Beach essentials

It’s Friday eve y’all!

So I’m heading down to Gulf Shores, AL this weekend with some girlfriends for bachelorette party numero dos this summer. Hopefully it won’t be cloudy or rain the whole time like it did on the last trip, buttt according to the forecast there’s a good chance of possible thunderstorms and/or cloudiness.

Whomp whomp… C’mon mother nature, mama needs a tan!

Rain or shine, here’s some things that I won’t be forgetting!

Beach essentials by lpoynter featuring a blue dress

H M blue dress, $22 / Topshop bikini / Jean shorts / Swim suit / Topshop bikini / Topshop swim top, $31 / Mossimo strap sandals / FOSSIL fedora hat / Benefit blush / Benefit blush / Laura mercier eyeshadow / Lip care

– I always try to buy coordinating swimsuits so I can mix and match tops and bottoms. Love these coral and mint ones!

– High waisted cut-offs, always a must for the beach

– I love this simple black dress from H&M, the material is great for travel because it doesn’t wrinkle. I’ve been dressing it up and down all summer. This weekend it will double for a swimsuit cover-up and for the night out where everyone has to wear black except for the bride.

– Couldn’t forget this hat and sandals y’all know I’ve been living in this summer. Definitely beach essentials.

– I’m loving coppery, bronze, and coral makeup combos for summer. It gives a great summer glow, even if you sit in clouds/rain all day at the beach.

Also not pictured- lots of fruity drinks and SPF!

What are some of your beach essentials?

Classic & Fab with eShakti

What I wore to a wedding rehearsal dinner:

{Dress- eShakti  c/o (similar) // Laser cut wedges- Target (old, similar) // Clutch- Urban Peach Boutique (seen here) // Tassel bracelet- Mindy Maes Market}

I was recently introduced to the awesome online shop eShakti. They have tons of great dresses and skirts, and they customize your order to your exact size! I even had to give them my height so they could customize the hem just for me. I was very happy with that since I often have to get my dresses hemmed because I am on the shorter side, especially for a midi dress like this one that would probably be too long for me off the rack. This site is great for short and tall gals alike! I picked this dress because of its classic cut and fun color. I know I’ll get a lot of wear out of this fit and flare midi! The colorblocking and cut out top add interest to its classic shape. Oh, and did I mention it has pockets!? If you know me, you know I’m a sucker for dresses and skirts with pockets. Also, my floral clutch I got a few weeks ago went perfectly with it!

Apologies for the dog photobombs, my dog thinks he’s a model.

If you’re looking for a custom fit dress or skirt, I’d definitely recommend checking out eShakti!

Here’s some other picks I’m loving:

1 // 2 //  3 // 4

Linking up with Random Wednesday,  Working Girl with Style, and Summer Style!

Maxi Monday and weekend recap

Happy Monday y’all!

I am slowly recovering from an amazing wedding weekend of one of my favorite couples! This was the very first wedding I got to be a part of and let me tell you, I was more than honored to stand with the most beautiful bride I have ever seen as she married her best friend. By far the best wedding I’ve been to this summer, and I’m not just saying that because I was in it. We laughed, we cried, we danced, we ate, we drank. It was such a fabulous time so I thought I’d share some bits and pieces of it with you all!

AND I even caught the bouquet y’all! If you read my summer bucket list, you know this is an accomplishment! A. was just sooo happy about that.

Now, onto Maxi Monday

{Maxi dress- boutique find (similar) // Necklace- boutique find (love this one)}

This is my last Maxi Monday of the series because its still #noshopsummer and I ran out of maxi dresses to post. But isn’t it a great one? I saved my FAVORITE maxi dress for last. I was drawn to the color and print of this dress and the soft, breezy fabric. Also, this necklace looks like it was made for it.

Thanks for reading on your hectic Monday!

Friday Favorites: Kimono lovin’

The other day, my sister was asking me how to wear a kimono. I started naming off all the different ways to style one and BAM! inspiration for a blog post. So without ado, here are 4 ways I styled my kimono, all perfect for different occasions.

{Kimono- TJ Maxx (similar, love this, and this one!)}

For everyday

Graphic tee + high waist cutoffs

{Tee- J. Crew Factory // Shorts and sandals- Forever 21}

For a night out

Pleated LBD + gladiator heels

{Dress- TJ Maxx (similar) // Heels- Target // Necklace- Mindy Maes Market // Clutch- TJ Maxx (similar)}

 For the office

Pencil skirt + black top

{Skirt- Target (similar) // Tank- H&M // Sandals- Forever 21}

 Check out how it styled it with a simple black maxi here.

If styling something in as many ways possible was a sport, I’d win the Olympic gold medal I tell ya. I really just hate buying something to only wear it once. Where’s the fun in that?

I have honestly been a bit skeptical about buying a kimono. I think they are one of those things that is super trendy for like a second and then it will go live in the back of my closet until I sell it to Platos Closet. BUT nonetheless, I had been debating this for a while and saw this baby at T. J. Maxx for a whopping $16.99 and thought why not? When I want something super trendy, I never pay a lot of money for it. If anything, I can wear it as a robe or swimsuit cover or something… right? Turns out, I LOVED it with all of these outfits. A perfect throw-over piece to make any outfit more interesting.

God bless the Asian culture for inventing the kimono and then bless whoever decided to make them fashionable in mainstream America.

What are your thoughts on the kimono trend?

Linking up with Friday Frills!

 

My boyfriend hates these pants

He says they look like I have no butt. I say you don’t know anything about style, you silly boy. Anywho, they may give me a mile long, flat butt, but I don’t even care cause they are so comfortable and in a great print. Also, I am basically living in these Clarks sandals this summer. One of the best purchases I’ve made to date.

{Cropped tank- Target // Harem pants- Forever 21 (sold out, similar, LOVE these) // Sandals- Clarks (seen here)}

The perfect pair of lazy pants for when you have to put pants on. What do boys know anyway?

Beach please

Or a lake will do too!

My family is very fortunate to have a house on this beautiful lake in southeastern Tennessee. I spent my summers here as a kid swimming, boating, skiing and doing other fun lake activities, and I try to come back as much as I can.  So of course I spent this holiday weekend doing absolutely nothing but soaking up the sun here (and taking some blog pics, duh).

{Dress- H&M // Bag- Mud Pie (old, similar and on sale!) // Hat- Old Navy (similar)}

I got this dress last fall and I’m not sure it was meant to be a swimsuit cover-up, but its perfect as one isn’t it? It’s light, gauzy material is great for the beach or lake and you can throw it on over your bikini for lunch! And I can’t forget my trusty fedora that has been basically everywhere with me this summer. I love this Mud Pie beach bag I got at a boutique last year. They had lots of colors with different aquatic creatures printed on them. So cute and whimsical for the beach!

What are your beach or lake essentials?

Maxi Monday #3

Happy Monday folks!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend celebrating our nation! I got some much needed relaxation and maybe a little too much sun.

 

{Maxi dress and necklace- Old Navy (similar) (similar) // Kimono- Band of Gypsies, found at TJ Maxx // Sandals- Clarks (seen here)}

 A black maxi is a wardrobe staple in my book. They are so versatile and you can wear them all through spring, summer, and even stretch them out to fall! Definitely an investment piece. I have had this one for two years now and I’m thinking about getting and upgraded version. Adding that to my growing list of things to buy after #noshopsummer. Anywho, this floral kimono adds some great color and dresses this plain maxi right up.

This is when a GIANT SPIDER decided it would be fun to join our photo shoot on my shoulder.

 That’s the face of pure terror, people.

 NO Mr. Spider, you are not allowed anywhere near me. No, no, no.

Nature- 1, Leslie- 0.

 Linking up with Manic Monday!

Thanks for stopping by on your busy Monday!

Skirt in the front, party in the back

So I finally got with the program and jumped on the skort bandwagon. Woo!

Y’all know how much I love these shoes.

{Striped tee- Forever 21 // Skort- Target // Necklace- Mindy Maes Market (seen here and here) // Shoes- Target (seen here and here)}

I’m loving the skort trend because I can go out and dance on table without having to worry about showing the goods! This look is on the casual side with a striped tee, but I’ll definitely being wearing this skort in the fall with booties + long sleeved top + leather jacket.

What are your thoughts on skorts?

[Linking up to Working Girl with Style , Tres-Chic Fashion Thursday, and Friday Frills]

Florals & bows

Lookin’ super sweet and girly in my floral skirt, bow-backed top, and pop of coral necklace. Thank you very much.

{Top- Thrifted (similar) // Skirt and necklace- Francesca’s Collections (similar, similar) // Bag- Jessica Simpson, over used, I know (seen here)// Shoes- Franco Sarto (seen here)}

I was SO excited when I found this bow top at a thrift store! I had been looking for one but did not want to spend $40+ on one from a boutique (cause I’m a cheapskate and broke). I paired it with this sweet floral skirt. I like how this outfit is somewhat monochromatic with greens and blues, and I added pops of coral and pink accessories. And can’t forget my trusty strappy, nude heals that go with EVERYTHING.

Go take a looksie at my thrifting dos and don’ts if you haven’t yet.

My sister and I, struttin’ our stuff like the fabulous models we are.

Linking up with Monique and Melissa for their Summer Fashion Link Up, What I Wore Wednesday,  Random Wednesday, and Trend Spin Linkup!

Maxi Monday and #noshopsummer update

It’s Monday so put your best maxi on, don’t worry about shaving those legs, and recover from your weekend!

{Dress- Old Navy (old, kind of similar but I LOVE it) // Bag- Jessican Simpson (seen here) // Shoes- Franco Sarto (seen here & here)}

This is another oldie but goodie maxi (thank you, #noshopsummer) that has made an appearance at a few weddings, graduations, and other events I get to happily dress up for. The high neck feels so elegant and I love the slight color block. It looks great with an up-do and some statement earrings.

#noshopsummer update:

If you are just now following along and don’t know what the glorious #noshopsummer is, check out this post.

So, I feel the need to confess to you all for some reason. I may have cheated a tiny bit… but it was so worth it! I used a J. Crew gift card I had because it was burning a hole in my wallet. Also, I may or may not have bought a kimono (that you’ll see soon) and a fab floral clutch (seen here). Oops…  Anywho, I’m back on track now and still digging through my closet to come up with stuff to post! I’m surprised at how many outfits I can put together with what I have (that’s what its all about right?), but I’ll be honest, I’m chomping at the bit to shop!

MUST. MAKE. IT. TO. SEPTEMBER. I can do it y’all. Stay tuned!

Linking up with More Pieces of Me and On the Daily Express for Manic Monday!