What I Wear-Autumn Trends Event Day 1

I'm making my attempt at joining Ashley's Fall blog event. The only snag is that it's currently 80 deg. where I live! While I'd love to wear a sweater or a pair of boots, it's not feasible today. Tomorrow is forecasted as 54 and rain, so maybe I'll get to wear long sleeves at the very least. 

So I picked this outfit because it has a sort of Fall "vibe" to it. The darker colors, scarf and closed toe shoes felt sort of Fall-ish to me. 

Funny secret about my scarf, promise you won't tell? Well, okay I'll tell you. I had a striped skirt that hit mid calf, an unflattering length. So I snipped it off and 'voila-presto! A striped scarf. How very classy of me. Haha! 

I'm wearing: striped "scarf"-$?//Navy T-shirt-Old Navy $8//Black Pencil Skirt-Maurices $10//Vintage Style Shoes-Amazon.com $?

What I Wear-Embracing Simplicity

My last post I talked about "Dressing Your Truth." 

It's pretty neat, one of the keywords that describe type 4 is simple. That's so me! I used to feel bad about not wearing more jewelry, now I know if I think it's too much, it probably is.

It's cut my getting dressed time in half, seriously! Why? I think because all my items thus far go together. I pretty much I put an outfit on, jewelry, maybe some makeup and go.

It's given me an excuse to purge my closet. Painful as it was, I needed to do it. I went through my clothes and pulled anything out I haven't worn in a while, or never wore. I also donated a bunch of my jewelry that just wasn't "me." 

When was the last time you purged your closet? 

I'm wearing-royal blue shirt-Ross $6//White Skirt-Thrifted $3.99//Flip flops-Skechers $39

#dressingyourtruth #dyt #type4 #modestfashion #fashionblog #stylishmodestfashion

What I Wear-A Miracle!

I normally try to keep my blog free of too much personal "junk." But I would like to share a "Praise The Lord!" With all of you. My mom was diagnosed a type 2 diabetic in January 2015. We've been working with a couple doctors to get her high blood sugar under control. We found an awesome doctor (who "happens" to be the dad of my good friend who I met on a modest fashion website). He put her on a new medication to see if that would help her blood sugars come down. It worked awesome for about 3 days. Then she started having back pain, really bad, a sore throat, etc. It escalated to where she vomited and was walking around like she was drunk! The doctor asked us to come in so he could check her out. During our visit he sent us to the ER, turns out it wasn't the medication causing the problems. She was experiencing something called ketoacidosis, which if you're interested you can Google it, as it's hard to explain. Basically it's the next step before you go into diabetic acoma! Her blood sugar was very high (512!) and she has a virus. It was brought on by a combination of things; the virus, she was feeling nauseous so she stopped eating, drinking and taking her meds.

She was on an IV with insulin for two days. She's home now and I'm so grateful! 

   My point in sharing all this, is that God is a merciful father. I'm so grateful for wise doctors, even for the insulin she has to be on now. Because she's alive. I know she wouldn't be alive today if God hadn't orchestrated everything perfectly to get her to the ER in time. Thank you Jesus for my mama, thank you for doctors, for insulin, but most of all for your mercies. 

  I can tell you right now, it's easy to say "Trust God," when you're not in a situation when that's all you can do. You can believe and have faith that He will take care of you, no matter what. 

What I Wear-Wardrobe Abyss, Paisley Maxi Dress And Lace Crop Top

  

I bought this dress last Summer, but for some unknown reason, this is my first time wearing it. 

  I'm hoping that I'm not alone in this, but lately I've been staring into my closet and everything looks "blah." Why?! I go through this every so often. I'll try a gazzilion outfits on, they either don't fit (too loose, too tight, too...etc.) or I just can't seem to find something to go with them. So I throw a tshirt and blue jean skirt (or sweat pants....or, you know...occasionally I just keep my pjs on. Wait, what?) 

There's this misconception that fashion bloggers are fashion forward and put together 100% of the time. Um, yeah, sure! Of course I've never worn my workout clothes all day because I'm lazy. Of course I've never worn a hat to hide my hideously greasy hair. Of course I've never spent an hour just staring into my closet. I'm a fashion blogger, who does that?! Oh yeah...I just did that last week.

  Sometimes I feel like a total psycho, why would anyone take fashion advice from me? But then I think, ladies need a real person to help, one who occasionally dresses in ripped jeans and a $2 shirt.  

  Perhaps what makes fashion bloggers special is we're not afraid to put outfits on our blog for all the world to see and criticize. Sometimes we look cute and fashionable, other times we look like total slobs. You know how you see pictures of celebrities with sunglasses and no makeup-who do they think they're fooling? I say "Ha! I'm embracing my imperfection and wearing comfy today instead of cute." 

Now be honest, how long has it been since you wore pjs all day? 

And my second question, how do you get out of a clothing rut/abyss? 

Wearing-lace crop top-Debs $5?//Paisley maxi dress-$10//retro vintage style sandals-Amazon $99

What I Wear-The Irony Of Intolerance

I'm wearing: mint green shirt-Vanity $4//Grey maxi skirt-thrifted $3//Vintage style shoes-Amazon $99

I've been contemplating lately if true tolerance exists, or if it's simply a wish never to come true. There's posts on Facebook pushing for tolerance, posters, videos, you name it, it probably exists. But I pose a question to you-is true, utter, complete tolerance attainable? 

   If you want to know my answer to that question, I say, no. To every issue, there's another side. Every offense has a defense. They go round and round saying "You need to be more tolerant!" Except by saying that, they're being equally intolerant. 

There are tons of awesome bible verse I could quote, but here are two helpful ones:

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." John 15:18

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." 16:33

You're going to come under fire for your beliefs, people will call you "intolerant." They'll ask you "How can you say I'm a sinner when you're just as bad as me?" Guess what? They're so right! I am intolerant of sin and I'm absolutely as bad (if not worse than) them. The difference is, I'm forgiven and they can be forgiven too. 

  Don't let the world know you for being intolerant in the sense that you're rude, or unloving. Let the world know you love, that you love deeply. But yet, even loving deeply we can't back down on certain subjects. Be lovingly intolerant. 

What I Wear-Do We Hate Children?

I'm wearing-Striped black and grey blazer-thrifted $3.99//Mint green shirt-Rue 21 $3//Black flared skirt-thrifted $3.99//Gladiator sandals-6PM $? 

Have you ever just stopped and observed how society today treats children? 

It's saddening to see (obviously) worn out moms who are yelling at their children for seemingly trivial things. Is raising your voice in discipline ever the answer? And I'm talking screaming, not just trying to get their point across. 

Now, I don't want to get into the whole "It's the parents job to discipline the child" discussion. I'll save that for someone else. I realize that I'm not an authority on parenthood, or children. But, I do have a perspective to share that differs from the norm (apparently). 

I'm looking forward to being a wife and mom some day, and it sort of irks me to see people taking advantage of their blessing. How can they throw away a precious life simply because it inconveniences them? Children are no longer seen as a blessing, but a curse! It truly breaks my heart to see the way society now looks on children, nothing but a roadblock. One or two, heaven forbid we have more! 

To mold the character and personality of a little human is, in my opinion, the hardest job on the planet. 

What's the point of this post? 

It's time to stop treating children as a nuisance. The Bible never says "children are a necessary evil, so they can populate the world when they're older and useful." Actually, God uses words like: blessing (Psalm 127:3-5) a heritage and reward (Psalm 127:3) even that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children:

Matthew 19:13-14

"Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

To my fellow single gals-cherish the little people in your life. Whether it be siblings, or a friend's child. Make an effort to show them they're loved. 

To my married ladies-love those kiddos! Cherish very minute you have with them, don't ever take them for granted. Encourage more than you correct. 

 

And I leave you with this verse: 

Matthew 21:16

"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.'" 

What I Wear-Y-O-U are beautiful!

I'm westing: denim vest-Vanity $10//Teal Shirt-thrifted $3.99//Brown tie dye skirt-thrifted $5//Camel boots-Keen $80//Jewelry-gifts 

Hey, guess what? You're so beautiful! I know we've talked about this so many times, yet it's a subject I think needs reiterating. We're constantly bombarded with the world's view of "beauty." We all know the drill: perfect hair (dictated by the latest fad), flawless skin, thin (not too thin), and of course always dressed impeccably! 

Why do we constantly beat ourselves up, tearing down a creation of our Savior?

Does God make mistakes? You may never be size 2 (I know I won't!) 

Reality check-beauty comes in many different shapes and forms. I think it's sort of ironic and funny (well...not really...) that Christians talk about having a "perfect" body in eternity. In our heads, what does that entail? Obviously we're going to be super gorgeous-nothing like we look now! But my thoughts are, what if we look just like we do now? Only void of decay, sin-and don't forget aches and pains. Do you really think God created you as an ugly being? He just randomly picked people to be ugly? Or could it be that He made us all beautiful in His eyes? Maybe, just maybe, you're beautiful after all. Maybe you don't need the world's approval. 

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL 

What I Wear-New Post Series Announcement, Goodwill And The New Year

I'm wearing-Shirt-thrifted $2//Skirt-Thrifted $0.50//boots-Forever 21 $25//hat-Rue 21 $5.50

Am I the only one who thinks Goodwill's prices are obscenely high now on a lot of things!? It's gotten to the point where I only shop the 1/2 off tags! How does $20 for a stretched out, pilling sweater constitute "thrift store" prices? 

End of Goodwill rant....

I'm super excited to be announcing my "THM Tuesday" post series! I've held off doing this as I didn't want to flood my fashion blog with tons of recipes. However, after receiving a ton of comments from people saying they want more posts on healthy eating/fitness, I'm answering! So I will attempt to mesh fashion and food...

With it being January, a lot of people are starting new diets and making resolutions to eat better and/or lose weight. We'll see how my THM Tuesdays go and then decide from there if I'll continue. My goal is to post every Tuesday with something related to THM (http://www.trimhealthymama.com) 

I'm going to start my series off by sharing a few tips I've learned since starting THM in August 2013;

1. Stevia is not sugar. Strange statement you say? Not really! For me, coming from only using sugar, I didn't realize you use A LOT less of stevia than you would sugar! It took me awhile before I found out that if you add too much stevia it gets an icky biting/metallic/bitter aftertaste. So if you're starting out with stevia, be careful and don't use too much! Taste, add more, taste again and so forth till you know how much you like.  

2. If you want to keep fresh ginger around the house, wash the ginger root, toss it in a bag and freeze it. Then when you want to use it, simply grate it (grind, chop, etc.). I prefer fresh ginger in my 
GGMS, versus the ground. (I also add a drop of cinnamon essential oil and a dash of cinnamon 
powder for blood sugar benefits)

3. Freeze heavy whipping cream in an ice cube tray and you have it on hand for much longer than you can keep it fresh in the fridge.

4. If you have any questions, join the THM facebook support group! (I would also be happy to answer any questions you have!)

5. Pretty much anything on Briana's site is amazing! 

6. And last but not least, you get to have homemade pizza on THM! We make our pizzas personal size, be sure to only use a roll size amount of dough so you don't have more than the carb allotment of 45grms. With personal pizzas you can also control the fat content and be sure no one is having too many carbs. I've found that using a plastic rolling pin is best, very time I use wooden, the dough sticks horribly. I think it's because the wood is porous and soaks up the water in the bread dough. (Also, please be sure to ferment your bread for AT LEAST 72hrs, otherwise it's not sourdough (the fermentation process eats the carbs).

(Gwen's sourdough velveeta shreds, turkey pepperoni, jalapeños, green chile, mushrooms-this is an "E" )

What I Wear-How To Wear A Skirt Casually

I know a lot of girls tend to wear jeans because they simply don't know how to dress a skirt down. I'm certainly aware of the fact that some occasions just do not call for "classy/dressy" outfits. I live in a small town where the majority of people wear sweats (not to mention pjs....no comment)

So for me to head into Wal Mart in pearls, a LBD and heels is sort of ridiculous. There's a difference between dressing with care, and plain old dressing inappropriate for an occasion. Yes, you should put effort into how you dress. No, you should not go to  a casual event wearing stilettos and a dress suit. 

So, I'd like to share a few tips with you on how to wear skirts In a casual setting. 

  For instance, my sisters and I are going to the movies and a hockey game tonight. Obviously I can't wear something super dressy. So here's how I decided what to wear:

I chose my Kosher Casual skirt, it's long and comfy, yet not too dressy. The dark wash is good for settings where I might get something on me (I.E sitting in bleachers ; ) 

After I picked my skirt, my go to casual item is usually a hoodie. Hoodies can look frumpy very easily. Try to pick a hoodie that's fitted (I only wear zippered hoodies, which we call "zippies"). If it's baggy it just doesn't look good with a skirt (in my opinion). The obvious choice for under my hoodie was a matching tshirt. You could stop there, but I always like to add a cute pair of earrings and a simple necklace. Don't add a statement necklace or anything too dressy if you're trying to keep it casual. 

A note on my shoes, I used to think tennis shoes with skirts was absolutely tacky! However, I realized it was because I'd always seen people wear skirts with actual running shoes. While that's fine, it's not my style. I saw people like Ashley and Olivia sporting kicks and realized, yes! That's it! So here I am, wearing kicks (tennis shoes)

So that's how I wear skirts casually. What are your tips?

I'm wearing: Red Heart hoodie-thrifted $3.99//White shirt-Target $5//Skirt-C/O Koshercasual.com//Shoes-Teva $16

What I Wear-Trip To Arizona And Purple Shrug

   

I've been so busy lately, I fear I've neglected my poor little blog! Hopefully this won't be a permanent arrangement, but I can't promise anything. My sister Melissa and I just got back from a trip down to Arizona to visit my grandparents, which was super fun! Unfortunately, the weather was pretty cold while we were there, but we had to save something for next time, right Grandma? ;)

Since then I've been getting back into the swing of working again, cleaning my room, putting clothes from the trip in my closet,  etc. I truly can't believe how fast time flies! Is anyone else having issues coming to grips with the fact that it's just a short time till we enter Febuary?! I'm still trying to catch up to December...

The speed at which time seems to go is a great reminder to cherish the time God gives us here on earth, knowing each moment is fleeting and gone in a flash. It's super easy for me to waste hours on the internet, or mindless minutes just lying around. How do you manage your time well? 

I have to apologize for the odd angle of theses photos, I'm still getting used to using my tripod to take my own photos. My brother got me a blue tooth camera trigger for Christmas! Does anyone else have experience using a tripod for taking their own fashion photos? I'd love any tips you'd care to share. 

I'm wearing: Purple shrug-thrifted $3.99//Leopard print shirt-Rue 21 $2//Skirt-Rue 21 $5//

Here are a few snapshots from our trip to AZ

At the theater

At "The Big House"

Or shopping booty! :D