17 Days!!!!!! ( If you count travel time )

Guess what!!!! Its only 17 more days til THE END OF THE YEAR GATHERING!!!!!! AHHHH!!!!!
You can say it. I'm way to overly excited. Its probably unhealthy. But in my defense it is practically the one time a year I get to see my dear online friends in person. That makes it pretty much understandable right?
O.k. then well I have a confession of sorts. I may or may not have already practically planned out all my outfits for these exciting coming events. Who am I kidding of course I already have my outfits planned out! Please tell me I'm not the only one who has actually already thought through that?


Sooo.... I want to have your opinions!!! I feel like I always tend to overdress sometimes. This is evidenced by the fact that out of the nine outfits I've planned out seven of them are dresses or skirts. Overkill much? Possibly. But thats for you to decide. I found nearly all of my pieces or similar ones on polyvore (love that site!) So I created outfits around those pieces. Do I actually own all the accessories, shoes, etc... here. Oh I wish.. But the basic idea is there.

Can I just repeat again. I. am. so. so. so. excited.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I vote everyone else says what they're wearing too. I need ideas. Wouldn't it be cool if we kind of co-ordinated one day? Or would that be so sixth grade? =)

Anyway love you guys so much!

17 Days!!!!!

<3 <3 <3 

Things that are Long and Flowy...

.....I LOVE THEM!

I love love love things that are long and flowy.

Now. I'm a homeschooler. So as such... I must fulfill my stereotype and never wear anything above the ankle.
Right?

Right.
:P (just go with it.)
Ok.

So! Enjoy the pictures. I'd strongly advise you to get some of these fun things for summer. Unless your a guy.
In which case, please do NOT. These dresses would just look awkward on you.
Yeah I know. I'm not politically correct.

Anyways. So I went on a shopping spree and got these for summer. They're very californian and i like them a lot. Needless to say.
If I didn't like them a lot I wouldn't be posting about them now would I.
Smooth, Lauren.

So here's my favorite. It's red, and anything red I automatically kinda love.
Below are two pictures:
1 which I edited to make sure YOU KNOW THAT IT'S RED.
And the 2nd one fails because Picnik crashed.
Heh.
Deal with it.

This next one is a pretty blue-ish green. This one's my mom's favorite.
She says it's very lady-like and sweet.
So here's my very lady like pose.
.....
Ok:


..... Just Kidding.


That's a little better.
A little. Not much. But. Ok, moving on.

This next dress is like an optical illusion. Seriously, there are so many lines on it it makes my head go woozy. So good thing I'm the one wearing it, and not the one who has to look at it. :P At this point, my Chuwawa decided to join in on the fun...


And yes, all you homeschool nerds I KNOW I spelled Chuwawa wrong.


Yeah and ya'll probably noticed that my hair is gone.
Mom made me chop off my hair.
I blame it on her.
Even though I love her. Love you mom.

.... Sigh.

I feel bald.

Ok. I have a 10 page science report to write up that I should probably get to.


P.S.
I have a game for you.
It's called... WHERE'S THE CHUWAWA?????????

...... This is adorbs.

Bye.

I Could Have Danced All Night

 Let me start with an apology. I know I've been really silent the past week but if you look at my agenda on face-book perhaps you'll understand why. :) Seriously 5-11 everyday for the last two weeks has been completely consumed with schoolwork. BUT! I'm nearing the finish line! Oh wondrous Summer! Then you'll be practically sick of me. I really don't have time to post now... But I'm doing it anyway cause I'm way to excited to show you all my Jr/Sr Banquet dress!

My school has this thing. Its like prom but without dates. Or dancing. O.k. so its not really like prom. But everyone does dress up like that. So it makes for a nice compromise. The boys get out of awkward prom date drama and the girls still get to dress up. Win/win right? Its a nice dinner and ceremony where the Juniors bless the Seniors. Which means sappy love letters are read aloud, lots of hugging, much need for handkerchiefs, etc... Just kidding its a lovely little thing to do and makes for awesome memories. But everyone knows the real thing everyone is looking forward to is seeing what everyone is wearing. So here's what I came up with.

I should preface with two things. First of all let me just tell you it is pretty much impossible to find a modest formal dress out there. At least in a reasonable price range. Seriously its ridiculous. Everything is either tacky, immodest, frumpy, or way not my style. I know there are things out there. Some of my friends even found them. But I didn't. So I did the next best ( possibly better ) thing. I designed my own. No kidding. It was awesome. My mom and I went to a fabric store went through patterns and fabrics for what seemed like ages and finally came up with something awesome. Which leads me up to the second thing. I am a total sucker for anything that remotely look not this time period. How pathetic is that? The dress pattern I eventually picked was a vintage vogue pattern from the 1950s. And then I did make a few adjustments. I may or may not have modeled it after a Grace Kelly dress... Hey though may as well dream big! ( If you don't know who that is look her up. Amazing old movie actress with AMAZING style. Ala Audrey Hepburn. ) So thats how I came up with my design. And based on that theme I went for a whole old Hollywood actress vibe with pearls, really red lipstick, and even white gloves! (which I forgot to put on in the pictures darn it!) I had an absolute ball getting it all together.

Warning though. In case you get any ideas. Designing your own dress is awesome. Not gonna lie. But it is also pricy! I will be spending a good part of this summer working around the house to pay for my one night as Cinderella. For me, thats worth it. But to someone else it might not be. Just to let you know. =)

Wow. That was not supposed to be that long. Seriously it wasn't. I'm working on my not rambling skills. For real though. Here's my dress. Tell me what you think! <3 <3 <3

Because life is too short to not twirl. 

And Twirl.

And TWIRL!

Dress: Designer =)

Heels: Daisy

Pearl necklace and earrings: Gifts

Jeweled Hair Clip: Kohls I think

Because this was kind of a special night above all nights sort of to-do. I went crazy with my make-up. For me anyway. I actually wore blue eyeliner. Shocking right? I was excited. It was really fun to play around with. You can judge if you  think I pulled if off. That picture there is what I tried to semi-copy with my makeup. Really light shadow. Dramatic but not garish blue liner. Bright coral lips and a bronzed base. I know I don't have red hair and perfect skin like the model but for my attempt I think it worked out alright. :)

And. Last thing I promise. I got my hair done. I told you I went all out. I really wanted a crown twist idea . Sort of like this. But they told be I'd have to get highlights, hair extensions, and a couple more hours of time to do that one. So we skipped it. Sort of. I did have her do a crowning twist but I used alot less hair and relaxed the curls at the bottom alot to make it look a whole lot smoother and more the 50s era I was still shooting for. Like a dummy I didn't have a close up picture of my hair but here's the closest I got. 

 

You can still see the basic idea...

O.k. now that I just took over the entire homepage with my dress, I have an assignment. Of sorts. I want you, providing you have time, to come up with your own dream ball gown type ensemble. If you could wear anything. Do your hair anyway. What would you do? I'm looking for ideas for next year. Just kidding I really want to see what ideas you all would come up with. Dressing up is so much fun isn't it! I love being a girl. Right, now go! Be free! Let inspiration run wild! And call me when you get back darling I do love our little chats. (Bonus points if you catch my reference!) 

And I did get to dance by the way. The after-party was phenomenal. 

I could have danced all night! 

I could have danced all night! 

And still have begged for more. 

I could have spread my wings 

And done a thousand things I've never done before. 

I'll never know What made it so exciting;

Why all at once My heart took flight. I only know when he 

Began to dance with me I could have danced, 

danced, danced all night! 

Laughter and Song.

Elizabeth

Terrible Poses, a mismatched purse, and some really white skin

Hey y'all, it's Caroline!  My mama, daddy, and I all went traipsing around Rome for an afternoon to commemorate Mother's Day.  We had a swinging good time, and my mom was practicing with her fancy new Nikon camera.  I asked if she'd take some Outfit of the Day pictures, and she gladly obliged.

But here's the issues with this.

1. I am white.  So white that I could hardly look at these pictures.  Plus I forgot to wear lipstick, so it's even scarier.
2. My purse, though cute, doesn't match my outfit.
3. I can't pose.  I have great ideas, and then the camera goes up and I'm like a dear in the headlights.  It's embarrassing and I'm just horribly hopelessly horrendous.  Any tips on this?

With that being said.... here we go.

white white white white SO SO VERY WHITE

I just don't even know what's going on here.

???

A very small car.  Or maybe I'm just a giant?  Could be.

And again with the cluelessness.

Leather purse ~ Street Market in Sorrento
Dress ~ Ross
Denim Jacket ~ Old Navy
Sandals ~ Target
Sunglasses ~ Michael Kors
Earrings ~ Aldo
Cluelessness ~ Not from my sweet mama, that's for sure

And thus ends my OOTD for today.  I very much enjoyed being able to wear a dress, and I did lose the jacket for a small part of the day when it got too hot for it.

I hope you all had a lovely day, and go hug your mamas!  They deserve it BIG time!

-Caroline

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

I just recently discovered this AMAZING new blog. Of course, I'm discovering new blogs all the time (There is a limitless amount of them, you know.) but her fashion is stunning. I swear, she has so many different clothes, (or she's just so creative I haven't noticed repeating?) You can go follow right here....and be inspired. :)

Listening to: The Cure, Friday I'm in Love

Jeans: New York and CO.

Bathing suit top: Kohls

Sweater: Aeropostale

Hat: my friend :)

Shoes: Madden Girl

So anyways, here's what I wore today. I didn't actually have to go anywhere. But if I did I would have added red lipstick, a fun necklace, bright purse. :) In case you haven't noticed my creative use of a bathing suit top, I'm going to bring it to your attention. It's probably more than slightly weird that I actually wore it today. Never done that before, fortunately. Though it wasn't half bad.

Also, this is how my face looks with completely nothing on it. (Except a bit of yesterday's mascara?) Dare to be bare?? Haha.

The sun does this weird disappearing act to my hair. In other words...It shines right through it. Making it appear like white light stuff. Oh the plights of being blonde.... (cough.) And this is how it looks when it is properly brushed and tamed...

And my legs look unbearably short. Ew. These jeans need to hit the road. Or...be made into shorts... *Drifts off into creative jean land.*

I want me some feathered earrings, bad. Lately I've been kinda over obsessed with the feather trend. LOVE IT. So I got this cute lil hair thang. Issomuchfun. From Claire's or something... :)

Josie Hope

Traveling Tips

Hey y'all!  It's Caroline.

Because I live in Europe, my family and I go on weekend trips every once in a while.  Not to mention, I've grown up living far from family and often have to live out of a suitcase for a month or two at a time.

via

I often forget to pack things, but I'm getting better.  I have a few travel tips to share for all you stylin' ladies.

     {one} Carry salt packs in your purse.  This was a recent idea that I had, but I think it's fantastic!  Grab extra salt packs at restaurants and movie theaters and carry them around.  This way, you can just add water and make one of my DIY salt tricks on the go.

     {two}  Roll up your socks and your underwear tightly and put them in your suitcase last.  You can stuff them into extra pockets of space, and even tuck them inside your shoes!

     {three}  Use big Ziploc bags to put folded t-shirts in, and then close them part of the way.  Squeeze ALL of the air out.  Now you have a perfectly flat bag that you can line your suitcase with.  This works best with clothes that don't wrinkle easily, or are easy to iron.


     {four}  Pack all of your toiletries, even the ones you'll use before you leave the house, the day before you leave.  That way you can go through your whole regimen for an entire day and morning as you normally would, and this way you'll be able to know, in advance, if you've neglected to put something in the toiletry bag.  


     {five}  For long necklaces that get tangled, use straws!  Take some scissors and cut the straw to the length you need it, and then string the necklace through the straw and clasp it.  This way, your necklaces will remain straight and tangle-free.


     {six}  I'm always collecting little makeup bags.  That way, you can know where each thing is and just stuff the little bags in empty spaces.  For instance, the red leather bag is for my blush, powder, and eyeshadow quads.  The blue and brown bag is for my mascara and eyeliner, and the green bag is for my foundation.


     {seven}  Pack clothes that are on a similar color-scheme.  Bring a bunch of pieces; never just outfits.  This way you can wear the same things over and over, while at the same time looking different because you've mixed and matched.


     {eight}  If you're bringing some heels with you, wear the ones that take up the most space!  I prefer to dress up when I fly or take a train, so this isn't a problem for me.  I wore stilettos on my last plane trip!  This won't work for everyone, but if you can, it certainly helps with finding space in your bag.


     {nine}  Pack a good carry-on.  I keep some sort of clothes-change in my carry-on in case of lost luggage.  You need something to get you by until you can get your suitcase or until you can buy some new clothes.


     {ten}  Tape lids.  I always put tape around the lids of any liquid products I bring, even if they're in a separate bag.  They haven't popped open once since I've started doing this.


     {eleven}  This one is specifically for airplane travel.  Before you go through the hassle of security, go ahead and take out your laptop, your baggie of liquids, and your i.d. before you go through the line.  Also remove any hats, scarves, or shoes you are wearing so that you can just throw things in the bin without holding up the line.


That's all for now folks!  If you have any travel questions, just ask!  I'm happy to answer.

For Starters...Summer!

Hey, everyone, it's Emilyann!

It's about that time again when we're starting to pull out the shorts and tank tops, getting ready for the heat and the sunshine.  Along with summer comes a lot of things.  Summer trends, haircuts, and tans.  I'm going to be addressing in a short series all of what you need in your closet during the summer, how short to chop your hair or whether to chop at all, and how to get a healthy summer glow without too much damage to your skin and withOUT looking orange.  Let's get started!

Must Have For the Perfect Summer Wardrobe

(1) A flowy white skirt.  This goes with everything and automatically makes an outfit dressy and summery.

(2) Long, layered necklaces.  They go with everything and take a minimalist look to the next level.
(3) High waisted shorts.  They're SO in right now, and look great with flow-y tops.
(4) Offwhite rose studs.  Too cute, and absolutely everywhere you look.
(5) Color blocking.  This is the trend of the summer, a total flashback from the '80's that you see on the runway and in everyday wear.
(6) Clunky bangles.  They give a boho feel to any look.
(7) Maxi dresses and skirts.  Another boho flavor this summer. It doesn't look good on everyone, but if you have long legs and a minimally curvy figure, this should work.
(8) Denim button up tops.  They're cute to roll up, or leave open, or even tie in front.  If you choose to wear it in jeans, don't try to match denims.  A dark wash looks good with a middle to lighter wash.
(9) Gladiator sandals.  These were around last summer as well, but they're still very much a must-have in a summer wardrobe.
(10) Feather earrings.  The more colorful the better. Feathers anyway are very in.
(11) A turquoise ring.  These are adorable and add flair instantly.
(12) A white sundress.  You'll see these dresses in every store window, from New York & Co. to Vanity.
(13) A leather messenger bag.  Preferably with a shoulder AND hand strap.
(14) A pair of Ray-Bans.  Very hipster, and there are inexpensive dupes everywhere.
(15) Boyfriend jeans.  They look amazing with a nice pair of pumps, or even embellished flats.
(16) Nude heels. An essential for the female closet.
(17) A sun hat.  The floppy ones are the best.  They protect your skin, shield your face and look very sweet.
(18) Anything floral.  The more vintage feeling the better.
(19) - (20) Sperry's and TOM's.  They're equally as popular so take your pick! I personally love TOMs because every pair you purchase, a pair goes to a needy child in another country who doesn't have any shoes.  Awesomeness.
(21) Boyfriend blazer.  You can get these at thrift stores and vintage shops for CHEAP.  They look good over tank tops and band t-shirts, flowy dresses and rompers.  It's a safe bet that if your outfit seems to be lacking something, add the blazer and it could just spice up your look the way you want it to.
(22) An oversize clutch.  It's a bit impractical if you carry a lot of things in your purse, but for a night out, rather than an everyday purse, it's very cute.
(23) Wedges. These never go out of style and they're great gateway heels because they're pretty easy to walk in if you're not used to walking in pumps.

So are you excited for summer yet?! :D  Next installment coming soon. 

 Emilyann


PS: Go check out my  Main Blog for a giveaway!!! <3

Blue and White T-shirt :)

Hello y'all! :)
This is going to be a post on how to wear a blue and white striped shirt, and also a couple D.C. pictures. I have several striped blue and white shirts. They go with bright colors, basics, and almost everything. They can be dressy, or casual. Cheap and inexpensive. Light or heavy.

< Here are the striped shirts I have: (sorry the pictures all...sideways and upside down, etc.)

In D.C. I wore several of those shirts, but I didn't really take outfit pictures.

I suggest wearing the first shirt (polo) with your favorite pair of casual shorts, or anything nautical!

The second (top, right) I usually wear with a long, plain, white maxi skirt. It looks great. I also wear it with a pink skirt and white leggings, sometimes.

The third I have below in a couple pictures, but it's a very versatile shirt, I wear it with lots of things. Especially skinny jeans.

Of course, all striped shirts go fantastically with anything nautical, red, or bright. :)

I wore this outfit driving through VA, and visiting some friends.

Capris: Gap

Shoes: Sperry's

Shirt: Gap

Jacket: Macy's

Camera: Olympus

Belt: Mum's

(I just noticed I don't actually have a striped shirt on in this outfit. Oops. You also probably noticed I cut other people out of these pictures....haha :))

Shirt: VAC

Pants: American Eagle

Shoes: Sperry's

Earrings DIY

Belt: Aeropostale

This ^^ is sort of how I imagine stripes. It's my first time using Polyvore...I like it :)

Josie Hope

DIY ~ Salt

Hey!  It's Caroline.

I love creating homemade beauty products.  Anything that prevents me from spending more money is certainly a good thing!  So imagine how excited I was when I realized that I could do three things with a very small amount of products that I already had in my pantry.

Here's what you'll need:

• Salt
• Water
• Olive Oil

That's it!  I've got three "recipes for you guys, and I hope you enjoy them.

Salt Water Facial

via

Mix one part course salt with two parts filtered water.  I used Sea salt.  I keep my mixture in an old makeup remover bottle (which I cleaned out thoroughly), and this mix actually gets better with time.

All I do is shake up this mixture and pour a bit into the palm of your hand.  Rub it around, all over your face.  You don't need a lot, so a small bottle of salt water goes a long way.  Now, go about your other business while you let this dry.  After about 5-8 minutes, if you look closely at your face, you'll see little white grains all over, and you'll feel a noticeable tightness in your skin.

Gently use your hands and warm water to rinse this off.  You'll be left with smoother skin!  Salt also helps combat acne.  Do this no more than two or three times a week, as it can be a little harsh.

Salt Lip Scrub

via

Simply mix a coarsely ground salt with a little bit of olive oil, until it's reached a pasty consistency.  Gently rub it onto your lips, and rinse off with warm water.  Voila!  You now have soft lips.

Salt Water Hair?

via

This one isn't for everyone, but I love doing this to my hair.  I've noticed that whenever I go swimming at the beach, I get the prettiest messy waves in my hair.  So while my hair is wet, I put a bit of the salt water mixture from the first recipe into my hair and scrunch my fingers in it.  I simply blow dry with my head turned over while continuing to scrunch and to wrap pieces around my finger under the heat, and I'm left with messy waves, which I love.  This works especially well if you use a strong-hold or curl-boosting mousse before you add the salt water.

I hope you enjoyed this quick DIY!  Have a great day.

~Caroline

Clothing and Christian Women

Hey, it's Caroline!  I've been thinking about this post for a while and a discussion this morning prompted me to write out my thoughts on this topic.  Feel free to comment on whether or not you agree or disagree!  And I'm also proud to announce that all of the pictures in this post were taken for me by my dear friend, Annie.  Go check out her blog, Annie Pliego Photography, and leave her some comment love!  The sweet girl in the photos is her little sister, Isabel.  :)

~~~

Modesty:

[mod-UH-stee]

1.  The quality of being modest; freedom from vanity, boastfulness, etc.

2.  Regard for decency of behavior, speech, dress, etc.

3.  Simplicity, moderation

Modesty is a widely discussed and debated topic among Christians; especially among women.  There are extremes on both sides of the spectrum, and it's our duty to think carefully in regards to how we should dress.


As I was discussing this post, with my mother, and how I should go about writing it, she suggested that I research what the word "modesty" even means!  I didn't expect it would be what it was, to say the least.

When Christian women think of modesty, they think of a way of dress that covers one's body in all the places that should remain private.  However, it's actually much more than that.  Only briefly in the definition of the word is the term "dress" mentioned.  What, then, does this mean?  How are we to be truly modest?


I believe that modesty is not only a covering of our bodies, but it is also a mindset.  Thinking and praying about this post for a while, I have even had a change of heart in what I believe about fashion, as well!  


Modest dress should not be shocking or flashy.  

1 Timothy 2:9

"Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control."

If we look at the definition of modesty and this verse combined, the word "self-control" really points out what many pass over.  As modest women, should strive for, as the dictionary states, simplicity and moderation.  Does this mean we can't wear something fun and different and colorful?  Absolutely not!  

Phillipians 4:8

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

John 5:44

"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and edo not seek the glory that comes from fthe only God?

So the key, here, is to examine our hearts.  Are we wearing these clothes on our backs to seek attention, or are we wearing them because we truly find them to be pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent?

This is where the extremes come into play.  There are many Christian women that believe in only wearing long skirts and long sleeved shirts, and other than this code they do not believe in any sort of care for our outer appearance.

I fully agree with these women in that the inner beauty is far more important.  However, these outfits can actually be, in a sense, immodest!  When a non-Christian sees one of these women, it draws attention.  My mom made an excellent point in saying that when these women go to the beach in their long-sleeved swim suits, they draw far more attention to themselves than a girl in a simple one-piece!

In that sense, dressing in a way so far distant from the culture can in itself be immodest.  Now, there's another extreme.  A lot of Christians today have so separated themselves from those women that they wear what they like, so long as they don't look cheap and so long as they don't show too much skin.  This idea can be acceptable if done correctly, but it's dangerous.  A girl could be covering up her body in purple sweatpants, but if they have "Juicy Couture" emblazoned across the behind, that's also a form of immodesty.  It draws attention to a part of the body that should not be put on display.

Modesty cannot be a set of laws.  Rules such as "skirts can only be so short so that they reach tip of the middle finger" or "shirt straps have to be at least 3/4 in. thickness" really do not get to the heart of the matter.  Certainly, covering our bodies is important!  But when it becomes distracting to be so entirely covered that we separate from the world a very great distance, it is simply another form of immodesty, and can actually prevent us from bringing our message of the Gospel to the world.

In conclusion, my main points are that we must cover our bodies in a way that prevents others, especially boys, from falling into the trap of temptation.  We must do so, however, in a way that does not make us so different from the world that we call attention to ourselves, because that, in and of itself, can be a form of pride.  We must strive to ensure that we are dressing in clothing that is lovely and excellent, but that also displays self-control.

I do hope that this post was something that made you think, and I ask that you please leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts on the issue.  Have a great day!

~Caroline