Target Archives - A World of Dresses

Part 1: Portland and what we wore

08/24/2016 14 Comments

For those of you new to A World of Dresses, I spent about five days in Portland, Oregon, with one of my best friends last week. It was good to have a little vacation after a year of both good and bad. The year of 28 was definitely an interesting one for sure.

When traveling, you want to have some comfortable outfits. I call these my Portland outfits. My Portland outfits are a mixture of trendy yet cute. I’ve also included my friend Cece’s Portland outfits. I absolutely love personal style. Mine and Cece’s are both very unique in different ways. I packed a lot of dresses and she packed a lot of rompers. I wore sandals and she wore combat boots. All of our Portland outfits were uniquely us and comfortable.

Our Portland outfits

I packed light for this trip for several reasons. First, we were staying at the Portland Hawthorne Hostel. When staying in a hostel, you trade money for space. And honestly, who needs a lot of space when you’re out exploring a city each day? I did not want some big bag that I had to lug up two flights of stairs and store in a room I would share with five other people. A backpack was the perfect thing.

The second reason I took only a backpack is because of my mission to not give any more of my money to Spirit Airlines than necessary. Spirit Airlines is a low cost budget airline with amazingly cheap flight deals. We got both of our round trip tickets Chicago-Portland for something around $400. The catch is that they charge for everything. You pay to check a bag and you pay to carry a bag on. You even pay $10 if you need to print your boarding pass at the airport (what?!?). You pay for any food on board. We even joked that they’ll ask us to pay for our emotional baggage. You just never know.

There is a loophole, my friends. You are allowed one personal item free of charge. It has to be under the dimensions of 16 inches tall, 14 inches wide and 12 inches deep. I have this LLBean backpack from like high school that still functions well. It has all these compartments and fits those dimensions. It was perfect.

So I simply rolled up my Portland outfits and stuck them in. Everything fit quite nicely. When thinking about ideal Portland outfits, sundresses came to mind. So I picked three and packed them in.

The Old Navy Sundress

This is a new find from this past summer season that I was excited to wear. I love how simple it is and I love anything in the color green!

Outfit details

Dress: Old Navy
Necklace: Charming Charlie
Sunglasses: Sidestreet Gallery
Sandals: Target

One of Cece’s Portland outfits

It was hard to pick which outfit of hers I’d post first. They were all unique and dynamic … just like she is! This one from the first day, though, just seemed fitting. It’s the perfect example of mixing several things together so well … a fun t-shirt, boots, a skirt and some purple lipstick to top it all off!

Outfit details

T-shirt: Go browse your local Thrift Shop
Boots: similar
Skirt (can also be worn as a dress): similar

Those were a few of our outfits. What do you like to wear while traveling?

Also have you seen our latest all about our 5 Portland favorites? Check it out here!

I’m linking up here:

Wednesday

Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Shopping My Closet, Pumps and Pushups, The Pleated Poppy, Sydney Fashion Hunter, The Mummy Chronicles, Cappuccino and Fashion, Posh Classy Mom, Living on Cloud Nine

Thursday

Elegance and Mommyhood, Doused in Pink, Curly Crafty Mom, Jaymie Ashcraft

Friday

Two Thirty-Five Designs, 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, Birdie Shoots,Shelbee on the Edge

Dress Picks

2 maxi dresses worn two ways

05/15/2016 18 Comments

Maxi dresses are one of those things that grew on me. I’ll admit that when they first became popular again, I was hesitant. Perhaps I was unsure of floor-length dresses in everyday life? Perhaps I was worried that as a tall girl, they’d end up far too short on me. Whatever it was, I kept away for close to two years.

Last Spring, I was planning for a move to Nicaragua. What I knew about where I was going was that women don’t wear shorts. When traveling, I always want to do what is culturally appropriate. Nothing says American tourist more than someone who does not do a little Internet research before visiting a new place. You’re in their land and you should always show some respect.

I knew Nicaragua would be very hot with little to no air conditioning. A maxi dress seemed like the perfect thing. You really cannot offend anyone in a floor-length dress. Furthermore a dress would allow for more breeze than some hot, stuffy pair of jeans would. So I stocked up on a few maxi dresses and skirts. This dress was a part of the collection.

Also you should check out my Pinterest board all about maxis. It’s another great place for some maxi dress inspiration.

My maxi

Dress: Target (similar)

Amber’s maxi

This was from a photoshoot we did several months back. Amber bought this dress for Easter Sunday. It really is perfect for that!

I also just love her belted look. She pulled that deep hue right out of the dress with that cardigan. The entire ensemble is complete with her necklace.

Maxi picks

Here are a few maxi dress picks I found perfect for this season. The great thing about a maxi dress is that you can save or splurge.

Under $25

Under $30

Splurge

Thanks for reading along!

Also linking up with these ladies today:

Monday

Birth of a Fashion Blogger, Sincerely Jenna Marie, More Pieces of Me, Fizz and Frosting, Still Being Molly, Beauty by Miss L, Michelle’s Paige, Not Dressed as Lamb and Not Dead Yet Style

Tuesday

Live Randomly Simple, Sandy a la mode, Two Peas in a Blog, I Do deClaire, The Fashion Canvass, Walking in Memphis in High Heels and Elegantly Dressed & Stylish

Wednesday

Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Shopping My Closet, Pumps and Pushups, The Pleated Poppy, Sydney Fashion Hunter, The Mummy Chronicles, Cappuccino and Fashion, Posh Classy Mom, The Red Closet Diary and Twenties Girl Style

Thursday

Elegance and Mommyhood, Doused in Pink, Curly Crafty Mom

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

Nina's corner

Gwynnie Bee dress + Liebster Award

03/16/2016 7 Comments

Hello all! Happy Monday! Last Monday was spent having some Vietnamese with my friend Una, who I actually featured on the blog several months ago (Tea with Una). I was loving my dress, so I handed the camera to her to snap a few.

Are you familiar with Gwynnie Bee? It’s a clothing subscription service that I discovered several months ago. You basically create an account and start putting things in your online closet. You have to have at least six items in there for them to send you a package. Once you do, based on what you have, they will send you an amount of items ranging from 1-10 depending on your plan. So it’s simple … only put things in your closet that you think you’d like and you’ll be pleased every time. Also just to note, Gwynnie Bee is only for sizes 10-32. Some of the dresses come in medium, which is how it has been able to work for me. I excitedly signed up and then read that later. I’m normally a size 6-8.

As we all know, I love dresses. So currently my online closet is full of 15 dresses. My next one is in the mail! Here is what last week’s looked like:

Also, I was nominated by Sarah from Bows and Clothes for a Liebster Award. Basically, bloggers nominate each other and you answer questions. I was honored to be picked by Sarah! Here are my answers to her questions:

1. What do you like to do in your free time?

Between working a full-time job, a part-time weekend job and blogging, I’m often not left with much free time. I do like to hang out with friends and practice speaking Spanish. I also dabble in a little improv comedy.

2. What is your dream vacation?

My dream vacation is a year worth of traveling the entire world and visiting as many countries as I can. Yet rather than staying in hotels the entire time, I’d spend a lot of my time staying with natives. Getting to know people from other countries is the best way to learn about the world.

3. What is the worst movie/book you have seen/read?

Birdemic is a pretty classically bad movie that I watched with my improv troupe. It’s ridiculous and if anyone is ever having a bad movie night, it should be at the top of your list. Just go watch that preview I linked above.

4. Why do you blog?

In the fall, one of my friends told me I should blog about all the dresses I wear. I have always been a writer and have dreamt about a more flexible source of income. So here I am.

5. What is your least favorite food?

Granola bars.

6. What is your favorite season?

Oh the summer for sure. I’m a very social person, so I love how everyone is out and about in the summer. And of course I love the warmth.

7. What is your favorite blog?

I do not have one, so I’ll just list a few that I read: obviously Bows and Clothes, Bright on a Budget, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Tanvii and 26 and Counting

8. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it and why?

I would invest it in a business that would employ women seamstresses around the world in an ethical way to make dresses. The dresses would be sold online and possibly in boutiques. I’d take the rest of the money and travel.

9. What is your favorite song and why?

This one. Really? There are too many to choose from. I’ve been listening to a lot of Lana Del Ray recently. I find the song Ride to be fascinating.

10. What is your biggest blogging mistake?

Not discovering the blogging community quick enough! It’s funny how Sarah came into my life. I participated in Dressember and was tweeting about it. Sarah started liking and retweeting my stuff. I check out her blog and found out that she was participating in Dressember. I was excited, so I reached out to her.

I noticed that she participated in link-ups and thought “what’s that?” Once I discovered what they were, I was like “why not?” Now I read a lot of other blogs and often get inspiration from my fellow bloggers!

11. What is your favorite kind of cake?

Here in Cincinnati we have a bakery that makes this chocolate and icing layered cake called an Opera Cream cake. It’s amazing.

I’m awarding the Liebster award to these bloggers: Miss Moore Style, The Work Flare and Laimouna’s Memoirs.

The Liebster Award guidelines are as follows:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to them.
Answer the questions given to you by the blogger who nominated you.
Nominate up to 11 bloggers.
Give the nominees 11 questions to answer on their blog.
Let them know you nominated them.

Here are your 11 questions:

What inspired you to blog?
What message do you want your blog to tell the world?
What do you plan to do to stand out and be different?
What makes you laugh the most?
Who shoots your photos?
If you could only have one accessory, what would it be?
Favorite color?
What’s an average day look like for you?
Where do you want to take your blog?
Dogs 0r cats?
What would you do with a million dollars?

Thanks friends!

Dress: Leota, also can be found at Zulily here

Boots: Target

Necklace: vintage jewelry from my grandma

Jacket: H&M similar

Also, this beautiful Catholic Church was on our walk. We of course had to snap a few photos!

Also I’m linking up with: Doused in Pink, Jersey Girl Texan Heart and Elegance and Mommyhood

Nina's corner

A dress mixed with red

03/10/2016 1 Comment

This is my mixed dress. Last week I got up like any morning and searched through my closet for a dress to wear. As I was shuffling through, this little black dress caught my attention. I bought it in the fall at Target. I had tried on probably 5+ dresses and it was between two. I did what probably many of us do: texted my best friend photos of both. She told me to go for this one and I’m so glad I did.

When I first bought the dress, I envisioned wearing it out with friends or on dates (if I was dating … ha). It has a fun and flirty look to it, after all. Yet last week, I spotted the dress and my red blazer, and decided to try something. I loved the way the two looked together and I had accessories to match. Perfect!

So this past Monday, I re-created the outfit and took an adventure to the Anderson Heritage Center, this beautiful historic home that now serves as a wedding venue. It’s not far from where I grew up and I have found memories of playing there as a kid. I’ve been meaning to do a shoot there and this outfit seemed perfect.

Dress: Target; Blazer: Burlington Coat Factory; Necklace/earrings: Charming Charlie; Bag: Target

Linking up with Pumps and Pushups, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Doused in Pink, Elegance and Mommyhood and The Pleated Poppy

My Closet

My Closet: Becki’s adorable dresses

12/24/2015 No Comments

Becki Griswold has been a good friend for a little over seven years now. It’s crazy how time flies. Back in 2008, the two of us met through attending the same church. I had felt led to work with homeless people for some reason and Becki would go take food to homeless people Sunday afternoons with a group of friends. It was almost a little too perfect. So every Sunday for about a year or so, I’d go do this with her. While our group no longer does this (kids, marriage, moving away, life, etc.), I’d most definitely say this was one of the things that shaped my world view, prompted my passion for social justice and led me to work in the non-profit sector. I currently work with Latino immigrants at Su Casa Hispanic Center and absolutely love it. So thanks Becki!

Today, though, we take a look at her personal style. She has always had the cutest dresses!

Becki now resides in Walnut Hills with her husband Jeremiah their family. Their home is a beautiful three-story building they bought to run their small business out of. Jeremiah is a tattoo artist and so their business is called White Whale Tattoo. The first floor is the tattoo space, the second floor are several apartments for rent and the third is where they live. These photos were taken in and around this beautiful space.

Becki’s proposal dress

This is a significant and special dress for Becki. Her wedding proposal happened in New York City in Central Park. Jeremiah and her were on a trip there and walking through the park when he decided to pop the question. One of her friends was also apparently hiding in the bushes taking pictures. This dress, she said, she bought that same day at Anthropologie. I remember that she also wore it to their engagement party at Neons, a fun local establishment with a nice upper room for parties.

Liza Minnelli meets the club

That is what she said this dress feels like. It’s vintage.

The tattoo parlor

Then we decided to venture out of the cold for some shots inside the tattoo shop. If you are in the market for a tattoo in Cincinnati, White Wale is the place to go. Their simple and clean layout makes you feel right at home. Also Jeremiah is an amazing artist. He does amazing custom-designed work.

Thanks Becki! And happy Christmas eve to all!

Also, today I’m linking up with some of my blogger pals and their Christmas posts. I have recently started following Jersey Girl, Texan Heart. See what other style bloggers are posting here.

Dressember

Christmas party outfit

12/22/2015 2 Comments

Christmas is almost here! Last Friday, I had three Christmas parties to attend in one night. I suppose it’s just that time of year. I also worked a casino gig for the Cincinnati Circus Company (my super fun side gig). So I needed a good outfit that would work for all the things. Friday also marked day 18 of Dressember. So I thought I’d make this an outfit and a story post.

I absolutely LOVE this jacket! When I was last at H&M, they had this jacket in roughly 8-10 colors. Furthermore, the original price was only $39.99. I, however, bought it on a sweet black Friday deal for $26! My hair is pulled back by a piece I bought in Dubai’s Global Village last Spring. This past year, I was so very blessed to have the opportunity to visit four new countries. The United Arab Emirates was one of them. One of my best friends from college is a Dubai native. So when I visited, she took me to the Global Village. Basically for several months out of the year, Dubai invites people from all over the world to set up shops in the village with things from their culture. I found these amazing coasters from the Africa section. I want to say it was from Kenya, but I unfortunately cannot remember the specific African country. This headpiece was from the China section. If you ever have the chance to go to Dubai, go! It’s most definitely worth a week or more of your life. It was on said trip that I decided camels are like the coolest animals ever.

The Christmas dress

I am just obsessed with this dress. I knew it was all over when I went on a Target trip and saw all the dresses. If you need a good and affordable party dress for Christmas or New Year’s, Target is an excellent place to look. I tried on four, texted my best friend pictures of the two I was deciding between and then picked this one. It was her favorite too.

Christmas dress

A positive trafficking story

The story I’m sharing is quite a positive one. India is one of the most populated countries in the world. Thus, it also has a large problem with human trafficking. International Justice Mission, one of the organizations Dressember fundraising efforts go to, has an office in Mumbai. Mumbai has a red light district that is over 200 years old. Many young girls are heartbreakingly trafficked there. The Mumbai IJM office just completed trainings for 10,000 police officers, social workers and prosecutors. Quite a milestone. In this story you can listen to an interview with IJM Mumbai’s Field Office Director Sanjay Macwan. His goal is to rescue every minor girl from trafficking in the red light district. You can read the full story here.

We only have about a week left of Dressember. I really hope you’ll consider contributing towards my goal. You can learn more here.