Hi friends! We are in sunny Florida soaking up some Vitamin D! Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for the amazing questions. I had to save a few for next week (sorry! so hard to keep up with you guys!). xoxo

I am about to start a new job (I’m so excited!!), and to celebrate I want to buy myself a new purse. I’m definitely willing to spend, so don’t worry about price haha. Style-wise I err on the side of classic versus trendy, and love designers like Celine and Prada. Logistically I’d like for it to be able to fit a laptop and be a “work bag”, but I work in advertising so it doesn’t have to look formal. What are your thoughts?

Congrats!! I’ve always loved the Prada Saffiano tote and this color is so pretty!

Planning to do the whole ‘fancy Easter outfit’ for my almost 2 year old son as we’ll be in the Midwest with family this year. Any recommendations on places to shop for occasionwear for boys? 

I’ll actually be touching on this next week but I found the cutest outfits by Ralph Lauren from Macys! How cute is this little suit set? I love this gingham romper for babies. I bought Charlie this chambray shirt and these red pants. 

I was wondering if you had any gift ideas for a first wedding anniversary? I know the traditional theme is paper. 

I was about to pop with Charlie when we celebrated our first anniversary so sadly we opted for a dinner date and called it a night. If you want to stick with the paper theme, what about tickets to a show? If you can get Hamilton tickets (not sure where you live!) I can’t recommend it enough. Dave loved it, too! 

I’ve been thinking about switching up my fitness routine and remember you’ve talked about how you really liked Apptiv in the past.  You’ve also noted recently you went back to personal training.  Can you talk a little about your decision to switch?  

So I wouldn’t say I necessarily switched. I still use Aaptiv for cardio workouts on my own. I worked with a trainer when we lived in the city (more on that here) but it is honestly the only time I’ve seen CHANGES in my body. I am not the best at holding myself accountable so having a date with a trainer is essential in me dedicating time to working out. Aaptiv is AMAZING and if a trainer isn’t in your budget, I highly recommend downloading the app. You can use code LIZSS for 30% off the yearly subscription! Making it $69.99 instead of $99.99. For me, there is something about having an actual trainer who is pushing you in person rather than listening to your phone. I can still make up an excuse to end the workout early if I’m dying where my trainer will push me to keep going. But again, I love the cardio programs on Aaptiv and still use them. I also LOVED their maternity program which has 4/5 workouts for every week of your pregnancy. 

We’re getting into the ever popular season for weddings and I have one upcoming that I am having trouble finding a dress for. It’s outdoors so it’s a more casual vibe and I’m looking for something maybe floral and fun. I also happen to be bringing a new BF with me to this wedding so I’m also hoping for something a little more flirty to impress the boy. 🙂

I’m 23 and feel like the last few years I’ve been constantly warned to “take care of my skin while I’m young.” That is such an overwhelming statement and I don’t even know where to begin with it all! Especially in this age where everyone claims to have the best products and routine. What are YOUR best tips on taking care of my skin before it’s “too late”??

Definitely an overwhelming statement! In terms of products that you can use, I highly recommend browsing my skincare beauty tab. The products I feature are ones that I use regularly and are my tried and true favorites. You’ll see a lot of overlap in the ones that I talk about, too. But when it comes to actually taking care of your skin I would say my biggest recommendations are lots of water, a clean(er) diet and SPF! Supergoop just sent me this setting powder that has SPF 45 and is an easy way to add protection over your makeup. I’ve been using the ‘Light’ color every day. It’s great on days you don’t want to wear makeup and just helps to even out out your skin. Keeping your skin moisturized is essential, too. I love Elemis’ Pro Collagen Marine Cream. As we get older, our skin doesn’t produce as much collagen and we lose a lot of elasticity (read: more wrinkles and loose skin). I also love their Superfood Facial Oil and I put it on top of my moisturizer at night to lock in all of the hydration!

I am looking to leave my current job to explore something totally new that I’ve been drawn to for a while, but have zero experience with – a small floral and gifting business I found through Instagram. What advice can either of you give to someone who wants to make this kind of connection for a job? The business owner hasn’t expressed an interest in hiring, but I don’t want to potentially miss this opportunity. How did the two of you, Liz and Carolyn, connect?

From Liz: I would say that you should reach out to the brand, tell them what you could offer them and see what they say! It doesn’t hurt to try! Especially if you feel a strong connection, see a void in their business and feel like you have something to offer. It could be they don’t even know what they are missing. Carolyn and I connected because I mentioned on my blog/instagram stories that I was in need of an assistant and asked for people to submit their resumes. I am so grateful to have found Carolyn! Good luck!!!

From Carolyn: So I actually found the job with Liz through Instagram, too. Liz posted on her stories that she was looking for an assistant, and then I probably freaked her out by emailing her almost immediately. But hey, it was a job I really wanted! I think it was helpful that I bulleted out a list of my experiences and a little bit about me in the email. Small business owners get a million emails a day, so instead of saying something like, “You can read more about my background here,” and linking to your LinkedIn, just make things efficient and include all that in the same message. I also wanted Liz to feel comfortable even talking to me and telling me about her business. I had been reading Sequins & Stripes for as long as I could remember and felt like I knew Liz, but I was a total stranger to her, so that small introduction was important. We got on the phone right away and got coffee shortly after, and then things kind of progressed from there. I really appreciated those initial convos with Liz, because they helped me understand exactly what she was looking for in an assistant. If the floral business you want to work for (that sounds amazing, by the way), has a physical store, I would suggest stopping in to introduce yourself and ask about any potential opportunities. Or you could even send an email to the owner and offer to take her/him to coffee. It can feel kind of awkward putting yourself out there, but I like to think earnestly is rewarded. And even if you feel like you don’t have any relevant experience, I bet you do…even just telling the owner why you love the business so much is helpful! Good luck!

Wondering if you have any recommendations for small to medium size straw bags that are easy to carry around $100?

I love this cute Topshop style, this tote looks a lot like the Clare V bag and I love this round style. I swear Etsy has the cutest styles!!

My husband and I currently live in downtown Chicago, and both grew up in the burbs, but lately we’ve been feeling an itch to move somewhere completely new (maybe warm?!). We toggle between wanting the adventure and being scared to be far from family/what we know! Did you and Dave ever consider moving away from Chicagoland/to somewhere completely new?

We did! Before kids, we used to love browsing Zillow in bed on Saturday mornings. We seriously considered moving to Charleston numerous times. Every time we are there we look at the new listings in hopes of still making those dreams come true one day. When I was growing up I never felt a need to live near my parents but after having kids I really can’t imagine not having them near by. I never lived near family when I was younger and it has been so nice watching my boys grow up with my parents and my sister nearby. I would say nothing is ever permanent. If the adventure comes later, your kids will adapt. Just go with it!

I’m having my first child this summer and was wondering what type of baby carriers/wraps you like best and have found easiest to use.

When they are really little I have loved the Solly Baby Wrap. It is soft and keeps your baby nice and snug. Jack loves it! Now that he is a little bigger and more sturdy I love the Baby Bjorn. It is easy to put on quickly and I find it comfortable (I used it all the time with Charlie, too)! It’s also supportive for their little heads when they need it and comfortable when they are able to face forward. We love it!

I have a 3 week old little boy that I am taking down to Florida in a couple weeks (6 hour drive – am I crazy? Probably.) I would love some recommendations on some cute clothes for him for the trip including something for beach time! I adore how you dress both of your boys!!

We stocked up on stuff from Target and Old Navy! It’s hard for me to invest in stuff for trips (especially warm trips) when I know it will really only get one wear or so. A few things I picked up for Jack (note, I still keep Jack in comfy things, nothing fancy): this cute onesie and this henley bodysuit, this denim romper, I love this one piece romper and this two piece set.

What do you do when Jack refuses to nap? Do you keep trying every cycle? Adjust anything? I’d love to know. 

If he refuses to nap and I know he is tired, I’ll sit in his chair with him and sing songs until he falls asleep. If he refuses to nap and is awake I’ll take him downstairs and play on his mat, do tummy time and give him some stimulation to tire him out a bit. I really try to just to read to his cues. I’m not going to have him lay in his bed awake for more than 30 minutes. I try to stick to a routine as much as possible but it doesn’t always go the way I plan. I just have to listen to him! 

I had a baby girl in January and got cleared for exercise at my postpartum checkup last week. I’ve started exercising and am hoping to lose the rest of the pregnancy weight (at a reasonable pace of course!). I’m nervous about my breastmilk supply decreasing as I lose weight. Has this been an issue for you? Do you do anything to prevent that from happening?

Lots of water!! I never actually worry about this for some reason. I always try to stay as hydrated as possible and stick to a consistent nursing/pumping schedule. I never go more than 3 hours (unless it is the middle of the night) without feeding. I’m also not putting myself on a diet yet for this reason. I know my body needs the extra weight for nursing so the exercise is more to get my strength back and feel good about dedicating time to myself. I’m not super focused on losing weight. 

I’m pregnant with baby #2 and I’m struggling to find jeans! For your pregnancies did you just size up in regular jeans or do you have any maternity jean recommendations?!

Invest in a pair of nice maternity jeans. I didn’t spend a ton on my maternity wardrobe but I did splurge on some nice jeans because I feel like they make a huge difference. I love DL1961 maternity jeans!

I’m currently pregnant with no.2 and freaking out about losing the baby weight. Everyone says, “It’s different after number two!” (Sidenote: NOT HELPFUL TO SAY TO A PREGNANT LADY.) Has this been your experience?

IT IS DIFFERENT! Not only is it harder to get the weight off but my body is just different. My hips are wider, my stomach is softer and I can tell diet is going to be really key in my weight loss (when I get there). 

I’m a working mom, who loves to shop, but I end up buying all the wrong things. For example it doesn’t make sense for me to buy 4 pairs of new sneakers, even though I want to, when I should buy staples for work since I go to the office 5 days a week. Any ideas that you have for creating a closet that is both appropriate for the office and nights and weekends with the kiddos (2 crazy 2 year olds!) would be really helpful!

I totally get it! Depending on what your work environment looks like, I think my biggest recommendation is sticking to the basics and items that can be mixed and matched to create a few different looks. Browsing my “mom style” archives may be helpful! When it comes to transitioning my weekday wardrobe to nights/weekends, I always switch out my accessories. Like swapping my diaper bag for a cute handbag or throwing on a pair of fun earrings!

I was wondering if you had any suggestions for graduation gift ideas that are affordable yet meaningful for my group of best girlfriends? and maybe a little more expensive and thoughtful gift for my very best friend?

I bought my girlfriends keychains for our graduation because you use your keys everyday and it was a constant reminder of our friendship. These, these and these are cute options! You could also do a pretty monogrammed journal!

Thanks for all of the great questions this week! Submit your questions for next week by emailing Carolyn@sequinsandstripes.com with the subject “Coffee with Liz.”