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Audrey JoAnn | Content and Copy Writer

Compelling Copy for Female Founders

Breaking Rules In My Birthday Suit

November 18, 2015

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Today is my birthday, and here is the outfit I wish I was wearing at work this fine Wednesday. But alas, my downtown office housing the works of magazine makers has, well, not a strict dress code by any means, but I don’t think they’d appreciate my waltzing in wearing a crop top, even if today does mark my 24th year of being alive. Plus, I’m sick, and I don’t care if you’re Khloe Kardashian: no one likes to dress up when they’re sick. So you can currently find me in a slouchy sweater and minimal makeup carrying around Kleenex like it’s an accessory. Turning 24 is lovely so far.

Anyway. I want to talk about rules today — specifically, breaking rules — because I think that’s an okay thing to do sometimes. I am a scorpio, after all. We’re the rebels, aren’t we? Even though I’m not brave enough to break dress code today, here are 24 rules that I encourage everyone to break every once in a while, and that I’ve almost certainly* broken in the last near-two-and-a-half decades.

1. Have more than two drinks on a date. Just be careful with red wine (wine-stained teeth are rarely a good look), and have your date drive.

2. Play hooky from work — or “take a personal day,” if we’re being all grownup about it.

3. Wear white after labor day and, really, whenever you want.

4. Take a financial risk if you truly believe it will pay off.

5. Don’t brush your hair. (Honestly, sometimes it looks better.)

6. Send double texts. Send triple texts!

7. Eyeball your measurements when baking. (My grandma will be disappointed in you, but go forth and conquer those cookies your own way this one time.)

8. Watch an entire series on Netflix in a weekend.

9. Take a 4-plus day break from working out.

10. Pay for your guy’s meal, and then high five him for breaking gender stereotypes.

11. Bring out the sandals or wedges in cooler months (barring that you live in, like, North Dakota like my sister; if so, abort mission STAT), and boots or booties in warm months.

12. Plan a trip the day before you take it.

13. Post an imperfection on social media.

14. Speak before thinking, or more aptly, over-analyzing.

15. Go to an event or restaurant alone.

16. Buy the shoes without checking your bank account first.

17. Paint a piece of furniture a bizarre, standout color.

18. Take an extra-long lunch break.

19. Talk while chewing; sometimes, we just have something really imperative to say and it needs to be said right now.

20. Drink beer before liquor.

21. If you like it but it’s “off-trend,” purchase it anyway.

22. Have a free day where you don’t worry about anything you eat. One day won’t ruin your goals.

23. Wear two, three, as many patterns as you think looks nice (a la the outfit on this here post; oh hello, lace, floral, and faux snakeskin).

24. Have ice cream for breakfast. Especially on your birthday.

*Almost certainly: because a rule breaker must never completely incriminate herself. Innocent until proven guilty, and all that junk.

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A big thank you to my great gal pal Sarah Cook for capturing these photos! If you live in North Texas and need a bomb photographer, holler at your girl (me, at audrey@audreyjoann.com) and I’ll happily introduce you.

Crop top: Solemio (so old: similar here and here) // Pants: Old Navy (old: similar here, here, and here // Stilettos: Charlotte Russe (old: similar here and here) // Body chain: gift, similar here and here

1 Comment in Fashion, Life

Welcome! I'm Audrey, and I adore connecting with female founders and telling their stories in a way that matters & lasts for years to come.

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audskelton

Who do you think was more excited about this day t Who do you think was more excited about this day trip out to the coast... us or Wallace? 😅😂 I love them. Also, I can’t get over the burp cloth on John’s shoulder. Ya know, just in case. #newparentlife
One hour, just us two in our backyard with a big c One hour, just us two in our backyard with a big charcuterie board, a deck of cards, a couple glasses of rosé, and no baby monitor. 🤎

The first week of Wallace’s life? I ached even being in another room from him (#hormones). I was a wreck of emotions and had legitimate baby tunnel vision... preeeetty much nothing else mattered. But things have been balancing out this past week, and today was so needed.

My mom is in town all month and watched Wally for us so we could have some time just us two—yep, in the backyard because of shelter in place restrictions from COVID. (Plus let’s be real... I’m not quite ready for an out-of-the-house date yet anyway. 😂)

As much as I desire to be a present + loving mama and ambitious business owner, it’s just as important to me to prioritize our marriage with little moments like this to just be in each other’s presence (and not just talk about burping and swaddling and bedtime routines, like most of our recent convos).

Here’s to (almost) 2 weeks of being parents, @the_beermonger. I think we’ll do okay.
My two favorite guys in the world. 🤍🌎 My two favorite guys in the world. 🤍🌎
Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands without a bump. 👐🏼 Wallace, trying to figure out what we’re doing out of the house. 🤨

First family walk in the books! All of 10 minutes. 🤪 (Also, does anyone else notice the rainbow over Wally?... My heart. 🌈🥺)
1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & mos 1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & most rewarding week of my life. Babies’ sleep schedules, y’all. They are not for the faint of heart.

Wallace is hitting all his milestones, has learned the alphabet, and is picking up Latin. Just kidding. But he CAN poop 3 times in an hour and a half 😎, and he eats like a champ, is so strong that we prefer to tag team diaper changes for now, and makes the sweetest, cutest noises all day long. (And night.) Like even his cry is cute. 😩

One of my friends called this time the “wet weeks”: urine, breast milk, spit up, night sweats, tears, blood, more tears. It’s a lot, and it’s temporary. So even in the hard moments, we are reminding ourselves that the hardest things are often the best things. 

And this really has been the best thing.

So, so thankful for a hands-on husband who’s been so involved in everything... there’s something indescribable about watching your partner care for your child and step into a big, new role like this so gracefully. And we are thankful for ALL of the support, near and far (... mostly far), from our family and friends and coworkers. What a week... here’s to continuing to figure it all out together as a family. 😌
At 5 a.m. my water broke and at 3:44 p.m. our worl At 5 a.m. my water broke and at 3:44 p.m. our worlds and hearts were changed forever. Everything in between was a gritty, fast-moving tidal wave of emotion, pain, instinct, and a kind of love I never could’ve imagined.

Welcome, Wallace Ronal Skelton. 🤎 You kept us waiting until you decided, very quickly, you’d like to be here. I’m still in disbelief that you are ours. 

January 4, 2021 • 7 lbs 4 oz • 20.5 inches • Sweet as can be.
Well, this baby friend doesn’t exactly have our Well, this baby friend doesn’t exactly have our sense of punctuality which realllly threw me for a loop after thinking & saying for months that I was certain he/she would get here early. I’ve drank 3 boxes of raspberry leaf tea in 3 weeks, walked dozens of miles, eaten way too many dates, done hundreds of squats and bench step-ups... and now I’m surrendering. You come whenever you feel like it, little one. I’m comfy enough and can still sleep through the night (minus a bathroom break or two) so we will just keep on waiting and letting you teach us our first lesson of parenthood: PATIENCE. I knew I could always use some more of it. 😉 #40weekspregnant #pregnancy
scenes from our blissful, muddy, much-needed morni scenes from our blissful, muddy, much-needed morning hike. ☀️🍂 in a year that’s felt like 5, getting outside whenever we can has been my favorite way to reset. so thankful to live in such gorgeous surroundings!
our first and probably only christmas just us thre our first and probably only christmas just us three! quiet and simple and a little sad but mostly filled with hope and gratitude. hope yours is special in all the best ways. 🤍
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