Summer to the Max

Maxi dresses are one of my favorite summer, go to, outfits. They are just so easy to wear and a no brainer when it comes to styling. I think they are one of the most versatile items in your closet. By just changing your shoes and your accessories, one dress can be worn multiple ways, dressed up or down. I love all types of maxis.



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I was lucky enough to snag this caftan at the Goodwill spring trunk show. I'd been searching for a fun summer maxi. I had a flowy option in mind but at $6, it was an amazing buy. I'll be adding my new crystal green mirror Ray-Bans, these easy gold gladiators and a matte pink lip. All of  these items are all recent purchases and were great deals.



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A flowy, halter maxi is definitely on my summer must list. This one reminds me of the DC cherry blossoms. I'd pair it with my black Birkenstocks, sheer pink lipstick, and pink mirror aviators. I could also change out the Birks for heels and add some sparkly jewelry for evening.



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If you're headed to a summer evening party, you could switch out your little black dress for a little black maxi. Silver flat shoes will be dressy but let you stand and chat. A sheer red lip says sophisticated in a easy summer way. Matching mirror shades will greet the sunset in style.

There are so many great maxi options, in every style imaginable. They work at the beach or at a cocktail party. I love them most because the look pulled together, with minimal effort.

Will you be wearing a maxi dress this summer?

Frugal Fashion Friday - Bedroom Makover Under $150

I've been feeling the need for change lately. We haven't done any redecorating in our house in years and that along with the need to refresh and declutter, has pushed me to do a bedroom makeover. There are statistics that say we spend about one third of our life sleeping. That time in addition to relaxation time before we sleep means that we spend tons of time in our bedrooms. Having an inviting and relaxing space is important. I didn't want to change our wall color. It's a soothing blue (with a lavender undertone) called Paris Evening. Our budget was no more than $200.

photo credit: Little Green Notebook

The ideas started last March with this post on my favorite decorating and DIY blog, Little Green Notebook. I saw the DIY tutorial for the silver leaf bedside tables (above) and I knew I had to do the same thing in our bedroom. As luck would have it, I found two bedside tables at Goodwill for $50 (more than a year ago). I bought them on the spot and they've been sitting in the garage ever since. I promised {msL} I would wait until after the wedding to work on them. Then I was swamped with work. The warm weather lately is a good sign. It's time to open the garage door and get going. The rug we had in the bedroom was the final catalyst I needed. It was worn and looked terrible. I purchased it about six years ago at Wal-Mart for about $30. It wasn't a good quality rug and it needed to be replaced. I read about esalerugs.com on Little Green Notebook. When I got a notice about a 50% off sale, I took a look and found a fantastic rug (below) for $75. We have a faux leather storage bench at the foot of bed that is looking worn on top. The bones are still good and recovering the top is also on my project list. I'm not big on matchy matchy.  I'd looked at possibly buying a gold rug (bright yellow, not metallic) but found the purple one instead. I found some great gold velvet on fabric.com (and it's on sale!). I'll be ordering that to reupholster the bench. The whole redo process will take a few weeks but I will post pictures when we're finished.

 

The good news is that the final total will come to less than $150. Since I've already purchased the bedside tables and the silver leaf supplies (more than a year ago), they aren't part of my current budget total.

Rug                        $75
Bed Linens             $32
Curtains                  $19
Wall Lamps            $16
Fabric                       $7
TOTAL               $149

Even if I include the beside table DIY, the total cost is still less than $250. A great frugal redo! I can't wait to show you all the finished product.

Happy Friday Real Girls!

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Frugal Fashion Friday - Pattern Mixing

A couple weeks ago I scored a fantastic deal at the Talbots Outlet.  I found a pair of paisley ankle pants that fit me perfectly.  I LOVE them and have been finding tons of ways to wear them. Earlier this week I spied a cute gingham shirt at Old Navy.  I immediately thought of pairing with my blue and purple paisley pants. As luck would have it today's Friday's Fancies challenge was to create an outfit using gingham.  It's kismet!

I've created a fun outfit for less than $300. The shoes are the priciest item, almost half the cost of the entire outfit. They can be found at Neiman Marcus Last Call (lastcall.com). If you sign up for their email alerts, you'll get notifications about sales. Last month there was a flash sale and I scored them for $55!

The pattern mixing gives the outfit a bold feel.  The clutch is an extra pop of color and it has a chain handle to make it more versatile.  This ensemble is my ideal weekend outfit.  Stylish, comfortable and easy to wear. The jewelry is simple but stands out and the oxfords and wayfarers are classic.  A gingham shirt is on my list now.  That means some weekend shopping is in order.

A Leg Up on a Colorful Spring

This spring, one of my must haves is a pair of colored jeans.  I'd like them in several colors and styles but I'd settle for one stand out pair that is a great color and fits well. Pants aren't my friend. Finding ones that fit my apple shape is a challenge.  I know that even my well proportioned friends have a tough time finding pants. I'm leaning toward a pair of  Not Your Daughter's Jeans.  If I'm lucky, I will find a pair at Nordstrom Rack sometime soon.  If not, I think I'll have to break down and splurge on a pair.  There are so many options available, that I went searching for a few favorites.  I've found them in all sizes and colors.

Just click on the picture above to view where to buy these jeans.  Many of them are sold in more than the color you see here.

Do you already own a pair of colored jeans?  If not, are they on your list for spring?

Have you ever thrown a fistfull of glitter in the air?

You know I'm loving pastels this season. Revlon ColorStay nail polish in Provence is the perfect lavender color.  Of course I had to add a little glitter.  Two coats of Provence, one coat of Essie luxe effects in Pure Perfection on every nail, except my ring finger and one thick coat of Ulta polish in Starstruck. Of course I followed with Revlon ColorStay top coat.

 

The title of this post is a line from the song "Glitter In the Air" by Pink.