25 Dresses Under $25!

As of yesterday girls, summer is officially here! It's time for colorful, cute and breezy summer dresses! I know that it can be hard to find affordable, modest dresses, but I've done some research and I think I've found some pretty cute ones! I'll list them by store! (Confession: Most of them are from Old Navy!) Keep in mind that while a lot of them are modest already, some of them need camis or leggings, or might not work on different body types.

Old Navy:

 

Old Navy has so many cute and affordable dresses. A few of them would need tank tops or maybe a little more coverage, but they do have quite a great selection! Check out all of their dresses!

Forever 21:

To be honest, most of Forever 21's dresses are not terribly modest. But it never hurts to look, because these dresses aren't bad and would probably work with cardigans or leggings if needed. 

Dillards:

 These dresses are super cute, but they look like they could 

be a too short, so again leggings if needed!

 Target:

Love these dresses. They come in a variety of colors and patterns. Check out Target's selection!

There were 25 dresses if you were keeping count! Hope these ideas get you started. Affordable, modest dresses do exist! You don't need to lower your standards, just look hard enough :)
If you find one, snatch it up, and then let us know about it! Where have you found awesome dresses?

Happy Shopping,

Erin

Shorts!!!

Hey girls! Temps are rising and so are hem lines! Shorts season for modest girls can be scary, but it doesn't have to be. We have some options, believe it or not, to show some leg without compromising our standards of modesty and causing our brothers in Christ to stumble. You ready? Here we go...

 There are so many kinds of shorts- for example: Denim, canvas, plaid, shortie, cuffed, and cut-offs! I'll be simple and break them into three categories: Midi, Bermuda, and athletic shorts. 

• Midi. Mid length shorts are my favorite! In my opinion, very short shorts are not modest. Not to mention they aren't always the most flattering and can make you feel very self conscious! Shorts that are mid thigh length can be a great middle ground between bootie shorts :P and longer Bermuda styles. It might be challenging to find a lot of this style, but if you look hard enough you can find some really cute pairs. With these suggestions, please keep in mind that girls have different standards of modesty. On my body (pretty short legs!) I believe that most midi shorts are modest, but please, never compromise you or your parents' standards! With that said...

I haven't tried this pair on but they look pretty cute. Old Navy has a good selection of modest shorts on their website.

These are from Target and come in a variety of colors.

Tiny white shorts with a cute belt are always in. This style is a little more modest.

• Bermuda! Long shorts that are in style are an amazing thing! Bermuda shorts are usually around knee length, some are a couple inches shorter and a some little longer. Bermudas can be denim, khaki, or a variety of materials. Plaid bermuda shorts are very common too.

Love these shorts from American Eagle. AE has a few great styles of longer shorts.

These khakis are from Old Navy.

These cute cargo-looking shorts are also from Old Navy

• Athletic. Athletic shorts have many uses- Sports, exercise, or just a casual look on a hot summer day. Every girl needs at least a couple pairs of mesh or running shorts in her closet. Even athletic shorts can be immodest though. When picking out sporty britches make sure that they are long enough, and that they don't expose your underwear when you're sitting or exercising.

Who says basketball shorts can't be feminine? I love this Nike pair from Finish Line.

Found these awesome Nike's in several colors at The Academy.

MC Sports carries these Under Armour shorts. They don't look too short, but you would have to try them on to be sure.

I hope this gives you some ideas if you're looking for new shorts! It might be a difficult task, but it is possible to find modest shorts. Hang in there! <3 Erin

The Hair Feather Trend!

Hair feathers were definitely in last summer, will they still be the rage this season?

YES! Not only are hair feathers still in style, but they're coming back with a rainbow of colors - including neon!

                                                    Photo credit http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1tmatrFFa1qkthw4o1_400.png

I personally love hair feathers! They're a fun and trendy way to express yourself. You can wear feathers in bold neon colors, or in soft earth tones.

Pick any color you like!

I got a few hair feathers at salon last summer and they were pretty pricey! However, they did last almost three months. This year, I plan on getting them myself. Feathers can be bought in numerous colors on Amazon.com and then you can crimp them hair with simple jewelry pliers.

For a DYI hair feather tutorial, click the image below:

What do you think about the hair feather trend?

                                                     Photo credit http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp1pj7PEpJ1qmaln4o1_500.jpg

I (Grace) have been blogging for MSL for over a year! However, due to the busy life of a high school student, I simply don't have the time to blog anymore. I've really enjoyed it!:) Although, this will be my last post.

Beauty and fashion is so much fun, so I'll definitely keep reading MSL!

Ladies, remember who your true beauty comes from!♥

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Proverbs 31:30 

~Grace 

Want to be skinny?

Okay girls. Summer is coming up. We all know what that means. We begin looking at our bodies after they’ve been covered up all winter, fed with Christmas feast and Easter candy. Wanting to look good in swimsuits in a few months, most of us will begin to hate on our bodies. And for the majority of us, not a little hate, but a lot. We will then do things to our bodies that are less than healthy in order to achieve and “ideal” body, like a flat tummy and skinnier thighs.

This very popular "photograph" is almost all Photoshop. The girl's back, stomach, and most of her ribs were airbrushed out, arms and legs slimmed, legs lengthened by at least ten inches, hair added below the shoulders, etc. The retoucher completely REMOVED her navel and her left arm. She doesn't look like this in real life... this is not attainable by humans.- Julianna Young on Pintrest (excuse the slight nudity)

It’s no wonder we mistreat our body as society’s idea of beauty is unattainable for most human beings. Some of us will never have a completely flat belly, and some of us will always have thighs that touch.

The other day I received in the mail a Land's End swimsuit magazine. I opened it and began to look at the pictures, thinking this woman (pictured below) had a very nice body:

As I flipped through the magazine I came upon the sizes. 1XL, 2XL, 3XL. WHAT?! This is a plus size magazine???!!! I was horrified. If this is plus size, how in the world do they expect women to look like the models in regular sizes without being unhealthy? Here are some more pictures of these beautiful women.

Click to enlarge the picture 

I say these women are not plus size. Just because their thighs touch does not mean they are heavy. These women are curvy and feminine. Their bodies remind me a lot of Marilyn Monroe, who was, by the way, considered one of the most beautiful women of her time and loved by men everywhere.

Now, don’t jump to conclusions. I’m certainly not saying if your stomach is flat, you’re not healthy, and I’m not saying if your thighs touch, you are healthy. Know what is healthy for your own body, not someone else’s, and strive for that, not some photoshopped model’s seemingly perfect figure.

HEALTHY is always better than SKINNY, and a beautiful FACE is nothing without a beautiful HEART.

Here are some pictures and quotes I found various place on the web (thanks to Pintrest and Tumblr!) that I love enough to share with all you gorgeous ladies:

A Healthy Tan?

Summer is coming! Are you as excited as I am? The one thing I hate about the summer though, is being self conscious about my pale skin. I never like being the whitest girl at the party, or the only one at the beach who has to lather in 100 SPF sunblock every 30 min! Wanting this summer to be different (I don't care what color I am, I just want to have color), I decided to get the scoop on tanning.

What I have gathered, and you all have probably already heard, is that a "healthy tan" is almost impossible. Discouraging...but I kept searching.

Almost every doctor would tell you that excessive sun exposure increases your risk for skin cancer. Burns and tans are also the second leading cause (behind smoking) of premature aging. And this is just for natural sun. If you really want to be scared, look up the risks of indoor tanning. I know a lot of people do it, but if you can avoid it at least now while you're young, I would try to.

So whether its a tan from the sun or from bulbs, the bottom line is that the bronze beach babes we all envy might not be as lucky as we think!

Protection is easy though. Most experts recommend that if you are going to spend more than a few minutes in the sun, you should generously apply sunscreen. I have heard different opinions about what SPF you should use, but most agree that you shouldn't wear anything below a 15. To reduce exposure you can wear a large brimmed hat, sunglasses, and clothing that is not see through.

So if all these smart people keep saying that we should avoid the sun and hide under rocks (well maybe they're not quite that overboard), how do we get the sun kissed tan that we all want?

A couple suggestions?

I know that when I say artificial tanning, the first word that pops into your mind is ORANGE! And that is very true sometimes! I do not know much about spray tans, but I've never heard them recommend very highly, so what I would suggest is a gradual tanner. Just do some research. Whether it's a bronzer or an instant tan lotion, find something works for you. Make sure the product has good reviews, even though what works for someone might make you look like an oompa loompa! So when you decide to use a product, it might be a good idea to try a discreet part of your body (like your inner thigh) to see how it looks.

Actually, besides artificial tans, there are not many other healthy ways to gain that glow. For those of you who are already dark complected or tan after going outside for 10 minutes....consider yourself blessed. :)

So after some research and trial and error, here is my game plan to become...well...less white.

1. Jergens Natural Glow Moisturizer.  A lot of people sing this lotion's praises. I love it! You don't have to use it very long to notice a difference in your skin. I can't promise that it will make a huge difference, but to me it is enough to make it worth it.  The change is gradual, so it looks natural and no one will have to know :) Not to mention it is a great moisturizer! My legs are always super soft after using Jergens.
2. Just a little bit of sun bathing. Some Vitamin D can't kill me, so when I get a chance I will probably lay out in my back yard for small periods of time. I will use sunscreen though, because without it, I will just turn red! I found a this tanning lotion at walmart. Mine has an SPF of 15 though.

For further research, this article by Dr. Oz is really good. He gives a lot of the same information I talked about.

And with all of this said, keep in mind that our outer beauty is temporary. A tan will fade, and 20 years from now, trends might be totally different!

I hope these tips have helped. How are you trying to get tan? Do you have a favorite lotion or bronzer? Let us know!