Date Night Style: Lace & Zippers

Let me start by saying, I have not loved an outfit this much in years...

Who doesn't love a good romper in the summer time?  Especially when it is one as comfortable and cute as this one.  I found this gem of a piece on one of my weekly trips to Target.  I couldn't believe how lucky I was to find such an adorable, sexy piece for the price.  

With the lace detail front, and the zipper back it's the perfect combination.  Plus, it's navy blue, which is my favorite color to wear.  

I love how high-up the lace neckline goes.  With all the details, very little accessories were needed.  I wore my new favorite jacket (two-in-one) earrings, and my navy blue and gold bracelet to match.  

THESE SHOES!!!  I found these perfect brown booties at Target as well, with zippers on both sides to match the romper.  They are seriously one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I own.  I will be wearing these all the time this fall.  

Affordable (thank you Target),

cute,

sexy, 

comfortable,

and

the perfect summer-to-fall transition outfit.  

Summer Festival Style

Something always on our schedule is beer festivals, especially since we own a brewery.  In the past I have worked our booth at festivals so I was always wearing a brewery shirt of some kind. 

 Ever since my little boy made his appearance I rarely get to festivals, but when I do, I am not working them; which means I get to wear whatever cute outfit I want.  Hooray!  

It's no surprise that Texas Summers are brutal and being outside can sometimes be excruciating.  That is why I am loving rompers right now!  I wore my first romper purchase of the summer back in May for UnTapped Fort Worth.  This romper is so lightweight, you can barely feel that you are wearing anything.  The drawstring around the waist gives you plenty of room to move around in, and it's easy to use the restroom (romper lovers you know what I mean).  

I picked-up this little number at Old Navy (big surprise, my favorite store these days).  I was timid to buy it wondering if I would wear it, but I am so glad I did.  I have worn it just about once a week for the past two months.  I paired it with my brown boho sandals (to match my sunglasses) for the perfect festival look.  

You can never go wrong with a black and white romper; perfect for a summer heat wave.

Plain White Tee

I have always been a fan of plain white t-shirts, but only if I can find one that doesn't get tattered and faded in the wash.  A few months ago I picked-up this adorable slouchy one from Old Navy for just $12, and it has been my best friend ever since.  

Not only do I love how it drapes, but the material is a thicker, more course one, so it isn't see-through or too delicate.  

Lately, I have been wearing this tee with shorts and sandals, but my favorite way to wear it is with blue jeans and pointy-toe flats.  

The jeans, a steal from H&M, have quickly become one of my favorite wardrobe items as well. (They stretch and have a higher waist, which is perfect for chasing a baby).  

I added my Aventine Collar Necklace, Heirloom Crystal Bracelet,  and a teal Kate Spade bag, and I was ready for a dinner date with my two favorite people.  

*Dinner was Mexican, and somehow I managed not to get any salsa on the shirt.  Outfit for the win!* 

Woodland 'Onederland' Camping Birthday Party

I am pretty sure I was pregnant just yesterday, but somehow my perfect little boy just turned one.  All the sayings are true, you blink and time has passed you by.  It wasn't a sad moment for me though, it was a happy one.  Seeing how much my baby has changed and grown over the past year has been so much fun, and I can't wait to see how else he astonishes and amazes me in this coming year.  

Of course being the party planner that I am, I went crazy planning his first birthday bash.  It wasn't about him remembering the day (we all know he won't), it was about giving me the satisfaction of knowing I did what I could to make the day special; and for theme to really shine through.   Plus, I had a lot of fun with it.  I could go into so much detail about everything I did and how I did it, but i might bore some readers.  If you have a question, ask it, and I will answer.  

THE THEME

It started out as a Lumberjack party, but that seemed to not fit a May birthday; with the flannel and all.  Then it changed into a Teepee party (since one of his gifts was a teepee from his mommy and daddy), but I felt like it needed to be more centered towards boy.  His nursery is Woodland themed, so a Lumberjack-Teepee party morphed into Woodland Camping!  It was perfect. 

The backyard was scattered with hand-painted wood signs and arrows.  We had blue and teal streamers were swinging in the trees, with camping signs all around.  A "fire" was started to roast some melty marshmallows.  And a wall of pallets greeted you as you entered the party.  

We set-up our camping tent full of balloons for the kiddos to play in, had a 'ball and can' toss game, and a coloring station for younger ones.  The theme was very obvious to say the least.  

THE SMASH CAKE

Yes, I am one of those moms that doesn't want to feed their kid a sugar-filled cake on their birthday.  That doesn't mean I won't let my boy have a sweet thing every once in a while, but I didn't feel that it was necessary for his cake to be that way.  

After searching through dozens of recipes, I finally found one where I was mostly happy with the ingredients, so I took the recipe and changed it to my liking.  A simple mixture of flour, baking soda, salt, egg, and coconut oil.  To add the flavor; a bit of vanilla extract, pineapple pieces, banana, and cinnamon.  Then for the icing: creme cheese whipped with 100% pineapple juice.  The cake was actually quite yummy for no sugar-added.  It took my little guy a few minutes to warm-up to it (probably because it was being stored int he fridge so it wouldn't melt in the heat), but once he started to pick it apart it kept him occupied for about twenty minutes.  

THE BIRTHDAY BOY

I knew I wanted pictures of baby T scattered around the party to show how much he has grown and changed over the past year, so I decided to do "A Year of Tucker" from Day 1 to Day 365.  I printed all the pictures in 4x4, attached them to string with clips (so I didn't ruin them), and strung them across a pallet.  

I also put together a board of all of his monthly sticker pictures.  Ah, a bittersweet image to see.

THE FOOD & DRINKS 

You can't go camping without beer, and luckily we knew exactly where to get a keg of Mr. Green Pale Ale.  I personally like to 'camp' with sangria though; a giant mason jar full of Sparkling White Berry Sangria.  

We had your typical camping food: Smoked Hot Dogs, macaroni salad, and beans.  We also had some snacks to appeal to all age groups: twigs, campfire flames, fish bait, bear poop, etc.  Then we topped it all off with S'mores Cupcakes. 

THE ATTIRE

This one was easy for me: jean shorts, HAPPY CAMPER t-shirt, and Chaco's.  The hubby wore a camping themed shirt as well.  Baby T had three different Camping/Woodland themed outfits for the day and pretty much ruined all of them.  :) 

THE GOODY-BAGS

So the party guests would, "Take a Hike," I made S'Mores trail mix.  It was a delicious combination of Teddy Graham's, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips.  It was hard not to eat it all while stuffing the bags.  (Note: The cereal and Teddy Graham's went stale really quick, so stuff the bags the day of the party and encourage guests to eat it that day as well).  

Overall my baby boy had such a fun day and so did we.  Hmmm, is it too soon to start planning birthday #2?  I don't want him to be two yet, I just want to plan another party.  

Overalls

Yep, I said overalls.  You know those things your parents made you wear when you were a kid that you needed help unclipping so you could use the restroom?  Ahhh, memories.  

The adult overall trend has been on the horizon for a little over a year now, and I have been wanting to get myself a pair since then.  When I was pregnant I thought it would be so cute to sport a pair with a big ol' baby bump; but I didn't want to spend the money on them when I wouldn't be in them very long.

Lucky for me I found a kickass pair at Old Navy about six months after my little guy was born, so I immediately got them.  They hung in my closet for a few months before I mustered-up the courage to wear them, but I am so glad I did because I seriously love them.  

I've worn my overalls a few times with different colored tanks underneath; I think sleeves look goofy with overalls.  On this particular occasion I paired them with a simple black tank, a colorful wrap bracelet, and some cute periwinkle slip-on sandals.  We were walking around downtown for an arts festival, so comfort and minimalism was key.  

I am definitely looking forward to wearing these again before it's too hot to do so.  

Curious how others wear their overalls?  Head on over to Fizz & Frosting to see how Lauren styled hers.  

*I have to brag, I got these overalls for a STEAL.  They were on sale for 30% off....and since they were apparently an on-line purchase return, I was given an extra 30% off the sale price. I had no idea Old Navy did that but I lucked out.  So I only paid $12 for these!  #shoppingvictory #bargainshopper

Date Night Stripes

Hooray for date nights.  This past Friday was just the fourth time in nearly eleven months that the husband and I were able to go out for a date.  The weather was perfection, and there was a festival going-on downtown, so it was a wonderful night for walking around.  

The evening started and ended at Fort Worth's only Prohibition Cocktail bar, Thompson's Bookstore, which opened while I was pregnant.  Finally, a good cocktail bar in town.  

For our casual, yet sophisticated night out, I wore a new striped tank-top.  The mix of horizontal and vertical stripes with spaghetti-straps, and a v-back, was the perfect amount of cute, with a little skin showing.  

My navy blue wedges tied-in the navy from the top, while my turquoise purse added a pop of color. 

The neck-line on the tank-top was perfect for a collar necklace, so I wore my new favorite Howlite, Crystal, and Gold one.  

A simple, cute outfit for a fun Friday on the town.  

Necklace, Chloe and Isabel

Tank, BP by Nordstroms

Jeans, Loft

Shoes (similar), Target

Bracelet, J Crew

Purse (similar) Kate Spade

Baby, Mine :) 

Stripes & Chucks

Once upon a time I wore cute skirts and dresses on a daily basis.  Now, I am all about comfortable.

Having an eight month old requires me to be on my hands and knees on the floor most of the day, so skirts and dresses just aren't practical anymore.  I live in stretchy jeans, slip-on shoes, and shirts that can take a little baby tugging and drool.  

This particular day I wore my favorite stretchy-skinny jeans with my new Chucks.  I have never owned a pair of Chucks before but when I saw their new slip-ons with suede laces I knew I had to get a pair.  They were a little snug at first but I am slowly breaking them in.  (I seriously love these shoes).  

Paired with a comfortable striped shirt and fringe scarf, it's the most comfortable outfit that I have felt cute in for quite some time.  

Stripes are a classic, and never go out of style.  Plus, the slouchy fit is perfect for moving around in.  The scarf has to be my favorite component; not only does it keep me warm while being the perfect accessory, but it gives my little one something to hold on to when I am holding him.  

I know I have over-worn this outfit, but you can't have too much of a good thing right?  

Casual Christmas

I can't believe how hot it is this Christmas?!?!  My car yesterday said it was 79 degrees outside and I don't think it was lying.  Wearing a simple t-shirt, jeans, and flats I was sweating and had the AC blasted in my car.  

Given the heat and the fact that I have a baby boy, this is not a boots and cute shirt kind of Christmas, it's a casual one.

What's the best way to dress casual for Christmas?  T-shirts of course, but not just any t-shirts, Christmas ones; particularly those quoting Christmas movies. 

Hands down Christmas Vacation is the greatest Christmas movie of all time.  

Quiz time!  Who said, "You Serious Clark?" in Christmas Vacation, and why was it asked?  

Paired with my cutest pair of red pointy-toe flats and my Kate Spade bow earrings, this green holiday shirt is my absolute favorite.  

Baby boy on the other hand went with an ugly sweater Home Alone onesie donning, "Merry Christmas You Filthy Animal." It was kind of perfect for him during this photo shoot because he was a tired little thing and not in the mood to smile.  

Wherever you are this Christmas, and whatever weather you might be having, I hope it's a great one.

September Fashion: Black & White

September 11th was my 29th birthday, and with it came a dinner celebration with a few close friends at my favorite sushi restaurant. I always have a hard time getting dressed in September.  I want desperately to bring my jeans out of hiding, but it just isn't quite cool enough for it yet.  However, after months of summer dresses, I never want to wear them anymore. That pretty much leaves shorts.

I really enjoy taking a casual pair of shorts and dressing them-up; because they are so much more comfortable than a dress.  

 

I had a cute new black shirt that I wanted to wear, so pairing it with white shorts seemed like the right choice.  I wanted more color, being how it is still Summer,so  the outfit came together nicely with a bright teal purse as my pop of color.  

 I knew with a simple outfit I needed to amp things up a bit with my accessories, so I immediately grabbed  my silver torsade statement necklace form Chloe & Isabel.  It is such a dramatic piece, I love it.  Most days I wear it I get compliments anywhere I go.  With a a studded black leather wrap bracelet and black wedges, the outfit was complete.  

 

You can never go wrong with black & white.  

Happy Birthday to all my fellow Septemberists out there.  

Style Inspiration: Neon Pineapple

Pineapples in fashion seem to be all the rage this summer.  Every time I get on Pinterest or read a blog it seems that somebody is sporting a pineapple covered fashion piece.  

When I made my monthly walk through the sale section at J. Crew my eyes caught a glimpse of a bright yellow dress, neon to be exact.  I picked it up without even looking at the price tage; I love neon.  When I tried the dress on I fell in love, I even sent a pic to my hubby. 

Finding a perfect dress wasn't even the best part, it was the price.  I seriously found the sale of the century.  No really...the dress retails at $148.  Not only was the dress on the sale rack, but they were running an additional 50% off all sale items; plus I got my teacher discount.  Eek.  For this $148 beauty, I paid $32.  I never get lucky like that, it was amazing.

I jumped at the chance to wear the dress just a few short days after I bought it, and my inspiration automatically went to the pineapple because of its color.  I needed to accessorize with greenish-blue to get the pineapple look nailed down, so that is exactly what I did.

 I know what you are thinking, "that color yellow isn't really that of a pineapple".  But you are wrong, it is, it's the colors of a mutant pineapple that came into contact with crazy purple Minyons.  

Running around in my adorable, and comfortable, teal flats, I had a little bit of fun with my new dress.  The statement necklace, with the same color teal as my shoes, didn't hurt the look either.

I am already plotting the next time I can wear my neon pineapple dress.  It has just enough class, playfulness, and eye-popping color to go anywhere.  I think you can actually see me walking down the street in the dark in this number. 

Styling for a Texas 4th of July

Here in Texas we are proud of our booming craft beer scene, and our state of course, so when I found a Texas Beer tank I jumped on buying it.  Lucky for me it was red, so not my color, but perfect for the 4th of July. 

 Every year for the 4th of July I make sure I wear my red, white, and blue outfit.  Typically I go for a dress and/or shorts and cute top combination, this year, being in the process of opening a brewery, I knew my awesome new tank was the winner.  

To dress the tank up a bit I wore it with my black maxi skirt...love, love, love...and added accents of gold accessories.  I thought the final masterpiece was perfect.  

I love how the maxi skirt took a simple printed tank and turned it into a unique dressier outfit.  Previously I had paired the tank with a pair of navy blue shorts and my corral cowboy boots.  I loved that look just as much, it was kind of the more relaxed and laid-back 4th of July outfit. 

Now go grab a beer and... 

Happy Independence Day!