Return to Previous Page

Blog

Style & Substance

Summer Chambray Dress & Best Eats in Austin

Style

Modest Chambray Dress

So, I know you’re thinking two things, “Why are you standing in front of a shipping container and where can I get this dress?” Well, this shipping container happens to be one of the best eats in Austin and I totally understand anyone wanting this dress. Helloooo comfortable!

Texas heat is not for the faint of heart and this dress is thick enough to keep you covered with no undershirts, but thin enough to be breezy and cool. Light weight chambray is the way to go. It’s seriously comfy, like soft robe comfy, but totally appropriate to wear outside your house. Can we talk about robe etiquette for a second? What is the farthest appropriate distance from your front door before you become ‘that’ neighbor? 5 feet? 10 feet? Please tell me I’m not alone when I run outside for a second to let the dog out. Anyway, the dress is that great.

Modest Chambray Dress

Chambray Dress/ Leopard Flats (similar)/ Nude Purse (similar)/ Sunnies

What I wish I had a picture of is me eating one of Burro’s sandwiches. Seriously, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Like truly ever. Of course they weren’t open yet when we showed up so no grilled cheese. I’m surprised there were any pictures of me smiling at all because I was planning on eating it for breakfast. #adulting

Substance

Since Austin is such an awesome city (not biased at all) and so many people come this way to visit, we thought that we’d share some of the best places to eat in the city. We’re known for our food here in Austin, especially our food truck cuisine so we thought that we’d share the 9 best food trucks in town.

rsz_food-trailers-austin

In no particular order, here are the best ATX food trucks:

  1. La Barbecue– This is the best barbecue. Period. Made by a guy who was tutored in the way of Franklin’s which means all of the flavor without the lines.
  2. Burro Cheese Kitchen– Artisan grilled cheese and mac & cheese that is drool worthy. Order their Croque Madame. You’ll thank us.
  3. The Celia Jacobs Cheesecake Experience– Bite-sized cheesecakes in great flavors like Banana Puddin, Carrot Cake, Buttercrunch, etc. Crazy smooth and better than any NYC cheesecake we’ve ever tasted. Yep, we said it.
  4. Hey You Gonna Eat or What?– Famous for their beer-battered deep fried Monte Cristo with house made cherry and fig jelly, this truck is manned by their brusque owner and cook whose impatience is part of his charm. Bring a friend, this sandwich is large enough for two
  5. Dock and Roll– Boston is usually the town of lobster rolls but I’d say this truck would give any Bean town establishment a run for its money. Classic rolls are amazing and spicy local inspired rolls are perfection. Pricer for a food truck so take a date here to the best lobster dinner in Austin.
  6. Churro Co– If we had to pick one thing to eat for the rest our lives, it might be this. Their new take on churros is inspired, utilizing ingredients like popcorn sugar, torched marshmallows, ice cream, etc. It’s all house made and its all amazing.
  7. Gourdoughs Donuts– Food and Wine Magazine named them ones of America’s best donuts and we completely agree. Huge, fried to order donuts covered with an extensive if not impressive variety toppings like fried chicken, cake batter, bacon, chocolate frosting. Insider tip: Order Mama’s Cake
  8. Micklethwait Craft Meats– Another awesome BBQ place that is as famous for it’s sides as it’s meat. Word to the wise- get the pie.
  9. East Side King– We have to end with perhaps the most famous food truck ever. It’s been written about it nearly every magazine and we know why. It’s freaking delicious. Their asian fusion tacos are out of this world and you MUST try the Brussel sprouts.

So, have any of you ever tried out any of these places? Their worth every calorie for sure but I’d recommend wearing something flowy for sure because you’ll want the room.

 

-Katy & CS

Style & Substance

Must-Have Black Summer Dress & 3 Books You Should Be Reading

 

We’ve decided that while we love a great modest clothing, there’s more to life than a gorgeous outfit. So we’re starting a new weekly series called “Style & Substance” where we’ll feature a great outfit that we’re loving right now but also have some additional content. Ya know, a little something interesting like book recommendations, blogger spotlights, seasonal recipes, etc. The possibilities are truly endless and we promise it’ll be fun. 

Style

In today’s post it’ll be pretty clear that I was no in the mood to have my picture taken. I’m only human. So basically you’ll see one photo of me before we move onto best places to find these great pieces and the 3 books that you should be reading. 

Best Black Summer Dress

Yep, this is totally my “pretend I’m happy to be here” face. Fairly convincing, right? Well, just look at the outfit and and ignore the face. It’s not about me anyway, it’s about this dress. I love this dress and honestly wear it maybe a little too much. Sadly, it’s no longer available but I’ve found two similar dresses that will be just as awesome.  

And can we talk about how awesome the hat trend is? Hello second day hair #dirtyhairdontcare. Just pair it with some cute sunnies and a killer bag and you’ll look totally put together. Based on Instagram trends, laying your stuff in the grass makes it more appealing, so if you’re not totally sold on how great these are, look at the picture below and you’ll be totally convinced. 

Summer Accessories

See, you’re in love now. The grass and dirt totally worked. But seriously, these are my go-to accessories for looking put together. What’s also awesome is that the bag is not only still available but it’s also 60% off. Check out the links below for the bag and other outfit pieces. 

splurge-save-black-dress

Splurge: Dress, Hat, Wedges, Bag, Sunglasses, Lipstick 

Save: Dress, Hat, Wedges, Bag, Sunglasses, Lipstick 

Substance

And now for the brainy part of the brains and beauty combo that we promised. That bag is good for more than just looking pretty; it actually holds stuff. And it’s totally holding the 3 awesome books that you should be reading because you’re all boss ladies. 

3 books you should be reading

Positive Intelligence: This book is awesome and totally earns it’s 4/5 on GoodReads and 4.5/5 on Amazon. This is not a typical self-help type of book but not really a business book either. It’s main focus is quieting the negative internal monologues while creating more positive and intelligent thoughts and behaviors. How much time do we spend actually working towards our goals vs. self sabotage? Maybe a better question is rather, who isn’t guilty of second guessing themselves constantly? We women can be the worst at this and I’m definitely no exception. I’m only half way done with this book but if the second half is as good as the first, it’s definitely worth the $6 on Amazon. 

Happier at Home: Confession time- I’ve read this before and it’s so good that I’m reading it again. I love Gretchen Rubin, I mean- who doesn’t? She’s sold a bajillion books because she’s a fairly normal person trying to find small, meaningful ways to be happier. She uses research, starts her own experiments, and is incredibly real. Her books are awesome, interesting,  and I pretty much want to be her BFF.

Getting to Yes: This is pretty much the book on negotiation. A dear friend gave me this book and I’ve used it’s techniques more than I’d care to admit. It’s based on Harvard’s Negotiation Project and helps you develop skills to create mutually beneficial outcomes in times of conflict. Great for business but also great for pretty much just life. Want to better resolve issues on a project or convince your husband you do need that bag? Get this book. You’ll be #winning with all of that win-win you create.

So at this point I feel like I’ve done enough talking. What do you think? Which dress or accessory screams your name? Is there a book you’re dying to read? Are going to add one of these to your reading list? Have I asked enough questions?

Leave your comments below because we love ’em. Lots! 

-Katy & CS

Deals

Best Nordstrom Sale Picks Under $50

nordstrom-picks-under-50 Statement Necklace/Coraline Tote/Striped Tote/TOMS Black Wedges/Linen Striped Dress/Floral Pump/Denim Shorts/Leather Clutch/Cork Wedges (fan favorite)

We all love a good sale and Nordstrom’s Half Yearly Sale is definitely one of our favorites. There are so many amazing deals that it can feel a little overwhelming. Don’t worry, we’ve done the digging for you and found a few of our favorite modest pics and accessories that come in under $50.

There are quite a few gorgeous accessories in this sale that we love. We expect awesome deals on statement jewelry (hello $10 necklace!) but the shoes on sale this Half Yearly Sale are amazing. TOMS shoes rarely go on sale for 40% off and the floral BCBG pumps are a great way to get in on the floral trend without spending a ton. One of the most popular pieces in the entire sale are the cork wedges. Seriously, grab yourself a pair because their gorgeous, neutral, and absolutely timeless.

We’d totally regret not mentioning the linen dress that is also somehow priced under $50. Perfect for summer, on trend in stripes, and effortlessly casual.

So which is your favorite? We’re pulling out our cards now and adding the cork wedges and dress to our cart. Any finds at the Half Yearly Sale that you’re loving? Let us know below and happy shopping!

Deals

Sale Alert! New Ann Taylor Dresses Only $75

linen_blend_shirtdress Linen Dress

Ladies, we just found out about this sale and knew that we had to share it! Ann Taylor has all new arrival dresses on sale for $75!!! That’s right. Brand new Ann Taylor Dresses are only $75! This is over half off of original prices on pieces that have just hit the store! The sale only lasts two days- it ends tomorrow (5/25) at midnight so we suggest you get while the gettin’s good, as my southern family would say.

As always, we’ve included a few of our favorite modest finds for you and hope you love them as much as we do! So many of these dresses are linen or cotton blends so they’re perfect for the upcoming summer heat!

palmprintdress

Leafy Linen Blend Shirtdress  

draped_sheath_dress

Draped Sheath Dress 

Palm_print_shirtdress

Palm Print Shirtdress

brushstroke_wrap_dress

Brushstroke Wrap Dress 

striped_tie_dress

Striped Tie Dress 

We’re crushing hard on pretty much all of these dresses but the palm leaf ones pretty much had us at hello! They’re a great way to get in on the super hot palm trend without dropping major cash. Plus, is there anything better than a linen dress in the summer? We definitely don’t think so.

And we can’t not talk about the white dress trend that is pretty much defining 2016 style. We’ve already featured a few white dresses but we’ll readily admit that we’re pretty much suckers for the striped white dress and white linen dress as well! Both are in classic, flattering silhouettes that just scream breezy and beautiful! Totally trendy and 100% classic- we’re not sure if there’s a better combination.

So, which ones are your favorites? At this price, you can snatch up a couple and be ready for all your summer soirées!

Happy Shopping!

Deals

Save or Splurge: Classic Polo Shirt Dress

blue-polo-dress-sitting

I have always loved the classic polo shirt dress that Ralph Lauren is so famous for. While this classic look is always in style, it’s a big 2016 trend for sure! These dresses were crazy popular in the 80’s but adding a few different accessories (and leaving out the aerosol hairspray) can make it totally current.

The simple dress calls for simple (and I think comfy) accessories. Minimal jewelry helps keep the vibe casual and what pairs more perfectly with the preppy dress than simple bow earrings? Yep, pretty much nothing. They’re perfect for each other. And as far as footwear is concerned, don’t think you have to give up style for comfort- ankle strap sandals are another classic trend that is seeing a lot of love in 2016. Oh, and floppy hats are everywhere this year. I love them because they are a great way to finish an outfit with that little pop of interest and they totally hide 2nd day hair.

 

blue-polo-dress-standing

We found both high and low priced options for you so you can recreate this outfit no matter what your budget. Don’t worry if you fell in love with something from the higher priced side-while we were searching for sources, we found multiple deals at varying price points so we thought we’d include the best ones. No $800 shoes or $400 dresses because let’s be honest, it’s not in the budget for most us out there.

blue-polo-dress-high-low

Splurge Dress/Splurge Sandals /Splurge Earrings/ Splurge Hat/ Save Dress/Save Sandals/Save Earrings/Save Hat

*Dress is currently on sale for less than $40! With Polo dresses usually starting $150+, this is a steal and totally worth grabbing! Don’t forget to check out other awesome modest casual dresses on our site by clicking “Casual” in the nav bar above!

Happy Shopping!

Deals

ModCloth Super Swim Sale & New Swim Suits!

Modcloth_Super_Swim_Sale

We’re so excited to tell you all about this super swim sale (say that 5 times fast)! ModCloth emailed us earlier last week and we’ve been dying to share it and use it ourselves! 30% off all swim is the perfect way to snag that awesome suit that you’ve been dying to pick up. The sale goes from today (5/16) to Thursday 9 am (5/19).

While we’re on the subject of suits, we’re pretty sure you’ve already noticed that we’ve added a swim section to our site. We’ll feature more awesome suits throughout the spring and summer but today we’re focused on the gorgeous ModCloth suits since we know you love a good deal.

Tied up Loose Ends Swimsuit

Tie Up Loose Ends Suit

black_fringe_swim_suit

Splash Flow Suit

Malibu Muse One-Piece Swimsuit

Malibu Muse Suit 

current_mood_swim_suit

Current Mood Suit 

tie_dye_swim_suit

Read In Bewtween the Coastlines 

navy_ruched_onepiece_swimsuit

Bathing Beauty Suit (available in many colors and plus sizes)

Which one did you love the most? We love how each of them are so different yet totally gorgeous and modest. The fringe is totally on point for the 70’s trend that’s huge right now while the tie dye suit is totally rad (and 80’s)!  And we can’t forget about the 50’s style suits which ModCloth is known for. They’re beautiful in the stripes and navy but we love that that flattering cut also comes in multiple colors and as well as in plus sizes.

 Didn’t absolutely love any of the suits here? Don’t worry- they have almost 150 one-piece suits here! Happy Shopping and let us know which suit you love!!!

Event Dresses

Modest Bridesmaid Dresses That Are Actually Lovely

Wedding season is upon us and for many of us out there it means we’ll soon be expected to don a dress that matches 4 to 20 other women and smile in a million pictures. While it may be the happiest day of the bride and groom’s lives, many bridesmaids are not always quite as happy. This joyous day can be less than joyous when you’re wearing a less than flattering (or maybe even ugly) dress that will be forever documented in pictures and wedding albums.

Modest bridesmaid dresses can be even worse, especially since the selection is far more limited. But the good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. There are so many beautiful dresses out there now that are perfect for pictures and will leave you feeling beautiful. The best part is that the bridesmaids will actually want to wear the dress again!

We’ve compiled some of our favorites for you to find the bridesmaids dress of your dreams. While there are so many different styles and types of dresses out there, we’re focusing on styles that will look good on every body type and solids which look amazing in pictures.

Julia Classic Bridesmaid Dress JCrew Dress 

This dress is flattering on nearly everyone with the longer cap sleeves, banded natural waist, and beautiful and timeless a-line skirt. This dress is lovely in the soft rose color but is also available in Red, Light Lavender, Soft Tangerine, Gray Graphite, Blue Seafoam, Bright Blue, Navy, Deep Harbor Green, and of course, Black.

CEREMONY BY JOANNA AUGUST 'AURELE' CAP SLEEVE CHIFFON WRAP GOWN Aurele Chiffon Wrap Gown  

Ethereal is the only way to describe this dress. It’s light and airy, with the flattering and classic wrap silhouette. Another amazing dress that will look good on every body type. Fluttery sleeves and a belted tie waist give this dress just enough interest without taking away from the beauty in it’s simplicity. This gown comes in the light blue pictured above as well as a Soft Rose and a Deep Deep Blue.

alfred sung fit and flare

Alfred Sung Fit and Flare Dress 

How unbelievably retro and fabulous is this dress?! This is a timeless silhouette yet it has that sweet 60’s vibe to it. We love the clean lines of the fit and flare style with the bow detail at the waist. Available in Merlot, Black, Champagne, Silver, Plum, Navy, Deep Pink, Pearl Pink, Graphite, Royal Blue, and Soft Red.

Adriannapapellcapsleeve

Adrianna Papell Cap Sleeve Embellished Gown 

We love this gorgeous gown with just the right amount of chiffon and beading. Light and airy, this gown is perfect for standing next to the bride and looking lovely but still great for hitting the dance floor. This comes in Dusty Navy, Cream, Gunmetal, Blush, Dusty Rose, Midnight, Mint, and Silver.

 felicity_pencil_dressFelicity & Coco Seamed Pencil Dress

We would totally be remiss if we didn’t include a more modern and sleek dress in our line up. We love long and flowy gowns for more formal weddings but for less formal occasions or more modern weddings, this dress is perfect. Black is classic in every occasion, even weddings. We think, especially evening weddings.

We know that we can’t possibly show every awesome modest bridesmaid dress- that would be ridiculous, but we did round up a few more selections below in case you’re not 1000% in love with the ones we highlighted above.

Gorgeous-Modest-Bridesmaids-Dresses 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14

 We love #5 for more formal weddings and #1 and #14 for daytime weddings. So which one is your favorite? And would you wear any of these to a wedding?  We think #2 and #12 are great for attending as a guest, and to be honest, we’d wear #12 just about anywhere!

On Trend

Perfect White Dress & Overcoming Fear

P1020646P1020646Wayf_perfect_white_dress

Hey Ladies, this is Katy- Founder of CS and I thought that I’d take a second to introduce myself a bit better, talk about fear, and of course, share the perfect white dress. So while most of you know what we do (for those who don’t, we find and curate modest dresses), most of you don’t know exactly why we do it.

Right before I started Covered Style, I just closed down my online marketing consulting company and was looking for a new job, something that would make me more fulfilled and honestly, more happy. After a few friends urged me to start posting my modest dress finds online, I decided that creating a place for women to search through curated dresses would help fill a hole in the market and let me work on something that I love.

Starting this site has been hard work but good work and I’ve had so many women, bloggers, and brands reach out and say the most lovely things about the site and our mission. The issue is that people want to see the dresses and clothing on living, breathing people. While we’re working with bloggers now to photograph and style outfits, all of that takes time and a lot of resources. Having a new blogger each day (or week for that matter) is just not feasible right now so that meant conquering a HUGE fear of mine and stepping in front of the camera.

Let me say this right now, I am in no way a fashion blogger and could never be because 1. I am not photogenic(!) and 2. I just don’t have the desire. Most of my work day involves me sitting with my laptop, not contouring my face because I’m awful at stuff like that and don’t really care to change it. Plus, the purpose of my site is to give women a place to find beautiful modest dresses that are already out there, not copy what I’m wearing.

But again, the issue is that people want to clothes on actual people. So for the next little while, I’ll be doing a post weekly, showing you some of my favorite finds. I’m slightly terrified because the Internet can be a cruel place, but it’s always a good time to start conquering fears. And speaking of that, is there a better way to take a little spotlight off of yourself than holding a ridiculously adorable puppy? I think not.

So here I am, with Claude in hand, facing (and hopefully overcoming) my fear and wearing one of my favorite dresses that’s a crazy good deal. Check it out below and thanks for listening!

Dress/Earrings/Bracelet/Leopard Bracelet (similar)

Dress tips: This dress is beautiful and flowy and will hit just below the knee. It’s flattering on pretty much every figure I’ve seen (every blogger loves this dress) but I do recommend sizing down if you’re having trouble deciding which size. It’s lined which makes undershirt unnecessary (hallelujah!) so it’s perfect to throw on when you need get out the door but still look awesome! Hope this helps!

-Kate

Event Dresses

What to Wear to Your Wedding Shower

Wedding season is nearly upon us which means wedding parties and more specifically, wedding showers. While what you wear to your wedding shower is definitely not as important as what you wear on your actual wedding wedding day, we think that it’s far more important that most brides think. Here’s why: you’ll never wear your wedding dress again but you can totally wear your wedding shower dress again. Every time you put on something from your wedding shower, you can remember all the fun, food, and family and friends that surround and support you during this exciting time. Those memories will be captured in pictures for sure, but there will come a time when you don’t crack open the wedding album every day, or maybe even every year. The dress you wear or the shoes or accessories- those are wearable (and practical) sweet reminders.

So now that we’ve made our case for paying attention to what you wear, we want to talk about details. We’re firm believers in the idea that simple and elegant is the way to go for these type of events. There are plenty of occasions to rock bright red dresses, but your shower is probably not one of them. We love the idea of a simple and sweet white dress paired with a fun heel, and some gorgeous jewelry. We know you’ve already stressed about finding THE dress of your life, so we did a little work for you and found a few that we know you’ll love!

what-to-wear-wedding-showers

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

We’ll admit we pretty much love all of these dresses and would happily wear any of them. Most of the dresses are timeless white but we had to include a couple of white dresses with a floral pattern because they’re just so lovely, and floral is so classic and 100% on trend this year. The dresses vary in price quite a bit, but since we know that wedding budgets can be tight, most dresses are $100 or lower with some less than $40!

perfect-wedding-shower-shoes

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

Even though these shoes are so varied, we feel like they could all work beautifully as as long as they’re paired with the right dress. Floral dress means muted shoes or even stripes while a white dress means you can wear white, patterned, metallic, or even nude shoes. We love all of the shoes above but the #4 cutout dresses may need to come and live in each of our closets and could honestly work with any of the dresses above.

perfect-wedding-shower-jewelry

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

So let’s talk accessories. On your wedding day, you’ll most likely wear timeless and classic jewelry, which is perfectly OK. It’s extremely wise to be classic on that day, but your wedding shower and wedding parties are the times when you can have a little more fun and show a little more of your personality. Choose something that will match your outfit but also really showcase your style. One sweet tradition we’ve heard of quite a few times is wearing your wedding shower and rehearsal dinner jewelry on your honeymoon. We LOVE that idea and suggest you purchase the jewelry with your shower outfit as well your honeymoon outfits in mind.

We hope we’ve saved you a little bit of stress during this crazy, exciting time. Which piece is your favorite? We’ve already admitted we’re dying for those nude cutout shoes but we already have (and love!) the Heart or Gold Bangle as well. Whatever you choose, any of these pieces are sure to make you feel gorgeous as you get closer to your big day!

Blogger Feature

Blogger Spotlight: A La Modest

We are so lucky to spotlight one of our favorite bloggers today, Rachel at  A La Modest. She’s beautiful, kind, lovely, and ridiculously stylish! We’ve loved all of our bloggers that we’ve highlighted for so many reasons and Rachel is no exception. As you scroll down, we’re sure you’ll fall in love with her personality as well as her style too!

alamodest00

 

How long have you been blogging? I have been blogging since the early 2000s, There was no WordPress. I just updated a page manually! I’ve had multiple blogs since À LA MODEST. À LA MODEST however started in April of 2010.

What’s your favorite thing about blogging? I really like that you get to control the content and the look of your blog. It is your own platform, and you are its star… whether or not people are actually reading! It’s a good way to express yourself without boundaries, without anyone telling you what to do, without a boss. That’s everyone’s dream, isn’t it? 🙂

Where do you find your inspiration? I find my inspiration through movies, TV shows, music, cultures, and fashion editorials, both old and new.

a_la_modest1

 

Who are your favorite 5 bloggers? Jane Aldridge from Sea of Shoes, Rebecca from A Clothes Horse, Keiko Lynn, Luanna from Le Happy, and Louise Pando from Miss Pandora. These are all bloggers who I think are very cultured and unique and more intelligent with their styling than the average blogger.

What’s you best beauty/fashion tip? Best beauty tip, I’m not going to lie, whether or not women actually want to hear this, is to make your inside look good by eating clean. The beauty of your hair, skin, nails, lips, and figure will follow. I suggest to use the least amount of chemicals for the least damage. Makeup is about the only chemical I use on myself. I’ve stopped using body wash, shampoo, hair styling products, fragrance. Whatever I use on me is natural and pretty much edible! It’s definitely harder said than done. It’s a big commitment, and I understand the hesitation of many women.

Of all the ModCloth dresses on Covered Style, which one is your favorite? I really like the Sheath a Lady Dress if it were more high neck 🙂

sheathalady

Why is modesty so important to you? Modesty in regards to clothing is important because it allows women to preserve their dignity. It communicates to the rest of the world that she is sacred, holy, and precious. Her body is not to be used for selfish and temporary gain and is for one man, meant for lifetime commitment.

What’s your favorite vacation spot? I don’t really have a particular favorite. I do like being outdoors a lot, especially near bodies of water and mountains where the air is just fantastic!

Who is your beauty/fashion icon? I have so many fashion icons, but I think my favorite is Brigitte Bardot. She is not modest, but I like what she does with her hair, makeup, and styling options.

a_la_modest22

 

What makes you feel truly beautiful? I feel truly beautiful when I wake up in the morning and notice that I don’t need makeup today, which rarely happens! haha. Besides that, I feel it when my husband showers me with love and attention, no matter how I look that day, but especially when he notices the efforts I take to maintain physical attractiveness even after years of being married to him.

Thank you Rachel for your interview and we love your mod style! You’ve totally inspired us and we LOVE LOVE LOVE  all the amazing ways you wear (and rock) prints!

← Older Posts
Newer Posts →
Modest Fashion Network
covered-style-logo-reverse-footer-1

Covered Style is a site designed to make modest fashion more accessible.

To see more modest fashion, check out our blog, or browse through the shop!

Recent Posts

Useful Links

Instagram Feed

© Covered Style 2016. All rights reserved.