I’m back from Mexico

Those of you who follow me on TwitterFacebook or Instagram may have noticed that I was pretty quiet this past week. That’s because I was checked-out in Cozumel, Mexico with my fiancé (I’m still getting used to that word)! The trip was good..great to get away, especially at the time we did (early Saturday morning) and the weather was perfect, the sun felt so good, and the ocean water was warm.

The trip wasn’t great because the island was too touristy and we weren’t a fan of the all-inclusive deal. We had never done that before, but it was just wasn’t for us. This trip made us realize we like going somewhere where we can explore the culture and not be asked to buy things whenever we leave the resort. We also could not keep up with drinking as much as everyone else (50 year olds drinking 10AM-10PM) so we’d rather just buy beer at the local supermarket. It was fun though meeting people from Toronto, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Michigan.

Either way, it was definitely worth it to be away for a week..time to start to get back to reality today!

cozumel

Winner of the Cloak & Dapper men’s dress socks giveaway!

Congrats to megabrooke who commented on this blog for winning the pair of Richer Poorer bright blue socks from the Cloak & Dapper store! I hope Matt makes the clothing menu proud styling these socks in his work wear (here are ideas on how to wear the bright socks to work).

And if you didn’t win these socks, don’t worry! Lots of you said there were other items you liked in the cloakanddapper.us shop so Cloak & Dapper is offering you a 25% discount!

cloak and dapper discount

To claim it, enter clothingmenu25 in the discount code field on the “view bag” page during checkout and the 25% will come right off the subtotal.

Let me know what you buy!

How to look stylish when you’re pregnant

In the course of a week, 3 of my favorite bloggers announced their pregnancies on their blogs, which was very exciting! Of course, it’s exciting that they are having babies, but also because they all have amazing style so I knew they’d continue to keep that style while being pregnant. If you’re dreading maternity wear, check out their blogs!

9to5 chic

9 to 5 Chic

the coveted

the coveted

mon petit chou chou

mon petit chou chou

Sword & Plough bags that help veterans and the environment

There are so many good things to say about this brand new company, Sword & Plough, which is proven by the fact that they have already surpassed their Kickstarter goal!  This handbag and accessories company was founded by 2 sisters, one is an active duty military officer. They start their process by sourcing surplus military materials then they work with a non-profit that employs veterans to sew the bags in the US.

sword and plough lifecycle

On top of the ways Sword & Plough helps veterans and the environment, the bags are also super stylish and durable. To support the company’s launch and to be one of the first to own one of their items, give to the Sword & Plough kickstarter campaign.

sword and plough bags men

sword and plough iphone cover

sword and plough bag women

I’m really considering giving enough to get this tote bag!

You should read A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff

a vintage affair

I don’t usually write about books I’m reading, but I just finished A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff and was realizing that anyone who likes this blog would probably like the book. It’s about a girl in her 30s who opens a vintage clothing store in London, so you get to experience what it’s like to open and run a vintage store, including trips to France to look for clothes to sell in the store! But the book is also about relationships, with parents, guys and friends. Thank you to my friend Jaime for recommending it to me!

How to wear bright dress socks to work

As I mentioned in Monday’s post, according to my male co-workers, wearing bright dress socks to work is “the thing.” There aren’t many ways for guys to show personality in their work outfits (like there is for us ladies), so I definitely appreciate this new trend for guys. It’s especially fun to see these pops of color around the office as we move into spring. Check out how some of my co-workers are brightening up the office..and enter the Cloak & Dapper giveaway before this Thursday at midnight EST to win a pair of bright blue dress socks for yourself!

how to wear bright socks to work men

bright men's socks

how to wear bright men's dress socks

Boston, you’re my home

I’m in shock at what has happened on this sunny, Boston Marathon day. This day is usually full of emotions of triumph, support, and cheerfulness.  The emotions we are all feeling after the tragic events of today are beyond words. I’m hearing that my friends, family and co-workers are safe. I hope yours are as well.

Giveaway: bright blue men’s dress socks from Cloak & Dapper

It’s about time to give away something on this blog for the guys, right? I’m excited to be giving away this pair of Richer Poorer blue socks because I’m told by my male co-workers that colorful socks are “the thing.” (Here’s some inspiration on how to wear these bright socks to work).

socks from Cloak and Dapper

These socks were selected from Cloak & Dapper, which is a one-stop shop general store for men, selling a selection of USA made items like clothes, grooming products, and provisions. Right now, they are online-only but they have plans to open up stores in Winter Park, Florida and eventually Chicago and New York.

Here are 3 ways to enter the giveaway (your name will be entered for every one one of these you do):

1) Leave a comment on this blog post, preferably about what your favorite item is from cloakanddapper.us

2) Tweet about this giveaway mentioning @KristenD56 and @CloakandDapper

3) Leave a comment on this Facebook post from the clothing menu’s page

Enter by Thursday, April 18 at midnight EST (US entries only please).

The winner will be announced on this blog, and on my Twitter handle, and the clothing menu Facebook page on Friday, so be sure to check back to see if you’re the winner!

What to wear to work when I’m engaged!!

Yup, that’s right! I’m engaged! My boyfriend of 5 years proposed to me Sunday night and I’m still in shock that it’s for real. All of the congrats and well wishes from my family and friends has been overwhelmingly exciting. I’m letting the engagement sink in right now, but will be starting the wedding planning process soon. I’m most excited about finding a venue, booking a photographer and of course..finding the perfect dress!

Here’s what I wore on my first day to work engaged..oh and the ring!

what to wear to work

ASOS peplum top / Citizens of Humanity skinny jeans / Old Navy leopard flats / (fake) pearls from my grandmother / Revlon posh nail polish

ring

Budgeting Bloggers March recap

March was my first month joining the Budgeting Bloggers group and it was also my first month shopping this year. (Not because I was being good, but because I was dealing with a broken arm from mid-January to beginning of March only wearing baggy shirts and not able to drive). But anyway, as soon as I could wear normal clothes and drive again, I was back to shopping! Even with my random splurges (and thanks to a gift card), I stayed under my $200/month budget. Here’s what I got for $160.48 (thanks to the gift card!):

victoria's secret march purchaseFirst, a wrap cover-up dress and bikini from Victoria’s Secret – gift to myself for my trip to Cozumel, Mexico in a couple weeks! I also bought a few other pieces I don’t really want to share on this blog.. This whole purchase was covered by a Visa gift card I got for Christmas.

asos and target march purchases

And then various spring clothes from Target and ASOS. Can you tell what my favorite color is? The Mossimo Supply Co. floral denim pants are my favorite. I also really love the ASOS blue lace skater dress. I originally bought that for work, but it dips down in the back and it’s an inch too short for the office. Instead of returning it (like I did 2 other dresses I bought from them), I’m going to keep it for a date night.