Hi Ramblers!
It has been about 3 weeks since I’ve posted here. Life has been crazy (not in a bad way), but there just hasn’t been extra mental space to hop on this app. I still feel my creative juices flowing, but I am feeling less of a desire to plaster every living detail of life on the internet.
I am enjoying being present during my workouts, having extra time to take care of myself, whether that’s using my luxurious body stone or taking an Epsom salt bath. I am cherishing the time listening to my audiobook as I drive home and loving the opportunity to escape to Hogwarts every night as I reread the Harry Potter series.
I have just been listening to my spirit when it craves less, and sometimes that means closing the laptop and effectively closing the extra tabs swirling around in my already chaotic brain.
I think stepping away from something for a period of time allows you to learn a bit about yourself and how you want to show up in all the different spaces of life. I think sometimes it’s also about reminding myself that I am never “stuck.” I can have the ultimate autonomy when it comes to my life, and if I want to pause, I can pause. If I want to pivot, I can pivot. And if I want to return, I damn well will.
There are no rules, only the ones we make for ourselves. And as I’ve shared before, no one believes rules are made to be broken more than ya girl right here!
I learned that I just don’t feel like taking my picture every day. By the time I get home, the lighting sucks, I’m tired, and I really like having storage on my phone for other memories, like the puzzle my daughter and I completed or the funny thing my dog is doing. This is not to say I’ll never go back to documenting outfits actually on me, but I will definitely be more mindful of when it feels good vs. ick.
As my own worst critic, as I’m sure many of you can understand, I don’t think it’s healthy to constantly pick apart your physical features on a daily basis via outfit photography.
I learned that I liked not having the pressure to put together a 1000/10 look every day. I just did what I do best and dressed based on the vibes. Getting dressed became so much simpler, and I felt myself take a huge step away from the algorithm and more toward trusting my gut and wearing not what people may want to see, but what actually feels ME!
OUTFIT 1: WORN TO WORK
I have really been leaning into simple combinations that I simply just like. A trouser and T-shirt is not groundbreaking, but in this weird in-between season of dressing, it’s been the perfect balance of comfort and polish.
I cannot stop wearing these trousers because of how comfortable they are. I’m 5’6”, and I’d argue they run pretty long, but I just hike them up or wear them with a heel. I feel like if you’re shorter than me, you may want to consider the short version or getting them altered.
I also can’t stop wearing them because—and I’m not sure what the science behind this is—all the German Shepherd (shedder) hair in my house does NOT stick to them. Now that’s some Dumbledore sorcery.
OUTFIT 2: WORN TO WORK
Probably my favorite outfit recently. I wore the grey sweater draped over my shoulders and found a way, yet again, to incorporate a simple T-shirt into my work outfit. I had wanted a studded belt for a while and snagged this one on Poshmark a few weeks ago.
OUTFIT 3: WORN TO WORK
When I saw this jacket hit the online market, I knew it was a perfect piece for my wardrobe. First, I haven’t met a fringe piece I don’t like, and second, the suede-like texture and caramel color are a combination I lack in my wardrobe. And I am noticing quite a pattern — a white T-shirt fit, yet again.
The day after wearing this fit, I was teaching a lesson about the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis & Clark expedition. As I showed my students a video of the two lads being guided by the absolute QUEEN Sacagawea, I noticed that they had on this exact jacket in the reenactment! Talk about serendipity!
OUTFIT 4: WORN TO THE SIDELINES
I irrationally love sweatpants. If I could wear sweatpants and an XXL crewneck sweatshirt every day of my life, I would be in heaven. And tbh, on most days I’m not working, I typically do rock this combo.
I have been trying to push myself to wear more of my other pieces, such as my jeans. I wore the plaid shirt tied around my waist, with the leather jacket layered on top for a little extra warmth. These are my favorite suede boat shoes, which are now entering their second full season of excellent use.
OUTFIT 5: WORN TO WORK
When in doubt, monochromatic-it-out. An all-navy fit with these really fun silver swirl earrings. I added the green ballet flats for a fun pop of color.
OUTFIT 6: WORN TO WORK
The more I reflect on recent fits, the more I can see that the underlying trend is comfortable but polished. Another great T-shirt fit with an oversized black blazer, white comfy pants, and some Salomons. I had a lot of fun taunting the people I work with who are actual hikers with these sneakers.
OUTFIT 7: WORN TO WATCH A PARADE
This was my fit to watch my kids march in the local homecoming parade. Technically, it’s a sweatpants-adjacent-ish look, but these pull-on pants are a “crepette” fabric that makes them appear to be way more flashy and fancy than they actually are. I like that they can be worn dressy to work and casual at home.
This might be niche, but I am obsessed with the way it feels when I cross my legs and a cool sock peeps out of my pants. As mentioned before, I cannot get enough of these.
A student of mine recently got a pair of Salomons, and I immediately paid them the ultimate fashion lover compliment. Apparently, when the student's friends were making fun of the sneakers, the student responded, ‘Well, Mrs. L has these sneakers!’ And just like that, the jokes stopped, and a deep respect was paid to the fashion risk.
This was truly my lifetime mic-drop moment!
OUTFIT 8: WORN TO TRICK-OR-TREAT
When it comes to Halloween, y’all are lucky I’m able to get my kids dressed properly, let alone coordinate a family costume. Just not in the parenting cards for me.
We almost had a tragic wardrobe malfunction when my daughter, aka Rosalina from Super Mario Galaxy, had her earring break at 7 a.m. before school. I’m not exactly the handy one in the family, and my husband was at work. I have no idea how I did it, but I used scissors as pliers, fixed the earring, and all was good in this world.
I think the key to wearing jeans instead of sweatpants on days I’m not working is finding a pair of jeans that feel like sweatpants. These baggy dad jeans are my North Star for this. I cannot recommend them enough.
PS: Knicks in 5.
Unfortunately, I rely on dry cleaning a lot when it comes to my wardrobe. I hate everything about it, but I refuse to destroy my favorite pieces. I looked into buying an at-home dry-cleaning machine but settled on this at home dry cleaning kit from Amazon instead. Am I late to the party on this? I know it’s not perfect, but it’s pretty SOLID when I have pieces that I want freshened up but don’t want sitting at the dry cleaner for a week….only for me to forget they were there and someone to call me a month later asking why I haven’t come to pick them up.
Part of taking a few weeks to myself has allowed me to capitalize on self-care. As I’ve mentioned, I am a huge fan of using this body stone after the shower. It truly makes moisturizing a luxurious experience. Also new to the routine are this luxurious face wash and PM moisturizer. Big fan of both.
My daughter and I just did this puzzle, and yes, it’s “nOt EvEn ThAnKsGiViNg YeT,” but Christmas is a way of life, and we had so much fun doing this one.
I’ve been wanting a pair of slippers. I’m 99.9% sure I have Raynaud’s, as my family refers to me as the Ice Queen in the summer (thanks, AC) and on winter heatless days because oil is so expensive, I might as well just freeze to death.
I settled on these sherpa slippers and cannot wait for them to arrive.
I am clearly in my cozy era because I really want this fleece house dress. There are tons on Poshmark/Depop.
My daughter likes to come home after a long day at school and cozy up in a self-made tent with a book. Truly a self-aware queen. I can’t wait to surprise her with this bed tent and decorate it with twinkle lights to create a little oasis where she can recharge!
I’ve been selling clothing I’m not wearing anymore on Poshmark, and it feels liberating. If you’re considering it, I promise it’s not as scary as it seems.
Not only am I selling things I’m not wearing, but I’m also really fixated on curating a wardrobe with intentionally chosen secondhand pieces. I snagged this gorgeous leather tote bag on Poshmark for almost $200 less than the sticker price. I don’t think I’ve ever met a more perfect work bag.
I’ve been spicing up weekends by making a fun football lunch for us to eat while we watch the Jets suck. Last week, I made nachos, and today I made a really fun charcuterie board filled with pretzel bread, dip, veggies, cheese, grapes, crackers, and chocolate-covered pretzels. Whimsy AF!
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: nothing romanticizes my evening more than striking a match (comes with the candle) and lighting my favorite candle. I am a proud member of the Candle of the Month Club and highly recommend it.
I think that’s where I’m at right now! I still love getting dressed, finding fun pieces, sharing what I’m loving, and connecting! I just want to do it in a way that feels good to me, without the pressure to document every moment or turn every little thing into content.
Sooooo, I’m here when I’m here, sharing when I feel inspired, and letting the rest unfold organically.
Sincerely,
Your favorite C+ Substack writer,
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Mother’s back!! Mental health OE >> also, that fringe jacket 🤤
I'm always looking forward to your newsletters. You take your time and always put your mental health first. I'll wait 3 weeks or more to catch what you've been up to. Always here and always loving your outfits and rambles!♡