First quarter of 2024 down! I spent a couple of minutes last week reviewing my quarterly goals (which I always forget to do regularly because they live in a different part of my planner), and I’m proud to say I didn’t do too shabby. This first quarter was largely about establishing routines—getting back into a regular posting schedule, starting to exercise again, etc.—and I’m happy with the progress I made in those areas. I think my goal to read 12 books this year was a little ambitious, though, because I’ve still only managed to get through about one a month! I also didn’t finish my college scrapbook yet or gain as many followers on Instagram as I had planned, but heck, I’ve been trying to move the needle on social media for years with no luck. What’s one more quarter?
What’s New?
- I finally bought a new car! I think I said in my last monthly recap that my goal was to buy a car by the end of March, and I’m so proud of myself (and kind of surprised) that I actually made it happen. It was a lot of work over the past couple of weeks, but it feels SO good to finally be done. I first learned last June that my old car needed repairs that would cost more than the car is worth, so I’ve definitely been procrastinating… But now I’m reaping the benefits of driving a brand new car for the first time and boy, is it an upgrade! All I want to do is drive now!
- The car buying took up a lot of my free time this month, but I still managed to (mostly) keep up with a posting schedule across my various platforms—weekly recap blog posts on Sundays; Instagram posts on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; and TikToks on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. It’s a lot more posting than I’m used to and hard to maintain, but I feel like the consistency is already paying off!
Today’s Outfit
I recently received this springy yellow set for my newest collaboration with Clara Sunwoo, and I’ve been saving it to photograph in sunny Las Vegas. The mother-daughter design duo had so many cute pieces in their 2024 spring/summer collection, it was hard to choose! I have this top in a different print from last year’s collection (see here), but I love that they lowered the neckline this season—I think it makes the blouse much more versatile for layering. Can’t wait to wear it to work next.
Top Performing March Blog Posts
Top Performing Social Media Posts
- Come Thrifting with Me
- Mixing and Matching Pieces from Clara Sunwoo
- Explaining Gifts in My Cost Per Wear Spreadsheet
Favorite Outfits from March
- I actually had a hard time picking favorite outfits this month—I liked a lot of my daily looks from the past few weeks! My St. Patrick’s Day outfit was a no-brainer, though, with the fabulous fringe jacket and my cowgirl boots. I wouldn’t have thought to pair the boho green scarf blouse with this jacket if not for the holiday, but I will definitely be styling this look again.
- After some contemplation, I decided on this sweater and leather skirt combo for my second favorite outfit (I guess sticking to the green theme). I had been envisioning this outfit in my head for weeks and am glad it turned out as cute in person as I had imagined. I think I’ll pair it with different shoes next time, but I just love the chartreuse shade of the sweater!
What I Watched
- Anatomy of a Fall—My boyfriend and I both enjoyed this Oscar-nominated courtroom drama, especially because it was interesting to notice some of the differences between France’s and the U.S.’s legal systems. But I ultimately decided I wouldn’t recommend it, for reasons I won’t specify so as not to spoil it…
- Killers of the Flower Moon—This movie was painfully long (almost four hours) and felt very disjointed, making it difficult to follow. I think I might read the book instead to better understand the story and this piece of history. I left feeling a little butthurt that I wasted a whole afternoon on the movie.
- “Love is Blind” Season 6—So trashy but I feel like this season’s drama was extra entertaining, especially the reunion episode. What the heck was the deal with Trevor?? Why did he decide to participate in the reunion? I also thought it was fun that they brought back couples from past episodes.
What I Read
- The Passengers by John Marrs—The concept of this book was intriguing (most cars are fully automated/driverless and then a few vehicles get hacked) but I was disappointed with the writing and storytelling—felt farfetched in a very amateur way.
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker—This is one of those classics that was on every AP Literature reading list but that I never got around to checking off. I decided to pick it up now after hearing about a new film adaptation while watching this year’s Oscars. I historically haven’t enjoyed very many of the “classic” books I had to read in school, so I was surprised by how much I loved this one. Of course it was very sad, but I found the writing style extremely interesting—the entire novel was a series of very short letters, so there’s never any true “narrative”. Now I get why this book is considered a must-read!
March Spotify Playlist
This month’s playlist consists mostly of songs sang at the karaoke night my friend hosted a few weekends ago, so just about as eclectic as it gets! Listen here.
What I’ve Been Loving Lately
- Neck fan—My boyfriend got me this neck fan for my birthday, and I remember thinking, “Oh, that’s really thoughtful, but I don’t know when I’ll ever use it.” I was so wrong. I use it almost every day! And it’s especially great for travel, when you get all hot and agitated going through the airport or on those occasions where you board a plane that’s sweltering after sitting on the tarmac. I can’t recommend it enough (great battery life, too).
- Portable tripod—I just bought this portable tripod, and even though I’ve only used it once or twice this past weekend, it’s SO handy. It collapses into basically nothing, perfect for throwing into your backpack while traveling or even into a larger purse. I’ve been looking for a portable tripod for ages because my usual one is huge, and then I saw one of my new favorite influencers share this collapsible one. I still don’t think I’ll use it regularly when taking pics at home (it doesn’t have quite as much flexibility and isn’t as sturdy) but it’s great for vacations. I wish I had known about it ages ago!
What I’m Looking Forward to in April
- I think what I’m most excited for in April is some calm. On top of buying a car, my boyfriend’s birthday, one of my best friend’s birthdays, and my mom’s birthday are all within two days of each other (two on March 31st and one on April 1st), which always adds a lot of planning and to-do list items to the month of March. Now that the b-day wave has passed, I’m hoping for some time to relax in April.
- Speaking of birthdays, my friend is coming to spend a weekend with me this month to celebrate hers, and I’m so excited. The hard part of actually planning the weekend is done, so now we just get to enjoy!
This Month on Graceful Rags
- Come Thrifting with Me
- Weekly Recap #9, 2024
- February 2024 Month in Review
- Cutest Denver Gift Store
- Old Navy Try-On Haul
- Weekly Recap #10, 2024
- Closet Clean-Out Part 14
- Explaining Donated Clothes in My Cost Per Wear Spreadsheet
- Weekly Recap #11, 2024
- Printed Pants Outfit of the Day
- Closet Clean-Out Part 15
- Explaining Initial Prices in My Cost Per Wear Spreadsheet
- Graphic Prints with The Thrifty Six
- Date Night Outfit
- Weekly Recap #12, 2024
- Puerto Rico Travel Guide
- Puerto Rico Highlights
- Mixing and Matching Pieces from Clara Sunwoo
- Explaining Gifts in My Cost Per Wear Spreadsheet
- Dresses for Easter Brunch
I’m going to try to do a no-spend month in April, which I’ve never done before (meaning I will only spend money on necessities like groceries and gas—no eating out or any shopping). Of course, I think I will have to cheat the weekend my friend comes to visit, but otherwise I really need to cool the jets on my spending. My boyfriend and I are also doing a dry April (no alcohol), which I think will be really good for me!
What was your favorite part of March and what are you looking forward to in April? As always, thanks for stopping by the blog today.
Miles of smiles,
Grace
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