the unexpected.

one of the funnest things to do with your closet of clothes is mix the unexpected. you know... like putting a sequence shirt with ripped denim and heels or placing a glitzy statement necklace with a t-shirt and adidas original sneakers.

the pioneer of this activity has to be Leandra Medine of famed blog, Man Repellar. her idea of mixing the unexpected is layering a mui mui skirt with fitted skinny jeans and valentino heels - she nails it every time. sadly, my collection of designer pieces and overall closet budget is just not as extravagant as ms. medine's.

no worries! there is still tons of fun to be had in the budgeted closet. for this post i wore this new fabletics tee (it's really meant for a little sweat or yoga), my over-sized old navy shorts, custo barcelona jacket (found this gem at kimberly boutique in West Hartford, CT), steve madden booties, and my fave turquoise necklace i got on a trip to England with my cousin, Grace.

hooray for unexpected finds in your own closet!

   

chilly VS cold

since moving back to miami from connecticut, i've realized that it's only ever mildly cold here when the northeast is being blasted with a snow storm.

this last storm (juno?) that came thru had my husband and i thinking, "do we miss it?"
and by "it" i mean the storm, the snow, the cold.
and the answer we came to was, yes.
and we recognize that's a bit nutty sounding.

there's just something about the idea of an impending storm. when the snow starts to fall you feel like you're in a snow globe and nothing else exists. the day after you're in a winter wonderland... and all of this while freezing your bum off.

{{i'll just fail to mention all the not so magical parts like power failures and snow covered cars}}

so in honor of the freezing cold up north, i pulled on a sweater and scarf. burrrrr!

scarf: zara (similar)
sweater: target
pants: purchase in South Africa a while back
shoes: birkenstock

   

tomorrow's another day.

in my last trimester of pregnancy I did some extensive research, reading, and general questioning of and about how to care for a baby. the knowledge I gained was vast and at times very overwhelming, but always helpful.

however, there's this one piece of easy going advice that really stuck with me:

"if the day doesn't go well, you fall off schedule, or baby is not co-operating... breath and remember tomorrow is another day... you can just start over."

the source of this tidbit was referring to an eating/sleeping cycle for baby, but i've started applying it to other aspects of life. 

the statement is true in terms of baby; they are a clean slate in the morning so start fresh. BUT we too are clean slates in the morning. so brush it off and start a new. 

obviously, some messes we make are bigger than others and take more dusting in order to "start fresh", but it can (and at times must) be done.

i try to remind myself of this mindset every time Lyla doesn't go to bed exactly on schedule, OR i have a really bad day in general due to hormones, people, personal expectations and/or uncontrollable circumstance. 

so far this little thought process is working for me ...if you need it, try it too!

   

a popped collar.

got this Michael Kors shirt from my mom's closet.
i love the color and especially love the way the collar stands up.

these days getting dressed needs to be as simple as possible - dressing my lil lady is way more important! so ease and effectiveness is key for me.

too bad you can't wear gym clothes everyday and everywhere.

had some fun with this...

   

an outing inspired outfit.

 

stepping out in some basic pieces. my postpartum doc check-up was last week and this was reason enough to put on something other than workout wear.

after blankly staring into my closet forever, i ended up in pants i'd worn throughout my pregnancy and a super soft black shirt that hides all the belly fat i'm yet to loose after belly bump has gone. both from Marshalls - never fail to find treasures there.

paired these easy going pieces with my fav Nixon watch and James Michelle gold bar necklace; it's engraved with "albert & lyla" (my hubbs and babe).

then while brushing my teeth, i looked down at our bathroom tiles and thought i'd take some selfies...

{insert a wink face here}

   

oh you too?! {a personal revelation of sorts}

as adolescents most of us try our hardest to "fit in".
fit in with a particular type of person or the of group of people we most identify with... or would like to anyway.

then as adults we venture out into the world and try to find ourselves in college or up the corporate ladder. now the idea is to set yourself apart. be different and unique. never a follower, always a leader... but ultimately you're still surrounded with like-minded individuals.

both of the above statements are true for the most part - i recognize there are always exceptions.

where am i going with this?
during this whole "being pregnant, giving birth and then caring for a baby" thing, i realized most people are just looking to connect. you can call it fitting in or you can call it being uniquely you and finding others who relate. at the end of the day, we long to belong and identify with others. after all, forming relationships and building community is what God meant for us to do.

personally, it was such a relief for me to come into contact with other "mommies" who had the same feelings of overwhelming responsibility and anxiety once they took their babies home and had to figure this new way of life out. it was also a great relief to read blogs or forums where other women had experienced similar physical challenges i did, during or after pregnancy.

i would literally think, "wow! what a relief to know i'm not the ONLY one." in fact, i was actually one in thousands of women who had the same feelings and experiences. learning this gave me strength and comfort in knowing i was not alone.

i strongly believe this feeling of not being the only one doesn't just apply to prego's or moms, but to all types of people in different circumstances.

are you single and wondering when the "one" will come along?
are you a college student wondering how you're going to figure out your perfect path?
are you a grad with no money and no job and praying for a break into the industry you studied so hard to enter?
are you a single parent wondering how you're going to conquer another day?
are you sick and feeling forgotten?
are you an emotional mess and feeling so alone?
are you struggling with some type of physical aliment?
are you in the middle of a divorce and thinking "why me"?
have you just moved to a new city and know no one?
have you just had a baby... or have you just lost a baby?
is your heart broken?
are you lost?

...i could continue with this list, but you get the point. no matter what your current status is in life, you are NOT alone. reach out to others, read a blog on your specif situation and learn a few things, talk to someone and be enlightened.

to make it big you have to start small - this applies to many of  life's encounters:
- it just takes talking to one person with common ground to get connect to a larger group of people
- reading one blog with info on your situation could enlighten you
- joining one small group at a large church will lead to a sense of belonging
- asking for help can and will open doors
- sharing your experiences will encourage others to relate and share theirs

we all want to connect and not feel alone. while we're all uniquely and wonderfully made, we're all so similar in matters of the heart.

share your experiences... this will either enrich your life or help someone else.

   

Denim Shearling Jacket!

so, i decided to clean out my closet (this might have something to do with my "nesting" tendencies lately) and just posted my first sale item. i've wanted to use a platform that was easy to access and reliable. i finally found one - Poshmark.

it's so convenient to both shop and sell... And it carries super lux brands along with middle to lower priced brands too. so far i've only had a positive experience. 

check out my listing - even if you don't like this first item ;)

love this and wore a handful of times in Connecticut, but it's just too warm for Miami.

gorge lining and quilting on the inside, 

back details.

not the same jacket - just wanted to share a similar style and how to style ;)

HAPPY SHOPPING!

   

the white shirt

if you are anything like me - or just the general avid female shopper - you are constantly on the hunt for the perfect white shirt.

for me there are different types of "perfect white shirts": the button down, the silky button down, the flowing evening tank, the everyday tank, the everyday tee... oh and don't forget the ultimate white sweater!

first world problems - i know.

but there is no denying how utterly chic this white shirt can look. of course it's all about fit, fabric and overall execution. make it look effortless, make sure it fits just right with the appropriate undergarments (are you dressing up or down?), and if the fabric doesn't fall right or just looks cheapy then forget it.

first world problems - i know.

{source: NYFW/sugarpop/theyallhateus/sincerelyjules/style.com/pinterest}