Thursday, May 14, 2015

Slow: Birthday Bike Ride and Summer Clothes Struggles



I'm feeling chatty, so this post might be all over the place! My dear friend, Melissa, and I got to have a whole afternoon together one Sunday afternoon to celebrate my birthday!!!

It was so fun! We had recently been at a very neat plantation with our children and saw a group of ladies biking together, we both looked at each other and mentioned how fun that looked! The bikes are available for rent, but we were graciously offered ours for free since we didn't want to bike the four hour minimum. So, there was that first blessing.

Now, I have to go off on a rabbit trail for a moment - I cannot remember when I have willingly worn shorts. Twenty years maybe? Seriously. I have not worn shorts because I do not feel good in them, but just recently tried this pair on and actually thought they might work. Emily told me instantly that she really liked them and I decided to give them a try.

While I'm on this subject, can we talk summer clothes? I never know what to wear in the summer. It is hotter than hot and super humid here so layers are completely out. I love to wear layers, so put this combo together and I am always either over-dressed or don't feel good in what I have on in the summer. Now I have some birthday money and need help finding some summery clothes that I can feel good in and enjoy wearing.

One of my favorite summery tops is the one I'm actually wearing above. It is very thin and light weight so I wear a tank top under it. It is great with a jean skirt, can be dressed up or down and has lots of fun colors in it.

I feel best in jewel tones and of course, gray. Would love to do a capsule wardrobe for summer! I have two long skirts and a jean skirt that I already love, these shorts and maybe two tops that are my favorite. I have lots of cardigans/jackets but even a light-weight layer is probably too much. Also, I haven't felt comfortable wearing sleeveless tops - I like there to be at least a cap sleeve, but am willing to reconsider this if I had good reasons suggesting otherwise and/or options that are still modest. Help!!!

Important to know is that I am five feet tall and for the best fit, really must have petite sizing though some petite tops are still too long waisted for me. I can sometimes wear Girls XL from Target and Ann Taylor XSP fit almost perfect right off the rack. Please suggest places to look, specific items {links} and other suggestions and ideas!!!


Anyway, back to biking :) This was so fun and out of the ordinary, something different, really a treat! And, the weather - gorgeous!!!!

Our first stop was a little gourmet grocery store, just popped in out of curiosity and it was fun to see! Pricey, but cute to look!


Then we stopped and enjoyed the Community Garden! I always find Community Gardens so inspiring and love the idea of them. In reality, would I think it was a pain to go to the garden instead of just stepping out in my own yard. Probably.









The scenery was so lovely! Water and little bridges to cross and woods - and that light filtering through the trees. I'm sure you can guess how many times I had to stop and take a photo :)












Oh, and look! In Melissa's bike basket! That brown bag is our picnic dinner! Swoony.

After enjoying our ride for a couple of hours, we found a lovely spot to eat. We could see the water and were right across the street from this charming little chapel. And there was a wedding about to take place! We basically had a front row seat to seeing the behind the scenes and oh, so beautiful!









After dinner and returning our bikes, we took a short walk and by this time the church was cleared out so we got to go inside! Look at all those rose petals and hydrangeas! I loved the smell of this church, it smelled old - in a good way!











As we were leaving, the light was hitting that golden time where it was just so amazing! Everything looked so magical! And, I got to open my gift - sooo sweet! Look, cute canning jar lids and straws!









Our fun afternoon was topped off by yummy dessert and a movie at Melissa's house - the whole thing was just a treat. I described it as glowy and basked in the afterglow for days!!!


Thank you for such a fun day!

17 comments:

Lisa said...

I also don't feel like I look good in shorts. I am large and don't have great legs. Anyway I compromise by wearing capris. My husband really likes them on me and they aren't so bad in this terrible heat we have in the South. I have found some really comfortable capris at Walmart. Glad you had a great birthday!

Anonymous said...

Happy Belated Birthday!!! And Happy Belated Mother's Day too!! Your shorts are adorable! All i can think to offer in the way of advice in clothes is maybe a cottony dress the kind you can wear to the mailbox or out on a date :-)!! Cool and comfy and feminine and lovely!!

Anonymous said...

SWOONY!

Love, Dad

Anonymous said...


Have you heard of eShakti? It is an online clothing store and you can customize the neckline, sleeves and lengths of a lot of their items. I was so excited when I found it. Not exactly cheep, but they do run deals and sales...

http://www.eshakti.com/default.aspx

noricoleman.typepad.com said...

Lovely, what a glorious way to spend your birthday! Such wonderful pictures,too! That shirt is so cute. I like to pick up my tops at quaint lil' second hand shop in our town. I have also found Salvation Army or Goodwill can be a good place to pick up summer shirts for $2 or $3 dollars. The mason jar tops and straws are adorable as well. Thanks again for sharing!

Huskerbabe said...

What a lovely day! I enjoyed spending part of it with you! :)
I'm struggling with summer clothes as I get older. Things fit differently. Knowing what is age appropriate. Last month I signed up to get a Stitch Fix box and really enjoyed the personal styling service. They sent me things I would have walked by in a store but I liked them and so did my husband!
Happy belated birthday!

Mom said...

What a fun birthday outing with your good friend on a beautiful day! :)

Heather said...

I love Dress Barn. They have a petite section. They always have coupons and things on clearance.

Sara said...

Those shorts do look great on you! I agree with the cotton dresses suggestion, too. What a fun day you had, and bonus that you got to see that wedding!

Jenny said...

Looks like a very lovely birthday! Happy Belated Birthday!

I've been really excited by Effie's Heart clothing lately. It's feminine, mostly modest, a little vintage, and as comfy as PJs. Not sure if it's a terrible suggestion for petite but thought I'd throw it out there.

Carly said...

I enjoyed this post and all your photos! Also, I love talking capsule wardrobes and if you want to chat via email, I would be glad to. Here are some thoughts via comments here, but I might get too long. :) I saw this capsule on Pinterest and thought of you. Not all the pieces, but the colors and styles. I thrift a lot of my clothes and usually maintain a list of what I'm looking for. I can find most of it at Goodwill or garage sales, but it takes time.

I think striped tees are really cute. I especially like flowy dolman styles. You could use a chambray shirt over a tank as a layer if it is cool enough. I also like the idea of a print kimono as a hopefully not too hot layer. You could probably sew one up.

You could try another pair of bermuda shorts like these: http://www.target.com/p/bermuda-shorts-mossimo/-/A-16914014#prodSlot=medium_1_23&term=bermuda+shorts and maybe a pair or two of cropped pants? These knit bermudas look cute and comfy, too.

This skirt is cute from the girls' section and the length would probably work for you - I'm 5'2" and maxi skirts are way too long on me! http://www.target.com/p/ch-bg-maxi-skirt-coastal-green/-/A-16983505#prodSlot=medium_1_56&term=petite+maxi+skirt This striped skirt is also cute: http://www.target.com/p/women-s-striped-skirt-merona/-/A-16573028#prodSlot=large_3_21

This blogger is about your size and her capsules are always cute. http://momadvice.com/post/spring-2015-fashion-capsule-wardrobe-project

She gets a lot from Twice and ThredUp. Sorry so long! Have fun and share what you find. :)

Shelby said...

I love Ann Taylor Loft Outlet, Gap Outlet, Kohls (not sure if you have one of those around) but they are online as well. They have some nice selections and modest. I am pretty sure you would look good in anything, you are petite and cute, don't be too hard on yourself:)))

Mary Ann said...

I have the same problem with summer clothing, except I'm not petite. Tops are my biggest issue--many of the cute ones have way too wide/low of a neckline which with my body shape, hang way down in the front. A cami sometimes solves part of the problem but as you mentioned, layers aren't very comfy during a Southern summer! I have a couple of patterns to try which I hope with some tweaking here and there may be cute summer tops that fit well.

I wear longer shorts, capris and lightweight skirts in the summer. I've never felt comfortable in shorter shorts.

Your bike ride looks wonderful! So fun!

*carrie* said...

Glad you had a special outing, and that you found some new tops the other day! Love you.

Unknown said...

That's really sweet! What a perfect and creative birthday day! Love it! And your outfit is cute! Christina

angie said...

I tend to wear capris or knee length shorts. However, I realize that capris aren't always flattering on petite women. I've found good fitting shorts at Kohl's bc they fit me below the waist without leaving a big gap at the waist. And I just picked up the sweetest tops on Walmart clearance. They are floral patterns, 3/4 length sleeve with lace detailing on the back. I agree with the suggestion to try summer dresses, although I like knit over cotton. They are easier to wash and wear without ironing, and they don't get wrinkly throughout the day. I've had success finding those at Old Navy. Target has maxi skirts for girls that may work for you. Post some of your finds!
I LOVE biking, so your birthday girls day seemed perfectly ideal to me. And the extra blessings along the way were icing on your birthday cake! Melissa is a cherished friend, I'm sure.

Anonymous said...

Looks like so much fun. Glad you enjoyed your birthday outing.
Your pictures are BEAUTIFUL!!
You even got a picture of the bride and groom!
Love you, Grandma