Dress up from my closet and Vacation Packing

Today's outfit was inspired by a collage that was pictured in the Bon Bon Rose Girls Blog back in March.

To see more of that post click here!

This top is new from TJ Maxx bought a month ago. Loved its fluid cut and the lace neck. It can be worn without a bet or tucked in without looking too baggy. They had it in a pink color too I think but I liked this mintish blue color.

Th

Nude heels added height without taking away from the colors...

 I decided to add the flower pin which I see in ShopRuche website all the time. Finally figured out how to pin it sideways like this. I like it. I have two of these pins/barette's bought years ago.

Since I didn't have peach colored feather earings decided to add the peach feather necklace instead...

Top - TJ  Maxx

Pants - Bebe

Shoes - Steve Madden

Necklace and flower pin - Forever 21

Today's Activities: Was about to hit the indoor play area but my mom came to take the kids to the park so stayed home instead. Prepared for our big mother son camping trip by washing the sleeping bags and letting dry under the sun for that fresh smell. Expecting super cold nights and very warm days so packed bunch of layers for my son. Have to figure out what I am wearing still.
During naps, had lunch with my mom then my friend came over to bring us dinner for the night and we chatted with her over tea. The kids woke up and played together while we finally finished my kids' preschool scrap book and printed all the paperwork for tomorrow's camping trip.
When my dad decided he is not up to coming for dinner told my friend to stay over and had her husband join us for a nice family dinner together.
My son and I are both just ecstatic about tomorrow. We will go to Wild Animal park with my sister and her boyfriend so we can join in on their company picnic. Than in the afternoon my son and I will check in for our Roar and Snore camping event. We'll get to spend the night in the wild animal park and tour after hours. It should be quite an adventure. But the best part is it will be just the two of us. We might meet people of course but we are not going with anyone we know. The next (Sunday) morning my husband and daughter will join us for a family caravan tour. Can't wait...

So better late than never is my Fashion Beauty Friend Friday post hosted by the lovely Katy from Modly Chic blog.

Now that summer is in full swing here… and vacations are coming up, today's topic is about Vacation Packing...
1.    When it comes to packing for vacation what’s your mantra?
Obviously it depends on where I am going and what I will be doing. Back in the days I have done a lot of adventure travel where you have to pack light. If I was going on  a cruise where I will only worry about my luggage in the beginning and the end of the trip only I pack more where I can wear a separate outfit day and night. But, no matter how I am packing I always make an outfit list first and make sure the outfits re-use a lot of the same pieces and especially shoes and pack from that list only.

2.    What are your must packs?
A pair of jeans. A jacket or cardigan of some sort even for a hot tropical vacay. Pair of comfy shoes. I usually opt to wear these shoes on the road to save space and weight off of my luggage. A book. A journal. Socks.

3.    What are you happy to leave behind?
Daily life chores and worries!

4.    Any packing secrets that help you get everything into one suitcase?
Not really. I either unfold everything and pack them flat or just folded. It is usually not an issue of fitting in a suitcase but the issue of keeping the suitcase under the weight limit!

5.    Beach reading… what are you taking with you to read in the sand?
If the vacation is a beach vacation, I would pack some fun and light reading. When it comes to light books: I truly enjoy authors that right in first person and talk/think about everyday stuff.
I know this is not the question but I will add, I enjoy reading 'fiction' books where the story takes place in the region I am going to visit before I travel. Before our big safari trip to Africa I read 5 books that took place in various parts of the continent and even Hemingway's hunting trip in search of the great kudu (couldn't remember the title). It makes me feel much closer to the place once I get there.
Of course now traveling with kids, you are lucky if you get to finish half a book on vacation!

To see how others answered these questions please click HERE!

The peach and red thing

 

Got the inspiration for today's color combination from the following photo in the January Lucky magazine. Yes, I know it is June but hey with as many outfit ideas as I have on my list it is not possible to wear them all in time unless I did 2-3 outfits per day!

 

If I cared more I would have played around with this combo to come up with a more fluid look and better shoes. But given today's agenda (pretty much running errands most of the day) I settled...

 

Trying some different poses...

 

Was going to wear a regular plain white tee but saw this one on the shelf and realized I had missed it...

 

Again was going to wear a plain red cardi but it was crop and though this longer one would be better. Has a lot of pattern on the arms and the back as well.

 

Stayed true to the color scheme with coral and red accessories... The coral necklace is my grandmother's, barrowed it from my mom.

 

These lizard sandals look OK. They actually have detachable gladiator straps that go up to my calf. I had them altered today by a shoe guy so they fit my skinny legs now. Can't wait to wear them.

 

More different chair poses...

 

Red Cardi - Ed Hardy

Tee - From Turkey

Peach Jeans - thrifted from Filomena's Closet

Belt & ring - Forever 21

Sandals - Victoria's Secret

Necklace - vintage

Today's Activities: Well, initially it was going to be a very boring day with nothing but errand running. Hence my lack of caring for my outfit. I spent the entire morning at the house. The kids were miraculously good and let me actually pay all the bills and organize the office. As a treat I asked them if they want to have lunch on the water or Chipotle's. They voted for the water. It is amazing as all it takes is a 5 minute drive and you can feel like you are on vacation. Once again I had to tell myself how lucky we were for living here. We got super lucky and found parking right by the restaurant (never happens) and found a table right by the glass on the ocean deck. As usual when it just the 3 of us and all my attention is on them they did great at the restaurant, ate all their food and everything. We then walked on the pier as they ran back and forth peeking between the big wood planks to see the ocean under. 

Then it was back to errands of grocery shopping, dry cleanning and shoe repair.

After naps we went to get my son a hair cut then were invited over to my best friend's house for dinner so I can see her Dad and Step mom who are visiting out of town. She has 3 kids and the oldest is 7 yrs old so when you go there you can forget the kids. They play and play and play.

Came home almost past the kids bed time so it was quick to bed.

Here we are on the ocean front patio for lunch... Good thing we speak Turkish cause the place was filled with foreign speaking tourists. We fit right in! The mickey tin on the table is my son's. He likes to pack toys for wherever we are going. Rarely opens or plays with them but likes to pack and take them!

My son checking out the surf and the little birds were all around us trying to get in on our lunch...

The crazy boy & girl on the Deck

 

Kids running further on the long pier...

 

Us on the Pier - yes this is our neighborhood...

High Waist is not my best friend

 

Posting super late tonight. So will be very brief and short. Watched a movie with subtitles which required 100% attention so this is what happens when you can't multi task!

The inspiration for today's outfit came from the March issue of In Style Magazine:

 

This is the first time I am wearing the high waist pants I got months ago at H&M. As I have repeatedly stated I do not like HW pants on me. But I wanted to show off the coral belt so tucked in the top. I feel it is not the most flattering cut on my not so thin waist.

 

This top is very old but super versatile and has pretty details.

 

My one and only full priced purchased Kate Spade item

The white fedora from Target:

 

Wore a sweater over the top during the morning hours:

 White Top - La Redoute Catalog

Navy Pants - H&M

Sweater - Forever 21

Hat - Target

Clutch - Kate Spade

Flats - Dolce Vita

Belt - Forever 21

Gold bracelet watch - Ed Hardy

Today's Activities: Took the kids to Preschool. Trying to finish the final art projects as the semester is coming to an end. After naps tried to get stuff done around the house. My Dad who is feeling great today came over for dinner and to play with the kids. We celebrated my son's actual b-day today. 

Re-using his b-day party candle on a leftover cake tonight with Dede (grandpa in Turkish):

 

My dad took this photo which is what our household looks like as we rush through our bedtime routine:

Between my dad and I we managed to capture many faces of my Daughter just within couple hours:

Vintage Maxi

 

After a day in bed I am feeling barely good enough to get dressed today. The inspiration for this outfit came from the lovely E from District of Chic:

 

I found this vintage maxi dress in my mom's spare closet. It is another left over from her 2nd hand store I think. All made out of crochet then fully lined. It is quite heavy and thick and but looks great. I got the idea to wear a top over to treat it like a skirt from E. I chose red from the colors of the skirt as a top. If I had a very thick and cool red necklace like hers I was going to wear a coral top with it but since I didn't chose this combo instead...

 

Got this necklace from F21. It is cool cause the whole chain part is pearly beads and the feathers are peach.

 

Wore my dark navy patent leather peep toes underneath. The skirt is actually quite long so needs heels for sure.

 

Dress - Vintage

Top - Xoxo

Necklace - Forever 21

Heels - Steven (by Steve Madden)

Today's Activities: Yesterday was a blur. I had spent the night at my Dad's and woke up feeling like a train wreck. Came home and my husband was equally sick (kids were at Grandma's) so we had a warm breakfast then hit the urgent care clinic. I was feeling so bad that I couldn't even sit in the waiting room so I waited in the car while he signed us in and got me when it was my turn. We both were diagnosed with flu and bronchitis and given the same antibiotics. I slept and slept. My hubby got the kids so they can nap at home so I saw them a little bit to read stories then he took them again there for my mom's b-day Party. I missed it all. When I woke up it was already 8 PM! 

My mom and Aunt came by so I can say good-bye to my aunt who is leaving for Turkey today. 

Feeling a bit better this morning. Tried to pick up the house a little and brought the kids to the indoor play area.

Will be taking my Dad to his first chemo therapy in the afternoon. Hoping all goes well!

This was a photo taken on Saturday with my Aunt. Her 2 week visit to USA has ended so quickly...

We'll miss her....