Blogging Highlights + My Favorite Outfits of 2022!

2022 was a highlight of my blogging years!! I got featured by Starbucks (!!!), collaborated with some super great brands, and went on my first-ever international trip to Canada as a blogger (I have been fortunate enough to travel abroad pre-blogging years, too!). One of my favorite parts of blogging is getting to share different outfits throughout the year. My closet is my most prized possession and will likely remain that way for many more years to come (Carrie Bradshaw feels anyone?!). Today, I am going to share my blogging highlights and favorite outfits of this past year!

To read about my blogging experiences from 2021, look no further than here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2021/12/28/my-blogging-highlights-of-2021-favorite-outfit-from-each-month/

Blogging Highlights of 2022

  • January – Celebrating 2 years as a blogger at Potomac Point Winery with Papa and a custom baked cake!
  • January/February – Collaborating with iconic eco-friendly shoe brand VIVAIA & the super popular Amazon seller and fashion brand Exlura
  • March – Getting my content reshared by Starbucks (!!!!!)
  • March/April – Shooting SO MUCH content and getting to see the cherry blossoms at the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC
  • April – Shooting more Instagram Reels and enjoying it!
  • April – Putting together my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall!!
  • April – Attending my first-ever STEM For Her Elevate Her Gala to empower and fundraise for the next generation of women in STEM
  • July – My Aunt Amy got a pink Jeep and I got to snap several photos in front of it!
  • August – Taking a week off of work to go to Maine and Canada with Papa and my dog Rosie
  • August – Visiting the iconic Biltmore mansion in Asheville, North Carolina with my best friend Alanna
  • September – Getting to shop at and meet my friends through this platform at Pink – Greenville, North Carolina’s Lilly Pulitzer Signature store!
  • November – Working with the super adorable preppy fashion shop – Shop Navy Bleu!
  • December – Being the social media point of contact for STEM For Her Day – a day to bring together girls in STEM to learn more about careers in STEM from local Washington, DC area high schools – and getting to meet some pretty iconioc figures in STEM!
  • December – Becoming friends in real life with Stephanie of @slythestylist!

My Favorite Outfits of 2022

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

I feel SO lucky through it all to be able have so many opportunities brought to me via this incredible blog of mine. Most of all, I thank YOU for being here and supporting me through it all. Thank YOU for each being apart of my life and this amazing platform of mine. Here’s to making more content and memories together in 2023!

Happy New Year!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

A Thrifted Pink Lace Dress

I’m gonna pop some cash *cues Macklemore!!* is my motto WHENEVER I go to the thrift store. I have recently become OBSESSED with thrifting and have shared a lot of my finds on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!). Back in November, I found the most adorable pink lace dress from a boutique brand called Mad For Love at my local 2nd Ave thrift store and have *finally* gotten to sharing it here on the blog!

So, flashback to this past May and I was planning to go to a Jessie James Decker concert in Washington, DC with my best friend Shivani. It was the day of the concert and I had JUST gotten home from a quick weekend getaway to Raleigh, North Carolina for my best friend Hannah’s college graduation. I had gotten home, and, well, my body had other plans: I had gotten a REALLY REALLY bad ear infection when I got back and spent the entire afternoon upon my arrival home from Raleigh in bed. I called Shivani and that was that. I wish I could’ve gone, too, as I was planning to wear this exact pink lace dress. My time to wear it had to wait.

And, flash forward to this month aka July and I *finally* decide to wear my thrifted pink lace dress – for a dinner out celebrating my Aunt Amy’s birthday *AND* with a ride in her pink jeep (follow her Jeep on Instagram @apinkjeep). It was SO MUCH FUN getting to finally wear this adorable thrifted find of mine out and about.

I decided to style it with my pineapple-flamingo mismatched Jack Rogers sandals that I scored on clearance, my J Crew statement necklace, and my glitter Kate Spade wallet. Other ways that I would LOVE to style this thrifted pink lace dress is with a denim jacket or blazer for work and flats, heels and statement earrings for a night out on the town, or even a pair of sandals and pearls and maybe even a trench coat (depending on the weather) for brunch.

There are SO many ways to style this gorgeous pink lace dress of mine and I cannot wait to style it more in the coming months/years!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

Stripes for Summer!

Polka dots, florals, and stripes – OH MY! If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE prints. As a self-proclaimed “colorful preppy girl”, one of my favorite prints is none other than stripes. I have always been a sucker for stripes, as they are a classic preppy staple that can be worn for many many years and even *yes, even* decades to come.

So, a fun fact about me is that one of my top five Clifton Strengths is *drum roll please* Futuristic. I have ALWAYS been a planner. And, being a planner is a BIG part of how I execute everything here on the blog but also in my work life, personal life, and even with my closet. Yes, I usually shop for Spring/Summer clothing in the Fall/Winter and Fall/Winter clothing in the Spring/Summer, respectively.

One of the pieces that I purchased during my Spring/Summer clothing shopping sprees was the pink striped shift from Sail to Sable that I thrifted off of ThredUp. I got it for under $15, if I can recall. This pink striped shift is a PERFECT preppy piece for Spring/Summer months as well as the Fall/Winter months when styled with boots/flats and a blazer/chunky knit cardigan. ALSO, it can be styled nicely with a sweater/pullover on top of it for that Coastal Grandma vibe that I am seeing EVERYWHERE on Instagram and LTK, either for the beach or for some errands to make them much cuter.

With it being Summer currently and wayyyy too hot for even a denim jacket to style with, I opted to style my striped shift with: my Jack Rogers mismatched pineapple and flamingo sandals that I scored during one of their clearance events back in April, my favorite and well-loved customized Barrington Gifts St. Anne unzippered tote, my beaded Cora’s Den monogrammed necklace I got on clearance, and my recently purchased at the Delaware Beaches Lilly Pulitzer top knot pearled headband. This outfit was super fun to wear and I LOVED getting to add a sweet summer twist to my striped shift.

Personally, I own *QUITE* a bit of striped shift dresses, specifically from Sail to Sable each, of which I have thrifted for under $15 each off of ThredUp. I also have a thrifted J. McLaughlin shift that I found at my local 2nd Ave thrift store, a TJ Maxx sale Southern Tide shift, and a Tommy Hilfiger striped shift outlet find from back in 2013 that I STILL own, all of which I LOVE. I find them PERFECT for all seasons when styled accordingly. At the same time, striped shifts can be great for work, too, as they have an element of professionalism within them. All in all, striped shifts make for an excellent wardrobe staple!

Striped shift dresses and stripes in general are great for all seasons. I really enjoyed getting to add a summer twist to my Sail to Sable pink striped shift. It was super comfortable, light, and easy to wear on a hot and humid Washington, DC area day. Here’s to many more summers in stripes!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

A Summer in Lilly Pulitzer Workwear Look

If you’re a big Lilly Pulitzer fan (like myself!!), then you probably know that Lilly Pulitzer has its own unique #SummerInLilly across its social media channels. Many Lilly Pulitzer lovers – like myself! (follow me @_thepinkchickadee on Instagram) – love to show off their #SummerInLilly ALL across social media. Lilly Pulitzer is typically seen as a resort luxury fashion brand. I mean, the fashion house was founded in Palm Beach, Florida! BUT, there is so much more that Lilly Pulitzer can be styled for besides a nice outfit for vacation or a night out in the summer. Here, I am going to be sharing a summer in Lilly Pulitzer workwear look!

For similar content, look no further than these blog posts:

SO, you may be thinking: Lilly Pulitzer AND work do not seem like a worthy combination. BUT, IT IS! Flash back to when I was in college and I was known as “the Lilly [Pulitzer] girl” amongst my classmates and across my college campus. At the same time, many of us were talking about internships and professional events that we went to. I LOVED and still love Lilly Pulitzer and wanted to incorporate it into my everyday wardrobe, including *yes* my workwear wardrobe when I was working 9 to 5 like I do now. Many of my friends would disagree with me on the idea that Lilly Pulitzer can be worn for work and tried to sway me to look elsewhere and to other brands for workwear. While that can be true in some regards for workwear and specific work events and meetings and days, it isn’t the case all the time, especially for my work from home life and the casual more so open-ended dress code that my company has for when we do go in person. However, in my college years, I was fearful that I would have to let go of my love for Lilly Pulitzer in the work space.

Although I was nervous that I would have to dress in any brand BUT Lilly Pulitzer for work, that was ONLY just a fear of mine. It happened to be that many Lilly Pulitzer pieces can be worn in the workplace if styled accordingly. One of my favorite fellow influencers and friends of mine on Instagram for styling Lilly Pulitzer and well in general is Julie of @julies_colorful_life on the gram (definitely go check her out!!). Julie is the QUEEN of styling bright, colorful, and preppy work looks on Instagram, many of which include none other than Lilly Pulitzer. Many of Julie’s work looks with Lilly Pulitzer involve gorgeous cardigans, jackets, Sarah Flint shoes, and classic totes from brands like Louis Vuitton and Longchamp. Julie ALWAYS looks so adorable in her work looks and has inspired me and made me realize that I could do just the same for my work wardrobe, too. The office does not have to be a neutral-only place, like many think!

Funny story: so, I went to a work event back in early April and I was 1/2 folks dressed in bright color out of the ENTIRE conference room. The other one was my fellow work friend Katherine and we were SO proud of our fun, colorful looks and we OWNED it! One of my fellow coworkers who had just met me immediately was obsessed with my look and exclaimed “you look like Elle Woods!!” aka the BEST compliment yet and she was given immediate bestie status – LOL! The bottom line of this story is to BE YOU and wear what YOU WANT – though, within reason – for the office. Usually, most will be happy you did and you will be too!

So, for my outfit, I stuck to some pieces that I either thrifted or purchased during the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale back in September 2021 aka my Lilly Pulitzer pineapple midi dress. As for the headband aka the exception to where all pieces were purchased along with my tote, I got it from Spartina 449 via a FabFitFun Edit Sale. My tote was customized via my alma mater Meredith College’s Alumnae Marketplace – the Meredith Market – around Christmas time. It is LL Bean! Meanwhile, my thrifted finds include my hot pink Tommy Hilfiger cardigan and my Valentino rock stud flats dupes from the Mix No5 brand sold at DSW currently. I got the flats for a whopping $1 at Philly Aids Thrift – which donates all proceeds to LGBTQ+ nonprofits – in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania while with my best friend Violet last September. The pearl necklace was given to me by my Mom.

So, remember that YOU can wear Lilly Pulitzer for workwear!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee1 Comment

So I Bought the Hill House Nap Dress

About a month ago on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared about my purchase of the Hill House Nap Dress. I fell in love with the Hill House Nap Dress watching my blogger friend Talia of Dresses & Democracy rave about her HUGE collection of Hill House Nap Dresses as well as Jamie of Miss Maximalist with her several Instagram Reels showcasing her vast Hill House Nap Dress collection. So, when my Birthday came around, I caved in and purchased my own Hill House Nap Dress and *FINALLY* joined Nap Dress Nation.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

When I bought my first-ever Hill House Nap Dress, I literally was SO nervous to wear it. Not because I was fearful of ruining it on accident, but finding the perfect place to wear my Nap Dress to. Well, on an outing to a local vineyard near me – The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville, Virginia – I *FINALLY* decided to proclaim my Nap Dress Nation support and wear my Hill House Nap Dress! Shop my exact Hill House Nap Dress here: https://rstyle.me/+MKZjLqE2uQhoik0dFaDfOQ

Hill House has several different Nap Dress styles, ranging from the Athena, to the Ellie, and even the Caroline. I ended up going with the Ellie Nap Dress (as pictured in this post), since I loved this style the most. Initially, I was hesitant to purchase the Ellie Nap Dress, as I am a petite 5’2, but luckily for myself, the Ellie Nap dress fits perfectly like a glove as if it were a maxi dress on me. A little side note: most midi dresses in regular sizes fit like a maxi on my petite figure, and the Ellie Nap Dress is no different. I ordered my Ellie Nap Dress in a size Large, my typical dress size, and it worked well for me. I could wear a bra without it showing my bra straps either, which was something I was hesitant of when first putting it on. Overall, for the fit of the Ellie Nap Dress, it fit me like a glove!

To me, my Hill House Nap Dress is PERFECT! It felt as if I was Cinderella searching for her missing magical glass slipper which only fit her feet that her Prince Charming awaitedly found for her, but a dress edition and minus the Prince Charming. It seriously fit like a glove. I love love love this dress!!! And, even *yes even* in the summer time, it kept me cool due to its light but firm cotton fabric being able to keep me comfortable and cool throughout the sticky, humid Washington, DC area days. I can seriously see why so many people LOVE the Hill House Nap Dress and why Nap Dress Nation is such an esteemed place to be.

As for purchasing a Hill House Nap Dress, they can be bought on Hill House’s website. All Nap Dresses in all styles retail for around $120-$300 each. The pieces are classic and timeless, yet come at a hefty price tag (which stemmed my initial hesitation to purchase one). I do intend to purchase another Hill House Nap Dress in the future, but plan to wait since I have SO many summer dresses that I yet have to wear. Before purchasing my first-ever Hill House Nap Dress, I enjoyed many many many Nap Dress dupes, including this one from Old Navy that I spill ALL the tea on here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/04/21/the-hill-house-nap-dress-dupe-that-i-love/#/

In the meantime, I have linked some of my favorite Hill House Nap Dress styles for your own admiration (and mine, too!) below!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee2 Comments

Preppy Memorial Day Weekend Sales Going on NOW

If you know me, then you know that I LOVE a good sale. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), I occasionally share my hauls with items from several of my favorite preppy brands. This weekend, I do not plan to shop any, as I have shopped a lot in recent times and want to focus a bit more on saving. However, that doesn’t mean that I won’t be enjoy the sales at a window shopping level, instead. So, let’s begin to at minimum admire the adorable preppy Memorial Day Weekend sales going on NOW!!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

I am personally loving the current sales going on this Memorial Day. If I were to choose to shop this weekend, I would definitely be getting a few Lilly Pulitzer pieces (specifically from the North Carolina destination print!) this weekend for one or two or even three of those adorable tumblers at a Gift with Purchase. At the same time, I would probably get a piece or two from the Draper James RSVP collection at Kohl’s. I actually went to my local Kohl’s this past week to scope out a few of the pieces in-person. I have personally been hesitant to purchase a piece, since I didn’t know the quality of them. But, to my surprise, the items I saw at my local Kohl’s were amazing quality just like any Draper James item sold at their very own storefronts. My satin green smock dress pictured at the top of this post is Nanette Nanette Lepore and one that I got at Marshall’s. Nanette Nanette Lepore’s smock dresses are one of my favorites sold by the brand and will probably be on sale both online and in stores at local Marshall’s, TJ Maxx’s, and also online, too. And, last but not least, if you’re a Kendra Scott fan, then this is the weekend to stock up on some gorgeous jewelry finds!!

Happy sale shopping IF you choose to shop!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

The $10 Pool Float that You Need this Summer

When in doubt, kiss a flamingo! If you know me, then you know I LOVE flamingos. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared A BUNCH of photos from my trip to Raleigh, North Carolina to celebrate my best friend Hannah’s Graduation from Meredith College. Hannah and her family hosted a Graduation Party at her gorgeous townhome in nearby-to-Raleigh Cary, North Carolina and invited a bunch of our mutual friends from college. And, after celebrating with cake, prosecco, and wayyyyy too much food, we all headed for Hannah’s gorgeous neighborhood pool for some fun in the sun! The weekend before I headed off to celebrate down in North Carolina, I went to Target where I found THE pool float that I think everyone needs this summer!!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

Over the years, I have ALWAYS wanted to purchase a flamingo pool float. Bloggers such as Kate from Lonestar Southern and her super fun photos over the years at the pool only inspired my desires for one. However, y’all – flamingo pool floats are NOT cheap and I rarely go to the pool, so there wasn’t a purpose for me to make the investment on one if it wouldn’t get its use in during the summer months. So, when I went to Target, I was pleasantly surprised to see a HUGE array of pool floats for $10 and under, including a flamingo float.

My $10 flamingo float was the PERFECT way to celebrate Hannah with all of our friends. Hannah was kind enough to blow up my $10 flamingo float for me and we all got plenty of use out of it, too. It was the PERFECT addition to make memories in, whether it be for photos, floating around in the pool, or for Hannah’s Dad to strike a pose in as he walked back to her townhome when we all made the trek aka walk back to her house. Overall, it was the PERFECT way to enjoy a pool day with great friends!

I have linked my flamingo float and MORE adorable floats each for $15 and under from Target to kick start your own Summer fun in the sun!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

Graduation Gifts for Her

I have several friends in the Class of 2022 who I also share about on my Instagram a lot too (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), whether they be from high school or college or even in my own family. With graduation already more than approaching for the Class of 2022, I wanted to share a few gift ideas for fellow Class of 2022 grads. For this year’s Gift Guide, I am sticking to for her, since for the men in my life who are in the Class of 2022, I am simply getting them sporting event tickets since they’re super sporty which makes it super easy for me – haha! On the same token, I have many ladies in my life who I want to honor and celebrate in the Class of 2022 that I hope I can help you celebrate those in your life as well.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

Last year, I graduated from Meredith College with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Mathematics with minors in Statistics, Website Development, and Data Science and with Honors (I am still VERY proud of my degree!!!). As someone who graduated last year, I put together two Graduation Gift Guides with a focus on those who are interested in preppy fashion/style. They are linked below for your reference:

Graduation Gifts for Her

The gifts that I put on his graduation gift guide were very intentionally put there. When I was in college, my Dad got me a Google Home that I still use to this day, and, confession have yet to add my own personalized photos to (this post may just be a reminder for me to do just that haha!). The 32 inch LG Monitor on the gift guide was something that I purchased for myself this past March to add an additional screen during my working days and may be doing again. An LG Monitor is a GREAT and super useful graduation gift for anyone, regardless of gender, when entering college or the workforce. Fun fact: my Dad bought me a 24 inch LG Monitor for my college dorm that I still use to this day. I added 3 pairs of shoes to this gift guide – the 3 which I LOVE using for work and even social outings as they’re super versatile. The first pair of shoes are my tan Tory Burch logo flats (which I also have in black and come in other colors too) which I got at the Tory Burch outlet that make for excellent all-around flats and are super comfortable. The second pair of shoes are my Vivaia Aria pointed-toe flats that I am OBSESSED with – they are super sustainably made and come in several colors, too. The third pair of shoes are my Salvatore Ferragamo Vara bow pumps in black (they also are leather and come in multiple colors, too) this pair is a splurge – retailing for over $700 – but make for an excellent investment pair for over the years. Read more about my love for my Vivaia flats here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/04/05/vivaia-flats-review-stylish-ethical/#/

I also linked my all-time favorite and practical tote – Longchamp Le Pilage Original Shoulder Bag in size Large – which I own in red, pink, tan (size small), coral (size small), and navy and have owned at least one that has maintained its quality and charm since 2014. My Stoney Clover Lane backpack is a favorite of mine (I got it in Bubblegum Pink – surprise!!!), especially since it has a 20 pound weight limit to help with my ongoing back issues. This backpack comes in multiple colors and is easily customizable with patches. I choose to add 3 patches to mine. One of my favorite wallets is my Kate Spade Spencer wallet – it is large and holds ALLL of my wallet necessities in a beautifully organized fashion. In terms of practicality, I *had* to add my Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker and my mini Keurig machine – which both come in multiple colors – to the gift guide, as for me, coffee is a necessity, especially for either college, graduate school, or the workforce. Lastly, I added my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer Blowout Brush which I LOVE and find perfect for the ultimate one-step glam look! Read more about my review on my Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/04/14/the-one-step-hair-dryer-that-i-love/

My best friend from college Hannah is someone that I LOVE to spoil! I actually purchased her the Cassie’s Designs monogrammed champagne flutes set in hot pink glitter and an Alice + Olivia reversible daisy printed-white bucket hat (sadly not in stock anymore) which she actually wore on the beach this past weekend and I loved seeing all of her photos (don’t worry y’all – she has already received her gift from me!!). At the same time, I gave her my pink/clear palm tree printed zip pouch from Lilly Pulitzer which came as a Gift with Purchase (confession: I ordered from Lilly Pulitzer TWICE and once from each time that this pouch was sold as a Gift with Purchase by the brand). I almost gave the Lilly Pulitzer pink/clear palm tree printed zip pouch to my best friend Alanna, but she definitely shopped the Lilly Pulitzer brand enough that I knew she could have easily already had one of her own – LOL! Like Hannah, Alanna is someone that I also LOVE to spoil. At the same time, I LOVE to spoil my best friend from college Shivani, too! I got her the “I Dissent” Ruth Bader Ginsburg-inspired t-shirt from Cassie’s Designs as well along with *of course* myself, too. If you didn’t know already, Cassie the one-woman show behind Cassie’s Designs is one of my best college friends, too, and I LOVE to support her. Read her interview on my blog about 2 years ago: https://pinkchickadee.com/2020/08/14/interview-with-small-business-owner-cassie-of-cassies-designs/#/

Now, happy graduation gift shopping!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment

My Blogging Highlights of 2021 + Favorite Outfit from Each Month! 

Oh what fun this past year of 2021 was! 2021 was my first full year as a blogger. I witnessed many changes in my life – graduation from college, a move to the nation’s capital, postgraduate employment in the corporate world while primarily working remotely, and becoming a Dog Mom to Rosie. Through it all, my platform here at The Pink Chickadee has kept me going strong. Today on the blog, I am going to be sharing some of my blogger highlights PLUS my favorite outfit from each month of the year.

My Blogging Highlights

  • Recoding my site *multiple* times
  • Becoming a member of RewardStyle!
  • Shooting content in 7 different states: Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland
  • Becoming a member of Influenster!
  • Collaborations with several different brands (16 to be exact!): Panera Bread, Ouges, Peet’s Coffee, Glitter & Daisies, Sangria Senorial, Sidral Mundet, Eos, Larace, Fanci, Flipz, Advil, Cassie’s Designs, Born to be Sassy Boutique, Mapiful, completelyBare, and Good Molecules
  • Collaborations with many fellow influencers, such as my good friends Holly of Glitter & Daisies, Lindsay of Sunshine and Stair Climbs, Hayleigh of The Up and Coming School Counselor, and Sly of Sly the Stylist sharing our favorite secondhand finds, Lilly Pulitzer finds, or Target finds!
  • Giveaways that includes Lilly Pulitzer gift cards, Target gift cards, and Starbucks gift cards
  • Shot content regularly with the help of my best friends Hannah and Wyatt along with my Papa
  • Conducted my first-ever Blogger Reader Survey!

My Favorite Outfit From Each Month!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Here’s to making MANY MANY MANY more memories in 2022 and beyond!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee1 Comment

DC Diaries – Part 7 + My Favorite Labor Day Sales!

Being just over 1 month into my brand new job, my post-graduation life in here in Washington, DC is coming together little by little. At the same time, life can sometimes feel as if it is falling at the seams. Through it all, life, including post-graduation life, is essentially a roller coaster with twists and turns. But, it is great, and if we follow along and enjoy the journey and make the best of it, then that is pretty great and, indeed, a pretty great time!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

My work life is most definitely growing and it is super exciting on that end – I am getting to know my coworkers on my projects and beyond and starting to work on some pretty cool projects, too. At the same time, work-wise, I am starting to work on my first of two certifications via online courses, in order to better expand my skillsets within the Data Analytics world. Overall, my life in the work world is expanding and it’s expanding for the better.

As for my life outside of work, it has felt like an adjustment. This has been the first time that I have not been in school since circa 2002-2003-2004. So, needless to say, it has been real strange not being in school and starting school when I’m seeing others around the same age as me still in school, whether older or younger. I definitely miss being around others around my age within the classroom and social setting. I, mean, in college, I lived in a building such as a dorm or an apartment complex where all of my friends and classmates lived, meaning social life galore. Now, in the post-graduate world, it is anything but that socially.

When I graduated from college, I was departing college extremely drained and burned out. I was a workaholic in college and still am to some extent! But, I was really really engaged in my college’s academic, social, and extracurricular lives. I truly made the best of my college experience and am forever grateful for it. However, I knew that I could not jump right into another semester of school just yet. I knew that I wanted to be able to do some meaningful work that would make an impact beyond the classroom and my job has provided me with just that.

When in DC, do as a Washingtonian does! Last weekend, my friends Cassie and Caroline came to visit me from North Carolina. We had a pretty great time exploring the city and simply going with the flow. We visited the International Spy Museum, the monuments, TJ Maxx, and much more! I have ALWAYS been a big big big Type A person, but it was nice to be able to let go a bit. It was nice to know that ALL of us are in the transition phase from college life to post-graduation life. None of us are alone, no matter how weird it may feel from time to time.

Above all else, life may not feel super ideal given that I am going through the post-graduation life transition, but it is something to enjoy along the way. In the meantime, I am going to be admiring some of the great Labor Day Sales (listed below!) while saving my money for the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale. Happy shopping!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadeeLeave a comment