simply chic & a cherry on top

Remember when I wore this outfit in THIS post?

Well, a talented artist over at THE CHERRY ON TOP took to paper and drew her interpretation of this look. I think she did a superb job! Don't you agree? She even noticed the small detail like the ring on my pointer finger. Please head over to THE CHERRY ON TOP and see more of her work!

And don't forget to enter the Shabby Apple bow skirt giveaway HERE! Time is running out...

prep it up

My default style is classic, preppy, simply chic (wink wink) or whatever you want to call it.

You can never go wrong with a good trench, stripes, cute flats, a button down etc.

When I am in Boston, I tend to prep it up a bit more than usual.

On this particular day, I was actually headed down to Cope Cod, which is absolutely gorgeous.

So many great photo ops...

And please don't get me started on the deep fried lobster with butter sauce at LOBSTER CLAW in Orleans, MA.

wearing: zara trench, urban skirt

P.S. There's still time to enter the giveaway in the previous post:)

red lips & red bottoms + a giveaway

Those of you who follow me on TWITTER know how excited I was about my Ruby Woo MAC purchase.

I've never worn anything other than a sheer gloss on my lips, yet something moved me to purchase a red LIPSTICK, and now I can't get enough of it.

It was the perfect accessory for this classic black and white combo.

And the perfect compliment to my red bottoms which you've seen a million times by now HERE, HERE & HERE.

How gorgeous is that sunset??? Anyway, on to the...

~GIVEAWAY~

While I was on my vacation I reached 300 followers, and what better way to celebrate than with a giveaway? Coincidentally, while I was away, the team over at SHABBY APPLE approached me about a giveaway. They have tons of great women's dresses, but I couldn't resist when I saw FRANCINE, this black bow skirt.

It reminds me of my skirt in this post, that is no longer available in stores, but FRANCINE could be yours if you simply follow me via Google Friend Connect. For additional entries you can:

*follow me on TWITTER AND tweet this giveaway

*like me on FACEBOOK

*follow me on BLOGLOVIN

Please comment in this post with your email address as well as all the ways you've entered!

And as an added bonus use the code simplychic10off to take 10% off any SHABBY APPLE purchase. Please enter by July 1st :)

neon + neutral

Taking a break from my trip pics to participate in the

BLOGGERS DO IT BETTER

challenge.

I saw so many young ladies looking so cute in their neon+neutral, and it never crossed my mind to join in.

That is until I was rummaging through my closet looking for something to wear to my friend's baby shower and rediscovered this skirt.

It hasn't seen the light of day since a trip to Boston over a year ago, seen HERE.

I can't decide if I like it better with the neutral or the peach, but I definitely prefer it with the heels :)

wearing: thrifted necklace, zara blouse, skirt from tj maxx, carlos santana heels

worn to: baby shower & father's day dinner

gone with the wind

I found it incredibly hard to get decent, let alone good blog pictures, while on the cruise ship.

The wind was a BEAST, plus I was always struggling to get shots in while the sun was still out.

But at least the sunset did make for a good backdrop in a few pictures. Plus this is just more incentive to schedule my photography class :)

wearing: nordstrom earrings, chicshop ring, gap chambray shirt, thrifted skirt, jessica simpson wedges, badgley mischka bag

*ETA: happily submitting this look for BDIB: MAXI SKIRT*

back to life

...back to reality. Last night I got home from a whirlwind of a 3 week vacation. Where did I go you ask? Boston, Cape Cod, Miami, Cayman Islands, Honduras, Belize, Cozumel, New Jersey, New York (with layovers in Atlanta, DC, & Los Angeles). I'm completely exhausted and jet legged so I will let the pictures (mostly) speak for themselves, but not before I say I had such an amazing time that I'm waiting to wake up one day and realize it was all a dream :)

Me and my cruise ship, Carnival Valor, on the Cayman Islands!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

In Honduras at Tabyana (private) Beach.

My favorite place on a beach is under a palm tree (Passion Island in Cozumel).

And when I wasn't beaching, I was eating, & eating & eating, literally!

In Belize fanning myself with a palm tree after a long, hot, fun horseback ride!

Thanks in advance for sticking with me while I was on my vacation/blogger break. I look forward to regularly scheduled postings and catching up on all your lovely blogs :)