WIWW – Old Navy ActiveWear During Pregnancy

Staying active while pregnant is incredibly important. Sure, the types of activities and exercises you can do while expecting are limited, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stay active long into the third trimester! During the early months of my pregnancy I stayed active by running on the treadmill, even ‘training’ for and running in The Color Run 5K. Later on when running became more cumbersome than it was worth I’ve really focused on walking. I try to go for a walk every day, even if it’s just down to the horse pens (behind my house) and back.

Thanks to Old Navy and Crowdtap I even have a cute maternity friendly workout outfit now! Old Navy Activewear is my go to for fashionable workout attire. Even while pregnant the new additions to their Activewear line are flattering and comfortable!

Old Navy Activewear Review

For this sample and share from Old Navy via Crowdtap I chose one of their brand new Mesh Bubble Tanks in the Carbon color. I love that it has the bubble bottom which allows for plenty of room for my growing baby bump! The racer back styling makes it cool and comfortable for the hot Arizona heat. And the mesh fabric is breathable and comfortable against your skin!

Old Navy Activewear

For the bottoms I chose the Old Navy Fold Over Yoga Capris. The fold over waste can easily be worn underneath my pregnant stomach comfortably, the loser fit (as opposed to the tighter compression capris) allows for more leg room (and thigh room, and bum room…) And they pair really well with the bubble top for a fun workout outfit!

This round of Old Navy Activewear has some fun new options so it was hard to narrow down my choices… There are some new graphic tanks and tees, semi fitted tanks, the bubble tanks, of course, and several more options in the Activewear top section!

Old Navy Activewear Tops

For the Activewear bottoms I am LOVING the colored tops on the fold over capris! The bright pop of color is an exciting addition to the run of the mill workout outfit!

Old Navy 1

I shared my other Old Navy sampling coupon with my sister in law, Stephanie. She too chose a Mesh Bubble Tank, hers is the Electric Neon color and a pair of the fold over yoga capris. In her words, she is in LOVE with the capris and loves that the bubble tank can hide any belly flubber! 😉

Steph Old Navy

As you can see we both chose basically the same outfit just in different colors. Stephenie is a super skinny thing while I’m 8 months preggo and the same outfit can definitely work with either body type! So yay Old Navy for making versatile Activewear!!!

Your turn: What is your go to workout outfit? What was/is your go to workout while pregnant?

What I Wore – Baby Shower Style

Hi there lovelies!

What do you think of my new favorite shirt!? I’m liking the shape, the grey stripes…
How well it pairs with my new capris…
Guess where I got it… Wal-Mart! Guess how much… Less than $10.
Yep! New favorite for sure!

Top – Wal-Mart, Capris – Kohl’s, Necklace – The Shine Project, Shoes – Toms

I love this outfit so much! I really feel like it’s a good representation of the ‘style’ I’ve been working towards.
It’s laid back but not slouchy. Comfortable and cute. The shirt is light weight, and hangs in a way that feels so much more flattering than a fitted shirt, but better than something baggy… Hope that makes sense. haha

I wore it to the baby shower I hosted for my dear friend, Meghan, this last weekend. I wore sandals instead of the Toms as shown above, trying for something a tad dressier.
I was comfortable, felt like I was dressed up enough to fit the occasion and dressed similar to the guests.
Perfect baby shower attire. At least for this baby shower. 😉

 Don’t you think momma to be, Meghan, looked lovely in her dressy tank?!? :)
I got my hair done too… Did you notice the change from the top picture to this one? Oh, and don’t mind the red teary looking eyes… Allergies are kicking my tush this week!!

Apparently I take mixing punch quite seriously…. ;)

Did you miss the baby shower post yesterday? You can see all the fun details here!

Linking to these fun parties by the way! Hope you’ll check them out!

pleated poppy

Family Photo Outfit Coordination

Hello dolls!
In leiu of our weekly Bloggie Bestie post this week, we have a special guest post from our AMAZING sponsor,

Alisha Hunsaker Photography!!!

Today Alisha is going to share a few ideas with you on how to coordinate your outfits for a family photo shoot!

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Hello Truly Lovely readers!

My name is Alisha Hunsaker and I am a photographer for Alisha Hunsaker Photography. I am so happy to be sponsoring Truly Lovely! If you would like, please check out my website, my blog or me on Facebook!

As a photographer, I often get asked what to wear for a photo shoot. Let me tell you, the combinations that you could come up with are endless! To help you out a little, I have put together a few idea boards for what you could wear for your family photos.

Hopefully, if you are in an outfit rut, this will provide a little inspiration.

First of all, we have a classic that I love. The Primary Colors. Any combination of this works and it always looks nice.

Next, we have Pink and Gray. A family I took photos of a while back used these colors and I have loved them ever since!

Third, Teal and Black, and Green and Black. You can pretty much use any color with black and it would work. These just happen to be two of my favorite colors!

Last we have Purple, Green and Blue. One of many combinations that works with more than just one or two colors.

Well, I hope this gave you some ideas, or at least gave you motivation to create your own unforgettable combination! Good luck!

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I’m loving the teal and black combo…
What about you? What’s your favorite color combination for family photos?
Alisha has a fun portfolio over on her website that includes lovely family photos, sweet engagements, beautiful weddings and more! If you’re looking for a photographer in the Phoenix, AZ area, we HIGHLY recommend her!
Let her know we sent you. 😉

JUNIEblake Giveaway and Fancy This Fridays #77

We have a TREAT for you dolls this lovely Friday!!!

Have you heard of JUNIEblake yet?

JUNIEblake is a modest clothing line designed by two sisters, Emma and Rachel, and their mother, Lynn.
We’re extra excited to share them with you lovelies today as this brand new clothing line is based out of Safford, AZ!
We are thrilled to be supporting these local lovelies!!!

*Click here to see their segment on Sonoran Living Live.

It all started with their clothing boutique, .
You might’ve heard the name in a few of my WIW posts… Like this one and this one.
They had trouble finding modest, but trendy clothing to sell in their store, so they decided to design their own line!

So exciting, right!?!

Today they are offering a $30 Gift Card to JUNIEblake for one of our lucky readers!!!
You can order from their website online, so no worries if you’re not local! :)

This beauty is one of my favorites!

Loving how this pretty mint top paired with the Kelly skirt makes a gorgeous outfit!!

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter and good luck!!
Giveaway closes on Friday June 1st!
THANKS to the ladies of JUNIEblake for offering this lovely giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For an extra entry link up to Fancy This Fridays below, but be sure to tell me what number your link is in the Rafflecopter form above!

 

Have a lovely weekend friends!!!!

 


 

Bloggie Bestie Blog Swap with Nina of Momma Go Round!

Happy Thursday pretties. Real quick I want to remind you to . :)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina of Momma Go Round!!
She is a huge source of fashion inspiration for me, and I’m positive she will be for you too!!!

Here’s Nina!

Hello there Truly Lovely lovers! I’m so excited to be here at Kassi and Kayli’s place today. These two are always so sweet and positive…they just make me smile!
I’m Nina from Momma Go Round, where I experiment with real style, for real women, on a real budget.

I didn’t always use to be fashion conscious. In fact, after my son was born in 2009 I looked like a frumpy mess most days. One day, simply decided enough was a enough, that I matter too, and vowed to spend just a few minutes each day making myself feel great too.

While not every outfit is a winner, and there are still days I go out in sweats and a baseball hat, I’m working on it. And that is all that matters!
Today, I would love to share with you a little about my process of picking out a killer outfit.

Step 1: Pick Your Statement Piece

Your statement piece doesn’t necessarily mean the loudest/brightest/colorful piece in your outfit, it simply means the piece that is speaking to you at that moment.
In this outfit, most people would think that my statement piece was the blouse, but it was actually the skirt. It was a beautiful day and that gorgeous red skirt was just calling to me. Your statement piece can be whatever, a ring, blouse, necklace, shoes…. it will just be what you build your outfit around.

Step 2: Build The Base

Depending on what your statement piece was, fill in the basics next. In this outfit, my statement piece was the necklace and apparently wearing just a necklace out in public isn’t acceptable, so pants and top it was.

Step 3: Make It YOU!

As a mom, I have to make every outfit work for that day. Sometimes I can get away with my favorite wedges, others it’s TOMS and capris for the park. Whatever you wear, you have to make sure you are comfortable. I’m notorious for changing my entire outfit cause I have to wear flats that day. Don’t settle, you can have great style for every situation.

Step 4: Balance
Everyday, I try to keep a few things in mind as I pick out my outfit.

Does it have color?
Does it have texture?
Have I accessorized?
Does it work for my day?
Am I pushing myself, or am I pushing too far?
Do I feel like me?
 

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to simply give it a try. You would never know now that just over a year ago I had never belted anything, ever. Now, I have to remind myself that not every outfit needs a belt.
Sometimes you will knock it out of the park, other times you will wish you had stayed home. In the end, it’s just fashion, not world peace, HAVE FUN!!!
I loved sharing my outfit creating process and hope you’ll stop by Momma Go Round for more fashion and tutorials including my newest tutorial on How To Photograph Sun Flare, and my all-time most popular Flutter Flower Shirt.
Thanks so much for having me today Kassi and Kayli!

Our thanks to Nina for being the Bloggie Bestie at Truly Lovely this week! I’m over at her place today sharing a post on a brand new accessory I just made… :) Hope to see you there!!!

WIWW – Spring Dresses from Old Navy

Hello lovelies!
I’ve mentioned or that I’m a member of CrowdTap… For more details . But for now, if you’re not a member… run, don’t walk over to this link and sign up!!

Girls125x125

Why? Because it’s CrowdTap and Old Navy that we get to thank for our fun NEW Spring dresses!

Oh the white legs!?! Block your eyes! ;)

This time around I wasn’t able to make it into an Old Navy store… SO I looked and looked online, chose my fave dresses and sent Kayli and her friend, Whitney, to Old Navy to make the final decision. :)

While at work one afternoon I received a cell phone video of every dress in the store…  Kayli and Whitney toured around showing me all the dresses I had to choose from! I’m so sad it turned out way too grainy to post, cause that would’ve been fun… But thanks to my sister and her friend we narrowed it down to these two for my dress.

You can see the one I chose. :) I love it! This Floral Chiffon dress in Blue Oracle is fitted in the waste at just the right spot!
The fluttery fabric around the neckline and sleeves adds a fun feminine and whimsical touch.
Plus… It’s SO comfy! Everything a dress should be!

 For Kayli’s dress… She narrowed her choice down to this Crepe Tie-Belt Dress in Sea Salt. Then of course sent me a phone picture… Cause you always need a sister’s opinion. :)
That’s Kayli’s friend Whitney by the way. Not some random girl watching her in Old Navy… haha.

And yes, she’s wearing her boots… Girl sports them everywhere. :) Love it!

There’s a family wedding coming up in April that I can’t wait to wear my new dress to!!! I’m thinking I need a cute cardigan and a wide belt… Then I’ll have myself the perfect spring outfit!
So, what do you think? Are you in the market for a spring dress? 

Happy shopping lovelies!!!

 We received dresses from Old Navy and CrowdTap as part of their Get Dolled Up In Old Navy Dresses Campaign.
The opinions in this post are our own.

Linking this to these fun parties! You should stop by!

pleated poppy

P.S. I’m guest posting over at Rags to Stitches today with a brand new tutorial!
Hope you’ll come visit! 😉

Bloggie Bestie Swap with Kim of A Girl and A Glue Gun

Hey lovelies! We have a treat for you today!
Do you know Kim of A Girl and a Glue Gun??? She’s this week’s Bloggie Bestie here at Truly Lovely!
So WELCOME Kimbo! 😉 She’s been on my blog reading list since… Well, since I started reading blogs!
SO I am super excited to have her here today!

And as always, it would be super awesome of you to come visit me over at her place today… If you wanna… 😉

wazzup! i’m kim.

i usually glue crap together. today i’m sewing. don’t worry though.. it’s a straight basic stitch that anyone can do! i’m super excited to be blog swapping with kassi today! (make sure to check out the yummy thing she’s cooking up over at my blog!)

so while patrolling through blog land…
i came across this tutorial….
and immediatly decided that lace is one of my favortiest things. like chevron. ruffles. pink. chocolate. hot glue. polka dots. just somethings that makes me instantly happy…
and i thought i have got to make me one. and justsohappens i had this blue shirt in my take back to the store pile. i just couldn’t justify spending $8 on a plain shirt..when i literally have a drawer full….so i was going to take it back. instead i want to joanns and bought a yard and half of pretty lace….

since it was straight on one side i decided to do two strips…(and that 1 1/2 was perfect. i literally had like 2 inches left)
(so i guess it wasn’t perfect. 1 yard and 16 inches would have been perfect.)

lined them up..

pinned them on..

(the ends were tucked underneath and sewed so no raw edges were visible from the front!)

and sewed. i sewed along the stright and the curved side (4 times total)

another reason to love lace…you can’t see your mistakes (aka stitches)

that t is on a very uncomfortable part of my bum.

anyways..thanks mucho to the cute k sisters for having me!!!!

:) She’s AWESOME right!?! Lace!?! Yep, we kinda love lace too… You know… In case you didn’t notice… i.e. look either left or right on our blog design. 😉 THANKS so much to KIM for swapping with us this week! :) AND for being the Bloggie Bestie at Truly Lovely!
You know… we want to be your Bloggie Bestie too! 😉 Just hit us up!

Happy sewing lovelies!

Special Event Style – What I Wore

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the , but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/

So lovelies… How do you get ready for a special event?? 

My makeup and hair routine is pretty much the same for a big event as it is for everyday, just amped up a bit. I can honestly say all of the items I use cost less than $10 each (on the high end) and can be purchased at your local Walgreens or other drug store! 
One of my newest makeup loves is the Falsies Mascara! This stuff seriously takes your lashes from blah to WOW!! The eye on the right is before the mascara, the eye on the left is after. And that’s just one quick coat! Love it! 
For work I swipe a coat on each eye, and go with it. 
For a big night out, a couple of coats makes my eyes look more dramatic.
Another beauty product I’m loving is Aussie Mega Hair Spray
Unlike many other kinds, it smells nice and holds those curls, or straightened strands, without weighing down your locks. 
For a night out on the town you definitely want all that hard work you did on your hairdo to last!
Right now Walgreens has a special March promotion going on! 
Get that pretty red clutch for FREE when you spend $10 or more on any two Dove, Nexxus, Suave or TRESemme hair products! I actually use Dove Shampoo and Conditioner myself, so this is a great time to stock up!! 
Visit for more details.
I think that lovely clutch would go perfect with my red, special event dress, don’t you!?! I also tend to think Kayli and I clean up nice! 😉

So, tell me, what are some of your favorite beauty products??

I’m always up for trying something new!


Happy shopping lovelies!!

Linking this to these FUN parties! Hope to see you there!!!

pleated poppy

Bloggie Bestie Blog Swap with Brittany of Love Stitched

Hello dolls! We’d like you to meet the lovely
Brittany of Love Stitched!!! 
She’s always been one of my fave bloggers, so it’s a pleasure to have her sharing here with us! I’ll be posting over at her place on Monday, hope to see you there!!!
Here’s Brittany…
Hello Truly Lovely readers! I’m Brittany and I blog over at Love Stitched!

I like to chat about my life, fashion, DIY ,tips and tricks, home decor and anything else my random brain thinks of 😉
Today I am sharing with you, 10 fashion tips. Enjoy!

10 fashion tips from Love Stitched

1.) Dress to fit YOUR body….There have been SO many times I almost grabbed that pair of high waisted jeans. They were calling my name and I had seen SO many people wearing them. The only thing is THEY DO NOT Look good on me! I have short legs hips, and no waist. that equals for one fashion mess! It is much better to pass on a trend than to wear it and have you look…well….not so good! case in point : Jessica Simpson {sorry girl}
2.) Don’t play the name game- it’s ok to buy OFF LABEL items…in fact it’s better! why buy that $100 pair of shoes from nordstrom when you can buy knock offs from target for 1/3 the price. Shop around for latest fashion trends before you buy the first one you see!
3.)Dress for you – you have to be comfortable in your own clothes. Don’t buy something if you are just going to feel awkward and uncomfortable the whole time. Trends are fun but only if you can rock them with confidence. If you SHINE your clothes will too…it’s good to go out of your comfort zone a little but don’t try to be someone your not!
4.) Classic, not trendy – Try to buy mostly all CLASSIC pieces and just throw in a few trendy items here and there. They will not last more than a season and why waist your money on something you are only going to wear once.
5.) One mans trash is another mans treasure – GO THRIFTING. Not only is it fun but you can find some great vintage pieces to spice up your wardrobe for next to nothing. How many times have you gotten rid of something will tags still on it just cause it didn’t fit you right, or it wasn’t “you” – exactly! Just cause it is THRIFTED doesn’t mean it is trashy….but there are a lot of stuff to weed through so be sure you find items that are really YOU or can be refashioned! Don’t bring home junk!
{my cousin Caitlin refashioned this thrift store dress and look how cute it turned out! you sould see the before…click here for the post}
6.) Dress to impress – As I was told once…dress for the job you WANT not the one you HAVE. Well maybe your not out looking for a job but why be labeled the frumpy housewife when you can be labeled the HOT housewife 😉 Dressing up will make you feel better about yourself – promise
7.) Color is your friend – don’t be afraid to add color to your wardrobe! Start small…working your way up. If your afraid of color be sure to pair it with basic and classic pieces for a more subtle look.
8.) Accessorize – shoes and purses can be your best friend or your worst enemy! A ratty old pair of shoes can ruin a whole outfit. By adding a statement necklace it can change the whole look of your outfit as well….be sure you finish off your outfit!
9.) Be the whole package – don’t stop at your clothes…do your hair and make up too. Be the whole package from head to toe…match your make up to your outfit…are you feeling flirty? try red lipstick…going more classic chic…add a pop with a smokey eye!
10.) Don’t be afraid to try new things – I normally would never buy a poncho or think to buy one but I actually LOVE this piece. I only spent $14 on it KNOWING it was a seasonal trendy item but had fun with it and made it mine, now I look forward to my more relaxed dressing days and can where my fun poncho!
Thank you SO much for having me Kassi and Kayli! I hope ya’ll enjoyed my fashion tips!
Be sure to stop by LOVE STITCHED and say hello!
THANKS to Brittany for being the Bloggie Bestie at Truly Lovely this week!
She definitely shared some tips that we could all use, right!?! :)
Be sure to leave her some bloggie love below!
Thanks again girl!
Happy Thursday lovelies!!!

Bloggie Bestie Blog Swap with Jen of The Arizona Russums

Good morning lovelies!! 
Today we’d like to introduce you to a fellow Arizonian… 
Jen of The Arizona Russums!
I’m over at her place sharing a new post as well! 
Hope you’ll pop over to say hello after leaving her some love here! :) 

Take it away Jen…. 

Hi y’all! I am so honored to be the blog bestie on Truly Lovely this week! Since Kayli is about to become a teacher, these sweet sisters asked me to share a bit about my own personal teacher style.

I have been a teacher for seven years now. My first two years were spent at a Title I public school in Texas. I was a coach and I was literally allowed to wear warm-ups to class if I wanted to! Next, I taught at a private school in Seattle, where the dress code was more stringent and all the females {staff and students} had to wear a dress/skirt every Thursday for chapel, which was not very fun when it was particularly cold and rainy outside. Now I teach writing classes at Arizona State in the middle of the hot, hot desert. It’s usually over 100 degrees for the first two months of every school year and I trek across the campus of the nation’s largest university trying to stay cool anyway I can. Basically, when it comes to teacher style, I’ve encountered every climate and dress code possible!

My number one tip is this. Dress professionally. Follow the dress requirements at your work place and dress as well as you can for your job. I think this applies to everyone, not just teachers. I don’t think fashion is the most important thing in the world, but I do think we show respect to our profession by dressing well each day. Also, for teachers and others who work with children or teens on a daily basis, remember that the way you dress influences the young people you work with. I like to show my students, especially the girls in my classroom, that it is possible to dress modestly and still look cute.

So now for the fun part. My practical tips for dressing as a stylish but modest teacher…
Cardigans are your best friend… Get yourself a fun collection of cardigan sweaters. I recommend having a few print cardigans to wear over solids and a few solids to wear over prints. Make sure some of them are longer {it’s nice to be able to cover your bum sometimes,  but cropped ones are perfect for other outfits. I like to have cardigans of varying sleeve lengths as well. Long sleeved cardigans were perfect in cold Washington and sometimes are still perfect for AZ classrooms with arctic air conditioning. Sometimes though, it’s nice to wear a short sleeved cardi here, because I like to cover up with an extra layer without feeling like I am going to burn up while walking in the sun.
Choose your layers wisely… One of my worst fears as a teacher is accidentally flashing an adolescent boy. Make sure your skirts or dresses are long enough. They should probably touch your knee cap to be safe. Tights are helpful for avoiding an unwanted flashing in the classroom {and are also a cute way to spice up an outfit}. Also, wear modest underwear to school if you are wearing a dress. I hope to never fall in front of my students or do the ol’ tuck the skirt into the underwear after going to the restroom, but if I do, the teenage boys in my class will see full granny panties in action. And that’s the way it should be. When it comes to shirts, wear a tank or camisole under anything that could possibly reveal cleavage. Sometimes shirts seem fine when you put them on in the morning, but when you move or bend over, little gaps are created that show off the ladies beneath. Not good. Figure out which shirts need an added layer beneath. A cute scarf is another fashionable way to keep things modest up top.
Find cute pants that fit you well… Although I like to wear skirts and dresses when it’s exceptionally hot in Arizona {built in air conditioning system!}, dress pants are a staple of my wardrobe. A pet peeve of mine is when teachers have only one or two pairs of dress pants and wear them until they are all shabby and raggedy looking. Remember, the goal is to teach students to dress well. Looking all frumpy in faded dress pants is not dressing well. Try to get enough pairs of dress pants to create a nice rotation so you never have to wear a pair more than once a week. I recommend a black pair, a dark brown pair, a light brown/khaki/tan pair, and a gray pair. Also consider buying a pair with a print on it, such as pinstripes or plaid. I love having a variety of pants in my closet because it makes getting dressed a little more exciting and encourages me to mix and match lots of different tops and accessories with my variety of work pants. Also {and I can’t stress this enough} please make sure your pants fit correctly. Don’t wear excessively tight pants to school – that ruins the whole modesty factor and/or looks completely unflattering. Also, don’t wear pants that are too big. The worst is when I see a female teacher wearing pants that gap along the waistline with no belt, and suddenly get a view of way too much thong in action. Nobody wants to see your thong {except for maybe some immature teenage boys}. Buy pants that fit and wear a belt if needed.
Thanks for hanging out with me today! If you want to see more of my teacher style posts go here, here or here! You can also visit me at the following places – I’d love to meet you!
Blog //  //  //  
xoxo,
Jen

THANKS so much to Jen for sharing her insight on dressing like a teacher (and modesty in general!!) Great tips!!! 
Kayli, our teacher in the making, has taken notes for sure!!! 
Hope you lovelies will pop over and visit me at Jen’s place and check out her other awesome posts!