buzzing just like neon

{photo credit: ryan}

{photo credit: ryan}

{photo credit: me, ryan}

i can barely believe it myself, but i am wearing a sweatshirt in the middle of summer in north carolina. it's a beautiful mystery that i don't care to understand. 

i really like wearing long sleeve shirts with shorts. the contrast is fun and comfortable, but i rarely get to do it because the weather cooperate much. if it's cold, i'm wearing pants. if it's hot, i'm in my bathing suit at the pool. if it's sort of drizzly and overcast, the weather is high 70s/low 80s, and i'm going to the library, i'm wearing this outfit. 

compliments to the gap for supplying nearly every single piece of clothing/jewelry i am wearing. i made the two necklaces myself but that's it. when the gap has sales, you obey. 

so here you have it. photographic evidence of a rare moment when i actually put an outfit together. even if half of it is technically athletic wear. 

warby parker

{photo credit: me}

i wear contacts every single day of my life. without them i am blind, and this is not an exaggeration in the slightest. when i take them out at night before bed, i can't even read a book before i turn the light out because i can't see the words that are 12 inches from my face. yiiiikes.

as convenient as contacts are, i've been really wanting a pair of glasses to wear. i feel like my eyes need a rest from wearing little plastic suction cups every day. {eh, that was graphic.} i've owned a pair of glasses before, but the frames were very narrow which made it hard for me to focus my vision. i kept stumbling around, bumping into stationary objects and tripping on flat carpet. i imagine wearing a fishbowl on your head would have a similar effect.

{photo credit: me}

i knew i wanted some warby parker frames. i have several friends who have purchased glasses from them in the past, all with great experiences. they have a very easy-to-navigate site, great customer service, a wide selection of trendy frames to choose from (for $95 flat), and when you purchase a pair for yourself, they give a pair away to someone in need. kind of like toms for the eyes.

the best thing about warby parker (besides giving a pair of glasses to someone in need, let's be straight) is what they call an at home try-on. you select five frames that you like and they send you samples pairs to play with completely free of charge. you get to keep them for five days while you prance about town looking nerdy chic. what a brilliant idea. i was sold.

{photo credit: me}

my box came very quickly, and i didn't waste any time seeing what was inside.

{photo credit: me}

such pretty frames! look at how they glimmer.

after my short but passionate romance with the wp frames, i finally made my decision and placed my order two days ago. i cannot wait for them to get here so i can show you guys.

{photo credit: me}

here is a little preview of a pair that i did not get. so. much. hipster. in order for these frames to not look completely bonkers on me, i would need at least two clever tattoos and a closet full of indie concert t-shirts. right now, all i have is a nose ring, and i'm barely pulling that off.

in the words of my roommate, "no one will ever take you serious in those glasses. good luck buying a car with those on." (paraphrased)

that one, she's always honest.

diy studded mittens

{photo credit: me}

so, there are these things called studs. heard of them? i think avril lavine was wearing them like 13 years ago when they weren't that popular. or maybe they were, and it was me who wasn't cool enough to get it. 

well, now i get it. they are all the rage and look good on just about anything you would ever want to put them on-purses, loafers, hats, belts, textbook covers, phone cases, celebrity baby diapers. i just ordered a bunch of them (read: 400), and i've got the easiest diy tutorial for you. all you need is a pair of  mittens, some varied studs, and a pair of pliers.

{photo credit: me}

{photo credit: me}

lay your mittens out flat and use your studs to make a simple design on the cuffs of your mittens. (you'll have to remember your design so it's probably best to keep it fairly simple). i made a row straight across the cuffs.

{photo credit: me}

once you have found a design you like, work with one stud at a time and push the prongs through the cloth. close one prong at a time using your pliers. keep working with each stud, securing it as you go. create the same design on the matching glove.

{photo credit: me}

{photo credit: me}

ta-da! brand spanking new winter mittens that are as cool as anything avril ever wore. 

red like taylor swift

{photo credit: me}

why in the world have i not been wearing red lipstick until now? i just bought my first tube at the wal*mart, and i'm digging the way it makes me look like a grown up. at least until i blow bubbles in my milk and completely blow my cover. 

{photo credit: me}

thank you, tay swift, for inspiring me to branch out from unscented chapstick.

*linking up here!*

little black dress

{photo credit: mom}

it's a total cliche, but every girl should own one (or eight). the lbd will never ever go out of style especially in a classic shape like this shift dress.

{photo credit: mom}

not much going on with this outfit, but i love the simplicity. sometimes you don't need a lot of bangles or accessories to make an outfit stand out. sometimes one pair of fuchsia suede shoes does the trick.

{photo credit: mom}

you got dust on your shoe? the camera doesn't stop.

{photo credit: mom}

bonus picture. me holding a cat. 

outfit credits

dress and belt: thrifted

shoes: jessica simpson via marshalls

zebra stripes

{photo credit: mom}

i really love to keep up with blogs that have somewhat of a focus on fashion. i'm not talking about girls who blog about ridiculous runway fashions that no one in their right mind would ever wear. outfits made out of bungee cords or leather headdresses or shoes that look like torture devices. (don't know what i'm talking about? watch this video). i'm talking about girls like you and me who have a budget and shop at target. those girls. those girls have inspired me to post my very first outfit post. thanks, ya'll. 

{photo credit: mom}

my first outfit might hurt your eyes. if you don't like to mix patterns then i suggest you look away. come back some other time when i have a recipe posted. something safe like banana bread.

{photo credit: mom}

who stands like this next to a fence? one foot in the air, one hand holding on for safety. only everyone me. 

{photo credit: mom}

so there you have it. one outfit post. don't get excited and lose your head. i can already tell you i won't be consistent with outfit posts for two reasons. half the time what i'm wearing is a gym tee and a baseball hat. you've seen one, you've seen them all. secondly, when i actually do look cute how hard is it to stand around and pose? really hard. if i'm looking cute it means i've got someplace to be! people to talk to! a job to do! 

 still, it was fun. my mom loves taking pictures of me. she thinks i'm cute or something. thanks, mom. you're quite a whiz with the camera once you figure out how to turn it on. 

outfit credit

shirt, necklace, skirt: f21

shoes: ross

what i wish boys would wear

it would be cool if more boys dressed like this. i wouldn't hate it.

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

but then again. give me a boy in jeans, chucks, and a simple striped shirt, and i'm swooning for days.

on second thought, i think it may be the way some of these pictures are taken that makes them look so stylish. if i saw a guy wearing some of these outfits in the real world i might look at him and think tool. but who knows. how about more boys start dressing like this so i can figure it out. 

make a statement

{photo credit}

ever since kendi has been wearing this rock-solid necklace, i've had statement necklace envy. it's a real thing because i'm experiencing it firsthand. you can't argue with me.

unfortunately, because miss fashionista got her necklace from anthro, i doubt i will be able to afford the exact same one. or any necklace from anthro that isn't on some sort of freak 90% off sale.

{photo credit: me}

cue my sweet friend kelly. for my birthday last month, she presented me with this amazing necklace (see above! see below!) it's honestly not something i would have picked out for myself. it took me a bit to get used to it, but now it's one of my favorite pieces. i wear it alone or combined with a three strand gold chain.

{photo credit: me}

basically, i've caught the statement necklace fever, and i don't have eyes for anything else. check out these beauts i found on the interwebs.

{photo credit}

feeling inspired to make this myself.

{photo credit}

nava-who?

{photo credit}

the only time i would ever feel complimented if someone said "you look bejeweled" to me would be if i was wearing this necklace.

{photo credit}

this necklace looks like it would make a nice jangling noise. jingle-jangle.

{photo credit}

i would risk puncturing my jugular for this necklace.


ok. i spilled my current fashion fixation. what's yours?

curls

{photo credit: me}

i don't curl my hair very often, and when i do it usually looks like a disaster. on saturday, i had a little extra time to kill before i was leaving my apartment, so i gave the ole curling iron a whirl. miraculously, it didn't look like a family of birds flew through it.

curls! i have curls! why can't this ever work when i want it to? i guarantee you if i try this on a morning when i actually want it to look good, it won't. it's the theory of crap hair days when it matters most. look it up. it's in the thing. 

but just so you don't think i am a complete egomaniac, here's what it looked like when i got up the next morning. 

{photo credit: me}

feeling better about yourself already? 

outfit envy

this post will not interest boys.

ok that's done.

kendi posted this outfit yesterday, and i want to rip it from her closet. 

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

oh this? *giggle* i just threw this on.

except i know she really did. she's just that cool. 

three day weekend

{photo credit}

helloooooo and happy friday! i started a new job last week that allows me to have three day weekends every weekend, and i think i might just burst from happiness. i've only been on the job a total of seven days, but it's going really well. my new co-workers are awesome, and it doesn't hurt that cup a joe is directly across the street from our office. 

i feel like i was just telling you guys that i had gotten a new job and, now, here i am starting a new one. i promise i'm not a flighty job hopper, but since i've lived in raleigh, i've had six different jobs (if you count professional sunbather during my unemployment). does that sound bad? i hope not. i promise i'm a good employee and a hard worker. if you hired me to work for you, you wouldn't regret it. i make really yummy french press coffee, and i actually like organizing and filing. weirdo. 

anyways, since i can no longer wear scrubs (waaaahhh), i am going through my closet, trying to pull together some professional outfits. it's not as fun as going out and buying a whole new wardrobe. well, it kind of is. it's fun to put different pieces together and see what i come up with. the problem is that i've looked at my wardrobe about 7,000 times, so all i see is one skirt, two skirt, red shirt, blue shirt. i need fresh eyes. thank goodness for pinterest.

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

{photo credit}

oh, and i forgot to mention. my new job gives me an annual $200 to send on work attire. um, what? did me and my work just become best friends? yup. i can't decide if i want to buy ten items at target or one item at j.crew. who am i kidding? i'm going to goodwill.