Shopping [Modest Clothing]

As a Christian girl, I strive to dress appropriately and modestly. My church does not impose any rules in this manner and the decisions which I make are my own. They come from personal convictions, upbringing and culture I grew up in, as well as current trends. What may look modest to me, may not be the case for you and vice versa.
I've been struggling with buying modest clothes ever since I was a teenager. Every spring stores put out shorts that are shorted then  underwear, and cuts that would make me blush. The celebrities are wearing close to nothing and the popular magazines promote 'less is more' mantra. Our culture has lost a sense decency, and what it means to be a lady. A true lady demands respect for herself just by the way she dresses, talks and walks.
It's hard to find trendy and fashionable clothes that satisfy benchmark for appropriate, but it's certainly possible. With a little effort, you can look good without compromising your beliefs and standards. Here are some of my favorite stores that feature modest clothing. I haven't shopped at all of them, but love looking at their pretty designs hoping to buy something soon.

Corilynn knows her stuff! This girl knows how to design modern, gorgeous, quirky clothes. I don't know if I have ever seen a design I didn't like. I will have one of each!

Shabby Apple  is my absolute favorite for dresses! I love their prints, lengths and retro styles. They have everything from retro to pencil dress, tulle skirts and polka dot prints. I'm drooling over their Sydney collection and really want to take a plunge on this number. They even have cute retro swimsuits which I absolutle adore! Who said your you should enjoy the sun in itsy-bitsy?

Jen Clothing features wide variety of cute dress, skirts, tops and even bathing suits. I like that the prices are really reasonable which means more value for our buck. They collaborate with bloggers and frequently do discounts, and almost always something cute.

Downeast Basics features everyday clothing that's cute, lady-like and modest. Love this pencil skirt which would be perfect for spring and summer. And obviously they have a great selection of dresses. I absolutely love this red dress.

eShakti is an online only store that has every retro frock imaginable. I love that you can customize any dress' length, sleeve type, pockets and more. If you like the print but not sure about the cut of the neckline, you can change it up and request something different. It's like designing your own dress and making it look perfect for your body type and modesty standards. Can it get any better?

Boden Clothing  is a United Kingdom based store which sells to US. I love their easy-peasy dresses and simple tops. This line makes me want to put on a dress and go to farmer's marker. I love their new collection of printed summer dresses - serious swoon!

Dorothy Perkins offers a great selection of dresses, skirts and tops. I'm currently stocking this floral dress as it's sitting in my Shopping Bag, just waiting to be picked up. I own one of their dresses and must say that I love everything about it. If you need something pretty and cheap, this is your place

J.Crew is a timeless giant when it comes to modest, pretty pieces - everything from their pencil skirts to dresses is radiated with elegance and beauty. I love that store (can you tell?).

Kingdom and State is a new and emerging retailer with some cool stuff. I love their take on timeless pieces yet they keep it modest. Plus they just rolled out their new swim collection which has seriously cute briefs but believe it or not, they sell out very fast. Get your shopping on now!

And there you have it...
Thanks for stopping by and have a nice day!

Medallion

skirt: J.Crew
blouse: Joie (similar)
heels: Aldo (similar)
clutch: old (similar)
sunnies: DKNY
necklace: Target 

If it every weekend could last as long as the week itself, wouldn't that be awesome? I feel like days fly by me and sometimes I forget what day it is. I'm not terribly busy or have million things going, still life isn't slowing down. The only things that isn't coming fast enough around these parts is spring. We still have some chilling temperatures and the rain just won't stop. 

Now let's talk about a shopping phenomenon I wasn't aware of until recently. Most stores have different prices in store vs. online. Ha! How am the only one who didn't know this? I snatched this skirt on a serious sale (under $25) while online it is listed for ninety dollars. Talk about a steal! Now that I know this, I will make sure to check out the store before buying certain items. Shopping online is a great tool but nothing can replace going to the mall, trying things on, buying in person and enjoying yourself among the pretty 

things. 

Also, it pays to thrift designer clothes, like this Joie blouse. I know, I know it's such a rare find but this is exactly why I love thrifting. 

Thank you for stopping by and have a great day! 

Spring Go To

Spring Go To by ademko featuring a gray striped shirt

Currently Loving {Links Around The Web} + Link Up

1. How cool are these pictures?! No, really, take a look.

2. No matter what Gwyneth or people say, this is a joke with a side of complete disrespect for marital vows!

3. I love a classic LBD with minimal accessories, so this girl is my Fashionista Of The Week!

4. Have you ever had the urge to paint a couch?

5. I love crepes! Who doesn't? This is another great recipe to try. Yum.

6. Smoked salmon frittata bites anyone? Yes, please.

7. Famous place from above. Breathtaking!

8. Need some cheap duds? Here's some cool things priced under twenty bucks - that's a steal.

9. This girl flew with a 9 month old. In my books she's Mama Of The Week!

10. Want in on J.Crew's styling ideas? Here are some insider tips.

An InLinkz Link-up

Spring Cleaning Tips

This maybe hard to believe but I go through my closet every season and get rid of stuff I don't wear. I try to wear *everything* I have and things that I don't, leave and never come back. I either give it to my sister, send a package to my relatives overseas or bring it to Salvation Army. Either way, I start with a clean slate every season. 

I have found that by doing that I keep my closet free of clutter and easy to navigate. I sort by color and types of clothes. Here is a peak at my recent closet clean out and some ideas on how to get your closet organized.

First of all, I dump everything out of my closet. Then I inspect, try on and look over things I want to put back into the closet.

 Items that go back into the closet:

1. Clean 

2. Current season (tees for summer, sweaters for winter)

3. Free of stains, tears and without missing buttons

4. Worn at least once last season

5. Heirlooms, designer pieces and items of sentimental value

-  laundry pile if applies with #2-4

Items that get tossed:

1. Have never been worn/don't remember the last time I worn it

2. Hate it 

3. Meh (Maybe I will wear it once - it was such a steal)

Can't do without the trouble maker with peanut butter stained lips.

Work out and home clothes get folded (read squished) into a bin with shorts and t-shirts.

I love myself a nice soft pajamas. In fact, I'm sitting in them right now, as I type this post. Fashion has nothing on a fleece PJs! Those go into a bin also.

Finding space for belts was the hardest. I have folded them, stuffed them in a box and rolled them up before but somehow they would end up in one giant pile of mess. Nothing worke as well as this Ikea find. I think it was meant for scarves but worked just as well for belts.

I fold all my knit dresses and skirts because they tend to stretch out when hang. 

Apparently I'm fond of orange. 

#selfdiscovery

Also I fold casual pants (like the collection of jean shorts I hoard), tees, hoodies and other non-dressy items

A few spring jackets for every occasion - bright, floral, stripes and white/beige get hung in the other section

Next I organize my tops. I start with short sleeves and sort by color. I find it easiest to have the colors grouped together because my eyes are naturally drawn to the selections much better then if I had them in a mix. I would not be able to find anything.

Next there are dress (and I obviously like blue/green/teal). Again, color coded, clean and ready to be worn

Lastly, there are skirts. Oh my, how love this collection of bright and cheerful skirts. I wear a lot of them and posses each in almost every color and length - from church to going out. 

I have very limited space (read tiny closet) so keeping it organized and fully functioning is the key. I hang everything that's easily wrinkles and expensive, as well as dressy. The rest of the clothes get folded or stuffed into a bin.

Last but not least, at the bottom of my shelves I have the shoes. Ahhhhh! It's a very humble (depends who's looking at it, I guess) collection of highly functional and cute duds. 

I hope you got inspired to clean out your closet and make sure that this spring you are ready to mix and wear everything you have. Sometimes, it's just a matter of organizing and getting everything where it needs to be -readily accessible and within reach. 

Thank you for stopping by and have a nice day!