1) Charlie Update
You guys. I have THE BEST dog ever. Seriously, I am just obsessed with my little Charlie. I mean, I have been since we got him, but I am extra obsessed with him lately.
He is 8.5 months old now (!! How!!!?) and has just really settled in and settled down. He was never a “terrible” puppy or anything, but he’s just so good now. We still have to keep an eye on him, of course, but the biting, chewing, getting into things, etc. has drastically diminished.
We still crate him when we’re gone (learned THAT lesson with the lamp cord fiasco…), but when we’re home, he basically has free rein now. We try to keep bedroom doors closed, since the boys aren’t great about keeping stuff picked up. But for the most part, he just hangs around between the living room, kitchen and sunroom. He loves to just sit and look out the window, or he’ll stretch out on the kitchen floor somewhere.
He is just the sweetest guy! His favorite thing is to curl up at my feet while I work, and I no longer stress about meetings and such; he’s fine. He either naps or just chills and chews on a toy.
Did I mention he is just such a love?!?! I can’t even stand it. He’s just TOO CUTE! And he loves me back with the same intensity and it’s just amazing.
Not gonna lie, it was rough for a bit. Puppies are no joke, and my life felt completely upended from October until like, ~end of January. But I feel I can pretty confidently say we are mostly out of the woods now.
He is still a lot of work! Definitely takes up a big chunk of time each day to care for him, walk him, etc. But he is so worth it. I’m smitten. 😍😍
2) Clothes/ Fashion
I’ve continued on this (very) slow journey of pondering my wardrobe and working on optimizing it a bit. I think I mentioned this before? Just was not feeling great about my clothes and wardrobe.
I’m your prime example that the fashion gurus love to talk about, the person who has “too many clothes and nothing to wear”. Okay, not exactly true- I have plenty of things to wear. But I just had/ have a lot of sort of “meh” items that I no longer love…or don’t really work with current fashion trends… etc.
Anyway, not doing anything drastic but have been trying to look at my clothes with a more discerning eye, pluck things out that shouldn’t be there, and upgrade/ replace some staples.
I spent some time during a “listen only” conference the other day sorting through my sweater shelves. I now have them organized by “longer/ more oversized= for leggings/ skinny pants” vs “shorter/more fitted= possible for wider leg pants” (see below).
I find it all overwhelming, to be honest. I’m not great with fashion stuff and it makes my head spin.
In other news, I did buy some wide leg jeans, thanks to a Facebook ad that stalked me mercilessly. Actually, I bought two of the same ones- dark and light wash. Because, yes, I am one of those people where if something is COMFORTABLE, I seize on to it and buy multiple. And these pants are a pull on style that I think can be dressed up or dressed down, yet feels like sweatpants. (Win for me. I seriously have the worst time with jeans- I am never comfortable in them. So I almost don’t care what they look like, so long as they’re comfortable. And these are.)
I don’t think this is the greatest pic, but you get the idea. Sarah suggested maybe a more fitted top, and I do agree, but… I don’t have that many “super fitted” cold weather tops at the moment. So this was close enough. (This is one issue in my closet- I have a lot of the long cardigans or sweaters, you know, the kind we wore with skinny jeans/leggings for years? Now all of a sudden we apparently need more cropped length and fitted things. So, yeah. Hmm. Problem #542 with constantly changing fashion styles…)
Truthfully, I’m not a trendsetter type and the wide leg thing feels a little “scary”… but what the heck. Might as well try something new, or at least have it in the mix.
As I learned on this fashion podcast, “style is a skill anyone can learn”. (Ehhh, I feel like that is debatable with me. 😆😅 But I’ll take her word for it.) I really enjoyed this episode about closet contentment though.
Oh, and speaking of staples/ investing in quality items: I basically did the opposite of that this week. I really wanted a tan/camel colored shorter length cardigan; with the colors I often wear, it seemed like a very useful layering item. I browsed around briefly and eyed a few very nice, quality sweaters- ones that I’m sure would have been great. But they ranged from >$150- $400 (😳😳 yes, $400 for a basic cardigan sweater! Pass.).
While I am not opposed to spending out on quality items, we’ve been spending a LOT of money lately on various things (hi, bathroom renovation…electrician…. vet bills…. travel…. kids….). So when this $23 Target version popped up in the exact color I wanted, I was like, You know what??? I’m buying it. I very rarely buy clothes from Target, but figured I’d order it and could always return it easily in person.
And guess what? It’s great! The quality seems perfectly fine, I love the color, and I think it fit the bill for the moment. Should I have invested in a “better” one? Maybe…. and maybe I will, eventually. But baby steps. 🙂
(Also, I have some Target layering tank tops (that I’ve worn to death) that I bought TEN years ago that are just now finally wearing out. So I don’t know that it’s even true that all cheaper items necessarily = crappy or low quality. My most loved and definitely most worn workout tank was also a $20 Stitch Fix item. 🤷♀️ So I think it depends?)
Welp, I had a few more “Thursday Things” on my list, but as usual, I can’t shut my trap over here. So I guess I’ll wrap up and leave the rest for another day. 🙂
Happy rainy Thursday! (If you’re in Wisconsin, where it’s raining 😉)
Daily Gratitude:
I am grateful for my Apple Watch always patiently asking me if I’ve “finished my workout”. I’d say at least 8 times out of 10 I forget to hit End Workout when I’m done. So, thanks Apple Watch, for not letting me accidentally log a 7 hour leg workout. Haha.
GRATEFUL KAE 
Ok, Doggo is on notice for where she needs to be when she is 8.5 months! I love that little girl so much but GEEEEZZZZZZZZEEEEEE…the puppy teenage months are rough. IFKYK.
I have a lot of staple/investing items from Target and other dirt cheap sources. I’ve never had a $400 cardigan so I can’t say for sure, but I feel like I wouldn’t get the same sense of satisfaction or the same lifespan;-)
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Well, I am sure it’s just like with humans- all puppies/dogs probably operate on their own personal timeline! So don’t despair if Doggo is not in an exact certain place at 8.5 months 🙂 Charlie definitely still has his moments too, but he’s just “generally” much, much easier now overall!
And I’m also not claiming this Target cardigan is the world’s finest, but TBH it seems quite nice for the price! And yeah- a $400 cardigan is 17x the price I paid…I have a hard time believing it is 17x nicer, or that I would get 17x more satisfaction from that one. haha! 😉
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Charlie is so cute! Very glad you seem to be on the other side of the puppy madness.
I am a sucker for fast fashion, but have been realizing that I would like to invest in more classic, quality items. But it’s hard to know where to begin. Especially since I am not the size I want to be, you know? It feels very easy to buy a pair of $30 jeans rather than invest in something more expensive that might not fit in six months.
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YES on the clothes thing. I mean, I totally get the idea of investing in pieces that will last a long time, and I think that would work for me for shirts, but I’m very leery on pants. Those can really fluctuate! And if they are even a little off size wise it can be a big deal. So to spend so much on something that may or may not fit long term is a little scary. Also, I am thinking about the fashion changes, too- like I mentioned, I used to wear a lot of the longer cardigans/ skinny pants style. Well, what if all of those cardigans I had bought were $400 cardigans?! I would be seriously ticked to find those are no longer really in style….. Anyway, it’s complicated. I tend to shop more in the mid-range, personally. Like $90-100 for jeans/pants feels ok to me and is probably my preference, but I’m not opposed to mixing in cheaper items, or potentially more expensive ones, too.
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Charlie’s antics had me smiling ear to ear – what a character! It’s heartwarming to see him grow and settle down after the puppy frenzy. Your musings on fashion really struck a chord with me. Like you, I’m contemplating a shift towards more timeless, quality pieces. It’s a daunting step, especially when sizes fluctuate. Perhaps we could start a conversation on how to approach this transition thoughtfully, without breaking the bank or our hearts if our favorite jeans no longer fit.
Take care,
Maria Positiva
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Yes, daunting is a good way to describe it. I also struggle with wanting something “now”, or right when I need it. (Hence the cheap Target sweater- I basically wanted something ASAP and didn’t want to make a big production over finding it.) Also, I find it challenging from a financial perspective- it’s not always easy to buy lots of the more expensive items all at once, assuming you don’t want to go drop thousands of dollars on clothes at all the same time. I think the “buy quality investment pieces” works if you can buy pieces slowly, little by little. But sometimes I sort of feel like, ok, but I want things that work together NOW! Haha.
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Charlie is definitely very cute and I can tell how much you love him and how happy he makes you. I believe pet is the most loyal friend. we will get another cat after when come back from Paris.
You have soooo much clothes!!! hahahha…. I feel like as we age, we prefer more colors than gray/black? when we move to a colder city, i’ll have to do a lot of shopping! I don’t even remember what winter cloth I have after 7+ years living in tropical countries.
Love your “cheap” sweater, looks chic and fits very well on you. who wants to spend $$$$$ in one item.
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Exciting! Another cat?! Wow! Definitely would make it way easier if I only needed clothes for one season. It’s kind of annoying to have to deal with multiple seasons, but I also do enjoy mixing things up, too.
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Gosh Charlie is soooo cute! I am glad that you are past the intense puppy stage and can enjoy a more chill dog that likes to play or nap at your feet!
Fashion is so tough. As you know, I just bought a pair of skinny jeans. I can’t embrace the wide leg trend but I can see the appeal – especially from a comfort perspective! I just went through my closet recently after listening to a 10 things to tell your episode about clothes/style. Now it is super paired down and only reflects what I usually wear, which is mostly dresses. That said – today when I went through security at the airport, I was asked TWICE if I was a member of the flight crew…. So I guess I am rocking the flight attendant look in my simple black dress. Ha.
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Hahaha that is so funny about looking like a flight attendant!! 😅 I can envision you in those black dresses you wear and I can sort of see how they look “professional” in a similar style to the flight crew. lol. (I always think the flight attendants look very nice though, so that’s a good thing?) What kind of shoes do you wear with those in the winter? I know you are a Rothy’s fan for your skinny pants, but with the dresses do you wear tights?
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I wear tights and Rothy’s! I would look a bit more polished if I wore heels but I sometimes have to walk miles in the course of a day so have accepted that I will wear boring rothy flats! :)?
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I’m with you on the challenge of wanting to update my wardrobe when not very style minded! That target cardigan is really nice. I’ve definitely had “nicer” pieces fall apart pretty quickly, so price does not always guarantee their quality.
And yes my wardrobe is full of long cardigans that go well with skinny jeans! Definitely a process to update, or if we wait another decade maybe it will all come back into style again haha!
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Haha, exactly! I actually have a few pieces that I had stored in my basement extra closet that I was going to get rid of, like this super fitted turtleneck top. It never looked right with skinny jeans because it was just too fitted- but now it is right with the more relaxed or wider leg jeans! So I’m glad I kept it. Same with some other tops that I dug around and found. Now it’s making me hesitant to just get rid of those long cardigans, for the same reason. Like, should I just store them and wait, since probably eventually it will cycle back around again???
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AWWWW!!!! I love the Charlie update! I know you loved him to death as soon as you got him, even with all the challenges. So now that things have settled down you must be in heaven. And he really is the cutest dog ever.
I really need someone to come help me with clothes. I haven’t bought anything new in ages- so the good news is I’m saving money- but the bad news is I have nothing to wear, other than the same few things that I wear OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Maybe I need to listen to that podcast you mentioned. And yes- I would much rather spend $23 than $400 for a cardigan!!! It looks really good on you. Maybe I need to go shop at Target.
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Yeah, clothes are so complicated I feel! At least you have a uniform for work, and the rest of the time you seem to wear a lot of exercise clothes! I’m similar where when I WFH I tend to just wear leggings and a top, or gym clothes…but then when I do actually go out places now I have to think about what I should wear. haha. I also always feel like I want to make sure I HAVE “dress” clothes for if I need them, but I really don’t need them too often, so it’s hard to keep that front of mind since I just don’t have a ton of dressy occasions anymore. I did buy several dress pants this past year so I feel like at least I have a few things available if I need to wear dress pants.
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Yes, puppies grow up into GOOD DOGS! It’s the best. (Although Hannah has been very stubborn about training in the last couple of days and I am realizing that even Good Girls and Boys have their stubborn days.)
I have clothes from Old Navy and Target that I’ve owned for years and years, so if you pick the right pieces and take care of them, you’ll have them for a long time. My big gripes with fast fashion are that it’s hard to tell what’s fast fashion and what’s not. So, for example, your $23 sweater is, but what about a $400 sweater? Is that a company that uses sustainable resources? Do they have humane conditions for their workers and pay a living wage? Do they have good environmental practices? If I knew the answer to those questions was yes, I would pay the $400 for a sweater that will last me years. But if I don’t know the answer or some of the answers are no, I might as well pay $23. And it’s hard to find the answer. (Boden *cough* *cough*)
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Oh yes, I fully expect Stubborn Days forever, and Charlie still has a long way to go before I would say he’s “super awesomely trained”. It’s been tough in that regard because he’s had stomach issues (long story, but after that GI thing a few weeks back, he was on meds for a bit and then the vet had us switch food to a sensitive stomach version- knock on wood but he’s been MUCH better now that he’s fully transitioned off of the previous food (which contained chicken). BUT, as a result, we’ve also had to super limit his foods to literally just his kibble. His old kibble he seemed to love, and we could use at as “treats”. The new kibble is like bigger and crunchier so it’s not as great as a treat. He likes it for his meals (provided I moisten it first), but it doesn’t seem to be as good as a training treat. So…. that makes it kinda hard to train a puppy! Fortunately he has most of the basics down, but he definitely has more he could learn… I’ve just been sort of pausing on some of it while we sorted out this stomach stuff, but am hopeful eventually we can add some sort of treat and/or other food that could act as a treat into the mix.
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I’m so glad to hear the puppy update. Ours is 4 months right now, and I’ve cried more in the last week than I have in years. The biting is just never-ending! He’s a border collie mix, so I’m afraid we’re never going to make it to the “chill dog” stage, but I will hold out hope!
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Awwwww, I HEAR YOU!!! I was so overwhelmed for a while there. I mean, I absolutely love our dog. But he was a surprise for me (awesome, but also- I was not mentally prepared at all!). We also just had a lot going on in that season…the whole thing was overwhelming. And the biting/ constant nature of puppies is just so much to deal with. I felt like some of it was never ending too! But somehow most of it has, sort of before my eyes. All I can say is hang in there!!
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So nice to hear about Charlie! He is just a stud. Fashion….. I love it and hate it. Engie just wrote a wonderful post on her uniforms. As well as Tobia from Germany – had a closet edit post. I am yet to do a post on my things. I have a small closet with few things in it. I do have a uniform for work – a top and a bottom. A top in colder months is usually a sweater and bottom is pointe pant. In warmer weather – it’s a blouse and same pointe pants 🙂
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Yes, I saw those posts too! Great ones! I love the uniform idea. At home mine is mostly black leggings and a top, on the weekend usually exercise clothes or sweats/joggers! My bigger struggle is when I need to go out places where I can’t be in my preferred casual/comfy clothes. I do have a lot of clothes but just can get overwhelmed with what to choose, and have had trouble finding certain staples (like pants/jeans) over the years that I really love and work in all situations.
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Sounds like Charlie is a great pup! Glad puppy training is going well. I love trendy clothes, but want to invest in quality pieces too. I also write about womens-clothings, you can check out my blog for more fashion updates
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It’s amazing to get out of the puppy stage and into the “Oh, this is a really cool dog that loves me more than anything and I get to keep forever!!” I love that you’re finally there with your doggo! He’s such a cutie.
I am forever trying to figure out my fashion style, and I just cannot get on board with what is considered “fashionable” these days. Give me my skinny jeans and basic tees or give me death!
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Love the jeans! (But… no link? :>)
Also, totally get this. I want to not have as many clothes as I do. And I know that there are things I’m hanging on to just to… hang on to them (I’m looking at you, sweater-that-I-say-I’ll-wear-but-never-do…). I do the same thing, too – Target and Old Navy are my go-to’s (mostly ON, their small sizes fit me well) but I also hit up Agrace and sometimes (SOMETIMES) find things there. 🙂
Also Charlie… awww… ❤
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Awww, love the puppy photos. Charlie is such a doll. I am glad things are settling down with him.
And I agree about the Target/cheaper clothing… it really depends, not everything wears out quickly. I have some tank tops (that I wear underneath) from Forever21 (remember that store) that are probably 15 years old… and they’re still great and miraculously never lost form. So yeah, sometimes you gotta give things a chance… and your new cardigan looks lovely.
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Great post! Thanks for sharing
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