Closet Essential : Black & Nude Pumps

Hello Beauties!

In today's Closet Essential post, I want to talk about my favorite shoes : black& nude pumps! Black or nude pumps are classics, and can go with anything from jeans to dresses! They are versatille, and I think they really add something to your outfit.

Unlike other closet essentials , (i.e. perfect jeans), your pumps can be more tailored to your preferences. They can be as high as you like, platform, no platform, etc! My reccomendation is that they aren't any style that is too extreme ( lacing halfway up your leg, anyone?). Nude pumps go with absolutely EVERYTHING. Yes, I mean EVERYTHING! They will match any color you are wearing. Black will match just about everything. I defintely reccomend having a pair of each in your closet. You can pair your pumps with skinny jeans and any top for a casual/put together look, or go for glam by rocking a beautiful dress. A bonus? Nude pumps elongate your legs when you are showing off your legs. Who couldn't use longer legs, right? Here are a few extra tips for your never-fail pumps:

1. If you are fuller in your legs, avoid straps that wrap around the ankle when purchasing black pumps. They can cut your leg length off, and make your legs appear thicker.

2. Make sure you can walk in your pumps. Walk around the store a bit to get a feel for them. Practice makes perfect! Remember to walk heel to toe, don't lift your legs  up and set them down! A tip to see if they are a good heaight for you : stand straight, and try to stand up in your shoes. If you can life yourself out of the shoe with ease, these will likely be comfy for you!

3. The color "nude" can vary. While general nude tones will look great with anything, I reccomend a nude that is similar to your personal skin tone.

That's all for today's Closet Essential! I love heels:) Look out for another product review and Wedding things post coming soon!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Wedding Things : Invitations and Favors

Hello Dolls!
For today's main post, I want to discuss two crucial wedding elements ; the invitations, and the favors. While seemingly small, these two elements are some of the most crucial. They can make a huge difference in your wedding. So read on for some advice! :)

Invitations:
Okay, I said seemingly small, but the invitation is probably one of most important things in your wedding. Not only do invitations tell you guests when and where your big day will take place( a tad important, eh?), they can set the mood for the wedding, and announce the formality of the event without directly stating it. For example, if the wedding is going to be a more formal event, the wording might go a little something like " Anna Green and Joe Smith Request the honor of your presence at their marriage on....",etc. A more informal wedding might read along the lines of " Anna Green and Joe Smith request the pleasure of your company .....". Wording is key. To answer some invitation FAQ's, here are a few extra pieces of advice:

1. Whoever is footing the bill of the wedding should be included in the invitation. For example, if the bride's parents are paying, the invitation could say:

Carla and Arthur Green Request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
  Anna Green
        to
  Joe Smith

If you want to mention the groom's parents, you can do so after the groom's name ( Joe Smith , son of Marie and Bill Smith)

If the couple is paying, or the wedding is more informal, you can omit the parent's names, and just let you and your fiance' be the ones inviting.
No matter what, the bride's name should be placed first, and the mother of either set of parents should also be placed before the father.

2. Add an R.S.V.P. date, i.e. " Please respond no later than, May 15th, 2012". This can really save you. By having an R.S.V.P. date, you should ideally be able to give the caterers, etc. a final headcount for food. However, don't assume all who recieve invites will adhere to this. If you don't hear from some guests, it is okay to call about 2 weeks before the wedding, you need a final headcount!

3. Make sure those invitations go out in plenty of time before the event! A good rule of thumb is six months in advance, however shorter engagements and other circumstances might require that you send them out on shorter notice. For instances like these, send them out A.S.A.P.!

4. Invitations can be pricey, but they don't have to be.  Unless gilded invitations were on your " Wedding Must Haves" list, it's okay to shop around. Make sure they aren't too flimsy or cheap looking, though. There are tons of places that have quality, beautiful invitations that won't break your budget. It is good however, to leave a little extra room in your budget for these. There are lots of Do-it-yourself ideas when it comes to invitations, but you had better be good at it.

5. Double check, triple check, then check again. The costs for post and the invitations themselves may not be too expensive, but the cost to re-send them could make them such. Not only is re-issuing invitations costly, it's embarrassing. Check over and over for spelling mistakes and missing or incorrect information. after checking it yourself several times, have someone else look over them for anything you may have missed.


Wedding Favors:
Many people ask if wedding favors are a necessary step. I truly wonder why it is even a question! YES, this is a step you cannot skip! Wedding favors are a way of thanking the guests who took the time and energy to come celebrate the biggest day of your life with you. They deserve a thank you, no matter how small. There are so many options when it comes to favors. They can be really inexpensive, too. There's no need to blow a bunch of your budget on these. It can be as simple as filling small, cheap, colored boxes with candy. You can really make inexpensive favors look fancier with ribbon, etc. The bottom line: it is necessary that favors are included to thank your guests.

Look out for lots of posts this week!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Little Things For Healthier Hair

Hey Beautifuls,

We all wish our hair looked like this, right? If you're lucky, yours does. But for the many of us who abuse the crap out of our hair with blow-drying, heat styling, teasing, etc, we long for the style AND the healthy look. When you're always heat styling, etc, it can be hard to have radiant, healthy locks. I've recently been trying to get my hair into a better condition, and there are so many easy, small things you can do with your hair routine that make the biggest difference! Here are a few of my tips:

1. Just like curling, blow-drying, etc., using hot water to rinse your hair can be damaging. Rinse your hair with cool water. Bonus: it helps tame frizz.

2. Washing too frequently is another factor that can dry your hair out and take away it's natural shine! My hair tends to begin to get oily every 24 hours. But it's certainly not way too greasy . If you can, wash every other day, blotting excess oil with powder or dry shampoo on the day you don't wash. Sometimes, dry shampoo doesn't cut it for a nice event, but try to give your hair a couple of days off during the week.

3. Don't brush your hair when it is sopping wet. This can realllllly damage your hair. I shower at night before bed so that I am not rushing to do so in the mornings, and I was guilty of this. Leave your hair alone until it is about 80% dry before brushing.

4. When you can help it, don't blow dry your hair. Let it air dry! This is so much healthier, and I found it doesn't take too long, and I have LONG hair.

5. When you must blow dry, use a blow-dry spray to heat protect your hair. We all know to use heat protectant when heat styling, but most dont think about blow-drying!

6. Tie your hair into a ponytail at night. Trust me.

7. Use good products. Find a shampoo and conditioner that suit your hair's needs.

8. Deep condition. I like to deep condition twice a week. You can purchase a deep conditioner, or make your own! If you want to mix your own, take 3 egg yolks, equal parts olive oil and mayonaise, and mix them up. Apply this to your hair, and pile your hair on top of your head. I reccomend putting a plastic bag over your head. Leave on for 30 minutes, and rinse well! No need to shampoo afterwards!

9. If you can, avoid heat styling a couple of times a week.  Like I mentioned, giving your hair a break will do it good. There are tons of heat-free styles to do that are cute, minus the damage!

10. Get frequent trims, and if you can, sleep on a satin pillowcase.

11. When coloring your hair, get it professionally done. You'd be suprised at the damage you can do at home. Leave it to the pros.

12. Wear a hat protectant when you go out in the sun. Even if you aren't heat styling, it's important to wear a protectant spray when you go in the sun. The sun is heat, afterall! Most people don't think of that, however.

By really sticking to this and following these tips, your hair should improve dramatically. Even if you find you do most of these, maybe there's one you didn't think about! Be nice to your hair, and it will return the favor by looking radiant! :)

Happy Conditioning!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Food Love: Unexpected, Easy, Yummy!

Hey Everyone!
I came across these foods since I have been here in Germany, and while they sounded weird at first, they ended up being delicious! The best part? They're extremely easy! So introducing: Orange Juice and Ice Cream, and Ketchup and Noodles.

Orange Juice and Ice Cream:

This unexpected treat is truly yummy. I tried it at a local restaurant here, and was hesitant because it sounded really weird. But once I tasted it, I couldn't get enough! All you need is some OJ, and Vanilla Ice Cream. Fill a glass up with some OJ about half way or so, then add a scoop(or a few, teehee) of vanilla ice cream! A perfect treat for the upcoming warm weather!

Ketchup and Noodles:

Again, this sounded bizarre. In fact, the first time it was ever presented to me, I declined it. I finally tried it though, and YUM! It's genious because it's so easy. All you need is pasta of your choosing, and ketchup. Cook pasta accoring to packaging directions, and serve the desired amout, then put as much or as little ketchup as you'd like over the top, and mix. Voila'! You just made a quick fix dinner. I think this would be a good idea to keep in mind for those times when you're broke. Both ingridients are inexpensive!

I hope you guys give these a try! Let me know what you think! Do you have any "strange"  recipies? Comment below!
X's and O's,
Amanda

A German/American Compare and Contrast:)

Hello Sunshines!
Today, I wanted to make a breif post about some differences I have noticed between America and Germany. This is just a fun little post, I will post again later today! :)

Food:
Germans do some weird things with their food. For example, they eat their hashbrowns with applesauce. In America, most people use ketchup. Mac and cheese, anything mexican, and maple syrup are practically unheard of here. There are no twinkies. No pancake mixes, and no Cool Whip! NO COOL WHIP! In fact, whipped cream in a container is a very new concept here, and you usually have to just make it yourself. When in an American grocery store and you want pasta sauce, you will find tons of options, both red and white sauces. After searching in grocery stores everywhere, I am going out on a limb to say they dont have alfredo, etc. If they do, you probably have to craft that yourself. There are also very few premade cake mixes. Almost all cakes are made from scratch, and they don't really sell cake mixes like you would find at an American store. I also have yet to see frosting. Cakes simply aren't the same here. They do have brownie mix, but it just doesn't taste the same.

Drinking:
As you may be aware, the legal age for alcohol consumption in the states is 21. Here in Germany, you can legally drink beer and wine at 16, and hard liqour with 18. I like this better than the American law. My reasoning is that when people under 21 get together to drink, they do so to get wasted and it gets out of control. They have to hide it from their parents, and hide from the law. Here in Germany, when young people get together, it's mainly to chill while having a few drinks. It's not too overdone here because it is not forbidden.

Driving:
Alright, both countries have some mad-crazy drivers! The cars here in Germany are so much smaller as a whole. I have litterally seen 1 pickup, and the average car is about Prius size. The gas prices here are MUCH higher than in the states. Because Germany doesn't have natural oil resources, ALL fuel is imported, and very expensive. Because the Euro is stronger than the dollar, and gas is sold by the liter, not gallon, when you convert liters to gallons then dollars to Euros, the gas price here works out to about $9.00 a gallon! Here, you also need to be muc older to drive(about 18), and driver's education is very expensive. One thing I like here is the lack of drunk driving. Drivers here are severely punished when they drive intoxicated, much more so than the states, so they don't risk it. Most people I know here won't get behind the wheel if they've had a beer within the last few hours. Also, the majority of cars here are stick shift, few automatics!

Other General Things:
Germans seem much unfriendlier than Americans. In alot of places in America, it is common to recognize people with a smile, nod, something! Here, people come off as extremely cold. Recycling is much more common than in the States. You actually have to seperate your garbage, recycle glass, and there's a .25 Euro cent reward at the stores for every plastic bottle you bring in. I love all the recylcing. Also, alot of towns I have been to have a recycling bin for old clothes, which they donate to the needy. All in all, Both countries have wonderful things about them. It's such a priveledge to be able to experience a new way of life.

Have you been to other countries? Tell me about them!

Lazy Sunday: Random Ramblings

Hello Sunshine Babies!
So today is Sunday, and what better way to spend a Sunday than being completely lazy? My apartment is a total disaster, and while I find it nearly impossible to relax amidst a mess, I promised myself today was a day free  of cleaning. This post is going to be totally random today. I have a lot of different things on my mind, and so I thought today could be a chill post where you can catch a glimpse of what is going through my oh so random head :p

Sadly, today is the last day of Andre's vacation, as classes resume tomorrow. BOO! I really enjoyed having him around all day for the past 2 weeks. We have gotten to spend alot of quality time together, and I have been so thankful. We got to sleep in everyday, play games, shop, go for walks, spend time with family and friends, relax, and get wedding stuff done. We had a blast, and the quality time was defintely needed! The past 2 weeks have reminded me why Andre is my very best friend in the entire world. Although classes resume tomorrow, there is also a very exciting event: Andre will get his contract with the IT company tomorrow night! This is a huge accomplishment for him, and I couldn't be prouder! I know he will achieve great things with this company.

In other cheery news, Andre and I had the opportunity to finish shopping for all of my wedding day essentials, and new makeup! Being as passionate about makeup as I am, getting new makeup is the best feeling in the world. All of Andre's accessories were purchased, as well as my shoes, etc. I opted for white ballerina flats. I figured, if I want to enjoy dancing the night away on my wedding day, I had better be comfortable. Plus, I can wear white ballerinas all summer!  I will do a haul post sometime this week!

I feel like my German is improving, and I am excited to hopefully get a job soon. Andre and I look forward to saving more money for our trip to America next winter. Being in Germany has brought so many changes, but I feel so blessed to be here with the love of my life, learning a new language, and having a new lifestyle. But along with being amazing, living here has made me really appreciate and miss my family, friends, and America in general. I really do miss my siblings, parents, and of course, Phil the dog. Despite my missing them, I am excited to be here with Andre, ready to take the next step forward in our lives. The past year with Andre has been the biggest blessing I have ever recieved. We have grown together, overcome huge obstacles, succeeded, and our love and friendship has grown so much. I am overwhelmed with gratefulness.

Another big thing that's been on my mind is body issues. I have never been 100% happy with my body (has anyone?), but recently  I have been in the doldrums wishing I was thinner, prettier, the list goes on. I literally couldn't look in the mirror or at a photo of myself without feeling hatred towards myself. It was so destructive. I would spend hours getting dressed to try to find the perfect outfit to conceal my imperfections. I wasn't wearing what I wanted at the risk of not looking thin. Friends and family wanted photos, and I would cringe and hide. But then I was getting dressed one morning, and I asked Andre how the top I had chosen looked. The top was pretty, but I thought that it made my hips look too big. I asked Andre, and he said " Amanda, you have wide hips. It's your bone structure, so you can't change it. But why would you want to hide it? You're beautiful." For some reason, that really stuck with me. I have been looking at myself so harshly. Over Andre's vacation, we took more walks and that teeny bit of exercise completely changed my outlook. So a small amount of walking and Andre's loving words made the biggest difference. Last night, I looked at some photos of Andre and I in Paris last fall. Last time I looked at those photos, I wanted to delete them all and hide in a corner because they were so awful. But last night, they didn't seem so bad. Some of them were actually pretty good! I have been wearing clothes I usually wouldn't have, and trying to take more photos. I hope that if anyone is struggling with these things, you can take this little bit of advice: be nicer to yourself. If you take a moment and look at those flaws with a nicer attitude, they won't be so bad.

So enough of my random nonsense. Can you believe we are in the middle of April already?!? The time is flying! I hope everyone is enjoying their spring! I have a lot of posts planned for this week, so stay tuned!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Wedding Things: Bridal Beauty Part 1

Hey Pretties,
As alot of you may know, I am getting married very shortly! I would like to share with you some of my tips for wedding planning success. So this is the first post of the series "Wedding Things".

First of all, I want to inform you that I will actually be having 2 weddings. The first in May here in Germany, and another in the United States in a few months. This first one is not going to be large or extravegant whatsoever. Here in Germany, you actually HAVE to have a civil wedding in a Standesamt ( US equivelent to the courthouse) in order for it to be legal. You can have another later in the day at a church, if you are religious. In the US, you just need an officiant, and your ceremony can be wherever. Because I am not religious, we will only have a ceremony in the standesamt, and a small reception at our home. Although my wedding won't be big (this one, anyway), I have aqquired an abundance of knowledge that brides may find helpful!

So today we are dicussing bridal beauty, specifically the dress and accessories. First things first : your look on your wedding day is no place to comprimise. This is the most important day of your life, and you want to look and feel your most beautiful. This is a once in a lifetime event. It won't happen again, and you don't get a do-over. You will reflect back on this day forever, and it is important to be able to look back and be satisfied with the day- not remembering how you would have chosen a different dress, etc. Your look doesn't have to be extremely expensive( maybe a friend can do your nails, etc.), but it is not a place to skimp. My future mother in law told me that the dress she wore on her wedding day wasn't the original one she had picked out, but she chose it because it was cheaper than the one she wanted. And guess what? Her wedding was 27 years ago, and she's angry about it. She wishes she would have just gone for the dress she really wanted. So you defintely don't want this regret years later.

How do you find the right gown? The initial thought of dress hunting is almost more dreaded than it is exciting. I mean, you want it to be perfect. But where to begin? Firstly, I would set a dress budget, and be realistic about it. When you go to the bridal salon to begin looking, tell the associate helping you what your price range is. This way, she can give you gowns to try on that you can afford. No sense in trying on a $3,000 dollar gown and falling in love  with it when your budget was $1,000. That will only be disappoiting, and tempt you to maybe cut back in other areas that are also important. So before you head out that door, know how much you want to spend, and stick with it. Don't let pushy sales people or family members talk you out of it, either. You're bound to hear " but it's your WEDDING DAY! It's once in a lifetime!" Yes, it is. And that dress will only be worn once, too. You don't need debt or hungry guests because you had to have the designer gown.

Secondly, it doesn't hurt to look at styles before you go shopping. Look online for inspiration, and research good styles for your body type, etc. However, don't let this discourage you from certain styles while in the actual store.  Maybe a mermaid dress wasn't really suited for your body type, but who knows? You might just find one that looks fabulous on you in the store. Don't knock anything before you try it on. You will likely be suprised. Alot of brides find dresses that look less than pleasing on the hanger, but end up wearing those as their dresses. Be open minded, and remember: rules are meant to be broken. Typically, true white looks better on darker skin tones, while off-white better compliments pale skin. I have extremely pale skin, and my dress is a true white, and it looks great.

Another suggestion I have is to be realistic about your body when dress shopping. It's probable that you will need some sort of altering, even if it's small alterations. Your wedding gown is a piece that you need to fit you absolutely perfectly. Your wedding gown should look made for you. So a word to the wise: don't buy a dress that is a size smaller because you plan on losing weight. You will have sveral fittings before your wedding to make sure the dress fits perfectly. But you should maintain your weight. That being said, I wouldn't purchase a dress until you are at the size you'd like to be for your wedding. It's easier to take a dress in than to let it out. Be realistic about your body, and remember: your groom loves you as you are!

And finally, let's talk accessories. It is almost impossible to wear a bra that matches each pair of underwear you own everyday. But your wedding is a time where you should match. I personally reccomend wearing a corset under your gown in white or cream. It really enhances the way the dress looks on you. However, if you do not choose this route, make sure to have a bra fitting to make sure you have to right size. Buy a pair of pretty panties to match. And again, don't have your dress altered without the right bra. Have a fitting before alterations with your undergarments, accessories, and hair, veil, and shoes. This way, if you want a different accessory or need a new hair do, you have time to figure it out.

Dress shopping was a fun experience for me. I am in love with my dress! A side note: don't forget to factor in alterations to the final cost of your dress. I hope this was helpful! I will have another Wedding Things post here shortly! Happy dress shopping!
X's and O's,
Amanda