#ootd [spring stripes]

I’m back! From outer space!

Nah–I’ve just been busy focusing on some of my other interests the past year. (My other interests primarily being stuffing my face with food then running to keep the aforementioned food from getting too cozy in my body.) And, as a writer, inspiration most certainly ebbs and flows. While my figurative cup runneth over with fashion inspiration, my brain lacketh the interest in blogging about it.

To be honest, motivation to return to this blog has been hard to find as I’ve realized I’m a teeny-tiny voice in an ocean full of opinions about fashion, food, and life. What makes my opinions worth reading? Why should people support this endeavour? I’m more confident than ever in the young woman I’ve become, but I’m not sure I have an answer to that question. What I do know is that I’m doing this blog for myself as a form of creative expression, not for the promise of attention or commercial endorsements. (Although, it would be super cool to get paid to write someday! A girl can dream.)

Simplicity is such an important value to me in my everyday life, and I’ve struggled in the past to keep this blog simple. I’d obsess over which photos to use in a post, then I’d obsess over what caption and hashtags to use on my Instagram. In our image-obsessed culture it’s tempting to keep up with the Jones’ (the Jones’ in this case being other bloggers), but this temptation can hinder us from fully exploring our creative potential. I don’t have a fancy camera (or an iPhone, for that matter) or a bunch of Instagram followers, and sometimes it can take me weeks just to write one blog post, but I’ve made peace with these limitations in my creative process.

My priority with this blog will always be the quality of my writing. Many people call themselves bloggers and columnists, but how many of them are truly writers? I ask this not as a slight to all the hard-working individuals out there in the blogosphere, but because I come across at least one article a day riddled with typos and grammatical errors (here’s looking at you, Buzzfeed and HelloGiggles). This carelessness annoys me. Are people in that much of a hurry to get their content read, liked, and shared? Just something to consider.

Anyway, let’s move on to the fun stuff!

#ootd [spring stripes]

I recently had the chance to visit Monica Potter Home in Garrettsville, Ohio with my mom. It’s not often that I get fancy schmancy for errands, but the dress pictured is one I ordered over a month ago and accidentally had shipped to my mom’s house. So, of course I had to wear it immediately.

Style tip: The chambray around my waist pairs well with this dress because its solidness doesn’t compete with the stripes, but I’m actually wearing it to cover up my underwear lines from behind. If, like me, you’re kind of a lazy dresser and don’t feel like changing your underwear once you’ve put your clothes on just throw a button-up or flannel around your waist. (What panty-line??)

shop the look
hat//urban outfitters (similar)
dress//threadsence (Style tip: Threadsence is going out of business, so all their inventory is 50-90% off. There are some great steals like my dress for $17.50! Be sure to check out their sister site, Ruche. Same situation. Lots of great deals on quality garments.)
shirt//h&m (similar)
shoes//off broadway (similar)

Monica Potter Home

Monica Potter Home served as the cute backdrop for all of my pictures. Monica Potter acted on Parenthood (a show that I am aware existed but know nothing about). She originally grew up in Cleveland, and she decided to open her own home goods shop in Garrettsville in 2012. All the products sold in her shop are locally sourced and manufactured, and the branding and packaging is done in the back of her shop. (This information courtesy of this piece on Cleveland.com.)

So many female-oriented home goods stores, particularly ones that are locally-owned, tend to carry similar merchandise–chevron and monogrammed everything, Voluspa candles, state-specific hand towels with the word “home” stitched into them…you know the places I’m talking about. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with these businesses (I own my fair share of Ohio “home” goods), they lack originality. Monica Potter Home distinguishes itself from the pack by offering items that have a one-of-a-kind feel. You can tell Potter’s merchandise is carefully and deliberately curated, and I love that her goods are locally-sourced, not bought in bulk through an online wholesaler. There’s something very comforting about her little shop in the middle of farm-land, Ohio. It’s worth visiting if you’re in the Cleveland-area. I would also like to note that everything seemed fairly priced to me.

My husband and I just moved to our new place in Columbus, and one of my goals in the next year is to create a vanity space–an area just for me. (No boys allowed!) I found a few pieces for this space at Monica Potter Home.

Vanity Mirror with Bird–$28

Metal Wire Shelf–$28

Pink Polka Dot Dish–$14