Closet Diaries | No. 4

You know that saying that goes something like: Adulthood is saying, “things will calm down in a week or two” until you die…. That’s how life feels lately. Go, go, go, one thing after another, someone is sick, someone is celebrating something, I have to go to the grocery story (yet again), etc, etc, etc. And I don’t even have children! This particular season of life is so great but so busy. I’m thankful for it all, but I often wish I could go back to being about 12 years old when my biggest stressor was studying for a test and having to wash the dishes after dinner. You feel me?

Anyway, I’m going to take some time to relax tonight. I will probably watch the Rhianna concert, I mean the Super Bowl, and probably read my book while the actual game is going on. But before that, I’ve got to go through the 28 Day of Style Challenge and get an idea of what I’d like my outfits to look like this week. We’ve got the big V-Day coming up, and I know I’m supposed to wear red. I have one red sweater, so I’m hoping it’s cold on Tuesday! This past week I was able to follow most of the prompts for the challenge, and I’ve enjoyed having a task for getting ready every morning. I also have enjoyed shopping my own closet for the outfits. I haven’t bought anything new for the challenge, but that’s the fun of it. It gets your creative juices flowing to rethink what you already have, which is good for your pocketbook and helps you create and maintain a sustainable wardrobe. Win-win. Without further ado, here are my looks from last week.

Monday

Style Challenge- Style an outfit around sneakers.
Blazer, leggings, and sneakers all fit true to size
Chambray shirt was a Goodwill find but from Old Navy. I can’t find the exact style, but the one I linked is very similar. This one was one size too big but it fits a little oversized and is great for layering. Don’t forget about your local second hand stores.

Tuesday

Style Challenge was to winterize a spring dress. I just didn’t have the goods in my closet to make it happen. Plus it started in the 40s and climbed to the 70s today. I needed to layer. I also needed a spray tan, so I opted out of the style challenge today.
Everything fits true to size.
Head to True South to see if any of these tops are still in stock. It’s from the She and Sky brand.
The scarf is from an old Fab Fit Fun box. The one I linked is similar and much more affordable than what this one retailed for.

Wednesday

Today’s Style Challenge was to style a graphic tee with a blazer. Can you even with this shirt? It says “So Many Books So Little Time”. Perfect for a reading teacher. It’s from the Etsy shop, Powerfully Positive. Fits true to size.
My blazer is a Goodwill find. The Prattville Goodwill is good, y’all. I linked my favorite Amazon one. Get your regular size.
The jeans are, once again, Old Navy. I have had these several years, and they are much more faded than the ones I linked to. Honestly, I don’t think my jeans were jet black to begin with. They were more of a faded black. Fit tour to size.
The mules I’m wearing are very old from Target. I couldn’t find any there, so I linked my favorite Amazon ones that have a slightly different buckle. True to size.

Thursday

Still loving this shirt so much. It’s extremely versatile, though I’ve only worn it styled this same way with a sweater draped over it. Oh well! It fits true to size.
I’ll wear these jeans until they have holes all in them. True to size.
Chelsea rain boots are my favorite style of rain boots. I opted for this taupe pair and want a black pair too. They’re comfortable and fit true to size.

Friday

Today’s style challenge was Head to Toe Black! This is my sweet spot. My favorite color is black. I love to wear it and decorate with it, so I knew I’d find something to wear for this particular day.
My black shirt is old Entro from Wisteria Cottage. I think these types of shirts are easy to find at any boutique. I got my regular size.
Pants from Old Navy are old, but I was able to size down. They tend to grow with this linen/cotton blend.
Booties- get your true size.
My bracelets are either family heirlooms, unavailable, or Ronaldo. You can get Ronaldo at The Roost or McFerrin’s (I think), locally.

Saturday

The Style Challenge for Saturday was “Sweats but make it fashion”. It was a rainy day, and I had to get out, so sweats was utter perfection.
Get your true size in the sweatshirt.
My pants are Time and Tru from Walmart but are old and not sold anymore. They are a true sweatpant with the elastic at the ankle. If the jogger style that I linked isn’t to your taste, I’d look in the men’s department in Walmart and try to find some plain black sweatpants. Try these.
Shoes are true to size.
The jacket is old from H&M. I recommend sizing down in H&M with anything that says “oversized”.

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend and a very LOVEly Valentine’s Day!

Closet Diaries | No. 3

Thankfully, this week has been less eventful than last week. I wasn’t really feeling creative in my wardrobe. But then Candace Read came along with a February Style Challenge! Pulled me right out of my funk. That didn’t kick in until Thursday for me, but I now have a plan of action for what I’ll wear this week. Join me!

Monday

Similar Sweater | Jeans | Sneakers | Similar Earrings (Mine are from True South)

*Should have hit this sweater with a steamer. Can’t blame this one on the seatbelt.

Tuesday

*Zero inspiration. Sweater and jeans again because I needed flats and comfort.
*When buying a canvas tote from L.L. Bean, always opt for the long handles if you’re getting a larger size bag. There is no other option.

Wednesday

Blazer | Similar Shirt (Mine is old from Wisteria Cottage) | Jeans | Mules | Earrings (on sale)

*If I had it my way, I’d have this blazer in every color. It is so comfortable and lovely.

Thursday

Shirt | Linen Pants | Similar Boots | Necklace from McFerrin’s Jewelry

*This was the beginning of the style challenge for me. I don’t have any trousers in my wardrobe, which was the challenge for the day, but I did have some linen pants that I thought would work, and what do you know?! Perfect!

Friday

Similar Cardigan (Mine is from True South) | Black Tunic | Faux Leather Leggings | Similar Boots

*When buying Spanx leggings, go up one size than your normal size. I have found them to be the best fit. You can’t tell these are the faux leather leggings, but they are. They aren’t very warm, but they are very comfortable.

Saturday

My man came out of the deer stand for a breakfast date, so I threw on some gold hoops with my jeans and sweatshirt and called it a day. And if there’s a better waffle than a Waffle House waffle, you’ll have to work mighty hard to change my mind.

I’m looking forward to attempting all the daily style challenges for the week ahead. I hope you’ll take a peak at it and look in your own closet for outfit inspo. Have a great one, y’all.

Small Shops I’m Loving

This Christmas I was gifted several things from small shops. Some were local, some were Etsy shops, and one was an independent bookstore. I have had such pleasant experiences with them that I wanted to shout their praises here today. I also hope this reminds you to support all small businesses that you love. We shop big box stores and Amazon so often that we can forget what these creatives and hard working people have to offer.

Greenville’s Gems

The Roost- Ronaldo Bracelet
Now that I work at The Roost, I once again have access to an inventory of Ronaldo jewelry. For those of you that didn’t know, when the Wisteria Cottage storefront closed, The Roost was able to acquire their Ronaldo inventory. Well, not too long ago, a shipment of new Ronaldo bracelets came in, and I fell in love with the Drawn to You bracelet. I was very happy and surprised to open it on Christmas and have worn it almost everyday since! If you’re a fan of Ronaldo jewelry, The Roost can help you get the perfect piece for yourself or a loved one.

Drawn to You Bracelet at The Roost

True South- Hat
True South is always a fun store to go in that has unique and trendy pieces. I know I can always count on some good accessories there, too, and that was just the thing I got. I have quite a collection of hats, but I didn’t have a navy blue one. Plus, this particular hat is red on the bottom side of the brim, and that is just the type of detail that can totally elevate an outfit.

True South Hat

McFerrin’s- Cross Necklace
I have pretty much lost count at the number of times I’ve received a McFerrin’s box over the course of my life, and it isn’t lost on me what a privilege it is to say that. When I opened another one this Christmas, I was extremely touched by what I found inside. Paul and my mom worked together this Christmas to match a gold cross from my childhood with the perfect gold chain. Jehle found the perfect color match and length of chain to create exactly what I wanted. Job well done to all three of them for giving me a very special piece of jewelry that I’ll cherish forever.

Gold chain from McFerrin’s

Etsy Shops

Shop Hello Harper- Holiday Styrofoam Cups
This holiday season I helped host a Christmas gathering with some friends, a Christmas Crawl, if you will, and I was responsible for hosting the cocktail hour of the crawl. In my search for the perfect coup glass, I found that my budget did not match my taste in barware. Go figure… Then I started thinking that maybe I could turn this into something cute, memorable, and travel friendly. Enter Etsy and Shop Hello Harper. The shop offers tons of styles and personalized options at a great price point. I was very pleased, and they carried me through several holiday gatherings.

Hello Harper Etsy Shop

Engrave This, Inc- Roman Numeral Bracelet
During Holiday Market this October, I stopped at a booth, Engrave This, started talking to the adorable owner, and ordered the show-special bracelet. My sister-in-law, Anna, was with us and suggested I have my anniversary in Roman numerals engraved on it. After a quick Google search of the date, I wrote it down for the owner, and she said it would be her first bracelet with a Roman numeral date. Mrs. Robyn bought it for me and gave it to me for Christmas. I love it so much. Unfortunately, I don’t see the bracelet in her shop, but she has many beautiful pieces, and I love all the engraving options.

Engrave This Etsy Shop

The Bookshelf

I have been a long time listener of From the Front Porch Podcast that is hosted by the owner of an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia called The Bookshelf. Annie gives me tons of titles to read, and I just love her honesty about reading and life and just all the things. I had a few books on my list this Christmas and wanted to support her shop, so I was thrilled to receive not one but two copies of Hill House Living by Paula Sutton. Naturally, I wanted to return one and get the other book that was on my list, so I emailed asking what I should do to return the extra book I had received. The customer service could not have been nicer and more personal. I have the highest respect for the women who are running that very successful bookstore. Give the podcast a listen here if you like reading, and see all of Annie’s book reviews on Instagram here. And check out the website for books and gifts that are sure to fit the likes of many a book lover on your gifting list.

Would you look at the personalization on the card! Those are the small business touches I love to see.

So, this got me thinking about other bookshops that I could support that are geographically closer to me. Here’s what I found:
Wetumpka, AL- Sweet Home Books
Birmingham, AL- Little Professor
Auburn, AL- Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers
Fairhope, AL- Page and Palette

I know most of you know how important it is to support our local and small businesses. I am guilty of taking advantage of the convenience and low prices of online shopping, but I know what a great feeling it is when we support these small businesses. Let’s support them more in 2022. Have a great day, friends!