Giveaway Winner! and dressing for the cold… Brrr!

And the moment we've all been waiting for! The winner of the $25 Jade Mackenzie gift card is…..

Michelle Eisele!

I've already emailed Michelle and I hope to see some pics of what she decided to buy! Congratulations and thank you to everyone who participated!

This past weekend I traveled to Chicago, Illinois to watch my brother graduate from Navy boot camp. Never again will I visit Chicago! It was ridiculously cold there! This was the temperature the night we got there… -17 degree wind chill!

The morning of graduation, we had to stand outside in a line for about an hour in about -15 degree wind chill. After about 15 minutes, my feet started burning and very soon after, I couldn't even feel them. Never again will I complain about our 30 degree days here in Texas! Here's my handsome brother after he graduated…

Now as far as dressing for the cold, I think I did a pretty good job. The only part of me that got REALLY cold (and never really seemed to warm up) was my feet. I had two pairs of socks with one being a wool pair. The boots I was wearing were North Face snow boots. Specifically the Women's Abby IV Luxe. They work very well in our 30 degree weather but there in Chicago, I just couldn't seem to keep my feet warm! Maybe some of you who live where it's colder can give me some tips!

My jacket, however, was AMAZING!! I got the Women's Parkina Down jacket from North Face. The website didn't have my size so I searched the web and found my size in red on Amazon. I would definitely recommend North Face to anyone looking for a good warm jacket. They are pricey but they are well worth it. The jackets also have a lifetime guarantee so if anything breaks or comes apart, they will fix it for free. I didn't even have to wear a hat since the jacket came with the fur lined hoodie. It is removable in case you want to take it off.

I was definitely worried about my legs staying warm since I only wear skirts. I had on long johns, fleece lined leggings, and my thick lined skirt. I didn't feel cold at all! Except of course when we had to stand outside for an hour! On top, I only wore long johns and a thin sweater. My jacket kept me plenty warm! Gloves are also a must in that weather. The ones I had on were a gift and they did the job just fine. 

I did get VERY tired of all the layers I had to put on and take off every day. I don't think that I could live in that kind of weather. I am definitely ready for sunshine and flip flops!

It's a New Season… and a Giveaway!!

I am soo disappointed with myself for not keeping up with my blog as I had originally hoped I would. After summer was over, I got so busy back to work and then I began going back to school for my Master's degree. Between work, school, and church, I didn't even have time to clean my house, much less keep up with my blog. But as my title states, it's a new season. I have some exciting things going on this year and I really do believe that I'll be stepping into a new season in my life. Stay tuned for more info later :)

That being said, I definitely want to keep up with this blog because I want to show how easy it is to dress modestly and how to make it comfortable and beautiful at the same time. If you have any questions on how to dress, or where to find things, don't hesitate to email and I can help!

So at the beginning of this month, we host a big conference at our church called Times of Refreshing. If you follow my blog at all, you know I'm a HUGE fan of the Jade Mackenzie clothing line. Well, it just so happened that the owner, Lisa Blenman, came with all of her wonderful clothes to our conference! I couldn't help but to sell all of her clothes for her! lol! I also bought this outfit that you see pictured.

This is me with Lisa. She is a wonderfully sweet lady! She brought along her husband and one of her adorable daughters who was definitely very fashionable as well.

On her website, she has some great basic pieces, like solid pencil skirts and layering undershirts. But she also has some more fun pieces, like a fun leopard print skirt with a matching blazer (which I'm sure you'll see me wearing here soon!) There are many options to choose from (even plus sizes!) and she is always putting new ones on the website. Make sure to follow the fitting guides when buying since some of the lines run smaller.

So in honor of it being a new year and a new season, I think it is finally time for a giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The winner will be announced February 1st. You can earn up to three entries by doing each of the options in the giveaway. Good luck and God Bless!

Carmen

XOXO

Ease into Neon

If you haven't noticed by now, neons are everywhere! Clothes, shoes, accessories, even Sharpies! If you've been afraid to try wearing it, be afraid no more! Here's some tips to help you add some brightness to your outfit.

Now I'm not one to wear a lot of black in the summer, but I knew that black would really make this color stand out!

If you're afraid to try a bright shirt all by itself, layer it underneath something. I layered this top with a lace moto jacket. This jacket is great for warm weather! It breathes well since it is lace. You can find one in black or white here. 

If you are still afraid to try a lot of brightness at once, start small. Wear a neon scarf with the same color neon sandals. Or use a neon purse. You can even go smaller and start with an accessory like a watch, or headband.

This top is great for layering. It's loose, comfy, and cool. Great for when you feel bloated and blah… if you know what I mean ;)

 This maxi skirt I found on sale at Dillard's a while back for $12! It it kind of long though, so I had to wear my highest heels with it. Just FYI, if you have a Dillard's in your area, my sister in law told me that they're having a big sale this week. In fact, I'm sure most stores will be having a sale soon since they need to start moving out all the spring/summer clothes and bringing in the fall clothes. Keep an eye out!

 * Jacket & top: Forever 21 * Skirt & shoes: Dillard's *

XOXO

Carmen

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Maxi'd Out!

Oh how I love summer! Lazy days, swimming, vacations, this is definitely my favorite time of year. And yes, believe it or not, I love the heat! And here in west Texas, it has been hot and unbelievably humid!  Since I'm off for the summer, I have not had to get up and get dressed up everyday. So I've been wearing t-shirts and throwing my hair up in a top know almost every day. When my husband told me he was going to take me on a date this weekend, I thought, YAY! Time to dress up!

Right now, maxi dresses and maxi skirts are on trend. Time to stock up! You can find them everywhere! One problem that I have is that I am very short (5'2"). This dress that I am wearing is actually a skirt. I purchased it here from Jade Mackenzie. When I got it in the mail and tried it on, it was SUPER long! I could probably wear it as a skirt if i folded it over and wore heels. But then I got the bright idea to try it as a dress and what do you know!? It looked great!

I did have to layer a tank top underneath it, so that it wasn't too low. The color on the website says that the skirt is mint green, but it was actually closer to turquoise. There is also one on the website with a black damask pattern instead of this green. The white is more of a cream color and not true white in both this and the black.

With a maxi dress, there are a number of ways you can cover up on top. You can wear a 3/4 sleeve shirt underneath it, you can wear a jean jacket over it, you can tie a button up shirt over it (I almost did that with my chambray shirt but it was too hot to wear it like that!), you could wear a button up sweater, or you can do like I did, and wear a cardigan. A cardigan is an open front type of sweater. You can find them in thin material like this one and it is great for summertime! Here is a great short sleeve one you can buy online. Now, for church, I would definitely wear longer sleeves like this, this (which I have in white), or this.

I've totally gotten tired of wearing my hair in a ponytail or topknot everyday. So I scoured Pinterest for a cute updo to wear. I didn't get a good picture of the other side, but it has a braid from my ear, back to the bun. 

I got these fabulous flip flops at Macy's and they are on sale here right now! You can get them in this bisque color, black, or red. AND if get them before midnight tonight, enter the code SUPER to get an EXTRA 15% OFF!!!

I found this quote and I hope it speaks to you like it did to me:

“One of the first evidences of a real lady, is that she should be modest. By modesty we mean that she shall not say, do, nor wear anything that would cause her to appear gaudy, ill-bred, or unchaste. There should be nothing about her to attract unfavorable attention, nothing in her dress or manner that would give a man an excuse for vulgar comment. When we dress contrary to the rule of modesty we give excuse for unwholesome thoughts in the mind of those who look upon us, and every girl who oversteps these bounds makes herself liable to misunderstanding and insult, though she may be innocent of any such intention.” 

― Margaret Hale

Carmen

XOXO

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Black and white is boring without a little color!

One of the big trends this summer is black and white. Stripes, polka dots, any print you can think of in black and white. It is a timeless color combination that anyone can wear and it looks very chic.

But if you ask me, black and white can be boring without some color! Especially in summer when everything is supposed to be bright and fun! So, I paired this black and white polka dot with a bright candy apple red pencil skirt. 

You could really pair black and white with just about any color and it would look great. This search will help you find a polka dot shirt. I got mine on sale at Stein Mart. I also got the skirt at Stein Mart. (I got to go shopping this weekend for my birthday!) Unfortunately, Stein Mart does not have online shopping but if you need help finding one, don't hesitate to contact me, I'd be glad to help!

I don't usually change purses but I used my black Coach with this outfit. My husband bought this for me our first Valentine's together. He picked it out all by himself! :)

I got this fabulous headband from a missionary who came to our church this weekend. His daughters make unique headbands. It's funny because right before church, I was complaining to my husband that I needed a new headband. And as soon as I walked in the foyer, ta da! There was a table full of headbands! Isn't is amazing how God gives us even the smallest desires of our hearts? 

T-strap heels give your look a more vintage feel. Unfortunately, I could not find these shoes on Dillard's website. I got them last year, so they may be discontinued. But, I did find some other t-strap heels that were similar here (on sale!), here, and here.

Here's the final look one more time with my little photobomber! I am babysitting my sister's dog and she kept trying to get in the pictures too! 

Have a blessed day!

Carmen

XOXO

Linking Up With:

Romantic Florals and Waves

Guess who's back?! Well, I apologize for having been gone so long. I'm not sure how many people actually noticed I was gone, but anyways... May and the beginning of June has been VERY busy/crazy. Choir show, Talent Show, end of school, end of school packing and cleaning, we had puppies, we went out of town for a wedding... and now things are finally settling down.

I didn't exactly get time to do a "fashion shoot" at the wedding but I did get some good pictures of me and my husband, who was the best man. It was at a beautiful ranch in Comfort, TX. The whole wedding was absolutely amazing. Right now as you know, it's wedding season. Love is in the air... In fact, we got married two years ago on June 17.  So wondering what to wear to a wedding?

I chose this great floral faux wrap dress. It was a thin polyester fabric, which helped keep me cool at the outdoor ceremony. This fabric also travels well and does not wrinkle. Here's a great tip for any dress at any time... Don't be afraid to invest in a full bodyshaper slip. It helps to keep any panty lines from showing and smooths everything out. When you are buying one, it shouldn't be so tight that you can't breathe, just a nice comfortable fit. I don't necessarily wear mine with every dress, but with those fabrics that are a little less forgiving than others :) And that usually means special occasion dresses.

I also have my fun Gianni Bini heels on. They have beads that dangle across the t-strap in front. Here's what the heels look like close up. I couldn't find them online :(

Florals are big right now and they are great to wear anywhere. They give a romantic vibe that goes great at a wedding. 

Another great tip for weddings this season is to wear waves in your hair. No kinky curls, but loose waves. A kind of 20's inspired look. I got mine by using a curling wand and curling my hair from about my ears to the bottom. I sprayed each strand of hair before and after I curled it. Before you brush through the curls, let them cool off and set. Get dressed and right before you leave, brush through them and voila! Beautiful waves. (I used lots of spray since it was an outdoor wedding and a little humid.)

XOXO

Carmen

Spring has Sprung! Plus... need a pencil skirt?

I think our weather here is finally turned into Spring! We've had some MAJOR ups and downs these past couple of weeks. And when I say major, I mean going from 90 one afternoon to 30 the next morning. Crazy!

I know I've posted about this same chambray shirt before, but this outfit was too cute not to post! Chambray is so versatile and you can do so much with it! Since it's like jeans it goes great with any color. I got this cute pinwheel from Hobby Lobby. All their Spring stuff is 50% off right now. This one will be going in a flower pot soon! But I decided to have some fun with it first :)

This great skirt was found by one of my blogger friends. Chandra at More Modern Modesty posted about it here a couple months ago and I jumped at the chance to buy it! Thanks Chandra! And lucky for all of you, it's still on the website for $19.99! So before you go buy it, let me give you some tips and review what I think about it...

There are two different sizings on the website: the regular women's size and the petite women's size. I am 5'2" and usually a size 4. I ordered the small petite size and it fits perfectly! Now, if you are taller or like your skirts longer, go with the regular size. The waist fits just right. In fact, during the day it stretches a little and gets more comfortable as you wear it. It didn't sit too high on the waist and it still covered my knees when I sat down. I haven't washed it yet, since this is my first time wearing it, so I'll let you know soon how it washes :) There are so many pretty colors of this skirt on the website, I wish I could get them all!

Now I know I could have worn this chambray all buttoned up, but how could I not show off this beauty? I found it at Marshall's last week and fell in love! I love the alternating lace and fabric layers. Plus, the neckline is high enough that I don't have to layer anything underneath it. The mint and white combination is so springy to me!

When I wear these I want to click my heels and say, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home." I know they're not red, but if you've read the book, you know that they were originally silver! I found these at Target a while back. When I first saw them, they looked uncomfortable but they were sparkly! lol, I get easily distracted by sparkly things. Anyways, they turned out to be the most comfortable pair of flats I own! (Besides my Toms) I found them on the website but they only have them in purple now. There are some similar ones in black and gold that I would definitely like to get as well.

Thank you to everyone who said a prayer for me this week since I wasn't feeling well. God answered quickly and I'm feeling great! Stay tuned, there's a giveaway coming soon!

XOXO

Carmen