Why is Monday so close to Friday, but Friday so far from Monday? Ha! My mom stumbled across this quote the other day, shared it with me, and you know what? It’s SO TRUE! Anyway, let’s not worry about Monday right now! It’s starting to finally feel like spring in CT and I’m loving it! I shot these outfits with my cousin Adrianna when I was down in North Carolina (so a while ago!) and feel like these two all-white outfits are a bit more appropriate to share now that our days are getting warmer!

I’ve always dressed on the more conservative side. That’s how I comfortable, that’s what I gravitate towards, and it’s who I am. Or who I thought I was. Probably about a year ago now it finally hit me. I’m not sure what triggered it, but maybe it was just hearing “you have such a cute soccer mom style!” or “Helen you look like such a soccer mom in that outfit…uhh..in a good way!” a few too many times (too many to count!) I finally came to the realization that what’s the point of dressing like I’m in my forties when I’m in my twenties? I could just picture myself in my forties as a soccer mom, but wearing crop tops and cutoff jean shorts trying to catch up on trends and styles I’d missed out on when I was younger. This is real people, I actually freaked out about this!

So I finally decided to slowly start pushing myself out of my comfort zone, never forgetting my “soccer mom-esque” roots. At the end of the day, I’m a girl who loves seersucker, gingham, flowy shirts, and a higher neckline! But that doesn’t mean I can’t every once in a while add a dress with cut-outs (this Express one is so much fun!) or a cropped top with higher-waisted jeans! It’s all about balance, and I think I’m starting to really come into my own, quirky meshing of age-appropriate looks while keeping with my soccer-mom roots!

I’m sharing with you today white, ruffle blouses two ways: one more conservative, and one more flirty. Let me know what you think, would you like to see more of these kinds of posts?

jeans: similar here, here • shoes: Jack Rogers • top: Forever 21 • jacket: AG Jeans • bag: Forever 21

***my bag is under $20 and my shirt is under $15!***

Look 1: Flirty

This ruffle top from Forever 21 is a tad roomy. I find that their sizes run large, so most of the time their size small doesn’t fit me. My jeans are from Blank NYC and I love the fit! They have a stretch to the fabric, but they don’t stretch out when you’re wearing them. This is HUGE for me! I’m always looking for jeans that are comfortable, I don’t want to lose circulation in my legs from wearing tight pants, but I also don’t always want to wear boyfriend style jeans either. And on the other note, I can’t stand it when I put on a pair of super tight jeans and by the end of the night they’re falling down or they’re making me look like I have baggy butt syndrome! My bag is from Forever 21 and it’s such a steal, under $20 and it’s my go-to bag so far this season! Isn’t that always the way it works? The bag you spend the least amount of money on turns into your “it” bag? Ha! As for my shoes, I’m all about not compromising comfort with style. These Jack Rogers wedges are comfortable, easy to walk around in, and pretty darn cute if I may say so myself! Oh yeah! And my Jean Jacket is AG! Love it!

I’d wear this look if I was hanging out with my girlfriends, going to brunch, going on a date (not a first date though!), on vacation….the list goes on!

sneakers: Superga • shirt: similar here, here • bag: from Italy, but I love this one!!

Look 2: Conservative

This outfit is more my pace. While I had to spend time putting together the last look, this one came to me in a second! I’m all about finding a fun statement piece to make my classic outfit a little different. Sure, I’ll be the first to say it. The sneakers make this outfit borderline frumpy, BUT this outfit is super practical and you’ll more often than not catch me in something similar to this if I’m running around or meeting friends for dinner.

This ruffle top is from J.Crew (last season), but there are plenty of other options that are comparable! Jeans are the same (Blank NYC), my sneakers are my ride or die Supergas, and my bag is such a special gift my parents brought back from Italy for me!