What I Wore to Work: November 2021.

     Time to recap November work outfits! I have to be honest- I was not as consistent this month at documenting work outfits like I normally am. Part of that is because I was out-of-office for six weekdays this month (between traveling to Nashville for work, a long weekend for a wedding, and Thanksgiving). It was also a month where I just didn't feel very inspired with most of my everyday looks, if I'm being honest! Spring and summer fashion is more my thing, so I think it's normal for me to feel a little uninspired as the weather first turns colder again. But anyways, here are the outfits that I did snap photos of this month: 

BLACK FRIDAY / CYBER WEEKEND SALES 2021

     Happy Thanksgiving!!! I shared on Instagram this morning that I possibly have more to be thankful for this year in 2021 than any year before. Today I headed down to Eastern North Carolina to spend the day with my aunt and uncle! I actually have a work event tomorrow morning, so I'll be back in Virginia Beach by this evening to get ready for that. I'll be doing my Black Friday shopping at the mall a little later in the day than normal because of work, but that's totally okay! 

    Here's my annual list of Black Friday / Cyber Weekend sales! As most of these are larger national retailers, I will also try to highlight some small business sales for Small Business Saturday on Instagram this weekend. 

Midweek Ramblings.

{Ran an errand at a local mall over the weekend, and I was so delighted to see the big Christmas tree up and decorated! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

Radio 101: Music Row Live During CMA Week in Nashville - 2021 Recap

      Earlier this month, I had the work opportunity of a lifetime. My co-host, my boss and I traveled to the home of country music, Nashville Tennesee, to broadcast live from Sharla McCoy's Music Row Live event during CMA Awards Week. I documented the trip in real-time on my Instagram Stories, but I've been wanting to share a more in-depth recap of everything here on the blog.  I've been working full-time in radio for four and a half years now, but this was the first work trip that I've ever had the chance to go on. And what a first trip it was! 

Vera Bradley 2021 Bright Friday Sale!

      Let's kick off the biggest shopping week of the year by chatting about a sale for one of my favorite brands, Vera Bradley! I wanted to highlight some of my favorite Vera items that I use regularly that are included in the sale. They'd be perfect for treating yourself, or gifting this holiday season!

Midweek Ramblings.

 

{Enjoying a beautiful sunset last week by the Norfolk Botanical Garden! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

My 2021 Christmas Wishlist.

       I think it's been a few years since I've shared a Christmas wishlist on my blog for myself, but I thought I'd resume this year! I was thinking this weekend about a few stocking stuffers that I wanted to tell my parents I'd like, and that's what got me thinking of resuming sharing my own Christmas list on the blog like I used to. 

     I do want to give a disclaimer beforehand that I am well aware that I don't need any of these things. I am so blessed to be at a point in life with both my day job and blogging side hustle where I can afford most of the things in life that I want to buy myself. I'm also thankful that my parents (and especially my mom) taught me the importance of saving and avoiding debt, and how fulfilling it can be to save up for a larger purchase. But with all that said, we do still do Christmas gifts in my family, and it is always helpful to give my parents an idea of things that I'd like, so I thought I'd share a few of those things here with y'all today.

In Honor of #FREEBRITNEY.

     Today (November 12th, 2021) is the day that Britney Spears's conservatorship is supposed to finally be dissolved in court. Everyone following the #FREEBRITNEY movement knows that this has been a very long time coming. Last month, I styled a Britney Spears concert t-shirt for the blog, and as soon as I remembered that her final conservatorship hearing was coming up, I decided to save these photos for today!

Duolingo App Review + My Story with Learning French.

      My pandemic hobby that I'm most proud of and that I've stuck with the most consistently is practicing the French language on the Duolingo app. In August, I hit my one year anniversary of using Duolingo, and I'm proud of myself for continuing on for this long! I wanted to share a  review and some thoughts about how much I like Duolingo. I apologize in advance for how long this post is- I had a lot to say!

Midweek Ramblings.

 

{Live from the Hot 100 studio for my new weekend radio show! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

Bloggers I Recommend For Great Christmas Gift Guides!

     Happy November 1st! This holiday season is going to look a little bit different on Southern Belle in Training for blog content. I've made the executive decision not to do any Gift Guides this year. I'll get more into why I decided not to do them later in the post, but I mainly wanted to share with you some other bloggers that you should check out if you're looking for Gift Guides. There are a few ladies I follow who absolutely kill it with this content every holiday season, and you should definitely check them out if you're looking for gift ideas!

What I Wore to Work: October 2021

      Another month of work outfits has come and gone! This is the first month that I've started to get a little taste of the fall season in Virginia Beach. The first half of the month was still very warm. I was still on the beach in a bathing suit right through mid-October! The past week especially it has been getting a bit colder, but it's been beautiful fall days in the 60s and 70s. I'm hoping this type of weather will last way into November! 

     Here are this month's daily work outfits. Enjoy!

Midweek Ramblings.

 

{Fun painting pumpkins this weekend at fellow blogger Kelly-Anne's fall party! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

What I Can't Stop Procrastinating On.

      I've found that I am a lot more likely to do something that I need to do if I share it publicly on Instagram or my blog to hold myself accountable. Working my way through my first 101 in 1001 bucket list has really affirmed this! For the past few weeks, I've been trying to find the motivation to do a few last post-move tasks here in Virginia Beach. I'm still looking for that motivation, so today I figured I'd share these things with y'all in hopes that it will be the kick I need to actually do this stuff. Ha! 

3 Amazon Fall Dresses I Love!

      I got some great feedback last month after sharing a review of a few Amazon tops for fall, so I wanted to bring you a mini fall dress haul this month. I was excited that I truly loved all three of the dresses that I ordered! Amazon can definitely be sometimes be hit or miss, but these three are all hits. 

3 Months in Virginia Beach - How It's Going So Far!

      I can't believe that it's already been three months since I moved to Virginia Beach! I feel like I blinked and the first 90 days went by. Although I share small day-to-day updates week week in my Midweek Ramblings posts, I thought it might be good to get all caught up on how everything has really been going since I moved here. (Spoiler alert: very good!)

Inspiring Woman Interview: Meet Shelby SOS from POWER 96.1

     Time for another Inspiring Woman interview! As always, I'm very excited about this awesome guest. I've been trying to alternate guests between women who inspire me in radio (my day job) and blogging/influencing (my side hustle). Today we are back to radio! 

     I've been following Shelby and her career for a few years now. We are around the same age, so it's especially interesting for me to keep up with her since we both have gone from being radio interns just a few years ago, to working full-time in the industry. I already knew Shelby was talented, but I learned so much more about her from her answers to these questions! If you live in Atlanta or the DC/Baltimore (DMV) areas especially, you'll definitely want to know Shelby. 

Midweek Ramblings.

{I was so happy to see some flowers still in bloom at the Norfolk Botanical Garden this weekend! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

Shopbop Fall 2021 Sale.

      Just popping in quickly today with a few details about the current Shopbop Fall Style Event sale! I'm part of Shopbop's blogger affiliate program, and I'm excited to keep browsing the sale myself this week. 

Travel Diary: The Woodlands / Galveston, TX (2021)

      In September, I got to take a quick long weekend trip down to Texas to visit one of my dearest friends! I love visiting the Houston metro area, and was thrilled to return again after my first trip in 2018. Here's a little recap of how the weekend was: 

Midweek Ramblings.

 

{Walking around Colonial Williamsburg over the weekend- it was a beautiful day! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

Subscriptions and Memberships That I Find 100% Worth It.

     One thing that I'm always curious about is what non-necessary items fellow 20-30 somethings are spending their disposable income on. I'm not talking about things like housing, food, insurance, etc.- I mean non-essential items! I frequently hear about subscription services or memberships to various things that I think sound really cool, but I'm pretty particular about keeping my reoccurring monthly and yearly expenses only to things that I really love or find necessary. I thought it would be fun today to share what (non-essential) things I can personally justify spending money on each month or year!

What I Wore to Work: September 2021

      Here are this month's work outfits! While there usually are warm days in Virginia in October and November, September is typically the last very hot month. To take advantage of this, I wore a lot of summery Lilly Pulitzer pieces for the last time this year, and all my favorite sandals! As always, you can find my work outfits linked on my LIKEtoKNOW.it!

Midweek Ramblings.

 

{A little look at my new Virginia Beach apartment living room, complete with a little fall decor! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

3 Casual Amazon Fall Tops.

      The most popular request from my last two years of blog reader surveys has been to feature more Amazon Fashion picks. I'm hoping for the rest of 2021 to finally bring you some more frequent Amazon content! I ordered a few new tops to try out for fall- three out of the four that I ordered were winners. 

101 in 1001: 2 Year Update

     It's time again to check in with my 101 in 1001 list of goals, which I made for myself all the way back in precedented times, aka September 2019. Only two years ago- but seems like so much longer thanks to the world circumstances, and also the changes in my own life! Here's how I did with my goals for the past six months:

Midweek Ramblings.

{I had a wonderful time doing a work event at The Yard Milkshake Bar in Virginia over the weekend! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

27th Birthday Recap.

      I turned 27 over Labor Day Weekend! Here's a little recap of all of the fun:

Midweek Ramblings (on a Thursday!)

{A beautiful afternoon at a beach in Norfolk yesterday! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

LILLY PULITZER SUNSHINE SALE: Day 2 New Arrivals!!

      The second day batch of new arrivals have just dropped in the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale! 🌞 Some of my favorite Lilly styles are included in this round- run don't walk on these!

LILLY PULITZER SUNSHINE SALE: Shop Now!!! ☀️

     As of 8am EST this morning, the first-ever Lilly Pulitzer  Sunshine Sale (formerly known as the After Party Sale) is open for business! Fellow Lilly lovers- let's get shopping! 

LILLY PULITZER AFTER PARTY SALE: Fall 2021 Sale Dates + Lilly Try-On/Size Guides

      September is one of my favorite months of the year- the weather here in the South is usually perfect in the 70s and 80s, it's my birthday month, and also my blogging anniversary month. Another reason to love it? September is when the biggest Lilly Pulitzer sale of the year is held!! So excited to share some information and shopping tips with you. And the biggest news of all... the sale has a NEW NAME this year and is now being called the Sunshine Sale!! 🌞

Midweek Ramblings.

 

{A snap from a kayak and wine tour that I went on this past weekend! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

Southern Belle in Training Turns 9 Today!!

      This blog turns nine years old today!! I can't even believe it. I've been posts here for the entirety of my college years, early and mid 20s, and now I'm still continuing into my late 20s, which also start today. Yes, my blogiversary and birthday are the same day! Today I also turn 27. 

TRAVEL GUIDE: Ultimate Charlottesville VA Guide

     I'm so excited to finally share all of my Charlottesville recommendations in one place on the blog! I lived in Charlottesville for about three and a half years between 2018-2021. I am kind of in the minority for living in Cville in that I didn't attend the University of Virginia, or move to the area for a job associated with UVA. But despite that, I was absolutely charmed by the area, and had a great experience making Charlottesville my home for part of my 20s. Charlottesville is a great destination for a weekend trip for wine lovers, history lovers, food lovers, nature lovers.... it's true, Virginia is for Lovers! 

Midweek Ramblings.

 

{A snap from a beautiful recent weekday afternoon at the beach! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

What I Wore to Work: August 2021

     It feels so good to be back sharing a month's worth of work outfits with y'all! I skipped the month of July as it was a whirlwind month with wrapping up at my old job, moving and unpacking in Virginia Beach and starting my new job. Things definitely feel a bit more "normal" being able to document my work outfits for the blog again. 

     My work style hasn't changed too much at my new job. Radio is overall a casual industry, and I do tend to dress up a little more than needed for all the jobs I've had. It was a hot month here in Virginia Beach, so I tried to wear a decent amount of summer Lilly Pulitzer pieces and some of my other favorite summer dresses and tops! As always- outfits are always linked on my LIKEtoKNOW.it page!

Midweek Ramblings.

{Enjoying dinner recently in the Vibe Creative District in Virginia Beach! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

DIY Peel and Stick Kitchen Backsplash!

      The week after I moved to Virginia Beach, I did the most fun and relatively easy DIY project that transformed my basic little apartment kitchen! It'll be a little while before my new apartment is 100% decorated and I can share a full tour with you, but I did want to get this post up sooner as I'm still so excited about it. Here's everything you need to know about my peel and stick kitchen backsplash!

   

Midweek Ramblings.

 

{Exploring Norfolk with my mom over the weekend. Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk!}

5 Instagrammable Murals in Charlottesville, VA

      I'm not sure if it's because I am a blogger and always looking for cool spots to take photos, or just that I'm a fan of color and street art, but I sure do love a good mural! I've enjoyed finding them in the various places that I've lived over the years: Charlotte NC, Burlington VT, and of course my most recent former home, Charlottesville VA! 

     For a small city, Charlottesville has a really good amount of street art. I enjoyed finding my favorite murals over the past three years, and today I wanted to round them all up for you! If you're visiting Charlottesville, here are the best murals for Instagrammable photos.

Inspiring Woman Interview: Meet Rebecca of Caravan Sonnet.

       It's time for another Inspiring Woman interview, and today's guest is not only an incredible woman, but a wonderful friend of mine through the blogging world! I first found Rebecca's blog Caravan Sonnet in 2013, when I had only been blogging here at Southern Belle in Training for less then a year. I was immediately captivated by reading her blog posts. Rebecca's genuine Christian faith shined bright in everything she posted, and I especially enjoyed her raw honesty in writing about her journey with singleness and health struggles. 

     In 2017, I actually had the chance to meet Rebecca and call her a real-life friend as well! She was living in the North Country of New York when I was living in Vermont, and we didn't live too far away from each other. We got to meet up a few times that year, and it was a joy to become in-person friends! When I brainstormed the idea to start this interview series at the start of 2021, I knew I needed to have Rebecca as one of my featured bloggers later this year. Without further ado, meet Rebecca!

Midweek Ramblings.

{My first Orange Crush in Virginia Beach- a local favorite that a lot of bars in the area serve! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

4th of July Wedding Outfit.

     Originally I was planning to share two 4th of July themed red, white and blue outfits on the blog before the holiday this year... this casual patriotic outfit, and today's outfit! But the quick timing of my unexpected new job and move to Virginia Beach had me get behind on blog things. Today's is dressier and I feel like it would be the perfect thing to wear to a 4th of July weekend wedding. Anyways- better late than never to share this right?! Maybe some inspiration for next year? Haha!

Midweek Ramblings.

{A beautiful beach day last Friday at Sandbridge Beach! Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

What I Purchased for My New Apartment.

      As difficult as moving can be, it can also come with some fun perks. The excuse to purchase new house related items is definitely one of the positives! A new space is a great reason to start fresh with some new furniture or decor. Here are all of the miscellaneous items that I purchased last month for my new Virginia Beach apartment.

t

Charlottesville Going Away Party.

      As much as I wanted to leave Charlottesville and move on to a new radio job in a larger city, I knew that leaving would certainly be bittersweet. During my almost 3.5 years in Charlottesville, I was so blessed beyond measure with incredible people in my life. Never in my life have I had such a close-knit group of friends.

     There was no way that I was saying goodbye to Charlottesville without a proper going away party. I'm excited to share a little recap and some photos with you today! I also wanted to share about the special bucket list for Virginia Beach that my Charlottesville friends helped me make.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021: The One Thing I Got + Things I Love in the Sale.

      The 2021 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opens for the general public to shop today! (For the past couple weeks, it's been Nordstrom cardholders only that could shop.) I know that a lot of people find the Nordstrom Sale to be very overhyped in the blogging world. I agree that it can get a little overwhelming the way that some bloggers and influencers post about it extensively. Hopefully my one post today (my only post about it this year) won't be too much for you! 😉

Virginia Beach Move + New Job Q&A

     It's so great to be back with a new blog post today after taking most of the month of July off! While I do take the occasional few days or week or so off from blogging, taking the past three weeks off was the longest blogging break that I've done in years! But it was definitely necessary with all of the craziness that was my July 2021 so far.

LIFE UPDATE: MOVING TO VIRGINIA BEACH + NEW JOB!!! 🎉

      I have felt like I've been keeping the biggest secret lately. The big news: I am moving out to Virginia Beach and I have accepted a new job in radio!! Oh and I should probably add... this is all happening ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!! Moving Day is Wednesday, July 14th!