Red, white and ooh lala

One of the genes I inherited from my mom is a love of Navy blue.  No matter how hard she tries to add new colors to her wardrobe, anytime you open up her closet you’re still bound to drown in a sea of Navy.  Luckily, the family default color comes in handy two weekends a year – Memorial Day and Fourth of July.

Naturally, everything I’ve packed for the long weekend boasts a blend of three colors: red, white & blue.

workTaking a professional approach to Patriotism for the last day of work, I chose a classic Anne Klein dress that I purchased at Ross two years ago.  While I’m embarrassed to admit it probably bears resemblance to something in my mom’s closet, it is SO comfortable.  I can’t remember the exact price but know it was under $20.

prepThe focus of Friday’s outfit is a sweet red dress I found on the clearance rack at Charming Charlie.  Originally $30, it was marked down to $14.99 and then slashed in half – $7.50 for a dress that mimics expensive southern brand Mud Pie (who did actually make the big hat – gotta splurge every now and then).  The Navy shoes, retailed at $40, were only $19.99 at Ross.

redwhiteblueFourth of July means it’s time to go all out in our country’s colors.  This comfy Enfocus Studio dress was found at Ross for $9.99.  It’s not an expensive brand to begin with, but still, at that price, you can’t go wrong with something you’ll only wear once a year.

causalIt’s rare to catch me in something other than a dress during the summer months. For this weekend’s anomaly, I paired crown & ivy (Belk’s signature brand) shorts with a simple tank, a Charming Charlie fedora and Sperry Top-siders I found at Ross for under $40.  For a day on the go, something to carry items is a must.  I’ll admit I was hesitant to give into the backpack style because I hated them as a kid but man do I love this thing.  Retailed at $120, I picked up the bag at Ross for just $19.99.

Black, Blue and Gas Station Accessories(?!)

Money can’t buy love, but it can buy cute clothes and accessories that we adore.  But, just because you have the money to buy the perfect outfit doesn’t mean you should spend it all.  My motto is more is more: I’d rather buy three outfits, and the accessories to go along with them, than one expensive dress for the same price.

A perfect example of deal searching is today’s OOTD.  Spice up a classic black and white look with a little color.

I found this simple striped dress at Maurice’s marked down to FIVE dollars (originally $30).  It’s nothing fancy on its own, but can be easily enhanced with some simple color popping.  My mom found the cobalt blue purse and watch at a GAS STATION, both for under $15.  Goes to show cute style can be found anywhere.  I paired the dress with Jessica Simpson wedges for $24 (retailed at $49) from Ross.  The final touch was a necklace and earring set from my go-to accessory spot, Charming Charlie.  An entire outfit for just a tad over $50.IMG_2992