Fall Inspired Fashions

Fall is quietly becoming my favorite season. I hate to say that too loudly, because I would hate for the other seasons to get jealous. Let's be honest though, fall is pretty great for many reasons. I have plenty of long sleeved cozy things in my closet, and they're just begging for attention this time of year. Unfortunately, it's still too hot for them, but I did make a few Florida fall appropriate purchases recently.

The purchase of this orange sweater (I know it almost looks red, but I promise it's a dark orange) and black and white striped skirt are inspired by pins like this one and even this one. There's no time like fall to wear orange and not feel scared by its bold color. I can maybe even get away with wearing this skirt year round. That's a nice thing about fall in Florida. I can throw on a pair of tights when it gets really cold, but most likely I'll be wearing it with bare legs. See. I told you I'm a rebel.

sweater (similar)   |   skirt   |   sunglasses (similar)

These fall items are great, because they're fun colors that are wearable in the hot Florida temperatures. Heck, you can even wear this skirt with tights and boots if you are lucky enough to live in a cooler climate. The sweater happens to be fairly lightweight, so you can wear it alone or layered under a vest or jacket. Options are always good. I also love how the orange color makes me think of pumpkins! Any time I see orange and black I can't help but think of Halloween. I can't stop. I've got fall on the brain.

What are your favorite fall fashions?

Mad for Plaid and Some Fall Favorites

It's getting to be that time of year again. The unmistakable cooler air of fall is near, sort of, and all I want to do is bust out my plaid shirts and drink apple cider and pumpkin spice lattes already. What can I say? Fall is great, and I love me a plaid shirt every now and then.

my little plaid collection

left : mossimo from Target  |  right : old top from American Eagle ( similar )

Wearing plaid just might run in my blood. Considering that I grew up pretty darn close to Canada, where plaid is practically their national uniform, it only makes sense that plaid be a part of my wardrobe. Not to mention my dad wears his fair share of plaid button up shirts too. I was certainly made to wear plaid. I am a northern Michigan girl after all.

the photo booth flash always makes my face look shiny. what the heck?

yes, I'm also missing polish on two nails. don't judge.

plaid button up : mossimo @ Target ( similar )  |  nail polish : essie - sand tropez

I recently purchased this plaid beauty at Target for only $17.99 people! Target often has cute clothes, but I sometimes worry about the quality. For this price though, I felt it was worth adding a plaid shirt to my tiny collection. Why not? Plus I'm sort of in love with the indigo blue and red combo in this top.

This top is going to look perfect with my skinny jeans and brown boots. Not to mention, this plaid top makes me feel a little bit cowgirl too. That's never a bad thing in my book.

1  |  2  |  3  |  4

How about you... do you like wearing plaid too?

Love it or hate it?

Say Yes to the Dress(es)

I wanted to share some of the dresses that I
tried on during my wedding dress search.

There are so many gorgeous dresses out there, and I had the pleasure of trying on some very beautiful ones. It's always fun playing dress up, so I hope you'll enjoy these photos!

Maybe I'll eventually get around to sharing some of our actual wedding day photos,

but chronologically the dress search comes before a wedding anyways, right? (:

tip from the past bride (that would be me):

{ give yourself plenty of time when searching

for the perfect wedding dress! }

giving yourself 8 months or more is not a bad idea.

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Here are some of the dresses I tried

but obviously did not end up with....

I tried the following dresses on at Anna Bé bridal boutique in Denver.

It was such a beautiful place to try on wedding dresses,

and their gorgeous mirrors, free champagne, and natural light didn't hurt.

{ this was one of my favorite dresses while searching for dresses online

before actually trying any on in a boutique }

This next dress was actually the first dress I tried on, and I loved it right away.

It had a sweetheart neckline that I wanted, it was fitted through the torso, and it had a dropped waist.

The bottom zipped off to make a fun short dress for your reception. We dressed it up

with a cute green sash and crystal belt on top to give it a little personality.

It was strange falling for the very first dress that I tried on, but I continued trying more dresses.

I tried a few that I did not love as much.

{ these ruffles are adorable, but still not exactly me }

They "clamp you into" the dresses if the sample dress is too big, and I'm sure that it took a few inches off my waistline in the process. It's nice to feel skinny while trying on possible future wedding dresses. I think the salesgirl knew exactly what she was doing. ;)

{ this one was nice, but it did not suit my personality as well as others }

After trying a few different styles and fits, you really start to hone in on exactly what types you love.

I fell for the cute sweetheart neckline, a dropped waist, and ruched material.

Then it happened....

{ I tried on this dress, and I did not want to take it off.... I wanted to wear it home }

Had we had the money and time for it to arrive in my size, I would have chose that dress!

It was gorgeous. It felt nice. It made me feel beautiful, and I just loved it.

Don't get me wrong... I loved the dress I ended up with (which I will share photos of later),

but I absolutely fell for that dress I tried at Anna Bé.

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I almost want to try on wedding dresses again just for fun. Is that allowed?

Did you end up with the wedding dress you wanted?

I hope to share wedding photos sometime in the near future. It has been a couple of years after all. (:

Wants vs. Needs { My Spring Wish List }

Yesterday I spoke of a spring fever that has taken over.

preppy   +   leopard print   =    love

{ Throw in a little neon and I'm sold }

left to right :  shoes  //  ring  //  top  //  skirt  //  necklace  //  bracelet  //  wristlet

I've been feeling a serious need to buy these leopard print Sperrys that I found while browsing the internet recently. It doesn't help that we live dangerously close to beautiful beaches, and I obviously need those shoes in order to fulfill my mind's idea of a picture perfect preppy (sort of) nautical life.

I've been having a serious problem lately determining my fashion needs from my wants.

I obviously need everything in sight right now.

It's clearly not safe for me to be working in retail sales!

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Of the items on my 'spring wish (need/want) list' : I did buy the Tucked Tiered Skirt

and the Celadon shapes necklace from Anthropologie.

Here's the necklace.... isn't it "purdy"?

Please tell me I'm not the only one with
a serious case of 'the wants' right now.... please.


Oh, and just in case you didn't get enough 
of my nail obsession yesterday...

Yeah, I'm a little late jumping on board the ring finger trend train, but who cares.

Dreamy Fall Outfit

I often play it a little too safe when it comes to fashion and style. Favorite items in my closet typically consist of grey cardigans and a comfortable pair of dark denim jeans. Not very risky when it comes to fashion. Sometimes coming out of your shell takes time, and I'm slowly working myself into being more brave when it comes to clothing. Fun pops of color and maxi skirts never killed anyone... right?

{ sweater tunic } { maxi skirt } { knit cap } { necklace } { wallet }

When shopping for new pieces to complete my wardrobe, I often run through images of items already in my closet. If I cannot picture how to make outfits with an item of clothing, then it's probably not a good purchase for me. The worst things is purchasing an item that never sees the light of day.

I desperately need to build my wardrobe, which will take time, but slowly adding some great pieces here and there should give me plenty of options to create some interesting outfits.

Who would have thought that a sweater tunic would look great layered over top of a maxi skirt?! Surprisingly, it worked out pretty well. The gray tunic tones down the red skirt and bright yellow wallet. I'm looking forward to creating multiple different outfits using this sweater tunic! It even looks great with a basic pair of skinny jeans underneath it. Not too bad. I just love versatile pieces. (:

Happy Friday friends!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Envy

Lately I've been reading quite a few blog posts mentioning Pumpkin Spice lattes and cooler weather, and I have to admit that I'm a tad jealous. (That may be the understatement of the year.) Yes, I have access to my fair share of Starbucks, but the hot and humid weather in Florida is unfortunately not in my control. If it was, I would drop temps into the 65-70 degree range and enjoy a Pumpkin Spice latte without having a hot flash. I might even bust out a sweater and wear it outside for longer than it takes me to walk from my car into work.... but I'm not bitter. Nope.

Since we're still suffering through enjoying hot and sweaty summer weather here in Florida, I thought I'd put together a virtual outfit that I'd like to wear once the weather cools off a bit. Pumpkin Spice lattes may be out of the question when it's "hot as hades" outside, but pumpkin-orange colored tops just might do the trick in quelling my fall jealousy. Until I can sip on hot drinks again, without wanting to rip off all my clothes and hop in a pool full of ice water, I will spend my time fantasizing about favorite fall outfits.

Longsleeve Tops by Anthropologie
Wedges by Steve Madden

I could really use a wardrobe update.

What are you loving when it comes to your fall wardrobe?

All Grown Up

Over the years I've learned to like wearing dresses. This jeans and t-shirt girl has really come a long way. Call it maturity, or maybe just call it instant ventilation in a very humid climate, but who's keeping track? I still have a long way to go though, because skirts still kind of scare me. Maybe it's the fact that they make me feel a little too exposed, and I love how a dress hugs me. Skirts just don't do the same thing for me as dresses do. Call me crazy.

A few days ago I did put on my big girl pants, or skirt if you will. I was feeling compulsive, so I threw on a skirt with a new top and belted myself in for the ride. Some people do much more dangerous things that just throw on a skirt when they're feeling compulsive, so the situation could have turned out much worse. Skirts aren't so bad after all.

 sunglasses ( similar )  |  sandals ( similar )

1. Just because I'm wearing a skirt like a grown up, doesn't mean I have to spend a lot on my clothes. I recently bought this top from Anthropologie in two different colors since I loved it so much. This fall I'll be wearing layers under it as well. This top looks great tucked into high waists, and it looks nice with or without a belt too. It should easily last more than one season, and making smart clothing decisions makes me feel more grown up than just putting on a skirt does.

2. My blue and yellow necklace is made of handmade paper beads. Parts of the proceeds benefit the Bluma Project and women's cooperatives in Rwanda and Ghana.

3. Speaking of jewelry, lately I've been putting together some friendship bracelets. I made this blue bracelet out of yarn, and I learned not to make them out of the soft and furry yarn again. Lesson learned. Being a grown up is all about not making the same mistakes twice. You know, like wearing white to someone else's wedding.

Wearing skirts with pockets makes the transition from jeans slightly more easy. Jumping straight to a pencil skirt would be like setting yourself up for failure. Trust me. I bought this skirt at Forever21. The pockets are great, and so was the price. I only buy skirts with pockets.... all grown up here.

4. I wear these gladiator sandals pretty often, but the look really isn't complete without colorful toenails. You may already know that, when it comes to polish, I'm a bit of an Essie and OPI snob. You can see a few of my favorites ( here | here | here ). Essie and OPI polishes typically stay on for days without chipping, and the colors are playful with sometimes entertaining names. I seriously need to figure out how to get into the nail polish naming business. Best job ever.

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Don't be fooled. Skirts make me no more grown up than driving a car does. Now a pencil skirt, that might make me more mature. The jury is still out on that one. Only time will tell.

Something New

Hey everyone! I haven't blogged in almost a week, and I've missed you all.

You may remember how I mentioned that dresses are one of my new favorite things lately, so today I wanted to share a new way (at least new to me) to wear a dress. I have no idea why I never thought to wear a top over my dresses before, but it's a great way to make your dress do double duty for you! There's no reason that a dress cannot also be a skirt. What do you think?

I swear, you really do learn something new every day. Sometimes I forget that I can take risks (like wearing a top over a dress is really much of a risk... but you have to start somewhere) with my clothes, and, for the most part, no one really cares. It's fun turning dresses into skirts. I always used to love magic tricks. Who knew I'd still be transforming things late into my twenties. The fun never ends.

1) After realizing I could wear my dresses as skirts, it really made my closet seem much larger than it is. I threw on my tank from Forever21 and cinched my waist with a coral belt. A racerback over regular tank straps mixes things up a bit.

2) My aunt gave me these earrings years ago, and I realized I hadn't worn them in a while. She bought them at a small boutique jewelry store called The Silver Arrow. You can find it on the small main street that runs through Evergreen, Colorado. I lived in Evergreen for a while, and it's a really great little mountain town not too far from Denver. I highly recommend a visit to the town if you're ever exploring Denver and the surrounding areas.

3) One of my very favorite colors is turquoise, and the closest nail polish I've been able to find in turquoise is Essie's Turquoise and Caicos. I love imagining that I'm on a beach in Turks and Caicos when I wear this polish. It never hurts to dream a little.

4) I found this coral dress at Dillard's last year,
but here's a dress that is very similar: Delia's coral eyelet dress

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Happy Monday!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend,
and don't forget that sometimes it pays to take outfit risks.
You never know what you might learn about your favorite item of clothing. (:

You're Invited to the (Arm) Party

Right now, you just might find yourself asking what is an arm party anyways? I wondered the same thing when I heard the term, but today I'm hosting an arm party all my own. You're invited!

{If the party gets too rowdy, you can always kick someone out.}

By hosting an arm party, I really mean wearing an arm full of fun bracelets. The great thing about an arm party is that you get to invite any kind of bracelet you want. You know, you might include the colorful one with all of the spunk, or maybe you want to invite the bracelet that will be sure to keep everyone else in check or even the single wallflower bangle. Today I invited handmade hemp and yarn bracelets paired with silver, sparkly, and beaded bracelets. They're all invited, and when you put all of these unique individuals together it's sure to be a par-tay!

{  arm party top to bottom:  Dillard's (wore on our wedding day)
homemade by my cousin  |  gifted (see this post)  |  turquoise bangle from forever21

handmade by moi  |  Tiffany & Co. (gift)  }

Want to know something else that's great about the arm party? It's so much fun that it can distract viewers from spending too much time looking at your lackluster outfit. When you want to wear a baggy shirt and frayed denim shorts, just throw on an arm party to breath a little life into an uninspired outfit.

{ I purchased that green ring on a beach in Italy... but that deserves its own blog post }

Maybe someday I'll get to feeling brave and wear a crazy arm party while covering my body with a potato sack. No. Not really. I probably won't do that, but the chances of getting away with it are good when you have an armful of fun bracelets to distract people. The arm party is never boring. Now let's get this (arm) party started!

Head over to Pretty Shiny Sparkly to see other arm parties in action.

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Oh. I almost forgot!
Today you can also find me over at Patchie[Verbs] sharing
one of my very favorite waterside getaways. There are lots of pretty pictures too!
Go and read all about it. (:

Cures for Homesickness

Believe it or not, sometimes I have bad days. When I say bad, most likely that means emotional. Yeah, I'm a real person. Not just a pretend blog person with no emotions. For real. Okay, now I'm stalling. Let's get to the tough stuff.

Homesickness is one of those things that just happens sometimes. It blindsides me, or it creeps in over the course of days. You might think that everything is all hunky-dory around here (oh wait, that's just me, huh), but I really do miss my friends and family a lot. Just when I needed it most, one of my good friends sent me a message out of the blue. It was as if she knew how I was feeling today. That or maybe she was feeling a little homesick too. It happens to the best of us. Either way, today was a tiny major homesick day.

{ This is where I take a moment to tell my parents

how much I love and miss and appreciate them!

Never underestimate the power of love. }

Combine homesickness and searching for a job, in a city where I know just a handful of people, and that might just be a recipe for disaster if you ask me. In my everyone's best interest (happiness is contagious), I pulled myself together enough to get a few things done today that needed to be done.

{ cardigan : anthropologie  |  dress & sandals : forever21  | nail polish : 'My Chihuahua Bites' by OPI  }

It's amazing how a pretty outfit can make you feel slightly less homesick. Plus when you feel good about yourself, you just might lift that chin a little bit higher. If it takes a pretty outfit to make me feel better then so be it. Even ice cream doesn't work all of the time. Sometimes you have to pull out the big guns, like a ruffled flowery dress, bright cardigan, and colorful toes. Jewelry from loved ones doesn't hurt either!

Very special jewelry also helps lift spirits. On top of wearing a fun dress, I wore a gold necklace chain that holds two charms very dear to my heart. Both were given to me as high school graduation gifts. The cherub angel is from dear family friends, and my 8th grade volleyball coach gave me the initial 'A'. Both charms represent heartwarming memories, and wearing them instantly makes loved ones feel closer. My pearl stud earrings and blue ring were passed down to me from my mother. Sadly, I'm not sure if my mom even knows for sure who the previous owners were.

When I think about the love that was poured into these pieces of jewelry, the exact details matter very little anyways. Maybe someone was watching over me today. I'd like to think that my guardian angels made sure to remind I am loved. Special jewelry and loving memories are powerful like that.

After looking back on my day, I realize that homesickness is just a phase. It's nothing that a pretty outfit and meaningful jewelry can't cure. That may sound shallow, but it's actually more about the love that goes into daily decisions. When you carefully choose things that represent thought and love, suddenly homesickness feels a little silly. Love has the power to cure a lot of things; homesickness just so happens to be one of them.

Tale of Two (Or Three) Stories

Recently I've shared more outfit posts, and, minus the posing in front of a camera part, I sort of like it.

Last night I had my husband taking pictures of my outfit, and I cycled through a few very limited poses. Let me tell you, I am the furthest thing from a model. After getting frustrated with how the pictures were turning out, I exclaimed to my photographer (a.k.a. my husband), "I'm not a poser!" Then I had a good laugh or two about being a poser. Laughter really lightened the mood, and then I proceeded to take a beating from my turquoise necklace. See. Sometimes you just can't win.

If you know me, I am incredibly hairstyle challenged. My hair is long and fairly straight, and I rarely wear anything more than a ponytail. Other than a small braid in the front of my hair, I still don't know how to french braid. Embarrassing, I know. Sometimes I even flat iron my hair so that it's pin straight, and on very rare occasions I might even curl it. Last week I even put my hair in a bun and actually used pins, instead of a hair elastic, to secure it up high. That was quite the feat. Try not to get used to this.

After learning to fishtail braid my hair, I sort of feel like a winner and less like a poser. Learning to fishtail my hair was a whole different ballgame than just than standard ponytail! It only took me about twenty eight three tries before I settled with what I had perfected it. I think the humidity is going straight to my head. Actually it is. This frizz is out of control, so that's why I need to learn some new hairstyles. Don't be fooled. These hairstyle developments come out of necessity not desire.

{ top : GAP / shorts : AE / necklace : nordstrom rack / bracelet and ring : Tiffany & Co. / flats : Tahari }

Maybe I'll wear a fishtail braid every day for the rest of summer! Overkill? As much as I love this braid, I don't think I want to spend 20 minutes on my hair every day. If I practiced maybe I could learn to braid quicker, but who practices braiding their hair?! Oh yeah, this girl.

Just when I thought things couldn't get much weirder, you know since I learned to fishtail braid and everything, we came across this little lizard. His (or her) little throat bulges out, and it's red too. Sick! Does anyone know if this is normal. Or is it like seeing me with a fishtail braid? Totally out of the ordinary! Anyone? Anyone?

Who would have thought that I would learn a new braid and see this gross-looking lizard all in one day? This world never ceases to amaze me. I hope you have a wonderful Thursday, minus gross lizard encounters!

Dresses Are Forever : Closet Braid Lover

Who needs diamonds? I think dresses are a girls best friend!

At least they're my new best friend.

{Don't get the wrong idea, though, I still like diamonds.}

Growing up, my wardrobe never consisted of so many dresses as it does today. Which really isn't saying much since I have about three dresses that I wear regularly, but that's beside the point. You can't regret past mistakes, so that's why I am looking forward and starting a new relationship with the dress. One where we enjoy each other's company. Not one where I dread the day we spend time together. You know the kind.

Remember this blue dress? Sadly, this is the first time I've worn it since receiving it in the mail. Apparently it took a cross-country move to Florida for me to bust this blue dress out of the closet and throw it on with some fun jewelry and sandals. The result was better than I had hoped.

{ dress : Modcloth / jewelry and sandals : forever21 }

I love braids. Whew. Now my secret is out! I really love my Modcloth 'Closet Braid Dress' that I bought with some birthday money this past winter. After taking a few photos, I realized my outfit included multiple braids. I braided my hair just to make it that much more ridiculous. Braided dress. Check. Braided purse straps, check. Braided necklace. Check. Finally, braided hair. Check! A girl can never have enough braids.... or diamonds. 

Unfortunately, my favorite photo of me in this dress turned out a little fuzzy.

I'm sharing it anyway.

See how happy I am in this dress. Why did it take me so long to realize that dresses make me as giddy as a school girl? They especially make me happy when it's 94° and humid. Breezes do more 'cooling magic' when you're wearing a dress, and I like that. Dresses are my new best friend!

{Oh and you too. You're my bff also}

Happy Monday!

Do you love dresses too?

Nautical Inspired Maxi Skirt

{ top : Banana Republic / skirt : TJ Maxx / sandals : Seychelles }

The water has always been a comfort to me, and I can never get enough of it. After growing up on a lake in Michigan, and then living in land-locked Colorado for a while, I'm really happy to be living in Florida near water again! When Kristina, over at Pretty Shiny Sparkly, announced that maxi skirts would be the newest 'Bloggers Do It Better' challenge, I just had to work a nautical theme into my outfit somehow.

When I think of being near the water, navy and white always pop into my mind. Someday my husband and I will have a beach cottage decked out in a navy and white interior. You might even find some blue glass fishing floats on our future beach cottage tables. Until then using clothing and visits to the beach, for my nautical fix, will have to suffice.

{ belt : New York & Co. / bracelets : Charlotte Russe / necklace : old }

Working a knotted belt, shoes and purse with rope details, and a starfish necklace into my outfit added extra nautical inspired layers to my ruffled white top and navy maxi skirt. To dress everything up a bit, I added some pearl stud earrings and fun, sparkly bracelets. All that was missing was my *private yacht. It never showed.

{ I don't really own a yacht, but in my dreams I do. }

{ sunglasses : Juicy couture from nordstrom rack }

{ purse : nordstrom bp / nail polish : essie / ring : my husband }

This nautical inspired photo shoot was photographed in a small waterside town near the Gulf of Mexico. The town of Tarpon Springs is Greek influenced, and we even found a couple of spots that almost made us feel like we were in Mykonos, Greece gazing at whitewashed buildings with bright blue paint. Don't even get me started on the Greek bakeries that we came across. Needless to say, a visit to Tarpon Springs is in the near future.

I look forward to creating other looks with this maxi skirt, but I'm not sure that anything can beat nautical-inspired outfits. Okay I may be a bit biased because of my love for the water, but I promise to try and be open-minded. {sort of}

As you can see from yesterday, I'm also falling for tribal print clothing. Watch out!

Now go and visit Pretty Shiny Sparkly to see what other bloggers
came up with for the 'maxi skirt challenge'.

* please note: only my skirt and bracelets were purchased new for less than $20 for both.
Looking put together on a budget is a high priority!

Tribal Print Thursday

Today I'm posting this blog a little later than usual. I could make up some sob story about how our lives are just super busy and we have no time to relax anymore, but that would be a lie. I've just been plain slacking when it comes to writing blog posts lately.

I don't want you to worry though. Try not to fret over my laissez-faire blogger attitude,

because here are a couple of things I plan on sharing with you in the upcoming days:

One may, or may not, be an outfit post...

The other just might have something to do with a gallery wall.

{ tribal print top : TJ Maxx / purse : Nordstrom bp / high bun : Michaela Noelle }

Oh, and did I mention how much I've been loving tribal print lately?!

Because I do love it.

A lot.

Okay. Now come back tomorrow. I promise I'll have more to offer then!

White Out

Today is all about white.

Fortunately I am not talking about the weather in Colorado today. However... Kristina, over at Pretty Shiny Sparkly, started a project called "Bloggers Do It Better", and today I am taking part in her White Out challenge. Who doesn't like a little challenge now and then?

The idea was to plan an outfit around the trend of wearing {mostly} white.

Here's my take on the trend:

Jacket: LC by Lauren Conrad @ Kohl's (clearance)

White Jeans: Arden B.

Tank: Old Navy

Jewelry & Belt: Forever21

Bag: Nordstrom bp

The White Out Challenge was fun, and I cannot wait for some warmer weather here in Colorado. It feels a little weird to wear so much white when there is still snow on the ground, but I think this is a fun trend that can be very versatile.

If you want to play along, go on over to Pretty Shiny Sparkly and link up!

Happy Tuesday!