Just as the weather in Connecticut was starting to settle into winter, I decided to escape to the west coast for a bit to spend some time with my sister and enjoy a break from the harsh cold and snow.
Even though it's the rainy season here, and there has been a fair amount over the last week, when the sun is out, it's glorious.
I'm really excited I get to spend some time here (I haven't decided how long I'm staying yet), even though I'm missing my Connecticut community, I hope I get to meet some Los Angeles bloggers and visit some other parts of the west coast.
I wanted to be a bit festive over the weekend so I pulled out some very old pieces, this beaded antler tee from J.Crew, and this velvet blazer from Urban Outfitters. I often feel like the best way to wear a very old piece is to pair it with a very new piece, so I'm wearing a new pair of girlfriend jeans from Gap.
I swear I've been trying so hard to not shop for myself this month, but I'll admit a couple pieces may have slipped into my cart. Mostly from Gap and their family of brands, partly because I have a credit card which gives such good rewards, and partly because time and again, Gap proves to have some of the best customer service I've ever received. I ended up needing to call them three times this month and each time they not only helped me with what I needed, but were so kind and friendly, I ended each call with a smile on my face. I can't say that is something I've experienced from too many other realtors, particularly during the busiest shopping season of the year, so if a pair of gap jeans ends up in my cart and they are under $30, I'm just going to let it slide.
Having blogger events two consecutive weekends got me pretty spoiled, and brunch at The Place 2 Be in Hartford, CT was such a fun scene. The atmosphere is very casual, but quirky and fun. There is a swinging wicker chair you can hang out in while you wait for a table, and while they serve fancy cocktails, it's still a place you'd take children - who will of course want the over the top milkshakes. Basically an explosion of ice cream, sprinkles, and whipped cream - too good not to share!
I'm think (hoping) we've finally reached the turning point to spring weather. More light jackets and bare ankles in my future? Trying to put together this outfit definitely stressed me out. The more blogger events I attend, the more I realize how much we all love to partake in the current trends (why wouldn't we) but I also know it's a delicate line between partaking in the trend and regurgitating the trend. Some trends, like scallops, are just ME. I loved them before they were a trend, and I'm happy they aren't going away. Then there are things like the bamboo ark bag - what once was unknown now is known and it feels like it's lost some of what made it special. That doesn't mean I wont carry mine anymore, but I am happy with my decision to get a vintage one over a replication.
Since turning 30, um, a year and a half ago, I've been on a mission to finally rid myself of the acne that has been plaguing me since 13. I've changed up my skin care routine, swapping my physical exfoliant for a chemical one, in addition to cutting down the number of times I use it to twice a week. I've tried weaning my skin off of benzoyl peroxide and using a rosehip oil as an alternative every other night. I've switched up my birth control, made a conscious effort to drink more water, and take regular make up breaks.
While my acne has never been super bad, it's always been pretty consistent. For the most part, thanks to makeup and more so the healing brush tool, I never let anyone see it here. I've actually been photoshopping acne out of my life for 18 years.
Several months ago my sister sent me an article about how a person gave up dairy for a month and their skin was completely transformed - do a quick search and you can find of number of such accounts - clear, glowing skin after a few weeks and I'll I'd have to do was ditch dairy.
But I love cheese. I mean, I LOVE cheese. I'm the kinda girl who goes into Whole Foods and spends $30 on two pieces of cheese... I can just close my eyes and think about that Mightnight Moon Gouda... Of course it's not just cheese - it's my morning coffee, yogurt, ice cream, and present in 90% of menu items in any restaurant which isn't asian. So I delayed the experiment until I could come up with a month when I'd miss dairy the least, and landed on October.
Eating ice cream out is pretty much exclusively dairy, unless you happen to live near a place specializing in vegan treats. I wasn't about to deprive myself of a single lick of my favorites over the summer, which was a big factor in my October decision. However there were still plenty of warm nights when ice cream was in order. Thankfully there was SO Delicious chocolate truffle cashew ice cream, and it tastes nearly as good as the dairy stuff. The price tag on the other hand, is a far cry from a Bryers two for $5 sale.
Cheese of course was the hardest thing to eliminate, since it's pretty much my go-to snack, and I'll put it in pretty much everything. No pizza, no mac and cheese, no salads with feta or goat, no grilled cheese; not realizing how overwhelmingly present cheese is in food dishes really made eating out an issue.
One thing I did not give up was butter. I tried to avoid it when I could, but it's butter. I wasn't about to decline a slice of apple pie because the crust was made with butter!
Now my month is up, and as for my skin, it's definitely not glowing. As usual I consistently got whiteheads throughout the month. First on my right cheek, then my left, and finally on my jawline. The last one cleared up on Saturday. A new one has not appeared... yet. The true test would be to continue to abstain from dairy and see what happens. If I went another month and didn't breakout at all, I might have something conclusive. But I ate pizza last night because I really wanted pizza. I'll see what happens. Though unlike some people who tried this experiment, I experienced no ill effects from that pizza. No stomach ache or bloating or sign from my body screaming "no! dairy is bad!" All I experienced was the deliciousness of cheese I've been missing.
And no, there are not any before and after photos, just my usual, with blemishes removed.
It seems to be shaping up to be a very busy month, Easter this weekend, then several events, family gatherings, and celebrations. I often find myself in the position of wanting to achieve more than I can manage at once, and heaven forbid I have two events in one weekend - how will I survive? I'm trying to focus on being proactive, planning and scheduling, but sometimes it's okay to just call it a night and let things be undone. It's entirely possible I may never get the clutter in my apartment under control or have all my blog posts scheduled before the end of the weekend, but I can still try, and try to find the most happiness in life that I can.
I'll admit to having a little weakness to participating in the current trends, like the draped trench. Though for under $20, this blush coat from Zaful is a decent option to avoid making a trendy piece an investment piece.
Trench coat might be a term I use to describe this loosely; the material does have a nice drape to it, but the weight and feel are more akin to what you might wear as loungewear rather than outerwear. It is definitely not waterproof, and was not about to keep me warm on a chilly spring day. That aside, the coat certainly has a dramatic flare, and fills the void for a fun colored coat at a price point that likely won't elicit any buyer's remorse.
The Rundown Sequined Striped Tee The Limited Yoga Jeans Second Denimvia Coco & Vera's Giveaway Blush Draped Trench c/o Zaful Toe Cap Heels Me Too via TJMaxx similar Wool Fedora H&M similar Leopard ClutchClare V. c/o Shopbop Watch"Classic Sheffield" c/o Daniel Wellington Gold Bracelets The Cavernous Jewelry Box Pearl and Pave Ring Forever 21 similar Gold Circle Ring Thrifted
I told Shea I was going to borrow her look as soon as enough of the snow melted so I could wear my suede boots again (one of these days I'll actually get around to applying the suede protectant I bought months ago).
This dark moody floral, especially paired with black and red has more fall vibes than spring, but since it feels more winter than spring right now, I think it works. Hopefully winter will release us from its grasp soon!
The Rundown Floral Blouse Old Navy similar Black Textured Long CardiganGap Rockstar Jeans Old Navy similar Over the Knee BootsMarc Fisher Red Willis Bag Vintage Coach via eBaysimilar Watch"Classic Sheffield" c/o Daniel Wellington Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Sweet Olive Jewelry Green Cabochon Ring Taken for Granite similar Sunglasses"Emma" Ray-Ban similar Nail Color "Zip Me Up" Essie
