Blue x White Summer Style

Fall may officially be around the corner in just 2 weeks, however we've been experiencing quite the heat wave these past weeks. We hit 107 degrees last weekend, so naturally we escaped to the coolest place we could find-Monterey, just 90 mins south-it was perfection! Right now I feel as though we're enjoying an endless summer, which is fine by me as a lover of dresses, pastels, light + airy fabrics and sunshine warming my skin.

This adorable peter pan ruffle sleeve top was a new addition to my closet that pairs well with white denim, shorts and long maxi skirts, red bottoms make for a fun patriotic look as well. Right now it's on sale for just $17 and comes in a gingham print also.

For me, finding a quality pair of white jeans that are thick enough not to be see-through, yet have a bit of stretch and are comfortable and offer the right fit has been a bit of a challenge, but as always Ann Taylor never disappoints. I own a lot of their denim, what I've found is that their modern fit skinny jeans always fit me perfectly, and since my inseam is 34", I love that they offer tall lengths which is what I'm wearing here (they also offer petite and regular length also).

These days, whether I'm meeting Realtors and Staging clients for work or chasing my busy 4-year-old around, I find flats make the most sense. While I adore heels, I spent this summer investing in more cute, comfortable flats and sandals that are versatile enough to wear on a Monday or a Saturday. These fringe ankle wrap sandals in a nude color are my current favorite right now, they dress up an outfit without being too fussy.

SHOP THIS LOOK:

TOP:   Make Me Chic  //   JEANS:  Ann Taylor  ( 40% OFF now w/ code: FRIENDS40 )

  SANDALS:  Steve Madden sold out (identical here | similar here | wedge version here)     

BAG: Local Shop (similar here, here, here)

SUNGLASSES: Target  (similar- Ray Ban)   //   EARRINGS:  Ann Taylor (40% OFF)

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WEEKEND SALES:

If you're stocking up on end of summer items or building your fall wardrobe,
here is a list of amazing sales running right now from my favorite shops!

ANN TAYLOR- 40% OFF your purchases w/code: FRIENDS40
ANTHROPOLOGIE -Extra 25% OFF Sale
BANANA REPUBLIC-Up to 40% of suits, blazers, pants + more
J.CREW - Up to 70% OFF original prices
LOFT - Buy One, Get One 50% OFF
H&M -Up to 80% OFF
NINE WEST - Buy 3, get 40% OFF, Buy 2, get 30% OFF, Buy 1, get 20% OFF
NORDSTROM -Save up to 40% until Sept.10th
LORD & TAYLOR - Almost all shoes & boots up to 40% OFF!

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A classy woman exudes her confidence best when she is both dressed well and comfortable, owning her personal style. This look is all about comfort without compromising a feminine flair and is achieved with simple, but thoughtful details. Wishing you all a fabulous weekend ahead.

Thanks for stopping by!

XO




*In partnership with Make Me Chic. All thoughts, opinions and photos are my own.

Classic Black and White Gingham Dress

DRESS: Make Me Chic c/o  (also here)  //  HANDBAG: local boutique (similar here, here, here ) 

SHOES: Nine West old  (similar style here + here) // SUNGLASSES: Target (designer version here)

EARRINGS: Merona no longer available (love this style)  //  BRACELETS: Kate Spade 

When I think of summertime, an array of images come to mind. Visions of bronzed sun-kissed skin, lazy beach days, strawberry picking with the family, relaxing with a big glass of sweet tea or lemonade in hand to beat the heat, making s'mores by the campfire at night and of course eating lots of juicy watermelon slices and picnics in the park. Summer is a time to kick back, relax and opt for less fussy attire and there's something about gingham that just reminds me of those picnic in the park (likely the red and white iconic picnic blankets and tablecloths). When the hazy, humid days of summer are ushered in, there's nothing better than a gauzy or breezy dress in a lightweight fabric like this one to keep things both comfortable and cool while still looking polished and ladylike. 

As a lover of classic style, I tend to focus on staple fabrics, patterns and colors such as black and white (which my closet is filled with!) in a variety of patterns such as striped tees, solid blouses and dresses along with polka dots. When Make Me Chic recently reached out to me to collaborate with them, I couldn't resist adding this ruffle top spaghetti strap gingham dress.

Although off-the-shoulder looks are on trend and everywhere right now, I'm a practical gal at heart and with a toddler to chase after all day, not having to readjust my clothing often is important to me. The thin straps on this dress solves that issue and provides just the right amount amount of support while still giving it that strapless or off-the-shoulder vibe. The ruffle top adds a flirty, romantic feel (that accentuates your bust area-a nice perk for those who want a little extra oomph in that department) and because it's covered, while I wore a strapless bra, you could technically go bra-less and find them uncomfortable in the heat like I sometimes do. I also love how this dress cinches at the waist, it's quite figure flattering with a retro, ladylike vibe. You also can't beat the price at just $32!

Yesterday, Lily and I headed out for the day but I did't feel like carrying a large tote as I often do to carry both of our necessities. I decided to pair my new gingham dress with a red cross-body bag for a pop of color to hold my essentials (which can be worn as a shoulder bag too). I discovered it at a local FL boutique but I found some very similar options like this two-tone version, this slightly larger version, and this one that features the same type of gold hardware.

After heading out early for a couple short appointments and running a few quick errands, we made our way over to Julie's Waterfront, a very casual restaurant situated on the water with great food and service along with a cute patio area and of course a view. It was such a stunning day with the most beautiful blue skies and fluffy white clouds that often resembled popcorn. I couldn't resist snapping a few photos while there of this adorable summery mural below that was painted on the fence near the entrance.

After lunch, Lily fell asleep in the car (as she often does when we run errands midday) so I read and caught up on a few e-mails. Next, I swung by the house and loaded up on water, juice and snacks to make our way to the park after first swapping out my heels for my favorite pair of black flat Tory Burch sandals which are the ones I wear most often. I typically make shorts and a tee my go-to for our park days together so I can slide with her and worry less about getting dirty but there's something so lovely about getting to still feel feminine even in places where you might otherwise typically dress very casually. Because this dress is so lightweight, it was the perfect option, especially since we made some new friends there who just moved here from out of state and we ended up staying for a record 3 hours!

What I like most about this look is that it's easy and with it being black + white, you can add virtually any color to change up the look each time you wear it-yellow or hot pink are other fun options. I have long loved the versatility of separates, however, I usually end up with more dresses than skirts because they're something I can throw on without spending too much time coordinating, add a swipe of lipstick, a pair of heels (or flats) and out the door I go! This dress can easily transition from day to night by adding a cardigan as the temps drop along with a clutch for a slightly dressier look.

Here are a few other similar classic black + white gingham dresses for summer at varying price points (some are on sale right now), including this adorable toddler/child version (on sale!) which matches the style of my dress almost identically and would be perfect for you mamas who like to match with your daughter. 

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As always, thank you so much for stopping by! Wishing all of my Canadian friends a Happy Canada Day today and my American friends a Happy 4th of July weekend! Since I'm a dual citizen, I'll be celebrating both. Have fun and stay safe everyone. :)

XO

*Thank you to Make Me Chic for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale: Classy Summer Essentials

Crepe Wrap Dress  //  Sunglasses  //  Boater Hat (just $14!)

iPhone case  //  Chandelier Earrings  //  Miracle One-Piece Swimsuit

Kate Spade Tote  //  Black Espadrille Wedges  //  Suede Heels (comes in 5 colors!)

One of my favorite retailers is having their huge half-yearly sale right now, and it's honestly the perfect time as we move from less predictable spring weather to warm, sunny days ahead sporting our favorite sandals + a breezy feminine dress.

These espadrille wedges above also come in brown and are a summer must-have, a timeless staple you'll enjoy for years to come! They are a great option for those who find high heels daunting or moms like myself who want a more comfortable and safer options while out and about with little ones, yet want to avoid settling for flip flops or tennis shoes. They are under $75 and won't last long so if you see your size right now-grab them! I also adore these gorgeous suede lace-up sandals which come in a sand color as well as black for under $80, sizes are selling out in these fast!

No summer wardrobe is complete without a well-fitting and flattering bathing suit, cover up + floppy hat and it's good to have a few suits on hand especially while traveling as they can take a bit of time to dry. I own 5 great suits of varying styles and colors but I think you can get away with 3. Who says you can only turn heads in a bikini? This asymmetrical single shoulder one-piece swimsuit is both modest and sexy. It's designed to make you appear thinner and keep you covered in all the right places (who doesn't want that?) It's so much nicer to hit the pool or take a dip at the beach and not have to worry about your baby or a wave pulling your bathing suit top down-been there, done that. ;) Sunglasses are so important to not only block the rays while driving and prevent squinting but especially to protect your eyes from sun damage. If you've been following my instagram for a while, you've probably noticed that I wear cat eye sunglasses nearly every day. I started wearing them a few years ago and I just love the way they frame and flatter my face as they draw the eye up and add a chic look to any outfit. They seem to be universally flattering on every face shape.

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Because I live in a warm climate, I'm always on the hunt for pretty yet affordable dresses, especially once the heatwave arrives as I pretty much live in them daily. I look for bright, bold colors and subtle prints such as florals, gingham or stripes but solid colors such as white, black and navy are what I build my dress wardrobe upon. You can never go wrong with a black maxi dress!

Below I'm sharing several more pieces that caught my eye that I thought you might also like. When you click on any of these images, it'll take you straight to the item for more details and into the sale where you'll find thousands of other amazing pieces up to 40% OFF + free shipping!

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What are your must-have summer wardrobe pieces? Do you prefer one-piece swimsuits or bikinis?

As always, thanks for reading!

XO

Lily's Baby Dedication

This past Sunday was such a special day for our family as Paul and I had the honor of dedicating our sweet baby girl Lily to the Lord! Although we had already done so privately the day she was born as my husband had lifted her up to God, we wanted to do it publicly and were so happy that her grandparents could join us.

I think my favorite part of the day was watching Lily dance and twirl in the front row while holding my hands during praise and worship as she usually does. For this ceremony, we chose a church that was not actually our home church as the Pastor is a personal friend of my husband's and he had prophesied a year ago that Lily would be a worship leader one day and encouraged us to play worship music for her often as she really enjoys it. He was definitely accurate-music is one of her favorite things to do and she asks to listen to the radio and 'dan' (dance) every day. After a lot of rain everyday here for the past few weeks we were so grateful to have the most perfect sunny day to celebrate (even if it was over 100 degrees and we felt like we were melting trying to capture a few photos!). Paul was dying to take his jacket and tie off once we got to the car. 

My Outfit: Sundress (old) similar styles: here & here on major sale! // gold shoes

Lily's Outfit: Dress  //  headband (this one is also really pretty)  // shoes 

After the ceremony (which was pretty casual as there were many other families on stage dedicating their little ones also so I'll spare you all of those photos), we headed over to my in-laws' house which is just around the corner from the church to have lunch and enjoy some cake followed by Lily entertaining us by chasing bubbles all over the front porch after Grandma brought out a bubble machine. We changed her into a more comfy dress for playtime and I traded my gold strappy heels for a pair of white slip-on bow sandals to make it easy going in and out of the house. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen this snap below that I shared a few days ago.

Lily's outfit: Dress (on clearance) // gold bow ballet flats

I always order our birthday and special event cakes from Whole Foods since they use more natural ingredients and I know there will never be any food coloring added or crazy chemicals. It was delicious as always and they did an amazing job once again creating the simple, classic cake that I had asked for which was then topped with a DIY gold glitter cross which was very easy to make along with pink rose accents. Our gifts to Lily were a preschool devotional and this adorable pink and gold glitter scripture plaque which matches her bedroom.

I originally intended to wear a new dress for the occasion, however when the one I ordered online had arrived and was not the right color or fit I was expecting, I shipped it back and spent most of Saturday at the mall with my girl however once again came up empty handed so I shopped my own closet instead once I got home. In case you're interested in our outfit details from the day, I've linked above and you can also click on any image below to be taken straight to its site. We got so many compliments on Lily's dress and although my sundress is from Banana Republic a few years back, because it's a classic shape and length, I know I'll have it for many more years to come. I've linked up to a few of my current favorite dresses (including 2 floral midi dresses which are currently 40-55% off) along with some coordinating shoes in case you're looking to add a few new pretties on sale or getting ready for a late summer wedding or another special event yourself.

Speaking of Banana Republic, if you love their clothing as much as I do, they currently have some amazing sales going on such as 50% off sale for women w/ code: BRSALE at checkout plus up to 40% off bottoms along with free shipping over $50 and free returns. I love this time of year for end of summer sales and stocking up on new dresses, especially because living in Florida means that I can wear them for a few more months.

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I hope you're all having a wonderful week! As always, thanks for reading!

XO

Classy Fashion Favorites for July all under $50

Hi Everyone! I hope you're all enjoying your week so far and excited for the weekend. As you've probably gathered from my posts during the past couple months, now that summer is here I've gravitated towards putting together more light-hearted posts. Every month I focus on fashion for that specific moment, however since there are so many amazing items to still be had at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (which offers both new fall arrivals as well as summer favorites), I thought I would include a mix of both for July as it is the month where Fall pieces start to make their debut in stores as we prepare for the new season.

These are all pieces that I do (or would) wear and you can mouse over each image for the price. I'm a bit obsessed with this hat right now which is such a steal at under $38 and has received 5 star reviews on fit and quality and has a couple color options. Although a lot of pieces are sold out, I've made every effort to link to my favorite pieces here which are well stocked still and have multiple size options (most have every size available) and in some cases alternate color options so  that you have a high probability of getting what you see. About that...if you see something you love-get it! I debated on a couple pieces and next thing I knew they were sold out.

As always, although I've chosen to focus solely only pieces that are $50 or less from the #Nsale in this post, I'm linking to other great sales below too that you can take advantage of right now. All items above in my boutique are clickable and you'll be taken to the direct source.

ANN TAYLOR:

Save an extra 50% off sale styles

J.CREW:

Save 50% off all final sale items w/ code: YAYSALE

LOFT:

50% off select full-price styles & sale styles w/code: HEATWAVE 

NORDSTROM:

Anniversary Sale Extravaganza + Free Shipping (ends 08/02)

*If you missed my previous Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Favorites posts, you'll want to take a peek at this huge post that covers ALL main categories from boots and coats to dresses and handbags for Fall, as well as my neutral home decor picks and baby essentials if you're a new mom or hunting down baby shower gifts for one!

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Thanks for stopping by!

XO

Classy Fashion Favorites for June

Hi Everyone! I hope you're enjoying your summer so far. Once again, I'm about a week late in posting all of my classy fashion picks for the month however June and July sort of blend into one another as the sun is blazing and staying cool is the name of the game. So, a lot of my selections revolve around rompers, cover ups (or tops/dresses that work as one) for the beach or pool along with swimsuits (isn't this one adorable?)-basically easy, breezy looks. I've also had my eye on more upscale formal/wedding looks too as this is wedding season.

To round everything out, I've included jewelry, handbags and really a bit of everything. If you're going to be throwing a pool party how cute are these pineapple ice cube trays for guests' drinks? They also come in an anchor or flamingo version. This flamingo pool float is a must-have, darling for every age and totally photo opp-worthy! As always, just click on any of the images shown in this boutique gallery and you'll be taken straight to the item source.

Below, I'm sharing some of the best summer sales going on right now. Don't forget that the NORDSTROM Anniversary Sale begins tomorrow! If you're a cardholder you get early access to shop from July.9-16th before the public. If you're not already signed up as a cardholder you can do it today, they offer a Nordstrom credit OR Nordstrom debit card (which is what I have and it took me 2 mins to sign up) and it gets approved on the spot so you can begin shopping right away with a bonus of a complementary $20 note for $100 spent the day you sign up on top of the sale deals!! As always the shipping is FREE. All the new fall styles will be on major sale as well as summer favorites to wear for the rest of the season! To make it easy for you, I'll be sure to share a new post daily with easy-to-shop links and images of my favorite classy pieces from the sale!

• ANN TAYLOR: 60% OFF summer looks w/code: SUMMER60
• ASOS: Up to 50% OFF sale styles now. 
• J.CREW: TODAY ONLY extra 50-60% OFF final sale styles w/code: SALEPERK
• NORDSTROM: Anniversary Sale begins tomorrow! Be sure to check bright & early!

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Happy Shopping!

XO