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!
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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!
Finally sharing the last found of photos from an early spring shoot with Meredith- these were taken just a couple weeks after I moved to Virginia! I definitely saved the best for last, because I am low-key obsessed with two of the trends that I'm wearing in this outfit.
I'm clearly all about things that tie in today's outfit! Let's start with tie-front shirts. I started seeing this trend pop up in full force this winter, and I really wanted to get my hands on a white tie-waist shirt for spring and summer. I actually found the one that I'm wearing during my last shopping trip to Montreal before moving to Virginia, but this shirt is almost identical! It's not often that I purchase something that will match literally everything in my closet- but this shirt might be it. From casual jeans like I styled it here, to dress pants, shorts, skorts, and skirts- it coordinates with it all!
A fun fashion discovery that I made last year: Zara is a great store to buy jeans at! They have some really unique denim styles, they're all so comfortable, and just about all of their denim is under $100. I also purchased the jeans I'm wearing here at Zara in Montreal, but I'm hoping this summer or fall to get to check out some of the Zara locations in the DC area. This pair of jeans is similar to the ones I'm wearing. And for the other spring trend that I'm loving: neck scarves! They are such a chic way to add a twist to an everyday outfit. The one I have here is also from Zara- this one is similar though!
I hope that y'all had a great weekend. Mine was just the best! One of my dearest friends, Caroline, came to visit me from Charlotte. Longtime SBIT readers might recognize her name- Caroline is one of my best friends from college and we were suitemates during senior year! She also helped take a lot of my blog photos during senior year specifically (and has quite the eye for photography). I haven't seen her since when I moved away from Charlotte- and 13 months is too long to be away from one of your favorite friends. I'll be sharing more about what we did this weekend in Wednesday's post!
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!
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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!
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:
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!
I might have mentally prepared myself for the snow in Vermont, but no amount of preparation got me ready for the cold! Brrrrr- it has been one chilly start to winter here in the Northeast. In my defense, record low temperatures have been reported in just about all states on the East Coast to start off 2018, not just Vermont, so I probably didn't pick the best year to take a job in New England! Ah well. One of my coping mechanisms for the sub-zero temperatures and plethora of snow has been to put together cute winter outfits! Today I'm sharing a recent favorite outfit of mine, and also talking about one of my favorite retailers for finding warm sweaters that have been helping me survive this cold season!
Despite what a lot of Vermonters think, North Carolina definitely had a winter season. There were a good few months of cold there, so I built up quite a sweater and coat collection during my college years. HOWEVER- "cold" and "winter weather" in the South means 30s and 40s, so it's mild enough for cute sweaters and coats! Here in Vermont, I seriously have started thinking it's a heat wave if I see temperatures beginning with 3s in the winter forecast. It is so darn cold up here in the mountains in the wintertime! A lot of my Southern appropriate sweaters and coats just will not cut it. This past weekend, the high temperatures didn't even get out of the negatives!! While that is a bit colder than average, winter days in the teens and single digits still aren't unusual for Vermont in January.
In the search for finding sweaters that are actually thick enough to keep me warm in this frozen state, I discovered how amazing the cold weather apparel is from Chicwish. I cannot get enough of their sweaters! Chicwish is an online international retailer that I just started shopping at last year. I had no idea what the quality of their sweaters would be like, but I styled one for this blog post in September. I was absolutely amazed at how warm and soft it was, and all around so impressed with the quality. The blue turtleneck sweater that I'm wearing in today's post is from Chicwish as well. I love how it is stylishy oversized. It's loose enough that I can layer extra tshirts under it for even more warmth on really cold days, but it's not too big that it looks frumpy. Sadly the color I'm wearing is sold out, but it's still available in this cream color!
Today's post isn't sponsored, I'm just really excited about finding a retailer that has cute and fashionable sweaters that are warm enough to help me survive Vermont winter!! 😊 I'm sharing a bunch more cute Chicwish sweaters below:
Speaking of Vermont's weather- it is warming up slightly this week, and it'll be back in the 30s in a couple days. I've never been so happy to see 30 degree temperatures!!
Happy Day after Christmas! Hope that yesterday was a peaceful and wonderful day of celebrating for you. My holiday took an unexpected turn after I ended up staying in Vermont for the weekend instead of going home to Maine (the weather here was less than ideal), but I've tried to remain positive despite this happening! In today's post I'll be sharing one last holiday look that I wasn't able to post before Christmas, and also an updated reading list! I know it's been awhile since I shared one, but I wanted to let you guys know what I have been reading in November and December, before the new year!
This velvet peplum top was one of my Black Friday purchases this year, and I just love it! It comes in numerical sizing, but I found it fit true to size. It's a versatile winter top that you could easily pair with a cardigan for the office or school, and you can dress it up as well with a pencil skirt or skinny dress pants (like I did here!) for a holiday party look. This top also comes in a few other colors, and they're also super cute! I thought that gold accessories would be the perfect compliment to the dark red of the top, so it was the perfect chance to wear my new favorite statement earrings from Lisi Lerch! They kindly sent me these in time for my Kentucky trip, and I had fun wearing them there too! They're just gorgeous, and I know they will brighten up lots of my winter outfits.
By the way- it was 10 degrees outside when Amanda and I took these photos!! I still can't believe I survived. She sure is a trooper! Hopefully my teeth don't look too gritted and you can't see my goose bumps in the pictures. 😊 Quite a note to start to end on for one of my last outfit posts of the year!
Alright- let's dive into what I've been reading over the past couple months. My reading pace has slowed down a little bit from what it was this spring and summer, but I'm still trying to visit the library once or twice a month! Here's what I read in November and January:
*Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinksy: You guys know from my past book review posts that it's rare for me not to finish a book. This was a rare one that I just couldn't get through! I think I made it about halfway. The plot of this book was about a single divorced mother who learns her high school aged daughter is not only pregnant, but is in a pregnancy pact with her best friends. The book sounded interesting... but ended up being hard to follow, and actually quite boring. I couldn't get through it! (I recently watched a Lifetime movie with a similar-ish plot to this book, and let's just say that had much more drama and excitement! Haha.)
*Shattered by Karen Robards: This was a thriller set in a small town outside of Lexington, KY. Since I read it about a month before my Kentucky trip, it actually got me super excited to visit the Bluegrass State! Karen Robards does a great job of setting the scene of the Kentucky landscape in the book. As far as the plot itself, I loved the first half of the book, and then found the second half got a bit hard to follow and more unrealistic. This book is about an attorney named Lisa Grant who investigates an unsolved case from almost 30 years prior, which ends up hitting too close to home. There's also a romance involved in the plot as well.
*Friendship Bread by Darien Gee: This is a feel-good read all about friendship, small town life, healing, and the power of baking. Thinking of Hallmark Movie type vibes, but in a book! It follows the lives of three women, all living in a small town in Illinois. As the women become friends and a baking obsession sweeps over their town, change is on the horizon for each of them. This was a cute read, and I thought it was so sweet that the author included recipes in the back of the book.
*Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer: This book is set on the New England island of Nantucket, and the main character is an island resident and librarian named Darcy. The book follows Darcy's life for a whole summer, through her friendships and dating relationships, and also paints a very realistic picture of what it's like to be a permanent resident on one of New England's smaller islands. Although there weren't any major plot twists in this book, I did enjoy the story, and I especially enjoyed the vivid descriptions of summer on Nantucket. I've never been to Nantucket, but some parts of it reminded me of summer in Maine. I'd be interested to read some of Nancy Thayer's other books!
*First Comes Love by Emily Giffin: Amazingly this was the first Emily Giffin book I've ever read! I've seen her books before as they're quite popular, but I'd never picked one up for myself before. I really enjoyed this book. It explored the concept of coping in the years after a great loss, and the challenges that come with a relationship between two sisters. I'd love to read more of Emily's books now!
*Vanished by Karen Robards: I took out another Karen Robards book on my latest library trip, and I'm actually still reading this one! It's another thriller. This book follows the story of workaholic district attorney named Sarah, whose daughter was tragically kidnapped years prior. The book begins when Sarah is a victim in a crazy convenience store robbery and shooting (which as a warning, is a very graphic scene). Sarah being on the scene of such a great crime leads there to be questions if this could be connected in any way to her daughter's kidnapping years prior. There's also a romance developing between Sarah and one of her best guy friends. I'm looking forward to finishing this book.
My outfit details are all linked below. I'm excited to share my first year end recap post on the blog tomorrow! If you haven't read mine from years prior, I always share one post recapping the year in my personal life, and one recapping the year in blogging (as that's a ton to include all in one post!). Here is 2016's personal post and blogging post if you're curious in the meantime!
I haven't lived in Vermont very long, or experienced too much of the winter season yet, but I already can already say I know for a fact that snow is a very different experience in Northern New England than in the South! Kylie and I were expecting mild temperatures during our trip last weekend to Georgetown, Kentucky, but surprisingly we were treated to a dusting of bitter weather and Southern snow. The snow stuck around overnight and lasted for our Sunday morning excursion to Georgetown's Japanese garden, Yuko-En on the Elkhorn, and in today's blog post I'll be sharing what I wore for the garden visit, and more about Yuko-En on the Elkhorn!
Yuko-En on the Elkhorn is Georgetown Kentucky's free public Japanese inspired garden, open daily from dawn until dusk. The garden was founded in partnership with Georgetown's sister-city, Tahara, Japan. Their is a Japanese inspired villa that sits on the garden pond, and Georgetown residents are free to rent out the villa for local events. I thought the garden looked beautiful covered with freshly fallen snow- but on the garden website I saw some pictures of how it looks in the spring and summer months, and oh my gosh, it looks absolutely magical when things are blooming and the sun is warm and shining! You can learn more information about Yuko-En on the Elkhorn by visiting their website here! I have such a soft spot in my heart for public gardens- I really wish there were more of them here in the part of Vermont that I live in.
The cold weather during our trip to Kentucky threw off some of my outfit plans at the last minute, but I went with it! Luckily life in Vermont has prepped my closet well in terms of sweaters, scarves, and other winter accessories, so I still had some other things to choose from to pack. My blanket scarf is from Zara last year, but this one is kind of similar! My specific scarf is SO big and cozy that I actually find it a bit overwhelming to wear as a neck scarf, so I usually wear it more as a warm shawl, as I'm doing here in these photos!
A quick note on my pearl strand necklace- it's from J. Crew Factory, and it was one the top items on my Christmas wishlist three years ago. My mom got it for me that year, and it's been one of my most worn jewelry pieces ever since! Seriously, I wear this weekly, and bring it with me on almost every trip that I take, since it's such a versatile piece. It's on sale right now, and it would make a lovely Christmas present for a fellow preppy fashionista!
I'm so excited to share my complete holiday travel guide to Georgetown, Kentucky coming up later this week on the blog! Thank you for following along so far for the outfits and recaps from the trip. Hoping that your Monday is off to a great start today!
Like it or not, New England's frigid winter temperatures will be here before long! They often arrive well before the formal start of the winter season, so I'm already doing some inventory in my closet for winter fashion pieces that I'll need, and ways to restyle things that I already have. I recently got this cozy sweater that I'm wearing in today's post, and I know this outfit will be great for any early chilly days that head to Vermont!
Photography by Amanda Rose Photography
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I had scheduled this blog post for today a few weeks ago... but it is ironic that I'm publishing it on this Monday as Northern Vermont is coming off of a gorgeous weekend filled not only with sunshine, but also 80 degree temperatures!! Let me repeat- two days of 80 degree temps in mid September! That is warmer than it was for a lot of summer here... what a glorious weekend it was! I'll be sharing a bit about what I did to enjoy it in this week's Midweek Ramblings post on Wednesday. Anyways- onto this outfit, which I know sadly I will be wearing sooner rather than later with the way weather changes here!
In the winter or cool end of fall, it can be easy to start to get lazy with fashion. Gone are adorable sundresses and fun summer patterned dress pants, and it's onto what can seem like an endless cycle of sweaters. My job is so casual attire-wise that I want to make sure not to fall into the boring 6+ months trap of wearing an oversized sweater, jeans, and snow boots to work everyday! That wouldn't be very fashion blogger of me. I know that the long cold season up here will be a challenge to my fashion sense- but I'm up for it! 😉 My hope is to wear a lot of outfits like this one- looks that are still warm and cozy, but also trendy and cute.
This grey sweater is one of the warmest things in my closet right now!! I was pretty hot when shooting this, but I know I'll be so thankful for this once the snow arrives. I highly recommend it if you live in a cold state, or have a ski vacation planned for this winter! My mom surprised me with this pretty plaid scarf this summer which is on sale now!! If you're looking for a great scarf for the upcoming months- grab this one now while it's marked down. And I love these faux leather leggings! I bought them last season and they're back for this year too and fully in stock.
Are you already thinking about your cold weather wardrobe like I am? What's on your must-buy list?
I'm excited for the rest of the month's posts on Southern Belle in Training! Stay tuned for some fun ones on the way, starting tomorrow!
