How to Style a T-Shirt Dress for Fall

How to style a t-shirt dress for fall! I love t-shirt dresses because they are so simple and versatile, and not to mention, comfortable! Although t-shirt dresses are very popular for summer they can also transition nicely into fall fashion too. T-shirt dresses can be solid colors or they can have a design such as stripes. I think that these are the two most common types and I prefer these as they are easy to style in a multitude of ways!

I can up with three different ways to style a t-shirt dress for fall! I also made a video  that goes along with this post showing you the different looks! (I included it at the bottom of the post). Let me know which option is your favorite in the comments!

The first option I wanted to share with you all is to wear a t-shirt dress with a neck scarf and some Steve Madden slip-on shoes. I think that using a small scarf or a bandana adds the right amount of chicness to the look yet it is still kept casual enough to work for so many situations due to the shoes paired with the outfit! A simple black, leather backpack also ups the chicness of the look and gets extra points for being practical and cute!

Another way you can style t-shirt dresses is by wearing a flannel over them. Flannels are an essential wardrobe item during fall and they are great for layering. They will not only give your outfit more color and a definite autumn vibe but also keep you warm when the days are starting to slowly get chillier. You can wear the flannel unbuttoned or button halfway or all the way (depending on your preference) or tie it. I did not button my flannel and tied it loosely in the center but feel free to play around and see how you like it if you want to tie yours! I paired this look with some black Converse to keep with the overall relaxed and comfortable theme of this outfit!

The last way I styled my t-shirt dress is by far the edgiest of the three options. I still kept it simple and easy though to achieve the look. I threw on a black leather jacket with some cool seam detailing and wore some black leather ankle boots. This look is perfect for a night out and makes a bold statement!

I forgot to take a picture of my ankle booties 🙈 but you can see them in the video!

One of the things that I love about fashion is how easy it is to wear the same item in so many different ways and achieve so many different looks just by changing a few things. I know I only showed three ways to style a t-shirt dress but there are plenty more! And in each of the outfits I only added two or three items and created a look with a completely different vibe!

And here is the video I made for how to style a t-shirt dress three ways!

In the future I hope to start doing more posts about how to style an item in various ways and I think I will also try to incorporate videos in my posts more often too! I hope you found this post helpful and thank you for reading, feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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Summer Fashion Essentials

Summer 2017 trends: I have actually really been liking a lot of the trends I've been seeing this summer! I usually keep up on trends but that does not mean that I always like them or follow them. But the trends of summer 2017 were right up my alley and I wanted to talk about them!



It feels like the summer has just flown by, I can't believe that I'll be back at school in such a short amount of time! As I mentioned, I usually keep an eye on the trends of each season but I wouldn't label myself exclusively as a trend follower. Since I am a fashion merchandising major it is important that I know what is popular and trending but that does not always means that I will like the trends or incorporate them into my wardrobe. I wear things that fit my own style and I won't wear something I don't like just because it is "on trend". What I think is great about fashion is that everyone has their own unique style and fashion is a great way to express your personality. Even if you are wearing something that is trendy you can still put your own spin on it!

Below are what I consider to be the biggest trends of summer 2017 and the fashion essentials of the season! 

Summer 2017 Fashion Essentials by emsessentials

First I thought that I would start off by talking about some of the summer's key colors and prints and then move on to specific items and silhouettes!

Blue & White

This color combination had a major moment! Blue and white are both such classic colors that pair well with a lot of things and they look so great together too! Vertical stripes of blue and white were one of the main ways I saw this combo on shirts, dresses, and even on pants too. It makes pieces have such a timeless look and white and a lighter blue has such a fun and festive feeling too it while white and a darker blue such as navy is perfect for the office or a moral formal event, it makes you look very put together.

Millenial Pink

This tone of muted pink has been everywhere. It is very versatile and looks great on everyone. Sometimes pink can be very bold, loud, and look juvenile but a shade such as millenial pink does not look juvenile because it is so soft and toned down. It is an easy color to wear and works as wonderfully in a causal outfit as it does for a more dressed up occasion.

Pale Yellow

This sunny color has gotten more attention recently too. Yellow was my all time favorite color when I was younger but I prefer pastel yellow over highlighter yellow and so I was very glad that pale yellow was the shade whose popularity increased. As with millenial pink it is a soft tone and tranquil which makes it easier to add to your wardrobe and style.

Gingham 

Gingham was all over everything this summer. I found that a bit surprising at first because to me it is more of a retro motif and reminds me of fashion in the 1950s and 60s. I personally like the fashion of those decades and think that it's great that we can see the inspiration from them in fashion today. It is a very classic print which definitely has a summer vibe to it, when I think of gingham I think of the 50s, 60s, Jackie Kennedy, picnics/BBQs and just summer celebrations in general I guess.

Palm Print

Palm print has really gained popularity and it is perfect for summer time as palm trees and plants thrive during this season. There's just something about plants and plant motifs that is so refreshing and energizing. The palm  print is so cute and fun too! Also Pantone's color of the year for 2017 is Greenery which is very, very, fitting and shows how accurate they are with forecasting.
https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2017

 

Image via Pinterest

Off the Shoulder

Off the shoulder was definitely one of the most popular styles of clothing I saw this summer. Flowy tops and dresses were very in and since they are  so comfortable it made the off the shoulder look even better! Having your shoulders exposed can help keep you a bit cooler during the summer months and it looks cute too which is probably why so many people wore off the shoulder items and is why it became a trend. Also, it is such a different silhouette than what has been in style and so a change is always exciting!

Fun Sandals

Wearing sandals that are not only comfortable but those that are very fun as well was a huge trend this summer. Sandals with various types of tying or various lace up styles were the most common footwear this summer. Sandals that had fun tassels or laced up were still very popular and so were back less sandals. We also saw that carry into other shoes such as mules.
  
Block Heels

Block heels was another style that was everywhere this summer. It was a simple and cute summer style that could be worn in a casual or more dressed up manner. Since it was so versatile and the fact that they're more comfortable than other types of heels makes the style such a winner.

Fun Accessories 

Tassels were a big detail this summer, as I mentioned they were used on sandals and tassel earrings were also trending and very prevalent. Pom poms were another decorative element I saw a lot on sandals this summer too. Another fun accessory was wide brimmed hats that had cute puns or sayings on them. Such as "Follow the Sun"


I hope that you enjoyed reading this summer trends recap! Did you have a favorite trend from this summer? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Shop Below

Thanks for reading!

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Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Review

I thought I'd do a review of some products that are fairly new to me! It's a new favorites review for summer 2017 beauty products!  I don't wear a full face of makeup very often, especially not often in the summer as I like to have a fresh face and let my skin breath. But I do enjoy playing around with makeup and trying different things out. I recently started using the Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink liquid lipsticks and I've been loving them!

I do like the confidence boost I feel when I wear lipstick as I am someone who likes to look put together however I don't wear regular lipstick too often as I find it usually just rubs off. I also don't like how it leaves marks all over cups and straws and everything. Maybelline's Super Stay Matte Ink is different though!

It is a liquid lipstick with a great formula. I really enjoy this product! I actually prefer liquid lipstick over regular lipstick because it lasts much longer and does not leave much residue. Once I apply the SuperStay Matte Ink to my lips and wait a couple minutes for it to dry it stays in place. It is easy to apply; I like the applicator and the color goes on pretty smoothly. The applicator is an "arrow  shape" and allows you to apply the product precisely. There is great coverage! I also find that it does not smear and it does dry matte but it does not dry out my lips! Some liquid lipsticks can be very drying but that is not the case with this product!

It can take a little bit of effort to take the product off but that it to be expected as it's supposed to last up to 16 hours on your lips. If it came off super easily then that would defeat the purpose of this product. It is recommended that an oil based makeup remover is used to take it off. I usually use a makeup wipe such as Neutrogena's cleansing towlettes or I use Garnier's micellar water on a cotton round and these methods both work. I sometimes also use cold cream such as Pond's to remove my makeup as it is very gentle.

The liquid lipstick definitely does a super job staying on my lips (see what I did there since it's called  SuperStay *wink* ok maybe only I think it's funny 🙈) but I have not worn it for 16 hours so I cannot say if it truly does last 16. I have worn it for 10 hours and it was still fine, it did not look 100% the same as it did when I first applied it but it did not look drastically different. It still looked good! And 10 hours is a long time for a product to last. Also if someone needs to/wants to wear a liquid lipstick (or any product really) for up to 16 hours that mean's they're expecting a lot from that product and they shouldn't mind having to touch it up once if they want it to look as good as it did when they first put it on lol.

If you're in need of a new liquid lipstick I recommend checking out this product. It comes in 10 different colors. And even if you're not a huge fan of lipstick I still think you may like this because as I said it stays on well, does not smear, and is comfortable on the lips!

I did receive this product complimentary from Influenster to try out and review however all opinions are my own, I truly love this product!

I've included the colors that I have as well as a couple of the other ones so that you can see a selection! #SuperStayMatteInk

I hope you found this review to be helpful, thanks for reading!

Have any of you guys tried these liquid lipsticks?

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A Day in Rockport

Rockport is such a quaint and cute place to explore. Most people go to the Cape (what us New Englanders call Cape Cod) but the northshore of MA has some great places to visit during the summer too! Including Gloucester and of course Rockport!

My friends and I actually took the commuter rail there since there were 6 of us and we didn't want to have to take 2 cars. The train ride was pretty pleasant and it took about an hour to get to Rockport from Boston. 🚉

We went on a Monday and that meant that there weren't many tourists around. It was kind of nice since it was so quiet and relaxing. We first did some window shopping and checked out this little book store.

I loved the views between these buildings and shops!

The sign outside this shop was so cute!

Below is the cafe where a couple of my friends and I stopped to get lunch before taking it to eat on benches near the beach!

 You can see part of one of my friends in this pic lol, Hi Rosie 👋

It got cut off a little but the writing at the top of the picture says: Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love... -Turkish Proverb

The next picture was my view while I ate lunch ⛵

I love signs like that with the names of a bunch of different cities on them! Probably because it reminds me of traveling! ✈️

The little place we stopped at for dessert, although it's called The Ice Cream Store I actually shockingly got sherbet since I was in the mood for something more fruity and refreshing. However I am not usually one to choose another type of frozen dessert over ice cream! (shout out to my friend for this pic of the store since I was still working on finishing my sherbet!)



My sherbet and the view from the window near my table in the little ice cream place.

I also got some salt water taffy to take home to share with my family, can you tell I have a sweet tooth?! - I promise I don't just eat junk though 🙊

I thought that the design on the taffy box was so pretty!

A little overview I took while we were right by the water!
WARNING- The music is a bit too loud. 🙈 I will know to have it much lower in the future,  I don't have much experience with making videos though lol

Hope you enjoyed hearing about my day in Rockport. I definitely recommend visiting it if you have the chance, there are so many cute shops, pieces of art for sale by local artists, and there is of course great seafood too!

Is there anywhere special you are hoping to visit this summer?

Thanks for reading!

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21 While 21

Twenty one, the age that so many of us look forward to turning. It's one of the first major birthdays, after 16 & 18 but I think that most people will agree that 21 is much more exciting!

It is such a milestone because you are officially an adult! You can buy whatever beverages you like, go to casinos and take part in the games they offer. You are now legal and with that comes more freedom but also more responsibilities. There is more pressure placed on you and people have higher expectations of you as well.

It can be an age that is scary, you are more of an adult than you were when you turned 18 but you may still feel torn between "teenager" (even though once you're 20 you're not a teen anymore) and full adult, I know I do lol. Adulting is hard and being 21 means accepting and having more responsibilities. If you are still in school like I am and not working full time, that can also add to feeling stuck in between, in between being a student (which may mean you are viewed as a "kid") and an adult. However, it is a very important age, as it goes along with the importance of college too, here I am taking about the non academic-wise importance of college (which will be a whole other post) and having the time to get used to being more independent and taking care of yourself before being out in "real world" that we all find so daunting (slight Divergent reference anyone? 📘😉)

I cannot believe that I've already been 21 for about a month now. 🎉Time is just flying by so fast, it's so weird to think about how we're halfway through 2017 already! I personally don't want the summer to feel like it goes by in the blink of an eye, I decided that I wanted to come up with a list of things that I would like to accomplish or do while I am 21 and I hope to get a good start on them this summer!

So here goes nothing;

21 things I want to do, see, or accomplish while I am 21

1. Travel More
    I love traveling and really want to get back to Europe someday as well as visit Asia and the West
    Coast of the U.S. There are too many places to name though! I know that realistically I probably
    won't be able to do a big trip anytime this  year so Vermont and Montreal are at the top of my list
    as of now. They are 2 of the more "practical" places for me since they are not too far away.

Picture I took during my travels this past fall!

2. Gain More Confidence 
    A bit self-explanatory, I have pretty low self-confidence and want to increase it. I want to work
   on comparing myself and others less in negative ways, and  care less about what random people
   think of  me (insignificant meaning that I don't know them at all or they are just an
   ignorant/unpleasant person)

3. Stick to a Hobby 
    Such as drawing or painting

4. Spend More Time Outside
    Fresh air is so good for you and I hardly ever remember to sit and read outside when it's nice out
    rather than staying indoors

A park I came across in Venice, parks can be so relaxing to walk through or sit in

5. Complete an Online Tutorial 
    Maybe a Khan Academy course that goes very in depth on Excel as a deep knowledge of this will
    definitely in my career path

6. Learn a New Skill
    Possibly cross stitch (or something along that line) 

7. Write More Blog Posts
    I often get so caught up with school that I neglect my blog and I forget how much I enjoy writing
    posts. I hope that this year I am able to be more dedicated to it and produce content much more
    often.

8. Take More Pictures
    Even in today's day and age where everything is digital and we have the ability to take out or
    phones in an instant and snap a picture I usually find myself taking pictures of things and not
    people. And now I don't mean to sound narcissistic but I don't have too many current photos that I
    am actually in. There also aren't many current photos of  my friends and I or my family.I want to
    start taking more pictures of and with people in order to capture our memories.

9.  Attend More Concerts
     I am someone who realy enjoys going to concerts and music festivals and so I hope to be able to
     attend multiple this year.

 My sister and I saw Dua Lipa in March during her first U.S. headlining tour! It was one of the best concerts I've been to!

   
10. Learn More Code
      I am hoping to further customize my blog template and just be able to have more knowledge to
     do certain things or fix problems I run into

11. Improve PhotoShop Skills
      I want to increase my knowledge of PhotoShop and start using it on a regular basis so that I
     continue to improve

12. Be Happier
      Be happier with myself and what I've accomplished so far in life but remember that I (hopefully)
      have long life ahead of me to do more. There's a quote I like that basically says  that your
      happiness is up to you and you make what you want out of your life.

13. Be More Mindful
      To stop focusing more on the future than being present in the moment.

14. Stay Positive
      I do not want to let other people's bad moods affect me so much. Moods are definitely
      contagious and I don't want to let someone else's influence mine in negative way.

15. Exercise More
      I would really like to get into an established exercise routine rather than doing random things on
      random days lol I think that a routine/schedule will help keep me more accountable and able to
      stick with it.

16. Stretch Daily
      Going along with the previous one and because I want to be healthier in general I want to
      stretch daily, ideally do a couple stretches in the morning when I wake up.

17. Have More Family Time
      Do a bit more with my immediate family, maybe even just having dinner together without the t.v.
     on so we "have to" (😄 lol) talk to each other. As I get older I feel time passing by quicker and
     quicker and I don't want to always take my family for granted.

18. Be More Eco-Friendly
      I always try to recycle whatever I can and be conscious of my impact on the environment but can
      always improve. And since the environment is so important I want to learn more about how to be
      more eco-friendly and learn more about sustainability. 

19. Read More Books
     When I was younger I used to read every night before going to bed and I loved it. I loved reading
     novels but as I got older and school got more intense I had less and less free time so in high school
     I stopped reading for myself (as in reading books other than those I needed to for homework).
     Now that it's summer and I do have free time I have fallen back in love with reading and I have
     already read 2 books!

Image via Pinterest

20. Play Piano Again
      I started taking piano lessons in elementary school and continued all the way through high school.
      My lessons were once a week and I obviously practiced on the other days and I definitely enjoyed
      it. 🎹 Once I went to college though and was no longer living at home or with access to a piano I
      stopped taking lessons. When I did come home to visit it was always for a specific reason and so
      I was always busy. I regret that I didn't continue practicing even after stopping lessons. I hope to
      start practicing again even though I'm a bit scared to see how much my ability has diminished.🙈

21. Regularly Use a Journal
      I use and agenda to write down homework, assignments, and appointments etc. but I've never
      really kept up with a journal although I like the idea of it. Sometimes for art courses I've taken
      we've had to use journals but I never really continued to use them or fill them up. While I was
      abroad I did keep a journal and put lots of things in there however I still did not use it as much as
      I would have liked to. I think that they are a great way to document memories and thoughts and
      provide a great place to be creative so hopefully I start using one more.

 My study abroad journal

I noticed that a trend in this list is that a lot of the items have "more" in them, I guess my motto  for my 21st year on Earth could be "Be More:_____" (the blank being filled in with various things) which I think is fitting because those words do imply change and growth and those are necessary things for living a fulfilling life!

Hopefully by this time next year when I look back at this list I will have accomplished the majority, if not all of these things. However some goals will always remain such as continuing to learn new skills, better myself, and being better towards the environment.

What is something you want to do or accomplish? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

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How to Achieve Your Goals

We all know that reaching our goals can sometimes be very challenging but we can definitely accomplish them with some dedication and effort! The reasoning behind having goals, at least to me, is that they give you something to work towards in order to improve yourself or an aspect of your life and I feel that goals are very important. As I too struggle with always staying on track win regards to  my goals I decided to share some tips for sticking to and achieving your goals and resolutions!

This post actually kind of coincides with my previous post about having a productive summer (which you can check out here if you'd like to). I guess that at the beginning of a new season,  (similar to the beginning of a new year in January) I, like many other people focus more on changing habits and becoming a bettering version of myself -or at least trying to lol! Goals are a great way to do that and to be productive.  Sometimes we start out very strong in regards to accomplishing our goals but then lose motivation. Other times something else gets in the way and interferes or our focus shifts from the goals, making it very hard to reach them. As mentioned, I have complied a list of some things that you can do in order to make it easier to keep on track of and reach your goals!

Write them down

In my opinion this is one of the most helpful things someone can do in order to stay on top of one's goals. If  you write them down it feels more "official" and if you've documented them it will be harder to forget what you intended to work towards. It feels as though you are more dedicated to them and I like the fact that you can check them off, the same way you can "cross things off you to-do list". Having them written down will also allow you to look back after a while and assess yourself and see what you've done and  achieved. 

Set sub goals
 
Sometimes a goal that you have and really want to achieve may seem intimidating at first or you may be unsure of how to go about starting to accomplish it. Instead of just jumping in and to avoid "biting off more than you can chew" you can break the goal down into smaller ones to make the overall goal more manageable.

      For example if one of the goals you have is to be healthier or more fit it would make sense to        come up with different "sub-goals" that you can accomplish in order to become healthier such as having a goal to drink 1500 ml of water a day or to do a certain number of steps a day. Once you reach those you can increase the amounts gradually (up to the number you want) and you'll start being in better shape. As I mentioned, this will make the task of getting fitter less daunting and more manageable.

It will be easier to go about achieving large or long term goals this way and you will feel good about the progress you are making as you accomplish the "sub-goals" leading to the desired end result. 

Share your goals
 
What I mean by this is to let others know what your goals are. By "share" I don't mean to say that someone else needs to have the same goal or goals as you, although that can be helpful since it would allow you to work on them together. Regardless of whether or not any of your friends or family have the same goals as you, or you have only just told them what yours are, having them know will help you stay more accountable. It may also motivate you to keep going and stay on track and they may also help remind you to work on your goals. It's very beneficial to have support whenever you are working towards accomplishing something!

Make a "schedule"

By making a schedule I am talking about having at least a basic time frame of when you want to have certain goals or aspects of goals completed by. If you choose a certain day to have a certain amount of something done by you will be able to check in on the progress you've been making. "Deadlines" can be helpful since it makes you feel as though you have more of a responsibility to do something even if it is just self induced. The "pressure" to finish in time can cause you to put in more effort and achieve your goals faster.

Have an inspiration board

This is a great way to have a visual display of your goals and what you are working towards! You can make a collage or put a poster in your room that has pictures and/or words relating to your goals and include things that inspire you (it's like a real-life Pinterest board 😄). Making an inspiration board can be a very fun project since you can design it any way you like and it can be a good way for you to get more excited about working on and achieving your goals! It's a great form of a reminder to have on your wall and can potentially provide motivation when you look at it (and it can also serve as cute room décor)!

Reward yourself

I think that it's important to recognize what you've done and be proud of milestones along the way to the finish line. So, rewarding yourself after you've met "deadlines" you've set for yourself and when you've made a lot of good progress is a good practice. Allowing yourself to buy, eat, or purchase something (or whatever you choose your reward to be) can be an extra incentive for working toward your goals. Although, completing the goal is the greatest reward in itself since you'll feel so good about accomplishing it! Rewarding yourself after passing milestones on your way to achieving your goals can be helpful but remember to keep your eye on the end prize of completing the goal in it's entirety, don't just think about these small rewards.

Don't compare

It can be hard not to compare yourself to someone else who has achieved some of the things you are trying to accomplish, especially in today's day and age where everyone shares everything on social media, it's easy to become envious of others since people's lives may constantly be put in front of your face. But try to keep in mind that everyone is on their own journey and may have had a different starting point. You don't want to get discouraged because you see someone who has done more than you. Feeling bad about the progress you've made because someone else is closer to the end result than you are can decrease your motivation. If you start feeling like it's no longer worth it to work toward your goal because you feel like you'll never get there you may end up convincing yourself to stop and that is definitely not what we want to happen!

Try not to compare yourself to others, it may sound funny but only compare yourself to yourself. Try to be a better person than you were the day before, self reflection is important. Goals are all about self improvement for your life and the lives of those around you. Focusing on yourself (not in a negative/selfish way) is so important for growth and doing what you need to in order to be happy. And keep in mind what you'll gain from completing your goals: you will increase your confidence, be proud of yourself for accomplishing what you set your mind to, you may end up having more energy, gain knowledge, and skills! (It does depend on what your goals are though but I'm sure your results will at least include some of the things I just mentioned!)

Some of my goals:

I thought that I'd just include some of my goals in this post as well. My goals vary from short term to long term and some are much more meaningful than others, there are a couple trivial ones- but hey, everyone's entitled to be a little frivolous lol

• My Blog: One of the goals I have for this summer is to work more on my blog and post more often! Let's see how well I do!


• Fitness & Health: I am hoping to get in better shape and build some muscle (I'm so weak 🙈) and I also want to just become more healthy in general, such as by eating better and getting in to a routine for working out


• Reading: When I was younger I absolutely loved reading and I would read every night. Once I got into high school and definitely in college, I had so little time that I never really read any novels for fun (as in reading for myself and not because I had to for homework). I've missed it and I hope to do a lot of reading this summer!


• Family: Although I am living at home now since my semester ended I still feel as though I don't interact with my family as much as I should or talk enough about meaningful things with them. And it's so easy to just get caught up in watching tv separately in different rooms but, as cheesy as this may sound, I hope that my family and I start having occasional game nights again soon or something. 


• Self: I hope to work on gaining more self confidence and not doubt myself or my abilities as much as I do. I hope that I do more of what I plan rather than just thinking about doing it. And just reminding myself to not just get caught up in what's popular.


• Travel: I love traveling internationally and really want to go to Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Japan, but these are on my bucket list for the future. This summer I highly doubt that I will be traveling internationally but I'm still keeping a flicker of hope alive in regards to visiting Montreal this summer though! Nonetheless I hope to visit some neighboring states and see different towns in Massachusetts that I haven't been to before or haven't visited in a while such as Gloucester and Newburyport. I also really want to make it down to the Cape at some point, I used to go every summer but haven't been in a few years! 

Reminiscing about Europe, this is a picture I took while visiting Venice this past fall!

Pet: This is another lofty goal, I really want a dog but I know it wouldn't make sense to get one now or in the near future. But it's still on my list and someday it'll happen!

Camera: One of my goals is to learn how to use a DSLR camera to take nice photos, but I do need to get one of them first! lol

Bag: This may seem materialistic but I hope to own a Chanel bag one day. It is one of my favorite brands and I love the person Coco was and a lot of what she stood for. I've read about her and I admire what she was able to do and how she built a life for herself. I definitely recommend checking out "Mademoiselle Chanel: A Novel" by C. W. Gortner, it is not a biography, meaning that the author has taken some liberties to shape his story but it is fairly accurate and a great read!

Art: I am someone who enjoys doing crafts and making things, but as with reading, due to school I hardly have the time. Now that it's summer I hope that I'll be able to start drawing more or painting, just something crafty or doing a couple DIYS. (You may have inferred that because I like drawing and painting that I am good at doing them but sadly no, I don't think that I'm that great at either of them but I still think it's fun and hope to improve!)

Again, these are only some of my goals, I do want to accomplish more in life than what's listed here, these are just a few I thought I'd share.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope that you found this to be at least a little bit helpful! Please feel free to comment down below what some of your goals are, I'd love to hear them!

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How to Have a Productive Summer

Almost everyone looks forward to summer break, trips to the beach, ice cream, no homework (unless like me you're taking a summer course lol), there are so many reasons why summer is great, outdoor movies- I mean the list goes on and on! Although it is extremely important to have fun and be a bit carefree during the summer it is also important to not let it go by in the blink of an eye. It's not a great feeling when the summer seems to suddenly come to an end and you have no idea where it all went or what you even did with those three months! That's where having a productive summer comes in. As I mentioned, fun should be a priority during the summer but you also want to accomplish something so that when it does come to an end you feel like you put the time to good use and that it didn't sweep past you.

I put together a list with some tips for how you can make the most of your summer! (These will definitely come in handy for keeping myself on track too!)

Set Goals

Near the beginning of the summer it is helpful to think about what you want to do in the next few months. Knowing what you want to accomplish is very important and having the goals in mind ahead of time will make it much easier for you to reach them. Setting you goals lets you know exactly what you want to do and should serve as a guide to what you want your summer to consist of. And once the summer comes to an end you can look back at everything you've done!

Plan 

Planning out your summer at least a little bit is very beneficial because it allows you to get a big picture idea of the upcoming months. Even having a very basic plan of a couple things that you want to do or accomplish each month will make it so much easier to achieve them. Either writing it in a planner or putting things in a calendar app will help you keep track of everything and let you get everything done.
 
I personally love writing things down so I don't forget them and I like to be able to look ahead and know what I'm doing the next week. Especially if you want to go on any weekend trips or anything it is so crucial to organize those in advance at least a little bit to get the best deals on hotels, most convenient flight times, etc. Planning will also allow you to make sure that you have the time to do what you want to in general and will prevent you from having conflicting events or commitments.

Inspiration

Knowing what inspires you can a have a large impact on what you get done. Inspiration can provide great motivation and lets you see what you're working towards. It can be a nice reminder of what can be and to not give up. If you don't have a good reason for doing something you definitely won't get as much done as you would if you clearly know why you are working towards the goals you are. (Whether or not a reason is "good" is subjective but by "good reason" I personally mean something reasonable and positive).

For example if one of the goals you are working towards is a fitness one then following personal trainers or others on a fitness journey can provide great inspiration (as long as you try not to compare yourself and remember that everyone is at different levels and stages). Comparison can be an enemy to progress.

Establish a Routine

Having a routine can be a great way to ensure that you reach your goals. Knowing what you have to do and when lets you stay on track and make steady progress. If you establish a routine it'll become easier to do what you need to as you'll get used to it and form habits. Sticking with the fitness example, maybe you decide to start doing certain stretches or moves everyone morning after you've woken up, over time you'll end up automatically doing them and will build strength or flexibility (depending on what you do) and you'll start getting results!

Stay Realistic

It is crucial to be realistic with what you want to achieve and what you expect to accomplish though. You do not want to set yourself up to fail. You need to be aware of what you are capable of. As someone who isn't much of a runner it would not be realistic for me to have the goal of competing in and finishing a marathon that is taking place next month-that isn't realistic and there is no way I'd be able to achieve that. However, I am not saying to not challenge yourself. It is important to make sure that your goals aren't all so easy that you can basically already achieve them, you do need something to work towards. It should just be something that will be possible once you do put in the time and effort.

Balance

This is another significant concept. Although being productive and working on getting to your goals is very important, it is summer so you need to have some free time. Now I don't just mean doing nothing (although there is nothing wrong having some time for that), free time means that you don't have things scheduled so you can determine what you want to do with the time. Balancing the time you spend working on things and the time you take just to relax and have fun is vital to being productive and staying happy. If you are overworked you will not be as content or productive. I find that I work much better and enjoy it more when I'm in a good mood!

I hope that you found this helpful and that we all can have productive summers! Do you have any tips for being productive? Leave them in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

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The Shoes You Need For Spring!

      Warm weather means spring has arrived! I love spring fashion and wanted to share a few of my favorite spring shoes with you! Ideal spring shoes to me are cute, comfortable, and versatile. Below I have listed five different types of shoes that I feel are perfect for spring.
     I am so excited that we are finally having actual spring weather here in Massachusetts. I hope you are all enjoying spring so far too!

"Cute" Flats

The first type of shoe I will be sharing will you all is a "cute" pair of flats. Cute is in " " because I feel as though it is subjective. My idea of cute may be different than someone else's however there are shoes that a majority of people deem to be cute and that includes lace up flat or flats that tie. I definitely think that these shoes are perfect for spring because they are simple yet the tie part adds some interest and character. And as they are flats they will not cause your feet to get too hot in the warmer weather. They also come in such a variety of colors, texture, and even the placement of the tie can differ. So although they are a popular type of shoe you can still find a pair that is unique and perfect for your style! Mine are actually from Primark!

Similar Lace Up Flats here

Sensible Flats

These are flats that are a bit more sturdy than the first pair. What I mean is that the shoes should not hurt your feet and you should be able to walk around comfortably. The flats above are definitely more fashion than function! There's nothing wrong with that at all ( I mean who doesn't want cute shoes) but there is also a need for functional ones too! I enjoy traveling, going on day trips or into the city and for this I like to wear shoes that are stylish yet comfy. It is important to wear things that are strong and will be able to support your feet. If you are out and about and your feet start hurting that will affect your mood and you probably won't have as good a time (I'm sure this has happened to many of you as it has definitely happened to me before).

Sperry Boat Shoes- on SALE! here

Slip-ons

I think that these shoes are great because they can be very versatile. To me they are basically a mix of a sneaker and a flat. They go with so many types of outfits and can be dressed up or down!  These also come in many varieties, Vans are very popular and Steve Madden makes some great ones too. The classics are made of canvas but they come in other materials as well such as  leather. Also they are very easy and quick to put on.They're perfect for casual or can transition to night wear with some skinny jeans, a nice top and maybe an edgy jacket.

Steve Madden Ecentrcq Slip-ons here

Simple Sandals

Sandals are usually considered summer footwear but they are also great for spring. They can transition your wardrobe and give your outfit a different vibe to fit the weather as it does start to get warmer. For me I think of summer sandals as being more "complicated". Now you might be thinking "Emily, what the heck do you mean by complicated?" So let me explain lol, what I mean is sandals with a lot more details or bright colors, tassels, lots of ties, etc. It is just my personal feeling that those elements seem to be more summery than springy! (You do not have to agree with me at all I just thought I'd share my reasoning). I like these simple buckle ones I found at Marshalls!

I got my sandals a couple seasons ago at Marshalls, I've linked a similar pair here

Sneakers

Sneakers are a given I feel. Spring and warmer weather means more outdoor activities and sneakers come in so handy for this. Not even just talking about hardcore athletic activities. Just taking a quiet walk is so beneficial and sneakers can keep your feet comfy! I really like Converse because they are so simple and classic in design. Adidas are also very popular right now and Nike is another option. Of course there are many other great brands that make sneakers, these are just the ones that I have had the most experience with and personally like the best. 

Converse here

Similar pair of Nikes here

Thanks for reading! What are your favorite spring shoes?
-Emily

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