Brown Girl Reading

Hey my friends!

I hope you all are having a great week! I know I am. Nothing particularly special about it (other than warmer temperatures, thank you Jesus), I just decided to be happier this week. I'm doing things I love and working out more. Notice how those two are not the same. 

One thing that I love and don't do enough of is reading. I have loved to read since I was a little girl and my mom took me to the library every Friday. Now that I'm older, I find other things demanding the attention that reading once owned. So while I still love it, I've found that picking up a book is something I do only every couple months. I've told myself to be better and read more than a few good books this year.

 Brown Girl Dreaming has become a favorite of mine. I picked it up in Barnes and Noble, read a couple lines, and bought it immediately. It's that good y'all. Jackie Woodson does a beautiful job of telling her life story as a young African American girl growing up in the South during the 60s. And she does it in free verse. I cried several times at how wonderful she is at capturing feelings with just a few words. Ugh, so good.

Are you reading anything good? Anything that moves you? Let me know!

Denim Jacket: Goodwill

Scarf: little shop in Oxford, England

Necklace/ Gorjana Bangle: Rocksbox

vintage Dooney & Bourke crossbody bag: gifted by my mama in law

Shoes: Old Navy

Thanks for reading!

Goodwill Sweater

Hey my friends!

My good friend Ashley is a sweetheart and volunteered to take some pics for Alysia Ave! She's amazing at this. I don't know what I did to have a friend like her around! 

Can you believe I found this sweater at Goodwill? Find of the century, right? I say "century" because I've had this for years. Like more than a decade. I would love to say that I'm the same size I was when I was 18 but who am I kidding? This fits more like a crop top! So paired with this high-waisted midi skirt, I can still rock it.

Do you have any pieces you've had to rethink over time? How do you style them? Let me know!

Sweater: Goodwill

Skirt: HM

Necklace: Forever 21

Booties: Marshalls

Thanks for reading!

Summer Hauls

Hey my friends! 

So this post was very much the opposite of the last one. But what is life but yins and yangs? I think I might just be trying to make myself feel better because I really wasn't supposed to buy any of this stuff. You'll soon see why I couldn't resist.

Marshalls

Goodwill

J Crew

Eddie Bauer

Liz Clairbourne

H&M

Forever 21

Target

Such great stuff right? I really love the things I got from Goodwill (although I love them all). There is something about sifting through all the junk to find that one gem that everyone else missed. It's such a thrill!

I can't say that I won't buy anything next month because I'm going to London with my brother and obviously* I have get something right??

*in my best Snape imitation.

Thanks for reading!

Weekend Outfit: Polka Dots Part 2

Hey my friends!

I hope you have some fun plans for the weekend. I'm helping some friends paint their new place and I'm pretty excited about it. Nothing like being a part of making a new house a home. 

The featured outfit today is one of my new favorites. I found the dress during my recent trip to Goodwill (haul post coming soon I promise). Isn't it cute? Topped with a cardi vest makes it a perfect outfit for a day gallivanting the streets of Savannah. 

Note on the theme this week. I wasn't trying for a theme at all (other than weekend in Savannah but that couldn't be helped) I didn't realize how polka dotty my weekend would be until I was unpacking at the hotel. It's like my themed blog posts were writing themselves. Or......we could just say that I am a subconsciously creative genius. Whatever it is, it worked out well.

Dress: H&M via Goodwill

Vest: Walmart (old)

Sandal: Marshalls

Thanks for reading!

Breezy Weekend

Hey my friends!

What is your favorite type of weekend? Super busy? Full of travels? Hanging with friends? Or is it more of a quiet, laid back weekend? Relaxing? Catching up on a good book or napping?

Trick question! They both sound good don't they? Ha! Yeah to me too.

This weekend for me was of the quiet kind; full of napping and staying in to cuddle with my kitty. On Saturday we went to catch an early showing of Guardians of the Galaxy (So funny, Chris Pratt is adorable) and then....I went shopping. *hangs head* There is a Goodwill next to the theater and I couldn't resist!! I have a problem. Anyway, I did pick up some cute things that I will feature in a haul post sometime soon. This top is one of the them. It's a perfect addition to a tank top and shorts to elevate the look without getting too hot. What do you think? Win for me!

Sheer Top: Ann Taylor via Goodwill

Shorts: Rue 21

Sandals: Gift from my mommy

Thanks for reading!

Twofer Tuesday

Hey my friends!

Random Tuesday post :-) I hope this week has been kind to you! 

Today I bring not one but two outfits that I love. But let me tell you they do not photograph well. Which is a tragedy because they are both super cute. Just use your imagination if you can't tell :-) Both of these looks are all about my favorite trend this summer. Bright colors! I have had so much fun mixing and discovering new color combinations that I'm surprised I was scared to try it before. I can be so lame sometimes.

The first look is more of a fall look (perhaps a London trip look??) but works well for summer too. 

The second look (sorry for the photo quality, it was raining outside but I really really want to take pics) features a maxi skirt I found in a little vintage shop in Atlanta. When I saw it, I fell in love. It's so exotic looking! Like Chiquita Banana! All I need are fruits on my head.

Look #1: 

Top: HM

Skirt: Goodwill

Look #2:

Top: Gap via Clothes Swap 2014

Skirt: Vintage

Thanks for reading!

World Cup Madness

                      

Hey my friends!

I hope this post finds you well! It will be another one of my short and sweet posts as I am currently watching the USA vs. Ghana game. I love the World Cup; I think it might be better than the Olympics because it's not as hard to keep up with. This weekend my hubs and I caught some of the games while enjoying the sunshine and the company of friends. I'll post more about my weekend later this week. USA! USA! USA!

Top: HM

Sunnies: Target

Shorts: Goodwill

Purse: London Fog via Marshalls

Flats: TJ Maxx

Thanks for reading!

The Blues

Hey my friends!

Short and sweet today! As you can tell by my face, I was suffering from a migraine when my hubs took this pic so that's why there is only one. But beauty is pain and I really wanted to share this look because I love it. It's one of those that just came together perfectly! I love the way the blues work together. And this skirt! It's one of those pieces that I forget is hanging at the back of my closet and when I find it again it's like meeting an old friend. (Hey!! You again!! I love you!!!) I should try wearing it more. 

What do you think? Win for me.

Shirt: Target

Belt: Forever 21

Skirt: Goodwill

Shoes: Marshalls (old)

Thanks for reading!