fall in texas

In Texas you have to check the weather every day before going out... ok scratch that... you should probably check it every few hours!!  It's kind of ridiculous how the temperature fluctuates.  Sometimes I contemplate packing up my summer clothes and storing them away during the fall and winter months and then I'm like, oh wait, it could be 80 degrees tomorrow.  I'd love some extra space in my closet but truthfully I feel like I need my entire wardrobe accessible year-round.

It can be annoying but it can also be really nice.  I'm not so much a cold weather person.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE layers... I love sweaters and sweatshirts, I love comfy jeans, I love scarves and jackets and leggings... but I really do hate the extreme cold.  So, it's always nice, to me, when temperatures vary.  I can deal with cold when it's interrupted by warmer days.

Yesterday was one of those days.  According to my car when I was running errands, it was about 80 degrees yesterday in Fort Worth!!  Do you ever feel like you have a hard time dressing for the season because your weather doesn't match the season?  Yeah, I feel like that a lot.  So yesterday's outfit was a combination of the "fall feel" with the comfort of shorts and a t-shirt.

 

I love mixing patterns.  And right now that is so on trend.  I decided to keep the outfit basic and mostly grays and black and then I let my accessories show my flare.  The socks and hat are both from Target from a few seasons ago.  I guarantee you can find many plaid options right now that are similar.

using summer clearance to your advantage

Hey there!  Hope your weekend is fabulous so far!  What's everyone up to?!

Today I wanted to share a favorite date night outfit of mine, since it is Saturday and many of you may be headed out with your significant others!  Or even if you're headed out with your girls, this outfit is so cute and affordable!

I know we're transitioning into fall fashion, but here in Texas, it's still super humid and hot!  We are cooling down a little bit, but less coverage is still a necessity.  And what's great about that is Texas girls (and all warmer weather areas) can take advantage of sales and clearances at the end of summer!  You don't have to wait until next year when you may or may not love what you just bought!  Snag a deal and wear it now... the weather has not and will not be changing for awhile y'all :-)  

I have to say, shopping at the end of summer/ back to school time is one of the greatest tips I can give any fashionista!  Stores everywhere, online and in person, are still clearing out inventory in huge clearance form.  I did a little shopping about a month ago and that's when I snagged two fantastic deals!

This striped black & white shirt from H&M was $11!  As always, I was drawn to the black and white items on the clearance rack and this top caught my eye as extremely versatile.  It's lightweight so it can be easily layered and the three-quarter length sleeves help it to transition into fall.  I love how it looks with this girly skirt, but I have also paired it with denim shorts and boyfriend jeans and love that look as well!  I'm not finding this exact shirt on their website, but I've linked multiple very similar looks below!

This floral mini skirt was an amazing find from Windsor!  I popped into their store in the Grapevine Mills Mall for a quick look at their sale racks and was so happy when I found this!!  I love the floral print and honestly, I don't think I actually own a single other mini skirt so I thought I'd add this one to my closet! Best thing about it was the price!! Less than $7! 

I've been using this clutch a lot lately!  It's from a few years ago when I took one of my trips to NYC to visit my girlfriend Kelly.  We shopped some of the sidewalk sales and wandered through Chinatown at one point... and somewhere along the way I picked up this clutch.  It was actually buried in my closet until I recently rediscovered it.  I love the texture (it's not just printed on there, it's actual texture) and I love the size.  Sometimes I'm really not great with clutches because I'm a big bag girl and can't fit all of my things in some of those tiny bags out there!  But this one easily fits a wallet, my phone, business cards and my makeup essentials! 

I'm sort of having an obsession with pairing brown and black accessories together lately!  My shoes also have a similar texture as the bag.  I love being able to continue the peep toe for awhile here in Texas.  Have you noticed lately that Ox Blood Red is like THE nail color of the season??  I'm seeing it everywhere on the fashion bloggers I follow.  My pedi is a couple weeks old now but who knew I'd be right on trend with my pick?  When I saw the name of this polish color, I knew I absolutely had to use it!  It's perfect for any southern girl!  Keep scrolling... all links are at the bottom! 

I love the sparkle of these earrings!  With shades of light blue and gold, I thought they were a beautiful addition to this girly outfit.  They were a gift to me last Christmas and they're from TJ Maxx

B&W Striped Top similar HERE HERE HERE HERE & HERE // 

Floral Mini Skirt // Nail Polish // Pink Lipstick

Hope y'all have a beautiful and blessed weekend!

All white date night

Yesterday was HOT.  Chris and I decided to continue our summer tradition of free movie date nights in Sundance Square!  Last night's movie was The Muppets, and seriously, I couldn't have been more excited!  I grew up on the Muppet Show and it brings back amazing memories for me.  I had not seen the Jason Segel movie before, despite telling myself I'd see it in theaters when it came out (you know, like 2 years ago...)  It was SO good!!  

The best part was getting to spend the time with my hubby.  There's something about strolling through our town at night... it's always beautiful and we're always headed somewhere for some fabulous free event.  Fort Worth truly is an amazing city for a young couple!!

So like I said, yesterday was HOT.  Before we headed out for our walk and movie, I decided white from head to toe was the way to go!  This outfit is super simple... nothing fancy or expensive... just cool, casual cotton.  

I'll say it again... I can't get enough of layering plain solid shirts over tanks and Ts this summer!  I wear this white button-up all the time!!  Last night was a perfect night to take it off and wrap it around my waist until the temperature cooled down... which I did, after sweating to take these pics!  The long sleeve shirt and shorts are both affordable finds from Target.  

I also felt compelled to wear some proper shoes for walking (this doesn't happen often... I'm usually the girl struggling in heels because it's worth it haha)  I love love LOVE these New Balance sneakers with accents of brown and pink!  These shoes were actually a gift to me from my brother a few years ago and they were buried in my closet for awhile.  My bro may not admit it or talk about fashion much, but he does have an amazing sense of style.

Plain and simple... This Michael Kors T-shirt was a fashion find at Stein Mart.  It's always nice to have a little bling, so I love the sparkly MK.  Did you know that Stein Mart has a entire Designer Finds section of their store?  If you didn't, you really need to check it out!!  I love me some Michael Kors and I love it even more at a discount!  They even carry some designer items from Kate Spade, Roberto Cavalli, YSL and Versace... just to name a few. 

Another detail you'll probably notice... my glasses.  Yeah, I don't wear them very often because I don't need them unless I'm trying to see a far distance, BUT I've gotten a ton of compliments recently on them!  I've had them for a few years now but they are DKNY.  Crossbody bag is vintage Fossil.

Once the sun went down and the weather cooled a little bit, it was a perfect night!  I really enjoyed this all white outfit!!  Sometimes casual, light and bright is the best way to go!  You can still look cute even when you're sweating in Texas ;-)

How would you wear all white?  What are you favorite white pieces in your wardrobe?

black & white & checkered all over

I recently purchased this Romeo & Juliet Couture black and white checkered skirt at Last Call Neiman Marcus during our blogger event!  It's so lightweight, flow-y and comfortable!  I paired it with this cute black and blue LC Lauren Conrad blouse and simple black accessories! {details & links below}

 Great news!! The skirt is on clearance and you can snag it for even cheaper than I did!! Last Call Neiman Marcus is SUCH an amazing place to score designer steals! Shop the skirt HERE! Hurry, I'm sure it won't last long and you can't ask for a better price!! 

The blouse wasn't purchased that long ago but I'm not seeing it online so here's a few similar LC Lauren Conrad pieces: Navy Lace Chiffon Blouse // Blue Lace Chiffon Blouse  Both lace blouse options are also on clearance!  

My necklace is from Forever 21 // Clutch is Daisy Fuentes {old} (p.s. love her!)  // Shoes are Moda from DSW {old} {shop similar here}

it started with a necklace

I've been obsessing over this statement necklace for the last few days!! It's SO pretty... even prettier in person than pictures can show!  I decided to build a cute, girly outfit around it! {details below}

The necklace, tank and metallic blazer are all from Kohls.  The skirt is from the Proenza Schouler for Target collection.  The clutch is LOFT and the pumps are Guess.  Unfortunately, most of these pieces are on the older side and are no longer available.  But this is a simple outfit to recreate and you probably have many of these pieces in your closet now!  

Tanks and T-shirts + flowing, girly skirts is a huge trend right now!  I love the mix of casual and sassy! I can't help but think of Carrie Bradshaw's infamous little pink & white dress with this trend! 

Choose a plain tank top, any color and pair it with a sassy skirt and you're good to go!  I decided to class it up a little with a fancier blazer.  The light cream color is daytime appropriate but the gold metallic weave gives it more interest and pulls out the gold in the necklace!

Happy Monday loves!  Hope your week is off to a fabulous start! 

The sun will come out...

It's been a rainy 24 hours in Fort Worth and looks like it will be continuing most of today.  It's a nice break from the heat that has hit all too quick this year!  With the temp a tad cooler, I opted for a cute pants outfit for church and lunch yesterday.  The sun came out just in time for a super fast mini photo shoot.  

I love this shirt so much.  It's extremely lightweight and has a variety of color.  Not my usual brights or neons, but still great!  And I love how it sort of looks like watercolor brushstrokes.  It's the artist in me ;-) I paired the blouse with classic brown trousers for a softer look; I feel like the contrast of black would have been too much.  And of course a little more pattern play with the shoes and my pop of persimmon!  See, this handbag does it again!

I enjoyed a beautiful weekend with my husband and my family despite the weird weather! Hope yours was fabulous too!  Have a great week and don't forget to add some color to your wardrobe to balance out that DFW gray! Happy Monday!

Shirt is Simply Vera Vera Wang from Kohls // Pants are First Kiss // Shoes are BCBG // 

Handbag is Coach