Little White Dress

My collection of dresses continues to grow each year, as Summer is my favorite season and I really look forward to those days of “throwing on & going.” During the Winter months, so much time is spent on coordinating multiple pieces of an outfit: Your base layer, sweater/knit, socks, second pair of socks, jeans, scarf, boots, first jacket, puffer jacket, and so on. This is time consuming and tiring...No, seriously, how inconvenient is that process? I LOVE being able to pick out a beautiful dress, only worrying about which sandals and sunnies will go best ;)

Over time, I have become more careful with my dress purchases, taking the time to consider staple pieces vs. current trends and what will last me into next year and beyond. This dress from LOFT is special because I wore it to my wedding rehearsal dinner (almost 3 years ago...OMG guys! When did that happen? I’m now as you kids say, married AF.) My Mom and I had gone shopping together for some Wedding-related items and both of our eyes lit up when we saw this little white dress. I loved the elegant collar, jeweled detail and cinched waist…it’s flattering, chic and in my mind, timeless. 

I hadn't worn it much since and figured it was a perfect choice for the Sole Society happy hour – a kickoff to Summer and 3 more months of wearing as many white dresses as possible! Is anyone else currently obsessed?

Have you picked up a LWD yet this season?

Wearing:

Dress: LOFT (old but love this style with a similar neckline)

Jacket: J. Crew

Shoes: Just Fab (old but similar here)

Sunnies: DITTO - Get your first month free using code "SISTERSMARIE"

Bag: c/o Sole Society

Lip color: GloMinerals - Sorbet

Pretty in Parasols

Lately, I've been loving quirky prints when it comes to Summer dresses. I think this flamingo style was the start of a long relationship with fun patterns and feminine shapes. From a distance, this dress looks like it's adorned with tiny triangles but they are actually colorful parasols...umm, YES PLEASE, this is all sorts of precious. I wore this to a baby shower for one of my best friends and it was a super dreary day outside so I figured it was the perfect choice. Shower...rain...umbrellas, get it?

The print is even more likable when you can customize the style yourself. Before I ordered it, I decided to change the length, as it originally fell below my knees so I made it a bit shorter and switched out the neckline as well. I should mention, this post is not sponsored - When eShakti first reached out to us a few years ago, I had never heard of the brand, and now, it's one of the first places I look for clothes because not only are they unique in style but by adding my own spin, I can guarantee nobody else will have the same piece. I have become a real fan of the brand and truly recommend it when you're looking for something different. Everything from the customer service down to the alterations is personal and tailored to you.

I also ordered this off the shoulder top and customized the length -- Coming to the blog soon!

Wearing:

Dress: eShakti

Jacket: J. Crew (similar)

Heels: c/o Sole Society

Bag: c/o Sole Society

Bracelet: LOFT (similar)

Sunnies: DITTO: Use code "SISTERSMARIE" at checkout for your first month free!

Leather and Lace

It seems that every Summer, one of my first “new season” wardrobe purchases ends up being a white dress. Perfect example - Last year, I wore this one on repeat. To me, the simplicity of a lightweight, casual dress reminds me of everything I love about a traditional (even if, old fashioned) American Summer…lemonade on the porch, barefoot in freshly cut grass and s’mores on cool nights. Typically, I would pair this lace style with my favorite denim jacket and sandals but the nice part about a basic staple is changing it up whenever you want and I love making ultra-feminine things a little more roughed up. By adding a leather vest and lace-up heels, this suddenly went from daytime casual to a night out with the girls. 

Just an FYI, this is not necessarily a look to wear around town on a weekday...I stopped in a local pizza shop after shooting these photos to pick up our dinner and witnessed a few different kind of looks from surprised to confused and from the cooks in the kitchen at the restaurant, enticed. But perhaps it was just the teal Old Navy flip flops I changed into that threw everybody for the loop...In case you were wondering, those are not recommended with lace & leather ;)

P.S. Now that Summer is actually a reality, I'm doing a little refreshing in my closet. Between my husband and I, we just donated 5 HUGE black garbage bags of clothes so all that work deserves a little play, don't you think? Specifically, I'm restocking on tank tops, shorts and even a few pieces of jewelry. I'm also in the market for the ultimate one-piece swimsuit...does that exist, ladies? To me, it would keep the top lady parts concealed (yet still highlighted, obvi) and entails a perfectly placed cutout. Let me know if you bought one that you love! 

Like this look? Shop similar white dresses for Summer here and remember...

New Tobi customers get 50% off their first order!  

Wearing:

Dress: c/o Tobi

Vest: Kut from the Kloth (similar under $60)

Shoes: Just Fab (these are similar and on my summer must-have list too)

Bag: Sheinside (old but similar here under $20)

Necklace + Earrings: Forever 21

Sunnies: c/o Ilymix

Lipstick: GloMinerals "Sorbet"

5 Minute Braids

"Sorry I was late - I didn't want to come." 
But actually...how often do we make plans and end up feeling like this? Let's be honest, this is what goes through our minds every Monday morning...you can do all the Sunday meal prep you want and even get an actual 8 hours of sleep but sometimes, that snooze button will still win. Luckily, current hair trends allow us to actually roll out of bed and put something cute together in less than 5 minutes. If you like braids (uhh, who doesn't?), you're even more in luck because they are the perfect "I spent a lot of time on this (but actually I'm lying)," look. 
Spring Hair You Can DIY in a Minute: 

The Wrap-Around Braided Bun:

TUTORIAL FOR BOTH HERE!
Hack a Double-Braid in 5 Minutes Flat: 

TUTORIAL HERE!
We're not only super flattered to be featured on sites that we read and love on a daily basis but in the process, we learned some great hair hacks too. 
Besties and braids, doesn't get much better than this, ladies ;)
Featured:
Hair: Maritza of Beauty for Bloggers Photos: Jennifer Coffey Source: The Body Book | Brit + Co

A Denim & Crochet Kind-Of Day

Some days, you get dressed and spend the whole day wishing you had worn something else. Whether you woke up late or just felt off when selecting your outfit, you just can’t wait to get home in sweatpants. This was NOT one of those days. I look forward to these rare opportunities which allow me to get a little fancy, such as our Family outing for Mother’s Day. I’m still of the mindset that Sunday brunch calls for the best of the best, be it lace or a full skirt, or in this case…both. 

I had been lusting after this dress long after Lisa wore it and it felt just as magical on, as it did in photos. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought so – Between our (SUPER delicious) meal at Prasino and our walk through town, I received so many kind compliments on the dress. To the elderly gentleman who did a double take and let me know I was beautiful, you made my day. I certainly felt that way…if only everything we wore gave us that kind of boost, right?!

What items in your closet make you feel great?

Wearing:

Dress: Choies (save | splurge)

Shoes: Just Fab (similar)

Jacket: J.Crew

Purse: c/o Sole Society

Blooms: Mariano's

Sunnies: c/o Ditto - Use "SISTERSMARIE" at checkout for your first month free!

30 One-Piece Swimsuits for Summer

Guys, can we just say how much we are loving the return of one-piece swim suits? We can get on board with any trends that make a comeback from our childhood days, though they have come a long way from swimming lessons. Before you ixnay the idea, please understand...these are not your Mother’s suits. They are cute, playful, sexy (some even more than bikinis) and most importantly, provide us with the coverage we need (especially if you have kids!) 

This year, there are a lot of new trends and so much variety when it comes to design and prints, you’d be hard pressed to find something you didn’t love. We enjoy a great pattern but our favorite element may be a well-placed cutout…this helps keep it young without the same old bikini worries, like hiking up your straps all day long. What better way to start your Summer than by picking up one a few new swimsuits that won't break the bank? 

Here’s 15 of our favorite cost-effective styles (hover over for brand & price!):

Swimwear is something that we have found the older we get, the more we want to splurge. It may have something to do with the quality and craftsmanship of the pricier suits, but we’ve just found there is better support and coverage once you hit the $100 mark. Of course there are exceptions to this rule, with many cute suits for under $30 even (shout out to Target for a fun collection this year!), but the different is, they may only last one season. Designer suits are a better bet for lasting you multiple summers and giving you the support you need…less boob slips for your buck, if you will ;)

Here’s 15 of our favorite higher-end styles (hover over for brand & price!):

Which style is your favorite? 

Have you purchased a one piece yet for this year?