Navy & Gingham Obsession

|| Dress: J.Crew || Heels: Kate Spade (from a few season ago) || Necklace: J.Crew || Earrings: J.Crew in Fiery Sunset || Ring: Tiffany & Co. || Photos: Melanie Foster Photography ||

My personal style has evolved over the past ten years. The only thing that has remained constant, preppy flair. Last year over brunch, I told my husband that I wanted to take a note out of his playbook. He is an attorney and wears a suit each day. I would say a majority of his suits are navy and most of his shirts are in the blue family. I am a lady on a mission to add more navy to my wardrobe! I have always gravitated to black over navy, until now. I have banned myself from purchasing another black dress for at least six months. Y'all, it has gotten out of control!

This spring I have found a few great navy pieces to incorporate into my closet. The moment I saw this Gingham ruffle-hem dress, I knew it had to become mine. The length of this dress is fantastic; I wish more dresses came in this option. It also fits in all of the right places (if you know what I mean). To me, when looking for a dress, I want to fell confident and comfortable. It's the worst when you find a dress, and it's too tight in the booty area. When you have curves, you have to try things on to figure out what size works best for you. Don't get hung up on the number; I fluctuate depending on the cut and structure of the garment. There are only a few sizes left online, but you might be able to find one at your local J.Crew store. Right now it's on sale and an addition 30% off with code SHOPNOW.

This outfit is complete with the statement earrings and necklace. If I am sure of one thing: tassels are the 2017 summer trend. These two pieces are a little on the pricey side for a trend. However, they are both on sale right now. I usually tend to be on the cheaper side when it comes with trendy items. However, I think that I will wear these for years down the road. They are beautifully made and very high quality. If you are a Sooner girl (or have one in your life), you should get these earrings for gameday. I have a feeling that you will see more of this necklace and earring combo on the blog all season long.

A few weeks ago, I wore this dress to a lovely spring wedding. It was a little cooler that day, so I ended up putting a 3/4 length ruffle sleeved navy top under it. I am kicking myself for not taking a photo. I thought it looked incredible, but that's just my opinion. I love when you can make items in your closet (like this dress), work more than one way. It's all about being flexible and being willing to take risks.

Springtime Shirttail Sweater

|| Sweater: LOFT in Whisper White || Skirt: J.Crew  || Heels: Target in Taupe || Earrings: Lisi Lerch in Miss Pink || Ring: Tiffany & Co. || Photos: Melanie Foster Photography ||

Today is a very special day in my little corner of the world. My husband, Jered, is the big 3-0! Gosh, I remember being in elementary school and thirty seemed ancient! Now that it's creeping up on me, I am like heck no--I am not old! I need to take a moment and make a list of activities that I want to check off before I turn 30.

Jered had a big goal on his before 30 bucket list: to run the full OKC Memorial Marathon. For the past seventeen weeks, each Saturday (and other times throughout the week) he trained relentlessly. Some weeks were easier than others, obviously. I continued to support him with words of encouragement and eating Italian food every Friday night preparing for his long run the next morning (hey, I am not complaining about that). He kicked off his birthday week in style by waking up at 4:00 a.m. for marathon prep. Watching him cross the finish line brought tears to my eyes. It was so cool watching him accomplish a huge goal like this! I keep telling my friends that I feel like a tiny puffer pigeon. I am so proud of this man that I am lucky enough to call my husband!

Saturday morning it was chilly, overcast, with on and off sprinkles. Talk about terrible marathon conditions, holy moly! The local weathermen here in OKC blew this forecast, they called for perfect running conditions. Jered was less than impressed! I reached in my closet for this great sweater (I always wear a nude tank under it) from LOFT. I paired the sweater with skinny jeans, rain boots, and a trench coat. I must say, I like it more with this neon pink buffalo check skirt from J. Crew. I purchased this skirt earlier this year; it flew off shelves. I knew I had to have it in my life!

I shared this textured shirttail sweater earlier this spring on my Instagram. I have it in two colors (whisper white and orchid breeze). Right now it's on sale for less than $40! Since it's a tad longer, I decided to knot it up on one side to give it a more fitted look (I am wearing a size medium for reference). This top is so versatile, I can even see myself reaching for it in early fall.

If you are looking for a great nude chunky heel, you really should consider ordering these from Target. They are less than $30 and also come in black. They run true to size. However, the first time you wear them, they might be a little uncomfortable. I find them more comfy with each wear. You will have the comments rolling in, and everyone will be asking--where did you get those shoes? If you feel like being a pal, you can tell them what a great deal you got on them!

Easter Dress for Less

|| Dress: J. Crew via thredUP || Heels: Kate Spade (from a few seasons ago) || Necklace and Earrings: Kate Spade (birthday gift from my sister) || Ring: Tiffany & Co. || Photos: Melanie Foster Photography ||

One of my favorite parts about springtime is Easter. When I was a little girl, it was a huge holiday. It was a time to go shopping with my nana and papa to find a new dress for church with matching accessories, sometimes even a hat or new handbag. Easter morning at First Baptist Church in Pawhuska was like a mini spring fashion show. To this day, I still love seeing families in their coordinated outfits. It seriously makes my heart explode into heart-shaped confetti pieces. Now that I am a grown up, I can only imagine all of the work behind that one great Easter family photo.

Speaking of Easter pictures, my mom went above and beyond one spring. My nana made the girls matching dresses. We had a photo shoot in Bartlesville in our coordinating/matching outfits. I am not sure if it was the same year or not--but there were LIVE bunnies involved. It was all fun and games until we broke out in hives from the little furry creatures. Shout-out to all of the moms and dads making silly memories with your kids and having hilarious photos to laugh at later down the road!

Before Easter, I had a chance to work with one of my favorite brands, thredUP. I was on a mission, find the perfect Easter dress for under $45! When shopping on thredUP, I find it easier to narrow it down by the brands I like. I wanted to find a little spring number by J.Crew. To my surprise, this beautiful dress was brand new with tags still attached! The color of the dress was a little out of my color wheelhouse, but I took a chance on it.

I wore this to church on Easter and received so many compliments on it! It also was the perfect attire to our Sunday brunch. My favorite part about this dress is the tiny details of the design. I am also into the length of it. Because of my fuller hips/thighs, I find that dresses get short in a hurry! It's all about finding a style that works for your body type. I would say in the past year I have owned that I am not a size two anymore. I am starting to feel more confident and comfortable in my new body.

A while back I wore a post about thredUP if you are interested in ordering a closet clean out bag or if you want a coupon code. You can find more details, here. If you need help finding a dress for an upcoming event, please send me an Instagram direct message. I would love to help you!

My Mini at Home Spa Night

There are two types of people in the world: bath lovers and bath haters. Honestly, I didn't realize how magical baths were until a few years ago. When I was in graduate school, I was also working full-time (as a 4-H Educator and later as a Travel Blogger). Each Sunday I dedicated most of my day to homework, reading and writing. I found that a bubble bath, reading materials and a glass of wine made for a productive evening.

Now that grad school is behind me, but I still find myself reading in the tub. Over the years, I have enjoyed sampling different products to make bathtime more fun. One of my favorite stores is Lush Cosmetics. They joke that bath bombs are the gateway drug. I have to say, I agree. Bath bombs got me into the door. However, I find their entire product line is pretty impressive.

If you need some me time, I have a few products that you should check out! Today I am going to share with you three products that transform my bathroom into a mini night at the spa. Below you will find my honest review of three different products at very varying price points.

Lush Cosmetics Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, $36
This body conditioner smells like a dozen roses and will leave your skin smooth to the touch. It is a tad expensive, but a little of this stuff goes a long way. I love to apply it after shaving! When you get out of the tub, make sure to pat dry instead of rub. This is one product that I keep going back to.

Farmhouse Fresh Rosemary Mint Tea Gourmet Mineral Bath Soak, $23
If you have had a hard barre class or run, this soak will have your sore muscles singing praises! This small bag contains enough salts for eight deep tub baths. Farmhouse Fresh products are also free of parabens and sulfates. Warning, this will leave your tub a hot mess. There will be slight clean up after your soak.

Lush Cosmetics Sleepy Hand and Body Lotion, (seasonal)
I am bummed that this product is seasonal. It came in one of my Christmas packages. After soaking in the tub, I apply this lotion all over my body. It smells like a field of fresh lavender and will have you off to dreamland in no time at all. Since this product is not currently available, I would check out the other body lotions that Lush has in stock.

Side note, if you shop at Lush, keep your little black pots. They are made from 100% recycled plastics. When you bring back five clean empty posts--you get a free fresh face mask!