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Annotated By Anna

Annotated By Anna

Annotated By Anna

Make the Morning Yours

Self-care can sometimes sound like another thing to add to an already busy schedule. But I think of it a little differently. We only get one body, one mind, and one version of ourselves to live in, so taking care of it shouldn't feel like a luxury. I like to romanticize the process a little. Make your bed. Take your time getting ready. Wear the outfit you actually want to wear. Turn an ordinary Tuesday morning into something that feels a little more special.

I've also been making more time for gua sha and lymphatic drainage. It's become an easy excuse to slow down for a few minutes, put on my skincare, and actually take my time instead of rushing through it. I've also been trying to journal more, especially when my brain feels like it has 47 tabs open. I don't really follow a strict format. Sometimes I'll write about my day, make a list, brain-dump everything I'm thinking about, or write down a few things I'm looking forward to. It doesn't have to be deep. Sometimes getting everything out of your head and onto a page is enough. And one of my favorite morning rituals has been building a morning playlist. Making a playlist from scratch can feel like a chore, so I don't. Whenever a song comes on that gives me that “okay, I'm awake” feeling, I add it. Eventually, you end up with a playlist full of songs that actually make you want to get out of bed.

There is something nice about treating the small things like they matter, because they do. Romanticizing your life isn't about pretending everything is perfect. It's about noticing the parts that are already good and giving yourself permission to enjoy them.

The Fall Edit

As summer comes to an end, fall fashion is officially making its way into my wardrobe. There’s something about the start of a new season that makes me want to refresh my closet, find new favorites, and start putting together outfits for cooler days.

This fall, color is anything but boring. Rich chocolate brown, burgundy, olive green, and deep reds are everywhere, while unexpected shades from last summer are making a comeback, like butter yellow, electric blue, and vibrant purple, giving traditional fall dressing a fresh twist.

Lately, I’ve been finding myself drawn to pieces that feel effortlessly fall without being too predictable.

Romanticizing Your Regular Life

As I'm starting my last year of college (wow)

I feel like I've been learning a lot.

One thing I'm realizing is how easy it is to constantly look ahead.

We wait for the weekend. The vacations. The big plans.

But most of life isn't made up of those moments.

It's made up of regular weekdays, quick coffee runs, getting ready for class, sitting in traffic, grocery shopping, doing laundry, and figuring out what you're having for dinner.

And those moments deserve to be enjoyed too.

Honestly, sometimes romanticizing your life is just making the ordinary parts a little more enjoyable.

It's putting on the playlist you love while you're getting ready. Making your coffee exactly how you like it. Wearing the outfit you were saving for a “better” day. Taking your time doing your hair instead of rushing through it. Getting your favorite snack on the way home.

Nothing crazy. Nothing that requires a whole lifestyle change.

Just little things that make a normal day feel a little less... normal.

Because when you're in college, it's really easy to spend your time thinking about what's next. The next break. The next semester. Your next plan.

And before you know it, you're constantly looking forward to something instead of actually paying attention to what's happening right now.

Your favorite worn-in sweatshirt. The people you laugh with. The coffee order you get without thinking. The little routines you don't even realize you've created.

None of it is particularly extraordinary.

And that's kind of the point.

Your life doesn't have to be extraordinary to be worth enjoying. Its about taking in what you have and making it a bit more enjoyable

The Difference Between Following a Trend and Having Style

I love trends.

Obviously. That's kind of the point of The Annatations.

I love seeing what colors are coming, what silhouettes are everywhere, what people are styling, and which pieces suddenly start showing up on my feed five times a day.

But I think there's a difference between following a trend and actually having style.

Following a trend is seeing something you like and wanting to try it.

Having style is figuring out how you want to wear it.

Maybe you style it with jeans and sneakers. Someone else wears it with a mini skirt and ballet flats. Someone else throws it over sweats. Someone else adds a baseball cap and a bunch of jewelry.

Same trend. Different style. And that's the fun part.

I don't think you need to avoid trends to have personal style. In fact, I think trends can be one of the best ways to figure out what you actually like.

You see something and think, wait, I actually love that.

Or maybe you see something and know, absolutely not for me.

Start paying attention to what you naturally gravitate toward. What outfits do you save on your pintrest? What colors keep catching your eye? What pieces do you keep trying on in stores? What do you constantly reach for in your own closet?

Eventually, you start seeing your own patterns.

Maybe you always add a sporty element to your outfits. Maybe you love anything oversized. Maybe you gravitate toward feminine details. Maybe you like keeping everything simple and letting one piece stand out.

That's where style starts to become personal.

Trends give you options. Your style is what you choose to do with them. And I think that's why some people can wear something that's been trending for months and somehow make it feel completely new.

They're not necessarily wearing something different. They're just wearing it differently.

So yes, follow the trends. Save the outfit. Try the color. Buy the piece you've been thinking about. Just don't feel like you have to recreate the entire look exactly as you saw it. Take what you like. Change what you don't. Add your own things.

And eventually, the trend becomes less about what everyone else is wearing and more about how you wear it.

That's the difference.