We've been back from our weekend in Southern California for a while and I keep thinking about nice it was to get out of town. I work most weekends (when Brandon is off) so we haven't gotten a chance to travel in a while and it was nice to have a change of scenery and weather! Plus we got to witness friends get married, which is always fun.

We were able to sneak in a little bit of sightseeing in between Brandon's wedding party duties. Here are some highlights of what we did and what I wore from my minimal packing list.

style, travelAlex HoodFebruary 1, 2018maternity capsule wardrobe, outfits: maternity Comment

winter 10x10: recap + lessons

The winter 10x10 challenge is over! I have to be honest, I was ready to have full access to my closet by day seven. I had to make a few substitutions here and there but overall feel good about completing this season's 10x10. I was feeling uninspired by my wardrobe and this challenge definitely gave me a fresh appreciation for the pieces in my closet.

styleAlex HoodJanuary 31, 201810x10 challengeComment

winter 10x10: outfit 3

I have to be honest, I like the idea of this outfit but not so much the reality of wearing it. The sweater accidentally found its way into the dryer last time we did laundry so it doesn't fit as roomy as it did when I bought it. That being said, I made this outfit work for most of the day.

Alex HoodJanuary 23, 2018winter 10x10, 10x10 challengeComment

winter 10x10: outfit 2

This outfit is one of those I-didn't-plan-on-leaving-the-house-today outfits and I'm perfectly ok with that. It's as simple and as comfy as it gets.

styleAlex HoodJanuary 22, 2018winter 10x10, 10x10 challengeComment

winter 10x10: outfit 1

For the first day of the winter 10x10, I decided to keep it warm in both material and color. I fell in love with this rust orange sweater the minute I saw it and it's since become a staple of my winter maternity style.

styleAlex HoodJanuary 21, 2018winter 10x10, winter capsule wardrobeComment

the 10x10 winter wardrobe challenge

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I participated in my first 10x10 wardrobe challenge! I had so much fun last year and more importantly, made such cool #10x10friends that I knew I wanted to jump in again this year.

I've felt really uninspired by my closet lately, which if you ask me, is the perfect time to experiment and exercise some creativity!

Here's what I'll be wearing during the challenge.

styleAlex HoodJanuary 21, 201810x10 challenge, winter 10x10, capsule wardrobe, winter capsule wardrobe, maternity capsule wardrobeComment

minimal packing list for a long weekend in southern california

Greetings from Southern California! Brandon and I headed out of town and into the sunshine of Orange County for the weekend to see some friends of ours get married. Real life awaits us at home as we plan to move soon so we're taking this trip as chance to unplug and play a little tourist!

You guys have asked to see how I'd pack for a weekend getaway with items from my capsule wardrobe and I'm stoked I finally get a chance to share a packing guide!

styleAlex HoodJanuary 12, 2018packing guide, long weekend, packing list, capsule wardrobe tips, travel capsule wardrobeComment

the winter maternity capsule wardobe: phase 1

The winter capsule is here! Well, phase one is here. I’m officially in my second trimester and expecting to have to switch pieces out for roomier/more maternity friendly ones. I update my wardrobe after Christmas anyway, but this time will be a little different since I have no idea how big my bump (and the rest of me) will get.

styleAlex HoodDecember 12, 2017capsule wardrobe, winter capsule wardrobe, maternity capsule wardrobe, pregnancyComment

thankful for home

On my days off, I like to wake up slowly and catch up with the YouTube channels I follow (which eventually leads to me watching as many celebrity interviews as I can handle) before getting ready and walking to whichever coffee shop is calling my name that day.

I started this morning off with two or three hours of scrolling Pinterest for nursery inspiration after waking up at 5 AM (again) for no reason. I finally got out of bed shortly after Brandon left for work and immediately started revving up my mind to get a to do list made for the day.

Then I looked over at a tiny corner of our apartment and how the light was hitting it and suddenly, I got the urge to make coffee in my French press, heat up some leftover pear coffee cake and enjoy my home.

homeAlex HoodNovember 28, 2017studio apartment, small space livingComment