Working Girl Must Have's

I work for a skin care and cosmetics company, and I am able to do my networking and business work from a number of different places. A coffee shop, my living room couch, the grocery store, etc. Anywhere I can meet amazing women! In order to do this I need certain things that will keep me put together and always looking fabulous :) A first impression is so important in any position, but especially a beauty company. When I'm presenting myself to women I've never met before, I need to look the part. From my shoes to the bag I'm carrying to the lipstick I just applied in the car, I need to look and feel confident so I can make others around me feel confident and comfortable too!

Here are my must have's for any working girl. They are simple, inexpensive tools that will make your life easier and keep you put together and looking fabulous all day :)

1. Calendar
Every working girl needs a cute calendar to stay organized and on time! I bought this planner at Target at the beginning of the year, and I can't live without it!

2. The Perfect Bag
I have a few different bags I switch between, but they all have something in common. They are all simple and classic. You want something big enough that you can fit everything in it, but at the same time not look like you're headed to the airport. Classic black, tan, brown, or white will go with any outfit and won't look out of place at your appointments. Try this great one I found on Target.com!




3. Black Pumps
They go with everything and will never go out of style. Need I say more?




4. Lipgloss 
My advice for lip gloss/lipstick is to find something neutral or with just a little bit of color. For days you're wanting to make more of an impression you can always apply something more dramatic, but for normal days just keep it simple and classy. This Mary Kay Nourishine Plus Lip Gloss in Cafe Au Lait is perfect for everyone. Adds just a little bit of color and shine to complete any look!

5. Professional Business Outfit
Every girl should have a professional business outfit in her wardrobe that she can always rely on. For me it's my favorite black dress. It's classy, I can add accessories, it goes with my black pumps, and it's appropriate for almost any meeting I'm attending. I bought it at Target awhile back on their clearance rack for only $12. It doesn't get much better than that!

Monday Inspiration

Winter Skincare Tips

Currently where I am in MN, it is 0 degrees. Yes, you read that correctly, 0 degrees! It's that time of year where most women are bathing in lotion, applying chap stick every five minutes, and constantly trying to find the perfect skin care regimen. Well listen closely ladies, because I am going to give you my top two skincare tips to keep your skin fresh and glowing all winter long!

It's as simple as this: EXFOLIATE and HYDRATE. Yes, it's really that simple. After finding your favorite daily cleansing product, find the perfect exfoliating product. This could be a liquid type exfoliator, or consider looking into a cleansing brush. My personal favorite is the Mary Kay Skinvigorate cleansing brush shown in the picture below. Normally an exfoliating product would only be used two to three times a week, but this cleansing brush is gentle enough to use everyday!

Why do we need to exfoliate you ask? Because this is what truly gets rid of the dead skin on your face, evens your skin tone, smooths everything out, and makes your face glow all year round! I've always had combination skin, but as soon as I started following a skin care routine, and exfoliating on a normal basis I now have normal skin!

(Remember this isn't only important for your face. You can use exfoliating products for your whole body! It's the same idea: scrub away the dead skin cells and reveal smooth and beautiful skin.)


Tip #2, always moisturize! Seems pretty obvious, but just remember that after you cleanse/exfoliate you need to replace the moisture you just took away. Even if you have oily skin! ALWAYS moisturize all year long, but especially in the winter. You might even need a slightly stronger moisturizer in the winter depending on your skin type.

Winter Skincare Tips by thesavvystylist featuring Mary Kay beauty products

Friday Favorites

Today is the first post of my new blog series: Friday Favorites! Every Friday I will post something I am currently loving. Could be fashion, a recipe, a favorite quote, etc. Check back every Friday for something new!

First up, my absolute favorite new accessory: my watch :) Now, I love my accessories, and I truly believe they can change an outfit, but I didn't have a watch until just a few weeks ago. My fabulous Mary Kay director gave this to me for a goal I reached, and I immediately fell in love! The all black color and little bit of pizzazz makes it elegant yet trendy. It can go with so many different outfits, and I can't go a day without wearing it!

And I wore it with this outfit!
Top: Target
Jeans: Express
Boots: JustFab.com

Holiday Looks

I know I'm super late with this post, but I wanted to put up a couple of my looks from over the holidays. My black sweater dress in this first picture is one of my favorite items of clothing that I own. Super comfortable, stylish, and works for a lot of different occasions.

Sweater dress: Express; Boots: JustFab.com; Necklace: Express
(Bryan's clothing: Sweater and polo from Express; Jeans: American Eagle)

Not really an outfit picture, but there's just nothing better than a scarf and comfy sweater on a cold Christmas Eve :)
Sweater from Kohls; Scarf - ?

New Year's Day outfit
Sweater: Nordstrom  Rack
White T-shirt: Target
Skirt: Target

Winter Neutrals

Check out all of these amazing featured products and more at www.marykay.com/patricia.sjulson

Mary Kay lipstick
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Mary kay makeup
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Mary kay makeup
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Mary kay eye shadow
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Mary kay eye shadow
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Mary kay eye makeup
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Soup and Scones

Fall in my eyes means beautiful weather and comfort food. Last night I went for the comfort food, and today I'm going to the pumpkin patch and enjoying the outdoors! So, first let me just say I have an obsession: Pinterest. I am seriously on everyday looking for new recipes and other ideas. Bryan and I have been trying to cook homemade meals more often and Pinterest has been my housewife lifesaver! Last week I tried a new recipe almost every single night! I know my blog is usually just outfits and style, but I want to start branching out and adding more lifestyle posts. Decorating ideas, recipes, etc. So, today is the start to my new adventure on my blog, and what better way to do that than with one of the best comfort foods of all time: chicken noodle soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup
I found this chicken noodle soup recipe on Pinterest, but it's originally from Lady Anne's Charming Cottage. Go check it out and then try it for yourself! It was easy to make, took under an hour to prepare and cook, and was absolutely delicious. Plus, with only two people in our household we now have leftovers for the next couple days!

Pumpkin Scones
Along with fall also comes everything you can imagine containing pumpkin. I love to bake, but usually just stick to the basics, so I was really excited to try this new recipe! And let me tell you, it was amazing! I think I left them in a little too long which made them a little dry, but otherwise the recipe was great. It has just the right amount of spice to it, and the easy homemade icing on top is the best finishing touch. They were so good we had them for dessert last night and breakfast this morning! I also found this recipe on Pinterest but it's originally from Sweet Peas Kitchen. If you're a fall lover like I am, this recipe is an absolute must!

Fall Colors

The fall colors are just beginning to come out up here in the beautiful state of Minnesota, which meant Bryan and I had to go out and take some pictures. This is by far my favorite time of year. I love all of the colors, the fresh air, and the coolness that reminds you that summer has come to an end. We had originally planned on going out just so Bryan could take some nice scenery pictures, but I had to take advantage of this perfect setting and get a few pictures for the blog. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without my husband and his amazing camera skills!

Top: ?; Jeans: Express; Boots: Etienne Aigner; Earrings: Express; Belt taken from another outfit; Sunglasses: Oakley

Purse: Justfab.com

Fall/Winter Must Have

Sometimes a girl just wants to wear white! And let me tell you, there is nothing better than a comfy white sweater, skinny jeans, and a pair of boots. Ahhh, so glad it's finally fall. Once it starts getting colder out this outfit will pair perfectly with an earth tone scarf to match the brown boots.

I bought this sweater last fall for $12 at Kohl's for my wedding weekend. Yes, I was that girl who wore everything white from Thursday through Sunday of that weekend. Come on! You have to take advantage of being a bride and dress the part! I needed something comfy to arrive at the hotel Thursday evening and this was perfect. Warm, casual, and just allowed me to be comfortable and relax before a crazy weekend. Wearing this always brings back good memories :)

Sweater: Kohl's; Jeans: Express; Boots: Etienne Aigner

Boot Weather and Bold Lips

The time is finally here! Yesterday my favorite brown boots were finally taken out of summer hiding. Best. Day. Ever :) The sweater is also one of my most recent purchases. Found it on sale at Target for only $18. I think this look would also be great with a brown belt and a chunky necklace, but I was running errands and went for the simple look instead.

Also, my new obsession is bold lipstick/lip gloss. I can't get enough of my new Mary Kay lip stain in Enchanted Mauve. Stays on forever and pairs perfectly with my MK lip gloss in Au Naturel. I think you'll be seeing a lot more of this :)

Target sweater, shirt, and earrings; Express jean leggings; Maurices purse; Etienne Aigner boots; Oakley sunglasses

www.marykay.com/patricia.sjulson

Simple Fall Fashion

It's been awhile, but I'm back to blogging! So excited to share my current style ideas for everything from clothing and fashion to house decor! Today, a quick look at my favorite fall look. You can never go wrong with a great pair of skinny jeans and a comfy over sized sweater. Plus, this look is totally affordable. The jeans are only $16 which gives you more spending money to splurge on those amazing Etienne Aigner boots. If you're going to spend money on fashion, make sure you put it towards something that you can wear forever!

H&M low rise jeans
$16 - hm.com

Etienne Aigner boots
dsw.com

SELECTED scarve
$54 - selected.com

Mary kay cosmetic
marykay.com/patricia.sjulson

Mary kay cosmetic
marykay.com/patricia.sjulson

Fancy Night Out

Bryan took me out for a belated birthday dinner tonight. We had so much fun dressing up and feeling so fancy. Ruth's Chris downtown Minneapolis was absolutely amazing and delicious, although definitely only a special occasion restaurant for us because it's super expensive!

Oh, and the dress I'm wearing was only $10 at JCPenny! Love it when I run across a great deal.

Necklace: JC Penny

Dress: JC Penny

Clutch: Express

Shoes: Liz Claiborne

The reason I loved this dress so much when I tried it on in the store was it's vintage and classic look. The sleeves give it a forties feel while the shortened skirt still gives it a modern edge. Pair it with my favorite Liz pumps, a pretty necklace, and a statement clutch and you have yourself the perfect downtown dinner look.

Also, this entire outfit made me feel like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, and I am definitely OK with that!

Spring Mint

Trend alert: MINT! I paired an Express portofino shirt with skinny black pants and boots. Then I added a chunky necklace to complete the look. Perfect errands outfit during the day or a wear to work outfit by replacing the skinny pants with dress pants or a high waisted pencil skirt. 

(The camera made the shirt look light blue, but it's definitely a more minty color in person!)

Classic Elegance

I entered one of the contests on Polyvore called Prom Do-Over and this is what I came up with. Classic sweetheart chiffon gown with lots of diamonds, simple silver clutch and heels, and peach lips. Wish I could go back to high school just to wear this!

Don't forget to follow me on my Polyvore page and see what other sets I've created. While you're there you can set up your own profile and let your imagination run wild!

Birthday Weekend

Flew home to Iowa this weekend for my birthday. I had so much fun spending time with my family, and of course had to take a few pictures of my outfits for my blog!

At the airport!
Dress and jacket: Express
Sandals: thrifted from Goodwill

My birthday outfit :) Comfy and casual to go out for lunch.

Jacket: Express
Top: Express

Pants: Gap Outlet

Flats: Express