OBX Vacation Part 1

Finally back home in good ol' Lancaster County and now I have a free second to type. I'm always happy to be home after vacation, but I really do miss the beach. The Outer Banks is just a very relaxed, carefree location so I planned my outfits accordingly. If you haven't been, but plan on vacationing there someday, I also have some of my favorite picks listed below as well! It's the perfect location to bring big families since there are lots of rentals with multiple beds and baths and usually a pool too! The only downfall for us is the drive and if anyone has two kids under the age of 4, I'm sure you understand! Overall they were good so that's really all I can ask for :)

Hat: here | Swimsuit: here
This is my favorite swimsuit of all time. Some of you may have already seen it on my IG
feed and it's worth the splurge! Perfect for moms that want to cover up any belly "pooch"
and still show some skin. This J. Crew hat is also a must, I wear it way too much during
summer.

Swimsuit: here | Cover-up: sold out. same one, different color here
I love a good beach cover-up, but hate spending the money. Some cost so much these days, more than a nice dress, but this one is affordable and how can you not love the tassels?!

Top: here | Shorts: American Eagle (old) | Shoes: here | Sunglasses: Ray-ban
This cold-shoulder top is one of my favorite new finds, a brand called Vava by Joy Han.
The clothing is somewhat affordable and I love the quality! They also make some gorgeous
dresses and rompers too. This look is casual and comfortable but still stylish.

Hat: same as above | Cover-up: here | Beach Bag: here
Another great, affordable beach cover-up by the same brand as my last cover-up and best of all it has
pom-poms! If there is a must-have summer list, my beach bag is definitely on it! Best of all, it has plenty of
space for all your beach necessities and comes in so many amazing colors.



Nail Polish: Essie Blanc
As promised, here are a couple recommendations for OBX (Outer Banks). We ate ice cream pretty much every night. My favorite was Big Buck's in Kitty Hawk because the ice cream is homemade and there so many amazing flavors! Like I mentioned above, we rent a house so most nights, each couple makes dinner for everyone, but one night each couple did venture out for dinner. My family and I went to Blue Moon Beach Grill in Nags Head and the crab cake sandwich is a MUST! Go early though because there are no reservation and there can easily be an hour and a half wait. We also grabbed lunch at 2 great spots. Get the beef brisket sandwich from High Cotton BBQ in Kitty Hawk and get the Mahi Mahi sandwich from John's Drive In in Kitty Hawk. John's is the perfect place to stop on your break from the beach and they have awesome milkshakes!

Ok, the wraps up part 1 of our trip! Stay tuned for part 2. More great looks ahead and recommendations for things to do other than the beach!

Wedding Weekend Roundup

As promised, I'm sharing some snaps and details from my best friend's wedding! It was such a beautiful event, gorgeous weather, great food and company. I'm so happy for her and her husband, they are perfect together!

Since I was a bridesmaid and already had a dress for the wedding, I was excited to pick out a new dress for the rehearsal dinner. I'm obsessed with lace right now and when I saw this dress I had to have it. I fell in love with the mint color and off the shoulder style, it's also surprisingly comfortable too! Just be sure to order a size up. I'm 5'4", 120 lbs and the small (which I usually buy) was way too short on me, medium was much better.

 





 

 



Dress: here | Shoes: Dolce Vita (old) | Clutch: YSL

 

 

 

 

 

How amazing is this clutch and jewelry? Gifts from the bride on fleek



Clutch: Kate Spade similar here

Here are a few shots from the wedding day. Truth be told, I had really bad anxiety that day. I wish I had gotten more pics, especially with the bride and groom (she was stunning btw!), but my head wasn't in the right place. I had a horrible virus, no sleep and it was the first time my husband and I left our boys overnight. #mommyproblems Anyone else in my boat?!?



Shoes: Jimmy Choo here



with my beautiful college besties



and of course one with the hubs!

 

So Fresh and So Clean

Hope everyone had an amazing Fourth of July weekend! I was a bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding (my next post will be a wedding weekend roundup!) so I didn't have the opportunity to dress up in patriotic colors, but I do have a close alternative. I shot this look last week and all I'm missing is a pop of red. A pair of red pumps would do nicely here!

My top is so comfortable and it's just under $25! I've been on an H&M kick lately, especially since I just entered my first blogging competition and had to share some of my favorite pieces from their collection. (Wish me luck!) These sneakers are definitely a must-have this summer; clean and fresh and oh-so comfy!

 

Top: here | Pants: Zara (old) | Shoes: sold out, similar here | Bag: Celine

 

Shirt Dress for Days

There are two lessons (among many) I've learned as a parent: 1. Shopping needs to be quick and easy. 2. Clothing needs to be quick and easy. First, as a mom I don't want to be running around a mall all day long. I like stores that are a one-stop shop. H&M, like I mentioned in my last post, is a perfect example. They even carry children's clothing! Second, some days it's really tough to leave the house looking put together. It's already hard enough just getting out the door with two kids, but not looking like a crazy person is a whole nother story. What's a good way to be that mom that always looks cute at drop-off? Purchase a great shirt dress. They are easy, comfortable and extremely versatile. You can dress them up or down. Throw on a baseball hat and chucks, or add a belt and some heels/wedges. In my photos below, my shirt dress is sheer but it really takes an ordinary outfit to the next level.

 



Shirt dress: here | Top: old | Shorts: similar here | Shoes: here | Belt: similar here

Photography: Hello Sweetheart Photography

A Few of My Favorite Things

Years ago, our local mall didn't have many stores to its name. It has come a long way since then, but I can still remember when Park City Mall gained a wonderful store called H&M. It was a big deal! H&M is still one of my favorites today and it's the perfect place to get affordable staples for your closet. I just picked up two great pieces that I can't wait to share below and they are perfectly on trend right now: an off-the-shoulder top and patterned neck scarf. I paired both of these with my favorite panama hat and slip-on sandals, both summer must-haves from J. Crew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top: here | Neck Scarf: here | Skirt: old | Shoes: here | Hat: here

Photography by: Hello Sweetheart Photography

Nautical Vibes

One thing I have always been obsessed with over the years is everything nautical. It's one thing that never goes out of style in my opinion. It goes beyond wearing clothes, from my son's first birthday party, to decorating a room, to my favorite vacation spot, I just can't get enough! I love blues and stripes and anchors and being near the ocean, it's just so calming for me. For a huge part of my life, my parents have brought us on vacation to Nantucket every summer. It's one of my happy places. Most times when I go on vacation, I usually pack my suitcase based on where I'm going. I wouldn't say I typically dress in a preppy New England style, but when I go to Nantucket, it definitely has that influence on what I buy for the trip.

In recent seasons, we have been seeing lots of stripes. Stripes have become like a neutral so you can wear them with almost anything and I've paired it with some white on white to make a really fresh, clean look. Hope you enjoy!

 

 

Every one of these pieces should be a staple in your closet, they are so important for mixing and matching looks. My favorites are the classic white button down and denim jacket :) so versatile and wearable year-round!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Button down: similar here | Striped shirt: similar here | Denim jacket: here | Jeans: here | Shoes: similar here |
Sunglasses: here

 





Crop Top Crazy

Like I mentioned in my last post, I want to talk crop tops and two-pieces. I have a love/hate relationship with them. About a year ago when they started becoming popular again, I thought about purchasing a matching set, but they truly intimidated me. I looked at them longingly on others, but the thought of actually wearing one on my own body made me very hesitant. I was just getting back to my pre-baby weight and, let's be honest, unless you spend some time at the gym, a post-baby belly isn't the most attractive. However, after having two kids, I was pretty proud of how I looked and figured I was ready to take the plunge and purchase my first crop top and matching skirt.

But then I learned a valuable lesson with my first purchase, you can feel totally awesome in your two piece when it's just you and your husband, but when you're in a crowd, you can have this instant reaction to cover your belly. I'm sure it doesn't happen to everyone, but I bet I'm not alone. In the moment I figured out a way to make me feel more comfortable and then when I went to buy my second two-piece set, I learned what worked best for me. So here are 3 easy ways to increase your comfort level when buying a crop top and hopefully you can love them as much as I do now! 

 

 1. Wear something over top like a blazer or denim jacket. The above picture was my first crack at a two-piece. Now while I think it's gorgeous, I was heading to my sister's rehearsal dinner and just felt like it was too sexy or something. After this picture, I threw on a white blazer and felt instantly better. Having that extra amount of coverage will help you forget how much stomach you have showing.

2. Try wearing a fitted top with a flared bottom, or vice versa. After the rehearsal dinner, I decided I probably wouldn't wear both together again, but they would make amazing pieces when separated. I could wear a flowy crop top with the skirt or an A-line midi skirt with the top. If both the top and bottom are fitted, you might feel too self-conscious if you are already hesitant to try them.



3. Find the right amount of stomach to show. Buying a two-piece can be tough, everyone has different body types. I have a short torso, so most crop tops aren't very cropped, which works for me. The above picture is my second attempt and I am so happy with this combo. Having a tiny bit of my belly peeking through along with following rule number 2, I didn't even realize I was wearing a two-piece!

Whatever is in style this season and in seasons to come, the moral of the story is to not give up. If you love it, keep searching till you find the right piece that works for you and rock it ;)