A Warm Welcome to Summer, Life Updates, OOTD's and More

Hello, summer!

I'm officially a senior (eeekkk!!), and while I am very much stressing that life is flying by, I’m so excited for what’s to come and can’t wait to start senior year off with the fun and exciting summer I have planned. Given that I’ve been MIA through all of April, this post may be a little lengthy, but I’d like to check in, say hello, and update everyone on where I’m at and what’s to come for me, The Bleached Curl, and more :) May is completely jam-packed for me, but I wouldn’t want to spend it any other way. On May 15th, I head out to California with two friends to tour grad schools, see Taylor Swift in LA, eat some really good food, and of course, enjoy the warmth and visit the ocean. California, Taylor Swift, food, warm weather and the ocean-- five of my all time favorite things all in one trip? Yes, please. We’ll be road tripping to Cali and I’m so stoked about it. I’ve never road-tripped for more than about 7 hours, so although this 30+ hour drive is going to be an agonizing pain, I’m ready for it. And in all honesty, who doesn't love road trips? My stay in California will bring tons of new things to the blog, such as tips on how to pack for a road trip, my OOTD’s, my favorite spots to visit/eat/tour/shop in Cali and more, so be sure to check back to see when these posts are live! Following California, I’ll be in Chicago at the end of May/first weekend of June with my best friend for Taylor Swift. Taylor’s my girl, if you can’t already tell, and Chicago will be home to my 10th (and 11th because we couldn’t just go one night) Taylor show. Yes, that’s three concerts within a week and a half. And no, I won’t get sick of it (or her). *Shake It Off plays in the background* June “officially” starts my summer because I’ll finally be back home and have my summer job. Following Chicago, I’ll be moving into a house with two of my friends and I could not be more excited because it’s (finally) all of our first summers on our own and not living with parents. Am I kind of freaking out? For sure. But something tells me this is going to be one of the most essential, influential and much needed summers yet, and boy am I ready. Also, it’s okay to start my birthday countdown now right? 59 days until I get to say goodbye to my teen years and hello to my 20’s, the decade of my life that I could not be more pumped for. I have so many questions, though. Are your 20’s really the best years of your life? Why can’t I just skip to 21? Am I finally going to feel like an adult or will I just be stuck in that weird "I still feel like I’m 12" phase? SO. MANY. QUESTIONS. Not only do I turn 20 in 59 days, but I also get to celebrate with, you guessed it, Taylor Swift in Kentucky. It’s kind of funny. The first ever Taylor Swift concert I went to was the Speak Now World Tour in June of 2011. I got tickets for my 13th birthday — my first year as a teenager. Little did I know then, I was welcoming my teen years with Taylor. I said hello to seven influential, life-changing years in that moment. And now, seven years later, I get to say goodbye to all of that— to my teen years— and hello to the next chapter of my life which will be even more influential and life-changing than the last as I hang with Taylor on my 20th birthday at the Reputation Stadium Tour. And as a 10-year-long (and ongoing) Taylor fan, I take special sentiment in that and I know 13-year-old me would be proud. Starting in August I’ll be interning with my University’s Marketing and Communications Office, where I’ll be interviewing people and writing feature articles weekly. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to learn more about feature writing in the most professional sense that I’ve be faced with thus far in my career. The end of August also kicks off my last year of my undergraduate career and the hunt/application process for Grad School will begin!! To bid adieu to summer, I’ll be seeing Taylor Swift in the beginning of September. My fingers are crossed that this isn’t her last tour and that this won’t be the last time I get to see her, but my instincts tell me I should probably start preparing myself now.

Moving away from summer talk and into the beloved world of fashion, I've been loving that this weather gives me free-range with my attire and that I can finally walk out of the house in a t-shirt or tank top and not be too cold.

Yesterday it was about 65 degrees here which is the perfect outlet to rock pants, sandals, and a short sleeved top. I changed pants about mid-way through the day, so below you will see the latter outfit (other look is pictured on my Insatgram @abbygraf). I've also made sure to link the jeans I wore earlier on in the day. Both outfits showcased the minimalist attitude that my entire wardrobe speaks. But as you will see, the one pictured below is more comfortable, laid-back and relaxed -- perfect for just hanging out, or, in my case, to do homework in.

Crochet-Hem Tank Top: Cotton On (no longer available, similar here) | Heather Knit Joggers: Forever 21 (no longer available, similar here) | Knit Cardigan: Forever 21 (no longer available, similar here) | Sandals: Herberger's (no longer available, similar here) | Sunglasses: Forever 21 (no longer available, similar here)

I've only ever worn this shirt once before, but now that I wore it again, I'm constantly wondering why I haven't worn it more...that's always the case, right? These Forever 21 joggers are my go-to comfy pants and I love that the mauve color makes them look chic, allowing for them to take part in a more dressed up look (though it pairs perfectly well with a hoodie). All in all, I loved this look because it made me feel comfortable and effortless. I was surprised at how well the tank-top paired with the joggers, and it's definitely an outfit that looks put together but maintains a strong essence of relaxation.

I can't wait to share my life with all of you this summer through posts, pictures and more! Thanks for keeping up with this long post, and don't forget to subscribe and share!

Xoxo,

Abby

#summerstyle #OOTD #taylorswift