The Weekly, 08.24.20
The last week has been an emotional roller coaster for me. It’s coming to be the end of August, which means that my mind has officially switched to back-to-school mode, and there is so much about this year that is making this normally seasonal low even harder for me to fathom.
My family spends so much time at our shore house during the summer, together, which can be a lot at times. But for the most part, it’s the time of year when we get the chance to be together, because as we get older, the holidays are less and less time together as an immediate family unit. This summer is coming to a close, and while my time at the shore usually stretches into September, this year, it likely won’t, as I won’t feel comfortable being around my parents after I go into the school building. And really, this just makes me sad and moody, as I am not ready to go into this new year with so much anxiety about what it will look like, how safe it will be, when this new normal will shift into something more positive, and when I will even see my parents again. It’s a lot to process.
In better news, I finished my second Master’s degree on Saturday, which was a huge sigh of relief and feeling of accomplishment for me. My family and friends were here to celebrate with champagne and flowers, and we had a beautiful night together. I bought myself this gorgeous necklace from my favorite jewelry company as a little gift to myself for this accomplishment.
So with a lot of highs and a quite a few lows last week, I am starting this week off fresh. I hope to squeeze in some days of solitude of the beach, and Chris and I are attempting to pick up a new hobby with tennis. Sadly, he already told me I have to play a few more times before I can justify buying a sporty outfit.
My plan is to do as much personal reading as possible this week, now that grad school research is officially behind me. I purchased, Destination Wedding, which looks like a fun rom-com set within an Indian wedding, and, The Vanishing Half, which has been on the list of must-read books all summer. It’s about identical twin sisters who lead completely separate lives as Black women when their daughters bring their lives back together in their hometown. I loved Brit Bennett’s last novel, so I am looking forward to diving in to see if the hype is real.
As I start to accept the reality of going back to school in-person, I am trying to build any level of positive energy that I can around it, which means buying a few things that I can wear to work. It’s been so long since I had an actual reason to buy clothes that aren’t sweats or workout wear, so I wanted to buy something I wouldn’t wear at home. I grabbed this dress that I know I’ll be able to wear into the Fall with booties and a sweater or jacket. I love the top details and the floral print.
I also have been on the hunt for a chain to wear with my face masks as I return to the city. Chris and I might contemplate dining outside as the weather stays warm and the conditions stay safe. And with going back into my office, where I often sit alone, I know there might be moments when I take my mask off. But putting it down on dirty surfaces is not a smart move. So I ordered this little chain that you clip to your mask. It’s more sanitary, but also fashionable.
I’ve been very intrigued by this whole return of the shoulder-pad movement that I have seen BrooklynBlonde and somewherelately sport in t-shirt styles recently. It looks chic, but keeps it casual. I finally caved and bought this little shoulder pad sweater tank in black that I think will be cute paired with high-waisted denim shorts, or a slip skirt to dress it up.
I also caved and shopped a few items from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I have never been one to shop this sale in the past, despite watching so much content around the sale online. In my opinion, it’s super over-hyped, especially how quickly everything sells out, and how absurdly drawn out and exclusive the multiple tiers are. I had my eye on a few items that I didn’t even think would be in stock when the public access opened, but they were, so I did bite. I grabbed a jumbo bottle of my all-time favorite Kiehl’s body lotion (which is now sold out, but I highly suggest trying it), this adorable set of Diptyque mini-votives, and this Topshop ribbed cardigan in the oatmeal, which is only available in a few sizes and colors.
I’m now including a slider with shoppable links at the bottom of the Weekly for you guys, to make it a bit more visually appealing. I hope this makes it easier for you guys to see what I am buying and loving. As of this week, Pretty Busy Brooklyn has been live for three months. It feels like a lot longer, but I have really loved having this creative outlet that has nothing to do with my regular work. I am so grateful to be able to share my recommendations and the things I use and love with all of you, and am eternally grateful for the support that my friends and family continue to show as I build this little blog. So my thanks is to all of you as I close out this week. If there are things you want to see in future posts, please leave them in the comments below!
