Pretty is

...My Life and Style

You are here: Home / Home

Pretty is: Striped Top and Striped Shoes

What do you do to brighten up an ordinary, flavorless hump day?

Find something fun to wear!

What ‘s more fun than stripes?

More stripes!

This springs stripes are everywhere… especially in blue and white. As of today, I own four of this season’s nautical inspired tops.

Stripes take the place of a statement piece. Who needs a colossal neck adornment when you’re styling stripes.
Today I pulled out a go-to top that I purchased during an online shopping spree at Shein.com.

The colors are fun, the stripes are amusing, and I’m entertained with myself for having sandals that seem to have black stripes that match my top.

Happy Hump-Day Y’all… we’re halfway there!

“Stripes are the equivalent to what a white t-shirt used to be back in the day,” says Roopal Patel, fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue. “They have nine lives. We’ve seen the trend now for two to three seasons and it will continue to carry forward.” (Source)

Pretty is: Little Black Blouses

“I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color.” – Wednesday Addams

Black is noted for its ability to slim and add drama to outfits and décor alike.  No other color conveys elegance like black.  Although it seems contradictory to the bright happy colors of spring, it is actually a color that was featured frequently during New York Fashion Week.  While the Pantone Color Institute did not declare black as one of the top 10 spring 2017 colors, no other color is as timeless, and therefore is not to be neglected during the spring and summer seasons.

One of my “Pretty is” picks this season is this black crochet trim chiffon halter top that I purchased recently from Shein

Halter Top: Shein, $13
Shorts: Forever21 (similar, similar)
Sandals: Forever21 (or these will work)
Bracelets: Brighton
Earrings: Kohl’s
Sunglasses: Coach

These are a few little black blouses/tops that I think are pretty.  Whats even prettier is the fact that each of them cost less than $20

 

Amazon / Forever 21

Lulu’s Boutique / Burlington

TJ Maxx / Lulu’s

Little black blouses… gotta have ’em

Pretty is: Celebrating Mothers

Yesterday was Mother’s Day and it was fabulous. For me, the day started with a “made from scratch” sour cream pound cake.

Pound Cake, Cake, Baking

Since my mother loves a warm pound cake, I made sure she got some. I followed a recipe that I found on Pinterest posted by Call Me PMc which I have used before and will used again.

LB and I hand delivered it early Sunday afternoon. That’s Mama

We visited for a while, had a nice talk, then I had to head home to get ready for the evening festivities.

Amanda is my younger daughter and the celebrated middle child of my three.  She likes to treat me to a pedicure on Mother’s Day, and that has been our practice for several years now. While waiting for her to pick me up, and getting everything ready for company, LB discovered a plumbing problem. Sparing the details, let me just say, it was bad enough to cause a change in our evening plans. Instead of having the kids come to our house to visit, enjoy sliders, and maybe take a swim, LB suggesting we reschedule.  I broke the news to the kids but my brilliant first born decided we should all go out instead.
So we did.
To my favorite restaurant (it is Mother’s Day after all)… La Nopalera.
So we met at the Roosevelt location and enjoyed Fajitas for Mother’s Day.  As expected, I carried on to excess and am back on the diet today. But it was thoroughly wonderful and I am richer for the experience to spend time with my delightful children, glam baby and for all the lovely Mother’s day gifts they presented.

Glammy’s Girl is an artist
Amanda~Stephanie~Me~Richard~Lydia~Emily

Photography by LB

Pretty is: Mary Duckworth Reid

I met her in 1966.  She was only 20 years old and a newlywed… just 9 months prior she had married her High School Sweetheart.  With wavy brunette hair and big green eyes, she had her whole life ahead of her and so much to live for.

We liked each other right away…

…and we became a family.

Over the years, she taught me so much… beginning with the basics like how to walk, how to pray, and things every little girl should know like “Pretty is as Pretty does”.

She showed me how to make biscuits and milk gravy… and being the slow learner that I am, I now know how to LOVE biscuits and milk gravy…

Can I get some of these this year PLEASE?

She taught me how to take care of a home (vacuuming, dusting, polishing, and the importance of Windex, etc.)

She took me to church and taught me about God

She gave me a sister (and a lifelong best friend)

She loves my children as much as I do…

Amanda~Stephanie~Richard

and Who could ask for ANYTHING more?

Even though years have passed, she can still hold me in her lap

She’s my Mama

Happy Mother’s Day to My sweet Mama…. I wouldn’t trade you for any Mother in the world!

She is the reason I am sitting here composing…

“But behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begins.”  ~ Mitch Albom

Pretty is: Black and White

Black and white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, and hyphenated black-and-white when used as an adjective, is any of several monochrome forms in visual arts (source).
You can find it when watching movies or television

appreciating art

listening to the words of a song

shopping in a particular retail establishment

and on MY DRESS TODAY!Dress: Shein
Cardigan: Target
Purse: Michael Kors, Dillards
Shoes: XOXO, Amazon
Bracelets: Brighton

In my closet, if there is one color that stands above all the rest, it is black. Right behind at a close second is white. Most of the time I’ll be styling either black or white in my outfit ensemble
For my fabulous Fashion Friday entry, I respectfully submit

TGIF!

 

“Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.” – Coco Chanel

Pretty is: the Right Shoes

Give a girl the right shoes… and she can conquer the world. ~Marilyn Monroe

Perhaps Marilyn learned this from Cinderella, who showed us that “one shoe can change your life”.

More recently, Carrie Bradshaw taught us that a great pair of shoes can make everything all right.
Most women would have to agree that shoes are obsessive.


I’ve mentioned before that there is something satisfying about shopping.  This includes shopping for shoes.  Perusing through a magazine today, I came across an article that provided enough proof for me in this statement [regarding shoe shopping] “The neurotransmitter dopamine is released, providing a feel-good high, similar to taking a drug,” (source).
I told y’all!

Another detail I learned is that there is an additional desirable sensation that is brought about by wearing high heels. It seems that wearing high heels can bring a woman to a state of euphoria as the height provides a level of confidence that brings with it a sense of power.

Little Girl, High Heels, Pink, Dress

This is not something I have experienced firsthand, as I typically keep my heels at or under a controllable 2 ½ inches

Feeling euphoric, dominant and more self-confident helps empower women, so why stop at one pair of shoes? Thus the addiction; the purchase of shoes will be continual, in order to keep these sensations alive.

It doesn’t matter how many shoes I have, I am always finding that I have an outfit that requires a pair that I don’t have.

Therefore, I keep shopping.

 

Amazon / Payless / Amazon

LOFT / Payless / Payless

Amazon / Amazon / Amazon

Amazon / Banana Republic / Banana Republic


Two Months!

Today is my two month Blogiversary.

I began posting to prettyis.me on March 10, 2017 and have had a ball writing about “my life and style”!  In that time I have learned so much about wordpress, webhosting, tags, media files, and so much more relating to the World of Blog.

unofficial World of Blog mascot

Though there are days when I have nothing to post, I will continue posting.

On this auspicious Wednesday, I’m celebrating by wearing a Sunday School outfit to work.

Obviously I’m not the best model (poor LB)

 

“If I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, it stands to reason that I’m going to get there.”
― Rachel Joyce, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Connect