Early Fall PR Reviews + Great Jewelry Sale Happening now!

     Every few months, I love sharing and review the packages that I am lucky to receive as PR mail from brands! Usually my PR reviews that I share are mostly beauty and skincare products, but for today's post there is a whole variety of fun products from lots of brands! As always- no part of this blog post is sponsored- these are all gifts from brands that I've received and am choosing to share with y'all, and my reviews are 100% honest. 

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     Later in today's post, I'm also sharing the details on a great jewelry sale, happening now through tomorrow! There aren't a lot of sales that I *heavily* promote on Southern Belle in Training each year, but I think this one is especially good, and I shopped it myself yesterday. Anyways- first let's do PR reviews! 😊



     Up first today are some beautiful earrings from Sugarfix. This is Baublebar's exclusive line for Target, and all pieces are usually under $20! I've been receiving PR mail from Sugarfix for awhile now, and I've really grown fond of their earrings. Each season, they come out with new styles in trending colors and materials, and everything is always so affordably priced. The two pairs that I recently received are both so cute, and each priced at $12.99 Not sure which are my favorites- these crystal hoops, or these pretty ones with resin.

     Time to talk beauty! I've raved in past PR reviews posts how much I love receiving packages from Avon. They are always so generous with what they send to bloggers, and have such creative themes and ideas for the their packages! Last month, I received a fun mailer that was themed all about glowing skin, in honor of the Skin So Soft Radiant Glow collection. I loved the adorable makeup bag that they sent, and I've already used it on weekend trips! The skincare products included the Illuminating Dry Oil Mist, and the Glow Skin Luminosity Polish. Thank you Avon for helping me take my summer glow into the fall!

     Let's talk earrings again! I received a very unique pair of statement earrings this month, from a jewelry company called Tuleste. They specialize in pom pom and feather earrings. I was sent a white pair, which I think would be perfect for brides-to-be, especially if you're looking for a unique accessory to wear to pre-wedding events! The best thing about my Tuleste earrings is how lightweight they are. They don't hurt my ears at all, which is great for a statement earring.

     Time to get organized- next up are some awesome planners! True story: I haven't regularly used a paper agenda since I was in broadcasting school (after undergrad) which was two years ago. I've shared before that I use iCal for my blog's editorial calendar, which has been the most convenient for me! However, I was recently starting to think that it might be nice to get a paper planner again, for things like work and my personal life. BlueSky must have read my mind- as they sent me TWO of their 2018-2019 planners! I especially love the cute leopard print on the larger one. I've started using one of them, and love it so far! It has a lot of space for me to write down my monthly and weekly commitments, but is still lightweight and simple. (P.S. the leopard print one is on major sale on Amazon right now!)

     Skincare goodies are next! I received a package from CeraVe and had the chance to try out some of their products that I hadn't used before. I've been using the facial cleanser daily for a few weeks now- I like it so far. I was also sent micellar water and makeup wipes- two useful things to to keep around! I'm always in need of makeup remover.

     I've always preferred using soap in the shower to body wash. I've had some experiences over the years with various body washes that have made me break out on my back after extended use, and I've never had that issue when I've just used soap. I've used Dove soaps in the past and really liked them, but I hadn't tried the Anti Stress Micellar Bar before. Loving it so far- it's found a home in my shower caddy!

     Last but certainly not least, the most fun package of liquid lipsticks from Buxom Cosmetics! They sent me four shades of their VaVa Plump liquid lipsticks, in the most fun and bright shades. I did a giveaway on my Instagram a few weeks ago to win the same colors that I received! These will be so fun to wear into fall, and give pops of color to more neutral outfits.

   
    The PR products reviewed in this post are all linked below, if you'd like to shop any of them!

    Lastly, I wanted to share quickly about a great sale on jewelry that's happening this week through Friday! Over the last couple years, I've grown to love shopping at Baublebar for fun statement jewelry, as well as some more classic and delicate pieces! This week they had a Friends and Family sale, which is still going on through tomorrow! EVERYTHING on the website is 25% off- even new arrivals! Shipping is also free for orders over $25. I treated myself to several goodies, including this ring which was already on sale (I already own a similar ring that I love, so I wanted a second similar one!), and this darling monogrammed necklace. Below are some more of my favorite sale picks:

     Have a wonderful weekend! I am headed up to DC tomorrow evening and looking forward to a weekend in the big city with one of my dear friends.




     God Bless,



     xoxo Annaliese

Midweek Ramblings.

{Checking out the beautiful views of Charlottesville last night at the Graduate Hotel's rooftop bar, Camp Ten-Four!}

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Ramblings:

• Camp Ten Four comes to Charlottesville: Last night I went to my first media event (on behalf of my blog) here in Charlottesville! This was also the first media event that I've been invited to since I left Charlotte, so I was extra excited. Some of you might remember that I had the chance to do a weekend stay at the Graduate Richmond hotel this summer! There is also a Graduate hotel right here in Charlottesville, and they just renovated their rooftop bar and restaurant. The new bar is called Camp Ten Four, and the menu and decor are themed like a sleep-away camp! I was so excited to be invited to the opening preview party for Camp Ten-Four, and I took my friend Alicia with me. The rooftop views of Charlottesville are beautiful- this would definitely be a fun spot to check out if you're visiting the area. As far as the new menu- my favorite item was the hushpuppies with maple butter, yum!
• Hurricane Florence's funny meteorologist: It has been so sad to see all of the damage from Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas over the weekend. One funny story though to come out of the bad weather was of a Weather Channel meteorologist giving a very interesting live report... apparently the storm was much worse for him than for some people walking a few feet away. If you haven't seen the clip yet- you must, it's hilarious! 
• Serial Season 3: The third season of the hit podcast Serial comes back this week! I was obsessed with the first season, although I listened to it a couple years after most people did. I didn't get into the second season, but I'm so excited for the third! This really is the OG True Crime podcast. If you haven't listened to the trailer for the new season yet, this article is a great summary about it! Speaking of podcasts- last year I shared a couple blog posts detailing some favorites, but since then I've found a lot of new podcasts. Would y'all like an updated post on that? 

Weekend recaps: 

• Last weekend: All rain Saturday and Sunday thanks to Hurricane Florence! I stayed indoors for a lot of the weekend, and binge watched a lot of Superstore on demand. (I can't shut up about this show- I know!) On Saturday afternoon, I went to see A Simple Favor with some girlfriends. I didn't love the movie... but it's always fun to see Blake Lively on the big screen! Sunday morning I went to church, and then stayed in for the rest of the day. 
• This weekend: Heading out of town- and hoping the weather will be better than last weekend! Looking forward to a girls' weekend with my friend Mercedes, who lives in Washington DC. We have some really fun plans in the works and it will me a much needed fun weekend.

Purchases:

• No fun purchases this week, since the big Lilly sale was last week! 

Wishlist:

• I need some new jeans for fall! This brand is expensive, but I'm loving this pair for fall. 
• If you have to dress up for work, a chic skirt like this one would be great for the office in cold weather!
• I can always use more classy pairs of heels- perfect for church! I love the style of these pumps. 
• I received a stunning coat for Christmas a few years ago in a different color. It's back for this winter- but in PINK!
• If I had gotten to go to NYFW this year, I feel like this rainbow striped dress (paired with some killer heels!) would've been a great outfit. 

Recipe of the week: No Bake Icebox Cake from my blog.  This is an old recipe of my mom's that I love making! I shared the recipe in a blog post last summer. Typically this makes the ideal summer dessert, but last week I was craving it, so I made it again and devoured it! 

Song of the week: The Way I Am by Charlie Puth. CAN'T stop listening to this song!! So catchy- probably my favorite Charlie Puth song yet. A great one to belt out in the car!

On the blog this week:

• My Summer 2018 Bucket List: Recap!
• Fall Transition Look + 3 Things I've Been Loving This Month

     God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese 

Fall Transition Look + 3 Things I've Been Loving in September.

     Now that the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale is behind us, I'm officially making the transition to fall fashion on the blog today. This outfit is a great transition look for living in the South- it's fall colors and super trendy, but it won't make you too hot for the days that it's still in the 70s or 80s outside!

Photography by Kate Greer

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Top c/o // Skirt {old, identical here} // Shoes // Purse // Earrings c/o // Bracelets // Necklace {old, similar here} // Lipstick c/o //  

     I am really excited about how this outfit turned out, and I see myself repeating it a lot this fall. If you've been reading here awhile, you know that my favorite outfits in all seasons are ones with a lot of color, but sometimes I do wear darker colors or neutrals, and sometimes I even like it! 😉The gold jewelry that I've accessorized with here makes this outfit a little brighter. I've had my skirt since college, but plaid skirts are always trendy in the fall, so I've found an almost identical one here! My t-shirt is from Mott&Bow. They make premium denim, and just expanded into t-shirts as well. The shirt I'm wearing is called the Marcy. It's fitted very well and extremely comfortable to wear! A well-made, solid colored t-shirt that you'll get tons of wear out of in all seasons can be a worthwhile investment. 

     I've had my Tory Burch Parker tote (pictured) for just over a year now. Since I got mine, the Parker style has been discontinued, but they're selling the Robinson tote instead, which is very similar (and available in the same color as mine!). I'm curious if y'all would like a dedicated blog post review on this bag? I know that some bloggers do designer bag reviews, and I always find those interesting to read. Even though my exact bag isn't available anymore, the Robinson tote is really similar. This is my work bag, and it's served me very well for that! 

     Wrapping up today's outfit post with three things that I've been loving this month! September has been off to a rough start for me. I know that I've been teasing that on social media and in past blog posts without much detail... hopefully by October I'll have enough information to be able to share what's been going on in my life outside of blogging. Anyways, even though the past few weeks have brought a lot of anxiety into my life, I've been trying to make a conscious decision each day to choose joy and take delight in the little things. Here are three random things I've loved this month! 

     *Superstore (NBC TV show): I know I've mentioned this show in a few other blog posts already, but I gotta give it even more love. This is 100% the funniest and most relatable comedy that I've found in 2018. The show follows the work adventures of various employees at a fictional megastore called Cloud 9. I am obsessed with the show- I only wish I'd started watching this when it was new on TV a few years ago! I adore the characters especially, and since I've worked a retail job in the past, I can relate to some of the situations in the show. All of the jokes are just hilarious, and watching this show on demand has really been a bright spot for me these past few weeks.

      *Peppermint tea: I drink a cup of hot tea every afternoon at work in the 1pm hour, before I go on-air for my afternoon show! Up until recently, I'd usually pick something caffeinated for that afternoon boost, like Earl Grey or English Breakfast. Over the past few weeks, I've started bringing caffeine-free peppermint tea to enjoy at work. I've found that most days I'm find without the afternoon caffeine, and peppermint tea is just so delicious either sweetened or unsweetened! This type of tea leaves me feeling even more refreshed to conquer the busy part of my workday. 

     *SNS nails: I got bi-monthly gel manicures during last year when I lived in Vermont, and when I first moved to Virginia I tried SNS dip nails instead. I LOVED SNS manicures initially- it lasts longer than gel, and there aren't any UV rays involved! A couple months ago I let the SNS grow off my nails though and started painting my nails myself again- as much as I love going to the nail salon, it gets pricy, and that seemed like an easy way to cut my budget. Anyways, for my birthday weekend in Charlotte, I finally got an SNS manicure again, and now I'm hooked! These past couple weeks have been very stressful, but one thing that hasn't been is the beautiful color that is lasting so well on my nails. I think I'm hooked back into salon visits for now! 

     Before I go- a quick Hurricane Florence update! A few of you checked in with me last week as the hurricane neared the East Coast, and that was so sweet. Thankfully the path of the hurricane went away from Central Virginia, so while it was a rainy weekend here, there wasn't any life threatening damage in this area. I still stayed indoors for the majority of the weekend. I am still praying for those in the NC/SC coasts who ended up having a lot of damage- so sad to see the news coverage.

      Thank you so much for reading Southern Belle in Training today, and making this post apart of your Monday! I do appreciate everyone who reads here. No blog post tomorrow as I have some busy stuff going on at work- but I'll talk to you Wednesday for this week's Midweek Ramblings!

     God Bless,

     

      

     xoxo Annaliese