Red, White, and Blue Chic

Dress: New York & Company (Similar) // Shoes: Similar, Similar // Bag: Kate Spade // Earrings: Forever 21 // Belt: Similar, Similar // Sunglasses: Similar, Similar // Lipstick: MAC (Ruby Woo)

Hi y’all!!! How was your Memorial Day weekend??  I hope it was all that you hoped it would be.  I truly enjoyed the time off.  I did so much relaxing…it was a blessing.  I’m not excited to be back at work, but I’m grateful to have a job!  Lol.  So, this look is somewhat Memorial Day inspired.  Do you peep that red, white, and blue?? Merica!!!  Anyway, this outfit (like just about all of my outfits) is very budget friendly. I love this fab dress from NY & Company, and it’s under $35 right now (on sale)!!  I love the color and, of course, I love the sleeves…and it has pockets!  It also comes in black/white.  The belt I’m wearing is super old.  Wherever I got it from, it was like $5.  I think I got it from one of those stores like Rainbow or something. Haha.  I’m loving these earrings though.   They are brand new from Forever 21.  You can find them here for under $6.  The shoes are actually from Payless (it’s been years since I shopped there, but they had the cheaper version of Steve Madden shoes that I wanted, so I was all about that life. lol), but they have this style lots of places like here (under $30) and here.  My sunglasses are from Forever 21, where I get most of my sunglasses, but this pair is old/sold out.  You can find similar pairs, here (under $13) and here (under $10).

The only splurge item that’s part of this look is this beautiful Kate Spade tote.   Speaking of Kate Spade…I recently listened to a fascinating podcast about her and her husband and how they build their handbag empire.  As background – I have a very long commute, so I’ve been trying to make the most out of my time on the road by listening to podcasts/books on tape.  I might even try to learn a new language soon.  Anyhoo, last week a friend told me about How I Built This, a podcast about innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built.   I love it so far!! I’ve listened to interviews with the guy that created 5-hour energy, one of the founders of Lyft (that I will now be using instead of Uber. lol), Kendra Scott, and Kate and Andy Spade!!  I’ve enjoyed all their stories, but I really enjoyed the story of Kate and Andy Spade.  It was a good example, to me, of how having a good support system can contribute to a person’s success.  They were truly a team.  Did you know that Kate wasn’t even married to Andy yet when she named the business Kate Spade?? They were dating, but he was basically an equal partner in the business, so it was appropriate for his name to be part of the business as well.  In my opinion, Kate really has Andy to thank for much of their success.  When she wanted to start a business, it was his idea for her to make bags, he also kept her from quitting multiple times, and he supported them financially while she followed her/their dream.  It was truly a lovely story.   I recommend listening to their story and the other stories on How I Built This, especially if you have dreams of starting a business.  Anyway, I may have gotten a little bit off topic, but I hope you enjoyed this post!!  Do any of you have podcasts that you recommend?

By the way, I have updated my shop page.  Check it out for sleeved styles and other items I am into right now!  Have an amazing week, and thanks so much for reading!!!

Shop the Post!!

 

Photographer: My mom! 🙂

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