a lovely living

Pineapples guys. I love to eat ’em and I love to wear ’em. I had to get my hands on this adorable tank from my friend’s shop Elizabeth & West asap because I knew it would sell out quickly…and it did…quickly…I’m sorry!! The good thing is, there’s no shortage in the pineapple department at the moment, so you’ll have to scroll down to see all my picks. This cute tee and this fun swimsuit being two of them!

My friend/blogger, Rebecca over at Mommy in Heels also runs a boutique, Elizabeth and West in York, PA. Lucky for us, she also has an online shop. And even luckier for you, she’s offering 20% off to A Lovely Living readers today and tomorrow (6/12 and 6/13) with code LOVELY20, yay!! She’s constantly receiving new inventory and a lot of it flies, so you’ll need to jump on things. And if you follow her on Instagram she’ll frequently show her new arrivals as they come in on her Insta stories. I’m loving the colors of this midi dress, this pretty tank, and this cute, striped tee!  Hope that brightens your Monday a little more…happy shopping!!

Details: Elizabeth & West tank (sold out, see options below) / Pants (similar) / Booties (similar) / Bag / LeSpecs sunglasses / Stella & Dot necklace and bracelet

When it comes to running the household, I’m the one that tackles all the nitty gritty details. Jack handles the big picture and I make sure meals are planned, activities are booked, appointments are made, schedules are followed, and toilet paper is in the bathroom ;) With all the details and busyness of life with three little ones, planning date nights has certainly fallen by the wayside the past few years. Not to say that we never go out, but it takes much less effort to pop some popcorn and turn on Netflix. But my husband has recently taken the initiative to make sure date nights happen a bit more frequently and has been reinforcing just how important they are. Sometimes I love when he’s right! We got out for a few hours last night, which included enough time to squeeze in a quick shoot…what a guy ;) I’m hoping we can continue to hold ourselves accountable as time goes on. Connecting with your spouse  is so good for the heart and soul, so should you feel the nudge to get a little alone time, don’t hesitate to call your sitter and make that reservation…it’s so worth it!

Details: LOFT top (recent in-store purchase, similar online here) / Madewell jeans / LOFT scarf / Booties (similar) / Stella & Dot bracelet

Shop the Post:

I hope you guys had a wonderful weekend! We spent most of ours celebrating my oldest child turning….8!! I’m still stomaching that one ;) He chose to visit Lake Tobias, an outdoor wildlife park north of Harrisburg, PA that’s totally worth checking out if you’re anywhere in the area. Jack loved it, but watching my two year old say ‘hello’ to every goat in the petting zoo (there must have been 50!) may have been the best part of our day ;) Needless to say, we were completely wiped by the end of it!

As for this outfit, I was smitten over the ruffled top as soon as I saw it. I’m frequently drawn to blue, but then find myself agonizing over what to pair the various blues with. Blue jeans don’t always cut it and in this case, white denim would have been over-kill. I knew I had to turn to a color and finally settled on pink, although had I a pair in a burnt orange, I may have gone for that too!

Details: SheIn top c/o / Zara pants (similar) / Shoes (similar) / Stella & Dot necklace (similar)

Anyone else love a good t-shirt (or tank) dress? For those of you that are in my boat and are about to embark on an adventurous summer at home with young ones, you’re likely to be reaching for cut-offs and t’s or a basic t-shirt dress regularly. And if not, I’m guessing they’ll be weekend staples for sure! I love the ease of t-shirt dresses. The way you can pair them with sneakers or sandals. The way you can wear them around town or throw them over your swimsuit. And I love the ease in which they can be tossed in the wash and thrown right back on again!

Here are a handful that are currently available to shop. All perfectly ready to toss on and get your summer rolling!

After the long weekend it’s going to take me a day or two to get back into the swing of things…or maybe until Friday?! We have all the end of year school things happening so it feels as though our normal routines aren’t going to be so normal any longer. Until we get into the summer routines, which will take some adjusting as well!

When it comes to dressing, not only do I love playing with layers and different fits/styles, etc., but one of the biggest factors to dressing comes down to colors. Playing with different prints, patterns and color combinations can be so fun and can encourage you to pull different outfits together that you may not otherwise have thought of. In addition to styling clothing, I also dabble with helping other locals with home decor. Paint, furniture, accessories….but what it really comes down to is pulling the right colors together. Finding the right color palette (be it a rug to work from or pairing the perfect paint chips) is typically where I start with homes/rooms and it can also work when it comes to dressing.  A while back I had seen a similar color combo on Pinterest and that’s what had me pulling these particular pieces together. I can’t always tell you exactly why certain colors and prints work well with each other, but when you see it you just know. So don’t forget to save those inspiration outfits when you see them, that way you can turn back and see how you can make it work from your own closet!

Details: LOFT jacket (similar) / LOFT shirt (similar) / LOFT skirt (similar) / DV booties (similar) / Matt & Nat backpack /Stella & Dot Monogram necklace

Shop The Look:

I love a good graphic tee. I wear them year round, but they are especially prevalent in my closet during the summer. It may have something to do with the fact that less layers are necessary during the warmer months, but I hate having to sacrifice the cute factor of an outfit! These tee’s solve that problem. I’ve gathered some of my favorites to share with you today and then I went a step further to give you some ideas on how to wear yours. Scroll down to see how you could take them from office appropriate (just throw a cute blazer over the first look, and tone down the color if you must) to weekend ready with a few simple changes…

(all images are click-able)

Happy Friday, guys! Today I’m styling a beautiful piece that I borrowed from my girlfriend’s Noonday Collection, isn’t it awesome?! In case you have not heard of Noonday yet, they partner with artisan entrepreneurs in vulnerable parts of the world and connect them to a growing marketplace. In turn, these artisans are then empowered to make a difference in their own communities. Their pieces are so striking and unique, you’ll likely have a hard time finding a favorite! You may remember my earrings that I styled here earlier this year. I also love this wooden necklace, this beautiful printed scarf and these fun tassel earrings. Check them out, treat yourself, a friend or family member (what a great gift!) and help make an impact that spreads around the world!

Details: Noonday Collection necklace / SheIn top c/o / JCrew Factory denim (similar here and here) / Shoes (similar)