Red, White, and Blue

Top and sunnies, F21.  Shorts, Ralph Lauren Golf.  Belt, Vintage, Shoes, H&M.

I celebrated the 4th of July with a classic BBQ with friends, and took the "classic" route when getting dressed as well.  I started the day off in blue and white polka dotted shorts with my favorite Killlers tee shirt, but something felt off.  While patriotic, my outfit was a little lazy- and what better time to go all-out than the 4th??

I changed into this little cropped top soon after to up my fancy factor.  While I love to show a little bit of tummy, I've never been one to go overboard with skimpiness.  To temper the revealing nature of this top, I opted for the most covered-up pair of shorts I own:  these "mom" shorts from the Ralph Lauren Golf collection.  I think they are SO funny; I found them in Second Time Around years ago for less than $10 and knew I had to have them.  This is actually one of the only times I've worn them in 4 years- sometimes a piece that seems useless will show its worth when the perfect outfit comes along.

To add some more white to my blue-centric outfit, I threw on this vintage leather belt and matching off-white pumps from H&M.  I just scored these babies at H&M's summer sale for $15!  They're going to be my go-to summer shoes for sure.  Red made an appearance with my usual red lip and nowhere else; I loved that this outfit didn't go overboard with American pride!

Fashion Tips from "Red, White, and Blue":

1.   Holidays are an excuse to dress up.  Take these opportunities to step out of your comfy comfort zone and put a little pizzazz in your outfit!  Many people worry about dressing up during the day because it will seem "out of place" or "weird" if their normal mode of dressing is super casual.  Little holidays- 4th of July, your birthday, the first day of summer- are the perfect times to try out an amped-up look!  

2.  Don't pay attention to that old closet rule, "If you haven't worn it in 6 months, get rid of it."  I hear this all the time as a wardrobe stylist, and it's just not a good marker for what should stay and what should go!  These shorts have been waiting patiently to be worn for 4 years, and they ended up being perfect today.  If you feel connected to a certain item that hasn't yet seen the light of day, there's hope.  You love it for a reason- keep it and see what happens!

3.  Summer sales are happening now- go take advantage of them!  Sales can be hard to shop, but keep you eye out for year-round basics that have been marked down.  These white/nude heels will be a staple in my wardrobe no matter the season!  When sale shopping, be on the lookout for basic denim, little black dresses, simple heels, and basic tees.  You can get these for next to nothing and they'll end up being power players in your wardrobe!

I'm now the resident blogger for stylehaus.com!  For more frequent updates from my team and I, check out our site daily!