Right Amount Of Give

Today I've teamed up with Rachel of Chicago Chic, Cara of Cara Loren and PBandJ Boutique to present to you the 'Right Amount of Give' with Henry & Belle jeans.

Sweater:  J.Crew, Collared Top:  Forever 21, Jeans:  Henry & Belle c/o PB&J Boutique, Bag:  Marc by Marc Jacobs, Shoes:  Zara (old, identical pair here, LOVING these), Bangle: C.Wonder (similar here), Sunnies:  Ray-Ban

When I was asked to do a denim campaign I was super excited but a little reluctant at the same time.  If you're anything like me, it can be a long, laborious process to find the perfect-fitting jeans.  When I'm in need of some new denim, I typically find myself entering the fitting room with 10+ pairs.
This brand was new to me and I knew nothing about the fit, but I'm the type of person who loves to try something new and to my delight, the jeans fit like a glove!  It was as if they were made for my body.  The material is super-soft and comfortable, and I found the length to be perfect + no bagging in the behind, no muffin-top.

I decided to go with the Ideal Ankle Skinny in white.  Whites and brights are my favorite for summer, and an ankle length jean is best for showing off those sexy summer sandals.

I love the sassy suspenders that Rachel paired with her super-skinny superiors {try saying that 5x fast}.  She is seriously working those jeans!

Cara is looking boho chic in her Micro Flares.  Love a girl who is in touch with her inner flower child.

Aside from falling for their perfect-fitting denim, I also fell for Henry & Belle's mission statement about their modern muse:
"She’s a particular type of woman, the kind who believes that looking out for others is just as important as looking good. The kind who likes to stand out, but refuses to stand by."

And it's more than just a statement ~ a portion of all Henry & Belle sales go to various charities.  The 'Right Amount of Give' Campaign allows you to choose how the charitable proceeds are spent, and gives you a chance to hear directly from the individuals they support.
Gotta love a great product with a great cause!

**Be sure to visit Rachel {HERE} and Cara {HERE}**

Snapshots From Key West

{glasses and bills swaying in the breeze}

{colorful bar stools}

{palm-lined streets}

{beach locks made manageable thanks to Bandiez Couture paired with my new necklace that I wore with EVERYTHING}

{a friendly alarm clock}

{scalloped seersucker shorts that were a huge hit on our sunset cocktail cruise}

{sunset key}

{festive decor outside of Bo's Fish Wagon}

{the bright lights of Sloppy Joe's ~ one of the many places to quench your thirst on Duval Street}

...until next year, Key West...

Light As A Feather

Dress:  Anthropologie (last year, a little pricy, but best alternative that I could find, top version here), Sandals:  J.Crew, Bag:  Louis Vuitton (awesome alternative here under $60!), Sunnies:  Ray-Ban, Bangles:  Forever 21, Earrings:  Tory Burch

 

This dress may go down as my favorite of all time.  The color and texture are perfection and it is by far the most comfortable garment I have ever put on my body.  Normally a shapeless dress does not work for me, but there is something about this dress that compliments a straight figure.  Best part, you could eat a six-course meal and no one would be the wiser.  Gotta love a dress that hides the after-dinner bloat! 

**Click HERE to find the winner of my Stella & Dot love bracelet GIVEAWAY ~ thank you to everyone who entered!

Back To Reality

Dress:  J.Crew, Bag:  Madison Elizabeth (similar here), Shoes:  Zara (old, similar option here for under $45!), Necklace:  Nordstrom, Sunnies:  Forever 21 (love this Ray-Ban version)

Hello readers!  Sorry for the short hiatus.  Sometimes you just need to disconnect for a bit.  My husband and I had a wonderful time in Key West.  It was hard to get ourselves on the plane to come back, but all good things must come to and end.

The weather was absolutely spectacular ~ 85 to 90 every day with minimal humidity, and the gulf water was like a bathtub.  The perfect opportunity to pull out all of my favorite summer frocks.  

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we decided not to check any bags.  This was a huge challenge for me, a girl who usually packs one bag of shoes alone, but I'm glad my husband forced me to do so.  It made going through the airport quick and easy and forced me to bring only what I really wanted to wear. {I thought about posting a packing tutorial but decided my suitcase was definitely not neat enough for that.} 

The dresses I packed were easy throw-on-and-go pieces, and the shoes I packed were neutral.  I only brought ONE PAIR OF HEELS, a nude pair of sandals, and my Tory Burch espadrilles.  I picked up this beautiful statement necklace at my local Nordstrom a few days before leaving, and I'm so happy I did.  I literally wore it with everything.  I feel that it can take any outfit up a notch and it was under $40!

Sandals:  J.Crew

{a beautiful Key West sunset}

More vacation pictures to come later in the week!

Five Things

I'm currently en route to Key West with my better half for some much needed sun, sand and relaxation. We decided to {almost} totally disconnect for the duration of our long weekend getaway so I left my laptop at home {gasp}!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram!

 
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Until I return, I leave you with this...
I was tagged a few weeks ago by Taylor of Whiskey Ginger to participate in the "5 Things" posts that have been going around, and thought it would be a great opportunity to share a few things you may not know about me.  Here goes:


1.  When I was 9, I was diagnosed with scoliosis {a curvature of the spine}.  The curves ~ I had two making my spine resemble an "S" ~ got so severe that I had major spinal surgery when I was 13 where they fused 2 titanium rods to my spine.  I have a scar that extends from my neck down to my tailbone.  I also have perfect posture!

2.  I met my husband at a bar on my best friend's 21st birthday.  We hadn't known each other previously which is kinda crazy because we grew up less than a mile away from each other.

3.  I HATE scary movies.  They terrify me.  It may be a bit of an irrational fear, but they seriously give me nightmares.  I'm also afraid of the dark.  When I'm home alone at night, I go to sleep with almost every light on in the house.

4.  I'm addicted to reality TV.  Specifically, the Real Housewives {all locations}.

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5.  In addition to my teaching certification, I also have a degree in business and my real estate license.  I change my mind frequently and still do not know exactly what I want to do with my life ~ I like to keep my options open!

Short & Sweet

Blazer:  Forever 21 (old, similar here), Shirt:  Anthropologie (very old, similar here, short-sleeve option here) Skirt:  H&M (LOVING this one for just $23!!), Shoes:  Enzo Angiolini (old, similar here), Clutch:  Madison Elizabeth (similar here, LOVING this one), Watch:  DKNY (love this two-tone one ~ perfect for summer!), Earrings:  Tory Burch

Hello and happy Monday!  I'm keeping it short and sweet today.  I had a crazy weekend and this week will be even crazier as my husband and I are preparing to leave for Key West. 

You may wonder why it takes me so long to pack ~ well ~ for the first time in my life, as per my husband's instructions, I am traveling with nothing but a carry on!!!  That's right, no 50lbs. of checked luggage.  His insistence came about because last year when we went to Key West, our luggage was not on our plane.  We had to wait for the next plane from NJ to FL that was carrying our luggage.  

I do like the idea of not having to check bags and wait at the baggage claim, but I'm not so crazy about the idea of packing only one pair of shoes.  We will see how it goes! 

...And don't forget ~ one week left to shop my STELLA AND DOT TRUNK SHOW and to enter my GIVEAWAY!!