Friday Favorites: Feel Pretty Dresses

TGIF! Our clothes are purposeful (they keep us from running around naked) but they also can evoke confidence and pretty feelings. 

Each year in June Ryan takes me on a special date in Kiawah Island to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We cheered to 14 a little early but with a lot of gratitude & love! It's important to me to wear something that makes me pretty and significant, just like the occasion.

I believe it's essential to have pieces that make you feel as exceptional as the reason you're wearing them. That could be a random Tuesday or a shindig that's been on your calendar for months. 

Note: It's not about the outfit being fancy or expensive (the dress I wore last year was a resale purchase). 

 

MY DRESS

For me fabric like silk, rich colors and a unique cut/design are elements I look for.  I often say to my gal pals "I don't want to look like my every day mom, Sunday school teacher or work roles!". 

Here are some dresses I believe will make one feel pretty ...

TEAL MAXI

YELLOW ONE SHOULDER MAXI

ORANGE HALTER MAXI

I have this! it's currently 50% off!

LINEN GEOGRAPHIC BORDER MAXI

CRISS CROSS HALTER MAXI

STRIPE HALTER MIDI

Dress Beautifully in a Dress that Makes You Feel Pretty

XOXO Sarah Louise

Tickled Hot Pink

It's the week of love!!! I adore Valentine's Day because, well it's all about love, and pink and hearts and so much cuteness! I'm not into the candy, flowers or stuffed animals but I'll take ALL the X's and O's!!!

While we should treat our loved ones like we do on Valentine's Day all year, it is fun to give a little extra sugar and romance.

I will never need an excuse to wear pink but I love that I get to see it in excess this time of year. I found this pink dress before Christmas and not only did the color speak my language, the draping and design is striking, soft and so flattering!

The satin fabric is draped and pulled at an angle on the neckline and waist creating a very shapely silhouette.  The longer length with side slit is elongating (yes please for this petite gal!).
This dress will span across so many occasions: showers, parties, holidays and nights out on the town.

In fact, Ryan has a physician's awards dinner tonight and I plan on wearing this exact ensemble!

I prefer darker blues as a neutral over black.  It's softer and just so pretty!
If you're typical go-to is black for dark neutrals, I encourage you to embrace navy as lighter alternate.

Pink Satin Dress | Pumps & Similar | Handbag & Similar | Sunglasses | 

Dress Beautifully in Hot Pink

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Summer Love

It's the weekend! Clearly I didn't manage to write Friday's post so here we are on Saturday.

I do have the best excuse, my Mamma surprised Vivian and I with a visit and with it being Vivian's last week of Summer camp I've been preoccupied with other things the past several days.

One of those being a date night with Mr on Thursday.  Because he practices medicine in the ED he never has an entire weekend off unless he requests them far in advance.  So we go on dates when we can and most often it's on week nights.  I honestly don't mind a bit because restaurants aren't crowded and it feels special not being out with everyone else. I also don't like being out late on a Saturday night because I teach Sunday school early the next morning.

Our happy smiles this past Thursday

Note:  Thank you to my sisters for taking care of our Vivian so that we can go out just us two!

I definitely want to dress snazzy when we go out. We are both casual day-to-day (he in scrubs and me in simple tops & bottoms #momlife) so taking it up a notch not only makes us feel better but it's nice to impress the one you love.

During the Summer it's so crazy hot that no one wants to wear anything tight or fussy.  Cool and comfortable is the name of this dressing game!

My go-to is a cute top with dressy shorts or white jeans or a sundress. 

Here are some outfits I've worn lately for nights out ...

Top on this post | Wedges 

Camisoles show some skin so you can pair them with just about anything and you're evening ready

Only downfall is wearing a strapless bra UGH

Snake Cami

I've received soooo many compliments on this cotton tiered maxi dress

I found it at target a couple years ago!

Here's a similar option & Here

This outfit on this post

This outfit on this post

This outfit on this post

Dress Beautifully on Your Next Date Night

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Roses

It's Valentine's week!  I'm obsessed with love - Love for God, Mr, family, friends, our country and let's not forget the little loves of fashion, red lipstick, black coffee (it is Monday), lemons, fine paper (I'm all about correspondence) and of course champagne! It's Love that sustains me!

When I think of Valentine's Day the typical comes to mind, flowers, chocolate and date nights.  Sadly Mr and I haven't had but a couple Valentine's Day dates over the past 10 years but we always made up for it in other ways when we did see each other.  I was never one for flowers or chocolate, they die and well chocolate isn't friendly on the waist line.  So he always got creative with his tokens of affection. This year he's on the other side of the world but thank goodness our love knows no distance.

It's funny how gals will use any occasion to style a look.  Valentine's Day is no exception.  Magazines, blogs, store front windows and even Pinterest will all be sharing lovely looks.  Even me.
So here's what I picked to celebrate love, because aren't roses the flower of love? - minus the thorns?

This cropped shell with roses was just the piece.  Since it's still winter I paired with one of it's darker shades, bordeaux, but accessorized with lighter shades of pink.  This look is ideal for both the office and date night.  Try swapping the pencil skirt for skinny black pants or jeans for a more comfortable and casual look.

This Valentine's Day pinks, reds, florals and just your sweet heart will make the loveliest of looks!

P.S. Thanks to my gal pals & their peer pressure I'm seeing more roses than ever before, I'm watching 'The Bachelor' for the second time - I know I've lived under a rock.  Well, honestly I record it, I need beauty sleep for my 5am wake up. I want to quit but it's literally a train wreck you can't look away from!!

Rose Top: Vince Camuto more Rose styles here and here || Skirt: Similar and here || 

Pink Handbag: Tory Burch || Pumps: Cole Haan || Earrings: Honora ||  

Dress Beautifully in Roses

XOXO Sarah Louise