A New Year

The funny thing about resolutions is that they are the epitome of the saying "easier said than done." Last year I set three resolutions. I had a few more written in a picture in my room, one of them being to eat more fruits and veggies. I did follow through on that one. I did not however run a half marathon, and I'm not fully comfortable saying I learned how to budget either (read: I totally didn't.) That being said, I definitely did read more than I usually do in a year-- which isn't saying much, but it's a start! 

This year is a pretty big year for me. I'll be graduating college in five months, I'm officially on the hunt for a job and a new city to explore, and I'm just very excited for the year ahead. Every 2015 horoscope I've read has said I'm going to have a great year, which I am 100% hoping actually happens. 2014 was fun, but stressful. I stretched myself too thin for the majority of the year, and needless to say, I can't wait to have a 9 to 5 where afterwards, I can just go home and sit on my couch. No more homework! No more internship work! Maybe I'll have a cute lil' work desk! Hooray for naïveté, it's going to get me through the year.

I took a few days to come up with my resolutions following the new year. It's hard to come up with goals when you don't know where your life is going to take you! But I think I've got it down.

So there ya have it. I figure reading 12 books means I'll definitely read more this year... a book a month! Sounds good, doesn't it? And this will be the year of saving because now I actually really need to... Anyone else with me on that one? ;)

What are your resolutions for 2015?

xo

2014 Style Resolutions

How cute is this sketch from Inslee?! I love all of her drawings, and may or may not like every single Instagram photo she posts (#notashamed). While clothes have always more or less been an obsession of mine, I am still in the process of building my perfect wardrobe. Actually, I feel like I only just started taking the matter seriously this summer after developing an obsession with blogs. Ask my friends... Boring classes where we were allowed to use our laptops, I was reading life advice (among other things...) on The College Prepster and admiring just how perfect Sarah Vickers wardrobe is on Classy Girls Wear Pearls. My two favorite blogs. Easily. (Honorable mention: Design Darling... also rapidly becoming a favorite!)

That being said, taking all I've learned from the countless hours I've spent online shopping and obsessing over style bloggers' looks, I've developed some style resolutions for 2014! But if we're being honest here, how well I carry through with these resolutions all depends on how I manage learning to budget...

The higher the heel, the closer to heaven?

Emily + heels = a joke. But actually, I kid you not. I'm 5'8", where I live isn't necessarily an environment that calls for heels, and half the year we have snow anyways. Heeled boots? I can do. Wedges? I got it. Actual big girl heels? Disaster.

In 2014, I'm hoping to finally conquer the heel situation. The J. Crew Etta Pumps are so adorable, and I've been wanting them for months. "Heels for the girl who wears only flats..." Sounds like a good starting place, right?

Only Style Remains the Same...

When I was growing up, I constantly felt the pressure to go along with all the trends. Now looking back at old pictures I wonder why in the world I would ever  wear a shirt sporting Aeropostale's take on the monkey. I cringe thinking about it. And while I still fall victim to the occasional trend (peplums will never flatter me...), I feel like I'm on the way to developing my own style.

I had to learn the hard way to not invest in trends that come and go, and to invest my money in classic pieces. How much money I've wasted on items I literally never wear is actually depressing. My goal for 2014 is to be extra cautious of what I'm buying. I firmly believe that things you love are worth investing in (and that doesn't just apply to clothes!). So hopefully when 2015 rolls around I'll have a closet to die for!

Make a Statement

I love statement pieces, but I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate them into my wardrobe. A pop of color, a piece of jewelry, a bag with character... I love it all. I want it all. Figuring out what I can and can't pull off is going to be a lot of fun this year! Thank goodness for honest friends, right?

This doesn't just apply to necklaces or jewelry. Experimenting with different lip colors, breaking out the green coat in the middle of winter (I fell in love with one this summer in Zara...), and taking chances with your wardrobe are all ways to grow! I'm getting excited just thinking about it. I own nothing leopard print. I've been eyeing these flats from J. Crew for weeks, but they're not like anything else I'd wear. People say leopard print is a neutral; for me it's like "Woah, watch out! She's trying something new!" But, maybe it's worth the risk? I could totally rock it.

xoxo

Monday Inspiration: A New Year

Happy Monday everyone! While New Year's isn't my favorite holiday, I can't help but love the fresh start that it brings. There are two times of the year where I feel like almost anything is possible-- at the start of January and at the start of the school year in late August/early September. The real question is how long I keep up with the goals I set for myself, although last year I didn't do so bad with my resolutions so I guess you never really know!

I usually wait until the very last minute to jot down ideas for resolutions and then I quickly pick three to focus on. Any more than three and you can forget about any kind of productivity in the resolution realm. This year, I've been thinking quite a bit on what I hope to accomplish in 2014. And I have to say, I'm kind of very excited for this year.

So, here's what I hope to achieve in 2014!

1. Run a half marathon.

I did a leg of the Burlington Marathon last May, and I had a lot of fun with it. I always forget how good of a stress reliever running is. I just feel so much more sane when I'm on a steady running schedule, and I thought that aiming for a half marathon by the time 2015 rolls around would be a good way to get back on stay on track.

2. Read more.

I've been browsing Go Book Yourself for books to read this coming year. The majority of my downtime is spent watching bad TV and browsing the internet for something interesting. Needless to say, my brain cells are rotting and I should probably start investing more of my time in reading a good book. Good thing I got a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas!

Life After Life

This book sounds so interesting. I've always been really attracted to the idea of all the different courses a person's life can take, and after reading this book's description, it's definitely on my list of things to read.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

I can't believe I haven't read this. No explanation is necessary for why this made my list, right?

Divergent

Confession time. I didn't even know this was a thing until I saw the movie trailer. But the trailer convinced me to read the book so... here it is.

3. Learn how to budget.

If you haven't caught on to my constant mentioning of how poor I am, then I'm honestly surprised. I don't know how I'm going to afford to feed myself next year when I'm living in an apartment. Although I'm fully aware that I live way above my means, and therefore I blame myself for the money predicament I commonly find myself in.

My favorite blogger, Carly at The College Prepster, shared this savings plan in a post she did last month. I automatically knew that it was something I wanted to do in the new year because I figure that my lack of ability to save is at the core of my budgeting problem.

Wish me luck!

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Monday Inspiration: Begin Again

Happy Monday lovelies! I hope your weekends were filled with holiday magic and a lot of fun. My weekend, however, was low key. Iced in thanks to this ice storm that's hit New England, I resorted to baking abundant amounts of Christmas cookies and willing my mouth to heal. Friday night, I was able to get down macaroni and cheese-- very possibly the highlight of my week. (Spending a week slurping down smoothies and pudding that soon became tasteless would make you appreciate mac and cheese too...) 

Now that I am finally feeling better, I'm excited to start getting back into some kind of productive routine. Sitting on the couch reading blogs for hours on end makes me happy, but my parents? Not so much. 

With the new year less than a week away, I'm starting to think about my resolutions. Last year, I followed Lauren Conrad's advice and framed my goals for 2013-- something I will most definitely be doing again this year. Set by my bedside, they were a reminder every day of what I wanted to achieve this year, and I have to say I'm excited to start on my 2014 resolutions.

Last year when I wrote my resolutions, I didn't focus on what would make me appear better to my friends or my peers. I really focused on what I thought would help make me a happier person. And I didn't overload my expectations for the year, which made my resolutions so much more achievable.

In 2013, I promised to:

1. Eat more fruits and veggies. Check!

2. Get organized. Check!

3. Focus on being optimistic. Check!

It's so crazy to me how big a difference a year can make. How big a difference six months can make, really! So much has changed, but for the better. I can't wait to see what 2014 holds. 

I saw this list of resolutions on Pinterest, and I think they're all really great ideas. It made me smile because when I looked at it, I found I had also checked off a lot more of the "More" list than the "Less" list.  

Resolutions for a lot of people tend to be something they dedicate themselves to, then get discouraged and forget about. Resolutions that are intimidating won't get you anywhere, or at least they never got me anywhere. Focus on realistic and achievable goals, and give them some real thought. You never know what changes you could make in a year!

I have some sort of idea for what my 2014 resolutions will be, but stay tuned... I'm not telling just yet!