My Top Ten Must-Haves

Yay it's Friday! Happy Friday! Remember when I told y'all I won this cute pair of Vince Camuto heels from Shea Marie and Rank & Style in this outfit post? Well, Rank & Style, known for their killer top ten must-have lists, asked me to put together one of my own. Go check out my top 10 fashion and beauty essentials over at their blog. Thanks to everyone on the Rank & Style team for having me :) I hope you'll enjoy my picks! Have a great weekend :)

Photo by Caleb Kerr

Skinny Limits 3-Day Juice Cleanse: Day 3 Recap + Final Summary

Hi Friends! Hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend. I was in my cousins wedding Saturday in Louisiana, so I took a few days off... Sorry, I'm sure the anticipation has been killing you, right? So, alas, I'm back and want to let y'all know about the last day of my juice cleanse as well as the final summary of the whole she-bang. So without further ado:

I wake up and immediately DO NOT want to drink that first juice. I'm not hungry at all, but with the
way my schedule was on Friday I had to start at 8:30 so I could have a 3 hour break to drive to Dallas
that night in between drinks.

I take the first one down. Then the second. And right before I had my third green drink of the day
I start thinking about what I'm going to have for lunch... Shit, I forgot. I keep doing that. I have the memory and the bladder of an 85 year old women right now!

So, anyway, I really want a cookie or something. But, I drink the 3rd green drink instead, because dammit I've gotten this far. I'm going to make it. I'm half way through my last day!

I'm kind of starting to feel a little light headed and weak at this point in the day, but hope it'll pass.

The rest of the day wasn't bad. I drove to Dallas and had my last drink when I got there.  I was pretty preoccupied on Friday which I think really helped me get through the day.

Final Summary:
I really enjoyed this cleanse. The juices were surprisingly tasty and I really felt energized and light after day 1. It's definitely something I'll do again, maybe a few times a year. I think the main things to focus on if you are thinking about doing this are:

1. Find a juice service with good reviews. Skinny Limits is awesome and they ship to anywhere in the US! Check Yelp or ask around to find a good option for you. The taste of these juices can make or break it for some people. It's important to not completely hate the way they taste.

2. Keep yourself busy. That's really important. It'll help you keep your mind off the fact that you won't be chewing on anything for 3 days! That was weird. I'd suggest doing this during the week and not the weekend. Too many temptations on a weekend.

3. Plan out your day ahead of time. This will help you stay on schedule and not be drinking juice at midnight. Yuck. Also, I found that it didn't feel like the day went by as slowly when I planned what times I was going to have each juice. And drink them as quickly as you can. The worst is nursing one and then it's time to have another right when you're done.

I hope these tips help and please let me know if you decide to try it out. Also, if you have any others questions feel free to ask me in the comments :)

See my recap of day 1 here and day 2 here.

Skinny Limits 3 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 2 Recap

Those damn olives... I'll get to them in a minute.

Wake up... crap it's only day 2. I have to pee. I go get my first drink. I don't hate it.

I have to pee again. Still not feeling hungry!! But on impulse almost get up to go look for something
to eat in the kitchen. Damn, never mind.

Juice 2 goes down pretty easy. I think I'm getting used to this stuff. Score! And no headache at all.

The daytime was pretty easy on day 2. I felt energized, never sleepy. But lets fast forward to that night when I decided it was a good idea to go out to dinner for a friend's birthday at a restaurant I've been wanting to eat at for a long time... Is there any greater form of torture?!?!! Words of advice- DON'T DO THIS. Do as I say, not as I do, right?

Now, about those olives... I sat at the table, drank water and just stared at that beautiful bowl of olives (I freakin' love olives). Lemme tell ya, when all you've ingested in your body for 2 days is liquids, french fries, steak, scallops, cheese, all that stuff, looks like the greatest looking food you'll ever see. But, I resisted. Not gonna lie, I almost grabbed for those olives (again, on impulse) a few times!

Just had to keep thinking about the Crescent Moon drink for when I got home. It really is so good.

Day 2 Summary:
Didn't really feel too different at the beginning of the day, but as time went on I felt like I had more energy, my mood was great and I felt "skinny." I also drank my juices faster this day. I got used to the taste (which, honestly they taste pretty good) and to drinking that much liquid, so that was a plus. Got a few compliments at dinner on my mood. I thought I'd be all grumpy cat on everyone, but I was a happy as can be. On to day 3! Stay tuned to see how my final day went down.

See my recap of day 1 here.

Skinny Limits 3 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 1 Recap

I originally planned on just doing a one post summary of my 3-day juice cleanse I did last week from Skinny Limits (local Austin Juice Bar). Then, halfway through the first day, I realized the thoughts that go through one's mind who has never done this before are far too funny not to share. So, with that, here's my play-by-play of day 1:

Started the day off a little late so I had a feeling I was going to feel like I was constantly having to drink juice all day.

Not as bad as I thought. The first juice 'Pure and Simple' was decent.

Then the next 2 tasted almost exactly like the first so I was getting a little (or a lot) antsy for something different. I also had a tiny headache. Nothing unbearable though. By this point I'm peeing at least once an hour (sorry for the TMI).

Yep, feel like I've been drinking juice all day... I should really try to drink each one faster so I have more time between them!

Thankful my 4th drink around 5:30, the 'Scorpion Lemonade', tasted like really sour lemonade which I love. Nothing like the first 3. Smart on their part to give you something a little different to get you through dinner.

Then I see an Instagram photo of my best friends Jersey Mike's sub sammie. Dammit, I want one. Note to self: Maybe I should stop looking at Instagram for the rest of this cleanse...

Finished the 'Scorpion Lemonade' pretty quick. Still thinking about that sandwich.

The 5th drink was the same as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd. At least I had that lemonade to break it up.

I'm starting to think about the last juice- vanilla bean, cinnamon, cashews, agave nectar. Yum. Nothing like a little liquid dessert before bed (that didn't come out as well as it sounded in my head).

Then my roommate made the most delicious looking quesadilla. AND had a beer... Jerk.

The 'Cresent Moon' dessert juice was yummy and I was glad to end my day with that + a little Mad Men. Don Draper makes most things better.

Day 1 Summary:
I have to say I wasn't hungry at any point during the day. How could I be? 16 oz. of juice every 3 hours is A LOT. I love Diet Coke, but I wouldn't even want to drink 6, 16 oz. bottles of that a day. It's just a lot of liquid. But I don't hate it. Not having any variety makes it a little tedious but maybe I'll be used to it by day 2?? My girl Natalia said she felt great on day 2, so there's hope! Stay tuned!

Mermaid Blue

Blazer- Sabo Skirt, old (similar) / Top- old (similar) / Skort- Zara / Heels- Vince Camuto (similar) / Bag- Rebecca Minkoff / Sunnies- Ray-Ban

When I won these Vince Camuto heels from Shea Marie and the sweet people over at Rank & Style I thought they were going to be a dark cobalt or deep purple color. As you can see they are anything but dark or deep, haha! I proceeded to Google this exact style and the color is in fact called 'Mermaid Blue.' I normally wouldn't buy such a bright shoe, but ever since they arrived I find myself constantly grabbing for them. Who would've thought?? With this particular outfit I decided to go with two different shades of the same color, which I love doing because it's so unexpected. And this floral blazer from Sabo Skirt goes with these two blue hues almost too perfectly, don't you think?!

P.S. I know it seems like every blogger has this Zara skort in white, but I love the cobalt blue one so much more. I don't have to worry about getting it dirty (let's be honest, I'm kind of a mess) and this color is pretty much my favorite right now.

Photos by Caleb Kerr

What to Wear: Spring Baby Shower

I'm heading to my best friends baby shower this weekend. So, I've been thinking about what makes for an appropriate outfit to wear to a daytime event like this. While a cute sundress and wedged sandals are always a cute, safe option I really love going for something different and unexpected. Try a pair of printed pants and a textured peplum top instead. Add a pair of of-the-moment metallic silver heels and a bright pink lip to make the look stand out.

Shop this look:

Happy Mom's Day, Mom!

This photo was taken a couple months ago at my Mom's birthday dinner with my brother and I. As you can see there were treats... There are always treats. We love treats. Happy Mother's Day, Judy aka 'J-Coug', aka 'Juice', aka 'The Judster'. I love you!

Staying Busy

It's been an eventful and exciting past few weeks... Now I'm off again. This time to the beach for the weekend for my lovely cousins bachelorette party. Have a great rest of your week and weekend! 

Follow along on my Instagram @pieceology for more.

White & Green Ivy

Top- Anthropologie (old) / Cardi- Urban Outfitters / Pants- Genetic Denim / Heels- Jeffrey Campbell / Bag- Botkier / Necklace- Topshop

This little spot right off S. Congress is so magical. The gorgeous ivy really makes this all white outfit pop. I added a dash of prints and color to make it more fun. I am constantly wearing this cardi with leopard print. I don't normally mix prints that much but I think these have a lot of complimentary colors so it works. The key when mixing prints is that they be in the same color family. Give it a try! I hope you all are having a great start to your week :)

Photos by Caleb Kerr

30 Day Yoga Challenge: Final Update

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I didn't want to gross you out with a photo portraying how I really feel/look like right now. Trust me it's nothing like how cute this little girl looks sneezing into that crisp white tissue... My final few days of my yoga challenge I caught what everyone else seems to have caught. The allergy season bug. It started with just a light cough, then sinus pressure, and now the cough has become anything but "light" and I just sneezed and things came out that I won't mention. Again, I don't want to gross you out. Just look at the cute little girl with the cute little pigtails.

So enough TMI. Needless to say, the 30 day challenge was cut short when I started feeling like this last week. I know, I know. It makes me sad to. But, I'm hoping I'll start feeling better after this weekend and can get back on track. Although the challenge is over and I may have missed more days than I would've liked, I feel like I've formed a great foundation to continue working out and staying healthy which is exactly why I started the challenge in the first place! Thanks for all your encouraging words throughout this process and I wish you all the best of luck with your health and fitness goals :)

See my other Challenge posts here, here, and here.

Currently Craving: Silver!

I'm having a MAJOR moment with silver accessories, especially in the jewelry department. For several years I've been an all gold girl, but recently I've rekindled my love for this shiny, versatile metal. Not sure how I did without it for so long. Here are a few items I'm dying to add to my new collection:

1. Vanessa Mooney Wrist to Ring Bracelet- Been seeing these pretty things everywhere and Vanessa has several options. Great festival-wear piece.

2. BaubleBar Silver Ice Stud Rings- Still love anything spiked or studded and these are a great price for the amount of rings you get.

3. Michael Kors Sport Watch- I have a couple MK watches, but have yet to purchase an all silver one. I love the sleek, clean look of this one.

4. Luv Aj Crystal Cross Necklace- I've seen this one on a lot of bloggers and am in LOVE. The perfect silver chain necklace.

5. Topshop Wing Ear Cuff- I'm obsessed with ear cuffs right now and have been looking for the perfect one. I love that this one has pewter-ish rhinestones on the wing's edge.

6. Lydali Silver Yield Studs- I'm a sucker for geometric shapes. This pair from Lydali are even more special because they're handcrafted by artisans in South Africa! How cool is that?! This site has some really beautiful one of a kind jewelry as well as scarves, home decor and hand bags. Check out all their products here.

I hope y'all enjoyed my picks. Keep in mind Mother's Day is coming up! Happy Shopping!