How I got a $100 Maxi for $14, ha!

You guys have no idea how much I miss Phoenix - read my travel recap here if you missed it.  I had an incredible time exploring with my girlfriends so I definitely want to go back - maybe next time I'll take my family?  I really want to visit the Grand Canyon again - it was a life-changing experience for me, like I actually teared up when I saw it.  The view was so unbelievably breathtaking, and it helped me realize how "small" everything was - it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind, but in the grand scheme of things, it's all trivial.  

In fact, I actually reached an important epiphany there:  the quality of your life depends on your attitude.  I know that's kind of cheesy, but I truly believe in the aforementioned statement.  I always try to take obstacles and view them as challenges instead of obstructions.  And if I ever feel depressed - and let's be real, all of us do at some point - I let myself wallow for a bit before getting right back up.  How do you guys deal with failure? Are there inspiring quotes that help motivate YOU in your daily life?  If yes, def. let me know by commenting below!

Anywho, let's get back to today's OOTD! Diana, Mel and I visited the Desert Botanical Gardens on our last day in PHX, and we were determined to find the biggest cactus there.  There ended up being a ton of giant cacti so we just picked one and shot our looks there, ha.  I'm wearing a fab dress from Saks Off 5th!  It was $100+, but I actually got it for $14.  It was on sale + the dress was damaged - the overlay had a tear - so they gave me an additional discount.  I accessorized with a fabulous cuff + earrings from Jwholesale and threw on comfortable walking shoes (from Cat Footwear) to finish off my look.  I brought a cardi with me just in case - AZ mornings can get chilly so keep light outerwear on hand!

 Other summery maxi dresses (all under $50):

 Dress:  Saks Off 5th ($14) || Shoes:  Cat Footwear || Cardigan:  Kohl's || Jewelry:  J Wholesale

Photos shot by the amazing La Belle Mel.