Today, I thought I’d share a roundup of pink and red dresses perfect for Valentine’s Day. And not only for Valentine’s Day, but for any other events/occasions/destinations you have on the horizon that call for a little color.
If you’ve been following along for a while, you know Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays… and always has been! Whether or not a boy was in the picture, I always loved indulging in sweets, flowers, and all things pink and red.
Today, I thought I’d share a roundup of dresses perfect for the occasion. And not only for Valentine’s Day, but for any other events/occasions/destinations you have on the horizon that call for a little color.
As always, click directly on an image to shop. Also, keep an eye out for a little pink heart! This means the piece is under $100. Even more of a reason to love it!
pink and red dresses
I don’t know about you, but all of this color is putting a smile on my face. There are so many gorgeous pieces, but I’m especially loving this dress. A classic and timeless silhouette, but with a fun back! It comes in a few other colors as well, and I bet it would be stunning in black. Oh, and it’s under $100!
Since one of the trickiest parts of planning dinner is deciding what on earth to make, I thought I’d share what I’m planning on serving up this week with you!
If we’re being honest, January was a slow start for me y’all. I never quite managed to jump on the “reset” train, and have slowly and surely been working to switch up some of the 2020 habits I created. (Anyone else?!)
One of those less-than-savory habits? Way too much takeout. The irony is, Andrew and I both love to cook, but aren’t as good at preparation. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s that the prep work is the most crucial step in whether or not a homemade dinner makes it to the table. For a non-planner like me, this is sometimes the hardest step!
So yesterday, I decided to sit down and make a meal plan for the week. We let ourselves indulge in a little takeout on Friday nights, so I’ve come up with four recipes to get us fed in the meantime. Since one of the trickiest parts of planning dinner is deciding what on earth to make, I thought I’d share what I’m planning on serving up this week with you!
monday
roasted sweet potatoes, peppers and chicken sausage
This easy meal is a favorite in our household. Simple, low-fuss, and absolutely delicious. Plus, it’s low carb! The secret ingredient that keeps this dish from getting boreing? Red Clay Salsa Verde and Red Clay Hot Honey. Trust me on this one! Also, if you don’t have an air fryer, you can make the sweet potatoes in the oven as well. Just put in for twenty minutes, then add the pan of sausage and peppers for another twenty! Spoiler alert: I find the air fryer (we use and love this one) makes them the yummiest.
yields two servings
ingredients
1 pack of spicy Italian chicken sausage (we prefer Trader Joes)
3 bell peppers (I like one red, one orange, one yellow)
Cut bell peppers into 1″ pieces. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1″ pieces. Slice Italian chicken sausage into medallions
Drizzle sausage and bell peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on foil-lined sheet pan and place in oven for 20 minutes.
While the sausage and peppers are cooking, drizzle sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. (I also like adding paprika and garlic salt but those are optional.) Place in air fryer for 8-10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Tonight will be my first time making this yummy-looking dish, so I can’t personally vouch for its tastiness yet. I will say, however, that watching this video by @DaphneOz has me feeling quite confident this will be a new fave! I’ve never made a chicken burger before, but this one just sounds so good and has been in the back of my mind for a few weeks now. I’m planning to make the pickled red onions and lime yogurt sauce she mentions in the video as well! You’ll find all of the instructions in her caption below. I recommend watching the video as well… she’s just too cute!
This is another new-to-me recipe, but when it comes to Asian-inspired salmon of any kind, it’s a winner in my book. I have some frozen salmon fillets that I’ve been meaning to use, and this looked like the perfect way to do so! The only switch we’re making? Brown rice instead of white. (I live for the frozen organic brown rice from Trader Joes!) @BroccYourBody is a favorite of mine to follow on Instagram, and this will be my first recipe of hers. Crossing my fingers and licking my lips! You’ll find the recipe in her caption below and in this blog post.
Now this is a recipe I can personally vouch for! I’m a huge The Defined Dish fan, as I know many of you are as well, and have loved every recipe Alex creates. (If you haven’t ordered her cookbook yet, do it now!) This recipe she shared on her Instagram is one of my absolute favorites. It creates the most delicious and easy shrimp green curry. Let’s just say we never have any leftovers! You’ll find the recipe in her caption below.
There ya go, friends! Something about putting this list together and sharing it with y’all is making me especially excited to get back into the kitchen this week. I hope you enjoy these recipes, and I’d LOVE to hear what’s on the menu at your place this week!
Let me know if y’all would like to see more food-related posts like this! In the meantime, you can check out my other recipe posts here. Bon appetite!
I had been seeing the gorgeous silhouette of the Sue Sartor Paloma Dress here and there over the past few months, and decided this was the perfect occasion to pull the trigger. Let’s just say… I’m so happy I did!
This past week, I had the opportunity to attend The Southern C conference in Sea Island, Georgia. (Only a two and a half hour drive from Gainesville… who knew?!)
For the first time in a long time, I found myself with an exciting question. What on earth to wear?! I wanted to put my best foot forward and needed something a bit more special than the assortment of loungewear and athleisure I’ve accumulated over the past year. :)
I had been seeing the gorgeous silhouette of the Sue Sartor Paloma Dress here and there over the past few months, and decided this was the perfect occasion to pull the trigger. Let’s just say… I’m so happy I did!
After spending hours combing through all of the gorgeous print and color options, I landed on this baby pink Paloma dress. (It’s not online yet, but it will be soon!) Isn’t it a beauty?
I was nervous about how the sizing would work, as Paloma dresses are typically one of three options (Petite, Regular, or XL) and was so relieved and ecstatic when I tried it on. The Petite was perfect for my 5’2 self and not only did it fit like a dream, but the gorgeous and feminine silhouette was what my dreams are made of! (So happy that worked out because I got it in just a couple of days before I left for the conference.)
I am so excited to wear this all throughout spring and summer. It’s just one of those special dresses, you know? And I love that you can wear it with a sash, change out a different belt or wear straight. (And just a tip, I wore this slip underneath just since there’s so much white in the dress.)
I can’t wait to watch the Sue Sartor line grow and evolve. I just love all of the color and femininity Sue brings into her creations, and I feel so lucky to have one of her pieces to treasure and enjoy!
Today, I thought I’d share a few little presents perfect for Valentine’s Day with you… and all are $50 and under! Unlike my usual collages, please use the links at the bottom of the collage to shop!
One of my absolute favorite holidays of the year is nearly here. Valentine’s Day is just over 10 days away!
In my humble opinion, you do not need a significant other to celebrate this special day. I always think using it to love on dear friends is the most fun way to enjoy the day!
Today, I thought I’d share a few little presents perfect for Valentine’s Day with you… and all are $50 and under! Unlike my usual collages, please use the links at the bottom of the collage to shop!
I curated this list with one thing in mind: gifts I would actually love to receive. That’s why you’ll find all-time favorites like my go-to Chanel lip color (truly to die for!) and the amazon slippers I swear are better than Uggs. (More on that here.)
I also threw in a couple of new-to-me favorites. This monogrammed jute tote is a must… such a great price point! (A perfect bachelorette party favor, too!) I’m also loving this headband. It has a lovely fit and I can’t get enough of the print. Adorable!
Whether you’re looking to gift a friend or treat yourself, I hope this list gives you some fun ideas!
Over the past month, spending a few hours outside in the saddle each week, away from my computer screen and my email, doing my favorite thing has been absolute therapy.
On January 1st of this year, Andrew and I were taking a long walk through our neighborhood, one of our favorite things to do. Just a few miles down the road is an equestrian center, and on days we’re feeling particularly energized, we love taking the four-mile trek to go peer through the fence at all of the pretty horses.
I’m a horse lover through and through, always have been, and after growing up smack in the middle of Dallas (where I used to drive thirty to forty minutes out to ride) the fact that I now live just a two minute drive from a barn continues to delight me even after a year and a half of calling Gainesville, Florida home. Something about it just doesn’t get old.
On this walk, in particular, my husband Andrew encouraged me to do something a little bit different. “Why don’t you walk up and see if you can sign up for riding lessons?”
I’m not a “walk up and ask” kind of girl, mind you. I love rules, I love following rules, and I hate walking into unknown situations. Social anxiety, anyone? But after a bit of coaxing, he had me convinced. So in I walked… and after about fifteen minutes, out I walked to Andrew and Flynn waiting for me on the sidewalk, a huge grin spread across my face. After three years, I was getting back in the saddle!
Over the past month, spending a few hours outside in nature each week, away from my computer screen and my email, doing my favorite thing has been absolute therapy. I don’t know about you, but this past year had me spending so much time at home, by myself, looking to my screen for work and play. And while I’ve always enjoyed the creative aspects and connectivity of social media, I quickly learned it was an unhealthy (and anxiety-inducing) way to “escape” from the isolation brought on by the pandemic. Shocker, right? ;)
I felt a bit too weary to come up with any grand resolutions for 2021, and as I sit here closing out the first month of this year, I am so glad I didn’t force myself into any goals. Instead, I am so grateful I took a step away from more work, more screen time, more pressure laden resolutions and more time inside at home and towards a hobby that gets me outdoors, that gets meeting new people, and that fills my heart up to the brim.
I know how hard it can be to make the time to do something for yourself, especially when there’s always another email to answer or errand to run. (And I know that only multiplies once children enter the picture.) But one month into the new year, I’m so grateful to re-learn the gift of rest. Rest from work, rest from technology, rest from staring at a screen.
Even though it’s the opposite of what I often feel like I need to be doing, pressing pause on email, Instagram, and the demands of this world to get outside and do something I love has been the greatest gift. I have a suspicion it will never be easy to unplug and make room for these moments (there’s a sacrifice of time and finances, to be sure) but I’m learning it will always be worth it.
It’s been so long since I’ve shared a post “from the heart” (remember coffee dates?) and so I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to share this little update in my life with y’all. To be completely honest, criticsm and cruel comments/messages increased drastically this past year, and as a result, I’ve felt myself retreat quite a bit and grow more private than I used to be. But I’m working through that fear, and today feels like a step in the right direction for sure. A big, virtual hug to those of you who care enough to check in on these life updates. I am so grateful for you!
While I’m very much still a beginner and have no intention of turning this space into an equestrain-focused blog (if you are interested in that, however, check out My Equestrian Style!) I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to sprinkle a bit more horsey content into what I do here at Lonestar Southern. I’m feeling all sorts of inspired, and those moments are my favorite to share!
Before I sign off, I wanted to share the cutest equestrian apparel brand with y’all! Bit and Bloom was recommended by a reader, and I have fallen in love with their lovely, feminine pieces. A few weeks ago I ordered this top and this scalloped cutie, and have been so impressed with the gorgeous quality of both. While they’re designed for riding, I can’t help but think how cute they would be for tennis or golf as well! I reached out to the brand, and they were gracious enough to offer the code LONESTAR10 for 10% off!
It’s finally here, friends! The Tuckernuck online sample sale is LIVE. Click here to shop!
TOP white nealy blouse (sizing: wearing an XS, but if you’re small-chested like me the top might be a bit too big for you. I’m wearing a bandeau underneath!)
After being placed in a virtual wait line for a few minutes (maybe fifteen?) I was let into the sale… and let me tell you, it. is. GOOD. A huge selection, lots of different sizes, and really really amazing prices! Everything I hoped it would be and more.
The only major hiccup I experienced? Checking out. Bleh. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I finally removed everything in my cart but one dress. (This one!) Voila! I was able to check out!
I know it’s a pain, but if you’re having trouble, I recommend checking out each item individually. This is also a great strategy to ensure your favorites don’t sell out, since items are not reserved in your cart. Shipping is a flat $5 fee per order, so the additional shipping fees are not ideal with this method but I’m hoping the Tuckernuck customer service team takes care of it! (No promises, but it’s a gamble I’m willing to take considering how great the prices are.)
I wanted to share a few of my very favorite sale styles with you below. Heads up: things are selling out quickly!
I’ll be adding and updating this list today, and will keep a lookout for new arrivals tomorrow!
I am pleased as punch with what I ended up snatching from this sale. This blue and white dress, this pink dress and this dreamy sweater that I’ve had my eye on! As always, I would LOVE to know what you scored. Happy shopping, everyone!
Love from the Sunshine State,
Kate
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