Plaid Pieces for Fall 2019

Get Ready for Pumpkin Spice Everything!

Raise your hand if you love fall clothes...

Raise your hand if you love plaid...

Some prints and textures just feel synonymous with a certain season, like velvet does to winter, gingham does to spring, and florals do to summer. As for autumn? There's nothing that screams PSL (pumpkin spice lover) season more than plaid. For this blog post I will show you my top plaid patterns to wear for fall 2019.

1. Buffalo Check: This plaid is the dress I am wearing in the above picture. Not only does this plaid scream fall but, it is also very flattering for any body type.  I personally like the black and white buffalo plaid for fall and the black and red pattern for winter.  But, either one will work throughout the entire fall/winter season. 

Outfit options with Buffalo Plaid:

Modern Vintage

Amazon

Forever21

2. Houndstooth: Thanks to the duotone appearance of the houndstooth, it became trendy among women working in the corporate world.  It makes its model appear business-minded without sacrificing the sense of style. Luckily for us, we can wear this print to work or we can wear it whenever we want and still look stylish and fun!

Outfit options with Houndstooth Plaid:

Forever21

Anthropology

Target

3. Tartan Plaid: Probably the most recognizable plaid print out there! This print is a fun and easy go to for anyone trying to channel that holiday spirit. 

Outfit options with Tartan Plaid:

J Crew

Forever21

Target

4. Madras Plaid: The madras plaid is a beautiful form of the plaid that gives off warm, fun, and happy vibes. Madras plaid is very popular for Spring, but I believe that you can wear pastel colors in the fall too!

Outfit options with Madras Plaid:

Talbots

Nordstrom Rack

In my opinion, plaid is a classic staple. The pattern so worthy of royalty, will remain in the fall fashion scene for many years to come.

Until next time,

Stay fashionably golden my friends!

  

Bark & Book Club

Who wants to join our Bark & Book Club?

        

Who else loves to read but their everyday craziness gets in the way? Raising my hand high for that question! Currently, I am slowly re-reading all of my favorite books.  I am making sure I find time throughout the week to sit down and open up the pages of some of the best classics. 

Of course, finding time between work, the dogs, the chickens, working out and chores is pretty difficult.  I remember when I could sit for hours without interruption and just dive into the stories and get lost within the pages.  Sadly, that is no longer the case, adult life comes with adult responsibilities.  So this book club will not have a time line! It will just be a reminder to set some time aside for yourself! We all need that escape throughout the week, let this club be your escape. Even if the escape only lasts 30 minutes. 

Now, my escape will always include the pups! Even my escape/downtime consists of at least one dogs laying on my pillow above my head and the others curled up around me snoring directly in my ear.  So, whenever I post a picture about my book club you will see at least one dog smiling back at you. Hence the name Bark & Book Club! 

Some of my top choices:

All the Harry Potter Books

Alice In Wonderland

The Great Gatsby

Edgar Allen Poe- Complete Tales

Finding Mrs. Ford, new book and super excited to read!

I am super excited to get this club started and I can't wait to see who wants to join!

Until next time,

Stay Fashionably Golden My Friends!

Work Hard, Brunch Harder!

How to create a picturesque brunch for social media!

Wouldn't you agree that brunch is all about the Instagram-ability now a days. I am here to give a quick summary on how to make your brunch more Instagram worthy!

1. Find a picturesque location.  This brunch was held on my front porch, which helps these pictures look even more "lowcountry" and southern. 

2. Use bright colors! We decided to use very bright fruits which helps make the pictures even more eye-catching. As you can see we spread the colorful fruits around the entire table. We decided to use strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, mini bananas, oranges, cherries, grapefruit, raspberries and clementines. 

So use plenty of bright colors!

We included bright plates and napkins to again add some personality to the pictures. 

3. Add some florals.  We decided on sunflowers because who doesn't love sunflowers!? I believe that every table should have some sort of florals added into the decorations!

4. Get a great friend to have brunch with! Marisa and I picked comfy robes for this brunch.  You can also change it up and have a fancier brunch with Sunday church attire, but it was hot and early so robes and messy hair was the winner!
 Also, find a friend who likes decorating! Marisa is the main reason this table looks so amazing! I am grateful she has a better eye for detail than I do!!

5. Take many pictures and many different angles. We want to showcase all of the details and give dimension to the shots. 

6. Pick food you will actually eat! The worst thing to do is pick food that you don't like! As you can see there is NO bacon or sausage on this brunch table! You don't want to spend so much time on planning the brunch and taking pictures and then throw the food away!! Pick food that you will actually eat during the shoot. 

7. Add a little humor to the shoot. It's a must with my pictures! There has to be some sort of wit or humor scattered throughout. 
I need my readers/followers to smile!

8. Add a chicken :) 

Ok, I know most people can't add a chicken! But, I do recommend adding an animal. Again, that helps when it comes to likes, comments or shares!

 Although these pictures are super cute, I gotta be honest and tell you that since it’s Bluffton, South Carolina, it was BLAZING hot. I didn’t even try to fix my hair…I figured I could get away with that since I was going for that bed head look and I figured that would just have to do to make my hair acceptable for this specific occasion!

9. Have fun! Let your creativity shine through! Don't worry about looking silly, because silliness always looks awesome in pictures!

I hope these few tips will help you and your friends plan an Instagram worthy brunch!

Until next time,  stay fashionably golden my friends!

My Favorite Online Boutiques

Let Me Help You Shop!

Buying clothes online can be scary and intimidating, trust me I know! I always have so many questions going through my head:

Is this business legit?

Will this outfit fit me?

Will the clothes be good quality?

There is always a laundry list of questions I ask myself.

Sometimes I even talk myself out of ordering...yes, you read that right I EVEN SAY NO SOMETIMES!

With that being said I have a list of 12 stores that I love shopping at.  I say these are my go to stores when I need an outfit for an event or even work clothes and lounge wear. I will give specific details on my top 3 online boutiques and I will link the other 7 as well.

VICI 

This boutique is one of my all time favorites to shop at. Their clothes are trendy, unique and affordable!  I find myself looking at their website at least once a day. They do get new arrivals in all of the time, so trust me you can and will get consumed by this boutique! I have spent more money at this boutique than I want to admit! But, here are some tips for ordering from VICI: Most of their items are true to size, but since I do not like tight clothes I find myself ordering a size up when it comes to their shirts or blouses.  For their dresses, they are usually true to size and they are really fun and unique. If you order an event dress from this boutique be ready to get many compliments because they are show stoppers!

 **I have rarely bought an item that I was not happy with. 

RETURN POLICY:

"FREE RETURNS FOR ALL U.S. ORDERS + NO RESTOCKING FEES. YOU HAVE 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF FULFILLMENT TO RETURN ELIGIBLE ITEMS."

**You do not get your money back when you return an item.  You will get a store credit to use on a future purchase.** 

Shop Red Dress Boutique

Red Dress Boutique is another to go boutique since their clothes are not only trendy and affordable as well.  When it comes to most of their clothes they are mostly true to size.  Since I am pretty tall (5' 8") I do have to size up when I am ordering a mini dress. But, if you are 5"5' or smaller you will be fine ordering your normal size.  This is another boutique that gets new arrivals in pretty regularly and I find myself spending a lot of time and money looking through their website at all of the cute clothes.  They also have bathing suits, which some online boutiques stay away from. I highly recommend taking a look at their swimwear page- you won't be disappointed! 

RETURN POLICY:

"We accept returns for refund to your original form of payment when postmarked within 14 calendar days from the date you receive your order."

Those two boutiques are my top 2, you will not be disappointed when ordering from either.  Now, here is a list of my other top online boutiques that I have personally ordered from.  They are completely legit and good quality clothes!

Dottie Couture Boutique 

Hazel & Olive Boutique 

Shop Impressions Boutique

Modern Vintage Boutique 

JesseKae 

Nanamacs Boutique

Dressed in Lala

Nasty Gal- 

This one be careful with the sizing. I order two sizes up sometimes because their fit is on the smaller side!

Forever 21- 

I know everyone has shopped there, but I I had to mention them since I still love shopping at

 Forever 21! 

Zara

If anyone has any questions about any of these boutiques please feel free to reach out to me.  I am here to help and give my honest opinions!

Until next time, stay fashionably golden my friends xx

Disney On My Mind

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 I will never be too old for Disney!

It has been a few weeks from our Disney World trip and I am sitting here ready to go back! Disney is by far my favorite place to visit. I just love being back at Disney and reminiscing about past vacations there.  So, since I am dying to go back this blog post will be a summary about our trip and some tips on the parks and also my outfit details. 

Jesse and I actually stayed in two different hotels this trip.  We stayed at both Saratogo Springs and Disney's Contemporary Resort.  Both hotels are on Disney property which came with all the perks (after hours, bus transportation, etc.). Jesse really liked Saratogo Springs.  He LOVED the fitness facility and really liked that the resort was on a golf course.  This resort is one of the smallest resorts on Disney property and you can tell because compared to the other hotels we have stayed at (Animal Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, The Boardwalk) this hotel was so quiet compared to others! Which, when you are at Disney sometimes a little peace and quiet is nice too.
We only stayed at Saratogo Springs for one night so it was a quick in and out stay at that resort. But, next trip this hotel will be one to consider!
(I know a lot of people ask questions about price! Rates change all the time, but for this resort the room was $500 per night. But, on slower months this rate can be much lower).

After our night at Saratogo Springs we planned to stay at The Contemporary Resort for three nights. The Contemporary has and is one of my favorite hotels on Disney property. I love everything about this resort, even though it is one of the oldest hotels at Disney World. I love the location, the monorail, the pool and outside activities and the food options within this hotel.  Let me circle back on the location of this hotel. This hotel is literally right outside of Magic Kingdom, maybe a 5 minute walk.  Also, at night if you get the rooms on the Magic Kingdom side you get to watch the fireworks show right from your hotel room balcony- JUST MAGICAL! Also, the monorail comes in and out of this hotel, which is an easy way to get back to the hotel from Magic Kingdom.  I wouldn't recommend taking the monorail to Magic Kingdom because it does have two stops before it arrives to the park.  The monorail goes from The Contemporary- The Polynesian- The Grand Floridian. So I say walk to Magic Kingdom and take monorail back to the hotel when leaving.
(Now to talk about price...this hotel is on the higher end hotel on Disney Property.  The rate for our trip was $1,000 per night. But, trust me I have seen it cheaper!)

This picture was taken inside The Contemporary Resort. I was sitting right outside of Chef Mickey waiting on Jesse to grab a sandwich from the Grab N Go.  The Grab N Go was so nice! Jesse and I would come back to the hotel tired from the parks and quickly grab a to go plate and eat it in our hotel room.  This dining option was open until 12am, which was so lovely because we love our late night snacks! They also have amazing soft serve ice cream, which was Jesse's favorite!

Stitch Hat: I bought this hat inside Animal Kingdom and got a lot of compliments! $25

Pardon My French Shirt: Vici

For our first night at Disney we purchased After Hours Tickets.  Now, these After Hour Tickets are different from the usual After Hours available to guests who stay in a Disney hotel.  These After Hour Tickets are on random nights (not every night is available) and they only sell a certain number of tickets.  That way people can go on rides in the selected park with NO lines! We only had one After Hours during our this trip, but I would have gladly purchased more of these tickets if there were more available days!  This was the best money we spent!!  We went to Disney Hollywood Studios and we got to ride every single ride with a max of 10 minute wait. That means we got to ride Tower of Terror, Rockin' Rollercoaster, the new Slinky Rollercoaster with zero wait time! I mean how amazing is that! The After Hours lasted from 9pm-12am and it was totally worth the whole thing!

(Price will be $125 per person)

My favorite ride at Hollywood Studio:
Tower of Terror (top 5 favorite ride in Disney)

Jacket: Forever 21

Purse: Betsey Johnson

Leggings: Nike

Now, lets talk about my husband and how he is such a good sport when we go to Disney World! He not only pays for the trip, but he embraces my childhood spirit and let's me dress him in Disney attire! Gosh I just love him!

This picture was taken at Magic Kingdom.  What are your favorite rides at Magic Kingdom?

My Favorite rides at Magic Kingdom:
1. Splash Mountain
2. The Haunted Mansion
3. Pirates of the Caribbean
4. Space Mountain

My Shirt: Disney.com

Jesse' Shirt: Disney.com

One night we ventured over to Disney Springs, which it will always be Downtown Disney to me!

Disney Springs is on Disney Property, but you do not have to have tickets to go into Disney Springs.  Personally, I could have done without that trip to Disney Springs. I feel like Disney Springs does not have the same whimsy as the actual parks.  But, they have great shopping and restaurants.  I know Zara has a huge location in Disney Springs...which I LOVE!!

Animal Kingdom is probably my favorite park at Disney World.  I just love the overall feel of this park and the energy it gives off.  During our trip this time Animal Kingdom was not open for After Hours, but I do recommend visiting Animal Kingdom at night! It is even more magical with After Hours in my opinion. 

My favorite rides at Animal Kingdom:
1. Expedition Everest
2. Pandora Flight of Passage (be ready for at least an hour wait)
3. River Rapids
4. Dinosaur 

Jesse's Shirt: Disney.com

My Shirt: Disney.com 

On the last night of our trip Jesse and I ate at Chef Mickey.  This dining option is a buffet, but this buffet is OFF THE CHAIN! Literally anything you want to eat is there! 

Also, during dinner all the characters come around to every table for a picture opt. We got pictures with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, Daisy and Goofy.  Since I am a child at heart I was in heaven and I was having so much fun! Jesse was a great sport about the whole thing! This dining option is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner- dinner being open for reservations until 9pm.  I recommend making reservations on your My Disney Experience app, but they do take walk-ins as well. 

(Price will be $65 per person)

Hat: Puma

Shirt: Nike 

Sweater: Ralph Lauren

Leggings: Lululemon 

Every time I step onto Disney property I am immediately transported back to my childhood.  Even though Disney is crowded and to some stressful I can NEVER be unhappy at Disney World.  I really cannot wait until our next trip back to Disney...I am going to start hinting to Jesse that we need to go back soon! One big note for people traveling to Disney World: You will spend A LOT of money, but it is all worth it in the end and getting the full experience of what Disney has to offer!

Sweater Tank Top: Lulus

Jean Shorts: Forever 21

Minnie Ears: Purchased at Magic Kingdom: $25

Until next time,

Stay Fashionably Golden My Friends!

SUMMER is COMING!

I am channeling my inner Jon Snow and shouting from the rooftops 

SUMMER IS COMING. So be ready!!! 

See what I did there?

For this post I wanted to talk about this charming one piece I found on Amazon for only $20!!!

I for one am super excited that one pieces are back in full force.  Now that I am 30 I know I do not have the same body I had when I was 21! Over the last few years I have migrated towards the high waisted bathing suits and one pieces because I find they are most flattering on my "mature" figure.

A lot of people still tell me I am skinny. Yes, I know I am skinny, but my body is not the same as it was and that is a challenge I have to overcome all together.  With that being said, I know I am not the only woman out there with this issue.  That's why I love high waisted bathing suits and one pieces because they flatter the parts of my body I hate (lower stomach and lower back are my enemies for sure)!

When I found this one piece on Amazon I had to buy it!  Not only was the price unbelievable, but so was the design of the suit.  I love the one shoulder and I LOVE the ruffles.  This suit is practical and stylish all at the same time.

A good one piece can be very flattering and feminine and help a woman love her curves. 

Also, for this look I wanted it to look very Bahamas Resort. So I paired it with this sarong from Yandy. Yes, Yandy is a lingerie store, but they also have pieces that can work as beachwear too. I thought this sarong added an extra girly touch to the look.  Finally I topped it off with this hat from Nordstrom.  I have had this hat for about 8 years now and it continues to be one of my favorite summers hats.  Now for shoes, I went against my usual choice of high heels and decided on no shoes.  For me it's either high heels or nothing. 

Bathing Suit: Amazon
(I ordered a size Medium, but I probably could have gone with a small)

Hat: Nordstrom 

(not the exact one, but still super cute)

Skirt: Yandy
Earrings: UncommonJames 

Here are some shots without the skirt, still very cute and girly by itself!

I wanted to include this bathing suit since mine is for sure a SHOP FOR LESS! Here is a JCrew bathing suit priced at $128. Again, remember mine is $20!

Until Next Time, Stay Fashionably Golden My Friends :)

Turning 30 In Style

My new inspiration...

Until she turns 30, a woman looks younger day by day. After she turns 30, a woman becomes downright gorgeous! 

Turning 30 has always been pretty scary to me. 30 means I am old! Too old to eat pizza every night, too old to dress however I want, too old to have fun.  Today I am not scared of 30 anymore! The 30's will be the best years yet, I just know it.  

When I used to think of 30 I thought of older clothes and losing my sense of whimsy with my style. Even though I am 30 I still want to wear my baby doll dresses, graphic t-shirts with inappropriate sayings, anything I want! But, whether I like it or not I am getting older and growing up. The bottom line is...when you grow up everything about your worldview becomes a bit more mature, and your style evolves along with it. Sorry everyone...we do not live In Neverland! Much of this evolution happens very naturally, for me this happened right under my eyes and I didn't even notice it until I sat down and really evaluated my wardrobe and what outfits used to work but sadly do not work for me now. Let's just say I did A LOT of Spring Cleaning when I did this wardrobe evolution.  Most of my clothes from college were donated, they just didn't make sense for my life now!   

Now ladies, let me know if you agree with me...most of us are leading busier lives with more hectic schedules, which means we don't have an hour to get ready, and more like 20 minutes. Am I right?!

For example, this outfit I wore for my birthday party was put together in literally 20 minutes.  I picked out the comfiest yet festive dress I could find and grabbed some earrings and called it a day. 

Now please know mature does not mean boring! Mature just means practical and practical does not have to be boring! So yes, this dress only took me 20 minutes to put together but it is still a babydoll dress that is super young and flirty.  Which, I think that is OK! 

The main point to this post is to say let's get prepared for our wardrobe to change with our age. But, you do not have to lose your sense of style- just maybe have to tweak it. Or maybe only have a few babydoll dresses and not a whole closet full of that type of style.  

This type of preparation is something I am learning as I go.  But, I love the idea of adapting to my age, but still holding on to my overall sense of style.  I am looking forward to posting tips and tricks to evaluating your wardrobe and how you can adapt to this change more naturally.  

Until next time, stay fashionably golden my friends :)