layered.

This weather just cannot make up it's mind. And you know what? I am tired of wearing my Eddie Bauer down coat everywhere. Today is nice enough to get away with layering, though. If you scroll through my Instagram outfits, you'll probably see that I am a big fan of the shirt/sweater combo.

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It's just really comfy and cozy, which can be nice in a drafty room or a giant lecture hall that pumps in AC no matter what the outside temperature is. You can honestly layer an outfit in so many different ways and it can completely change the mood of the outfit. Today I am wearing my "Heart and Soul" Old Navy sweatshirt, but some simple outfit changes makes it look much more chic than it really is. 

layered by sugarsnappearls

Here are a couple of tricks for comfortable layering:

1) Make sure that each layer can be seen. It might not seem important, but just a small sleeve cuff to show off the button up under your sweater can change how it looks. It also shows off that you're layering, not gaining weight.

2) Pick thin layers. I don't generally wear a heavy button up under a sweater, just in case it is warm wherever I'm going. I also like to wear sleeveless blouses under heavy wool sweaters sometimes because it can get pretty toasty.

3) Check the fit of each layer. If you wear a loose layer on the bottom and a fitted layer above it, you will be uncomfortable. It's not that you can't wear a loose bottom layer, but make sure that the upper layer(s) are loose as well so you don't get awkward bunching or an uncomfortable fit.

How do you layer your outfits?

xoxo,

SSP

Winter Beauty Essentials

Well, in typical Virginia fashion, the weather has changed again. I mean really, a high of 60 degrees today and then 34 degrees on Sunday? The changing weather means a constantly rotating wardrobe and checking the forecast every day. It also means dry skin, watery eyes, and chap lips for me. I know I am not alone in this because I have friends who are in the same boat as I am. Here are a few of my favorite beauty products to get you through the upcoming winter months:

winter beauty essentials by sugarsnappearls

Don't forget gloves can be super helpful as well and making sure that your moisturizer has SPF is crucial because, as we all know, just because it's cold, doesn't mean the UV rays can't affect you. The rule of thumb is to just keep your skin covered and moisturized and you'll be good to go! So take a personal spa day to moisturize and decompress before finals because you deserve it and your skin will thank you!

xoxo,

SSP

Nailed It: Cold Weather Nail Polish

Thank the lord Momma is coming down with my winter gear tomorrow because this weather has definitely taken a turn for the colder. This is the perfect weather for cozy socks, hot chocolate, a fire, blanket and Netflix. While I can't actually have a fire in my apartment, I can curl up with everything else with the ambiance of a fire-inspired wax melt. Cold weather also means changing out the nail polish! Personally, I am loving Cashmere Bathrobe from Essie's Fall Collection and my go-to cold weather color is always a deep red, like Essie Bordeaux.

details of these colors on the polyvore set: nailed it by sugarsnappearls

I am a firm believer in seasonal nail polish. Unless it is for a particular event (i.e. purple for Relay for Life), I have turned my collection over to the rich, deep colors for winter. I am a huge fan of Essie nail polish and while there are other brands, in recent years, this is the one I have become more familiar with and therefore I feel most qualified to recommend to you. I also recommend Amazon, you just can't beat a $5 bottle of quality nail polish.

Now before you go and paint the town your nails red, keep a couple of things in mind about these colors:

1) darker polish=longer drying time: it's not exponentially longer, but be careful to use thin coats so that it dries in a reasonable period of time (my biggest struggle!)

2) base coat is your best friend: these colors will stain your nails if you aren't careful. Really, all colors will stain, but these especially. I often cycle a dark color out with a round of Essie Sugar Daddy to minimize this because sometimes it even gets through the base coat!

What are your favorite nail colors this time of year?

xoxo,

SSP