Wallet, Keys, Phone, Mask

Today I'm sharing the products have been my go-to's lately. I hope this post brings some lighthearted fun during scary times but also serves as a reminder to WEAR YO MASK!

Here are the things bringing me joy + why:

1. Dr. Bronner's Lavender Hand Sanitizer: I'm tired of the hand sanitizer that smells like tequila -- that's why I keep this lavender hand sanitizer in my purse at all times. *Plus* as an added bonus, the lavender scent will calm your COVID anxiety down when the woman behind you at the grocery store is definitely not 6 feet apart! 

2. Cocokind Chlorophyll Face Mask: I feel like we all have a few stress breakouts lately, or we're at least in need of a good self-care moment. I've been loving using my Cocokind Chlorophyll Face Mask -- it comes as a powder so it lasts for forever and doesn't have any preservatives/chemicals in it! You can mix it with water, rosewater, essential oils, etc. to customize your mask. 

3. A MASK (DUH): The more important type of mask! Wearing a mask has been the *easiest* way to love the people around me lately. So stay strapped with your mask, keep it over your nose and mouth, and opt for reusable when you can!

4. Glossier Boy Brow: When wearing a mask, your brows are the true star of your face. When people can't see your mouth's expression, your brows do the talking of course! This is my absolute favorite brow gel for subtle, daily use. My brows are rowdy and this tames them while keeping their natural shape and size!

5. Diptyque Baies Candle (use code FREESHIP): My friend gifted me a coveted Baies candle last year, and I maybe burned it once for the entirety of 2019. Well, this pandemic has given me a reason to STOP saving things for "special occasions" and USE THE GOOD STUFF because life itself is a special occasion! I love the clean scent of Baies and it always boosts my mood to use. 

Stay sunny,

Meg

Get Out of Your League

At the beginning of the semester, I signed up for an intermediate photography class. The twist? I had never picked up a DSLR camera in my life. My school reached out to me because I didn’t submit a portfolio and asked me if I had the skills necessary to take the class. So I fibbed, “yes! of course!” I was up for the challenge and really wanted to take the class, so I wasn’t about to let a pre-req stop me. On the first day of class, I realized how truly out of my league I was. Most of the other kids were photography majors and this was their bread and butter. On top of that, there was a VERBAL skills assessment on the first day which I, by the grace of God and my very kind professor, was able to fumble my way through and pass. It was clear to everyone that I did NOT know what I was doing.

For the rest of the semester, I learned how freeing it is to take yourself out of the running for being the best. I didn’t have to focus on proving myself or looking over my shoulder because I already knew I was the worst one there, so I was able to take photos that expressed my passion and I was very free to fail. And I failed a lot! As an Enneagram 3 and someone who sometimes focuses too much on appearing “competent” (as if that is the highest virtue), I got uncomfortable. But just on the other side of that discomfort was a lot of FUN and joy. 

I turned in my final project, and I’m still the worst photographer in the class. BUT, I put my heart into it, improved immensely, and came out with a new skill. By having very little attention on me I felt the freedom to choose a topic near and dear to my heart. The prompt for our final projects was about Eros and Logos — love and reason. My project is about the thing that sits beautifully right on the tension between love and reason: faith. More specifically, it’s about the pursuit of God out of love when it makes very little reasonable sense — AKA in the middle of a pandemic! Below are a few of my favorites.

SO — what would happen if you got out of your league? If you took yourself out of the running? If instead of focusing on being the best you allowed yourself to fail and therefore experience freedom?

A Letter to The Girl Who Got Sent Home Because of COVID

Dear College / Study Abroad Girl,

So because of Corona, your university and/or study abroad program is shut down and you have to go home. I know it sucks, this was never part of anyone’s plan.

In Christian/Catholic circles we talk a lot about being “sent” by God, even to places we don’t want to go or that don’t look like what we envisioned the future to be. In the past when I would hear this, I’d picture going on mission in a foreign country or making a large/dramatic physical move. 

But what if the place He sends me isn’t dramatic at all? What if He just sends me home?

Well, that’s what’s happening by circumstance and I am leaning in nonetheless. God’s plan takes a lifetime to complete. And this is indeed part of it, He has something to show me here! And He has lots to show you, too.

My dad has encouraged me to think more about the opportunities that this season will present instead of the ones that it has closed. and so I encourage you to do the same! with more free time/time at home, try to rediscover old parts of yourself and make them new again. Were you a kid that read whole series of books in a week? start reading for fun again! 📚 Paint, draw, run, sew. Go on walks, ride your bike, get into nature.

Be with your people. 💕 We have been given the gift of time to spend with our families before we move away from home for good. Use it!

We are called to live our vocations and love those in front of us no matter where we may be. No matter if where we are is different than the plan in our heads. There is joy to be found here! ✨

It breaks my heart to have my study abroad cut short, and I promise I’m not always this positive about it, BUT gratitude turns scarcity into abundance and it’s all we have to get through this.

For now, I’m just grateful to have been where I’ve been (like beautiful Venice pictured above!), to have seen what I’ve seen, and still have my health. Cheers to that! 🥂

Stay sunny (even if it's pretty cloudy right now),

Meg

Winter + Spring Capsule Wardrobe

If you follow any style blogger, you've probably heard the term "capsule wardrobe" at least fifty times by now. Simply put, it's a small collection of high-quality clothing that you can mix and match to create outfits and spice up with seasonal/trendy accessories. They have become re-popularized lately as a sustainable alternative to fast fashion and encourage people to put more thought into their shopping.

I decided to create my own capsule wardrobe because of my upcoming semester abroad. As much as I want to, I can't fit my whole closet in my suitcase. So, out of necessity, I'll be wearing my most tried-and-true pieces from February till May! I've never been a minimalist, so this will be a challenge, but I love the idea that every outfit I wear will be a favorite. It's also made me a more intentional shopper because I am considering if each piece will fit with my daily wardrobe and if it's worth the space in my bag.

Here's what's in my capsule wardrobe:

1. Straight leg, high-waisted blue jeans

2. Raw hem skinny black jeans

3. Faux leather leggings

4. Cream cardigan top

5. Black mock neck long sleeve tee

6. White short sleeve collared shirt

7. Black sweater

8. Pink cardigan

9. Sweater blazer

10. Rain coat

11. Chelsea boots

12. White tennis shoes

13. Brown purse

14. Black purse

15. Belt bag

16. Silk scarf

17. Pom pom hat

There are endless ways to mix up these pieces, but here are 8 of my favorite looks!

Check out my IGTV video for more on my capsule wardrobe!

Stay sunny,

Meg

My Year in Instagram Stories

Happy New Year's Eve to you! What a year, what a year 2019 has been. In this year, I leaned into creativity, rest, joy, sunshine, and what it looks like to be a daughter of God. He has cracked my heart and filled it so many times this year, and that is what the true growth is! 

In 2019 I turned to Instagram to share content much more often than my blog, and to Instagram stories much more than posts in my feed! My first form of creativity is drawing and I LOVE manipulating words + fonts to make something beautiful. That's why sharing stories is my FAV. I feel I can be more real, too, (working on bringing more realness to "polished" posts), which makes it all the more fun. Stories are what they sound like -- storytelling. And telling a story is all I am trying to do with this blog. 

However, stories are fleeting! And so I think that giving some of my favorites a permanent home through a yearly recap is the perfect way to reflect and share. I got the idea from my friend Gabby -- read her post here!

LET'S BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING!

JANUARY

I kicked off my year at SEEK - a conference for Catholic college students! It was SUCH an awesome experience shared with my best friends in Christ. The rest of January was spent getting re-acclimated to school (Google calendar always) and having fun with friends before the semester got too serious. 

FEBRUARY

Starting to eat lunch + dinner at my sorority house was a very joy-filled part of 2019. I mean -- seeing my friends twice a day AND getting to eat a corndog in between classes? Sign me up.

Greg and I spent Valentines day in our local 24hr donut shop at 1AM because I had a TERRIBLE (and tearful) flight. But I made it home and we CELEBRATED in an imperfect but really quite lovely way.

I got to speak to my favorite student org, Fashion Board, about brand authenticity. What an honor!

I also soaked up some sun at USC and was reminded over and over of how lucky I am to get to live this life. 

I spent a long weekend in Tennessee on this gorgeous lake for a FOCUS retreat. It felt like a deep breath for my entire life. Following the retreat was USC Fashion Week madness -- the most fun!

MARCH

Not a ton of Insta stories for March (busy time!) but two things happened that I'm really proud of.

1 - I wrote my favorite and most personal piece for The Everygirl and they even have me a graphic for the feature! Dream!

2 - I GOT SPONSORED BY A KOMBUCHA BRAND. Dream x2!

APRIL

I drank all of the above kombuchas, worked the MASTERS, and spent 7-8am every Thursday with my girls talking about life + Jesus. No complaints here. 

I got to meet my family in Rosemary Beach for Easter and wore way too many tennis skirts despite playing no tennis.

MAY

I said some really hard goodbyes in May! The hardest being to my freshman year floor -- floor 6 you are missed! 

I got home and immediately picked right back up with my best friend Caroline. I visited her at Miami University for her AMAZING final presentation of her entrepreneurship class and then spent her 20th birthday watching the sunrise while Greg made us chocolate chip pancakes on a roof. 5:30 wake up calls are welcomed when it's for this!

I started my summer internship which has been my favorite job to date. Creative freedom for all social media channels of a fashion business? SIGN ME UP. I did some of my other favorite job, babysitting these cute kiddos, as well!

JUNE

Greg and I met up with my cousin Grace in Chicago to see Anderson.Paak in concert! We SPRINTED to get front row spots and it totally paid off. 

Doing all the summer things!

Greg turned 21 and I made him this cooler (my pride and joy).

JULY

Had lots of sister dates to coffee shops and the pool. Embraced my summer queen lifestyle!!!

VISITED A LAVENDER FARM (best time ever).

Went back to my happy place in Michigan. I learn a lot from slow lake days!

More summer fun shopping with my friend Ashley!

AUGUST

August was a very long very warm blur. Recruitment happened, and although I wasn't a fan I still got to spend lots of time with friends!

SEPTEMBER

New York Magazine flattered me by asking me questions for one of their "ask a cool person" articles. Does this make me objectively cool? The jury is still out. I also got to visit Charleston with my girls and eat biscuit sandwiches as big as Charleston itself.

A TRUE DREAM COME TRUE! New York Fashion Week. AHHHHH! Still not over it, still don't really believe it happened. Here are pictures to remind me of the best time of my life. 

Greg visited and I took him to his first SEC football game! And went to an ADPi Tacky Prom function with my cute little. Wholesome college fun!

OCTOBER

Celie and I went to our jungle themed mixer together as a last hurrah before fall break. 

Fall break was awesome! Catching up with my friends (and my dogs) is the best thing.

USC continued to flirt with me every day, making me fall more and more in love with the school!

NOVEMBER

Cute coffee shops, breakfast sandwich runs, semiformal, and finally signs of fall!

DECEMBER

Said some super hard goodbyes in December (I'm studying abroad next semester!) but also said lots of happy hellos to my hometown faves! Who couldn't just love December and all of its festivity? 

If you made it this far, I am impressed! Thank you for that. Please let me know in the comments your favorite little moment from 2019!

Stay sunny & all the best in 2020!

Meg