*Princesses*

~Princesses, Tiaras, and Inspiration :)

This is Sleeping Beauty, if you were wondering ;)

A modern day Cinderella....

Sleeping Beautys are rather difficult to
identify without the prince, don't you think?

Well, now you can guess who this is about *wink*

I once wore a tiara, and it was pure bliss! (for the 2 hours I had it
on... it was so beautiful, and now I love tiaras and wish I had one ;)

 A beautiful train.... remember Princess Diana's 24 foot long train?
I know she was going for drama, but that is a little over the top!

~Castles

I am so enchanted by castles... they are so beautiful. I think
the best ones are the grand, ancient ones that are half-crumbling
and no one cares about... except you. They are mystical and
whimsical all at once. Wouldn't it be a joy to live in one? ;)

And castles that are always on display and being used for
movies get on my nerves! How about an old world castle
tucked away in Ireland where you can spend your days
in a medieval world? =) Tell me if you ever get one of
these delicious houses!

Fog and castles.... oh so mysterious!!

If I lived in a castle, I would probably spend half my time
looking for secret passage ways and hidden secrets that were
 locked away for hundreds of years.... I  would write countless
tales about those who lived in the castle before, dreaming
about their  lives and fantasizing their existence. :) 

*Swoon, Gasp, Scream* Is this castle for rent? ;)

I hate fake looking castles, such as this
one. It looks so Disney Land-ish. :P 

Aw!!!! So sweet!

~Disney Princesses

Sleeping Beauty...

Cinderella, whose movie happens to be one of my favorite in the world. :)
And she is truly my favorite princess, ever.  By the way, this quote ends with,
"No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream
that you wish will come true."

Rapunzel, from Tangled. =)

Had to add this! haha!

~Historical Princesses

I admit, she is not a princess anymore, but she once was,
a very long time ago.  Now she is Queen Elizabeth II :) 

Princess Grace of Monaco :)

Marie Antoinette {no, this is not a real picture of her!}

Diana, Princess of Wales {I LOVE her tiara... *swoon*}

"Whatever comes," she [Sarah Crewe] said, "cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it." ~A Little Princess

I hope you all have a lovely, beautiful weekend! :)

A True Lady {No, not Scarlett!}

We've all seen her; maybe even envied her. Laughing brashly and surrounded by scores of suitors, she drew eyes like a magnet. The gaudy make-up, simpering smiles, flirtatious flounces, and flesh-baring clothes set her apart like a peacock amongst doves. Except, in that crowd, there weren't any doves. Oh, yes, you're hearing right. This vain, conceited peacock was only one of the flock. 
Our culture is full of women who flaunt their bodies, displaying themselves for all the world to see. They pursue and preserve their outward beauty, yet they allow their inner beauty to rot like an ancient, moth-eaten book. Yes, these are the people I am talking about when I refer to "women." But *who* do I denote when I speak of a lady?
Definition of a Lady: A courteous, decorous, or genteel female.

Before I move on, I would like to announce that I am not condemning the term "woman" or a person who is a woman. In this article, the word "woman" does not refer to females but rather the opposite of this gentlewoman defined above. If the term "woman" did refer to a female, I would proudly call myself a woman. But, that isn't what I am talking about here. :)

The concept of a lady didn't start with the dictionary. As you may have already guessed, it originated in the Bible:
Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 1 Peter 3:3-4 Do not let your adorning be external -- the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear -- but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. Proverbs 11:12 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. 
Ladylike qualities:
~Courteous
~Genteel
~Decorous
~Polite
~Honest
~Pure
~Discreet
~Gracious
~Poised
~Classy
~Graceful
~Charming {though not as the world knows it}
~Full of Christ-like love
~Respectful
~Honorable
~Conducting yourself with dignity {but please, let us not be pompous!}
~Cheerful
~Having a sunny disposition
~Determined
~Diligent
~Tactful
~Stylish
~Submissive
~Gentle
~Feminine
~Modest
~Demure
~Elegant

The point of this post? Well, I have started a series on "Ladylike Elegance", and it talks about practical ways to become more ladylike in your daily life. {You know, sitting down, standing, etc.} But before I continue that, I feel a need to define what I meant by the words a "Lady" and a "Woman". We're not talking about carrying a handkerchief all the time or never being with matching gloves, hat, and a handbag. Being a lady is about cultivating your inner beauty, while in the process, growing in your outer beauty. Now... which are you aspiring towards? As for me, I have determined to become a true lady in every aspect of my life! Blessings!! =)

~Southern Belle

Beauty

For lovely eyes, see the good in all people.

Remember if you ever are in need of a helping hand, 

you will find one at the end of your arm.

 For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

 For poise, walk with the knowledge that you will never 

walk alone, for the Lord is always by your side.

As you grow older, you will understand that you have two hands, 

one for helping yourself, and the second for helping others. 

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

 

{From Godey's Lady's Book, 1856}

Blessings :)

~Southern Belle

Modest Alterations 101

Audrey Hepburn :)

Eventually, everyone will come across that utterly *gorgeous* dress (or whatever it actually is/was ;) that was just shy of making your standards of modesty. Sobbing hysterically, you place that piece of pure delight back on the shelf and face the appalling truth: nothing can be done. Or can it? Personally, I have come across that situation far too often. :P However, in reality, many amazing modifications for modesty have been found, and they are saving outfits daily! {yes, I am being melodramatic} Obviously, I am not going to bore you with the history of people altering outfits to make them more modest. You will not yawn during this post! Well, at least I hope not. ;) Please read on! (The links below the images are for copyright purposes)
~My dress/skirt is just a little too short.....

Add a pair of leggings! :)
(dillards.com)

~Hate leggings? Just....

Add a slip to lengthen the skirt/dress. :) It really does lengthen it by a
few inches! (Here is a link to the copyright of this photo, and a great slip shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/aslipshop They have some pretty adorable slips :)

~My neckline is too low and my shirt is rather sheer....

Wear a tank top under your shirt
and viola! Nordstrom.com

~My shirt/dress shows too much of my shoulders.... 

Add a cute bolero/shrug :)
bhldn.com

~My jeans are too tight at the back....

Wear it with a mini-dress and problem solved!

~My dress/shirt is a wee bit too tight....

Add cute cardigan :)
http://themodestusfilia.blogspot.com/

~My shirt gapes open when I lean over....

Scotch tape to the rescue! :)

~I work with little kids, and they keep pulling my skirt down....

Just wear a pair of shorts under your skirt!

~My skirt is sheer.... Wear a slip under it :) {not going to use an image for that}

~My shirt is too sheer and has a low neck-line, and my pants are too low-rise :P Is there something that can fix that all at once?

A leotard will fix those problems :)
From good ol' walmart!

~My formal dress shows too much shoulder... is there a way to make it more modest with something a step above a bolero?

Gloves and a fur wrap/shawl will do beautifully.

Any tips you have for altering clothing? Please share! :)  Just thought I would let you know, you all are amazing and wonderful. Thank you so much for your sweet comments and everything else you do... I am so blessed by you all. :)

Have a lovely day, and God bless!