Weddington Way | Fourth of July

 Weddington Way has a number of amazing bridesmaid dress styles and inspired me to create a style board based on a Fourth of July wedding with their selection.

I was most excited because my parents actually got married on July Fourth, so I grew up celebrating their wedding while also celebrating America. There were always red, white and blue treats, more fireworks than the city limits could imagine, and lots of pool time.

Plus, I’m also a gal who loves a good theme – so bring it on!

Believe it or not, this is 1987 – how fashionable is that peplum on my mom and her Maid of Honor? Plus, the off the shoulder look? Absolutely love it. I’ll be re-inventing this gown for my own wedding weekend!

And while we are giving a nod to the past, here’s a great photo of their cake.

Multiple tiers, and the fountain in the center? Seriously – Karen knew what she was doing!

So how do you translate a fabulous Fourth of July wedding to modern-day nuptials? Simple!

No really, simplicity!

I chose a gorgeous, crimson Weddington Way bridesmaid dress based on the stylings of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Classic, structured lines with a subtle, modern sleeve. The bow in the front ties it all together! It is so lovely that few accessories are needed, and it is a style that can be worn to a luncheon, wedding, shower, and more.

In thinking through the right accessories, I saw fireworks when I found these Oscar de la Renta tassel earrings. They have the perfect amount of glamour and movement to make your maids not just look like Jackie O, but feel like Jackie O.

Shoes you ask? Shoes I give you! There are two aspects to keep in mind if wearing a shorter bridesmaid dress – you want to elongate your legs, and be able to walk in them! As a former pageant contestant, my eyes immediately went to this pair of Stuart Weitzman heels. This is a shoe you can wear again and again, and will look three inches taller, not because of the height, but because of the ability to blend your leg and foot.

For flowers? Anemones, of course! These are among my favorites with their little nod of color in the center which often takes on a bluish-blackish hue. The secret to having a Fourth of July wedding is in not going over the top, but just giving a hint here and there.

Let’s dress the fellas while we’re at it! What man wouldn’t look smashing in this custom blue drillino suit from J. Hilburn? It is the perfect shade to contrast next to the Weddington Way bridesmaid dresses, with a fit that is to die for.

And finally, favors. Nothing is more American then freedom, baseball and Coca-Cola, so gift your guests with a tiny treat of a mini Coke!

How would you style an Americana-themed wedding? Any favorites you have seen before?

Partnered post with Weddington Way. 

 

:: She Wears the Pants ::

Happy Friday, my printed-pant loving pals! If you knew how often I wore this exact outfit (literally, no variation) you might be embarrassed for me. Or, maybe it’s just that it is the ideal work-weekend-pushing the limits but still professional enough-type outfit that you would do the same.

Eh. Either way, these pants find their way into my line-up weekly because they have such a unique pattern, a stretchy waist-band, and a baggy-in-the-right-way kind of fit.

Oh, and pockets. Could they be any more perfect?!

Pants // Anthropologie

Top // boutique find

Shoes // Forever 21

Necklace // Bauble Bar

Bracelet // Tory Burch + Fit Bit

Rings // H&M

:: Something Blue ::

Bride Brain. A very real condition affecting the nervous system and the brain’s executive system.

As someone who has been a “planner” her whole life, and executed events since the dawn of time ranging from two to 20,000 people, I thought my own wedding would be a total breeze.

Seems like I’m very rarely right these days!

While I absolutely know what I want, it’s the constant feeling of never being able to say that one task is fully complete which just kills me. Just when I have made the biggest leap into selecting one thing or another and am feeling as though I’ve gained leverage on the whole thing, someone asks if I’ve done this or that and I spiral back into realizing how much there is left to do. Meaning I never want to leave the house and I’m ready for October 24th to arrive. But not really. But so ready.

Girls often say that they have spent their whole life dreaming of their wedding day. Sure, I thought about it, but was way more interested in Barbie rescuing Ken from an abductor. #girlpower? In reality, I wish I had grown up learning how to use a spreadsheet and learning how to diagram a reception hall to fit the correct number of guests – this would have been much more beneficial – and another reason we should be implementing STEM into our schools as much as possible.

So, how can we be upset with our bridezilla Britanzilla friends who just want to go to bed at night feeling accomplished? It’s certainly insane to think they can multi-task at this level while doing their real job, getting into wedding-gown shape, and spending their parent’s life savings.

In honor of the wedding-to-be, let’s look at something blue today! This blouse from Anthro is an absolute fave and the warmer weather is slowly helping me circulate through my skirt collection. The Dallas heatwave will be here before we know it though, and this work-appropriate outfit will be too hot! My closet is seriously lacking in the blouse department – what’s our go-to for tops?!

Top //  Anthropologie

Skirt // Adrianna Papell

Clutch // Nordstrom

Necklace // J. Crew

Shoes // Old Navy

:: These Little Town Blues ::

This weekend we were able to experience a rare, incredible gift – highs in the 70’s at the beginning of February. No better way to start birthday week!!

I’m enjoying wearing skirts and baring my unbelieveably white legs (you’d never guess I had Hispanic blood with these babies), because we are heading to Neeeeeeeeeeew Yoooooooork!

While it may be 18 degrees, I’m still giddy with excitement to visit the city. Taylor will be working from his law firm’s New York office on Friday while Josh and I spend the day brunching, shopping, and playing at KLEINFELD’S!

After trying on well over 100 dresses and earning the title of most specific bride, I put in my application for “Say Yes to the Dress” and will be spending every day anxiously awaiting TLC’s phone call. They’d be nut not to have this nut on the show. Seriously. What’s better than a former pageant competitor who is not a fan of white dresses but has a very specific veil, shopping with her childhood best friend on her birthday, and knows exactly what she wants, and much like Elle Woods doesn’t want something that comes right out and says “bride?!”

Nothing. Nothing beats that level of cray.

Even if TLC forgets to give me a ring, I still have Saturday and Sunday to look forward to. I haven’t been to NYC in a few years, but can’t even get beyond my thoughts on Friday so – any suggestions on must-do’s or must-see’s for our little three day weekend? We’ll have loads of time Saturday and the majority of the day Sunday, and I’ve visited all the tourist-y things in the past. What’s your best recommendation?!

So, perhaps the stripes and midi skirt will not work for me this weekend as the snow is expected to begin falling on Thursday. This is clearly a blessing to ensure I don’t get the itch to move us up north!

 

Top // J. Crew

Skirt // Top Shop

Booties // Shoe Mint

Necklace // J. Crew

Bracelet // Tory Burch

:: Golden Globes ::

I’m not one to actually watch an awards show, but you better believe I’ll spend a good chunk of time on the internet the following day!

1. LOVE green and LOVE the sheer accent on Shaun Robinson.

2. What’s not to love about a pantsuit with a gigantic bow? Well played, Emma Stone.

3. While the color on her skin isn’t perfect, I can’t help but adore the way this beauty shines.

4. Zuhair Murad – my favorite designer. The middle of this dress is distracting, but the intricacy is gorgeous.

5. Satin is tricky and shows loads of wrinkles, but THAT TOP!

6. Hate radiant orchid, but Lupita looks absolutely amazing. The texture, the flow – perfection.

7. Tina Fey – you made the casual sequined tux cool again. Where can I get one of these puppies?

8. Easily my favorite. This silhouette is so flattering – particularly the gathered peplum and belted waist.

9. I honestly just threw this in because I like symmetry and a classic shape.

:: Blank Space ::

I never thought this day would come. As long as I can remember, I have been the anti-Taylor Swift fan. We could discuss this for days – don’t get me started.

The world is clearly spinning backwards, because I can’t stop listening to 1989 on repeat. The. Entire. Album. While my outfit is a slightly different “blank space” than the song is referring to, I have had this sweater on repeat just the same as the playlist itself.

Additionally, have we all been singing about “starbuck’s lovers” since we heard that song? This article proves I’m not alone in the lyrics I’ve been jamming out to.

“They’ll tell you I’m insane…”

 

Top // Anthropologie

Pants // J. Crew

Shoes // Gap

PBag // Kate Spade

Watch // Anthropologie

:: Valentino goes with Everything ::

These shoes are among my favorites. The story of how they found their forever home is another one of my favorites.

When I went to the Bahamas with Taylor’s family last January, we were pretty bummed (by we I mean his mom and I) to only have one day of sunshine out of the five we were there. The boys weren’t too concerned – we were at Atlantis and the casino was able to keep their attention for hours at a time.

Each night after dinner, I would join them, pick a number, and embarrassingly shout for that number no matter if it was one we had a bet on or not. Clearly not my first game of craps, but obviously I’ve always played the same way.

Between the three Robertson men, they are mathematic geniuses, and my preschool math capabilities can’t keep up with their odds-calculating minds. While I always join them in Vegas for the game, I don’t go consistently enough to be all that fantastic. I squeezed between the guys, Taylor’s dad gave me a few chips to play with, and I followed along – being coached the entire way.

An hour passed, two hours passed, and my chips began to rack up. Two hundred, three hundred… we were on a roll! Once I hit the target which I knew was in sight, I stepped back and announced that I was done.

Taylor looked at me a little baffled as to why I would stop – but it was getting late, and I had exactly what I wanted. Enough chips to go home and purchase the infamous Valentino Rockstuds!

 

 

 

Shoes // Valentiono

Top // Stella Rae’s

Jeans // Gap

Bag // Kate Spade

Necklace // Max & Chloe

Bracelet Watch // Anthropologie

:: Needing a Napa ::

Napa. Where do I even begin?

We’ll do a full breakdown eventually, but I think I speak for Taylor and I both when I say – we are ready to move.

Imagine a world which is the perfect blend of Shawnee, Oklahoma and Dallas, Texas. Yes – impossible to put together in your mind, but a dream come true. This is exactly how I would describe Napa/Yountville/Oakville – the entire region.

The most perfect Main Streets, filled with unique shops (and a Trader Joe’s a stone’s throw away). Winding roads lined with lush trees fill the horizon, and people who are as nice as they could possibly be. Looking back, I’m shocked we returned home.

Taylor’s itinerary would put a Disney Dad to shame, but somehow we made it to just about every vineyard we wanted to see, and then some. (The beauty of having a post-bar exam pre-start date future attorney around). These photos were taken at Turnbull Cellars – a favorite for multiple reasons. Our tasting guide was awesome, we got to wander the grounds freely, see all the bells and whistles, and then they went out of their way to add to my wine coaster collection! Oh, and the wine was fantastic.

T spent most of the days trying to talk me into a Napa wedding, but it seemed like it was just a good excuse to get out to the region a few (dozen) more times in the next year. Not such a bad idea though…

 

Dress: Anthropologie

Bag: C. Wonder

Shoes: Shoe Mint

Necklace: Max & Chloe

Bracelet: C. Wonder

:: Maxed Out ::

So here are a few photos from our first evening in Cabo. That is of course, after a day of Aero Mexico arguments.

Remember when we had an issue with an unbelievable delay? That was not the end of our problems. Taylor sat on the phone with Aero Mexico from the time we hit security until the time we boarded the plane. Since we were not taking the original flight, they intended to cancel our return reservation. It was in that moment that I was very thankful to be dating an attorney (who just telepathically corrected my sentence  to include the phrase “pending his passage of the bar exam.”)

Taylor ensured that we had a flight home, and we spent the rest of our week relaxing, laying out near the pool, reading, and someone of non-hispanic descent (clearly not me) got burned. It’s a different sun down there! Fast forward to the end of our stay, as Taylor tries to check us in to our flights. What a surprise when our reservation did not exist! He then spent the good majority of our last day on the phone with Aero Mexico, with no guarantee that we would be able to board the flight previously purchased.

Fortunately, we were bailed out and flown home. Thank goodness – paradise could have gotten really expensive really quickly!

 

Dress // Stella Rae’s

Belt // J.Crew

Bag // Gift

Bracelet // Nordstrom

:: Sherbert + Stripes ::

WHEW! It’s hot out. Meaning I’m getting a little crazy creative with my sartorial selections.

I bought this romper at J.Crew a zillion years ago, and honestly never wore it until just recently. However, now it has become a summer time staple. It’s so easy to throw on a statement necklace or swap out a different belt. Of course, you could always throw on every shade of sherbet with it as well…

With this heat wave, my trip to Utah could not be timed more perfectly. My sister has been interning in Park City since May, and has promised me the world’s greatest pizza and lots of downtown shopping. I’ve never been so thrilled to visit a place in the summer which will require a jacket. JACKPOT!

 

Romper / J. Crew (very old – but I definitely need this one!) | Shoes / Kohl’s | Bag / Kate Spade (sold out – can’t go wrong here!) | Sunglasses / Elizabeth + James (old, these are great!) | Jewelry / David Yurman, C. Wonder