Sporty Spice

Hi Islers!

Today was one of those lazy Saturdays. I relaxed in bed most of the day with Netflix and later took my mom out for her birthday...she wanted P.F. Chang's and boy was it spicy!

I wanted to wear something that reflected the ease of the relaxed day but wasn't bummy...casual cute! I recently picked up this sweater dress from J. Crew and I've been looking forward to the day I could sport this sweet little number. We're in the dog days of summer so it's still hot, but the material isn't too heavy and I knew we'd be indoors...I'm always freezing. Gray is my favorite color so this dress is already a favorite of mine. One thing I hate about sweater dresses is the cling! Simply because of the nature of the material, sometimes you can find yourself tugging and pulling, which leaves those oh-so-annoying pucker marks in the fabric. No so with this dress, it's very forgiving. I kept the sporty theme going with my brand new, first ever, pair of Chucks! *covers faces with hands* I mean nothing goes better with sweatshirts than a crispy white pair of sneakers? I added minimal accessories to complete the look and headed out for some delicious Chinese food. Hope you guys had a great relaxing Saturday too!

Ciao for now!

Dress: J. Crew; Sneakers; Converse; Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs

The Call Back

Hello Islers, 

It's been quite sometime since my last post...hope everyone is doing well.

I wanted to share a recent outfit of the day that I thought would be appropriate for a call back interview. The call back interview is one where you've been asked to come back because there was something about you that they liked. This is your second opportunity to not only make an impression professionally but personally. In the second, and sometimes third interviews, I feel it's completely appropriate to wear something a little less formal (not casual) and let more of your personality shine through. 

For this look I chose a striped sheath dress and white collared shirt from Joe Fresh. I paired it with chunky ankle boots and a navy and bright orange belt. For a position in marketing I feel this is totally appropriate and lets me feel a little more at ease during the actual interview knowing that I'm polished but comfortable as well. I believe this helped me LAND THE JOB!! 

Sheath: Joe Fresh, Shirt: Joe Fresh, Belt: H&M, Booties: Jessica Simpson

Super Lustrous Lipstick

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I've been loving the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks and I've acquired a few that I'd like to share. Please click below to watch my review where I try on and swatch each lipstick in my collection. Enjoy!

Beautifully Flawed...Imperfectly Perfect

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

I wanted to write a post of a different sort and just speak from the heart....

I have thoroughly been enjoying my holidays of time spent with loved ones. For my family and friends, that usually involves FOOD! This is the time of year when I like to take a little time off work, fellowship and dine. Unfortunately, there is a draw back to this period of decadent indulgence... 

I'm not ashamed to say I've gained a few holiday pounds that don't always have me feeling my best.  "I feel like crap." "I don't care today." "All black it is." "I can't fit this anymore." "I'm fat." We've all had those days of feeling fat or unattractive, prompting us to put little to no effort into our outward appearance. These are phrases I have found myself saying recently, specifically in the morning while dressing for work. It's also been the reason for my limited picture and blog postings. 

BUT I want to share a very helpful tip that counter acts these negative thoughts. I pick one thing to highlight about myself, that is not body related, in order to move the focus from areas I feel less confident about. If I don't like the way a dress is hitting my thighs or the muffin-top that is waiting to rise in those trousers (lol), I pick out a dope piece of jewelry, bust out a sexy pair of shoes, try a different makeup look or style my hair in an interesting way to take the attention off my body and help me get excited about something else. When I'm self conscious about my outfit (and ultimately my body), I don't feel my most confident nor do I operate at my best. So this little trick shifts my perspective.

Let's be honest, you may not ALWAYS love the skin you're in, but realize that you are a wonderfully, multifaceted human being. And that loving yourself does not mean highlighting the best parts of you only, but it's celebrating the parts that are a challenge...the parts that require work....the parts that aren't perfect. That's what is beautifully flawed.........imperfectly perfect about YOU!

Xoxo~Maya

Body Con and Bandage

Some people feel the "body con" and "bandage" dress craze is played out now. I say BRAVO! *clapping hands* What could be played out about something that sucks you in and displays all the best assets of being a woman? This is my only bandage dress and I pull it out when I want to feel sexy. It's funny how we can adopt the characteristics of our clothes. Dress to kill, and you'll feel an inner self confidence you didn't know existed.

I've offset this look with a gorgeous black and gold necklace that I had the creative notion to where as a headband (clever girl). There is something that I absolutely LOVE about headbands worn around the forehead...it screams Grecian goddess. I kept with that color story and paired gold and black accessories. Simple, but sky high, Jessie Simpsons carry the sexy all the way to the floor and tone those less-than-toned legs LOL! Lastly, I added a bit of lux with my fur stole (was super excited to pull this piece out the closet again for the winter).
"Body Conscious fosters self confidence."
-- Maya Gatewood

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