a lovely living

Monthly Archives for April 2018

Denim Shirtdress

Hi guys! Sorry for being so MIA last week, but I didn’t end up having much of any extra time in my schedule. I’m planning to put a post together and go into a little more detail on what I was up to last week, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, I’ve been home trying to re-adjust from a week of not having to clean a dish or make my own bed (or anyone else’s!). It’s funny how quickly one can become spoiled isn’t it?!

It may have been a bit chilly this past weekend but all signs are pointing towards warmer weather on the horizon. I don’t typically prefer to take pictures in our neighborhood because not everyone knows that blogging is a part of my everyday life. I picture them laughing as they see my husband taking pictures of me, childless, in a senior portrait sort of way, lol. But I couldn’t pass up the blooming trees that currently line our streets. They only last for a short period of time, but boy are they pretty!

I bought this dress a few weeks ago and finally was able to take it out for a spin. Denim dresses are the best! I’m guessing that more than a few of you would be able to dress this up with wedges or block heels for work. It’s such a fantastic, versatile piece for your closet. It’s a great everyday piece to pair with my Converse for summer and could be worn for picnics, casual showers etc. I’m linking this and more of my favorites for you all below.

Details: Old Navy dress / Urban Outfitters scarf / Sneakers / Madewell tote

Shop Denim Dresses:

 

Lace Utility

Hey guys! I’m in the process of packing up and heading to NY today in order to spend the next three full days studying color! I’m sure half of you are thinking that sounds interesting and the other half wondering why in the world I’d intentionally put myself through that ;) When it comes to dressing oneself or styling a home, color is what has always drawn me in. As my life has begun to open some doors in the design world, I felt it only appropriate to get some official training under my belt. I’ve been following Maria Killam for years and have gained a lot of knowledge from her blog. I’ve dreamt of taking her course for some time now, and as eager and anxious and intimated as I may feel, I cannot wait!

I’ve done as much preparation for my family as I possibly can, so now it’s in God’s hands and I know He’s got it! I’ll also have my soul sister in tow, so you can follow our journey over on Insta-stories and find out how many times we get asked if we are actual sisters ;)

Let me also quickly discuss this beautiful utility jacket. I may already own one (or two) but I just couldn’t pass up the lace detail on this one! It’s also been on sale, so if you can snag it for that price, I recommend doing so before more sizes sell out.

I’m not exactly sure how blogging will pan out for the rest of the week, but I’ll most likely be most active over on Instagram, just in case you miss me ;)

Details: Gap jacket / Pants / Madewell tank / LeSpecs sunglasses / Free People mules

Embellished Cargo’s

If you look closely to these images, you just may see snowflakes falling. Or my teeth chattering. Or both. Remind me, March was the one that was to go out like a lamb, right?!

I’m more than over my winter sweaters, but thankfully there are so many pretty spring sweater options. This light lavender boatneck pullover is my latest favorite that’s still on sale during Loft’s friends and family event.

And then there are these fun cargo pants. I have a pair of skinny cargo pants as well, but the embroidery in addition to the straight leg (and a coupon code that I had to use) on this pair drew me in. I’d say something like 90% of my pants are ‘skinny’ pants/jeans so every once in a while it feels good to let my legs breath a little! I have a bunch of other cargo options for you to check out below because they are a year-round staple. I love this look paired with the sweater, but I’ll undoubtedly be wearing them with a t-shirt and denim jacket once the weather decides to let me ;)

Details: LOFT sweater / Cargo pants / Booties (similar) / Earrings

Shop Cargo Pants:

 

It’s Friends and Family at LOFT, ie 40% off the store, and since we’re all friends (and family), I ventured into the dressing room yesterday to check out all the goodies! I admit it was difficult to get excited about all the pretty spring pieces as we watched the hail fall outside, but I did my best! This sweater is likely my favorite and absolutely perfect for the spring we’re having. I also grabbed this cardigan as I was walking out the door because the sleeve caught my eye. Super cute!

As for the rest…

There were a few stand-out pieces, and this shirt dress was one of them. Great structure, great fit, great stripes. Throw on some heels for work or Converse for the weekend.

I own too many versions of this jacket, but if you don’t, you should. It’s a good one!

Lou & Grey is always good and this top is no exception. Such a great fit and a perfect summer popover piece for the beach or chilly evenings.

There were a bunch of adorable pairs of shorts in store. Word must have been out because it was difficult to find my size in most of them (this pair in particular that you can see sitting behind me). These were a size too big, but adorable nonetheless. I love the solid tee paired with it and it’s adorable ruffled sleeves.

This eyelet top is super cute and very versatile. This one could easily go from work to casual weekend paired with some cut-off shorts. The frayed white jeans were cute too!

This top is so darling! Check out the back…

I may be going back for it…if the snow decides to let up!

Yellow is not my color, but if you can handle it, in addition to some polka dots and bubble sleeves, please grab this top!

It makes quite the statement!

Totally fell in love with this sweater. And these Lou & Grey sweats that I mention all the time, are the best! I made my girlfriend try them on and the second she felt them she knew ;)

This t-shirt dress is another Lou & Grey piece. Such a good staple for summer…

But you could also dress it up to an extent for a work day…

This shot doesn’t do the jacket justice, it’s a really great piece with a long, flattering, slim fit.

I’ve shared these adorable jeans before and they are back in stock again! The twisted front tee is adorable but I can’t seem to track it down online yet. Hopefully it’s in your store.

This last one was actually an online order that I tried on at home and is very much worth sharing! I’ve already had friends buy it who were just as excited about it as I am. The best part is that it’s actually a romper with hidden shorts under the wrap part of the dress. I love that added reassurance ;) The fit is spot on and the navy is universally flattering. A+ from me!

On another note, many of the pieces I wore back in this post are still available for this sale and are likely worth checking out!

Hope that’s helpful for you guys! Let me know what you end up grabbing for yourselves!

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Lady in Pink

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! We got to briefly enjoy some summer-like weather which then quickly turned its back on us and walked away, lol. I’ll take what I can get though!

Pink is a favorite color of mine, both when it comes to apparel as well as decor in my home. I wear it year round, but I think I’m even more of a sucker for all the pretty pinks during springtime. I’ve gathered a bunch of my favorite tops, including this one, for you below. Most of them could all be styled as I did here, with denim and heels for a date night or girls night out, but you  could easily swap the denim for trousers or a pencil skirt for a day time look!

Details: Madewell top / Madewell denim (similar) / Pumps (similar) / Nickel & Suede earrings

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Spring Florals

Nothing says spring more than flowers and more flowers, right? I know you guys just saw this floral bomber jacket here, but I couldn’t help wearing it again. Spring jackets are great because they can become more a part of your outfit than any winter coats can. This is the time of year (in addition to fall) that you get to take advantage of layering. When you have a wardrobe filled with interchangeable pieces that you love, you’ll find this process to be very enjoyable! I’m dressed down in denim here, but you could always throw on some dress pants (as you saw here) with this pretty embroidered top as well. It would also be cute with a pair of cut-off shorts and sandals down the road.

Details: SheIn top c/o / LOFT jacket / Madewell denim (similar) / Booties (very similar) / LeSpecs sunglasses

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Instagram Round-Up

Happy Wednesday, all! As I sit writing this Tuesday evening, I’m finding myself completely distracted as I watch The Crown in the background. It’s a Netflix series (that I’ve found out many of you also enjoy) that requires most of your attention in order to follow along. That’s difficult for me because this is typically my time to have a show turned on in the background and keep most of my focus on work! Fun work, but work nonetheless. Fortunately I was planning on doing a little Instagram round-up today, so it shouldn’t be all that difficult to put together.

I realize that my Instagram posts are much more accessible to you now (you can find them on my homepage just beneath the most recent post), but I also like being able to dive into a bit more detail on some of the pieces that I feel are beneficial to you.

Denim / Chambray shirt / Sweatshirt top / Scarf

I’ve been wearing this short sleeved sweatshirt like crazy. Our relentless chilly weather actually pushed me to layer it which allowed me to discover a whole different look from when I was first tossing it over a tank and leggings (which I also highly recommend). I can see this thrown over cut-off shorts during the summer moths as well.

Sweatshirt / Leggings / Sneakers

Like I said, cold weather! This sweatshirt is adorable (I love the pink/red combo), the leggings are the Spanx, non-faux leather pair, and the sneakers have earned more compliments than any others I’ve owned!

T-shirt / Scarf / Denim

As funny as it sounds, I couldn’t wait to get this t-shirt as soon as my shopping ban was over. I’ve always loved a good basic t-shirt, and although this is a bit more than basic with the peplum accent, it’s all the better! The scarf was an impulse buy but I can already tell it’ll be one of my most worn pieces this spring.

Denim jacket / Sweatshirt / Hat / Sweatpants / Sneakers

I love being able to rotate my wardrobe and repeat pieces in various outfits. I’m wearing that same short-sleeved sweatshirt, styled much more casually, yet still in manor that allowed me to feel put together. I’ve recommended this denim jacket to people over the years and it always gets rave reviews. It’s more of an investment, but when you find a jean jacket with this great of a fit, it’ll pay off over the years!

Mules

When it comes to shoes, I lean more on the side of less is more. I tend to invest a little more when I wait and find certain shoes that I know will get a ton of wear. Here’s my latest example. The detail is so unique and the fit, for a mule especially, is fantastic. I hate (well, you probably all do) when mules or slides slip off your feet as you’re on the go. That’s not the case with these!

Dress / Hat

I love a cute denim dress. The cinched waist gives it great shape and the length is my idea of perfect. Cute with Converse and wedges alike!

Navy Bomber

Hi ladies! Do you remember when I shared this bomber jacket in my previous post, where I styled it for both weekday and weekend? Well, my husband did a little blog stalking, took a stab at what I’d like best and surprised me with this for Easter. So sweet that husband of mine is! I was all too excited to start styling it asap. The floral print and the tie detail on the sleeves and waist add the sweetest touch.

I also want to mention a few other pieces though. I purchased this Madewell top last year and you know it’s a good one when they bring it back again in a whole slew of colors! It’s a great basic to have in your closet because you can put it to work. Casually throw it on with denim or dress it up for work similarly to how I did here. It’s made of a thick material, so it’s not just your everyday cotton t-shirt. Also, these pants. They refer to them as trousers, but my 5 year old felt them and thought I was wearing sweatpants to church, lol! They are pull-on with an elastic waist (sold, right?!) and have such a flattering shape. I highly recommend giving them a shot!

Details: LOFT jacket / Madwell top / Leith trousers / Shoes (similar) / LOFT earrings / LeSpecs sunglasses

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Loving Lately

Hey guys! I know my blogging is off a bit this week due to the long weekend for Easter (and me just falling behind), but today I wanted to share some of what I’ve been loving lately. These are some of the things that I’ve been eyeing up since my Lenten shopping ban. I’ve since ordered a couple of things to try, this blouse for one (SO pretty), as well as this ruffled tank (in lavender). Some of you may have also seen on Instagram that I grabbed this tee in store (in grey) and I already want to wear it everyday. I’ve also been debating this jacket because it’s so out of the ordinary. A pretty mix of stripes and bows! I do still have my eye on some sandals (these and these to name a couple), but I’m impatient, and if I can’t wear them right away, thanks to the snow flurries currently falling, then I tend to hold off for a bit. You know, just in case anything else pops up in the meantime ;)

What goodies have you guys been snagging lately? Anything good?!

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Easter 2018

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. We spent time with family, hunted all the eggs, consumed too much food and celebrated Jesus’ Resurrection! It was good.

Since we’ve been in State College, PA, it’s been our tradition to take family pictures after our church service. I’ve learned to let the kids run and capture what we can as we can instead of forcing anything. I think we all end up enjoying it better that way and you can see their personality’s shine through! So today, I just wanted to share this beautiful family of mine that I’m so very blessed to have.

One funny side note. Three years ago, I was very pregnant with Audrey and Madelyn was wearing the dress that Audrey has on here. Coincidentally, I had on this same jacket too!

And so we begin, with Audrey’s hysterical facial expressions…

It’s no wonder she defaults to this…

This one loves to shine when no one is watching…

Someone felt left out. But guys, this face!!!

If you ever want to fight an uphill battle, try to keep a two year old still ;)

Just trying to coax an eight year old into taking a picture…

Three little monkeys.

The Jacks…

We let Jack try his hand at the camera. I doubt it’ll be his last!

Details:
Me: SheIn dress / Jacket (similar) / LeSpecs sunglasses
Madelyn: Hanna Andersson dress (similar)
Audrey: Matilda Jane dress (old)
Jack: Cat & Jack shirt