July Favorites

Well, another month has come and gone. I am excited that I have survived my first month of blogging. I am looking forward to many more months and posts to come. Today's post is my favorites from the month of July. I included all sorts of random things from fashion to food to bible verses. This post is semi-last minute because, to be honest, this month flew by! Anyone else feel like it was just Forth of July?

Fashion Favorites:

Lilly Pulitzer Wiley Top

They say if you like something, buy it in every color and that is exactly what I did with this top.

Florida summers are hot. This top is such a cute way to beat the heat. I wore my Wiley tops many

times this month. To me, this top is so versatile.

I paired my solid colored Wiley top with one of my Lilly Pulitzer
skirts and Jack Roger sandals. I pretty much wear my monogram
necklace everyday and this day was no exception. I threw my hair
up in a messy bun and added a pearl headband. This hairstyle
is perfect for the summer heat.

One of my favorite things to wear out during the summer
is white jeans. I paired my Get Crackin' Wiley top with
a simple pair of white jeans and accessorized with a lime and
turquoise necklace from Charming Charlie. I also slipped on
my lime Jack Rogers, my go-to summer sandals. 

For a more casual look, I paired my Jellies Be Jammin'
Wiley top with neon pink J. Crew chinos and my Jack Rogers.
I love how bright this look is!

 

Hand Painted Shoes

This month I have been painting like crazy! These Lilly Pulitzer inspired
 shoes were a favorite of mine. I painted a pair for myself, First Impressions
inspired, and a pair for my friend, You Gotta Regatta inspired. Painting is fun to
me and I think the bright colors look so summery!

Random Favorites:

Ice Cream with Rainbow Ice Cream

I told y'all these were random favorites! Anyway, ice cream
with rainbow sprinkles has for sure been a favorite of mine this
month. Not only is this yummy and keeps you cool, it's also
so cute and bright!

Bible Verse

Picking on bible verse to be my favorite is difficult, but this one has
stuck with me a lot this month. Being reminded that God has a plan for me
gives me such comfort. As I enter my senior year, I will be applying to colleges,
finishing high school, and making "big girl" decisions. I think sometimes we
get so caught up on what we want and lose sight of what God wants. He has
a plan for us and it is far greater than any plan we could come up with.

 

One Skirt, Four Looks

Hey y’all! Today I will be showing you four different ways I styled my new favorite staple piece, a navy striped maxi skirt. I have been searching for a maxi skirt for months. Being 5’9’’ makes it difficult to find maxi skirts or dresses that are long enough. After finding this maxi skirt, I quickly realized what a staple piece it was and how many different outfits I could style with this skirt. Like I said before, I will be sharing with you my favorite four looks. Comment below your favorite and how you would style this skirt!

Look #1:

Top: Lilly Pulitzer Skirt: Marshalls

Hat: J. Crew Purse: Louis Vuitton

Necklace: Etsy Shoes: Jack Rogers

Look #2:

Top: Banana Republic Skirt: Marshalls

Necklace: Etsy Bracelet: Kate Spade

Shoes: Jack Rogers 

Look #3:

Tank: Forever 21 Sweater: Lilly Pulitzer

Skirt: Marshalls Crossbody: Etsy

Look #4:

Top: Lilly Pulitzer Skirt: Marshalls

Purse: Louis Vuitton Bow: DIY

Necklace: Etsy Shoes: Jack Rogers

Thanks for reading! Comment below your favorite look and how you would style this maxi skirt. Be sure to follow me on Instagram @MonogrammedMadison.

XOXO,

Monogrammed Madison



Orange Ya Glad It's Friday

Orange ya glad it’s Friday! Today’s blog post is featuring two of my favorite orange looks. Lately, I have been obsessing over anything orange or coral.

Look #1:

I absolutely adore the look of a blazer with

shorts. It is the perfect mix of casual yet put

together. I added a nautical touch to this look with

the anchor pattern shirt and anchor bracelet.



Top: J. Crew

Blazer: Target

Shorts: J. Crew

Shoes: Target (similar)

Bracelet: Kate Spade

 Look #2:

Rompers are all the rage this summer and I

finally found on that fits me! Being 5'9'' makes it

difficult to find rompers that fit. This coral romper

is super cute and super comfy. I love how

versatile rompers are.

 Romper: Marshall's (similar)

Tank: Forever 21

Belt: Gap (similar)

Bag: Louis Vuitton

Sandals: Marshall's

Hope y’all have a great weekend! Comment below which look was your favorite. Be sure to follow me on Instagram @MonogrammedMadison.  

XOXO,

Monogrammed Madison

An Afternoon with Mom

A sunny day without a cloud in the sky is the perfect day for a photo shoot. Yesterday, my mom and I headed to the town of Safety Harbor, Florida to take some pictures for my blog. Safety Harbor is the little town next to my little town. From the beautiful marina, brick streets, and picturesque spa, it's the perfect place to snap some pictures.

Following a laughter filled photo shoot, my mom and I enjoyed a tasty lunch at the Fountain Grille at the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa. It was such a great time. We laughed and flipped through the pictures we just took. Shout out to my mom for being such a great photographer and putting up with all the details that go into taking pictures for my posts. From wrinkled shirts, crooked necklaces, and fly-away hairs, she fixes it all!



Sitting outside the very pretty
Safety Harbor Resort and Spa. (more info)

The delicious Spa Club I order

with a side of sweet potato fries.

Mom kept stealing my fries!

Like I said in my Summertime Saturday post (read here), I love spending time outdoors exploring little towns. I am a sucker for a brick road and a pretty view. Yesterday was such a fun spent with my mom strolling through the adorable streets of Safety Harbor. I wish my mom and I had gotten a picture together; we were both rocking our favorite Lilly shorts!

Top: H&M (similar)

Shorts: Lilly Pulitzer

(past season- Get Nauti Callahans)

Necklace: Etsy

Purse: Louis Vuitton

Shoes: JackRogers

What’s your favorite way to spend a summer afternoon? Comment below or comment on Instagram. Be sure to follow me on Instagram @MonogrammedMadison!

XOXO,

Monogrammed Madison

 

 

 

My Tips for Standing Firm in the Faith

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith;

be courageous; be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Often times on my Instagram I get asked how I stay firm in my faith. I came to Christ towards the end of my sophomore year of high school and am continuing to build my relationship with Christ as I entire my senior year of high school this fall. Today I want to share a few tips or things that I have found helpful in staying true to my faith and keeping my relationship with Christ. I hope you find this helpful and can apply it to your life. I would love to hear about how you stay faithful. Share your tips in the comments below or on Instagram @MonogrammedMadison.

1.) Surrounding yourself with other believers.

Like I said, I came to know Christ a little over a year ago at the end of my sophomore year of high school. In the past year I have grown so close with the other high schoolers in my youth group. I have found that surrounding myself with other Christians who have the same values and beliefs as me has strengthened my relationship with God and has really impacted me positively. Proverbs 27:17 says, as irons sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Having friends who are believers strengthen us. The bible also says in Matthew 10:32-33, whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. God respects us for being bold and acknowledging him in front our friends.
 

2.) Getting involved.

Growing up in church I never was really into the whole youth group thing. Since coming to Christ, I have truly come to love my youth group and all that we do together. Getting involved in the church has helped me grow as a Christian. It never ceases to amaze me how Jesus Christ is what ties everyone in my youth group together. I think it is really cool how we all met and have grown to be great friends all because of Christ. Romans 12:5 says, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Similarly Galatians 3:28 says, we are all one in Christ Jesus.

3.) Educating yourself and being ready to defend your faith.

We live in a world where people will mock and try to destroy your faith, even in high school. As Christians, we must educate ourselves and be able to defend your faith. God warns of this and 1 Peter 3:15 says, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect. Also, being knowledgeable about what you believe making sharing the gospel with others easier. Titus 1:9 says, He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

4.) Spending time with God.

Spending time with God is the most important thing. It truly is what it means to be a Christian. Doing a daily devotional and diving into God’s word is how God prepares us for the day ahead. Through daily devotionals we learn more about God and grow closer to him. Romans 15:4 says, for everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Similarly, 2 Timothy 3:16 says, all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Navy & White

Hi y'all! Today I am doing a collaboration with the lovely ladies from Preppy by the Sea. I just adore their blog and was so excited to do this collaboration. We styled our favorite navy and white looks for summer.

Navy and white is my go to color combo for the summer. Over half of my closet is navy. The colors look so classic and sophisticated while still being summery and fun. With half a closet to chose from, picking the outfits for this post was difficult but I picked out my favorite navy and white looks to share with y'all.

 

Look #1:

Florida summers are hot! Light weight, summer

dresses are my go to. I paired this dress with my

favorite gold accessories to dress it up a tad. 

I love the detailing in the back of this dress too.

  Dress: H&M

Necklace: J. Crew (similar)

Belt: Lilly Pulitzer

Shoes: Jack Rogers 

Look #2:

I was so happy when Lilly Pulitzer rereleased the

pattern Tusk in Sun this summer in navy and white. I simply

paired my Michelle top with white jeans and simple accessories.

 

Top: Lilly Pulitzer

Jeans: Banana Republic

Necklace: Etsy

Bow: DIY

Shoes: Jack Rogers

 

Look #3:

A cute tee and chinos is my summer uniform.

And no outfit is complete without pearls; this

long strand is so fun!

Top: J. Crew

Shorts: J. Crew

Necklace: H&M (similar)

Shoes: Jack Rogers

 

Look #4:
This look is possibly my favorite. I love all the
details, like the ruffles, embroidered flowers on
the skirt, and the touches of pearls.

Top: Lilly Pulitzer

Skirt: Lilly Pulitzer (past season)

Bracelets: Forever 21

Headband: Forever 21 (similar)

Shoes: Jack Rogers

 

Here is a sneak peak at Preppy by the Sea's looks. Check it out here!

        

 

 

Be sure to follow Preppy by the Sea and I on Instagram, @PreppybytheSea and @MonogrammedMadison. Comment below which look was your favorite!

 

Xoxo,

Monogrammed Madison

 

 

 

 

 



Salty Air & Sun Kissed Hair

Another summer day has passed which means more summer fun. I have been feeling adventurous and have been attempting to do some of the things that I always say I want to do. Growing up in Florida means spending countless days with my toes in the sand and salt in my hair. Every time I head to the beach I say I want to rent a kayak and finally I did it!

I grabbed my oversized monogrammed tank and Lilly Pulitzer tote and fifteen minutes later I was at the beach ready to kayak. Talk about an amazingly relaxing afternoon. The view was absolutely breathtaking.

 

My kayaking journey was not complete without my monogrammed sun hat, sunglasses with croakies, and wristlet. Thanks to my functional and adorable sun hat I was able to keep the sun off my shoulders and successfully managed not to get sunburnt (yay!). My croakies proved to be handy once again. I have such a fear of my sunglasses falling off and sinking to the bottom of the ocean, so these Lilly Pulitzer croakies are definitely an essential of mine. Lastly, I love this Lilly Pulitzer neoprene wristlet which housed my phone and money while I kayaked. This wristlet is the perfect size and easy to keep track of when being outside.

Sun hat: Marley Lilly  

Sunglasses: Nordstrom’s
Croakies: Lilly Pulitzer (similar)
Wristlet: Lilly Pulitzer

Staying hydrated is always important especially when being outside during the summer. I sipped on this refreshing drink while kayaking. This fruit infused water is super easy and tasty. I filled up a mason jar (any cup or water bottle is good) with ice water and added two slices of lemon, three slices of cucumber, and a few mint leaves. I made this the night before so the flavors had the chance to become infused into the water. This summer has been filled with lots of different flavors of fruit infused waters. Have you ever tried fruit infused water? If so, what’s your favorite flavor?

 

As I kayaked back to the rental place, I saw all of these different kind of rentals like peddle boats and stand up paddleboards. I had such a great time kayaking. I hope to do it again soon and maybe try stand up paddle boarding.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to follow me on Instagram @MonogrammedMadison. Comment below or on Instagram your favorite water activity.

XOXO,
Monogrammed Madison