Okay this week FLEW by. I cannot believe it's already Friday. I don't know why it went so fast but I'm surely not complaining. Maybe because I barely slept? Between Tuesday and Wednesday night, I got 7 hours of sleep. Yup, in 2 days, I slept for 7 hours—I was at work for more hours during those days than I was asleep. Let that sink in for a hot second.

I will be sleeping in late this weekend mixed with some blogging, goal setting, and a dinner date with my sorority family. A low-key yet productive and fun weekend is just what I need.

I was in a fantastic mood this week, hardly any anxiety and everything was just good, which is always a plus in my book.

These will both be included in the links but can we talk about two huge pieces of fashion news. First, C.Wonder is CLOSING. I am beyond DEVASTATED. I just got a gorgeous monogrammed leopard tote bag for work for Christmas from them and I wanted more goodies but now, it's all gone. I'm so sad but Ms. Tory Burch is probably jumping for joy.

In HAPPY fashion news and the best news I think 2015 will grace with me, LILLY PULITZER FOR TARGET. Not to toot my own horn but I'm 98% sure I was the first one on Twitter to see this news. I saw Refinery29 tweet their link about a new Target collaboration but I was not expecting to see the face of the queen of pink and green.

I let out a huge scream, so loud that my mom thought something bad happened. Immediately my social media timelines flooded with the fantastic news and I hardly saw any "hate". Some people aren't happy because they feel that the collab will take away the exclusivity of Lilly Pulitzer but I think that there is more than enough to share. Just because it's a lower price doesn't mean it's not real Lilly. If Alexander Wang and Phillip Lim are good enough for Target, you bet your ass Ms. Pulitzer is.

#EndRant

Anyways, here are the links I LOVED.

This tells you exactly what your face acne means for the rest of your body #cool

Birchbox is BAE and Rachel Jo Silver, the Director of Social Media is queen. This article is FANTASTIC.

This is the real life Notebook and my heart hurts.

Basically women are better at being unemployed than men. #GirlPower

Love and lost and regret...it's a sad realization

A look inside the Cosmopolitan office and I've died and gone to heaven

I do all of this and it's so self destructive. 

Great Scott...we're getting Nike's with power laces!

What you missed on Royally Pink:

December Favorites

Winter Skincare Essentials

101 in 1001

What did you love this week? Happy Friday everyone!

This bad boy has been on my to-do list for a solid 6 months and I finally got around to finishing it. Honestly, thinking of 101 things I want to do is really difficult. I had a few things that I knew were going on the list, around 50 things that came easily, but the other 51....not so easy.

I looked at other 101 lists because if you didn't know, this is a huge deal in the blogger world. Mackenzie Horan of Design Darling started this idea a few years ago and it has taken over the internet. 

When I graduated college, I knew I wanted to make one of these lists to keep a set of goals for the first few post graduate years. With the new year just a few days in, I knew I wanted to post it ASAP. 

Having a list of tangible goals makes me feel calmer somehow. It's something to work toward, something to aim for...it makes me feel a lot better.

You all know I've had a real difficult time these past months, leaving college and entering the real world so I feel like this list is really going to help me get out of my comfort zone and do some things I've always wanted to do.

I finished it over the weekend but started it in October so some of these have already happened but I'm SO excited to post it and share it with all of you!

I hope this list inspires you to make your own list, something to set your sights on and go get! In 2015, get out of your comfort zone and do something you've always wanted to do...no matter how small or big it is!

End date: October 4th, 2017

---

1. Come up with 101 things and inspire someone else to do the same

Fun/Daring

2. Go to a gun range

3. Get a tattoo

4. Get a drastic haircut + hair color 

Travel

5. Visit Boston

6. Visit OCMD

7. Visit  London + Paris + Italy

8. Visit Washington DC

9. Take a road trip to Charlotte 

10. Go on a spontaneous day or weekend adventure to a random city/state

11. Take a fun girls weekend trip

12. Take a trip with a boyfriend(if I ever have one!) 

13. Go to the airport with no plans and get on the next flight that leaves

Activities

14. See a NFL game (October 26th, 2014)

15. See Billy Joel at MSG

16. Visit Lilly Pulitzer on Madison Ave

17. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

18. Visit the 9/11 Memorial Museum 

19. Attend NYC Fashion Week

20. Go golfing on a real golf course

21. Attend at least 3 concerts

22. Go to a spa

23. Go apple and pumpkin picking

24. See at least 3 Broadway shows

25. Conquer SoulCycle again

26. Get my hair blown out at Drybar

27. Attend a Barre Class

28. Visit three museums

29. Take a stay cation in a Manhattan hotel 

30. Successfully make a Pinterest recipe (Chicken Alfredo Bake; Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Cups) 

31. Go to the Birchbox SOHO store

32. Visit Laudree in NYC

33. Spend the day in Central Park

34. Read at least 5 classic books

35. Watch at least 10 classic films I’ve never seen

36. Successfully cook a classic, Italian Sunday dinner

37. Go to at least 5 classic, famous NYC restaurants 

38. See a movie at a drive in

39. Start a new holiday tradition

40. Go skinny dipping

41. Print photos and create a college scrapbook

42. Go to a psychic 

43. Create an actual, real inspiration board

44. Go to a vineyard + wine tour

Professional

45. Get a full time job

46. Work at a magazine

47. Start (and finish) writing my book

48. Create a new blog post series and stick to it

49. Buy a domain for Royally Pink

50. Work with a major brand on Royally Pink

51. Improve + strengthen my writing

52. Take a blogging + writing class

53. Build a better “brand”

54. Be featured in a magazine + newspaper + online article

55. Freelance social media for local businesses 

56. Host an event with a brand

57. Get started on my business idea

58. Write freelance articles for magazine or online publication

59. Bring Royally Pink up to over 1,000 views a day

60. Buy + learn to use a professional camera

61. Publish an e-book

62. Open an Etsy shop

63. Start a VLog Channel

64. Go on more informational interviews 

65. Attend at least 5 conferences + networking events 

Personal

66. Save over $2,000

67. Create a budget plan and stick to it!

68. Find a beauty/skincare routine that I’m in love with 

69. Move to my own apartment

70. Read a new book once a month

71. Do a 30 day challenge

72. Do a digital detox(one day or one weekend without technology)

73. Start a new hobby (sewing, painting, calligraphy…something)

74. For every time I say no, say yes to something else

75. Send at least 10 nice, handwritten cards just because

76. Reconnect with an old friend

77. Go to Church every Sunday for at least a month

78. Clean out my closet/drawers/under bed + get rid of clutter

79. Create an address + contact book (in an actual book)

80. Mail out Christmas cards

81. Write a list of 101 things I have ALREADY done

Fitness/Health

82. Get my anxiety figured out

83. Reign in my emotions/stop overthinking every moment of your life

84. Go to the doctor’s to check up on food allergies

85. Lose minimum 20 pounds

86. Successfully complete a juice cleanse 

87. Stay away from carbs for a whole month

88. Start regularly working out/doing yoga

89. Wake up at 6:30am everyday for 2 weeks

90. Try a new food once a month

91. Work out 4+ times a week

92. Join a gym (get away from that little elliptical in your living room)

93. Don’t eat take out food for two weeks

Purchases (this is going to be so hypocritical but it’s fine)

94. Buy a nice, expensive handbag

95. Invest in a good, quality pair of heels

96. Buy a new computer

97. Buy one very luxury, expensive beauty product

98. Buy a new car

99. Pay off my credit cards

100. Go one month without shopping

101. For every item completed on the list, put $10 in a savings account

What do you guys think? Is it possible? Have you done any of these before? I'm super excited to get started and cross some stuff off this hefty list!

This is a sponsored post, as I received one of the products for review, but all my opinions are my own.

Wintertime, aside from autumn, is my favorite season. The cold, the snow, wearing big sweaters and blanket scarves...it's all amazing to me.

With the winter months, comes the blaring cold weather. I don't mind the cold (Frozen reference here) and it's never really affected me, until now. I've never had sensitive skin but over the past few months, my skin has been giving me a rough time.

Between blackheads, white heads, eczema, dry scalp, puffy eyes..you name it, my skin has had a problem with it.

I have been doing my best during the past few months, especially with the colder weather, to keep my skin as moisturized and hydrated as possible. I clearly don't mind because it gives me an excuse to buy and try new beauty products.

The best thing to do with your skin in the winter is keep it hydrated. The cold weather dries out your skin and does not make for a smooth canvas for makeup. Aside from your face, it's important to keep your hands and body fully moisturized as well. But I'm pretty sure you all knew that already. 

Over the past few weeks, I've been curating the best and my favorite products to try and review, trying to combat my mess of a dry body.

//Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Moisture Lotion: Having a reliable, every day body lotion is the best thing you can have on hand. If you don't have anything else on this list, make sure you find a lotion that you like. I like this one because it has aloe and it's a simple, no fuss lotion. I apply it after the shower to a still wet body (applying lotion while you're still a little damp locks in the moisture) and it leaves my body completely smooth.

//Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Creme: When I realized I wasn't just dealing with dry skin but had eczema patches on various parts of my body (face, legs), I knew I needed something a little more heavy duty. After some research, I settled on this gel like cream and it's been working wonders. I apply this on my eczema patches along with on my dry, itchy legs (over the Vaseline Total Moisture) and it clears up the patches within a few days.

//Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue: I really enjoy BabyLips as a stand alone chapstick but the eczema around my lips became a little more serious. I used this (and lost it) last winter but I remembered it did wonders for me. It leaves a tingly sensation on your lips which I like because it feels like it's actually doing something and my lips have been less chapped since using. I'm going to do a "best lip balms" post because I've tried SO many but this one is definitely high on the list.

//Evian Water Facial Spray: I've always been curious about facial sprays and have read about the benefits of them but never truly tried one. I was sent this Evian Spray free for review and I was really excited to try this. I have been using this religiously in a bunch of different ways. Between spraying this before and after my makeup as a setting spray, using it in the morning before my moisturizer or at night after cleansing, and just during the day whenever I feel like my skin needs some moisture, it's been my best friend. I'm borderline obsessed with how it makes my skin feel and look and it's cool enough to truly wake me and my skin up in the morning. 

//Vaseline Rosy Lip Therapy: I jumped on the Vaseline Lip Therapy train a few weeks back after debating it for a while. I didn't like the idea of applying Vaseline to my lips...I don't like the texture of Vaseline but I finally decided to jump the gun. I don't like applying this during the day because it's too thick but applying it at night and letting the lip therapy do it's thing is magical. I wake up with my lips smooth and soft.

//Head and Shoulders Almond Oil Shampoo: Since I was about 11 years old, I've dealt with dry scalp and eczema on my scalp. It was really painful when I was younger but after a few years, I learned to deal with it properly. During the winter months, it's important for me to use an ultra moisturizing shampoo that caters to dry scalp. Head and Shoulders is by far the best I've found and it does every thing I need it too.

Honorable mentions (I'm trying out a few different ones right now and I'll do separate posts on them): eye cream, hand cream, and tinted lip balms.

What are your winter skincare essentials that leave you feeling fresh and smooth?

I'm sure most of you are really sick of seeing these resolution posts but I really wanted to post mine because I felt like I needed too, for myself.

2014 was the most amazing year that my expectations for 2015 are less than stellar. I think my hopes for 2015 are low because there's nothing on the horizon for me...for once, the year is completely unwritten, as is the rest of my entire life. Nothing is set in stone, nothing is guaranteed. It comes back to the entire unexpectedness that is the post graduate life.

For years, January would roll around and I knew I'd go back to school in a few days or weeks, and then the rest of the school year would roll around. I'd go to my new classes, take midterms, go to sorority formal, and end the year with finals.

Now, it's totally different. I don't know what's coming and that is so scary. I haven't been able to embrace that aspect of post graduate and I still feel like I'm floating in the middle of the ocean with no life saver around...dramatic I know but it's how I feel.

2015, I'm going to do my best to embrace it all and be a better version of myself. I've dealt so much with anxiety (possible post on that eventually) and trying to find my own happiness this year. I don't want to depend on anyone else to make me happy or calm my anxiety...I want to be happy on my own. That is probably my biggest resolution...to stop worrying about everything, calm down, and be happy.

I also wanted to include the resolutions for my blog so let's get into it.

Personal

1. Stop overthinking

2. Try to find my own happiness

3. Be confident and enjoy myself more...be present in the moment

4. Save money and stop spending it on frivolous items

5. Write more freelance and contributor articles—write more OUTSIDE of the blog 

6. Be a better friend/daughter/sister

7. Go out with my friends more, put myself out there, stop saying NO

(These are definitely not concentrate things that I want to accomplish or change...just mental and emotional things I need to learn to control. I have a special post coming later in the week that I've been building for a while that I'm super happy and pleased with that are ACTUAL goals)

Blog Resolutions:

1. New Blog Design (already completed!)

2. Work with a major brand

3. Create more partnerships through brand affiliates and sidebar sponsors

4. Create an email newsletter (something you guys would be interested in?)

5. Host sponsorships for other bloggers

6. Hit 1,000 followers + viewership (daily)

7. Create a new weekly + monthly blog series 

My words of 2015 are CALM, CONFIDENT, HAPPY. 

Let's see if I could stick to everything.

What are your goals or resolutions for 2015? 

It feels like it's been ages that I've posted a Links to Love post. I know these are just an easy way out and literally the easiest post I could write but I love them. It's the easiest blogger cheat sheet and something simple I could whip up on a Thursday night when I am wiped out from the week.

I also really am internet obsessed (I've always been) and there is so much goodness out there that I need to share. Also, the journalist in me is fascinated by some of the articles I find and I need to tell someone about them.

As I said yesterday, I've been like a chicken running around without a head lately. I need to refresh my mind and get my self together. Hopefully once the week starts and I'm back on a normal schedule, I'll feel a lot better.

For now, let's dive in to what I loved online this week:

The most basic things of 2014 and I have identified with each one.

Anxiety is not "worrying."

I am an early 20something and this is my life.

Give me all the expensive beauty products, please, someone, I'm begging you.

These career resolutions are incredible. Great job, Elana!

Sometimes words aren't enough and that sucks.

One of my #lifegoals is to have a family like Jessie and Eric Decker but that's not on this list.

Happy 2015 everyone :)

Happy 2015 everyone! I hope you had a fabulous New Years with your friends and family. Hopefully you aren't feeling too tired and hungover today.

I had a relatively anti climatic New Years Eve because I already told you, I hated this holiday. I went to a local restaurant with my mom and her boyfriend, saw some old friends from my neighborhood, and patiently waited for midnight to come around. After the ball dropped, I was in my car at 12:05 and home by 12:10...seriously.

Anyways...I'm not hungover but I sure am tired. I think I may be getting the flu and that just isn't fun for anyone.

My mind was and still is so scattered from the past few weeks. With the holidays, my routine has been so laid back and there's been so much chaos in my personal life, I'm taking the next few days to rest up and recharge to get myself back to normal.

I have a lot of goals (not resolutions) for 2015 that I'll talk about next week (once I collect my thoughts and write them down on paper) so look out for that typical blogger post next week!

I'm having mixed thoughts about this year ahead, mostly because it's completely unwritten and unknown, unlike any other year I've experienced but like I said...more on that later.

For today, I'm taking it easy, watching the Back to the Future marathon, and pampering myself with facial masks and bubble baths.

New Years Day 2015 by royallypink featuring kate spade socks

What are you doing on the 1st day of 2015?