Listing…
Everyone seems to be in the mood for lists right now. A handful of bloggers that I adore have published list posts lately: The Life & Lessons of Rachel Wilkerson’s What I’ve Been Eating, What I’ve Been Reading, What I’ve Been Writing, What I’ve Been Wearing, Holly Would If She Could’s 16 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Me, and SnackFace’s This Week’s Sounds, Scents, Sips, Snacks & Sights…
And with my hectic schedule lately, both at work and personally, I’ve been living and dying by my daily To Do lists. First thing in the morning I make a list of all the things that need to get done that day and before I leave the office for the day I take the list of tasks and put them in chronological order. Don’t worry, I’m not going to share my daily To Do lists with you. I thought I’d take a cue from my blogging idols though and share some of the details of what’s going on in my life these days.
What I’ve Been Eating:
I didn’t do a great job following a healthy diet in April or May, as I confessed, so I’ve been doing my best to rectify that over the last few weeks. Tons of fruits and veggies, and smoothies galore. Green smoothies, berry-based smoothies, and even peanut butter smoothies. Yum!
What I’ve Been Reading:
My boyfriend’s mother insisted that I read The Botticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato, and I ended up reading all 544 pages over the course of a weekend because I couldn’t put it down. Botticelli’s Primavera has been my favorite painting of his since I saw it in Florence when I was 21 so I was especially drawn to the storyline. I’ve also just finished Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think by Brian Wansink and was stunned by how much I related to each and every study that he discussed. Definitely keep an eye out for a Book Report on this! I’ve also just started Add More -Ing to Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness by Gabrielle Bernstein, which isn’t a self-help book – I swear – it’s a self-transformation book. 
I’m looking forward to seeing how it impacts my daily approach to life as part of my #1 2012 goal to Be Positive.
Oh, and I have a serious fashion magazine problem. Like a - I need a 12 step program type of problem.
What I’ve Been Writing:
One of my goals for 2012 is to publish a piece of my writing and while this has been a personal goal for years, this is the first time I’ve officially written it down. Not to make excuses, but as a result of my spinal injury and my laptop dying earlier this year, I haven’t worked on this goal much so far in 2012. Hopefully this post will serve as motivation for me to start editing my first novel, I started writing it when I was 20 and wrote a large chunk of it while I was traveling around Europe by myself when I was 21.
What I’ve Been Wearing:
During May I submitted a handful of looks to a fashion challenge run by Definitely RA, you can so you can check out some of those looks – Mission: Put Together 2012 – Part I and Mission: Put Together 2012 – Part II. The challenge was great and I wish I’d had time to participate more, but even putting together a few looks was fun. And as part of my goals for June I wanted to make an effort to wear less black, especially on sunny weekends, so that’s been a major factor in choosing my daily looks. Definitely an adjustment not to automatically reach for the black pieces!
Some Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Me:
- I don’t actively follow astrology but I’ve always believed that I embody many of the traits of my Scorpio sign - Determined, loyal, suspicious, discreet, introverted, dramatic, passionate, possessive…
- I originally hurt my back springboard diving in college when I was 18
- If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life it would be sweet potatoes. There’s an endless number of ways to cook them… Chips, fries, baked, mashed, in pudding. They can be sweet or savory. Hmmm… Now I kind of want to spend a weekend eating only sweet potatoes and blog about all the recipes I come up with!
- Sometimes I forget that I don’t really “know” bloggers. I begin to feel like I’m friends with people whose lives I read about every day. Does that happen to anyone else?
- I have three tattoos.
And so that we can continue to get to know each other, I’m going to re-start my short-lived Les Confessions series, where I post some “confessions” about myself and my life on a regular basis.
Sounds:
I’ve been listening to 70′s and 80′s music non-stop. From vintage Bon Jovi, Kenny Loggins, and Twisted Sister to fabulous 80′s movie soundtracks – Footloose, Pretty In Pink, Breakfast Club. The upside is that it’s really upbeat music that wakes me up and makes me smile every morning, the downside is that I dance at my desk. A lot.
Scents:
I’m a peppermint junkie! Candles, air fresheners, essential oils… Whatever I can find. I’ve also been baking up a storm and I love the scent of raw cacao and carob powders as their heating up.
Sips:
Peppermint tea – duh – and I have to confess that my guilty pleasure these days is Cherry Coke Zero or Cherry Diet Dr. Pepper. My boyfriend is horrified by the red color from the syrup but I treat myself to one a week! I’ve also rediscovered the Synergy Kombucha drinks, and I laugh every time I get carded buying them!
Snacks:
I seem to have almost forgotten about hummus when the weather was cooler but now that it’s warming up I’m craving hummus daily. Carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, and radishes dipped in spicy hummus is favorite after-work snack. I’ve also been eating my bodyweight in fruit on virtually a daily basis – pounds of grapes, cherries, apples, and bananas. Just can’t get enough!
Sights:
This Spring was amazing with weekends in Sonoma, San Diego, and Sea Ranch, but June has been a gorgeous month in San Francisco and I’ve been really enjoying spending time in my favorite city. Walking everywhere, trips to the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, lazy days spent shopping and wandering around the sun-drenched streets… Amazing!
So tell me, what have you been up to? Do you like to make lists to ensure that you get everything done that needs to be done each day?
Mission: Put Together 2012 – Week II
I’m here today to give you a Week II breakdown for Definitely RA‘s 2012 fashion challenge – Mission: Put Together (similar to Freckles In Aprils’ 10 Day Style Challenge from earlier in the year) – my initial post on Week I post was published on May 15th. Clearly I’ve had a hectic Spring, but I’m glad that I’m finally sharing these fun pictures.
Ready for some color?
Week #2 was about one thing – Prints Prints Prints! I went from a solid black girl to mixing patterned pieces like a pro, the very reason that I wanted to take on this challenge in the first place.
Summer Stripes:
I feel like I should preference this by saying that this is the first time I’ve worn shorts since JUNIOR HIGH.
Striped Top: Zara, Royal Blue Shorts: Zara, Sandals: Vintage, Black Bag: Chanel, Sunglasses: Christian Dior, & Jewelry: JewelMint
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
I traded in my vintage sandals for MaddenGirl heels to grab a glass of wine outside at a cafe.
That’s right. Junior High.
And of course I paired these too-cute bright blue Zara shorts with fun zipper details with a basic striped T-shirt. We all know how much I love stripes!
Polka Dots:
Polka Dot Blouse: Zara, Pleated Chiffon Mini Skirt: Zara, Black Blazer: Aqua, Clutch: Chanel, & Nude Heels: BCBGeneration
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
I was totally mad for this outfit! Every once in a while I put something together that makes me just plain excited to go outside. And this is an example of that. I was bouncing around like a sugar-crazed little kid while Sean and I were waiting to meet my parents for dinner that night. I couldn’t even wait until after dinner to take pictures, we ran across the street from the restaurant after placing our orders to take these shots.
People were definitely stopping to stare at us while we were taking these pictures in Washington Square Park. I think trying to figure out who I was and why I was posing for photographs on a bike path…
Graffiti Girl:
When I saw this dress I knew it had to be mine.
Geometric Print Dress: Mango, T-Strap Heels: Zara, and Handbag: Zara
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
I have a bad habit of wearing dresses that aren’t ideal for my body type. For example, I absolutely adore 6o’s mod-inspired styles and shift dresses, which are better suited for someone with a boyish figure – a la Twiggy.
Flower Child:
What do you wear when it’s gorgeous out on a lazy Sunday morning? Go hippie of course! And since I wanted to stay true to the challenge, I made sure to pick a fun floral printed dress to run errands in.
While I adore this print, what really made this dress stand out to me was the crocheted strip around the middle. Such a fun, unique detail.
Floral Dress: Vintage, Sunglasses: D&G, Cross-Body Bag: BCBGeneration & Floral Cuff: Vintage
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
Print On Print:
Who would have ever guessed that me, the girl who wore nothing but solid black for years, would be involved in something as crazy as pattern mixing?
I love this dress and I’ve worn it a few times this season, but it was really fun to try to pick out a great patterned bag to pair with it this time, something that I wouldn’t necessary choose during a random wearing.
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer via Bloomingdale’s, Sandals: Vintage, Striped Tote: Forever 21, Charm bracelet: Juicy Couture, Flower Ring: Forever 21, & Turquoise Ring: Asos
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
Color. Prints. Mixing patterned pieces. This was a big week for me, I definitely stretched my sartorial muscles. I’m sure that you also noticed that these are all weekend after-hours looks. I included a number of work outfits in Week I and wanted to try to incorporate more street style type looks this week.
Do you like the idea of a fashion challenge that forces you to make new and interesting fashion choices? Are you getting inspired to try out some fun new looks for Summer?
Mission: Put Together 2012 – Week I
Welcome to my first post in connection with Definitely RA‘s 2012 fashion challenge, which is called Mission: Put Together - 2012. I really, really enjoyed the difficulty of the first fashion challenge that I participated in earlier this year – Freckles In April’s’ 10 Day Style Challenge - it was fun and a great reminder to keep things interesting.
As you can see from the diagram above, this challenge is pretty well-rounded and includes some great categories to try out during May. Due to time constraints I didn’t get a chance to submit a daily look, but I was able to participate at least a few times each week.
So stay tuned, this will be post number one of five relating to Mission: Put Together – 2012!
Colors:
When I first looked at this – fine, when I printed a copy and stuck it to the wall in my closet – I realized something unexpected. A large chunk of the pieces in my closet that I would label as “colored” are patterned as well.
Truth is, very little of the clothing in my closet is completely monochromatic, outside of the black family that is. I have lots of solid black.
Dress: Love 21, Shoes: Franco Sarto, Sunglasses: Christian Dior & Jewelry: JewelMint, vintage, BCBG & Zara
Trench: H&M (this is my favorite trench actually, not only as it lasted forever, it has the cutest polka dot fabric inside), Purse: Chanel & Gym Bag: medium Longchamp le Pliage tote (ridiculously versatile, I never travel w/out one folded up in my luggage) *
*I talked about this great H&M trench in my Real Girls Need Real Closets post and the fabulous Longchamp le Pliage bags that I use incessantly here.
I originally ordered this dress when I was still in my ‘all black all the time’ phase. I was always really ambitious about colors but frequently the things I ordered/bought sat in my closet with the tags firmly in tact until one of my famous closet cleaning parties (I’ll video the next one, my friends are hysterical!) This dress however, I bravely put on and immediately fell in love with. Red, white, and black animal print sounds much more intense than this dress ends up being, and given the length and cut I’ve even deemed it work-appropriate (see What NOT to Wear to Work).
One color that I do have a few solid colored pieces of is bright coral – I actually have three different dresses in virtually the exact same shade.
Left: Alternative T-Shirt Dress & Right: Doo Ri for Macy’s Impulse Sheath Dress
I got my colors done when I was a teenager and at the time I was told that coral and blue were the ideal colors for me to wear. However, I was surprised to find this past week that this bright coral shade looks just as good with my new red hair color as it always does with my natural strawberry blonde shade. Maybe its my skin tone not my hair color?
Dress: Alternative (from Macy’s), Bag: Asos (faux), Heeled Sandals: Nine West, Cuff: World Market (weird, right?), and Necklace: JewelMint
This is a great summer outfit, the thin t-shirt dress is perfect for warm days and the color is really fun.
Bright Accessories:
As exhausted as I am by the phrase “pop of color” already this season, I do like this trend very much. I think it’s fun and fresh, and give you a chance to really be creative. Below are two of my favorite splashes during this first week of the challenge. And both – surprise – are kind of patterned as well!
Day Clutch: Forever 21
I’ll use any excuse to ditch my giant Mary Poppins purse and carry a day clutch – and adding this much-needed splash of coral to a jeans and t-shirt look was just such an excuse!
Ballet Flats: Ruby & Bloom
How pretty is this pattern? Ruby & Bloom are one of my favorite brands of flats, as I’ve mentioned before, and these are incredibly comfortable shoes. I wore these with rolled up dark denim jeans and they looked adorable.
Stripes:
As we all know, I love stripes. In fact, I’m so smitten by them that I chose this heavy knit, knee-length Victoria’s Secret dress for a friend’s wedding two weeks ago.
Striped Dress: Victoria’s Secret, Nude Pumps: BCBGeneration, Necklace: Asos.com, Bracelet: Forever 21, Sunglasses: Chrisian Dior, White Wrap: H&M, and Handbag: Givenchy
Who wears stripes to a wedding?
This girl!
I told you I had a stripe problem. My favorite part of the look, as per usual, were the accessories. I’ve had this black floral necklace for ages and I think I’ve only worn it once before.
Then of course there’s the bag I insisted on carrying…
Givenchy
And as nervous as I was, the dress ended up being a big hit, everyone loved it including my mom who is usually my toughest critic!
Patterns:
Prints were sort of my sartorial gateway drug. When I decided that I was going to wear less black on a daily basis the first thing I turned to were prints. I’d collected dozens of striped and printed pieces way before ever touching a solidly colored frock.
Dress: Banana Republic and Heels: Zara
Is there anything easier to wear than a jersey wrap dress? They’re just so effortlessly chic. Must be the Diane Von Furstenberg factor.
Flower Ring: Forever 21, Beaded Coral Necklace: Banana Republic, Jade Ring: Juicy Couture, and Chain Link Bracelet: JewelMint
I love love love black & white outfits with bright accessories or shoes, and while I adore this new necklace, I have to say that I wouldn’t have enjoyed the look nearly as much if I hadn’t decided to also add the yellow flower and jade rings.
What do you think? Are you interested joining the challenge and spicing up your Spring & Summer wardrobes?
