The Closet Files

The denim shirt.

2012-02-02T23:48:00.000-05:00

The other day one of my best friends texted me to tell me that she and her room-mate, another one of my closest friends, had been checking out my blog and they had noticed a constantly recurring item. This item popped up so often, in fact, that they made a game out of finding it in as many posts as possible.

What was the item? My J. Crew chambray shirt. And honestly, they are so right. I spent $40 on the shirt- which is a size able amount for me- but I bought it because I knew I would get use out of it. I now consider that $40 shirt a better deal than some super clearance $5 tops I may only wear a time or two.

Wearing things repetitively is sometimes a controversial thing in the fashion world, but I think it couldn't be more awesome. Buy something you love, that fits you well, and that is somewhat classic. Wear. Wash. Repeat. I'm all for it! What are some items you've put in your closet's hall of fame?

A Collection of Chambray Shirt Photos... And this isn't even all inclusive.

Greg's Swearing In

2012-01-30T20:00:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed the contemplative tone on life and the future in my last blog. Those thoughts are mainly thanks to this past weekend.

Greg was sworn into the US Army Dental Corps as a Second Lieutenant. This means that he'll be attending dental school in Memphis, TN for the next 4 years. After that, he'll apply for a residency on an army base in the US where he will learn how to be an Oral Surgeon (he's interested in facial reconstruction, but he also learns how to do wisdom teeth surgeries and things like that.) The residency will take another 4 years, and my fingers are crossed for the Hawaii location ;) After that, he owes the military 4 years as an oral surgeon- Although he can request particular locations, nothing is promised. So he could be put anywhere, but again, my fingers are crossed- Germany for that one. After that (a total of 12 years down the road) he will decide whether to stay in the military or to go back to civilian life as a private practice doctor.

Now that's quite a few super big decisions- but most of them are pretty far down the road.

Although it really is an awesome deal for Greg, I am so super proud of him. He's worked super hard to get into dental school, and just as hard to get accepted into the Dental Corps- He's one of only 40 in the entire country to be chosen. So of course, I made the trip home this weekend to watch the swearing in and to celebrate afterwards.

The end.

2012-01-30T11:59:00.000-05:00

I spent almost 5 years looking forward to study abroad. I've always loved to travel, and ever since I knew what study abroad entailed, I knew I wanted to do it. Looking back I realize exactly how excited I was for it. The closer it got, the more I honestly could not control my excitement. Now that it's over and it's time to find something else to look forward to, it feels kind of bittersweet. When I look at my facebook pictures and see a jumble of my travels- Paris, London, Ireland, Italy, and the amazing town I lived in, it just hits me how incredibly blessed I am to have had this experience.

But now it's time to move on to something new. I've blogged through it, recounted stories to my friends, and shown pictures to literally anyone who will look at them.

I'm really excited to see where my life is headed, and I know there will be great things- both here and abroad. So until then, here is one last post on my experience from this past semester. After this, it's back to business as normal- outfit posts, stories of weekend trips home, and a little bit of catching up.

The post below I wrote in the middle of my final journey home.

~~~

At this moment, I’m sitting in the airport, waiting to board my final flight home to Tennessee. It’s been a tiring 24 hours of travel (so far) and I’m having so many feelings about Malaga, and this semester in general.

The entirety of our trip, I tried REALLY hard to constantly remind myself how incredibly blessed I was, and to soak it in as much as possible. Although I know I did that, leaving Malaga was SO sad. Tears were shed as I said goodbye to my friends and host family- maybe even for the last time ever.

I miss my family, friends from home, and of course Greg, and I truly cannot wait to be home and celebrate Christmas with them. Spending three months apart from those you love really makes you realize just how much they mean to you. So although I'm really sad about leaving my trip behind, I don't want anyone to think that I'm not 100% ready to see my loved ones.

I never even considered the impact study abroad would have on my life.... but oh my gosh, has it had an impact. This semester I left home, alone, to travel to a foreign country that had a language, culture, and norms so different than my own. I branched out, met so many incredible people from across the globe. I navigated my way around 10 different international airports, sleeping in 3 of them. I tried crazy foods I never thought I could have (helllllo snails and squid.) And perhaps most importantly, I became more self aware, more confident, more independent, and more appreciative of absolutely everything I am blessed with, both at home and abroad.

I’m hoping (and praying) that I will be able to remain close to some of my new Malaga friends, because goodness knows I love them to death. As my host mother said during our tearful goodbyes- I’ve truly gained a bigger family, that will be with me wherever I am in the world, and in life.

As for where my journeys will take me next, I don’t yet know. But if I have anymore adventures, I’ll be sure to keep you updated.

Excuse me for the weekend...

2012-01-27T09:24:00.000-05:00

While I go home to Tennessee to celebrate with this guy as he gets sworn into the US Army Dental Corps!

(That means free dental school, no need to work for the next four years, and a pretty sweet welcome check. Now that's something worth celebrating.)

Rainbows in Ireland

2012-01-26T22:13:00.000-05:00

This is the last of my "travel" posts. It's been really bittersweet remembering all of my incredible experiences and knowing that they are completely over. Studying abroad was one of the most life-changing experiences thus far, and I am so thankful to have had this opportunity.

So, here's Ireland!!

The Guinness Factory in Dublin was one of my favorite tourist stops. Even if you don't like beer (like me), it's a must-see in Ireland.

Galway, Ireland. The cutest Irish town... ever.

My attempt at subtle Irish nail-art.

An ancient burial mound estimated to be about 5000 years old.

The Burren.

The Cliffs of Moher. Breath-taking doesn't even go there, and of course, pictures don't do it justice.

And how did we end our trip? With rainbows. What's more Irish than that??

;)

Seville, Spain

2012-01-24T21:40:00.000-05:00

Our last Spanish trip was to Seville, Spain. We saw a Spanish palace and the cathedral where Christopher Columbus is buried- which just happens to be the 3rd largest in the world. We also toured the old city and my favorite, Plaza de España.

One of the really neat things about Spain is the constant tie of religions together. The jewish star is woven into this lattice above, which is connected to a Catholic chapel.

Tomb of Christopher Columbus. Prettttty dang cool.

Christmas lights in Sevilla!

My room-mate and I!

Plaza de España- a Star Wars episode was filmed there!

Deja Vu... Paris Again

2012-01-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

Travel in Europe is cheap. So cheap, that when a proposed weekend trip to Paris & Disneyland Paris comes about, it's nearly impossible to turn it down... even if you've already been. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean that all trips are going to be under $200 or some other incredibly low amount. But in comparison, it would be physically impossible for me to ever travel like this again. So...

We went back to Paris.

Inside Notre Dame at Christmas time

Walking along the Seine... Wearing a fascinator... Proudly.

I will forever be in love with the Eiffel Tower.

The Lock Bridge! Lovers write their names on a lock and then lock it onto the bridge, throwing the key overboard.

Although this is a terrible picture, its a photo of the fountain Anne Hathaway's character throws her cellphone into at the end of the movie, "The Devil Wears Prada."

The Italian Adventure- Rome!!

2012-01-16T13:33:00.000-05:00

There really aren't even words to describe Rome. I never thought I would like it as much as I did. From the incredible architecture and history to the food, fashion, and landmarks- Rome really was as good as people say it is.

Some of the highlights from this trip were seeing such famous places- The Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Trevvi Fountain, and even a cat sanctuary in the midst of Roman ruins. So cool!

The Italian Adventure- Vatican City

2012-01-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

A little note: I'm actually back home, in America (eeep!) But since I'm a little behind on blogging, I'm going to go ahead and finish up with my travel posts. Thank you for sticking with me through my terrible blogging!

Today is part 2 of my Italy trip. Although Vatican City is technically it's own country- the smallest in the world, it's hard for me to mentally separate it from Rome.

St. Peter's Basilica

The Swiss Guard still keep Vatican City safe. We learned that all of these guys, despite their somewhat jester-like dress, are Swiss war-trained soldiers, with no wives or kids, that are between the ages of 18 and are Catholic themselves. Pretty hard-core if you ask me.

The inside of the Basilica. In person, it feels SOOO big. A picture could never do it justice.

Fun fact- Only the Pope can celebrate mass under this.

Inside the Vatican Museums... The ceilings were as much of an exhibit as anything!

No pictures inside the Sistine Chapel, so this was as close as I could get.

We saw the Pope!!!

If I were to have a Christmas List

2011-12-14T05:53:00.000-05:00

Although I've saved for quite a bit to help pay for this trip (and all of the mini trips too) this semester in Spain would not have been possible without help from my family. I am so incredibly thankful for their graciousness to make this trip possible. With that said, this trip pretty much is/will be my Christmas for the next few years- which I am totally fine with. I am so excited to be home with my family and celebrate Christmas how it should be celebrated- with the focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

However, it's always fun to google pretty things, so if I were to have a Christmas list, this is what it would look like...

Non Clothing/Shoes/Accessory Items

1) An espresso machine. During the semester I work in a coffee shop, and I have grown to love a good latte in the morning. But who can afford to pay $4 for one everyday?

2) Photoshop. So that I can edit pictures on my own and add effects without having to use something like Picnik... See below for further examples on why this would be helpful.

3) A cute mini-fridge. The past two years, my room-mate and I shared her fridge. But after studying abroad I am going to (hopefully) be in my own room, and need one for myself!

4) A vespa. I think a light, non pearly blue is the color for me, but I certainly wouldn't turn any down. Obviously, this is one of the more "dream on" type of gifts, but after my Vespa experience, they'll always have a fond place in my heart.

Clothing/Shoes/Accessories

5) A fur vest. So maybe these vests were more "on trend" in years past... But it wasn't until this year that I realized how much I would actually wear one.

6) Leopard Loafers. So ugly, so cute at the same time. I would love to wear these with some jean capris, a black blazer, and a statement necklace.

7) This TOMS sweatshirt. TOMS are one of those things that I was completely not attracted to until I received my first pair for Christmas last year. It's safe to say that I'm now completely obsessed. If you haven't heard about their movement, check it out, right now. Such a worthy cause, and such an awesome sweatshirt- it even has hidden pockets!

8) Pretty brown boots. I've been searching for the perfect pair to splurge on for almost 2 years. I would love a tall cognac colored pair with just a tiny bit of detail- like these side buckles.

9) Vintage big glasses. While I love my glasses, I generally wear them for practicality. While in Europe, I've noticed that most people treat glasses as just another accessory. My favorite kind are some like these- tortoiseshell brown that are slightly vintage looking (kind of like, smaller Ray-bans with a tiny cat eye.)

The Italian Adventure- Milan and Verona

2011-12-12T05:55:00.000-05:00

Thanks to a week off of school, last week my friends and I had a glorious week long break in which to travel! I know that we've done quite our share of traveling this semester, but they're all short little weekend trips, so it was nice to have a little longer to spend exploring somewhere new.

It was kind of crazy listening to everyone's plans in between classes at school. Almost everyone went somewhere, and those places ranged from all over the UK, to Amsterdam to Barcelona, to Paris, to Switzerland, and to where my friend Andrea and I finally settled on... ITALY!

To make the most of our 6 day trip, we spent time in 3 different cities- Milan, Verona and Rome- though Rome claimed the majority of our time.

Verona, a little town just south of Milan, is known for being the hometown of Romeo and Juliet. When visiting the city, you can actually visit Juliet's balcony at the house belonging to the De Capellos (the Capulets!)

Touching Juliet's breast is actually seen as a sign of luck... awkward....

From Verona, we trained back to Milan to spend a few hours taking in the gorgeoussss fashion district, as well as a few other sights.

In front of one of the FIVE D&G stores in the area!

Prada Milan. In Milan. I die.

And the Duomo. I would have loved to go to the top, but we were rushing so much! Thankfully we had plenty of time in Rome. That post is coming next..

Cordoba, Spain

2011-12-12T05:22:00.000-05:00

As I previously mentioned, the group I'm studying abroad with (International Studies Abroad) not only serves as the liaison between the students and the International schools, they do lots of other things for us too! One of the reasons I chose ISA was because (included in the base price) they organize excursions for us to go on throughout the semester. All of them are in Spain, and while not all of them are overnight trips, they all include historic tours, free time for shopping and sightseeing, and advice on the best things to see and do. Two weeks ago we went to Córdoba, Spain.

Like many of the other towns we have visited, I had never heard of Córdoba. It's not a huge town today, but at one point it was actually the capitol of Spain! We just had a short day to see the city, and we spent most of our time in the Cathedral.

La Catedral de Córdoba was actually built as a mosque. Up until extensions were made on the mosque at Mecca, the mosque in Córdoba was bigger, which is not surprising considering that the inside felt bigger than a city block. It was mindblowingly large. Like many other mosques in Spain, it was converted to a church after the Christians took over the area. The way they converted it was a little surprising though. Most of the building is more or less the same. There are added decorations and structural support, minor changes in flooring, etc. Then, all of the sudden, there's a church, build right inside the mosque. I tried to get pictures, but it's hard to describe without actually visiting. The picture above shows the entrance to the church "section" among the arches.

Although Córdoba wasn't my favorite city in Spain, it was really neat to visit. After posting pictures onto my facebook account, one of my friends actually commented that he had just been studying the Córdoba Mosque/Cathedral in his history class!

Well Hi There, London

2011-12-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

Another late post! Three weeks ago, I went to visit my friend, Sara, who is studying in England for the semester. I was only there for the weekend, which wasn't nearly enough time, but it was awesome to hang out with her and have some time in an English speaking country!

Also, when packing for trips I generally take into consideration what colors will look best with the places I'm going to be seeing.... Ridiculous, I know. Apparently, it's become obvious enough that my friends can tell. Oops?

Day One Outfit

Striped Tunic: H&M, €7

Cardigan: Stradivarias, €12

Leggings: H&M, $5

Boots: Madden Girl for Belk, $15

In Spain, breakfast is toast and coffee. In England, a full breakfast consists of scrambled eggs, Canadian bacon, sausage, grilled tomatoe and mushrooms, fried toast, and baked beans- Love!

Although they were totally fine with pictures, this was super intimidating! My leg muscles around my knee are actually jutting out a little because I was so tense. I thank the machine gun and the war vet for that. Also, I didn't know this, but they wear thick gray coats over the red jackets in the winter.

Harry Potter!

Saturday, my only full day, we visited Windsor Castle, the Queen's weekend residence, which was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. What a crazy mix of old, new and absolutely gorgeous! We also saw Platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter at Kings Cross Station, and took in some sights.

Day Two Outfit

Skirt: Forever 21, $10

Blouse: Banana Republic, gift from Greg

Cardigan: Old Navy, $12

Tights: WeLoveColors.com, $10

Oxfords: UrbanOutfitters.com, $50

Belt: Mom's, Vintage

The last day I only had a few hours to look around before heading to the airport. We totally made it worthwhile though and visited The Tower of London, London Bridge and the Big Ben area for morning fog pictures.

Day Three Outfit

Jeans: Target $15

Top: J. Crew Outlet, $30

Sweater Thing: H&M, €15

Boots: Madden Girl for Belk, $15

Thanksgiving and Lack Thereof

2011-12-08T16:19:00.000-05:00

I almost didn't post this because it's a little behind, but the pictures were already loaded, so here we go...

Spain, along with the rest of Europe, does not celebrate Thanksgiving (therefore, Viernes Negro, Black Friday, means nothing here too!) However, since I came with an American study abroad company and I'm studying at a school for foreigners, Thanksgiving managed to weasel its way into Spain for us. To start out with, our morning Spanish class had a Fiesta! There was tons of food and snacks, juices, and even champagne for mimosas! You know when your teacher drinks with you in a morning class that you're just not in America anymore.

It was Lisa's birthday as well, hence the Spanish Birthday greetings!

My super awesome room-mate, Natalie, and our Thanksgiving outfits!

At night, our study abroad organization took us out to dinner... and surprised us with a full American Thanksgiving spread!

Why can't Americans wear pretty hats?? Granada, Spain!

2011-11-21T08:36:00.000-05:00

Before I write a little about my weekend in Granada (which was actually a little over a week ago,) I just have a little request

...

Can we (as in Americans) please start wearing pretty hats to formal events? As we were touring Granada, we came across this wedding party, which of course called for a few creeper photos to share the gorgeousness.

Now back to normal non-creeper things. Granada was one of the last moorish strongholds in Spain and has retained quite a bit of North African influence. When mixed with traditional and modern Spanish culture, it truly is a unique type of beauty. Also, hellllo awesome shopping.

Something I keep noticing across Europe is the mixture of old and new. Constantly seeing a cathedral from the 1400s or an ancient Roman amphitheater right in the middle of a modern city is so mind blowing to me, having grown up in what is technically a "new" country. In Granada we visited the cathedral that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (among other Spanish royals) are buried in, as well as the Alhambra, an incredible Moorish fortress/palace.

Our study abroad group surprised us with a private flamenco show! The location we went to was obviously very old, very unique, and very Spanish. Experiencing this Spanish tradition for the first time was actually really cool. I couldn't stop taking pictures.

Those pants again...

2011-11-17T05:42:00.000-05:00

Remember how I mentioned here about harem pants being a big trend in Spain, and about how much I was starting to like them? Well here I introduce you to pair #2.

Last weekend we took a trip to Granada (post on its way.) As one of the last moorish strongholds in Spain, Granada has quite a bit of Moorish/North African influence, which was SUPER cool. They had harem pants EVERYWHERE, and When I saw this olive green color, I just couldn't help myself.

Although when I get back to the states, it's very likely the pants will turn into glorified pajamas (they're the most comfortable thing everrrrr) I'm sure I will find somewhere to where them... Like on dates with Greg, I'm sure he would love that ;)

Also, I just realized I never posted a photo of pair #1. In case you were curious, here they are:

Paris!

2011-11-01T08:10:00.000-04:00

For me, one of the absolute biggest motivating factors for studying abroad in Europe rather than Mexico or South America was the endless possibilities for weekend travel. Its cheap (well, the flights are cheap, but everything else adds up wayyyy too fast) and it's actually suprisingly easy as long as you plan ahead. Before this semester, the only time I had ever left the States was to visit my friend in Canada, so this semester in Europe is such a crazy amazing experience I can't even put it into words. I understand that traveling like this is such a blessing (especially for Americans!) and I'm trying to soak it in as much as possible.

With that being said, I spent last weekend in.... PARIS! I've wanted to visit Paris for as long as I can remember, and now I can officially say that it was even better than I expected! I have a friend studying abroad in London and another studying abroad in Rome, and the three of us met up to experience the city for a weekend.

Advice to future travelers, a weekend is not nearly enough time! There are super long lines to everything, and there was so much I didn't get to see.

Over the course of three days, we saw the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, The Arc de Triumph, Sacre Cour and so much more. We (especially me) had so many crepes that I'm almost ashamed, and we even tried macaroons (yum!) and escargot (NOT so yum!) The snails actually tasted good, and both my friends liked them, but the texture got to me. Imagine boiling an actual snail, then eating it- yeah, it felt just. like. that.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was sitting under the Eiffel tower at night, eating crepes and drinking wine of course, while it sparkled. Yes, sparkled. The first five minutes of every hour the Tower lights up, but the way the lights work, it literally makes it look like it's glittering. If you have a love affair with the Eiffel Tower like I do, you would definitely die. I know I did.

One last thing, as far as style goes, I have to say I was expecting more. I mean, I was seriously stressing out about what to wear to such a stylish city, but while I was there I didn't really feel like it was too different than anywhere else in Europe. Granted, all Europeans dress better than Americans, and every country (that I've seen so far) kind of has its own little styles, but Parisians as a group were an understated classic kind of thing. With a lot of what-not-to-wears present too. And all the shopping I found was either HIGH end, or tourist, so no clothes from the style capital for me :(

Alright, picture time!

Outfit Details

Pink Skirt Outfit
Top: H&M, € 9.95
Skirt: H&M, € 19.95
Tights: Gift from Greg
Belt: J. Crew Outlet, $9
Necklace: Sfera, € 4
Blazer: Thirfted, $4
Bag: Target, $9
Flats: Pull and Bear, € 19.95

Striped Dress Outfit
Dress: H&M, € 7.95
Belt: Mom's
Tights: Mom's
Chambray Shirt: J. Crew Outlet, $35
Boots: Target, $35
Necklace: Sfera, €4.95

Sequin Skirt Outfit!
Skirt: H&M, €24.95
Chambray Top: J. Crew, $35
Tights: WeLoveColors.com, $12
Flats: Pull and Bear, € 19.95
Necklace: American Eagle, $4

Barcelona Photos!

2011-10-23T07:43:00.000-04:00

I live for the day that I can get personally crafted dresses....

As the pictures above and below depict, please don't drive a Vespa Internationally if you don't already know 1) how to drive a vespa and 2) your way around the city. Rental places make it seem soooo easy and like such a fun time. No. False. If you drive a vespa in a new place, you could end up on the freeway... illegally... although you will get some fun stories out of it, I would recommend walking ;)

I love the way Spain does day trips

2011-10-12T15:42:00.000-04:00

Easy travel! That's one of my favorite things about living in Europe. Because today was a bank holiday (??) classes were cancelled and we hopped on a bus to Nerja, Spain. Beforehand, all I knew was that it was a small town about an hour away and was rumored to have pretty beaches. Once again, after visiting a new city, my mind is blown. The pictures speak for themselves, but we will definitely be returning to Nerja!

Harem Pants

2011-10-11T08:44:00.000-04:00

Harem pants, aka Gypsey Pants, Pooped-in-your-pants Pants, Genie Pants, and multiple other negative terms.

I was never a fan of such pants. They were popular back home for like 10 minutes, but quickly disappeared from the streets, likely due to the many snide comments and general public opinion.

In Spain though, they're huge (no pun intended.) According to the locals, they've been popular for quite awhile, and don't show any sign of leaving. I've not even been here for two weeks yet, and I already fell to peer pressure and bought a pair.

Sigh. A pair of slightly harem khaki capris (that feel like the lightest most perfect pajama pants ever) somehow made their way to the sale rack and then into my closet. I wore them for the first time today with a plain black top and some gold jewelry, and even if I hadn't gotten a billion compliments, I still might never take them off...

Until I get back home that is. Even though I'm loving the pants now, I know that in the US the pants just aren't as accepted. Which brings me to the point of this post.

Would you wear something in a particular place but not in another? Or, have you ever been suddenly attracted to certain clothing you thought you hated once you saw it on so many people?

Ronda, Spain

2011-10-08T17:26:00.000-04:00

Top: Old Navy, $6

Skirt: Delias via outlet store, $25

Boots: Target, $35

Purse: Belk, $13

Bracelets: Spain! 5 €

Owl Earrings: Forever 21, $4

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

Today my study abroad group took the hour trek to Ronda, Spain. Having never really heard of Ronda, I didn't expect much. Boy was I wrong. More pictures and details are here, but I think you can tell from the ones that I posted that the views were truly incredible! The vastness of it all was truly breathtaking, and the history behind the city was mind blowing.

After a completely full day, I'm super tired and heading off to bed. But be prepared for more pictures. My friends and I are going on excursions almost every week... Next up- Barcelona!

First day of school, Spain style!

2011-10-04T10:44:00.000-04:00

I promise I'm not just trying to get you to look at my travel blog, it's just a lot of work to post on two blogs at once! So, here's a picture from my first day of class, and if you want, here's the link to the whole post.

I choose a pretty modest skirt, just in case, and because of a recent decline in sight, glasses are a must for class. Other than that I kept it pretty simple. My body still isn't used to getting up in this new time change!

Spain!

2011-10-02T04:11:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!
Sorry its been so long since my last post. This time though, I have a good excuse.
I'm in Europe. For reals.
If you're interested in reading up on my travels, you can visit me here.
If not, thats ok too. Here are some pictures from my first few days in Madrid

Day One Outfit
Airplanes and Roses Dress: ShopMamie, $25
Sandals: Walmart, $10
Belt: NY& Co., $4
Bag: Target, $12
Sunglasses: F21, $5

Day Two Outfit
Dress: TJ Maxx, $40
Sandals: Walmart, $10
Purse: Target, $12
Sunglasses: F21, $5

Fair Time

2011-09-19T09:30:00.001-04:00

Greg went for the ultimate nachos. I chose the Fried Green Tomato Burger. I chose the better dinner. Obviously.

Fried Green Tomato Burger. Mhmmmmm.

Before and After shots of my dress! And our penguin, story to follow.

Dress: Thrifted and upcycled, $3

Belt: NY&Co., $2

Necklace: Puerto Rico, 50¢

Wedges: Modcloth, $30

I wanted chocolate and sprinkle covered strawberries on a stick. Greg wanted a funnel cake. He got what he wanted- this time... And here's why:

Since neither Greg or I had ever really been to the fair, I had a mental fair checklist. Included was to try a crazy fried food (Fried Kool-aid and Fried Banana pudding was garnering my interest,) to win a stuffed animal, and to ride at least one thing. First off, the stuffed animal. We thought we had a strategy. We looked around for a game that looked pretty fool proof, and settled on the dart balloon game. All you had to do to win was hit a balloon from less than 3 feet away. "FIVE Dollars and a guaranteed prize!" The worker pointed at us and we were sold. Mistake One. She gives me a dart and we hand over a $5 bill. I somehow manage to hit 4 balloons- with one dart. Clearly this game was made to sucker people in. I win a little bitty pink animal. Yay, mission accomplished. But somehow the trained scamstress tricks us into throwing 3 more darts, and then demands another $15. We said no thanks, we would just settle for the little animal. But nope, at this point we "Owed it no her. No questions asked." So we walked away, large blue penguin in tow, $20 poorer, and much smarter.

We named him Scammer.

Chambray and Jeans

2011-09-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Jeans: Gap, Free from co-worker

Top: J. Crew Outlet, $35

Wedges: Belk, $12

Purse: Target, $11

Bracelets: Mix and Match, but guaranteed cheap

Earrings: Self Made! See tutorial in previous post

I've never cared to try the whole chambray and jeans thing. Then yesterday as I was getting dressed in my go-to black skirt and chambray top, I felt the need to try the jeans. It's been a very jeans type of week. Errryday. What's been your go-to outfit?

Feather Earrings DIY

2011-09-13T16:15:00.005-04:00

Francesca's, $14 DIY, cost of $4 (with extra materials leftover!)

So I've been dying for a pair of peacock feather earrings. I bought a pair at Francesca's, but while walking through Hobby Lobby an hour or so later I realized I could make them myself! The store bought earrings went back to their shelves and $10 went back to my wallet. Success.

Prepare yourselves. This is pretty much the easiest DIY ever.

Total Cost: <$5

Total Time: 5 minutes

Materials needed:

1 package of desired size peacock feathers- For this tutorial you will need to get feathers that are already bound and have a little plastic loop to string them. I bought Fancy Feathers (pictured below) at Hobby Lobby.

1 package wire earrings (the kind that don't have anything dangling off of them)

1 pair scissors

(1 pair wire pliers- I didn't use these but some people might need to)

Step 1: Hold the feathers up to your ear and decide how big you want them to be. The feathers I purchased had a super long black feather attached to the back that I did not like. After you decide how big you want them, trim the sides and bottom to desired size. I also rounded the edges to give mine more of a typical "feather" shape. After you cut the first feather, hold it in front of the second one as you cut it so that they are the same size and shape

Step 2: Using wire pliers (or your fingers if you're good at this type of thing) pinch open the bottom of the wire earring and thread it through the plastic loop on one of the feathers.

Step 3: Using pliers or your fingers, tightly clamp the wire earring so that it won't come out.

^That's chocolate under my fingernails, not dirt. Brownies for lunch=win

All done! Enjoy your new (cheap!) earrings!

Ideas for leftover supplies

Make another pair of earrings (duh)

Make a keychain

Glue the feathers and some beads to a black headband

Glue the feathers to a picture frame

Thread the feathers through a chain and wear it like a necklace!

Fashion's Night Out

2011-09-12T11:07:00.000-04:00

ALSO, I worked the Fashion's Night Event at West Town Mall (my previous internship was through the mall.) It was the first event of it's type in Knoxville, to my knowledge, and it was awesome. There was a red carpet, VIP lounge, swag bags, giveaways, free champagne and chocolate, and live models throughout the mall. Talk about an event.

As soon as pictures are up I'll be sure to share!

Southern Football Games

2011-09-12T11:00:00.000-04:00

I'm back! For good this time *hopefully* thanks to a brand new charger Greg ordered for me. First up, pictures of the UT game on Saturday!

We were sitting on the UPPER deck. I zoomed into the field to get a picture of Smokey, and got this. Probably the most hilarious thing ever.

You can't really see it, but they played a commercial during the game of John H. Daniels, a custom tailor from Knoxville, sewing Head coach Derek Dooley's bright orange pants. So ironic since I had just sewed my bright orange skirt! If I find the commercial, I'll definitely post it. Such a good promo.

Top: Old Navy, $6

Skirt: Self Made, cost of $5

Sandals: Payless, $7

Watch: Target, gift

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

Clutch: Free with Clinique purchase (Gotta love the freebies!)

You know how you can grow up with something and never realize it's unusual until you see it done differently? Well in the South, people dress up to go to football games. Not all people, not all games. But its not unusual to see college kids in ties or dresses. Personally, I kind of love this because I appreciate any opportunity to dress up. The catch is, it is SO hard to find something cute and this specific shade of orange. I have no idea where all of the girls are getting their dresses, and I did some serious hunting. After multiple unfruitful shopping trips, I gave up and bought fabric the night before. I made this skirt the morning of the game, and although it's nothing special, it definitely fulfilled the need!

Today

2011-09-07T12:58:00.000-04:00

You get this free.

Awesome? Oh yessss.

2011-08-31T11:38:00.000-04:00

Camera charger is still lost... at the moment I'm considering just buying another one. Anyone have any experience with that? Can I just go to best buy or something??

Until then (again, my apologies) here's some interesting little tidbits.

This chambray dress is from Target, listed online for $24.99, but on clearance in stores for $6! Although it's not super impressing by itself, it's super cute with a belt and cardigan for fall.

Anyone heard of EyesLipsFace.com? Ahmazing. All of their things are incredibly cheap price wise, but defintately not the typical dollar makeup quality wise. I spent $25 (to get free shipping) and got 17 items. I haven't had a chance to try them all out yet, but I can tell you that I'm 100% sold on the $3 cream eyeliner.

I had been looking for a cute keychain, and found this little wristlet on etsy.com (scarfingitup) for a total- shipping and all- of $4. It arrived super fast and is even better in person. So if you need a cheap little gift (stocking stuffers anyone?) I would highly reccommend this little etsy shop. They sell dog collars and bandanas as well!

While I'm working on the camera situation

2011-08-25T10:17:00.000-04:00

You should check out my travel blog.
I posted about this a while back, but as an update, I am going to be spending the fall semester in Malaga, Spain. I leave in exactly 33 days- not that I'm counting down or anything ;)

While I defnitely DO want to blog while I am in Spain, the blog will have more of a travel/adventurous (i hope!) tone and probably a little bit less emphasis on style. Don't get me wrong, I will constantly be taking pictures of fashion, marketing, shopping, etc... But chances are I'll be having a few more jeans/toms/breezy tops days.

I'm not sure how or even if my style will change. As of now I'm planning on packing lots of layering items as well as casual skirts and dresses. But if I had to guess, I would say that I'll be spending more time out and about and less time picking out outfits.

I'll be updating this blog super regular until I leave, and after that as much as I can.

But if you're interested, head over to my other blog and check out what I'm up to.

Adios!

My camera charger...

2011-08-24T14:58:00.001-04:00

is missing. And my camera is dead.

...
Bear with me

To prove that I'm still here...

2011-08-22T16:52:00.000-04:00

Here is a picture from the other day. My sweet little updo is courtesy of LoveMeagan.com, and that sweet little car is courtesy of my padre. But seriously. Explanation/pictures to come!

The Hair Challenge

2011-08-18T10:41:00.000-04:00

Although I've yet to post pictures, I did just finish the 30 for 30 challenge for the 3rd time. It's definitely tough, but I love pushing myself to be a little more creative than normal with my daily style- especially when I feel like I've been in a little bit of a repetition rut.

Which is why I've decided to give myself a hair challenge. In high school I was constantly experimenting with new hairstyles- nothing way crazy, just variations on braids, curls, pinning, etc. Recently though I feel like most of the time I do absolutely nothing and leave it straight-ish, sometimes I give it some wavy curls, and occasionally a big braid.

So here's the deal. I'm getting a haircut on Sept 26. Nothing earth-shattering, other than some layers and possibly some side bangs. Until then, I'm going to challenge myself to try as many different styles as I can.

Here's some of my inspirations from lately!

Top three images from lovemaegan.com

Bottom three images from thebeautydepartment.com- Awesome tutorials!

Beach Post!

2011-08-15T21:58:00.000-04:00

Well I'm finally back! Here are some snapshots of my week- including many pictures of food. Prepare to be hungry.

I called this the sebastian sandwhich. Obviously it was Greg's

Fresh markets for food each day? Yes, please.

lunch. so good.

What's the beach without a seafood boil?

Duck Donuts. If you go to the Outer Banks, this should be a definite stop for you!

Creepy crawlers.

mi padre :)

Dolphins!

Scallops, mashed potatoes, and some sort of sauce. Delish.

Bright Pants

2011-08-05T13:28:00.000-04:00

Capris: Old Navy, $4

Chambray Shirt: J Crew Outlet, $35

Nude Pumps: Dillard's, $30

Necklace: Banana Republic Outlet, $6

I bought these pants 4 years ago.... and I've worn them once. For some reason though, I've really been in the mood for resurrecting older items. Yeah they're a little tight, but what can you expect from high school pants?

Also, I almost didn't buy this shirt (refer to previous post about $30 being a splurge for me.) And I think I've gotten $100 worth of wear out of it. J.Crew better keep making versions of this shirt, because I definitely see myself buying another one (or more!) when this one finally goes out.

Which brings me to my final point for today. I generally never worry about items "dying" because there aren't too many things I wear into the ground. But I can generally tell if something is going to be that type of item in the first week or two. And I'm almost always tempted to go back and buy another exact replicate. Has anyone ever actually bought replicates of something?

Well hi there!

2011-08-02T13:10:00.000-04:00

I love dressing up! I got this dress on super clearance a while back and never had the chance to wear it until 4-H Roundup a week or two back. I'm just crazy over pretty/open backs.

I got this skirt from Old Navy for $4 5 years ago, and pretty much haven't worn it since. I pulled it out the other day, and got so many compliments I've worn it quite a few times since then. Deal? I think so.

Hi! Gosh, is summer this busy for anyone else? It's been crazy for me! I really want to get back on track with blogging, because I've honestly missed it. So here's a quick recap:

I finished my 30 for 30! Now to just get all the pictures together...

My internships are still going really well. I'll be ending the mall marketing internship shortly so that I can work for time for the 4H office (where I can get paid!) But I am still working on a few mall projects- Tennessee Tax Free weekend, The back to school fashion shows and Fashion's Night Out!

I also recently picked up a new hobby... Scuba diving! Greg, being the totally cool boyfriend that he is, bought me scuba lessons for Christmas, and now that the weather's warm I've finally gotten around to taking them. I'm already hooked, and all I've done so far is learn how to use the equipment... in the shallow end of a pool. I may have also taught myself how to hover superman style mid-air underwater (sorry for the contradiction, I'm not really sure how else to say that) while the rest of the students were paying somewhat better attention....

As for some good news, I'm goin' to the beach! I can hear the beach boys already. They're seriously one of my summertime favs. We're leaving this Saturday for my uncle's place on the Outer Banks, which just so happens to have one of the best donut shops on the face of the earth. And also a massive and wonderful J. Crew outlet. I will be visiting them both.

And lastly, I got a blog award! Katya of This Time is a Charm gave me the One Lovely Blog Award! She's completely adorable, and has some of the best outfits, so you should definitely go check out her blog!

So, I'm supposed to write 7 things about myself (as if this weren't already a super long post!)

1. I live on a farm- kind of. We don't work our land, but we do have horses, donkeys, dogs, cats, and a really big garden.

2. I love to study languages! I'm going to Spain to hopefully finish becoming fluent in Spanish, I studied Chinese all last year, and I would love to take French too.

3. I don't have a huge group of friends, but the ones I do have I would seriously trust with my life.

4. I consider my dad one of my best friends. And even though sometimes he does some not so smart things, I'm probably one of the biggest Daddy's girls there is.

5. I want to travel so bad! Anywhere. For real. When I study abroad in Spain this fall I'll be visiting England, France, Morocco/Africa, and 9 other cities around Spain. I'm dying already.

6. My boyfriend and I met at our high school prom. Then never spoke to each other again until last year... on facebook. Last week was our one year and I bought him an engraved picture frame and asked the lady her opinion for what I should engrave. Her suggestion- Thank God for facebook. I decided against that one...

7. I go to a Catholic school, and my first thought about it was, "I really want to get a picture of these monks in their robes." I never did get a picture, but I did become friends with a bunch of them, and goodness, they're some of the nicest people ever!

Ok, so I'm passing on this award to:

Cheap Girl in a Chic World

Alright, that's all for now!

Be back soon!

This week

2011-07-20T10:38:00.000-04:00

This week I have been working my little tail off at Tennessee 4-H Roundup. It's truly a wonderful event, but I've been running from one thing to the next (in many different types of heels!) ever since Saturday. Unfortunately, blogging has taken a back seat, and I was expecting to log back in and see nothing new... but new comments and new followers?! Thank you all so much for your sweet words, they mean so much to me!!

Anyways, until we can get back to the outfits, here are some pictures from my week

Samantha and Hannah both serve on the state leadership council, and are two awesome girls! Not to mention, they're always dressed cute

The senior breakfast is a difficult event for me- for some reason I always sleep late that morning!!

Knox County Delegation

We made HUNDREDS of these paper flowers.

Personal Development Project Group

I knew Beth's older sister when I was in 4-H, and I initiated Kade here into 4-H Honor club back when I was in high school- and he was so much smaller!!

Donors reception

Competitors with their visuals

Listening to accounts from kids with military families

Mr. Beaty was my Eastern Region 4-H specialist, Regional Leadership Council Advisor, and is the dad of one of my best friends and 4-H buddy, Morgan.

Competitors! I met Nicole (in the yellow) during a service learning trip, and she is one of the cutest, sweetest girls ever! Her older sister Megan is in the blue, and doesn't she have the best hair?!

Taylre is Morgan's little sister, and little Nathan here served on Leadership council with me!

I am so lucky to have the opportunity to work with such a great group of kids- and to be supported and mentored by some truly awesome co-workers!

I always thought I wanted to work in fashion marketing- but this summer is really making me wonder if I would rather work in non-profit, specifically with 4-H! Being the clothes/makeup/marketing/events lover that I am, I never thought this would be the right fit for me, but who knows!

Does anyone else consider $30 a splurge?

2011-07-14T14:47:00.000-04:00

Shorts: Banana Republic Outlet, $28

Top: Gap, $5

Tank: Target, $7

Clutch: Thrifted, $2

Sandals: Forever 21, $15

Necklace: Lucky, $32

Bracelet: Random Beach Store, $5

What I love: Spending a little bit more on something I'm not too sure about (Side note- this never happens. Also, I mean spending more than $5 on something. I don't buy it if I don't love it) and then wearing it CONSTANTLY because I absolutely fall in love with it. This has only happened a few times. Once with my chambray shirt- it was $36 on sale- and that was still a bit much for bargain hunter me. Second time with these shorts. I kind of liked them. And they were almost $30. And now I wear them alllllll the time.

What I hate: Falling in love with a clothing item and absolutely not being able to buy it because they no longer sell it. My friend Dawn works at The Limited and wears the CUTEST stuff. Today she blogged about her chambray ruffle button up. During my lunch break I called multiple stores trying to find it- with no luck.

Soooo, you should check out Dawn's Blog. Because she's cute. And also because I want her shirt.

Messy Hair

2011-07-14T11:58:00.000-04:00

Maxi Dress turned skirt: Forever 21, $12

Top: J. Crew, Thrifted, $2

Belt: Old Navy Men's, $2

Wedges: TJ Maxx, $20

Bracelets: Mom's

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

I don't know how summer has ended up being busier than the school year, but it definitely has! My two internships are going awesome- although working on social media 75% of my day generally means I'm ready to be away from the computer after work (hence my lack of outfit publishing.) I'll be on a work trip this coming week to help lead the Tennessee 4H teen conference- Roundup. It was always one of the highlights of my summer during high school, and I have to admit- I'm still looking forward to it!

Long post ahead...

2011-07-09T13:45:00.000-04:00

Top: Forever 21, $7

Shorts: J. Crew Outlet, $25

Scarf: Target, $2

Purse: The Limited, $25

Sandals: Forever 21, $15

Bracelets: Gifts, Forever 21, Old Navy, Rue 21

I'm gonna be honest- I don't even know what number outfit I'm on of the 30 for 30. I'm guessing around 15? But I'll figure that out in a little bit. I also noticed a few things about this challenge so far- there are so many items I haven't even worn (well, I've worn them, but not "officially") like these awesome shorts! Even though they're slightly too close to the shade of my legs at the moment, I'm pretty much in love with them. I'm also pretty relieved that I finally wore this scarf- I bought it last summer and had never found the right outfit for it.

So yesterday after taking these pictures, Greg and I wondered over to the Grocery store to find something cheap and as healthy as possible to make for dinner. You see, for meals he does NOTHING but eat out, and that habit has followed over to me, and I'm starting to see the side effects of that on my bank account and the general tightening of my clothes (Yikes!) So here is the picture story of our night in. As a bonus, the only thing we bought were chicken breasts ($3.24!) The rest came from my padre's garden!

I couldn't get the whole garden in one picture...

How anyone could ever eat this much fresh dill in their LIFETIME is absolutely beyond me.

More herbs!

Sometimes things fall from the vine and split, making them undesirable to us, but extremely desirable to Eeyore!

Our picks from today

And this is just ONE squash and cucumber.

Left- Greg's, seasoned with herbs, banana, jalapeno, and chili peppers.

Right- Mine, with herbs, and later cheese, tomatoes, and pecans!

The finished meal.

Complete with a frozen diet coke

And a smiley faced pepper.

The Fourth

2011-07-06T22:32:00.000-04:00

Pants: Old Navy, $5

Top: J. Crew Outlet, $35

Belt: Forever 21, $3

Sandals: Forever 21, $15

Oh hey, speaking of that shirt that I just wore... here it is again! In real life though, there was a four day gap. And it was washed... maybe. Details aside, here are some pictures from my fourth of July. From tons of good food (red velvet cake pops anyone??) to lots of good company and some good ole patriotism, it was a good day. What about you? Any fun plans from the fourth?

The Lake Day

2011-07-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

Shorts: Banana Republic Outlet, $20

Top: J.Crew Outlet, $35

Scarf: Thrifted, $2

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

Sandals: Forever 21, $15

I live in this shirt. And these sandals. They seriously go well with every single thing I put on. After a full day at the lake, this was the perfect outfit to run around in. The shorts are SO incredibly soft (which is good for the burns on my legs...) and the scarf helped disguise my dirty little lake head. Ditto for the sunglasses and the lack of makeup. What can I say, its summer :)

On a random note, Greg treats his car like a child... well, better than some people treat their children... So I had to (pretend to) kiss it, to make up for hitting it with my lanyard on accident.

As if it weren't already proof about how much he loves his car- just see the photo below, and notice what he chooses to focus the camera on...

The bland day

2011-07-05T17:44:00.000-04:00

Skirt: H&M, $16

Top: Old Navy, $5

Scarf: Old Navy, $9

Necklace: Gift

Sandals: Forever 21, $15

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

I spent this past long weekend relaxing (and getting sunburned) at the lake, hanging out with my family and my boy, making some delicious cake pops, and sleeping alotttt. So get ready for a few catch-up posts!

This outfit is from last Thursday, when I was just burned out (having few clean and even fewer put away clean clothes just kills your creativity.) As you can see, it was a good thing I took a quick blog break :)

For me, scarves are always my go-to to spice up a boring outfit- even in the summer! I've found that lightweight summer scarves are perfect for keeping you a little warm in a chilly office without overheating you when you go outside. Perfect!

Jeans

2011-07-01T10:30:00.000-04:00

Top: Loft, $4

Jeans: Gap, $15

Shoes: Dillards, $30

Necklace: Forever 21, $4

In high school, I wore jeans CONSTANTLY. My mom used to joke that I collected pairs of jeans, because I had some to go with almost everything. Although blogging hasn't changed my style too much, it has made me much less likely to put my jean "collection" to use. Now I just feel so much more put together and even more comfortable in a skirt or dress.

For other bloggers out there, do you feel like blogging has changed your style?

The Shirt that Grew

2011-06-28T22:44:00.000-04:00

Top: Charlotte Russe, $4

Skirt: Francesca's, $30

Belt: Mom's

Cardigan: Charlotte Russe, $15

Sandals: Forever 21, $15

Watch: Thrifted, $2

Normally, clothing shrinks for me. So when I wanted to buy a flowy white t-shirt, I got a Large so that I could be sure, shrinking and all, it would stay big. What did it do? It grew. Seriously. This thing is at least 2 sizes bigger than when I bought it. The neckline has stretched so much, that the shirt now has what appears to be a lowcut back. But to be honest, its just a reallllly big neck.

As for the lack of posting this weekend- I lost my camera in my car. Sign that the car needs to be cleaned? ohhhh yes.

Bracelets: Random

Summer faves

2011-06-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

Dress: Forever 21, $15

Vest: Thrifted, $5

Scarf: Swap with Ramsey

Sandals: Forever 21, $15

Deer Ring: H&M, $8 for four

Belt: Mom's

Watch: Thrifted, $2

Bag: Mom's

Things I can't stop wearing this summer:

Loose wavy hair- so easy! It only takes me 10 minutes in the morning!!
My mom's vintage belt and purse. Classics.
My swap items from Ramsey! That girl sent me scarves, belts, tops, jewelry a skirt, and a jacket!
Fun nail polish. I never do my nails during the school year... But now? Blue, mango, red, fushia, lime- Just to name a few
Dresses and skirts. The other day my boyfriends mom asked me if I owned a pair of jeans. The answer is yes. Too many. But I just can't make myself wear them when the weather is this nice!

Black and Brown

2011-06-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

Skirt: Gap, $11

Top: realllly old

Bag: My mom's

Watch: Thrifted, $2

Shoes: Dillards, $30

Bangles: Rue 21, Old Navy, Forever 21, random markets

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

I used to HATE black and brown together, but for some reason I really liked it today. I think it had a lot to do with the textures of the skirt and bag. When there multiple different textures in an outfit, it makes it a lot more interesting to me.

I have another outfit post coming later this afternoon to make up for my MIA days. Yay for catching up!

6 of 30

2011-06-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

Skirt: H&M, $17

Top: Gap, $4

Wedges: TJ Maxx, $20

Watch: Thrifted, $2

Necklace: Urban Outfitters, $10

Belt: Old Navy (Men's), $2

Bangle: Old Navy, $3

I have been trying to post this outfit for the last 2 days. First I had a bad computer connection, then I had an issue with the pictures, and then last night I completely fell asleep on the couch while attempting to blog.

Also, I have been queen of ruining clothes lately. The morning I wore this outfit, salad dressing spilled out of my lunch onto the front of my shirt. Yesterday I attempted to have iced coffee (with lots of chocolate) because I was having a hard time waking up. Apparently nothing says "Wake up!" Like spilled coffee on your lap. And lastly (for now) I made cake pops the other day! I'll be posting about that later. They were chocolate with a vanilla hard chocolate coating, and they were DELICIOUS. What was not so good was the chocolate mess that went all over my shirt.

Hopefully your week is going cleaner than mine!

So much for thrifty (5 of 30)

2011-06-21T09:39:00.000-04:00

Skirt: Francesca's, $30

Top: J.Crew, $30

Sandals: Walmart, $10

Necklace: Forever 21, $5

Good news- I've been doing the 30 for 30 every. single. day. Bad news- It's been difficult to get pictures lately. I'll get them up though! Also, how ironic is it that my very last post I blogged about how thrifty I was, and now I'm wearing a $75 outfit?? I know some people would consider an outfit under $100 a good deal, but not me. Under $50 is pretty good, Under $20 or 30, now that's the best.

I also learned that although this braided hairstyle kept my hair in place all day, it definitely was notttt a good move for my face shape. Oh well. You win some; you lose some.

Elephant Leg Pants (4 of 30)

2011-06-17T22:35:00.000-04:00

Jeans: Old Navy, $4

Top: J. Crew, Thifted, $2

Belt: Mom's

Clutch: Thrifted, $2

Necklace: Mom's

Shoes: Forever 21, $15

I call these my elephant leg pants because the bottoms are seriously so large. But who passes up $4 cute and comfy clothes? Certainly not me. My entire outfit cost barely over $20, and 3/4 of it was on these sandals. I feel like I've been wearing some awesome bargains lately! I was going to wear this outfit with a navy, red, and white printed headscarf and possibly red lipstick- but it came out so nautical in a costumey way, and what I was aiming for was definitely not costumey. So I went with some brown and gold accents instead and liked the way it came out.

See this poor kid? This is all he's been doing for over a month straight- I'm not kidding. All day AND a large chunk of the night studying. For what? The DAT. It's apparently this pretty hard test that determines whether or not all of those dentist wannabees get into dental school. Greg wants to be an oral surgeon, so this test is pretty important to him. It's important to me too, because as of Monday night I have my companion and photographer back! Yay!

Heels and a Dress (3 of 30)

2011-06-16T21:53:00.000-04:00

Dress: Thrifted, $3

Necklace: Target, $6

Heels: Steve Madden via Dillards, $30

Bag: Really old

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

I'm kind of in love with these heels. And they kind of kill my feet. But I love them anyways. I also love this dress, and it was 1/10 the price of my shoes, which is pretty darn cool in my mind.

** Also, I wore technical #3 yesterday, but it rained and I couldn't take pictures, which is fine with me because the outfit wasn't that cool anyways.

Grapes, Lace, and Awesome Dads

2011-06-15T00:08:00.000-04:00

Dress: Kristen Davis for Belk, $15

Wedges: TJ Maxx, $20

Necklace: Banana Republic Outlet, $8

Watch: Thrifted, $2

I feel like I shouldn't be wearing something as easy as a dress already, but I really just wanted to. I also really wanted to take pictures with these dirt piles. Why? I have no idea. But for some reason these pictures remind me of grapes. I think it's the color scheme- purple, green, and brown=grapes. I have a weird thing with color association though; everything reminds me of something.

Also, my dad is pretty much amazing. Nothing in particular thats different; he's just one of those dads that somehow knows how to be your parent and your best friend at the same time. And I think thats pretty darn cool.

Lastly, were you incredibly inspired by the Lace EBEW or what?! I seriously am in love with every single one of the outfits. Definitely bookmarking that page- you should too.

Well, I that's it for random postings from me. Goodnight everyone!

30 for 30 Picks

2011-06-14T23:47:00.000-04:00

Well here they are! I wanted more skirts, but hopefully this set will make some pretty good outfits. I think I challenged myself while still staying within my own personal style, which is exactly what I hope to do with this challenge!

Skirts L-R: Really old, Francesca's, H&M, Banana Republic Outlet

Pants L-R: Gap, Old Navy

Shorts L-R: J.Crew, Banana Republic

Vest: Thrifted

Cardigan: J. Crew

Blazer: Old Navy

Blouses L-R: Forever 21, J.Crew

Dresses L-R: Forever 21, Thrifted, Belk, Puerto Rico

Tops clockwise starting top left: Gap, Gap, H&M, Old Navy, Loft, Charlotte Russe, Thrifted, Thrifted

Shoes L-R: T.J. Maxx., Modcloth, Dillards, Walmart, Target

8 tops

+2 blouses

+1 blazer

+1 vest

+1 cardigan

+2 pairs of shorts

+2 pairs of pants

+4 skirts

+4 dresses

+5 pairs of shoes

(hopefully!) 30 outfits!

Queen Anne's Lace (1/30)

2011-06-13T22:44:00.000-04:00

Skirt: Banana Republic Outlet, $12

Top: Charlotte Russe, $5

Belt: NY & Co., $4

Wedges: Modcloth, $30

Watch: Thrifted, $2

Ring: H&M, 4 for $8

When my sister and I were little, we used to love to fill our house with wildflowers. And by "fill" I mean, every vase, mason jar, most non drinking glasses, and all teacups were completely filled with our artful arrangements. One of my favorites is this flower, what my mom used to call Queen Anne's Lace. I always loved it because in my mind, it was hundreds of tiny flowers all built into one big one. Unfortunately, these flowers shed like dogs, and before long our parents would be rushing to throw out the flowers without us noticing.

About the challenge though- today is the first of my third 30 for 30. This time, I actually am taking part in the shopping ban, and my goal is to finish in 35 days. I included some breezy dresses and fun shorts, so I'm hoping it will work out! I'll get my items posted tomorrow!

To my new followers, and to all of you that have left such sweet comments, thank you! It really does brighten my day :) I'd love to check out your blogs too, so leave me a link. And as always, feel free to shoot me an email.

The Sunday Catnap

2011-06-12T22:16:00.000-04:00

Top: The Limited, $15

Skirt: Old Navy, realllly old

Heels: Dillards, $30

Necklace: The Body Shop, $2

I promise I ironed this skirt today. What you are seeing in the pictures though, is compliments of my lovely little...long... Sunday nap. I seriously believe that I sleep more than 90% of the population. But I honestly can't help it. My ultimate record is sleeping for 3 hours in my friends dormroom- while they were blasting music and having a dance party. I'm not even exaggerating. Also, my mom used to drive me around when I was really little and couldn't sleep. Thanks to that I now involuntarily fall asleep in every car/train/boat/airplane ride within the first 30 minutes. Whether or not I have had a full night of sleep before hand has absolutely no effect.

Does anybody else have this issue? Or am I just not getting enough sleep vitamins...

This is what happens when Greg goes out of town

2011-06-10T20:43:00.000-04:00

I honestly did not realize my belt was navy until I was in the fitting room at Gap- after I had gone a whole day thinking it was black...

Skirt: Target, $15

Top: Gap, hand-me-down

Wedges: Modcloth, $30

Belt: Mom's

Watch: Thrifted, $2

Necklace: Swap with Ramsey

Two things you must do this weekend:

1. Go to Clinique in Dillards. They are having a promotion that gives you free makeup samples if you let them do your makeup for free. Recap: Free makeover+Free items and absolutely NO purchase necessary= a very happy me. (While you're there, you should check out there shoe section- they're having that massive sale right. now.)

2. Go check out Gap. I went in today and no lie- half the store was clearance. Not only were there a ridiculous amount of super low cost items- it was an ADDITIONAL 40% off. I got a dress, a pair of flare jeans, and three tops for... $50 TOTAL. Awesome? yep.

...

This is what happens when my boyfriend goes out of town for an entire month. There's nobody to keep me in check with this whole shopping thing. After all, what decent friend is going to say, "No. You should not get that $4 top that fits you perfect and will go with everything."

If you do know of anybody that actually would say that, please send them my way- I need them.... or not.

I may or may not have bought a cupcake that matched my outfit...

2011-06-09T11:15:00.001-04:00

Top: Target, $9

Skirt: Swap with Ramsey

Necklace: Banana Republic Outlet, $6

Wedges: Chinese Laundry via TJ Maxx, $20

Belt: Swap with Ramsey

I know a lot of people have a hard time dressing up during the cold weather months, but for me it's the summer that really challenges my creativity! It's been so hot in Knoxville (90s allllllll week) that all I want to wear is a flowy dress or simple skirt and tank. Yesterday I went for this breezy skirt from Ramsey paired with a simple white top and my new necklace. I also started out with a navy cardigan, which, surprisingly, looked really good with the bright colors of the skirt. But after about 10 minutes, that layer came right off. Hellllo summer.

Does anyone else have the summer uniform problem like I do??

Also, here is how I cure my bad days- a cupcake from the local cupcakery and a tall glass of milk. I know some people are saying that cupcakes are "out" and pies are "in" but whoever is saying that has obviously not had the Knoxville from Cities Cupcakes. At this little local place, all of the cupcakes are named after cities (France is a delicate strawberry pink and cream, New York black and white with a cingular mini oreo garnish, and my favorite, the Knoxville, is orange flavored- of course- with an amazing buttercream topping.)

yummy.

The Scarf and the Lawn Mower

2011-06-06T14:49:00.000-04:00

Note: I'm not doing some sort of creepy wave, I was keeping my little hair wispies from blowing in my face, although it does look pretty awkward. Same with the photo below...

Top: Charlotte Russe, $5

Shorts: Gap, $10

Sandals: Target, $12

Belt: NY & Co., $4

Scarf: Swap with Ramsey

Normally I wouldn't take pictures with my dad's new lawn mower- but seeing how close it's color was to the bright orange in my scarf, I just couldn't resist.

I spent most of this weekend leading a retreat as part of my internship with 4-H. The retreat was a service learning institute for high school 4-H'ers and was, in my opinion, a pretty big success.

Also, if you're interested in Tennessee 4-H, follow us on Twitter, facebook, and bloglovin!

^^ Shameless intern plug

Internship #2

2011-06-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

Top: Forever 21 via swap with Ramsey

Shorts: Target, $7

Necklace: Forever 21, $5

Sandals: Target, $12

This post is a few days backlogged, so even though I'm writing about my internship today, I promise this is not what I actually wore to work!

So just a recap, I work the first part of the week at the summer job/internship I had last year, and Thursday and Friday I work at my new job- as a marketing intern with Simon malls! Back in February I made the decision that I really wanted to work in retail marketing this summer- even if it meant taking a low or no paying internship. My career coordinator at school made a few phone calls and sent my resume off, and suddenly I had an offer from the two Simon malls in my hometown :)

I never actually interviewed or met with the staff beforehand, so I was a little bit nervous for my first day. Luckily, the whole staff is SO nice. I get to work with both the Assistant Director and Director of Marketing. Since they are Area positions, they work at both of the Knoxville Simon Malls. I was kind of expecting to get assigned the least exciting jobs and tasks- but I was so far from wrong! My first day they set me up with the entire social media suite- so if you follow Knoxville Center or West Town Mall on facebook or twitter, that's me! I also get to help out with all of their mall events- including a back to school fashion show and Fashion Night Out!

What are you all doing during the summer? Any other fun jobs/internships?

A New Job and a Blogger Swap

2011-06-02T22:20:00.000-04:00

Dress: Target, $40

Belt: Swap with Ramsey

Shoes: Walmart, $10

Today was one of those really good days. It wasn't filled with hanging out with tons of friends or shopping to my hearts content- but the realization of how incredibly blessed I am to have so many opportunities in front of me. Mainly speaking of my 2 summer internships, the second of which I started today!

Internship 1 is the same job as last year, as an assistant in the TN state 4-H Office. 4-H is a youth development organization that is seriously filled with fun, friends, competitions, and allll kinds of good stuff. I was really involved in 4-H during my high school years, so to be able to be paid to do all of the things I used to love doing as a participant is simply amazing. Everyday is different in this job, and I actually travel alot, which is awesome. Some days I'm teaching sessions on anything from sewing to leadership skills (and making up my own curriculum!) and other days I'm working with social media and alumni affairs.

Because this is already a longer than normal post, I'll hold off and write about internship 2 tomorrow. But just a tad bit to hold you over- I get to work with all spectrums of marketing with both West Town and Knoxville Center Malls. And what does my long term assignment book look like? Organizing the mall's own back to school fashion show and Fashion Night Out. Incredible? Yes.

Last thing today... Did you notice my awesome little belt via swap with Ramsey?? We're doing a little blogger swap, which you will be seeing more of in the next little bit. I'm so excited to see what she comes up with for the things I sent her. And if you haven't seen her blog before (which you should have) then go right now. Seriously. She puts together the most amazing outfits, all on a college girl budget!

Chubby Cheeks

2011-06-01T20:09:00.000-04:00

Dress: Old Navy, $15

Wedges: Old Navy, $12

Necklace: Urban Outfitters, $10

As you can probably tell, these pictures are from a few days after I got my wisdom teeth out. Because I had some time sensitive things to get done at work, I headed back before I looked quite normal... and these are the more flattering pictures, if that tells you anything. For some reason, Greg thought it would be a good idea to take some straight on, deer in the headlights meets chipmunk headshots. Keepers? I think not.

On a more promising note, tomorrow I start my second internship- as a marketing assistant with Simon Malls! I'll be doing social media marketing, events and promotions, and displays for 2 malls in Knoxville. I'm SO excited, but a little bit nervous too. I'll be sure to write about how everything goes :)

Back to the 50s

2011-05-29T19:16:00.000-04:00

Skirt: Vintage thrifted, $2

Belt: Old Navy, $4

After a full week of relaxing on the couch, eating soft foods, and a little bit of work too, I'm back! I had my wisdom teeth removed last Monday, and somewhat ashamedly, I was such a baby about it. Needles, blood, sharp things, etc. all get to me SO bad. Luckily, the oral surgeon is friends with Greg's family and I had a chance to get to know him a little bit over the past year. He was really nice through everything, and if you're in the Knoxville/Maryville area and need any work done, I would definitely recommend him (Dr. Slater at Southeast Oral Surgery.)

Anyways, now that that's done (thankfully!) I'm back to dressing normally and blogging and I have some exciting posts coming next week! I wore this outfit to work last week, and admittedly felt a little bit too 50s. Instead of changing mid-day I ended up deciding I liked the red, white, and navy.... although it wasn't long before the lipstick was wiped away. But hey, that's pretty normal for me.

This may just be my favorite outfit

2011-05-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

Skirt: Old Navy, $20

Top: J.Crew, $30

Wedges: Modcloth, $25

Bag: Coach, thrifted

Necklace: Forever 21, $5

Watch: Thrifted, $2

Bangles: Rue 21, $1

Belt: NY & Co., $4

You know the feeling you get when you put on an outfit you absolutely LOVE? I had that feeling all day long when I wore this. And honestly, I don't remember the last time so many people have commented on it- everyone wanted to know where my skirt was from!

I've had this skirt for at least 3 years, and probably worn it less than 3 times. It's not that I don't love it- rather, it's that sometimes it's hard to wear this skirt in a non-grandma type of way. Lucky for me, Ashley styled it up for the EBEW floral challenge. I loved the way she wore it so much, I seriously wore this the very next day.

I think I need to rediscover more items from the back of my closet. Surprisingly, it was more satisfying than wearing something new... this time at least.