Neck and Neck Scarf

I have always loved vintage fashion and I have been watching some of my favorite bloggers pulling off neck scarves for a while now, so I decided to give it my best effort in today's blog post. There is something about the neck scarf that makes me feel effortlessly fashionable and I felt like there was an extra bit of chic-ness in my step as I walked around in this outfit. I paired the scarf with an fit and flare dress (one of my go-to silhouettes) and my new favorite pair of heeled sandals which I found at Roses for only $17! Overall, this outfit was simple to put together and made me feel great, which is the best of both worlds in my opinion. 

It Was All Yellow

I am not being sponsored by any of the brands mentioned in this post. All opinions expressed are my own. 

     With this warm weather, I'm getting back into the swing of wearing bright colors and I'm loving it! Recently, Adore Me asked me to share with you all my perfect date night outfit, and as summer is approaching this felt like the perfect time to reveal my choice. I'm normally a pretty girly dresser, but I also live in constant fear that I will be inappropriately dressed on first dates (no one wants to find out they have to sit on the ground after choosing to wear a short dress), so I tend to tone my look down and go more casual with a pair of jeans or shorts. The top and shoes still communicated my feminine style and I keep the accessories simple with my staples: my Kendra Scott necklace and a gold pair of hoops. 

      However, nothing makes me feel more comfortable and confident than a bra that actually fits. For my 18th birthday all I asked my mom for was to get fitted for a nice bra. Actually finding out my size changed my life. It might seem like I'm exaggerating but for reference I thought I was a 36 D and I am a 40 B. As great as it felt to finally have the proper support, I soon found that very few places A) carry my size and B) those that do usually only have plain t-shirt bras. So the fun of buying cute bras went away. However, Adore Me is not like that. Not only do they carry my "weird" size, but they carry it in a large selection of types and styles. For much of my life, I have found that clothes are not made to fit me, which can be disheartening when you are obsessed with fashion. Adore Me knows better and recognizes that fashion belongs to everyone, and I commend them for that. Down below, you will find some of my favorite selections from Adore Me's site that I think would make any girl feel confident on her first date. We all deserve to feel beautiful and amazing and if a cute bra and underwear set can give you that extra push, then wear it for you.

Adore Me

Adore Me

Adore Me

Find your own favorites here: https://www.adoreme.com/bras-and-panties

20 before 20: Update

1. Visit a New State

So far, I have not visited a new state and I have no plans to. Everything has been really hectic this year and with so much of my money going (and my parents money) going towards my trip to Ireland, it doesn't look like this one is going to happen. I'm not that bummed, because Ireland is such a big deal, so I at least will have gone somewhere new!

2. Get my Second Piercing

I finally did it this January and I love it! It looks so good and did not hurt as much as I thought it would, though I was still a wimp. 

3. Go Abroad 

Also in January, I went to Ireland! Be on the lookout for a blog post with all of the pictures from my time there.

4. Vote

I did my civic duty and voted this year. I did not expect myself to get as involved as I did in the election, but I ended up helping my friend Anna at her local polling spot.

5. Dye My Hair

I did this literally at the last minute and I love it!

6. Write a Love Letter to Myself to Open in 10 Years

This was one of the easier things on this list, but I think it may have been one of the deepest activities. Lots of self reflection.

7. Read At Least One Book a Month

Sooo I ended up skipping the month of July, but then I read two books in August so I'm giving myself some leeway here and calling it a success!

8. Make a Blanket Fort and Watch Movies in it

I never got around to doing this, which honestly saddens me a little bit.

9. Be Published in Some Way Shape or Form

I wrote an article for the school paper! Maybe not what I had in mind, but a success none-the-less.

10. Write in a Journal Everyday

This is a no-go folks. I have a lot of journals, but can't do it everyday. It does not come very naturally to me, so I gave up to early.

11. Learn ASL

The more I go through this list, the more I realize I haven't done very much of this.

12. Stay Active

Hey look, I did one. Can you say, Zumba is kicking my butt.

13. Volunteer More

I did and I will be volunteering again as I travel to DC over spring break to help feed the homeless.

14. Eat Sushi

Not surprisingly I did the sushi one pretty early on. However I have recently kicked up my sushi per month quota, so this was definitely a success.

15. Visit the Edgar Allan Poe Museum

I did it! I have the pictures to prove it, only I broke my SD card...

16. Recreate Childhood Photos. 

So I did not recreate childhood photos, but a few months after this post I realized I looked a lot more like my grandmother than I had realized. So rather than recreate photos that already had me in them, I did my best to recreate a photo of my Nanny.  

17. Get a Member of Each Fraternity and Sorority on Campus to Come to Small Group

This did not happen, but I am still hopeful that it will happen one day.

18. Stay Up All Night

I did this one, more than once, and I regretted it each time...  But hey, at least I experienced it.

19. Log Off of Social Media for a Day

I did this and it was way harder than I thought it would be. I'm glad that I did it and might even try to do this more often.

20. Keep My Plants Alive

I did this, but only with the help of God above because logically they should have died at least 50 times this year.

I did 14 out of 20, which is not a fantastic percent (70%), however 19 was a pretty good year for me, and I don't feel as if my life was stunted by the things I didn't do. Hopefully my 21 before 21, which you can find here, will be moer successful and an even better year!

Child's Play

There's something about a good pair of overalls, or an overall-dress for that matter, that makes me feel like a kid again. The huge flower pots at the VMFA seemed perfect for creating that child-like vibe my outfit was giving me. I paired it with my The 1975 shirt and white converse, for a pastel outfit. This is definitely not my usual style, but I was dying to wear this DIYed dress, and I think it worked out great.

School is officially a month away, and I am so excited! I've gotten all of my school supplies, I've started to order my books, and I am well on my way towards being ready for move-in day. My family and I just got back from vacation, which I followed up with training for my new job at school, so I am ready for my life to start moving forward again.

White Pants, Green Door

Usually, I hate the idea of pants in the Summer, but there was something about these white jeggings that made me give it a try. Honestly? I do not understand how people wear pants all day during the summer, when I took these at night and was sweating, but to each his own, I guess! They made for a cute outfit so I was willing to suffer through the pain. I paired it with a tank top, that I bought ages ago but hadn't worn once yet, and my beloved hat, that I also do not wear enough. This outfit makes me feel like a fashionable tourist or like I should be getting brunch with my girlfriends, and truthfully that is how I want to feel everyday. 

Beach Vibes Only

Ever since I've come home from school, I've wanted nothing more than to let my inner-hippie fly and dress for the beach everyday. Growing up on the water, I never really did capitalize on the beaches near my house, yet there is something about this year that has me longing to be out there reading a book everyday. From now on I'll be living in cutoff shorts and this light-weight shirt.

I haven't posted since March, which is definitely due to poor planning and hopefully will not happen again (or at least for a very long time). However, I'm finally done with school and am now starting to work over the summer for the upcoming school year. I also have crossed some items off of my 20 before 20, which I hope to share with everyone soon! 

20 before 20

Yesterday, I entered my last year as a teenager. I know everyone says it, but I really cannot believe how fast time has gone. The question has been asked, "does nineteen feel different," and honestly as with any age, the answer is of course, "no." However, I will admit that there is a sense of urgency with this age, as if suddenly it has occurred to me that I am steps away from adulthood. It has been brought to my attention that there are multiple things, (lets say 20), that I have wanted to do for a while now, but have been putting off. So, I've decided to put a deadline on myself I have until I turn 20 to try and do each of these things, and my hope is that this blog will hold me accountable to it. That being said, here are my 20 Things to Do Before I Turn 20.

1. Visit a New State

I love to travel, but for most of my life, I have only visited the same three or four states, repeatedly. Ideally, I want to venture off of the East Coast, but there are still some states along the Eastern Seaboard that I haven't seen, and would love to. Regardless, I want to see a new state in the coming year.

2. Get my Second Piercing

I was going to get my second hole pierced in my ear on my 18th birthday, the first day I would not need my parent's permission for this, but I chickened out. I will not chicken out this year, folks. (I might but I am going to do my best not to.) 

3. Go Abroad

Hopefully January of 2017 I will be studying abroad, making it the first time in my 19 years that I have left the country. I am a hopeless wanderer, and it makes me so excited about learning a new culture and being in a new country/continent. If I do not do this,  I will be extremely angry at myself.

4. Vote

This year is the presidential election. I will be doing my civic duty and voting.

5. Dye My Hair

I have also been saying I am going to do this for the past year or so, and I am finally going to go to the store, and buy the hair dye that will most likely make me cry when I see how badly I did, but I am going to give it my best shot! I'm thinking ombre.

6. Write a Love Letter to Myself to Open in 10 Years

It's been a long process of learning to love myself over these past few years, and I want to remind myself of that when I am 30. Thirty, flirty, and thriving.

7. Read At Least One Book a Month

I've really fallen out of reading for fun, and I want to get back into that. It's sad to say that my goal is one book a month, but life is busy, y'all. Also I have 19 other things to do.

8. Make a Blanket Fort and Watch Movies in it

Just because I'm technically adult, does not mean that I cannot watch movies in a blanket fort with my friends. Alex, it's happening. 

9. Be Published in Some Way Shape or Form

A magazine, online publication, newspaper, something! My career is not going to wait for me, I have to go out and get it. Also, I feel like I need this validation... I'm kidding, mostly.

10. Write in a Journal Everyday

This is going to help me become a better writer, but also is a great way to destress and reflect. Sounds like exactly what I need.

11. Learn ASL

I am honestly fascinated by American Sign Language, and have picked up words and phrases here and there, but I want to be able to communicate more proficiently. 

12. Stay Active

Or maybe, get active? I want to do one thing a day that I personally would consider active. I'm not planning on running a half marathon here.

13. Volunteer More

I volunteered a lot more in high school than I have since coming to college, and I want to get back into that. It's such a great way to do good and feel good, and I need more of that in my life.

14. Eat Sushi

I never have, and according to all of my friends I'm missing out. I plan on at least giving it a try, but I make no promises about liking it.

15. Visit the Edgar Allan Poe Museum

It's 20 minutes away, I'm a huge nerd, and I still haven't been there. This is officially my life goal and I must accomplish it. 

16. Recreate Childhood Photos. 

This will allow me to reminicse, probably give them to my mom as a present (forget you read that, mom...), and spend quality time with
my family. Plus, I really love pictures. I see no downside. 

17. Get a Member of Each Fraternity and Sorority on Campus to Come to Small Group

Recently, my Alpha Gam sister, Lindsay, and I started a bible study small group for members of Fraternity and Sorority life, and it went really well. We had four different organizations represented, but I would love to see each Greek organization on campus represented.

18. Stay Up All Night

I know this will shock my parents, but I have never pulled an all-nighter. As much as I love sleep, this seems impossible, but I want to give it the old college try. (Literally, it's probably going to be because of homework that I'm up all night, so the old college try is pretty accurate.)  

19. Log Off of Social Media for a Day

I am always on social media, so the idea of being free from it for 24 hours seems pretty hard, but I want to prove that I can do it. Plus, I'm sure it would be great for my mental health.

20. Keep My Plants Alive

So far I have one that looks like it's gone for good and another that is still alive but barely breathing. Basically, I'm a plant murderer, and I want to keep my garden alive and thriving by the time I'm 20. 

Hopefully I will accomplish everything on this list, and frankly some of these are too easy not to achieve, but they are the things that I want to do in the next year of my life. It's going to be really busy and I'm rarely going to have a chance to slow down, but that's the best part.