Summer Swim Wear | Floppy Hat and a Kimono Cover Up

Hat | Kimono Cover Up | Swim Suit (similar here and here ...oh and this one is cute too!) | Sunnies | Shoes | Necklace

Okay, Deeeep Breath: Swim Suits. I have never been particularly fond of seeing myself in one, so it is with some hesitation that I post these photos. I don't think I'm alone in this regard. I'm convinced that every year dread and self-loathing wash over the female population at large as the spring season ushers in the appearance of swimming apparel on the racks of our favorite clothing stores. And, although I am a member of this group--a victim of my own distorted views based on societal insistence that we strive towards an unattainable ideal of perfection--I don't want to be. With the advent of swimsuit seasons past I would have hit the gym and the tanning beds hard. And, no matter how tanned, or toned I became I found that I was never satisfied with my appearance. Now that I'm older (and attempting to be) wiser, I'm trying really really hard to be comfortable in my own skin. I'm waging a war against my own insecurities. It's an ongoing battle, one that requires vigilance in positivity. Blogging about fashion has helped me to be both more and less confident... depending on the day. Essentially it comes down to what I choose to focus on, and how often I give in to comparing myself to others. Today, I am choosing to focus on the fact that I am healthy. I eat well, exercise often, and try to live a healthy lifestyle--the body that I have is the result, and I'm happy with it. It's enough. Today I'm embracing my white skin, my curves, and my own unique beauty. I'm also showing a fun way to feel both fashionable and modest at the beach/poolside, and hopefully inspiring others to love themselves a little more.

Alright, rant over. Now I can talk about the fun hat and kimono that I found! I have loved the floppy hat style for awhile now, but every time I tried one on it just... didn't... work. I was so happy when I discovered this one right before we left for Lake Powell where the summer sun is hot and relentless. I went for a quick trip to Forever 21, and was pleasantly surprised to find it. And the best part? It was ridiculously inexpensive. Click here to see for yourself.

In that same quick shopping venture I also found this kimono. I've been a really big fan of the kimonos that have flooded the fashion world as of late. I think they are so elegant, and felt that this light-weight, floral pattern made for the perfect cover up while I wasn't swimming and enjoying the water. It was also inexpensive as you can see here.

What do you ladies think? Are you comfortable in a swim suit? What do you do to build yourself up in a world that always seems to be trying to tear women down?

Summertime Sunnies Compliments of Warby Parker

I'm thrilled to be collaborating with Warby Parker on this post today. In case you haven't heard of this hip, trendy, and altruistic company, they sell high quality glasses and sunglasses (prescription and non-prescription). For every pair you buy, a pair is given to someone in need. And, they sell their products exclusively online. 

Now, you might be wondering how this works. After all, eye wear isn't something to be taken lightly! The glasses or sunglasses that you wear are not only a fashion statement, but a representation of who you are and your personal style. How can you order glasses that you've never tried on with any confidence? A pair might appeal to your sense of style, yet look terrible once you actually try them on. As a practically blind person, I've spent my fair share of time trying on glasses that I thought were cute, only to find that they are definitely not so on me. On the other hand, there have been times when a pair that I wasn't so sure about ended up fitting my face shape and features quite nicely. It can be really hit or miss. 

Warby Parker has accounted for this in their online model. They have a virtual try-on program, and--my personal favorite--a home try-on program. In fact, the home try-on program is what I owe this post to. I went online, selected the sunglasses that I liked and wanted to try, and ordered them to take a test drive. They arrived within a couple of days in a neat little box, and I had 5 days to try them out. They provided return shipping and I simply sent them back at the end of my free trial. At that point, if you decide to buy any you can easily do so. Below are the results of the different sunglasses I tried on:  

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5.

And the winner? Number 5--Ellison in Whisky Tortoise. I had such a hard time choosing, I really liked all of the different styles. I do love this retro look, however, and I felt like these fit my face and personal style best.

What do you think? Which of their glasses would you choose?

Shop this Post: 

Sunnies | Blouse (similar here, here & here) | Skinny Jeans | Wedges | Bracelet | Watch 

Red, White, and Chambray Memorial Day Continued | Klair Bear Style

As promised, here are the pictures we took of Klair yesterday in her holiday attire. In addition to remembering all of the fallen heroes who died serving our country, Memorial Day is one that reminds us of our own family members who have gone before. The most prominent in my mind is always the person who Klair is named after--my dad. Rather than dwell on his loss and spend the day in sadness, we chose to remember him by enjoying our little family, and especially his granddaughter who shares the same name. She is the promised morning light that comes after a long, dark night of sorrow. She brings new life to my dad's name and memory. She is all of his good qualities, a symbol of hope, and a reminder that families really can be together forever. Plus, she just looks so darn cute in her little dress and bow, how could we resist from taking 10,000 photos?

We set out to simply enjoy the day as a family. Sam has been travelling a lot for work lately, so a weekday spent together was a much needed reprieve. We played outside, took baby girl shopping with us, and even took a nap together. Our next door neighbors have a cat that loves to come hang out with us while we are in the yard, and is surprisingly fond of Klair. I don't know of many cats that would seek out a toddler, but Klair is really gentle with the little kitty and it's fun to see the bond the two have formed. In the evening we had some friends over for a barbecue, and we ate out on the deck and enjoyed the perfect weather. They brought their pup along, and Klair was thrilled to walk him around the yard. Between the cat and the dog, Klair Bear was in heaven. It was a simple, wonderful holiday. I'm convinced my dad was all smiles yesterday as he watched his namesake romp around and enjoy the beautiful day with her parents--as he watched us enjoy life.

Dress: Carter's | Bow: Homemade (Tutorial Here) | Shoes: Target | Sunnies: Carter's (Similar Here)

Comfortable Mom Style | New Site & Blog Design

T-Shirt Dress | Skinny Floral Belt | Statement Necklace (similar) | Messenger Bag (similar) | Wedges | Sunnies

My blog began during my pregnancy with Klair as an effort to journal more than anything else. If you go back to some of my first posts, they weren't written with the intent of ever sharing them with well... anyone. Anyone other than my own little family that is (something that is evident by the way they are formatted...or weren't. Yikes). I simply wanted a place where I could collect pictures and write down meaningful events/thoughts about my family. The title "The Ausam Life" was born of this sentiment--it was our family blog "Autumn + Sam" of which I happened to be the author.

Over time, however, I became brave and started sharing my blog on Facebook. I figured people that I knew and loved might be interested to know what was going on in our lives, and I began writing to an audience other than Klair when she's a mom and suddenly cares about all this stuff. Then, slowly, I started to become involved in the blogging community. I loved how much inspiration and strength I was able to draw from others. Everything from fashion, to religion, to Pinterest-worthy projects... even good old mommy support. I became even braver and started to venture into these topics myself. As of late, my blog has become my blog--it's no longer just a family journal--it's an extension of me. Now, it's a place for me to share anything I want to--my life, ideas, recipes, DIYs--with a particular emphasis on fashion. With my interest in modest styles and my husband's growing love of photography, this was the natural progression. Moving forward, fashion will be a major theme of this project.

With this in mind, and a desire to have my own domain... I've decided to change the name of my blog and basically re-brand this thing. Welcome to www.autumnklair.com! Luckily my name is unique...or, at least, it's spelled uniquely, so it was pretty easy to pick a domain. I worked with Erin over at Love, Fun, and Football for my blog design. I like a very minimalist look, and she brought my vision to life. She was so great to work with, and very reasonably priced. If you are ever in the market for a new design I highly recommend reaching out to her! I can't praise her enough.

I have really enjoyed blogging thus far, and I'm excited to see where this adventure takes me. Thank you for all of the love and support you've shown! I really value the connections I've made in this blogging world.

Oh, and I should probably mention the styles featured in this post. This particular outfit is one that I will likely wear too much this summer. It's comfortable (and practical for chasing a toddler), cool for the hot summer days that are just around the corner, and cute. I found the dress and shoes at Target, and I'm tempted to go back for another dress in a different color/print. It's so basic, I feel like I could wear it a million different ways. Also, Sam bought the bag for me as a gift from a local boutique and I absolutely love it. There is a similar one from Urban Outfitters that I also love (linked above). It's big enough to hold all of Klair's "necessities," without feeling like a diaper bag.

Isn't it nice to find ways to be a functional mom, while still feeling fashionable?

Date Night Style

Sam and I have been so busy lately, between Klair, work,  blogging, and a to-do list that seems to grow exponentially. We definitely love each other. There's no question about that. Yet, as time goes on, it gets harder to set aside the time to really stay connected. What once was easy when we were young, penniless, and kid-free with, you know, work that stayed at work... is now a bit more complicated by the demands of a growing family and responsibilities.We have to put forth more of an effort to focus on us. 

As this roller coaster of life keeps speeding up at every turn, it's easy to simply go along for the ride without really noticing much about the journey. It takes a conscious effort to slow things down, to admire my blessings, and to appreciate the man who holds my heart. 

We've made pledges in the past to go out once a week, but this falls to the wayside too easily. We've decided to recommit ourselves because we both want it, and need it. Our time together is a precious commodity. Last weekend we were feeling a bit overwhelmed by the day-to-day, so I called Sam's parents on a whim and asked if they could watch Klair. They kindly obliged, and we jumped at the opportunity to spend some time alone.  

Since it was my idea to go out, I did all the planning. I wanted to do something he loves, and also mix things up a little from our usual "dinner and a movie" routine. (Don't get me wrong I love movies, but it's fun to try something new.) Sam loves a good burger so went to Red Robin (they have awesome gluten-free buns) and did a little shopping afterward for a few wardrobe pieces he has been needing. He also took some time to practice his budding photography talents, and captured a few photos of me in this casual date night attire. (I'm so fortunate to have a husband who will not only take photos for my blog, but actually enjoys doing it!) Then, we went down by a local lake that's paved with surrounding trails for some longboarding and scootering. 

We only have one of each, so we took turns on them. 

And, for the night, we felt like kids again. 

After the fun was over we hurried back to his parents house and fought over who got to hold Klair first. I guess a little freedom is nice, but Klair is better. 

I mean, who wouldn't start to miss this face after just a few hours? 

For this outfit I wanted to find a balance between comfort and style. Afterall, longboarding was on the agenda so a pencil skirt was out of the question. I went with my favorite stretchy black denim and chambray. Also, I love the look of layered necklaces and have wanted to try it for awhile now. I'm usually quite reserved with my jewelry, only wearing a little at a time, but I went all out and had fun mixing things up a bit.  Also, as far as hairstyles go, this messy top knot was great for our adventurous night. 

I'm looking forward to our next weekly date. This time Sam said he will be doing all the planning. We're both rather competitive, so I'm excited to see how he outdoes me...

What are some fun/creative date night activities you've done? What are some methods you've implemented to focus on each other? 

Similar Items: 

Chambray | Tribal Print Shirt | Belt | Black Denim | Leaf Necklace | Disc Necklace | Amber Necklace | Earrings | Turquoise Bracelet | Turquoise Ring | Boots | Sunglasses (here & here)