Today is my 28th birthday and I'm unsure how I feel about it. I had an entirely different post planned today -- I wrote it yesterday and I was in a horrible mood so the post reflected that. Today I feel better so I didn't feel like posting something so horribly negative... I also need to learn to not put so much negativity into the world - maybe that can be a goal for the next 365 days. 

It's no secret that this year has been horrible and I've shared my feelings, especially over the past few weeks, on how I've been feeling. 

I don't feel particularly motivated, happy, or ambitious. My anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts seem to be taking over which is never good. I wasn't excited about my birthday and was experiencing a lot of anxiety about it. I felt depressed about not knowing how to celebrate, sad about how my life is playing out... I thought I'd be in a much different place by 28 years old, and just really sad about getting older in general.

How is it that I can remember my 21st birthday so clearly, feel like I was just in college and now I'm closer to 30 years old than that age? I almost feel like I don't recognize myself anymore... but is it me or is the pandemic? That is the million-dollar question.

That being said, I'm feeling much better today. I feel a little extra loved, and a bit calmer about everything. It's the worst weather we've had in NYC in a while and I almost feel like it was a little gift for me, because rainy weather is my favorite and it almost makes me feel better about my birthday? I know that sounds crazy but it's true!

As I write this, I just got back from a massage and I treated myself to some croissants this morning for breakfast. I'll be ordering in my favorite restaurant tonight, and having a Milkbar cake, along with some light work and maybe a Christmas movie. 

I have a lot of hope that I can make 28 a good year. At the moment, I feel hopeful but that is always fleeting. I'm ready to hunker down, make changes to my mental & physical health, and really try to live my life instead of letting it pass me by. 

Maybe 28 will be that year... maybe I can really make the changes. Here's to hoping! 

xoxo
B

Black Friday has come and gone and even though I said I wasn't going to buy anything, I ended up doing a bunch of shopping. I'll link some of my items in the 'What I Bought This Week' section later on in the post... 

Thanksgiving was super weird this year. It was only my sister, my mom, my mom's fiancee, and myself. It was really sad, I was in a really bad place and kind of hit rock bottom. It was probably the lowest point in my life, and I might talk more about it on Monday (my birthday post) but might wait a little bit. 

My birthday.... I am not excited but more on that Monday. 

Today I felt a ton better! I slept late, decorated my room for Christmas, went and got my first Covid test (oh my god, I can still feel that swab), did some freelance work, and commenced my annual viewing of "Gilmore Girls: A Year in a Life". I might have to do a post all about my love of Gilmore Girls because man, it is strong.

Right now, I'm watching Season 2 of Gilmore Girls, after eating pizza and sitting by my Christmas tree. The Christmas tree really makes everything so much better. 

I hope you all had a nice holiday and have shopped till you dropped today!

Links I Loved

• Why this holiday season feels so stressful
• An interesting perspective on 'vulnerable women'
• What to watch and read next after finishing "The Crown"
• How not getting enough sleep can affect you in multiple ways 
• Upgrade your self-care routine and take it to new heights

What You Missed on Royally Pink

I have to admit, I have nothing I want to buy on Black Friday. I know, it's very shocking. I just don't need anything and I haven't really thought about what I want. Usually, I'm making Black Friday lists on November 1st but this year, I guess it's like with anything this year, it just doesn't feel right. 

Even though I say this now, a few days before Black Friday, I'm sure I will buy at least *one* thing. And just because I might not be shopping doesn't mean I can't share the best deals around! I've done these posts over the years but unlike other bloggers, I usually share the sales I'm going to be shopping or sales I think are really worth it. 

It's very easy to feel overwhelmed by all the sales that happen on Friday and over the years, the shopping week starts earlier and earlier. That's why I want to make this as simple as possible and focus on good deals and retailers that I really love. I also will include a section for small businesses that I've seen are doing sales.

Either way, Black Friday is no longer the only big shopping day but it is still fun to sit at home, curl up on the couch with Christmas movies and shop your heart out! 

Cyber Week + Black Friday Sales

Beauty

• Sephora: 50% off daily deals until Friday & 50% off select items! 
• Ulta: 30-60% off items until Friday + SO MANY other deals on the website

• Summer Fridays: From 11/25 –11/29, 20% off with code Friday 
• Makeup Eraser: Entire site is BOGO Free with code BESTGIFTEVER
• I definitely will be picking up THE PUFF, the brand's reusable cotton rounds
• Kylie Skin: 30% off (starting today at 9 AM PST) 
• Kylie Cosmetics: 40% off (starting today at 12 PM PST)
• HerbivoreBotanics: 25% off everything with code HOLIDAY25 
• Too Faced: 30% off everything and free shipping
• Drybar: 20% off tools and products -- cannot recommend the Double Shot Brush enough

Fashion & Accessories 

• Anthropologie: 30% off everything
• Lele Sadoughi: Up to 30% off
• J.Crew: 50% Off + 60% off sale items with code EARLY

• Nordstrom: Select items up to 50% off
• Spanx: 20% off everything with free shipping & returns
• Kendra Scott: 30% off everything until Monday! 

• ShopBop: 20% off with code SHOP20 - on Friday
• They are also doing daily deals so check the website until Friday for more details! 
• Coach: 50% off select items
• Tory Burch: 30% off $250; up to 60% off sale items, with code THANKS 

Lifestyle + Wellness

• Eyejust: 30% off 
• May Designs: 40% off the entire website
• The Good Patch: 20% off and free shipping sitewide

Small Businesses

• MyOhMySupplyCo: Up to 25% off on Friday, 15% off everything on Saturday
• GrapeSodaCo: New launches & up to 50% select items (starts at 8 PM EST today) 
• Zipadeetees: New launches + BOGO 20%
• Letters & Lucy: New launches + sale (not defined yet) starting tomorrow at 12 PM CT

I'll try to update this post as the week goes on or link more in the coming days!

xoxo

B

Yesterday I shared Thanksgiving recipes and tomorrow will be Black Friday deals and then Thursday is Thanksgiving, so we're feeling all the holidays this week. 

I wanted to share my Christmas clothes roundup before December 1st hit so we can all share in the merry spirit for as long as possible. Also, you might want to pick these up on Black Friday if they're on sale so why not spread a little Christmas cheer early!

I already picked up two sweaters to wear while I WFH by my Christmas tree in December but I might have to treat myself to one more! The ones I picked up were the Eloise at Christmastime from My Oh My Supply Co and a Grinch sweatshirt from Zipadeetees. 

Below are a bunch of other adorable tees, long sleeves, and sweatshirts to choose from this holiday season.

xoxo

B

 Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday ever. I love the spookiness of Halloween and the joy of Christmas but something about Thanksgiving makes me incredibly happy. Maybe it's because it's the start of the holiday season, maybe it's because my birthday is always a few days after it, or maybe because the food is just my favorite. 

I started a new tradition a few years ago and that's experimenting with different drink recipes to serve on Thanksgiving. My family usually sticks to their classic drinks but I wanted something fun and festive! 

I figured what better time to share those recipes than Thanksgiving week. The holiday this year is going to be different, and probably smaller for a lot of us but you can still have traditions, and you can still make the best of the day. 

Below are my favorite recipes to make for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and really any other fall gathering. 

Apple Cider Mimosas

Ingredients:

Fall Sangria

This is my family's favorite recipe and it has really become the go-to traditional Thanksgiving drink.

Ingredients 

Apple Cider Sangria 

Ingredients 

 Happy Sunday! Happy Thanksgiving week! This is usually my favorite week of the year and this year, well, it's melancholy. I'm trying to remain in the spirit as best as I could but I know we're all feeling a bit 'meh'. The good news? We put up our Christmas tree over the weekend and it is definitely brightened up my mood.

My birthday is also in a week, I'll be 28 and I'm just not feeling it this year. I don't know if it's because of Covid, or because of my breakup earlier this year but I kind of wish I could just skip over it. Maybe it's because I'm two years away from 30 and I'm having an identity crisis? It's just really weird, I feel weird and need to try to get my shit together.

Crisis and holidays aside, I watched more of The Crown season 4 last night, followed by a documentary on Princess Diana, and wow, it just brought up a ton of feelings. I've been obsessed with the royals for a very long time since I was a little girl (I mean, my blog name is named after them) so I've always known a lot about Princess Diana. However, seeing it play out in fiction, and just reliving the stories I've always heard is really heartbreaking. I could talk about this for hours and just might in another post or newsletter. 

As I sit here on Sunday afternoon, watching Youtube videos and nursing a horrible migraine, I'm looking forward to a short work week and Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. Let's get into the wrap-up...

Pink Positivity of the Week

I had Friendsgiving on Thursday and it was great! We had delicious food, decorated cookies and it was nice to be with friends. *I've been seeing my friends socially distanced for a while and we pretty much know where everyone has been. I also don't see anyone outside my house so I'm not concerned* 

Also, has any noticed the NEW blog layout?! I've been struggling with the branding of Royally Pink and what I wanted this blog to look like, but finally found something that really fits. It might look a little confusing but to me, it looks more professional. I hope you like it! 

Links I Loved

• The Crown has had it scandals but truly, there is nothing like Diana
• Give me all the hygge gifts
• This Starbucks secret menu drink looks divine
• Is TikTok changing the beauty industry? 
• Interesting take on what a Covid vaccine would mean for the beauty industry 
• What is a Saturn return? 
• The business behind royal fashion blogging 

What You Missed on Royally Pink

xoxo

B

I've had a few Riley Sager books in my queue ready to read, and after Final Girl. I knew I couldn't wait too long to read another one. Lock Every Door is one of his newer novels and I had purchased it a few months back when it was on sale, so I figured this was a good place to start. 

This was a weird book, in all the best ways. It was sad, twisted, dark, mysterious, and very creepy. It had everything you could want out of a thriller and it kept my attention until the very end.

Publisher's Summary

My Thoughts

From the first page, I was immediately gripped. Jules was trying to escape from The Bartholomew and we have no idea why. Even when you find out why she was trying to escape, it doesn't feel real. It was incredibly far-fetched but sometimes, those are the best kinds of stories.

I felt really bad for Jules throughout the book. Her life was sad and she was at rock bottom... you feel for her and want her to get back on her feet. That's why the position she takes at the hotel sounds so great for her, and you could understand why she needs it to work. It did sound creepy and as a reader, you knew there was a catch but you had no idea how severe it was.

I'll be honest, as much as I enjoyed the book, there was a lot of 'free time' where the story was kind of stalled. It felt like Sager put you on a wild goose chase trying to find out just what the secret of The Bartholomew was. Was it ghosts? Was there a serial killer on the loose? What was the secret? I just wanted to know! This story really took its time playing out... 

As you continue to read, and more pieces start to unravel, your mind is racing and truly you just want to find out what the deal is. Where is Ingrid? Why do they even need apartment sitters? And is Jules even safe? 

The actual secret, what was actually going on at the residence was unlike anything I could've ever imagine and I don't know how anyone could possibly dream up that scenario. It was so out there, so gruesome, so horrible... it was intense. It was also sad once you find out what happened to the other people and how they preyed on the vulnerable.

However, at the end of the story, you see Jules really come out stronger and it was such a good ending. I felt so satisfied with the outcome, as horrible as the journey was.

The writing in this book was exceptional. Sager is a true genius when it comes to psychological thrillers; the way he pairs gruesome stories with a relatable background story and likable characters. The way the story is set up, to purposely make you think something else is going on, it's incredible. 

I've read enough thrillers/mysteries to be able to figure out the ending but Sager is such an excellent storyteller that it is nearly impossible to predict where the story is going. It's everything you want in a novel. 

Home After Dark is the next Sager book I'll be reading and I'm sure it will be incredible.

What are you reading today?
xoxo
B

In 2016, my dad passed away and my world was changed forever. When I think about it, nothing has ever felt the same, felt as happy, or as good as it did before 2016. The one thing that definitely didn't feel the same was the holidays, or any celebration, including my birthday.

At the beginning of this year, my family was dealt with another hard card when my aunt passed away and we've been dreading the holiday season ever since January. It's also the first holiday season I'm single in a few years, so there is loss all around because loss doesn't just mean death. 

I've been thinking about this post for a while and in a way, this is the perfect year to talk about it. We're all going to be celebrating the holiday differently and you might find some comfort in having to deal with your loss in this vastly different holiday season rather than if everything was merry and bright. 

These are the tools that have worked for me over the years when it comes to celebrations and the holiday season. I'm not an expert nor am I a doctor but wanted to just offer advice to anyone who needs it. I am also someone who loves the holiday season, despite everything, so I am pretty good at dusting myself off and powering through... if you are not that kind of person, please don't take offense to any advice offered. 

Days Leading Up to the Holiday

Let Yourself Feel

The first Thanksgiving without my dad, I woke up crying. I could cry thinking about it now. I cried for the majority of the day and would sneak away into my room to sit and cry, thinking about how everything was different and how much I missed him.

I think my mistake was trying to make the day feel normal. I did all my normal things: woke up, had coffee, snuggled up to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade but at some point, it hit me that nothing was normal and that I was suppressing my feelings. 

Your feelings are valid, always remember that, but when it comes to personal loss, your feelings are more than valid -- they're raw and real and warranted. In the days leading up to the holiday, let yourself feel those emotions. Try your best to not push them down or distract yourself... feel them and let yourself cry. Throw a tantrum, scream into a pillow and let it all out. You will feel so much better afterward and it is your gateway into 'normalcy'.

Write It Out

I'm working on another post dedicated to journaling but wow, writing out your feelings really does wonders. When I'm feeling down about my grief, I write it in my journal. I might frame it as a letter or just let out my frustration about how they aren't here anymore.

Honor Your Loved One

I like to take a few personal moments to honor my dad (and this year, my aunt). Whether that's just saying a prayer, talking out loud to them, or wearing something that reminds me of them,  it helps me feel close to them and helps me channel my grief in a physical way. 

My dad & I

On the Actual Day

Focus on Something You Enjoy 

Take Time Away from the Celebration

Don't Retreat

If you're not dealing with death but a different type of loss...

 It is November 14th and I have broken many of my self-inflicted holiday rules. I have not decorated for Christmas yet but I have bought Christmas snacks, candles, and baking supplies... however, I haven't used any of these yet. As I write this, I am currently watching Home Alone 2, after watching Home Alone and that is my biggest rule of all: no Christmas movies before Thanksgiving. 

These rules are very silly and are a personal inside joke, I'm well aware it doesn't matter if I watch Christmas movies in early November but I'm such a fall person & I love Thanksgiving so I like to continue the fall season as much as possible. However, this year, I think I need some of that Christmas joy a little early this year. 

I'm over my pumpkin spice habit and I'm ready for all things peppermint mocha! 

This week was hard, again but not as hard as the previous weeks because well, the election is over *contrary to popular belief*. I am though, back to worrying about Covid... please just wear a mask & social distance. It's the least we could do and IT WORKS! 

I'll get off my soapbox before I get too preachy, and get right into the post!

Pink Positivity of the Week

I ordered so many books this week! Of course, I always like reading but sometimes I get in the mood to read 100 books and just absorb every story I could find. I've also been in a self-help mindset so I ordered a few books I've had my eye on... more on that later. Reading brings me such great pleasure and joy, and right now I need to surround myself with every bit of joy I can find. 

Links I Loved

• Expensive looking gifts under $100
• Paris influencers to follow after you watch Emily in Paris
• Speaking of Emily in Paris... life lessons the show taught some of us
• If you were a kid in the early 2000s, you might like these gifts 
• The best thriller novels that are being released this month
• Astrological events to pay attention to right now

What You Missed on Royally Pink

What I Bought This Week

I have been waiting to write this review for months and we are finally here! I received an ARC of "The Girls of Brackenhill" earlier this year and finished the book sometime in the summer. It was finally released last week and I'm so excited to tell you how much I adored this book! 

If I remember correctly, I flew through this thriller/mystery novel pretty quickly and it kept me engaged on every single page. 

Publisher's Summary: 

When Hannah Maloney’s aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle in the Catskills and the epicenter of childhood trauma: her sister’s unsolved disappearance. It’s been seventeen years, and though desperate to start a new life with her fiancé, Hannah is compelled to question the events of her last summer at Brackenhill.

When a human bone is found near the estate, Hannah is convinced it belongs to her long-lost sister. She launches her own investigation into that magical summer that ended in a nightmare. As strange happenings plague the castle, Hannah uncovers disturbing details about the past and startling realizations about her own repressed childhood memories.

Fueled by guilt over her sister’s vanishing, Hannah becomes obsessed with discovering what happened all those years ago, but by the time Hannah realizes some mysteries are best left buried, it’s too late to stop digging. Overwhelmed by what she has exposed, Hannah isn’t sure her new life can survive her old ghosts.

My Thoughts:

I am not a doctor, let me get that straight. I am not a medical professional of any kind so take my advice with a grain of salt. What I am is a 27-year-old woman who has been dealing with anxiety attacks for almost 10 years so I know a little bit about how to deal with anxiety and/or panic attacks.

The past few weeks have been probably some of the most stressful of 2020... not just for me but for everyone. There was a lot of uncertainty leading up to the election, the spike in Covid cases across the world, and now post-election stress is going to be mixed with the holiday season. It's just not good for anyone's mental health.

I have definitely experienced a spike in anxiety attacks over the course of the past few months and have found a few new ways to deal with them. I figured I would take you through every step of my anxiety attack and how I resolve them.

For reference, I am on anti-anxiety/depression medication that I take daily but that doesn't mean my anxiety is completely gone. It just means I can function on a daily basis. I still have triggers and still need to navigate an attack... this is what works for me.

Credit

At the First Sign of Anxiety

When I first feel the anxiety coming on, I try to take a few deep breaths. No matter what I am doing, I take a moment to close my eyes, put my hand over my heart, and deep breathe. It helps me focus and center myself, without getting distracted. If I'm working, I will briefly shut the computer so no blue light is coming in & turn off any podcasts or music I am listening to so I can sit in silence. The silence really helps ease me because sometimes the anxiety is just brought on by overstimulation. 

After I sit like that for a few minutes, I will chug some water and maybe rub a little lavender oil on my temples, just to set the mood. I'll also try to get up and eat something because even though it sounds silly, sometimes anxiety can be mistaken for hunger (at least in my experience!) 

However, sometimes the pausing and breathing are just not enough...

After the Anxiety Really Sets In

When I'm Having a Full-Blown Anxiety Attack

 It's a new week with a new President-Elect and I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief that (hopefully) everything is behind us. No matter what, we should never have to experience what we did last week. Onward and upward!

I wanted to start the week with a lowkey post of things I've been loving & doing lately! 

On Halloween, my friends & I took a day trip to Sleepy Hallow. We walked around, did some sightseeing and ate lunch. It was the perfect fall day and such a nice way to spend Halloween. 

I told you that I bought the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream Light Moisturizer during the Sephora VIB Rouge sale and wow, I have been loving it. Upon application, my skin instantly feels less dry and tight, plus it really keeps my skin moisturized all day long. I've only used it a few days so more updates at the end of the month! 

It's Friday night... we still don't have a president-elect, and it's starting to get annoying (LOL) sorry but it's true! I understand, we need to count all the votes but wow, what a goddam week.

It was filled with a lot of emotions, uncertainty, self-care, and weirdness. I feel like this week was 15 days long. At first, I tried to step away from the news... Tuesday night I went to sleep at 9 PM and woke up every hour to text messages from my friend giving me updates. But after Wednesday night, I figured we'd be in this for the long haul, and here we are. 

As I write this, it's actually the first time I put on the news... I've always been the type of news consumer that likes to read the news instead of listening or watching it. It's clearly the college journalist and writer in me. I've been following a few key journalists who are updating purely on the numbers and refreshing The New York Times every 5 seconds... no lie. 

Serious news aside, the memes have been on point. TikTok is on fire and it truly has brought me so much joy. In times of despair, the Internet can seem like a really horrible, dark place but if you look in the right places, you can find a lot of humor and levity. 

All of that being said, I'm really ready for the weekend because I need some sense of normalcy. I just want to go to the gym, run some errands, and get my life in order. I feel like life was put on hold *again* this week and I need to just get it together. 

Sale of the Week

Ok, let's get into it...but first, Stoney Clover Lane is having a 20% off sale tomorrow, Saturday, November 7th. It starts at 10 AM EST and ends at 10 PM EST. They NEVER do sales and this is replacing their Black Friday sale so it's the perfect time to get something or stock up! I've done two posts about SCL, filled with inspiration for pieces, recently, for their fall collection & the cozy collection, and have a few more posts in my LikeToKnowIt, so check it out and treat yourself.

Pink Positivity of the Week

I got *too many* online orders delivered but man, it felt good to be excited about material things! In reality, it felt good to go out and vote this week. I got emotional and it was so nice to see so many poll workers in good spirits. It was really wonderful. 

Links I Loved

• Is wellness a pandemic proof industry? 
• This explains a lot... uncertainty is the brain's least favorite emotion 
• Hobbies that drive creativity... it's a good time to pick them up
• Fancy beauty gifts to distract yourself AND treat yourself
• Top wellness trends of the last decade
• Home decor for the holidays that will make things merry & bright

What You Missed This Week:

What I Bought This Week

xoxo

B

I can't believe we are finally here. I can't believe it's almost over. I wasn't going to post anything today... and was considering taking the week off (I probably still will) but I just wanted to come on here and tell you to VOTE. 

It is our right as Americans to vote... and we're voting for more than the president. There are tons of local representatives on the ballot, senators, and other government officials. I would argue that those are even more important than the president because that's where we see real change. 

I voted this morning at my local polling place, down the block from my house. I waited for today because honestly, early voting was a little confusing to me. I tried to do it on Sunday but the location was super crowded, there was no direction and it was raining. I felt much more comfortable in my local place where I've voted before.

The line was not as long as I expected but much longer than past elections. A lot has to do with Covid, a lot has to do with the fact that this election has record breaking turnouts. The entire process took me 40 minutes and I was near tears leaving, praying for change in our country. 

I will spend the day working, trying to distract myself from what is going to be a make or break election. I'm honestly terrified so work is a good distraction. Tonight, I will not watch the news, read a book, and take some CBD gummies to hopefully pass out by 9 PM. 

Tomorrow... we'll see what we wake up too. Let's hope it's positive change. 

For now, get out and vote like your life depends on it. 

xoxo
B