What to Wear To A Game / Match / Race / Event...

  In my perfect world, I would have a pair of tickets in my hand 24/7/365. I will go to any and all sporting events in Dallas. Well, that is too specific. I will go to any sporting event, period. There is living proof of this when I agreed to go to a soccer match on my second date with Chalupa Batman. I'm used to flexing my sports knowledge muscle in front of the guys. Heck, I am pretty proud to flex that muscle, I think it helps on dates! But this man took me to the one sporting event where I have absolutely no idea what's going on.  I guess it worked out ok in the end, huh?  Today, I thought I would compile a list of my recommendations, using past outfits and past blog posts, for what to wear to any and all sporting events!

 // One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute Baseball Game // Logo Baseball Hat   // Full Blog Post //   What To Wear To A Baseball Game   // You might also enjoy //   How to Get The Most Out of a Baseball Game

shirt via     // One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute College Basketball Game // Vintage/ Graphic T-Shirt   // Full Blog Post //   What To Wear To A Basketball Game

   // One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute NBA Basketball Game // Meh! Wear whatever you like. Comfy, chic, casual
// Full Blog Post //   What To Wear To A Basketball Game 

   // One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute NFL Football Game // Jersey... I suggest a little boys size to save a few bucks!
// Don't Forget the Purse Rules //   NFL Approved Purses
// You Might Also Like //  The Devil Wears Ziplock (featured on buzzfeed)

   

   // One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute College Football Game // Logo T-shirt / Logo Sweatshirt
// Full Blog Post //  What To Wear on Gameday

 

  // One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute SEC Football Game // Solid Color Sundress in Your Team's Color
// Other important additions // Cheek tattoo, pom pom, cowboy boots
// Full Blog Post //  What To Wear To An NCAA Southern Football Game
// You Might Also Enjoy //  Road to the Vols :: A Fan Checklist

 

 // One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute Hockey Game // Jersey or Beanie
// Full Blog Post //  TBA

// One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute Nascar Race // Cutoff Shorts or Merica Tank Top
// Full Blog Post //  What to Wear To A Nascar Race

 

// One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute Soccer Game // Scarf
// Full Blog Post //  What to Wear To A Soccer Game

  // One Thing I Recommend Having on Hand for a Last Minute Horse Race // FANCY HAT! DUH!
// Full Blog Post //  What to Wear To The Kentucky Derby


  If I missed a sport that you would love to see a "what to wear to..." post on, leave me a comment! 

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To The Curly Haired Little Girls...

    Since the day I was born, I've always been the curly haired little girl. It was cute when I was little, people would constantly call me Shirley Temple and I just ate that right up. 

But as I got older, sometime around 8th grade, the hair admiration from others, or hairmiration as I'll call it, dissipated and was replaced with teasing from the boys. Teasing that, as sad as this is to admit, still nags at me today.  They'd call me pubes, because of my curly hair. 
Throughout middle school and into high school I tried everything to tame my hair... to make it not look like pubes. I used gel and moose... nothing helped with the frizz. One summer, I gave up and cut it all off, but that didn't help my attitude toward my hair either. 
I wished my hair was straight. I wished so hard for straight hair. I wished so hard that I'm still kind of surprised that my hair didn't just one day throw its arms in the air and say to me, "Fine fine fine, we will straighten if you'll just shut up in there!" 
At age 14, I knew I would never get a date with that hair. I knew no boy would ever love me. I knew they would just call me pubes behind my back to all their friends. So I took my hair into my own hands, and I bought my first flat iron off Ebay.
I straightened my hair all the time. I would plan my life around my hair. Oh, sorry, can't go swimming, my hair is straight today. Looking back on the number of hours I've spent with a flat iron in my hand...... is insane. 
I've done Keratin Treatments and Brazilian Blowouts.... lots of them. Those were game changers. It was like a magical genie came and granted my wishes but then required I pay for them. I couldn't sign the checks for the genie fast enough.... every three months, like clockwork. Blank Check To: Genie. Love: Sarah, forever. 
But then all that fuss about formaldehyde was released a few years back, and once the formaldehyde was removed from the process, the treatments stopped working. Keratin treatments simply became a very, very expensive blowout with an empty hope that it would produce three months of stick straight hair. 
So back I went, a slave to the flat iron and round brush. Good hair days held in the clutches of what mother nature decided to throw at me on any given day.
I had been dating my boyfriend for about two, maybe even three months before he ever saw my curly hair. I don't remember why I was forced to wear my hair curly that day.... I probably had stayed the night at his place unprepared, and was left with no choice. I felt so ugly and gross. I think I put it in a ponytail as soon as I could track down a hair tie. Ashamed is the only way to describe how I felt about my curly hair.
About a month ago, a friend of mine, Jasmine, shared this video from Dove on Facebook. 

Post by Dove.

 
I was so moved by this video and my eyes were opened.  
What I would have given as a 14-year-old, being called pubes by the cruel boys in high school, for a cool 28-year-old to tell me my hair looked pretty, or beautiful. 
To show me, that as I got older, I would embrace those curls. For a 28-year-old that has her life together, to point up at her head and show 14-year-old me how much she loves her curls. How she thinks her curls are the bomb, and 14-year-old me should too. 
For a 28-year-old's cute boyfriend to tell curly haired 14-year-old me, that he loves my curls because they are so unique, so uniquely Sarah. 
For a 28-year-old to teach 14-year-old me that so much more can be done with curly hair, versus straight hair. The sky is the limit on hair styles, anything you want to do to your hair, you can do it. Nothing is off limits.
You can have bangs, you can have volume, you can have straight and sleek, you can have beachy, you can wash and go... aka you can sleep in 30 minutes later than everyone else. This proves useful when your alarm goes off at 6:30am!

  You will have boyfriends, you will have amazing friends and the most shocking thing of all about your curly hair? You can even survive a Texas Summer!   I know, because I've had and done all of those things. All with curly hair. 

Will I straighten my hair from time to time going forward, absolutely. But I'll also leave it curly, I'll rush off to work with it sopping wet 4 out of the 5 days of the work week, I might bring back the bangs one day, I'll tie it up in dutch braids, I'll wear a high pony, I'll go sleek, I'll go in a pool, I'll go on a boat, I'll cut it all off, I'll grow it super long, I'll go outside regardless of the humidity or rain report....  I can do whatever I want. Because I am so lucky to have curly hair. 
Ever since I saw Dove's video, I've made it a point to proudly go curly on a regular basis. I am going to let go of those negative high school memories I've tied up in my hair for 10 years, in hopes that a 14-year-old girl somewhere, won't spend 10 years trying to change what she was insanely lucky to be blessed with. She will go through those young adult years having the curly hairmiration that it took me 10 years to find. 

**Important note... this is NOT a sponsored post.    

$175 Target Giveaway

Happy Wednesday everyone! Today I bring you some new friends, some weekend plan ideas and free money to spend at Target. All I'm missing is some Starbs and a classic blanket scarf and you would need to start calling me Basic Santa! #JK #LOL #LYLAS

Your Friend, Brittany

::: Start Here ::: The 30 Things I Learned Before My 30th Birthday // Marry Him: The Case for Settling For Mr. Good Enough Review
::: Get Social ::: Twitter // Facebook // Instagram
 /// 5 Things Brittany Would Do On A Weekend With No Plans ///   1. Binge watch some TV! There's plenty of Netflix and Hulu to keep me entertained.
  2. Read a new book.
3. Workout! Best days for long runs are weekend mornings.
  4. Brunch, because brunch plans are the best plans.
5. Clean...but this should really be your last resort.

Route Bliss

 ::: Start Here ::: RB Microadventures: Gruene, Texas // 5 Cameras Worth Considering for Traveling   ::: Get Social ::: Twitter // Bloglovin // Instagram (everyday sharing) // Instagram (photo projects / series)
/// 5 Things Christina Would Do On A Weekend With No Plans ///   1. Sleep in
  2. Play tourist in my hometown
3. Hog a table at a local deli for a few hours (for the free wifi)
4. Read a novel or two
5. Window shop somewhere I can't afford to otherwise shop

 Hel on Heels

::: Start Here ::: 10 Things I Have Actually Said While Living Alone // Namaste: Hot Yoga For Newbies   ::: Get Social ::: Bloglovin // Instagram // Twitter // Facebook
/// 5 Things Helen Would Do On A Weekend With No Plans ///   1. Go exploring! Pack up the car and take a little spontaneous road trip. I live in the south, there is plenty of crazy to go see.
2. Get mango frozen yogurt, or as I affectionately call it ""fro yo,"" with extra cheesecake bites and sprinkles to balance out my fruit and granola.
3. Sign up for a fun new fitness class. The stranger the better. Hot yoga, alright? Aerial fitness, why not?
4. Go to happy hour. Or mimosa brunch. Or both! Definitely both!
5. If I'm too tired after the work week to do any of that, a little Netflix binge is never out of the question. I'm almost done with Gilmore Girls, so suggestions are welcome! ------

  Brittany // Magen Christina // Angie Helen // Amy Lindsay // Kippy Jamie // Sarah
a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Exercise Techniques to Slim Down the Muffin Top

This is a sponsored post not written by Venus Trapped in Mars 

Exercise Techniques to Slim Down the Muffin Top

We’ve all faced the harsh reality of a muffin top once our early 20s have left us. If you’re unaware, a muffin top is the excess fat that hangs over the waist of your pants. It can be a hard one to get rid of, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. There are a few exercises below that will help you shave that flab down and – with a little commitment and discipline – you’ll say goodbye to your muffin top for good.

In addition to general exercise, it’s always helpful to use a specialised health professional or even a health retreat like Chi of Life to help guide you in the right direction.

Planking
You have probably seen this fad in the last few years where people ‘planked’ in dangerous environments, like on top of buildings. This is actually an amazing exercise for weight loss, with a slight variation. By strengthening the muscles involved in this position, you’re developing your core and slimming that waistline.

To achieve this position, get into that of a push up. Bend your elbows, resting your weight on your forearms. You want your body to form a straight line. Now contract your ab muscles and hold this position for 30 seconds. Over time you can eventually work up to holding it for a few minutes.

Scissor Kicks
This one is not only great for your stomach and obliques, but it’s great for any back pain that’s posture related too. You want to lie on your back with your feet a few inches off the ground and your hands by your sides. Make sure there is no arch in your back. Keep your legs straight and make sure both feet remain off the ground and kick with one leg at a time. Do this for 10-15 repetitions.

Old, Faithful Walking
Don’t dismiss walking for weight loss. And, furthermore, don’t think you need to spend hours on the treadmill each day. You can train your body to use fat as fuel. You may have heard this term before as ‘fat-burning.’ Start by walking at a standard pace as a warm-up. Slowly start to increase your pace every 30-40 seconds until you’re just about ready to break into a jog. Ease off the pace slightly and continue for 20 minutes. Try doing this three times a week.

A Little Side-to-Side
This seems like a simple enough exercise… and it is! The way to achieve this one is to stand with your feet apart and arms at your sides. Using one arm, reach down towards your toes and lift the other arm towards your waist with your hand on your hip. Alternate sides and repeat this 100 times. This is a great one for those love handles too.

So now you have some guidance, it’s time to put these exercises into action and start getting rid of that muffin top! Have you found any particular exercise to be great for weight loss around the stomach area? Share your tips in the comments.

I Swear That Camo Hat Is Not Mine

All hail mother nature (no pun intended) for blessing Dallas with a Monday Snow Day. If Monday is spent snuggled in flannel sheets, then did Monday even happen? I wasn't able to get into work yesterday, along with the rest of Dallas. It was a ghost town out there. I'm not hating on Dallas, nor am I judging how a city could shut down from a relatively small winter storm. Dallas, unlike where i grew up in Virginia, just isn't equipped to handle snow and ice.... and why would they be? Why spend the money on tons of snow plows for a snow that happens maybe once a year? Alas, no one can safely travel on iced over, unplowed, unsalted roads. Better to just stay in the flannel sheets, no?
This weekend, before CB, everyone else in Dallas and I went to the grocery store, we managed to check a whole bunch of activities off our to-do list... starting with the Deep Ellum Wine Walk this past Thursday with Helene. If you happen to ever be in Dallas on the third Thursday of the month from 5pm-8pm, drop everything you have planned, bring $5, and go to Deep Ellum instead.  
Three hours... Unlimited wine.... $5... Keep the Cup... #Boom. 
One of the stops was Kettle Art Gallery, so our poses below were supposed to be "artsy". Duh, can't you tell what I'm doing here is artsy? Or nah....

Or how about this pose? Very different. Very artsy.  

 Then we found this very confusing contraption, we were not sure what it was for? We were told it was vintage... Anyone know if we were even close to using it correctly? 

A winederful time had by all! 
On Friday, CB and I went to our first movie together... ever. I'm just not a big movie person.... aka, I'm not someone you should ever invite to bar team trivia. We saw 50 Shades Of Grey. I had only read about half of the book--- reading just isn't my thing, go ahead and judge me. Also, did I mention you probably shouldn't invite me to bar team trivia?
To sum up my thoughts: It was depressing and I would not see it again..... But I was very ready to go home afterwards..... get it? got it? good. 
We had a very busy Saturday, and the secret was somehow leaked to Veenie, who was ready to go bright and early Saturday morning. I blame General, I told him not to tell her. 

Joke was on her though, look at her face when I told her she wasn't coming to the brewery tour with us later that afternoon...

Baby steps, CB, baby steps...
We had plans to go to Granbury that evening to see CB's family, so we decided we might as well make the most of driving an hour and a half from Dallas, and check out Revolver's brewery tour! The original forecast called for 70 degrees and sunshine, and that is what I dressed for. Although I was unprepared and frozen, this brewery did not disappoint.   The band playing, Shotgun Friday, was the bomb too. We had seen them play at Magnolia Motor Lounge in Fort Worth once before, which I talked about in this post, so when we walked up and I spotted them on stage, I may or may not have screamed a little bit. 

  Four beers later we were feeling good! Next up, CB's brother was nice enough to take us out fishing on his boat. I was given this wonderful camo hat to wear, so I apologize in advance for the likelihood that you will be unable to spot me in any of these photos. *note to future Sarah: come better prepared with your own hat. 

  I did not catch this fish.  I did not catch any fish.  I was the only person in the boat not to catch a fish. KEWL.
The fish just probably couldn't see me or my bait with that hat on....

  Then the ice came. Please allow Veenie to demonstrate how I spent the rest of my weekend.... 

    Are you covered in snow??  Or are you in Miami?