Holiday Dresses Under $100

Crushed Velvet Belle Sleeve Dress- Gabby Skye

$98.00

I am all about velvet this holiday season, it looks classy, and can be dressed up with heels and jewels, or dressed down with tights and boots.

Fit & Flare Velvet Midi- Old Navy

$44.99

Gillian Shimmer A-Line Dress- Francesca's 

$48.00

I think metallic dresses are so great because THEY are the focal piece of the outfit, it doesn't take a lot to finish the look besides a great bag and maybe some earrings! 

Sequin TShirt Dress- Soprano 

$65.00

Jumpsuit with Pockets- J.Crew Factory

$70.50

Cold-Shoulder Swing Dress- Old Navy

$39.99

Gold Pleated Fit & Flare- Vero Moda

$56.25

Twill Shirt Dress- Old Navy

$36.99

I love this plaid dress because it's perfect for the more casual Thanksgiving or Christmas, but could totally be worn again! With boots and tights, I would wear this to work or school. And who can beat $36.99?!?! 

Ruffle Cold Shoulder Shift Dress- Felicity & Coco

$58.40

High Waist Flare Dress- Lord & Taylor Design Lab

$59.99

OOTD: Fall Fun!

Top: Old Navy Jeans: Old Navy Jacket: J.Crew Shoes: Steve Madden 

Bracelet: KJP Bag: Longchamp 

Fall Favorites!

What's not to love about fall? The leaves change colors, we get to bust out our favorite cozy sweaters, and there is a crispness to the air that is positively intoxicating. As it is my favorite season, I have decided to share some of my favorites with you, be it clothing, drinks, foods,  places to go, and things to do! Let me know what you love about fall in the comments! 

1. The J.Crew Downtown Field Jacket; this thing is so versatile! And amazingly it's pretty warm. The moment it's chilly enough to wear this, I know fall has begun! You can find it in store and online, though it is a bit pricey at $148, the quality is unbeatable. 

2. Trader Joe's Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancake Mix; I don't have enough words to describe how good this stuff is. Seriously my family and I discovered it last year and are absolutely addicted. With a little whipped cream and cinnamon, they are the perfect Sunday morning breakfast! 

3. Harbes Farm; Located on the east end of Long Island, Harbes Family Farms are the epitome of Fall. They have the best apple cider donuts, a massive corn maze, a beautiful farm stand with fresh vegetables, and of course pumpkins as far as the eye can see. It has become a family tradition to spend the day out east taking tons of pictures and eating roasted corn until we explode.

4. Sperry Duck Boots; while we all know about the classic L.L. Bean Duck Boots, did y'all know Sperry makes almost the exact same shoe?? And it's cheaper?? Hello! Get with it folks! Sperry has adorable color options and the fleece lining keeps your toes toasty! 

5. Cozy Crewnecks; I have a crewneck from college that has been through the wash more times than I could possibly count, leaving it soft as hell. It is my favorite thing to throw on with leggings and converse when I'm heading out to do some shopping! 

6. Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Latte; I will drink this hot or cold, in fact I would inject it if I could. The PSL is garbage and we all know it. SCM is WHERE IT'S AT. 

7. American Eagle Flannels; They are truly the softest thing in the world. If you hold out for Black Friday, they usually have them for only $20 each, which is more than half off. They are well worth the wait and can be dressed up or down! Pair with boyfriend jeans for an effortless look, or wear with a leather mini skirt and tights to spice things up! 

8. J.Crew Camp Socks; these are so cozy!! (Can you sense how much I love cozy things?) And they look great peaking out of duck boots or a good old pair of combat boots. J.Crew always has a ton of colors and patterns. At $16 a pair, they will honestly last forever. 

9. Mums; Mums mean fall, they are vibrant and hearty, I buy as many pots as I can and decorate indoors and outdoors. Plus they make a great background for instas! 

10. Apple Crisp; I don't know how to explain to you why you should be eating apple crisp 24/7. It is perfect. Warm it up and put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top- HEAVEN. And truly what is Thanksgiving without Apple Crisp? 

48 Hour Cure for Post Grad Blues

Shirt: Charlotte Russe Bralette: Aerie Jeans: Old Navy Shoes: Jack Rogers Bag: Anne Klein (Similar)  Lightening Bolt  Ring: Pura Vida

Breakfast Smoothie Bowl

In my quest to be basic on a budget, I felt it imperative that I find a way to make my own smoothie bowls. 
I spent a good part of my day yesterday watching Youtube tutorials, trying to figure out how to get the perfect consistency. Now, you might like yours a bit thinner than I do, but I went for a thick and creamy banana smoothie bowl with some fun goodies on top.

You will need:
1/2 Cup Almond Milk (or any milk you prefer, really doesn't make a difference!)
1 Oikos Banana Cream Greek Yogurt
1 Frozen Banana
1 Scoop of Vanilla Vega Protein Powder
1/4 Cup of Crushed Ice 

Toppings:
This is up to you! Fresh fruit, Coconut Flakes, Seeds, Nuts, Granola, Chocolate Chips, go crazy! 
I topped my bowl with Kind Banana Nut Clusters, Chia Seeds, and Strawberries


Now that you have all the ingredients together, all you have to do is throw it in a blender! Yea... it's that easy! I have a Magic Bullet (Thanks to my awesome brother) and I think it works perfectly for something like this, because it's so easy to measure out how much you're making! 
If, while you're blending, you find that it is too thick, feel free to add a splash more milk and continue to blend until you get the consistency you want!  

Now decorate it, pour yourself a delicious cup of coffee, and take a cute pic for Instagram! Tag me @MessyAndThriving and let me know how you made it your own! Get creative! 
   

Thriving on a Budget

We all want that incredible, classy, trendy style, but it is NOT CHEAP. It is so hard keeping up with today's trends when I only have about $30 in my wallet at any given time. Through my four years in college I feel as though I really mastered my bargain shopping and wanted to share some of these tips with you all! 

1. Retail Me Not: I really don't know why people aren't using this app 24/7. Basically it locates you, and shows you all the coupons that are available at the stores you're shopping in. Lets say I'm in Michaels, all I have to do is enter Michaels in the search bar and they show me every coupon and deal available! It's so cool and I've seriously saved so much money this way. Retail me not has coupons for in-store and online, and all their coupons are verified! 

2. Shoe Shopping: Okay, I know this one is going to sound crazy, BUT, look in the kids section. Now I'm not telling you to go buy light up TMNT Sneakers (unless of course you want light up TMNT sneakers) but you can get some great Nikes for $15-$20 cheaper than adult sneakers. Most of the time they are exactly the same shoe, just marketed differently. I just bought a pair of Nike Tanjun sneakers. They are a little boys size 5.5 (equivalent to a woman's 7.5). They are absolutely identical to the adult Tanjun. There isn't a single difference in the shoe, but there is a difference in price. I only paid $50 for them, while the adult sizes started at $65. No one will ever know that you're wearing youth sneakers, and you'll have an extra $15 in your pocket for Chipotle. 

3. Target Cartwheel: This app is life changing. As we all know- Target is a holy place. Well it's about to get even better. Cartwheel is an app and all you have to do is scan each item you pick up while shopping. The app will get you Cartwheel exclusive coupons for certain brands and products. While you're at checkout, you show the cashier your barcode and once they scan it, all the discounts are registered and you save some $$$! It's so easy. 

4. Subscriptions: Okay, I know getting a million promotional emails is annoying, but they can actually get you a lot of great deals. My tip is to set up a separate email account for all of your promo emails from different stores and websites. You only have to check it every few days to see what kinds of sales are going on. Plus, many stores offer coupons exclusive to those who subscribe to their emails! 

5. Rewards Programs: Tons of stores are hopping on this train. The one I find most useful? Ulta's Ultamate Rewards! I've been an Ultamate Rewards member for years and I have seriously saved a ton of money. You get a point for each dollar you spend, and once you reach 100 points you get $3 off your next purchase, then $6, then $12, all the way up to $100 off! Plus if you get your hair done at Ulta, (10/10 recommend Emily at the Ulta Salon in Patchogue) it is really easy to rack up points. Rewards members get a ton of exclusive offers like early access to new products, plus cute samples and freebies. Ulta is not the only store doing this! There are plenty of places that offer rewards programs like Sephora and American Eagle.

6. Holiday Sales: We all know about Black Friday, but what about Memorial Day sales? And Fourth of July? So many companies offer some great discounts during these holiday weekends where you can pick up a few things you've had your eye on. This Fourth of July I scoped out some good discounts at KJP.com and was able to buy my first rope bracelet! My best advice is to buy things you've had your eye on for a while during these special sales. I've wanted a KJP bracelet for a long time, and it felt so good to finally get one, plus save some money! J.Crew and Loft always have awesome holiday sales as well! 

Healthy Dinner Idea!

Just yesterday my mom announced we would be having turkey tenderloin for dinner- a favorite in my house- and I knew there had to be some way to use the left overs! Well here it is! And so simple to make! Ugh I love food that loves your body back. 

Step One: Quinoa
       -Prepare one cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water. Add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, covered until the quinoa has absorbed all the water

Step Two: Brussels Sprouts 
       -Measure out a cup or so of whole, frozen brussels sprouts and add them to a small pan with olive oil, a pinch of salt & pepper, and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic. Toss in pan until fully thawed and cooked. Should be crisp around edges. Optional: Slice sprouts in half and let cook face down in pan for a crispier taste 

Step Three: Potatoes
       -I had these left in my fridge from the previous evening, but all I did was cut small yellow potatoes in half and place them on a baking sheet. They were drizzled with olive oil and a little bit of sea salt before they went into the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Once they are done cooking, sprinkle on a little Parmesan cheese while the potatoes are still hot, it gets a little crispy and tastes delicious. 

Step Four: Dressing
       -This was so easy, and I made it up in the moment. All it is is, 2 tablespoons of fat free mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon of warm water, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, and a splash of Franks Hot Sauce. I stirred it until I got the consistency I wanted. If you would like your dressing a little thinner add a bit more warm water and stir. 

Step 5: Turkey Tenderloin
       -I try to stick with white meat and this is one of my favorites. It is a Shadybrook Farms Turkey Breast Tenderloin. We've been able to find it at Stop & Shop and Target. I rinsed off some of the marinade they put it in, to cut down on salt, then wrap it in tinfoil and place it on a baking sheet. It cooks in the oven for approximately 30 minutes at 400 degrees which is perfect because you can cook the potatoes and turkey at the same time! Once done I sliced it and served. For this meal, I diced some of the left over slices and warmed them in the microwave before adding them

Step 6: Greens
       -Go ahead and throw in whatever greens you want. I only added romaine to the bowl because it's what we had in the house, but I bet it would be great with spinach, or a spring mix! 

Now that all your ingredients are prepped, go ahead and assemble your bowl! Be sure to get creative, change up ingredients and make it the best fit for you. Send me pictures on instagram if you try it out!