Expect good things

C. demonstrates the hard sell







Cardiganland is not the bastion of culture, but there are a few shining spots, including today's short film festival! My coworker C. and I went together, and it was truly fantastic. We saw some great work. I pretty much panicked today looking at my closet and ended up recycling this outfit, but with the new wedges I ordered from Target's website. I was overdressed compared to most of the people there, but I still received a bunch of compliments! Yay. C. received a crash course in fashion blogging, mostly because we had a 2 hour dinner break and had 45 minutes to burn before the start of the second half of the festival, and I appreciate her humouring me. I also appreciate her dedicated effort to taking my picture.

Excuses, excuses

If you have to take a break during 30x30, you better have a good excuse, right? Well, if excuses were dimes, I'd be a billionaire by now. But below, in photos and words, are some of the reasons why my 30x30 took so long to complete.



Necklace: gift from parents | Top: J.Crew | Shorts: Ann Taylor Factory Store | Shoes: probably Toms

You'll probably vaguely recall the pictures above and below from back in June. T. and I celebrated my birthday with delicious Italian food, crayons and The Avengers. T. was pretty unhappy with tromping through the weeds to get to where these pictures were shot but I'm sure the theater customers loved watching us jumping in the air and acting like fools :)





AC readers, meet E.! My RA my junior year, E. managed our hall but also managed to help me survive a survey class--my first upper level one--on Latin literature. She became an awesome friend in the process, and ever since we've talked at least once a week (a good sign, I've found, for maintaining long distance friendship) and I've seen her every time I visited VA and she's come to Cardiganland twice. She came down for fourth of July (!!!!) and we had a ton of fun.



My mom, E. and I took a road trip up to Charlotte one day to check out the Mint Museum Randolph, which I love. (The name comes from the fact that the art museum was the first American Mint.) And lucky for us, they had a great installation out on the front yard, so we took that opportunity and ran with it.









Top: J.Crew Outlet | Skirt: J.Crew Outlet | Shoes: Toms

Then we celebrated 'Merka with some EXPLOSIVES. Because there is no better way to celebrate your country.













And then there was the night where my parents and I went to see Marvin Hamlisch perform at the local cultural center (above). He was the perfect little old Jewish grandfather, and an amazing pianist.

Top: Target | Skirt: JCPenney | Heels: Urban Outfitters



At the end of June, my library bid a fond farewell to the head of security (he has been replaced by a nearly-as-awesome person, thankfully). Staff were encouraged to wear ties for his retirement party, since he was devoted to ties, and I embraced that.

Top: Target | Skirt: Target | Tie: Target | Shoes: Payless (I bet you thought I'd say Target!)





What I wore the night E., my parents and I went out for dinner.

Top: Ann Taylor Factory Store | Skirt: JCPenney | Sandals: Ross



Remember that awful tie dye incident at the beginning of the month? This past week we had a meeting and I wanted to wear the result for my coworkers to see. It turned out pretty amazingly, huh? Still never doing it again.



Necklace: J.Crew Outlet | Top: hand dyed; Hanes/Walmart | Belt: Walmart (way old, like high school old) | Jeans: American Eagle





My parents finally took me out for my birthday dinner, a month late but not a dollar short. Filet? Ok! and it was DELICIOUS. Thanks parents!

Necklaces: JCPenney and J.Crew Outlet | Top: J.Crew Outlet | Skirt: Gap Outlet | Wedges: Target



So those are my excuses. That and I am a lazy oaf with a lack of determination. And unfortunately I wasn't darting around in the dress below, but I did get a good fine look at it. All that beading! Glorious. I'll be back to regular outfit posts commencing Tuesday night (today's post will be dedicated to SIA) and I can't wait!

Superfliers

On me: Jacket: Target | Necklace: J.Crew | Top: Urban Outfitters | Skirt: JCPenney | Flats: Payless
On K: Cardigan: Dots | Tank: Walmart | Pants: Dots | Shoes: Shoe Show | Necklace: This and That

K. and I braved (very mild) rain to take these pictures. It also took us a million tries to take a coordinated jumping picture. WORTH IT.

Shaking shamrocks

On me: Cardigan: Target | Top: Banana Republic | Belt: Target | Skirt: Target | Wedges: Payless

On K: Pants: Ross | Shoes: Shoe Department | Bracelets: Dots | Necklace: gift | Hair clips: Venus | Shirt: thrifted, sort of

K. is back for another installment of What We Wore! I've been fighting an allergy cough all day (that is slowly spreading into my ears) and got some bad news yesterday, so I'm not much fun tonight. On the bright side, I had my first Shamrock Shake on Friday, and it was a super success. So there is that!

Technicolour dreamboat

Scarf: JCPenney | Top: Urban Outfitters | Skirt: Target | Tights: We Love Colors | Wedges: Target | Lips: Revlon Moon Drops Lipstick Love That Pink | Nails: butter London Dosh | Tattoo: yes it is

K. and I are back with another installation of What We Wore! We're only a bit ridiculous.
I want to thank everyone who left comments of support on Saturday. I hate whining and I hate when weeks pile up like that, so I wasn't a fan of dumping about it on my blog, though it is my blog, after all. I try to keep AC as positive as I can, but it's certainly not the easiest. I'm happy to say that things are turning around--I got my tattoo (a post specifically about that is forthcoming!), I had a great trip to Asheville with my friend S., and I'm going to Ohio (?!) this weekend for a bonspiel. So life is looking up a bit.

Also, below is this week's inspiration for Style Imitating Art. So, so excited for this one!


Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth
1948, tempera on gesso panel

The Wyeth family is near and dear to my heart; I was exposed to the Brandywine School from a young age because I grew up not far from Chadds Ford, and I love the stippling and use of line rather than blending as shade. Christina's World is a really iconic painting, and I'm so looking forward to it. Our outfits will go up next Monday, and if you're interested in participating, you can email me your look too. It'll be fun, I swear.
I'll see you tomorrow!

The return of the jedi

Thaaaaat's right. What We Wore is BACK! K. and I ran across the street on our break for some fun quality time in front of the camera. So here we go!



I'm wearing:

Cardigan: Anthro
Dress: Anthro, shortened with safety pins for the day
Tights: Walmart?
Heels: thrifted (!!!!)
Red nails: Zoya Carmen
Green nails: butter London British Racing Green
Yellow nails: butter London Cheeky Chops
Blue nails: China Glaze First Mate
Gray nails: Zoya Dove



I thought maybe it would be a good idea to repaint my nails and do the skittle thing again. I'm not making this a permanent habit but I kind of love the effect.



K. is wearing:

Necklace: This and That
Top: Dots
Bracelets: Dots
Pants: Dots
Flats: Shoe Department
Button: Work



K. wears this necklace nearly daily. She's a big New Orleans Saints fan, which is good because otherwise I'd have to kick her out of my friends circle because she also likes the Washington Redskins. Just kidding, we both know our respective teams suck this year.



By the way, I tweeted a couple days ago that I thrifted a pair of shoes. HERE THEY ARE. $5, people. I got crazy lucky--I've been looking for duo toned shoes (exhibit a: this pin) for a few months now and haven't found anything in my price point that would be available after my shopping diet was over, but for $5 I'm willing to break said diet. I think it was worth it. And they've been worn maybe 3 times at most because the original tread is still on the sole!



This is one of the first pictures we took, and it was really morea practice shot than anything. As soon as I saw it I was like "whoa, K.! I look so much taller than you!" And then she looked up at me and said "well, you are." Touche, K. Touche.

See y'all tomorrow!


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