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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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

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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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

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What's black, blue, and striped all over?

Me! While shopping last weekend, my nieces and I found some great striped skirts at Old Navy. They had tons of colors to choose from! It's a stretchy fabric and the skirts are a great length. The price wasn't too bad either.

This great peplum top is from a store called Vanity. I got it on sale for $7! I also got a black and white striped peplum top that you'll see soon enough! The royal blue tank top and belt are from my closet... who knows where those came from!

These are some of my favorite shoes! They are my favorite brand, Gianni Bini and I got them at Dillards.

Instead of leaving my hair down like I usually do, I put a pin curl in my hair. This outfit gives a retro vibe and the pin curl just adds a little something extra.

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I've got so many ideas and not enough time for them all! Until next time!

Carmen

XOXO