I Can Get Back Up

H&M Dress, Fossil watch, Charlotte Russe bracelets

Today was exceedingly gross, with the rainfall ranging from annoying to torrential.  But, it was a day in which I needed to drive an hour to get to a doctor's appointment (I hate living in the middle of nowhere) and run some errands, so I pulled on a maxi dress, my errand-running uniform.  I picked this one up at H&M at the beginning of the season and I love how flattering, comfortable, and simple it is.  Though, if you stare at the pattern for too long, you might start to feel a bit dizzy.

The one good thing about driving the long stretch to civilization is that you find great things like the used bookstore I went to today.  I was a bit frightened when I first got there, it was in a nondescript brick building below a bail bonds office with neon signs informing me it was open 24 hours, but as soon as I walked in I felt at home.  The place wasn't decorated, it simply had very tall, pine bookcases covering every concrete wall and in stacks in the middle of the space.  It was musty, non air conditioned, and perfect.  I was impressed at how well the books were organized and all the different things they offered; I managed to check a few things off of my always lengthening book list!  I picked up two hardbound books: a copy of Joyce's Ulysses and Tirant lo Blanc.  I also had to buy the only Stoppard play I could find in the place (a bit sad): The Invention of Love.  The three set me back 9 bucks and change, and I wanted a few more, but they only take cash and checks, being completely old school, and I never have more than a minimal amount of cash on me, nor do I ever carry a check book.  Just finding that place made my day better, especially since it was literally called "Old Book Store."  Can't get much better than that.

By the way, photo number 1 isn't posed.  Rocky just had to get in on the photoshoot action.  He hates to be ignored. 

Baby loves to dance in the dark

H&M sweater and scarf.  Ann Taylor Loft leggings.  Frye boots. Fossil watch.  Random and huge CZ studs.

Somehow, nothing in me would allow me to do my hair today and give you a whole proper look.  I just tied it in a ponytail over my shoulder like I do when I'm being a lazy bum, and called it a day.  What can I say, getting up for my 9am class kills me, and so does the nap I often take after it.  

Wore this sweater/dress in my first post ever.  Man, a lot of things have changed since then, but not my love for this garment.  I wear it a lot when it's cold because it's so easy to throw it over leggings or tights and suddenly appear way more put together than trudging to class in what I actually wanted to wear (probably a thermal and old sweats).  I liked throwing the scarf on with it and going for monochromatic, but still kind of interesting.

In the final picture I'm posing with one of the final lumps of snow that survives here on campus, it's hiding behind a building where it can still remain mostly in the shade.  Note my facial expression and my sort of thumbs up gesture.  It says:  Good for you persevering snow lump, but please go away soon, because I discriminate against all snow, even strong willed fellows like you.  

Note on the title of this post: it's from a Gaga song, but one which you don't hear terribly often.  I have a really poor version of it on my ipod that may or may not have been obtained in an underhanded way, and lately I've been listening to it a lot.  Something about the whole "Baby loves to dance in the dark, cause when he's looking she falls apart" strikes a chord with my current mindset, though I'm sure if you ask Gaga she wouldn't say that it's about "a young girl trying to live up to societies standards and trodding on herself in the process," though it clearly is.  She'd say something like "I was thinking about naked women in porn and how sometimes they like to do little dances, and then i thought about the wind and cheese and giant eggs," but hey, isn't that why we love her?  In any case, this has NOTHING to do with what I'm wearing, but check out the song if you like sugary pop sometimes (or all the time...), and then chase it with a song in which Ludacris is featured so you can rap about how you like to please the ladies, like I did during my performance yesterday, in the shower, in an empty apartment.  

That's how I roll. 

See, the luck I've had can make a good man turn bad.

H&M cardigan.  Random leggings.  Target tank. Frye boots. Francesca's Collections necklace.

I apologize for being terrible and not posting since I've been back at school.  My life has become unnecessarily complicated in ways I would rather it wasn't, I'm still pining for England, and it's really ridiculously cold and snowy and WINTER.  So I've kind of been dressing like a slob, and acting like one.  

I've worn this cardigan a lot since I got it right before the return to American college, it's a new favorite, which is a surprise, because I hate sweaters.  I also haven't worn my hair like this since high school, when the only two hairstyles I wore were down or half up half down.  

Sorry these pictures are a little dark, but enjoy the view of frozen tundra and the nod to colonialism brick facades.  

Witty title...I got nothing.

H&M skirt.  Top and nude tank found at TK Maxx.  Tights bought in london.  New Look wedges.  Topshop earrings.  Forever 21 and vintage rings.


Last night I went to a Christmas meal at the Dalton Rooms with the Writer's Society, the only society I seem to have been able to be loyal to while here in England.  This is kind of funny, because I joined it so I would force myself to read my work out to people and accept their criticism, two things I hate to do, so you'd expect me to hate everyone just because of my bad attitude.  However, I don't mind reading aloud so much anymore, and have nothing but respect for the help I've received (particularly on the misleadingly titled "Zombie Story" that I've been working on).  I also happen to enjoy everyone's company, what fun!

So, the Dalton Rooms is a classy looking place, and I assumed Christmas meal meant you did some sort of dressing up.  I wracked my brain all day for an outfit, and this was the result, after going into town and trying on loads of clothes because I just didn't know if what I had back in my room would work!  I had to get something from Topshop before I left the country, but I've yet to find a piece of clothing that I totally adore that isn't well out of my price range, so I picked up these lovely earrings.  According to the Who What Wear emails I get (do they annoy anyone else?  and is anyone else somehow unaware of how they were coerced into receiving said emails, but too lazy to stop them?) long, shoulder grazing earrings have returned to the forefront.  I went through a stage of huge earrings pretty much all through high school, and a hoop stage about two summers ago, but I think I dig this, as long as I keep the design pretty minimal.

Tried some fun makeup as you can see in the last picture as well, but I can't take credit for the idea, saw it in Cosmo of all magazines.  I liked it though.

All in all, successful night.  Good food, good company, good drinks (I had this amazing champagne cocktail called a "Gold Digger"), and it tuckered me out enough that I actually fell asleep before 1am.  Magic. 

If you feel me, shout a little bit louder.

H&M Jacket and belt.  Kohl's tee.  American Eagle Outfitter's Jeans.  Frye boots. Vintage necklace.

Woo outfit post!  It's been freaking forever!  The thing is, I looked decent on Thanksgiving but I forgot to get someone to take pictures before the food-fest, after which I needed to remove the belt I had around my waist and I just lost all interest in being photographed.  I think the one picture of me from that night just shows me shoveling food onto my plate.  Since then, I've basically just been leaving my room in whatever is most functional for the library or lectures, which is not cute.

I'm wearing the vintage necklace you first saw in this post, but which doesn't really show up well against this outfit in photos.  (Is this because my point and shoot camera sucks in this capacity? - I DON'T CARE.  Ahem.)  

This tee is part of the random "Hang Ten" line now at Kohl's, which I guess is geared towards the Pac Sun worshippers that got dragged to Kohl's with Mom and are perusing the juniors section.  I can't remember why I stopped there one day...I think I was killing time after a doctor appointment and before work, and I actually fell in love with their super soft tees and tank tops.  This top used to be more voluminous (and less likely to flash midriff), then the wash happened, but I still like it.  I also bought a tank that I wear the hell out of, but haven't documented here yet.  I supposed I should get on that.  The stuff is mad cheap too, check it out.

Stream of consciousness: This cropped H&M jacket makes everything I put it on with a little bit classier and a lot cooler.  Remember how I told you my hair's been getting real long?  Proof!  Man, look at those hips, I need to run more.  And why do I have the shiniest forehead on the planet?

Confidence is a must, Cockiness is a plus.

Thrifted Banana Republic dress.  Frye boots.  Tights bought in London.  Target socks.  H&M belt.  Francesca's Collections Necklace.

Don't love my hallway?  Too bad, it's raining outside, and I'm not in the mood to go try to commandeer a bar/academic building or something.  I had to wear my big coat because it has the best hood out of all my outerwear, and it would cover my whole dress so I wouldn't get soaked, even though it made me sweat.  

In any case, I only had one lecture today, which didn't even last a full hour (it's an hour and a half), and I decided I wanted to be cute today.  I've been watching a lot of the kardashians in my free time (Kim is my favorite, in case you were wondering) so I think that inspired this very body conscious look, though I'm not looking as svelte as Kim at the moment, and I wasn't going to trek across campus is towering heels...even if I wanted to.  

I think I'm going to try and be productive...somehow...possibly just by going to get myself some coffee.  Ta lovelies!

Go to Heaven for the Weather

Not to England though, unless you're fond of perpetually grey skies and imminent rain.

Forever 21 top.  H&M skirt.  Target tights.  Frye boots.  Vintage necklace.

Yes, yes, I did style this skirt EXTREMELY SIMILARLY here, but let me tell you why.  Right before I left for England I was thinking about how I saw a woman wearing a pencil skirt with flats and a tshirt, and it really worked for her.  It happened to be the exact skirt I'm wearing above, just in olive green, so I wondered how I could style it myself in a way that didn't look too overdressed for every day.  I stood in front of the mirror in my room, wearing it with a tucked in white t shirt and these boots and frowning, and then Ma goes "I think maybe if you wore it with something that had more volume on top."  WHA BAM!  This outfit, since I had bought this shirt just a few days before.  So, really, props to Ma for that stroke of brilliance.

In any case, I like the way it makes the skirt go from office appropriate or nighttime to casual.  Sorry for the wrinklies, I had to take rather tedious bus rides to and from Morecambe today.  Never have I ever, in my life, lost something on a night out (minus maybe my dignity) until Wednesday night, when I lost my phone at a club.  Lucky for me it was still there, unlucky for me I decided to lose it at the club farthest from campus.  

Love love this necklace, which I picked up at a vintage fair in Chelsea that I stumbled upon last month.  I was on my way to the V&A and then I caught sight of the signs outside the Chelsea Library.  Priorities, you know.  Love this top for reasons we discussed this summer.

Sidenotes: I love how ridiculously green the grass is, especially as the backdrop for the second shot.

Yes, I ripped this title from the song by The Audition, who I am completely obsessed with right now.

Twentysomething

H&M jacket.  Old Navy tee.  Primark harem pants.  Hue socks.  Guess heels. 

Today's my 20th birthday, so I spent a significant amount of time planning this outfit out last night.  I'm super excited that I've gotten to spend my birthday here in London..and it's not over yet.  I did some shopping today (found a dress for fashion weekend, eek!) and now I'm going to go get ready to go to a club tonight!  I plan to dance my butt off like a birthday girl should.  I'll post what I wear with tomorrow's post.  Lataaaaa.

As if.

Forever 21 sweater.  H&M blouse.  BDG (urban) leggings. Frye Boots.  Gifted necklace.

Ahaaaa, did I say I'd be posting today's outfit tomorrow?  I lied.  You see, tomorrow's kind of a special day for me, so I figured I'd want to post about tomorrow, tomorrow, instead of today.  Ah repeating the same word always gives me a grammar crisis.  Anyway.

So do I not look like I just dashed out of the pages of a J. Crew catalogue?  I stood in front of my (rather tiny) closet this morning, declaring "I'm tired of looking boring!"  To no one in particular.  My roommate answered "You look fine!"  Of course, at the time I was still in my pajamas, my white hanes t shirt and soffee shorts, but still, fine is not what I usually go for.  This outfit is not as interesting as I'd hoped for...You see, the button down blouse is sheer, which I love, and kind of longish, also awesome, so what I really need is a cropped sweater to wear over it, because I buy longer cut sweaters for my torso usually, like this blue one.  The desired effect would be something like this: 

Literally the ONLY image I could find of this outfit, but you get it.  Really sheer really long blouse, and if you look close you can see her teeny little cropped sweater over it.  I actually like how the blouse covered her high waisted mini skirt too, but you can still see it because the blouse is so sheer.

Sidenote: this is the outfit Cher wears to take her driver's test, since she can't find her most responsible looking shirt.  The scene where she fails played through my head a hundred times when I failed my driver's test the first time.  I also thought of the moment this photo shows "I'm buttcrazy in love with Josh!" the first time I realized I was in love.  Yes, I identify with the movie Clueless, and I don't care who knows it.

P.S. saw the changing of the guard today!  Still want a big fuzzy hat!

If I'm right then prove me wrong

Forever 21 top.  Target tank and bag.  Mandee sandals.  American Eagle jeans.  Gifted necklace.  H&M hair clip.  Fossil watch.

Went shopping with Ma for things I need for England before going to work for a closing shift.  I really really really wanted to wear heels with this outfit, but it just wasn't going to work out if I had to be running around at work and possibly climbing ladders, because I ALWAYS have to climb a ladder when I least expect it.

I'm in love with this bag.  It's the only faux leather bag that I've ever loved this much.  So perfect all the time, especially the price.

The hair, ah.  I had a hairtastrophe this morning when I was trying to make it pretty so I could leave it down (which I feel like I almost never do lately).  A curling iron, straightening iron, and too much curling product later, it was not happening, so I improvised.  Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

Note on yesterday's outfit: a friend of mine mentioned to me today that he wasn't sure how keen he was on the socks.  I agree (sort of, first of all because I hate to agree and second because I just love those socks), but if I wasn't wearing them wouldn't the outfit just seem a little...slutty secretary?  Is it that way anyway?  I don't know.  At least I didn't wear it out of the house.  But hey, not everything I put together can be magical in every way.  I accept it. 

Public Affair

Last night was Christine and Sabrina's sorority formal, and Erin and I were dates, so we got all dolled up and were shuttled over to this fantastic Greek restaurant to mingle and stuff our faces.







H&M Garden Collection dress. Andrew Marc heels. Zara blazer. F21 and Charlotte Russe rings. Charlotte Russe necklace. Bag borrowed from Christine.

This is what I snapped up from the H&M Garden collection when I was home over Easter. I'm totally in love with the shoulders made stronger by girly frills, which is interesting since I was previously so against this trend resurfacing. I wanted to toughen it up a bit with my chain necklace and a two finger ring, just so I didn't look overly sweet.

I apologize for the quality of these shots. We took them in the Science Center (that's right, a place where I almost never go) while we were waiting for our shuttles to the restaurant, and they were not my favorite, but we were unable to take more there and I assumed there would be lots of pictures taken at the restaurant. There were...but we were OUTSIDE. It was freezing, and I kept my blazer on the whole time and no one saw my amazing frill covered shoulders. So. Sad. I also forgot to take a picture of the back of my hair and a close up of my shoes. I'm terrible. Forgive me.

Thriftstravaganza!

After my luck two days ago I decided to check out a few of the other local consignments shops yesterday morning. My luck was still with me.



Michael by Michael Kohrs leopard pumps. H&M navy pencil skirt. Zara blazer. Floral skirt. Not shown are a pair of skinny Gap short pants that were brand new with the tags still on them, that I figured would not make this photograph more interesting.



In the accessories arena, I picked up this scarf that is not silk, despite what the woman in the shop kept saying. Usually, I'm really good about checking tags, I just liked this scarf and didn't particularly care if it was silk, but if I had seen the tag saying 100% polyester I would've gotten it for even cheaper than I did. Lesson to be learned thrifters: always examine what you're buying just in case the seller is trying to hose you. In any case, I bought it because it my mind it resembles the patterned headwrap I wrote about here, and I thought it would be a cool alternative. It is. I had it tied around my head when i went to pick up my brother after his day at school and he goes "What's with the head thing hippie?" For those of you who don't know my brother, this is a successful reaction.



This necklace is not anything particularly special, it's not made of any "real materials" but it's large and statement making, and kind of quirky in a way I liked. I mean, look at those little people hanging off the necklace! I can also wear it long or shorten up the braided leather that it hangs on to showcase it in a neckline.

So, let's reference my spring shopping list. Floral skirt, check! (More floral in the scarf as well!) Boyfriend blazer, check! (HOORAY!) Statement necklace, check! Though it appears that I am not adhering to the list all the time, remember that I had NOTHING for spring, so I also need basics such as the pencil skirt and the short pants (capris to normal people). I'm going on a Forever 21/maybe more thrifting expedition with Ma today, so we'll see how that pans out! Cheers!