Friday, June 30, 2017

Summer Florals & Friday Faves Link Up




Happy Friday, loves!
 
I hope you've had the best week :-) Guess what? I'm back in the desert for today's shoot! This purple floral maxi dress is such a dream. Read on to see how I styled it and to hear my thoughts on a very important topic....

















Outfit Details:
 
Dress: Morning Lavender c/o | Shoes: Free People | Bag: LC Lauren Conrad (sold out - similar here, here and here) | Choker: Ettika | Cuff | Ring: Etsy
 

Can you tell I'm a sucker for floral prints? This dress from Morning Lavender is just so stunning! The color is divine and looks beautiful against the background of orange. It is so incredibly flattering with the tie waist and flutter sleeves. I also love that it makes me look taller (I'm 4'11" for reference and am wearing a 3 inch wedge). This is a dress that can be styled soooo many ways, but I decided to go a bit on the boho side for this particular outfit. Since purple and orange are complimentary to each other, I decided to add a clay colored bucket bag and lace up wedges in a similar color. I added dainty gold jewels to finish it off for a soft, feminine look.
 
So, I definitely wasn't planning to write about this, but yesterday's Instagram post generated so much interest that I thought I would share here. I participated in a campaign that spoke of women's empowerment, which is something I strongly believe in. I wrote about the challenges of entering a new decade and still feeling like I didn't quite have my life figured out yet...the insecurities of getting older and believing I still had nothing to offer...the fear that since I was no longer "young" by societal standards that it was too late to pursue my dreams. I think we put far too much pressure on ourselves as women. We are caregivers, providers and leaders among other things. We wear many different hats and are expected to fulfill each of our jobs with ease. We are expected to be perfect and have successful careers...and if life just doesn't happen the way we think it should, then we have somehow failed. Self doubt and feeling like you aren't good enough are very real things, especially as we age.
 
The truth is....that none of these things are true. I've always lacked confidence and faith in myself, which caused me to hold myself back for years. I let other people dictate my life and decide what they thought was best for me even though it made me unhappy. I never thought I could reach my goals and pursue the dream I wanted so badly for myself. And one day...I woke up. I started over, took a risk and changed career paths. I left a life of comfort and stability for one that I was truly passionate and excited about. I wish I would have done this sooner, but I held MYSELF back this entire time because of the lies that echoed in my head.
 
You can be anything you want to be and do anything you want to do at any age. There is no limitation to success in life and there is no expiration date for your achievements and goals. If you aren't happy with where your life is, change it. And if you still "don't know what you want to be when you grow up," it's okay! We feel bad about ourselves because of  the pressure that others put on us. Stop living your life for other people and live for yourself. You cannot please everyone and you only get one life to live. If you have the right mindset, you can truly achieve anything. You just have to do it. Don't let your age define you.
 
xo
 
 
 Shop the Post:

 

 
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This week's favorite is.....
 




What an adorable and fun look for Fourth of July! I absolutely love the gingham and polka dot combo!
 
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Link up time - yay! <3




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