summer white + turquoise

white ots top (similar) // white jeans // turquoise necklace // bucket bag // shoes (similar)

I know everyone says this, but really where has the summer gone?  I remember entering this season when the heat really kicked in here in Charlotte and I thought “oh my gosh this is going to last forever.”  Well, not so much.  So in honor of the summer that is quickly disappearing, I wanted to share a great white on white outfit that was one of my favorites this season.  This top is actually an old white off the shoulder dress that sadly shrunk in the wash.  So instead of scrapping it I realized that I could create a dramatic hi-lo look by pairing it with a pair of white jeans.  My stack of BaubleBar turquoise necklaces added the perfect pop of color and BAM, I had re-purposed something that could have easily been tossed aside.  The shoes shown here are an old pair of B Brian Atwood, but I’ve linked some great Cole Haan sandles that would do the trick.  While most items in this look are no longer available online, I’ve tried to find some similar items so you can recreate it!

I also wanted to take this time to recognize the fact that I’ve been away from the blog pretty much all summer.  This past Spring I was offered a great opportunity for promotion at my day job.  With that came more responsibilities and a shift in priorities.  Now that I have been in my new role for 6 months, I’m reassessing how I can balance work with my personal life, which includes the blog.  I recently read a blog post from my dear friend Lauren Sims about the importance of staying inspired.  The post really made me pause and reflect on what that means to me.  We tend to get caught up in our day-to-day routine, especially the daily stresses of work (guilty as charged!), kids, school, etc., and forget to allow ourselves the time to do something rejuvenating.   I’ve come to realize that I’ve seriously neglected two things that do this for me: blogging and fitness.  It is so important to have those outlets of expression in our personal life and my goal is to start making them a priority again.  I challenge you to do the same.

So with that being said…cheers to the last weeks of summer!  I hope that after reading this you will try take the time to do something that inspires you each day and remember to make yourself a priority.  Oh, and make sure to enjoy the warm weather and sunshine, too!

xx Lo