Mature Style Evolution

Well hello again… we keep meeting here a lot. (Wink, wink) welcome back guys to another post. We are again going down the fashion lane, because apparently my blog has zip structure and I write about whatever pops into my head. And yet we have such fun doing it!

If you haven’t seen my other two fashion posts this spring(here and here) than I suggest you go check them out. They’ll help you get a better picture of what I mean by “maturing style”.

Basically I have gone the minimum, Parisian inspired vibe. This look is very typical of what I am wearing for everyday life. The Liz Baker Essential dress slacks offer some chic lines to the Keds loafers and Banana Republic striped tee. Finished off with the unruly mess that is my hair and this super old, oversized Old Navy black jean jacket and you have a very cute, comfy, practical look.

I have recently started revamping my wardrobe one piece at a time. Finding pieces/styles and cuts that I like regardless if they follow popular brands or trends. Essentially I am trying to break the impulse buys and stick with an end goal of what I want my closet to look like. This has meant selling or donating old pieces that no longer fit my style evolution. Or replacing items with an updated version thereof. Which is all super exciting, since it gives me a chance to plan and scheme, and set those ever lovely goals that I shoot for.

And that is all for right now! I have one more post coming out tomorrow and then an exciting one next Thursday hopefully.

Lots of love,

Tally

Yellowstone Packing List

Did you just read that right? Did I really write packing list? It feels like forever(and frankly it has been forever) since I have been on vacation. And man do I need it.

This was supposed to be a family vacation, but of course life gets in the way so it ended up just being my parents, my younger sister and myself, who braved Yellowstone in October. Look out next week(or the week after) for a trip round-up post or two. But for now here is what I packed for Yellowstone…

Four ultra warm knits. I think it goes without saying that unexpected snows can happen unexpectedly up against the Rockies, so packing warm apparel is just common sense. Plus I love a good knit as you well know.

This was an 11 day trip, so I packed four pairs of pants to be worn on rotation. Again I went for durable and warm.

Next are just a couple of nice tops. That can easily be worn causally or be dressed up if we went out for the night.

The all importance of outerwear cannot be over stated. I packed both of my warmer fall coats(plus my light jean jacket not shown here) to protect against the chills.

And finally foot wear. Right up there with coats in importance. From a nice pair of loafers for loading through the shops of Jacksonhole, WY. to my Hunter boots in case it snows and/or floods. I think I am well covered.

Well that’s it! I can’t wait to show you guys the pictures from this much needed get away. Until next time,

Lots of love,

Tally

Stitch Fix September 2020

It’s that time again. Time to see my horribly dirty mirror and try to see the cute clothes beyond. Let’s get started!!

Boom Boom Jeans Utility Joggers – $38

First thing in the box were these super cute and beyond comfortable “dark grey” joggers.

Great lazy day pants, I have them styled here with my Banana Republic striped tee.

These were a keep for me. They’re cute enough to style and wear in public. But also I could see myself binging Netflix and chilling in bed on those colder nights.

Market&Spruce Button Down Top- $54

Next thing in the box was this top. Now I loved the color and the quarter sleeves. Plus the material was very soft and durable. Not hot like normal flannel…

However you know how I feel about flannel guys. I just don’t like how it looks on me. I adore it on other people but can’t quite pull off myself.

So this was sent back. Unlike the next item…

Pinque Crew Neck Pullover- $44

Isn’t it just adorable?! This is probably my second favorite thing in the box(stay tuned for my fav) So warm and the cut is just right. This was a no brainer keep. Am I right?

Market&Spruce Cargo Jacket- $88

I have received a jacket like this before in the box and thought it was cute then too. But I seriously have so many outer pieces(which you will see in an up coming post) that I knew this just wasn’t needed.

So back she went. And the final piece in the box-

Herschel Retreat Backpack- $90

I cannot tell you how I excited I was to see this waiting for me at the bottom of the box. My heart nearly exploded. I have been on the look out for a good backpack for when I go hiking with my sister and for an upcoming trip.(again more on this later) But I have had no luck in finding just the perfect bag. But this… this is gorgeous!! The plum color and simple design. This is by far the coolest thing I have ever gotten in a box.

The total price of the box came out to $235.49. This is definitely one of the better boxes I have received and has me excited to see what the next Stitch Fix brings.

So what did you guys think? Do agree with my returns and keeps? I’d love to hear. For more of my unboxing posts click here.

Lots of love,

Tally

Summer Style Review

The family I work for is staying at a lake house this summer. Which basically translates to me being outside and in the water 24/7. Since I will probably be wearing my swimsuit like a second skin for two months I decided I wanted to purchase several sun dresses that I could just drape over my suit and go. Below are my finds!

Embracing My Inner Gypsy…

This gingham pattern day dress is a little more “dressed up” than the other looks below. I purchased it from ModCloth an online boutique, who’s styles are more vintage and feminine. Which is right up my alley. I look forward to purchasing more products from them. This dress is probably my new fav.

This skirt/shirt combo is from Albion Fit and is super casual and comfortable. Perfect for running after kids. And since the skirt is made of that super light, athletic material it cleans very easily.

Probably my favorite purchase is this hula skirt. It is awesome! If I could I would wear it all the time. Since the pattern is so colorful and chaotic it pretty much goes with everything. (I said pretty much)

This blue, silky skirt is super soft. The only downside is it is a little see through. But since I’m wearing it over my suit I don’t really mind.

This dress is to die for! It has two tie strings on both sides so it can either be as loose or form fitting as you desire.

That’s it for now my peeps! If ya need me I’ll be at the lake.

Lots of love,

Tally

My Curly Hair Journey

Both a blessing and a curse is the girl, who has curly hair! (Though I’m sure this can be said of every hair type) It was many years ago- I think I was either 19 or 20- when I finally accepted that my hair was curly and would never be straight. To be exact my hair would be like my mother’s destined to get curlier, darker and thinner. I was to struggle with dry, frizz prone locks that frankly do whatever they want.

So upper left photo I took yesterday(2020), upper right I was 15yrs. old(2012 and you can see how much frizz there was, but also how much thicker it was. I did have a perm in it at the time), bottom left was two years ago(2018 or 2019), and then the bottom right is from 2018(and note I had gone over it with a curling tool to try to de-frizz it)

I did a post on my old routine for my curly hair (here) like two almost three years ago. So please note that it is woefully outdated and some of the products I no longer use(Deva and the Sea Salt spray) But the past month or so I have realized that while my old routine was way better for my hair than what I was doing before, it was also far from perfect. My hair would barely last past day two of wash, which for curly hair isn’t good.

Thus I would pull it up in a bun like so… 😩

I don’t mind my curly hair(now) I really like it when it’s not a frizzy, brittle mess. Here are a few things my Mom taught me and that she reminded me about curly hair care.

The Do’s+Don’ts of Curly Hair

• Set aside your shampoo– Not for always, but since my hair was so dry my Mom suggested only co-washing my hair for a awhile. What is co-wash you ask? It’s basically washing your hair with just conditioner. In fact that’s exactly what it is. Below is my hair after I co-washed it for the first time. The only down side to co-washing is that unless you vigorously massage it into your scalp you can fail to get the dirt out of your hair. Thus using a shampoo for curly hair is required. But if you check out my old routine(linked above) you’ll see that’s what I was doing and it wasn’t working.

No heat tools used. I just let it air dry. It was so freaking soft!!

• Coconut Oil Mask- Basically I melted two to three tablespoons of coconut oil and then massaged and scrunched it into my hair, pulled it up and slept with it for a night, rinsing it out the next morning. (I did this last week instead of washing my hair. I will probably do a mask of some kind once a month) Below is the result- I don’t have a before picture which I apologize for.

As you can tell it is kinda weighed down by what’s left of the oil in my hair after the rinse out, but I knew my hair was going to suck all that moisture by the next day. And trust me it was so much better than before.

• Wash Your Hair Once a Week- Or even better every two weeks!(If possible) I knew this but I didn’t follow it like dogma… Now I do. Once a week wash with a mask of some kind every month.

After getting the starting tips from my Mom she told me to look into the curly girl method. As I started researching it I immediately felt overwhelmed: curly hair types, sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, low-poo- What the what?!? Thankfully there have been girls before me, who have been on the curly girl method for a few years and are willing to pass on their knowledge. (Though I did order the book by Lorraine Massey to read through it myself and I will pass on what I learn) I have mainly been watching different YouTubers, though my favorite so far has been Hanz Curls. And here’s what I’ve learned so far, definitely taking baby steps…

• Ditch the Cotton Pillowcases- This came as a total surprise to me, but cotton pillowcases dry out your hair!! No wonder my wash wouldn’t last till the next day. I slept with my hair up, but I’d still end with a dry, knotted patch of hair right at the back of my head. Everything I read and watched was telling me to get a silk or satin pillowcase. But silk pillowcases are pricey. So I opted to tie my silk scarf around my head instead.

How I tie my scarf at night, plus my hair the next day. (The left pic was the day after my coconut oil mask rinse, so you can see how fast my hair sucked up the oil)

• Applying Water-downed Gel In the Shower- This I got from Hanz Curls and her wash routine video. After doing a low-poo(still trying to figure that out) and applying her conditioner, she applied a lot of gel that she watered down. Then she dried it off with a t-shirt(another thing my Mom told me to start doing since towels dry curly hair out too much) and applied more gel as well as her other leave in products. I gave this a try last wash day(another curly girl term) and that’s when my hair was so freaking soft!!(see pic above of co-wash results)
• Doing a Curl Refresh In Between Washes- Another thing I didn’t know one could do. But it’s totally acceptable for a curly girl to rinse out her hair with water on day three or so after her wash. Not so it’s soaking wet necessarily, and without using any conditioner or shampoo; but just so your curls get a reset so to speak. This has been a lifesaver for me and has allowed me to stick to the once a week big wash rule.

I obviously I’m just starting this journey into my curly hair and I’m told it takes months to years to get the curly girl method to work wonders on your hair, but I’m willing to do it. Ya know since I’m stuck with curly hair. To all my curly girls out there- please pass on your wisdom to this newbie! I’d really appreciate it.

Lots of love,

Tally

Stitch Fix: April 2020

Hello everybody! I wasn’t sure I was even going to write this post. I was that disappointed with this month’s box.

Out of the four or five boxes I have received from Stitch Fix this is the first dud. So I guess that’s not an awful track record. I’m going to give them another try next month, which will be late in June(I switched my frequency of fixes to every other month) And hopefully get back to styles that actually suit me.

First up in the box…

Was this Nine Britton Smocked Bottum Blouse in Beige and Judy Blue Button Front Fray Hem Skinny Jeans in Black. The jeans(while they fit perfectly) were not me at all. Too rock-n-roll. As for the top it was sheer and would require me to wear something underneath it, which I felt defeated it’s purpose. Both items were a return for me.

Next was…

Was this top; Nine Britton Waffle Henley Knit in Burgundy. I felt it was out of season. A maybe for me in the fall, but definitely not in spring. I returned this as well.

Then there was this Temma Denim Jacket in Mustard. Cute, but again just not me…

Finally…

Was this top by Pink Clover in Navy. This top while more along my style was just not cute enough to tempt me. So I returned this one as well.

All in all I returned every item in the box and I don’t regret my decision to do so. What did you guys think? Was I right in being disappointed?

The total value of the box was $255 with items being priced: $40-, $55-, $38-, $88-, $34- respectively.

Lots of love,

Tally

What I Would Have Worn to New Orleans

With everything that is going on in the world it’s no great shock that my sister’s birthday, girls only trip to New Orleans has been canceled. Which is of course major bum city, but also wise. Since we don’t want to get sick and certainly don’t want anyone else to get sick because of us. Anyway I thought you guys still might like to see what I would have worn if we had gone. I must say it was fun for me today to mess around taking pictures and gave me the excuse to put on makeup and actually get dressed as opposed to sweats&pj’s. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that)

Outfit #1

Outfit #2

Outfit #3

Outfit #4

There you have it! I think you can tell I had fun “modeling” for this post. (Lol) So which look was your favorite? I’d love to know! Leave it down in the comments below.

Lots of love,

Tally

Major Closet Clean Out

Ah spring! I feel you coming and recognize your windy presence with a full heart. What is it about this time of year that makes you want to run and smile and throw all your possessions away? Maybe it’s the idea of new beginnings and throwing off the chains of the old. Maybe it’s because you have spent months trapped in your house looking at your things and now can’t stand the sight of them. Who knows! But normally around this time and sometime in the fall I do a major clean out of my closet. I have done this since junior high. How do I collect so much stuff?

This doesn’t mean that I get rid of a bunch crap both times, but at least it gets reorganized and I feel less suffocated by it. This time however I did end up doing a major clean out. I had collected pieces of clothing and random stuff that I neither liked, or didn’t fit at all(and hadn’t for many years and were never going to fit) I was tired of having it cluttering my space. I was tired of holding on to things I was supposed to like, but really didn’t. I was tired of holding on to things that were cute, but not my personal style. Nor likely to be worn by me, but might be enjoyed by someone else.

In the end I got rid of whole big, black trash bag of stuff! Donating it at Good Will and saying good by to the extra baggage. How about you? Do you do a Spring Cleaning? When is the last time you felt suffocated by the stuff we are told we need?

Lots of love,

Tally

Stitch Fix:Unboxing February

Be Picky with your clothes, friends and time…

Yay! I’m back. It has been a bit crazy here. My younger sister moved in with me and is working temporarily for the family I work for in order to help out with the crazy that goes on here. However a week in she caught the stomach bug and has just now shaken in it off. I went from having extra help to working five 12-hour days in a row(save me) I won’t lie it wasn’t fun and I about broke down from exhaustion(we all did to be honest) But hopefully we’re now on an up swing and life will get somewhat back to normal. Ha! We’ll see. (Tay is feeling much, much better by the way)

Anyway before the crap hit the fan I got my much anticipated Stitch Fix Box! I had let my stylist know that I was taking a girl’s only trip to New Orleans in a month(more on this later) and was wanting some new stuff for the trip. Boy did she deliver!

So I moved my still very dirty mirror into the bathroom. Thus my overflowing trash can… It’s real life people!

At the very top of the box was an item I knew I was going to keep without even a second thought and without even opening their adorable canvas bag. These Toms Carmel Suede Lace-up Sneakers in Blush($69.95) fit perfectly and are totally going to hit the streets of New Orleans.

Next up were these adorable Cosmic Blue Love Adrianne Distressed Boyfriend Jeans, which I also kept($88) and this cute Alice Blue Ambriz Pleat Front Detail Blouse($42) I didn’t keep the top because it wasn’t my style and I couldn’t see myself wearing it. However I could kick myself, since it was the only item I returned and if you buy the whole box you get an additional 25% off. I missed this detail, even though it’s clearly marked on the price sheet they sent me. Blonde moment. Oh well I wouldn’t have worn it anyway.

Next…

Is this totally adorable and surprisingly cool(as it lightweight and airy) RD Style Tracey Chenille Cable Cardigan in Olive($78) On trend and on my packing list I adore this cardigan, which can and will go over everything.

The final item in the box was a Market&Spruce Breton Cotton Blend Faux Suede Elbow Patch Striped Pullover($68)… If you guys have been following me for a while than you know I love stripes! Stripes and polka dots that’s my signature style.

When all was said and done the total of the box is $345.95 Pricer than last month’s but so jammed packed with goodies. I officially can’t wait for next month’s box.

What was your favorite piece this month? Leave it down in the comments below. Have you given Stitch Fix a try? Interested? Here’s my first impressions post that’s packed full of info on how to get started. Until next time…

Lots of love,

Tally

What’s Up with the Blog 2020?

I debated with doing this post. Will they actually care about my plans for the blog 2020? In the end I decided since I am such a goal oriented person and love making lists and then checking things off my list that this post would be fun to make if nothing else. (Sorry my loyal readers but please let me indulge in my mania just this once- Who am I kidding?! I always indulge)

So what’s up with the blog?

• Travel- Oh how I LOVE to travel. With at least two awesome trips planned for this year; New Orleans in March and Maine In October. Expect some awesome tips, tours and packing posts. Arguably one of my favorite posts to write I can’t wait to be on the go again!
• Nannyhood- Continuing the original theme of my blog I will be passing on some of my advice to aspiring nannies, tips for my fellow nannies and my honest opinions for those of you who are just curious about nannies.
• Monthly Media Favs- I love doing this monthly media rap up posts, so you can expect these to continue.
• Nanny specific product reviews- We’re talking diapers, food products, clothes, toys, etc. All of my fav products for your perusal.
• Diary spews- I can’t help myself when it comes to the random spewing of words. Sometimes we just need to set out our thoughts in order and in words, no? Hope you enjoy these, thankfully sporadic, views into my inner workings.
• Exploring Milwaukee- I have lived here for two years now and yet still feel like there is so much about Milwaukee I don’t know. As I continue to explore my adopted home town(city) I will pass it on to you. *smiles*
• Photo Dumps- I enjoy taking photos. I enjoy taking more photos than I actually need. Not only will I be continuing the tradition I started last year of a yearly round up of my favorite photos, I will also be doing photo style diary posts and so on.
• Facebook Vlogs- I am the worst when it comes to vlogs. I promised you guys a vlog for my trip to North Carolina back in November and I still haven’t posted it. (I am a despicable human being) But I do want to add this kind of content to my repertoire. So I am going to take my Facebook page(link at the top of the page) and use it primarily for video content- Yay! So be sure to like the page so you can get notified when I post a video. (Also my long awaited video will be going up this week… I am going to say Friday)

No more fashion posts..

Now don’t freak out and think I am never ever going to make a fashion post again, because I probably will but only if it ties into another theme. For example, “what I am packing for a trip”. And if I keep using stitch fix I will do an unboxing post. However just stand alone fashion posts are a thing of the past. While I had fun doing them they’re not the direction I want to take my blog in. And plus they are a pain to create; all the links and most all of my clothes are outdated so they don’t sell them anymore, so then finding something similar- A pain! What I am thinking of doing is putting some fashion favs/collections on Instagram. So if you love my fashion related content it will still be out there just not getting an entire article about it.

Also I will be updating my sister’s signature look transformation(first started here) because yes it is still going on.

I just want to wrap this up by saying 2020 is going to be a great year for this site(I think so anyway) but I really want to know what you guys think. Are you excited about the content I have planned so far? Anything I should add? Lose? Please- please– let me know in the comments below. Don’t forget to sign up for email notifications and follow my Instagram account, plus like us on Facebook since a lot of new content will be coming through there as well.

Wishing you so much love this year,

Tally