Archives for August 2020

Three Ways To Wear: Boyfriend Jeans

August 19, 2020 by Jesse at TTT Filed Under: Outfits 3 Comments

I remember when I exclusively wore boot cut jeans. I used to swear up and down, and I quote, “I will NEVER wear skinny jeans”. LOL! Now, skinny jeans are my UNIFORM.

I also said I would never wear colored skinny jeans either and I owned them in every color in 2013. Oh, and once upon a time I would say the same thing about jumpsuits and rompers. So, you know what they say – never say never!

I have seen a lot of women wearing adorable, loose-fitting jeans. “Boyfriend jeans” if you will. Now, every time I try this I don’t feel like it really fits my body type to have pants that have to be made big enough to be loose around my thighs without overtaking the rest of my frame.

I was scrolling on Instagram and a fabulous Canadian gal @cbstyled posted some jeans from Target. Now, I’ve bought my fair share of clothing from Target, but I usually don’t bother shopping for denim. Probably because I know what works for my figure (skinny jeans) and I have a zillion pairs already.

I didn’t go to buy them, but I did a snappy little double take since I had been influenced by an influencer!

You can’t try on clothing right now, so I had to guess my size (fun.) and hope for the best. Lucky for me, I crushed it! And oh my gosh I LOVE these jeans! They are a little more fitted than I had in mind through the leg, but the mid-rise is super flattering.

I’m also a sucker for a destroyed denim – both effortless and stylish. I haven’t been this excited about a staple purchase in a long time and I have been wearing these CONSTANTLY. Honestly, three ways to wear isn’t even close enough to do these justice.

Oh yeah, did I mention they are THIRTY FREAKING DOLLARS?! Click here to make the best purchase ever.

Un-Basic Basic

Some outfits are just made to be accessorized and this is it. A baggy and basic black tee with a front tuck is all you need to lay a foundation for an easy, but eye catching look.

I love wearing heels with distressed denim as we learned with our white tee article. These are no exception. In fact, since they are a lighter wash AND relaxed fit, I like the contrast even more.

Throw on a wide brim hat of your choosing and I promise every other gal at brunch will be envying your style.

Give Me The Blues

Did you ever think ripped jeans could look romantic?! Kevin LOVED this outfit. I think there are a few key things at play. First, the whole look is essentially monochromatic.

Blue has a calming impact that many people are drawn too. Pale blue especially looks great on a tan and feels feminine. I love that I’m using adjectives I would never use to describe the jeans themselves to describe this outfit. That is TRANSFORMATION, PEOPLE!

Slouchy Chic

Honestly, I might stop blogging after this post because I love each outfit even more than the next. How can I possibly love an outfit article more than this one? Ugh. It’s too good.

I got this button down from H&M forever ago and I love the pattern tucked into the front of these jeans. These in particular would look AMAZING with shorter tops since the rise on the waist is higher than most pants.

This laid back look with a structured top and flats helps you look polished, but I can promise you, you’ll be comfy as heck.

Y’all (and I’m from New York and never say that so you know I’m serious). You need these jeans. You will wear them to death in the first week you have them. I am speaking from experience. I never want to take them off and have reached for them constantly since the day I bought them.

The Perfect Gift Idea Under $25

August 14, 2020 by Jesse at TTT Filed Under: Throwin' It Together Leave a Comment

I live for giving a thoughtful gift. Anyone can buy something off a shelf, but because I am ridiculously and probably unhealthily competitive, my goal is to always have the favorite gift in the bunch.

This is not always so easy when you are a hot mess 90% of the time. What do I mean by this? I have great intentions and grand ideas. However, by the time the actual party rolls around I did not plan in advance to get the gift I would have wanted, and in many occasions I forgot the party was even happening until that day. This is a very real problem of mine. So much so that as a real/gag gift one of my girlfriends bought me a Calendar for my birthday.

It is really a miracle that they still let me be their friend after all, so I am really trying!

Anyway, I have the perfect solve for someone just like me who wants to win “gift of the day” but may not have a lot of time or money to make it happen. OR maybe you just want to crush the friend-game with a “just because” gift. Who doesn’t love those!

I actually stole this idea from my friend Liz, who dropped by to give us a gift on our “would-have-been-wedding day” and I was instantly obsessed and now it’s my go-to.

I give you… The perfect gift! I am actually a little sad that I am publishing this because in many ways it means I won’t be able to give it anymore. People will be on to me! Or, someone else from my group will beat me to the punch.

A sentimental photo in a nice frame is a great gift. However, we are not going for great we are going for the BEST. Don’t just print that photo on photo paper, get it printed on canvas! (OOOOOOOOOHHHHHH, AAAAAHHHHHH)

A canvas print in a larger size makes a statement. It can hold it’s on on a wall alone, as part of a gallery or standing on a surface on its own.

I feel like we are in a time where photos live forever digitally and never actually get printed or displayed so this is a great way to celebrate whatever special occasion you are looking for.

It is also inexpensive enough to be a complement to another gift. For example, I had already sent a gift to my friend Courtney for her baby shower. She had just had her maternity photos taken that week so I hustled on the way to the shower to get it printed on canvas.

Beautiful Courtney with her canvas gift!

You may ask, “But, Jesse, how did you manage to do that so quickly?” Well.. I know Walgreens for sure will have this ready same day (so will several other drugstores). Huge on a day you forgot the party was happening. Most of the time they are also offering killer deals. The canvas I got for Courtney was size 11 x 14 and after using it the coupon was less than $25.

Coupon Code: Walgreens CARDGIFTS

For the ultimate ultimate through this together trick, I picked up the canvas on my way to the party so I brought gift wrap, scissors and tape with me and wrapped it in the car to the shower. Would not recommend, but Kevin had to stop for gas on the way so it gave me a 5-minute window to be standing still.

So, next time you pick up that invitation you RSVP’d to three weeks ago and managed to forget about and now the party is tomorrow – I got you! OR, you’re headed over to wine night and want to get an extra thoughtful hostess gift – done! Whatever the reason, this is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

3 Ways To Wear: Poppy Maxi Skirt

August 10, 2020 by Jesse at TTT Filed Under: Outfits Leave a Comment

Remember a few years ago when LuLaRoe came on the scene with its buttery soft leggings and wild patterns? I’ll be honest, it’s been a while since it was on my radar. However, my longtime friend, Christina, has been cheering on the TTT blog since the beginning and reached out to say how happy she was that she felt like all of the current LuLaRoe trends seemed to be right on.

To which I thought to myself, “oh yeah, remember LuLaRoe?”. So I started peeking around and was pretty impressed at what I was seeing. So in the spirit of women supporting women, Christina and I worked out a deal for me to feature one of the new items, the “Poppy” maxi skirt. Like what you see? You can visit her site and use my code for 15% off to snag your own.

Since we are into mid-August, a maxi skirt is a must for transitional wear and it has the uncanny ability to go from boho to elegant in a snap. This skirt is THICK so you can tell it will survive a ton of washes and feels so soft, which, I’m not surprised since comfort is very much their staple.

Maxi Skirt: LuLaRoe $46 ($39 with code Jesse15) For reference, I’m wearing a size XS and have room.

Classy and Fabulous

Losing it over this elegant style. Really any fitted top will do to make this come together, but the long sleeve makes me feel like a dang Disney princess. The waistline of this skirt is about two inches wide so this thick belt makes the contrast look seamless.

I went with a neutral texture and color, but a solid black would work too. For all of you who are holding out hope that your wide belts are going to come back into style, I’m not going to make any promises to you, but this one DEFINITELY works!

I paired with heels to keep the overall look dressy as opposed to dressed down.

Side note: this belt doesn’t have any loops so I took a paperclip and strategically weaved it into the pattern to hold it down so it wasn’t flopping all over the place. One of my quickest and easiest fixes. Last post, we used a paperclip to pull my hair back. Who would have known it was so versatile.

Skirt Sorcery

Why haven’t I thought of this before with my maxi skirts? I have no idea, but I’m ecstatic over this transformation. Honestly, I actually LOVED it without a belt at all. So swingy and comfortable. The tiers help to add volume while keeping a bit of shape without looking like a giant piece of fabric I just hiked up.

Even this way, it is still below the knee so I wouldn’t have to worry about any wardrobe malfunctions or wind gusts, even on an active day.

I belted it at one of the seam lines so it didn’t fight with the natural construction which feels like it was made to be worn this way and not a second-thought. No one needs to know!

Nip and Tuck

I said before that this is a thick fabric. If you want to wear your maxi, but the outside temp takes you by surprise, this is a really quick and easy trick to keep it from feeling too heavy.

Grab your maxi skirt from the knee on one side, pull it up, tuck it inside your waistband and secure it with a safety pin. You’ll need a big one given the weight of the garment. Don’t worry about harming the skirt, the fabric can definitely take it. Especially if you go for a pattern version. You’ll never know the difference.

If you don’t like the cascade look that I have here, you can do the same trick, but pull it UNDER and pin versus over. You’ll get the same high-low, Angelina Jolie effect this way too!

The Verdict

I love love love this LuLaRoe Poppy Maxi Skirt. The quality is excellent, the shape is classic and this print is ah-mazing. Don’t see a print you love on Christina’s site? Just send her a message and she can hook you up.

Which of these styles do you like best?

10 Things A COVID Bride Wants You To Know

August 5, 2020 by Jesse at TTT Filed Under: Throwin' It Together 16 Comments

Funny story… When I was right out of college, my dream was to work for The Knot (a wedding website where I had dreamed up and designed several weddings with imaginary husbands-to-be since high school). When I sent in my cover letter – two days later I realized I never updated the company within my template so it said something along the lines of, “I would be an ideal candidate for COMPANY XYZ”. Needless to say, I didn’t get called for an interview and I sulked… for a long time. Ten years later, it still haunts me.

Why does this even matter? I’m a COVID bride. I’ve been dreaming of my wedding for as long as I can remember. However, in 2020, that cover letter has basically been traded for a Save The Date that lists “Hope you’ll join us for our wedding on XYZ DATE”. Ouch.

My fiancé and I (who have been together for seven and a half years, engaged for two and a half) were supposed to get married on May 29th. Then, back in March I saw the writing on the wall and we rebooked for November 14th. I felt pretty superior for a while for getting ahead of things so quickly, not going to lie. (hilarious)

Then, when the restrictions were clearly not improving rapidly enough to be in the clear by then, we knew the right thing to do would be to cancel and do a small ceremony to just. get. married. You know, what weddings are about in the first place.

I’m unnaturally optimistic. There is always a silver lining in all situations. Negative people are actually painful for me to be around. Yesterday, that sunshine attitude came to a screeching halt. Our dining room table has been wedding command center since March – covered in invitations and ribbons and wax seals. Then, as I got incredibly generous cards and notes on what would have been my shower day, they accumulated there. Oh, and then our NEW wedding invitations came for November, followed by more lovely mementos we received on our would-have-been wedding date. And finally, our cancelation notices.

The last cancelation notice has gone out and the table is now empty. That’s when it finally hit me. Even though we, like many others, are planning an intimate event in the interim with a “big wedding” eventually, it still gives me a lump in my throat to know this is not what I/we have always dreamed about.

Everyone I talk to knows at least one of “those couples”. Here’s what COVID brides want you to know (well, my version at least)…

1. This sucks and we’re bitter.

If anyone would like to try to tell me otherwise, I will do my best to resist the urge to kick you in the shin. Whether your ideal wedding includes five people or 500 people, in a backyard or banquet hall – most couples only need to think about if it will rain on their wedding day. Now, instead of worrying about it raining, replace that with worry if all of your guests will have to wear masks, if they feel comfortable coming at all or if you will have to slice your guest list by 75%.

I would trade all of this for a downpour on our original wedding date and I’m sure every other COVID bride feels exactly the same way.

It’s so easy to feel bad for ourselves and I have had a few down days. I have invested in, attended and help celebrate dozens of brides and their weddings. Why is mine the one that has to be like this? Ugh. This does suck.

2. We feel so guilty

Some days I feel guilty as heck for all the love and support I have been shown. I had a bridal shower parade outside my house and I had cookies and flowers and beautiful baskets delivered on our “wedding day” and even a Zoom party. I also have bridesmaids and friends who had to invest in and re-plan for showers and bachelorette. I feel horrible that they will not get that time back in some cases even get money back.

Now, I not only got extra attention on our original shower dates and May wedding date, I’m expecting our bridal party and family to come together for our small ceremony in a few weeks and then eventually our large party whenever that will be. I never wanted people to have to work so hard to celebrate our marriage. While I am so grateful, I also am embarrassed by all the extra attention.

Not to mention, for those who didn’t get their showers or bachelorettes, we are going to eventually want those! We feel bummed that we are missing them, but guilty for expecting people to rally once this is all over, and also worried that they won’t!

Drive-Through Bridal Shower Day Surprises

3. Details are stressing us TF out

I am a creative person. I think about what I am going to get someone for a party without ever thinking to write down the date of it. So when it comes to wedding planning, if you want to talk decor – I’m your girl. If you want to ask about logistics, excuse me while I go crawl under a rock.

Yes these are incredibly important and NECESSARY, but as soon as I start thinking about transportation and timelines, I lose the joy of the day. For most of us right now, we’re only talking about 25 people at this point. Why is this more intimidating than 250? I can’t explain why, but it is.

Ask us the fun questions instead… and also, give us wine (or Starbucks) to keep us happy, ok?

4. What even is etiquette?

Just an FYI, there are no articles that tell you the proper etiquette for when to send thank you notes for a shower that was canceled, intended to be rescheduled and then that person is no longer invited to your intimate wedding ceremony and you have no idea when your reception is. (REAL scenario for me and several of my guests. I swear my eyes have gone googly by now)

There are 1 million other scenarios like that one that no bride in our lifetime has had to navigate. Remember, many of us are still holding out hope that our plans may be able to happen and are waiting on further information to start the domino effect of next steps in either direction.

Please don’t get mad at us if we aren’t operating the way you would in this same situation. We love you and sometimes all of this uncertainty makes us freeze and do nothing in fear of doing it wrong.

5. TELL us how you want to help

If I hear, “let me know how I can help” one more time, I may lose it. I know that sounds super bratty, and I don’t intend it to, but if you see point number two, some of us are trying to take all of the stress on for all of our family and friends.

I don’t want to ask for help and, frankly, I don’t know what is too much to even ask. If your COVID bride is talking about things she has left to accomplish and something she says sounds like you could take it on for her, just tell her you will and INSIST.

This will be more appreciated than you can even imagine. It takes one less thing off her plate AND she doesn’t need to feel bad about imposing on you. If you can’t offer or aren’t sure you can deliver, don’t. She will not hold it against you!!

6. Don’t shame COVID decisions

Everyone has a right to feel differently about the world right now. I can promise that every guest attending our “mini-monies” has been encouraged to do what they feel comfortable doing. If they want to wear a mask, no one will shame them for it. If people want to take pictures without masks while less than 6 feet apart, these consenting adults have thought about and considered all risks before partaking.

Brides and grooms are not expecting anyone to put their health in harm’s way without making their own decisions. Most of us have also thought about things like hand sanitizer bottles at each table, water bottles versus shared dispensers, less crowded tables and individual glasses for the duration. Another stressor “normal” brides didn’t have do consider.

7. Understand we didn’t want this either

If your COVID couple is doing a small ceremony and you did not make the cut, recognize that they probably do want you there, but things are out of their control.

None of us want to be in the position where our party gets broken up due to too many people, get a venue in trouble, or do they want to be responsible for hurting any feelings if other guests see photos of you there. NOR do they want to contribute to the spread of the virus with a larger pool of guests present.

We had 230 people on our guest list. Now we have 25 including us! It breaks our hearts that we will not celebrate this occasion with every single person we wanted to invite. We would give anything to have you there!

Celebrating my shower in an unconventional way!

8. Help us be excited

I am in a wedding Facebook group called “Bridechilla”. Highly recommend both the podcast and the community if you are planning a wedding! One bride there said it best. She said something to the effect of, I feel like I have to comfort other people about our wedding being canceled. I am sure the people she is referring to mean well, but instead of sharing pity with us, help us feel excited for whatever their next option might be. I’ve heard so many times: “I feel so bad for you” to which I reply “oh, it’s ok!”. In my head it’s not ok, but we feel like the brave face is necessary.

This is another instance where even if you would do things differently, embrace their choices and help lift them up. The cards have been stacked against us – help us count down, ask us the fun questions (see #3) and send us fabulous wedding memes!

We NEED the positivity.

9. Why is this so expensive??

If you have ever planned or paid for a wedding, you know it is expensive. Try planning two! Or, in some cases three if your wedding was already postponed, rescheduled and then canceled again.

COVID brides have likely put down deposits for all of their major vendors already. Most are not refunding these deposits, just rolling over to another date. Totally fine. But that is money that we do not have to spend towards this smaller event.

Not to mention several brides bought original invitations, updated invitations and now cancellation notices (ok it’s me, I am several brides) which triples the original stationery budget. Imagine what else has tripled. Yikes!

Even when we are keeping things small, there are plenty of hidden costs and duplicate expenses that exist if you are still trying to make it as magical as possible. Again, knowing this is not required to have a wedding, it still makes the day feel special when everything around it has not. We don’t need Pinterest weddings, but if a backyard event wasn’t your original vision, it’s hard to shake the “extra”.

10. We are still getting married.

Hey, OMG! This is the best part about all of this, that we still get to celebrate with (a small amount of) loved ones and be married at the end of it. YAY!

Sometimes I feel like less than a bride. Like because I am not having the wedding we would have wanted it doesn’t count. And, on the flip-side, I worry that when we do have our vow renewal and raucous celebration, people won’t think it is special because we are “already married”.

We can’t win and we fight this internal fight every dang day.

In conclusion…

Send your Covid bride a virtual hug right now… no really, right now. Let her know you think she is a badass for how she is handling this crappy situation. Tell her she is going to make a beautiful bride and you’re going to celebrate on her day (whether you’ll be with her or not). Let her know that when this is all over she gets to be a wife and her marriage will get to be celebrated the way she always wanted.

Last but not least, pray for the sunniest most perfect-weather day for that couple, because I can promise you, they deserve it.