heart & arrow planner giveaway with kate the almost great.

happy wednesday, everyone! i hope everyone had a great holiday weekend, we spend ours recovering from one heck of a school week so unfortunately i dont have anything super exciting to report, but today i DO have something else thats pretty exciting: a giveaway!

once again ive teamed up with kate for a super fun giveaway, and this time its for basically the coolest prize ever and guys im so freaking jealous that i cant enter myself. whats up for grabs? ill let kate take it from here: 

We're giving away a planner from Heart & Arrow Design. The winner can choose the blogger weekly planner, which I have and love dearly, or the hourly day planner, which comes in blush pink and seafoam.

Image source

The giveaway runs from 12:00 AM 5/25/15 - 11:59 PM 6/1/15. You must be 18 years old and in the USA to enter. If you cheat and say you did one of the items but you didn't, you will be disqualified. Don't be stupid (yes, this actually has happened in the past). Check out my privacy and disclosure policies for more information.

To join the June giveaway, sponsor Kate the (Almost) Great!

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how to fake your way to being a "cute mom". (sponsored by yogaoutlet.com)

outfit details: 

dress: c/o yogaoutlet.com

cardigan: target

 moccasins: minnetonka (purchased used)

glasses: zenni optical

every so often someone will make a comment about how im such a "cute mom". now, i try my best to take this as a compliment, but if were being honest here, this is usually said in a condescending tone, as if to say "oh victoria, thats so cute that you have all that extra time and money to invest in looking nice all the time, you must have such an easy life to have everything together like that", to which i say: BAHAHAHAHAAAAA. 

no. 

i do not have an easy life. i do not have ANYTHING even remotely together. i do not have time for shopping. i do not have money for shopping. and unless it is a very, very special occasion, i do not have the energy to spend more than three minutes a day caring about what i look like. 

im just really good at faking like im a cute mom. and today im going to share a few tips on how you can do it too. (also, im sorry for laughing at you, that probably wasnt very nice of me). 

1. find some comfy dresses. dresses are for SO MUCH MORE than just dressing up. most of the time, if im home doing chores/out running a billion errands, im wearing a dress. why? because the right dress (like this super soft organic cotton shift from yogaoutlet.com) feels like pajamas, but looks like you tried. all with the added bonus of being a whole outfit in one and not having to wear pants. 

2. cardigans and moccasins. cardigans are basically the same thing as sweatshirts. moccasins are basically the same thing as slippers. however, in both cases, one option says "why yes, i am handling things today" and the other says "i have lost all control over my life". and i dont know about you, but for me clothing has a profound psychological effect, and dressing like the former even when i feel like the latter actually helps.

3. less is more. you know all those clothes in your closet that dont fit/dont match anything/make you feel unattractive that (dont lie) are totally in your closet? just get rid of them. you cant ever look frumpy if you dont let yourself have the option of looking frumpy. thats logic. 

4. limit your color palette. generally speaking, i can pull any top and any bottom out of my closet and they will at least sort of coordinate. why? because if you were to look inside my closet, you'd see that (almost) everything is black, white, or grey, with the occasional pop of pink, red, and orange. sure this may sound boring, but do you have any idea how fast i can get dressed in the morning?

5. perfect the two-minute makeup routine. yes, most days i leave the house i wear makeup. no, this does not take any time at all. i wear my makeup the exact same way every day (blush, eyeshadow, winged liner, and mascara) and can get it done in about a minute and a half. i also have a teeny tiny makeup bag with just those things in my bathroom separate from the rest of my makeup so that i never have to waste time looking for things. i promise that if you can boil your makeup routine down to just the essentials, youll be able to go from sleepy to done up before anyone realizes you closed the bathroom door. 

6. memorize some lightning fast hairstyles. some women are blessed with hair that just naturally looks great all the time. i am not one of those women. thankfully, the internet has a LOT of resources for almost zero-effort hairstyles. i mean, we all know about topknots and ponytails, but what about a messy fishtail, rope braid, or scarf roll? honestly, until a few months ago, i had no idea there were so many easy thinks you can do with your hair to look like you tried. (my new favorite thing is this thing where i dont wash or brush my hair and pin up the front part and pretend like im fancy). 

7. most importantly, just own it. look, even if i did have the time/energy for beachy waves and cuffed white jeans or perfectly coordinating a necklace and hat with my top, that would look ridiculous. because thats not me and i cant pull that off. the #1 secret to being a "cute mom"? confidence. whatever your "look" is, as long as you own it, nobody will know that you cant do the normal "cute mom" things. 

so now that ive spilled all my secrets, steal them and go be cute. nobody has to know that youre not actually a "cute mom" cute mom...

(disclaimer: this post was sponsored by yogaoutlet.com and they provided the dress free for review. all other content and opinions are my own. p.s. be sure to check out their holiday gift guide for gift ideas for the yoga-inclined on your list)

sometimes, you just have to spoil yourself (sponsored by the bouqs)

do you ever have those days (or weeks, or months, for that matter) where youre just like "you know what, if i can survive this, im gonna send myself a dozen roses"? or is that just me. 

cause im gonna be completely honest, i say this all. the. time. 

but then i survive whatever it was i was going through and forget to send myself those roses. 

but this week. this week is different. i was prepared to spend a couple weeks in a weird limbo trying to get back on my feet after two weeks of birthday chaos. but i was NOT prepared for birthday chaos to end with james working out of town for six days during midterms and then having school week the next week. 

so yeah. birthday chaos (which included a week of alice being very, very sick). immediately followed by six days by myself, which included both midterms and starting a new class at the homeschool co-op. and now im driving to whittier and back twice a day, on top of school and teaching and all the stuff thats normally on my plate. 

(update: james DID find a carpool on monday for the rest of the week)

but thanks to the bouqs, i was able to preemptively send myself those roses. 

and they are truly some amazing roses:

now the bouqs, they are a totally different animal when it comes to ordering flowers: they just sell flowers. beautiful, incredibly fresh flowers (from either a farm in california or the side of an active volcano in south america), at reasonable, up front prices, with no upselling or hidden fees and the easiest ordering process ever. oh, and no ugly vases to feel bad about throwing away after the flowers die. (also, i totally dig their eco-friendly and fair trade practices). 

seriously. once i had set my sights on the hope full bouq, it took a whopping three minutes before i knew EXACTLY when this was going to arrive:

and when it did, i wasted no time getting them into my favorite vintage vase: 

and holy moly i suddenly feel a heck of a lot better about how tired and cranky and stressed out i am right now, because are those not the most ridiculously bright pink roses youve ever seen? and they were so, so fresh. like, not even opened all the way fresh. like, theyve been on the table reminding me everythings ok for a week and only just yesterday started looking sad. 

so yeah, next time i want to treat myself (or someone else) to something nice, i know where im going first: the bouqs. 

(disclaimer: this post was sponsored by the bouqs and does contain affiliate links. i received a bouq to review, but have expressed my true, honest opinions. i love these flowers, and i hate school week)

finding my real life grown up adult style (an eshakti review + an outfit post)

outfit details: 

dress: c/o eshakti 

shoes: target (old, thrifted)

necklace: gift (originally from macys

glasses: zenni opical

its been a long time since ive done a proper outfit post. and judging by the quality of these photos and how long it took me to edit them, james and i have gotten a little rusty when it comes to outfit post procedures. 

but were just going to ignore that and move on because thats not what were here today to talk about. 

see, i didnt want you guys to think that just because ive been gone all summer and ive had a big fat case of the lazies, that i havent been dressing cute and have just been flopping around in yoga pants and a stained sweatshirt all summer. oh heck no. (actually, i threw away all my old stained sweatshirts so they wouldnt even be an option, but thats a discussion for an entirely different day). 

in fact, id like to think that ive been dressing (and by extension, feeling) nicer and more attractive than ever before. because.... drumroll please.... SOMETHING CLICKED AND I FINALLY FOUND MY REAL LIFE GROWN UP ADULT STYLE AND ITS THE MOST AWESOME THING THATS EVER HAPPENED. 

ok maybe im exaggerating. but if youre going to hang around with me, you better get used to hyperbole. if you cant, we cant be friends. im sorry. 

but seriously, ive come a long, long way from where i was when i first wrote about my style struggles, and my early outfit posts just make me want to barf. but after purging my closet no less than THREE (!) times over the last couple years (and not really buying much to replace what i took out), and taking a step back to look at my wardrobe choices objectively and pragmatically, rather than potentially or theoretically, i can confidently say, ive figured out this whole "personal style" thing:

black, white, stripes, nipped waists, flared skirts, plain tops, skinny pants, bold pops of color and dainty, feminine accessories are here to stay, while novelty tshirts, empire waists, florals, sneakers, drapey knits and anything beachy/bohemian are definitely out. 

i wont say im 100% there yet with my wardrobe, seeing as i still frequently pull things out to get rid of, but im to the point where it takes me no time at all to get dressed in the morning, and nine times out of ten i feel really good about my outfit. which, coming from where i was not even a year and a half ago is a freaking miracle. 

especially considering what happened a few weeks ago, when eshakti offered to send me a dress to review. if this had happened back when i wrote those other posts, theres a pretty good chance i would have picked something awful because "i liked the idea of it" or "maybe this will work", just like every freaking time i went shopping for like two years. BUT NOT THIS TIME. 

i knew EXACTLY what i was looking for. 

and when the AMAZING airplane print dress that i wanted had a neckline i wasnt thrilled with, it wasnt a problem at all because eshakti lets you customize the necklines, hemlines, and sleeve treatments of whatever dress you pick. (unfortunately since this whole exchange happened while james was out of town i didnt have anyone to measure me so i could take advantage of the custom tailoring, but since everythings buy one get one free right now, maybe ill try it sometime soon and get a dress thats NOT super tight in the shoulders). 

ordering from eshakti was totally easy (and i love how you can browse the site by style!), shipping was exceptionally fast, and overall im really pleased with the quality (both fabric and construction) of the dress. definitely on the nicer side of what youd expect for the (retail) price point (im used to buying my higher end stuff used/on sale though so the price seemed high to me, but you really get what you pay for). 

the only thing i didnt like was the red fabric belt that came with it, but as you can clearly see, its plenty cute without it. 

so yeah, eshakti is a pretty great place to get dresses. especially right now. because, buy one get one free. 

*disclaimer, eshakti DID provide the dress sample for me to review, however i did not receive any additional compensation and all photos, views, and opinions are my own*

may call for sponsors + i want to help you grow your business!

outfit details:

top: h&m

skirt: knitted dove (bought at a sample sale, similar)

shoes: urban outfitters (old)

necklace: c/o hole in her stocking designs

glasses: zenni optical

nails: jamberry in reminisce (matte) and snapshot

this is what i wore for jamess birthday dinner date. its a skirt ive had for a while, with a pretty basic top, and some very old shoes. basically a fancier version of every outfit i ever wear. it needed something. like this adorable chunky necklace from hole in her stocking designs. i mean, if you havent noticed, black and white is kind of my jam, but the yellow bows TOTALLY keep this necklace from being too basic, if you know what i mean. i love it. you can get your own here!

and this necklace, it totally helped me figure out something really important about what i have to offer here on poverty luxe:

see, lately ive been giving a lot of thought to the direction this little blog is headed in. generally, i feel pretty accomplished as far as things like finding my niche (healthy, crafty, environmentally conscious living on a nonexistent budget), developing my content, finding my "blogging voice" (which is apparently a LOT less annoying than my "talking voice") making connections, building a platform, etc. heck, ive even planted the seeds for diversified passive income streams (which are all words that i didnt even know existed when i started doing this a year ago). 

but, lately my mind has been consumed with finding the answer to this question: now that i have this (albeit, microscopic) platform, what exactly do i want to do with it?

i mean, yeah i still want to use this blog to share my endeavors on trying to make a healthy, comfortable, enjoyable lifestyle on whatever little money we have, and if i can help or encourage or inspire others to do the same for themselves, then thats great. (and if i can maybe make you laugh a little too, then mission accomplished). 

but, what exactly can i do to you know, help spread the word about other cool folks, while still helping to financially justify how much time and effort i put into this little project (that was, ahem, supposed to be secondary to the etsy shop)? sponsorships, right?

now, dont get me wrong, i LOVE using this space to share and show off all of the wonderful blogger ladies that ive met since i started doing sponsorships, but you know who i really want to help? small business and etsy shop owners. 

and the typical banner ad/feature type deal doesnt seem to serve small businesses as well as it serves bloggers. 

so, I've added a few new sponsorship options specifically tailored to small businesses/etsy shop owners. you can read more about the details for each option on my sponsorship page, but theres one option in particular that i want to highlight, because i have jenny from dancin with a dolly to thank for it. 

see, that necklace that i talked about earlier? jenny and i did a review swap (you can read her review of my scarf here), where we each sent each other an item from our shops and reviewed them on our blogs. it was a really, really fun way for two small businesses to support each other, and its something that i would LOVE to continue offering on poverty luxe!

and what about the other options, you ask? well, theres a full brand/shop feature (which includes a weekday solo post, review, giveaway, and social media love), a product review only (thats completely free if we set up a swap), and if you just want to send an item to be included in an outfit post, you can do that too. maybe thats a lot of options, but i also REALLY want to offer affordable options for small businesses to get the word out. 

hope youre having a great week so far!

meet the sponsors: april edition!

hello everyone! hope youve been having a great week so far! today its time for one of my favorite posts of the month, meet the sponsors! as always, i am so, SO happy to introduce you to all the lovely ladies that have been hanging out on my sidebar for april! i hope that youll enjoy getting to know them as much as i have! so without any further ado, lets meet my april ladies:

first up we have kristin, she blogs over at the awesome redhead:

facebook // instagram // twitter

tell us more about you, kristen:

Hi! My name is Kristin of "The Awesome Redhead" - a little space on the internet to talk about my quirky life. I'm a graphic designer by profession and a fashionista by passion. Since I was young, I always knew that fashion would have a special place in my heart. My mom always gave me the push to try things that seemed bold and unique, and that's transitioned into my adult life with my love of sequins! The more sequins the better! 

My boyfriend and I recently moved down to Charleston South Carolina from New Jersey and are LOVING every step we are taking in this new journey together. I'm excited to showcase new (to us) places to go and see and eat at, and am so glad that I have my blog to share that with everyone. It's been fun so far seeing how it is to drop northerners into the most quintessential southern city. Thanks again for reading, and I hope you all stop by The Awesome Redhead!

my theme for april is "learn", what new skill would you most like to learn (if money and/or time were not an issue)?

If I had all the time and money in the world, I would LOVE to take cooking classes or go back to culinary school. I love to try new food and experiment with different cooking methods in my own kitchen, it would just be an amazing experience to have the proper techniques and teachings behind it.

top posts: What makes Mad Men's Christina Hendricks blush?, Oatmeal Cookies with a Cookie Butter Glaze, The redhead has returned!

next up we have jenny, of dancin with a dolly: 

twitter // facebook // pinterest

hi jenny! why dont you take a minute to introduce yourself?

Hi! My name is Jenny and I am a wife, mom to 2 year old Olivia, photographer, jewelry designer, blogger, Etsy shop owner, all around entrepreneur. I love to take in all the little things that make life worth living and live each moment as if it's my last.

and what would you most like to learn?

If I had the time and opportunity I would love to learn to masterfully sew and be able to design clothing to hopefully start my own clothing line. 

read more: Beauty Lovers Giveaway!, Am I A Hoarder?!, The Sad Truth I Learned While Working In Customer Service

now its time to meet cady of enjoy essential:

instagram // facebook // twitter // pinterest

so, cady, what do my readers need to know about you?

First of all, I am the queen of the clearance rack! I love supporting small businesses, but I refuse to spend $35 on a tank top, no matter how much I love it. One day I came up with the idea to start a one-stop shop, a small business collective featuring only products sold by small shops, handmade by wives and mamas. Enjoy Essential was created with your budget in mind! Instead of $35 tees, our are $15. Instead of $60 moccs, ours start at $15 (and we do have the pricier ones too for those of you with expensive taste!).

We have everything from women's tanks to kids tees, leggings and moccasins, to jewelry and home decor. It really is a one stop shop- with low shipping prices! Know that with every purchase, you're supporting a woman's dream, and giving back to their communities. Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@enjoy_essential) and Facebook for specials, sales and exclusive designs!

and what new skill would you love to learn? 

Given more time and money, I would love to take a class in photography. I am obsessed with those gorgeous, white photos with bright pops of color that are so trendy right now! Bloggers have such an awesome talent for staging simple items to look like a million bucks!

top picks: Don't Kill My Vibe Women's Tank, For Charity: Because I'm Worth It Tee Or Tank, Killin It Tee

now its time to meet allie, the brains behind call me sassafras:

twitter // bloglovin

why dont you tell us mores bout yourself, allie?

Hey y'all! I'm Allie and I blog at Call Me Sassafras. I like whale sharks, folk music, science and graphic design. I started my blog because I wanted a place to celebrate andown my own quirks and hopefully inspire other women to radically embrace themselves in the same way. When you visit Call Me Sassafras, expect to find that science isn't scary (even if you're not a "science person"), a happy + productive life is your choice + that pretty things are oh-so-important. And you better believe there will be plenty of sass along the way. 

and what would you like to learn?

I would most like to learn how to do my own website and blog coding. As a blogger, I hate having to hire someone to tweak my blog every time I want to change it (aka approximately twice a day)--especially when I feel like it's something I should be able to do myself!

get reading: It's Hard to Be a Multipassionate Blogger, Missing Links: a big dose of science, Finding Inspiration for Your Blog Posts

and last, but certainly not least, we have laura, of side street style: 

twitter // instagram // bloglovin // pinterest

tell us about your adorable family, laura:

We are a creative couple who also happen to be parents to an awesome little man. We love to travel, eat good food, enjoy the outdoors and indulge in our passion for fashion and interiors while attempting to be great hands-on parents. John is a traditional barber and Laura is a snap happy girl and South Africa Expat living the Wales, UK

and what do you want to learn?

Laura would love to train as a forest school teacher as well as have the time to write a illustrate a children's book.

good reads: TRAVEL INSPIRATION AND SIMPLE PLEASURES, THE CONSCIOUS COLLECTION, BEACH ADVENTURES PART 1

hope you had a great time meeting all my sponsor ladies! want to get in on next months meet the sponsors post? check out my sponsor page for details!

sponsor spotlight: lauren of sincerely, lo

happy tuesday everyone! today i have the very special honor of introducing the beautiful lady thats been gracing the bottom of my posts this month, lauren of sincerely, lo:

im so, so happy to have lauren here on poverty luxe, and i really hope that all of you guys have as much fun getting to know her as i have!

why don't you start by introducing yourself to my readers? 

Hello everyone! I'm Lauren and I blog over at Sincerely, Lo. My blog is a lifestyle blog that is full of Jesus, my adorable husband and our newlywed journeys together. I am a Southern girl at heart and home. 

how long have you been blogging, and what got you started?

I have been blogging since October of last year. I have many friends who are also bloggers. I constantly read and fell in love with their blogs so one day, I decided to create my own! 

what are your favorite blogs to read and why?

Oh goodness, I dont know where to start. Some of my favorites are Mr. Thomas & me, Love Danica, Oh Simple Thoughts, Lovely does it, Happily Ever Strader, Bloom and of course the lovely Poverty Luxe. There are many reasons I love all these blogs. First off, they are all such sweet girls that I have had the blessing of knowing. Secondly, I just love their blogs! I love the topics, the character, everything! 

where do you find your biggest inspiration?

Some of my biggest blogging inspiration comes from girls who are 100% real. It is so easy to only tell the good things that happen. I love open and honest writers who literally write about it all. It inspires me to get on a more personal level with my readers so they can feel like they have someone to relate to. 

whats the biggest lesson you've learned from blogging, and advice do you have for new bloggers starting out?

I have learned to put yourself out there. When I first started, I had no clue how so many bloggers were able to sponsor people and meet so many new friends. Find bloggers you love and email them. The friendships that you will create and the advise they will give you about blogging will be wonderful! 

what  are your hobbies/passions outside of blogging?

Outside of blogging, I am a full time worker and a full time student. I enjoy photography, remodeling furniture and anything that has to do with interior decorating! 

five random facts about you:

1. I am a management major, seeking a degree in radiological technology and earning my real estate license on the side. A lot to handle is an understatement :)

2. I get told I look like Taylor Swift at least once a week

3. I am known to have an old soul. Seriously, the things that happen in the world shock me 24/7

4. I am terrified of spiders, heights and airplanes

5. I am a horrible cook. Ask my husband.

you can learn more about lauren over on her lovely blog, and be sure to follow along on facebook, twitter, and instagram!

want to get featured in a future sponsor spotlight post? just check out my sponsorship page for details!

sponsor spotlight: gipsy dharma footwear

today i am super excited to introduce you to this months in-post sponsor, gipsy dharma. 

gipsy dharma is a company based in the uk that makes beautiful handmade leather boots:

now, youve probably noticed from my outfit posts that im just about always wearing flats. in fact, if the situation doesnt absolutely require shoes, im barefoot.  honestly, im really not that into fancy shoes unless theyre SUPER comfortable. id rather wear moccasins. 

but sometimes you need something more attractive than moccasins. these boots seem like the perfect happy medium between attractive and comfortable (seriously, they look SO soft and comfy!) and they come in SO.MANY.COLORS. my favorite is this purple suede pair:

what i really like about gipsy dharma (besides the super cute boots, obviously), is that they have a VERY thourough faq page with EVERYTHING you could possibly need to know about their sizing so that you can be sure to get the right fit (as well as anything else you want to know), because for me, buying shoes online is always kind of scary. gipsy dharma goes out of their way to make sure its not. 

like i said, gipsy dharma is located in the uk, so all of their prices are in gbp. HOWEVER, they do ship worldwide AND have a handy-dandy currency converter right in the site so you dont have to look up the exchange rate, which makes international shipping a whole lot simpler. 

oh, and one more great thing, they give away a COMPLETELY FREE PAIR OF BOOTS EVERY WEEK on their Facebook page. free boots! every week! how awesome!

be sure to check out the gipsy dharma shop, and dont forget like them on Facebook (especially if you want to get in on the free boots giveaway!). 

seriously though, i wish we had room in out budget for the purple pair. which pair is your favorite?