Danielle Tate

Make Room For Fall Fashion

Do you love fall fashion? One of the things I love most about living in the northeast is the drastic change of seasons, and with this comes that time of year that we all look forward to — rotating our wardrobe! At the end of each summer I am over my summer clothes, and my love for wearing shorts, and I look forward to the new fall fashions of the season!

Along with the excitement that comes when it’s time for my wardrobe rotation, I am also faced with a bit of separation anxiety when trying to decide which clothes I should store in my secret hide-away closet in the spare room, and which clothing items never came off the hanger this year… clearly telling me that I should get rid of them!

I don’t mean ‘throw them away,’ I generally take my clothes to the Salvation Army or another resource where they can be worn again and cherished by someone else. Alternatively- I recently discovered a new love for consignment, or recycled clothing shops where you can sell your slightly-used items, and find some really cute, unique items at a great price of course!

I always struggle with certain items and trying to decide what to get rid of, and I find myself folding them away for just… one more year! This year I’m telling myself, and my husband is telling me too, that I need to make some important decisions to get rid of some cherished items, (or as he would call it, “clutter”) and tidy up the house a bit!

I figure while I am going to take on the project of my wardrobe rotation, I should also incorporate some ‘fall cleaning’ at the same time. I did, however warn my husband that I have scheduled my ‘fall cleaning’ the first week of September, and if I am going to tidy up my wardrobe, then he is too! I know that more than half of the crumpled up t-shirts that are in the closet, he doesn’t even remember he has!

So I am coming to grips that he is right, and some things I need to let go of, but I think I’m OK with this, as my female mind works — I’m already thinking that I will just have more room for those new fall must-haves! Is anyone else super excited for fall fashion this year? Here are some of my fall favs to help you get excited too, check them out at ELLE & InStyle.

Looking for more fall fashion tips or newlywed advice? Our experts are her to help!

Best Newlywed Advice

Looking for newlywed advice? People love giving advice about all kinds of topics, as a way to help others. You know this, you’re a newlywed who has more-than-likely received an array of solicited or unsolicited advice about how to be the perfect bride, perfect wife, perfect friend or co-worker (basically, how to be Super Woman)!

Here’s 3 bits of advice graciously given to myself and 2 of my colleagues by our closest family members that we felt would help you in your new status as a newlywed couple!

The best advice I received was to never stop talking to your husband. At the time I thought, what is that supposed to mean, of course I’m going to always talk to him. Now, after 4 years of marriage I realize that the person meant talk with (a.k.a. communication is the key). Some people may think this is so easy, but it is in fact one of the hardest things to do.

Most people can talk until their blue in the face, but communicating well is another story. So my advice to you is that a conversation should always be a two-way street when you or your spouse is feeling upset or even happy about something!

Another great piece of advice that one of my colleagues received is to NEVER go to bed angry! Stay up all night if you have to, but always come to an agreed upon resolution to the issue at hand. There will be times that you may have to agree to disagree and that’s ok as long as you remember to respect each other’s views on the issue.

Last, but certainly not least is to remember to show appreciation for one another. Think back to when the two of you were dating (and perhaps living separately). When you were out shopping you would see something (i.e. a shirt or favorite food) that made you think of the other person and smile. What did you do? Maybe you called him/her, texted or purchased the item for your significant other. Don’t stop doing that now! It’s so easy to let life (work, friends, kids, etc.) get in the way sometimes. Remember, often times it’s the little things that count the most!

What is the best advice that you have received regarding your newlywed couple status? Not a newlywed (no problem), what is the best advice that you could give to our newlywed readers? They all want to know what has worked best for you and your spouse to create a happy long-lasting marriage.

5 Fabulous Facts About Diamonds

Think you know all the facts about diamonds? Almost all women would happily admit that they love diamonds, but many of you might not know these 5 surprising facts about our “best friends”:

1. All diamonds are at least 990,000,000 years old. Many are 3,200,000,000 years old!
2. The largest engagement ring in history was given to Elizabeth Taylor by Michael Todd. Her amazing emerald-cut diamond ring weighed in at almost 30 carats.
3. The Victoria’s Secret’s Black Diamond Bra was set with 3,575 black diamonds, 117 round cut 1-carat diamonds and 2 black diamond drops. Talk about some serious bosom bling!
4. If you put a diamond on your tongue, your tongue will begin to cool because the diamond is the best conductor of heat (basically the diamond transfers the heat from your tongue into the air).
5. The first well-documented use of a diamond ring to signify engagement was by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria in 1477, upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgandy.

While you might not be holding your breath for a 30 carat ring or diamond brassier, you can still enter to win a free $250 jewelry rental from our friends at ADORN. Leave a comment on this, or any of our jewelry posts on Mondays this month and you’ll be automatically entered to win our Stylish September Giveaway!

Share your big day dreams with us and how ADORN jewelry will complete your look. The randomly selected contest winner will be announced on September 30^th!

If we don’t hear back from the winner within 2 weeks, we will randomly select a new winner to make sure someone ends up with this glamorous giveaway!

Newlyweds: How To Buy Your Dream House

The wedding day was perfection, the honeymoon was even better, but now you are back at home facing a series of decisions to be made as a couple. Perhaps the most difficult of those, is the decision to buy a new home.

Choosing the Right Fit – The first step in the home buying game is very likely the most fun. That is the choosing the right house to make into a home together. This is a very emotional game. While you can look at as many print outs and computer images as you would like, nothing will give the true look and feel of the house without visiting it. While you should always feel free to walk through open houses, it is a good idea (especially for first time buyers) to use a real estate agent. These professionals have access to nearly all houses for sale and can narrow results for you based on the criteria that fit your needs. But, better than that is the fact that they will help you to write an official offer, with the negotiations, and with the buying timeline. Here’s a great place to search for qualified real estate agents in your area.

Soothing the Financing Fears – Let’s face it, for the vast majority of buyers, the main fear in buying a home is the assumption of loan payments. Most mortgages are written for thirty years, and when one stops to consider re-financing in the future and secondary mortgages, those loans can last even longer than that, so it is important to ensure that you stay within a realistic budget. It is always wise to consult a mortgage broker before looking at houses. There is no point in getting your hopes up about the “perfect house” before you know if you can afford it. Mortgage brokers shop around to find you the best lending deal and give you pre-approval for an amount they determine to be the high end of your buying power. That should also mean to you that the amount you are pre-approved is not necessarily meant to be the price you buy at, as you may want to stay within a safer range.

Getting to the Close – Remember, the majority of house transactions come with minor complications along the way. So do not assume that you have the house just because you put it under contract. You will likely have to face other difficult decisions, stressful changes in schedule, and other obstacles before you reach the finish line- closing day. But, it will all be worth it when you walk through the doors of your very own home for the first time. Be sure to savor the momentous occasion with photos and maybe a candle lit take-out dinner on the floor of the empty house that is now your home!

Do you have any advice for newlyweds purchasing their first homes together? We’d love to share your advice with our readers, so please leave a comment!

The Name Equality Act: California

Have you heard about the name equality act? Name change is certainly tricky in all 50 states (with each state allocating their own laws on what constitutes a married name change versus a legal name change, etc.), you may be shocked to find out that in California couples can decide to make up a new last name to take after marriage thanks to the Name Equality Act*. While this is not a new law by any means, it’s definitely worthy of talking about!

The state of California allows one or both applicants to elect to change their middle and/or last names by which they wish to be known as after they are officially married. That means if you are planning to marry in CA and haven’t already applied for your Marriage License, this opportunity applies to you, so now you and your future spouse have a decision to make! Will you take his last name? Will he take your last name? Will the two of you have a combination of your two last names? Decisions, decisions!

What you need to know about the Name Equality Act

Only at the time of applying for your Marriage License can you elect to make these changes. Once your name is listed on your Marriage License, that is how it will later appear on your Marriage Certificate. This is the legal document used as proof of your marriage issued by your state. You cannot decide to add or amend this information after your Marriage License has been issued without having to obtain a Legal Name Change through your local superior court system. This can be costly, so it is important to put some thought into the name you will list on your Marriage License Application. After all, this is the name you will ultimately be known as in the future!

Each of you can elect to have one of the following last names:
The current last name of either spouse
The last name of either spouse given at birth
A name combining into a single last name all or a segment of the current last name or the last name of either spouse given at birth

Each of you can elect to have one of the following middle names:
The current last name of either spouse
The last name of either spouse given at birth
A hyphenated version of the current middle name and current last name of the person or spouse
A hyphenated version of the current middle name and the birth last name of the person or spouse

Confused yet?! Here’s an example:
Woman: Jane Marie Doe
Man: John Robert Smith
They can become Jane Smith Doe (and John Smith Doe), Jane Marie-Doe Smith (and John Robert-Doe Smith), Jane Marie Doesmith (and John Robert Doesmith), etc.

Do you and your spouse share a combination last name? Was your family supportive of your choice to make up a new last name? Tell us your story… We’d love to know how you worked through the process and if you used our online service or name change app!

*The name equality act currently only applies to couples marrying in California and to all California Marriage Licenses issued on or after January 1, 2009.

Help Me Change My Name