Le Quaintrelle

Fake Tattoos

2012-01-31T22:00:00.000-08:00

Fake Tattoos sent me some, well, some fake tattoos. I thought they would be fun and reminiscent of growing up buying cheesy fake tattoos from the ice cream man. Along with fake cigarettes, because what child didn’t have a fascination with all things taboo?

The cool thing about these, though, is that they aren’t cheesy. They’re like temporary tattoos for grown-ups! And ever since Chanel brought fake tattoos back as an accessory, you don’t feel as silly wearing them.

I picked a diamond for my finger, though because of the sizing it kind of just looked like a black blob. and some birds for my wrist. I like the bird one because it sort of represents being different than the rest, doing your own thing, standing out.

These are pretty ideal for those who have commitment issues with getting the real thing on their body. It’s nice to wear for a couple of days and then be able to change your mind and remove it with some rubbing alcohol. It’s being able to have the fun artwork without having to see it on your body for the rest of your life. Would you guys ever wear temporary tattoos as an accessory?

The outfit that is hard to look at

2012-01-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

...because I ended up getting the flu that night. I'm not saying it was brought on by this outfit, I'm just saying this outfit brings back bad memories. And also because I checked the Squares That Care mailbox wearing this outfit and had to leave the post office, shamefully, empty-handed. I'm still recovering from both incidences.

Shirt: Lulus
pants: Goodwill
shoes: Alloy

Pixelated Afghans

2012-01-19T23:53:00.000-08:00

How amazing are these pixelated Mario and Princess Peach afghans? I'm seriously trying to scheme a way to make one. It reminds me of that pixelated Elvis made out of post-its. It seems really time consuming but totally worth it.

Squares That Care

2012-01-17T22:31:00.000-08:00

Last year I had an idea called Squares That Care. I wrote a post about it, I was totally into it, and then I kind of just left it. Fast forward to the present, where I've been reading a book by Joyce Meyer called "The Love Revolution." It's about just that: starting a revolution of love. There is a chapter all about action, doing good for others, never being idle. Then I realized just how idle I've been in my life. How I've let the setbacks get me down and discourage me. Never having any real motivation, never bearing any real fruit. I don't know what God's plan is for me, I don't know what special skill or talent I have and I certainly don't know what to do with it if I ever found out what it was. So I prayed about it, and again this idea was put back in my head, weighing on my heart. Should I try it? I kept asking God, and the urge to do it never went away. So I decided I'd give it a shot, and if it doesn't work out, then at least I'll know.

So that leads me to reintroducing Squares That Care. I made a blog specially for the project that you can find here. It tells you all about it. I hope a lot of you participate, or spread the word so others can join. I'm excited to see the community and creativity that I know has the potential of growing out of this. I can't wait to see where and what this leads to! I have a feeling big things are in store!

Sh*t Fashion Girls Say

2012-01-15T23:07:00.000-08:00

The better sweater

2012-01-13T00:04:00.000-08:00

Sweater: c/o Lands' End Canvas
Jeans: Target
Shoes: Tom's

Toe Killers

2012-01-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

Shirt/Shoes: Kohl's
Skirt: Thrifted
Jacket: Gap

I bought these shoes months ago but haven't been able to wear them until yesterday (read: hadn't really thought about it) While I love everything about them: the wedge, the laces, the peep-toe, they are an absolute toe-killer. I suppose it's my own fault, wearing them shopping when I knew I'd have a fair amount of walking to do. I guess I have two choices now: only wear them when I know there will only be limited walking, or suit up my toes with pads and inserts as if I'm going into battle.

I was, however, quite pleased with this lipcolor. I layered Covergirl's Divine over Revlon's Grape and was surprised how much I liked the two different shades of purple together. I should start mixing lipcolors more often.

a title about plaid

2012-01-08T00:31:00.000-08:00

Shirt: Marshalls
Everything else: Target

Okay, so maybe I was trying to copy the first outfit in the previous post and failed miserably. MAYBE.

Into the Wild

2012-01-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

Absolutely drooling over this Vogue Knitting "Into the Wild" spread. I really need to be good at knitting, stat!

2011 Outfit Recap

2011-12-29T23:51:00.000-08:00

Last Minute

2011-12-29T21:47:00.000-08:00

Shirt: American Apparel
Shorts: Fossil
Shoes and Sweater: Kohl's
Scarf: Handmade by friend

New Boot Goofin'

2011-12-26T23:29:00.000-08:00

Just new boot goofin' in a couple of my Christmas presents.

Shirt: American Apparel
Skirt: Ebay
Tights: Target
Vest: Fossil a la Christmas
Boots: Rocketdogs a la Christmas

The poor man's outfit post

2011-12-20T00:52:00.000-08:00

Maybe I'll just start taking outfit photos in my parents' closet mirror with my phone. Screw uploading crap, amirite?

But seriously, I got this sweater at the Goodwill for like $5 and it's amazing. It's originally from Old Navy and it's so big and comfy and I want to live in it.

InPink Giveaway!

2011-12-19T00:32:00.000-08:00

I couldn't be more excited to bring you guys this giveaway! Really. I mean, I'd be excited if just one of you got to win this, but no, 100 of you will win this giveaway. Yeah, that's right-- 100 readers are going to $40 gift cards to InPink where you can choose through hundreds of wonderful earrings and necklaces and rings, oh my! Since this is such a big giveaway, you have ONE MONTH to enter, but you'll also have multiple ways of getting entries. Here's how: for every one of the following you do, leave a separate comment below to get an additional entry (be sure to leave your email address as well).

- "Like" InPink on Facebook
- Follow InPink on Twitter
- Retweet this giveaway
- Blog about this giveaway

Just leave a comment before
JANUARY 19th, 2012 11:59PST to be entered.
Open to U.S. and Canada only. Sorry :(

Good luck and Merry Christmas!

On The Dot

2011-12-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

It was pretty awesome seeing myself on Target's On The Dot today. You can tell how old the picture is by my hair, but I still love this outfit. I should probably wear it again sometime soon.

Shabby Apple Giveaway (Closed)

2011-12-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just around the corner, and that means parties galore. (Unless you're a recluse like me and it means one small intimate Christmas gathering at my sister's, but regardless!) Whatever you do, wouldn't it be splendid to do it in a new dress? The always lovely Shabbyapple.com is allowing me to give away one of their beautiful women's dresses! I thought this Baciami dress from their Roamin' Holiday collection would be perfect for the upcoming holidays. Doesn't it remind you of a candy cane?

All you have to do is "Like" Shabby Apple on Facebook and then leave a comment below (make sure to include your email!). Piece of cake, right?

All entries must be received by
11:59pm PST on December 14th!

Good Luck!
-----
Congratulations, Amanda!

Lost and Found

2011-11-27T00:28:00.000-08:00

It's been forever since I've done an outfit post, but I had to do a celebratory one for finding my camera remote today!

Shirt: hand-me-down from my mom
Skirt: Etsy
Boots: Ebay

DIY Anthropologie Christmas Tree Jars

2011-11-25T17:20:00.000-08:00

Anthropologie:

Mine:

I went to Anthropologie a few days ago and saw these really cute Christmas trees in jars. I really wanted some, but they were going anywhere from $18 to $38! I thought they looked like they would be really easy to make so I decided to give it a shot.

I went to Michael's and picked up a jar of white glitter, a mason jar and a pack of decorative Christmas trees and ended up finding some salt shakers at the Goodwill for 99 cents! I forgot to pick up some silver glitter but had some loose silver eyeshadow I used instead. I put hot glue all around the outside of the trees and rolled them around in the silver glitter. Then, I hot glued the bottom of the trees and with some tweezers, glued them to the bottoms of the jars. I poured some white glitter into the jars as well and voila! I had some homemade Anthropologie Christmas tree jars.

October in pictures

2011-11-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

Halloween Costume

2011-11-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, I went as Benjamin Franklin. Yes, people thought I was Thomas Edison and/or Albert Einstein. What? I don't even. Again, one of the cheapest costumes I've done-- All I had to buy was the wig. And I won first place in the costume contest at work. Second year in a row! You can see my past Halloween costumes here and here. Did you guys dress up this year?

Away we go

2011-10-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

I find myself at work daydreaming about buying a little camper and just leaving. Traveling around, being in a different place every day. Waking up early, taking walks, reading good books and writing good stories. Having campfires and making friends. The reason I don't travel that often is because I don't like being away from home, but then I read in A Heart Is a Lonely Hunter this quote: "I do not have any home, so why should I be homesick?", but what if instead of me not having a home, I was always home? No matter where I was, at the end of the day, I always went back home. Isn't that a wonderful thought? So now I can't stop listening to Going to California and dreaming of wonderful adventures with a clear head, a fruitful spirit and a happy heart.

Guys... no, seriously.

2011-10-15T01:23:00.000-07:00

I think menswear is my number one inspiration right now, and I think from these pictures you can clearly see why.

Halloween Nails

2011-10-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-10-05T12:05:00.000-07:00

September Book Reviews

2011-10-05T00:37:00.000-07:00

"How can the dead be truly dead when they still live in the souls of those who are left behind?"

I checked out The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers from the library back in June. I finished in September. This can tell you two things: one, it took me a really freaking long time to get through it and two, it cost me a lot of money in overdue fees. Sometimes, when I start reading a really heavy, serious book, it takes me a long time to get through it. This book in particular was depressing and monotone. One thing that I can tell you is, Carson McCullers amazed me. The book was published in 1933, and it takes place in a modern day (1930s) Georgia town. It follows five characters throughout the book that live in this town. Each character is connected to the others somehow, and each character deals with his or her own problems, dilemmas, and realizations. The thing that amazes me is that McCullers was 23 when she wrote this book. Let me say that again, McCullers, a woman in the 1930's had this book published when she was only 23. And this book is heavy. It talks about racism, religion, politics... every thing you would not expect to come from a 23-year-old girl.
The thing that astonished me the most was how ahead of her time McCullers was. In this book she talks about fascism and Hitler's treatment of the Jews (again, this was published in 1933. Perspective: World War II didn't start until 1939.) She also talks about racial inequality in the south. One of her characters is an African-American doctor who cannot stand the oppression of blacks in the south anymore. He encourages his fellow men to speak up, to educate themselves and to be heard. He even talks about organizing a march to Washington D.C. (Something Martin Luther King, Jr. would do 30 years later in 1963.) It blew my mind what she was writing about and discussing in this book. It's a lot to digest. It definitely isn't a Nicholas Sparks beach read. And it might take you 3 months to read, like me. But I think it's worth it.

"It is an impressively arrogant move to conclude that just because you don't like something, it is empirically not good. I don't like Chinese food, but I don't write articles trying to prove it doesn't exist."

-Fey's reply to Jerry Lewis' comment about women not being funny.

I learned two things while reading The Heart is a Lonely Hunter: one, for the love of God, read something lighthearted and fun! and two, for the love of God, don't check anything else out from the library! So I decided to read Bossypants by Tina Fey. I've wanted to read this ever since it came out, but like I always say, I can't justify buying a new book when I have stacks of unread books at home. So I decided I didn't have to buy it-- I'd just borrow it. Luckily, my friend's mom had a copy that she so graciously let me borrow. Yay.
I should admit here that I don't watch 30 Rock. I watched some of one episode and I didn't think it was funny. Granted, I didn't really give it a fair shot, but I just don't think Tracy Morgan is funny at all. I do, though, think Tina Fey is funny. I loved her on SNL and Weekend Update. I also love just really genuinely funny women. There aren't a lot, so Fey is a rare gem. She pretty much makes me want to be a comedy writer. I know what you're thinking, "Emily, you're not even funny." I know, but those are just details that I will pick up along the way.
In the book she talks about her life growing up (and briefly mentions how she got her famous scar, and why she doesn't like talking about it.) She also talks about her starting out in improv and her interview with Lorne Michaels for Saturday Night Live. She dishes on what it's like to be an SNL writer, as well as creating 30 Rock and being a mom. The whole book is full of funny anecdotes and behind-the-scenes tid-bits about show business. It was a fun, interesting and even inspiring book to read. And it only took me a week to read it. Two thumbs up!

Things From Around The Web

2011-10-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

Happy October! Can you believe it's already October? It's probably my favorite month, so I couldn't be more excited. Here are some goodies from around the web in celebration:

How awesome is this Woody hanging onto a car idea?

How to make a heart-shaped egg

I want to be neighbors with these people

Revenge of a Disney Employee

Amazing lip art

This video of a little girl seeing herself for the first time after cleft lip surgery is so heartwarming*

An honest to God love letter

Perfect fall outfits

*you can donate to Operation Smile here.

All my current style inspirations are under 4 feet.

2011-09-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

Mini for a Mid-Term

2011-09-30T02:33:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking, and no, this is not a mirage. This is in fact a (kind of) outfit post. I wore this to take a midterm. I know this isn't really a traditional lets-go-write-two-essays kind of outfit, but I went with it anyway. I was actually really nervous to take this exam. I'd spent the majority of two days typing up notes (that may or may not have suppose to be done over the course of a couple weeks.) but even doing terms and review questions I didn't feel very prepared. It was probably because it wasn't just a here's-50-multiple-choice-questions-make-an-educated-guess midterm. It was like a go-buy-a-blue-book-from-the-bookstore-cause-you're-going-to-spend-an-hour-writing-and-hating-your-life-and-probably-thinking-about-other-things.

So why wouldn't I wear a mini skirt and cowboy boots? Look good, feel good, right? And if nothing else, I wanted to at least look cute during my panic attack. I mean, what if it got so bad paramedics had to be called in? C'mon, I can't be around paramedics not lookin' my best.

So I got to class, and I sat down and I read the questions and immediately was like...

My mind went blank. Every lecture I had sat in, every note I had taken, every review question I had answered... went right out of my little ombre'd head. I sat there for a minute, and slowly pieces started to form in my brain like Mike TV on WonkaVision. Then it happened, I started to word vomit out of my pen, and within 45 minutes I had two essays under my belt. I only had to wipe my clamy hands on my skirt about 57 times. But as soon as I turned in my test I couldn't get out of class fast enough. You know when you have a weight lifted off of you and suddenly you have this sense of relief that makes you feel like you could do anything? That's what I felt like walking out. Walking to my car, a couple of pre-teen boys skating in the quad asked me how my day was. I said, "Great! How's yours?" because I work in retail and I know how to answer that question. Then I continued to walk to my car feeling like a million bucks, thinking to myself, "I probably should have asked where those kids' parents were..."

Blog Sugar

2011-09-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

(Gussy, Melissa, Me, Maegan)

On Sunday, my sister and I attended Blog Sugar, a faith-based blogging conference. My sister had talked me into going months ago, even though I was a little hesitant. I'm really glad I went though. I got to hear really amazing speakers like Laura, Heather, and Julie and Jeannette. It really opened my eyes to a lot of things. This conference wasn't about how to increase your readership, or gain sponsors or monetize your blog. It was about how to give your blog it's full potential, and using it for good. One thing I kept hearing a lot during the course of the conference was "your story." How to write "your story" and how to share "your story." My sister and I were talking on the way home and I told her, "You know, I kept hearing people talking about writing 'your story' on your blog, but I feel like I've already done that. I've already written about my anxiety and I've written about my skin cancer. I don't know what else I'd have to share." and then my sister said, "but that's still your story. You're still living with that." and it made me think-- because she's right.

I wrote a post about how I had skin cancer, but it doesn't go away just because I wrote about it. I still put on sun screen every day, I still get body exams every six months, and I still deal with the self-consciousness of the scar on my leg. I wrote a post about dealing with generalized anxiety disorder, but that also didn't make it go away either. I shared it because it's apart of who I am, and it was extremely therapeutic to write about, especially from the out pour of positive and supportive comments and emails I received from it.

I guess I feel like I don't want to keep bringing it up because I don't want to be seen as the girl who's always talking about how she's nervous all the time. But the truth is, even though I feel like I have my anxiety a lot more under control than I did a couple years ago (heck, a couple years ago there would be no way I'd even be at a blog conference), I still have those days where I just want to curl up in a ball and not leave my room, or those days where I hide in the bathroom at work and cry because I forgot to take my medication. I'm not crying about not taking the medication, I'm crying because I don't have the medication telling my brain not to cry. I still deal with that.

Maybe I should start sharing more about, not necessarily my story, but my journey. Because it isn't a story, it doesn't have an ending. And I know there are some of you out there that are probably going through similar things as well, and if I can make even one of you feel that you aren't alone on your journey, and that there is someone out there that knows how you feel and what you're going through, then why wouldn't I share that?

Listening to Heather's seminar about "writing your story with dignity" she shared her own story about the loss of her son. It was heartbreaking, but inspiring that she had the courage to share it. I couldn't help but think, 'how can my struggle with anxiety even compare to the struggle of losing a child?' but then I thought about a quote from The Perks of Being a Wallflower,

"I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn't change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really change the fact that you have what you have."

We are all dealt different things, and we could always have it so much worse, but it doesn't mean we don't have reasons for being upset. We all struggle with different things, and we shouldn't look to others and feel our struggles are invalidated. Just because someone has it worse, doesn't change the fact that you have what you have. (But if I can also help those people starving in China, I'd like to do that too.)

I want my blog to be fun and inspiring and a happy place, but I also want to be real. Like Walt Whitman wanted his poems "to exalt the present and the real, to teach the average man the glory of his daily walk and trade." I want my blog to be about me and my struggles and my triumphs over those struggles. I want to write about the glory in my daily walk. ...And then I want to talk about clothes and books, because I'm still human, dang-it.

Project Style Live Style Off

2011-09-20T02:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the live style off round for the Project Style contest I was in. It was held at my local mall and hosted by Nick Verreos. How our mall managed that, I will never know. It was such a fun event. They first brought the 3 other contestants and me on stage and chatted a little about our style and whatnot.

I had no idea what to say. I hate having to describe what my style is, since I'm not even really sure myself. I should have said "bi-polar" because it's always changing and I love so many different types of styles that I can't settle on just one.

After that, they let us loose in the mall with $200 gift cards to pick out a complete outfit within an hour. Talk about stress. I had gone to the mall a couple days before hand to try to scout out my plan of attack like a war general, but I ended up leaving even more unsure with what kind of look I wanted to go for. It's sort of like when someone asks you, "What's your favorite movie?" and your mind goes completely blank and you can't think of any movie you watched in the past ever. That was how this was for me. It was like my mind turned into an lolcat saying, "clothez, wut iz they?" and completely forgot how to dress myself. I told myself, "do not go into Forever 21. Do NOT go into Forever 21." as I headed straight into Forever 21.

It's not that I don't like Forever 21, because I do. I have plenty of clothes from there, but I felt like it was just the obvious choice. But I panicked and just started grabbing stuff. For some reason I really wanted to wear a chunky scarf because I thought it was totally fall-ish, and I wanted to wear ankle boots. Then I blacked out and woke up on stage wearing this outfit.

Just kidding, I didn't black out, but this is what I ended up picking out. As I got back to the stage and saw the look of sheer disappointment on my family's faces when they saw what I picked out, I knew I dun goofed. Don't get me wrong, I love this outfit. It's me and it's completely what I would wear, but in hindsight, it's probably not an outfit that's going to win a "trendsetting" contest, yaknowwhaddimean? Let's watch as I try to explain my ensemble:

Yeah. If you want to win a contest solely on an outfit, you probably shouldn't describe it as "basic" or "casual" or "not too over-the-top" which I said three times. I described my outfit as plain and boring three. different. times. Here, watch it again at a different angle:

I could have just spent my gift card on a wet blanket and it would have matched the description I gave my outfit. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20 and you can spend hours thinking of things you should have said or should have picked out instead (which I have. for hours.) But this is still an outfit I'd wear, so I ain't even trippin'. I think if anything, this made me realize how simple my style actually is.

Let me stop here to tell you how much this contest made me feel like a secret agent. First, I was on a mission, and that mission was timed. It was me against the clock. and second, we had to come back wearing our new outfit. They let us loose and let us fend for ourselves to find somewhere to change. So where did I change? I changed in a Macy's dressing room. I didn't even buy anything from Macy's, how did I even end up there? and it was the dressing room on the second floor. I went to the most out of the way place to change. I went full retard. And then, if that wasn't bad enough, I started thinking how suspicious it would look if I just walked into a fitting room with bags of clothes. So naturally I picked something off a random rack and slyly slipped into the dressing room. It wasn't even a dressing room with an attendant that passes out numbers or unlocks a room for you. It was a self-service dressing room that I brought a pair of pants into, that probably weren't even my size, that I had no intentions of trying on.

So I start to walk into the handicap room because it's the biggest, but then I thought that would be bad karma in case someone who really was handicapped came in and couldn't use it because I was Clark Kenting it up in there. So I start going through my bags, which are the loudest bags ever, by the way. They might as well have bagged my stuff in a biodegradable Sun Chips bag so I could have drawn even more attention to the fact I was suspiciously rummaging through bags in a dressing room. So I start ripping off tags and realized my boots were joined together by an elastic band. And I had no sharp objects. You know how they say with enough adrenaline you could lift a car? Well, apparently with enough adrenaline you can rip apart an elastic band with your own bare hands.

So I get changed and I walk out (making sure to ditch the pants on the "they didn't work out" rack) and it's kind of the most badass feeling walking out in a completely different outfit than what you went in wearing. I felt like I was 007 in a pullover sweater. Then I made my way back to the contest, where I lost. Hard. Like, bottom 2 hard.

<

But honestly, I wasn't even bummed. It was a lot of fun, and I was so excited to have just made it that far. I mean, c'mon I got to walk a runway and hang out with Nick Verreos? I think I'm the one that made out in this deal. So thank you all who voted for me in the semi-finals to get me that far. This opportunity was everything. And just as a thank you, I will treat you with Nick Verreos' uh-mazing runway walk.

New Hair!

2011-09-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's not too different, but I did get bangs! I kind of love having it a bit darker (ahem, my natural color). And I have to admit I'm a little excited to be able to hide my unkempt eyebrows when I don't feel like waxing them. The little things, right?

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-09-07T01:04:00.000-07:00

Inspiration for your 3-day weekend

2011-09-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

It's so fitting that it's overcast today. Doesn't Labor Day mark the "unofficial" end of summer? I love summer, but you were just too damn hot this year. Fall, I'm ready to be all up in your business.

Dear Men,

2011-09-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

"Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.
She has to give it a shot somehow.
Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.”

— Rosemarie Urquico

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-08-31T00:23:00.000-07:00

Things From Around The Web

2011-08-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a TFATW (is that too long for an acronym?) in awhile, so some of these are old news, but still, I'm clearing out my bookmarks. Enjoy!

A beautiful video of Irene in NYC.

These pencil flats are so perfect for back-to-school.

Did you hear Jimmy Fallon will host SNL in December? Did you also hear that he predicted it, to the month, back in 1998? Crazy, right?

Love these social media propaganda posters.

I LOL'd so hard at this Justin Beiber tumblr thread.

The women who voice Belle, Ariel, Mulan and Tiana sang "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" together. It's so cool to see.

Christin Porter is running a half-marathon to support The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Having my grandma pass away from lymphoma, this is a very personal cause to me, and any small donation to Christin would be appreciated.

and lastly, today is the last day to vote in the Shoptopia contest I'm in. If you could just vote one last time, I promise I will stop bugging you guys about it! :)

Have you voted today?

2011-08-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

Just another reminder that there's only ONE DAY LEFT TO VOTE and I'm currently 21 votes behind. If you would be so kind, please vote like you've never voted before! Just click HERE, log on with your Facebook account (or register for Shoptopia if you don't have a Facebook account) and click the "vote for this outfit" under my video! Please vote, share, tweet, post, anything! THANK YOU!

I Need Your Help!

2011-08-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Please please please, vote for me! I only have 2 more days and I'm 35 votes behind! If you can tweet this, post it on facebook, anything... I would more than appreciate it! I tried to keep the posting and promoting of this to a minimum because I didn't want to get repetitive and annoying, but now that it's in the final stretch, I'm getting shameless. And if I can quote one of my favorite characters, Oskar Schell, "...at the end of my search I wanted to be able to say: I don't know how I could have tried harder."

So if you have a minute, you don't even have to register, just log in with your Facebook account and vote!

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-08-24T00:20:00.000-07:00

fallspiration

2011-08-23T00:25:00.000-07:00

I'm getting so excited for fall I can hardly contain, well, my excitement. If I may quote the Pointer Sisters, "I'm so excited, I just can't hide it, I'm about to lose control, and I think I like it." It's like they're speaking right to me.

I'm ready to not have my makeup melt off my face the second I leave my house, or having anything more than a dress resembling a slip make me disgustingly uncomfortable. This summer I was really into the bohemian, free-spirit vibe as far as clothing style went. I wanted to land somewhere in between Janis Joplin and Bridgette Bardot with my outfits. Of course every outfit ended up being about 3 pieces shy of resembling either one of them, but I still looked towards them for what I felt inspired by. But now I can see fall so shyly approaching in the distance, and I can't wait.

All of the sudden I just knew exactly what I wanted to wear all of fall and winter, and it made me even more eager for the colder weather to get here. I guess I would describe my fall inspiration as Parisian Tomboy? Does that make sense? Let me explain. I just purchased two pairs of shoes recently. Two completely, polar opposite pairs of shoes. One, pink Jeffrey Campbell open-toed lace-up wedges and the other, white hightop Converse. They arrived the same day, and I immediately tried both of them on. Love at first fitting. Then out of nowhere I had this thought in my head that went something like, "I want to wear these hightops every day." Then I started thinking of how wonderful it would be to dress like a guy, in a way where you just wear comfy casual clothes but still be stylish and not like you just threw on whatever was clean.

So I started thinking of all the women who have effortlessly chic, yet casual style. And the first thing I thought of was Paris. The city where stylish women flock to like the salmon of Capistrano. And I'm pretty sure the very city where the word "chic" came from. And if you put all that together, that's how I got Parisian Tomboy as an acceptable style in my head. This includes, but is not limited to: soft loose tees, dark skinny jeans, high tops, boots, loafers, blazers, leather jackets, vests, grandpa cardigans, pullover sweaters, and button-up shirts. In dark and neutral colors, with the occasional bright color (I mean, I'm not totally heartless.)

So those are my clothing plans for fall, which is actually better planned out than my school schedule, let me tell you! Shows you where my priorities lay.

source: Elle UK, Accidental Chic, Lady Centre, a Stylized Hysteria, StyleCaster

Wedding dress love

2011-08-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely swooning over the dress on the cover of Brides' September issue. I admittedly stare at it every time I walk past it at work.

July Book Reviews

2011-08-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

Every book list I've ever seen that was some sort of "100 books to read before you die" or "The top 100 books of the 20th century" had Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude on it. I knew that I had to read it at some point, and since I loved Love in the Time of Cholera, if figured it was better now than later. The book spans of the history of a fictional city Macondo, but more specifically the history of the Buendía family. It's imaginary realism at it's finest. Impossible things happen in Macondo that doesn't seem so impossible; an insomnia plague, a trail of blood traveling across town and up curbs, gypsies with flying carpets. All of it is apart of their reality. One of the highlights for me is the character whose presence is always preceded by yellow butterflies, as well as the fact that when someone dies, they're never really dead because their ghosts freely and regularly roam the house at night.
The thing about One Hundred Years, for me at least, was that it really did feel like you were reading through one hundred years. You felt like that amount of time had passed when you were finally finished reading it. It reminded me of hour Life of Pi really made you feel like you spent months at sea on a lifeboat, and in a way, dragged on. I hate saying that since I know it's such an amazing piece of literary work, but alas, I'm saying it. Also, numerous characters have the same names. At the beginning it's manageable to tell one from another, but by the end of the book, and six Aureliano's later, it starts to mix you up. Though talking to a friend about it, he said that he had no problem differentiating one from another because of their distinct personalities. So, to each their own. All in all, I think it has beautiful imagery and magical elements and it's worth reading. I will stand by that I enjoyed Love in the Time of Cholera more though.

I know what you're thinking. Not Becoming My Mother, how mean! The title is deceiving though, since it's actually not becoming your mother in a good way. Actually it's not about your mother at all, it's about Ruth Reichl's mother, but you get what I'm saying. It's a true story about a woman finding these letters her mother had saved and reading them after she passed away and discovering more about her than she ever knew while she was alive. It was about her mother not wanting her daughter to be like her, or follow in her footsteps, because she didn't want her to live the life she did. Her mother had a failed marriage, and un-supportive parents. She compromised numerous things in her life and never forgave herself for doing so. She always regretted not having a career and not pursuing her dreams and it wasn't until she was much older that she finally started to live. It was a very quick and enjoyable read, and I'd highly suggest every woman read it.

Has anyone read either of these? What is your opinion about them? Or did you read anything really good during July? I'd love to hear about that too!

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-08-17T00:18:00.000-07:00

Project Style Contest

2011-08-15T00:15:00.000-07:00

Remember when I said I was picked as a semi-finalist for a styling contest? Well it's finally time to vote! This is the outfit I bought with the $150 gift card. I was trying to stay away from the bohemian vibe, but needless to say, I couldn't. haha. I guess it's just what I'm drawn to. But if you'd like to vote for me you can do that HERE. You can vote once a day, every day. I'll just warn you now that I'll probably be extremely annoying posting it on my facebook/twitter/blog/tumblr for the next couple weeks, so bear with me! But if you could vote I would very much appreciate it. :)

Things From Around The Web

2011-08-14T00:06:00.000-07:00

I've watched this Black Keys interview at least 50 times this week. It makes me laugh every. single. time.

3 videos of what traveling around the world looks like in one minute. Pretty amazing, and the guy's not too hard on the eyes.

Free positive thoughts.

How to make a Starbucks frappuccino for $0.32.

I guess the internet wasn't that hoppin' this week. You guys find anything good?

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-08-10T00:15:00.000-07:00

Back in the Saddle again

2011-08-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Shirt: Kohl's Skirt: Thrifted Sandals: Forever 21 Necklace: World Market

My mom and me, and her glasses that make me wish I didn't have 20/20 vision.

First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who commented on my post last week with such nice and understanding words. I've since deleted the post because I didn't think it needed to be up permanently since I hope the feelings I was having weren't permanent either. It is true that stepping away from your blog for awhile makes you realize and understand what it was that made you start it in the first place. It's just that sometimes you get to these plateaus in blogging where you feel uninspired and uncreative and you start to question your motives for spending so much time on something. So thank you all for being understanding and supportive! It really did help to get feedback from you all. I honestly have the best readers and I can't thank you guys enough for how supportive you've always been for me.

But I'm starting to feel inspired again. Shortly after I wrote that entry I got a phone call from my local mall telling me that I was a semi-finalist in a styling contest I had entered a few weeks ago. I was so not expecting to get chosen, and was so excited that I did. Now that I'm a semi-finalist, the mall gave me a $150 gift card that I can use to put together an outfit around something from my own closet. I was so eager to get started but so overwhelmed with having to narrow it down to one look and style and started going through stacks of magazines in my room and visiting every blog and street style website in my bookmarks to gather ideas and inspiration. I once again started to feel that excitement of picking out outfits and styling up a look and quickly remembered why I started this blog in the first place. This opportunity was just the reassurance and kick-in-the-pants I needed. I love how things have a way of working out and falling into place. And even if I don't make it to the final round of the contest, at least I know it's helping me get out of my blogging slump and for that I am extremely grateful!

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-08-03T00:10:00.000-07:00

HANAair Blow dryer review

2011-08-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago Misikko sent me a HANA blow dryer to try out and review. I was really excited because I know how important styling tools are to your hair routine and one of the best investments you can make regarding your hair is a good blow dryer. I've been using a CHI blow dryer for the last few years, which I really like a lot, but I was eager to try something new, especially since HANAair is considered one of the best blow dryers on Misikko.

I should probably tell you that I don't wash my hair everyday, so I don't blow dry my hair everyday and even when I do wash it (about 2 to 3 times a week) sometimes I just let it air dry-- so it took me a little longer to try it out and form an opinion about it.

The first time I used it, I noticed it had two separate switches on the handle, one blue and the other red, which I assumed was to control the cold and warm temperature settings, which is easy enough. This is where it got a little tricky-- only the blue switch actually turns the blow dryer on, once the cold switch is on, you can turn on the red switch and control the heat temperature. But then it got even trickier! I turned the heat switch on, but still only cold air was blowing out. So I tried pushing the top button, that is normally a "cool shot" button on other dryers, and to my surprise hot air started blowing out! And it isn't a regular button that you have to keep your finger pressed down on it, it just clicks in and out, so you can keep it clicked in to get automatic heat. It didn't take too long to figure it out, it was just a bit different than other blow dryers I've had, but once I got the hang of what switches did what, it was pretty easy.

It isn't as quiet as my CHI is, but it doesn't really bother me. It still makes my hair feel soft, and that's really what's important. I like that it has ionic heat and tourmaline technology-- I find that dryers with those qualities tend to give my hair the best results. I also like that it doesn't just have a one temperature setting with a cool shot button-- but the option of controlling the heat with low, medium and high settings-- which is especially nice in the summer when it's already as hot as it is.

Misikko also sent me some HANA Shine Shield that I put on my hair before I blow dry it-- and it's amazing. It made my hair really soft and shiny, which is what I need for how much I curl/tease/wrap/pin/whatever to my hair. This is the first time I've used any HANA products, but I'm really impressed with what I've tried so far and will most likely try other things from their product line in the future.

You guys can find all these things on Misikko.com along with other products like professional flat irons and curling irons. Have you tried any of these products? What did you think about them?

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-07-27T00:03:00.000-07:00

Shades of Blue

2011-07-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

top: Kohls jeans: forever 21 sandals: urban outfitters earrings: charlotte russe

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-07-20T00:02:00.000-07:00

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-07-13T00:07:00.000-07:00

Like a Lady

2011-07-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

Stunnas

2011-07-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

shirt: charlotte russe skirt: old navy shoes: anthropologie

You guise, I got new sunglasses. These are them, naturally. They're prescription and everything. I went to the eye doctor a couple weeks ago, and my vision was magnificent, per usual, but I have astigmatism. Not bad enough to need glasses though (shucks). But he said that I qualified for sunglasses, and who am I to turn down an (almost) free pair of sunglasses? He knew that I had had melanoma and he was telling me that the number one place for skin cancer is on the lower eyelid, so wearing sunglasses is extremely important. I had no idea. I mean, I wear sunglasses daily, but I didn't know about getting cancer on your eyelid. That would be awful. It also freaks me out knowing that there isn't any real regulations for "UV protection". Like, sunglasses can claim to have UV protection and not really, or at least that's what I've heard. But I don't want to take any chances, especially with my eyes, and I feel like I trust that prescription sunglasses would have real UV protection. So these will be attached permanently to my face from now on.

Other outfits you've seen these pieces:

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-07-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

Statement Piece

2011-07-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

Lucky and Michael's gave me the opportunity to make a jewelry "statement piece" and naturally, I jumped on it. Jewelry making actually really intimidates me. I've never made anything before in my life, but once I started looking around at the different selection of things that Michael's had, I got really excited.

I grabbed a bunch of this and that's with no clear set plan or image in mind. I just got stuff that I really liked and was drawn to. Once I laid everything out to see what I had to work with, I decided I wanted to put together a vintage-inspired necklace.

I added the military decal, bow and copper flowers to the brass chain, and then got some old keys I had and added those as well. I wanted it to look like an eclectic collection of old trinkets and keepsakes.

The finished product! Of course with any statement piece I always feel that I should tune down the rest of the outfit by wearing simple, neutral colors to make the jewelry the main focus of the outfit.

I had a lot of fun with my first experience of putting together jewelry. I've always had this false impression that jewelry-making was all about stringing together glass beads and I was fortunately mistaken. There's so many cute and unique pieces you can put together and the ideas are endless. I definitely don't think this will be my last time making something. If you'd like to try making your own statement piece, Michael's has a 25% off coupon, so now's the time to take advantage and make yourself somethin' nice!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July, everyone! Here's a round-up of some of my red, white and blue outfits. I posted this last 4th of July but thought I'd re-post it for my new followers :) I hope everyone has a fun and safe 4th!

Happy Saturday!

2011-07-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

“Humans are the only animal that blushes, laughs, has religion, wages war, and kisses with lips. So in a way, the more you kiss with lips, the more human you are.”

--Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Vintage Books

2011-06-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

Some new (to me) vintage books I recently acquired. A 1961 collection of children's stories, a 1938 collection of stories about adventure, travels and explorers and 1953 hardcover copies of The Great Gatsby and A Farewell to Arms. I think these will look quite dapper on my bookcase, dontchathink?

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-06-29T00:26:00.000-07:00

Vintage Finds

2011-06-28T00:09:00.000-07:00

My mom and I went down to this huge vintage and antique store last week and I made out like a bandit. Sometimes I find antique stores to be overwhelming because there's so much going on and so much to look at, but it never ceases to amaze me at some of the stuff I find.

Some things aren't vintage or antique at all, but they're still fun little knick-knacks, like this magnet of a wonderful Goethe quote (so true, isn't it?)

A carpet clutch! This clutch is literally made out of carpet. I couldn't pass it up because I have no idea when or where I'd ever be able to find a clutch as unusual as this.

And I got this cute burlap parrot bag. Perfect beach bag, dontchathink?

An old letterman's letter. E for Emily, naturally. I'm on the look out for a cute vintage letterman's sweater to sew it on to.

I didn't know what this was when I first saw it and then my mom goes, "grandma used to have one of these! It's a lipstick holder." I thought it was such a fancy way to display your lipsticks. Where would you find something like this nowadays?

and finally I found this dress. I thought it was so cute and feminine and the funniest thing about it-- it's Rodarte for Target. It's not even slightly vintage. It's not even old. But in my size for $7, I took it.

All in all, I feel like it was a successful shopping trip!

Star Projector

2011-06-27T00:57:00.000-07:00

I just purchased this star projector for my room. I kind of sucked at putting the thing together (the instructions were in Chinese, cut me some slack!) but I still love the effect it gives. I will be sleeping under the stars without even leaving my room!

Things From Around The Web

2011-06-26T00:04:00.000-07:00

Amazing Jaws Nails!

I would have loved to have had this room as a kid. Heck, I'd like to have it now!

The classic one-upper

Absolutely loving this room.

anything good in your neck of the internet?

Happy Saturday!

2011-06-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

“We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”

— E.E. Cummings

Lucky Duck

2011-06-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

Shirt and Shorts: Fossil Sandals: Urban Outfitters

This outfit post almost didn't happen. Not that I almost didn't wear this outfit, because I most certainly did, short shorts and all (you thought I was wearing a ridiculously short skirt, didn't you? Because you didn't see the le separation) but because I thought I deleted all the pictures off my computer this morning including these. But as you can see, I recovered them and crisis was diverted. Which I couldn't be happier about because this is one of my most-liked recent outfits. Yeah, the shorts are a bit scandalous, but 105 degree weather makes you do crazy things.

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-06-22T00:21:00.000-07:00

Film Styles: Sylvia

2011-06-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

Movie: Sylvia (2003)

Costume Designer: Sandy Powell (Shakespeare in Love, Gangs of New York, The Aviator)

You may or may not know that I am in a total Sylvia Plath phase right now. I remember watching this film for the first time a couple years ago, and from the first scene of Sylvia riding on her bike through Cambridge, I instantly knew I was going to love it. What drew me in was her hair and wardrobe. The movie follows Plath's life from 1956 when she meets Ted Hughes at Cambridge until 1963 when she commits suicide. The thing about that's so fascinating about her clothing is that you can clearly see that her style changes depending on her mental state. When she first meets Ted and falls in love, she wears stylish dresses with beautiful silhouettes and her hair is always curled, and during their summer at the beach house, she wears sundresses and halter tops. It isn't until they move to the country and Plath starts suspecting Hughes is cheating on her that she grows her hair long and starts wearing Pendelton skirts and dark neutral colors. It isn't until she tries to reconcile with Hughes that she curls her hair, puts on makeup and wears a body-hugging dress.

It's like her clothing mimics her feelings, and isn't that exactly the same with our style in real life? That we chose a style and clothing that reflects how we feel? If I'm having an off day, I'll just throw my hair up and wear jeans and a t-shirt, whereas if I'm happy and inspired, I want to wear bright bold colors, curl my hair and wear a face full of make-up. I just love how Sandy Powell shows Plath's emotional breakdown through the clothing she puts her in and how so much of what you feel can be conveyed with what you wear.

If you haven't seen this film yet, I'd definitely recommend it. Even costumes aside, it's an interesting and heartbreaking story of a tortured soul trying to deal with both her relationship and her craft and the constant competition and inferiority she feels from her husband. Go see it! Let me know what you think!

Romper Rage

2011-06-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

I actually like rompers, but this made me laugh, so I had to share

Makeup Bag: Summer Vacation Essentials

2011-06-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

While getting ready for my stay on Catalina, I decided I wanted to pack really light, like, only a backpack light. I didn't want to deal with a big suitcase on the boat or the walk to the hotel, and a backpack seemed like the perfect travel bag. That meant that I had to downsize everything, including my makeup. I couldn't bring a caboodle worth of stuff (yeah I just referenced a caboodle). But then I figured, it's summer (not technically, but it feels like it) and I'm going to an island, I don't really need a face full of makeup. So here's a peek into what I brought in my makeup bag, and what I consider to be summer vacation essentials.

Note: I did not include my Aveeno sunblock or Josie Maran moisturizer, but they were most definitely packed.

1. UVSunSense wrist bands: I think these are the coolest things ever. They're UV-activated wrist bands that tell you when you need to reapply sunscreen (and when you need to get out of the sun) by changing colors. Usually people make the mistake of putting sunscreen on in the morning and think they're protected the rest of the day, so I wore these all weekend as a reminder to reapply.

2. Urban Decay Skyscraper mascara: No, it's not waterproof, but it's my favorite, so I brought it. Plus, I wasn't planning on going in the water (Did you know Catalina harbor is the second dirtiest water in California? yuck.)

3. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface: I love this. It's a bubblegum pink blush that looks amazing on all skin tones, and it's made of natural ingredients so you don't feel like it's too heavy or that you're clogging your pores when it gets hot out.

4. Covergirl lipstick in Fairytale: I brought a coral lipstick just in case I wanted something bright on my lips since I brought zero eyeshadow.

5. BareMinerals compact face brush: I think this one's self-explanatory.

6. NARS Illuminator in Copacabana: I mix this into my foundation or moisturizer to give my face an amazing dewy glow.

7. MAC Eyeliner in Smolder: A black eyeliner for night, since I didn't bring eyeshadow, I wanted something to make my eyes stand out.

8. MAC lipstick in Myth: Perfect nude lip.

9. Covergirl tinted moisturizer: lighter than foundation, it moisturizers while still giving you a bit of color and coverage. And a bonus is that it has SPF in it. Perfect for a beach vacation!

10. Laura Mercier secret camouflage concealer: I only wore this under my eyes at night, but it's always good to have a concealer in your makeup bag for emergencies.

So there's my list of summer vacation essentials. What's in your makeup bag this summer?

Silhouettes

2011-06-20T00:03:00.000-07:00

Loving all these silhouette prints! Just bought the Boat Hat one for my black and white wall in my room. I'm so excited!

Things From Around The Web

2011-06-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

I think all of our dads were original hipsters.

This seriously made me laugh out loud. It's so true.

I love these piercings.

An amazing UP cake!

This post on the ridiculousness of parades made me crack up.

I think all horoscopes should be like this.

Did your dad ever give you a memorable book? Mine gave me James and the Giant Peach when I was 9, and drove me back to school on a Friday when I accidentally left it in my desk and couldn't bear the thought of going the weekend without having it.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Happy Saturday!

2011-06-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

"The nighttime sky is all about yesterday. The light that you're seeing from the stars happened millions of years ago. Looking at the night sky is like looking at the past. But the morning sky, on the other hand, is right now. It is in the present and holds the hope of a brand-new day and so many new opportunities-- to live, to be happy."

--Robin Schwarz, Night Swimming

An Island in the Sun (Catalina part II)

2011-06-16T23:29:00.000-07:00

For my sister and brother-in-law's 10 year anniversary, they got these amazing beach house in Catalina and invited all their friends. It had a balcony over looking the ocean and the weather was so perfect. I literally hadn't been to Catalina since right before my sister got married (10 years ago) so a trip was definitely overdue. If you're ever in California, definitely make a trip out there!

Easy Does It

2011-06-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Dress:Gap trench:Papaya Sandals: Urban Outfitters nailpolish: China Glaze Neon Flying Dragon

You know those outfits that can't quite be captured in a photograph how good it made you feel while you wore it? That's one of these outfits. It was perfect, simple but put-together and no adjusting, fiddling, pulling, etc needed.

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-06-15T00:18:00.000-07:00

Vintage Marketplace

2011-06-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

For my sister's birthday we made a trip down to Rainbow to check out the Vintage Marketplace. It was such a beautiful day, and there were so many great booths to check out.

All set to shop. Tell me this isn't the cutest thing you've ever seen.

I purchased a couple things from the Via de la Luna booth, a vintage camera and The Way We Wore, a book about styles from the 30's and 40's.

I am so excited to add this to my collection! It's even a signed copied by the author, who just happens to be an actress that was black-listed during the McCarthy era. Crazy, right?
I also bought a painted parasol/umbrella that I haven't been able to take pictures of yet, but it's fabulous! If any of you get a chance to go to the next one in September, you definitely should!

Sunshine of Your Love

2011-06-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

Tank:Kohl's Skirt: Thrifted sandals: Victoria's Secret Belt and earrings: Wet Seal

Things From Around The Web

2011-06-12T00:07:00.000-07:00

Do you think you're able to tell the gender of an author within a paragraph?

A hilariously accurate flow-chart of WebMD results

This shirt makes me laugh, it's so innocently aggressive.

I love that this dad waved at his son's school bus everyday for a year-- in different costumes! (I also love that you can donate to the son's therapy fund haha!)

Would you ever get iphone nails? What about iphone cupcakes?

Accidental Chinese Hipsters.

Happy Saturday!

2011-06-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

"You get a strange feeling when you’re about to leave a place, I told him, like you’ll not only miss the people you love but you’ll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you’ll never be this way ever again”

--Azar Nafisi

My brother moved to Maryland on Thursday to go to grad school, so this quote hits so close to home right now. I'm so happy and proud of him, but it's still going to be hard to adjust not seeing him everyday. Good luck on your adventure, brother!

Shake Your Feathers

2011-06-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

tank: Kohl's skirt: thrifted vest: fossil sandals: c/o BC Shoes earrings: Wet Seal

Other outfits with these pieces:

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-06-08T00:16:00.000-07:00

Gwyneth on Bon Appetit

2011-06-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

How gorgeous does Gwyneth Paltrow look on the cover of Bon Appetit?

Junkyard Gypsy

2011-06-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Skirt: Papaya Dress: Urban Outfitters Vest: Fossil Hat: Anthropologie Sandals: H&M

Catalina

2011-06-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Last week my family and I took a trip out to Catalina Island to celebrate my sister and brother-in-law's 10 year wedding anniversary. It was a much needed weekend of fun and sun. Our boat took off extremely early in the morning, so as soon as we arrived at the beach house, I took a siesta in the sun (don't worry, sunscreen 85 was in full effect!) Then we took a stroll down to the harbor. Of course, island attire is a must, so nothing too fancy, just some linen pants and burnout tank, and of course, my trust straw fedora. More pictures to come!

Happy Saturday

2011-06-04T00:11:00.000-07:00

“Books hold most of the secrets of the world, most of the thoughts that men and women have had. And when you are reading a book, you and the author are alone together—-just the two of you.”

--E.B. White

Also sending a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister who turns the big 3-0 today!!

New Purchases

2011-06-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

These are my new purchases from my shopping trip last week to H&M and Wet Seal. I loved how colorful everything I got was, which consisted of a skirt, a maxi dress, two pairs of shoes, a floppy hat, pink shorts, a beaded belt and some feather earrings (whew!) I'm ready for summer! but seriously... I'm done. No more shopping!

Oh and Toby wanted to get in a picture too, I couldn't resist.

May Book Reviews

2011-06-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

"Unfortunately, there's no getting around it: people have to work for their happiness. We go into battle everyday, and we have to work to be happy. It just isn't handed over to us, as much as we wish it was." 

Night Swimming by Robin Schwarz is about a woman who is given a year to live, and realizing she hasn't really lived at all, decides to rob a bank and move to California. While it has all the ingredients to the average chick-lit: an overweight woman out on a journey of self-discovery who finds romance and acceptance along the way, there still is more to it. It's about living life and letting go of your past in order to cherish what little time you have in the present. I mean sure, we'd all be able to cherish the present a little bit more if we had 2 million dollars and the guts to change our identity and move across the country. Sure, it might not evoke world peace, or win a Pulitzer Prize, but if you want to read a story about a woman living the life she always wanted, while you lay out on the beach drinking some fruity drink with an umbrella, then this is your book.

"A bad dream. To the person in the bell jar, blank and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself is the bad dream."

Switching from the feel-good empowerment ride of Night Swimming to the ultra dark novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. This one I'm sure a lot of you have already read. I, myself, had already read it once before after I was given it as a present for my 19th birthday from my friend Taryn. But this time reading it was nothing like the first time I read it. I don't think I really grasped and connected with it the first time around, because I just don't think I was ready for it. This time it was like reading it with a new pair of eyes. Everything that has happened in the 5 years since first reading it made me identify so much more with Esther. Sure, I never tried to commit suicide, or got shock treatments, or got admitted into an asylum, but I still understood where she was coming from and on a level, how she felt. Like when she went to see her psychiatrist for the first time and him asking her if she could tell him what she thought was wrong, as if nothing was really wrong, but she only thought was wrong. "I had imagined a kind, ugly, intuitive man looking up and say, 'Ah!' in an encouraging way, as if he could see something I couldn't, and then I would find words to tell him how I was so scared, as if I were being stuffed farther and farther into a black, airless sack with no way out." How when you feel so isolated and hopeless and all you want is for some doctor to be able to just look at you and know what's wrong and what will help, and that's just not the case. And knowing, while reading, that the majority of the story mirrors Plath's own life makes you even more sympathetic to Esther, knowing that Plath was writing with true emotion from first-hand experience. It's just an interesting insight into someone's nervous breakdown that will stay with me for awhile.

Have you guys read either of these? What did you think? What books did you read in May?

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-06-01T00:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday

2011-05-28T00:05:00.000-07:00

“I intend to put up with nothing that I can put down.”

--Edgar Allan Poe

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-05-25T00:08:00.000-07:00

Things From Around the Web

2011-05-22T00:12:00.000-07:00

One of the cutest proposals ever.

It's so nice to know that even people in the Civil War had a sense of humor.

What a powerful image.

The coolest iphone charger ever?

The birds of Angry Birds, defined. It's pretty accurate.

How disappointed are you that you woke up today?

What a fun doodle cake!

I am so excited that Jimmy Fallon's Thank You Notes has been made into a book. It's one of my favorite bits he does.

This blog answers the age old question: your house is on fire, what do you grab?

These pictures are oh so lovely.

Happy Saturday

2011-05-21T00:07:00.000-07:00

"Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could."

--Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum

Ain't No Easy Way Out

2011-05-19T23:38:00.000-07:00

Shirt: Marshall's Jacket: Gap Jeans: Kohl's Shoes: Ross

This is one of those outfits where photographing it doesn't do justice to how good it made you feel. Ya know?

From Runway to Hallway: Daryl K Resort 2011

2011-05-18T01:03:00.000-07:00

This Daryl K Resort 2011 collection is not your typical resort collection. When I think of "resort collection" I think of bright colors, flowy maxi dresses and bathing suits-- but not here. This collection is full of black, white, and green basic pieces like mini skirts and leggings. Not the first articles of clothing that comes to mind when you hear "resort", but then I thought... well, I suppose that depends on what you consider a "resort." Resort doesn't necessarily mean a tropical beach paradise, and not everyone has bright neon and pastel colored clothing within their wardrobe, so this is actually an extremely practical collection with pieces that most people already have in their closet, so you can look fresh and stylish for vacation without having to buy a whole bunch of new pieces. I definitely got some outfit ideas out of this bunch!

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-05-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Bright

2011-05-16T22:54:00.000-07:00

New Soul

2011-05-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

Top: Anthropologie Jeans: Goodwill Sandals: Victoria's Secret

I just want to give a shout out to the person that gave these pants up to the Goodwill. They have a good home now with an owner that loves them very, very much. You need not worry.

The jeans are new (to me), but here are some outfits you've seen the shirt and sandals:

Happy Saturday!

2011-05-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

Some nice thoughts for the weekend.

Win a dress from Shabby Apple!

2011-05-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

Spring is in full swing and my wander-lusting fantasies are in overdrive; outdoor cafes, vespa rides, eating gelato while trying to escape my princess-related duties. Okay, it's possible I might be describing Roman Holiday, but I could also be describing what you should be doing while wearing this gorgeous cream flowered applique dress from ShabbyApple.com. It's part of their new Roamin' Holiday collection, that has countless other gorgeous women's dresses like this little yellow scalloped dress and this green and navy-striped Gondola dress. (Are you kidding? Can I live in this please?)

So all fantasies aside: one lucky winner is going to get the Spanish Steps dress pictured above to wear on all your Italian escapades! Just leave a comment with your email in the comments below before Friday May 20th to be entered!

And ALL of you can take advantage of 10% off your purchase when you use the code "shabbyquaintrelle10off" at checkout. You can also "like" Shabby Apple on Facebook to get other special promotions and discounts!

ciao, bellas! In bocca al lupo!