Oh, Bébé ! (Girl or Boy?!)

Since the moment we found out we were expecting, I had a gut feeling about the gender of our little bébé. Call it mother's intuition, or in my case, a semi-scientific guesstimate of the likelihood of male versus female sperm making it through, given that I knew almost the exact date of the act and conception (is my nerdiness showing yet?). 

But you don't really know until it's confirmed, right? Keep scrolling to find out if my guess was correct. 

I seemed to have guessed correctly because Bébé Back is a...



BOY!

And he's already got his Spartan gear ready to go. ;)

Sweet baby, we can't wait until you're here!

OUTFIT DETAILS >>

NECKLACE [Hello Gorgeous Boutique] // Exact here

BELT [Forever 21]  // Similar here & here // Super cute sparkly version 

DRESS [JCPenney] // Similar blue pleated maxi dresses here, here & here

BALLET FLATS [Target] // Exact here // The real Chloe pair // Great textured silver ones here

BÉBÉ BACK'S SNEAKERS [BuyBuy Baby] // Exact here

LOUNGING IN STYLE & LEATHER BAG GIVEAWAY

Hello from Charlotte! Today I'm writing from our cramped, yet cozy, temporary living quarters close to John's workplace. Our drive down from Michigan last weekend was easy enough and the pets all handled the trip much better than we thought they would, which was a huge relief. The past week John has been at work and I have been busy filling boutique orders and setting up all of the minute little things you have to re-do when you move. Finding a good grocery store, new doctors, a new gym, the nearest Target... you know, the essentials. ;)

But in even bigger news, we bought a house!! It's a Charleston style home that has a charming front porch with double fans and a red door. TWO FANS, you guys. AND A RED DOOR. Is this real life?! It's everything that I would picture a southern home to be and I can't wait to 1. Learn how to make a mean sweet tea. 2. Drink it while sitting on the front porch. I'm so excited to show you guys pictures once we close and settle in.

One of the benefits of the past week is that I've gotten to hang out at home a lot and wear comfy clothes. No bras, messy hair, you catch my drift. It has been GLORIOUS. The best part is that the loungewear that I've been wearing are super cute and have amazing quality-- great for multi-day wear. Let me introduce you to The Bulldog Factory: cute and comfy casual clothing for weekend and everyday wear. Some of their pieces even have a little bulldog on them. How cute is that?! 

But seriously, the fabric for their sweatpants and sweatshirts is so thick and luxurious, and in my opinion, the pieces feel like they cost way more than their prices. I ordered this t-shirt, this sweatshirt, these sweatpants, and also their gorgeous Otto leather bag, which I'll get to shortly. I ordered all the clothing in a size small and like how everything is fitted. The clothing is super comfy and stylish-- an absolute must for loungewear. Although I think if I were to re-order, I might choose a medium in the sweatshirt, just because it is so fitted and I prefer my lounging sweatshirts to be a bit on the loose side. But let's talk about the bag. The bag is absolutely diiiivine.  The leather is supple and the size makes it perfect for a work bag or a gym bag. I've been using it as an everything bag this past week and it has catered to my needs beautifully. It even has little openings for pens and slits for credit cards. 

All of that being said, I'm thrilled to team up with The Bulldog Factory to offer you a 15% discount when you use code 'GORGEOUS' at checkout. PLUS, we are giving away a black leather Otto bag to ONE LUCKY WINNER! All you have to do is register for The Bulldog Factory newsletter at www.thebulldogfactory.com. The newsletter registration should pop up when you click on the link. The winner will be announced on Valentine's Day (2/14). 

GOOD LUCK, ladies! May the odds be ever in your favor. :)

MY FAVE FLATS + 20% OFF COUPON CODE

If you've ever caught a sneak peak of my closet on my Instagram or other social media accounts you know that I LOVE shoes- especially stylish, unique flats. (Hence having an entire shoe shelf dedicated to ballet flats. I won't judge if you don't. ;) Now don't get me wrong, I still love a great pair of pumps, but flat shoes have become much more practical for my lifestyle. And if there's something that makes this blog different, it's that I post outfits that I actually wear every day. There's no pretending here... give me a pretty pair of functional flats and I'm yours.

That's where Ann Blanche flats come in. I've talked about my love for these gorgeous (and SUPER comfortable) flats many times before. But what I love even more is that they continue to come out with more unique styles, textures, and color combinations for me to add to my ever-growing collection. Well, please keep 'em coming, because this girl can't get enough. 

The black and white style that I'm wearing in the outfit below is their "YASI" style. (Thank you for the name love, AB!) They are so comfortable that the first time I put them on, I felt like I was walking in tennis shoes. The entire bottom is cushioned, as is the heel and the part that wraps around your ankles (A.K.A. no more blisters!). Your feet feel like they are enveloped in a snug cushioned hug. And the other great thing about these flats is that they are treaded for traction, without looking like they are meant for hiking. They look delicate and classy and come in two additional colors, The Lorrayne (pewter), and The Rachel (burgundy). As far as sizing, I usually wear a size 7 and I ordered a 7. So if you are in between sizes, I would recommend sizing up to be extra comfy.

At only $34.99 they are already a steal, but you can also GET AN ADDITIONAL 20% OFF by using coupon code YASI20 at checkout. Happy shopping, friends!

OUTFIT DETAILS below //

BALLET FLATS [c/o ANN BLANCHE] // Exact here

BLOUSE // Love these versions here, here, & here

RED ANKLE PANTS [The Limited] // Similar here, here, & here

BRACELETS/CUFFS [Hello Gorgeous Boutique] // Exact here & here

EARRINGS [Hello Gorgeous Boutique] // Exact here

SEQUINS & PLAID

HEY Y'ALL! It's been a minute. Since I'm moving to the South I can start saying "y'all" and "bless your heart", right? ;) So much has happened the last few weeks that I haven't had much time to write. But everything seems to be falling into place and we are so thankful.

First piece of big news, we sold our house!! It was such a relief to have the showings over with. Honestly, being on the other side of the house buying/selling situation, it really makes you appreciate everything the seller has to go through to keep the house looking tidy at the whim of buyers who need you to drop everything and leave the house.

Second piece of big news, we bought a house in Charlotte! Since our plans for renting fell through a few times, we decided to entertain the idea of buying instead. And while visiting Charlotte a couple of weeks ago, we found a house that we fell in love with. It's Charleston style, has a big red front door, and a porch with two gorgeous fans. Be still, my heart. We close in the middle of February and we couldn't be more excited. The house is pretty much ready to go, all we really have to do is install a fence for the dogs and move our furniture in.  I can't believe this is really happening!

OUTFIT DETAILS below //

NECKLACE [Hello Gorgeous Boutique] // Exact here

SEQUIN TOP // Similar here, here, here

PLAID BUTTON-UP [Old Navy] // Similar here, here, here, here, & here

RED ANKLE PANTS [The Limited] // Similar here, here, here, here, & here

NAVY BLAZER [UNIQLO] // Almost exact here & here / Similar here, here, & here

NAVY PUMPS [Target] // Similar here, here, & here / Love this ankle strap pair & this chunky heel pair

GINGHAM VEST

If you've noticed that I've been MIA the past few weeks it's because I WAS IN PARIS AND ITALY.

WHAT?! Long story short, my sister-in-law got married in Positano, Italy (so cool!). So John and I decided to visit a couple of other places along the way.  First, Paris, a total bucket list trip for me. Then, Florence, which we've been to before.

And it.was.AMAZING!! I really can't even begin to summarize how incredible the whole experience was. It really deserves its own series of posts. But, two things have to be said: 

1. For those who follow me on Instagram, I decided to wear the yellow fascinator to the wedding reception! I wore a big red hat to the actual wedding, but that's a whole another story.  
2.This was one of the first long trips that I was truly sad to come home from. The only thing I really couldn't wait to get back to were our dogs. :)

Other than getting to shower our pups with hugs and kisses, it's also awesome to come home to my favorite month-- October!  Bring on the fall weather, boots, and lots of vests! 

I've talked about my love for vests before and this one is no exception. I'm absolutely head over heels in love with this navy and white gingham vest from Catch Bliss. Why wear a plain vest when you can wear one with an chic pattern that will go with just about anything?! 

It's a great piece to throw on over a light sweater on chilly fall days, but it's also perfect for lots of layering in the winter.  This vest is so cute that I've already had a couple of friends threaten to borrow/steal it from me. ;) But since most of you don't live in "borrowing" distance from me, you can get your own here!

Gingham vest c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact)
Striped sweater- TJMaxx | Similar here, here, and here
Chambray button-up | Similar here & here
Skinny jeans- Express | Similar here & here
Brown booties- Clarks (Exact) | Loves these others here, here, here & here
Necklace- Exact here

Change.

I don’t remember exactly when the thought creeped into my head. But I do know that it was some time ago and it went something like this: 

What if I quit blogging?

So the thought sat simmering in the back of my brain and was occasionally the topic of conversation when I discussed life goals with my husband or close friends. For months on end nothing changed. I blogged when I had time and didn’t blog when I was busy. Every few weeks I would have a great idea or feel very inspired and the frequency of my posting would pick up. But the feeling that I kept coming back to was that, in the end, it felt empty and I constantly felt rushed to get content up on the blog. 

And if I was being completely honest with myself, I would admit that some time in the last year or so my blog had stopped being a good representation of who I am, how I wanted to spend my time, and the values that I upheld.
I didn’t want to live my life behind a screen. I didn’t want to miss out on real life because I was too busy documenting it, even if it was just the outfit that I wore that day. I didn’t want to constantly be connected to Instagram, Facebook, e-mail, or the blog.

Quite simply, it was a hobby-turned-into-a-second-job that I no longer wished to prioritize over many other aspects of my life. I would be remiss to not mention that I also became increasingly tired of myself. I was tired of taking pictures of myself, looking at pictures of myself, and writing about my outfit choices. In a world of 'me me me', I didn't want it to constantly be about me. That's not the energy that I wanted to put out into the world. It's just not who I am.

The hard part is that I think if I had the time, my blog could have the potential to grow with me and change into something more than just daily outfit photos-- to be much more representative of who I am now, compared to who I was four and a half years ago. (Seriously, I have so many ideas!) But the truth is, the older I get, the more I can accept that there are only 24 hours in a day-- and eventually, we have to prioritize what matters to us more now and how we want to spread those 24 hours now. It doesn't make sense to keep the blog on life support, just in case one day I have the time to dedicate to it and revitalize it. If that day comes in the future and it feels 'right', then I will consider getting back to it then. But for now, here we are.

Needless to say, after months of contemplation, I have finally come to the peaceful conclusion that I must turn over this chapter of "Hello, Gorgeous!". I'm not entirely closing the book-- because, really, who knows what the future will hold. But I am being honest with you and letting you know where I am right now and how that will affect this blog. After this post went live, a few of you asked if I was keeping the blog up for outfit inspiration/etc and the answer is YES. Because I'm not fully "closing the book" , I intend to keep the blog up and all of my social media accounts open. You know, just in case. :)
I am so incredibly grateful for all the good that this blog has brought to me (and hopefully to you). I appreciate every single visitor that stopped by, and every single comment, e-mail, and other communication that you sent my way. From the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate your endless support and love and I thank you for having a part in my journey.

I want to close this post by telling you about one of the coolest things that I have had the privilege to be a part of. On Wednesday of last week I was interviewed by one of my good friends for her new podcast: Mama Bear Dares-- an incredibly wonderful podcast that focuses on positive and inspirational content for mothers and women as a whole. Although I was initially nervous when she asked to interview me, I jumped in with both feet and we got real deep, real quick, and had an blast doing it! We talked about so many things that I have never had the chance (or maybe the guts) to talk about on here, including: disordered eating, body image, finding your own style, embracing change, and finally, some of the reasons behind my departure.
So if you're interested in any of those topics, I really encourage you to check out the podcast. I simply went to the Podcast app that comes standard on my iPhone and searched for "Mama Bear Dares". You can also download the podcast on iTunes here. My episode is episode #15-- but the other episodes are just as good too. Trust me, you'll be hooked instantly!
Tesi and Leslie, the awesome hosts behind Mama Bear Dares, are also hosting a pretty sweet giveaway: a 30-minute Skype styling session with me! :) Instructions on how to enter are included in the podcast. Take a listen and show them lots of love-- they truly deserve it! 

You can find Mama Bear Dares in the following places:

iTunes | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Thanks for everything, friends. You are all so freaking gorgeous, inside and out! <3