new year

2017 New Year’s Goals

January 1, 2017 by jessica 3 Comments

Happy 2017! A new year brings with it a renewed sense of optimism and excitement for the months ahead. Sure, we have a certain president to contend with later this month, but let’s move beyond that for now and focus our attention on happier pursuits: the things we’d love to accomplish in the new year. Setting out with a list of resolutions for the year sounds daunting (and oftentimes unrealistic), so instead I’m framing them as goals. These are the items I’d like to work toward in the coming months and, honestly, I might not accomplish any of them. That’s okay. Setting goals rather than resolutions means that even the small steps forward are successes worth celebrating.

MORE OUTFIT POSTS

I’m sure Dave is super excited about helping me accomplish this 2017 goal, but they’re the most popular posts and, honestly, my favorite ones to do. Plus, photographing my sartorial hits (and misses) helps me hone in my style and encourages me to be more creative, which leads me to my next goal:

STOP OVERTHINKING CLOTHES

Fashion should be fun and personal style should be a creative journey unmarred by overthinking things like cost per wear and “Can I wear this with three items I already own?” Year after year, my favorite purchases typically fall into one of three categories: impulse purchases that struck an I-have-to-own-this-now chord, uniquely designed items that I love to wear simply because they’re fun, or expensive items I actually had to save up for. (The latter is certainly the anomaly, but it applies to designer duds my bank account can’t handle on a whim like my Hermès bracelet.) Of course, I don’t want to just throw money at anything that catches my eye. I’m working on finding the balance between identifying the items I’ll wear a lot and making sure they’re not just boring basics. And, really, if an item is just that good, I’ll figure out ways to wear it. I also want to get out of the habit of only purchasing individual items because they’re versatile. Why not buy an entire outfit because it looks great together?

TRAVEL TO NEW DESTINATIONS

I can’t let a New Year’s post go by without my perennial goal to travel to new destinations. Last year, we ticked Copenhagen off of our travel list and also visited Nashville. We’re planning to visit Arizona this spring. (I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon and I hear it’s kind of a big deal.) We’d also love to head back to Europe this summer. London is high on our travel wish list as is Iceland, but we’re open to any destination with a deal on airfare. I also really want to spend a long weekend beached at, well, the beach.

BUY A HOUSE

Last year was an emotional roller coaster with our house hunt. (I never expected to feel so devastated after losing out on the only house we liked enough to put an offer on.) The real estate market in Madison is tough with low inventory, but things are starting to come on the market again and I’m optimistic that this is the year we’ll finally become homeowners. This also means we’ll finally get rid of some of our ugly hand-me-down transitional furniture. It just doesn’t make sense to buy things like new couches until we know what kind of space we have to work with.

EAT OUT LESS OFTEN

With the aforementioned plans, we’ll have to find ways to cut expenses throughout the year. Dining (and drinking) out is a huge line item that can be trimmed. Not only is dining out multiple times a week expensive, it’s also doing a number on our waistlines with the calorie-laden meals. Besides, I enjoy cooking. It’s a fun, creative way to unwind after a busy day at the office. So, here’s to getting mileage out of my Bon Appetit subscription with more meals at home in 2017!

Happy New Year!

New Year’s Resolutions

January 6, 2015 by jessica 15 Comments

When I was little, my mom made a cross-stitch piece for my bedroom with the inscription “Each new year’s a chance to see your dreams become reality.” That piece is packed away with the rest of my childhood decor, but what a wonderful phrase to bring back at the dawn of a new year. Everyone seemed to be strong out of the gate with their 2015 resolutions, but I needed extra time to collect my thoughts about the new year.

TRAVEL SOMEWHERE NEW

This is a perennial goal of mine and one I think should grace everyone’s list. Last year, we were fortunate enough to travel to Belgium and visit Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges. We made a stop in Amsterdam (a repeat for me, but new to Dave) and took a Memorial Day roadtrip to Louisville, a city we visited a couple of years prior. I love the balance of revisiting favorites and mixing in new destinations during the year. So far, we’re talking about an April trip somewhere warm, like Puerto Rico, Mexico, or Florida, and a December trip to Europe. Visiting Christmas markets in Europe is a major bucket list item for me. It’d be incredible to check that off the to-do list this year! (However, I’m a little worried about how much holiday decor I’ll end up bringing home!)

LOSE WEIGHT

Ugh, I don’t know how the pounds crept up over the last year. When we got back from Belgium, I was 20 pounds lighter than I am now! All of the beer fests, eating out, and ordering pizza really did me in–and it’s not like my slowing metabolism is helping anything! I need to get back in shape. I’m armed with my FitBit, a Weight Watchers membership, and Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. (Any other FitBit users want to be friends on the app? My cousin joined and I’m surprised at how motivating it is to see her daily steps add up.)

FIND FASHION FUN AGAIN

The last few years have been about curating a wardrobe of quality basics. It was a fantastic learning experience that taught me to value quality clothing and forgo shopping at fast fashion stores. However, it put the emphasis so much on basics that I ignored the things about fashion that make me happiest: unexpected fabrics, big prints, and color. I want to have fun with clothes again, while still adhering to the principles I worked so hard to incorporate: quality over quantity and no impulse buys.

MIND MY MONEY

I say this every year, but adhering to a budget and saving money is becoming more and more important as I get older. I spent time last weekend working on a realistic budget that allows me to tuck away and invest a decent amount of money each month, while still allowing myself $250 per month for clothing. I’m going to scrap the six-month clothing budget that I was trying (it would have continued through February) and start fresh this year with a monthly budget. The six-month allowance was too tempting to go overboard at the beginning and I’d like to keep all budget-related items to a calendar year. I’ll allow any unused portion to roll over to the next month and, as always, a portion of blog revenue and eBay sales will be added to the budget. I’m also starting a 2015 Pinterest board of all new wardrobe additions, both gifted and purchased. I’ll share more about this in January’s budget recap in a few weeks.

WILDCARD RESOLUTIONS

Stop letting dishes pile up.

Four NYE Outfits for Any Situation

December 31, 2014 by jessica 7 Comments

It’s New Year’s Eve and do you know where your outfit is? If you’re like me, it’s probably at the mall. I barely knew what I was going to wear on Christmas Day. Planning something for a week later was laughable. No matter how you’re celebrating, I hope you have a wonderful evening and a happy and healthy new year. Thanks for following along and here’s to a stylish 2015!

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Whether you’re tired of the holiday hoopla or just want to use real crystal stemware, staying at home is a heck of a way to ring in 2015…even if it’s when your alarm finally wakes you up the next morning. Cozy up in an oversize menswear night shirt (with a lacy little bralette and matching thong underneath–you’re lazy, not dead) and channel surf right over to Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Nodding off? Treat yourself to a sparkly mani. The fear of smudging freshly applied polish should be enough to keep you up well past your bedtime.

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What better place to go overboard on champagne and eat an embarrassingly large portion of the cheese plate than with the comfort of friends? This is where you can let loose, play Cards Against Humanity, and admit to which card makes you giggle uncontrollably. These people accept those character flaws. Put a little effort in with a full satin skirt, bright lipstick, and a sweater that describes just how good you feel after all that Sofia. The sweater is a must. You’ll probably be crashing here later and will appreciate the comfort.

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Leave those intricate spangly ensembles (and astronomical dry cleaning bills) to the amateurs. After years of elbowing your way to the front of the line, you know just one thing will get you through this New Year’s Eve battleground, wardrobe unscathed: black, machine-washable clothing. A wayward vodka cranberry came tumbling toward you? No worries. Just dab it off with a bar rag and keep dancing! Better yet, when you’re shoulder-to-shoulder by the bar, no one will notice that you’re just wearing a black sweater, your favorite black pants, and a pair of sensible flats. Just be sure to don an incredible piece of statement jewelry so you look a little less like a burglar (and perhaps more like an experienced jewel thief…).

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If you’re headed to one of these shindigs, I understand your trepidation. Will others be friendly? Will your boyfriend act differently? What weird things will you learn about him? All of these unknowns come with one major upside: you can make a memorable first impression. Opt for a jewel-tone dress (quite possibly as red as the Solo cup you’ll be drinking out of), sparkly shoes, and a Happy New Year hat–the night’s must-have accessory.

Happy 2014!

January 1, 2014 by jessica Leave a Comment

I hope you had a wonderful evening of champagne toasts with your loved ones! Dave and I cozied up on the couch with the cat, Thai food and plenty of bubbly. In short, the perfect way to start a new year.

And what would a New Year’s post be without a list of resolutions for 2014? This year, I will:

Travel somewhere that requires a passport.
Continue with the French Wardrobe concept.
Purchase a new coffee table and the bar cart I wanted last year.
Adhere to my new and improved budget. At age 30, retirement planning is becoming more of a concern.
Splurge on a really incredible piece of jewelry—real or faux.
Learn to cook an amazing pot of beef stew. (If you have a go-to recipe, please send it!)
Shed the holiday weight gained from eating dozens and dozens of cookies.

New Year’s Resolutions

January 2, 2013 by jessica Leave a Comment

This year, I will:

Learn to make Thai food. We order Thai multiple times each month. But $30 for each meal (delivered, of course) really adds up. It can’t be that hard to make on my own, right?
Pad my savings account. I’ve chosen a goal that’s ambitious, yet realistic, and I’ve determined the amount to tuck away each month. There will be less impulse spending and fewer dinners out, but it’s more important to have resources for “rainy days.” (Or a down payment on a home someday!)
Go on vacation!
Lose 20 pounds. The scale has slowly been creeping up over the last two years. With my 30th birthday this year, it’s time to put more emphasis on being healthy. I started P90X on Monday (ouch!) and have signed up for Weight Watchers. Losing the weight before May 30 seems doable.
Shop like an editor. Curb impulse purchases. Carefully consider what I’m purchasing and why I’m purchasing it. Think about how each item will work in my wardrobe. Curate a closet of quality items. Invest in classics and unique statement pieces (they keep things fun). Use a budget of $200 each month as a guideline, but allow that to rollover into the next month to save for big ticket items. Report back with what I’ve purchased each month as a way to keep myself accountable.
Purchase a bar cart.

Do you make annual resolutions? What would you like to accomplish this year?

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