The Blog Post That Changed My Life and Became My Manifesto

Today I want to share with you a blog post that I read over a year ago. It's the blog post that helped me find my identity and constantly reminds me who I aim to be. The name of the post is "Ten Tips For Being A Modern Lady" and the ten pointers are things I always come back to. Some of them I have mastered more than others but I am a work in progress and there is always room to grow. I highly recommend reading this post.

"A lady always shows respect and consideration for others while placing a premium on honesty and graciousness. A lady also knows how her individual choices may affect others and how easy it is to choose words and actions more wisely."

Below I have a quick overview of each point and how strong or weak I stand in each characteristic. I hope it doesn't seem like I'm vain or patting myself on the back with some; any victories have been the fruit of hard work and perseverance and I know more than anyone how much more I have to work on myself! I also recommend reading the entire post at some point.

1. Follow Through - The first point is something I struggle with A LOT. I can tend to be a really flaky person so it's been on my list of things to work on. My problem is I'll commit to too many things and just not do the things I don't want to. I think it's a common character flaw but it's a particularly inconsiderate one to everyone else who is affected by my lack of follow through.

2. Phone Etiquette - This one is something I have pretty down pat. I generally return phone calls and texts as soon as I can. Something that this article didn't mention is calling extended relatives, especially grandparents. They LOVE it when I call and it makes me feel good about myself because I know they like telling me what's going on in their life and hearing about mine.

3. Dressing Like A Lady - This is something that has always come naturally to me. I love wearing dresses and skirts and it's true, when you dress like a lady, you'll act like a lady. As you obviously are aware, this whole blog showcases Rose and my style, which is generally classy and lady-like.

4. It’s The Little Things - Again, I struggle with this one. I tend to be self-absorbed and selfish and don't pay attention to what's going on in people's lives around me. It's one of my least favorite things about me so it's something I truly am trying to eliminate.

5. Always The Gracious Guest - My mom taught me very good manners as a kid and fortunately it's something I've retained into my adult life. Something I would like to start doing more is bringing little hostess gifts since I'm an adult (and when did that happen, by the way?!) and go to dinner parties every now and again. Does anyone have good ideas for a good hostess gift? Preferably not a candle...

6. A Mouth From The South - Sometimes I swear. I hate that I do that. SO MUCH. It's a hard habit to break. And I'm grateful I never swear at people when I am angry. Usually it's at situations or circumstances but it's never lady-like and I really really hate it. Definitely want to kick this habit to the curb as soon as I can.

7. The Art of Conversation - Again, not a strength of mine. This goes back to my selfish nature that I'm trying to get rid of. I often forget to ask people how they are doing and what they are going through and I know I miss a lot of bonding moments with people because of this. So yeah, on the to-do list.

8. A Lady at The Table - This is actually something I'm good at. I love fine dining and I can work my way around a place setting fairly decently. The blog post does point out good tips that are good reminders. Something that I do is excuse myself from the table and check in a lady's room mirror to see if I have anything in between my teeth. It can be SO distracting and I find that people are hesitant to mention it because they don't want to hurt your feelings.

9. Merci - Saying thank you and writing letters are something that I do naturally. I love sending a pretty little Thank You note in the mail and I know that people appreciate it.

10. Gossip Girl - One of my worst faults. I talk too much about people. It's been something I really want to change about myself and so I've been trying to say positive things, instead of negative things, about people in my life.

So that's my summary of the blog post. I highly recommend reading the entire post here.

"But Other Fashion Bloggers Are So Much Cooler Than Me..."

It's hard not to get envious of other fashion bloggers. Cooler clothes, more style, better camera, nicer jewelry, more expensive homes; the list could go on and on. It can be an overwhelming and discouraging mental burden to carry.

My belief is that you control and override your thought pattern. It's as simple as correcting yourself when thinking. So, for example, if I think, "Why can't I have as many preppy clothes as Classy Girls Wear Pearls bloggers have??", I would immediately tell myself, "You're a student in college and you have LOTS of pretty clothes as it is. Many girls would LOVE your closet." And then I move on. It's basic thought rewriting and re-enforcing.

Another thing I tell myself is that even the top dogs are probably comparing themselves to other fashion bloggers too. It's a vicious cycle that continues all the way to the top.

The key is to quickly move on and turn that negative discontent into something postive. Use that envy to push yourself to a new goal - for example, putting more effort into how you look when just at home. Or wearing more accessories on a daily basis. Use that discontent to fuel yourself to make your blog better - look at what they're doing and see how you can imitate it.

I'm curious to know if other fashion bloggers sometimes feel envious? If you do, do you have any tips on how to combat those feelings of discontent and envy?

Dress: Eshakti | Shoes: Thrift Store | Bow: Claire's | Purse: Thrift Store

Style Inspiration Saturday - One Skirt Three Ways

The first outfit is the most dressy of all three. A white lace shirt tucked into the royal blue skirt goes really well with the brown leather high heels. A combination I've been loving lately is a messy bun and dangling earrings.

In retrospect, I'm not a huge fan of the shoes I added to this outfit. They are super cute and all but I think they are too casual for the outfit. I really like the blouse though, esp the pops of red colors from the birds.

Simple and casual yet classy, this outfit is a favorite of mine. It's quiet and understated and the shoes are amazing. I also LOVE how Polyvore lets you add little background details, such as the lavender, which makes the sets look more complete.

It Meant the World

 Shirt: Wet Seal 

Skirt: Dorothy Perkins

Belt: Mikarose

Sunglasses: Claires

Shoes: Payless

Jewelry: Claires and Etsy

Hiiiii ♥

This is my new favorite skirt! I just got it from Thredup and I love it like crazy. The print is so feminine and girlie!

I volunteered at a local nursing home with my youth group today. It was my second time going and I am a little bit scared of old people, but I am making myself go because I need to do things that are outside of my comfort zone. I was the girl that helped all the old ladies bowl. I helped get the ramp straight so they could hit the pins when they pushed the ball off. I also helped wheel some of them back to their rooms in their wheel chairs. One of the old lady's name was Annie and as I was bringing her back to her room, she said "I wish you never had to leave. I wish you could stay with me forever. And your dress is so pretty!" I made me tear up. There was another lady named Ruth who told me all about her son Eugene and how she wished he lived closer to her so she could see him more. These people don't have a lot of visitors and it meant so so much to them that we came there and played and talked with them. It was such a little, easy thing for us to do; we were only there for two hours, but it meant the world to these people. I wish I would have started doing volunteer work sooner, but I am definitely going to continue during college.

My Morning and Bedtime Skin Routine

I have been blessed with pretty clear skin as a rule and, as I get closer to twenty, any acne I did have seems to be mostly clearing up.

However, a huge part of having (and keeping) clear skin is consistently washing and moisturizing my face on a daily basis. It takes a effort to do it everyday, (especially because my bedtime routine has three different facial washes) but the payoff is huge.

My Morning Routine

Because I am usually in a hurry, this is the quicker of the two routines. My face is a combination type so sometimes I'll when I wake up, it will be oily and other times, very dry.

Either way, I quickly wash it with Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser. It's super inexpensive and it smells really good. I don't believe it really wakes you up and makes you more alert like it claims but it does make me feel cleaner and more refreshed.

After I wash and dry it with a soft, clean towel, I use NIVEA Soft Moisturizing Crème. This is what I'm currently using - I've used other moisturizing creams before and they all seem to work about the same. The only thing I would insist on my creams having is Vitamin E oil inside. Vitamin E oil is good for extra moisture, healing old scars and fading acne marks.

My Evening Routine

This one I usually do in the shower - it takes a lot longer and is easier to do with constant running water.

I start with an exfoliator (not pictured) which opens up my pores. The exfoliator I use is called "The Expert Exfoliator" by Garnier. Exfoliating seems to really eliminate those little oily pimples that I can get from time to time. It feels AMAZING afterwards like my face can finally breathe. This is probably my favorite step in the routine.

The second facial wash I use is "Clearasil Daily Face Wash". This is to promote clean, clear skin and to help strip away all facial oils. The smell isn't the greatest but whatever, it's worth it.

The third and final facial wash is "Clearasil Acne + Mark Wash & Mask". This also smells weird but it really helps fade any old acne scars or marks. I spread it over my face and wait a minute before washing it off.

Once I get out of the shower, I use the same moisturizer (NIVEA Soft Moisturizing Crème). I especially target around my brow area because that is generally the most dry.

Final Tips

• I try to always wash my make-up before I go to bed because it feels gross and is always really bad for your skin.
• I change my pillowcases a lot because they can collect face grease (ew!) and probably should just be done anyways. 
• I wear as little make-up as possible so that my face can breathe. 

Again, since my face is pretty clear as a general rule, so I would have no idea how to treat a face that has chronic acne or anything like that. But if you have generally clear skin with an occasional pimple here and there, this routine has worked for me for about a year and a half now. 

How to Tuck Your Shirt Into Your Skirt the Right Way

We got a whole bunch of new skirts from ThredUp (see Rose's ThredUp review here). I love wearing skirts; so classy and lady-like.

This is my "model" face...haha, yeah, right....

The secret to tucking a shirt into a skirt is to wear the skirt at the waist (with a few exceptions depending on the skirt) and to use a wide belt. It's pretty simple but those two key factors are essential.

Somehow the summer is almost over and I am not tan at all...#webdesignerprobs

I've been super busy lately but it's been good to have this blog to push me to dress up and put make-up on.

This belt can basically be paired with anything.

My boyfriend is in town for the next two weeks (!) so I've been super happy about that...

Does my ear look unusually pink to you? Or is it just me? Just me...okay...

 

Thredup Haul!

Maria and I just got our very first order from Thredup in the mail today! If you don't know what Thredup is, basically, it is an online thrift store. Everything is used, but in very very excellent condition. There was absolutely no stains or tears on any of the clothes we got. Most of the brands are really good quality. They have designer things on there too, for a lot less money than you would pay for brand new.

It was packaged so nicely in tissue paper and the outside of the box was covered in the cutest teal polka dots!

We got a total of 12 skirts for 56.00, which averages to about 4.50 a skirt! Most of them fit really well; there are a couple that are a little loose, but that was because Maria and I measured our waists wrong. We are just going to take them in and they will fit great! Some of the patterns of the skirts are really unique and interesting. Thrift shopping is a great way to find things you might have never worn before!

So many skirts!!

Here are individual pictures of each skirt, so you can see them all:

Top row - Skirt 1 : Gap, Skirt 2: Ann Taylor Loft
Bottom row - Skirt 1: Dorothy Perkins, Skirt 2: Old Navy

Skirt 1: Downeast Basics, Skirt 2: Old Navy, Skirt 3: White House Black Market

Top row - Skirt 1: Banana Republic, Skirt 2: Old Navy, Skirt 3: Cache
Bottom row - Skirt 1: Kimchi and Blue, Skirt 2: Ann Taylor

All of the skirts fall around knee length, so they're all very modest. My favorite two are the Dorothy Perkins floral one and the Kimchi and Blue striped one. They are so cute!

You should totally check out Thredup. You can get 40% off your first time order or you can tell a friend about it and they will receive 10.00 store credit and once they purchase something, you will get a 10.00 store credit. So you could get one or two items for absolutely free!

When you first go to the website, it might be a little intimidating seeing all the thousands of listings of clothes. There's going to be some absolutely hideous things, but just like regular thrift shopping, you have to keep looking. There are also filters you can put on your search, like size, color, brand, etc., to help you. Just be patient and you're bound to find something you love!

♥♥♥

"Flowers in your hair"

 

 Shirt: TJMaxx

Skirt: Sierra Trading Post

Belt: Thrift Store

Shoes: Sears

Jewelry: Claires and Etsy

Flower Headband: Claires

Hey there! ♥

This is probably one of my oldest skirts; I have literally had it as long as I can remember. It is still in really good condition though. The print doesn't look faded, but that's probably because the flowers are such bright colors that it would take a long time to look worn out. This shirt is a really unique color blue; I don't have anything else like it, but I really love it. Fake flower headbands have been around a lot this summer and I just bought my first one the other day at Claires. I tried it on and instantly fell in love. It's so girly and feminine and they're fake, so you don't have to worry about them getting yucky and brown like you would if they were real flowers. I will probably go back to and buy all the rest. They have so many! Check them out: flower headwraps.

Oh and I did my nails yesterday! The nail stickers are from Krogers. Literally the easiest things to put on and they actually last a while.

Lucky

"Lucky I'm in love with my best friend..."

I am lucky. Lucky to have a family that loves me. Lucky to date my best friend who loves me with his whole heart. Lucky to have friends that care about me deeply. Lucky to believe in a God that is unbelievably forgiving and merciful. SO merciful!!

I have just been reflecting lately on the many blessings in my life. God has truly blessed me this past year. I really don't deserve it at all. But, then again, who does? I didn't really have a relationship with God until this year and even now I'm nowhere as close to Him as I want to be.

There have been hard times and I've been in dark places this year. Some of the worst things that have ever happened to me happened during this year. But, hey, you get through them with your chin up and a good attitude.

I am lucky and blessed. And so are you. Count your luckiness. Count your blessings!

(P.S. Just realized that that sign has Christ Healing Ministries or something on it. Coincidence, haha...)

Dress: Eshakti

Belt: Modcloth

Earrings: Claire's

Style Inspiration Saturday - Maxi

Theme: Maxi Skirts and Dresses

 Maxi skirts and dresses are probably one of the easiest ways to dress modestly in the summer. You don't have to worry about length, because you know they will always be long enough and they have got to be one of the most comfortable things to wear ever! Seriously, it's like wearing pajamas almost, but you will always look really put together and pretty. Maxi dresses especially are great if you're in a hurry, because they are all one piece and you don't have to worry about matching.

Maxi Dresses

All these dresses are absolutely adorable and modest. It's so great that they all have sleeves. I love the floral print of the first dress; so feminine! She also styled it with a belt to make it fit her body better and I think that makes it look nicer. The color of the second dress is so beautiful and the way the stripes go in different directions makes it unique and more interesting. The last dress is my favorite! I love the lace top part and that color blue is absolutely gorgeous!

Maxi Skirts

I think printed maxi skirts are really cool and I especially love the gray leopard print of the skirt in the first outfit. She just wore it with a black top and it's probably the easiest, simplest outfit to put together, but it looks so great! I like how the girl in the second picture wore her outfit with a leather jacket. You could do this with any kind of jacket or sweater; jean jacket, blazer, cardigan. It's such a great way to make an outfit modest. I love the simplicity of the last outfit. It's just two colors, but it looks so amazing because she wore beautiful jewelry to make it more interesting!

Places to Find Maxi Skirts and Dresses

My favorite place online for maxi skirts and dresses with sleeves has to be DownEast Basics. They have SO many great solid and printed skirts and their maxi dresses are the cutest. JunieBlake and Mikarose also have a couple.

If you don't shop online a lot, I've seen a lot of great printed and solid maxi skirts at Target and JcPenney this year.

Hope you got some helpful tips from this!

♥♥♥

Moving On

Dress: Eshakti.com

Belt: Mikarose

Jewelry: Claires and Etsy

Shoes: Sam and Libby

Hello! ♥

This is my new favorite dress from Eshakti! I love love how bright and colorful the flowers are! It reminds me of a pretty, watercolor painting! I got a gift card to Eshakti from my parents as a graduation gift and that was probably one of the funnest things to get ever! Now that I am going to college in like 1 month, I will definitely be not be able to buy dresses anymore, because I will be buying things like text books and gas for my car. So a gift card to my favorite dress place was so awesome!

Today was one of my last dance classes ever before college starts and honestly it makes me so sad that I want to cry. I've been a part of this dance group for about two years and it was one of my favorite things I did in highschool. I met and became friends with so many awesome kids and we all had so much fun together doing all the different dances. We learned so many kinds of dances; swing, waltz, cha cha, line dances. I know that this happens to everyone and we all have to move on and I will have such a great time in college, but it's still so bittersweet. I had an absolutely amazing senior year! I do plan on doing lots of swing dancing at Franciscan though, because it's super big up there, so hopefully I will get really good at that. Swing dancing is so much fun! I'm so glad and grateful I had the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing dance group and I will miss it a ton.