Saturday, June 30, 2012

Daily Look: Red, Orange, Yellow



Shirt, Bracelets: Forever 21 // Shorts: Loft // Shoes: Gap // Sunglasses: Ray-Ban // Toes: Forever 21 Orange

This outfit puts the Roy in Roy G. Biv (that's how kids remember the colors of the rainbow, for the uninitiated). As it turns out, Mother Nature really knows what she's doing. Red, orange, and yellow just work together! On the opposite side of the spectrum, I think that blue, green, and purple manage to look pretty awesome together as well. I'm about to re-paint my toenails to match my swimsuit (am I the only one who does that?) because my husband and I are taking a trip to Holiday World and Splashin' Safari down in Santa Claus, Indiana, so I figured I'd better wear this outfit beforehand! It just wouldn't be the same with bright blue toes!

Do you ever let the spectrum or color wheel guide your wardrobe choices? Have you ever managed to squeeze every color of the rainbow into one outfit?

Friday, June 29, 2012

The Accessorizer: Patriotic Sandal Roundup

Patriotic Sandal Roundup



There is a heat wave sweeping the nation, so sandals are a must this Independence Day. I am planning to spend mine beating the heat in the pool with a cold beverage in hand. Unfortunately, I still haven't picked up an American flag bikini, but I will be keeping in the spirit by wearing my new blue sandals. I hope you all get to enjoy hotdogs and fireworks next week, and don't forget to layer on the sunscreen!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Daily Look: Tropical Sunset



Dress: H&M // Shoes: Diba via DSW // Earrings: Francesca's // Bracelet: James Avery // Sunglasses: Ray-Ban // Lips: Milani Rose Hip // Toes: Forever 21 Orange

I decided to hop on the tropical print bandwagon with this little cotton sundress. I like how the screen printed flowers add fun and visual interest to an otherwise basic dress. Tropical prints are a bit dicey because they can end up looking very fanny pack-wearing Hawaiian tourist, but I think the fact that this print doesn't completely cover the dress keeps it from being too overdone or costume-y.

How do you feel about the tropical print trend? Would you wear it?

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Interview at Marry Me and Fly Free


At the top of the Duomo di Milano in Milan, taken during my honeymoon in Italy last summer. 

Last week, Liz at Marry Me and Fly Free interviewed Sam and me for Bloggers' Travel Week, where she asks fellow bloggers about their favorite trips, future travel plans, best packing advice, and lots more. If you'd like to check out our answers, head on over to her super fun blog.

What was your favorite vacation? Do you have any fun trips planned? And what's your best advice for travelers? We'd love to hear!

Daily Look: In Full Bloom



Dress: ModCloth // Shoes: CL by Laundry via ModCloth // Bow Bracelet: H&M // Beaded Bracelet: Vintage // Earrings: Francesca's

I made my first ModCloth purchase, and couldn't be happier! I was wanting some comfortable sandals to replace a pair eaten by my shoe-loving kittencat, and Lauren steered me to these. I threw this dress in my cart on a whim, and it's now my new favorite piece of clothing. I have been wearing it non-stop since I got it--out to lunch, to work, meeting up with friends. Seriously, non-stop. It is just the perfect combination of light, comfortable, and cute. Do you have success shopping online? I sometimes feel like I return more than I keep, but gems like this keep me going.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Daily Look: Work to Weekend



Shirt, Skirt: J. Crew // Shoes: Steve Madden via DSW // Sunglasses: Ray-Ban // Hairband: Gift // Earrings: Stella and Dot // Bracelet: Francesca's // Lips: Milani Rose Hip

While I originally bought this blouse for work, I decided to see how it looked with a casual skirt for a trip to the grocery store, and I really liked how it turned out. Rolling up the sleeves and keeping everything else very weekend-appropriate helped balance out the dressiness of the top. I absolutely love when clothes can pull double-duty for casual and professional occasions--it's like getting two for one! In fact, I sometimes avoid buying clothes that I otherwise like because I'm afraid that they will only work for weekend or work (a habit that I sometimes have to force myself to break).

Do your clothes pull double-duty, or are the work and weekend sections of your closet separate? What qualities do you look for in casual and professional clothes?

Monday, June 25, 2012

Daily Look: Early Valentine's



Shirt: Gap // Skirt: J. Crew // Shoes: Zara // Bracelets: Banana Republic // Earrings: Etsy

Well apparently this look is on the sugary sweet side, because the first kid I saw while wearing it asked me if I was all dressed up for Valentine's Day.  When I reminded him that it was June, he simply replied, "You're wearing pink." I couldn't argue with that, so happy early Valentine's everybody! Roses are optional, but chocolate is a must.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Roundup: What to Wear to a Summer Wedding

Well, the summer wedding season is officially upon us. And as anyone who's ever gotten an invitation to a wedding knows, one of the first questions that crosses your mind (besides "chicken or beef?") is "What am I going to wear?" Some invitations actually give seemingly helpful guidelines like Daytime Elegant, Garden Party Formal, Summer Festive, or Please Not Shorts, but these can often end up leaving guests even more confused. And while I certainly can't solve every wedding guest attire-related conundrum, I decided to round up some of my favorite frocks, which I separated into dresses meant for day and night.

Daytime Summer Wedding




The above dresses would work well for most daytime weddings, which tend to be less formal. I looked for colorful, non-shiny dresses (no satin, sparkles, or sequins) in not-too-revealing silhouettes. Something about letting it all hang out at a daytime wedding just strikes me as wrong (feel free to disagree, though). Patterns, which often make a dress seem more playful, work great during the day.


Nighttime Wedding




I chose the set of dresses above with a nighttime wedding in mind. I looked for saturated colors and fun details, and included slightly less modest cuts than the daytime dresses. One-shoulder, strapless, body-conscious, and halter styles tend to work better for evening events (though you still won't want anything so flashy or revealing that it ends up drawing negative attention!). If an invitation calls for black- or white-tie, you'll probably want a full-length gown, but otherwise I tend to prefer shorter dresses because they make dancing so much easier.

What do you think of my picks? Are you attending any weddings this summer, and if so, what are you wearing? I'd love to hear your thoughts on what works (and doesn't work) at a wedding!