9.27.2013

inVESTments

I literally cannot help but make vest puns for titles everytime I wear this vest. Proof? Here. Also, I'm kinda embarrassed by how similar these two outfits are...I guess this would be the summer version.
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necklace- from Mom, brooch- Mom's, vest- Local Honey, dress- Crossroads, boots- Old Navy
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This outfit felt perfect for the omgfall(!) weather we've been having. When I bought this vest for $5 at my favorite vintage store in Nashville, Local Honey, the owner of the shop mused "I love vests like this over like, a tank dress, in between seasons." and I feel like a dork for using that as inspiration again (and exclusively, I should add), but sheeee wasss soooo right! 
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Other outfit details: I haven't taken this necklace off for the past few days, and I haven't worn it this much since high school. As I recall, my mom bought it at a jewelry show and I eventually stole it from her. As for the bunny brooch, I found it at her parent's house in Finland and refurbished it (glue-gunned a safety pin to the back). I love both of these little things and they remind me of my mom.

And speaking of the woman, she texted me the other day and said "Enjoyed your last two blogs, especially yesterday's really made me laugh :)" which just warms my heart! Shout-out to you mom, the best lady in the land!
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Here's what's really been on my mind lately; comprising a list called:
 "Things I Can Do When I Get A Job."
1. Sign up for the acting class I audited.
2. Buy a curling wand/motorcycle jacket/polka dot blouse from Target
3. Go home for Thanksgiving/Christmas.
4. Shop at Trader Joe's > Kroger (as much as I love my gas points).
5. Get my nails done!
6. Buy a "student wax package" (I'll let that one explain itself).
7. Split rent comfortably with just Shel/Clyde.
8. Become a member at a yoga studio.
9. Get Beach Boys concert tickets!!! (lesbihonest, I may do this regardless)
10. Probably go on a shopping spree (but from like, Forever 21. With a few items from J.Crew. Business casual is not going to dress itself!)
11. Take weekend trips to Charleston, Boston, Florida, New Orleans
12. Buy an Origami Owl necklace.

I'll leave you with that, because I'm on my way to work and then ATL to see John Mayer in concert! Hope everyone enjoys the weekend!! 


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9.24.2013

that one time I took outfit pictures at a gas station

True story! Note Betty, my keys with pink Mace, and the gas station all in the background.
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baseball cap- flea market, necklace- Tiffany's, tank- swap w/ Jacqui, leggings- Target, sandals- c/o Carina, 
This was one of those outfit shoots that took five minutes max. I thought to myself, where would be a more authentic "road-trip outfit" photo location than a gas station? But I didn't really think about how extremely awkward it would be. Bloggers, am I the only one with a woeful what I wore experience to share? Do tell!
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At the risk of sounding pretentious, my bracelets are gifts from Indonesia, assorted American arcades, Italy, and Finland, respectively. It's like the UN on my wrist, folks.
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My travel outfits pretty much range from the extremes of "I have given up" to "No one could travel in this outfit". (Oh hey- you can see another travel outfit from a road-trip to see my other two brothers, here.) I was pretty pleased with this, actually. Super comfy and the hat says like "I was made for adventure!"

Shout-out to my girl Jacqui who was kind enough to swap some clothes with me (this tank included), courtesy of the USPS. 

Also shout-out to the Nashville Flea Market where I got this hat for $1. Yeah, I'll probably invest in a few more colors come this weekend (it's this weekend! Nashvillians- c'mon!)
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I hope everyone recognizes how much I love them and take myself super seriously on this blog because I'm sharing my "senior portrait" picture from this shoot. HA.
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I miss door decs from college!
Oh yeah, this is from that time I visited two of my brothers in North Carolina and Virginia. I don't miss driving in Virginia, but I do miss them!

OMG! Exciting news! This Columbus Day weekend, my sister Carina is coming to town and I just found out Sundar and Amir are also planning a road-trip (exactly a reversal of my trip) to Nashville! This Columbus Day weekend we are gonna party like it's 1492! Let the countdown begin. 
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9.22.2013

sunnyday prints

Hi friends! Just popping in on this gorgeous Sunday with a more recent outfit post, since this is what I actually look like, TODAY, with short hair! 
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dress- Wish (Memphis), booties- Target, necklace- from Mom, earrings- Forever 21
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It was a little hard to get up-and-going this morning, after re-watching the season finale of Nashville-whaaaat and an episode of The O.C., but I'm so glad I did! I wanted to make the very most of this beautiful day, before I go to work at 4. 
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I was also very excited to wear this fabulous dress for the first time! This is my latest purchase from Wish, a boutique in Memphis that my friend Dith introduced me to a few years ago. Everytime I go home with here, it's a must-stop because of their gorgeous collection of dresses! If you're ever anywhere near the area...go get it girls!
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Hunter and I went to church this morning, and then I ran/biked along with him! There's a Titan's game happening right now, so it is such a fun day to be in Nashville! I'm just all-around enjoying this Sunday. A pretty dress and some gorgeous sun is really all I need (ok, that's a little gag-worthy, I'm just having a happy day ok?!).

Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday, and hope to catch up with you all soon! 
Thanks for coming by! 
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9.19.2013

cupcake picnic

So, obviously these pictures/adventure are a bit back-logged, because I still have hair (now I'm living a short haired lifestyle). Back-logged is actually a great way to describe in general how I feel today! I've been working hard all week, and I'm not supposed to say what I was doing, but if you're realllly curious, it's the same thing I described in this post. Now enough secrets! 
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t-shirt- c/o Carina, skirt- Gap Factory, flats- American Eagle (super duper old)
On the day that I wore this, I could not stop thinking "cupcake picnic". My skirt obviously looks like a picnic blanket, and this t-shirt is a hand-me-down from my sister Carina from Magnolia Bakery in NYC. Which I've never even been to, btw, but that won't stop me from wearing the t-shirt.
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In retrospect, I don't really think this is the most "stylish" or "blogworthy" outfit, but it is quintessentially me. I find myself wearing a variation of this more often that not! Sometimes bloggers talk about their "uniform" and while I wish I could say "White button-down! Pearl earrings! Totes!" I would have to say "Quirky graphic tee. Skirt or dress underneath. Flats I've had for a long time."
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And on this beautiful day, I worked in the morning, and just got to hang in the evening. I think I mentioned that Hunter and I have been watching The O.C. in its' entirety, anyway we finished Season One and desperately needed to find Season Two ASAP! We headed to McKay's, a gigantic used book/movie/cd store (they recently moved to a new location that I hadn't even been to yet), which is where I found this perfect pink wall. I'm not sure if you can tell, but my shirt is pink too.
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Hunter was looking for a copy of Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, and I was looking for The O.C. (on behalf of both of us)! I was so jazzed (this explains the crazy eyes) because we both found exactly what we were looking for; Hunter's book was approx. $2 and The O.C. was $10.95. WINNING! I love used bookstores.

I think on the way home we got Little Caesar's pizza and breadsticks and it just really was a lovely evening.

I actually have a few sets of pictures from before I cut my hair, which I am a little shocked by because I hardly ever take outfit pictures in advance. Anyway, they're still to come! Thank you for coming by. I'm off to finish my "everything" cookie and probably watch some O.C.

Thanks to Andi for the heads-up, I'm now linked up with Bri at Work Clothes, I Suppose for a showcase of "Dressed Up Tees"!
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9.13.2013

hair-cuts and link-ups

Three Things:
1. I'm linking up with Andi at Just Another Smith for her conclusion of Polka Dot Week! 
2. I cut my hair!
3. I realize these are the worst pictures, probably ever, but I wore this to dinner with Michael & Amanda and did not plan on the nighttime darkness at 7 pm. What is with you, Nashville?!
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button-up- c/o Galina, dress- c/o Carina, wedges- Target, bracelet- Forever 21
Anyway, just consider this an artisic expression, "Under The Streetlight". Pretty sure this was my sister Carina's high school graduation dress (it fits me that way). The top part that you can't see is an adorable halter with two-toned green. As much as I adore polka dots, I really don't have all that much of them in my wardrobe! This dress would be perfect for a backyard bbq, but since we were indoors escaping thunderstorms, I liked just the skirt peeking out. 
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Here's the most exciting part: I cut 12 inches off my hair! As the story goes, I got to be a hair model for the salon next door to where I work! I wasn't entirely sure about a bob at first, but then I realized, why would I not do it?? I've wanted to cut my hair short for a while now, especially in hopes to look more "professional". Now about that job...
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One more exciting thing: for our dinner with Michael and Amanda (we love you newlyweds!) I made a fruit pizza! It was THE bomb. 
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Said pizza.

I'm off to figure out how in the world to style my a-line as I head off to work!
Thanks for reading, and be sure and check out Andi's Polka Dot Week! 

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9.10.2013

nyr check: August


As the year has progressed, I have added another resolution: stick to my resolutions! Though my update posts may not be my most popular (or let's face it, popular at all), honestly the accountability of knowing I'll have to examine myself monthly makes me try a little harder!
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August mems (clockwise)- Mummo's birthday card, roadtrip bro, celebrated an anniversary, Celine Dion @ the fair!

(If you're interested in viewing the other months, here they are!)
(This is mostly to keep myself in check although you're welcome to share encouragement/criticisms/keep me accountable!)

Here are my resolutions for the year, with my personal commentary for the month added in:
1. Ride my bike more. [Well...I've been running! But a bike ride to the store or whatever is so not happening in 100 degree weather after I've showered. I do have a longer ride planned this week in place of a run- mostly because I can't put my new hair up!]
2. Send something to my Mummo [Finnish grandma] every month. [I'm really actually pleased with the birthday card I made her (she loves gardening & flowers!). My mom confirmed she got her card and loved it! Now onto September. I got some new card making materials so I'm excited!]
3. Remember all my friends/families birthdays. [This month I celebrated my sister Carina's birthday with a little package and phone call!]
4. Read a book every month. [Ok, for the first time all year, I DID IT! I read a book Dith's mom gave me in like four days. I'm just relieved I'm still able to read. Now about The Fountainhead...]
5. Only buy what I need & get rid of what I don't need [Picked up a few dresses and a fabulous pair of Jelly sandals. All necessary, thrifty purchases! Still pushing for that closet clean-up.]
6. Be confident. [How am I supposed to measure this, exactly? Still a constant goal. Not bad though.]

Thanks for the encouragement, and thank you as always for reading!
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9.09.2013

weekend update: french (toast) chic

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earrings- F21, dress- Target, bracelet- gift from Finland, clutch- Target c/o Carina, heels- Madden Girl via Blush

This weekend, between restaurant shifts, babysitting, and a Friday night downtown, Hunter and I went to brunch! Our original plan was to use an Amazon Local Deal to go to Sperry's (a local place- I've never been but it's a steakhouse with a supposedly amazing brunch) but someone didn't read the fine print and it only works on a Sunday, ruining our Saturday brunch plans. Yelp to the rescue! We found another place called Mack & Kate's. Adorable, and amazing food!
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deviled eggs (my JAM), french toast, and a Denver omlet

Not bad at all for a plan B, I'd say!
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I was, of course, very excited to brainstorm, "What does one wear to a classy brunch?" I adore this dress and originally bought it for a progressive dinner in high school (so I guess you could say it's always been surrounded by food) and I realized I hadn't worn it this season yet (or on the blog, since my FIRST OUTFIT POST)!
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Another reason why I love this dress is because I can literally match it with a million colors. Went with red on this day! My lipstick is Rimmel Rich Moisture lipstick in Diva Red.
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This dainty bracelet was a graduation gift from my mom's sweet cousin in Finland, Marjo. Thank you Marjo! The little charm is a Finnish wildflower, and I love stuff like that!

Pretty sure this "clutch" is a cosmetic pouch from Target from foreverrrr ago, but it worked very nicely as an extra punch of red, with a spot for my lipstick, phone, and cardholder!
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So excited to finally wear my nude heels! I purchased these on a random "maybe I'll just check it out" trip to a boutique by Hunter's apartment. They were marked down to $20 with just one size left, that difficult to find but easy to love 6.5. Fate! They are perfect!
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polo- J.Crew, belt- Dockers, shorts- Local Honey (vintage), shoes- Sperry's

Hunter even let me snag one picture of him, since he was all gussied up! You can't tell in this picture but his shorts are an adorable seersucker, that someone with pretty good taste picked out ;) we frequently have to have lessons in "Vintage doesn't mean dirty or old!" 

And now back to my perpetual Monday to-do list: clean my room. Clean out my purse. Clean my car! Laundry. Grocery shop. Figure out what I'm doing this week.
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9.06.2013

return of the jellies!

Boom. Boston Market. (Anyone watch the James Franco roast this week? Anyone??)
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Stop me if I've told my "jellies" anecdote on the blog before. In the mid-90's, when Pogs, The Secret World of Alex Mack, and The Backstreet Boys ruled the land, and jellies were all the rage, I recall my sisters having a couple pairs (one specific pair comes to mind- cobalt blue with puff paint detailing). For some terrible reason, and much to my 9 year old dismay, my mom promised to but never bought me a pair! Fast-forward to circa Sophomore year of high school when jellies made their first comeback. I found a pair at Gap and you better believe I reminded my mom of her promise. Since that episode in elementary school, I have diagnosed myself with a "jellies-accumulation" complex. And I just can't resist. And now, once again, they're in style hooray!
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jacket- Gap, sunglasses- inherited, dress- Gap c/o Carina, bracelet- gift from Dithy, shoes- Old Navy
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I picked these babies up on a recent trip to Old Navy and man I'm so glad I did, with all the crazy sales on clearance they were about a $3.50 investment that I would make again today. So I don't feel guilty, also upon further thought I realized this is the one and only pair of sandals I've purchased this summer.
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The only reasoning behind this outfit was "How can I wear my new sandals?" But I kinda liked the classic simple feel of it. I've had this jean jacket for going on 7 years now? It's the gift that keeps on giving! Back in style, once again! This t-shirt dress is another beautiful piece of inheritance from my sis.
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I wore this for a dinner with a few family friends I know from California. Hunter and I had the best time laughing and eating a wonderful meal (I brought the au gratin potatoes). We've been having dinner dates of all shapes and sizes and enjoying them so much. Plus it gives me a chance to practice my marketable house-wife skills and try new recipes! 

I gotta go because I'm gonna eat some Doritos- did I say that out loud? I meant, I have to go because I have to be at work one hour early today, at 4! Then tonight we're on the hunt to find Keith Urban because apparently he's playing in some bars downtown after his real concert #nashvilleprobzzz

Happy weekend to you and yours!
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9.05.2013

weekend update: Labor Day Brofest

There's nothing wrong with a "brofest" so long as you are seeing your actual brothers AND it involves a trip to the beach AND an end-of-summer roadtrip. While I've enjoyed this summer working part-time, hanging out, and living easy (for the most part) as I mentioned earlier, I think there's gonna be a few changes around here pretty soon...so this trip truly felt like a moment in time.
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We set out Friday at noon from Nashville, TN, to Davidson, NC. Did I mention this was a super-long road-trip (if you didn't believe me...see my haggard appearance Friday night). Both legs of our trip ended up taking longer than we planned, still SO happy for our detour to see my brother at school in Davidson. We hung out for >12 hours. Worth it to see my little nugget, Amir.
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Saturday morning we were off to the beach! Yes, I am drinking Subway coffee #newlow. Also, we missed the connector to 40W and took a very scenic, country road through the state of Virginia on what must have been national garage sale day. NO JOKE.


Here's a quick synopsis of the festivities on Labor Day weekend in VA beach: Rock&Roll Half-Marathon, American Music Festival, and of course, the holiday. It was crazytown!
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Saturday evening, after a run to the beach for dear life and searching for a room in every hotel in a 50 mile radius, we settled at CP Shuckers to watch the VA Tech play Alabama and it was perfect! There was much food, drinks, merriment, and Hokies. I loved getting to hang with Sundar's buddy Will (is in the background on the right) and his sweet wife Jaclyn who will be parents very very soon!

Early Sunday morning the guys golfed and I...slept, then Jaclyn and I packed up for an epic beach day.
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I don't even like sandwiches that much but I wanted to capture this as a perfect picture of contentedness for me, the beach (warm water), my new bikini bottoms that have a map of CA on them, the SUN, and nothing to do but spend time with my family and friends. The LIFE. 
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Caught in the act of taking a nap. Hunter fell asleep with a volleyball on him. I'm in love.
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By some act of providence or VA beach magic, at the end of our day we learned that Third Eye Blind was playing that night on the beach!
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Jaclyn's dad and friends were kind enough to have us over (to the coolest beach house of all time) for a grill out before the show, and all I have to show for it is his collection of salt&pepper shakers.
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The show was amazing. Third Eye Blind was the soundtrack to my childhood.

Monday morning we were able to squeeze in 18 holes of disc-golf before we hit the road!
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And that sums up the rest of my Monday, on the road! 

What is it, Thursday and I'm still in recovery mode from a FULL fun weekend? Whatever. YOLO. 
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