The sales of all sales. I actually debated if I wanted to include some of my favorite sale picks or not from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. Over the years, the sale has gotten a bit of a negative reaction and I can 100% understand why. Personally, I’ve felt the overwhelm from the sale and what felt like every Instagram blogger sharing their top 1,000 picks. Thankfully the hype seems to have slowed down a bit.

The main reason I blog is to share fun and quality classic and coastal pieces to make your life easier! Fashion is fun and brings me tons of joy. I am not a Nordstrom card holder but from time to time, I find really great items on their website, especially shoes and dresses for special occasions! All of my picks are clothes you can wear everyday (thinl WFH life) and are casual, cute and functional.

White Wide Leg Pants / Gal Meets Glam Dress / Pink Fleece Jacket / Neutral Mule / Tortoise Sunglasses / Supergoop Sunscreen / Striped Button Up Shirt / Navy Matching Pajama Set

Before I start, I just want to say, you never need anything from a sale and there is absolutely no pressure!!! Fashion is fun! The pieces I’ve picked are all items that I use to start dressing for our Florida “fall” like a striped long sleeve top and wide leg pants. If your like me and live in a warm climate, they work for year round like sunscreen and sunglasses.

First up is the Gal Meets Glam Courtney Dress. This is actually the main reason I wanted to blog about the sale for the firs time on here. If you have not heard, Julia stopped designing GMG dresses so this is really a one of a kind dress that will not be made again. Typical of the sale, limited sizes in 8-20 are available at the moment. I would keep an eye on it because sizes are known to go back in stock if returns are made (updates seem to be pretty frequent).

Next up is this Supergoop SPF 50 spray mist sunscreen. It’s $42 for a pack of 3. Seems sort of steep but it’s actually a great deal for a natural, reef safe, USA made sunscreen brand. I love spray sunscreen for when I can’t reach my back! There is also a Daily Moisturizer SPF 40 Set for $39.00.

I am in desperate need of pajamas. They are to the point where there’s holes and the elastic is peeking through. I really hope this navy matching pajama set (on sale for $29) is still available tomorrow when the sale opens for non-card holders.

During the fall, I would get tons of use out of these tan backless mules. They pair great with jeans or dresses and instantly dress any outfit up! Last but not lease are these adorable white wide leg pants (under $36). The wide leg style is not for everyone but I personally love them! When I was teaching I would pair them with striped shirts and button ups and it made a really simple and classy outfit.

Shop My Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Faves

If your like me, the sale for non-card holders starts tomorrow, 8/19!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post Favorite Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks! appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Happy Birthday America and Happy 4th to you! This is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate because it’s an excuse to wear as much red, white and blue as possible, eat lots of fruit and enjoy endless family time. My fam and I already took a bike ride (sooooo hot), had a competitive match of volleyball (winner had to make chicken salad ) and am now sucked into our newst Netflix series – Virgin River. Hope you enjoy this weekend and get lots of rest!

The online sales right now are incredible! Summer is my favorite season to buy for and the time I stock up on all my favorite essentials like classic shorts, tank tops, striped tops and colorful dresses. See my favorite sale finds below! I bought these eyelet shorts, this ruffled sleeve top and am eyeing these sailor inspired shorts!

Ann Taylor – 50% Off Full Priced Styles (free shipping on order over $49)

J.Crew – 50% off *almost* everything & 70% off sale with code GOFORTH

LOFT – extra 70% 4+ sale styles OR 60% off 3 sale styles with code HBDUSA

Madewell – 30% off sale with code GIANT

Talbots – 60% off 3, 50% off 2, 40% off 1 (free shipping $99+)

Let me know your favorite sale finds!

The post My Fav 4th of July Sales! appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Today I am so excited to collab with my friend Caitlin from Lemonade Press and bring you our best tips for clothes shopping on a budget. We both connected on Instagram about 3 years ago because we were both teachers at the time who bonded over our love of classic style and adventure. She’s also a believer and shes seriously the sweetest, most encouraging girl ever!

Originally we had planned on publishing this post in March/early April and then the Rona happened and we held off a bit. Last week I DM’d her and said, “Want to give it a go, I think it’s time!” and she was on the same page. We both agreed it was the perfect time to compile our tips and share them with the world. Now, these are not ground breaking tips, just the simple ways I save money when shopping for clothes.

Have you ever daydreamed about buying whatever you wanted, with no budget and no need to look at the price tag?! This is a slightly embarrassing reoccurring dream of mine ha! There’s really nothing I love more than spending money on clothes. Yet my reality screams, “KT you need a budget girl”. So budget shopping it is.

Compared to the average person, I spend more on clothes a month, although, it’s absolutely not as much as it may look like on here or Instagram. I rarely, eat out (1x/week max), don’t spend much on makeup or beauty products or home decor. If I do have extra money, I choose to spend it on clothes or travel!

7 Tips for Shopping On a Budget

1. Make a List of What You Want to Buy

Before you set a budget, I think the most important part is to plan out what you want to buy. This is the fun part. You can add high and low priced pieces here. When it comes to buying clothes, quality and price are the two most important factors for me. Most of the time, I have a running list in my head or save items on my computer of what I want to buy each month. You can write it down the old school way or create a digital list on your computer or phone.

My Summer Shopping List Example

Long Sleeve Striped Shirt $75

Sandals with Bows – $35

New Running Shoes – $100

High Waisted Swimsuit – $30

Navy Swimsuit – $30

Denim Shorts – $5-

2. Create a Set Amount Of What you Want to Spend

This is totally dependent on your personal income, budget and how much you really want to spend on clothes. There’s nothing worse than not having a plan in life and that is the same when it comes to shopping for clothes.

Right now, my clothes budget is about $100-$150/month. I’ve had seasons where I’ve bought around $200-$250 and times where money was more tight and I didn’t even think of spending money on clothes and focused on just paying the bills. To be honest, I do spent more being a blogger. It’s just the nature of the business and there’s a higher conversion rate if I wear the exact item.

Ask yourself how much you want to spend.

Do not try to keep up with the Joneses here. Everything looks shiny and flashy in the social media world but I am a huge advocate for staying out of debt not matter how fun it looks to wear certain brands or designer clothes. Stay in your budget, live only for yourself and you will be happier in the long run.

3. Only Buy What You Need

RESEARCH. RESEARCH. RESEARCH

Rarely do I shop without a plan. I research sizes, colors, read reviews online and ask myself all the time, “Do I really need this item?” Yes, sometimes I purchase fun items but it’s usually after buying the items I need like bras, undies, workout clothes, running shoes, etc.

Use your list to shop. If you buy two items in one month and you maxed out your budget, wait for the next month to purchase any more items. This is actually a really great time to practice self control. I know it’s hard but you can do it!

4. Go For The Sales

I am the queen of sale shopping. If the store has regular sales or promotions, I only shop when there’s sales. Signing up for email subscriptions is the easiest way to know when there’s an amazing sale going on. Also, following bloggers and looking at their sale finds is an easy way to never miss a good sale. Most of the dresses I own are well over $100 retail price but I waited and waited until they went on super sale and bought the majority of them for $30!

5. Shop In Off Seasons

Instead of shopping during peak seasons like June for summer or November/December for winter, go at the end of the season. Unless your a fashion blogger or need something really specific, shopping in off seasons will help you land all the best deals. My mom taught me to shop like this growing up and to this day, I still do!

Off Season Months: August/Sept (summer), February/March (winter), April/May (spring)

6. Leave Room for “Fun” or Spontaneous Purchases

Fashion is supposed to be fun. When I was in high school, I remember my mom would give me $200 for back to school shopping and I felt like the world was at my fingertips. Sometimes, I will see something I just love so much, I end up buying it on a whim. It’s pretty rare but it’s so exciting. Planning for spontaneous purchases is much more thrilling when your on vacation or a trip! The only advice I have would be to stay within your means and don’t make risky purchases.

7. Only Buy Items You LOVE and Are High Quality

This is the #1 most important tip. No matter how amazing the sale is, weather you bought the item during off season, how amazing your budget and list is, it’s only worth it if it’s a quality made piece of clothing. Typically I like to feel the item (is it thick, soft, breathable), check for random threads sticking out and look at the tag to see what material a product is made from. Those Chinese websites look cool and flashy on those sidebar Facebook ads like Cupshe and Rowme have very low quality items (most of the time). I’ve bought stuff from there before yet it’s not worth it to me in the long run.

My favorite stores for shopping for quality and classic items are: LOFT, J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, Gap, Old Navy and Target.

Check out Caitlin’s budget shopping tips with the best sites to shop for items on sale, how to find classic clothing that will last and ways to portion out payments for those favorite items on your shopping list.

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post My Tips for Shopping for Classic Clothes on a Budget appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

One of my favorite brands I follow closely is Tuckernuck. Today they are offering 20% off site wide and thought it would be fun to dream about spring fashion by sharing my favorite picks. They are a dream worthy brand full of classic, fun and colorful pieces. They also create the most beautiful lifestyle guides and I am pretty sure I am the first one to open their new emails every AM.

I will admit, some of the items are a bit out of my price range. This girl dreams of buying $300 dresses like it’s no biggie. Until that day it’s items under $100 for me! They have the most beautiful dresses and accessories that make you feel like your getting dressed for vacation everyday. Join me in dreaming of sunnier days ahead!

Use code TNUCK20 for 20% off sitewide

Ruched Floral Cami, $90

ADORABLE! I would loveeee to wear this cami with white shorts or a mini skirt in the summer!!! The print is so fun and pretty!

Raffia Statement Earring, $88

Have been dying to order these earrings for so long. They are on my wish-list for summer and I know if I bought them, I’d wear em everyday!

White Off the Shoulder Top, $98

Hello prettiest OTS top. This is a style I love for those cool/warm days. If I were going on a date night…this would be the top I’d wear.

Striped Peplum Top, $88

Can’t stay away from stripes. The style is so classy and the peplum hits in the perfect spot! I hate when you find cute peplum tops and the waist is way to high.

White Canvas Sneaker, $75

Going to Palm Beach and seeing all of the different popular styles, sneakers with dresses tops it! I love the idea of being comfortable but cute at the same time and when the world finally opens back up, wearing these on weekend adventures.

Castaner Espadrille Wedges, $120

My favorite wedges ever. Feels like walking on a cloud. Their SO worth the price. Neutral will most likley be the next color I invest in!

Blockprint Blouse, $78

Who doesn’t love a pretty blouse. I am a blouse girl through and through and wear them throughout spring as much as possible. When it comes to fabric, I only like cotton and this one is hand printed which I love!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

Which new Spring styles are your favorites?!

The post Favorite Tuckernuck New Spring Styles! appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Well, here we are people! It’s skipped straight to summer here in Florida and I am READY! Doing my part to #socialdistance (does that word annoy anyone else?!) has given me extra time to spend at the pool and beach. BTW, extra grateful for this, I know not everyone has the luxury to swim or step outside in an open space right now!

Once it really warms up for good, I basically live in swimsuits. There’s honestly almost no point to even shower. Today I worked and actually put on clothes (shock, I know) then changed right into my swimsuit once I was done to tan and swim. It’s always so exciting to choose which swimsuit to wear and I really like options.

Since I live in swimsuits for almost 6 months of the year, I figured I would share my favorite brands, scour the internet for budget friendly and quality suits over the next few weeks. Sunshine Style really thrives in the summer! I thought about doing it by prices and styles and I might organize some of them like that but it made most sense to do it by colors. If you like a suit, just bookmark this page and refer back to it when shopping!

Similar Swimsuit Top + Bottom (sold in store)

Red swimsuits have always caught my eye! This one give a little bit of a Baywatch vibe, don’t yah think?! I do my absolute best to keep my swimsuits like new as long as possible. They have about a 2-3 season span depending on how high of quality the material is. When I buy swimsuits, I usually shop for swimsuits for under $50 that are made really well.

I stopped in LOFT before the coronavirus really took over and bought this cute swimsuit for under $30 in store. The swimsuit was such high quality and I LOVED the fit as soon as I tried it on. Right now with LOFT stores closed, it is probably best to shop online. It’s not available online, but I found a similar top and bottom (under $35).

The high waist trend really has my heart right now. Every time I see someone wearing them, I want to go and buy a million pairs. Make sure the bottoms are stretchy enough and you can pull them down a bit so you don’t get an awkward tan line when sun bathing. The ONLY downfall to high waisted bottoms in my opinion.

Even if it’s not warm yet where you live, it will be eventually and now is actually the perfect time to stock up and buy swimmies! They typically sell out or sizes are super limited by early/mid May. If were going to be quarantined for who knows how long, we might as well get tan!

Shop Red Swimsuits Under $50

1. J.Crew Factory Top + Bottom, Under $35

2. Amazon Scalloped High-Waist Swimsuit, Under $25

3. Amazon Scalloped High-Waist Swimsuit, Under $25

4. Aerie High-Waist Red Swimsuit Top + Bottom

Red One-Piece Swimsuit Under $50

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post Red Summer Swimsuits Under $50 appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Every month when I get my new Infinitely LOFT box in the mail, it’s like a kid on Christmas morning! When I first heard about LOFT’S new clothing rental service, I was super excited. You get to wear new clothes and NOT have to buy them all?! Sign me up!

In college I was a campus rep for Rent the Runway which is the first rental service I had ever heard of. They offer way more dressy options for special events like wedding and black tie and it’s pretty expensive, around $130/month. Infinitely LOFT offers a good combo of casual, seasonal, trendy, girly and everyday pieces!

LOFT is one of my absolute favorite stores. Being a fashion blogger and living in a mostly warm-climate year round is challenging around the fall and winter months. I truly don’t buy lots of winter clothes or gear but sometimes I want to chat about winter pieces! I don’t necessarily “shop” for blog content. I buy what I love and then I use it to create blog content.

Around fall, I stared looking at rental services that offered some winter options like sweaters or jackets that I wouldn’t normally invest in. I’m not a full-time blogger than can benefit from buying clothes that I don’t actually wear, so I don’t see a point to put myself in debt for fashion sake. When I saw that LOFT started one, I knew I could use it to find more winter pieces, work clothes, use the clothes as extra blog content and just have fun trying new things!

So far I love it, there’s just one little tiff I have about the service that I wrote about. Gotta keep reading to find out what it is! My hope is that once the company gets the kinks worked out, it will run smoothly since it’s still a fairly new service.

^ lol the Christmas decor

What Exactly Is The Infinitely LOFT Rental Service?

Well, the non-fancy definition?! You can rent new clothes that come straight to your doorstep every month!

For the more boring but necessary explanation. It’s a monthly rental service that’s $64.95/month. It comes out to $69.50 with taxes added. Not truly sure why it adds $5, since the website claims it’s a flat fee of $64.95 but I think it has to to do with taxes.

You can rent 3 pieces at a time. Your 3 items will come in a white Infinitely LOFT box right to your doorstep! Inside the box, there’s a folded up silver bag with a USPS shipping label attached. Shipping and return are free.

When your shopping, you can add as many pieces to your “Rack” as you want. They recommend 20. Then you can prioritize which items you want to receive. I heard a little tip though from a reader. If you add only 3 at a time, you are way more likely to only get those 3 pieces!

The service is great because it offers tops, bottoms and dresses for regular, petite, tall, plus and maternity options!

My Only “Tiff” With the Service So Far…

My only tiff so far with the service is that I don’t always get the 3 items I mark as priority. I thought I was being “good” about having 20 items in my closet at all times but I may need to try the “only 3” rule and see if that helps for my next order.

I’ve also gotten a few weird boxes. One with two super large fur coats (one looked no joke was yellow and looked like a big bird costime) and a super thin summer dress. Only one of them was marked priority and the other two weren’t. Yes, I probably shouldn’t have put large fur coats in my closet but I do wish there was an option for selecting what type of climate you live in. I think that could help solve the issue or having a more personal shopping experience.

Another box had two of the same joggers in different colors. You can see them above. If I’m going to rent clothes, I don’t really want to spend $70/month on joggers…I can go to Target for that, so next time I just wont add joggers to my closet. Problem fixed on that one!

Infinitely LOFT Rental Service Questions:

When I reached out on Instagram about questions you guys had about this service, there so many great ones! I have the best readers ever! I answered them the best I could and gave my honest opinion after trying the service for a few months before I could deff say yay or nay. I do say YAY if you were wondering!

1. How many clothes / accessories can you rent / month?

You can rent 3 pieces at a time and unlimited pieces / month. I would say renting 9 pieces total would be the most you could rent and actually wear them all. 12 would be a little insane. If you do want a clothes wearing marathon, I’d say go for it ha! Right now they don’t offer any type of accessories like shoes to jewelry with the service.

2. Are the pieces new or worn? Do they show signs of wear?

All of the items I have received so far look brand new! I think it’s important to say again, they look BRAND NEW ha! Not a snag, stain or wear or tear. Even the fabric feels like it’s new. I was a little concerned about that at first, especially if I want to keep an item. Like who wants to buy a “used” new item?! Not me ha! So yes, the pieces look like you stopped in the store, took it off the rack and brought them home brand new.

3. Can you keep the items you are renting?

YES! I have only kept one leopard coat so far. You can click an easy button on your closet page and purchase the item if you love it so much! If you only like 1 out of the 3 items, you just send back the other 2 in the return bag and keep the item you wanted.

4. Can you skip a month?

No, unfortunately not. It’s a monthly service. If you cancel, it cancel’s the entire subscription. I’ve deff thought about this! Being on a budget, I do keep the monthly cost in mind. If for one reason or another and I had to cancel, there seems to be no penalty about re-starting up the subscription in the future.

5. Can you pick up in store?

The service is only available online. You have to use the Infinitely LOFT website to sign up and create a virtual closet of the pieces you want to rent.

6. What type of clothes does the service offer?

Tops, bottom and dresses for petite, regular, tall, plus and maternity. I do hope over time they offer accessories like bags or earrings and think that be a fun edition!

7. Is this service geared towards work wear?

They do have great work wear options! The service isn’t geared specificly towards only work wear but there’s endless options like blouses, modest dresses, skirts and pants perfect for the office! If you get bored of wearing the same clothes to work over and over again, I think this is actually the best route to go instead of buying a brand new wardrobe!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

Fun little fact I just discovered, you can give the service as a gift for 1, 2 or 3 month subscriptions! Any other questions about the service?! Leave a comment below and I’ll add it to the list!

The post My Honest Infinitely LOFT Review appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Meet my new favorite floral romper from my favorite new brand, Gal Meets Glam Collection! If you don’t already follow Julia, you are majorly missing out. She’s runs her fashion blog, Gal Meets Glam and is the founder of the GMG Collection which has so many beautiful feminine and timeless pieces! I love how she creates pieces for every age, including this brightly colored romper on sale for under $80!

Outfit Details

Gal Meets Glam Romper (on sale for $79)/ Castaner Wedges / Amazon Bag

If you have been following me for any amount of time, you know I love three things. A good romper, bright colors and a fun floral pattern! This piece hits them all! So many good things to say about this jumpsuit!

I absolutely adore this romper! For tall people like me, it fits like a dream! My friend Hailey, who’s a Gal Meets Glam Collection online order pro told me to size up in the rompers to accommodate our height. Shes 5’8 too! Normally I am a true size 4 and ordered a 6, so she was totally spot on with sizing!

Now onto the pretty details! There’s ruffles everywhere! On the edges and they even travel to the racerback! style The belt is ingeniously designed! It ties but it doesn’t fully wrap around the zipper which means quicker bathroom trips if you know what I mean.

Gal Meets Glam Romper (on sale for $79)/ Castaner Wedges / Amazon Bag

I ended up ordering the romper for a weekend girls trip to Gaylord Palms. Turns out it was the perfect option to wear for dinner at Disney Springs in Orlando! We snapped these photos when it was still light out, right before we left for dinner! I felt so comfortable and cute walking in the crowds of people on a warm summer night. It would also work for baby or bridal showers, brunch, church, and summer trips!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

Be sure to check out Gal Meets Glam Collection and their new fall releases! What is one of your fav pieces from the collection?! Mine has to be the Wimberly Dress!

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The post Gal Meets Glam Floral Romper on Sale! appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Hey guys! Long time no talk! The other day I stepped into LOFT and literally loved everything they had for fall! You can bet I grabbed so many good things to bring you all this try on! I carefully chose 6 pieces that would be perfect for pre-fall dressing! Everything is really perfect for easing slowly into those cooler months or slightly *less hot* if you live in Florida like me. Really hope you love these pieces as much as I do!

FYI! Everything at LOFT right now is 40% off using the code, NEWNOW! LOFT runs a bit on the bigger size, so I normally wear a 2 in dresses, a XS in tops and a 27/28 in jeans. Lets get started!

CHAMBRAY DRESS

I ADORE this dress so so much. The flouncy hem is the best! Just picture it with some booties and a light jacket for all your fall shenanigans! Or just running around town doing errands and wanting to look cute! I tried on a size 4 but would size down to a 2 for a better fit!

FLORAL WRAP TOP ($59.50)

Now, how fun and fall is this top?! Wrap tops are my new fav! Their so elegant and I like the peplum look it gives on the bottom! The green color is also a nice transition into the holiday months! I want to wear it with my white wide leg pants for sure! A small fit me perfectly!

STRAPPY BUTTON TANK TOP ($42)/ FAUX-LEATHER SKIRT

Oh how I love faux-leather skirts. If your like me and live in a Southern state where it’s still very much warm and your just dying to dress for fall. This is your go-to fall outfit! Still has all the fall hues and unique textures! Wearing a size 2 in the skirt!

I also have a super similar tank top like this one from LOFT that I’m wearing and it’s one of my most worn tops! The buttons on the tank are extra cute and I love the v-cut! Wearing XS!

GREEN TANK TOP ($43.99) / WHITE PANTS

Hello Christmas?! Really though, it is never cold here by Christmas and this strappy top is so jolly, it’s giving me all the joy! The embroidery is really beautiful and there’s pretty detailing in the back. I also liked the thickness of the fabric since it wasn’t as silky as the button down tank top. Tops runs big, XS fit perfect!

When I tried these pants on in store, they were not my favorite. Now that I am re-looking at them in the photos, I kind love the fit! They are high-wasited, but not to high. Can’t remember if I tried on a 27 or 28 but with LOFT it was most likely a 27!

TANK TOP / POLKA DOT SKIRT ($24.88)

So this skirt is on mega sale and literally so cute! Not only are wrap tops amazing, so are wrap skirts! Red is not a color my wardrobe is filled with and this top is telling me I may need to fix that! For fall, it would look adorable with a chunky off-white sweater tucked in! I tried on a 4 in this skirt and it was really really big. A 2 would have been the better option.

NAVY BUTTON DOWN DRESS

Feelin so classy and professional in this dress! It’s actually navy if you can’t tell through the photos! The fit is perfect and it’s made so well! The gold buttons are also a super nice touch! It feels very business appropriate for meetings, dinner or networking events! Wearing a size 2!

Remember, before you shop, everything at LOFT right now is 40% off using the code, NEWNOW!

Shop the Fall Try-On

Did you all have a great week!? I mentioned on Monday’s fall transition post how I had some rocky days last week that shook me pretty bad. This week has been muchhhhh better! Our Florida weather has been AH-MA-ZING the past day or two. Yay, for sure taking full advantage of that! Thanks to all you Northern people for sending a “cold front” to us!

I rearranged my schedule this week so I could have Fri-Yay off. Which is the best. I slept in, had a networking ZOOM call that I took outside on the porch, went on a walk with my mom, swam, worked on bunch of behind the scenes blog stuff and some personal stuff I needed to get off my to-do list. Why doesn’t every office have Fridays off?! That should really be a thing! Productivity would skyrocket!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

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The post Early Fall Faves LOFT Try-On appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Today I wanted to talk about something I don’t normally chat about on here and that’s my workout routine! And also what I really wear to workout in! Working out is a huge part of my life and I probably wear activewear as much as cute fashion-y clothes. Unless you follow me on Instagram, you might be pleasantly surprised by that!

Why have I not talked about something I’m so passionate about on here before?! Really, I wanted to selfishly keep it to myself. My workouts are what help me de-stress after a long day and truly keep me sane! I always thought of my blog and working out as two very separate things. If I was ever stressed about blog stuff, I would relieve all my stress at the gym. So writing about the workout or what I was wearing just didn’t mix if that makes sense?! Then I just thought, what the heck, I need to finally talk about it!

I also don’t own fancy workout clothes and figured you guys would be bored to tears with my same four compression shorts and cotton tank tops. Don’t worry though, of course I’m going to provide some cute workout gear options in case this post inspires you to get up and get moving!

Activewear Details

Sunshine Style Co. Sports Bra (coming soon, similar here) / Victoria Secret Compression Shorts (similar) / New Balance Sneakers (under $45!)

What I Really Wear to Workout In

Typically when I workout, I wear compression shorts, which are basically colorful tight spandex shorts, fitted tank tops and comfy and cute athletic sneakers. There are SO many cute workout clothes out there like high waist leggings with cropped sports bras. The truth?! I don’t wear any of those cute outfits. Oh I want to, I just find them…well, impractical.

I need to invest in some more quality activewear pieces one of these days! I get so much use out of my gear. Out of everything I own, this is what I spend the least amount of money on and well…the reason I thought it wouldn’t be a very interesting subject to share about on my fashion blog. I can’t even remember the last time I bought new workout clothes. Yet, here I am.

Anyways, I did want to give you practical tips on what I really do wear vs. what just looks cute on the internet. Let’s be real, crop tops with high waisted leggings look so cute on every Instagrammer out there. At the gym I workout at, no one wears just a sports bra and I think high waisted anything activewear related is super uncomfortable. Anyone else?! Super curious on your opinions / preference on this! If I lived somewhere where hiking was more popular like Cali, Hawaii or Colorado, I think that would be a super practical outfit to wear. Or, if I was a yogi…I would totally rock the matching crop top and leggings!

Tank Tops

Hate to break it to you but this is probably the most boring item I wear. Like I said, I am the worst at investing in new workout gear. Almost all of the tank tops I wear were either free or are very very basic in shape and color. This might be the only time I ever say this, but when it comes to workout clothes it’s more about performance than fashion. I do really love the tie back tank tops style tanks and own a few pairs of those. They are a little more fun than just a regular old tank top and give your more of a shape which I like. Plus, I the tie is just extremely cute!

The main brands I love for workout clothes are Nike and Gap. They fit the best on my athletic body and are very affordable for the cost vs. wear. If I could magically make a wish come true, this Lululemon tie tank top would pop up in my closet instantly! A few other Lululemon faves on my wish list are this one and this one.

Sports Bras

For me, the simpler the better. As a girl who has a small chest, I really just need a sports bra that’s light and covers whats needed. Typically I gravitate towards sports bras that are strappy, padded and have pretty detailing in the back.

You will always catch me in a colorful or fun printed sports bra for sure, even if no one ever sees it. My favorite sports bras are from Gap and Target! I own this Gap one that has the cutest strappy criss cross back. It’s not padded but does the job for this small chested girl! One active wear brand that has really caught my eye and want to try is Outdoor Voices. They make super affordable sustainable pieces from recycled plastics. I love this basic sports bra of theirs. It looks very supportive and comes in 6 colors!

Compression / Running Shorts

When it comes to shorts, the shorter the better. I’m talking about exercise shorts people! Really though, I love my compression shorts. They are basically a pair of thick colored non see-through spandex. When I workout, I workout hard. Like dripping sweat off my entire body hard. I do tons of squats, burpees, jumping and heavy lifting which is why I prefer these shorts! One thing I don’t ever want to have to do is constantly adjust my clothes. I never have to fuss with my Nike shorts at all. They also have a dry FIT technology that helps wick sweat. Wick means “absorb” just in case you got stuck on that word like I did. . So yes, these shorts are great at sucking up all your body sweat.

On days when I run or take long walks (usually much more walking than running), I love a good pair of running shorts. This pair from Outdoor Voices comes in 10 colors and has a comfortable wide elastic waistband! Looser fitted shorts are perfect for activities where your not jumping or doing lots of floor exercises. If I’m on the ground doing sit ups, planks, stretching or squatting a ton, I don’t want to give everyone a show if you know what I mean. So that’s when I choose to wear my compression shorts!

Running/Athletic Shoes

Surprise, my favorite brand for athletic sneakers is Nike. The Nike Zoom or Free Run is usually the most comfortable shoe for my foot. Recently I bought these cute pink New Balance sneakers because I needed new shoes and these fit my budget. Their under $50 and offer free shipping! I absolutely love them! Their so light and I can slip them on quickly when I’m running late for work.

When I was into running more, I invested in a pair of Brooks. Brooks are known for long distance running and offer amazing support and cushion. Since I do more heavy lifting and strength exercises, I don’t need a shoe with so much support but these sprinkled pair of Brooks with multi-colored laces might just change my mind. These are the cutest pair of sneakers I have seen all year! It’s an investment but is worth it if your an avid runner / walker or just need a great shoe with support.

My Fitness Journey

Finding a workout routine that I LOVE has been a longggg journey! As a kid, I was super active. From the time I was 5, I always remember being in some type of sport or activity. I tried gymnastics, tennis, and ballet in elementary school. Ballet didn’t last because I hated tights and had no rhythm but tennis stuck! My sister and I took lessons every Saturday for a few years. We absolutely loved it and I even had dreams of being like Serena and Venus Williams…ha!

Once I hit middle school, I discovered the magic of competitive cheerleading. Bring It On fueled my obsession and I cheered from 8th grade up until 11th. It was pretty intense and required constant practice and lots of physical strength. During my senior year of high school I stopped competitive cheerleading and cheered on my high school Varsity squad.

Then after high school ended, I felt so lost. From the time I was a kid, I always had some kind of team sport or group to rely on to stay active. Coaches were always there to tell me what to do and push me. After almost 18 years of being on some type of team, I found myself looking for new ways to workout.

Once I graduated high school, I had no idea how to really workout by myself, so I signed up for the ladies gym my mom went to and fancy Planet Fitness. I would use the elliptical for cardio and do a few machines for strength. Then my parents bought a treadmill so I would also walk/run on a treadmill while watching trashy TV shows. I’m talking to you Housewives of Orange County.

When I got to college, I hit the same dilemma. What do I do to keep active?! I went to Florida State and the gym was part of your tuition, so you can bet I took advantage of that. The gym though….was so boring. I could die being stuck inside running in place or doing the same movement on a machine over and over. Thank goodness for group classes. FSU offered tons, so I tried yoga, Pilates, core and step type classes. Sometimes I would take a run around campus even though I just never loved running. It was something that I knew was a great workout though.

Still though, I found working out by myself so boring. Once I moved home from college, I was still in a weird workout funk. Running and ab video tapes became my go-to. Then one glorious day, my friends introduced me to Trinity Fitness. TF is a faith based gym that focuses on high intensity workout with short intervals. That means I am in and out with less than an hour. You could compare the workouts to Crossfit although they are not affiliated with each other. We do tons of squats, push ups, pull ups, chin ups, heavy lifting, weights, burpees, box jumps, and short runs.

When I first started, I was terrible. No joke, for the first year I did push ups against two giant monster truck tires basically in a stand up position before I ever moved to the floor. I literally could not even fathom doing a pull up or chin up and all the fancy lifting that all the strong people did terrified me. But I stuck with it. Now I can do all those things and it’s the best feeling in the world to know how far I’ve come!

Lets just say, Trinity Fitness truly changed my life. I have gone there for almost 6 years and I have never felt stronger in my entire life. Even after gymnastics, tennis or competitive cheerleading, my body has never felt or looked stronger. I’ve made some lifelong friends there and I always look forward to working out, no matter what!

A Typical Type of Weekly Workout

I actually went on the Trinity Fitness Facebook page for the location I work out at and copied the exact workout for this week. Right now, I only workout at the gym 2 days a week, so I chose the two workouts that I completed!

The workouts are all timed and done in a big group. It’s literally the best thing ever!!! Sometimes there will be 50 people, other times there will be 10 and it feels like a private lesson! Never will I ever go back to an gym where I have to workout alone. If your confused by the lingo below, don’t worry, I was to once I first started. That’s the great thing about TF and gyms like Crossfit. They teach you everything you need to know and you aren’t left stranded trying to use a machine you have no idea how to even sit on.

You can check out all of the Trinity Fitness locations here, there’s 16 total.

Monday 8/19 CRUSH – 25 min cap
7 Rounds AFAP
9 box jumps
10 RKB swings
11 Wall balls (20/14)
*Starting at 1 minute, at the top of every odd minute perform 5 burpees (1,3,5,7…)
Rest 2 minutes at 11 minute mark

extra mile: a)max calorie ride/ row, b)deep squat hold, c)cheer on your friends.

Wednesday 8/21 – 26 minutes (2 minute rest at 12 mins)
Strength:Shoulder or push press 4×6 @60%
AMC- jerks
9 minutes

Battle: AMRAP in 16 minutes
200 m run / 250 m row
5 SDHP (AMC- Power clean) (75/45)
7 Chest 2 bar pull ups (AMC-3 muscle ups)
9 Floor wipers
**Rest 2 minutes at 7 minute mark

10 Different Workouts to Try

Trinity Fitness and high intensity group workouts are what I prefer but there’s literally tons of ways to be active. There’s something for everyone no matter what budget, where you live or how old you are. Keep your mind open and try new things! Remember, it’s more about moving your body! Here’s 10 different type of workouts, some free, some that have membership fees, that you can try! I’ve actually tried all of these and got a great workout from them all!

1. Crossfit
2. Yoga/Pilates
3. Running
4. Orange Theory
5. Dance classes at a local studio
6. Beach Body Guide
7. Check Pinterest for at home workouts…there’s TONS!
8. Paddleboard/Kayak
9. Swimming
10. Hike or walk a local park

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

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The post My Workout Routine (+ The Activewear Brands I Actually Wear) appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

You may have noticed I am on a stripes kick. Aren’t I always!? HA! I raved about the perfect t-shirt dress on both my Instagram and my latest blog post this week. Then I also partnered with Sail to Sable and shared their pretty striped sweater dress on Instagram today! You guys seemed to love the dress and details as much as I did! Don’t worry, they are two completely different striped dresses. One can be worn as a beach cover up and the other is perfect for mild Florida winters. Now, I’m not here to just tell you where I’m going to wear the dress, I’m here to tell you how to style it a few ways!

It’s so easy to buy something new, take photos of it and show you how to style it one way. Then you never see me wear it again… at least in the Sunshine Style blogging world. But in fact, I re-wear all my clothes over and over and over!! Typically, I never even think twice about buying something unless I can wear it for years and can style it at least 5 ways. This sort of lost art of wearing something multiple ways seems to be coming back into the blogging world and I couldn’t be more excited!!!

So, I am all about being creative and your unique self (just sent out a special email to my subscribers about this subject! Sign up on the sidebar or if your on your phone, scroll down to the bottom of the post. You’ll be the first to see new blog posts and get weekly encouragement from me) but I have to admit, I totally give all credit for this 1 item, 4 ways post idea to Lauren who blogs at Going for Grace. A few weeks back she posted a midi skirt styled four ways and I LOVED the idea! Of course, I had to create my own version! Imitation is the best form of flattery after all!

J.Crew Stripes T-Shirt Dress, Under $15!

Sail to Sable Striped Sweater Dress, $118

Without meaning to, I turned it into a red, white and blue color theme. I love it! This is for all you nautical lovers. Classic colors for the win! If I were into the whole capsule wardorbe thing, mine would literally be filled with so many stripes and these colors! These are the exact four ways I would style the t-shirt dress! I’ve already worn it as look three and four but I am eyeing these beautiful Sperry loafers and this navy blazer once it cools down a bit…you know, next year maybe?! A girl can dream.

Outfit One

Blazer / Target Sugarfix Earrings / Sperry Loafer / Straw Bag

My favorite outfit of all four! The Sperry loafers have been on my wish list for a few months now and are on sale for under $60! They would literally match with everything for fall! I love how classic and preppy the outfit becomes when layered with a blazer. In the collage I used my J.Crew Factory striped dress as the “one item” but I would actually prefer to style my new Sail to Sable sweater dress with the blazer for fall! It’s a splurge for sure but the fabric is so so soft for cooler days. I can already picture wearing this to dinner with friends and if you work in a casual office, it is very office appropriate!

Outfit Two

Gap Denim Jacket / Sunshine Style Co. Baseball Cap (coming soon) / Keds Shoes / Amazon Straw Bag

For the second look, I went super casual. These Keds shoes gave me the inspiration for this entire outfit! When I think stripes, I think baseball caps! I am obviously going for the fall look because I added another jacket. It’s no where near pretty fall weather but a girls gotta be prepared! I totally picture wearing this outfit during the weekend at a farmers market or exploring a local park. You can bet I’d be piling all the produce and chocolate and honey into a basket backpack for easy hands free shopping!

Outfit Three

J.Crew Swimsuit Top / Bottom / Amazon Beach Bag / Target Sandals

If you haven’t seen it yet, I wore this exact outfit to the beach recently. Nothing says beach cover up like an easy t-shirt dress to me! The dress is super lightweight cotton which makes it the best option for a day outside in the sun. I am loving these adorable woven sandals from Target to tie the beachy look together! You also know your a die hard stripe fan when you wear a striped swimsuit under a striped dress. Never to much, I say!

Outfit Four

Target Statement Earrings / 31 Bits Bag / Castaner Espadrilles

Dying to get these espadrilles in red! I own them in yellow but I think the red would be a great classic color to add! I would say this is a perfect dinner outfit. I actually recently purchased these red statement earrings from Target and wore them on my latest Insta post. God bless the Sugarfix for Baublebar line at Target for cute and affordable pieces. My life would not be the same without them!

How’s your week been so far?! I am currently sitting on the couch watching Big Brother (like season 36?!) with my family as I type this! It’s a three day work week for me. Wooohoooo! I had plans to meet up with some friends tonight for put put and dinner but I opted out because I am completely exhausted after a weird rough night of nonexistent sleep. Have you ever heard of chocolate having caffeine?! I was talking to my friend at work about my weird sleepless night and told her how I ate some Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips pretty late at night. This is also not a weird occurrence for me… I get hungry before bed ha. We think that might be the culprit.

How do you moms with kiddies do it with 0 sleep?! Everyday I tell myself that I will be able to blog at night after work to be more consistent and I literally get home and am a zombie after working 10 hours on my feet. So for right now, I get as much done on Friday and the weekends and try to just use nights to promote on social media. I plan on waking up bright and early tomorrow AM to bust out some blog posts for next week before I go to Vero Beach with my mom and little niece. Hopefully the rain cooperates!? She’s in town for the month so I want to spend lots of time with her!

Another thing, I truly want to get better at being more consistent on posting here. I personally love blogs that have a new post every day, like Ashley Brooke and Carly! While I’m no where near wanting to post everyday, I want to have at least three new posts a week. Starting Monday, I’ll be moving my Sunny Style Finds Friday series to Monday mornings! Get ready for some beginning of the week sunshine! Alright, signing off to play catch up on sleep!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

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The post 4 Ways to Wear a T-Shirt Dress appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.