Celebrations

Is it odd that I'm looking forward to the week, if only because I'll finally get to rest and relax a bit? This weekend was a lovely blur of birthdays and basketball games and sangria and hors d'oeuvres, but if I don't get a full night's sleep sometime soon, I'm going to self-destruct. Still, it was nice to spend so much time in downtown Chicago, from sipping champagne at Crescendo to dancing at the penthouse of the Swissôtel to, finally, a delicious Sunday evening dinner at Sepia.

I'm never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever going to do this on even a semi-regular basis, but I made my roommate/best friend take a photo of my outfit for formal in our living room, just in case you wanted to see my sartorial choices for the evening: the dress is Armani Exchange and belongs to roommate/bestie, the earrings are Frank Gehry for Tiffany & Co, the shoes are Marc by Marc Jacobs, and the clutch is Kate Spade. People actually thought I brought a book to formal...and sadly, they didn't even seem surprised.

Say Yes...

...Yes to rumpled sheets and lazy mornings.

Yes to formal at the top of the Swissôtel in Chicago.

Yes to frivolity and cupcakes.

Yes to the ever so elegant Carine Roitfeld.

Yes to my Sony Vaio dying of an evil little virus...

...but only because it did so on the day Apple introduced the new Macbook Pros.

So, yes to my new Macbook Pro.

Yes to my mom, whom I miss the most when I'm at school.

[photo cred to Alicia Vogue via Musings in Femininity]

Snip Snip

Have you seen Jennifer Aniston's new haircut, the grown-out bob? It makes me want to pick up the scissors and do terrible things. My hair is the longest it's been since seventh grade, when I chopped it into a pixie cut after a particularly devastating Valentine's Day dance, and now I'm itching for something like this. It looks so fresh and ten times more youthful than the classic bob, and I love how beautifully it frames her face. If I were to do it, I'd definitely need some side-bangs action, à la Heidi — mostly because I wouldn't know what to do with my hands if I wasn't constantly brushing my hair out of my face. 

What do you think of Jen's new do? (Allure interviewed her hairstylist, Chris McMillan, here if you're interested in knowing more).

[photo cred to 1, 2]

Au Naturel

I've wanted to post this photo from The Sartorialist for the longest time, but I didn't want to slap it up and say "This is my girl crush" before returning to the depths of my lair to study and eat half a wheel of Brie. This picture actually produced one of the few moments that I've wished away my dark olive skin and Asian features, because neither tend to look good with honey blonde hair. Her hair color becomes a part of the outfit itself, which I loved so much that I recreated it below (in the event that you've developed a similar girl crush).

I think it's the wedge boots that really do it for me — they're a little utilitarian and completely adorable (I've had it bad for this J. Crew pair for the longest time). I thought about switching in a bright color for one of the pieces, but I think it would ruin the look for me. I really like the monochromatic palette and the way that it gives me a new way to wear one of my most beloved neutrals ever, camel. The textures alone are amazing: fur, knit, denim, and suede. Does it get any softer? And a coffee-hued leather messenger bag on top of it?! I'm a goner:

Roll Edge pullover | calypsostbarth.com

Michael Michael Kors Zip-up rabbit vest | net-a-porter.com

Earnest Sewn Decca cigarette leg jean | amrag.com

J.Crew Suede wedge ankle boots | net-a-porter.com

Cole Haan Marisa messenger handbag | piperlime.gap.com

Chanel CC Rope earrings | aloharag.com

A Little Citrus

Everyone loves to hate on the color orange (to be fair, it isn't exactly the most flattering shade), but it looks so good against a clean black and white palette. Plus, Hermès couldn't have chosen this iconic hue for nothing — it's bright, cheerful, and makes me think of nice, sparkling mimosa.


[photo cred to 1 via That Kind of Woman and 2]

Paradisiaque

A little escape now and then should be mandatory. So should this Diane Von Furstenberg bikini.

This weekend, I watched l'Auberge Espagnole, a French film with Audrey Tatou, and decided that for my last quarter at Northwestern, it is entirely necessary to take a class called Intro to Painting. I hope my parents understand — then again, I'm graduating with a B.A. in English Literature and a minor in Drinking Tea and Correcting Everyone's Grammar, so it's becoming increasingly difficult to alarm them at this point.

I also wrote a guest post for Long Distance Loving; Alison is one of my favorite bloggers and quite possibly the sweetest person on the planet. Head on over if you'd like to see my spring picks for New York (home) and Chicago (home away from home)(until June)(crying)(freaking out about the future)(guh!)(and now job-hunting)(crying some more)(scrambling for my stash of dark chocolate with almonds)(calming down)(breathing). Phew.

Anyway, how was your weekend?!

[photo cred to 1 and 2]

Say Yes...

...Yes to rising temperatures.

Yes to blueberry waffles and bright Saturday breakfasts.

Yes to downtown Chicago...

...and to shopping on Michigan Avenue.

Yes to hysterically bad analogies.

Yes to Northwestern walloping Iowa last night...

...although let's be real, Iowa's basketball team kind of stinks...

...and I don't know anything about sports.

Yes to a sparkling, sunlit Friday.

[Photo cred to 1 via Musings in Femininity]

Room of my Own

Yesterday, instead of doing anything terribly productive, I reorganized all of my shelving and ran around my room with a camera. My off-campus apartment in Evanston is pretty stellar for a college place — pale green walls, hardwood floors, bright windows, and lots and lots of open, built-in shelving. On the other hand, I'm only here for ten months, so I didn't feel the need to invest a lot of money into it or continue to harass my landlord to paint the irksome white spots on my wall above my bed. If I think about it hard enough, I can pretend they're little stars. Kind of. See below, top right. 

Here's a list of things I'm apparently bad at:

1. Hanging things properly.

2. Stealing maps of the El from the train cars without tearing them.

3. Just kidding, I don't steal. I borrowed that map from the Chicago Transit Authority.

4. Hiding wires.

Nevertheless, words cannot express how much I adore my floor-to-ceiling bureau and the bean-shape of the glass desk. What would you do with marvelous shelves like these?

Flower Child

New girl crush: my goal for the summer is to wear a light dress with a matching forehead headband (is that the right way to describe it?) and look half as adorable as her. How perfect is that little bow?

[photo cred to Noa Noa Spring 2011 catalogue and unknown, all via Everly True]

Dreaming of Italia

I'm getting all starry-eyed while daydreaming about a fictional day in Italy — wake up to pastries and espresso, spin around in a girlish corset and full skirt, people-watch in the nearest piazza, and then text a hunky boyfriend while wearing a sequin jacket and no pants. I won't be wearing pants because in this perfect fictional day, all of the wine and pasta and dessert won't go straight to my thighs.

[photo cred, clockwise from top left, 1 via bkfst, 2, 3 via Patterson Maker, 4, 5 via my Pinterest] 

A Little Romance

Instead of going on the offensive and launching a staunch anti-love crusade, I'm going to have a very romantic day with myself. I've stocked up on macaroons (lavender, strawberry, and chocolate!), just received the March issue of Real Simple in the mail, and rediscovered this sweet little Pixar short. Maybe I'll paint my nails a punchy red and call my grandma. See, Valentine's Day can actually be the perfect excuse to wake up late, eat dessert, and wear a pretty dress to class!

Do you have any special plans for Valentine's Day?


[photo cred, clockwise from top left, to 1, 2, 3, and 4]

Say Yes...

...Yes to l'amour.

Yes to taking strolls and warm espresso.

Yes to the palest pink.

Yes yes yes to new shoes...

...and to being broke on account of them.

Yes to return policies. Maybe.

Oui aux croissants et aux pamplemousses.

Yes to hugs and tea and long afternoons.

[photo cred to myself. Surprise!]

Cafe Au Lait

I'm so looking forward to next week, when the temperatures finally rise above twenty degrees and I can escape from my apartment. I just want to walk around outside, sip a latte, and maybe even unbutton my jacket. Such a dreamy prospect..

[photo cred to 1 via The Littlest Rebel and 2] 

French Lockets

I'm a sucker for anything with the word "French" in front of it, and these colorful little lockets from Beklina are no exception. I adore the simple design and array of shades, although the red in particular pretty much makes my heart stop. They're even made in Paris! They add the perfect touch of classic, old-school elegance — and are definitely going to go straight to the top of my February wishlist.

California Love

My parents bought a house in Malibu yesterday. I love you, New York, and Chicago, you aren't so bad, but any place in which the temperatures are currently upwards of seventy degrees is fine by me. Plus, doesn't James Franco live there when he's not busy being angsty in Manhattan? Perfect. Now I can follow him EVERYWHERE. Just kidding! Kind of.

But now what do I do? Do I have to brush my hair? Squeeze some lemon juice in it? Stop wearing black and grey?  Don flip flops? Hug a tree? Actually, I think I can reconcile myself with all of these, so long as I get to see the birthplace of Snoog Dogg (in addition to James Franco sightings).


[photo cred, clockwise from left, to 1 via I Would Speak My Truth, 2, and 3] 

A Bit of Bubbly

I know that Valentine's Day is right around the corner, but I'm going to slowly back away from the reds and fuchsias... and into the arms of my new favorite hue of romance, champagne. It's sweet, subtle, and can make even a masculine blazer seem delicate. I'm down with all sorts of champagne too — extra dry, rosé, peach (my personal favorite), strawberry... then again, I'll drink anything as long as it's bubbly, sweet, and comes in a pretty flute.

Champagne hues work as a neutral (think an effervescent, shimmery version of camel or tan) or add a touch of metallic allure to an ensemble. Dresses and embellished underpinnings are the obvious go-tos for the shade, but I'm also loving the look of champagne with more androgynous jackets and frilly little extras, such as these J. Crew pouchettes available here and here. The best part? These purses are still big enough for you to tuck in a teeny flask of Peach Passion André for when the going gets tough, or when you get thirsty in between meetings. Or bored. Or when you figure that because champagne is a French word, it's perfectly appropriate to sneak sips during your French class. Raise your glass!

[photo cred, clockwise from top, 1 and 2 via Musings in Femininity, 3 via Patterson Maker, J. Crew, 4]

Hints of Yellow

I spent my weekend making fresh kale chips, checking my credit score, and reading a play by Jean Anouilh in French. I'm also getting into cooking really luxurious breakfasts (they are the most important meal of the day, after all), so I spent an awful lot of time chopping onions and mushrooms for my luxurious little omelets. I also made the most delicious bacon sandwich on Saturday, which I topped with tomatoes, red onions, and two slices of Meunster.

Then again, I also watched three hours-worth of The Office reruns while eating handful after handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I was too lazy to bake them into cookies) — just in case you were wondering what sort of girl I'd become. So tell me, how was your weekend? Did you watch the Superbowl? (Did you know that there's also a Puppy Bowl? My best friend and I were dying over this).

P.S. If you'd like to see me waxing poetic (awkwardly) and prancing about in my new Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent wedges, I did a short video here for Northwestern's fashion blog. I pop up at 0:35, frozen by stage fright and only smiling at the very end. Thus goes my dream of doing stand-up comedy alongside Aziz Ansari.


[photo cred, clockwise, to 1, 2, 3, 4] 

Say Yes...

...Yes to coffee dates with new friends.

Yes to marshmallows.

Yes to attending Superbowl games only for the drinks...

...just kidding. Kind of.

Yes to rainbow confetti and gold glitz.

Yes to inspiring recipes...

...and to an equally inspiring Italian style icon.

Yes yes yes to a glamorous weekend!

[photo cred, clockwise from top left, to 1 via Musings in Femininity, 2, 3 via Patterson Maker, 4]

Glitter & Gold

Let me begin by saying that ban.do is absolutely genius. Joy, of Oh Joy!, mentioned the photoshoot for their new collection a few days ago, and I am so, so into it. This video, which documents the backstage happenings at the shoot, is full of everything that makes me a big sucker for the brand's cheeky accessories — sparkle, glitter, bright flowers, rosy pink lipstick, adorable bows, and ethereal fabrics.

I already have a sequined starfish headband that I always wear when on flights from New York to Chicago and back, because I love it too much to risk squishing it in my carry-on. Now, I need to buy some gold confetti immediately and just sprinkle it around my room. Or, for a little less clean-up, I might indulge in these pretty sequined hair clips. ban.do is even having a sale: enter "sharkpig" at checkout for 15% off anything in their New Arrivals section.

How's that for busting some midweek, midwinter blues? February, you're looking up already!

Scrap Gold: This post is supported by Birks Gold Exchange.

Snowed In

I just made some noises that, unfortunately, sounded like a series of yelps. Northwestern has cancelled classes for the first time since my dad was a senior here in 1979. (See, I'm not a genius — I'm just legacy!). He probably spent his snow day designing biomedical devices and working out calculus problems for fun. Do you know what I'm going to do with my snow day?

1. Not my French homework.

2. Cook bacon.

3. Eat bacon.

4. Think about how much I love raspberry jam, too. Not just bacon.

5. Dream up the greatest idea ever: bakeries that deliver pastries to my front door.

6. Homework? What's homework?

7. Go back to bed.

Are you getting sick of my lists? I swear I'll stop once I get it out of my system, around the same time I turn thirty-eight. I hope that if you've been caught in the thundersnow, you stay safe and, hopefully, get the same luxury as myself!

[photo cred, clockwise, to 2, 1 and 3 with locked Tumblrs] 

February Wishes

Here's to hoping February will be a little brighter and more sparkly than January! A few ideas to help you last til spring:

1. Blow a charming little kiss...
2. ...while wearing a pale coral lipstick (my staple is Nars in Casablanca).
3. Brush up on a classic book, like The Great Gatsby, and pretend you're actually a flapper.
4. Get bejeweled — more is more, especially against a simple black sweater.
5. Add a delicate bow. Just because you enjoy imported beer doesn't mean you're not a lady.

Also, since I clearly love to write lists, here's my first piece for Listicles! In the form of a list, no less.


[photo credit clockwise to 1 via Musings in Femininity, 2 and 3 via Patterson Maker, 4]