Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

Floral Sundress with PinkBlush

by Katie Haller

Hey guys!  So it’s already mid-June and I’m feeling like my summer laziness is really setting in.  I mentioned a few times that June is a long work month for me.  Working through the summer is never fun, but I’ve been getting new kids transferring into my classroom and old kids transferring out, which makes things a little hectic for us teachers.  My work weeks have been busy as always, but my weekends have been amazing!  

We haven’t done much, but every weekend feels like a vacation for me.  The weather this month hasn’t been as hot as the Las Vegas summer’s that I’ve experienced in the past.  We have been getting out around town and spending lots of time at the pool.  The last 2 weekends I felt like I lived in my bathing suit.  It’s also been really nice because my brother and sister-in-law just moved to Las Vegas last month.  We have been seeing them regularly and it’s been really nice.  I’m so happy to have family living in the same metro area as me.  It’s been a long time. 
Now that June is half over I can really start to get excited about next month.  I’ve been really looking forward to July for a while because we have a couple trips planned.  We are taking our first mini-family vacation with just the 3 of us and going to a resort not far from Las Vegas.  We have never stayed at an actual hotel with Jack because all our traveling since he was born has been to stay at our family’s homes.  It should be fun.  We also have a week planned with my husband’s side of the family at the ocean.  To me, there is no better summer vacation than a trip to the ocean.  
With all this excitement of the summer season going on, I’ve been super lazy lately.  I’ve been not feeling up to doing my usual weekend chore routine.  I’d rather get out of the house and enjoy the weather, than clean toilets and floors.  (I’m trying to work on my husband about getting a house cleaner for that, but we will have to see if he will give in.)  I’ve also been super lazy about cooking, but I always seem to get like that in the summer.  Pretty much all of our meals come out of a Trader Joe’s frozen meal bag, or I find something that takes under 20 minutes to make.  I promise I will get a blog post out soon on some of my favorite quick and easy meals.  The last thing I’ve been pretty lazy about this summer has been my wardrobe.  
*This post is part of a collaboration with PinkBlush.  All options are 100% my own.
Lazy style doesn’t mean that you have to look lazy while wearing it.  It just means that you don’t have to put as much effort into it.  I’ve been wearing a lot of dresses and rompers because they are easy to style and make for light laundry loads.  I’ve really been loving floral prints this summer and this ivory floral sleeveless dress from PinkBlush is the perfect lazy dress for summer.  The print on it gives it the perfect amount of style to dress it up or dress it down.  It’s so pretty, you barely need to add any accessories to it.   For this look I’m sharing today, I decided to dress it up with my strappy heels and little blush crossbody purse.  For jewelry, I kept it simple and found some simple goal pieces.   I’m planning on wearing it to work soon, so I’ll probably wear it with a denim jacket and some flats.  I figured it would be perfect to wear out for dinner while on vacation with my wedge shoes or flat sandals.  Either way, I wear it, it’s the perfect effortless summer dress. 

Want to find more summer floral dresses to add to your summer wardrobe? Check out PinkBlush! 

PinkBlush

The Ultimate Mom Summer Wardrobe

by Katie Haller

I know that I complain about dressing in the summer a lot because it’s so hot.  I miss jeans and layers, but there are a lot of great things about summer clothes.  For one, it’s easy to get dressed in the summer.  There are fewer pieces and less need to accessorize.  Summer clothes also keep your laundry loads smaller.  Pretty much your summer wardrobe should be cheaper and easier than your winter wardrobe.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means that by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Thank you for your support.

Today I wanted to break down my favorite pieces in my summer wardrobe and share them with you.  I want this post to be a resource for all you moms out there.  I hear from so many of my friends and women I talk to that they have lost their sense of style after becoming a mom.  I think that sometimes we just get so caught up with our kids that we forget that we have other clothes in our closet beside the workout clothes.  Fashion does not have to be expensive or hard.  Sometimes it just takes a minute to think about what it takes to get your style back.  You might be surprised by how simple a summer mom wardrobe can be.

Below, I’ve broken down 4 categories in my wardrobe… dresses, tops, bottoms, and shoes. You may already have these pieces in your closet, and if you don’t, I’ve listed some affordable options for you. 

Dresses
Maxi Dress– I love a good maxi dress in the summer.  It’s so easy to throw on and go! I prefer a nice solid color maxi or a simple pattern that I can wear on repeat all summer. 

T-shirt dress– A t-shirt dress is another throw on a go dress.  It doesn’t take a lot of accessorizing, just a necklace and a pair of tennis shoes or sandals and you are good to go. It’s perfect for errand running. 

Floral Dress– I think everyone needs a little floral in the summer.  I love all the different prints out there.  It’s just so summery and fun! 

Solid Color Dress–  I’m a big fan of solid-colored dresses.  My go-to color is black, but every now and again I’ll throw in a bright color. 

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Tops

Peplum top– I love the peplum tops with the little ruffle at the bottom.  They are so fun and girly.  They are super easy to wear with jeans or shorts.  I recently found an Old Navy peplum top at Savers and so far it’s becoming one of my favorite tops for the summer. 

White Blouse– As a mom and a preschool teacher, white has always scared me, because I’m always worried about messing it up, but lately I’ve been loving my white tops.  They are so classic and go with everything. They have made their way into my summer wardrobe.

 T-shirt– As a mom, what’s better than a t-shirt?  Especially a striped t-shirt! I wear t-shirts all the time.  I really love V-necks.  You can tuck them, you can knot them or just leave them out.  Nothing is easier than wearing a comfy t-shirt and some jean shorts. 

Chambray top– I love a good chambray top.  In the summer I wear my short sleeve chambray top a lot.  It’s so cute with maxi skirts or shorts.  I can’t get enough of mine.  

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Bottoms
Denim skirt– I’m all about jean skirts this summer.  I love the lengths of them this season.  Not too short and not too long.  I love how casual a jean skirt is. 

Mid-Length skirt–  I’m loving the mid-length skirts right now.  I’m short, so my maxi skirts and dresses always need a hem or a high heal with them.  A mid-length skirt is a perfect length for me. 

Distressed jean shorts- I just bought 2 pairs of jean shorts for the summer and I love them so much.  They are so comfortable and casual.  Everyone needs a great pair of jean shorts. 

Jeans–  Even in the heat of the desert summer, I still wear jeans.  I love a good cropped pair of jeans.  If they are distressed, even better. 


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Shoes
Converse– My Converse Chuck Taylor’s are my most worn pair of shoes in my closet.  I honestly don’t know what I did before them.  I wear them with literally everything…dresses, jeans, shorts, skirts….everything!

Sandals– A good pair of classic sandals that you love should be in your wardrobe for sure.  I bought a pair of Madden Girl sandals at Burlington Coat Factory for only $10 and they are my go to sandals.  They go with everything.  

Slides–  Let’s be honest, sometimes we are too busy putting the kids’ shoes on that we almost don’t have time to put on our own shoes.  That’s why slides are the perfect mom shoe.  Just slide them right on.  They will go with everything too!


Wedge Sandals– Wedges are my favorite because they are much more comfortable than heels. They are an easy way to dress up an outfit and give you a little height too!

So there you have it.  These are all my favorite summer essentials.  So whether you’re a stay at home mom who lives in leggings, or a working mom who feels like you have no time for shopping and outfit planning, hopefully, this post can be some help for you.  I wear everything from this list.  Summer is a time to simplify your life and enjoy your family, so make your wardrobe easy and light!

Summer Swing Dress

by Katie Haller

June is a long month for me.  Unlike most teachers, I have to work all summer long.  I’m used to it though.  I’ve been working in early childhood for 9 years now and I’ve never had a job with summers off.  It’s okay though because I have a lot of time off in July and I’m just counting down the days until then.


*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking and/or making a purchase through a link, I will make a commission for this blog.  Thank you for your support!
During the summer, I love wearing dresses to work.  They don’t take a lot of effort to style and they are so comfortable, especially when it gets really hot.  This striped swing dress below is from ThredUP and it has quickly become one of my favorite everyday dresses.  It’s perfect for work because it’s casual and I can wear it with my converse or a pair of flats.  It also has short sleeves, which is nice, because I don’t need to layer it with a sweater or jacket for work, like some of my other dresses.  I also love wearing it on the weekends with some sandals or wedges.  Below, I wore it with my slide wedge sandals… also from ThredUP.  The tote purse is from Savers.  I get so many compliments on this purse and people are always surprised when I tell them it was $4 at Savers.  To be honest, it’s just a good basic tote, but can you ever go wrong with something so simple like that? 

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Making the Most of your Wardrobe- 4 Ways to Wear a Stripe Skirt

by Katie Haller

This summer I’m all about skirts.  They are so light and easy to throw on during the summer.  I’ve been wearing my skirts to work a lot because they are a great alternative to pants.  Last month I found this Ann Taylor striped skirt from ThredUP.  As soon as I tried it on, I knew I wanted to do a post on it to show how versatile a striped skirt can be.  I wear stripes all the time because they go with everything.  This skirt does just that.  It has an elastic waist, which makes it nice and comfy and also allows me to wear it in more casual ways than a skirt with a button or zipper.  Today I wanted to share 4 different ways to wear this classic striped skirt.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking and/or making a purchase through a link, I will earn a commission.  Thank you for your support!

 Look #1
This has to be my favorite look.  I added a bright pink tank top and wore my strappy heel sandals.
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Top/Skirt/Shoes/Purse/Necklace

 Look #2
I wear a denim jacket with almost anything.  It’s my favorite way to layer.  With this look, I kept the colors simple and neutral.
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Top/Jacket/Skirt/Shoes/Purse

 Look #3
Chambray is always a win.  Here I wore my chambray shirt with some flat sandals.  To add some color, I wore my coral purse.
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Top/Skirt/Shoes/ Purse

Look #4
If I’m going to mix patterns, it’s usually stripes and leopard.  I just love this combo.  This leopard clutch has become one of my favorite closet staples. I often opt for wedges over heals, because they tend to be a little more comfortable, especially when chasing toddlers.
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Top/Skirt/Purse/Wedges

So there you have it.  Those are 4 easy ways that you can wear a striped skirt.  For more outfit ideas and to see other ways I’ve worn this skirt you can follow me on Instagram @thriftywifehappylife.  

Simple Summer Sundress

by Katie Haller

Since Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, I guess you can say that summer is here.  That means I’m trying to buy clothes that can get me through the heat of a desert summer.  One style for me that always gets me through the summer is a simple sundress.  My wardrobe is filled with simple casual dresses. 

This dress that I’m sharing today is from ThredUP, of course!  It’s an H&M dress that was only $7.99.  The dress was brand new with the tags on it still!  I love the pattern on this dress.  I’m trying to force myself to try out different patterns, besides stripes when I have the chance.  A dress like this is easy to style.  All you need to do is throw on some jewelry and some sandals and you are ready to go!  I wore my new Madden Girl sandals that I found at Burlington Coat Factory for only $9.99!  They are my everyday go-to sandals for this summer. 

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Simple and Classic Outfit- White Blouse and Jeans

by Katie Haller

Lately, I’ve been working on stocking my closet with a lot of basic wardrobe pieces.  I would say that I am pretty well stocked up, but there is always room for more.  This outfit above is the perfect example of how I used 4 simple wardrobe pieces to build a fun and stylish look. Read on to learn more about each piece. 

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will make a small commission for this blog.  Thank you for your support!
White Blouse Thrifted from ThredUP (Target) || Similar options HERE, HERE and HERE
I didn’t know how much I was in need of a white blouse until I found this one.  It’s so simple, but it goes with everything.  I used to hate wearing white shirts because I was always worried that my bra would show through, but I recently bought some bralettes at TJMaxx (similar HERE) and they have been a real game-changer for me.  I can finally wear white tops without worrying about my bra showing through.  I’m wearing my nude-colored bralette with this top. 

Dark Skinny Jeans Thrifted from Savers (Old Navy) || Similar options HERE and HERE
I love a good pair of dark skinny jeans.  They are the best jeans to dress up.  You can easily throw on some heels or a blazer and it makes it a work look or a great look for an evening out.  The jeans I’m wearing in this post are Old Navy Rockstar jeans, but I bought them at Savers for only $2.25!!!   

Strappy Heeled Sandals thrifted from ThredUP || Similar options HERE and HERE
I’ve been wanting shoes like this for the longest time.  They remind me of Barbie’s shoes because I feel like they mold your foot into the way a Barbie doll’s foot is.  I found these shoes at ThredUP.  I’ve said this over and over again, but if you’re going to buy used shoes, ThredUP is the best place to buy them.  These shoes are in almost perfect condition. 

Black Satchel Purse Last Call Neiman Marcus || Similar options HERE and HERE
I have had this satchel purse now for over a year now and I never get sick of it.  It’s such a classic look.  They no longer have this purse at Last Call Neiman Marcus, but you can find it on Amazon HERE for under 40!! 

Before I end this post, I just have to share this last picture, because while I was taking pictures in this outfit, my favorite little guy wanted to do some modeling in his outfit too.  It was just too cute, I had to share one of the pictures.  He’s the reason why it’s been taking me weeks to write this blog post.  Every time I get out the computer to write, he pulls me away to go play.  It’s okay though.  How can I resist that face!  I hope you have a great week!!

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