Summer is on its way, y’all! There are so many things I love about summer, but my favorite is probably all of the beautiful dresses I get to wear during the season. This year I’m more excited than usual because I can actually go out and wear my dresses in public now that COVID restrictions are relaxing.
When I’m shopping for summer dresses, I love getting them for a good price because in the Texas heat, you can sweat through them quickly. Here’s a round up of my favorite summer dresses for under $100!
It seems that weddings are back in full swing which means you’ll need a refresh on your wedding guest attire. After more than a year of cancelled weddings and delayed engagements, it is so exciting to think about celebrating with loved ones and having weddings again.
A major wedding trend I’m seeing for this summer is the destination wedding, which I love! I’m all for traditional weddings, but destination weddings allow you and your guests let your hair down a bit more and you all get to enjoy a vacation together. For a destination wedding, I like to wear fun, elevated maxi dresses…here are a few I would wear if I were going.
Another wedding trend for this summer will be intimate daytime weddings held outdoors. For this occasion, I think wearing a beautiful sun dress is the best option. I love sticking to pastels for weddings, but since it’s summertime, maybe throw in a subtle pop of neon too.
For a more traditional wedding, I think the most popular dress code is cocktail attire. I can’t even remember the last time I wore a cocktail dress so it was so fun to look through cocktail dresses today. Here are a few I would wear for a wedding this summer.
Now for black tie…if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I loathe reading “black tie” on an invitation. Not because I don’t love getting dressed up, but because it is often misinterpreted. Nine times out of 10 when you are invited to a black tie wedding, most of the female guests are just dressed in really nice cocktail dresses and you show up in a gown and feel like a fool. BUT for the one time out of ten that guests are actually in gowns, I live for that wedding and I am here for it.
Just as an aside to all brides…please don’t say you are having a black tie wedding if it isn’t super formal! It is really confusing to guests and pretty unnecessary. So if your wedding starts before 6 p.m. or isn’t a formal seated dinner, consider putting “elevated cocktail” as your dress code.
Now back to ACTUAL black tie or white tie wedding guest dresses…. here are a few of my favorites that I would love to wear this summer! Let’s start with this beautiful blush number by Katie May. I love Katie May because her dresses are made well, look amazing and come at an even better price point. If you’re wanting to spend a bit more, I also love formal dresses by Chiara Boni La Petite Robe. They come at a moderate price point and look amazing on all body types. Now, if you’re wanting to SPLURGE…take a look at this citrus inspired gown by Oscar de la Renta!! I mean, it is the dress of my dreams. If I had been invited to a fancy wedding on the Amalfi Coast in Italy this summer, I would definitely be showing up in this.
Zara is currently killing it with their spring collection. I went to the Domain the other day with one of my girlfriends to do some spring shopping so we went to Zara and Oh. My. Goodness. We were blown away with how good their new styles are!!
Because of COVID-19, fitting rooms are closed to customers so I had to buy everything that I wanted to try on and now have 30 days to return the items I don’t want. So here’s what I went home with!
Without trying on the midi dresses, I kind of already knew that I would love them because I am a midi dress queen and also because the colors were SO lovely. Can you get better than mint green, bubble gum pink and white for spring and summer dresses?! The white ribbed midi dress I actually bought last summer and wore it everywhere so I was so happy to see that they brought it back this year. It is only $17 and looks just like my James Perse dresses. The flowy white midi dress is going to be a staple for me this summer because of how chic and comfortable it is. I am also just in love with the mint green and pink midi dresses too. When I wore them last weekend, I paired them with the Tan Wrap Sandals and got tons of compliments everywhere we went.
Now the more challenging part of the try-on process came with the mini dresses! For reference, I am 5’8″ so I don’t really wear a lot of mini dresses, but the jungle print and floral dress were just too cute for me to pass on.
In the end, I decided to keep the two white midi dresses, the mint green and the pink midi dresses and the tan wrap sandals. I returned the sporty green sandals, the relaxed green pants and the two mini dresses. Do you think I made the right choices?
Leave me a comment and let me know what you’ve been loving at Zara lately!
Mother’s Day is just around the corner! May 9th, to be exact, which is only three weeks away. Not to worry though, I’ve got gift suggestions to celebrate all of the mamas in your life from your mom to your grandma, sisters and friends.
For the beauty lovers in your life, you can’t go wrong with the CE Ferulic serum from Skinceuticals. It is definitely a splurge and I have yet to meet a woman who hasn’t loved it, which makes it THE perfect gift to get for your baby mama! If they already have that and have dry skin, treat them to the La Mer Moisturizing cream. This moisturizer is so luxurious and will be such a pleasant surprise. If you’re looking for a fabulous perfume, I always recommend the Jo Malone fragrances. My personal favorite is Earl Grey and Cucumber because it is light, refreshing and reminds me of the spa. Fragrances can often be personal so a helpful tip to find the right scent for the mamas in your life is to look at what they already have. Just take a picture of their perfume bottle and buy them a new one…I know it will be much appreciated!
I know my mom loves pajamas so I always get her a new pair for Mother’s Day and this year will be no different. I absolutely love this beautiful floral pajama set from Nordstrom. If your mom is like mine and loves the cozy things in life, I’m sure she would also love a Barefoot Dreams blanket or a pair of the ultra light-weight Eva Birkenstocks that will be perfect for running around in this summer.
To help get the ladies in your life ready for summer, I know I would *LOVE* to get a matching swimsuit and pareo from Agua by Agua Bendita! It is a total splurge, but so beautiful!! I also love the mommy and me Mark and Graham straw beach totes. These make the perfect gift because you can customize the colors and add a monogram which is a thoughtful touch. If you’re traveling this summer, I’d suggest getting the MZ Wallace Large tote or the crossbody bag as a gift because these are truly the best bags to travel with and are so stylish. Speaking of travel, every girl needs a great pair of shoes to run around in and I think Veja’s are the best everyday sneaker, check out this all white pair for the summer.
If you’re looking to give your mama friends a nice gift to celebrate them, I think a rosé themed gift is perfect! You can get them a cute bottle of Cameron Diaz’s Avaline Rosé. If you want to add on to that, throw in a Vinglace bottle chiller and a Rosé All Day Sleeping Mask.
My two favorite ladies– my mama and my grandma on my wedding day!
I hope you all have a beautiful Mother’s Day this year and have a chance give the ladies in your life a big hug!
Happy Monday, friends!! I am so excited because this week is starting off with one of my favorite sales of the year…the Shopbop sale!! I love this sale because depending on how much you spend, you can save up to 25 percent off of the most beautiful clothes, shoes and accessories!! Here are some of my favorites 🙂
Whether you’re looking to stock up on spring and summer styles or classics you’ve been waiting to splurge on, the Shopbop sale is the perfect time to do it. For the sale, you can save 15 percent when you spend $200+, 20 percent when you spend $500+ and 25 percent when you spend $800+ by using the code STYLE.
Who else has been buying the majority of their things from Amazon lately? From coffee to clothes, I buy so much more than I ever thought I would from the online superstore because it is just SO easy, cheap and cute.
Lets start with talking about this printed wrap dress…It is so cute and less than $30!! I have worn it around the house, to the beach and dinner and have gotten so many compliments on it! I know it will be a staple for me this spring and summer.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but I love these Celine dupe sunglasses!! You can get two for $20! Speaking of steals, I love this scalloped edge blue bikini. I got it last year and it looks a lot like the Marysia swimsuits, but for a fraction of the price and offers a lot more coverage. It would be great paired with this blue tunic cover up.
If you’re looking to update your spring shoe collection, you don’t want to miss out on these tan bow flip flops. They are perfect for the beach, running around and could even be shower shoes for the gym or dorm room as they are entirely waterproof.
If you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll know that I gave up coffee a few years ago to help ease my acid reflux. But over the last year, I have been treating myself to an occasional Blue Bottle iced coffee. I usually buy these little cans at Central Market, but you can also get them at Whole Foods or on Amazon. They are just the best. I serve mine with whole milk and over ice in this BPA-free tumbler and then usually head out for a long walk with Charlie.
I needed a book for our beach trip and I saw Stephanie Covington, of A Life Well Saved, recommended In Five Years by Rebecca Serle. It is SO good and I have almost finished it in just a few days! Highly recommend this if you’re looking for a light summer read.
What have you been loving from Amazon lately?! Leave me a comment and let me know!
We are heading back to one of my favorite places…Watercolor, Florida!! As many of you know, we love Watercolor and have been going there A LOT over the past year. I have been visiting this area for about a decade and my husband and his family have been going for pretty much his whole life. To get ready for my trip, I’m sharing my packing list!
This trip to Watercolor is even more exciting than usual because we’re not only going to enjoy the beach, but we also get to celebrate Easter with our friends at the Chapel at Seaside which is going to be so special.
For those of you who don’t know, Watercolor and Seaside are two communities that back up to one another along the iconic stretch of the beachside highway known as 30A. You can distinguish where you are in this area by the architecture. Seaside is known for having almost dollhouse looking homes painted in pinks, yellows, blues, greens and white and Watercolor is filled with larger homes mostly painted in whites, blues and greens. All of these towns are connected with bike paths so you never have to drive anywhere which I love.
The most beautiful beach.
The weather along the Florida panhandle is gorgeous during the month of April and it’s usually a lot less busy than spring break and the summer. Since the vibe in the area is casual chic, I’m packing mostly dresses and pastel-colored swimsuits. I never go to the beach without packing a few sunhats…I live for my Eugenia Kim hat and it is just amazing, but it is kind of a hassle to pack. If you’re flying or don’t want to deal with bringing a big hat, check out this foldable one I found for less than $10. I use it way more than my other hats and I get so many compliments on it.
Have you been to Watercolor or anywhere on 30A? What are your favorite things to do in the area?
Easter is just two weeks away! I love Easter because it symbolizes rebirth and it’s basically a pastel haven. Whether you celebrate at church or on the beach, I’m sharing my favorite Easter looks for this spring.
First and foremost, this pink SWF dress, y’all. I loved it for Valentine’s Day and I love it for Easter. It is so cute, comfortable and currently 25 percent off at Saks. I paired it with wedges and my favorite Pamela Munson bag, which makes an ideal look for a day time church service.
The amount of gorgeous pastel dresses this spring just has me so overwhelmed and happy. From pink to mint green and yellow polka dots, you will look stunning no matter where you celebrate your Easter Sunday. If you’re looking for a fun addition to an Easter egg hunt, check out these designer eggs from Haute and Cool.
All about the details. Paired my dress with wedges and a gorgeous woven bag…perfect for Easter.
How are you celebrating Easter this year? Will you be wearing any of my Easter looks? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Skinny Jeans are apparently out so I needed to look to some other styles for inspiration this spring. Although I’ve loved skinny jeans for more than a decade, I have to agree with my Gen Z friends that there are more flattering styles out there. From Straight leg to mini boot cut, I’m breaking down my five favorite styles for you to try in the denim world this season.
Last year, I fell in love with the Levi 501 jeans that everyone raves about. I’ve also branched out or back to loving flare jeans…I think Veronica Beard does them perfectly and you can get this spring wash for under $100! Mango makes really good jeans too. The washes are a little funky, but for $50 a pair, I think it’s ok to experiment a little.
St. Patrick’s Day is one week away! You might not know this about me, but I am mostly Irish and was almost born on St. Patrick’s Day so to say I love the holiday is a bit of an understatement.
I have Irish blood from both sides of my family and my mom’s parents were pretty well known for their annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Obviously celebrations this year won’t be too over the top, but as we begin to emerge from COVID-19 quarantine, it is nice to have a happy holiday to look forward to. When I celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I usually like to wear a cute green top with white jeans and add some silly accessories to complete my look. Whether you celebrate next Wednesday or over the upcoming weekend, I’m sharing my favorite styles that will make you look like you are Irish too.
