Stone Moto Jacket + Monday Motivation

A lot of my shopping habits and style preferences have changed over the years since I started blogging, but a couple of things things have remained the same: I still shop at Express and I still love a good moto jacket. The jacket I'm wearing in today's outfit is evidence of both of those facts, and it's a great neutral, go-with-anything piece for Spring.

Moto Jacket | White Tank | Similar Jean Shorts | Similar Locket | Earrings | Similar Kate Spade Bag (c/o Shopbop), Budget Option) | Tory Burch Sandals (c/o), Budget Option 

This jacket runs true to size (I'm wearing an XS) and does have a slightly boxy fit. Based on how it looked on the model I wasn't sure it would work, but I ended up really liking it. The fabric is kind of like the Silky Twill Express has used on other pieces, so it's very soft and comfortable. It is very similar to the Spring Staple jacket I shared in this post, but I really liked the open collar of this one as well as the lighter color. I bought this during the Easter sale along with this military jacket and told myself I would only keep one since they are the exact same color and fabric. I find I get the most use out cropped jackets and this collar style works a bit better for me so that's why I kept this. But if you favor a slightly longer jacket I would still recommend the military jacket version.

Moto Jacket | White Tank | Similar Jean Shorts | Similar Locket | Earrings | Similar Kate Spade Bag (c/o Shopbop), Budget Option) | Tory Burch Sandals (c/o), Budget Option

This jacket comes with a belt (you can see the strap hanging all the way down my leg in the second photo here), but after wearing it with the belt for a day and then reviewing these photos, I think I'm going to end up removing it. It's not attached - it just runs through two loops in the back. It didn't really add much to the overall look of the jacket and it got in the way of everything I did, including getting stuck in the car door several times.

We've had a few warmer, Summer-like days this month (mid to upper 80s) so it's time to dust off my jean shorts and start using a darker sunless tanner on my legs for the next few months. My jean shorts are a few years old, but luckily the styles of jean shorts haven't changed much in the last few years so there are quite a few similar options in stores this year like this pair or this one, both under $50. I've been using this affordable self tanner in Deep Bronze and am pretty happy with it thus far.  This actually my first time posting this style of photo (outdoor + posed vs. a selfie of any kind) and I was a little (er...a lot) worried that the DSLR would make things look more splotchy or streaky than what my eyes were seeing in real life. I've seen this in photos from far more professional bloggers than myself so I know the struggle is real! But thankfully my worst fears weren't realized and I can continue posting outfits with shorts when that's what I want to wear in real life, rather than having to dress for the blog since I know for sure I don't have the editing skills to hide a bad sunless tanning job.

Monday Motivation Update:
After my last update in March, I came to the realization that this blog series is due for a little re-evaluation and some consideration as to whether I continue posting it or not. I was very consistent with it in 2017 and it really helped me stay accountable and on track with my goals and progress. That said, my life in 2018 has been quite different from 2017 thus far, largely due to my transition into this tween/teen mom stage. I've had to re-focus my efforts on helping develop my kids more than myself, and that's made it a bit challenging to write anything relevant here. It's one of the more time consuming segments of my blog, and that time was worth it when the passion was there. But as things have changed for me outside the blog, it's started to make this piece feel like more of a chore than a passion, and that's not worth it. So for now I'm taking an indefinite break from the series, but if the motivation strikes I'm sure you'll hear about it in another update here. I truly appreciate all of your comments and support on this series and hope you'll stick around in spite of the change!

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