Fave Products – Living The M Life

My Must Have Clothing Items for Boys

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020by courtneyimadeLeave a Comment

As a mom of 3 boys, I jokingly refer to myself as a VIP member of the boy mom club. One thing I’ve noticed (and have mentioned here before) is that boy moms have far less options when it comes to finding cute clothing for our sons. Over the past few years I’ve gotten a lot of items from a handful of brands that I think consistently make cute options for boys (you can read more about them in my blog post here) but there are some items that have really stood out to me. These are the things that I find myself rebuying in new sizes and colors every year because they’re such a staple in my children’s wardrobes. If you don’t have boys, some of these items also make great gifts. Here are my faves, click the title of each item to shop:

Gap’s Icon Denim Jacket–

It doesn’t get much more classic than a denim jacket. I love The Gap for baby and children’s clothing because the quality is excellent and they always make cute items for boys. Every time Mason outgrows his Icon jacket I get a new one and pass down the old one to Myles. They’re all in such great shape I’ll be passing them down to Maxwell as well. This jacket is definitely a staple from spring through the fall. You can add it to a pair of sweatpants and a tshirt for a more put together casual look, or put it on top of a button down shirt and a pair of pants.

Gap’s Fleece Cargo Pants–

These are my favorite casual pants for the boys. They’re super soft, have held up well through lots of washing, and have the ease of a sweatpant with a slightly elevated cool factor. I have these in 3 colors for both of my toddlers. They frequently sell out, but there are a few sizes left right now and they’re on sale.

Oshkosh Overalls–

Overalls from Oshkosh B’gosh are classic, cute and nostalgic. They make me think of my own childhood. Even though its a relatively simple item, my boys get a lot of compliments when wearing them. The quality is also high enough to pass down.

Gap Slim Cords in Camel–

These camel corduroys are a staple in the fall and winter. They work with a wide variety of tops and the slim design is a more modern spin on a classic corduroy.

Gap Chambray Slip On Sneakers–

This is another item that I try to buy every time Mason outgrows them, but they’re so popular that they sell out very quickly in the Spring and Summer. It’s definitely best to grab these early if you can. This simple Chambray sneaker looks good with just about everything, and is so easy to slip on and off.

Ralph Lauren Polos–

There is something about a polo that looks so preppy, polished and adorable on little boys. I love the quality of these, and if you shop Ralph Lauren’s end of season sales you can get them at a steep discount (often less than $10).

Gap Baby Brannan Sweaters–

Gap makes these adorable sweaters with animal ears in neutral colors and cute prints for both boys and girls. Every sweater that I have purchased has held up well over time, so they’re another great item for gifting and for passing down to siblings.

Zara Puffer Coats–

Zara is one of my favorite places to purchase outerwear for the boys. Their winter coats are warm and stylish. They also tend to run a little big so your child has room to grow.

Carters Sleep N Plays–

My boys have spent practically every day in these popular one pieces from birth to nine months. They’re affordable and come in a variety of really cute prints for boys. Carters even makes a two way zipper version now that makes diaper changes easier.

Those are the items that have been on repeat the most in my boys’ wardrobes, and that I continuously buy because they’re so useful. If you have any boys items that you love, or stores that you recommend, let me know in the comments!

Xo,

Courtney

Fashion and Beauty, Fave Products

My Cold Weather Capsule Wardrobe

January 14, 2020by courtneyimade2 Comments

*Pictured above- J.Crew Ella Open Front Long Sweater. Photo by Gorsky Freres @adisregardedboy

Now that the holidays are over we have a couple of months of winter weather to look forward to without the festive cheer. But there is some upside- we still have cozy sweaters, warm lattes, and some snow days ahead. Plus Valentine’s (or Galentines) day is right around the corner. I’m staying bundled up and trying to look chic until spring. My three back to back pregnancies left me in a bit of a clothing rut, so I made it my mission to start investing in myself last fall by building a casual, cold-weather capsule. My capsule is mainly casual because I’m a stay at home mom, but a casual capsule is an asset to any woman who wants to look chic without having to put too much effort in while “off duty”. The key to building a capsule is investing in pieces that can be mixed and matched, but investing doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Choose the highest quality pieces that fit your budget, whatever it is, to get the most wear out of your items.

My cold weather capsule is actually full of pieces from Abercrombie & Fitch. Yes, you read that right. Hear me out. If you haven’t seen what they’ve been up to lately you should take a look. The once infamous mall store from my middle and high school years has gone through an impressive rebrand, particularly online. They’re now known for classic yet on-trend pieces and much more inclusive sizing and advertising. I’m a huge fan of their denim- the curve love jeans are perfect for curvy women like myself, and they carry a wide variety of styles and washes. I’m also a big fan of their Soft AF line. Their super soft tops are perfect for lounging at home but far from frumpy; they work for everything from running errands to date night. And their statement outerwear covers all the bases, you’re certain to find a style that you like.

Now that I’m done talking you through my favorite casual brand, I’ll walk you through the key pieces in my capsule:

Leggings- These are pretty much a must for moms, but many women who work out or are constantly on the go love them too. I like the Zella high waist leggings from Nordstrom because they suck everything in. They also make a maternity version.

Drapey T-shirts- When I am wearing leggings, I pair them with these long-sleeve drapey t-shirts from Abercrombie. They’re soft, flattering, and most importantly- come down long enough to cover my derriere.

High waist denim- I love high waist denim because I’m petite and it makes my legs look longer and also hugs my waist perfectly. I really like these skinny jeans from Abercrombie and these Mom Jeans and straight leg ankle jeans that look amazing with ankle boots.

Cropped sweaters- I was never a huge fan of knitwear until recently, because I always thought the bulk from thick fabric was unflattering on my frame. This all changed when I learned to pair high waist denim with cropped sweaters. I actually wrote a separate guest blog post on this topic on The Real Chic Life. This combo highlights my waist and makes my frame look leaner and longer even while wearing cozy thick fabric. Here are a few cropped sweaters that I love from Abercrombie.

Bodysuits- Bodysuits also look amazing with high waist denim, especially thicker vintage style denim. This wrap front bodysuit is soft and flattering.

Teddy coat- I love teddy coats because they’re so on trend but also look pretty luxe. I have a cropped teddy coat from Urban Outfitters that I love, but I’m also a fan of longer teddy coats like these styles from Abercrombie and Nasty Gal.

Coatigan- This coat/sweater/blazer hybrid from J Crew is one of my favorite pieces in my fall/winter wardrobe. It’s casual but also a bit polished. I can throw it on over leggings or jeans.

Military parka- I love that this coat from Abercrombie is warm but not bulky. It has a slim, figure hugging shape.

Those are the key items in my cold weather capsule. In a separate post I may cover shoes and accessories. What are your favorite cold-weather items and brands?

Xo,

Courtney

Fashion and Beauty, Fave Products

My Holy Grail Beauty Essentials

February 28, 2019by courtneyimadeLeave a Comment

I’ve found that as I get older I’m actually getting more into beauty products- upgrading my skincare routine as well as perfecting my day and night makeup looks. I see it as an important form of self-care now that I’m in my 30s. And as a busy Mom of two I need self-care. Below I’ve listed my absolute favorite skincare and makeup products. Let me know what your favorites are in the comments.

Rodan + Fields Radiant Defense Perfecting Liquid– If you use foundation I’m sure you’ve dealt with the pain of finding the perfect formula. There are so many brands out there and quality varies widely. I’ve tried many brands over the years and struggled to find one that provided just the right amount of coverage, offered the perfect color match, lasted a long time, and didn’t transfer color. Rodan and Fields had the best foundation I’ve tried yet. The formula is so lightweight it feels like a tinted moisturizer, but it really lasts and the color blends perfectly. My skin always looks dewy and illuminated when I put it on.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo– I’ve always had sparse brows and I’ve been filling them in pretty religiously for the past 6 or 7 years (I cringe at some of my old photos before I started filling them in). I finally made the leap and scheduled an appointment with one of the top microblading artists in the DMV area at the end of the April (she’s booked months out and I couldn’t be more excited about this upcoming appointment). But up until now Anastasia Beverly Hills’ brow powder has been a lifesaver. It’s easy to use with an angled brush, the pigment looks very natural and blends easily, and one pot of this magic formula lasts a long time.

Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara– Like the search for the perfect foundation, my search for the perfect mascara went on for some time. Too Faced’s Better than Sex mascara offers the most dramatic length of any mascara brand I’ve tried. I love the wand itself and their tips for getting the most length.

Fenty Beauty Match Stix Trio– I’ve always been intimidated by contouring, but the Fenty Beauty Match stix make contouring and highlighting so easy. You can choose the perfect shade of concealer, the perfect contour color, and a pretty highlighter shade by matching it to your Fenty foundation shade. Being able to do a simple contour has really upgraded my night out makeup looks.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick-I love matte liquid lipstick because it makes my lips look fuller. My husband has even accused me of altering my lips in photos when I’m wearing it. Anastasia Beverly Hills offers gorgeous colors in a formula with staying power. I’ve really been getting in to red lipstick lately and I love the shade “Seraphine” for the perfect ruby red, and mixing “Heathers” and “Tulip” for a vampy shade of red.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment– I love all Sunday Riley products but the Lactic Acid Treatment is perfect for exfoliating your skin. My skin always looks more even and my pores look smaller after using it.
What are your favorite makeup and skincare products?
Xo,
Courtney

Fave Products, Motherhood

My Top 5 Subscriptions

January 7, 2019January 7, 2019by courtneyimade4 Comments

As a millennial and as a mother I love a good subscription box. There’s something exciting about getting a package of goodies in the mail every month, especially when the contents are varied. I’ve tried a lot of subscription boxes carrying everything from food to makeup and skincare to baby items. Some boxes were amazing and others either weren’t customized enough to suit my needs (pretty much every beauty box) or were just generally a waste of money. Read on for 5 boxes that I think are actually worth a subscription. If you’ve tried any of the following boxes or if there are others that you love, please let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Winc– If you love wine, this subscription box is perfect for you. They send a box of wine bottles customized to fit your flavor preference profile. You can choose four white, four red, or a mix. And your feedback after each box helps determine what they send you next. This is a subscription that I tried out pre-babies, but as a Mom of two a box of wine delivered to my doorstep sounds amazing right now. If you don’t know much about wine all of the choices out there can be pretty daunting. This makes it easier to sample different kinds of wine and learn what you like and don’t like. Wine tasting at a Vineyard is a nice experience to learn more about wine too, but this subscription is fun and convenient.

Hello Fresh-This is one that pretty much everyone has heard of even if you haven’t tried it. Its one of the most popular dinner subscription boxes for a reason. Hello Fresh sends you recipes and ingredients to make 3 meals a week. The recipes are generally delicious and take 1 person about 30 minutes to make. I also tried this subscription out before I had kids. My husband and I did the vegetarian plan and I loved learning new vegetarian recipes (I’m not a vegetarian btw, but I try to go meatless as often as possible). And I loved that I didn’t have to go hunting for exotic ingredients in the grocery store. When our family expanded we stopped this subscription, but I honestly learned so many cooking tips from the recipe cards that the length of time that I did have it was invaluable. It’s also nice that you can keep the recipe cards and recreate the meals anytime. I loved Hello Fresh so much that I’m considering signing up again.

Bluum– I was gifted a subscription to Bluum when I was pregnant with my oldest son Mason. They send a box of pregnancy or baby related items depending on how far along you are or how old your baby is. When I was pregnant I received things like belly cream, affirmation cards for delivery day, and ointment to help with breastfeeding. After the baby came I started getting things like toys, bottles, skincare products for babies etc. One of my favorite boxes included a pack of cleaning tablets and wipes for cleaning bottles on the go. This came in handy so many times when bottles fell on the ground while we were out and about, and once when we stayed overnight in a hotel room and I forgot to pack my bottle brush and soap. I love that things I never would have thought of on my own like that were included in the boxes.

Little Spoon– Some of you may have seen the beginning of my journey with homemade baby food on my instagram stories. With my oldest Mason I bought all of his baby food but stuck with organic brands. This time around with Myles I was determined to make all of my own baby food since I’m currently a stay at home Mom. But the reality of having a baby and a toddler means there’s less time for chopping, peeling, and steaming than I had hoped and I needed a backup plan. Little Spoon delivers organic fresh meals (using HPP) that are tailored to your baby’s developmental stage and preferences. I love that they use over 80 ingredients. Some of the similar cold-pressed brands available online have a limited number of ingredients so there’s less variety than what Little Spoon offers. I also appreciate that Little Spoon uses a lot of vegetables. I think some brands rely too heavily on sweet fruit. Little Spoon comes in convenient packages that include a tiny spoon (sn: I’m also guilty of relying too much on pouches in the past, which can promote lazy eating habits). And Myles loves it so far.

Yumble– Once Mason moved past the baby food stage I struggled with coming up with a variety of lunches for him that were nutritious while I was working. Yumble was almost a lifesaver. They deliver organic toddler meals that are balanced, easy to reheat and so tasty I often found myself eating them. It didn’t work out because I had such a picky eater on my hands that most of the meals went to waste. But if your toddler isn’t as picky, or if you have a slightly older child this might work really well for your family especially if you’re a working parent.

Those are my top 5 subscriptions. What are your favorites? Anything you’re thinking about trying? If it might make my life a little easier let me know!

Xo,

Courtney