For as far back as I can remember, there has always been a correlation between what I'm reading and what I'm writing, as in: the better reading I do, the better my writing. In the past two weeks I have read some truly amazing books, blogs and articles, and they have inspired me so much that I wanted to share them with all of you.

1. Just you wait - "When you calmly respond that "nope, not quite yet!" the person will shake their head, smile wisely and say slowly in the most terrifying voice, "Just you wait." " Elise has always had a way with words, but as a mother of a 22 month old, this particular post really hit home. 

2. Why all 20-somethings should journal - "Nowadays it’s easy to get caught up in all the things going on outside of ourselves," says the author, and I couldn't agree more. As someone who began journaling at the ripe age of seven, it is something that I cannot imagine ever stopping, and what has helped me through many troubling periods in my life.

3. 30 Life things I Try and Remember - I only recently discovered Emma Gannon, and my goodness, I didn't know what I was missing. From "A good song in the morning can change your day" to "Don’t listen to everything your idol has to say" I found myself nodding along to everything on her list.



4. Why we all need a platonic soulmate - "It’s easy to get caught up in the fantasy of finding The One, and it’s even easier to get caught up in the reality of our culture’s obsession with coupling up. But it’s important to remember that it is completely okay to focus on your friends as the great loves of your life if that’s what makes you happy." Need I really say more?

5. Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar, by Cheryl Strayed - If I owned the copy that I read instead of borrowing it from the library it would have been covered in underlines and highlighter marks. I was so blown away by her advice, but also by how she so thoroughly injected stories of her past into her responses.

6. Other women aren't the competition - "Her success is not your failure, her destination isn’t your own," Megs writes (and women around the world break into applause). I was so moved by this post, had so many moments where I nodded along and thought: yes, she is right.

7. The only thing you need to be happy is this -  Must. keep. this. in. mind (and save myself a loooottttttt of trouble)

8. Practical advice when kids have too much stuff - Stop buying it. Lead by example. Say "just one." All so great, all so true. A good read for all the parents out there.

9. 20 Little things I've learned life is too short for - "Worrying about those five pounds. Nobody but you knows they exist." AMEN. Just... AMEN.

10. I Bought a plant - You may think it's a blog post about a plant, which it kind of is, but it's really more about radical self-love. A must read by the always incredible Meg Fee.

Now, I'm a total jeans and t-shirt kinda gal, and I like to be comfortable, so my winter capsule wardrobe is composed of a lot of simple, comfy items, a mix of both old and new.

TOPS: target vintage v neck tees, walk write wander wonder tee, madewell pocket tee, black and white striped thermal, you me oui! tee, knit sweater, hollister hoodie, grey sweater (recent hand me down - I'm in love!), plaid tunic last year from h&m, neon yellow nike hoodie, old navy buffalo plaid shirt, similar here.

TOPS: grey waterfall cardigan years back from suzy shier, black and white striped sweater last year from suzy shier, camel waterfall cardigan from target, Loft long black cardigan (similar here), Burberry plaid shirt (hand me down! similar here), hollister hoodie from last year.


BOTTOMS: AE black skinny jeans (a new purchase), lucky brand jeans, black tights... always!, nike activewear pants (hand me downs), old navy rockstar jeans, plaid skirt.

SHOES: mossimo riding boots from last year, similar here, black flats (well-loved as you can see), old + dirty emu boots, HA! smilar here, heeled boots found at Ross last year, new Nike runners, my newest addition to my wardrobe and everyday black pumps.

OUTERWEAR: mossimo parka (a new purchase for this winter), hollister vest from last year, similar here, danier leather jacket purchased many moons ago.

All in all, it comes to a total of 33 items.

Are you using a capsule wardrobe this winter? I would love to hear from you.

It's no secret that I love to shop, but I'm realizing more and more than I'm shopping in the absolute wrong places. While there is nothing wrong with buying clothes from places like Target, Forever 21 and Rhapsiodelle, the quality is simply not conducive to long-term wear. I was always a firm believer in passing up one quality item costing $75 when I could get three things for the same cost, from a different store. That is a bad mentality to have!

Furthermore, I didn't love the clothes I was buying at those stores. I want to walk into my closet and love everything that I own. I want them to speak to my personal style. I want to walk in there, pick a shirt and a pair of pants and know that they will be perfect together. For the longest time I have had too much, and yet I always feel like I have nothing to wear. 

My goal is curate my personal style and to build the perfect wardrobe full of quality, timeless pieces that I love. I want to simplify my wardrobe, purge it of items that I don't absolutely love, and slowly build it up with basics, clean lines and amazing fabrics.

I already took the first step last July when I started the 40 hanger closet project. Last night, albeit a little late, I went through my closet and discarded anything that I hadn't worn, or that I was not in love with, and I awoke this morning feeling excited about my next steps.

What are my next steps? 

I want to take the time to truly think about my personal style. What fabrics, colors, and styles am I constantly attracted to? What are some key items that I should invest in? What inspires me? To begin, I've started a mood board on pinterest, where I will gather items that speak to me, that I think describe my personal style.

I'd love to hear any of your style resolutions and goals this year, so please feel free to share in the comments!

Before getting rid of any items, I decided to put a system in place to distinguish which items I don't wear, and it was as easy as turning all of my hangers backwards.

Once I wear an item, I will turn the hanger around. After a few months I will take note of what items haven't been worn and decide their fate.

Have any of you either taken part in the 40 hanger closet, or have any other tricks up your sleeve? I'd love to hear from you if you do!

If you'd like to read more about my process of curating my personal style, click here.

It now sits atop one of the big square bookshelves in the living room.