spring dresses 2022

 

Using that over-used, Devil Wears Prada quote to introduce my spring dress round up…..even more groundbreaking! Spring is my favorite time of the year!  Yes, it’s the time that every store sends their dark, heavy clothes to the discount rack to introduce this seasons bright, fun and girly prints that are available just in time for the magical garden party you plan to host this year. Give me a second while I add that to my spring bucket list! I’ve curated the perfect selection of dreamy dresses that will make you want to dance around barefoot in a garden, while sipping a glass of chilled pinot grigio or savigon blanc. Not sure if that’ll be just me, but these dresses are sure to make you want to experience that exact same feeling. Happy Spring Everyone! 

Shop the post Below:

valentines day edit 2022

Happy February everyone! I've always been a sucker for valentines day, could be from all of the sweets, flowers, chocolates etc it has always been such a fun day for me! Regardless if you are in a relationship or not, I feel as thought it is important to get together with your friends or even just do something special for yourself because you deserve it after all!! I thought i'd share with you guys some of my favorite pieces along with some items that are currently on my wishlist that are perfect for valentines day!

Shop my picks below! 

Oh p.s. if you can't find the link to the adorable vintage cocktail glasses, click here!

xoxo

end of the *flop* era... start of an age

 

Hellooooooo and a warm welcome to 2022! There is truly something to be said about the collective optimization of striving to just do better than the previous year.  Whether it happens or not, it is a feeling I look forward to each and every New Year. This year, compared to previous years, I was especially happy to see Mr. Ryan Seacrest rockin in the New Year sporting his *alleged* shoe inserts. Don’t come for me Ryan Seacrest stans, haha. Onto a more serious matter, a matter of which as to why I am writing this post, is to address this mess of a year I had in early 2021. It feels kinda silly as I type this to, I guess, “address” the feelings that I faced during this past year because at the end of the day, I am obviously not the President, or a public figure, or even really an influencer or whatever that entails, but I know that I needed to put this out there for anyone who has been following along my micro corner of the internet and can relate. 

To spare you all the minute details, friendships that I thought would last throughout my lifetime crashed and burned into a huge flame.  At the time it obviously consumed me for the worse, way more than I would have liked this “friend-breakup” to consume me.  It was so hard to deal with because these were important people to me and never would I have expected such a thing to happen.

Throughout the year I would constantly replay in my mind what I could’ve said or done differently in order to avoid what had happened. But ultimately it wouldn’t have mattered, it was their way or no way.  How was it so easy for people that were so invested in my life just to get up and run? People that I talked to on the daily suddenly turn into strangers? These intrusive thoughts of what “I” could’ve done differently ultimately lead me to feel very numb to life around me for most of the year. The little things I enjoyed like blogging seemed almost humiliating, and I had a lack of ambition to even try to post things in fear of what these old friends would think. 

It’s so funny now in hindsight to think that I ever felt the way that I did. I've never been one to shrink inside a shell I’d created for myself, but I definitely did that during this previous season in my life. It sounds so childish to have something like a friendship affect your life so much, but it clearly did. If you know me, you know how much I love the girls over at The Morning Toast podcast.   They say this one quote all the time whenever people write in to their “Dear Toasters” advice segment -  “When someone shows you their true colors, you better believe them.” Very slowly and surely I learned this the hard way after so many nights and days of playing back what was said to me in the text messages from these “friends”.  I finally realized that at the end of the day, this happened for a reason and if it wasn’t now it would have happened in the future.

Looking back on 2021,I feel as though I needed to grow from that experience, despite how treacherous it was, in order to succeed in this new chapter of my life. Things happen for a reason and people come in and out of your life for different seasons and even though it may be hard to realize that in the midst of everything, it’s the harsh truth. 

So now you can kind of see why I am just so excited to get a jump on this year!  I have all the toxicity, negativity, and drama all in the past.  Block, delete, do whatever you have to do in a situation to protect your mental health.  I’m not being dramatic, I’m being dead ass serious, do it!  If you're in a toxic relationship with someone and you keep going back to their profile or you keep going back to the text messages, just block them or delete it. It will protect your sanity. I swear to you, you don’t need that nonsense!! 

As for my goals for 2022, I’ve got several exciting things coming up this year. In May, I will finally be graduating college from FAU and I could not be more excited!!  I’m literally smiling as I am typing this right now because I can just imagine myself running on stage at graduation with my bags packed, to where I have no clue. This past November, I started interning at Engel & Völkers which is a luxury real estate firm.   Honestly, I cannot be more in love with what I have been doing there and I really hope to work for the company after graduation.  But where I’ll be living,  I have no clue. Definitely would like to get out of South Florida, maybe just put up a map of the US and blindly pick a destination.  But you know me, preferably East Coast. 

There’s so many new chapters and excitement in my life right now. I’m about to take off and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for me!  This year, I really want to be proactive in growing my brand for my blog and also through my TickTock, if you haven’t seen it it’s very embarrassing.  It’s kind of like the unsheltered side of me. It’s on my bio if you want to check it out.  

I just can’t wait to connect with you all because at the end of the day, this is why I started this website. I know in high school I wrote about, you know, how to get straight A’s and all this, and it makes me laugh because I went through college and  I wasn’t that girl who knew everything or even how to really navigate life.  I thought I did, but I’m here to tell you guys that it’s OK if you do not know what’s going on. You gotta take one day at a time even though that sounds so mundane and ridiculous, but trust me, life will work out the way it’s supposed to.  This is why I do this, I want to be that annoying little voice to let you know things will be alright!

soundtrack to november

It may be week a week late, but as promised here is my November mood-board. Now, I wanted to do something a bit different than my typical aesthetic college that correlates to the season, but instead give you all a soundtrack for the month! This playlist is perfect for enjoying the dip in the temperature so go on, throw on your favorite sweater and talk a walk to grab a seasonal coffee with this playing in the background because after all, you deserve it!

Oh, p.s I will be updating this playlist all throughout the month, hope you enjoy!

Best, 

Jillian

fall finds 2021

 

With every change of season comes with it a change in wardrobe. Not sure how that testament is going to hold up on my part-time job salary, but hey a girl can dream! Regardless, fall (whether Florida chooses to participate in it) is here once again and so is the seasons deliciously cozy, somewhat cottage core apparel that comes with it. I’m currently in need of some new pieces for this fall so I thought it would be fun to share with you all some of my fall finds!

Shop the College…

Over the summer I scored the most fun hot pink silk Zara top with different buildings printed on and I swore I wanted to get a few of the same blouses in different colors. My prayers were answered when I discovered these for under $40 !

This bag is everything! 

Dress them up or down, these ribbed pants are sure to be a hit!

Love them or hate them, loafers are majorrr rn. Oh, and how fun are these?!

This fabulous sweater is over 70% off now!

I’ve been obsessing over these leather pants!

This bag is a kelly green dream

These boots are similar to the pair I own, they go with so much!

Need a quick fit in a pinch? Turtleneck dress to the rescue.

Happy Shopping!

October 2021 moodboard

 

It’s about that time of year again, time to crank up Taylor Swift’s Fokelore soundtrack, guzzle down copious amounts of pumpkin creme cold brew, and adjust my thermostat just so I can cultivate the perfect vibe for fall. Hey guys, it’s Jillian, have you missed me? If you answered yes, I can’t wait to share with you all the content that I am planning for you all with these upcoming posts.  A little sneak peak, there will be some personal blog posts kinda filling everyone in to what is going on in my life currently, some outfit wishlists, and more to come. To get things kicked off, I’m starting this spooky month out strong with sharing my October mood board that I’m sure will get you into that fall feeling even if it’s something you can only dream about! I hope you guys enjoy it!

spring 2021 moodboard

Something about springtime has always made me feel brand new. It may be the bright colors, shopping for new swimsuits, or starting the countdown for summer that has always made this time of year something to always look forward too. I wanted to incorporate that same feeling that I associate spring to a new moldboard for this month for all of you to enjoy. I hope that this invokes the feeling of a new beginning and restart to your year, have the best week yet and enjoy!

life update 4.2.21!

Hi guys, hope you all are doing good & happy April!! A lot and when I mean a lot, I mean a tooooon has been going on in my life since the last time we’ve chatted. I low key feel like I’m constantly go go go these days and may have bit of more than I can chew; allow me to explain!

At the end of February (well the day after my birthday to be exact), I got a message on LinkedIn about a potential internship and the company wanted to get the ball rolling and have the interview the next morning. I woke up, found some random “business woman professional” top that was for some reason apart of my seventeen year old wardrobe and hopped onto the virtual meeting. After some questions and all that an interview entails, I actually landed the internship! Not to mentioned the office is right down the road from my current apartment so that’s a major bonus! 

My internship thus far has been pretty exciting and hands on to say the least! I was hired as a digital marketing intern for a toy production and distribution company called BasicFun! The company handles big name accounts such as Tonka, CareBear, LightBright, etc! Obviously something out of my wheelhouse, but still fascinating. One of the most interesting aspects has been learning how the company operates. At the office, you have every team imaginable working under the same roof. Marketing, finance, product development, you name it! I spend Monday through Wednesday at the internship, Thursday I have “off”, well time to spend doing school work or cleaning up, and then Friday and Saturday I spend working at Lululemon. Now you can see why I mentioned earlier that I’m beginning to realize I bit off more than I can chew! 

Even though it’s been a lot for me, it has been a huge adjustment and also a growing opportunity to see how quickly or how well I’m able to switch around my priorities and schedule. Trust me, it hasn’t been a cake walk. I feel as though now I have taken the bull by its horns, I have a better understanding of how this month is gonna pan out. I can’t wait to pick up on my creativity and my passion, which is my blog and I hope

you guys are just as excited!!!

weekend with the dalmar

If you guys haven’t guessed by my recent pictures up on the gram, I had the greatest pleasure of staying at one of the most fabulous hotels in South Florida, The Dalmar, Fort Lauderdale. There is something so invigorating and exciting about playing the role of tourist in your own town, even if it’s just for the weekend. 

I have to say I’ve been pretty lucky to have grown up in sunny Fort Lauderdale.  I’d like to think of the younger me as somewhat of a Blair Waldorf brunching on the weekends and enjoying the city.   But since I’m not a wealthy socialite galavanting about Manhattan in my vintage Chanel, I was trying out all the new coffee shops and restaurants across Ft. Lauderdale with the loose change that found its way in my parents laundry room haha.

The weather for my staycation at The Dalmar was heaven sent.  As soon as I checked in, and was in complete awe of the stunning lobby, I immediately had to lounge at the pool and take in what felt like a dream. The views from the pool are unreal, giving visitors a panoramic view of Fort Lauderdale as well as the crystal blue ocean. I dream about lounging poolside with a skinny margarita with Casamigos in hand, it’s truly one of my life’s simple pleasures. 

After spending such a relaxing and renewing day poolside, it was time to check into my room. I knew it was going to be beautiful, but little did I know what the staff at The Dalmar had in store for me.  A futuristic, iPad controlled elevator glided me up to the 24th floor, I swiped my keycard, entered my room and my jaw hit the floor...and I’m not exaggerating.

 I walked into a ginormous penthouse suite that had stunning views of the ocean, as well as the rest of Fort Lauderdale, that surrounded the room. If they gave me the option, I would move in in a heartbeat. From the Nespresso machine, to the personalized charcuterie and wine (which is so #onbrand for me) welcoming my arrival, I thought I was dreaming and had to pinch myself to know this was real.  It was beyond my wildest dreams - *queue Taylor Swift’s Wildest Dreams in the background, haha.* 

Each and every step you take at The Dalmar is filled with mid-century mod meets costal decor and details that are noticeable throughout the property.  Also, they have a Moet champagne vending machine, like how chic!  It would be my dream for their interior designers to create a new layout for my room at home.

Later that evening, I got all dolled up for cocktails at The Sparrow. I’d been wanting to check out The Dalmar’s chic rooftop bar for a while now and after visiting, I can confirm with certainty that it exceeded all my expectations.  Fabulosity on top of fabulosity! I suggest getting there around 5pm to secure a spot with the best views.  Oh and on top of that,  it’s the best for pictures because it’s golden hour, so duh!

But alas, all good things must come to an end and before I knew it my two days escaping reality in my own backyard were up and it was back to real life. I really could’ve moved in right then and there if given the chance! 

If you are traveling to South Florida or just looking for a great weekend getaway, click the link here to book your stay at the fabulous Dalmar, Fort Lauderdale!

feelin' 22!

 

As I sit down and begin to type away at my parents rarely used formal dining table, I can’t help but wonder, “Am I putting on the insufferable persona of Carrie Bradshaw today as I lay out my goals for this next year of my life?”

*queue the Sex and the City theme.*

Since my 22nd birthday was two days ago, it’s obviously time that I share my intentions for this next season of my life.  My birthday always seems like a restart and a mini “New Years” for myself in a sense of wanting a change for the better. I’m beginning to think that I really only make resolutions on my birthday, rather than New Years because you know ~iM nOt a rEgUlaR gIrL, iM a CoOl gIrL.~

Jokes aside, I wanna be really transparent with you all and express myself in the most authentic way so that maybe I can provide some guidance, comfort, and even humor along the way. It wouldn’t be fair to you, or to me if I wasn’t being my authentic self, I don’t mess with that.

Over the past few months, I’ve been in the biggest pit mentally.  Blogging wasn’t fun for me and to be honest, with all that was going on, it was kinda hard to be myself, the fabulous fun loving girl that I am.  On social media it’s easy for things to appear differently as they seem and that was the case. It was best that I refrained from posting or sharing to much as I usually do and cut myself some slack in order to process things, and I’m happy to say that I’m back on my B.S! Haha

With that all behind me, I have the clarity to reflect upon what I want this next year of my life to be like. How I want to feel. How I want to act. How I want to treat others. How I want to be treated.

I celebrated my birthday at the glamorous Dunes Restaurant at the Auberge Beach Residences & Spa.  After a wonderful night out, I jotted down some bullet points for my 22nd year.  So, if you are still reading and are interested here is the list I comprised! Drumroll please….

-Be nicer to myself

-Listen to what God wants for me

-Be still and present

-Get back into journaling everyday, even if it’s one sentence or a whole paragraph

-Less is more

-Be more inquisitive with the world around me

-Save more & Start investing… hello I’m becoming a big girl now lol

-Don’t let others who don’t care about you ruin you!

-Learn a new skill, pick up a new hobby

-Do good and be good to others. Kindness goes a long way.

shop my look below!

xoxo

February 2021 moodboard

 

Oh how I have missed making these!! I have so many reasons to be excited this month, plus my 22nd birthday is right around the corner which is beyond crazy for me to realize! To all my friends and family, be prepared to hear me blasting "22" by Taylor Swift throughout the day, I’m being serious haha. In addition to my birthday, this month has one of my favorite holidays, Valentine’s Day. It may be one of my top contenders for favorite time of year because I’m just a sucker for cheesy romcoms, all things pink, an over abundance of flowers, and I have the biggest sweet tooth.  The whole color scheme of Valentine’s Day is such a vibe and very on brand for me at the moment, so I thought I'd have some fun and craft up this months moodboard, which I have turned into my laptop wallpaper! You can do the same if you just download the image above!

Don't be shy and share if you use this picture I made, tag me in it!! 

how to take charge of your semester online

Last week marked my official "welcome back" to school with the new beginnings that stem from the start of the spring semester. Although things are very different this time around and it isn't necessarily your conventional "back to campus" feel and excitement, I was weirdly looking forward to going back to school to add some more structure to my day to day routine. If you can't tell by following up with me, I'm starting to believe that packing my schedule filled with commitments and whatnot to keep myself busy is just apart of my DNA haha. 

It's no surprise that most college campuses are still focusing their attention to remote learning for the remainder of the year, so I thought of some tips that have been helpful for me in this strange time. Trust me, things do seem almost not real and it could be extremely easy to neglect these responsibilities because the traditional way of going to class has shifted, so I hope these help you all take charge and crush this next semester!

1. Change out of your PJs!

Easier said than done clearly, but something as simple as changing out of your pajamas to not even something over the top but put together can really increase your mood (well, at least for me it does) and change your mindset to one that is more determined to get what I have to do done.

2. Location, Location, Location

Last semester I took the route of doing most of my work at a coffee shop down the road from me, you know very *main character* of me. Long story short, that was the worst possible thing for me to do. Low key I think I have ADD because i'm very easily distracted and it is hard for me to focus when there is a lot going on at once. So my "coffee shop study shesh" quickly turned into some very entertaining people watching but leaving me right where I started before I left my apartment; not getting a lot done. I decided to make my kitchen table my "workspace" for the time being this way there are no distractions and I can focus on getting my work done!

3. Write Sh!t Down!

I have always been great about writing all my exciting plans, birthdays, upcoming assignments, yada yada in my agenda, even insignificant things I would still jot down just to visualize what I have going on during that week, day and month. There is truly something to be said with writing stuff down. When I was stepping out of my quarantine slump, I just didn't feel the need to have to do that especially with the uncertainty of so much. It quickly started to realize that something as simple as writing down my plans or goals made it more likely for me to accomplish such things.

I hope this helps you all out and promise me that you will kill it this upcoming semester, you got it!!! Until next time!

#wfh at the colony inn!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to wish you guys first and foremost a very happy, healthy, wonderful, beautiful, fabulous, glam, prosperous New Year.  It’s finally 2021, time to celebrate!! We made it! I am honestly so psyched to be escaping the mess that was 2020, you have no idea. Over the past month or two I’ve decided to put my social media use on “pause” since I started a new job at Lululemon, which has been so awesome and fulfilling.  With the chaos of holiday shopping I’d been working a lot and in the spare moments I had in between, I was just taking time to reflect basically on this year and go a few days without being so consumed with my phone or social media. 

Since most of us are still working from home and taking classes online, I think we all can agree that staring at the same four walls is enough to drive anyone crazy and wanting to get out of town.  In trying to find the silver lining in the middle of all this, there has at least been two positives about having to work from home: wearing cute loungewear from some of my favorite brands and the ability to take your work / school with you, anywhere you please.

I was so beyond excited when the Colony Inn Sanibel invited me to spend a quick little #WFH getaway at their property on one of my favorite little spots, Sanibel Island.  If you aren’t from Florida or you’re just unfamiliar with Sanibel; it’s a small, quaint little island where there’s literally not even a stop light on the entire island (my favorite mode of transportation there is a bike haha.) Sanibel holds such a special place in my heart.  Ever since I can remember, I’ve been going back to this special place creating memories with my loved ones that I’ll always carry with me.

Of all the countless sunny days I’ve spent on the island, I’ve never had a chance to stay at the Colony Inn until now! Let me tell you it was beyond fabulous. This quaint, tucked away gem was mad cute, and not to mention highly “on brand” with Fabulous Floridian. From the seashell details, accents of hot pink that encompass the inn, and everything else in between, this coastal hideaway makes it the perfect slice of paradise.  Plus, the Colony Inn offers free wifi, which makes it easy to work or attend class online in paradise!

To enjoy 10% off your stay at Colony Inn Sanibel, use code “Jillian” when you book your stay!