Thrifty Thursdays

Mongs from My Thrifty Closet thrifted these amazing red pants for only $3.50. I am totally loving red jeans rights now and I really love how she paired them with these pretty shoes which she bought on sale. Mongs is really talented, she refashioned the top you see here from a dress that didn't fit her well. I love the asymmetrical cut she did and how she cut off the sleeves. Mongs is quite the thriftfanatic and if you aren't already following her blog for thrifty inspiration I suggest you do so now (;

Here are the guidelines for the link up:

1. Link up to a specific blog post about thrifting.
2. Snatch the button below and place it in your post. (If you don't want to add the button you can text link.)

<center><a href="http://www.dearestlou.com/"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e73/ceciliarawr/thriftythursdaysdl.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> </center>  


<a href="http://www.dearestlou.com"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e73/ceciliarawr/thriftythursdayssmall100x100.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center>

Coral inspired necklace and red shorts

Daryl and I ended up going on a date the other night to Barnes and Noble. I love going to the bookstore to read and grab a refreshing drink every once and a while. We managed to snap a few outfit pictures before the sun went down. I thrifted these red shorts last week for $2.50. Lately I've really been loving the color red, I use to hate wearing the color red in high school.. you can even ask my friend Kandice ;P

I got these lovely pieces of jewelry in the mail last week from Cents of Style. I absolutely love that they have unique jewelry at AFFORDABLE prices. One thing that really ticks me off is when I see a piece of jewelry and fall in love with it but then see that it's way overly priced. Cents of Style also provides FREE shipping for all US orders! How cool is that? I received my items so quickly and was really pleased with their amazing customer service.

When I saw this necklace online I knew I had to have it. I love coral.. I think it's so pretty and this coral inspired necklace is not only coral but red as well! I've been on the lookout for shorter necklaces lately and I know I will be wearing this a lot in the future so this isn't the last you'll see of this beauty.

Shirt: F21 || Shorts: Thrifted || Boots: Ross || Earrings&Necklace: c/o Cents of Style

PS: Don't forget to enter the My Life in Lavender Giveaway!

Today is the last day!!!

Mint green pants and pastel striped shirt

Earlier this week I met up with my dear friend Hillary and we ate lunch as married women. Some of you new readers may not know but she recently got married and it's the first time we've gotten together since her big day! We went out to Olive Garden and had a great time catching up on what has been going on in each other's lives the last few weeks. I've really missed hanging out and talking to her, we spent a little under a year living together in an apartment and she has been a huge part of my life. We both agreed at the end of the afternoon that we would try are best to get together at least once a week from now on!

I thrifted this top and these shoes last week after a very successful thrifting trip! I got this shirt for $1.50 and these shoes for $4. I got a few other pieces that I will be wearing in future outfit posts (: I got these pants at F21 long before the colored jean trend. I believe it was over 4 years ago! I remember I use to hardly wear them but I've been wearing them a lot more the last couple of years since I left high school. I currently have Baby Got Back stuck in my head right now.. don't ask me why :P 

Top&Shoes: Thrifted || Pants&Earrings: F21 || Bracelet: c/o Grandma Carol || Ring: Gift from Ti 

Chambray top and sentimental skirt

I wore this outfit on Saturday to go play laser tag. We are big fans of laser tag over here at the Harvard residence, we even have an unlimited pass to go play at any of the Trafalga locations. Tiana slept over on Friday night and we went off to play laser tag! Unfortunately, Daryl couldn't join us since he had work that evening. Daryl and my sister both made fun of me for wearing a maxi skirt to go play laser tag but out of everything in my closet it doesn't get more comfortable than a maxi skirt! They are so pretty, flowy, and easy to move around in. 

When my grandmother passed away earlier this month there were still a few pieces of her wardrobe that my sister and I wanted to keep and cherish. One of these items was this GORGEOUS maxi skirt. I'm so glad my mama grabbed the two maxi skirts she had, she knew I would definitely wear them. I love the colors and print of the skirt.

Do you often struggle with what to wear? If so, it might be time to buy a new skirt. There are lots of skirt options to choose from. Once you find one you like, you can actually use it to create many fun and functional outfits. For example, a mid-length skirt can easily switch to casual from formal or back again. All it takes is a change of shoes and accessories. When selecting a skirt, make sure you opt for one that looks comfortable, fashionable and fun. Choose the right length and cut for you and it will always help you look your best. Also, remember to choose a skirt made out of the right material. Choose a chiffon or satin for formality or a material more like cotton or denim for comfort, depending on your plans.

My grandma had SO MUCH JEWELRY. I don't even know where to begin to explain.. I swear if she wore a different piece every day it would take a decade to go through it all! I was able to take a few items that I really liked so throughout the remainder of my outfit posts don't be surprised if you see one or two of my grandmother's pieces of jewelry. The eagle necklace that I'm wearing surprisingly belonged to my dad. I believe he got it after he received his eagle scout. I love eagles.. actually I love all birds so he told me that I could have it since he wouldn't be wearing it.

Shirt: Old Navy || Skirt: c/o Grandma Carol || Shoes: Thrifted || Necklace: Gift from my dad

PS: I got a  haircut on Friday, what do you guys think?

My Life in Lavender Giveaway (CLOSED)

Today I have another amazing giveaway from My Life in Lavender. Anjni is currently in the process of opening up her own shop and is offering one lucky Dearest Lou reader this beautiful necklace and matching ring.

The giveaway will end June 1, 2012 @ 12:01AM EST.
This giveaway is open to US residents only.

You MUST follow all of the mandatory steps in order to qualify.

You will then unlock the extra entries if you desire!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE JUNE 4, 2012

MY LIFE IN LAVENDER WINNER!!

The winner of the My Life in Lavender jewelry giveaway is.. Lori from Tryin' to be Stylin'! Congratulations Lori, I can't wait to see how you style your prize. Make sure and check your email with further instructions on how to collect your awesome prize!

As for everyone else who entered, don't be sad! I have another amazing giveaway I will have up in a couple of hours that you can enter (;

Christmas in July

Hey guys,

Today we're having a sign up for those of you who are interested in joining us for Christmas in July! I was super excited when Alyx from Everyday is a New Adventure asked if I wanted to be one of her co-hosts. She's the brains behind it all, Daryl from Roots, Wings, and Other Things and I were asked to help assist and   S P R E A D  T H E  W O R D ! ! ! 

I haven't mentioned anything on my blog about Christmas in July so I'm going to give you a quick spill about it. Alyx came up with the idea of having a huge international gift exchange on a whim earlier this month and she is making it happen! There are a couple of IMPORTANT dates you should take note of if you are considering participating:

DATES & DEADLINES

SIGN UP DATES>>May 28th-June 20th

LAST DAY TO OPT OUT>> June 20th

ADDRESS ASSIGNED>> June 21st-June 27th

MAILING/PICTURE DUE>> July 13th

HUGE GIFT REVEAL/LINK UP>> July 25th

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. If you're participating take a button and place it on your sidebar! We want to spread the word to as many bloggers as we can so that they can join in on the fun!

2. If you decide that you aren't going to participate for ANY reason, please contact us no later than June 20th. We don't want to have someone not receive a gift, that would be so sad!

3. The monetary value of the present should be no more than $20 and no less than $10.

4. If you're an international blogger, we will make sure to give you a blogger on the same continent to reduce  shipping costs.

5. Please send a picture of your wrapped present to christmasinjuly12@gmail.com by July 13th so that we know no one will be left out on July 25th! 

6. Once you recieve your package, prepare a blog post about it! There will be a huge link up on July 25th!

7. If you have any questions feel free to contact us! 

BUTTONS

<center><a href="http://itsalyx.com/2012/05/christmas-in-july-signup.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums/p588/alyxblogdesign/mine/cij.png" width="200" height="200" /></a></center>

<center><a href="http://www.dearestlou.com/2012/05/christmas-in-july.html"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e73/ceciliarawr/200x100dearestlou.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> </center>

SIGN UP

Sponsor in June!

Hello friends, June is almost here and it's going to be a surprisingly exciting month! I can guarantee that sponsoring with Dearest Lou will send some traffic your way. I’m currently accepting both ad purchases and sponsor swaps! Keep in mind that in order to qualify for a sponsor swap you MUST have a minimum of 300 followers on a single platform. If you purchase your spot before May 28, 2012 you will get a 20% discount! 

D I S C O U N T  P R I C E S

Featured Ad: $20 || Medium Ad: $12 || Small Ad: $8

After the 28th rates will go back up to their regular prices listed on my sponsor page!

If you have any additional questions not mentioned on my sponsor page or ready to purchase email me at dearestlou@gmail.com. I look forward to the possibility of working with you!

Silky blouse and draped fringe earrings

This blouse is another thrift find from last Friday. I love the subtle design and the silky smooth feeling. I didn't want to overdue it with the accessories, so I wore these draped fringe earrings I purchased at F21 last week. I really love the antique look of them and the mint stones!

I've been seriously spoiled this week, I've gone out to frozen yogurt 3 times! My sister invited me after taking these outfit pictures and who in their right mind would say no to frozen yogurt? I always get the plain tart and mix blackberries, strawberries, and mango in it. It's truly an unbeatable mix. What's your favorite frozen yogurt mix?

Shirt & Shoes: Thrifted || Jeans: Quicksilver || Earrings: F21 (link)

PS: Don't forget to enter the Eternal Optimist Giveaway!

Today is the last day!!!

Thrifty Thursdays

For those of you who are new readers or didn’t see the announcement last week, I decided I would make a change to Thrifty Thursdays. Every week I'm going to feature my favorite thrift find from the links you submitted the previous week. That way your blogs can gain more exposure and it's an incentive to link up. ;P Your thrifted item can be anything: thrifted clothing you wore in an outfit post, thrifted home knick-knacks, or anything else you want to share! I've also added a new size for Thrifty Thursdays for those of you who requested a 100x100, if you need any other sizes feel free to email me!

Adin from Chetopian Family thrifted this beautiful dress for only 25 cents! Can't you believe it? I'm super jealous of her sweet find and I love how she refashioned the dress by making it a high-low dress! I love the color, cut, collar, print, and everything about it. Adin is truly a thrfitfanatic and you really can't get a deal better than 25 cents! Don't forget to visit her lovely blog (;

Here are the guidelines for the link up:

1. Link up to a specific blog post about thrifting.
2. Snatch the button below and place it in your post. (If you don't want to add the button you can text link.)

<center><a href="http://www.dearestlou.com/"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e73/ceciliarawr/thriftythursdaysdl.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> </center>  

<a href="http://www.dearestlou.com"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e73/ceciliarawr/thriftythursdayssmall100x100.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center>

Link parties will end every Monday at 11:59PM!

May sponsor spotlight

It's that time of the month again where I introduce you to a few of my amazing sponsors. Instead of asking the girls a question this month, I decided I would write a couple of sentences about their blogs and why you should go check them out. I'm going to disable comment to ensure you stop by and say hello to them! 

BLOG || TWITTER

BLOG || TWITTER

BLOG || TWITTER

BLOG || TWITTER

BLOG || TWITTER

PS: Don't forget to enter the current G I V E A W A Y !!

Sweet thrift finds and hot summer days

Monday was unbelievably hot, I don't want to even think about how hot the weather is going to be in June and July. The only thing that sounds appealing on a hot day is going to the pool and swimming. I'm thinking that Daryl and I will be doing that a lot this summer. Daryl and I went on a date today and this is the outfit I wore. Didn't want to wear something too fancy but couldn't imagine wearing a ton of layers or pants. Decided to wear my ol' reliable shorts, new thrifted shoes, and thrifted top. These are two of the items I scored when I went thrifting with Mimi and Karen last weekend! I've been looking for shoes like this for A G E S so when I finally stumbled upon these bad boys it was love at first site. ;P

I also want to thank those of you who linked up to Thrifty Thursdays last week you guys found some amazing stuff, I'm jealous!

Blouse, shorts, shoes: Thrifted || Ring: F21 (old)

A very special day, my dearest friend is getting married!

So.. I pretty much feel like the biggest stalker right now because I've been checking Kandice's instagram every few hours hoping to get a glimpse of all of the neat stuff her and Sean are experiencing right now! So if you're wondering where I got these pictures well.. now you know. Here's a few of my personal favorites, I'm sure there will be more throughout their vacation:

Kandice at a hotel in Portland after the long drive!

The yurt aka their temporary home.

Beautiful forest and people!

The ocean.

The soon-to-be newlyweds!

Dear Dish,

I cannot believe the day has finally come! Today you become an official Breinholt and get to marry the guy of your dreams! I wish with all my heart that I could attend your ceremony, I've even teared up a few times this weekend thinking about how I won't be there to support you. Unfortunately, due to financial circumstances Daryl and I weren't able to attend and it really breaks my heart. However, I'm SO excited to see you next week and to hear all about your wedding adventure!

I'm just SO HAPPY for you and grateful for the important role you've played in my life since we met. I don't know who or where I would be today without you. I hope today is truly everything you've ever imagined and more and I hope you know it's all I will be thinking about. I'm so glad that you guys are getting pictures so that I can see how everything went down. I look forward to all of the new experiences we will have together as our families g r o w.

I remember talking to you back in January under Daryl's families Christmas tree, telling you that you should just get married this year! Things kind of just fell into place and you guys REALLY are, can you believe it?!  I can't explain in words how much you and Sean mean to me and I'm so happy that you're finally sealing the deal in one of the prettiest places on the planet. I've almost known you for 7 years and we both wouldn't have thought if you asked our 13 year old punk selves that we would be where we are today. I'm so thankful for everything you've done for me and for our special friendship. 


I hope that today is the happiest day of your life and I wish you and Seanzy a happy forever<3

Love, Shepskie