♥ dum dum dee dum.

i was in forever 21 with my mom the other day,

and she pointed out this fabulous $35 gown which looks alot like

something a young bride may wear on her wedding day.

i have already found my dress (which i will post about soon, promise!),

but if i had not found it so easily, i would have definitely explored

more alternative, less traditional types of dresses to be worn

on the big day.

what do you think?

does a gown have to cost alot to be considered a wedding dress?

do you have to go through the whole "say yes to the dress" process,

or could it be easier? could you find it online, perhaps?

does it have to have a certain amount of tulle, beading, detailing, etc

to be the real deal or can it be whatever you make of it?

i am interested in your opinions!

♥ girl meets boy.

i have to say that i spend most of my days wearing dresses.

rain or shine, i find that i feel most like myself in a dress,

that they are the easiest outfit to put together

and they look best on a curvy figure.

and though i rarely ever wear pants,

i have learned when it comes to fashion that you

can never say never, and you should always leave your options

open to whatever suits your fancy.

for instance, you may fancy a suit.

outfit no. 1

dvf dress (circa 2007), a glimpse of glamour necklace, forever 21 cocktail ring

outfit no. 2

victoria's secret lime green tank top, express high waisted pants,

vintage sailboat tie (borrowed from my sis!),

michael kors gold man's style watch

♥ shine a light.

i recently read about the portable light project

and was completely blown away by this non profit initiative

to shed light on those who do not have any.

over 2 billion people live without any electricity at all,

and so this project serves to empower and enLIGHTen these poverty stricken

areas by giving people access to solar powered textiles that can be

easily woven and integrated into their cultural fabric.

these solar panels, which can be fabricated into everything from bags

to blankets, can be used as a renewable source of energy that

provides enough light to read by, charge small electronic devices

and offer indigenous people from mexico to nicaragua,

the most basic luxury that most of us take for granted every day.

started by boston architect, sheila kennedy, the portable light project

has helped make some of the poorest people's lives a little bit brighter.

read this article or watch this video to see how the

fashion community is getting involved: