I am not really a big make up person. On a daily basis, I’m fine with some moisturizer and some lip balm. If I’m going “out” I’ll add some mascara, a bit of eye shadow and maybe some blush if I’m feeling extra pale. I rarely do more than that. I think that part of the reason why I’m not that into make up is that I am a bit overwhelmed by the options out there. I frankly don’t have the time to experiment and sample all the different brands to see what I’d like.

This has led me to decide to sign up with Birchbox. What is it you ask? Birchbox  is a company that delivers luxe beauty, grooming and lifestyle product samples to you each month based on your beauty profile. I think the Birchbox program is going to be really fun. For only $10/month I’m able to try 4-5 deluxe size samples of new products without searching all over or paying full price. You also receive 10 points for every month you receive your box and additional points for reviewing the products you receive. You also receive a point for every $1.00 you spend when purchasing product (either ones from the box, or others available on their site). For every 100 points, you earn $10.00!  It’s a great system, definitely better than the one at Sephora, where you only can redeem it your points for products of their choosing. You also earn an additional 50 points whenever you refer a friend, so if your interested click here!

I’m excited to change things up with my beauty regime (meaning actually starting one) and I promise I’ll be sure to post when I receive my first box and will let you know what I think of the products I receive.

This past weekend my mom came into town to visit. She babysat for Shawn and I so we could go out, just the two of us. I cannot even begin to tell you how much this was needed. It was absolutely wonderful to get dressed up and go out for a few drinks and have a wonderful meal. I felt like a woman again instead of a mommy. This already has me dreaming of our next night out together so I can shed my jeans and t-shirts and get a little fancy. Now I just need to find a sitter.

Strapless dress, $118 Flat leather sandals, $16 J Crew woven clutch, $128 House of Harlow 1960 bracelet, $298 Watch, Warby Parker sunglasses, $95

I’ve been meaning to post about one of my awesome Christmas gifts from the hubby, but between baby stuff and getting the kitchen ready for renovation (more on that later) I’ve haven’t been able to find the time, until now.

@mrsphicks , a.k.a Kat, is half of the wonder-couple that are behind the phenomenal tie company Pierrepont Hicks. Shawn and I met Kat and Mac when we went to Minneapolis for NorthernGrade in 2010. Shawn has many of their ties and bows and they all look amazing on him. I highly recommend them for any handsome man in your life. Well, Kat decided that partnering with her hubby in a successful business and raising two beautiful young daughters were not enough -setting the bar high for me, Kat!- and decided to launch a shoe line for women.

“Working in menswear, I’ve always gravitated toward that style of fashion.  I love the Chukka, Wallabee and Desert Boot styles of footwear. In 2009 after spending over ten years in fashion and publishing in New York City, I launched a neckwear line called Pierrepont Hicks with my husband Mac.  I couldn’t shake the urge to design the ideal simple and rugged shoe for women.”

I instantly fell in love with the Chukka at first sight. I love the rugged quality they have, while still being stylish and who can resist that fun kelly green interior! Plus, I was so excited to find out that each pair are handmade to order in Maine. I feel like USA made products are so much harder to find for women and want to do all I can to help womenswear follow the recent menswear trend of being American Made. I told Shawn that I wanted to order a pair as soon as they became available. Luckily, I have the best husband in the world and he worked behind the scenes with Kat to get a pair for me in time for Christmas! They are even more gorgeous in person, the leather and suede are supple yet you can tell they will be durable over the years. There’s only one small problem, my pregnancy-swollen feet are a little too puffy to wear them right now. I’m currently keeping then in my closet in a place of honor where I can pet them lovingly until I can fit my poor feet into them better.

The geniuses at Baggu have hit another home run with their latest version of their reusable totes. They’ve just released a leather version and it might be my favorite yet. They’ve used supple, soft hand-milled leather in black, tan, and platinum and crafted some sexy looking totes and pouches. I am really loving the platinum tote, the perfect combination of shimmer and simple shape. I also love the medium size pouch in tan, don’t you think that it would make a great clutch? They’re a bit more pricy than their other lines, $120 – $120 for the bags and $30 – $40 for the pouches, but I think its pretty reasonable for leather. Besides, I’m thinking that you’d be using these more for a purse than schlepping around groceries.

I’ve decided to relive my youth, well part of it anyways. I had a pair of these iconic Eastland Falmouth camp moc that I wore all through high school. I literally wore the bottoms out of them! With everyone on the boat shoe band wagon, it made me lovingly remember my cam mocs and decided that I needed to bring them back into my wardrobe.

Luckily, the four-eyelet oxford never goes out of style and they are still available. Actually, I must not have been the only one trying to recapture my glory days because they seem to be coming quite popular again. Maybe a boat shoe back lash?

I order a pair last week and received them yesterday. I must say that they are every bit as comfortable as I remember – right out of the box! After a few months wear, I’m sure they’ll be like slippers and will also start to get that gorgeous leather patina that my originals had. Now I just need to decide, should I Eastland knot or not? 


Shawn, my wonderful hubby, came home from his trip to NYC with a present for me. The J.W. Hulme Co. Legacy Shoulder Bag! I’ve been coveting this bag ever since our trip to NorthernGrade last year. Last November, I was lucky enough to get one of their limited-edition Awning totes – which I love, love love! – and it made me want this handbag even more.

I have to say that the bag is more beautiful than I remember. Modeled after a classic saddle bag, it is beautifully crafted in American Heritage brown leather. The leather is gently distressed, carefully hand-buffed and antiqued, giving it a satiny patina that will just get better with age. I can personalize it with complimentary embossed monogram, but that means that I’d have to send it to the company and I don’t want to part with it! I know that this bag is going to be a staple of my wardrobe for years to come. Thank you, Shawn, for a gift that will keep on giving!

I don’t know about you, but once I get to this point in the summer, I am sick of my sunglasses. I’ve actually taken to wearing an old pair of Shawn’s for the past couple of weeks because I am so tired of mine. I’ve been looking around and have narrowed it down to these three pairs, the top and bottom are from Warby Parker and the middle are Ray-Ban, but I am totally stuck on which one to choose. Decisions, decisions!