My Favorite Sunglasses for $12...

My Favorite Sunglasses for $12...

eyelet top (wearing size XS) // white pants

round oversize sunglasses (only $12!) // Tory Burch Lexington wedges

J.Crew tortoise earrings // David Yurman link bracelet

YSL lipstick in "tropical pink"

This was one of my favorite outfits I wore while in Curacao last week! This eyelet top couldn't be prettier, and I had been on the hunt for one with ruffle sleeves for a long time. I also adore these sunglasses and wore them the entire trip. The best part? They are only $12! There are some really cute sunglasses out right now for only $12 (I linked some below). They are great for beach vacations when you don't want to mess up a really expensive pair of glasses. Plus they are really great quality!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I spent the morning with my mom for Mother's Day, so I didn't get back to Winston until yesterday afternoon. I have looots of cleaning and errands to run today and am kind of dreading it!!!

xoxo

Striped Off Shoulder Dress for $42

Striped Off Shoulder Dress for $42

striped off shoulder dress ($42), wearing size small, similar top version HERE

Chloe handbag, similar & less affordable HERE // David Yurman link bracelet, turquoise bracelet

Tory Burch wedges, also love THESE // J.Crew earrings (25% off with code summer)

similar turquoise ring // YSL lipstick in "tropical pink"

The wind was really bad when we took these photos... so I'm not sure you can tell how adorable this striped off shoulder dress is! It's amazing quality, very comfortable and only $42 (this similar one is almost identical and more than $300 more!) I wore it with a yellow bag for a fun pop of color. Also sorry for wearing so many off-the-shoulder things lately... it seems like it's all the retailers are making right now!

Anyway, we have been having so much fun at Ocean Isle! Today we are waking up early and having a beach day the entire day... fingers crossed we don't get sunburned :)

Lace Up Dress + How I Spray Tan!

Lace Up Dress + How I Spray Tan!

lace-up printed dress (less than $50), also love THIS one

embroidered wedges (obsessed) // Chloe Drew bag, similar and less expensive here

Karen Walker sunglasses // similar turquoise ring // David Yurman link bracelet, cuff bracelet

yellow tassel earrings (only $10) // Revlon lip crayon in "unapologetic"

I wore this dress yesterday and just love it! The pattern is so bright and pretty, it's comfortable and flowy, andit's pretty affordable too (less than $50). I want to re-wear it again on a date night! But I also want to point out the shoes - the SHOOOEEES I think are the main highlight of the outfit! These embroidered wedges come in a few different colors. Just a warning - they are TALL! I don't have trouble walking around in them, but if you aren't used to wearing heels you may. They're true to size... and I'm slightly obsessed with them. *insert heart eye emoji here*

I also wanted to answer a few of your questions about the type of spray tan I get! In these pictures my spray tan is about a week old (I got it last Saturday) and as you can see it has lasted quite a while. I get spray tans every few weeks in the summer (it is so much better for you than cooking your skin in the sun!) so I've experimented a lot with colors/booths/additives. Here are my tips:

*I always get the Mystic Tan in dark. If you're going to go with Mystic, get either the light or the dark, not the medium. The medium has orange tones in it! (There are two types of spray tan booths: The Mystic and the Versa. My mom prefers the Versa, while I prefer Mystic. It is personal preference, I encourage you to try both!)

*Always buy the "sticky feet." They are foot-shaped adhesives that prevent the bottom of your feet from soaking up the excess tanning fluid. If you don't get these, the bottoms of your feet will turn a nasty dark orange color! They are only $1 or $2 more.

Additives:

*Add a scent (or two!). The scents smell really good and cover up the "spray tan smell." I really like the "warm vanilla" scent and I usually add two of them to the spray tan.  

*Add the accelerator additive. I prefer the accelerator to the "hyper tan" additive because the hyper tan bronzes you right away - which gets all over your clothes and bedsheets. The accelerator doesn't leave any bronze residue behind and also balances the pH levels of your skin - it ends up giving you a really beautiful bonze hue.

In conclusion, I always ask for: the Mystic tan in "dark," with two scents and the accelerator additive. I also buy the sticky feet to go along with it. My best advice is to get the spray tan done at night (most tanning booths are open until 10 or 11 p.m. at night) and then go to sleep right after. You have to wait eight hours before taking a shower, and it's easier to sleep through the night and wake up tan!

By the way, this post isn't sponsored at all, I just have been getting a lot of questions about spray tans so I wanted to answer here! Let me know if you have any other questions! 

Casual Date Night Outfit

Casual Date Night Outfit

Wayf off shoulder striped dress // Chloe Drew bag, similar and less expensive here

Dolce Vita platform sandals // Urban Outfitters hat, I also like this one

Karen Walker sunglasses // similar turquoise ring // David Yurman link bracelet, cuff bracelet

yellow tassel earrings (only $10) // Maybelline lipstick in "electric pink"

I wore this cute off shoulder striped dress this past Saturday - my boyfriend drove to the beach to visit our family for the weekend and we got to have a date night on Saturday night! (If you ever come to Ocean Isle Beach, visit "Ocean Isle Fish Company" - it's an awesome restaurant with an amazing view of the island and the bridge.) Anyways, this dress was the perfect thing to wear because it's lightweight and casual - but the off-shoulder ruffle makes it flirty! I have really been loving the blue & yellow combination lately so I paired it with a yellow handbag and earrings.

Did everyone have a good weekend?! My family is staying at the beach for another week (it's my Papa's 87th birthday this week, also). We didn't have very good weather last week, but this week they're calling for sunshine every day. I just started reading a really good book, so I'm looking forward to laying out on the beach and reading!

xoxo

Ice Cream Daze

Ice Cream Daze

Urban Outfitters off shoulder top, also love THIS ONE // suede crossbody bag (less than $40)

Urban Outfitters panama hat //  jean shorts, similar here (I like the "indigo" color)

platform wedges, similar clogs here // Baublebar earrings

I love Urban Outfitters for their affordable, trendy clothing items and handbags. The suede cross body bag reminds me of a Chloe bag that's in stores now... but it's less than $40! And don't get me started on this off shoulder top. I love the blue embroidery on it and the little button detailing on the front. It doesn't have to be worn how I'm wearing it, it can also be worn on the shoulders. I've also worn this panama hat almost every day since I've been at the beach. It's the perfect lightweight summer hat... and it doesn't fly off my head every time the wind blows like some hats - it actually fits! Check out some more of my picks from Urban Outfitters below.

On another note... we have had ice cream almost every single night at the beach! Both my dad and Papa LOVE dessert and drag our whole family to the ice cream shop every night (I'm not complaining). Although I do feel like I'm in an ice cream coma every day. LOL.

Outfits I've Worn that are on Sale...

Outfits I've Worn that are on Sale...

Happy Wednesday! Today's a good day, because one of my favorite retailers is having their half-yearly sale just in time to snag some new clothes for Memorial Day Weekend. I've rounded up a bunch of outfits that are now marked 40 or 50% off! My favorites include this sun hat (you've seen me wear it a billion times) and these platform sandals. Scroll down for more sale items!

 bell sleeve crop top (40% off) // woven print shorts (40% off)

similar turquoise earrings (only $34) // lace-up sandals

 lace tunic (40% off) // Hudson jeans // Steve Madden Carrson sandals // monogram necklace

striped tank (40% off) // BlankNYC jean shorts // J.Crew necklace

straw sun hat (40% off!) // white bathing suit top // bathing suit bottoms

printed scallop bikini top (40% off) // scallop bikini bottoms (in white - 40% off) 

similar straw hat (50% off)

lace trim halter top (40% off) //  platform sandals (40% off) // white pants 

lace trim halter top (40% off) //  platform sandals (40% off)

similar straw hat (50% off) // BlankNYC jean shorts

embroidered camisole (40% off) // embroidered cotton shorts (40% off) // similar straw hat (50% off)

Sun & Shadow camisole (40% off) //  Topshop shorts

Chloe Drew bag // B.P. round sunglasses (only $12)

Nanette Lepore one piece swimsuit (marked down from $140)

woven sun hat // B.P. round sunglasses (only $12)

A few affordable outfits from this past week...

lace-up tank (only $38) // Topshop shorts

tassel bag charm (only $28) // similar turquoise earrings (only $34)

straw sun hat (40% off!) // palm leaf romper ($68) // Steve Madden Carrson sandals

Even a bunch of designer handbags and accessories are on sale too! If you get two-day shipping, everything should be here for Memorial Day weekend. It's not on sale, but I ordered this romper for the weekend - it's absolutely GORG in person.

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!

flounce bikini top, also love this striped bikini // lace shorts, similar HERE // straw handbag

Tory Burch sandals (in the color "sand patent"), these Tory Burch sandals are on sale

J.Crew tortoise earrings // straw hat (on sale) // Quay black sunglasses

Happy Memorial Day everyone! I wore this outfit to the pool last week when we were still at Ocean Isle... I am so so in love with this flounce bikini top and it comes in several different colors and patterns! The lace shorts are from my trip to St. Lucia but there are some sizes still left. I love the stripes and lace paired together (but it would also be cute with jean shorts!).

I hope everyone has today off... and that you get to relax! And that you also take today to remember the men and women who have served to protect our country... the real reason we are celebrating today.

xoxo