I have always been a fan of stripes, so when I spotted this fun sundress with stripes going in several directions, I had to have it! The fabric is really soft and perfect for hot weather. We had a little bit of fog the other day in the morning, so I topped the dress with my go-to denim jacket to combat the chill. The dress is sleeveless with a scoop neckline. It’s great for hot days!
We took these photos the other day before enjoying a yummy lunch at Lazy Dog Restaurant in Cupertino. My two younger kids were snapping my photos before we ate lunch, and in the photo above I am starting to laugh! Well, more of a scared laugh! My two kids were fighting over who was going to take the pictures; with my precious DSLR in hand! It was funny until the camera almost ate it. Then, it was not funny. Thankfully they worked it out, and each one did half the photos. The photos came out pretty good considering my kids were a bit hyper!
Can you see my nails in these photos? I’m wearing one of Dior’s new summer nail polish shades. Their summer 2018 collection is fabulous! I’m reviewing it on the blog tomorrow, so stay tuned! You will love the pretty and vibrant colors!
OK, back to the dress! If you are looking for a comfortable summer dress you can throw on with flip flops, sneakers, or espadrilles this season, check this dress out. It’s under $100 and perfect as a summer go-to! I’m in love!
Summer 2018 is upon us, this means we need to get our closets ready for the hot weather season! There are plenty of runway trends which are hitting the streets this season that we have seen before. What does this mean for us? This means we can shop our closets for summer trends which are continuing from spring, and last summer. Love that!
The first thing to do before shopping for summer 2018, is to look through our closets to find the current summer trends. This will fill in our summer wardrobes, and let us know exactly what we need to actually buy. The more we can find in our closets for summer, the less money we have to spend on our summer wardrobes!
When shopping your closet for summer, look for these trends and items to bring forward for summer:
Straw Handbags: I can’t emphasize enough how important straw bags are this summer season. You can re-wear your Cult Gaia Ark bag from last year, or wear anything straw you can find in your closet. If you don’t have a straw bag, look for a circle one to rock this season.
Espadrilles: Of course, this is a summer staple, so you should already have a pair in your closet. As long as they survived last summer, pull them out and wear them with your straw handbag. If not, grab a pair of wedges, and a flat pair to get you through the summer.
Two-piece sets: Time to show off those abs! Look for matching sets which include shorts sets, pant sets, dress/coat sets, and skirt sets. You’ll find both modest, and tummy revealing versions on the market. This was an emerging trend last year which has taken off this year. If you happen to have been an early adapter, you may have a set in your closet. If not, join me on the quest for the perfect set!
Mules and Slides: This has been a popular shoe style for a couple of years now. You should already have a pair of mules or slides in your closet, if not, this is a great time to invest in a pair for the summer season!
Kitten Heels: This has been an emerging trend in footwear over the past few seasons. For summer 2018, kitten heels are all the rage. If you don’t have a pair collecting dust in your closet from ten years ago, or last year, then this is the time to invest in a pair. If you prefer a higher heel like I do, it’s OK to skip this trend. You don’t have to be short for fashion. My 5’4” frame refuses! Haha
Shades of purple: This is the color of the year, so anything in the purple family from spring can stay in the forefront of your summer closet. If you don’t already own shades of purple, then buy all the purple you see!
Fanny Packs aka “Belt Bags:” I hate to admit it, but fanny packs are all the rage for the summer season. If you have already jumped on this trend, then you’re all set for summer. If you are looking for the cross body’s replacement, this is it. Look for fabulous fanny packs by every major designer and brand. I’ll try to pretend this trend isn’t happening.
Circle Bag, Candy Colored Handbags, and White Bags: These were hot for spring, and are still hot for summer. Keep rocking your circle, white and/or candy colored bags!
Leopard print: Meow! Normally viewed as a fall print, all things leopard are hot for summer. If you have anything leopard print from fall, wear it this summer! Unless it’s wool, or a coat, then refrain. If you don’t have anything lightweight in leopard, this is a great trend to invest in for the summer 2018 season. You will be able to continue to wear it in the fall when temperatures stay high. It’ll make a great transitional print between the summer and autumn seasons. Plus, you can wear it year after year, every fall season! Love that!
The summer 2018 trends can help us make our shopping lists for the hot weather season. Always shop your closet first, then buy the trends you like for the summer that you don’t already own. Remember, you don’t have to rock every trend. I plan to skip kitten heels and fanny packs; and I’m on the fence about matching sets.
What I’m loving for summer so far:
Which summer trends do you plan to wear? Any you plan to skip?
Over this past weekend, my two daughters and I attended a formal tea. It was so much fun being able to teach them some tea etiquette, and to be able to introduce them to a formal event. They were very excited, and had a ton of fun! Of course before the event, they had a few questions. One of the big questions my girls had was, what do you wear to a tea in California?
Well, in different pockets of the United States, tea attire varies. Here in the beautiful state of California, we take a casual approach to our tea attire, and forego the fabulous hat. I know, <sigh>. So, here are the attire tips I gave to my daughters.
The important things to remember when it comes to formal tea attire in the golden state, is to watch your hemline. Hemlines should be knee or t-length. Dresses are always appropriate, but a modest skirt and blouse will suffice. If a one-piece jumpsuit is worn, it should not be tight or revealing; think modestly when it comes to tea. Rompers and pants are a huge faux-pas. Always keep your cleavage covered; again, think modest. This is a formal tea!
Shoes should balance out your outfit. Look for heels or flats which compliment your look. Boots, flip-flops, and espadrille’s should be avoided.
You won’t need a large handbag at a formal tea. Look for a small or medium shoulder bag, or a small satchel. When it comes to your handbag for a formal tea event, less is more.
It’s pretty easy to dress for a formal tea in California. All you need is a modest dress, heels to match, a small or medium bag; and you’re set! I wish we wore hats like they do in the south, but alas, we are a casual bunch here on the west coast; so our heads are bare. Again, <sigh>. I wish we wore hats, but they are only allowed for outdoor tea events, not indoor. The tea we attended was held at an inside banquet venue.
Well, now that you have your outfit picked out, here are a few tea etiquette rules to know before heading into your first formal tea event! These are the rules to learn first, over time, you can learn more. But for now, these etiquette tips will make you look like a tea pro.
Tea etiquette 101:
If hosting, tea food should be presented on a three-tiered cake stand. Each type of food should have it’s own plate. Scones and bread should be on the top tier since it can be covered with a lid if they need to remain warm. The sandwiches go on the middle plate, with sweet treats on the bottom plate.
The order you eat the food is important. You always start with the sandwiches followed by the scones or bread. The sweets are always last.
Always eat your scones in bite size pieces; just like bread at the dinner table. You never butter and jam the whole thing and take a bite. Only tear off a piece you can eat; butter and jam as you go.
Never dunk your scone or biscuit in the tea. That’s a no-no!
Unlike a formal lunch or dinner, you do not leave your napkin on the chair when you leave the table to indicate your return. At a formal tea, you leave your napkin on the table to the left of your plate.
If you enjoyed the tea and would like to be invited back, be sure to place your napkin to the left of the plate, with a crease showing, when you leave the table for good. This will indicate to your host that you had a fabulous time, and would love to return!
When drinking your tea, always leave the saucer on the table, only lift the cup. I’m not sure why people see the need to lift the saucer, it is a big no-no.
Never stir your tea in a circular motion if you add cream or sugar. You must stir from top to bottom and back up; in a half-moon motion. Never do this more then three times! Always place your spoon on the saucer, do not leave it in your cup.
Lastly, don’t raise your pinkie. That’s so very last century. You’ll look like a tool. Please keep it down, thank you!
Of course this is only a list of the most common rules for a tea. If you follow these, no-one will raise an eyebrow if you miss a less important etiquette rule.
If you have more tea etiquette rules you think should be on this list, feel free to leave them in the comment section below! Even though formal teas are not as common as formal lunch or dinner events, it is important to know the basic etiquette just in case you find yourself at one! Knowing tea etiquette can help at work functions, social events, and the like.
My daughters had so much fun attending their first formal event; that wasn’t a wedding. They loved the tea event, even if they preferred drinking water and not tea. haha They are definitely looking forward to attending another one next year!
My formal tea outfit:
Thanks for stopping by!
XOXO
Cathy
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