STYLING BOYFRIEND JEANS IN A GIRLY WAY




As the weather gets warmer, so many of us shed those fitted layers & just want to be cool & casual. (I know I do!) For me, that doesn't mean retiring my jeans but it does mean adding in some different styles, like boyfriend pairs! Boyfriend jeans are known for their slouchy fit & because of that, I often find them difficult to wear & get afraid that I might look frumpy or like I actually borrowing my jeans from my boyfriend ;)


To combat the slouchy, relaxed style of BF jeans, I try to pair my BF jeans with feminine extras (ruffles, fabrics, colors, etc). This time around, I paired my jeans with a girly Peter Pan collared top. (I know what you're thinking - again with the blue & white stripes. Not sorry! I love them! This print also seen here & here)


Also when wearing BF jeans or slouchy style pants, it's important to show off your shape. Because of the slouchy bottoms, a more fitted top pairs well or if your top is slightly blousey like mine, make sure to tuck it in & show off your waist! 

Lastly, opt for dressier shoes. This doesn't mean you have to go crazy in a pair of heels, but a sleek flat, wedge or simple heel is a great option. I try to stay away from sneakers or anything too chunky with these jeans. 
 Jeans: American Eagle (tomgirl style - slightly less slouchy!) | Sandals: Steve Madden | Bag: Phillip Lim | Sunglasses: Ray Ban


How do you style BF jeans? Shop some of my favorite pairs below.

XO
Michelle Paige
PS. How adorable is my mini photographer in these photos?! My sister was babysitting at our house when I put on this outfit & 'A' asked where I was going? I told him I wanted to take photos of this outfit & he decided to help out! My sister snapped these photos on the camera while A took photos on my phone - some of them turned out pretty good (check out my Instagram post for today - it's taken by a 3 year old!!)

RUFFLE DRESS & EMBELLISHED SANDALS





There's nothing I love more in spring than a good dress! After a long winter of cozy, casual styles consisting mainly of sweaters & jeans, it's so nice to switch up my style a bit for spring by adding some fresh colors & styles to my wardrobe! When BooHoo reached out about their 'just add heels' challenge, I was super excited! Over the last few months, I have definitely noticed my style getting more casual & who's blaming me?? Athleisure is everywhere AND it's comfortable! #doublewin. But a new season means it's time to switch it up. 



I am definitely a big shoe girl - it's my favorite thing to shop for & one of my favorite accessories to center an outfit around. As soon as I saw these block heel embellished sandals I knew I could create endless outfits with them. They are so fun, girly, colorful, quirky, festive for spring, plus a ton more adjectives! In layman's terms, they are pretty great! I love that these sandals add a bit of flair & color to every outfit I put on - from jeans & a tee to a ruffled dress! 






Dress: c/o BooHoo ($30!) | Sandals: c/o BooHoo ($40!)| Sunglasses: Ray Ban | Bag: Kate Spade (similar for $25!)


I had never shopped Boohoo's shoes before, but after getting this pair, I am totally hooked! Would you believe that the pair I am wearing today are under $40?!  Shop a few more of my favorite BooHoo styles below!
XO
Michelle Paige

Shop BooHoo Heels (all $50 or less!): 






THE IT COLOR FOR SPRING: BLUSH PINK





If there is only one color you wear/purchase this season, trust me, it should be pink!  Shades of pink are back & better than ever with a range from blush to hot pink & everything in between. I don't consider my daily style to be all that girly, so I am LOVING that pink is everywhere & on everything this season so it no longer has the connotation of being super feminine! Plus, I read an article that pink is one shade that looks great on everyone! Seriously! Because everyone's skin tone has pink undertones, it is a color that looks wonderful on everyone - you just have to find your perfect shade ;)



 The monochrome embroidery & bell sleeve on this top make it absolutely gorgeous 
 for spring. It combines a bunch of this season's hottest trends without seeming too overwhelming. I personally feel like this top is kind of a classic with it's girly color & button down style. Not to mention its under $40! I paired this stunning blush pink top with high waisted jeans so that I could knot the shirt & show off my waist. I recently took a liking to high waist denim because I love how long they make my legs look. I chose to add a pair of platform wedges to exaggerate my leg length even more ;) 
Top: c/o Free to Move Clothing | Jeans: American Eagle | Shoes: Target (love these) | Bag: Rebecca Minkoff | Sunglasses: Ray Ban | Lip: c/o Juice Beauty (shade: Venice)
Over the weekend, J & I went with his sister to iFly, an indoor skydiving location! I was really excited until we got there & I saw how high people were going & how many of them were free flying without an instructor holding on to them. I did have a couple of moments where I seriously thought I was going to chicken out - including one near meltdown when the instructor wanted me to go in the tunnel first! - but I took a few deep breathes & went for it & it was actually amazing. The first time, I was so focused on keeping my body in the correct position that the instructor had to keep telling me to relax. The second time I went in, I was much more comfortable & excited & even did the 'high fly' of 15-20 feet!!   I definitely recommend it for anyone who isn't willing to jump out of an actual plane - you still get that rush & that weightless experience of flying, but it's so much safer (in my opinion!)  I'm still figuring out how to download videos & photos from our weekend but will be sure to share a few on Instagram once I have them!

 Have any of you went skydiving - indoors or out of a plane?? I would love to hear about your experience! 

 XO,
Michelle Paige

BARBADOS OUTFIT ROUND UP + TRAVEL GUIDE

Today's post is a long one but a fun one!  I'm rounding up a bunch of my day & night outfits from Barbados plus sharing some details about our trip, including where we stayed, what we did & what we ate! To start, let's check out my clothes & accessories!!
How cute is this sweatshirt? I wore it on our flights to & from Barbados and plan to wear it with denim shorts out East all summer long!
Shop: hat c/o | sweatshirt | sneakers


This cover up looks JUST like a designer cover up (shop designer here) - but this one is a fraction of the price! #win
Shop: cover up


Maxi dresses for dinner on night one 
(Both dresses are old, but the red dress style is still available!)
Shop: similar print dress | red dress 


Early morning strolls on the beach
Shop: swimsuit | shorts c/o


White is my favorite color when it comes to swimwear. It instantly brightens you up & makes your skin look more tan! You can't tell in this photo, but this suit is lace!
Shop: hat c/o | swimsuit




You saw these sets in Thursday's post but I couldn't resist including them again. Clearly I'm obsessed but can you blame me??
Shop: white set | olive set




Loving one piece styles right now. These two have a high cut on the legs making your legs look miles long! Plus, they are under $50!
Shop: swimsuits | sunglasses | shorts




Stole Sarah's look one night for dinner. (Side Note: right after these photos, we spotted a bat! They are insanely fast & so creepy!)
Shop: red dress | blue dress


Have you noticed a trend in our looks yet? I told you we loved to match/coordinate!
Shop: swimsuits


This set was featured in my post from Monday. Check out that post for other tips on how I plan to style these pieces. (The top & skirt are under $100!)
Shop: Top | Skirt | Sandals


These sandals are going to become my new favorites this summer. Classic color & style & SO comfy! 
Shop: sandals (under $100!)


Star prints are everywhere lately! I love this unique print, especially in a subtle way like on these denim shorts! They were so cute for the beach!
Shop: similar shorts | sandals

Now onto our travel details...My family likes to take one trip a year to a tropical place to relax and spend time together without any distractions. Last year, we headed to the Hilton in Barbados & we loved it so much that we headed back to the same location this year! This is something we had NEVER done in all our years of traveling! I like the excitement of visiting somewhere brand new, but it was cool to visit a place a second time since we were familiar with the ins & outs of the hotel & area this time around!

 Where We Stayed: 

 As I mentioned, for the second year in a row, we stayed at the Hilton in Barbados. The hotel is really nice & is the perfect place to stay for a relaxing vacation. The resort has multiple pools plus beach access!  Even on the first day that we arrived, we were able to find chairs & huts on the beach. (Some beaches/resorts we have visited in the past require you to arrive at the beach super early or even reserve a space the night before to guarantee a space for yourself, but this beach was spacious enough & had plenty of chairs!) The views on both sides of the hotel are awesome but there is nothing like waking up to see the ocean! I loved the view from our balcony. Lastly & perhaps my favorite aspect of this hotel: the executive lounge. For an extra cost, you can stay on an executive lounge floor which gives you access to the lounge on the top floor of the hotel. The lounge served breakfast each morning & hosted a happy hour each evening, along with having drinks & snacks available all day. It was so nice to wake up & go upstairs for breakfast & we LOVED the happy hour to grab a drink & snack before dinner. My parents made the reservations for this trip, so I'm not sure of the exact cost, but I highly recommend getting lounge access!
What We Did: 

 To be honest, we didn't do much! This trip was a little shorter than our typical family trips so we really took advantage of the time we had to relax. The hotel offers non motorized sports equipment for rent (called Barbados Blue). My dad & sister rented boogie boards and enjoyed riding the waves.  On our last full day, my dad and I ventured out in a kayak on the bay side of the hotel. The water on that side is much calmer and is perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing, etc. Last year when we kayaked, we were able to spot sea turtles swimming around but this year sadly, we didn't see any! 

 If its your first time in Barbados, I would recommend visiting St Lawrence Gap. We ate in that area for dinner last year & it was really nice to walk around. I also wanted to visit Harrison's Cave - it sounded really amazing - but again, this trip was short so we chose sun & relaxation over adventure this time.

 Where We Ate: 

 Since we had visited Barbados already, we had a few favorite restaurants in mind that we wanted to visit. We ate at 'Tapas,' 'Buzo' & 'The Grill' for dinner during our trip. 

 Tapas: Tapas is a gorgeous location right on the water - we had a great view of the sunset during dinner. We LOVED this restaurant last year & liked it again this year. My whole family agreed, the staff at hotels/restaurants makes a huge difference. When the wait staff goes above & beyond to make you feel welcome, it really betters the experience overall & our waiter this time around wasn't as animated as we remember the previous waiter. If you do decide to eat at Tapas, I would recommend trying something out of the box! Their menu includes foods like shark fritters & barracuda - when else can you eat that?!

 Buzo: I had remember Buzo being one of my favorite restaurants last year & it remains one of my favorites this year as well. Buzo is an Italian restaurant with gorgeous decor & the best bruschetta trio we've ever had! For dessert, we ordered a couple of flavors of sorbet and they arrive in the shell of their fruit! It was the coolest presentation! The pineapple sorbet was actually in a pineapple!

 The Grill: On our last night, we decided to try the hotel's restaurant, The Grill - a place we didn't eat the year prior. The service was a bit slow & bread cost extra but other than that, this restaurant was great & again, the decor & wait staff were lovely. Sometimes the hotel restaurants can be extra pricey but I thought this one was able equal in price to the other restaurants we ate at.

 Good to Know:

 - Everything that had a price next to it seemed SO expensive and I had to remind myself it was Barbadian dollars. A US dollar equals about 50% of 1 Barbados dollar.

 - The sun down there is no joke. Whatever SPF you typically use, increase the strength & reapply! (I learned this one the hard way!)
Have you vacationed in Barbados? What was your favorite part of your trip?
XO,
Michelle Paige

VACATION STYLE UNDER $100



No matter how old we get, I don't think my sister & I will ever get tired of wearing matching outfits! We especially love to coordinate looks when we go on vacation because we know we will be taking a bunch of photos! Prior to our trip, we were shopping for swimsuits at Aerie and came across these adorable matching sets! Just as quickly as we grabbed them off the racks to try them on, we were at the register checking out with a set for each of us!


Obviously, I love a good matching set (another one worn here), and these crochet sets are super cute for the summer. We added neutral bandeau's underneath & wore them to a casual dinner but they work great as beach cover ups too & similar to Monday's post, these tops & shorts can be worn separately or together! 


The best part about today's post is that each piece we are wearing is under $100 (sandals included & our outfits are under $50!) Shop the looks below!

Tops: White, Olive | Shorts: White, Olive | Slide Sandals | Fringe Sandals


XO
Michelle Paige



Shop the post:




ROMPERS UNDER $50




Sharing another Barbados outfit today...
I wore this pretty floral romper as both a beach cover up & to a casual lunch during our trip. I probably could have worn it to dinner one night as well, but I didn't want to overdo it with one piece ;). On a more serious note though, rompers are the perfect travel pieces! They work for just about every summer or vacation occasion & don't take up a lot of room in your suitcase! I love the floral print of the one & the lace trim on the shorts makes it extra girly! 

This romper is by Hot Kiss Clothing. It's actually a juniors line so be cautious of sizing when you shop their brand, but I love the trendy styles & bright colors that they offer, especially for the warmer seasons! Even more, I love their prices - lots of their items are available for under $50!

By now you all must realize that I love a good deal on clothing. I'll spend more on shoes or a handbag because I wear them more often but for clothing, I love to find great pieces on a budget. I recently came across Mixology, a clothing website that offers a ton of items at affordable prices! (Plus free shipping over $75!) I love their huge selection of rompers, dresses & tops for the season. 



 Romper: c/o Hot Kiss Clothing (similar & under $50) (shop Hot Kiss Clothing) | Sunglasses: Ray Ban | Sandals: Tory Burch

 XO,
Michelle Paige

MATCHING SET IN BARBADOS



If you follow regularly, you may already know that I was in Barbados last week for vacation! It was so nice to relax with my family for a couple of days & this week I'm excited to share a bunch of the looks that I wore during my trip. First up, this matching set (yup, it's a top & skirt!) from Shopbop. I loved the delicate dots & stripes print & the fluttery fabric on both the top & the skirt.




Of course, you can pair these pieces together & wear them as a coordinating set! It creates a super easy & streamlined look or check out some of my styling ideas for now & later below!

STYLE IDEAS FOR NOW: If you aren't on vacation & it's still a bit chilly where you live, try pairing this skirt with a lightweight sweater & neutral colored booties. It's the perfect way to wear this skirt now without freezing! (plus, it will give the skirt a slightly boho vibe which is perfect for festival season). Another idea, pair this top with some distressed jeans.

 STYLE IDEAS FOR LATER: This skirt &/or top (that's the great thing about matching sets - up to 3 outfits with these 2 pieces!) are festive for Memorial Day, 4th of July & Labor Day holidays. I love the idea of the top paired with shorts & sandals or the skirt paired with an easy tank & wedges.
Top: Moon River via Shopbop | Skirt: Moon River via Shopbop | Sandals: Tory Burch


XO,
Michelle Paige


Shop more Moon River favorites (I love that so many of their pieces are under $100!): 



Say hello to this week's Start The Week Stylish guest host: Lindsay from Lindsay Living. Lindsay Living is a lifestyle blog dedicated to living happy, living within a budget & living your best life! Lindsay shares her personal style, beauty tips, home decor, adventures & more. Be sure to stop by her blog this week & say hello!




 Last week we loved Amy Ann from Straight A Style & Karen from Lady in Violet's Easter looks.




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