*I’m devoting this week to dresses in an attempt to motivate myself to actually wear the dresses I have in my closet.*

I shared a peak of this dress and matching cardigan in my last outfit planning post, but this is how I wore it once I got it home. I paired it with a coganc belt that matches the cognac in my wedes. When it gets cooler out, which I can’t wait for because this heat is miserable, I’ll wear it with my denim jacket and booties. How cute will that be? About as cute as this summer version, I’m sure! Anyway, I wore this outfit to my latest volunteer day. I’m wrapping up the project that I started on so that I can begin a new one, which I’m even more excited about. I’m going to be doing some content writing and I love writing so it’s a win.

Dress, Cardigan, & Belt: Old Navy | Wedges: Target | Necklace: Claire’s (old)

*I’m devoting this week to dresses in an attempt to motivate myself to actually wear the dresses I have in my closet.*

I’m not sure why but I have a closet full of dresses that I never wear. I love them all, which is why I have them, but dresses often feel too formal to me; I used to only wear them for special occasions. I keep finding really cute dresses with the intention of wearing them casually, but after wearing a dress once (usually for a special occasion) it starts to feel too formal. So I’m going to devote this entire week to wearing the dresses in my closet!

I picked up this dress on a whim while shopping with my friend. And when I say “on a whim” I mean I was literally walking up to the register when it caught my eye and I grabbed it. I didn’t try it on, I just grabbed my size and continued on my way to the register. I never do that! I figured I’d end up taking it back but when I got it home and tried it on, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. I wore it for the first time to have coffee on a lazy Sunday morning with my BFF and then later to do our weekly grocery shopping. I’m feeling a little self-conscious about my tummy these days, so I added this pretty scarf to take attention away from my midsection. The colors in the scarf – pinks, grays and olive – were a perfect match for this dress. I can’t wait to wear these same pieces in the fall with tights, booties, and a jacket!

This cute little shoulder detail keeps the dress from feeling boring.

Dress: Banana Republic Outlet | Scarf: Loft Outlet | Necklace: Old Navy | Sandals: Target

Linking up with the Hello Monday linkup with More Pieces of Me and Sincerely Jenna Maria | Still Being Molly | A Lovely Little Wardrobe

Da ba dee Da Ba Die. I couldn’t resist and you’re welcome for getting that song stuck in your head; I know it’s definitely stuck in mine!

When you find a color that you like and works for you, you stick to it. I’m went a little monochrome with this outfit and I like it. I wore it to the movies to see Inside Out with Nick. I was surprised that I was able to talk him into seeing an animated movie with me, since that isn’t usually his thing, but he actually wanted to go and we both really enjoyed it. I’m not even going to try to hide the fact that I cried like a baby at the end (and during the animated short they played before the movie) but the good thing is there weren’t many dry eyes in the place as we left so I wasn’t the only one!  Also, I wore longer sleeves and jeans to the movie because I usually get cold in the theater. Does this happen to anyone else?

Top: Patagonia via Vert & Vogue | Jeans: kensie via Stitch Fix | Shoes & Bracelet: Old Navy | Handbag & Sunglasses: Target | Necklace: Wal-Mart

Linking up with Summer Style via Mix & Match Fashion | Sincerely Jenna Marie

Real talk: I probably wouldn’t have purchased these shoes if the saleswoman hadn’t told me they were made by a designer in Mallorca, Spain in small batches. Of course I thought they were gorgeous but even on sale, they were a bit pricey. But when I heard “Spain” I turned to Nick and said, “Mira. Estos son muy bonitas y de España. I have to have them!” I actually said a little more than that in Spanish, but he doesn’t really speak it. Anyway, these are my sweet Spanish shoes and I love them! They’re velvety, adorable, and fit perfectly.

This was the first and only time I’ve worn them, though, because I’m afraid I’ll mess them up!  I was so excited because I had a phone interview that morning and a girl-date night with my BFF that evening for dinner and a movie. It started to rain while we were at the restaurant and all I could think of was my shoes! We decided to ditch the movie and stay at the restaurant to drink wine and eat sushi (two of my favorite things) so I had a great time in my Spanish shoes.

More real talk: I had a hard time choosing flattering photos of me in this outfit because I didn’t realize that the top made me look very top heavy. Have you ever experienced this phenomenon where the way an outfit looks on you in the mirror is different (maybe better) than the way it looks on you in photos? If the pics are the truer version of what I looked like in real life, I might not wear this one out anymore.

Blouse: C.Luce via Stitch Fix | Cardigan & Pixie Pants: Old Navy | Shoes: Vert & Vogue | Necklace: Hawthorne Collection

What do you think of my sweet Spanish shoes?

Linking up with  Tucker Up |The Pleated Poppy | Walking in Memphis in High Heels | Why I Do DeClaire

I can’t get enough of this polka dot top! It’s perfect for an office setting, it’s great for a night out with friends, or it can be dressed down with some shorts or jeans. I wore this particular outfit to the office where I volunteer, giving me an opportunity to get dressed in something other than jeans or shorts and a t-shirt, which is what I wear when I’m babysitting.

Here is some of the thought process that went into putting this outfit together:

–I like wearing gray and navy together.
–The polka dots provide some interest to an all-neutral ensamble.
–A simple necklace will not overwhelm the outfit, since there are jewels/studs on my shoes.
–It’s too hot for real pants, let me wear crops instead… as if that really made much of a difference.
–I really need to figure out which exercises will slim down my thighs.
–Just kidding, I love my thighs! But seriously, I need to get to the gym and work on my fitness. Because being healthy is important!

How many of those did I get right? 🙂

I thought about wearing some dark navy blue pumps but sometimes you just need a good pair of flats to wear to the office, and I love that these provide some sparkle in the light. Also, these shoes were named after me: Nicole!

Polka Dot Top: Target | Trousers: Karen Kane via Stitch Fix | Shoes: Nicole via Ross | Necklace: Old Navy

Linking up with More Pieces of Me & Sincerely Jenna Maria | Walking in Memphis in High Heels | Tucker Up | The Pleated Poppy