Gal Meets Glam Collection Review

If you've followed Whitney à la mode for long, you've probably realized that there's nothing I love more than a pretty dress!  So when the queen of pretty dresses, Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam, announced that she was launching a dress collection, I couldn't wait to try a few!

On my budget, these dresses are definitely a special occasion purchase.  I ordered four of my favorites with the intent to only keep one.  But oops, I'm keeping two (and am having a really hard time saying "goodbye" to a third).  The dresses are just so dreamy!

The dresses came in beautiful packaging with a special note from Julia herself.  All of the fabrics felt luxurious and the dresses seem well-made.  These little lovelies are available in two places.  You can find them at the Gal Meets Glam Collection website or at Nordstrom!  You can find most of the dresses in both places but each shop does feature a few special editions that you can't find elsewhere. I chose to order mine from GMG directly because one of the dresses I really wanted was sold-out from Nordstrom.  I did follow the sizing suggestions in the reviews from Nordstrom, though, and found them to be really helpful!

So, are you ready to see the dresses?

Ellie

The Ellie dress is a crepe, flowing dress that comes in a pretty light blue or a blush pink.  Typically I would choose blush but for some reason, the blue option caught my eye.  The waist-band is elastic, making this dress super comfortable.  I loved the feminine detailing in the bows that line the front and the slightly puffed sleeves.  Friends, I felt like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  Belle is my all-time favorite Disney princess (and my grandma actually calls me Belle because of our similarities) so you know that this is a compliment coming from me!  Unfortunately, there were two dresses I somehow loved more, so Ellie is getting returned.  I'm not sure what GMG sales will look like since the collection is brand new, but you better believe I will be looking for the price to drop on this dress!

Sizing: True to size! (I'm wearing a size 8, for reference).

Verdict: Returning with extreme reluctance.

Carly

Carly is a sheath-style, gingham dress that totally reminds me of a little 1950s glamour.  Typically I don't wear sheaths but I couldn't resist the charm of this one.  Can't you picture it with some classic espadrilles and a pair of cat-eye sunglasses?!  Unfortunately, the dress just didn't fit.  The reviewers on Nordstrom suggested sizing-up so I ordered a 10 (as opposed to my typical size 8).  While the dress technically covered my body, the material around the buttons gaped and the fabric around my thighs felt too tight.  It's probably a good thing that the dress didn't fit or I probably would have wanted to keep all four!

Sizing: I would suggest going-up two sizes, at least for girls with curves.  If you typically fit well into sheath dresses, the sizing might be different for you.

Verdict: Returned

Samantha

This is the dress that I knew I had to order as soon as I saw it!  The blush pink, the stripes, the fit and flare, the bow!  I'm on a dress high and I never want to come down!  This beauty also comes in a beautiful light blue color.  I already plan to wear the Samantha to a wedding I'm attending this summer.

Sizing: True to size, I'm wearing a size 8.

Verdict: Keeping!

Ardith

While I was most excited to try the Samantha, it's actually Ardith that ended-up my favorite!  Ardith is a fit and flare, midi-lenth, gingham dress and I'm smitten!  While the quality feels as superb as the rest, the material makes the dress a bit more wearable for casual occasions.  And the cut of the top is super flattering!  Keep your eyes peeled for a special birthday look featuring Ardith at the end of May.  I'm so excited!

Sizing: I went up one size (to a 10) based on the Nordstrom reviews and the dress fits perfectly!

Verdict: Keeping!  Keeping!  Keeping!

Though I wanted to try all the dresses, these were my four favorites!  Which do you like best?  Have you checked-out the entire collection?  Which dress would you choose?
Save

J'adore 4.27.18

Welcome to J'adore, my weekly space for sharing what makes me happy lately!

1.  The Gal Meets Glam Collection.  Y'all, if I could dress like Julia Engel 100% of the time, I would.  So when I saw that she was launching a line of dreamy dresses, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a few!  THEY CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY and I'm smitten!  I'm putting together a review post so you can look for that on Monday.

2.  Boarding School Mysteries.  It just so happens that the audiobook I'm listening to and the book book I'm reading right now remind me a lot of one another.  The Broken Girls and The Secret Place (by one of my favorites) are both psychological mysteries that take place at girls' boarding schools.  Interestingly, each has an element of the supernatural which isn't normally my thing but both stories have me riveted!  I'm hoping to finish The Secret Place this weekend and then The Broken Girls during my commute next week!

3.  Sugar-Free, Naturally-Sweetened Pop.  My friend Andrea mentioned this brand of pop (soda for you non-midwesterners) on her blog not too long ago.  I've been pretty good about eating healthily lately but every once and awhile I really crave something bubbly (and not just carbonated water, which I do love).  These drinks are amazing!  I highly recommend buying the value pack from Amazon because you get to try so many different flavors.  I've narrowed-down my favorites and will definitely be purchasing them from my local grocery store soon!
SaveSaveSaveSaveSave

April's Work Wear Remix

Happy Monday, ladies!  I'm excited to be starting a new, monthly series today!

Do you struggle with what to wear to work?  I know I do!  Sometimes it feels like it takes so much effort to even put clothes on at 5:00 in the morning, let alone wear something cute and creative!  Most of the outfits that I find inspiring from blogs or on Pinterest are more casual looks and I know I'm guilty of featuring lots of jeans ensembles here at Whitney à la mode.

But no more, my friend Carrie (the queen of nine to five style, in my book) and I will be collaborating to bring you a monthly post featuring some great wear-to-work looks!

My goal for these posts is to show you one piece, two ways: a work look and a weekend outfit.  For our inaugural post, I'm featuring a floral blouse.  Since it's been so chilly in Michigan, I've been wearing my warmer floral-print pieces in an effort to embrace spring.

For my work look, I chose a color from the floral print and found bottoms to pull-out that hue, in this case olive!  Some cognac accessories complete the look.

For my weekend ensemble, I wanted to do a bit more than just pair the blouse with jeans.  A sweater vest is a fun completer piece for this time of year!

And there you have it, a floral blouse that's great for work or play!  What are you wearing to work this week?  And don't forget to head-over to Carrie's blog for some more, great work-wear inspiration!

What I'm Wearing: Work Look
Blouse: Old Navy (similar, similar)
Skirt: Le Tote (similar, similar)
Wedges: Nordstrom (similar, similar)
Earrings: Nickel and Suede (exact)

What I'm Wearing: Weekend Look
Blouse: Old Navy (similar, similar)
Vest: Gap Outlet (similar, similar)
Jeans: American Eagle (exact)
Flats: Target (exact)
Save

J'adore 4.20.18

Welcome to J'adore, my weekly space for sharing what makes me happy lately!

1.  Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken.  You guys, this is probably the easiest recipe I've ever made.  Not only is it easy, the recipe makes lots and the chicken dish is low in calories.  I made the Buffalo Chicken on Sunday for dinner and my boyfriend and I have been eating it for lunch all week!  We've used it to make Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese and Buffalo Chicken Melts.  I've also eaten it plain with just a slice of melted cheese on top and today I'm putting bites of Buffalo Chicken onto slices of cucumber. The recipe is super versatile and goes a long way!

2.  Dutch Blitz.  My boyfriend introduced me to this game and it's my new favorite!  Think of it as a fast-paced, multi-player version of solitaire.  It took me awhile to get the hang of it (my first several games I scored in the negative) but now I'm hooked!

3.  The Lightning Thief.  Okay, I realize I'm over a decade late to the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series of YA novels, but a friend of mine recommended this book for our audiobook club and I'm really enjoying it!  It does remind me a lot of my beloved Harry Potter series but with a Greek god twist.  If you are looking for an easy read (or listen) that's full of adventure, I definitely recommend this series.

What are you loving this week?

Floral

Happy middle-of-January, ya'll!  Not!  But really, with snow and ice storms sweeping across our state this week, it definitely doesn't feel like April.

I'm still trying to follow my own advice for dressing like spring even though it feels like winter while endlessly wondering when it will actually feel warmer.

Here I'm attempting to channel spring by wearing a jacket I love, a new spring purse and a warm-weather print: floral!  I decided to follow the advice of one of my favorite bloggers, Anne, and treat myself to a fun, new scarf this month.  A new scarf, especially in a floral print, can help to freshen your wardrobe (and perspective) while still adding warm layers to an outfit.

What I'm Wearing:
Scarf: Local Boutique (similar, similar)
Top: Gap (similar in different colors)
Jacket: Gap (similar in a bunch of colors)
Jeans: American Eagle (exact)
Sneakers: Keds (exact)

If you've been wearing floral lately, link-up with The Blended Blog's style post today!

Running Tips: From One Beginner to Another

For my entire adult life, I've attempted to run.  About every three years I would jog regularly for a couple months, decide that running was the worst, and then stop.  Until now.

I've been running regularly for almost a year and can actually feel myself improving, finally!  The other day, I ran five whole miles without stopping to walk and decided that I can officially declare myself a runner!

So I'm here today to give other beginning runners some tips.  I am by no means an expert.  In fact, you can find lots of running advice from "experts" online but I usually give these articles the side-eye because the authors apparently don't remember how much running actually sucks as a beginner!

So, from one beginner to another, here's how I've survived a year of running.

Find Goals That Actually Motivate You

Until this year, my primary reason for running was always to lose weight.  This may be a super motivating goal for you, but it just didn't work for me!  I would run for a few months, not see any weight results and then quit.  Now, I run because I want to beat my best times at races.  My boyfriend convinced me to run a few 5ks with him last summer.  As I trained and realized that I could go faster and faster at these races, I got hooked!  Now I'm competing with myself to go faster and farther than before.  This is what works for me!  This is what I find fun about running.  So find what motivates you and go after that goal (and you might need to readjust that goal if you find that it's not inspiring you to work harder).

Follow A Training Program

This is another big one for me!  When I tried to run in the past, I would head out three days a week and just try to run as much of a 5k as possible.  It got boring and disheartening.  Now I realize that not all of my runs have to be the same.  I can spend one run working on speed and the next on distance.  Some practice runs can be short and some can be long.  With this variety, I've yet to get bored.  If you have a friend who is into running, ask him or her to help you come-up with a plan!  If not, there are plenty of training programs online whether you are shooting for a 5k or beyond.

You Don't Have to Run with a Group

So many of the "tips from running experts" you will find online encourage you to find friends or a running group to join.  I actually don't really like to run with others.  So you know what, I don't!  For some reason I psych myself out when I run with other people.  I try to go too fast at first and then burn-out.  I've gotten to the point where there are a choice few people I enjoy running with but for the most part, I'm a solitary runner and that's okay.  So really, find what works for you, group or no group!

If It Hurts, Stretch

I've talked to a variety of friends who run and each person has a different opinion about stretching.  Some stretch before running, not after.  Some do the opposite.  Some don't stretch at all!  This can be very confusing but my best tip for you is to listen to your body.  I wasn't really stretching and found myself having some shin, calf and foot pain.  The pain didn't really feel related to stretching but I decided to do a few stretches before running to see if it would help.  And it did!  I understand what works best for my body right now and if things hurt in the future, I will adjust.

Clothes Matter

And I'm not just saying this because I'll take any excuse to buy cute clothes (work-out wear included).  I have four must-have pieces for successful and comfortable running.  The first is pretty obvious, comfortable shoes.  I wear these but you just have to try shoes on and figure-out what works best for you.  I also think socks are super important!  Regular socks won't absorb sweat properly and will give you blisters.  I wear these for pain-free feet.  Pants have actually been my biggest struggle with running clothes.  I can't tell you how many droopy pair of leggings I've had to tug at while running.  My best advice is to find leggings (or shorts or pants) with a drawstring that you can tighten to keep your pants up!  And finally, don't wear cotton shirts.  They will get sweaty and heavy.  Find tops with moisture-wicking material for a more pleasant run.

There you have it, my running friends.  This is what changed me from a self-proclaimed hater of running to a runner.  I know that running sucks right now, but I promise you that it will eventually suck less!  You can do it!
Save

J'adore 4.13.18

Welcome to the second round of J'adore, my new space to share a few things that I'm loving this week!

1.  Instinct.  After only having Netflix for a few years and switching back to cable, I'm terrible at remembering to watch shows live, as they're happening.  But I really want to use the cable package that we're paying for so my boyfriend and I decided to give the brand-new show, Instinct, a try!  It took a few episodes to hit its stride, but we're really enjoying the show!  If you are fan of crime shows (think Criminal Minds, Law and Order, Castle, etc.), give Instinct a try!  It's fun to follow along with the mysteries and Alan Cumming is a delight!

2.  Sriracha Carrot Hummus.  It sounds weird, but you guys, a container of this doesn't last long in my house!  This stuff is so good on veggies or chips.  I've found it at my local Meijer.

3.  Blush pink.  Okay, my love of this color isn't exactly new.  But I'm finding myself drawn to so many blush pieces lately.  I just purchased this denim jacket (size-up at least two sizes) and am seriously eyeing these wedges that are currently on sale (thanks, Kellyann).