Lifestyle Archives - Dresses & Democracy

Categories: Lifestyle, Money, Personal, Shopping

Let’s Talk About Money!

The other day, I opened up on my Instagram stories about my relationship and struggles with money, ending by asking for advice and recommendations to get better. I received over 50 DMs and recommendations (which might have been my most ever), as well as just a ton of support and messages about people in similar situations to mine. People asked me a few times to share the advice I received, and a couple suggested a blog post, so here we are!

About My Relationship with Money

How I Was Raised with Money

My relationship with money is complicated, to say the least. I was raised by a single mom who worked retail for basically most of my life up until the pandemic closed the store she worked at. If you’ve ever worked retail, then you know it’s not exactly a lucrative field, especially if you aren’t in management (which my mother was not). Because of this, I grew up without a lot of money. We never had to go without food or clothing, but we did have to shop at thrift stores (way before it became a trendy thing) and grocery shop at the cheaper stores.

I was really aware of money from a young age. We very rarely went to restaurants, and if we did, we weren’t allowed to order any drink other than water and had to eat off the kids menu. There were times I couldn’t go to the grocery store with my mom because she didn’t want to have to tell me “No” when I asked for snacks and extra food we couldn’t afford. I watched my mom struggle to pay medical bills and credit card debt. She had no savings or retirement money set aside, and for a long chunk of my life (including right now), no medical insurance either.

All of this is to say that I didn’t grow up with good money habits modeled for me at home.

My Current Money Situation

When I got my first full-time job out of college, I was 1. Making basically the same amount that my mom did at her highest point and 2. Really unaware of how to manage that money. In the spirit of honesty, I’ll go ahead and give salary details because I fully believe in transparency (and I’d be happy to discuss this further via DMs if you’re interested!), but I made $42K per year at my old job.

I was spending a large portion of this on rent. I lived alone in an expensive city because I moved during fall of 2020 and just did not want to deal with roommates potentially bringing home COVID. Because of that, I spent way too much on rent (pretty much half my paychecks), then the rest went to whatever I wanted. I had no budget and basically bought anything because I figured, “I have a stable job, so I’m fine!”

Reader, I was not fine! I didn’t save and still racked up credit card debt.

Then, when I started my current job, that came with a nice salary bump. Now I make $60K per year, which I’m extremely grateful for. I love my job so much, and the fact that I’m paid a good salary is a privilege I’m so happy to have. I’m no longer spending half my paycheck on rent! I have extra money!

So when I got this new job, I thought, “Hey, I made it work before on a lot smaller salary. Now, I’m making more so I can spend more!” I was also spending less on rent because I live with another person now. However, I still wasn’t saving or investing. I’ve been at this job for almost six months now, and I still find myself in the same position I was in at my old one: desperately waiting for payday and struggling to make ends meet.

Where I Am Now

I make enough money from my job to cover my needs, as well as savings and some wants! However, I’m having a lot of trouble doing that at the moment. I was never taught how to spend and save responsibly. I’d like to pay off the credit card debt that I have. I want to stop impulse shopping. When my next pay period comes around, I want to be in a place where I still have a decent amount of money in the bank. I’d like to quit acting like being a shopaholic with credit card debt is some cute and quirky little personality trait because it’s not. Luckily, I’ve gotten some great advice on how to do these things that I’ll share below!

But before I do that, I want to touch on something first regarding influencers. I am a nanoinfluencer, which is even smaller than a microinfluencer. My following isn’t super big, so I don’t do a lot of brand deals. I also don’t really get paid for what I post. This is okay with me! I’m doing this as a hobby, with no desire to turn it into a full-time job. All of my income comes from my full-time job. I get gifted items from time to time, but I’ve never done a paid sponsorship. I’m well aware that I probably could, but I don’t want this to feel like real work so I won’t.

Now, a lot of influencers, especially those with larger followings, are not the same way. It may seem like they’re sharing new things every single day because many of them are. I have to remind myself that in many of these cases, at least one of these things is probably true: 1. This person probably got sent that item for free, or they may even be getting paid to promote it, 2. They may come from generational wealth and could have family money or a trust fund to back them up (nothing wrong or disingenuous about this, but it’s just not my situation!), or 3. They could be racking up debt behind the scenes to afford the lifestyle they’re posting about (it really happens).

Those are all things I like to tell myself when I feel FOMO from seeing hauls or new items on Instagram or TikTok, and I hope they’re helpful to you too! A bit of perspective really goes a long way.

Money Advice & Resources

When I put out a call for money advice, y’all came through with the recommendations. I couldn’t keep track of where everything came from, especially resources that were mentioned by multiple people. However, if there’s a specific piece of advice that you gave me and want credited to you (especially in the General Advice section), please let me know and I’d be happy to give credit where credit is due.

Books to Read

Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping by and Get Your Financial Life Together by Erin Lowry
Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner
I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Spent: Break the Buying Obsession and Discover Your True Worth by Sally Palaian

People to Follow

Instagram

TikTok

Blogs and Websites

YouTube

Podcasts

The Financial Confessions
Financial Feminist
Girls That Invest
She’s On The Money

Other Resources

The #DebtFreeCommunity hashtag (this is great to follow to find other people and stay focused)
Talk About Money Facebook group
Banks that hold financial literacy classes (apparently lots of them do this)
Ibotta app
Mint app

General tips and advice

Set a budget and stick to it. Make note of where your money is going by logging your purchases in a spreadsheet.
Your goals need to be concrete and specific. Instead of just wanting to save more, say “I want to save $X by the end of the year.”
When you get your paychecks, pay yourself first with savings and investing. Automating this really helps!
Don’t cut yourself off cold turkey. Instead, give yourself a set amount of spending money for the month.
You can have anything you want but not everything. (This was one of my personal favorite pieces of advice that really put things into perspective for me!)
Unlink your cards from Apple Pay and PayPal.
Do a no spend challenge for a month, a few weeks, etc.
You don’t have to cut out all excess spending. You can choose to budget and spend money on things that truly make you happy, not just spend money on anything you want. Be intentional about what you purchase instead of buying just because.
Give yourself fair budgets for things like clothes and travel (stuff you like) so you feel justified in spending on them instead of guilty.
Create a wishlist and organize it by season. Don’t purchase anything that’s out of season.
It can be easier for some people to work backwards with saving so instead of a budget, try an aggressive savings goal and you can spend whatever is leftover after you’ve contributed to that.
Put anything you want on a list and think about it for at least a week until you can actually buy it.

Specific Changes I’m Going to Make

Again, a big thank you to anyone who gave me the advice I shared above. Anytime I’ve done this research in the past, I quickly became overwhelmed by what’s out there, so I’m extremely grateful to learn what’s worked for real people. Here are some of the things I’m going to adopt in my life based on what I’ve learned so far:

Actually setting a budget for myself once I get my next paycheck: In the past, I’d basically get paid, pay my rent and other bills, then spend whatever was leftover. I’ve heard a lot about the 50-30-20 rule where you spend 50% of your income on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings. This seems like a good place for me to start, although I might switch it to 30% savings and 20% wants.
Stop using my credit cards until they’re paid off: Self-explanatory. I want to stop accruing interest on them, pay them off in full, and then learn to use them to my advantage (hello, cash back and points).
No more payment plans: I’ve been really bad about using the Afterpay or Affirm or other split payment options when shopping online. If I don’t have enough money to pay for something now, I’m going to start saving for it instead of just delaying the money coming out now.
Take inventory of my clothes, get rid of stuff I don’t wear, and adopt a “one in, one out” rule: Clothes are probably the number one thing I spend my money on. My closet is overflowing, and sometimes I even get embarrassed by how many clothing items I have. I’m going to stop holding onto things I’ve never worn (or worn just one time). I’m already in the process of doing a huge closet clean-out on Poshmark. I’ve also decided that if I’m going to buy new items, I have to get rid of something first because I truly feel that I have enough clothes.

If you’ve read this far, I’m really impressed and want to say thanks! I hope these tips can help some of y’all out as well because we all deserve to have enough money to live on (and this is a nice reminder that we really should increase the minimum wage). Also, one last thing before I sign off: I am extremely thrilled with how many women-founded and women-run resources are on this list! Money is NOT just for men!

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Categories: Lifestyle, Shopping

My Amazon Favorites

Disclaimer: Items linked in this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase, I might make a small commission. This comes at no additional cost to you, and the money I make helps me keep this blog up and running!

I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not I should do a post like this. I get requests for my Amazon favorites occasionally (I think every content creator does), but I’ve had some trouble actually compiling the list. I know Amazon isn’t the best company in the world (workers should be treated with basic decency, money-hungry execs shouldn’t value profits over people, and union-busting is bad, just putting that out there), but these days, it’s as ubiquitous as Target or Walmart. Possibly even more so.

However, Amazon is convenient. Especially for someone like me who doesn’t have a car. I do order from Amazon from time to time, even if it isn’t the greatest company out there. One way I feel better about my purchases is when I select Amazon day delivery instead of the standard two day shipping, especially if I don’t need it right away. If I place multiple orders in one week, they’ll ship at once altogether instead of each item taking up just one box. It’s a little better for the environment, and every bit helps.

That being said, I want to touch on one more thing before getting into the main part of this post: A lot of these blog posts or YouTube videos can promote overconsumption. You do not need every item in this post. You probably don’t actually need any of them. I’ve largely stopped purchasing clothing from Amazon because I found that I’d only wear something once then never again. Before buying something, ask yourself if you’re purchasing it out of convenience or if you really truly want it? Or is it just cheap? Or available to get to you in two days?

My Amazon Favorites

Everything below is something I’ve purchased from Amazon and use frequently. There are quite a few items on the list, so I won’t go into details on everything. However, a few highlights worth noting:

These produce containers are kind of life-changing (and they help fruits and veggies last longer!).
I’ve been using these rollers a lot lately for styling my bangs.
My Instagram would be nothing without my trusty phone tripod!
I swear, every time I post in this sports bra, someone asks for a link to it.
The best no show socks, hands down.
My clothing rack, which I get asked about allllllll the time.
These pajamas are super comfy and the print is precious!

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Categories: Beauty, Fashion & Style, Lifestyle, Shopping

Recent Purchases Vol. 2

It’s no secret that I love to shop. Sometimes, though, this isn’t the best for my wallet. However, lately I’ve been trying to be more intentional about what I buy. This means purchasing things that I truly love, rather than just buying something I only like because it’s a good price.

For clothes, this means I want to cut down on my fast fashion purchases and move more towards higher-quality, investment pieces. I’ve really been finding my personal style this year, and I’ve found that it’s not exactly something I can get for cheap at Target or Forever 21. My tastes lean more towards unique items found in curated collections, boutiques, or smaller brands.

Below, you’ll find some things I’ve bought over the last few weeks. There are a few fashion items on this list, but it’s mainly other items like books or beauty items too! I’ve done a roundup like this previously, so here’s round two of it. I hope to make this a regular series that I post from time to time.

A Few Notes

On the books…

Target was doing a buy 2 get 1 free sale on books. Normally, I actually read ebooks on my iPad but I’ve been wanting to have more physical copies of books. These are all titles I’ve wanted to read for a while or that have come highly recommended to me, so I felt that buying them was a safe choice. I’m especially excited about Business Minded by Carly Riordan, which I hope will give me some insight on treating this blog like a business! Carly is a blogger I’ve been following for years, so I’m very excited to read more of her long-form writing in her first book. And also, Our Time Is Now by Stacey Abrams has been on my list forever. Stacey Abrams is one of the most incredible political figures of our time, and I can’t wait to read her words on how we can build civic engagement and become a better country.

On the skincare items…

Both items from the Inkey List (the cleansing balm and retinol) are repurchases. The Hero Cosmetics Lightning Wand comes recommended by my friend Melissa (@melissa_albano on Instagram). She posted that it’s helped her acne scars immensely, so I immediately placed an order for it. Truth be told, one of my biggest insecurities is acne scarring. Hoping that this works to reduce them for me!

On the dresses…

Remember how I mentioned that I was finding my style? Well, it’s filled with classic pieces, flowy dresses, grandmillennial florals, and beautiful colors. I absolutely adore each dress in this roundup. They feel like they’re just perfectly me!

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Categories: DC, Lifestyle

My Washington, DC Bucket List

I’ve lived in the DC area for almost a year and a half now since moving here in the fall of 2020. For those of you who haven’t been following me for that long, I dreamed of moving to DC for years before I was able to do it. All throughout college, it was the city I wanted to move to once I finished school.

I’m so grateful to be here and have an amazing job, but I’ll be the first to admit that there are still a ton of things I want to do here. Part of this is definitely because of the pandemic. However, another part is because I’ve gotten a little too used my routines here and settled into my habits. There’s a ton to do here, and I want to explore more!

Therefore, I’ve compiled a list of some of the DC things that I still really want to do! They range from fun to educational to just some things I want to experience. Below you’ll find a list that’s by no means comprehensive of everything there is to do in DC, but still a decent amount of things to do. I’ve separated it into a few categories to keep things straight. Hopefully this inspires my fellow DC locals and transplants, or any readers who plan on visiting the nation’s capital!

Dining

Eat at Le Diplomate: This is a super famous restaurant that a ton of politicians are regularly spotted at. I’ve heard that the food is great as well, but I’d be lying if I said people watching isn’t part of the allure!
Eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant: DC has over 100 Michelin-starred restaurants, and I’m dying to eat at one of them.
Have brunch at Sequoia: I’ve heard the brunch at this Georgetown spot described as “legendary” to “day-ruining” because there’s just sooooooo much food. Regardless, I definitely want to try it.
Have lunch at Laduree: Though it may not be in New York, I still think their DC location in Georgetown would be Blair Waldorf-approved.
Enjoy a cocktail at Top of the Gate: The Watergate Hotel is an iconic (and historically infamous) spot, and I’d love to visit their rooftop bar for a drink or two!

Iconic Spots

Get a library card for the Library of Congress: I learned that you could do this when I interned here one summer in college. It’s definitely something I want to do!
Visit the top of the Washington Monument: The observation deck was under construction for so long, but it’s finally open again!
See the monuments on the Mall at sunset: I did a nighttime tour of them when I came here on spring break in high school, and I think they’d be gorgeous at sunset tool
Walk along the Mall during cherry blossom season: Last year, I was only able to see the cherry blossoms through a car window. The Mall gets super crowded and cherry blossom season last year was pre-vaccine, so I just wasn’t comfortable being around that many people at once. I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing them this year though!

Politics

Watch oral argument for a case at the Supreme Court: This will definitely have to wait until the pandemic has calmed down. However, in normal times, regular people are allowed to watch oral argument at the high court, but space is limited. It’s absolutely on my bucket list to see it though!
Spot a politician out and about: Bonus points if I can get a photo with them! This isn’t something I can really plan, but it’s on my list nevertheless.
Visit Mt. Vernon: Though this may be considered more historical than political, I’m including it here anyway. I haven’t had the chance to visit George Washington’s estate yet and I really want to visit the home of one of my favorite presidents!

Miscellaneous

Walk from Arlington to Georgetown on Key Bridge: This is mainly dependent on the weather (I’m thinking early spring or late fall), but where I live in Arlington is totally walkable in relation to Georgetown. I want to do it mainly just to say I did.
See a show at the Kennedy Center: I love Broadway shows, especially musicals. Seeing one at the Kennedy Center sounds amazing!
Have a staycation at a nice hotel: Just because I live here doesn’t mean I have to miss out on the great hotels! I’d love to spend a weekend in one, especially if it has a nice spa or other amenities.
Visit all of the Smithsonian Museums: My current progress includes…
- ~~National Museum of African American History and Culture~~
- ~~Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden~~
- ~~National Air and Space Museum~~
- ~~Smithsonian American Art Museum~~
- ~~National Museum of American History~~
- ~~National Museum of Natural History~~
- Anacostia Community Museum
- National Museum of African Art
- Arts and Industries Building
- Freer Gallery of Art
- National Zoo
- Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
- National Museum of the American Indian
- Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle)
- National Postal Museum
- Smithsonian Gardens

Let me know if there’s anything I’m missing or need to add!

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Categories: Beauty, Fashion & Style, Lifestyle, Shopping

My 2021 Favorites

I’m an absolute sucker for a favorites blog post or YouTube videos. Even a TikTok. I love seeing what other people love. And a yearly recap of the best of the best? Sign me up!

Therefore, I decided to write my own favorites list for 2021, splitting it up into categories (or else this list would just be too long!). Enjoy!

Fashion

The winner: Hill House Home & the Nap Dress

This feels like a cop out because it’s an entire brand. However, 2021 was the year I bought my first Nap Dress. Then my second. And then a ton more. I wear one of them every week, sometimes multiple days a week! Safe to say that I’m obsessed. I wrote a Nap Dress review blog post last year if you want to now more, but I’d like to do an updated version at some point since I’ve now acquired quite the collection. Perhaps in time for the next drop on February 2nd!

Runners up: MZ Wallace tote, Sarah Flint heels (use code SARAHFLINT-BATALIAW for $50 off!), and Anthropologie headbands

Beauty

The winner: Maybelline Super Stay Ink Crayon lipstick

To me, there’s something that’s just so grown up about being a woman who has a signature shade of lipstick. It exudes a sense of energy that says “I have it together.” I bought this on a whim to get to free shipping on a Target order one day. Since then, I’ve purchased it in three more shades. It stays on super well without being drying, and it isn’t a massive pain to take off either. I have the colors Achieve It All (the perfect nude and a dupe for the famous Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillowtalk), Change Is Good (reddish pink), Keep It Fun (a fun vibrant pink), and Seek Adventure (mauve-y pink).

Runners up: Sunday Riley CEO Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil, Drybar Hot Toddy heat protectant, NARS Orgasm blush, and Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil

Books

The winner: Book of the Month and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

2021 was a year full of reading for me! I finished 34 books, which was above my goal of 30. In October, I decided to try Book of the Month after hearing some amazing things about it. I’ve been nothing but impressed thus far! Each month, you get to pick a new hardcover book for an unbeatable price. They have every genre you could think of, plus early releases of some titles! As for a specific book I loved, I read some amazing books this year, so picking just one favorite was super difficult. However, I think I’ll have to go with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It’s about an old Hollywood star who’s infamous for being married seven times and hasn’t talked about her husbands to the press — until now! The book straddles the genre line between romance and historical fiction, but it touches on so much more than just that. I absolutely devoured it. I won’t spoil too much, but the story is phenomenal and emotional. I cannot recommend it enough.

Runners up: Bringing Down the Duke (like Bridgerton, but feminist and about women’s suffrage), Big Little Lies (mom drama with secrets and a possible murder mystery), and One Last Stop (a queer romance and coming-of-age story about figuring your life out in your early twenties, with the most lovable cast of characters)

Lifestyle

The winner: Peloton App

In all honesty, I wish I could afford a real Peloton bike. However, I cannot with my current financial situation. Anyway, I decided to give the Peloton app a try when I heard about someone getting a subscription and a spin bike as a substitute for a Peloton. Pre-pandemic, I loved spin classes. My apartment’s gym has a few spin bikes, so I decided to try the app with those for at least the free trial period. Well, it’s been almost a year, and I’ve kept the subscription ever since. I mainly use the app for their spin and yoga classes, but I’ve done a few pilates classes here and there too. It’s under $15 a month for the app subscription, which is a lot more affordable than a monthly spin class membership.

Runners up: Papier wellness journal and matching pajama sets (some of my favs are here and here)

Miscellaneous

The winner: Gold clothing rack

Welcome to the random category I couldn’t think of a title for, but encompasses all my other favorites of the year! My clothing rack can be seen in the background of all my mirror selfies on Instagram. It’s part cute blogger backdrop, part storage solution to deal with the small closet I share with my boyfriend. I display some of my favorite dresses on it, and I love how it looks. I get asked where it’s from at least once a month. It’s definitely on the affordable side for a clothing rack, especially a nice-looking one. It’s lightweight yet sturdy, and it was easy enough for me to put together by myself. For styling advice, I only use these hangers on it and I try to stick to the same color palette in all of the clothing items. It’s a good decor piece that’s both fun and functional, which is key when you need to maximize storage space.

Runners up: Glamorous Wash laundry detergent, at home wax kit, pink disposable face masks (kids’ size, great for people with small faces like me), and 30 oz tumbler

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Categories: Holidays, Lifestyle, Shopping

What I’d Want for Christmas (if money was no object)

I’m going to get really personal in this introduction because this time of year, I think it’s really important. The past few years, my family hasn’t done much in the way of Christmas gifts because we haven’t been able to afford it. Last year, we actually didn’t exchange gifts at all.

My mom is a single mother who has worked retail jobs for most of my life, so money has always been pretty tight for us. The store my mom worked at most recently closed because of the pandemic in early 2020, and because she’s part of a high risk group, she hasn’t worked anywhere since. Last year, we declared Christmas an eating holiday (much like Thanksgiving) and just ate an elaborate meal to celebrate the day instead of opening up presents.

And honestly? I loved it. It was low-maintenance and not stressful for us.

This is all to say that you don’t need to have a million gifts under the tree for Christmas to be worthwhile. I know this is the time of year when tons of people show off a crowded Christmas tree and the days after are filled with “What I got for Christmas” hauls. In my opinion, it’s important to recognize that not all families can make that happen.

I grew up without a ton of money in my household, and Christmas was always a time of racking up credit card debt. Right now, I make more in my entry-level job now than my mom ever has. I don’t say this to guilt anyone or make them feel bad for having things, but rather to be transparent about where I come from. Almost everything I have, I’ve worked for and bought myself. And I feel that it’s important to acknowledge that.

I wanted to acknowledge all of this for full transparency about my background. I’m not rich or wealthy. I won’t be posting a video about all the gifts I got this year (but I will absolutely be watching other people’s on YouTube because I think they’re so fun to watch). And I’m fine with that. I appreciate that I get to spend a holiday with my family, even if it looks different from a lot of other people’s. It’s perfectly okay to not receive dozens of Christmas gifts, especially in times like these where finances are tight for many.

That all being said, it’s still fun to create a Christmas wishlist, even if it’s only things that I just might purchase for myself instead of waiting for Santa to bring them to me. A lot of the things on this list are out of my budget, but it’s fun for me to dream anyway. Some items on it I might eventually buy myself (a few I even have already!), and some are way out of my price range. I enjoyed putting this all together, so here’s what I’d want for Christmas if money wasn’t a concern of mine.

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Categories: Lifestyle, Shopping

Recent Purchases: Vol. 1

I’m honestly shocked it took me this long to come up with this idea for a blog post. I shop all the time (it’s kinda bad…), so it’s only natural for me to do a blog series on my recent purchases. This will differ from my favorites because I won’t be able to add commentary to add everything since they will be newer items, but it’s still a fun way for me to share things I’ve bought lately. Without further ado, here are some of my recent purchases. Links are below, plus a few notes on things!

Supergoop Glowscreen | Disposable Face Masks (I guess I have a small face because most “adult” face masks I’ve tried fall off my face. These are kids’ sized but they’re perfect for me and super comfortable.) | Hill House Coat | Ribbed Mock-Neck Top (Loved it so much, I went back and bought all three colors!) | Glamorous Wash Laundry Detergent | Clogs (on sale with limited sizes; similar pair for less here) | Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil | Black Nap Dress | Collared Sweater (I went a size down in this) | Jewel-Button Cardigan | Apple Watch | NARS Blush (purchased in the shade Orgasm)

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase from them, I might make a small commission. This comes at no additional cost to you and the money I make helps me keep my blog running.

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Categories: Beauty, Fashion & Style, Lifestyle, Shopping

September 2021 Favorites

I feel like everyone loves a good favorites post. It’s so interesting to see what other people are loving enough to dedicate a whole post to raving about them. They’re also a great way to find new items to try out! I keep a running list in my phone of stuff I’ve really been enjoying lately for posts like this. I’m sure you’re all antsy to get past my rambling and into the post, so I’ll jump right in!

Disclaimer: Some of these links may be affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase using them, I may earn a small commission. This comes at no extra cost to you, and it helps me keep my blog running! I really appreciate anyone who shops with my links, and I’d be super grateful if you use them!

Clothing Rack: This is the number one thing I’ve received questions about on Instagram since moving into my new apartment. It’s in my little office area and in the background any time I take a mirror selfie. It serves two functions: 1. extra storage for my clothes since closet space is limited (because now I share one with another person) and 2. a display for my prettiest dresses. I feel like having a clothing rack of nice clothes is the ultimate “fashion blogger” decor piece! This gold one from Amazon is a great price (under $100), was super easy to put together and holds a lot! I get so many compliments when people see it behind me on Zoom calls. And pro tip: there are two important factors to making it look styled and not like just some extra clothing storage. First, use nice, matching hangers. I like these! Second, try to stick to a color palette with the clothes you put on it so it looks cohesive. Mine is mainly pinks, blues, purples and whites, which I think compliment each other very nicely.

Matching Pajama Sets: Someone on TikTok called matching pajama sets key to leveling up your life and wow. I totally agree! It’s such a small thing (to the point where it feels kinda silly), but it feels like such a “self care” thing to change into one before bed instead of just wearing a big T-shirt. They can be as affordable or spendy as you want, too! I have these (which I got on clearance) and these (less than $25!), which are on the cheaper side. However, I’m dying for a more splurge-worthy set from somewhere like Printfresh or Lake Pajamas!

Benefit Cheek Tint: To be fully transparent, I was gifted this in a PR box in exchange for an Instagram post earlier this summer. That obligation was filled well before this blog post went live. I was not paid or compelled to write this post. With that being said, I love this stuff and have used it basically every day since I bought it. I have pretty pale skin, so I feel like a ghost without blush or bronzer to add some dimension to my face. This adds the perfect amount of rosiness without looking too over the top, but it’s buildable so you could definitely more if you need more color. I also find that cream or liquid blush stays on longer than powder blush does!

Nap Dresses: I feel like I can’t go a day without telling people how much I love the Hill House Nap Dress. I’m basically a Nap Dress evangelist at this point. I’m literally wearing one right now! I wrote a whole blog post review about my first Nap Dress (which includes a discount link). To sum things up: I started this summer with one Nap Dress. Now I have seven of them. Am I obsessed? Yes! But is it bad for anyone? Maybe my wallet…but I feel so cute and comfy! You need a Nap Dress. I need more of them. Everyone needs a Nap Dress!

Huggie Hoop Set: My ears are double-pierced, but the spacing between the holes is uneven on each side, so I’m a little limited as to what kinds of earrings I can wear. Basically, I either have to wear very small studs or thin hoops. This set from Amazon is awesome, and I’ve been wearing the crystal pair in my second hole multiple times a week! It looks great with the braided pair in the set or even a pair of bigger hoops or drop earrings. Bonus: the set of three is under $15!

Long-Lasting Lipstick: Something that just screams “I have my life together” to me is wearing lipstick. Bonus points if you have a signature shade! I recently picked up this lipstick in a Target order, and I’ve since purchased two more shades. It lasts for so long but doesn’t feel drying or flaky! I have the colors Change is Good (reddish pink), Keep It Fun (mauve) and Seek Adventure (bright pink). I have heard that the shade Achieve It All is a dupe for the famous Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk lipstick, so that’ll be my next pick.

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Categories: Beauty, Fashion & Style, Lifestyle, Shopping

5 Things I Love Right Now

Hey y’all! Long time, no blog post. Working 9-5 has been kicking my butt lately, so blog posts have been on the back burner. However, I am slowly starting to get into a routine with working and blogging, so hopefully more consistent blog posts are coming soon! With that little explanation out of the way, I’m here with some products that I’ve been loving so much, I just have to share them with y’all!

MZ Wallace Tote Bag: I bought this before I flew home for Mother’s Day last week. I needed a tote bag big enough to hold both my work computer, which is already massive, plus my personal computer. My mom has an MZ Wallace bag too, so I knew the size would work for what I needed. It was a great choice for travel! The bag itself is massive, but I still used it as my personal item with no problems. I also got the deluxe version, which has tons of pockets and compartments to keep everything organized. One of the coolest features: it has a luggage sleeve to slip over your suitcase handle! It’s seriously the perfect travel bag, and I’m sure it’ll be great for carrying all my work stuff once I start going to the office later this summer.

Floral Dress: If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen this before because I swear I wear it once a week! I love flowy dresses for when the weather gets warm, and this one is no exception. I’m also a huge fan of florals for spring and summer, so this one checks all my boxes! I cannot even explain how much I love this dress, plus it’s very comfortable too. Seriously, if you’re shopping for summer dresses, I can’t recommend this one enough!

Morphe Cream Blush: Who doesn’t love a little rosy tint in their cheeks? If I’m putting on makeup, I need some color, so blush is a must for me. This one goes on so well and blends super easily. I really like cream makeup instead powder products because I prefer a dewy look over a matte one. The color I got is Wish, the prettiest soft pink shade. I love the color this adds to my cheeks!

Wax Kit: A slightly random item, yes, and it does require a little backstory. I hate shaving my underarms. Compared to the rest of my body, the hair there grows so much darker. Even the day after shaving them with a fresh razor blade, I’d be able to see hair. I was uncomfortable wearing sleeveless tops because of it. Adding on to that, the skin on my underarms has also gotten very sensitive recently, so I was constantly getting ingrown hairs, razor burn or rashes. After a failed attempt at sugaring, I decided to give waxing a go, and I’m so glad I did! Despite the fact that I haven’t gotten a wax done professionally except my eyebrows way back in high school, this kit was super easy to use to do it myself. The pain was actually much less than I expected, and I’m someone with a low pain tolerance. I can now go about a week before seeing any hair, which is so much better than how it used to be. My skin is also doing a lot better, no more bumps or rashes here! I’m definitely going to continue waxing my underarms with this.

Amazon Exercise Dress (under $40!): Everyone seems to be wearing the Outdoor Voices Exercise Dress, and while it is adorable, I wasn’t ready to drop $100 on it. A few weeks ago, one of my favorite influencers, Lindy Goodson, posted an Instagram photo of her wearing this dupe for it from Amazon, and I think I bought it within 5 minutes of seeing it. I got the pink version, of course. It’s super comfy and great for running errands or lounging in. I wore it to the airport and it was comfy but still allowed me to feel more put together than leggings and a tee would. I don’t think I’ll even need the Outdoor Voices version because I like this one so much!

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Categories: Beauty, Fashion & Style, Lifestyle

My favorite products! Fashion, beauty and lifestyle items I use (almost) daily

If you keep up with the blog, then you know that on Mondays I usually post The Weekly, which is a post I make every week about things that have just been on my mind. They can be products I’m using, things I have my eye on, content I’ve been consuming, news events or anything else I want to chat about.

Last week, however, was extremely busy for me. I started a new job recently, and things have really been picking up, leaving me very drained at the end of each day. I’m still getting in the swing of things with balancing work and blogging too. I only posted once last week instead of my usual three!

With that being said, I didn’t really have time to think of things to cover in The Weekly. Normally I keep a running list on my phone, but this week nothing really stuck out enough for me to write down. However, I’m bringing you a similar blog post that I’ve been wanting to write about for a while: a list of my favorite things! These are items that I use (almost) every single day and have been using for ages. They’re my tried and true items, my ride or dies. Things that have stood the test of time, or if they can run out, they’re things I’ve repurchased over and over again.

I’ve broken them up into three categories: fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Hopefully, you’ll find something new to try out, and let me know if you take any of my recs! Also, I greatly appreciate anyone who shops with my links. It allows me to make a small commission, at no additional cost to you! Without further ado, here are my all-time favs!

A woman wearing a blouse and some jewelry.

Fashion

Nike Air Force 1s: Ross got me these for my birthday a few years back, and I wear them so often! They’re a great white sneaker option, super comfy and matches just about everything! I wear them with athleisure outfits while running errands or with skirts and dresses for a more dressed-up look. I will say that there was a break-in period for them (seriously, my heels were bleeding at the end of the day), but after wearing them all day long for a day, the next time they were super comfy. If you’re looking for a less “chunky” option, I have a pair Nike Blazers that I love too!

Lululemon Align Leggings: They’re a bit of a splurge, but these are seriously the comfiest leggings for lounging in. I purchased a brand new pair around Christmastime that I now wear multiple times a week. A lot of times high-waisted leggings can give me stomach aches if they’re too compressive, but these don’t do that at all. They honestly feel like you aren’t even wearing anything! That might sound weird, but they truly are the comfiest leggings I own.

Gold Hoop Kendra Scott Earrings: I love jewelry, especially a good statement earring. However, I wear these multiple times a week. They’re just so easy and match any outfit. These are super lightweight too; I can wear them all day long and barely even notice they’re there. They can be worn with both dressy and casual looks, and I love the size on them.

Kendra Scott Tassel Necklace: Another great Kendra Scott piece! This was actually my first piece of jewelry from the brand. I got it in high school, and I still wear it all these years later. I have the ivory pearl stone. The white matches pretty much anything, so it pairs well with tons of different outfits. I worked at Kendra Scott for a few years in college, and this stays as one of my all-time favorite pieces from the brand!

Louis Vuitton Neverfull: This could just be a tote bag, but this is the one I use. I got my Neverfull almost two years ago, and it still looks brand new. I carry it alllllll the time. It’s the perfect size for a tote. It really is never full! I’ve used it for running errands, bringing my stuff to a coffee shop to get work done (back when that was a thing, at least) or even as an overnight bag for a quick trip to a friend’s! I love my LV bag, but there are definitely other great tote bag options at lower price points. This one from Barrington Gifts is so cute, and I also love this classic option from Kate Spade. If you’re looking to splurge, though, I can’t recommend the Neverfull enough!

Beauty

Salon Grafix Hairspray: This is my holy grail hairspray. It’s the only one I’ve used that makes my curls hold well and doesn’t give my hair that “crunchy” feeling afterwards. My curls will hold for four or five days with this stuff alone. I rarely ever re-curl my hair after I’ve done it because I prefer to not use heat on it unless I absolutely need to. This hairspray helps it last for so long, and the price point is unbeatable!

T3 Curling Iron: I am obsessed with this curling iron. I’ve had mine for years, and it’s truly my favorite of all time. It curls my hair beautifully. I can’t tell you how many of my friends said their hair never curls or holds, but they were shocked when I used this on them and it created gorgeous curls that lasted! I don’t know what magic it is, but it’s the best curling iron I’ve ever used. My favorite part is the interchangeable barrels. The one that I linked comes with three wand-style barrels. I purchased mine used from Poshmark, and the seller included an extra barrel with a clamp. I also bought another barrel with a clamp, a larger one for big curls. It might be expensive, but with all the interchangeable attachments, it’s like having multiple curling irons in one. This is honestly the only curling iron you’ll need! And a quick tip: I see them pop up on Poshmark from time to time in great condition, so check there if you want to save a bit on it.

Eva NYC Mane Magic Hair Treatment: Another hair product I love! This stuff makes my hair super soft. I spray it in while my hair is wet after taking a shower, and it makes the brush glide through it. After I’m done, my hair feels noticeably silkier and smoother. It doesn’t weigh my hair down either, which is great because I do wear it in curls a lot.

It Cosmetics CC Cream: This is my ride or die foundation. I have been told so many times how great my skin looks with it on. The coverage is awesome, and it lasts all day. It wears super well; I rarely have to reapply or touch it up. The product’s tagline is “your skin but better,” and I couldn’t agree more! I just repurchased another tube of it because I was running low on my last one, and the cashier at Ulta told me it’s formulated by dermatologists, which I didn’t even know!

Laneige Lip Glowy Balm: I’m not a big lipstick person, but I love just putting this on at the end of my makeup routine. It’s the perfect gloss with just a hint of color. It doesn’t make your lips feel sticky like a lot of glosses do. Instead, my lips feel soft and hydrated after wearing it.

Impress Nails: No joke, these kind of changed my life. I’m a chronic nail biter. Pre-pandemic, I did SNS in salons every few weeks. An expensive habit, but one that kept me from biting my nails. When all nail salons shut down at the beginning of the pandemic last year, I stopped with the SNS. I tried a bunch of at-home options, but they were all very time consuming and didn’t even look good enough to justify it. They also never lasted as long as salon nails did for me. A few months ago, someone I follow on Instagram raved about these, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to salon manicures. These are so easy to do at home, they come in a bunch of fun colors and designs, they’re a quick process AND a great price point! A set will last me over a week. I apply this nail glue beforehand to help them last even longer.

Lifestyle

Notion: I found this website on TikTok, and it kinda changed my life. It’s like an online notebook/planner/literally anything you’d need for staying organized. I use it for keeping track of my to do list, content calendar, blog post ideas and tons more. When I was job hunting, I used it to keep track of deadlines and applications. It’s hard to describe it fully, so I recommend looking up “Notion tour” on YouTube to see how other people organize theirs and what they use it for.

S’well Bottle and Straw Lid: I know Hydroflasks are the “cool” water bottle to have, but I paid a good amount for S’well bottle and it’s lasted me several years now. I don’t see a reason to buy a new one when my S’well works super well for me! It keeps my water cold all day long, which helps me drink more of it. I got a straw lid for it too, which makes it easier to drink more too. I got mine when Lilly Pulitzer did a collaboration with S’well years ago, but they have a ton of pretty colors and patterns that you can get now instead!

Laptop Stand: I didn’t think this would be as much of a game changer as it is, but this laptop stand has made my work from home life so much better. I have less neck pain since my computer is at eye-level instead of having to look down at it all day long. I got a wireless keyboard also to make typing easier, and the combo of the two is unmatched. If you spend a long time on your computer like I do, I totally recommend a getting laptop stand!

iPhone Tripod: This one is for all of my fellow content creators! I take probably 95% of my photos by myself using this baby. I plan on doing a blog post soon about how I take photos on my own, but this plus my Apple Watch are the things that help me get great shots. It’s a super affordable tripod (under $15!) with a bunch of height options, and it collapses to a pretty small compact size so it’s easy to just pop into a tote bag and take it out and about.

No Show Socks: I thought about putting these in the fashion category, but it felt a little weird so I moved them to lifestyle. Plus, you don’t really see them when I’m wearing them anyway. I wear these with sneakers or some booties and they’re seriously the best no show socks I’ve ever tried. They stay up so well and never have to be pulled up. I’ve purchased multiple packs of these over the years, and they hold up great too.

News Podcasts: If you know me well, you know that I listen to a minimum of four news podcasts every weekday morning. It’s one of the major was I stay informed! The ones in my daily rotation are the NPR Politics Podcast, NPR’s Up First, ABC’s Start Here and Crooked Media’s What a Day. When I was moving to DC, I wasn’t able to listen to them for about a week, and I just felt off the whole time. They’re an integral part of my daily routine. I can’t start my day properly without them! If you find it hard to keep up with the news, I highly integrating just listening to a daily podcast like one of these. All of them tend to be around 20 minutes or less, so I just listen to them while getting ready in the morning.

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