Out of Sorts Outfit

What am I doing today?  I really don't know.   The past few weeks have had so much activity I've been feeling dizzy and out of sorts from being pulled in so many different directions at once.  I put this outfit together in the midst of the madness because it does a lot of things at once.  It's casual but dressy, comfortable and interesting.  I've been wearing it on my weekends for a trip to the hardware store that turns into a birthday lunch for a friend that is followed by a grocery run that then leads to date night and I need an outfit that can do it all.

Outfit Info:  Opossum Tee from Modern Millie, Skirt thrifted Modcloth, Heels from B.A.I.T., Ecosusi bag, Polka Dot Chambray top is thrifted J. Crew 

Times I Walked Away

Since my previous post was about highlighting my spending struggles, I thought it only fair to be transparent and discuss victories too.  I've been watching budgeting content in an effort to keep me motivated in 2026 and one habit that I decided to put into practice is: keeping a list of the times I walked away. It may sound strange, but writing down all the times I wanted to buy something and walked away instead (please note that today's photos are from a time I definitely did not walk away, but rather found a dress that has always been very pricey, even thrifted, for under $35) has really helped me to see that how far I have come at gaining self control and using discretion on my purchases. I've gone from constant impulse buys in every category to just the necessities in every area except clothes, and even then frequently walking away from things that just aren't worth it to me, no matter how low the price drops. 

 Rather than only looking at the totals for all the things I bought in a week or a month, which can feel like a tally of my failures, I can look at this list of all the things I didn't buy and see my successes as well.  For example, over Memorial Day weekend (you know, for the sales) I had a number of items in various carts.  Looking at just this thing here or there it didn't seem like a lot, but rather than immediately buying, I prepared my carts, looked at the total of everything together, and then waited until Sunday evening to purchase.  During that time I realized I didn't want to spend that much money.  I removed all the items I was buying just because it was a "bargain" and not because I really loved it.  I whittled a couple of carts down to half their contents, and the others I deleted altogether.   

In a more recent example, I needed, actually needed, some walking shoes.  They're a performance item and I found a pair with great reviews and had worn a pair in the past that I loved.  I went to buy, and found a great promo code...that only worked if I bought 2 or more pairs.  The shoes were originally $110.  If I used a promo code, it took two pairs down to $70 each.  But then I'd end up spending $140 and did I really need two pairs of walking shoes?  I thought long and hard, even asked a friend for advice on whether this was a good deal or just a gimmick.  In the end?  I found a NIB pair for $30 on a thrift site.  So, it was a win all around.

If I were to just look at the total spent on an ever continuing tally, it might not feel like a win.  But, if I look at how much I intended to spend and then didn't, combined with the fact that I had been waiting for this sale for weeks, delaying purchases to try to get a better bargain, and then took 3 days to think it through before buying, it seems like a total win.  Taking time to record the things I didn't buy or found at a bargain price is a great reminder of the fact that not only do I have will power and self-control, but I actually use them more often than I give myself credit for and that is a far better motivator to keep going than guilt and shame will ever be.

Outfit Info:  Anthropologie Maeve Star Turn Dress, YeMak Cardi, Amazon Flats

Ocher & Sepia

Outfit posts are back!  I know it's only been a couple of weeks since I've done an outfit post, but it's actually been two and a half months since I went to take outfit photos.  I just really, really hate the cold, and I have been on a No Buy, which included very limited social media from the end of December '25 to the beginning of February '26.  

As you can see from the ochre and sepia hues of the background, Spring has not yet sprung.  I planted daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths in the autumn, and they are just poking their heads through the soil, but it's not quite time for all the rest of nature to show their Spring colors yet.  I figure if nature is holding on to her autumn palette for a while, I can too.  The old rule was to change over from brown accessories to white at Memorial Day and back again at Labor day, and while I don't exactly stick to those rules religiously, I can admit they exist for a reason in this part of the country.  It doesn't exactly look like the time for pastels and floral prints out here, so for today's post, I thought I'd share a thrifted find from 2025 that has become one of my favorite casual/office looks.

Outfit Info:  Bag is Ecosusi, Shoes are B.A.I.T., Maeve Bird Dress is Thrifted Anthropologie, Sweater is YeMak

Autumn Work Wear

Ever the avid thrifter, I found this beautiful Anthropologie dress for about $20. This dress is a muted chocolate brown and ivory plaid with an ornate beaded collar.  I added a belt just to break up the print, and since there's this lovely collar, I skipped the necklace this time and went for hoop earrings instead.  I love my Ecosusi bow briefcases for work, and the real thrill in this outfit was these thrifted blue and brown oxford heels that I just adore.  I'll definitely add a cardigan or a blazer with this dress when I wear it to work, but I took these photos in the heat of summer and hadn't really gotten out my autumn wear yet, so you'll have to use your imagination there.

Part of the Grand Plan

At the start of this year I was so excited for all the changes that were on the way.  I finished one certification program and began another which ended in May.  I left one job and was hoping start another, this one directly linked to my certifications, but there was a gap.  The job wasn't open yet, so I suddenly found myself with half the income and twice the time.  It was a gift and I intended to treasure every spare moment until the new job began.  That was February; here we are in August and that job has not opened.

At first I had so many things to accomplish at home that each day was full.  I vowed to use my time at home to be a value and a blessing to my family.  I did jobs like tearing down the pigpen that Mr. Bleu was always meaning to do but usually too tired or busy.  I decluttered and organized; I deep cleaned and home cooked.  Over the course of a few weeks to a month, my projects began to dwindle.  Could it be?  Was I finally...all caught up?  Yes, I was indeed.  I started to get bored and then a little depressed.  This temporary situation was seeming more semi-permanent.  I felt like I had wasted my time and my money on something that didn't pan out; in short, I felt like a failure.  I started berating myself for taking this risk.  Then I stopped and realized that I would have regretted Not taking the risk far more than trying and not succeeding.  Not trying at all, that's what failure really looks like.  

Coming to terms with the fact that things didn't work out as I had hoped meant I needed to rethink things and regroup.  I decided to begin to work in some time each week for journaling, and each day for walking.  I made time for getting some sunshine and having long soaks in mineral water.  I had been in high-gear for so long, why not take some quiet time in this season of less activity and live just a little slower and a little easier.  I made time to visit my parents and Mr. Bleu's.  I made time to have tea with friends.  I decided to go to actual brick and mortar stores with my mom or my girls, to enjoy the experience of shopping as a social activity.  And, life was good.

The trouble with easy living is that other people tend to want to fill that empty time.  I had people ask me to run errands for them because they were either "busy" or "working."  I had people ask me to do special projects for them for the same reasons.  And while I didn't mind helping out a friend or family member once in a while, at a certain point, I had to start setting boundaries in order to guard my time or else risk sliding right back to the fast paced, full down to the very second kind of life.  I still work out of the home and many of my days here are still rather full of work as well, so it's perfectly reasonable to turn down a few requests to be a free personal assistant for other people.

Summer rolled around, and the boss I had been hoping to start working for suddenly stopped responding to my messages.  Maybe I've been ghosted, or maybe her summer has been just as full as mine.  I choose to give her the benefit of the doubt.  Feeling pressure from myself to carry on with the plan I made two years ago to get certified and begin working in a new field, I started to think if it was going to happen I was going to have to make it happen.  People kept asking, family members had proudly announced to people that this is what I would be doing and now I still wasn't, like at all.  So, I took it upon myself to look around and try to carry out the original plan on my own.  I was offered one job and applied for another.  Initially I went in for interviews and discussed all the options and scenarios, but while waiting to hear back, I found myself in a quiet panic as I realized I am actually really and truly very happy just doing what I am doing right now.  

One place called to say they were passing on my application, and the other graciously accepted my refusal.  I was relieved.  I still haven't heard from my would-be boss and at this point, and I find that a relief too.  Rejection is never easy, but I think it is all truly for the best, so no hard feelings toward anyone.  I like my current job and they seem to like me well enough.  It's not a job that people in my family brag about, but it pays the bills, and that's enough.  If money isn't an issue, and if I can put away my pride (I love it when my family is proud of me, but we can't have it all and I could exhaust myself trying), then I can be free to just enjoy this season in life.  I like my weekends with my family and my couple of weekdays in which I take care of all the home and farm needs.  I like cooking meals, tidying up the house, weeding the garden, and creating a place of rest and comfort for those around me creates rest and comfort in my spirit and my mind.  

I know it may sound silly, but I have had to take some time to grieve the loss of my plans; after all there were a few hopes and dreams wrapped up in there too.  I've finally made peace with the fact that that door has closed and I'm actually really grateful.  If I hadn't been pursuing that career, I would never have taken the job I have now and had this whole experience.  It's been a while since I felt like God was guiding my life.  For the past eight years or so, I've felt rather alone through it all.  For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that this all feels like part of a greater plan and I am letting go of what I thought things would be in order to embrace this moment, this season with a thankful heart.

Outfit Info:  J. Crew Top and Zara Trousers are from ThredUp, shoes are from SheIn, Jewelry is old from ModCloth