I try not to immediately jump on the bandwagon when it comes to hot new fashion items. However, after hearing for what seems like forever about how amazing the J Brand Houlihan cargo pants are, I caved and tried a pair on at Nordstrom the other day. Well, the verdict is in. And these pants are definitely worth the hype! They are the perfect skinny cargo pant. Even better, they are cropped, which means no alterations required for me. The fit is incredible and they are really comfortable. They are very slimming and are such a great staple item to have in your closet. The price is a bit on the steep side ($231) but I swear to you they are worth every penny. I have always liked the cargo pant look in theory, but the execution is usually so sloppy looking. J Brand solves this problem brilliantly without sacrificing comfort. I tried to restrain myself and just buy one pair but had so much trouble choosing between the army green and faded black that I splurged on both and am very happy that I did!

I bought an amazing Rick Owens tunic dress at the Nordstrom designer clearance sale last week. Since I am short I can wear it as a dress but it is layered white chiffon and is therefor a little bit sheer. I had to search online for the appropriate undergarments and my first stop was Spanx’s website. I was very excited to see that they had added Hide and Sleek Girl Shorts to their already fabulous line. Much shorter than some of the line’s other shapers, these only cover the waist and upper thigh and are available in black and nude. They are not super tight and they are center seam-free which makes them perfect to wear under all things short and a little bit sheer. I think they are surprisingly comfortable (especially given that they are, technically, shapewear!) Check them out here. While you are at the website also take a peek at the new Simplicity line.

I saw this product on another blog and absolutely LOVED the idea so I of course had to write about it.  It is so tough to find comfortable and cute loungewear that isn’t too sexy but isn’t sloppy either.  I tend to live in my Lululemon yoga pants when I am lounging around the house but sometimes I just want something different (preferably something that I don’t exercise in.)  Keep Me is the perfect solution.  The Malibu, California based line specializes in that perfect mix of sexy and comfortable.  I have yet to try the product (seeing as I cannot begin to choose from all of the amazing pieces on their site) but plan on ordering as soon as I make up my mind.  The colors are super-basic and most pieces only come in black or white which makes it easy to mix and match.  Check them out here.

I have always loved the names of Benefit Cosmetics products. I recently got a sample of the Stay Don’t Stray concealer and eyeshadow primer and it is fantastic. My eye shadow always ends up streaky by the end of the day/night no matter what formula I use and this product completely eliminates that pesky problem. It blends really well into the eye area and leaves an even and natural looking skin tone that is all ready for your fave shadow. You can even use it alone if you just want to conceal fine lines and even out the tone of your eyelid without wearing shadow. It is an absolute must-have at $24. A little goes a long way and it will become one of your go-to tools in your makeup arsenal. You can pick yours up either online or in a Sephora store or wherever Benefit is sold.

I have always been very active. I hike every chance I get, practice yoga, and I try to workout every day. I have always had such a hard time finding that perfect pair of workout socks. I am very prone to blisters so I like some padding but I also like a lightweight sock. I recently bought a few pairs of Thorlo’s Experia socks and I will never wear anything else again. They are the perfect hybrid. The toe and heel have a little extra padding but the body of the sock is very lightweight. The fit is amazing and I notice a huge difference in how my feet feel when I wear them. I bought mine at Zappos. They come in lots of cute colors but I stuck with basic black/white in the low-cut style. These will be your absolute favorite socks to wear for your summer (and fall and winter and spring!) workouts whether you walk, run, bike, or hike.

I know that with this little heat-wave we are having it is perhaps not the best time to talk about fall footwear, but I am often forced to follow the fashion seasons instead of the temperature outside so here it goes. I love these Elizabeth and James More booties for fall. The draped suede is fabulous and I love the open toe and the platform. The heel is over 4 inches but the platform will make these feel like 3 inch heels which is very manageable. These would work with just about anything. I have a couple of pairs of shoe boots (so thankfully these do not come in a size 5 or I might be tempted) and I wear mine with everything from dresses to skinny jeans. It really is such a versatile shoe that I think gets overlooked by a lot of women. I love the way a great pair like these can add a fun edge to an outfit that might otherwise look a bit too frilly or put together with another shoe (like a simple pump.) Check them out here and enjoy the weekend!

Soft is the latest creation of brand Joie. I must confess that I do not own a lot of Joie. Not because I don’t like their designs, rather I just haven’t ever bought that much from them. However, with the creation of Soft, that is about to change! Like the name implies, the designs are, well, soft! I purchased this striped Bowie top while out in Aspen because I really needed some easy to wear long sleeve tops that weren’t my plain black, white, or gray Gap staples. I absolutely lived in it. It feels great against my skin, fits well, and can be paired with anything from jeans to shorts and even leather pants. I just love its versatility and the price is great too at $78. I wish more designers would realize that we woman really need great easy staples. Of course we are drawn like magpies to all things pretty and sparkly but when it comes to what we actually wear over and over again it is things like this Joie top. See for yourself at Revolve Clothing and Shopbop.

We ladies know how difficult it is to find well-priced, great fitting, and comfortable jeans. To say that jean shopping is the bane of my existence would not be an understatement, but I always have my eyes open for new great pairs. I was in Kilgore Trout the other day and checked out a new line of jeans that they started carrying called DL1961. Annoyed at the prospect of trying on denim I forced myself to take the plunge in the name of research. I tried on a pair of legging jeans (which is a bit of a misnomer-these were just super skinny jeans but they zipped and buttoned like normal jeans…death to jeggings!) and the fit was fantastic. They were very tight but not in an uncomfortable way. They had a ton of stretch and formed to every curve. They were also ridiculously flattering-they immediately subtract 5 pounds and make you look longer and leaner. They are $128 which is very good for designer jeans, especially such a great fitting pair. DL1961 jeans come in lots of styles-everything from cropped to bootcut and low-rise to high-rise so it is well-worth stopping into Kilgore to find a pair that works for you.

NewsFlash: I just received these thigh high boots from the Outnet and they are FABULOUS. I posted about a pair of Stuart Weitzman OTK boots a few weeks ago but for those of us (myself included) who have their heart set on a thigh-high variety, these are perfect. Be warned that they are extremely fitted and are better suited for those with a thinner leg/thigh. The heel is not too high which I love as it makes them a bit less trampy (for lack of a better word) than other thigh high boots I have seen, and they are supremely comfortable. They are very sophisticated looking and I love that unlike other thigh-high boots I have seen you will not be mistaken for Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when wearing them. They are pure class with a sexy twist. And at $556 they are 55% off! There are only a few (mostly smaller) sizes left so jump on these fast if you are interested.

I love to try out new skin care products even to the point of it being bad for my skin because I change it up more than I should. I have been on the search for a great scrub for awhile now but I never end up completely satisfied. My skin is pretty sensitive so most scrubs are either too abrasive or the active ingredients leave my skin red. I have been reading a lot of good things about the Fresh Sugar Face Polish on other blogs and in magazines so I decided to give it a shot. First of all, it smells really yummy (it is made with brown sugar and strawberries so how can it not?!?) I used it on clean dry skin (you can use it on clean wet skin too but I think it works better on dry skin since water makes the sugar dissolve). I left it on for around ten minutes like the instructions said and rinsed it off. My skin was silky smooth and glowing. I had absolutely no irritation whatsoever which is rare for me and after using it for a week I definitely noticed an improvement in the texture and clarity of my skin. I also love that it has no parabens, sulfates, dyes, or other yucky bad-for-your-skin stuff. It is $55 at Sephora which sounds steep but a little goes a long way and it is fantastic.