Happy Monday, girlies! Hope you all have a beautiful holiday today, relaxing and enjoying your people! We are in the middle of moving (our third move in less than two years of marriage. Hashtag #exhausting) but I'm thankful to for a change and new season, for a nicer place, and for more storage space! Also? Super excited to decorate again! Always fun, right, ladies? I foresee some TJ Maxx and Home Goods trips in my near future ;)

Right around my 30th birthday a few months ago, I decided to commit to investing in high quality items to continue to build my wardrobe. In my twenties, I got stuck in what I call the "Disposable Clothing Rut." You know what I mean: the -- I'll just buy another random, very trendy item at Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe because I have some extra pocket money or maybe an event coming up. It was haphazard, most of the time, and rushed... last minute. You pick up some new rayon top that you wear once and wash, and then it falls apart, loses it's shape, or frays. You throw it into the bottom of your reject-drawer or the back of the closet, and that's it. You pull it out a few times and try to make it work again, but it just doesn't cut it. You try to pair it with your favorite jeans and wear it again, but it's shapeless and really, it's gone out of style at this point. So you donate it or throw it away. And the cycle continues. And honestly, when you're "making the dream work" and don't have a real budget for clothing at all, that's kinda the name of the game. And for certain seasons, that's great! But, something about the mix of becoming a mom and turning 30 made me realize it's time to get to a new season in certain areas. Wardrobe being one of them. And it has been so fun -- to curate and collect, purge and get rid of (very difficult for my pack rat tendencies, but I've pushed through it lately and found it to be rather therapeutic!) I'm slowly saving and investing in clothing, hair care products, and skin care and makeup products that are good for me, that are made well, high quality, that will last. Daniel and I were laughing the other day about how we both have certain quality clothing items that have survived the long-haul: his North Face jacket has seen winter upon winter, hours of construction work, even more hours of street performing music, trips overseas, etc. He still wears it because it is so quality and timeless! Same for me with my Hunter Rain boots or Louis Vuitton clutch. They just last and stand the test of time. I truly do believe that (in most cases, not all) "you get what you pay for!" This crochet top is one of my 30th year investment pieces and I just adore it -- it fits my style well! Put-together but California Girl laid-back, with a touch of glam! And if you know me, you know that's what I love! Of course, I always combine higher-end, designer "investment pieces" with low-end pieces in almost every look I wear. I love to do that, and it's part of my personal style! I want to be realistic for you girls. Sometimes, I'll be reading a fashion blog and clicking on outfit item links and my jaw drops... Who has $1,000 plus to spend on each and every item in one outfit?! And that's awesome that some gals are able to do that, but I know most of us aren't, and don't even want to! So, expect to see a combination here: higher end items with lower end. Nordstrom paired with Target! I hope that's relatable and more "real" for you. I love fashion (read my heart on it here) and I am excited to share more of this passion and art of mine, and I want to be inspiring to you and real.

(Also, these photos were taken a few weeks ago right in front of The Ranch where I grew up. All the feels :)