Category Archives: Life

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Quick Tips to Up Your Summer Style

19 Friday Aug 2016

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The end of summer is rapidly closing in on us.  Personally, I wish a hedgehod could pop its head up, see its shadow and give us six more weeks of long sunshine days.  That said, I can already feel a change in the air as evening rolls in, and the days are notably shorter.

What else comes shorter, as summer stretches on?  My energy level.  I always over exert and over commit during the summer months, and by now, trying to gain enthusiasm for continued fashion in the midst of the regular summer activities can be a challenge.

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Here are some tips to help keep you in the style came, even if really all you want to do is spend a few lazy days lounging on the beach!

Ditch the Flip Flops
Okay, so, at baseline I’m not really a flip flop fan anyway…why?  Because they look too casual, beachy, and they can make that horrid noise when you walk.  They are awesome of the beach, but if we are talking about daily life, step it p a notch.  Go for a leather slide or lace up sandal, which are huge trends this year, to make your outfit look just a little more dressed up.

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Put on a Dress
Yep.  You heard me.  Its probably the easiest thing to actually pic out for an outfit.  You only have one thing to choose and coordinate with.  Its cool in the warm weather, and if you opt for something other than flip flops, everyone will ask you why you are so dressed up.

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Want to wear that super comfy logo t-shirt?  Make it more of a statement by combining it with something unexpected, like a lace mini-skirt.  It will make the whole outfit seem intention, while giving you are more intentional look than the usual jeans you would wear it with.

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Accessories
Ah…the key to everything.  Even cutoff shorts and a tank take on a whole new look with a statement necklace, a pair of block heels and a bold matte lip.  If nothing else, add a extra elements to your look to pull it all together.

 

I hope these help to bring a little style into your every day!

xo-S

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How to Make Your Legs Look Longer

07 Thursday Jul 2016

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Okay, who doesn’t want that legs-for-miles, look?  Especially when summer comes around, and we care less about keeping ourselves covered and warm!  Here are some fashion tips to help give the illusion of legs that just wont quit!

  • Nude pumps – Choose a pump that is close to your skin tone, and it will just become an extension of your leg.
  • Something High Waisted – Those low riders can easily make it look like your waist starts inches lower than it actually does!  Choose something high waisted and pair it with a crop top or a tucked in shirt to gain you the illusion of some added inches.
  • A Pointed Tow – Flats or Heels, a pointed toe makes your legs appear longer any day.
  • Shorts and Mini Skirts – Especially in a darker color, and especially with a heel, can make you look like you have legs that could conquer the world.  BUT….have the confidence to carry them off.  If a short hemline isn’t your thing, the fact you are uncomfortable in it will hide the fact your legs look epic.
  • Avoid too many straps or ties on your shoes – Yep, its trendy to have straps and ties that go up your leg.  By all means, wear to your hearts content! On the days you want your legs to look longer, opt for a more simple shoe that will let the line of your leg continue down.
  • Try a Wide Leg and Heels — The lack of structure around your legs, paired with a leg that also flows over the top of your shoes makes it anyone’s guess where your foot stops and your show starts.

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How Much Water Should You Drink?

30 Thursday Jun 2016

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Over all, we live in a dehydrated society.  We are all busy with work and lives, and remembering to get in all those glasses of water is just the last thing on our mind.

So how much water should we be drinking?

The average person is about 60% water, and it is pretty much vital for all aspects of your health.

According to science, you need about 0.5-1oz per pound.  If you are active, and live in a hot climate, you would be on the higher end.  If you live in a cooler climate, and live a less active life, stay on the lower end.

So what dos that mean?  Take your weight, or half your weight.  That is how many oz you should be drinking.  So if you weight 150lbs — that is 75-150oz of water a day.  If the average glass is 8oz, that means you should drink 9-18 of water a day!

So grab a water bottle and carry it with you.  Your body will thank you!

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Best Smartphone Apps for a Stylish Life

12 Thursday May 2016

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Here is the thing about living a stylish life–it’s not easy.  Part of being stylish is seeming like you have it all together, and with how fast the world moves these days, that is a serious challenge.  So why not use our smartphones (Em and S both have iphones) to their fullest potential to keep you lives appearing as seemless as possible!  Here are some apps we love to help organize our crazy lives!

Mint

Em and S both stay very aware of their finances, as everyone really should these days.  A good understanding of your money is essential to life, whether or not you feel like yours is stylish!  Mint, is a website and app that pull all your accounts into one location, letting you easily check on your financial status. It also gives bill reminders and lets you make a budget!

Evernote
Evernote is a note taking app that also syncs across all decides.  It allows you to make lists, add pictures, even drawings.  Such an easy way to save everything and anything and know you can access it no matter where you are.

Dropbox

Another app that will let you save anything and everything.  Em and S use this one a lot because you can share with other users–allowing us to share photos easily.  There is a free version, and a paid version that gives you more space.

Hopper

Between work and pleasure, we travel a lot.  Yes, a lot. Hopper is an app that will keep track of flight prices give you an idea of when its more or less expensive to fly, and gives you notifications for when prices drop and you should buy your tickets!  So handy if you are a frequent flyer!

FindNearMe

This little app can help you locate stores and restaurants, and anything else near your current location.

Polyvore

Great app for fashion inspiration.

The Hunt

Want to know where to find that awesome dress you saw on instagram? This is the app to help you!

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5 Drugstore Products I love

24 Thursday Mar 2016

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I have very temperamental skin.  It can go from dry and flaky, to instant oil slick and break outs in less than 24hours.  Keeping it happy is a constant, and ever changing struggle. Unlike Em, I also love makeup, and never leave the house without at least a BB cream and mascara on.  This cost of my constant maintenance can get pretty high, so I have a few tried and true drug store items that I always go back to!

  1. Thayer’s Alcohol Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner
    Between the rose water and the witch hazel this stuff always seems to make my skin happy, no matter what stage grumpiness it is in.  It doesn’t burn when its dry, and it soothes my redness and breakouts.  Also, because it is so mild, I never have to worry about getting it too close to my eyes.
  2.  Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream
    This light coverage BB cream is just enough to even out my skin, and give it a little sun protection without looking and feeling like I have makeup on.  It also comes in dry and combo skin formulas, which means I can adjust depending on my skin’s mood that day!
  3. Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation
    Perfection in a bottle. I really only wear foundation about once a week, but this stuff covers well, never makes my skin angry, and stays where you put it.
  4. e.l.f. Baked Blush
    Their peachy colored highlighter is my every day blush.  It has just enough shine to make my glow, without looking glittery.  It also works great on my fair skin.  P.S. the lightest shade is also my every day highlighter!
  5.  L’Oreal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss
    This may not have the staying color of a more expensive matte lipstick, but it has a great color payoff, and does stay in place fairly well!  At half the cost of my more pricier lip colors, its a great way to try out that new color trend, without breaking the bank.

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How to Live a Stylish Life in Today’s Crazy World

17 Thursday Mar 2016

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There never seems to be enough time for life these days.  We are always being pulled in a million different directions.  With everything we have to do in life, its amazing any of us have any story of stylish life!  So here are my tips for how try to keep my life as stylish as possible!

  1. Keep a List
    There is nothing stylish about forgetting things. Its also a relief to get things off your mind, and it can certainly help you sleep better!  Find something that works for you.  Keep a journal of notes, a list on your smartphone.  What works for me?  I have a sheet of paper marked with days of the week.  Its small enough to fold up and keep with me everywhere and I still get the satisfaction of crossing things off.  
  2. Plan ahead
    Pretty much everything is easier if you do a little planning. Have a rough idea of your day, have a few meals planned out that you know you have the ingredients for.
  3. Organize your Outfits
    Plan out your outfits the night before, or even at the start of the week.  Whatever works for you.  Really  want to be organized?  Try the Stylebook Closet App,  Which will let you keep an organized database of your clothes and outfits.
  4. Have a few “Go To” things
    For those days when you just can’t make it happen.  Have a few go to outfits (for me its a wear anywhere dress and ankle boots), a go to lunch for when you just can’t (umm, microwaveable edamame anyone?).
  5. Know your staples.
    Have a few staples that you almost always include daily.  I always wear lipstick, and its almost always red, to the point where I have a tube in almost ever bag I own.  I normally have a pair of heels on.  I never leave the house with out a splash of my Dolce & Gabanna The One perfume. It takes some of the guess work out of my morning.
  6. Avoid getting Hangry.
    Lets face it, there is nothing stylish about loosing your cool.  Avoid that hangry vibe by keeping a stash of healthy snacks around.  For me, its raw almonds and a Larabar.  While you are at it, keep water around too.  There is almost nothing better you can do for your health!  
  7.  Manage your Money
    Stylish Two advocates living a stylish life, in every aspect of the word.  As challenging, and frustrating as managing your money can be these days, learn the basics. Life living within your means.  I am a huge a fan of the Mint App.  It lets you keep tract of everything from your bank accounts, credit cards to your student loans and mortgage.  You can also set up a budget, and get alerts when you start overspending (Wait, I shouldn’t have bought that last pair of Manolo’s….)

I hope these tips help you to live a more stylish life everyday!

 

xo- S

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How to Care for Your Leather

10 Thursday Mar 2016

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If you follow StylishTwo on Instagram, you may have noticed that fashion isn’t my (S) first love.  It’s horses.  I grew up in a barn, far from the world of Chanel, Gucci, and Coach.  One thing that I learned during my hours in the saddle that has served me well, how to care for my leather.

I learned long, long, ago that if you care well for you leather, it will last you a lifetime.  Literally.  I have a saddle from the 70’s that is still beautiful.  So how can you care for your leather bags and shoes so that they can last as long as my beloved saddle?

  1. Clean with the right products.
    Use a mild soap that will not strip the leather.  Skip all those fancy high priced ones, most of extra ingredients that strip or seal the leather.  What I use? Castile soap.  I like Kirk’s, because its mild, has minimal ingredients, and its so inexpensive.  You can often times buy it at your local store.
    Use a damp washcloth on the soap, and then gently scrub the leather.
  2. Condition.
    This stage you have to be careful with.  Leather will easily stain and turn dark.  Conditioning your leather will keep it soft and strong.  You can use something as simple as olive oil, or buy a leather conditioner, which maybe less likely to stain.  Always test a small area, to see if it stains and wait 24hrs before conditioning the rest.
  3. Protect
    The long forgotten step, and often times not necessary.  Glycerin seals the leather, protecting it from the elements.  It also gives it a nice shine!  Its a good idea for shoes to help protect them from all the wear and tear from use.  It should always be used as a last step.  Placing conditioner on over it will make a mess and not actually do your leather any good!

Please note that this is for leather, not suede!  Suede is a different thing and needs to be treated much more delicately.

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Fashion Resolutions to ring in the New Year

01 Friday Jan 2016

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newyearWelcome 2016, and the first birthday of Stylish Two!

Em & S hope everyone had a fantastic 2015, and that 2016 proves to be even better.  We also hope everyone continues to live a the stylish life of their dreams, so to help, here are some fashion resolutions to inspire you!

  1. Try a New trend
    Check out fashion week trends, and wear something that you normally would shy away from!
  2. Clean Out Your Closet
    Out with the old, and in with the new!  Trying bringing your nicer used clothes to a consignment shop to make a little extra money to put toward a new idem.
  3. Try StyleBook
    Try this fun app to organize your closet and help you pick out some great new outfits!
  4.  Challenge Your Heel Height
    Its easy to get stuck in a fashion rut.  If you always wear heels, challenge yourself to try flats, or a lower heel.  Always wear flats, try a kitten heel and see how it can change your outfit!
  5. Break the Fashion Rules
    Wear white after labor day, mix prints, wear floral in the winter.  Rules were meant to be broken after all.
  6. Find a Tailor
    Your pieces look more expensive, and make you look better when they fit your properly.  Find yourself a tailor, and get give your wardrobe an overhaul.

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How to Pull Off an Amazing Wine Advent

17 Thursday Dec 2015

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12359900_10109867652512154_9015165102169760877_nI love wine! After spending a semester studying abroad in Rome, I developed a healthy interest in Wine! It apparently runs in my family (on my mom’s side) and last year we started a new tradition: Wine down to Christmas!  The rules are fairly simple!

  1. There are 8 of us this year, so every person gets 3 nights.
  2. On your night, you must share a wine of your choice on Facebook
  3. You cannot repeat any wine previously shared

Since these are the only “real” rules, there is a lot of variety in which everyone shares what they liked, what it tastes like, what it pairs well with, what it costs, and the backdrop for sharing the image. This is a really fun way to share our wine choices, try something new, set up a time to drink some wine with friends, or simply have an excuse to buy a bottle of wine. Our family loves to do this, so here are a few of the selections from this year so far!

  1. Carnelian: Pinot Noir $12/bottle according to the author, hints of cherries and raspberries
  2. Marietta Cellars: Old Vine Red $13/bottle, was fantastic
  3. Root 1: Cabernet Sauvignon $10/bottle, was very acidic and the author does not like cherries so she gave it a thumbs down
  4. French Bordeaux Reserve Special Domaines Barons De Rothschild 13.99/bottle. Went great with tenderloin
  5. Sensi Collezione, bought in FL price unknown, bold and fruit forward
  6. Handcraft: Petite Sirah, $10/bottle, thumbs up from the author
  7. Bully Hill: Baco Noir – this was mine. I recently moved to Rochester NY, so I’ve been all over the Finger Lakes Breweries.  As a red wine fan, I’ve been a little disappointed that the whites are better then the reds here.  However, this spicy red was great! $8.99 It’s totally affordable!12310409_10109832194230834_23571172534796325_n
  8. Steven Kent Winery: Cabernet Sauvignon $12/bottle
  9. Apothic White $10.99/bottle. Smooth and fruity but this author likes the red better and said it was not her favorite
  10. Vigneti Del Salento: Muri Primitivo Puglia, was given as a gift, said to be a nice red wine and research shows roughly $15/bottle
  11. Michael Pozzan: Annabella, this author had this wine out at dinner and said it was excellent
  12. Santa Margherita: Pino Grigio (no notes)
  13. Apothic Red: California $10/bottle. This is a great everyday red
  14. Ritchie Vineyards: Red Car, this was accompanied by a very funny story about spelling her name wrong for years!
  15. Casa Larga: Vidal Blanc – Another Finger Lakes Wine share from me, and I love this white! I could drink the whole bottle myself, it’s a great everyday wine. I promise, I shared with my husband! 12241277_10109867652582014_7557113040967639858_nReally this is just a great way to connect with family – we all live in different areas and can’t get together to share a bottle of wine. If you were doing this with your friends who live close by I would definitely plan a few nights to share the wine together!

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

Cheers! xoxo ~ Em

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DIY: Have a stylish holiday! Make a dress form tree!

03 Thursday Dec 2015

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So maybe this is the first time you have seen one of these beauties…or maybe you have been drooling over them after seeing scattered pictures over internet social media just like I was!  I knew I had to have one! If you feel the same way, check out me tutorial to find out how I made it (hint: its easier than you think!) dressform-christmas-tree4

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