Polka Dot Stroll

Polka Dot Stroll

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Dress: Ross | Shoes: Thrifted | Purse: Ross | Hat: Forever 21 | Scarf: Vintage 

*photos taken by my brother*

Nothing like a good polka dot dress and an afternoon strolling by old houses! A couple of weeks ago I took a day trip to the beach with my mom and brother, and you know me, I always plan for the occasion and the opportunity to take pictures:) With that I knew I wanted to stop along some of my favorite streets in Galveston to take pictures in front of the old houses. This happened to be a new street we found and I absolutely LOVE the houses!
Visiting the old historic parts of Galveston is as close as I get to visiting Charleston in Texas:) I have always loved old houses because they hold so much history and so many stories. I think just looking at and strolling by old houses takes me back in time and I start imagining who lived in the house 100 years ago, what they did, what kind of functions they had, what was their story? From landscaped yards, green lawns and quaint picket fences what isn't there to love!
Since I knew I would be going straight from the beach to downtown I tried to put together a simple, yet classic ensemble and this old brown and white polka dot shirtwaist dress was perfect. I wanted something simple, but also classic and southern so what is more classic than polka dots and more southern than a hat and a straw bag? For the record this is probably the quickest change I have made for a photo shoot as I threw this dress on over my swimsuit, put on a sparse amount of makeup (hence why I look slightly pale) and topped off my beach head hair with a hat! Honestly though, with old historic houses like these you can wear the simplest of outfits and still look classic!

Do you like historic houses?
Have you ever seen the historic homes in Galveston?

-Madison

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

Iced Coffee & Life Update

Iced Coffee & Life Update

Monday, August 14, 2017

Shirt: Old Navy

Shorts: Thrifted & DIY

Shoes: Shoe Carnival

Purse: Thrifted Coach

I've definitely drank my fair share of iced coffee and iced latte's this summer! We have the cutest hipster coffee shop in town and their Iced Latte's are to die for. Speaking of coffee places, our town is also getting a "Common Grounds" which is a well known coffee shop in Waco TX and I am freaking out!

However, let's talk life. I feel like I haven't shared much about life on here recently so here's an update. First off, I rescued a kitten + now kind of adopted him (full on catlady + cat mom mode). Went on 5 camping trips this summer with my family & I actually got tan at the beach and lake (not sure how I feel about it). Read a few books, taught two sewing classes & a dance camp, went on a road trip, visited family, hung out with friends, and watched a lot of TV show!

With that being said however, I am now in my last semester of college and this fall and will be doing student teaching, which means I will be in the classroom with students for 14 weeks. Student teaching is basically like being a full time teacher without getting paid, so as of next Tuesday its full on teacher mode!

While I am excited about student teaching, my semester is going to be pretty busy, which means the blog will be put on the back burner for bit. That doesn't mean I won't be blogging, but I will probably be posting less (which will be hard). I've gotten into a good rhythm this year with the blog and I am pretty proud of the content that I have created and posted, so to cut back will be a stretch.

What does this really mean for Minnie Muse? I am hoping to use part of my weekends for blog work, taking photos, editing, and creating content. However, with that, I will probably still only post once a week for now. Honestly, I have begun to realize how time consuming blogging truly is:) You might think that it takes less than an hour to put a post together but combining the time it takes for a photo shoot, plus choosing pictures, editing them, writing a post, and adding links it can be close to a 3 hour process or more! Therefore, while it's hard to accept that the blog can't be my top priority rest assured that I will not disappear!

I feel like there's more that I need to include in this post, but its already getting long :) so I  you all had a great summer and best wishes to the rest of the year or your new semester!

- Madison

Give Me All The Watermelon

Give Me All The Watermelon

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Skirt: Hannah Everly (sold out)

Shirt: Thrifted (Anne Taylor)

Shoes: Target

Purse: ebay

When summer rolls around all I want to do is eat watermelon (or any other summer associated treats), so when Hannah launched her spring skirt line I knew I just HAD TO HAVE this fabulous watermelon skirt! I have always been a fan of Hannah's skirts (see here, and here) and knew it was time to add another to my closet. 

Watermelon is the perfect novelty print for summer because what truly says summer more than watermelon? We cut it up and eat it at BBQs, we ice cakes to look like them, we cover our tables in watermelon printed table cloths, and babies run around in watermelon bathing suits.......I would almost say watermelon is an american summer emblem:) In our house we are huge fans of watermelon and always eat it in the summer or create new "watermelon" treats like homemade watermelon lemonade slushies (talk about delicious)! 

Regardless of whether or not you like watermelon, I can't get enough of it in my closet:) After I ordered this skirt I knew that I would be sharing it on the blog and immediately went to find a watermelon purse online to pair with it, and this little number that I found on ebay is the cutest summer accessory ever! As per Hannah Everly fashion I decided to mix a striped top with my skirt for a fun outfit combo and paired it with my white ked style sneakers from Target. And you can't really see it in these pictures but I am even wearing watermelon earrings...LOL

I might be a bit obsessed with this fruit......WARNING.....you might even see more of it on the blog this summer!

Are you a fan of watermelon?

-Madison

The Spring Jumpsuit

The Spring Jumpsuit

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Jumpsuit: Ross

 Shoes: Cato's

Purse: EverlyOak

If you follow me on Instagram you have probably seen my stories and posts about my spring style obsession....culotte Jumpsuits! This blue and white striped number is absolutely TO DIE FOR and I couldn't pass it up when I found it. If there is one piece in my wardrobe that's already been worn multiple times this spring, this jumpsuit would be it! 

Stripes have always been one of my favorite prints, and the colors in this combo are perfect for this season. The light airy fabric of this style makes you feel like you are wearing pajamas which is always the GREATEST thing ever:) I also love all the details like the front pockets, buttons, and front tie. 

I think the greatest thing about jumpsuits is that they are so versatile in styling. I can easily pair this with clogs and some fun statement pieces or throw on a denim jacket and sneakers to dress it down. For this look I knew I just had to pull out my new Everly Oak basket purse to pair with the look and opted for my sued flats and a floral head scarf to give it a vintage vibe. Whatever the case, occasion, or day might be this jumpsuit will be my ultimate go to this spring into summer so expect to see it even more! 

Also....on a side note, I am heading out tomorrow to speak at the 2017 Modest Fashion Guild conference and I am so SUPER EXCITED to meet everyone who will be attending and speak to all the girls about "Styling Outfits For Photo Shoots." Not only will I get to talk to a couple people I have met on Instagram, but I can't wait to visit with girls who love fashion as much as me. 

Have you ever tried a Culotte Jumpsuit?

-Madison