Sassy Southern Blonde

A Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kelsie Bynum

Casual Outfit with United Monograms + 5 Tips For Staying Positive in January

Caffeine Queen SweatshirtCaffeine Queen SweatshirtCaffeine Queen SweatshirtCaffeine Queen SweatshirtCaffeine Queen SweatshirtCaffeine Queen SweatshirtCaffeine Queen SweatshirtSWEATSHIRT | LEGGINGS | SHOES | CUP

Happy Tuesday!!

We’re halfway through January, and I’m still not fully back on schedule from the holidays! Is that bad to admit? Hahaha. I know I can’t be the only one! Having a positive attitude about 2019 is one thing that’s helping me get back in my routine, though. It’s easy to make big plans and resolutions on New Years Day, but actually following through is the hard part. At least for me! This month is all about fresh starts and new chapters, but if you’re not careful, you will set yourself up to be overwhelmed and disappointed. I wanted to share 5 tips that I think will help you keep a positive mindset in January and the rest of 2019! 🙂

1: Focus on a Hobby You Love

My main hobby used to be blogging, but now that it’s my job, I want to find a new interest that brings me joy and happiness! I have always loved reading, so I think I’m going to better incorporate that into my routine this year!

2: Hit the Gym

I make the MOST excuses for skipping the gym, and it usually includes choosing the Chick-fil-A drive-thru instead! I can’t deny that working out makes me feel better, though! Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy… And you know the rest! 🙂

3: Make Plans with Friends

For me, working alone every day is SO hard. I’m an extrovert, and I just love being around others! Making plans with friends has been so important because I need human interaction. Lol! Even if you do work in an office with people, spending time with your friends is good for the soul! (Because you probably like them better than your co-workers lol)

4: Set Realistic Goals

I am the worst at setting realistic goals, especially in January. I shoot for the stars and get super overwhelmed by my big plans! I think it’s important to set small term goals that you can achieve quicker, which will help you work towards the long term goals!

5: Listen to Your Favorite Music

Music ALWAYS makes me feel better and more motivated! I love listening to Christian playlists on Spotify because it truly helps me keep a positive mindset or change a negative one! Whatever your favorite tunes may be, I encourage you to start your morning listening to it and see how it changes your perspective!

Now, I have to talk about my cute sweatshirt from United Monograms! I shared this Gucci inspired tee with them a few months ago, and yall LOVED it! (Still in stock too!!) But my caffeine queen sweatshirt might be my favorite yet! For one, I have actually turned into a caffeine queen, so this is pretty accurate. Secondly, this United Monograms sweatshirt is SO soft, especially on the inside! It’s fleece lined, and it’ll become your go-to loungewear at only $26 dollars! Mark my words. I ordered a medium for an oversized fit but a small would have worked too! If coffee isn’t your thing, United Monograms has so many options from food to sports. You also don’t want to miss their new Valentine’s Day collection either!

XOXO

Kels

*Special thank you to United Monograms for sponsoring today’s post! All opinions are my own*

AMAZON DESIGNER DUPES UNDER $4O (PART 2)

Amazon Designer Dupes Under $40

Amazon is the KING of dupes. No question about it! My Amazon Fashion Finds Under $40 was my top blog post of 2018, so I knew I needed to publish an updated one for 2019 ASAP! I am not kidding when I say this one is a hundred times better than the first. It’s full of designer dupes at crazy discounted prices! Sure, the pieces aren’t real, BUT they are such a close replica. Even the reviews are overall positive! I tried to only link credible sellers, but always check the reviews just in case. I hope you enjoy these pieces as much as I do! 🙂

Black Gucci Bag

Louis Vuitton Passport Holder

David Yurman Stone Ring

Valentino Studded Pumps

Louis Vuitton Wallet

Gold Initial Necklace

Gucci Belt (Similar)

David Yurman Cable Bracelet

Gucci Bow Bag

Hermes Bracelet

David Yurman Cable Ring

Gucci Sneakers

Louis Vuitton Crossbody

Hermes Belt

Gucci Velvet Bag

XOXO

Kels

10 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR 2019

2019 New Year Resolutions2019 New Year Resolutions2019 New Year Resolutions2019 New Year Resolutions2019 New Year Resolutions2019 New Year ResolutionsBefore I start, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for the kind words about last week’s blog post! (Reflecting on 2018) Although I wish the year would have gone a little differently, every trial and tribulation was for a greater purpose! God never gives you more than you can handle, and 2018 was a testament to that. On a positive note, I started some amazing new friendships, I traveled to fun places, and I watched my blog grow to levels I only dreamed of! Now, I’m excited to start working toward all my New Year Resolutions for 2019… 🙂

Stop Letting Emotions Control Me

My mom swears I just need to take more vitamins because (apparently) being emotional is a sign of B12 vitamin deficiency… Hahaha. But generally speaking, I am a passionate person. If something (positive or negative) happens to me, I’m going to react in a BIG way! In 2019, I’m challenging myself to stop, think about situations from different viewpoints, and act with pure intentions.

Learn How to Forgive

The #1 thing I pray about daily is that I learn how to truly forgive, but I am SO stubborn. Even as a sinner myself, it’s hard to forgive others when you have been wronged! In 2019, I want to move forward instead of reflecting on past emotions/situations. I want to let go of the hate in my heart (just being honest here) and FORGIVE. Jesus forgives me and you EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. That really spoke to me, and maybe it speaks to you too!

Continue Being Independent and Content

2018 was the year I started understanding what it meant to be independent AND content with that. I pray that this momentum continues throughout 2019!

Get Back in Church

I’m embarrassed to even admit this, but I have been letting too many things talk me out of church on Sundays. I do watch the online services a lot, but there’s nothing like waking up on Sunday morning to go to church, eating lunch, and taking an afternoon nap! 🙂 I’m moving soon though, and I am super excited to find a church, a small group, and all that. More than ready to refresh and recharge in a new place and new atmosphere!

Learn the Business Side of Blogging

I spent 2018 so focused on building my blog and brand that I forgot to learn how to RUN a business. Sure, those marketing classes in college have paid off, and I’m not totally in the dark, but there’s room for improvements no doubt! Like taxes. WHAT THE HECK! I need the “Taxes For Dummies” ASAP! Hahaha. (Luckily, I do have my parents to show me, so yall don’t worry too much!)

Pray for My Future Husband

Like I mentioned above, I was super focused on myself and monetizing/building Sassy Southern Blonde in 2018, so I really shifted my focus away from my personal life! Of course, I still talked to people and all that, but I stopped wasting my time on people that didn’t deserve it. I remember working on my blog one afternoon SO NERVOUS this guy wasn’t going to like/text me anymore if I did this or that… And I’m still mad at myself for it. I could write AN ENTIRE NOVEL on being happy and single, but we’ll save that for another post! Bottom line: I stopped allowing guys *who didn’t know what they want* have a role in my life, and gosh, it felt good. In 2019, I am going to really pray hard for my future husband because I know God has a special guy in store for me! The key is praying for him and the traits you hope he has, BUT not yearning/begging for it to happen tomorrow. Everything will unfold according to God’s plan for my life and yours!

Enjoy Being in the Present

I have turned into such a planner the past couple years, especially when it comes to holidays! But so much that I forget to step back and enjoy it. Plus, the anticipation before the actual holiday is the best anyways! To me, it’s better than the holiday itself. Even though social media can be a depressing, negative place, I love when everyone comes together and shares their excitement for the impending day whether its Halloween or Christmas. Something that makes me really happy is celebrating every little holiday, so I’m going to try to do it more! (I’ve already hit Target dollar section hard for Valentine’s Day lol)

Don’t Allow Others to Affect YOUR Happiness

I used to be such a people pleaser, and I still am to an extent, but guess what? You’ll never please everyone! You’ll never be everyone’s cup of tea. The thing is that maybe you used to be, and you’re not anymore, but that’s okay! Like I said in my other blog post, some people aren’t meant to be in your life forever. They were there when they needed to be, and there’s no point dwelling on the past! Especially when it starts to affect your happiness and mental health. I remember feeling like I was drowning a few months ago! Small victories were nothing when I felt like I was losing the war. Then, I realized that you can only put up a fight for so long until it’s time to walk away. Sure, it’s bittersweet. But sometimes, it’s an answered prayer even if you don’t realize it yet!

Remember that God Loves You, Even When You are Unlovable

Regardless of what you think my life looks like, it’s not perfect and I am definitely not perfect! But the craziest thing is that even on my most unlovable days, God STILL loves me. And forgives me! I want to learn to lean on him during my best and worst days. Not just when I need him for something!

LEARN HOW TO MAKE VIDEOS

Truthfully, I have been dreading the growing popularity of videos and was really HOPING the experts were wrong about videos becoming the “next big thing” for 2019! Videos are something I know absolutely nothing about, and that intimidates me- having to learn something from scratch. But after doing a little research and ordering this ring light, I think I might enjoy it after all! Change is good!

PS: I will keep yall posted on new videos. Until then, you can subscribe to my Youtube Channel HERE 🙂

XOXO

Kels

TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD IN 2018 (STILL IN STOCK)

I feel really bad when I post old merchandise that has sold out, so this post has the top 10 items of 2018 that are STILL IN STOCK! 🙂 I’m not even going to tempt yall like that, but if any of the others restock, I will post ASAP! I also added similar options if the item comes in a different color/size somewhere else. I own everything linked below, and I can vouch that it’s all amazing!

10: Tan Floppy Hat

9: Tropical Print Romper

8: $12 Camo Dress

7: Lou & Grey Stripe Sweater

6: Pink Side Stripe Ankle Jean

5: Chips and Salsa Diet Sweatshirt

4: Knee High Tan Boots

3: Embellished Mini Skirt (ON SALE) (Similar)

2: $25 Red Swimsuit (Similar)

1: Gucci Belt Dupe (Similar)

XOXO

Kels

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY: REFLECTING ON 2018

 

I remember January 1st, 2018 like it was yesterday. I had 5000 followers on Instagram and my blog was hitting maybe 1000 views a month! I was proud of my small accomplishments, but I definitely wasn’t satisfied. I knew there was so much more I could do, so I made the decision to pour all my time & energy into Sassy Southern Blonde this year! I was fortunate enough to have parents who supported my dream and encouraged me to spend 2018 building my blog into a real business! Needless to say, the last 365 days have been full of blood (blogging ain’t easy), sweat, and tears both professionally and personally. And I wouldn’t have traded the long nights and stressful days for anything! One of my favorite quotes is, “Entrepreneurs are willing to work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week.” There is nothing more rewarding than working tirelessly and watching the business you OWN find success!

I wasn’t sure exactly how I wanted to write this post, so I decided to break it down per month to cover everything. *Warning* Some months were more intense than others! Haha.

JANUARY

2018 started with high expectations, but no actual idea what the future held for Sassy Southern Blonde! I knew how bad I wanted to turn my little corner of the internet into a real contender in the blogging industry, so I dedicated this year to truly loving myself and making ME happy (with or without a man) to ensure I gave 100% to my blog! My sole focus and #1 priority was (and is) building Sassy Southern Blonde into the brand I knew it could be. Everything else would fall into place as God saw fit!

FEBRUARY 

As February rolled around, I landed a dream collaboration with Neutrogena. I traveled to Atlanta to work with Karlie Clothes, and my IG got hacked… Lol. Thankfully, I recovered it within 24 hours and nothing was lost! (Many tears were shed, though! Haha) Shortly after this fiasco, I hit 10k on Instagram, which was a huge goal for me! It’s just a number, but it was cool to accomplish!

MARCH

I started March off in NOLA with my friends and had a great time. Since I graduated college in December 2017, I don’t get to see everyone as much, so the moments we do spend together are more special! I ended the month in Charleston on my best friend’s bachelorette trip, which was a DREAM. Charleston has been on my travel bucket list for years, and I finally got to experience it!

APRIL

April kicked off wedding season with warmer weather, and I loved every minute of it! I also traveled back to Atlanta to work market with Karlie Clothes. At this point, I mainly just went to catch up with them because they are the best! I was also finally figuring out my blog and social media aesthetic: BRIGHT COLORS! Lol.

MAY

Since my birthday is May 3rd, this month is easily my favorite. I spent it with my friends eating my favorite Mexican food and got a unicorn birthday cake! After much debate, I finally took the plunge and CHOPPED MY HAIR! I thought I’d regret it, but the short hair is still going strong. I kind of can’t imagine having any other hairstyle now? So weird! Haha.

JUNE

I feel like June is one of the best months of the year just because it’s officially summertime, plus I had a lot of fun things planned! I went to the lake with my friends the first weekend, then hosted an event with Kendra Scott in Jackson, MS! I was so proud of this!! After that, I headed to Little Rock, AR for a friend’s wedding. Too much fun! I went to Washington DC in mid-June for the second time. This is definitely one of my favorite places to visit!

JULY

As crazy as this sounds, July was the BEST month of blogging for me by far!! I never shared this publicly, but one of my photos from my 4th of July beach trip went viral (HERE)… Like 7k likes, over 2k new followers, and almost 25k views on my blog that month. INSANE! And I went into this month thinking it would be slow! LOL. That might not be much to some people, but for me it was unbelievable! I also got to do a cool collaboration with Gigi’s Cupcakes (blog post HERE) and check another place off my travel bucket list- The Pearl Hotel at Rosemary Beach! Sooo maybe July was my favorite month after all?! 🙂

This month was also huge for me on a personal level. I don’t talk in depth about friendships and relationships on here out of respect for the people involved, but I’ll give you some insight because you never know who it could help! I finally accepted the fate of a situation I knew I would never be able to change. As clichè as it sounds, God has a plan and purpose! He knows the people meant to be in your life forever, and the people who were only designed to be there for a little while. Ultimately, I made peace with this (a LONG time coming) and knew the memories would always be there even if the person wasn’t! I closed that chapter on a positive note, which led to a new door being opened!

AUGUST

After coming off such a high, I knew July would be hard to top! August was good because I collaborated with Neutrogena again, and I attended my final market in Dallas with Karlie Clothes. It was so bittersweet because I had gotten super close with a lot of them, but we still stay in touch pretty regularly! I also had a few tough conversations and knew God had a plan even if I didn’t know what it was…

SEPTEMBER

The beginning of September was amazing! Football season started, I began regularly collaborating with Pink Lily Boutique, and saw Taylor Swift in concert. I had been wanting to see her since her country music days! (She did not disappoint either!!) My top blog post of the year was published this month! (Amazon Fashion Finds Under $40)

I wish I could say the ending was as great, but I would be lying! I went through a really tough, and honestly, quite shocking situation. It’s still crazy to think about months later, but I learned the hard way that life isn’t fair and all you can do is keep going. You can’t change the past, but you CAN change the future! Dealing with that really put things into perspective for me and made me have an even greater appreciation for friends who were there to help pick up the pieces! But, there’s a reason it happened, and I’m stronger for it!

OCTOBER

The best part about October was connecting with so many other genuinely kind bloggers! I attended an event with Visit Jackson where I met several girls from Mississippi that are also influencers. There aren’t many in the state, so I think it’s cool we were able to all meet and talk! 🙂 I also agreed to a last minute trip to Gatlinburg with three girls I had never met in person (Andrea, Tanner, and Bailey), but I’m SO happy I did! More on that below 🙂 Oh, and another FUN part was going to Oktoberfest in Nashville. 10/10 recommend if you ever get the chance!

NOVEMBER

Blogging wise, November almost topped July! Between Christmas shopping and Cyber Week sales, my blog views were through the roof. THANK YALL FOR THAT! I boarded a plane for Charlotte to meet up with Andrea and it was like we had been friends for years! We then drove over to Gatlinburg with Tanner and Bailey for a fun weekend trip. LOVE those two as well! (Full details about this HERE) I could go on for DAYS about them, but let’s just say we have some fun things in the works for 2019 😉

DECEMBER

I had always wanted to visit New York City at Christmastime, so my mom and I went for a girls’ trip! We got to see and do so much, and I already want to go back. (NYC Recap HERE) After that, I had a wonderful Christmas with my family, and I worked on more dream collaborations with companies like Francesca’s and Jane.com! I ended 2018 in Nashville with my closest friends so happy, content, and excited for 2019!

Through the highs and lows of 2018, I learned more about myself than I ever have before. I learned what it felt like to be truly content and satisfied with my life and where it’s going! 2018 was also about overcoming tough situations and trying to handle the cards I was dealt with maturity and grace. Don’t get me wrong, I made so many mistakes. SO many. I didn’t always act maturely or gracefully, but I tried. And sometimes, that’s all you can do! Learn from it and move on. So here’s to 2019! May it be filled with happiness, growth, and lots of LOVE! And as always, thank you for your continued support of Sassy Southern Blonde. It means everything to me!

XOXO

Kels