What I Wore: Summer Goals

Things are starting to look up around here! The weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer… it’s finally starting to feel like summer in the midwest! Sometimes, during the miserably cold months when winter seems like it’s never going to leave, I start to wonder why I willingly choose to stick around Wisconsin. Then, on the first warm day of the year when everyones mood becomes absolutely infectious, it all starts to make sense again. I dare you to try and find a happier person than a Wisconsinite on the first day above 60 degrees. These warm, positive vibes have me looking forward to the months ahead and also make me want to set a few goals. Some fun, some practical, but all things that will help me have the best summer ever. Today, I’m talking about 5 things I want to focus on and also giving details on this outfit that is versatile from Spring into Summer!

1. Have FUN with wedding planning. When I first got engaged, everything was all sunshine, rainbows, and Pinterest boards. Then, once reality hit and it seemed like the only thing I was ever talking about was dollar signs and logistics, I got really frustrated. For a few weeks I basically stopped making any progress and just shut the whole thing out. Since then, we made one (strange) decision…we booked a portable restroom! It seems like such a funny thing to be excited about, but it was one of the more complicated things to figure out and checking that one thing off of the list made me realize how GOOD it feels to make progress. This summer I want to strike a good balance between continuing to make decisions on the important and not-so-fun necessities, but also get a head start on the things that make me happy! I can’t wait to spend days out in the sun working on DIYS, hit up some flea markets, and visit the greenhouse as often as possible. Having a long engagement means that I have time to take things slow and celebrate the small steps along the way, and I can’t wait to spend the summer working towards that with Dillon.
2. Enjoy our neighborhood. This one is short and sweet- I want to work less and play outside more! Being a designer, blogger, and photographer means that I spend a ton of time in front of a screen. This is fine during the winter when I’m cooped up anyway, but there are so many fun things to do downtown Kenosha during the summer and I want to make sure I soak it all in! I am thoroughly looking forward to buying my groceries at the farmers market, sipping mimosas on patios, going on late-night lake walks and being a little more social than usual.
3. Implement a weekly date night. Dillon and I have been talking about this for months and have failed pretty badly at keeping up with it. Living together makes it sound like we would spend a ton of time together, but sometimes our busy schedules can have us feeling more like roommates. I really want to get in the habit of setting one day a week aside to take a break from everything else and catch up. Whether it be drinks out, dinner in, or anything in between- the goal is to put the technology away and just be together. Let’s see if we’re better at keeping up with it this time around 😉
4. Schedule alone time. I know, this seems like a funny thing to say after pointing out how social I wanted to be this summer, but I am definitely one of those extroverted-introvert types. I really, really value my alone time. And sometimes with everything else going on during the summer it’s hard to remember to schedule that. I want to make time to go for a run, lay out with a book, get a pedicure, or spend my Saturday morning bumming around thrift stores. Taking a break to be by myself and on my own schedule really is the most relaxing thing to me.
5. Be less of a perfectionist and more transparent. This one really resonates with this little corner of the internet. When you google the word “perfectionist”, the first result should be a video of myself rearranging my food a hundred times for a thousand photos until it gets cold. Sometimes, even after all of the effort, I’ll decide not to share it anyway because it’s not pretty enough. I’m crazy, I’m fully aware of it, and that probably won’t ever change. BUT, the part I hate most is how much real-life stuff I don’t share because it’s not up to my own standards. I’m making a conscious effort to share more of the real, everyday things in my life whether they perfectly mesh with a curated Instagram feed or not. I’m trying to hop on stories more often even if I’ve been at work all day and my makeup looks like I just ran a marathon. But most importantly, I’m trying to spend less time “getting the perfect shot” while out in real life some that I can spend more time enjoying the moment!

Now, for the outfit! There’s nothing that welcomes warm weather like a good denim jacket. Embroidery and tassels continue to be two of my favorite trends, so this jacket/earring combo is my jam. This halter neck top is one of my go-to silhouettes, it feels a little bit night time and would be perfect to grab drinks, but throwing a jacket on dresses it down. My shoes are perfect for a night out and these ripped Levi’s are my new favorite jeans! This outfit can easily transition from these late spring months into the upcoming summer night activities. Outfit details are tagged below.

Shoes. Jeans. Top (similar). Jacket. Earrings (similar). Sunnies (similar).

Thanks for following along! What are your goals this summer? Keep me accountable to mine and I’ll do the same for you! I hope the recent warm weather has you ready to slip on some red heels and get s*** done 😉

Xo Amanda