Exploring My Style

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A Few Updates

2016-02-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. The weather has been super nice here with temps in the low 60s and let me tell you, I soaked in every second of it. Now it's back to freezing with snow in the forecast as soon as tomorrow. Brr.

On a more positive note, Kevin and I drove up to Denver for one of his best friend's surprise birthday party. His girlfriend invited all his friends where we were waiting at a bar downtown. He was completely blown away by it all. It meant a lot to him I could tell.

On our way home on Saturday, we stopped by our favorite mall to do a few returns (the low-rise black jeans I just replaced and an eye shadow I bought at Macy's and didn't like it first time I tried). We also walked around a bit with a friend of ours who had never been in a Nordstrom before. It was fun to show him around our favorite store!

I haven't talked about it on the blog yet in case I wasn't strong enough to go through with it but I'm having a no-spend month in February. With the exception of a few planned expenses (haircut, b-day present, and donation support for some friends completing a run for a cause that is important to me), I had vowed not to buy anything for myself this month. January was a large spending month for me clothing-wise and knew my wallet needed a break. I did break the rules yesterday when I found a scarf exactly as I'd been looking for for almost 70% off at Eddie Bauer when shopping on Saturday. I decided to go ahead and get it while it was still available.

I've been so good about not online shopping or browsing when I'm bored, I no longer receive any email newsletters from stores, and unfollowed many shops on Instagram so I wouldn't be tempted by a sale.

The reason I'm doing a shopping ban in part is because I've started a new closet project. Back when I used Go Chic regularly, there was a user who did a project called Wear My Closet. Everyday, she would have to style an outfit using at least one piece she hadn't yet worn since starting. This could be either a piece of clothing or an accessory. She could wear repeat items as long as one piece of the outfit was new. She did this until she had worn every piece she owned. I love that idea and have started my own Wear My Closet project this month. Once I wear a piece that is hung up, I turn the hanger backwards to encourage myself to wear the hanging pieces facing the correct way. With folded clothes, I'm putting the ones I've worn underneath the "new" pieces as well as keeping track of what I've worn both in the Stylebook app and in a journal in my closet. This way, I make sure to wear everything I have, hopefully before buying anything new. I may not get to shorts for awhile though seeing as how it wasn't warm enough for them until mid-June last year!

I also got my hair cut last week! It's a little shorter than I was going for. I was just one inch away from the donation limit of 8 inches so I went for it. I've been fed up with having such long hair for the past four years. The change is so strange to get used to. I look much younger instead of older like I was going for. Hopefully in a few months, it will be at a more comfortable level.

Linking up with:

Tuesdays

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Pleated Poppy
Fresh Fashion
Style Me Wednesday
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Simply Muted

2016-02-17T03:00:00.000-08:00

Today's #wearwhatwherefebruary prompt is Simply Muted. I'd say grey, black, and brown are pretty muted! This tunic sweater is incredibly soft. It's the perfect length for leggings. This has become by go-to sweater when I want to wear leggings. I haven't tried it with pants yet, it may be too long.

Linking up with:

Thursdays

Look What I Got (for cheap)
Throw Back Thursday Fashion Link Up

Get the Look: Sweater: Nordstrom | Leggings: Zella via Nordstrom - gifted | Boots: Frye via eBay | Earrings: Charming Charlie - gifted

Plaiditude

2016-02-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hello friends, happy Monday! This weekend was fairly uneventful with the highlight being going over to our friends' house for a delicious home-cooked meal and games. I absolutely despise cooking, especially outside of my normal rotations so to get something new and tasty is quite the treat for us.

Today's #wearwhatwherefebruary style challenge is PLAIDitude. I'm pretty sure this color scheme is the least "attitude" a plaid outfit can be! Still counts, right?

In case you're interested, here is what I decluttered last week:

Last month, I bought a black wool peacoat from Poshmark to replace several coats I rarely wore. After searching eBay and Poshmark for a shorter, 100% wool peacoat for a few weeks, I finally bought the perfect one. It's incredibly warm and easy to style.

From left to right:
Forever 21 felt coat circa 2008 - I bought this with my bestie right after we graduated high school. Although it was a size too big, I loved it and my bestie convinced me to buy it. I can't tell you how many times I've worn this coat. Because it was large, I was able to layer a lot underneath it and the size made it extra comfy. It's seen better days.
Forever 21 red coat circa 2013. I bought this thrifted and only wore it twice in three years. It was time to let it go.
MissGuided purple coat circa 20th birthday 2010 - I loved this coat when I got it and wore it a TON over the past several years whenever SoCal got cold enough for a coat. The color is no longer my style for a coat so I figured it was time to retire it.
Weatherproof black rain jacket circa 20th birthday 2010 - I needed a black raincoat to wear when I used to work for a grocery store and had to push carts in the rain. After I quit in 2012, I hadn't worn it since. No use holding onto something I haven't used in that long, no matter how practical it may be "just in case."
Thrifted scarf 2015 - I bought this when we were in California in October and only wore it once. I didn't like how the color looked against my skin.
Joe's Jeans thrifted in 2015 - My first pair (and only) thrifted designer jeans. When I purchased my two new ones at the end of last year, I held onto these just to have another pair. After continually reaching for the newer ones and having no interest in these, I figured it was time to sell them.
Silver necklace via eBay - I bought this necklace as part of a lot and only wore it twice. It was a bit bulky for my taste.
Santa earrings circa Christmas 2002 - I've had these since I was a kid. I have another pair of Christmas earrings and figured I didn't need two pairs.
Tights c/o KushyFoot and thrifted from Target - I rarely wear tights and I feel best in plain black ones or black with a pattern. This particular pattern is a vertical stripe that looks a little Adams Family to me. No thanks!
Knit headband gifted in 2012 - I've worn this a few times but received one for Christmas in 2014 that I like better.
The North Face beanie thrifted 2015 - The colors were a little bright for me. I was instead drawn to the furry lining. Once trying it on though, I realized it looks so bulky on my head. Selling this instead.

And for household items:

Books: Two books that were favorites in high school. I just finished rereading My Sister's Keeper and while it's great, I didn't feel the need to keep it. I haven't had interest in reading Keeping Faith so I donated that as well. I've been a huge word puzzle fan all my life -- not crosswords though, the variety puzzles. I bought this particular huge book for a Hawaii trip back in 2004. I have several other similar books so I decided to get rid of the bulky one.Games: Kevin and I are big gamers, strategy gamers that is. These kiddie games are no longer our style. I've had most of these since I was a kid. We just don't play them. You can't see it in the picture, but somehow we had a dozen decks of standard playing cards, something we rarely use as is it. The Monopoly game is adorable. I wanted it so badly when it came out because of a property called Lauren's Lemonade Stand. My own property! Plus, all the playing pieces are cute girly things like a cell phone, hair dryer, lipstick, and nail polish. The houses and hotels are pink and purple while the cards are text and instant messages. It all comes in a nail/beauty box with a mirror and everything. I was keeping this strictly for novelty reasons even though we don't even enjoy the game. I hope another girl will get a kick out of it! I also had a few books of games we weren't using so those left too.Kitchen items: An empty tea container I was hanging onto for some reason, two older thrifted mugs I replaced at Christmas time, two tea strainer guys that came in a pack of four (kept one), an old thermos from high school my dad bought and would make me hot chocolate in when I was in color guard but not able to practice after breaking my wrist, a free water bottle I don't use, a Wonder Bread tupperware I've had since I was 10, and a few old magnets.Bathroom: two nail polishes - one free from Influenster in a color I'll never wear and a polish I like in the bottle but not on my nails, a mascara I asked for for Christmas and absolutely hated, an eye shadow palette I don't use, and an old loofa.Misc: markers I've had since 3rd grade and a used up candle.
Items decluttered this week: 49

Linking up with:

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Shirt: LL Bean - gifted | Jeans: Paige via Nordstrom | Cardigan: Nordstrom | Boots: Frye via eBay | Earrings: Walmart

Friday

2016-02-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

Ready for more randomness?

81. Tea or coffee? Coffee in the morning, tea all day long.

82. Sugar or snickerdoodles? Sugar cookies, especially super soft ones.

83. Can you swim well? I would say so.

84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? Yes?

85. Are you patient? I typically am, unless I'm ready to leave the house or do something (especially if that something is eating) and other people are taking too long!

86. DJ or band, at a wedding? DJ

87. Ever won a contest? No I haven't

88. Ever have plastic surgery? Nope and I don't plan to

89. Do you work out regularly? I've been trying to! I mainly do pilates or other bodyweight exercises. I was recently sent some resistance bands from the brand TKO to try out. I've been using them to work out my arms and legs while watching TV. I love how compact they are so they don't take up much space. Plus, they're only $13 and easy to travel with!

90. Can you knit or crochet? I can do both! Crochet is a bit faster and harder to mess up I think.

Linking up with:

Pleated Poppy
Fresh Fashion
Style Me Wednesday
Hey Girl

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How I Use the Stylebook App to Create Outfits, Track What I Wear, and Declutter My Closet

2016-02-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

Over a month ago, I bought a used iPad off eBay. One of my major reasons for buying it was for a particular style app I had seen some reviews on. The app is called Stylebook. It acts as a virtual closet, outfit tracker, outfit creator, and style tracker. It costs $3.99 but in my opinion, it's worth every penny.

The first step is input all of your clothing. You can either upload pictures from your iPad or iPhone or take pictures in the app. This process can take several hours, especially if you have many items. Since I keep track of my purchases on the blog, most of my clothing items were already photographed. I just downloaded them onto the app. For the pictures I took on the app, I hung them up in front of a plain white background. The reason for doing this is to make removing the background of each picture easier.
TIP: If you don't already have pictures of your clothing, take your pictures in front of a plain white background. The app has a built-in background remover tool which works best with a blank background. Trust me, this will save you SO much time not manually erasing everything.Once a picture is uploaded, you edit it to remove the background as best you can. The tool can get rid of most of it. Any little pieces still remaining can be erased by hand.

If you'd like to be completely thorough, you can also edit each picture and input information on each piece. For example, for every piece, I type the store and month and year I purchased or received something. Then, you can categorize it by color, fabric type, brand, size, season, and cost. The more info you fill in, the more helpful the style stats will be later on. I filled in all this information for each piece of clothing. Keeping track of my purchases on the blog sure helped with this!

Once these two steps are complete, what you do with the app is up to you. Here's how I've gotten the most out of the app.
Going through my old blog posts and Instagram pictures, I recreated each outfit using the Looks tool. I added every piece from the outfit, including accessories and bags if they were pictured. If I no longer had a certain piece, I left it out of the outfit. As I got to the older outfits. there were several where I only still had a certain pair of earrings or shoes. I still counted those as a look. After completing a look, I entered it on the calendar based on the date the outfit went live.

On a daily basis now, after getting dressed, I recreate the day's outfit and put it on the calendar.

These are the very basic functions of the app. If you want to take it one step further, you can upload inspiration photos and add them to looks, adding your own clothing pieces and saving them for future outfit ideas. I just saved pictures from Pinterest and uploaded them as Inspiration, adding my clothing to each photo. You can also create packing lists to use when travelling, adding items and even complete looks you can create with those items. I've inputted old packing lists from previous blog posts in here just for future reference.

Once you start inputting outfits, here's where the fun begins. Built into the app are a few helpful Style Stats. In this section, you can see your:

clothing item count
total closet value (based on the price you inputted for each item)
color stats (how many items you have of each color)
25 most recently added items
items never used in an outfit
items never logged on calendar
25 least worn items
25 most worn items
25 worst cost-per-wear
25 best cost-per-wear
outfit count
average items per look
outfits never logged onto calendar (in other words, outfit inspiration and planning)
25 least worn outfits
25 most worn outfits

The cost per wear isn't completely accurate since I'm mainly inputting outfits I've worn on the blog. For example, I've worn my big down coat dozens of times, just not on the blog. Same with my Uggs which I've worn at least 100 times since buying them four years ago.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED:

Since using this app, I've benefitted from it greatly. Not only can I easily see my entire closet in a glance, I can create outfits, track the outfits I've worn, and use the style stats to get an idea of which pieces I'm wearing regularly. Knowing these things have helped me immensely when deciding what to declutter, hence getting rid of so much in the past month. Items are sorted by type. I sorted each category in order from most to least favorite. Favorite to least favorite button up shirt, shorts, earrings, everything. I then looked at those items at the bottom of the list and asked myself why they were my least favorites. Maybe it's the fit or color. I look over these categories every few days and decide if I still want those at the bottom of the lists. After awhile, I choose these items to get rid of.

I can also use these stats to see my wardrobe workhorses. The items with the most wear are mainly shoes and accessories. These tend to be more steady when the rest of my closet changes constantly. The least or never worn items are more interesting however. While some of these pieces are newer, most of them I've had for at least six months or more. I know I've worn some of these pieces more than is recorded for the blog or other social media. The pieces I've had for awhile though, those are the ones that need some serious thought.

To take this data and apply it to my life, I went into my closet, and turned around all the hangers of items that were lower on the list of favorites. This way, I can purposefully wear these items to decide whether or not I still like everything about them. So far, this has saved my aztec cardigan, grey off-the-shoulder tunic sweater, and purple jeans.

You can also use the app to shop, create a wishlist, read helpful style posts written by fashion bloggers, and watch videos featuring tips and tricks to using the app. If you're with a friend who also has the app, you can share pictures and info over wifi. Lastly, you can transfer data between devices so you can use the app on your iPad and phone.

Let me know if this post was helpful to you in any way or if you give it a try for yourself!
** This post is not at all sponsored. I've just been using it a lot lately and wanted to share my experience.

Linking up with:

Wednesdays

Thursdays

Look What I Got (for cheap)
Throw Back Thursday Fashion Link Up

Candy Heart Hues

2016-02-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Whoo hoo! Broncos won the Superbowl! I normally don't watch the big game but since we live in Colorado now, we had to support the home team! Plus, we watched it with a big Broncos fan so that was fun. We had a fairly relaxing weekend. Friday, I did a bit more decluttering after work. Saturday, we went out for wings with a friend before I spent the rest of the evening blogging during my LOST rewatch.

I've been using Stylebook every night while watching TV. I finished inputting all of my outfits from last year onto the calendar and am more than halfway done with the outfits from 2014. I also started saving outfits from Pinterest under the Inspiration tab and taking pieces from my wardrobe to recreate the outfits. I've logged about 75 outfits and use them to get dressed in the morning. I'm working on a post explaining how I use to app that will hopefully go live later this week. I have a lot to share so it's going to take awhile to create.

Linking up with:

Tuesdays

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If you're following along my minimalist journey, here is what I decluttered last week:

Returned: Patagonia flannel (top left) - With Kevin's blessing, I'm returning this flannel. He bought me two of these shirts for my birthday, this one and the one in bright blue. I love the bright blue one SO much, that I'll always reach for that one first. I don't need both shirts so I'm returning this one.LL Bean flannel - I had this on my birthday wishlist that I share with my parents. I had asked for two flannels there before Kevin surprised me with the Patagonia ones. I was surprised my parents bought me both! That meant I went from one flannel to five in one day. I certainly don't need five flannel shirts. I kept my three favorites and returned the other two.Halogen sweater - I bought this during a Nordstrom sale last year. While I love the color and idea of this sweater, it is uncomfortably itchy. It's made from a cheap cashmere which is making it itchy. I hadn't found a good replacement yet and held onto it. When I was showing Kevin the items in my closet that weren't ideal for whatever reason, he asked me flat out why I was keeping something that was uncomfortable. Makes sense right?
Selling:Tommy Bahama dress - My parents bought me this a few years ago for a luau in Hawaii. It's too large so I didn't wear it as much as I should have.Old Navy skirt - I only wore this 2-3 times and found it hard to style.
Donating: Houndstooth leggings I wasn't wearingHigh school t-shirt I kept for sentimental reasons but I hated high school...Target cream cardigan I wasn't wearingH&M yellow sweater I was gifted several years ago that I just don't wear anymore.Yellow blouse I thrifted that I don't like the sheerness of it.Blue floral dress I wasn't wearing.Thrifted striped tee I've recently replacedGrey maxi skirt I'd like to replace with a solid black oneOlive cardigan I now have a better version ofThrifted polka dot dress that is too short to wear without tightsSarong I bought on vacation several years ago and didn't wear sinceCheap black tee2 small photo albums (I recently put all photos in large albums)The Last Song - recently reread and passing onA scrapbook adhesive tool I recently bought, used up, and hated it so I'm donating itTrashing:Worn out hair tiesHair accessories I don't useBroken earphonesBroken pencilExpired medicineAfter sun product (I prefer plain aloe vera)A makeup brush that came in a set that I've never used
Items decluttered last week: 30

Red Hots

2016-02-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

Red hots were one of my favorite candies growing up. I LOVE the taste and smell of spicy cinnamon and I have all my life. Hot Tamales are probably my favorite candy for that reason. Yum!

Ready for some more questions no one thinks to ask?

71. Can you curl your tongue? Only in half longways.

72. Ever won a spelling bee? I've never been in one!

73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yes! Usually watching sappy YouTube proposal or wedding videos.

74. Own any record albums? Not a one.

75. Own a record player? No.

76. Regularly burn incense? Nope, just candles.

77. Ever been in love? I am in love right now :)

78. Who would you like to see in concert? The Black Keys, The Tallest Man on Earth, Ray LaMontague, or Ane Brun.

79. What was the last concert you saw? Our friend's band played in Denver back in April and we saw them in a small venue.

80. Hot tea or cold tea? I have to have both. I'm a big tea drinker. I drink iced tea throughout the day, then a cup or two of hot tea every night in fall and winter. My favorite iced tea is plain ol' Lipton, unsweetened. Hot tea is a toss up between English Breakfast or Sweet N Spicy (again with the cinnamon). Yum!

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Sweater: Thrifted (similar) | Pants: Hudson | Boots: Frye | Bag: Michael Kors - gifted | Earrings: Grandmas

Unblogged Outfits 12: Pullover Sweaters

2016-02-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit behind in sharing some Instagram outfits. These go back to October!

Sweater: LOFT - thrifted (since gotten rid of this) | Jeans: American Eagle (just decluttered these) | Shoes: Sam Edelman | Necklace: Grandmas

This is what I wore on my birthday!

Sweater: Halogen - thrifted (similar) | Jeans: Joe's Jeans - thrifted | Boots: Frye | Scarf: Charming Charlie

Sweater: Gifted | Leggings: Online Shop | Shoes: Gifted

Sweater: Eddie Bauer - thrifted | Pants: American Eagle (no longer have these) | Boots: Frye via eBay

Linking up with:

Look What I Got (for cheap)
Throw Back Thursday Fashion Link Up

Almost Perfect

2016-02-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

I absolutely adore this sweater. I thrifted it last year during a 99 cent sweater sale. It's Banana Republic and made of lambswool and angora. It's the coziest, warmest sweater I own. The only problem? It's about an inch or two too short. I pulled it down as far as it would go for the pictures. It would be absolutely perfect if it was a tad longer. I keep it around for it's warmth and easy styling.

Linking up with:Pleated Poppy
Fresh Fashion
Style Me Wednesday
Hey Girl

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Sweater: Banana Republic - thrifted (similar) | Pants: American Eagle | Boots; Frye | Earrings: eBay

That Time I Met a Fellow Blogger

2016-02-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

What a great weekend guys!! About two weeks ago, Priya from Perfectly Priya emailed me. letting me know she would be in Denver last weekend. While we don't live in Denver anymore, we don't live too far away now so I was determined to meet her while she was close! Kevin and I made plans with our other couple friends to all get together for the evening.

On our way there, we made a pit stop at our favorite mall to return this dress I'm wearing and a shirt from LL Bean. There aren't many LL Bean stores in the US so we're lucky to have one about 45 minutes away. I decided to return this sweater dress because I wasn't sure if it was too flattering on me. It's such a nice quality. I'm just not a huge fan of the print which keeps me from wearing it. I still had the tag and receipt so I was able to return it for a full refund.

Our next stop was Nordstrom. Kevin convinced me to return my camel colored sweater I bought there last year. I love the color and style but it's SO itchy! It's a cheap cashmere so it's quite itchy and uncomfortable. I decided to just return it until I find a more comfortable one. While there, I looked for a black pair of jeans that were a higher rise than the pair I just got. After trying on several pairs, I decided on a pair from J Brand that is super comfortable with the higher rise. They are being altered right now and arrive in about two weeks.

After our pit stop, we headed out to pick up Priya! She was in town visiting a friend from high school. Seeing her in person was so crazy! It was almost like seeing a celebrity for the first time. Priya is so sweet and just a fun person to be around! We met up with some friends and went to dinner downtown. After dinner, we met up with the friend she was staying with and met some of her friends. The whole night was such a blast. We talked about everything from our blogs (and who knows about them), what it's like to live outside of California (we both grew up in the Bay Area!), our jobs, our guys, and just life in general. I wish we lived closer in order to hang out more often!

Linking up with:

Get the Look: Dress: LL Bean | Jacket: Express | Tights: Smartwool via REI | Boots: White Mountain - Gifted | Earrings: Charming Charlie - gifted

January Purchases - What Came and Went

2016-01-29T03:00:00.000-08:00

Caslon Long Sleeve Scoopneck Cotton Tee in Black - Nordstrom - $25Halogen V-Neck Cardigan in Grey Light Heather - Nordstrom - $35.40Calson Side Slit Cowl Neck Tunic in Grey - Nordstrom - $68Halogen Ponte Knit Skater Skirt - Nordstrom - $49Cole Haan Tali Bow Flats in Black Leather - Amazon - $100

Total spent: $277.40Profit from items sold: $183.06Final total: $94.34

First impressions:
Black tee -- perfect, a basic I've wanted for SO long and finally bought.Grey cardigan -- lightweight, boyfriend length would be good for 3 seasons, can be layered easily over long sleeves, nothing special but it will go with everythingGrey tunic -- so comfy! I wore this with leggings and an easy, relaxed look. Love the cowl neck, deciding if I need this or not.Black skirt -- I've been looking for a ponte skater skirt for quite some time. Nordstrom's house brand just released this one so I thought I would give it a try. The size I got fits perfectly. I have yet to try to style it.Black flats -- I've been meaning to upgrade my black flats for over a year or more. When I saw these flats from Cole Haan, I instantly wanted them but took my time. I had them on my birthday and Christmas wishlists but when I didn't receive them, I bought them the day after Christmas when Amazon had them at their lowest historical price (camelcamelcamel.com for the win!). They are super comfortable and look incredible. It hasn't been warm enough to wear them yet. I sized up on these as recommended by the reviews and I'm glad I did (although again, I haven't worn them outside the house yet). I typically wear anywhere from a 7-7.5 sometimes with a size smaller or larger depending on the type of shoe. In flats, I'm almost always a 7.5 but got an 8 in these and they're great. More follow up to come in the warmer months.

So much more left my closet than entered it this month. I have been averaging about 8-12 items per week leaving my closet. During my latest closet clean out on Tuesday, I took everything out of my closet and laid it all on my bed. I started by going through each stack (tops, jackets, bottoms, etc) and pulling out my very favorite pieces. Those went back in right away. Let me just tell you that half of my clothes were still on my bed. Then, I went through each item and asked myself why it wasn't a favorite.

For example, one category of items were things I wanted in my closet but my exact one wasn't ideal. My black leather jacket looks amazing and I love it. I don't wear it much because I can't layer anything with sleeves under it without feeling constricted. So when I shop, I want to keep an eye out for a jacket either in the next size up, or find one with elastic panels like my faux leather jacket used to have in order to have a bit more moving room. Another item like this is my black maxi dress. I love the idea of it. It's a very versatile piece. I just don't wear mine because the open back makes wearing a bra difficult. I cannot go braless so I either wear a strapless nude one which looks less than desirable from the back, or wear a black one which is super obvious. It's also too low on the sides of my chest so my bra shows through there as well.

I asked myself the same question for every item that was left. From that, I made a good-sized list of items I want to replace for various reasons: better fit, different color, better material, thicker or thinner. I also chose a few items to return (I keep every single tag and receipt from clothing) and will be doing so next time I'm near Denver. Many items were taken out to donate and I have a small pile of items to list on eBay in the next week.

My shopping list is now quite long. I do a lot of online browsing, saving items that fit my list. eBay and Poshmark have been my first choice. I'm trying to upgrade to quality pieces that fit those wardrobe gaps. I can save a considerable amount of money by shopping on these sites. The only bad thing is that I have to make quick decisions so the items I want don't sell to someone else. I've been trying to take longer before making purchases so this makes it quite difficult to just bit the bullet!

With all that said, here are the items that left my closet in January:

Reasons for decluttering items:
Returning: 2 plaid flannels (have too many now)
Hard to style: cropped sweater, purple sweater, pink tee, orange sweater, red tube top
Didn't like the color: Navy tees, navy tank
No longer my style: striped sweater, leopard tank, mocs, floral tank
Replaced: black flats, striped tee
Looking old: pink top, black tee, cream tunic, brown cami
Just didn't wear/don't need: coral cami, snow boots, brown leather boots

Replaced: black leggings, denim shorts, all jeans
Didn't fit well: burgundy jeans
No longer like: houndstooth leggings, navy tights, floral shorts, striped skirt, black skirt, grey maxi skirt
Hard to style: navy and white striped skirt

Broke: black and brown bag, polar bear earrings, medallion necklace, flat silver earrings
No longer wear/have too many: the rest

Liked but something was off: black mesh dress (bra always shows), polka dot dress and blue floral dress (too short to wear with bare legs), floral dress (too small), black zipper dress (pushed against fat)Didn't need another: olive cardigan, light cardigan, camel cardigan, Returning: sweater dressJust didn't wear: leopard cardigan, white blazer, yellow sweater, purple dress, floral dressNo longer like: purple tunic, polka dot cardigan

So for a variety of reasons, 22 pieces of outerwear, 3 bags, 5 belts, 8 pieces of jewelry, 11 scarves, 13 bottoms, 4 pairs of shoes, and 19 tops have left my closet since the start of the year. I'm slowly getting rid of the excess--the items that I just don't need or even like but keep hanging onto for whatever reason. With the pieces that are currently left in my wardrobe, every item that wasn't marked an instant favorite had their hanger turned backwards. I'm going to be styling one or more of these items everyday until I either give everything another chance, decide I for sure no longer want, or replace. The idea of a capsule wardrobe really fascinates me but I'm not quite there yet!

Linking up with:Fran's Budgeting Bloggers

Thrifty Thursday 5

2016-01-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, Kevin and I went thrift shopping a few local spots. While I didn't end up going home with anything, I wanted to share what I tried on with you guys!

I searched the sweaters, jackets, tops, and dresses. In the tops section, I just found this Express Baroque Cami in silver. I love the pattern but it was a bit too short.

Next I found this gold sweater from LOFT. Like the Express top, this one was much too short and quite itchy from the metallic threads.

This next sweater was brand new with the tags still attached. While it fit like a dream and was super soft, the color was so off! It looked like someone had washed it with their darks so it looked pretty drab. Since it was new, I knew that was the correct color. It would have been so much better if it had been a true white or even an ivory. I sadly left this behind.

Much to my surprise, I found this incredibly cozy Express moto-style thick cardigan. I love the shape and thickness of the knit. It was in pretty poor condition though and comically short. I'll be keeping an eye out for something similar when shopping in the future though because I love this idea!

In the next store, I found this white Gap cotton cardigan. It was a size too big which would have been fine if not for a few holes in the side. Oh well.

This grey cardigan was heavenly soft. I hadn't heard of the brand before but was intrigued. I didn't find a size but tried it on anyway. It was several sizes too large for me and much too long. I've been looking for a cardigan just like this! Such a bummer.

And finally, I tried on this lovely deep purple cableknit sweater. This was an unknown brand as well. The color was gorgeous but it was too snug in the hips which did not flatter me at all!
So no such luck this trip. I haven't had much luck lately actually. It's still fun to look though--it gets addicting!

Black Ice

2016-01-27T03:00:00.000-08:00

I wore this to run a few errands around town when I just wanted to be comfortable. I don't know if you can tell by the pictures but this scarf is such a strange color! Online, it's advertised as "cream" but it's got a slight pink tint to it. When I pointed it out to Kevin, he said he liked it for that reason! I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I bought it in November and this is the first time I've worn it. I'd much rather have a pure white one. We'll see how I feel the next few times I wear it.

What I decluttered this week:

LL Bean sweater dress - Love the quality but for some reason, it just looks drab when I'm wearing it. I still have the tag and receipt so I'll be able to return it for a full refund. -- Returning.
3 pairs of American Eagle jeans - I've recently upgraded my jeans collection so I figured it was time to let the old ones go. -- Selling
Lucky Brand mocassins - I only wore this when I wanted to wear slippers in public but I don't like how they look in outfit posts. Time to get rid of them. -- Selling
Victoria's Secret cardigan - I just didn't wear this one very much. It was easy to let go. - Selling
Ann Taylor navy t-shirt -- I've realized that I don't like navy on me. I've had this t-shirt for a year now and only worn it twice. It's a great quality. I just don't find myself wearing it. - Selling
Express cami - This was gifted to me several years ago and I only wore it with one top which I've since gotten rid of. It was time to go. - Donating
White linen blazer - I got this to wear for my college graduation. I wore it several times after that. Gotten my use out of it. - Donating
Aeropostale blazer - I got this on clearance a few years ago. I've worn it many times and it's starting to show. I rarely wear blazers so I'm slowly reducing my small collection. - Donating
Target orange cardigan - This one has been worn a lot! It's very warm and cozy. It's starting to pill though and the color is a bit hard to wear. -- Donating
Sock bun maker - only used twice and haven't touched in two years. - Donating
Chart markers - I've had these since I was 10 years old. They were great for projects in school or for labeling boxes. Haven't used them since college. - Donating
Letter opener - This was my mom's and I've never used it. - Donating.
Christmas tree pin - I gave this to my grandma years ago but she never wore it. I found it in a box of photos. - Donating.
2 Photo books - I've recently put all my photos into larger albums so I can get rid of the small ones as I go. I've had these since I was in elementary school. - Donating.
Flats socks - I received a better pair for Christmas. These always showed through the sides anyway. - Tossing.
Little Miss Sunshine movie - I thrifted this sometime last year and never watched it. - Donating.
Movie cases for my Harry Potter movies - I've thrown away all my movie cases and put the discs in a small CD case. - Tossing.
2 Cookbooks - I thrifted these and never used them. I find my recipes online anyway. - Donating.

Linking up with:

Pleated Poppy
Fresh Fashion
Style Me Wednesday
Hey Girl

Passion for Prints

2016-01-25T03:00:00.000-08:00

When it comes to getting dressed when there is fresh snow on the ground, only snow boots will do. These waterproof boots from Merrell look more like regular boots while still keeping my feet warm and dry. One of my best purchases from last year for sure.

And in order to keep the rest of me warm, I tend to reach for my soft flannels, a lightweight down jacket, and huge knit scarf.

Last week I talked about sorting through all my pictures by relative and by house (mom or dad's) in chronological order. I spent several hours this weekend putting my mom and grandma's albums together--now they just need to be inserted once the sticky tape gets here. I also finished my childhood and early adult albums. In the future, I'd like to order prints for the few years I spent with my roomates and make a few albums of Kevin and I. Right now, we just have an album I made him for our first anniversary and an album we put together from our first trip together when we spent a week on Catalina Island. It feels so good to be mostly done with this huge project!

We also went thrift shopping yesterday! I'll be sharing what I tried on later this week for Thrifty Thursday. Make sure to stop by if you're interested!

Linking up with:

Tuesdays

Trend Spin Link Up

The Boyfriend Tag

2016-01-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

Since tomorrow marks the five year anniversary with this guy, I thought it would be fun to do the boyfriend tag. The questions are quite stupid but he was a good sport to answer them with me. Everybody, meet Kevin!
Where did we meet? We met at the grocery store where we used to work.
Where was our first date? I planned a board game night with my roommates in order to have an excuse to ask Kevin to join us. Then the next morning, we went to lunch at a restaurant called Hof's Hut near his house. That location has since shut down.
How long have we been together? It will be 5 years tomorrow!
What was the first thing you noticed about me?Lauren: The first time I saw Kevin, he was in the breakroom of the store and was watching a training video on TV. I noticed him right away because of his height and dashing good looks. I said something cheesy about the videos just to have an excuse to talk to him. I'm such a smooth talker.Kevin: Her sharp jawline.
What was our first roadtrip? We drove to Vegas for his sister's wedding.
What is my favorite restaurant?Lauren: His favorite is a Mexican chain called Super Mex in SoCal.Kevin: iFish.
What do we argue about the most?Lauren: We don't argue too much. If we do, it's probably about work or chores!Kevin: Nothing really.
If I am watching TV, what am I watching?Lauren: Kevin doesn't really watch TV. If he does, he's watching Game of Thrones when it comes on a few times a year.Kevin: The Shaytards.
What is one food I do not like?Lauren: Red bell peppers.Kevin: Asparagus and mushroom, and a dozen other things. What drink do I order when we go out to eat?Lauren: He orders an iced tea for us to share.Kevin: Water.
What size shoe do I wear?Lauren: He wears a 12.Kevin: These questions are stupid. (Actually it's a 7 or 7.5).
What is my favorite kind of sandwich?Lauren: His favorite is probably a cheesesteak or french dip. (Actually it's an egg, bacon, avocado sandwich).Kevin: Grilled cheese.
What would I eat everyday if I could?Lauren: He would eat steak everyday! (He changed it to sushi! Yum yum)Kevin: Artichokes.
What is my favorite cereal?Lauren: Blueberry Morning. It's been discontinued for several years but that will always be his favorite.Kevin: Just cereal? (I don't really have a favorite).
What is my favorite music?Lauren: He likes a variety of music. Lately, he's been into garage rock.Kevin: Girl music--Ane Brun, Florence and the Machine (Just add The Black Keys and you've got it!)
Where am I from?Lauren: He was born just a few blocks down from where we lived in SoCal but grew up in various parts of Colorado Springs.Kevin: The Bay Area
What kind of cake would you bake me on my birthday?Lauren: I would bake him a white cake with raspberries and light cream in the center with light whipped cream frosting. (No frosting he says)Kevin: German chocolate (No German, just chocolate please!)
What can I spend hours doing?Lauren: Redditting. Kevin: Makeup reviews (I do watch those but just YouTube in general)
If I could live anywhere, where would it be?Lauren: Southern California near the beach. (He says Hawaii too but has yet to visit!)Kevin: Hawaii
I hope you enjoyed this cheesy little tag with me and my love!

Sweatshirt Wrap

2016-01-20T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hello again! Sorry for the lack of outfit posts guys. We had a pretty lazy weekend so I'm a bit behind on pictures. I do have a pretty exciting post coming up on Friday though (I reveal a bit about my beau!) so stay tuned for that.

Monday was my boyfriend's birthday. We celebrated by meeting one of our friends at our favorite sushi restaurant followed by a few rounds of pool (I lost all three games. Bummer.) Besides that, nothing too exciting going on in these parts!

I've been working on a few projects lately, one of which is sorting through all my photographs and albums. When I cleaned out my grandma's place back in 2013 (she just moved to an assisted living facility), I took back with me every photograph she had. I spent the better part of last week sorting through everything. I sorted through all the photos of my grandma throughout her life and organized them best I could chronologically. I did the same with my mom's photos, starting from her baby years up until the most current.

As for my photos, I'm sorting them a little differently. My parents divorced when I was just three. This means I have three sets of pictures--baby with both parents, my life at my dad's house, and life at my mom's house. I plan on putting each set in a different album or scrapbook. Pictures of my life with my boyfriend will go in separate albums (there are already a few of those made). It has taken quite a long time to sort through everything and there is still SO much more to do. So far, everything is sorted into time periods for me and my mom's book is all layed out inside a scrapbook but needs to be assembled once the little adhesive strips arrive.

On top of that, I've been a decluttering machine! Over the last 2-3 weeks, here is an idea of what I've gotten rid of:

colored paper I bought in high school and have only used a few sheets of
my knitting and crochet supplies and yarn (I only crochet once a year and knit even less)
my sewing kit besides the bare minumum (extra thread of colors I already had, extra pins and cushions, safety pins, tools, and the bag I kept it all in
A few books I reread this month and decided I could donate (I just finished Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. I loved it so much even the second time that I've decided it deserves a place on my shelf.)
new greeting cards from my grandma's place I was saving to give others but that wouldn't work for anyone I know
multiples of pens and pencils
an extra booklight
2 unused USB sticks (only need one)
the nunchuck from my Wii I've never used
some Influenster stuff I reviewed and no longer need
the second discs from a few movies (back when the fullscreen and widescreen versions had different discs)
stationary from my parent's wedding
a large stapler and staple remover
nail polish I found in a better shade
an old set of sheets from my boyfriend that we have never touched
2 scarves I've had since high school and worn maybe four times
a blanket I made in high school sewing class
a pair of tights I won't wear
dress pants I kept "just in case"
one of my oldest accessories ever, a belt from middle school
fleece leggings that are super pilled
my ill-fitting burgundy jeans
an old purple dress--my first thrifted item!
2 pairs of earrings I wore once or twice
an old pendant
not shown because they're currently up for sale on eBay - several clothing and accessory items

I'll keep updating you on the items I get rid of as I continue to find things I don't need. I wanted to show the items because I feel like it helps give examples of items that we keep for one reason or another that we really don't need in our lives. All of these items are still good and useful, some I even love. I got rid of them because I already have similar items or realized that "just in case" hasn't happened yet, so it probably won't. On one of the YouTube minimalist videos I watched, the creator had a $20 rule. If it costs less than $20 to replace and takes 20 minutes or less to repurchase, get rid of it. If you need it again, you can always buy it when the times comes. Chances are, you'll never need that item again. I find it helpful when deciding what to keep.

I hope you aren't too tired of me talking about all this stuff yet. I just find it so fascinating and a bit addictive!

Linking up with:

Thursdays

Look What I Got (for cheap)
Throw Back Thursday Fashion Link Up

Items That Left My Closet in 2015

2016-01-18T03:00:00.000-08:00

With all of the decluttering happening in my house over the past several months, my closet has definitely seen the largest change. Last year alone, I discarded 234 items from my closet! These numbers don't include over 60 items I've gotten rid of since 2016 began!
Since starting this blog, my goal has been to have a closet full of items I love and am excited to wear. Somewhere along the way, I got distracted by random thrift purchases, gifts I kept out of guilt, those "just in case" items, and keeping items just for the sake of it. I must have cleaned out my closet a dozen times last year, getting rid of a few items at a time. As the year progressed, I got better about discarding items I no longer loved for whatever reason. As I get closer to that ideal closet, I notice which items I truly love, and which ones no longer work for my style.
When I started this blog, I wore mostly plain, neutral items. My first goal was to add more colors and patterns to my closet. Then last year, I began to notice how I became more drawn to neutral items that were easier to style. I felt most comfortable in my wardrobe basics than the bright, showy pieces I strove for previously. As I continue to weed through my closet, those tried and true pieces that remain are the ones that are comfortable, look nice on me, and are easy to match. My favorite outfits from 2015 were mostly neutrals, outfits that flowed well together without looking like I was trying too hard.
The longer I blog, the easier it is to find my signature style. I know what silhouettes look best on me, I know how I like my clothes to fit, and I know what colors I like. As I was going through my closet with each purge, I pulled out the pieces that no longer fit the style I was looking for. Here are the pieces that left my closet this year either by selling them, or donating them to the thrift store. Not included are any items I returned to the store for a full refund.

I don't even miss any of these. They all got some wear, I just no longer loved them. Most of these items were either thrifted or given to me.

My jewelry collection was getting out of control. I had a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. I no longer wear statement necklaces so I sold most of them in a lot last week. I only wore about half of my earrings so I slowly got rid of the majority of them.

I'm now down to my very favorite pieces. It embarrasses me that I used to have all of these just a year ago.

Bottoms have been my largest struggle when it comes to figuring out my style. I never owned skirts before starting this blog. There must have been a reason for that because I still don't wear skirts, regardless of buying SO MANY. They were hard to match, felt too formal for my casual lifestyle, and always prefer shorts in the summer. I am now down to 4 skirts (2 maxi and 2 mini) and no longer feel anxiety about how to wear them.
I updated my leggings and jeans this year so I was able to get rid of some older ones. I recently got rid of most of my colored jeans. I feel that they are difficult to style and found myself only wearing them out of guilt. I finally allowed myself to get rid of them.

The dresses I got rid of this year were not worn either because they weren't comfortable, no longer my style, or didn't fit into my lifestyle. Most of these were thrifted, tried, then redonated or even sold to make a little profit. Not too much monetary loss here.

Outerwear (cardigans, jackets, coats, or vests) is my weakness. It's my favorite thing to shop for, especially cozy cardigans. Last year, I let go of a few older pieces that were no longer my style, some random pieces I tried for something different and didn't end up liking, and pieces that just weren't being worn. The hardest item to get rid of was my burgundy blazer from Banana Republic. I bought it new and absolutely loved it. While I find it to be gorgeous piece, I rarely wear blazers anymore as they feel too formal for everyday. I will always choose a cardigan or knit jacket over them.

Oh shoes. I've been slowly moving away from cheap and uncomfortable shoes to nicer, well made, and easy to walk in shoes. The oldest shoes I owned were those grey suede boots. I bought them at Kohl's back in 2008 or 2009. They just looked cheap and were beginning to fall apart. I got rid of the booties, heels, crochet flats, and black sandals just weren't comfortable. Those were the easiest to get rid of. I replaced the brown sandals and Keds for a newer, updated style. Disclaimer: I still techincally have the Sanuk flip flops at my boyfriend's parents house since they live by the beach. One less thing to pack!

And lastly, we have tops. Tops serve to teach me lessons about what works and what doesn't. Most of these tops were either thrifted or super cheap. I've (mostly) stopped buying clothes from cheap brands in favor of more quality items. Some items such as the t-shirts were replaced. Most of the tops just weren't my style or didn't fit well. None of these were difficult to get rid of.
Over the course of one year, I was able to declutter 234 items from my closet! This doesn't include any loungewear, workout wear, or other items not worn on the blog or often in public. Some were cleared out in large chunks while a few were pulled out randomly. In order to waist as little money as possible, I listed as many items as I could on eBay and donated items that weren't worth much money. Because of that, I was able to make a few hundred dollars selling these unwanted items!
Since the end of November, I have been much more purposeful with my shopping. I search for items that are on my wishlist in an attempt to fill closet gaps and slowly replace older items. I'm hoping with this change in mindset that I'll make much fewer and smarter purchases in 2016.

What are some of your fashion-related goals for this year?

Over the Taupe

2016-01-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

It's Friday! And you know what means...

61. Wear a bath robe? I'm wearing one right now! When I was about 14, my mom convinced me to spend a little extra money on my gift card to get a super long, super plush robe. I had that robe for almost ten years before replacing it with an almost identical one. I used that until recently when my boyfriend bought me a super nice Ugg robe. It's the nicest robe I've ever had and one of my favorite pieces of clothing.

62. What do you wear to bed? In the colder months, I'll sometimes fall asleep in my loungewear because it's too cold to get into bed otherwise. I'm a hot sleeper so I'll always remove them when I wake up in the middle of the night. Typically, I find it more comfortable to just sleep in my birthday suit.

63. First concert? Taylor Swift when I was 21. My bestie bought me a ticket for Christmas. I'll never forget that night.

64. Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? Target all the way.

65. Nike or Adidas? Nike.

66. Cheetos Or Fritos? Flaming hot Cheetos.

67. Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? Sunflower seeds, already shelled though.

68. Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? I sure have not!

69. Ever take dance lessons? I did color guard for two years in high school which involved a lot of dancing. It always felt awkward but I still enjoyed it!

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? Well since I'm pretty sure I'm already with my future spouse, (and just maybe daydreaming about dresses when coming across preownedweddingdresses.com and it's an interesting option for a bride to be...), I see us both owning a successful business where we can work from home and spend all the time we want with our kids. A girl can dream, right?

Linking up with:

Get the Look:

Pinned It

2016-01-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

Today's prompt for #wearwhatwherejanuary is Pinned It. This pin gave me inspiration for today's outfit. Since it had just snowed, a jacket was much needed on top!

Over the weekend, I bought a used iPad 3 off eBay and have been playing with it ever since. My most used app is Stylebook. Audrey had reviewed it on her blog last year or even the year before and I loved the concept! It's basically Go Chic or Go Home on steroids and in a convenient mobile format. It's only available on Apple products so I wasn't able to use it until recently. I'm still trying to add all my clothes to it. I'm excited to give it a try once everything is uploaded! Not only can you easily see your whole closet at a glance, you can make outfits and the app tracks many stats. You can easily see your top 25 most and least worn items, your most valuable piece based on price per wear, what colors you wear most often, how much your closet is worth based on price, how many items you have, and even finds pieces you've never worn in an outfit. I'm hoping to use this app to track all my daily outfits so I can use these valuable stats to reflect on my wardrobe every season and find out what I'm actually wearing. Do you use Stylebook or something similar? By the way, totally not sponsored, just a big fan.

Linking up with:

Pleated Poppy
Fresh Fashion
Style Me Wednesday
Hey Girl

Thursdays

Look What I Got (for cheap)
Throw Back Thursday Fashion Link Up

Get the Look:

What's It All a Boot

2016-01-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! We're back from another weekend. I spent mine decluttering again. This time around, I got rid of a few more scarves I rarely wear but still liked, my thrifted boc boots I don't reach for, a highly pilled pair of fleece leggings, and a few pairs of stud earrings.

For non-clothing items, I spent the better part of Friday going through my office and craft supplies. Since taking sewing classes in high school, I've kept my entire sewing kit from when I was first given my machine back in 2003. Included in that kit were puppy and kitty fabric, thread of all colors, multiple sets of pins and needs, 100 or so safety pins, scissors, and a bunch of unnecessary items. Since I only sew or mend anything about once or twice a year, I decided to keep all my small bobbins of colored thread (about 40) that my dad gave me during my classes, one container of needles, 6 safety pins of each size, one pincushion with pins, and one of each tool. They all fit in a single pencil case now instead of an entire bag.

Then in the office, I finally parted ways with a stack of colored paper I bought back in college and probably used a dozen sheets from, about 25-30 greeting cards that were my grandma's stash that aren't right for anyone in my life, about a dozen pens and pencils in colors I didn't use or need, and craft glue I used once like five years ago. Next, I went through the linen closet and kept one extra set of sheets (we just got new ones), two large comforter-size blankets (my boyfriend's), a travel blanket, and two throw blankets. The rest were donated or put in the guest room for my boyfriend's parents. Any extra linens are my boyfriend's to go through. He still keeps a lot of just-in-case items much to my demise.

I'm determined to live with only what we need. Of course, the fun things we love stay too, but keeping it within the stuff we actually enjoy on a regular basis. On a completely different note, have you guys seen Making a Murderer on Netflix? I watched it all in about 24 hours and was completely sucked in. I found the entire case so interesting! I'm still not sure whether or not I think he's guilty but maybe that's why I enjoyed it. If you've seen it, what did you think?

Linking up with:

Mix It Mondays
Manic Monday
#wearwhatwherejanuary

Tuesdays

Trend Spin Link Up

Get the Look:

Matching Scarf

2016-01-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! Now that the holidays are over, here are a few more random questions from the 100 Random Questions tag. Enjoy!

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? My college graduation pictures that were taken at the ceremony.

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy? Absolutely not. I've seen The Lion King three times now and various other musicals throughout the years.

53. Is Christmas stressful? Gift shopping can be, yes. I try to be on top of things to avoid this though!

54. Ever eat a pierogi? When I search this on Google, the pictures look like dumplings. So maybe?

55. Favorite type of fruit pie? Strawberry

56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? A doctor, a veterinarian, fashion designer, interior decorator.

57. Do you believe in ghosts? Sure, even though I've never seen one or thought much about it.

58. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Oh all the time. Not just for events but actual conversations. It's such a strange feeling.

59. Take a vitamin daily? No, I'm not totally convinced that vitamins actually do anything. The only one with proven research to work is fish oil so I'll take those when I remember.

60. Wear slippers? Every. Single. Day. They go on first thing in the morning and as soon as I get home. With the exception of summer, you can pretty much guarantee I'm wearing my slippers.

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