H54F Archives - Page 2 of 3 - A World of Dresses

5 stunning bridal jewelry pieces

05/13/2016 12 Comments

Happy Friday! High fives all around because we have made it! Friday is here which means the weekend is also almost here.

Last week I did a collaboration with my friend Jena at Imbue by J.Russo. She designs beautiful jewelry aimed at brides and bridesmaids. I was recently a bridesmaid in my friend Sara’s wedding (read blog post here) and thus have a beautiful, full-length bridesmaid dress sitting in my closet. I might as well use it for a blog photoshoot, right?

Also are you following A World of Dresses on Pinterest yet? We have a whole board full of bridesmaid inspiration that you should check out here.

Jena just came out with a new line called the Siren Collection. These pieces are from that collection. Her aim in creating jewelry is to make pieces women can wear on their big day and every day. Wearable bridal jewelry … amazing. So today I give you the five pieces both Jena and I are gushing over.

1. The Melusine Earrings

bridal jewelry — Dress: David’s Bridal Versa Dress

I just love these earrings. I have always been an earring girl. You’d be hard-pressed to find me not wearing a set of earrings on any given day.

Also it was just too perfect that the color scheme of her new line matched the color my friend Sara chose last fall. These earrings can be customized several different ways that you can learn about here. Also 5% of the proceeds from this piece and all her creations go to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

2. The Sirenia Earrings

I love a good pair of earrings. What I particularly love about these ones are how unique they are. This design is not something you can necessarily find everywhere. The three points at the bottom remind me of something sort of nautical. It’s fitting because they are inspired by the seductive nature of mermaids, according to the Imbue wesbite. These are made with elegant Swarovski crystals. You can learn more about this product here.

3. The Quartz and Pearl Necklace

This necklace has the right mixture of elegance and flair. It’s just the right amount of edgy for that bride who wants to be unique on her big day.

You can learn more about this necklace here.

4. The Thessa Necklace

This is another very unique piece. It goes perfectly with a dress with a low neckline. The great thing about the Versa dress is that you can create whatever neckline you want!

5. The Sirenia Necklace

This may have been my favorite necklace. It pairs so well with the earrings. You can learn more about it here.

There’s even a little part on your back! This would be perfect for a bride with an elegant up-do for her big day.

But wait, there’s more …

We have a sixth look that is amazing. We’re reserving this look just for our loyal e-mail subscribers. But you can be an e-mail subscriber too!

Click here to get an exclusive look at the sixth look with the Sirenia Harness.

Also today were linking up with:

Bright on a Budget, KT Cup of Tea, Della Devoted, The Closet by Christie, Life in Leggings, Style Elixir, Two Thirty-Five Designs, A little Bit of Everything, Liz Adventures, Hello Happiness, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Jeans & a Teacup, Claire Justine, Rachel the Hat, A Poketful of Polka Dots, Forage Fashion, Fashion Should be Fun, Sincerely Paula

Dress Picks, H54F

The 5 most versatile dresses for vacation

05/05/2016 11 Comments

I leave for vacation Saturday and I am excited. I’m headed down to Indian Rocks Beach, Florida for four days/five nights with my family. I think with all that has been going on in my life, it has not hit me yet that I will soon be on vacation. I’ll soon be at a beachfront condo swimming in the ocean.

Packing is always a daunting task, especially as someone who has so many dresses. When I think the beach, I think sundress. When you have maybe 10-15 of them, it can become daunting. So I decided to share with you the five dresses I chose and why.

OH! And have you seen our printable, free guide to packing light and fabulous? I just compiled a few things that help me focus when packing. Get your’s here.

Alright, so back to the dresses …

1. The black floral dress

This has been one of my favorites for a long time. I bought it at Kismet OTR’s sister shop Pangea several years ago for a wedding. I have gotten more use out of it than I ever expected.

I’m bringing this dress because I love it. Also, both of my main sandals go with it and it’s black. It’s incredibly important to bring things that you can match easily. After all on vacation, you don’t have your entire closet with you.

2. The simple navy dress

I have a lot of royal reds in my wardrobe. This navy pairs great with it.

3. The maxi

It’s not a beach trip without a breezy maxi dress.

4. My favorite

Winter, Spring, Summer and fall are when I wear this dress. It is my favorite and I cannot get enough out of it. Several months back I wore it on my How I Style It: First Date Looks post. I’m excited to wear it on the beach.

5. My other navy dress

I’m so ready for this dress. It’s very comfortable.

I’ll have my camera with me ready for some photos. I cannot wait to show you all in future posts!

Also today I’m linking up with these ladies:

Bright on a Budget, KT Cup of Tea, Della Devoted, The Closet by Christie, Life in Leggings,Style Elixir, Two Thirty-Five Designs, A little Bit of Everything, Liz Adventures, Hello Happiness,

H54F

5 wonderful things from this week

04/28/2016 10 Comments

Hey all. First, congrats on making it to the end of the week. This has been a week of long work hours mixed with time spent with friends. Work hard and play hard. Here the the five big things of the week.

1. My birthday is going to be celebrated in a BIG way

Remember when I wrote about Jena from Imbue? Jena is a badass woman who designs her own jewelry. While her jewelry is aimed at brides, her tagline is “for the big day and every day.” Her pieces are very wearable for both occasions. Check out her website here.

She has a new line of jewelry coming out and we’re teaming up for a launch event. The event’s theme is “unleashing your inner siren.” Also, it happens to fall on my 29th birthday. We’ve secured an awesome event space too, which is very exciting. The event will be a classy evening where models will mingle the crowd showing off her amazing work. I’m so excited!

So mark your calendars for Saturday, June 26th. Also, if you like talking to people, wearing fancy jewelry and in general being awesome, we’re still looking for a few models. E-mail me at nina@aworldofdresses.com.

2. Friend time with Hillary

I love friends who I can just have a good time with. Wednesday evening after work, I hung out with my friend Hillary. She’s an amazing photographer and a great person to laugh with. We did a whole photoshoot on the Purple People Bridge in Cincinnati. Here’s one of the shots:

3. Amigas del trabajo

That means friends from work. I wanted to post this photo last week but it was stuck on my work computer. This week, I fished it off my work e-mail. We all just look lovely. This was taken at our annual fundraiser that happened about a week ago.

4. Sleep

I’m always so thankful for it.

5. P-I-Z-Z-A

Hillary and I ate some amazing pizza Wednesday. We also kept quoting Mary Kate and Ashley. We are in fact kids who grew up in the 90’s.

How was your week. Also, I’m linking up with these ladies:

Bright on a Budget, KT Cup of Tea, Della Devoted, The Closet by Christie, Life in Leggings,Style Elixir, Two Thirty-Five Designs, A little Bit of Everything

H54F

I’m so glad it’s Friday

04/21/2016 5 Comments

Hi all! This week I’m the featured blogger for High Five for Friday and I could not be more thrilled. Tif, Della and Katie host a weekly link-up each week about five great things that happened to them over the week. They encourage other bloggers to join in and write about their five high fives of the week.

I started linking up with them several months ago and have really enjoyed the community I’ve found with it. Prior to joining High Five for Friday, I maybe knew a few bloggers in person. Now thanks to High Five for Friday, I had the opportunity to meet Tif from Bright on a Budget in person when I was in Lexington several weeks ago. It was so good to meet such a nice, down-to-earth fellow blogger.

So I’m super pumped they picked me. Also, here’s what was good in my life this past week.

1. Kismet OTR

I’m so very excited to be working with one of my favorite local boutiques here in Cincinnati. Kismet OTR is a new boutique that is a part of this group of shops I’ve been shopping at since forever. I’ve noticed that they’ve been give me some Instagram love, so I decided to reach out about a little collaboration. They agreed. So my friend Amber and I headed over there to do a photoshoot in some of their dresses. It was a blast. Here are a few of my favorite shots:

You should head over to Instagram to see more from the shoot.

2. The Su Casa Banquet

I work at Su Casa Hispanic Center and we had our annual dinner last night. The event was wonderful and my co-workers were even more wonderful. I played photographer for the evening. Here are a few shots of my lovely co-workers from the night.

3. Hangouts with friends

I had several of these between last Friday night and Thursday night. All were fun and well-deserved.

4. Sunday rest day

Sunday was great. I spent the day working on the blog and sleeping in.

5. The weekend is here!

Thanks for reading along friends! How was your week?

Also linking up with Bright on a Budget, KT Cup of Tea, Della Devoted, The Closet by Christie, Life in Leggings,Style Elixir, Two Thirty-Five Designs, A little Bit of Everything

H54F

My week in review

04/17/2016 3 Comments

Hello all! So this was originally a Friday post. However between work, a social life and me-time, it is now a Sunday post. Either way, I always love taking the time to reflect on my week. This week has been great. I’ve had an old friend in town and so many things to do. Here are five reasons why it rocked.

1. Sara got married

I met Sara my freshman year of college while volunteering one day. We both chose to spend our day off from orientation volunteering. I suppose that right there makes us like-minded people who always want to make the world better. Our college had all these places we could sign up to volunteer at and we chose the Girl Scouts. While there, they told us we could run a troop if we wanted. At the time, that sounded great so we said “sure!” In reality, we really did not have enough time. But it was what made us friends. Ten years later and we’re still friends.

When Sara asked me to be in her wedding, I was thrilled. The whole thing was an amazing weekend. The three other ladies she picked as her bridesmaids were just amazing people. We all got along so well and were simply happy to be there for Sara.

2. Cece was in town

Another one of my best friends Cece was in town. We hung out twice last week. She lives in Chicago, so I’ll take all the seeing-of-her that I can get! We had a ridiculous photoshoot by a bog and a lake. She’s probably the funniest person I know. She kept saying “bog blog.” Here are a few of the more ridiculous photos:

3. Lipstick

I managed to keep a lipstick I like for longer than three days! Maybe I’ll even use this one up one day!

4. Lunch with Tif

Okay so this happened longer than a week ago, but while I was in town for Sara’s wedding I met up with Tif from Bright on a Budget. She’s sort of the reason I write these posts. I discovered her link-up back in the fall and was like “why am I not doing that?” So now I am. It was good to connect. She’s very genuinely nice and down-to-earth.

5. My GwynnieBee dress

I just love this one. I may try to keep it.

Thanks guys!

Linking up with Tif, Della and Katie, The Closet by Christie, Life in Leggings

Dress Picks, H54F

The 5 dresses we wore in Florida

04/01/2016 10 Comments

The Florida dress is a special dress. Last weekend, I had a small girls trip to Jacksonville Beach, Florida. It was not long enough in all honesty. However a good getaway in the sun was just what I needed. It was exciting to look through my closet and pick out the dresses I’d wear. Most if not all of what I took with me were dresses I had packed away for the winter. While it was still a tad cold in Cincinnati, packing my sundresses excited me. I was ready.

I was not the only person ready for some sun, beach and relaxation. My two close friends Kayleigh and Isabelle came with me. I told them to bring their dresses as I’d have my camera out and ready. We took pictures … lots of them. How could you not with the beach and palm trees? So this post is dedicated to our five Florida dresses.

1. The Simple Sundress

And if you follow me on Instagram (which you should go do right now if you don’t), you saw this gem.

Florida dress — Dress: Three Pink Hearts; Shoes: Charlotte Russe

I found the dress at a consignment shop in the fall. It’s so very comfy.

Here are a few simple sundresses I enjoy:

2. That blue dress

Ladies and gentlemen, this is my best friend Kayleigh. She’s a 26-year-old graduate student and middle school Spanish teacher living in Charleston, South Carolina. We’ve been friends for 12 years.

This is the perfect representation of our friendship. Ridiculous things always happen.

Kayleigh is wearing a classic pop-over dress. Here are a few of my favorite pop-over dresses from the season:

3. The breezy maxi

This dress is one of my favorite’s. The material is nice and breathes easily. Here’s a Modcloth favorite of mine:

4. The night out dress

Because when you’re on vacation, you go out.

This is Isabelle. Isabelle and I met through Kayleigh almost five years ago when we were both living in Washington DC. Isabelle had just moved to town and Kayleigh gave me her number because she needed friends, she said. Kayleigh and Isabelle were sorority sisters. Well we did become friends and now we all took a trip to Florida together.

5. THIS outfit

Okay I’m going to break my own rules and talk about a skirt. Izzy’s outfit was just too cute. Our brunch place had a nice mural that we had some fun with.

That too is how I felt about being in Florida.

*This post contains affiliate links in which I receive a small commission if you click through*

Today we’re linking up with Bright on a Budget, KT Cup of Tea, Della Devoted, The Closet by Christie, Life in Leggings, Style Elixir, Two Thirty-Five Designs, A little Bit of Everything

H54F

Happy Friday!

03/25/2016 2 Comments

Happy Friday everyone! Today is a fantastic day for a re-cap of my week. As I look ahead to this weekend, there are many things I’m looking forward to. I’m headed to sunny Florida … at least I hope it’s sunny. Some weather reports are predicting rain :(. Anyway, here are five great things about this week:

1. The Dresses of Juliette

This week I’m featuring a very talented woman on the blog. She designs her own costumes and is amazing at it. Click here and here to see Juliette’s full features. Here are just a few of my favorites:

Part three will feature an Edwardian era dress. It’ll appear this weekend at some point and I am excited!

2. Photoshoots with friends

On Monday, I had some ice cream with a few friends at Aglamesis Brother’s, a classic Cincinnati ice cream place. The inside is adorable and looks like something from the 1950’s. I snapped this photo with my phone and threw it out on the Instagram.

3. Budgeting

Growing up is about learning hard lessons, right? Recently getting better about money has been on my mind. I’m learning more and more that if you want something to happen, you have to be intentional. You have to make a plan. So I’ve been doing those two things and it has been great!

4. Shoes for $6.98

In just 15 days, I’m going to be a bridesmaid. I know that it’s 15 days because the bride just posted a status about that. She asked that we all wear silver shoes, so I did some searching on Amazon. Online shopping is just so much easier when you need something specific. With the help of a gift card, I found shoes for $6.98.

5. A wild Saturday night

I went to bed at 11 p.m. and it felt amazing.

Today I’m linking up with:

Tif, Della and Katie

Liz Adventures, Hello Happiness,

Life in Leggings

H54F, Uncategorized

5 ways I honor my mom

03/04/2016 6 Comments

This past Tuesday, I got caught in a downpour. I was walking to lunch with a few friends and the place ended up being farther away than we thought. The original plan was to take photos in this cute cafe we were headed to. Then for a few moments, I decided against that considering that I was soaked. Yet after I checked myself in the mirror, I decided “eh, why not?” My blog is not about myself or anyone else looking perfect. It’s about sharing life with the world around me. Sometimes that means getting caught in a downpour.

How I honor my mom

This dress was found on sale at H & M several months back. I instantly loved how easy of a dress it is. You just put it on with some tights and boots, and you are ready to go. I’ve also always worn it with a good necklace.

As many of you know, my mom passed in January. She was a big fan of the Hunger Games, so my best friend got me two Mockingjay necklaces for Christmas. She was in hospice during that time. She was buried in one of them and I have the other.

I had not yet worn it and I’m not really sure why. Yet on Tuesday, it just seemed to go with the outfit. It was such a neat way to remember my mom throughout the day. Thus it got me thinking of ways that I remember and honor my mom.

1. Jewelry

The Mockingjay necklace is not the only piece of jewelry I have that’s connected to her. Anything she gave me is something that connects me to her. I have this necklace with the letter N on it and several other things. I also have scarves and dresses that she gave me with such love.

2. My dog Toby

Dogs were also one of her favorite things. She loved our dog Toby a lot. She also loved animal rescues and I’m sure would have fostered 20 dogs if she could. So any time that I spend with Toby I know is making her happy.

3. Just doing what I love

My mom was always a big proponent of me chasing my dreams. She was always my biggest supporter and wanted nothing to hold her back. I know she’s looking down proudly.

4. Watching all her favorite shows

We would spend a lot of time watching TV shows with her such as The Middle, The Office, Parks and Recreation and The Big Bang Theory. I can just imagine all the things she’d say.

5. Just being me

Because she never wanted me to be anyone else.

Today I’m linking up with:

Della, Tif, Caitlin and Katie

Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, Hello! Happiness, The Good Life Blog

H54F

My five dresses from the past

02/26/2016 No Comments

Hi all! Happy Friday! So for today’s top five post, I thought I would change it up a bit. When I started this blog, I interviewed several women each week. While I have taken a small break from that life, I plan to feature one woman each week starting at the beginning of March.

Anyway, so after looking through photos from the past, I’ve made a list of some of my favorites. Now I want to stress the word some here. I have many, many more favorites than this list here.

1. Imbue by J Russo

Jena made this dress entirely herself. This is what she wore on her wedding day. Also fun fact: this dress takes the record for most likes on my Instagram page … 106!

2. Tabitha and her tiny house of dresses

This one was super fun to shoot. The weather was downright amazing. Tabatha and her husband live in a tiny house that I had the opportunity of visiting.

3. Taylor’s world of dresses

I featured Taylor several months back. This elegant gown was her senior recital dress from college. It is absolutely stunning.

4. The lovely Rita

Rita is a good friend of mine who I featured in October. She always has the neatest dresses. This one is from Ottoman Imports, a lovely local boutique in Covington, Ky. The woman who owns this shop finds unique pieces from all over the world. This is one of many.

5. Jenny’s sparkles

Jenni is a local salsa dancer. We did a photoshoot in several of her amazing dresses. I absolutely love this one and how she pairs it with some fun, sparkly heels.

Well folks, happy Friday! Hope you have an amazing one! I’m off to girls night in just a few hours!

Also, linking up with:

Della, Tif, Katie and Caitlin

The Closet by Christie

H54F

This week in review

02/19/2016 8 Comments

Happy Friday! We have made it! As I reflect on this past week, a lot of neat things have happened. One week ago, I was beginning a voyage to Baltimore for the Notre Dame AmeriCorps Midyear conference. I am lucky to have the opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps member this year at Su Casa Hispanic Center. Every year, Notre Dame AmeriCorps has a big conference with all their members nationwide. So approximately 200-300 people gathered together in one hotel all weekend. Fun, yes. Overwhelming? At times. So I started the week there and end it on my couch. Here are my fives:

1. Amerifam

The M is covering my face. But you all see me all the time. These are the people I serve with in Cincinnati. While I’m the only AmeriCorps member placed at Su Casa, these people are doing similar things at other organizations in the city. Some of these people I’ve hung out with before. Others I had the pleasure of getting to know over the weekend. Lots of hanging out in hotel rooms, playing card games and learning new things about each other.

2. Snow!

There is nothing better than snow coming down when you have nowhere to go. Sunday and Monday were a glorious winter wonderland in the Greater Baltimore area. Our members from Florida were loving it. They were having a snowball fight outside our hotel room. A lot of them had never actually seen snow and were quite excited about it.

3. This fireplace photo

We stayed at the Hunt Valley Inn, a nice hotel at the very edge of Baltimore. I found my room to be quite nice. The hotel lobby had some fun modern furniture and a fireplace. I was loving my outfit (pictured above) on Sunday and asked my friend Una, long-time A World of Dresses fan, to help me snap a few. This one is one of my favorites.

4. Sushi with Kendra

Kendra was actually one of the first people I featured on the blog. This was probably my favorite photo from that shoot. As soon as I turned my phone off airplane mode after landing in Cincinnati Tuesday, I got a text from Kendra asking me if I wanted to go get sushi. Of course I did. So we went to Mr. Sushi and had an amazing time talking about all the things.

5. Being back in the grind

I’m back at work this week and am loving every minute.

That’s all folks!

Also linking up with: Bright on a Budget, KT Cup of Tea, Della Devoted, Coffee with Caitlin, Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, Hello! Happiness, The Good Life Blog and The Closet by Christie,