Leaving on a Jet Plane! March's Reader Challenge Winner!!

Traveling via airport can be such a drag nowadays, what with the travel restrictions on what liquids you can bring on a plane, or extra baggage fees which have been popping up at most airlines.  I had an airline charge me for bringing a carryon onto the Plane! (Yup, you did not read that wrong.. I will never be flying them again!)

Our February Reader posed the question to TAL... How to pack for a spring break vacation while still fitting all of my fashionista requirements (shoes, clothes, accessories and makeup) into a small bag since airlines charge so much for baggage these days.

Well, we are here to help!

First off, buy a great weekender bag/piece of luggage that you will be comfortable traipsing through an airport with and will easily fit in the overhead compartment of a plane.  I recently bought a great rollaway luggage from Marshall’s. I found that they were cheaper than Kohl’s and I don’t see the need in spending an exorbitant amount of money on luggage. I like to save my money for all the accessories/clothes I want to buy!  Also having the right size luggage means that you never have to say no to an impromptu vacation!  

My trusty wheeled luggage.  This baby has gone to Aruba and California!

This fits a lot of stuff and it expands!

Most airlines will let you bring one personal item (usually your purse) and one carry-on item (your luggage).  I like to bring one of my large purses which I stuff my Kindle, Iphone and liquid items into.  I always pack a clutch to use while on my weekend getaway. 

Next, I like to write lists!  Now you may be wondering what that has to do with packing, but I find that a list helps me figure out what I want to bring with me, depending on where I am going and what I’ll be doing while I am away.  I should note that after writing this list, I will go back and edit it, plus when i finally start pulling things out to pack, I will again edit what I bring. I will admit that I am an overpacker indeed... I’m working on it. I promise! Which is why editing and lists are an important part of the packing process for me! 

Ok.  Here comes the fun stuff, putting together outfits.  Don’t just pack a top, make sure you know what pant you will wear it with, all the way down to the accessories.  Make outfits for each day, this will help with those who tend to overpack... ahem... me. 

Shoes can be a difficult item to pack, make sure that the shoes you bring work for more than one outfit. You have a limited amount of space, so you need to be wise, I know that Budget won't be happy, but be selective on the shoes you bring.  Also wear your heaviest bulkiest shoes on the plane, it will free up space for other items.  

As for accessories, I always like options, but we can’t bring everything with us, so years ago I purchased a jewelry carry case, that I put my all my baubles in which I plan on wearing while away.  Remember to think of the outfits you are wearing and bring an extra option to go with that outfit. Also if you are planning on wearing that outfit during the day and night, a switch in earrings could transition the outfit perfectly!  

This jewelry case carries a lot of accessories, which is great because I own a lot!

It folds up nicely, so it doesn't take up a lot of space in your luggage!

As for makeup, I have a lot of makeup, so I'm not going to pack everything for a weekend getaway.  I have certain items that I use everyday, under eye concealer, mascara, lipgloss.  So they always travel with me.  But just like in jewelry cases and luggage, having a great travel makeup bag is essential!  I bring eyeshadows that can work for most outfits and try to limit what I bring.  Oh and don't forget your makeup brushes, I did that once and it was very difficult getting my makeup on.  Also your makeup does not constitute a liquid as per the lovely agents and the TSA, so you don't need to limit it to a sandwich size bag. (that doesn't mean you need to bring everything!!)

I hope these tips help you for your next weekend away!  We're always here to answer questions!!  So don't forget to write at theccessorizedlife@gmail.com.

Enjoy your next trip. 

~P

xoxo

The Little Things

It’s another installment of our series, the Little Things.  Here are a few things that make me smile.

Stackable Rings:

The Trio

I picked up this trio of Rings at an Art/Craft Show in Florida last month. Since that time, I haven’t taken them off! They go with pretty much anything, casual and sophisticated all rolled into one.  So. In. Love.

Co Lab Bag. 

Great Carry-all Bag. 

On a recent trip to Marshalls to help my parents shop for some new luggage, I found this great Purse for under $40.00.  I’ve been using it non stop since then.  It’s has great pockets that keep my stuff organized despite the fact that it’s a pretty big bag.  Plus I can wear it as a cross-body bag, or carry it by the handles.  I’ve gotten a bunch of compliments on this purse.  Love.

Michael Kors Watch. 

In. Love.

Ok, so I know this blog is all about being fashionable on a Budget, but for close to two years I have been drooling over a particular Michael Kors Watch.  So when my amazing Brother asked me what I wanted for Hanukkah this year, I told him, honestly, this watch.  Thinking he never ever would get it for me and that was fine.  Well he got it for me.  Yup, I have the best brother in the world.... which leads me to my last thing.

My Family.  

The Birthday Girl surrounded by her Grandchildren

I get that Family isn’t a thing, but for the past few months I’ve been on a Family overload in a really good way.  I’ve been able to spend time with both sides of my family, going on family vacations with them and spending long weekends culminating in a recent extravaganza.  My entire family on my Dad’s side flew to Florida to surprise my 90 year old grandmother for a weekend together which ended in a surprise birthday dinner.  Don’t worry, the surprises didn’t kill her, rather, she had a permanent smile on all weekend long.  It was the perfect way to celebrate my grandmother.  After all the time we spent together I realized how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family, so yeah, My family makes me smile.  

Well that's what is making me smile these days. What about you?  Let us know!  

Have a Great Thursday!

Love xoxo. 

Book of the Month

This month, I'm focusing on a book that I came across by accident. The book, Darkest Child by Delores Phillips, was a book I came across on Amazon when they featured a kindle book sale--a large number of kindle books for $3.99 or less. I only considered books with 4 stars or above, and then I still read the reviews before I chose a book.

Of the books I purchased that day, quite a few (in all honesty) sucked. But, I found an amazing find with Darkest Child.

This book is about a poor black family in Georgia in the 1950s. There are 10 children, one two-room house (without running water), one crazy mother, several different fathers (none of whom are in the children's lives anymore) and not enough love, money or luck to go around. The undercurrent of the book is the blossoming Civil Rights movement, and how that plays into the lives of the individuals in this family. But, that is by no means the focus of the book. This book focuses on how this family survives--any way they can.

The story is told from the perspective of one of the middle children--Tangy Mae. You watch her grow from innocent, yet damaged, child into a teen who is wise far beyond her years. The mother is a character you love to hate--she is cruel, unfeeling and unkind to her children (she characterizes them by their skin color from "white" to "dark"--favoring the "white" ones), but as the book progresses, you come to realize that the mother has serious mental issues and, even though you hate her, there are several times in the book where you want to help her or you sympathize with her.

You grow to love each of the children in their own way--especially as you learn about the damage that has been done to each of these children at the hands of their mother. You want to scream at the children to stop being so loyal to their mother and to get the heck out of that house, but you understand why they stay--it's the only home they've ever known.

I would love to divulge more, as I loved every single second of this book (truly and completely--there was not one section where I felt the book was lacking, slow or just plain ridiculous), but I don't want to give away too much of the plot line, the twists and turns (and believe me, there are plenty shocking moments in this book), the apexes or the lows of this book. I will tell you this, however, I read Darkest Child from cover to cover in one day--less than 24 hours. It is not an easy read, it is not brain candy and it is not written in simplistic language. It is just that good.

This book ranks incredibly high on my list of books I love and list of books I love to recommend. Check out Darkest Child...I promise you won't be sorry.

(If you click on anywhere it says Darkest Child, it will take you directly to the book on amazon.com.)

Have any great book recommendations to share? Did you read Darkest Child and want to share your thoughts with us? Email us at theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com!

Reader Challenge--March Winner & April Challenge

Our reader challenges just keep getting better. March was our best response yet! Our March winner was...

Kelli S!!!

Kelli's suggestion was: "How to pack for a spring break vacation while still fitting all of my fashionista requirements (shoes, clothes, accessories and makeup) into a small bag since airlines charge so much for baggage these days."




Thanks Kelli for your fabulous suggestion! Keep your eyes peeled for a great prize! 


The rest of you...keep your eyes peeled for this post!

And, with the announcement of our March winner, the April Reader Challenge has begun! In order to enter the contest, simply email us at theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com with ideas for blog posts you'd like to see on The Accessorized Life. Make sure to include a brief description of your idea so that we're sure to caption your vision!


If you would like to enter, please send us an email in the following format:

Name:
E-mail address:
Mailing Address:
Idea:

All submissions received before April 30th will be considered for our April contest. The winner of the April contest will be announced in the first week of May. The winning post will also appear early in May.

Remember...there is a fabulous prize for each month's winner! February's prize was:

Amanda M., we hope you love it! We'd love to see a picture of you wearing it.

We look forward to receiving your April submissions. Good luck!

theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com