outfits

Mysterious navy dress

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged hm / outfits / summer 2016 / tory burch / valentino by

H & M nursing dress
flowing navy dress for summertory burch degrade shoulder bagnavy summer dresssummer wedding guest dress

Pictured: Earrings: Kendra Scott / Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa / Dress: H & M / Cuff: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Dolce & Gabbana Turquoise (sold out in USA, similar here) / Handbag: Tory Burch / Shoes: Valentino (old, current season here)

Have you ever spotted the perfect article of clothing, outfit, or dress at a store, only to discover it was maternity; and you weren’t pregnant at the time? Ha! Apparently I just did that!

I spotted the perfect navy dress for the summer at H & M. This dress has a midi length, flowing silhouette, tie belt, and puff top which offered a beautiful drape; all for under $50! I knew right away this navy dress would be perfect during the summer season for church, a wedding, a shower, a fundraising lunch, the theater, or any summer event which calls for a dressy dress! I fell in love, and snapped it up!

Since I often share my church outfit on my Instagram account, I decided to grab the link to the dress to share with my Instagram friends. You can only image my shock when I found the dress on H & M’s website, only to learn it was a nursing dress! Really?? So, I looked down the top, and lo and behold, there was the hole! Yikes! Of course the minute I mentioned it, my husband decided it was some sort of sign that we should go for baby number four. Um no, we are good with three!

I bent into several different positions, having my kids and husband check to make sure the hole was not visible. Everything that needed to be covered, was covered! The dress was safe to wear.

Now that I am over the initial shock of buying a nursing dress without knowing, I have found that I love this dress, and will definitely wear it often this season.

If you are looking for a nursing dress, or just a really versatile dressy dress for the summer, then this is perfect! Especially with a price tag of under $50, how can you go wrong?

Nursing dress and outfit details:

Weathering the heat

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged bcbg / fendi / outfits / summer 2016 by

casual chic outfit idea for hot weather how to style a fendi dotcom hot weather event outfit idea party outfit for a hot day

Pictured: Earrings: Kendra Scott / Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa / Necklace: Jennifer Zeuner (adjustable length! Love!) / Top: Gibson (on major sale!) / Skirt: BCBG / Handbag: Fendi (color sold out, similar shade here, and here) / Bracelets: Kendra Scott Color Bar (ready-made here) / Ring: 2Bandits / Nail Polish: Dolce & Gabbana Turquoise (similar under $10 here) / Shoes: Christian Louboutin (old, similar here under $100)

It has been over ninety degrees the past week here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Words cannot even describe how hot it has been ! Normally when the temperature rises over eighty degrees, the heat wave only lasts for three days tops, then the fog comes in and turns things back to normal. This time, the fog took seven days to come in, and then the temperatures quickly rose again. Ahhhh!

I wore this outfit to Hotel Valencia’s Summer Kickoff Poptail party last week at Santana Row. I chose to wear this skirt since it is a wrap skirt. Wrap maxi skirts are much cooler than traditional maxi skirts; and I love the warm weather, summer vibe which maxi skirts evoke.

The most comfortable shoes to wear in the heat are espadrilles; at least in my humble opinion. The rope soles are soft to stand and walk in, plus they are made from natural fibers which breath easily, and keep feet from sweating. Love that! So, I paired this maxi skirt with my go-to espadrille wedges. They must be ten years old now. It feels like I have owned them forever. I found a pair made exactly like them, for under $100. They come in several colors and can be found online here. They are must-have in the summer months.

This outfit was perfect for a summer chic soiree held outside, in the heat. I am definitely looking forward to wearing it again to other parties this summer when a summer chic look is in order. When I don’t need my camera, I would pair it with a small fringe handbag such as this one. Or a 1970s inspired saddle bag.

Stay tuned for my recap of Hotel Valencia’s Summer Kick of party at Santana Row posting tomorrow!

Thank you for stopping by,

XOXO

Cathy

Photo credit: Laura Adney/Have Need Want

Summer chic soiree outfit details:

Casual summer boyfriend jeans

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged banana republic / casual style / givenchy / jimmy choo / outfits / summer 2016 by

how to style casual summer boyfriend jeanshow to wear a givenchy antigona with a casual outfithow to wear boyfriend jeans in the summer

Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa / Necklace: c/o Kendra Scott / Top: Banana Republic / Handbag: Givenchy / Bracelet: c/o Kendra Scott (old, also love this one) / Nail Polish: Chanel Canotier / Ring: Kendra Scott / Jeans: Banana Republic / Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Casual, summer boyfriend jeans, have become my go-to on days when I want to be comfortable. They are loose fitting, the fabric gives, and they look more like I am wearing real clothing then running around town in yoga pants. Although boyfriend jeans are not what one would refer to as “slimming,” they are comfortable, and easy to dress up or down. Those facts alone make them a winner in my closet!

I have worn my summer boyfriend jeans with high wedges, low heels, and also flat shoes. In the pictures above, I wore my boyfriend jeans to Santana Row with a pair of espadrille/sneaker hybrids. It was very comfortable! I was with my two daughters, who both took these pictures, and knew I would be doing a lot of walking. The shoes, and jeans, were the perfect combination for walking, shopping, and spending time with my two girls.

We were at Santana Row so I could check out some Father’s Day gift ideas, and put together a gift guide for Father’s Day, which you can read online here. After we took pictures of my favorite gift ideas, we went to Lisa’s Tea Treasures for tea. It was so much fun!

If you have never been to Lisa’s Tea Treasures, I highly recommend going. The tea food is filling, and makes a great lunch. The service is fabulous, and it is a great opportunity to teach your kids table manners; if you have children.

How often do you serve formal tea at home? If you are like me, once every ten years-if that! Going to Lisa’s Tea Treasures is definitely a great opportunity to teach tea time etiquette to the kids. They have a kids tea which includes a small slice of cheese pizza, mini corn dogs, ice cream, and fruity tea. My daughters love it! You can see my meal on my Instagram online here. That was cannoli cake, and it was pure heaven!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Outfit details: