There's Always a First Time for Everything

With this outfit, worn to a picnic last weekend, I debuted my first maxidress! So I've worn long dresses before, for prom, but those have been on the formal side - this is a casual maxi dress that I'm loving. One of my favorite parts is the sheer skirt. There's a black skirt underneath a sheer panel covered with brilliant blooms. I love the colors of this dress - they're what initially drew me to it when I spotted it at TJ Maxx. 

Since I started working at summer camp, I've gotten a lot more creative with my hairstyles. I spend time poring over hair tutorials online and in magazines, trying to figure out the best ways to keep my hair off my neck and out of my face for work. One technique I've discovered is braiding and pinning or clipping my hair up into buns. This is one of my favorite updos, and it's deceptively simple and foolproof. I've written out the steps below!

Outfit details: Dress: W118 by Walter Baker via TJ Maxx / Sandals: Franco Sarto / Earrings: Shop in China / Sunglasses: Target 

Hair Tutorial: Braided Side Bun

Make a deep part to one side. Separate 2 inches of hair in the front. Begin Dutch braiding hair, starting from the part, toward the other side of the head. Keep the braid close to the hairline. 

 When you get to the side of the head above the ear, begin to gather more hair into the Dutch braid. When you get past the ear, gather up the remainder of the hair into a braid and continue to work around the head until you get to the other ear. Continue to braid until you have a side braid. 

 Tie off the braid with a small elastic (I used black ones because my hair is black, but you can use clear ones as well). Twist the braid up toward the front of the head and insert a bobby pin to secure. Continue twisting the braid around and tuck the end of the braid behind the first part of the braid that was twisted upward. Add more bobby pins until the bun feels secure. 

Good luck with the hairstyle! I'm so glad last week's heat wave has passed. I'll still be trying new hairstyles and showing them on the blog. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks of milder summer weather - lovely!

Have a great day.

Three Braided Buns

Today's post is a hair tutorial inspired by this look, found here. I wore it for an awards ceremony for an essay contest about women in science. It was very warm that day, so it was important for me to keep my hair up and out of the way. My hair right now is the perfect medium length to try all sorts of hairstyles - one of my favorite styles for camp has been a braided side bun (tutorial coming soon!). 

Here's a photo of the hairstyle. I like how all the braids played up the texture of my hair nicely! Having hair that is all the same color, it can sometimes be hard to achieve dimension. Braiding is one of my favorite techniques to create more texture. 

And here's the photo of me at the awards ceremony.

Outfit details: Dress: Lush via Nordstrom / Wedges: Franco Sarto via T. J. Maxx / Earrings: Urban Outfitters 

I went with a summery look with the cream lace dress (one of my favorite dresses - it's so versatile!), nude wedges. I accessorized the otherwise neutral-toned outfit with gold and jade earrings. 

A heat wave is hitting my town right now, making it very warm - wherever you are, please stay cool! Have a fantastic day. 

Chopped

On the day of prom, my hairstylist took one look at my long locks and said, "I'm going to have to cut some of this if you don't want to be waiting here for hours while your hair curls!" I was thinking about getting a haircut to help me cope with the hot and humid days of summer, but I wanted to keep the length for prom. But since I was getting a side bun anyway, I thought, why not? It's time for a change. I hadn't gotten my hair cut in more than a year! Here's the end result...

This photo was taken at my senior luncheon a few weeks ago. 

And here's a clearer picture of the outfit I was wearing for the luncheon:

This photo was taken at an awards breakfast for a scholarship I received earlier that month. I liked the outfit so much it had to be repeated!

Outfit details: Dress: Darling via T.J. Maxx / Belt: Store in China / Necklace: Forever 21 / Sandals: Franco Sarto 

I love how this necklace, a gift from one of my best friends, matches everything - it's the perfect accessory to dress up or down any outfit. This dress was an amazing bargain find at T.J. Maxx. I love the retro yet elegant fit and the timeless floral pattern. The colors suit my skin tone well! 

It's been fun finding ways to style my shorter (and undeniably more comfortable in the summer) hair. Sometimes, a little change is necessary. 

Hope you're having a fantastic day! Happy Fourth of July :)

Printed Shorts

I think these have to be my favorite shorts - they're not only comfortable and feel like fancy pajamas, but they're fun and colorful! I contrasted casual and fancy with the necklace and the plain black t-shirt. In the past few weeks, pieces like a plain white or black shirt have looked great when paired with bright skirts or shorts.

With these printed shorts, I match the flowers I'm sitting next to in my school's courtyard :) 

Outfit details: Shirt: Old Navy / Shorts: Frenchi via Nordstrom Rack / Sandals: Franco Sarto / Necklace: Forever 21 

For my prom, which was a few weeks ago, I got a few inches cut off my hair so these photos just remind me of my long hair! I'll post some photos from prom next week :) I was so happy to be able to wear my favorite color, aqua! 

Have a beautiful day. 

Flowy Floral Skirt

This is one of my favorite skirts - it's colorful, floral, and flowy! I wore it with a bright blue blouse to play up the loose textures, paired it with neutral brown leather sandals, gunmetal accessories, and a denim bag. Guess what? These pictures were taken a few weeks ago. I've since gotten my hair cut... so stay tuned for that!

Outfit details: Blouse: Mine via T.J.Maxx / Skirt: Express / Sandals: Franco Sarto / Necklace: LOFT / Earrings: Gifted / Bag: Gap 

Soon I won't be able to take advantage of my school's geography for my photos! Graduating is an exciting event and it reminds me of how close college is! I guess now I won't be saying I'm a high school student - I'm a college student now!

Knotted Shirt

In this outfit, I experimented with prints. Sometimes I'll brainstorm outfit ideas in my head but I'm not sure about them until I try them on. This sleeveless dress needed something to make it more school-appropriate and I debated between wearing this shirt or a chambray shirt. In the end, I chose this blue pinstriped shirt and knotted it on top to go for a polished yet carefree look.

Outfit details: Shirt: Gap / Dress: H&M / Sandals: Franco Sarto 

Mixing prints is a lot of fun and it ensures that you're unique! Sometimes, you have to take a step outside your comfort zone to have the most fun :) 

Have a great day! 

Transformation

Would you believe me if I told you this shirt...was a dress?

Remember this dress? I wore it here.

I really wanted to pair the dress with these mint pants, but when I put them on, the flare of the dress didn't go well with the skinny jeans. I've never been into the dress over pants look. However, I still felt determined to make the two go together...with a little rolling and tying, I turned the dress into a shirt! I put on a blazer to cover up some of the pinning in the back and keep myself warm - perfect for a spring day.

Outfit details: Blazer: Gap / Pants: American Eagle / Top (dress): H&M / Sandals: Franco Sarto / Earrings: Native American shop in North Carolina 

Have you ever gotten creative with your clothes and transformed them? I'm going to try to learn how to sew this summer with my grandmother so I can create my own designs! 

Colorblocking

I wore this colorblocked outfit recently for a Mother's Day lunch with my family. We went out to a local Chinese restaurant. I wanted to style a pair of statement earrings and I decided to match them to a bright colored outfit. I debated whether I wanted to wear the belt and decided to in the end because it helped transition the shirt and the skirt. It also matches my sandals, which are super comfortable. I believe comfort is most important when it comes to shoes. I don't care how good a pair of shoes looks, if I'm in pain, I don't want to wear them! 

Outfit details: Blouse: Mine via TJMaxx / Belt: LOFT / Skirt: H&M / Purse: BCBGeneration / Sandals: Franco Sarto via Lord and Taylor / Earrings: Lord and Taylor 

Here's a closer look at the earrings. 

I love how they combine all my favorite colors. 

Have a wonderful day!