Happy Friday, friends. It is a happy Friday, indeed, because BACK TO SCHOOL. I treated myself to an entire day of things I dreamed I would get to do when I was a stay-at-home mom, but in fact, do not do. I hit the gym for a dance class, I got my nails done, I got coffee, I went shopping for my Fall wardrobe, and I read my book in sweet silence. It was the perfect day! I rewarded myself handsomely for a summer filled with children. I highly recommend finding a way to reward yourself too. We had a great summer and I enjoyed every minute with them, but I am happily back to a normal routine and schedule now that we have started school. It was nice to treat myself to a me day, but I am back in the office and hard at work again.
Today’s things that are making me happy all surprised me wildly. Here is to some unexpected happiness for your week!
Making My First Capsule Wardrobe
Ever since I was a little girl I have been nuts about pretty dresses and clothes. I was always the girl that they talked about at church who was decked from head-to-toe in a lovely dress, shoes, tights, purse, hair bow…you name it. And it all matched. Thanks, mom!
I have carried on this extravagant luxury over the years with a pretty rocking wardrobe and take great pride in all of the things I wear. This year though I am challenging myself to embrace a minimalist wardrobe which is absolutely INSANE for this fashionista. I discovered this post on How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe by unfancy and it inspired me in so many ways to start thinking about my purchases. It reminded me that I have a closet overflowing with pieces I am not wearing, it reminded me that I can still be fashionable with less, and it also reminded me how smart I used to be when we were broke and I would make the most of every piece in my closet.
For this challenge, you can select 37 pieces and that is it for three whole months. 37 pieces sounds like a lot, but this is counting your shoes too which is another area that my husband thinks I have too much of. This is totally a first world problem that I am stressed about this and that I have been counting over and over and over again in my closet the items, shuffling them, and recounting. I think it is bringing out my OCD tendencies. That said, I already love my stuff so much that I have already started wearing them and have put all my clothes that I can’t wear in storage for now. Maybe this will inspire me once and for all to pare down my wardrobe.
This week I have been researching and purchasing for my first fashion capsule and I am so excited to share it with you. It is a mixture of items purchased on sale, secondhand goodness, and items from my own closet.
I am in no way a fashion blogger, but I would love to share this with you. I purchased some photo lights and a white backdrop so I can show you some different ways I am wearing the items to hopefully inspire you to find a new way to wear something in your closet or to embrace a minimalist wardrobe of your own. I know this challenge is going to be so good for me.
My husband doesn’t think I can do it. That, in itself, is a powerful motivator.
Taking Care of a Hairy Situation
Have you ever tried a new beauty routine that absolutely terrified you? Let me tell you, friends, using an epilator for the first time was the scariest thing I have ever done. I may have lead you astray in my post about a hairy friend who needed wax strips. This is probably going to shock you, but I am the person who needed them. I know. This happiness project goes out to all my brunette friends. The ladies who struggle with an armpit shadow even after they have shaved, the ones with the coarse unmanageable leg hair, the ones who have stray chin hairs that have suddenly cropped up since they hit their 30’s, the ones who get razor burn 24/7, whose skin becomes rashy from just seeing a razor, and the girl’s whose lily-white skin tells tales of painful hair removal routines.
I am fist bumping you right now.
I bought this Braun Silk Epilator on Amazon and am saying goodbye to waxing. It removes hair from your legs, your underarms, and your face. It has a million attachments which you can use to remedy whatever your hair situation. It rips the hair out by the roots. It feels as good as it sounds. It has forty tweezers that do it at the same time and can lift hair that is as small as a grain of sand. It really can because I felt every last pull.
The first time was really excruciating because I didn’t do a lot of research beforehand. Here’s what I advise- drink a gallon of wine, soak in the shower for five minutes, exfoliate well with a loofah, shave so you aren’t grabbing long hairs out, hold it at a ninety degree angle right up close in the shower under the water, and go all out with the highest setting. The legs are not terrible and the bikini line was a piece of cake since I wax.
The underarms…I almost passed out. Probably the worst beauty pain of my life.
Now that I am over the first three times of doing it, I love it and am addicted.
Probably the same way people are addicted to tattoos.
It’s kind of sick, really.
I absolutely love how my legs and underarms look. My face is fuzz free.
I am living the blonde girl dream life!
Laugh-Out-Loud Books
I’m hosting my book club this month and I selected This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper as our book so that we can go out and see the movie together that is coming out soon. I love it in the way that I loved the movie Bridesmaids- so wrong and so right. Raunchy, hilarious, laugh-out-loud funny, heartwarming, and so perfectly pitched. I would highly recommend this one for fans of Arrested Development as it reads just like my favorite episodes of the early seasons of the Bluth family. The crazy family dramas are always my favorites and this family does not disappoint in the craziness department. For better or worse, they are family, with all that history and messiness and love.
This was a fantastic little end-of-summer escape and I can’t wait to read more of Jonathan Tropper’s novels. I only hope they are as hilarious as this. I’m looking forward to seeing this one on the big screen. I hope it measures up to the hilarity of this book.
If you can’t handle adult language and scenarios, skip on over this recommendation. I am planning a fun feast and book club around this one so keep your eyes peeled for those recipes and the discussion we share before catching the movie!
The bonus happy this week, of course, is getting those kids off to school! Enjoy this video that sums up perfectly our first week back!
*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though. Check out past editions of It’s the 3 Little Things!
Now it’s your turn! What’s making you happy this week?