Hi guys!  Today's post is all about the shirt dress!  If you follow me on Instagram then you might have caught this dress on my instastory when it first arrived last week.  You aren't following? You should be. 😇 I decided to take this baby out for a walk to my son's middle school graduation this past Tuesday.  What I loved about this dress, other than the cost ($18!!) was the comfort and how cool it kept me in the blazing hot NY sun!  This dress encompasses a few trends this summer, off-the-shoulder, tied waist AND blue pinstripes without being too much, if you know what I mean.  I kept the accessories pretty neutral, straw hat, clutch and my forever21 chunky heeled sandals for a more polished look.  (You can find a link to the hat in my "Summer Favs Under $20, in the sidebar) You can style this dress with some white keds or these slip ons  and would be ready for whatever the weekend has to offer!

I definitely would not wear this particular dress to the office, but I have included some links below that are office worthy and still on trend.  I hope you enjoyed this post as much as my hubby and I enjoyed shooting this look.  Guys, the behind the scenes of our shoots are freaking hilarious, a real comedy of errors, but we somehow pull it together.  We are really getting the hang of this and learning so much along the way.  Respect the process.

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Work Appropriate

Splurge

Comp

                                     
   
Thank you so much for reading! What are some summer-loving trends you are excited to rock this summer? Comment below!

by LifeStyledbyErica
XOXO 💋

#shirtdress #pinstripes #fashion #summertrends #blogger #fashionista #nyc #lookbook #getthelook

 One of the many things I love about summer are the longer days, the sun doesn't set until about 8! That means long walks with my hubby and pup Timmy after work AND of course, more time to shoot for the blog!  I adore my pup Timmy, if you follow on instagram and check out my insta-stories (total addict) you would catch Timmy starring in a few clips every week. He is a notorious photo bomber!   He really is the best pup, but not so good on walks.  It isn't his fault, he is half pointer and those are hunting dogs so he is very easily distracted and always on the hunt! That means that for the most part, he walks me. 😂  Does anyone else have that problem? 🐶 We snapped a few pics on our walk this afternoon right before the thunderstorms! #bloggerlife
 I picked up this gorgeous peach off the shoulder bodysuit from Tobi.com for under $30! I love this color because it gives the illusion that I have spent some time under the sun even though I haven't, unless you count my office window, lol.  I have tons of fun ideas of how to style this bodysuit, including dressing it up with a skirt and fun earrings for a girls night out.  For a more casual look I paired this bodysuit with my white denim cutoff shorts and my denim top I wrapped around my waist to cover up the booty.  Shop the links below.

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Similar Shorts

 How many of my readers are from New York?  Well I guess it really doesn't matter where you are in the U.S. the weather has been like non other recorded in history.  This past weekend New York City experienced a heat wave and while people are struggling to stay cool, the trendy amongst us, are looking to look cool while we stay cool. 😃 (Ok that was corny).  One of my summer staples are white cotton shorts like the pair pictured which I picked up last year from H&M for about $5, not kidding!  What I love about white shorts are their versatility, dressed up or dressed down they are chic, comfortable and go great with almost anything! But especially with this Alba Chambray Off Shoulder Blouse I picked up from Tobi.com, exact one linked here.  The best news of all?  Tobi.com is having a sitewide sale, you can get up to 50% off your items if you shop in the next few days.  Missed it? No worries, they have amazing sales pretty regularly, I know I will be checking back for more stuff!

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Similar Shorts

Thanks for reading loves!  What are some of your summer staples?  Share below.

by LifeStyledbyErica
XOXO

 Happy Monday my loves! Question for you.  Do you ever have to get dressed for an event or a spur of the moment date night invitation and struggle with what to wear?  Throughout my twenties I would wait until I had an event to shop for and then I would be stuck with whatever I could find and whatever the price tag was. That can be expensive on your wallet, time and not to mention the added stress of shopping under the gun.  What I learned in my thirties is that I need to invest in a wardrobe with timeless, versatile staples.  I think every woman should have an evening dress or two in her closet that makes her feel beautiful and sexy. PS it doesn't HAVE TO BE BLACK!  As you can tell from the sass, I felt like a goddess in this wine colored cami dress from Tobi.com .  There are so many beautiful details to this dress, the spaghetti cross back detail, the asymmetrical hemline, the fit, I could go on and on.  But, in true blogger fashion, I will tell my story in pictures.  Scroll to the bottom for the direct link to this dress.

Shop the Dress

Thanks for reading!  Let me know if you want me to put a "staples" post together, it really is the best way to build a look especially on days you feel uninspired.  Yes, that happens to me more times than I'd like to admit and especially during that time of the month..sigh.

by LifeStyledbyErica💋
XOXO

#datenightlook #camidress #shoptobi #fashion #fashionblogger #grownupsonly #bloggerfashion #nycstyle #fashionista #loveyourbody #bodyconfidence

Hey guys! Happy Thursday.  May was a tough month, actually this entire spring semester was a whirlwind.  I was non-stop at work preparing for commencement and end of the year activities and events and my social calendar was on fire.  When this happens I tend to be on autopilot and once its all over I fall into a sort of hermit mode.  All I want to do is read and research events and people in history, and watch documentaries.  I am not kidding, that is what I do to restore balance.  Now the other day, while my husband was at an event he was invited to with a friend, I felt this deep sense of loneliness.  Loneliness is different from being alone, by all accounts I was not alone, I was home with my two boys and my pup, Timmy.  But the loneliness persisted even in the face of being surrounded by others.  What was I to do?  Well I took a moment to think how lucky I was to have a family and friends who love and accept me.  I thought this is a moment, an emotion that will pass.  I thought of people that I knew that don't have anyone to go home to, that really do feel this tremendous sense of loneliness and are actually alone.  I began to reach out to some friends, check in with them see how they are doing and feeling, maybe we could set up some time in our schedules to meet up and connect.  Just like that my emotions shifted.  Which brings me to my next point and what I quoted on my last insta pic here, give to the world what you believe the world is withholding from you.  If you feel the world isn't showing you loving care, appreciation or assistance, give that to someone else.  Do this without expecting anything in return, allow your ego to fall silent in these acts.   Once you start to rethink your place, your importance and power to positively affect others, the world will give you all the love you crave.

Hi guys!

I am not going to start by saying how quickly May went by, nope won't do it, instead I will share some of my May favorites, all under 20 bucks!!



1) Hair Mask
So, Ive done A LOT to my hair, color, keratin treatment, hot tools, you name it, I've put my hair through it.  So I am always looking for products that are gentle and can get my hair to where it use to be before all of the abuse.  I've cut out any hair straightening tools, its so damaging and it leaves my hair starved that has helped but I need a lot more help to undo years of damage.  I did some research and decided to try ArtNaturals Argan Oil Hair Mask after reading a few glowing reviews.  It isn't a leave in conditioner, its a mask that you apply generously to your hair after shampoo.  I start at the ends and work my way up to the scalp, leave on for ten minutes and then rinse it out throughly.  It smells delicious and it really has made a noticeable difference.  I have also decided to wash and condition my hair only once a week, I know a lot of women have oily hair and it is nearly impossible to last that long without a wash, but my hair has adapted to my new routine and I am loving the results.  Highly recommend it if you are looking for soft, shiny and manageable hair.

2) Skin Care
OMG, I happened to pick up a bottle of this skin care magic when I was in my Walgreen's picking up allergy meds for my youngest.  The bottle was on clearance for like $5 and I said to myself what the heck, live a little.  So what am I talking about?  It is this little Moroccan Argan Oil that can be used on your skin, hair and nail cuticles.  It is AMAZING! Ive completely replaced by Cetaphil lotion with this oil, every morning and every night.  I have pretty clear skin, but sometimes its dull, dry and blotchy depending on the season, this oil has been a total game changer for me.  It really just makes my skin glow and it allows for foundation and concealer to be applied with ease.  What is better for makeup than a bright, smooth canvas? Seriously, this is the best $12 you will spend on skin care.  In between hair washes, I dabbed just a dime size into the palm of my hand and apply to my ends to give it some shine.  A little goes a long way.

3) Pink Suede Slides
I actually added these to my shoe collection in April, but I have been wearing them every chance I get, on repeat all through May.  They are super comfy and versatile.  I've paired them with dresses, skirts and jeans.  They come in three colors (Ive got the pink) and they are under $20!!!!! Check em out, you are going to love them.

4) Rocksbox
Don't you love getting mail? When Rocksbox reached out and asked to work with me, I said YES, without hesitation!  Not only are they a reputable company but their business model is kind of awesome.  Here is how it works, you create an account and pick up to 30 pieces that you love and within a week of signing up you get three pieces to wear.  Now, you can wear them as long as you want and return them for your next three picks or you can buy them at a discounted price using the monthly subscription cost ($21).  This is perfect for someone like me, I tend to get bored of accessories, especially the more trendier pieces so holding on to them would only take up space that I don't have, being able to style a few pieces and send them back for new pieces is the perfect solution.  I styled some items here and just sent them back on Friday.  Best part? I have a code you can use to get your first month FREE, no obligation to continue, cancel whenever you want.  Just click here and use my promo code "lifestyledbyericaxoxo" at checkout.

In other news, I have a new feature on my blog, its called "Erica's Under $20 Picks". Currently I have linked some of the products I talked about in this post, a white lace skirt that I am considering and the book I am currently reading, The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.  I am about 100 pages in and I am loving it.  I think I will work on a summer reading list for my next post.  Any suggestions?  Leave titles in the comments below.

Thanks for reading loves! XOXO

Until next time..💋

by LifeStyledByErica