#GLAMWeekly | Version 5

Happy Friday, gals!  It’s been a couple of weeks since my last GLAM Weekly post (and a busy couple of weeks for sure), but we’re getting back into the swing of things today!  Raja and I were in NYC for a big Valentine’s Day project and then stayed for a few days of NYFW.  If you missed our LIVE Cooking Show with Hello Fresh — make sure to check it out here (just jump to about 4 minutes into the video, we had a little delay at the beginning)!  It was such a fun experience and you can see us getting a little silly in our first LIVE video together!  I have to give Raja a lot of credit this month — he’s been the best blog husband and such a good sport!  We even teamed up with Sunglass Hut for a fun collaboration this month too — but I think we’re going to give Raj a little bit of a break (for now)!  Since it has been a few weeks, there were definitely more questions to cover in today’s GLAM Weekly post and I’m excited to share!

Love your blog and have been following you since your Lauren Conrad days!  I noticed you have some very expensive clothes and accessories as well as some items that don’t cost a fortune featured in your posts.  I was wondering how much you spend on a monthly basis when it comes to fashion?  Do you have some kind of budget?  And if so, how would one most effectively decide on a personal fashion-budget?

First of all, thank you SO much for following me for that long — that seriously feels like a lifetime ago and it’s crazy to think how far my blog has come since the early days!  I actually get a version of this question frequently… it inspiring a full blog post!  I’ve always been someone who has mixed high-end and lower-end pieces (even from my very first blog post).  I always say this, but I have no problem spending a little more for an item that I know I’ll get a ton of use out of and have just sort of fallen into a rhythm when it comes to shopping — I’m pretty good now at knowing what I should purchase and when I should put down the credit card.  I tend to shop in little spurts and will normally wait for a sale (Nordstrom and Shopbop always have some amazing ones throughout the year) and will order a few pieces for the upcoming season at a time, usually pieces I’ve had my eye on for a bit — so I don’t dedicate a monthly budget to shopping, but that also doesn’t mean I have a free-for-all mentality.  I avoid the mall at all costs, even though I live about 5 minutes from one of the best ones in CT.  Walking around the mall always makes me want to buy something just because I’m there and that $30-$50 here and there can really add up.  I also work on my taxes throughout the year and have gone through my spending with a fine-tooth comb, so I’ve really been able to keep track of what I’ve spent throughout the year and can make adjustments moving forward if I think I’ve gotten excessive.

I think setting a budget is a very personal decision — whether it be monthly or seasonally but can definitely help keep you on track if you tend to impulse buy anything.  I can’t speak for how much you should budget — but I can give tips on how you can shop smarter.  I’m working on a post for you that can go into a bit more detail on this subject!  Look for that in the coming weeks!

What do you use for foundation?

I switch depending on my needs and have a few tried and true favorites.  The two I use most are La Mer (shade Linen) and Urban Decay (switch between 2.5 and 3).  A trick I’ve learned is that you don’t need to apply foundation to your entire face if you don’t need coverage everywhere.  I typically apply a small amount to the center of my forehead, chin and lower cheeks (where I have a few dark spots from prior breakouts).  When I need full-coverage, I love this one from Clinique — although, it’s super thick and you should make sure to wash every bit off your face before you sleep or it will clog the heck out of your pores.  To apply foundation, I love this brush from it Cosmetics (even more so than my Artis Oval 7 brush).

I saw you were recently at Fashion Week in New York.  I’m a new blogger but have always dreamed of going and would love to make that a reality.  How do you plan and get invited?

I just got back from my 10th season at NYFW, so you can definitely say I’ve been around for quite some time.  I’m not by any means a “known name” or someone that a designer needs to sit in the front row, so my invites have come over time through a lot of networking.  The first time I went to NYFW was all the way back in 2012 — I went into NYC for a blogger conference, a few parties, and ended up in line for “standing” at a few shows just through meeting people throughout the week.  “Standing” means you have no dedicated seat and if there’s extra room due to no-shows, they’ll pull you in as a seat filler.  I had no game plan and learned quickly that I would need to plan a lot in advance to get the most out of my trip in the future.  For the next season (and from there on out), I spend the month before doing research and outreach to my NYC contacts, letting them know I’ll be in town so I’m top of mind when invites start rolling out.  From there, I create a spreadsheet of days/times and start adding events to the sheet as they come in (a lot of things overlap and it’s tougher than ever to schedule events back-to-back since NYFW is now spread out throughout Manhattan).  I keep a running list of what agency represents each designer so my outreach can as streamlined as possible.

If you’re a newbie to the NYFW scene, don’t expect invites to just appear in your inbox.  I would suggest you round up a group of newbie bloggers and get on Expedia to book a cheaper room.  Split up the tasks and do your outreach together and go to as many events as possible (events are sometimes more fun and beneficial than the actual shows).  NYFW is an investment — the first 4-5 times I went, I never had a free room or hotel connection and would cram in with some other blogger friends of mine like we were in college and you know what?  It was SO MUCH FUN!  I would reach out to smaller brands and try to get collaborations to help pay for my trip (a “street style” NYFW post for a smaller brand looks really awesome), and if I was lucky, I would even out my expenses.  I think it’s really important to not expect things to happen — you have to make them happen yourself!  If you dream of going to NYFW, make it happen, girlfriend!

Can you go over your full makeup routine?

I received this question a few times over the last few weeks so a full blog post is coming to the blog early next week — stay tuned!  In the meantime, I’m linking a few favorites!

We’re planning to start the registry for our wedding and I admittedly lost.  I don’t even know where to start or what we really need.  Any advice?

I was totally in the same boat as you — it can be insanely overwhelming!  I actually did a post on this last year — naming the 10 things I actually love and use from our registry!

What shows are you currently watching?  I need something to binge watch!

We just finished West World and it was amazing — if you haven’t started that, I would highly recommend it! We recently watched Bloodline (both seasons), The Affair (still need to watch the third season), Narcos (both seasons), and have loved Fuller House (I’m not even embarrassed to admit that).  We’re currently watching Billions (the second season), and I’m always hooked on Pretty Little Liars.

I saw your post on anti-aging skincare.  At what age do you start to use anti-aging products?  I’m in my late twenties and haven’t added any products to my routine yet!

I didn’t start incorporating any “anti-aging” products into my regimen until recently.  I started with eye cream and then added a few serums into the mix over the last year or two.  You can see my full skincare routine and favorite products here!

What are some of your favorite (healthy) snacks?

I live for snacking but always try to stock our house full of healthy alternatives so I don’t reach for (and eat the entire bag of) salt & vinegar chips.  I cut up carrots and marinate them with horseradish, olive oil, lemon juice and chopped parsley and crunch on those when I’m having a potato chip craving (which is usually all the time).  I also love roasted chickpeas and Saffron Road has some amazing flavors — a handful of these will keep you so full!  When I’m craving something sweet, I love cutting up an apple and dipping it in almond butter and will occasionally have greek yogurt and some sort of chocolate granola (although I try my hardest to stay away from dairy).

Where is the rug in your bedroom from?

It’s from Wayfair — you can see our master bedroom decor post here!  I’m actually working on a little refresh for spring which will be on the blog early next month!

I love all of your round sunglasses!  I want to try a pair out too!  Do you love any other styles?

Round sunglasses are my life!  I linked a few of my favorites (including a cat-eye pair that I throw in the mix too)!

Make sure to send through your questions via email and on Instagram messages for next week!  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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