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The Daily Amy

7:30 AM

2019 Yearly Recap

2018 was the year of new experiences and this year was the year of change and growth. 


Hi friends!

I can't believe that it's that time of year again where I'm sharing my annual recap post. This has always been such a fun post for me to put together and I always get so nostalgic reflecting back on the past year. Yesterday I had read up on Annaliese of Southern Belle in Training's recap post and she had mentioned that the past few years had held significant milestones for her and as I reflect I can say the same.

A lot has changed over the past few years, as expected. In the past three years, I've graduated from college, started to work and save money on my own, did the Disney college program, end an overdue long term relationship, moved out of my parent's and landed a full-time job, not to mention all the little hiccups along the way. If you had read last year's recap post then you know it was one of the best years I've had yet. 2018 was filled with new friends, growth, travels, and experiences.

2019, on the other hand, was a different story. 2019 was filled with a lot of changes and adjustments. Even though I moved back to a familiar city, everything still felt different to me. With that said, here's a peek into the past year:



JANUARY
2019 started off on a high note as my old college roommates and I hit the town to ring in the new year. At the start of the year, I was still living at home and had driven to Charlotte to stay with my old college roommate for a week. This was my first time actually going to Uptown Charlotte to enjoy all of the New Year's festivities. At the start of the year was also when my now boyfriend started dating!


FEBRUARY
As soon as the festivities of the new year were over I started to hit the job application process hard again. I had managed to score three interviews within a month, one being at the current company I am now. I was very hopeful with all the interviews but unfortunately, they had all decided to go with another candidate. As discouraging as it was, I continued to remind myself that the right opportunity was out there for me. Between the job interviews, networking events, and visiting my boyfriend, I was making the four-hour trek to Charlotte every other week, and looking back on it now, I still am in disbelief that I traveled that much considering how much I hate driving. 


MARCH
March started the snowball effect of everything changing all at once. In the midst of being stressed out over job applications, I had to hit with the unfortunate news of a family member passing. Everything hit me all at once and the next thing I knew it I was on a plane once again to Philadelphia. I had hinted in a previous post that I had never been to a funeral until this past March and it definitely shook me up. Sometimes it still feels like I had a really bad dream.



APRIL
As soon as I had gotten back from Philadelphia I had found myself once again on the road again to Charlotte but this time for a wedding and to apartment hunt. At this point, I had made the decision to take the leap and move out to Charlotte without a job lined up to hopefully increase my chances of getting hired. My plan was to work in retail in the meantime. Little did I know I would find myself making the trip back to Charlotte a few days later to interview for the position I had been declined in February, but this time with a job offer.

Due to the urgency to fill the position, my employer needed me to start as soon as possible. I had interviewed for the position on a Friday afternoon and that following Wednesday I was packed up and moved out of my parents. I was fortunate enough to have relatives in town to let me stay with them until my apartment lease was finalized. In one week I packed up my life, moved to Charlotte, unpack in my temporary home, started a new job, and celebrated my 24th birthday. In April I also tried to jump back into blogging and explained why I had taken a hiatus for so long only to take another couple of months break after publishing that post. 




MAY
May was a whirlwind. I was still adjusting to my new job, trying to catch up with old friends that were still in Charlotte, and finalizing my apartment details. In May I made a trip out to Raleigh to watch my brother graduate. It was surreal seeing my little brother enter the "real world" and it really hit me that we were growing up.

May was also when I moved into my new apartment! The weekend of the move was a whirlwind in itself. I had gotten the keys to move in on a Thursday, had my old college roommates visit that weekend, and flew out to Las Vegas for work the next Monday. Having everything happen all at once seemed like a common theme for this past year.



JUNE
At the start of June, my brother ended up moving into my apartment to stay with me for the summer! He had actually landed a job right out of college in Charlotte and it was perfectly timed since we were looking to sublease my roommate's room for the summer. It was the first time both of us were living under the same roof since I went out to college in 2013. 


Read more: July Monthly Wrap-Up
JULY
July was an exciting month blog-wise as I started to consistently post again! Many of you know about my year(ish) long hiatus from my blog since I left for Disney and it's been fun getting to connect with you all again! I even started working with Deeana Kourtney Photography regularly and it's been fun getting to shoot content for you all again. July was also the start of my HelloFresh / cooking phase. I LOVED my experience with HelloFresh (read my review of it here!) and it's actually what got me into cooking again. 


Read more: August Monthly Wrap-Up
AUGUST
August is when I really got back into blogging. I had met up with a few bloggers in the area, went to a masterclass all about YouTube and branding, as well as launched my #AMYIRL series where I opened up on my struggle with being in a weird cultural limbo. That blog post may be one of my favorite posts that I published on my blog and it meant so much that you all loved it as well. I've started brainstorming other topics to add to the series in 2020, so be on the lookout for those!


Read more: September Monthly Wrap-Up

SEPTEMBER
With a variety of changes happening, getting re-adjusted to living in Charlotte, moving into my own space, etc. I had put fitness on the back burner once again. It was a little disheartening knowing I had once again put myself 10 steps back after I got myself into a solid routine at the end of 2018. In September I had started getting into a variety of fitness classes and even working out in the morning regularly. Unfortunately, this only lasted about two months, and I'm still trying to find a good balance that works for me to have fitness as a main priority again.

September also included the first of many weddings to come. I had flown up to Philadelphia once again, but this time to celebrate my Uncle and my new Auntie's wedding! It was so great to see the family again and bond with my cousins. 

Read more: October Monthly Wrap-Up


OCTOBER
By October I was really starting to get the hang of my new job and found a pretty steady balance of work and blogging. I had my first "big" project for work in October where I put together a large photoshoot for my company. This was my first time putting on a full production shoot and it was definitely a lot more work than anticipated, but still one of my favorite projects yet!

Of course, I couldn't talk about October without talking about Halloween. Cara and I did another Halloween costume collaboration and I think it turned out so cute! It's always so fun partnering with her on these types of posts. For my own personal Halloween plans, my boyfriend and I had dressed up as a sushi chef and sushi and won the costume party that our friends had hosted! 


Read more: November Monthly Wrap-Up


NOVEMBER
November kicked off all of the holiday festivities and busy social calendars. It all started with my boyfriend and me hosting our first Friendsgiving. This was the first dinner party I've ever hosted and it was fun decorating, finding recipes, and getting my space all set up. The following weekend we had gotten invited to a friend's Friendsgiving and once again stuffed our faces full. By the time actual Thanksgiving rolled around the following week, I think I gained a solid 10 pounds from all of the turkeys I've consumed. 


Read more: December Monthly Wrap-Up
DECEMBER
December may be my favorite month out of this past year. There was so much going on, but like I had said before, I thrive off a busy schedule. This past month we managed to fit in a visit to the Christmas Village, a company holiday party, check out the lights at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, birthday celebrations, a surprise visit, a White Elephant Party, family wine night, graduation celebrations, the opening of 16-bit/Pins and Christmas.

Even though it was a little stressful at the time having so much to do this past month, it was great being able to spend time with our friends and family. It was definitely a great way to end off the year.



WHEW. That was a lot. Even though looking back on paper it looked like it was overall a good year. There were more highs than lows and despite all of the sudden changes, everything seemed to work out. I will have to say, even though I was grateful to have had so many fun memories to look at this past year, this has been one of the worse years for me mentally. I struggled with feeling lonely all the time and this was the first time I really had a problem with my anxiety.

I'm not sharing this as a "please feel bad for me" cry, but more so to shine the light even though we share our highlights online, they're just that, our highlights. Yes, on Instagram it may seem like it was a great year being able to be back in Charlotte, but more often than not I found myself struggling getting adjusted to living in the city again post-grad.

Naturally, with it being the end of the year I've done a lot of re-evaluating and I'm excited to have a fresh start with the new year to get myself back on track mentally. Here's to taking better care of ourselves, growth, and a healthier new year.

With that, I wanted to end with a big THANK YOU to all of you who have been following along with me this past year. This little corner of the internet has been my little baby for over 5 years and it's been fun getting to share a little bit of my life with you all. I'm so thankful to have you all a part of my little Daily Amy family and I'm so excited for all the new content to come in 2020!

Happy New Year's everyone!

xoxo,
Amy


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7:30 AM

December Monthly Wrap Up

Another month, another monthly wrap up! This past month was a BUSY one. Between blogging events, work, holiday parties and everything in between, it's safe to say that my social calendar has never been busier. Check out to see what I've been up to this past month! 



Hi friends!

Can you believe we only have one more day left of until the new year? Like how I feel at the end of every year, the time has flown by. This past month alone felt like a blur with all of the festive events going on. I'm pretty sure I never had a busier holiday season like this years. Between juggling events between my boyfriend's friends and family and mine along with blogging events and work, I had almost every day booked. Despite the hectic scheduling of all the social events, it has been great getting to spend the holidays with my loved ones.


HIGHLIGHTS

Holiday Festivities: As expected, this past month was filled with lots of holiday festivities. From checking out the Christmas market in uptown to attending a White Elephant party to getting all of my Christmas shopping done and all of the little events and surprises in between I had a pretty packed schedule. We even had to, unfortunately, decline quite gatherings due to needing to rest in between.

Speedway Christmas Lights: To kick off the holiday festivities, my boyfriend headed out to Charlotte Motor Speedway to drive on the track and see all of the Christmas lights. I've always wanted to do this and it was such a fun experience! I will say since we did go on a Saturday night, the line was brutal, but it was so cool seeing all of the lights play in sync to the music.

Surprise Visit: I think one of the main highlights of this past month was getting a surprise visit from my boyfriend's brother! For the past two years, he has been stationed in Japan for the military and we weren't expecting to see him until January. With a little coordination with his older brother, they were able to surprise his family by coming home a month earlier than expected and it was so sweet being able to witness the big family reunion. I've always teared up watching videos of men and women in the military coming home and surprising their loved ones so it was so heartwarming witnessing it in person.

Opening of 16-Bit Bar and Pins Mechanical Co: If you all follow me on Instagram, you know that I had the chance to attend the VIP opening of 16Bit Bar and Pins Mechanical Co this month! It was such a cool opportunity to check out this arcade bar-style space and will definitely be back soon. This space is filled with all of the old school arcade games, ski ball, duck bowling, giant beer pong and it's all dog-friendly. If you're in the Charlotte area, I definitely recommend checking it out.



WHAT I'M LOVING

What Nicole Wore: Nicole recently wrote a blog post  on letting go of the fear of looking "uncool." I l loved this post and resonated a lot with what she said. Often we're too afraid to be our true selves in fear of what others think and we need to leave all that behind in 2019 as we approach the new year!

Heated Blanket: My parents had gifted me a heated blanket as an early Christmas present and I'm OBSESSED. I can't believe I have lived 24 years without one.

Heated Plush: Also, my boyfriend gave me this adorable Corgi Plush that's also a heating pad. Are we seeing a theme are? I've always heard of girls using heating pads during "that time of the month," but never really thought of using one myself. Y'all, what a game-changer. This adorable little plush has a little heating pad you take out of it, microwave, put it back in the plush and just cuddle it as it soothes all of your cramps.


WHAT I BOUGHT

As expected, most of my purchases this past month were Christmas gifts! It was so fun shopping for the people in my life this past month.

Harry Potter Ugly Christmas Sweaters - This past year my boyfriend got me really into Harry Potter and I got us both Harry Potter Ugly Christmas Sweaters in our respective houses. These are so fun for any Harry Potter fan.

Aerie Leggings - I've heard so many good things about Aerie's leggings lately that I decided to give them a try since they were on sale. I haven't really shopped at Aerie since I was in high school so I was curious to try them out. I will say, they are a lot thinner than the leggings I normally wear, but they're not see-through. Since they are on the lighter side, I think these would be perfect for my hot yoga/fusion classes that I take and am excited to try them out!


Catch up on last month's: November Monthly Wrap Up

What were you up to this past month? Let me know in the comments down below!
xoxo,
Amy



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7:30 AM

After Christmas Sales 2019

Doing some after Christmas shopping? Check out this round-up of all the sales happening right now!


Shirt || Jeans || Belt || Similar Earrings || Similar Purse || Heels || Ring

Hi friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed time with your loved ones. This past Christmas was the first time I got to experience splitting my time up between my family and my boyfriend's. It was so fun getting to spend time with both sides and I can't believe how fast everything went by.

If you were lucky enough to be gifted some extra cash or gift cards for Christmas, I've rounded up some of the best After Christmas sales for you all! I know I'll be taking advantage of and stocking up on some basic pieces for the upcoming year. 


2019 After Christmas Sales:

Abercrombie & Fitch: up to 60% off

Ann Taylor: 40% off and Extra 60% off sale

Athleta: up to 60% off

Anthropologie: extra 40% off sale

American Eagle: 50% off clearance

ASOS: extra 15% off sale with code: ASOSSALEWANT

Banana Republic: extra 60% off sale

Banana Republic Factory:

BaubleBar: up to 75% off

BooHoo: 60% off everything

Draper James: extra 40% off sale

Express: 50% off everything

Forever 21: 50% off sale with code: CHEERS + 50% off the party shop

Francesca's: up to 80% off

Gap: 40% off

H&M: up to 60% off

Hunter Boots: 50% off select styles

J.Crew: extra 50% off sale with code: BIGSALE

J.Crew Factory: 40% off new arrivals + 50% off clearance

Kate Spade: up to 65% off sale items with code: BIGGESTSALE

Kendra Scott: extra 25% off sale

Loft: 50% off + free shipping

Madewell: 20% off + extra 30% off sale

Macy's: 40 - 60% off

Modcloth: 30% off regular price + 60% off sale

Nasty Gal: up to 90% off

Nordstrom: up to 50% off

Nordstrom Rack: extra 25% off clearance

Old Navy: up to 75% off clearance

Origins: 3 piece night time set when you spend $65

Sam Edelman: extra 30% off sale with code: HOLIDAY30

Sole Society: up to 70% off

SheIn: 40% off

Steve Madden:

Sephora: extra 20% off sale with code: SAVEBIG

Tory Burch: extra 25% off sale with code: EXTRA

Topshop: up to 60% off

Target: Clearance blow out up to 50 - 70% off

Urban Outfitters: extra 30% off sale


Happy shopping! I hope you all have a great day and as always, thank you for reading!

xoxo,
Amy

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10:59 AM

Shimmering into the New Year



Dress c/o get 15% off with code: dailyamy15  || Booties || Similar Purse || Earrings || Ring

Hi friends!

Can you believe that we're just a couple days away from Christmas?? Where has the time gone? As we're starting to wrap up the year, I wanted to share this fun outfit idea to ring the New Year in! I shared this fun little number on Instagram stories when I first got it in the mail and so many of you were just obsessed with it as I am!


We all know I'm a sucker for any pink clothing item and add some fun little metallic shimmer to it and I'm SOLD. This pink metallic wrap dress is such a fun alternative to your traditional sparkly and sequin New Year's wear. This piece comes in four different colors and would be great for any holiday party as well! Also, did I mention that it's less than $25 too?



Speaking of New Year, what are your plans to ring in the new year? To kick off 2019 two of my old college roommates got dressed up and celebrated the end of the year bar hopping in Uptown Charlotte. It was so fun getting to meet up with my old roommates and feel like we were back in undergrad. Since New Year falls in the middle of the week this year I'm thinking of a more low key celebration to welcome in the new decade.



Still, shopping for a festive New Years outfit? Check out some of these picks:






Now to throw it back to you! Are you one to get dressed up and go out for New Years or more of a comfy and night in type of person? Let me know in the comments down below! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and as always, thank you for reading!

xoxo,
Amy

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7:30 AM

Amazon Gift Guide for Everyone on Your List

I mean, what doesn't Amazon have nowadays? Knock out everyone on your holiday shopping list with these gifts from Amazon!
Amazon gift guide for everyone on your list


Hi friends!

Welcome to the last gift guide of 2019! I hope you all have enjoyed these gift guides and have found them helpful. It's been so fun putting these together and sharing some fun gift ideas with you all. Today I'm sharing some of my favorite picks from Amazon!  I mean, what doesn't Amazon have these days? From gifts for students to the home chef in your life, I'm sure you'll be able to find a gift on here for anyone on your list. Plus, with Amazon prime, this is perfect for all of my last-minute shoppers out there!




Looking for more gift guides? Check out these!
Gifts under $50 - Gifts for everyone on your list!
Gift Guide for the men in your life

Are you still Christmas shopping? If so, let me know who you have left to shop for down below! I hope you all enjoyed the post and as always, thank you for reading!

xoxo,
Amy


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7:30 AM

Classic Holiday Plaid

It seems like tartan plaid and the holidays just go hand and hand. As soon as December starts I find myself breaking out every festive plaid piece I own! 

Classic holiday plaid

Sweater || Skirt || Over the Knee Boots || Purse || Ring || Stud Version of My Earrings

Hi friends!

I hope you all are having a great week so far! It's hard to believe we're already halfway through December, I feel like I'm juuusssttt now getting into the Christmas spirit. I feel like 2020 is quickly winding down and I still have so much on the todo list that I want to do before the year ends. Anyone else in the same boat?


Preppy Plaid Holiday Outift
how to wear plaid for the holidays

Aside from the month flying by, I've been having so much fun breaking out all of my festive outfits for various events this month. From Christmas parties to festive events around the city, I love adding a touch of Christmas cheer to each of my outfits. One of my favorite things to break out during the holiday season is tartan plaid. There's something so festive about a classic plaid print that always gets me excited to wear every time during this time of year.

I've owned several festive plaid shirts, but have yet to own a plaid skirt. I knew with several fun events on my calendar this year I wanted to switch things up and style a plaid skirt for the holidays this year. I managed to find this skirt for about $18 and have been pleasantly pleased with it! Despite what the photo shows online, it is a great length and comes in a variety of colors. This look would be great for any upcoming holiday party or date night!

Holiday Tartan Plaid for the Holidays
How to wear plaid for the holidays

Looking for more festive plaid pieces to add to your wardrobe this year? Here are some of my faves:




Holiday plaid skirt outfit
Winter holiday plaid outfit
Holiday Plaid outfit idea
Photos by: Deeana Kourtney Photography

Do you have any fun holiday plans this year? Let me know in the comments down below! I hope you all have a great day and as always, thank you for reading! 

xoxo,
Amy




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Meet Amy
Hi friends! I'm Amy, a pink loving, prosecco popping, twenty something year old. Follow along as I share my daily outfits and life adventures with you all!

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