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Style & Substance

White Dress & Shopping For a Cause Giveaway

 Style

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White Dress, Yellow Shoes (similar), Bracelet, Earrings,  Shine Project Bracelet

I was feeling goofy and not really wanting to have my picture taken so I had my little fur baby join me. I’ve got to say that I love this white dress from Wayf and it’s definitely been on repeat all summer. It’s been insanely popular and it’s almost sold out so grab it while you can, especially since it’s under $70!

Substance

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I know that here at Covered Style, the focus is more on modest fashion and and all things lovely, but honestly, I can’t look around at all of the sadness and tragedy going on right now and focus on just dresses and apparel. Every time you turn on the TV, jump online, or even just log onto Facebook there’s another mass shooting, violent attack, or political argument. It’s so easy to feel like we live in a terrible world and that the evil out there is just too great.

BUT we can change things, we can help bit by bit. Instead of focussing solely on the dark issues around us, we can look for ways to change things for the better. Now I’m not suggesting that we stick our heads in the sand and ignore the issues around us- that’s not productive or wise, but we can fight sadness with generosity, anger with kindness, and fear with hope.

I think that we all want to help make the world a bit brighter, but often times we don’t know where to start or we don’t think we have time, or maybe even feel overwhelmed by it all. Luckily, contributing in meaningful ways is easier than ever. There are so many non-profits out there that specialize in helping normal, every day people donate time, money, talents, or abilities. KIVA is one that I’ve personally supported for a long time but I’m always looking for ways to give back and I’ve completely fell in love with The Shine Project and their amazing jewelry.

 The Shine Project is a non-profit that sells all types of gorgeous jewelry made by first generation college students. It gives them a flexible job and great work experience so that they can not only have more financial security through college, but they also gain valuable skills that they can take on to their post-college careers. Every piece of jewelry bought helps keep an individual in college, so honestly, you’re shopping for a cause which is pretty much the best of both worlds. Go check them out and buy yourself something gorgeous- you’ll look and feel great!

And because I love you all so much, we’re giving away their Pearl Pixie bracelet, just like the one I’m wearing above. There are multiple ways to enter and each one counts as a single entry

Ways to Enter:

  1. Follow us on Instagram @covered_styles & like the giveaway post
  2. Tag two friends (on IG post) who would love the bracelet
  3. Leave a comment below letting us know which white dress on our site is your fav
  4. Like Us on Facebook

Winner will be chosen at random on 8/3 and must be following at time of entry.

Good luck!

Style & Substance

Work Ready & Chic Laptop Tote

Style

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Dress, Shoes (cheaper option), Earrings on crazy sale!, Bracelet, Lipstick, Tote 

It’s not every day that you try on a dress and feel like it’s made for you, but honestly, that’s what happened when I put this on. The associate at Nordstrom said that this dress is selling out quickly because the cut looks good on pretty much everyone. I believe it, because I’ve never paid so little for a dress with such quality. The dress is completely lined and the fabric has just the right amount of stretch. It holds its shape perfectly and doesn’t wrinkle or ride up when you sit down, which is pretty much amazing. The pleats in the chest area are great for larger or smaller busted- women and the neckline is interesting and modest enough for any occasion. Can you tell I love it? 

For full disclosure, I wore this at a wedding and although it’s technically a great work dress, it truly was perfect for attending morning wedding. I received so many compliments on the dress and entire outfit! Don’t you just love a dress that you can wear again and again and to multiple functions? And Nordstrom just released this same dress in black and blue as well as this deep berry so if you’re in need of a fabulous modest LBD or a stunning electric blue dress, look no further.

Substance 

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Let’s sit and chat for a minute about business bags for women. Can we all agree that on a whole they are either boxy, unattractive, and overly masculine, or feminine and pretty but useless and unstructured? I’ve spent hours and hours looking for a bag that is both useful and attractive and this bag is undoubtably the winner.

I’ll talk about the bag a little more in a minute but I want to discuss why, even though women have been a huge part of the workforce for decades, we can’t get decent work totes and bags. I know that I’m not alone in my frustration with this issue, I mean, there are plenty of men’s briefcases with laptop sleeves and storage, and pockets. Women make up half of the work force, so it’s pretty silly that we can’t easily find a bag that fits common work needs. Amiright?

But enough with my feminist complaints. If there is a bag that compensates for the general lack of suitable business bags, this bag is it. It’s a Michael Kors bag but IMHO, the name on the bag is far less important than the quality and design. This bag has simple and classic lines and textured leather which is not only gorgeous, but crazy durable. It’s a work ready chic laptop tote with plenty of storage which is basically what every working woman needs. I’ve used it for work, business travel and meetings, and all of my international trips. It’s like a charming boyfriend- you can take it anywhere and love to have it on your arm ;).

Happy Hump Day!

Style & Substance

$20 T-Shirt Dress You Need & Funky Printables

Style

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Dress, Crystal Necklace, Sunnies, Fringe Sandals

Summer is hot and down here in Austin, it’s mega hot! So when I decided to head down to Graffiti Park at Castle Hill, I knew pretty much exactly what I wanted to wear. This $20 T-Shirt dress has been a go-to in my closet for a long time because it’s pretty and flowy, and the fabric has an amazing texture to it which makes it feel like a more expensive dress. It’s also breathable, which is great because when it’s a million degrees and you’re in a concrete jungle getting your spray paint on, you’ll do just about anything to stay cool.

Fit tip: Order up a size. It’s fairly fitted in the shoulders and sleeves.

 

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If you’re in Austin and want to the chance to make your graffiti mark, head down to the park anytime but please learn from my experiences. Bring your own can of spray paint- there’s not a place close to purchase any, and watch where you park! We weren’t as careful as we should have been which may or may not have resulted in a parking ticket. :/

 

Substance

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Honestly, I almost didn’t mention the parking ticket because compared to everything else that it going on in the world right now, it’s so minuscule. I’m not sure about anyone else, but it seems like every time I turn around, there’s another tragedy, another life cut short and more hate and fear being spread. It’s too much. I honestly believe that the human heart was never made to handle global heartache.

But even in the midst of all this sadness and tragedy, I’m constantly surprised with the kindness of people around me. Austin is a great place but we don’t hold the market on kindness; my travels have proved that individuals all over the world are compassionate and generous. Walking around the park, it was comforting to see how many artists painted messages of love.

I fell in love with two pieces of art in the park and thought that I’d share them. We all need a little inspiration sometimes and while I’m certain this isn’t Banksy, the art is good enough to hang in your house or office.  We converted them into downloadable PDFs so that you can print the- just click the link below each picture for a photo quality, 8.5x 11 image.

 

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Peace and love!

 

 

 

Style & Substance

Easiest 4th of July Outfit & Celebrating with Your Pup

Style

The spirit and pride that comes with being an American is palpable this time of year and it makes me feel incredibly grateful to be from this incredible country. I love dressing up in red, white and blue each year as we head outside for the festivities, but just because it’s bajillion degrees doesn’t mean that we have to break out jeans and a t-shirt. Let’s resist those $5 flag shirts because let’s be real- they are adorable on a 5 year old but not quite as cute or put together on a grown woman. Getting dressed for the 4th doesn’t have to be complicated at all. The easiest 4th of July outfit is so simple and classic and you can wear it year after year. Throw on a blue and white dress with some red lipstick on and you’re totally good to go!

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Striped Dress / Perfect Red Lipstick/ Sandals/ Sunnies 

This dress is sold out unfortunately but we found a Ralph Lauren dress on sale for even less than this one! Stock on it is low so check it out before it diappears! And the NARS lipstick is one of those shades that happens to look amazing on every skin tone.

Substance

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What’s more American than packing up the whole family and pup and heading out to celebrate? While we totally recommend including your four legged friend in your celebrations, not all activities are canine friendly. We’ve compiled a list of places to take (and not to take) your pup to on the 4th as well as some tips to keep everyone happy and healthy.

Dog Friendly

  • Parades- The main streets in our city are lined with people and their pets in the morning. Tie a bandana around their neck and head out the door to with them to watch all the local fanfare. Don’t forget to bring a water bottle for them and a drinking dish. Frisbee’s work great for this and can serve a dual purpose.
  • Barbecues- We think that when it comes to grilling out, bringing your pup is the smart way to go. Inevitably something gets dropped and your furry friend will be right there to help you out with that.
  • Swimming or Boating- Throw a life jacket on your pup and you’re ready to hit the water!

Not so Dog Friendly

  • Fireworks- Dogs are amazing but they also have much smaller prefrontal cortexes which means loud noises and bangs are very scary to them. Wonder why they bark at any noise near your front door? This is why. Vets recommend leaving your dog at home during the fireworks and speaking from experience, so do we!

We hope you have an fun and safe 4th!

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.

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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. 

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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

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