Quick and Easy Costume Ideas

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So, I think at one point, I was a fan of Halloween. Obviously, as a child, I loved it and then in college, I lived for it because there were so many parties and friends would all get together in groups and dress up! 

But being an adult without children or nieces/nephews, I don't find it as fun and exciting. I love the fall season... it's my favorite time of year, but the actual night of Halloween? Yawn. I don't get Trick or Treaters either, so I think that is what makes me have a Grinch-ish attitude. 

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This year, I'm going to a Halloween party. It's one where you must dress up! I went to it last year (literally at a moment's notice) and ended up being a really lame 'biker chick' with whatever leather things I could find in my closet. But this year, I've had weeks to 'plan'. 

So what am I being you ask?! I am going to be Madeline Martha Mackenzie from Big Little Lies.... aka the blonde version of Audrey Hepburn. First of all, if you haven't seen Big Little Lies (HBO), you MUST. It is so incredibly good. 

Anyway, Reese Witherspoon's character dresses up as Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's. I've always had this costume in the back of my mind, but always nix it because I'm blonde and Audrey is a brunette. But now that Reese has done it, I can just be her character. Woo! 

One of the reasons I chose to wear this costume this year, is because it is SO easy and budget-friendly. I also find it to be comfortable. You can make it as 'revealing' or not revealing as you wish.

So here's what I am wearing:
- A white men's tux shirt
- Compression shorts for under the shirt
- A Holly Golightly inspired sleep mask
- Tassel Earrings 

A few things about the items I ordered... I got a men's large for the tuxedo shirt because I wanted to make sure it would be as long as possible... if it looks absolutely huge on me, I'll take it to the tailor (if time permits). My backup for the tuxedo shirt is this nightgown that I have and love. Not really a tuxedo shirt at all, but it will do in a pinch if necessary. The little shorts I got are nude and won't be seen through the white shirt. In my opinion, they're necessary. The reviews all say to size up, so I ordered a medium. The sleep mask is beautiful and there were others I wanted to order, however, most of the 'best' ones were coming from another country and I was worried it wouldn't arrive in time. And lastly, I have a bunch of these tassel earrings all in different colors. Not sure which color I will wear, but they're perfect for the occasion, aren't they?

So there you have it: my Madeline Martha Mackenzie version of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. If you are dressing up for a Halloween party, what will you be? Any other great quick/easy/inexpensive costume ideas?!

Here are some of my go-to costumes when in a pinch:
Greek Goddess// Throw on a sheet and a bunch of gold jewelry.
Tennis Pro// Throw on your tennis whites, add a sweatband and a cable knit sweater over your shoulders, bonus points if you actually carry your racquet.
Biker Chick// I didn't like this, but it was easy. Throw on a leather skirt, jacket, and tie a bandana around your head.
Ballerina// A leotard, skirt, tights, and ballet flats and you are set.
Tom Cruise in Risky Business// All you need is a men's shirt, high socks, and Wayfarer sunglasses
Cowgirl// Grab a plaid shirt, jean shorts, cowboy boots, and put your hair in pigtail braids.
Housewife// Throw on a retro-style fit and flare floral dress, a frilly apron, pearls, and heels and you're set.

Saturday Shopping 10/21/2017

Right now I am in Charlotte, North Carolina with my parents! We are visiting my younger sister, Callie. It's also my mom's birthday, so we are having lots of fun celebrating with her! I would love for you to follow along on Instagram/Instastories! I'm also taking over The Ivey's Instagram, which is so exciting, so be sure to head over to check that out, too! This boutique hotel is SO cool, I can't wait to share with all of you next week!

I wanted to share a photo of my best friend, Mac. I took him to the groomer on Thursday and this is right after his appointment. He looks so handsome, doesn't he?! For being 15 years old, he cleans up pretty well!! I hate taking him to the groomer because he HATES it. The look he gives me when I drop him off makes me feel so incredibly sad. But when I pick him up, he gets so excited.

Can you guys believe that there is only one full week of October left? I feel like it's still summer! Where has the time gone? Right now I am gearing up for all of the holiday content. I'd love to know what you would like to see during the holidays. I have a bunch of gift guides (and more!) up my sleeve but if there is anything, in particular, you are looking for, let me know via the comments, e-mail at SummerWind41490@gmail.com... or....

You can leave a quick blurb in this Google survey that's completely anonymous (reminder to please be kind)! There is an option to leave your e-mail to be entered to win (1) $50 Visa gift card just as a thank you for taking the time to fill out the survey. I love hearing from you and you guys have already been so amazing with filling this out (I shared on Twitter and Instastories).

Now onto this week's favorites and some great sales going on right now. Scroll through the widget above to see my favorites and scroll down below to check out some of the amazing sales going on this weekend.

MAJOR SALE
My absolute favorite retailer, Tuckernuck, is having a 20% off (sitewide) sale through Sunday! Use code OMG20 at checkout (the only exception is Barbour). Tuckernuck doesn't do sales too often, so it's big when they do! My top picks that you want to take advantage of:

Cashmere Travel Wrap// My FAVORITE thing of all time is included. It comes in black, gray, cream, and navy. They are a splurge even with the sale code, but they're the absolute best. We got my mom the black for her birthday (which is today!!).

Striped Button Down// I don't need another button down... but do I? This one is brilliant in that it has a hidden placket at the buttons, so there is no gaping at the chest! It's also under $100.

Cap-Toe Slingbacks// A near copy of the super popular Chanel shoes. I wear these ALL the time. They're just enough heel to lengthen your leg a bit but are very comfortable. Perfect for casual or dressier outfits. I think they're especially great for the office since they are not open toe, but still something different (and more comfortable) than your typical pump.

Tretorn Sneakers// These are an absolute classic. They never go in or out of style and are just an all-around basic white sneaker (comfortable) for anyone!

Fun Clutch// This is a great, neutral clutch for nights out and perfect for the upcoming holiday season. It's high-quality and roomy, too.

Classic Sweater// This is such a good sweater at such a good price. I have this and wear it weekly. It's great quality and just something simple and classic you can reach for every single year.

Black Tie Dress// This navy frock is stunning. If you have a formal event coming up, this is a gorgeous option and with the discount, it comes down to a nice price, too!

Lace Blouse// This is something that I have been wearing so much lately. It's a splurge, and also out of my comfort zone, but I get compliments on it every single time I wear it!

Cashmere Crewneck Sweater// This is another closet staple! I wear my cashmere crewnecks 9 out of the 12 months of the year. They are the best.

Another Sale!
Tory Burch's annual Private Sale is going on now. You can get up to 70% off. There are SO many good pieces and the prices are really low compared to full-price.

Athleisure

Did you guys see the Kule x Bandier collection? I LOVE Kule. If you are not familiar with the brand, they focus on high-quality pieces in classic cuts. For example, I love their striped shirts (you can see me wearing one, here). The line is a little pricey... similar to Lululemon. I'm most interested in these leggings and this sports bra!

Speaking of leggings, I just got these leggings in this week. I thought my favorites were the High Times (I have 3 pairs), but omg these are THE BEST. They have such a high waist and are full-length but not overly long. They're beyond flattering and comfortable, too. The run true to size; I got my usual size 6. I could not recommend them more!

What you may have missed from this week...
- 28-day skincare challenge
- A casual and a dress outfit
- My Bedroom Reveal
- A new favorite Pittsburgh restaurant, and more!
- A Camel and Black outfit with both pieces under $100

Under $100: Camel and Black Outfit for Fall

Camel Sweater (under $100, also in gray)// Black Jeans

Slingback Shoes// Sunglasses 

Shop the Look:

I can't believe I haven't done a simple outfit post in almost a month! I know a lot of you have been asking for it! It's a tough line between trying to include some non-style content, including both, and doing personal posts... there are only so many days in the week, ha!

Today I'm sharing this really cute and casual black and camel outfit. Both the sweater and the black jeans are under $100 each. Camel and black is one of my absolute favorite combos during the fall and winter months. I find it to be very chic and simple. I have so much black and camel in my winter wardrobe, that it makes it really easy to throw together pieces and mix and match. This is a more casual outfit, but I think it would be a great option for dinner with girlfriends or even a weeknight date!

I have to be real here for a second and talk about some of the 'trends' I am seeing right now. I don't know about you but I'm over the off-the-shoulder and cold-shoulder things. I just don't find them to make any sense as the weather gets cooler. I'm also broad-shouldered, so I think I just personally don't like drawing attention to my shoulders! However, I do love the 'crazy' sleeve trend... but at the same time, I feel like it has gone overboard and I can't find anything without a crazy sleeve!

Which brings me to why I wanted to highlight this camel sweater. I think it combines the 'bell sleeve' trend and 'chunky boyfriend knit' look in a very subtle way. I ordered these pieces from Nordstrom, which, as you all know is one of my favorite retailers.

I wore this outfit on a casual date to Mad Mex (which is a Pittsburgh restaurant) because they now have their famous Gobbleritos. If you haven't had one, you MUST go to Mad Mex and try one immediately. It's basically everything you eat on Thanksgiving stuffed inside a burrito. It's life-changing. But as a disclaimer, you might not want to go on a first date because they're kind of messy and they're huge. So, you want to feel free/comfortable to pig out, hahah! Thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own!

See more of my favorites from Nordstrom, here:

Lately 10/19/2017

What a great week! It was pretty filled, but I was really productive and on top of things. On Monday night, I made a really great spaghetti squash dinner. Tuesday I caught up on This Is Us. On Wednesday I had my meeting for TSA Pre-check, shot some really great content, and had dinner at my cousin's apartment! Tonight, I'm getting together with one of my best friends! We have both been away so it will be so nice to catch up! I'm also excited to catch up on How to Get Away With Murder and pack for my trip to Charlotte.

Pittsburgh-ing: This past weekend, I went to Fire Side Public House in East Liberty. I'm typically very in-the-know when it comes to new restaurants and always want to try them out ASAP. But, Fire Side Public House was one that slipped through my radar. It's a little 'out of the way' in terms of location. Not that it's far away from anything, but it's tucked away behind the East Liberty Target. You can easily forget it exists. But, oh my goodness, the food is so good! I also had the best cocktail I've ever had. It's casual, fairly priced, and the service was good. The only thing that was a bit annoying is that our food came out all at different times. One of my friends was done eating her entire meal well before any of us were served. Granted, we had a table of 10 people, but it's something they need to work on! I'll be back for sure.

Reading: Um...this is definitely dating myself, but does anyone remember Supermarket Sweep?! Callie and I used to watch the episodes in syndication on the Gameshow Network and I was obsessed! So excited to hear they are bringing it back, ha! 

Watching: Freeform's (aka ABC Family) 13 Nights of Halloween starts tonight and I'm so pumped to watch Hocus Pocus. Such a classic. 

Watching II: I just started Riverdale and I am hooked. I had heard so many raving about the show so a while ago, I read the description and thought it didn't seem like something I'd like. Well, I got bored and started it and it really is captivating. It's a teen drama which somewhat reminds me of Gossip Girl but also has a very How To Get Away With Murder type mystery/suspense to it.

Loving: I was sent a bunch of hair products by Wella a few weeks ago. I had never tried the brand before. I'm love trying new products, but when it comes to hair products, I almost always stick to my tried and true favorites. It's hard for a new brand/product to make it into my lineup. WELL... Wella products are SO good. The entire Oil Reflections line is incredible. I have super thick hair that has also been color treated for years. I love products that really moisturize and nourish my hair and the shampoo and conditioner go above and beyond. Another thing that I think is brilliant is that they have two different hair oils. One is their regular oil and then they have a 'light' version. So I use the regular on my wet hair, and if I need some taming when dry, I go for the 'light'. Pretty genius if you ask me. Definitely check out Wella- you will not be sorry! So glad to have found a new line that I absolutely love- it's been a while!! 

Wanting: You all know how much I LOVE pajamas. Well, J.Crew came out with new pajamas and one is the most beautiful shade of pink. Be still my heart!! They also came out with a striped version and it's tipped with red grosgrain. Also obsessed. Andddd they have a shorts version. While I like to lounge in my long pants, I prefer sleeping in shorts. I'll take one pair of each, please! Also, you all know I love Abercrombie. Well, they're killing it again this season! Every time I head to their site, I find so many pieces I love. It's trouble!! Scroll through the above widget to see what I've been loving lately!

Smelling: Spicebomb by Viktor and Rolf for men is a really lovely scent! I just got sooooo many new fragrance samples with a Nordstrom order (seriously like 50 new scents). I am going to slowly go through all of them and let you know which are my favorites in an upcoming post!

Traveling: This weekend I am headed down to Charlotte with my parents to visit Callie and celebrate Mom's birthday! I can't wait! Be sure to follow along on Instastories and Instagram!

Quoting: 'The sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep, and Autumn was awakened.'// See more of my favorites, here.