November is always one of my favorite months of the year (because of my birthday, duh) and this year was no exception. It’s hard to believe I’ve already made it another trip around the sun… 23 in all! Sheesh, how did that happen?! I started Graceful Rags when I was just 16, to put it into perspective. And the other day somebody asked me about an event in my life to which I responded, “Yah, that happened almost two decades ago.” Decades. Funny that I can even say that. I haven’t dreaded getting older just yet… In fact, I think I have really been thriving in adulthood. I always used to fantasize in college about the days when I wouldn’t have homework anymore and would be able to go do fun things after work. And now I’ve been doing just that—post-grad life has turned out to be everything I ever imagined!!
What’s New?
- November was such a busy month filled with birthday festivities! My aunt took me to the Bridgerton Ball, my parents took me to Colorado Springs for a weekend, and my brother and sister-in-law got me tickets to Denver Fashion Week. I certainly felt all the love and stretched the celebrations to last all month long, just how I like it.
- I also spent my first Thanksgiving away from home, with my boyfriend’s family in Las Vegas. It was so much fun, but I also missed my own family a lot. It felt like a milestone of adulthood to not go home for a major holiday… This is now the longest I’ve gone without visiting Boise, but I’ll be heading back this Sunday for two weeks. I can’t wait!!
- Work is finally in full swing. For several months I still felt like the newbie, slowly being introduced to projects and whatnot, but now my schedule is jam-packed almost every day. I love having so much to do and feeling like I’m finally contributing to our small team. It’s exciting to like my job as much as I do!
Top Performing November Blog Posts
Favorite Outfits from November
- Of course I had to include my Bridgerton look as one of my favorite outfits from the month… It’s not every day you get to dress up like a Regency-era socialite! And I had been dying to wear this pretty purple dress again—I’ve only worn it once before for my senior prom, so the cost per wear was in dire need of a reduction.
- I also really loved this fall outfit with the olive green bodysuit, salmon colored cardigan, and brown accessories. I wore it to brunch with the girls first and then again during Thanksgiving weekend.
What I Watched
- Last Night in SoHo—This thriller takes place in 1960s London and follows a small-town girl who is haunted by the past and struggling to make her way in fashion school. Naturally, I loved the fashion aspects, and it really put me on a kick for the 60s—I’ve been dying to get my hands on some mod dresses and have been listening to classic songs from the decade left and right! It wasn’t a perfect film, but I really enjoyed it and have still been thinking about it a lot.
- Before I Wake—This is a horror film by Mike Flannigan, the writer and director of the show “The Haunting of Hill House”, among others. I would say this was just so-so in terms of scary movies, but it was very well realized… I love when movies end and everything makes sense, like they’re wrapped up in a neat little bow. I feel like that’s pretty unusual for horror films, so I give Before I Wake credit for that.
- “Bly Manor”—Speaking of Mike Flannigan, I finally got around to watching this series. While I liked the characters a lot, I didn’t enjoy this story nearly as much as “Haunting of Hill House” or “Midnight Mass”. It just wasn’t as clean in terms of the storytelling, in my opinion. But I still enjoyed it (and absolutely loved episode 5).
- “Love is Blind” Season 3—Yes yes, I had to watch a little trash TV too… lots of drama this season, and for once I had very strong opinions about the participants. I don’t want to be attacked on the internet though, so I think I’ll leave those thoughts to myself…
- “The Crown” Season 5—I was so excited to watch this season! I really enjoyed the exploration of the queen’s struggle to adjust to the modernizing world around her. I was a little surprised (and disappointed) about where the season ended in the timeline, but I suppose that’s what season 6 is for.
What I Read
Another month of not really reading… I finished What Lies Between Us by John Marrs early in the month and quite enjoyed the thriller. While it was a little farfetched, I liked all the twists and turns and how dark it was—it left me feeling oddly… dirty, which I guess I kind of like in a book. I plan on reading more of his work in the future. Otherwise, I started reading a Stephen King novel but have hardly made any progress yet.
November Spotify Playlist
As always, my Spotify playlist is an odd selection of music—I’ve got some 60s songs inspired by Last Night in SoHo, oldie Ed Sheeran (because I listened to the + album while my parents were in town), lots of James Arthur (because I asked for two of his CDs for my b-day), and a handful of country songs from the newest season of “Yellowstone”. You can listen here!
What I’ve Been Loving Lately
- Daisy Eau So Fresh perfume by Marc Jacobs. I have been growing quite the collection of scents over the last few years, and I have a tiny bottle of this that I take on all my travels. I love the light, floral smell!
- The Magic Eraser function on my Google Pixel 6. Unfortunately, I haven’t been that impressed with the camera of my new phone, aside from the Magic Eraser function—this is the coolest thing ever and something that the iPhone doesn’t have. It works just like the commercials… the software can super easily “erase” people and ugly objects from the background of your photos! I use it ALL the time now.
- Chai tea. My friend got me hooked on putting milk and ice in the Tazo chai tea from the grocery store and now I love it as a morning treat on the weekends.
What I’m Looking Forward to in December
- Had I written this post a week and a half ago like I was supposed to, I would have said going to Nashville, ha! But that’s already come and gone… Next on my list in terms of excitement is going home to Boise this Sunday. I can’t wait to spend so much time with my family and celebrate the holidays. I also get the week between Christmas and New Year’s off work, which is SO nice! Especially since it means I don’t have to spend any vacation days.
- I can’t believe Christmas is so soon, but I really need to start getting excited for it before it comes and goes without my realizing it. I’m not sure that my family has any big plans for the holiday… but I think we will probably do some fun festive activities, like decorating a gingerbread house or driving around to see the neighborhood Christmas lights.
- I’m also looking forward to spending New Year’s Eve with my boyfriend—I’ve never spent the holiday away from my family! I fly back to Denver on the 30th so I can be in town for the start of 2023, and while we don’t have solidified plans yet, I’m already brainstorming the perfect outfit…
This Month on Graceful Rags
- October 2022 Month in Review
- Weekly Recap #44, 2022
- Weekly Recap #45, 2022
- What to Wear to the Bridgerton Ball
- Weekly Recap #46, 2022
- A ‘Night Out’ Look with The Thrifty Six
- Weekly Recap #47, 2022
These photos were taken on the Pedestrian Bridge in Nashville last week and turned out super cute! I realized I have taken a flight every weekend for the past three weekends and will keep that streak going for a fourth come Sunday. As much as I love to travel, I’m really looking forward to a calmer January and more lazy days spent at home.
As always, thanks for reading today’s post! What are you looking forward to in December?
Miles of smiles,
Grace
Beige Sweater: Nordstrom Rack, $18 ($0.36 per wear), last worn here | Ripped Straight Leg Jeans: Express, $15 ($2.14 per wear), last worn here | White Sneakers: Primark, $10 ($0.77 per wear) | Maroon Scarf: H&M, $12 ($0.60 per wear), last worn here | Brown Purse: Gift, Portland Leather Co.