Shoulder Pop

This La Vie Rebecca Taylor dress is all about the print, the drop waist and the gigantic, eye-catching puffed sleeves.

Outfit Details

It's windy, with a high of 75, in Atlanta today!

Dress: La Vie Rebecca Taylor Firefly Floral-Print Cotton Poplin Dress (no longer available)

A dress with a large, puffed shoulder has the ability to trick the eye. A larger shoulder gives the illusion of a tinier waist, for example. It also draws the eye upward, away from other parts of the body. Why do you think shoulder pads were so popular in the 1980s?

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Shar 85 Leather Sandals in Ballet Pink

I find these Jimmy Choos very comfortable for a high heel, and the nude color helps elongate the leg. I didn't want a shoe that distracted from the print, since it's so beautiful!

The dress is made of cotton, so it's super comfortable, too.

Green and Gold

Happy Monday! It was (another) relaxing weekend at home for me, Chapin and the pugs. The highlight was probably Saturday night, when Chapin made pizza and we watched Ad Astra in our theater room. The movie was a bit bland, but watching Brad Pitt for two hours is never a bad thing... wink, wink! We also had new furniture delivered on Friday -- finally! We've been waiting for so long, and finally have drawers in our bedroom again.

Today's dress is one I had my eye on for awhile. I refused to buy it until it went on sale, though! I love the flowing silhouette, how it moves in the breeze, and the green and gold color scheme.

Outfit Details

Dress: Ted Baker London Delyla Meadow Long Sleeve Midi Dress

The dress is still on sale at several online retailers, including Bloomingdale's, the Ted Baker website and Zappos. Ted Baker is a British brand, so sizing can be a bit wonky, and from my experience with the Ted Baker brand, it's not consistent. I'm wearing a size 1 for reference, which probably equates to a U.S. size 2. (However, in other dresses I find I'm a size 2, or a U.S. size 4. It can be very frustrating to shop this brand online!)

My advice: Go with your gut, and make sure it's not a final sale in case you have issues with the fit.

Shoes: Sophia Webster Freya Platform Sandals in Gold

Find the shoes on the Sophia Webster website, as well as at Bloomingdale's and Saks. Sophia Webster is also a British brand, and the brand runs very small, so I recommend you go up at least one size when buying Sophia Webster shoes.

AS SEEN ON

Sophia Bush wore the sandals to an event in late 2019:

I've been absolutely obsessed with Sophia Webster this year. The shoes are gorgeous, feminine and glittery -- definitely three things I like in a shoe!

These high sandals are also a good contract with the more uppity vibe of the dress. The shoes definitely help bring a note of fun to what could have been an ordinary outfit.

AS SEEN ON

Buffy/How I Met Your Mother star Alyson Hannigan wore the dress back in March during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Photo by WORNONTV.NET

She's part of one of my favorite celebrity couples, married to fellow Buffy/Angel star Alexis Denisof (he played Wesley) since 2003. They were married just a few weeks before me and Chapin!

Sweetheart

A sweetheart neckline tends to be flattering on everyone - and is just one reason I love today's Parker dress.

Outfit Details

Dress: Parker Miuccia Print Sweetheart Mini Dress

Although it's hard to see in the photo, the dress has little puff sleeves -- and they are long sleeves, which I adore -- that are just so sweet.

I love the heart print, colors and even the ruffle in front. The ruffle is strategically placed to draw the eye and the ruching helps conceal unflattering bulges at the hips.

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik BB Patent Leather Pumps in Raspberry Pink

With Love

Love should be at the core of everything we do -- whether we're choosing a career path, a spouse, a friend, or how to spend our free time. Life is too short to fill it with anything but love.

Clearly, it's been extremely hard watching everything going on the world right now, but today, through the words on my dress, I wanted to share how we can move forward.

With Love.

By Saying That Black Lives Matter.

By Treating Others the Way You Want to Be Treated.

And that's all I'm going to say about that because, after all, this blog is about fashion and makeup and feeling good about yourself.

So here goes...

Dress: Maje With Love Dress (no longer available)

The straps repeat the mantra "With Love" -- a fitting dress to wear these days, right?

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Lottie Metallic Leopard Print Sandals

Something Special

There's nothing like a dress you love to give you the boost you need! Today, I'm wearing one of my new favorite dresses - a must for this busy Tuesday.

Sometimes you just know a dress will look good on you, and that's how I felt when I saw this Rebecca Taylor dress. From the puff sleeves to the mock neck to the ruffled skirt, this dress was definitely made for me!

Dress: Rebecca Taylor Celia Lace Dress

Shoes: SJP Nirvana Mary Jane Pumps in Fishnet

Note: Lately, the Rebecca Taylor brand has been running large, so I recommend you size down. I'm wearing a size zero for reference.

AS SEEN ON...

Kelly Ripa! Get all the details via Worn on TV.

Summer White

I've never been a huge fan of white dresses. I'm usually of the school of thought that the only white dress that's really flattering on a woman is her wedding dress.

Today's dress is a little something different from the Milly brand, though, so I wanted to try it out. It's the rare summer/ work sheath dress that is also feminine and delicate. The floral detail and cap sleeves are just beautiful.

OOTD DETAILS

Dress: Milly Carolina Floral Cap-Sleeve White Sheath Dress

Find it at Bluefly (the site, it seems, has been resurrected) and Saks Off 5th. The material will definitely wrinkle -- it did for me after sitting in my office chair all day --  so you may want to size up. I'm wearing a size 2 for reference.

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik BB 90 Rainbow Snakeskin-Embossed Leather Pumps

With a white dress, I had to wear a colorful shoe -- enter these Manolos!

As you can see, I'm still playing with different locations to take my #OOTD photo -- and different settings on the camera, too. Getting the light right is imperative to a good photo.

I hate that I look so tired in these photos, since it's only Monday! I tried to catch up on sleep over the weekend, but it's difficult when you sleep in a bed with three pugs. Their stomachs usually wake them up around 5:30 a.m., even on Saturdays and Sundays. Good thing they're worth it.

I also probably stayed up too late reading; I just started the new Emily Giffin novel, The Lies That Bind, and I'm excited to see where the plot goes. Fiction has been such a good escape for me lately!

Scouting

The metallic threads in today's dress from Kate Spade really bring this floral dress to life. I can't imagine a better match for my silver and gold Sophia Webster sandals! They are silver in the front and gold in the back. (Is anyone else singing the Girls Scouts song in their head right now? "One is silver and the other gold...")

Dress: Kate Spade New York Metallic Floral Park Clip Dot Mini Dress

This dress is very "me" - the cut, the floral metallic pattern and even the little extra puff at the shoulders. Plus, it has long sleeves! I just love this outfit from head to toe, and I think the design really flatters my coloring and body type.

I got a nice affirmation from the security guard at the office today, too. He asked me if I was sure I wasn't a movie star. ;) Ha!

Shoes: Sophia Webster Nicole Sandals in Silver and Gold

I'm starting to get the hang of taking pictures at my new house. It's hard to believe my last posts before this week were from mid-March! We moved into the house and I had a birthday over these last few months. I still can't believe I'm 42! Ugh!

On a side note...
There is a lot going on the world these days, but my fashion blog is not the place to comment on these extremely serious issues. I'm trying hard to stay positive and focus on my family and company. Watching old 80s movies, fashion, new TV shows, books... these are the ways I cope with stress. Hopefully you are finding some good outlets, too. Stay strong!