Lace

LOFT blouse, F21 shorts,  Audrey Brooke heels, F21 earrings, bracelet, and clutch,
Charming Charlie necklace, sunglasses

Last week was pretty intense. We are in the middle of our summer dance workshop and I have been teaching every single day for the past week and a half. I have only been teaching two classes a day but somehow it has managed to make me incredibly sore. I guess that's what happens when you are in your thirties after having two babies. The important thing is that I managed to pull myself together somewhat so the hubby and I could go to dinner. 

Watered Down Florals

F21 shirt, handmade skirt, F21 clutch and earrings, Michael Kors belt,
Tinley Road heels, sunglasses

I made this skirt a few years ago and also made a cocktail dress out of the same fabric. I was pretty excited when I realized that my F21 peplum t-shirt matched the skirt!

Have a great day!

Lady in Red

F21 blouse, Target (Mossimo) skirt, Tinley Road heels, F21 jewelry,
F21 clutch, Essie's 'Over the Top' polish

My husband and I went out this past weekend on our first date night in a month. I don't know where the time goes but this date was long overdue. Thanks to my little sis, I got to borrow this cute red skirt. I decided to do all black so that the skirt would pop. 

Have a great day!

Color Clash

F21 top and romper, Lazaro clutch, Steve Madden heels, unknown knotted beads,
earrings (unknown from Germany), sunglasses

Lately I have been trying to think of new ways to wear my fun summer romper. When I pulled this top out of my closet, I immediately loved how the colors looked together. I can even wear this in the fall with some boots when the weather turns a little cooler.

I also thought it was fun to knot a few basic beads together to make an interesting necklace. Who knew you could turn basic beads into something so fun?

Have a great day!

Simple Sweaters

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There is nothing better than taking a comfortable, slouchy sweater and creating several looks around it. I realize that sweaters in the summer are quite impractical (at least where I live) but cooler temperatures will be here before we know it. 

I like both versions that I created but I think the dressed down version is my favorite. Which do you prefer?

I hope you guys have a great day!

Mixed Metals

H&M blouse, Limited skirt, Tinley Road heels, F21 jewelry and clutch

I haven't shared clothes with anyone since my sister and I lived together over ten years ago. She is pregnant with her first baby so we did a clothing swap. She let me borrow a few tops and skirts (like this skirt) and I let her borrow all of my maternity clothes. I really like the idea of swapping clothes with my sister again. Maybe after her baby is born I can raid her closet a little more often...

Have a wonderful day!

Shimmering

(Francesca's top, LOFT skirt, Tinley Road heels, Charming Charlie jewelry,
unknown clutch)

I went to lunch with a sweet friend this past weekend who is actually about to have a baby sometime this week. We went to a popular tea room and indulged in multiple cups of hot tea and some fabulous soup. The tea room feels a little nicer than just an average lunch place so I dressed up a little by wearing my favorite shimmery skirt.

Hope you guys have a fabulous day!

Black and White

Asos dress, Tinley Road pumps, Lazaro clutch, Charming Charlie bracelet, Anjolee earrings c/o,
sunglasses

There's something I just love about black and white together. It makes the perfect backdrop for a red lip and nails. It is also a classic combination that will never go out of style.

Have a great day!

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

What girl doesn't love diamonds? I received these Flame Shaped Diamond Hoop Earrings last week from Anjolee and was thrilled when I opened up the box. I had been anxiously awaiting their arrival and didn't waste much time trying them on. When I put them on, I was surprised at how light they were. I couldn't even tell that I had something on.

If you haven't heard of Anjolee, then you have to check out their website. The online jewelry retailer has the most incredible pieces. If you are like me and like to do a lot of online shopping, then their website will be perfect for you. You can customize just about anything! You can select a design you like, pick the type of metal you want, and select the type of diamond you want right down to the carat and quality. Not too bad if you ask me!

Here are just a few examples of pieces that I am loving right now:

• The tennis bracelets are gorgeous! Who knew that you could get so many different designs in just a tennis bracelet? They are all so gorgeous but I think the Timeless Dreams tennis bracelet is my favorite of the bunch.

• You can't go wrong with my favorite earrings, hoops!. Adding diamonds is just the icing on the cake!

• What girl doesn't want (or need?) a pair of diamond stud earrings? They are a classic piece that will never go out of style.

I know Christmas isn't for another five months but it is never too early to make your wish list!

Be looking for these gorgeous gems in upcoming outfit posts! (Like tomorrow.) I hope you guys have a great day.

Nautical

Francesca's blouse, Old Navy pants, Steve Madden shoes, Express jewelry,
Tobi glasses, Lazaro clutch

My mom and sister both came and stayed with me Thursday night. We woke up Friday morning and decided to go to brunch at a popular place. I have never been able to get in because it is always so busy. We were able to get in so I took full advantage and ordered more food than I should have. Man, it was good.

Have a great day!

Safari Chic

Old Navy jacket and skirt, F21 shirt, Target pumps, Urban Expressions clutch,
Essie's 'Orange It's Obvious' polish, F21 earrings, Charming Charlie cuff, Tobi glasses

This is about as close to a safari look as I will probably ever get. The shoes are faux snake skin and the clutch is faux alligator skin, playing into the animal theme. 

I bought this outfit years ago when I was an extra in a movie that was being filmed here in Louisiana. I can't even tell you the name of the movie! I remember it had Michael Douglas and Jesse Metcalf. The movie was a courtroom drama but I never watched it. I should figure out what it is and rent it and see if I can see myself in it!

There have been many movies made here in my city in the past few years. I did some work as an extra (before children) and had fun doing it. But let me tell you, it is hard work! I was a cave girl in The Year One (with Jack Black) and we shot for five nights in a row (pulled all nighters each night) and filmed in 30 degree temps. I am impressed with those who work in the film industry because I know now that I don't have what it takes to make it in that industry.

Smooth, Shiny Hair

(Click picture for details)

I got my hair cut about two weeks ago and my stylist did a fabulous blowout before I left. I rarely wear my hair straight (really because popping hot rollers in is so much easier) but will probably wear it this way a little more often now.

When I wear my hair straight, it is super important that I take all of the necessary steps to keep body in my hair (see this post for tips). Who wants flat, lifeless hair? One of the things that I do differently is add a tiny bit of Moroccan Argan oil to my damp hair for a bit of extra shine. If you are worried about putting oil in your hair, don't be. All you need is a dime-size amount. Just rub your hands together and massage into your ends. Stay away from the roots of your hair... Nobody needs unnecessary shine at their roots! I noticed a big difference in the shine and softness in my hair after using the oil the first time.  

Also, using a flat iron brush to blow dry your hair is so much better for your hair than a regular flat iron. You aren't putting so much concentrated heat on your hair and you can control the brush better than a round brush. 

Of course I always finish with just a tiny spritz of hair spray for a little hold and control. Not much is needed at all.

I hope you guys have a great day. I am spending the day with my mom, who is visiting all the way from Virginia. A little cooking, a little wine, and a lot of talking and laughing are sure to happen!

Inspired By

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The floral trend is still going strong, as evidenced by the lovely top Emma Roberts wore. I love the feminine touch that a floral blouse brings to an ensemble. And an outfit with jeans? Doesn't get much better than that! I decided to put together two looks (a day and night) around the same sweet floral print blouse. While the snug fit of Emma's top is cute, I am loving the flow and ease of the top that I selected.

I hope you guys have a wonderful day!

Flower Power

Gap blouse and skirt, Tinley Road pumps, Charming Charlie necklace

As much as I hate to say it, I try not to wear anything too nice to church on Sundays. The last time I wore something nice, it ripped because I was trying to control my three year old. (Since we have two kids, we each take on a child during church.) But, yesterday it was just me, my husband, and my three year old so I let him (the hubby, that is) do all of the man-handling. And trust me, there was plenty of it! So I was free to wear something nice without having to worry about drool, snot, or rips. If you are a mom, then I hope you know what I mean....

Have a great day!

Curly hair

(Click picture for details)

Typically, I tend to wear my hair curly. I used to straighten my hair every single day until I re-discovered my hot rollers a few years ago. I noticed that the longer I used them, the better my hair looked. My sister asked me one day what I was doing to get so much body in my hair, so I thought I would devote a post to that very topic.

I don't wash my hair every single day. I usually wash it every two to three days. I noticed that when I was washing it daily, it seemed to go flat very quickly. Spacing out my hair washing seems to give my hair a little bit more life. Since I color my hair I use this shampoo by L'Oreal to help keep my color longer.

• When I wash my hair, I always flip my head up side down. I swear by this trick! I have done this for so long that one time I decided to wash my hair like a normal person and my hair was so flat that day. 
• I always use a volumizing mousse on my damp hair before I blow dry.
• I blow dry my hair upside down until it is about 70% dry and then I flip my head upright and use a round brush, lifting the hair up away from the scalp.
• Once my hair is dry, I gather the top part of my hair and pull it back on top of my head with a clip. I started doing this while I did my make-up and realized later that keeping my hair lifted off of my head for 15-20 minutes seemed to give my hair a little extra lift.
• Finally I put my hair up in hot rollers and wait for them to cool completely. I spray my hair with Aussie hair spray and wait about ten minutes before giving it another spritz. (Sometimes I go back for a third spritz.)

When I look at this all typed out, it seems a little ridiculous and over-the-top. It works for me and I will continue to do it. Even if it takes me 2 hours to get ready. 

Handmade

Francesca's top, handmade pants, uknown belt, Steve Madden shoes,  Urban
Expressions clutch

I haven't worn these pants since my baby was born in October. These pants were a pre-pregnancy favorite and I forgot how much I loved them.  I made them after I bought a similar pair in white a few years ago. I loved the fit of the white pants and thought they were quite unique. I was kicking myself for not buying another color when I decided to try and make them.

Have a great day!

Inspired By...

(Click picture for details)

I stumbled upon this picture of Kate Bosworth sporting a polka dot skater dress and couldn't wait to create something inspired by her look. I liked the idea of pairing a sweater with a flirty skirt and the same cool booties that she wore. The mix of funky and girly is something that I absolutely love. I was going to pick a bright bag for the ensemble but then changed my mind and stuck to black and white with only a hint of shimmer in the gold discs on the bracelet. I love color (see previous post) but sometimes wearing black and white is something that I like to do.

I hope you guys have a fabulous day!

Color Me Happy

F21 blazer and top, Gap jeans, Tobi glasses, Steve Madden shoes, Charming
Charlie necklace

I finally scored some yellow skinny jeans on a recent shopping trip. I couldn't resist pairing them with an equally bright shirt. There is just something about these bright colors together that I love.

 Even though it is July and is quickly moving into more miserable temperatures, that hasn't stopped me from wearing jeans. Or blazers. Any other crazy girls out there like me?

Have a great day!