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. 2

Another week in the books, and boy it was an eventful one. I got to go to an Auburn basketball game, we had awards day at school, and Paul surprised me with tickets to see Hamilton on Saturday! What a week!! Here’s what I wore.

Monday

Similar Sweater | Jeans | Mules | Same Scarf (Mine is True South) | Earrings

This sweater is nearly identical to the one linked. Get your normal size.
Old Navy jeans are on sale at least once a week. Get on the email list!
I am trying not to get too sucked into scarves, but I love finding new ways to wear them.

Tuesday

Size down one in this dress. It is 100% cotton, so maybe don’t dry it if you don’t want it to shrink.
The boots I linked are so cute, and I like them better than the old Target ones I own.
Couldn’t link the necklace, but it’s from McFerrin’s.
The earrings I linked are a smokey quartz instead of the black that I have, but they would go with literally everything.

Wednesday

Striped shirt is so cute and comfy. Get your true size. How is this WALMART? And only $20?!?!
The jeans- I’m trying to love them, but I don’t always. We’re getting to know each other. I will almost always wear them with a pointed toe boot or pump. These are not casual jeans for me.
This bag is Sole Society, a company that sadly went out of business. I did find the exact one on Poshmark and linked that one.
*For the basketball game I swapped the loose jeans for my favorite skinny jeans, swapped the boots for the Amazon mules, and threw on a white blazer to be warm and comfortable enough to walk around and stand during the game.

Thursday

This dress was my very first H&M purchase in the height of the pandemic in 2020, so this exact one is not available anymore. It was listed as a chiffon dress when I bought it. They tend to have lots of those options available, especially closer to spring. The one I linked is a little pricier than H&M, but it’s so beautiful. If you do H&M, I’d consider sizing down but read the reviews always.

Friday

The sweatshirt was an Etsy find and is so adorable.
The New Balance 327s are new, bought from Ebay, though I found them for the same price on the website where they’re linked. I got my true size, and they’re perfect.

Saturday | Hamilton

Similar Blazer (Mine is True South) | White Top | Pants | Nude Pumps

I took a gamble on wearing heels not knowing how far we’d have to walk once we parked our car in Birmingham. It wasn’t too bad, though, because these heels are actually pretty comfortable. I was also glad to have the blazer for the chilly night air before and after the show.
**Plenty of these blazers left in True South when I went Friday afternoon.

We got home from Hamilton at about 1:15am and had church at 8:00, so the thought of picking out any clothes for next week seems like the most daunting thing. Instead, I think I’ll go get back in bed and take myself a nice rainy Sunday afternoon nap. Have a great week, y’all!

Closet Diaries | No. 1

I’ve been enjoying sharing all my outfits lately on Instagram, but I don’t always have time to link each piece. I thought I could compile my week’s worth of outfits here on the blog, link everything I can, and *hopefully* find some similar pieces if what I wore isn’t available.
These outfits are what I wear to work. (Except this week, we were off Monday.) I’m a teacher and very fortunate to be able to wear jeans to work everyday if I want to. We just have to abide by a few rules when wearing them, such as no distressing and we have to wear a nicer top with them. On Fridays we can be more casual and wear t-shirts/sweatshirts. Also, please forgive the iPhone mirror pics, but I’m snapping these on the way out the door, and that’s the most efficient way I can grab these photos. Okay, let’s get started!

Monday

Hat | Similar Hoodie | Similar Faux Leather Jacket | Jeans | Sneakers

*Wearing my true size in these jeans but think I could have gone down one size.
*Wearing my true size in the sneakers.

Tuesday

Dress (Olive color no longer available) | Similar Booties

*Wearing my true size in the dress. It’s roomy, but if you’re busty, stick with your true size.
*Similar booties linked are the same brand as what I’m wearing. I wear my true size.

Wednesday

Similar Top (Mine is from True South) | Jeans | Mules

*Jeans and mules are true to size.

Thursday

Similar Blazer (Mine is from True South) | Black tee | Jeans | Sneakers

*Jeans, black tee, and sneakers are true to size.

Friday

Denim Jacket | Similar Top | Jeggings | Similar Booties

*Denim jacket is in shade Birdie. Size down one.
*Jeggings are true to size
*Booties linked are the same brand as what I have. They are true to size.

Bonus: Spanx Air Essentials Set

Pullover | Wide Leg Pants

*Go with your true size in Spanx. For me that’s typically one size up from my pants/top size in regular clothes.

I look forward to putting together these round ups again. If you have any questions about the looks or if I forgot something that caught your eye, let me know! I’d be happy to find it for you.

Favorite Things of 2022

Happy New Year! We’re almost two weeks in to 2023, and I hope you’re all doing well. I’m hoping for good things for us all this year!
Today I want to share some of the stand out things of 2022. We’ll span the whole spectrum of categories, so grab a seat and read on.

Life

Target Dress (old,unavailable) | Similar Target Sandals

Paul and I started going back to church in the summer and have really enjoyed it. We haven’t always been able to go to church together. His work schedule never really allowed it while we lived in Louisiana, and when we moved back to Alabama we weren’t really sure where we fit. Anyway, I’m just really happy to be able to attend church together and to grow together in our faith. God opens doors right when we need him to, and I am so grateful that he does.

This summer was the first one that I didn’t have a second job. I fully embraced summer vacation and took time off. It was glorious. I read so many books!

Other highlights of the year were:
Growing tomatoes for the first time and acquiring a second rose bush and a lime tree that is incredibly high maintenance, but the limes are GOOD!
Marrying off my best friend in the sweetest ceremony.
Attending two Auburn football games.

2022 had a few upsets for us too. One being the loss of my Aunt Sharon. We share a birthday and had a very special bond. I miss her terribly, but God continues to show His goodness and faithfulness even in times of loss, grief, hurt, and disappointment. On the morning she died, I was heading out the door to work, and when I opened it there was the biggest cardinal just sitting on a powerline looking at me. I gasped, and it flew away. I hadn’t heard the news yet, but in that moment I knew it was my sign that she had passed. As I was pulling into the school parking lot, my mama called to tell me my aunt had died early that morning. My friend told me the cardinal was a God wink to let me know she was okay. I believe it. God works in mysterious ways and no doubt knows that old saying about cardinals showing up as lost loved ones. His goodness and faithfulness never fails.

Listening

Nicolle Galyon released her debut album called Firstborn. Nicolle is a songwriter of many songs that you know and love in the country music genre, but she finally put out her own album, and It. Is. Incredible. She is one of the most gifted songwriters of her generation, and I could listen to her album over and over again and never tire of it. Oh wait, I did that.

Towards the end of the year and still now (let’s blame it on Yellowstone coming back in November) I started listening to Lainey Wilson (specifically Bell Bottom Country), and I think I really like her. If you’re following me on Instagram, you’ve likely heard her songs popping up in stories. I wake up singing one almost every morning.

Watching

The White Lotus on HBO Max was a show Paul and I tried in season one and couldn’t really get into it. Well, a podcast I listen to started devoting their episodes to season two of The White Lotus and that made me very curious. I wasn’t sure if I needed to finish season one to fully get season two (you don’t) but I powered through it and ended up really liking it.
But season two!!!
That was the better one for me. It’s set in Italy so it’s breathtaking scenery, and I liked the characters better. Highly recommend.

House of the Dragon was the other show I was very excited about watching this year. It came out in August on HBO Max and is a prequel to Game of Thrones focused on the ancestors of Daenerys Targaryen. I thought it was incredible and can’t wait for more. I think if you’re a GOT fan then you’ll like this one.

Reading

Hands down my favorite book of the year was Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. It is nearly 900 pages, but it is the most beautiful and complex storytelling you’ll read. I laughed and cried and cringed my way through. There were things I could never imagine living through, and then the next page would have me wishing I was right there with the Hat Creek Outfit. After reading it I started watching the mini series, but I couldn’t bring myself to watch the last part of it because I had the notion in my head of what the ending of the book was supposed to be like. And even though Robert Duvall could not have been a better Gus, I could not let the show influence my vision of how the ending of the book went. If you read one western in your life, please make it Lonesome Dove.

A very close second and a complete shift in content is another book I have to share with you, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. This book follows Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in the 1960s, who hosts a cooking show that teaches women far more than cooking. It’s about her life and the struggles of being a woman in the world of science in a time when women “belonged in the home”. There’s also a dog in the book named Six-Thirty, and I’ve never loved a fictional animal more. What a delight of a book. Add it to your TBR list.

Wearing

Blazers have taken over my wardrobe. I bought one several years ago and have worn it now and again, but as I started seeing them pop up in the fall fashion trends, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I’ve gotten one locally, one from Amazon, and one from a thrift store. I think blazers are an easy way to elevate a basic look, add a sophisticated layer, and provide warmth without the bulk. I’m not sure I’ll be quitting these anytime soon.

Current favorite pumps in nude.
Jeans | Pumps (Color: Chestnut)

I was in desperate need of a pair of black pumps when I found a pair in Target and bought them on a whim. I fell in love. So in love that I bought them in a nude color, too. Are they the most well made pump you could own? Nope. But are they comfortable, the perfect, comfortable heel height, and affordable? Yep. I wear them all the time and with everything. I’ll report back if I get the courage to wear them all day teaching.

Another Target shoe I bought in black and then again in nude is this two-strap sandal. I also wear these with everything and do wear these all day at school. Those block heels can take you the distance! They are comfortable and have a cushiony foot bed. Love ’em.

I’ve reached borderline obsession status with my next favorite: Vivian Drew Earrings. I have slowly been collecting pieces from this brand for several years, but it turns out that when I send her Instagram posts over to Paul’s DMs, he buys them and gives them to me for birthdays and anniversaries and Christmases. Take that tip to the bank, girls! Works every time. 😉 The quality is excellent. The very first pair that I bought still looks brand new. Check out her site here and give her a follow on Instagram.

Beauty

I have been with Beautycounter for several years now, but I have never tried the Sheer Genius Conditioning Lipstick until October and wow, wow, wow! I decided to get the At the Red-y Lip Duo holiday set, and I’m just wondering why I never got this lipstick before. It really is conditioning and the color payoff is surprising for a sheer lipstick.

The other thing I’m still loving is the Countertime Line from Beautycounter. It’s the anti-aging line that uses Bakuchiol in place of Retinol. This makes it less harsh and safe for those who are pregnant and nursing. I truly love it.

Shop my faves

Here’s your one-stop-shop for all of my 2022 favorites.

  1. Lonesome Dove Book
  2. At the Red-y Lip Duo
  3. Amazon The Drop White Blazer (fits TTS)
  4. Vivian Drew Earrings (this style currently on sale)
  5. Countertime Skincare Regimen
  6. Target Nude Two-Strap Sandal (fits TTS/wearing color Chestnut)
  7. Target Black Two-Strap Sandal (fits TTS)
  8. Target Black Pump (fits TTS)
  9. Target Nude Pump (fits TTS/wearing color Chestnut)
  10. Lessons in Chemistry Book

Here’s to 2023!

More good music. More interesting books. More entertaining television. More affordable fashion. More safer beauty. More church. More Auburn football. More relaxing. More time with friends and loved ones. More God winks. More blessings.

Until next time.

Is It Fall Yet?

I’ve got a real hankering for colder weather, soups, boots, sweaters, and warm blankets. Wanting to keep those cozy fall vibes I’ve got running through me right now, I decided to pick up a children’s book I’ve never read before: Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. After three pages I read a line out loud to a coworker early one morning before school had started. She had read the book before (all of them, actually) and knew exactly what this fascination was all about. I don’t know that I would have appreciated it as a child and been so mesmerized by the prose, but I am positively delighted every time I open this book.

Continue reading “Is It Fall Yet?”