Some Small Wins 8.10.2017

Do you ever think about the little things that can make you day feel so much better? I call these small wins! The list of small wins can be endless, but here are a few random ones that came to mind 😉 

When something you've been eyeing goes on sale

When you get to come straight home from work and stay in for the evening

When you have more money in your bank account than you thought you did

 When you look in the mirror and don't have any zits for once

When someone gives you a wonderful compliment out of the blue and it makes your entire day! (which is why I try to give out a lot of compliments)

Top (on sale for $7!!?? | c/o)  |  Similar Jeans (mine are old H&M)

Similar Sneakers (love the Steven & Superga pairs)  |  Sunglasses

What are some of your favorite small wins? I would love to hear!

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Floral Embroidery is My Jam 6.19.2017

How is it already Monday?? This weekend did not feel long enough, even though we didn't have any big plans. It was so nice to relax and get a ton of stuff done at home though! I feel like I'm finally "caught up" around the house, although I still have a list of extras I'm always trying to get to (deep cleaning the bathroom, re-potting a couple of plants, painting nightstands, etc.). Please tell me I'm not the only one! 😉

This tee is such a great example of an 'elevated basic' - something I always look for when shopping! I love that it has floral embroidery (such a big trend right now!) and a cutout detail along the neckline. Crazily enough it's under $15! I am admittedly hesitant when ordering from Shein, but this top is such a pleasant surprise, and I genuinely recommend it if you've been looking for a little embroidered tee! I've worn it multiple times in the past week and a half 😜 They also have a similar option with a different neckline here. 

Tee (c/o | another similar option here)  |  Shorts  |  Sandals  |  Bag (c/o)  |  Sunglasses  |  Lipstick

I've blogged these shorts multiple times already (here & here for example), and they're definitely already one of my summer staples! I love them so much that I actually just ordered them in the lighter wash too. Hopefully the saying that you can't have too much of a good thing is true 😅

Thanks for stopping by today, and have a a great week! xx

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Effortless Off-the-Shoulder Dress 6.01.2017

Every spring and summer I look for effortless dresses that are lightweight, comfortable and stylish...and this is one of those! I love that it can be dressed up a bit for dinner, worn casually to a summer BBQ, or for sightseeing and shopping. Every time I wear this dress I find myself keeping it on at the house because it's just so comfortable! Sadly I can't find the stripes in stock anywhere online 😢 (will let you know on IG if it comes back!), but I found it in stock in all sizes in the floral pattern here!

Dress  |  Sandals  |  Bag  |  Sunglasses

Also, these Quay sunglasses that I keep stealing borrowing from Brianna, are now on sale for just $27! I just ordered the light pink for myself but they come in 3 other colors too!

We made it to Williamsburg, Virginia yesterday afternoon and finally got a good night of sleep last night after staying up all night the night before! We're going to a winery this afternoon, so obviously I'm v. excited about today's plans 😂   

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Summery Set 5.24.2017

I knew I had to have this Free People set for summer because the color scheme is right up my alley! I think this is actually my first matching set, but I'm fully on board with them because they're more versatile than a dress or romper. I've already worn the top with my high-waisted cutoff shorts (love how Brianna styled with jeans here), and the skirt would look adorable as a swimsuit coverup with a bikini top, or even paired with a black or white crop top!

Quick note to tall girls... the skirt is fairly short, and pretty breezy! But sometimes with skirts or dresses like this I'll wear some little spandex shorts underneath (like for volleyball or dance) just to feel more comfortable in case I have a mishap 😉

Top + Skirt Set  |  Sunglasses ("private eyes" |  Bag  |  Sandals

Also, if you're looking for sunglasses for the summer, my two favorite brands I've discovered this past year are Quay and Le Specs! Both are affordable and have tons and tons of cute options! I have two pairs from each brand, and may have to buy the pair I'm wearing here since I've now borrowed them from Brianna multiple times! 🙈

On a completely random note... I've mentioned before how much I love Calvin Klein undies & bras (seriously so dang comfortable), and I happened to see a good sale on them here! I always wait for sales to stock up, so I thought I would share! 

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On Wearing What You Want, and Owning What You've Got 5.17.2017

I truly try to live my life without regret, but one thing I catch myself regretting from time to time is not wearing whatever I wanted when I was younger and being prouder of my body! In today's post I'm wearing a crop top and booty-accentuating shorts, and you wouldn't have caught me in that even in college. Looking back I had such a good body and no thought of cellulite, but barely took advantage of that - such a shame!

Since I "filled out" through college I've been soooo self conscious about the fact that my upper half and lower half seem to be on different pages size-wise. If I slim down and lose weight, it shows in my stomach, ribs, boobs and arms. Not a lot I can control for the half I would change if I could 😲 

But why am I so self conscious about having a booty and muscular legs? I guess partly because I don't have the boobs to "balance" them out and don't have the stick skinny fashion physique I've envied since high school. I'm working hard to get over this though! Instead I want to be proud of having muscle that shows off my hard work, proud of my flat stomach, and proud to have some curves. I know that in 10, 20, 30+ years I'll look back on this season of life and think about how good and young and healthy I looked and wish that I had appreciated my body more...like I already do about the past 8-10 years.

So, one of my mindset goals for this year and moving forward is to wear what I want, and to just own and be proud of what I've got. It would be a shame to never show the ab definition and flat stomach I've been working really hard on just because I don't have the exact butt or thighs I want.

Top (c/o | matching shorts here)  |  Shorts  |  Slides  |  Sunglasses (more Quay here)  |  Lipstick ('velvet teddy')

 I hope this post ended up making at least a little bit of sense. I feel like I had a lot of pent-up thoughts to spill out here so I very well may have rambled without making much sense 😉

Also, please know that I truly find all women beautiful. My friends and family represent a variety shapes and sizes and 'looks' and I find them to all be the most beautiful and healthy and inspiring women in the world! I just thought I would open up to you a bit about things I've struggled with mentally for many years in hopes that you will [in your own time] start to better accept your own body [if that's a goal of yours] and to just wear what you want to wear! I'm also not looking for attention or compliments or anything like that by writing this post. I'm just actively working on my body confidence, and thought it might be a relatable topic :) 

I recently updated my About Me page to say "The purpose behind Love, Lenore is to not only share my love of all things fashion + lifestyle, but to also help you and other women discover your own personal style and beautiful life that you love regardless of your budget or where you live or what you look like." I want to live that out more on this space, and I hope you're up for taking that journey with me.

xx

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5 Places I Want to Travel in the US 5.15.2017

Trey and I try to travel as much as we possibly can (especially before starting a family), and are constantly talking about places we want to visit! We have a couple of trips planned for this summer, so travel has been on my mind daily as I prepare for those trips. Trey and I have never traveled internationally together, and it will definitely happen someday (our list is growing!), but for now we're trying to utilize vacation days and what money we can set aside to travel a lot within the US. There are soooo many incredible places to see around the world, but I think that we sometimes take our own [gigantic] country for granted and forget about all of the amazing places to see here too. 

SO...I thought I would share 5 places in the US that are high up on my list of where I want to travel! These are all places I haven't been but really really want to see (among a lonngg list of others).

1 | Charleston, SC

I'll have to double check with my mom, but I think I may have spent a day in Charleston with my family as a kid. However, I don't remember a thing, so I'm not counting it ;) Charleston looks so charming and beautiful, and I love all of the colorful buildings and flowers. When Julia of Gal Meets Glam moved there I was sold on it being somewhere I had to visit. 

2 | National Parks in Utah

I love that there are 5 huge national parks in Utah (watch this video), and want to road trip out there so badly! We are not people who hike or spend a great deal of time outdoors, but I really want to do a hiking trip out there. Arches National Park has been in my top 5 destinations for a long time. I think it looks breathtaking. 

3 | Phoenix/Scottsdale

Trey has been to this area and loved it, so I'm dying to go! I think desert scenery is so beautiful, and they sound like such fun cities too! I just love the architecture/aesthetic vibe out there (from stalking pictures and real estate for years), so I know I would find it an inspiring place to travel. 

4 | Pacific Northwest

We have heard such good things about both Seattle and Portland, and observed how beautiful the scenery is in that part of the country, so this is somewhere we really want to go! I'm definitely drawn to the mixture of coastal scenery and nearby mountains (and all of the fresh seafood).

5 | Miami

I'm not a party gal and I think that's what a lot of people think of when referencing Miami, but I just think it looks gorgeous down there! I've barely been to Florida (Jacksonville for a few days), so I need to see more of it! I think Miami looks like a great time, and I'm always down for some white stucco, palm trees, and a view of the beach :)

Similar tops here & here  |  Shorts  |  Sandals  |  Bag
Sunglasses (these sold out, but there are lots of similar!)  |  Phone Case  |  Similar Bandanas 

What places in the US are at the top of your list to visit?? Or what are some of your favorite places you've already visited? Leave a comment and let me know so I can add more places to my own list! 
 

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Dusty Rose 2.07.2017

Tee  |  Jacket  |  Jeans  |  Ankle Boots  |  Sunglasses ('the playa')  |  Belt  |  Choker

Every time I see something in the dusty rose/mauve family I want it to be mine immediately. I think it's going to be a huge color trend this spring and summer, which is great because it's a color that looks good on everyone! I also like that it's pink without being too pink. We all know I'm not the most colorful when it comes to my clothes, but I feel like this color family isn't too out there for me. 

This tee is by Topshop and you can't really see in the photos, but all of the edges are unfinished or distressed. I love little details like that, and think this tee will be the perfect cut to wear with some cutoff denim shorts in the summer!

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Faux Leather Jacket 2.02.2017

Jacket (35% off! wearing an XS)  |  Top  |  Jeans  |  Ankle Boots  |  Sunglasses  |  Bag

Photos by Brianna of Gingham & Glam 

After looking for about a year and a half, I finally found the perfect faux leather jacket in my price range! For being on sale for only $60, it looks and feels very high end. I tried a small and extra-small and liked how the XS was a little slimmer in the waist. 

I'm wearing a couple of other new pieces in this post too. My Quay "Playa" aviators are making their first appearance (I'm obsessed), as well as this long-sleeve tee from Express. I love that the tee is a basic with a twist because it has the choker detail. It's cute enough to stand on it's own, but also great for layering!

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