A great white button down shirt can go with everything. I recently shared this shirt here in an outfit that I think any woman of any age or size can rock.
Now that it’s getting warmer, another way to rock a classic button down shirt is to tie it at the waist! There are shirts like this being sold online… but why buy another shirt when you can just tie up something that’s already in your closet?
You can do this with any high waisted skirt, pants, and so on. I even think it’s really cute over a swimsuit if you want some coverage without putting on a full coverup.
I can’t go without acknowledging all of your incredible feedback and stories in yesterday’s post. Y’all amaze me when you share your stories. I learn endlessly from all of you. THANK you so much for being so supportive and encouraging. Truly means so very much to me.
I hope you’ll be inspired to recreate some looks with that button up shirt in your closet! Thank you so much for reading – XO –
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I remember when this happened to me, over two years ago, and thinking I wanted to share this experience on CBL. But I was still so taken aback and honestly, embarrassed, that I didn’t know how I could share it without sounding whiney or like I was fishing for validation (which I promise you I’m not!).
BUT, it has been on my mind and heart lately and I thought… let’s just go for it. I think this is something that we can all learn from – because I know I learned from it.
What Happened
Several years ago I flew across the country to attend a college girlfriend’s wedding. I hadn’t seen a lot of these gals in the years since I’d moved out West. The bride had flown in for my wedding, which meant so much to me, and I wanted to return the love on her big day. Several of the college friends I would get to see had bought homes and had babies since we’d last seen each other, and I was really excited to hear about their new lives.
My bestie was also flying in for the occasion but wasn’t getting in town until the day of the wedding. After the Friday night welcome party, I went to the hotel bar with the others there to chat some more before calling it a night. I was solo but genuinely excited to see everyone.
Before I knew it, a girl who was an acquaintance during college (at best… let’s call her Sally) but mostly just friends with the same people, sat down at the table. Within minutes, she started in. Sally went on to tell me that “nobody likes you,” and then went on to critique my outfit and friendships, slurring, and asking her friends to chime in. They were telling her to be quiet, trying to escort her away, reel it in, apologize on her behalf, and some just silently left the table. I was in shock. All I could muster to say to her (somehow by the grace of God channeling my inner Erika Jayne, ha!) was, “you know, that’s fine. We’ve never been friends.”
Sally was escorted outside, and I was beyond humiliated, having never been spoken to like that before in my life. The more it sunk in, the more embarrassed I was. What had I gotten myself into and what did I do to trigger her to this extreme?
Later I got an apology text from Sally and information from others that this wasn’t the first time she had verbally attacked some unsuspecting person at a wedding. So there’s that.
What I Learned
I later learned Sally had some complicated stuff going on in her own life. After a few drinks, things would spiral out of control and her behavior was TBD. I’m not judging her drinking by any means. You know when I’m at a wedding or party, I’m going to indulge in some vino myself (cheers!). It was her behavior that was unacceptable, hurtful, uncalled for and reminded me why she and I were in fact, not friends in the first place. In this incident the girls I knew did a great job of shutting it down, and I am really grateful and appreciative of that. They did everything they could in this unpredictable situation, and I still love and respect this group of girls.
As a whole, I’ve always been taught that you are who you surround yourself with, and Sally will most definitely not be a reflection of me or how I speak to and treat people.
When people talk about you, it says more about them than it does about you. I barely know this girl, so it was highly unlikely I’ve had that much of an impact on her life.
Looking back, I wish I would have just stood up and walked away when Sally started acting inappropriate. I was frozen, in shock, and while I responded well initially, I ended up getting choked up after the fact and excusing myself. I didn’t even have the courage to tell Christian what had happened right away because it was so ridiculous and embarrassing.
Thankfully I was able to move past it and have a great time at the wedding. The bride was stunning and the wedding was beautiful, and I’m truly happy I went… despite this crazy story!
Today’s Thoughts
I’m not going to lie… I’ve definitely moved on but I can’t forget it. After thinking long and hard about the experience, it really proved that when people are rude or hurtful, it almost always is a reflection of something going on in their life. I don’t feel the need to lash out at others (besides occasionally Christian for leaving plates in the sink or my mom when she’s being high maintenance), so when negativity was so blatantly directed at me… I didn’t know how to handle it.
It also proved that while I live for Real Housewives, I am not cut out to be on TV. One confrontation and I was shook. Ha!
Ultimately I don’t regret going to my friend’s wedding. The bride even felt the need to apologize to me (which she didn’t need to whatsoever. She was not a part of any of this in any way), but I regret how I handled the situation. I should have walked away, no tears. Be the bigger person. Everyone is bigger than a Sally spouting off, ya feel me? And the great news is that I hear Sally is in a much better place now, and we all agree that this incident is water under the bridge.
Has anyone ever spoken to you so out of line that it stopped you in your tracks? Did you learn from the experience? I’d love to hear what you learned. I think there is so much knowledge when we can live and learn and share with each other.
If you made it this far… thanks so much for sticking around and reading! You can catch more personal posts here. XO –
I’ve been loving this denim jacket lately, and I’m so excited to share in this post how I made it my own… and how you can too!
Obviously I love the patch trend happening right now. A few weeks ago I shared in this post how I have even been sticking them on handbags. Am I taking this too far? It’s possible… but let’s get into it!
There are some seriously luxe patched-up denim happening right now, and I thought this was too easy to do at home rather than break the bank for. After perusing online for about 10 minutes, I bought a few patches, ironed them in in less than 5 minutes and voila! My own spin on the trend that is uniquely my own.
I chose to keep it simple with two patches for now so the jacket will still easily layer with almost anything – but you could totally get creative and do whatever you felt vibes with your style! I’m linking my patches and jacket below so that will serve some inspo if you’re looking to jazz up something in your own closet. This is such a fun way to make something you already own feel brand new.
I recently shared this look on Instagram here, but I don’t know what feels more fresh than crisp white denim. However, my legs/thighs are usually not the area I look to highlight (a little more about that here), and we know white skinny jeans do this oh so well. That’s where a cropped flare pair comes in!
I love cropped denim because like skinny jeans, you can wear them with flats or heels but unlike skinny jeans, they don’t hug your leg silhouette if you’re not tryin’ to show them off, ya feel me?
Are you a white denim lover? Or do you have the same hesitation as me? If so, I encourage you to try this silhouette and see what you think! It’s totally changed the white denim trend for me.
Thanks so much for reading – XO –
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Last year a shared a tuxedo dress here, but this white tuxedo blazer might be one of the prettiest blazers in my closet (and I am blazer-addicted so I have quite a few). I love wearing it with all black for a crisp and chic look, but I wanted to share how I paired it with a floral dress for a boss-lady yet feminine church outfit, baby shower look, work-appropriate look.
A blazer is probably my favorite way to make a spaghetti strap or strapless outfit acceptable for stricter dress codes. When I worked in a formal corporate office it was everything (examples here and here)! It allowed me to maximize the pieces I already had in my closest versus having to spend money on “work clothes.” Girlfriend, that’s what cardigans and blazers are for. Don’t spend your hard-earned cash on work clothes if you don’t have to!
For other ways I like to style blazers check out casual looks here and here and a dressier look in this post.
I can’t get enough of red right now. It’s such a hot and trendy color for this spring and summer! I have styled red in some spring looks already here, here, here and here, but I wanted to put together a post with some of my favorite pieces online.
This dress is a dream, this swimsuit is reversible (love that for suits!) and I recently snagged this top (under $20). I’m sharing many more red picks below. I want to hear if you’re as into red right now as I am.
I’ve always loved a blonde in red, but my blonde friends say they feel like they’re “comin’ in hot” in a red dress. As a brunette, I totally disagree – I love it on both blondes and brunettes!
Thanks so much for reading – I’d love to hear your favorite red pieces!
It’s no secret I love a crop top (if you search “crop top” quite a few posts will come up), so give me a comfortable crop top set and you KNOW I’m here for it.
I think this set screams vacation, and I recently wore it in Palm Springs for a little ladies lunch. I layered a chambray shirt over it during lunch as to not show too much skin! You could also wear add a little straw hat for some extra summer vibes. I’ve worn this skirt with a tee and sneakers here. And how cute would this top be with high waisted jeans and a linen or white blazer!?
That’s what’s so great about sets – it’s always three looks in one!
Last week I traveled to Cabo San Lucas for a long weekend to celebrate Jenn’s wedding and spend some time at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica with Nikki! Jenn asked Nikki and I to be in her wedding, and so we have had this trip scheduled for what feels like so long, so we were so excited to arrive in Mexico and sneak in some beach time before the big day.
As soon as we arrived to Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, I was thinking, “how can I extend this trip and get Christian down here?” He has been wanting to take a week of vacation in May and I felt so guilty because he would have LOVED this resort. It is an all-inclusive property right on the water in Cabo. There are multiple pools, tons of cabanas lined up in the sand, several restaurants and incredible suites.
We were assigned a butler named Manuel, and he was so attentive and helpful. Turns out he also makes the best cocktails on the property (according to us) – you’ll see some of his beautiful concoctions below!
We had the most peaceful massages on Thursday (my masseuse was Melissa and she was fabulous) and there was an awesome gym in the building where we stayed (fun tidbit about me: I love a hotel gym – like, live for it), and I had the best workout Friday morning while overlooking the ocean… I mean, it doesn’t get better than that.
All in all, I really loved my stay here. I would absolutely go back, and if you can splurge for a suite they are fabulous with plenty of space. The cabanas on the beach are around $40 a day and they are more than amazing, I would highly recommend booking one in advance for at least one day! I literally wore my hair dirty and and barely wore makeup one night just so I could spent 30 more minutes reading in the cabana. And it was worth it.
Also, if you order room service (which is also included in your booking), the shrimp fajitas are what’s up.
Thank you so much for reading and let me know if you have questions that I didn’t answer! XO –
I love a designer accessory. I consider bags and jewelry investment pieces that can really last throughout the decades if you take care of them. I tend to go a less expensive in the clothing category and save my splurges for fabulous accessories (which I’ve gone into deeper here and here).
If you’ve been reading CBL for a little while, you might remember this post from a little over a year ago where I introduced you guys to The Lady Bag. I’ve known about The Lady Bag for several years now, and this site remains to be my favorite source for shopping classic, authentic, previously owned and vintage LV pieces that are often hard to find.
I use my Keepall from her all the time (most recently here), and I’ve had this gorgeous Monceau Bag on my wish list for quite a while. When it came in… I had all the heart eyes! It’s such a great size for everyday and I love the shape so much. It’s so classic and ultra chic.
AND there might be a little giveaway at the bottom of this post so be sure to check that out!
AND The Lady Bag + CBL have teamed up to offer a reader the chance to win this darling Damier pouch! I’m not going to lie, I love it so much I’d be happy to steal it myself but we want to give it to a reader who follows the steps below:
This post is sponsored by Olay, but opinions are my own.
You read that right sister. Today we are going to talk about a product that can serve as a two-in-one and will cut down your prep time and save your dollars. I’m talking about Olay’s Regenerist Whip.
I used this Olay moisturizer for years and years. So when I was asked to try one of their newer products, I was definitely interested to learn more. I discovered that it has already won a best in beauty aware from People Magazine, and can serve as both a moisturizer and a makeup primer.
A few notable things about this product worth sharing –
It transforms from cream to liquid.
It feels luxe and creamy on your fingertips but quickly transforms into liquid, allowing it to fully absorb into your skin. This immediate absorption means you’re getting all of the active ingredients and hydration instantly.
It has a lightweight and matte finish.
It’s named “Whips” because it has a “light as air” finish. As someone with an oily T-zone, I love that it has a matte finish. It doesn’t feel heavy so it can be worn all day without feeling shiny or oily. This is why it’s such a great pre-makeup primer!
It’s under $30.
Like I said – Olay was one of the first facial moisturizers I ever purchased. It’s award winning for a reason and totally affordable.
It smells like a slice of heaven.
When I first opened the jar I thought… can I also get this face lotion in a candle scent, please? It smells so fresh!
Photos by Christian Barnes
Because this product is so lightweight while also nourishing, I really like using it in the mornings. I love the silkiness it brings to my complexion before applying makeup! I definitely feel like I can skip the primer when I use Olay Whips, so that’s a major bonus to my everyday beauty routine.
Have you used Olay‘s skincare products before? I’d love to hear your experience and what you think. You can get your own free sample of the product here! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
An all black outfit is always chic. I wore more of it before I lived with a yellow lab, so now I have to save it for occasions that are Bailey-free. I say that before she makes an appearance in this post… so perhaps I’m eating my words here!
I shared recently on Instagram here that I can’t get enough of these mini eartha bags. They are so cute, hold just enough of the necessities and I love that they are adorable as a crossbody or top handle. This checkered design is exclusive to Bloomingdale’s and I think it’s so fun!
This top is also exclusively at Bloomingdale’s, and I think it’s so pretty tucked into denim or a skirt. I love the ruffle at the top and the neck tie makes a classic black blouse more unique.
If you haven’t checked out Bloomingdale’s 100% exclusive shop, they have so many fab pieces at great prices. One of my favorite things about this shop is that these products are only available in limited quantities and designed just for Bloomingdale’s by brands and designers. It makes the pieces seem even more special!
Are you a Bloomie’s gal? I’d love to hear! And tell me you don’t love this little mini bag – I can’t enough! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
I talked about layering a jumpsuit recently here, but I wanted to share another fun way to maximize a jumpsuit in a more casual way.
I wore this red number not too long ago here, but I knotted a tee over it for a playful and comfortable look that feels more appropriate for daytime or date night. It can be any tee really – I think even a solid one would look fab.
I prefer heels with this look to add some femininity, but I think a chic pair or sneakers could also look really cool!
