Midweek Ramblings.

{Views from flying out Boston over the weekend! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

What I Wore to Work: July 2019

      Here we go with another month of work outfits! Since July is the hottest part of summer here in Central Virginia, I wore lots of dresses and skirts this month, with a few summery jean outfits mixed in as well. There are a few less outfits this month that these posts usually have- that's due to the fact that I was on vacation all last week! 😉 If you're new to my work outfit recaps, I share outfit details for all of these on my LiketoKnow.It page, instead of linking each photo here below. I also share my top fashion items from the month at the end of the post. 

Summer PR Reviews.

     Hi Friends! It is so good to be back on the blog today! In case you missed it, I took a blog and blog related social media break from 7/19-7/28 (yesterday) while I was on vacation at home in Maine. This break was so needed and I'm back today feeling so refreshed and motivated to create content for the rest of the year! I'll also be sharing a few posts about Maine in August on the blog. But today we're jumping back into things with a big PR Reviews post! I'll be sharing and reviewing some of the fun gift packages I've received from different brands this summer. 

GUEST POST by A Byers Guide: Deciphering Formal Dress Codes

     My vacation in Maine is nearing its end, but I still have one more fun guest post to share with you! Today's post is by Courtney of A Byers Guide- she's sharing how to decipher different dress codes, especially formal ones! What a useful skill. Thank you to Courtney and all the other wonderful bloggers who guest posted for me this week. Chat with you Monday! - xoxo Annaliese 

First off, I want to thank Annaliese for inviting me to do a guest post. What an honor! My name is Courtney Byers and I’m the content creator behind A Byers Guide Blog. I started my blog about two and a half years ago when my husband was in medical school. I desperately needed a creative outlet, and fashion has always been a huge part of my life. In fact, I even took a fashion design class in high school, and of course like many girls, I was always worried about what to wear to school. I have the need to create and this space has helped fulfill that. When people I know in real life find out about my blog, they’re never surprised. My blog was originally called Life of A Med School Wife, but I rebranded a year and a half ago to A Byers’ Guide. I wanted to do a play on words with my last name and buying, since I share a lot on fashion. My husband Jake and I just celebrated our 5^th anniversary. We have a 15 pound Maine Coon kitty who is our baby (we don’t have a human baby yet). I blog mostly about affordable fashion, and I also share lifestyle posts as well as travel guides. You can read more about my blogging story here, follow my Instagram here, and like my Facebook page here.

GUEST POST by Whismy in Her Wardrobe: Choosing a Designer Bag.

     Today's guest poster is Jordyn from Whimsy in Her Wardrobe! I've loved following Jordyn's blog for a few years and I'm so happy she is one of my guest posters this week while I'm away. She's chatting all about designer handbags- what a fun topic. Take it away, Jordyn! - xoxo Annaliese

Hello lovelies! As you may know Annaliese is on vacation in her home state of Maine. Like you guys probably do, I follow Annaliese on Instagram and love her daily stories (If you don't follow Annaliese on Insta, why not? Pop over and tell her you miss her).
 

GUEST POST by What Nicole Wore: Weekend Guide to Louisville, KY

     Today's guest post is by Nicole of What Nicole Wore! She will be sharing a fun guide to her home city of Louisville, KY. I was lucky enough to visit Louisville back in 2015- and I hope to go back someday for the Kentucky Derby! Enjoy Nicole's recommendations. A new guest post from another blogger I love will be live tomorrow! - xoxo Annaliese 

Hi Southern Belle in Training readers! My name is Nicole & I blog at What Nicole Wore, an affordable fashion and lifestyle blog. I've been running What Nicole Wore for four years now where I share my favorite outfits, beauty products, and life tips. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter as well.  Thank you to Annaliese for allowing me to take over today and share a weekend guide of what to do in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. This post may contain affiliate and/or referral links. I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you complete a purchase through this post. Thank you for your support of What Nicole Wore.

GUEST POST by Heather Bien: Burying the Bourbon in Charlottesville.

      Happy Monday from Maine! I'm taking the week off from the blog and blog related social media while I enjoy my vacation at home, but I have some fabulous bloggers guest posting for me in my absence. First up is Heather! I absolutely adore her blog. Heather was married here in the Charlottesville area in December 2018, and will be re-sharing a post from her own blog about a Southern tradition she incorporated into her big day! Stay tuned later this week for more fun guest posts! - xoxo Annaliese

Hi! I'm Heather Bien and I'm so excited to kick off Annaliese's week of guests posts! I'm a lifestyle blogger and writer based in Washington, DC. You can find me on my blog, www.heatherbien.com, on Instagram, @hmbien. At the moment, if you follow along with me, you'll going to find lots of home content (my husband and I just bought a condo on the main level of an 1880 rowhouse on Capitol Hill in Washington!), travel covering everything from easy getaways in the mid-Atlantic to trips abroad, and lifestyle, including entertaining and all things career and blogging. You'll also catch me on sites, including The Everygirl, where I love sharing my thoughts on personal development, relationships, and more.

On Going Home...

     After work this afternoon I'm headed to the airport, and I'll get to spend 10 days at home in Maine for my summer vacation. I have a few personal thoughts/ramblings to share about my trip home that I wanted to share today- I know that y'all usually enjoy my more personal blog posts.

Midweek Ramblings.

{Delilah being so cute earlier this week! Follow me on social media @miss_alk!}

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

Relationship Monday: 10 Great Things About Being Single in Your 20s.

     Last year was the year that I truly fell in love with life as a single 20-something woman! Loving my single life doesn't mean that I still don't desire to fall in love and get married in the future- but what it does mean is that I'm truly content in the season of life that I'm in, and excited about what's still to come while it's just me, myself and I! I wrote a blog post last year titled "How I Fell in Love with Being Single", and today's blog post is kind of the one year follow up to that!

Things I've Bought Before in This Year's Nordstrom Sale + HONEST Sale Thoughts!

     I know you're probably already sick of hearing about the Nordstrom Sale before I even begin this post... but here we go! I have been shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (NSale) since 2014, when I purchased my first pair of Tory Burch riding boots, which was also my first-ever "big girl" designer purchase! That will still always be a special memory. 😊 I do think the Nordstrom Sale can be a great time to pull the trigger on a designer item that you might have been saving up for awhile on, or to get a few basic pieces for the upcoming fall season. However- do I think it's the greatest sale ever? NO! Do I think a lot of the items featured are very "basic" (especially in the 2019 sale)? YES! 

     You won't be seeing any massive NSale try-ons from me, or a giant haul of what I purchased- because a.) I only bought two things this year and b.) I didn't pay for two day shipping. What will you be seeing in this blog post? Well- I'll be sharing the two things I did get! And also highlighting items that are already in my closet from past years' NSales that I really liked and wear often, that are included in the sale again this year! I hope my perspective will be a little more authentic and unique than a lot of other bloggers are doing. 

Midweek Ramblings.

{A beautiful summer day in Richmond a couple weekends ago! Follow me on social media @miss_alk}

Easy Summer Lilly Dress.

     So excited to share this darling Lilly Pulitzer Margot dress with you today! This dress is simple but chic, and ideal for quickly throwing on during a hot and humid summer day. Also- be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post!! Only a few more days left to enter to win a great prize from myself and other bloggers (you get a free entry for following me on Instagram!).

Relationship Monday: Things to Remember After a BAD First Date.

     Time for another Relationship Monday post! Thank you all for your kind comments and DMs after last Monday's post about using dating apps. It is so fun to hear y'all's thoughts whenever I share my own views and experiences on dating and singleness, and I'm so glad last week's post resonated with a lot of y'all! Today I'm chatting about something that can often happen when using dating apps (or not as well!) - having a bad first date, and things to do and remember after one.

Making Your Summer Adventures Happen with Popchips!

Today's blog post is sponsored by Babbleboxx.com on behalf of Popchips. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Southern Belle in Training! 

     

     Want to know two things I love that both happen to start with the letter "S"? Snacks and summer! I know I can't be alone in loving both of those. 😊In today's blog post I'm excited to share more about my new favorite summer snacks, Popchips and Nutter Puffs, and I'm also chatting a bit about how I try to make the most of my summers since being a full-time working adult, and still accomplish goals during summer months! Suns out. Snacks out.

All White Outfit for Summer + Giveaway!

    There are a few specific fashion items and trends that just scream summer. Flip flops, bright Lilly Pulitzer prints, and seersucker to name a few... but another thing that makes me think of the warmest months of the year is a chic all white outfit! Whether that's an LWD or white separates, there is something so summery about that type of outfit. I'm sharing my take on all white for summer today, as well as a fun giveaway with other bloggers!

Relationship Monday: Why I'm Glad I Gave Dating Apps Another Try.

     Happy Monday and happy July! I've been sharing different monthly series blog posts on Tuesdays of each month this year, but for July the monthly series will be on Mondays- I'll be sharing a new Relationship Monday post each week this month! I've always enjoyed writing these in the past, and I haven't shared any in the last several months which means I have lots of post ideas now! I thought I would kick things off by taking a little dive into why my views on dating apps have shifted again in 2019.