Fall Essentials for under $100

It’s mid-October, the leaves are changing & the air is crisp…it must be fall!  Fall is by far my favorite season.  Not only does it mean it’s time for hay rides, spiced lattes & pumpkin candles, but it also means I can finally break into my stash of sweaters, scarves & boots!

Although I have essentials that I’ve collected throughout the years I love adding to my fall wardrobe.  Shopping for new pieces, whether it’s on trend or just another basic, should be exciting not expensive.  I’ve put together a list of my favorite must-have fall fashions that won’t break the bank.

Blazers

A blazer is a timeless essential that can easily transition from season to season.  I have various styles in my closet & I find it’s the perfect go-to when I’m in a rush or can’t decide what to wear.  A blazer also lets you extend your summer wardrobe by layering it on top of tanks & dresses.  H&M has a wide variety of blazers right now, from solid boyfriend fits to patterned wool blends, all at great prices!

Black straight cut blazer $29.99 (left)

Checkered wool blend blazer $59.99 (right)

straightcutjackethandm          WoolBlendBlazerHandM

Ankle Boots

Fall is the perfect season to wear ankle boots, especially in Pittsburgh.  The weather is just chilly enough to cover your toes, but not cold enough that you need insulated, water-proof boots yet.  I love ankle boots because of their versatility; they can be worn with denim that is cuffed or scrunched just above the ankle, with a short skirt or even a long dress.  I recently purchased these Zipper Ankle Boots from Kohl’s.  They were originally $89.99, but I bought them on sale for $39.99 and I had a 20% off coupon.  I love finding great essentials at a great price!

ChapsZipperAnkleBootsKohls

Plaid

Every season plaid makes its way back into the rotation.  Plaid flannels are always a staple in the fall but this year you can also find plaid in bags, dresses and pants.  How are you wearing your plaid this fall?

Pixie Mid-Rise Ankle Pants in Black Plaid, Old Navy $34.94

Flannel Plaid Shirt, Mossimo, Target $22.99

BlackPlaidPixiePants          MossimoSupplyCo

Ruanas

One of my favorite layering pieces for fall is a ruana; a poncho-style garment.  Ruanas are usually one size fits all so it can be worn a few different ways – you can wear it belted around your waist to show off your figure or you can wear it as is & let it drape off your shoulders.  Francesca’s has some beautiful ones right now…

Fur Trim Plaid Ruana $44.00 (left)

Blue Cruz Stripe Ruana $38.00 (right)

RuanaFrancescas          FrancescasRuana

No matter your style, age or size these key pieces are a must for any fall wardrobe.  I hope you find inspiration in the suggestions I’ve given.  If you have any questions on layering or putting an outfit together don’t hesitate to reach out!

As always – comfortable & effortless housewife style xoxx

Lemon & Honey Facial Scrub

Since turning 30 over the summer my skin isn’t what it used to be.  It’s not as vibrant, I always look tired even when I’m not and I’ve spotted little ‘lines’ here & there.  In my 20’s I could’ve been hungover & running on 2 hours of sleep and still looked radiant, what happened?!

Sadly, as we age our skin loses the luster it once had.  Uneven skin tone & sun spots become more apparent due to life style habits – I’m starting to regret all of the times I went to the tanning bed.

I needed something to bring back the energy to my skin, especially my face.  I did some research via Pinterest (my favorite go-to for everything) and came across some pretty amazing DIY facial scrubs.  Last night I made my first scrub thanks to A Beach Cottage.  It only took 5 minutes to make and I already had all of the ingredients in my pantry – quick & easy!

20130726-01-DIY-BEAUTY-Lemon-and-honey-face-scrub-recipe-abeachcottage.com_

½ Cup White Sugar

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Honey

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

After using this scrub my face felt smooth & reenergized, and it smelled good too!  A lot of the scrubs I found only called for sugar or baking soda and lemon.  I love that this one included honey!  According to Women’s Health Magazine honey is full of antioxidants and enzymes that can nourish and cleanse the skin.  It also contains antibacterial properties that can help fight breakouts and reduce redness.  I can’t wait to make this scrub part of my nightly ritual!

Liebster Award!!!

Thank you to Sheila, the author of A Girl’s Path to Happiness for recognizing The Wexford Housewife with a Liebster Award!  A Liebster helps to discover new bloggers.  It is an online award given to bloggers from other bloggers that acknowledges them into the blogging community.  I am so happy to accept & pass along the recognition to others!

Liebster Award

There are a few rules to accepting this award:

  • Make a post thanking and linking the person who nominated you
  • Include the Liebster Award badge in your post
  • Nominate up to 10 other bloggers and notify them in your post
  • All nominated bloggers are to have less than 200 (originally 1,000) followers
  • Answer the questions posed by your nominator and create 11 different questions for your nominees to answer.  Or, you can repeat the same questions
  • Copy these rules into your post
My Questions & Answers:
  1. Why did you start your blog and what motivates you to write regularly?

As a SAHM it’s easy to get lost in the daily routine of being a wife and mother.  I needed something to call my own; I needed something to be proud of besides keeping my son alive; I needed a creative outlet to express myself.  Having a 1-year old makes it hard to write regularly, but I do my best to find the time.

  1. What is the most awkward situation in your life?

A recent awkward/embarrassing moment happened while my husband & I were at the local ice cream shop with our son.  I had my son in one arm and the diaper bag in the other, as I tried to get out of the booth I misjudged how long it was and fell flat on my butt!  In that quick moment as I fell to the floor all I could think to do was save my son from getting hurt.  My son was fine, my husband was dying laughing and my butt was sore for days!

  1. What is your dream job? Are you going to work hard to get it?

As a young girl my dream job was to be a fashion designer.  I soon realized I had a hard time visualizing my thoughts on paper; I am creative not artistic, there’s definitely a difference.  Rather, I went to school for fashion merchandising and had the opportunity to live and work in both NYC and Los Angeles.  The experiences I had in both cities were life changing and helped me to fulfill my dream of working in the fashion world!

  1. When is the last time you lied to someone, and why?

I honestly can’t remember the last time I lied to someone, but I am sure I did it to shield from hurting their feelings.

  1. What is your biggest fear?

Even though I’m 30, I’m still terrified of things that go bump in the night!  Don’t get me wrong, I love watching horror movies & am obsessed with The Walking Dead but it keeps me up at night.

  1. How do you like to spend your free time?

When I have free time without my boys I love spending it with my girlfriends!  My favorite thing to do is to go out for dinner & drinks.

  1. Tell me about me about one of the biggest mistakes you’ve made.

When I was 22 weeks pregnant I made the mistake of driving to my parents in a snow storm.  I lost control while changing lanes and got into a bad car accident.  Thank god my son & I were okay, but my car was in the shop for a month.

  1. What do you like to do the most?

I love going on vacation with my husband!  Our favorite spot is Punta Cana – we even got married there!

  1. Is there someone you really admire? Who?

The person I admire more than anyone is my mother.  She’s a beautiful woman with a huge heart and I’m proud to say that not only is she my mom but she’s also my best friend!

  1. Name three things you could not live without?

My family and friends (there are too many to name and I love them all, especially my husband & son), coffee and shopping!  AND wine, I couldn’t live without wine!!!

Thank you again for the nomination!!!  I would love to pass along recognition to…

Seek Out Chic

The Ballad of Baby Jail

Nourished Mommy

Daily Life as a Mom

If you chose to accept the Liebster Award follow the instructions I provided and answer the following questions.

  1. Why did you start your blog and what motivates you to write?
  2. When do you find time to write in your blog?
  3. What is your favorite/best part of your day?
  4. What helps you stay sane?
  5. If you had unlimited funds where would you travel to and why?
  6. What do you love most about the city you currently live in?
  7. Where is your favorite place to shop (for clothes)?
  8. What song puts a smile on your face no matter how many times you hear it?
  9. If you could stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?
  10. Who is your biggest fan?
  11. What are three things you could not live without?