Style

Six Years Later: How I’m Using the Stylebook App

August 13, 2020

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More than six years ago, as I was still adjusting to life after college, I downloaded an app to help me organize my closet. Well, I downloaded two apps, compared them in a massive blog post, and chose one to use moving forward: Stylebook.

To be honest, I’m not sure I expected to still be using the app six years later. But I am. In fact, it’s pinned to the bottom of my iPhone so I have easy access to it, no matter which screen I’m on.

Now that I’ve got six years of use under my belt (and more than 1,100 days of continuous calendar recording!), I thought it would be helpful to provide an update on the original post about what features I’m still using every single day.

Nail Polish Colors for Summer

June 23, 2020

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I love a good nail polish. And while I have no problem wearing my favorite shades any day of the year, I really enjoy being able to match my nails to the season I’m in.

Lucky for me, we just entered summer, one of the most colorful seasons of the year! With so many options, it can get a bit intimidating… so I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite shades to rock this summer.

My Cold-Weather Clothing Picks

February 17, 2020

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I’ve been working from home for almost two years, but it wasn’t until this past summer that I embraced my work-from-home lifestyle and stopped trying to “get dressed” for work.

It’s a top productivity tip: even if you work from home, get dressed for work like you’re going into the office.

I know that tip works for some people, and I’m so glad it does! But I’ve tried to force it for a while and it just doesn’t work for me. I’ve come to embrace my best work-from-home wardrobe: leggings (because I sit cross-legged at my desk and it puts too much strain on less-stretchy fabrics like jeans) and a top that’s warm and cozy but still presentable for video conferences.

Recent Returns

February 14, 2020

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Since moving to Kalamazoo, Sean and I have become a bit more financially stable, which means we can finally treat ourselves to some fun spending without (too much) guilt.

Of course, with an increase in spending (especially online spending) comes an increase in returns. I thought it would be fun to do a roundup of things I’ve purchased recently and then promptly returned. A reverse favorites post, if you will!

The Small Switch that Enabled Me to Paint My Nails as Often as I Want

November 12, 2019

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For the past decade or so, I’ve *wanted* to be the girl with nicely painted nails. I blame a lot of this on Randi, who had a collection of nearly 100 Essie bottles when we lived together in college. It was so pretty, and it always seemed like such a treat to have nicely painted nails.

Why I Didn’t Want a Real Diamond in My Engagement Ring

October 26, 2015

As you may have heard, Sean and I got engaged back in September, and I couldn’t be happier!

One question I got quite a bit when we first got engaged was whether or not the diamond is real. Most people were joking, and they weren’t expecting me to say that it isn’t. But I didn’t want a real diamond in my engagement ring.

The Pros and Cons of a Capsule Wardrobe

September 25, 2015

Capsule wardrobes have been all the rage for the past few years. When I first heard about them, I thought “good for her. not for me.” There’s no way I would be able to do that. Right? Wrong.

I didn’t transition into a capsule wardrobe overnight, and I don’t recommend anyone does. It’s a fairly emotional experience, and some of the decisions take some time to finalize.

While some people have a much more extreme capsule wardrobe than I do, I’m still proud of the progress I’ve made. I’ve probably cut my wardrobe in half over the last year, and I’m actually feeling better about the clothes that I own.

But there must be a catch, right? A little bit. Here are the pros and cons of a capsule wardrobe.

DIY Heel Decorating with ShoeLicks

May 18, 2015

As I’ve discussed many times before, I’m trying out a capsule wardrobe.

I’m trying to keep trendy clothing and patterns out of my wardrobe as best I can, which has been great for my wallet. But other times it’s been, well, boring.

Easy (and cheap) solution to that problem? ShoeLicks!

Product Review: Kelly Moore + A Beautiful Mess Bag

April 20, 2015

As you may have noticed on Instagram and some previous blog posts, I got a new camera bag!

I’ve been eying the Kelly Moore + A Beautiful Mess bag for a while now. I’d been using the ONA Any Bag Camera Bag Insert inside one of the weekender bags I got in Uganda. I really love the bag, and the ONA Insert worked great, but it was far from professional. It was time for an upgrade.

The only problem: it’s expensive. And I spent $80 on the ONA Insert not too long ago, so the idea of dishing out another $229 made my bank account hurt.

Luckily, good karma finally caught up with me, and $250 basically fell into my lap. But that’s a story for another day.

My 5 Favorite Pieces of Clothing

March 27, 2015

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Capsule wardrobes are super popular right now, especially in the blogging community. If you haven’t heard of them, it’s when you clean out your closet and take out everything but the bare essentials. Then, you bring in color and trends through your accessories.

Well, now that I’m sharing my apartment (read: closet) with Sean, I figured it was time to give it a try.

I didn’t stick to any rules, per se, but I took out trendier pieces and anything I didn’t wear regularly.

I’ve still got some color and pattern, but there’s a whole lot less of it.

After all, there are only so many days between laundry cycles. How many pieces of clothing do you really need? Especially if you accessorize and layer well. Shoot, I wore the same dress 10 times in one month and no one noticed.

I’ve gotten rid of more than half of my wardrobe. Wowza.

I’d like to highlight my five favorite pieces. These ones weren’t even close to being considered when I was getting rid of stuff.

Fitbit Charge, Charge HR, and Surge: Which one is best?

January 14, 2015

I, like most people, made being healthier one of my New Year’s Resolutions.

I knew I wanted a fitness tracker, and after months of deliberating, I decided on the Fitbit.

The next problem: which one did I want?

I knew I wanted something that I could wear on my wrist, so the Zip and One were off the table. I also knew that if I was going to wear it on my wrist every day, it better have a clock on it, so the Flex was out, too. The ones left, then, were the Charge, Charge HR, and Surge.

At the time, only the Fitbit Charge was available, so I bought it, figuring I might return it when the Charge HR and Surge come out.

They came out the day after I got the Charge in the mail. Womp.

Sean convinced me to get both the Charge HR and the Surge, try all three out, and decide after using them which one I like the best. I could then return the other two.

He’s such a bad influence on me.

So, here’s what I thought of each one.

#30DaysNoShopping Update

November 25, 2014

Today marks Day 30 of the #30DaysNoShopping Challenge.

And if you follow me on Instagram, you know I failed.

I was going strong until my friend Kenzie invited me to the mall on Day 20.

I had to get an outfit for my work Christmas party, which is on December 6. Normally I would have been able to wait, but the two stores we stopped at (H&M and Forever 21) have such quick turn-around with their selections that I didn’t want to risk it.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

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