Confession time: I've been taking a weekly break from Instagram for the last year and a half or so, and it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made!
Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle Blog || Est. 2012 || Virginia Beach, VA
November 11, 2019
September 26, 2019
Colorful and Preppy Early Fall Look + Summer Bucket List Recap.
It definitely doesn't feel like the first week of fall in Virginia this week- as the temperatures have been back in the mid-high 80s. A couple weeks ago we had a little taste of fall weather though- it got all the way down to the low 70s. Today I wanted to share this outfit that I wore during those cooler days, and I also wanted to recap my summer bucket list for this year- I was curious to see how many goals I accomplished!
January 28, 2019
Finding the Joy in Winter Fashion.
January 21, 2019
Back to Basics with Outfit Posts.
Happy Monday! I can't believe this is my first true outfit post of 2019. Sharing a classic look that I wore for a weekend shopping day a few weeks ago, and also some thoughts on my blog's fashion content going forward.
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Let's start with some blogging thoughts! A couple years ago, I would say that about 75% of my blog posts were fashion or outfit related, so this is definitely a big shift. In 2018, I celebrated my 6th blogiversary, and around that same time I made the shift from calling my blog a lifestyle blog instead of a fashion blog. Fashion is a component of my blog that I definitely want to continue writing about, but I no longer want it to be the focus. To me, my travel and faith/personal posts are just as important as style content- all of those three things together are what makes my blog unique!
Anyways, with the difference in how I'm classifying my blog, there are going to be a few changes this year to how I share fashion content on the blog. To start, I'll be working less regularly with blog photographers. I'm definitely not eliminating professional photography from my blog by any means, but I want to be more selective in using photographers. I'll probably just continue using them for sponsored collaborations and some travel content, rather than everyday outfits. I've had a DSLR camera for years, and I actually really do enjoy having friends snap my pictures on it and editing them myself! There's just something about that whole process that seems more "real." It seems like with each month that goes by, a lot of fashion Instagram accounts and blogs get more and more staged and fake, especially in terms of photography. I want to stay authentic as possible, and for me that means starting to do more blog photography on my own camera again. 😊
As far as the outfits go that I wear on the blog, I'm done buying stuff just for blog photos! The outfits that you see this year will be exclusively real outfits that I have worn in real life, or will be wearing soon. It'll still include a wide range of everything from casual to dressy looks, but I'll only be featuring stuff that I actually wear. I've definitely fallen trap in the past of buying clothing or accessories solely because I think they would look cute on the blog or Instagram... and then I never wear them again! That just seems so materialistic and wasteful to me now.
Alright- now that all that's out of the way, let's get to today's outfit details! My mom got me this light pink sweater for Christmas. It is currently on sale! It's very soft and light, and the perfect type of sweater to layer over a button up shirt. I also pulled out one of my older favorite purses for this look- OG Southern Belle in Training readers probably remember when I was obsessed with this bag for a good couple years in college! 😉 I wore this outfit a few weekends ago for a shopping day in Richmond. One of the largest shopping districts in Richmond, Short Pump, is just under an hour away from Charlottesville, so it makes for an easy weekend day trip. I love visiting bigger cities, so I'm usually in Richmond at least once every month or two!
I hope that you're having a great Monday and start to the week so far! Last week was busier than usual for me (each weekday I had plans every afternoon or evening), so I'm hoping this week will be a little more relaxing.
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
November 27, 2018
The Preppy Blouse Your Closet Needs.
Hello and Happy Tuesday! I hope that y'all had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Did you get any good deals for Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday? I passed on both this year since I was traveling (and my suitcase was already filled to the brim with Black Friday purchases!), but it looked like the whole weekend was full of great deals. In December I'll have only three more Christmas gifts left to purchase- then I am doing my shopping! I think that's pretty good to be like 80-90% done after Black Friday.
In today's blog post, I'm sharing what I think might be the top of my dreams, and also a bit about why the boutique that it's from is extra special to me!
Photography by Kate Greer
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Top c/o Holly & Co. // Jeans {from Zara, similar here} // Hat {old, similar here} // Boots c/o // Earrings c/o // Purse c/o //
So way back in 2012/2013, I started following Nicole from Nicole V. Cole (her blog used to be called Bloom back in the day). I started Southern Belle in Training in September 2012, and after my first few months of blogging I started looking for lots of other bloggers to follow! Nicole instantly became one of my favorites from the day that I found her blog. At the time she was engaged, and I remember anxiously following along with all of her wedding updates until her Big Day. Nicole's faith inspired me so much, and her posts on the bible or Christian lifestyle topics were such a blessing to me in my college years.
Fast forward to 2018! I've still been following Nicole all these years- she's now a mom of two adorable littles (one through adoption- her family has the sweetest story on that!). Earlier this year, Nicole and her younger sister Anna began an online women's boutique called Holly & Co. When Nicole reached out to me about styling a piece from their website on my blog, I was delighted! I just think it's so cool that all these years later, I'm not only still reading a blog that inspired me years ago, but also getting to collaborate with the blogger herself on her newest venture. 😊
Nicole and Anna first got the idea to start Holly & Co. in 2017, and it came to life this past year! They wanted to create an online boutique with everyday girls in mind. (You know how some online boutiques carry a lot of clothing that's a little flashy, too trendy, or just too "out there"? You won't find any of that with Holly & Co.!) Modesty, comfort, and style are their priorities when they select items for their boutique. When I first took a look at the Holly & Co. website, I immediately thought to myself It's literally a boutique built off of my work wardrobe! At the radio company that I work for, there isn't a dress code for on-air staff. It would be pretty weird if I showed up to work in a suit and heels! But at the same time, event though it is a casual environment, I never want to look too laid back. I like looking casual yet stylish for work, and literally everything in their shop is something that I'd wear to work! Another perk? It's always free shipping at Holly & Co.!
For this blog post, there was no question that I'd style the Dark Rose Blouse! As soon as I saw this I knew that I had to have it. It's the most darling preppy blouse! I love the pussy bow combined with the layered pleats. Typically I don't actually love pleated clothing items, but I feel like it works perfectly on this top. The color of this blouse is ideal for fall and winter- it's not too bright, but still adds some color to your outfit. I'm wearing a size S and it fit perfectly.
I hope that you enjoyed learning more about Holly & Co. today! You can keep up with the boutique on Instagram here.
Tomorrow I'll be back with a new Midweek Ramblings post, and on Thursday I'll be doing a try-on blog post about all of my Black Friday purchases!
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
October 22, 2018
Sweater Dress in Shenandoah...
I am so excited about today's fall outfit and these pictures! I normally write Monday's blog posts on the Thursday or Friday before, but this one is getting written at 10:45 pm on Sunday night (last night)- so forgive this for being a shorter post than normal. Hopefully these photos will speak for themselves!
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Sweater dress {from Zara, similar here} // Scarf {old, similar here} // Boots c/o // Earrings {mine not online, similar here}
A fall day trip into the mountains called for an outfit featuring warm and earthy autumn tones. I was so excited to find this dress in-store at Zara in DC last month! It's simple yet chic, and the burnt orange color made it both 1) perfect for fall fashion and 2) unique in my closet, as I don't own many clothing items in this hue! I paired it with a favorite paisley scarf, and the tan boots that I've been wearing on repeat this month. Navy tassel earrings finished the look, and I love how it turned out!
I'm sure you're wondering if I wore this outfit all day during the day trip my dad and I went on into Shenandoah National Park. The answer is no! Right after these pictures were taken, I changed in the backseat of my car (in true blogger fashion) into casual hiking clothes. 😉 I just had a feeling that Shenandoah would offer some gorgeous backdrops to shoot this outfit against, and I was right! I love the fall vibes in these photos- I think my dad did a great job taking them. My parents are both so kind and always help me out with my blog and Instagram photos when we are together!
This was my first visit to Shenandoah National Park and on Skyline Drive (the 100+ mile scenic road that runs through the park), and I have a separate blog post planned soon all about visiting Shenandoah in the fall, and the hike that we did! Stay tuned for that soon. My dad and I also took some video footage during our day trip so I'm hoping to make a short video to share once that blog post goes up. Youtube videos aren't something that I'm super talented at, but I'm having fun every few months making one for the Southern Belle in Training channel. You can check out my most recent video here!
Have a great Monday- I have a CRAZY week ahead and it starts today!
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
September 25, 2018
The Closet Item I've Been Searching For.
Fellow fashion lovers- I don't think there is anything better than finally finding the perfect version of something that you've been wanting to have in your closet! Today I'm sharing all about a beautiful tweed blazer that I found completely by chance. I'm also sharing some blog post ideas for the upcoming weeks- I've been feeling in a bit of a "same old, same old" rut for blog content over this month, and I'm ready to write some really fun posts!
Photography by Meredith Sledge
Today's post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Blazer {sold out, very similar here} // Top {under $20!} // Jeans // Boots c/o // Necklace {old, similar here} // Purse // Lip Gloss //
For years now, I've wanted a tailored pink tweed blazer. This just seems like such a chic and versatile piece of clothing, and one that can get a lot of wear especially in the fall and spring months! I'd looked at some in stores occasionally over the last couple years, but all of the tweed blazers I found were either not a good fit, or too expensive for me to justify purchasing. I had faith that if I was patient, I'd eventually find the perfect one!
When I was back visiting Charlotte over Labor Day Weekend, I treated myself to an afternoon of solo shopping at SouthPark Mall. The Labor Day Sales were fantastic this year, and SouthPark has the best store selection in Charlotte. Ann Taylor has been one of my favorite retailers for a few years now, but I always prefer to shop there in-store rather than online. We don't have a store in Charlottesville, so I knew I had to visit the SouthPark store! Way in the back on the clearance rack, there was *one* beautiful pink tweed blazer hanging on a random rack. I quickly snatched it and took it to the dressing room, and it fit perfectly. I couldn't believe my luck- I'd finally found THE blazer! Even better, I found it for 70% off. Patience paid off, literally! Since I found this one on clearance, I unfortunately can't link it for y'all. This one is also from Ann Taylor and is very similar though!
I also want to give a quick shout-out to these cute faux suede boots that JustFab sent me to style. They arrived to me shortly after I found my dream blazer, so I knew I wanted to pair the two together! I love how this look turned out, and it will probably be on repeat for me at work this fall season.
On a personal note- the month of September has been absolutely nuts for me! There's been a lot going on behind-the-scenes in my life that I'm still not able to share on the blog quite yet, but hopefully I can soon. My mind has been going a million miles a minute this month and hasn't been focused on Southern Belle in Training as much as it usually is. I'm hoping that October will bring the good news that I've been praying about, and that I'll be ready to tackle the rest of the fall blog content season in full force! A few upcoming blog post ideas that I have include an updated list of podcasts that I love, a big fall book reviews post, a post all about my US bucket list travel destinations, some honest thoughts about my personal experience with situation depression last year, and an October post for my Relationship Monday series! If you have any blog posts requests for the next month, let me know in the comments. 🙂
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
May 31, 2018
Monticello Wine Trail: Keswick Vineyards
Charlottesville, Virginia, my new home city, is famous for many things. Some very good things, like being home to the prestigious University of Virginia. and some not-so-good things, like the white supremacist rallies that happened here last summer. Something to add to the list of GOOD things that this area of Virginia is known for are the incredible wineries! Charlottesville is located smack in the middle of Central Virginia's wine country, and the region is actually home to 33 wineries that comprise the Monticello Wine Trail. I've made it one of my goals since moving here to visit all of these wineries at some point! Not sure I can get to them all in my first year here, but I'd sure like to try. 😊Anyways, a couple weekends ago when my friend Caroline was visiting, we went to Keswick Vineyards! This was my 5th winery visit on the Monticello Wine Trail. I thought it would be fun to share a few details from the day:
God Bless,
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Unfortunately, the weather wasn't too great on the day that Caroline and I headed over the Keswick. But the clouds in the sky didn't dull the fact that we had a great time! We started our time there with a wine tasting. The $12 wine tasting option includes a variety of white and red selections, and we both enjoyed it. We then went on a walking adventure to explore the beautiful grounds! While the wine tasting room at Keswick is very nice, the prettiest part of the winery is by far the manor home that is used for weddings and other large-scale events (the large white home pictured above). The architecture is absolutely stunning, and the fountain in front of it makes it picture perfect! Gazing at the white fences and endless fields of wine grapes make Keswick Vineyards seems something like a dream. Driving through the small village of Keswick from Charlottesville to get to the vineyard is very picturesque as well- you'll pass miles of farms and rolling hills.
Both Caroline and I wore our Hunter boots for this day's adventure, since the ground was still pretty damp from rain the night before. I styled mine with this embroidered jean skirt, which is a little out of my fashion comfort zone, but I really liked how the end look turned out. Winery style is really fun- you can wear something a little dressy (like a nice sundress or fun skirt), and I'd pick your shoes based on how much walking you anticipate doing. If your main goal is to sit and enjoy the wine tasting, heels or wedges would probably be fine! But if you want to walk the grounds and explore the winery in full, flat sandals or cute sneakers would be your best bet (or rain boots in case you have weather like we did!).
I loved visiting Keswick Vineyards, and hope to go back when the weather is nicer. I'm so excited to see the remaining 26 wineries on the Monticello Wine Trail!
Are there any wineries where you live? I don't know of any in Southern Maine (where I'm from). Vermont had a couple, but they were very tiny. North Carolina has a lot, but they're in the northern part of the state, so none by Charlotte. Charlotte however is known for its extensive craft beer and brewery scene!
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
April 14, 2018
What I Wore for Visiting the DC Cherry Blossoms.
Happy Saturday! I'm popping in with a surprise weekend post today. I wanted to share more about the outfit that I wore for Easter Sunday in DC this year! It ended up being chillier than I hoped that weekend, but I still wanted to wear something that reflected springtime, and was perfect for a day of cherry blossom sightings and city exploring. FYI: this outfit was made up completely of older pieces that I already had in my closet so for most items I'm linking similar things, but I was able to find similar pieces for just about everything!
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Sweater c/o {older style, very similar linked} // Skirt {from Zara, similar linked} // Scarf {older print, very similar linked} // Coat {not online, similar linked} // Necklace // Purse // Boots {similar} // Bracelet // Lipstick c/o //
I purchased this white wool skirt on a shopping trip in Canada last fall, but I actually never wore it once this winter! Easter weekend in DC had high temperatures in the upper 50s, so I knew that might be my last chance for this season to finally wear this cute skirt (this one is really similar from another favorite retailer of mine!). I brightened it up for Easter with one of my favorite colorful sweaters, and finished the look with a Lilly Murfee scarf (which I later realized the one I wore looks very similar to the DC scarf!). Normally as y'all know I'm all about getting dolled up for Easter with a new dress, but as I had untraditional Easter plans this year and the weather was cooler, this was a much better outfit choice!
In case you missed my DC travel posts, here is my guide to visiting the cherry blossoms, and here is my post about FREE things to do for a 24 hour or weekend trip to Washington!
Enjoy your weekend!! I hope it's a great one!
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
February 20, 2018
#IHaveThisThingWithPink: Winter Edition
Confession time: my favorite color is blue, and if we're getting specific it's the gorgeous aqua hue that is Tiffany Blue. However- you'd probably never know that based on how much I enjoy incorporating pink in my wardrobe! Last summer, one of my favorite outfit posts that I shared I entitled #IHaveThisThingWithPink. Today's outfit reminds me of a winterized version of that look!
Photography by Melissa Lynn Studios
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Sweater dress {not online, similar colored one here} // Vest {old, similar here} // Boots // Purse // Necklace {very similar linked} // Earrings // Ring // Lipstick c/o //
I found this sweater dress during my New Year's trip to Indiana, marked down for just $10!! I didn't even think twice before snatching it up. I'm all about adding color into my Vermont winter wardrobe, and if I can do it for just $10 that's even better. My exact sweater dress sadly isn't online, but this one is and it's pretty similar! My new Hunter boots are a shade darker than the sweater dress, but I love styling different coordinating shades of pink together. This was such a fun winter way to wear a bright hue, and it sure brightened my day to wear this outfit! For photography purposes I didn't wear tights or leg warmers with this outfit, but for wearing an outfit like this to work in the winter I probably wouldn't have bare legs! 😉
I hope that you enjoyed your President's Day weekend! My company does observe the holiday, so since I had the day off yesterday I decided to take the day off from the blog as well. I also want to give a reminder that today is your last opportunity to take my blog's annual reader survey if you haven't yet! You can take it here.
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
January 29, 2018
Vermont Red Barn + Wearing White in Winter.
What are the top three things that I associate with the state I've been calling home since the spring of 2017? Maple products, cheddar cheese, and classic red barns. I've done my fair share since moving to Vermont of consuming the first two, but the I hadn't had much exposure to that third item: the red barns! Vermont as a state has tons and tons of beautiful and classic red barns, some being used for traditional purposes as farming barns, and some restored into event venues, like the one you'll see in today's photos. The thing about finding a classic red barn is that the majority of them are in other parts of the state, either in the NEK (slang term for "Northeast Kingdom") or in Southern Vermont- both of these regions are about 2-ish hours from the Burlington area. I told one of my photographers, Melissa, that I wanted to try and find a beautiful red barn to visit within an hour radius to Burlington, and we were able to do just that!! I'm excited to share our visit to West Monitor Barn with you in today's post:
Photography by Melissa Lynn Studios. Thank you to West Monitor Barn for letting us shoot here!
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Sweater {not online, very similar linked} // Vest {not online, very similar linked} // Scarf {Not online, very similar linked} // Jeans // Boots // Sunglasses c/o // Coat {old, this year's version linked} // Gloves {sold out, similar linked} // Lip Gloss //
It was a mere six degrees outside when these photos were taken!! Hopefully I don't look too frozen here. 😊 I was so excited to finally do a photoshoot near a big red barn that I think my joy kept the freezing cold at bay at least for a little bit! I decided to style this classic white sweater and vest combo with bright pops of color in my accessories. I had fun pairing my pink Hunters and favorite blue DIFF sunglasses with this bold striped pom pom scarf. I think everything came out well for the finished product! That's the great thing about wearing "winter whites" like sweaters and vests, you can have so much fun adding color with your accessories. I've said this before on the blog, I am one of those people who follows the traditional rules about not wearing white after Labor Day. However- that applies to summer whites! Winter whites are awesome, I love my white sweaters especially.
The barn that Melissa and I went to is called West Monitor Barn, and it's about 45-ish minutes from the Burlington area. It's owned by the Vermont Youth Conversation Corps, but it can be rented out in the warmer months for weddings and other functions. This is literally the image I've had in my mind when I think of "classic Vermont barns," so I loved getting to visit here.
I'm keeping today's post short and sweet, but I'm looking forward to the other posts that are coming up on Southern Belle in Training this week! I've been having a lot of fun this month with different types of lifestyle content. With the cold weather this winter, it's reduced the amount that I've been shooting fashion posts for the blog, so it's challenged me creatively in other ways to still provide the same amounts of weekly blog posts for y'all. I hope you have enjoyed what I've been putting together, and as always I love blog post suggestions!
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)