Book Review: Cupcakes and Cashmere

During my short beach/camping trip I brought along some reading material. Since beginning college 3 years ago, I haven’t been able to just sit down and read a book without anxiety. This is the first one I’ve read for pleasure in a long time. Cupcakes and Cashmere by the lovely Emily Schuman, is a delightful book full of color and her personality. Essentially, it’s her blog in a book!

Cupcakes and Cashmere: My Thoughts

First of all, this lady is talented! I admire her zeal for life and willingness to be who she is. Her tremendous success is demonstrated through her new clothing line and endless offers from companies to collaborate with her. This leads me to my next thought: Bloggers who have had so much success have lives and budgets that, for the rest of us, are unrealistic. I cannot afford to add all the little accessories and staple pieces for each season to my wardrobe. It’s just too expensive, especially with the brands she chooses and advertises for.

The book is divided into “seasons” (summer, fall etc.) and within each season she includes on-a-budget-beauty-buys. As much as she tries, Essie is not a “budget buy” and neither is Juicy Couture perfume. Maybe for the more established adult it isn’t a big deal, but for Schuman’s younger audience it can be a budget buster.

I really did enjoy her suggestions for creating a beautiful home and entertaining. They were practical and pretty at the same time. She even teaches you how to reupholster a bench! The diversity of topics in the book is nice because there is something for everyone.

However, even though the topics range from food to clothes, her taste in clothes isn’t as broad. To be quite honest, most of the outfits she puts together are not my style or taste. Most of it is “what’s in style at the moment” where as I prefer classic pieces with a new accessory here and there. Again, this is just my preference. She gives some good tips on how to put together an outfit for every season though.

What were your thoughts on the book? What did you like or dislike? Comment below!

 

What’s in my Beach Bag

This weekend I will be laying on the beach spending time in the sun and sand! We take a beach trip at least once a summer to get our fix of salt water and sea breezes. Better yet, we get our summer tans that last until late October.

My first vacation was spent at the beach in a cute little swimsuit with a big floppy hat on my head. I hated the water actually and cried when the waves crashed on the beach. But as any born and raised east coaster knows, a beach bag must be properly packed. I’m going to give you a peak inside my beach bag to see what I’m bringing!

 

Sunglasses are a must if you don’t want to squint all day

This is my cute little sarong I plan to wear walkin down to the beach and along the coastline!

A tumbler for my lemon water to stay hydrated

My Vineyard Vines coozie for my Coke and other carbonated beverages

Aloe Gel- I always get sunburned even with my sunscreen on and this is the only thing to take the red, soreness away

My Vera Bradley beach towel (found it at an outlet for $15)

Some reading material (can’t wait to dive into this fabulous book!)

And yes, I’m fitting it all in this bag (even if it is overflowing)

Not pictured is my sunscreen (spf 30),  iPhone, ear buds, and little pineapple snack.

I can’t wait to show you all vacation photos when I get back! Please tell me if I’ve forgotten anything for my beach bag! There’s nothing worse than forgetting something big!