{whatever wednesday}

{New Year:  What will you do with 2015?}

{Fitspiration:  13 Times Lea Michele Inspired Us to Work Out}

{The Good, The Bad, and The Please Go Away:  The 14 Words of 2014}

{Reason to Smile:  Baby Elephant Sees Beach for the First Time Ever}

{Final Review of 2014:  A lot can happen in a year}

New Years and New Goals

Never have I been a fan of resolutions.  In my mind: resolutions are made only to fail.  If you're one of those people who make them and are able to stick to them for an entire year, hats off to you.  You're definitely one in a million.  Every year, I like to set goals.  Last year, my main goal was to do something at least once a week that I've never done before. Cook or bake something new, visit a museum or park, eat at a new restaurant, drink a beer I've never had, go to a new fitness class, and so on.  I jotted down everything I did and found new things I enjoyed and things I didn't enjoy.  For example, I absolutely hated cardio kickboxing (so much that my friend and I actually walked out 20 minutes in to the class).  I absolutely fell in love with yoga.  I went to a Monster Truck Rally and I never care to do that again.  I traveled and experienced more this year than I probably ever have before.  If you don't try or go, then you'll never know.

Honestly, I don't need a Facebook "Year in Review" to remind me that I had a pretty fucking awesome year.  There were moments I amazed myself and wondered how some of the things I was actually capable enough to pull off.  Of course, it was filled with some low lows, meltdowns, hard lessons learned, and stress but the high highs, laughs, self-discovery and good madness made it worth it.

Along with continuing my goal of last year to do at least one thing new weekly, I've added a few new goals to the list:

• Get a tattoo that I've wanted for years

• Give more compliments

• Read more (my goal every year)

• Be more organized (another goal every year)

• Take better care of myself (i.e. wash my face every night.  A third every year goal)

• Learn to shrug off things that ultimately don't matter better

• Travel

• Start saving for Coachella (one of my bucket list experiences)

If you need some inspiration for goals to set for yourself:

49 New Year's Resolutions Every Twentysomething Should Consider
100 New Year's Resolutions

What are your personal goals you hope to achieve in 2015?

Four Outfits to Ring in 2015

Okay, let's be honest.  New Year's Eve is supposed to be THE BEST NIGHT of the year but boils down to the pressure, the plans.  Weeks, if not months, in advance you're supposed to know what you're going to do for that ONE evening and who you're going to spend it with.  The past 3+ New Year's, I've spent odd-wheeling it with friends (aside from last year when I skipped town and wasn't the only single, which was by far the best decision I could've made).  While they've all been fun, I find the whole New Year's theory to be slightly overrated.  As much as I've threatened, my gems of friends refused to let me sit at home in my party dress and down champagne solo.

NOT to mention the whole midnight kiss thing.  There's always the vulture guy with his single radar on, who tries creeping and keeping as near as possible when the clock is close to striking midnight.  Sorry, but being lip locked with some stranger is NOT exactly my idea of the perfect way to start a new year...therefor I typically do the quick turn away and immediately kiss my vodka water (clearly in the most tasteful way possible).  I've had 3+ years of practice so that pretty much makes me a professional at this point.  That all being said, this may be the first New Year's in oh, let's say EVER, that I'm actually looking forward to.

Anyways, I came up with 4 different outfit ideas that have you covered, whether you're going to a sassy soiree or celebrating with a house party.  My thing for a black and gold combination continues through two of the looks.  Each look contains sequins (duh), because there's no such thing as too much sparkle on New Year's Eve.

Jessica by missallierae

Lexi by missallierae

Michelle by missallierae

Kate by missallierae

Being a huge fan of headbands and hats for any celebration (or every day), I couldn't refrain from sharing these adorable 15 DIY Headbands and Hairpins to Make for NYE.

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness.

peace, love, sparkles and flamingos

Allison