Little Striped Dress

 

Dress: ASOS (also loving this option)/ Sweater: Old Navy / Sandals: NY & Co. (similar and Valentino look-alikes!) / Necklace: Groopdealz / Belt: Gap (similar)

 

They always say that every woman needs a little black dress in her wardrobe, but I think a striped dress is just as necessary. Since this one arrived from ASOS, I have been wearing it nonstop, probably more than I have ever worn any of my LBDs, mostly because the stripes give off that beachy, nautical vibe that I crave so much during summer.

 

Despite having insanely thick hair, I usually have a hard time getting any volume near the roots. When I did my hair for these pictures, I sprinkled OSiS Dust It mattifying powder at the roots and rubbed it in with my fingers. The result was serious volume that I've never been able to achieve before. I also sprinkled a little of it through to the ends of my hair while it was still damp, giving me the perfect beachy waves to go with my nautical striped dress.

 

Don't forget to enter the Lemons & Lace giveaway! The winner gets to choose one headband or bow in any size (adult, newborn, toddler, child, etc.). The designs are adorable, and the headbands are the perfect accessory for a day at the pool/beach/lake this summer! Enter for your chance to win here.

 

 

OSiS Dust It powder c/o Influenster.com. As always, all opinions are my own. 



Lemons & Lace Giveaway!

 

Headband: Lemons & Lace "Baby Blues" / Shirt: J. Crew

 

 

Headband: Lemons & Lace "Dear Delilah" / Sweater: Gap

 

To ease this week's case of the Mondays, we are starting the week off right with a fun little giveaway!

 

Last week I mentioned how much I love my headbands from Lemons & Lace...they fit perfectly- not too tight, not too loose, they stay put on your head, and they come in a variety of darling prints.  This week Lemons & Lace has graciously offered to give away a headband to one lucky Sugar and Chiffon reader! I'm admittedly a little jealous because I have been eyeing this headband since it came out. It's adorable!

 

 

MUST BE A FOLLOWER OF SUGAR AND CHIFFON TO ENTER

(use the widget at the right side of this page to follow via Google Friend Connect)

 

To enter:

 

1) Visit the Lemons & Lace website and leave a comment on this post telling which headband you'd pick if you won.

2) Like Lemons & Lace on Facebook

3) Like Sugar and Chiffon on Facebook

 

Extra entries:

 

1) Follow Lemons & Lace on Instagram

2) Follow Sugar and Chiffon on Bloglovin'

3) Follow Sugar and Chiffon on Instagram

4) Tweet about the giveaway tagging @lemons_andlace and @HeyItsMeKatySue

5) Pin a picture from this post on Pinterest and leave a link to the pin in a comment on this blog post

 

Leave a SEPARATE comment for each one of the above actions you complete. Make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! Giveaway will close at midnight (ET) on Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Winner will be contacted via email shortly thereafter. Open to U.S. residents only. (Sorry international readers!)

 

Good luck!!

 

 

 

Tulle Ballerina Skirt for Grown-ups

{Dress & Belt: Elysian Boutique / Wedges: Sam Edelman (sale!) / Jewelry: Kate Spade, F21, Groopdealz / Lips: NYC Applelicious Lip Balm in Big Apple Red c/o Influenster}

 

When I first saw this dress on the Shop Elysian Instagram, I knew I had to have it. I was a dancer from age 4 until my junior year of college (with a short break during high school because I only had eyes for cheerleading), and this tulle skirt reminds so much of my ballet costumes and my childhood love of anything and everything frilly and pink. The love of frilly pink things has certainly followed me into adulthood, but now I try to find a balance to make the frilly pieces look more sophisticated. The casual cotton top of this dress makes it much more wearable and grown-up than a standard ballet tutu. I rounded out the look with neutral wedges and a satchel to add a little structure to the flowy skirt.

 

...and after we took these pictures, I promptly added some Jergens Natural Glow to my nightly beauty routine. The bottle says they fixed the smell...but it definitely still has some smell to it until it is completely dry.  I didn't find it to be any more offensive than normal unscented lotion, but my husband told me I smelled like Doritos.

 

Smell aside, it is giving me a really nice, even glow.

You win some, you lose some.

 

 

Also, I just got a reminder email that Google Reader and Google Friend Connect will be gone for good in less than 3 weeks. If you would like to follow my blog after the switch (or now), you can find me here on Bloglovin', a neat little website that lets you read all your favorite blogs in one place!

 

I have a fun little giveaway coming up on Monday, so don't forget to check back next week.

Have a great weekend!

Summer Wedges under $80

1. ShoeDazzle Ladii $44.95/ 2. ShoeDazzle Palermo $64.00 / 3. ShoeDazzle Shahla $54.95 / 4. Shoemint Elloise $79.98 / 5. Sole Society Kandace $59.95 / 6. Sole Society Tate $59.95 / 7. ShoeDazzle Sherrylin $42.95

 





When it comes to summer footwear, wedges are my absolute favorite. I'm pretty short, so I like to add some extra height to my frame, but I hate the achy, blistered feet that often come with height-adding shoes. Wedges give me that extra height without sacrificing comfort like you do with traditional heels. Oddly enough, I don't own very many pairs of wedges, and of the ones I do have, all but one have seen better days and are basically falling apart. While perusing the internet for cute wedges, three retailers really stood out from the pack: ShoeDazzle, Shoemint and Sole Society.

 

If you can't tell, I am having a ShoeDazzle moment lately. They have really pretty designs curated by Rachel Zoe, and the price point is spot on with the shoes starting at just $40. I've got my eyes on 4 different pairs, but I've vowed not to buy any more shoes until I make enough money from Poshmark to pay for the new shoes. (Shop my Poshmark closet here, wink wink.)

 

I've long been a fan of Shoemint. While their prices are a bit higher (prices start at $79), the shoes are manufactured by Steve Madden and curated by Rachel Bilson, so the designs are fabulous and the quality is excellent.

 

Sole Society is nice because it is also sold at Nordstrom, and Julianne Hough designs shoes for them. She's adorable, and so are her designs! Both ShoeDazzle and Sole Society are new to me, so I don't know firsthand about the quality. However, after lots of online research aka blog reading, it seems like both are pretty decent in quality.

 

New members get 20% off their first ShoeDazzle purchase, 25% off their first Shoemint purchase and 20% of their first Sole Society purchase of $69.95 or more (use code RMN20 for Sole Society).

And, so long as we are talking about shoes, you can take an extra 25% off clearance Luxe810 brands at DSW (includes Gucci, Prada, Giuseppe Zanotti, Herve Leger, and several more) now through Monday with code 25LUXE.

 

Happy shoe shopping!

Royal Blue and Lime

Sweater: Gap / Shorts: J.Crew (on sale!) / Headband: Lemons & Lace /Sandals: Kors Michael Kors / Bracelets: Kate Spade, Pandora, Groopdealz

I just have to tell you how much I love this headband from Lemons & Lace. I usually hate headbands because, while often necessary, they usually are either so loose on my head that they fall off every 10 minutes, or so tight that they give me a headache. When I saw all the cute Lemons & Lace designs, though, I simply couldn't resist ordering a couple...and they are PERFECT. Not too tight, not too loose, just the right amount of stretch, and cute enough to wear with every day clothing and not just gym clothes. Also, the company is based in Ohio, so it felt good to know that I was supporting a small, local business while feeding my shopping addiction. ;)

Also, these J.Crew chino shorts are one of my favorite pairs of shorts I've ever owned. They were on sale in store last weekend for $30 plus an additional 30% off, so I picked up a few pairs. They come in such fun colors and prints, different inseams to cater to different comfort levels when it comes to leg-bearing, and the tailored cut looks so crisp and clean. I highly recommend them!

Linking up with Walking in Memphis in High Heels today!

Saturday Sale Round Up

 

{via}

 

Just in case you were planning on doing a little shopping this weekend (or if you're like me and are merely looking for an excuse to do so...) here's a round up of sales going on right now:

 

Have a great weekend!

 

 

J.Crew: 25% off your purchase in stores and online with code SUMMER

 

J.Crew Factory: 30-40% off all women's dresses and skirts (no code necessary)

 

Gap: 25% off your purchase online only with code GAPTREAT

 

The Limited: Buy one get one 50% off original ticket prices (discount applied automatically at checkout), plus take $10 off every $50 you spend with code TAKE 10

 

ShoeDazzle: 25% off select styles of summer sandals, no code necessary

 

C. Wonder: extra 50% sale items with code SALE50 (I've got my eyes on these gold druzy earrings)

 

Old Navy: 20% off women's styles in stores and online with code ONLADIES20

 

Crate & Barrel: up to 60% off at their Outlet Sale in stores and online (no code necessary)

 

Bloomingdale's: 20% off your purchase (with some exclusions) online with code JUNEFRIENDS

 

Henri Bendel: 25% off handbags and small leather goods online with code BDAYSATURDAY

 

Ann Taylor: 50% off full price shoes with code HEELS50

 

Moda Operandi: Summer Sale up to 70% off designer items (no code necessary)

 

Coach: up to 50% off shoes at their semi-annual shoe sale (no code necessary)

RueLaLa: steals and scores under $50 at the Women's Style Spree sale (no code necessary)

 

And lastly, this one isn't a sale, but Lemons & Lace has the cutest Fourth of July-themed headband up on her site right now, and it is sure to sell out fast. It's called the Little Firecracker, it features blue stripes with a retro red bow, and it comes in sizes from newborn to adult. If you order by June 13th, it will be delivered in time for the 4th!

 



Spring Fever VoxBox

Spring Fever VoxBox c/o Influenster

 

When Influenster sent me their Spring Fever VoxBox a few weeks ago, I was so excited to try out some new products, but was kind of unsure what to expect. When my box arrived, I was excited to find that it was filled with a variety of products, none of which I had ever tried before. That's what so great about these surprise home-delivery boxes- It gives you a chance to try out new products, some of which you might really fall in love with!

 

NYC Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm in Big Apple Red ($2.99)

 

I LOVE this stuff! I was worried that it might feel really sticky like some cheaper lip products can, but this balm has an apple-shaped core of shea butter and various oils to make it really moisturizing. I was surprised to find that it went on sooo silky. It deposits just the right amount of color, so I felt like it kind of enhanced the natural color of my lips. This will be a perfect product to add a touch of lip color when I don't want to wear a full face of makeup, like at the pool or gym.

(You know, if I went to the gym.)

Broadway Nails Impress Press-On Manicure in Joyride (similar color) ($5.99-7.99)

 

I've seen commercials for these on tv, and I've been wondering how long they really last. I'm always looking for ways to get a decent-looking manicure without having to wait 20942 hours for them to dry, only to wake up the next morning with the imprint of my bed sheets on my freshly painted nails, so I'm really interested to try these out and see how they work.

 

Secret Outlast Clear Gel Antiperspirant/Deodorant ($4.59)

 

I was a little hesitant about this one, because I normally hate gel deodorants. I can't stand how wet they feel on your skin or how long they normally take to dry. But I committed to keeping an open mind and tried this one out for 1 whole week. Like most gel deodorants, the gel goes on really wet and cold, but that's actually been kind of refreshing given how hot and humid it has been here lately. (Tmi? Sorry.) It does take a little bit to dry, but not nearly as long as I was expecting. My favorite part about it though is that you have literally a 0% chance of getting nasty white marks on your clothing. I definitely will use this a lot this summer to avoid getting embarrassing white marks on my sleeveless shirts and dresses.

 

OSIS Dust It Mattifying Powder ($23.50)

 

I really don't think I could live without dry shampoo, so I was elated to get a new kind to try out. I normally use the aerosol kind, so this powder one is a lot different than what I am used to. But, man it gives me some good volume that I haven't been able to get with my Batiste or Suave spray dry shampoo. The box also included a coupon for $5 of any OSIS product at Ulta.

 

Overall, I was incredibly pleased with the Spring Fever VoxBox! Thank you so much, Influenster!

 

I might do some full reviews on the OSiS Powder and the Impress nails...let me know if that's something you'd like to see!

 

 

 

This VoxBox was provided to me free of charge by Influenster for the purposes of review. As always, all opinions are my own.