Fashion Friday: My Recent Evolution

Happy Fashion Friday (I set this to post automatically, but apparently it did not. Thus "Fashion Friday" on Sunday)! The past few weeks I've been thinking about a change going on in my personal style. I don't subscribe to the thought that you have to dress a certain way because you are a certain age, but I feel like my style might be saying otherwise. Looking back at the last five years I've been very drawn to color, patterns and accessorizing. However, within the past year I've shifted the other way. Looking through my closet I'm much more drawn to solids or darker pieces. Black tends to be my go-to, often paired with just a pop of color. I think having a baby caused me to cut down on my accessorizing because of all the grabbing (Which is probably for the best! Talk about over kill in some of these photos!) As for my new preference for colors I'm not sure if it's my age, my stage of life or my state of mind. Maybe a little of each? It's definitely interesting how individual styles change through the years though.

What type of fashion evolutions have you gone through?

A red patterned romper I wore when I was about 20 weeks pregnant

Another brightly patterned pregnancy dress

Mustard yellow polka-dot top (which I still have, so who knows maybe I'll wear it again?)

And how you'll probably see me these days:

P.S. I realize this is my first post in a month!! I have no excuse except that I just haven't felt much like blogging. I'm hoping to get back into it though as I have some really cute pictures to share with you from Carter's first soccer game!!

BaubleBar Dupe?!?

Hi Guys! It's Madison! Happy Fashion Friday!

 So recently I have been on a jewelry kick. I just felt that my wardrobe needed some sprucing up and I knew that accessories are always there to help. I decided to jump online and go to BaubleBar.com where they are known for their statement jewelry, custom pieces, and dainty elegant accessories that are unique. I love everything on that site but the prices are a little out of my range.

But no worries for the ladies who are on a budget (aka me) I went to Wal-Mart and there, standing right in front of me was a display of about 20 necklaces that looked like they could have been sold right off BaubleBar. The best part is instead of them being $50 these were $10!!

Now you're probably thinking well are they cheap feeling? Are they not as nice looking? Do they look like little kids jewelry? My answer: No! I went up to look at them and was very surprised that the quality was not “cheap” seeming at all. They have a pretty good amount of weight to them, they are not child sized and when looking through them I honestly did not see any stones coming off any of the pieces. So if you are a jewelry addict like myself I say it is definitely worth your time to go down to your local Wal-Mart and take a look at them! I have bought three and I want to go back and get more! Happy Shopping!!

                                                                               Top:$56
                                                                               Bottom Left:$46
                                                                               Bottom Right: $44

Fashion Friday - The Perfect Sandal for a Wide Foot

Hi guys, Madison here! Happy Fashion Friday! I'll be taking over on today's post because we are going to be talking about shoes. Now I have never really been a shoes girl because I find it hard to find many that fit my foot. However, recently I have came across some really amazing sandals for all you wide foot girls out there!

Since summer has arrived I barely wear any other types of shoes except sandals, but I was getting tired of wearing the classic flip flop style and wanted some that were dressier and more stylish.

Then I found these: the Montego Bay Club "Women's Movie Star Embellished Sandal" from Payless. They are regularly $24.99, but are currently on sale online for $19.99. 

 They are the classic T strap sandal that really doesn't go out of style. The simple placement of the jems give these shoes a classic look.

The best part is that the back strap to wrap around the ankle has about an inch elastic to give you some extra room. It fits nicely around my ankle which was one of the struggles I was having when trying on these types of shoes. I was also pleasantly surprised at the fit across the top of the foot because I have high arches as well.

The comfort of these are AMAZING! They have padding and are very soft. I've worked 9 hour shifts in them and my feet were not hurting as bad as previous times I have stood that long in other shoes.

Another bonus is that there are seven color options : black, sliver, bronze, gold, white, blue, and coral.

So overall I would say if you're looking for a cute, stylish sandal to fit your wide and/or long foot (these go to a size 13), these are going to be a great investment for you this summer! Grab one pair or all seven colors!

Fashion Friday - Summer Maxi

This gorgeous Floral Chiffon Maxi Dress from Lane Bryant is done right! Not only is the print beautiful, but the black piping makes it extra special! I also love that the waistband is dropped low enough where it gives your waist definition without being too much of an empire fit that you look pregnant. It's on the pricier end for my budget, but if you can catch a flash sale or pick it up with Real Women Dollars (there's 3 days left!!) then it's totally worth it.

Tomorrow is officially the first day of summer and we are loving it! How about you? 

Fashion Friday - Tropical Florals

I got this dress last year because the tropical floral print was cute...I put it on and it was to die for! The fit of the dress is amazing (this is a size down from what I'd usually wear)! It's fun, flirty and definitely perfect for summer!

Nails are OPI Shocking Pink

Dress is from Torrid

The belt comes with it and I think it adds so much to the dress (plus it can easily pair with other pieces)!

Obviously this dress isn't available in stores anymore, but you might have some luck on eBay. It's perfect for graduation parties, luau themed parties or just when you want to wear something bright and fun! Nothing says summer like tropical florals!

Fashion Friday - White & Denim

My sister Madison is rocking this gorgeous white dress from Lane Bryant (currently in stores)!

You can pair it with a cute denim vest for some extra flair! 

Madison's vest is from Lane Bryant, but Old Navy has some cute ones, as well. And if you catch it during a sale you can get a really good deal! I recently purchased one on sale for $22 in an XXL (which easily fits a 22/24).

Her unique elephant necklace is from Torrid.

This dress is so pretty it can easily stand on it's own without the vest, too.

If you're looking for something to wear for July 4th this might be the perfect choice!

Fashion Friday - Pedicure Tips

With summer quickly approaching I thought it would be the perfect time for some pedicure pointers. In 2011 I received a very poor pedicure which resulted in staph infection and two ingrown toenails. Since then I feel like it's my mission to educate as many people as possible on what they can do to avoid going down that same dreaded (and painful) path.

1. Know the salon! It's okay to ask questions. How often to they clean the tubs? Look around. Does it look clean? Are the techs rushing to get you in and out as quickly as possible? Do they disinfect the tubs in between each customer (the disinfectant usually needs 10 minutes to work efficiently)? 

2. Make sure a new, sterilized set of tools is used for each person. I prefer seeing the bag opened myself.

3. Don't shave your legs! I know it seems strange, but if you nick yourself shaving it can set you up for an easy infection.

4. Schedule your appointment first thing in the morning since that's when the tubs are usually the cleanest.

5. DON'T LET THEM CLIP OR CUT THE CUTICLE! I capped that because that is what happened to me. In fact, it had occurred many times before at different salons (I was just lucky enough to avoid any problems in those instances). I've noticed that many techs feel like it's part of their job to cut your cuticles or tell you that you have an ingrown nail they are removing. STOP THEM IMMEDIATELY! The only person trained to do that properly is a podiatrist! 

6. If anything hurts you during the pedicure, tell them to STOP! It should not be painful!

7. Make sure they don't round the corners of your nail as that increases the chances of a painful ingrown nail developing.

8. Be on the lookout for infection in the days following your pedicure. If anything seems swollen or painful it could possibly be a staph infection. For me, I was in pain as soon as I got home but didn't realize the severity of what was going to occur.

In my situation, what I thought was a simple pedicure led to two months of pain, infection and costly ingrown toenail surgery (which involves needles in multiple places on your foot. OUCH!!). Out of fear, I did not go to another salon for well over a year, but I've now found one that I like and trust. 

Hopefully these tips will help someone avoid the disaster I went though!

I'm including some pics, but be warned, a couple are a little graphic!

Fashion Friday - A new reoccurring post

While my blog tends to focus mostly on things Carter/Mommy related, I also have a passion for fashion. I don't get "dolled up" that often these days, but when I do (and my sis Madison, too) it's usually time for a fun little "photo shoot" or at the very least an OOTD (outfit of the day) photo. So I've decided to dedicate Fridays to those moments and any other fashion/beauty related topics of interest (and down the road I'll have a bigger surprise for you!!).

This first "Fashion Friday" post is from Mother's Day...

Top is Lane Bryant

Necklace is an awesome find from Walmart

Skirt and sandals are Lane Bryant

My dress is also Lane Bryant 

(it's rare that we both have on things from the same place!)

Look for more of these fun posts in the future!!