The New Way To Shop With Trunk Club Clubhouse

Raise your hand if you live for sweater weather, pumpkin spice everything and the beginning of the holidays! My favorite season is almost upon us… Fall! One thing I always strive to have in my closet are transitional pieces that can carry me from summer to fall. I look at them like investments and true staple items for my wardrobe. Think dresses used for layering, cropped jackets, and booties. The problem is I don’t always have the time (ahem I have three children) to shop for them and call me old fashioned I actually enjoy being able to try on items before I purchase them!

You might have heard me talk about Trunk Club a few times before on the blog or social media channels. I started using their service over a year ago and it is amazing. If you’re not familiar, Trunk Club is a personal styling service for men and women, perfect if you don’t have much time to shop, or you are looking for help from a stylist. You can shop with Trunk Club in person at one of their six Clubhouses (Boston, Chicago, Dallas, DC, LA, and NYC). The layout and the decor of each club house is seriously to die for. You are offered a refreshment from the bar the minute you check in for your appointment and are given your own private fitting room. These are not your average fitting rooms and the attention to detail is impeccable. Seriously, you will want to move in… or hire their interior designer!

 

 

Prior to my appointment my stylist, Simone and I brainstormed on the transitional items I was looking for and then she pulled together several pieces for me. When I arrived there was a clothing rack full of the most beautiful clothes calling my name. I enjoyed a mimosa, while Simone curated outfits for me complete with bags and jewelry.

 

I often have a really hard time trying on clothes and I usually ponder over purchasing things. The reality is I buy things in the wrong sizes and impulsively purchase items I bring home only to wear once. My friends literally make fun of me for this! At Trunk Club, Simone found the perfect fit for me, showed me how to style items several different ways and even pulled clothes I normally wouldn’t pick out for myself. Going to the Trunk Club LA Clubhouse made me feel like an actual princess for a day! I left with new outfits I could wear now and during the colder weather as well. It was a full day of shopping success! Find a Trunk Club Clubhouse near you and experience the fun for yourself! You will thank me!

 

I’m aging and here is what I am doing about it!

 

One of the first questions I get as a dermatology nurse is when do I need to start caring from my skin and what treatments do you use??

 

My answer… it is never too early to work on your skin care game and we shouldn’t even begin talking about treatments until we get your every day skin care products in check! The truth is we start aging as early as our 20’s and your skin’s repair mechanisms actually start slowing down around age 25. So the point is we could all use a little help so that we look damn good through the decades…right? Since facts don’t lie what you are putting on your skin now will determine how it looks later on. So NOW is the time to invest in anti-aging treatments, but that doesn’t mean it has to break the bank!

 

I’ve partnered with La La Daisy, a site that brings you the products you love for a fraction of the cost. They carry a multitude of high end skin, hair and makeup products at no additional mark up. I’m talking all the same products you would find at Sephora, Ulta or the Dermstore for less! This is the perfect starting point for stocking your skin care product arsenal! Use code Thechicmamas for 15% off your order!

Now let’s get down to the crucial tid bits you want to know! Here are my tried and true skin care tips for anti-aging!

 

  1. Always wash your face morning and night, even in between if you do something like hit the gym. Going without washing your face leads to sweat, makeup, and oil clogging yoru pores. This leads to dilated pores and a dull appearance to your skin. Unless you need a medicated wash for acne, find a gentle cleanser.
  2. Eye creams are a must! The skin around the eye area often is one of the first places to show age. Right now I am loving this Elastiderm Eye Cream.
  3. Find a serum that helps accelerates cellular turnover and thus aid in anti-aging. Serums that contain retinol to regenerate the skin and vitamin C to help moisturize and fight free radicals. I always ensure my face is damp prior to adding serum and I add water to my fingers before pumping out the product.
  4. SPF… the skin care product of all skin care products. You will always need to apply sun screen every morning. I have so many patients that I am treating for sun spots all along the left side of their faces or their “driver’s side”. They never thought they needed sunscreen while driving in the car!! SPF should be your BFF.
  5. Find a great moisturizer and then boost it with some hyaluronic acid (as long as you are not acne prone). Hyaluronic acid is a big drink of water for your skin and will boost your moisturizer while protecting your skin’s barrier!
  6. Remember your hands, neck, and chest need love too! I apply most of my skin care products to all of these areas as well! They need SPF too!

Why you need to love your post partum body…

The internet is an amazing thing that allows you to connect with people and research the heck out of life. Yet it also has the ability to us a great disservice in regards to social pressure to keep up with what appears to be the norm. One of the most unrealistic messages I have seen lately is in regards to women and bouncing back to their pre-baby forms. After having my twins I actually had to… gasp…unfollow some accounts with hashtags like #prebabyweight or #mombodygoals. I know those women work hard for that amazing physique but women do not need the pressure to remove all traces that they just gave birth! So I’ve partnered with Icon Underwear to share some ways I am owning my Mom Bod, dealing with some post baby issues and still loving myself along the way.
1. If you follow me on Instagram than you know I have talked about all the joys that come with motherhood. We are magical unicorns that birth humans, and it is an experience you will never forget! You know what else you will never forget?  The first time you pee your pants when you laugh, sneeze or try to workout! The last bootcamp I was at I had to tell the instructor that I could not do one more burpee because II literally just peed my pants (don’t judge me…it happens!). I don’t let a little leakage deter me from living a healthy lifestyle post partum. I found Icon undies that provide absorbent, comfortable and cute underwear. They have several styles ranging from hi-waisted, hip huggers, bikini and thongs…ain’t no granny panties here. Use code ABBY 5 at Icon for $5 off your first pair.
2. Do you realize the stress your body endured for you to carry a baby or multiples for up to 9 months? Then your body went through the marathon that is childbirth! So obviously your body has changed! My twins are 7 months old and to this day I still wear maternity clothes. I have hips and a butt, and some pretty stretched out skin in places. I tell myself every morning that if I am strong enough to birth three kids… well I am officially a badass and my new body is beyond strong. It is possible to be strong and healthy while having curves! I suggest putting these mantras on post its and sticking it to your bathroom mirror or computer to remind yourself of how magical you are!
3. Pregnancy doesn’t only change your body, it can also cause some unexpected changes to your hair! Usually once your hormones balance out after  baby, there is a dip in estrogen which causes you to shed the hair your body held onto while you were pregnant. I am talking clumps of hair coming out people… and short randoms hair sticking up all over your head! I actually embraced this one and used it as me time! I got a sitter, and off to the salon I went for a cut and color. Even if you don’t have the time to swing that, go to your drugstore, buy a hair mask and sit in the bath having 5 minutes of alone time. Thus caring for your self and your hair. Don’t worry new hair growth is happening, it just takes a minute to catch up!
4. Your feet might swell during pregnancy, and stay bigger even after your delivery. I was a size 8 my entire life until I had children. My doctor relates this to the relaxing of ligaments during pregnancy that can cause your feet to spread. For some people the change is permanent, but not for everyone. I am now a proud size 9… and apparently it is here to stay. Silver lining, I sold some of my shoes to put towards new pairs that actually fit. After all who doesn’t like shoe shopping!
Remember to be kind to yourself. Remember that you created life from that gorgeous body! Remember that I am here to completely show you what real life Motherhood looks like! Remember to appreciate that extra curve, dimple and even when you pee on yourself (trust me it’s gonna happen)… after all look at what your body has given you… that precious little baby!