Heart Throb

My bestie and I were having the discussion yesterday (as I was returning a shirt to J.Crew that has been hanging in my closet for three weeks, not worn) of why do we need so much?  Why do we impulsive buy shit that we either already have a version of at home, or that we will wear one time max, or that we just have to have for no reason at all?  On both our ends, it was a combination of several things: we shop because it feels good and makes us happy, we shop because we like to see pretty things hanging in our closet.  It's very gratifying to both of us to walk through out closets and see all the pretty button downs hanging in a row (with cuffs rolled to create a pleasant marketing effect).  There are several blogs that we both follow who actually make us feel good about our addiction simply because their addiction is worse than ours.  Is there a Promises Malibu for those in need of major retail therapy?

The blogging world is super saturated and competitive, so on my end, I think I want to show the greatest things I've found to my readers as quickly and beautifully as I can.  There are so many incredible bloggers who you are constantly comparing yourself to, so that's a challenge to your confidence, dedication, and passion.  What I realize, though, is that those bloggers aren't successful because they go out and buy everything they can so they can say "Look at what I have", they are successful because they work hard and devote the necessary time and energy into providing really great content, beautiful photography, and thoughtful commentary.  The clothes, endorsements, commissions, and followers are a natural occurrence once those things are held in the highest regard.  If I spent half the time I spend in stores trying to scope out locations other than my backyard to shoot photos, my pics would be phenomenal.  If I actually wrote what I was thinking instead of blabbing about how much I love my new paisley pencil skirt, then I think I would get more gratification out of this whole blog thing.  I'm funny, dammit! If I would stop incessantly adding great spaces on Pinterest and actually hang something on a wall of the home I bought two months ago, perhaps I would have a little more to write about.

I'm at a point, personally, where I feel as though the next step in my life is right in front of me and I have to choose which path to walk down.  I love my family and friends, my job, and my life in general.  I have a new home, a nice car, and I'm healthy.  I think I have to make the decision to go all in with the things that I love and enjoy, and stop doing things half ass or neglecting them altogether.  I'm really good at a few things, but I can be really great if I would just take control and do it.   Funny how something as silly as clothes can make you think in a broader sense, but that is a part of my life that I love, but again, feel is a little out of whack.  I just need to step back and reel it in.  

So if I haven't depressed you enough, let's talk about this outfit.  Sometimes I take photos and when I see them on the camera, I am psyched because I know they turned out really well.  Generally, it's due to how the colors turn out. This happens maybe once every couple months...maybe.  This is one of those outfits.  My response yesterday to every single person that said "How are you doing" was "I'm about to burst into flames at any minute because it's so friggin' hot!!"  It's bad y'all.  It's so damn hot that the news is telling people not to go outfit.  So what do I do?  Logical girl that I am.  I wear a sweater, albeit, with a fabulous cobalt blue lopsided heart on it, and head off for the day!  There was no less than three occasions where I got in my car and took it off, pulled the tank top up without showing my bra, maxed the a/c out, a laid there like a beached whale.  A beached whale having a heat stroke. 

 Sweater: J.Crew

Shorts: Gap

Tank: H&M

Bag: Alex Wang

Wedges: Steve Madden, old but I dig these and these for $35 at Target!

Hat: No label, from Kohl's men's department because I have a huge noggin.  I love this one with the feathers!

Necklace: West Avenue via Max & Chloe

Bracelets: J.Crew, Kate Spade, vintage Hermes

Ring: Yochi NYvia Bloom

A big thank you to all my followers.  You mean the world to me.  I don't think I've ever said that.

xoxo,

sarah