mr. koi fish making water ripples

mr. koi fish making water ripples
Originally uploaded by orangedroplet

The One About Plaid

I'm back! I'm moved in-the clothes are hung, books are shelved. I'm loving my classes, thank god. And I'm laying on my dorm floor, right now, watching Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains. I love the clothes they wear in this movie, even Diane Lane's ratty cheetah print coat.

I don't know what its like at all the other colleges around the country, but everyone and their mother is wearing plaid this fall. On the first day of classes, 25% of campus at least were wearing plaid, including me. There's nothing better than a boy in plaid, so I'm not complaining. It just makes me giggle when every other girl is wearing some variation of a plaid tunic. I've been theorizing about why plaid is so popular. I know that the 90s are cycling back around. But I also think plaid has that homey, comforting quality. Its very American and familiar, in a time when a lot of things are uncertain in the country (you know, just the job market, health care, recession. a few minor things).

Outfits!

My first day of school outfit! Tunic from Urban Outfitters, Leggins and silver bangles from WalMart, Belt from Pac Sun, Loafer wedges from Payless. The necklaces are self-made.

This is my life partner, she wanted to be photographed too. She's wearing a Chiodos t-shirt, Bullhead jeans, and white Chucks. Her necklace and bracelet were made by me. Today's outfit. The tunic, cardigan and scarf are from Old Navy. The leggings and silver bangles are from WalMart. The flats are from Charlotte Russe, and the blue bangle (on forearm) is from Laila Rose. Michelle my life partner, wearing various clothes she "borrowed" from sorority sisters. I was trying to ironically wear the sweater vest, but its more straight up prepster. I can't hide my love for argyle. Sweater Vest, NY & Co. Grey shirt, Old Navy. Jeans, AmEagle. Necklace, self made. Flats, WalMart.

The One on the Last Day of Work!

Today is my last day of work (at least until Winter Break). I am elated. Completely elated. I have nothing to do, the last 30 pages of a Jacqueline Carey novel to read, and in 48 hours I will already be half way to school. Michelle called me last night in a state of panic because she hasn't packed at all. I promised her that once we got to school, we would unpack, take showers, and then nap. The promise of a nap is the key to calming down Michelle. I've kind of packed somethings. I have a box of glassware, a box of art supplies, my sorority treasurer box, and a bunch of books I want to sell. I really don't need the Norton's Edition of Middlemarch, or three different editions of The Inferno. I have a couple tubs'o'stuff i "need" to survive at school. Like sidewalk chalk. And anti-itch cream. But the clothes, shoes, obscene amount of Vera Bradley totes, make-up and jewelry, and bedding (I keep forgetting about bedding!) all remain to be packed... tomorrow. Side note: co-workers told me my hair looks nice this morning. Its because I woke-up early and showered instead of sleeping on it wet. I didn't brush it, though, so I think this is why they said it looks nice and layered. Today I have some of my personally crafted jewelry. Other than the first piece, I consider most of my jewelry to be "t-shirt jewelry." Its pretty casual, mostly on natural cord. This necklace was made with supplies from etsy seller BellaBohemian. My mom thinks the razor blade is pretty morbid. I like it because one of my closest friends struggled with self-harm, and to me its a touchstone for how much self-harm damages not just the physical, but also emotional and psychological self. Check out To Write Love on Her Arms for more impassioned speak about self-harm.

This is my Buddha necklace. I really wanted to make something with feathers. The cinnabar Buddha bead is from etsy seller Charming Cute Couture. The other beads are from Michael's, as are the feathers and cord. This is a long necklace. I put a clasp on it mostly because I was so excited that I had learned how to put on a clasp, but it doesn't need one.

The beads from this necklace came from a super overpriced bead shop at a beach town. Seriously, I think they charged me a dollar or something ludicrous for the green bead. Its some semi-precious stone which wasn't even drilled well! It took me forever to get the head pin in there. The heart is wooden and charming. Cord from Michael's.

I'm Wearing Clothes Again!

I just want to note, these outfits are collected from about a week ago, so I didn't wear those Miley leggings 8 days in a row.

Sometimes I just try to make my mom laugh while she's taking the pictures, and then I start laughing, and then I look like this. This is when I gave up looking nice at work and instead opted for ultimate comfort. This sweater is, in all honesty, the bomb. Its a men's cardigan from AmEagle. Its thick, woolly and over sized (perfect for the summer!). I think my friend bought her boyfriend the same sweater. I wish it had pockets, but you can't have everything. Dress, Old Navy (one of several cotton baby doll dresses from ON that I wear all the time). JCP White Cami. Miley Certified Leggins. Flip Flops, also AmEagle.

My mom wanted to take a picture sans sweater. I acquiesced, and cheesed hardcore. Okay, I wore this to The Last Supper with Melissa (it was more of a last lunch at Chipotle, but bear with me). We swapped early birthday presents (Mel turns 21 this year! In Ireland, lucky bia). Mel made me a painting! Its beautiful! I got her some vintage childrens books, cause she's a children's librarian in the making. Plaid shirt, Goodwill. Miley Certified leggins (I don't take them off). Belt, Pac Sun. Razor Blade necklace, invisible but made by me. Amazing Shoes which I don't regret buying, Connie via Famous Footwear.

I'm a big supporter of Leggins as Pants, as long as you make a semblance of effort to cover your butt/avoid camel-toe. But really, at home I wear leggings and sorority sweatshirts all the time. With mukluks. And my parents wonder about my fashion sense! Oh my god! I own jeans!!! I told you! These are the new straight leg jeans from AmEagle. Lovelylovelylovely. The sweater is from Kimchi Blue via Urban Outfitters. Its made out of a sweatshirt material, and it has batwings, so all in all really comfy. Still wearing my Awesome Oxfords. And check out that sweet ponytail action. My hair is looking smooooth. Those Oxford shoes! With tights! Don't my legs just go on for miles? Haha. Purple top, corduroy skirt, and tights are from Old Navy. Shoes from Famous Footwear. Cardigan from JCP. Seed Pearl Necklace is from an ABC Store in Oahu. Apparently in some places ABC Stores are liquor stores(?) but in Oahu they are magical convenience stores, almost like a mini-walmart crossed with a souvenir shop with a deli in the back. I got this necklace for some ridiculous cheap price, and always assumed the pearls were fake. I just did the tooth test, and it appears they are real! To test a pearl for validity, just lightly scrape your tooth over it. It should feel gritty or grainy. A costume pearl will most likely feel smooth. (This is legit, I just googled it to make sure it wasn't some crazy idea my grandmother cooked up).

This is me wearing the cardigan. Its a trapeze cardi with only one button. I was shopping in a bad mood with my mom, and I didn't really like it but she bought it anyway because she thought I was being stubborn and not admitting it was cute because she thought it was cute. Now I eat my moody high school attitude every time I wear it, because it is cute.

I just remembered that my Payless boots should ideally come to the store today or tomorrow... if not my mom has to ship them to me. At least I won't need them right away, cause it should be pretty warm/borderline hot at school until October. Oh man, I can't wait to get to school. I really do consider it home. I love arranging the furniture in the room, unpacking everything, making the bed for the first and last time, hanging posters. I'm just giddy with excitement. I probably won't be posting until next week when everything is settled. Till then!

The One About Tattoos

I've been thinking alot about tattoos recently. Well, not recently. Maybe for the past 3 to 4 years. Senior year --possibly junior year!-- of high school, two of my best friends got tattoos. Kelsey, my super cool "artsy" friend, got her first tattoo. It was her brother's name (Benjamin) in Hebrew between her shoulder blades. No, he isn't dead. She has to answer that question a lot. And no, she isn't jewish. Her brother in turn has her name in Hebrew on his chest. For them, this was a physical symbol of their bond as siblings. After a rough childhood, they promised to always be there for each other. Kelsey and HER MOM got matching, itty bitty heart tattoos on their ankles during our senior year. This is super rad. My grandfather told me that God hates tattoos (see some verse in Deuteronomy). Not rad. Wait till he (never) finds out my brother and uncle both have memorial tatts planned when he passes. My friend Travis got a tribal-ish symbol tattooed on his upper back, that I think was an African symbol for God's promises...? Or life. Something God related. By the end of high school, I thought tattoos were pretty rad, but, being the serious, sensible girl that I am, I always said that I wouldn't get one of my own unless I found something for serious I would want. No tinkerbells or tweetys on this chick. My first plan of action was partly inspired by Project Runway. Adorable Kit had a Heart and Crossbones on the front of her shoulder, just outside of the bra strap. I wanted to get a small fleur-de-lis in the same place. I love and speak the French language, I love French film and literature and basically everything French is better, in my opinion. And I wanted to study abroad in France. My mom laughed at my plans. College started. I met one cool chick who had several tattoos. She peaced out very quickly. The cool ones always do. Lots of girls have their noses pierced, including life partner Michelle. I'd like to get my nose pierced, but my family thinks I'm crazy. Cut to church services at home, where late forties moms have their noses pierced. Yeah. Several more friends from home get some spiffy forearm tattoos. Kelsey is collecting ink work like its her job, and Travis gets a giant rib piece. Summer 2008. Spending lonnnng hours doing little at work. Much like I am now, without the benefit of blogging. Start using flickr to cruise tattoo pictures. After reading a lot about the meaning of the lotus flower, I start really digging the idea of a lotus tattoo. The lotus symbolizes something beautiful rising out of hardship, ugliness, and trials, because the flower grows from the mud of pond bottoms, through the water, and breaks the surface. I wanted to get a lotus tattooed on the back of my neck. If you've read my post about body image, you know that I really struggled with pride in my body and had poor body image. My reasoning was that even though I didn't always see it, my beauty was always present, just like my lotus tattoo.

Pink in Green Originally uploaded by shinichiro*

I was dead set on getting this tattoo done. I made plans with friends to drive to the big city nearby as soon as sophomore year started. I told my mom about it. I was SO excited. The night before I moved back to college, my mom asked me not to get a tattoo. She asked for me to wait out of respect for her and my father, and to wait until I was paying for college myself. I agreed, because she asked me, and didn't command me. I was frustrated that she waited until the last possible moment to say something. (To the right you can see the exact picture I wanted to base my lotus tattoo off of!) I still would really like to get this tattoo some day. Then, March 2009. I got my first tattoo. Spontaneously, which is a word I very rarely come in contact with. Life Partner Michelle and I were up late, and discussing a lot of big issues things. Its hard for anyone other than the two of us to understand how important our friendship is and all the stuff we went through together that year. But, at approx 4 in the morning, we decided to get tattoos. The next day. We skipped classes and went to the nearest non-shadester tattoo parlor. I went first. My tattoo says "No matter what..." and resides on the top of my left foot. Michelle's says "Love is everything" and is on the instep of her left foot. I guess its easiest to call them something lame like BFF tattoos, but they mean so much more than that. "No matter what..." means a lot of things specific to me, as does Michelle's to her. Together, they mean something lovely, but their individual meanings are probably more important. I had this tattoo for a while before telling my parents. I even wore socks all Easter break at home. I didn't want to have to hide it from them. When I finally told them, it came along with some other worrying news about my stress levels and feeling depressed. Its kind of sad, because those other unrelated, and already resolved, worries are paired with my tattoo in my parents mind. They thought I was doing it to be assertive (a little true), they thought I was "trying to find myself" (true) in the wrong ways (I disagree), and they thought that I was investing too much in friendship that they thought would never last, not because of M., but because "you don't stay friends with people you go to college with" (like, seriously. w.t.f.). After a summer of family therapy, I think we might understand each other a little better. Also, I've learned that I can't always please everyone, including my parents. Which is hard. We don't see eye-to-eye about tattoos. Basically, my parents think they're fine on other people, just not on me. We've NEVER talked about what my tattoo means, except for a weak explanation when I originally told them. That makes me sad too, because its so beautiful and I treasure it as part of me. Oh, and, they stopped paying for college. I think it was a scare tactic trying to get me to come home and not go back to school this fall. Instead, I opted to do loans all on my own. Sans co-signer, even. But my mom did buy all of my back to school needs. And they bought me some clothes. Bark is worse than the bite? My dad worries how my tattoo would affect me getting a job. Seriously, people!!! Unless you're getting a tattoo on your hands, neck, or face, basically any other tattoo can be covered by careful dressing. My foot tattoo is almost always on display, true, because it basically curls around the edge of a ballet flat. My boss just realized, after me working for 2 and a half months, that I had a tattoo on my foot. His response: "Cool." Me: "Yeah, it makes me happy." Boss: "That's all that matters!" Me: "OHMYGOD TELL MY DAD THAT!" But if I was in a workplace where I couldn't show a tattoo, well, I'd be wearing something that doesn't show a tattoo anyway. Like, a suit? A cardigan, like I already wear almost every day of my life?? Hey, sleeve tattoo. Meet the oxford button-down. BAM! INSTA-CONSERVATISM! Sometimes I worry about having tattoos and getting married. Do I want lots of tatts in my wedding photos? Then I look at offbeat brides and think, hellz yes! Do I want to one day be a tattooed mommy? What if other mommy's judge me and think that I'll badly influence their babies? Answer still resides in cardigans. Good thing I don't like warm climates. Really, dressing to cover up a tattoo doesn't bother me. I didn't get my tattoo to make anyone else happy or to piss any one else off. So if its going to better aid me to cover it up, I'll cover it up. I can always take off the jacket at home, light some candles, and gaze at my tattoo while humming "secret lovers." Cause, yes, I do love my tattoo that much. What if I become a saggy grandma?? Well, that's reason number 854 why I don't want tattoos on my hips, stomach, or boobs. But, all I can say is thank GOD for my youthful skin. Sure, I might be mistaken for a junior high student at the dentist, but hot damn I have good skin. My mom looks ten years younger than she really does, and so does her mom. Neither of them is saggy. So I expect my tatts to look good well into my 60s. Plus, the key to avoiding sag is staying plump. Not a problem! I worry that certain guys won't want to date me if I have tattoos. Then I remember that my propensity to swear a lot, rave about feminism, and smoke ciggz all night probably weeds out all the guys who get scared off by tattoos. Would I really even want a guy who couldn't stand to go under the needle himself? I ultimately worry what my family thinks. At least this summer I've been able to prove that I am not a degenerate heroin user with an addiction to midget hookers. I make good arts and crafts, I don't smoke around babies (or at all, as far as they're concerned). I wash the dishes. My tattoo has not sent me spiraling into a doomed future of trailer parks and Wendy's drive-thru's. Which I hope they remember when I get my next tattoo. Yeah, I want another one. Really soon. Here's what I'm thinking. "be balanced". A line from bon iver's life-giving song "skinny love" and also a subtle tribute to being a libra. I want it to circle the top of my left forearm (eff. why is it always the left?? my nose is pierced on the left side too!). lowercase cursive script which I have already picked thanks to da font.com. What does it mean to me? The song skinny love connects me to a lot of people. The Guy who first showed me Bon Iver. A different Guy with whom I used to drive around/lay around/ all around and sing skinny love a lot. Melissa heard bon iver for the first time when I played him for her. The song is sad and sweet, a lot like my sophomore year of college. And the phrase itself reminds me of how important it is for me to balance my life. My life was very unbalanced last year and I really suffered because of it. Man! I feel like I've just exposed a little bit of my soul. So, this tatt is a LOT bolder and more present than my lil bitty foot tatt. It only increases my above fears about marriage, men, and family. Still not too freaked about jobs, since a) I love cardigans and b) my chances at employment in general seem slim. I don't know what my parents would do if I got a second tatt. I hope that they accept it quietly with a disapproving air. Worse case scenario... they kill me? Take away the car they lovingly provided? Make me pay room and board? I was thinking maybe I would get it and just wear sleeves for a while, and then be like, ta daa! You didn't know about it, but it was there, and I wasn't any different! My therapist, surprisingly, is all for me getting it. Michelle is worried that they will flip out and thinks its a bad idea. Now, if I told Michelle not to do something because its a bad idea, she would just do it for spite. Just sayin'. I've spent the day checking out tattoos. I googled "should I get a tattoo?" in a Magic 8 Ball attempt for guidance. I even found an online Magic 8 Ball and asked. It said "definitely." I read all the same articles I read last summer about the pros and cons of tatts. The truth is, some people will always love them, and some people will hate them. I think they're almost always gorgeous. Oh, man. I can't wait for my next tattoo.

The One About Gratuitous Shoe Buys

Yesterday's big excitement involved me getting rear ended at a yield sign 500 feet from my house. I'm fine, the car is relatively fine, but I did wind up with a searing tension headache, and I fell asleep before the new season of Project Runway started. Better, Cheerful-er News: I finished my jewelry wardrobe over the weekend, and I found fake fur fabric to use for my Max costume (yes, I plan my halloween costumes months in advance). Check out my swanky ring bump drawer: Wooden ring is from a surf shop, mysterious faux (?) engagement ring was a gift from my unmarried aunt, I like to imagine it has some terrible romantic story she will never tell us behind it, zebra ring from Charlotte Russe. Pearl Monstrosity ring is also a gift from said aunt, by Honora. Check out my high school ring (yeah, it has color guard flags engraved in one side, so?). Faux diamonds for sure ring, aunt (she likes QVC ALOT). My signet ring (its engraved with my monogram) from grandparents (they got my mom one for HER high school grad. awwww). Claddagh, vintage and thrifted. Antique pearl ring, gift from aunt. I wear the front three most days. This is inside the door. All my necklaces hang from the carousel, and earrings chill in the little boxes at the bottom. I keep my bracelets/ super long necklaces in the drawers. This is the finished back. The quote is by the Persian philosopher Hafiz. I plan on theming my future wedding to Awesome Guy Out There! around this theme. Finished flower side. You can get a better idea of the purple tree from these pictures. Do yuo see all those books stacked around my wardrobe? My room is seriously like the Grey Gardens house. Those ladies had serious style, though. I'm both ashamed and unapologetic about how bad the mess is. I'm packing it all up this weekend for school! Hey look! I'm wearing clothes! Blue plaid shirt, Goodwill. Cami, JCP. Shorts, GAP via kjersten. Shoes, Charlotte Russe. Belt, Pac Sun. Freshwater pearls, Hawaii (where even at the mall, if you pay cash, they will sell it cheaper). My theory about this outfit is that this oversized men's shirt, when belted, creates the batwing sleeve effect, instead of just appearing like I'm wearing a man's shirt. I love this shirt, I sleep in it sometimes. Sometimes I wear it AFTER having slept in it. You would too. I have a serious conundrum on my hands. I'm going back to school, and even though I worked full time all summer, most of that money is going towards paying for tuition. I seriously seriously seriously have to watch how much money I spend, especially since my glamorous job in the dishroom might not be available. And I have sorority dues, pledge party, and spring party as DEFINITE expenses. And I want my next tattoo so bad. With all this financial burden, what do I do? I buy a pair of gratuitous shoes at Famous Footwear. I blame it on lipstick effect. In times of economic crisis (both nationally and in my bank account), the purchase of small cost luxury items rise. In this case, a $20 pair of two-tone black oxford booties. Not even off my fashion wish list, though always an intrigue. I knew. I knew, going into FF was a terrible idea. Oh, no, my mind coaxed me. This is just for fun. Lets just poke around for a few minutes. Its hot out go inside! I did. I braved past a pair of $30 sperry imitators. I was unimpressed by all I saw. Haha, I thought. I CAN outlast this temptation. Then, as I made a quick loop past the clearance rack, I saw them. My size. Patent leather toes. Black. Twenty dollars. Adorable. Oh, just try them on, my mind whispered, in a seductive tone I personally will never master. I did. They fit perfectly. I just happened to be wearing black tights. They looked charming. I bought them, with the full decision I would return them after some consideration. Its just that, they were the only pair, and if I did decide to buy them later, they probably wouldn't be here anymore! Hours later, after my minor auto collision, I sat on the couch, wearing them. I really like them, I told my mom. My mom, probably the progenitor of my inability to resist shoes, smiled encouragingly. I think I'm going to keep them. I looked for a picture of them online, this is as close as I could find. Where it appears to be grey/brown, mine are matte black. Beneath the lacings are a small cut out. In other words, lovely, fashionable, and completely unnecessary.

The One with DIY Fun!

You might have seen fabric jewelry such as the jersey necklaces sold on Urban Outfitters. While they are slightly reminiscent of homeless chic, and vastly overpriced, a few crafty fabric bangles offer a handmade, homey charm for maybe $10 total of supplies. After emailing with Christina, I was encouraged to make a DIY tutorial to my fabric bangles. The following is my attempt to make super simple, unique fabric jewelry.

All You Need Is...

...love. And (from left) some undesirable plain bangles, cotton fabric of your choosing (I get mine from my mom's stash. I recommend buying a few fat quarters if you don't have an accommodating family member), scissors that can cut fabric, a ruler (not really necessary), paint brush or foam brush, craft tacky glue. (In case you aren't in JoAnn's Fabric Shop all the time like me, a fat quarter is roughly a quarter of a yard of fabric, pre-cut and folded. You don't need even a whole quarter, unless you want all your bracelets to match).

Step One

Cut a strip of fabric at about a one inch width. This strip is about 18 inches long, which is unnecessary. 14 inches should be more than enough length. I just eye ball the width and try to cut straight. I'm not a very precise crafter or artist. I'm also not patient. I never wait for paint to dry.

After That...

Apply tacky craft glue to the backside of fabric. I like to apply in a wavy line. Then, using the foam brush or paint brush, spread the glue over the fabric.

Then

Begin wrapping the fabric around the bracelet. If it is hard to get the beginning of the fabric to wrap, try wrapping the fabric directly on top of itself a few times, then begin wrapping the fabric continuously to the right. Make sure the glue doesn't dry out as you wrap! Reapply some fresh drops if necessary.

Just Keep Wrapping, Until...

When you're close to finishing, cut off any excess fabric. I didn't do this at first, and it made thicker bumps on the bracelet. It adds to its homey charm, but I prefer to make the fabric even. Dab a little extra glue on the underside of the end of the fabric and

Ta Daaaa!!!!!

Homespun, charming bracelet. A fabric bangle you can take pride in. There will probably be a slight ridge from the edge of the fabric. If you get any stray threads, just clip them. Don't pull them! This is my stack of completed fabric bangles. After the red example, I did a bunch more in the same fabric because its just so darn cute. I have 14. I thought that was all of my bangles, but I just found a few more, and there's no point in having three tarnished bangles when they could join a host of multicolored craftees. Start crafting!

The One About Defining My Style

I've been trying to figure out how I would define my personal style. Its hard! A Boy from Sometime Ago texted me earlier this summer while he was at an Animal Collective concert to tell me he saw a girl who dressed a lot like me. And all I could think was, "how do I dress?" (and also, omgpleasecanwejustgetmarried, but that is Beside the Point and also Futile Wishing). The outfit I wore yesterday sums up in many ways my normal style. It varies by weather related incidents but it can be boiled down to: Dress + Leggings + or - Cardigan. Boots in the winter, sandals in the summer, ballet flats in the fall. Add scarf as necessary. Yes, this outfit is incredibly close to one I wore recently (I can't remember if it was just last week, or two weeks ago). I love black and white. And this Miley Cyrus Certified cardigan is quickly becoming my favorite piece of clothing. It is over sized, yet the fabric is t-shirt thin. Glad my mom told me to get black, because "it makes it look less cheaply made." Hahaha. And it has pockets!! The dark grey leggins are also from walmart (as are 95% of all my leggins). Dress is from Old Navy as is the nasty lace cami, which I chucked after this picture, because I bought nice new fresh camis from JCP, and this cami was hardly white anymore. Ew gross gag. The wedges were from one of those outlet mall shoe stores, which I bought when I was in a bad mood and never really wore until yesterday. And they are so comfortable and cute. They are actually a black canvas material. The scarf is from a surf shop, and isn't really worth the $20 I paid for it, because its seriously like netting material. But I love black and white so... I prefer this picture so much more, because I'm cheesing with my hood up and actually laughing a little and less like, oh my god I'm posing for a picture. Plus you can see my foot tatt, on my left (your right) foot. It says "No matter what..." and was totally worth my parents disowning me. (More about that in future post, The One About Tattoos, and Are They Worth Your Parents' Reaction?) (short answer, yes. long answer, make sure you can support your ass before you do so).

OK, so, that's what I wear a lot. I have lots of cotton dresses which pull their weight all year long. I have several shades of faux-uggs that are NECESSARY! in the lake effect snow at college. And my Aldo sweater boots (in grey, my second fave color after black). I also do own jeans, I promise. I like jeans, I just bought a few new pairs from AmEagle that are stretchy and flattering and hot. But most of these outfits posted so far I wear to work, and jeans are verboten. And lets face it, on the weekends I wear gym shorts and sorority scrubs. Like a Boss. (Keep an eye out for The One Displaying All My Sorority Will Downs!). But when I'm at school (and making my roommate take pictures of me) there will be a lot more jean action. But I prefer dresses, hands down. I don't even own many skirts.

Outfits Which AREN'T My Everyday Style

Now, this outfit looked really cute on. It didn't get any love on flickr, so maybe I'm the only one who likes it. I kind of hate this picture, cause I look about 14. It didn't help that I pinned my hair back either. (It makes me think of Susan from the Narnia movies, I don't know why. I'm a nerd). And I'm not wearing make up because I've known everyone at the office for about 5 years and I'm not really trying to impress. But I do wear make up regularly, like jeans. Just not in the summer. This sweater has lasted about 4 years, and its from when AmEagle clothes weren't shoddily made. I love it, except it has shrunk and I usually have to layer a tank underneath. The skirt is actually a strapless dress from Old Navy which I always forget to wear because I don't really have a strapless bra (I know, I know) so I always have to wear a cardigan. Shoes are from payless, and I love them. I love wedges and these are blue suede. I love suede!! Rose pearls, courtesy of Aunt Josie and Honora for high school graduatin'. Its actually a set, with a bracelet, ring, and stud earrings. I love pearls, because I'm an closet argyle wearing freak on the inside. This is another business casual look I wouldn't normally rock during the school year. Pink top could melt your eyes!!! and is from Marshalls. Much nicer, classier white cami from JCP. Brown bermudas have gotten a lot of play this summer, because they fit really nice and are from the GAP and oh, yeah, they don't belong to me! I borrowed them from a girl who lived on my hall for a beach party at the end of the year, and she moved out before me and I still have them. I secretly love them and want to keep them, yet I'm worried she would see me around campus and say, hey... are those my shorts? Plus I like to keep my clothing karma good. Sandals, Charlotte Russe, which I bought in one of their infernal BoGos, and never really wore (I tend to do this, and only wear my $3 thrifted moccasins ever. Am I the only person who seems to wear her cheapest shoes all the time??). But they are cute, and the heel is high and skinny, which is my preferred heel shape.

Other things that are important to my style: Rings: my thrifted vintage claddagh is a constant-- I have to wear it on my thumb, because its huge and it still flies off every now and then. Also, my signet ring from my g'parents gets a lot of play, as does an antique fancy pearlz and gemz ring. Sunglasses: I have lots. My nicest are from Fossil (I'm not super fancy), my tackiest are white with rhinestones and painted roses. My new faves are a $5 pair of wayfarer knock offs from WalMart, and my hold my breath pair are a pair of Fo' Real Vintage 80s Wayfarers, which I am bidding on at Ebay. I probably won't win because I made a rookie error and bid right away, while it has lots of time left, and I refuse to go very much higher, because I am budgeting. Scarves: As I said before, I love scarves. This includes airy filmy scarves, pashminas, vintage silk square scarves, fringy bandanna scarves, and handmade crocheted thick and warm scarves.

Style defined!