Stitch Fix #4: Failed Fit...

Okay, I know the blog is more of a running blog now, but the Stitch Fix recaps still somehow are kinda popular...so even though my most recent Stitch Fix was a flop, here is the recap for your viewing pleasure/displeasure.

I have tried Stitch Fix four times now (past reviews HERE, HERE, and HERE.) If you're unfamiliar with Stitch Fix, this is how it works:

1) Sign up
2) Fill out a style profile
3) Personal stylist sends you a box full of clothing and/or accessories
4) You try them on, in the comfort of your own home, where you can pair each item with other items in your closet to see how they would look
5) Anything you don't like, you send back in a postage-paid envelope within three days
6) Keep all five items and receive 25% off!
7) Look great in your new clothes, without the hassle of fighting crowds at the malls

To sign up, you pay a $20 styling fee. You can sign up for just one "fix" and then quit. There is no commitment to continue buying "fixes" or to buy anything at all!

With the first three fixes, I usually kept 2-3 items out of my fix. Unfortunately, my last fix was a complete flop.

I'm not sure what went wrong this time, but I didn't like anything that I received. None of it was terrible, but none of it was the right fit.

Item #1:  Brydon Twisted Seams Striped Tank
Too loose and short.

 Item #2: Downing Striped Knit Shirt
This shirt was fine, just kind of boring. I like yellow, but this shirt was just "meh."

Item #3: Esten Button-Up Sleeveless Blouse
I considered keeping this one as a layering piece under suits or blazers, but it was just too short to tuck in and it would look too sloppy untucked for that purpose.

Item #4:Franklin Striped Side Gathered Short Sleeve Shirt
Again, I considered keeping this top as it was just okay, but I decided against it.

I decided against it because I have a similar color/style shirt from Old Navy (pictured below). Seems kind of silly to keep the Stitch Fix one as well...

There you have it. My fourth Stitch Fix flop. Again, nothing was terrible this time, its just that nothing was awesome. Fortunately, I'm only out $20., but I still think I'll wait awhile before trying it again.

Have you tried Stitch Fix? What did you think? 

Weekly Recap(s): Goodbye to June and a Beautiful Basilica Wedding!

We spent last weekend at the cabin, and as I blabbed about in THIS post, I do love weekends at the cabin. However, there is no internet access, so not a lot of blogging can happen while I'm there.  I realized that I missed last week's recap, so today, I'll quickly share my workouts for the past two weeks.

Week of June 16-22:
Monday: 7.5 mile run in the AM
Tuesday: Lebanon 10k Trail Run (recap HERE)
Wednesday: 4 mile run with Matilda
Thursday: 45 minute mini-barre class at The Barre
Friday: Long run at the cabin - 11 miles, then some paddle-boarding!

Saturday: 6 mile run at the cabin, then some paddle-boarding!
Sunday: 4.5 mile run at the cabin

As you can see, that week included a lot of running (almost 40 miles) and not so much strength training. Unfortunately, that's the way it goes when we go to the cabin. Running is the easiest thing to do while we're there. I'm happy that at least I fit in one barre class, and the stand-up paddle boarding could be considered cross training, right?

On to the week of June 22-29:
Monday: Complete rest! After the 40 miles the week before, I figured I needed an extra day of rest. Instead, we went to the HotList (read about it HERE)

Tuesday: 7 mile run with the CBRC. I'm going to start going to run club now as much as I can this training season. Even though I much prefer to run in the morning, I strongly believe that my best training seasons have been those where I consistently ran with the club, and I don't just mean on Saturdays for the long runs. I'm going to make attending run club a priority as much as possible during the week. I also think running during a hotter part of the day is better preparation for any potential hot weather races. Of course there will be days where I have commitments in the evening and I still have to run in the morning, yet as much as possible, I hope to be back at the CBRC!

Wednesday: 4 mile run with Matilda

Thursday: 6.75 mile run with Theresa and Kelly in the morning.

Friday: 12 mile long run. I had the day off of work for my friend Caroline's wedding, so I got the long run out of the way. A group of us started bright and early (5:15 am!) It was hot and humid, but I managed to shuffle through 12 miles.

My biggest struggle for this run was that I definitely didn't fuel correctly the night before. I had hosted book club, and it was a throw back book ("Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, by Judy Blume"- do you remember this book?) I had 80/90s themed snacks, like sloppy joe's, puppy chow, and pigs in a blanket.

As the host, I was busy, and I just didn't eat enough (that's unfortunately not my plate in the picture above).  I wasn't fueled correctly, and felt really hungry and weaker than normal during the run. 12 miles on Bugel chips and a glass or two of white wine was not smart fueling for a long run...

But even though my run suffered the next morning, book club was a blast! Kelly definitely won the prize for best throwback outfit, with her Doc Martins, Jansport backpack, choker necklace, and jean jacket.

Perfection!

I went with tight rolled jeans, socks with sandals, and a side pony tail.  

Some trends should never come back, right?

Back to the fitness recap.
Saturday: Complete rest. After the wedding on Friday, I needed to sleep in. In the afternoon, I had a bridal shower for another friend, which was lovely.

Sunday: 1 hour barre class at The Barre and then a 4 mile easy run with Matilda. Then two hours of hiking at Willow River State Park. I will post more pictures from that hike later, but it was great!

Total: About 35 miles of running, 1 barre class, 2 complete rest days.

Upcoming Strength Training! This week, I am starting a 10 week "Kettlebell/Strength Training" class for runners at the Calhoun Beach Club. There are still spots available if you are interested! $120/10 classes, or $15 for a drop in, Wednesdays from 6-7 pm. Let me know!

....I quickly skipped over the Friday wedding, so let me return to that special event. The wedding was held at the Basilica of St. Mary, which is so beautiful.

The skies had looked a little gray earlier in the day, but the rain held off for the ceremony.

outside the Basilica

The reception was held at the St. Paul History Center, which was so lovely. I have to say, the food was really good! Wedding food isn't always that fabulous, but the food at this wedding definitely exceeded expectations.

I started with a pear salad and then the goat cheese ravioli. Yum!

After dinner, toasts, and dessert, it was time for the dance floor. This group of girls loves to dance, so we didn't hesitate to bust a move!

By the way, in fashion, I wore a repeat dress to this wedding- it was this Kate Spade dress  (similar dress HERE now on sale!) that I bought last August for my cousin's wedding. Look at me, repeating dresses (like I did at the HotList) - Functional Fits! This dress was a little pricey for me (though I love it and think it was worth every penny) so I am glad I had an opportunity to wear it again...and it has pockets! Who doesn't love pockets?

The wedding was a really fun night, and I'm so glad I got to be a part of the couple's big day. 

Congrats Caroline and Joe!

Featured Fit: Taste of the Nation HotList 2014

This past Monday was our 4th year in a row attending the Taste of the Nation HotList event at the Guthrie Theater!

You can read about the past two years HERE and HERE. I pulled up some pictures from those past years too, as well as the 2011 event, which was pre-blog.

2011 Taste of the Nation Hotlist:

2012 Taste of the Nation Hotlist:

2013 Taste of the Nation Hotlist:

...and then the 2014 Taste of the Nation HotList!

I wore an old dress that I bought for my younger sister's wedding rehearsal dinner in 2011. An oldie, but I think it still works..here's a picture from that event back in 2011.

The event started at 7 pm, and featured small bites from many different restaurants (including restaurants that haven't even opened yet!)

Here's more information from the event website:

Honorary Chef Chair Tim McKee invites you to the Guthrie Theater on June 23 to sample the Twin Cities' hottest food and drink trends at Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation Minneapolis HOTlist. Chefs will offer portions of their very best dishes for you to sample, and bartenders will shake up unique cocktails and pour fine wine and beer for your enjoyment. Whose cuisine will reign supreme? Cast your vote for your favorite dish of the night to decide.

We're thrilled to feature an incredible lineup of local restaurants committed to Share Our Strength's vision of ending childhood hunger. HOTlist 2014 will again feature a silent auction filled with delightful packages and unique experiences. You can also enjoy great music, dancing, and scenic views of the Mississippi river.

Your ticket includes all food, a full beverage program featuring beer, wine, cocktails & non-alcoholic beverages, and great entertainment. Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on unique and one-of-a-kind items in the evening's silent auction and more. 

We had a great evening hanging out with the few friends that also attended this year (such as the below couple!)

We enjoyed tasting all the awesome dishes...

  

...and we imbibed in a few cocktails from local mixologists as well.

Eventually, we found ourselves reviewing all the silent auction items.  If you recall, last year, I won the wardrobe consultation with A la Mode Wardrobe Consulting, which I absolutely loved (read more about it HERE and HERE) so I was hoping to have good luck again this time around.

Luck was on our side. 

We did end up winning some really great items, such as an immersion blender! Yay!

It was a nice event, and I am sure we will go back next year. It is fun and for a good cause. And I always love the view from the Guthrie!

However, I do have one small complaint. A lot of the restaurants were running out of food by 8:15! The event was supposed to go from 7-10. We arrived at 7:15, and didn't even get to try all the restaurants because they were out of food by the time we made our way around.  I hope that next year they plan a little better for the crowds!

Stitch Fix #3: Three Out of Five Isn't Bad...

My third stitch fix arrived this past weekend!

You can check out my past two fixes HERE and HERE

If you don't know how Stitch Fix works, let me explain:
1) Sign up <-- use my referral link!
2) Fill out a style profile
3) Personal stylist sends you a box full of clothing and/or accessories
4) You try them on, in the comfort of your own home, where you can pair each item with other items in your closet to see how they would look
5) Anything you don't like, you send back in a postage-paid envelope within three days
6) Keep all five items and receive 25% off!
7) Look great in your new clothes, without the hassle of fighting crowds at the malls

To sign up, you pay a $20 styling fee. You can sign up for just one "fix" and then quit. There is no commitment to continue buying "fixes" or to buy anything at all!

However, if you decide to buy something from your fix, the $20 styling fee will be deducted from the price of your clothes. If you don't buy anything, your out-of-pocket expense will be a mere $20.

It has been a few months since my last fix, but I had some referral credits (thanks to you guys!) that I needed to use up, so I decided to get a "fix" for the summer. 

So, let me share what I received!

My first item was a Kaiya Solid Belted Dress.   It looked cute on the style guide.

...But it wasn't so cute on me. My style is a little more preppy or tailored, and this dress was more of a loose, flowing look. It didn't work on me, and wasn't flattering on my body type. C'est la vie. 

Keep? No way.

The second item in my fix was another dress, the Dovette Draped Detail Dress. Again, it looked cute in the picture...

But not on me. Another dress, another fail...The color and the cut were not flattering for me. 

Keep? No way. 

Okay, two fails...I was starting to get a little worried!

But alas, I found the perfect blazer in the box! The Colbie French Terry Striped Blazer.

This blazer was way more me! I definitely liked this blazer.  I never feel like I have enough blazers, right? They always make an outfit look more finished and professional. I do already have a navy/white striped blazer (HERE) but this one was slightly different...and I loved it!

Keep? Definitely!

The fourth item in my Stitch Fix was a white Filbert 3/4 Sleeve Popover Blouse. 

This shirt was simple, but I feel like it will be a pretty versatile addition to my wardrobe. Nothing too fancy, but I liked it.

Keep? Sure.

And the last item in my fix was a Halia Striped Pleated Skirt. 

I loved the stripes and the colors. It was a little wrinkly from being folded in the box, but otherwise I really liked it (and the pockets). 

Keep? Yes!

So three out of five items isn't so bad. The dresses were a fail for me, but the three other items are ones I am pretty excited about, so overall Stitch Fix was a positive experience.  I recommend Stitch Fix as a fun way to add some new items to your wardrobe- items that you may not have picked out for yourself.

Want to know more about Stitch Fix? Let me know if you have any questions! I'm happy to help.

Weekly Recap: National Running Day, the Twins Game, and More!

Hi everyone! As I mentioned in my last post, I'm trying to catch up now that I have a normal working computer again. I think I overloaded the last one with too many pictures! Anyways, I wanted to check in to share last week's recap in Fitness, Fashion, and Fitness Fashion!

What’s happening in fashion?

In fashion, I actually received another Stitch Fix! You can read about previous Stitch Fixes HERE and HERE. I will definitely share pictures later this week of my latest fix, as I ended up keeping quite a few items this time around.

By the way, my cat definitely loves Stitch Fix!

What's happening in fitness fashion?

Not too much happened last week in Fitness Fashion, but a few of you asked me about the top I was wearing for the pub run over Memorial Day:

I got it at the new lululemon at the Galleria. It's the Wamo Camo tank, which is unfortunately already sold out, but you can find it HERE on ebay.

And last but certainly not least, here’s what’s happening in fitness last week:

Monday: 7 miles in the morning in the rain with a great group of girls that made the rain less miserable

Tuesday: 6 am C2 class at Corepower

Wednesday: Morning 10k for National Running Day. Did you do anything to celebrate??

Then 1 hour kettlebell/strength at Balance Fitness with the following workout:

• Jump rope/squat/swing 40-30-20: do that circuit 5 times
• Full sit-ups and kettle bell snatches 20 each, do that circuit 3 times
• TRX pull-ups, triceps push-ups, and shoulder press 20 times: do that circuit 5 times
• Final round was more jump rope and full lunges (I think 50 jumps, 10 lunges, 2 rounds)

Thursday: Morning 6 mile run with Kelly, and then Twins game with my work team. Going to a Twins game this summer was definitely on my bucket list, and it was a lot of fun going with my work group.

Friday: Complete Rest! I was a tired old lady after being out late for the Twins game and then having a long day at work.

Saturday: 11 miles with the CBRC. This was my first double digit run since Flying Pig! It was pouring most of the run but otherwise I felt pretty good. Saturday afternoon, Dustin and I took a static trapeze class (read all about it HERE)

Sunday: Complete rest again! Well, I suppose there’s always walks with the dog, but I don’t usually count those…though it is active recovery. 

Saturday night, my friend Susie hosted a little slumber party at her house. We started out with dinner at Pig Ate My Pizza in Robbinsdale, (which, by the way, was amazing).  We did one tasting menu, which included a few appetizers, 2 pizzas, and dessert, and then we added one additional pizza for 5 of us. Plenty of food and so tasty! 

After dinner, we went back to her house nearby for some games and gossip…maybe a little hair braiding. I still don't know how to do the fishtail braid though!

On Sunday, I went to St. Paul to play photographer for the make-up TC 1 mile race. The original TC 1 mile was cancelled due to the weather, so the USATF race circuit hosted a make-up race on Sunday at the Hamline University track.

I probably should have participated, but I just took pictures instead. I was slightly misinformed that we had our requisite 5 women for a full competitive team for our USATF team circuit, so I figured they didn’t need me (and I was a little relieved). But when we arrived, it turned out we only had 4 women. Fortunately, there was another member of our running club who was willing to throw together a hodge-podge running outfit and share running shoes with a girl in a different “heat” to run the mile. That girl ended up doing really well too! In fact, most everyone had a PR day for the mile, which was awesome. I suppose it makes sense that it was faster running a mile on a track than down Nicollet Mall as the usual TC 1 Mile would have been.

In summary, I ran about 30 miles last week, with 1 yoga, 1 strength, and two complete rest days. Not too shabby!

I hope you had a great week in Fitness, Fashion, and Fitness Fashion....Are you keeping up with the push-up challenge? Today is a rest day, but 25 push-ups tomorrow!

Weekly Recap: The Start of a Lovely Long Weekend...

Happy Saturday! I usually do my weekly recap on Sunday, but I had a little time today to check in with you guys. It's an absolutely beautiful day here, so we're heading to Taylors Falls in an hour to check a few items off of my Summer Bucket List - hiking at the park there, the Franconia Sculpture Garden, and maybe a drive-in! 

Have you read my list? Let me know what I missed- I already know that I missed heading to one of the pizza farms discussed HERE. Dustin and I really want to go to one!

Anyways, here's what's happening in fitness this week!

Monday: 4 mile run with Matilda 

Tuesday: 4 mile run with Matilda (lots of running with Matilda this week to get her ready for the Fast and Furry 8k next Saturday!)

Wednesday: 1 hour kettlebell/strength class at Balance Fitness

Thursday: 4 mile run with Matilda

Friday: 1 hour barre class at Balanced Barre

Saturday: A little over 7 miles with Kelly and Matilda. This is the longest I have run since the Flying Pig marathon! Its going to be a warm day today, and we were definitely sweaty this morning.

Sunday: Tomorrow, I'm signed up for a barre class at Balanced Barre. Then in the afternoon, it is the Calhoun Beach Running Club 's Memorial Day Pub Run. I think this is the 4th year of the pub run. We missed it one year for Theresa's wedding in Mexico, but I did blog about this fun event last year. You can catch up HERE. The pub run is exactly what it sounds like- we run a little over a 5k in Uptown, stopping at multiple bars along the way for a beer, finishing with a big BBQ party. 

I'm not sure I can really count the pub run towards my weekly mileage, but if I do, I suppose I'll be around 20 miles for the week. My legs still aren't feeling all that great, but I suppose its time to "buck up" and start running again seriously, as I have a lot of upcoming races this summer.

What's happening in Fashion?

We went out to Bar La Grassa for Kelly's birthday. I swear, that restaurant is always packed, no matter what night of the week you go! The food is delicious, so I suppose it makes sense that is has remained so popular. 

For the dinner, I copied an outfit I saw on seersucker + saddles. I realized that I had the exact same sleeveless top from JCrew that she was wearing here. I loved her look below, so I tried my best to re-create it.

I paired the top with a hand-me-down pink maxi skirt from my younger sister. It's an old skirt from Forever 21, but I think I was able to update it with the belt and top.

 Is it called a hand-me-up, if she's my younger sister?

Great dinner with great friends!

What's happening in Fitness Fashion?

Have you checked out Lululemon's beach gear? There's some really cute stuff! Their swimsuits have an athletic look while still cute and feminine. I love the shanti surf cross back top!

I haven't tried any of the beach gear on yet, but I did see that they are carrying it at the Lululemon store at the Galleria by my office. The shanti surf top seems like it would be a perfect top for some stand up paddle boarding this summer! 

Well, enjoy the rest of your long weekend.  I'll be checking in periodically and hope to see more suggestions for my summer bucket list!