Trendsend Subscription Box Review

So I've been big on getting Stitchfixes every time I get some credit in my account. I've reviewed them before, I like them, and some I don't like. But about a month ago Chelsie wrote about a newer service called Trendsend and I was totally intrigued. So of course, I signed up for them ASAP. 

Here's the scoop. You fill out a style profile, like Stitchfix, and enter in all of your information, your likes, your dislikes, etc. The fun part is that they also ask you to take photos of yourself and send it in so they can see your physical body shape too!

Initially, I was so excited because it seemed like Stitchfix but without the $20 styling fee. What a steal? I could send back everything without having to pay a cent. Then I got an email last week saying that they are now implementing a $20 styling fee :( Sorry, gals. 

The other differences between Stitchfix and Trendsend are:

-Trendsend offers clearance and sale items.

-Instead of receiving one item and then giving you suggestions of what to pair with it, Trensend sends you full outfits. 

-You have five days to try and return your items with Trendsend instead of three days.

-With Stitchfix you can decide the exact day you want to have your fix sent to you by. Trendsend says they will send you your fix "within 14 days," however mine took 16 days to send. So I just had to wait around and hope I was at home when it arrived.

-They send  you more items per package. I got seven, where Stitchfix only sends you five items. 

The Best Places to Shop for Petite

Short girls rejoice! I am so glad that there are now so many more options for petite clothing. Not only am I short-waisted but I also have pretty short legs, and that makes shopping a bit more tricky for me. Before I ran across these amazing brands, my poor mom and her sewing machine were working overtime trying to hem everything for me. Yes, I know, I should probably know how to hem myself at this point, but sometimes your mom likes to do things for you, so take advantage!

Here are my favorite places to shop for clothing that doesn't need to have an extra hem work done.

LOFT

Loft is amazing because almost all of their styles come in petite size including shirts, dresses, and pants! A lot of places only carry petite size pants! This way, you can find a nice "over-the-knee" dress that doesn't fall below your knees!

Fall Stitchfix Review

Last week I received my third Stitchfix. If you don't already know what it is, you can see my first review here. 

This month was alright. It wasn't as disappointing as some other fixes I've seen on other blogs, but still not the best. I think I have a new stylist. I can't remember the name of my last stylist for whatever reason, but this time I had Jessica style me. If you follow me on Snapchat (hint, you should @alannaandco) you got a whole video review too. But if you missed out on the fun, here it is right here. 

Jayne Dress by Collective Concepts

$88 - Returned. It was small but it was just too big for me. The shoulders didn't line up for me and I would have wanted it a bit more form fitting around my waist. It didn't help my shape whatsoever, and for the price it wasn't worth it. 

Sabrina Yoke Detail Blouse by Papermoon

$44 - Kept. Simple, cute blouse. I don't have a hot red blouse anyways, so why not. 

How to Remove Denim Stains from Your Purse

A little while back I bought this adorable Kate Spade cross body. This is the first time that I have ever used a cross body for my daily purse, and with that came an issue that I didn't even think of. It will regularly rub up against my jeans and to my dismay, your jeans will leave stains on your light purses!

So to fix this naughty little problem I found a nice simple solution that is safe for your purse! I can't believe how easy this was. 

My New Unexpected Love: Press-on Nails

Like most girls, I definitely like a good spa day once a month (or more...) but sometimes a girls gotta stick to her budget. I don't know about you but whenever I paint my nails, they typically last a day or two before they get chipped. To fix that I would used to go and get a gel manicure at the salon, but each manicure costs $20+ and you need to go back every two weeks or so. Ah! No thank you.

Now here's how you can get salon looking nails, that last for 1-2 weeks for a quarter of the price. Press-ons. Yeah, you heard me right!

How I Pamper My Skin

A little while back I was invited to review Spongelle's body buffer and pedi buffer and absolutely loved them. You can read more about those on my What's In and What's Out. Hint: They were "in"!

Just a little bit ago, Spongelle reached back out to me about another opportunity to try out one of their  other products. This time it was the anti-cellulite contouring body buffer.

The Anti-Cellulite Contouring Buffer is a dual sided Body Contouring Buffer while massaging, smoothing, exfoliating, and detoxifying areas prone to cellulite. Spongellé Body Buffers are an amazing way to care for your skin. They are infused with exotic extracts, rich moisturizers and gentle cleansers to keep your skin youthful & glowing use after use. One of a kind fragrance blends and a creamy lather make Spongelle the most luxurious bathing indulgence for your body and mind.

What's in and What's out - Beauty Edition

Affiliate Links: If you make a purchase after clicking some of the links below, I may make a small commission.
Sponsored: Spongelle products were given to me in return for a honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've recently been trying a lot of new makeup and beauty products because I've actually been paying more attention to my skin, I'm trying to be a good blogger and take more photos of myself, and the fact that I'm single again also adds to that. So here's what I've been trying recently:

What's In

L'Oreal True Match Compact Makeup - Thank you L'Oreal! I use their powder foundation and it's my absolute favorite. Not only it is cheap, but it's lightweight, has SPF, and matches perfectly. I tried out this compact to carry around with me and I love it juts as much! Lightweight but has just enough coverage and SPF 17!

Neutrogena Nourishing Eyeliner - I've previously been using pencils but they don't come out intense enough for a good cat eye. This one is a pen that comes on nice and smooth, but has a smudger built-in if I want to soften up the line. 

Nyx Eyebrow Cake Powder - Alright, so I'm still learning with this. I've only just started to fill-in my eyebrows so maybe this product isn't the best of all products but I like it for what I need right now. It's cheap, easy to use, and stays in place. They give you these silly tiny brushes though. I just use my own from my set.

Elf Eyelid Primer - Cheap, easy to use, works well. What else do I need to say? I think most Elf products fall under this category!
Spongelle Infused Body Buffer - I had never heard of these until just recently when my roommate got some from Anthropologie. They are amazing! Spongelle sent me one body buffer that was Ginger Bergamont infused and a pedi-buffer that was Mandarin Mint infused.

The body buffer already has body wash, so you can literally just use the buffer as a loofah. Another problem when I usually exfoliate is that the exfoliators are too rough on my skin and don't feel so great, but the Spongelle buffer felt awesome and as soon as I got out of the shower I felt fresh, clean, and smelling great. I can't wait to use them both up and buy some more.

What's Out

Maybelline Master Kajal Eyeliner - Honestly, when I put this eyeliner on, I love the way it looks, how easy it is to apply, how it's thick and dark enough but not too intense. The absolute worst part about it is that is it super smudgy. I end up looking like this after about 30 minutes (even with primer!)

Maybelline Hi-Light Bronzer - I was definitely disappointed with this. First of all, they have the same product as bronzer and blush. Of course, I accidentily picked up bronzer instead of blush but whatever, because in the summer I tend to use a bronzer as a blush (I hope that's not a make-up faux pas that I don't know about...) I had to put a TON of it on for it to really show up. I like my old Milani bronzer better. 

Have you used any of these products? What do you think of them? Or maybe you can send some suggestions my way!

Say hello to this month's sponsor:

What's in my bag? & Giveaway

Some Affiliate Links: If you make a purchase after clicking some of the links below, I may make a small commission.

I don't know how, as a lifestyle blogger, I haven't written a "What's in my bag?" post. If you know me, you know I am a purse-a-holic. I actually put myself to Purse Hoarders Anonymous and banned myself from buying any new purses as of last summer.

So with great pleasure, I bring you, what is in Alanna's bag!

Don't let this picture fool you. This purse is purple, not poop brown, I swear.

So let's start from the left and go right. 

Disclaimer: Not all items are pictured here for neatness sake

Hair clip, neatly tucked on the purse strap for easy access. All girls need an emergency hair accessory. Whether it be a clip like mine, a hair tie, ribbon hair tie, or sock bun, you got to have one for those humid or windy days. 

Hand Sanitizer. I'm honestly not very much of a clean freak, but as soon as I have some hand sanitizer in my bag, I'm a lot more conscious about using it. Think of all the nasty things you touch on a regular basis. Don't even make me think about how many germs live on my iPhone. 

Mini Hair Brush. You can get this conair one at pretty much every CVS ever. It's nice because it won't weight down your purse and goes hand in hand with #1, hair clip. For us girls who live in humid places, it's a necessity!

A pen. How many times have you ran into a situation where you needed a pen but didn't have one? I'm also kind of anal about this pen, which I feel like most people who carry pens in their purses are. So don't even think about asking to borrow it and think we'll lend it to you without watching you like a hawk. 

Lip balm or lipstick of some sort. I always have an EOS lip balm on hand and a lipstick for color. I use Maybelline 14 hour lipsticks. 

Sunglasses. I think this is kind of obvious for summer, right?

Re-wetting Contact Drops. Like I said before, I wear contacts pretty much constantly until I go to sleep, so having re-wetting drops is necessary. Especially if you're at work staring at a computer for hours on end. 

What's not pictured? Hmm, lots. 

Headphones. I totally forgot my headphones at the gym when I took this photo. Headphones are a must. You can't risk having to talk to someone that you don't want to. 

Pepper Spray. I cannot stress that pepper spray is the bare minimum to protecting yourself. Maybe I'll write up a full post on how much I feel that women should learn how to protect themselves sometime later. Let me start by saying that the pepper spray is not in a mist form anymore, and if you still have that type of pepper spray it's probably expired and you should get rid of it. It is in a liquid form that sprays out like water, so there's no risk that you would ever accidentally pepper spray yourself. I carry one in my purse and also on Starla's leash when I walk her. The one I have is Sabre Red pepper spray and is police grade. It's hardcore. There's tons of videos that you can see how intense it is. Seriously, get it. Get two. 

Change and a metro card. Yes, I have a card and try to not take public transportation as much as possible, but sometimes it happens and you need to hop onto a train or a bus. So it's always better if you have these handy, just in case. 

Make-up. Again, obvious. But my make-up bag crowded the photo and I decided to take it out of the photo. In there, I also keep a mirror. 

Gum and breath mints. Sometimes you need to double up. 

Wine opener. You never know....

What does your purse look like? Do we share some of the same items?

And guess what?! Another giveaway!

Fine Print: This is open internationally, pending shipping laws/restrictions. You must be 18 or older, or have a parents permission to enter. This giveaway is open for exactly one week and the winner will be announced July 6, 2015. Winner must respond within 48-hours or a new winner will be chosen. Your form of entry will be double-checked.


  a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Saturday Sessions: Find the Workbag That Fits Your Life

Happy Saturday ladies! Today I want to welcome Brittany from The Lady Lawyer! Today she'll be sharing with us the best work bags to fit your lifestyle. Hope you enjoy!

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I like to think of the workbag as the little black dress of handbags for the working lady. Your diaper bag for the office. The minivan of handbags. I'll stop with the analogies now because I think you see where I'm going with this..you need one. But not just any workbag..the RIGHT workbag. You will use it endlessly. It has to be sturdy, dependable, but cute. If you're like me you will have everything from your wallet, snacks, files, books, makeup, planner, and about 2 more pounds of absolute junk piled into your bag.

The workbag that I need for my office desk job won't necessarily be the right fit for a teacher, writer, nurse, etc. I've put together my favorite bags that will fit every lifestyle and job!


The bags below are made for the office gal. Perfect for storing files and your laptop, but also stylish enough to head to dinner or drinks after work! I'm currently carrying the Street Level Reversible Vegan Leather tote (below furthest right) and love it! It's a great size and the reversible option is so fun. 

Shop here: Kate Spade Cedar Street Tote / Jessica Simpson Laser Cut Tote / Kate Spade Laptop Bag / Madewell Zip Tote / Reversible Vegan Leather Tote

These bags are for the creatives of the world. Teachers, bloggers, writers, and the like---I'm looking at you! If you want a bag to store your stuff but also showcase your personality these fit the bill.

Shop here: LeSportsac Carryall / Madewell "The Hole Punch" / RELIC tote (JCPENNEY) / Vera Bradley Traveler / Sam Edelman Tara Tote

We're all busy. But some of our jobs cause us to constantly be on the go. Whether you're an event coordinator, shuffling PTA meetings, or running to meetings throughout the day these bags will help you sail through your day with everything in tow.

Shop here: Topshop Arrow Tote / Lilly Pulitzer Finder's Keepers / Street Level Stripe Tote / Vera Bradley Carry-all / Street Level Colorblock tote

What is your favorite type of workbag?

Follow Along with Brittany here: Blog | Bloglovin' | Facebook | Twitter

Say hello to this month's sponsor:

Stitchfix #2 Review

So I finally got my second fix and it seemed like I was waiting for it forever. Have you tried Stitchfix yet? For this fix I requested day to night blouses, skirts, or dresses. My stylist did a great job!

Here's what I got this month:

Isabelle Crochet Tank Top - Kept.
What a cute top and very easy to dress up or dress down. It flowed really well and fit my style perfectly.

Brixon Ivy Crochet Skirt - Sent Back

 I really loved the idea of the skirt, but the lace didn't lay flat on my stomach and ended up making me look a lot wider than I am. It was also my priciest item and since I wasn't so sure about the dress, I didn't feel like it was 100% worth it.

Pixley Hanneli Polka Dot Swing Skirt - Sent Back

Again, cute skirt, but it was a bit tight around my waist. I also don't have that many blouses that could work with the skirt so this was sent back too. 

McQue Solid Lace Sleeve Blouse - Kept
Loved the top. Easy to wear with jeans but also great to dress up with a nice black business skirt. Also blue is my favorite color for clothes.

 Harriet Chevron Print Detail Dress - Kept
Adorable! It is a V-shaped cut in the back of the dress and an exposed zipper. I wore this dress the first day I got my box and dressed it up with a petite belt. Nice and light for the summer.

Have you tried out Stitchfix yet? What do you think about what I kept and sent back?

Linking up with: Friday Favorites, Little Friday, Oh Hey Friday, Five on Friday

Say hello to this month's sponsor:

Less is More Makeup Routine

Hello Alanna & Company readers. My name is Jasmine and I blog over at Classy Sassy & A Bit Smartassy. You guys were able to get to know me a little more when Alanna did a Q&A on me. But today I will be doing a beauty post. Which are my favorite because I have a huge passion for makeup. I never went to beauty school or anything, I learned on my own. Mainly watching Youtube videos.

Today's beauty post is going to be about "less is more". Little bit of makeup is what's in right now by wearing a bold lipstick color. Which are my favorite because you showcase the lipstick color.

These are some of the makeup I will be using: 

• Maybelline Master Primer
• NYX Contour stick
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Pomade Dipbrow
• E.L.F High Definition Powder

Step One: Prep your face by applying the primer all over your face.

Step Two: Lightly brush on your foundation on your face. I like to use a stribble brush to apply my foundation. I think it leaves my foundation looking flawless.

Step Three: Eyebrows. I brush out my eyebrows first and then apply the Anastasia Beverly Hills dip brow. Less is more remember.

Step Four: Apply your eyeshadows.

Step Five: Contouring time. As you can see below this is where I apply the contour stick. I use a blender sponge to blend in the makeup.

Step Six: Apply your eyeliner and the high definition powder.

Step Seven: Once I'm done applying my eyeliner and powder I like to move on to my eyelashes. My favorite brand to use is "Manga" mascara underneath my Younique 3D Fiber Mascara.

Once I'm done with all that then I apply my lipstick. The one I'm wearing below is Maybelline Matte "Craving Coral"

and there you have it! Less is more makeup routine.

What are your favorite brands, lipstick color, etc..??


Follow along with Jasmine here: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Spring Style Picks

Hi everyone, please say hello to Bri from All That's Glittered! Today she will be sharing some of her amazing spring styles.

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Hello Alanna & Co Readers! I'm Bri & I blog over at All That's Glittered! I'm so happy to be taking over Alanna's blog today! I am going to share a few of my Spring style picks. It was tough to narrow it down, but there are some of the best.

Bucket Bags - I am officially obsessed with these bags in every color. Camel goes with everything, white gives you that little pop. I love the long straps and the adorable synch, to me these look so fresh and springy.

Mirco Floral - This new trend is so girly and spring, how can you not love it? The key is to find the smaller floral prints.

White Jeans - I hope this trend will never go out of style, I keep seeing it evolve and I love every pair I see. Flair, Skinnies, boyfriend, distressed, one of each please!

Mules - I have also been one to love shoes that go around my foot, I like the security. Heeled Mules are a great option.

Panama Hats - With so much concern about our skin, especially our faces, a light Panama hat is key for this Spring. They are also great for a bad hair day! :)

Stripes - Like white jeans, I don't want stripes to every go out of style. Stripes add an effortless "Umph" to any look. They key to stripes is to get the right thickness, too thick of a stripe will make you look wider.

What are your Spring style picks?

Thank you for letting me take over today, Alanna!

Stop over and say Hi: Blog | Twitter | Instagram

xx. Bri

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Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Not a Fashion Blogger

First, guest up! We have Kels from The Blonder Side of Life! Please say hello and I hope you enjoy!

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Hello Alanna & Co readers!

I’m so happy Alanna has allowed me to drop- in and talk your ear off today. And since she’s one of my personal faves, I thought I’d talk about something very important. As in world news, stop what you’re doing and let’s discuss kind of important. Well minus the world news part….

I’ve been blogging for about 2 years now and while I have a great little group of readers (seriously they da best) I write all the time about why I'm not a Big Blogger and it never fails to resonate....Today I bring you a new installment of things I'm not (among other things)....a Fashion Blogger...

not for a lack of trying though....

If we're being honest, I do try to look presentable in public. I actually rather enjoy dressing up and looking pretty. I even started wearing lipstick, what! Getting compliments on my outfits or walking with the confidence of a diva when i know my outfit is on point. Those things don't necessarily transfer over to a blog though. Unlike my lovely and talented lifestyle/fashion friends (Jenn anyone?) I just don't walk in the light.....

>> Can we start with this picture?? I look like a hobbit do I not? I really don't know what i was thinking with this one. Ignore the bare feet and focus on the patchy grass behind me or perhaps the utter lack of being able to see the dress. Also I need to start doing more push-ups I've decided.....

>> I rarely wear an outfit worth posting. I can rock a mean pair of yoga pants or jeans but post worthy they are not. So when it does happen I have to make sure to snap a photo.....so like once every month or so. Also said outfits get brought out more then once so a months worth of ootd's would be pretty repetitive. At least I know how to mix and match right?

>> I take my own photos. Thank goodness for a self-timer b/c otherwise I wouldn't get half the photos I take for this blog. I feel so awkward behind the camera as it is I don't need anyone on the other end to be subjected to it as well...Can someone tell me how to get full-body shots? Or better yet, don't, that way no one has to be subjected to them.....

>> I don't look effortlessly cool. Seriously, no lie. I have to try really really, extremely hard to look "cool." You'll never see a photo of me kickin up leaves or casually strollin down an empty city street lookin like the cool chic that I believe I am. It's just not in the cards for me...Instead you'll get me falling off a hammock or....well I'm not really sure what i was doin in the above photo.....

Seriously....candid is not my thing.....

Easy, breezy, beautiful right there......

>> I don't buy expensive items, but am not "cool" enough to thrift either. Any item of clothing over $30 is out of my price range (expect shoes or outerwear obvs) and even that is pushing it. I really gotta love something to spend 30 bucks of my hard earned (strapped) cash. That being said I'm not crafty enough to thrift something hideous and turn it into a vintage crave-worthy item....This leads to lots of Target and Kohls sales as well as TJ Maxx...I'm a Maxxanista!

>> I can't seem to master that distant look thing. I don't know how they do it and make it look so natural. I'm so obviously trying not to look at the camera! (below I was peekin to see what my timer said

>> I'm really bad at make-up. Drugstores are what stock my makeup bag and even that is pretty empty. I've just recently started wearing lipstick (shocker) so if anyone has tips for how to pick one that doesn't make me feel like a painted party performer I'd super appreciate it, please and thank you. Despite my late bloomer status to the big girl party, I really do like makeup I'm just horrible at it....practice, practice right?

As if I needed anymore reasons, but I'm sure I could continue this list for days. Despite my love of fashion and clothes I doubt I'll be makin that transition anytime soon Ever.

Can't say i don't have fun though. ;)

Anyone else out there with me?

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

My Daily Facial Cleansing Routine

Good Morning loves! So today I thought I would share with you my daily cleansing routine. As I've said many times, I've very minimalist with make-up, beauty products, etc. So the simpler the routine, the better! 

Usually, I stay up as long as I can in the evenings so I just remove any make-up, splash some water on my face and pass out. I'll start by saying I have an oily complexion so you can get an idea about my skin. But every morning I follow this routine.

I start by washing my face with my Neutrogena Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleanser. I just started using this cleanser about a month ago and I've fallen in love with it. I really didn't like it at first because it doesn't foam up, and really didn't feel like it was exfoliating or getting deep into my pores to clean my face. So I got the Dermalogica face brush. I keep hearing about Clarisonic and those others but I really just didn't feel like spending the money on that right now. Also, my complexion isn't terrible so I couldn't justify spending that much on a brush.

Seriously, try this brush! Yes, it's manual, but between the Neutrogena and the brush, my pores have improved greatly! I've only broken out once since I started this routine!

Lastly, I finish off with a moisturizer that I've mentioned before! The one I have in my original picture is actually the "Clear Complexion" one but the "Positively Radiant" is the moisturizer I use for the summer since it has SPF 15 in it. I'm actually switching so that I use the one with SPF year-round since now I'm outside more frequently walking Starla! The moisturizer covers my entire face and neck with one pump and feels light and smooth once applied. Also for you sensitive skin readers, this is perfect for sensitive skin! My best friend has the most sensitive skin and has broken out with all moisturizers except this one.

Of course, I have my make-up remover in this too! I'm bad and sometimes forget to remove my make-up before bed (I promise I'll be better) and I'm sure I don't need to explain how oil-free make-up removers work to you. Frankly, I find that any brand works the same. 

Do you know any differences to name brand versus generic make-up removers?

Lastly!! I am going on vacation this week to visit my bestie in Nashville so I will be away from this blog for a whole week! I have an amazing group of girls who are helping me out by guest posting starting this Friday. Seriously, there's some amazing content coming so definitely check in with me while I'm gone. I'll still be on social media, so tweet me if you have any recommendations for what I should see or do while I'm in Nashville! Love you guys!

Linking up with Kels, per usual.

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Anjolee Jewelry

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Anjolee Fine Jewelry. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm always on the lookout for good jewelry. I love classic jewelry that I can wear on a daily basis. I wear a ring, and my Michael Kors watch every day. 

When Anjolee Diamond Necklaces reached out to me about their products, I was more than excited. They have a great assortment of classic jewelry anywhere from engagement sets to tennis bracelets to earrings. Also, Anjolee manufactures all of their jewelry so they can provide customers with great service, fast delivery, and free shipping! 

They have a crazy amount of customization, which is perfect for me (or any girl..) because I'm super picky. I was able to choose from a huge array of designs and then once I found one that I liked, I could customize even that specific design to my exact liking! Below is how I customized one of their diamond necklaces.

I really loved their diamond studs but like any unmarried girl with a Pinterest account, I stumbled over to their engagement sets to see what sort of inspiration I could get....Woo-hoo! They have some gorgeous sets! You have to go see for yourself.

The best part about it, is that Anjolee is offering a sweepstakes for all my readers! They are offering a 20% off coupon for any order on their website. To enter the sweepstakes, you have create a board on Pinterest with your dream jewelry picks from Anjolee, leave their contact email and tag Anjolee's Pinterest account in order for them to verify the boards and select a winner. If you're a winner they will send you the exclusive 20% off online coupon!

Happy Pinning!

Are you more of a classic jewelry or trendy jewelry type of girl?

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine: