Oversized Sweaters and Crisp Fall Evenings

The Fashion Train is Heading Yor Way

It was FREEZING cold this morning. Oh my goodness. My teeth would not stop chattering while I was taking photos. Every few minutes I would take a break and stand in the sun to try and thaw out. I'm sure I've mentioned it before but I am seriously dreading winter. 

Wanna know something exciting? You can buy all of this! Usually I have to find similar items, but today it is all available. You can even get 21% off the dress using the code FRIENDS21. 

I took my car to get inspected today. I think I found a really great shop. The owner (I'm assuming) was really nice and he didn't try to take advantage of the fact that I'm a girl. That's what I call a winner. I mentioned that my oil was leaking and they switched out plugs, which was the cheapest and easiest solution, to see if that will stop the leak. Fingers crossed it does... We cannot afford any expensive part replacements right now. 

dress here - shirt here - Keds here

After work, and car shop adventures I had an essential oils class. I got to co-teach with one of my friends. It was amazing how much I learned from everyone there! I realized that I use my oils for almost entirely physical problems. I'm allergic to basically every thing so I use oils to treat illnesses and to take care of my skin, hair and body. As I was sitting in class I realized that a lot of people rely on oils for emotional healing. Obviously I already knew that, but I was really struck with how amazing these oils are, and how much they can do. Yes, they can take care of my acne problems, or help my sore throat heal quickly. But they can also help with feelings of depression, anxiety and even self confidence. How great is that?! 

October Book Review

My husband got this book for me for my birthday. He gets props because I only mentioned it to him once or twice, months before. I was pretty excited when I opened it up, despite it coming a little banged up. It is a really cute book! It is very readable--with larger fonts, big pictures and adorable graphics. You can buy it here. 

I thought this book was going to be all about modesty. But it's not! It's a how-to-navigate-life guide with a twist. The authors, Jessica Rey and Leah Darrow, talk about important things like confidence, and how our sense of beauty and self worth is being destroyed through media and products and companies, how to navigate the dating world correctly, how we should treat others, and not only how to dress a little more modestly, but also why we should dress more modestly. They call it like it is, but do a really good job avoiding being offensive. 

As I was reading, there were so many times I wanted to shout out, "YES!" and "I agree!!" My husband probably heard most of the book, as I read the parts I liked (and there were a lot of those) out loud to him. I can't decide what I want to share with you, there is just so much goodness in this, not so little, book. Hmm... 

Ok, favorite tidbit #1: Perfection and beauty are not the same. And perfection, is impossible to obtain. If we are comparing ourselves to models, ads and commercials we will always lose. We don't have a real life photo shop option in our makeup bag! They talk about this video in there book. Take a look.

Favorite tidbit #2: Girls and boys are different. But, we are valued as people, equally. I am a strong believer that girls and women don't need to be identical or be treated identically or do the exact same things as men and boys. Yes, treat us equally. But do not take away my right to be a woman, or to be feminine. Do not consider me small minded because I enjoy being a woman in the name of equality. We were created beautifully and with purpose- two things the world likes us to forget but things this book reminds us of. 

Favorite tidbit #3: "sexy = objects = things"

This was a lesson I learned the hard way. When I was younger I wanted to be like the girls I saw on TV. They had lots of friends, everything always went their way and they weren't just pretty, they were sexy. Sadly, I had to learn the hard way that sexy is not always a good thing. I realized, as I dressed in a way that I thought was sexy, I not only felt uncomfortable in what I was wearing or in the way I was behaving, but I also was very uncomfortable with the attention I was receiving. At first, getting attention was great. Finally, people and especially guys were noticing me. Then, I realized they weren't noticing me, they were noticing my barely covered butt or boobs. Great. I had literally become an object of attention.

So, needless to say I'm a fan. It's a feel good kind of book. And, it is actually on sale right now! But, if you don't want the book, and still want a few feel good feelings, here are a few quotes you can download for free, print out, and hang up on your wall to remind you how wonderful you really are. 

    

When you click the image you want to download, it will bring you to a Google Drive page where you can download the image. It's completely safe, allows for the best quality download, and you don't need to have a Google account to access it.  I figured this was better than the good ol' right-click-save option.

I would suggest printing them through Shutterfly. They have a 4x4 print option, which is what these are graphics were designed for.  Then, go to Michael and get yourself some baker's twine and cute mini clothes pins and you've got yourself a new, and fairly inexpensive, decoration for your room. Enjoy!

I Don't Wear Ripped Jeans, But When I do...

One day, while I was driving, I found this really cool looking abandoned (pizza?) place. The brick walls are covered it chalk graffiti. I guess that's how they do it here in Utah. You wouldn't want anything too permanent... Anyway, I really wanted to come back. And so I did.

shirt here - similar jeans here - Keds here

Today I am totally and completely repping Old Navy. I think they are a hidden gem for modest clothing. They often have skirts and dresses that are long enough and most of their shirts are pretty modestly cut, and only some are sheer. Also, if you know how to shop the store right, you can get some pretty good deals too!

This shirt is a little sheer. But, I popped a nude tank top on underneath and you can barely tell. It's really comfy and I love the length. It's actually pretty long. Long enough to wear over leggings, but still short enough that it doesn't have awkward bunching when you tuck it in. My only complaint; it wrinkles pretty easily. 

Ok, time for the jeans. I've never been the biggest fan of ripped jeans. There, I said it. I just don't find gaping holes in my clothing appealing. But that is just my style.

 Sadly, Old Navy no longer carries these jeans. I'm super bummed! Behind each hole and rip there are floral or patterned jean patches. It's such a feminine detail. I love it! And, even though there are rips in my jeans, my pasty white skin isn't exposed. They're pretty great. 

I linked a similar pair from old navy that, if you were willing to be crafty, could totally be turned into this pair. Joan Fabrics has a pretty large selection of patterned jean fabric. You would only need a few inched of each pattern and you could sew the pieces behind each hole. I've seen it done with floral cotton fabric too. It was super cute. You know what else would be cute? Seqiun patches. 

Buffalo Gal

Go do yourself a favor and buy this dress. I eyed this dress for MONTHS. I didn't want to spend so much money on a single dress. Finally, a sale happened and I snatched it up. I'm really glad I did. Here is why:

It is perfectly modest.

The dress is a compliment magnet.

It can pass as a spring, summer, or fall dress.

It is the prettiest blue AND it's buffalo plaid.

And, it has pockets!

Wasn't General Conference Great?!

I absolutely LOVED Sister Oscarson's talk she gave in this past General Women's Conference (2016). All of the talks were really good. And there were so many wonderful points made. But, two of my most favorite comments were from Sister Oscarson and, through her, Sheri Dew. I was so excited when I heard Sheri Dew's quote. I need to read her book so I know what exactly she was talking about, but, this has been something that has been gnawing away in the back of my head. As women, I think we are living under our potential. I think there is more we can do and we just don't know what that is yet. But, that being said, I don't think anyone is going to come out and tell us. We will, however, be given the tools we need to find out.

 Look at how hard Satan works to tear us apart as individuals and as women of a whole. We are trained from a young age through social media, television, billboards and magazines that we aren't pretty enough, skinny enough, talented enough or good enough. BAM! Your self confidnce just got shot dead.  When we see someone who we perceive as possibly being a little more happy or a little more something than us, our first instinct is not to celebrate with them but to be jealous OR further criticize ourselves. There is something we are suppose to do, and Satan and the world are doing a very good job keeping us from it. 

We haven't yet realized our full potential. I don't think we truly understand how powerful each of us are. And, together, with God we would, could, and should be unstoppable. Each of us has an important role to play. It isn't somebody else's job to tell us what that is. It is our job to ask, and to find out. 

The Perfect Lazy Day Dress

dress here - similar vest here - keds here - necklace here

I ordered this dress a few months ago off of Jane.com. I don't remember why, but I was a little apprehensive in ordering it. But, after a week or so it was delivered, and as I slipped this darling dress on, all my fears vanished, and were replaced with plans to order more of these dresses (something I still haven't gotten around too yet). This dress is one of those closet-go-to's. It is thick enough that you don't have to worry about what your'e wearing underneath, and just loose enough that it is super comfy. It's basically the dress version of sweatpants.

You can wear it anywhere! And, that is just what I did.

A Little Touch of Gold

Look at these! I got them a few months ago, but haven't worn them until now. But, now that I've finally worn them, I think I'll be wearing these beauties more often. They're unique, but not too flashy. Just my style.

The sweatshirt, which you can't see, says PRO-KEDS. I found it in Japan, while I was on my mission, at a thrift store. Want to know how much I paid for it? Ten cents. Yes, you read that right. And yes, I typed that correctly. I bought my first pair of Keds almost six years ago, and I've been in love ever since (you don't even want to know how many pairs of white Keds I have gone through). How could I not buy a vintage Keds sweatshirt, especially at that price. 

At the time of my first Keds purchase, years and years ago, I was NOT the biggest fan of modest dressing. I loved my little skirts and tiny dresses. But now look at me! My skirt goes to my knees and I felt like a million bucks all day. I was SO proud of my outfit and I felt so pretty and confident in it. I wan't even sure it would turn out. I mean, a sweatshirt with a fancy tulle skirt AND metallic Keds... It was a risk. But, I'm so glad I took it. 

jean jacket here - similar skirt here - Keds here

Pretty cute, right?

An Outfit with a Side of Inspiration

This vest is amazing. I realize I say that about a lot of my clothing. I just get excited about clothes. And, if I didn't think every piece in my closet was amazing then, I probably shouldn't have bought it right? But, back to the vest. Does it remind you of a very popular and very expensive vest? That's 'cus it's a knock off from Wish. Wish is a pretty cool site. You can buy cheap stuff, for ridiculously low prices that, generally, are pretty good quality. I've only had one item come that was junk and the company refunded me immediately. I highly suggest them. Maybe I will do a post about all my great finds from Wish.

Are you ready for a story? Once upon a time there was a girl (me) who fell in love with a herringbone vest she found on Pinterest. She searched far and wide for the vest and eventually discovered that it was from J. Crew. But, alas, by the time she found this out, she could no longer order the vest from said store. So, she looked else where and found what she thought was the same vest from J. Crew Factory. It turned out that it was completely different. Reports of it being cheaply made circulated, and upon further investigation the girl realized that the herringbone pattern was printed on a nylon fabric.  That wasn't ok. So, with a heavy heart the girl continued her search, checking on e-bay and other places where jackets could be sold second hand. There was a lot of dishonesty going on with second hand sellers ( a lot of people try to pass of factory clothing as the real thing) and with a bit of skepticism the girl finally ordered a vest from e-bay. She waited and waited for it's arrival, and upon reviving it was disappointed to find that she had ordered a piece of junk. Months passed, and after many pleasant experiences with Wish, decided to order one from the site. It finally came the other day, and the girl could not be happier with it. the herringbone is stitched and textured, the zipper works and does not pucker, it doesn't smell, and it is really well stuffed. 

And so, the vest and the girl lived happily ever after. Just in time for Fall. 

The End. 

similar shirt here - vest here - jeans here - shoes here

I'm not perfect. Here's proof. 

It was windy. Really, really windy. 

And now for some promised inspiration. I wish there was a magic potion we could all take that would help us each realize our true potential. But, I guess for now, you are just stuck with my little reminders. Don't ever forget how much worth you have! You have unlimited potential to be greater than you could ever imagine.

Karma- It Really Does Work

On Monday I had great plans to take outfit pictures. Needless to say, it didn't happen. On my way to take pictures, I found a husky wandering around in the streets. I'm pretty sure I'd stop for any animal, but huskies have been my favorite kind of dog since...well, forever. When I was little, I had great plans to move to Alaska, with my 13 huskies, and run the Iditarod. But then I got a little older and realized I hated the cold. A lot.

Anyway, I spent way too much time following the dog around, knocking on doors, and eventually just leaving the dog in the yard I was pretty sure he belonged to. All the time I had allotted for taking photos was now used up. Oops. 

Later I went to DI and found two chairs for our living room! One of the chairs fit perfectly into our car. But, there was no way we could fit another chair into our back seat, so we had to come back for the second chair. That evening, Blake went back to get the chair. Butttttt, it didn't fit in our car. Luckily, there was a nice man, who looked like Santa Clause (I'm pretty sure he could be Santa) who was willing to take the chair to our house! He went way out of his way to drop it off. What a Saint.

As he was leaving he told me "you know, I believe in karma." I told him I did too, and as I was struggling to carry our new-to-us over sized chair, thinking of ways I could pay it forward, and sending good thoughts to the Karma gods for Santa's twin, I realized maybe he was my good karma. Chasing that dog around ended up being totally worth it! 

Now, without further ado, my outfit of today! It was cold. Fall is officially here. Ahhh! Before we know it, it's gonna be winter. I love this dress! It is super versatile, and comfy. I have all sorts of plans for outfits with it. And don't worry, I'll be sure to share them with all of you.

Similar dress here - Sweater here - shoes here