Mint & Orange

It's been such a beautiful sunny day and I'm back to my girly side.  I've been showing you all my many layers through these outfit posts lately!  I have a birthday party tonight for one of my close friends and this is what I will be wearing.  

Bustier & Skirt: Charlotte Russe

Shoes: Bamboo (Mandee)

Clutch: Asos 

Bracelet: C/O MyDarlingAva 

Sunnies: H&M 

Someone made a comment last week on instagram when I wore a similar outfit and they said that I always made crop tops & bustiers look so fashionable even if I show off a little of my skin.  I think the key to that is not going overboard.  In my opinion the best way to wear these types of tops is to pair them with something that is high waisted so you are only seeing a little bit of your stomach.   I usually try and make sure that my belly button is covered.  Or if you want to show a little more stomach, then layer with a cardigan or blazer on top.  You can be sexy WITH your clothes on.  Just remember that ladies! 

I can't help it.  I just love outfits like this.  I went back to CR to see if they had any new bustiers and luckily for me they had this one AND this skirt.  I wanted to bring out the peachy/orange shade in the floral print so this skirt was a winner for me.  This ensemble is super chic & feminine.   

I paired this outfit with nude shoes & a white clutch because I already have so much going on with the skirt and top.  I'm wearing a chain/yarn bracelet courtesy of MyDarlingAva.  It matched perfectly!  Make sure to check out her Etsy store and enter code Naty10 to receive 10% off your order!  

My lipstick is MAC Vegas Volt and nail polish is ESSIE A Crewed Interest.  Hope you like! 

Enjoy your night my loves <3 

Does Calorie Restriction Extend Lifespan in Mammals?

Until about two years ago, the story went something like this: calorie restriction extends lifespan in yeast, worms, flies, and rodents.  Lifespan extension by calorie restriction appears to be biologically universal, therefore it's probably only a matter of time until it's demonstrated in humans as well.  More than 20 years ago, independent teams of researchers set out to demonstrate the phenomenon in macaque monkeys, a primate model closer to humans than any lifespan model previously tested.

Recent findings have caused me to seriously question this narrative.  One of the first challenges was the finding that genetically wild mice (as opposed to inbred laboratory strains) do not live longer when their calorie intake is restricted, despite showing hormonal changes associated with longevity in other strains, although the restricted animals do develop less cancer (1).  One of the biggest blows came in 2009, when researchers published the results of a study that analyzed the effect of calorie restriction on lifespan in 41 different strains of mice, both male and female (2).  They found that calorie restriction extends lifespan in a subset of strains, but actually shortens lifespan in an even larger subset.  Below is a graph of the effect of calorie restriction on lifespan in the 41 strains.  Positive numbers indicate that calorie restriction extended life, while negative numbers indicate that it shortened life:

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Hello There!

Happy hump day dolls! I finally feel like myself again.  I was so out of it the past few days and literally attached myself to the bed.  But all is well now and back to normal.  I'm doing a contest giveaway (details at end of post) with High Class Rebel on instagram.  We are having everyone upload an outfit showing off their rebel side, so I decided to do mine today :)  

Shirt & Skirt: H&M

Wedges: Bakers

Hat: Nasty Gal 

Spike Bangle: C/O HCR

Bag: H&M

Sunnies: Target

I love graphic tees even though I don't wear them often.  I thought this Hello There one was super cute.  I wanted a nice pop of color, so when I saw this mustard jean skirt I knew that it would be the perfect match.  I tucked the top in loosely to give it that casual vibe.  I love doing this.  

As soon as I tried on these pieces I knew instantly that my Nasty Gal hat would be a great addition to this outfit.  It really helped bring this whole look together.  Since summer is almost over and I am super anxious for the fall, I decided to mix in a little of the upcoming season by wearing my wedge booties. 

I have on the spike bangle that will be given out to 2 winners on my instagram contest.  I love this and it goes perfect with my whole rebel vibe I have going on today.  Also wearing my Target watch and studded leather bracelet.  Finishing touches were MAC Creme Cup lipstick and my oversized sunnies. 

Enter on Instagram to win one of these bracelets! 

XO

Peplum in AC

Happy Monday everyone!  This weekend really took the life out of me both physically and emotionally.  As I mentioned in my last post, I went to AC for my friend's bachelorette party and it was also the 2 year anniversary of my dad's passing.  I got through it though and it was great to be surrounded by so many of my loved ones.  We stayed at the Tropicana (beautiful hotel) and went to dinner at Carmines, which was fantastic.  Then we spent the rest of the night at MurMur in the Borgata Hotel.  

Here's what I wore:

Dress Forever21 / Shoes Steve Madden 

These shoes were such a hit.  I got them on sale for $40.  Absolutely love them and I'm surprised I was able to walk in them all night!  I really love this dress too.  Super chic and classy, just the way I like it. The sheer top & peplum sold me.  I went with MAC Russian Red lipstick and gold accessories. 

Here's some photos from the night

Lashes & Makeup

My best friend Vanessa.  Our nicknames of the night were Penelope & Salma haha

Some of my loves at MurMur with the bride to be!

My lovie Lauren

Both wearing peplum dresses!

The Bride To Be <3 

I hope that you all enjoyed the weekend.  Right now I am in recovery mode and just want to curl up in bed all day!  

xoxo

Flirty Florals

The weekend is finally here and I thought this would be the perfect outfit to set it off right.  I wanted to go with bright colors today to lighten up my mood.  I hope you like it as much as I do!  

Dress: C/O OASAP

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Clutch: Asos 

Sunnies: H&M

I am now apart of the fashion bloggers program with OASAP, a global online store that offers women's apparel, shoes, accessories and more.  I picked this dress because I fell in love with the pink and blue florals.  I haven't really seen anything like this before so I definitely gravitated towards it.  Isn't it a beautiful dress?  This is the first piece they sent me and I look forward to more!  This dress is now on sale by the way so make sure to check out OASAP :) 

I paired it with these super FAB Jessica Simpson heels.  I am obsessed.  My sister got them on sale for $20 and gave them to me.  Score! I just love this shade of pink and they matched perfectly with the dress.  It was a match made in Heaven.  I went with gold accessories and my Asos envelope clutch.  I tried to keep it simple because this dress definitely makes a statement all on it's own. 

On another note, tomorrow marks the 2 year anniversary of my father passing away from colon cancer. Definitely going to be an emotional day but I will be surrounded by a bunch of loved ones.  One of my best friends is having her bachelorette party in Atlantic City tomorrow so I will be celebrating her upcoming marriage AND my father's life and legacy... the legacy that I have been trying to continue.. TO INSPIRE. 

<3 

Summer Chic

Happy Thursday my LOVElies!  I hope that this week has been good to you so far.  I am soaking up the last days of summer and taking advantage of the warm weather.  This is an outfit that I have envisioned all summer and finally I was able to put it together!

Floral Bustier: Charlotte Russe

Skater Skirt: Charlotte Russe

Shoes: Target

Bag: C/O PLNDR 

Sunnies: H&M 

I haven't been to Charlotte Russe in such a long time.  I was passing by the store and saw this floral bustier/crop top in the window.  I literally ran to it.  I fell in love instantly!  I really like the print & colors and the little buttons going down the front.  These tops were such a big hit this summer and they can still be worn in the fall with some layering!

This skater skirt is adorable!  I've been wanting a skirt like this for the longest time and I'm so happy that I found it.  It was on sale for $10.  I knew that it would be a perfect match with this top.  It's girly and chic!  I went with my chunky heels from Target and this bag from PLNDR that I used as a clutch today. 

I can't seem to get enough of this Forever21 necklace.  It just literally goes with everything.  And I have been obsessed with these rings lately which is why I have them on all the time!  I'm wearing MAC Costa Chic lipstick and my H&M sunnies to complete this look.  I think it's super summery, feminine, and flirty.  I really love switching up my outfits!  

On another note, check out my Donut/Sock Bun Tutorial!

And lastly, I have the blogger meet & greet details!  It will be on Saturday September 8th.  I emailed a bunch of you back to let you know the time & location.  Please let me know if you are coming :)  You can still email me if you are a blogger in the NJ/NY area and would like to come! (aloveaffairwithfashion@gmail.com) I have invited a few of the shops/businesses that I have collaborated with on my blog so it will be great networking for all of you. There will be some giveaways that we are raffling off too :)

<3