And just like that, Spooky Season is upon us! I’ve hardly thought about Halloween costumes yet, but I think a fun couples costume idea would be my boyfriend dressing up as a bear and me wearing a decked-out floral dress to be the couple at the end of Midsommar. But alas, I have no capacity to make a costume this year (last year I painted my Van Gogh dress and it took hours). Another fun couples costume idea that my friend recommended would be dressing up as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, ha! Hopefully I think of something cute and simple, but for now I just have to focus on the next two weeks of travel. Time is flying!
What’s New?
- My boyfriend and I took a lil’ vacation to Las Vegas a few weekends ago. We both have family in the city and have been a million times, but I’ve never really “done” Vegas properly. We gambled, went clubbing, and ate lots of delicious food. Check out the recap and a few additional pics here!
- Right after our Vegas trip, I attended my first work conference in Keystone, Colorado, called Public Health in the Rockies. It was fascinating and such a good learning experience, both professionally and on the topic of public health (which pertains to most of my projects at work).
- I’ve been trying to make more Reels lately and have even made a TikTok account (follow me here). Both are extremely frustrating, especially with Instagram glitching all the time, but I do really enjoy making short videos. They’re just so time consuming! I’ve been using the free CapCut app to make videos and it’s such a gamechanger. Still glitchy sometimes, but far less so than Instagram and it has way more functionality. I’ve never really been interested in trying to be a full-time blogger, but making videos has made me realize I could certainly spend all my time on content creating!
Today’s Outfit
My boyfriend took these pics of me while we were in Vegas (obviously) in front of the Bellagio fountains. They were doing a lot of construction in the area, which was a bummer, and we got kicked out in the middle of the photoshoot. But no matter, I absolutely adore this pink and orange maxi dress! I bought it for $20 from TJ Maxx two days before the trip and am so glad I did. The colors are beautiful for summer as well as the fall transitional period, and I think it would make a fun wedding guest dress as well. I love my thrifted gold wedges with it.
Top Performing September Blog Posts
Favorite Outfits from September
- I wore lots of fun and dressy outfits in Vegas, but this sparkly jumpsuit (in front of the famous chandelier, no less) may have been my favorite of the glam looks.
- And from party to professional, I love this work outfit with my eggplant pants and fabulous Kate Spade handbag. I really need to photograph it for a proper blog post.
What I Watched
- “Haunting of Hill House”—My boyfriend and I rewatched this 10-episode series to kick-off Spooky Season. It’s so good, and I picked up on a lot more this time around. I don’t remember feeling so sad watching it last time, though!
- “Midnight Mass”—We also rewatched this show, which I think is terrifying. I’ve actually been having trouble sleeping lately because of it, ha. I read through some bad reviews on IMDB for this show and they said it’s incredibly boring with way too many monologues. I don’t think it’s boring—I think it’s very suspenseful—but I can see why someone might think there’s too much dialogue. “Haunting of Hill House” is definitely the best of Mike Flanagan’s spooky shows but this one is my second favorite.
- “Community”—I finally made it through this series. My boyfriend and I tend to throw it on when we’re not watching anything else because it’s easy to pick up again (not much plot). I appreciate that this show really leans into the parody aspect as the seasons go on—and there are parts I found very funny—but mostly I thought it was dumb… just not for me.
- “Sex Education” Season 4—This season is not nearly as good as the previous three. It definitely feels like they should have wrapped up the show at the end of the last season, so I’m glad it’s ending (love the first three seasons, though).
What I Read
- All the Broken Places by John Boyne—I liked this book a lot, and it was such a quick read. It’s by the same author as The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and follows the life of an elderly woman who was the daughter of a Nazi commandant during World War II. There were definitely some plot conveniences, but the story gave me a lot to contemplate and left me thinking long after turning the final page. However, writing this review made me look up the book online, and I learned that it’s very controversial for misrepresenting the Holocaust (as is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas). I just spent an hour going down an internet rabbit hole to learn more. I’ve always liked historical fiction, but I also keep in mind that it’s just that—fiction.
September Spotify Playlist
I started making these monthly Spotify playlists when I was studying abroad per my friend’s suggestion—keeping a list of songs that I heard or enjoyed throughout the month serves as a little time capsule and takes me back to that month whenever I listen to it. Even though I did a lot in September, this month’s playlist mostly consists of songs from the TV shows I’ve been watching. You can check it out here.
What I’m Looking Forward to in October
- My East Coast vacation! My mom and I are going to Philadelphia tomorrow for a few days to see Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, etc. I really thought the trip was going to get cancelled because of the government shutdown, so I stopped planning so as not to get my hopes up… But now the trip is back on, and I’m horribly unprepared. We will also be doing a few activities in Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey so I can cross off four new states!
- Right after my trip with my mom, I’m going to another work conference, this time in Indianapolis (another new state, I’m just killing it this year). I’m hoping there will be enough time for me to do a few touristy things, like going to the speedway.
- Fall activities. Since my boyfriend and I are both traveling the first half of the month, I’m not sure how much time we’ll have in the second half to go on fun fall dates—but I know we’ll at least have to visit the pumpkin patch.
This Month on Graceful Rags
- Weekly Recap #35, 2023
- August 2023 Month in Review
- Weekly Recap #36, 2023
- Cute, Overall?
- Weekly Recap #37, 2023
- Scorpio Inspired
- Weekly Recap #38, 2023
What are you looking forward to in October? Any fun plans? Somehow, September was my best performing month ever blog-wise, which is shocking considering I’ve hardly posted. As always, thank you for reading and supporting me!! It means a lot.
Miles of smiles,
Grace
Maxi Dress: TJ Maxx, $20 ($20 per wear) | Gold Wedges: Thrifted, $10 ($10 per wear), last worn here | Purse: Shop LC, gifted by brand, last worn here