Juice Cleanse

It's no secret that I'm a picky eater. I love trying new foods and spicing things up, but I've been dairy free for a few months now because most foods just leave me feeling gross.

For years I've heard about Juice Cleanses. Trendy ones, dangerous ones, expensive ones, easy ones, and have always thought about doing it. (Most of the time I buy things for it and then wake up and eat my regular bagel like usual - oops!) But this week I had an entire week off from work, not a lot of school-related things to do, and decided that I would finally commit. I bought a little bit of all juices and didn't subscribe to any specific programs (so expensive!) - Naked Juice, Odwalla, Suja, and some homemade smoothies.

Disclaimer: I did not do this to lose weight (although that would be a nice benefit), I did it because so many foods lately leave me bloated or feeling sick, and I had read so many stories of feeling energized, full, and healthy from juice cleanses. 

After a couple days, my thoughts are as follows:

First, it's hard to feel "cleansed" or "healthy" when you're distracted by feeling hungry. I would love to say that I felt energized and operating at 100%, but the honest truth is I was mostly just feeling hungry the whole time. It's hard to tell whether my body feels better or worse, when the only thing you feel is the desire for popcorn and pizza.

Second, it is expensive. Buying groceries for a week normally sets me back $40, and that's to feel full all the time (For 7 days in a week, 3 meals a day, that's about $1.90 a meal not counting snacks). Each juice (and I got the cheaper versions) is $5-$9, making for quite an expense when you're investing in a couple days worth of them.

Third, you're certainly losing weight - but for what cost? I don't feel healthy when I'm not eating. Normally I prefer diets where you can eat as much as you want of certain foods, so that you can feel full but feel healthy at the same time. This was not one of those diets, and I'm interested to see whether the weight stays off.

In general, I'm not sure whether juice cleanses are for me. I'm certainly glad I tried it - and I may do it again - but I would love to hear feed back about what programs & tips work for all of you!

Easter Look

Wanted to stop by to say Happy Easter, and share the Lilly Pulitzer dress I styled! It was sunny out but a little brisk, so I threw on my favorite boots and an extra long cardigan with the APS dress I snagged this summer. Hope everyone has a relaxing and happy holiday!

Spring Style

Spring is such a fun time for style. I love getting a little expiremental during these months and wearing things I usually wouldn't. In summer I wear dresses all day every day, because I get too hot wearing anything else. In winter I wear sweaters every day, or else I get too cold. Spring and Fall are great because I get to mix and match my favorite styles from both hot and cold. 

Today I'm sharing one of my spring looks. While this might not look too experimental - it is for me! I hated showing any midriff for the longest time, and now I'm trying to get a little bit more comfortable with a little tummy breeze.

I paired a denim top with some patterned denim (one of my favorite spring pieces, every year!) and added a cardigan on top for a little extra warmth.

Outfit details:

Chambray Button-Down from J.Crew

Patterned Denim Jeans from Vineyard Vines

Cardigan from J.Crew Factory Store

White Sneakers from Keds

My Florida Trip

I just spent the best week in Florida! After another cold winter, I was so excited when we booked the tickets to go to Naples for a week. While I *technically* graduated, this was still my boyfriend's Spring Break, and it was nice because we never went on one together while I was actually in college. I could write so many fun things we did, but I narrowed it down to my favorites - in case anyone is thinking of visiting Naples, Florida!

Sunsets (Every. Single. Night)
Being on the west coast of Florida, it's like getting a real West Coast sunset. Every single night was so pretty in it's own way. Most nights, Nathan and I would get ready for dinner and then go sit on the beach and watch the sunset, and then walk into the downtown for dinner and ice cream. It was the perfect way to end every day, and super relaxing!

We went to Lowdermilk Beach almost every time, because of their close proximity to the bathrooms and a little snack shack. The Naples Pier Beach was just as beautiful, but a lot more crowded every day!

Everglades National Park
The Everglades is only a 40 minute drive from Naples, so it seemed like a waste to not visit them while we were there! We got breakfast and headed down to the national park, stopping at one of the famous airboat tours. I had never been on an airboat before - and while I do get a little nervous around the alligators, it was so fun to travel high speed through the everglades and see all the nature. We drove further down and got lunch at a little Cuban restaurant - it was a perfect day!

Naples Botanical Gardens
This was definitely my favorite spot in Naples. I'm not particularly crazy or well-educated on plant species, but walking around the gardens was so relaxing and so fun for a hot afternoon. They have different themed spots - whether it Florida plants, Brazilian, or (my personal favorite) Asian.

Relaxing!
Of course, my favorite part of each of these trips is getting to spend time with friends or family. This was the first time Nathan had brought me home to Florida to visit his mom, and it was so nice to see where he spends his time, and to see some of his family as well! 

Inside my Carry-On

I love traveling. Flying is so relaxing for me, because it gives me quiet time to read or write or (when I was in school) catch up on homework. Packing - not so much. I always make these intense packing lists and then end up throwing everything in my bag last minute and hoping I have a little bit of everything.  While my duffel bag continues to be a mess, the one thing I have an easy time packing is my carry-on bag.

My carry-on is easy to pack, because I think of it as just everything I would want or need on a plane or layover. This was made even easier once I started investing in cute pouches for all the things I need - small makeup bags, sunglasses case, iPad case, etc. So I've included an easy list of all the basic things I keep in my carry-on.

My Knock-Off Cartier Love Bracelets

The question I get more often than anything from my friends is: where did I get my knock-off Cartier Love bracelet? So I thought I would post it on here!

Because I am a college student with expensive tastes, I started looking into a place to buy a bracelet that looked like a Cartier Love bracelet - worn by celebrities and bloggers alike. After every single website and video I looked at suggested a different place, I went out on my own and found a seller on eBay.

My motto was: for $1.80, I don't really care whether the bracelet lasts more than a month, as long as I can wear it a couple times and take some cute pictures with it (and maybe have some people think it's real!) I officially just passed the three month mark, and these bracelets are still in great condition! I bought the Rose Gold one for myself, and my boyfriend (noticing how much I wore it) bought me two more Silver ones for Christmas.

Here's the link to the seller! Enjoy!

Workin' on my Fitness

One thing I have been trying to get better at is consistently working out. Throughout college, I would go through waves where I would work out every day - then back to months without any real physical activity. After full days in classes and doing homework, all I wanted to do was just watch Netflix, not jump on a treadmill.

Since finishing classes, I have been trying to work out at least three days a week - and I had no clue how hard it would be, as someone who had a lot of work to do to get back into shape.

I've decided to share some quick tips that keep me inspired to work out. Remember: working out is ~literally~ addictive, so all I used was these tricks to get myself in the habit, and now it feels weird on the days I don't work out!

1. Buy cute workout clothes

This sounds silly, but honestly, once I started investing in what I wore to the gym - going to the gym was so much easier. Like any new outfit that you are itching to wear, I bought new running shoes and leggings and started going to the gym just so I could wear them!

2. Save your favorite TV shows for the gym

This may not work for people who have problems with motion sickness - but I love bringing my iPad with me to the gym so I can watch Netflix. It's great first because it covers up the treadmill/bike/stairmaster screen so you aren't staring at the clock the entire workout. Second, it's something that I absolutely know will distract me the entire time, and it guarantees I will have a longer workout. Even if I feel like I can't run anymore, I stay walking on the treadmill just because I want to finish my show! Fast-paced shoes like crime dramas and thrillers are my go-to.

3. Don't workout out of guilt

I think the reason that my previous attempts at staying fit never lasted was because I was only doing it because I felt fat after a big meal, or I was aiming for a certain weight. Once I felt better about that meal or got close to that weight, then I would go back to my old lazy habits. This time my goals are to gain muscle, and feel healthy.

Days Off

Because I work two jobs, I don't have many days off. So when I do, I love to just walk around and get outside since normally I'm stuck inside all day and not being very active. Today my sister Audrey and I woke up early to get coffee, run errands, and adventure around southern Maine a little bit.

Since we live in the woods, it's no surprise that we have a lot of farms surrounding my house. These are so cute to walk around in the Spring and Summer when there are horses and animals around, but they can be just as pretty in the winter.

The next day we went for a walk on an island just off the coast of our town - Mackworth Island. This is a fun place to walk around in the winter because it's pretty, and there are tons of dogs running around which makes it even better!

It was even over 20 degrees out when we went - so naturally as true Mainers, we wore dresses! (I would not recommend)

Beauty Blogger Tag

Hi! First I want to thank Erica Aube for tagging me to answer some questions with some of my favorite bloggers. I'm excited to let everyone know me a little bit more - since I know sometimes I get wrapped up in just people, places, and things and don't share much about myself.

The challenge for this tag is to answer 10 questions about myself. Let's get started!

Rules for the tag:

• Tag the Blogger who nominated you
• Answer the questions you were given
• Nominate 5 bloggers whose blog is about beauty, fashion, or lifestyle
• Come up with 10 questions for your nominees
• Inform the Bloggers that you nominated them

Questions for me:

1. What is your blog about?

Fashion and lifestyle, and motivating yourself to stay fashionable and fit when you're not in a fast-paced city that is constantly encouraging it!

2. Why did you start blogging?

I started my blog with the purpose of sharing my tips and tricks for staying fashionable when you aren't really surrounded by much fashion. I went to college in upstate Maine where there was no shopping (other than a Sears and Wal Mart) and everyone around me dressed in layers consisting of sweat pants and sweaters. I wanted to have a place where I felt comfortable dressing up and sharing ways to stay fashionable (even when it's hard)!

3. What's your favorite form of social media?

Instagram all day! (@abbiemaine)

4. What's your favorite item in your closet?

It changed with the seasons... but right now it's got to be my LLBean Fisherman Sweater!

5. What's your current favorite song?

I'm on a real guilty pleasure Dixie Chicks kick right now.

6. Who inspires you the most?

My mom

7. What's your favorite season?

Fall!

8. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go, and why?

I'm very excited for my upcoming trip to Spain and Greece, but I've always also wanted to go to Turkey & Romania... not sure why. I think I've read too many books based there!

9. What's your favorite color?

Pink!

10. What's your favorite quote?

"She quietly expected great things to happen to her, and no doubt that's one of the reasons why they did"

Bloggers I Tag:

Caitlin Marie (Your Typical Prep)

Kim Lane (Simple Yet Chic)

Sam Chimel (Little Miss American)

Jen Daddario (Red White Denim)

Ashley (Preppy Miss)

Same questions! Can't wait to see everyone's answers!

Pine Tree Travels: Falmouth, ME

This is part of a series I'm hoping to do on beautiful places to go in Maine. The first place I've chosen is right in my backyard - Town Landing! This quintessential Maine spot is right on the water in Falmouth, and it includes a tiny marketplace, a pier, and a little beach.

You'll first thing you'll see is the Town Landing Market which is at the top of the hill which leads to the beach. This little Market was built around 1880 and has tons of treats, a deli, and some seafood. Right now it's still decorated for Christmas which makes it even more adorable!

Down the road, you'll find the water. During the winter, you'll see some locals walking their dogs or just taking pictures (guilty). In the summer it's much more busy, with people tanning and hanging out.

My Favorite Bag

I just had to do a post about my favorite bag, because it is back in stock this Spring at Kate Spade. This bag is perfect because it is big and can hold everything in it including anything I would need for classes or extracurriculars.

This bag holds absolutely everything - and it's so cute! It's pretty plain but it's scalloped edges give it a girly touch, which means it pairs perfectly with a pretty plain outfit if you're trying to spice it up with a pop of pink.

In pictures:
J.Crew Vest // Madewell Sweater // Hunter Boots

Kate Spade Tote // Kate Spade iPad Case // Kate Spade Planner

J.Crew Makeup Bag // Lilly Pulitzer Pencil Pouch

How To Paint: You Gotta Regatta

 Whether it was for sorority crafts, or just doodling while I was bored in class... I became a bit of a perfectionist when it came to painting Lilly Pulitzer prints. This is (what I hope) the first in a series of posts I've been meaning to do with step-by-step paintings of some of my favorite Lilly prints. 

The first print I chose is my favorite: You Gotta Regatta

1. Outline the sailboats
Do this in pencil first! I forgot to take a picture before I had painted over in the dark blue, but it's much easier (and less nerve wracking) if there's a pencil outline to follow when you're painting the shapes of the boats.

2. Add color

Four main colors are used in the You Gotta Regatta boats: Dark Blue (used for the outline of the boats only!), Green, Yellow, and Pink. Some drawings use Orange as well, but I opted for two shades of Pink so that it would match my room well (which is mainly decorated in blue and pink). Don't be afraid to switch up the colors for whatever works for you!

3. Add the waves

This is by far the easiest part - but also the most tedious! Use light blue, switching up how light and dark the strokes are to give it a little depth. Be sure to keep the strokes very short (don't do long squiggles across the whole canvas, do many short ones instead). There is also an option to mix a small amount of dark blue waves in as well, but I settled for varying heaviness of the light blue.

4. Hang your masterpiece!

Here's how my finished piece looked hung over my couch. I hope this tutorial helped, and feel free to leave any questions in the comments!

Winter-izing your Lilly Pulitzer

When you live in Maine, it seems ridiculous to invest in something like Lilly Pulitzer. With the light fabric and bright patterns, Lilly is a quintessential summer staple, and it can feel weird wearing it in the dead of winter. Today, I wanted to share some of my tips and tricks for "winterizing" your Lilly Pulitzer in cold weather, so you can enjoy those beautiful summer patterns all year long!

1. Style a popover like a sweater

Yes, a popover is not as warm as a sweater, but if you place a warm undershirt or spandex underneath your popover, and a vest on top - it can feel just as warm!

2. Commit to bright colors in the winter

Just because an outfit has bright colors, doesn't mean it can't look meant for winter. Don't be afraid to pair light colored vests and accessories with Lilly to commit to a bright style in winter. You might stand out a little, but that's better than blending in!

3. Don't be afraid to layer

One of my favorite tricks is to take a Marlowe dress and turn it into an outfit. The sleeves of the Marlowe add a little extra insulation, and with a sweater on top you can stay nice and cozy in the cold weather!

Featured:

Lilly Pulitzer Popover

Patagonia Fleece Vest

Vineyard Vines Vest

Lilly Pulitzer Marlowe Dress

J.Crew Sweater