Happy Friday!! So get this guys. This morning, I was hoping to wake up feeling relaxed and improved after my first acupuncture and I feel the complete opposite. I had my first acupuncture experience yesterday and it was one of my least favorite experiences. Almost all the needles were painful and the more I sat there, the more the dull pain began to radiate everywhere. At the beginning, I kept telling myself to take deep breaths and I almost fell asleep, but when I did and had a little hand or foot twitch, the pain was absolutely terrible. I left there with an awful headache and pain in most of the spots the needles were in. I just don’t feel like that’s a normal experience. My fiancé went before me and was happy with his experience so maybe my body just isn’t into needle inserted into it?
But anywayyyyys, let’s talk about happy things. Like outfits! This outfit was what I wore out to dinner on Valentine’s Day! This exact top has sold out sadly, but I found a similar sleeveless version that would be perfect for spring and summer and get underneath a jacket on the cooler days!
{ Similar Jeans | Similar Top | Similar Jacket | Earrings | Necklace | Boots }
It’s pretty much felt like spring here in Colorado. This past week has been upper 60’s and low 70’s. So it has me all kinds of excited about summer and summer outfits! This front crossover top is a great top to wear with a tank top underneath and be a little edgier with a bralette instead. Bralettes are popping up all over the place right now and can make any outfit a little more fun! I grabbed a couple and I’ll be wearing them under tank tops this summer instead of a normal bra!
{ Top | Bralette | Jeans | Hat | Booties | Similar Purse | Sunglasses }
I can’t tell you how much I love this jacket. Because that explanation just wouldn’t suffice. I found it while casually looking around one day while killing time before a movie. And I’m SO glad I found it because it’s less than $35, it fits perfectly, and I plan on wearing it all spring long and into the summer nights!
{ Tank | Jacket | Purse | Similar Jeans | Similar Booties | Sunglasses | Similar Scarf }
Whenever I have my hair in a bun, it’s because I need to wash it. And if I need to wash my hair, it means I am definitely not thinking very hard when it comes to my outfit. This outfit was all about casual and comfy…and laziness. I just got these jeans that are under $60 and they are a great option if you’re not into the ultra skinny jeans that squeeze the calves. The jeans let you move and stretch and stay put around your waist in the meantime!
{ Jeans | Striped Top (40% off) | Similar Jacket | Watch | Similar Scarf | Similar Sunglasses }
Hi Juli, Thanks you for mentioning the skinny jeans that don’t squeeze your calves to death!! Those look great and look comfortable! I’ve been thinking I need to find some that are more stretchy because since I started crossfit about 6 months ago, because I have started having trouble getting my skinny jeans on/off of my calves. I guess they’re getting bigger which is awesome except for that part!
lol same, and i don’t have big calves by any means. but sometimes i feel like i’m losing circulation in my calves when I’m wearing my normal skinny jeans lol
I am totally in love with the peplum top!!! I often forget how flattering that style is!
And jeans that don’t squeeze the bejeezus out of your calves are so hard to find. Sign me up!
I have done dry needling twice and acupuncture once trying to get relief from shoulder pain and it every time it has left me sore and achy for a couple days. I want it to work so I’ve tried multiple times but I think I need to realize it’s just not for me. Active release therapy works the best for me.
well that’s good to know someone else felt the same way because everyone else i’ve talked to thought it was amazing and therapeutic! i just couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there lol
That’s great that you tried acupuncture! I am an acupuncturist and I have found that most people love it after they have a few treatments and their body gets used to it. Usually after those first couple of times, they really look forward to their session and the healing that happens for them. By the way Juli, I love your newest cookbook. I am fairly new to Paleo and like acupuncture, it takes some getting used to… you make it easy and really fun! Thank you.
You, your outfits, and your wood floors are amazing. Keep doing you, and enjoy your upcoming nuptials. Please post a pic of your closet–it must be fabulous!
you’re the best, jennifer! and my closet is a crazy disaster, I wish it was pretty looking lol it is color coordinated at least!
Is the forever 21 jacket black or green? It looks green in your pics. You look fab– love these posts.
i got the green one!
Sorry to hear about your acupuncture experience! I will say (as a biased Doctor of Oriental Medicine and acupuncturist:), that training and skill level of practitioners varies ENORMOUSLY in the United States.
This isn’t just about whether it’s painful or not (if I want to, I can make sure a patient doesn’t feel much of anything). Usually, you want to get some sensation to have it work. The type of needling and type of sensation varies tremendously, depending on the specific focus of treatment as well as the particular patient.
For stress and anxiety, I usually needle very gently; for sports injuries, I usually want to “get right in there” and get strong sensation (because that’s what brings the desired outcomes). In all cases, I make sure to let the patient know that while they might feel a sensation upon insertion, this shouldn’t be sharp pain and the needles shouldn’t remain uncomfortable–if they do, I tell them to let me know so I can adjust it for them.
Also, I want to point out here (in response to one of the other comments) that “dry needling” IS acupuncture, just performed by a chiropractor who has far less acupuncture training and is not allowed to say he/she performs acupuncture because it’s outside their legal scope of practice.
Love thank white strappy Express tank 🙂
obsessed with that strappy express tank!! need that in my closet!
I totally felt the same way about acupuncture. I was told it could take 2-3 sessions to start seeing results, so that’s what I’ve done, but can’t tell much difference. My doctor also hooks the needles up to little battery cable looking things and runs electricity through them. It is NOT PLEASANT. He said the little sensations you get at each insertion point are referred to in Chinese as “A shi,” which means kind of “oh shit” but isn’t cursing in Chinese. I say A Shi all the time now, and that is the best thing I got out of acupuncture.
One time I made the mistake of picking up my phone to respond to a text from my husband when I had a needle in my thumb. Holy ow. I think it’s just not the therapy for me.
Hi Juli,
Do jeans fit true to size? Sometimes skinny jeans I go down a size. Thanks!!
i went down a size and got a size 3!