Blushing Daze

Monday, May 8, 2017

Dress: c/o StyleWe
Shoes: Cato's 
Scarf: Vintage

Give me anything pink and I will be extremely happy, especially if it is light or blush pink! Ever since I was little I have always LOVED this color (as many girls do); I had a pink room for many years and if I ever had an option to pick a color it was always pink. However, as I have gotten older I have found that I don't wear as much pink as I used to, and that is why I was so excited to receive this perfect blush pink lace dress from StyleWe which truly made all of my girly pink dreams come true. 

To be honest, I feel like I should be at the Kentucky derby wearing this dress with a unique fascinator, but alas flowers and the downtown square will have to do:) With that being said, not only do I love the color of this dress, but the lace fabric and details are so feminine. I have always loved a good ladylike dress and this one fits the bill to a "T." I especially love the higher waist, shapely fabric, and thick pleats that give it a classic feel and will definitely be pulling it out for all the special occasions this spring/summer (to bad I don't have 7 weddings to attend this year).

Anyone else a fan of the color pink?
What is your favorite color?

-Madison

Becoming a Teacher

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Dress: Vintage (Thrifted)
Shoes: Steve Madden (Marshall's)
Purse: c/o Gamiss
Glasses: Firmo
Necklace: Kendra Scott

Monday in class my professor had us write letters to our future selves that she will then mail to us in December before we graduate. I began to get very sentimental and emotional as I sat down to write my future self a letter, because while I know I will be graduation in December I don't know where exactly I will be in life, and thinking about the far away future that now seems even closer made me reflect back on my life over the past three years in college, and over this past semester and I began to pour out two pages of words to myself. 

When I was growing up I don't think I ever said that I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up, but being a teacher was always in my blood (both of my parents are teachers) and I grew up teaching and playing one room schoolhouse every day. Thus, as I entered college to minor in education it always just felt right. With that being said as my methods semester draws to a close and I look ahead towards student teaching in the fall and all the tests I need to take to get certified I am reminded of how much I have already learned through my process of becoming a teacher. 

Being a teacher is HARD and draining.....I'm not going to lie.....but it is also very rewarding and inspiring and exciting at the same time.....I have seen the good the bad and the ugly this semester and while I have had students tell me that I won't want to be a teacher because of the students (them) attitudes and behavior, their words and actions have actually made me want to become a teacher even more because I want to make a change. I want to make a change in the classroom in how it is run and I want to make a change in students attitudes towards learning. 

With that being said I await both the known (graduation & student teaching) and the unknown (student teaching placement and post-grad life) with anticipation and excitement for all that they have to offer. 

On a style note I do have to say this semester has really gotten me into the whole "teacher style" mindset and I always seemed to reach for something that said "teacher" when getting dressed. This look was one of my favorites! I found this vintage dress at Goodwill and absolutely fell in love with the color, style, polka dots, and perfect comfort of it. I think the dress is from the 70's but the style actually kind of reminds me of the 40's which is mainly why I got it and it is absolutely the PERFECT dress for teaching a room full of high school students. Pair it with oxfords for the classroom and an over sized grandpa teacher sweater (I do wear one in the classroom because it freezing....no joke) or a pair of summery sandals and accessories for an out of the classroom look. Of course if you really want to go all out with the teacher look and take props from Jessica Day than by all means you have to wear glasses too:)

-Madison

Recent Faves Pt. 12

Monday, May 1, 2017

The Skirtery

It's time for another recent faves and boy are there so many lovely posts this spring! I also included some of my favorite spring styles and maybe even a few favorite videos :) Pull up a chair and click through the links below to see what I have been loving! 

  • LOVE everything about this blue denim pinafore dress that Olivia is wearing! 
  • These white sneakers from Rack Room Shoes have been my favorite go to shoe this spring, and I love their ladylike take on the classic jogger. 
  • I love what Krista shared in one of her recent posts about the changing Instagram scenes....its so ratable. 
  • Always down for anything yellow especially if it has lemons on it like this dress Laura is wearing. 
  • Cathy recently went to Charleston (because of that I totally want to go now) and I love this flared jean look she wore. 
  • This floral dress that Daphnie is wearing is absolutely STUNNING and paired with a purse full of spring blooms it makes it even more amazing. 
  • Always look forward to Rebecca's spring posts, especially when they are amongst the picturesque wild garlic:)
  • As someone who might do things to often based off of their photographable qualities, I LOVED what Chrisy shared about her mindset when traveling and doing your own thing. 
  • Pretty excited to learn that Soafy finally started a blog!!! 
  • Hannah Everly's new spring line is TO DIE FOR and I am especially loving this summery watermelon print skirt:)
  • This Southern Gospel Medley by anthem lights is absolutely beautiful! 
  • Obsessed with Olivia's video talking about how to wear gingham and sharing all of her darling gingham pieces. 
-Madison

Taking a Slow Morning

Saturday, April 29, 2017

 

Happy Saturday lovelies! I don't know about you, but I dearly love to take slow mornings every now and then. The utterly splendid thing about slow mornings are that they give you time to breathe, take a step back and work on things you typically don't have time to. I love finding unique tasks or projects and enjoying my day relaxing in pajamas and sipping tea or coffee. 
I have put together the ultimate list of "musts" for taking a slow morning:

  1. Wake up and make yourself a cup of coffee or tea. 
  2. Make sure you are in your most comfortable pair of PJ's or coziest sweat pants. 
  3. Start your day off on the right track by spending time in the word, reading the Bible. 
  4. Take a moment to journal or write down your thoughts about your quiet time or thoughts about life. 
  5. Now is a good time to catch up on your favorite bloggers latest posts :) 
  6. While your at it, drop one of your favorite essential oils in the diffuser and let the calming aromas fill the room. 
  7. Reach for the book that's been sitting on your nightstand for the past month and read a few chapters (or more if it gets good).
  8. Go get a refill of coffee or tea:)
  9. If you've had a new magazine lying around flip through it for some inspiration or learn something new from one of the articles. 
  10. Practice your hand lettering (I will be using Chalkfulloflove's Hand Lettering 101 workbook)
  11. Take time to be creative by working on an art project like painting or watercolor. 
  12. While you are being creative put on movie soundtrack in the background like: Pride & Prejudice, The Young Victoria, Downton Abbey, or BELLE. 
  13. If you don't want to listen to a soundtrack while letting your creative juices flow than put on a good period drama or British TV show like: The Abduction Club (if you haven't seen it you NEED to), Call The Midwife, Downton Abbey, Grantchester, or Foyle's War. 
  14. If your feeling up to get a bit of exercise/stretching then pull out your yoga mat for 30 minutes to an hour. 
  15. If you need something else to do go finish the sewing project that has been lying at your work station for weeks.....or better yet go learn how to sew:)
How do you like to spend your slow mornings?

-Madison

Being You is Always Enough

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Jeans: Thrifted (Nine West)
Shirt: Thrifted
Shoes: Thrifted Vintage
Purse: c/o Gamiss
Scarf: Vintage
Sunglasses: c/o Everly Oak

Along the way in life we often learn lessons we never set out to learn and never expected, but it is those lessons that make you take a look back on life and see your great accomplishments, even when you thought you were not doing anything special. With that being said, this semester I have learned something INCREDIBLE and definitely something I never set out to learn.

I learned that being you is ALWAYS ENOUGH! Okay....to be clear I truly have never been a person who tries to be someone else, I have always just been "me," but at times I think we struggle with asking ourselves "is being me enough?" Is being who I am enough to succeed in this class and get a good grade? Is being me enough to make my teacher or professor see my potential? Is being me enough to have others see the gifts and talents God has given me? Maybe you don't even ask yourself those questions......and if I am being perfectly honest I never really had asked myself those questions either until I realized the incredible lesson this semester has taught me. 

While I went into my Methods semester this spring knowing I would have some hard work and assignments, I was prepared to work hard and do my best. With that being said, setting out to do your best is the first step to answering the questions you might ask yourself, because if you set out to do your best and follow through you can have full confidence that you put the time and effort in and are totally 100% enough. The most important thing however, is not to set out and work hard to get peoples attention and to gain recognition. You should set out to work hard and do things well because that is who you are....not because it is what other people want you to do. 

With that being said, this semester I went into each of my assignments determined to put all of myself into every scope and sequence, every lesson plan, unit plan, rubric, etc. not caring what others thought. And you know what....I learned that even when I think my assignments are not amazing or that I didn't do as well as everyone else, as long as I put my heart and soul into what I was doing others actually will notice. You see, by just being me I won a scholarship that everyone else (including me) in my class had applied for and was praised for the work I had done on it, when all I really did was embrace my love for art and being creative. Furthermore, by just being who I am, my teacher saw something in me....she saw a girl who worked hard, was passionate about education and students, and always put forth her best effort on assignments. And somehow she took an interest in that. She took an interest in introducing me to her colleagues as one of her "star students" that semester, she invited me to a luncheon with professors at my college, she gave me a book on herb gardens (how she knew I loved herbs I will never know), and she even invited me and another student to a VIP reception for the National Book Awards where she bought us both the book to be signed by the authors (one of which happened to be a US Representative) and continued to introduce us as her star students and great future teachers. 

I was constantly flabbergasted because I didn't expect ANY of this!!! 

I didn't go into this semester expecting anything HUGE, but little did I know that by just being me my professor would see something special.....maybe even something I didn't yet see myself, and with that it encouraged me that being who I was would always be enough. I never tried to be the best or "star" student, I didn't try to sound like I knew everything, and I never tried to gain anyone's approval by manipulative means.....I was just always ME....Madison.....The girl who makes her own clothes, dresses like a teacher (I might take a little to much inspiration from Jessica Day), was confident in who and whose she was, and never tried to be anything but herself!!! 

So I hope you remember that BEING YOU IS ALWAYS ENOUGH!!!

___________________________________

Also....quick thoughts on this outfit:
1) You can never have to much pink :)
2) 60's meets casual and comfy oversized men's shirts is the best go to!
3) This look might be inspired by Audrey Hepburn and other fabulously stylish ladies.
4) My sister calls this look my grandma outfit...but it's probably 120% because of the shoes...LOL
5) Loving these sunglasses Everly Oak sent me...xoxo

Do you have any life stories similar to mine?

-Madison

End of The Semester Destress

Monday, April 24, 2017


Being a college student, especially around this time in the semester, things can become a bit stressful. Whether it's studying for finals, wrapping up projects, preparing for the next semester, or planning out graduation details, it's always great to take a step back, relax, and de-stress to keep yourself sane! 

One of my teachers this semester is constantly stressing "self care" in which you take time to focus on yourself, because so often we can get caught up in the hustle and bustle and forget that we need to take care of our self every once in awhile:) 

With that being said, I am here to share some of my favorite de-stressing and "self care" techniques as the end of the semester draws near:

Spa Day: I recently received this 7th Heaven product free through Influenster and have been saving it to use after a long day on my feet. I remember grabbing these masks at the store when I was growing up and I can't wait to try it again to relieve my tired feet. 

Skincare Pick Me Up: I have recently started trying out different Korean skincare products, and I have been loving this Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence! It does such a great job keeping my skin moisturized, replenishing my complexion's health, and even smoothing out my skin (which is a plus)! This has been my morning routine for the past couple of weeks. 

Paint Your Nails: Okay.....if this isn't pampering I don't know what is:) I am so weird about going places without nail polish on, so taking time to paint my nails one night a week is always something I look forward to. 

Cup of Tea: Tea for the WIN! I am a coffee drinker in the morning, but an avid tea drinker at night and Bigelow's Chamomile & Lavender tea with a spoonful of honey is the perfect sleepy time drug and de-stress brew......plus it tastes Heavenly! 

Movie Soundtracks: Thanks to having a best friend who is OBSESSED with movie soundtracks, I am always kept up to date on any new scores from movies, but some of my favorites are those from period dramas or BBC shows. The 2005 Pride and Prejudice soundtrack is FOREVER my FAVORITE score because the music is breathtaking and soooooo very stress relieving. I love to cozy up with a cup of tea and put this soundtrack on:)

Face Mask: Face masks will forever be the number one thing you should grab to de-stress at the end of the day. Recently I have gotten into sheet masks (per me trying out Korean skincare) and boy and I LOVING them (plus they smell amazing) ! I have always loved face masks, but there is something so different and unique about sheet masks. I love that they replenish the moisture lost in your skin, and my face always feel so "dewy" after I take it off.

What are your favorite de-stress products?

-Madison

The Spring Jumpsuit

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Jumpsuit: Ross
 Shoes: Cato's
Purse: EverlyOak

If you follow me on Instagram you have probably seen my stories and posts about my spring style obsession....culotte Jumpsuits! This blue and white striped number is absolutely TO DIE FOR and I couldn't pass it up when I found it. If there is one piece in my wardrobe that's already been worn multiple times this spring, this jumpsuit would be it! 

Stripes have always been one of my favorite prints, and the colors in this combo are perfect for this season. The light airy fabric of this style makes you feel like you are wearing pajamas which is always the GREATEST thing ever:) I also love all the details like the front pockets, buttons, and front tie. 

I think the greatest thing about jumpsuits is that they are so versatile in styling. I can easily pair this with clogs and some fun statement pieces or throw on a denim jacket and sneakers to dress it down. For this look I knew I just had to pull out my new Everly Oak basket purse to pair with the look and opted for my sued flats and a floral head scarf to give it a vintage vibe. Whatever the case, occasion, or day might be this jumpsuit will be my ultimate go to this spring into summer so expect to see it even more! 

Also....on a side note, I am heading out tomorrow to speak at the 2017 Modest Fashion Guild conference and I am so SUPER EXCITED to meet everyone who will be attending and speak to all the girls about "Styling Outfits For Photo Shoots." Not only will I get to talk to a couple people I have met on Instagram, but I can't wait to visit with girls who love fashion as much as me. 
Have you ever tried a Culotte Jumpsuit?

-Madison

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