One Year

Today marks the three year anniversary since I left to go to Florence, Italy to study abroad. It was the first time I left the country.

A year ago, I graduated college. It is so crazy to think how much has happened in one short year and how little I knew what was going to happen at the time. I didn't know I would spend the summer in DC and New York, then go back to Florence for five months, and then back to DC again. Now, exactly one year later, I am back in Seattle, figuring out what's next (hopefully moving!)

I've realized how important travel/study abroad/education are to me, and that is where my future career goals lie.

I still enjoy blogging, and am in the works of creating a whole new blog. :) I'll announce it here when it goes live, whenever that will be.

What's crazy is how quickly a year can go by and how little changes add up over time. You don't realize things are slowly changing, but they are, and you are too. You are slowly evolving now into the person you'll be a year from now.

Cheers to another year! (And happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!)

2013, in outfits

It's crazy that 2013 is almost over, and another year has gone by both in real life and on the blog. Going back through my outfit posts was fun to see the similarities and differences in what I wore: during and after college, for work, while traveling, or just out and about on a regular day. I also had plenty of staples that I often wore, like my Hudson skinny jeans, Chanel aviators, Ray-Ban blue aviators, khaki-colored Longchamp, and Kate Spade gold bag. It's nice to know that I've gotten plenty of use out of those pieces!

Cheers to 2014 - a whole new year, a fresh start, and rocking it in fabulous outfits! Who's with me?!

xo-ally

the past few days... [graduation/weekend]

These past few days were a blur. Graduation weekend went by so quickly. I felt like I was just going through the motions, with random bursts of emotion and then trying to "turn off" being sad at different points. But I'm very sad that college is over. College has been the best four years of my life (so far). 

Here is a photo one of the professional photographers took when I wasn't looking! Aw :(

[photo]

The ceremony was pretty long but not bad. Walking across the stage to get my diploma was really quick and came up fast in the ceremony since my name is close to the beginning alphabetically. I had lunch reservations with my family after the ceremony and because it was so crowded when we all got out, didn't get as much time after to take photos. That is one thing I really wished I had, was more photos. (And sunglasses!! I forgot to bring them, and it was a weird cloudy-but-bright day so I was squinting in a lot of the photos.)

The latest move-out date for my apartment was Monday at 1pm, so Sunday night and Monday was crazy with balancing time with friends but also time for packing. With the help of a few friends (thank goodness) I had everything cleaned and packed from my room right at 12:59. Locking my apartment door for the last time felt so surreal. I'm staying near campus for a few days with some friends in houses (so jealous their leases aren't up till June!) so I have a little time to breathe.

Saturday night instead of packing we just went to grad parties, told old stories, and played flip cup :)

Sunday night we went to Jack & Dan's to celebrate graduation, here's a pic:

Here's our apartment pre-packed! I miss it this way:

And my room after everything was moved out. So sad and empty :(

On another note, today we went to see The Great Gatsby. In my opinion, it was amazing. So incredible. I loved it. And the party scenes were so cool and over the top and just perfect. It feels like I've been waiting forever for it to come out in theaters so I was so excited and pleased with the result!

Tomorrow we'll have to figure out some things to keep us busy and not dwell on the fact that school is over forever and that we're all going separate ways soon. These past few days have definitely been "post grad depression" and there is just a certain gloomy mood over everything. Blahhh don't make me leave college. Ever.

xo-ally

PS - posting might not be as regular as usual for the next couple days since I moved out of my apartment and have little access to wifi for a few more days. I'll be back up to speed soon though!

sunny sweetheart's 2 year anniversary!

I cannot believe that today marks the 2-year anniversary of Sunny Sweetheart! I started this blog during spring break of my sophomore year of college. It took at least six months for me to begin posting regularly. It's crazy to look back at old posts and see all the changes: how my "voice" has changed, how my writing has improved, how my style has changed.

Even the 1-year anniversary of Sunny Sweetheart blew my mind away. I missed the 1-year anniversary last year by a few days, haha.... This is my very first post, from March 6, 2011. 

Looking back on my original goals....

1. Post once a day
I have a total of 484 published posts, 66 from 2013 alone (one per day this year!) Even though I do get busy, I always try to find time to blog, even if it's a short post. Unlike some of my other commitments (like going to class) blogging is something that I do just for me. There is no one telling me I have to do it. But I love to do it anyways.

2. Outfit Posts
I accomplished my original outfit post goal in 2012 by putting photos of my outfits on the blog. My 2013 goal with outfit posts was to begin incorporating .GIF outfit posts! (Check). I also set on improving my photography last year in class. I'm definitely still working on my photos and photo editing, but I know a lot more about my DSLR than I used to.

A recent .GIF outfit post

Future goals....we'll just have to  wait and see! I've learned that patience is key. I do my best to post at least once a day to keep the content fresh in addition to practicing my writing skills. There are so many things I want to add to this blog and I have a vision of where I want to take it. However, I need to remember that these positive changes happen slowly and that I can't do it all at once! I'm still a full-time student involved in so many activities outside of school, which need to come first. (Even though sometimes all I want to do is blog!)

For now....
I just started up a profile on Pose! I'm still getting used to the site, but I'd love it if you followed :)

 

I'm also on Lucky Community - still getting that set up. I made a profile ages ago but haven't had time to get into it! Here's the profile :)

And, since we're on the subject of following, I'll do some more shameless self-promotion.... here are links to my Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter, and Bloglovin'. Okay, done with that now. ;)

Whether this is your first visit or your 50th, THANK YOU so much for stopping by! I truly enjoy interacting with other bloggers and reading every single one of your lovely comments. You guys are the BEST. Really.

Cheers to two years!

xo-ally

liebster award :)

Jenna from Wearable Fun Fashion was so sweet to give me a Liebster Award! You may remember the last time I posted a Liebster Award, but I wanted to answer Jenna's questions! 

1. What is one fashion accessory you could not live without?

Probably my Michael Kors watch. I wear it almost every day, and when I don't, I always glance at an empty wrist expecting to see the time! Haha :)

2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

As much as I love traveling, I cannot imagine myself living anywhere but the good ol' USA. After living in the Pacific Northwest for 16 years I am so ready to either head back to the south or move somewhere warm and sunny like Southern California. I'll graduate college in a few months, so I could go anywhere! I just hope I get a job....

3. What age were you when you started loving fashion?

Thirteen years old. It was eighth grade, and I had just been getting into fashion magazines. I would read and re-read Seventeen, ELLEgirl, and Lucky, and just absorb the glossy, colorful pages filled with the latest trends.

My very first copy of Seventeen was the January 2005 issue with Gwen Stefani. I've kept all my Seventeen magazines from January '05 - April '10!

4. Do you watch any late-time talk shows? If so, which ones?

Not really, sometimes I watch Conan. I usually just catch up on shows or watch something on Netflix!

5. UGGS - fashion do or don't?

I'm going to have to say UGGs are a fashion don't. However, I do see how they can be warm and practical when you want a super casual boot. I have two pairs of UGGs but haven't even touched them the past two winters. Though if it reaches sub-zero temps I might have to pull them out.

6. If you could describe your style in three words, what would they be?

Girly, colorful, and classic.

7.  What puts the biggest smile on your face?

Thinking about my future goals and performing with dance team. Puppies and babies also make me smile and talk in a wittle cute voice that I just can't help!

8. What is your favorite reality TV show?

The Real Housewives of Orange County and Dance Moms. A whole lotta crazy, but so entertaining.

9. Who is your biggest role model? Why?

My older brother is very inspiring to me in too many ways to list. My Aunt Ginnie is another main role model in my life - she is so understanding, loving, and always reminds me that the most important things in life are family and life itself.

10. What do you love most about having a blog?

I love connecting with readers and other bloggers! I also like doing outfit posts and working on my photography and photo editing as well. Writing every day is another big plus because I can see my writing improve over time!

11. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?

I hope to be doing things and living somewhere that makes me happy. It sounds vague, but the "real world" hasn't hit me yet and I don't even know where I'll be after college. I hope to put my college degree to good use and have a job that I love, living somewhere sunny and warm, and spending time with positive people. (And hey, having a boyfriend wouldn't be too bad either! Haha.) We'll see!

Thank you Jenna! It was fun to answer your questions!

Also, I got a lovely surprise in my email inbox -  GJG DENIM spotted me wearing their pink denim skinnies in one of my outfit posts and posted it on their Instagram! (Click here to see a few other of my outfit posts in the pink jeans.) You can also follow them on Instagram at GJGDENIM. Yay!

xo-ally

2012 faves: outfits

I can't believe this is the last day of 2012! This year really flew by. Over the year, I have transitioned my outfit posts from inside my apartment (like this outfit or this outfit) to outside. I like outdoor backdrops better than my fluorescent-lit hallway...haha.
Here are 10 of my favorite outfits from earlier this year!

Thank you all for stopping by this blog, whether it is just one time or every day! (Also a big thank you to my friends who take these outfit photos for me! You guys are the best.) Love you all.

Here's to 2013! Have a fun day and stay safe tonight!

xo-ally

2012 faves: posts

I cannot believe 2012 is almost over. Throughout the year, I've always been like, "I can't believe it's already May!" or "I can't believe it's already October!" Now it is literally just days into the new year and I've been looking back through my posts from 2012. A separate post is coming soon on my favorite outfit posts, but here is a list of my favorite non-outfit posts from 2012!

fashion

3 bustier tops and how to wear them

wear it now, wear it later: animal print loafers

xo-ally

colored jeans for fall + messy fishtail braid

As for today's photo, it seemed like practically the whole campus decides to walk or drive by right when I decided to take it. I now have the whole awkward smile-really-fast-and-run-out-of-the-street thing down GOOD. ;)

Jacket, earrings: Nordstrom (old) Jeans: GJG Denim Flats: my mother's closet (similar) Watch: Michael Kors Sunglasses: Chanel

Since I loveeeee my ballet pink colored jeans, I wanted to wear them in a "fall" way. The weather hasn't totally switched over here in the inland northwest, so I threw on a light jacket in olive - one of my favorite neutrals - and leopard printed flats with the bright, pink jeans. Since the colored denim trend has exploded, I thought, why let the beautiful bright and pastel colored denim go to waste? 

Whether it is adding a jacket and flats or a scarf and boots, there are plenty of ways to "fall up" your spring-colored skinnies. Let me know how you plan to wear bright colored denim this fall!

xo-ally

PS - I finally made the plunge...and registered my own domain!!!!! This blog is now officially sunnysweetheart.com. I've been planning on doing this for forever, so I finally just did it this afternoon. Eek :D