Style Archives - A Side of Sweet

Stylish Sneakers for Travel

My favorite stylish sneakers for travel, just in time for my trip to Japan! The perfect balance of style and comfort that will keep you looking great.

I announced on Instagram today that I’m headed to Japan next week! I’ll be spending 9 days in Okinawa and Tokyo. It’s my first time in Japan and I would love your recs on things to do, see and eat while I’m there! Hit me up in the comments below.

Inevitably packing for a trip makes me realize I don’t have quite the perfect (insert clothing item here) that I want for my adventure. This time, it was the perfect stylish sneakers for walking the busy streets of Tokyo. Comfort is a priority obviously, but because of the many shots I’ll be taking holding food, they sure as heck better look cool too!

In my research, here were the top contenders…. Read More »

7 Essential Skincare Ingredients for Your Routine

A look at the best skincare ingredients to keep your face looking great – from Vitamin C serum to retinol. Even probiotics are great for your skin!

Fact: my skin care routine takes longer than my makeup routine. It’s typically 4-5 steps, and I like to take 1-2 minute breaks between the steps to let the active ingredients soak in. In my mind, it’s all worth a few extra steps to prevent aging and keep me looking my best. This obsession isn’t cheap, but taking care of your skin is an investment. Luckily, many products only need a tiny amount per use, so a small bottle can last months. What I’m spending still works out to be cheaper than trying to undo aging later with lasers, fillers and Botox.

I’m now in my early thirties, and my skin looks better than it did in my twenties. It’s brighter, smoother and I have about the same amount of fine lines. I’m always on the hunt for new skincare ingredients to add to my routine.

Read on for the favorites that have a permanent place in medicine cabinet. I’ve also given product recommendations for each based on what I use myself…. Read More »

Host a Galentine’s Day Fête – Inspiration

Details and decorations from a girly Galentine’s Day Fête I hosted with some of my favorite San Francisco bloggers and Anthropologie!

February holds one of my very favorite holidays. A holiday that celebrates relationships. And the color pink. And dessert.

Wait, did you think I was talking about Valentine’s day?

Nope. I’m all about celebrating the amazing ladies in my life on Galentine’s Day. And seriously, what better excuse is there to host a brunch?

To celebrate, I invited some of my favorite San Francisco bloggers over for a Galentine’s Day brunch. You can see it all today on the Anthropologie blog!

Here are a few more details and tips for hosting your own Galentine’s day celebration…

Versatile Grey Cocktail Dress for Work to Play

I’ve been wearing this versatile grey cocktail dress from Kit & Ace to multiple holiday parties, from Pat’s work party to a recent blogger event I hosted. I can’t get over the chic fit and elbow length sleeves. The grey makes it the perfect palette to dress up or dress down any way you see fit, like the colored tights I chose here. Click through for some other great grey options that you can wear all winter long…. Read More »

Best Red Lipstick and Tinted Lip Balms

The best red lipstick and tinted red lip balm for every occasion. Read on for reviews of Nars, Sephora, Benefit, Too Cool for School, and e.l.f. cosmetics red lip products!

My red lipstick post. AKA the post with a million pictures of my face. Apologies for that in advance. Rather than just give you a list of red lipsticks and tinted lip balms that I’ve tried and like, I thought I would go through every one I own and actually show you how they look on a real person.

Wearing red lipstick is intimidating. I’ve been ‘trying’ to wear red lipstick for almost two years! I started with a tinted lip balm and worked up to a burgundy lip tint, both of which are listed below. It wasn’t until this fall that I finally took the plunge to an actually red lipstick. It’s amazing how rocking a red lipstick instantly makes me feel more glamorous. Now that the holiday parties are in full swing, I can’t get enough! I have a few that I’ve had forever, like the Benefit Benebalm, and some new fun ones I picked out at the Sephora Store at JC Penny.

For each product, the photo furthest to the left is my natural lip color with just plain lip balm on. I thought it would be helpful to have a comparison!

Our 2016 Holiday Cards + Minted Review

A look at our 2016 Holiday Cards, which is a special annual tradition for us! In order to support independent designers, we chose Minted for our cards.

Every year, I look forward to shooting our holiday photos for months. We always try to do something that reflects our personalities and highlights the beautiful city we live in. We have some pretty special shots, like the time I convinced Pat to wrap ourselves in vintage christmas lights. This year’s shoot took us to Land’s End, which is one of the most beautiful places in San Francisco…. Read More »