Summer Maxi Dresses

DRESS:: Poupette St Barth (similar here for under $100) // BAG:: Palmer & Purchase (similar here) SHOES:: similar here // EARRINGS:: Bronzallure

It's been a crazy week and looks like I'm ending it slightly under the weather. I woke up with no voice this morning and my kids were all so confused. My oldest asked me "hey mom, what happened to your voice?" and I told him I lost it. And ten minutes later he said, "Mom, maybe some of the bad guys stole it from you." 

On to maxi dresses...I basically live in them in the summer time, especially when I'm pregnant. This one that I'm wearing in today's post is by one of my all time favorites for summer wear- Poupette St. Barth. I've been a huge fan of Poupette St. Barth for a while now and own a few of their dresses and coverups. I think they have the prettiest prints and colors that just scream summer. I saw this one at a local store a month or so ago and fell in love with it. I love that it's a wrap style and can be adjusted pretty easily to fit my body (especially as it grows). I'm thinking I'll get some decent wear out of it possibly through July and will definitely wear it again after baby. I know Poupette prices are a bit on the higher end so I found a similar dress option here for under $100! I also wanted to share this style with any pregnant (and non pregnant) lady out there- I actually bought this dress when I wasn't pregnant a few years ago and they still make it in a ton of colors. Almost every color is on sale for about $27-$64 and the regular price is $92.  These dresses are perfect for the beach!

I've rounded up my favorite maxi dresses below! 

Memorial Day Weekend Sales

TOP:: Ann Taylor // JEANS:: J Brand // EARRINGS:: Ann Taylor // SUNGLASSES:: Ann Taylor 

I can't tell you how happy this weekend makes me. It's the official unofficial start of Summer and Summer is my favorite (Fall comes in at a close second). We have some low key family plans this weekend and plan on hanging and heading to the beach if the weather cooperates. I also plan on sneaking in a little shopping because there are pretty much sales happening everywhere. I'm going to list some of my favorites for you all below!

• J. CREW:: 40% off all full priced styles and 50% off women's tees, shorts, swim and more with code GETAWAY. Love this coverup and think this is the perfect everyday chambray dress. I also love this sweatshirt. Lila has this little dress and loves it. 

• CLUB MONACO:: 25% off your purchase with code WARMWELCOME! One of my favorite places to pick up high quality staples and I never pass up on snagging something from here on sale. Absolutely love love love these slides and think they are the perfect sandal for summer. This top reminds me so much of a top I bought from Club Monaco last year and wore all summer long. Don't think the short style will work well with my belly this year ;) I need to a new hat terribly. I ordered one a few weeks ago and it did not fit well. Going to give this one a try!

• ANN TAYLOR:: I dedicated an entire post to this sale yesterday. Everything in the picture above (besides the jeans) are included in the 40% off sitewide sale!

• MARK & GRAHAM:: my favorite site for home and gifts and 20% off sitewide. I think this would make the BEST wedding gift- who doesn't love a fun yard game? They have the best monogram selection and some awesome Father's Day gift ideas, too! How amazing is this straw tote that you can have monogrammed? And of course love this handpainted one too. 

• ONE KINGS LANE:: Another favorite home shopping site and they are also offering 20% off. I've realized I need more outdoor entertaining pieces. Love this outdoor chair and these dinner plates. 

**UPDATES::

• A PEA IN THE POD::  30% off select full priced styles. I just ordered this dress and my favorite jeans in the perfect summer wash are also included in the sale. 

• VINCE:: Take an extra 25% off all sale items with code MDAY25. I know I won't be able to wear this sweater (in heather cloud) until well after baby but I live for Vince sweaters and think they are the most comfortable sweaters ever and hold up so well. This one also looks amazing. 

• McGEE & CO:: 20% off site wide with code SUMMERSALE. Such a fun home store AND they have my living room print available! Love these planters (who am I?)

• NORDSTROM:: Half yearly sale with up to 40% off- love this easy tee to throw on with jeans or jean shorts for the summer. 

• SERENA & LILY:: 20% off sitewide with code SUMMERDAYS.  Every time I check out Serena & Lily I want to update my entire house. I'm currently in the market for some new throw pillows for our family room. Love this one. They also have an amazing nursery selection. I love the modern feel to this crib and the price is not bad at all. How cute are these elephant quilts? I've always loved these baskets- stuff them with toys and put on the top and you are good to go. These pendant lights will give you the summer feels all year long. Obsessed with them.

• INTERMIX:: 40% off select full priced and sale styles. This is the perfect LWD for summer. 

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Off to take the kids out but I will keep updating this page when more sales pop up! And let me know if there is a site in particular you would like me to do a sale roundup for!

Happy MDW!

SHOP THE SALES::

Feels like Summer

TOP:: Ann Taylor (c/o) // JEANS:: J Brand Maternity // SHOES:: Ann Taylor (c/o) // EARRINGS:: Ann Taylor (c/o) // SUNGLASSES:: Ann Taylor (c/o)  

How about this weather? It's 77 without a cloud in the sky here in Connecticut today and it looks like it will be just as beautiful tomorrow. It feels like SUMMER! After a pretty dismal Spring it feels so good to say that. It's amazing how much my mood shifts when the weather cooperates- the kids as well! They are so much happier when we get to roam around outdoors.

Speaking of being outdoors, this weather has me craving backyard BBQs on the patio and this look is absolutely perfect for it. I love a good off the shoulder top and this one from Ann Taylor does not disappoint. It has beautiful embroidery and is made of a linen and cotton combo. It has summery-boho feel to it and with it's relaxed fit there is plenty of room for a baby bump! Best part is, it's under $100 BUT today it's 40% off making it $58.80! Ann Taylor is having a sitewide sale with 40% off your entire purchase with code SOREADY.

Not only is my top 40% off but so are my sandals, earrings and sunglasses. The shoes are such an easy summer slide and I love the blush color with the studded detail. My statement earrings are the prettiest shade of blue and remind me of all the beautiful hydrangea on Nantucket. They are really lightweight and also come in a vibrant orange. With 40% off they come to about $41. Last but not least, my sunglasses. I have been wanting to venture away from my usual Le Specs and Ray-Ban sunnies and try a fun shape. I saw these cat eye pair in store and loved them when I put them on. I love the shape but especially love the neutral color of the frames. So fun for summer!

These pants aren't included in today's post but I HAVE to share them with you. They are my absolute favorite pants ever. I have them in navy but tried them on in the white clay color in store and they are amazing. Unfortunately they didn't have the white clay in petite in store and since I'm vertically challenged, the regular sizes were just too long on me. I'm ordering the white clay pair in petite as we speak! This style comes in five colors! Another favorite:: these shoes! I now own them in both the blush and the chestnut color and they are seriously the most comfortable shoes ever. I ordered half a size down and love them!

There are so many good sales going on this weekend and I'm going to do my best to keep you all up to date on some of my favorites. I'll start a post tomorrow and continue to update it when a good sale pops up! For now, shop some of my favorite pieces included in the Ann Taylor sale at the bottom of this post!

xo Chrissy

Shopbop Sale

DRESS:: Mara Hoffman (on sale)

I have to make today's post quick because I'm running out the door with Charlie to gym class but Shopbop just marked down thousands of summer pieces and I wanted to share some favorites with you below. The dress I'm wearing above is 30% off and is such a pretty color. I love these shoes for summer and this jumpsuit looks so comfortable. I think I'm going to order it! This white dress is gorgeous. If I didn't have a huge belly I would definitely buy it for summer!

Shop more picks below::

Blushing

DRESS:: Tees by Tina (similar here and here) // CARDIGAN:: Halogen // SHOES:: Schutz // BAG:: Lucy Folk // EARRINGS:: Bronzallure (on sale!)

I cannot tell you how happy it made me to see the sun for part of the day yesterday. After what felt like a million days of rain, the sun finally popped out for a good portion yesterday in CT and we tried to soak up every minute of it. We had a really busy weekend with weddings and baby showers and a million and one activities for the kids. My cousin got married Saturday night and I completely failed at taking pictures of the wedding which was absolutely stunning. Although it rained like crazy, it was such a beautiful night. I then had Kaitlin's baby shower yesterday and I shared a few pics over on Instagram. She looks amazing and her dress was so gorgeous. We got a ton of questions about both of our dresses so I will link them both here:: Chrissy and Kaitlin. Neither are maternity but they are both a wrap type style and work with a bump. I don't think my dress will fit come August but I ordered my usual size and have every intention of wearing it next year. It's by one of my all time favorites for beach and casual summer wear. It also comes in this pretty pattern and this color and I'm tempted to buy this maxi style in the same print as mine.

I purchased this dress by Tees by Tina back when I was pregnant with either Lila or Charlie (I can't remember!) and it's been a favorite of mine for maternity wear. They make an entire line of stretchy dresses, tops, and leggings but the dress styles are definitely my favorite. They are super comfortable and so affordable and keep really nicely. I can't seem to find my exact dress but this style and this style are pretty much identical and are only $52-$54! I also have a few of their maxi dresses and wore them all summer long when I was pregnant with Charlie. Love this style and this style.

If you are looking for the perfect light weight cardigan for this summer, this is it. It comes in a ton of colors. I have the blush and the cobblestone color. I tend to wear looser fitting clothing especially when it comes to dresses but when I'm pregnant I also love showing off the bump a bit in more fitted styles. Usually when I wear something more fitted, I love pairing it with a longer cardigan and this one has been perfect!

Ok...time to run a million errands and enjoy this beautiful weather. You can shop the rest of this post below!

Hope you all have a great day!

SHOP THE POST::

Under $150

TOP:: Loft // JEANS:: J Brand // SHOES:: Castaner // BAG:: Palmer & Purchase (same here) // SUNGLASSES:: Le Specs

Happy Friday! Hope everyone had a good week. Ours was pretty good given my husband was away for work from Monday to Thursday. The kids actually slept all night for me and slept past 6 a few mornings which never happens.  I binged watched This is Us because I was way waaaaay behind on Season 2 and I forgot how much I love that show. I feel like it's the last good show left on TV. Speaking of shows, we are in serious need of new series to watch. We can't seem to agree on anything! Send me a DM or leave a comment here if you have a show you absolutely love!

I figured I'd end the week with a Style Steals post featuring items under $150. I ordered this top on a whim a few weeks ago and think it's such an easy, classic Spring to Summer blouse. It has enough room for a bump and I'll definitely wear it next season tucked into white jeans. My sunglasses are also another favorite of mine. I've had them for over a year now and I love the shade of both the lens and the frame. They are super affordable at under $60!

Shop more style steals below! xo

Current Obsessions :: Drunk Elephant

DRUNK ELEPHANT Lala Retro Whipped Cream // DRUNK ELEPHANT C-Firma Day Serum

I feel like skincare posts never do as well as outfit and style posts but I personally have taken such an interest in skincare and have been slowly testing out different products in hopes to find the best ones for me. I love reading about the latest and greatest and thought I'd share what's working for me lately. One thing that I'm always looking for when it comes to trying new products is how "clean" the line is. AKA am I slathering on toxins and chemicals or is the product pretty safe to use? I especially feel strongly about using clean products while pregnant. 

Drunk Elephant is one of those lines that only uses clean ingredients. Not to be confused with natural as certain "natural" ingredients are not good for our skin. Instead, Drunk Elephant focuses on each ingredient's safety and bio-compatibility. They leave out what they call "the suspicious 6" which they believe is the cause of most skin issues:: silicones, chemical screens, sensitizing colorants and perfumes, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), essential oils, and drying alcohols. What's left is a product line that is safe for all skin types. 

I first decided to try the Lala Retro Whipped Cream this winter when my skin felt drier than ever. I bought the sample size along with Jelly Cleanser (which is also awesome) and immediately loved it. It's the perfect moisturizer that leaves my skin hydrated without feeling greasy or thick. I also love that it doesn't contain SPF. I know that sounds crazy as I'm a huge advocate of wearing SPF daily especially on the face, however, I have never liked the idea of putting on a cream with SPF at night. If I know I'm going to be out and about in the sun during the day I'll just throw on my CC/BB cream that contains SPF. I've also heard great things about these Sun Drops. You can just a add a few drops of the SPF to your moisturizer and you are good to go. Expensive but a friend of mine has said her bottle has lasted her a while. Drunk Elephant also makes this SPF which I'm thinking I might purchase and test out. I also want to purchase the tinted version of this SPF. It got great reviews! 

After reading about how important Vitamin C is for your skin, I knew I had to incorporate it into my daily routine. I decided on Drunk Elephant's C-Firma Day Serum. Kaitlin had recommended it and I always try to go by word of mouth when testing out skincare products. Vitamin C Serum helps to firm and brighten skin, diminish signs of photo damage and wrinkles, and protects against environmental stressors and free radicals. I use one pump of C-Firma after my daily toner. I let it soak in for a few and then use my eye cream and moisturizer. If you want to test it out you can buy this mini set that comes with a C-Firma mini and B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel.

PS:: this Drunk Elephant product is supposed to be amazing but it is not safe to use when pregnant!

Bright & Bold

DRESS:: Mara Hoffman (more sizes here) // SHOES:: Jimmy Choo (similar here for $52) // EARRINGS :: Brinker & Eliza // BAG:: Chanel // SUNGLASSES:: Le Specs

I hope you all had a nice weekend! I had a really lazy Mother's Day although I can't say the same for my husband. It was kind of a rainy, cold day and I basically hung at home in my PJs all day lounging with whichever kid decided to nap while my husband wrangled whoever was awake. All I really wanted for Mother's Day was for my husband to get my car washed. It's the one thing I hate doing and I don't know why. He took the kids to the car wash and came back with my favorite sandwich from Something Natural (if you are local you need to go and anyone who visits Nantucket needs to check out the original Something Natural-amazing) We eventually headed over to my parents' house for a BBQ later in the day. After a really long and crazy week, an easy Sunday was just what I needed.

I'm almost 18 weeks pregnant and I'm finally starting to feel those first tiny flutters of movement. Feeling my babies move is hands down my favorite part of pregnancy. Yes, at the end it gets a bit uncomfortable but I love it. With my first, I remember I couldn't really distinguish his movements from normal stomach flutters until week 20/21. I started noticing tiny movements with this baby a few weeks ago and now they are way more obvious. It's a nice reminder that I'm actually growing something in there.

On to this dress. White dresses are my all time favorite for summer but second to them are bright colored ones. I tend to stick to neutrals in the fall and winter but the second the temperatures start to warm up I'm immediately drawn to bright and bold colors. Mara Hoffman has always been one of my go-to's for a fun dress for summer and so many of her styles are pregnancy friendly. A photo came up on my Timehop app (does anyone have it? it's amazing) from ten years ago. It's of me and my husband (at the time college boyfriend) and I'm wearing an orange and pink halter Mara Hoffman dress. It was my first by Mara Hoffman but obviously not my last. I think I buy a new Mara Hoffman piece each season. One thing to note about this style is it's technically a "swim" piece aka a coverup but it definitely does not feel that way. I will definitely wear this to dinners out and I think you could 100% wear it to a wedding. It isn't lined in the back- the front is completely fine because the material overlaps- so as long as you wear nude undergarments you should be good to go. This is the one I wore with it that works. You could also wear a pair of nude control shorts like Spanx etc that would also do the trick.

I've linked a ton of my favorite brightly colored pieces below. How fun is this dress? And the price tag is amazing.

This Week & Sales

DRESS:: Vince // BRACELETS:: Cartier & Madewell // EARRINGS:: Lizzie Fortunato (love these)

Happy happy happy Friday everyone! I had a crazy busy week this week and have had zero time to post. I have the next twenty minutes or so to myself as long as Charlie keeps napping! I hope you all had a chance to read Kaitlin's post about her stepping away from the blog to focus on her family. It was something we had both been talking about for some time and decided it was best for her to take some time now before the baby comes. She will definitely make some guest appearances though and keep us updated on baby boy! Going forward, my goal is to post to the blog three times a week and hopefully more if I can. If there's anything you would like to see more of on the blog, please let me know!

My week was filled with special activities with the kids- volunteering in Lila's classroom, Hunter had two school show performances and loved it, and Lila had her ballet recital and also loved it, swimming lessons, gym class, and everything in-between and Charlie happily tagged along to everything. I also had my sister's baby shower last night in the city. She is due at the very end of August and is also having a girl. Our babies will be a month or so apart!

Back to this week...I am absolutely exhausted and most likely overdid it but it was probably one of my proudest weeks as a mom- as cheesy as that sounds. My kids are on the shy side (just like my husband and I) and they both had big (little but big to them) performances this week. I was so nervous they would be too scared and wouldn't enjoy it but they both surprised me and loved every minute of it. Seeing how proud they both felt of themselves made me feel so proud and so happy.

Thankfully the weekend is here and my husband will be home to take charge soon. Before I sign off for Mother's Day Weekend, I thought I'd share a quick sale with you that I'm currently shopping::

ANTHROPOLOGIE:: 20% off sitewide. I was hoping Anthropologie would have a sitewide sale because I've been eyeing a few things. Here's what's in my cart:

                  1. I need a new beach hat desperately and I love the color of this one.

                  2. Love this white blouse for summer. Easy and light.

                  3. Love the color of this Mara Hoffman dress. This one looks like it has room for a bump.

                  4. And this top is so pretty.


PS:: My jumpsuit, top, and bracelets are all on sale!

MORE OF WHAT I LOVE::

Taking Time

Writing this is bittersweet because as I am entering a new exciting phase of my life I have decided to close a chapter on another. With focusing on having my first baby, (and all of those fears and anxieties that come with it) plus accepting new responsibilities at work, I felt I needed to give myself a break from the blogging world.

I have absolutely no idea what to expect when I finally welcome my baby into this world and even more so when I have to go back to work. I definitely have a lot of mom guilt already about leaving someone I haven't even met! As I am rounding out ( literally ) my second trimester I wanted to give myself time for me. Heading into work (now busier than ever) and then commuting home - maybe squeezing in a workout - I am longing for the couch and a dose of Bravo. I was reluctant at first to let go of the pressures from being social, saying yes to basically everything, and until my husband told me I need to sit my butt down and channel the chill did I actually listen. That's the saying we have in our house when I'm constantly on the go - "channel the chill".  I need to just channel the chill for baby and scale back on everything in my life, which is a lot harder than I thought.

Unable to give the blog my full commitment, Chrissy will be taking it from here and I know she will absolutely kill it. Have you ever seen a more #blessed pregnant chick!? A mom of three and soon to be four, Chrissy has her hands full but she will keep you guys up to date with all of the latest sales and trends. She has the best eye as you all know - especially for earrings and bags! And who knows, when my nursery is all done I would love to pop back in for a nursery reveal and a bumpdate!

To say I will miss blogging is an understatement, its a part of me I am letting go and maybe its not permanent but I need to do me for now and figure out this new chapter in my life. And as I am writing this I just got a picture of the nursery light fixture installed so definitely stayed tuned for a reveal..

xx Kaitlin

Current Obsessions & How I found out I was pregnant

DRESS:: Vince (love this color) // SHOES:: Schutz // EARRINGS:: Lizzie Fortunato (love this pair) // BAG:: Chanel 

I was talking with some other moms at Lila's school today about how I found out I was pregnant with #4 and thought I'd give you guys the quick version of the story. In all honesty, we had pretty much closed the door on having any more children after Charlie. My husband and I both felt we had our hands full and our kids were all getting to easier ages where we could take them out to dinner, go on vacation with much more ease than in the past. In February, I went to my regular doctor because I had this tightness in my chest that I could not get rid of. One of my sisters has had pulmonary embolisms and has blood clotting issues that could be genetic, so my doctor wanted to make sure that that wasn't the case for me. She wanted to do a chest x-ray and asked if there was any chance I might be pregnant. I said definitely not. And she (being a very good doctor) asked me if I was 100% sure and I responded with, "I would say 99.9% sure. It would be a huge huge fluke." Luckily, she wanted me to be 100% certain and sent me home to take a pregnancy test. I picked up my kids from school, stopped at CVS and bought some tests, and thought I'd run home and take them and go straight back to the doctor for my x-ray. As soon as I took the test, I glanced down and immediately saw two of the darkest red lines I had ever seen...To say I was floored, is an understatement. The next few days were a blur and I went from feeling straight out shocked and scared to elated and excited. I had deep down always wanted a big family. I'm one of five and I'm so so close to my siblings. I can only pray my four will be the same way!

PS:: after I found out I was pregnant, I cut out my morning coffee and my chest tightness disappeared!

 I quickly wanted to share a few things I'm loving now, including these shoes and this dress!

DRESS:: I love a simple white dress. This silhouette is so pretty and will work both with a bump and without. It also comes in this pretty coral color which I love and black.  I'm also OBSESSED with this dress. Will definitely not work with a bump but someone please buy it and send pics!

SHOES:: I live for a comfortable heel and this one foots the bill (no pun intended) I also love the blush color and the pretty straps. I could definitely walk for miles in these!

BATHING SUIT:: Ugh...I wish I could squeeze into normal swimwear this summer. Maternity bathing suits are the worst. If anyone has found any cute suits this year, send them my way! I'm obsessed with this non maternity one piece. 

EARRINGS:: I used to be obsessed with chunky statement necklaces and now they are almost always the last things I tend to throw on. I'm really into bolder earrings at the moment and I'm loving this pair.  

SWEATSHIRT:: I just bought this sweatshirt in the maternity style. I love a good comfy sweatshirt and tend to gravitate towards sweatshirts over sweaters during the week.  

I made a boutique of more current obsessions below!

xo Chrissy

CURRENT OBSESSIONS::