Tag: working mom

Shop much?

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A year or so ago, I purchased a few items from what used to be SheInside.com.  They have since changed their name to SheIn.com and have also changed a few things about they clothing they sell.  For one, it no longer appears to be sized for 12-year old girls.  At least 12-year old American girls!  Seriously, though.  A few of the pieces I got the first time around were sized incredibly small.  I’m not tall, but these definitely did not appear to be clothes that should be worn by regular-sized women.

Cut to a month ago: I noticed that lots bloggers were wearing SheIn clothing again.  So, I decided to give them another try.  Boy, am I glad I did!  They have on-trend items, which are quite affordably-priced.  Here are a few of the items I got:

http://chicinacademia.com

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Details:  Tunic Dress // Lace Top // Skirt

Every item from SheIn worn in the photos above was less than $20!  The skirt was only $14 if that gives you a sense of the affordability.  The one caveat about shopping on SheIn.com is that you have to be very aware of the sizing when ordering.  Although they have gotten better about catering to American body types, sizing does still vary by item and some items are one-size fits all or may change depending on the cut for the garment.  That said, I was able to stick to small’s and medium’s for the most part.  Note that I am also somewhat vertically challenged, so items like the blue and white tunic dress might fit others more like a tunic top than a tunic dress, haha.  Finally, shipping times can vary from days to 1-2 weeks.  To ease your anxiety, SheIn provides tracking information so you can plan receipt of your package accordingly! 🙂

Otherwise, I say, go wild and fill up your online shopping cart!  It’s a great place to back-to-school shop for teenagers, college students, and even young professionals like myself.  Wait…am I still considered a young professional!?  Gawd, I hope so!  😛

Until next time!  Stay ‘Chic’!

The 10-minute Mani

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One of the biggest obstacles to giving myself regular manicures at home used to be the drying time.  As a working mama, I usually end up doing my nails around 10pm in the evening, not long before I’m ready to pass out and smudge my fresh mani all over my sheets.  Ugh.  So, that was all resolved when I found and tried the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat.

Sally Hansen Insta Dri, http://chicinacademia.comSally Hansen Insta-Dri, ~$4 (Photo: Chic in Academia)

The mani above was done late at night (wearing Revlon’s Vixen), and was dry within 5 minutes of applying polish to my last nail! A total 10-minutes spent doing my nails.  AH-maze-ING.

Another one of my secrets for a successful manicure is the use of a product I would have never imagined using for my mani’s: The Honest Company’s Healing Balm.

Honest Company Healing Balm, http://chicinacademia.comThe Honest Company Healing Balm, ~$12 (Photo: Chic in Academia)

It belongs to my 18-month old, so I usually tote it along with his diapers and wipes.  In the absence of my usual hand lotion one day, I decided to use this instead and noticed that it absorbed really well, wasn’t super greasy, and kept my cuticles super soft!  So, now I use it before cutting my cuticles, and then often to keep my hands soft and non-ashy or dry. 😉

Finally, I can’t end this post without telling you about my two favorite polishes.  I am, by default, a red-polish wearer.  It works well against my olive-toned skin and is simply a classic, timeless color.  My FAVORITE of all-time is the Deborah Lippmann “Lady is a Tramp” pictured below:

Deborah Lippman "Lady is a Tramp", http://chicinacademia.comDeborah Lippmann Nail Polish, $18 (Photo: Chic in Academia)

A second Deborah Lippmann favorite is “It’s Raining Men”. Both great red hues.

Another favorite is a great color all-year round, in my opinion.  I purchased this one pictured below at Gus Mayer in Birmingham, AL last summer, and have loved it since.

Chanel Eastern Light, http://chicinacademia.comChanel “Eastern Light”, $27 (Photo: Chic in Academia)

White or light-colored polishes can be tricky to apply, and can often end up looking streaky on one’s nails.  Or, if too ‘white’, appear like you applied Wite-Out to your nails!  No bueno.  This one goes on smoothly and only requires two coats to look perfect.  The Sally Hansen Insta-Dri also works well over it because it’s a clear top coat.

Now, I realize the polishes I have mentioned are all über expensive.  Mind you, they are not polishes I buy every week.  I *maybe* buy one every year, but will typically put them on gift wish-lists for my birthday and Christmas.  That’s how I received the Deborah Lippmann polish!  My mother-in-law was super thoughtful and bought one for me after reading that it was one of my faves in one of my very first Chic in Academia blog posts.

When I DO purchase frequently, or purchase a color that I’m uncertain of, I stick to Sinful polishes.

Sinful Nail Polish, http://chicinacademia.comSinful Nail Polish, $2 (Photo: Walgreens.com)

At $2 a bottle, you can feel free to try on new colors, without feeling guilty for spending an exorbitant amount on a single bottle.  My favorite red from the Sinful line is “Go Go Girl”.  Simply love it.

Anyhow, don’t you love how deep this post was??!  You must wonder, on occasion (or perhaps always, haha!), why I limit my posts for Chic in Academia to fun and frilly topics.  Well, part of the reason I do is because it’s my form of brain candy.  It’s fun and boosts my endorphins!  Seriously though, I have contemplated writing some ‘academia’ themed posts like “What to look for in a mentor”, “How to maintain work-life balance”, and “Things I learned as a graduate student/postdoc”.  So, if there is enough interest, I will write them and others!  But for now, I will continue to provide you with fun posts like these.  “Let them all [read brain candy]!! 🙂

Until next time!  Stay chic!

Chic’s Weeknight Recipes

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I’ve been in somewhat of a cooking rut lately, so I took to Pinterest to identify recipes that might help inspire me in the kitchen. I know that food isn’t related to fashion, but I’m also a momma, so don’t be surprised if non-fashion-related posts creep into my blog from time to time!  Anywho, I found some recipes I thought would be worth trying, so I wanted to share them with you!!

If you’re like me, there is very little time to experiment with cooking, cook on the fly, or spend more than 30 minutes on a dish during the week.  Also, in my case, the kids are usually starving the minute we walk in the door, so I have little to no time to prepare something before they take to the snack drawer like a bunch of savages!  Here, I’ve identified some recipes that either take very little prep time OR that you can leave cooking in the crock pot and have ready to serve when you walk in the door!  Take a look at some of the ones I found (click on the pics or blog names for actual recipes):

1.  Stuffed Zucchini via Katrina Runs for Food.  This one says it requires 30 minutes of prep time for the stuffing and 30 minutes for the zucchini boats, but I think I will prepare them currently (bake the zucchini while prepping the stuffing) and save 30 minutes.  I’ll try it and keep you posted!

stuffedzucchini2_thumbPhoto: Katrina Runs for Food

2.  Lime and Coconut Chicken via Pinned by Dani – I LOVE cilantro, and although my hubby doesn’t, he might eat this if I use a smaller amount…perhaps.  Maybe??  Anyhow, lime and coconut chicken (add cilantro) with a side of basmati rice sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

lime coconut chickenPhoto: Pinned by Dani

3.  Beef Stir Fry via Fitness Magazine. This one looks pretty easy and tasty!  My boys all love Mexican-inspired food, so this one would likely be a hit.

101697172_wPhoto: Fitness Magazine

4.  Turkey Chili via Skinny Taste.  This one’s claim to fame is that it is kid-friendly, so hopefully my kids will become fans of it as well.  I’ll likely serve with tortilla chips and maybe a dallop of sour cream. Crock pot, here I come!

crock-pot-kid-friendly-turkey-chiliPhoto: SkinnyTaste.com

5.  15-Minute Lasagna via Kevin and Amanda. A 15-minute dish is so necessary in my household, so this will likely be one of the first recipes I will try.  I may also substitute the lasagna noodles for spinach and cheese ravioli’s.  I like to try to find ways to sneak veggies into my dishes, and the boys don’t seem to mind veggies stuffed in ravioli. 🙂

easiest-15-minute-one-pot-skillet-stovetop-lasagna-16Photo: KevinandAmanda.com

I’d love to hear about some of the recipes you depend on to get you through the week.  Feel free to comment below with ideas for me.  I’m in dire need of some recipe revamping!!

Until next time!  Stay Chic!