Setting the Right Tone

Atlanta is not a town that really likes to dress up. Even when going out to dinner with my husband on a Saturday night -- to a nice restaurant! -- I'm still probably going to be the most dressed up person in the room.

But that's fine with me.

I like dressing up because it makes me feel good. So today, on just an ordinary Monday, I chose to wear this beautiful white silver Shoshanna dress. I've been really stressed at work lately, and the right dress helps me set a positive tone for the day ahead.

Dress: Shoshanna Midnight Floral Beaded White Silver Fit and Flare Dress

The dress, although a few years old, is still available at RueLaLa (message me for an invite) and Bluefly.com. I love the metallic color and the pastel floral beading on the chest.

Shoes: Casadei Croc-Embossed Leather Slingback Pumps

I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have to blog in the upcoming weeks, but I'll do my best. Work is just crazy busy right now. If you are out shopping, there's some really good sales going on right now. For example, it's the best time of year to shop Saks Fifth Avenue -- the deals are amazing -- and you will find me at the Belk Phipps Plaza store hunting for bargains until the store closes at the end of July.

Happy Shopping!

Going Green

I'm wearing green for St. Patrick's Day a little early, as we are having an Irish-themed party at the office today. I made chocolate chip cookies tinged green for the occasion, too! Food coloring can be so much fun. I tried a new cookie recipe, but I'm not sure how great they came out. It was basically a sugar cookie with green food coloring and chocolate chips. Chapin was not a fan, but I had a few compliments from people at work. I haven't tried them yet myself.

Today's dress is one I've had for several months, but when I didn't end up wearing it during the holiday season, I decided to wait and wear the dress in March. It's the perfect Kelly Green hue for St. Patrick's Day.

Dress: Alice and Olivia Corina Lace Fit and Flare Dress

I love lace, and this dress is all about lace. The cap sleeves are probably my favorite part of the dress, so delicate and feminine.

Shoes: Casadei Croc-Embossed Leather Slingback Pumps

Chapin is working this weekend, but was off most of today, so we had lunch together. We have found a new place nearby that serves both Ramen (for him) and sushi (for me): Eight Sushi Lounge. If you go (and like sushi), try the Geisha Roll: King crab salad and crunchy romaine lettuce rolled with fresh salmon, tuna, mango puree and rice pearls. It was amazing!

This weekend, I plan to spend a lot of time catching up on my sleep. The time change has really messed with my internal clock, but I just love getting to drive home from work when it's still light out. Plus, we are having some beautiful weather here in Atlanta. Is Spring here to stay? We shall see...

Splurging on a Budget

I absolutely adore today's dress, mainly because it has a few of my favorite features:

• This wine/burgundy/Bordeaux color really complements those with dark hair and an olive skin tone. (I'm starting to think it might be my best color.)
• The combination of a v-neck paired with a fit-and-flare silhouette is ultra flattering if you have curves.
• The jacquard fabric makes the dress looks even more expensive.

I should add that I recently purchased this Erin by Erin Fetherston dress on Amazon at an incredible discount. I paid just $56, and the dress retails for $325. I think the fact that I bought it for such a low price makes me love the dress even more. Amazon definitely makes it easy to splurge when you're on a budget.

Outfit Details

Dress: Erin by Erin Fetherston Coco Jacquard Fit-and-Flare Dress

The dress is still available at the following retailers:

• Amazon
• Erin Fetherston Website (in white)
• Neiman Marcus

You can also rent the dress on Rent the Runway.

Shoes: Casadei Croc-Embossed Leather Slingback Pumps in Gold (no longer available)

I'm looking forward to reconnecting with an old friend tonight, one I haven't seen in about 20 years. We both went to the same high school, but she was a year ahead of me. She also attended Emory for her undergraduate studies, and she was so encouraging when I was thinking about going there. (I was deciding between Emory, Wake Forest and UGA.) We kind of lost touch during college, but we recently became friends on Facebook, and it turns out she still lives and works in Atlanta. One of my resolutions for 2017 is to put myself out there more, so I think this is a good first step. Plus, I love any excuse to go out to dinner.

With Sugar on Top

With its floral detailing and fit-and-flare silhouette, this dress from Erin Erin Fetherston is one of the daintier additions to my closet, and I just love the big pouf of the skirt. (It's really quite fun.) The dress is probably better suited for an outdoor wedding reception or bridal/baby shower, but I wore it to the office today; I will always love dressing up for work. It makes me feel pretty.

Dress: Erin Erin Fetherston Floral Somerset Fit and Flare Dress

Buy the dress at Amazon or Erin Fetherston's retail site, or you can rent it at Rent the Runway. The dress is actually quite comfortable, and honestly... it's really beautiful in person. I adore the print, and it's very well made. I feel so sweet in it!

Erin Erin Fetherston dresses retail for around $300-$400, but you can find them heavily discounted on sites like Amazon and Dillard's. You just have to be patient and wait for the good sales.

Shoes: Casadei Croc-Embossed Leather Slingback Pumps in Gold (no longer available)

It's hard to believe September is almost over, because I definitely don't feel ready for colder weather yet. I figured I'd better wear this dress now while it's still hot and summer-like out. I think a cold front is on its way.

Delectable Dessert of a Dress

How could I resist a dress named after my favorite dessert: the cupcake? Kate Spade New York always delivers with ultra-feminine dresses, and this fit and flare silhouette is no exception. I love the bold blue color, too, to help make my light eyes pop a little more than usual. I know I already have a lot of blue in my closet, but it's my favorite color!

Dress: Kate Spade Cupcake Skirt Dress in Lapis Blue

The dress is still available at the following stores:

• Neiman Marcus
• Revolve Clothing
• 6pm

Similar style dress (cheaper): Adelyn Rae Cross Back Twill Fit and Flare Dress in Cobalt from Nordstrom.

You can also find an embellished version in black at KateSpade.com and Bloomingdales.

Shoes: Casadei Croc-Embossed Leather Slingback Pumps in Gold (no longer available)

Chapin and I have been carpooling this week, and that's probably one reason I look so exhausted. I work out in the mornings, and then take my time getting ready, even stopping to watch Good Morning America while drinking my coffee and eating breakfast. Now I have to rush through my morning routine to get out the door on time. Hopefully, we won't have to carpool for long!

Here's an update on what I've been reading and watching lately:

Reading: I'm almost halfway done with The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel my mother-in-law recommended. I'm enjoying the story so far!

Listening: I am listening to a really random playlist right now that includes Whitney Houston, The Railway Children, Vance Joy, Echosmith and others. When I run outside, I like to use Rock My Run, an app that lets you stream playlists according to your tastes. I'm a big fan of all the 80s mixes, especially this 80s Soundtrack mix.

Watching: I just finished watching the ten-part Netflix series Making a Murderer, about a wrongfully convicted Wisconsin man (DNA proved he was innocent) who gets out of prison after 18 years... only to later go on trial for the brutal murder of a young woman. Steven Avery and his nephew are both now serving time for her death.

When I originally heard about the series, I thought the title referred to the fact that prison turned an innocent man into a murderer, but it's actually about the justice system. From everything I've seen, I'm not convinced Steven Avery is actually guilty. There is certainly reasonable doubt in my mind, especially when it comes to the evidence presented at trial. It really does seem like he was framed.

Chapin and I have discussed the series at length, and Chapin believes Avery is the guilty party. If you've watched it, I'd love to discuss it with you. It's had me captivated this whole week.

I also wrapped up watching Pretty Little Liars about a month ago, and just watched the first new episode of Season 6 this week on Freeform. If anything positive can be said about the month of January, it's all the new TV available!