Summer-Ready Flats (on a Budget!)

I love heels and wedges, but I have a soft spot in my heart for flats. They are so comfortable, are appropriate for work or play, and I've been wearing them ever since I was a kid  :)    As much as I love flats, I have to admit that I don't want to pay a lot of money for them.  If I'm going to spend over $50 for a shoe, it has to make me feel tall and sexy (stilettos!), but when I'm going for a cute, classy or retro look, my go-to is a nice affordable ballet flat.  Shoe designers have taken the basic flat shoe and jazzed them up with neons, florals, and geometric prints to create summer-ready styles that are right on trend.  Here are my favorite flats under $50:

Flats
Flats

I can't do a post about Summer footwear without mentioning sandals! Summer is "Pedicure Season" and what better way to show off your nail polish and give your toes some breathing room than a cute, flat sandal? Here are some options under $50 that incorporate color blocking, beadwork, neutrals, and metallics:

What's 

Sandals
Sandals

What's your favorite style of shoe for the summer?

Summer Protective Style: Halley's Curls Sew-In Weave

My hair needed a break from daily styling--and so did my fingers--so I got a sew-in! I love big, curly hair so that was the look I wanted for the Summer, and as luck would have it I won a $150 store credit to Halley's Curls during one of their twitter giveaways.  I purchased their Creole Wavy texture in 16" and 18" lengths.  Here's how the hair looked fresh out the pack: 

Fresh install:

I've been blending the hair by braiding my blow-dried leave-out hair into the extensions and then taking it out each morning.

Blending, after a few days:

LaD.I.Y Cargo Vest

I've never been good at art, but I do think of myself as crafty. Between D.I.Y blogs and websites like Pinterest, my inner D.I.Y-er has been awakened. I've had a short sleeved jacket in my closet for months that  I didn't really like that much. Something about the fit and the sleeves...I felt like it made me look a little old (I jokingly called it my Suze Orman jacket!). This past weekend I decided to re-purpose the jacket and make it something I would actually wear--I turned it into a vest! I forgot to take a before pic, but here are some photos of the process and the final result.

I started by cutting the sleeves off the jacket.

I turned the jacket inside out and lined strips of hemming tape along the edge of the sleeves for the vest. 

Following the package directions for the hemming tape, I ironed over the tape to melt the adhesive and allowed the tape to cool.

After the hemming tape cooled, I peeled off the paper backing to reveal the adhesive.

Finally I folded the raw edge of the sleeves over the adhesive tape and pressed down on the fold with the iron to activate the adhesive and bond the fabric together, creating a finished edge for the sleeves of my vest.

Finally- the end result!

Vest (formerly a Jacket): New Directions (purchased from Belks) / Dress, Belt: TJ Maxx / Sandals: MIA (purchased from Marshall's) / Earrings: World Market

Act Like A Ladi...Dress Like A Diva: High-Low Dress

Outfit deets after the jump...

Act Like A Ladi...Dress Like A Diva: Florals

Denim Shirt: TJ Maxx / V-Neck: Mossimo (Target) /  Skirt: Apostrophe (Purchased from Sears) / Shoes: BCBG Paris (Purchased from DSW.com) / Clutch: Steve Madden (Purchased from TJ Maxx) / Belt: JC Penney (came with a sweater) 

I've never owned many items with a floral print. I can probably count on one hand how many floral items I have.  For some reason, I've always admired floral prints from afar instead of taking the plunge and purchasing them. Well I finally branched out and bought this floral skirt from Sears and I love it! I paired it with my new favorite shirt that I featured here, but I can picture it with a crisp white shirt, or a nice cardigan for work.