Weekender

What a beauuuutiful Friday in Chicago: seventy-five degrees, impossibly sunny, and all of my classes are underneath the trees by Lake Michigan. There was an Asian tour group taking pictures of us earlier. My weekend will be spent enjoying the spring sun on Saturday while somehow writing my second French dissertation and outlining two more papers (but in English). I apologize for the shameful lack of posts this week; I've just finished midterms and they have not been pretty. Here are some links for your first May weekend!

- I've had baklava only once before, so this recipe seems especially enticing.

- These video shorts are so inspiring and make me want to go globetrotting.

- PICNIC weather?! (via A Cup of Jo)

- the best To Do list I've ever seen, and the source of today's photo.

- I've been hankering after a one-strap bikini, such as this gem.

Hope your weekend is as pretty and sunshine-filled as mine!

Working Girl

I've been on a desperate hunt for clothes that can be categorized under the "professional" heading. I figure I can wear pencil skirts with embellished tanks and light jackets (for the love of God, no boxy blazers or bland cardigans). On the other hand, I know that it will be summer in New York City (sticky, concrete, and unpleasant), so I must keep an eye out for any light, flowing dresses. I have to admit, though, I'm more than excited to pick up blueberries from the streetside fruit vendors on my way to work, as I did every day last summer.
I considered buying armfuls of cheap dresses to fill the deficit of "appropriate" in my wardrobe; I then realized that a) I'll probably need "appropriate" clothing after graduation anyway and b) I don't like cheap clothes because there's a reason they're cheap (poor quality, usually). As a result, I've made it my duty to haunt all sample sales, which is how I found this gem:
I know. I KNOW. I wish the picture was clear enough for the detailing on the bodice to be more visible, because it really is exquisite. Unfortunately, Rue La La allows other shoppers to purchase pieces that are already in your shopping cart (Seriously? At least Gilt gives a ten minute period) and I missed it. Naturally, I entered a stage of severe self-loathing for slight procrastination before finding a very similar dress, though without the pleating on the bodice. Still, this particular dress is available here at full price. It is so unbelievably perfect for summer and marries fashionable with professional quite beautifully. For now, I will be roaming the sample sales to find some more pieces (while studying for my midterms, of course). If you have any suggestions as to how I can reassess my college wardrobe with an eye to professionalism, let me know! Hope your weeks are going splendidly!

Monday Morning

This morning is all bright skies and fresh winds, and I just couldn't resist throwing in a shot of the Chicago skyline that is so iconic of Northwestern's campus. My weekend was delightful but completely unproductive, which is especially unfortunate as this is midterm week. I went downtown with some friends to Cusp, one of my new favorite stores and an offshoot of Neiman Marcus, and Kamehachi, which offered delicious sushi. Yesterday, I ventured into Little Vietnam (which is actually Little Asia) and bought enough dim sum to feed five people - for $12. Whenever I find myself in a Chinese bakery surrounded by other Asians, I try far too hard to put on a good Cantonese accent and instead, mark myself as the half-Asian wannabe. Fine. Guilty as charged.

At Cusp, I picked up two very cute tops that I insisted to my mother were "work appropriate," a statement which may be up for debate. Yet I also spotted a beautiful dress that was out of my current spending limit but perfect for the editorial internship I snagged for the summer:
The neckline is what caught my eye, with the uber-flattering pleating coming in a close second. The cap sleeves are so sweet and the higher neckline is demure but alluring (bad personal pun - the internship is with Allure magazine). I can see it transitioning smoothly from day to night with a pair of strappy nude heels and a sweet clutch. A lot of Black Halo's Resort 2009 line is work appropriate with an edge, and you can find the Pick of the Week here, as well as countless other adorable dresses.

[photo cred to Gerald Oh]

Weekender

The weekend seems like it will be a good one despite all of the rain that Chicago has in store. Apart from mounds of homework, I'm going downtown to shop with some friends and have plans to stuff myself full of delicious dim sum. My picks out of the several million that are offered on carts? Definitely cha siu bow (steamed pork buns - though baked is good, too), dhan ta (egg custard tarts), and ha fun (shrimp wrapped in fun rolls). Mmm, I might be salivating just thinking about it. Here are some links to brighten your weekend:

- my obsession with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution + Earth Day = a guide for eating well and keeping green all day, every day.

-speaking of green, too bad I don't have enough to spend on these sweet wedges.

- if you have spare time, spare chocolate, and spare marshmallows, I highly suggest that you donate it all to a batch of these.

- my favorite character in Alice in Wonderland is the Dormouse, so naturally, I adore these invitations that pay homage to him.

- a wonderful, supersize collection of photographs from one of my go-to blogs.

A note: my wonderful boyfriend sent me some cupcakes for our anniversary from Saint Cupcake. Have I eaten all of them? Maybe. They're all delicious, but the best are anything with the buttercream frosting.

Have a bright and beautiful weekend!

[photo cred to Robert Lio]

Ooh La La

So maybe I've had a bit of a frisson with the French for a very long time. There has to be a reason for my slugging through piles and piles of French literature with no academic requirement forcing me to do so. Somehow, though, French brand Ba&sh's line has managed to intensify this crush. The pieces err towards classic but always have an edge, whether it be a bold shot of color or detailing in the seams and folds. They're the designs that you throw on, perhaps adding a pair of shoes in the process, and run out of the house still looking effortlessly cool. There are some girls who feel they need to add a belt or a pair of heels to look "complete," and this line takes that idea, sits on it, and drinks some espresso very calmly. Additionally, the line of handbags? Amazing. They'll put a big dent in your wallet but are unique and add a tough angle to the clothes. My personal favorite? Le Sac Jula:

The catch? The online boutique is entirely in French. On the bright side, at least I'm putting three years that won't even amount to a French minor to good use! Also, keep an eye out for the Euro to dollar conversion, because you don't want to overdraw on your checking account and have your bank forget to tell you while they charge you a ridiculous daily fee.

Last note: do you know what should be illegal? Ordering a pair of beautiful Calvin Klein heels from Gilt Groupe and receiving an email, three weeks later, stating that your order cannot be fulfilled due to an inventory error. It hurts. It hurts a lot.

Jungle Fever

I have a weak spot for animal jewelry, though I err on the side of bizarre rather than kitschy. My parents cringed when I returned from a high school trip to Rome sporting a sterling silver snake thumbring. They're the sort to tell me that sure, I can get another piercing - as long as they can do it with their dental drills (which is a surprisingly effective way to keep your children in check). Plus, my mother funds my entire life, so I'd might as well try to avoid driving her completely crazy.
In addition to the thumbring, I have a bronzed octopus necklace and a starfish headband. It only makes sense that I've developed an enormous crush on Erica Klein's designs:

I love that the ram is actually subtle and, if worn among a mess of bangles, would require a second glance for recognition. My favorite, though, is most definitely the lion door knocker ring. It's extremely quirky, very unique, and would make my mother question my taste. There are more options on her website here, though the upgraded materials (emeralds, 18K gold, etc) make for higher prices than on Shopbop. If you can afford the better quality, by all means, go for it. If you're a junior in college with no money making prospects in the near future, spring for the cheaper versions, which are just as lovely.

Monday Morning

Hello lovelies, how was your weekend? Mine was bright, sunny, and a tad chilly - enough to make me climb into to bed at 6:30 on Saturday and nap before catching up on Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (catch the flash mob scene in episode four - my roommate and I watched it about eight times).

Fortunately, I was able to steal some time in between reading Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Les Misérables (in French - naturally, my French-English dictionary has been my pillow for the past few days) to come across this pick of the week:

I love the shape of this and how buttons are completely unnecessary. It's perfect for the in-between temperatures of April and May (in Chicago, at least). And the sleeves! Oh, don't even get me started on the sleeves. I would wear this in a heartbeat, barefoot, with a fresh citrus tank and some worn denim shorts. Shoes? Who needs shoes? It's a steamy 55 degrees in Chicago.

Have a wonderful start to the week!

[photo cred to simply photo]

Weekender

(We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars - Oscar Wilde)

This weekend should be more enjoyable than last. I have creative writing submissions to tweak, Pilates tomorrow morning, Sense and Sensibility to finish reading, and a paper to subsequently write about it. Here are some links if you, like me, hope to snag some spare time:

- an endearing spin on videochatting, compliments of my favorite comic strip here.

- a lovely, calming photograph to begin the weekend here; mine will probably resemble this plus a pile of books, a laptop, and smears of printer ink.

- the most beautiful surprise wedding I've ever seen, with a "Recycled" theme.

- a sweet taste test, available in fantastic packaging. I'll have to hunt this down.

- a clever little lookbook featuring spring picks by Aqua.

Have a beautiful weekend!

[photo cred to melt into spring]

How to Wear a Romper

The secret to wearing a romper is this: make it so cute that you don't hate yourself every time you have to pee. Half the time, rompers make a person look as though she's been squeezed through one of those Christmas tree netting contraptions - completely inappropriate and generally frowned upon by any gentrified community. (I guess that this point, I'd might as well admit that I've always wanted to climb through one of them, so take my opinion with a grain of salt).
Let's have a little chat about this:
There are a multitude of sins about this romper. I don't even know where to start. This is no more than a glorified pair of long johns, right? The buttons, the awkward neckline, the disconcerting come-hither glare, the very questionable pairing of boots (BOOTS), and the camouflage shade of green that works to camouflage nothing - they are all available for purchase right here.
If rompers give way to such designs, why wear rompers in the first place? This is why:
You may be paying double the price of the other for this, but who can really put a value on dignity? The color is subdued, which perfectly offsets the cheeky feel of a romper, the draping is impeccable, and I LOVE the haircut. The shoes complement the material, making this piece (available here) ideal for a classy, delicate romp.

Sequins!

Oh oh oh, I love this so much. I could imagine wearing this on those days where I wake up at 10:30 in the morning, cut myself a slice of strawberry shortcake, and drink some tea with a side of champagne. Which actually happens all of the time.

I'm kidding. Of course I'm not twenty-one yet.

Here's the thing about sequins, though. While I am absolutely positively sure that this would flatter my skin tone, I tend to have a problem with sequins scratching my arms. By problem, I mean it drives me out of my mind. Secondly, it costs $495. I have approximately half of that sitting in my debit card account because a) my undergraduate writing career hasn't taken off, and b) I just love falafel, which doesn't happen to be a staple on college campuses.

The verdict? I would say that even if you do happen to have a spare $500 lying around, save it until the dress goes on sale. A sequin, rose gold dress, albeit a beautiful one, is not unique nor innovative enough to merit the price.

A Return

I had no idea that anyone read this blog; I try not to pimp it out on my Facebook because I don't want to become patronizing with it. But when I stumbled across it for the first time in months and saw recent comments, I blushed furiously.

Details of the moment: It is Easter, which means that it is April, which means that because I live several feet from one of the Great Lakes, my hair has reached epic Diana Ross proportions.

Ideally, I would've pulled off this cute number:

And oh, I wanted it so badly. I'm a huge sucker for the French "My hair is like this naturally" look. I struggled for about two hours, armed with a single bobby pin and two hair elastics, before realizing that my hair is about four inches too short. After crying for a while, I consoled myself by trying out a ballerina bun a la Charlize Theron, who is not French but managed to saunter her way into a J'Adore Dior commercial.

I'm not French either, and I also dabble in sauntering. Did it work? No. In my defense, did I have less than four minutes since I'd wasted two and a half hours on the other style? Yes. But this is perfect for those windy, humid days in Chicago; my hair won't whip into my face or reach a two-foot wingspan.

Happily, this correlates to the next post: hunting for a tutu. Why? I don't know yet, but I promise I'll find a reason.