When Life Gives You Lemons

When life gives you lemons, make fruit salad!

Sunnies: c/o HERE| Strawberry earrings: J. Crew, sold out| Dress: Snag a FREE membership HERE

Purse: Vintage, thrifted| Suede sandals: Via Spiga, sold out

Remember Gwynnie Bee, THEE ultimate source for a stylish, never ending Babe Boss closet?! 
Learn more + score 💥 FOUR WEEKS FREE HERE 💥 
I scored this fab frock from them, fittingly it is called 'Fruit Salad'.  I am so excited to be one of their Influencer Partners- I can wholeheartedly advocate their Borrow N Buy service because I use and benefit from it personally! 
Moving on: The brand that designed this fruity number is called City Chic, I am a serious fan! From my experience (see previous posts HERE & HERE) their dresses are always well made, fit wonderfully, come with pockets, and often feature adjustable straps!!!! YES!!! Adjustable straps are a woman's best friend IMO, they help to eliminate side boobage (I'm not a fan) and those pesky bra gaps!
Another great thing about Gwynnie Bee, you can try out their fabulous service for completely FREE for 4 weeks. If you don't like it, simple cancel your membership and return whatever items you have 😉
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Can I tell you about something that has been on my mind this week? It’s kinda petty, but I know I can be completely honest with you and you’ll love me anyway 👀

Soo…I am quite particular about how my nails are done ☝ Like seriously. Actually, I am quite particular about how everything is done…but that is a topic for another day… 
I got my nails done last weekend (a standard fill-in). My regular nail tech wasn’t in, so I ended up going to someone new. BIG MISTAKE! Why didn’t I follow my gut instinct to say “No”?! Welp, herein another lesson learned... The tech who did my nails was very nice - but seemed to be quite inexperienced. I had to keep interjecting, explaining how something or another should be done…and yet we still couldn’t make progress to get on the right track. At the end of the ordeal, after she polished my nails, I noticed that there was a large lump on my left thumb nail. It was a result of improper filing/buffing and an excess of acrylic. My passive irritation came to a head, and full on frustration was evident. She nervously redid that nail, but let’s face it- the entire experience was ruined at this point. 

Even now, every time I look at my hands (I have to let them grow out a bit before I can go back to have them done properly) I shake my head and repeat to myself ‘Never again’. Not only are my nails super thick (in a bad way), the shape is way off and inconsistent from finger to finger, my cuticles are uneven, and there is a gap in between where the acrylic starts and my cuticle ends… This is a problem whenever I touch my hair. Hairs get caught in the gap, snag, and tear. I won’t bore you with the details of what happened when I washed my hair…. 

What was interesting about this experience is that the tech shared with me that she had been doing nails for TEN YEARS!!!  That got me to thinking....I’ve observed that in life there are things that a person may be naturally good at, and then there are other things that one may not be good at - at all. At times no amount of schooling, training, and or coaching can help- because it just isn’t for you. There are some professions IMO, particularly ones involving some form of artistry that require a natural talent to be successful. If you don’t have a natural knack for it, let just say it is evident - to everyone. I thought about the nail tech and I begin to feel sad. What is it like to work long hours at a job that you’re not good at, and one probably that you don’t even like? This thought process led me to feelings of empathy. To be honest, I will never allow her to do my nails again. However: I respect her. I empathize with her. She is working to provide for a family. She may not be in the position to change professions. I will be sure to smile and be friendly to her whenever I see her. 

This experience was a reminder to myself to empathize with others MORE 💕 
One of my favorite quotes states: “Be kind, everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about”.

Until next time Babes,

XO

All Things Printed

Dress:c/o HERE (Get 1 month for FREE)| Baubles: Betsey Johnson, TJMAXX| Bow mules: HERE

When it comes to summer attire floral prints feel like a no-brainer, but what about other prints? Take for instance, abstract prints. Are you a fan? Although I personally admire a number of prints from afar (I love to mix prints😊), I notice that only certain prints consistently find a home in my wardrobe. They are florals, stripes, and dots. Why is that?  
Actually, I have no idea! LOL! I've mused over this again and again but I can't make heads or tails of it. 
Herein lies another reason why I really appreciate the services that Gwynnie Bee offers: I CAN TRY ANYTHING- ANY STYLE, BRAND, CUT, SIZE, AND PRINT - WITHOUT COMMITMENT! 
It's like a personal dressing room- with perks!
Take for instance the dress in today's post. I really like the color palette (pastels are all the rage), the print is cute, and the cut is one that I normally go for.
However, after spending a few days with it (I wore it twice), I realized that it isn't a item that I would like to purchase. Yes, I've enjoyed  our time together, but now it's time to say 'Farewell'. I'm sending it back in my next shipment and gearing up for something that I will like even better!
I mentioned previously that I am working with Gwynnie Bee this month to showcase a few stellar summer style options. I'm also sharing tidbits on how I decide which items to keep/purchase versus what I send back:

• Today's dress is going back because something about it doesn't feel like "me"
• Although it fits to a tee, I am not impressed with it, especially in comparison to my previous dress HERE

Have you tried Gwynnie Bee yet? Don't forget, you can try it out for FREE HERE!!!
As a recap: Gwynnie Bee is an online women’s clothing subscription service for sizes 10-32. You can rent a new wardrobe today with free shipping and + unlimited exchanges.
-Try
Explore top brands and curated collections then add styles to your online closet.
-Wear
Get the latest trends delivered to your door and rock them as many times as you like.
-Love
Fall in love with new styles launched weekly and embrace your fashion personality.
-Repeat
Wear & return — shipping is always free.
-Keep
Wear and or buy it for less than retail price.

That's it for now Dolls, until next time!
XO

Fine Lines with Gwynnie Bee

Dress: Try it HERE for FREE| Earrings: Similar HERE
Wood watch: c/o HERE| Handbag: Coach, another option HERE

It's maxi dress season Dolls, thanks to my pals at Gwynnie Bee I am joining the kick-off in STYLE! This striped navy maxi dress is total curve loving PERFECTION!!!! It features adjustable straps (which offer a tailor made look plus alleviates unwanted side boobage), an empire waist with piped trim, lining (just to the knee), and a floor sweeping georgette.
I 💖 the way it flows in gone with the wind like manner when I walk. It comes exactly to my feet, which means that even in flats (like styled here) I am not tripping over it nor is it dragging the ground.
If you are not familiar with Gwynnie Bee, they are an online women’s clothing subscription service for women who wear sizes 10-32. 
You can rent an entire wardrobe with free shipping, cleaning, plus unlimited exchanges.

Why not try GB out for one month to kick off your summer in STYLE → it's 100% FREE!!! 

Sign up HERE to sample this maxi for yourself+ so much more 😊

What I really appreciate about being a Gwynnie Bee member is that you have OPTIONS! You can be totally prepared for a boardroom meeting, or a weekend getaway all in one shipment. 
If you decide that you simply cannot part with any item, you have the option to purchase it right on the spot. 
If you're on the fence about an item, you can ship it back for something even better. 
And if you later decide that you want to purchase an item that you wore previously, you can!

For the month of June I've partnered up with Gwynnie Bee to share summer style options. I'll also share tips on how I decide which items to keep/purchase versus what goes back right away in my next shipment.

I'd love to hear from you: Is this dress a keeper or naw?

Until next time,

XO

Seeking Spring

Can you believe that the very first day of spring is nearly 70 hours away?! Some parts of the country are still digging out from the wrath of Stella, a storm that dumped a fresh batch of snow on the east coast. Here on the sunny side of the States, we are enjoying a run of mild temperatures. However, temperatures can vary significantly from city to city, as well as when transitioning from day to night.

In an effort to cope with this common inconvenience, I employ lightweight, breathable layers. Today’s ensemble features cotton and a fantastically breathable knit. Although this femme fatale-ish blouse may seem like the star of the show, in reality it is the vest 😉

Vests are a great way to pull an entire look together, not to mention they add in a layer of warmth (which I always appreciate). My favorite features about this vest is the ruffled hem and high-low profile. Don’t miss out on the cohesiveness that a vest can add to your look Babes!

By the way, I snagged this vest via my Gwynnie Bee membership. GB is a great way to try out different styles and trends without commitment - to better learn exactly what works for YOU! I’m working with them to spread the word this month Don’t forget you can sign-up for their services FREE HERE!

Until next time,

XO

Vest: c/o of GB, get a free month of clothes HERE| Blouse: HERE| Necklace: From Kenya
Culottes: HERE (on sale for $17!!!),plus additional options here + here
Suede sandals: HERE (Red is sold out, other options here + here)| Clutch: Kate Spade