So merry

Bow: my parents' bow box | Cardigan: Target

I hope you all have had the merriest of Christmases. As far as Christmases go, this one was pretty wonderful for me, and certainly a vast upgrade from last year. Today was a great day for a number of reasons, big and small (like a stellar cooperative dinner and this guy under the tree), and I'm happy to have this day. Merry Christmas to you all!

Lessons learned

Sweater: J.Crew | Skirt: Talbots | Tights: Target | Flats: DSW | Nails: Lynnderella Glass Houses over butter London Union Jack Black | Book: Queen of the Dark Things by C. Robert Cargill, out May 13, 2014

I am currently running through mild school withdrawal. I still check my school email daily and find myself slipping into Blackboard despite the fact that I have no homework. I admit that I am nervous: this is, ideally, the end of my education, and this is after spending 20 years total embracing some educational institute. Preschool at JCC, elementary school, one failed middle school, a slightly better middle school, high school, college, and grad school have essentially guided my brain, my body and my spirit over the last two decades of life, and now it's all over. Very abruptly, might I add. Grad school weaned me, slightly, from the dedication of 24/7 education, because I had to dedicate my life to other things too. But I'm still uncertain what comes next: I'm mildly aimless. I know this is only temporary, but jeez, I need to get over it already and move on. At least I have a book to keep me warm.

Nothing to say

Top: JCPenney | Belt: Target | Skirt: Old Navy | Wedges: Payless | Lips: Revlon Moon Drops Lipstick Love That Pink

A dear friend suffered an immeasurable loss today, and instead of faking happiness, here are some quotes that accurately sum up how I feel.

Fear not death for the sooner we die, the longer we shall be immortal.
Benjamin Franklin

Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end,
if not always in the way we expect.
J.K. Rowling, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

13/30

Cardigan: J.Crew | Necklace: Anthropologie | Dress: Loft | Tights: Target | Wedges: Shoe Carnival

Tuesday morning I woke up with an oh fuck what do I wear pit at the bottom of my stomach. It's one thing to dress for work, and it's another to dress for work and an event. It was more luck than anything else that this outfit falls (mostly) into the 30x30; I didn't want to wear all black, and I didn't want to wear my houndstooth cardigan. But this outfit ended up being just the right thing for both work and a memorial service that was far more a remembrance of a life well lived than the mourning of a loss of one.

12/30

Sweater: JCPenney | Belt: Target | Dress: Ann Taylor Factory Store | Tights: Target | Heels: Jeffrey Campbell via eBay

My coworker R. and I had a discussion today about style, in particular the history of plaid shirts. I am not joking. Then I asked him how he would define my style, and all he could do was give me a thumbs up and say "I love how you dress". Well, I'll take that, although that definitely doesn't answer my question. So, I turn to a) females and b) my style crew, aka you all, and ask: how would you define my style?

Tonguing it

Sweater: Target | Skirt: Ann Taylor Factory Store | Tights: Target | Wedges: Shoe Carnival

In case you were wondering, this is what your face looks like when you are prodding a canker sore inside your mouth with your tongue.

Because you know you do it too.

Ugh, I just really grossed myself out by Googling "canker sores"

One more day, one more time

Top: Anthropologie | Skirt: Target | Heels: thrifted
Twenty-nine of thirty

First new life rule: NEVER put hairspray in your hair, braid it, and sleep in it. This look is the fresh-off-a-rough-one-night-stand result.

Middle new life rule: NEVER walk on a pair of heels without a top piece. Nothing good ever results.

Final new life rule: NEVER pick at the zit on the edge of your lip. It only ends up looking like a cold sore.

Text me instead

Blazer: JCPenney | Cardigan: J.Crew Outlet | Cami: JCPenney | Jeggings: Old Navy | Wedges: Target
Twenty-six of thirty





Necklace: wapa on Etsy | Top: Anthropologie | Cami: JCPenney | Belt: Old Navy | Skirt: Ann Taylor | Heels: Nine West
Twenty-seven of thirty

The picture above shows how I feel about this weather. It's way cooler, but just as humid. As such, I am not pleased. More pleasing: this video of Cookie Monster covering Call Me Maybe. And this video of Carly Rae Jepsen jamming with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots with toy instruments. And this video of the song itself. Not that I'm obsessed or anything.

Hard hitting

Necklace: gift from parents | Top: JCPenney | Skirt: Gap Outlet | Flats: Toms | Lips: Nars Heat Wave over Chapstick
Sixteen of thirty

Pigtails. Every man's dream, for some reason. I'm not really that big a fan of pigtails--I think my hair doesn't look right in them because of the layers. There's also the time that I was curling with my hair in pigtails, and I fell and smacked the back of my head really hard against the ice. (I can still tell you exactly where my head made contact with the ice.) I've worn a bun when I curl ever since.

But no, it's definitely because of the layers.

Wedding bells

Top: Target | Belt: Target | Dress as skirt: Belk | Wedges: Shoe Carnival
Nine of thirty

I'm sure that for the most part, this concept is ridiculous and people probably think it's only for bartenders, but I have taken to wearing a fake wedding ring for work. For some reason I seem to have garnered an awkward and motley crew of attempted suitors. I have a personal rule of no dating patrons, but for the most part this group of sirs does not know that. Hence the ring. However, the attempt to brush off these gentlemen has failed--even waving my left hand in front of them has been no help. I think if anything it's only worked to offset the normal ones.

Death by allergies

Cardigan: JCPenney | Belt: Target | Skirt: Gap | Wedges: Payless

I am sick as a dog from an allergy attack that has expanded into a full blown sinus infection, so this is all I have for you. Depending on how long I can drag myself into work for tomorrow, I think I'll probably make a post about my tattoo experience and what comes next. Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow!

The milkmaid cometh

Top: Anthropologie | Skirt: JCPenney | Wedges: Shoe Carnival

You can't see it very well in these photos, but today's outfit shoot involved fat raindrops plopping on my head, extreme gusts of wind stinging my face, and me going "aaaaahhhhh!" every time another blast of said wind slapped me back and forth. But you know what didn't get slapped back and forth? My milkmaid braids, which apparently my hair is long enough for. Those suckers are going nowhere.