The Flaunt Shop Friday

So last week for The Flaunt Shop Friday I only featured one item. As I've shopped more and more on TFS's website I realized that there are way too many items that I'm obsessed with to just list one. So, my new compromise is one new arrival, and two classic items. Because who can get enough of TFS?

Certainly not me.

This week's new arrival is the Leave Him Speechless dress. I love this dress. I honestly cannot choose which I want more, the mint or the black. I know I'll end up with one of them in my closet because I am dying to wear it to a formal or date night. It's simple but still makes a statement, and can show off curves and a bangin' body like it's nobody's business. The mint is bright and eye catching, while the black is sleek and alluring. The cut out on the chest is teasing without giving away too much. Ugh, it's just a must have, but both colors are so perfect.

The first "classic" item (which was actually just restocked) is the Back Off top. I have school on the mind and this is an amazing top for going out in the fall. It's a crop top so you can show off your toned summer abs, but the three quarter sleeves mean you won't freeze if you're partying into the night after the sun goes down. The open back is a flirty twist that makes it easy to wear this top with leggings, jeans, short, or a skirt. Pretty much anything you want can be paired with this! I know that this is on my back to school shopping list, and it will probably become my go-to going out shirt.

My last item is the Limelight Skinny Jeans. Neon makes you look tan. Jeans make you look skinny. These pants are a win-win. If you're willing to show the world your abs this would be great paired with the Back Off top for going out, or you could just pair them with a more modest shirt for going to class or activities around campus. Jeans are versatile, but they don't have to be boring blue all the time. Being bright and making a statement is never a bad thing. If you've got it, flaunt it!

Use "CODEKO" or "TFSNY" under "view cart" for 10% off your purchase!

Click on any of the pictures to shop!

Living is not for the Weak

Life is not easy. It can be made easy, but it should not be easy. People who think that life is easy have never tried to do anything spectacular, they've never pushed limits or given it their all. They haven't put in extreme amounts of work or been turned down or had to earn their stripes. For people that have earned themselves an easy life, they know that life is not for the weak because you can't be weak to earn wealth. You cannot become a full person without pushing yourself and pressing your limits to the max.

Success comes from intensity. No one ever got where they wanted to be from being average, unless their goal was to stay on the bottom. Money, success, status, love, all of them require commitment, focus, and passion. Nothing can be exceptional without the intense desire to make it so. Not even a desire, but a need. If your life is easy, you're not trying hard enough to succeed. Sometimes there are insurmountable odds like illness and health issues, and sometimes life can just plain knock you down. There are reasons to accept just getting by. Sometimes just surviving is succeeding, and that is okay. But sometimes you need to get up and get after it, because if you don't, you'll be stuck in the same place that you don't want to be.

Being intense is not a bad thing. Do not settle for people who don't share your drive to succeed and your passion for excellence. Whether you want to have the best job, future, relationship, or just accomplish a goal everyone else thinks isn't within your reach, never accept mediocrity. And do not accept people in your life who do not support you. This doesn't mean you have to cut out everyone that doesn't think the way you do, but it does mean that you need to stop listening to them for guidance. 

Never be afraid of the next step. Never be afraid of taking a leap of faith. And never be afraid of what you can do. If there's a dream you want to accomplish, push your limits until you get there. Too much is never enough.

Beauty Blogger Tag

I got this tag from Ramblings of a Southern Belle and she said she was tagging everyone in it, so I figured I would give it a try! I know I'm not exclisively a beauty blogger, but I'm getting more into it, just wait ;)

1. Is your hair naturally curly or straight?

It's naturally fluffy and usually wave.

2. What is your natural hair color?

Blonde

3. Do you dye it yourself or do you go to a salon?

I don't dye my hair anymore. 

4. How often do you wash your hair?

Every time I shower, which is everyday since I usually workout daily!

5. Do you wear the same style everyday or do you change it?

If I have anything important to do I blow dry my hair and then use velcro rollers to give it volume, and if I'm just bumming around I put in sea salt spray after my shower and wear it wavy.

6. Do you do your own mani/pedi or do you go to a salon?

It depends.

7. How often do you change your nail polish?

I actually don't paint my nails very often because my nails are very strong. When I do paint them, it's usually a French manicure because I think they look so sharp.

8. Do you polish your toes in the winter or just in the summer?

My toes are always polished. I think toes look weird if they're not.

9. How long does it take you to put on your make-up?

If I'm not going anywhere special, about 2 minutes. Just mascara and eyeliner, and maybe a little blush. If I have something to do, about 25 minutes for everything.

10. What do you do first? Face or eyes?

I do my face first because it just makes more sense to me.

11. Do you "collect" make-up or do you just buy what you need when you need it?

A little bit of both. I will buy products that I have had my eye on for a while even if I don't need them, but I don't do that just all the time.

12. How often do you wear false eyelashes?

I'm still building up the courage to wear fake lashes aka glue something to my eye. 

13. Do you wear a full face of make-up everyday?

Nope. If I am just staying at home, I don't wear any make-up. If I am just going to run errands, I usually just wear mascara. If I am going to work or out for the night, I wear a full face of make-up.

14. Do you wear make-up when you are home alone (or with family)?

Nope. I'll only put some vaseline on my eyelashes to make them look darker.

15. Will you leave the house without make-up?

Yes. Sometimes I just have a good face day and don't feel like dealing with makeup.

16. How many high-end products do you have?

Maybe one. I like to find inexpensive products that work well.

17. How often do you wash your make-up brushes?

About once a month. It's bad.

18. Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you are getting dressed?

I usually decide in a panic when I'm looking through my closet five minutes before I'm supposed to leave the house. 

19. How often do you change your handbag?

Maybe twice a year. I use my KD bag when I'm at school. 

20. What time do you get up and go to sleep?

I'm a night owl so sometimes I'm up at 3am but I'm usually up by 10.

21. How often and when do you work out?

I try to run or at least power walk everyday, in addition to yoga and a couple of 30 day challenges.

22. Left-handed or right-handed?

Right

23. How tall are you?

5'9"

24. Do you speak a foreign language?

Spanglish.

25. How many pets do you have?

Zero :(

26. How often are you on Blogger? 

I aim for 7 days a week.

27. Do you read the comments left on your blogs/

Yes.

28. Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?

Sometimes.

29. How did you come up with your blog name?

You can read all about it here.

30. What kind of camera do you use for photographs?

My iphone. 

31. How often do you clean your house?

Haha cleaning.

32. What is your favorite color?

Pink

33. What is your favorite beauty/fashion magazine?

Vogue

34. Do you swear?

More than I would like to admit. 

35. What are you doing with the rest of your day?

I'm actually writing this at 2:30 in the morning so sleep!

SS Article: Why Every Sorority Girl Needs a Panhell Lover

Check out my second article for Sorority Stylista!

http://sororitystylista.com/2014/07/every-sorority-girl-needs-panhell-lover/

Cinnamon and Honey Cleanse

There are plenty of products in the world that claim to make you lose weight quickly, or drop inches in a week, but I personally don't trust any of them. I don't know what some pill is made of that I have to take three times a day on the full moon or twice a day on the half moon and jump up and down three times before I take it. Sounds sketch. Plus, companies are making money from these products, which means they probably don't care if they really work or not, they're just out for a profit. I'm not trying to sound like a conspiracy theorist, so I decided to try a pin that I've had for a long time that is supposed to help with weight loss: cinnamon and honey.

I have never done any sort of cleanse before. I'm planning on doing the master cleanse before school starts, but I think for the good of society (and my relationships) that I should avoid situations that put me in a 24/7 state of hangry-ness. So in the meantime, I've been doing the cinnamon and honey cleanse. Basically you mix two teaspoons honey with two teaspoons cinnamon and mix them together with a cup of boiling water. You are recommended to drink this concoction before bed, and thirty minutes before breakfast in the morning.

Cinnamon and honey in water does not taste as good as it sounds. Thinking to yourself that it doesn't even sound that good? Yup, you've got it. It's not unbearable, but I struggle to get the last bit down every time, and if you let it cool too much it is absolutely disgusting. So two notes: drink it fast and drink it hot.

So why subject myself to this weird mixture twice a day? Well for one, the first night I did it I woke up four pounds lighter. Attribute that to what you may, but I think it made a difference. Secondly, after drinking it one night and then one morning, working out became SO much easier. I actually enjoyed my run, and didn't feel like I was about to face plant into the pavement from lack of oxygen. This mixture really makes you feel better. I doubt that's something that extreme diets and wacky pills can say. I think that if combined with healthy eating and exercise this cleanse can make a difference.

I'm not saying drinking this mix will solve all of your weight loss problems, but there are also a lot of other health benefits to the combination. Besides weight loss, cinnamon and honey together have a ton of health benefits from healing stomach ulcers to improving your immune system to helping cure your cold. Apparently the cure to all of the world's health ailments are right in your baking ingredients and spice cabinets!

Why You Shouldn't Be KD

Check out my first Sorority Stylista article!

It has over 17,000 views already, so I must be doing something right!

http://sororitystylista.com/2014/07/reasons-shouldnt-kd/

Hello Monday, is that you?

 I cannot believe it's Monday again. Weekends really need to be more than two days long, there's just too much fun to be had. Someone should work on that.

The weekend was a blast, spent up at the St. Lawrence River, with good friends and a lot of sun and food. The water was a bit chilly but still beautiful. Some day I will own an island with a house and a boat, and I will watch the sunset with a glass of wine every night. That is a part of my life goals now.

But for now, it's back to reality of another week. New jobs, new challenges, but also new memories. Last week I signed my first modeling contract, became a writer for Sorority Stylista, got two babysitting jobs, and then spent the weekend getting tan on a boat. I don't know how this week could possibly compare to that, but I guess we'll see!

Don't forget to check out The Flaunt Shop for their new arrivals today! They sell out quick, but use CODEKO under "view cart" for a discount on your purchase!

The Flaunt Shop Friday: Take Me to Tahiti Dress

I think that a lot of maxi dresses can make girls look like giant blobs, or remove all of their shape. The main reason I am OBSESSED with this dress is that it still shows off your features while being comfortable and relatively casual. It would be perfect for date nights or running errands.

This dress is so popular that it's already sold out! It's one of the most popular pins on Pinterest, and it's light weight and flowy style make it perfect for summer. Gotta have it? Good news, it's being restocked on Monday so mark your calendar and get your credit card ready.

Click on the pictures to go to The Flaunt Shop's website. As always, use CODEKO under "view cart" when you shop!

Brand Review: The Flaunt Shop

 

"Do well, live well, and dress really well."


Let me start off by saying that my stance on fashion is that the clothes should show off the girl, not just the other way around. The Flaunt Shop is my go-to brand because their clothes do both. TFS style is about making a statement with what you're wearing, and letting what you're wearing make a statement about you.

I recently became a Socialite for The Flaunt Shop, which given my obsession with the brand, is like a dream come true. TFS has dresses for day and night, sassy swimsuits, bright jackets, gorgeous jewelry, and every style of pants, shorts, or skirt you could ever want. My favorites are the dresses, which are perfect for wine tours, formals, dates, or even class. There are styles for every occasion, and range from classy and cute to daring and eye catching.

New arrivals come in every week, and they sell out QUICK. So if you see something you like, don't wait to buy it, it might not be there for long! Every Friday I'll post reviews of new products for "Flaunt Shop Friday." Curious about the items shown above? Click on their pictures.

I am proud to represent The Flaunt Shop because it is more than a line of clothes, it is a brand and a lifestyle.  I do not believe in simply wearing clothes, but intentionally using them to make a statement about who you are.
 "The Flaunt Shop girl is a combination of chic socialite in the City and girl next door. She exudes a LIFESTYLE through the clothes she wears. She's the trendsetter of the group, and whether it's to an exclusive Saturday night event or just brunch on Sunday afternoon, her bold confidence and fashion sense always takes center stage."

Want to shop TFS now?
Use CODEKO under "view cart" for 10% off your purchase!
Want to become a socialite? Email southernseeking@gmail.com.

200 Calorie Healthy Pancakes

My parents went out for dinner tonight (leaving me to fend for myself) so I decided to try a recipe I've seen circulating Pinterest for the past week: two ingredient pancakes. My fist thought was that all pancakes are made of two ingredients: water and pancake mix. That should tell you a little bit about my cooking style...

This recipe is pancakes made from bananas and eggs. I added a little vanilla and some cinnamon to sweeten it up but that's optional. Basically you add one medium sized banana into a bowl with an egg, mash everything up and mix it together, and then pour it on a griddle or frying pan. Cook like you would cook a normal pancake, but make sure the batter is thin because it takes a bit to cook through.

The batter smells a lot better than the finished product tastes. I thought I was going to have a vanilla cinnamon banana master piece, and I ended up with a subtle banana bread tasting circle blob. That's not to say this recipe isn't good, it's actually very delicious with syrup and some powdered sugar. I just had the expectation that I could make pancakes out of bananas and not have them taste like bananas...

The best part about this recipe is that it actually fills you up. It's about 200 calories to make (including syrup if you don't go overboard) and not boring at all. I would be interested to add in other fruit such as blueberries to see if that added to the taste.

I would recommend this recipe to any banana fans, or anyone who is looking for a healthy breakfast and has some time on their hands. Enjoy!

Monday Product Review: Aussie Heat Protecting Shine Spray

If you're as much into hair products as I am, you know that you should always use a heat protecting spray before using any kind of direct heat. You may know it, but how often do you actually do it?

I've tried at least five different products to protect my hair from heat, from leave in conditioners to oils to sprays. The problem was always that my hair felt greasy afterwards, or it felt heavy and weighed down by the end of the day. And then I found the Aussie Heat Protecting Shine Spray.

Not only does this product protect your hair from the heat, it keeps your style light and your locks shiny. I've used this product with mousses and other styling products, and it never makes my hair feel heavy or oily. It leaves my hair feeling silky and healthy, and I know my hair is protected. There is a noticeable difference in my hair's health and appearance when I use this product compared to when I don't. As you can see in the picture above, the shine is actually noticeable!

The only thing more impressive than the product's performance is the price. It's less than $4.00 at Walmart, and will definitely last you a while. I recommend this to anyone who ever uses heat on their hair, it's a must have for your hair product collection!

All opinions are my own and not endorsed by any company.

Thankful Thursday: Best Friends

I'm that girl that already has her bridesmaids picked out. It may sound crazy to some people, but to me it means that I am lucky enough to have friends that I know I will have for the rest of my life. And I'm also lucky enough that my bridal party just keeps growing.

One of my best friends that I met at college is leaving on Friday to study abroad in Australia. We met through a riding class and survived rush together, and she knows all of my secrets, or at least the relevant ones. She understands me when I get frustrated with my sorority sisters or my boyfriend, and is actually honest with me about how I look in a dress. She's always there to make me look good when I feel like a bum, and convinces me to go out and have a life instead of watching my sixth episode of Nashville. She makes my life better with her sense of humor, crazy stories and adventures, and willingness to always eat or go shopping. She is a voice of reason, but laughs with me when I make stupid decisions. 

After her adventures in the land down under, we'll be living together in the spring semester. I know that wine Wednesdays, spa Fridays, and Sunday dinners will all be regular things in our apartment, and I absolutely cannot wait to be our weird but incredible awesome selves together all the time. I am so thankful to have her as a friend, and I will actually miss her while she's gone. I say "actually" because while I love my friends, it takes a lot for me to get really attached to them. I never understood the value of girl time or girls nights, and she taught me to. Now that she's leaving, it means so much more. But that just means so much more to look forward to in the spring.

So I am thankful for friendships that get you through everything, and friends that understand the need to sometimes drink a whole bottle of wine (or three) in one sitting. I'm thankful for friendships that can survive long distance, because I know we'll still share our ridiculous lives through Facebook, texting, and interpretations of TSM articles. I'll miss her while she's gone, but I know we'll be right back at our shenanigans come January 2015.

This is just a quote from Pinterest, but it says it all.