The Ultimate Flattering Date Night Dress

This Tiered V-Neck Dress, in black, from Calvin Klein has got to be one of my favorite purchases of the year! The composition of the dress is perfection. The way the material glides across the body and hangs perfectly is so luxurious, I swear you would think this was a $200+ dress. I love that it has a thin waist tie, which could be worn tight under the bust to emphasize the waist (how I wore it!) or it can be gathered and tied around the back for a looser fit. The length is perfection - it's not too short but isn't quite midi-length either. The V-neck is perfect for a date night when you want to show a little bust. :) 

Simple and well made dresses like this one is a must-have in a woman's wardrobe, in my humble opinion. It's so versatile and can be styled in so many different ways. I loved rocking this for my anniversary date night. The way this dress moved as I walked made me so happy.  And it has pockets!! I loved putting one had in my pocket when I was standing or walking... it made me do a little shoulder shake every time. LOL! :)

Dresses like these are so fun to accessorize in any way that you are in the mood to. Statement jewelry or simple dainty jewelry. The highest stilettos, flat sandals... or a pair of cute sneakers.  A fancy belt around the waist.  The possibilities are endless! I opted for a statement necklace and a bright oversized clutch to add a pop of color. 

Calvin Klein makes the best mid-range special occasion dresses! The quality, fit, material... always top notch. Whenever I am looking for the perfect occasion dress and I see the Calvin Klein tag in my size, I always consider it and try it on! 

Do you have a go-to brand for your special occasion dresses? 

Dress ~ Exact one here, but in blue // Similar black dress here, but in a different material (so pretty!) // Love this one too, this color is bomb! 

Shoes ~ Dolce Vita Get them here // These are cute too, I love this heel.  

Clutch ~ Thrifted // but this is a cute option! 

Feather Necklace ~ Old but similar one here.

xoxo, thanks for reading and sharing! 

Friday's Faves | Make Today Count

Happy first Friday in June! There is really just something special about Fridays in the summer. I always wake up feeling so inspired to have a beautiful weekend when the sun is shining. I hope this post inspires you to have an amazing weekend too, whatever that means for you! For me, that means prepping for my high school senior's graduation party (yay!), sipping wine on the patio, going out to a nice dinner and getting things done on my never-ending to-do list. Have a great weekend! 

Here's what I'm loving this week:

I love having a popsicle with my favorite wine. I call this my summer pop. :) If you haven't tried this Sauvignon Blanc from Starbourough, you will be in for a treat if you decide to give it a go. It's super fruity and has the perfect amount of crisp sweetness. It's my favorite in the summer, and all year round, really. 

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you would know that I am a huge fan of orzo pasta. (seen HERE, HERE and HERE I seriously love and crave the texture! On Tuesday, I decided to grill a bunch of veggies, make a flavorful vinaigrette and toss everything together with some orzo. BEST DECISION EVER. This dish will definitely be in heavy rotation this summer!

I've been having a moment with dresses and sandals lately! I loved rocking  this one to Happy Hour. I just adore dresses that are both comfy and cute. I never though I'd enjoy a t-shirt dress but that's what stepping out of your comfort zone gets you. Pleasant surprises. :) I just love wearing pops of pink... especially neon pink!

Run, don't walk.. go STRAIGHT to Costco...head to the freezer section. Look for the seafood. Find the TEMPURA SHRIMP and immediately add two boxes to your cart. That's all I'm gonna say about that. They are insanely good. 

And lastly, if you are looking for a new summer foundation that has the perfect sheer yet buildable coverage, look no further. This Morphe Skin Tint is pure gold. It has been so great in my warm weather makeup routine. 

 In my case, I have been dealing with some pretty awful hyperpigmentation and dermatosis darkness on my chin and neck for the past year. After changing my diet, seeing dermatologists, working with my esthetician, religiously applying sunscreen and drinking lots of water, the dark spots are getting much lighter, thank goodness! So even with my problem areas, I love that this skin tint doesn't get all over the place and actually covers what needs to be covered! :) 

Happy Friday! 

xoxo, thanks for reading and sharing! 

Friday's Faves | Pretty Little Thing

Hey you pretty little thing! :) Sending a big giant Happy Friday to you! 

This Friday came around so fast, I really can't believe it. This weekend will be another fun-filled family weekend and I so excited. Looking forward to doing some relaxing, cooking a big Sunday dinner and enjoying my family this weekend. I will be rocking my Fancy Apron, blasting my music and getting things done! Can't wait! 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with love and sunshine. 

Let's get on the what I have been loving this week:

The minute I came across  these giant pastel sunglasses, I knew they were meant to be MINE. First of all, I love me a pair of statement sunnies. Annnnd this minty/teal color is my FAVORITE. I had a hard time finding them at first, they were out of stock everywhere, but luckily I was able to track down a pair. They came in, I tried them on and let out a little scream. I love them so much. And while a HUGE pair of sunglasses is not everyone's cup of tea, that's quite alright. These aren't for everyone. They're just for me! :) 

I did some spring shopping in NYC this weekend, specifically for sandals, and was able to snag some pretty cute ones.   These strawberry cuties came home with me. They are so adorable on and that crystal strawberry has the pretties sparkle! Give me allll the cutesy summer sandals this year, especially now that I can actually wear them somewhere. 

Speaking of cutesy summer sandals, I saw these and just HAD to  get these neon sandals in both colors - the vibrancy just did something for me. I can't wait to wear the pink ones with an all white outfit and some gold jewelry. I can definitely see me rocking the neon yellow ones with a denim-on-denim look this spring. 

One of my favorite looks to rock is an all black ensemble. Especially on Monday mornings when I just don't feel like thinking about what to wear.  Black bottoms, black top, snakeskin mules,  black and gold belt, a cute headband.... DONE! 

OMG. I have been completely obsessed with this yellowfin tuna that we get from Costco. The quality and flavor is unmatched. Mixed greens, arugula, this tuna, homemade croutons and a good Caesar salad dressing? Insanely delicious and so satisfying! And if I'm feeling fancy, I add some Kalamata olives and roasted red peppers. I will be doing a detailed blogpost soon. You have got to experience this flavor! :)

xoxo, thanks for reading and sharing! 

Friday Faves | Follow Your Heart

 

 

Happy Happy Friday! This was quite the long and busy week over here so I am happy to see the weekend finally make an appearance. There is definitely an extra pep in my step now that spring has officially sprung. I am slowly but surely de-layering and it feels amazing.  All those chunky, heavy winter clothes can be put away until later this year. Yay! Here's what I am loving this week: 

Who else is a sucker for a fancy sleeve moment? If I see I top with a unique sleeve, I just have to get it! This is a super old top that I picked up from the Bloomingdales Outlet but here is a   similar one from Amazon. I think I need to order the light pink one! My unofficial office uniform is a pair of jeans (these are my faves!), a pretty top and flats.  And if I am feeling fancy, a blazer. :)

I was compelled to pick up a new pair of white sandals this week with the rise in temperatures lately. Spring and summer requires lighter shades of footwear and these babies definitely fit the bill. I love the square toe and the croc embossed texture. They look so chic on the foot. With jeans, skirts, dresses...these are going to get a lot of wear in the coming months.  And they are on sale - available here!

I am normally an iced latte kinda girl but lately? A large unsweetened iced tea with lemon from Dunkin Donuts has been responsible my energetic mornings in the office. And I like to think that I am getting extra hydration from drinking iced tea instead of coffee. :) 

Isis requested loaded chicken nachos on Taco Tuesday this week and I very happily obliged.  They were hands-down the best nachos I have ever eaten in my life. My family raved and raved about them! :) I used ground chicken and of course they had all the toppings, including a yummy sour cream drizzle. I want them again RIGHT NOW. I posted an IGTV video of the step-by-step process.  Check it out here. 

"Strawberry Margarita" by OPI is definitely one of my all-time favorite nail polish colors, and not only because of the name (LOL) but because it's the perfect bubblegum pink shade.  I have been getting  OPI Powder Perfection manicures for the past 6 months or so and I am never going back to gel polish. The powder lasts so long and has strengthened my nails so much! 

xoxo, thanks for reading and sharing! Have a fantastic weekend. 

Friday's Faves | Stay Rad

 

*Taps mic*... is this thing on? LOL!! Hello, hello and welcome back to Five Faves on Friday where I share a few of my favorite things that I have been loving this week. I am excited to get back into casually blogging and creating my footprint on my little corner of the internet. It's always easier (and quicker!) to share on Instagram but there is nothing like creating a good old blog post. :) 

This week has been quite the struggle for me with daylight savings. I don't think I remember having such a hard time with adjusting the loss of that hour, but this time? My body just doesn't want to catch up. *yawn*.

Ok, so let's do this...here's what I have been loving this week!

My new favorite spring lippie is brought to you by Sephora Collection. It's the  Sephora Palm Street (62) Lipstories Lipstick. I am a sucker for a good orange lippie and this one is so pretty and unique, I am obsessed! It has a slight brown tone to it, with a touch of copper. It's almost more like a terracotta shade. I have been wearing it every day. The texture is nice and light too, but creamy and has tons of pigment. Definitely worth a try if you love orange lippies.

I FINALLY decided to try the dad sandal trend (only a year later, lol) so I ordered  these metallic cuties. They are INSANELY comfortable. I can't wait to see how these fit into my spring and summer outfits, the pop of lilac will be so fun to play around with! 

I loved rocking this thrifted trench coat this week. I look forward to to pulling it out every year as the weather gets warmer to pop over my outfit. It has a bright red lining that peeks through when worn open and it just makes me so happy. See a little throwback of how I rocked it in the past  here. :)

Oh tulips, you are so pretty! I love how wild they are in my beautiful new crystal vase (it was a present from my aunt).  I'm so thrilled my favorite flowers are back! I never want to be without a couple dozen tulips as the centerpiece on my dining room table. I literally come downstairs and smile when I see them.

And what's a Friday Faves post without my favorite drink? A fruity margarita! I have new twist lately and it's made them so much better. I use fresh lemon, lime, orange and blood orange juice to give them a citrus twist and it's SO GOOOD! I also grate lime zest and add it to the shaker to give it extra flavor.  It's tart but sweet and so flavorful. I have also been rimming the glass with sugar, salt and lime zest. It's PERFECTION! See my other fun margarita recipes here, and here.

Don't forget to Follow me on Instagram for more!

xoxo, thanks for reading and sharing!