2014: The Year In Style Review

So if you've kept up with my blog for any length of time, or if you've happened to have read my 'About Me' page, then you know I began this blog as a way to document my own journey into the unknown realm of "personal style". That makes it sound so much bigger than it really is, but when I made the choice to stop dressing exclusively in sweats, I was staring into this dark unknown territory and it was terrifying. I had spent years as a sheltered stay-at-home mom and my biggest excursions in those days consisted of grocery store shopping and preschool drop offs; I had completely forgotten what it was even like to "get dressed" or to "pick out clothes". I had no wardrobe, no closet, just drawers and drawers of yoga pants and t-shirts. So this being my second year blogging, I figured one of the greatest ways to take a look at how my personal style journey has evolved is to....well....see how it's evolved!

Now I'm not going to go all the way back through 2 years of outfit posts (yes, you may take a big sigh of relief) for 2 reasons. A.) that's 2 years worth of posts and this would be the world's longest post ever and B.) those first posts from the beginning are suuuuper embarrassing. It was like watching a toddler trying to figure out how to put their shoes on the right feet. It's that bad. If you really want to know where I began, you'll have to go back through the archives on your own because I really just cannot bring myself to post them a second time. Once was bad enough!

So this is just the 2014 recap. And even the outfits throughout this last year, I only chose my favorites for today because, hey, they can't all be winners. Amirite? So without further ado, here are my fashion favorites from 2014...

Closet Building 101: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide to a Wardrobe Overhaul

One year ago, when I made the decision to drag myself out of my "mom wear" of sweats and yoga pants and to start consciously dressing myself, I had to build an entire wardrobe from the ground up. Having literally nothing as a starting point and having to completely break down my closet it to rebuild it back up again was extremely intimidating. Not only could I not afford a wardrobe overhaul, I had no idea where to start. How could I get the most bang out of my buck? How do I know what pieces to buy? Where do I begin??

The big, bad, scary beginning

In the beginning, the task of starting completely fresh seemed to be so big and scary. And, although it took me a while, eventually I learned the whole process could be made easy just by breaking it down and following a few simple steps. The tips and steps themselves are so simplistic and really common sense, but when you're diving headfirst into the unknown and starting something new like this, "simple" can sometimes be elusive. It was for me anyway! I was over-thinking the whole thing and making it so much bigger and complicated than it needed to be. I mean, it's not science, it's just clothes! But I was incredibly disorganized and went about it all in a very haphazard way that left me with a closet that I couldn't do anything with. No bueno!

So the tips I'm sharing today are very basic and really just about how you can simplify this whole process and make it easier on yourself. They may not seem all that insightful to some of you seasoned veterans, but I'm targeting the rest. Yes, you! I wish I had something like this to act as my guide when I began, it would have taken so much intimidation out of, what seemed like, a huge task. So if you've built a wardrobe solely for functionality and now you want to turn it into a wardrobe for function and style, this one's for you. Hopefully I can help take a little bit of the fear out of starting all over again for you because I promise it's not as scary (or expensive) as it seems!

How can this work for you?

If it still sounds like this is more complicated than you're willing to take on, don't worry! This "guide" is for absolutely anyone; any size, any age, any style. I am not breaking down specific items or wardrobe staples that "everyone" should have in their closet or anything like that. Those posts can be really helpful, but we're thinking in broad strokes right now. This is more like a method for determining what you want in your closet. You need a direction, you need to figure out your style and tastes, and you want to stay on budget. 

A Vision in Grey

I don't know where this look even came from. I didn't see it anywhere, no "pinspiration" of any kind to guide me. Though I'm sure I'm not the first to go all grey....and I don't just mean my hair! Ba Dum Pssh! Thems jokes people! But I unearthed this sweater from the bottom of my winter box and decided to give it a whirl and these jeans are my clear favorite....and let's be honest, they were the only pair that were clean. And so, coupled together, my vision of grey was created.

Beauty From the Inside Out: The 5 Best Protein Packed Recipes for Skin and Hair

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Aloha, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #myAloha and #AlohaMoment http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

Protein! You hear about it all the time. You want shiny, healthy hair? Protein. You want long, strengthened nails? Protein. You want glowing skin? Say it with me: protein. Protein is essential for that youthful, glowing look we all covet.

You see all these DIY beauty recipes floating around and they usually include some form of protein. But why protein? Because it's the stuff we're made from, people! Skin, hair, nails, all of it. I hate to admit it, because I hated it so much, but anatomy class did teach me at least one thing. So it's no surprise to see it listed as one of the ingredients in these recipes. However, not all of these recipes work just because you threw in a protein. So how do you know which ones do? And how do you get the most benefits from your protein?

From the inside out, of course! Yes, slapping that stuff on externally will get you some results. But think about it, we need to start at the source; from the inside. Too many people forget that it's not just what we put on our bodies. Let's get that protein inside and outside! From masks to smoothies, here are some ways you can maximize your protein results and get that healthy, glowing look.

Black Friday Steals

I am going to rant for a minute. You've been to my blog before, nothing new here. I have always hated Black Friday. Loathed it in fact. I once worked in retail during a Black Friday and seeing that craziness first hand absolutely terrified me. There were clothes strewn all over the place, people were climbing the employee ladders; it was pandemonium! Then you hear stories of people getting in fights over pillows. Pillows! A physical altercation over pillows. I can't. What has Black Friday reduced us to when we're fighting over getting the better deal on a pillow? I have always loved a good deal and I frequently rave about how cheap I am able to get something, but Black Friday? I have always avoided that black pit of craziness like the plague.

via

  But I have to admit, when Black Friday deals were extended to online shopping, it peaked my interest. Getting good deals from the comfort of my own cozy home, dressed in my PJs, coffee in hand? Ok, I'll bite. You've got my attention. Payless is one of these stores who's Black Friday sales ran online and since this is one of my favorite stores....Yipee!! It drug me out of my Black Friday hatred just a little. Especially since I've been admiring the York riding boots at Payless Shoesource for months now. And this Friday they were on sale for....wait for it...$16.99. Boom. I immediately threw my Black Friday reservations out the window and those sweet boots in my cart. And since I was feeling generous, I picked up a schnazzy pair of kicks for the hubs too. Feeling generous or just really hating his current shoes? Eh, tomato, tomahto. But even still, with my boots, his tennies, and free shipping, our total came to $41. AND they arrived in 2 days. That never happens. Ok. I think I might actually love Black Friday.

Holiday Style

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas. I love the holidays. I truly do. It is the single thing that gets me through the brutal winter season. Each year the days start to get a little colder, a little shorter, and a little gloomier. It's seriously depressing. I think I've made that fact clear several times. But the bright spot in this dreary time of year, is the festive holiday season..... and the cookies. Let us not underestimate the power of a good chocolate chip cookie!

So since Christmas is the only thing I anticipate amidst this 6 month stretch of "blah", I go all out. Thanksgiving night? Bam, that tree is up and twinkling! And in addition to the tree, our yearly gingerbread house and tons of handmade paper snowflakes (yes, each year countless hours are spent constructing 50+ snowflakes made by yours truly; you may let your admiration flow freely), I get each of the kids a Christmas shirt and jammies. It's a yearly tradition that began when I was a kid. My mom always made us our Christmas shirts.....

So what do you love more, the hair, the brows or the acid wash jeans?

And while I forgo the impressive craft of making them myself, I still always deck the kids out out holiday style. This year, we went one step further and got personalized holiday shirts. How's that for fancy? Everything is better with your name on it, right? Assuming you don't have a unique name like my sister (Kendall) that's almost always impossible to find in souvenirs and other random knick knacks, then it's a pain. But Bright Star Kids allows you to customize them yourself, with any name or phrase you choose.

I chose this really cute reindeer design and customized Izzy's shirt with her name. Then I found this wall decal to match. And since I'm a very "matchy-matchy" kind of person, this was perfect. 

A Two Day Reprieve

That's what mother nature gave us this weekend. We had two super warm (but windy) days. And since I knew this was a fluke and would be short lived, I snatched my opportunity for an outfit post!

Holiday DIY: Snow Globes From Glass Jars

I say it all the time, it's like my personal preface to every post, but I love "inexpensive" and I love "easy". They're my two favorites. And when you put them together, well, that's just an all around win isn't it? My favorite kind of decorations, holiday included, are DIY projects because they are usually both of these things. I also love the unique quality of making something for yourself; you personalize it and make it your own. And alright, alright, I love the bragging power you get out of making something yourself too! Don't act like you're not just a little bit proud when your project turns out awesome too!

I'm sure you've seen these DIY snow globes all over Pinterest. Or on Anthropologie. I've been eyeing them for a couple years and admired them immensely, I just never got around to trying it myself. So boo hoo for not being on point with the innovation skills. But I'm still going to share it anyway because I just love how easy and incredibly cheap they are to make!

I'm a frugal person, you already know this. But why? Honestly, I take a really sick pleasure out of "under spending" on things. Some people like to "out spend" others, I like to under spend. And I'd be lying if I said I was blameless when it comes to rubbing someone's nose in just how cheap I got something either. Hey, we all have our vices. But I'm also frugal out of necessity. And the holidays can get a little hairy in the gift giving department. So these globes are a great, last minute, inexpensive gift you can give to just about anyone. Just how inexpensive depends on what you already have on hand. We literally already had everything so for me, it was $0. But even if you're starting from scratch, everything could easily be found for less than $10.

We (and by we, I mean me) have all kinds of glass jars already saved away. If your a compulsive "Pinner" as I am, you know the golden rule of never throwing anything away because you never know what Pinterest project you might need it for. My husband accidentally threw out a jelly jar and I seriously made him go retrieve it. So I have a garage full of what some people might consider garbage. But for the average Pinterest junkie, you know it's really treasure! So for this project, hack into your Pinterest treasure trove for your jars. You will also need

• various ornaments or wire trees
• glue gun or craft glue
• Styrofoam or other fake "snow"
• ribbon or paint
• scissors

DIY: Cheap and Easy Accent Wall for Under a Dollar

Winter is upon us. Well not per the calendar exactly, but mother nature seems to think it is. November 16 and we're salting the roads already. And cold weather for me = no bueno. I huddle down like a hermit in my house. I'm fully considering acquiring a Snuggie. Don't judge me. But my "fashion" blog ends up really only being a fashion blog for about 8 months of the year. The other 4, I'm wrapped in a blanket.....or soon too be a Snuggie.

So, since I'm like an animal and I pretty much hibernate, I usually start some indoor DIY projects to keep myself busy.

And since this is a relatively new home for us, there are plenty of blank slates waiting to be DIY'd upon. And when I say blank, I mean completely stark, bare, nothingness type blank. There ain't nothin' goin on on these here walls....except for maybe the seam between drywall panels because the previous owner was hasty in his renovations. Hey, what do you expect from a house built in the 1940s?

And while I want a minimal, monochromatic look for this room, this was just a little tooooo minimal. I wanted the walls to stay white; in fact, I purposely painted them white. But it needed something. And just like all other aspects of my life, I always stay true to my frugal nature. So I've created an entire focal wall for....wait for it....88¢! Yep! Less than a dollar! Of course, I can't take full credit for the idea. I originally found it on, you guessed it, Pinterest. The original blog post I found used washi tape but it was black....and so is electrical tape. So in my money saving endeavors, with a dollar and some willpower in my pocket, I headed to the hardware store and thus my accent wall began.

All you need is

• electrical or washi tape
• scissors or a utility knife- I preferred cutting with scissors, my husband preferred the utility knife
• a ruler or a tape measure
• a pencil- with an eraser

The Season Favorite

That'd be the the denim jacket; it's my seasonal favorite. It's just about a neutral as you can get and when you think about classic wardrobe staple, the denim jacket is at the top of the list. 

A Disheartening Truth

I got my hair cut last week and, if you haven't seen it, I debuted it in this exciting post. It was this huge reveal (and surprise) and I've gotten so many compliments on it. Admittedly, short hair suits me much better than the unruly long hair ever did and everyone has agreed and admired my new look. But, eventually the time comes and that "fresh haircut glow" fades. So let's discuss the finer points of that disheartening reality shall we....

Frugal Fall Fashion

Have you all ever known me to spend a lot of money on what I wear? Or anything really? No, you haven't. If my blog had a motto it'd be "If it ain't broke, don't spend it". Ok, maybe I need to work on that motto. But the point is, I've been screaming from the rooftops (or my blog, tomato/tomahto) how I never ever "splurge" on anything because it's excessive, unnecessary and, in my case, simply unobtainable. We're a one income household full of kids. It just ain't happenin'. But what are you paying for really? A label? Yeah, I can do without that. I'm not a materialistic person. I just can't understand spending nearly double on an identical item just because of a brand name. Price is not always equal to quality. I think a lot of women are misguided and think the higher the price tag, the higher the quality. That age old saying "You get what you pay for" is really ingrained in us but it's an antiquated, archaic notion. Trust me on this, I have a lot of experience behind me!

I Finally Did It!

Cut my hair, that is! If you remember this post, which was 6 months ago, you know I've been planning to cut my hair for a very long time. Whether it was my indecision, lack of funds, or a lack of time; for whatever reason, I never got it done.....until now!

Summer Meets Fall

The last couple of weeks I have been majorly harping on transitioning my wardrobe from summer to fall. This seemingly simple task is such a such a complex task for me and successfully achieving it eludes me every year. So after digging down and trying to pinpoint exactly why this is so difficult for me, I figured out the cause; I have no transition pieces! All of my summer clothes scream "summer" and all my winter clothes scream "winter". I don't have any pieces to take me across the seasons. So that has been my goal this year, acquiring pieces that function for more than just one season.

To Flats? Or not to Flats?

That was the million dollar question today. I couldn't decide whether to wear my ankle booties or the flats. Well, you can see which won....

My Baby is a Baby No Longer

So, as foretold, Alex and I did his yearly birthday Q&A this afternoon because my bitty baby is 10 years old today! Asking him these questions, I see how mature he is getting. I knew how big he was getting but he's growing and maturing by the day. (Waaaah! *sniff sniff*) So here is all of his answers. And as I said with Izzy's interview, I soooo recommend doing this with your kids! It's fun, they love doing it and I love looking back and seeing who they were each year.

The Coolest of the Cool

That's what these glasses are. Which, of course, makes me cool by association. 

Tis the Season: Fall Fashion

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®, InStyle, Vogue and Elle, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #inspirefallfashion  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

I have never understood "high fashion". I know, how do I have a fashion blog? But I'm a mom in small-town Indiana and "straight off the runway" just does not work for my lifestyle (or my wallet, if you really want to get specific). I don't exactly spend a lot of nights "out on the town" or at red carpet events; I don't go to art shows or fancy charity events. But as Miranda explains (quite eloquently) in the Devil Wears Prada,

"I see. You think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select... I don't know... that lumpy blue sweater, for instance because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise. It's not lapis. It's actually cerulean. And you're also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent... wasn't it who showed cerulean military jackets? I think we need a jacket here. And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. And then it, uh, filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room from a pile of stuff."

this high fashion, straight off the runway hullabaloo I can't seem to understand, does influence what the rest of us peons wear. Now I'm not refusing the fashion industry because I take myself too seriously or have a disregard for designers the way Andy did, I just don't live their lifestyle or earn their income to make it appropriate for my daily life. BUT as she points out, high fashion majorly influences what I wear. All of my closet and outfit combinations are completely comprised of inspiration I draw from what I see. What are my spots for inspiration? Well Pinterest, of course. And other bloggers. But my favorite source is fashion magazines. Most especially fall fashion magazines. Can I get an Amen?

There is just something greatly cathartic about sitting down with my enormous magazines, curled up on the couch in the worst sweats imaginable, coffee in hand. So while I was looking a hot mess, dreaming of...well....not looking a hot mess, I was majorly inspired by this season's fall looks and how I can work them into my everyday lifestyle. These are a few of my favorite trends and how you and I, regular folk, can have functional pieces that work for our lives (and budgets!).

A Sad Farewell is Looming

That yearly farewell to summer is coming. And I am dreading it. Fall is absolutely my favorite season but it's what comes after it that I dread. It taints my view of fall. I can't anticipate my favorite season because my least favorite season follows it. Are there actually people out there who like winter? I just can't see the appeal. The days are shorter, drearier, colder and it seems to draaaaaaag on forever. It's usually about this time of the year that my seasonal depression starts to slowly creep in. So I'm holding on desperately to what last shreds of summer I can. While I was embracing fall fashion last week, not today. No dressing for fall, I'm full on summer today with this white/nautical feel....after all, no white after labor day, right? Today is the last day I can wear white this year, right? Psssh. I have never felt the need to abide by that rule. Is it actually still a "rule" anymore anyway? 

Patience at it's Finest

I am a whiner. I always have been. My mom used to tell me when I was a kid to stop whining, she wasn't going to speak to me until I stopped. I would reply back to her in my whiniest voice, "But I'm not whiniiiinnnnggg!!". I seriously whined so much, I had completely lost touch on how to speak normally and had no idea I was even doing it. (Sorry, mom!!) Well, I have since learned how to speak in a "normal" tone but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still guilty of the occasional whine. Today was one of those times.

One Last Shebang

So if you notice over there in the sidebar, I've added a shop my closet at Poshmark. It took me forever to finally put together but it was a long time coming. After jean jackets came back in style and I realized I used to have one and got rid of it, I've been afraid to get rid of anything. So I have a closet (and boxes upon boxes) filled with clothes that never get worn but never get thrown out either. I'm most definitely a hoarder when it comes to clothes. I'm ashamed at just how much just hangs there neglected, but I have an unnatural fear!

So I've been forcing myself to abide by the rule "if it hasn't been worn it in a year, it's time to go". Well, it's still REALLY hard to bring myself to get rid of things! These cobalt skinnies are one of those things. I've not worn them for a year and even then I only wore theses cobalt skinnies a couple times so they are still like new. It's so hard to get rid of something that is like new! So I'm giving them one last "hoorah" to see if they really belong on the short list. Problem is, I'm still undecided! 

MoxieJean: The Little Fashionista

For an entire year I have had this blog and for an entire year my daughter has been asking for one of her own. She's 6. Uh...no ma'am. But that doesn't mean I can't share with her every now and again, right? Of course I can! So (drum roll please) I introduce to you, the witty, the charming, the fabulous Izzzzzyyyy!

Isn't she charming?

And there is no better time than now to share her and her wee little fashion because the new school year is upon us and I know all you mommies out there are back-to-school shopping too....and probably spending a fortune.

But, whoa, wait a second. Back the train up. I'm all frugal and thrifty over here, buying my things super cheap so I can go out and spend a fortune on the kids? Oh, no no no miss thang, I am not! Plus, we know they're just going to outgrow it all in a year (month...week...day...they never stop growing!) anyway, so why go into debt just to clothe them? I would not spend that much on myself, so I am most certainly not spending that on this messy, growin-like-a-weed, rough and tumble kid!

This year, you fellow frugal mommies can streeeeetch your back-to-school budget while still dressing your budding fashionista supa dupa fly. MoxieJean is an online consignment store that carries great brands like Gymboree, Gap, Old Navy, Baby Lulu, Ralph Lauren, etc. All at 75% or more off retail prices.
 For a mere 35 chucks, I was able to score Izzy 3 separate looks! Holy money saving steals, Batman! And MoxieJean adds hundreds of new outfits every Monday and Thursday so there is always something new to choose from, and with sizes newborn all the way through to 13-14, there's something there for your entire fashionable clan. 

So, without further adu, here is little miss Isabella sporting her back-to-school looks I scored from Moxie...

Summer Survival: The Date Night

Ok, so if you have followed my blog for any length of time, you ladies already know that date nights are far and few between for this mama of 3. If you're a mom, you're nodding your head, saying "Yep!". You know what that's like. So when I do get that rare chance, I take it very seriously. This is my opportunity! This is my time to shine and get all gussied up! (fyi: "gussied" is the official term) I want to step out carefree and fabulous, sans kids. I want to throw on my heels and lipstick without worrying about sticky hands, runny noses or repeated whines of "She's looking at me." "He pushed me." or my personal favorite, "The cat threw up again." (I hear that one a lot more than you would think!)

Needless to say, date nights can be a savior for me when I'm ready to pull my hair out. Summertime is by far my favorite time for these date nights. My winter ensemble consists of two styles: bulky and even more bulky. But summer, I can whip out those skirts and dresses and those (gasp!) sexy, strappy tops. I'm mommy no more; I am wife and goddess. (humor me here)

Of course, my under things have to accommodate these summer styles. I'm sorry, I am just not a fan of thongs....but I'm not a fan of underwear lines either. And do you have any idea what a pain it is to have to keep yanking at your strapless bra? You're a woman, of course you do. But what's the alternative? Have your bra showing? No thanks. Maidenform has become imperative for my summer survival. Yes, I said imperative. I want to be able to strut my stuff for my hubs on those rare date nights without worrying about what I can and can't wear based on what I have to go under it. I didn't find a babysitter so I can look mediocre....yet again. I didn't leave my worries behind so I can gain another. I want quality, comfortable, effortless pieces that help me look my best self. Don't you? Of course you do!

So I've built some of my favorite summer date night looks and have included all the necessary Maidenform pieces I need to make them perfect. It's all about surviving summer; making the best of those dates.

I Love Pockets

I really do. I don't know why I love them so much but they do genuinely make me happy. It's not like pockets are a newfangled contraption and they're not exactly hard to come by; most things come with pockets installed (in place?) but, still, I always get a thrill out of them. 

One thing I really hate is when you get a pair pants (or shorts, a skirt, whatever) and the pockets are fake. That really grinds my gears. Like, why are you withholding the pockets? Did you forget about them? Did you run out of pocket fabric at the pocket store? Did you not think I might like to put things in these false so-called "pockets"? Where is my Chapstick supposed to go? What if my hand gets tired and I need a place to rest it? Charlatan! Anyway, these pockets are real so crisis averted.

I'll Take an Order of Lace, With a Side of Lace

There is no denying that I love lace. I wear it frequently. I always find that on those "I have nothing to wear" days, lace is always an easy, go-to choice to fall back on because it always looks good and it can jazz up darn near everything. Plain pair of jeans? Lace. Shorts? Lace. Skirt? Lace. And does lace ever go out of style? I'm pretty sure lace has no expiration date. This particular top is sweet and feminine because of the lace fabric but edgy (and dare I say) a little bit sexy because of the cut and color. It could easily transform to fit any style and you know me, I love "easy"! When deciding how to wear it today though, I thought what better to pair with it but more lace?

Lace Top c/o Choies *ONLY $13.99!* // Lace Shorts c/o Oasap *ONLY $8.90!* // Bag- Target // Heels- Shoe Dazzle

What's Your Style?

Have you ever been presented with this question? There are all these categories; classic, bohemian, feminine, casual, preppy, traditional, sporty, etc., etc. but where do you fit? Where do I fit?

Turn a Negative into a Positive: The Secret to A Happier You

I wake up in the morning ready to carpe the sheet out of the diem. I start everyday this way. It's a new day, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and there are endless possibilities. I can make this day my biatch! So, wait, what happened? Why don't I feel ready to take on the world? In fact, I never do. My mind is always plagued with worry and all of my "problems" are always circling around in my head. The damn diem never gets carped! But, why?

 The last year has been a whirlwind for me. It started when my grandma passed away and seemed to snowball from there. My relationships, friendships, marriage, state of mind and even my blog started to slip. Nothing was ever going to be right again after she left so why even bother? I made an effort to put on a pretty face for the rest of the world because that's what was expected but inside I always felt like a big ball of negativity. And well, negativity breeds negativity. Maybe the rest of the world bought my happy exterior (maybe they didn't) but the universe seemed to knew better and the hits just kept on coming.

I felt like every step I took forward, I got shoved two (or twelve) steps back. I kept wondering how I was ever going to get ahead like this. How am I supposed to think positive when negative things keep happening?? And how am I supposed to be productive and solve these problems when I can't get my head out of this downward spiral? But then I thought, maybe my negative thoughts were having an effect on the negative happenings too. Could I be perpetuating this cycle? Maybe I could control some of this. Some times bad things just happen and there's nothing we can do to change them; the death of a loved one isn't something we can change and it's definitely something you can make yourself crazy with. All of those "what ifs" can be toxic. Those thoughts can majorly effect our mental state; I know this personally. But what about that snowball effect? Does it have to happen that way? Does one bad happening have to spawn a continuous series of bad happenings? Maybe we don't have to be completely out of control on how these things effect us. And, heck, maybe we can even encourage good things to happen too! So, I went out on a (skeptical) limb and found some really surprising results!

So what did I do? What's the secret? How did I turn these negatives into positives? It's going to sound cheesy but stick with me...

Shop My Closet

I am so super proud of myself right now guys; I have been meaning to set up a "shop my closet" for months but I kept putting it off (always the procrastinator) but (fanfare please) I finally did it! Go me! 

There is still a nice big section of my closet that I still need to go through so there's more to come (shoes coming soon!) but I do have a nice little start! I've set it all up on Poshmark just to keep things organized and easy for everyone. Everything here is listed on my "Poshmark closet" and the link to each listing will be directly under each picture. I will add a permanent shopping page up there in the navigation tab but until then, happy shopping!

My measurements for sizing reference:

Height: 5'8"

Bust- 31"

Waist- 26"

Hips- 34"

All listings contain additional info and images of the item i.e. the condition of the item, pictures of how I've worn it, etc.

Floral Body con Skirt from Forever 21 $6

Size: Small 

Last worn here

Listed here

Striped Body con Dress from Forever 21 $12

Size: Medium

Listed here

Baseball Graphic Tee from Oasap $8

Size: Small

Last worn here

Listed here