7.31.2013

DIY shorts confidence

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sunglasses- H&M, necklace- F21, t-shirt- Hanes via Target, shirts- Imogene + Willie via Shel, shoes- Keds via Carina
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So I've been on a really simple kick for the last few weeks.
And as I've been ranting about on the blog, sometimes in the summer, nothing feels better than 
a classic shorts + t-shirt combo
(not to mention this is usually the most comfortable thing to wear to work).

I've seen about a million pictures on Pinterest/other blogs of dressing up a t-shirt with a glam necklace,
and decided it was definitely time to try it!
I think it works so well, because it's so unexpected.
This t-shirt is probably the last thing you would wear a diamond (OK, faux) necklace with,
and that is why I just adored the combo.

Here's the story behind these shorts, that I've been wearing waaaay too much:
my always-cool housemate worked at imogene + willie for a time,
those of you not from Nashville: literally the coolest denim boutique you will ever see,
so naturally when she offered me a pair of misfit returned jeans, I jumped at the chance.
Well they didn't fit, at all. Not when I rolled them, cuffed them, belted them, started to cut them...
and I don't trust myself with DIY projects AT ALL.
But there I was in my room, no one to stop me, scissors furiously flying,
and I kept cutting, and cutting, and cutting,
until I realized my jeans had turned into the most fabulous pair of high-waisted shorts.

Fast-forward to about a week later (actually this very day when I wore this outfit) 
when none other than the Willie to the Imogene (1/2 owner of the shop)
comes into my restaurant, looks at me over the counter, and says,
"How long have you had your jeans?"
I was of course terrified that he was going to tell me I sucked and ruined a pair of $200 jeans.
I sputtered out this quick story about Shelby and the jeans not fitting and cutting them, 
to which he replied,
"Well they look really cute." Signed his receipt. Walked away.
Left me feeling like I was winning at life! 

So, thank you Matt Eddmenson,
for instilling me with confidence and inspiring me to forever rock these 
second-hand DIY imogene + willie shorts.

That's all for today! 
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7.29.2013

snapshots of the week, volume II

This is a semi-weekend update, along with things that have made me happy in general lately.
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Sunday's flea market finds (not pictured: crew socks)
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Saturday we went to a bridge dedication ceremony in memory of Hunter's friend Matthew Bergman. I never actually got to meet Berg, (as they called him), but from everything I've learned, he sounded like a brilliant guy and a great friend. Especially now with my brother in the Marines, I have nothing but respect and admiration for those who choose to serve in the military. I'm so thankful I was able to attend the ceremony to honor Berg's memory. Rest in Peace Berg, you are missed and loved. 
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On a lighter note, Friday was Amanda's 21st birthday! Someone provided her with an amazing crown... ;)
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sunflowers on our kitchen counter
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we bought tickets to see John Mayer in Atlanta! I proceeded to burn Hunter all of his albums, (save for Heavier Things) masterpieces! 
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dinner last week, because I am basically a domestic goddess (Shel made the salad).
What says summer like corn on the cob!?
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coffee date with myself, learning about photography. maybekinda my photos are looking better?
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surprise gift from Katie! earrings I had seen and loved when we were together,
in the absolute cutest packaging. love 'em. can't wait to wear them!

Cheers to a new week, everyone! Thanks for reading! 


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7.27.2013

floral + cargo

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necklace- Tiffany's, tank (under)- Gap, top- F21, pants- Gap from Carina, shoes- Blowfish via DSW photo IMG_2575_zpsb9b4708e.jpg
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Hi friends! I am literally running from one thing to the next, this weekend
celebrating a few friends and working a couple shifts in between!

I wanted to get this set of pictures up as it marks the last set EVER at Hunter's "cottage",
since he's officially moved into a new, adult apartment! 
Over the past two years, he's taken several sets of pictures for me around here (favorites: here and here)
but this spot was one of my favorites ever.
Cheers to Huntee, movin' on up!

Now about his outfit:
these days I mostly wear work-appropriate outfits (read: closed-toed and sleeves),
(so btw I did put on dorky Nikes for work)
which has led me to dressing very simply, and also in a juxtapose way, just to spark imagination!
These cargo pants got a strict once-over as I've been downsizing my closet,
but I kept them because I just don't have any other pants like this!
I love the look of a sweet floral top (this shirt is one of my faves btw, can't belive it hasn't been on the blog yet!)
with some "tougher" cargo pants.
I realize dressed-up cargos are like, so old news in the blogging world. 
But I'm doing what I can ok?!

Back to the weekend, check-in with ya soon!
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7.24.2013

10 Twitter Rules To Live By

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I first joined Twitter in December 2011 because my sister told me it was mandatory for anyone in marketing. Since that time, it has become my social media of choice. Something about that 140 characters is just so short & sweet, to be very trite. And yet, some people still manage to drive me crazy, prompting me to publish:

10 Twitter Rules to Live By

1. DON'T post melodramatic "my life sucks" tweets. There is Facebook for that. No one wants to read it on Twitter.

2. Keep your tweeting @ someone to a minimum. I'll send MAYBE two tweets to one person, then switch to DM. Because your conversation just isn't as important to everyone else! That being said...

3. Tweet @ as many people as you can! It's the best way to make random connections (i.e. "#Thatawkwardmomentwhen you order more than your boyfriend @TacoBell.")

4. But please, for the love, use your hashtags wisely. You only get a certain # (that is, number) before people stop taking you seriously. Think of a hashtag like make-up, you want it to enhance what you have, not compensate for what you don't.

5. DON'T use Twitter as a forwarding platform for Instagram. If I wanted to see what you ate for lunch, I would follow you on Instagram. Occassional photos are totally cool, don't get me wrong, I love sharing photos when approps. 

6. DO tweet at celebrities. 99% of the time they won't respond and you might stop being a fan, but the 1% will make you feel amaaaazing. But keep it to a minimum. Fangirling is not fun for anyone.

7. On that note, pay attention to your profile picture, (no group pictures! The Twitter profile pic is so tiny how will I EVER see you?!), background, and bio. I love reading Twitter bios. How else will I decide in 1.3 seconds if I want to follow you? My sister Galina swears by a great picture, citing it as the reason she was tweet at by @BenFlajnik (The Bachelor season 16).

8. Tweet with regularity. I am NOT implying hourly, or even daily necessarily, but seeing that someone's last tweet was on April 10th, 2012 is a dealbreaker. 

9. Interact! The best part of Twitter! In the words of @KanyeWest, "If you admire somebody you should go ahead and tell um/People never get the flowers while they could smell um" Favoriting someone's tweets not only shows that you care, but also gives you a pretty nice tweet-reel for when you're feeling blue. If people ask you questions, reply to them (see rule #2). And do re-tweet,

10. But about that re-tweet button: DON'T use it! Copy paste that sucker, give credit, and add your commentary. I always wonder, "WHY did this person find this re-tweetworthy?" (I can't take credit for this because I read this somewhere, and it was an early mistake of mine!) 

And if we all follow this twittequette, we can make Twitter a much better place for everyone.
All opinions my own. Anyone feel me/have a defense for one of these? Comment and let me know!
Follow me @priyapappu and I'll tweet to ya soon! 
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7.22.2013

barista baby

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necklace- from Mexico, tank- Gap, skirt- thrifted, shoes- Marks & Spencer (Ireland) 
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As most of you know, I recently moved to a new house in a new neighborhood, 
East Nashville for any of you locals. 
This up-and-coming borough is the livelihood (pun intended) of the hipsters.
This is not commentary on how cool I think I am, but how un-cool I think I am.
There are a million trendy places that I've only begin to discover,
feeling mildly out of place at each one!

These pictures are from the day I accompanied Shelby, my resident hipster, to Barista Parlor,
probably the coolest coffee shop ever.
They had records spinning, boutique chocolate bars and scones for sale, and the most awesome paint job/storefront of all time. 
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Exhibit A: here patrons have parked their motorcycles and wagons (?)
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Exhibit B: I want one of these just for the wrapping. This is a lesson in marketing #marketingmajorprobz

Well anyway, I'm working on a middle part and this thrifted skirt made its' debut.
After drinking some of Shelby's *ahem* strong coffee that morning, I couldn't get coffee there!
So I cautiously asked about the tea menu, which resulted in some pretty amazing berry tea.
(Editor's Note: I did make it back this week for some delicious coffee!)
Locals: head to Barista Parlor! I have set the bar low for non-hipsters to feel welcome.

I could not resist the outside for some pictures,
especially since the wall colors picked up on some beads in my new necklace!
Accessories! Accessories are a broke post-grad's best friend!

In other news,
Happy Monday to all! I allowed myself a very lazy day off after a weekend that set a new working PR.
This week is on pace to be fabulous. Talk to you soon, and thanks for reading!
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7.19.2013

kayakattack

Happy Friday everyone! I am literally working all weekend, because it seemed like a great time for vacation for everyone else!

That being said, I'm looking back longingly at what was one of my favorite days of this summer yet: kayaking and canoeing along the Harpeth River with some TN friends and some CA friends.
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That's correct, Tip-A-Canoe. We didn't actually tip our canoes. 
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I didn't work at all the first half of the week, which made it perfect timing for some friends to be in town! With the weather in the 90+ degree range this week, it was so peaceful and so fun to be out on the river. Moments like that make me feel very happy to be in Tennessee.

One of my favorite quotes is, "Forget the box, just think outside." What I love the most about being outdoors is even if you spend hours, or an entire day, doing absolutely nothing, you don't really feel bad about it. Can't say the same about sitting inside.

Kayaking for a day left me feeling a little sore and a lot more tan, but hey, I can't wait to get back out there. Thank you friends for the wonderful day!

And now back to work. Wishing you all a very fun weekend (go outside! For me!!). 
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7.17.2013

sari not sari

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earrings- Wish (Memphis), scarf- made from sari, bracelet- found, dress- UO c/o Carina, flats- H&M
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Summer, and specifically summer fashion in Nashville, means one thing:
simple, light, and very light layers- if you dare.
Simple is definitely chic- but sometimes it feels boring to me! 
Layers are definitely the way to add spice to a look
but not worth a sweat-induced coma in the muggy 90+ degree days! 

I was very excited to try my hand at some handmade projects (sewing for the first time!)
while home with my Mom, and here's the fruits of my labor!
Mom had a bag full of old saris (aka beautiful fabric), and I selected several to transform into scarves and skirts! We didn't get a whole lot done this trip since someone had to rendezvouz to Finland...
but I was especially pleased with how this turned out 
(not a real serious DIY...I get it. But if you only knew how craftily challenged I am).  

Here's my first set of pictures in my new neighborhood and front yard!
East Nashville has some super awesome and unique backdrops for outfit pictures to come...
and about a million cool places I've only started exploring this week! 
Definitely making a mental list for pictures as I run/bike around!
I'm also excited to share some pictures of my new house that I'm still working to set up!
On that note- I'm off to get some frames ready for my room. 

One last thing:
I finally have a button!
Another super simple DIY that took me for a spin.
I would love to button swap with anyone interested! Hit me up at priyaannpappu@gmail.com!
Talk to you soon! 
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7.15.2013

weekend update: mostly BEYONCE

I did have a fun Friday and relaxing Sunday, but Saturday was THE concert!

I only took a few, iPhone pictures, not to mention we were pretty far up (acceptable for my first Beyonce concert, I decided). I didn't get super excited til about Saturday afternoon, because I guess it felt so far away? By the time I got off work Saturday, I was thrilled, and we were rushing, and I didn't even get a chance to actually do my hair, but by the time she made her grand entrance on stage, I guess it didn't really matter. 
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I can't even really describe the show. The whole theme was kinda French baroque, totally appropriate for Queen B. The costumes/short clips in between sets were totally opulent and even creepy at times. Sistah made the most incredible entrance with Run The World back-to-back with End of Time
I was very very excited during this time, Hunter was laughing at me but FOR THE RECORD completely enjoyed the show and got super into it which made me love him all the more. 
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Here's where she paraglided (no, seriously) to the alternate stage, where we heard parts of Irreplaceable, Survivor, and Love On Top. She let several fans that were besides themselves sing "to the left", which was so, so funny.

Hunter and I both agreed we never had/probably will go to another concert like this one, in terms of how spectacular the lighting, production, costumes, and of course her singing and dancing were. Like I mentioned we were definitely in the nosebleeds, but she is an amaaaaazingly talented performer. 
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After the show, I got to meet up with my old housie, Emily, who was in town for one night only! I look a little bit like a demon here...clearly we are both very hyped up over Queen B. 
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Can you see it in Hunter's eyes that he just had his mind blown by Beyonce? It was the most perfect night to be in Nashville. And I am so happy I got to go with Hunter. Excellent birthday present! 

To answer your question, YES that is a Beyonce blanket for sale back there. 


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7.11.2013

orange in SF

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glasses- H&M, t-shirt- Madewell, jacket- Gap, skirt- Target, wedges- Target
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One more set of catch-up outfit posts before I get back into real time, where I'm actually living now!
My sister Carina took these for me when I visited her in SF.
She was somewhat apprehensive because allegedly the one other time I had her take shots for me,
I said "Have you ever read a blog before?!?!?!" (I don't think this actually happened. #bloggerzilla)

Well she did an excellent job!
Also, most notably, this may or may not have been an exact location for photos on
Atlantic Pacific. SF, any bloggers par-a-dise.

So anyway, I wore this out to celebrate Carina's roommate, Elyse's birthday.
(They were once roommates in college, and now in real life. How sweet is that.)
I'm doing this awkward, semi-Little House On The Prairie thing with my bangs where I part 'em and pin 'em, and enjoy it too!
Because my bangs and middle-part in general are STILL not resembling Kim Kardashian. 

Fun fact about this jacket: it actually belongs to Carina, but I will cite it as mine because I have the same exact one! She bought them both for us circa 9th Grade.
The lesson here: some items rotate in and out of style. Plan accordingly.
My lipstick, for anyone interested, is Maybelline Color Sensational in Coral Crush. 
I'm not entirely convinced if this is the best color on me, but it's so approps for the season! 

I had also packed heels for this weekend, but would have most definitely ended up with a broken ankle hiking in SF. I love these orange wedges, (proof? here) and they are surprisingly comfortable. 

How's everyone doing this week? Hunter and I are anxiously looking forward to the Beyonce concert this Saturday, otherwise watching The O.C., avoiding thunderstorms, and working on assorted projects.

OH. And I don't normally post music stuff, but since I've listened to this song no less than 5 times today, check it out: "Royals" by Lorde. Courtesy of my housemates who are way too cool for me.

Thanks for reading, friends! 
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7.08.2013

cruisin'

So I may have mentioned on here (that's a joke because I definitely have) that I was able to go on a cruise with my sister, Galina, as part of my stay in California!

Crusing was totally new to me so I was very excited to get my own experience and opinion, not to mention eat a ton and relax, and explore Catalina Island and Ensenada Mexico!

Completely enjoyed spending time with my sister too, we had a blast together and enjoyed dressing up, seeing shows, all that cruise stuff. Just wanted to share some pictures before it was totally obselete in my mind!
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The Carnival Inspiration
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Catalina Island harbour
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just as quaint as I imagined the island would be 
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Just creepin' on some baby scuba divers, nbd
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who committed the offense of less-than-outstanding pictures of us?
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it was Galina & I, with the self-timer, in the Shakespeare library
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our only memory of Ensenada, Mexico
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cruise attire: black tie

And just because I lured you all here with this story: we wore patches for sea-sickness. And ended up with extreme dry-mouth and blurred vision, two lovely side effects.

If you cannot see without glasses, I did not respect you before, BUT NOW I DO! Not being able to read/write/seeing twin images was one of the weirdest things I have ever experienced.

Galina and I survived, nay, thrived, amongst these maladies. 

Cruisin' '13!
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