Milestones + Outfit Organization

Dress: Target Cardigan: Target Belt: Old Navy Shoes: Thrifted Target stock

Yes, this yellow dress brings my lace dress count up to four...NO SHAME.  I love lace, and I love dresses - what can I say? :)

You guys! I was so side-tracked by the Blog Every Day in May challenge that I failed to realize I've achieved two milestones this week.  First, I have exceeded 100 blog posts!  Wooo!  I feel super excited and proud about that.  I've been known to start and stop projects and not maintain interest in things/hobbies before...so making it to 100 posts feels awesome!  Thanks to all of you who have been following along - reading your comments completely makes my day.

My other milestone is that I've been tracking my outfits in an Excel document for over a year now.  I wanted to keep track of what was in my closet, what clothes I actually wore, plan outfits, etc.  I created an Excel document that stores it all.  When I've worn an item, I color code it...a different color for every time I wear something (up to 8 times...since some of my item like shoes and jeans get worn much more frequently than other items).  I keep track of things that I did certain days too, so I know not to wear the same thing when I see a friend from home twice in a row, or on class days.

I've planned and completed 30x30 remixes and other capsule wardrobes on my Excel document (pre-blog, of course), packed for vacations, planned outfits in advance for linkups and other blog challenges, and dreamed up outfits to wear in the future.  I can search for certain items and see other ways I've worn them and when, which is so helpful.  I highlight outfits that I particularly liked so I can recreate them on non-blogging days.  It's been a really nice way for me to feel very in touch with what's in my closet, and as a person who likes order and control, I really love it.

Here are a couple of screenshots of what it the document looks like.

 

This shows the outfits that I've already worn.

This tracks the items I own, and how often I've worn them.  For example, the items in red have only been worn once, and the items in teal have been worn 8 or more times.

Do any of you have ways to track and/or plan your outfits, or am I completely nerdy?  I'd love to hear how you've kept track of your outfits!

Day Six: Dream Jobs

Dress: Old Navy Flats: Thrifted Target (new with tags) from Goodwill

So far, I've been really enjoying the Blog Every Day in May challenge.  It's been such a fun way to connect with other bloggers and share more about myself with all of you!  Today's topic is to share what you would do if you could do anything (not your current job).  If I couldn't be a school counselor, there are three careers I think I would really love.

1. House flipper.  Since I was a little kid, I've been interested in interior design and architecture.  I used to sit outside and draw house plans for fun, and my parents gave me an interior design computer game when I was like 12 years old that I LOVED.  I used to love playing the Sims, too (NERD ALERT), and my favorite part was designing the house.  HGTV used to be my favorite television station, and I was utterly obsessed with Trading Spaces.  [To be honest, I'm still a little bummed that show's not on anymore.  I was the biggest fan of Paige and Vern (and Hildi was craaazy, amiright?).]  I love going on walks around our little town to look at all the cute houses, and going to real estate websites to see interior floor plans and rooms and everything.  I think it would be super fun to buy houses, gut them and completely redesign the interiors, and then sell them for a profit.  SO FUN!

2. Run an animal rescue group.  I've always had a huge heart for animals.  My dad always jokes that I can never watch movies with "animals in peril" because they make me cry every single time.  Free Willy?  My Dog Skip?  Marley & Me?  Homeward Bound?  Where the Red Fern Grows (the book got me, too)?  Can't watch any of them without crying my face off.  I won't even watch Old Yeller because it will make me bawl. [True story: Kevin started talking to me about Old Yeller a few weeks ago and I started crying.  I'm such a softy.]  Anywaaays, after we adopted our pup, Pippin, I learned much more about the rescue organization that saved her.  I was completely shocked by the information I learned about animals and how many dogs are put down simply because they don't have room at shelters.  I want to have a huge house some day (well-decorated, of course) with a huge fenced backyard so I can rescue dogs from high-kill shelters and place them in their forever homes.  Aside from my dream to be a  school counselor and a mother, fostering and rescuing dogs is one of the things on my "must-do" list before I die.

3. Physical therapist.  I'm a ridiculously clumsy person, and have broken two bones before.  I broke my left collar bone in 8th grade (playing Red Rover during gym class...), and my left wrist about a year and a half ago (I was playing with Pippin on our bed and fell off...).  I needed surgery on my wrist to pin the bone back in place, and after six weeks in a cast, I began physical therapy to get my strength and range of motion back (I'm a lefty, I should add).  I fell in love with physical therapy.  I loved all the exercises my physical therapist helped me do.  I loved watching my progress from session to session.  I enjoyed watching other patients at the clinic make progress.  The physical therapists were so fun, encouraging, and personable, and I found myself thinking about physical therapy as a career.  How rewarding it would be to help patients overcome trauma, injury, and accidents and gain some freedom back!!  I've always been interested in the medical field, but I'm insanely squeamish about blood, needles, etc., so physical therapy would be a good venue for me in the health care industry!

What would you do, if you could do anything?!

Five Days, Five Ways: Olive & Pink Floral Dress

It's Day Four of the Five Days, Five Ways challenge hosted by Whitney and Fran.  Today's item to remix is a dress!

I chose this colorful floral Target dress that I thrifted (new) from Goodwill.  It's one of my most worn dresses.  I usually just wear it with a cardigan (which I'm demonstrating here), but this challenge pushed me to try some new ways to wear it, too!

Denim jacket: Levi's Boots: Guess Necklace: From Mom

I just got my first denim jacket since I was little, and I knew it would get a lot of wear with my dresses. I kind of feel like a cowgirl in this outfit, but not in a costumey way.  I'd wear this dress to work or out on the weekends.  It would also look cute with some flats.

Cardigan: Target Tights: Target Boots: Target Necklace: From Mom

I first wore this outfit here, in the beginning of March.  It is a wintery way to wear this dress!  One of the reasons I like this dress so much is because it looks great with or without tights/leggings, and the colors are appropriate for year-round wear.

Vest: Old Navy Belt: Thrifted Sandals: Target

I thought I would try pairing my vest with this dress.  While I'm usually not one to wear lots of sleeveless things, I love the colors together here.  I can't wait to wear this outfit in the middle of summer when it's hot outside! 

Cardigan: Eddie Bauer, thrifted Belt: Target Flats: Target, thrifted NWT 

This is normally how I wear this dress in the spring and summer.  Easy: throw on a cardigan, some flats, and a belt for a little something extra.  I've also worn my coral cardigan and a camel cardigan with this dress, as well.  It is predictable, but it works.

Tee: Old Navy Belt: From a dress Flats: Payless

This outfit is the biggest stretch for me!  I've seen bloggers do this before (wear a dress as a skirt), but I've never tried it, for fear it wouldn't look good on my body.  I actually quite like how this turned out!  The color of this shirt looks nice with the colors in the dress, and the wide elastic belt kept the bottom of the shirt tucked in.  I'll have to try this look out again with other dresses and shirts!

There you have my five outfits with this dress!  Be sure to look at all the other bloggers linking up with Fran and Whitney this week.  There are some awesome looks being shared :)

Five Days, Five Ways: Teal Pants

It's the second day of Fran and Whitney's Five Days Five Ways challenge!  Today's challenge is to find multiple ways to wear a pair of pants.  I'm choosing to remix these teal pants.

Honestly, I completely forgot that I had these pants.  I bought them a while back at TJ Maxx after searching and searching for a pair of colored denim.  I wore them once with a chambray shirt in October, and had it in my head that they didn't fit me and were not flattering.  I was searching through my closet to decide what pants to wear for this challenge, and I found these again.  I put them on, and they fit, so I decided they would be the perfect pants to use for today!

Tee: Target Sandals: Target Necklace: From Mom

This is exactly the kind of outfit I can't wait to wear!  Spring better come soon, because I'm getting antsy to wear my tees and sandals!  I thought this was a nice, casual outfit - perfect to wear on the weekends, or out for lunch with friends. 

Shirt: Old Navy Wedges: Payless Necklace: F21

I would wear this outfit out on a date.  I'm not thrilled with the way this shirt photographs - in real life, it's a great dark gray color.  I also don't like this necklace with the outfit.  I think it might look better with a shorter necklace, or more of a pendant-type necklace.  I love the way these pants look with my new wedges, though! 

Sweater: Old Navy Boots: Target Necklace: Birthday gift from parents

I would wear this outfit to work, or on the weekends.  I've struggled a little bit about what to wear with this sweater (it's a black cable knit sweater, why is it so hard to wear?!), but I think they look great with these pants!  I also think I could have worn this outfit with a scarf (maybe leopard print?) and it would look great, too.

Shirt: Old Navy Cardigan: Thrifted Eddie Bauer Flats: Thrifted new Target stock

 Here is another springy outfit - very colorful!  I'm not usually one to wear lots of colors like this, but I thought I would push myself a little bit.  I've worn this shirt and cardigan together before, but usually only with regular denim.  These jeans are colorful but not too wild, so I think they go nicely together.  I also rolled up the pant legs a little bit for a more casual vibe.

Tank: Old Navy Blazer: Old Navy Flats: Payless Necklace: Birthday gift from parents

This is an outfit I would wear to work.  I really love teal and black together, and while I could have worn a solid colored tank or blouse, the stripes add a little visual interest.  I could also swap the blazer for a cardigan for a similar (perhaps slightly more casual) look.

There you have it!  My five ways to wear teal skinnies :)  What look do you like best?

Internships, Emojis, and Instagram

Cardigan: Target Tee: Hanes Trouser jeans: TJ Maxx Flats: Kohls Scarf: JCPenney

Sorry for my downer of a post yesterday!  I'm usually quite positive, but yesterday was simply overwhelming.  I have a huge sense of relief today, because I have been placed at my school counseling internship site!  Not knowing my internship site was a huge stressor for me, and I'm really excited about where I'll be interning next year.  Whew!!

I also just got an iPhone this weekend, and I've been having a blast with it.  I've been annoying all my friends and family by sending them pictorial descriptions of my day using emojis instead of words.  I think it's funny, but I'm sure they'll all get sick of it soon.  I've also decided I might hop on the Instagram train.  I'm on the fence...someone convince me one way or the other!!  What are your thoughts on Instagram?

Lovey Dovey

Cardigan: Eddie Bauer, thrifted Tank: Target Jeans: JCPenney Shoes: Born Necklace: From Mom

Valentine's kisses from Pippin!

Happy Valentine's Day!  I'm not a huge Valentine's Day celebrator, but I do enjoy the excuse to have a date with Kevin and wear pink, and the cheap candy tomorrow isn't all that bad either :)  I have class tonight, so we're going to have a late date and go get some frozen yogurt.

When I was taking pictures today, Pippin kept wanting to get in them.  She would sit at my feet and just stare at me.  I picked her up for one of the pictures, and right as the timer went off, she went in for a smooch!  Stinker.

What are you all doing for Valentine's Day?