Friday Pick-Six: 2/23/18

Here's what we are loving and living for this week!

1.  On our President's Day off, we decided to move up our usual Taco Tuesday to Monday.  Jess made this crockpot barbacoa recipe and it was a total hit!

2.  While making an Amazon Prime order the other day, I added these beaded tassel earrings on a whim.  They're not the highest quality (hence the price point) but the color is great and they're not too heavy either. --J

3.  You know how we love a good face mask.  One of our recent favorites is this Pacifica Disobey Time Rose and Peptide Mask from Target.

4.  As much as we all love checking all our favorite blogs, I've been thinking a lot recently about trying to quit my phone habit.  I have found myself playing Monopoly with my kiddo and I mindlessly grab my phone and start to check Instagram.  Not my finest mom moment, but I think we can all relate.  Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere blogged about it this week and she also linked to this helpful article.  I'm going to give it a try this weekend and will report back! --J

5.  After seeing something similar on our favorite hostess at our favorite neighborhood restaurant, we've been on the lookout for a kimono-style jacket.  We may have to scoop up this one from Target. Throw under a black tank and some skinny jeans and you're date-ready.

6.  This Olympics, we were totally obsessed with Canadian ice dancers, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.  If you're like us and you can't get enough of them, then check out their 2014 reality show which is streaming on Amazon.  We might have to marathon this weekend!

What are you loving and living for this week? Let us know in the comments below and TGIF!

Friday Pick-Six: 2/16/18

Here's what we're loving and living for this week!

1.  Isn't this zodiac sign bracelet cute?  It would be fun to wear your own sign, or to wear your sweetie or kid's signs.

2.  Are you guys watching the Olympics?  We had always been big Olympics fans, so we've been watching all week!  What are your favorite events?  We love figure skating!

3.  We found out this week that NARS is releasing a lip gloss version of Ry's favorite blush (Nars Orgasm).  Popsugar has swatches and they're goooooood!

4.  We've loved John and Sherry at Young House Love and their great DIY blog for years.  Jess also enjoys listening to their weekly podcast.  This week, they had a great post about the 10 items in their home that they've had for 10 years.  Lots of good investment pieces.

5.  We've been dreaming of a beach vacation, but sadly have nothing in the works.  If you're luckier than us, check out this adorable swimsuit at Target!  Great price, too!

6.  Have you ever had a favorite beauty product that you've used for a long time, but wondered about its shelf life?  This article tells you exactly how long you should keep each makeup product and why. Pretty sure this means it's time to buy a new mascara.

What are you loving and living for this week?  Anything fun planned for President's Day Weekend?  We both have short breaks from work, so we're looking forward to a little relaxation!  Enjoy it and catch you guys next week!

Winter Beauty Must-Haves

Every season, we like to bring you our favorite beauty items.  Here are some of our recent faves that have helped us get through the long, cold winter!

• I struggle with dry skin in the winter and that exacerbates the natural redness that I can have.  This peel-off mask hydrates and smooths my skin while alleviating the redness. --J

• We are both obsessed with this Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair eye serum!  Literally, after just a day of use, we could notice our under-eye area was smoother and softer.  Within a few days, the lines and darkness were less pronounced than usual.  It's a little pricey, but totally worth it!

• Even your hair can get a little dry in the winter, especially if you blow-dry or curl it like we do. This mask rehydrates dry hair and leaves it feeling smoother.

• We've already talked about how much we love this Julep Boost Your Radiance Rosehip Oil.  Adding a couple of drops to your usual moisturizer can add a little glow to your dull winter skin.

• Exfoliating is one of the keys to having great skin in the winter.  You need to get rid of the dead skin cells to make room for the softer new ones.  We both use some version of this exfoliating brush with an exfoliating cleanser.  Just make sure you finish up with a great moisturizer and serum.

• We both love darker nail polishes for winter.  These are two of our recent favorites from Essie and CND shellac.  

• We've put these eye gels into Friday Pick-Six but we had to mention them again here.  Honestly, you can notice the effects right away after use.  They're great to use right before you're going out or in the morning if you didn't get enough sleep.

• This lip balm was a stocking stuffer from our mom and we like how soft it makes our lips feel.

What beauty products are you liking this winer?  Let us know what we should check out in the comments below!

TTO the Trend: Check Mate

One trend that we've seen around this winter and fall season is plaid, specifically glen plaid or check-style plaid.  As you know, we love plaid of all kinds, so we are down to add more to our wardrobes!  Here are a few ways to incorporate this trend into your wardrobe this season!

Top Row (Left to Right): Plaid loafer, gingham tank, plaid skirt, gingham shirt, coat

Bottom Row (Left to Right): Swing dress, PJs, dress pants, turtleneck

Have you incorporated this trend into your wardrobe?  Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Friday Pick-Six: 1/26/18

Here's what we're loving and living for this week!

1.  We've mentioned how much we love the Essie Treat Love Color line.  They provide color for your nails combined with a treatment to make your nails stronger.  We often go to this after removing our shellac to help our nails get back on track.  Essie has recently released a ton of new colors in this line and Essie Envy has a great review with swatches!

2.  We have talked about our love for the Lilly Pulitzer Elsa blouse before, but we both ordered new ones at the After Party Sale this year!  This is literally the most flattering blouse ever and we could wear them anywhere!

3.  This chicken tortellini soup looks easy and delicious.  If the weather is as cold where you are as it is at TTO Headquarters, you might want to give it a try!

4.  These cord leggings are on super sale and still available in a few sizes!  I bought them after the holidays and love them!  The stretch is great and they're as comfortable as they are cute.  Wear them to work with boots and a tunic sweater like me! -- J

5.  How cute are these gingham flats at Target?  Even though it will probably be a while before they make it into our wardrobe rotation, we may have to scoop them up this weekend on our weekly Target trip!

6.  How cute is this ruffle bodysuit at JCrew on SUPER SALE!  Ry has it and loves it!  Also, all JCrew final sale is an extra 50% off with the code SAVENOW.

What are you loving and living for this week?  Let us know in the comments below and have a great weekend!

TTO the Trend: Blanket Scarves

If you're a regular reader, you know about our love of blanket scarves.  Not only do they look stylish, but they're a great extra layer in our current freezing temperatures!

Now, maybe you're saying to yourself, "Hey, twins.  I also love blanket scarves, but they're so huge and bulky!  How do I tie them?"  Well, look no further, here's our favorite way to tie a blanket scarf.  Please note--for this tutorial, we're using a square scarf (This one is our favorite).

1. To start off, lay your square out flat on the floor or a bed.  Fold it from corner to corner to make a triangle.
2. Hold the ends of the triangle in your hands.  Place the scarf so the point of the triangle is down in front of your body.
3. Take one end of the scarf and wrap it around your neck, tucking the end underneath the front of the scarf.  Do the same with the other side.
4. Adjust the length as needed so it's comfortable around your neck.  There you go!  If you're looking for more ways to style and wear a blanket scarf try check out Pinterest.  There are tons of great tutorials like this one or this one!

If you're looking for a blanket scarf, here are some of our favorites!

Top Row: (1, 2, 3)
Bottom Row: (1, 2, 3)

Would you rock a blanket scarf?  What's your favorite way to style it?  Let us know in the comments below!

Winter Nail Polish Picks

Each season, we like to give you our favorite picks for nail polish colors!  Here are a few of the shades we are sporting this winter.

1.  CND Shellac Midnight Swim:  The first time Jess picked this for a manicure, she spotted it on another gal two seats over at the salon who said it was her "signature color!"This color is the perfect almost-black navy with a hint of shimmer.

2.  Essie Gel Couture Model Clicks:  We (particularly Ry) are suckers for a deep, dark red.  We love the shiny finish of the Gel Couture line and this color is perfect for cozy winter weather.

3.  OPI My Gondola or Yours:  This black is perfect for wintertime.  There's a bit of sheen to this color so it's not too goth.

4.  Essie Sexy Divide:  Jess discovered this color as a stocking stuffer this Christmas.  We love the dark purple with a pinky-shimmer in direct light.

5.  CND Shellac Winter Glow:  Usually we stick with dark colors in the winter, but we love this clean light pink for a neutral look.

6.  Essie Gel Couture Once Upon a Time:  This new Enchanted Collection is so pretty and we love this not quite purple/not quite blue shade.

What's your favorite nail color this winter?  We're always looking for new colors, so let us know in the comments below!

The Way We Wore: Holiday Outfits

Earlier this holiday season, we showed you some of our favorite outfits for any occasion.  We thought it would be fun to share the actual outfits we wore and how we styled them for some of our holiday events.

• Ugly Christmas Sweater Party:

As we mentioned back in a Friday Pick-Six, our cousin and his girlfriend, Kayleigh, hosted an awesome Ugly Christmas Sweater Party.  Here's what we wore:

Jess: sweater, faux leather leggings, tassel earrings, Missoni for Target heels (old!  similar)

Ry: Home Alone theme sweatshirt

• Annual Girls Christmas Dinner:

Every year, we go out to a special dinner with just the ladies in our family.  We enjoy food and drinks, and great conversation.  It's always a great way to kick off the holiday season and spend a little girl time!

For a girls night, what's better than Lilly Pulitzer?  I'll admit due to some last minute snow, I swapped out these shoes for some boots before heading out.--J

Jess: Lilly Pulitzer Elsa top, leggings, flats

I went with a black lace top from JCrew which is sadly sold out (similar) and completed the look with one of my favorite Baublebar earrings.--R

• Cookie Baking Party:

This year, we started a new tradition of having a little cookie baking party on Christmas Eve morning.  We thought it would be fun to bake and relax before the kick off of the big holiday celebrations.  We wanted something cozy and casual.

I wanted something cozy but not actual PJs.  I went with my favorite cardigan and comfy leggings.--J

Jess: Cardigan, graphic t-shirt, leggings and cozy socks (old, similar)

• Christmas Eve with the Fam:

We had a great Christmas Eve party and dinner with our family.  We ate, drank and exchanged presents.  We wanted outfits that were festive but comfortable enough to chill in all night.  Here's what we wore!  

I wanted to wear something festive and comfortable, so I decided on one of my favorite sweaters with velvet leggings.  These plaid shoes are so great, too, right? --J

Jess: Boatneck tunic sweater, velvet skinny pants, plaid heels (sold out! similar), earrings (old, similar)

For Christmas Eve with the fam, I wore this festive plaid top from JCrew.  Bonus--it's flannel!  With dark jeans and my favorite tall boots, I was comfy and stylish.

• Christmas Morning:

For opening presents and enjoying brunch, we wanted to be as comfy as possible with a holiday twist!

Who doesn't love plaid, right?  Also, these socks are sold out, but so warm!  I also laughed when I opened them because online, one sock says "naughty" and one says "nice."  I got two "naughty" socks in my order.  I guess they know me...--J

Jess: PJ Set and socks (sold out!  similar)

I went with my favorite Old Navy leggings, which I have in just about every color (this time I wore charcoal).  I added this GAP FIT tee and a slouchy cardigan that even Olivia Pope would approve.  What winter outfit is complete without a scarf?  I love the one Jess featured, but my other recent favorite is this one (and it's on sale, too!)

What was your favorite outfit from the holiday season?  Let us know in the comments below!

Friday Pick-Six: 1/12/18

Here's what we're loving and living this week!

1.  You might remember that we had When Breathe Becomes Air by Paul Kalanthi and The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs on our list of non-fiction books to read last summer.  We recently read this amazing article about Paul's Widow and Nina's widower finding love together.  What a heartwarming update to their stories!

2.  If you're looking for the perfect peanut butter cookie, try these from Gimme Some Oven and thank us later!

3.  After the Golden Globes last Sunday, the gals at Go Fug Yourself have a great recap the whole night.  Can we just talk about how much we love Oprah?!

4.  I made this whole-grain breakfast cake (substituting blueberries for strawberries because that's what we had in the freezer) this week and it's been awesome!  My tweak was using 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp almond extract.  --J

5.  How cool are these moto leggings on sale at GAP?  Maybe they're meant for working out, but we'll be rocking them whenever we can.  Athleisure for life!

6.  If your dry winter skin could use a little help, try this Miss Spa Exfoliating Facial Scrub.  It will get rid of any dead skin and leave your skin feeling softer.

What are you loving and living for this week?  Let us know in the comments below and have a wonderful weekend!

TTO the Winter Wardrobe: Jess

Each season, we bring you our favorite wardrobe essentials.  Since winter weather (and style) is in full swing, we thought we'd show you some of the clothes we are living in this winter.  This week, we'll feature Jess's essentials and will share Ryan's next week!

Hey guys, it's me, Jess.  Here are the wardrobe items I cannot live without this winter!

1.  Old Navy Boat-Neck Sweater tunic: I love this sweater so much, you guys.  I originally bought it in the cranberry color (which I wore for Christmas), but eventually ordered the jade as well.  It's not too bulky and just the right length for throwing over a pair of leggings or skinny jeans.  With boots, a scarf and a cool pair of earrings, you're set for any occasion.

2.  Sorel Joan of Arctic boots:  I mentioned these in a pick-six, but they were a Christmas present from my husband.  They're super cool looking and they keep my feet warm and dry at recess duty.

3. Old Navy Open Front Cardigan:  I'm a big fan of light layers, especially since the temperature at work is so variable.  With layers, I can feel warm enough but I don't end up feeling like a stuffed turkey all day long.  This cardigan is great for throwing on over a plaid shirt or simple v-neck t-shirt.  Plus, there are pockets.  I may be a total nerd, but I love when there are pockets in a cardigan!  Yay, someplace to put my hands!

4.  Frye Melissa Boots:  Although I have quite a few pairs of Frye boots, this style is my favorite.  They work with pretty much any outfit (dresses, jeans, etc) and they're totally worth splurging on (especially on SALE, as many colors are here on Amazon)!

5.  Kate Spade Rose Gold Earrings:  These were another Christmas present (Thanks, Ry!) and they are my new everyday earrings.  They're just subtle enough to go with literally everything and just special enough to get noticed.

6.  Spring Fever Blanket Scarf:  I know we've mentioned this a million times on the blog but I love these scarves so much!  They come in great color combinations, provide style and warmth to any outfit and how can you beat that price!  I should probably stop ordering them, but I'm not gonna.  #sorrynotsorry

What are your winter wardrobe essentials this season?  Let us know in the comments below!

Friday Pick-Six: 12/29/17

Here's what we're loving and living for this week!

1.  It's been pretty freezing around TTO Headquarters these days!  One of my favorite Christmas presents this year has been getting a lot of use!  I love these Sorel Joan of Arctic Boots.  They're high enough to keep your pants dry in the snow and are temperature rated to -25 below zero! --J

2.  If you're looking for a cocktail for New Year's, we plan to give these Holiday Moscow Mules a try!  They look festive and delicious and will give Ry an excuse to use her new Moscow Mule mugs. (A Christmas present from J!)

3.  Everyone starts thinking about getting into shape on January 1st, but we think about it year round. If you're looking forward to some serious workouts that don't require fighting for space at the gym, try these printable bodyweight workouts from Popsugar.

4.  This year in the family Christmas drawing, my brother and I each got each other.  We actually got one another same present if you can believe it!  We each got a pair of these Beats by Dre Ur Beats earbuds.  I got the rose gold and my brother got the red and black.  So far, we like them and they're an affordable upgrade from the typical iPhone earbuds. --J

5.  You know we love face masks and reship oil so we were obviously psyched when Ry found this SpaLife Hydrating Sugar and Rosehip Oil mask at Target.  Give it a try!

6.  If you're post-holiday shopping, don't forget there are lots of great sale codes out there.  GAP has 40% off with the code WISH and an extra 20% off sale with the code GIFTS.  Old Navy has 20% off your order no code necessary!

What are you loving and living for this week?  We hope you have a great New Year's Eve and we'll be back with more content next week!  Here's to 2018!

TTO the Wardrobe: Winter Wear

In our neck of the woods, January  is pretty much the coldest month of the year!  We are always looking for clothes that help us stay warm AND look cute in the winter.  Here are some of our favorite cold-weather clothing must-haves.

•  A few years ago, I asked for a new winter coat for Christmas because I was freezing outside with my class at recess.  My mother-in-law (who is a retired teacher) picked out this awesome Lands End down coat.  The extra length is perfect for keeping your legs warm and it's still thin enough that you don't feel like a snowman with it on! --J
• You know we love a good blanket scarf.  They're a great extra layer to throw on and always add an air of French-girl-chic.  If you're looking for tips on how to tie them, check this out!
• These Sperry boots will keep your feet warm and dry while you're shoveling or hustling to work.  
• Cashmere gloves might seem like a splurge but these are a great deal!
• This hat is cozy and cute.  

What are your must-haves to beat the winter weather?  Let us know in the comments below and stay warm out there!

Friday Pick-Six: 9/22/17

Here's what we're loving and living for this week!

1.  One of our favorite TV shows, The Mindy Project, came back with a new season on Hulu last week.  We can't wait to see how things turn out for Mindy in the final season!

2.  How great does this 5 Ingredient Lemony Chicken look on Cup of Jo?  This would be perfect with a nice salad and some wine!

3.  After any award show, one of our first reads is Go Fug Yourself for the fashion recap.  This year is no different!  Our personal best dressed faves were Lea Michele and Alexis Bledel.  We did not love Reese Witherspoon (wrong for this event) and Tracy Ellis Reese (why wear the puffy thing if you have a rocking bod?)

4.  It looks like the Winter Essie color preview is out and Essie Envy has it on her blog!  Anything that you're interested in?

5.  You guys, Target has a new workout line coming up and it looks soooooo good!  JoyLab is launching October 1st and we can't wait!

6.  I finally hopped on the face oil trend and ordered Julep's Boost Your Radiance face oil.  I'm hoping it will help with my fine line and some discoloration.  I'm looking forward to reviewing it soon! --J

What are you loving and living for this week?  Let us know in the comments below and TGIF!