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.