What I’m Wearing…
* Green and white striped dress by Shy Velvet on Amazon, is a new fave! I originally bought it for Zoom calls, because it felt like business on top and party on the bottom. I wanted to be able to throw something on that I could also wear around the house without overheating in the summer and be ready for a meeting if I needed to be. I grabbed it in blue and white stripes and black and white stripes, but this one is my favorite because the fabric is a little thicker (with a sheen) and it has elastic on the back/waist, making it super comfortable. I will admit that it kind of reminds me of my Hard Rock Cafe uniform from just over 30 years ago now, but I love a uniform, and this dress has become it! HOWEVER, since purchasing it, I’ve been seeing ads on my blog for this exact dress by Lily Pulitzer and Anthropology (there’s a long/maxi version as well) and the prices are insane in comparison. I’ve linked them all below in the shopping widget 😊
* Vintage Louis Vuitton Looping MM bag that I’ve had for ages. ON THE DAILY, I’m still using my Marc Jacobs pillow bag I’ve also had for ages, because it remains my favorite, but I wanted to swap for a brown tone because of the brown shoes here.
* Leather lace-ups by Trotters from Zappos (also seen here) and gifted to me by the brand and although I haven’t worn them in ages, are so comfy, I’m not sure why. Although, by the end of the day, I did have a nice little blister on my ankle where they rubbed a little too hard.
* Gucci sunglasses (also seen here and a good closeup here) are old too, they might even be vintage now. I swear I feel like I haven’t gotten dresses in ages, and now suddenly, everything’s vintage, and I’m talking about he items I bought brand-new, now over 20 years ago. WTF? 😳
* Classic Gold M necklace from AurateNY has become a new daily wear, along with my mom’s initial necklace (story below), because they’re my initials now too 😊
OH, AND… Trevor’s harness with a handle. . . so I can pick him up whenever I need to (which is often 😊). It’s VERY HANDY for this old Frenchie. I quickly pick him up stairs and steps, into and out of the car, whenever a possible incoming dog threatens us, like I said, VERY HANDY!
I thought I’d take a little trip down memory lane and throw it all the way back to the early blogging years with this title: Completely Gratuitous Birthday Post 🎂 — IYKYK. 😊
And since we’re being gratuitous, let’s include the reason for the occasion:
This bitch 🙋🏼♀️ is 50 today!
ME 🙋🏼♀️ FIFTY. YEARS. OLD. TODAY. . . WTF?
For the record, it only feels as though maybe thirty years have passed, is this just me, or is this a universal experience at 50? My 30th birthday was actually 2 decades ago and resulted in a roller rink wedding proposal on skates. . . how fitting that I spent much of my 40’s roller skating, divorced, stressed to the max as the owner of a bar/restaurant, and into a relationship I’d end up needing an escape hatch from?
What is life, even?
After the last few years of healing OUT LOUD (cringe 😬), I’ve finally made peace with my past (well, most of it), changed my name, and am ready for my real life to start.
As I mentioned in my Instagram caption: The first 50 years were just research and character development 😎 Here’s to a new life and the first chapter of a brand-new story… because I’m just getting started ✨ (again🤷🏼♀️♊️)
I threw on my simple “M” initial necklace about a month ago and haven’t taken it off since. I love that it sits right in the hollow of my throat, lol, but recently—on the very day my name change became official—my mom handed me a little silk zipper pouch. Inside was her “AM” initial necklace for AnnMarie. Funny enough, in my mind I remembered it as just an “A,” but when I pulled it out, she explained that it could be worn facing either direction. What had always been “AM” could now also be “MA”—my new initials. I immediately teared up, put it on, and have worn it every time I’ve gotten dressed since. I don’t sleep or shower in it like I do my single “M” because it’s a bit heavier and longer, but I love that weight. I can feel it resting against my chest, and it reminds me that I carry a little piece of my mom with me everywhere I go.
NOTE: I used my front-facing camera to take this photo, so you’re seeing the necklace the same way I see it in the mirror—displaying “AM” for my mom. In real life, though, it reads “MA” … my new initials. ❤️
If you haven’t read it yet, you can click here to read about my name change.
Happy June, Lovecats!
* Find all my Style posts here
* Find all my Birthday posts here
PS: my 40th birthday (below) was the last time I was at the beach 😳
If you’re wondering why I only have one dog with me. . . 😔
