At 32 years old, you think your days of being off the well-worn path are over. Then, you find yourself sitting in a mid-term 10 years after your last classroom exam, and you realize you’re in the weeds. It’s humbling, frustrating, and I second-guess my decision to go to law school at least once every hour. New things hurt sometimes, even good things, here’s to the dots coming together.
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1) One little boy + one prosthetic limb + a toddler-size walker = the greatest YouTube video I’ve seen in a long time.
2) Longtime readers will remember my former co-writer, Miss M. She had a baby boy last weekend, and for his first trip to the doctor, he wore the outfit I bought him. Because what three-day-old doesn’t need a stylist?
I positively adore the Gap organics line. Miss M is really into ivory, grey and stripes, so I had to pick up this onesie. And if you have a little girl, this star-printed onesie is the cutest ever. Okay, enough with the ticking, biological clock, back to our regular coverage…
3) The Curvy CEO has advice for plus-size women on dressing for the summer heat. She also offers this tidbit that applies to all the ladies out there, “Whatever you’ve got, make it look good.”
4) Need a weekender? An all-purpose tote? A bag for weekend trips to the farmer’s market? This slouchy, reversible vegan-leather bag from Urban Outfitters is a great buy at $59.
5) What Being a BFF Means in Your 30s.
6) I’m slowly eliminating as many chemicals as I can from my beauty routine. Kure Bazaar is a nail polish line that is 85-percent natural and purports to last as long as regular nail polish. I picked up Melrose (a medium pink) and Mademoiselle (a deep berry) to try.
7) For the unfamiliar, the website Redditt has a regular feature called “Ask Me Anything.” The most recent one featured astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon. It’s kind of awesome.
8) The Outnet has some kicking’ jewelry in their new arrivals. This Isharya cuff has black-and-white jasper inlaid in a skinny gold cuff. This Kelly Wearstler ring has the most unusual shape that I have ever seen. This multi-strand amethyst necklace is a life-long classic.
9) In the classic children’s tale, Eloise was a little girl who lived at The Plaza. In this snarky rewrite, she’s middle-aged and lives at the Crowne Plaza in Times Square.
10) Can we talk about lingerie for a minute? It’s wedding season, which means it’s trousseau season. For the best selection of lacy and racy things on the Internet, hit Bloomingdale’s. Between La Perla and L’Agent, the Brown Bag is all in.
Need some relaxed, every-day lingerie? You can’t beat the styles and prices at Aerie. Think Eberjey on a budget.
11) Kottke.org has a post titled “Better living through motivational passwords.” For example, need to get over your ex? Make your password 4GiveHim. It’s an interesting concept.
12) The $910, flamingo-printed tennis racket bag is sold out. The rich are a mystery to me.
13) Today, on laws you didn’t know you needed: New York bans tattooing your pets. Nope, that’s not a typo.
That is seriously one of the best videos I have seen. Thanks for sharing Belle.
I second-guessed my decision to go to law school — what felt like — every day until my second year, and even then, I would be lying if I said the frustration of second year didn’t convince me that I regretted staying in law school. It’ll get better. Mid-terms/finals are the worst, so it’s the prime time to start second-guessing.
At least you have midterms! We only had final exams.
Everyone second guesses their decision to go to law school. If you don’t you’re probably doing it wrong (the people who seemed to enjoy it the most in my class didn’t come back the next semester – they flunked out).
I second your comment on No. 12…seriously?!
And for No. 10… I’d also suggest checking out Anthropologie. Very pretty pieces. https://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/category/bras++intimates/clothes-intimates.jsp?cm_sp=TOPNAV-_-CLOTHES-_-CLOTHES-INTIMATES&cm_re=TOPNAV-_-CLOTHES-_-CLOTHES-INTIMATES
Interesting on #13- becase in FL one of the things that animal shelters look for is a tattoo that’s done when an animal is spayed or neutered.
Well, I’d think that’s usually done by a medical professional. I could see the utility of some tattoos, but I have a feeling things were starting to get out of hand in New York and people were doing it for purely “decorative” reasons, in the same vein as dying your miniature bichon frise pink, only more permanent.
I don’t mind an identifier, but some of the photos..yikes!
Gothic kitties? Oh my. My dog does have 2 tattoos but she is a retired racing greyhound and they all get tattooed in their ears. I like to say she is way cooler than I am.
Aerie has great undies! I love their cotton hipsters with lace. They don’t dig into the cheeks and they have great sales. I even bought the next size up when I was pregnant. I swear by them.
Whatever you want to call it – inspiration, a confidence-boost, re-assurance, motivation – can come from the most unexpected of places. Thank you for that Steve Jobs quote. Perfect timing.
Hi Belle,
I’ve been reading your blog for close to 3 years, and I truly enjoy it- your advice and your style (there are not enough events in life for full-length gowns!) But I’m confused by your endorsements of Urban Outfitters after (I think two summers ago) they sold a t-shirt that said ‘Eat Less.’ If I remember correctly, you wrote a blog about how terrible that is for women, our confidence, and the company, and vowed to not advertise or buy their products. Did I miss something in the meantime that made you change your mind?
Thanks,
Alex
My closest friend and I are a still a few years away from 30. But we both have jobs that keep us busy and she has a 10 month old. Two weekends ago we talked on the phone for 2.5 hours. We were both doing other things like folding laundry or washing dishes the whole time we were on the phone but we stil had a great time. It’s all about multitasking!
Curvy CEO misses the best trick for keeping away the thigh rub – Jockey Skimmies! They don’t compress like Spanx, which means they’re comfortable and actually cool, but they don’t roll or slide up like many bike shorts do. I’ve found I actually sweat less and feel cooler wearing them under dresses in summer than I do without anything underneath.
I went to law school after working for several years, as well. I also questioned the decision every hour of every day. I’ve been practicing now for 6.5 years and love it- it was definitely the right decision for me. (I also used to work on the Hill- we have a lot in common that way!)
Hang tight. You can do this, even though it feels awkward as all get out right now.
Miss M! I always loved her posts, esp. drugstore beauty buys. Congratulations to her!
Belle – if you’re looking for make-up with less chemicals, try Au Naturale (www.aunaturaleglow.com). My friend Ashley started it when she was living in DC but has since moved operations back to her hometown in Wisconsin. It’s Vegan, non-toxic and made in the USA.
Hang in there Belle! I just graduated from law school at the ripe old age of 33, so I can relate to what you’re feeling right now. There will be times when you wonder what you are doing there with these kids who can’t remember the 80s because they weren’t born yet, but your work experience – especially the dedication to work from home – has prepared well for the rigors of school.
That Outnet jewelry is gorgeous!
Style by Joules
Law school was very challenging until my third year when I finally stopped worrying about my decision and caring about my grades. Please don’t let that happen to you. It’s very counterintuitive to not overthink everything about it. You’ve shared sage advice and have an inspiring blog. You can and will do this.
It must be odd to get so much support from strangers, but I wanted to join everyone else and say that law school will get better. It may not feel like it quite yet, but your life experience and professional background will keep you way ahead of the curve.
And while you may not always have time for updating the blog, thank you for continuing to post when you can. I really needed to hear the advice from #3.