Bachelor 19 – Week 4 Recap

Week 4 kicks off with a visit from Chris Harrison where we learn that there are two group dates and a one-on-one date that will be decided by Chris’ three sisters. The first group date card is for Megan, Kaitlyn, Ashley S., Ashley I. Juelia, Samantha, Mackenzie, and Kelsey and reads “Let’s do what feels natural…” Chris takes them to hang out at the lake so he can see how they react to being in nature. Some of the girls get really natural and do some skinny dipping (if you read Chris’ blog post he mentions that they were playing Truth or Dare).

Back at the mansion, Chris’ sisters arrive to meet the remaining ladies and decide who gets to go on the one-on-one date. Not surprisingly, Britt tells them that she feels like the frontrunner. Their time with Jade seems to go well so it isn’t surprising that she ultimately gets selected for the date.

Meanwhile, at the lake, Chris reveals that they are going to camp for the night, which doesn’t excite anyone.

The one-on-one date card arrives for Jade and reads “Your presence is requested at a royal ball tomorrow evening from 8 p.m. until the last stroke of midnight. It’s a secret, the prince doesn’t know you are coming.” The date ends up being a complete promo for the Cinderella movie, but this is the traditional Pretty Woman date.

Kaitlyn gets a lot of alone time with Chris on the date and wears a sold-out H&M leather sleeve shirt. This Bungalow 20 Gray Long Sleeve Sweater With Vegan Leather Detail ($49):

leather sweaterChris also has some time with Ashley S. who is either drunk or looney toons, but that doesn’t stop Chris from letting her kiss him. Ashley I. tries to tell Chris that she’s a virgin, but fails miserably. It’s no wonder that Kaitlyn gets the rose…it was slim pickings on this date.

The girls congregate while Jade gets the royal treatment for her one-on-one princess date. Ashley couldn’t be more upset that she isn’t the one going on this date. She gets her pick of dresses and shoes for this date. She gets a pair of Christian Louboutin Debout Glitter & PVC Red Sole Pumps that she gets to keep! As well as a pair of Neil Lane earrings to take home. Forget the guy…where do I sign up. I found these similar Gianvito Rossi Clear PVC Metallic Foil Suede Pumps ($825) in case you want a pair of your own:

cinderella shoesAshley I. is so distraught over this date that she decides to get dressed up in her own Sherri Hill princess dress ($268).

sherri hillChris and Jade have a lovely date and from a Cinderella perspective it was really romantic, especially the way he kissed her at the end of the dance. Whew! That bachelor is smooth! I feel bad for him when he discovers the truth about Jade, I think he will be really surprised. No surprise, Jade gets the rose on this date and is safe for next week.

The next group date card arrives for Nikki, Jillian, Whitney, Carly, Britt and Becca and says “Let’s get dirty.” There are also some gifts that accompany the date card. They turn out to be six beautiful wedding dresses, but they have no idea what they’re doing yet. Unfortunately for them, Chris takes them to MuckFest MS where they are going to get down and dirty. A twist is thrown in…the winner of the race gets to have a one-one-one date later in the evening with Chris.

Shocker…Jillian wins the race and gets the one-on-one. She then proceeds to have the most awkward date ever with Chris. It is so obvious that they have no chemistry. She has no idea what she wants to do with her life. Chris ends the date and sends her home.

On to the rose ceremony the girls are happy that Jillian was sent home, but it sort of hits home that things are getting serious now. Kaitlyn wears the Stella & Dot Rory Necklace ($59):

stella and dot roryAshley I. ends up wearing her Sherri Hill dress again and finally comes out and tells Chris that she is a virgin. Carly has the best line of the night when she says that Ashley’s mouth isn’t a virgin…I spit out my drink at that one, bahahaha. After Ashley spills her secret she is upset when Chris doesn’t kiss her and thinks that he is freaked out. Mackenzie tries to console her and has the cutest Stella & Dot Pave Spear Earrings ($49):

Stella and dot pave spearBritt decides to confront Chris about her jealousy and is really manipulative about him giving Kaitlyn multiple roses. Wow – she was super insecure here and questioning his decisions is probably not the best way to build their relationship. Chris had a really awkward response and just left the conversation without kissing her. He lets the women know that if anyone is questioning his decisions they can leave immediately. Of course nobody does leave. At the rose ceremony Ashley S. wore Stella & Dot’s Chantilly Lace Chandelier Earrings ($49):

stella and dot chantilly laceThe earrings don’t save her and Chris ends up sending Ashley S., Nikki, and Juelia home. Goodbye to crazy Ashley – we barely knew you and never understood you.

Drama, drama and more drama this week – what did you think about this craziness?

Here are a few deleted scenes from this week’s episode:

The first scene is of Chris reuniting with his three sisters:

This scene is more craziness from Ashley S.:

In the next scene Chris and Whitney get some one-on-one time and they reenact a moment from last week’s date:

I enjoy reading Bachelor spoilers and if you are interested in finding out what happens in advance you can check out Reality Steve for more information.

If you missed Episode Four you can purchase it from iTunes.

Chris Soules posted his fourth Bachelor blog on People here.

Chris Harrison posted his Week Four blog here.

Former Bachelor contestant, Sharleen Joynt posted her thoughts here.

Some of you may remember Zak Waddell from Desiree’s season. His sister, Carly is vying for Chris’ heart this season and he is posting his recaps on Desiree’s blog here.

Former Bachelorette, Jillian Harris is blogging this season here.

To catch up on Jason & Molly Mesnick’s podcast, click here.

For more Bachelor/Bachelorette posts, click here.



Cougar Town “To Find a Friend” Recap

In this week’s episode of Cougar Town, Laurie (Busy Phillips) and Travis (Dan Byrd) adjust to becoming parents. Jules (Courtney Cox) and Ellie (Christa Miller) keep telling them how exhausting the experience is, but they have no idea what they’re in for.

to find a friend cover

While Grayson (Josh Hopkins) is busy helping Andy (Ian Gomez) get over Bobby, the girls jump in to run the bar. At first they think it is easy and have the best time, but they forget to lock up and loose all of the day’s profits after they are robbed.

Laurie and Trav think they have this baby thing on lockdown, until they start getting paranoid that they baby is too quiet and not breathing. Laurie wears a Happy Roses pullover by Wildfox (sold out). I couldn’t find a similar look, but I think I found a great sweatshirt that has the same spirit in this Joker Sweatshirt ($119):

wildfox

Since Grayson knows that they made $3,000 the night before, Jules and Ellie have to work doubly hard to make double the money so Grayson won’t be the wiser.

Grayson is too busy with the Bobby Cobb Replacement Challenge to notice what they are up to. He gets three guys to compete to be Andy’s new best friend. None of those guys were replacement material until Andy realized that Grayson was his friend all along.

Meanwhile Jules and Ellie realize that they need to dress slutty to make money and tease all of the customers. Ellie’s makeup/outfit coverup shroud cracked me up! Grayson final uses Tom to catch them in the act and they have to admit that they messed up.

Laurie and Trav have completely hallucinated from lack of sleep, but they managed to keep baby Bobby alive! When Jules arrives, you get to see what a mess they’ve made of the house. Jules wears a Blue Sheer Combo Sleeveless Cocktail Dress (sold out). I found this similar Monrow Women’s Border Tie Dye Sporty Tank Maxi Dress ($135):

tie dye

Grayson and Andy make the girls dance on the bar Coyote Ugly style to pay for messing everything up. I’m not sure how I feel about a Cougar Town without Bobby Cobb, but we’ll have to see what happens to the gang next week.

What did you think of this week’s Cougar Town?

If you missed this episode, you can still watch it here.

For more CougarTown recaps, click here.



Bachelor 19 – Week 3 Recap

So I’m not going to lie, I haven’t been very impressed with The Bachelor fashion this season, I may not have a ton to post this week as I’m only going to share what I really liked. What I did like was Jimmy Kimmel on The Bachelor…I hope they do this every season, it was great!

Chris’ genuine reaction to getting woken up by Jimmy was great and then greeting the girls was hilarious. I love when the show pokes fun at itself. Becca is a big fan of Jimmy and can’t wait to see what he comes up with this week. I loved her Stella & Dot Somervell Necklace ($59):

stella and dot somervell

Jimmy had the honor of bringing the first date card for Kaitlyn and reads “You and Chris are about to join an exclusive club, sweeping views, vaulted ceilings and unlimited hors d’oeuvres await.” This turns out to be Costco where Jimmy has provided a list of activities that Kaitlyn and Chris need to complete. They make the most out of it and are gearing up to cook dinner for Jimmy later that evening. The part that gets me again is why Kaitlyn would wear the reddest lipstick on a date where she hopes to kiss someone. I don’t get it. They had a great dinner complete with some awkward conversations about the fantasy suite. In the end Kaitlyn gets the rose and is safe until next week.

Back at the house, the next date card arrives for Britt, Jillian, Becca, Tracy, Mackenzie, Kelsey, Amber, Ashley S., Juelia, Samantha, Nikki and Carly and says “Are you ready to meet some real party animals?” Jillian is pretty pumped for this date and keeping in classy in her Stay Classy Tank Top ($55) and Stella & Dot Cassady Collar Necklace ($79):

stay classy

This date is sort of a farming obstacle course to practice “farm living” to see who could hack it in Iowa with Chris. Part of the challenge involves drinking goat’s milk which Carly is allergic to. They also have to shuck corn, milk a goat and wrestle a pig which should make for interesting television. I hated Samantha’s outfit, but I did love her Stella & Dot Callie Necklace ($98). I don’t know why people are trying to bring overalls back…please stop.

stella and dot callie

It ended up being a pretty entertaining competition and against all odds Carly was the winner. She had some confidence after that and put herself in the game by kissing Chris. He really likes to kiss, which Mackenzie didn’t understand. See when you’re the bachelor it means you get to make out with at least 25 women. I’m not sure what part of that she doesn’t understand. Becca takes a stand and basically tells Chris that he has to earn a kiss from her. I’m sure that only made him like her more. Case in point – he gives Becca the rose. This obviously upset Carly.

Back at the ranch, the next date card comes for Whitney and reads “The date is going to be fun…no whining.” She wore an Urban Outfitters Ecote Patterned Intarsia Open-Front Cardigan (sold out). I found this similar Bar III Long-Sleeve Aztec-Print Cardigan ($44.99):

urban outfittersDuring their date Chris and Whitney head to a winery and really hit it off. They have a great conversation and you can definitely see the chemistry developing between them. They see a wedding happening and Whitney suggests that they crash it. I think he definitely likes how spontaneous she is. They pretend that they are engaged (which I’m sure Whitney was thrilled about) and head off to change into more appropriate wedding attire. I liked Whitney’s black and white leather colorblock dress. I didn’t find anything similar, so I selected this Nicole Miller Sleeveless Cutout Colorblock Sheath Dress ($39.99) to recreate the look:

colorblock leather

You can tell this is the moment where they fell in love, just the way he was talking about her, it is obvious he is smitten. Of course he gave her the rose.

Jimmy Kimmel throws a wrench into the format with a pool party in place of the cocktail party. Juelia uses this time to talk about her husband. This was really uncomfortable to watch and such a sad story. Chris was very respectful though. It sounded like she was still dealing with a lot and I can understand if Chris didn’t want to pursue this further. I’m not sure she would be ready for a long-term relationship at this point.

Britt and Jade take the opportunity to connect with Chris. Jade went in for the kill asking him for a tour of his house. BTW – what was she wearing? Those heels were sort of odd for a pool party and her bathing suit looked more like lingerie (which is probably why they cued the porn star music). Jillian on the other hand moved up the totem pole by waiting for Chris in his hot tub. I can’t believe Ashley, Megan and Mackenzie just left Jillian alone with Chris – their mistake for thinking that any of this was supposed to be fair. Then it was her mistake again to use her alone time with Chris to cry and talk about the other girls.

He made her sweat it out at the rose ceremony but ultimately sent home Trina, Tracy and Amber which made sense because I could barely remember their names.

At this point I would say that Whitney, Britt and Becca might be the front runners, but we will see what happens next week.

Here is a deleted scene that didn’t make it into the episode where Jimmy and Chris dish about Kaitlyn:

I enjoy reading Bachelor spoilers and if you are interested in finding out what happens in advance you can check out Reality Steve for more information.

If you missed Episode Three you can still watch it here.

Chris Soules posted his third Bachelor blog on People here.

Chris Harrison posted his Week Three blog here.

Former Bachelor contestant, Sharleen Joynt posted her thoughts here.

Some of you may remember Zak Waddell from Desiree’s season. His sister, Carly is vying for Chris’ heart this season and he is posting his recaps on Desiree’s blog here.

Former Bachelorette, Jillian Harris is blogging this season here.

To catch up on Jason & Molly Mesnick’s podcast, click here.

For more Bachelor/Bachelorette posts, click here.



Cougar Town “Full Grown Boy” Recap

This week on Cougar Town, Chick (Ken Jenkins) is finally moved in and Jules is so focused on taking care of him she doesn’t care if Grayson (Josh Hopkins) dresses like a 90s hip hop rapper. Jules wore a Ted Baker ‘Jineen’ Texture Panel Sheath Dress ($295). This Felicity & Coco Seamed Pencil Dress ($98) is similar:

Ted Baker

Full Grown boy intro

Travis (Dan Byrd) and Laurie (Busy Phillips) share that they have come up with their perfect baby names but they aren’t sharing. Meanwhile Andy (Ian Gomez) is excitedly waiting for Bobby’s (Brian Van Holt) return. Chick is gearing up for a Civil War reenactment but Jules puts her foot down because she doesn’t want him out in the heat. Too bad he ignores her and sneaks out anyways.

Bobby reveals that the club in Georgia made him a big offer to be a golf pro which throws Andy for a loop. Travis reveals Laurie’s baby names to Ellie and they are not good. He reveals that the girl name is Fancy and the boy name is Macho. Travis has to enlist Ellie’s help to convince Laurie that these aren’t good choices.

Bobby shares more details of his offer with Andy including the fact that they offered him a free apartment to go with the job. He turned them down because he couldn’t leave his friends. Grayson tries to appeal to Andy that Bobby should take the job and do what’s best for him, even though it breaks poor Andy’s heart.

Jules shows up at the reenactment and I know that this is a comedy, but her lack of knowledge of the Civil War is a little shocking and not as funny as I think they were going for. She stays to take care of Chick by making him hydrate and wear sunscreen.

Laurie figures out that Trav and Ellie tried to kill her baby names and leaves to complain to Jules. When she gets to the reenactment her water breaks and it’s time to have the baby!

Did anyone else get teary eyed when they named the baby Bobby? Such a sweet moment and a great send off for Bobby as he leaves the show.

full grown boy

What did you think of this week’s Cougar Town? How do you feel about Bobby leaving the show?

If you missed this episode, you can still watch it here.

For more CougarTown recaps, click here.



Bachelor 19 – Week 2 Recap

Week Two of The Bachelor picks up where we left off with the rose ceremony. Kimberly appeals to Chris to give her a second chance and he does (his first mistake). This sets a bad tone with the ladies.

After a few hours of getting settled, Chris Harrison arrives to give the ladies the lay of the land and the first date card. It was a group date for Jade, Tandra, Ashley I., Mackenzie, Kimberly and Tara get to “Show me your country…” with Chris.

The group date kicks off with a pool party, followed by a tractor race throughout downtown L.A. I liked Tara’s Victoria’s Secret Colorblock Bandeau ($22.50):

tara colorblock

I wasn’t a big fan of the girls having to streetwalk in their bikinis to the second part of the date for a tractor race. They weren’t allowed to put on their cover ups? Ashley I. wins the tractor race and gets to spend some one-on-one time with Chris, but is upset when Mackenzie ends up getting the rose and an evening date with Chris. Their date was SO awkward and she even tells him that he has a big nose…who does that? I didn’t see any chemistry here and don’t see that going far at all. She does also reveal that she has a son.

Back at the mansion, Juelia reveals that she has a daughter and that her husband committed suicide (such a sad story). The next date card comes for Megan and reads “Love is a natural wonder.” Megan didn’t realize that she was actually getting a one-on-one date, she thought it was a love note…

Megan and Chris take a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon. Their date was okay, they seemed to connect over the story of her father’s passing and Chris gave her the rose.

In the meantime, the next group date card comes for Kelsey, Trina, Alissa, Tracy, Jillian, Becca, Amber, Ashley S., Juelia, Kaitlyn and Britt and reads “Till death do us part.”

The girls go on a group zombie-hunting date in what Ashley S. calls the Mesa Verde. The highlight of this date was watching Ashley pretty much lose her mind. I’m not sure what was going on there. Things between Chris and Britt heat up, but it is Kaitlyn who gets the group date rose. I don’t understand how Chris was making out with these girls and their bright lipcolor. My husband wouldn’t have any of that – I think if you are going on a first couple of dates I wouldn’t wear that sort of lipcolor that might be a kissing barrier. Don’t get me wrong, I love lipstick, but it’s not so conducive to making out.

A few things about Britt – she has amazing hair – whatever she is doing, I would like to bottle it. I also liked her turquoise drop earrings. I found these similar earrings on Etsy for $26.85:

Britt turquoise

At the rose ceremony Whitney did a great job creating a special moment with Chris and she got him a bottle of his favorite whiskey. I loved this because that is totally something I would do. She looked great in her Stop Staring! Gathered Ava One Shoulder Dress ($163):

Whitney Stop Staring

The most disturbing part of the episode was when Ashley I. reveals that she is a virgin and Mackenzie is so jealous because “guys LOVE taking a girl’s virginity.” What is she smoking? Also, what is Ashley I. wearing? It didn’t get any better when she allowed Chris to make three wishes on her belly button ring. He seemed to like it because they had the weirdest makeout session where she pretty much ate his face.

Amber had a cute Gold Lang Syne Dress (sold out) that helped her snag a kiss with Chris. This Open Back Short Black and Gold Sequin Dress with Sleeves ($32.95) is similar:

Amber modcloth

Poor Jillian almost took a spill when Chris called Juelia’s name – so embarrassing – but she handled it well. I also liked Becca’s lace dress and found this V Neck Lace Bodycon Dress in Wine Red ($34.99):

becca lace

Alissa, Jordan, Kimberly and Tara didn’t receive roses. Tara took it hard, but she looked great in her sold-out Cache Pleated Halter Gown. This Bisou Bisou® Sleeveless Chain-Neck Pleated Maxi Dress ($47.99) is similar:

Tara Cache

Next week Jimmy Kimmel is coming to The Bachelor which will make for an interesting show.

Here is a deleted scene that didn’t make it into the episode:

Jordan hosts a “sunflower” ceremony:

I enjoy reading Bachelor spoilers and if you are interested in finding out what happens in advance you can check out Reality Steve for more information.

If you missed Episode Two you can still watch it here.

Chris Soules posted his second Bachelor blog on People here.

Chris Harrison posted his Week Two blog here.

Former Bachelor contestant, Sharleen Joynt posted her thoughts here.

Former Bachelorette, Desiree Hartsock offered her insights on Week Two here.

Some of you may remember Zak Waddell from Desiree’s season. His sister, Carly is vying for Chris’ heart this season and he is posting his recaps on Desiree’s blog here.

Former Bachelorette, Jillian Harris is blogging this season here.

To catch up on Jason & Molly Mesnick’s podcast, click here.

For more Bachelor/Bachelorette posts, click here.



Frost Yourself with Anjolee

Disclosure: I received a complimentary ring from Anjolee in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was thrilled when Anjolee contacted me for a ring review. I love jewelry and I have always wanted a right hand ring. Back in the day, I had planned to buy myself one (that never ended up happening). I also want a motherhood ring one day to top off my wedding band and engagement ring, so I thought it would be fun to try one on for size.

For those of you not familiar with Anjolee, the company was founded in 1977 by two brothers. They were inspired by their mother, Lee’s angelic nature and her passion for beautiful jewelry. They name is a combination of the word angel, Lee’s name and the French word “jolie” which means beautiful.

Anjolee

I had a list of rings to choose from and then Anjolee made a replica for me to keep! I tried to find a ring that matched my current wedding and engagement set so I could get an idea of what it would look like. I ultimately selected the Brilliant Eternity Ring with Side Stones:

LW_eb1016_w_b

I thought this ring was stunning and I loved the detail with the side stones. When it arrived in the mail, the ring was even more stunning in person, plus it came it a beautiful box that had its own light!

anjolee 1

I am pretty much in love with this ring, even though this version is only a cubic zirconia, it is one of my favorite pieces of jewelry.

anjolee 2

I also tried it on with my wedding set:

anjolee 3

So now that I have the jewelry bug, I figured I would check out some Anjolee anniversary bands. These would make a beautiful anniversary present or even a great right hand ring option for myself:

Prong Set Designer Diamond Anniversary Ring

Prong Set Designer Diamond Anniversary Ring

LW_eb1041_w_b_N

Stylish Woven Diamond Eternity Ring

During Black Friday, I was also eyeing a pair of diamond earrings from another retailer, but one of the reasons I didn’t purchase the earrings was because of the mixed reviews. Many of the reviews complained that the earrings didn’t look as good as they appeared in the picture and some of them even had flaws. The great thing about Anjolee is that they ensure the highest standard of quality for all of their jewelry. When I decide to purchase my diamond studs, I will definitely go through Anjolee because I know exactly what I will be getting. I just added these studs to my wishlist! I also noticed that all of the studs have screwbacks so you won’t lose them.

LW_st976_w_bn

Circle Designer Diamond Stud Earrings

I had a lot of fun wish list shopping with Anjolee and can’t wait to make one of these pieces a reality. What pieces are on your jewelry wish list?



Cougar Town “American Dream Plan B” Recap

I am so happy that Cougar Town is back, but so sad that this is the last season!

We left off last season with Laurie (Busy Phillips) and Trav (Dan Byrd) announcing their pregnancy. Jules (Courtney Cox) doesn’t think that they are prepared for a baby yet. Jules wears a Mara Hoffman Snakes Print Midi Dress ($138.05):

mara hoffman

Laurie is under the impression that she will keep her girlish figure throughout the entire pregnancy, much to the amusement of the group. I love her style in a Clover Canyon Floral Sheath Dress ($195):

clover canyon

Flash forward to the end of the pregnancy and Laurie is miserable…and definitely not rocking her tight-a** dresses anymore. I still love her pregnancy look in a sold out Cynthia Vincent Sheer Caftan Silk Dress. I thought this Natori Tatiana Long Caftan ($153.09) is a similar look that Laurie would wear:

Cynthia Vincent

I loved the header for the beginning of Season 6:

Header

So we know that Bobby (Brian Von Holt) left the show for season 6 and I was wondering how they would write him out. They have him talking on the phone to Andy (Ian Gomez) and he is on a golf trip in Georgia. It will be interesting to see what happens with him next. Jules wears a L’AGENCE Contrast Trim Zip Front Silk Blouse ($89.97). I thought this Vince Camuto Sleeveless Colorblock Blouse ($59.99) was similar:

lagence

Ellie (Christa Miller) is having fun tormenting Laurie as usually, but Laurie isn’t having any of it with four weeks left to go. Ellie wears the sold out Rag & Bone Marissa Cardigan. This White House Black Market Colorblock Cardigan ($88) is similar:

rag and bone

Jules spends some time teaching Laurie the perks of being pregnant, this goes well until Laurie takes it too far. On the flip side Grayson (Josh Hopkins) helps Trav prepare for a baby with a baby pig! (Love this part!). Laurie gets Jules to agree to stop drinking wine until she has the baby. Laurie wears a pink hi-lo maxi with a jean jacket. I liked this SugarLips Hand Over Heart Neon Pink Dress ($61) to recreate the look:

sugarlips dress

Jules tries to convince the rest of the group that they have to join in but as you can imagine that doesn’t go over very well. Jules wears the Barry Shirt by Frank & Eileen ($198). This Ralph Lauren Striped Cotton Shirt ($89.50) is similar:

barry

When Andy asks Ellie how they will make it through the month, she tells him by cheating. Ha! They just have to find a place where nobody will think to look for them. She wears a floral blouse. I found a similar Women’s Woven to Knit V-Neck Blouse – Black Rainn from Target ($29.99):

floral blouse

Enter Tom’s (Bob Clendenin) basement speakeasy. Tom has never been cooler! That is until he starts tweeting pictures and Laurie finds out and they are all in trouble.

In the meantime, Jules reveals that she can squeal like a pig which she has to do in order to find the pig that Travis lost. Sort of showing that Jules will always come to the rescue.

What did you think of this week’s Cougar Town? Are you ready for #OneLastPour?

If you missed this episode, you can still watch it here.

For more CougarTown recaps, click here.



The Bachelor 19 – Week 1 Recap

The Bachelor is back!!! I am very happy that I get to kick off viewing parties again with my friend Tracy!

This season ABC decided to have a live red carpet premiere and I didn’t hate it. I read a lot of mixed feelings about the red carpet, but in my opinion three hours is more wine time. I wasn’t thrilled with the fashion choices on night one, but the Bachelor/Bachelorette alum gave me much more to work with in the pre-show. So thumbs up for the red carpet.

First up – meet Chris or “Prince Farming” as we are calling him this season. I really liked Chris during Andi’s season of The Bachelorette and am looking forward to seeing how he does as The Bachelor. It will be interesting to see who he ultimately ends up with (I already know since I read Reality Steve) and to see if it works out in the middle-of-nowhere Iowa.

Let’s talk about some of my favorite looks from the red carpet. First up is my favorite, Michelle Money.  UPDATE: Michelle posted on Instagram that she rented her dress from Rent the Runway and it is the Badgley Mischka Curves for Days Gown ($170). I found two different dress options to recreate her look. The first, a $29.95 find from Sexy Dresses – this “Sabrina” Black Long Strapless Mermaid Evening Dress. The second is this Nicole Miller Felix Techy Crepe Strapless Gown ($365). I found a few different necklaces that are similar to the one Michelle was rocking from H&M (not available). This first is this Circle Bib Necklace by Panacea ($58), the second is this Tiered Baguette Stone Bib Necklace from Express ($49.90) and the third is the Tallulah Bib Necklace ($138) from Stella & Dot:

michelle money look

 

Michelle was wearing the Pink Velvet lipstick from Lime Crime Makeup ($20).

I loved Clare Crawley’s look. Her BCBGMAXAZRIA Locket of Lace Gown is classic. You can rent it for $125 at Rent the Runway. If you want a dress for your very own, I found this similar Tadashi Shoji Colorblock Lace Bodice Ruched Gown ($418):

Clare Crawley

Chris Harrison interviews the former Bachelor/Bachelorette couples including Catherine/Sean, Lacy/Marcus and Andi/Josh. So we all know now that Andi and Josh ended their relationship shortly after this aired. Reality Steve called this one for a while and it doesn’t surprise me. I wanted her to pick Nick last season – I never thought that Josh was as into her as Nick was. But you never really know. I loved Andi’s dress, which she made on the plane!

Andi Dorfman

I found this similar James & Joy Poncho Dress ($54.40):

poncho dress

I thought Nikki Ferrell did a great job of keeping it classy on the red carpet. She didn’t say anything negative about her breakup with Juan Pablo and I respect her for that. She looked amazing though – there were a lot of articles about her new boobs, but if I just got new boobs I would have probably shown them off too. I have two dress options to recreate her look – a Zac Posen Tanya Knit BodyCon Dress ($490) and a Charlotte Russe Plunging BodyCon Dress with Slit ($24.99). She also wore the Showgirl Fringe Crystal Strand Necklace ($54).

Nikki Ferrell

Now onto the show!

They really focused on Chris’ background as a farmer and I think this was important for the audience to know that he needs to find a girl that will fit in with his lifestyle in Iowa. I have a feeling that some of the women we will see this season won’t want to move to middle-of-nowhere Iowa and be a farmer’s wife.

The Bachelor Night 1

Here are a few notable looks from the first night:

Britt Nilsson, 27, Waitress from Hollywood, CA

I thought Britt was cute and apparently so did Chris because he gave her the first kiss and the first impression rose! She mentioned on her Instagram page that her dress was less than $100 and her lipstick was from the drugstore. I found a similar look with this XSCAPE Gemstone Embellished Gown ($229):

Britt

Whitney Bischoff, 29, Fertility Nurse, Chicago, IL

Whitney has a classic look, with a bubbly personality. I love that she is a fertility nurse. She seems very genuine, which is abnormal for The Bachelor. I liked her little black dress here and found this similar Sleeveless Mesh Iconic Black Sheath Dress from White House Black Market ($160):

Whitney Bischoff

Amber James, 29, Bartender, Chicago, IL

I wasn’t too swayed by Amber one way or the other, but I liked her Rebecca Taylor Frayed Strapless Gown (sold out). You can rent this similar Rebecca Taylor Meteor Shower Gown for $70 and I also liked this Erin Fetherston Gisele Metallic Spotted Sweetheart Gown ($148.75):

Amber James

Tara Edding, 26, Sport Fishing Enthusiast, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

When I first watched the show, I thought it was sort of weird that Chris kept Tara after she got drunk the first night. After watching her one-on-one time with Chris in the deleted scene below, it is pretty obvious that she received a bad edit and the show played up her antics. It makes a lot more sense why Chris kept her after seeing that. She looked smokin in her little black dress! This American Apparel Cotton Spandex Jersey Double U-Neck Long Sleeve Mini Dress ($44) is similar:

Tara Eddings

Becca Tilley, 25, Chiropractic Assistant, San Diego, CA

Becca was very welcoming and seems sweet, I’m sure she will go far. I thought this Warehouse Scatter Sequin Dress ($104.23) was similar to the dress Becca wore.

Becca TilleyTandra Steiner, 30, Executive Assistant, Sandy, UT

I loved Tandra’s motorcycle entrance. It didn’t hurt that she looked fabulous! This Jovani Lace Gown W/ Deep V Illusion ($710) is similar:

Tandra

The cocktail party was interesting, mostly because Chris ended up kissing Britt and giving her the first impression rose. I think that might be a first – a kiss on the first night! Obviously, Britt will be the girl to watch out for.

At the rose ceremony Amanda, Bo, Brittany, Kara, Michelle, Nicole, Reegan and Kimberly did not receive a rose and were sent home. Except that Kimberly decided to pull another Bachelor first and didn’t want to leave. They left it as a cliffhanger so we will see what happens next week.

Here are some additional deleted scenes that didn’t make it into the episode:

This is an extra introduction scene with Chris at the Iowa State Fair:

This deleted scene had me puzzled as we see more of Ashley S. weird behavior:

In this scene, Kaitlin raps about her childhood:

This deleted scene shows Tara talking to Chris about fishing and giving him a gift – it explains why he kept her:

I enjoy reading Bachelor spoilers and if you are interested in finding out what happens in advance you can check out Reality Steve for more information.

If you missed the Week One Premiere you can watch it online here.

Chris Soules posted his first Bachelor blog on People here.

Chris Harrison posted his Week One blog here.

Former Bachelor contestant, Sharleen Joynt posted her thoughts here.

Former Bachelorette, Desiree Hartsock offered her insights on Week One here.

Some of you may remember Zak Waddell from Desiree’s season. His sister, Carly is vying for Chris’ heart this season and he is posting his recaps on Desiree’s blog here.

Former Bachelorette, Jillian Harris is blogging this season here.

To catch up on Jason & Molly Mesnick’s podcast, click here.

For more Bachelor/Bachelorette posts, click here.



Splurge vs. Steal: Mulberry Double Breasted Coat

I’ve mentioned before that I am in love with the Duchess of Cambridge’s style. Her recent trip to New York City didn’t disappoint. From meeting Beyonce and Jay-Z to touring the September 11th Memorial and Museum, William and Kate made the most of their trip. I am an avid follower of What Kate Wore and was thrilled when they identified the hot pink coat that Kate wore to the September 11th Memorial. What I loved about this color was that it feels like a total nod to the American girl style. It was the perfect piece to wear in New York.

kate middleton nyc

What makes this look even better is that Kate is around five months pregnant. I wonder if the pink is a nod to a little princess? Only time will tell. Kate is wearing the Mulberry Double Breasted Coat in Cerise. The coat was originally $2,600 and has now dropped to $1,300. Mulberry posted this video so you can see how the coat flows in person.

To get this look for less, I found this Isaac Mizrahi coat in Pink Raspberry on clearance for only $64.42! I thought this was a great match and you can’t beat the price! I especially like how the collar is so similar. The one thing I would do is change out the buttons to match the horn buttons on Kate’s version. If you check out the product video on QVC, the pink looks a little darker than it does in the picture. I am a big fan of how many size options QVC has for this coat. Everyone can have it!

mulberry coat steal

Do you have a splurge that you want me to find a steal for? Let me know in the comments. Or let me know if you find another steal for this Mulberry Coat.

For more Splurge vs. Steal posts, click here.



Winter 2014 Favorites

Winter is officially here and it’s my job to make sure you are prepared to bundle up and enjoy it with some of my favorite things. After last year’s Polar Vortex I am hoping for a milder winter this time around. But if not, I am prepared to hibernate. Without further adieu, here are my favorite things for winter:

Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Souffle Body Creme ($60)

Laura Mercier has a whole line of pistachio flavored body treatments and creme. This stuff smells SO good. I can’t wait to stock up on the body creme for the season.

Pistachio

Bamboo Chic Drape Front Cardigan ($90)

Many of my favorite bloggers have raved about this cardigan a.k.a. the blardigan and it would be the perfect way to stay cozy during winter.

blardigan

OPI Thank Glogg It’s Friday

This color is from the new Nordic Collection. I would get the regular color as well as the gel. I did like the My Voice is a Little Norse sparkle color for a little extra on the ring finger or all of the nails for an extra bling.

Thank Glogg its Friday

Helan Women’s Faux Fox Fur Shawl Cloak Cape Coat ($38.74)

I got a luxurious looking fur trimmed cape at a small local boutique. I can’t tell you how many complements I’ve already received on it and it was only $80! Can’t beat that! It looks so much more expensive than it is. Unfortunately, it isn’t available online, but I did the next best thing and found a similar look for less which looks just like mine:

fur cape

Wen Winter White Citrus ($32.82)

I can’t wait to try the newest Wen scent, especially since I just finished my fall trio. You can also try the Winter Cranberry Mint and the Winter Vanilla Mint. Check out my original post on the benefits of Wen.

hp_WEN_SEO_11262014

Cable Knit Arm Warmers ($16.50)

I could use these as I am writing this post – I can’t feel my fingers at the moment.

arm warmers

Vanilla Bean Noel Candle ($12)

John usually doesn’t like candles, but even he commented on how good it made the house smell.

pBBW1-19562734v275

Verilux Happylight 5000 Energy Lamp ($44.98)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is especially prevalent here in the cold Michigan weather. I thought I would try to combat it this year with 30 minutes under this special energy lamp. You can bring it to work or keep it at home, but I think this would be great for both John and I to keep our energy up this winter.

VT05-SilRight_standard

Ombre Faux Fur Vest ($69.97)

This is so much fun for winter. I need to get this and hang out in a winter resort destination.

faux fur ombre vest

MNG by Mango® Long-Sleeve Mon Chéri Sweatshirt ($39.99)

If you haven’t noticed a theme yet, it is cold in Michigan and I need to stay warm. I’ve been meaning to add a graphic sweatshirt to my wardrobe and this is just the cutest thing!

mon cheri

UGG Classic Short Sparkle Boots ($190)

I never used to like UGGs and then I got some knock off UGGs and loved them – they are SO warm. I think I would be willing to upgrade to the real thing and these sparkle ones are so cute!

3161-SLVR_1

What are your favorite things for winter?

If you missed last years Winter Favorites post, you can find it here.



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