Take a Breath

Oh. my. goodness. I am so busy. I knew grad school was going to be tough, but dang, I am working a ton! I'm not complaining though; I'm doing what I love and I couldn't be happier with my classes and classmates. It just means I am a million years behind on following blogs, and posting might be a bit sparse around these parts for a week or two....at least until midterms are over....

 Top: Forever 21 / Tank: Goodwill / Shorts: Gap / Shoes: Crocs / Bag: Jason Wu for Target / Sunglasses: Target

   

Also, this is likely my last post in shorts for another 6 months. :) The leaves are staring to turn (I'll have to post some pictures of them next time around; its getting gorgeous over here), the wind is starting to crisp up, and that smell of Fall is in the air. Break out the scarves and boots!

And it seems like I'm really getting into this beige-top dark-bottoms thing lately...clearly I have to start digging through another part of my closet...

Thank You, Internet

 Top: Gap / Sweater: LOFT (Buy here, currently 50% off, for $22.50! Small sizes unfortunately sold out, though) / Pants: LOFT  buy here, $59.50) / Flats: Target (similar with cap-toe, here for $19.99) / Necklace: bought in Italy / Glasses: Coach

 

I wanted to say a quick "thank you" to the internet today, and primarily to the style blogging community out there.

Overall, I have been AMAZED at the kindness, love, and support that flows through the style blogosphere; I have met some truly lovely women whom I greatly admire, and I completely enjoy making those connections. We all know that the internet (and, obviously the world), is full of not-so-nice people, but what this community has taught me is that it is even more full of kind, creative, and loving people, from whom I draw endless inspiration and support.

So, that's all to say a great big "thank you" to those of you who follow, comment, or just stop by for .01 seconds, and to those of you who put yourselves out there on your blogs every day and face the big scary Internet with humor and grace. You all inspire me to do it, too.

Hope your week is going well, and thanks, as always, for stopping by. :)

Ruff Stuff

Sweater: H&M / Vest: LOFT / Jeans: Gap Always Skinny 1969 / Boots: DSW / Bracelet: vintage, inherited from my Nana / Necklace: bought in Italy

Happy (belated) offical first day of Fall!! I, for one, am very happy that it's here. It seems as if New England got the message and is obliging us with blustery winds, a morning chill, the the first hints of changing leaves.

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My boyfriend calls this vest (and my other, very similar one) my "ruff." This is a reference to that part of my dogs that forms a collar-like mane around their faces....

Exhibit A:

 (That's Won Ton, the king of the ruff)

 Exhibit B:

(Won Ton and Mu Shu, whose ruff is only slightly less pronounced!)

Yeah, they're cute and all, but I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the comparison. :)

Hope you're all having a great Monday!

Right Around the Corner

 Top: Gap (similar, similar) / Sweater: Forever 21 (similar, similar) / Jeans: Gap 1969 Always Skinny, size 00 (same) / Shoes: Target (similar) / Necklace: from Italy / Bracelet: vintage, inherited from my Nana / Bag: from Unique LA  

Today was my favorite day (weather-wise) that I've had in New England as of yet. In the morning it was all blustery winds and bright blue skies, fading in the afternoon to a perfect 75 degrees with a light breeze and warm sunshine. It was the best combination of fall-is-just-around-the-corner and I-don't-want-to-leave-summer-quite-yet. I spent a good chunk of my downtime today (all of it, really) sitting in the sunshine and reading The Sun Also Rises.

Perfect weather, really, for what I was doing the rest of the day, which was Orientation! My program starts classes next week, so this week it's all meeting advisers, signing up for classes, figuring out study cards, and meeting new people. I am so excited to be back in school again, and cannot wait for it to start! Before classes, however, I've got to tackle a big move this weekend into my new/permanent apartment, though it can't be as bad as the Bigger Move across the country, right? :)

In the meantime, I'm going to go enjoy a bit more of this late-summer sunshine. I think I need to store up on it in order to have any chance at getting through my first New England winter.

Hope you are all having a great week!

ASOS Skater Dress

This might be my new favorite dress. I think I'm in love.

 Dress: ASOS Skater Dress (size 4, $36.45) /  Belt: came with a dress from H&M / Sandals: Gap / Purse: vintage Coach, via eBay / Necklace: DIY

I found this skater dress thanks to Hello, Framboise who wore it here. I was immediately drawn to the stripes (of course), the cute short sleeves, the classic silhouette, and the fact that it was on my "List." To keep from splurging on clothing I don't need, I keep a running list on my phone and computer of the things I really want and/or need. Most of the items on my list have been there for years (I'm still waiting on you, tweed mini skirt!), and I know that if they stay there, it means they're really worth buying.

A dress to replace this one (second outfit in that post) has been on my list for a few months now. Though I looove that Modcloth dress, I do realize that it is a few (ahem, many) inches too short to be much more than super-casual. I wanted a similar dress that I could wear to class, dinner, or any time when I don't feel like baring my entire thighs. I'd say this cute number from ASOS fits the bill. It is so soft and comfortable, fits like a dream (in a size 4, ASOS has odd/British sizing, though it this dress was supposedly in US sizing), and doesn't wrinkle at all. Perfection.

Designer Backpacks and Other Oddities

Top: Gap / Skirt: Thrifted Urban Outfitters ($13.00, down from $58) / Bracelet: passed down from my mom / Necklace: bought in Italy / Sandals: Gap / Backpack: Coach ($70, down from about $270!) / Glasses: Coach

Please pardon the pouty face! 

Sometimes, you find what you're looking for in the strangest of places. In this case, in the Coach Men's outlet store.

My mom and I went outlet shopping a few weeks ago, before I left for Boston. We wandered about the Camarillo Outlets north of LA for hours, finding a few things we needed and, the oddest purchase of all, this backpack.

I wanted a backpack because I knew I'd be biking a fair amount over the next two years, and I've finally realized how bad a cross-body bag laden with books is for my back. Yes, I'm going to grad school and not middle school, but c'est la vie, I thought it was for the best. :) Enter: this Coach backpack. (I know, it sounds weird to me, too.)

The sturdy canvas and leather, the idea of Coach quality, the simplicity, and the classiness all made it feel like so much more than a middle-school backpack. Also, it was $70, down from a completely crazy $270-ish! So, I now own a Coach backpack? Strange to say, but awesome to have around. My back already thanks me!

p.s., I waterproofed the canvas and leather with a camping-and-outdoors spray a lot like this one,
  (the Sales Assistant said it was already weather-treated, but I wanted to make super-sure) to prepare for the MA rain and snow, and so far it has held up fantastically in the summer storms.

p.p.s. Your comments on my recent post were so so sweet. The Boyfriend was very proud of his pictures and the reaction they received. :)

Hope you're having a great start to your week!

Shoe Woes

 Top: Gap (similar, and similar for $9.49!) / Skirt: H&M / Bag: Vintage Coach, via eBay / Sunglasses: Target / Bracelet: gift

 

I've quickly figured out what one of the main differences between my style in LA and my style in Boston is going to have to be: shoes. By which I mean, I went (almost) everywhere in LA by car. I'd drive somewhere, perhaps walk for a short while, and drive back home. Thus, I lived the first 22 years of my life with what I am now realizing are some damn impractical shoes. I've never been a heels-in-the-daytime kind of a girl, but I do have a shoe collection that is 90% paper-thin flats, sandals, and a few pairs of (pretty decent) boots.

Now that I live in a walking/public transportation city, I'm realizing just how impractical most of my shoes are. I bought my first pair of sneakers in years the other day, but I REALLY don't want to have to wear those every day. So, blogging community, help! What are some cute, comfortable, and preferably not too expensive sandals, flats, and/or waterproof shoes that I could wear in a walking city?

My feet will thank you. :)

Too Darn Hot

 

 Dress: Urban Outfitters ($10; similar, similar) / Belt: came with a top bought in England (similar) / Sandals: Gap (similar) / Bracelets: gift (similar) / Glasses: Coach

 

There has been a massive heat wave in Boston over the past few days; I'm talking 98 degrees and humid as can be. It has been far too hot to wear anything except for a dress. And some bracelets.

I'm used to the heat, but the humidity is completely new. As are the 5pm torrential downpours, which have been happening for the past few days as well. Luckily, I like thunderstorms. But I do need some rain boots...

Hope you had a great weekend!

From the Boys

Top: Urban Outfitters / Skirt: Urban Outfitters, Thrifted (was $58 in-store, thrifted for $13) / Sandals: Gap, very old / Necklace: Bought at a Farmer's Market / Jade Koi ring: vintage, from Japan, inherited from my Nana / Silver rings: gifts

 

I've been doing a lot of people-watching this past week. People-watching is, in general, something I love to do, but people-watching in a brand-new city is even better. I've been paying specific attention to style, trying to parse the differences between So Cal and Boston, counting the number of Longchamp totes I see in a day (honestly, I stopped somewhere around 40...), and noticing, for one reason another, a lot about the style of men's clothing.

I've always loved menswear. I'm jealous of how easy it is for a man to look put together, but also guess that their wardrobe possibilities might sometimes feel restrictive. Men on the east coast, I've noticed, seem far more put-together/dressed up than their So Cal counterparts (women, too, but I'll save that for another post). The preppy look runs strong, replacing the surfer/skater/hipster look in terms of on-the-street prevalence, and it seems you're more likely to see a young man in sporting a summer look of walking shorts (often colorful), a button-up, and loafers than anything else.

I've noticed more than a few men wearing pink/salmon colored shorts, to which I tip my hat. However, every single one of them has paired their shorts with a navy blue button down. Truly, the combination works, but it started to seem almost like a uniform around the 6th or 7th time I saw it!

So, here's a nod to you, east coast boys. My version of the pink-and-navy summer combo. Thanks for the inspiration!

Counting Down

Top: Gap / Cardigan: from a local boutique / Jeans: Gap 1969 Always Skinny sz 00 / Shoes: Target / Bag: Vintage Coach, via eBay / Sunglasses: Target / Belt: Target / Bracelets: DIY (how to, here!)

 

So the good news is I "inherited" this belt from my mom. Hooray for free stuff! The bad news is is broke all of two hours after taking this picture. :-/ It was a cheap-y belt from Target, so I suppose the fact that it lived for a few years is quite good.

I'm trying to be mindful of what I buy on the (super) cheap and what I spend my money on. Colorful skinny belts that will last a few years? $20, max. But, classic bags or workhorse shoes that will last forever? I'm trying to work up the courage to spend more on those sorts of things. Thus, my decision to buy that beautiful Cambridge Satchel as soon as I move to, fittingly, Cambridge, MA.

Speaking of which, I have only 3 days left working in the elementary school I've been in for the past year, 5 days left at this job, 10 days until I move, 11 until I start school, and 12 until my birthday! Whoah, there. I'm a serious combination of excited and nervous for what the next few weeks has in store. Wish me luck!

Hope you are all having a lovely week!

Brights & Blues

 Top: Old Navy Tie Hem Blouse sz s ($10.99, available in charcoal for $8.99 online!) / Jeans: Gap 1969 Always Skinny sz 00 (same) / Bag: Fossil men's messenger (similar) / Bracelets: "inherited" from my roommate / Necklace: bought in Italy / Glasses: Coach

 

I hope everyone had a relaxing and meaningful Memorial Day weekend.

Thank you to anyone who commented on my Academic/Professional post recently; I really appreciate knowing there are others out there who think about similar questions regarding blogging and the professional world!

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This weekend, after going to my cousin's bridal shower in Santa Barbara (which was compltely lovely, by the way! So good to spend time with family), my mom and I stopped by the Camarillo outlet mall on the way back. We power-shopped our way through and came home with some pretty good deals! A backback for me for school (yes, apparently I am starting middle school, not grad school!), a heavy winter coat, and a Le Creuset tea kettle in an adorable bright blue, all deeply discounted.

 Did anyone else take advantage of weekend sales?

Nana & Grandma

 Dress: Modcloth student senator dress / Belt: from a dress bought in England / Clutch: vintage, inherited from my grandmother / Necklace: from a local boutique / Sandals: Gap / Sunglasses: Target

  

Three thoughts on the outfit today:

Firstly, these colors went together way better in real life! The dress is slightly more green than it comes off in these pictures; here, I think, it clashes a bit with the clutch. C'est la vie.

Secondly, though I really like the style and color of this dress, the cut is a bit strange. It fits snugly on the bottom half, in a true pencil skirt fashion, but (as you can see) the top half is cut quite loose. I'll be taking it to my tailor, along with another skirt I've been meaning to get fixed, soon. And I don't mind the wrinkles because I'll mostly wear it casually and hey, clothes are meant to be lived in!

Thirdly, and most importanly: I truly cherish the things I have inherited from my grandmothers, such as this clutch. I would cite them both as major influences in my life and in my style. My Nana was full of understated elegance and absolute grace; she dressed in a completely classic fashion that, to me, was never out of style. My Grandma was a fashion model for much of her life (including a stint as a bikini-clad pinup girl during WWII!); she never shied away from trends and simply made clothes look good. From them, I have inherited (among a few other things), this clutch, some gorgeous costume jewelry, a silver bracelet, a strand of opera-length pearls, a stunning diamond ring I am far too young to wear with confidence, and even a couple of outfits from their heydays. I am eternally grateful to both of them for so much inspiration in my life.

Soon, I'll be posting a few pictures of both of them, chronicling some of their fashions throughout their lives, and hopefully drawing even more inspiration from them going forward.

Hope you are all having a lovely week! 

Simple Stripes & Gold Collar Necklace

 Top: Anthropologie / Jeans: Gap 1969 Always Skinny / Wedges: Target (similar) / Necklace: Asos ($20.87, buy here) / Glasses: Coach

 

One of my goals for beginning this blog was to get out of my jeans and a solid-colored t-shirt rut. I'm trying to wear more skirts, dresses, and patterns, and (hopefully) succeeding. This outfit, I think, is a pretty good example of how jeans and a t-shirt can still be a successful (and not always boring!) look. Note to self: wedges, an interesting piece of jewelry, and a patterned top can go a long way to elevating my wardrobe staples.

The main credit has to go to my favorite statement necklace, this gold collar from Asos. I love how it mimics the lines of a dress shirt's collar, and dresses us an otherwise simple look.

Going on a field trip with the class today, to the California Science Center. 80+ 5th graders and six chaperones...wish us luck!

Peach and Navy

 Top: Urban Outfitters / Shorts: Gap / Sandals: Gap / Bag: Vintage Coach via eBay / Necklace: Asos ($20.87, buy here) / Sunglasses: Target / Rings: gifts, from local boutiques

  

I hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day and a relaxing weekend!

Mine was chock-full, with a trip to Unique LA, hanging out with my family, going to a birthday party for a friend I've known for two decades (!), gardening (more weeding, really), having Mother's Day breakfast, and seeing the Avengers (awesome movie). Now, it's back to work, and helping my students stay sane through the second week of the California State Test.

Hope you're all having a good start to the week!

Going Green

 

Dress: Urban Outfitters ($10!) / Sweater: H&M / Sandals: Gap / Bag: vintage Coach, via eBay / Necklace: bought in Italy / Blue ring: gift from the boyfriend / Green ring: Amrita Singh, via Hautelook ($12)

 

 
Things I'm really going to miss about LA:

-tacos, and great Mexican food in general

-amazing fresh and local produce, all year 'round

-being 15 minutes away from my family

-the pacific ocean and the LA skyline

-my dogs and cat

Things I will not miss about LA:

-traffic

-smog

-(more) traffic

-having to drive everywhere

-the amazing weather that lets me wear something like this for 85% of the year.

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I swear this is my last short-blue-dress-and-green-sweater combination. It's out of my system (for now...). And, more importantly, I've finally ran out of short blue dresses.

Do you ever get set on a style and stick with it many days in a row? Sometimes, when it works, it works!