NYE 2020: Casual Looks with Ada & Link-Up

Moving into 2021 is exciting.  Although I know we are clearly not finished with this way of life, I am excited by the prospect that at some point in 2021 we will be vaccinated (thank you scientists and medical specialists for working around the clock on this for the almost a year), and hopefully get to see family that don't live nearby.  Also, I want real hugs from friends and family.  Hahaha.   I want to visit my grandmothers without a mask and I want to smile at strangers at a grocery store.  Its the small things I've learned to appreciate to be honest.  BLOGGER friends the other thing I would like to do is collaborate and connect with you more with other in 2021, so if you are interested in a coloration  or have a fun idea shoot me a message here or through IG.  

Speaking of collaborations todays post is brought to you by Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood, make sure to check out her bio and outfit  link below.  We decided to feature a fairly casual NYE look because likely most of us are staying at home, it's still fun to make it a special evening.  In Bosnia, where I grew up until I was 10, NY is a big celebration and actually when we received our gifts as children.  For me it represents a fresh start and also a time to reflect on the previous year.  I love both of these things so I love celebrating on New Years Eve is important to me.  It will be just our little family and our plan is to make appetizers, play games as a family, maybe have a dance party, take out special treats and enjoy some specialty drinks for adults and children alike.  I have been saving this bottle from a trip Mr. and I took a couple of years ago, and we plan on cracking it open this year.  It seems like the perfect time to reflect and acknowledge that we live a really good life, as well as how excited we are at the prospect of 2021.  I also, always keep my tree up until after the New Year as I find it more festive and I equally love Christmas and NY for  their own perspective reasons.  

What about you, tree up or cleaned up before New Years?

My outfit today is a cozy sweater dress from my closet, you can see it styled here with some OTKB and a faux fur coat.  You can never go wrong with a sweater dress in winter and I'll be featuring another one in an upcoming post.  I love this one because in it's threads it has sparkle woven  into it somehow.  It's casual but also put together and most importantly its cozy.  I added a simple initial rose gold necklace and a pair of matching sparkle balls that I received from Santa this year, and it wouldn't be NYE without tacky dollar store party hats.  

Whatever you are doing, or not, I am wishing you a healthy, prosperous and joyful 2021. 

 

        Now make sure you check out my friend Ada's look  here  and join our link-up below!

Hi, I am Ada - a Midwest blogger from the Metropolitan Detroit area - and I have been blogging at Elegance and Mommyhood for 8 and a half years since I was pregnant with my beautiful daughter Vivian. She has grown with this blog and through all the changes I have had between different jobs, living in two continents (first in Europe and now back in USA), marriage, divorce and with my evolving and sometimes-changing style, too. That's why I named my blog "Elegance and Mommyhood because it's about good style that is affordable and looking put-together on a budget, as I raise a strong daughter as a single mother and dabble with everything that is involved with being a mom. In the last couple of years I started posting poetry on the blog too - since I have been writing poems from my tween years - and it is something I love and enjoy. So you will find some of my poetry and a dose of prose in the blog, as well. You can also follow me on Instagram and you can find me on Facebok. I would love for you to follow me and to connect together.  Thank you Bojana and Bojana's readers for having me today. Wishing you all a beautiful, blessed, healthy and happy New Year 2021! Let's leave behind a year that was tough and sad on so many levels, as we cheer and pray with hope for a new year of new beginnings and lots of joy! Welcome by. 

Shop This Post:
Sweater Dress old:  Old Navy  or R. W. & Co (only $20 right now!!!)
H & B Rose Gold Sparkle Ball Earnings 
H & B Rose Gold Initial Necklace & Charms

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Christmas Dinner: Why We are Dressing Up

It's been a hot minute since I've been here.  I know, I know, I let it slip again but I am okay with that.  The holiday season is super busy both professionally and personally, add my daughters birthday into the mix, a running challenge, doing winter photo shoots on the weekends,  and I just can't do it all.  As I've gotten older, not sure if I am wiser, but the truth is I know and can deal with NOT DOING IT ALL.  I feel significantly less  pressure to do it all, mostly because I am working so hard to remove the pressure I put on myself.  So here we are, two weeks without a post and I am here happy and with a full heart.  

The holiday season is upon us and I've been thinking a lot about being casual and embarrassing slowing down, but also having a need to feel dressed up and festive even though there is nowhere to go.  I think it's going to be a balance of those things but I've decided that for Christmas dinner, regardless that it's so small this, we are gong to dress up.  Here is the thing, Mr. and I went on a date at the beginning of December.  We hadn't gone out since August and although we are happy and content our routine was becoming this, get up, run for me, go to work, come home, change into sweat pants and a hoodie, do supper, run kids to activities/go for a walk, tidy up and get everyone ready for the next day, lay down and watch a Modern Family, sleep, REPEAT.  On weekends I just through on the sweat pants and hoodie right from the start.  You get into the rhythm and it seems fine.  BUT a rhythm and rut are so closely connected.  I finally had enough.  With no events, celebrations, gatherings, I looked down at my unshaven legs and was just OVER IT!  We decided we were going for a date night.  We got dressed up.  I shaved my legs too... and we had SO MUCH FUN!  We enjoyed a lovely meal. Great conversation.  We broke out of our daily routine and reminded ourselves of a different time, a different routine, a different version of ourselves.  It was exactly what we needed.  So, I've decided that I am going to still make a meal, I am going to take out the "fancy" dishes, and we are all still going to get dressed up for Christmas dinner.  The rest of the time we can be low key and continue to enjoy our lounge wear but for one evening we are going to do what we always do at the holiday season.  

As for the outfit, EVERYTHING is from my closet.  I am really not shopping a lot these days and my bank account is thanking me for it.  Although I have something special coming in the mail for me that I really hope is as wonderful and flattering as I've built it up in my head.  Hahaha.  I really love having some good quality pieces that I splurged on such as my H & B jewelry and this long cardigan that shimmers and glistens in the light (purchased a few years ago at Nordstrom, sorry).

What are your thoughts?  Remember there is no right way to do anything, just the right way for you and your family.  

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a beautiful and restful holiday season!

Christmas Shopping in an Oversized Blazer

 

This past weekend I ventured out with the family to the mall for the first time in a LONG time.  It was surprisingly not busy and as I chatted with the lady at the MAC store, she said that it was the slowest Black Friday she has ever worked.  I guess people in our little province are truly trying to stay at home and do their part as we battle the increase in COVID cases.  All that being said sometimes you have to go into a store to find what you need and that's just what we did.  The whole family came, and Mr. and I divided up to tackle a few odds and ends and also take our youngest from store to store so she could finish off her little shopping list.  The teenager is all done her Christmas shopping but she did join me in a couple of stores to help me out.  I think I am approximately 95% done Christmas shopping!!!!  There are now a few odds and ends such as going to a few local food stores to buy a few treats as gifts and the secret Santa at work,  but other than that I feel ready.  

Now the outfit I choose to wore was simple and casual, which is 100% why I love it.  This oversized blazer was a thrift find and I am so glad I bought it.  I am not used to wearing oversized clothing so it took a bit to get used to the look on me, but I like the change.  I've paired it up with jeans, such as these, black pants for work and heels, and next I'd like to pair it up with a simple dress or maybe a pencil skirt.  I kept the whole look simple, tucked in black top, simple silver jewelry, flat booties so I could tackle the mall, and a pop of RED lipstick because I was taking pictures without a mask and lets face it these days I rarely wear lipstick anymore because I am masked most of the day.  LOL!  Who else misses wearing lipstick?  Hahaha.

What's the next combination I should try with the oversized blazer?

Thanks for coming by to read and have a great weekend ahead!

Shop This Post:
Zara Blazer (thrifted): Old Navy (similar) 
Silver Necklace:  Etzy
Madden Girl Black Booties