I’m not immune to any of ads that we all get on social media. I’ll admit that I kinda want to try everything that comes across my timeline- from health pills to face masks to bodysuits. Even the stool that helps you do a head stand? I kinda want that- and to be able to do all the workouts and the head stands! I see all the ads, and I have to say- there are some that have been so persuasive that I can’t resist. One such ad? The one for the Versed Resurfacing Mask!
While, I’m a fan of most face masks (and attempt to do them regularly), this Versed mask is a bit magical. It’s simple to use (truly, just put it on and let the mask work, then wipe it off!) and leaves my skin glowing, hydrated- and after regular use, I’m noticing a difference in my dark spots. I typically use it while I brush my teeth, etc, or while in a bath- at least 1-2 times a week.
Weirdly, that’s almost exactly what the ad promised me. And yet, I have been so happily surprised that this mask worked. Is it because we’re (I mean I’m) wary of ads? Even when the product advertised is one we (again, me!) really thinks we may want? Then how do we decide which ads to take a chance on- aka let the ad make us buy- and which ads to ignore?
This Versed mask was a low stake investment -under $20- so while an ad made me buy it, I felt as if it was something that I might also be tempted by at the store (Versed is carried online and at Target and Ulta- and yes, I’ve linked this exact mask and other Versed products I’m loving below!). So, what swayed me was the ad, and the brand recognition (I had seen Versed at Target and tried one of their serums before), and the fact that I wasn’t going to sink too much money into it. After using the Versed Resurfacing mask- I have to say, I don’t regret letting the ad make me buy it at all.
So, the next time an ad makes me want to buy something? I don’t know. Of course, it could depend on a lot- price, brand, need, etc. But I have to say, having a not bad experience with a product that I saw a social media ad for has me feeling a bit optimistic. Have you ever bought anything from a social media ad? What was your experience?
Also- the opinions here are completely my own, the Versed mask was not gifted, and I really did buy the mask from an ad! I’ve listed it here for you and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it!
XO RA
note: This post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!
I’ve always have had an interesting relationship with Valentine’s Day. Not that I don’t love love- and want it celebrated- but, as much as my life is public, and I’m a trained performer, I’ve not always liked how performative Valentine’s can feel. As in, yes buy me flowers but buy me flowers because you want to, not so I’ll post them.
However, while there were years that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Valentine’s, that’s slowly changing. Maybe it’s Galentine’s and celebrating with friends, maybe it’s because after being at home, any and every excuse to celebrate love, or maybe it’s because I also get into self love (aka buy myself flowers and usually new shoes). Whatever it is, Valentine’s is a fun holiday, and I’m all for us having fun. And getting presents.
It may seem weird that I’m doing a gift guide, as I also usually find gift guides lacking, as in my opinion, the best gifts are the most personal. However, taking the viewpoint that this is a fun holiday to be celebrated, I’ve gone on and rounded up some of my favorites of the “usual” gifts- jewelry, bags, heart themed things, etc -though note, these are mainly for you or the women in your life. The men in your life? Ask them what they want (though some men in my life really love flowers!)
Beyond these options, I think it’s a great time to buy yourself a little something -from flowers to that thing on your wishlist- but I also love these bags, shoes, lingerie and necklaces! I hope that you find something you love or something someone you love would love! Without further ado, these are my gifts I’m loving for Valentine’s Day!
Note: This post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!
Gift of Scent
While I’ve a go-to scent for years (Allure by Chanel), lately I’ve been loving experimenting with other scents. There are so many great deals on mini perfumes (so you can give a lot) or gift sets that are incredibly special. Either would make great Valentine’s gifts!
shop my scent picks here
Heart Print
I think that you have to be picky about your heart items. Some of them are a little too saccharine for me, while others are so chic. Yet, I also love dressing to a theme. These are some of my favorite heart socks, sweaters, bags, and shoes! From simple red to patterns, I love them all.
Shop these here and here
Gift of Bling
You can never, ever go wrong with diamonds. And from necklaces to earrings, these are some of my favorites that I know you and yours will love.
For You
From sleep sets to pretty underthings, you’ll love these laces and satins. And if you choose to share these gifts, I’m sure they’ll love them too!
Shop these gifts for you here
What are you doing for Valentine’s? And are you gifting anything special to anyone -including you?
I can’t wait to hear about it all!
XO RA
Maybe it’s the time of year, but I’m feeling a bit uninspired and my go-to solution is to buy new things. From shoes to bags to dresses, pants, and more. My going theory is that new will inspire me, make getting dressed more fun, and get me out of the winter blahs. Yet. I know that new isn’t always the answer- and that really, my closet(s) full of clothes have so much potential in them. The trick is getting me to use what I have, instead of reaching for the new. Looking for help and inspiration in making new with clothes I already have, I loved this Harper’s Bazaar article by Megan Doyle, about getting the revamp feeling without buying anything! While some of these practices aren’t for me, I love that the heart of the piece focuses on what stories we want to tell with our fashion, and finding those in our closet.
While I’ve reprinted the article below, you can read it here as well.
I would love to know- how do you deal with the urge to buy a ton new at this time of year?
XO RA
How to revamp your wardrobe without buying anything new
Stuck in a rut? A sustainable fashion stylist could help you rediscover your personal style
BY MEGAN DOYLE
7 OCT 2022
If you ever stare into a packed wardrobe and think “I’ve got nothing to wear!” you’re not alone. According to research on hundreds of wardrobes by sustainable fashion brand Pareto, we only wear 20 per cent of our wardrobes 80 per cent of the time. If you’re in a style rut, the answer doesn’t have to be a shopping spree. Instead, many women are turning to sustainable stylists to help them rediscover their personal style using what they already have in their wardrobes.
There are plenty of reasons that we end up with a wardrobe full of the “wrong” clothes, from relentless advertising on social media to rapid trend cycles that keep us constantly buying new clothes, regardless of whether they fit our style.
“In this age of information, it’s very hard to decipher what thoughts are truly our own, never mind our style, so it’s more important than ever that women go on a journey to discover what optimises their body, creativity and soul,” says Kerry Wilde, a UK-based sustainable fashion stylist and creator of the Embodied Soul Style Method.
Sustainable stylists offer a range of services to help their clients to discover the hidden potential of their wardrobes, like one-on-one sessions, group workshops, online courses, Youtube tutorials, questionnaires and more.
“I am interested in how to decouple your personal style from consumption, because we’re so hardwired for it,” says Alyssa Beltempo, a Canadian sustainable stylist. “Fashion is something that helps us both as individuals to express ourselves, but it also helps us feel like we belong. Our style evolves all the time, but I think it takes a bit of work, introspection, and knowing who you are. There are a lot of reflective pieces to it, like who do you want to be?”
People often turn to styling during a transitional phase of their life. Perhaps they’ve had a baby, are starting or changing their career, or going through a break up. “They want to feel like themselves,” explains Sam Weir, who runs her sustainable styling company called Lotte V.1 in New York. “It’s fun to be part of the process of them developing their career, their relationships, and making sure their clothing matches the image that they’re building towards.”
To uncover or rediscover your personal style, our stylists suggest coming up with a list of words to describe what you’re looking for. Don’t just think about aesthetics, but also the feeling you want to get from your clothes. “It’s really about figuring out who you are, who you want to present to the world, and then you can create a picture of your personal style,” says Beltempo. “Forget about camouflaging your mid-section — do you want to highlight your personality? Your smile? Your legs? Start from there,” she says.
On the rare occasion the stylists want their client to buy something, it’s because of that piece’s potential to unlock far more outfit options in their wardrobe.
“I’m not against shopping completely, I’m against overconsumption and a lack of thought when shopping,” says Weir. She sources the pieces for clients, always opting for secondhand clothing, and shares a care guide with clients too. “It’s not just about styling, we have to make sure all these pieces are taken care of so you can continue to wear them. These are forever pieces and I want them to take care of it.”
In some ways, a styling session can feel like therapy. “My services are about inspiring women to better understand their own unique language of style, embracing who they are now, healing body shame, shedding what no longer works, releasing old identities and returning to a style that evokes truth and authenticity,” says Wilde. “I think our relationship with clothing is deeper than we see on the surface and so grabbing a journal and beginning the process of unpacking what’s hidden beneath can be a cathartic way to tap into ‘who you think you are’ and what’s relevant for you now, here, today.”
Rarely do our sustainable stylists encourage clients to throw away clothing, adding to the mountains of textile waste already polluting the world. “The only reason I would encourage someone to get rid of something is the fit, if we can’t make sense of this for your body, that’s when it should be moved out of your wardrobe,” says Weir. She recommends gifting or selling before donating your unloved items to reduce the pressure on charities. “There are so many creative ways we can use these clothes before we donate.”
Hiring a sustainable stylist is an investment that isn’t always accessible, so if you’re not ready to take the plunge, why not download a wardrobe organising app like OpenWardrobe or Whering, which digitises your clothes and uses an algorithm to formulate outfit ideas. Whatever way you do it, taking stock of your style is an ongoing practice that will serve you in every stage of life.
“Taking time to re-wire our personal style and therefore buying decisions is well worth the investment as it reduces the consequences of an over-cluttered wardrobe bulging with unwanted clothes,” says Wilde. “If you learn how to move your wardrobe around and make it work more for you, the results can be transformational.”
Note: This is a repost from Fashoinista, you can see the original here. The author is Maura Brannigan and when I read it I fell in love. Many of us suffer with anxiety and depression. I’m not immune to that. My anxiety can make many things difficult, and there are times when planning my outfits gives me peace. There are also times when I hyper focus on how I look- from my skin to my hair to all the things from how my jeans fit, etc. Ritual and routine, aka skincare, can be so soothings- especially when we can see results! Which is why I’m thrilled to announce I’ve partnered with CosmeticRx, which offers prescriptions on RetinA and Latisse (And I’m in love with skin care that means we look amazing without makeup!). You can use code INVESTMENTPIECE for $19 RetinA (and strength) and Latisse monthly orders starting at $89! This article, and these products, really speak and help me – and I hope they do the same for you! XO RA
When I was in fourth grade, I realized I could not, for lack of a better phrase, see shit. It occurred to me abruptly, in the middle of a math lesson. My table was in the mid-back of the classroom, and as my teacher was doing whatever she was doing on the overhead projector, I began panicking when things I should have been able to read appeared blurry, like someone had sneakily slid Vaseline over my eyeballs at recess. My tiny body felt hot and immobile, suddenly much too big for its chair; if I willed myself just so, I wondered, could I drop through the linoleum and leave a searing hole in my place? At least that way, none of my classmates would have to see me in the inevitable, which I knew to be glasses.
Sure enough: I emerged from LensCrafters several days later, bummed about my newfound ailment but also absolutely amazed at the detail I could now see. (“Leaves!” I remember announcing to my dad as we left the store. “They look like that?!”)
I see now that this was, probably, one of my earlier panic attacks. There were other incidents, too, like my first day of kindergarten when I sat alone, my social anxiety revving up while I silently, maniacally brainstormed conversation topics I could present to my new peers. My anxiety has always been there. It sits on my shoulder, alerts me that something is off and then vacates the building. It is very flighty. But it has legs.
Like so many people with anxiety, or with depression, or with any number of mood disorders, I find my security in plans. I’ve never met a list I didn’t just devour. And as with so many others, my anxiety is often triggered when I’m thrown off schedule. When I sense my symptoms — sometimes mental, like a weird, morose dread, or sometimes physical, like shortness of breath or stomach knots — I take comfort in pattern. Much has been said in recent years about how elaborate beauty routines, sometimes Korean ones, can help fight depression. I get that wholly.
When I was younger (and there was also much less visibility surrounding mental health), I deduced on my own that if I could regulate every last element of what was happening on the outside of my body, it could have lasting effects on what was going on inside that makes me want to barrel through floors. Even today, my obsession with the fashion and beauty industries is inextricably linked to my expectation that looking nice, looking exactly what I want to look like, will leave me, finally, feeling at ease.
The degree to which I go about planning is methodical at one end of the spectrum and neurotic at the other. There was the year that “The Parent Trap” was released on VHS, and my 10-year-old brain became so embarrassingly infatuated with Hallie Parker that I took pen-to-paper notes on her wardrobe each time I watched. There was my first day of seventh grade in which, after a summer of intensive mood-boarding, I showed up to school in a truly wild, 1970s-inspired ensemble complete with bell bottoms and brown suede boots. My efforts backfired, and I was snickered at with such gusto that I felt I had no choice but to change into my gym clothes. (I wasn’t so much upset, per se, as I was frustrated that my classmates didn’t yet know how to appreciate a proper “lewk.”) There was the month-long stretch — I was, maybe, 15 — when I decided having Pantene Pro-V commercial hair would eliminate all my adolescent woes. When I realized that it did not and it would not, I felt like I had been stabbed in the back by that very shampoo bottle.
My relationship with fashion and beauty products has helped me cope. And over the years, I’ve accumulated a collection of stuff — skin-care, aromatherapy, supplements, whatever — that I’ve turned to time and again to make me feel in control.
Most of that regimen has some physiological benefit, as I’ve learned through years and years of product testing. Bedtime is my scariest time; it can take what is essentially witchcraft to get me asleep. I keep a lavender sachet on my bedside table, which I let sit on my chest for a few minutes when I first climb into bed. I love a pillow spray, as well, the most effective variety of which I’ve found to be the mega-popular Deep Sleep Pillow Spray with lavender, vetiver and camomile from This Works. The hype is not misplaced; after several months of use, the brand’s name holds up.
Mornings, though, are easy. I began taking Ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb popular in Ayurvedic medicine, with my breakfast about two years ago, per the recommendation of my doctor. (Obviously, supplements aren’t for everyone, and you should always check with your own doctor before starting them.) Both Google and my doctor say that Ashwagandha helps lower cortisol, balance thyroid hormones and combat stress. I say that, yes, it does do that, but I don’t know if it’s the placebo of taking, doing, planning that helps more.
Last winter posed a new kind of challenge. None of my regular tricks seemed to do what I needed them to do. Neither did the calendar-planning, nor the additional pages of lists I scribbled in an attempt to coax myself into stillness. I felt lost, and disheartened, and guilty for feeling any of it. I felt guilty for being rattled when I knew so many others had it much worse than I did. I felt guilty for comparing my own anxiety to that of others, when my mental health was mine and mine alone. I felt guilty for saying no to my closest friends in an attempt to prioritize “self-care,” a hot new phrase I felt guilty for not knowing if I was practicing correctly. I felt guilty for being a selfish partner, and I felt guilty that my boyfriend had to see me as a person I myself didn’t recognize.
Some evenings, I would come home and immediately lie down on the kitchen floor, not bothering to take off my coat or scarf or hat. If my partner was home, he and our dog would join, three warm bodies sardined between the stove and sink. That guilt, of feeling him planking next to me when I knew that he, too, didn’t know how to help me, was worst of all.
I would get up, eventually. And soon, it became days, then weeks, then months, since my last time on the kitchen floor. I just kept doing what I knew worked: letting objects, like hand lotion that smells like my mom, work their material, aspirational magic, and healing from the outside in. An advertiser’s dream.
I feel guilty for that, too. Fashion and beauty products are, of course, just “things.” But we all know “things” can also carry real, emotional weight and become so much more. Why should I judge myself for what I find and have always found to be constructive?
Even so, I’m trying to learn how to loosen the reins, as they say, so that I don’t immediately slip into “flight” mode when confronted with the unexpected. I’m trying to learn how to let anxiety simply beat through me, and how to treat it with the same compassion I might bestow on a loved one, or as I’m also learning, on myself.
Right now, I’m working on my own wellness practice, like meditation — I enjoy the “Calm” app — and 4-7-8 breathing. But I’ve found that the very best thing I can do for myself is to stare my anxiety, and the guilt that comes with it, straight in the face — not to embalm it in lavender or distract it with 18 tabs of suede mules that, in some strange way, might make each hard day feel more navigable. Absolutely everything changed when I began accepting my anxiety for what it is, not trying to fix it like something I could tend with a Band-Aid — how one might fix a fourth-grade astigmatism with a pair of glasses from LensCrafters.
PS My eyes (though I’ve always needed glasses) are also going -though I’m leaning into reading glasses being chic. And I’m using the RetinA to disguise the fact that sometimes squinting is leaving me with wrinkles I would rather not have. Reminder that code InvestmentPiece at CosmeticRX gets you a $19 order! xo RA
Halloween is barely over – I haven’t even put up the decorations- and yet, it feels as if the HOLIDAYS are already breathing down our neck (and I know that the holidays usually means American and Christian traditions and if those aren’t yours I see you!). Though, let’s be honest, if you’ve been to the shops any time lately the holidays have been coming (aka my local stores swapped out Halloween deals for Christmas deals and decorations about two weeks ago). This is where I want to give you tips on how to navigate the holidays and keep your sanity in tact.
I want to tell you that I have every post, holiday outfit, holiday gift, and holiday trip planned. This is where I could tell you that I’m so ahead on gift guides, writing, plans, and all of the holiday things that I can just sit back and relax, enjoy November and have a stress free holiday season.
Yet. I would be lying to you.
This season I have big plans for gift guides (something that I struggle with so I’m excited to share my plans with you!), my outfits are still somewhat in flux- as are my plans- and while I’m aiming high and want to take each moment as it comes- I’m not ahead. There’s a chance you could even say I’m not over prepared. (Which I long to be each year at this time) So, with all of (waves hands at all we’re supposed to be doing and all that’s going on) how do we stay sane during the holiday season? How do we enjoy it as it’s happening and not worry about what we “should” be doing?
This is where I tell you that I’m not sure. However I can share what I’m doing to keep my sanity- holiday and otherwise.
Lists
From my calendar to my to-do list, I’m writing down my wants, my shoulds, my goals, and my deadlines. Attempting to break everything down into doable steps and timelines, trying to plan ahead, but not be overwhelming to myself. Does it help? For me? Yes. And sometimes, that does mean that I make double lists and then throw lists away, but constantly seeing it all helps.
Deadlines
While deadlines can sometimes lead to insanity, I actually find that they help me during the holiday season. I pick and keep to the days where I can no longer take on new projects, that I need to have posts done by, that I’m giving up (in the good way!) by. Sticking to my self-imposed deadlines may be a different issue, but knowing that I have the deadlines in place help me set boundaries which lead to sanity!
Giving Up
I want everything to be perfect- especially at this time of year. And while that’s a great goal, I know that it’s impossible -especially at this time of year. So. I give up. Not on everything- and it doesn’t mean that I don’t try- from outfits to posts to presents to plans. I try so hard during the holiday season. Yet, at some point, for sanity, you give up and let things be what they are and turn things off and just enjoy things. At least, that is the goal. Always. There are days when it’s easier than others, but giving up is one of the best things that I do for my holiday sanity.
I also plan ahead (and leave room for flexibility), I’ve moved to ecards and scaled down my gift list, I’ve focused on holiday things that really matter (family, friends, etc), and I’ve tried to shop in advance (with room for impulse purchases). What do you do to keep your sanity during the holiday season? How do you enjoy November without focusing on the December holidays?
I would love to hear your tips and tricks!
XO RA
Start your holiday shopping early with Miranda Frye- jewelry for you and all the women in your life! While this is an affiliate ad, it hasn’t affected my love of the brand!
When I first came up with the above outfit, my main concern was that it would be flattering. We all have body worries-and my concerns about the outfit were centered on those. I didn’t know it at the time, but those were the simpler days.
As I get older, not only do I worry about things being flattering, I worry about being too old for them. And I hate that I think that, I hate that I ask myself if I’m too old for things. I want to be able to tell you that no matter what you wear- from crop tops to cutouts to mini skirts to sleeveless and strapless tops- I want to tell you that as long as you feel confident in it, and love it, that there are no age limits (or any body limits!).
A part of me believes that.
And a large part of me worries about trying too hard. About dressing so young I make myself look older. About being one of those women who cling to youth with such a grip that they look foolish. It’s not that I think this about other women, or outfits I see from editorial shoots to Instagram. But it’s something I worry about for me.
Do you think that we get too old to wear certain things? What do you think that age is and what do you think those things are?
A dear friend had a great perspective on the “am I too old for this” question when I recently send her a picture of a different crop top. She pointed out that while I and someone younger than me might both be drawn to the top, that we would style it in different ways, and that as I am the age that I am, my styling would be age appropriate. And she’s right. Even my own personal style has changed from my 20s to now. Even when I love crop tops, etc, I do try to balance the outfit, and style it in ways that make me feel confident.
So. Why do I worry about being too old for things? And what does that really mean?
Even on Instagram (etc) I can show you pictures of stunning women, older than me, wearing all the things I worry about making me look old- and I love the outfits and think they look amazing. Is it really just a personal doubt that I have? And if so, how do I get over it?
I’m not 1000% sure. My plan is to continue to pick pieces and outfits that I love, and that I feel confident in, style them the way I like- and hope for the best. With any stage of life, I know that there will be things that I chose to stay away from, that my style will evolve with me, and that there will be things I don’t feel confident in (for whatever reason). And when it comes to me putting aways styles I used to wear, or chasing things I wouldn’t have in the past I hope that I’m choosing based on what I love- and not my fears (especially my fears about being old).
I’m also hoping that if I do wear things that make me look too old or that I’m trying to hard that one of my dear friends will (gently) tell me. Feel free to consider yourself a dear friend!
I would love to know if you occasionally have these “am I too old” fears- and if there are any ways your style is changing because of them?
I originally wrote this post a few years ago. I pull it out now and again, because I can’t stop thinking about this topic. Again we’re finding ourselves at a time when trends are going to be presented. We’re in the middle of a transition to a new season. We’re being told what’s trendy, what we should buy, and the looks that we HAVE to have. And loves, I’m not mad at any of that. I love seeing new interpretations and getting to explore new sides of ourselves through fashion. The flip side of that? What if we hate it all. What if the trends for fall or next spring are just awful and wrong for us? Next week I’ll be sharing what 2021 Fall trends I’m excited about (and also what trends you can buy vintage!). I know that trends can have this negative connotation. But I really think if we can think of them as the fashion being offered to us- to do what we need to- they seem more appealing.
With that I feel a little bit better. I hope you do you!
Wishing us all a week of good trends and amazing shoes!
Xo RA
NY Fashion week has come and gone, and we’ve been presented with what’s on trend for now, and for the Fall. Which is great, right? Hopefully you’ve been inspired and are excited about what will be/is offered to you, and you have ideas and plans on how to wear it (or you’re excited to see how we wear it here!) But loves, let’s be honest with each other. There’s a chance, and there are times, when you just HATE a trend. Maybe you try it and it’s just not flattering on you. Maybe it brings back bad memories. Maybe you just hate it so much you can’t bring yourself to try it or think about it. I get it. I know, I’m in fashion and supposed to encourage you to try new things. Which I think you should. But not everything is for everyone.
Loves, I’ve struggled with this part all week. A part of me is torn–I feel as if I’m supposed to encourage you to try new things. Maybe the right piece, the right time, the right color will change your mind on a trend. Maybe. Trying different versions of a trend is also valid. Maybe you hate cold shoulder, but you love a certain off-the-shoulder. Maybe. Classics may be your thing and you don’t want to vary out, but one dress could change your mind. Maybe. I think all these avenues are great-again, I’m for us all trying things. But loves, sometimes things don’t work. And that’s valid too. Trends are simply that, a passing fancy, and if you don’t like it, it’s ok. A new trend will come about, or classics are always in style.
There are trends that I don’t like; and my personal view is that fashion is supposed to be a fun way to express yourself–not a list of things you HAVE to wear.
So, at the end of the day my biggest advice is, if you don’t love it, don’t wear it. That simple. Love what you wear, wear what makes you feel good!
How many trends and style tips do you get from Social Media? If I’m being honest, I have to say I occasionally get a ton from Instagram- from outfit ideas to styling hacks. And I know I’m a part of that world, and always hope that you get inspiration and tips that improve your life. but, I read
Some of my most favorite outfits have been inspired by pictures or pieces I’ve found online. And yet, some of my other favorite outfits have been just put together in my head/closet. In my experience, finding your personal style can be a process that takes years, goes through its own seasons, and ebbs and flows. Personal style can be influenced (even without social media I don’t see how any style could be 100% free of influence), but how do we ensure our style is (mainly) our own?
I know mastering your personal style can feel overwhelming (and expensive). Here are some things I do that may help:
-Take the inspiration. You can’t get away from it. And part of developing your style is seeing what you like. From ad campaigns to OOTD of people you like, see what you like on other people. The next step is seeing what you like on you. Recreate the looks (with pieces you have or pieces you get!)
-Clean out your closet. A step I hate. Mainly, as sometimes it means being honest with yourself about what works for you- and what fits your life (I am a fan of statement and special pieces and hanging onto them but that’s another post!). There are a ton of pieces on closet staples, but if those staples don’t fit your life they aren’t for you. My goal is to have a closet full of things that bring me joy, look like me, and fit my life. That means party dresses, great yoga pants, and statement shoes. What fits your life? And what brings you joy?
I chat about it more here. And I once wrote about hating the current trends here and how I deal with it!
I don’t know where keeping up with TikTok (or IG) trends fits into ere you only buy into trends that you love 100%, or only wearing your favorite colors, or taking each inspiration and putting your own twist, using your own pieces, on it. I’m still playing with this balance,of searching for inspiration, keeping up with trends and keeping my style my own.
How do you take inspiration and yet keep your own style? Do you think that social media consumption hurts your style? I would love to know your thoughts!
I’ll be frank- the next few weeks are some of my least favorite. It’s not that I don’t love summer, and it is still technically summer. And it’s not that I don’t look forward to fall, at this point I’m so thrilled for all the things to come, I can’t wait for the temps to drop. But. When I think of summer to fall transitions, I think of layers; adding sweaters to sundresses, slowly beginning to wear boots, adding leather to outfits, start wearing light jackets. And. It’s insanely hard to do any of that, or even get excited about fall, when it’s still 100 outside.
I may be in the minority here, but I almost wish we got a little break about now. To sweat out the last of summer. For the cool of fall to settle in so we can switch our wardrobes. It’s just that the transition from summer to fall isn’t always as chic or layered as I wish it could be, it’s more wondering how long I can get away with shorts and linens and all things that don’t show sweat.
How do we transition to cooler seasons if it’s still hot? If the transitional fashions we’re presented with are only about layers, what do we do when we only want to take things off?
At this point, I don’t know. I know I’m supposed to tell you about easing in. And layering. And at some point if we wear boots with our dresses and bring sweaters, that eventually we’ll need those boots and sweaters.
I’m excited for that day. But, it’s still so hot and there are days when layering or boots or even telling you to put a button down over your outfit feels like a lot. And I’m not sure what to tell us at that point.
So. Here are some of the ways I’ve tried to transition from summer to fall in the past.
In all honesty, I’m not sure what I’m wearing to transition from summer to fall this year. Some of that depends on the weather, some of that depends on what I can put together. Transitions can be hard- from fashion ones to personal ones. And I know we can’t take the next few weeks off (unless you know how we can! Then please lmk!). From now on I’m working on transitioning from summer to fall, and I can’t wait to show you what that looks like!
Below I’ve linked some of the above outfits and some of my fave fall pieces! If you need me I’ll be manifesting cooler temps so we can wear them all!
XO RA
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Closet clean outs are not as straightforward as one would have us believe. There’s the time it takes and the emotional toll it takes (if you can just ruthlessly get rid of clothes I’m a bit in awe of you! I sometimes have a hard time letting go!). We’re about to transition from one season to the next, and it’s been a couple of tough years. Though in years prior I was always great at routinely cleaning out my closet, over the pandemic I haven’t done it at all (It’s been tough to assess if I’m not wearing something because it no longer best serves my life or because I wasn’t leaving the house!).
However, right now I’m determined to clean out my closet- and make room for fanatic new pieces! So, let’s review the Investment Piece Closet Clean Out Method! (That’s not really a thing)
But I do have opinions on how to conquer cleaning our your closet!
Here, we chat about the Process.
We chat Cleaning and Organizing here.
General Closet Detox? We’ve chatted about that.
And a great little review of everything here.
There is truly no right or wrong way to clean out your closet, but I hope that this “process” helps you!
Need some personal help–either cleaning out your closet or shopping to fill it back up? I’m here to help! Email me at racheladelciia@investmentpiece.com and we will set up a method to work together.
Wishing you an easy clean out and happy shopping!
XO RA
