home (and t-shirt love)

Hey guys! So I just got a new t-shirt at work and I'm super glad that tees are the new big thing (Doesn't that sound weird? t-shirts are always in, right? But apparently, fashion is telling us that tees are in NOW). I'm really a huge tomboy at heart so I can't wait to be able to incorporate the easy peasy style of a casual t-shirt into more fancy ensembles like these pleated pants in the pictures below, and skirts as well, especially midi length. I also love that there's a cat silhouette in this particular one, along with the Manhattan skyline. Meow!

t-shirt: American Apparel
high waist pleated pants: also American Apparel
loafers: thrifted





I'm planning on doing the t-shirt + skirt combo a lot this fall. This Sailboat tee from Anthropologie and this other one from Madewell are on my list.


Up at the top of this post is a picture of me and J sitting in front of our house at the tree stump table, which is probably my favorite part of the house, although there's way too much to choose from. I thought it would be kinda neat for everyone to see inside my house. It's really cute and old and all mismatched furniture and decoration from different eras, thanks to my roommate, Alyssa, who's got great style and is super crafty. In fact, she just recently refinished the coffee table in the living room. To see her DIY you can go to her blog, Love & Space. Also, there are pictures of my bookcase, and my room, kitchen, etc. Just a couple glimpses. The outfit pictures are taken in my backyard (the sign is leftover from Alyssa's wedding photos. All you need is love! :)

challenge

So I'm going to be starting the 30-for-30 challenge from Kendi Everyday. You can find out the rules on her blog here. Basically, it's to help you work with what you've got-- and forgotten-- in your closet, to make outfits that will last for a month, so as to help you with your binge-shopping. I'm really excited for this because I need to stop spending my money on clothes.

It's not as hard as it sounds since coats and accessories aren't included in the item count. I'll be posting my outfits on here hopefully. I do tend to get real lazy. If not every day, I'll do a weekly roundup. Actually, that sounds more doable. Of course, since I work at American Apparel, my work outfits won't count (although some work clothes will be part of the 30, like my high waist zip pants and pleated trousers). Y'all should get in on this, too!

Also, I don't know if I told you, but I moved into a super cute house in Redlands and am still in the process of getting situated. The only thing done is the little cupboard thingy in my bathroom. Here are some pictures.

the buying of things

(entry the third)
I'm on the road to decreasing my spending significantly, so of course I had to go on one last big binge. Can't quit cold turkey right? Easing into it, I first bought this beautiful beautiful dress I'd been eyeing online at Anthropologie.com. And in the catalog... and the store... which is just a few stores down from where I work at American Apparel. I have issues, yes I know. Anyway, I finally allowed myself to try it on, which was a big mistake because my love just grew into obsession. And so I purchased it. Good thing is, my darling mama said she would make it my grad present so I got reimbursed for that purchase. Any suggestions on shoes to go with?



So here I am in the dressing room at Anthropologie going back and forth about whether or not I should even buy it. In the end I caved, and I'm glad. This is what I'll be wearing on graduation day, and aren't I just so sad about having to cover it up in a big black tent of a gown?



The other thing I purchased was a tiny miracle because it should have been a 99$ splurge but it came out tons cheaper, especially since I got a 20$ gift card at guitar center for being such a loyal shopper. Now I own my acoustic electric guitar Kevbo, a tambourine, a harmonica, and a new uke (the first two instruments listed of which I can actually play. I have yet to attempt the hacking and spitting and gagging of harmonica playing)! My little lovely ukulele that I can play "Postcards From Italy" on. I've been wanting one for ages-- and I do have a dinky toy one that does actually function and plays semi-well, but it doesn't hold a candle to this beaut!



So in reality, it wasn't much of a spending binge as I thought, right? I need to start saving money though, for a new, better-functioning car, AND and grad school. Next fall I'll be working on my first collection of stories and learning to be an amazing creative writing professor a la Moffett, at (hopefully) Portland or SF or somewhere equally wondrous. Wish me luck!

i want to go to there

I'm loving the whole preppy resurgence for Spring/Summer. It's definitely true that fashion is cyclical. Things just get recycled and reinvented. Urban Outfitters has their current concept of "New Prep" which I think is a great mixing of vintage(esque) and preppy. Right up my alley. My favorite stores are JCrew (where I worked for longer than I care to say) and Anthropologie, both of which have always had a preppy vintage vibe, so I'm glad to see that aesthetic more accessible, possibly cheaper. Even American Apparel, my current place of employ, has been pushing the preppy look (calling it the New Standards), and I think the way they're going about it is super smart. The thing with bringing back old styles is that they have to be reinvented, and AA owner, Dov, is a smart man who knows all about reinvention. What makes an old style new and fresh is to pair it up with things that contrast with it, and boy, does the rest of American Apparel's inventory clash with the concept of preppy. But it works.

Also, I'd like to take pictures of myself in my cute outfits I have-- like all you other fashion bloggers do-- but I would feel silly and lame because I am not cute like you all (only my clothes are cute) and I don't have someone to take my pictures for me like you guys do. And I would feel mighty silly even if I did.

As far as what I'm hoping to add to my ever-growing collection right now, I'm big into brogues, stripes (which I already have a lot of), dresses (floral, denim, chambray-- I likes it all) and AND, the big one that I'm on the hunt for, is some slouchy tailored/tapered pants that I can roll up to the ankle. Click on this link to see a new pant from AA that I think is super cute, and another one here. It doesn't look good on the model at all but I tried it on at work and I heart them. And then, not necessarily denim, but along the lines of these pants here.

Yis, please.


I'm also still on the lookout for the perfect bike. I think I need to stop being so picky and particular and go for something practical. (How's that for alliteration?) This bike is cute and simple but hard to find on the cheap in the US. Darn you Europeans and your stylish everything. The girl in this picture, so lucky. Even her dress is adorable. (This is an oldschool shot from The Sartorialist. lovelovelove.)


I'm working on a new playlist for you all this week. It's gonna be a good'un. Here's a preview (and a hint as to the theme of the playlist, if you want to guess-- the original artist is not Sparklehorse):