Tuesday, March 31, 2015

DIY: RESTORING CONCRETE FLOORING

When our realtor took my fiancé and I into our condo, we quickly fell in love. The exposed brick, loft piping, and high ceilings were just a few things that caught our hearts. One of our favorite features were the wood flooring in the hallways, kitchen, and living/dining room. The one thing we didn't love? The carpet in both bedrooms. As an allergy sufferer (and a dog who just loves to throw up after eating too fast right on the carpet, of course), we knew we wanted to tear it up. One night we just went for it, and decided we were going to bring our condo back to its industrial roots, and restore the concrete floors. My kinda impulse project!

Ripping up the old carpet was the most fun part.



After many trips to the downstairs garbage bin, this is what we uncovered.



Looks like a mess, doesn't it? It was. This is the only part we decided to get the professionals involved. There is a lot of stuff that is stuck to the concrete from the carpet, and a lot of cracks and holes that need to be fixed. We had workers come in to fill them in, and grind down the concrete. If you ever do this, I highly suggest you pay more for the dustless option. It's still not completely dustless, but so much better than having your entire apartment covered.

I wanted to make sure you could still see all of the cracks and imperfections, and stay true to the raw look of concrete flooring. This is why we chose a stain and not more of a paint.



Then came the most annoying part. The cleaning.

It's so important to clean the floors multiple times before applying the stain. I can't even remember how many times we cleaned them, let them dry, and then cleaned them again. It took forever, but it's worth it to get it right.



Then it was staining time! We chose a grayish/bluish stain. Something on the darker side, but not too dark where you couldn't see the concrete come through.




And here is the final result!




Titan loves running around on them, too. Especially when all of our furniture was in the living room.


It was such a fun project, and I loved how they turned out. The next step is to extend the crown molding. Eventually, we would like to put in wood flooring, but I love the industrial look of them. And they're so easy to clean!

x Jill

Monday, March 30, 2015

TOPSHOP IN HOUSTON

Houston has completely surprised me with how amazing the shopping here is. Every day that I venture around the city, I find one cool boutique after the other. Living in Chicago has definitely set a high standard for me, but I'm slowly, but surely compiling a list of must-visit shops here (clothing and more). 
One of my favorite fast fashion spots in Chicago was Topshop, where shopping for unique pieces without the hefty price tags is easy peasy. To celebrate its recent opening of the two-story shop in Houston at The Galleria, I did a bit of shopping myself and just had to share my favorite items with you!

Aztec Jacquard Shift Dress ($135.00)

Textured Grandad Collar Blouse ($90.00)

RIOT Metal Trim High Heel Sandals ($85.00)

Lips in Inhibition ($12.00)

Cloudy Floral Print Kimono ($80.00)

Tulip Culottes ($65.00)

D-Ring High Neck Playsuit ($95.00)

Whitney Wayfarer Sunglasses ($30.00)

Hooded Colour Block Cardigan ($125.00)

Petite Zip Front Skirt ($90.00)

Arrow Tote ($50.00)

Long Hair Don't Care PJ Tee ($38.00)

Semi-Precious Set Ring ($12.00)

MOTO Busted Knee Jamie Jeans ($75.00)

Any goodies from Topshop lately?

Jess

Friday, March 27, 2015

FAVORITO FRIDAY: RELAXING WITH RELAX WINE

What's better than relaxing with a glass of wine? Relaxing on Friday with a budget friendly but still delicious wine. While I am not that educated in wine, I do know a good one when I see... well, taste... one. Ever since the pretty blue bottle of Relax Riesling caught my eye in college, and I decided to add it to my shopping cart on a whim, I've been addicted. It's the perfect wine to have after a long day, and it's fruity taste is both refreshing and good. And it doesn't hurt that it's easy on the wallet!


Have you tried Relax wine?

x Jill

Thursday, March 26, 2015

STREET STYLE INSPO FOR SPRING

This deep into the cold weather everything feels very dull. Hair, skin, outfits... we're all craving a little something for spring. Last week's one day of 72 degree weather gave us all a little taste of what's to come, and I've already started mentally planning my outfits for this season.

You too can get a little inspired for the brighter times ahead with these street style looks from Style.com!

1

2

3

4

5

Where do you get your outfit inspiration from?

x Jill

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

URBAN OUTFITTERS BEAUTY

I've done some major shopping online this week (hellooo spring), and one of the things I'm most excited about is yesterday's arrival of my Urban Outfitters beauty products!

A photo posted by Jess & Jill (@jessandjill) on

I actually wrote this with a TonyMoly I'm Real mask sheet on (and hopefully didn't creep out my fiancé that much), to make the best use out of my 30 minutes! The seaweed version made my skin silky smooth. Not sure if there's any longterm skin-altering effects when used consistently, but it's great for an instant skin boost and for the night before a special day.

Along with my sheet masks, I also keep hearing about this cleansing conditioner craziness, so I decided to grab Grow Gorgeous Cleansing Conditioner in Brunette. It says it's a 12-in-1 conditioner (12?!) and has "prismatic technology", so it's got a lot to live up to! This will definitely be a post soon!

I didn't know that Urban Outfitters had so many beauty goodies, and I can't wait to try more. From known brands like Anastasia, Not Your Mother's, and bliss - to the lesser known and from overseas (like my Korean mask sheets), there's everything you can imagine. Here's what I'm currently adding to my cart!

Anastasia Contour Kit ($40.00)

Caolion Blackhead O2 Bubble Pore Pack ($26.00)

Fig + Yarrow Clay Mask ($16.00)

Aquarian Soul + Earth Oils Coconut Rose Milk Bath ($36.00)

A Beautiful Life Honey Do Shampoo ($16.00)

Uslu Airlines Nail Polish ($16.00)

Nudestix Matte Lip Gloss Pen ($24.00)

Have you gotten anything from Urban Outfitters's beauty section?

Jess

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: THE BIG 'A' REVEAL DRINKING GAME

It's almost as if we've been waiting a lifetime to say these words. Tonight, we will finally find out who A is (or in Pretty Little Liars fashion, we will find another person who is a part of the A team). Still, it's progress, right?

Before you judge us on watching this middle school tv show, just know that we like the little one hour escape every week from being an adult... and that Jess totally liked it first. (Heyyy!) In true Jess and Jill fashion, we'll be watching along, with a glass of wine in hand trying to keep up with all the twists and turns that have happened so far. And texting each other.

If you'll be watching on the edge of your seat too, play along in our drinking game! Here are the rules we'll be abiding to.

via Facebook.

Drink every time...

- There is a flashback to a previous scene.
- Two or more of the girls are talking in prison.
- The show tries to trick you into thinking someone is A, without confirming.
- Aria's new boyfriend, Andrew, speaks in his weird southern accent.
- A dead person is mentioned.
- Someone should have their blinds closed.
- Tanner is unnecessarily rude.
- A judge appears on the screen.
- There's a pay phone or collect call.
- The girls should have a lawyer involved.
- There's new evidence.
- One of the girl's men visits them in jail.
- Toby is in his police uniform.
- One of the girls is doing a job in jail.

Finish your glass if...

- There is a surprise witness.
- A dead person is brought back to life.
- The girls are outside of the jail.
- A is not who you thought it was.

Happy drinking (responsibly, of course)! Who do you think A is?

Jess & Jill 

Monday, March 23, 2015

WEDDING INSPIRATION: THE LOOK

I have tried on numerous wedding gowns and I haven't been able to envision myself in any of them. From the silhouette to whether it matches my glasses of choice (weird request, I know), it just hasn't been "the one". 

I started to think about my "look". Did I want to feel glamorous? Sexy? Bohemian? No, I just want to feel cool. Then it finally hit me - I really did love Solange's wedding dress. (So much, I even did a post about it, but completely forgot until recently, obvi.) With that dress in mind, the details came pouring in. Rose gold, black, metal, onyx. With my fiancé in black by my side, chic and cool will be done in one fell swoop!

Now it's time to research local Houston designers and make my vision a reality! See my inspirations for my wedding look below.


What will your "wedding look" look like?

Jess

Friday, March 20, 2015

FAVORITO FRIDAY: IRIS AND INK

I love The Outnet. Like, love. Last week, I attended an event they held at Soho House and was introduced to their line, Iris and Ink, and quickly went home to shop their spring/summer line. 

They're quality key pieces to have in your wardrobe at reachable prices - especially how reasonable their bags are for how well-made they are. I love how they mix different textures with classic colors, and their heavy use of leather. Definitely a line worth shopping!

Here are some of my favorite pieces.

Ava Leather Top ($255.00)

Brixton Bag ($225.00)

Nina Dress ($225.00)

Eloisa Suede Midi Skirt ($425.00)

Happy Friday!

x Jill

Thursday, March 19, 2015

SPRING BREAK ACCESSORIES

Sunglasses. Floppy hats. Oversized beach totes. These are just a few of the things that pop into our mind when we think of spring break. Yes, they're all fashion related!

We hope you have somewhere warm to go, because we've just made your shopping a whole lot easier. These accessories are perfect for a beach getaway, where your biggest worry is what you'll be drinking. And how you're going to fit us into your luggage.

1. Sovay Wedges ($90.00) - Dolce Vita, 2. Forestbound Escape Tote Bag ($100.00) - Urban Outfitters, 3. Piper ($95.00+) - Warby Parker, 4. Straw Floppy Hate with Coin Trim ($33.00) - ASOS5. Zahra Metallic Tattoos ($22.00) - Moorea Seal, 6. Classic Panama Hat ($7.00 - On Sale!) - Forever 21, 7. Fever Aviator ($20.00) - Free People, 8. Cause a Stir Francis ($198.00) - Kate Spade, 9. The Lana Knotted Sandal in Suede ($108.00) - Madewell.

What are your spring break plans?

Jess & Jill
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