Ringed

Top: Gap Outlet | Skirt: JCPenney | Flats: Gap Outlet

At Mary Washington, receiving a class ring was Kind Of A Big Deal. I guess it was one of those college traditions you always thought were cool in high school but were actually just normal in real life. There was a rehearsal, a traipsing across the stage, a wooden box that closes with a snap. What I remember most about first looking at my class ring, and what still makes it important to me, is the stone--it's the birthstone for September. The month in which my grandfather was born. I recently started wearing it again, and was surprised to note that after a couple of days, it feels weird to go without it. The ring was originally sized for the middle finger on my left hand but the summer humidity and heat means it fits perfectly on my left ring finger. How apt. I am, after all, married to my student loan.

SIA: PSA

Woman Walking in an Exotic Forest, by Henri Rousseau
1905, oil on canvas

Naïve art is a legit form of art, despite its name. Reaching its height mostly in the early 1900s but still active today, naïve art looks a little like something you would paint when you were 12--but I dare you to try it, and you'll realise it's hard as hell to emulate. Henri Rousseau is a master of the form, and often his artwork incorporates hidden animals in the jungle. I don't think this one has any, but just Google him. His paintings are like puzzles.

So SIA! This week! Send your photos to Salazar by the evening of Monday, July 1st. Oh my god, it's almost July. Good heavens. Enjoy this inspiration! It's a fun one!

What to wear to a New Kids on the Block concert

The Package Tour
featuring New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees, and Boyz II Men
June 19 @ 7:30PM
Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC

T. wore:



E. wore:



I wore:



This is what it looked like trying to get into the arena:



I swear to you, this is what the main entrance to my high school looked like every single morning. We were bottlenecked by five metal detectors. 2400 people, 10 security guards, 5 metal detectors. Chew on that for a second and come back to me.

Welcome back. T. had a panic attack when she woke up Wednesday morning, because she thought it was the morning of the Kesha concert. And as she put it, she "didn't have any glitter!!!" (If you knew this woman you would know that she has about 50 varieties of glitter.) And then she realised it was Package Tour night, and she chilled out. I had a really easy time dressing for this concert--T. and E. are really laid back, and we all just kind of threw something on. There were women walking into the arena in club clothes and 5 inch heels, and my feet hurt just looking at them.

The concert itself was kind of intense. An arena filled with screaming 20 and 30something women? Yikes. Boyz II Men performed for half an hour, then 98 Degrees came out and did some pretty creepy things. After a 10 minute intermission, New Kids on the Block came out, but not before a video announcement that asked if we were ready to have the best two hours of our lives. Two hours. And it was legit, too. I have no idea what happened during those two hours, but it was insane. It was a blur. I had residual hearing difficulties the next day. It was something indeed.

Next Thursday, Kesha & Pitbull! You'll see T. there too :)

Sunshower

Necklace: Target | Dress: Target | Belt: off a skirt from Kohl's | Flats: Payless

It was raining in these pictures. And it was sunny. What the hell, nature, get it together.

Google Friend Connect is going away (womp womp) and Bloglovin sent out a tickler to everyone (with the promise of possible link sharing on their blog), and now Bloglovin posts are all over my blogroll. Honestly, I don't give a shit which blog following device you use, but do be aware that if you use GFC (or used Google Reader), it is being retired. My bff A. sent me a DRUMROLL PLEASE Gchat message that she had picked Feedly, which I had never heard of. And I will continue using the Blogger dashboard. I used to just bookmark the blogs I read. Honeybadger really don't care.

Style Imitating Art: White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose)

We have a small group for today's Style Imitating Art! As a reminder, we've interpreted Mark Rothko's White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose). Beautiful colours, and beautiful outfits to match! Read on.



I AM TERRIBLE AND FORGOT TO INCLUDE JEN'S SUBMISSION! And it's even worse because she looks adorable with her matching umbrella. I'm sorry, Jen! Please forgive me! (And read her post at Librarian for Life and Style while you're at it.)



First is Rebekah of From the Mixed Up Files..., who braved the public to take these pictures. I personally love it, and I really like the pink-on-pink look. I need to try that!



Next is Amber of Section 391, who is new to SIA! I really like her sweater because it looks like it's sparkly and I may or may not be half magpie.



My cocreator, Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, always looks amazing. And now she has a bow, too. I can't even handle it. I want a bow now.



And me (and Frank2), of course. My full post will be up in a bit. I may have stolen Salazar's shoes from across the ocean.

Thank you all for participating! All of you look lovely :)

What to wear to a St. Vincent concert

St. Vincent and David Byrne
June 15 @ 8PM
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, US Cellular Center, Asheville, NC

This is how C. looked.





This is how I looked.





I thought I'd post what my friends and I are wearing to concerts this summer, because apparently there are a LOT of questions about what constitutes solid concert apparel! I'm not sure this will help anyone any, but it's fun to see what people wear at concerts anyway.

There were a lot of old people at this concert (must've been the David Byrne appeal), but it was a really good concert and very well performed. I told C. that aside from the Justin Bieber concert, this one was probably the most choreographed concert I've seen. The usher was pretty pissy about us taking photos before we left, but she needed to a) deal with it and b) be better at customer service.

You will encounter C. again in a couple of weeks, when we go see Kesha together!

Cheers to you, Ed

He always only answers texts with an "OK".
He watches Fox News and golf all summer, football all winter.
He doesn't get technology, but he sure gets mad when the internet crashes.
He reads 1,000+ page books on the Civil War and World War II.
He watches Patton when he's stressed about something.
He hates tattoos.
He loves gardening.
He spends more time on the phone than off it.
He gives flashlights and jumper cables as gifts.
He gives directions to everywhere and sometimes reads the atlas for fun.
He has used his library card once.
He can't cook to save his life but knows his way around a grill.
He likes his steak medium-well.
He eats raw pasta.
He'll drive three hours to swap cars with you so you can get back to school on time.
He conducts the Boston Pops on TV every 4th of July with a wooden spoon.
He has over 10 pairs of reading glasses, and loses all of them.
He has run over a cell phone with a tractor.
He didn't go to Clemson, but has season tickets to Tigers football games.
He's always up for a game of Monopoly, or Scrabble, but hates Jenga.
A car ride with him is like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.
He is quizzed monthly on the names and locations of his daughter's friends.
He always fails those quizzes.
He never loses his cool, except for when he does.
He's always good for ten bucks.
He's spending this Father's Day loading 450 bales of hay onto a trailer.
He's allergic to hay.
He does it anyway.

His only advice is "exercise proper behaviour".
It works for every situation.

Happy Father's Day to the chillest dad around.