Saturday, February 28, 2015

What Farah Wore: 2.28.15 (Weekends and Florals)


I just love the versatility of this tank! Looks great with high waisted shorts, jeans, or black pants. I would wear tapered pants only because flared, baggy ones may drown you (since the top has so much flow). 

Hot pink pumps are all the rage right now! It adds a great pop of color to any outfit! These Barney's heels are a STEAL for $119. They require some breaking in, but once you do, they are incredibly comfortable! A perfect staple for Spring. The again, it's a perfect staple for all four seasons.


Monday, February 23, 2015

What Farah Wore: Brown & Cream (2.23.15)

Tights Spanx: Reversible Black/Brown Tights
Scarf  Zara: Brown Plaid Blanket Scarf
Booties  Nine West: Cozie Booties

I love a great blanket scarf. Obviously! I have about 20-25 scarves and can not get enough! I got this dark brown one recently and love how the color comes through in this photo. I recommend a scarf to dress up any winter outfit. it really accentuates an otherwise plain outfit.

I have been trolling Amazon daily to find blanket scarves. I really recommend going on there. The quality is just a same and costs only $8-$12. Granted, it probably comes from China (since it takes 3 weeks). However, if you are willing to wait, I highly recommend.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Sunday Dinner: Barbacoa Tacos

The recipe is exactly the same as the Beer and Shot Taco. Just sub in with beef and add 1 lime to the beef once cooked. Also, you can follow the Barbacoa Recipe I posted before from around the blogosphere


Thursday, February 19, 2015

What Farah Wore 2.19.15 - Over the Knee Boot - Review



I'm not very keen on spending a ton of money on trends. I prefer to spend my money on staples. When the over-the-knee boots trend came back (because we all know it was on trend during 2008 - Serena Van der woodsen anyone?), I went on Amazon and found these boots. 

I assume they are from China. They cost about $28 and are actually pretty comfortable! For someone who has small calves, these boots actually hold up. Granted, I had to wait three weeks for them to come, and the smell from the factory gave me a headache...but once I aired these out, they were perfect! I doubt they will last forever... but do trends really do? It's a great alternative for someone who wants to be trendy but doesn't want to spend a fortune.

Pair with a mini skirt and chunky sweater (like I did) or wear it with a bodycon dress or jeans!



Wednesday, February 18, 2015

We Wear Pink on Wednesdays!



The weather was absolutely horrible today! For someone who loves the cold and winter, I am getting excited to wear spring colors. My favorite winter/spring look is mixing a dark palette with a pop of color. As a homage to one of my favorite movies; Mean Girls; WE WEAR PINK ON WEDNESDAYS! Happy hump day everyone. Stay warm!



Monday, February 16, 2015

Recipe: My Favorite Bolognese

I love making bolognese during the winter months. It's hearty and you can put it on top of pasta or zucchini noodles (if you are going for a healthier/paleo option). The flavors are so rich and the sauce is so vibrant. Most importantly, it serves great as a leftover dish for the week.

Recipe

1 tbs olive oil
1 lb of ground beef
1 medium onion
3 garlic gloves, minced
1 carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 handful of fresh basil, roughly copped
2 tbs of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

Seasoning Blend

1/2 tbs salt (add more or less to your liking)
1 tbs cracked pepper
1/2 tbs crushed red pepper (we like our sauce spicy, but this can be optional)
1/2 tbs cumin
1 tbs roasted granulated garlic
1 tbs granulated onion
1/2 tbs dried oregano
2 bay leaves

Directions:

In a large, deep pan, add olive oil. Once hot, add your onion, garlic, carrot and celery (mirepoix) and cook for 8-10 minutes (until somewhat tender)

Add your ground beef with salt and pepper and saute for about 10 minutes till the pieces become slightly browned. Add the crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning blend and let cook for about 20-25 minutes. You want the meat to absorb as much flavor as possible. Add 1 tbs of fresh parsley with the basil and continue to cook for an extra 5 minutes.

Serve with the remaining parsley.


What Farah Wore: 2.16.15



Saturday, February 14, 2015

What Farah Wore: Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I don't really go all out on Valentine's Day as I used to when I was younger, but I wanted to share with you my favorite Valentine's Day outfit. 

1. Midi Skirt: I love wearing a skirt or dress during Valentine's Day. It's feminine and delicate. However, since it's about 20 degrees outside, I think a Midi Skirt is a GREAT alternative. I recommend wearing heels with it (especially if you are petite -- you will drown in this skirt).

2. Silk Blouse: A cream/white silk blouse should be a staple to any wardrobe! It looks great with a pair of denim jeans or tucked in under a skirt. I thought about wearing a pink blouse, but I love the contrast of the cream and red. Looks stunning.

3. Leopard Pumps: I actually love the red strappy heels from this look, but I paired it with leopard pumps. It really makes the outfit pop!

4. Red Lips: Always. A red lip is perfect for any holiday and especially Valentine's Day. YSL Le Rouge is my all time favorite lipstick. Dab some concealer on your lip prior to applying the lipliner and lipstick. Your lips will be red all night (and throughout dinner). Other great red lipstick brands are MAC Ruby Woo (worn by Rihanna) and NARS Jungle Red (worn by Taylor Swift). I think any of these would look great tonight!

5. Dangle Earrings: With my short hair, I love dangly earrings. My Tory Burch Circle Earring is my absolute favorite. Great quality! Gold and red are a match made in heaven and look absolutely stunning together. 

I didn't post this, but I paired all of this with my cream double-cloth J-Crew coat. You can also pair it with a nice boyfriend blazer in black. If you want to go crazy, wear a fur coat or even a patterned jacket (jacquard, neutral, or a different shade of red)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 13, 2015

What Farah Wore: 2.13.15


Fall into Spring


It may be a little early to start discussing Spring Trends (especially since it's like 10 degrees outside for some), but I figured why not? March is around the corner and everyone's mood is screaming for Spring! 

As you all can see from my posts, my go to for fall are burgundy, hunter green, navy and camel colors. Obviously mixed with plaid! Although, as much as I love fall and winter, and can't let it go, it's time to start thinking Spring.

Top Spring Trends

1. Floral
2. Neon
3. Pastels
4. Light Colored Denim
5. Distressed Denim

I love a great bright colored heel and recently purchased a pair, on sale, from Barney's Warehouse in pink! I am so excited to wear these. Granted, even though I'll start wearing these now, I think it's a great transitional piece to bring you into Spring/Summer. It really adds so much depth and pizazz to an otherwise muted/neutral pallet. If a pump is too plain and ordinary for you, I'd suggest getting a great pair of heeled sandals (either caged or embellished).

My recommendation overall is to mix and match pastels, neons and florals. I feel like there is no rule against mixing patterns and colors. I'd go crazy! Pair it when a pair of colorful pant/skirt or distressed denim. If you are a little more modest with outrageous colors, etc... I would start with a pop of color (either with your shoes, jewelry, or purse). 



Sunday, February 8, 2015

What Farah Wore: 2.8.15 (Spring Fever?)




Today I had a bridesmaid brunch and wanted to dress to impress, but appear casual. Distressed denim and pumps do just that! It is literally 60 degrees outside, so I thought, why not dress like Spring? I may be the only one... but I miss winter/fall already!  

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Valentine's Day: Must Haves

So these may be slightly unconventional Valentine's Day gifts... but are primarily based on some of my current obsessions.

1. Barbour Classic Beadnell Jacket - I finally treated myself to a Barbour Coat. Kate Middleton wears tons of Barbour, and this coat is such a staple to any wardrobe. It runs around $379, but department stores often offer coupons. I got mine for 15% off through Bloomingdales. The olive/brown color will compliment anything and everything in your wardrobe. It's a perfect fall/spring/rain coat. If you live in the South like me, it functions as an excellent winter coat.

2. Smiths' Rosebud Salve - My lips are so chapped during the winter months. Smith's Rosebud Salve has petroleum in it but smells like roses (seriously). It's great for cracked hands, cuticles and lips. I have to carry it in my purse all the time... I am mildly obsessed. You can it buy at any Sephora or Amazon for like $6. So legit.

3. Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline - You all know how much I love scents. My friend Jeni and I went shopping a few weeks ago and she introduced me to Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline. It's AMAZING! For someone who wears a ton of lighter scents like Jo Malone, Chloe, Tory Burch, etc... this fits straight into that mold. It's a clean, light scent that won't give you a headache. Timeless! You can also purchase this at a steal at places like Perfumania.com.

4. Essie: Sand Tropez - I love a great neutral nail.... mainly because I am way to lazy to constantly change my nail color. Sand Tropez is a great nude color and looks great with any outfit! Spring is quickly approaching, and this is the color I want on my nails during trips to the beach and heading to work.

5. Triangl Swim Leather Bikini - I have raved about this brand before but their leather bikini is amazing! It's just so trendy, chic, and plain HOT! I have the poppy one in cobalt, but the leather one is next on my list! I don't have a reason to wear it right now, but I can't wait to get my hands on it when the weather warms up.

6. Nest Moroccan Amber - I refer to this more as a unisex candle. My boyfriend and I love it. Nest is reasonably priced ($34) and makes your whole home smell like a musky, woodsy amber. I think it's a perfect gift for those needing to buy their significant other something small, yet intimate for Valentine's Day.

7. Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner - Oribe is very popular amongst celebrity hairstylists. I normally use Moroccan Oil (which is a cheaper alternative, and absolutely AMAZING) but recently started using Oribe (for special occasions only... they run about $34-40 a bottle). Oribe makes your hair so soft and luscious. These days, a lot of people have/had put chemicals in their hair (myself included - hair color treatments and all). Oribe really helps bring my hair back to its natural feel (soft with moisture) I get why it's so highly revered! The price tag is steep, but worth it.



What Farah Wore 2.5.15

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

A Review: Online Boutiques

There has been a lot of craze in purchasing trendy clothing from online boutiques such as sheinside.com and romwe.com. Even Amazon will carry these! I actually purchased a few pieces and waiting on some others. I wanted to share with you my thoughts regarding these sites.

I will use my sizing as a benchmark.

Size: 5'1'', 102 lbs.

1. The "one size" fits all - are more over-sized than anything else. I bought a hunter green sweater and aside from it being huge; once you roll the sleeves and throw on a turtleneck or tee under to prevent the itchiness, its actually a great piece to wear under tights or skinny jeans. For $17.99 it wasn't that bad.

2. The sizing - perfect for me. I think the sizing is based on small Asian models which works to my benefit. I would say a "small" is more equivalent to an "x-small" and so forth. I bought a navy sweater with pink flowers (can be seen on my earlier post) from sheinside.com and it actually fit perfectly for my frame. Note to remember: if you have a bust - I would try to size up (or the one size fits all) - sites are not very bust friendly all the time.

3. I know a lot of people are skeptical with putting their credit card information on these sites. I have been fine so far, but if you feel uncomfortable, type in what you're looking for on Amazon. A lot of third party vendors actually carry the same stuff. That way, at least you have Amazon's backing if shipments get lost.

4. Be patient. It takes forever for these items to come (because they are coming from China!). Don't freak out when you don't get what you ordered in a week or two. It can take upwards to three - four weeks. Just let it be and it will come. If they don't, I have heard horror customer service stories, so be cautious. Also, I have heard they wont pay the shipping fee (which is probably astronomical since it's going back to China), so do a benefit/cost analysis. It's a gamble.

5. Great Blanket Scarves - Amazon and these sites carry all the blanket scarfs that boutiques and Zara sell for like $25-35. Instead you're paying $10-$15. I have about 30 of them, and the quality is just the same as the others. So soft and cheap! I would highly recommend getting these from Amazon. I have never had a problem from anything I got here.

What Farah Wore: 2.3.15

Lipstick  YSL: Le Rouge

Monday, February 2, 2015

Recipe: Damn Delicious - Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

I have been sick for about a month now. This Lemon Orzo Soup I found on Damn Delicious is amazing. I added bouillon cubes to mine for extra taste and used rotisserie chicken, but it's up to you. I think adding tomatoes and corn would be excellent too



Recipe (courtesy of Damn Delicious)

2 tbs olive oil
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper (to your liking)
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced (I used 4)
2 celery stalks, diced (I used 4)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
5 cups of chicken stock/broth
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup uncooked orzo
1 sprig rosemary
1 juice of a lemon (I used half)
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley



Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo, rosemary and chicken; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately.


What Farah Wore 2.2.15 (Leopard/Leather)