Kick In The Pants

To say that I was saving up to go shopping in London is a huge understatement. For reals, though: I was stalking websites in anticipation of buying things in person. Some may call it obsessed, I just call it thought out.

And I don't hide the fact that I'm jealous of British girls due to the fact that they can pull off a pail lip and dark eye liner like no body's business... AND, that they can shop in stores like Miss Selfridge and Primark. I don't care what language a bargain is in - I'm all about a shopping high.

So, remember that infamous Tippi J. Crew heart sweater that sold out like it was on fire? Well, I never got my hands on it... but I did find something that measures up to it!

Outfit Details:

Gold Foil Heart Sweater - Primark

Beat the Drag Colorblock Pants - Threadsense

Two-Tone Satchel - Primark

Black Leather Ankle Boots - Forever 21

Gold Buckle Bracelet - thrift/vintage

Spiked Bracelet - Forever 21

Red and Gold Hoku Bangle - c/o Sequin NYC

Exclamation Point Ring - Wendy Brandes

I paid 14 pounds for this heart sweater - which is about 28 bucks in U.S. dollars. Compared to the J. Crew sweater, which is about $78, I'd say that, yup... Smells like a deal to me!

And the pants, which I ordered from Threadsense before my trip, were waiting for me when I got home.

Talk about a kick in the pants... 

Travel Diary: England Part 2

First, I just want to thank everyone for their comments/concern from my last post. Appreciate the love!

But on to some British goodness!

The other part of my trip which I loved seeing was Bath. If you think London is beautiful, you haven't seen anything until you go to Bath.

As the place where the Roman Baths were built, it holds much history and of course, gorgeous architecture. The town itself has preserved the look of the original buildings, but it's the perfect mix of old meets new as the shops and stores surrounding it don't take away for the town's original beauty.

One of my most favorite shops was a place called Octopus, an eccentric gift shop with knick knacks and uber unique housewares. I didn't know it at the time, but my brother and sister-in-law had bought me a gift on the sly for my birthday, which I love!

 Sausage for days. <insert dirty joke here>

In the heart of Bath is Bath Abbey, a gorgeous, medieval church. And right next to it, you can take a tour of the Roman Baths, which yes, do work.

Now, if I could only convince my husband to move back to England! 

Travel Diary: England Part 1

 

My trip to England went by too fast. I find that every time I visit, my view of the country that has become a second home to me, changes. England is absolutely a different pace than New Jersey. The people. The history. The beauty. And of course, for someone like me, the fashion is just ace.

This trip was absolutely my best visit yet. I've been to London before, but this time I was able to explore some of the other touristy parts, eat some genuine pub food and spend time with some of the people I love.

And let's not forget about the shopping. I can NOT wait to show you some of clothes I picked up along my travels. Let's just say there's studs involved.

The day Mike, myself and my brother and sister-in-law headed to England, it was bright and sunny. The weather was cold, for me, but we had a lot to tackle as we wanted to take in as many sights as we could.

Of course, we had to snap some photos in front of the mother of all tourist attractions, Big Ben! We decided the best way to go was to get on one of those double-decker tour buses... only for the bus to sorta stop at random places along the way. It was getting darker, and we hadn't made our way to anything else besides for Big Ben and the London Eye, so we decided to hop off on Oxford Street (above).

Myself and Mike freezing atop a double-decker bus.

Eventually, the four of us got off at Oxford Street, and spent some time shopping, hitting up Starbucks 14 times, and walking like whoa before catching the tube to Covent Garden from Bond Street for dinner.

The Chanel store in Covent Garden was very tempting... but I didn't go inside.

After walking around for about 6 hours, we made our way to Piccadilly Circus. I've been here before, but being able to see London at night was amazing. There's absolutely a different vibe at night, which I loved.

The final stop on our day in London was back to the London Eye. I did NOT want to go on it. I have an extreme fear of heights, and let's be honest: Being inside a pod on a giant ferris wheel didn't sound like the way I'd like to meet my end (god forbid that should happen). 

But, after being told that I was going on it by my husband and to just "suck it up", I reluctantly did.

I never knew this but you circle the eye in 30 minutes! Seems like a lot longer since the thing is huge. The views were just beautiful!

Check back on Monday for Part 2!

Jersey Strong

Being that I'm a blogger from New Jersey, I wanted to share my thoughts on wants happening here in my home state.

It's hard to sum up how so many are feeling after the events of Hurricane Sandy. Something that is so massive, and has taken over the lives of thousands of people in the Garden State on such a grand scale... New Jersey has never experienced anything like this, so for me, wrapping my head around the fact that our shores are gone, that so many people have lost their homes, people have died... And a little over a week later, we're starting to pick up the pieces of what's left.

Hurricane Sandy has destroyed so much here, and in New York, Staten Island and other parts of the tri-state area. I can tell you that what I've seen in New Jersey is beyond saddening.

Worst is an extreme understatement. 

I've lived in New Jersey all my life and have never seen such devastation and desperation until now. You might have seen photos on TV of what the shore looks like... It's gone.

Places that I grew up spending summers with my family and friends are now floating memories washed away in the ocean.

Photo via http://www.directrelief.org

The flooding throughout the shoreline is on a scale that reminds me of Hurricane Katrina. The boardwalks I used to be so excited to visit as a child are washed away. People's lives, homes, possessions - destroyed. While material possessions can be replaced, you can't replace memories. I'm not sure what's going to happen... Never in the 32 years I've lived in NJ have I ever seen anything this massive. Flooding, the power outages, the measures we know have to take to get back to some type of normalcy have changed... Not sure what normalcy is for some people to be honest. More like nightmare. For now.


But I'm one of the lucky ones. My home was unscathed, as was my parents, but they sat for 6 days without any heat or power. I didn't have to ensure it because I was in England, but knowing your mother and father, and thousands of families are sitting in a cold houses, throwing out food, and standing in line for gas for 3 hours... I have a little guilt that I was away having fun while they were just trying to make the most of the situation.

However, I have seen many acts of kindness from people showing compassion and humanity for those in need. I think that's what makes New Jersey a little different than other places. We seem to have a thicker skin being that we are so close to New York. We'll make the most of the situation. We're Jersey strong.


But others need more help. I can't imagine losing my home... It's life changing. It devastating. It's heartbreaking. There are thousands of people throughout the state who were affected by Hurricane Sandy, and it's going to take a lot of rebuilding, time, money and love to get these people back on their feet.

I encourage you to donate what you can. Clothes, a local food drive, supplies, a small monetary donation, your time - it all makes a difference.

Here are some ways you can give a little bit, and make a big difference in the life of someone who needs it.

Donate direct to the American Red Cross by clicking here.

Or donate to the Red Cross by texting “Redcross” to 90999.

Donate to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund by clicking here.

Help New Jersey rebuild the shore, particularly, Seaside Heights. Architecture for Humanity will be holding a marathon on November 15 on MTV. In the meantime, click here to donate to their cause.

Want to volunteer your time? Check out Volunteermatch.org.

Guest Post: Amanda of Fashionablee Me

Color In The Cold

Hello, all you rad House of Jeffers readers! It is a complete honor to get to hang with you while Jen is enjoying everything that England has to offer (tea and lots of shopping, anyone?!) Just a little background for y’all- but I have known about Jen and her fab blog for a little over a year now, and while we became great friends via social media, I was given the pleasure of meeting her over this past summer. So, not only did I love her and House of Jeffers before, but she now is a very dear friend whom I have a very special place in my heart for..and trust me…her beauty and bangs are even better in person (hard to believe, right?!)

But on to a little Fall Fashion for you! If you have ever swung on by my blog, Fashionablee Me, you may have taken notice, I am a true California gal, and lover of all things with bold and bright colors, fun prints, and more often than not neon lipstick… and, to be honest- I really don’t think with Fall and Winter around the corner that there will be a change in the color department... At All( I also think Jen would agree here).

 My affinity for neons is going strong and this is one of the many ways I will be rocking them…but as the weather drops I would probably add some black tights…but for now- I’m totally embracing the 75 degree weather in California (I know, I know- trying not to rub it in).

So, whether you rock a pair of bold tights, or stick with a pop at the lips- I hope to see you rocking some color throughout the winter- you know I sure will!

Thanks for letting my swing by and brighten your day (total pun intended!), and major thanks to Jen for letting me raid HOJ for the day!

Keep in touch, and come say hi over on Fashionablee Me! 

Xo,

Amanda 

Let’s Socialize!

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