The Suede Skirt

Revisiting this amazing suede skirt (which is so affordable on boohoo.com) and set of pictures that never went live. Whoops!

During NYFW this skirt was my go-to but it has quickly become my favorite throughout the season. The shape and fit are so flattering on my frame, it makes me wish I bought it in more colors. It’s easy to dress down or up and create a look that will take me from 9 to 5 and beyond.

To keep it (creative) office appropriate, I decided to pair it with my black cropped sweater. The high waist on the skirt meets at the end of my sweater so as long as my chair stretches are kept to a minimum I'm in the clear.

Accessories were kept to the bare minimum: a few stackable rings and my name-plated necklace. I tend to have moments when I'm all about accessories and other times when I just couldn't be bothered. When shooting this, I obviously couldn't be bothered (read: lazy). But, if you want to accessorize it a bit more I would recommend going light with rings & bracelets and wearing a long dainty necklace for that full-on femme effect.

Sunglasses: The Row  Sweater: Express (old, similar here)  Skirt: boohoo.com  Clogs: Swedish Hasbeens  Purse: Rebecca Minkoff (& under $90!!)  Lipstick: Glacé via Bite

Sidenote, going through these pictures make me miss my gorgeous dark hair. I'm pretty content with my blonde but I've never noticed how shiny it was until now. The grass is always greener on the other side - right? And if you're wondering if this is still my go-to look at the office, the answer is yes :).

Photos by Lydia Hudgens.

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How I'm Tackling My Debt

If you read this post from August, you'll know that I acquired quite a few hospital bills and was held hostage by insurance co-pays. In a few weeks, I depleted my savings and started to understand how expensive and broken our healthcare system was. There were a few solid months when I had to put my student loans and credit card bills on hold, digging myself further into a hole of debt.

But debt is nothing new to me and not all debt is bad debt. If anything, my finance skills have matured so significantly in the last two years - I've impressed myself while growing my credit score and savings. I've been in this pit before (almost considered bankruptcy at age 20) and know firsthand that I'll be able to pick myself up again.

Instead of being silent about this, I'm outlining exactly how I'll tackle my debt in case it's helpful for others.

First, Tackle Your Debt:

List Out Your Debts
This activity makes me cringe the most, but it keeps me aware of who and how much I owe. This, in turn, becomes my running list when it's time to set goals or pay off bills. My list is arranged from the lowest to highest debt. I try to pay off the smaller debts first since it gives me more gratification and keeps me motivated.

Set Clear Goals
If my goals aren't written out with concrete deadlines or broken down into smaller actionable items, there's a 98% chance it won't get done. So instead, I write down a clear and concise goal and plan on how I'll tackle them. For example, instead of writing down "I want to get out of debt" I write, "I will bring all my credit cards down from 86% usage to 35% usage by the end of 2017 with $600 from every other pay cycle."

Manage Your Finances/Budget
At the end of every week, usually a Sunday, I sit down and open up Mint.com. I absolutely love the site and app. It's at-a-glance look at my finances, overspending alerts, and bill reminders have simplified money matters for me. From there, I'll see where I'm overspending and cut back on certain categories. Without fail, I always spend a little too much on Ubers and eating out.

Rainy Day Funds
Some may argue that one shouldn't concern themselves with a savings account and should instead put all their money towards paying off their biggest debt. I couldn't agree less. From firsthand experience, my savings account saved me crisis after crisis. Emergencies strike at the worst moments and money is crucial for some big decisions. With that being said, make the most of your money and sign up for a high-yield savings account. I'm a fan of Ally Bank.

Now, Increase Your Funds to Help Pay it Off:

Stop Throwing Away Money
This. Stop doing this. A few ways to do this: don't use ATMs not associated with your bank (ATM fees), pay your bills on time (late fees), don't spend your money when you don't have any (overdrawn fees), get rid of cards or banks that come with annual fees. Regardless of how big or small the charge is, it all adds up!

Loose Change Adds Up
Some folks swear by Acorn. I'm old fashion and use a piggy bank. At the end of every week, I dump my coins into an IRL piggy bank and once it's at the top I head over to my bank and transfer the new funds into my account. From there, it'll be used to pay off one of my bills or added to my savings.

Hustle Harder
I definitely get my hustle genes from my dad. Out of my core group of friends, I've had every single odd job out there and have absolutely no shame in letting people know that yes, I've walked dogs, cleaned apartments, and waited tables. In the long run, this extra source of income has helped me crush finance goals and allowed me the privilege to travel. A few of my favorite apps in securing side hustles include: Care.com, Pinata, and Jobble.

Clean Out Your Closet
I've written about this before so I won't go into too much detail. I will say that purging my closet is one of the easiest ways I can make a quick buck. Poshmark is by far my favorite reselling site, check it out and get $5 for signing up with my link - make sure you use this code PCISZ when prompted.

To hold myself accountable and because I like being honest with you guys here are my overall goals: decrease debt (credit, medical, and school) or at least get it under control by the end of 2017, rebuild my rainy day fund, and increase my credit score. I'll let you know how it's going from time to time :).

Wanna chat savings? You might like this post!

Skin Care 101: Best Makeup Removing Wipes to Start Using

As I hit publish on my first Skincare 101 post, I realized that I completely missed a step. Essentially, not everyone needs to start their skincare routine with makeup removing wipes but I do find it helpful for those "heavy on the smoky eye" days.

Besides becoming a staple on my bathroom shelves, makeup wipes have found a permanent home inside my gym bag. Good for fellow class takers, because leaving spin class with raccoon eyes can be scary.

In the end, it's up to you on whether you'd like to use wipes as a precursor to the first step of skincare layering or add to your gym bag. I've tried SO MANY face wipes over the last few years - some hits, some misses - but the ones below are the few that keep me coming back.

via mynewestaddiction.com

Dickinson's Refreshingly Clean Cleansing Cloths
For those days leading up to Aunt Flo's arrival (TMI?) I'll take all the help I can get on preventing clogged pores and minimizing hormonal breakouts. Dickinson's Cleansing Cloths helps soothe my skin and gets the gunk off my face pre- and post-sweat. I do tend to use these wipes more in the summertime since the witch hazel feels refreshing on a humid day and is known to heal sunburnt skin. 

Clean & Clear® Makeup Dissolving Wipes
These wipes bring me back to high school and thankfully they've improved with age. The soft wipes are able to take off the entire day, leaving skin cleansed. On days that I've fallen lazy, I rely on these instead of washing my face. Bad habit, I know. For those of you that wear waterproof mascara, I recommend gently pressing the wipes to your lids for a few seconds before wiping. It'll make the process easier. They're also super affordable and practically free when combined with coupons.

via Simple

Simple Micellar Makeup Remover Wipes
I discovered Simple at a pop-up inside Flywheel. They encouraged me to wipe off the day's grime before class - which I did - and loved how easily it took everything off. It uses micellar water, a new cleansing technology. They've also expanded their line to offer different focuses such as exfoliating, cleansing, radiance, the list goes on. My personal favorite is the original Micellar wipes. Highly recommend this brand to anyone with super sensitive skin as they keep their ingredients simple.

via Garnier

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Makeup Removing Towelettes
Garnier also has a selection of products that use Micellar technology. I'm a huge fan of Micellar technology because the micelle molecules cluster together to lift dirt, oil, makeup, and impurities on contact. This eliminates the need to rinse and rub your skin providing a gentle way to cleanse your skin. Garnier's towelettes come in a smaller packaging compared to the Simple wipes which is great for gals on the go and gym bags across the nation. Another thing I love, the super soft wipes - incredibly gentle on the eyes.

via iamstyle-ish.com

Skinn's Olive & Enzyme Makeup Wipes

These wipes fall on the more expensive side of the spectrum. Kind of a bummer since I would love to have my cabinets stocked with these wipes. So ladies with disposable incomes and skincare addicts willing to try anything once, these wipes are for you! These wipes smell so amazing, it turns my bathroom into a spa room. They also have this great texture that helps when taking everything off and in a way exfoliates your skin. The end result is clean, smooth skin.

via e.l.f. Cosmetics

e.l.f. Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths
Last but not least, these e.l.f. cleansing cloths are the best bang for your buck. They do a solid job at removing makeup and cleansing skin. Even better, is that each wipe is infused with Aloe Vera for deep hydration and moisture so your skin never feels stripped. The scent can be overpowering so I wouldn't recommend to those with fragrance allergies.

There are so many different wipes out but these are my top contenders when it comes to getting rid of the grime. Did I call out any of your favorites? Or are you going to try any of the above? Drop me a comment down below and tell me about it!

Now that we’re on this magical skincare journey together, let me know if you decide to give any of these a go and how you loved it. AND, if there are any cleansers you think I need to try, drop me a comment down below.