Floral cross front top // Similar Light Wash Flared Jeans (and these) // Wedge Sandals // Sunglasses

Hello Monday! 

It looks like it’s going to be another busy week! Important meetings at the office, blog planning for February and March and as usual, lots of styling. Oh, and BIG news! I finally…FINALLY…bought a “big girl” blog camera yesterday plus lenses, a camera bag, lightroom for photoshop, plus a memory card & reader. It was a major hit to the wallet, but I’ve been saving and planning for quite some time. It was a momentous occasion in my blog life because it’s a serious step to higher quality pictures and content. I’ve been researching and looking for so long I could hardly hit the submit button to pay for it. Justin probably had a good laugh watching me nervously recheck all the details and warranties over and over. SO be on the lookout to see if you can tell the difference once we start using it – we definitely have a learning curve ahead of us.  

 I have to be honest, I seem to have the hardest time writing content for Monday’s posts and it’s not because there isn’t anything to talk about, but because they are always the most candid, vulnerable conversations. I feel like it gets easier and easier but I still feel apprehensive sometimes. So if there’s ever anything you’d like to know or want more content on in this area let me know! For today’s post I decided to talk about spring thinking and looking forward to the warmer months ahead. It’s not that I completely hate winter…okay, it’s close to that haha…but I tend to get “seasonal depression” with the darker, cold weather. It’s so hard for me to stay productive in the evenings when the sun sets, and here in northern California it’s sooo early! As I think about all the things spring has in store, I get really excited and there’s several things I like to do in preparation you’ll read below.

Pick a color palette. Okay, this may sound silly but I like to pick out color palettes for each season. I’d say this is a pretty recent development for me but ever since I started creating a theme for my Instagram and social sites it makes a lot more sense to have cohesively colored clothing. This coming spring I’ll be wearing a lot of blush, white, grey, navy, and bright pops of green + some black (per usual). Blush is probably my all time favorite and there are so many items you can find right now in this pretty shade of pink. Picking a color palette also makes outfit planning so much easier because all of your pieces will go together. I’ve even been reassessing my style lately as I feel it’s becoming a little more laid back and bohemian – probably because my workplace doesn’t have a dress code.  

Buy spring pieces. Once you have your color palette you can start shopping! OR you can do it the other way around which sometimes works better because you know what all is out there. It’s always good to pull out your spring clothes you already own and look at where you may have holes and what you want to get rid of or donate. It’ll give you a fresh starting point so you don’t spend frivolously on items you already have or won’t wear. Some items I’ll be on the hunt for are a pretty pair of espadrille wedges, skinny black and white ankle jeans, distressed high-quality jean shorts, bell sleeves, a versatile pair of flats, and a comfortable pair of mules.

Reassess resolutions. Spring is also a great time to look back at the resolutions you’ve set for yourself and assess how you are doing. Sometimes we set unreal expectations for ourselves or goals we decide we don’t want to complete. And that’s okay. Mine were to embrace positivity, live in the moment, and incorporate spontaneity. Looking at these right now, I definitely intend to keep them and feel they are still areas where I’d like to make strides. The only difference is that I originally wrote about myself as a pessimist and I’ve come to discover that’s not true. I had a bit of a breakdown a week ago due to all of the stress and commitment I’ve put upon myself. I was able to sit down with Justin and really open up about why i was feeling so overwhelmed and I realized it all stemmed from anxiety. It’s something I’ve struggled with for a long time (ever since middle school) and I it’s been a part of my life for so long I sometimes don’t recognize when it presents itself. I plan to talk about his more here on the blog because I know I’m not the only one who battles with anxiety and it’s always nice to know others out there have the same feelings and fears. 

Planning trips & travel (prepare for wedding season). I talked about my travel plans in a recent post and the list is most definitely at the forefront of my mind. I doubt we will get to visit every destination because we’ve had some new (exciting) ones placed on our calendar. Thanks to friends with destination weddings we will be traveling to Las Vegas, Newport Beach, and Costa Rica! I’m so excited! And it also looks like we will be making a trip home to Washington D.C. (hopefully) to see our families for a couple days. In addition, Justin and I really want to take a destination trip, just the two of us, and Hawaii is big on our list. We’d love to save up and take one BIG vacation each year, including flying overseas. Stay tuned because I’m sure we will document it! 

Say goodbye to seasonal depression! As I stated above, I feel like winter is a total downer. So dark, so cold, and so wet (if you live in Northern California). I can tell my mood definitely fluctuates with the weather. It’s not that I’m angry on days it’s not nice, but I can tell I’m much more chipper on days when the sun is shining! I mean who doesn’t love the sunshine?! Come spring, the rain should go away and the weather will drastically warm up allowing for wedges, flowy tops (like the one above), a bright lip, and walks outside with Heidi girl. It’s a little ways away but it’s something lovely to look forward to!