Tag: HowTo

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Dry Goods Try On Haul

by Sydney Thompson1 Comment on Dry Goods Try On Haul

Hey Peeps, Happy Thursday!

I am not much of a mall person. Slowly, in the technologically advanced world we live in, I am becoming more and more of a shop online kind of gal. Recently though, on our way to a dinner date, my friend and I briefly stopped at the mall to check out this new store that had just opened up. All about the new and shiny thing. The store is called Dry Goods. Just hearing the name, I envisioned a rustic Homegoods type of vibe, which is why I had no idea why my friend was dragging me there, i.e. not my vibe at all. To my surprise, I walked into what I like to call the Francesca’s, Gap, Madewell married in heaven store. The styles can tend to fall a little on the boutiquey side BUT they have really great classic pieces that you can elevate in your everyday style. Those are the pieces I gravitated toward and actually purchased.

In all transparency, I thought this place was reasonably priced. I bought 7 items and spent around $200. This was my one good Fall fashion haul for the season, or at least that’s what I keep trying to convince myself of. What really sold me was the quality of the pieces. Everything feels like it’s going to last me years, which I love and justifies the money spent in my personal opinion. Why spend $10 on something that will fall apart after a couple of wears when you can spend $40 on something that will last multiple seasons? For all intents and purposes, Dry Goods is like a boutique. All clothes are not “Dry Goods” labeled on the tags, each piece comes from other companies, but they manage to select pieces to showcase in their stores that are cohesive and on brand. I also love that they carry Love Your Melon hats. If you don’t know the mission and value of Love Your Melon, check it out here.

If you follow me on Instagram (@_sydthompson), you may have seen the video I just posted. I have never really been a fan of the typical blogger “try on hauls” so I tried to take the same concept and switch it up a tad. I have either linked the exact item from the video below, or if items were sold out, I liked similar ones from the Dry Goods site or something I found on a different retailer’s site that is super similar and around the same price point I paid. Fall fashion is quickly approaching and I am super excited to have discovered this new brand to make shopping for the new season that much easier!

Black Jumpsuit (Sold out so linked similar) // I LOVE the fit of this piece because it hugs in ALL the right places. The cropped pant also makes it great to wear with multiple kinds of shoes and makes it a great transitional piece. The all black also speaks to my heart. I think this runs true to size, I got a Small and it fits perfectly. Another similar one here in Navy // Another similar option currently on Sale

Blue and White Stripped Blouse // I was nervous about this one because I thought it was going to be extremely see through, but to my surprise, it surpassed my expectations. I just wore a nude bra underneath and you couldn’t see a thing. I think this runs a little big so I would size down for a tighter fit. I purchased mine in a Small.

Marigold Print Blouse // Even though I’m not a huge floral print fan, I liked this piece because I don’t have much yellow in my closet and I thought this would be a great Thanksgiving Day shirt. I love the lightweight material and think this fits true to size. I got the Small.

Emerald Green Peplum Blouse // I love peplum shapes and I think this color is about to have a major moment this Fall season. The button detail makes it super feminine and it feels so super soft. The arms run a little tight, so I would probably size up. I got this in a Small.

Chambray Shift Dress // I loved this piece because I think it’s a classic that you can style so many different ways and layer so many things on top to make a completely different look each time. It runs a little big, I got the Small but could have easily fit into the XS. I couldn’t find anything similar to this on the site right now, so I linked a VERY similar option from Macy’s.

Gray Sweater Dress // Winter is calling my name in this dress. It is so cozy and heavy, which will be great paired with over the knee boots in the bitter cold months. I do think this dress runs a tad on the smaller side so if you are between sizes I would size up here. I am wearing a Small but would be more comfortable in a Medium I think.

Camel Turtleneck // Hands down my FAVORITE piece out of my whole purchase. I think I’ve already worn it a hundred times since I bought it. It is slightly cropped, which makes it perfect for a French Tuck in the front. The color goes with everything and the sweater is soft yet on the lighter side, which is why I’ve been able to wear it now! I am wearing a Small, it fits true to size.

Sincerely,

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How To Transition Summer Clothes to Fall

by Sydney Thompson3 Comments on How To Transition Summer Clothes to Fall

Hi There,

Often times, when either flowers start to bloom or the leaves start to change colors, people think that it’s time for a whole new wardrobe. Well, I think those people are crazy. The fun part about fashion is finding new and innovative ways to wear things we already own. To take an article of clothing and completely transform its makeup. Hey, you also help the planet that way as well.

Right now, at this time, we are about 13 days away from the first official day of Fall. All that being said, don’t go Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Halloween Town on me yet…because there are some fun ways you can transform the pieces already in your closet into chic, cooler-weather masterpieces. Save money, save the planet and save your sanity. Your lightweight, flowy Summer staples aren’t going into hibernation just yet. Here are 5 simple ways to transition your Summer clothes to Fall:

1. Pair a strappy dress with an undershirt.

This is totally a 90s vibe and I am here for it. I feel like for the past couple Summers, slip dresses have been all the rage. I indeed have a few in my own closet that I’m proud of. The last thing I want to do is put them away just because of a change in season, so my style hack is to pair these Summer numbers with an undershirt. Like literally, I got one from the boy’s section at Target for like $10 in a size Medium. Wear it underneath your slip, strappy dress to cover your shoulders and keep you warm in the Fall months.

2. Mix and match season pieces.

One of the best ways to slowly transition from piping hot temps to cooler ones is to mix and match pieces from each season. Throw a sweater over your favorite Summer dress or wear a turtleneck with a pair of shorts, like I am doing in the above images. Mixing and matching also helps you feel like you get to hold onto the best parts of each season for a little bit longer.

3. OTK Boots.

This hack is a super easy one. The toughest part for me about transitioning into a new season is deciding what kind of shoes to wear. Is it hot enough to wear sandals or are my toes going to freeze while walking to work? OTK (or “over the knee”) boots are perfect for a season transition because they can literally be worn with every kind of bottom. Skirts, shorts, pants, leggings, even dresses, over the knee boots feel Fall while still having the ability to wear some of your lighter, perhaps even shorter in length, Summer styles. Bonus, these boots are super chic and make your legs look 10 feet tall.

4. Layer, layer, layer.

I cannot stress enough that as you transition your wardrobe to Fall and start to dust off pieces you put into storage months ago, the first items that should start to slowly come out are your lightweight Fall jackets. Trenches are great, cardigans are great, leather jackets are great. These styles are simple enough to go with many things currently in your closet and the best part about them is that when those random last Summer days creep in before Fall really hits, you can easily remove them from your outfit to adjust to the unpredictable temperatures. Now is the weird time in the Midwest where it’s freezing in the morning but scorching in the afternoon. Wear a lightweight Fall jacket with your everyday outfit, and when it gets hot, simply remove that outer layer. Style hack: I even like undoing my Summer wrap dresses to wear as open, breezy dusters!

5. Tights for days.

I can promise you tights are not for older women. I actually think wearing tights is super chic. This is also the easiest way to keep wearing your dresses, shorts and skirts for even longer, even way into the thick of Fall. Get a pair of opaque or black tights to pair under all of your current Summer bottoms. If you don’t already have a pair of tights, you can run to Walgreens or Target and get them for under $10. Not only will it elevate your everyday look, but tights also keep your legs nice and toasty, which is what you want when the crisp Fall air starts to swoop in.

If you are someone who wants to buy all new clothes for the new season, kudos to you. I admittedly have already bought some new Fall pieces, but I always like to think, work and shop smarter not harder. If I can save a dime, I’m all about it. If you found ways to transform your Summer clothes for the Fall months, I’d love to know below! As always, I hope this helps!

Sincerely,

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How I Cope With Anxiety

by Sydney Thompson2 Comments on How I Cope With Anxiety

Hi There,

The first time I ever felt feelings of anxiousness was around the time I was a freshman in college. Something about having to pack up my childhood room and now having to live 3+ hours away from my family and friends threw me for a complete loop. I lost a lot of weight, my thoughts paralyzed me from leaving my door room, I couldn’t focus in class, my grades suffered (which had never happened to me ever in my life) and I cried once a day for about 6 months. It was one of the toughest times in my life. From the time I realized there was an issue, I made some lifestyle adjustments like transferring schools and learned to cope with feelings of anxiousness the best way I could for those 4 years. Since then, I’ve been so much better, but my anxiety still comes to visit like a long-distance relative.

Now, I am no doctor by any means. I have no clinical definition of anxiety and I have never officially been diagnosed with anxiety, but to me, I experience feelings of anxiousness whenever I am faced with a situation or life decision that is uncontrollable or unpredictable. I have intense feelings whenever I think about if I made a bad decision in the past, how I am going to cope with what’s happening to me in the present or the uncertainty of what may happen in the future. I am pretty Type A for all intents and purposes of the definition. I love and crave control. I like things a certain way and if it doesn’t happen as such, anxiety comes. It’s when I experience the ability to control a situation being robbed from me that anxiety comes. It’s when I don’t know how to crawl my way out of an undesirable fate that life often throws at us that anxiety comes. There come slices of time in any given day where my mind often wanders and hypothesizes all these different scenarios. It completely throws me off track in that moment. I feel shortness of breath, very emotional, my heart races, I lose sleep and sometimes my line of vision can even become blurred. It can be debilitating and from what it seems, from personal stories and articles online, that my “case” is very mild. I can’t imagine what some others have to go through.

As my day job is very analytical, I find my critical thinking also becoming very analytical. I often ask myself why I am experiencing this feeling or what has happened to catapult me into this state. But rather than trying to pick apart the intricacies in what’s happening inside my head, over the years I have found coping mechanisms that ultimately bring me back down to Earth so to speak. Everybody’s experience with anxiety is so different and should be handled as so, but sometimes I think when we share stories of the practices that have helped us to cope, we can feel less alone and work towards the root of the cause.  

Tip #1: It may sound crazy, but classical music has helped with my anxiety SO much. I used to be very musical in my childhood. I was in every school play, I could read music, I played the piano and I played the flute in my school’s symphony orchestra. I love music with purpose and that changes direction to take you on a magical journey. Whenever I feel anxious, one of the ways I try to relieve myself from those feelings is to play some of my favorite classical pieces. I take time to remove my thoughts from what’s currently going on and immerse myself into the sounds. I try to decipher each musical instrument being played and focus my mind on the tempo, crescendos and decrescendos to shift my focus on only what I am hearing at that moment. It removes me from life for just a few minutes, enough time for the anxiousness to pass, and by the time the song has ended, I feel better. Here are some of the playlists I listen to on Spotify:

Tip #2: Another way I’ve learned to cope with anxiety is to clean. I know it may sound odd but tidying up my room or even the files on my computer have helped alleviate feelings of anxiousness. There’s something about cleaning up the physical aspects of your life that help you feel more in control of the psychological ones. When you are clear in one area, the physical space around you, you have more time to clear the space in your head and work through your feelings.

Tip #3: The 5,4,3,2,1 rule has also helped me tremendously with fighting anxious feelings. You have probably seen this circulated on all social channels, but the 5,4,3,2,1 rule helps in going through the numbers in order to ground yourself in present thinking. Here is how it works: you start by acknowledging 5 things that you can see around you at that moment, then you identify 4 things you can touch around you at that moment, then 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. This technique ultimately helps with symptom relief because after you have taken the time to identify these things in your physical surrounding you often will have taken long enough for the symptoms to pass.

I hope this helps anyone reading who too experiences or suffers from anxious feelings or anxiety. Our thoughts are almost always directly linked to how we are feeling at that moment. Although sometimes we can lose control of our thought process and where our mind takes us mentally, there are tools and cognitive exercises that we can enlist in our daily routine to pull us out of the hole we feel that we are falling into. I can promise you; those feelings may come but they will go away. You and your mind are strong enough to fight through those feelings. You totally got this, and I am here for you!

Sincerely,