Simplygailg

Why I Love Scarves and Why You Should Too!

March 2, 2016

Hello Friends and Happy Wednesday!

As some of you may know, I love wearing scarves. I own quite a few of them and I’m constantly updating my collection. Now that spring is swiftly approaching, my scarves will be in full rotation. So today I’m going to share with you the reason why I love scarves and why you should too.

Versality – Scarves can be styled in so many different ways and they work with many different outfits. Check out Wendy’s (from Wendy’s Lookbook) Youtube video on how to style scarves 25 ways in 4.5 minutes. This video has been around for ages but it is timeless. I’ve learned a LOT from her on how to play around with scarves and keep them looking stylish every time.
Color Balance – Picture an all-black (as in my outfit below), black and white or an all-white outfit. Now picture those outfits with a beautiful floral, striped or plaid scarf. A colorful scarf can take a plain outfit to new heights.
Substitution For Jewelry – You try on an outfit and no matter how many pieces of jewelry you try on, it just doesn’t work with the outfit. Why not throw on a scarf? It may be the perfect solution to that problem.
Perfect For All Seasons – With so many material choices from silk to wool, scarves can be worn pretty much year round.

The tote pictured above is amazing. It’s oversized and fits everything! I took it with me on my trip to Argentina and was able to fit my camera, my wallet, make-up, and whatever valuables I had – basically everything! The little coin purse was a souvenir from Niagra Falls. 🙂

Details: Top (Forever 21), similar, here | Leggings (H&M), similar | Scarf (thrifted) similar styles here and here | Tote (Forever 21) | Boots (Steve Madden)

Kate and Moose Collaboration

February 29, 2016

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a restful weekend. After coming back from such long vacation, it was so hard to get into the swing of things last week. But after this weekend, I feel a bit more rested and a bit more human. Thank goodness! I’m also slowly catching up on everyone’s blog posts so bear with me. 🙂

Today’s post is about a collaboration with online accessories boutique Kate and Moose. After Kate contacted me about a possible collab and after checking out the website, I was pretty excited. Kate and Moose carry jewelry for the minimalist who loves bright, bold colors. Each color is hand mixed until the right shade is achieved. The earrings that I received are in a beautiful turquoise and my first thought was that they they were so pretty and delicate. If you love delicate but bold jewelry, check out her website linked above.

I chose to wear the earrings with black and white so that the blue would pop. The hooded poncho that I’m wearing is from Forever 21. I purchased it along with the sweater in this post during their two-for-the-price-of-one sale so this was one was basically free! 🙂 The sunnies are from NYS Collection linked here. Everything else are items from my closet that I’ve linked below.

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun and exciting?

As always, thank you for visiting my blog and have a lovely week! Xoxo

-gg

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Home Sweet Home + Thrift Finds

February 24, 2016

I’m baaaack!

Wow, it seems like I’ve been gone forever. For those of you who don’t know, I recently went to Argentina for 2 weeks to visit family and friends and for a little R+R(?). This was my 6th time visiting and I must say it was the most tiring thus the question mark after R+R. When we’ve visited in the past, we’ve stayed in the same house as my in-laws but when we tried that with the kids in 2014, it wasn’t an ideal situation. All of us cramped in one room – oh no! So this time, we stayed in a beautiful hotel less than 5 minutes away from my in-laws’ house and it worked out a lot better. However, because of this we had to travel back and forth from the house to the hotel (the hotel was just a place to lay our heads). But, we had a great time seeing family and friends that we haven’t seen in a while and the weather was absolutely gorgeous!

Of course, while I was there I took a few outfit photos because that’s the blogger in me so I’ll be sharing those over a few posts. I kept my hair in a ‘wash and go’ style so I wouldn’t have to worry about frizzies in the warm climate and since I would be in a pool practically everyday.

Believe it or not, I found this Lucky Brand top in a thrift store in NYC. It was my first time thrift shopping and it was such a fun experience. The store was so organized and it was easy to find items. I did pick up a few pieces which I will share at a later time but I was so happy to have found this top and was able to take it with me on my trip. The material is so silky and soft and it’s in excellent condition. I will definitely be going thrift shopping again.

I purchased the cross body bag before I left and of course it had to be blue. 🙂 It’s the perfect size – and it fill all the essentials while I was away including my wallet!

I hope everyone is having a great day. Do you shop at thrift stores? What has your experience been like?

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Weekend Brunch + Swing dress

February 1, 2016

Happy Monday Friends! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend.

This weekend I had a wonderful brunch with a dear friend of mine who gave me the worst news. She informed me that she was moving to Texas. 🙁 She was one of the few people in my circle who I could call a really good friend because she’s the absolute sweetest. I’m happy that she’s moving on to bigger and better things but I will miss her immensely.

For our brunch, we went to Le Pain Quotidien in the West Village (NYC) and it was such a good choice. The food there is amazing!!! I had the Beligian waffle you see below and let me tell you, it’s the best darn waffle I’ve ever tasted! I will definitely be visiting this spot again soon.

After our delicious meal, we headed over to Washington Square Park and on the way, we saw this little street just nestled in between buildings. The street seemed like it belonged in Europe not than New York City. I just knew we had to take a stroll onto the street and snap a few photos.

The dress I’m wearing was purchased from Shein and I just love it. It’s light and moves very easily. If you can see from the photos, the sleeves have some gathering on the upper arms and then it flows out to create an almost bell-sleeved feel and gathers again at the cuff. I paired the dress with a fuzzy cardigan which I found on the clearance rack at Forever 21. It was buy one, get one free so I got two sweaters for the price of one! Score! I finished the look with a layered necklace, also from Forever 21, brown tights and Steve Madden riding boots. FYI…I’ve linked the boots but the color on the site is incorrect – the boots are actually a cognac/camel color.

Before I left the city for the day, I decided to do a little thrift shopping for the first time ever! What a nice experience it was. I found a few really cool pieces which I will share with you at a later time. But who knew thrifting could be so much fun?!

How did you spend your weekend? Did you do anything exciting?

Blogger Brunch with Amanda Bella

January 29, 2016

Wooh, it’s Friday!

Today I’m sharing a post that I’m so excited about! I recently had my first Blogger Brunch and got to meet one of my favorite beauty and lifestyle bloggers – Amanda of amanda-bella.com.

Amanda and I met at North Square restaurant in the West Village in NYC for a blogger brunch collab. Amanda brought her mom along for our meeting and my first impression was that they were both so beautiful, personable and so warm. 🙂 It was so fun getting to know each other. We talked, we laughed and shared stories.

Amanda and I both had this delicious French toast while her mom enjoyed an omelet.

After brunch, we walked over to Washington Square Park and snapped a few photos.

What Amanda is wearing: Riding Boots (Old Navy) // Green Jacket, Similar here // Jeans (Indigo Rein), similar here// Sunglasses (Charming Charlie), similar here

What Gail is wearing: Hooded Coat (Steve Madden), similar // Blouse (Banana Republic), similar here and here // Jeans (7 for all Mankind) //Booties (Steve Madden)

Get to know Amanda

Amanda was kind enough to answer a few questions so that we can get to know her better.

1- Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging in 2012 as a New Years Resolution. When I began, it was merely a hobby! I loved to read blogs, so figured I should try to make one myself. It was very random back then [you could go back to browse the posts if you reaIly wanted, but you’re not missing much]! I barely maintained the blog, but in Fall of 2015, I decided to resurrect it + really start taking it seriously. It’s become an incredible outlet for me + has turned into something I’m really proud of! 🙂

2- What brand would you like to work with the most?

I’ve been asked this in the past + have given it a lot of thought…obviously it‘d be amazing to work with a luxury brand, but at the end of the day, that’s really not me. With that said, I think I’d honestly say Target! My posts focus a lot on affordable fashion and beauty…which seems to resonate with the majority of my readers, and I feel like Target offers all of that! Not to mention, I adore the store. Who doesn’t though?!

3- Do you ever become overwhelmed with blogging and how do you recharge your batteries?

Yes, absolutely! It’s my baby! When your heart + soul is in something it really becomes all consuming. There have been many sleepless nights. I usually have to talk myself down, take a step back, and realize that I’m only human! If a post goes up a day late, it’s not the end of the world. I could honestly work 24/7, but I don’t want to miss out on spending quality time with my friends or family…at the end of the day, that’s always the most important.

4- Do you plan on creating beauty vlogs in the future?

Yes! Many people have asked me to start filming tutorials – which is sweet! My sister + I actually had a fairly successful YouTube channel at one point. It became too much to manage since she’s been away at school, but we LOVED filming! I am not opposed at all…in due time! 🙂

5- When shopping, what color do you gravitate to most?

Hmm! I’d have to say black. Although I do love orange + navy!

6- How would you describe your style?

All over the place! I love dressing all kinds of ways. I can be preppy, sporty, edgy, simple, trendy, etc. One thing I’ve never really been is “sexy” – at least not in the manner most people think. I don’t like pieces that are super short or too exposed. I think it’s ok to show a little here + there, but I prefer to wear something with a flattering fit over something that lets it all hang out! Ex: I’d opt for a snug turtle neck that hugs you in all the right places over a deep v-neck top any day.

7- What’s your favorite makeup brand?

I am a drugstore makeup girl! I love Maybelline + CoverGirl products.

7- What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

Be with my family. The older I get, the more I enjoy my time with them. Not just my immediate family, but also my Aunts, Uncles, and cousins! They are the most kind, honest, generous, genuine, supportive, loving, talented, and beautiful group of people I think I’ll ever know. If I turned out to be half as great as any of them, I’ll have done something right in life.

8- Do you ever leave the house without wearing makeup?

Oh yes, all the time. I love the feeling of a naked face. Although, if I’m going out with friends, have a meeting, or know I will be seeing people I’ll definitely put some on.

9- Where do you see your blog in 5 years?

I see myself keeping up with it, and I see it evolving. I have so many thoughts + plans for it. I hope it allows me to continue connecting with wonderful people [like you!], I hope it serves as a valuable tool + positive outlet for others, I hope it brings new ventures into my life, but whatever it becomes, it’s very important to me to remain true to myself. 🙂

I hope you all enjoyed this post as much as Amanda and I enjoyed meeting each other. Head on over to Amanda’s blog to get her take on our lovely brunch. Until next time.

Xoxo,

-gg

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