A Little White Dress

After living in the South for 25 years I can tell you, we have some strange traditions. One that I've never really understood is the unwritten rule that girls wear white dresses to graduation. I suppose it's somewhere along the lines of a cotillion or coming out of sorts... so it kind of makes sense, right?

Well I have quite a few friends graduating school in a few short weeks, so if any of you out there are on the hunt for the perfect little white dress I've pulled a few gorgeous options for you! 

Pearl About Town Dress, ModCloth

This dress is "currently unavailable" on ModCloth, but I love it so much I had to share anyways. Any southern girl who loves pearls is probably gasping somewhere at the perfection that is this dress. I need to come up with an excuse to wear this. Anyone getting married this year? Please wear this to a rehearsal dinner for me? k. Thanks. 

White Spot Jacquard Dress, Dorothy Perkins

I love the subtle polka dot of this dress, and I think this cut is flattering for just about everyone. Graduations are definitely a time to be on the more conservative side, so I love the high neckline, but the fit and flare keeps it current and attractive.  Plus it's on sale. You've got to love that. 

 9 & Co. Shift Dress, JCP

This dress is super classic, but the subtle wave pattern adds a bit of visual interest. I personally can't pull of shift dresses, but I love how effortless they look. Add some pearls, and you're the picture of southern perfection.

Brocade Peplum Dress, Ark and Co, Piperlime

I love peplum and this dress is just so perfect it really doesn't require much at all. 

Scattered embellished skater dress, Dorothy Perkins

Personally, this is the route I would go. The embellished silver studs across the top provide the perfect visual interest, making it not your average white dress. To me it feels slightly edgy, but it sparkles too so what more could you ask for? 

So, are you graduating this year? If so, what are you wearing? 

Friday's Fancies: Pop of Neon

I'm not going to lie. I've not been the biggest fan of the neon trend. While my personal style is pretty colorful, neon just strikes me as a bit abrasive. Needless to say when I saw this week's topic I made it my mission to find a neon look I would actually wear.

When I came across this dress, I knew this was it.

Jessica Simpson shift dress, $175 / Double breasted trench coat, $990 / Giuseppe Zanotti heels / Blue Nile peridot jewelry / Reeds Jewelers

While this isn't exactly the most affordable look I've ever put together, I absolutely love it! So how do you feel about neon? How have you managed to work it in to your style? I need some help!

DIY Lamps

Have you ever been on the hunt for a perfect lamp but you just cant find it? Well my bff Katherine has been hunting for weeks and weeks with no success. When I was in town last weekend we decided to screw it and just make one ourselves.  There are about a million ideas out there, but this is what we did. We were both thrilled with the outcome and how relatively easy it was!

via

Kat decided she wanted to use a clear glass vase and a white shade. She picked up 2 vases and lampshades from the thrift shop (not just for popping tags) for less than 10 bucks. Then we headed over to Home Depot for the lamp kits. Those were about $10 each, so $30 total for two one of a kind lamps. Not a bad deal.

So here's what we did.

 NOTE. This is what you do if you DON'T want to attempt to drill through glass. The cord runs along the side of the vase. 

Get yourself a sweet vase.

A 3-Way Socket

and a lamp cord (also, think about decorating your lamp cord for fun!)

Drill a hole in the side of the bottom of the lamp kit so you can run the cord through the side.The metal is about as thick as a coke can, so it's not too hard to drill through. We found it was most effective to drill 3 small holes right next to each other, then chisel between them to attempt to make your cord fit.  

Congratulations! Now that the hard part is over! Put the end of the cord through the hole. 

Then follow the directions on the lamp kit packet. Essentially tie this fancy knot and attach to the screws. 

Then stuff it all in there and secure the bottom. *Make sure the bottom is on straight or else the light will tilt.

Get yourself some gorilla glue and 3 1/2 inch washers. You will glue each of these together and to the base of the lamp kit. Take off the little screw on the side of the bottom cap the slide on the washers. This will create a flat surface to stabilize your lamp, and allows you to glue the vase to the light. Don't forget gorilla glue works better on a moist surface.

Since you can't really clamp it together, weigh the top down with a heavy book. 

After your glue dries (30-60 minutes) glue directly on to the base of your vase. Weigh the top down with a book and let the glue cure. *Gorilla glue foams up, so don't be alarmed. 

Then you're essentially done! Add a bulb and a shade then plug her in! 

So... what do y'all think? We were both totally obsessed with this project and began brainstorming endless ideas for lamps! Mason jars, wine bottles, those jars you use to store pasta! Plus the bottom of the lamp is the top of the vase, so it's open and you could potentially put something in there to display!

I think it's important to note that we used the kind of shade that is secured directly by the light bulb that way we didn't have to mess with harps.

This project is super easy, and the hardest part was really just drilling through the side of that metal cap.  I will say that if you are wanting to save money, a DIY lamp could be the way to go, but you have to be careful with your components. I mean if you pick up a vase for $20 and another $10 for a shade (both of which seem like reasonable prices to me), plus another $10 for the kit, you're suddenly out $40 for one lamp and 2 hours of your life. For that price you could probably find something you're happy with a Homegoods or something. But part of the fun is being able to say, "Look, I made this" and impressing all of your friends.

Now I'm so excited about this DIY project, and can't wait to get brainstorming on some fun ideas for my new place!

NOLA recap

Well friends, I'm finally back. Trying to ease myself back in to real life only to find myself having to hit the ground running. Vacations when Congress is actually working is NOT good for my sanity. 

Anyways, New Orleans was absolutely lovely. I had a fantastic time exploring my new city with one of my best friends.  

The trip started and ended with horrible flying experiences with Delta. I'm talking 6-8 hour delays on both ends. I finally got to Kat's house around 3:30 am Friday morning (had to be at school by 9). Then I spent the day exploring my new school, meeting some of the other accepted students, and learning what fun the next three years will hold. 

Pictures from my iphone or kat's

Once I was done at school, the weekend was all ours. Fortunately it was French Quarter fest, so we got to enjoy the perfect weather in some sun and only a few cocktails. 

I also found my new favorite sandwich place (St. James Creamery). It was AMAZING. I'm already pumped to visit when I go back. 

Oh... Did you know it floods in New Orleans? Yep. We woke up to about 18 inches of rain in Kat's front yard Sunday morning. The car lived, thankfully.

Finally we did some more eating. And Drinking. (PS hand grenades are quite possibly the grossest drink I've ever had.) And then we ate and drank some more. Then it was time to come home, and a 6 hour travel day turned into a 13 hour one. Fun times y'all. 

New Orleans was absolutely lovely. I'm so excited about the prospect of spending a few years there. I feel much more at ease about leaving DC (I did tear up on the metro cross the Potomac last night. I love this city too much), but I know that DC will always be here to fall back on. 

I hope y'all will come visit me in NOLA! Now... let the countdown to August begin. 

Guest Posting

Hey y'all! I'm still playing in New Orleans today, but you can find me over on one of my favorites,

The Capital Barbie

I'm talking about my favorite weekend outfit. Come visit!

Sorry for all of the radio silence over here, but I promise a full recap of my crazy trip soon! 

Adventuring in the Swamp

Guess what I'm doing tonight? 

Yep. I'm getting on a plane and heading to see this girl and tour my new city

I am so excited. Good food, warm weather, and only a cocktail or two... Follow us {me + kat} on instagram to join in the fun.

And don't you worry, I'll have a Friday's Fancies Post for you tomorrow.  

Insta-Rewind

Here's a look at life lately according to Instagram.

Went for a lovely walk around the track to enjoy 70 degree weather, finally!

Sparkles on a Monday make everything better

Finally made it to the Jefferson Memorial, and it was amazing! Probably my favorite

Brunching shenanigans 

my PIC #dccallie

Trying a new kale chip recipe. 

St. Patty's Day Green.

Red. Black. Python.

Dupont Circle Pretty.

Color and Curls. 

Amazing new shoes. Leopard. Leather. Studs. Done.

Kitty Snuggles

Red and Black

I'm linking up here today for some more instagram fun. Come join! 

A weekend woops....

So, y'all were supposed to get a weekend recap today, but funny story. I told my roommate my phone password to check something while we were driving. Then she decided to break into my phone while we were out at a bar and began to read my texts. Ha. No ma'am. So I immediately snatched the phone from her and changed my password.

Well guess who forgot her new password? Yep. That would be me. Needless to say I had to reset my phone and lost everything (except for my contacts backed up in the cloud, thank the lord). So... no pictures to go with a recap, and we all know that's no fun.

I did get some gallivanting in the cherry blossoms accomplished though. Yay for springtime finally being here!

stolen from another phone

So I'll be back later this week with more antics. Hope y'all had a great one! 

Friday Fancies: Polka Dot Love

This week's Friday's Fancies focuses on one of my all time favorite patterns, the polka dot! I was going to try and create an outfit for you guys, but a look full of polka dots seemed a bit absurd. So this a board of some polka dot pieces I'm loving this spring.

Marchesa polka dot dress / R k originals dress / Polka dot blouse / TOMS red shoes / Kate Spade patent leather bag / Betsey Johnson white watch / Betsey Johnson post earrings / Kate Spade wool shawl

So, what do you think? I'm kind of obsessed with the new Marchesa line at JCP. Have y'all checked it out yet? The black dress is one of my favorites for sure. I am loving the subtle polka dot mesh neckline.

Plus I'm pretty sure I'm going to add those TOMS to my collection.

Hope y'all have a fabulous weekend! I'm going to be hanging out with the crew. #dcCallie is here and team lawfully wedded wife is coming to. DC's not ready for us, that I can promise you.

Cocktail Hour: Cherry Bloom

Guess what? The Cherry Blossoms have finally decided to start blooming! Yay! They should start peaking in a few days, and since I'll have quite a few visitors in town this weekend I'm sure we'll do our best to get out and explore! To celebrate, I'm going to make a few of these concoctions this weekend to celebrate all the pink prettiness around town! 

The Cherry Bloom

via

This couldn't be simpler, and if you like sweet cocktails, this one is right up your alley! Get excited!

Ingredients

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 TBSP grenadine (or cherry juice)
• Club Soda (or try sprite/ginger ale)
• Mint and Cherry for garnish

Directions
In a tall glass full of ice combine vodka and grenadine syrup. Top with soda, then garnish.

And you're done. It's perfectly pink, and can easily be adjusted to your preferred level of sweetness.

Five Things

Obviously this little game of tag has been floating all over the blog world for a few weeks now, but who doesn't like to learn more about the girl behind the blog?  Alissa and Shannon both tagged me last week, so here we go...

1. I'm a texture freak. I cannot stand something if it as a strange texture. It's mostly a food thing: grapes HAVE to be hard, peaches have to be super soft, tomatoes are terrifying (I've only been able to eat raw tomatoes in the last year). But then I also get the same way about fabric: sheets and bedding? Have to be super soft and smooth right out of the pack.

2. Mayonnaise grosses me out more than I can handle. I like both ingredients in Mayo, so one would think I'd like the stuff. But there's just something about that thick gloppy cream that just freaks me out. I made deviled eggs for Easter this weekend, and normally I would use Greek yogurt for creaminess (it's great I promise), but I was out. Literally the only thing in my fridge was mayo. So I used as little as humanly possible. Then I tasted one. They were great, but I just couldn't bring myself to eat them because I knew they were "packed" with mayo. eww... so gross.

3. I'm addicted to sleeping. I really am starting to think it's a problem. I really think I need 10 hours a night. But I just don't have that much time in my day. I've tried cutting down caffeine, upping my exercise, shutting down all electronics before bed. Nothing works. 8 hours is just not enough. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

4. I'm messy. Like my room is never clean. I've improved significantly in recent years, and am generally able to contain my mess to my own room (though my roommates may tell you otherwise). I've come to terms with the fact that my vanity will never ever be clean, but my bedroom also doubles as my closet (DC living) so clothes just seem to end up all over the place!

5. I'm terrified of law school. The scary amount of work-- like 12+ hour days every days for the next three years? eek.  Getting caught unprepared in class and looking like an idiot in front of my soon-to-be-peers? inevitable but still not fun. Oh and then there's the amount of debt this is going to put me in. I'm definitely not one to live beyond my means, so living more or less on loans for the next three years is making me sick.

I  tag Jessica (but she posted her 5 today already), Betsy, Nicole, Sara and Jenn.

Color Crush: Linen

With spring officially here, I'm loving transitioning out of my darker clothes into something a little brighter. But sometimes I can go a little overboard with the color. 

That's why for this installment of color crush, I'm loving Linen. It's enough of a color to not completely wash me out, but still is a classy neutral for a new season.

Oasis low v neck dress/ Alexander McQueen cocktail dress / Pencil skirt/ Rebecca Minkoff handbag / DKNY tote / Burberry jewelry / Summer Look 58 / Fine jewelry

I love that shirt dress, and almost picked one up this weekend at Nordstrom Rack. I'm still thinking about it... so I may have to go back. I'm also loving the idea of a linen colored bag for spring.

What color are you loving so far this season?

See my other installments of color crush: Emerald, Dusk Blue, Grayed Jade, African Violet and Poppy Red. 

Linked up with....

BIG NEWS

Let me just preface this post by saying, "Happy April Fools Day!" But my announcement is not a trick... though I thought about fooling you.

Today is April 1 aka deposit deadline day for many law schools. I hinted this weekend that I've made a decision, but now I'm ready to let you all know where I'll be spending the next three years of my life...

Yep. I'm heading south to Cajun Country. I'm going deep into the heart of Blue Dog country to New Orleans!

I can't thank y'all enough for taking this journey with me. Reading all of my many posts and tweets about the LSAT, my concerns about where to in these recent weeks. I got so many encouraging emails, tweets and comments from y'all, and I honestly don't know that I could have kept my sanity without y'all.

Now this news is definitely bittersweet. I'm really terribly upset about leaving the district I've called home for the last three plus years, but this is the best fit for me. Plus don't you worry, I plan on returning to DC frequently to visit. I really can't believe that I'm leaving, but I'm going to make the most of the four months I have left here, and I hope you'll join me!

Also... I don't think I read any NOLA blogs. Do you write/read any blogs from down there? I'd love to make a few blog friends before I arrive this summer!

Friday's Fancies: Pretty in Pastels

While Spring is itching to arrive in DC, easter is here! And you know what that means... Easter dresses and lots of candy. Since I won't have an easter basket this year, I'd much prefer that the Easter bunny bring me a basket full of these goodies.

Pink Dress / Orange Dress / Yellow Dress / Blue Dress / Green Pumps / Coral Heels / Lavender Pumps / Blue Pumps

I did a slightly brighter take on "Pretty in Pastel" but I absolutely love it. Plus I threw in a little color blocking, and who doesn't love that? No one. duh.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! Let me know what you get in your easter basket!

Linked up for Friday's Fancies here. 

March Favorites

Well March is almost over, crazy! So I can't believe there still aren't any real cherry blossom sightings around here! This post is supposed to be my march "beauty" favorites, but it's apparently all about the hair this month!

1.  Clear Scalp and Hair Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner. I've been using this for color treated hair and I absolutely love it! I really think my hair is more manageable and shinier! I occassionally suffer from dry scalp, especially in the winter, and I'll tell y'all I haven't had any issues since I started with Clear. But it doesn't make me overly oily either. Loving it!

2. Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express Mascara. I picked this up a few weeks ago and I'm absolutely thrilled. While I wish it lengthened a little more, the density it provides is great, without being overly clumpy. *I have the shortest eyelashes of anyone I've ever met... so length is a constant problem.

3. Ojon Reparative Serum- I got a nice little sample of this serum in a birchbox a few months back and it's fabulous. I've been growing my hair out for the last year or so, and the ends were starting to look a little brittle. Put a teeny tiny bit of this serum on the ends and they look good as new. It's on the pricy side, but I haven't found anything quite like it.

4. TRESemme Tres Two Hair Spray. My lifelong favorite hairspray hands down. I absolutely love this stuff, and as a southern girl who loves volume this stuff is a godsend.  Don't buy anything but level 4, and the aerosol is my fav. (Sorry environment--- I promise to save you, but I can't give this stuff up).

5. Philosophy eternal grace perfume. I have loved another scent in this line, amazing grace, forever. But I was at TJ Maxx this weekend and spotted a 4 oz bottle of this stuff for $20 bucks. (Normally it would cost $90+) so I went ahead and grabbed it. I'm so glad I did because this is my new go-to and will be for years to come. Like most philosophy scents its very clean and feminine. It does have a few citrus notes and is ever so lightly floral. I think its a perfect balance for daytime. Another plus with this brand, more than any of my other perfumes, I feel like the staying power is fantastic.

I'm also loving the natural shadow smokey palette I received to review from BA STAR.

Included in this palette are three satin powders that have great staying power. Then there are two fabulous glitter gels. The products are geared towards cheerleaders and competitive dancers, but I'm not going to lie, I kind of loved the glitter!

plus, BA Star is nice enough to offer Blue Dog Belle readers a 50% discount to get this and any other palette from their site.  Just put in "BBSMOKY" at checkout, then let me know what you think!

So let me know, what have you been loving this spring so far?

*Note the smokey palette was supplied to me free of charge. All opinions voice here are always my own.