Sea Turtle Shift Dress

We are very fortunate to live in the San Francisco Bay Area where within a short road trip we can spend the day at some of the most beautiful and scenic beaches in the world.  One of my favorite things to do is pack a picnic lunch and hop in the car with my family to take a leisurely drive down the coast to Big Sur via Highway 1.  

One of our favorite beaches that we recently discovered is Monastery Beach in Carmel.  My niece, Brianna, was married on this beach last August and it was one of the most beautiful wedding ceremonies we have ever attended.  Here's our family photo that we took on the beach following the ceremony.  If you'd like to see more pictures of her beach wedding ceremony, check out her blog post here on www.lifeofsawdey.com.  

We actually took many of these photos last spring when my niece was scouting beach locations and potential reception halls.  She always dreamed of a beach wedding and Monastery Beach in Carmel was the perfect backdrop to a beautiful day.        

This "All For Color" dress is one of my favorites for spring and summer!  I immediately fell in love with the sea turtle print which reminds me of our family vacations in Maui.  It's the perfect dress to pack away for a warm weather vacation, in fact I also wore it on our Caribbean cruise last summer and received so many compliments!  This print has been so popular that it's s currently out of stock in this sleeveless style.  However, I found it in this tunic dress style which I absolutely adore!  Check it out here and see the picture below to view it in this style.

   

This dress is ultra flattering and easy to slip on. It has a comfort stretch fabric that is is wrinkle resistant, which makes it perfect for packing on vacation!  When it's hot and humid out it feels cool on the skin and also offers UPF 50+ excellent sun protection!  Just add flip flops, sunglasses, a sun hat and you will be ready to go!  

If you happen to love the high neck shift dress style I have on then you'll love the variety of fun spring/summer prints to choose from.  The names alone will have you dreaming of summer vacation!  

Here are a few of my favorite prints:

Shellicious - a pretty pink and light blue shell print perfect for Palm Beach!

Dancing Palms - a gorgeous palm print for your next tropical island vacay!

Lime-a-Rita - a vibrant yellow and mint green print for a trip south of the border!

Pink Prep - a bright pink geometric pattern for a girls trip to Palm Springs!

Birds of a Feather - a beautiful blue print to wear to your Hawaiian luau!

Sand Dollar - a pretty blue sand dollar print for your Carmel beach getaway!

Blue Lagoon - remember the movie with Brooke Shields?

  

If you ever get the chance to drive down the coast of California from the San Francisco Bay Area, you don't want to miss a stop in Carmel.  There is so much to see and do including the beautiful beaches, incredible vineyards in the valley, art, shopping, and darling bed and breakfasts and quaint inns to stay at.

Monastery Beach is known for it's natural beauty, blue waters, sandy beach, and rugged landscape.  However, please be aware it is not a swimming beach and may be unsafe for children.  There is a severe undertow and rip current that is extremely dangerous. My advice is to enjoy the natural beauty and views from afar and follow the warning signs posted.  You can catch beautiful sunsets and may even see some sea life close to the shore including dolphins, sea lions, and humpback whales!

If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

#allforcolor
#enjoylifeincolor

xoxoxo,
🌴🌴🌴

Hayley

Related Posts:

Bird of Paradise

I don't know about you but I have already been doing some warm weather vacation dreaming! I know it's only mid-February and we still have a month to go before spring blooms but I just can't stop thinking about sunny days, sun tan lines, palm trees, and flip flops!  What is your top travel destination for spring break?  Last year, we spent a week in Carmel and I recently stumbled across these pictures that I never posted about.  Remember when I was a brunette?

Featured:

Birds of Paradise Tessa Cut Out Dress by All For Color

(currently sold out in this print but available in the following prints)

Blue White Tile - perfect for Santorini Greece

Garnet Black Tile  - Crash my Playa?

Blue Navy Tile - watch the Maui sunsets

Flamingo Tango - fun print for a Palm Beach getaway

Maroon Orange Tile - Morocco sunrises !

Purple Gold Tile - Palm Springs girls getaway?

  

I immediately fell in love with the Birds of Paradise print and I knew it would be a fun dress to take with me on vacation to Carmel!  Try not to be blinded by my sunless white legs!  It was spring break and the first time these legs were seeing sun!  By the way, if you love this bird of paradise print as much as I do, you can still pick it up in other styles such as these shorts, this darling cut out tank , and this criss cross tunic - check out the back!

If you have never been to Carmel by the Sea, you will be amazed at how much there is to see an do!  I love history and architecture so on this particular day, we visited the Carmel Mission which is a historic Roman Catholic mission church than opened in 1797.  A US National Historic Landmark, the mission is known for it's Spanish Colonial architecture and notable interments:

Juan Crespí (1721–1782), Spanish missionary and explorer
Fermín Lasuén (1736–1803), Spanish missionary and explorer
José Antonio Roméu, (1742? – 1792) Spanish governor of California
Junípero Serra (1713–1784), founder of the Spanish missions in California 

 
The Carmel Mission currently serves as an active parish church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey.  In addition to its activity as a place of worship, Mission Carmel also hosts concerts, art exhibits, lectures and numerous other community events. 

I really enjoyed exploring the historic grounds and checking out the on site museums.  There are four specific museum galleries: the Harry Downie Museum, describing restoration efforts; the Munras Family Heritage Museum, describing the history of one of the most important area families; the Jo Mora Chapel Gallery, hosting rotating art exhibits as well as the monumental bronze and travertine cenotaph (1924) sculpted by Jo Mora; and the Convento Museum, which holds the cell Serra lived and died in, as well as interpretive exhibits.

This is one of those sun dresses that makes packing for vacation so easy!  Just grab a pair of sandals, a cute straw hat, some matching sunnies, and you have yourself the perfect outfit for a warm weather getaway!  You may want to bring a light cardigan or denim jacket for the evenings.  Carmel by the Sea can get a little chilly when the sun goes down or early in the morning when the marine fog layer covers the coast.  I brought my favorite straw hat that I bring on every spring/summer trip and I always have a few pairs of sandals to choose from.  Here are a few of  my summer favorites: 

   

  

  

If you've never had a chance to check out All For Color, you are going to thank me for the recommendation!  They specialize in bright and colorful apparel and lifestyle accessories for women of all ages.  If you are looking for something to bring on vacation but don't want to spend a lot of money but still get really great quality, I highly recommend checking them out!  I ended up buying several dresses, shorts, and tank tops that I literally wore all spring and summer long!  

If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

#allforcolor
#enjoylifeincolor

xoxoxo,
🌴🌴🌴

Hayley

Valentines Gift Guide for the Hostess

 I love to host gatherings with friends and family.  Whether it's a holiday soiree, summer barbecue, or just a casual get together, its fun to plan, shop, and decorate for the event!  My husband is the chef in our family and he usually takes care of the shopping and cooking.  I do all the planning and decorating and take care of cleaning too, so we make a pretty good team!  I like pay special attention to the details.  For example, picking up fresh cut flowers for the table or incorporating some of my favorite and treasured items like our champagne flutes from our wedding or my antique pie dishes.  I also like to bring out or shop for items that go along with the theme of the party - like canning jars for drinks at a summer barbecue or dishes/linens that reflect a spring theme for an April brunch.  

Valentines Day is just around the corner and many of you may be attending Valentines or Galentines Day parties or perhaps hosting one yourself. Williams Sonoma is currently having a sale up to 30% off on their Valentines favorites that you don't want to miss!  Make sure you pick up your favorites and if you plan on attending a V-Day soiree, get one for the hostess as well!  Shop some of my favorites below!

(Photos from Williams Sonoma)

    

How cute are these heart shaped white marble coasters, cheese board, and this cheese knives set?  I love the look of white marble and the heart shaped design adds a special romantic touch for Valentine's Day or any occasion!

I have been eyeing these dishes in the Firenze collection.  I adore the lace and loop detail which has a delicate and graceful feminine appeal.  They're also microwave, oven , and dishwasher safe which is a big plus for durability in my book!  Here are a few of of favorite pieces in the collection which really can be used any time of year!:

Cake Stand - put your favorite Valentines cupcakes on top!

Heart Carved Plate - a great plate for serving yummy appetizers!

Don't forget the dinner and appetizer plates which come in a set of four!

The red heart Valentine's Day collection is also a fun and more casual option!  You can find each piece here: plates, bowls, platter, espresso cups, and mugs

If you'e looking for some sugar to give your sweetheart or just some easy pre-made treats delivered to your doorstep before your party, you'll want to check out these cakes, candies, and chocolates!  Designed specifically for Valentines Day with no baking...no mess...and a lot of satisfied and envious guests!  Check out all of the Valentines Food favorites here! They are currently 20% off for a limited time only and you still have time to get them delivered before Valentines Day!

Last but not least, I always like to welcome my guests with beautiful seasonal wreaths on my front door and fresh flowers on my table and sprinkled throughout the house!  Here are a few of my favorites:

from left to right:
Pink Rose Heart Wreath
Bay Leaf Wreath
Coxcomb Heart Wreath
Lavender Heart Wreath
Shop more floral here!

Are you attending any Valentines or Galentines parties this weekend?  If you are, have a fun time and don't forget to pick up a hostess gift!  I never show up to a party empty handed!  Tell me all about your plans for Valentines Day and/or how you like to incorporate a little V-day love into your house.

If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

With Love,
xoxoxo,
Hayley
💘💘💘💘💘