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Every 6 months I try and go through my clothes and clean out what I don't wear anymore or needs to be thrown out because I've had it for a while. This usually ends up with me cleaning out about three shirts and then rationalizing the things in the maybe pile back into my closet. But, this year I really committed and got rid of a big chunk of things that were just taking up space. I stuck to these three rules:

1) If I hadn't worn it in the past 6 months

2) If I wouldn't buy it in the store today

3) If it was damaged or ratty looking

When I had finished cleaning everything out, I realized there were now some places in my wardrobe that needed a pick-me-up. Business wear was definitely a need. You can save quite a bit of money if you splurge on the basics (a nice blazer, black pencil skirt, black pumps, etc.) and buy colorful blouses and accessories. This allows you to get more for your money and more variety in your wardrobe. One of my favorite places to go for blouses and colorful shirts is H&M. At reasonable prices and unique styles you get everything you need in one place, including the basics!

H&M is currently having a sale with discounts as high as 80% off! Check it out here!

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It is finally getting cold in Chicago [ apparently cold means below 20 degrees to true Chicagoans ] and that means preparing for the season! Two of the most important things to take care of during the winter? Your skin & feet! 

I've been wanting a Clarisonic for a few years and finally bit the bullet and made the investment. While I found spending $100 on something that washes your face to be a little ridiculous, I couldn't be happier that I did. I could tell a difference of my skins texture and luster after one use! When used twice a day [ I use it at night before bed and in the morning before work ] I can really tell the difference in the way moisturizer soaks in and how my makeup lays on my skin. If there is one thing that you're looking for to transform your skin - this is it!

When I ordered my Clarisonic I received a sample of Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Moisture Cream. Being happy with my current routine, I was hesitant to try it, but I put it on before bed one night and my skin still felt really moisturized and smooth when I woke up the next morning. The formula is thicker than what I typically use and it is somewhat scented, but I found that this moisturizer really soaked into the layers of my skin at a great rate [not too heavy and not to absorbent too quickly]. Sometimes I have to reapply moisturizer even a few hours after I put it on, especially with the colder weather, but this one is so hydrating you don't need to! It is on the pricy side, but will last you for months! It is definitely on my 'splurge' list. If there is one thing you should definitely splurge on, it is your skin to be healthy.

This Christmas was definitely a shoe Christmas for me! When Kollin and I decided to move to Chicago, I knew I would need winter shoes and everyone in college raved about Hunter rain boots. They were totally right. These boots can make it through anything and are really warm! 

I wear them on my commute to work when I have to walk through the snowy-slush on the sidewalks. When I make it to work, I slip into these Sam Edelman pumps. Kollin gifted me to them for Christmas and I have never worn a more comfortable pair of pumps in my life. I can wear them all day at work without my feet being sore. They are definitely my favorite pair and come in other fun colors when the seasons change too!

I've posted about The Peach Box on the blog before, and I received some pieces for Christmas and am IN LOVE. The jewelry is so well made and chic for the price. [$28 for a complete look alike Cartier bracelet? UM YES PLEASE!] The Peach Box has really trendy, but classic pieces at a very reasonable price! 

My last January favorite is OPI's Funny Bunny nail polish. I think white is chic any time of year and goes with anything! The pale color also makes you look a litter tanner during the winter season!  

Thank you for reading! Is there anything on your favorites list? I would love to hear about them!

As the first day of 2016 is here, I look back on 2015 as a year of change. I graduated from The University of Kentucky, moved to a new city with the love of my life, started a new job and chopped off 10 inches of hair. To say the least, there's been a lot of new things headed my way. With 2016 being the first full year out of undergrad, the pressure for adult life sometimes sets in. But, looking forward I wanted to set realistic, opportunity-driven goals.

As cliché as it is, I usually always try to come up with at least one New Year's resolution. When starting my new job, my boss and I discussed goals I wanted to set for myself, both personally and professionally. Having this in mind, I came up with a list of things that I want to accomplish or  start on the path of accomplishing in 2016. 

Give More.

I take the bus each day to work and I pass the same homeless man every morning about a block from my building. Everyday I see him and every day he tells me how much he likes my shoes. As silly as it was the first time he said it, it became a ritual for us in the morning. I would pass him and say, "Good Morning," and he says, "Good Morning, I like those shoes!" 

I am guilt ridden pretty much everyday because I usually cannot give this man more than a smile and "Good Morning" each day. In Chicago it is hard to not have this feeling as you pass multiple homeless men and woman on each block. I wish I could help them all, but as you know, you give what you can. In 2016, I want to strive to give more of myself, whether that be monetary or not. I want to be more intentional about giving back.

Dive Deeper.

As most of you have read, I struggled with finding a job after graduating in May. The industry I thought I would be thriving in, is the one that wouldn't hire me. As you can imagine this was a big blow. To not be where you were pretty certain you would be creates somewhat of an identity crisis. With that being said, I took a leap and tried something new - a completely new industry, while still doing what I love. 

I want to adapt this to all aspects of my life. I want to try new things and once I've tried them I don't want to be scared to dive deeper into them and really find out how they can create value in my life. 

Grow the Blog

2015 was a confusing year for TCB. During my months of finding a job, I had tons of time to devote to TCB and all that running it entails. The blog received more hits, likes, comments and shares than ever before. As my job and work load grew, the blog took a downward turn and so did my motivation to really put effort into keeping the momentum. I apologize to y'all who have been wanting more, but I'm hoping to change this in 2016 and really be devoted to something I love doing so much. 

I've had great feedback from readers and want to give y'all the best experience through TCB. I'm going to be committed to making blogging more of a priority this year!

Deepen My Relationship with God

While I wouldn't call myself deeply religious, I began feeling like something was missing this year. I follow two pretty popular bloggers regularly and began reading their outlooks on God and the way it has affected their lives. 

Kollin and I got back into going to mass and I always had better days and weeks when we did. I began praying more, learning more about the Bible and Jesus' life and thought that if I call myself Catholic I should know more about the person I'm praying to. I bought a journaling Bible and began doing daily devotionals. I really enjoyed having that time, but as I'm sure many of you can relate to, adulting got in the way. Long days at work and the normal household duties were pushing my motivation for "quiet time" down. In 2016 I want to be more devoted to this relationship. If you've been where I am and have some advice about your path through the journey I would love to hear about it!

Always Be Learning

I'm a pretty curious person to begin with, but in 2016 I want to be even more curious about culture, political events, news, art, music and more. I personally think that no matter your age, it is so important to keep learning and developing. The people I've met and opportunities I've had in just 6 months in Chicago [how has it been that long?!] have already taught me so much, I can't wait to see what 2016 will teach me! 

What are your New Year's resolutions? I would love to hear from you! 

Michael Kors Handbag | Sam Edelman Booties | Sam Edelman Cheetah Pump | Marc by Marc Jacobs Watch | Woven Heart Poncho

You're halfway through the week and that is plenty of reason to celebrate! If you're anything like me, you wait until the last possible second to do your Christmas shopping, which usually means you resort to online sales. Well, Nordstrom has saved me and my fellow procrastinators with their Fall Clearance Sale.

There are items in every category from clothing, shoes, accessories and even skincare in this sale! Everything is at least 20% off and some items like jeans and booties are at great prices! While some of the items may not be for the current weather, now is the best time to buy for upcoming seasons (looking at you Spring Break!)

Above are some of my picks from the sale! The gold detailing on these booties is so chic and will definitely add some pep in that step. Sam Edelman is a great designer that makes shoes that last and are comfortable. I own a pair of his d'Orsay pumps and they are so comfortable to wear around the office all day and walking through the city, even more reason to pick them up in Cheetah for 40% off!

This poncho caught my attention because it looks really similar to the Burberry one that every fashion blogger is raving about, but homegirl can obvi not afford! The colors are great for Fall and can easily transition between a more casual look or dressed up ensemble.

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week and that this post helped you get through the mid-week slump! Happy shopping y'all!

I recently made a purchase and couldn't be happier with how it turned out! I have been looking for a great Celine dupe for years and haven't been successful until now! It's a great size and comes in great colors that are very similar to the original. You can find it in a small and large size, here!

FYI the beige color is a little darker in person than it appears in the picture, but still very cute! If you're looking for something a little smaller, this bag is perfect. It's a great crossbody size and comes in three wonderful neutral colors. The black and white is as close as you can get to the original Celine, but is currently sold out. But, you can add yourself to the waitlist to be notified of when it is restocked.

If you're anything like me you freaked when you heard that Balmain was partnering with H&M. Balmain officially released the look-book last week and showcased their designs yesterday at a show in NYC. Upon hearing the news I knew some pieces would be affordable, but it is Balmain so there is the element of couture pricing still being present. The pieces range from $34.99 to over $600, so I have put together the pieces that are completely affordable and the ones that are worth the splurge! The line doesn't hit stores until November 3rd, but take a look at the full line  now so you can hit the "buy" button asap, because these are going to go fast! (I haven't seen these pieces in person, so I can't speak to the quality outside of the images, but based on pricing and what I've seen from other bloggers, you'll be getting Balmain quality at H&M pricing - a no-brainer).

My favorite pieces are marked by a heart for one of these reasons:

1) What you get for the price

2) Unique item

This fur coat is not going to be found for this price anywhere else - especially for the quality that it will be. Sure, you could head over to Forever 21 and grab a green fur coat and call it a day, but it won't last you past this season because of the quality. It is worth the extra $70-$80 to have a piece that will last for years and looks fab. I would have to make the same statement for this gold sweater. In more affordable stores, you're going to trade affordability for quality and your sparkly sweater is going to be on the cheaper side in the quality department as well. While this sweater may be expensive, it's going to look like you paid way more for it than you did. And the color is to die for (hello holidays!)

You can never go wrong with a graphic tee. They are a staple in my wardrobe and this one will probably be one of the first items to go once the line goes live. The same goes for the pencil skirt. Pencil skirts should be a staple in any women's wardrobe and this one is a great price and is unique because of the matching turtleneck. 

One of my favorite things about Balmain is their bold and unique accessories. I was disappointed to see that one of my favorites of theirs - their belts - are still pretty steep. But, there are some more affordable options, like these earrings and clutch (comes in four colors).

It will be interesting to see where the line heads in the future and how Balmain can appeal to the more affordable spectrum of the market even more. What's your favorite piece from the line?! 

Alright y'all, it's honesty hour! I've been wanting to write about this for a while, but hadn't had the motivation to come right out and say it yet, so here goes nothing.

For those of you that don't know, I studied advertising in school and my biggest goal in life was (and still is) to become a creative director for an ad agency. During school, I had three internships, worked part-time and was in all the right clubs and organizations to set me on the path for success. I was receiving great feedback from my professors and my bosses and felt like I was on top of the world.

Enter senior year.

I'm sure some of you are familiar with the feeling of being in a stalemate and that you aren't reaching your full potential or maybe have experienced it before. During senior year I always felt that I was waiting for the next part of my life to start and I just had to wait and wait until graduation for it to happen. I was so ready to be a grown up [WHAT] and all I wanted was to start my career.

Upon friends receiving job offers five months before graduating and seeing peers in my major get jobs at great agencies, I was becoming discouraged and thought that maybe I had set my goal too high. I talked to my advisors and family about what plan would work best and tried to network with as many people as possible to find the right fit.

Graduation came and went and still no offer.

Fast forward to July and to me applying to about 10 jobs a day, at this point any job that was hiring in the marketing/ advertising industry or even had the word marketing in the description. My lowest point came when the agency of my dreams, Leo Burnett, had chosen their interns for the year and I wasn't on the list of those that were accepted.

For those that aren't familiar - the ad world, especially in large cities, is extremely competitive and internships are pretty much your only way of being hired unless you've had a salary job within an agency before. Leo Burnett is known for hiring their interns on at the end of the program and with my internship experience I thought I had a good shot, so as you can guess I was devastated that I couldn't even land an interview for one.

After a few sketchy interviews for random positions and some much needed Ben and Jerry's, God sent me a little gift in the form of an email. I opened the email and realized it was for a marketing position at an investment banking firm [my thoughts - yeah right I can't even stand algebra, there's no way I could do that or even want to]. But, by this point I was pulling my hair out and was jumping at any opportunity that could pull me away from Netflix and the massive amounts of ice cream I'd been eating, so I replied to learn more about the position.

I scheduled the phone interview and I had never been so intrigued during a job interview. Long story short, I went through three more interviews and accepted their offer to be their Client Experience Manager.

I was so excited to accept a job that I really cared about and to work for a company that really invested [ no pun intended ;) ] in me and my future. After a couple weeks of getting started and learning about the company, I was sort of at a cross roads and was asking myself if I made the right choice. Part of me was loving what I was doing and the freedom that came with it, but the other part of me was day dreaming about being in an ad agency talking campaign strategy with the creative team. It hadn't hit me that I was living my dream, just in a different way, until my boss told me I was allowed to own that I worked in the finance world.

Translation: I wasn't comfortable telling people I worked in investment banking, because I didn't have much of an idea about the industry and I clearly don't work with the numbers that most people think I do when I tell them what I do. I was putting myself in a bubble and not accepting what I was actually accomplishing.

Upon voicing this confusion to my boss and asking for his advice, he gave me the best ego boost I've heard in my life. "Amanda, you have to realize what you're accomplishing here. I know this isn't the industry you know and it isn't your dream job in the ad world. But, to be frank, if you were at Leo Burnett right now you would be an intern, but you are here - running the marketing department."

BOOM. BAM I WAS FLOORED. I wasn't even realizing that I was living my dream. I was sooo caught up trying to become the person that I was pushing so hard to be and I hadn't even realized the blessing that was brought into my life.

The reason I'm posting this is not to brag about my position or how "my dream came true anyways..." But, to remind y'all of how life surprises you, God surprises you, and challenges you everyday to push yourself further. Sometimes it is hard to recognize something as a dream come true because you're so focused on the end result that you miss the journey of getting to that dream. I didn't give myself credit for running the marketing of an investment banking firm because I was so caught up in saying, "One day I'll be in an agency." I was loving my new job, but focusing on what I didn't have instead of appreciating the amazing thing I did have.

So, try and think of every opportunity in the most positive way and give something a shot that, at first, you may have thought would never be the right fit. Turns out, it could be the best decision you make.

Thank you for reading and letting me voice my story. In the very least I hope this makes you realize a situation could have a unique outcome, one that you may not have expected. In the best case scenario, I hope it gives you the courage to take a leap of faith and realize that not everything has to go according to plan. xoxo

Moving to Chicago has meant a lot of new things and changes for me. One of them mainly just being change of environment. 

Growing up I was always taught to do unto others as you would like done unto you, to give back to my community and to help those less fortunate than I am in any way I can. In Kentucky, I can't say that I was exposed to any drastic lifestyles or people who were in extreme poverty very often. On my walk to class I would sometimes see a homeless man walking down the street or a someone on the corner of the street holding a sign asking for anything anyone could offer. I really wasn't exposed to it that much, until I traveled to Egypt in 2008. While what I witnessed there was far more extreme than what I've witnessed in the States, it definitely had me thinking about what the rest of the world looks like outside of my bubble of Kentucky and UK. Going back to high school and eventually college, I remembered the experiences I had in Egypt and would think back to them when I felt I wasn't being appreciative of what I had. Being pretty philanthropically involved in college I met people who struggled and helped with events and fundraising for those less fortunate - but it never came to be a part of my daily life.

Seeing people in dire need every single day has definitely put into perspective that I am so lucky and so fortunate - even when I feel like I'm not getting what I deserve or have a want that is completely unimaginable for someone who is on the street everyday asking for money to feed themselves. I guess my point in posting this is to share my perspective with you so that you can think about the world around you. We get up and go to work everyday and have the same routine, going about our day and probably sticking to the same 10 topics that surround our lifestyle when it comes to thinking or day dreaming. Not once do I think on daily basis, "Where is my next meal going to come from?" or "How can I tell my 6 year old daughter that we don't have anywhere to stay tonight because the shelter is full and I only managed to get $12 off the kind people that helped me." 

From our own perspective, we all have problems, we all have complications that make life hard and to be honest, we are all selfish. We want to help ourselves before we help others and these past four months in Chicago have definitely changed that for me. I remember the first time I was approached on the street by a homeless person asking for money. Just to be completely transparent with y'all - I was scared. I was alone and had never been actually approached by someone like that. I've walked past many people who ask for money, but never had someone come directly up to me. When he asked for money I said I was sorry, but I didn't have anything that I could offer. I really didn't, but remember thinking to myself that I probably wouldn't have anyways. Why is that? 

The homeless are often generalized into people who ask for money so they can continue to buy drugs or alcohol, or use that money for something that others don't deem necessary. Because of this generalization, many of the people in actual need get looked over and the people who could help them don't. This is the mind set I had when this man approached me. But why did I judge him and make assumptions about his life when I knew nothing about him? 

Come Sunday morning, Kollin and I were sitting in Mass and the priest began his homily. The subject of his homily was none other than that of helping those around us. The main message that I took away from Mass that day was that many people don't help others when they are capable because they think, "Oh, someone else will help them. I don't have to," or "I don't want to be the person who does that, no one else is." As humans, we usually don't go into uncharted territory unless someone else does it first and makes it out okay. This is the same mentality that many people have about helping others. The priest continued to talk about a time on the train when a man stood up and asked for money so he could have a meal that day. The priest admitted that is how he felt and once a woman approached the man with some cash, others started to do the same. Everyone who gave money and probably some others were completely capable of helping him, but needed an example to follow.

A story to take with you is one that happened to me this past weekend. Kollin and I were coming back from the farmer's market heading for the Red Line. As we are talking we pass a homeless man and he says, "Hello ma'am, do you have any spare change? A quarter or anything would really help me." I didn't hear and Kollin said that he didn't have any change on him as we mostly use debit cards. We approached the corner of the street and I asked Kollin what he said. Upon hearing that this man wanted only a quarter and I complain about how annoying change in my pocket or purse is, it really sunk in how blessed I am. That change is someone's meal or bus ride to work. At the farmer's market I bought cilantro and received change back - 50 cents. I thought about telling the woman to keep the change because I didn't want to carry it around with me. For some reason I didn't and placed it in my purse. Then 20 minutes later, I meet a man who desperately needs the change that I thought about just throwing away. 

So, after a long post my main point is this - be that person who starts the trend and helps others when you can. Be that person who doesn't assume and thinks the best of people. Be the person who thinks about changing your perspective of the less fortunate and take the time to really think about how you can help someone - because you can, even if that isn't in monetary form. A simple hello, a piece of fruit from your lunch, a prayer for them or even just a smile can change how that person feels or gets through his or her day.