Life Lately

summer family photos

I’ve been enjoying sharing some more lifestyle-related content here over the course of the last year and the general consensus is that you’d like to continue to see it too! Though I have no intention of completing shifting my blog in that direction, it’s been fun to expand every so often to topics beyond just fashion & beauty. To that end, I’m sharing a new post with you today that’s highlighting what I’ve been up to lately, some things I’m buying for fall + a few home updates. (P.S. the picture above is from a summer family photo session we had done & I am so happy with how they turned out!)

STYLE

I get questions all the time about what I’m buying for fall, so I thought I’d share my recent purchases with you. One of the “hazards” of my job is that I’m constantly checking for the best sales & budget-friendly finds to share with you here – so I have to resist the temptation to buy every time I come across a good deal. I’ve been trying to be more purposeful with what I’m adding to my closet by asking myself these questions: Do I already own something similar? How many different ways can I style this with pieces I have in my closet now? Can I justify the cost per wear? (see a more comprehensive list of questions here) So, here are the items I’ve bought for the coming season that have passed my test:

recent fall purchases

Faux Suede Trench
I can’t say enough good things about this – it looks so luxe and it feels buttery soft to the touch. I fell in love with the rich cognac color – I think this will be such a great layering piece for early fall. I found it to run true to size (I got it in a 4 & I have plenty of room to layer sweaters underneath).

Pearl Drop Earrings
These pearl earrings have a cool modern feel to them & you can’t beat the price! They’re very lightweight & can easily be worn with a sweater & jeans or a pretty floral fall dress.

Gold Beaded Bracelet Set
I’ve been wanting some gold beaded bracelets like this for a while, so I finally pulled the trigger on these. I have really small wrists, so most bracelets don’t fit me well – but because these are stretchy, they work perfectly & are great for mixing with pieces I already own to create my own custom stack!

Cable Knit Cardigan
You know how much I love this rust hue for fall, so when this went on sale, I immediately snatched it up! The sleeves have a slight balloon shape to them & I like the button-detail in front. This also comes in ivory & will be great for layering over camis & tees when it cools down a bit.

Printed Square Scarf
This classic square scarf is under $10 and comes in tons of different patterns – I’m thinking about ordering multiples! Wear it around your neck, tie it in your hair or add it to the handle of your bag for a fun pop of color.

Striped Long Sleeve Tee
This was the year that my favorite striped tee finally had to be retired, so I ordered this one as a replacement – this also comes in several solid colors & a black or grey stripe. It’s a cotton/modal blend, which makes it so soft & it’s long enough to wear with leggings (and the price is great!).

Paper-Bag Waist Skirt
I don’t wear pencil skirts anymore, but the detail & fit of this one was too good to pass up. This would be a great work option for those of you looking for affordable office-wear. The belt is removable & it also comes in black – recommend sizing up as there’s very little stretch to the fabric.

Houndstooth Poncho
I love a good poncho for fall and this one is such a classic pattern – it’s currently 50% off and will be so chic with jeans and over-the-knee boots or with faux leather leggings & flats.

Croc Belt Bag
I wore my Target belt bag all summer long and really fell in love with the hands-free ease of it. So, I wanted to buy one for fall that would go with all of my neutral sweaters & printed dresses. Thanks to the croc texture & gold hardware, this one looks much more expensive than it is & it doesn’t look too bulky when worn.

Satin Midi Skirt
I can’t seem to resist this color right now & I liked that this satin midi has a slight a-line fit, which I find to be more flattering on my shape than a lot of the other bias-cut skirts I’ve tried on recently. This also comes in navy & is under $35!

Skinny Ankle Pants
I haven’t been shopping at Old Navy as much lately, but the color of these pants caught my eye so I ordered them & the fit is amazing (runs true to size). Today is the last day of their 40% off sale, which makes these only $17.99! I also picked up these button-fly jeans (super flattering) and this tunic sweatshirt (perfect for those chilly soccer games).

FAMILY

Our schedules are going to radically change next week when my kids head back to school & my son starts his fall sports practices (he shocked us all by choosing to do soccer this year instead of football!). Thankfully, we have completed all our school supply & clothes shopping, so that’s one less thing I have to worry about. But, I still have a few things to wrap up before the summer ends – the last minute tasks still on my to-do list are as follows:

Bento lunch box

1) Buy bento boxes for school lunches
I decided to go this route instead of using baggies for all their various food items this year and I honestly wish I had done it sooner. This will not only save us money in the long run, but it’s much more environmentally-friendly. I ended up purchasing these based on the cost, positive reviews & the size of the compartments.

organizing family photos

2) Order summer photo book
At the end of every summer, I sort through all the photos we took on our various trips, camping adventures & hiking excursions and put together a photo book. I’ve been ordering the small square versions from Artifact Uprising for the last 4 years and have been so impressed with the quality. I buy two of the same book each year and plan to give one to each of the kids when they leave for college, so they can look back on all those fun memories while they’re away from home.

fall table decor

3) Plan back to school dinner
This is one of our family traditions that I’ve done since my kids were little. The night before the first day of school, we have a special meal that usually consists of their favorite foods (this year we’re doing meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, brazilian cheese bread & pumpkin bars for dessert). I set the table with fall-themed decor (using the good china!) and we spend the evening reminiscing about our favorite summer memories & talking about the coming school year. I always give my kids a verse for the year & challenge them to step outside of their comfort zone – whether that means trying a new elective, standing up for what is right or befriending someone new. Merrick recently did a whole post about this & gave some great suggestions & ideas to try. It’s such a great way to connect as a family & start off the new school year on the right foot!

HOME

Normally, I wouldn’t start decorating for fall until mid to late September, but because we have family visiting from out of town next week, I decided to add a few autumn accents a little earlier than usual. Our color scheme is primarily neutrals, but I love adding in warmer colors this time of year. I always focus on making seasonal updates with affordable pieces & try to shop when there are sales or promos offered. T.J.Maxx has so many great new arrivals for the home & they’re offering free shipping today only! I like to add chunky knit pillows like this, this & this (most of their pillows have zippered removable covers, which makes them easy to wash when needed). They also have gorgeous throw blankets at great prices like this, this & this. And I’m loving this preserved wreath & this coconut wax candle. Here are a few more pieces I’m eyeing:

fall home decor