November 2019 Favorites + Happenings

Only one more favorites post left of 2019 and I can hardly believe I’m typing that. Been a crazy month over here—not as busy as October but still, tons happening between getting initiated, going home twice, and keeping up with StyledbyMcKenz. The semester is winding down and I’ve got just over a week left before I head home for an entire month. I’m so ready to relax but am pushing through. I’ve got tons to talk about today so buckle up! 

FASHION

Man oh man did the temperature drop fast this month! I couldn’t believe how cold it got so fast. I’ve never been a fan of the cold but I’m quickly learning I should have never taken a Maryland winter for granted. I have a feeling I am in for a rude awakening here in Kent. My number one fashion favorite this month was easily my Eddie Bauer parka. My mom picked this coat up for me in September from their outlet knowing I would need it sooner rather than later and I love it. A knee-length coat with a big furry hood is definitely a must if you’re trying to survive your first Mid-west winter. Take it from me! For days when it’s not snowing and a parka isn’t necessary, I’ve been loving wearing my shorter, fun coats from SheIn! I have a white fur one, black reptile print, brown corduroy and a few others that are so fun to wear on days when the temperatures creep above forty degrees. I have been so pleasantly surprised by the quality of some of my SheIn coats. Not a whole lot of other favorites in terms of fashion this month—I’ve been sticking to my usual jeans, sweaters, and booties combinations for my class outfits. I have, however, taken on a huge love for matching jogger sets! They are so comfy and cozy; Express makes the best of the best. Oh, and one other favorite—dresses and skirts with tights! I love the look of super sheer ones and have quickly realized they are so needed here in Ohio. 

If you’ve been keeping up with my vlogs you’d know that my feet have been suffering from the worst friction blisters due to walking so many miles to class in poor shoes. Luckily, I grabbed three more pairs of Off The Beaten Track shoes this month and my feet are slowly but surely getting better. I’ve realized what a world of difference shoes with support will do for you! When I’m not wearing some of their shoes I’ve been loving these black chunky heeled booties from SheIn. I have them in the faux suede and leather version and wear them like crazy. They are so comfy for heeled shoes and are perfect for various different occasions. 

ACCESSORIES

My favorite earrings have been stuck on repeat for so many months now! I just can’t help it + it’s been a while since I purchased new pairs! I’m thinking about placing a big SheIn earring order this week so I will keep you updated on any new favorites. I treated myself to an Apple Watch this month and I am obsessed! I got a gold Series 2 38mm and I seriously love it. My roommates convinced me I would love having one and so far they have been right. I love getting to track my workouts and my steps throughout the day. I haven’t been wearing it every day because I still love my gold Fossil watch but it’s definitely been a great addition to my closet. I also have still been loving hair accessories! 

WORKOUT WEAR

Y’all I have been on my workout grind this semester and I swear to god it’s the cute workout sets that’s keeping me motivated! I grabbed a new denim patterned Lilybod set this month that I have loved. It’s got elastic straps that are super comfortable! I also grabbed a two-pack of sports bras from SheIn out of curiosity and because there was a yellow one in the pack and I was pleasantly surprised by them. Not only are they super comfortable and surprisingly supportive but I am totally obsessed with the yellow— I’ve been looking for this color workout wear for months now to match my sneakers and I finally found it! I have asked for so many cute sets for Christmas that I am looking forward to.  

BEAUTY

My beauty favorites haven’t changed too much this month but I’ll share the few things I’m loving; bear with me… there are a handful of repeats. 

• Adapalene Gel— I mentioned last month that I had recently started using this gel for an upcoming collaboration. It says that it may take up to 90 days before you start seeing results and that skin may worsen before it gets better. Boy oh boy, is that true! My skin was going through it at the end of October / beginning of November but it’s slowly getting better. I’m determined to stick it out. Beware, it does dry your face out like crazy!
• Lanege Water Sleeping Mask— I put this face mask in my favorites a couple of months ago and have still been loving it. Because that acne medication dries my skin out so much, this face mask is essential for restoring and hydrating my face mid-week. It’s the best and I’ve found myself using it about twice a week!
• Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench— I recently ran out of my usual face moisturizer which has been the Neutrogena Hydro Boost for a couple of years now and I had this with me at school. I have loved it! It’s super thick and yet it feels very light on the face like the Neutrogena one. I love the smell and this is great for mixing tanning drops in with.
• Tanologist Self Tanning Products— It’s self-tanning season since my tan has already faded so much! I’ve been tanning about every 10 days if I have a special event or a photoshoot coming up and can honestly say the Tanolgoist products are the best. They are super easy to apply and small great upon application. I love the face drops for mixing in with your face moisturizer! My tan lasts forever with these products too. Definitely don’t forget to wash your hands after applying though or they will look scary… speaking from experience haha.

ENTERTAINMENT

Yes, I am among the less fortunate who don’t have Disney Plus; therefore, no, I was not able to binge-watch Hannah Montana all month. I know, I’m bummed about it too. I randomly started ‘This Is Us’ this month which is what I’ve been watching. Emma and I don’t have a TV in our room nor do I have Hulu so I watch it on our suitemates’ fire stick whenever they aren’t in the room. I’m only halfway through Season 1 right now and it’s good! A little slow at first but I can tell its got a heartfelt storyline. I have been watching YouTube a bunch too and I have loved the “How Much I Spend In A Week” videos! I think they are so interesting and it’s cool to see how far the dollar goes in various parts of the country. I’m so ready to be home for Christmas break so I can binge watch alllll the Hallmark movies! I’m counting down the days. 

LOOKING BACK AT NOVEMBER 

November was just as good as I hoped it would be! I managed to gain almost three hundred Instagram followers which is a ton for me (during a school month!) and kept up with ALL of my posting schedules—Instagram, the blog, and YouTube and boy does that feel so good to say! In my senior year, I started to struggle with keeping my blog posting days consistent but surprisingly I’ve been able to manage it quite well since being in college. I got to host three giveaways, too, which was awesome! I did a good amount of freelancing, took some fun new deals, and spoke on a young entrepreneurship panel out the ins and outs of being an influencer. It was such a rewarding month but I can’t lie, I’m so eager for December! 

LOOKING AHEAD TO DECEMBER

Eager for December because of boy oh boy do I have big things planned. I celebrate four years of StyledbyMcKenz on January 1 and I’m planning on ending 2019 with a bang. Let’s talk about Instagram first. My number one goal is to hit 6K before the end of the year. If I do so, this would mean I had 100% growth in 2019 which would make me oh so happy to hear. I also want to post to my feed and stories each day and host two giveaways for the holiday time! For the blog, I plan on posting four times a week. Ideally, I would up it to five since I’ll be home for half the month but I don’t want to make promises I cannot keep. Plus, I’m nervous to see how my shooting schedule will be being back home. I do plan on finding some fun new locations and getting more creative with my shots!

And drum roll please … my big goal for YouTube this month is to complete Vlogmas. For those who don’t know what that is, Vlogmas is when you vlog every single day leading up to Christmas. I’m giving it a go and trying my best to upload each day; I have a feeling daily vlogging will be a nice change of pace. If you have any requests for the month be sure to leave them below; I hope to hit 1,500 subscribers before the end of the year too so if you’re not subscribed what are you waiting for?! I’ve got a feeling December is going to be a fantastic month and I’m so excited about it! 

MY MONTH AT A GLANCE

October has always been the craziest month of the year for me so November was a nice change of pace. Still busy but the craziness was toned down a bit and I found myself falling more into a routine here at school. I started the month off with my sorority date party! Ours was country themed and oh so fun! I also got my big, Ally, which means I got a whole fam within my sorority. I was super excited for this process because it has made a world of a difference when it comes to making friends. I also spoke on my first panel this month with Sophie and a handful of other young business owners here at Kent and it was such a cool experience.

Sorority life was super busy this month between getting our family, date party, and initiation. It was a special few weeks and getting to know more and more girls is making me feel much more at ease. I also accepted a position under the VP of Finance so I will be working as an appointed position spring and fall of 2020. I also had a blog friend Jill come and visit! It was so fun getting to show her around Kent while getting to shoot a few outfits. Sophie and I have been on our blogging grind, shooting at least twice a week. Holiday/sponsored content always piles up around this time of year so we’ve been busy bees!

I also made a trip home the weekend before Thanksgiving break to surprise my family + Connor’s. It was so good getting to see everyone and fun making an appearance at the football game. Our boys of fall are headed back to states this Thursday for the fifth time in six years; I couldn’t be more excited for them, especially since many of my baseball guys are on the team. Thanksgiving was great and spent with family as per usual before a big weekend of shopping. I think being in college makes you so much more grateful for time at home with your people.

Life is good; I cannot complain! This is my final week of classes before finals week. I only have one final and it’s online so I’ll be headed home in just over a week for winter break. I’m already counting down the days— I love school but I am so ready for a break. It’s been such a great semester so far and I cannot wait to finish it off on a good note!

With love, McKenz

THIS MONTH ON THE BLOG 

1. October 2019 Favorites + Happenings
2. Weekly Wrap Up #44 2019
3. Chicwish Sweaters
4. Building A Fall Capsule Wardrobe
5. Fall Capsule Wardrobe
6. Weekly Wrap Up #45 2019
7. Choosing Comfort AND Style
8. A Spin On Sweats
9. Let’s Talk Thanksgiving Fashion
10. Weekly Wrap Up #46 2019
11. How To Wear Animal Print
12. November Discount Glasses
13. November 2019 Pinterest Outfit Recreations
14. Weekly Wrap Up #47 2019
15. SheIn Black Friday Sale
16. Express Factory Black Friday Sale
17. Romwe Black Friday Sale