Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #92

LOTD

Hey guys!

Happy Thursday!

I leave tomorrow for Rome! I’m super excited but a bit nervous too! I know it is going to go by fast, so I’m going to soak up as much as I can while I am there! I will still have posts that will go up next week, but I will have a more extensive post about traveling abroad after I come back! I’ll be posting on my Instagram all about my trip so be sure to be following along here!

Today’s look of the day entails another pop of pink for the last day of February! This outfit is warm and cozy for these last few winter weeks, fingers crossed spring weather is upon us sooner than later. Let’s start getting into the details of this outfit. 

Full outfit. Contrasting colors of black and soft pink

I decided to wear these black faux leather leggings with my outfit as a neutral look to go with my top and scarf. I got these leggings from Target a few years ago, but I am on the lookout for a new pair, where do you get your favorite leggings from?! Let me know in the comments below! 

This long pink turtleneck is my new favorite article of clothing for the winter months. I found it at GAP on sale after the holidays and it was the best find. I loved the turtleneck so much I got it both in light pink and gray.  I love the silky, soft material and the color. It is light weight, so it is not a bulky piece of clothing, a great top for transitional weather. I knew it was the perfect piece to add to my collection, this was the first time I wore it and I was so pleased with how my outfit turned out. 

Up close of the outfit without my scarf
Up close of the outfit with the scarf

This scarf is another item I got at Christmas that I added to my collection.  I wore it in a post a few weeks ago with a blue jacket and jeans and I loved pairing this scarf with lighter colors today. This scarf has colors of blue, pink, white, cream, and light tan. The light pink in the scarf matched the light pink scarf perfectly. These colors are perfect to pair with other outfits to mix and match them with. 

Up close of the soft pink sweater, scarf, and leather leggings

Lastly, I wore my high black leather boots to top my outfit off. I got mine from DSW. I loved matching soft pink and black together, they are the perfect combination of contrasting colors. I hope this outfit gave you some inspiration for your next outfit out and about. 

Up close of the scarf and the turtleneck

I’m off to finish packing for my trip before I jet off. I will see you when I get back. Remember to follow along on all my adventures. Have a great spring break!!!

Categories
Fabulous living

Things To Do on a Quiet Weekend

Hey Everyone!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope your week is off to a great start. I just got back from a very restful and much needed break at home. It was so good to get home for a while and rejuvenate for a bit. This is a big week, not only is it the last week before midterms but I am also leaving on Friday to head off to Rome, Italy for Spring Break!!!

So, why am I going to Rome?! I have been a part of a leadership program since I’ve been in college and one of the last components of the program is to learn and apply everything we have learned these past three years for a week in Rome. I travelled to Italy when I was in high school and I can’t wait to go back and get a new experience for this second time. I’ll be sure to post updates of my time abroad as well as several blog posts in the upcoming future. 

Now, moving on to today’s topic: we are talking all about things to do during a quiet weekend. Whether you are a college student like myself, a young working professional, or a parent with free little time to yourself, I hope this post gives you ideas on ways to relax or activities to do when you don’t have a lot to do on the weekends.  

As a college student, I often find myself busy through the week with classes, meetings, and commitments. However, during the weekends, everything tends to slow down, people head home for the weekend, there is not as many things going on, and the weekends are generally quiet. During my time in college, I’ve found many ways to occupy myself when things are quiet, there is only so much homework you can do and you can only get so far ahead in classes. Here are my favorite things to do on the weekend.

  • Binge watch the latest show on Netflix– I’m currently watching American Crime Story “The Assassination of Gianni Versace”, I’m obsessed with it. I loved watching “The People vs. OJ Simpson” a few years ago and was so excited when they came out with a second season. 
Such a good mini series
  • Pick up a book and escape to a new world for a few hours– Although it is hard to come across time to read in college, free time on the weekend gives me time to get ahead on reading and relaxing. I just finished Jessie James Decker’s book, “Just Jessie” and I loved it. It was so easy to read and a good escape from my college books. I’ll be posting my review of her book in the next few weeks. 
Such a fun book
  • Call up that friend you haven’t talked to in forever and catch up.-This is something I have been trying to do more this semester, I have been doing my best to reconnect with old friends, whether they are high school friends or childhood friends. There is nothing better than facetiming with a friend, swapping stories and sharing memories.
  • Self Care Night– After a busy week, take some time for yourself, whether it’s running a bubble bath and reading, doing a facemask, or painting your nails, pamper yourself with something special and make sure you are putting your best self forward for a new week ahead. 
Nothing makes me feel better than a fresh coat of polish. I wore this color for Valentine’s Day!
  • Take a walk or work out.-Not as relaxing but you will feel better after. Sometimes a walk outside is all we need to clear our heads and recharge our batteries. If a walk is not your thing then hit the gym and sweat the stress away. Get your blood pumping and heart racing and you will feel great after!
  • Do something productive– If you have checked all these things off your list of things to do, then tackle a project that has been needing your attention for a while, whether it is a junk drawer that needs cleaned out, a binder that needs organized, clothes than need laid out, or meal prepping for the week ahead, set time aside to get ahead for the week so you aren’t scrambling on Monday morning. 

I hope this list gives you some examples of things to do on a quiet weekend, although sometimes we crave the quiet and just need silence, it can also get boring and mundane. What activities to do you like to do on those few quiet weekends?

See you on Thursday for a new look of the day!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #91

LOTD

Hi Guys!

Happy Thursday or TGIT, am I right?!

I’m so ready for the weekend! I’m heading home for the weekend for a much needed break and vacation. I’m doing some traveling over Spring Break, so I won’t be home then, therefore, I am taking a weekend off to spend time with family and relax. More on my spring break adventures next week! Not only am I looking forward to seeing family but also for the Oscars! Is anyone planning on watching?! Awards season is my favorite time of year! Haha! 

Now, moving on to today’s look of the day. The weather this month has been all over the place, some days it’s cold and snowy, other days its warm and rainy, it has been such weird weather to dress for. This outfit is perfect for these weird days, warm for cold mornings but cool for warm afternoons. Let’s get to the details. 

Warm and cozy for February

I’m wearing my go-to jeans with this outfit, my regular straight legged jeans get so much use in the fall and winter. I love how you can wear them with shoe boots, heels, or flats. So versatile! I got my pair from Old Navy, no better place to get affordable jeans. I decided to pair them with my black leather shoe boots. These shoe boots are from Marshalls from several years ago, they are so comfortable and can go with so many things. 

Cooler outfit for the warmer weather

This top is one of my favorite things to wear in my wardrobe when I need a change in the winter. I got this top from Francesca’s Boutique. I shared this top in a dressier outfit here. Today’s outfit is more casual. I love how the top can dress up an outfit, also it works great for transitional weather. 

I decided to accessorize this outfit with the gold and blue drop earrings which are a simple accessory but add a lot to an outfit. 

Up close of the earrings and blouse

This blue wool coat is worn on repeat in the winter months. I got this coat from Old Navy and it is perfect to wear with an all blue outfit or for a more of a dressier outfit. This scarf is also the perfect accessory for this blue winter coat. I got this scarf for Christmas and I love how warm and soft it is and the colors of pink, white, and blue work great with the blue jacket. 

Scarf and coat details

I love how these are all unique pieces but they work together. I hope this gives you some inspiration for mixing and matching pieces for the transitional weather.

 I hope you have a great weekend. See you next Tuesday!

Categories
Fabulous living

Screen Time Feature: YAY or NAY?

Hi All!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope your weeks are off to a great start. February is flying by, it’s crazy to think we are more than half way to the end of the month. I hope you all had a relaxing weekend and were able to celebrate Valentine’s day with your loved ones. 

Today, I wanted to share my thoughts and get your thoughts on the new update on iPhones with the screen time feature. Essentially, your iphone monitors how long you spend on your phone from social media, to productivity, entertainment and more. 

The screen time feature is found under your settings

You can check your screen report by going under settings and then half way down you will see screen time. From there it shows you how long you have been on it for the day, how many times you pick up your phone per hour, and how many notifications you receive per day. For more of an overview you can see how long you have been on it for the week. Every week, your phone will give you a screen time report of how much time you spent on your phone for the week compared to past weeks. 

It shows you how much time you spent on your phone per day (Note: I wrote this post in the afternoon so it’s not a full day, but you get the idea)

If your amount of time on your phone alarms you, you can schedule time away from your phone or app limits, so you can control how much time you spend on your phone. 

This breaks down screen time hour by hour and you can see your notifications and how much time you spend on each app

When I first heard about screen time, I was intrigued. The first day I checked my screen time at the end of the day, I spent over five hours on my phone, I couldn’t believe I wasted so much time on my phone when I could be doing other things. Now, granted some of the time was listening to music, talking on the phone, replying to emails and social media but I wasn’t scrolling through Instagram for 5 hours straight. HAHA. Now, thanks to screen time I can monitor how much time I’m on my phone through the day and I can see when I need to put it down and away. After using screen time for a few months, I average being on my phone for about 3.5 hours a day, I wish it was lower but I’m glad it’s gone down since I’ve been aware of screen time. I have liked using the screen time app to be aware of how much time I’m spending on my phone. This is not an advertisement nor a sponsored post, I just wanted to share my thoughts on screen time and get your input from about it too!

Look at the full week-this week it was higher due to a number of interviews I was doing over the phone

What are your thoughts on screen time? Have you tried it? Did you love it? Hate it? Let me know in the comments below! 

See you Thursday for a new look of the day!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #90

LOTD

Hello All! 

Happy Valentine’s day! Whether you are celebrating with a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, the girls, or even if you are single like myself I hope you take some time to enjoy this holiday if you celebrate it. I also hope you can spread some love to those around you and you get some love sent your direction. 

Today’s outfit is perfect for Valentine’s Day with the perfect pink top. I love this outfit because it is perfect for a job interview, or day at the office. While I was home for Christmas break, I did some job shadowing and I wore this outfit.

I also got my headshots updated last week and I wore this outfit which was perfect for a professional photo to hopefully jumpstart my career. Let’s get into the details about where you can find this outfit without breaking the bank. 

New headshots for senior year
Close up head shot-so happy with how they turned out
All dressed up for a day at the office

I got these dress pants from Old Navy believe it or not?! I was on the hunt for a pair of straight cut dress pants and after looking all over town, I found them at Old Navy at a great price. Last summer I was on the hunt for black dress pants. I was searching in stores and online but everything that kept coming up were tight and looked more like leggings. I really was looking for a more professional look and a straight leg. After numerous searches, I finally found these dress pants at Old Navy believe it or not. Not only do they fit to size and look professional, but they are also so comfortable. I have worn them a few other occasions and they are a must have for your collection.

I also wanted a nice sweater to go with my dress pants and I knew a light cardigan would go perfect with the top. I got this black one from Old Navy on sale. I have worn it with jeans and dress pants as well as dresses. It’s a wonderful, versatile sweater that is perfect for a grown women’s professional collection. It not only keeps you warm, but it also looks put together. 

My statement piece for this outfit is this fun pink top from Francesca’s Boutique. I know I have shared this top on here before, but I love the color and how you can truly dress it up with dress pants or a skirt and you can also pair it with jeans or leggings for a more casual look. 

Lastly, my shoes are my favorite shoe boots that I wear all the time since they are comfortable and reliable. 

I also have to share about my Michael Kors purse. I got it for my 16thbirthday. I use it for any job interview or shadowing as well as big meetings. It looks professional and it has a lot of storage to hold everything you need for a day at work. 

A perfect look for job interviews and shadowing

I hope this inspires you to look outside of the box when it comes to shopping for professional clothing. Have a sweet and love filled Valentine’s Day. Sending you lots of love today and every day!

XOXO

Categories
Fabulous living

Choosing to Look on the Positive Side of Life

Hello! Hello!

Happy Tuesday! It’s crazy to think we are halfway through February, this month is flying by! With Valentine’s Day this week, I wanted to focus on a more light-hearted post for today ( no pun intended). For all my single girls out there, check out my post from last year about Galentine’s Day and fun things to do with your girlfriends! You can read all about it here.

Today, I wanted to share about the importance of looking on the positive side of things and turning a bad situation into a good one. One thing that I try to do is see the good things in every day, we all have tough days, whether it’s a long day of classes and meetings, or if you are having relationships issues or family troubles, I firmly believe there is always one good thing that can come out of a bad day. 

I started to really make an effort to find one good thing about every day during my senior year of high school. I got a Mason Jar and a stack of post it notes and at the end of every day I wrote the date and one good thing that happened each day. At the end of the year I had a whole jar of good memories and good things that happened every day of senior year.  I was so happy I had all those memories to look back on.

My Jar through my senior year of high school
All my good moments dumped out
So many good things happened during my senior year of high school, I’m so glad I kept track of them

My freshmen year of college, my mom gave me a journal to write all about my experiences about my freshmen year of college. I loved having an account of everything that happened and I made sure I wrote down the best part of my day. 

Last year (2018) started out rough but I didn’t want a few challenging weeks to determine my outlook of the entire year, I was already journaling in Shonda Rhimes’ Years of Yes journal but I wanted to add something new, so every day I took a post it note and wrote one positive thing that happened. To read about my Year of Yes, you can find it here.

The Journal of my Sophomore Year-Year of YES

I called my junior year, my year of Joy. My sweet friend Danielle, gave me this journal for my birthday and I write in it every day. I write down three good things that bring me joy every day.

Junior Year of JOY

I have found journaling every day for the past few years very therapeutic. I also found it helpful to be intentional about seeing the good things that happened every day, whether it was having a good conversation with a friend, going on a spontaneous brunch and shopping day, celebrating a holiday, or getting in some quality family time or self care. By writing down one or more good things that happened every day, it really puts things in perspective about how good life can be and how we should always look towards the positive things in life. When you have class from 12:30-8:30 straight and nothing is going your way (yes, this has happened to me) I always know there are definitely good things that happened through the long day. I hope this post encourages you to look on the positive side of things when life has you down. There are so many good things around us if we are willing to see them.

I hope this week brings you nothing but good vibes, wonderful moments and love (whether its from a significant other, best friend, or parent). Spread some love this week!

XOXO

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #89

All ready for a day at work

LOTD

Hello All! Happy Thursday! These past few weeks have been going by so fast. I can’t believe we are already done with the first full week of February. I have the weekend off of work, so I am looking forward to relaxing, catching up on sleep and hanging out with friends. I have a feeling it’s going to be a good weekend. Just one more day until the weekend. 

I am so excited to share today’s outfit with you. It is such a versatile outfit. It’s a staple that I wear a lot when I am home for work since it’s appropriate for the workplace but it also works great for school since you look put together while also being comfortable. These photos are from when I was home working over Christmas break, but since I have come back to school I have worn this for classes and meetings. Let’s break this outfit down. 

Comfortable and professional, the best of both worlds

I love the faux leather leggings. I got them a few years ago from Target.  They feel like leggings when you are wearing them but from a far they look like a pair of skinny dress pants. I like to wear these when I know I have a busy day ahead of me and I know I am going to be on the go. I paired them with my high black dress boots from DSW for more of a professional look, but I have also paired this outfit with Uggs which worked just fine especially with the winter weather. 

This blue top is a staple of mine in the closet. I got it from GAP. I adore the material, it is a luxe shirt meaning it is so soft and silky. I couldn’t have asked for a better combination. I love that this top can be dressed up or down. I decided to top this outfit off with my long winter white sweater from Scandal Style from the Limited. Once again, this outfit looks professional but also comfortable.

Up close of the details

I topped the outfit off with gold jewelry and my gold bar necklace, a simple yet elegant piece of jewelry.

I know I am going to be wearing these pieces on rotation for the next few months with the cold weather.  I hope you all have warm and productive weekends and you make some room for some fun in there too!

What pieces do you constantly wear in the winter months?

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

Simplicity Challenge 2019

Hello All and Happy Tuesday and an even Happier February.

I love the month of February! Not only is January over…it’s such a long month, but I love Valentine’s Day and all the red, white, and pink that goes along with it. Not to mention the chocolate and just the good feelings that come along with it.  It’s the perfect month in the middle of a long winter.

For those of you who follow me on instagram, you may have noticed for the month of January, I participated in the Simplicity Challenge through Emily Ley’s company, Simplified. I love everything Emily Ley does from her books, to planners, and simplified ways. If you aren’t familiar with her already, check her out here.For the past few years she has done a simplicity challenge for the new year and this year I knew I wanted to participate in it. 

Every day for the month of January she will assign a task around your home that takes 15 minutes or less to accomplish, it can be anything from cleaning out your car, making a grocery list of easy meals, taking a trash bag and getting rid of stuff through your house, and setting goals for the new year. You can see the full list of challenges on Emily Ley’s Instagram page here.I posted myself doing the challenges every day and saved them to my highlights reel on instagram.Not only did this old me accountable for doing the challenge but it also showed you all how easy the tasks can be. Here are a few examples of my favorite tasks. 

I loved starting the challenge by going through my room and getting rid of all the clutter
My car can always get so cluttered so I loved being able to get it cleaned out
I use my notes app all the time and I loved that I was able to get it organized with all the important things
With the new year just beginning I took the time to clean my camera roll and save my photos and delete random ones
It felt so good to organize my purse and get it all prepped for a new semester and replenish things that were out
I cleaned out my emailed and unsubscribed from a bunch of stores that I don’t shop at. Nothing better than an updated inbox
Last but not least, I made sure to set some time aside for myself. We all need self care in order to take care of others

These are just a few examples of my favorite tasks. I was so happy I was able to accomplish the challenge, if you didn’t get around to it, no worries. You can always start now. It doesn’t have to be at the beginning of the month or even the year. This challenge really helped get me in the right mind set for the new year. This year I want to be more intentional and only focus on the important things and this challenge really helped declutter my home and my mind. There are some tasks that I know I am going to continue to incorporate in my life every day especially when it comes to lists and organizing and there are others that I know were helpful in the moment, but I may not continue to use them in my life.

Have you tried the simplicity challenge?

What ways do you want to get simplified for the upcoming year?

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #88

LOTD

Hi All!

Happy Thursday! It’s almost the end of the week. This weekend is my last weekend working so I’m super excited to get this weekend started and over to finish up work and then I have many exciting things in the upcoming months. Today’s look of the day is perfect for the winter weather and the freezing temperatures. 

all warm for a day out in the snow

This outfit is perfect for the cold weather and I am highlighting several pieces. To start off this is a simple and casual outfit that can get dressed up with accessories. I started my outfit off with a simple pair of blue jeans from Old Navy. I love these straight legged jeans. They are perfect for high black boots or uggs in the winter. I got my black boots on sale from DSW. DSW is my go-to for great shoes at a low price, my tip is stock up on shoes off season for the best deals.  I paired these jeans with a simple long sleeve black t-shirt. Old Navy is also my go-to for black and white t-shirts that are good quality and long lasting. Jeans and a black or white t-shirt is the perfect simple look. 

This scarf is the perfect accessory

I decided to add this carmel, black and red scarf to add a pop of color and texture to my look. Not only does it keep my warm but it is also stylish and a great accessory to change up a simple look with. 

Staying warm in the frigid temperatures

Lastly, my favorite accessory is this black winter coat. I got it from L.L. Bean. It is not only super warm and durable but great quality. Since I live up North it’s crucial I have a warm and long lasting winter jacket. 

My little pup Milton had to interrupt the photo shoot and I was more than okay with it…my favorite

This week were are supposed to get near freezing temperatures so I know I will be wearing this outfit os something similar to it to brave the cold.

Have a great weekend and stay warm!

Categories
Fabulous living

Winter Break Book Review

Happy Tuesday. How is your week looking? Hectic? Calm? Too early to tell? The past few weeks have flown by for me, I think between getting into a new schedule for the semester and working the past few weekends the weeks have gone by much faster. 

Today, I am finally getting around to sharing my Winter Break Book Review, I know it’s way overdue, but better late than never right? During my month home I read two books. I wish I read more but time got away from me. I read â€œMy Oxford Year”by Julie Whelan and â€œThe Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity”by Matthew Kelly. Both were very good books but very diverse in the subject matter and genre. Let’s dive into these tales.

My Oxford Year

“My Oxford Year” tells the story of a young American student, Ella Duran who is studying in Oxford. She meets Jamie Davenport, a handsome date who turns out to be her lecturer. She has high dreams and aspirations and doesn’t want to be derailed by a romance abroad. There are many unexpected twists and turns, especially the ending. There were so many times when the book changed directions that I never would have expected. Overall, this book tells the story of hard work, pursing your dreams, making friends with people who never expected and putting your goals on hold for those you love. I had seen this book on many book reviews over the summer and I was so excited I could finally read it, I was not disappointed at all.

One thing that was different about my experience with this book is that I tried the audiobook of it instead of reading it. I’ve heard many people make the transition from reading books to listening to them, and at this point, I hate to say I am not one of them. It was nice to listen to the book while I did other things such as clean, wash, or computer work, but I still like the feeling of reading for leisure. Now, I know people listen to the books while they drive and I haven’t tried that yet, so I plan on giving it another try soon but for now I think I’m going to stick to the reading of books. 

The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity

The next book I read was “The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity” by Matthew Kelly. Last summer I read â€œPerfectly Yourself”by Matthew Kelly and I loved it so I couldn’t wait to read this on and it didn’t disappoint. Here’s my book review with Perfectly Yourself.“The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity” is all about living life to the fullest and doing things and making choices that truly make us happy. It also shows us what things we can do to make our lives happier and be more content and not be overwhelmed by so much noise. I found this book to be therapeutic and relaxing. I read a chapter or two a day and I loved the positive message that it spread. I loved it so much I went on to gift it to two other people. I read this book as opposed to listening to it and I preferred it much better, especially when I was reading it with a candle burning and a warm cup of hot coco, can you think of anything better?!

One of my favorite quotes from Matthew Kelly’s book

That’s a bit of a recap of two great books I read over break. Although, I am back to school and in classes, I’m trying to carve some time every day to read, even if it is just a chapter. 

What are you guys currently reading? I love new suggestions? Also, do you guys prefer to listen to books or read them?

See you on Thursday for warm and toasty outfit for the winter months!