a lovely living

Monthly Archives for May 2019

May Must-Haves

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I spent Saturday celebrating an early Mother’s Day with my mother and family enjoying brunch and a local rendition of Mama Mia (which was fantastic!). Yesterday I battled a nagging headache, but with a non-stop rainy day, I didn’t mind the chance to slow down and just rest. I’m feeling much better today, thank goodness, and ready to tackle another busy week!

I wanted to start off this week by sharing some staples that I feel are quite beneficial to have in your closet. I own everything below (well, this dress is in the mail because it’s finally on sale) and everything you see will be on heavy rotation through this month and beyond. You could almost use this as the basis for a capsule wardrobe if you so desired. I could easily (and will be) mixing and matching it all in the coming weeks.

I always love a simple, classic top, but this one ranks higher than I ever expected. It also looks great under this denim jacket which I’ve had since last year. It’s a bargain for the quality! This other jacket, which you’ve seen me wear, can be found here at over half off at the moment and all sizes are stocked. There are so many cute slides/mules available right now, but I narrowed down my favorites and have already been getting a ton of wear out of them all (see below). Finally, I caved and bought a ‘fanny pack‘ and it turns out it’s the cutest, most practical accessory ever! I’m always running into stores with my phone, keys and wallet in hand, so having this around my waist provides the perfect space to allow me to be hands free! Always helpful when kids are in the mix ;) Plus, it’s on sale!

Loft Sale + Try-On

I’m glad you gals enjoy try-on sessions, because on the heels of Wednesday’s Madewell try-on comes one for Loft! Everything I’m sharing is 40% off, so it’s the perfect (and only) time I like to shop! There are a bunch of cute options for showers, Mother’s Day, fun get-togethers etc. I also found great everyday pieces that can easily be tied into workwear as well. One piece they didn’t have in our store unfortunately was this pretty maxi skirt. I would have loved to see it in person!

I had Madelyn, my 6 (almost 7) year old with me and she was the best helper! If I have a tag-along it’s typically Audrey (3) who’s not quite as helpful, lol! I didn’t realize how beneficial, and fun, it would be to have Madelyn with me. She had everything ready for me, took care of re-buttoning and re-hanging and shared her thoughts on all of my outfits while dancing around and entertaining herself all the while. I think she has a new position :)

Here’s what we found this time around. Everything is linked within the post as well as a roundup of everything linked at the bottom.

Such a fun, tiered swing dress. I love the polka dots and the fact that it comes in mini sizes for a mommy and me look! It does run rather short, so I sized up to a S which was a little big overall, but still worked.

I loved the look and fit of this romper. It looks like a dress but has a built in skirt underneath. The color isn’t the best for me, but it was very pretty!

This is one of those Lou & Grey dresses that feels as though you’re wearing pj’s outside the house. I’m wearing the S here, but would have gone with a XS had it been in stock. I can’t track this one down online yet, but once I can I’ll update!

Another adorable romper! I loved the color and print on this one and the fit was great. It ran a little short on me (I’m 5’7″), but it would be great for date night or my petite ladies!

Here’s a close-up of the beautiful print.

I had seen this dress before and was excited to try it on. I do love the print, but on me it didn’t really do much.

I brought this sleeveless top home with me because I know it’s one I would reach for frequently. I tried it on here with this cute denim skirt. This shift style could easily pass for many work environments with it’s sleek fit and dark denim.

This is a great spring/summer jacket. It’s made of a softer material, so it’s not stiff like some jackets are. I love the stand up collar, cinched waist and the fact that it wears more like an oversized shirt.

I liked the idea of these chambray pants, but once on, they didn’t excite me very much. Just kind of ehh.

Give me a good basic tee and I’m allover it. Actually, I already wore this one yesterday :) The puff sleeves and embroidery were all it took.

Here’s a closer look with an inevitable front-tuck ;)

This top may come off as simple…

Until you catch a glimpse of the detail on the back! So pretty!

This might be the one I regret not buying. I love the colors, print and subtle peplum. It would look great under a white or pink blazer or even denim jacket.

A touch of embroidery is all it takes to turn a basic shirt into one with so much character. I knotted the ends here for a casual look, but it could be buttoned and tucked in as well.

One final lightweight, neutral sweater that’s perfect for chilly summer nights with denim shorts or over trousers in an air conditioned office.

My little helper <3 I’ll savor the days that she enjoys shopping with me!

Shop the Sale:

Madewell Try-On

Madewell is one of those stores that always seems to be ‘on’. I say ‘on’ in the sense that I would take half their store, at any given moment, in a heartbeat. Their casual yet pulled together vibe is right up my alley and many of their spring pieces have me even more excited to get dressed every morning. Ok, some days sweats win over, but I really do enjoying pulling outfits together most every other day :)

I have a handful of pieces that I was able to try-on in store a few weeks ago as well as some of my latest purchases that I love. Right now you can get an additional 20% off their sale and many of these pieces are included.

Tank dress / Bandana

I love this sleeveless dress. Not only the pretty blue hue, but I love its fit and the fact that the shape doesn’t get lost once it’s on.

Bandana

And how perfectly does this pretty bandana go with the dress??

Shirt / Denim

I tried on these jeans honestly just to have bottoms to pair with the tops, but oh my gosh did I fall for these. They are the Cali-Demi-Boot fit and they were adorable, in addition to having an amazing fit. The length is perfect for warmer temps and showing off your cute sandals. They are at the top of my wish-list now, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a sale before my size sells out!

Shirt

This is their Courier shirt with a rainbow stripe which is so cute and versatile for spring/summer.

Shirtdress

This was a very cute t-shirt dress. On me (5’7″) the XS was a little short. Had I sized up, I know I would have lost some shape, but for you gals that aren’t quite as tall, this would be perfect. Bonus, it’s on sale now!

Shirt

This sweet, tiered top also happens to be on sale. I’m always between XS/S and although I’m in an XS here, I think I would have gone with a S in this one.

T-shirt / Denim

We all love a good striped tee. This one is cropped (ie perfect for high-rise pants) and is on sale now. This one is also super cute, fully stocked and priced really well.

Shirt / Denim (similar)

My favorite white shirt. I love how such a simple combo (white shirt + denim) can create such a classy look. Plus, the buttons up the back aren’t a bad detail at all.

Shirt

Basically the spring top of your dreams :) Pair it with trousers or denim or skirts…your possibilities are endless.

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