July 2019 Favorites + Happenings

Face, Fashion, and 'Finding' Myself

Hard to believe it’s already time for me to be wrapping up my last full month of summer. I cannot believe this time next month I will be living in Ohio and my freshman year of college will be in full swing! I’ve got tons of favorites and lots to chat about today so let’s hop right on in.

I wasn’t going to film a YouTube video to accompany this blog post but so many of you voted that you wanted both. So here it is! Be sure to give it a like and subscribe if you’re new.

FASHION

I’ll be honest, my July fashion has been much different this year than in previous summers. I’m typically a fancy dress and heels kind of girl but something about being around the baseball field so much during the evenings has had me reaching for jeans and basics. In my video, I talk about the five basic tops you need in your wardrobe. Simple tube tops, crop tops, and bodysuits have been essentials for me and are so easy to mix and match with denim, skirts, and more. Express has been my favorite place to shop for items like this but I’ve also been loving SheIn for some of my more fun pieces.

As for shoes I wore these little black Target sandals like crazy along with my new white Birkenstocks and my black espadrilles from Express. Anything super simple and easy to throw on has been a must-have for me.

ACCESSORIES

I placed an order on SheIn early this month and it was the best thing I ever did. I got tons of cheap gold jewelry and some fun puka shell accessories that have certainly spiced up my everyday looks. I’m loving the beachy vibe they give off and love that I can just leave this stuff on in the shower and ocean without having to worry about it. Yes, it will definitely tarnish but for $2 I’m not all that worried about it. I haven’t stopped wearing my gold Fossil watch because I’ve realized how nice it is to have a watch on while I’m at work! Oh, and my star belt from SheIn scored me tons of compliments. Fun belts like this one are an awesome way to dress up your outfit without breaking the bank.

SWIMWEAR

I headed to the beach this month too where I wore 15 swimsuits over the short five-day trip. I needed to get photos in them for various brands and quickly realized which ones I loved and didn’t. This neon suit was a show stopper. Not only did it make my tan pop like crazy, but it was a super comfortable fit too. High waisted pom-pom bikinis are a must. Super trendy and very flattering. This neoprene suit looked amazing on and was so unique. Not a huge fan of the tan line it gave me but I will definitely be wearing it again!

BEAUTY

I’ll be completely honest with you… my beauty favorites are the exact same as last month with the exception of one additional product. What can I say; when I find products that work for me, I stick with them!

  • Blistex Lip Medex Analgesic Lip Protectant — The best lip product you will ever use. Especially good after a nice, long day in the sun when your lips are in need of a little extra loving. Super minty and under $3!
  • Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream Unscented — I’ve been slathering this stuff on my body at least twice daily upon returning from the beach. It’s keeping my skin moisturized and hydrated which is a must after baking your body in the sun for as long as I did. I love that this doesn’t have a scent!
  • Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Soft Waves Tropical Banana Sea Salt Spray — I’m a sucker for beach babe spray after a day by the water. The dry, wavey, sandy look is my favorite after a beach day. I prefer the banana scent of this!
  • CeraVe Healing Ointment  — My skin started peeling after my last beach trip which is such a bummer. I’ve turned to this awesome healing ointment to keep my peeling from spreading and to help heal my skin. I use this in the wintertime for my hands but am so glad I’ve rediscovered it this summer.

ENTERTAINMENT

While at the beach I decided to read the book Tailspin by Sandra Brown. It wasn’t your typical sappy beach read. It has to do with a timely medical mission, airplanes, and an epic love story. It was different than what I’m used to but I really enjoyed it. Aside from that book, I’ve been catching up on my Cosmo magazines and listening to the latest episodes of the Gals On The Go podcast!

Does anyone have any good Netflix recommendations? I’m currently watching H20 (yes, the mermaid show!) because I wanted something as background noise but I’m looking for something that I can get hooked on. I don’t want a show that’s super long but if you have something in mind that you think I may like, be sure to drop it below. On another note, the Jane The Virgin finale is on tonight and I’m so excited!

LOOKING BACK ON JULY

So, I mentioned that I wanted to try and blog every day in the months of July AND August. And truthfully, I knew it wouldn’t happen. I didn’t start planning soon enough so I wasn’t fully prepared to live up to what I wrote. And I didn’t. I did however blog 23/31 of the days and managed to upload 11 YouTube videos. I’m pretty proud of that. I didn’t drive myself nuts over not uploading, was still able to relax and enjoy a vacation, and really grew my channel. I didn’t fully keep up with my habits but I improved them. And boy did I have a good month collaboration wise. In all honestly, I’m not thrilled with my July but I am very very pleased. And at the end of the day, that’s all we can really ask for, right?!?! 😉

Oh, and I finally hit 5K on Instagram!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how happy I am. Although, the road to 10K still seems sooooo far.

LOOKING AHEAD TO AUGUST

So it’s been a few years since I didn’t blog every day in the month of August so naturally I want to keep up the tradition. However, I move into school on the 18th and truthfully, I don’t envision myself scrambling to get a blog post up each day once I get to Kent. I picture myself desprately trying to make new friends and bond with my roommates. So, my August goal is to blog every day leading up to move in day. Once I move in, I’m not really sure what my new posting schedule will look like but I know I’ll figure it out.

I do hope to reach 800 subscribers on YouTube by the end of the month and to continue growing my Instagram. I know once classes start I won’t have nearly as much time to mindlessly scroll through my feed. More than anything, in August I want to appreciate the stage I am at as an influencer. I know that college will flip my world upside down (hopefully in a good way) and I want to take this month to remind myself how far I’ve come.

MY MONTH AT A GLANCE

July brought a lot of lasts but surprsingly no tears (yet). For starters, my Legion baseball boys lost in the first round of playoffs. I watched Connor pitch for the last time ever. I dragged the field for the last time this season. I managed for the last time. I know to some it seems so silly to be sad about saying goodbye to a baseball season, but this one was especially hard for me. Those boys are my best friends. They make me laugh on the hardest days. They make fun of me constantly but they would beat someone up for me in a heart beat. They are kind, funny, and jerks all at once. It’s been hard coming to terms with the fact that next summer I will be a spectator, not the manager, best friend, or team favorite. I tried my hardest to soak in our time together.

Ethan’s summer baseball season also came to an end. E and I have been friends for years now. I’ve watched him win State titles, hit home runs, and struggle through his freshman year of college. It was hard missing out on his spring baseball season and I promised him I’d go and watch at least once a week over the summer. He’ll tell you himself that he didn’t have that great of a season hitting wise, but we had a lot of fun. It was so good getting to spend time with his mom each week, laughing and eating more Twizzlers than we could count. I made friends with so many of the guys from his team. I got to cheer him on in person rather than from the computer screen. And it felt so good.

I headed to the beach for a few days where I cooked my body and enjoyed some me time. It was refreshing, relaxing, and so so needed. I cannot tell you how important it is to be able to sit and be present with yourself.

And what would be a life update without college? We’ve been going crazy over here. With both of us headed to college at the same time there’s been a lot happening. We’ve been buying things here and there and the ‘college’ pile has officially taken over. Every person over the age of 20’s first question to me is ‘are you getting excited?’. My answer is still no. I’m not excited to move to a different state and live in a single room. I’m not excited to know nobody and to leave all of the families that have touched my heart and taken me in as one of their own. I’m not excited to do life without my twin for the first time ever. I’m not excited to struggle, adjust, or experience change. All three, I know, are inevitable. There are so many things I am excited about though, but right now I’m more worried and freigthened by change. I know I’ll get there, but I’m taking in these last eighteen days.

More than anything I cannot get over how fast time is flying. It’s crazy to think this time last year Connor was going through the exact same thing. So much has changed and yet so much is the same. Last year feels like forever ago and yet yesterday all at once.

Alright, well that’s all. I’m signing off before I get emotional, lol! Hope you enjoyed today’s favorites post— I know it was all over the place but so am I!!! In all seriousness, you guys are the best. Wouldn’t trade this platform for the world. Talk to ya in August.

With love, McKenz

THIS MONTH ON STYLEDBYMCKENZ

  1. Anonymous says:
    July 31, 2019 at 5:29 pm

    Showing you some love!!!! Everything is going to be all right!!!

    Reply

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