I spent a little bit of time putting together a few outfits that I can wear this week, or sometime in the future. This first outfit will be best for wearing in the evening after the sun has gone down and it’s not quite as hot, since the top has long sleeves. Shorts will always be welcomed in the summer, though, especially in the North Carolina heat!  Other ways I’ve worn this top here and these shorts here.

Shirt: Tresic via ModCloth | Shorts: Gap | Sandals: Target | Necklace: Claire’s (old) | Clutch: Coach (gift)

You can’t see it in the photo but this blouse is also 3/4-length sleeve so it might be best worn when indoors (in the air conditioning) or after the sun goes down. Other ways  I’ve worn this abstract chevron blouse here.

Blouse:  41 Hawthorn via Stitch Fix | Shorts: Gap | Sandals: Target 

Purple is one of my favorite colors but I don’t have a lot of it so I couldn’t resist purchasing the dress and matchy cardigan. I can’t wait to wear this cute little outfit, hopefully this week.

Dress & Cardigan: Old Navy | Necklace: Claire’s (old) | Sandals: Target

What do you think of these outfits? Maybe you’ll see them on the blog again soon.

Linking up with More Pieces of Me & Sincerely Jenna Maria
 

2008 was a really good year for me: I had graduated from college, got a pretty good job, and met & moved in with a girl that would become one of my best friends. She taught me to a lot of awesome things like how to appreciate a glass of wine, the importance of quality friendships, and being brave enough to follow your dreams. I’ve always planned to go graduate school, but it wasn’t until I watched Maria face all of her fears and complete a graduate program that I was inspired to finally achieve my own goals of earning a higher degree. Now that I’m all finished, our other friend, Karen, is starting her journey through graduate school.

All of that to say that I wore this dress to a party in honor of Karen starting graduate school. It was hot as all get out that day so I wanted to be covered as little as possible, so I wore this cute little dress. I can’t believe I haven’t shared it on the blog before because it’s a nice go-to. It’s casual enough to wear to a party but it’s nice enough to wear to a nice event (which I did several summers ago: I wore it to an anniversary event for the organization I worked for). The only problem I have is it often feels shorter than it looks, so I get a little self-conscious.

The dress is from Ross, which I find to be less expensive than TJ Maxx or Marshall’s. Even so, I don’t shop there very often because I like to take my time to look everything over and I rarely have that kind of time. But I got it a long time ago (at least 6 years ago) and it’s still one of my favorites.

Here’s the fun blooper: Cleaning off my sunnies is hilarious!

Dress: BeBop via Ross | Hat: Banana Republic | Shoes, Necklace, & Sunnies: Target 

By the way, I’d like to wish my mother a very happy birthday today! She’s the best and I love her very much. Happy Birthday, Denise (aka mom)!

Linking up with Mix & Match Fashion | The Tiny Heart | Tucker Up | Walking in Memphis in High Heels | I do deClaire | The Pleated Poppy

I absolutely adore Simply Lulu Style, and I became an even bigger fan of Lulu when I found out she’s a shorty like me, at 5’1″, because it proves that petite women can look sophisticated and grown up. When I saw this outfit, I pinned it right away because I loved everything about it: crisp white jeans, bright top, and denim jacket. Really, I love pretty much everything Lulu puts together. That woman knows how to dress!

I wore this outfit a few weeks ago during finals. In a way, I seemed to be a little overdressed for last-minute studying in the library and then taking an exam, but it was so cute that I wanted to wear it . Besides, as Oscar Wilde/the internet says, you can never be overdressed or overeducated so it seemed fitting to get dressed up to ace an exam! 😉

Top: Banana Republic (really old)
Pants: Banana Republic (last year)
Sandals: Target
Denim Jacket: Gap
Handbag: Franco Sarto
Necklace: Claire’s (old)
Sunglasses: Target
Bracelet: Old Navy