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

Linking Up With:

Pattern Mixing

So, if you haven't heard, one of the trends this spring is pattern mixing. I've been on the fence about it because it comes close to looking like you got dressed in the dark. But, I've seen some pretty amazing posts like this one from Serena over at The Serena Saga and this one from Chioma at Chioma's Evolution of Style. They inspired me to finally try it. Now this outfit is just a baby step since I only mixed two patterns but I think the two patterns look great together! I apologize in advance because the pictures were taken in about 10 minutes and I was absolutely exhausted! So there are not very many, needless to say.

I know, I know, the boots aren't very "springy" but the day that I wore this outfit, it was 20 degrees when I woke up. It had been 80 the day before. So I HAD to wear boots and leggings, it was freezing! Our weather can't make up it's mind!

What do you think of pattern mixing? Like it? Love it? Afraid of it? What patterns do you think look good together?

Carmen

XOXO

Lunch with the boys

Today I got to go have lunch with two of my brothers. This doesn't happen very often, since they are both in high school and both VERY busy! So, instead of getting all dressed up, I kept it casual but still a little frilly :) I am the only girl after all.

 Today is the first day that I've been able to pull out my flip flops! The weather was extremely warm today and I was soo happy! These wedge sandals came from Target.

This cute little cardigan came from TJ Maxx. It is a pretty blush pink with a lacy back. I completely LOVE that store, as any fashionista does. If you've never been there before… GO!

This lace shirt came from Macy's. I found it on clearance a couple of months ago. There is a similar one  here. 

Now, let me tell you about this AMAZING undershirt I am wearing. It is 3/4 length and has a higher scoop neckline. They are super comfortable and great for layering. I have one in every single color they have available! They wash really well and don't lose their color. They are great to put under sheer tops, dresses, or anything else you may need some cover with! You can buy them HERE! The color I am wearing is called dusky green but to me it looks more like grey. They are very true to size and are very form fitting. This works perfect if you want them underneath clothes. If you want it to fit looser, go a size up.

My jean skirt is from SteinMart. It seems like SteinMart always has great skirts for a good price. Its always hard to find longer lengths but I can always find some there.

Well, Spring Break is almost over :( But, luckily for me, summer is just around the corner! Stay tuned for more soon!

Carmen

XOXO

Matthew 6:25-34

Linking Up with:

1 Dress... Endless Possibilities!

A couple of weeks ago, I was shopping at a local boutique and I came across this beautiful leopard skirt. Well, once I got it home, much to my surprise, it turned out to not only be a skirt, but a maxi dress! The possibilities with this dress, and any other maxi dress are endless! But here are a couple to get your wheels turning.

I have to say, this outfit is probably my favorite of the three. Not only is it cute, but very comfortable!  The tangerine color looks great with leopard. The shirt is from JCPenny's. It is flowy and a little see through, so I have a black tank underneath. I paired it with a gold Gianni Bini heel from Dillard's.

This outfit is a more casual, shopping, out to lunch kind of outfit. For more coverage on top, wear a tank top underneath the dress. Here, I've got on a simple black lace tank. Worried about the dress slipping down? Here's a great tip: Use a safety pin to secure the dress to each of your bra straps. Jean jacket is from Forever 21, sparkly gold flats are from NY&Company. 

A black cardigan is a staple that every woman needs in her wardrobe. I got this one from TJ Maxx. With this dress, the black was great, but the pops of red gave it a fun twist. The red lace tank top is from Stein Mart. I think I have one of these in every color! They are great because you can adjust them to cover up as much as you need. The red heels are Jessica Simpson from Macy's.

Hopefully more posts to come soon!

XOXO

Carmen