Dresses for Days

Dresses for Days

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

**Photography by Jana Kay Photography **

Dress: Ross (Ralph Lauren) | Shoes: Target (a new day) | Bag: Thrifted 

| Earrings: Five Below | Scarf: Vintage | 

When it comes to fashion, dresses are definitely my go to staple! If I were to show you my dress collection you might be shocked (because that is how many I have)......or to put it into perspective I have broken 2 clothing racks over the years because the amount of dresses is to much for the rack to handle!
Dresses are the one piece that take me back to my childhood, which seems weird, but growing up I remember loving dresses. I remember the girly prints I had and how twirling in a dress was the greatest thing ever:) I think that is why I still love dresses so much today, they make me feel like a little girl, giddy and excited, but also refined and elegant.
Just before Easter my mom and I were shopping at Ross and I happened upon this Ralph Lauren dress and I completely fell in LOVE! The dress immediately reminded me of something Julia Hengel would wear which just prompted me to love it even more. I don't often wear midi length dresses, but I think they are one of the most becoming styles of dress, being both feminine and classic (and for someone that is tall they give the added length I so desperately need). I actually wore this dress previously on the blog, but styled it casually with a denim jacket and sandals HERE.
For this shoot, I wanted to create a look that reminded me of something fit for Gal Meets Glam! I knew I wanted a straw purse, so after going to 3 different Goodwill's one day I finally found this darling bag and decided to pair it with a scarf for added elegance. I then chose to wear these white ball drop earrings and slip into a simple pair of nude suede block heels. Creating and capturing this look was so much fun because I actually got to work with a photographer, and she did a fantastic job of making my vision a reality (check here out HERE)!

Are you a fan of dresses?

-Madison

The Unflattering Outtakes

The Unflattering Outtakes

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Who ever said that it only takes a few shots to get a good picture was completely WRONG! If you have ever look at my blog, or Instagram and think "Man, she sure knows how to take great pictures," I am here to tell you that even though my feed might seem perfect and curated and my posts have "seemingly" flawless pictures that's NOT THE REALITY OF MY LIFE!! 

Amidst the perfectly posed pictures, smiles, and walking shots there are just as many (if not more) unflattering outtakes in which I am to slow for the self timer, have my face captured mid blink, for some reason just stare at the camera as if I want to murder it, people walk into the frame and I make a "do you not understand I am taking a picture" face, the wind blows hair in my mouth, face, and eyes, and well.......you get the "picture," that while my blog might seem perfect there are a host of unflattering pictures and imperfections that go along with it. 

I have noticed a trend on Instagram recently where bloggers share outtakes and bloopers on their stories to prove that they really aren't perfect as bloggers and I LOVE IT! I think for us a lot of the time people always assume that we know what we are doing and that we have it down to an art, but the truth of the matter is that ALL OF US are still figuring it out as we go, just like life! Life is a learning process with mistakes, outtakes, and bloopers and blogging is the exact same way! So next time you look at my posts or Instagram and think I have it all together just remember I have tripped running to get into the frame before the camera went off, the wind is not my best friend, and most of the pictures I take get deleted! 

-Madison

Growth

Growth

Monday, September 5, 2016

Jumper: Made

Shirt: Thrifted

Shoes: Thrifted

Necklace: Vintage

Well, it sure has taken long enough for me to get these pictures up on the blog, but considering that Fall is right around the corner this shoot seems like the perfect way to say farewell to summer. Today is Labor Day after all, which in itself seems to close the doors on summer fashion (goodbye whites) and usher in a new season of styles and colors. While I can't wait for the crisp fall weather to get here (yay for fall colors and sweaters), I can't help but think back to all of the lovely memories from this summer! This shoot particularly was a great memory because I had been dreaming of shooting at our local plant nursery for the longest time. Thankfully I persuaded two of my friends to come with me for a photo shoot day (just so happened to be right before I headed back to college) and boy did we get some lovely shots! Definitely a day to remember. 

With all that being said, and considering that I am completely surrounded by the loveliest plants in all of these pictures, it makes me think about "GROWTH." While growth definitely makes me think about all of the beauty in nature that I am surrounded by every day, it also makes me think about growth in my own life. Whenever I think about growth, so many thing pop into my mind such as beauty, new beginnings, lessons, and letting go. Specifically for me, I think about the amount of growth that I have done over the course of this current semester (even though we are only a week and a half into school). 

College itself has been all about growth for me, as I have had to trust God with areas of my life that were hard to trust him with and have faith that his plans were better than my own! I truly believe that the only way you will grow in life is when you learn to let go. However, letting go is one of the hardest things to do. Nevertheless, when we learn to let go we learn that it can be one of the most rewarding things because when we let go of our own desires we open ourselves up for God's greater plan in our life, and when we do that we grow in ways we would never have imagined! When I reflect back on the growth in my life I can't help but think back to a quote from Elisabeth Elliott which reads:

“There is no ongoing spiritual life without this process of letting go. At the precise point where we refuse, growth stops. If we hold tightly to anything given to us, unwilling to let it go when the time comes to let it go or unwilling to allow it to be used as the Giver means it to be used, we stunt the growth of the soul." 

We have to learn to let go in life in order to grow! After all, trees let go and loose their leaves so that they can grow new ones when spring comes.......sometimes we have to be willing to let go of our leaves too, so that new ones can grow. Growth is soooooo important in our lives, because without it we would never learn what we are capable of and even more so, what God is capable of in our life!

Have you experienced any growth in your life recently?

What do you think about letting go and growth?

-Madison

Hipster Coffee Spots

Hipster Coffee Spots

Thursday, May 19, 2016

 Last summer our town got the cutest and most fabulously hipster coffee shop called Jane and John Dough's and it has quickly become the "spot" that all the homeschoolers, hipsters, and college students in our area go to hang out, do Bible studies, or work on homework. Up until recently the only coffee place we had was a Starbucks, but there is just something special about those "one of a kind" coffee shops/bakeries that are tucked in the corner of town and give an ambience like no other coffee shop can give. 

Every time I visit the coffee shop I can never get over the little details that make it one of my favorite places! Whether it be the hand written menu, stamped coffee cups, eclectic furniture or flowers. Though I was only able to capture the outside feel of the place the other day I will have to capture the interior next time because it is soooooo perfect! 

Ever since my first visit to Jane and John Dough's it quickly became my go to when my friends and I wanted a place to hang out, catch up, or meet for a Bible study. Thus, now that all of our spring semesters are finished yesterday seemed like a perfect day to visit our favorite spot and catch up on all that has happened over our semesters. Over Lattes and baked goods we laughed and listened to each others stories and soaked in the time we had to spend together. 

It is often hard when you reach college age and everyone goes in different directions. Sometimes you can loose touch with everyone, but thankfully I am blessed with a group of friends that still manage to stay in touch here and there in the midst of our busy lives; and even when we go five months without seeing each other we still manage to pick up where we left off which is such a blessing. 

I must admit that I am becoming one of those blogger/photographer enthusiasts that totes her camera everywhere she goes and is constantly snapping pictures (even if that means standing on your chair for ten minutes). While I might look like a complete nut and my friends might get tired of me forcing them to smile, be normal as I take candid shots, or even make them take pictures of me, the more chances I get to take pictures the more comfortable I will become with using my camera in a variety of settings and therefore the better I will become at increasing my photography skills. I think that is one thing I am looking forward to this summer, in doing more photography! 

Do you have a unique coffee shop in your town?

Are you able to stay in contact with any of your college friends/friends who live elsewhere?

Are you someone who carries their camera around with them?

-Madison