Weekend Camera Roll Crumbs 3.1.25

 

Had a perfectly delightful weekend. While the spring weather did not follow us into the weekend, it still felt like spring was on the horizon. I was still wearing my earmuffs though...

Friday night we popped by our local Upland for some food and a bevvie. It was super chill after a not super chill work week. It's honestly my favorite place to go to unwind that isn't my home. It's my very own Cheers bar - everyone knows my name. I have to hand it to their Blossom ciders - only one pushed me over the tipsy edge. 

Saturday was both laid back and full! We had a slow morning. Eventually we got up to head to Frosty Boy for their opening day. I go every year no matter the weather. It was definitely a chilly day, but worth it. I got my usual corn dog and dish of pineapple whip (if you're a fan of Disney's Dole Whip, you would like this). That evening we had a little date night at the Cheesecake Factory and Barnes & Noble. I've been dying to try this particular duo for a date night. It did not disappoint. The food and drinks were delicious. We got cheesecake to go (I'm still working on mine, to be honest). We had picked out the book we wanted to read together ahead of time (Project Hair Mary by Andy Weir) and we needed to pick up a puzzle, but then we just browsed a bit. I came home with quite a few new reads. My TBR pile is singing the loveliest song for me right now. I cannot wait to dig in. 

Sunday was mainly a lay about day. Nothing too exciting going on. I did make breakfast with the cheeseburger spring roll appetizer we got to go from the Cheesecake Factory. Highly recommend. I like to keep Sundays fairly open so I can have a chance to truly unwind before the work week starts. If I do make plans, I tend to keep those in the morning or early afternoon. While schedules are definitely picking up, since it's still chillier outside I am finding that plans are mainly reserved for Friday and Saturday or a random weeknight). We are still in cozy season over here!

I just love a weekend where I snap a lot of photos. It doesn't have to be anything super planned, but I just enjoy seeing how it takes shape through what I noticed enough to photograph. 

What I Read in February 2025

A pretty decent reading month, if I do say so myself! February started off very slow with reading. It felt like it took forever to get through Le Morte d'Arthur and Mad Honey (though I enjoyed the latter much more). And I had to take nearly a month break in listening to Yellowface. Everything just felt a little disjointed, but I read some pretty good pieces! 

I think I've found a way to help me get though my older additions in my "to read" list. I will listen to them! There are quite a few memoirs or "intellectual" books on the list and I think this will be the easiest way for me get through those. I'm always itching to get the latest hot read, but there's a reason these books were put on my list 5 to 10 years ago too. I've already got a few lined up in my Spotify. 

I just have one more book to read from that fateful Goodwill buying extravaganza and then onto the spectacular lineup I have in my TBR. I don't think I've been this excited about my books sitting in that pile for the longest time. It feels so good!

What I read in February: 

Le Morte d'Arthur a Rendition in Modern Idiom by Keith Baines (Sir Thomas Malory) ⭐⭐⭐

Honestly? I read this so I can say that I read this. It's the closest I can come to reading Sir Thomas Malory's original piece. I can't really recommend anyone read this. There is so much Arthulian legend out there and it's more entertaining than this book. There was no story. It was a  bunch of knights fighting each other for no reason most of the time. And I am pretty sure everyone was bi-sexual. Just watch Merlin (who, by the way, was barely in the book). 

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

I really didn't have any idea what this book was about when I picked it up. It was a little bit of a thriller, a little bit of romance, and a little bit of a how to guide to keep bees. The twist, to me, was easy to spot, but I can see how people would have missed it. I recommend!

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I picked this up for my book club, but it has been on my list for awhile now. This is one of those books that stays with you. Dr. Kalanithi was a neurosurgeon turned patient with cancer. His ability to see and know exactly what was happening to him and to live his life as he wanted was amazing to read about. It was a sad book, but I didn't cry until the epilogue which was written by his wife. 

This will stick with me forever: "Don't you think saying goodbye to your child will make your death more painful?" "Wouldn't it be great if it did?" I said. Lucy and I both felt that life wasn't about avoiding suffering. 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I listened to this book. It's the first fiction piece I have listened to in awhile. I think I would have preferred to read it on my own, but I did have a lot of fun listening to it. This was insane and I really wanted to scream at the main character to get her shit together multiple times. It's a great look at the publishing world and racism. 

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by Peter Wohlleben ⭐⭐⭐.5

This has been on my list for awhile now as well! I think I originally added it in my "to read" list because of Emma Watson's book club. I listened it to and thought it was pretty neat. Kind of slow, but it's a book about trees. I definitely think trees are "alive" like animals and this was just a really cool science-y look at how trees live. 

The Million Dollar Mermaid by Esther Williams ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I picked it up at Goodwill randomly about a year ago and it's just been sitting in my TBR pile. I didn't even know who Esther Williams was! Now I do! This was an interesting read about the mid 1900's (what a weird thing to type) Hollywood set. As a woman, it sounds terrible (as it still does, to be honest). I really want to watch some of her films now. I wonder if mermaids will make a comeback in Hollywood. 

What I Wore 2.22.25

We had the most lovely break in winter weather this week! With highs in the 50's, it felt like spring had finally shined upon us. But, I know it's just false spring. Knowing that doesn't mean I can't appreciate these beautiful days we had though.

I have been feeling some type of way about my style lately. I don't know if it's the monotony of winter or what, but it feels like I have no personal style. Which sounds super odd, I know. Because I do. I love Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration, but it feels like I'm pulling from that a lot more these days than just putting something together myself. When I mentioned this to a friend, she said, yes, but you make it yours. I had to sit with that for a moment. Very rarely do I have the exact pieces of an outfit I am trying to emulate. That's where the challenge and the fun lie in my mind. I never want to look like an exact copy (though sometimes that is fun!), but does that still mean I really know and understand how to put things together? I suppose I would argue, yes, it does mean I know how to put things together, but it just feels like I'm not really stretching my brain. Either way, I do have a personal style (everyone does!) and I know how to put pieces together. I'm just giving my brain a break, I think. Also, I'm trying to wear pieces differently and utilize my accessories more in my outfits, which is new to me. It's fun to see someone wear something in a way you hadn't thought of yet. I just also want to be that person for others as well!

I saw this dress on the J. Crew Factory website and immediately had to try it. It looked so cute on the model! I was unsure because of the drop waist (elongating my torso is not it for my stubby legs). But I think it works quite nicely. If I want more a shape, I can add a belt, but I like that's is looser. The bubble sleeve is so much fun! Shop the look here.

Hey look! I wore something other than those leggings and a sweater. I put on a real outfit! I might have bought a brown color way of this pleated skirt. More brown that the one I have anyway. It looks so good with the gold heels. Brown might be my favorite color. Shop the look here.

I didn't want to wear tights, but it was also going to still be a bit chilly. So I opted for this slip skirt and tall boots. I love bringing this vintage cardigan out to play (I don't often). And I realized I need more silk camisole options to go under things like this! Shop the look here.

Here's the other brown pleated skirt. Maybe I'll wear all three that I own this week. Nice, but chilly weather is the perfect time to bring out midi skirts. In the ongoing effort to wear what I find to be fun, not necessarily flattering, we have these socks with the skirt and only a peak of shin showing. Normally I would try to make it look like I'm not wearing a shoe to elongate my leg, but this look is so fun! I'm really having a ball wearing grey this season. Shop the look here.

I needed a mini in my life this week. One of my girlfriends and I got together to plan some more of our London trip. This called for my London printed neck scarf. Which you cannot see. And I think I ended up looking more French. But, it's a cute outfit! And I'm glad this dress still fits. Shop the look here.

This was such a comfortable outfit and not something I probably would have thrown together on my own. It's weird how I embrace color and prints and will mix everything, but when it comes to mixing neutrals, I don't really do that! Shop the look here.

As a short person, sometimes the lengths that are "in" seem a bit too much for me. But then I remember that I can wear anything and pair a long, oversized blazer with a midi skirt. Just because you don't have legs that are as long as a giraffe's, doesn't mean you can't wear the outfit. Shop the look here.

Hero Piece

I am hesitant to say that every closet needs certain staples. Certain items just don't work with certain styles. Not everyone needs a tailored blazer. Every wardrobe is different and should be curated as such. There are items that I think are beneficial to have though, like a blue and white striped button up shirt. 

Instead of saying staple pieces, I like the term hero pieces. Hero pieces are those items in your closet that just work with everything. They are the work horses of your wardrobe. You probably wear them at home and at work. Those are your personal staple pieces. One of my hero pieces is my J. Crew Factory blue and white stripe button up shirt. Now, any blue and white stripe button up shirt won't do. The reason this particular one works so well for me is because it's a little more girly. It has some eyelet and a ruffle at the collar. It's a little less structured. The stripes are thin. This is the important part. Your hero pieces must work for you. I'm not going to wear a thick striped oversized button up (unless it's a beach cover up, potentially) or a structured French sleeve. Those don't go with anything I own - they don't fit into my style. 

When someone says "every wardrobe needs this", they aren't necessarily wrong. But you might need a different version. A black blazer is something great to have in your arsenal. It might be cropped, oversized, fitted, double breasted, whatever. One size does not fit all. If you're feeling stuck trying to style a staple piece, it's probably because it's just not the right version of it. Play around with it and have fun. Experiment! That's what fashion and style are all about anyway. 

The next time you see an item that you need because it's in some closet staples list - pay close attention to the details. A denim dress might be a staple/hero piece, but do you need a mini, a lighter wash, or shirt dress? Keeping these things in mind while curating your closet will help you keep your style in line. 

You can find all the looks here. 

What I Wore 2.15.25

Not going to lie, I'm pretty in love with all my outfits this week. Maybe not Sunday's outfit, but I cannot be bothered with Sunday dressing when it's this cold and I have no plans except for loafing. At least I put on a pretty sweater. 

I was a little more tired this week than I have felt in awhile. I'm not sure if it's the weather catching up with me or my work out routine. Adding the running into my routine has been really rewarding. I'm still working up a tolerance though! I am feeling stronger, but that could just be where I am at in my cycle. 

I decided to start growing my hair out this year. And I know it's not long by any measures, but I can tell it has achieved some length since the last chop. My hair health is one of the ways I measure my overall health. It's just nice to see and feel how healthy it is now compared to a few years ago when it wouldn't grow and it kept falling out. I also learned how to trim my own bangs and that has been a life saver! 

THE dress I wore on our Valentine's Day date. I got it on super sale and it's just spectacular. The ribbon ties came pretty kinked up, but after a steam, they look and feel a lot better. I also love these silver heels - a really fun way to add a pop while still keeping it neutral. Shop the look here.

Just a blah Sunday look. I'm honestly so ready for warmer temperatures, if even only on Sundays. I miss wearing my comfy dresses to loaf. Shop the look here.

Mixing and matching my favorite sets. This olive-y green is just so pretty and goes well with so many things. I found on a Pinterest an outfit with an olive green blazer and decided to recreate it. Shop the look here.

One of my girlfriends got me this leopard printed skirt. It's so comfortable and I believe a faux suede. I've been looking for a leopard printed skirt for awhile now, so I'm excited to have this one. Shop the look here.

These red heels! I am not much fun when it comes to shoes, but I have been wanting a pair of red flats and/or heels for awhile now. It really adds a Parisian vibe to any outfit. Shop the look here.

Another Pinterest inspired outfit (though the original outfit had leopard pants). I love wearing trouser socks with heels. It just adds a little something to the look to make it more interesting. Shop the look here.

An oldie, but a goodie! The day my Gal Meets Glam jackets fall apart with be a sad day indeed. I don't know why, but I had been wanting to wear jeans this week. Again, I blame the cold. So, here we are on a casual Friday! Shop the look here.

I did it. I wore all three of my pleated skirts this week. It's a hero piece in my wardrobe for sure. They are perfect to dress up and down and so comfortable! Shop the look here.