ankle boots Archives - Popcorn and Pandas

Pre-Pregnancy Jeans

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About 10 days ago, I decided to try on these pre-pregnancy jeans and I was pleasantly surprised I could BUTTON them!!! Only 1 week before, I couldn’t. They are still a little tight, but they are proof of the progress I am making on my post partum journey. I have completed two full fitness programs since I had my 3rd baby in August, and I am currently in the middle of another. I haven’t been super strict or hard on myself in terms of nutrition this time around. I am making healthy choices for the most part and following my plan (save some wine and some weekend indulgences), but I am nursing a tiny human! I want to enjoy balance and the holidays…and hell, I birthed a human…it takes TIME! I HAVE been staying very consistent with my workouts, because I know how important it is for me to move my body not only physically but mentally. And while these were a little tight to squeeze on, it felt good to know that the rest of my normal clothing is in my near future!

I had also been eyeing this gorgeous Cloudspun sweater from American Eagle for awhile, so when it went on sale for Black Friday, I had to scoop it up! Unfortunately this color is now sold out, but they have four other beautiful colors from which to choose!

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Cloudspun Sweater: American Eagle (unfortunately this color is sold out, but they have four other beautiful colors from which to choose and they are all on sale!) / Jeans: ZARA (my old pre-pregnancy jeans that I can finally button again, whoop whoop!) – similar / Booties: Target (old) – also like these / Earrings and Bracelet: Selah Box / Lip: MAC Heartless – discontinued, but try Brave Red

This week has been busy busy with holiday shopping and activities (Santa and Dyker Heights Christmas lights!) and trying out our brand new workout program that will be officially launching mid-January. It’s going to be only TWENTY minutes, you guys! I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty perfect for this busy mama. I’m filling up my group now, so for those of you who are looking for a plan of action in 2019, let’s get to chatting!

This weekend we have a few holiday parties coming up and we are taking the boys to the NY Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show, because they have pretty much been waiting to go back since last year. This time of year is my absolutely favorite, so while it’s busy with work, I’m trying to soak up every second I can with the fam!

What do you love about this time of year?

XO,

Gina

Plaid + (Faux) Fur

(Faux) Chinchilla Fur Jacket: Express (a couple years old, but similar here) / Plaid Button Up: Target (on sale!) / Denim: Rag & Bone / Booties: Target (on sale!) / Sunglasses: ModCloth / Bracelets: Tory Burch (similar), Stella & Sparkle / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: Lancome Luxe

Call me crazy, but I absolutely adore the mix of plaid & fur right now! To me, it’s a perfect fall or winter look. I was gifted this amazing jacket for Christmas a couple years ago, and I recently scored this bright button up at Target. Mixed the two together, and boom. I all the sudden look a lot more put together than I really am. 😉

I wore this on a little trip to downtown Annapolis when we were visiting family and friends for the holidays. We started at Miss Shirley’s for breakfast. Let me tell you, if you are a Maryland local, and you have not yet been to Miss Shirley’s, you need to go there…like immediately. They have the best southern comfort food you could ever imagine. Proof here. From there, we headed down to walk around the gorgeous harbor, the historical homes, and popped into the amazing consignment shop, Navette. I found this shop through Instagram, ordered from them over the phone, and even met one of their amazing owners for coffee in NYC, yet I still hadn’t visited their store front until this day! I was very excited and delighted to see a bustling shop full of fantastic treasures and happy customers. Unfortunately, due to a toddler naptime meltdown, I had to cut my trip there short, but I didn’t leave without scoring this fabulous Jonathan Adler clutch.

I’m looking forward to returning to Maryland again for Christmas, but until then, I am enjoying the holiday spirit up here in NYC. Our tree is up, and we took Nico to see Santa last weekend. Much to my surprise, there were no tears! Yay! I love New York City at Christmastime. If you missed yesterday’s post about things to do in December, check it out here.

This week I have been working on my holiday cards (which is pretty difficult with a bum thumb), online shopping for gifts, and listening to Christmas music non-stop. Tonight, I am getting out of the house to go to a holiday party with a friend, and I’m really looking forward to it.

Hope you are all enjoying the season!

XO,

Gina

Neutrals in November

Trench: H&M / Sweater: Forever 21 – similar / Tank: GAP / Denim: Paige / Booties: Target / Sunnies: Vintage Kenneth Cole / Drop Earrings: Gifted

Happy Hump Day! These photos were taken on a slow weekend in the city. We meandered over to the neighborhood of Red Hook in Brooklyn for a delicious brunch at my favorite place, Home Made. Let me tell you their french toast is to die for. Also, if you are a scrambled egg person, the truffle scramble is sensational. We settled in this comfy little spot on the cozy couches and had a lovely meal with just the three of us. We then followed up brunch with a grocery trip to Fairway Market. Just a typical little Saturday for ya. Complete with the wind whipping around, a taste of winter lurking just around the corner.

Off to warmer weather tomorrow in sunny Arizona! Feel free to follow along on Instagram for updates while we are away.

XO,

Gina

Weekend With Minnie

Minnie Sweatshirt: Shop Navette (consignment shop) / Blouse: Old Navy / Denim: Rag & Bone / Booties: Target / Sunglasses: Vintage Kenneth Cole/ Bag: Thrifted / Watch: Michael Kors / Leather Wrap Bracelet: Tory Burch – similar / Lip: MAC Rebel

I’ve been on a Minnie Mouse kick recently, and when I saw this on the Shop Navette Instagram page, I knew I had to have it. I longingly commented on their post that I wished they could ship to me in Brooklyn (they are located in Annapolis, MD), and low and behold, they could! I jumped for joy, and have been rocking this sweatshirt ever since. I love how it looks a little more put together when layered with a blouse for fall.

We had friends in town this weekend, and we took them upstate to hike Bear Mountain. Little did we know, they were also having an Oktoberfest extravaganza. We walked right into a party, and at the end of our hike, I decided it was only fair that I partake in the festivities after working so hard on the hike 😉 We also went on a walk around the neighborhood to grab breakfast at Cafe Madeline, and had to take some photos with the fall foliage.

Back to Disney…I’m on such a Disney kick that Nico is even going to be Mickey Mouse this year for Halloween. I’m so excited that he will be more aware of the holiday this year. I have already tested out his fear factor to prep him for the big night by trying on silly and scary masks at the stores, and so far he seems completely interested and not at all scared. That’s my boy. Can’t wait to see him in his little costume. What is everyone (and their littles) going to be for Halloween? Would love to hear in the comments below!

Wishing you all a fantastic week!

XO,

Gina

San Fran Style

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

On me: Dress: Free People (old) / Blouse: Forever 21 (sold out) / Bow Tie: ASOS – similar / Sunglasses: ModCloth / Ankle Boots: H&M / Lip: MAC Heartless / Nails: Essie Sexy Divide

On Nico: Shirt & Bow Tie: Koala Baby via Babies “R” Us / Jeans: Baby GAP (sold out) – also like these / Shoe Socks: Trumpette

The hubby had a conference/speaking engagement in San Francisco a few weeks ago, so Nico and I flew out to join him for a quick family trip across the country. In retrospect, I am kind of asking myself what the hell was I thinking (re: A 3 hour time difference doesn’t mean anything to a baby, and 6 hours on a plane by myself? Why did I think this was a good idea?). Waking up a 3am was a daily occurrence, and sitting in the hotel room at 5pm with the curtains drawn, trying to be quiet while eating take-out pho was a bit difficult as well. However, at the end of the day, I kind of think it is hysterical, and I am really glad we made the trip. I realized how much I can do on my own with a baby…I mean, I’m always up for a challenge right? My current challenges have just migrated from Tough Mudder races to “what can this mom accomplish today” type challenges haha. We were able to see a lot of friends and family, and we explored a bit in a much warmer climate for a few days, so I cannot complain! On the day these photos were taken, we got dressed up for a lovely outdoor brunch with a wonderful group of people. We followed it up with a beautiful walk on the water in Marina and in Ft. Mason Park. I love seeing Nico’s face as he sees a new part of the world for the first time. He just takes it all in, and I can tell he is going to enjoy traveling just like his parents.

We had a nice Brooklyn weekend here in the city. The hubs got a new iPhone for his birthday. We met our friend’s new 4 week old baby for the first time, who was absolutely adorable! (You forget how little they once were!) We also hosted a little Babies & Bagel’s St. Paddy’s Day brunch with our local parent/baby group in our neighborhood.

To all my fellow Irish out there…and all of those celebrating…Happy St. Paddy’s Day, and have a wonderful week!

XO,

Gina

Back in Action

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Striped Blouse: H&M – similar here, / Absolute Legging: AG Jeans / Booties: ALDO / Locket: Vintage via Etsy – more from the shop here / Clutch: TJ Maxx / Bracelets: Wanderlust + Co., ASOS (sold out – similar here), Baublebar

2014 has had a crazy start! I started back up to work, and have been trying to figure out how to be a working mom. Right now I’m trying to cram all my work into three days and still have time to pump three times a day to make sure my boy has enough to eat while I’m gone. When I am home with him, he is more awake than ever, and he keeps me busy all day long. It’s a lot of fun watching him grow (He rolled over for the first time this weekend! And he’s sitting up for long periods of time on his own now!), but it can definitely be exhausting! On top of that, we have been dealing with some house issues that need crucial hands on maintenance, and I’ve also been planning Nico’s upcoming Baptism. Whew!

Needless to say, my poor little blog has been getting neglected. I’ve had ideas for posts and outfits that I have wanted to blog, but life has just been getting in the way, and p + p unfortunately had to go on the back burner the past few weeks. Hopefully as we settle into our new routine, I will be able to find some time to keep things going, because I really do love having this little creative outlet!

Onto this outfit. Although, I do adore some pops of color every now and then, I do tend to go back to my comfort zone of black and white quite often! Maybe it’s the New York in me. I’m now back in my original size jeans (yay!) which called for a shopping celebration, and I scored this striped blouse at H&M while out. The vintage locket I am wearing was a Christmas gift from my husband, and I’m absolutely in love with it. There is a family photo of the three of us inside, with three other spaces to put photos when I want to add them.

Hope you will be hearing more from me in the coming weeks! I am glad to be back in action.

XO,

Gina

Lace Skirt on Repeat

This little lace skirt has become a staple in my wardrobe lately as I’m loving winter white, and it makes me feel better to not have to wear maternity jeans or yoga pants all the time. Again, this outfit repurposes a lot of older outfits in my closet. I’m looking forward to the day when I can start buying some new items back in my “normal” size, but for now, it’s been fun to recreate new outfits out of items I already own.

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Plaid Button Up: ZARA – similar / Lace Skirt: American Eagle (old) – similar here and here / (Faux) Fur Collar: Forever 21 – similar here – also like this oversized one / Ankle Booties: Kohl’s – similar here / Polka Dot Tights: Madewell / Sunglasses: Vintage / Bracelet: NY Street Vendor / Watch: Michael Kors / Earrings: Gifted / Lip: Lancome Luxe

Headed out for a walk today with the ladies and the babies.

I would also like to wish my amazing parents a Happy 30th Wedding Anniversary today! You are both an inspiration, and I love you so much.

Hope you are enjoying the week thus far!

XO,

Gina

Walk on the High Line

Here’s Part II of our little girl’s weekend in NYC. Sunday, we got bagels at the best place in the city. And yes, you can quote me on that. We then ventured into Manhattan to do a little shopping and take a walk on the High Line. For those of you who have never been, this park was built on top of an old abandoned elevated train track and runs down Manhattan’s West Side. It’s so unique, and provides wonderful views of the city. It was a gorgeous day, and I think the girls enjoyed it!

Outfit photos by: Nichole Cohen & Lisa Dannenberg / All other photos my own / Thanks to random stranger for the photo of the three of us

Coral Trench: GAP – sold out – similar here, here, here, and here / Mint Button Down: Express / Skinny Jeans: Motherhood Maternity / Ankle Boots: Target / Scarf: Gift / Sunnies: Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: ASOS and Gorjana – 2nd one sold out, but see more bracelets by Gorjana here / Lip: Lancome Groupie

Today brings a doc appointment and my 2nd to last photography class. Hoping for a good report on the first and to learn as much as I can during the latter.

Crazy enough, we have a trip to Boston coming up on Friday for a dear friend’s wedding. It still breaks my heart that people could purposefully cause harm to so many innocent others. I am still praying for all of those in Boston that were affected by this horrible madness. I am looking forward to the wedding and hoping it will bring some happiness and light to the Boston area. In the midst of this tragedy, it’s nice to know there is still some love out there.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

XO,

Gina

Boho Spring {Guilty Jean Series #4}

This is my fourth and final post from the Guilty Jean series. This is one of my favorite spring/summer dresses, and I love the way the Guilty Jean jewelry adds to this boho look. It has been a ton of fun accessorizing my looks with the Guilty Jean pieces these past couple weeks. Nicole and Maria are extremely talented designers, and they put love into every single piece they make. Thank you ladies for allowing me to be a part of this collaboration!

Photos by: Justin Goldberg of Eudora Video Solutions

Dress: Language (old) via Amity Boutique in OBX / Tank (under dress): Nordstrom / Jacket: American Eagle / Ankle Boots: Target / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C. / All Bracelets: c/o Guilty Jean (on sale!) / Sinner and Saint Necklace: c/o Guilty Jean (on sale!) / Sunglasses: NY Street Vendor / Lip: MAC Snob

Make sure to check out the Guilty Jean website. Besides the fact that their 20% sale is still going on for their “Sinner and Saint” and “Rockstar Buddha” collections, they have some phenomenal new pieces in their spring/summer “Love, Gypsy” collection as well!

It’s another beautiful day so far up here in the Big Apple. Hope you all have been enjoying this sunshine!

XO,

Gina

Ombre Necklace {Flair Accessories Series #3}

Here is the third outfit post in my Flair Accessories Series. I had so much fun styling these pieces, and this one in particular certainly makes a bold statement. I love this mix of colors for winter. While many outfits during this season can feel rather dull, the pops of blue, green, and yellow made me feel vibrant and energetic despite the chilly temps. How would you style this piece of “Flair” this winter?

Photos by: Zack Notes

Coat: Express / Top: ASOS / Blazer: Piperlime / Pants: ZARA / Boots: Kohl’s / Ombre Necklace: Flair Accessories / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: Lancome All Done Up

I spent most of the weekend hibernating in my Brooklyn abode due to snowy conditions. I did take a walk on Saturday and tested out some new things I learned in my photography class around the neighborhood. Other than that, I mostly relaxed, caught up on blogs and e-mails from last week, & watched a few movies. Last night, I had a dinner date with the hubby at a place called The Costello Plan in our hood. It’s a really romantic, quiet little spot, and I think I had the best gnocchi I have ever tasted there. We ended the night watching a bit of the Grammy’s. Shout out to Mumford & Sons for winning best album for their second album, “Babel.” I heart them. I’m sure you’ve heard this song, but here is a little something to get you going this Monday morning.

“I Will Wait” – Mumford & Sons

XO,

Gina