Sentimental Inspiration
Love BIG is one of my core values. It's part of my wiring.
My two character strategies are Industrious and Sensitive/Emotional. With some badass women in my circle, supportive mentorship, and insights gained from therapy, I've come to see my sensitivity as a superpower, rather than a flaw. Having the right guidance and putting in a bit of effort, I've harnessed it to increase my emotional intelligence. I embrace and celebrate it.
My sensitive side is drawn to sentimental pieces that I often use as inspiration to construct my look for the day.
2024 has been tough. Harder than 2020 for this family, hands down.
No details necessary, a few words alone can paint a clear enough picture: cancer, layoffs, death.
When I wear these earrings, it symbolizes hope. It symbolizes my inner strength and my resolve to run toward what I want, rather than away from what I don't want.
Speaking of badass women and channeling inner strength...
I come from a rich heritage of remarkable women, both by blood and those who were chosen as family. Wearing this necklace is a reminder of their unwavering resilience. They surely endured hardships far greater than what I encounter today. My grandmother's thimble embodies the legacy of all the incredible women who have shaped my life.
These earrings? They do more than just catch the eye—they're quite the conversation piece! Who knew?
I found them in a vintage shop on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont. While I've lived in Minnesota, North Carolina, and Tennessee, Vermont is my home, home. It's where I grew up. Each time I wear these earrings, I'm reminded of my roots and that charming slice of Vermont.
And let’s not forget—Church Street is where my husband and I enjoyed our first dinner date and where he popped the question. It’s a place filled with cherished memories and loads of BIG love.
In March 2020, as we prepared to relocate from Vermont to Tennessee, I wore these Lucchese boots (which I snagged at a fantastic sale from Sierra Trading Post) for every virtual interview and for each day we finalized the closing on our house remotely. Yes. It took us multiple days to complete the closing process for a home in another state during a pandemic. Those boots became the foundation of my outfits during that time, serving as a tangible reminder of our aspirations, speaking our intentions into the universe, and a way to manifest the future we were building together.
This leather pouch necklace from Madewell holds a quarter inside.
It serves as a reminder that while I can harness my industrious charachter strategy and determined nature, there will always be an element of my life that is influenced by the serendipity of the universe. I'm not sure that it is a 50/50 split between my hard work and universal plan that is outside of my control. I won't get hung up on the numbers.
When my stepdaughter officially moved out on her own, her first stop was to beautiful Montpelier, Vermont. What a quaint, lovely city! I picked up this necklace at a boutique during one of our visits.
After a few other stops along the way, she landed in Brooklyn. BROOKLYN! This Endless Rose jumpsuit is what I wore to the Uncle Vanya production at Lincoln Center Theater, where (thanks to my stepdaughter's ingenuity) we had the incredibly opportunity to meet Steve Carell that night!
I love this girl in the glasses BIGGEST. I don't know that I will ever be able to match her intelligence, wit, grace, strength or beauty. And, I'm certain that wearing a necklace or jumpsuit won't change that. However, I am sure that these pieces remind me of everything she represents and the exciting journey ahead of us as we continue to grow together.