Dress-Turned-Skirt

- outfit details - 
sweater || H&M
dress || Target
ankle boots || Charlotte Russe
clutch || J.Crew
necklace || Francesca's Collections
hat || Target
watch || Michael Kors

Who would've thought a $7 clearance dress from Target would also double as a great skirt option? I don't know what made me think of throwing a sweater over that dress, but I actually love how it turned out and plan on trying this look with other sweaters in the future! If you're looking to create new outfit options with clothes you already have, experiment and see which dresses you can style into "skirts"!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Monday!

Styling Overalls 2.0

- outfit details - 
sweater || Old Navy
overalls || Target
heels || Charlotte Russe
bag || Michael Kors
necklace || Forever 21
sunglasses || Forever 21
watch || Michael Kors
lip color || Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm - "Standout"

This outfit may remind you of this post from last month where I gave a few different suggestions for styling overalls. If you still haven't given this trend a try and have wanted to, there's definitely still time for experimenting (overalls are one of Harper's Bazaar's top 8 street style trends for 2015). The style inspiration for this particular look came from the Pinterest board I created for last month's overalls post. I love the versatility of an outfit like this because it can transition from casual to dressy casual, simply by switching out accessories and shoes.

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Quilted

- outfit details
 - top || Forever 21 (similar)
pants || H&M
heels || Michael Kors (Dillard's clearance score)
clutch || J.Crew
necklace || Anthropologie ($10 clearance!)
watch || Target

With talks of "mixing textures" in recent posts (here & here), another texture to consider is the "quilted" look as seen with the white sweater in this post. I love the versatility of this sweater - it can pair well with an edgy leather vest just as easily as it can with a polished blazer. You can incorporate the "quilted" texture through purses, jackets, skirts, etc. (Forever 21 has a variety of options seen here.).

Hope everyone had a great Monday! Thanks for stopping by! :)

"The Reese"

- outfit details - 
top || Lucca (clearance find!)
jeans || Target
heels || Michael Kors (Dillard's clearance find!)
bag || "Reese" by Michael Kors (gift from my amazing husband!)
watch || Michael Kors
sunglasses || Forever 21

So I've never really had what I've always considered to be a "big girl" purse, partly because I could personally never justify spending my money on one (graduating college debt free was a way bigger priority!) and partly because I've never felt like I've reached that "grown-up" / "big girl" stage of life that warrants a purse of the same title. While I still can't totally justify spending money on a "big girl" purse (though I will admit I've noticed the extreme difference in quality!) and still don't quite feel like a grown-up (there are days when 16 seems like yesterday!), my amazing husband wanted to bless me with a gift for my birthday last week that he knew I've daydreamed about as my 25-year mark finally arrived. Reed is the best at making me feel special, valued and appreciated, especially when I don't feel worthy or the least bit deserving, so his heart behind this gift means ten times more to me than the actual bag (though let's be clear, I do LOVE the bag! ;) ).

I truly had a remarkable birthday week last week thanks to all the beautiful, thoughtful, loving people in my life! Every text, gift, tweet, post, hug, smile and birthday wish seriously meant the world, so THANK YOU to everyone who took that time! I love and appreciate you all so much! 

I wouldn't change a single thing about the first 25 years of my life. They by no means have been easy, and I'm not entering this new season of life free of problems and pain, but the faithfulness of my Heavenly Father makes it impossible for me to be discontent. The day I realized I had a choice to be thankful set my life on a course filled with unexplainable joy and peace. Paul says it best… 

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. 

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, 

whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 

I can do all this through Him who gives me strength." 

Philippians 4:12-13

{Mixing Prints} | Florals + Stripes

- outfit details -dress || Target
sweater || Target
scarf || gift from my sis-in-law :)
bag || Target
heels || DSW
watch || Target
sunglasses || Forever 21
belt || Forever 21
earrings & ring || Target

One of my favorite "mixing prints" combos is stripes + florals. I love how the simple, clean structure of stripes contrast with the unstructured, beautiful "chaos" of floral prints. This particular floral print scarf is a favorite of mine - it was a gift from my awesome sister-in-law last Christmas and gets a lot of wear (also seen in this post).

When picking a floral print scarf, I say the more colors the better because you'll be able to wear it with more outfits. There are various ways to style a scarf, but this is the first time I've tried securing one with a belt, which ended up contributing to a much more flattering shape than this outfit looked without one.

Side Note || For extra outfit inspiration, try experimenting with adding "edgy" twists to more feminine looks. For example, in this post's outfit, the faux leather bag and cage heels contrast with the dress and floral details.

Happy print mixing and thanks for stopping by! :)

Summer Rompin'

- outfit details-
romper || Charlotte Russe
heels || Charlotte Russe (similar)
bag || Francesca's Collections
cuff || Kohls 

The other night, my husband and I were showing his parents all of the photos we took on our cruise last month, and I found myself majorly missing the ocean! This was my first cruise, and I thought it was an absolute blast! We departed from Miami and made stops in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Both were beautiful, and Reed and I experienced a fun adventure at each place, which I'll hopefully share more about in future posts!

One of my favorite parts of each day of the cruise was getting dressed up for dinner! Even on the "casual" nights, I couldn't help but dress up a little! Besides, it was like getting to go on a date with Reed every night, and I love dressing up for our dates! :)

Rompers are one of my favorite summer clothing pieces. They're comfortable, chic, and take the guesswork out of coming up with an entire outfit. You can dress them up or down, depending on shoes, accessories, and hair/make-up. I tried to find a happy medium with this look. Because the romper has somewhat of a "loud" print, I kept my hair, make-up, and accessories super simple and neutral.

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more cruise outfit posts! :)