Fresh New Fit: Wardrobe Consultation with A La Mode Consulting!

By Jess in Minneapolis

Yesterday was my wardrobe consultation with A La Mode Wardrobe Consulting.

source

I won a gift card for this service at the HotList event a few weeks ago (read about it HERE) I was a little apprehensive as to what the session would entail, but Carly (the stylist) put me at ease right away. We started with a series of questions about my personal style. It seemed to help her understand what I wanted to gain out of the consultation, and it was actually pretty fun to chat about it what I like and don't like...Who doesn't like talking about themselves and clothes just a bit? :-)

After the questions, we headed up to my closet to start the session! We began with shoes, then "bottoms" (pants and skirts), then dresses, and then all my tops. It actually took quite a long time (over three hours!) to go through it all. I was shocked by how much we rejected. I have four big garbage bags full of clothes that I'm getting rid of...and that is AFTER I just hosted a fashion swap in April!

But seeing my clothes through someone else's eyes made me realize just how much I was holding onto that was either 1) not in style or, 2) didn't actually fit me. Lots of times I was holding onto items that I used to love, but honestly didn't love anymore, so it was time to part ways. All I needed was a little push!

I'll share more of Carly's specific advice in a future post, but let's take this one step at a time.

Let's start with the shoes. Unlike LL, who has more of shoe obsession than me, I knew going into my consult that I was lacking a bit in the shoe department. Carly pointed out that you can have the greatest outfit, but the whole look can be ruined by the wrong shoes. So right away, I took her advice on how to complete my "shoe" wardrobe. As much as I love Tom's (it WAS one of my Friday favorite fits), they really aren't appropriate for business casual, except perhaps on a Friday.  My shoe collection was lacking, and I was ready to invest in some improvements.

My closet was full of funky statement skirts and plenty of bold necklaces. We both agreed that I had more than enough bright....What I was clearly lacking, however, were the neutral basics that bring it all together, and the first place I needed some work was in the shoe department.

Carly suggested a neutral wedge that could be worn to work. Specially, she guided me towards the Ralph Lauren Cecilia wedge. Its available in several bold colors, but I resisted the temptation to go for marigold or fushia. Instead, I followed Carly's advice and purchased the neutral silver pair.

Find them HERE for just $54.99!

Carly also quickly noticed that I was lacking a flat leather sandal that could also work for work, so she suggested the Lucky "Covela". 

Find them HERE for just $54.99!

She also suggested the Cece leather ballet flat from JCrew in a neutral shade. This was the most expensive shoe, but she sold me when she said that all her clients swear by it. They say its worth the investment and its really comfortable. Sold!

Find them HERE for $138

Finally, she  advised me to purchase an ankle boot this fall and another neutral wedge for work. I plan to keep looking for sales on these items, but I needed to pace myself a little for the budget, you know what I mean?

Our focus this session was primarily on summer footwear for work,with an emphasis on classy multi-purpose neutral shoes. I have a lot of bright shoes, plenty of casual shoes, and way too many dated, worn out shoes- (not anymore- I got rid of all those!) Seriously, I was due for an update, and I think the shoes Carly picked out will get a lot of wear!

(Um...you would not believe how many pairs of old running shoes were lurking in my closet corners! I will donate all but one old pair for dog parking, etc)

I'll share more of her tips for completing my wardrobe soon...hopefully you will find them helpful for your own styling needs!

Friday's Favorite Fit: Bold Colors and Patterns

By LL

So you have all heard me rave about my love of bright, bold colors and loud patterns this summer. I might have taken it to the extreme - I'll let you be the judge!

Anyway, my favorite fit this Friday is a stand-out piece that will definitely jazz up jeans Friday at the office. 

I'm pairing my new Academy Blazer from the Gap with a Target tissue white tank, Always Skinny Jeans from the Gap and my new Steve Madden P-Stacie sandals. So summer!!

I cannot deny my excitement when I came across this blazer a month back. I do not discriminate against any blazer and I did not have anything like this one in my closet (justification to my husband why I NEEDED it). It is lighter weight and not too constraining like some blazers. And the price definitely fit the bill (don't all Gap pieces?!?).

Fits Do Fitness Class Reviews: Bootcamp at the Fixx Workout Studio

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Last night, I tried out a new-to-me fitness studio in my neighborhood (I could definitely bike or run to this studio!) It's called The Fixx Workout Studio.

Website: http://thefixxworkoutstudio.com

The FIXX is a small, independently owned fitness studio that offers a variety of classes: bootcamp, cardio, yoga, hip hop cardio, pilates, kettlebells, and "contact boxing".

My friend Vicki and I decided to give their boot camp a go.

The bootcamp was an hour long class. There were only three of us there tonight, but I didn't mind the smaller size. The studio was small, so it didn't feel strange to have a small group. The instructor was a sweet (very thin) younger girl with a quiet voice, but she packed the punch with some challenging moves! 

We started with an alternating v-sit core warmup. Then we moved onto one-legged dead lifts with a kettlebell, goblet squats with the bells, and then more one-legged dead lifts. There was a three-station drill set that included the weighted ball throws against the walls (great for the obliques!), one-legged dumbbell rows, and military dumbbell presses. She mixed in some cardio with skiers, jump squats, and burpees. There were plenty of planks, sideplanks, and planks on the BOSU. In fact, she had us do quite a bit of stability work on the BOSU ball, (I do love the BOSU ball!) 

We did a little bit of this....

A little bit of that...

Overall, it was a nice change of pace, with several new moves that I hadn't tried before. 

You can try your first class "on the house", which is obviously what Vicki and I did today. I am considering buying a 5-class package. The prices are a little high, but I'd like to come back. The location was great, and I like supporting a local fitness studio. The class was a solid workout too! They offer a variety of class times on the schedule. I still love the kettlebells class (that I wrote about HERE) at Balance, but it's only offered on Wednesday or Thursday at 6 pm, so this could be a good option for strength when I can't make it to kettlebells (like last week!)

The FIXX does offer a FREE community bootcamp on Tuesday nights at 7:30 pm! It's an hour and a half long, and they train outside, inside, anywhere! It sounds like a lot of fun, and I might have to give it a try some time. FREE is a price that definitely fits the bill!

I gave this class an 8/10. I think it was a good workout, and I like the new-to-me moves, and I felt that I got an all around good workout. However, the instructor didn't offer a ton of guidance, which may have been helpful for a less experienced person, but maybe I was doing the moves okay? Not sure. Also, the smaller studio and "quieter" format might not be for everyone, but overall I enjoyed it and hope to be back again this summer. Like any studio, each instructor is probably different, and each class is probably different, so I hope to try out more classes to get a better feel for the studio. I definitely would say that its a good studio to check out!

Favorite Fit: Polka Dot Pandemic

By LL

Every so often I do an inventory of my wardrobe. This helps me assess what I have, what fits, what I actually wear and, too often, realize what I have too much of. That is what happened this morning. Recently, I purchased a new navy and cream polka dot silk dress from Banana Republic (it had pockets!). As I was pulling it out of the closet to wear this morning, I thought to myself "I need to get more polka dots. They are so in this season!" Then, I took a glance around my closet and realized that polka dots might be my favorite fit this summer (in a close race against bold stripes). 

Perhaps I have too many dot patterned pieces!! Here is a glimpse at those in heavy rotation right now:

    {Old Navy Ruffle Button Tank & LOFT shorts}

     {The new Banana Republic silk dress}

    {Ann Taylor Silk Blouse & H&M Tank}

Maybe I like polka dots too much, or maybe they are just a favorite fit! We all have those!

Throwing a Fit: Yellow Gold

By LL

When I was in high school and college, I never thought that I would wear yellow gold. It reminded me too much of the late 80s and early 90s. It seemed fake and over the top. But here I am now, gravitating toward yellow gold - jewelry, accents, you name it. I particularly think that yellow gold looks great with a summer glow. Not sold yet? Here are a few of the pieces that I am throwing a fit over right now.

{Steve Madden Serenite - $49.95}

Confession: I already have these, but am thinking about replacing them with the ones below!

{P-Stacie in Cognac by Steve Madden - $59.95}

{J.Crew Enamel and Gold Bangles - $49.50}

{Kate Spade Necklace - on sale for $54.50}

{TopShop tank and clutch - sold out!}

There are many different ways to start integrating yellow gold into your wardrobe. But you must remember to edit. Wearing too much gold or the wrong gold pieces paired together can make you look cheap and over-the-top. Try adding a few gold bangles and pairing it with a gold-accented tank. Space the gold out into different parts of your look. Try to avoid yellow gold jewelry with a yellow gold dress - I do not think that I need to explain this one!

Weekly Recap: Back At It!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Hello friends! How was your week and weekend?

There have been some crazy storms here in Minneapolis the past few days. In fact some of my friends are still without power! There were no reported tornadoes, but the wreckage of downed trees and flooded streets seems nearly as bad as if there had been.

just one example of a tree I saw in Minneapolis

We were fortunate that we didn't lose power and were able to continue on as usual. "As usual" this week meant back to running! This week marked the end of "Newport" recovery, and time to get back at it.

I've found that if I post a weekly recap, I am more accountable for fitting in the cross training, rest, and yoga that I know that I need. So here goes...

Monday: Run in AM, Balanced Barre in the PM
Tuesday: Run in AM
Wednesday: French 5k (Read about it here)
Thursday: Run in AM
Friday: Complete rest
Saturday: Run 12 miles - it was SO humid. This is me post- run, and no, I did not wet my pants. That was just sweat!

Sunday: Run to the YMCA, take Body Pump class, run home afterwards, total of 5.25 miles
Total mileage: about 38 miles, 1 barre, and 1 strength. Not perfect, but somewhat balanced.

After Saturday's long run, Dustin and I paddleboarded for about an hour. It was our first time back on the water this summer, and it was so fun!

(Picture from last summer, not yesterday)

The rest of the weekend was low-key but nice. As usual, there was plenty of time at the dog park with Matilda and some housework. Saturday night, we had dinner at Pig Ate My Pizza in Robbinsdale (so good!). Sunday, I met a few friends at the St. Louis Park Aquatic Center for some sun and fun.

So that's my weekend in a nutshell. I hope you enjoyed the first official summer weekend!

I know that LL has a great Fits on the Road coming about her weekend away for her anniversary. Stay tuned!

Friday's Favorite Fit: Trail Running!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Friday's Favorite Fit is coming to you a little late, but it's still Friday, right? Today's favorite is a bit of a combo Fits Do Race Reviews as well!

Today's favorite fit is....trail running!

This Wednesday night I participated in my first trail run as part of the Endless Summer Trail Series. This series consists of four Wednesday evening races throughout the summer at different parks in the Twin Cities area. The distances vary from a 5k up to 7 miles. (Please note though- even though they are marketed as 10k, 5k, etc. those are only "estimated" distances. It's all very casual.)

Schedule of Races:
Hyland 10KM | Wed. May 29th - Starts 6:30 PM
French 5KM | Wed. June 19th - Starts 6:30 PM
Murphy 10KM | Wed. July 17th - Starts 6:30 PM
Lebanon 7MI | Wed. August 14th - Starts 6:30 PM

The first race of the series was right before the Newport Marathon, so we couldn't participate. But this past Wednesday, we were able to join in on the fun for the French 5k!

There was a great energy at the start. 

The race was supposed to start at 6:30, but there were a lot of last minute registrants, so it was delayed just a bit. Around 6:45, the 300 or so of us trail runners were off!

This was seriously trail running. There was no pavement- just dirt, grass, rocks, and lots of hills! My legs were not in shape for the hills, and I was definitely huffing and puffing. It was my slowest 5k ever! But even the winners' times were much slower than a normal winning 5k time, so I didn't feel quite so bad. Fortunately for my tired legs, it was only a 5k. It was over before you knew it!

Then, the finish line party was the best part! There was plenty of beer and pizza for the participants.

The laid back, no frills race was really a blast. For just $25, we could run the race, enjoy the beer and pizza, and take home a cute commemorative mug. Not a bad way to spend a summer evening!

I give this race a 10/10. It was fun to do something different, in terms of location and the trails. 

The price was right, and the overall experience was great!

It was a really warm night, so we stuck around with our friends for awhile, 

enjoying the endless summer evening, so to speak.

The Calhoun Beach Running Club had a good turnout at the race.

Come for the run, stay for the fun, right?

If any of the remaining races in this series fit into your schedule, I highly suggest that you try one out!

A few other local trail races in the Minneapolis area:

The Surly Trail Loppet- Half marathon, 13.1k, and 5k

http://www.loppet.org/trailloppet/

The St. Paul Urban Trail Marathon (new this year!)- Marathon, Half marathon, and 10k

http://www.runbattlecreek.org/trail-marathon/

Question of the Day: Have you ever done a trail run? What did you think? Was it harder than pavement running?

Fit the Bill: Costco Running Top

By Cool J in Minneapolis

How is your weekend going? Today is a gorgeous day in Minneapolis, so I am writing this post while sitting in a lawn chair on the back porch, working on my tan!

Yesterday, the weather wasn't quite as nice as today. We joined the Calhoun Beach Running Club in the morning to get back in the long run groove, and the humidity was brutal. I guess I still have some adjusting to do before summer running really kicks it!

After the run, it was time to exercise this little lady at the airport dog park. She sure loves it there!

Then we stopped by Eat Street Social to wish my friend Meggan (of the Yoga Garage) a happy birthday. Next up, we were off to the State Fairgrounds for the St. Paul Summer Beer Festival!

We hadn't actually planned on attending this festival, but Dusters won the tickets at Monday's HotList party (read about that event HERE) so off to St. Paul we went.

The festival started out in the sun...but it didn't last long.

Glass rinsing station

There were 116 different breweries at the festival, each offering up multiple samples. I doubt we tried even 1/8 of the samples. There were a lot of unique brews, and we enjoyed sampling the wide variety.

Unfortunately, the weather was not willing to cooperate.  Very quickly, the festival went from good times to wet times...

Pouring rain...

For a good 45 minutes, it poured on the festival. Everyone (except those crazy German dancers in the above picture) spent that time hovered under one of the tents, waiting for it to let up. After the sun finally came back out, we were pretty tired, and ready to be done with the beer sampling, so we headed home.

Sunday morning, I went for a sunny morning run with Matilda, then I went to Costco to renew our membership there. Along with paper towels, Gatorade and fruit, I also purchased a new running top- yes, at Costco! Who knew? This is definitely a first for the Right Fits. Yet it fit the bill, and it seems like it will be a functional fit for running.

This top was only $12.99! It's nice and long, and I like the heathered texture of the material, and according to the tag, it's moisture wicking.  It is also available in lots of other colors- black, orange, green, and more.

I have to give my friend Kelly the credit for this top that Fits the Bill. I was inspired to even consider the clothes at Costco because she wore this same top during her PR marathon at Newport!

Here's a closer look:

She said it didn't chafe her, and she didn't have any issues it throughout the 26.2 miles. 

That's a testimony I trust, so when I saw the same top today, I had to buy my own.

If you have a Costco membership, definitely give their clothes a look. 

You might find a new running top that fits the bill!

Now I'm off to the Minnehaha Dog Park for a doggy date with some of Matilda's friends, and then a bite to eat at SeaSalt. 

Have you tried SeaSalt? What's your favorite? I like their softshell crab sandwich, or any of their fish tacos.

Fitting Remarks: Happy Father's Day!

By LL and Cool J

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers out there!

A special Father's Day wish to the dad of LL and Cool J...the same guy who completed his first half marathon in May. So proud of him!

We are blessed to have been raised by a dad who taught us, by example, that health and fitness are an important part of life. 

Growing up, our dad was always outside bumping a volleyball back and forth with one of us, tossing around a softball, and even going for a run, albeit just around a couple of blocks in the neighborhood!

Happy Father's Day Dad, from LL and Cool J!

Friday's Favorite Fit: Gal Pal Garment Deodorant Removers

 By Cool J in Minneapolis

What happens when one of your favorite dresses has deodorant stains? 

What does a lady do when she only wore the dress once, and made the foolish decision not to take it to the dry cleaner before planning to wear it again?

She reaches for her GAL PAL Fashion Saver!

This item was a hostess gift given to me after the Fashion Swap, and I just tried it out for the first time the other day. I have to tell you, it's my new Friday's Favorite Fit!

 Its really just a sponge, but somehow it magically removes white deodorant streaks on clothing.

Just take a look at what it did for my dress- all fixed!

For tougher stains, you can wet the sponge and work them out. 

You can buy your own Gal Pal Fashion Saver at the Container Store for just $9.99 HERE

Fitting Remarks: Spirit of the Marathon II

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Last night, the husband and I went on a "double date" with some friends to see the Spirit of the Marathon II. 

I loved the first Spirit of the Marathon documentary, and had really been looking forward to seeing the second one for months. The first one was based on several people doing the Chicago marathon in 2008. This installment focused on the Rome marathon in 2012. 

You can read all about each "cast" member here: http://www.marathonmovie.com/rome/cast.html

There were two first time marathoners- one Italian and one American. There were two elite runners- male and female. There was the "Marathon Goddess" a 40+ woman who was running 52 marathons in 52 weeks, starting with the Rome marathon. There were my two favorites- two cousins in their 70s from Rome who had run the marathon every year since it started; they were so lovable and their passion for the marathon was contagious!

Personally, I really enjoyed the film. It re-inspired me for my next marathon. It was particularly motivational for what will be our first international marathon, or should I say, our first 42 kilometer race? (I'm going to have to get used to that!) 

 Even after crossing the marathon finish line fourteen times, I still get caught up in the emotion of it all. Every single marathon is a unique experience, and all the emotion- the struggle, the pride, even the disappointments- it's what keeps me coming back for more, time after time.

I think this documentary truly captured all of the different emotions. It portrayed each runner's decision to run Rome and the reasons behind it. It showed the training and then the nervousness the night before the race. It showed the excitement of marathon morning! 

I loved how they started out the film on marathon morning, and then returned back to introduce each cast-member, sharing each person's individual marathon story. 

Be prepared that there are subtitles for a lot of the movie. I  really like subtitles (even in English speaking movies- I know, weird. I just feel like I catch everything better if I'm reading it). So, yes, I definitely like subtitled movies, but my fellow movie-goers said that they found it distracting and harder to let go and get caught up in the movie. But unless you know Italian (and Ukrainian), you will need the sub-titles.

I enjoyed almost all of the features....Even though the marathon goddess was running her 52 marathons for a good cause, she drove me a little crazy. Enthusiasm for running is great, but all the chants and cheering would be a little grating at mile 24 on a hot marathon day. I loved the little Italian man who told her, "Stop talking! No more talking!" Ha! 

Marathon Goddess

You can actually check out her blog here: http://marathongoddess.com She has traveled quite a bit in her marathon journey and its definitely an accomplishment. I'll forgive her for the annoying cheering this time :-)

The rest of the stories were all wonderful. If you want to get inspired to run a marathon, go see The Spirit of the Marathon II. If you want your friends and family to understand why you run marathons, tell them to go see The Spirit of the Marathon II.

Watch out Berlin, this grumpy faced girl is inspired and ready for redemption!