I always thought time would slow down once I graduated college and life was no longer marked by the passing of semesters, but it seems it has only sped up. August come and gone! Summer ending! A year ago I was just getting settled into my first real job, and now I feel like I’ve worked in my position for years, feeling very comfortable with my role and coworkers. A week from tomorrow will mark two years since my boyfriend and I went on our first date. And I’ll be turning 24 in two short months! Any and all tips to slow things down are greatly appreciated—my 20s are flying by way too quickly.
What’s New?
- I crossed off two bucket list items in August! The first was going to a new state, Wisconsin, to camp with my brother, sister-in-law, and dad. That makes 28 states that I’ve visited—somehow, there are still 22 to go (those darn East Coast states).
- The other bucket list item I crossed off was seeing Ed Sheeran in concert. He’s been one of my favorite artists since I first heard “A Team” on the radio during a road trip in 2012. He’s the only person I’ve ever really wanted to see in concert, and even though there was a painful four-hour lightning delay before he stepped on stage, he was incredible. Definitely worth the wait.
Today’s Outfit
I was recently sent this orange teddy coat for a UGC collaboration, which means I made content featuring this coat for the brand’s social media but didn’t have to post it on my own accounts. I haven’t done very many of this type of collaboration, but they’re my favorite—I get to try out new styles without having to “promote” them myself.
I sometimes pick things that are out of my comfort zone when doing collaborations since I get the products for free, but that means I don’t always love the pieces. This coat is an example of that. I really like how this outfit turned out (which is why I’m featuring it in today’s post and shared a Reel with it, even though I didn’t have to) but I don’t love the coat itself. I think it looks and feels very cheap. It’s a gorgeous color though and makes for great fall outfit inspiration.
Top Performing August Blog Posts
Favorite Outfits from August
- The teal houndstooth top on the left is from Nordstrom Rack and something that I’ve had since middle school—I remember because I used to wear it to the all-Catholic middle school dances and felt so cute, even though I wasn’t supposed to show my shoulders. I paired it with this black corduroy skirt for a night of karaoke. I’ve worn the look once before with fishnet tights, on my third date with my boyfriend, and he was sweet enough to remember the top.
- The blue gingham dress on the right is a piece I thrifted early in the summer and didn’t have a chance to wear until the very end of the season. I’m absolutely obsessed with it can’t wait to wear it again next year. I think the yellow shoes are such a fun pop of color!
What I Read
- Gone Girl—This book has been on my “To Read” list for a while now and I finally picked it up from the library. It was SO well-written. And twisted. I really enjoyed it and will probably read some of Gillian Flynn’s other novels. The only downside is that the book has made me feel very cynical, ha!
What I Watched
- “The Summer I Turned Pretty”—I finally got around to finishing this! I watched most of the first season while visiting my friend in June and binged the second season while making my cosplay for last weekend’s anime convention. It’s very cute and sappy. Definitely a cheesy teen romance but at least this show knows exactly what it is.
- Talk To Me—My boyfriend and I saw this movie in theaters on cheap Tuesday, and while it has a lot of typical horror movie tropes, I thought it was really well done for the genre. Very scary and I still try not to think about it! (It scared me so badly that when we were in the theater, my boyfriend leaned over to whisper something in my ear and that scared me. I jumped and almost fell out of my seat.)
- Gone Girl—This movie was such a good adaptation of the book. The movie made perfect sense on its own and the parts that were cut from the book were only noticeable because I had just read it. I think it had some weird choices in casting (except for Ben Affleck—he’s the perfect Nick) but otherwise I thought the movie was really good.
August Spotify Playlist
This month’s playlist is a mix of songs I heard on my camping trip a few weeks ago and Ed Sheeran songs, naturally. You can listen to the playlist here! I also discovered a new-to-me artist, Cat Burns, who opened for Ed Sheeran. She had a few songs I really liked at the concert so I added those to the playlist too.
What I’ve Been Loving Lately
- Crockpot recipes. When my grandma had to downsize last year, she gave me a lot of her cooking supplies, including a four-quart crockpot. I finally started using it for the first time recently and now love making recipes in it on Mondays and Fridays when I work from home. My favorite has been this shredded chicken to put in tacos! But I think it’ll be delicious in enchiladas too.
- Unique Simply juice flavors. Simply has always been my favorite brand for limeade and orange juice, but I recently saw that they’ve been making all sorts of more exotic juices, such as blueberry lemonade, pineapple juice, and watermelon juice. They’re all amazing plain or as mixers in mocktails/cocktails. I haven’t tried the peach flavor yet but that’s next on my list! I get my groceries at King Soopers (a Kroger brand) so be sure to check out the refrigerated juice section for these flavors.
What I’m Looking Forward to in September
- Going to Las Vegas with my boyfriend! We both have family there so I’ve visited countless times throughout my life—I consider Vegas a second home. But I’ve never really done Vegas—staying on the Strip, gambling, etc. My boyfriend and I are visiting this time purely as a vacation and I’m so excited! I’ve been brainstorming my outfits for months (are you surprised?).
- At the end of September I’ll be attending my first work conference in one of the mountain towns just outside Denver. The conference is about public health so there are lots of interesting speakers and sessions I’m looking forward to. My boyfriend will also be joining me, and we’re going to stop on our drive home to do a fall train ride in the Rockies! I’m so excited that the conference is happening at peak leaf peeping season.
This Month on Graceful Rags
- Weekly Recap #31, 2023
- July 2023 Month in Review
- Weekly Recap #32, 2023
- Weekly Recap #33, 2023
- Weekly Recap #34, 2023
- A Flirty Wedding Guest Option
What are you looking forward to in September, any big plans? My boyfriend leaves for two weeks in Japan at the end of the month (a long-delayed graduation trip—thanks, Covid) and I couldn’t be more excited for him. He’s going to have so many amazing stories and photos to share when he returns.
Anyway, hope your September has been off to a great start so far!
Miles of smiles,
Grace
White Crop Top: American Eagle, $8 ($1.14 per wear), last worn here | Orange Teddy Coat: Kirundo via Amazon, gifted by brand | Jeans: Express, $15 ($0.75 per wear), last worn here | White Sneakers: Primark, $10 ($0.63 per wear), last worn here | Retro Sunglasses: Sungait via Amazon, gifted by brand, last worn here | Maroon Circle Purse: Nordstrom Rack, $50 ($2.78 per wear), last worn here