Category: Lifestyle

Lifestyle · Style

The Joy of Dressing Well (A Spring Edit)

Natasha ReneLeave a comment

The Most Inspiring Fashion Quotes of All TimeOver the past couple of seasons, I’ve curated a Fall/Winter wardrobe that I love and enjoy wearing.  This Spring I plan to elevate my Spring/Summer wardrobe.  While I have several Spring/Summer pieces that I love (and intend to keep), most of them are too casual for the business casual look I’m trying to cultivate for the office.  I’d also like to add a few special items for warm weather vacation destinations.  I don’t plan to shop trends; I’m looking to purchase select items that will meet my long term style goals.  I plan to stick to a mostly neutral palette of white, camel, taupe, and blue; and then maybe add in a few pops of color (not sure which ones yet).  Here’s what I’m looking to add:

  • A Tan/Camel Blouse
  • Another White Skirt (A-line)
  • White Sweater (Summer-Weight)
  • Straw Bag (Medium)
  • White Dress (A Lighter Cotton Option)
  • Blue Button-Up Shirt
  • Statement Necklace
  • A Brightly Patterned Skirt
  • Black Pants

I think these pieces will mix and match well with what I already own. Here are some of the planned looks (courtesy of Pinterest) I’m inspired to try,

 

 

 

 

Lifestyle · Self-Care · Travel

The Healing Power of Travel

Natasha ReneLeave a comment
adult book business cactus
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In 2015, one of my resolutions was to relax and spend some time and money traveling.  Since then, I’ve been to Palm Springs, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, St. Thomas, London, Paris, Venice, and New Orleans, and I’m already planning trips to St. Martin, Washington D.C. and Greece.  Looking back, investing in rest and travel was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  Join me on my journey.

Lifestyle

A New Season . . . Realignment

Natasha ReneLeave a comment
person uses pen on book
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This season in my life, I’m committed to living more mindfully.  It’s important to me to spend my time and energy doing things I love rather than waste it on insignificant things that others deem worthy but do not bring me joy.  My approach is simple (or not so simple).  I don’t plan to quite my job and travel the world or hire a housekeeper.  I plan to stop agreeing to things for fear of missing out (concerts, dinners, trips).  While I generally enjoy them, they divert energy (and finances) from things I enjoy more: self-care and pampering, reading, yoga, personal finance and investing, taking care of my home, and building my blog.  This doesn’t mean I plan to stop going to concerts, traveling, or going out to dinner, it means I’m going to be more selective so I have the capacity to attend the concerts, plays, and performances I really want to see; travel to dream locations; and, enjoy eating out without overindulging and gaining weight.

Another new focus is on accomplishing big goals:

  1. Losing 20 lbs | Run 5K
  2. Advancing In My Career
  3. Build out my lifestyle blog so can create community and make some extra money (to invest)
  4. Build out my real estate portfolio (Goal: 1 primary home & 2 self-sustaining properties)

These goals have been on my list for awhile but instead of facing them head on, I’ve been nibbling at the edges.  I’ve made progress but there has also been a detrimental amount of backsliding.  My first step will be creating micro goals for the month, and then the week, to help be stay focused and invest my time wisely.

Lifestyle · Self-Care

My Capsule Wardrobe

Natasha ReneLeave a comment
white and black floral cap sleeved shirt
Photo by Artem Bali on Pexels.com

A few years I was struck by a health crisis that left me feeling stressed and hollowed out.  After I recovered physically, it was a shock to realize that I still had a tremendous amount of emotional work to do before I could fully recover.

My self-care journey has lead to many life-changing  discoveries, including minimalism.  Minimalism helped me prioritize the most important parts of my life, and curate tools to focus my time and energy around them.  One of these tools is a capsule wardrobe.

MY APPROACH

There are many different approaches to creating a capsule wardrobe, including Project 333, Project 30 x 30, and the 5 Piece French Wardrobe.  After doing some research (and watching a ton of YouTube videos), I developed a bespoke approach that worked for me.

  1. First, I donated all the items in my wardrobe that didn’t fit well, I didn’t enjoy wearing, or didn’t coordinate with at least three other pieces in my closet. (After putting away my seasonal items, I was left with a manageable number of items.)
  2. Second, I stocked up on basics. In my case, white t-shirts, a black and white striped Briton t-shirt, a black and white striped Briton long-sleeved top, a pair of black skinny jeans, and a pair of neutral sandals.
  3. Third, I starting making lists of items that I wanted to add to or replace in my wardrobe.  I limited the number of new additions to 5 pieces per season (Spring/Summer & Fall/Winter) to keep me honest, mindful, and within a reasonable budget.

WHY I LOVE IT

  1. Getting dressed takes less time and is less stressful since everything coordinates.
  2. I now have an edited closet full of good quality clothing that I feel good in and love wearing.
  3. I’m saving money because, outside of replacing basics, I only purchase a few new pieces each season.
  4. It’s helped me define my personal style.
  5. It’s helped me be more mindful about how I manage my time and money.

Transitioning to a capsule wardrobe has simplified my life and created space for me to focus on other, more important, areas of my life.  I highly recommend that you give it try.