Something I have been doing well at since 2025 began? Trying to save more money. Something I have not been doing as well at? Fun shopping purchases for myself.
I haven't been doing a designated "shopping fast" or been forbidding myself from making personal purchases, but it simply hasn't been as much of a priority to me as of late. I've shared this in other recent posts, but 2024 was a rough year for Ryan and I financially, between unexpectedly losing my radio job (and its salary) and our wedding. To end 2024 with even more of a financial bang, Christmas and its gifting obligations also immediately followed our wedding and honeymoon! It's been such a good thing to cut back on a lot of unnecessary expenses so far in 2025, and to actually be able to put money back into savings once again with each paycheck, instead of just pulling savings frequently.
With all that to say, I do feel like some personal purchases for the spring season will very soon be on my horizon! There's so many cute styles out right now. But for the meantime, I've had my share of fun doing online window-shopping and curating some wishlists. I love the pieces that I've been finding, so I wanted to share them with you today. They feature beautiful flowy dresses from various retailers, spring shoes from Target and swimwear from Old Navy. Check out everything below!
I hope you're having a great start to the holiday weekend! I have to be honest here: I think Memorial Day Weekend Sales can be very hit or miss year to year. Some years I am extremely underwhelmed. This year is not one of those years though!! I am very pleased with a lot of the offerings from some of my favorite stores, and I think you will be too.
It's finally my favorite shopping day of the year! Happy Black Friday!! I haven't missed a Black Friday of shopping in-person since I was 13... that's 13 consecutive years I think?! But things will look a bit different for me this year.
Instead of waking up bright and early and rushing to the stores, I'm waiting until late afternoon or evening to go out and just hit a couple places. I'll be wearing not only my mask, but also my face shield! And if there are crowds at the places I'm planning to visit later, I'm planning to just leave and come back home. Safety first. 😓But thankfully online Black Friday shopping and Cyber Weekend deals are not cancelled in 2020!
Wrapping up (ha- pun not intended!) Gift Guide Week with one dedicated to one of my very favorite things to both give and receive: books! I think giving a book to a friend, family member or significant other is always a wonderful choice.
Typically, I think a non-fiction book or cookbook is the best way to go for a gift, versus fiction. I tend to read 99% of my fiction from the library or a cheap local used bookstore, it's rare that I buy a fiction book brand new at full price. But I have been lucky with fiction and read some truly wonderful novels in the past couple years, so I did include two of them that I think would appeal to a lot of readers in this guide.
Gift Guide Week continues today- let's chat gifts for all the guys! Dads, brothers and brothers-in-law, guy friends, and boyfriends. For today- I did want to share a mix of a few things that I've bought my dad in past years, and a few fun items that I'd buy for a significant other if I was seeing someone right now.
So funny story about today's guide. For the past few years, I haven't done a dedicated men's guide. Why you ask? Well- I don't feel very qualified to do so! 😂 I've only bought a Christmas gift for a romantic interest for once in my life. (One Christmas out of 26 of them... yes that's sad I know! #ForeverSingle) I don't have any brothers or brother-in-laws, and my guy friends and I don't typically do Christmas gifts. So that just leaves my dad! And he's an interesting one to buy for. He's not a fan of any sports (for real), and also isn't into some of the typical guy pastimes like hunting or fishing. So I always have to get a little more creative when thinking of what to get my dad. Some of my favorite gifts I've bought him have actually been experience gifts- I'll have a separate blog post on those ideas coming soon.
Welcome to Southern Belle in Training's first 2020 Gift Guide: Gifts for Her! I'm officially making this Gift Guide Week on the blog. 😊🎄Instead of breaking things down into very specific and separate gift guides for friends, sisters, moms, etc... I decided to keep it simple and just do all of my recommendations into this one: Gifts for Her! These 20 gifts are at a variety of price points ($10-200), and there's all different types of things featured, so there is bound to be something in the mix that a woman in your life would enjoy receiving this year.
Stay tuned later this week for Gifts for Him, and a Book Gift Guide for Her as well! Next week or the week after I'm also planning to share a Virtual and Experience Gift Guide which I'm excited about as well.
Happy Monday! I was going through my Amazon Wishlist last week while searching for items to start listing for gift guides and also things to put on my own Christmas list for my parents this year. Taking a deep dive through my general Wishlist made me realize how random the items are that I save for later on Amazon! Everything from fashion and jewelry to books to miscellaneous household items. Since my Wishlist is so random, I thought it might be fun to highlight some of the things on there! Some of these I'll be adding to my Christmas list, some I'll probably buy myself next year, and some I'll probably realize that I will never actually need and won't order.
Happy 4th of July weekend! Yet another holiday coming and going during the pandemic... but we have no control over that. All we can do is celebrate America the best ways we know how this weekend (while being socially distanced from large groups and as safe as possible)!
It has been a tough first half of 2020 in the US, and not just because of COVID-19. There has been political turmoil for the election year, the horrific murder of George Floyd and the deserved outrage that followed, unemployment levels skyrocketing nationwide (I guess that one is due to COVID)... my point is things haven't been easy this year for a lot of reasons. There's still so much work for all of us to do going forward into the second half of the year! But with all that said, on this 4th of July weekend I am still so proud to be an American. We still have so many freedoms and rights here in this country that so many people in oppressive nations around the world would give their lives to have, and I don't ever want to take that for granted.
I saw this mural when I was in Columbia, SC a few weeks ago, and I thought I would save the photo to post for this weekend. May God Bless America! 🇺🇸
Happy Thanksgiving!! I had thought I'd be finishing this post this evening and getting it up for you tomorrow bright and early, but due to some changes in my travel plans it's actually getting up now. Early shopping anyone? 😉
Happy Thanksgiving from Houston, Texas! I arrived earlier today, and I'm here visiting one of my dear friends. My friend Ciera moved here for a new job opportunity this summer, and I am so excited to spend a long weekend exploring her new home state and city!
Tomorrow is one of my very favorite days of the year! I have gone Black Friday shopping in a mall (or many malls in one day!) every year since I was 13. To date, I've spent this holiday in seven states! Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Vermont... and now Texas! I have a feeling this year might be my favorite yet, as Ciera has raved about the malls near where she lives. 😊In the age of online shopping, I love the fact that Black Friday is the one day where so many people still head to traditional shopping malls and support brick and mortar retail. I worked in retail part-time for all summers in college, and the year following college graduation, so it holds a special place in my heart!
If you do prefer to do your shopping online this year, I'd be honored if you supported my blog by shopping through the affiliate links below! Listed are the sales for my personal favorite stores. The Shein sale is especially good- it's 60% off their already crazy low prices, plus you can use my discount code for an extra 20% off!
*Black Friday Sales 2018:
*Ann Taylor - 50% off everything. Use code BLACK FRIDAY.
Leave a comment telling me what you purchased for Black Friday this year- I'd love to hear! I'll keep y'all posted on IG Stories about my Texas shopping adventures. I'm taking Monday off from a new blog post since I'll be traveling back to Virginia, but I'll talk to you on here on Tuesday!
One of the best parts about blogging is that it's pushed me as a consumer to be aware of so many more fashion retailers and brands. In middle and high school, I was definitely guilty for a few years of shopping exclusively at the "cool" mall stores like American Eagle Outfitters, Hollister, and Victoria's Secret PINK. Heaven forbid I even consider shopping somewhere else during that time in my life - ha! Nowadays, I can say that it's actually really hard for me to pick a favorite store or brand! Keeping up with fashion trends so often now, I've quite honestly discovered things that I like and dislike about almost every retailer. Of course, there are a few that I do generally prefer over others (which you'll read more about in this post), but overall I think we're living in an era when fast fashion is easy to come by from many different places, which makes blogging really fun and creative!
I thought today's post would be fun to write though to share which retailers I turn to when shopping for certain things specifically. Such as- what's my favorite store for tights? My go-to place for sports bras? What store comes to mind when I think work appropriate blouses? You'll learn all of these things today! It doesn't mean that I won't buy my tights, sports bras, or business casual tops at multiple places of course, but there are some brands that are "tried and true" for me for some winning items, so that's what I'll be focusing on today!
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
*Ann Taylor- To me, the essence of the Ann Taylor brand is fashion that is feminine, classic, understated and timeless. It's a more expensive brand/store, but everything Ann Taylor that I own I keep in my closet for years, so I see purchases there as investments instead of fast fashion. I would probably shop at Ann Taylor at lot more if there was a store in Vermont (it's one store I prefer to shop at in person), and also if I worked in a business casual work environment, but either way, it still remains a favorite of mine! *Ann Taylor favorites - Business casual blouses and tops
*Anthropologie - Many of my girlfriends claim Anthropologie as their favorite store. While it isn't my top retail destination, my heart does have a soft spot for Anthro! I actually don't own any clothing items from here (surprisingly?), but I adore the home items and other accessories. Remember that gold initial mug that when viral on Instagram and Pinterest circa 2014? I still have mine and proudly use it as decoration on my blogging desk/office area! Like Ann Taylor, this is another store that I prefer to shop at in-store versus online. *Anthropologie favorites - Mugs
*Belk- My favorite Southern department store!! Ah- how I miss Belk! Yet another store where I'm not a big fan of the website, so I haven't shopped there since I moved to Vermont. The SouthPark Mall location in Charlotte is one of their flagship stores, and it carried lots of high-end and premiere brands, so Belk SouthPark was always one of my favorite places to go in SouthPark. Belk's annual Belk Days sale is an amazing time to get great deals on so many items in store. There are few departments stores where I can truly say I like every department, but Belk is one of those, at least for the Charlotte locations! My favorite thing to purchase at Belk though is shoes. So many of my favorite shoe purchases are from there, and they often have great sales in the shoe department. *Belk favorites - Shoes at all locations, and for the SouthPark location, their Lilly Pulitzer department!
*Banana Republic - I view Banana Republic as a three-way fusion of Gap, J. Crew, and Ann Taylor. I like Banana and have some pieces from there that I love, but it's not a store that I specifically go to when shopping for something, if that makes sense. Most of their items are pretty high quality and investment pieces, also kind of like Ann Taylor. I will say that Banana will always have a special spot in my heart as it's one of the first major fashion brands that I partnered with on my blog for a few campaigns! *Banana Republic favorites - Sweaters and shoes
*Charming Charlie - During my first two years of college, Charming Charlie was 100% my favorite store in the world. It's still a retailer that I love, but my obsession might have calmed a little bit now, haha! Anyways, before my junior year of college, there actually weren't any CC locations in Charlotte! They did have some in a two-hour radius in other parts of the Carolinas, like Winston-Salem and Greenville, SC. You bet that I made trips to shop there at least once or twice a semester! I'm telling you- my devotion was strong! I've tried just about everything that Charming Charlie sells, and in the last year I've also gotten some fun PR mailers from them with blogging. There are a few stand-out products that I love though, and it's also a great store to find gifts at for girlfriends!
*Charming Charlie favorites - Statement earrings and these hair elastics (The only ones I buy now)
*Chicwish - This is an online retailer that was new-to-me in 2017, and I was lucky enough to start partnering with them on my blog! Sometimes as a consumer it's easy to be wary of online-only retailers, especially since I really do love the in-person shopping experience so much! I can say now that I'm definitely a fan of Chicwish though! Most of their items fit very TTS, and I've really liked just about everything I've received from them! I like Chicwish because while they sell trendy items, their clothing usually has a unique look about it that's a little different than what you see in mall stores. *Chicwish favorites - Skirts and sweaters (I wrote a separate blog post here about how much I love their sweaters!)
*Dillard's - Ah - another department store that I miss dearly! Nordstrom is really the only department store that I make regular orders from online, the rest I prefer to shop at in-store. I will say, I used to be more into Dillard's a few years ago for two reasons. Their SouthPark Mall locations in Charlotte had an excellent Juniors section, and also a decently sized Vera Bradley selection in the Handbags department - which are two departments I used to shop in a lot more a few years ago! But with that said, I still really like Dillard's for other things too! *Dillard's favorites - Shoes and formalwear
*DSW - Obviously this is a shoe store, so *shocker* when I say that I come here for.... shoes! What sets DSW apart from other places that I buy shoes at is that if I have a certain specific shoe style in mind that I'm looking for, whether it's a type of black heel, a certain workout sneaker, or a type of fall boot.... there's a 99% chance DSW has it, or has something very similar to what I want. They just have such an extensive selection of shoes since it's what they specialize in! Sometimes when I'm shoe shopping I check other stores first, but if I'm coming up blank, DSW usually comes to my rescue. *DSW favorites - Specific shoes I'm shopping for
*Express - Express isn't one of my favorites of the mall brands, however it's one of the few stores we have here at the mall in Vermont that I actually shop at (lol but true!). I think they tend to be pretty overpriced for the quality of their clothing. With that said, during their large sale days (like Black Friday or other holidays) you can sometimes get great deals on already reduced clearance. I have some things from Express I've found on sale that I really do like. Their ExpressNEXT rewards program also isn't bad- you don't need to store credit card to sign up for it, and it's easy to get rewards. *Express favorites - various clothing finds on-sale
*Forever 21- Weird fun fact: one of my favorite Forever 21 locations EVER is in Maine!! Isn't that random? But seriously, there's a great location in the mall where I'm from. Anyways, I've been a loyal F21 shopper since high school. Since I've gotten more into online shopping with blogging, I now prefer retailers like Chicwish and Shein to Forever 21's clothing. However, I still love F21 for accessories, pajamas, and workout apparel! Their sports bra are so cheap and are my favorite! *Forever 21 favorites - "Going out clothes," fall hats, pajamas, and sports bras
*Francesca's - I love the vibe and design of Francesca's stores. It really is like stepping into a cute girly boutique inside of the mall! This is yet another retailer that I really don't like shopping at online, I prefer the in-store experience. Similarly to Express, I think a lot of Francesca's clothing is very overpriced for what it is. However, this is a great store for accessories and little home trinkets. It's one of my favorite places to shop at for gifting for my girlfriends! Most years for Christmas I've bought at least a few friends presents and stocking stuffers from here! *Francesca's favorites - Home trinkets and accessories
*H&M - This is a very hit or miss store with me! Another one that I prefer to shop at in-store, but my affection for H&M totally depends on the location. There were some in the Charlotte area that carried much better merchandise than others for example. I think some of their clothing is extremely cheaply made (and looks it), but other things are a great bargain for the price, and hold up very well! For example- one of my favorite coats is four years old and from H&M and I still love it, but sometimes I see other coats there that I wouldn't be caught dead in, as they look so cheaply made. I have the same views on their accessories. *H&M favorites - "Going out clothes" and accessories
*J. Crew - A rare brand where I prefer its outlet version to the real thing! With that said, nothing compares to J. Crew's gorgeous line-up of winter coats. I received one for Christmas a few years ago, and it's one of my most prized possessions. Their line of statement jewelry is also gorgeous! *J. Crew favorites - The Lady Day coat
*J. Crew Factory - So I totally prefer Factory to regular J. Crew! Anyone else? I've shopped there for long enough and have enough of a grasp on their sizing and styles that I shop there equally online and in-store. They're my go-to destination for preppy basics! Everything from solid colored shorts to cardigans to jewelry staples... and sometimes fun things too like cute dresses and tops! *J. Crew Factory favorites - Shorts and cardigans
*Kendra Scott - Definitely one of the main brands that I fell in love with during my years in the South! Kendra Scott's jewelry is so bold and colorful, and I think it wears well with many of my wardrobe favorites. I will say that I think some of their pieces are a bit overpriced for what they are, but on the other hand some of their other jewelry I think is very fairly priced and remains some of my favorite jewelry to wear! It just depends on the pieces. When I buy Kendra online, I usually do so through Nordstrom so that I can use my Nordstrom card. Otherwise I love having the in-store experience! *Kendra Scott favorites - Stud earrings and cuff bracelets
*Lauren James - Probably the preppiest place I shop at! Predominantly an online retailer, although boutiques across the country do carry Lauren James (none near Vermont though). I am obsessed with their Sweet Tee t-shirts (I just featured them in my Best Purchases of 2017 post), but I also love Lauren James's vests, shorts, and other clothing items! And they have the cutest preppy stickers. *Lauren James favorites - Sweet Tees
*Lilly Pulitzer - Out of every store/brand on this list... this is the one where if asked, I'd say, "Yep, I'd like everything please!" I am 110% a Lilly girl, and so proud of it. 😊 I have a plethora Lilly accessories, had a Lilly agenda every year of college, have a rapidly growing collection of Lilly dresses, and own many other Lilly clothing items as well. And you know what? I LOVE IT ALL!!! (I'm sure that's not a shock to you if you read my After Party Sale posts!) *Lilly Pulitzer favorites - Dresses and Lilly drinkware (mugs especially)
*LOFT - Probably an odd favorite thing to have about such a popular store... but I love LOFT's tights! Especially their sweater tights, they've made it possible for me to keep wearing dresses and skirts during the awful New England winter! I asked for some more for Christmas and was thrilled when my mom bought me several more pairs! This is another store, like J. Crew, where I really like their outlet! Sometimes I like the stuff LOFT outlet gets better than regular LOFT. I also like LOFT for other things, like blouses and sweaters, but I will say that I don't shop there anymore as much as I did a couple years ago, as I feel like right now with blogging LOFT is almost a little *too* popular and it seems like on Instagram every night there's at least 25 bloggers in the same LOFT outfit. No thanks!! *LOFT favorites - Tights
*Nordstrom - The mother of all department stores, at least in the blogging world! Being a blogger and reaping the benefits of NSale commissions each summer (#transparency) has definitely made me start shopping more at Nordstrom, but I will say I appreciate the fact how they carry a range of high and low end brands. And I love the free shipping! Even when I lived in Charlotte where there was a large store, this is a rare store that I prefer online shopping at to the in-store experience. And now in Vermont I don't have a choice, so online it is! *Nordstrom favorites - Large Tory Burch selection (I purchase most of my Tory stuff here so I can get card points), the BP exclusive line
*Nordstrom Rack - I'm also a big fan of Nordstrom's budget friendly sister store! While Rack is a much better shopping experience in-store, I'm very spoiled as there's an awesome Rack in Maine, and my broadcasting school wasn't far from the Charlotte one. Nordstrom Rack visits are always surprising- you could do amazingly and end up with a penny deal, you might not find anything, or you could find lots of things! *Nordstrom Rack favorites - Shoes and jewelry
*Ross - I don't actually know too many bloggers who admit to liking shop at Ross. There aren't any Ross stores in New England, so I was unfamiliar with it until I moved to NC for college. It didn't take me long to fall in love though! You can't get lower deals on clothing than Ross. Except maybe Walmart.... but let's avoid that. 😉 Ross is an extremely no-frills shopping experience, and selection varies of course from store to store, but I've had many Ross trips where I have STRUCK GOLD, and found things like the cutest sweaters, skirts, and tops! Seriously- one basic striped top that I wear almost weekly to work was a Ross find last year for under $10. Also- they have a huge two-story store on the Las Vegas strip that I've visited on both of my Vegas trips and will probably visit on future trips too! Can you tell I'm a Ross enthusiast? #noshame
*Ross favorites - Dresses
*Shein - This is an online exclusive retailer that I was very wary of before I first ordered from there. All of their prices are insanely cheap (think $15 and under for most things), and they're China based, so I didn't know if it was legit. I'm here to report that Shein is one of those rare things in life that is too good to be true! I've now placed tons of orders through them over the last couple years and also worked with them on my blog. There's been some items that were of low quality or didn't fit well, but for the most part, I love everything! If it's taken care of well, it holds up pretty well. You can also read the customer reviews before purchasing! The items that have the most reviews are usually the best bets. *Shein favorites - Workout leggings and swimwear
*Talbots - This is actually my mom's favorite store! She started shopping there more often when I was in high school, and buying me things from there. Then I started shopping there too! While some things from Talbots have a bit of a mature look to them (more suited for women my mom's age), there are lots of things in the store that look great on 20 somethings as well. The word that comes to mind when I think of Talbots is "classic." If you bought something from Talbots five years ago, you can still wear it now without question! While I have lots of clothing from there, the items that I actually own the most of are their accessories. If Charming Charlie is my favorite place for statement jewelry, it would be Talbots for simple and understated costume jewelry. *Talbots favorites - Jewelry and Scarves
*Target - I go through weird phases with Target's clothing. Some seasons I love everything and I buy tons of it, and other times I go months without buying a thing. I loved their Lilly for Target collection in 2015, and I've also liked some of the other limited edition lines. Two things that I've always bought at Target and will probably continue to buy there though are swimwear and basic t-shirts. *Target favorites - Swimwear, t-shirts, and the Sugarfix by Baublebar exclusive jewelry line
*TJ Maxx / Marshall's - Alright y'all don't hate me for saying this.... I'm actually not too big of a Maxxinista! (Or whatever the equivalent is for Marshall's.) I think despite the fact their prices are lower than department stores, they're often still too high for the quality of what they're selling. That's why I prefer Ross- pretty much everything is $20 and under there! I rarely buy clothing now at TJ Maxx or Marshall's. I do like both stores though for home items, gifting supplies (like gift bags), and shoes. TJ Maxx does have some good shoe finds, but it's hit or miss depending on location and the season. *TJ Maxx / Marshall's favorites - Home accessories and shoes
*Zara - One of my newer favorite stores, but I'm oh so in love with it! I especially love shopping there when I travel. Montreal, just over the border from Burlington, has tons of great Zara locations which is been fun to discover! Zara carries such modern and different twists on basic items. Everything they sell has a city-chic feel to it. I recently discovered their denim and I LOVE it, but besides for that I don't really have a favorite thing here! I honestly like everything.
*Zara favorites - Jeans and blanket scarves
I hope that you enjoyed today's blog post!! Do we share any favorite stores?
When I was in 9th grade, my Honors English class used to have a weekly discussion question on our class website. It was kind of like a mini essay, to practice writing outside of traditional papers. Anyways, I'll never forget that one week's question asked what your biggest goal was in the future for your life. Most of my classmates responded with things related to educational goals, having families someday, once in a lifetime dream experiences, or things along these lines. My answer to the question at age 14? To shop at the Mall of America. I know, I know. I'm cringing now thinking back on that!! (Really Annaliese?! That was your life goal?) But that just goes to show you how I've always been a fan of the retail experience. I'm sharing this little story to give you a bit of background into how much I truly enjoyed visiting this special shopping center outside of Montreal last weekend! I've definitely found one of my new favorite places here in the North.
One of the things that I dislike the most about life in my new home state of Vermont is the extreme lack of brick and mortar retail. Vermont's government has a ton of regulations in place to make it very hard to new growth and development to enter the state (even in populated areas), and while I do see the benefit of maintaining the natural beauty of the state... I'm also 110% team retail/new buildings/economic growth/NEW THINGS! Charlotte is one of the fastest growing cities in the country right now, both population and industry, so it was definitely a shock to move here to Vermont. Having such a lack of retail presence is definitely hard as a fashion blogger! Of course online shopping is available and I have taken advantage of it since moving, but in my heart I've always been more partial to the experience of shopping in-store or at a mall. The "largest mall" in the state of Vermont is a town over from Burlington... and let me just say it is SAD, y'all. I go there sometimes to pick up Bath and Body Works candles... and literally the status of every other store in there depresses me! There are actual malls in New Hampshire and New York, but the closest ones are still about three hours each from the Burlington area, and that's a long ways to drive with my current work schedule of being on-air six days a week. So for the longest time, I didn't have a solution to my lack-of-shopping problem!
I don't know why it took me a full six months since moving to realize this.... but the winning answer wasn't in New Hampshire or New York. It was to the north, in Canada! Hello province of Quebec and Montreal metro area... land of abundant malls and fabulous shopping!
{The weather in Vermont has broken records this week! It was 91 on Monday! Follow me on social media @miss_alk}
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Ramblings:
Amazing weather: The picture above had to prepare y'all for this to be my first rambling this week! 😉 The state of Vermont gave me the best belated birthday gift ever this week, a week and a half of beautiful, sunny, and most importantly HOT weather! This past weekend and up until today the weather has literally broken records in the state- I believe I heard in the local news the record broken on Monday was last set in the 1800s! I am quite a warm weather girl and have already been getting nervous for my first Vermont winter, so this last burst of sunshine was such a gift after a cool, rainy summer. I bought the donut pool float that's pictured on sale in-store for just $6 over the weekend, and it was fun to use it on Monday morning before work on Lake Champlain!
Air pumps are sold where...? On the note of the donut pool float that I just bought... I almost wasn't able to use it! I had the hardest time finding an air pump for the float! Growing up, my dad always kept a hand pump for air for inflatables in our garage, and I always assumed that was a normal item sold at most big box or hardware stores, but apparently not?! I tried Target and Super Walmart across the lake, and back in Vermont I tried our Walmart, Big Lots, Lowe's and a hardware store, and NONE of these places sold an air pump for inflatables or pool floats! The employee at the hardware store was nice enough to let me bring in the float and see if a bike pump would work with the float, but the nozzle on it was too small. Thankfully, my friend who I went to the lake with had an air pump for an inflatable kayak that she let me borrow, but if that hadn't happened I would have been out of luck! So question for all of you cute pool float lovers: where did you find your air pump? Was it from a store, or something special you had to order online? (I'm hoping Amazon has them for next season- ha!)
Fall TV premieres: This week most of my favorite fall TV shows returned! (Last week I actually wrote a detailed TV Guide style post all about fall shows- check it out here if you haven't!) The Big Bang Theory's season premiere was Monday night and it was SO good- we finally got the answer about Sheldon's proposal... as well as a HUGE bombshell with other characters that I wasn't expecting! Tonight is the season premiere of Star, one of my other favorite shows!
Work OOTD's: A couple weeks ago, I decided to start sharing my radio work OOTDs everyday before leaving my apartment for the day on Insta-Stories. The feedback so far has been wonderful!! Doing this has also inspired me to dress up more for work than I was before, and get more creative in restyling things, so it's a win-win all around. I know that what I wear to work might not work for all professions (I feel like I dress the same as I did in college- dressed up some days and casual others!) but hopefully these outfits are still helpful to some! 😊 Be sure you're follow me @miss_alk to see them!
Purchases:
This weekend I made a trip across the lake (via ferry) to do some shopping in Plattsburgh, NY, at stores that aren't located in Vermont. Pleased to report that therapy of the retail variety was done! First and foremost, I was like a kid in a candy store in the new Hobby Lobby that just opened in Plattsburgh! Forget Nordstrom or other popular stores with bloggers.... Hobby Lobby will forever be my weakness!! I shared a haul of what I purchased on Insta-Stories a couple nights ago.
These gorgeous boots were an impulse purchase this weekend, but I fell in love with them and also realized how many things they would match in my fall and winter wardrobe (including one of my favorite winter coats!!). And they're under $50- which I can totally justify for cute trendy boots!
Not a fashion purchase, but I always wanted to own this game while in Charlotte for game nights with friends, and I saw it at Target this weekend and had to scoop it up finally! Now I just need to host a game night so I can play at last!
Of course- I also bought the donut float that's pictured above, it was marked down in-store at Target to $6!!
Wishlist:
One designer item that I've never owned is sunglasses. I don't think I've ever owned a pair that costs more than $20 because I always lose or break them! Lately though I've had my eyes lusting over pretty sunglasses like these.... maybe I'm finally grown up enough to buy these? Haha.
Since cheap sunglasses are my jam... here's a super cute trendy pair for under $15! Eye protection is still so important in colder weather.
Exactly the type of stylish top that I'd rock for work in the next couple months. #fallvibes
I never spend money on "going out clothes," and this top is under $20 so it would be perfect for fall nights on the town!! I like how the model styled it with a choker necklace, and it comes in a few colors.
Okay this is just a cute and funny item for the single friend in your life!! I love saying this saying and have a pair of pajamas that say what's on this keychain as well. This would be an adorable birthday or Christmas gift for any independent lady!
Chillier, normal fall weather returns to Vermont tomorrow! I'm sad to kiss summer goodbye *for real* this time, but excited to work on more fall fashion content for the blog soon!
