3 Subtle Ways to Dress for the 4th

It's easy to get carried away dressing up for holidays...especially the 4th of July. If you're not the type to sport an american flag bikini or shorts covered in stars and stripes, don't fret there are plenty of subtle ways to dress for the 4th. I styled three different looks based off of three my recent purchases from Forever 21.

Here are three different outfits for all occasions:

1. Printed Jumpsuit

You can wear a red, white, and blue printed jumpsuit for nearly any occasion. There's no rule that you have to be decked out in stars and stripes for the holiday, because really if you're over the age of 12 do you really want to look like the american flag? Stand out from the crowd and look a tad more sophisticated with an alternative print. My personal favorite is this southwestern print one from Forever 21. The southwestern print still is reminiscent of southwestern America, but isn't covered in stars and stripes.

2. Solid shirt with a Statement Necklace

This is a great option for cooler weather or if you won't be spending your day at the beach. Classic blue jeans and a white tank paired with a statement necklace that has a hint of red, you'll hit all three colors and still look put together enough to repeat the outfit on a normal day.

3. Black Romper with a Statement Necklace

As you can tell I'm not a big believer in wearing a ton of red, white, and blue, but instead adding touches of it to the outfit. Black is really versatile and can be worn for any occasion so pairing a black romper that can be dressed up or down with a statement necklace that has a touch of red, blue, or both is a great way to subtly dress for the occasion. This bell sleeved romper is perfect for warmer days and chilly nights.

Actually, this is the first romper I have ever bought. I don't love the way rompers fit, because they're normally a little too short for my taste, but I'm a huge fan of jumpsuits so I thought I would try it out.

What's your favorite look? What are you wearing for the 4th of July?

Summer So Far

The most amazing part of having four months off for the summer during college is that the whole vacation just flies by so fast. I always reserve most of May for just hanging out at home, catching up on reading and watching Netflix, but the next three months?  I have no idea what happens to those.

This summer is unique because I am traveling a lot more than usual. Every year I go away at least once, normally to South Carolina at the end of the summer, but this year I have already been to the Dominican Republic and now I have two more trips to South Carolina coming up in July and August. On top of that I have a few day and weekend trips that I want to take before school starts in September.

Another reason why this summer is different is because I actually found a job within two weeks of being home. In the last few years, I always waited a few more weeks, and then that turned into months, and then maybe I would end the summer with a few weeks of working. Working a few days a week is making the time fly and seriously cutting down on the amount of time I normally would waste watching Netflix.

So what's next? I have a ton of books that I have read this summer that I'll be posting about soon.

What have you been reading this summer?

3 Steps to a Productive Summer

Summer is that brilliant light at the end of the tunnel of each school year. As much as living on campus and hanging out with your friends is fun for 8 months of the year, spending some much needed time at home just relaxing is oh so appealing once the middle of the semester comes around. With Netflix marathons and never ending beach days available for a whole three months each year it's hard to accomplish any of those near impossible goals that you no doubt have set for yourself in the spring. Whether you planned on saving up for your next spring break, writing a novel, or even just cleaning your room, time can easily fly by faster than you can ever accomplish even half of one of those goals.

Here are three steps you can take to assure that you have a more productive summer:

1) A month of Netflix

As counter productive as this may seem, giving yourself the first month of your summer break to totally relax and binge watch all of your favorite shows may just be the key to a productive summer. Even if you have a part time job (like me) and then spend your days off binging on your favorite show (Gilmore Girls), by the time you reach the end of the month you will be so sick of wasting your time inside on your computer that you will be motivated to start working towards your goals.

That month of mindless entertain is just the thing your brain needs to rejuvenate after a season of cramming for finals and writing long research papers. Think back on those end of the semester grades, did you reach your goals? If the answer is yes, then you probably deserve that time off. And if no, then you should probably take some time to relax anyway. Win or lose, a whole semester of school is a lot for anyone to handle.

2) Create Something 

Regardless of what your creative passions are (writing, painting, cooking,etc), you should make time at least twice a week to create something tangible. Especially if this is something on your to do list for the summer. You can blog, redecorate your room, photograph a beautiful day at the beach, whatever makes you happy and uses that creative part of your brain that tends to lie dormant when you spend hours and hours watching TV.

3) Eat better, workout more 

The best way to have a more productive summer is to make sure you're feeling your best. Eating junk food and staying inside everyday is definitely not the way to stay healthy and active. If you're tired day after day will you really want to do anything other than stay in bed and watch Netflix? Probably not.

Trade the frozen pizzas and chipotle for fresh fruits and vegetables, spend at least an hour a day outside, and work out every day. For some tips to start running check out this post and for advice on fueling before and after your runs see this post.   

3 Beach Weekend Essentials

The end of May means the unofficial beginning of summer has arrived. Once Memorial Day has past and the world is free to bring out all of the white clothing they could ever dream of from the closet, summer has arrived. My favorite part of summer is the endless opportunity for long days at the beach. Even the closest beaches require a carefully packed bag, because you never really can show up for a full day in the sun empty handed. Here are my current beach day essentials:

1. Sunglasses from Warby ParkerCan you really go to the beach without a great pair of sunglasses to shield your eyes? A day on the beach without any eyewear means tired, burning eyes for the rest of the day which might be the most uncomfortable feeling ever...aside from sunburn anyway. Wearing a good pair of sunglasses during the day means you won't have to squint for the entire drive home, which is especially helpful if you're actually driving. Plus, a great pair of sunglasses excuses you from putting on any eye makeup in the morning. Good for your skin and good for your eyes. It's a win-win.


2. The perfect bra to layer under all of your dresses at night
   After a long day in the sun you'll want to show off your fresh tan and the best way to do that is with a dress. While a dress seems like the easiest option, finding the right bra to wear underneath can be a challenge. Luckily, True & Co 's multiway bra can be adjusted to fit any outfit.


3. Charcoal detox cleanser After a long day of sand and sun the Charcoal Detox Cleanser can erase all of the dirt and dust from your skin. This cleanser cleans deep under your skin to remove all of the makeup and dirt from your pores.

Warby Parker Summer Collection

I'm obsessed with Warby Parker's new Summer Collection. Every single item in the collection is perfect for trips to the beach and summer travels. The spread of light browns, grays, and even green-blues will instantly put you in a beach-y state of mind. Well, it's one thing to hear about it, but it's another to experience these fantastic new frames for yourself. And thanks to Warby Parker's Home Try-On program, you can. For free.

Here's how it works. Just pick five of your favorite shades (optical or sunglasses) from the Summer Collection and Warby Parker will mail them to you - for free. Once you get your frames, try them on. Wear them out and about. Ask your friends and family for their opinion --even complete strangers will do!

Once you've found your perfect pair, purchase them from Warby Parker and they'll send them right out to you. Then you just pack up your 5 Home Try-On frames and ship them back to Warby Parker. That's also free because they pay for the return shipping!

Pretty wonderful, right?

Here are a few of my favorite frames from Warby Parker's new Summer Collection:

Haskell - in Crystal.

Ingram - in Root Beer.

Clark in Cognac Tortoise



Pick out your favorite Summer 2015 shades to try on at home at WarbyParker.com.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.