MCLV Style: Florals
While florals for Summer aren’t exactly groundbreaking, I thought that this floral shift dress in dark, moody purples was a fun twist on tradition for a hot summer night.
{Floral Dess – Rare from Asos.com, Sunglasses – Christian Dior, Multi-Chain Necklace – Vintage, Bracelets - JewelMint & Sandals – Vintage}
{You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Fashion Finder, or click the hyperlinks above to shop comparable pieces and visit store websites}
Check out more outtakes from this shoot here (just log into Facebook to view).
I wore this dress while wandering around Sacramento two weekends ago. The temperature was in the triple digits – sigh – but this dress worked quite well for dinner Friday night once the sun went down. And not give away the outtakes or anything, but I was chasing a chicken around this park moments before these pictures were taken… 
What’s your favorite piece of clothing been this Summer? Have you tried any new trends during the season or bought any new pieces that you just can’t get enough of?
Looks of the Week
Happy Monday! How was everyone’s weekend?
Let’s get this week started on a fashionable note with some great outfits that I’ve tracked down, and I’ll start with my absolute favorite look that I discovered.
How ridiculously cute is this???
I love the striped skirt (obviously) and I’ve been wearing my own polka dotted blouse to death so this gives me some great inspiration and ideas. Love it!
I love stripes, I love chain link necklaces, I love day clutches, and I love fun blouses. There’s basically nothing I don’t love about this look.
One piece can totally make a look and this is a fabulous example. This goal is absolutely to DIE for!
How cute is this dress? I love the pleats and the top half, how gorgeous the color looks on her, and the dainty little gold necklace.
Proof that neutrals are anything but boring! This is a great, casual look. Not only is she making that hat look GOOD, but those ankle boots are killer.
Fabulous colors. Amazing styling. And the most perfect accessories possible. Just what we’ve all come to expect from Liz. I adore this look, from her ombre top to her GORGEOUS Atwood-clad feet.
Doesn’t this look just make you want to go play in your closet? It’s such a fun, original combination of pieces and fabrics and prints. It makes me want to try something one-of-a-kind too!
Not sure about vests boys? This is a great example of how to pull one off and look really put together in the process.
Summer chic at it’s finest. Crisp white, some splashes of color, and a some skin!
What a fun, sassy look. I love the 70′s inspired jumpsuit – Too cute.
Do these pictures motivate you to be more creative with your fashion choices?
Links You’ll Love
Health/Fitness:
Want to take up running so that you can get outside and enjoy the gorgeous weather instead of wither away inside at the gym? Couldn’t agree more! Running Tips: How To Get Started – Women’s Health.
Need some quick workout inspiration to get you motivated for bathing suit season? Check out this video – Valerie Waters: I Want My Bikini Body Express.
Curious about trying another way of eating so that you can feel your best? Read Experience Life’s Paleo Vs. Vegan for some interesting information.
If you want to eat healthier and like the idea of a meal-sized salad for dinner try these 5 Fresh Main-Course Salads from Health.com. They’re packed with protein and hearty ingredients so you’ll be satiated and stay full afterwards. Not convinced? Read through Gena Hamshaw’s How To Fall In Love With Raw Food on Whole Living Daily. She’s the writer behind the wildly successful Choosing Raw website and one of the first blogs that I discovered when I took an interest in my personal health and eating better a few years ago. I highly recommend taking a look at what she has to say.
Over the years I’ve definitely been guilty of over-training. From twice-a-day workouts to skipping my rest days, I’ve gone through periods where I didn’t let soreness or exhaustion keep me out of the gym or off the trails. Not. Good. Are You Recovering, Or Are You Just Resting?
Are you a fan of eggs? Check out Fit Bottomed Girls’ piece on 5 Fun Ways To Eat Egg Whites. Or are you a fan of kale? Try Shockingly Delicious’s Better Than Trader Joe’s Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad.
Fashion:
If you’re in the market for some great new earrings to complement your warm weather looks this season, look no further! Heels & Sunkissed Curls has you covered with DIY: Silk Tassel Earrings that are too stylish for words!
New York City has been one of the world’s fashion capitals for years, check of what everyone’s wearing there this Spring - Refinery 29′s Street Style Video: What’s Fresh On 5th Avenue.
Nothing says Summertime quite like braids to me. Refinery 29 and Cup of Joe both agree with me wholeheartedly. Check out Refinery 29′s DIY Braids piece – Genius New (Promise!) Ways To Braid Your Hair and A Cup of Jo’s Holiday Hair Tutorials, which also contains links to all sorts of other hairstyles, from buns to braids to ponytails. I plan to try them all!
Summer Shorts Roundup – 16 Summer Shorts In Evert Length You’ll Ever Want and Elle’s 2012 Denim Guide.
Miss Olivia is becoming something of a staple around here – From her adorable wedding season-appropriate outfit on last week’s Looks of the Week post, to her closet-organizing tips in Links You’ll Love, to Style File breakdowns on her great personal style. So what do I have for you today? Well, if you’re liking interesting patterns and prints for Summer she’s got the goods for you – How To Rock: The Tribal Touch.
Links You’ll Love
Health/Fitness:
Did you watch the recent 60 Minutes piece Is Sugar Toxic? Raise your hand if that guy scared you a little! I consider myself very well-informed when it comes to health and nutrition, and I don’t consume much sugar, but that guy was still creepy intense. Doesn’t mean the message was wrong though, to be sure, let’s just try to hear it from a different, more palatable source. The Difference in How Fructose and Glucose Affect Your Body from Kimberly Snyder, Do We Need Better Advice About Eating Well? I Vote Yes from Marion Nestle, and The Sugar Blockers Diet from Prevention.com.
Need some healthy snack ideas? Obviously you should reach for fresh fruit & veggies, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit before anything packages & processed, but sometimes you just need to throw something in your purse or keep in your desk in case of a snacking emergency. Check out the Hungry Hungry Hippie‘s suggestions or my Lollihop review. I’ll also be reviewing my Healthy Surprise box soon!
Are you a fan of yoga? Since I’m going through physical therapy for a back injury and trying to strengthen my core and stay flexible, I’m going to give it another try. Here are some beginner and not-so-beginner yoga sessions to give a try:
- Get a Calorie-Burning Workout With This Yoga Flow Series
- 10 Yoga Poses for Health Problems
- 8-Minute Workout: Yoga for Better Sleep
Did you enjoy Part I and Part II of the Mark’s Daily Apple series called Why Fast? that I posted here? The next installment in this series is a great beginners guide to fasting – Why Fast? Part Six – Choosing a Method.
Healthy motivation to start your week off right tomorrow! 4 Great Ways To Use Chia Seeds from Canadian Living, professional triathlete and author Brendan Brazier’s favorite ingredientsfrom leafy greens to pseudograins, seeds and nuts, and In Defense of Fat: 7 Surprising Facts from The Huffington Post.
Fashion:
As we get ready for Spring why not take inspiration from the Aussie’s who are finishing up their warm weather dressing - Sydney Snaps: Street Style From Down Under.
I read lots of pieces on how to be a good hostess – from menus to glasses to centerpieces, but I was excited to read this article from Apartment Therapy on Hosting Overnight Guests Without A Guestroom. San Francisco is a city of apartment living and when a one bedroom is usually over $2000 a month, most people don’t have an unused bedroom, so this is incredibly relevant!
Nothing but fabulousness from the arrivals at the Gucci Fashion Show After-Party in Shanghai. If you need inspiration for a night out on the town these ladies are a great place to start!
A great look for Spring is a crisp button down shirt. You can pair it with cropped pants, a pleated mini, over a flowy maxi dress or even tucked into jeans. And why not mix up the classic white button down and try a Chambray shirt. Do A Little Chambray! from Eat Breath Fashion.
Whether you’re breaking out your Spring dresses for weekends or planning a shopping trip for your Summer wedding season, take inspiration from FabSugar’s Ultimate Spring Dress Guide!
