February 2014 | Dearest Lou

Loopsway Giveaway






Necklace: c/o Loopsway
Shirt: Kingdom and State
Jeans: Target
Cardigan: Charlotte Russe (similar)
Booties: Rue 21 (similar)
Bracelets: Icing

How adorable is this bee pendent
Loopsway recently sent it for me to style and I can't get enough of it. 
It adds the perfect hint of gold to any outfit. 

I've teamed up with the lovely people over at Loopsway to giveaway a jewelry item of your choice. 


There are 3 mandatory requirements to keep in mind:
1) You must follow Loopsway on Instagram
2) You must follow me on Instagram
3) Pin the item from Loopsway you would choose if you won on Pinterest and leave URL of pin in Rafflecopter widget.

Contest is open to US readers thru March 6th at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be announced here on March 7th. Thanks friends and good luck!  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have Really Dry Skin?

I have always had really dry skin, especially in the winter. As soon as I get out of the shower I need to bathe myself in lotion in order to avoid peeling skin. I've noticed that Zaden has really dry skin too and it must be something that he inherited from me. 

When Aquaphor reached out to me to do a product review, I was totally on board. I have used Eucerin products in the past and have always liked them. Something that really stands out to me about their lotion is that it is free of fragrances, preservatives, and dyes.  I mean every now and again it's nice to wear a fragranced lotion but I notice that I need to use a good portion of the bottle in order for my skin to actually feel smooth. I also notice that fragranced products tend to dry out my skin even more so I try to stay away from them.

I notice that Zaden has broken out with a small rash whenever we've tried some of the big baby brand lotions and have been in search of something like this. I'm happy to say that he hasn't had a problem with Aquaphor Healing Ointment. The consistency is a lot like a thick petroleum jelly and a little bit difficult to get on kicking legs but Zaden's skin is so soft afterwards, we love it.

Aquaphor Lip Repair and Protectant is perfect for severely dry lips. I always put on chapstick before applying lipstick just to ensure that I have super smooth lips. The only negative quality about the lip repair is that it doesn't taste very good, so I wouldn't recommend applying it before kissing or eating (;

We personally like to apply Aquaphor Healing Ointment on our elbows and knees before bedtime to prevent cracking. 
That is how we #aquaphorit

For those of you with really dry skin I highly recommend using Aquaphor.

Head on over to Aquaphors Facebook page for more tips and tricks
or visit Amazon to try it out for yourself.

Windy Day

Mama wore:
Sweater: Forever 21 Mens Section (similar)
Shirt: Nordstrom (similar in pastel yellow)
Leggings: Nordstrom
Boots: Nordstrom (on sale!)
Hat: Charlotte Russe (similar)
Purse: Lulu*s
Necklace: Cheerfully Charmed (similar in white)

Z wore:
Hat: Preloved by our friend Arlo
Shirt: Carters
Leggings: Baby Gap (similar)
Jacket: Baby Gap

These pictures were taken on a very windy day, it seems like we have been having a lot of those lately. Most of the time whenever we're going out I assume it isn't windy and I wear my hair down but immediately regret it as soon as I feel a big gust of wind hit my face.

Z and I decided to go bright and colorful once again for these pictures, it seems to be a trend for windy days. I can't get over how adorable he looks in this little outfit and his facial expressions are priceless. His green Freshly Picked Moccasins add the perfect bit of color to his outfit. Don't forget to enter the giveaway I'm hosting on my Instagram account to win a pair of Freshly Picked Moccasins for a special little person in your life. Giveaway is open until tomorrow at 11:59PM MST.

Freshly Picked Review & Giveaway

I'm so excited to have the opportunity to work with Freshly Picked. I've been eyeing their moccasins ever since I found out I was pregnant with Zaden back at the beginning of 2012. I didn't get my hands on a pair until my sweet friend gifted us a pair for Zaden's 1st birthday.

I used to always have a problem finding shoes for Zaden because he has very narrow feet. Most shoes are made for babies with chubby feet and I've always had difficulty finding shoes that will actually stay on my little guys' feet.  If you had a chance to watch his First Year video I made him it gives you an idea of how much the little guy moves. He used to always kick off his shoes and they would become his new favorite chew toy. Now that he is mobile he is twice as fast and although we don’t have near as hard of a time finding shoes that will fit his skinny feet, it’s hard to find some that he won’t take off himself.

If you have found yourself in a similar situation with your little one then you should try a pair of shoes from Freshly Picked. I love supporting local small businesses and buying from them whenever I'm able to. Each pair of shoes is handmade from a member of the Freshly Picked team. Freshly Picked Moccasins are made with the utmost quality. They use only the finest genuine leather or suede and have elastic around the ankle to keep them on little ones feet.

These shoes are definitely pricey for our family but the quality is great. They are an excellent investment especially when teaching your baby to walk WITH shoes. He has so many other shoes but is able to grip the ground better in these shoes. The soft soles give Zaden’s toes the ability to flex and keep a natural arch, allowing him to practice good walking habits. Zaden couldn't walk in any other shoes except for his Freshly Picked until he got more comfortable having something on his foot when walking.

Every time we go out shopping we get complimented on his moccasins. Not only are they adorable but Zaden actually likes them. Normally once we get home from being out and about Zaden immediately starts stripping down but whenever I put him in his Freshly Picked Moccasins he keeps them on as if he is barefoot. He will even bring them to me and point at his feet indicating that he wants me to put them on, it’s the sweetest.

The moccasins are very durable. Zaden has been wearing his first pair since the end of November and at a glance they look brand new. I know it’s winter and he hasn't done much walking around besides indoor places and the side walk but the thing is he won’t wear any of his hard sole shoes I bought him months prior.

Freshly Picked has an easy size chart on their website. All you need to do is measure your child’s foot and compare it to the size chart. I ordered Zaden size 3 (he has small narrow feet) and they should fit him well into the end of spring. They come in a huge assortment of colors and even some limited edition prints like camouflage and heirloom. I ordered Zaden the limited edition Prince George moccasins and I love the deep navy color. I know I could have gone for a more versatile color like brown or black but decided to go with the deep navy color so it would add a pop of color to anything I style it with.


Now the moment that all of you mama's with tiny tots have been waiting for..

THE GIVEAWAY
I have teamed up with the lovely people over at Freshly Picked to giveaway one pair of moccasins (color of your choice) on instagram. 

To enter you must follow me @ceciliaharvard on instagram & re-gram the picture above tagging myself & #fpmoccsGiveaway

I’m primarily holding the giveaway on Instagram but for those of you who don’t have an Instagram all you need to do is “like” Dearest Lou on Facebook, share this post on your facebook wall, and comment with the moccs you would pick if you won. This giveaway is open to all Dearest Lou readers until Wednesday March 5,2014 @ 11:59PM MST. Winner will be selected & announced here Friday March 7, 2014 @ 10AM MST. Thanks so much for reading along and good luck.

Loving this SWELL Cardigan

Have you heard of SWELL

SWELL is a California based company that is primarily known for their surf clothing but also has an amazing selection of lifestyle clothing for both men and women. They have a talented team of women who have created an exclusive line of clothing you can only get on their website. This cardigan being the first of three items I'm going to share with you here on Dearest Lou.

How amazing is this cardigan from SWELL? I love the subtle colorblocking detail and how it lengthens in the back. I've worn it one too many times since it arrived on my doorstep last week.  We've been having Spring-like weather the last couple of days and I haven't needed to wear anything other than a light jacket or cardigan. I'm crossing my fingers that this weather is here to stay.

What I wore:
Cardigan: c/o SWELL
Shirt: Kingdom & State
Jeans: Target
Boots: c/o DSW
Necklace: Style Lately
Bracelet: Wet Seal

Spring Fashion: How to Dress More Preppy with Sears

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #ThisisStyle #cbias
Spring is right around the corner and I'm more than ready to say good bye to Winter. Some of my favorite Latest Fashion trends like pastel colors and fun prints are popping up all over the place. I don't know about you but I've found myself more drawn to a preppy style these days. I love the basic look of a bright button up shirt and statement necklace paired with a perfect pair of jeans. Sears has an amazing Spring Fashion collection to add a little bit of prep and color to any wardrobe.


My personal style involves a little bit of everything so I headed off to my local Sears to browse their Spring collection in hopes of finding a few perfect pieces. The Juniors section of the store had quite the selection of different bright colors and fun patterns. Something I really love about Spring Fashion is all of the pastel shades like baby blue, light pink, and mint green. Sears had so many fashionable items which made it difficult for me to narrow it down to a couple basic items that would really make my current wardrobe pop.

Something that really caught my attention was this light pink sweater. What drew me to it was the lace detailing and adorable bow on the back. I think it added the perfect mix of femininity in order to complete my preppy look. If pink isn't your color they also have it in blue, lavender, and red on their site or even more options in store (as seen above). After trying it on I knew it was a must buy but had a feeling that my wardrobe was also in need of something else.


Polo is one of my favorite brands, I think their button up shirts are top notch and I've luckily been able to thrift a few in the past. Unfortunately my Sears store didn't have a huge selection of Polo items but I tried a few shirts on and envisioned what would go best with what I already had in my closet. After thinking about it I realized that I was in need of a great pair of jeans. I hurried back over to the Polo display and found these perfect pair of staple jeans that I can wear all year round.


When checking out, the cashier asked me if I was a Shop Your Way rewards program member, which I would be silly not to be. For those of you who haven't heard of the Shop Your Way rewards program  you get points for every dollar you spend in store and can use them towards a future purchase. How neat is that? I have been accumulating points over the last couple of months and have been able to get awesome deals on items that would have normally been regular price. Also, when you are a Shop Your Way rewards program member you get emails on when you can score more points on specific items.

Some of my favorite preppy prints are stripes, plaid, and polka dots. I didn't want to overdo it and wear all sorts of different prints and pastels so I had to pick a few in order to make this look go together. I went with incorporating shades of mint green, light pink, and baby blue and added a subtle striped print with this top I already had in my wardrobe. I originally wanted to wear a bright shoe but knew my riding boots would really complete the look. 


In order to give you guys a better idea on how versatile these two items I recently purchased are, I included 2 bonus looks. One more dressed up and the other dressed down. Be sure to check out my Spring catalog HERE to see some other preppy pieces I have my eyes on.

Follow #searsStyle on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram  to keep up with the Latest Fashion trends. To see how other Fashion Blogs styled their Sears items use hashtag #ThisisStyle, #CollectiveBias, or checkout the PinBoard below:


Follow SoFabConnect's board ThisisStyle on Pinterest.

Teal and Red

Look at that little "uh-oh" face, melts my heart every time.


I'm in denial that Zaden is coming up on 15 months tomorrow.
He's such a big boy now.

Zaden's outfit details:
Beanie: Walmart (loving this one)
Sweater: Nordstrom (similar here)
Jeans: Baby Gap (sold out online, loving these skinny jeans for only $16)
Shoes: Nordstrom (also loving these in gray and baby blue)