Fresh Flowers = Fresh Mind

There's a rose garden on our apartment grounds and it's open to all tenants: anyone can use their key to open the gate & clip a bunch of roses for free, any time.

Up until this past week, I haven't taken full advantage of it, because I always forget my scissors when I'm out on a walk (Kari, my neighbor/friend and I always joke that we need scissor keychains), or I just plain forget there's a garden blooming just yards away, rivaling the Queen of Hearts'.

There's something refreshing about having flowers in the house. It kind of clears my mind. Brings the outdoors in. Adds some unexpected color to the landscape of my apartment. (Asylum-white walls can get to you after awhile. Yes, I could paint, but I kind of hate painting. It's a catch 22 I live with.)

Sorry to go all HGTV on you.

I went small and dramatic for this little arrangement, since it's on my computer desk and space is limited. I love the big/small combination - both the mixture of the two sized roses, and the fact that that over-sized rose is in an old salt shaker.

And one for the dining room table. One of the best things about flowers (and having a rose garden at your disposal) is that you can always try new colors, and combine all shapes and sizes:

Just some pretties for your Tuesday morning!

So this is awkward...

...but I'm still trying to figure out what the purpose of my blog is. After a couple of evenings of brainstorming and mindmapping, I think I'm inching closer to what I want to do on here. I've yanked some things, changed some features, considered getting a face tattoo...

That last one was an exaggeration.

Hence, I've updated my tagline and about page. Read more here, if you're interested! Annnnd thanks for hanging in there with me. Hopefully my blog will bloom from an awkward middle-schooler with braces into a fulfilled college graduate over the next few weeks.

Up & Aut-umn

I'm not feeling sorry for the pun.

Fall is coming up fast, but living in DC means we typically still experience 70-80 degree days till the beginning of October. So it's always tricky finding the balance between summer and fall, especially when you're not sure what you'll wake up to the next day. For someone who gets excited about wearing fall clothes the second the calendar hits September 1, this can be frustrating. Also, "sweater" can take on a whole new meaning, if you get what I'm saying. Gross.

Tell me I'm not alone. Would it help if I apologized for the pun?

Okay. I'm a little sorry about the pun now.

As we anticipate autumn weather, I thought I'd show you a couple outfits I've been mulling over that would be good for the slow transition into the season - incorporating some warmer weather pieces along with a few homages to the coming cold (if you click the pictures below, it'll take you to Polyvore where you can find the links to each piece):

I'm hoping to try the shorts/boots combo this fall. The sweater is an open knit, so it's not too bulky or warm, but it still adds a textural element. The stripes compliment the salt-and-pepper color of the sweater without going overboard:

I am in love with these leather Chuck Taylors. They're pricey. But amazing. Time will tell whether they'll make it into my closet or not... Anyway. I thought they'd be kind of edgy but classic with the blouse & jeans. (I know. I say edgy & classic a lot. Probably because that's kind of what my style is? Edgy beachy classic?) The leopard print belt adds an element of surprise:

 

A baseball tee works because it's lightweight, and I like how the red sleeves compliment the floral jeans. The jeans plus the shirt give a slight nod to pattern mixing without going over the top (don't get me wrong - over the top can be awesome). I put two shoe options on this one, canvas sneakers & suede flats, two textures that work with the overall feel of the outfit:

What are your favorite October compromises?

Clothes for Cheap: American Eagle Factory Store

Just discovered that AE now has a factory store online! As with all factory stores, the stock is limited both in selection and sizes, but it's worth a browse. They have both AE and Aerie clothes. Let me know if you find anything good!

Follow Up - Old Navy Copycats J.Crew

So, I did some research because I was curious about just how ethical copying designs & patterns within the fashion industry really is. This TED Talk, as well as this article, helped me understand it better - it's pretty fascinating!

People Watching: In Georgetown

This is my sister, Libby - she sent me this pic of what she wore on her one-year anniversary date with her boyfriend because she knows I love seeing what she comes up with. My sisters and I all have our own very different styles, but we all love to draw inspiration from each other and compare notes. I'm hoping to feature them from time to time on the blog because they have awesome ideas, and while we might not all agree on everything, if someone owns their look, to me it becomes more about the art of it and less about whether I'd wear it or not.

What I loved about Lib's outfit here is that the details she chose really help to make it hers. Not many people I know could pull off a camo dress and make it look classy. The way she used the belt to tie the ruggedness of the dress to the silver of her shoes and jewelry makes the whole thing work.

For those who are curious:

• Dress was thrifted (found at Tina's - a name I can't say without seeing Napoleon Dynamite fling tuna casserole at a llama)
• Belt used to be mine (came with a denim skirt years ago)
• Shoes are from Payless, bought for my sister Erin's wedding last year
• Necklace, from Lib's boyfriend Matt. He's a keeper.
• Cow, property of Ben & Jerry's in Georgetown.
• Also, Taylor Swift is jealous of Libby's hair.

Clothes for Cheap: Madewell Ballet Flats

Madewell's suede Sidewalk Skimmer flats come in an array of gorgeous colors. But for those of us who sadly don't have $100 to blow on shoes (and instead have to buy, oh I don't know... little things like food and deodorant) I've found a cheaper option at H&M! The colors aren't exact, but with a little imagination and $13, I think they might fit the bill.

Be Brave

David made this back in the spring. It's a favorite of mine because of its simple message. To be honest, this is part of why this blog was Frankensteined back to life... Time to try something new, put myself out there, and... probably fail a good amount. But that's all in a day's work, being brave. Thanks for reading and sticking with me so far! All two days of it!

Birthday Cards, pt. 2

My grandmother, aka my biggest fan aside from David, asked me to make her a stash of cards that she could use for family birthdays. I was happy to oblige, even though I have like 9 siblings, 15 cousins, 2 nieces, and a partridge in a pear tree. I made nine to start, but these six were the ones I liked best...

Outfit on the Fly...

Saw these two items while out shopping yesterday, liked them both, and then it occurred to me that they'd actually be cute together...

Sequin pocket jean shorts and a Shakespeare tank - kind of edgy, and "classic" at the same time. This outfit probably needs a studded black bracelet and some black and/or gold gladiator sandals...

If the inseam on those shorts was longer than 2 millimeters, I would have bought them and probably would be wearing them right now. Alas for tiny inseams.