Old Navy Sale!

Right now, Old Navy is having a sale where most of the store is 40% off - I actually think it might be the whole store but I don't want to misquote it. Anyway, I found some SUPER cute things and that I wanted to share with all of you! Don't mind me obsessing over them!! (insert heart eye emoji here!)

First up is this SUPER CUTE Fit & Flare Tiered Cami lilac dress (click here). Honestly, I've never been a huge fan of purple, but I get so many compliments when I wear it so I thought why not just start wearing more purple.. Well, when I saw this cute dress, I died. I knew I had to get it. Usually I'm not a fan of the ruffles at the bottom but wearing it, it just adds a perfect design to a simple dress. It's true to size!

The denim jacket (click here) is also a fav of mine. I purchased mine a few years back and it's just amazing. You can literally pair it with almost any dress and it would work perfectly! I think having a jean jacket is a huge staple to a closet. This is true to size and the medium fit snug on me. It wasn't too tight or too loose but of course if you want to adjust, size up or down.

The Faux-Suede Knotted-Twist Slide Sandals (click here) are pretty much my new favorites because I am totally in love! They come in many many colors and are super comfy. A lot of Old Navy shoes have comfy soles now, which make them great to walk around in without your feet hurting! These are true to size!

Next up is striped dresses! There are two different ones. This first one is the Jersey Swing Dress (click here) and is only $8!!! This one (compared to the other one I will show) is more form fitting because the sleeves are hugging your arms. It's about a quarter length sleeve and super comfy! I would've bought this dress if they had talls in store, but because they don't, I ordered online! It's super comfy and perfect for those summer days. If you have a great day at the pool, this would be a good summer dress to wear after or before. The material is thin but it's not see-through. I would recommend getting your true size!

The next striped one is this Ruffle-Sleeve Tee Dress (click here). I will say that it's a little oversized so I recommend to size down! But if you like your dresses loose, then stay your regular size! It is a little thicker material than the last dress so I wouldn't recommend wearing it on 100 degree weather days, but if it's slightly cooler or if you're indoors with the AC blasting all day, then this dress would be perfect!

Next up is this green Sleeveless Jersey Swing Dress! (click here) This is like the previous (first) striped dress but just sleeveless. It's pretty thin but not see-through at all! The length for me was a little short, so I would have to get the tall size, but if you're not a tall gal, then I recommend to stick with regular. I think this would be great with a jean jacket and some flats or sandals. I didn't have any matching sandals so I didn't add them here but maybe some Espadrilles like these (click here) would look super cute with them! Or even wedges!

Next up are two shirt and pant looks! This Lightweight Flutter-Sleeve Blouse (click here) is the cutest and I totally fell in love with the color! The blouse is super lightweight, almost paper thing, but surprisingly not see-through! The ruffle sleeves are my favorite part because it gives it a little detailing. The V-neck is also a favorite because it's not too deep and very flattering!

The jeans are a new Rockstar from Old Navy. I think they have started to change their sizing because this is the second pair that I had to squeeze into for life. I totally recommend sizing up on these. Besides the sizing, they are super cute. They are the High-Rise Secret-Slim Pockets Button-Fly Rockstar Raw-Edge Ankle Jeans (click here). They are all button, no zipper (so weird, but works!) and the bottom is cut off with the sides also slit. I think it's just such a cute design! One thing Old Navy does great is make sure their jeans are not see-through and this is no exception. I love these!!

The shoes are the Metallic Faux-Leather Tubular-Strap Sandals (click here) and they totally caught my eye as I was shopping around. They come in many other colors but the metallic ones stood out to me the most. They are super comfy and true to size! Although they are metallic, they are a tad on the warmer side so you can totally wear them with warm colors - yellow, red, orange, etc.

Finally, this outfit is the same as above, except the shirt is different. The shirt is the Striped Slub-Weave Popover Tunic (click here). I am totally in love with this shirt because of the material. It's a woven material and super cozy. I think this shirt would be great with white pants or a pair of leggings. I love to wear tunics with leggings, because hello comfy is priority, but if you want to be a fancy pants, I recommend white jeans!

There you have it! Old Navy is one of my favorite places to shop because of their tall sizing and their new spring line has got me HOOKED! Hopefully this helped :)

Valentines Day Favorites

Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I thought I could share some of my favorite things! I know I'm late to the party (two days away) but I had every intention to post this earlier and that's what matters!!! Along with some outfits, I've also found some cute home decor for Valentine's Day that you can use to throw in a pop of pink or red! You can click on any picture below to see the items!

Becoming Amela

A few months ago, Michelle Obama had released her own memoir called Becoming. It has been the #1 best selling book for about 3 months now. To be honest, I didn't really know Michelle. I knew she was married to Barack and that she advocated for being healthy. I also had watched her on Ellen a few times and thought she was a pretty cool first lady. I decided I wanted to read her book, primarily because she mentions that she lets her readers know how it is living in the white house. Being someone who may never get the opportunity to, I thought it would be interesting to hear about how things went on in the white house and how it functioned internally. It's always been some sort of secret and never really portrayed in the media. Instead of purchasing the book, I went to my online library and put myself on hold for her audiobook, which was read by Michelle herself. After about 2 months, I got a notification that the book was automatically borrowed for me and I was thrilled to start reading. I got to know about her childhood and how she grew up. I learned about her going to Princeton to get a law degree. She spoke of her various jobs, including a teacher's aid, unofficial babysitter, and a lawyer. She also spoke of her marriage, Barack's campaigning, their move to the white house, her stay during the white house, and after.

To be honest, the more Michelle read about her life to me, the more I found myself that I could relate to her. No, I didn't go to Princeton, but I did get a higher education, which both of us had parents that did not. We both came from nothing and tried our best to make it in the world. She grew up on the South Side of Chicago, living in a small 1 bedroom apartment with her family. I came to America as a refugee with no money at all. As both of our lives progressed, I find that we are more alike than different. I found that through her words, I could relate to her more and how she was just another human being, not the first lady.

She talks about a time that she graduated with a law degree, became a lawyer, and then saw herself not being fulfilled with her life. I have been in the exact same situation. She had then taken a job that was a 50% pay cut but only because she wanted to explore other directions in life. She wasn't sure of what it is she wanted to do with her life and I cannot relate more. I know she is older than me and has already passed that stage in her life but being where I am and hearing her story, I know that it will all work out in the end.

Michelle talks about first meeting Barack and being curious about him. She talks about the first time they loved each other and their first kiss. She speaks so highly of him and how much he cares for her, knowing when she is upset, uncomfortable, or happy. She talks about the highs and lows of their relationship and how they always managed to work it out. I can relate on all of these points.

I think what makes Michelle relatable is that she admits that she, too, is human. She has faults, mistakes, and regrets, just like anybody else in the world. I think this would have to be the best book I have ever read (heard through audiobook) because I literally cried about 10 times, laughed here and there, and really took the time to listen and understand her life. I think the way she writes is absolutely beautiful and it has inspired me to continue to increase my vocabulary as much as I can. (I googled sooo many words!!)

This blog post wasn't about Becoming Michelle, but rather Becoming Amela. I have gone through so much in my life, but instead of focusing on my hardships, I should be celebrating my successes. Instead of wallowing in pity and despair, I should be looking at the brighter side of life. Michelle brings up the point of how children always look through a positive lens and that's how everyone should be viewing the world. They don't see it through the dark and rough times, but rather the happy moments. They never worry about moments in the future that haven't happened yet, but rather enjoy the moment they are in. I think for 2019 a goal of mine will be to become that better version of myself. I want to be happy and have faith that everything will work itself out in the end. If a door closes, I need to leave it closed and move on. I need to trust that fate will work itself out in the end.

I hope you took away something from this. If you are in a situation and frustrated, take a step back and tell yourself that everything will be okay in the end. If you feel like you've hit rock bottom, well I'm here to tell you that they only way to go from here is up. And with that, I will leave you with this..

I hope there are days when your coffee tastes like magic, your playlist makes you dance, strangers make you smile, and the night sky touches your soul. I hope you fall in love with being alive again.

H&M Haul!

I recently made some purchases at H&M online and they were less than what I expected when they came in the mail so I had to end up returning them. While I was there, I decided to shop and see if there's anything cute that I would like and boy did I liiiike it! Join me on my H&M shopping journey! I have linked everything below, you can click each picture to view the outfits I linked, or you can click 'Shop My Blog' and it will be there as well!

Click the picture above to shop this look!

Click the picture above to shop this look!

First up is this suuuuper cute snakeskin bodysuit (click here). I am OBSESSED with it!! It's actually really thick so it's perfect to wear in the chillier times. I wouldn't go as far to say it's for winter wear, but definitely a good long sleeve t-shirt. I will admit that I wasn't too sure about the weird 'V line' but honestly, it compliments sooo well and makes you looks super great! I am obsessed! This skirt is a cute faux leather mini skirt (click here) and I think the two just pair sooo beautifully. I think this would be a great outfit to wear out on a date or to go out with girlfriends. The top is true to size & I would size up one or even two for the skirt! 

Click the picture above to shop this look!

Next up is this super sparkly and cute black sequin dress (click here). It's thick and double lined material. I know usually sequin dresses are itchy but because of the double lining, this material is not itchy one bit! I love that it's long sleeve and a neutral color because you can really pair it with anything. You can pair it with a pop of color - pink or red for Valentine's Day - with some heels, lipstick, and purse, and you're good to go! I would recommend sizing up 1 number if you want more of a loose, comfortable look, otherwise, it's true to size! 

Click the picture above to shop this look!

Click the picture above to shop this look!

Next up is this suuuper cute overall dress (click here) and striped sweater combo (click here)! Striped sweaters have been totally in this season so I thought pairing it with overalls would be the cuuutest! I will say that if you want to be comfortable with a sweater, size up in the overall dress. Otherwise, if you plan on wearing a thin shirt, stay true to size! You can pair this with some cute booties or even flats to finish off the look. I think I would wear baby pink shoes, like these (click here).

Click the picture above to shop this look!

This red dress totally reminds me of Clueless (as if!!) except it's red and not yellow checkered. This pattern is totally coming back and good thing it's on sale !! The material is thick and super comfy! You can pair it with some white flats or even some black ones with a black purse. I went with one size up and it was perfect! They no longer have this pattern online, but they do have some other cute ones, like cheetah, (click here) but you can always try your local H&M to see if they have it!

Click the picture above to shop this look!

Click the picture above to shop this look!

Finally this denim dress (click here)! Since denim is also making a comeback (90s is the best generation, no argument there) this dress is perfect! You can button or unbutton as much as you want. It's super lightweight and the middle section you can tie as much or as little as you'd like. I think this is a great summer dress because of how lightweight it is. This would look cute with some white flats or even these black flats (click here).

These looks are mostly all on sale in store so if you have an H&M near you, go check them out! If not, the prices on the website are reflected pretty low. I'm hoping they will go on sale online as well.. fingers crossed!!

❤**If you want to see any of the items in the pictures that I post, you can click here or on 'Shop My Blog' at the top and see it all there!**❤