red, white and preview

ok you guys, lots to cover today!!  are you ready for fall yet?  while the weather is in no way ready to start cooperating, I for one, cannot wait to start layering it up.  well, layering more than I already do.  like maybe actually wearing my layers on my body instead of just tied around my waist.  last week I had the privilege of hosting Belk's exclusive fall preview, and let me tell you, its lookin pretty fab!  aside from wanting everything, I also ate everything!  if you know me, you know I will show up to just about anything that includes catering, so an unlimited supply of appetizers is right up my alley.  you'd swear I was starving, but what can I say, momma likes to eat!!  wait, did I not just say that on Monday?  well, its true!  local catering company, Cru Catering outdid themselves!!  I ate some sort of meat wrap in bacon (sorry, all I saw was bacon and I forgot to ask what is was) smothered in sauce that was literally falling off the bone.  omg, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!  hold on, let me focus.  ok, so aside from the food, there was actual fashions to be seen!  this was by far, one of the best events I've been to in a long time.  a true "preview", models stood on platforms and showcased the upcoming seasons hottest trends.  it was pretty major.  now, im no photographer, so don't judge my camera skills, but I did my best to capture my fave looks of the night.  of course, bohemian is always a big trend and im loving everything Free People has to offer for fall.  from fringe to fur and everything in between, I cant wait to style this bold boho trend.  Lilly of course is a southern girls dream and I know y'all are lovin all this color!  for the sophisticated lady, the "town & country" trend has got you covered!  I especially loved the hair and makeup on these girls.  that topknot is perfection!!!  and i neeeeeeeed those fringe sandals ASAP!!
 as for my look, i kind of fell somewhere in the middle.  initially i had planned to go the boho route, and even though im a huge fan of the trend, I've been leaning more towards the chic simplistic vibes lately, so i merged the 2.  this skirt is flirty and fun and will be perfect with booties for fall!  i paired it with this striped button up for that classic vibe and then topped it off with this distressed denim jacket for a little edge.  i promise you guys, i actually wore it (arms through) for the entirety of the night, but it was just way too hot outside to shoot it on, so i resorted to my favorite style, the belt.  (thanks T for the sick shots!) for a little pop of color, i laced up these fab sandals and unintentionally went all patriotic on you guys!  the absolute best part of this look is my face!!  no i'm not bragging on myself, but, you'll notice i actually removed my shades and with good reason!  my girl at MAC hooked a sista up!!  not only do i have a full set of lashes, but she also gave a girl some over drawn, Kylie Jenner lips!!  i felt full on glamour-puss, it was very exciting!  i seriously had the best time!!  did i mention the hubs kept all 3 kids??  it was amazing!! 
"i think of each new season as an evolution, not a change in style" - Manolo Blahnik
 
ALL OUTFIT IMAGES CURRENT VISUALS

 
outfit c/o Belk

palmdale

Good Morning!!!  I have hungry children yanking on my arm, and a full day of errands, so im gonna try (key word being try) to keep it short, but im a rambler, so, who am I really kidding.  this dress has me feeling all tropical resort/fabulous vacation ready!  lucky for me, I live in a vacation destination city, making this palm print oh so perfect for everyday.  I love this easy breezy fit, because when your dripping in sweat (and if you look close, I totally was) clingy fabric is not your friend and sweat stains are so not cute.  plus, and the main reason I love flowy dresses, you can stuff your face and hide the food belly without even having to try.  this was me all weekend.  stuffing my face, time and again at all of our weekend festivities.  I have to say, southerners really know how to feed a girl.  I think I have officially eaten every possible type of meat (sorry vegetarians), cheese, dips and desserts and even though my tummy is totally yelling at me today, it was so worth it at the moment.  in case you didn't know, this girl likes to eat, ALOT!!  so you can see why flowy is my friend.  back to the look at hand; I tried to keep it fairly simple and paired it with my nude single straps and layers of delicate jewelry.  not a denim jacket in sight, aren't you proud of me??   have a fabulous day ladies!!
"believe on Monday the way you believe on Sunday"

ALL IMAGES MARIE RODRIGUEZ
 
bcbgmaxazria dove dress c/o A Pea in a Pod
nude single strap sandals Charlotte Russe
turquoise recycled clutch Colecciones Valentina
starlett cuff c/o Moon & Lola
elton bangle c/o Kendra Scott

minty fresh

i'm pretty sure I already mentioned this, but I am loving everything white right now!!  I mean, I always love white, but I've been overloading on it lately, because i just can't get enough.  it's not exactly the most ideal color for a mom of 3 sticky children, but, that's what bleach is for, right?  this tunic dress is so light and airy, its perfect for these 100 degree days we've been having!  i just love the detailed neckline and the ruffle hem looks so cute popping out from under my denim jacket.   (I know, I know, enough with the jacket already!  sorry to say, this is a style I plan on taking with me in to the fall.)  for a little pop of color and to give it more boho appeal, I laced up these blue sandals, which are on super sale right now and come in an assortment of fab colors!!  should I get another pair?  lace-ups are such a great year round sandal and i think my shoe closet is slowly being taken over by a pair in every color.  my signature stack for summer has been a bit more fun with pops of color and tassels mixed in and im still obsessing over this wood watch.  it's such a great neutral and a bit more fresh than my classic gold.  i hope y'all have a great day and if I don't make it back before the weekend, enjoy!!
"close your eyes, clear your heart, let it go"

ALL IMAGES MARIE RODRIGUEZ
 
 

belle state of mind

belle boutique
summer hair inspiration
vacation style
lilli and tori
pink chicken
monday funday!  oh wait no, that's sunday.  and yesterday was very much a fun day!  today, ehh, not so much.  the weekend has left my house in a full blown, stage 10 disaster zone; the boys are beyond restless and ramming their bicycles into the wall and mav is sitting on my lap screaming with a bad case of gas.  all in all, its shaping up to be a normal day in the house of belle.  if you have kids, I know you can relate.  if you don't, well then let's just move on to the topic at hand, vacation!!!  oh how i wish we were back on vacation!  I've worn this Belle Boutique dress 3 times now, but my favorite was when we were in that vacay state of mind.  for the most part, all of our meals were enjoyed in our room because of the aforementioned offspring of mine, but we ventured off the resort for dinner on this night to a Japanese steak house.  the sushi you guys, omg.  maybe its just because i spent 9 months dreaming of raw fish on a roll of rice, but, it was soooo yummy!  and the boys loved the whole hibachi chef experience.  it was the perfect family dinner situation.  so, back to the dress, neon just screams SUMMER, don't you think?  i love the flowy fit and floral print.  i cinched it in with (SHOCKER) my go to "belt" of the season, a denim jacket!  my lace-up sandals were the perfect shoe to pull out the black and i wish i could find these guys again, because i love them so much, i need more colors!!  lastly, i toted this absolutely adorable pom bag.  vacation was a great excuse to carry this cutie everywhere, but i'm still making great use of it now that were home, because its way too fun to leave hanging in the closet.  now im off for my second dose of caffeine and hopefully a quick clean up before i work in a sweat sesh!  (confession:  I've only worked out once since vacay, does anyone have some great tips to stay motivated??)  love you guys!!
vacation vibes
belle boutique
pink chicken
wyndham resort
"act like a belle, think like a boss"

neon floral vacation style
neon floral dress c/o Belle Boutique
denim jacket 7 for all Mankind
lace up sandals Charlotte Russe
pom pom tote Pink Chicken
arrowhead bangle Bourbon & Boweties