Here's to the last official week of my Michigan Summer! We've been bouncing back and forth between summer and fall (eek!) weather this past week, so I took the opportunity to break out one of my favorite little black sundresses when the weather decided to be nice again on Monday.
Mocha Bean looking Stunning in her orange collar - she just loves to give kisses.
Awkward, "Hey Mom just push the button on top..." photo... ha ha
I love this Forever 21 dress so much I also bought it in purple - so comfy and versatile.
The headband is a Claire's find.
Ok - So I have to admit it. I - Anna K. - had an insane fear of the maxi dress. How could someone who is barely 5'4" tall pull off a style so very fabric-y?? My sister who has about 4" on me looks great in them, women out shopping look fabulous with little effort, mothers corral their children and still maintain glamor...
Well friends, I am here today to tell you
-if I can pull off a maxi dress ---
YOU can pull off a maxi dress!
Not only are they comfortable and great for the heat wave that's been blasting MI this week - but - they are available in a million different fabrics, from almost everywhere, at every price point! Dress them up or dress them down, the maxi dress is a fantastic investment!
My friends, DO NOT fear the maxi dress! Embrace it, because if you need to wear clothes when it's 90*+ outside (which unless you live in a nudist colony is quite necessary,) you will LOVE your maxi dress...
Here are a few of my favorites...
This dress from asAda is simply beautiful - It reminds me of a watercolor painting on a very relaxed ball gown. If I wore this I would insist that Hunky Boyfriend take many many pictures of me wherever we went... :)
This dress from Larkenne has such a light and airy feel about it. I would love to go and picnic in the park wearing this lovely dress...
This dress from Forever21 is the perfect summer dress. Why? Wear it over your swim suit, out shopping, on a hot date, or if you work your accessories right to a wedding...
Have you been inspired to break out a maxi dress? If so feel free to send in pictures! We can have a celebratory "Even Normal People Can Pull Off the Maxi Dress" Post!
Click above to enter and win a GORGEOUS pair of hammered fine silver earrings from beadswiresandbaubles - You'll be happy that you did!
Summer footwear and I have a love/hate relationship. I love the idea of sandals, but actually finding a pair that:
1) I like. 2) Doesn't cost a million dollars. 3) Won't take me 5 hours to put on. 4) Is versatile to wear with a variety of outfits. 4) Won't trip me - thus making me look ridiculous. ... is a very difficult thing.
Last years sandals were amazing, I completely wore them out, and I should have purchased 5 pair of them - but - when I went back to do so they were sold out everywhere! So my friends, the search has been put off long enough... Let It Begin!
If all of my shoes were silver I would be a very happy camper - I just love the touch of sparkle it adds to any outfit! These are lovely from American Eagle for $29.50 (Although the fact that there in nothing holding my heel down in the back other than that little strap makes me nervous...)
For under $15 and with four colors to choose from, you can't go wrong with these Forever21 sandals... (This is more like it - the back is closed in!)
So maybe this isn't technically a sandal - but it's still pretty awesome and looks very comfortable from Nordstrom's for around $80 (It's the perfect combo of the flat and the sandal... may I introduce you to the flandal?)
I think it's the huge gems that attract me to these shoes from White House Black Market... They are $68 and a little bit of a risky pick if you have trouble keeping white clean. (I love these but the white is frightening for me...)
I just love these $29.95 Madden Girl sandals - Thank you DSW! (Very close to last year's version and that's why I'm ordering a pair as we speak!)
What are you favorite sandals?
Do you have summer sandal criteria?
Click above to enter the JudysHobby giveaway! You can win a lovely pair of baby booties!
This is the Summer of Fitness my friends! John and I are going to get back into shape this summer. How are we going to do this you ask? Why being at the gym at 6:30 in the morning, of course. I think you should just get in shape for showing up that early... but we've been doing cardio then focusing on a different muscle group each day. Totally John's idea. What sold me was the yoga classes that come along with the gym membership... :D
So - how am I managing to pass all this time on elipitical machines and treadmills? I have a couple of fantastic workout mixes - My newest is what I am sharing with you today!
1. Rooney - When Did Your Heart Go Missing - I always sing along to this one - so it gets a little awkward.
2. Ke$ha - Your Love is My Drug - This is my new favorite song, you can't possibly sit still to it!
3. Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life - A classic. This song, in my mind, is a brilliant creation for step aerobics!
4. All American Rejects - Dirty Little Secret - Another on that you want to sing along to!
5. Shakira - Hips Don't Lie - Such an upbeat song - makes you want to move!
6. Britney Spears - Stronger - Quite the motivational ditty - good for the end of the workout! The dance in the video looks like a workout itself!
7. Fergie - Fegalicious - Pretty much for the line about being "up in the gym working on her fitness..."
8. Rob Thomas - How Far We've Come - I always make this the last song, mostly because it talks about accomplishments!
9. J. Sean ft. Lil Wayne - Down - Well, if you're not moving enough this one will get you dancing!
10. Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up - I am a sucker for this song, love the fast pace!
I think this is a very difficult time of year for a lot of people. When you think about it - walking around almost naked in front of a bunch of people is a pretty scary thing!
I believe that it is best for a person to dress in a bathing suit that flatters their body type.
This:
1. Keeps the person wearing the swim suit comfortable and able to move without showing off their goods.
2. Keeps everyone around them comfortable - because, come on, let's face it, an unflattering swim suit is like a train wreck - you don't want to look, but you just can't help it.
3. Keeps children from saying the things that we are all thinking as we stare at the person in the ill fitted suit.
Although at times it is hard to know whether or not last years suit, or this year's dream suit, will be appropriate, I find the best way to gauge this is to ask your mother. If you don't have a mother or a mother figure who will be blatantly honest with you, go to a friend. You don't want to risk the dreaded under-boob exposure, or the perma-wedgie, or much worse, the suit that has lost elasticity and can be seen directly through.
*** If you have anymore bathing suit wisdom- please share it in your comment - I would love to continue on this topic. I feel it is something that is much overlooked and with summer being just around the corner...
That being said I have scoured Etsy and some other parts of the internet to find some super cute swim suits! - As usual clicking all photos will take you to their source -
Starting with the one pieces....
This custom suit from poppyswickedgarden has a wonderful vintage feel to it. Sort of Old Hollywood meets hot prison inmate meets romper and I love it!
I just love paisley! This is such a pretty fabric and a great design for quite a flattering suit from Harajuku I am a sucker for anything nautical themed... and this suit is super cute from FablesbyBarrie
Now for the tankini... which apparently isn't a word, as I can't get rid of the red underline... :D
This suit comes in a variation - high waist or long top - from NapiDesigns
And now onto the 2 pieces...
The details on this tuxedo bikini are too cool! From stephankalicious I am loving the ruffles and sparkle of this suit from PistolitaLaMuerta
I love this twist on the itsybitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini! By bettieB
I know that now you are either A - Very excited for summer and swim suit shopping -or- B - Cursing my name for reminding you that the season is right around the corner... (Sorry!)
John and I are being wild college students tonight and studying at a local coffee shop - this has been my break from my sketching and Dr.'s office project homework.
Speaking of sketching - we started to do hands and feet - I am terrible at hands - unless I am drawing grinch people. I tend to give the fingers long wispy points... so, Dr. Seuss or whomever is in charge of his publishing - please give me a call if you are looking for an illustrator specializing in grinch-ness :)
Today at 8 am I started my summer classes! A 2 hour computer class followed shortly after by a 3 hours 3D art class.
Catching up to fulfill the requirements for my second major is going to make it one long summer! It's just going to be so hard having to be inside when it is so beautiful outside...
Was locked out today so took time to catch up with a friend. Sometimes I need to remind myself that it's ok to just sit around and enjoy the outdoors. I watched a pair of robins gather food for their babies and soaked in the sun.
I set up new recycle bins today... pictures will be coming up shortly. I detailed what could go in each bin with colorful note cards, hopefully this will get through to roommates and boyfriends!
This weekend was spent with my family at the Yoder auction in Clare County. It is a quilt auction, where quilts made by Amish from all over the country are auctioned off. There are also about a million rows of flea market and crafting finds. I had such a great time searching for treasure despite the wind and the rain! Photos of my finds will be posted tomorrow!
Here is my most recent Etsy listing, Enjoy! Hope you had a great Monday!
I've been quite busy lately... Lots of school and lots of work.
I went to a Tiger's game yesterday and they won!!! Yay! It was my first game and was a whole lot of fun. John and I particularly enjoyed watching the couple in front of us be all over each other every time we scored... :S Ok,, so not really... it was kind of funny the first few times though!
So, I am pretty sure that starting my Etsy business in the summer was a BAD idea!
But it's ok because I only seem to sell when I am on vacation... and I vacation a whole lot in the summer!
I am really going to make an effort to blog more... I hope.
Yesterday I made 20 new pairs of bobby pins for my site... I'll post photos... I think they are pretty sweet! Great for the girly girl in all of us!
Also, I got a myspace to help with networking... Turns out my demographic is the crowd that loves themselves some myspace.... Personally I think that site is for creepers... Maybe I've just been watching too much Date Line... ha ha!
Anyways, wishing a great day to you all as I sit here in 90* heat... Better than snow I guess!
Mocha Bean looking Stunning in her orange collar - she just loves to give kisses.
Awkward, "Hey Mom just push the button on top..." photo... ha ha
I love this Forever 21 dress so much I also bought it in purple - so comfy and versatile.
This lovely number from White House Black Market is my very first maxi dress! The jersey knit is just fabulous (wad it up in your weekend bag and it still looks great) and if you remember I wore it to my friend Jen's Graduation from Psychiatry School...
This dress from Larkenne has such a light and airy feel about it. I would love to go and picnic in the park wearing this lovely dress...
This dress from Forever21 is the perfect summer dress. Why? Wear it over your swim suit, out shopping, on a hot date, or if you work your accessories right to a wedding...
Click above to enter and win a GORGEOUS pair of hammered fine silver earrings from beadswiresandbaubles - You'll be happy that you did!
