Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

Surviving Summer with PinkBlush

by Katie Haller

This is my third summer living in Las Vegas.  I’d like to think that I’m getting used to the hot summers, but there is always some point in the summer, usually right around mid-July, that I get so sick of the heat.  I can handle the dry hot days of 105 degrees no problem, but when we get our first blast of humidity at the beginning of the monsoon season, that’s when I want to get in my car and drive to the coolest destination I can find.  Luckily next week I’ll be escaping to the beaches of California for a week, but I know that the hot humid days will be waiting for me when I get back. 

When I talk about a humid day in the desert, I’m talking about only 20% humidity, which is really nothing compared to a Midwest summer day, but it’s the heat that makes it so much worse.  I find it nearly impossible to get dressed with it hot and humid.  The easiest way for me to dress in the heat is in comfortable flowy dresses.  Anything that is loose-fitting is perfect.  
This post is part of a collaboration with PinkBlush.  As always my opinions are 100% my own. 
This navy blue ruffled bottom dress from PinkBlush is the perfect solution to dressing comfortably in the heat.  I love how flowy and lose it fits.  The back has a very cute lace-up crisscross tie on it, which I think gives it the perfect amount of detail.  I wore this dress last weekend while we hung out with my brother and sister-in-law, exploring some spots here in Las Vegas.  It was super hot, humid and cloudy that day.  Jack was acting up because he was tired, out of sorts and probably hot.  I think I would have been in a horrible mood if I wasn’t wearing this dress, but I ended up having a nice time with my family because I felt comfortable and cute in my outfit.     

PinkBlush 

To shop my dress and more comfortable summer dresses, check out PinkBlush!

Local Henderson Thrift Store

by Katie Haller

I’ve always loved to second-hand shop, but after moving out to Las Vegas, I’ve been doing the majority of my shopping at second-hand stores.  For myself, I never seem to have a difficult time finding great finds, but when it comes to second-hand shopping for Jack, I don’t always have the best luck.  One problem that I’m consistently running into while thrift shopping for Jack is a lack of selection and quality, especially when it comes to boy items.  

*This post is part of a collaboration with Archer & Jane.  All options are 100% my own. 
Recently, I stumbled upon a thrift store that solves all my problems for buying my little guy second-hand items.  The store is called Archer + Jane and it’s located on Water Street right in downtown Henderson.   I don’t think a lot of Las Vegas locals even know that downtown Henderson exists, but it’s one of the few original downtowns in the Las Vegas area.  Where I’m from back in Michigan we have lots of little towns with little local shops and restaurants and I really missed that when I moved out here to Vegas because everything is so new.  Archer + Jane has all the charm of one of those little shops back in the Midwest. 
Archer + Jane sells pre-loved goods for both children and moms.  The owner carefully goes through each donation bag and carefully selects the items that she wants to sell in her store.  The kid’s clothes are in perfect condition, even the boy’s clothes!  Archer + Jane is also a great place to find baby gear like gently used pack-n-plays, baby carriers, booster seats, and boppy chairs, many of them are still in their original packaging.  It’s a great place to find those extra items that maybe you didn’t get from your baby registry and you don’t want to pay full price for.  You can also find brands like Noodle & Boo,  Lil ‘O’ Blossom and Green Toys. 
If you’re looking for a spot to recycle your baby products, Archer + Jane is the perfect place.  Just drop off a bag of gently used baby, women or maternity items and you can earn store credit for more shopping! 

As Jack gets older, I am always finding things around the house that I might need, but I don’t want to go to the store and spend full price.  I’ve been looking for a booster chair for him for a while now, but I’ve had no luck finding an inexpensive one.  I found this brand new Safety First booster chair at Archer & Jane for only $15.  It had never been used and was still in the box.  It retails for $30.

If you are a Las Vegas local or know someone who lives in the Las Vegas/Henderson area, I highly recommend checking out Archer + Jane.  Head over to my Instagram page (HERE) to enter to win a $25 gift card to Archer & Jane. Giveaway will end on July 27th.  Don’t forget to follow along with Archer + Jane on social media to see all the latest merchandise and sales! Find them on Facebook (HERE), Instagram (HERE) and Twitter (HERE).

Happy Thrifting!!

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!

Mom-Friendly Bathing Suits

by Katie Haller

It’s the one thing about summer that we all dread…. bathing suit shopping.  I’ve always loved bathing suits, but I never enjoyed shopping for them.  You just never know how it’s going to fit and how you will feel while wearing a bathing suit.  I don’t really think it matters what your size is, you never know how you’re going to feel while wearing a bathing suit. 

*This post is part of a collaboration with PinkBlush.  I was gifted this bathing suit, but as always all opinions are 100% my own. 

When I became a mom, I knew that my bathing suit style was going to change.  I’ve worn bikini’s since I was 13, but after having a baby, a two-piece just doesn’t feel the same anymore.  After having a baby and also having a c-section, I just feel more comfortable when my belly is covered.  That’s why lately I’ve been shopping for one-piece bathing suits.  One-pieces aren’t just nice for having extra coverage, they are also more practical for swimming in.  If you are a mom of young children like me, you know that your pool and beach days are not as relaxing as the days of your 20’s.  Last summer, Jack had no fear of the water, so my pool days were spent holding him, making sure he didn’t jump in the water without me.  This summer he’s just as busy.  I need a suit that I can play in and swim in without worrying about being exposed to.  But I also don’t want to look like a granny, if you know what I mean.  I still want to feel youthful.

When I first learned that PinkBlush carried swimwear, I knew they would have the perfect mom suit for me.  I ended up picking out this red woven knot back one-piece bathing suit.  I’m always super nervous when I order a suit online, but just like everything else from PinkBlush, this suit did not disappoint.  It fits very true to size (I’m wearing a small).  I absolutely love the cut on this suit.  The front is low cut and shows just the right amount of skin.  It’s perfect for all you nursing mamas out there looking for a good nursing friendly suit.  The back of this bathing suit has a really cute woven knot.  I love that I don’t have to worry about ties with this suit because they are always coming undone for me.  I also love this color.  I wasn’t sure at first how I felt about the red, but I went for it anyway and I’m so glad I did.  I love the red!  It’s so classic and fun.  I know it will be perfect for the 4th of July.  With the quality of this suit, I know it will last me a lot of summers to come.  This suit is only $36 and it also comes in blue.  Plus PinkBlush currently has 25% off and they always have free shipping.  You really can’t beat that!

PinkBlush

To make sure that this bathing suit passed the test of mom-friendly, we went to one of the resort pools here in Vegas for the afternoon and I wore my new red suit.  It definitely passed the test.  I didn’t have any problems with it sliding down or coming off.  Even when Jack used me to crawl up because he was too afraid to touch the floor, my bathing suit stayed in place.  I felt comfortable and confident while wearing this suit and I think that’s very important for us moms to feel that way.  By the way, excuse my cranky toddler’s face in these photos.  He doesn’t always enjoy stopping what he’s doing to take pictures with his mama.  

PinkBlush

Mom-Friendly Fashion

by Katie Haller

Today I want to talk to you about something that is now a big part of my life.  It’s called “mom-friendly fashion”.   Before I became a mom, I got dressed every morning without worrying about the little things.  I just put together a cute look that I felt good in and went on my way.  Now that I’m a mom there is so much to think about when getting dressed in the morning.  Is my shirt high enough that my toddler will not expose me to the world today?  Is my purse big enough to fit all the snacks we need to get through our afternoon outing?  Are my shoes comfortable enough to climb up the climber at the playground and go down the slide in?  There is just so much to think about when putting together your outfits as a mom.  My husband always makes fun of the fact that I wear my spanks from my high school cheerleading uniform under my dresses.  I just feel more comfortable knowing that everything is covered up when it needs to be. 

Us moms are not only concerned about exposing ourselves, but we also need to make sure that our clothes help us feel better about our bodies.  I’m not complaining.  I didn’t struggle with a lot of weight gain during my pregnancy, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not insecure with parts of my body.  I know what areas need some work and I do my best to hide them with the clothes I wear.  Simple tricks like tucking in your shirts or wearing a flattering fit of jeans can do wonders for your mom-bod.
 One of my favorite places to find mom-friendly fashion is always PinkBlush.  I’m a style ambassador for them and I share their clothes all the time because I think that their styles are perfect for the everyday mom.  They are stylish, practical and all their clothes know the perfect way to hide your “mom body” imperfections.  This charcoal grey floral colorblock stripe sleeve top caught my eye when I saw it online and it did not disappoint me when I tried it on.  This top has the perfect length, so you can also style it with leggings if you like.  I wore it with a pair of distressed jeans that I love and a simple pair of sandals.  A t-shirt like this is perfect for my everyday mom activities.  
*This post is part of a collaboration with PinkBlush.  All opinions are 100% my own. 
I honestly think that having a baby has only made me feel more confident in the clothes I wear.  I know I’m not 21 anymore, but I personally think that I dress better now than I did in my 20’s.  I have so much fun finding new ways to wear my clothes and I hope that I can inspire all of you with my “mom-friendly fashion”.
In honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, me and some of my fellow mom bloggers have joined up to share our Mother’s day posts.  Feel free to click around the links below and find out what other moms are talking about this Mother’s Day week!
Justine @ Little Dove Blog // @littledove.justine
Jenise @ A Toddler & A Topknot // @atoddlerandatopknot
Sierra @ Beautifully Candid //@beautifully_candid
Bethany @ Waves & Lilacs //@wavesandlilacs
Mary Leigh @ Live Well Play Together //@livewellplaytogether
Whitney @ Work It Mommy // @thefamilysmith5
Shani @ Sunshine & Munchkins // @sunshineandmunchkins
Katie @ Thrifty Wife Happy Life // @thriftywifehappylife
Tamara @ Tamara Bratton Blog //@tamaraleebratton

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