Dark Green + Tangerine = Summer Queen

Confession: I consulted a rhyming website to come up with this post title.  I'm still not in love with it but sometimes the inspiration just doesn't strike when you need it!

Similarly, I struggled to style this dress for a summer look.  The cut of the dress fits the warm weather, but to me the color works better during the fall.

I wore this outfit to my cousin's rehearsal dinner and I really wanted to repurpose a dress I already own instead of purchasing a new one.  I had only worn this trapeze dress once before so it seemed like the perfect dress to wear...until I got stuck on making it work for a summer event.

I thought that some fun, pop-of-color shoes would brighten up the look but again, I didn't want to buy anything new.  I've had these tangerine hued shoes for at least five years and dug them out from the shoe bin under my bed.

Alright, so I have a contrasting colored dress and pair of shoes, how do I make this outfit cohesive?  Enter this fun little patterned clutch!  It's funny, the purse doesn't actually feature the green of the dress or the orange of the shoes but it somehow ties the look together.  I guess it goes to show that an outfit doesn't have to be matchy matchy to go together.

Do you experiment with typically cold-weather colors during the summer!  What's your favorite way to heat them up?

What I'm Wearing:
Dress: LOFT (similar fit different color)
Clutch: Boutique in D.C. (similar, similar)
Heels: DSW (similar, similar)
Earrings: Kate Spade (exact and included in the Nordstrom sale!)

Where I'm linking-up!
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Spring Wedding: One Dress, Two Ways

Good morning, lovelies!  I'm super excited for this post because I'm featuring two special occasion looks!  There's something about wearing a pretty dress that makes a girl feel special, don't you think?

In early April, I asked for your advice in choosing a pretty spring dress for a couple of events I had planned.  I actually ordered four of the five dresses featured in that post so that I could really choose the perfect one!  The winning dress was obvious from the moment I put it on and the rest were promptly shipped back.

I chose this dress!

I am joining four other lovely ladies today to talk about what to wear to a spring wedding!  While I didn't actually have a wedding to attend this past month, I was lucky to have two other formal events for which I could dress-up!  I decided that it would be fun to take this beautiful dress and create two different looks!

Look #1: I wore this ensemble to a tea party hosted by the Junior League of Lansing, Michigan.  It was a fun afternoon full of empowering messages for women, pretty dresses and a few glasses of tea champagne.

For this event I chose to make the dress a bit more formal with classic nude wedges and a bold coral necklace.  Dainty, stackable rings completed the look.

Look #2:  The second time I wore this dress was for a very special event...the baptism of my beautiful niece, Eloise!  I am so blessed that my sister and brother-in-law chose me to be Eloise's godmother so I got to stand up with them for this special moment.

I went a little bit more casual for this occasion by adding a belt and a pair of navy espadrilles.  What I really loved about this dress is that there are so many different hues in the floral print to pull out and work with!  Using coral in the first look versus red and navy accessories in the second almost made the colors of the dress look different to me.

Jennie              Rachel              Ada              Jill              moi

Thank you to Ada of Elegance and Mommyhood for organizing this seasonal wedding collaboration for three seasons in a row now!  You can check out my fall wedding and winter wedding looks, if you'd like!

And please take time to see how these other beautiful women have shopped their closets to style looks for a spring wedding!

L'amour

It's a day late, but Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope that you are all still basking in the "day after" love...whether it be from your special someone, family or friends!

I had the most romantic Valentine's Day this year!  My certain handsome someone (who happens to get credit for most of the pictures on this blog) escorted me to a Valentine Ball at the French Embassy in Washington D.C.!  The French Embassy, friends!  As a lover of romance and all things French, I have been oh so excited for our plans!

My preparations for the ball were all part of the fun!  I spent the past couple of weeks shopping for the perfect gown with girlfriends, getting my nails done, and thinking about hair and make-up ideas.  I absolutely loved dressing so glamorously for a night on the town with my man!

Initially, I didn't want a black dress because I wanted something a little bit more fun.  Ultimately, though, this dress was the winner for its classic glamour, fit and comfort!  Since I did choose a black dress, I chose classic red details like lipstick and nails for a pop of Valentine's Day color.

The man and I had a wonderful time at the ball!  We ate delicious French food, had our caricature drawn and danced the night away!  It was a romantic holiday to be remembered!

What I'm Wearing:

• Dress: Macy's (similar, similar)
• Earrings: Macy's (exact)
• Shoes: From high school (similar, similar)

Come back later this week to read about my make-up choices and techniques!