Category Archives: Fashion

Unique Wood Watches: A Gorgeous Conversational Piece + $100 Giveaway

Posted in Fashion by

When it comes to watches, I look for more than one that can just tell me the time – I look for a piece of art. The materials of a watch and the meaning behind them can really alter the reason I choose a certain one! I have been wearing the same watch for the past four years because I haven’t found another one that “sparked joy” for me.  

I always see the same type of watches over and over – nowadays it’s either an Apple Watch (but they do make bands for your Apple watch) or a metal watch that looks just like the rest out there. You don’t really see watch companies entering the sustainability realm yet – except for Jord (pronounced like Yode). Their watches are crafted using beautiful reclaimed woods that range from bamboo to sandalwood to purpleheart, just to name a few.

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I was able to work with Jord to find a watch that not only “sparked joy” for me, but also fits me incredibly. A lot of times watches don’t sit in the correct place on my wrist or they will be too tight, but Jord sent me the Frankie style, and it fits me perfectly. The Frankie has a nice larger face without having too thick of a band, giving it that feminine feel.

My favorite thing about the watch is definitely the color. You all know that I am a #colorenthusiast, so when I first heard the watches were wood, I wasn’t sure that this would be the right collaboration for me, but when I saw this purpleheart and plum watch, my heart skipped a beat. Jord does an impeccable job of giving you the backstory of your watch. I learned the purple color of the watch is natural from the purpleheart wood!

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The watch I’ve been wearing for close to five years is gold and has a beautiful face – but sometimes I just need a little something “extra” and this hits the nail on the head.

If I were to go for a different style at Jord, I would 100% get the new Cora Polaris. This watch combines beautiful woods and Swarovski diamonds.

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More about Jord:

A company that has the desire to change the world will always be a win in my book, but a company that also offers free worldwide shipping while sustaining their mission is a game changer!  

Jord will also work with you to ensure your watch fits you perfectly and they have additional options for customizations (think mixing woods + engraving!). One more bonus: your watch comes with a year-long warranty.

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Are you intrigued yet? Good, now here is your chance to win one!

I hope after almost five years of blogging, you all know that I only collaborate with companies that I truly believe in, so I want you to have the chance to win $100 off a Jord watch!

You can enter here: www.jordwatches.com/g/definingdanie

Giveaway Details:

  • The winner will receive a $100 gift code to go towards your watch purchase (this covers almost the full cost of a watch!)
  • Everyone who enters will receive a 10% off gift code in their email!!
  • The winner will be emailed in a month when the contest is concluded
  • I will be in touch throughout the giveaway to update you on the progress
  • All you have to do is enter here: www.jordwatches.com/g/definingdanie

 

 

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Can’t wait to see which one of you babes win!

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This post was sponsored by Jord, but all opinions are my own. 

 

Items you MUST pick up at Old Navy’s Black Friday Sale

Posted in Fashion, Lifestyle by

Hi all of my lovely readers!

Can you believe that it’s already Thanksgiving? You know that also means it’s time for Black Friday!!!!

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I am high-key obsessed with Old Navy and I promise that you can find me at Old Navy tomorrow night after dinner. I’ve already picked up some items during some the stores “pre-Black Friday” sales that I think you should also pick up!

From one of my favorite people (aka the Store Manager at the Waugh Chapel Old Navy), I learned that the ENTIRE store is 50%, cozy socks are $1 and they are open at 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving! If you are out and about on Saturday and are looking for even more great sales at ON, pajama bottoms are going to be only $5! You just seriously can always find a win at ON.

Here are the items that I think you should pick up this Black Friday:

Sherpa Coat with faux suede lining

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This jacket comes in both plus size and straight sizes. I am wearing a plus size 3x. It fits well, and can definitely fit sweaters underneath. I paired this with my favorite sweater that ON came out with this winter and my favorite ON plaid scarf from last winter. You can find  similar scarf here.

Perfect Sweater

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I said that the sweater that I am wearing above is my favorite sweater that ON produced this winter, and one of the reasons is because it comes in four different color options! I purchased three out of the four. This is seriously the most comfortable sweater you will find this winter. I am wearing a straight size XXL. The jeans that I am wearing are the plus size high-rise Rockstar Jeggings. You will feel like a total babe in these! They are comfy, supportive and all around amazing.

Earrings: Kate Spade
Similar shoes: Express

Boho Chic Shirt and Fringe Jeans

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Boho chic anything will get me every time! When I saw this shirt in store, I was a little worried that the color wouldn’t be great on me because of my blonde hair, but the minute I tried it on, I was obsessed! The pleated long sleeves and the cut make this shirt versatile — you could wear this dressed up or down! I chose to pair this shirt with my favorite ON jeans from their winter 2017 collection.

The Floral Velvet Holiday Jumpsuit + Sparkley Heels 

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This jumpsuit gives me L I F E!!! When I saw this online, I didn’t even look at the price before purchasing! I knew I had to grab this for my work holiday party. I am wearing a size XXL! When I was in the store last week, I also came across these heels, so I tried them on in-store…but their 10 didn’t fit me, so I purchased an 11!

 

I hope that you love these looks as much as I do, and I cannot wait to go to ON tomorrow evening! Let me know what you pick up from ON this Black Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Macy’s Backstage, the Place to Look for Your Fall Fashion this Year + A Giveaway

Posted in Fashion, Lifestyle by

Can you believe that in just one week it is going to be fall? Summer always goes by way too quickly for my liking, but I do also love the fall, especially for the fashion.

I have been looking around various stores to see what some of the fall trends are that I want to rock this year, and I recently learned that Macy’s has a new outlet store called Macy’s Backstage! Think: TJ Maxx meets Home Goods and bam that’s Macy’s Backstage. They have the latest trends in all things fashion, beauty and even home decor.

I checked out the store at Annapolis Mall, and loved it so much that I am doing a giveaway with Macy’s Backstage, so you can see why I loved it so much. There will be two winners of a $50 gift card to Macy’s! You can enter on my Instagram at @Danieminor13. 

Here are some of the looks that I was able to find during my shopping trip there:

I am loving texture and patterns for this fall, and I was able to find that. They also carry all size ranges at affordable prices, which I of course, appreciated. #entryleveljobballin
I bought 7 pieces for $150, which you cannot beat anywhere!

I love knowing that when I walk into a store, they are going to carry plus size clothing that is on trend!

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Win an $800 Nordstrom Gift Card!

Posted in Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle by

NO, YOU ARE NOT DREAMING! You read that headline correctly! Yes, YOU can win an $800 Nordstrom gift card!

To see how to win, make sure you follow all the rules down below! All of the blogger babes that I’ve teamed up with are fabulous, and I cannot wait for you to get to know their blogs.

You can enter today starting at 12 pm ET through August 28 at midnight! 

$800 Nordstrom Gift Card Giveaway

To kick off our last month of Summer, I’ve teamed up with a group of bloggers to give you
a chance to win an $800 Nordstrom Gift Card!

To enter: complete the steps in the rafflecopter below. The more steps you complete,
the more entries you receive, and the better your chance at winning!
This giveaway runs until Tuesday, August 28th at 12am PST

Winner will be announced here. Good Luck!
*this giveaway is in no way sponsored by Nordstrom.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

I wish you all the BEST of luck! I cannot wait to see who the winner is!

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My Black Friday Finds!

Posted in Fashion, Thrifty Thursdays by

Can we talk about the great sales that hit stores this weekend? One store in particular had the best sales in my opinion… One of my favorites had daily sales leading up to Black Friday, and then the whole store was 50 percent off on Black Friday!

Do you know what store I’m talking about?

…OLD NAVY! 

For the past three years, my mom and I always make sure to hit Old navy on Black Friday and for the past two years, we’ve gone after Thanksgiving dinner- it has become one of my favorite traditions!

I also purchased some online that I have not received yet, but I will post screen shots below of the items! I purchased everything in an XXL in store.

Here’s what I got (make sure you check them out on Cyber Monday too, because I know they are continuing to do 40 percent off.).

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Jacket/ Shirt/ Jeans

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Shirt / Jeans/ Scarf

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Scarf/ Vest/ Shirt

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Shirt

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Dress (I am wearing as a shirt) 

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Because I did this photoshoot in the middle of D.C., I could not change into this beautiful jumpsuit I got, but here is a photo from Old Navy’s website:

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I purchased this in an XXL, and it fits me PERFECTLY! It actually is a little longer on me than on the model because I have short legs!

 

What I purchased online and still waiting to receive: 

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I got bottoms to a swim suit because I started aqua classes and only have boring black ones! Screen Shot 2017-11-26 at 7.45.32 PM

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My mom got me this scarf in store, but it’s for Hannukah 😉

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I know everyone is asking, how much was all of that?! After adding up everything and I got everything for LESS than $200!! I got it for $199.20 😉

I am so happy with all of my purchases! I hope you love everything too and check out Old Navy’s Cyber Monday deals.

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Why You Need To Protect Your Eyes With Blue Light Glasses Now!

Posted in Fashion, Lifestyle by

Little do most of us know, but we are seriously hurting our eyes with our technology. Recently, I was told about the effects that artificial Blue Light has on our eyes. I knew I needed to do something about it and needed to help all of you as well! Combat this Blue Light with special glasses- they are cute, trendy and will save your eyes!

I did a little research so I could learn more…

What is Blue Light?

According to Bluelightexposed.com, Blue Light is everywhere we turn, but it is the artificial blue light that is hurting us. This is coming from our devices, specifically the devices that use an LED back-light.

Think about how many devices that is that we use! That’s our tablets, laptop screens, computer and iPhones.

So what is the Blue Light doing to you?

If you experience eyestrain, headaches, physical or mental fatigue, it could be from these Blue Light.

How can I combat this? 

Blue light glasses! Do not worry, they are cute! Let me show you the two pairs that I bought.

I bought one pair from Felix Gray and the other from Eye Buy Direct! I wanted to test two brands that are from two different price points to see which I liked better.

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Felix Gray: 

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I bought the Jemison style, which was best for larger faces. I bought them in the Whiskey Tortoise! They were $95 because I did not need any magnification added to my lenses.

Eye Buy Direct: 

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I like this pair a lot, but I think I would have liked this brand more if I purchased a more square pair. I think the roundness of the glasses do not do anything for my extremely round face, but for around the house, this pair is amazing, especially for the price!

The pair I bought are called Thrill, and they are created for larger faces too, but they were a little tight on my face. After adding the special protection for the Blue Light, these came to about $45, which is basically half the cost of my Felix Gray pair!

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I love both pairs, but I would definitely say the quality of the pair from Felix Gray is higher. They were more expensive, but I can see why in the material they used. The pair from Eye Buy Direct is still great and gets the job done, but I could see myself breaking these accidentally because I am a klutz.

I think both pairs fit my face shape nicely and they are both really comfortable! I do not even really feel like I am wearing glasses. I wear these when I am doing any kind of work on the computer, writing blog posts and I know I will definitely bring these with me when I start a full-time job because I will be on a computer a ton!

I suggest buying from either brand! If you have any questions, please reach out to me on social! I am happy to answer anything!

 

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Why clothing from Agnes and Dora can fit into ANY woman’s lifestyle!

Posted in Fashion by

Recently, I was sent two great shirts to try from Agnes and Dora, a company that is based on comfortability and confidence. With an array of sizes, prints and styles, this clothing company is made to fit into anyone’s lifestyle.  This brand intends to make women feel good about themselves!

Today, I am reviewing the Frill Sleeve Top Black Whispers top and the Essential Tank Navy Preppy Floral top:

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I decided to try the shirts with a few different pants options to show they can be dressed up and dressed down. These shirts are perfect for anyone, because they are so comfortable and versatile. I could definitely see these being great for class, brunch or even work!

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I think pairing this shirt with jeans and little block heels makes this the perfect outfit for dinner with friends or a casual date night!

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By switching into this skirt and putting on this grey floppy hat, this outfit was totally transformed! I definitely suggest this shirt because of the pop of color that it can add to any outfit- it also looks GREAT in these pictures, so get ready for some Insta-ready pics. I felt great in this shirt because it was so soft and breathable. I also loved that the sleeves have frills on the sides, so it adds a little extra!

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This is the Essential Tank in Navy Preppy Floral. This paired perfectly with white jeans and my block heels. I also felt so comfortable in this shirt as well. The colors in this shirt are also so beautiful. When taking these pictures, I got a ton of compliments and women were asking me where I got it, and I was excited to tell them about this new fun company !

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I really enjoyed working with Nikki and Emilia who are two local representatives of Agnes and Dora. If you want to shop with them to see what fun clothing you can find, you can find their page here! I like that Agnes and Dora allows you to shop online unlike a lot of clothing brands that go through representatives. If you are wondering what items to try first, Nikki’s go-to piece is the Capri and Love Tunic and Emilia’s is the Ball Skirt!

Thank you to my friend Amanda who is a wonderful photographer for these fun photos! Here are a few of my other favorites from this shoot:

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This post is sponsored by Agnes and Dora Representatives, Nikki and Emilia. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Defining Danie possible!

 

 

 

Warby Parker lets you try glasses at HOME for free before purchasing!

Posted in Fashion, Lifestyle by

If you don’t have Warby Parker on your list of businesses you purchase from, you are not living life right!  Warby Parker is a one-for-one prescription eyewear and designer sunglasses company that gives you stylish glasses and gives back to the community, what more could we want? #AmIrightladies?

I heard about their new free Home Try-On and wanted to see if there were any sunglasses that I liked so I could try this out to share with all of you! They have a quiz on their website to help you find which glasses you like, but if you go under their sunglasses category, you can find the Home Try-On buttons underneath each pair!

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With Warby Parker’s Home Try-On, you can choose five pairs of glasses you like and then you receive them at home to see which pair you like the best! So, I chose pairs that were good for wide faces and had tortoise shell and I found this pair below! I am obsessed with this pair. I really love the blonde tortoise, and I have never seen other brands with this blonde tortoise, so I became really obsessed with these!

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After looking through the pictures I took, I realized I did not take any pictures of the glasses actually on myself, but I can tell you the pair that actually suited me well were the pair that I loved, the Reilly! (What’s funny is my middle name is Rylee, so it must be a coincidence? 😉 )

You can see the other pairs I tried on here:

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Griffin / Sheridan / Banks / Reilly / The Ellison are no longer available, but here is a similar pair!

After having a few days to try them on, you ship them back, Warby Parker sends you an email with each pair that you tried and then you can purchase the ones you loved the most! They really make it super simple for you.

In addition to already having amazing products, the company just came out with its new collection called the Sculpted Series where all of the glasses are handmade in Italy! Each pair of glasses are all various rich and stone-inspired hued colors, which are beautiful! My favorite pair from this collection is the Stella, because they are huge and rose-colored! Screen Shot 2017-08-16 at 11.43.17 AM.png

Hope everyone loves these glasses as much as I do!

If you already have your favorite pair of Warby Parker sunglasses, share them with me on social @Danieminor13!

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I am obsessed with Spicy Mustard- the color, not the condiment!

Posted in Fashion, Lifestyle by

I want to talk about the color trend for fall 2016 that I have been loving and hope to see carried over some into winter.

First off, I want to start by saying: Who told so many people they couldn’t wear yellow? Whoever it was cannot be my friend (just kidding). As so many people know, my favorite color is yellow! One of the top color trends for fall 2016 is Spicy Mustard by Pantone.

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Pictured above, you can see my friend Alyse and I wearing the color. We are different hair colors, different skin colors and are wearing it differently, but we are both still rocking the color!

There are many ways to also wear the color. I decided to wear my new red ballet flats with my spicy mustard cardigan, which I purchased at the Goodwill in Kent, Ohio and Alyse is rocking her spicy mustard skirt with more earthy toned jacket and scarf.

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I matched my outfit with my favorite Rebecca Minkoff Sofia Clutch purse.  As you can see, Minkoff added a touch of spicy mustard into the design by including a tassel that is spicy mustard! There are so many ways that you can this goldish color into your wardrobe without making it the main focus of your outfit.

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My favorite way to wear this color is definitely with a berry lip and gold accents, such as my watch in the picture above.

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Curious to see if you can also rock this color, head into your favorite stores right now because this color can be found almost anywhere this season. Also, don’t Alyse and I look like an American Eagle ad? (LOL)

I’m excited to hear what your thoughts are on the color, Spicy Mustard! Share them with me in the comments below or on social media @Danieminor13 <3

 

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My Indie Fashion Media Finds

Posted in Fashion, Fashion Media by

For a long time I wasn’t exactly sure if I knew the correct meaning of “Indie Fashion.” I was not sure if just meant trendy or hipster, so I looked it up and I have come to the conclusion that it really just short for the word individual.

After researching  some really awesome indie fashion magazines, I found The GentleWoman. They are a UK-based magazine that is in both print and digital. Their spring/summer 2016 issue is their thirteenth edition, which has Kirsten Dunst on it, which I was surprised by because she is an American actress on the UK magazine!

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Their almost 31,000 followers on Instagram could probably tell you that the magazine is known as a “fabulous biannual magazine for modern women of style and purpose.”

They feature ambitious journalism and celebrates inspirational, international women through its distinctive combination of glamour, personality and warmth. “The Gentlewoman offers a fresh and intelligent perspective on fashion that is focused on personal style – the way women actually look, think and dress” 

I started flipping through the magazine (they have an online preview of their magazine), I appreciated the magazine’s approach they took to appeal to the modern woman. I felt that I was not the reader they were trying to reach, but I still really enjoyed their magazine so I took a look at their online media kit.

The latest version they have is their media kit for 2015:

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If you take a look at it, I am a part of their target audience , I am 21 and I am confident, independent and most of the time stylish (haha), but they are really targeting women between the ages of 28-46.

The Gentlewoman is written more for the UK woman rather than the American woman, and I can tell that based off the adds they have on their website, along with their online preview of their print magazine.

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Their distribution is 62 percent within the UK and only 12 percent within the US, so I would hope they used ads that were more relevant for the UK woman.

Their magazine is unique, even starting with the name. I LOVE the name of their magazine. I think when people walk past a newsstand they would stop and have to think about the name for a second because at first glance they would probably think it says Gentleman, but nope it’s Gentlewoman!

I hope they continue doing what they’re doing because they seem to be pretty successful.

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