Wildflower Reflections

My vision. My style. My way.

From the time I was a small child, I was always dressing up and playing “house” with my friends. I would get into my closet (literally, I could fit because I was small), pull out all of my dresses, and put them on one at a time. I had fashion shows for my parents and grandparents, and even dressed my brother up sometimes, too! The hallway would become the runway and I would walk my little self from my room to the living room where my family was waiting patiently between outfit changes. We played music and snapped some photos.

Now that I’m 21, I don’t have the dream to do the walking, but rather the designing. I still spend about an hour getting ready every morning, making sure my outfits represent me and my style well. But I’m sure many people wonder… What is Elle’s Way? Read on!

Trendy: I like to stay current and keep up with the trends. However, I keep in mind what feels good to wear and what looks good on me. Some trends, like straight legged pants, are not the most flattering fit for me, so I tend to stick to skinny legged options. Another example is a cold shoulder top (there is a purposeful “hole” instead of fabric on the shoulder). I don’t feel confident wearing that kind of top, so I usually try other options, like a regular tank top or something short sleeved.

Simple: I tend to think that less is more. Most of my summer and fall outfits consist of two pieces, which are a shirt or blouse and a pant or skirt. My winter and spring outfits are the same, but sometimes I add on a cardigan or sweater. One of my go-to ensembles right now is a pair of skinny jeans and a simple top (a loose t-shirt or patterned blouse) and a sweater-like cardigan on top. I like to keep my shoe options limited because of how picky I am… So I stick to a sneaker or a bootie in a neutral color.

Neutral: As far as color pallets go I tend to lean towards creams and whites, blacks and grays, and browns and navys. By keeping my pallet generally neutral, I can use more pops of color in my earrings, bags, and makeup.

Comfortable: When I go shopping, I spend a lot of time feeling the clothes- not just looking at them. While it is important to me that something looks great, it is equally important to me that I can feel great in what I’m wearing. I make sure to purchase jeans and pants that provide enough “give” and stretch so that I can bend down at work and take my dog for walks. When I purchase shirts, I always consider the texture. If it is made from a fabric that is itchy or irritating to my skin, I know I won’t wear it, so I don’t buy it.

Modest: I don’t like showing too much skin, so when I try things on in the store, I always think about my grandma. If I choose a blouse that is a bit low cut and I can’t wear it in front of my grandma, then I don’t usually purchase it. The same goes for shorts or skirts. I am always cautious about my image and how I want people to view me, and I want to be seen as a smart, professional woman. To me, that means not showing too much.

Versatile: Whenever I pick an item in the store, whether it’s a top, a pair of pants, or some shoes, I try to imagine at least three to four outfit ensembles I can create and the same number of places I can wear it to. Every once in a while, it’s nice to have something more formal, but in reality, I am not usually going places that require formal wear. By visualizing outfits and locations for each item, I can easily say “no” to many pieces of clothing I initially pick from the rack.

So just to recap, Elle’s Way is trendy, simple, neutral, comfortable, modest, and versatile. By having a few signature looks, my process of choosing outfits in the morning is expedited and I can spend more time on the things that matter… like picking out which earrings I want to wear that day!

Thanks for reading! -Elle Renee

They don’t get much credit, but these are the ones who support me, even when I dare to dream big. I could not pursue this crazy dream without them.

The first person I told about this crazy venture was my aunt, Carrie. She was thrilled for me and loved that I finally had a direction for my life (that I was actually excited about). She has gone to meetings with me for the beginning stages of the t-shirt design and has given so much advice on inspiration and the passions of what drive me to build Wildflower Reflections by Elle Renee. I have FaceTimed with her more than a couple times to get her opinions… and to get her love. She actually has her own blog, which she just made public (you can follow her on WordPress under Honestly Carrie), so she understands a bit of the process of coming up with the topics for readers and keeping the writing entertaining. Here is a shout out to one of the most amazing supporters in my life! Thank you, Aunt Carrie.

Next up is my dad. When I was young, we were best buddies. We would make popcorn together and watch movies in our big, blue recliner. When I entered into the age that I could participate in sports, he was at every game (usually as a coach). Wherever I was on the field or in the gym, I could hear him shouting for me. He’s a bit quieter now (I don’t play sports, so there isn’t much to yell about… unless we can’t find each other in Target), but he’s still shouting for me on the sidelines. When I first told him that I wanted to start the lifestyle brand Wildflower Reflections by Elle Renee, he wanted to make sure that I would still go to school and finish my degree. After the reassurance that I’m still going (majoring in journalism and minoring in business) he jumped on the train. He believes in me, even when no one else will. Here’s to my dad, my sideline shouter!

Next are the handfuls of people that I won’t name individually (because there are SO, SO MANY of them), but who have given me so much love over the past few weeks as I have kicked off the idea and plan for Wildflower Reflections by Elle Renee. They are friends and family, all loved ones, who have voiced their support and who have made me feel so confident in myself and my abilities as a business owner. I love you all so, so much. Here is a shoutout to the ones who love me… I love you more.

Building a business is tough work. I have spent days just analyzing all the aspects of Wildflower Reflections as a brand. What it is. What I want it to become. What I can do to get it there.

This dream of mine is an interesting one. I don’t want to follow just one path… I want them all. I adore fashion, so I want to have a brand in apparel. I love decorating, so I want to have a brand in home decor. I enjoy writing, so I want to have a brand for my blog. I want all of these things, but making it happen and taking the first steps are quite interesting to figure out. It has been a crazy couple of days getting the ball rolling.

I have been talking to some of my family members who have business experience, and they are so knowledgeable that I have to take notes. I need: a business bank account at some point, to create an LLC (Limited Liability Corporation), to trademark and/or copyright “Wildflower Reflections” and my logo, and so, so, so much more.

One of the “so, so, so much more’s” is adapting to a name that will better fit my brand aesthetic…

My name is Lauren Renee. I shortened that to L. Renee, and then transformed it to Elle Renee. Later on, when I have clothing and home decor with my brand, they will read “Wildflower Reflections by Elle Renee.” My reasoning? This name is simplistic and modern, not to mention that it’s so, so, so much easier to pronounce and spell than my complicated last name.

So what is the first step? My blog. I will get this thing out in the open. I will gather thoughts on fashion and home decor and other blogs (plus some of my life stories and such), and get them all centrally located (here, on the blog). I will also be working on my social media outlets (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, LinkedIn, and whatever else is out there) and getting them to be in optimal promoting shape (I don’t quite know how to manage that one yet, but I think I’m starting off on the right track…).

After that, I would like to start doing a video blog (also known as a vlog) and be able to tell my readers (you!) about apparel and home decor that I love. I’d like to be able to go into stores and show how I put outfit ensembles together and what I would do with the flatware and cookware I find. (I’ll keep you all updated on the progress of that!)

If you have any questions or comments, I would love for you to contact me through my new Facebook page (Wildflower Reflections), by email (wildflowerreflections@gmail.com), or any other outlet I have provided on the home page of the blog!

I would love for all of my readers to continue to follow along as I continue on this amazing journey!

-Elle Renee

I will be successful. I will build the business Wildflower Reflections. I will be a boss.

Part of having a successful business (which is what I want) is being a boss. A great boss. Parts of being a great boss include exemplary leadership skills, the ability to communicate with all types of people, maintenance of emotions in stressful situations, the know-how to guide my team to thriving sales, and so much more.

So how do I know if I encompass all of these traits? Well, I guess I will have to take a look back on myself in past situations and reflect (get it, reflect…ion, as in Wildflower Reflections? The blog’s new name!).

Leadership. I think I have decent leadership qualities in certain circumstances. I can go all the way back to when I was a kid for one example: When my dad’s side of our family would get together for holidays, or just because, I would wrangle all of my cousins (the ones younger than me) and teach them a new game to play. Another example of a more recent time is when I give direction to newer, younger employees at my retail job. I have worked there for a total of about four years, so I know the expectations of the company and I am able to show the “newbies” what to do.

Communication. While I am pretty good at face to face communication, I feel that I can improve in this area as far as when I talk on the phone or am not face to face. I would prefer to talk to people in person because I can then give and receive body languages and other non-verbal cues.

Maintenance of emotions. I have been through so many emotional situations within the span of my 21 years here on Earth, that I have become well equipped in expressing my emotions at the proper times and places. I have worked with many types of coworkers and peers, as well as customers, so I have had a lot of practice in not showing frustration right at the moment.

Sales. This, too, is something I have practiced while working at my retail job. Even beyond just giving customers clothing suggestions, I have worked on the markdown and signs teams to adjust prices and show where sales were for a certain day. I have also been required to pushed a brand credit card and we are encouraged to get customers out the door, with as much purchased product as possible, in an efficient manner.

If those are just a few of the qualities that make up a great boss, hopefully I live up to my own expectations. Along the way, I’ll make connections and would love to attend seminars about being a great boss.

I have already introduced to you all, the idea that I would like to create this grassroots company that features this very blog, apparel, and home decor. I am in the process of getting quotes for t-shirts to start attempting to make a profit and I have a rough draft of a business plan written. I have created and email account (wildflowerreflections@gmail.com) so you can email me with any questions or comments and a Facebook page called Wildflower Reflections, so go like and follow that! I will add links to the blogs there, and keep everyone updated on the happenings and developments as I continue!

I am so thrilled to be dreaming up this path for myself. I cannot wait to see where it takes me.

Thank you all so, so much for continuing to read and follow along with my blog and supporting me in this crazy dream I have!

Name change, brand change.

Hello, everyone! Shortly, you will see a change here on Landing With Lo. I have been notified by a couple people that there is another blogger, whose name is Lo Bosworth. Her site is The Lo Down. She was on a reality show, The Hills, when I was a kid and she built a brand after that show ended.

I felt that Landing With Lo would probably end up stepping on her toes and keeping in mind my future, and the lifestyle brand I would like to create, I have decided to change the name of my blog and future business…

Wildflower Reflections is taking over, and I’m in the process of designing t-shirts for the new brand! Comment for additional information on the t-shirts!

This year has been such a wild ride.

In November of 2017 I withdrew from all my college classes and then I lounged on the couch for three months (I’m not even kidding).

Right after my 20th birthday, I took three months off work and disconnected from all of my friends and most of my family. When I looked in the mirror, I didn’t recognize the face looking back. My face was the same, but there was no smile… no joy. My eyes were the same, but there was no sparkle… no depth. I cried all the time and slept with my momma in her bed a lot of nights. It was awful, but I didn’t know what to do.

In March my momma encouraged me (told me, actually) to get off the couch and get out of the house for at least an hour. Once I got up and put on some jeans (instead of sweatpants) I didn’t feel any better. But I looked more normal; I looked more like “Lauren.” Every day I spent a little more time outside, either walking Dymond (my beautiful pup) or just driving to my grandparents’ house for lunch. I also started counseling (again).

Finally, I reached a point where I was comfortable enough to start to look for a job that wasn’t high stress… I still wasn’t working at the retail store. I applied for a nanny position and got an interview. For the first time in three months I woke up early, put on a nice outfit (with a cardigan, of course), and did my makeup. I got the job.

Fast forward a couple months and I started at my retail job again and stopped nannying. At this point, I had been in counseling for a while and was on new medication aimed at assisting me with depression and anxiety. It helped so, so much and I continue to take medication for anxiety.

I feel so much more like “Lauren.” I smile all the time and my eyes have their sparkle back. I laugh and I talk to my friends every day. I wake up, shower, put on a decent outfit (unless I just feel like wearing sweats once in a while), eat breakfast, and go about my day. I still have my bad days, but everyone else has those, too.

I knew I needed to get back to school to finish my bachelor’s degree, so I talked to my momma… and then I applied and was accepted to the University of Iowa. Classes begin January 14th and I am filled with eager anticipation to start fresh in a new city. I’m going to be on my own again, and I have a feeling that I will still call home (a ton) and visit (a ton).

I have so much to look forward to- I will get Landing With Lo together (hopefully, at some point); I will be working on my education toward a degree in journalism (which is my absolute passion); I will be independent and free and able to use the skills I learned from counseling for my new normal life.

I’m excited to see where this life will take me because when I look in the mirror, I’m starting to like what I see.

Love is so important and it’s in every part of our lives… so shouldn’t we know which ways we love and feel love best?

When I say “love” I don’t just mean the boyfriend/girlfriend or spousal kind. I am referring to every singe kind of love we get and show (a parent-child relationship, the love between siblings, or the love amongst friends).

So there is this really great book, called “The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman. If you take the test, you answer a series of questions that get you to think about yourself and which statement (out of two) best fits you. The five love languages are: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. After a person takes the (less than ten minute) quiz, these five languages are listed in order by a scoring system according to how you answered. That is followed by a description of each of the five love languages, still in the order of your score.

I took this test for a class in high school and then again at a point early in my college career. The results showed me that I have the highest scores in both physical touch (hugs are always welcome!) and quality time. My lowest score was receiving gifts (which makes Christmas list making quite difficult). I would rather get some one on one time with those I love rather than acquiring things or stuff.

If you have 10 minutes, take the quiz (the link is below)! If you’d like to read the book, you can find it at pretty much any bookstore or online at sites like Amazon. I highly recommend both because they are so wonderfully insightful!

https://www.5lovelanguages.com/

I have certainly had my share of problems and disappointments which led to losing my faith for a little while. But I’m back on the path now, and it’s good one.

There was a time when I wondered if God was really there. I was in this dark, cold place in my life that no one could understand (not even myself). I questioned God, my faith, and even myself. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do anything about it and I wasn’t sure it even mattered…

The truth is, I am so imperfect that I don’t know how God wants me as His daughter sometimes. I have messed up and I have made wrong decisions. There have been times when my actions have been louder than my words (and not in a good way). So how could I, such a little human, be worthy of God’s love? I guess the truth is that I probably don’t deserve it, but I get that love anyway.

I don’t remember when and I don’t remember how. But all of a sudden, it became clear that I needed to get back on a positive road. I needed to get out of bed, take a shower, put on some clean clothes, and get my behind to church. So I did. A friend from work asked me to go with her and that Thursday night I got a taste of what it meant to live a Jesus-filled, Christ-based life.

People were singing to God with raised palms, outreached arms, and amazing voices. I had never experienced anything like it. I made a couple connections, but was still shy and confused about my place in the world. I joined a bible study and became close with the girls in my group. They prayed for me and over me and the more I went to church and worshiped with all those Jesus-loving people, the closer to God I felt. I learned more about the books and stories of the bible than I ever had before. I joined the worship team for a semester and got to look out to all the young adults singing praises to the Lord.

And then I fell again. My heart was broken by life and circumstance and I shut out the church and my friends. They would invite me to service and I would make up a lousy excuse. My bible studying stopped and I didn’t even care anymore.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to church, but I pray to God on my own and do some reading in my bible. I am realizing (again) how important my faith is. I am understanding that even though a path I’m on may get “Lo” and kind of suck, it will always come back up. Mountain tops and valleys.

So I don’t know, exactly, what it means to live in a Christ-centered way. I’m still figuring it out, but I think that by speaking kinder and loving harder, I am on the right track (at least for starters). When the new year comes, I plan to take a dive into my bible and my faith and figure out why in the world God loves me so much. If He can love me and all my imperfections, He surely loves you, too.

These are them. These are the people I would give my life for. Family and friends. I would never survive this big world without them.

First up is my momma. She’s the one who brought me into this world 21 winters ago and has loved me more than anyone else. She has sacrificed so much so that I can live my best life, and for that I am so thankful. We disagree sometimes (about trivial things, mostly), but she always has my best interests in mind. My momma taught me compassion and kindness, how to love with my whole heart, and how to pick up the pieces when things fall apart (like when I used to drop glass dishes in the sink when I washed them). There are days that we don’t see each other much (since we both have lives and jobs and stuff) but I know that she would drop everything and come running if I needed anything. Thank you, Mom, for loving me like you do.

Next is my brother. This guy brings so much laughter and joy to my heart constantly, and I would be lonely without him. Austin is smart and peaceful and completely irreplaceable. We have been through so much together; he knows me better than anyone else. Everyone says that they have the best sibling on the planet, but I truly do. You are so wonderful, Austin!

My cousins Caitlyn and RaeAnna are truly gifts in my life. They are the ones I call at 2 in the morning when I can’t sleep and they are the ones I can expose my whole soul to, without judgement. I tell these ladies everything and we have a strong bond created by similar life experiences and laughter and love. Whenever I’m with them, my heart is happy. They keeps me on my toes (in a good way) and I can’t wait until we all (possibly) have families of our own so we can force them to hang out, too. Without you, Cait, I’d be a goner and without you, Rae, I’d be lost.

Then come my closest friends. Abby, Katie, Brody, Holly, and Maddie (they’re in no particular order, but I wanted to name them all). These are the ones who supported me throughout middle and high school and into college. These are the ones I can skip a couple weeks talking to, but always pick right back up as if no time has passed. They are my movie pals and baking buddies and I wouldn’t have them any other way. You are all so amazing and I love you bunches!