Floral Blazers? Yes, please!

I am all about great deals! I wrote a post before about "Asian Brands", as a lot of Asian manufacturers have created online websites to sell clothing at a mass discount. The only catch is that the sizing runs very small for American women. However, if you are petite, like myself, these brands are perfect for you! I wear about the same size as I normally do and it fits perfectly!

I found this blazer from Amazon. Amazon functions as a third party retailer for a lot of these Asian websites. I use Amazon over the others (not that I have ever run into any problems) only because I trust them and if I have any returns, it will be much easier to process through Amazon than somewhere in China.

This floral blazer is a steal at $22. I is so lightweight and perfect for the spring and summer months. It is so vibrant and gorgeous with a white dress (as pictured) or over a nice blouse. Highly recommend!!

Dress  Zara: White Puffed Sleeve Dress (similar)

Shoes  Ralph Lauren: Pumps (same color - diff style)

Necklace  Kendra Scott: Rayne Necklace

Blazer  She Inside: Floral Blazer

Fashion Roundup

If you all couldn't tell, I love all the Kendra Scott Rayne Necklaces. Kendra Scott does something genius on their site.... almost all of their jewelry can be custom-made with a different colored gem and base (gold/silver). It's genius, and it allows someone picky like me to design my own necklace!

My first outfit is by Mara Hoffman. If you haven't heard of Mara Hoffman, you must! All of her clothing feature colorful, tribal prints, which are perfect for the spring and summer months. This dress is from last years collection, but her website (as well as Bloomingdales and Nordstroms) carry her clothing. Each and every piece has personality!

Dress Mara Hoffman (sold out)

Sandals  Tory Burch: Tan Thongs (similar)

Necklace  Kendra Scott: Rayne Necklace

I have worn a variation of this outfit below before, but I am so obsessed with pastel blue. It's the perfect color of this season and looks great with practically everything! It's actually a great look with or without the cardigan (I had to wear one because of work dress codes). The pink really makes this outfit pop, and my Vince Camuto caged heels are so comfortable. Highly recommend you all to purchase this or a similar one (I linked below!)

Top  Target: Lace Shell

Necklace  Kendra Scott: Rayne Necklace

Shoes  Vince Camuto: Effie Sandals (similar)

Pants Loft: Marissa Fit White Pants

Top  Loft: Pastel Blue Tank

Recipe: Chicken Pozole

My boyfriend love "Diners, Dives, and Drives". We basically spend most of our weekend nights watching it in bed trying to find recipe ideas or vacation food spots.

Today they aired an episode where pozole was featured in cooked. We didn't have hominy, so we basically made our own variation

Chicken Pozole Recipe

Ingredients

1 tbs mexican oregano
1tbs cumin
1 tbs dried hatch chili (optional)
4 chicken breasts
4 32oz of chicken broth
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 tbs of canola oil
2 cans of corn
3 small russet potatoes, diced (optional - but so good)

Sauce

1 lb of tomatillos,
1 dried chipotle pepper, rehydrated (basically means bringing it back to life in boiling water)
2 poblano peppers, grilled
3 jalapenos, grilled (optional, can add less or more)
2 small onions, grilled
1 handful of cilantro sprigs
2 romaine lettuce leaves

Get a stockpot hot, add canola oil and wait till it becomes hot. Once sizzling, add your onions and garlic with all the dried seasonings until translucent. Add the broth and uncooked chicken breasts. Let the chicken breasts boil (probably 20 minutes, but this depends on your stove, so keep checking until they are boiled completely) Once, the chicken is cooked, remove them from the soup, shred, and toss back in.

Meanwhile, blend the sauce ingredients until it has a salsa consistency. Put the sauce aside, and get two cans of corn, drained to be put in the soup.

This is optional, but we also diced 3 small russet potatoes (peeled). It adds a great consistency to the soup and makes it heartier (since there aren't any beans in it)

Add the corn and potatoes with 2 tbs of the sauce. Let cook for 10-15 minutes and then add the remainder of the sauce. We added 3 jalapenos because we like our food spicy, but it's really all about preference. Add a dash of salt and pepper and let the soup summer for another 10-15 minutes.

Garnish

1 radish, thinly sliced
1 handful of cilantro
1 avocado, diced
1 slice of lime

Once the soup is done, pour into a soup bowl and add the garnishments. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Avocado Chicken Salad in Romaine Cups

I'm not the healthiest eater, but when I go to the gym, I need to eat something healthy to feel that my workout made a difference. I wasn't sure what I wanted to make today, but saw my rotisserie chicken in the fridge and decided on avocado chicken salad.

A lot of people ask me if it's as creamy as mayo and/or yogurt. If you get a well ripened avocado, you should have no problem reaching that consistency.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Ingredients - makes about 8 romaine cups

1/2 avocado
1 1/2 cup of chopped rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 handful of cilantro
1/2 lime
1/2 jalapeno, deseeded and diced
1/2 tsp of red onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced small
Dash of salt and pepper to taste
8 romaine lettuce leaves

Directions

Add all of these ingredients (sans romaine) in a bowl and mix well! I tend to use my hands to get all the avocado mixed in well with the chicken. Lay out each romaine lettuce leaf and add a spoonful of chicken salad. I rolled my lettuce to eat like a wrap. Way less messy!

Floral Power!

Is anyone else as ready for the weekend as I am? One more day!!

Today's look highlights how floral print can be work appropriate! It's my favorite to wear during the spring and summer months (gingham is a close second!) A great trend is mixing floral prints together. However, since I work in the world of conservative accounting, I pair my floral with a neutral color.

This skirt is actually from LOFT and quickly getting purchased with all their recent sales. I wore my outfit with a blazer, but you can pair it with a cardigan or nothing at all! It's about 80 degrees in Charlotte, and I will tell you one thing.... that blazer gets super hot! For a "going out" look, pair this outfit with a leather jacket, ankle strap sandals and/or caged booties.

Skirt LOFT: Petite Paradise Skirt (40% off!)

Tank  Ann Taylor LOFT: Petite Rib Tank

Blazer  Express: Black Blazer

Shoes  LK Bennett: Shilo Pumps (similar)

Necklace  J Crew Factory: Black Jeweled Necklace

I ended up wearing a boyfriend fitted blazer (much more looser) than the Express one. Felt a little lazy and paired it with my Sally Wedges from Tory Burch. Gives it a relaxed look, but still work appropriate. The heel height on the Sally's are perfect! I own them in tan too.

Also decided to wear my Kendra Scott Rayne Necklace. I have it white and pink now, and it is so versatile. If you have been reading trends, the delicate necklaces and statement pendants are making a comeback!

Necklace  Kendra Scott: Rayne Necklace

Blazer  Zara: Boyfriend Blazer

Shoes  Tory Burch: Sally Wedge

Business Attire - with a pop of color!

I am sure you have all noticed how most of my outfits these days are work appropriate. The next two outfits pictured is a perfect example of how a pop of color can go a long way. Being "office professional" doesn't mean black suit and white button down anymore. It's springtime and I love the fact that I can incorporate color into my work wardrobe.

I love colorful pants. The Banana Republic Sloan Pants are my absolute go-to (the winnie/minnie J Crew pants are a close second). They are so comfortable, but look so sleek! I have sung their praises when writing previous blog posts, so I won't bore you all with the details. These purple pants are still available on the site. There are always sales at Banana Republic, so don't feel obligated to buy these full price.

I wear a Petite 00, to get the perfect fit. If you are petite, tall, regular, this pair of slacks are for you!

Pants  Banana Republic: Sloan Pants

Shoes  Nine West: Flax Pumps (similar)

Blazer  J Crew Factory: Camel Blazer

Necklace  Tory Burch: Multistrand Necklace

Blouse  LOFT: Trim Rib Tank ($25!!)

My other outfit is more professional. Great for an interview when you have to be slightly conservative. The green top is an old silk blouse from Ann Taylor, and looks so classy with the black suit. Wearing a delicate gold/silver chain and studs are recommended to keep the look clean.

During a professional interview, I don't recommend wearing prints. It's just too loud and may distract interviewers. Stick with solid colors. Jeweled tones and/or pastels look great with a suit. I prefer to wear a black suit during interviews, but navy and grey are also appropriate.

Suits  Banana Republic: Skirt and Blazer Set

Blouse  Ann Taylor: Green Silk Blouse (similar)

Earrings  Tory Burch: Large Logo Studs

Necklace  H&M: Delicate Necklace (similar - $3.95!)

Shoes  LK Bennett: Shilo Pumps (similar)

All Black Attire

I love the sleek, classy look of an all black suit for work. Paired with nude pumps and a bright red lip, it is easily transferable for a night out on the town!

The best thing about an all black ensemble is how neutral the palette is. You can really pair it any colorful accessory (from lips, purse, and/or shoes) to give it the vibe you want!

Lipstick  YSL: Rouge Pur Couture (N55)

Blouse  Banana Republic: Black Silk Blouse (similar)

Blazer  J Crew Factory: Black Schoolboy Blazer

Necklace  Kendra Scott: Rayne Necklace

Pants  Banana Republic: Sloan Pants

Pumps  Ann Taylor: Kylie Pumps