Thrifty Wife Happy Life

What I Wore- Weekday Wardrobe

August 5, 2017 by Katie Haller

This past week was my professional development week at work. I always look forward to this week every year. It’s not because I love sitting through the same boring trainings that I’ve sat through for the last 3 years. It’s because I look forward to planning out my outfits for each day and wearing something fun and different than my normal work clothes. I have a lot of restrictions in the classroom working with the kids every day, so when I’m sitting at a training all day, I can wear some of the things that I’d like to get more use out of in my closet. This week I was able to wear wedge sandals, blazers, white pants and dresses that I typically wouldn’t wear in the classroom.

Here’s a look at my outfits from the past week.

*This post contains affiliate links which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support.

I’m going to start with last Friday because it was our last day of school funfair for the kids. I wore my pink maxi dress with my denim blazer.

Thritty Wife, Happy Life- Daily outfits. Pink maxi dress with denim vest

Dress- Target (similar) || Denim Vest- Savers (similar) || Shoes- Target (similar)

On Monday I wore my white pants with my burnt orange cardigan. I liked the color combo with the turquoise accessories and white pants. I also decided to wear my cognac wedges, because I never get the chance to wear any kind of heal in the classroom.

Thritty Wife, Happy Life- Daily outfits. Orange cardigan with white pants and turquoise accessories

Top- Old Navy (similar) || Pants- Target (similar) || Cardigan- H&M (similar) || Purse- Last Call Neiman Marcus (exact) || Necklace- Nordstrom Rack (similar)

Tuesday was my favorite look. I found this swing tank top at Target in the clearance section last weekend for under $7! I have a similar tank in navy and it’s one of my favorite tanks this summer. I wore it with my grey LC Lauren Conrad blazer that I love, but rarely get to wear.

Thritty Wife, Happy Life- Daily outfits. Grey blazer with stripe swing tank top

Thritty Wife, Happy Life- Daily outfits. Stripe swing tank top with jeans and wedge sandals

Top- Target (similar) || Jeans- Hollister- thrifted from the Good Will (similar) || Blazer- Kohl’s (exact)|| Shoes- Target (similar) || Purse- Last Call (exact) || Necklace- Savers (similar)

Wednesday I went with a dress. I haven’t worn this pink stripe t-shirt dress since I was pregnant and I’ve missed it. I always think it looks nice with my denim jacket.

Thritty Wife, Happy Life- Daily outfits. Pink stripe dress with denim jacket

Dress- Old Navy (exact/ similar) || Jacket- Meijer (similar) || Shoes- Target (exact) || Necklace- Kohl’s (similar)

Thursday was a repeat of my white pants and denim jacket. I wore my Gap navy and white stripe t-shirt with my lace up faux suede flats. I figure I never get a chance to wear my white pants, so I’d get good use out of them and wear them twice.

Thritty Wife, Happy Life- Daily outfits. Navy stripes with white pants

Top- Gap-thrifted from Goodwill (similar) || Pants- Target (similar) || Jacket- Meijer (similar) || Shoes- Ross (similar) || Purse- Savers (similar) || Necklace- Burlington Coat Factory (similar)

Those are my outfits from training. Next week I’ll be in my classroom getting it ready for my new class. I hope all the teachers out there have great start to the new school year. I’m sure I’ll be sharing more of my daily outfits on Instagram, so look for them there!

Summer Favorites- Beauty Product Essentials

August 4, 2017 by Katie Haller

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Summer affordable beauty essentials

Welcome back to my summer favorites series. Last week I was focused on my wardrobe favorites (in case you missed the post read about it here), but this week I am switching gears to talk about my favorite beauty products that I’ve been using this summer.

When it comes to the beauty products that I use, I tend to stick with the products that I like. My favorites don’t usually change from year to year, but every now and again I try something new that I really love. I always gravitate to affordable products, because they are always accessible and my wallet likes them. It doesn’t scare me to buy a $5 lipstick to try out a new color. If the color was in the $20 range or higher, I might be a little more hesitant to try it.

Here is a list of my current favorite beauty products.

*This post contains affiliate links which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support.

1.) Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion- I love this lotion. It has SPF 15, so I use it as my daily lotion in the summer to give my skin some extra protection from the sun. It’s moisturizing, lightweight and not greasy at all like other sunscreens and lotions. That’s why it’s one of my summer favorites. There is nothing worse than using a heavy, greasy lotion when it’s super hot out.

2.) Garnier BB 5 in 1 Miracle Cream- I’ve been using this bb cream for a while now and I love it. I like to use it as a foundation. It goes on very sheer, so it’s perfect if you don’t want to wear a heavy foundation when it’s hot outside.

3.) Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation- I tend to have oily skin, so I’m always looking for a good foundation that’s not going to feel heavy on my skin or oily. I was attracted to this foundation because of the low price, but it ended up becoming one of my favorite foundations. I think that this line was marketed for teenagers who typically have oily skin, which is perfect for my skin because sometimes I think it never grew up.

4.) E.L.F. Bronzer Palette- I bought the Turks and Caicos bronzer/blush palette this spring. At first, I was worried because it looked like it was really dark and it had a shimmer to it, but after trying it and using it for a while I started to really love it. I have pretty fair skin, but I tan in the summer, so the color blends perfectly. I was surprised that it wasn’t as dark as it looked and it has more of a matt finish despite the shimmery look it has in the case.

5.) Burt’s Bees- I am someone who finds something that they like and I stick with it. Burt’s Bees has been my favorite chapstick for years. I just love the minty feel on my lips. You have to keep your lips moisturized in the dry heat and for the price, I think that Burt’s Bees is the best option.

6.) Olay Complete All Day Moisture with SPF- It’s very dry living in the desert, so I always need some kind of moisturizer for my face. As I said before, my skin is pretty oily, so finding the right moisturizer can be hard. I ended up going with this brand last time because it had SPF and I liked the price. It’s perfect for wearing under your foundation or on its own. I like to wear it as my face sunscreen at the pool.

7.) Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Polish- Of all the millions of nail polish brands that I’ve bought over the years, Sally Hansen has to be my favorite. I love that it’s accessible. You can buy it at almost any store. I buy my nail polish at the grocery store because I’m there 2 to 3 times a week. I love that it’s a great price. I really like the Xtreme Wear because it’s under $3. It’s also always a quality brand. The polish lasts long, it goes on smooth and it has a nice shine to it. My favorite color for summer has been White On.

8.) Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss- I’m always trying to add some color to my lips, so I recently bought this lip gloss in the super natural color and I love it. The color is perfect year round, but I especially love a little light color in the summer. It’s perfect for someone like me, who doesn’t like too bright of a color on my lips, but doesn’t want my lips to feel left out.

So there you have it. Those are my favorites this summer. Next week I will be talking all about my favorite summer accessories. I hope you stick around for it!

Summer Favorites- Wardrobe Essentials

July 28, 2017 by Katie Haller

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Summer Wardrobe Favorites- 5 summer clothing essentials

We are officially in the dog days of summer. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer. Who doesn’t? But sometimes I get really bored with my summer wardrobe. The heat can really limit you on what you can wear. In the spring I get so excited for shorts, sandals, and dresses, but by the end of July, I really start missing my jeans and cardigans.

To help me pull through these last few weeks of summer, I’ve decided to do a 3 part series to focus on all my summer favorites. I will be sharing all my favorite summer wardrobe pieces, beauty products, and accessories. Today I want to start off my series by talking about my favorite everyday summer wardrobe pieces.

As I said before, getting dressed in the summertime can be challenging when it’s 110 degrees outside, but I have narrowed down my closet to 5 must-have clothing items that I’ve had on repeat this summer.

*This post contains affiliate links which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support.

LBD- If you’ve been reading along, you know I love a great black dress. I live in these dresses during the summer. I really just love how versatile black is. It can be accessorized in so many ways.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Summer Wardrobe Favorites- Black sundress with denim vest

Denim vest- I bought my denim vest for $2.50 at Savers a couple months ago and it might have been the best 2 dollars and 50 cents that I spent all summer! The sleeveless style makes it perfect for layering in the heat.

Jean shorts- I prefer to wear long jeans, but when it’s really hot, jean shorts have been my go-to bottoms. I bought this Abercrombie pair of shorts (seen below) at Savers for $5 this past January. They are a little on the short side, but they’re super comfortable and have quickly become my favorite pair of shorts.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Summer Wardrobe Favorites- jean shorts

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Summer Wardrobe Favorites-lose fitting tank tucked into jean shorts

Loose-fitting tank tops- I am just loving to lose tank tops that you can tuck into your shorts. I’m loving this look because it’s much more flattering and comfortable than a fitted tank.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Summer Wardrobe Favorites-lose fitting tank tucked into jean shorts with converse

Maxi dresses- The hardest part of getting dressed in the summertime, is figuring out how to dress for work. I can’t wear shorts, sandals or thin tank tops. I find maxi dresses a great summer clothing item for work because they help me stay covered up, but they are also comfortable to wear in the heat.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life || Summer Wardrobe Favorites-stripe maxi dress with denim vest

Those are my 5 go-to favorite pieces of clothing this summer. Stay tuned for next week when I will be sharing my favorite beauty products of the summer!

How to Wear a Little Black Sundress

July 25, 2017 by Katie Haller

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Making the Most of Your Wardrobe

I feel like out of all my closet staple pieces, nothing compares to a little black dress. You just can never go wrong with it. I have a ton of LBD’s in my closet. Some are dressier and some are more casual. I am more likely to hang on to a black dress for years if I like it. The main reason I like black is that I can wear it over and over again in new ways each time. It’s hard to get sick of a black dress.

For today’s posts, I picked out an older black sundress that I’ve had in my closet for a while. (similar here) It’s from Target and I’ve always liked the style of this dress. It’s fitted at the waist and has ruffles at the top.

Here are 3 easy ways to style this LBD.

*This post contains affiliate links which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support.

For the first look, I dressed it up with my grey blazer and black wedge sandals. To accessorize I wore my blush purse and blush necklace.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Black ruffled dress with grey blazer, black strapy wedge sandals and blush purse

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Blush accessories with black strapy wedge sandals

Blazer-LC Lauren Conrad Kohl’s (exact) || Shoes- Target (similar) || Purse- Ross (similar)

This next look is a perfect summer work look for me. I wore my tan sweater and blush flats, then accessorized with the same blush purse as above and a pink bead necklace.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Black ruffle dress with blush accessories

Sweater- Old Navy (similar) || Purse- same as above || Shoes- Burlington Coat Factory (similar) || Necklace- Target (similar)

This last look is my go-to weekend look. It’s perfect to wear anywhere we go on the weekends. I wore my denim jacket with my cognac braided sandals then accessorized with my favorite turquoise pendant necklace and cognac purse.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Black dress with denim jacket

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Black dress with denim jacket, accessoried with turquoise and cognac

Denim Jacket- Meijer (similar) || Purse- Last Call Neiman Marcus (exact) || Shoes- Target (exact) || Necklace- Nordstrom Rack (similar)

Below I picked out 8 black sundresses that I am loving right now. They are all under $25! You can’t go wrong with that!

Adding a Pop of Red to your Summer Wardrobe- A Year of Color

July 21, 2017 by Katie Haller

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- How to add a pop of red to your summer wardrobe

Happy Friday everyone! I’m very excited to be teaming up with some of my fellow blogger friends to join in as a host for the monthly link-up “A Year of Color”. Each month of the year there is a new color theme and this month’s color is red.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- A Year of Color Link Up

I don’t think that anyone can ignore the color red. I mean think of a red sports car, a red room, a red dress or even red food. It’s so bright and bold. That’s why when I do red, I like to take it in with small doses.

When it comes to my wardrobe, I have a couple ways that I like to add a little pop of red to my looks without standing out more than I want to. I typically save red for Christmas time, but there is another time of year that I love to wear red and that is summertime. With all the patriotic holidays during the warmer months, it always gives me an excuse to bring out some red in my outfits. That’s why today I’m going to share 3 ways that I like to add a pop of red into my everyday looks during the summertime.

*This post contains affiliate links which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support.

The first way I will wear red is to wear my red cropped jeans. A few years back, when I was in need of some business casual clothes for work, I wanted to find a pair of colored pants that I could wear to work as an alternative to my black pants. I ended up finding these cute cropped pants at Kohl’s on clearance for only $5. I just had to buy them. I have gotten a lot of use out of these pants over the years. I feel like they are such an easy way to add a little pop of color into a typical neutral look.

Here is an example of a summer outfit I would wear to work.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Adding a pop of color with red jeans

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- red jeans with black wedge shoes

Top- LC Lauren Conrad (exact) || Bottoms- Kohl’s (similar) || Shoes- Target (similar)

The next way I like to add some red to my look is to accessorize with red jewelry. I love my red bead necklace. I’ve had it for years. I actually bought this necklace when I went through a red accessory phase in college. I love pulling it out for Christmas and most recently I wore it for the 4th of July. (You can check out my 4th of July look here)

This is an example of how I wore my necklace a couple weeks ago with a simple striped dress.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Stripe dress with a red bead necklace

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Adding a pop of color to a black and white dress

Dress- Target (similar) || Shoes- Target (similar) || Necklace- Aldo (similar)

The last way that I like to add red into my wardrobe, is with red nail polish. I love red nails! It’s so classic and reminds me of the women from the 1950’s and 60’s. I do my nails every week and I probably rotate this cherry red color once or twice a month.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- cherry red nails for summer

Nail Polish- Sally Hansen Extreme Wear Cherry Red (similar color)

How do you incorporate red into your wardrobe? Be sure to leave your link below and share your red posts for July!!

Next months link up will be on August 18th and our color theme is Neon! Hope to see you then!

An InLinkz Link-up

Mom Blog Picture Fails

July 17, 2017 by Katie Haller

Hey everyone! It’s Monday and on Monday’s I like to try to share a mom or family post for Mommy Monday. I don’t always get around to posting one, but today I had an idea for a fun mom post.

I’m not sure about you, but I spend a lot of time on social media looking at other people’s pictures and I love it and hate it all at the same time. I love getting inspired by other people’s photos, but at the same time, everyone on social media makes their lives look so perfect. They post these perfect pictures of their perfect lives and for some reason, we all feel like we need to keep up with that perfect image. I’m defiantly guilty of that. I don’t want to share an ugly picture of myself, or talk about a fight I got into with my husband. We only share the good.

Recently, I was going through my pictures on my phone and deleting the photos I don’t need when I came across some funny pictures that didn’t really turn out so great. If you’re a mom and you have ever tried to capture the perfect picture with your little one, you know how hard it can be. All those perfect moms with their kids didn’t get that shot on a first try. Trust me. Today I wanted to get real with you and share some of my not so great mommy and me pictures with Jack.