READER QUESTIONS – May, PART 1

Happy Friday, everybody!  I’m so excited about today’s post!

READER QUESTIONS is now the 2nd most popular series on the blog, and I love that y’all are all nosy, just like me.  Listen, I get it!  My favorite posts that other bloggers do are the ones that give a little peek into their lives or a little look behind the scenes.  (And just in case you’re curious, the most popular posts are now my monthly Amazon posts.)

So, how did this series come to be?  Well, I get questions from y’all every day via instagram, facebook, e-mail etc.  I save some of them for posts like these when I think they are answers that lots of ladies would want to know, and I also ask for reader questions on instastories (which I did earlier this week).  I got tons of questions this time, so I’m doing a 2-parter so I can answer more of them!  Part 1 is today and Part 2 is Monday.

If you submitted the question on instastory, then your little question box and avatar will be in today’s post.  If you direct messaged me or just e-mailed me, then I will just include your question and your name in italics.

Here are several of the most popular questions/answers from previous reader question posts in case you are new here or missed some and want to catch up.

*Question:  How do you maintain your weight?  Click HERE.

*Question:  Are you still a speech therapist?  Click HERE.

*Question: How did you and your husband meet?  Click HERE.

*Question:  Do you keep everything you order or do you return it all? Click HERE.

*Question:  Do you want more kids?  Click HERE.

*Question:  What’s your favorite shampoo and conditioner?  Click HERE.

*Question:  What are your Top 5 purchases of all times / what is your top recommendation ever?   Click HERE.

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Okay, let’s get started!

We’re kicking things off with the most asked question this week. I probably had at least 50 of y’all wanting to know…

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I need some fun summer sandals.  Any recommendations? – Beth M.

Hi, Beth! This question came at the perfect time, because I ordered two new pairs of shoes on Wednesday to prepare for lots of future posts. I had originally planned this flat lay for a post next week, but because it included a totally pair of fun summer sandals (and the perfect answer to your request), I decided to post it today!

LOOK HOW CUTE THESE MULTICOLOR SLIDES ARE.

I CAN’T EVEN.

I’ll be posting a video of both pairs of shoes on instastories today, because this picture just doesn’t do them justice.  The neutral sandals  have a really cushy sole and I think they are a great option if you need to walk in something all day long (and potentially multiple days).  Go ahead and comment with your thoughts if you have them and have an opinion!

The multicolor slide sandals don’t have as much cushion, but they do have a little bit and are still okay for just regular everyday walking. The straps are wrapped with multicolor and gold thread and they are going to really sass up all my denim shorts and tee outfits this summer!  I’m so excited about them!

I would suggest sizing up a 1/2 size in both.  I ordered my regular 6 1/2 in both, and my heels are touching the very end.  I prefer to have a bit of wiggle room, so I’m going to size up a 1/2 for myself for sure.

The earrings, clutch, and sunglasses have all been on the blog before, and the necklace is new today!  If you keep scrolling down you will get to see the necklace styled in an outfit AND you will get a 20% OFF code!

multicolor raffia earrings / turquoise beaded hoop earrings / neutral sandals / copa necklace / multicolor slide sandals / coral clutch with wooden ring

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Okay, so I typically don’t share messages like this because I want this to be a happy space and I don’t want to give energy and life to the negative comments…but I thought this one was hysterical.  Listen.  I totally know what this girl is talking about when she says it looks like I’m taking a step.  But I cannot agree with her assessment that it’s not flattering.

If she would have said it was “stupid”, I would have understood.  If she would have said it was “annoying”, I TOTALLY could have seen her point.  But NOT FLATTERING?  I want to assure her that I take the picture like that because it actually IS flattering.

I mean, you can guarantee that I always want my pictures to be as flattering as possible.  Even at the risk of being stupid or annoying.  Hahahahaha! #priorities

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I’m new to the spray tan world.  I’ve always been scared to get a spray tan because I’m afraid I’ll be orange, but yours looks so natural!  Do you feel this is always the case?  Does somebody spray you, or do you step in one of those machines?  And I have one more question…do you get totally naked?  Sorry if that’s too personal, but I need to know the details since I’m a newbie! – Caroline

Hi, Caroline!  I’m laughing SO HARD, but it’s only because I 100% identify with you.  When I got my first spray tan years ago, I had my friend totally walk me through everything that was going to happen, so I’ll do the same for you! I actually got a variation of this question about 20 times, so you are not alone!

First of all, I go to Suddenly Sunless, it’s located at Custer and 380 (to the right of Cherry Berry), and they do a fantastic job.

AND GET THIS!  If you tell them that I sent you (just tell them Sheaffer told you to!), you can get the DiamondDrying Powder (an $8 value) FOR FREE with the purchase of any regular price session, package, or membership.  The drying powder is a game changer y’all.  They use a big kabuki brush, cover your whole body in the powder after they spray you, and it takes all the sticky out!

I get the “custom air brush”, so a real life person sprays me.  Here’s what goes down….

I wear very loose fitting clothing because I don’t want anything on that’s tight after I get the tan.  They lead you to a room and leave you alone in the room for you to disrobe.  It depends on your comfort level, but I choose to wear undies and no bra.  I would say most of my friends wear tiny thongs, but I wear an old pair of these undies.  It’s hysterical, because when I go dark in color, I have a tan lace pattern on me when I take the undies off!

Most often I request the “medium” color, but the deepness of the color very much depends on your technician and how heavily she sprays.  One person’s “medium” is another person’s “dark”, so it’s a bit of trial and error to find the best shade/person for you.

Now here’s a very important tip for all of you newbies…..if you don’t have after market boobs or aren’t naturally perky, I strongly suggest you manually lift the girls up for your tech to spray under them before they start spraying the rest of your body.  The first time I went I didn’t do this, and I had white space underneath my boobs.  FOR REAL.  Not a good look.  The second time I went, I remembered the white space after she had already started spraying me, so I asked her if I could lift my boobs up for her to spray under them.  She was like “of course”!  But y’all……..she had already sprayed my boobs….SO I HAD A HUGE HANDPRINT ON EACH BOOB after I got home (after the tan had developed).  I mean, unfortunate, but seriously funny.

The whole spraying process takes probably around 5-8 minutes or so.  After they are done with the spray and the powder, they wipe down your nail beds and the palms of your hands and then leave the room for you to get dressed.

And that’s it!  Easy!

Click HERE to book your own appointment, and remember to tell them “Sheaffer told me to” so you can get the free powder!

Dad, I would like to apologize for this entire section. BUT THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW.

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This isn’t a reader question, but I love it when readers send me pictures, especially when it’s a reader that I know from my real life!  This is Robyn, and how cute is she in her rainbow striped belt!

This belt is one of my favorite purchases so far this year, so I definitely need to be more mindful of grabbing outfit pictures in it.  You can see it HERE styled with a bright cardi and jeans and you can see it HERE styled with a super soft Whiskey and Sunshine tee and denim shorts!  It adds SO MUCH CUTENESS to otherwise simple outfits!  Thanks so much for the picture, Robyn!

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These questions reminded me that I’m often acquiring new readers that don’t know about the products I swear by! And it also made me realize that many of my followers on instagram probably never come over to read the blog.

Erica, THIS IS THE JEAN JACKET I’ve been wearing for 6 years.  My love for it grows each day, and I know you will love it too!  Click HERE to see a post that I dedicated to the jean jacket. You can read all my thoughts and see it styled in tons of different outfits.  And THESE ARE THE WHITE JEANS that I’m loving.  Click HERE to see a post where they are highlighted in several different outfits.

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Hi, Dana!  You are too sweet.  Well, I looked on my camera roll, and for some reason I don’t have that many new pictures of the dogs…..but I did find this one of Charlie.  Carter loves being cozy and he loves making sure his brothers are cozy too.  Charlie was living his best life.

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So……my thoughts on Birkenstocks…

I know this is weird, but I don’t find them to be comfortable.  And I know that comfort is obviously supposed to be the best thing about Birks, because it’s not like they are darling.

I don’t like Birks enough to ever consider spending over $100 on them.

HOWEVER.  I found 2 different pairs that are very similar to Birkenstocks when I was working on different sponsored campaigns.

I found THIS PAIR at JCPenney and I found THIS PAIR at Walmart (with fantastic reviews).  Both are more comfortable, and both are a bit more narrow, which I think makes them cuter as well!

Here’s the JCPenney pair.  ONLY $19.99 right now!

Here’s the Walmart pair.  THEY ARE UNDER $15 and a great option for this popular style that doesn’t cost a fortune.

floral one piece (plus size swimsuit) / blush straw tote / Daydreaming hat / sunglasses / rose gold slide sandals

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Hi, Linz!  Sooooooooooooooo many requests from y’all for kimonos!  I first showed a kimono on this post and loved it, but it sold out immediately.  I don’t think I’d ever worn a kimono before, but I dug it, and I’ve totally come to think of them as a very lightweight summer cardi!

Well, I ordered this one after receiving so many kimono requests.  The colors are gorgeous and I love the pattern, but I’m not sure if I love the cocoon shape.  I’m holding on to this one for now, but I’m going to keep looking.

Now I’ve got a bit of a surprise for you….look how cute my frayed hem denim shorts are!  They have great reviews, they are under $14, and you might be surprised to learn where they are from!

floral kimono / white tee / necklace / earrings / frayed hem denim shorts (“pebble”)/ rose gold slide sandals

I ordered a couple to try from Amazon that are supposed to arrive  later today (like the one below).  And I saw this one (in blue cove floral) while shopping Walmart.com for a future post.

UPDATE:  A sweet reader (thanks, Keri!) gave the tip this morning to check out Nordstrom Rack for a great kimono selection and she was right!  Click HERE!

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JJ!  Hi, friend!  First of all, you know you can call me with any questions!  I did have a handful of y’all ask for an Invisalign update, and I’m happy to give it.

I’m THRILLED with my results this far.

Click HERE to read when I initially posted about my decision to get Invisalign.  I talk about WHY I needed braces, what the assessment was like, an estimate of cost, and what my treatment plan looked like.

Yesterday I started tray 9 of 14 trays.  When I initially started, I was planning on wearing each set of trays for 2 weeks, which meant my treatment plan was going to be 28 weeks (about 7 months).  HOWEVER, my treatment is going much faster than originally planned.  I wore the first 2 trays for 2 weeks each, but at my 1 month appointment I shared with my dentist how I felt like the trays were always very loose at the end of my 2 weeks.  He told me to just pay attention to my progress, and that some people changed trays every 12 days…some every 10 days..and some every 8 days!  At the end of my 3rd set of trays I felt like I was ready to switch after 8 days, but I was very nervous to do so.  However, I remembered that the dentist said I could always try a new set, and if they were too hard to get on, that I could just put the current trays back on for a couple more days.

Well, at the end of 8 days, my new trays just popped right on! They are definitely quite snug for the 1st day, but it’s fine after that!

Let me know if you have any other questions!

And here’s the big reveal so far!!!  ISN’T IT AMAZING?  I’m VERY pleased! Make sure you check out the top and the bottom teeth.  If all goes as planned, I only have 6-8 more weeks to go! (Remember, the white bumps on my teeth are the brackets that they glue to the teeth.  They’ll of course remove them when I’ve completed the trays.)

The process has been much easier than I thought it would be, and I’m so incredibly excited to see the final results!  The package I purchased includes teeth whitening too that I’ll do when I’m done with the trays, so I’m hoping to have some super straight pearly whites in the very near future!!!

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This was just the tip of the iceberg for swimsuit requests.  I’ve ordered several, but none have arrived yet.  Hopefully I’ll be able to talk about some more on Monday’s post.

However, I did want to go ahead and show you one that looks like a real winner.  And even though there are no reviews yet, it might be worth the risk!  I won’t personally wear this one (I’m not a bikini girl), BUT MY GOODNESS I LOVE IT and I will be totally jealous of you if you wear it. #jk #kindof

Click HERE for the top and click HERE for the smocked bottoms.  Don’t you think it looks super expensive?  I think it has a very Anthro or Shopbop vibe.  WELL. This baby is an amazing deal.  Each piece is under $25.

On Monday I’ll definitely highlight more swimsuits since so many of you are needing recommendations!

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I need a new summer necklace.  I have and still love your wood bead tassel necklace, but I want another necklace to throw into the rotation.  Any recommendations?  I want something that I can wear with lots of different outfits. – Jennifer

Hi, Jennifer!

First of all, for those that don’t know, THIS IS THE WOOD BEAD TASSEL NECKLACE that Jennifer is talking about.  It is one of the Top 2 necklaces I’ve recommended time and time again over the last several years.  The other one is The Sims Stone necklace (yep! it’s named after me!).  I have it in all the colors, but the turquoise and the white are my favorites.

WELL.

There’s a new necklace in town y’all.  It’s on the expensive side, but I love it so much!  And for the next 72 hours the code COPA20 will get you 20% OFF!

There are several different color combos, but mine is the Turquoise-Orange-Pink.  #5.  LOVE.

These DARLING necklaces are 36-40″ long, and they are made of matte white beads, Ghana glass beads, brushed gold beads, and colored disc beads.  Get ready, because you are going to be seeing this baby in frequent rotation.  (Don’t forget to check instastories sometime today for an up close look at the beads!)

white tee / must have denim jacket / copa strand necklace / linen joggers (plus size linen joggers) / reversible cognac tote

I also received several questions regarding TRAVEL STYLE, and this outfit is a perfect example of something that I would throw on for a plane ride.  The jacket is soft, stretchy, and perfect for a little layer on the plane.  It can also be easily removed if it’s warm, and it folds up and fits easily into a large tote.  The joggers look nicer than regular ol’ joggers because of the linen material.  And I don’t know how, but these linen pants don’t end up looking like a wrinkled mess by the end of the day!  They are some sort of magical linen.

I went for the olive, but they come in 4 other colors AND plus size.  The wide elastic waistband makes them perfect for travel days.  And let’s be honest, EVERY DAY.  I’m almost 5’4″ and am wearing the petite small.

white tee / must have denim jacket / copa strand necklace / linen joggers (plus size linen joggers) / reversible cognac tote / must have wedges

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I’m so mad that I missed the embroidered dress, but I see there’s a shirt too.  Have you tried it? – Elizabeth

Hi, Elizabeth!  Great question!  And yes, I’ve tried it!

For those of you that don’t follow me on social media, you might not know what embroidered dress she’s talking about.  Well, last year I fell in love with an embroidered dress from Caslon. It was navy with white embroidery, and I loved everything about it.  Sadly, it sold out the first day I talked about it, and it never restocked.

So, when I saw two new colors pop up on the site this week, I couldn’t wait to talk about it.  I ordered both of the new colors for myself, and then I posted a shot of me in the dress from last year on social media to let y’all see what it looked like AND let you know about the new colors.  Well, it sold out again.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a restock, so just in case, here I am in the black (it also comes in olive).

I’m actually wearing a medium petite here, but it is quite short and I’m almost 5’4″, so keep that in mind.

It’s SO CUTE.  Again, it’s currently sold out, but be ready to jump on it if it comes back online!

embroidered dress / square turquoise beaded earrings / rattan cross body bag / bracelet / slide sandals

So, enough about the dress….to answer your question Elizabeth….

I’ve tried the embroidered top AND I LOVE IT!

I’m wearing a small, and it’s a relaxed fit.  It says to order one size down, but I’m glad I stuck with my regular size.

You know I’m smitten with the embroidery, and I loved styling it with white shorts and turquoise jewelry.

embroidered top / square turquoise beaded earrings / white frayed denim shorts / reversible cognac tote/ bracelet / slide sandals

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Hi, Misty!  This is a great idea!  It’s definitely time intensive to do this, but I will try to do it more often.  I’ve done it in the past on this post and I’ve done a hybrid of it in my Style It Again Sheaffer posts.

So, for the outfit below, I’m showing it unstyled on the left and styled on the right!

The twist front tee is a great twist on a basic.  #seewhatididthere  The gathered and twisted hem is such a great detail, and it comes in 5 colors.  For size reference, I’m wearing a small.

And that’s right!  I’m wearing my UNDER $15 shorts again!

base outfit:  twist front tee / frayed hem denim shorts (“pebble”) / cognac sandals

styled outfit:  twist front tee / earrings / copa strand necklace (use the code COPA20 for 20% OFF)/ frayed hem denim shorts (“pebble”) / cognac sandals

The middle picture is the outfit before styling….and the left and right pics have styled the base outfit different ways.

Do you remember this sweater?  I styled it HERE two different ways with camo.

But its back now worn super casually with these awesome shorts!

base outfit:  striped sweater / frayed hem denim shorts (“pebble”) / rose gold slide sandals

accessories for outfit on left:  earrings / copa strand necklace / reversible cognac tote 

outfit on right:  earrings / bracelet / cross body bag

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And last, but certainly not least!  I need to announce a couple of giveaway winners!

On Monday’s post I highlighted all of my favorite KUT items from the last several months, and I asked y’all to leave comments about your favorite KUT items as well!  Well, two names were randomly chosen from that list, and they get to pick out 2 KUT items to be shipped directly to them courtesy of Kut from the Kloth!

Congratulations to Kasey K and Elizabeth G!  I e-mailed you both this morning with the information needed to get your new items in your hot little hands!  YAY!

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Have a wonderful weekend with your people!!!  Thanks for stopping by!

Filed Under: Fashion 39 Comments