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

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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

Seeing Spots

I really feel like I'm seeing spots today. I do not feel well at all. But, as my teacher friends know, it's easier to suck it up and go to school than it is to plan for a sub. So, I got dressed super comfy and went to school.

I am loving these tie front shirts. I've seen them all over. At first I was very wary of trying it on. But, once it was on, it looked super cute! I got this one at Macy's a while back. Here's a similar shirt in mint green that I would love to own! This shirt is also great because the fabric is thin. I have worn it with a long sleeve shirt in winter, and today I wore it with a tank top since it was a warmer.

Black skirts are a staple in every woman's closet and this one is a twist on the classic black skirt. The ruffles give it a fun vibe. I got this one at Target more than a couple of years ago :) Here is another cute ruffle skirt from Target that would look great on anyone!

These shoes are AH-mazing!! They are my other favorite pair to wear besides these. The brand is called Sofft. They have a small kitten heel, which is great to give me some height. But, unlike other heels, these do NOT hurt to wear all day! They are VERY comfortable and VERY worth the price! But, lucky for you, this Mary Jane style is on sale right now here!! These are also available in leopard print. Too cute! I was pretty excited to see all of the great Spring sandals on their website! I know the price looks a little steep but for someone who is on their feet all day, it is worth it!

Pray that I feel better quick! Ain't nobody got time to be sick!

XOXO

Carmen

Lace, Orange, and LV

As I started writing this post, I realized… it's been two weeks since I've posted anything! I can't believe I've let this much time pass between posts! It has definitely been busy, but don't worry, I haven't quit or disappeared. Just took a little break :)

Our church choir has started a new thing. Instead of wearing robes, we coordinate colors. Yesterday's colors were white, brown or gray, khaki, and orange. Here's what I came  up with…

I've worn this shirt before, here, but this time, I decided to tuck it in. I've never been one to tuck in my shirts, but after this outfit, I think I might try it more often.

This fabulous lace skirt is from Stein Mart. I'm telling you ladies… if you need a skirt, look no further than Stein Mart! They have some pretty fabulous stuff! My gold/nude heels are Gianni Bini from Dillards. Nude colored shoes are a great way to elongate your legs. And a shorty like me needs that!

I noticed that I never have purses in my postings but that is for a reason. I love purses but I can't stand changing them. I know people who change them with each outfit and I wish I had the patience for that, but I don't. This Louis Vuitton is my baby right now. My husband bought it for my birthday last June and I have been using it since then. Good quality purses will last a LOONG time versus a new cheap purse that breaks every month.

Belts are also something that make a big difference. I hope to do a post soon on different sized belts, what they are for, and the difference they make. This particular one is from Target.

XOXO

Carmen

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