Monthly Archives: July 2015

The White Outfit

Summer Outfit Idea - All White Outfit with colorful kimono | Lady in Violet

Summer Style - White Top and Yellow Kimono | Lady in Violet

Yellow kimono and white outfit for summer | Lady in Violet

Lucky Brand White Jeans and Tory Burch Sandals | Lady in Violet

Summer Style | Lady in Violet

Summer Outfit - All White and pops of yellow and blue | Lady in Violet

Sole Society Kianna Satchel | Lady in Violet

Baublebar Dandelion Earrings and Mirrored Ray Bans | Lady in Violet

Top Places to Visit near The Strand in Galveston | Lady in Violet

| DETAILS |

DRESS UP c/o Light as a Feather Kimono | H&M V-Neck Jersey Top | LUCKY BRAND Sienna Cigarette Jeans | TORY BURCH T Logo Leather Sandal | SOLE SOCIETY Kianna Satchel | KENDRA SCOTT c/o Rae Pendant Necklace, Grady Bracelet | GORJANA Mika Necklace | MOON & LOLA c/o Eden Pineapple Charm | BAUBLEBAR Crystal Dandelion Drops, Slim Hinge Bangle, Old [SIMILAR]  | RAYBAN Mirrorred Classic Aviators | MAC Lipstick in Faux | ESSIE Nail Polish in Under Where?

A trip to Galveston is not complete without a stop by the Strand!  The Strand is basically a street of shops and restaurants.  I love checking out some of the novelty stores to see what cute beach themed products they have in stock.  I also ALWAYS stop by La King’s Confectionery for a sweet treat. This store is one part soda shop and one part candy store. Stepping in to the store is definitely stepping back in time.  I always grab a bag of the saltwater taffy.  If you go at the right time, you can even see them making the taffy right there in the store, and they usually toss out a couple samples to onlookers.  I’m a peanut butter lover, so my taffy bag is usually like half this flavor.  The Strand is also right next to the cruise ship terminal, so you will usually get a glimpse of one of Carnival Cruises mighty ships.  If you time it right, you can also watch the ships as they sail away usually around 4 or 5pm.  One of the newest and kind of interesting features on the strand and throughout Galveston is the Hurricane Ike water lines.  Hurricane Ike hit in 2008 and devastated the entire island.  Historic landmarks like the Balinese Room  known for hosting the Rat Pack were completely destroyed.  The Strand was majorly flooded with several feet of water.  Today, several walls along the strand mark the water line from the flooding.  Many businesses also include photos of their businesses after the Hurricane.  I always find it interesting to stop and look at the pictures.  You can really see just how resilient this city is.

You have probably noticed I don’t really do flats a lot, even in Charleston I walked around all day in my wedges, but to visit the Strand I usually opt for flats.  This part of Galveston is over 100 years old, which means brick roads which are not always the easiest to walk on in wedges.  Also, the street sits lower than the shops and sidewalks, so lots of taking a step or two up and down as you walk along.  We stopped by the Strand before brunch one morning, so we could snap these photos before the crowds came in.  I just purchased a new pair of white denim! I was wearing my other pair so much I figured it was time.  I opted to buy a looser fitting pair and bonus they were on sale!  These are meant to fit like boyfriend jeans, but I went one size down so they would be kind of a mix between skinny and boyfriend fit.  I like the looser fit of the jeans, and how it allows for a little more breath-ability room on a warm day.  I am also loving this kimono I recieved at SBSCon.  Despite being July, there were definitely some nice breezes going on in the mornings.  This kimono was perfect to toss on over my all white outfit.  I also wore it over a sundress while lounging around our beach house.  It was so comfy. I love the bright color, it’s perfect for summer.

The Historic Downtown area has some great restaurant options for brunch.  On the day we snapped these photos, we went to our favorite, Mosquito Cafe.  My favorite thing about this place is that they serve the very expensive Blue Mountain coffee for a not so expensive price plus refills!  I always get something different when we visit, and I have never been disappointed.  This place is popular so be prepared for a wait, but they are super efficient and keep things moving without diners feeling rushed.  Another favorite of mine is Mod Coffeehouse.  This cute little coffee house sits on Post Office, another popular street in Galveston for dining and bars.  They have designed some really amazing latte flavors like the Grasshopper and Squirrel, my two personal favorites.  I shared photos from both of these on my Instagram over the weekend.  We also tried a new place Farley Girls Cafe.  The people here were so sweet and really made you feel at home.  The food was also amazing!  While we were eating, some local firemen came in for brunch. I always think police and firemen know the really good places, so I considered it a good sign they were stopping in.  Our food was amazing!!  I had the Texas Eggs Benedict and it was sooo good that I finished the entire thing!!

I hope ya’ll have been enjoying learning a little about Galveston.  I love this place and am loving sharing some of my favorite spots.  Check back Friday when I’m sharing all about the beaches and the absolute best place to be when the cruise ships leave!

RESTYLED & REMIXED
H&M V-NECK TOP: The Casual Professional
TORY BURCH SANDAL: The Summer Dress

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Island Style

What I Wore to the Beach | Lady in Violet

Blue Maxi Skirt and Nude Wedges | Lady in Violet

Black Tube Top and Blue Skirt | Lady in Violet

Elaine Turner Purple Crossbody Purse | Lady in Violet

Weekend Outfit Idea for Summer | Lady in Violet

Perfect Blue Maxi Skirt for Summer | Lady in Violet

Summer Weekend Outfit idea | Lady in Violet

Kendra Scott Earrings | Lady in Violet
Summer Outfit Idea - Tube Top and Maxi Skirt | Lady in Violet

| DETAILS |

WET SEAL Tube Top, Old [SIMILAR | SIMILAR | SIMILAR] | TOPSHOP Spliced Maxi Skirt, sold out [SIMILAR W/ SLIT | SIMILAR W/ SLIT | SIMILAR]| DONALD J PLINER Nude Wedges, Old [SORT OF SIMILAR | LOVE THESE!!] | ELAINE TURNER Colbie Crossbody, sold out [SIMILAR | FRINGE INCLUDED!] | STELLA & DOT Renegade Cluster Bracelet, Pavé Chevron Ring, Rebel Pendant | KENDRA SCOTT Arden Bracelet, Elle Earrings in Slate | RAY-BAN Mirrored Original Aviator Sunglasses | MAC Lipstick in Faux | ESSIE Nail Polish in Under Where?

I hope you all had a fabulous 4th of July!  If you follow me on Snapchat (ladyinviolet) or Instagram, you probably saw that we ventured down to Galveston, TX for our long weekend.  I love being less than an hour away from the beach!  Galveston has such a laid back feel to it, and it is the perfect place to kick back and relax for the weekend.  I shot a few of my island style outfits over the weekend, and can’t wait to share them and a little bit about Galveston with you this week!

One of my friends always says we are on Island Time when we are in Galveston, which means throw out your schedules and just chill.  Island style is all about laid back and comfortable, even when dressed up.  My perfect dinner and drinks outfit in Galveston is either a bright colored shift  or sun dress like from this post or a maxi skirt and tube top.  I cannot get enough of this maxi skirt!  I think this is about the third time I have worn it on the blog already.  It is officially sold out, so if you didn’t swipe it up on a previous posting, I linked some similar options for you.  The slits on the skirt really make this perfect for the beach.  It really allows some breeze in, so you don’t get too hot.  The black tube top adds to the laid back feel of the entire outfit.  I always bring a couple tube tops with me just in case I spend a little to much time in the sun.  There is nothing fun about a sunburn rubbing against a strap or sleeve. This is probably about as dressed up as I got all weekend.  I love my heels, but for my island style I leave them at home and opt for only wedges or flat sandals.  I think the wedges work great to help an outfit look a little more dressed up for a night out.

For our two dinner nights, we first hit up an old favorite Fisherman’s Wharf down on the Strand.  This place has tons of seafood options including our favorite, the Shrimp Kisses.  We sat on the upstairs enclosed balcony room which has great views of the water and the 1877 ship Elissa.  We also tried a new to us restaurant, Rudy and Paco’s.  This restaurant is super cute and romantic.  The food is also amazing!!  I highly recommend the Filete de Pargo Elegante and the Crab Bisque.  We definitely plan on going back to this place next time!  Check back Wednesday when I will be sharing a little more about the Strand and some of my favorite brunch restaurants!

RESTYLED & REMIXED
TOPSHOP SKIRT: Watercolors & the Crystal Blue Maxi
DONALD J PLINER WEDGES: Peach Pleats

 

 

A Few Good Belts

Summer Outfit Idea - Shift Dress with Belt | Lady in Violet

Belted Shift Dress | Lady in Violet

Add a belt to a shift dress | Lady in Violet

Elaine Turner Clutch | Lady in Violet

Stella and Dot Necklace | Lady in Violet

Brunch Outfit Idea | Lady in Violet

Shift Dress with a belt | Lady in Violet

Baublebar Earrings and silver jewelry | Lady in Violet

BCBG Belt with Everly Dress | Lady in Violet

Spring Outfit Idea - Bright Orange dress | Lady in Violet

What I Wore to Brunch | Lady in Violet

| DETAILS |

EVERLY Shift Dress in Pomegranate | BCBGMAXAZRIA Houndstooth Plated Waist Belt | ENZO ANGIOLINI Brodee Sandals | ELAINE TURNER Annabella Chevron Clutch, sold out [SIMILAR PRINT | SIMILAR STYLE] | STELLA & DOT Bianca Lariat Necklace, Pavé Chevron Ring, Renegade Cluster Bracelet | NADRI Crystal Bangle | BAUBLEBAR Crystal Dandelion Drops  | RAYBAN Mirrored Aviator Sunglasses | MAC Lipstick in Faux | ESSIE Nail Polish in Fiji

Sunday morning, my roommates and I headed down to our final event for SBSCon, the Farewell Brunch hosted by Hallmark.   I kind of feel like coming from Houston, we know how to brunch.  It is a weekend staple down here!  Almost all restaurants have a special brunch menu in Houston.  The final morning was all about snapping last minute photos, drinking lots of coffee, and meeting a few more bloggers, but more on that in a future post. 🙂  I wore lots of bright colors over the weekend, so I wanted to end on a bright note.  You may not believe me, but I have worn this dress on the blog before!  Even my photographer sister did not recognize it at first! I think this is an example of what a difference a belt makes!  I fell in love with this BCBG belt at an event in May, and quickly swiped it up.  I love BCBG clothes and shoes, but their belts are my favorite thing from them. They can take something like a boring black belt, and make it fabulous and still everyday wearable.  I have been searching for a nude belt for awhile now, and I love the silver chevron detail on this one.  I created a fun little shop widget below with some of my current faves from them.  I love that you can just add a belt to a dress and completely transform it to a whole new look!  Check below in my restyled and remixed section to see the last time I wore this dress sans belt to really see the dramatic difference.  If you are looking for a new way to wear some of your favorite shift dresses, it may be time to invest in a few good belts!

On a shopping note, this dress is sold out in this color, but there are other fun colors still available including hot pink and lilac.  The dress runs a bit big, so you may consider sizing down.  Also, my Elaine Turner clutch is officially sold out, but I linked two other similar styles and both are on sale this weekend!

Happy Friday and  Happy (almost) 4th of July!!  Stay safe, wear sunscreen, and have a fabulous holiday!!

RESTYLED & REMIXED
EVERLY SHIFT DRESS: Orange and Fabulous
ENZO ANGIOLINI SANDALS: What I Wore: Blogger Event

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Southern Charm

Trina Turk Elin Dress | Lady in Violet

Nude Clutch and Floral Dress | Lady in Violet

Floral Dress with some southern charm | Lady in Violet

What I Wore to a Blog Conference #sbscon | Lady in Violet

Trina Turk Floral Dress | Lady in Violet

Summer Outfit Idea | Lady in Violet

Floral Dress by Trina Turk | Lady in Violet

Floral Print Dress for Spring | Lady in Violet

Pretty Summer Dress | Lady in Violet

Spring Outfit Idea - floral dress | Lady in Violet

Weekend Outfit Idea for a dress | Lady in Violet

| DETAILS |

TRINA TURK Elin Dress [SAME ON SALE] | ENZO ANGIOLINI Brodee Sandals | DANIELLE NICOLE Adeline Laser Cutout Clutch | KENDRA SCOTT Skylar Earring, Grady Bracelet  | GORJANA Zion Necklace, Mika Necklace  | BAUBLEBAR Slim Hinge BanglePave Links Bracelet | RAYBAN Mirrorred Aviators | MAC Lipstick in Faux | ESSIE Nails in Fiji

If you remember my spring floral dresses wish list, then this dress may look familiar.  It was the splurge dress that I was patiently waiting to go on sale.  Well, it finally did, and just in time for the Southern Blog Society Conference.  I wore this on the main day for the conference session and brand networking event.  I love everything about this dress from the colors, the print, the cut, to the way it fits.  I loved the southern charm feel of the dress, and that it was memorable.  I think when meeting tons of new people at a networking event, it is important to have something that can help you stand out in a crowd.  It gave me the perfect confidence boost to meet with brands, which was something I have never done before and was a bit nervous about.  This dress was also comfortable for sitting in during the morning session.  This dress was so comfy, I ended up doing a small bit of exploring around the hotel and surrounding few blocks in it too.  I linked two sale versions and the full price version above because the sale versions are starting to run low on size options.  I tried this dress on with my denim vest from yesterday’s post, and the look was super cute.  It created a more casual look that could be paired with wedges or the flat sandals also from yesterday’s post.  Also, for the conference I ended up wearing my Gorjana Chloe earrings because I had worn the other ones the day before, and I wanted something different.  I have one more SBSCon outfit to share with you, so check back Friday to see what I wore for the final event!

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