Hot weather is rolling in! It's time to update that wardrobe with flowy colorful dresses that dance with the wind. To polish the look, match it up with a straw bag and an espadrille wedge, like this Adalyn Espadrille from Marc Fisher. You'll instantly turn heads with this cute summer get-up!

I'm sure every fashionista out there couldn't get enough of the basket bag trend. They are the IT bags of the moment. Here I've rounded up 9 Must-Have Straw Bags to help us perfect our look this summer.

I've been eyeing this Sierra Straw Tote Bag for a while now. As of writing, this straw tote bag is on sale. Originally priced at $198 USD dropping to a tempting $99 USD. Waah, I'm drooling!

For the budget-conscious fashionista, I would recommend adding this Pom Pom Straw Tote bag or this Pom Pom Clutch bag to your wardrobe. By the way, if you've been following the blogging world you'll notice this Pom Pom Clutch Bag is on fire. They are donned almost everywhere. ;)

Want a very good deal? You might want to check out this cute Lemon Clutch Bag. They are on sale for less than $20. ;)

So, ladies, I hope I've inspired you with ideas on what to wear this summer. What's your favorite straw bag from the list? Would love to hear your pick/s in the comment section below. ;)

Hello, there mommy! Hope all is well with your pregnancy. As of writing I only had a few days left before our little one's due date. Hmm.. that if he decides to come out on time.  Actually, he (it's a boy) will be out anytime soon. I'm excited!

I'm a first-time mom. Like you, I've devoured countless books and articles my hands could get and join pregnancy classes in preparation for our little one's arrival. But I feel like, I'm still not ready. I'm sure you could relate. Haha!

That's too much talk already! Here I'll be sharing my top 5 places on where to buy cute maternity clothes on a budget.

#1 ASOS

TIP: Head straight to their Outlet section and select maternity. You'll find trendy & cute maternity styles for less than $20. I actually bought most of my maternity clothes from them. Why not? They don't break the bank.


Oh, this Maternity Swing Dress with Short Sleeve is on sale for $8.00. This is originally priced at $30. ;)

NOTE: They will charge .05 international shipping fee to the US.

#2 Maternity Motherhood

Maternity Motherhood's dresses range from $30 to $80 US dollars. I would suggest you look out for their sale items. I got me this Mesh Dot Maternity Dress on sale for $29.97 for an event. Regular price is at $59.98. Pretty good deal!

#3 H&M

It's no secret that H&M offers affordable fashion for everyone. They have something for expectant mommies too from their maternity and nursing lines. I love this shop, not to mention their never-ending sales.

These Mama 2-pack basic tops in black & white & Mama joggers basic outfits are perfect for that relaxing walk in the park.

#4 Old Navy

Yes, Old Navy. Another affordable retail store in the block. Like H&M they too offer maternity and nursing lines for expectant mommies.

Make sure to stock up on leggings. These are the essentials.

#5 Target

Everybody loves Target! Well, I do. I got me my bellyband from them to hold up my pants/jeans on my first & second trimesters. I also like the casual belly jeans shorts Target offers with an elastic waistband that accommodates the ever growing baby bump.

Others

The truth is, I didn't horde a lot of these maternity clothes, cute as they can be. I only bought 5 maternity items throughout my entire pregnancy. I don't want to waste money as I won't be pregnant forever. Now that's just being practical.

Instead, I got me regular maxi dresses and shift dresses from other stores like Tobi, Francesca's or Forever 21. The idea is to wear them while and after the baby is out. :)


What do you think? What affordable stores would you recommend to buy cute maternity clothes on a budget? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. ;)

Hey fashionistas, good news! The Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale kicked off today. Yes, today! The awesome part is, you get to save up to 40% off through June 4, 2017. It can be overwhelming to pick pieces to love. So here, I'm going to help you with that.

I cried! The husband thinks I'm overreacting for shedding unnecessary tears. I'm sure there are women out there who embrace the changes that comes along with pregnancy. But I had a hard time accepting these stretch marks on my body because I've invested so much to prevent it.

Stretch marks happen when the skin is pulled by rapid growth or stretching. Typically occurs during pregnancy or sudden growth spurt among teenagers.

Can Oils & Creams Help Prevent Stretch Marks?

Unfortunately, no! Learned it the hard way. I'm actually in denial stage. Huhu! One reason is genetics. If you're mom had it, there's a high percentage of you getting it too.

You see, I've tried almost every product I could get my hands into. If this article/post says it works for them, then I would buy it. Sadly, these products didn't work on me.

Can I be honest with you? This is not an easy topic for me to write. The relationship I have with my mom isn't perfect. I wish I could write all the sweet nothings in the world on my mom's Facebook wall on Mother's Day. But I can't! Words couldn't express the enormous gratitude I have for my mom.

As mentioned earlier, our relationship isn't perfect. Nope! I'm sure you had those days with mom too. We are humans after all. Emotions and egos get in the way. Isn't it true that the person who'll hurt you the most, at the same time you'll hurt the most, is the one closest to you?

The Tragedy that Stole My Mom's Dreams of the Future

My father died young through a tragic accident 10 days after my 7th birthday. My little brother was 3 at that time. Imagine the pain, lost dreams, and unfulfilled plans my mom had gone through raising two little children.

I told you this is hard for me to write. Life has been tough on her. I couldn't grasp the sorrow and misery she had gone through all those years.

The Fighter and the Foolish

What's more! My mom heard negative rumors circulating around regarding her children's future. That I won't be able to finish my studies because someone would impregnate me early on and my little brother would become a drug addict. Seriously?



I could never understand why some people have the guts to bring others down. Let alone a struggling mother who is already at the lowest point of her life.

A little piece advice: It's never wise to bring others down. You'll never know what they have gone through or are going through in life. If you can't say something nice then zip it up!

Lemons to Lemonades

I know my mom is a fighter. She never fails to give off a happy facade and loud laugh despite the many challenges she went through. I truly admire her resilience. Life had given her lemons but she turned it into lemonades.

She never remarried because she wanted to protect me from evil. She made sure that we finish our studies to have better lives for ourselves. Well, we turned out just fine. My little brother is now a ship captain seafaring all over the world. And me, well you can read my 'About Me' page. Haha!

The #1 Reason Why You Can Never Love Your Mom More Than She Does

We could never reciprocate the love our mom had for us. It has been said,




It's obvious to me that my mom had made so many sacrifices. She gave up her life, future and everything else for ours.


We could never outgive the love our moms had for us. That's the truth! So this Mother's Day or even today, why don't we give our moms a touch, a call, an act of love to show her we appreciate her for all the love she unselfishly gave us.


P.S.: Post Inspired by Dia&Co.