dresses


Chadwicks of Boston spring for everyone

chadwicks of boston spring dresschadwicks of boston spring collection how to style an off the shoulder dress how to wear off the shoulder over 40

Dress c/o of Chadwicks of Boston. Can be found online here use coupon code CH75247 to save 20% off your purchase now through April 30, 2017.

Spring is here! The weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area has reached the 70’s and it is absolutely beautiful! I was thrilled to be able to wear this beautiful spring dress by Chadwicks of Boston over the weekend for a lovely day with my friends outside, enjoying this fabulous weather!

When I was walking around, I received so many compliments on this dress! I loved being able to tell people it was from Chadwicks of Boston and they have the best prices in the world! Not only does Chadwicks of Boston have amazing price points, they offer fabulous on trend clothing in petite sizes, tall sizes, and plus sizes. Love that!

Since I am regular sized on top, and petite sized on the bottom, Chadwicks of Boston is perfect for me. I can find a regular size top, and pair it with the perfect petite bottom, for a complete outfit, at a great price, all from one place! For these photos, I am showing you a regular size dress which is perfect for spring. Can I tell you how much I LOVE this dress!!!

chadwicks of boston spring dresses

This dress from Chadwicks of Boston can be worn with the shoulders down, like I have done in the photos, or with one shoulder up, or both shoulders up. I also wore it to church over the weekend and put both shoulders up, and switched to flats. It was perfect for a modest look for church; yet with wedges and the shoulders down, it made for a sassy look with my girlfriends. Love the versatility!!!

The belt is detachable too, so if I want to wear it with black accessories, I can switch out the belt easily. I love this dress so much!!!

chadwicks of boston spring dresses

Chadwicks of Boston is such a great place to find clothing for spring! I love how they have a variety of sizes, making it the ultimate destination for all body types, and all women. Plus, can we talk about the fabulous prices!!! The clothing is great quality, fits well, is comfortable, and offered at such good prices! I have to pinch myself to believe it!!

Before internet shopping became so common, I remember receiving the Chadwicks of Boston catalog in the mail. They always had such cute clothing at great prices! This is still the same Chadwicks of Boston from the catalog, only much easier to access from anywhere because, as you know, the Internet is everywhere! Chadwicks of Boston also has easy to follow “Fit Guidelines” which makes ordering the right size super easy. Love that!

chadwicks of boston spring dresses

I am so happy to have received this beautiful dress for spring from Chadwicks of Boston. They have so many amazing styles for every body type, and every woman; I cannot wait to find more styles for my wardrobe! You can find my fabulous ruffle dress online here, you can use coupon code CH75247 to save 20% off your purchase now through April 30, 2017.

This dress hits every button for spring. Bare shoulder trend; check! Ruffle trend; check! Stripes trend; check! Denim trends; check! That’s four trend in one dress! Love that! The sidewalk is my runway, and I’m walking it this spring in this fabulous dress, at a great price, by Chadwicks of Boston.

For more fabulous styles and sizes from Chadwicks of Boston, please visit their website at Chadwicks.com and use coupon code CH75247 now through April 30, 2017 to save 20% off your purchase!!!

Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

*DISCLOSURE:  I AM PARTICIPATING IN A COMPENSATED CAMPAIGN WITH THIS BRAND.  THE STYLING AND THE WRITTEN WORDS ARE MY OWN. #AD

*Photo credit: Dawn/Fashion Should Be Fun

chadwicks of boston spring dresses dresses under $50


How to wear a special occasion dress multiple times

fundraising gala gown

Have you ever been invited to an event and wondered if you can re-wear a dress from your closet? Do you have a fabulous gala gown just collecting dust in your closet that you would love to wear to another gala but you are not sure if it is OK to rewear a formal dress? We have been programmed over the years to never be caught wearing the same special occasion dress twice. Therefore, it can be difficult to know what to do with a formal dress hanging in our closets!

Special events are just that; special. So we all have this subconscious feeling inside which tells us we need a special, new dress for the occasion. While shopping for a new gala gown, or cocktail dress, is a lot of fun, it can also add up! Think about how much you spend each time you attend an event. Could that money go towards a fabulous designer bag you can wear on a daily basis? Or maybe that money could buy an entire new summer wardrobe, or pay for a trip to Hawaii. Perhaps the money could be used for a new washing machine. (I know boring, but reality)

Saving money, and still making a special event feel special, is easier than you think! You can absolutely re-wear a special occasion dress, gala gown, or cocktail dress; again, and again, and again! The only rule of thumb is to never wear the same dress, to the same event, twice. That silver cocktail dress you wore to your friend’s party last week? You can’t wear it with that group of people again, but you can easily wear it to the upcoming charity event you are attending, and then your second cousin’s Friday night wedding. Get the idea?

While it seems to be a simple thing to be able to wear a dress over, and over, there is one easy way to remember where you have worn each dress. I easily forget where I wore a dress; especially if it hangs in my closet for two or three years. Since formal attire trends don’t change often, you can hold on to a dress for several years and continually re-wear it. Love that!

I have one simple system I use to help me keep track of where, and when, and with who, I wore a dress. In order to keep track of where my dress has been, I make hang-tags which I keep on the hangers of my dresses while they hang in my closet. This tells me when I wore a dress, which group of people I wore it with, and to which event it attended. This enables me to get many wears out of a cocktail dress, gala gown, or party dress without getting caught in the same dress twice, with the same group of people.

Here are the steps for making your own hangtags! You can see what they should look like in the photos below.

  1. Buy a package of index cards.
  2. Use a hole punch on the end of one index card to make a hole about a quarter-inch from the top. Hold the index card vertically when you punch the hole so that the hole is on one of the short ends of the card, not the long end
  3. Using scissors, cut a straight line from the end of the card to the hole.
  4. Make three columns on the card and label them “Date,” “Event,” and “Group.”
  5. Fill in the card with the event information from the place you wore it.
  6. Hang the card on the hanger; and voila! You have a record of where. and when, and with whom, you wore each gala gown, cocktail dress, and party dress!

punch a hole how to make a formal dress hangtag steps for making a formal dress hangtag how to rewear a cocktail dress how to remember where you wore a dress how to remember where you wore a cocktail dress how to wear a special occasion dress again

In addition to a special occasion dress, you are likely to own special occasion shoes, and clutches. These can be re-worn over, and over, and over again. If you have a clutch, or a pair of shoes which are kitschy, they will have a shelf life and should be labelled, so that they are never re-worn to the same event twice. If you tend to own classic formal accessories, like me, then you can easily re-wear them to the same event, and with the same group of people.

formal high heels shoes

Pictured: Tom Ford formal pumps

When it comes to formal accessories, I recommend owning three formal clutches or mini-bags, one in black, one in silver, and one in gold. I also recommend owning three pairs of formal shoes, one pair in black, one in silver, and one in gold. My black satin mini bag is fifteen years old, yet every-time I wear it, the bag looks fresh and new. Look for formal accessories which are classic and can be used over, and over. You will save a ton of money over time. Besides, when you attend an event, everyone is looking at your dress, not your shoes or bag. #FunFact

There you have it! It is OK to re-wear a formal dress to another event as long as you are keeping track of where you wore it before. Do you have a system to keep track of where you wore your gowns? If so, please share in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy saving money by re-wearing your formal gowns, cocktail dress, and party ensembles!

XOXO

Cathy


Karina dress for fall

karina dresses fall 2016 karina dresses fall 2016 fall 2016 street style chloe fayehow to style a dress for fallhow to style a dress for fall how wear booties dress fall 2016

Pictured: Chanel sunglasses / MAC lipstick in Fabby / bold white shell earrings / dress c/o Karina / small black handbag (also love this one under $300) / rings c/o Kendra Scott / nail polish c/o Kendra Scott / bracelet c/o Kendra Scott / black fringe booties (super comfy!)

One of the big trends for the fall 2016 season, is the fall florals trend. Dark hued florals, and bold floral patterns, are huge this autumn season. So when I spotted this fall dress donning a fabulous fall floral pattern, I knew I needed it in my life!

I am always on the hunt for a fabulous, versatile dress. This kimono style dress from Karina Dresses is perfect for the fall season. Not only does it reflect the current fall trends from the runways, it is incredibly comfortable. Love that!

This dress can easily be worn casually, as I have styled it, or paired with pumps for a dressier look. It will also look amazing when the weather gets cooler with knee boots. For a more bohemian look, this Karina dress can be paired with flats, a fringe handbag, and layered necklaces. Love!

If you are looking for a versatile dress this fall, which can easily be worn casually or dressy, then check out Karina dresses! You can find their entire collection online here. Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉