Well hello there. It has clearly been a minute (or a few months) since we have had a little chat. And holy heck, there have been a lot of changes in my life since our last little sit down. Two of the biggest ones being: I got a new job and I went blonde. Now I know what you are probably thinking, "Suze, you went blonde?" Yes, my friends, I did. And while I am very much in love with it, I do often scare myself when I see my reflection because I don't feel as though it looks like me, but I digress.
So you're probably like "okay now get on with it, why am I here?" And to that I say, calm down, I'm getting there. For those of you that don't know, I love to shop. Honestly, I like shopping anywhere. Forever21? Sure. Target? Uhhhhh, yes please. Online? Absolutely. So I figured, why not show you some of the outfits that I absolutely adore but with a twist? One of my favorite things to purchase since I was younger was definitely sunglasses. I'm not really sure where my obsession started, but somehow I am at the point where I have about 6 pairs in my car, 2 in my purse and many, many more all over my room and house. I just love them. So when I heard that Warby Parker was coming out with some new Summer 2017 Collections I was like YES PLEASE. So, instead of keeping you guys too long, keep reading down below for some of my favorite clothing pieces for this spring and summer, along with some of my favorite pieces from the Warby Parker Summer 2017 Sunglasses and Eyeglasses collection!
ONE// Comfy Casual
Let me just start off by saying that this is one of my go-to outfits. I am obsessed with t-shirt dresses. I love the way that you can dress them up or down. Clearly for this look, I have chosen to dress it down, but with a simple switch of the shoes, jewelry and bag, you can easily go from day to night.
I think if I were to wear this outfit (which I totally would and probably have) I would pair it with a really smart looking pair of eyeglasses. I honestly have to wear glasses (and probably should more than I do). I think my favorite pair from the collection are the Percey glasses and I love them in the Chestnut Crystal color (but honestly all the colors are fantastic!)
One of my favorite things about the spring/summer time is when it is a little chilly at night but not too cold where you feel like you need tons of layers. I don't think there is anything better than putting on a semi-fancy shirt, a nice pair of jeans, a good necklace and some killer shoes and sunglasses and heading to an outside patio to have some much needed time with friends. For this spring and summer, this is going to be my go-to look for sure!
Top: JC Penny (similar at SheIn)/ Jeans: Nordstrom/ Shoes: Kohl's/ Necklace: Kendra Scott (I'm obsessed with Kendra Scott, I love basically everything!)
Now, I think for this look you definitely need a funky pair of sunglasses. One of my favorites has to be the Haskell glasses for sure. I love them because they literally come in some of the coolest colors, so you can really get a pair to match almost any outfit!
I guess I'm at that age where all my friends are getting married. Let me tell you, within the next year I have so many weddings to go to it is insane! But I will admit, I love a good wedding. I think they are always so much fun and I really like getting dressed up! Here is one of my favorite outfits to possibly wear to a wedding this spring or summer!
Now, I'm just going to go ahead and assume that for a summer wedding you are going to need a good pair of sunglasses. For this look, I would probably go back to the Haskell glasses yet again. When I tell you I love them, I really mean it! And remember when I said that they come in so many different colors? Well I wasn't kidding! I think the Haskell Sunglasses in Burnt Lemon Tortoise with Green-Grey Lenses would be the perfect pair to complete this look!
So there you have it. 3 different looks for 3 different occasions. If you couldn't tell already, I am in love with the new Warby Parker Collection for Summer 2017. I love the 1960's inspired shapes and bright colors in the collection. Check them out for sure, there is definitely a pair for every occasion! What ones will you pick?
Ahhhhh social media, one of my favorite things in the entire world. I can honestly remember the days that I created my first Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, among many other platforms. I don't know what it is about social media, I just absolutely love it. So, without babbling on too much, here are some of my do's and dont's of social media.
ONE// A picture is worth a thousand words. Literally. It is no secret that visuals on any social media platform get more engagement. Honestly, I am the person that if something doesn't have pictures, you better be a dang good convincing writer to keep me for more than a few paragraphs. Use pictures, videos and GIFs for further your content, especially if you are using the platform of your choice to promote something, I promise, you won't be sorry!
TWO// Timing is everything. Back when I was in school, blogging was one of my jobs. Now it wasn't based on views or likes, it was purely a matter of me writing, posting and then getting a paycheck. But I think the thing that I liked about blogging was the almost inner challenge that it presented. I liked looking at numbers and thinking "this one get 100 views, how can I make it so my next one gets 150?" Well, here is one of my secrets. Timing is everything. Back when I was in school I realized that the prime time to post a blog to get the most views would be at 7:15pm on a Sunday night. Why? Because that is when us college kids were finally doing homework that we have had all weekend to complete but didn't do so now we are trying to get it done. Unfortunately we all continued to procrastinate and look at things like Facebook and Instagram. Therefore, reading some one's blog post would definitely be a way to procrastinate further, hence an upswing in readers. So moral of the story, pay attention to when you post, it can make a huge difference!
THREE// Negativity isn't a bad thing. I am a person that likes constructive criticism. I like when the comments that people have make me want to be or do something better. That being said, not all comments are good comments, there are definitely things that have been said about me or what I have posted that I haven't totally appreciated, but I think with social media comes not taking things personally. There will always be people out there that disagree with you or that aren't satisfied with what you post, and that's ok, because at the end of the day, it's your post and not theirs. If they had something different to say, then they should say it on their own terms. When it comes to companies social media, I always say that one of 2 things has to happen for someone to write a review. They are either exceptionally happy or exceptionally mad. A happy person will write a nice comment while a person with a not so positive experience will write something negative. That's why it is important to understand comments and the reason behind by they were posted in the first place. Also I think that companies should have practises in place for when things don't go as planned. Having a crisis management plan is an important part of any business strategies now, especially with the rise of social media.
FOUR// Be yourself. I often find that the people that I am most drawn to over social media are the people that are just being themselves. Whether that means not wearing makeup or not pretending you like something you hate, I feel as though readers, watchers and subscribers know when someone isn't being real. Social media is fantastic because it allows people to grow and make a living out of being themselves. So don't become something you are not just because you feel you have to be different. You don't. Just be yourself and then your social media platform is perfect.
Hope these few quick tips help with becoming more social media savvy! Want to know more? Check out the amazing services that Reputation Management offers! Having a management plan is really important now, especially with the rise of social media. Consulting firms such as Reputation Management have many departments that suit your specific needs, such as crisis management. They have some great info on social media whether you are an individual ready to up your Instagram game or a company looking for a complete social media overhaul!
Love,
Susanna
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I would be totally lying to you if I said that 2016 was easy. I think the majority of people on this planet would agree that 2016 has been a rough year. I would say that a year ago today I didn't really start off on the right foot (literally, I was on crutches). From there the year had its pits and peaks, twists and turns and everything in between. The first third of the year was stress overload. I was finishing up my last semester in college, writing a book, nursing a knee injury all while trying to find balance. The middle months gave me stability, comfort and excitement. Towards the end of the year the stress picked back up while "me time" and mindfulness went down. It is honestly hard to focus on the positives when there are negatives but that being said I want to focus on positive things in 2017. So, to start this year off right, here are some things I loved in 2016.
ONE// Camp
If this one surprises you then seriously, where have you been for the past 4 years? For the past 4 summers working at summer camp has easily been one of the biggest highlights of my year. It was something I looked forward. I counted down the days eagerly awaiting the time that I could go back to my home away from home. This year before camp I had a lot of decisions to make. I was on the fence for a while as to whether or not I would actually go back to camp (hard to believe, I know). The reason being was because I was told that it was not an adult thing to do. I was supposed to have a great job lined up, move out of the house, make money and well, be an adult. Hearing it so often made me think that going to camp was bad, or something that I shouldn't be doing no matter how much it really meant to me. The thing that prompted me to go back was something someone said to me. She said, "would you regret it if you looked back 5 years from now and didn't do it?" And I said yes, I would. I think I really needed that last year, a definitive last year, one where I could tie up loose ends and be at peace with the fact that that part of my life was tied up neatly. Now by no means is that the end of camp for me. Camp is still a huge part of my life and always will be. My camp friends will still be some of my best friends and the memories will always last. But this year camp was special to me and it was something I felt as though I really needed.
TWO// Writing
I did a ton of writing this year. Not just on my blog but the last semester of school for me was very writing dense. I mean, I wrote a book for goodness sake! I have always enjoyed writing. I loved putting my words onto a page and seeing them come to life. I like going back and editing and changing things to make sure that it is exactly the way I envisioned it. Writing my book in the beginning of this year was one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced in my entire life. It was something that I really had to be conscious about. Writing for my blog is more carefree and sometimes my words and sentences don't always make the most sense but somehow they seem to all work out eventually. With the book, I had to make every effort to just be aware. I had to be aware of works and punctuation. There were just so many little intricacies that I really had to pay attention too that I never really did before. While writing that book was hard, it is amazing the impact it had on me and the impact it had on my writing here on my blog. In a way it made me want to be completely different from what I had just done. It made me really want to put my voice into something and I am thankful that I had an outlet like my blog to do that. I felt as though I pushed my own personal boundaries this year on my blog. I wrote about things I liked and I felt comfortable to open up enough about the things I didn't like or things that had some type of negative impact on me. My blog now offers me a space to be creative, something I miss terribly after leaving school. I miss getting the opportunity to design things and think of something then be able to see it right in front of me. My hope for 2017 is that I use this platform more as a way to let my creative side come out more. Recently I have felt as though I have needed it more. It offers me an escape from my routine and allows me to reflect on things that mean something to me.
THREE// Health
I think this is something that we so often forget, something we take for granted. As I have mentioned, I didn't really start off 2016 on the best foot. I had knee surgery on the 29th of December 2015, so I spent the majority of January in terrible pain. It had its ups and downs and unfortunately another surgery was scheduled for April of 2016. It was not the best news that a competitive person wanted to hear. It was a set back, a major one, one that I unfortunately have not fully bounced back from. But in the grand scheme of things, its not anywhere as terrible as it possibly could be. So for that, health is one of my favorite things this year because it has been a healthy year. Sure, there were times when my health and health of loved ones was not the best, but I believe that we are ending 2016 on a good foot and I hope that 2017 is even better.
FOUR// YouTube
This is no secret, but I have been hooked on watching YouTube videos for quite sometime now. I love it. I honestly don't think I go a day without watching at least one video on YouTube. I think one of the main reasons why it is my favorite this year is because I have been able to find channels that I connect with and channels that positively impact my mood and overall happiness. Watching them gives me a sense of calm, something that I often miss in my day to day life. It gives me a chance to sit and unwind from the day and it is something that I truly enjoy and look forward to at the end of the day.
FIVE// Tea
I have always loved coffee. I had my first taste of coffee when I was really young, probably way too young honestly. My mom's favorite ice cream is Vienna Mocha Chunk, so naturally I thought that actual coffee tasted like that. Clearly I was wrong, but it was something that I lived off of during my first few years of college. That being said, I have also always liked tea. I liked having something warm without the major caffeine kick that coffee gave me. It wasn't really until this past year that I started to actually choose tea over coffee. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my medium iced coffee with caramel swirl and cream from Dunks just as much as the next person, but lately tea has been my go to. I love trying new types and seeing which one works best for whatever mood I am in. I even have little jars on my desk at work with all types of tea in them, so aesthetically pleasing and so practical!
SIX// Makeup
I feel as though there will always be people in your life that say you don't need makeup, which is partly true. I don't need makeup. But I do enjoy it. I think this year, or at least towards the end of the year I have started to experiment more with my makeup. I have tried new products and stepped out of my comfort zone a bit when it comes to the beauty department. I have learned that I adore lipstick and that winged eyeliner isn't just for a fancy occasion. I think wearing makeup has allowed me to enjoy getting ready in the morning. It is something that I actually look forward to doing because it genuinely makes me happy.
SEVEN// Friends
This is something that should literally be on everyone's favorites lists. I can honestly say that I am so incredibly luck for the people that surround me. Whether it be old friends, friends from school or friends from camp, I literally have the best friends in the entire world. This was a difficult year for me at times and I really needed people in my life to lean on for support and I am so blessed that I had people to help me out. I am so grateful for the people that I choose to surround myself with.
I guess that is it for now folks. As I said, one of my New Year's resolutions is to blog more, so trust me, there is a new post in the works for you! Keep an eye out for it!
Best,
Susanna
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So I am a total sucker for the fall time. I love the changing leaves, the crisp air and of course, sweater weather. I guess you would say that the thing that I hate about fall is that it means that winter is approaching, and quickly. I mean, it is barely Christmas and there as already been snow and I have already broken out my parka....excuse me Mother Nature, this is not cool. To be completely honest with you all, I don't entirely hate winter. I really enjoy the snow, but I enjoy it from the comfort of my living room. That being said, I am always down for a snow day. There are a couple things that take a snow day from good to amazing. Here are some of my snow day favorites!
ONE// Well, I think this would come as a no brainer. You can't have a snow day with out snow! As I said, I love snow, I really do. I think it is so beautiful. But I do like to enjoy it from the comfort of my couch! Going to school up in Vermont has taught me a thing or two about snowy weather. I think I am learning to love it, but I'm not entirely in the "love" stage yet!
TWO// Fire in the fireplace. We have had a wood burning stove in our fire place since as long as I can remember. To be honest, it is like my dad's 3rd child. He spends all year collecting wood, splitting it and stacking it to make sure that we are fully stocked for the winter time. There are some days that I love the wood stove and some days that I hate it. Let me tell you, when it gets warm, it is really warm. Some days it can be a little much, but when it is a blizzard outside is is absolutely perfect! Plus my dog loves to sit by the fire so it is an excuse for me to cuddle her!
THREE// Cozy clothes. I will be the first to admit that I believe leggings are pants. I love to be comfortable no matter what. Comfort is definitely my first priority in anything that I do. Therefore, on a snow day, all I want is to be comfy! Here are some of my top pics for things I like to wear when I'm trying to be cozy! (Oh, and the best part about this whole outfit is that you can get everything off of AdoreMe.com. It is absolutely amazing and they have the cutest things from underwear to pj's to athletic wear!) Undergarments: I think growing up playing sports taught me to love sports bras. Honestly, I try to wear a sports bra as often as possible, probably TMI, but it is the truth! So obviously, my pick for some snow day support is definitely a sports bra! Adoreme.com has some amazing sports bras and honestly, and honestly, I think some of them are just as cute as your typical bra! So gone are the days of the dingy, boring sports bra. You don't have to sacrifice cuteness for comfort!
This sports bra is one of my favorites. I think the main reason why I love it is because maroon is my absolute favorite color to wear during the fall/winter! (via)
If you are a die-hard traditional bra lover, don't worry, there are so many options for you too! I love AdoreMe bras because they come in a variety of sizes and they are all really well made! One of my favorites is the (............). Another really cool thing about AdoreMe is that with every bra purchase you get a free pair of underwear, so I mean, you can't go wrong! Clothing: AdoreMe also has super cozy and cute lounge ware. Honestly, I believe that sometimes you can wear lounge tops and wear them with jeans or leggings. Their shirts are super comfy and soft and honestly you can't beat the price! My absolute favorite top is this one down below in pale pink. I am honestly not one that goes towards pink but I absolutely love this top! Plus I think the back detail is really cute as well!
PJ's: Well, let's admit it. I basically live in pajamas. When I am home you can almost bet that I will be in my pajamas. I just think you can't go wrong with a cozy pair of PJ's! Personally, most of my PJ's are just sweatpants and random t-shirts, but sometimes it just makes me feel special to wear matching pj sets. I am absolutely obsessed with the Matilda PJ set from AdoreMe. It is so classic and so soft that it is honestly the perfect thing to lounge around in during a snow day! Adore Me offers a wide selection of pajamas, so there is definitely something for everyone!
The black and white combination is so classic and the fabric is so comfortable! (via)
Also, as an extra comfy touch, one of my favorite things to do is throw on a cozy robe. Although I normally opt for a major sweatshirt, I love wearing robes when I go in our hot tub. They are super simple to just throw on over a bathing suit to keep me warm during the short walk from our back door to the hot tub. I love this one from AdoreMe! First of all, lately I have been obsessed with the color grey. Second, I love that it has a hood!!
Basically, in short, the perfect snow day can be summed up in a few words: snow and AdoreMe. While snow may not be everyone's favorite, adding in cute clothes from AdoreMe makes everything better. Wanna know something even better? AdoreMe is online, meaning when you have a foot of snow outside, you don't even have to leave the comfort of your own house! Everything gets shipped right to you! If that isn't perfect then I'm not really sure what else is! Also be sure to check out their social media as well, their Instagram is so cute and their Twitter and Pinterest are totally addicting to scroll through!
Best,
Susanna
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When I was 13 years old, I thought that by the time I graduated college I would have everything figured out. I thought I would have the dream job I have always wanted, the love of my life standing next to me and a house to call home. I thought that I would bask in the freedom that my choices in life offered me and that I would get to make my own decisions and just live the life that I always envisioned for myself. Heck, I would probably say that my 13 year old self would have been psyched at the idea of adulthood.
But the older that I have gotten, the more I have realized that it is not the case. It is not really what I expected it to be. Who would have ever been able to tell me that adulthood would be this stressful and at times, depressing?
I go about every day seeing my friends that are in a career that they love, doing something that makes them happy. They are traveling, starting families and just all around being happy. At times it makes me want to detach. To step away from all of it because it makes me realize how small I am and how unsatisfied I am with the life that I am living. Sure, I have had job offers and countless interviews. I also think its hard to find your "forever career" or passion this early in the game. But with all that, it still makes it difficult.
I have developed anxieties about life that I don't think I have ever had before. I more often doubt my capabilities because of not being able to check boxes on job applications. At times I wish job applications would have less boxes for tangible skills and more for "nice person", "outgoing" and "creative" because at the end of the day, those are things that I value in myself.
But I guess adulthood is about welcoming these challenges and embracing them. I often say that my mistakes are my mentors. I learn from them and they always teach me something. I guess being an adult is just having a lot of mentors. So with all that, I welcome challenges. As soon as everything starts to click, things will start running smoothly like my 13 year old self thought.
Spring is here, well, I mean, it will be gone shortly (helloooo June!) I think spring is one of my favorite seasons. I love the birds, the flowers and more importantly, spring shopping! I love dresses, sandals, sunglasses and everything else that spring has to offer in the fashion department. Being a recent college grad, the funds are pretty low, but I think that every once in a while it is totally ok to treat yo self. One of my favorite places to do so is ShopSpring.com. Spring is a single shopping destination where people can shop brands directly. They currently work with over 900 brands, so you can always find something that you may like! Here are some of my favorite things that are definitely on my must-have list this spring!
Spring and summer means dresses to me. Normally, I live in leggings. But when the weather gets warm, dresses are my go to! This is the Ecote Guinevere Open- Back dress. Let me tell you, I'm in love. And the best part, it comes in 2 colors!
If I shop for jewelry, I will most often than not walk out of a store with earrings. If I don't put earrings on in the morning I normally feel completely underdressed (even at summer camp). My go-to earrings are just pearl studs, but normally if I want to switch it up, I look for other types of studs. I am totally not the type of person for dangling earrings, for some reason I just really dislike them. I absolutely love these studs. They are the Modern Pearlized Cabochon Stud Earrings. I think I like them because of my slight obsession with pearls, but I also like the gold as it is not something I typically go for.
My go-to spring outfit is normally as comfortable as I can make it. Last summer I went shopping with my mom for new shoes. I found a pair of light blue Vans and let me tell you, I have worn the crap outta them. I honestly wear them everywhere and I am totally contemplating buying them in more colors. I think these Army Issue Sneakers by SeaVees are the perfect "grown up" Vans. They have an awesome nude material with a black leather detail on the top, perfect for mixing and matching with any outfit!
Summer is coming, which means it is time to ditch my massive structured black tote and replace it for a light and airy cross-body. To say that I have had my eye on this bag for a while would be an understatement. This mini Crosby Crossbody in nude by Rebecca Minkoff is literally my goals in life. I love the structured look of it while still small enough so I don't have all the room in the world for all the crap that finds a home at the bottom of my purse. It is the perfect summery color, but if this isn't your style, I totally recommend checking out her other bags, I honestly love all of them!
So those are just a few of the many items that are on my wish list from ShopSpring.com. I highly suggest checking out the accessory store, as it is definitely amazing! What are you going to treat yo self with this spring?!
I never thought I would write this post to be completely honest with you. For some reason I had this grand idea in my head that college would last forever. It was something that never ended or only ended when you wanted it to. Trust me, I never wanted it to end.
I guess it still hasn't hit me yet. Between the "congrats" and the "goodbyes" I am left confused and unsure of what comes next. It just feels like the typical summer vacation, one that I have gotten used to over the 16 years of my education. I think it will hit me once August rolls around and I find myself not making the trek back up to Vermont.
I was never supposed to go to Vermont. I was never supposed to go to school at SMC. I thought that New York City was where I would spend the golden years. Boy, was I wrong. That rainy day in the summer 2011, the khaki shorts and blue rain jacket. The humid heat. The smell of freshly cut grass. The calm of an empty campus. For some reason, everything fit perfectly, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
"You get a weird feeling when you're about to leave a place, like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person that you are now at this time and place because you'll never be this way ever again."
This quote is one of my favorites and one that I feels applies to my time at SMC. Missing the ones that I have grown to adore is an understatement. To the faculty and staff, the St. Mike's community continues to astonish me with their love and compassion each and every day. They are the type of people that make you want to become a better person, and I think everyone should surround themselves with people like that. They believe in you and encourage you. They tell you that you are wrong and help you learn from your mistakes. They listen and think before they speak. They love unconditionally. They put a smile on your face even in the gloomiest of days. It has been a pleasure every day to be able to see your faces around campus and speak with you.
Thanks to everyone who believed in me. To my parents, for not only paying for this education but encouraging me to follow my dreams. Thanks for pushing me to fall in love with school. That love of learning has made leaving SMC so incredibly difficult. Thanks to my other family members, especially my SMC Alumni family members. Thanks for convincing me to look at SMC, you always knew deep down inside that I would love it. Thanks for sharing your stories of living in the 300's or celebrating P-Day. Thanks for making your mark on a place that I love. I can only hope to have made as much of a lasting impression as you have on SMC.
Finally to my friends and fellow graduates of the class of 2016, wow guys, we did it. Seriously though, who would have thought that we, yes, I'm talking about us, would graduate? I know I had my doubts. Heck, I assumed we would all just stay there forever. I guess the saying "all good things must come to an end" is real. Our 4 years were better than good, they were great. They were filled with warm sunny days, construction waking us up at 7am and countless laughs and good times. We had a good run guys. Be proud of all that we have accomplished. 4 years may seem like a long time, but clearly it goes by faster than anyone could imagine. Congrats friends, I'll miss ya.
Love,
Susanna
P.S.- as for where this blog is going, I'm not entirely sure. I'll probably revamp it, but I guess we will just have to wait and see. So, stay tuned.
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