Monthly Archives: March 2017

Comfy Travel Outfit for a Road Trip

Houston fashion blogger styles a comfy travel outfit for a road trip including a pink tee, distressed jeans, and white sperry shoes.

Karen Rock, a Houston based fashion blogger shares how to wear a lace bralette with a tshirt.

Lady in Violet, a Houston Fashion blog shares a casual weekend outfit including a pink tshirt with distressed jeans and a saddle crossbody bag.

Houston fashion blogger, Lady in Violet, styles a comfy road trip outfit featuring a pink tee, skinny jeans, and white sneakers.

Lady in Violet of Houston wears AG distressed jeans with Sperry white sneakers for a road trip.

Houston fashion blogger shares what to wear for road trip including a comfy tee and jeans.

Houston fashion blogger styles casual summer outfit inspiration including a pink tshirt, jeans, and a chloe saddle bag dupe.

Lady in Violet, a Houston fashion blogger wears casual weekend outfit ideas with jeans and tshirt.

| OUTFIT DETAILS |
Pink Tee  |  Lace Bralette  |  Distressed Jeans  |  Similar White Sneakers  |  Crossbody Bag  (Lighter Color but ON SALE)  |  Rose Gold Necklace  |  Skylar Earrings  |  Bourbon and Bowties Set  (similar one  and similar two)  |  Rayban Aviators  |  Nails: Essie Blanc  |  Lips: MAC Faux *On Sale

Living in Texas, I have taken my fair share of road trips over the years.  I feel like I have a comfy travel outfit down pat.   A few weeks ago, you may remember I ventured a little under 3 hours to my college town, Nacogdoches.  I wanted to be all kinds of comfy for the drive, so I immediately grabbed for my new comfy pink tee.  The material is so soft, and I am currently loving all things in this soft pink shade.   I also added in a lace bralette.  A friend turned me on to them last year on another road trip.  These bralettes are really lightweight and comfy, and they allow you to wear slouchy or open back tees without worrying about ugly bra straps showing.  This one is only $20 so I bought a neutral color and decided to try it out.  I have loved wearing it under various tops.  It only provides minimal support, so it may not work if you need a little extra support.  I just saw it comes in a few more color options now too.

For most road trips, I opt to wear a comfy pair of jeans.   You never know where you will be stopping along the way, and I want to look decent.  I find AG jeans to be really comfy and have a good amount of stretch without losing their shape.  They are a pricier brand, but well worth it in my opinion.   Every now and again, I opt to go even comfier than jeans.  For my latest trip, I wore leggings and a long cardigan with this top because it was really cold that weekend.

Road trip shoes need to be two things – comfy and slip ons.  I always take my shoes off in the car, because I much prefer to be barefoot.  These sneakers and my Tory Burch sandals are what you will often find me wearing on road trips.  All you need after that is good music, a few snacks, and maybe a little reading material, and you are all set for a road trip!  Ya’ll have a good rest of your day, and thanks for swinging by!

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Whole30 Halfway Mark | What I’ve Been Eating & Feeling

Houston Blogger shares about here Whole 30 experience including What to Eat on whole 30 and Tips for a success.

I have officially made it to the halfway mark of my Whole30!  The halfway mark is the point of the program where you tend to start feeling more of the benefits like increased energy and less cravings.  As I start on the downhill slide of this journey, I wanted to look back at the first two weeks to share a little about how it’s been going and answer everyone’s big question “What to eat on Whole30?”

WHAT I’M EATING

I’ll start with the good stuff and share what I have been eating these past two weeks.  First, I have to mention that I can eat the same meal 3-4 days in a row.  I typically do big meal prep on weekends making breakfast and lunch for the week.  For my dinner, I will do partial meal prep on weekends and cook a little throughout the week.  The first week I did ideas that were quick meal prep since I was out of town most of the weekend, but week 2 I dove into some recipes from the Whole30 books.

Week One
Breakfast:  Eggs, Sautéed Spinach and Mushrooms, Banana, and Coffee
Lunch:  Baked Chicken and Roasted Veggies with Coconut Flakes, and a Clementine
Dinner A:  Bunless Chicken BLTs with Avocado and Sautéed Okra
Dinner B:  Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Avocado and Sautéed Veggies
Snacks:  Dry Roasted Almonds

Week Two
Breakfast:  Eggs, Avocado, Banana, and Coffee
Lunch:  Sweet Potato Chili (from Whole30 Cookbook), Sautéed Veggies
Dinner 1 and a Lunch:  Chicken Olive Meatballs with Paprika Tomato Sauce (From Whole30 Cookbook) with Spaghetti Squash and Sautéed Spinach, and Sautéed Veggies
Dinner 2:  Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Olives and Sauteed Veggies
Dinner 3:  Baked Cod with Onion Sauce (from Whole 30 Cookbook), Roasted Veggies

Every couple days, I would saute or roast a different vegetable to eat as a side for lunch and dinner.  Some of the vegetables I used were asparagus, brussels sprouts, and green beans.

Week 1 I still needed snacks while I figured out how much to eat at each of my 3 meals, but week 2 while I packed a snack I never really needed it.

HOW’S IT GOING?

I mentioned at the start I was so worried about the first week and getting a crazy headache, but I only had a headache one day on Day 5.  Whole30 has a timeline to help you prepare for how you may feel on certain days.  While the timeline is different for everyone, I like to follow along so I can be prepared and prepare those around me.  I haven’t had many of the symptoms they list on the schedule though or have them different days.

At the beginning, I had a hard time eating enough to stay full between meals.  My current lunches are about 2-3 times the food as my old lunches.  I was worried eating so much would leave me full and feeling lazy, but I never felt overly full just satisfied.   By week 2, I was much better at portions, but I noticed I had days where I was just never hungry.

I am still NOT a breakfast person!  I have yet to be hungry for breakfast in the morning.  I follow their advice and eat before I drink my coffee to make it part of a new morning routine.  I always worried eating breakfast so early would leave my crazy hungry by lunchtime, but shockingly I am not.  I used to eat breakfast around 9/930 and lunch around 1130 when I would feel like I was starving and just could not wait until 12.  Currently, I eat breakfast around 630a and lunch around 12, rarely getting hungry in between.

My grazer cravings are still there though.  I sometimes feel hungry at 11 and 3 almost on the dot.  After a few days, I realized I wasn’t truly hungry, and I think my body was just accustomed to eating around those times.  Anytime I am hungry between meals, I distract myself for about 5 minutes by taking a quick walk, drinking water, or checking emails.  If the craving doesn’t go away, then I consider eating a snack.  After a few days, I started being able to tell the difference between cravings and being actually hungry.  My mid-morning cravings have dissipated, but my afternoon ones are still going strong.

Week one, I could not look at food that was not Whole30 approved.  If my husband left a snack like chips out, I immediately put them away.  Being that it was week one, I did have a little more willpower to withstand the food.  Week two, I only tend to crave something if I see it.  The craving is usually short and fleeting though.  I had a few events week two that included yummy off-plan food and champagne.  I thought I was going to be miserable looking at all the things I couldn’t have, but it didn’t phase me at all.  The food looked delicious, but I was content with my Whole30 option.

I do have days when I feel sluggish, tired, or lazy.  Saturday I wanted to do nothing, so I read a book.  Despite feeling sluggish, I do notice a bit more focus and willingness to do tasks on my to do list.  Yesterday, I noticed a shift in my energy levels to the more consistent all day energy I have read about.

MOST ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Wine! It’s the main thing that I am looking forward to having again.  The relaxing glass on Friday after a long work week or the glass of champagne at a social event.  Although, I don’t feel like I am missing out on anything by not having wine.  I noticed I am sleeping better and a little more productive some evenings.

STRANGEST SIDE EFFECT?  I drink so much water!  The first two days, I was so thirsty.  I could not drink enough water and my mouth always felt dry.  I read this is common and possibly related to the cutting out of sugar and salt from processed foods.  After that passed, I realized I was still drinking way more water than before and even craving a cold glass of water.

TOP TIPS FOR SURVIVING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS

MEAL PLAN AND PREP:  I plan every meal I am going to eat that week, make a grocery list, make a meal prep timeline, and prepare as much as I can ahead of time.  This has helped keep me on track and not stressing about what I’m going to eat everyday.  It’s hard enough resisting cravings, not stressing about creating a Whole30 approved meal everyday is nice.

TELL EVERYONE:  I told family, friends, and coworkers that I was doing Whole30.  They offer support, keep you from cheating, and test your Whole30 knowledge.  I think telling people really helps build that supports system to keep you going strong on the days when you want to quit.

READ IT STARTS WITH FOOD:  I have now read both It Starts with Food and The Whole 30 books.  Both by the same authors about the same thing.  The difference, It Starts with Food really talks more about the why.  It has helped me better understand how this program will affect my health, and it has better prepared me to answer all the questions from my support system.  The Whole 30 book is still a great supplement, but I like it as more of a troubleshooting guide while doing the program.

 Oh my gosh, such a long post!!  But thanks for sticking through it!  Two more weeks to go, and then I will be sharing my overall review of my Whole30 experience.  If you want to hear more about why I chose to do Whole30, you can read my original post HERE.  I based much of this post on things I was asked about most or what I found to be interesting and/or helpful.  If you curious about something I didn’t answer, feel free to shoot me an email (karen@ladyinviolet.com)  or leave me a comment.

Back to fashion on Wednesday you guys, see you then!

Boho Chic Style | Floral Swing Dress

Houston fashion blogger Lady in Violet styles a spring outfit idea featuring a floral swing dress with peep toe booties.

Lady in Violet, a Houston based Fashion Blogger wears boho chic style featuring a cute floral swing dress for a weekend outfit.

Houston fashion blogger Lady in Violet wears a floral swing dress with the Rebecca Minkoff crossbody bag for spring outfit inspiration.

Houston fashion blogger styles a festival outfit idea including a boho floral swing dress with brown peep toe booties.

Houston fashion blogger Lady in Violet shares how to wear booties with a dress.

Houston fashion blogger styles boho chic outfit including a floral swing dress and booties.

Lady in Violet, a Houston based blogger wears a boho chic dress with gold Kendra Scott earrings.

Lady in Violet, a Houston based fashion blogger shares what to wear to a festival including a swing dress and peep toe booties.

Houston Fashion Blogger, Lady in Violet styles a boho chic outfit for a spring music festival.

| OUTFIT DETAILS|
Floral Swing Dress  |  Peep Toe Booties *on sale  |  Saddle Crossbody Bag  |  Gorjana Necklace  |  Kendra Scott Earrings  |  Similar Bangle  |  Rayban Aviators  |  Nails: Essie Blanc  |  Lips: Mac Faux

Happy Friday friends! I can’t think of a better kick off to the weekend than a little boho chic style!  For me, boho chic is effortless, vintage inspired, free spirited, but still a little put together.  It’s not a style I wear often, but when spring rolls around it’s one I love to dip my toes into for weekends.  My boho chic outfits are filled with flowy dresses and usually a fun crossbody bag.

I love this look for hitting up a festival or day at the museum, even a little brunch with friends.  The print and colors of this dress are so much prettier than the store’s pictures.  I really wanted a fun floral swing dress for spring, and I liked the look of this one on the site.  When it arrived, I was a bit taken back and excited to see the color and print details were even prettier in person.  I love the tie neckline detail that is super popular right now.  It can make it feel a little low cut if it loosens, but you can wear a white bandeau or lace bralette underneath it.

I tend to gravitate towards a boot for a boho chic look.  I think these brown suede booties are the perfect compliment to this dress.  You could also pair it with gladiator sandals or a wedge too.   Speaking of wedges, my backordered until the end of the month pair shipped yesterday!! A full 11 days before their expected ship date! I definitely did a little happy dance when I got the email notification.

  I’m closing in on the halfway mark of my Whole30!  Be sure to check back on Monday to see how it’s going and what I have been eating!  I hope ya’ll have a great weekend! I will see you next week.

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Blue Off the Shoulder Top + White Denim

Houston Fashion Blogger, Lady in Violet styles a spring outfit idea including a blue off the shoudler top with white jeans and brown peep toe booties.

Karen Rock, a Houston based Style blogger wears a blue off the shoulder top with the Kendra Scott Rayne necklace in a spring outfit idea.

Lady in Violet, a Houston fashion blogger wears brown peep toe booties with white jeans for spring casual outfit inspiration.

Houston fashion blogger wears a casual weekend outfit idea including white jeans, a blue off the shoudler top with brown ankle boots.

Houston fashion blogger wears spring outfit idea with bell sleeve blouse and white skinny jeans.

Lady in Violet of Houston styles a casual outfit for brunch including a blue off the shoulder top and Kendra Scott necklace.

Fashion Blogger Karen Rock wears blue off the shoulder top with white jeans and booties for a weekend outfit idea.

Houston fashion blogger carries the Sole Society kianna crossbody saddle bag in Ivory.

Houston blogger wears a spring outfit idea including a blue bell sleeve top with white skinny jeans and brown peep toe booties.

Houston fashion blogger Lady in Violet styles spring outfit inspiration featuring a blue top with white jeans.

Light blue and white is high up on my favorite spring color combos. I love the way the light blue looks against the crisp white denim.  Add on my brown peep toe booties and you are looking at the perfect casual spring outfit for brunch, lunch, or a family event.

Besides the gorgeous blue color, the design of this off the shoulder top is perfection. The smock detailing helps hold the shoulders in place, but isn’t tight or restricting.  The length hits that sweet spot for me too.  The material is super lightweight, so it’s going to be perfect for warmer weather.  Oh, and let’s not forget the cutest little bell sleeve detail.  You can also pair this top with black or gray jeans and some nude wedges or heels for a different look maybe something a little more evening casual date night.

Ya’ll one of my favorite crossbody bags for summer is BACK!  The cutout design on this bag gives it such a fun and unique look, and the ivory color makes it work with a wide array of outfits.  It’s the perfect addition to any casual look.

I have such spring fever right now! Probably because now that all the cute spring stuff is out, we have this random cold weather.  I had already packed away my sweaters and boots thinking winter was over.  But hey, at least I got to wear my boots one last time!  Hope ya’ll are having a great week, and don’t forget it’s the last few days to enter the Nordstrom Gift Card Giveaway! Find the entry form at the bottom of THIS POST.

Photo Credit: This Lavender Life

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