Fashion Friday - Everyone needs a pair of white pants!

I have been slightly under the weather lately, allergies in the south are on another level. I, also, hit some writer's block. There wasn't anything I was dying to share or anything I could think of to get my inspiration moving. Today, while I was online window shopping, you know, when you add all the things you want to your cart but don't actually order any of it. It might be something only I do, but it keeps me from spending unnecessary money.

I realized my cart was full of gray and white, which started me thinking about what I have worn the last few days. Its all gray and white. So, I figured why not share my favorite gray and white outfit ideas. At least one day every week you can find me wearing a variation of this outfit, mostly because I currently only have one gray v-neck t-shirt. I might have to go grab some more.

I try not to abide by fashion "rules", frankly I feel like if you like it wear it, who cares what other people have to say about it. I don't think anyone should save white pants for between Memorial and Labor Day. I also think everyone should have a pair of white bottoms that they feel great in, whether it be pants, crops, shorts or a skirt. I do think fabric choices come in to play for the season, but other than that go for it.

I realized today, I have white denim in shorts, crops, and flares. Basically, I have a white option for any situation and I am totally OK with that. White pants will make any tan look better and always make your bum look rounder. And lets be real, who doesn't love those things.

I put together a few outfits that include a plain gray v-neck t-shirt, mine happens to be from Target because they are my favorite, and each of my white bottoms.

Top: Mossimo V-Neck

Jacket: Old Navy Similar

Shorts: Mossimo Mid-rise Denim Shorts

Shoes: Sperry Angelfish

Jewelry: Monogram and Wedding Date Necklace, Alex and Ani Bracelets

This is the outfit you can find me in all of the time, or at least some variation of it. Its comfortable but still seems put together. It is already hot and humid in the south, so shorts are one of the things I grab for first. I can always count on being cold indoors, pretty much anywhere we go. I try to either have a cardigan with me or this jean jacket. I am, almost, positive this jean jacket is from the 6th grade but it has stuck around. Thanks for buying it, Mom!  A jean jacket is one of those items that is always good to have around. This is my first pair of Sperry's  and I have no idea how I lasted this long without them. These shoes are so comfortable and great for walking around. The jewelry is my everyday jewelry, if I cant decide what to wear I just wear this and it seems to work. It is my monogram necklace, a Stella & Dot bar necklace with my wedding date on it ( a Christmas gift from my best friend, and my Gemini bangle and my Crown bangle. These Alex and Ani bangles are always on my wrist, I think they go with everything and I got them as gifts from special people in my life so I like to wear them.

Top: See above for Link.

Jeans: Express Mid-rise Crop

Shoes: Target Mossimo Similar- Exact Match, Similar

Accesories : Target

This outfit is a little more dressed up, but these jeans from Express are ones I keep grabbing. I just recently started wearing Express jeans and I might only buy jeans from them from now on. I have reached a point in my life, where I have too much booty to be wearing low-rise jeans, I like to keep it covered. I am always trying to find the perfect style and fit in jeans. Express' mid-rise might be it, I now have 2 pairs of mid-rise in 2 different styles and I want to wear them all of the time. I think cognac accessories bring just the right amount of warmth to the cool tones of the white and gray.

Top: See above for Link

Jeans: Anne Klien Flare Similar

Shoes: Shi By Journeys (Old) Similar 

Scarf: Call It Spring (Old) Similar

This last outfit brings in my current obsession with flare jeans. I know its the 70s circling back around and I couldn't be more in love with it! Flare jeans look great on anyone with a booty, it balances the backside. I think it makes me look taller, but that could be the 4 inch heels I wear with them. I just love a flare jean with a great shoe peaking out when you are walking. I added my favorite bracelets and hoop earrings, with a cotton infinity scarf. This can easily become a wrap in case I get chilly. Nothing is better than something that can be an accessory but also has a purpose.

I think each outfit has a good basic foundation but any of the accessories can be moved around to make all kinds of options. I think its best to work with a good base that makes you feel comfortable and build on it from there. I can go from the grocery store to a night on the town with a simple accessory change and I love things like that.

Hope this gave you some spring, summer or any time of the year outfit inspiration. I like to have outfits like this for the times I don't feel like thinking about putting something together, it makes for an easy grab and go! 

What are your grab and go outfits, that make you feel like a million bucks?

The adventure continues...

“Wow, you move a lot, you must really know how to get rid of things.”

The typical conversation that happens when people find out how much we actually move:

“Wow, you guys move a lot, you must be great at packing?”

“Yea, I can pack up our entire house in about 2 days.”

“You guys must be really good at getting rid of things and only moving what you need?”

“Not even close, we move plenty of things that we don’t need but we definitely want.”

This same conversation happens almost every single time my husband or I meet someone new and explain how are lives work.

My husband works as an industrial construction project manager, so we move to the project. It makes it easier on his job and on our marriage to be together. Let me tell you, it isn’t always a cake walk for me. The longest we have lived somewhere was 18 months and that was on his first project. The shortest was about 3 months, that we actually spent apart. He was at project, we knew would be short term and it was close enough to our hometown that I lived at home with my parents.

I was thinking about this conversation the last few days, because this most recent move seems to be weighing on me. So, I started thinking back to what makes these new places feel more like home to me.

Whether, we are living in an apartment or house there are a few things I like to do right away to feel more at home. When we bring all of our stuff in, I try to unpack things in a certain order. The bed gets made first, so when we are totally exhausted, we at least have that to fall into, then its the kitchen. The last thing you want to do is try to make a sandwich or find a glass for water among all of your knick-knacks. Plus, it makes it much easier to grocery shop when you know what made the move and what did not. 

Usually, while I unpack the kitchen because I am very specific about where I want things (some may say slightly obsessive); my husband sets up the electronics, TVs, blu-ray players, speakers and whatever else he comes up with to do. Essentially, just trying to stay out of my way.

After the basic things are done, I move on to hanging pictures, setting up the guest bedroom and setting up my space.

Since, we do not have any children besides our fur baby, we have been lucky enough to find houses on the last few moves that allow both of us to have our own little space. My space is, of course, covered in anything and everything pink because it is where I get to keep it. I try not to torture my husband with my love of pink, so this space is where I get to go nuts with it. 

I have my vanity set up in here, my shoes are displayed, well some of them; and it just gives me a place that I can escape for a moment.

This move has been more difficult for me than the last couple have been and I did not think it would be, since we were moving closer to home. Then I realized today, I haven't taken the time to finish setting up all those sentimental things that we move every single time. Part of the reason it is difficult for us to slim down the things we move is because these are the things that make each new house feel like home. 

We haven’t been able to really put roots down anywhere yet, but having pictures of family and friends around make it seem like we are closer to them.

There are certain things that always go in the same rooms, when we move.

This frame collage always goes above the couch, because that's typically where we spend most of our free time.

What you will see on any typical afternoon at our house.

This map usually goes somewhere that we will see it everyday. It was a wedding present from one of our close friends and groomsmen. It is a map of Muncie, IN where my husband and I started dating.

Good Ol' Ball State University. Chirp, Chirp.

There are some pictures I seem to always group together. My sister-in-law made us a picture collage of some photos from our wedding and instead of a guestbook we had a frame that everyone signed. The guestbook frame has a copy of the program from our wedding. One of my close friends created a wedding logo for us, she has a style blog! You should check her out Style Sidekick!!

The frame to the right also gets added to this group. 

It s a Scrabble piece puzzle, a friend gave us at our engagement party.

One of the things, I always put close to the door is this small frame with a Peanuts cartoon in it. My mother-in-law gave us this for our first wedding anniversary. I like to remind myself of this quote when things get hard during this traveling and moving.

“In life, it’s not where you go - it’s who you travel with.”

Although its hard to live far away from family and friends, not many people can say that have lived so many places over just a few years. 

In this house we remind ourselves its an adventure!

And, the adventure continues….

A Hairy Situation! - Shampoo & Conditioner You have to try!!!

Hair can be one of those things that seems better on someone else's head. I got my mother’s stick straight hair, I have a lot of it but it just lays there. My sister and brother got my dad’s curly hair, I dreamed of this hair when I was younger, but have learned to enjoy my straight hair. Especially, in the humidity in the south, no frizz here!

However, while we were living in the dry desert in the southwest last year, my dry skin was going crazy. I felt like nothing was working to help it and this included a new issue of dry, itchy scalp. I was born a blond and a stayed a blond until after I got married 3 years ago. After the wedding, I died my hair black, which only lasted a few months, which made some people happy. Then I settled on this Cherry- cola, burgundy color which I absolutely love, but it doesn't disguise a dry scalp.

Since I have color treated hair, I only wash it a few times a week, your hair doesn’t need to be washed everyday, in fact it can make it worse if you do. Plus the idea of washing my hair, blowing drying and styling it everyday just seems exhausting to me. I noticed last fall, between washes that I was getting some flakiness in my hair. Which, lets be real, that's not cute, so I went on a quest to find a solution. I tried some high end brand shampoos and conditioners and nothing seemed to be working. Finally, I bit the bullet one day at Target and bought Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Care Shampoo and Conditioner with Almond Oil. I can tell you I couldn’t be happier with the results.

The shampoo and conditioner claim to improve scalp health after 2 weeks of regular use. I can tell that I noticed a difference after the first use. My hair felt so silky and smooth. My dry, itchy, sometimes flaky scalp was gone. Having color treated hair, makes me careful with what products I use. Red hair color tends to rinse out of my hair quickly but I have actually noticed it last longer with using this shampoo and conditioner. My hair even accepted the color better this time than it has in the past. 

I am still only washing my hair 2 or 3 times a week which means some serious dry shampoo and other product build up and it gets everything out. I’m even noticing less dry shampoo use, because my hair feels so soft and smooth. I continue to grab for the Head & Shoulders over my higher end products every time I wash my hair.

My husband, the avid Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shampoo user, even tried this shampoo and commented on how soft it made his hair! 

I just couldn’t keep this little secret to myself. And its not like you're breaking the bank by giving Head & Shoulders a try. I would definitely suggest if you are having similar problems to give it a try!

The adventure continues....

#Celfie - Fashion Friday!!!

I’m a big fan of playing in my own closet when I get bored but don't want to go shopping or spend money. I spend some of my free time browsing Pinterest for outfit ideas or other fashion blogs and Instagram. But I always try to remember its inspiration, it doesn't have to be a match, unless I have to have something!

Most of the time when I put an outfit together its because there is something I feel like wearing. So I start with that as the base piece and work around it to come up with as many options as I can with stuff I already have.

I mean I had to, look at this shirt!

Now I am all for the fun, spontaneous outfit. I don't mind looking a little bit funky. I got this #Celfie T-shirt last week at Target. I just couldn’t past it up. Plus I have had my eye on these shoes since before we moved. What can I say, its rare for me to find a pair of shoes I don’t like. 

While I love a great outfit with a great pair of heels, I more collect the heels than wear them everyday. So I put together another outfit option that is more wearable for me. I like having a few go-to put together looks that when I feel like I can’t find anything I actually want to wear in my closet, I just grab and go. These boyfriend jeans are the only ones I have found that fit my booty and don't make look ridiculous. I practically live in them, I am always grabbing them for a comfortable outfit.

Plus anytime, I can wear anything that supports my rescue dog I am all for it! 

I also, believe that leopard print is a neutral and can be added to any outfit. A little leopard never hurt anyone.

I don’t know that I could give myself a specific style, I just wear what I like when I like it. I don’t think fashion is about rules, I think its about having fun and making yourself feel great! 

Outfit #1

Top - Target - Link

Jeans - Old Navy Boyfriend Jeans - Link

Belt - The Limited - Link

Shoes - Target - Mossimo - Link

Jewelry - Target - Similar, Similar

What happens when your husband is the photographer and you tell him he can be artsy.

Outfit #2 (Clothing pieces are the same, just changed up the accessories.)

Shoes - Vans - ASPCA 2014 -New Slip Ons

Scarf - Leopard Infinity - Call it Spring - Similar, Similar

She is too cute not to get a picture.

We are learning how to take model pictures over here, so hopefully with time we will get better with outfit posts. :)

What are some of your favorite pieces to wear right now?

The adventure continues....