It is hard to believe it’s already the middle of August. Since summer is coming to a close, I wanted to round up the best recipes of summer. And as much as I am looking forward to the flavors of fall, I’m still holding onto some sweet summer recipes for the next two weeks.
One of my favorite ways to style a sleeveless dress for a different look is pairing it with a chambray shirt. Especially this time of year, a chambray shirt allows you to still mix a little summer into a fall look. The colors in this burgundy midi dress are so vibrant, I couldn’t wait until the temperatures cooled down to share it with you! Not to worry, I will be styling it again for fall. But in the meantime, this burgundy dress and chambray shirt make for the perfect summer to fall transitional look.
Since seeing the faux leather jacket during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I’ve been dying to wear mine. My leather jacket was a purchase from a previous Anniversary Sale and it’s one of my favorite layers in the fall and winter. Last Saturday, there was a serious chill (and wind) in the air and an extra layer became a necessity. I paired this gingham dress and leather jacket together for an easy summer to fall transitional look that happened to be a little preppy and a little edgy.
Peaches are one of my favorite fruits, but especially this time of the year when they are in season. As with most families, there are quite a few recipes that have been passed down through the years in mine. My southern great grandmother’s peach cake is definitely one of our favorites. My aunt and cousin were down in Virginia visiting my mom and dad this past weekend and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to make one of my great grandmother’s recipes: Southern Peach Cake.
Another ruffle and a neck scarf makes it a pretty trendy Monday here on ABM. There is no denying my love for ruffles (see Thursday’s post) but neck scarves are a trend I have been interested in trying for a few months. When I first saw this silk scarf at cabi’s Blogger Day back in May, I knew it had to be part of my fall wardrobe. I’m looking forward to styling it with all the fall colors and textures in a few weeks, but I decided to go with a more weather appropriate styling in the meantime. This ruffle sleeve top and neck scarf is a great summer to fall transitional look.
I am sure you are starting to sense a common theme around here. Yes, I will confess. I have a ruffle problem. And the funniest thing is until last year, I never really liked them! Ruffles of the past, in my opinion, were over the top girly and often seemed overwhelming. Which I realize is ironic since this lilac ruffle sleeve cardigan has some pretty big sleeves.
Summer Outfit: eyelet top | floral drop earrings | wrap around lace sandals, also here | mirrored aviator sunglasses | embroidered bag | nail polish (mums the word) | lipstick (velvet teddy) | denim shorts
Fall Outfit: eyelet top | gold drop earrings | nail polish (broody) | animal print loafer mule | lipstick (red carpet red) | sunglasses | crossbody tote | high-waisted jeans
Styling a white blouse is one of the easiest ways to take a piece from season to season. As I mentioned last week, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has a tendency to give you unrealistic ideas about what month it actually is! I found myself telling my hair stylist yesterday that my hair was getting too blonde and we needed to darken it for fall. He looked at me like I was crazy and said, “Rachel, it’s the first day of August!” Needless to say, I have fall on my mind! In an effort to stay season appropriate, I wanted to share two looks today that incorporate the same white eyelet top styled for summer and fall.
No matter the season, I am always on a quest for quick weeknight dinners. Summer recipes have been a little easier since we can use the grill, but that isn’t an option for every night. We were planning to have burgers on the grill one day last week until a storm hit. Instead of grilling in the rain, I came up with this easy weeknight dinner: cheeseburger burritos.
I’ve been on a real blue obsession lately (i.e. last week’s peplum dress). It’s not a color I’m usually attracted to, but I have found myself gravitating to it more and more. When I spotted this fleece top during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I obviously loved the sleeves and this peacock blue color. I knew it would be a great top to style throughout fall and when I saw the brand, I loved it even more. It is the same brand that makes the peplum top I wore the other week (see it in black here and in orange here) which is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Add a fun necklace to complete the look, this bell sleeve top and bib necklace combo will be on repeat this fall.
Finding the perfect dress for a wedding can be a challenge, especially when it’s a summertime wedding. The heat and humidity are huge factors when determining your look for the day. My cousin’s wedding was last weekend in downtown Annapolis and I had spent months trying to find the perfect dress. When I stumbled upon this cobalt blue peplum dress a few months ago, I knew it would be perfect for their nautical themed wedding.
