Confession

Forever 21 dress (worn as top), thrifted vintage skirt, belt from Wish (closed),
Seychelles wedges from PB&J Boutique (giveaway win), necklace from Matt

Yesterday night, I was cleaning out my closet and made the mistake of trying on a pair of jeans I hadn't worn since last summer. Mind you, they're skinny, non-stretchy, white jeans and I've been drinking beer and eating fast food all weekend (don't judge me). Anyway, I got the jeans up to my hips and they felt TIGHT. I have no idea how I ever managed to get them on before. I successfully squeezed myself into them, but it was not a pretty sight.

Although it didn't make me break down and cry, it got me thinking about how lazy I've been in the last year. At this time last year, I was practicing yoga 5-6 times a week. I stopped sometime during the fall semester and subsequently gained about 10 lbs., which is a lot of weight on my 5'1" frame. When you add in not-so-healthy eating and drinking decisions, I'm not that surprised.

Bottom line--I'm not saying I'm fat by any means. I'm quite proud of my body (here's proof!) and all that it can do, but I should probably be treating it a little nicer. I feel comfortable in all my clothes except those damn jeans and it's time for a change.

From Good to Better

thrifted skirt and blouse, Forever 21 earrings, Payless wedges

This tank top is another item of clothing that I recently updated. I've been on a alterations kick lately. I really should be taking before and after pictures, but once I get an idea in my mind, I don't even pause to think about it. Shame on me.

Anyway, this tank top had a 90s surfer feel before I altered it a bit. The neckline had two buttons and was a little too high for my taste. All I did was tuck it in and sew it down to create a faux v-neck. It only took about 10 minutes and now this top seems so much more versatile. It's perfect for the summer, not to mention that I love the print.

The Advantages of DIY

thrifted dress (re-designed by yours truly), thrifted Gap shirt,
belt from Wish (closed), Banana Republic wedges, Forever 21 earrings

Would you like to know a little secret about this skirt? Once upon a time, it was a dress. I bought it fully knowing that I would have to alter it if I ever wanted to wear it. I just couldn't pass up the beautiful fabric. Before I transformed it, it had a strange wrap-around skirt, full 80s sleeves, a high neckline, and buttons on the back. I wish I'd taken a "before" picture, but I'm not lying when I say I wasn't going to wear it unless the shape was totally different.

I must have had the dress for almost six months without touching it. I almost forgot I had it until I was on Pinterest one day and stumbled across this photo. I thought to myself, "Wow, I really want a floral skirt now." Then, I remembered that I already had a floral dress and decided to make it a weekend project. It definitely took some vision, but I'm so happy with the results. After I cut off all the parts I didn't like, it was as easy as sewing the seams back together. I didn't have to mess with any elastic or zippers, which made it that much easier.

What do you think about my dress-turned-skirt?

Almost Over

thrifted skirt, Old Navy tank top, Gap denim jacket,
Seychelles wedges from PB&J Boutique (giveaway win)

My first "real" week at Texas Monthly went by super fast. I can't believe that in three weeks, it'll all be over and Matt and I will be living in Houston. It doesn't seem real.

We've been trying to enjoy the little time we have left in Austin. In other words, we've been partying it up for the last week and will probably continue to do so until we leave. Last week was a blur of work, hanging out with friends, and going fun places. I've been keeping track of all the things I'm going to miss about Austin with this countdown. Check it out and let me know what you think. Even better, remind me of the things I need to do/see before leaving Austin!

Guilty as Charged

thrifted vintage skirt, Gap shirt and denim jacket,
Banana Republic wedges, Swarovski necklace (gift from Matt)

I know I just wore this skirt last week, but luckily there isn't a rule that says I can't do that. Sometimes, it feels like I can't repeat an outfit or even just part of an outfit because it will be boring for people to see. Then, I realize that it doesn't really matter. I wanted to wear this skirt with this denim jacket and no one was going to stop me. Maybe it's not going to bring me more page views or visits, but I decided a long time ago that's not why I write this blog. I write it to keep a visual journal of what I wear because it helps me keep my closet organized. I know exactly which items in my closet get the most wear and which ones don't.

Before I started blogging, I had a very different wardrobe. It's not that it was bigger exactly, but it wasn't as well-rounded as it is now. Now, I don't buy certain things unless I can see myself wearing it at least a couple of different ways. Blogging has helped me revamp my wardrobe, as well as figure out and define my personal style. Although blogging about personal style isn't for everyone, keeping some sort of documentation would definitely be useful for someone trying to clean out/organize/reinvent their closet. After just a few weeks, it's easy to see the styles and colors you tend to gravitate to. Then, it's just as easy as getting rid of all the other stuff that doesn't make the cut!

Outfit Remix

thrifted Isaac Mizrahi for Target dress, Forever 21 lace bolero,
necklace from Langford Market, Banana Republic wedges

I've been trying my hardest to "shop" my own closet and use what I have to create new outfits. This is one of those attempts. I've had all the pieces of this outfit for awhile, but have never worn them all together before. I really like the result. If you ever feel like you don't have anything to wear (let's face it, it happens more than you'd like to admit), have a few drinks and spend the evening putting outfits together. Maybe you don't need the drinks, but a little alcohol always gets my creative juices flowing. The point is to mix and match pieces that you wouldn't normally wear together. I try to do this at least once a month and always end up with tons of great outfit ideas. I've got about five outfits, including this one, waiting to be worn from my recent "dress up" session.

In more exciting news, I'm officially done at the bridal salon! I am beyond relieved to be done with that part of my life and looking forward to upcoming changes. In fact, I start training for my new month-long job at Texas Monthly today. Wish me luck!

Lazy & Unashamed

Forever 21 shirt and earrings, vintage thrifted skirt, Zara wedges from Buffalo Exchange
(worn for work at the bridal salon)

I have a couple of days off of work until Saturday, but I'm finding it really hard to convince myself to leave my apartment today. It's been way too long since I could just hang out in my pajamas and veg out all day. OK, so maybe the real reason I don't want to go anywhere is because I started watching True Blood again. I have a whole season to watch, so I stayed up super late last night because I couldn't stop. My sister is a huge fan of the show and she convinced me to start watching it again. I suppose I could be using my time in a more productive manner, but while Matt is (still) gone, I'm really unmotivated to do much of anything.

Here's to enjoying a day of laziness!

Before I forget, I'm linking to Laura's Work It Wednesday. Even though I'm not working today, I did wear this outfit to work yesterday. It's definitely a very "me" outfit, but I looked pretty darn bright standing next to the brides in wedding gowns. It's a good thing I won't be doing working there much longer because I'm not so good at toning it down.

On Repeat

thrifted skirt, vintage blouse from Cream Vintage,
thrifted Nine West wedges, Forever 21 earrings

Lately, I've been feeling like my life's stuck on repeat. I've been working full-time at the bridal salon, coming home and playing with Charles, eating dinner with Matt, then going to sleep and starting all over again. Oh, and I've been trying to make exercising a priority, but so far it's only happening about two or three times a week.

At this point in my life and with my current work schedule, blogging just isn't a priority. I know I've said this all before, but I'm still unsure if I want it to become part of my routine again.

The good news is that I only have a week and a half left to work at the bridal salon. Once I start my month-long job at Texas Monthly in July and go back to a normal 8:00-5:00 M-F schedule, I have a feeling blogging will come back naturally.

Just like yesterday, I'm participating in Open to Interpretation. We were responsible for picking our own inspiration and this was my choice! If it wasn't so hot here in Austin, I'd love to keep my sleeves unrolled. And those shoes are just begging to be in my closet! Needless to say, I've found a new blogger to follow.

(image courtesy of Visionary Dreams)

Good News

thrifted skirt, blouse from Buffalo Exchange, Banana Republic wedges,
INPINK bracelet, Forever 21 earrings

Our day trip to Houston last week was totally worth it. We found the perfect place to live! Our apartment is in a nice, quiet complex in a beautiful neighborhood right next to a park where we can walk Charles. It's within walking distance to Whole Foods and biking distance to a bunch of shops, including Buffalo Exchange (heck yeah!) and a ton of local restaurants.

Driving around the neighborhood made me realize how much I've missed biking. I used to bike to class all the time a few years ago, but the hills in Austin are such a pain. Hills don't seem to exist in Houston, so I'm looking forward to learning our new neighborhood through bike rides. Now that we actually have a place to live, I'm so much more excited to move. Of course, I'm going to miss Austin like crazy, but change is always good.

I've decided to join in some of the link-ups in the blogging community. Even though I haven't been blogging as often, I still read my favorite blogs religiously. Today, I'm linking to Open to Interpretation by recreating this outfit in my own way. I don't own any gingham (need to get on that ASAP) or flouncy skirts besides this floral one, so this is what I came up with. How did I do?

Classy & Sassy

thrifted blouse, vintage skirt from Cream Vintage, Banana Republic heels (6 years old!)

This skirt makes me feel so ladylike. It's kind of a pain to wear because it has an itchy crinoline (petticoat) built in and I have to wear a slip. It's also heavy, so it's not the best choice for hanging around outside in the 90 degree weather. I wanted to wear it to work the other day, but didn't want to look too Betty Draper. I decided to pair it with a leopard blouse to tone down the vintage feel. I received tons of compliments from my coworkers and customers, which made me love this retro outfit that much more.

As for today's plans, here's to driving to Houston and back!

Whew!

thrifted skirt, Old Navy tank top, Gap cardigan, vintage belt, thrifted Nine West wedges 

I love this outfit. I was in a great mood after running three miles with Matt before work and this outfit really showed how I felt. I thought I was going to have an awesome day at work, but little did I know that everything was going to go wrong that day. I literally had a mini-breakdown in the back room while I was trying to handle a certain bride's situation. I just wanted it all to be over, but it was just problem after problem. It was the first time I'd felt so overwhelmed at the bridal salon that I actually started tearing up. Let's hope that never happens again, at least in the three weeks I have left.

Even though I had a rough couple of days at work, I have two days off starting today. It'll technically be my "weekend" for this week, so I'm going to take full advantage of my 48 hours of freedom. Matt and I are going for a run at Town Lake this morning followed by a trip to the grocery store. Not the most exciting stuff, but they're errands I wouldn't normally have time for on a workday. The fun stuff is happening on Thursday...

We're going to Houston to check out some apartments! We're only going for the day because we don't want to leave Charles overnight. It's going to be a lot of driving, but we really need to jump the gun on a few places we've found and possibly put a deposit down. Wish us luck on finding the perfect place!

Home Stretch

thrifted dress, belt from Wish (closed), and Sam Edelman sandals

Here's to another 40 hour work week at the bridal salon. I know those are normal hours for a full-time employee, but it's so physically demanding carrying wedding dresses across the store and dressing brides and bridesmaids eight hours a day, five days a week. By the time I come home from work, all I want to do is sit and relax. Fortunately, my last official day is about three weeks away. I'm SUPER excited to be done with retail...hopefully forever!

As much I complain about it, I have definitely enjoyed being a bridal stylist more than just a regular sales associate at Gap. It felt like I actually mattered to the customer, rather than just being the person who folds the jeans after you try them on. Even so, I'm looking forward to finding a new job in Houston. I take that back; I'm looking forward to finding a career. Before we move at the end of July, I have one last opportunity at Texas Monthly that I'll tell y'all about soon!

Our New Addition

thrifted blouse and skirt, Banana Republic heels

The past week and half have been a total blur. After my fact-checking project at Texas Monthly ended, I spent a week at Canyon Lake celebrating my best friend's graduation. When I got back from my much-needed vacation, I started my 38-hour-workweek at the bridal salon. It's great for my finances, but not so great for spending time with our new puppy. Yes, we got a puppy!

Our lives have been turned upside down (in a good way) since getting Charles, our 8 week old Cockapoo. He needs a lot of attention because he's so young, but we're training him so he's not needy and whiny. He's already making a lot of progress. It's definitely taking a lot of patience and time, but it's going to be worth it. I mean, just look at this face!

I seriously hadn't been on my computer for longer than 10 minutes since before all this happened. Now that everything has settled down, I finally have time to get back to blogging. I have to admit that it was a nice break, not having to make time to take pictures outside or come up with something to say about my outfits. I was able to get dressed without thinking about whether it was a good enough outfit for my blog or if I'd worn something too similar recently. I'm happy to be back, but it's definitely made me think about why I blog and if it's all worth it. Hopefully, I'll figure it out soon.