What To Wear: Summer Wedding

dress: Dorothy Perkins

shoes: Aldo

clutch: Nordstrom

necklace: Bauble Bar

sunglasses: Les Nouvelles 

Summer is here and the wedding season is upon us! Every time I have a formal event to go to, I reach for a dress. There is something about wearing a dress - it gives you super feminine powers. 

Here is an elegant look for any summer soiree on your social calendar. 

I especially love the color and cut of this dress. It's light, summery and very classy.

Happy shopping!

Weekend Happenings

top: TJMaxx (similar)
skirt: Loft (similar)
shoes: Tahari
clutch: H&M

Welcome to Monday!

Hope you had a good relaxing weekend.

 Mine was filled with birthday celebrations - a one-year-old party and my mom's birthday. It was lots of fun.

My sister and I threw my mom a small bday party yesterday night. Sunday afternoon we started getting some major rain and lighting. A lot of people lost their power and it was hot and humid outside. 

Thank God we didn't because first of all, the party would've been ruined and then it A/C wouldn't work. 

I'm so spoiled. I know. 

All in all, it was a great weekend.

What did you do?

How Far Are You Willing To Go To Please Your Man

Get your mind out of the gutter. I'm not talking about any shades or any gray nonsense here but what you are willing to do within reason to be attractive to your man. 

I may sound old-fashioned and anti-feminist but I've been thinking about this a lot lately. 

Who do women dress for? Do we dress to stay attractive to our men or do we buy designer labels and try to fit into size 2 dresses just to show off to other women? 

Hubby tends to think it's the later and lately I've been inclined to think that too.

Let me back up a bit.

Ever since I got pregnant, my body started changing and taking some unwanted forms (hello stretch marks?). Unwanted is a very understated word. Those changes were hated with passion.
 Don't get me wrong, it was wonderful to bring a life into this world. Only it wasn't so wonderful to see my body take a hit and show clear signs of aging. I've complained and lamented over my baby weight to my hubby a few times too many. 

He kept saying that I'm even more beautiful to him, that he loved my body as it was and on and on. Sounds like a sweet guy eh? Well, did I believe him? Of course, not. 

I wanted to fit into size 2. I wanted to show other gals at church that I've lost all my baby weight. I wanted to wear a-line skirts for goodness sake. I wanted to wear all the latest blogger fashion hits (leather pants anyone?). I wanted to wear my hair in a top-knot, without it accentuating my filled in cheeks. 

But it wasn't happening soon enough.

After an honest conversation with hubby,  reading this post and couple girlfriends on this topic, couple things became very clear.

Men don't care about latest fashion.

Men don't care about size.  

When a wife is dressed nice, a husband isn't going to ask her where she got that hot dress that accentuates her size 8 curves from. He will pay her a compliment. He will tell her she looks sexy. 

The end of story. 

Well, maybe the story continues but behind closed doors ;-)

Women on the other hand? A whole different story.

Women care about the labels.

Women care about the latest trend

Women care about the price tag

And most of all, women care about what other women will say/think about them.
Don't deny it. You know it's true.

We, the female species, know that men are very easy to please. As long as men are fed and their women look good (whatever that entails for your man),  have some sexy time (ya know what I mean?) they are set for life. Yep that's all.

So if you know that your man doesn't care about J.Crew, loves to see you in heels, can't stand the top-knot and has an aversion to giant jewelry (i.e. statement necklace), would you give it all up?

 Or would you still wear/not wear it?

There is a fine line between being a total pleaser and loosing your own identity and someone who loves dressing for your husband because, well, he is the one who matters the most. Doesn't he?

It's about giving and receiving. If you want your man to give you what you want, fulfill your emotional needs and love you the way you need to be loved, it's probably a good idea to listen to his advice on your looks.
It matters to him. A lot. 

I can see how this would bother a lot of women. 'He should love me the way I am' and 'Forget it, I'm not giving up my__________' is the attitude that comes naturally.
This is what is meant by marriage being hard work, a lot of compromise and sometimes sacrifice and submission (oh no! not that word)
. Bending your own will to please someone you love isn't a sign of weakness, or giving in to male's chauvinistic domination but a sign of maturity and true love.

Isn't it what we, ladies, really want? 
I'm just sayin.

What She Wore

For a first time mama and fashionista like me, it's a bit challenging to find the balance between comfort and style. Comfortable fabrics, no fuss tops, minimal jewelry and closet staples are my go-to pieces when getting dressed. Check out these must-haves in any mama's closet.

- you've got to have plenty of tees, as they go with everything and can be dressed up or down, with skirt, shorts or pants

- a maxi dress when you simply don't have energy to dress up is a must for any mama

- chambray shirt goes with everything

- pair of comfy, appropriate length shorts

- a small floral cross-body satchel that's sure to dress up any plain outfit

- have to have jeans (in light wash for summer months)

-  cute floral dress for going to dinner with hubs or having friends over for bbq

- protect your eyes from sunshine with these cute cateye sunglasses

- when you need to go up the stairs carrying that car seat, or chasing your little one down the street you need to be wearing cute pair of nude flats

- maxi skirts are like grown up fancy pajamas that hide unshaved legs

- when it's hot and got lots to do it's sandals time

- having a little ones means they will be tugging and pulling on your statement jewelry left and right, so a simple bracelet is a way to go 

- last but not least, dress up any good ole t-shirt with a scarf that has a fun print and you are ready to go

Hope you are having a great week!

It's a Girl Thing

dress: not sold online (similar)
flats: Target
bag: H&M  (similar)
glasses: DKNY

Hello lovelies! 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We finally had some sunshine and warmth but it started pouring on Sunday night. Again.

I feel like it's been raining for the last few months here. Non-stop.

On Saturday, some girls from church and I went out and did some shopping. Well, some did and some didn't. But what struck me the most is how much we all were into it. Even if ladies weren't buying anything, going around admiring pretty dresses and throw pillows was satisfying enough. Seriously, it's such a girl thing. 

What's my point?

There is none. 

Girls like shopping. 

The end of story.

But you knew that already, right gals? 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day