why some trends might not be for you.

& that's ok.

One thing I've learned from working in the retail industry for over 20 years is that trends come & go. I used to chase fashion trends, & you know what happened? I ended up with a walk-in closet filed with a bunch of clothes & still felt like I had nothing to wear.

Sound familiar?

SURE IT'S CUTE. BUT IS IT REALLY YOU?

Not every trend is for every closet. Hear me out.

Remember a couple of summers ago when the Barbie movie came out & shades of pink were all the rage? I personally thought it would be a great time to bring bold, bright pink into my own wardrobe.

But what ended up happening was I bought clothes that I only wore a handful of times or truthfully, never wore at all. They were so cute too. But they just sat in my closet because they didn't feel me.

Why?

They just didn't work with my existing wardrobe.

This can happen when you only focus on buying what's trendy. You end up with a bunch of pieces in your closet that you just don't wear or very quickly they begin to feel stale because they don't go with anything else so you have limited options.

FOCUS ON STYLE NOT TRENDS

Instead of focusing on trends, focus on your personal style words. Let them help navigate whether or not a trend is right for you. If a trend can easily incorporate into your existing wardrobe with things you already own, then it might be a good trend to invest in.

In my case, if I would have let my style words guide me, I never would have fallen for the pink trend as a neutral loving girlie. No wonder I never felt confident in those pieces & they sat in my closet. I wasn't staying true to myself & my personal style words.

ONE LAST BIT OF ADVICE...

While trendy pieces are great for keeping a well-love wardrobe feeling fresh & current, they won't work if you don't have a strong foundation. Like most things in life, you have to build a base first. You wouldn't frost a cake before you bake it, right? Same things goes for your style.

After you've defined your personal style in to actual words, then take some time to create the base. Having a strong foundation of closet staples like denim, basics, knitwear, jackets, etc that are true to you, will make layering in trends all the more successful.

If you need help figuring out your personal style words, grab my FREE guide to defining your personal style here.

Lastly, always let your personal style words guide you on anything new you bring into your closet. & Remember, not all trends are for everyone- & that's ok.

current obsession: a little old & a little new for spring

because we're all about making smarter purchases in 2025

I don't know about you, but I've never quite loved my spring / summer wardrobe. Winter & fall? Now I've got those on lock. But I've always struggled with the warmer season. & Now that I've officially packed away my winter clothes, I can't help but notice the gaps in my spring wardrobe.

Now usually this is where old Stina would start doom scrolling & online shopping to see what's new & trendy & spiral into a variable time of emotional shopping. Older & wiser Stina would tell myself this is where you go wrong.

This year, I'm being more mindful, paying attention & making note of what gaps I need to fill in my wardrobe & asking myself questions like- What pieces did I wear the most last year? Does anything worn out need to be replaced?

While I admit I added a handful of some new & second-hand items to my wardrobe this month, I felt that each of these purchases were carefully thought out. In fact, I bought more items second-hand this month because I was really searching for pieces that I knew would fit with what I already own vs emotionally shopping the latest retail trends.

Here are two favorites I've been wearing on repeat, as of lately-

A LITTLE OLD

I took a page from last year's playbook of one of my most-worn items: the oversized button up. I reached so often for these tops all year around, I decided it was worth adding another option to the closet in a color I didn't already own.

My favorite place to grab an oversized button up is honestly from the Men's section. I find them to be the perfect length & oversize. Style them untucked, slightly buttoned & sleeves rolled for an easy, effortless look. All of mine have been thrifted, but I scored this one off of Poshmark for $8.

A LITTLE NEW

Again looking at some of my worn worn items, I remembered how sad I was when my favorite black slingbacks broke. I mean I did wear them to death. So when I saw these red, kitten heel slingbacks. I knew right away that they would be a smart purchase.

Madewell shoes have been delivering this year, in general. Y'all might remember the Nettie Mary Janes I wrote about last month. I've been wearing these (& my mary janes) almost everyday. I'm so glad I got them in the red color too, because they add just an extra little pop of color to my outfits. 10/10 recommend.

Shop the Simone Kitten-Heel Slingback Pumps

Letting my personal style words guide me while reflecting on some of my most worn pieces, really helped me in identifying the gaps I had in my Spring wardrobe & help me make smarter (& less emotional) purchases.

& As always, never feel pressured to buy anything I share, because I too, want smarter purchases for you in 2025.

I'm 40 years old & this is my skincare routine

looking like a glazed doughnut without breaking the bank

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/c431d5_2600caa3517643fca02fa2798fb4f740/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Not gonna lie, she’s onto something with this whole glazed doughnut thing. It's been working out quite well for me.

While Hailey Bieber spends hundreds on her skincare routine, I unfortunately cannot.

So here's how I get that dewy, glowing hydrated skin at a fraction of the price. & Bonus, everything I use is under $20! So it's totally affordable.

STEP ONE: CLEANSE

Years ago I ditched those packaged make-up wipes for reusable, washable cloths. I find that not only do they remove your makeup better, but they don't strip & dry out your skin either.

When it comes to washing my face, I'm a big fan of La Roche Posay's Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser. This has been my go-to cleanser for over a year now. Super gentle, yet effective & great if you have sensitive skin.

STEP TWO: APPLY YOUR SKINCARE

I like to change the products I use up from time to time, depending on what I have on hand. But if I'm using any serums, I like to apply them first before I moisturize.

Currently I've been starting off with E.L.F Cosmetics Holy Hydration Eye Cream. I love this cream for both am & pm because it's super lightweight & doesn't leave my eyes feeling greasy.

For some anti-aging protection, I've been using Versed Smooth Landing Retinol Eye Balm under & around my eyes for years. A little goes a long way, & this small container will last you a long time.

I recently came across Good Molecules Gentle Retinol Cream when they popped up on a buzzfeed "must-have affordable skincare" list of some sort. I've been using it a few times a week for about a month now. So far, I have no complaints. & At $8, you really can't beat that price either.

I don't know about you, but I've been seeing beef tallow all over my feed lately, so I had to give it a try. I've been using it at night all over my face & neck. During the day, I like to use it on my neck & a teeny tiny bit on my face, under my makeup. I'm about a quarter of the way through my first jar & I really do love how soft & hydrated it has made my skin look & feel. A little goes a long way, so play around the the amount that works best for you.

The jar I'm using is from Amazon, & at the time of writing this, it looks like it's no longer available. But I would recommend trying any beef tallow. & No, you won't smell like beef! Mine smells like honey.

STEP THREE: APLLY OVERNIGHT MASK

Similar to those collagen sheet masks I absolutely love, this Collagen Overnight Wrapping Mask from Medicube does the same thing. Apply a thin layer after your skincare regimen & let dry for 10-15 minutes before going to bed. Wake up in the am & peel off. I like to use this mask anywhere between 1-3 nights a week depending on what my skin needs. I swear this is my #1 secret to getting that hydrated glow.

STEP FOUR: THE ICING

Because I am a child of the 90s/ 00s, I have tried a bunch of different brow serums promising that they will turn my thin little brows into lush, full brows with much disappointment. While last year, I was an unfortunate victim of loosing a bunch of eyelashes in an eyelash curler accident, I gave up on those expensive serums & turned to castor oil. Since using regularly, I've noticed a difference in my lash growth. While I admit my brows still feel the same- I honestly just think this is as good as it's going to get, I've been very pleased with my lash results.

Last year I ditched the expensive lip balms & replaced them with Aquaphor. I had seen people use it on their lips, but always thought, "really? isn't that like lotion?".

Honestly, it's better than any lip mask you can use & I wake up every morning with soft lips. Plus I like to use it during the day under lipstick or over a lip stain for max hydration all day long. So yeah, get yourself some Aquaphor.

That's it- Now you're ready for bed!

If you want to shop any of these products I've linked them all for you here on my LTK