don't like it, (mostly because mine does!)

risk free rompers

as most can tell, i am way too excited for spring. here's some super cute rompers i have found online, click on the links below. i only chose to share rompers that could be also worn in this cooler weather. layer these fun rompers up with tights and pumps for a chilly february night out, or cute flats or sandals when the warmer weather comes. i love the idea of a romper being an outfit all in one, as in top and bottom. layering rompers can be tons of fun and look as though you are wearing a whole new outfit every time. after browsing some of these rompers, i'm sure all of us girls will be wanting a romper, and it will be added to your list of "needs."

forever21 lace insert romper

forever21 knots and twists romper

rory beca "la boca" faux wrap silk romper via nordstroms

these are just a couple that i was able to share on my page. for two other rompers that i absolutely love from two of my most favorite stores of course, you can view here and here.

my strongest tips of advice for romper shopping is to make sure you absolutely positively try on the romper before making a purchase. no matter if you are choosing to make your romper an investment piece or keeping the smaller budget in mind, a romper will fit differently no matter if it is designer or not. some will fit looser in certain areas than others. so please, just browse online and shop in store.

a smaller budget needs a patient mind in order to get the items you want.

best,
alyssa

prepared remix

besides being so excited for february, i have to say i am already looking forward to march and more sunshine.this foggy weather really needs to stop. i dread of having to hide frizziness with a thick headband or hat. however, those two things are great tricks when wanting to look cute when in need of hiding those crazy frizzies in humid or wet weather. anyways, today i chose to come to school extra early happy that i came extra prepared. being a girl made me realize carrying your whole life around for the day is kind of a "not so fun" thing. so i've become inspired to look more into travel size stuff, as well as a better tote i can keep in my car full of the necessary emergency items a girl needs. i'll leave the details out for now and save it for a future blog. the new semester has me wanting to be more prepared and "on top of it" but in a stylish way. keeping extra accessories such as my headband (shown below) and a lightweight scarf is perfect for days like today. i've also found layering on a scarf in this weather is the perfect thing for when the wind picked up, or when i accidentally dribbled some food on my sweater. go me!

the other great thing about being prepared today, karma got the best of me and the sun came out to play!

 

headband:bp nordstroms; tank: bp nordstroms; sweater: drape pullover sweater with back cowl by juicy couture; jeans: last year's "kate" jeans by juicy couture (definitely ripped at the knee, and not worn fitted);
clogs: american eagle outfitters (several years old)

i followed my own advice of bringing out an old item of clothing, and remixed my sweater and jeans in the simplest way. i brought out the old clogs and resorted to wearing my headband to hide the curly fly away hairs. a lazy remix at most, but i can't help but adore this sweater and my comfy jeans. i really want to keep my "kate" juicy couture jeans around, no matter how stretched out they are. i think next time i need to wear them as a "boyfriend jean," but we will see how that works out.

the one thing i definitely was unprepared for was a dead battery on my camera, tgfi... haha (thank goodness for iphones.) oh and yes, patient boyfriends.

with love for february,
alyssa