Polished in Pink

 

One of the chicest looks is a blazer with jeans.  Particularly light jeans (distressed for an extra cool look), a white tee/tank and a low heeled shoe or even sneaker.  This goes all the way back to the 80's where the trend of mixing business with causal was hot ... and still is! 

Now, here's where you let you shine through ... choose a colored blazer, a graphic tee and/or a fun printed sneaker.

Personally, my style is polished & feminine. I chose a pink blazer because it's my favorite color and makes me happy every. single. time. I wear it :) and a classic cap toe pump. 

Blazers have this timeless ability to transform a look from basic to refined.  Add them to dresses or even joggers. Pair them with shorts and heels for a night out. They're not just for the office! Roll up the sleeves and carry them right into your leisure time. 

Pink Blazer | Tank | Jeans | Chanel Shoes - Similar Here | Earrings |

Dress Beautifully in a Pink Blazer

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Woman on Mission

Mission: Dress Beautifully in All Things

An organization or business often has a 'mission' to describe their core purpose.  While I'm not an institution I am a woman on mission. I have goals and intent not just for my life but for this blog and my spaces on social media. 

Dressing Beautifully starts on the inside in your heart by filling it with the most beautiful thing there is, God's love. It is then that it will shine through on the outside.

For me, this blog started and continues to be a creative outlet.  Dressing myself has helped me conquer so many challenges. I not only feel like the valuable person God made me to be but I also am able to share that value with others. 

Now, this fashion blog has taken twists and turns, particularly when I became a Mamma.  For the first 4 years I primarily shared work wear and how to transition those pieces to the weekend as I spent most of my time in a professional office setting. While I still believe in classic dressing I've added posts on motherhood, beauty, personal life perspectives and home design. Fashion will always be my main focus (one thing's for sure, you'll never see food #iykyk) but I like to sprinkle in other ways I dress my life beautifully.

Which brings me to this, I'm a real person, Sarah-Louise.  I'm not a brand or market here to sell you things you don't need. But a child of God, wife to Ryan, mamma to Vivian Louise, daughter to the most remarkable mother, sister to 3, Sunday school teacher to teenage girls and gal pal to some of the finest friends. And I just so happen to love fashion!

My mission for this blog & my social media can be defined by these three objectives:

ENCOURAGE

I want to share God's love and His impacts in my life through the words I type, the pictures I post and messages I exchange. He has given me everything I have and I want to use it to bring joy to my world and the world of others. That explains all the pictures of our darling Vivian and her precious smile you'll see. This may not get me the most likes, comments, shares, readers or make me any money but it's honest.

A purchase or red heart can't do what He or relationships can. I want to have real (even if virtual) relationships with my readers over a quantified following.

INSPIRE

I love styling pretty outfits. Dressing beautifully not only helps me value and be grateful for the body God gave me but gives me the confidence to bless others.  I hold my head high with a smile, self assured in that He has a purpose and plan for me so when others cross my path I'm ready to fulfill that. 

I hope that the creative way I put pieces together helps inspire others to do the same.

LOVE

The Bible says to do all things in Love. That means from the mundane to the big tasks we are to do everything out of love with grateful and joyful hearts. That can be challenging as we often compare, compete and have human (often selfish) feelings. I want to strive to make my online outlets a place of generosity.

I'm not reaching for popularity (which can be hard) but to simply give where I am. I'm sure I'll make many missteps along the way but I thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for every one of you that read and continue to bless me through this virtual space!

Even this morning I received a message, Hi Tiffany!, from one of my readers that I was privileged to actually meet when she stopped me in the mall one day (so grateful she did). She told me that what I posted made her smile during a tough day (it was actually Vivian's sweetness that deserves the credit). THIS is why I continue to write & share!

This mission isn't new. I wanted to share it as a reminder to you and myself.

Dress Beautifully as a Woman on Mission

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Friday Favorites: Sleeveless Sweaters

TGIF! Soon I'll be able to write TGI-Fall but not quite yet folks. Simmer down all you pumpkin lovers it's still hot as the dickens outside.

Fun Fact: I hate all things pumpkin flavored - which is a shame b/c Trader Joes will flavor just about any food item with pumpkin spice this time of year.

Since college I've been wearing and layering sleeveless knits.  I love them because they bring the warmth but in a shapely, moderate way.  I have and always will live in the South and a full on sweater just isn't needed very often here. Ease of movement is very important to me too and being petite I find long sleeves cumbersome. When I was in the office I wore knit shells over my crisp collared shirts all the time, often toped with a blazer. 

I'm ecstatic that sleeveless sweaters are out in plethora this season to wear solo when they weather's just right and for layering in the cold!

Here are some favorites ...

V-Neck

also in white

Striped

also in rust

Mock Neck

Zip Neck

Button Neck Stripe

Tweed

Cropped Vest

Cable Crop

also in argyle print

Loose Houndstooth

13 colors

Printed Vest

Dress Beautifully in a Sleeveless Sweater

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Miss Americana

 

Gals, I love America. I'm proud to live in this country and of the principles of freedom it was founded on.

So much that our family contributed to protecting them. Several years ago Ryan served in the US Navy as a medical officer following the completion of school.  He even deployed to the Middle East for nearly a year with a Marine infantry battalion as their Battalion Surgeon. Gracious that was a hard time!

So naturally it makes me happy to see Americana style trending.  Think of it as a style that celebrates America's heritage & culture. It incorporates casual elements like denim, our flag colors, and antique patterns like those found in quilting.

Quilting is an art.  I have a friend who's mother is an amazing quilter and made Vivian the most exquisite one as a gift before she was born.  I have it hanging on display in her room. It is an art to piece the fabric shapes together with various patterns of stitching. It fascinates me!

This skirt really exemplifies Americana style with the quilting and gingham print. Now, no gal wants to go around looking like Martha Washington so the key is to pair it with modern pieces, like this acid wash ruffled chambray top and heeled booties. Knotting your shirt gives a chic look and adds shape.

I added a hint of color and shine with my jewelry. 

I haven't been including my purses in my outfit posts but I'm going to try a bit more.  This one I received for Christmas last year and I carry it daily! It's the perfect size for carrying everything I need. It's comfortable as a crossbody (handsfree is essential when wrangling a toddler on errands) and the color is rich and neutral complimenting any outfit casual or dressy. It comes in several colors and style variations.

 

Chambray Top | Quilted Skirt & Here | Similar Bootie | Handbag |

Dress Beautifully in Americana Style

XOXO Sarah-Louise

To The BEST Summer Ever, Thank You

 Summer 2021, you were the BEST I've ever had!!! Each and every week was filled with fun under your warm hot sun splashing and spending time with the ones I love most.

I set out on this Summer with a goal I made in April on vacation for my 38th birthday: to do more, go more places and make experiences a priority.  This was a stretch goal for me as I thrive on structure and spontaneity isn't something I'm comfortable with. 

Normally I make a Summer list of things I want to accomplish but after last year's restrictions I realized that quality time and being with others is more valuable than crossing off any list of tasks. 

Note: School starts tomorrow and it's game on! I'll share that list next week :)

I took 6 trips to the beach which included 2 as a family, 2 with my gal pals, 1 with just Ryan, 1 with just Vivian and countless to the pool. 

There were times I was unsettled regarding the abandoned projects I really had hopes to accomplish but I have absolutely no regrets in choosing the joy I shared! Life is a gift to be enjoyed.

My hope is that I can approach more seasons with the lessons I learned this Summer:

What's important is what you do - not what you have

Memories made outlast the things of this world

People are better than projects

God's plan and purpose is greater than anything we could ever dream of 

Make hay while the sun shines! 

When I look back on this Summer it will be with great joy! 

Dress Beautifully and Have Fun!

XOXO Sarah-Louise