**Giveaway and site coupon code available at the end of this post!**
Borrowed By Design is an online dress retailer that sells and rents dresses. What makes the unique is that they also offer the option to donate to dresses to them and percentages of purchases made gets donated to non-profit organizations!
I was offered the opportunity to review the website and product selection. I chose 3 dresses from the site and anxiously awaited my order. All three pieces arrived separately which was to be expected as it explains on the site. The pieces were well packaged and as described.
This dress in particular is a summer must-have! The length and fit are perfect, and the material is light and breathable. I especially love the striped print and layered design. And at $25.99 you have no reason not to pick this one up!
One of my favorite pieces of clothing to stroll around town in is a great dress. I guess the reason for this is all you really need is one piece. For me, a great solid color dress can take you far. The reason is, I view them as a blank canvas. With the right fit, and silhouette you can easily transition a dress and “disguise” it to look completely different, based on how you decide to accessorize it.
For some casual spring-to-summer looks, I will be featuring a soft black trapeze dress I picked up at Forever 21, and a comfortable navy popover I received from Armoire Amore. These two dresses are relatively plain in design, but have so much potential for accessorizing!
For the black dress, a great way to keep it casual and easy-going for weekend wear, is pairing it with a tiered metallic and crystal necklace and bright pom pom slip on sandals. These pieces become the focal point of the look. I can easily see myself pairing this dress with ankle booties and a printed scarf on cooler days, or even with a fedora and wedges. By changing the accessories you change the look. Even though it is the same dress, it will appear completely different!
As for the navy dress, I was out and about that day, and needed a large bag to carry all of my belongings in. So I chose a brightly printed tote, and the same pom pom sandals to complete this look. The dress is long-sleeved so no jacket is needed when the day gets breezy, and can easily be pushed up when the temperatures spike. I also paired this look with one of my favorite Luca Love bracelets. Which really added that extra finishing touch.
I definitely see myself sporting this dress in the fall with a blanket scarf and tall boots. It’s just such a great staple piece to own.
Check out Armoire Amore here to shop their collection!
One of the great things about blogging in a large city, is the opportunity to meet other bloggers in your community! Last month I met up with a group of fellow Houstonian bloggers for brunch at B&B Butchers. We shared laughs, discussed opportunities and dined on some truly delicious food! Here is a photo recap of the afternoon!
Perfect weather, amazing company, tasty dishes and spring drinks…what more could a girl as for?
What I wore
For this brunch I decided to wear a dress. This lightweight chambray striped dress has an elastic neckline that provides the option to wear it off-the-shoulder or scoop neck. The material is lightweight and has an intricate lace trim. I paired it with a white laser cut clutch and espadrille wedges. This look screams spring and is perfect for brunch and, of course good ol’ Texas weather.
Meet ups like this provide bloggers the opportunity to share insight, build relationships, recharge, and motivate one another! As a blogger, this part of my life can seem singular, like I’m alone in it…but in reality, that is not true! I left brunch feeling refreshed, and unstoppable. Knowing you have a community of supporters, and friends by your side is such an uplifting thing! Stay tuned for more meet ups and get togethers! I’m sure we will be having more in the near future! 🙂
I really love layering pieces for the spring time. Since the temperature fluctuates throughout the day, having stylish pieces you can easily add or take away from your ensemble is really important.
Kimonos are the perfect piece to really tie an outfit together, and add that extra layer. Offered in different prints, with variations of fringe, lace and crochet accents there is a kimono for everyone! Right now I am loving this floral and lace trimmed kimono I received from Armoire.Amore, a Texas based online boutique! I am wearing a size M which provides an oversized, flowy look, exactly what I was looking for!
As for the rest of my ensemble, I am wearing a Signature Studio 3/4 length sleeve dress which is a perfect foundation piece for the season! Since it is a warm, solid color with a relaxed silhouette it is easy to pair with statement jewelry, scarves, or in this case a colorful kimono on a cooler afternoon!
For accessories I decided on a neutral palette. This slouchy tote I found at Stage.com can hold all of my day to day necessities and more! I love that it goes with absolutely everything and the studded base adds a touch of glam. And to complete the look, the shoes I am wearing my favorite wedges but Indigo. Rd.
Since things are already starting to heat up here in Houston, I decided a beautiful spring floral dress needed to make an appearance.
This spaghetti strap accordion pleat dress has a gorgeous blue background with a tonal orange floral print. I decided to make it a bit more casual and fun by pairing it with a denim vest, straw fedora, and espadrille wedges.
Seriously you cannot help but feel great in this fun dress! The design is perfect for a sunny day, and the chic midi length makes it ideal for almost any occasion. I purchased this dress in size M to get a more relaxed fit. The waist is elastic so it does have a beautiful silhouette I just prefer the top to not be tight. Going up a size provides a more carefree look, which is what I was aiming for.
If you are looking for a fun, feel good, carefree dress this is the one! It looks great on without any fuss, and can be styled so many different ways!
Shop my look:
Dress: Heart Soul from Stage
With spring around the corner, I have really been feeling bright florals and blush tones! This lookbook contains 3 ensembles I have been sporting lately that include pink hues, faux suede, lace, florals and perfect layering pieces making this style ideal for transitioning seasons!
The first look is a fun floral print dress with a lace up accented neckline and swing silhouette. I have paired it with black quilted booties, a fun faux suede hat, and rose gold mirrored sunglasses. This look is perfect for a sunny day out and about!
The second look is a light pink floral lace dress with a floral embroidered Democracy bomber jacket and burgundy wedge booties. This look is ideal for breezy days and perfect for spring! The wedges tie the look together and provide height without compromising comfort.
Lastly this third look is just a simple mock neck lace dress paired with a tassel necklace and cork wedges. This fully lined lace overlay dress is so fun to wear! I have a feeling it will be making many appearances this upcoming season!
I must say, fall is my favorite season. And I’m not just saying that because I was born in October. Fall is my favorite because the temperature starts to cool, the leaves change color and layering and boots begin! My favorite color palette for fall would have to be deep green, burgundy, navy, and cognac. Then somehow add to plaid! Fall is fun for mixing shades together with florals, plaids and faux leathers! Here I will be sharing a few of my favorite looks for early fall, so stay tuned for another look book later in the season where i’ll share my cooler weather looks for later in the season.
Enjoy! <3
This look is definitely one of my favorites for “everyday”.It is fun, casual, comfortable, and full of color. For me, this ensemble will work best for running errands, and casual Friday at work. Plaid is the ultimate fall print and was a must to incorporate into my fall look book.
- Plaid Top & Boots: Stage Stores
- Tank & Sunglasses: Old Navy
- Handbag: Nordstrom
- Necklace: Cut Branch Jewelry
This would have to be my favorite look! This dress has such a lovely floral print I cannot get enough! I chose to style it with a skinny belt to cinch the waist, and add tall boots and a hat to finish the look. This look is perfect for daytime events, or brunch with the girls. I just love how all of the warm tones pair together so nicely!
- Dress & Boots: Stage Stores
- Purse: Coach
- Bracelets: Luca Love
- Hat: Forever 21
My favorite “wear-to-work” look would have to be this one! This dress is as adorable as it is comfy! I decided to pair it with a plaid scarf and ankle booties to spice it up! This dress is totally transitional and can be worn and accessorized many different ways. I definitely think it is a fall staple piece everyone should get!
- Dress: Stage Stores
- Scarf: Charlotte Russe
- Booties: Hautelook
For on-the-go this is by far my favorite. On the weekends I love to layer and keep my hands free so this convertible bag is perfect! For this look,I decided to wear a light chiffon top paired with a faux leather jacket for added warmth if needed. Here in Texas there isn’t a real need for think layering, but a nice stylish faux leather jacket will never steer you wrong. And the reason I pair it with a light top is to avoid bulk and heat.
- Top & Boots: Stage Stores
- Scarf: Charlotte Russe
- Jeans: Express
- Jacket: Aeropostle
- Bag: Nordstrom
And finally for my more “risk-taking” piece. I always like to have fun and experiment with my ensemble choices and came up with this look. I love a classic turtle neck and decided to pair this one with a dusty rose mini skirt. Since I am so extremely pale I decided it best to pair the look with tights and tall black boots. This keeps the look consistent and sleek. To top it off I added one of my favorite cool weather hats which adds a fun touch of personality and pizzazz! Its a little daring, but definitely a look I plan on rocking this season.
- Skirt: Forever 21
- Hat: Marshalls
- Necklace: Sam Moon
- Boots: Stein Mart
- Turtleneck: Target
Out of the fall color line up I chose to focus on the blue and pink tones. This is because of my recent hair color change, as well as my fair skin tone. Choosing flattering colors is just as important as the fit. Sometimes what is “in” may not be what looks best on you therefore I like to find the best of both worlds by selecting shades that I know work for me and selecting pieces in fits that flatter my figure. If I want to incorporate a color that may not be “your” color, do so with an accessory or small detail joined with a color that does work, and will compliment the shade. This is a trick I live by.
I hope you enjoyed my fall looks and thank you for taking the time to check them out! Please stay tuned for my next look book coming soon with late fall looks! Hopefully it will get chilly enough here for more layering and sherpas!!! Fingers crossed!
<3
Lately I have definitely been on a dress kick. It all started what I noticed I had gained a little weight. My more form fitting clothing did not look the way I was comfortable with it looking so I decided dresses were my best bet for looking my best and discreetly covering up those extra pounds. In the process I started to focus on a more healthy lifestyle by getting back on track with regular exercise and becoming for conscious of the foods I was consuming. By doing so, I ended up dropping nearly 9 pounds and lost that run down tired feeling, but noticed I still was really digging dresses. I started purchasing more and more and now they are my everyday look at work, not because I felt I had to wear them ,but because I felt great in them!
There is something about how one clothing item can be your whole outfit, and how you decide to accessorize it, determines it’s level of dressiness. I personally love to casualize a dress and make it everyday wearable as seen in the images I have attached. This olive medallion burnout style dress could easily be paired with heels and a sparkling statement necklace or a tailored leather jacket for some edge but instead, I paired it with faux suede fringe booties and an owl origami necklace for a touch of added texture and shine. This look could be worn to lunch, the mall or school. I personally love it for work or running errands. The dress style is so comfortable for all day wear and involves no tugging or re-adjusting. I love to feel confident and comfortable in my clothing, no matter the size. And I realized that I wasn’t feeling confident because I was hiding myself in dresses, I was feeling confident because I like how dresses look on and how transitional they are.
Dresses were there when I needed them, and now I wear them because I simply love them! confidence is key when I step into a garment. If I’m not feeling it I wont wear it and the great this about dresses is I’m happy in them no matter the size.
Until next time,
So for the past few months I have really been on a “blues” trend. I caught myself gravitating toward blue hues in the stores and noticed in the fitting room it was the pieces I was choosing to purchase.
Navy has always been one of my favorite colors to wear. I feel that it is flattering with almost any hair color ( as I frequently change mine) and I always feel confident and comfortable in this shade.
The three looks I have posted are my overall favorite pieces. They each offer texture, dimension and a flattering silhouette. As we are nearing the close of summer and are headed into the fall, I wanted to also incorporate ankle booties into my looks as they are the perfect transitional pieces to strut you into the new season!
This Speechless brand faux suede mini dress is a must-have piece for fall! The lightweight design will keep you cool while the color and texture add warmth, and will pair perfectly with your favorite ankle booties and statement necklace or scarf. Here I paired it with fringe booties and a crochet bead embellished necklace.
My next look is this white tiered lace dress with a large floppy hat and ankle booties. A white dress can be perfect for the close of the season as you can style it so many different ways! I chose to darken it down with navy. This dress is on the shorter side but offers a very flattering fit and silhouette.
Lastly an ivory and navy lace dress with brown and grey accessories! This dress has quickly become one of my favorites with its lightweight design flattering fit, and amazing length. I just cannot get enough of it!
Have fun! Be creative with your wardrobe. Wear what makes you happy. And play with textures!
Until next time <3