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The realities of living out of a suitcase for 9 months…

Posted in Lifestyle
on 04/01/2020

So yeah, the time has FINALLY come for me to recap my year (or technically 9 months) of living out of a suitcase. I cannot even believe that the 9 months have flown by so fast. I swear it was just yesterday I was crying into my mom’s arms at the airport so scared to leave home for the unknown. Here I stand today, 14 states, 17 schools, and 45 flights later. I’ve been all across the country in the past year. From stretches of beach in California, cold little Northeastern towns, to big Southern schools — I’ve seen so much. I’ve grown so much. 

I’ll admit, I definitely grew up in my little Louisiana bubble. I hadn’t seen too much outside of what was home and the occasional vacation to the usual places. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to have the ability to travel and get out of my comfort zone. I thought I was sooo ready to be done with Louisiana but as it came closer to leaving, I realized I am so so thankful for my home. Being SUCH a sentimental person, I found myself getting sad to leave home.

My first few months on the road were a pretty rough adjustment. Just picture getting so used to a routine of seeing friends and family so easily each and every day and then one day you don’t have the ability anymore. It honestly broke my heart to be away. I felt like I was missing SO MUCH back at home and each time I went to visit, it made it harder to leave. Hey, I guess that saying you don’t know what you got until it’s gone rang SO TRUE for me.

Once I got adjusted to consistent Facetime calls, texts (I’ve never been much of a texter), and lots and lots of sad song jam sessions/journal pages — things got better. I still struggled being places so different from home. I’d consider myself a people person, but sometimes it’s just hard to click with people who are so different from you, build a relationship and a rapport, and then to leave a few days later. But that was also the beauty of it. Every few days, I got a fresh start. That was something I always looked forward to. New faces, new places, and a new set of challenges.

The more you travel, the more you see. You need people and their stories. You need grace that reminds you that you are free to keep exploring and you are not out of place. – Morgan Harper Nichols

Without fail (and I was not shocked to learn this about myself) I thrived when I was in a consistent environment. That consistency that I so wanted to get away from in exchange for spontaneity was what I craved in the end. I am a creature of habit what can I say? University of Georgia was where I got that and more. Thank god I had those girls in my life this year. In total, I spent about 3 months out of my 9 month contract (with one month off for Christmas, so really 8 months) in Athens. It brought me back to the reason I wanted to do this job. To make an impact. I grew to know (and REALLY know) these girls and leaving them was like leaving 290 little sisters behind!

Now that I’m getting into the nitty-gritty of this post, I realized I never addressed the question I get most. What is it that you do? Essentially I travelled to different chapters across the US and helped them with operations like recruitment, finances, and programming and education. I got to work with volunteers from all walks of life and the best (and sometimes worst) part is I got to form relationships with collegians! I worked a lot with big picture strategy and implementing it on a smaller scale within each chapter. Many  people were asking questions about having a home base (technically UGA was mine), asking me if I really lived out of a suitcase for 9 months (yes m’am), and whether or not this was going to be my forever career (no, the fashion industry is callin my name).

So while this 9 months was extremely challenging, it reaped so many benefits. I learned so much about myself. Being alone with myself and my thoughts for too many hours a day lead to lots of journaling and self-assessment. I have always been so independent but I learned how I can’t do it alone. Support is necessary, even when you don’t want to take the help (helloooo type A control freaks). I learned my way around an airport, how to pack a suitcase for months on end, and how to do an expense report (adult things).

At the end of all of this, I am grateful for the opportunities I have gotten this year. I would’ve never been able to see the US if it weren’t for this job. Because of this job, I am forever changed! I appreciate all of the trials and tribulations that got me to this point in my life. What a 9 months it has been! I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

In case you’re curious, here’s all the places I visited during my contract:

san diego, ca // los angeles, ca // san bernardino, ca
ann arbor, mi // athens, ga // austin, tx
witicha falls, tx // waco, tx // atlanta, ga
cortland, ny // south orange, nj // troy, ny
shippensburg, pa // new haven, ct // oxford, ms
oklahoma city, ok // witchita, ks // chicago, il
newport news, va

If there’s anything y’all are wondering that I didn’t touch on, let me know! It’s hard to summarize 9 months of your life into a few short paragraphs. For now, I’ll be awaiting this quarantine to end so I can get myself to NYC for the next stage of my life!

One month hiatus *one direction style*

Posted in Lifestyle
on 04/30/2018

OOOkkkk so hi. I have been MIA. Life’s been crazy! We haven’t talked in over a month y’all.. I totally feel like I’m on a hiatus One Direction style (ehhmm boys when will you reunite I’m waiting??). I’m wrapping up my junior year here at LSU which I honestly cannot believe…. I’ll do a junior year recap soon for y’all like I always do since those are some of my favorites to write.

But I’m back with a lil update on where I’ve been — aka not inspired, lazy and honestly confused about my life’s direction. Yes, I am a drama queen (don’t have to tell me twice). School wise, things have been easy… almost too easy. I’m pretty much done with all my fashion classes and I’ll finish up my second minor and major in the fall of 2018. But LSU, ya ain’t getting rid of me that quick cause this girl is gonna ride things out as long as I possibly can! I’ll stay in school until May 2019 for fear of missing out on my last SPRING SEMESTER of college (don’t wanna talk about it even though it’s a year away). Here’s what I’ve been up to in some of my classes this semester! Whoo for being creative!

I went to Nashville at the end of March for my spring break and ooooomg if you’ve never been ya GOTTA GO. We ate and drank our way to the entire town and I said sayonara to my bank account for good (no really I have yet to reclaim my once stable-ish financial state). But regardless, it was dang good time! Eatin, drinkin, dancin and just having a good time with good friends was exactly what I needed. If you’re in the mood for some pics keep on scrollin because I’ve got tons.

BEST GRILLED CHEESE. Get the pimento one tooo good. CMA Hall of Fame this was a great breakfast spot!!

After Nashville I sat down and tried to write a recap post, an OOTD, just something but I felt like I was in such a rut! I feel like I was just explaining to y’all a month of two ago about how uninspired I was but I’m back again on that same kick… Ughhhh maybe the summer will bring me some inspo #plzlord

I almost forgot to update y’all on my summer plans.. holy cow I am sooo excited! I’ve been following ShopRiffRaff since I was a junior or senior in high school and I’ve always been obsessed with them. Their branding is so on point and the girls that work there always seem to have SO MUCH FUN. I applied and was offered an internship there as an Operations Intern this summer in Fayetteville, AR. So yeah, I’m moving to AR next week for the next three months which I am really looking forward too but also scared shitless a lil bit too. I’m not gonna know anyone but it’s going to be such a cool experience to step out of my comfort zone (I’m lookin at you Louisiana)! I’ll share a lot more on my experience and move here once I get settled.

ALRIGHT THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL. That’s basically my life right now. It’s a bit chaotic but we are making moves people!! Happy May 1st~

Madison

Things I’ve bought recently | Edition 3

Posted in Fashion
on 12/04/2017

Hey hey! Happy Thursday y’all! I thought I would do a little roundup of a bunch of things I’ve bought recently because these are some of my favorite posts to write. Pretty much everything is under $100 because ya girl is #ballinonabudget. Go ahead and scroll down to check all the newness out.

buddha girl bangles

I am obsessed with these bangles. I wear them every time I dress up because I love the pop they bring to my outfits. They are weatherproof, TSA proof, and life proof! Did I mention they would be a good Christmas gift? The story behind them is so cool and I have been going crazy saying my serenity prayers on them when I get flustered.

mumu purple halter top

I snagged this top during the MuMu black Friday sale for around $35. Say whaattt? Yeah, I was thinking this would be perfect for game days (peep the lavender color) but also could be super cute during the holidays for a little party outfit!

black-cheetah-ootd-lgip-2cabby hat

It’s me trying to get on board with this new trend.. cabby hats? Can’t say I’ve ever been a hat gal before but I thought I should try it out. I found a bunch of budget friendly options at Forever (I’m talking under $20 y’all) so don’t be too scared to try this trend out! I love how it edges up a look.

joa sweater

Chunky. Pink. Perfect. Yep, that pretty much sums up this sweater. It is my new favorite thing ever and goes great with jeans and whatever else you want to pair it with! It’s under $80 and comes in a bunch of great neutral (and fun) options.

black-cheetah-ootd-lgip-9seychelles patent leather booties

I scored these babies off Revolve for $80. I was looking for months for a cute trendy pair of chunky heeled booties. Nude? Patent? Leather? Omg, how freaking fun! Since they hit right on my lower leg, I think they’re great paired with skirts, dresses, and would also be so good with a pair of cropped jeans (gonna rock em with these)!

marley lilly sweater

My favorite throw on and go sweater. I always grab this sweater for school because it looks great with yoga pants or active shorts. Every time I wear it, I get soo many complements on it! Plus, it’s on sale right now!

Thanks for reading! I’m taking my finals this week so by next Monday I will be a free woman (aka no school for a month.. wahoo)!

xo, Madison

Life Lately | September edition

Posted in Lifestyle
on 10/18/2017

Well hellllooo there friends. Better late than never to make a life lately post for September? Lol I am totally behind on blog posts due to my insane school schedule. I promise I will get back into the swing of things! September was the start of football season, and the continuation of some warm weather for us Southern girls. Most of my free time was spent outdoors tailgating or taking blog pics… what a life lol.

sept-life-lately-2-lgipFOOTBALL SEASON… MY FAVORITE SEASON. This game day was our first of the year and let me tell ya it was so great to be back in Death Valley again!! Due to the excruciating heat, I opted for a simple, light-weight outfit — tank, skort and tennis shoes (which literally took a chunk of skin off the back of my heel.. so painful. 10/10 would not recommend these bad boys for game day).

sept-life-lately-1-lgipBlack and brown… a combination I can’t get enough of. These booties are from last season and they’re still super on trend for this year. I am loving these black jeans too (only $25 from target) and I swear I wear them at least 3 times a week haha. I’ll link some similar booties and my jeans below.

Alpha Phifa was this month and man was it fun!! Super hot, but fun. We braved the heat all day and I got a little sun but hey, at least it was for a good cause! #forthehearts

sept-life-lately-6-lgipUgh, can’t say enough of how thankful I am to have a friend who enjoys this process as much as I do. Maddie is behind the camera for many of my posts and she’s one of the reasons why I can continue to do what I do on this lil corner of the internet!

sept-life-lately-7-lgipFun brunette tee for a fun brunette. I think I wear this shirt too much but ya know what.. we all have our flaws. I styled it for transitioning into fall considering it is still warm over here in Louisiana. Check out the post here!

 

xoxo Madison

Life Lately | August edition

Posted in Lifestyle
on 09/13/2017

September, I’m coming for ya. So happy to be back in my sweet home with all my pals! August has been the biggest jumble of recruitment, school, and work. I don’t have many pictures from this month but that’s ok! It was the best feeling not being tethered to my phone for the first few weeks of August (aka recruitment). Let’s get into this recap!

My lovely pledge class and I on bid day. These are seriously my favorite humans ever. It’s so depressing that we’re already juniors but I know we are so ready to make this year count! Surrounding myself by these uplifting people daily has had such a crazy impact on my life. Three years ago I would’ve never thought how much Alpha Phi would have an impact on me!

Some more bid day action with my freshman year roomie. Oh, how I miss her, our endless avocado stock, and the amount of times we cried from laughing. It’s the best feeling to know we can still come to each other for anything. RIP Mills, we miss ya.

Boys bid night is like Christmas here at LSU. The entire Greek community goes to Tigerland dressed to the nines for a night full of bar hopping. This year I finally bit the bullet and wore my FAVE fringe top to Tigerland. To be honest, I was so nervous someone would spill on me but I made it out alive (thank you). I’ll link my outfit for y’all incase you wanna recreate (but my top is from last season and now where to be found lol sorry y’all)!

THE TIME HAS COME!! Mar and I finally got to rock our matching burgers and fries tees. I have posted about my fries tee a few times on here but honestly it’s just my favorite. We were “McDonalds” for our exchange. Our matching tees were completed with some happy meals we picked up on the way lol.

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My music favorites for this month:

Every Little Thing by Russell Dickerson

Friends by Justin Bieber (I literally listen to this on repeat)

My beauty favorites for this month:

They’re Real Mascara

FIT me foundation (check and see if you used this last month)

Silky blowout spray

I’ve been lusting after this month:

Sam Edelman puff ball sneakers (OMG I CAN’T GET OVER THESE)

Leopard mini wyldr

Free People black lace top

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Cheers to September (lol better late than never)!

Madison

 

Life Lately | July Edition

Posted in Lifestyle
on 08/02/2017

Hey hey, happy August! I’m headed back to school this month and I can’t say I’m mad about it. I absolutely adore being on a set schedule so I’m so pumped to get back into the swing of things! Before I jump into August, I’ll recap my month of July for y’all.

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When you’re home and have to make your parents take your insta pics for you >>> It makes me chuckle asking them, but hey #doitforthegram right? This sweater arrived right in time for the fourth (after I had been lusting after it for about 2 months) so of course I had to wear it for two days straight. It’s really comfy and I love it with jean shorts, but I’m sure y’all can catch me styling it in the fall with some flares.

life-lately-3-july-lgip

LGIP turned two this July! I wrote an ode to my trials and tribulations over these past two years. Read it here. But on the real y’all, it’s been rough keeping up with everything but I am proud of myself for somehow managing?

life-lately-2-july-lgip

When it’s your besties birthday, ya gotta celebrate like there’s no tomorrow. We hosted a lil party in honor of Cara at our apartment and of course I took it upon myself to decorate (Photo Booth and all). Man do I have so much fun getting dressed up and going out with my friends! Anyone with me on this?

So I was bad a few times this month (I’m talking to you ice cream, cookies, and trail mix with 50000 M&Ms in it) but this time was soooooo worth it. Pinkberry dates when I’m home are a must.

Just checking in to say I’m still obsessed with this t-shirt. Yes, you’re reading it correctly, it does say FRIES. And it’s stinking comfy. No shame here. You can 100 percent catch me wearing this one every chance I get.

When I have the chance to head to NOLA to see my bestie, I gotta take it! It had literally been forever since we had been able to see each other so we had the best time catching up and gossiping (as always) :-)

Our family beach trip this year was this week/last weekend but sadly I could only stay for two days. I was in my happy place sitting on the beach reading a nice book. This one piece is so fun and I love wearing it whenever I get the chance (which is rare).

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My music favorites for this month:

Birthday by Kings of Leon

(Nice to meet you) Anyway by Gavin DeGraw (an old BOP. Listen and you’ll love it.)

How not to by Dan + Shay

The Fighter by Keith Urban

My beauty favorites for this month:

I seemed to run out of half the products I own this month, so I went a little crazy on my Ulta run. I’m loving these drugstore gems currently.

I’ve been lusting after this month:

Superga platforms (I am dying for these… they’ll be the perfect class shoe and they’re under 100! Too good to be true.)

Free People cropped jeans (Bout to hop on this train with a little apprehension, but nonetheless they’ll be so fun for fall.)

Free People thermal (Once again, another find for class. Can you tell I’m ready to go back?)

Kendra Scott earrings (Got these in my RocksBox and I swear I wear them at least 4 times a week. They’re the best.)

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Cheers to August!

Madison

Happy second birthday, LGIP!

Posted in Lifestyle
on 07/19/2017

Two years, too many cups of coffee and a little bit too much online shopping later… and the day is here! It’s Louisiana Girl in Pearls second birthday! What an insane ride this has been. Especially this past year. With work, school, and Alpha Phi — it’s been challenging. I have to admit I’ve not always been the most consistent with blogging. But that’s a factor I’d absolutely like to improve on going into my third year as a blogger!

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Blogging for me has been such an eye-opening experience. I spend hours a day on social media looking to other bloggers for inspiration — from bloggers with 20 followers to bloggers with 2 million followers. As a perfectionist, I am so hard on myself. When you’re trying to breakthrough into a world that is as visual as blogging, it gets so hard not to compare yourself to others. I’m not going to lie to you and say I don’t wish I had another bloggers’ hair, body, money, time, etc. but I think I’ve had to learn not to discredit myself. Regardless of how many followers I have, that doesn’t make my content any less valuable than another’s.

Creating content for this little corner of the web and having people read it (hey mom) has been so rewarding. Although I am no where near the point I would like to be with LGIP, I am slowly taking the steps that I need to get there. As I learn more about social media, photography, and blogging in general LGIP improves. I would love to learn more coding in this next year (I seriously think it’s so cool how everything we look at on the internet is a combination of numbers, letters and symbols).

I’ve grown so much in the past year, more than I honestly thought I could. LGIP has definitely been a safe space for me. Some days I’m serious and some days you can’t get me off a tangent talking about some random thing. LGIP allows me the space to be whatever “me” I’m feelin’ that day. Thanks for following along with me, y’all, it honestly means the world to me. So so so much love goes out to y’all who read my posts, like my Instagram pictures, reply to my stories when I ask dumb questions, take my pictures for me without complaint, let me borrow your clothes, or computer (when mine is broken… aka always). I cannot thank y’all enough. Y’all make this happen!

Here’s to TWO YEARS and many more!! (Maybe I’ll still be blogging when I’m 70, who knows?)

Here’s some of my favorite posts from this past year:

DIY choker

20 things I learned by 20 (MY ALL TIME FAVORITE POST I’VE EVER WRITTEN)

Sneaker stylin’

Things I’ve bought recently

Feelin’ fringy

How to rock the overall trend this summer

Striped right | How to style an off the shoulder top + what’s in my bag

Wednesday blues | How to add more Show me your MuMu to your closet

White on denim

Sneaker night | My favorite sneakers under $100

SO SO SO SO much love, 

Madison

Life Lately | June edition

Posted in Lifestyle
on 07/06/2017

Happy July pals! I took a quick break last week due to a lack of sleep and inspiration. I thought I’d get back into the swing of things with a little recap of June.

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Brunch babes. Maria and I had a fabulous brunch with her family at Galatoire’s in BR. I got the eggs Benedict…. sooo yum. My set is from Free People (I’ve talked about it a few times on the blog before and its now ON SALE for $40 from Nordstrom Rack) and I love pairing it with these platforms.

life-lately-2-lgipOk y’all, so there’s this new poke place in BR and it’s totally amazing. I’ve been twice in the past two weeks!! This poke bowl was called wild salmon and it was topped with mangos, avocados, cucumbers, and some sort of special sauce.

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So my MuMu obsession has gone full blown crazy this month. I’ve been scouring the sales and have even managed to score a few items. My white jeans and TKEEs have been among other necessities for me this month. You can get my outfit details in this post.

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My cousin’s engagement party was this month and for me, it was a chance to get dressed up and hang with some family! I wore this two piece set with my fave platforms (again).

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My fave platforms (yes, I talk about these too much). Shop them here.

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Brunchin round two. This time in NOLA at Willa Jean. I got the Hangover bowl and it was filled with goodness. My dress is vintage MuMu and it def hid my food baby that day.

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My music favorites for this month:

I’ve been all over the place with my music taste this month.

Remember I Told you by Nick Jonas

Honest by Shawn Mendes

Fearless by Taylor Swift (I listen every single day… no joke)

I’ve been lusting after this month:

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xoxo

Madison