Tag: fashion

Gear Review, Running

Fall Products I’m Enjoying

Hollie

The Fall weather has hit.  I think the high humidity and temperature days are gone for the year.  I can’t say I mind because Halloween is one of my favorite Holidays.  Thinking out loud, there are a few new products or items that I either bought or was sent.

Saucony Omni jacket

This jacket has been super warm and stylish.  I can wear it anytime and haven’t taken it off except to wash it.  It comes in a couple of different colors, and I want them all.  As embarrassing as it is, I think half of my Instagram photos have been in that jacket. It’s warm but not hot, and it breathes well (also protects from the wind). I’m obsessed, and I’m probably going to buy every color.  Plus it’s fitted.  I like to pretend I’m a fashionista, and a traffic cone orange jacket is enough to make any modeling agency hire me.

My omini jacket and I going to the diner
My omni jacket and I going to the diner
My Omni jacket and I going for a run...
My Omni jacket and I going for a run…

 

Garmin 220

I bought this watch a couple of months ago.  My Garmin 10 began not syncing to my computer in June 2014.  Since June 2014 (yes nearly 18 months ago), I have not plugged my Garmin into any computer.

garmin 220

Some features I love about the Garmin 220:

  • The obvious ability to view my runs
  • Ability to program workouts
  • Capacity to wireless synch to the Garmin app

I think this watch has changed my running a lot.  I do my workouts on the road and don’t take long “extra” breaks.  It tells me exactly when my 90-second break is up, and I like that.  If you like heart rate, Garmin just released the 225 model that has the same features and heart rate too.

Sparkly Soul Headband:

As some people may know, I get migraines.  While I haven’t had any significant migraines since college, I did have 2 in college that sent me to the Emergency room.

What do migraines have to do with headbands?  

A lot of tight headbands give me headaches.  The Sparkly Soul Headband does not.  I use a lot of mousse to keep my hair tamed, and it keeps it in place.  To be honest before trying one at Runners World Festival, I never thought I would be able to wear something tight around my head. Most of the headbands are over the top glitz for me, but they have several that I like.

Sparkley Soul Headband
The Runners World Headband!

Food:

Grape and Cherry Tomatoes:

I live in New Jersey, known as the Garden State.  What most people don’t know is that there are Gardens off of the turnpike.  I’m fortunate that I can go to local markets and load on tomatoes which is what I’ve been doing.  I wish tomatoes were in season all year round.

tomatoesandolives
I love grape tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese.
Tomatoes in the window...because it's artsy? Right?
Tomatoes in the window…because it’s artsy? Right?

I have been eating these by the gallon. I love how sweet they are, and I enjoy grilling and sautéing them as well as just eating them raw.

Sunwarrior Protein: 

I was contacted by Sunwarrior protein to try their protein powders.  I have been searching for a protein powder that doesn’t cause me to bloat.  I have found with several protein powders that I bloat or get abdominal distress.  I was lucky to try both the chocolate and vanilla and both were excellent. I ended up going to my local Vitamin Shop to purchase more vanilla afterward.

I like to have a scoop of protein powder in my yogurt or milk after workouts or races.  It absorbs into my system well and I always find that I recover much faster.  So far I have used about half of the tub and I haven’t had any issues!  I would recommend Sunwarrior for anyone looking for a protein powder.

The Vanilla was my favorite!
The Vanilla was my favorite!

(The original individual packages were sent to me at no cost, but I have since bought a giant tub of vanilla).

Fashion:

Scarves and Sweaters

Scarves everywhere
Scarves everywhere

I could wear scarves and oversized sweaters every single day.

Question for you: What are some fall items you are loving?

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SEARS

Sears: Reserve it

Hollie

In this post we’d love to see the following:

  • Share an experience when you wish you’d had Reserve It
  • Include #SearsReserveIt and #MoreMerry in social content promoting your posts

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As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I am taking on my first real sponsored campaign with a company I’ve been buying clothing from since middle school…Sears!  When they originally contacted me a while ago, I was ecstatic.  I thought it might be a dream come true because I actually shop at Sears, they are a great company and I enjoy their products.  I actually got one of my favorite green formal college dresses from Sears a few years back.  

Actually looking back, I have bought several dresses from Sears.  I’ve purchased many outfits in general but I would say at least half of my dress collection is from Sears.

college dress

Sears is primarily releasing this for the Holidays but it will be available year round!  I know a lot of people don’t want think about Holidays yet.  I’m not sure if I’m in that majority.  I love the Holiday season (except for when people think they are clever to sing “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas).  I enjoy picking out what I think people will like (or in reality what people tell me they will like).  I enjoy that despite the cold, people have a great attitude and enjoy life.  Also, Tim’s birthday is in the Holiday season!

Anyways this year Sears is coming out with a new service called “Reserve it”.  It’s a new service that allows you to browse the Sears website online and then reserve it in store.  Then when you arrive at the store your selections are hand-picked, ready and waiting for you to try on (or whatever…if you just wanted to pick up in store).

With Reserve It, you can easily shop online for clothing, shoes or more, place them on hold in store with just one click and then try them on in-store.  For me personally, I get overwhelmed going into a store with no “game plan”.  I like to have a mental plan of what I want to do and how I want to do it. I don’t want to spend hours browsing things that I don’t really want.  I end up buying things that I don’t want or need and not usually leaving with the product I wanted.

Something that is even cooler is that you can see what styles, colors and sizes are available at your local store.  You don’t have to spend hours looking at Sears that isn’t carrying what you originally wanted.  That is something that has happened to me several times (and a huge reason why I shop and purchase online).

Reserve is so simple to use even LOLZ can do it:

Log in in to your Shop Your Way account on Sears.com.

Select your local Sears store (the products that are available in that store are the only ones to show up).

Then Click “Reserve in Store”.  You’ll get an email when they are ready and Sears will hold the item for 48 hours.

Go to the Reserve It rack located in the women’s apparel section and try your items on in-store.

Optional step: Look like a throwback from the 80s.
Optional step: Look like a throwback from the 80s…sweet Nike Pegasus too.

They also included a video of people talking more in depth about it.  Sadly they did not choose me to talk about all the time I have wasted browsing Sears looking for a dress or outfit I wanted.

For me personally, I wish all stores had this.  While I think it’s great for the Holidays, I think it’s the best for shopping for yourself too.  A lot of the time you go into a store knowing a basic idea of what you want.  Do you need a new pair of jeans, a shirt, shorts…whatever you need or want.  You spend an hour or so browsing and one of these things happen: 

1. You find the perfect item (but not in your size).

2. You find 10 perfect items and spend 10 times the amount of money and time that you meant too.

I have personally been enjoying using “Reserve it” by looking online and then checking if it is in the store (in my size).  I beeline it to the reserve it section.  I try it on (and either it fits or doesn’t fit).  I might casually browse around but since I have an exact plan, I don’t spend too much time browsing.  I feel like I have a much better plan because I know what peaked my interest online.  Plus in both situations I have used Reserve it, I have ended up liking the product and then not needing to pay (and wait for) shipping.  One of my biggest pet peeves for companies is expensive and a long wait period for shipping.

Thanks Sears for allowing me to be apart of this campaign.  I look forward to continuing to use and promote the Reserve it Service throughout the Holidays!

Sears is sponsoring this post.  All dresses were purchased by me. 

Questions for you:

What do you think about the new Sears idea of Reserve it? 

Do you try clothing on in store?

 

 

Food

Real Girls and Real Food.

Hollie

I’m on this new jive of blogging.  I don’t blog when I don’t have things to say…it works for both of us eh?  I won’t bore you, you won’t read my bullshit posts and we can all still be blogging best friends. 

Good times.

This blog is a lot of random things combined into one.  It’s sporadic  (on a side note-microsoft word just tried to autocorrect sporadic into spermatic…is that even a word I don’t know) like my mind (I warned you).

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It looks like the fall favorite food in the bloggesphere (or posted from Monday) are apples.  I’m actually not the biggest apple fan…I don’t mind them but there are other fruits I would rather eat.  We have a lot of apple picking places in Upstate though.  True story.

On to today, I knew it would be such a good day when I woke up at 5:30, drove to practice and a little deer popped out of nowhere.  Good God-that is a wakeup call at 5:40am.  I did not hit him but I was on my toes the rest of the day.

I decided to go to Dexter’s for lunch and have a quiche with Julie.  I normally don’t eat lunch on campus right now, but change is good.  For those who weren’t my bffers last semester, Dexter’s a little café that I was obsessed with on campus.  They always have the best local food.

 Today I got a shrimp quiche and quinoa and black bean salad oh and fruit salad too.  

I was also a real girl today-shocking after 6am practice oh I know.  I’m rather proud though.

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And finally…

Someone emailed me (and asked to remain anonymous) about turning the Fashion Friday’s into some sort of competition.  I thought about it for a while and thought that would be the greatest idea in the world.  Tyra would be so proud.  Anyways here is what I thought, I would post all the photos Friday night and then readers could vote and I would declare the winner on Sunday.

Winners each week will receive pancake mix made especially by me.  🙂

So with that being said: Submit me your Real girl photos for Round 1

Well actually maybe I should poll the crowd and see how you guys like it so I don’t just got on a tangent when no one wants me to.

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Question for you:

1.       Do you blog when you have nothing to say or would you rather take the night off?