With the Winter Olympics coming to an end, companies are teaming up with different countries to support their favorite teams. Instead of a traditional t-shirt with your team’s name on it, many brands took a sophisticated approach to outfitting the teams. Companies like Ralph Lauren, Nike, North Face, and Lacoste are just a few of the popular names that are keeping athletes and fans not only warm this Olympic season, but in style as well!

We’ve been in this situation far too often: your work life and your social life are making time tight. You’re meeting people after work for dinner; you’re going on a date; you’re heading to a 5:30pm showing of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats. You don’t have time to go home, your office doesn’t have a full-blown ladies’ locker room, and changing outfits in a car or in a public bathroom is just…not good.

What to do? Trick yourself into thinking you have changed!

1. Wear a hot top that you love, but wear it with a sweater or a cardigan. No one judges people in cardigans. It just is not done. (Then ditch it for the evening.)

2. Bring a second pair of shoes. New shoes equal new outfit.

3. Tie your hair up tight for the workday, then let it all come soaring out in a scene of glory. Imagine Rita Hayworth while you do this.

These three quick steps that allow you to feel like you’ve changed will make you intrinsically feel like you have changed, because you have actually changed! (Albeit slightly.) That’s the whole point: sweater gone – hot top on; galoshes gone – pink stilettos on; and, the coup de grace, “Gilda, are you decent?” It’s totally worth pulling that last move in front of anyone, FYI. It’s all so unbelievably easy, you’ll ask, “why didn’t I just think of that myself instead of being in such a touch-and-go mood all day because I tried to ride the fine line between looking professional and looking beautiful and, in doing so, I inadvertently got on Carol’s case about something insignificant that isn’t due until February?”

Don’t take it out on Carol. In fact, share these tips with Carol and then everyone can stop taking it out on everyone else. Except Tim, because that guy really needs to start carrying his weight.

White jeans are a summer staple. They are a versatile item that every girl needs in her closet. White jeans can be easily dressed up for a night out, dressed down for days out in the sun, or used to put together a classy outfit for work. As we make our way into June, it is the perfect time to invest in a pair, or try to incorporate them into more outfits for these summer months!

Look 1 - Dressed up white jeans for a night out: Because of their simplicity, white jeans can become edgy enough for a night out easily. With the simple addition of a leather jacket, a pop of color, and heeled boots, they are instantly taken from a daytime item, to nighttime. If you like more of a preppy look, white jeans can be accessorized with pumps or open-toed heeled sandals for a night out.

Look 2 – Dressed up white jeans for the office: With a flared style, white jeans are perfect for a more casual summer day at the office. Paired with a bright blazer and pumps, this look is sophisticated and work appropriate, while still letting your personal style shine through. These flared pants could also be styled with a striped button up shirt for a more tailored look.

Look 3 – Dressed down white jeans for a summer day: When paired with a graphic tank top and flat sandals, white jeans are easily transitioned for a summer day. This outfit could be worn with ballet flats and a loose sweater for cooler summer days, too!

As you can see, white jeans can be worn in so many different ways this summer. Find a pair that flatters your body and challenge yourself to wear them in all kinds of ways!

Remington is excited to announce MANstyle. Run by men, for men, we’re here for your grooming, styling, and fashion fix. Trends come and go (remember frosted tips?...) so let us keep you up to date on what’s hot, and what’s definitely not. Whether you’ve never picked up a bottle of aftershave in your life (and you should... see tip 101) or you already fancy yourself a seasoned style vet, MANstyle is here to keep you looking and feeling great!

Ladies, we didn’t forget about you. Tune in for simple tips and tricks to help your man look his best and great gift ideas for any occasion!

Make sure to bookmark our page and follow us on Twitter @RemReadyMan! 

Cheers! 

-Jr. of RemReadyMan

#MANstyle

As noted in my previous post, a statement collar is one accessory that ads interest to any outfit. Nowadays you can find these at pretty much any clothing store, but nothing makes me feel more warm and fuzzy than staying in on a Friday night and doing a craft project. My motto is, if I can make it, why buy it? This video will show you how to make your own statement collar for very little money, leaving you very satisfied!

There are endless possibilities when it comes to dressing your head for winter, and it is my goal to explore every hat-avenue possible this year. Since it is inevitable that I must cover my head for winter, I figured I’d try to look as least goofy as possible while doing so. My hat choices in the past have been slacking to say the least, and this fall/winter I want to wear a hat in confidence and style. To reiterate, I’ll be staying warm physically and mentally knowing I look my best in winter wear. Without further ado, here are my top 3 favorite hats for winter:

1.The Slouchy Beanie

Effortless yet chic, a slouchy beanie is the easiest way to bundle up in style. You can wear your hair wavy, straight, in a braid, or even a bun; this versatile hat never fails. They are widely available and come in many different colors.

2.The Fedora

This hat comes in so many shapes and sizes that any girl (or guy) can rock one. It makes a bit more of a statement than a simple beanie, which I love. Wearing a hat with such intense structure shows that a person has confidence and a strong sense of personal taste, and when you’re exuding confidence, anything is possible. You can wear this with your hair down, or in a loose bun tucked underneath. Either way, you will look fabulous. Go for the fedora; you won’t regret it. 

3.The Head Wrap

Is it a headband? Is it a hat? I don’t know, but as long as it keeps me warm and looks cute on my head, I’m going to wear it. What is appealing to me about this “hat” is the fact that I can throw my hair in a bun on top of my head and still manage to keep my ears cozy in style. This is definitely an accessory I am going to dabble with in the near future. 

This last bit of advice is something that I am sure you have all heard before. Treat yourself! I find that it’s the little things in life that make me happy, and certain fall traditions keep me feeling positive and rejuvenated all year round. These are the treats I frequently use, but don’t feel limited by this short list. Really, the options are endless with this one.

1. Scented Candles

Lighting a scented candle after a long day may seem mundane, but let me tell you; it is truly a delight. My apartment fills with the sweet scent of synthetic cupcakes, and all of a sudden I am in pure ecstasy. Try it yourself and see what I mean.

2. Exfoliating Face Masks

Try using a face mask once a week to deep clean your pores. Not only will this exfoliate your skin, but it will become a relaxing ritual to look forward to and enjoy.  

3. Drinking a Warm Beverage

Chai tea, green tea, whatever tea—they all comfort me during the chillier seasons. Add a little vanilla creamer to cup of chai, or squeeze some honey in a glass of green.  It’ll make this treat extra special and even more delicious.  

This concludes my crash course on how to feel good in fall and stay warm in winter.  Good luck tackling these next few months, and hopefully my tips will aid on your success!

See more from Alexandra at Spur of the Moments

I am so excited to be stopping by this week from IHeart Organizing! As a gal, I am a huuuge fan of hair products. Hair dryer, curling iron, flat iron, oh my. Not to mention all of the super fabulous bobby pins, hair ties, flower clips and headbands that decorate my locks on a daily basis. Love it all. But what I don’t love, is that without any storage or systems in place, all of those hair goodies can quickly take over the entire bathroom. Jumbled cords and accessories strewn about the counter can happen in a flash and pretty soon I am left wondering where my toothbrush is. Not cool.

I have done a lot of inspiration searching and I am really excited to stop by today to share some of my favorite ways to keep all of those hair supplies under control, allowing the bathroom to remain nice and tidy happy place.

When it comes to hair supplies, utilizing the insides of drawers is one of the best ways to neatly tuck away those cords and supplies, yet also giving you quick and easy access.

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If you don’t have the luxury of built in drawer storage {and it would be a total luxury}, then another great option is to utilize the inside of a cabinet door.  

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Many online organizing sites carry over the door organizers, which make a solid solution to wrangling countertop clutter.  

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No drawer or cabinet space? How about an organizer that neatly hooks onto a towel bar?

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Or sits on the counter/vanity top?

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If you have the DIY gene, or know someone that does, a few PVC pipes cut to size is a quick, easy and inexpensive solution to corralling those hair care items.

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And if you a really ambitious and want to move up on the DIY scale, how incredible is this storage bench/towel holder option? It gives me happy butterflies!

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So many great ideas! But what about those itty bits; hair ties, bobby pins and clips?

I personally love to use small dishes found at thrift stores to wrangle the different sized hair accessories:

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And since I am always a fan a using everyday items from around the home for organizing, how about a muffin pan?

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Or a pretty paper covered tin container or a photo frame adorned with ribbon?

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Of course, there are great items available on the market for purchase as well, acrylic is always a great way to go since you can always get a quick visual of the contents.

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Or how about some magnetic spice tins, which can be placed within a medicine cabinet!  Simply charming yet practical!

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Speaking of magnets, did you know they actually make magnetic bobby pin holders? Never loose those itty bitties again, so fabulous!

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I am over the moon for the new Remington organizing products! Drawer dividers to keep everything separate and simple to find, and a wall mount storage board which is the perfect solution to display and store hundreds or accessories in one place!  

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Whether you love to DIY, thrift or shop, there are a variety of great solutions to wrangle and conceal your favorite hair care items! Say goodbye to countertop clutter and hello to delightful mornings!

Happy organizing!  

Jen

It's that time of the year again when everyone goes back to school and is left with that lingering question…how do I get ready to make an impression on the first day? Hopefully my video will give you some tips on a few simple updates that can change your look just in time for back to school.

See more from Hayley at youtube.com/hayleyistcb

Well well well. Welcome back! I am so glad that you have made it to part 2 of the "How to Shop at a thrift store" series. Today, we are getting to the fun stuff. Today, we talk about the PROJECTS and TRANSFORMATION . Oh yea...

Now, in the world of clothing and accessory shopping, it is a little bit easier. The main thing to think about is spending TIME looking for the right things. Knowing which sections to hit (clutches, belts, scarves, jackets, vests). The areas where you can COMPLETE an outfit, but they may not fin the WHOLE outfit. 

For example, check this outfit out.
 

Guess what I thrifted here? This sweet vest. I wear it ALL the time. Just ask my friends. So this vest has COMPLETED so many outfits for me, even though it is not the WHOLE outfit.

Now check this outfit out:

What do you think I thrifted here? OK, I’ll tell you. It’s the belt and the shoes! The shoes were an AMAZING find, because I’m pretty sure they are this season’s at Target! Haha. Some people just give up so quickly… needless to say, these two accessories have COMPLETED a zillion outfits of mine, though they are not the WHOLE outfit.

You get my drift here?

Quick Sidenote: Every now and then it is absolutely possible to find an amazing vintage dress at the thrift store, so don’t give up looking for the WHOLE or COMPLETE outfit (I still do a quick walk through of the dress section every time I go), but don’t make that your only goal.

OK, moving on.

In the world of accessorizing your home, things get a bit more sticky.

The main tip I will give you, before we dive into the meat and potatoes, is to keep an open mind. If you have "fabric" on your list to find, and you have a certain project in mind, keep your eyes open to a pattern or color scheme that you weren't planning on, or didn't know you even liked! You may surprise yourself. If you are looking for certain glassware, or certain color frames, don't back yourself into a wall. There is always spray paint people! And if you have never ever shopped at a thrift store and you don't know where to start... That is awesome. I am glad you're here. And remember to keep an open mind.

So without further ado, here are some projects that I have worked on, where the raw beginnings all happened to come from a thrift store!

We’ll start with the small stuff.

These guys were collected from thrift stores over the course of seriously, SERIOUSLY years. I didn’t know what I was collecting them for, until I found that amazing set of tiny antlers at an antique store… And then it all came together. BAM. One of my favorite projects to date. High gloss spray paint and a few nails, and it is one of the projects in my house that gets the most compliments!

Next up are these vintage silver and teacup candles.

I went through a phase where I made candles for every occasion. I put them all over my house. I gave them out as gifts. I fell in love with them. So I would pick up little cups and glasses every time I went thrifting (one time I even snagged a fish bowl), and then would fill them up with wax and a wick. They are such an amazing and useful gift.

Next up is the furniture. Dun dun dun…

Just recently, I found this awesome old drink cart at a thrift store near my house. It was rusty and had some badly stained glass.

But now, after some spray paint, goo gone, and TLC, it sits in the back room of my house, and makes me feel super fancy. 

I also picked up this desk (which is actually an old sewing table that no longer had a sewing machine in it) for $25 at a Goodwill. I painted it canary yellow and antiqued it with some glaze and BAM. It is one of my favorite furniture re-dos to date!

Lastly, there are some things that you may purchase just because you love them the way they are.

These green glasses were the perfect addition to my drink cart, just the way they are.  And the blue mason jars are still sitting on my kitchen counter, with nothing in them yet, just because I think they are the prettiest shade of blue. And I won’t spray paint them or change them ever. At least I don’t plan to right now :)

And that’s all folks!

It has been really wonderful to be here and share my thoughts on how to prep and execute the best thrift store shopping experience ever. I hope you learned something! To continue following along on my thrift store adventures, please feel free to drop by WWW.THRIFTARY.COM and check out some of these projects in detail, and more!

TTFN,

Well hello there! I am so so SO excited to be here today at Remington Ready, to chat with you about my top secret tips and tricks for making your thrift store shopping experience, the absolute best! Over at Thriftary, I often talk about my insane passion for finding something out of nothing. So needless to say, this is quite an honor.

I have broken the secret world of successful thrifting into a two part series. We will cover the ever-so-important preparation phase today, and then next time, we'll brain storm some amazing projects, all inspired by some really common thrift store finds.

Here is an awkward and embarrassing introduction to today's topic. This is also video proof that I am SO much better in writing.

I wasn't lying. There is one huge part of thrift store shopping that I think most people unfortunately forget. And that is what I am going to focus on today. The preparation.

If you are like me, preparation may not be your thing. I like to get inspired and then puruse a project all within the same 15 minute time period. I then love to execute a project as fast as I can, because I get SO PUMPED about seeing the final product. BUT. HOWEVER. In the world of thrift store shopping, preparation is KEY in order to have successful trips.

Here are a few practical ways that you can focus on prepping for your thrift store shopping days:

MAKE A LIST
Seriously. Not just in your head. Keep a list on the fridge. Keep a list in your planner. Write it on your hand for crying out loud! But please, right it down. As you walk around the house, as you clean up your kids room, as you brush your teeth in the bathroom. Any moment those thoughts hit you, like "Man, this  blank wall really could use a photo gallery" or "Gosh I wish I had a cuter dish to put this soap in" ... Write it down! This step will not only ensure that you don't forget the things you need when heading to the thrift store, but it will help you not leave with a buggy full of stuff that you will eventually give back to the thrift store, because you didn't even need it in the first place!

Here is an example of what my list looks like today:

 - Liquor Decanter (Maybe rocks glasses too?)
 - Mason Jars (bathroom, toothbrushes)
 - Fabric (curtains for office)
 - Luggage (good suitcase?)
 - Bike Basket
 - Mirror with orange frame? (acid wash)
 - desk for Burley?

So not only do I list out the items that I am looking for, I make sure that I note what I originally intended it for. Otherwise. I seriously... would just forget all of it. Not proud. Just telling the truth.

When you are specifically looking for clothes, it is most important to ensure that you check the hot spots of any thrift store. My list goes like this:

 - Accessories (Purses/Clutches), Scarves, belts
 - Shoes
 - Dresses (nothing current, usually only looking for vintage)
 - Coats/Vests
 - Skirts

Those are the areas that I find the most luck, in that order. It is important to look for pieces that will work well with OTHER items you already own. That's when you have the most success in the clothing arena of the thrift store. We will talk more about this next time as well.

KNOW THE DATES
Every thrift store (at least that I have ever frequented) has a specific day each week that they restock most of their product. They will also rotate out old product to keep frequenters like us, happy. KNOW THOSE DATES. If you hit your local thrift store on these dates, you will be more likely to have the pick of the litter. Just give them a call and ask when they normally restock.

MAKE IT FUN - BRING A DATE
So, not that I think that a thrift store shopping spree would be a great idea for a first date (unless you are dating a superhero... don't let that one out of your sight!), but you SHOULD commit to making your thrift strore trip a blast. I am not normally an "I love to shop with my friends" girl, but the thrift store is different. You have to be dedicated to shopping and searching a LOT. You have to be willing stay out for a while, taking time to search for treasures. This is SO much more fun when you have a buddy by your side. So plan ahead, invite your friend, grab an ice coffee to go, and enjoy your day. Trust me. It is so much better this way.

TAKE YOUR TIME
This is super important. I know I say that a lot. But it is a lot true! Thrift store shopping takes time. Don't give up. You have to pass by 1 million pieces of trash before you find your 1millionthand1 treasure. This takes planning ahead to have a good chunk of your day to browse, take a lunch break, browse again, take a coffee break, and browse again.

I hope you find this helpful. I PROMISE that if you follow these tips, you will not only leave the thrift store with EXACTLY what you need, but you will have a blast doing it, and you will get home a carload of things that you actually have intentions for. I promise. I promise.

Make sure you tune in for the next part of the series, where I will share some AMAZING transformation ideas for all of the goodies you find while you are out!

TTFN,

From BBQs to pool parties, fireworks to—oh yeah, our nations independence--there is so much to celebrate this Fourth of July. 

Now, just to get it out of the way—can we all agree that the 4th of July being on a Wednesday is not the most ideal situation? That, of course, doesn’t take away all the fun. Even though we have to go to work the next day, it simply means we have to have THAT MUCH more fun looking fabulous so we can tell our friends about it at work the next day.

So whether you’re spending the day grilling at the BBQ or chilling by the pool, here are some fun ways to show your American spirit and celebrate the holiday in style
(and really, lets be honest—I love summer, and I love holidays—any excuse to dress in theme and I’m already there.)

While wearing the patriotic red, white and blue isn’t completely mandatory for 4th of July celebration, I definitely believe in throwing in a few small touches of all three colors into your ensemble.. because really—what other time of the year can you wear all three colors and not look like you’re wearing a costume?

To take the guesswork out of figuring out what to wear, I’ve put together three different style options that will work depending on what your plans are for the day. As always, feel free to mix and match elements of each to find your perfect outfit.

1) BBQ Champion -This outfit perfect for a hot summer BBQ. Pair a blue check or plaid top (farfetch.com) with some (all-American) denim shorts (hm.com) for a laid back chic. Pair it with some cute red accessories like these red converse (converse.com) and red shades (alexandchloe.com) and you’re ready for that watermelon, corn on the cob and owning the three-legged race.

2) Everybody in the pool - Ah, the pool party. If there were any place I’d want to be this 4th, it would definitely be by the pool. Be pool ready with a striped bikini paired with some red denim shorts (aritzia.com) and a chic beach tote (tommy.com) and a pair of cute wedge sandals. You could also opt for a chic cover-up, and of course don’t forget the hat and sunscreen.

3) Firework Fab – Be a firework in a cute simple navy dress (forever21.com) that’s perfect for a hot summer night of fun. Pair it with some simple t-strap sandals (editnewyork.com) and this adorable navy blue wrap bracelet with gold detailing (jcrew.com). Finish of the outfit with a pop of red, like this red chain strap clutch (stylebop.com).

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