Fashion

Doesn’t everyone want to play dress up? I know as a kid I loved playing in different outfits using my imagination. Lovelane Designs takes it one step further! They have created the most magical dress up collection that will last for years to come. The super hero capes are our favorite. Maven and McKenzie love playing outside in these and of course jumping on the bed in them too. They just released a Valentines Day collection that is so cute! We need it too. The perfect gift for any little adventurer in your life! Visit their website www.lovelanedesigns.com

Isn’t life crazy? If you would of told me 10 years ago that I would have two little girls I would of said you are out of your mind! The truth is Rusty and I got married with the agreement that we weren’t going to have children. We wanted to travel together and be free birds.

On our 5 year wedding anniversary sitting at the Four Seasons bar in Maui I said I think I want to have a baby… Rusty’s face was priceless. Complete shock would describe it the best. It took a little time for it to sink in but he was excited about the idea. One month later I was pregnant. Wowza that was a shocker. We were happy and so very scared. We really knew nothing about babies, both of us were the youngest in our families. As everyone says you figure it out as you go and that holds true today.

Now we have two precious little girls. Our family is complete. I’m so grateful for these little babes and so proud to be the leader of this tiny girl gang!

Check out Jean and June for the cutest range of unique super soft and stylish t-shirts. We are huge fans!!!

If you haven’t rented from the Borrowed Boutique you have to try it! It makes life so easy when you are styling a photo shoot. I knew I wanted something extra girlie for Mavens 2nd Birthday photo shoot and what’s more girlie than Tutu Du Monde?! I’ve always been a big fan of their line. The sequins, tulle and ruffles get me every time. It’s beautiful and luxurious but all that beauty comes with a hefty price tag. Renting from the Borrowed Boutique makes even the most coveted lines affordable.

They also carry Modern Queen accessories which are my favorite! They take the outfit to the next level. All you need to do is pick a date you need to rent your outfits for and choose the outfits and accessories on their website. Everything is mailed to you for the time frame you selected. When you are done mail everything back to them and that’s it! Easy peasy!

I highly recommend trying it for your next photo shoot or holiday! Easter is right around the corner and the perfect time to try out their service!

These photos are some of my favs. Oona with Isla Charm Photography captures my daughters so beautifully. If you need a photographer for your next shoot in the South Florida area, call her she is the absolute best! https://www.facebook.com/islacharmphotography/

McKenzie has always been enchanted by the life of a mermaid. In preschool when they asked her what did she want to be when she grew up she always said a mermaid, year after year. Ariel’s movies are her favorite and she loves practicing her swimming with her mermaid tail in the pool any chance she gets. I knew when Love the Look Photography was doing Mermaid mini shoots I had to capture this magical moment for McKenzie. Amy makes it easy. She had the mermaid tails and shell tops there for us when we arrived at the beach. McKenzie slipped on that tail and transformed into a mermaid. She was smiling from ear to ear. It was a proud mommy moment and I was so happy for her to always have that memory. At the end of the photo session we put a baby tail on Maven not knowing if she was going to tolerate it, but she loved it! The photos are perfect and I know the three of us will always cherish them.

When planning my family photos I always start with either McKenzie or I. I choose an outfit that inspires me, that is unique and has visual interest. This year I found my dress on ASOS. I’m in love with the brand Frock and Frill. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be “too much” so I ordered a couple different dresses. If you haven’t shopped on ASOS before check it out. They have great pieces and they make returns easy and painless. I tried on all the dresses when they came and the dress I fell in love with online was even better in person.

When building the looks for my family I build a “mood board” by coping and pasting all of the images of the clothing, shoes, accessories etc. to a word document to give myself a visual of the overall look. I chose a Misha and Puff romper for Maven with tights and mocs. Misha and Puff has heirloom quality pieces that have beautiful texture for photos. For McKenzie I chose a Louise Misha dress with knee high socks and Salt Water sandals. Louise Misha has beautiful dresses with intricate embroidery and tassels.  I chose skinny black pants from J Crew and a heather sweater from Banana Republic for Rusty. The girls wore black flowered bows from Lady Eleanor Co. to tie in the black my husband and I were wearing. I love how the whole look came together. This year I wanted a moody feeling for our photos. I chose Paula Jackson Photography. She is a talented photographer that specializes in capturing the emotion and feelings in a photo. I was ecstatic to capture the dreamy golden light in our photos this year! Hope you enjoy the photos. Let me know what you think.

Living in South Florida has its pros and its cons. We have the ocean and beautiful winters but the rest of the year it’s just hot… really really hot. I dream of living out west with cooler temperatures, but moving is just not an option. So I try to make the best of it. Fall and winter fashion is fun. I love all the layering options that come with fall fashion, but with 80 degree weather in October, I can’t layer unless I want a heat stroke.

One way I choose fall and winter clothing for myself and the girls is through different textures. Velvets, knits and embroidery are good options to add depth to your wardrobe. I love shopping for Maven at Wild Wawa. Their clothing is handmade in Peru. The quality is beautiful and their customer service is impeccable. They have beautiful embroidery and fine knits that are so buttery soft you’ll want to snuggle with it. Go check them out! I’ve chosen my favorite pieces from their fall collection below. Maven is wearing the Arlo bodysuit in Nutmeg in the photos. Maven’s mocs are from Starry Knight Design.

There are so many gorgeous options for fall booties. I am in love! Tons of velvet, brocade and embroidery. Here are a couple of my favorites for this season. I’m wearing the Steve Madden velvet booties in the photos.

I am not gonna lie I used to hate matching anything. I thought it was cheesy. Then I had two girls and now I cant get enough. McKenzie is 6 so I know she’s not going to think its cool for long. Rylee and Cru is one of my favorite brands to put on the girls. It’s stylish, comfortable and so nicely made. They make it fun to mix and match different pieces too.

This season they released their first ever dresses for women! I knew I had to get the matching fox dresses. They are a great fall color perfect for apple picking or the pumpkin patch. I styled my dress with fishnets and blue suede lace up boots. The girls black booties are from Gap. I cant wait for it to get a little cooler so we can layer our looks with hats, scarves and tights!

It’s no secret that I LOVE to shop! It’s so much fun for me to dress my two daughters. I enjoy shopping small. I had a children’s clothing and accessory line of my own 5 years ago. I know the blood, sweat and tears that goes into designing, producing and marketing a line. When you shop small it really does make a difference in someone else’s life!

Whimsy Tails is a favorite of mine. My girls have the mermaid tail blankets which they love! They are great quality and super soft. Recently we bought the oh so cute high waisted swimsuits too. OMG… love them! I want every style for my girls. They are the cutest! We went to Hawks Cay in Duck Key over the July 4th holiday and I can’t tell you how many compliments they received on their suits!

Tammy shared her touching story with me about her journey with Whimsy Tails. “I taught myself to sew 9 years ago. My three daughters have patiently tried on numberless outfits. No matter how stressful life has become, sewing brought me joy. A few years ago I had some complications from Lupus. Within a few weeks I went from taking care of my three young daughters to lying in the Intensive Care Unit, on life support, with a breathing tube. When I awoke, my husband had set up a laptop with pictures of my girls on a slideshow. As I looked at these pics of my girls (wearing outfits I had sewn), I knew I had to get better so that I could take care of my kids. Even at my lowest moments, sewing lifted my spirits. My husband would bring fabric, needles, and thread to my hospital room so I could sew bow ties for my nephews. I love picking out fabric for the swimsuits and seeing the pictures that people send me of their kids.”

I am a fan and I can’t wait to purchase more Whimsy Tails swimsuits. Enter promo code: STEPHANIE15 for 15% off your purchase valid until July 18, 2017. WWW.WHIMSYTAILS.COM

Girl’s day! Every woman on the planet needs them whether you make it happen or not is up to you, but I feel they are good for your soul.  When you are younger, no kids or husband what do you do? Hang out with your girls, of course. Then time has a way of changing things. Husbands and children take us to a beautiful place, but it’s a place that has little time for just being girlie and carefree with your friends.  Girl’s weekends are even better, but I’ll take what I can get at the moment. Even if it’s just for a day going on a little adventure with your friends recharges your spirit and gives you a little hop in your step.

My girl, Oona and I went to Wynwood Walls in Miami for the day. She is the Yin to my Yang.  You know the kind of friend you can just be yourself with. You can talk non-stop or sit in peaceful silence; it’s a beautiful thing. We had fun shopping, enjoying the art, going out to lunch and just being silly.  Our Nena & Co. bags came along for the ride. These bags are the best. I use them for my diaper bag and for a getaway travel bag. The convertible day bags are the perfect everyday bag with just enough room for everything I need and still small enough to carry around comfortably. I get tons of compliments on them! They go quickly so if you want to snag one of your own they restock their website every Friday.

Outfit Details:

Suburban Riot Red Coastal T-Shirt
Miss June High Low Shirt
Sunglasses
Sam Edelman Sandals