January Goals | Check In

Checking in with my monthly goals today, let's see how I did

1. Drink at least 24oz of water everyday // ALMOST. There were a few days that I didn't drink much water, mainly due to the fact that the lid to my camelbak was leaking and I had to wait for the replacement part to come in, but other than that, I was pretty good this month!

2. Post at least twice a week // ACCOMPLISHED. With the help of a good brainstorming session and a planner, I was able to make an editorial calendar for the month. There were a few posts that got missed, or were posted late, but overall I was fairly consistent with my blogging this month!

3. Clean up my outfit inspo boards on pinterest // YUP. Instead of having one board filled with outfit inspo, I know have three boards. One for hot, mild, and cold weather. It was nice being able to break down my boards into smaller categories and to delete any pins that aren't my style anymore.

4. Organize all my blog files // KINDA. All of my 2015 are nice and organized, but my 2014 files are still a bit all over the place. I did some minor cleaning up, but not very much. I'm honestly not really stressing about it since I rarely feel the need to access old blog files.

5. Apply for at least three major scholarships // NOPE. not even close. I filled out my FAFSA, does that count?

I'd say that i did pretty well this month! I might have not knocked all of 'em outta the park, but i'm definitely heading in the right direction, and that makes me feel stellar.

Things I Liked in 2014: Shoes

It's time for my last installment of things I liked in 2014 and this time we're talking about shoes! I know some girls are absolutely in love with shoes and would buy a new pair every week if they could, but once I find a pair that works with many outfits, I'm likely to stick with them for awhile. I switch between my black loafers and white converse for the day to day. These are the shoes that I typically wear to school or for hanging out on the weekends. A pair of red flats adds a much needed pop of color to a lot of my outfits. I also own a pair of grey loafers with hot pink soles from Gap and I'm head over heels about them (literally). I love how they look masculine, but the touch of pink makes them a bit more fun. Lastly, ankle boots have been my obsession for about two years now and they are my go-to item for when I'm getting dressed up. 

Although I love my suede ankle boots, their time has come to an end and I'm currently hunting for the perfect pair of leather chelsea boots that will last for years to come. My red flats used to be one of my favorite pair of shoes, until they got dirty and started to loose their shape. I bought them from H&M so I didn't expect them to love them so much, but because I wore the crap out of them I think it's time to get myself a more durable pair. The only thing I think I need to complete my shoe collection is a pair of simple black heels that I can easily walk in for all those random events I have to go to that require something more formal than a pair or flats or ankle boots.

Make sure to check out the beauty things, tops and bottoms that I liked in 2014!

Tell Me Something Good // January (+ a lil bit of December)

January was a weird month. Started off the year with some unfortunate events, but overall I feel like this month lasted forever yet ended too quickly. Does anyone else feel that way? Senior year really messed up your perspective of time. Graduation in May seems like it's just around the corner, but finding out if I got into to college on April 1st seems light years away. I've pretty much accepted the fact that time is a strange thing, and the best thing I can do is try to cherish all the moments I have.  

I somehow got lots of emails like this this month. Note to self: I should never have access to my debit card at 4AM. 

I generally don't go out to eat at restaurants very often, but after a day of running errands, my dad and I stopped in at Maggiano's for some of their awesome ravioli. Plus, our waiter was super freaking adorable.

Went to a local coffee shop (Brew&Brew, I highly recommend!) with my brother and our friends to get some work done. I felt super productive, until my brother accidentally spilled coffee on my laptop and messed up my keyboard. Luckily, within a few days, it was replaced and I no longer have a gross and dirty keyboard!

Went out to eat with some family friends after seeing Into The Woods. We may have had a kinda crappy waitress, but this massive slice of chocolate cake totally made up for that.

Got to go see Ben Howard (aka Bae Howard) again in concert.  Spent like half of the night on my tip-toes because the people in front of me were giants, but it was totally worth it.

The beauty that is queso from Torchy's. One this day I had a burger and fries from P.Terry's and then a taco and queso from Torchy's a mere two hours later. Did I feel like my stomach was about to explode? Absolutely. Was it worth it? ABSO-FREAKIN-LUTELY.

Enjoyed a lot of the random perfectly clear sky and 75 degree days this month. 

Had the house to myself and enjoyed a nice bath while listening to some tunes. #TreatYoSelf.

Where all the editing magic happens. Took quite a few senior portraits this month and pigged out on some pizza to help make the editing process go faster.

Had a nice playdate with this cutie (and others) and the COOLEST PLACE EVER. Went to Mt. Playmore, which is a giant playscape that adults can play on as well. Half of the time I had no clue where the kids were because I was too focused going down the slide a bajillion times.

I had been craving froyo for weeks, and my brother and I decided that getting froyo would be the perfect way to end a Sunday afternoon.

Was supposed to be taking pictures of the kids for the elementary yearbook, instead ended up taking pictures with the kids. Oh well...

Streaming shows on Amazon prime and gorging on coffee ice cream with my best friend.

FINALLY took my senior pictures! 

Bought a pack of velvet hangers. TOTAL GAME CHANGER. SO THIN. SO MUCH MORE SPACE. WOW.

Went to the elementary campus to take pictures for the yearbook on what happened to be the 101st day of school. One of the teachers had her class make 101 dalmatians dog ears to wear, gave them dog food (peanut butter cereal) in bowls on the ground, and made them basically act like dogs and eat out of their bowls. I couldn't resist the chance to act like a child (let's face it, I still see myself as a kid), I put on a pair of dog ears, and dug right in.

I know this post was pretty long, but January was quite eventful! I'd love to know the highlights of your month in the comments below!

Things I Liked in 2014: Bottoms

Bottoms are probably the least exciting part of my wardrobe, but definitely the most important. They're the workhorse of my closet, and each item needs to be exactly how I want it, since they get the most wear out of everything in my closet.

 My polka dot chambray shorts have surprisingly become an item that I can't live without. I'm usually not a polka dot kind of girl, (I'll leave all the polka dot wearin' to Nicole, she does it better, anyways), but I wore these so much, that I had to restrain myself from wearing them again for awhile. They seem to go with anything and the cut+material of them makes them appear to be all fancy and ish. 

For me, 2014 was the year of black shorts; 2014 was also the year that I gave up on low rise jeans. I picked up a pair of midrise skinny jeans a few months ago, and I swear my whole life has changed since then. I've also found that A-line skirts (with pockets of course, all skirts should have pockets!) are more flattering on me than circle skirts.

Although the pair of midrise jeans I bought changed my life, they are far from perfect. They stretch out easily, have already faded in color, and aren't as skinny as I'd like 'em to be. I'm really hoping to find the perfect brand of jeans for me so I can replace all three (count 'em, 3!) pairs of jeans that I own. 

I'm notorious for never trying on clothes when I shop and it usually works out okay, but I didn't try on the pair of black shorts that I have before buying them and they're a tad bit too big. Also, they collect lint like no man's business, so they desperately need to be replaced before summer rolls around. 

Skirts generally aren't part of my day to day outfits, but I do need to replace my black skirt, and it would be nice to pick up some A-line skirts in a few other colors because they seem to be the base of almost all my "formal" outfits. Just add a button down or a nice blouse and you're set. 

Make sure to check out the beauty things and tops that I liked in 2014!

Things I Liked in 2014: Tops

When it comes to tops, I've been keeping it pretty simple. Instead of focusing on owning a rainbow assortment of shirts, I've been focusing a lot more on the fit, texture, and pattern of all the tops I wear. Chambray is obviously a no brainer and I've been wearing it a ton here (and here and here) on the blog. Nearly all of my tight fitting tops have been tucked away and replaced with looser fitting shirts like this one from Everlane (I'll probably do a review on these shirts because I love them oh so much), and I'm also very much in love with the few button down shirts I own because they can easily be dressed up or down.

I've recently discovered that boxy cut tees and sweaters work well for my body type, especially because all the pants and shorts I wear have a skinny/tight fit. A boxy cut top for me looks effortlessly cool and is easily jazzed up with a fun necklace or layered under a cardigan. My tank top collection is lacking and I'd love to get some nice tank tops that can not only be worn in the brutal Texas summers, but that can also be paired with a fitted skirt or nice pants to create a more polished and formal outfit. I feel like my wardrobe wouldn't be complete if I didn't add at least a few more button downs to it. They're just so dang practical and easy to style and wear!

Have y'all noticed a change in what kind of shirts you wear? Do you favor certain colors, patterns, or textures over another? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments down below, and make sure to check out the beauty things I liked in 2014!

a chambray a day...

...keeps the doctors away. At least, I think that's how that saying goes. 

I'm in love with this nifty chambray shirt from J.Crew that I got for Christmas. I'm in love with the pants I got on a super sale (marked down from $90 to $20!). And apparently I'm also in love with dressing like a twenty something year old? I'd say that for the past five or so years I've constantly been mistaken for being older that I actually am. I remember that when I was in 8th grade someone thought I was 19 and I once had some one ask me what I was majoring in in college. Trust me, they were very shocked when I replied that I was only a mere 14 year old freshmen in high school. Back then when all I wore were plain t-shirts from H&M and jeans, it didn't make any sense to me that I could appear significantly older then I actually was. Now that I'm teetering on the edge of young adulthood, it's not as shocking when someone assumes that I'm in my early twenties, or when someone thinks that my brother, who is nine years my senior and sometimes mistaken for a 30+, and I are twins (true story, y'all). 

When the situation calls for it, I like to think that I can speak pretty eloquently for a 17 year old and that I can conduct myself in a mature manner, but I think that the real reason why people have difficulty pinning down my age is because of how I dress. Now, I obviously don't dress like (or look like) and grandmother or something, but almost all of the bloggers I follow are in their 20s-30s and that's where I grab a lot of my inspiration from. It's almost like i'm a little kid playing dress up in their mom's clothes, except I'm a teenager and these are my own clothes... Really, the way I see it, I'm just stocking up my post-high school/college wardrobe. Always gotta be one step ahead.

top: j.crew >> cardigan: gap outlet >> pants: j.crew >> shoes: h&m >>necklace: forever 21 >> sunglasses: j.crew factory

Things I Liked in 2014: Beauty

2014 was a huge year for defining my personal style. As the year went on, I noticed that I was consistently going back to the same trends and items. I think that it's beneficial to look back and figure out what works and what doesn't work for you when it comes to clothing, accessories, and beauty items so you can focus on being the best version of yourself. This is the first of four posts I'll be doing this month going over what I liked this year and how I want to improve for next year. 

Back in the day (aka eighth grade and freshman year) I was obsessed with makeup. I would spend forever and a day watching beauty videos on youtube and  was infatuated with the idea of having drawers and drawers full of makeup in every shade possible. Flash forward to the present day and it's a completely different story! It takes me about five minutes to do my makeup and all the items I use can easily fit into a small makeup bag. I keep my face simple with some concealer and blush, add some winged eyeliner, lots of mascara, and do my eyebrows. I usually don't wear eyeshadow, so I like to add some fun lipstick to change up my makeup every once in a while.

For the most part, I'd say that my makeup collection is pretty solid, but I'd like to add some more lipsticks for the sake of more variety. I've recently discovered a brand called ColourPop and they have tons of pretty shades for only $5 each! I'm also working on perfecting my winged eyeliner, (and being able to get it right on the first try!), and finding the perfect mascara. I've been testing out some drugstore mascaras, but none so far can hold a candle to Benefit's "They're Real". In the new year, I might go ahead and splurge on a $23 mascara since I don't spend much on makeup in general. 

Are there any beauty trends that you're taking with you into the new year? I'd love to hear about them!

Commodity Goods Review

I've been on the hunt for a nice everyday perfume for awhile, until I heard about Commodity Goods. The clean packaging and mix of white and a beautiful metallic rose gold was immediately enticing. I'm a total sucker for beautiful packaging, and luckily, these perfumes smell as wonderful as they look. 

I was lucky to purchase these during cyber monday when everything was half off, although I read some other reviews posted months ago mentioning a similar sale, so I would hold off on buying a perfume from them full price. Of course, buying a perfume online without smelling it isn't the greatest of ideas, which is why you can choose one of their try at home options which comes with a fitting pack that allows you to test drive all ten of their scents in the comfort of your own home. I love being able to test out all the scents because it allows you to layer various scents and see how the scent changes on your skin throughout the day. 

As for the actual scents (what y'all actually care about) some made me feel all heart-eyes emoji and others made my nose cringe and I have vowed to never smell them again. I ultimately ended up getting the full size of the Gold perfume, but Pinot and Paper were close contenders. I really do think that out of their ten selections there is something for everyone, and they also have a men's line that includes seven more fragrance choices if you're looking for something more masculine (Gold, Paper, and Moss are unisex and available for men and women). 

A full sized 100mL bottle will set you back $108, which is more on the pricey end for a perfume, but they do sell 10mL travel bottles that are $24 for the first one and $12 for each additional bottle. I have officially claimed their Gold scent as my signature perfume, and if you manage to catch one of their sales, I'd highly recommend checking them out!

Also, I'm curious, if you were a perfume, what perfume would you be?

little blue coat

My favorite types of outfits are the ones that are incredibly simple, but just oozing with cool. I'm literally wearing pants, a sweater, and a jacket, but the mix of color and shapes elevates the entire look. I own only one jacket that isn't a hoodie or a giant winter coat, and I'm quite glad that it's in this beautiful cobalt color. It adds vibrance to a rather dull outfit, and some contrast to a bright pink purse and lipstick. Cropped tops are currently my thing. This one is a bittttt more cropped than I expected it to be, but it's exactly what I want. Simple, but unexpected. I've always envied people who can wear jeans and a t-shirt and look amazing and like they're the coolest person that has ever existed. I've come to realize that those people seemed to be so cool, not because of their outfit, but because of the confidence they carried, and i'm glad to say that my confidence in myself and my outfits has really grown in the past year. I'm all for wearing what I think is cool and not necessarily caring if other people with think it's "stylish" or not. And by no means am I saying that this outfit is "bold", "out there" or "pushing the envelope" but this ain't no carefully currated, 1000+ repins on pinterest outfit. 

It's simple, sleek, and in my humble opinion, über cool.

sweater: gap outlet >> jacket: forever 21 (old) >> pants: j.crew >> shoes: gap outlet >> bag: h&m

sunglasses: j.crew factory