Monday Musings

Happy Monday, everybody!  I’m in Boston with my girlfriends right now, but there’s still lots that y’all need to know about today.

And if you LOVE the BEST BLACK PANTS EVER as much as I do, you need to listen up.

HECK…

Even if you don’t love the BEST BLACK PANTS EVER, you need to listen up.

Why, you ask?

Well.

Because the best black pants ever have a brand new cousin.

The cousin is made out of the exact same glorious stretchy fabric….but she is a teeny tiny bit higher waisted and doesn’t have a belt.  And although I happen to love and adore the belt on the best black pants ever (I think it defines the waist nicely!), I know that some of you didn’t like the belt.

So here’s the deal…

I love the best black pants ever (obviously), and I love these new pants too.

But even if you don’t love the best black pants ever, I think it might be possible for you to still love these new pants.

I know the pattern is hard to see (they are not solid black like they appear in this picture), so there’s a flat lay in a minute to give you a better idea of the pattern and color

Here’s what they look like on…

Still incredibly stretchy and incredibly flattering, but a bit higher-waisted and without the attached belt.  I’m wearing the regular 2, just like I do in the black pair, so definitely size down.  They are perfect for the office and church.

black sweater / favorite earrings /  plaid pants / tweed bag /reversible cognac tote / black wedge booties

Here’s a different view.  (Pay special attention to the bracelet.  It’s gorgeous and 40% OFF right now!)

black sweater / favorite earrings /  bracelet (40% OFF right now!) / plaid pants / tweed bag /  black pumps

I had several people ask if you could wear booties with the black pants, so I thought I would try them with this pair.  It’s a much more casual look, but I like it!

black sweater / favorite earrings /  plaid pants / black wedge booties

You’ll see in a minute that although this plaid doesn’t actually have any camel in it, camel still works fine with it.  Although I’m going to be honest…I think black, grey, and red work better.

camel cashmere sweater / favorite earrings /bracelet (40% OFF right now!) / plaid pants / tweed bag /  black pumps

If you look at the pants close up on the right, you can kind of see the subtle pattern.

camel cashmere sweater / favorite earrings /  plaid pants / tweed bag /  black pumps

And here you can see them paired with red!

red sweater / favorite earrings /  plaid pants /  black pumps

Please ignore the dog hair that I didn’t notice when taking the picture.  #welcometomylife

Here’s a close up that gives you a better look at the plaid.  See how it has the muted red running through it?  You can see how grey would look great with them too…better than camel actually.

I happen to love the pattern…but if you don’t like the plaid, the pants also come in a really small tone on tone check.

And just as a reminder….here’s the pant that started the whole frenzy.

They truly are THE PERFECT WORK PANT.  And even though I don’t work in an office, I’m so happy to have a pair of pants like this in my closet.  EVERYBODY NEEDS A  PAIR OF CLASSIC BLACK PANTS.  And if they look amazing but feel like pajamas, EVEN BETTER!  The fabric has a nice weight to it, they don’t show wrinkles, and I love the built in belt.  AND LADIES.  THEY ARE SOOOOOOO INCREDIBLY FLATTERING.  I feel like a million bucks in these pants.  Oh, and they also have the Ab-solution power mesh panels!  The belt is made out of the same stretchy fabric that the pants are, and I love how its presence helps to define my waist.

SIZING TIP:  This is important.  I would definitely suggest sizing DOWN.  I’m wearing the regular 2s (not petites).  I’m almost 5’4″, and I’m always a solid 4, but I definitely needed the 2 in these.  Really, size down.  I know sometimes people are hesitant to do this, but if you don’t size down, you won’t like these pants.  So please, give them a fair shot and size down.

camel cashmere sweater / sunglasses / sunburst earrings/ sunburst necklace / striped bandana on bag / best black pants ever/ bracelets / black pumps

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CAMO LEGGING OUTFITS

These are the camo leggings I showed y’all last week, but I’ve paired them here with both a black turtleneck and a hot pink turtleneck sweater.  These are my Walmart sweaters, y’all!  They are the ones I showed you back on this Snakeskin on a Budget post.  I’m sooooo sad that they are just about sold out, but I still wanted to give you outfit ideas for those of you that have already purchased either the leggings or the sweater.

And use can still use the code FALLFUN to get 55% OFF the bracelets!

black turtleneck sweater / deep grey camo leggings / bracelets / black sneakers with gold accents ON SALE

SO. CUTE.

I said last week that the leggings aren’t necessarily great for working out because I didn’t think they would stay put during high impact work outs, but they are perfect for lounging around the house and running around town.  (UPDATE:  A reader left a comment on the last post that she actually does wear them during high impact work outs and loves them!)  They are high waisted AND THEY HAVE A SIDE POCKET.  And they’re just dang cute.  Lots of readers have expressed a desire for leggings with pockets, so here you go!  I’m wearing a small.

black turtleneck sweater / deep grey camo leggings / bracelets / black sneakers with gold accents ON SALE

The camo leggings are cute with the pink too!

pink turtleneck sweater / deep grey camo leggings / bracelets / black sneakers with gold accents ON SALE

And just as a reminder, here’s how you saw them last week:  super casually with a sweatshirt.

The sweatshirt might be my favorite of all the Amazon sweatshirts I’ve featured thus far.  It’s the perfect length for leggings, I love the split hem, I love the weight (not too thick, not too thin), and it’s just wonderfully cozy!  I’m definitely ordering it in a 2nd color because all I want to do is wear the one I have.

modal fleece high low sweatshirt / deep grey camo leggings / bracelets / similar black sneakers

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I had a Tuesday post last week that I’m afraid some of you might have missed since it wasn’t on a regular post day.  Click HERE for the post.  These black wedge booties went with me to Boston, so you’ll be seeing a lot of them very soon.  TONS of readers that already had them assured me that they were great for a trip where there would be a lot of walking.

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Timehop continued to tug at my heartstrings this last week.

Check out precious 3 week old baby Carter and a super young baby me.  Haha!  And look how short my hair was!

1 year old Carter

I MEAN!  LOOK AT THOSE EYES!

I think he was 4 here.

Or maybe he was 3 above and 4 here.

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More Timehops pictures.  This is Carter with Buddy just last year.  Sweet boys.

And this is Carter with both of them this past weekend.  Carter and Chris went out of town, and he sure was glad to see his pups when he returned.

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Halloween night was a lot of fun, and inflatables were EVERYWHERE!

And how funny is this.  Carter isn’t actually big on candy, but he does like Hershey’s, Twix, and KitKat.  After some classic candy trading, he was happy with his KitKat haul.  Haha!

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Okay, ladies.  This next story is going to warm your heart.

Chris’s grandmother (his dad’s mom) has been in a nursing home since last year.  SHE LOVES IT.  Like she realllllllllllllllllllly loves it.  She lives in a small town, knows everybody in the town, and everybody knows and loves her.  Last Christmas Eve, our little family picked her up and took her to the Christmas Eve service at her church, and it was like we were there with a celebrity.   I kid you not.  People lost their sweet little minds when they saw her.  She has touched many lives over the years, and her love of people shines through.  And because of that, people love her BIG.

Well, her nursing home had a pageant.  And no surprise to us, SHE WON.

And y’all.  As the winner, she advanced to the pageant in Waco.

The nursing home paid for her to get her hair and her nails done, and then she traveled to the big city of Waco to represent Mexia.

And she of course won that too.

Again, we weren’t surprised.  But we sure are proud!

So, here she is, SENIOR QUEEN!!!!

She reads the blog every day, so this is her official shout out.  WE LOVE YOU, G’MOMMY!!!

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SOMETHING SPECIAL

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Sooooooo I’m sharing this because you need it in your life.  Crunchy granola, chewy dried apple pieces, and out of this world flavor.  YUM.

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WHAT I WORE

I’m going to share a handful of outfits that I’ve worn recently.  This outfit is a favorite.

I was at first hesitant to pay almost $100 for this cashmere sweater, but I’m constantly reaching for it.  It’s actually the same one I have in camel as well.  See the camel one styled 3 ways in this post.

And remember, you can still use the code FALLFUN to get 55% off the bracelets.

black cashmere sweater /must have earrings / sunglasses / raw hem cropped girlfriend jeans / camo strap/ black faux croc bucket bag / Amazon mules with gold buckle / bracelets

This distressed sweatshirt is a lot of fun, and the inside is so so soft.  It looks designer, and you’ll never guess where it’s from.  I’m wearing a medium.  If you want it slouchy, definitely size up.  I’m wearing a 4 Petite in the jeans and the camo wedge sneakers are true to size.

distressed sweatshirt / favorite earrings/ bag strap / girlfriend jeans / camo wedge sneakers

This sweater is from last year, but it’s BACK IN STOCK!  It’s one of my favorites, so I’m so happy to see it back.  It’s actually the same sweater you saw in Friday’s post in the coral red color.  It’s just a great sweater.  Not clingy at all, can be worn with a 1/2 tuck or out, and just a really good relaxed fit.

striped sweater / similar AG jeans / hoop earrings / black wedge booties

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OUTFIT PLANNING

I found this flat lay on my phone, and I don’t think I’ve ever shared it.  It’s just a great black on black look, accessorized with leopard and cognac.  It’s classic and sassy.

similar black sweater / favorite black jeans  / earrings / leopard flats / cognac tote

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A COUPLE OF BEAUTY FAVORITES

I’ve done several beauty posts in the last several months (with Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Sephora) and I’ve really enjoyed trying new products and finding new favorites.  My Macy’s beauty post went live last month on a Sunday (because of a sale), so I’m afraid many of you missed it.

I highlighted several products in the post, but now that we’re over a month out, favorites have emerged.  They are two new products that I’ve become pretty passionate about, so I want to talk about them again in case you missed that first post.

The NYX Pore Filler IS MAGICAL. It’s truly a game-changer.  One reviewer who struggles with large pores said it was like “grout for your face“,  and I was SOLD.  I now use it every single day I put on makeup.  I absolutely love it and am SO IMPRESSED with the results this product gives, and I truly feel like it smooths/minimizes the large pores on my nose.  It IS grout for my face.  And I’m here for it.

I’ve started using this primer as more of a spot treatment (all over my nose), and I continue to use the Smashbox Primer on the rest of my face.

And get this.  It’s just $14.  I would pay three times as much for this product and feel like it was worth every penny.

NYX Pore Filler Primer

My other favorite from Macy’s is the NYX Butter Gloss and it’s almost too good to believe.  First of all, IT’S $5.  FIVE DOLLARS.  It goes on soooo smoothly, it’s not sticky at all, and it just feels really good on.  It’s got a silky feel, and it’s very moisturizing.  I wear this over lipstick to add shine, but I also wear it on its own for just a sheer and shiny lip.  Over the last month I’ve found it’s the gloss I reach for the most, especially when I’m not wearing lipstick and just want a little color and shine.  I have “deep nude” and have considered ordering other colors to try, but instead I just ordered 2 more tubes of the deep nude.

I also like the Tarte Glossy Lip Paint, which is almost like a lipstick and lip gloss in one.  It’s super pigmented, it stays on, and it’s shiny too! It’s thicker than a normal gloss, but it’s still more the texture of a gloss than a lipstick.

Tarte Glossy Lip Paint (Double Tap) / NYX Butter Gloss (Praline – deep nude)

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YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS POST

I’ll be recapping my girl’s trip on Friday, but if you missed last week’s post where I planned outfits, click HERE.  I got so much great feedback on it, and I’m so lucky to have readers that take the time to leave encouraging comments.  THANK YOU!

Lots of great leggings outfits, jean outfits, and even some fancy outfits too.  I also shared my suitcase, my travel bags, and my travel skincare.

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OH!  One more thing for you today!

Gingerbread cookies, snowflakes, Christmas trees, and polar bears all come together for a DARLING pair of thermal pj pants.  And I love the hot pink band around the waist and the ankles.

For size reference, I’m wearing a medium in the top and a small in the leggings.

cozy top / thermal leggings / memory foam slippers

Whew.  That’s it for today. Happy Monday, y’all!  Make it a great week!

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