beau•ty (byoo-ty) | brittany from brilliance of b

Each week I've been introducing you to a new blogger who has been kind enough to share their Beauty story.  Today's blogger not only has a great lesson that we all should learn that will help us appreciate our own beauty, but she's someone I have a short history with.  

Meet today's Beauty - Brittany from Brilliance of B.

My first rendezvous with Brittany is actually one for the books.  We met in Mexico this past summer at our resort where we sipped on cocktails (emphasis on plural) and got to know each other.  Even though we talked a bit of fashion and style, surprisingly neither one of us mentioned that we were bloggers.  Fast forward to September when Brittany stumbled upon my blog and the rest is history.  It's crazy how small this world is, isn't it? 

1) What is your favorite feature that you didn't always love, but have learned to appreciate?

My lips! I LOVE lipstick and I always felt like my lips were too big to wear red or bright pink. I've learned how to make those bold colors work by applying a liner close to my skin color. Now, I can't stop wearing bold lipsticks!

2) What made you learn to love it?

What made me learn to love it is by daring myself to wear bold lip colors out in public. I would gradually purchase colors that I would NEVER purchase just to see how I could make it work for my lips.

3) Any advice for other beautiful women out there who struggle with being comfortable in their own skin?

B.ecause

E.veryday

A.n

U.ndeniable

T.ruth

I.s

F.ulfilling

U.r

L.ives 

No matter how true the things we don't like about ourselves come to surface daily, we must embrace these things and love them because it is who we are. Be true to yourself and love every part of it! :)

Definitely check out Brittany's blog - she not only has great style, but has the 411 on Boston's fashion scene.

fash•ion (fash-uh n) | faux fur

I lucked out last year when I scored this faux fur vest for a whopping $16 on super clearance at Nordies Rack.  It's become a staple in my closet simply because it can elevate an outfit from being mediocre to amazing.  No matter how scrubby my outfit may be, I can just throw this bad boy on and I immediately turn heads (yeah that's right). ;) I'm a huge advocate of all women owning some kind of faux fur.  Trust me - you'll feel glamorous.

outfit details | dress - buffalo exchange | vest - bb dakota via nordstrom rack | boots - nine west | bracelets - juicy couture, jcrew, gifted | necklace - thrifted |

|What are your thoughts on faux fur (or even real fur)? Is it something you're coveting this season?|

beau•ty (byoo-ty) | pretty powerful

I started my Beauty series because we often spend too much time concentrating on the things we hate about ourselves that we never see all the things we should love.  It's difficult to not dwell on our imperfections, I do it almost everyday, but we should all remember that we control our own confidence and can learn to love what we hate most.  I'm a strong supporter of any campaign that helps empower women, so I was thrilled to hear that Bobbi Brown's Pretty Powerful Tour of America was coming to Chicago.  The campaign follows Bobbi's belief that every woman is beautiful without (yup without) makeup, but with the right makeup women can feel powerful. Her belief is that makeup shouldn't transform you into someone you're not - it should help showcase who you are.

Saturday morning I went sans makeup (something I never do) to Nordstrom at Northbridge Mall and was greeted by Shawn and Holly who are part of the Bobbi Brown team.  I sat down after snapping some pics and Shawn went right into teaching me about Bobbi's philosophy, as well as Pretty Powerful (which has been around for over a year).  I absorbed anything and everything he had to say, feeling so inspired by her passion for empowering women to embrace their true beauty.  As he was giving me the scoop on Pretty Powerful, he was teaching me how to feel confident with every step of my makeup routine.  Shawn did an amazing job listening to what I told him was important to me (cheek color and eye liner) and I left not only feeling empowered, but motivated to help other women feel the same way.

We each have a story to share about what helped us become more confident about our looks.  Now with Bobbi Brown's Pretty Powerful initiative you can share your story for a chance to be the next face of the Pretty Powerful campaign.  Even if you don't feel like sharing your story, definitely read (and vote) on the stories that have been submitted by other women.  It's amazing how much more confidence you build just by reading stories from people who are just like you.

Thank you to the wonderful team at Bobbi Brown (Shawn, Holly, Jasmine and Kelly) for giving me an opportunity to experience Bobbi's philosophy - I'll definitely do what I can to spread the good word!

|To quote the Pretty Powerful mantra: Be Pretty. Be Confident. Be Who You Are.|

life (lahyf) | pumpkin patch

Halloween, shmalloween.  Yes, I do eventually end up dressing up and going out, but the only thing that gets me really excited about this time of year is going to the pumpkin patch.  Something about spending a day out of the city and strolling through a farm helps re-energize me.  It also happens to be one of the limited activities on my short list that Matt is willing to do and is genuinely excited about.

This year we took a trip down south to Settler's Pond to check out the farm animals and pick up a handful of pumpkins.  Although pumpkins should be the main reason why we go every year, in all honesty it's just an excuse for Matt to seek out farms that have the best animals in the petting zoo....We went to Settler's Pond because they had a monkey and kangaroo.  Although we had a great time, we were both bummed that we couldn't pet the monkey and the kangaroo just wasn't what I expected it to be.  It was smaller and his rat like tail kept freaking me out.  Despite my disappointment with the kangaroo, it was still a fun time at the pumpkin patch.

outfit details | dress - h&m | sweater - caslon c/o nordstrom rack | boots - dingo by steve madden | belt & necklace - thrifted | socks - free people (gifted)|

|What are your favorite Fall activities? Are pumpkin patches on your list?|

beau•ty (byoo-ty) | katy from modly chic

Every week, I introduce you to a blogger who has been kind enough to share their story about a feature they love now that once brought insecurities and how they learned to love it. Together, these women will help re-define beauty in their own words and will hopefully help others feel more comfortable in their own skin because each of you are beautiful - you should feel that way everyday!

Meet this week's beauty - Katy from Modly Chic.

1) What is your favorite feature that you didn't always love, but have learned to appreciate? Without a doubt - my height. I am a little over 5'9" and have a 35" inseam. 

2) What made you learn to love it? I grew up in a tall family and loved that fact. It was something I took for granted and thought was normal, until I graduated college and suddenly found myself in the working world and inches taller than some of my male colleagues. As a reporter you want people to find you approachable and I worried about my height being a detriment to that. I love heels but ended up wearing flats all the time. It wasn't until a blog reader started leaving comments on my posts telling me I looked frumpy and should switch out of the flats. I made it a habit to wear heels all summer no matter the height of the people I was with and I ended up loving my height all over again.

3) Any advice for other beautiful women out there who struggle with being comfortable in their own skin? Do something that challenges that misconception. For me it was about allowing myself to rediscover something I used to love. For others it could be about discovering a first love.  

fash•ion (fash-uh n) | moccasins

I love Minnetonka's.  It all started with a pair of brown Kilty Suede moccassins I bought a few years ago.  Since then, my love for Minnetonka's evolved. They're comfy, cozy, functional and more importantly they're a great alternative to wearing tennis shoes when you're commuting to work.  They truly are a timeless piece in my closet and are a great investment.

So when I took a business trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico earlier this year, I was giddy when I stumbled upon these gray Thunderbird II Minnetonka moccasins at an amazing store that had fantastic Native American jewelry, art and clothing.  There was no way I was leaving the city without getting myself a little souvenir, and these mocs were the perfect memorabilia.

outfit details | shirt and belt - h&m | tank - splendid c/o nordstrom rack | jeans - citizens of humanity | shoes - minnetonka | necklace - gifted | purse - liz mole | jewelry - gifted |

|What are your thoughts on moccassins? Do you think they're a fad that should just go away or do you see them as fashionably functional footwear?|

Also, congratulations to Sharon from Elisharon on winning the Blouse Amour giveaway!  I'll be emailing you with details on how you can get your blouse.

life (lahyf) | football aka soccer

I like sports, but I don't love it.  The only ones that grab my attention the same way the September issue of Vogue does are NBA games (might be another year before I see another one) and UFC or boxing matches.  It's a little out of character, but that is a true story.  Deep down inside, hidden underneath the dresses and make-up, I truly believe that I'm 75% boy based on my personality.  To put it in context, I still laugh at stupid fart jokes, burp outloud if I've downed beer too quickly, love going to the auto show to check out the latest cars, never know what to say when others cry around me and can only tolerate a certain amount of girl drama before I start to tune out.

Since I wasn't raised in a household that followed a ton of sports, I never developed an interest at a young age.  However, the older I get and more I understand sports (like learning the rules), the more I actually find an appreciation for them.  Insert my first experience with a live MLS game.

I absolutely LOVED every minute of the game, BUT of course the fashionista in me was never going to wear any type of sports gear.  I don't own any sports gear and to be honest I didn't really know what the Chicago Fire colors were so I resorted to a super relaxed outfit that showed neutral colors.

Neutral is a great way to go, but if you're going to any game and don't want to wear branded attire - embracing team colors is the way to go.  Check out the outfit I should have worn that the girls from Gameday Stylist put together. They are the perfect team to make sure you're well equipped to go to any game in style.

food (food) | greek pasta salad

I find that my best creations are made when I have random items in my fridge that need to be used.  I had mini heirloom tomatoes and if I didn't use them they were going to get tossed.  So I quickly put my thinking cap on and put together this easy pasta salad with items that I already had at home.  This version of the salad is gluten-free, but you can easily swap out the brown rice pasta for your favorite short noodle.

What you'll need:

• (2) lemons
• 1/2 red onion (sliced)
• 2 cups of cooked and cooled pasta
• 1 package of turkey pepperoni 
• 1 package of grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 cucumber (cubed)
• 2 green peppers (sliced)
• 1 cup of sliced kalamata olives + 2 tbsp of the olive juice
• 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• 2 tbsp of EVOO
• 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large glass bowl add juice from lemons, red wine vinegar and red onion.  Leave out at room temperature for 15 minutes.  This will cut the bitterness of the onion.
2. Add all remaining ingredients (minus salt and pepper) into bowl.
3. Mix with onions and vinegar until everything is evenly coated.
4. The pepperoni and feta are both fairly salty, but use salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve or store in fridge.

This recipe makes about 8 (1 cup) servings and is a great salad to bring for lunch the next day. I personally think the way I made it lacks some protein, but this salad would be served great with some cubed grilled chicken or as a side to grilled salmon.

beau•ty (byoo-ty) | kileen from cute and little

Every week, I introduce you to a blogger who has been kind enough to share their story about a feature they love now that once brought insecurities and how they learned to love it. Together, these women will help re-define beauty in their own words and will hopefully help others feel more comfortable in their own skin because each of you are beautiful - you should feel that way everyday!

Meet this week's beauty - Kileen from Cute and Little.

1) What is your favorite feature that you didn't always love, but have learned to appreciate?

My legs. I've always blamed my short legs for my lack of height {I'm a shortie at 5'0"}. I've always envied women with long legs that go on for miles only to look at my short stumpy legs with frustration. I used to shy away from wearing shorts and jeans that would make me feel like I had sausage legs and it's only through trial and error that I've found styles that flatter the lower half of my body without making it look bottom-heavy.

2) What made you learn to love it?

Realizing that I should be grateful that I have strong legs that have let me travel the world and taken on such adventures as climbing the Great Wall of China, backpacking through Japan, and even winning a few trail races back in my competitive running days. My legs may be muscular instead of skinny, but they've definitely served me well throughout the years.

3) Any advice for other beautiful women out there who struggle with being comfortable in their own skin?

Finding style that works for you and your body type is always a work in progress. Don't always succumb to trends but also don't immediately write off certain styles as un-doable. I always keep an open mind and am willing to try out different things from time to time. You never know when something might just strike your fancy and push the limits of your fashion boundaries!

I never thought I'd be wearing skinny jeans, but here I am!

fash•ion (fash-uh n) | pigtails

With short hair, my go to hair style when I am lazy is what it is - short hair. However, my hair is growing like crazy and finally I can somewhat get my hair up into these little teeny pigtails.

outfit details | shirt & belt - thrifted | skirt - target | shoes - minnetonka | sunglasses - l.a. fashion district | purse - liz mole | headband - h&m |

|Do you have a "go to" hair do on lazy days?|

give•a•way (give-wa) | blouse amour

One of the things I'm stocking up on this season are blouses. Billowy blouses, flowy blouses, structured blouses, patterned and solid blouses - they're the perfect item to have in your closet.  They can be paired with jeans for a great weekend outfit, or tucked into a colorful skirt pencil skirt for a polished work outfit. Needless to say - I love me some blouses.

This is why I'm so ecstatic to be teaming up with the popular NYC vintage pop-up shop Blouse Amour's web store, Shop Amour, to offer one lucky winner a blouse of their choice (in the value of $50 or less).  Just check out some of the stuff I'm loving from their shop:

 Silk Leopard Top

Pilgrim Blouse

Classic Bow Blouse

 Classic Candy Red Top

Refined Blush Blouse

These are just my personal favorites, but check out Shop Amour's site to scope out their amazing blouse selection, then enter for a chance to win by filling out the form below.

Here are the rules:

• Fill out form below.  Note that your email address will be shared with Blouse Amour.
• Additional entries if you "Like" Blouse Amour or Defining Tabitha on Facebook
• Winner must be a US Resident
• Contest ends on Wednesday October 19, 2011

fit•ness (fit-nis) | chicago marathon

I live right by Mile 26 of the Chicago Marathon route and although I have a love/hate relationship with it, the only thing I seem to love about it is the joy of watching the runners approach the finish line and run the last stretch of the race.

I discovered last year that living at this part of the route you get to experience something that many might take for granted - watching the first runners as they lead the pack.  It is so motivating, inspirational and truly emotional. So much, that I wanted to experience that feeling again this year.

This year, as I watched the first runners round the corner of Mile 26, I couldn't help but think of  how much they were inspiring me.  I thought, "I could learn a few things from this moment".  So from here on out I will remember this:

• Just like anything in life - Work at it if you want to get better.  These are people who started out as amazing runners, these are people who have worked (and worked hard) to get where they are today.  If you want to be good - keep trying until you reach a point that you're happy with.
• Never say you can't - because you can.  I watched many of the wheelchair athletes as they approached the finish line and for every day I complain about something I can't do - I need to remember how much harder it is for someone else.  Life is never easy, but it's not so hard enough that you should ever give up.
• Do everything with a smile.  As I watched the first male and female runners approach the finish line I couldn't help but notice that despite the fact these people have ran the distance from my place to O'Hare airport - they remembered to smile.  Hard work is that much more enjoyable if you do it with a smile. 
• Be someone's cheerleader (even if you don't know them).  Encourage others, pat them on the back, scream in celebration...just show someone that you believe in them.  It's amazing how much you start to believe in yourself when you believe in others.
• Make it to the finish line.  Even if it takes you longer than expected, push yourself to finish what you've started.  It'll be fulfilling and worth celebrating in the end.

Even though I don't personally know the first runners that crossed the finish line, I was there to cheer them on and in return, they gave me an invaluable lesson.  Here's a few pics of the first athletes as they approached the finish line.

|Congrats to all the athletes that participated in the Chicago Marathon and THANK YOU for inspiring me in so many ways.|

beau•ty (byoo-ty) | liz from 26 & counting

Every week, I introduce you to a blogger who has been kind enough to share their story about a feature they love now that once brought insecurities and how they learned to love it. Together, these women will help re-define beauty in their own words and will hopefully help others feel more comfortable in their own skin because each of you are beautiful - you should feel that way everyday!

Meet this week's beauty - Liz from 26 and Counting.





1) What is your favorite feature that you didn't always love, but have learned to appreciate?
My hips.

Truth be told, it’s been a bit of love/hate relationship. Growing up as the hippy {and I do not mean that in a bohemian kinda way} tomboy I didn’t know how to dress for a body that grew up quicker than me. Almost all of clothes I wore in middle school and high school were a size too big – I tactic I used cover up the fact that I had hips. Anything that fit felt a bit revealing and unnerving - so I stuck to jeans and t-shirts and went about my business. I took me a while to realize that dressing this way wasn’t doing me any favors. I didn’t look smaller or less feminine. I looked frumpy and sloppy. Slowly, I started to embrace my shape and began dressing in a way that better suited my figure. Finding clothes that fit are definitely difficult task, but it’s such a great feeling when I find something that does.





2) What made you learn to love it?
Wearing clothes that actually fit. Why it took me so long to realize, I have no idea – but wearing clothes that fit {and fit well} really helped me feel more comfortable in my skin. It also meant finding and making friends with a tailor. While a lot of things fit right from the store, not everything does. And rather than keep something a bit baggy, I take it my trusty tailor and let her work her magic.

And I am still learning to love it. Blogging, of all things, has really helped too. Taking photos of my outfit is really eye opening to what is flattering on my body. Before blogging I wore mostly slacks to work – and now I am pencil skirt fiend. Who knew that a hip hugging skirt would be become my favorite work wear staple?





3) Any advice for other beautiful women out there who struggle with being comfortable in their own skin?
Take it day by day and pay attention to fit. If you invest in clothes that truly fit you feel and look 100% better!