Notes + Favorites #5

This week felt a little crazy. I don't know if it was the weather, work, or a mixture of a lot of things (probably this), but I felt like I was in a daze and a bit blah. I wasn't feeling very creative and there were a lot of disruptions. I am starting to feel like on the other side of it, but we're doing a mini no phone weekend. I'll still use it (mainly to take photos and videos), but I'm going to keep it in the bedroom and not on me. I need a small refresh to charge my brain. Going from staring at a medium screen to a large screen and then a small screen all day has made me feel a little crazy. I am hoping to get a lot of reading done this weekend and spend some time outside! 

What I'm Reading: still Atonement by Ian McEwan

Word of the Day: flâneur /fläˈnər/ A person who strolls aimlessly in a city

5th Avenue at 5 AM was a great read and I'm excited to see the film.

Grace Atwood's Substack about her personal style really has me thinking about my journey.

Getting bangs instead of Botox.

Adult sleep training and how to do it.

Megan Thee Stallion to play Harold Zidler in the Broadway 'Moulin Rouge!' show.

What I Wore 2.21.26

What a week! And I wore my new jeans. It is amazing when you wear something that actually fits properly, you want to continue to wear it. I've been fairly opposed to jeans (pants in general, really) for the longest time. I would say last year was when I really started breaking that mold. Even when skinny jeans were at the height of their trendiness, I knew a wide leg actually looked better on me. I had a pair (from Aéropostale) that I loved. I was still very much in the "I must appear smaller" stage of life. This has been a very recent thing for me and I'm still working on it. But, a step in the right direction are these new jeans! I got a barrel leg and a wide leg. 

I have been kind of wearing a straight leg in a size 26 (from Loft) that I do love. They are tight. Yes, they still fit. I can button them. Sit down in them. And be somewhat comfortable, but I knew there was a better way. I bought a size 28 in the J. Crew Factory jeans. While my waist does measure around 27-28 inches, these are slightly large around the waist. There is a definite gap, especially in the back. With my workouts, my thighs and butt have significantly grown, so this is also necessary. I also think jeans might look better when they are slightly too large? Come back to me on that later. I also love tucking things and having a larger waist size really helps with this so things don't once again feel too tight. I have to say, I never thought I would enjoy wearing jeans ever again.

My first styling of the barrel jeans. I actually quite loved this look. We are really working on our casual style over here. This felt so much more relaxed, but still very much me. Shop the look here.

I honestly did not want to get dressed on Sunday. So, I compromised. These are the only sweatpants I own. It's a set from Amazon. I love to throw on a sweater to add polish to something otherwise a bit too casual. 

I finally have red socks! Two pairs actually. Hehe. I haven't worn this as a set in quite awhile, and that was super fun. I also really do love the cardigan underneath. It kind of feels like a three piece suit, but more girly. Shop the look here.

I was really feeling grey and this particular green. But I wanted to have a print. Enter this gingham skort! It was just a comfy, cold weather day. Shop the look here. 

Busted out the barrel jeans once again. I was at Gleaners for work and wanted to make sure I could easily move around, be comfortable, warm, and stylish. I thrifted this Talbots jacket from ThredUp and I love it. It's so fun and whimsical. It really brought up the outfit. Shop the look here.

More grey and this green! I was really interested in mixing the green and blues, but the grey just really fit. I was having a hard time with this outfit until I added the accessories. They truly make it. I am actually wearing one bow earring and one faux diamond stud in the other ear. That was super fun! Shop the look here.

I have really only worn this sweater for my Velma Dinkley costumes. I can't get rid of it for that reason, but I continue to keep it in my regular wardrobe (not my costume box). So, I thought this day would be great for trying it out in real life. And holy crap, I love it. Still feels very Velma coded to me, but in the best way possible. And, hello, wide leg jeans! Peep the red socks. Shop the look here.

The Perfect Layered Outfit

When I found this set at Old Navy last year, I knew it was going to be special. I had already been on the hunt last year for sets. Skirt sets, pant sets, short sets. All sets. This was the prettiest one I had found to date. I took it on both of my international trips (London, England, and Venice, Italy). And I wore it very similarly on each trip. The set with a sweater layered over it (yellow in London, green in Venice) for warmth on chillier mornings and evenings. Since those trips, it has been patiently sitting in my closet.

I finally brought it back out to play a few weeks ago after laying in bed thinking about an outfit. This outfit. I knew I wanted to layer a button up top underneath the tank. I've been experimenting with leaving shirts untucked over larger bottoms. And I knew I wanted to wear some kind of tie. That was the missing link. I, unfortunately, only have one tie that is in Ravenclaw colors and would not do. Scanning my closet the next morning, I realized this scarf (that I picked up in London), would be perfect. It had the greens and the pinks from the set! And "tying" it with the ring gave it that extra oomph I was looking for. The chunky Mary-Janes keep it from looking too delicate. After I put every piece together, I knew this outfit was going to be a top five favorite. If not the favorite. 

I've gotten into the habit of scrolling through Pinterest each morning to spark some inspiration for my outfits. This was the first time this year, I didn't do that. This outfit is the culmination of all the work I've been putting into bringing back my style. This is what I am chasing every day when I get dressed. Every outfit may not be a hit, but it's the trying that counts. Instead of shying away from accessories, I'm embracing them. Instead of saying no to pieces or silhouettes that make me look "bigger", I'm asking myself why I care. Getting dressed should be fun. I don't know when it exactly stopped being fun for me, but I can officially say I'm having a blast now. Color pairings that seem odd, but are amazing. Wearing more accessories and in new ways. Silhouettes that enhance the creativity of the outfit. And, above all, comfort. 

It's this outfit that I think about when it feels hard. When I just want to give up and throw away my wardrobe. I have good pieces. I have great style. And I can make fabulous outfits. 

What I Wore 2.14.26

The weather was truly on my side this past week. Highs were in the 60's and 70's and not a single pair of tights were in sight. Truly living the dream. I might have missed photographing my Sunday outfit because I did not get out of my pajamas. It was the truly cozy and lazy day that I desperately needed. 

I ended up purchasing two pairs of jeans from J. Crew Factory (along with a pair of red socks) and shopped at bit on ThredUp. The ThredUp purchase was a bit of a bust, but I did snag a very cool and comfortable Talbots quilted jacket that I can't wait to style. The jeans haven't arrived yet, but fingers crossed they work! I have so many denim looks I want to try!

The Valentine's Day outfit. I know it's not what I would typically wear (it's not pink or red!), but Devin gifted this Selkie dress to me for Christmas and I couldn't help but wear it for our dinner. It's just so perfect and it need another night out (I wore this on New Year's Eve as well!). C'est magnifique! 

Totally inspired by a Pinterest image for this outfit. I have seen a few people wearing what I consider Christmas plaids not during Christmas. I am rather strict when it comes to my holiday plaids: they stay in the realm of that holiday. But, this look was too fun to not try. The leopard with the plaid is so fun. This green and red go so well together. No notes. Shop the look here.

I left so early, I didn't get a chance to take a proper mirror photo. I went through a lot of different outfit options this morning and landed with this. It's perfectly girly, but the chunky Mary Janes bring a little edge to it. I did a quick change after work into the second look for our "Wuthering Heights" viewing. We love a theme. I first wore this dress in London and it really works so well with this corset! 

I don't know why, but I was really feeling a slip dress. I just wanted to be cozy and the weather was so much warmer by this day. The button up shirt underneath really adds a bit of corporate to an otherwise sexy look. And I love the pop of red to make it stand out (otherwise it's a bit neutral). This was very fun!

And, yes, another slip dress! I had considered this outfit for the day before and didn't want to not wear it! I feel so 90's in this. A friend said it made her think of Cher Horowitz (Clueless) and I take that as the highest complement. These Mary-Janes are my favorite to wear when an outfit is feeling too one sided or themed. Shop the look here. 

I saw a green and purple inspiration collage post on Pinterest and the cogs started moving. As much as I love a set, I really don't wear the pieces together very much. I should start doing that more... The floral scarf gives the outfit, I think, the boost it needed to be interesting. Colors are so fun, but were falling flat to me without a print. The pop of silver with the shoes seems surprising to me too! Shop the look here.

Notes + Favorites #4

Yes, I missed a couple of weeks, but I'm still here! These last few weeks have been busy and beautiful. The weather here was absolutely gorgeous last week (it reach 70°F one day!) and I made myself get outside as much as possible. Alas, a storm rolled in and the colder temperatures have returned for this weekend. And that's okay. It was a refreshing change of pace showing what is to come. I just keep reminding myself that January, February, and March are winter months. The world is still resting, and so am I.

What I'm Reading: Atonement by Ian McEwan

Word of the Week: hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia / hi-puh-paa-tuh-muhn-strow-suh-skwipt-a-lee-ow-fow-bee-uh / ironically, the fear of long words

Activities to do with your friends without "going out".

Tips to calm your nervous system.

How to stop reaching for your phone.

Some necklace layering inspiration.

Improve your digestion, no supplements required.

The jeans I'm trying from J. Crew Factory here and here.

Hannah Montana is twenty years old?! Say it isn't so. 

Habits that might be draining your energy. 

Kind of excited about this Blair Waldorf sequel!