My Polyvore & Spring/Summer Outfit Ideas

For anyone who doesn't know what this website is, it's a place for fashion, art, and creative expression. On the site you can make sets which can focus on fashion, interior design, or art and expression. You can also create a collection or template from your sets. Polyvore includes a shop function where you can browse clothing from almost any store imaginable and an ask function where you can ask for fashion advice or answer other people's fashion questions. My Polyvore address is http://dreamer-xo.polyvore.com/

Among my more recent sets are some outfit ideas for spring and summer, each of which are casual, fun, and easy to create using clothing items you already own or finding affordable pieces that are similar.

Outfit 1

As pictured in this set, this outfit would be great for bike riding, but still quite stylish. It combines medium wash denim capris, a bright graphic tank top, white canvas shoes, and some fun but simple jewelry. Friendship style bracelets are very trendy this season, they come in so many different designs and colours or you could even make your own as I displayed in my Digging DIY post.

Outfit 2

This outfit would be great for dinner or drinks with your friends, or a family bbq. It's still a casual look, but a little more dressed up and girly. It features a sundress, denim jacket, sandals, some colourful jewelry, and a white cross body bag. I included a denim jacket in this look because sometimes the evenings can be very cool, especially in the spring.

Outfit 3

This outfit is a casual, everyday look that is a perfect combination for the summer. It includes a flowy batwing top, light wash denim shorts, white canvas shoes, some antique style jewelry, and a teal cross body bag. I think that white canvas shoes are a staple that every college girl should have because they're comfortable, easy to pair with almost anything, and available at affordable prices. I recently just bought a pair at Payless for $17. I added a photo of a side braid, which would be a great way to finish off this look.

Outfit 4 

This last outfit is another everyday look that is very simple, quick, and easy to put together. It combines a white v-neck tee, dark wash denim shorts, sandals, a long pendant necklace, friendship bracelets, and a tote bag. Stylish jewelry such as the necklace pictured becomes the focus of the outfit and adds interest to a plain white tee. You can also add more to this look by wearing a trendy nail polish colour and/or colourful sunglasses.

My Favourite Superfoods

Apples

They fight free radicals. They're full of antioxidants, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C. They’re a good source of potassium and fiber, which help prevent cancer and lower risk for heart disease. Make sure to eat the skin of the apple too, it has 2-6 more antioxidants than the insides of the apple.

Blueberries

1 cup of blueberries has the equivalent antioxidant content of 5 servings of carrots, squash, broccoli, and apples. The anthocyanin flavonoid found in blueberries can boost bone health, help your heart health, and promote eye health. I'm not a big fan of blueberries on their own so I love adding them to my cereal in the morning or eating them with yogurt.

Broccoli

Helps prevent cancer through its high levels of antioxidants. It is high in folate, which aids in red blood cell formation, formation of amino acids, and energy production. It is beneficial for protecting eye health. It is best to steam or simmer broccoli in a small amount of water to keep most of its vitamin and mineral content. 

Dark Chocolate

It is high in polyphenol antioxidants which can protect against cancer, heart attack, and stroke. It is good in moderation and in more natural forms. Natural dark chocolate is best as processed foods such as chocolate bars, cakes, etc. are bad for your health. Avoid cheap brands that include preservatives, partially hydrogenated palm oil, and high sugar levels. 

Green Tea

It’s high in antioxidants including polyphenols (catechins) and flavonols, which protect the body from free radicals, lowering risk for heart disease, cancer, suppressed immune system, and accelerated aging. It may also help prevent sun damage such as wrinkles and skin cancer. Green tea is shown to prevent obesity by suppressing weight gain, food intake, and fat-tissue accumulation. In connection it may also speed up metabolism.

It is best to steep your own green tea and loose leaf is of highest quality. I personally don’t like mine as hot tea so I will add a bit of honey to it so it’s not bitter and then refrigerate it. Sometimes I buy the Arizona brand, but it is high in sugar so it’s best to water it down to make it healthier.

Oats

They contain more soluble fiber than any other grain, which helps you stay full longer. Rolled oats are much healthier than instant oats. They have a high percentage of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They contain nutrients that help prevent cancer and the soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol.

Yogurt

It is filled with probiotics which are beneficial for intestinal health. Yogurt can help with bloating, stomach disorders, and other troubles of the intestines. It may boost your immune system and can help reduce muscle loss and body fat. Yogurt can improve oral health by reducing dental plaque formation, cavities, risk for gingivitis, and help eliminate bad breath.

Eggs

One egg only has 75 calories and 13 essential nutrients such as protein, iron, zine, folate, and choline. For most of its vitamins, the egg contains higher amounts in the yolk rather than the egg white. It is a complete protein because it contains all 9 essential amino acids. They can help lower the risk of breast cancer, help build muscle strength, and protect eye health.

Digging DIY

I've always been into arts and crafts since I was a little kid; colouring, sewing, re-constructing, and improving things to my liking. Since my summer break started about a week and a half ago and I've had a lot of free time, I've been getting crafty in the form of making bracelets. I loved making friendship bracelets for myself and my friends as a kid and since friendship bracelets are going to be a big trend this spring and summer, I felt inspired. I'm considering making a mini-business of it and selling them to those that are interested. So far I've made about 10 bracelets and today I will be featuring my personal favourites that I will be keeping for myself.

The first bracelet is a mini-macreme style featuring a cowrie shell in the middle. I made it using light blue and lilac coloured embroidery thread and used square knot macreme for my design. I love using this type of knot for a friendship bracelet because it's quick and easy to do and very versatile for adding beads to. 

The second bracelet is a colour core design, which is done by braiding three strands of thread around another piece of thread that is a different colour. For this bracelet I used teal and light blue embroidery thread. I like this type of design because it doesn't take long and contrasting colours like the ones I used make it look great.

The third bracelet is just a simple braided design, but with a twist. I used two pieces of embroidery thread, one purple and one pink, and a piece of silvery ribbon and braided them together. I like this design because it looks classic and feminine, especially with the colour combo and ribbon I chose and it's very quick and easy to make.

I'm currently working on a bracelet with a harder and more time-consuming pattern and I have many other bracelet design ideas for the upcoming weeks along with other DIY projects that I'm interested in trying. If you're interested in future posts on other bracelets or projects I complete or would like to see some tutorials, please leave a comment.

Do you like DIY projects? What kind are you interested in or which ones have you already completed?