Sometimes sayings or quotes are so overused that they become trite and meaningless…
THE STORY
…Such is the case with the phrase “It’s the little things in life”. You hear it quite often as a reminder to appreciate the moments as opposed to getting so caught up in the daily grind that you miss the beauty happening right in front of you. While it’s true that it might be overused, it’s also pretty sound advice.
I’ve found that the older I’ve gotten the more I have come to appreciate the little things; it’s the moments that matter. It’s the moments that when all added together, make that elusive thing called happiness. I thought I’d share with you a few of “the little things” that have made me smile recently:
- Breathing in the scent of the fresh cut tulips in my kitchen
- Sharing a spontaneous laugh about something silly with my husband
- Just sitting quietly and watching the smile and complete contentment on the face of one of my autistic students while he’s involved in an activity that he loves
- Seeing my hyacinths and daffodils starting to poke through the Earth
- Feeling the sunlight on my face
- The smell of coffee brewing in the morning
- Watching my daughter taking the time to chat and genuinely engage with my students
- Still seeing daylight when it’s after 7 p.m.
See what I mean? None of these seem to be all that important in the big picture. But that’s just it…they are the big picture. So try to remember, as trite as it may sound, it truly is the little things in life that matter. What are the little things that have made you smile lately?
THE OUTFIT
Layering can be a girl’s best friend. This burgundy floral print dress is pretty on it’s own…but the addition of the lace duster (actually it’s a swimsuit cover up) over top takes it to a whole new level. When I wore this brown floral dress, I layered a tulle skirt underneath for a similar hit of visual interest.
This particular floral print dress is perfect for in between seasons weather. It’s a soft stretchy knit, but it’s still substantial enough for a little warmth. The shorter sleeves make it easy to layer underneath a duster, sweater or jacket. I personally hate layering long sleeves over long sleeves…I feel so constricted when I do that so I’m a big fan of shorter sleeves for layering purposes.
My pink over the knee boots were the perfect finishing touch. Not only do they match the print in the dress, they also kept the gams warm since while it might look like Spring it’s definitely still pretty chilly outside. I added the belt to give it all some shape (and another level of interest) because there’s actually a whole lot of volume going on with the dress.
THE TIP
Layering isn’t only something you do in the Winter for necessities sake. Layering pieces is an easy way to add visual interest to any outfit. When the weather starts to warm up simply layer lighter weight pieces. Think tee shirts, tank tops, lace or lightweight kimonos, blazers and jackets. And don’t forget the bottom half; you can always layer a skirt or lace extender underneath a dress for a little peek of lace, tulle or chiffon at the hemline.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Dress: Similar; Duster: JCPenney (Similar); Boots: Charlotte Russe (Similar)
