Welcome to the return of the revamped Sundays at Home series. If you check out only one blog post each week, this is going to be the one to stay up on. This updated version of Sundays at Home will feature a recap of the week from the topics I covered here on the blog, to meals we’ve made as well as what I wore as an over-40 woman trying to find her style again. This updated series will also incorporate the very short-lived Sunday Scroll series which features things I’ve either purchased, added to my cart, or have my eye on from around the web. I hope you love this new and improved series. Now let’s get to it!
This Week on the Blog
After a very sporadic schedule much of this year so far, I finally get back to it this week with a mix of posts covering a few different topics which is my goal.
10 ways to save money on your wardrobe at a 40-something.
I kicked things off this week with a style post that’s all about ways to save money on your wardrobe.
Let’s face it, nearly everything is more expensive these days and as women, we are constantly feeling the pressure to keep up with the everchanging trends. I’ve struggled in recent years in general. Working from home, especially post-pandemic, I feel I’ve really lost sight of my personal style and have been starting a journey to figure that out as a woman in her 40s.
This year I’ve been adding new pieces to my wardrobe in an attempt to rebuild it, and I’ve realized that not everything has been the best investment so this is a topic you’ll be seeing a lot more of.
10 Tips for Saving Money on Your Home Decor
From fashion, we then moved into home decor and I shared some great ways to save money when decorating your home. Again, everything is so expensive these days so finding easy ways to save on our home decorating helps us continue to work toward our home decor goals while remaining affordable for our budgets.
Beach House Yard Projects and Other Ideas
There aren’t many renovation projects left at the beach house and this year has slowed considerably with everything going on with my family. Rather than work the summer away for a third year, we decided this year to focus on a couple of outdoor projects and leave the final inside projects until fall and winter. This week I shared what we’ve done so far plus provided some insight as to the plans we have to make it even better!
What to Do When the Big Projects are Done
Finally, this week I talked about a subject that I don’t see come up very often. Few people have the time or the funds to keep redoing rooms or renovating spaces from the ground up every time a new trend takes center stage.
So, what do you do when all the big projects are done at your house? Well, some choose to move and start over again but if you plan to stay put, I’m sharing some of my thoughts on this subject and a bit of my own experience.
What I Wore this Week
Be kind my friends. Years ago I thought I wanted to start a style blog, and never had the courage to go very far with it but I’ve always loved fashion, clothing, and using my creativity when it comes to getting dressed.
Working from home for so long I’ve really lost touch with my style. I’m just beginning this new phase of my journey, and I don’t really know my style, but really wanted to incorporate that into the blog without making it a big thing. We all wear clothes and many of us need help. I realize posing for the camera goes against every fiber of my being but I gotta start somewhere, right?
Why am I doing this? If I have been struggling with my own personal style, chances are there are many of you out there having the same struggle. You want to look nice but don’t know where to begin or what looks good. Let’s take this leg of the journey together, shall we?
For reference, I’m 5’5″ and wear a 14/16. I have an hourglass shape though I’m finding my waist is less defined as I get older. Also note, these photos are snapshots taken from video so the backgrounds are super blurry. I’m working on getting better photos of myself so please excuse the poor photo quality.
Monday:
Yellow Print Sun Dress (Boden), Similar Style Here and Here, Shrunken Denim Jacket, Kut from the Kloth via Stitch Fix (old), Similar here or here. Wedge Sandals – Clarks via Boscov’s, similar here and here. Canvas Tote via J Crew, Similar here.
Most of my days are spent in the studio so even when no one will see me most of the day, I still try to get dressed and prepare myself just like I would if I were going into an office.
My company’s dress code is flexible but looking put together is important to me. Through the summer months, I pretty much live in dresses. They are an instant outfit and I find them to be just as cool as wearing shorts. This particular style of dress is very flattering on my shape because it has a structured waist and then flows over my stomach and hips kind of disguising where I carry most of my weight.
Wednesday:
Utility Jumpsuit from Target (old), similar here or here. Suede open-toe slide, old. Similar here. Madewell Transport Tote (old), similar here.
I’ve had this jumpsuit for years and wore it maybe once or twice right after I bought it. I’m not sure why because it’s very flattering, gives me a waist, and accentuates my curves in a good way.
Thursday:
Denim Skirt, Talbots, Tank top via Amazon, Button Down, via Stitch Fix last year. Shoes (old), similar here or here
Lately, I’ve been really inspired by Taryn Truly. I follow her blog, TikTok and Instagram so I’m sure to see all her great style inspiration. She’s incredibly beautiful and is a constant reminder to me that beauty isn’t defined by size. This outfit was inspired by her using pieces I already had and nothing I would have put together before seeing a similar look on her. Our body types may be different, but this is a great option for my body. I love it for a quiet day in the studio or out running errands on the weekend.
On the Menu
I won’t be taking photos of every meal we eat, but if we make something interesting or eat out somewhere worth sharing, that’s what I want to do in this space.
Spicey Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
B and I have really come to love shrimp and grits and have tried it at several restaurants in DE and we essentially took turns ordering it at restaurants the entire time we were traveling down the southeast coast last fall. We’ve been testing recipes to make it at home too. This was the first time making this version and we both agree, it’s our favorite so far. Layered flavors and the fresh scallions on top give this version more depth of flavor compared to others we’ve tried. Yum!
Copycat Chic Fil A Grilled Nuggets with Pickles and Honey bar B q sauce plus a side salad
My Recent Scroll
This section is a simple version of the “Sunday Scroll” series I started. Here, I’ll round up things that caught my eye while scrolling, things I’ve been on the hunt for, or things currently in my cart. Just a fun little way to share some of what I’m currently interested in.
- I’ve been seeing versions of these adorable gingham tea towels/cloth napkins with scalloped edges popping up all over my feeds and I’m obsessed! They are so beautiful.
- I’m on the hunt for a really good sun hat this year. Something quality that is going to last more than a few wears. This one is currently in my cart. I love that it’s not super big and floppy but still protects the face.
- I’ve been wanting to find a cute and functional drink dispenser for the beach house for the summer. I don’t want anything too crazy; just simple and easy but still cute. I’m worried 3-gallons is too big but I’m really loving this simple mason jar style from Wal Mart.
- I live in dresses in the summer. They make getting dressed super easy, plus they can be just as cool as shorts but look way more put together. There are several from The Drop on Amazon that I’ve had my eye on. From The Drop – Size inclusive and available in a few colors: Smocked top sun dress so cute! The Drop cut-out midi dress, The Drop Linen Cut out dress.
What We Bought
As a compliment to my scroll, here is where I want to give you the details of what we’ve actually purchased. None of the links below are affiliates or sponsored. We bought all of these items with our own money and all comments are my own.
- Shark Freestyle Pro Cordless Bagless Upright Vacuum: I’d been wanting a vacuum for the beach house but I didn’t think it existed. I wanted something lightweight, small, and cordless with strong suction (sand and dog hair). It actually does exist. This little guy does a great job of cleaning up the cottage and is strong enough to handle the dog hair and sand. It’s also very lightweight and the swivel neck means it can maneuver into tight spaces pretty easily. My only complaint is the charging stand which has to sit on the floor and doesn’t have a way to mount on the wall.
- Ryobi 1800 PSI 1.2 GPM Cold Water Corded Electric Pressure Washer: The back of the beach house doesn’t see a lot of sunshine so the siding turns green quite often. Rather than lug our large, gas-powered pressure washer from home, I bought this little guy without consulting B. It’s easy to use and handle and has plenty of power for washing down the side of the house and taking the salt residue off the boat. Plus, its compact size makes it easy to store.
- Craftsman V20 CMCMW220P2 20 in. Battery Lawn Mower Kit (Battery & Charger): Our old mower at the beach house finally gave out but luckily we already had a pretty good idea of what we wanted. I stopped into our local Ace Hardware and brought this little guy home. It runs on 2-20V batteries and for our tiny lot, that’s more than enough. We don’t have a lot of thick grass so we don’t use it hard. We love it for this situation. It’s lightweight, folds down to store in our shed, and has plenty of charge to mow our yard (front and back). I would not however want this as our mower at home. It’s built for light duty; the wheels are plastic, and I think cutting through tall, thick grass would run the batteries down much faster. I suggest using common sense with this one but for the way we use it, it’s worth every penny.
- Kelsi Dagger Brooklyn Dover Platform Sandals: Platforms are back and you will hear no complaints from me! As someone who loves some added height without having to wear tall heels, I’m all for it. I was on the hunt for an option that was dressier than my Birkenstocks but still could be casual – just a bit more elevated. These fit the bill perfectly, and I just love the giant buckle. I ordered mine in “Honey” but they come in four other colors.
That’s it! I hope you’ve enjoyed this newly revamped version of my Sundays at Home series. Stay tuned for next Sunday’s post!
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