I think it’s pretty safe to say that it’s officially swimsuit weather unless you’re one of our fabulous Pretties from Down Under then you’re just heading into the winter. If that’s the case, hold on! It will be summer again before you know it! Regardless of where you live it’s a vast understatement to say that life is anything but normal. It’s a new normal we’re dealing with. Summer is usually a time of carefree vacations and fun festivities with friends and family yet I know many have had to alter or cancel their plans. More and more people are staying local and using the resources they have whether it’s the sprinklers in the back yard or taking a day trip to find a beach or a lake. No matter what your summer plans hold, having a great swimsuit is never a bad idea. And if you’re on a budget like most of us are during these unprecedented times, finding a budget-friendly suit is an absolute must! That’s why I’ve been searching the internet to find what I think are some great swimsuit finds. I threw in some with fun prints, some solids and a few coverups as a bonus, so no matter what your summer holds, you’re ready for a little sun.
The 4th of July is coming up and for many that usually means cookouts and fireworks with friends and family to celebrate America’s Independence. While this year will still include grilling and fireworks, I’ll be enjoying those from my own backyard with Craig and the kids. Everything is different this year but that’s okay. We are all in this together and that doesn’t mean that I can’t still get into the holiday festivities with a little red, white and blue.
I found this amazing denim color, peplum ruffle tank top which is perfect for the Texas heat. I love that it has a soft texture to it and the peplum detail is so cute!
I’m a sucker for a great pair of white denim shorts and I love that these have a little distressing to them. If you’re not into shorts check out the links at the bottom of this post for other white bottom options.
I already have my white from the shorts and my blue from the top so of course, it would only make sense to add in my red for an official 4th of July look. In the summer I love a great pair of wedges and these ones by Brinley Co. are so cute and add the perfect pop of color I wanted for this look.
Simple is beautiful and that’s how I feel about this red handbag. I love the simplistic design and the single strap with the silver hardware. This bag is perfect for carrying everything I need!
With so many other pops of color I decided to go simple on the earrings. This is a fun take on a hoop earring with its crescent shape and their hook closure ensures they’ll stay on.
You can never go wrong with a classic and aviators are just that. I love how the silver rim of the glasses coordinate with the silver crescent earrings as well as the silver hardware on the handbag. These glasses are the perfect way to finish off this look!
A huge thank you to Walmart for sponsoring this post and continuing to support small businesses like GYPO!
For this month’s Pretty Fix I’m going nautical with one of my favorite summer trends, the sailor shorts! Don’t let the name intimidate you or think of this as a costume look. Actually the sailor short is really quite a classic that’s making a comeback this season. The main hallmark of the sailor short are the buttons going up each side around the pelvic bone area. And if shorts aren’t your thing, don’t worry! This button detail is also available in pants and crops. I’m also sneaking a second trend into this look but in a subtle way – ruffles. Now when I say ruffles I’m not talking about big 80s prom dress type ruffles but just a little something to add in some detail to the top. It can be as simple as a ruffled hemline or even some flutter sleeves. It’s all about these little details that add tons of extra interest to any summer outfit.
If you’re new to GYPO you may be asking what exactly is the Pretty Fix? The Pretty Fix is where I pick a seasonal trend and build an outfit around it typically using closet staples. Sometimes I do like to sprinkle in another trend as was this case for this look. It’s a great way to mix up your wardrobe and possibly add something fun to your closet. It’s can also help provide outfit inspiration for items you may already have.
For this look I wanted to stay pretty classic. I started with a beautiful pair of navy sailor shorts but found ones with subtle buttons to show that there are many options out there whether you want the buttons to be bold or a little more subdued. Then I paired it with a white top and neutral shoes. I knew this look needed some pops of color and decided to add that through a Kelly green handbag and some fantastic multicolored earrings. To finish it off I added some classic tortoise shell sunglasses perfect for any summer day.
Ruffles can be seen everywhere this summer but sometimes there is such a thing as too much. That’s why I am loving the subtle ruffle of this white flutter sleeve top. The cut of this top is simple and flattering and the sleeves are a great detail. Plus this is also a great closet staple and will go with any color bottoms. Easily mix up this look by opting for a bright color top and swapping out the kelly green handbag for a white or neutral one.
Nautical pieces are very popular this summer just as they were in the spring and these navy sailor shorts add just the right touch to any outfit. The button details going up the sides are really cute and I have seen them in a variety of colors. I chose navy for this look because it’s a great neutral and can go with any color top. I also love the white sailor shorts, crops and pants I’ve been seeing. Flip the formula with white bottoms and a navy top for a whole new look!
You can never go wrong with a neutral pair of shoes in your arsenal. When I’m not wearing my white sneakers I love wearing my wedges. They are perfect for summer and standing at only 5’4″, they offer me just a little extra height to keep up with my towering family. And if you’re a flats girl, there are plenty of options that will work perfectly for this look and many, many others.
If you’ve watched any of my Coffee Chats or checked out the blog before then you may know one of the items I was most excited about for spring was my Kelly green cardigan. To me, the color is just amazing and fits in perfectly with the nautical trend. Since it might be a little too hot for a cardigan this time of year, I added the next best thing to this look, a Kelly green handbag. It’s the perfect pop of color and the color is actually pretty timeless. If green isn’t for you, this look could also be styled with a yellow, orange, or even a white handbag.
Another classic. I love mixing classic pieces with trendy ones. I feel like it’s an easy way to update my classic pieces without breaking the bank to buy a whole new wardrobe every year because who really wants to do that? The tortoise shell sunglasses complement this look beautifully and again, it’s a piece you can get multiple wears from. Plus you can pair them with brown or black accents making them very versatile.
What’s better than one pop of color? How about two pops of color? It’s summertime and accessories are the easiest way to add tons of interests without adding heat so I say why not have fun with it! I love these multicolored earrings and because they have multiple colors, they will work for multiple looks.
Your turn! What piece is your favorite? Are you onboard for the nautical pieces or are they something that should sail away?
It used to be easy. If you needed a beauty product you simply walked into a store, found the product that met your needs and walked out. If you had oily skin and needed face wash, you found one for oily skin and gave it a try. Nowadays the world of beauty products has exploded and there are so many other options to consider. Plus, as we become more educated in the products around us, we are also learning what products to trust and which ones may be filled with harmful ingredients. Dare I say it’s like opening Pandora’s box, once it’s open, it’s hard to turn a blind eye to the products around us.
I knew that there were clean beauty products out there but what can I say, I’m a trusting girl so even though I didn’t know exactly what was in the products I was using, I trusted they weren’t bad for me. It wasn’t until I was looking into a face care regimen for my daughter that I started to discover that all products were not created equal and that some ingredients could carry some long term effects.
Now I wish there was an easy way to put all beauty products into either a good or bad category but alas, it isn’t that simple. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of overseeing the personal beauty care industry and its rules have gone vastly unchanged since 1938. According to the FDA’s website, they do not need to approve products for safety before they hit the market. They only need to approve color additives. In addition, cosmetic companies do not need to register with the FDA or provide ingredient lists but are highly encouraged to do so. The United States is unfortunately behind when it comes to regulating their beauty products. For example, the European Union has banned approximately 1,300 chemicals in cosmetics that include makeup, lotions, hair dyes, deodorant, nail polish and shaving cream. However, the United States only bans 11, yet the average woman uses 12 such beauty products a day containing approximately 168 chemicals on her body according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a health advocacy group. Sad to say, there seem to be a lot of loopholes in the personal care industry regulations which means it’s time for us to become detectives and do our due diligence. Below are some of the things I’ve learned and I also breakdown some of the terminology so next time you go into the store, you’re better equipped to pick products that not only meet your needs, but that you can feel safer using.
Disclaimer: I am just like you, someone who wants to try and pick personal care products that are better for me and my family. I’m just sharing what I’ve learned, I am not a professional in this arena.
Know the Terms
1. Clean
Means that a product is safe, non-toxic, and has transparent labeling of ingredients. Ingredients are not linked to harmful health effects. This can mean a combination of natural ingredients as well as man-made. The key here is that they are not harmful in both the short term or long term.
2. Organic
Products that are organic consist of organically farmed ingredients. These ingredients are grown without the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and more. However, a product only needs to be 70% of organic ingredients in order to be labeled “made with organic ingredients.” For products to receive the official USDA Organic Label they must be 95% truly organic and the other 5% must meet their allowed ingredient list.
3. Vegan
Vegan means that a product does not contain any animal products or animal-derived ingredients but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain synthetic ingredients. It also doesn’t mean that the products are not tested on animals, however, more often than not they aren’t tested on animals.
4. Cruelty Free
Cruelty Free means that the ingredients/components and final product have not been tested on animals but that doesn’t mean it does not contain any animal byproducts. Common animal byproducts include beeswax, honey, lanolin, and tallow.
5. Natural
The term ‘natural’ is mostly used to describe the purity of ingredients. It means that a product contains ingredients found in nature without synthetics. However, the argument can be made that not all things found in nature are good for you. The most commonly used example is poison ivy. It’s 100% natural however it’s not something you’d want in your beauty products.
Do Your Research
All of our personal care products will have a full ingredient list on them but it’s up to us to decipher those ingredients. Ingredients can be looked up individually and there are also websites and apps that will help you sort out which ones are good and which ones may be toxic and their level of toxicity. Another thing I learned, according to safecosmetics.org, is that anytime the term ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’ is used in the ingredients, the contents that make up the fragrance do not need to be disclosed as they are considered a proprietary blend of the company. That means we have no idea of knowing just what is in their fragrance or if they use additives to preserve their fragrance.
As I mentioned there are some websites and companies that can help you sort out the ingredient lists as well as a plain old Google search. I’ve already mentioned Environmental Working Group Skin Deep (EWG) but also Safebeautyproducts.org can help you determine your beauty products safety rating. They have a huge database and if your product is not in there, you can register it yourself. This is a great tool for helping you sort out the ingredients in your products. Below I’ve listed some of the top ‘no-no’ ingredients. These ingredients as well as others and what they are typically used for can be found here.
BHA and BHT
Coal tar dyes: p-phenylenediamine and colors listed as “CI” followed by a five digit number
DEA-related ingredients
Dibutyl phthalate
Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
Parabens
Parfum (a.k.a. fragrance)
PEG compounds
Petrolatum
Siloxanes
Sodium laureth sulfate
Triclosan
There are also apps that are available to help you search out products and their ingredients. They also have a scanner function so you can scan the barcodes of your products to determine their safety rating before heading to the checkout.
Thankfully there are companies stepping up and answering the call for better, safer beauty products. In addition, some retailers, like Sephora, have what they call a “clean logo.” According to the company’s web site, the goal of the Clean at Sephora initiative is simple, ‘get the beauty you want, minus the ingredients you might not.’ Some of those ingredients include Parabens, Sulfates: SLS & SLES, Phthalates, Mineral Oil, Formaldehydes and more. Target is another company that has a clean beauty product category online. Other brands have also come about because of the demand for better products. I’ve listed some of the brands boasting clean beauty products below to get you started. Note: I am not endorsing any of these brands as the end all be all to clean beauty products. I still recommend checking them out for yourself and know there are many, many more out there.
No matter what a product is labeled, clean, natural, or synthetic, everything has a shelf life. I can’t stress enough how important it is not to use old beauty products. Even the most harmless ingredients can become harmful if they are past their shelf life. Luckily each product has a little cheat sheet called the Period After Opening Symbol (PAO) to help you know how long you should keep it around. The image below can be found on the back and the little number states the recommended mount of months a product is good for. Click here for more tips about beauty product expiration.
Final Thoughts
All we can do is our best when it comes to searching out beauty products that are good for us. The above information is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to this billion dollar industry but thankfully companies are stepping up to help make our search for clean products a little easier.
Your turn! Are you new to the clean beauty movement or a seasoned veteran? What are your favorite clean beauty products?
This month I am featuring white shorts in an all-new Ways to Wear It. Let’s talk about white shorts for a minute. They’re kind of scary, right? This is a piece of feedback that I get most often from the Get Your Pretty On Pretties. A lot of times we have this preconceived notion that we don’t like white jeans or shorts without ever trying them on. They can push us way outside of our comfort zones yet once we find the perfect pair, they can quickly become one of our favorite closet staples. Trust me when I tell you that there is a pair of white shorts out there for everyone. But if you’re just not into shorts, I totally get it. The great thing about these outfit formulas is that you can swap out the shorts for a pair of white denim pants, crops or even a wide leg. Dress these looks up with heels or wedges or dress them down with flip flops. Make these looks your own and have fun with them! Plus all of these looks are part of the Outfit Formulas™ Summer 2020 Wardrobe Capsule!
This first look is a simple white V-neck linen tee paired up with my white shorts and then topped with a lightweight kimono. Kimonos are amazing for the summer months! They are an easy way to add tons of visual interest to any outfit without adding heat which is crucial for Texas summers. You could pair this up with just the white on white if you’re feeling brave or you can add any color kimono on top. I paired this up with my flat Tory Burch sandals, but you can also make this a bit dressier by adding in a pair of neutral wedges, which would make it totally ready for date night.
This one is super simple. I bought this blue and white stripes flutter sleeve top at Old Navy this past spring and it’s a perfect piece to take me into the summer months too! I paired that up with my white shorts and added some red flat sandals to give it a pop of color. For some extra fun, I also added some multicolored beaded earrings which help add some additional interest to this outfit.
For this look, we’re going to take things up a notch for a slightly dressier outfit by adding a black sleeveless blouse with the white shorts. This time I’m pairing them with my leopard wedges, which are fun and again, this is a great date night look if you want to do something a little bit dressier. I also added in my tortoise resin earrings to give it a little bit of extra pizzazz. If you don’t want to do the wedges or if you want to do this for every day, you could swap it out for a black T-shirt and then definitely add some leopard flats.
I’m back to casual for outfit number four. I paired up my white shorts with my favorite gray V-neck t-shirt. I don’t know why, but this has always been one of my favorite outfit formulas for summer. This time I paired it up with some snake print flat sandals, which snake print is totally on-trend again for summer 2020. I finished this look off with my hat for a little bit of fun.
Last but not least I’m pairing up my white shorts with a bright tie hem t-shirt. Tie hems are another great way to add detail and interest to an outfit without adding heat. If you have to skip your top layers in the summer, sometimes your outfits can feel a little bit boring. You can easily fix this by looking for tops with cute little details like this. I promise you can still add plenty of interest in the summer. I also put on my leopard flat sandals and I am wearing my beaded hoop hearings again just to give it that little extra something.
Which one was your favorite? Tell me in the comments and if you have a way to pair them up that you’d like to share with us, then let me know!
Do you struggle to put outfits together? Are you stuck in a yoga pants rut? Not sure if you can make the latest trends work for you? You’re in the right place!
I’m Alison, a mom of three and recovering yoga pants addict on a mission to make getting dressed and feeling pretty the easiest thing you do all day! Learn more about my story HERE.
I am so glad I was part of the Fall 2019 Style Challenge. It gave me confidence and so many great outfitt ideas. The ladies in the group were very supportive and I will defintetly be doing another challenge in the future.
Betty Weyandt Lamont December 20, 2019
I’ve been participating in the GYPO Style Challenges for three years now and I’ve loved it. I’ve always loved clothes, but I didn’t know how to put outfits together. My closet is now full of mix-and-match outfits, I have learned how to dress myself, and there is no more stress in figuring out to wear. The private FB group is full of wonderful ladies that build each other up. It’s so fun and is seriously the best group on FB.
Kirstin Rasmussen McFarlane November 20, 2019
Get Your Pretty On has changed my life, seriously. I have always chased what is trendy but found from season to season, that things go out of style and I was wasting money on items that I would only end up wearing a few times. GYPO has enabled me to simplify my closet, helps me make smarter purchasing decisions, and I feel so put together and confident using the outfit formulas that are provided. This program is a GAME CHANGER. I've been following GYPO for a few years now and my only regret is not jumping on board sooner.
Michelle Kline November 20, 2019
Great community of ladies, helping each other look stylish, without breaking the bank, and using much of what you already own.
Chosen Faith November 19, 2019
GYPO challenges have been one of the best things I have done! It had taught me so much more than just creating a closet of clothes that I love but also to have confidence in myself, how to pick and choose colors that work for me instead of against, and had given a wonderful community of Pretties who are so special.
Maraline Freeman October 16, 2019
I love GYPO!!! I finally feel put together and stylish! The shopping lists and outfit combinations make shopping and getting dressed effortless.
Krista Probst October 16, 2019
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