5 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

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Hi everyone – welcome back!  I was looking for something in my OneNote app last week, and I found this post that I wrote last year and never published!  I actually really like the way it came out so while it’s not completely relevant (I’m not doing Whole30 this year, and our trip to Florida was over a year ago), I decided not to change it and just leave the text as it was.  It’s a good little reminder for myself too, since we’re right in the thick of those tired winter blues right now!

Today I want to share with you a few things that have helped me the past month combat those winter blues.

Take advantage of the slow season to focus on your health.  While I was in Florida, I was really starting to feel the effects of eating out for every meal and snacking unhealthily throughout the day.  There was no way I was going to pass up a beignet or a churro or a Mickey bar… I have never dieted a day in my life, but I was starting to feel the effects of all the bread products and sugar I had been having.  Towards the end of the trip I started thinking about going on Whole30.  Then I got a stomach bug and pretty much didn’t leave my bed for three days.  After sleeping more than I usually do in a month and always being tired, I finalized my decision to start Whole30.  My goal wasn’t to lose any weight or have a miraculous appearance change, but rather to force myself to make healthier habits.  They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, and my hope was that at the end of Whole30 I would reach for healthier breakfasts (over my usual bagel) and have a better knowledge of what foods would help me feel better and give me the energy to keep going throughout my very long days (I usually wake up before six and frequently come home after 11).  Researching a lot about food, what I could have, and experimenting with recipes also got me into a pretty good habit of meal prep and actually taking time to make my own breakfast, which was my ultimate goal.  During the first week I missed carbs so much.  Mentally I kept thinking I was hungry or needed a more “filling” part of a meal as I stared at chicken and vegetables on repeat.  I can definitely say that my Whole30 journey was a success in steering me away from the empty carbs and towards food with a nutritional value, and having a slower social season to focus on it was really helpful as well.

Drink more water.  This is one of those things that everyone sort of knows we should do but hardly anyone actually believes they do enough.  I always thought S’well bottles were the best way to help these.  Every morning I try to make myself drink a full bottle of water before I got up from my desk for the first time.  Unfortunately I tend to get up a lot, so sometimes it’s a challenge but it is pretty good motivation.  Especially while I’m downing that morning coffee it is extremely good to mix some water in.  Then wanting to get up to fill my water throughout the day is another decent excuse to keep drinking (and stretching the legs).

Read more.  While I was sick, I got that judgy message from Netflix asking if I was still binge watching New Girl.  I usually only watch one episode of anything at a time, so seeing that really struck a nerve with me.  I actually deleted my Netflix app on my iPad the next day because seeing that message just made me feel awful.  I started to keep two stacks of books on one of my nightstands.  One with nonfiction books on my list, and the other with fiction.  I’ve been trying to get in the habit of reading more at night because reading really does bring me so much joy (my mom used to joke that she would punish my sister and I with “no reading for fun”).  Unfortunately, it’s one of the first things I put to the back burner when my life gets busy and I always feel the empty hole it leaves when I stop.  Whatever genre you choose to indulge in, reading is amazing for your creativity and critical thinking.

Self care.  Face masks are one of those things that feel so indulgent and not a single bit guilty.  You get to relax and give yourself a quiet night in, and your face gets treated to some much needed care?  Win win.  Same with going to the gym.  When did you ever feel bad after going to the gym?  Sometimes it’s hard and sometimes it sucks, but in the end it’s over and you get to eat pizza for dinner.

Schedule downtime.  I am always out and about on any given night of the week.  December was particularly busy, and between Christmas gatherings, movie releases, store opening parties, Taco Tuesdays, and my friends coming back to Massachusetts for the holidays, I felt like the only down time I had was spent on writing five blog posts per week!  Socializing is something that can seem so urgent and important, but I have always known that I need some time to myself.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that scheduling my nights alone is something I need to be better at.  My problem was always that I didn’t know in advance that I would have time alone, and so I would wind up wasting an entire evening.  Planning my time alone ahead of time (planning a meal or a book even) and not just allowing myself to waste the night away busying myself has been really important to my ‘me time’.  Michaela and I will very easily pop on a movie with our laptops or tablets in front of us, and then all of a sudden I’m answering emails and working on finding links for next week’s post.  One of the greatest things about blogging is I can do it any time, any place.  But it also makes it that much harder to turn it off and take myself off the clock.

What are your favorite ways to beat the winter blues?

xo, C

B&W

Happy Monday my loves!  Today’s post is another variation on the classic black and white color scheme.  I last wore black and white together on the blog here and here, so the combination is certainly nothing new.

Outfit Details – Tee: J.Crew Factory | Skirt: Halogen (old, similar here, here, here, and here) | Heels: Adam Lippes for Target (old, similar here, here, and here) | Purse: Kate Spade New York (old, similar here and here) | Necklace: Elizabeth and James | Watch: Fossil | Urban Decay Vice Lipstick ‘Weirdo’ | NARS Lipgloss ‘Turkish Delight’  | OPI California Dreaming Lacquer Collection ‘Sweet Caramel Sunday’ |

Thanks for reading.  Have a wonderful week!

xo, C

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Tropical Textures

 

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Welcome back, loves!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  I’m so excited that the weather is finally consistently warm out that I’ve been celebrating the only way I know how – shopping for new clothes to wear on patios and rooftops, clearly.

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This beautiful Banana Republic skirt instantly caught my eye.  I love the length, the pleats, the pattern, and the colors.  I chose to pair it first with a lace top, to add some nice textures to mix up my look.  To make it more work appropriate, just add a pair of closed toe heels and a navy blazer!

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Outfit Details – Skirt: Banana Republic | Top: Ann Taylor (old, similar here, here, and here) | Heels: Steve Madden | Watch: Fossil | Nail Polish: OPI California Collection ‘Barking Up The Wrong Sequoia’ | Nail Polish (toes): OPI Fiji Collection ‘Super-Trop-i-cal-i-Fiji-istic

Thank you so much for reading.  Have a wonderful week!

xo, C

Floral Friday

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope you all enjoyed your short week and are ready for another weekend already (I know I am).

Along with the berry skirt from Wednesday’s post, I picked up this floral skirt from J.Crew a few weeks ago.  The print is vintage and yet refreshing at the same time, and to boot it is beyond comfortable – I wore it last night for my baby brother’s high school graduation and didn’t feel the pinch of having one too many gyros for lunch at all.  Oh, and did I mention it has pockets?  You’re welcome, ladies.

Outfit Details – Skirt: J.Crew | Tee: Banana Republic |

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful weekend!

xo, C

Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

Welcome back friends!  I am not the least bit surprised that I have been living in these adorable yellow heels since they arrived on my doorstep.  For the cold and overcast New England days they are the perfect way to bring a touch of spring and sunshine into my outfits without breaking out the open toe shoes (there is still a foot of snow on the ground, after all).

Outfit Details – Sweater: GAP | Skirt: J.Crew (old, similar here and here) | Necklace: Banana Republic | Purse: Express | Heels: Charles by Charles David (more sizes available here, similar here) (last seen here) | Earrings: Treasure&Bond (sold out, similar here) | Lipstick: MAC ‘Kinda Sexy’ | Lipgloss: Too Faced ‘Papa Don’t Peach’

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Happy Hump Day!

xo, C

Daisy

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Happy Monday loves!  Inspiration for today’s title brought to you by Zedd.

Outfit Details – Top: GAP | Skirt: Ann Taylor (old, similar here, here, here and here) (last seen here and here) | Sandals: Steve Madden | Bracelets: The LimitedLC Lauren Conrad | Necklace: Bauble Bar | Watch: Fossil | Earrings: Banana Republic (old, similar here and here) | Purse: Vera Bradley (only available in stores, similar here and here) | Lipgloss: ‘Petal’ by Bobbi Brown | Nail Polish: ‘Not So Bora Bora-ing Pink’ by OPI

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful week!

xo, C

Eyelet and Stripes

Eyelet & Stripes on The Sol Compass J.Crew outfit on The Sol Compass IMG_0901

It’s incredibly likely that I will never get tired of American themed outfits i.e. anything involving a combination red, white, blue, and stripes-or better yet, all three.  Patriots’ Day (better known as Marathon Monday) is somewhat of a sacred day here in Massachusetts and the perfect excuse to break out the Americana.  I stalked this skirt from J.Crew for months until it was low enough on sale to snag it up.  That meant I wound up with a beautiful eyelet midi skirt in the dead of winter, patiently hanging in my closet waiting for warmer days when we could rock all kinds of color combinations together. Stay tuned for more.  (I also found a few similar options, including one for $25 that you can shop below!)

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Outfit Details – Top: J.Crew | Skirt: J.Crew (sold out, similar here, herehere, and under $25 option here) | Heels: Sole Society (last seen here and here) | Bracelets: The LimitedLC Lauren Conrad, Chan Luu | Necklace: Bauble Bar | Watch: Fossil | Earrings: Banana Republic (old, similar here and here) | Purse: Vera Bradley (only available in stores, similar here and here) | Lipgloss: ‘Petal’ by Bobbi Brown | Nail Polish: ‘Not So Bora Bora-ing Pink’ by OPI

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful week and Happy Marathon Monday!

xo, C

Fall In Love

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One of my favorite color combinations for fall is blush and burgundy.  I love the romantic vibe they give off together and the way the blush can lighten up a dark and bold autumn color like burgundy and give it a fresh feminine twist.  I try to avoid matching my shoes and my bag too frequently, since it seems safe and predictable, but I love the way the brown in my accessories anchors the whole outfit in the current season.

Fall In Love | The Sol Compass Fall Full Skirt Outfit Fall In Love | The Sol Compass Blush and Burgundy Fall Outfit on The Sol Compass Blush and Burgundy | The Sol Compass

Outfit Details – Top: LOFT | Skirt: Ann Taylor (similar here, here, and here) | Heels: Calvin Klein (nearly identical version for $40 here) | Purse: Ralph Lauren | Sunglasses: Elizabeth and James | Necklace: Charming Charlie | Earrings: Bauble Bar | Rings: French Connection | Nail Polish: OPI ‘Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not’ | Lipgloss: Nars ‘Turkish Delight’

Thanks for reading, have a great week!

xo, C

Save More Elephants

JCrew Save the Elephants tee

As we edge further into fall territory, I can’t help but feel inspired by the traditional collegiate prep styles swarming the New England area.  Stripes, navy, and graphic tees are three big ones that come to mind, but are still wearable in the 90 degree heat.  This skirt has been my go to piece (seen here last week!) since the colors are a bit more autumn appropriate than most of my summer skirts, but its still light and short enough to be comfortable in these late summer days.  Graphic tees are one of my favorite ways to make a statement about my personality, especially ones like this J.Crew for David Sheldrick ‘Save More Elephants’ tee.  100% of the net proceeds from it are donated to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, to aid in their mission to protect and preserve Africa’s wildlife.

Collegiate Chic inspired fall outfit graphic tee and fedora fall outfit navy stripes pleated skirt red ankle strap heels summer to fall transition outfit blue striped skirt

Outfit Details – Tee: J.Crew for David Sheldrick | Skirt: Tommy Hilfiger (last seen here) | Heels: Circus by Sam Edelman (similar pair here) | Sunglasses: Karen Walker c/o Ditto | Necklace: Bauble Bar (sold out, similar styles here and here) | Fedora: David & Young | Watch: Fossil | Purse: Kate Spade | Lipgloss: Bobbi Brown ‘Petal’

Thanks for reading!

xo, C

Green and Orange

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Finding new ways to wear my old favorite items is one of the most rewarding experiences my closet and I share together (and there are a lot of exciting moments in said relationship).  I think one of the most underrated purposes of fashion blogs is to inspire you to look at your current wardrobe with fresh eyes, whether it be a new color pairing or a casual weekend take on your favorite pencil skirt that you may not have tried previously.  This Banana Republic skirt is three years old, but it’s one of my favorite items in my wardrobe (largely for sentimental reasons, but also because it’s a fabulous color and great quality).  I’ve worn it with both navy and white before, but I really love the extra kick the orange accents here give it.  A-line skirts are my absolute favorites, but I like that this one is a bit shorter in length because it makes it fun and weekend appropriate!

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Outfit Details – Top: GAP (old, similar here and here) | Skirt: Banana Republic | Denim Jacket: Lucky Brand | Clutch: Charming Charlie (similar here) | Ring: Banana Republic | Earrings: Banana Republic | Watch: Urban Outfitters | Bracelet: Banana Republic | Necklace: Francesca’s (old, similar here) | Sandals: Topshop

Thanks for reading, have a great day!

xo, C