Posts from — July 2012

A few weeks ago, I bought a new mattress- the most grown up purchase I’ve ever made.

As you can see, Lily’s made herself very comfortable on my new bed, which she tries to commandeer as her own. The nerve.

Since I have this fancy new mattress, I decided that some fancy new bedding is in order. I searched high and low, far and wide, for a perfect quilt and I found two at Anthropologie.

This one is called Ipomoea.

This one is called Lille.

The trouble is that I can’t decide between the two! Each is beautiful in its own way and would fit into my room’s color scheme. I love the colors and pattern of Ipomoea, but Lille is so bright and fun.

So, help me decide please? Just pick which one you like best in the form below!

Thanks for entering my Mineral Hygienics giveaway from last week, everyone! It’s now time to announce the winner.

And the winner is…

Katie Marie Yoga!

Katie, I’ll be in touch today to help you get your free mini starter kit!

Don’t forget: you can still get 10% off of your Mineral Hygienics order by using the code ‘freshsqueezedfashion‘

This summer has been one of my busiest yet. Here are some snaps to show you where I’ve been, what I’ve been doing, and what I’ve been wearing.

You can keep up with me by following me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook!

A few weeks ago, I was introduced to Mineral Hygienics.

Mineral Hygienics, which claims to be the most natural mineral make-up on the market, offers sheer, long-lasting coverage with only four ingredients. The foundation also included broad-spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays, which is fabulous for the summer time.

Before trying out Mineral Hygienics, I was not too familiar with mineral make-up (check here to see how mineral make-up brands compare and what to look for when shopping around). For a while, I was using a liquid foundation, which I hated because of how cakey it felt, so I stopped using foundation all together. While I still don’t wear the mineral make-up every day, it’s nice to have something to put on that evens out my skin tone just a little bit, whether I’m going out with my friends or going to an event for work.

That brings me to the make-up itself. You really don’t need a lot to cover your face. Just a few taps of the make-up into the cap and you’re good to go. It sets nicely, especially if you use a primer before (which I highly recommend). Erica at Mineral Hygienics sent me a few different shades of foundation, and I eventually settled with Medium Light, though I’m sure I’ll go lighter once my tan goes away in the fall (sad face). I really took my time in wearing the make-up before writing this review. I wore it in the 100 degree heat on the east coast, to my day job, to my second job, to the gym, to the beach, and every time, it lasted longer than I could have expected. Seriously amazing.

Another thing to note is how gentle it is on your skin. I have had a ton of issues with make-up in the past, especially with it irritating my skin and drying it out, so I am always hesitant about trying out new products. So far, I’ve had no problems so far with Mineral Hygienics.

With that being said, let’s say happy birthday to Fresh Squeezed! Today is our two year blogiversary, and to celebrate (and thank you all for being such loyal readers over the last two years), Mineral Hygienics is giving one lucky reader a mini starter kit! This kit includes two foundation colors of your choice and the Kabuki brush.

Additionally, you can all receive 10% off your order from Mineral Hygienics by using the code ‘freshsqueezedfashion‘. Thanks Erica!

To enter the contest, leave your name and contact information in the comments by next Tuesday, July 24th, at 9:00 pm EST.

You can earn additional entries for following me on any of these sites. You’ll get one extra entry for each site you follow me on. Be sure to let me know which sites you chose to follow me on in the comments!

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Bloglovin

Good luck, and thank you for making the last two years so great!

Earlier this week, Ralph Lauren debuted his designs for the U.S. Olympic team’s uniforms. It’s bad enough that the designs were not warmly received, but just a few days ago it was made known that the uniforms were not made in the United States. They were made in China.

I’m honestly not crazy about the design, but that’s not the problem. What really annoys me is that they were not manufactured in the United States.

I understand that it’s cheaper to make things in China. Really, I get basic business principles. I understand that American workers need to be paid more than Chinese. And while there has been a ton of outrage expressed over the last few days by designers, athletes, and politicians alike, I’m still not sure why some blogs are “ok” with it.

We’re in a time where the national unemployment rate hovers around 8%. The economy and unemployment are on the forefront of this year’s Presidential election. Isn’t this exactly the thing we should be trying to fix? Shouldn’t American companies do whatever it takes to bring these jobs back home so our citizens can not only have jobs, but be proud to manufacture clothes and other items made in America?

I also have to wonder how much money Ralph Lauren is making off of these items, considering each item costs between $55 and $598 and labor costs are so cheap overseas. Not only that, but Ralph Lauren (the human and CEO of his company) made over $200 million over the last 5 years. Not for nothing, because he’s very successful and deserves to be compensated for all he’s accomplished, but if his salary was just a few million less, maybe his company could bring back jobs to the USA and revitalize the American garment district.

Luckily, there are advocates for the American garment district that are trying to do just that. Another American fashion designer, Nanette Lepore, took to various news programs over the last few days to talk about what an outrage this is: CNN (twice), Fox Business, and ABC News. She supports the grassroots movement called Save The Garment Center, along with Steven Kolb, Anna Sui, and countless others.

Save The Garment Center has a whole list of companies and brands that make items in the United States. I know I am trying to make a conscious effort to buy as many things made in America as I can, and I hope I can do more in the future.

What do you think?

[Photo via]

• Pack more tops than bottoms. Tops take up less space and you can easily mix ‘n match outfits.
• 2 shoes at most. I know it sounds impossible but try it. Bring one pair of flats and a wedge since flats can fit easily into a suitcase.
• Wear your heaviest clothes. Whether you’re flying on a plane or in the car, try to wear the bulkiest items you want to bring to save room in your suitcase.
• Check the weather. You can’t predict the weather but you can try to plan for it, check the weather and see if you need to be bringing more bikinis or rain boots.
• Download apps. If you’re going to a new place, need to navigate or want to find the best historical sites… download some apps to help you get around. 2012 baby!Plan ahead. I’m a planner. It’s good to map out what sites you want to see first. Schedule your time so you don’t wear yourself out. Although if you’re just going to relax on the beach and do nothing… then perhaps this step doesn’t apply.

I’m really obsessed with this look that celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis wore a few weeks ago on Next Food Network Star. It’s simple and perfect for a cool summer night. The stripes give it a nautical feel, while the coral jeans update the classic look.

Copy her look with my picks below, each under $55. To save money, mix and match with what you already have!

Longsleeve Tops
Platforms