One of my favorite parts about looking back on the month’s outfits is that it gives me a good sense of all of the things I’ve done recently.
I sometimes find myself feeling like I don’t “do” anything, like I spend far too much time on Twitter retweeting jokes or on the couch rewatching “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
But Bill and I have some pretty awesome adventures, which can be easy to forget when I’m lazing about the house. This is such a nice way for me to be reminded of all of the little and big moments I have with him and that I have with myself.
July 2017 was a big month for me. I wrapped up my time working at a job I mostly enjoyed, and that was tough. I had to say goodbye to colleagues I really cared about and respected and friends I admired and loved. I said goodbye to a 10-minute commute and super short work days. I said goodbye to my first-ever office. I said goodbye to the job that helped my husband and I realize that western Massachusetts was the right place for the two of us to settle down. But I needed to go. So I left because I was treated very, very unfairly by my boss and I knew I deserved better, and because the light on my future there was slowly dimming. It was not an easy decision.
And I started a new job, one I was very excited about, a brand new role as Diversity Communications Manager that would combine my love for communications and writing with my passion for social justice. It’s the first job where I can be my whole self, where I won’t have to shield parts of me. I can bring the social justice knowledge I seek outside of work into my actual job. It feels liberating. I’ll admit it was scary—absolutely terrifying—to make the leap from a job where I felt comfortable to a job that would make me begin anew. But sometimes the scary thing is absolutely the right thing to do, even if it’s hard. My first three weeks have been incredible; they’ve pushed me to exercise skills I haven’t used in years and I feel like I’m really valued and heard and respected. I’m so happy I made the leap, and I hope it only gets better from here.
As for the rest of July, I took some trips to the beach. I found myself enthralled by poetry. I read a bunch. I spent time outside in the sun. Bill and I went to a drag show, we traveled to the Berkshires, we were inspired by art, we explored western Mass a little.
All in all, life is good.
And here’s what I wore.


My last day of work. Sadly, this also means it’s the last photo EVER with that polka-dotted wall. I shall miss it!
Outfit details
- Dress: Marshall’s
- Shoes: DSW
- Necklace: Target
- NEW GLASSES: Zenni Optical

I feel so beautiful in this dress. It reminds me of the flamenco dancers we saw when we were in Barcelona. (I literally cannot believe that I got to type that sentence. Who even am I?)
Despite feeling beautiful in this dress, it’s not exactly practical. But what better event to wear it to than a drag show?
Outfit details
- Dress: Marshall’s
- Shoes: Target


First day on the new job! I had been stressing about what to wear. I wanted something professional, but not too formal… and I also wanted something that wouldn’t make me too hot. It is the dead of summer, after all. I settled on this beautiful dress, WHICH HAS POCKETS! And shoutout to my first selfie at my new job.
Outfit details
- Dress: Amazon.com (which I am realizing is pretty awesome for cute, affordable dresses)
- Shoes: Target

Outfit details
- Shirt: LuLaRoe Perfect T
- Skirt: Charlotte Russe
- Shoes: Payless

Outfit details
- Dress: LuLaRoe Amelia—still can’t tell if these dresses look flattering on me or not, but they do have POCKETS!
- Shoes: DSW

A scorching hot day made for the perfect opportunity to wear this new Marshall’s score—only $15! The pattern is little ships in boats. Very summery.
Outfit details

I bought two of these wrap dresses from Forever 21 about a year ago, but they really hold up.
Outfit details
- Dress: Forever 21
- Shoes: Payless

Outfit details
- Dress: LuLaRoe Julia
- Shrug: Marshall’s
- Shoes: Payless
And here’s a peek at what I did in July.
We made the most of our long Fourth of July weekend and did some local travel. First up: Forest Park Zoo.
At the Forest Park Zoo with my new friends
This bird reminded me of drag queen Sharon Needles and I’m not sorry
The goats at this zoo were cute
Look how fat this bunny is! I love it!
This lemur was just hanging out.
In Forest Park, there’s also a beautiful flower garden. This was our first time visiting.
Forest Park Flower Garden
Forest Park Flower Garden
Forest Park Flower Garden
Forest Park Flower Garden
Forest Park Flower Garden
Forest Park Flower Garden
Forest Park Flower Garden
Taylor Brooke Winery, one of our favorites. I highly recommend raspberry rendezvous!
Celebrating Independence Day with some sparklers 🙂
Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
The view from the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA
Interestingly, we stumbled across a place where Robert Downey Jr. filmed “The Judge.” Not a great movie, but we like RDJ!
Some of the art in Shelburne
Then it was off to lunch at Public, where I ate THE BEST MAC AND CHEESE OF MY LIFE!
Mass MoCA was up next. The exhibits were breathtaking.
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA
On my last day of work, my friends through me a going away party! This DELICIOUS cake was made by my friend Kerry.
And this adorable balloon bouquet was made by my friend Anne.
These are all of the wonderful, sentimental, beautiful things my friends and coworkers gave me on my last day of work. Such an amazing group of people!
With the warm weather, my husband and I ventured to Hammonasset Beach
Hammonasset Beach
Hammonasset Beach
Hammonasset Beach
Hammonasset Beach
Beach lunches require a little white ine
Philly cheesesteak? Don’t mind if I do
A repeat trip to Hammonasset Beach was in the cards for Monday as a celebration for my Grandma’s birthday
We had the beach to ourselves!
Hammonasset Beach
I had a week off between jobs, which I spent being productive (like building this bookcase)…
And reading books and poetry (I became obsessed with Rupi Kaur)…
And exploring! This was in Amherst, MA.
Enjoying coffee and reading in Northampton, MA
Enjoying coffee and reading in Northampton, MA
A trip to my favorite place: Florence Pie Bar
My husband and I went to another drag show on July 13
War on the Catwalk: Trinity Taylor
War on the Catwalk: Trinity Taylor and Aja
War on the Catwalk: Shea Coulee
War on the Catwalk: Sasha Velour
War on the Catwalk: Sasha Velour
War on the Catwalk: Trinity Taylor
War on the Catwalk: Aja
War on the Catwalk: Shea Coulee
War on the Catwalk: Shea Coulee
War on the Catwalk: Sasha Velour
War on the Catwalk: Sasha Velour
War on the Catwalk also featured Alexis Michelle and Eureka!
War on the Catwalk
A breakfast trip featuring peanut butter and banana french toast
Snuggles with my child 😛
Obi is often dramatic in the summer, lying on the floor when it’s too hot
At my new job, enjoying a sea salt caramel macaron
It was SO nice to have Ladies Night with my friends from my old job. I miss them terribly!
I commissioned some art from LizzyWhimsy on Tumblr. How cute is this?!
I commissioned some art from LizzyWhimsy on Tumblr. How cute is this?!
And, the first signs of fall… 🙂
Anyone else excited for fall, the best season of the year?
xo.