Loveliness on Valentine's Day

Hello Readers!

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day! My Valentine's Day was great! Yes, I am single, and yes I used to wear black on Valentine's Day- but this year I embraced my situation and gained a new appreciation for the abundance of love in my life. Love from God, love from my family, love from my friends- I am surrounded by love!

I've never had a real Valentine on Valentine's Day, and the occasion made me feel a bit left out of the festivities and honestly, a bit bitter. Hence the reason for donning black. I thought that by doing this, I was making a statement, rebelling against a commercialized representation of love. (Wow- I guess I was more bitter than I thought I was back then). Anyways, this year I thought "what's so bad about celebrating love?"

And so, that brings us to yesterday. I did not wear any black on Valentine's day. Instead, I wore an outfit that makes me feel lovely. Not just in an external way (although I love how the clothing looks), but also in more internal ways. The stories connected to each of these items are artifacts that remind me of the love in my life. Let me break it down:

My dress: This was my big Christmas gift last year from my parents. It was a dress out of my budget that I fell in love with when I tried it on as a whim. I don't know why (perhaps it was the stress of finals), but when I tried this dress on, I saw myself in a new way. Something about wearing this dress helped me see my potentials and made me feel beautiful. It's still difficult to articulate what this dress does to me- but after I tried it on I called my parents to tell them about this dress. I irrationally wanted this dress, and asked for it for Christmas. Every time I wear this dress, I feel the same things that I felt the first time I tried it on, and I am thankful for the way my parents understand me in ways that no one else ever has. Whether it means supporting my dreams, calling out bad decisions, or listening- my parents have always been there for me.

My cardigan: I used to work at Abercrombie & Fitch. In fact, it was my first job after college. When I accepted the job, I was flattered to be asked to work there (perhaps, an indulgence of my vanities and/or insecurities), but I thought it was a bit silly to work there for- oh, maybe the first two weeks. While working there, I was able to meet a variety of people. Maybe it's because I wear glasses, or perhaps it's because I'm a good listener- but during my time at A&F I heard a lot of people's stories. Coworker's stories, customer's stories- you name it. I don't work at A&F anymore, but I still shop there occasionally for two reasons (1) because their long sleeve tops are long enough for my arms and (2) because I like to remember the stories I heard while working at that store.

My tights: these are from Anthropologie. As you may recall from previous posts, this is my favorite store. I love how interactive the website is (customer reviews), I love the community of bloggers who gather around this store, and I love how so many different people with differing styles use their clothing, shoes, and accessories to tell their stories. Also, after a stressful week, a visit to this store always brings me a sense of peace and calm.

Yesterday was wonderful and I sincerely enjoyed celebrating the love that surrounds me. Before I go, I want to thank my friend Megan (the Queen of Scarves) for being my photog yesterday! I had so much fun on this photo shoot- thanks Meg-o!

*Also- Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Vane & Joya solid perfume brooch!

Retail Details:

Off-White Lace Dress: Plenty by Tracy Reese (purchased at Anthropologie, "Spinning Lace Dress)

Grey Jeweled Cardigan: Abercrombie & Fitch

Charcoal Patent Leather Belt: Ann Taylor

Aubergine Cable Tights: Anthropologie

Charcoal Pumps: Cole Haan

Locket: American Eagle Outfitters