Confessional Friday: Link-Up

It's Friday - let's confess.

1. I haven't had a Starbucks beverage in two weeks. That's right, y'all...fourteen days. #BeatingtheLatteAddiction.

2. I renewed my driver's license and actually don't hate the pic this time. Maybe my new married last name gave me better DMV photography luck? : )

3. We're about to start reading Game of Thrones. Nerd alert, code red.

Up next Renaissance fairs and Star Trek conventions.

4. A Blonde Ambition will be getting a makeover this summer. She's turning three years old in July, so I thought a face lift would be totally appropriate. Now, to find a good and affordable designer...

5. I'm not fond of the midi skirt. I've taken a new liking to the maxi (as we discussed yesterday) and have always been a fan of the mini. But midi...eh?

I feel like as a fashion-ish blogger, I'm supposed to like strange trends like this...but alas, you can't force a trend upon yourself. 

6. Get ready for a fun, little contest on A Blonde Ambition's Facebook page next week. Style and photograph your perfect summer outfit and get ready to enter...there will be a fabulous prize. I'm not sure what yet, but rest assured...fabulous it will be.

Confess, y'all!

Be blessed, lovelies-

To the Max(i)

I must admit, I used to be a maxi dress/skirt hater. I was serving up Haterade left and right to that poor style. It was unwarranted and I would like to offer my sincere apologies to the Maxi.

I really think the early styles of the maxi dresses that emerged in 2009-ish were more moo-moo than hot-mama. So that, in turn, may be why I had an aversion to the maxi.

But oh how the tides have changed. Suddenly, I'm adoring lengthy skirts and feel the urge to purchase oodles of them for summer. I've also noticed that certain styles and prints of the maxi can be uber-flattering on practically any body shape.

Here are a few of my current favs that I've seen whilst' online shopping browsing.

Maxi Skirt in High Low Skirt /  Finders Keepers Let Love Down Maxi Dress

Ella Moss Striped Maxi Dress /  Ark & Co. Colorblock Maxi Dress

Hive & Honey Pleat Maxi Skirt /  Lanston Hi Lo Maxi Skirt

I'm all about the maxi skirt/dress now. Apparently, I've had a maxi-piphany.

Will you sport a maxi style this summer?

Be blessed, lovelies-

A Little (Pep)lum to Your Step

Elements for opening collage from Style.com

Ok. So. Peplum is apparently back in style this spring/summer, so I felt the urgent need to make sure you fair friends of mine are aware.

To me, peplum is one of those styles/cuts that comes and goes in circles, appearing for a season, then disappearing for a while until someone forgets it was once in style. Then said person says, "Hey, I've got a brilliant idea! I'll bring peplum back. No one will expect that."

Gotta admit, I didn't see this one coming.

via Style.com

So to said trend-making designers out there who decided to catch us off guard with your flouncy ways...I commend you.

I feel like I can't give much advice on wearing/styling this particular trend, simply because I haven't tried it out yet. But I SO plan to give peplum a fair shot.

Diplomacy and equality in fashion. That's what we're all about here at A Blonde Ambition, folks. Any or all of these seem the most wearable to me:

Get it here.

Found here.

Get it here.

Buy it while it's hot!

I plan to try peplum pieces out with caution...kind of like I did with colored jeans, (which, as you know, I'm now hooked.) What do you think? Is this a trend you'll be trying or will you leave it to the girls on the catwalks?

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P.S.- Got to see our niece and nephew that belong to my SIL Sarah this weekend. Ava and I were proud to rock our spring appropriate yellow shirts together : )

We also had a nail painting party. She did mine. I did hers. Win-win for both of us. We also talked about hair poofing and boys and how Aunt Leslie has to approve before she's allowed to date said boy.

Our baby nephew Reed enjoyed his evening in his car seat at Abuelo's. He's such a good-natured baby!

Finally, have I mentioned how much I love this man? His name is Stephen. We are married. I am lucky.

Be blessed, lovelies-

Confessional Friday: {Link-Up}

You knew it was comin'...Confessional Friday.  Let's hear those confessions.

1) We ordered the Pizza Hut Big Box for the FOURTH week in a row last night. Yes, you read that correctly, friends. We are fans. To make myself feel less guilty, I feel the need to tell you that we only ordered it once per week, of those four weeks. #ValidatingPoorFoodChoices

2) I am beside myself excited to take some pics in my new RubyMac Dress from McAuley's Boutique on Saturday. With Kelly Cooper doing hair and the fab Maliah Pinkleton snapping her camera, I think it shall be one fine day. I may or may not have practiced "smizing" in the mirror. If you don't know how to "smize", check this out.

Smiling with your eyes= Smizing

3) I'm just dying over all the cute spring/summer clothes at our local boutiques, y'all. Lawdy mercy! Mason's has gotten themselves some caaaaaaa-uuuuuute inventory this spring! Please note:

4) And while we're at it, we must mention Maude and this amazing shirt they have in stock. Definitely my favorite top of the moment. Wowza! I need it. Want it. Will probably buy it.

5) Suddenly I'm realizing that this post has nothing to do with confessing and everything to do with shopping. And that, my friends, is the story of my life.

6) Let's keep going, shall we?

7) Cute, blue sandals. From Nordstrom. I confess, I want them, too.

8) I confess, I do not want this dress. Why? Because I bought it. Tobi has amazing stuff for way, way cheap. It's a win-win, IMO.

And these have been your Confessions of a Shopaholic. 

Except for the part about the Pizza Hut Big Box. That's just a confession.

Be blessed, lovelies-

Thursdays are for...Being Random

Because we talked about hats yesterday...and I thought this was cute.

Because we haven't had one of these in a while...I present to you, fair readers...Random Thursday Ramblings.

1) I have no appetite this time of year! Like, nothing sounds good. I also have no motivation to cook, whatsoever. I feel like we cook the same things over and over again and, although I want to change up our culinary repertoire, all I'm craving lately are salads...and the hubs is a meat and potato kind of guy.

How will we overcome? (Lamenting...it's what we do at A Blonde Ambition.)

2) Peyton Manning is going to the Broncos. Timmy's going to the Jets (maybe??) The Saints coaches are being suspended. Good heavens, what the hoodle is going on with professional football right now? I just want college football back. Great plays, more action, legit love of the game from the players, less drama...I miss it.

That is all.

3) Every stinkin' thing I ordered from V.S. (see my Monday post) was too big, too long or both. So I will return said items and try again. Never give up on clothing, ladies. Eventually, the heavens will open, the sun will shine down and your Kate Flare Pants in Coconut Milk White will fit like a glove.

4) I'm having a photoshoot with the amazing-pants Maliah Pinkleton on Saturday to showcase some clothing on here from McAuley's. I can't wait to show y'all the pics, because I know she'll do a fab job. We're going for big, 60's-inspired hair, major false eyelashes and...there will be balloons involved.

Hmmmm....curious yet? : )

5) I have had NO time to work on NWA Supper Club stuff this week. I apologize. Heck, I can't even prepare supper for my own husband and I, much less plan anyone else's dinner.

This will happen though. Pinky swear. At least before Thanksgiving. That's an attainable goal date, right?


Okay, what'cha got for me? I want to hear your randomness today!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Hats Off

via Pinterest

Well, actually hats on. Definitely, definitely on.

Floppy hats, cloche hats and straw fedoras are major this spring and summer. I plan to buy one of each kind and wear the mess out of 'em...and this is coming from a baseball-cap-only girl.

1//2//3//4//5

The gorgeous lids that we're seeing this season are so chic and so cheap - that is, if you know where to buy them! Stores like Forever 21 and even Payless are stocking some presh hats right now, so be sure to partake while the gettin's good.

Blake and Cammie...gorgeous, with or without the hats. (But the hats are adorbs, no?)

I can wait to sport a fabulous floppy hat a 'la  Brigitte Bardot this spring and summer! How about y'all?

Be blessed, lovelies-

Work It

via Girl Meets City

I get emails almost every week inquiring about where to buy stylish and trendy work attire on a "working girl's" budget. Deciding on what to wear honestly depends on the industry in which one works, but for those of us who reside in a corporate setting, it's all about fit and durability.

You'll want to keep in mind that classic pieces like blazers and great fitting trousers will serve you miles longer than cheapo-depot boxy dresses and Lycra-blend slacks.

Sometimes, I like to put together Lookbooks, which are binders with pics that I carry with me when I go shopping. I can easily look to the Lookbook and remember what kind of look I want to replicate and what pieces I'll need to achieve it.

I'm in the process of creating a board on Pinterest for work-appropriate pieces that I can turn to when I go shopping. In the meantime, here are some tips to keep in mind when buying key pieces for career-wear:

One more thing before I go...I wanted to share a website with y'all that a sweet reader named Allison shared with me! It's called Corporette and I love it!

There's also a complete list of other great fashion blogs for the career gal, written by Forbes here.

Be blessed, lovelies-

What Happened This Weekend

...was not very exciting.

Okay, so yeah. I'm not a big March Madness fan. Probably stems from not being a big basketball fan, (though this has not yet been scientifically proven.) Plus, our poor AR team can't seem to win a game unless it's in Bud Walton Arena. So what did I do all weekend?

Non-basketball watching activities.

Such as...

1) Friday night, we watched the CMT reality show, Sweet Home Alabama and chowed down on some pizza whilst doing so. Pretty good night, in my opinion.

2) I got my hair highlighted with a "spritzing" of low-lights. Whatever my girl Jennifer does, she does it well. I lurve my hairstylist y'all. Simply love her.

3) I made a Facebook page for my blog! Yes ma'am, I did.

4) We went to early church. Early church starts at 8:30 a.m. And that seems MIGHTY early to us on the weekends. Don't get me wrong, we're regulars at the 11:00 service, but something inside our souls wanted to be hardcore yesterday. Usually, I'd say getting anywhere on a weekend morning before 10:00 a.m. would be impossible...

But bless our little Methodist hearts, we somehow made it out the door and into the chapel by the opening chords of How Great Thou Art.


6) Stephen reorganized our entire kitchen and the contents of our cabinets while I was getting my hair done, which thrilled me to no end! We went to Target Sunday afternoon and bought some really nifty little storage containers for when we tackle the bathroom next weekend : )

7)  I ordered a really cute top and some chic white pants from V.S., and another pair in a pretty sand color - all for work.

Kate Flare Pant in Coconut Milk, Silk Henley in Yellow, Christie Flare Pant in Sand

8) Okay, so my mom and dad left Friday for a ski trip. Most of the other women in the group prefer the
au naturel look and steer clear of cosmetics, (which is completely OKAY if you aren't into it, so please don't send me hate mail...to each her own.) But my mama and I, well, we believe in make-up.

This was a text excerpt of ours. I am totally my mother's daughter, y'all.

Lacy was my maiden name. Fun fact of the day, I suppose.

I hope you all had just as fantastic a weekend as we did! See y'all tomorrow : )

Be blessed, lovelies-

We're on Facebook!

via Kate Spade

Hey girlies! Just letting you all know that I FINALLY set up a Facebook page for le blog. You can check it out and "Like" it, if you fancy.

Have a great Saturday evening!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Meet Simone France - The New "It" Girl

Okay. Little secret I've been keeping for the past two weeks...about my face. It's true,  I have been withholding some verrrry important skincare information from you girls, which I've been bursting to tell y'all about.

My secret's name is Simone France and she is my new best friend.

I know y'all don't see me everyday or in real life, but trust me when I say, Simone France has changed my complexion dramatically.

I was recently contacted by sweet Kate from Simone France to see if I was interested in testing out some of the SF products. After checking out their website and reading up on the product line, it took me approximately two seconds to reply back with an enthusiastic, "yes!"

My loot...pretty amazing, huh?

Because we all love a good fun fact, here are a couple:

• Simone France is the renowned French-born skin care expert whose healing hands and top-of-the-line products have cared for some of the world's most beautiful faces. She built a cult-like following while giving facials to Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Iman, Elle MacPherson and thousands of other women.

• Renowned hairstylists and make up artists such as famed make-up maven Laura Mercier, Francois Nars (founder of NARS) and Sue Devitt, also on Simone France's client roster, regularly recommend her to their clients for the best in skincare products.

The first step in getting me set up with the right products was the diagnosis.

I was given a complete skin analysis (as all Simone France customers are given) before the products were sent, as Simone France works to target each individual skin type based on specific skincare needs. My skin is incredibly dry lately and a little lackluster. I really just wanted that dewy, Hollywood 'glow', so SF recommended:

-Rich Milk (a gentle cleanser)

-Gentle Toner

-Refining Scrub

-Soap (sounds funny, but this basic, cleansing bar has honestly been my favorite product!)

-French Formula Moisturizer (for whipping my skin back into baby-soft condition.)

-Disposable Cleansing Cloths (strangely addictive...makes your skin feel cleaner than a wash cloth.)

So with all of these products, I thought I'd be a little overwhelmed. However, enclosed in the box of goodies was a handy-dandy pamphlet that outlined specific instructions for both Day and Night cleansing rituals.

The most integral part of Simone France is The Sandwich®. Yep, you read that correctly, The Sandwich®. In their own words, Simone France says:

The Sandwich® is a unique combination of moisturizer, scrub and soap, each specifically formulated to work together in an unusual way, along with disposable cleansing cloths that are positively addicting. Don't worry about using soap - the special Sandwich® method allows you to get the cleansing benefits of soap with absolutely none of the dryness.

Here are just some of the reviews from famous sources in the skincare/cosmetics biz:

"The Simone France Sandwich® is the Fountain of Youth."- Amy Astley, Editor, Teen Vogue Magazine

"Simone's skincare is the best!"- Laura Mercier, Make-up Artist to Madonna

"Everyone comments on how youthful my skin looks, and I owe a lot of that to Simone's products" - Sue Devitt, celebrity make-up artist whose work has graced the runways of  Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Alberta Feretti, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta and Marc Jacobs.

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The Verdict:

The snapshot above was taken yesterday afternoon with my iPhone, (because I wanted y'all to get a real, non-Photoshopped-to-heck-and-back glimpse of what my skin looks like), embodies how I feel about this product line. I think the Simone France regime has made my eyes look brighter and even decreased my crow's feet lines around my eyes, in addition to just evening out my overall skin tone!

I've already put a reminder in my phone to re-order in 8 weeks (about the time I should be getting low.) I refuse to go back to my old regime.

So yeah, consider me a Simone France girl. And you, my dear friends, should be, too.

Use Promo Code FT108 to receive 10% off your entire first purchase, exclusive to A Blonde Ambition readers!


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P.S.- Please go read this post on my SIL Sarah's blog about Friendship. It's beautifully written and very eloquently says how I believe we all feel sometimes. Sarah is a beautiful person, inside and out, and has been one of my rocks throughout the past few weeks. Do yourself a favor and get to know my sweet sistah!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Well, It's Thursday...

I wish I had a profound topic for today, but alas, I do not. (As if that wasn't evident from the very title of this post.) Instead, let's talk randomness. What say you?

1. MAJOR giveaway news! One of my fabulous blog sponsors, Jenna Logan, is giving away a pair of stunning earrings, valued at....you ready for this? $499. Yes. That would be Four Hundred and Ninety-Nine American Dollars. Please do yourself a favor and clickety-click here or on the banner and enter to win. Because if you don't, you're just silly.

Fret not if you don't win though, because Jenna Logan has tons of other equally amazing items for rental and/or purchase, like the uber-trendy, geometric Bold Triangle Hoop Earring.

I'm loving the concept behind this site and I think you will, too. Check Jenna out!


2. I'm finally getting a chance to nail down the details of the NWA Supper Club project. So far, I've gotten about 50 entries, so I have a feeling we'll have to break it down in to smaller groups. Stay tuned though, if you've sent me an email inquiring to join. I've got all of your names and will be in contact very shortly with a plan!

3. I finally finished The Hunger Games book and loved it! I can't wait to see the movie now and see how it stacks up to the written version. Any NWA girls wanna go on a movie date? Haha! (Except I'm being totally serious. Hit me up...we'll go.)

4. I need a heart-healthy but tasty recipe for dinner tonight. Any ideas? If so, shoot me an email: askblondeambition@gmail.com

5. I can drive again!! Guess where I'm going today?

6. Starbucks. Duh.

7. I'm slightly obsessed with these shoes. Woah, mama. I need them. I saw a pic of actress Elizabeth Banks in the latest issue of Women's Health magazine and went looking for her shoes. I think the Sam Edelman version is semi-ish close, maybe?

8. And this. Good Lord, I'm going to need to purchase this necklace as soon as she's back in stock. Y'all better not buy her before I do ; )

No Confessional Friday tomorrow, because I've got my own beauty confession to tell y'all about! It's something that has literally changed the way I approach skin care...and I think it will do the same for you : )

Be blessed, lovelies-