I grew up in a town just fifteen minutes north of where I live now, but it's like a different world there. I didn't thoroughly enjoy my time living in Muskegon, so I'm always hesitant to return. I do work there everyday, but it's right off the highway so I go straight there and straight home. Sometimes I'll drive down the main street of the town and be baffled at how much I missed development-wise. I'm just not a huge fan of that town, but it does have some perks. Like this lovely scenic view blockhouse. I've visited this place since I was a kid and rekindled my love for it when I was eighteen and went exploring for it and have returned every year since!
It was built in 1935 and designed as a scenic lookout. If you look south, you see the highest point in the state park, a wooded sand dune. West, you see Lake Michigan! Your viewing distance is about 30 miles. If you look north, you see white oak and white pine 40 to 50 feet high in never ending forests! And if you look east, you see Muskegon Lake, the cities of Muskegon and North Muskegon. It's so interesting to look out four different windows in the same room and see four different worlds.
So this dress is a little short to say the least. A few months ago, I won the "Buy Definition It-Girl Contest" and a $250 gift certificate to their online shop! I picked out my darling cross-strap flats.. and this dress! I love the print, but when I received it.. I had no idea how to style it. It is really short and the sides are open. I didn't know what to wear underneath or over it! It was so tough, so I paired my favorite comfy crop top but I'm sure there are a million better ways to style up this dress, I was just baffled! It's so scandalous! I'm thinking I'm going to try to pawn it off on one of the Delightful Dozen girls to see if they have any luck!
So Brett and I took a nice little drive down a winding road to the blockhouse. It's been such crummy weather. I just need some summer sunshine! Plus, I was blow drying my hair and all of a sudden, I smelled burning and then my dryer just died! I've had it for years! So my hair is frizz central! Ah, the joys of Michigan humidity. I can't believe next week is the first official week of summer! Oh, and of course, I had to include some of Brett's beautiful flower photography and a cute shot of him sporting my ModCloth hat. What a handsome hubby.
currently playing:
living with lions - a bottle of charades
86 comments:
i think the dress looks great on you, at least you have the legs to pull it off!
i'm looking for the perfect grey sweater top to wear over dresses and skirts, this post has inspired me further :)
and ahh, brett is so cute.
X
oh that print is cute and yes... quite short! I'd give it a try... I am quite a shorty myself! Haha. I love that top too! So chic-casual.
I don't think the dress is too scandalous! I'd wear some short-shorts or hotpants underneath, and like, one of those AA tube bras or whatever. With sandals, on a hot day on the beach, that dress would be perfect!
Also, Brett + your hat = awesome.
my best friend left texas our senior year and her family moved to muskegon! she's back in texas now but her parents still live there!
Cute print on the dress, but yes, kinda short! Maybe with a knit black fitted skirt underneath? That's a toughie.
That lookout house is really cool looking! I love weathered wood!
xoxo
Love that the heels match the colour of the pattern on the dress. It is short, but would be awesome at the beach in mid-summer. I definitely think you pull it off.
These photos are beautiful! I love this style of photography.
xo
Emily
musemeblog.blogspot.com
aww the dress isn't too bad dear! i think if you wore it with tights during winter/fall it wouldn't be scandalous at all :) love how you put a gray top over it though! and brett looks silly in your hat hehe :)
i like the silhouette with the top--it's different than what we usually see you in and that's kind of nice! i like the length (short or no) and the way you've styled it.
You look adorable, as always, but my favorite outfit piece is Brett's hat!
Pardon my language, but if I wore that dress, every time I'd raise my arms I'd be showing my hooha. I would say a girl of 5'3" or less would be able to wear it without being arrested...hehee..but I do loved the way you styled the dress to wear it in a way you'd be comfortable in. It's just a creative way to wear it!
that's where chris & i got engaged! it was one of his favorite places as a child! our names are on one of the front windows...ha!
love this post & love your dress.
Awh, Brett is really rocking that hat! I love how you put the sweater over this, it makes it much more wearable! And that blockhouse is so cool!
Ooooh, interesting outfit, I like it though. The dress is short, but you can pull it off. Maybe just don't wear it on a windy day.
That look out is very cool indeed!
i love how you styled this dress so it wasn't so scandalous. hopefully it wasn't too windy out either! :P
loving this blockhouse, i wish i had a place like that nearby!
That dress would be super tricky to wear- love how you styled it though!
I grew up in Muskegon as well, and I loved visiting the Blockhouse as a child! But you're right, GH and Muskegon are SO different. In fact, my parents list the city in their address as Norton Shores (which it technically is) so that they don't have to write Muskegon on their mail!
These photos are gorgeous! What a cool spot. I really love the way you styled the dress! It looks great with the grey. And those shoes! They make your legs look miles long.
Perhaps, for another styling idea, turn it into a top and wear a skirt over it? I looks at it on the website and the top detailing is adorable, no wonder you chose it!
Cute dress color!
that place seems nice, I love how the pictures came out.
=)
oooo i love the shape of this top! F21 does it again ... and teekaaa of course. lol.
looking great! xo, Kim www.eatsleepwear.com
Or you could do a giveaway! haha
The location for these shots are so beautiful. I love old wooden buildings. So much history.
I need more crop tops in my life - can I have your sweater? haha ;) I love it paired with the girly skirt - gives it s twist!
KeepItFvncy,
M.E.
I agree with previous comments that styled with tights this dress might not be so scandalous, but I still love the way this outfit came together! Particularly the heels, but I think that's mostly because I have a shoe-crush on them.
Also, hi! Long time reader, first time commenter, as they say. :)
I think this outfit is so cute, but I know how you feel when you wear something you think is too short. I'm always afraid a strong wind will come along and show all of my cash and prizes lol....
I love this. It looks PERFECT with the crop top!! And I agree that it will be phenomenal in winter with tights.
I do love the print and I can see how it would be hard to style! And I'm sure a belt around it would only make it awkward and even shorter...super cute the way you styled it though!
I love the neutral flats with it, makes your legs look a zillion miles long!
That's such a cute dress! I love the print on it, adorable. :) And I know what you mean how visiting places you grew up are so familiar but so different! It seems like everything got smaller when I visited my old neighborhood I grew up in, hehe!
&& thank you! :) you have contributed most wonderfully to my camera research. 8D
seeing your shoes made me remember that I have a pair of nude pumps that I need to pull out and use more often.
I love your dress. You seriously take the most amazing pictures! And are beautiful
Very interesting look out.
I think you styled the dress well, but looking forward to seeing it other ways :)
DAMN!!! -the blow dryer :(
A.Co @ A.Co est. 1984
i love your outfit so much!!! looks really comfortable..love the background too,,that house looks great :)
I think the dress looks great. I think you should at least give it until fall before parting with it. That way you can play around with tights and boots to see if that helps you feel more comfortable with the short length.
http://the-not-so-secret-loves-of-bri.blogspot.com/
ohh my you look so gorgeous in the photos! oh and i've read your post about how you lose weight and it inspires me a lot! and now i'm trying to live healthy! :)
The Spoof.
i am so totally diggin this. i love the short flirty dress with the sweater over the top. i am certain i'm going to try and copy it. hope you don't mind!!!
Shes got legs! She knows how to use them!
I like how you opted for nude shoes to make those stems look even longer. Great look!
www.morganandlua.blogspot.com
the dress looks cute - you should show a shot of it w/o the shirt, too!
I completely understand what you're saying about the town you grew up in. Whenever I go back to my hometown I am amazed at the new development, when I think back to six years ago (when I moved) it seems like a different world. Although this "lookout" is absolutely beautiful. I love the shape of the building.
No onto your outfit, I just love the print of your dress!
This dress should have been featured on Don't Show-cha my Chocha! :D Kidding!
It is quite short but you styled it quite demurely and convservatively so it balanced out. Maybe you could make it a top so you don't give it away? It looks too cute on you and the print is so nice.
I adore the way you styled it with the gray and the nude heels. I think I'll be tossing my gray sweatshirt over a cute skirt today. Thanks Tieka! Always inspiring :)
B from A plus B
A crop top over a dress! Ah never thought of that... what a nifty idea, looks great too!
that building is so amazing, such a cool thing to grow up with! I love that little crop top over your dress, perfect way to wear it.
lovelove, M.
http://marissaexplains.blogspot.com
that crop top looks SO comfy!! and i love with the dress, dear. <3
awesome!!! you look very dreamy in these photos.. must be the wind, the photo itself or the flowiness of your outfit.. but really pretty as always, tieka!! :D and i love your pumps.. still haven't found the perfect nude pair. anyway, brett is quite a stunner himself in that hat! :D
sybil
Animated Confessions
that dress goes perfectly with the grey top...and the blue colour is lovely on you! i think you will definitely get a lot of summer-wear out of it :-)
My parents always talk about how they want me to stay in Muskegon when I am done with school and I ALWAYS tell them I am moving 15 minutes south to GH... It just fits me better I feel like.. lol
I love the post though! Yay blockhouse! I love your shoes by the way!
love.
Now I'm curious to see what the top of the dress looks like! I love it with the crop top though, that's seriously sort of an ingenious idea to put over a dress. And the scenic outlook house is kind of amazing architecture wise. It's so interesting.
This little spot looks fantastic! I would love to randomly cross paths with something like this one of these days. Despite the slightly high hem line, you definitely work it Tieka! :)
I'm digging the nude heels. Reminds me that I need some for myself sometime soon. They are so cute and versatile!
The color and print of the dress is really pretty. I would have no idea how to style something so short though - maybe with jeans? I like your shoes too!
Boy your husband sure is buff. Jealous!
I think you look great in the dress! The print is so cute. And what an awesome looking boathouse. I love the architectural layout
i just love this look! its awesome that your on the front page of chictopia too! ive always wanted that moment of chictopia fame haha.
i adore your blog and cute style, would you like to swap links?
www.bighairandbikinis.blogspot.com/
summer humidity is no fun for anyone!!
but I'd rather deal with it and have it be summer than winter again!
The dress has such a cute print, can't wait to see how else you style it!
Chic on the Cheap
At least you have great legs, no one complains when the hemline is too short if you have great legs!
Great combination. Love it :) As usual stunning :D
http://tugbaseckin.blogspot.com/
http://tugbaseckin.blogspot.com/
http://tugbaseckin.blogspot.com/
http://tugbaseckin.blogspot.com/
http://tugbaseckin.blogspot.com/
http://tugbaseckin.blogspot.com/
lovely place, bet the view are breathtaking really.
it does look like a very interesting lookout, and interesting that you can look out from any side of it. Any lookout I've been to you can only see a view from one side of it.
I love the pattern on that dress. I think short dresses are great with tights, thats probably how I wouldve worn it, although I know its summer there, so maybe not as easy.
I love this pairing. Looking good!
would love to see a post with curly hair post!!!!!
I love this idea of a crop over a dress, makes it look casual and comfy but the shoes still dress it up. I always just put on some leggings when dresses are too short or even cycling shorts to save from embarassing underwear slips. I like how you've styled it though.
The skirt looks well skimpy - go you & your super legs! You've paired it well with the baggy grey jumper. I love big baggy grey things, I have an old grey cardigan that is as big as a house that I love to death.
Ohhhhhh....!!
I have no words!! I´ve just discovered your blog and I love it!!
You have such a beautiful style!!
Keep working on this!!
http://twostylishpeasinapod.com
Love this dress and i love how you've styled it! :) maybe a lacy slip dress underneath would be nice to add length too? i hate dresses that are too short cos then I feel I cant wear them to work. xo
I love scandal... that dress is short and looks great, I guess the biggest worry is a gust of wind!
This outfit is so cute! And the idea of a blockhouse is pretty sweet, I've never heard of one before.
Blockhouse! Shawn and I went to visit one last summer and it was so neat! And I hear you on the too-short dress, I seem to encounter that problem a lot. I'm not even that tall (5'6) but for some reason many things end up looking scandalously short on me! I love that you paired it with a loose sweater though, definitely takes away the scandal! Super cute!
Hmm that would be a very interesting dress to style. I would be thrilled to see how the other Delightful Dozen ladies give a go at it! The print on the dress is great though. I am in love with that adorable crop top. It just looks so cozy!
I very much feel the same way about the town that I grew up in. While it's nowhere near where I live now, it's an incredibly tiny place and I really didn't like it when I was younger and had dreams of larger cities. Though, as an adult, when I visit now, I really enjoy my time there and am able to appreciate its beauty.
not really sure why I said flats in an earlier comment...derrh!
I love the nude pumps! =).
i love your dress!
its gorgeous and tbh i think youve styled it really well :)
also that block house is stunning!
http://vintageaurora.blogspot.com/
xoxo
As always, your unwavering beauty shines through in your pictures :)
I love the blockhouse!! I wish we had something cool like that.
I'm loving your hair these days. SO much. I know you want to dye it blonde, but I absolutely love how the blonde peeks through the brown. It actually looks so natural!! You are beautiful with dark hair, honey.
Also, I think my boyfriend has a mancrush on your darling Brett. He was looking over my shoulder and said, "He's SO hip " and oogled at the screen forever! Hahah. You can tell Brett he has a fan :)
Love,
Maggie:)
The dress looks hot on you and it is styled perfectly!
i haven't said hi in a while...looks like you're still doing very well! :) cute outfit here. how fun!!
I really want a grey sweater like that, but I haven't got around to looking for one yet :) love your outfit and your pictures are stunning! what camera do you use, the colours in your photos are always so pretty
xx
www.anadorablecliche.blospot.com
i hope you won't mind me asking, but why is it that you didn't like growing up in muskegon?
i was born in cebu..and have been living here since forever. i can't imagine living in any other city.
i'm glad though that you've found a home with brett in west michigan...
ps. you styled the dress quite perfectly..
♥ vanilla ice cream ♥
aw, i really like this look! the crop top is really cute.
I loveeeee the colour of your heels. So pretty.
I'm hosting a giveaway at my blog. Check it out!
www.leflattery.blogspot.com
xo
flattery
The dress looks very cute the way you styled it.
But I agree that too-short skirts are difficult to wear. Sometimes it feels like I can't really move in them.
these are fantastic! i love the skirt + setting.
xo Alison
tieka, i love this look! the cropped top with the short dress is perfect and provides enough coverage, too:) ive been wanting a crop top but im not sure how to style it. thanks for the inspiration!
TheOwlsCloset.blogspot.com
You look beautiful! This outfit is perfect
I love this pairing, the sweater with the short skirt is great! and I love your new header, too!! I want to visit that lookout spot :]
Beautiful images, not only because of your style but also for the oddly charming building. :) Love the way you took them!
You are so cute and it's a beautiful location!
I love your outfit!
;)
http://www.mypointmystyle.blogspot.com/
Love your photos! And I love that you wore a sweterish top over the dress. Inspiring!:) Oh, and you're now on my right sidebar!:)
PAX of
DROWNING EQUILIBRIUMS
Great skirt! It makes your legs look miles long!
One thing I really love about your blog is that you take your pics in so many different locations. It's really great to see a bit of your surroundings!
And I love how you styled the dress. Yes, it's a bit short but it looks great with the loose top!
Love, Diana
http://thegirloverboard.tumblr.com
Love the print on your dress--so cute.
Melanie@UnravelledThreads
What a cool building! I mean, seriously cool! I also really love your dress, although it is short, it looks great on you. You certainly have the legs for it!
Post a Comment