[Listen] Call Me, Maybe?

This song has been in my head all day.

You're welcome.

[Link-Up] You Know You're a Fashion Blogger When...

This came from Sarah over at Simply Sarah.

Here are her instructions:

You Know You're A Fashion/Style Blogger When . . .

1. Copy the list below 
2. Paste the list onto a new blog post - and highlight/bold the statements that describe you or show something you've done
3. After putting up the list, link back to Simply Sarah as the original list
4. Add any other bullets to the list that you think describe fashion bloggers as well

Lets start this and see how far it gets!

You Know You're a Fashion Blogger When:
- The words "chambray", "gingham", and "ikat" are regular words in your vocabulary
- You know what color blocking means
- You love to shop, and in fact you literally get a high off of sales
- You use blogger's first names rather than referring to their blog name
- You've entered SO many giveaways; you never win, but hey you never know right?!
- You use blogger's first names and refer to them as if they've been your BFF forever
- You've sometimes wondered if it's vain to take pictures of yourself - and then not cared
- You've taken a picture, ran to the camera to see if you liked it, hated it and tried again
- You've mastered the art of "self-timer"
- Your phone is full of random pictures of yourself (bahahaha this is so true for me and I always feel like a complete idiot when my hubby scrolls through my phone photos cause it's so ridiculous)
- No matter what you're doing, even if you're camping, you wonder how you can take pictures
- You're constantly thinking about content for blog posts - you even write down ideas!
- You've gotten to know bloggers so well you feel like you've literally lived their life for a day (I'm working on this one! lol)
- One word: HTML
- You've pinned outfits on Pinterest to recreate, but rarely ever did
- You've wore outfit you just weren't into, so you skipped the day or wrote about something else
- You comment on blogs with <3 or XOXO, even though you've never met the people
- You feel closer to your blogger friends sometimes than your real friends
- At least one person in your life never knew they'd ever have to take so many pictures of you
- You've mastered at least one pose you use over and over
- You look at your closet and go "I have nothing  to wear" yet you have more clothes than you need
- You know details about blogger's lives, but you don't know their last name.  And you're OK with it.
- You spend your time talking about clothes, fashion, and styling - and people actually care!
- You realize now that blogging is truly a full time career if done right
- Blogging was just supposed to start as a creative outlet, but it's turned into so much more
- You've ever wondered "hey could I do this for a career"?
- You've wasted more time on your computer blogging than you care to admit

[Thoughts] How Short is Too Short?

Hello readers! In today's post, I'd like to start a fashion-related discussion. As the summer approaches, and it gets unbelievably hot here in Atlanta, I start looking towards summer fashion. I am a fan of the jean short, and after seeing both Gwenyth Paltrow

In Avengers - sorry the pic is bad, it was the only one I could find

and Teresa Giudice

RHONJ - again, best pic I could find

wear them recently, it got me thinking: how short is too short for an adult woman? Is it different if she has kids?

I turned 30 last summer, and now that a family is in the foreseeable future, I've started to think about the impact that will have on my wardrobe. Frankly, I think both of the above women look fabulous in their shorts - but I still question the appropriateness for those of us who aren't in the public eye. Many might excuse the above ladies because celebrities seem to be able to live by a different set of rules than the rest of us.

As a college gal, I was fit and confident with my body. I could wear short shorts and occasionally lower-cut tops and feel like it was fine, in the right setting. Somewhere along the way, things got bigger and I became super conscious of the neckline cut on every top I own. Mostly because lowcut now makes me uncomfortable. Lowcut tops don't look good on my body any more.

However, short length is another story. I haven't gained an inch on my hips, thighs, or any other part of my lower body. All my weight gain since college is in my middle or higher. I personally consider my legs to be my favorite physical asset, and I'm proud of them. I'm a runner and these legs have taken me a lot of miles in a lot of races and they look like it in a good way. While I've had to adjust the size of the waist on the bottoms I buy (muffin top is not allowed!), I like the way my legs look in almost anything. This makes the line a little blurrier because I still feel confident in shorter shorts. But I am also aware that at 30 years old, short shorts are not necessarily the most appropriate.

I do feel that a mid-thigh length short cuts my long legs in a way that is not the most flattering, so I do try to avoid that length, but that only seems to leave me with the option of short or bermuda length.

What are your feelings on short shorts and age? Short shorts come in many different inseam lengths - 2", 3", 5" - is the line somewhere inbetween? Is there a "too old"? Is it different if you're a mother?

[Life] Ok, Guys....

I'm about to get a little 13-year-old-Twilight-fan-meets-Robert-Pattinson, so bear with me.

I started this blog a few months ago because I was inspired by fashion bloggers and it marries two things I love: clothes and writing. I've been trying really hard to network - not to get readers, but to start conversations with other like-minded ladies around the world.

So, I am about to give a big ol' W00T to 2 somethings that probably aren't a big deal for the rest of you, but made me really feel like my blog is going somewhere.

Firstly,

I got my first media invite. From a PR company.

MOI? MEDIA? Noooooo........

But apparently someone out there thinks I am!!

Unfortunately, the event was last weekend when I was out of town, but it gave me such a thrill to get an email with a "media" invite. (I am so not media, but thanks for the compliment!)

And secondly,

My Summer Essentials post from yesterday was selected as one of the 10 favorite Summer Style posts by IFB at #6!!!

DOUBLE W00T!!! (or I guess that would just be w00t w00t, eh?)

That makes me pretty psyched considering there were 50+ submissions and this was my first one. Yay!

Check it out here!

[Reality TV] Bachelorette

I know this isn't fashion related, nor does it qualify as intelligent conversation, but I will be the first to admit I enjoy a lot of trashy reality tv. If you do not enjoy reality tv, just skip this post.

A big part of it is that I love to check out the fashion on most of the shows I watch but I'd be lying if I denied enjoying the drama. I watch the Bachelor and Bachelorette, all of the Real Housewives franchises, and occasionally any of the Kardashian shows if they happen to be on (this is often the case at the gym - my gym seems to like keeping the TVs on E!). I do enjoy these as much for the fashion as for the "story".

So I'm into the Bachelorette - I don't find this show to be quite as fun as the Bachelor because, let's be honest, the Bachelor has more women and therefore more fun fashion, and of course women are often more dramatic (cue uproar). I was also unsure about this season of the Bachelorette because I'm really not sure how I feel about Emily. Why isn't important. What is important is that I would like to call the final 4, just to have it on record. I may be totally wrong, and that's ok. It will just be fun to see how well I do. :) #1 is my winner, with #2 being dumped on the final, #3 after the fantasy suites, etc etc.

1. Jef (he's my winner)
2. Arie
3. Doug
4. Charlie (This one was hard to guess. I really think it could be Kalon though I don't want it to be. I would like to see it be Charlie so I pick him over Kalon. My second choice for this spot is Ryan, but I just don't see the chemistry there. I am aware that by throwing out all these options if I'm right with one of them I have minimal bragging rights.)

I'm not planning on posting about the season as it goes, but that's no guarantee that I won't. We'll see if there's anything worth mentioning.

Do you watch the Bachelorette? Who do you think will be standing at the end?

[IFB Project] Summertime Essentials!

This week, IFB is hosting a new project: Summer Style Kickoff. I love summer. It's my favorite time of the year - the days get longer, the weather gets warmer (although here in GA it can be incredibly hot), and most people relax and enjoy some time off.

My favorite thing about summer is going to the beach. As a kid, my parents took my brother and I to the beach for a week every single summer and I lived for that week of swimming in the ocean, eating greasy boardwalk food, and cleansing my soul with that salty sea air. It only makes sense that my submission for IFB's project centers on my favorite summer style: beach essentials!

Here are my favorites:

1. Scunci wide, thin, textured hair bands. I seriously could not go to the beach without these. I have long hair and the sea breeze tends to blow it all over the place which makes it difficult to see while at the beach, and difficult to brush when I get home. I just put one of these wide, soft headbands on and my hair is out of my face and not snarled; not only that, these look cute, and you can wear them in the ocean without losing them!
2. A sheer beach coverup. These look chic at the beach and are a great way to coverup without looking like you're trying to hide under layers of clothes. This one here is from Sears. I love the bright colors and busy print - both of which are super stylish this summer!
3. SUNSCREEN! Sunscreen is the number one most important thing in summer style. I am a firm believer that wrinkles, sagging skin, and sunspots can all be put off simply by wearing sunscreen, therefore by using it daily I believe I will look exponentially younger than everyone else my age as I get older. I'd rather have great skin at 60 than a great tan at 30. And this sunscreen is a fabulous choice - it's light and not greasy at all! I wear Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock daily.
4. A light, sheer, drapey tee. I especially like the stripes as a head nod to the nautical when I'm at the beach. It's the perfect top to pair with a pair of shorts or jeans when you're ready to head out for a seaside dinner, or over a swimsuit if you plan on walking the boardwalk at the day's end. The flowy top, to me, says easy going and relaxed - which are two things you definitely should be at the beach!

5. A fun, bright beach tote. This one combines prints, which is something that's been really popular all spring. I like the combination of floral and gingham on this tote, and the minty color is very on trend! A printed tote adds a little somethin-somethin to a solid colored bathing suit or coverup.
6. "Boat shoes" as so many people call them. Even if you're not going on a boat, you can at least look like you are! These Sperrys are one of my favorites.
7. Cat-eye sunglasses. These are an up and coming shape this summer, and sunglasses are one of my favorite sunny accessories.
8. Fun, embellished flip flops. Everyone knows that flip flops are a staple at the beach - they're easy to wear and no fuss, which makes them an ideal addition to your beach ensemble. Why not take it a step  further and wear a cute embellished pair instead of the run-of-the-mill rubber? I love the hundreds of embellished options you can find out there right now and I just love the colors you can find!
9. Baby powder. I know, you're probably scratching your head. And no, this is not just for you ladies with children. Baby powder is the best kept beach secret if you are someone who enjoys the ocean. I always hated the way that the dry sand just clings to you anywhere you happened to have gotten wet. If you're an ocean swimmer, or even just an ocean wave-jumper, you can end up with sand everywhere. And I mean everywhere. The solution, at least for the parts that are exposed at the beach? Baby powder! This stuff will get the sand off with little to no fuss so you can put your shoes and coverup on without getting sand in every seam.
10. Floppy hats!! Floppy hats have become super popular in the last year, and they are a great way to create a look when you're not wearing much at all. Not only that, I love that these hats protect you from those nasty sun rays I spoke about above - nothing like a second layer of protection against wrinkles or red noses!

Now you know what my beach essentials are....I'd love to hear yours!!

[Life] I Don't Even Have a Post Title

Wow. What an amazing long weekend I had. I went to PA to surprise one of my dearest friends at her baby shower on Sunday afternoon. I couldn't talk about it here because she may have read my blog, but I had an amazing weekend and will post about it later this week once I've uploaded the photos to my laptop.

Now, back to real life. And WOW am I bogged under. I haven't read a single email or blog all weekend; I haven't done a single chore, taken a single outfit picture, or done a single load of laundry. I have so much to do. Yikes! At work I have to prepare specialized training for my course I'm presenting in Toronto in 2.5 weeks. And I'm going away again this weekend. This time with the hubs, to Savannah GA, to celebrate his 3 week intensive "May-mester" being done. So I have to do laundry. And pack. And all that good stuff. By Friday night. Again I say, YIKES!

I'm going to do my best to catch up tonight, but in the meantime, you may see a lack of blog posts. So, in my absence, I will pose a question for you to debate:

What are your best tips for getting amazing outfit photos for your blog?

I have been pondering this as of late. I'm just ok at taking normal everyday pictures. And when I look at my outfit posts compared to every other style blogger out there, they just don't stack up. It's not always the outfit (haha). I'm kind of limited in equipment - I can't spend big money on a fabulous DSLR right now; for the time being I have to stick with my itty bitty Kodak point and shoot camera on a tripod. So, who has some tips for me on improving my photos? Lighting suggestions? Background suggestions? Setting suggestions? Editing tips? (I should say that at this point I know nothing about editing photos and do little more than crop them down before posting them. I don't know what programs are good, although I have Photoshop and find it incredibly difficult to learn. I don't have time for that right now haha!).

Help?! Suggestions!?

[Quotable]

[Fashion] Sun Is Shining

Atlanta doesn't really have a winter.

This makes me a bit sad, because I'm a northeasterner and I like the cold. Not for 6 straight months like in some parts of the north, but 3 solid months of cold and a transition month or two would be great. Because I really like scarves and layered cardigans/jackets/coats, as well as cute winter hats and boots. 

So you can bet I was pretty excited when we had a week long "cold spell" in Atlanta where I could layer some stuff.

Top - Old Navy (old)
Jeans - James Jeans (old)
Shoes - Target
Scarf - Gifted
Bracelet - Betsey Johnson at Macy's (gifted)

By cold spell I mean it was in the 40s in the morning. Rest assured it was mid-70s by late afternoon so it wasn't completely out of character.

Earrings - Payless (2011)
I have no idea where I got the sunglasses or the headband. They are both at least 5 years old. Have I mentioned I tend to hold on to things??

Aaaaaaaand....a Lexi photobomb.

Have a great week, ya'll!!!

[Fashion] The Pink Dress Revisited

A little while back, I posted about a pink dress I really liked on the hanger but wasn't sure if I loved it on. I brought it home and asked for suggestions on what to try to make it work.

Here's how it turned out:

All I did was add a pair of heels. What do you think? Keep? or Return?

I really was on the fence before this little photo shoot but with the heels, I think it's a keep!! What say you?