Donna Draper

Glasses: Prada (ooh la la) | Necklace: gift from my parents | Dress: Anthropologie | Boots: Belk | Lips: NARS Funny Face

Okay, so a few notes on the things I'm wearing.

First of all, I have new glasses! I smudged them within five minutes of wearing them, which is par for the course for me. I feel very modern Mad Men in them. Trying on glasses is probably the only opportunity I'll ever have to wear things by the likes of Tom Ford and Prada.

Second, this dress was a Christmas gift from me to me, wrapped by my mom because I'm weird and like to buy things for myself for Christmas and then unwrap them. I stalked the green version of this dress online for a while but it was ridiculously expensive and I resigned myself to the fact that I would never have it. I ended up in Charlotte to get a new Mac power cable, and I swung by Anthro while I was at the mall and they had this colour version of the dress--and it was $40! WORTH IT.

Three--that pink thing on my arm is not some cool new thing. (If it is will someone please tell me so I know?) Over the weekend I went for a walk with my mom and on the way back I caught a glimpse of our neighbour's horse with her leg through the fence. We went down into her field to try and help her, and of course she bit me. Like the took a big old chunk of my arm. Nerves, definitely, but I wasn't too pleased. (We ultimately got her separated from the fence, thanks to a sharp pair of wire cutters.) I iced it but it actually turned slightly green--and I don't bruise, so greenish is bad for me--and it's extremely tender, sore, and slightly hard. I read online that KT tape sometimes helps with swelling and soreness, so I swung by the Cardiganland sports place and picked up a roll. So far, it's at the least stabilized the area and it doesn't hurt as much, so that's nice! And now I have a roll of KT tape in case (for when?) I get hurt running. Because let's be honest, when you run, it's bound to happen.

Hello from the other side

Jacket: Target | Dress: Old Navy | Belt: Target | Tights: probably Target | Boots: Target

The other side of the holidays, that is. My boyfriend put up his tree, which is 100% decorated with ornament discards from my parents. I kind of love it though--it's like my tree, but somewhere else! And it's nice to look at all the ornaments and think of all the people that have helped make these ornaments, especially my grandmother. She died when I was only 5, but I have some fond and comical memories of her. In addition, we found a black Santa ornament, painted by her. She took me to an AME church when I was little and she drove an old Red Cross station wagon stuff to the gills with crap. So when I look at the tree, with all its unique and weird and cute and kitsch ornaments, I'm reminded of her and how funny she was. And then I look at the bottom of the tree and see a cat rolling around under it and knocking a poor wool cardinal off its branch. Perfect.

Bells are ringing

Cardigan: J.Crew Factory | Dress: Old Navy | Boots: Belk | Lips: NARS Jungle Red

It rained like it was time to get the arc yesterday, and I had to pull out my boots to help my boyfriend look at houses. (He is buying, not we.) I realized partway through the day that I wasn't ready to give up boots yet, so despite a mostly nice day today, I clomped around work in these suckers. DON'T EVEN CARE. And it's a good thing I wasn't ready to give them up because they're really the only thing that first SIA this week. I was struggling to find the right thing to wear, and I ended up picking out an outfit that was motivated by the idea that this is what I would wear if I were in the painting. I'd be wandering around in the back.

For more outfits inspired by this week's Style Imitating Art pick, check out Jen's blog!

Protein party

Cardigan: Target | Dress: Dorothy Perkins, via Dani at DIYFATSHION | Belt: Target | Tights: Target | Flats: Target

I recently started eating Greek yogurt. I have never been a big fan of yogurt--I don't know why but I've never liked it--but I've been trying to cut down on my cholesterol/sugar intake, and one of my coworkers suggested Greek yogurt. And OH EM GEE it's basically the taste of sour cream with the consistency of cream cheese. Both things that I love. And there's fruit on the side! Is there anything NOT to love? I mean, aside from when it's gone, which is utterly devastating. Do any of you guys eat Greek yogurt? What brand do you eat? I've been in on Fage and the Publix brand (hell yeah) but I've heard mixed reviews about Chobani. Give me your recs! I can quit when I want! Whatever!

Bloop

Necklace: gift from parents | Dress: Gap Outlet | Belt: Target | Tights: Target | Boots: Off Broadway

My boyfriend downloaded the game The Unfinished Swan yesterday, and I spent some time playing it. (A rarity for me--I'm terrible at video games.) So today when I looked at this dress I thought I looked a little bit like I got hit by the paint gun in the game, but hey--looks good! I'll take it.

Dressed down

Dress: Boden | Belt: Target | Heels: Urban Outfitters | Lips: NARS Annabella

This DRESS, y'all. I've wanted this dress since it showed up on Boden's website months ago, when it was $168. (Not. Joking.) When it finally went on sale for half off, I thought FINE, I'll get it. You have convinced me, Boden! So I ordered a size down (my usual Boden size) and it was ENORMOUS. I almost never feel small due to clothing, but the entire thing was two inches two big. Weak. So back it went and I decided not to switch out on sizes, since it just wasn't worth it to me to keep sending dresses back and forth looking for the right fit. So out of sight, out of mind it went.

Until last week, when Boden sent me an email that some of their clearance items had been marked down to 80% off. And this dress was one of them! $33.60. Whoaaaaaa. You can safely assume that I broke down and ordered the next two sizes down to find the right dress size, and obviously things worked out, since I am now wearing this dress. BAM.

Also: ew. I need a haircut so badly, y'all. It's time to break out the scissors.

Omaha

Necklace: made by T. | Dress: Ann Taylor Factory Store | Wedges: Target

HELLO FOOTBALL SEASON! I get derpy around this time every single year and my blinders go on and all I see is footballfootballfootball. I told my boyfriend that if he survives this fall with me, we'll be in good shape. I don't think he understands what I mean when I say 12pm-12am every single Sunday. Let's see how long he lasts before he snaps.

What to wear to a Nickel Creek concert

Nickel Creek, with Josh Ritter
August 14th @ 7:30pm
Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC

E. wore:



I wore:



There are some musicians that you should just feel honoured to watch perform. Like Bob Seger, or Reba McEntire. Or Dolly Parton, or Queen (while Freddie was still alive, of course). There are artists who just take music and performing to a whole different level. It's a surreal experience--an unforgettable one.

Nickel Creek, to me, is like that. The honour that I felt sitting in my folding chair ten rows from the front as Nickel Creek came out onto the stage nearly swelled out of my body and into the air around me. I've been a fan of Nickel Creek since I was a middle school and I have wanted to see them for nearly as long, and when they broke up in 2007, I was crushed. I thought I had lost my opportunity to experience something great.

And then, this year, they got the band back together. And I about had a meltdown and bought tickets and then asked one of my all-time favourite people, E., to come with me, since she lives about 45 minutes from Cary. And she said yes, so we went! I was thrilled; I haven't seen E. since last August, and we haven't had time to chat much in the last few months. My mom loves E. and has noted once or twice that whenever I'm around E. she brings out something better in me. Stronger, wiser, nicer. She's one of three people with whom I can tolerate a long road trip. She never makes fun of my weird eating habits. Everyone should be so lucky to have a friend like E.

So between spending my evening with E. and seeing some of the most exceptional musicians on the planet, I feel very honoured indeed.

Back down

Necklaces: JCPenney | Cardigan: Target | Dress: Dorothy Perkins via Dani at DIYFATSHION | Belt: Target | Boots: Off Broadway

I can officially check "have a bone directly injected with a needle" of my bucket list! CONGRATULATIONS, SELF.

I've been having some pretty serious tailbone pain over the last couple of months, which originally stems from a fall off a horse in 2007. After sitting on a stupid donut pillow with a plaid cover (but god bless that thing for existing and making my life livable) that clashes with every single thing I have ever worn, I finally broke down and called my orthopedist, who I hold in high regard because he performed the back surgery that took me from mildly crippled to fully operational human being. So I went in this morning without being able to bend over, and after some x-rays to make sure my coccyx is still in one piece (it is! at least there's that), my doctor said he could "cure" me and stepped out to grab a big honking needle, which he and a nurse the proceeded to inject. Directly into my butt. Directly into the bone in my butt.

If you heard screaming around 9:45am EST today, it was me in Cardiganland being injected in the damn bone with an anti-inflammatory. I have a lot of faith that the injection will eventually work (it's going to take a couple of day for the medicine to fully seep in) but I feel now like the epidurals that I've had are a cake walk. It's fascinating how something so tiny--one syringe filled with 60cc of white liquid--can cause so much pain. And hopefully so much relief. At the very least, I have a great bar story.

Burn baby burn

Dress: Dorothy Perkins via DIYFATSHION | Belt: Target | Heels: Urban Outfitters

I close at my library on Wednesdays, which means I get to work at noon and leave at 9. It also means I take a crazy early dinner break (though at work we usually still refer to it as lunch). Today I was looking for something quick after I took my outfit photos, so I zipped over to the local noodle house for some wontons and white rice (my weakness). So I took a bite into my first wonton...and it burned. It burned so bad, you guys. I'm pretty sure I actually have a burn on the roof of my mouth because it tastes acidic and I can't really feel anything in my palate when my tongue touches the area.

But you know what? I'd rather have palate damage than tongue damage, which I had after the Banana Incident of 2014. And those wontons were delicious, so it was worth it.

Sandy

Dress: Target | Belt: Target | Sandals: Ross | Toes: butter London Giddy Kipper | Lips: NARS Schiap

I don't think I ever introduced my tattoo to the blog. I got it in July, so it's been around for a while, but still. I have no immediate plans for another mobile, but who knows? Maybe that's why I have such big arms--more room for mobiles!