Red Carpet Review: Golden Globes 2013

Award season is in full swing, ladies and gents! Last night, the Golden Globes red carpet did not disappoint. There were hits, misses, and other questionable choices I can't even begin to categorize. 

For today's post, I've pulled and reviewed some of my favorites and least favorites. Do you agree with these choices?

Let's start off on a positive note. Jessica Alba looks stunning in this coral fitted gown. Her red lip
and old Hollywood glam hair are perfect. I could do without the furry clutch, though.

J.Lo... just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

The slit on Lea Michelle's dress is pretty high up there! And she seems a bit too tan for the middle
of January, don't you think?

George looks dapper, per usual. Stacy Keibler looks like an armadillo. I've seen better.

Emily Blunt can do no wrong in my eyes. This dress fits her perfectly, and the side
cut outs are on trend, but not overdone. 

It's nice to see young actresses dressing their age on the red carpet.

This dress emphasizes how small Giuliana's body is in comparison to her head.
She looks like a bobble head... and I'm not sold on the lacey collar.

Hayden looks absolutely gorgeous in this mermaid style gown. 

Halle Berry, what happened?

I love that Jessica Chastain chose this pastel color dress. It's gorgeous against her pale skin
and red hair. However, something about the fit of the dress is sloppy. 

There's a lot going on here. Too much, maybe. Sparkles, feathers, fluff, mesh, updo... 

Pretty color, but Julie Bowen is being swallowed up by this gown. Way too big!

Lucy Liu is wearing my parent's old dining room wall paper.

Lena D. looks drab. I hate to say it because she's so sweet... but between the brown color
and the prom-like style, it's just boring.

I can't put my finger on the one thing that doesn't work here. Kerry looks gorgeous, but something's off.
Maybe her hair should be up off of her face? Maybe the mesh on the bottom should be shorter?

This dress makes Nene Leakes look bigger/wider than she needs to look.

T. Swift needs to take a steamer to this dress immediately. Otherwise, it's nice to see her
step out of the champagne-colored feminine dresses, and go with something more bold.

Sienna Miller's two piece ensemble scares me. Also, I applaud her for the natural
make up... but there needs to be a pop of color somewhere. A red lip would look
gorgeous on her!

Her expression says it all. Not good.

Now THIS is what the Golden Globes are all about. Amy Adams is sheer pefection in this blush
mermaid style gown. Her hair is perfect. Her make up is perfect. Work. It. Girl.

Back at it!

... and I'm referring to a bunch of things.

Firstly, I'm going to get back to blogging. The last month or so has been so busy (seriously, insanely busy) at work. When I get home, I've been so wiped out, and blogging just hasn't happened. It's beginning to go back to a state of normalcy, and with that, I have much more time to set aside to write up posts for GJU. I love this project.. I love this blog.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to get back on top of it, producing at least 2 blog posts a week.... starting now. Here we go!

Secondly, I'm back on the dating scene. For those of you who follow GJU, you knew I had a bf. That ended on New Year's Eve. Poor timing.. but perhaps a blessing. I'm starting the new year with a new sense of self, and a new frame of mind. Cheers to new beginnings!

Lastly, I'm getting back to feeling good about myself. The holidays were rough on my body. I'm a chocolate and carb fiend. And on top of that, breaking up during the holiday season wasn't ideal for my confidence and ego. This weekend was my first full weekend out as a single woman, and it was time to snap out of it, dress up, and go out! There's no better feeling than the one you have when you feel good about yourself and the way you look. This year, to keep up the momentum, I'm going to get back to feeling good about myself, and making others feel good about themselves through my posts on GJU.

With that said... an outfit post is long overdue. Here's what I wore this weekend:

(sorry they're all selfies.. I had no one with me to take pics before I went out!)

Elevator shot. Casual.

I love a leather jacket paired with a flirty dress!

Make it your own:

Black bandage dress: T by Tadashi, Nordstrom, $138

Black sequin pumps: Jessica Simpson, Nordstrom, $98

Black dangle earrings: Francesca's Collections, $16

Watch: Michael Kors, $275

Blue dress: South Moon Under, $158 (on sale now for $60!)

Leather Jacket: Had for several years

Black bag: Was my great grandmother's!

I'm excited to get back to blogging on a more regular basis. I miss it, and I miss reading the comments on here from all of you. Check back this week for my Golden Globe Red Carpet Review :)

Until then,

GJU

Abby Talks Active Wear

Hi guys!

You know my friend Abby knows her accessories, but this month, she's sharing her favorite athletic gear and gym essentials... perfect timing for your New Year's resolution!
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With 2013 resolutions right around the corner, it’s inevitable most of us will be hitting the gym more often than usual.  (Side note: I hate the term hitting the gym, it makes no sense to me.) That being said, it may be a good time to update the workout wardrobe. Here are my faves for the gym essentials:

Tops

Back Burner Tank: If your workout makes you super sweaty, this is the perfect top to keep you as comfortable as possible.

Cardio Party Tank: By far the best material to work out in. Super soft. They rotate their clothing frequently, and this is currently my favorite tank.

Bottoms

gFast Leggings: These accentuate your legs in a totally flattering manner, and they dry very quickly.

InTouch Premium Yoga Capris: These are made to support your hips, which can unexpectedly become very sore after working out frequently.

Undergarments

Antigravity Bra: If you have large breasts, this is the best thing that will ever happen to you. They’re not going anywhere in this bra.

Foxy Lulu Thong: Keeps everything comfortable. Enough said.

InTouch Premium Yoga Capris, Athletica, $69

Foxy Lulu Thong, Lululemon, $12

Antigravity Bra, MICHI, $80

gFast Leggings, Gapfit, $55

SoulCycle Tank, SoulCycle, $44

Back Burner Tank, Lululemon, $58

Ladies, what other workout gear do you recommend? Tweet me @AbbyDraper

Holiday Sweaters... and a Belated Thank You!

Oh hey!

I went to a holiday party this past weekend. Most of the girls showed up in short black sequin dresses and platform pumps. I went the more casual route with a cozy sweater and comfy boots. 

Whatever. I'm dating someone. No need to impress, right? (I mean.. just let me think it.)

So.. here are a couple snapshots of my outfit (and my boyfriend's sweater, also)

Swearer, sparkle skirt, and brown boots. 

Obligatory mirror selfie. I am a fashion blogger, after all ;)

With the boyf in our holiday sweaters :)

Make it your own:

Sweater: American Eagle, $59.95

Skirt: LOFT, $69.50

Boots: Madden Girl, $69.95

Cocktail Ring: The Limited

Bangle: J. Crew, $17.50

Moving on to somewhat more important (and belated news)... I won another Mobbie Award from the Baltimore Sun!!

Last year, I won the award for Best New Blog. Here's the blog post I did on that.

This year, I won for the Best Fashion Blog. I am so flattered to have won again! Thank you to all my readers who voted for GJU each and every day leading up to the award ceremony. I am so thrilled with what GJU has meant to you all and myself so far, and I am excited to see what the future holds. 

For a list of the all the winners, check out this link on The Baltimore Sun.

A White Winter

Just because it's winter, doesn't mean you have to completely rule white out of your wardrobe. As you know, I'm a fan of pushing the everyday boundaries of fashion--- so integrating white into my wardrobe (even past the Labor Day deadline) is one of the rules I'm all for breaking.

Here's one example of how I worked white into my winter wardrobe last year.

Need some more inspiration? Here are some of my favorite winter white looks:

Images: Habitually Chic, The 949 Style Guide, Pinterest

Do you wear white after Labor Day? I'd love to see how, and share your suggestions with my readers! Send outfit pics to GetJessedUp(at)gmail(dot)com

Until next time,

GJU

Holiday Hot List

In other words... things I want.

Feast your eyes, ladies and gentleman, on these perfect (and pretty) picks for the holidays!

Anthropologie, $258

This dress is everything.

Madewell, $20

I must have this ring. In fact, I believe everyone should own a ring with a bulldog's face on it. Because, well, why not!?

Madewell, $28

Silver and gold, with a touch of turquoise. The perfect everyday piece.

J. Crew, $168

These pants are major for the holidays. May. Jer. Tartan is a must have this winter!

J. Crew, $138

Sparkle and shine with this statement necklace. That is all.

Urban Outfitters, $20

Some light reading for your party guests!

You should know... I am accepting donations for any/all of the above :)

What are you picking up for your friends and family this year?

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, and have a wonderful holiday season!

-GJU

Crops: 3 Days, 3 Ways

The temperature is starting to get lower, which can only mean one thing: the days to wear cropped pants are numbered.

In the spirit of making my final ankle pant days count, I broke out some of my favorite pairs to wear to work this week. The last three days, I donned three different crops and styled them in three different ways.

Here are my super professional, edited, color-corrected iPhone photos showing off the three complete looks:

Outfit 1:

This look is casual and comfy. A loose crew neck sweater partially tucked into boyfriend cord crops in a bright pop of color makes for an easy, versatile, everyday look. I added a sparkly, feminine necklace and animal print sequin Sperry's to complete the look and add some spunk.

Necklace: LOFT

Sweater and Cords: Gap

Belt: Old Navy

Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider

Outfit 2:

This look is slightly more elevated than the first, given the girly sweater, jeweled belt, and snakeskin pumps. The black sweater is one of my favorite new fall pieces that I'm sure you'll see a lot of here on GJU. I love the cut-out lace peter pan collar-- such a fun take on a classic trend! Distressed boyfriend jeans paired with a green, jewel flower belt and snakeskin heels finish the outfit.
Sweater, Denim, Heels: LOFT
Belt: Talbot's

Outfit 3:
I really love pairing patterned scarves with solid colored blouses and tops. I think it's an easy way to keep an outfit fresh and interesting.. and also add some personality into an otherwise basic ensemble. This scarf is one of my favorites! I love the heart print juxtaposed with the gold plaid pattern. Strappy sandals were a risky choice but I wanted to get one more wear in before it's too cold :)
Scarf, Top, Denim: LOFT
Sandals: Nine West
Bracelet: J. Crew

With winter fast approaching, what are you squeezing into your wardrobe to make sure you get one more wear?