Real Jeans for Real Women, Featuring Democracy "Ab"Solution Jeans

Sponsored by Democracy Clothing

Not all jeans are created equal. You can either spend hours in a fitting room in tears with stacks and stack of jeans that don't fit, or just pick up a pair of Democracy's "Ab"Solution jeans and change your life. Their signature no gap waistband, slimming mesh panels, and sculpting stretch fabric, allows for a perfect fit. Every time.

Confession. I haven't worn jeans in a while. In my head I didn't think I could wear them over a size 6. But even when I was smaller, I always had a hard time finding denim to fit my curves. And I never had that mythical thigh gap—even at size 2. I always had a smaller waist and curvier everything else. So the answer was to tailor my jeans—or just give up and wear a dress.

But with jeans, like any other piece of clothing, you need to know your body and know how to find cuts that will fit and flatter. Right now I look for a narrow tailored leg to elongate, a high waist to cover my mommy belly, and lots and lots of stretch. What I really love about Democracy's "Ab"Solution denim is their fit. Democracy jeans are fitted with a no-gap elastic through the waist and a power mesh panel—to keep your jeans in place, and flatten and smooth just where you need it. And their power sculpting stretch fabric is magic. So comfortable and perfect for all day wear!

I'm wearing a size 12 in all three styles. The Indigo "Ab"solution Jeggings and Black Highrise Ankle "Ab"solution Jeans fit perfectly but for some reason the "Flex"ellent Notch Hem Jeans don't have as much stretch and I probably could have sized up for more of a relaxed boyfriend jeans look. But all I know is that every single pair of Democracy jeans pulled up and zipped close. Every. Single. One. It made for one painless dressing room experience. They also feature sweetheart yoke stitching and strategically placed back pockets to give the appearance of a booty lift. #yesplease

I love an good dark Indigo denim and these are probably my favorite of the bunch. These "Ab"solution Jeggings have a 30" inseam. For reference, I'm 5'5" and typically look for 30 inches or less in an inseam. I've paired it with a Democracy Clothing tee as well. Just add heels and a tailored coat for a little casual street chic.

What's so special about these black out Democracy jeans is that they are fade resistant. These are the Modern "Ab"solution high rise ankle length jeans with a 28" inseam. I added lots of leopard for a while lotta fun. It's the perfect formula for casual street style.

These "Flex"ellent high rise slim straight leg notch frayed hem jeans are screaming for a cute bootie. These run a little shorter with a 27" inseam. I've paired it with Democracy's asymmetrical cut-out top and a teddy coat—perfect for freezing NYC weather.

Decided to try something new with the notch hem but as you can see, I look taller and narrower in the other cuts. The style is a slim cut but for some reason it looks like a more relaxed fit on me.

What do you look for in your denim? For me it's all about comfort and fit and these Democracy Jeans fit the bill to perfection. I strongly recommend trying a pair of "Ab"Solution denim for yourself and see the difference. Honestly these are game changers.

Thank you to Democracy Clothing for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

XO

Michelle

The Story of a Dress.

Sponsored by Zappos

I've always been a dress girl. I'm not even the girliest girl. I have a bit of tomboy in me. My knees are permanently gray from all the scars from competitive sports and climbing trees in my youth — in dresses. I am simply dress obsessed. I believe that when you put on the right dress, you can take over the world. I've teamed up with Adrianna Papell, who is known for their fashionable, quality dresses, and Zappos.com to share the story of my perfect dress — and tips to help you find yours too!

When I'm in a rush (which is pretty much always LOL) I grab a dress, some cute shoes, sunnies and a bag...and I'm out the door. It's the ultimate momiform. There's no top and bottom to match, which is a huge time saver for this busy mom on the go. Dresses are such a simple way to look polished.

Like most moms (especially over 40) my body isn't what it used to be. When I was shopping for my son's Bar Mitzvah I walked into a store, grabbed 50 dresses, and stood in the dressing room for almost an hour. I grew increasingly frustrated as one after the next did not fit or flatter. I did magically finally find one, but since that experience I've been doing a whole lot more on-line shopping so I could try on in the comfort of my own home.

People like to talk about body confidence and loving the body they're in. Truthfully it's hard. I don't need to be a size 2 or any specific number but I've been finding myself in a rut, hiding in oversized clothing. I decided it was time to push myself outside of my comfort zone and challenge myself find something a little more flattering.

The story of this dress wasn't without a hiccup or two. Ordering on Zappos.com is super easy. I combed through tons of stylish Adrianna Papell dresses until I selected the most beautiful boho embellished dress. When it arrived I quickly put it on...and it didn't zip up. They had been sold out of my size (10) so I was hopeful that I could size down — and I couldn't. So I printed a return slip, packed it back up and returned it. Then I found this chic blue dress and I loved the high low hemline and body skimming shape — and decided it was worth a shot. But I played it safe and sized up to a 12. Big mistake. I tried it on and knew it would be perfect - in a size 10. So I once again, returned the 12 and ordered a 10. And eureka, it fit. So a huge thank you to Zappos for their amazing fast, free shipping and super easy 365 day return policy. FYI Zappos also carries petite and plus sizing for Adrianna Papell, so chances are you're gonna find your perfect fit too.

Knowing your body shape is key. I used to be more pear shaped but now I'm pretty curvy all over. I do love a good a-line style because it shows my shape without hugging my body. I think this dress is successful for me because of all the vertical lines that help draw the eye up and down and creates length. I'm only 5'5" but I tend to look taller because I try to create verticals in my photos. One tip is to make sure your photographer crouches down and shoots you from a lower point. And don't forget those heels! I also think the open neckline extends my neck, and this front panel creates another vertical that (bonus!) also helps cover lumps and bumps. Most importantly, the flutter sleeve helps strengthen my shoulders and balance my hips. I do wish the sleeves covered a little more (I'm a little self conscious of my upper arms) but I went and looked back and photos from a year ago when I was probably 20 lbs lighter and found a bunch I didn't share because I thought I looked too big — and honestly I wish I still looked like that. So now I'm going to try not be so hard on myself and focus what I do like about myself in this dress. I love the color. I love the versatility. I love the simple elegance. And I love that I feel more like myself in the dress — more than I've felt in a while.

Why not make every day a special occasion? Treat yourself to your perfect Adrianna Papell dress —  you can thank me later. What do you look for in a dress? Is it more about style, how it fits, or how it makes you feel? For me, it's all of the above.

Thank you to Zappos for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

 XO
 Michelle

Not Your Grandmother's Comfort Shoes!

Sponsored by Zappos

In my twenties I was all about 6 inch heels and stupid shoes that 20 years later I've come to regret. I've since made it my mission to hunt down cute and comfortable shoes that I can wear all day long without shedding a tear — or needing to pull out the band-aids. Last year I spotted the cutest Pikolinos sandals online (which sadly sold out before I could pull the trigger) and I have not stopped thinking about them. Ever since then, Pikolinos has been on my radar, so I was excited to team up with my friends at Zappos.com to share my hunt for the perfect spring sandals!

If you haven't shopped Zappos before, you don't know what you are missing. They have a huge selection of current styles, free shipping and free returns, a 365 day return policy, and hands down the best customer service ever. As a busy mom, some days fly by with deadlines and chores... and before I know it, it's 10pm and I haven't left my house. Nothing makes me happier than shopping online in my PJs after my kids are in bed.

Right now, there are over 100 Pikolinos sandals to choose from so narrowing it down was the most difficult part of the process. Their philosophy is to "make yourself comfortable and let happiness begin at your feet." What's so special about this Spanish company is that Pikolinos is so much more than just comfort shoes. I love that they are socially responsible with their eco-friendly use of materials, and give back through their foundation Juan Perán-Pikolinos — both locally and internationally.

After reading tons of user reviews and watching those handy little Zappos videos (so I could get an idea of what the shoes would look like on the foot), I finally selected these Pikolinos Mykonos sandals in Marfil — the perfect pale blush-nude color. You know me and pink! I love how comfortable and lightweight the footbed is and I was able to wear them all day long on one of my City shopping adventures last week. I also love that they have a little bit of height to them — I actually find it uncomfortable when shoes are completely flat. I would totally order another pair of Pikolinos on Zappos, especially if my dream shoes ever magically come back in stock!

Who else is so done with uncomfortable shoes? Don't get me wrong, I love my crazy shoe collection. I can still pull out my heels and wear them for 3-4 hours at a shot, but I'm so happy to have another pair of cute, comfortable shoes in my arsenal.

Thank you to Zappos for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

 XO
 Michelle

Conversations with My Daughters x RoC®

As a woman over 40 I can honestly say the worst thing a person can say to me is that I look good for my age. And the funny thing is that it usually only happens after I tell them my age. It's that qualifier of "for my age" that always makes me cringe a little. Why can't a woman just look good? Period. While typically I'm complimented for my youthful appearance, unfortunately it's those backhanded compliments that tend to resonate. I'm so excited to team up with RoC® Skincare to share my ageist experiences - and the amazing new RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® MAX Daily Hydration Crème.

The last time I really cringed was last year at my younger brother's wedding. I was getting ready and the photographer showed up and asked me where to set up. I'm guessing I was the first person he bumped into so I pointed him in the direction of both the bride and groom who were also both getting ready and then he asked me; "Are you the mother of the groom?" Wait, what? I was so confused because while I'm technically old enough to have a child of marriageable age, it never occurred to me I looked old enough to have a 37-year-old son. I know they met before so he knew what my brother looked like (and if not his exact age, he must have had some kind of approximation). I told him I was the groom's slightly older 42-year-old sister and then to add insult to injury he answered, "Oh, you look good for your age." And in that moment I wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. Thanks, dude. But I think what really made me mad is that I said nothing.

Digging into this phenomenon, RoC® partnered with Wakefield Research on a nationwide survey of 1,000 women aged 40+ to take a closer look at the impact of negative words on women as they age. This language is something that needs to change as it’s a problem women are facing every day. They found that 82% of women have been told that they look “great for their age” in the past year. Plus, a majority of women would rather not be served a compliment at all than receive one paired with the modifier “for your age.” I know that's true for me! In fact, women have received this backhanded compliment on average every six weeks in the past year. And even more frustrating, 87% of women agree that society expects women to act their age - but look younger. Crazy, right?

The goal of this research is to heighten awareness and pull back the curtain on these misguided negative phrases to change the current vernacular that can have a huge impact on a woman’s self- perception and how she defines her beauty. One’s beauty should be determined by her actions, her methods, but not her age.

I'm a mom of three, and I always have to consider how my actions and words will affect my littles. I try to teach my daughters body and beauty positivity. Every person is special in their own way. I want my girls to feel beautiful inside and out. I make sure to tell them everyday just how beautiful they are. I also try to give each of my kids special attention and often take them out on mommy and me dates to check in and have some serious and not-so-serious conversations alike. Little girls feel just as much pressure to be thin and beautiful - probably as much as older women do. I want Ella and Ava to learn from my example. I make sure they see me working out, eating right, indulging in moderation, and taking care of my skin. I've already taught 10-year-old Ella how to cleanse her face, properly remove makeup, moisturize and do an occasional face mask. If my girls see me taking care of myself, loving myself, then they'll understand just how important self-care is and make sure to love themselves too.

Most people ask me my beauty secret when they hear I'm 43. Truth is, so much of it is good genes (thanks mom and dad!) but I've also been taking care of my skin since I was 16 years old. I've been pretty lucky and other than a bout with adult acne in my 20s, I've had good skin most of my life. Over the years I've used skincare from everywhere. From drug stores to fancy department stores - both high and low end, and I've found that fancy packaging and/or a high price tag does not determine how effective a product can be. This isn't the first time I've used products from RoC® - and I was excited to try their new RETINOL CORREXION® MAX Daily Hydration Crème, which is available at national food, drug and mass merchandisers.

If you're not familiar with RoC®, it's a leading French brand with over 50 years experience developing products that guarantee visible and lasting results for healthier, younger looking skin. They were pioneers of stabilizing the first over-the-counter retinol for daily use. Every RoC® product is artfully-crafted and scientifically-tested to ensure nothing but the best in quality.

RoC®’s RETINOL CORREXION® MAX Daily Hydration Crème is a new dual-benefit cream offering the best of both worlds: a powerful retinol formula that reveals deeply hydrated and beautiful skin. Made with the maximum level of RoC® Retinol and a 24-hour moisturizing formula clinically proven to visibly reduce fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots while leaving skin looking healthy - in just one week, with with continued improvement each week. It's an exclusive oil-free and non-comedogenic formula won’t clog pores - perfect for my sensitive skin! I've been using it for about one week and already my skin feels more hydrated and refreshed. And I'm looking forward to seeing even more improvement in the coming weeks.

Join me and women like actress Thandie Newton who are flipping the script on this #ForYourAge conversation. To quote Thandie, “Life is an exciting, beautiful journey, and we discover ourselves in it a bit more every day. And choosing products to help us figure out who our best self is, love the journey and fearlessly progress toward the destination is where the future (and fun) of beauty should lie.”

You can read more about this campaign at www.rocskincare.com/for-your-age.

Have you ever been told that you look good 'for your age'? Next time that happens to me you better believe I won't remain silent. Join the movement and help us celebrate beauty at every age.

Thank you to RoC® Skincare for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.  

XO
Michelle

Zappos x Kamik, Mommy & Me Style!

Sponsored by Zappos

I teamed up with my friends at Zappos.com to step outside and share a little fall fun in our new Kamik boots! We took the kids for a family outing at a local farm to look at pumpkins and fall foliage. We spent a couple hours stomping around and exploring all mother nature had to offer. 

Zappos offers a huge selection of Kamik footwear and apparel - for men, women, and children. So much so that we all had a hard time choosing our favorites! The girls settled on these cute rain boots with a pop of pink, and Ella neeeded a matching puffer coat in black and pink. Zappos offers free shipping, easy returns or exchanges - which is every busy momma's dream. Luckily I ordered everyone's sizes correctly after reading all the customer reviews (so helpful!) and everyone loved their final picks! 

The girls are wearing the Stomp 2 in sizes 2 and 4 - I'd say they run true to size. The girls raved about how comfortable they were and happily ran around in them all day.  Come winter I'll probably add some boot socks for warmth when it's time to play outside in the snow. Ella's Leona jacket is a size 12 and it does run big. Most of her other winter coats are size 10 and just fit so I figured I'd size up for this so she could wear it for a while. I had to fold up the sleeves and my skinny minny will probably be able to wear this until early adulthood. In my book that makes it a great investment!

I chose the Evelyn boots for myself and I sized up to a 10 (I'm typically a US 9/40). They're super comfortable and are gonna be perfect for all the upcoming rain and snow coming our way. I actually also ordered super cute red Kamik Jennifer rain boots for myself (on sale!) and I bought ahead for Ella another pair of Scribble rain boots with hearts (both not pictured).

I couldn't leave my son out (plus he just outgrew his old boots) so I ordered him a pair of Kamik Fargo boots. He's wearing a men's 10 as they do run small (I sized him up - he's more of a 9/9.5). They're a little heavy but he can handle it.

Have you tried Kamik boots? So far we are loving all of ours. And I would definitely shop again with Zappos! Ordering was a breeze and a week later our boxes came beautifully packaged and all in one piece. So bring on the rain and snow - we're all ready for you!

Thank you to Zappos for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely our own.  

XO
Michelle

Not So Basic Basics by Kidpik

My three kids were born and bred in NYC. We might have moved over the bridge to suburbia, but they are still City kids at heart. My littles are all about color and comfort - and like their momma, they love a good deal. We reviewed a Kidpik Subscription Box a little while back but today I want to talk about Kidpik Basics. The girls picked out a few pieces for back to school that we wanted to share with you. We're so excited to announce that we are giving away a Kidpik Subscription Box on my Instagram - click here to enter! And scroll down for an exclusive Kidpik coupon code just for my followers.

This past Sunday, we headed downtown to explore the Lower East Side to check out some of the walls we've admired on Instagram. And when we got down there we found ALL of those walls painted over. NYC street art is constantly being done and redone so you gotta act fast if you want to shoot. So we improvised and wandered around in search of colorful backdrops to showcase our Kidpik style.

Kidpik Basics come in sizes 4-14 in a rainbow of colors and silhouettes - which is just how we like it! My girls have a modest dress-code for school so they wanted to stock up on their favorite pencil skirts. Kidpik is brought to you by the same people as RUUM (loved their stuff!) and some of the items even came with RUUM tags.

To get an idea of fit, Ella is 52" and 56 lbs. and wearing a 7/8 on bottom and 10/12 on top. Ava is 48" and 48 lbs. and wearing a 7/8 on top and 5/6 on bottom. My girls (especially Ella) are VERY particular with fit. My skinny minnies are long and lean and we sometimes have a hard time finding clothing to fit their slender frames.

These pencil skirts fit like a dream and range in price from $3.75-7.50. And FYI the 7/8 measures 19" long and the 5/6 measures 17.25" long. They're not too thin, not too thick, nice and stretchy, and don't ride up too much when your wiggly kids move around.

As for tops, other than the tie dye which has a more slender fit, we probably could have sized down for the looser designs. Most of the arms fit wider so we had to push them up. They're also on the thinner side but still super cozy and not see through. The body of the 3/4 sleeve top was nice a fitted but the sleeves are a little looser than we'd like. If you do size down, just be aware that some of the designs are cropped and you may be need to layer with a tank top for full coverage. These tops ranged in price from $7.50-$17.50, and many styles offer deals if you purchase two. Kidpik also offers a deals of the week where the featured item is discounted. Right now they have the cutest booties on promo for just $19.99! And their sale section is pretty epic!

The girls were also super excited about their new lightening metallic sneakers. They are so chic and comfortable - Ella actually wore hers to Fashion Week (seen here) this year. She lasted all day on her feet without any complaints. They come in several colors too! Ella is wearing a 4 in shoes right now and Ava is in a 2, but these styles ran a little big for us so we sized down to a 3 and 1 respectively.

Biker shorts are always hard to find for some reason - and Kidpik has some on sale right now for just $2.75! My girls like to do cartwheels and handstands wherever they go so we always have some on under our skirts. You seriously can't beat that price!

It was pretty warm out so the girls started to lose it after a couple hours in the sun, so I took them to byChloe on Bleeker to chow down. I ordered them some treats but they just couldn't wait. By the time the real food came out we were all so hungry that we didn't bother taking pics. Ella always gets the Avocado toast and Ava went crazy for their cauliflower soup. And the fries with beet ketchup are always a big hit.

Everything featured here is now currently available on the Kidpik Basics website. The girls did add a few of their own accessories to show how easily these basics can be mixed in to their own wardrobes.

Bonus - get FREE shipping on a $25 purchase with code LEHOARDER (from September 18th to October 2nd, US only). Have you tried Kidpik? If you haven't, now is the time!

Thank you to Kidpik for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely our own. 

Happy shopping! Feel free to ask me any fit/sizing questions. Always happy to help another momma get her deal on!

XO
Michelle, Ella & Ava