Sunday, July 23, 2017

S-E-X-Y

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography

Hello! Meet the most ridiculous recent addition to my wardrobe: this rhinestone "SEXY" choker necklace. I recently spotted it at Ashby and I knew that it had to be mine the second that I laid eyes on it. I'm honestly not sure if I've ever seen a necklace as obnoxious as this one and love its glam-trash appeal. And for less than $15, how could I say "no?"

I wanted the focus of this look to be primarily on the necklace so I paired it with a little black and white polka dot slip dress that wouldn't take the attention away from the choker. I styled a lace-up pair of burnt red heels and yellow aviator shades with the look to keep it from feeling too blah. I emphasized the glamorous appeal of the choker with a sparkling silver purse and lil rhinestone earrings. A golden vintage watch pulled the look together. 

Photos shot by Rachel Dwyer Photography. Browse more of her work on her website here or her Instagram @rrrachel08

Dress: Ashby
Lace-up heels: Nasty Gal via Ashby
Silver purse: Ashby
Golden watch: Vintage
Yellow aviator sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Light orange shades: c/o Giant Vintage
"SEXY" rhinestone choker: Ashby

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Monday, July 17, 2017

6 Dresses that Will Keep You Cool this Summer

Hello! As the weather truly begins to heat up, styling fashion-forward outfits is starting to get harder and harder. I mean hey, layering is out of the question entirely and even layering on the accessories can feel a little miserable in the summer heat. I've found that the best way to power through the summer heat in style is with lots and lots of lightweight summer dresses. Just slip one on with your favorite pair of heels and sandals and you're good to go. Need somewhere to start? I love FashionMia's selection of cheap skater dresses; they offer a variety of the absolute cutest dresses with prices that won't break the bank. And hey, what's better than that? Keep reading to check out six dresses that will keep you cool this summer:

FashionMia Dresses Blog Post Image 2


1. Spaghetti Strap Asymmetric Hem Printed Polyester Skater Dress, $14.21. The breezy silhouette of this chic floral dress makes it a summer wardrobe must-have. Trust me, you'll be glad to have this dress in your wardrobe when ninety degree weather strikes.

2. Off Shoulder Flounce Plain Skater Dress, $26.95. You can't go wrong with this cute lil pink number!

3. Classical V-Neck Plaid Midi Short Sleeve Skater Dress, $25.95. Who could say "no" to the classic gingham print and retro silhouette of this beauty?

Fashion Mia Blog Post Image 1


4. Spaghetti Strap Asymmetric Hem Printed Polyester Skater Dress, $14.21. The rich burnt orange color and free-spirited floral print of this dress evoke the dreamiest seventies feel. Perfect for grabbing Sunday brunch with your gals or date night with your love.

5. Crew Neck Plain Sleeveless Skater Dress, $24.61. How cute is the bright yellow color of this dress?? Love!

6. Spaghetti Strap Asymmetric Hem Printed Polyester Skater Dress, $14.21. Yes, yes and yes to the gorgeous floral print of this dress. And for less than $15? Thank you, FashionMia!

Like what you see above? FashionMia has hundreds and hundreds of other cheap dresses online that will keep you cool all summer long as well.

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***Disclaimer: Fashion Mia provided monetary compensation for this post but I wrote the actual post and all opinions written in this post are mine.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

A Peek into My Seventies-Inspired Home

Photo by Jon Faulconer
Photo by Jon Faulconer
Photo by Jon Faulconer
Photo by Jon Faulconer

Hello! As you may know, I purchased a house in Richmond, Virginia earlier this year. I've been living there for about two and a half months now and let's just say that the house has come a LONG way since I first purchased it. Saying that it was a total mess when I first purchased it would be an understatement; more boxes of junk filled the house than you could possibly dream of, stained carpet floors served as a reminder to keep your shoes on while inside and you could clearly see the years of neglect that the house had suffered in every nook and cranny. I wish I had thought to shoot some "before" photos to share with you all but alas, that notion escaped my mind! 

I focused on clearing out all of the junk in the house first (with some help from my parents and now ex-boyfriend, of course- I can't imagine doing it alone!) And let me just say, that was an ordeal in itself; you would not believe how many garbage bags we hauled out of the house. The previous owners not only left trash behind but also unique vintage and antique items so we also hosted an estate sale. 

After clearing the house out, the next thing to focus on was the floors and the walls. I selected dreamy seventies hues to paint the walls- think pretty shades of peach, almond yellow and subtle green. The carpet HAD to go so I selected a light faux hardwood floor to be installed. A handyman completed several more projects- several light fixture updates, minor repairs, etc. I scrubbed the place head to toe and then started to focus on decorating the home.

I'm aiming to transform my home into the dreamiest lil seventies home ever to be found in our modern world. I'm feeling very inspired by retro aesthetics and mod styles with a hint of the free-spirited state of mind of the seventies. I've filled the home with almost entirely vintage furniture including the coolest burnt orange love seat, structured floral couch and a variety of eye-catching armchairs. Details such as vintage floral curtains, antique glassware and decorative boho accents add to the charming seventies appeal. An array of plants breathe life into the home while couch cushions from my grandparents' home in the sixties used as floor seating give my home a more personal touch.  

I'm far from done with my home's transformation- trust me, my to-do list still runs about a mile long-  but I'm very happy with how far the house has come so far. I recently collaborated with local RVA photographer, Jon Faulconer, for a shoot that highlighted how the style of my home reflects my personal style as you can see above. 

Dress: Forever 21 via Ashby
Boots: Vintage
"SEXY" rhinestone choker: Ashby

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Saturday, July 15, 2017

Lovely in Leopard Print

Photo by Belle Farmer Photo
Photo by Belle Farmer Photo
Photo by Belle Farmer Photo
Photo by Belle Farmer Photo
Photo by Belle Farmer Photo

Hello! Boy, has it been hot in Richmond the past couple weeks. Luckily, I have a wardrobe full of the cutest lil dresses, like the leopard print one that I'm rocking above, to combat the summer heat. I added this leopard print beaut to my wardrobe early last summer and am so glad that I did. Even though it's been residing in my wardrobe for over a year now, I still find myself constantly reaching for it. I don't think that I'll ever grow tired of it.

For this look, I played around with prints and paired the dress with a pink pair of floral mules. I kept accessories to a minimum- just grabbing a handful of boho rings, my go-to vintage watch, Givenchy shades and a dark green vintage clutch. Effortless looks like this one are a must when the temperatures creep past 90 degrees! How are you all staying stylish in this summer heat?

Photos shot by Belle Farmer Photography. You can check out more of her work on Instagram @bellefarmerphoto. 

Leopard print dress: American Apparel via Ashby
Green clutch: Vintage
Watch: Vintage
Boho rings: Assorted
Floral mules: c/o Donald J. Pliner 
Sunglasses: Givenchy c/o Smart Buy Glasses

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Saturday, July 8, 2017

The Prettiest Lil Romper

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography

Hello! It seems that I've been updating my wardrobe left and right recently with the cutest pieces from Ashby, a local Richmond fashion retailer. But I can't help it; my love for Ashby runs deep. Ashby specializes in buying and selling fashion-forward clothing and accessories. I'm forever editing my wardrobe and often bring the pieces I'm no longer feeling/loving to Ashby. I'm usually given store credit for the items that I bring in and am essentially just swapping out the items I'm not loving for some new-to-me pieces that I do truly love.

I recently discovered this beautiful, airy romper hanging on a rack in Ashby and instantly fell in love. I mean, do you see its versatile light neutral color, metallic accents and effortlessly chic silhouette? Swoon! I've practically been wearing it on repeat throughout the past few weeks. It's absolutely perfect for date night or Sunday brunch with the gals.

I played up the feminine appeal of the romper in this look by styling it with a pretty pair of floral mules and a floral choker. Several other pieces of jewelry including a handful of stylish rings, a pretty initial "T" necklace, a vintage watch and boho dangle earrings added to the style of the look. A statement silver purse, chic sunglasses and boho belt perfected the look.

Photos shot by Rachel Dwyer Photography. You can browse more of her work on her website here or on her Instagram @rrrachel08.

Romper: Urban Outfitters via Ashby
Yellow sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Lip sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Silver bag: Ashby
Rose choker: c/o ToSave.com
Floral mules: c/o Donald J. Pliner
Silver statement bag: Ashby
Boho belt: Vintage
Jewelry: Assorted

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Saturday, July 1, 2017

Nicholas Von Thrower Photography: Summer '17 Part 2

Photo by Nicholas Von Thrower
Photo by Nicholas Von Thrower
Photo by Nicholas Von Thrower
Photo by Nicholas Von Thrower
Photo by Nicholas Von Thrower
Photo by Nicholas Von Thrower

Hello! I recently teamed up with local RVA photographer, Nicholas Von Thrower, for a second photoshoot in my new home. I purchased the house several months ago and have been on a decorating frenzy since then, trying to create the dreamiest seventies-inspired home. It's coming along well although my home projects to-do list is still about a mile and a half long. 

We collaborated with one my best friends, Elissa, for the shoot as well. We shot several ethereal, vintage looks that reflected the retro style of my home. Keep an eye on my blog for more home photos soon! 

You can check out more of Nick's work on his Instagram @flowersdaddy (as a forewarning: some of his work is NSFW.) 

All lingerie: Vintage
Floral mules: c/o Donald J. Pliner 
Faux pearls: Vintage

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