Rub Some Dirt On It

     Although I lost these prints when I first had them developed, I think I treasure them even more now- the second time around at Walgreens. I absolutely adore the grainy, dusty feel of these quick snapshots of my life over the summer.Taken with my Holga 35mm and Lomography ISO 100 color film, these shots pull at my heart strings a little bit.
     These pictures were taken at the end of my junior year of high school, but it really doesn't feel like that was almost a year ago. It was really a great time, and this summer should be even better. Senior year has been flying past my head faster than I can yell "STOP!" and I'm so excited for what is to come. I feel like the grain in these pictures accurately represents all of the nostalgic feelings welling up (or rather, those that will after AP testing is over and college enrollments are finished).

(P.S.- I know that the basketball goal in the last shot could be counted as bad composition, but I think it kind of looks like a modern take on the Byzantine halo- intentional or not.)

I'm Not Afraid

 Plaid shirt, American Eagle. Cotton shorts, Forever 21. Saddle shoes, Bass. Sunglasses, Ray Ban. Lipstick, Nars in Schiap. Pictures taken with Diana 38mm wide angle lens for Canon EOS cameras.

     Today was one of those days where the joy was almost tangible. The perfection of today is still buzzing happily in my soul. I suppose that sounds a little dramatic. But today I: slept in the perfect amount, finished an inspiring novel, ate Girl Scout cookies, found some almost painfully perfect vintage goodies, took pictures for my AP concentration (which I cannot discuss on the blog until after receiving my scores in the summer- I am paranoid!), bought fabric for a fashion design competition with some friends, ate dinner with someone who I cherish greatly, brought my boyfriend a key lime pie, got a cranberry slush from Sonic and treated my boyfriend to an orange slush, and now I am posting this! 

     The weather was perfect all day and tonight I felt like I could see every star. Along with these facts, I think the small adjustments in my outfit tastes makes me feel brighter, too. This shirt always gets noticed- in a good way! When I was purchasing it at American Eagle (don't judge), the boy behind the register even commented that he loved the colors. I felt like the feel of the outfit was better represented by the Diana lens, besides, I bet Diana was feeling neglected.

     I hope everyone had as wonderful of a day as I did, and continues to have them!

Sunday Shopping Guide: Jazzy Jewels

 

1. Cirtine Drop Necklace, $20: Chase Dakota on Etsy

2. Rageddy Ann Necklace, $120: Lenora Dame

3. Pyrite Cluster Galaxy Necklace, $27: Chase Dakota on Etsy

4. Muted Soiree Necklace, $130: Lenora Dame

5. Key Bracelet, $15: Urban Outfitters

6. Crow Skull Ring, $85: LAS Jewelry

7. Pipeline Bracelet, $42: LAS Jewelry

8. Crystal Crater Ring, $158: Free People

9.  Spine Duster, $100: Verameat

     If I could be any type of apparel designer, I would love to just dream up pretty baubles all day long. I love jewelry that just has "it". Although the YSL arty rings are lovely statement pieces, I wanted to shine the light on some jewelry that hasn't had quite as much time in the limelight. These are my choices for some lesser known but just as beautiful pieces. I tried to feature independent designers, but the bracelet from Urban and ring from Free People (designer unknown) were too lovely to pass up! I consider these pieces inspiration to save and create!

A Book You Read in Reverse

Please enlarge pictures to see in better quality.

Hat, Claire's. Shirt, childhood Easter shirt. Skirt, American Apparel. Shoes, Jeffrey Campbell. Lipstick, Maybelline Color Sensational in Coral Crush. Nail polish, Sephora by OPI in Leaf Him at the Altar.

     Generally complaints are not my thing, but I am disappointed about how these pictures look in my picture library versus on the blog. I am not sure what happened, but enlarging them should help. Alas, this outfit makes me too happy to dwell on the picture conundrum for long. I love mixing floral prints and although these two totally clash, I love them both for different reasons.

     I have decided that for me, Jeffrey Campbell shoes and American Apparel (full woven) skirts are an excellent combination! Lately the weather has been perfect for wearing such a combination and I can't wait until Spring is here to stay. Even though it appears to be receiving its warm welcome with gratitude, I am skeptical that this warm front won't last much longer.

Trends and Personal Style: A Fine Line

     All runway photos: style.com, Others: We Heart It

     As an insatiable consumer of all things magazine and a blogger, I tend to keep a very close eye on trends. My favorite issues of magazines have always been the September and March issues (with more of an inclination towards March. I like warm weather fashion better, typically). The constant barrage of stories such as "500 pages of Spring Fashion: What to Wear, What to Buy & What to Skip" (Instyle March 2011), it is hard not to be influenced by the changing looks that taste-makers present every season.

     However, the heavy intake of magazines is making my head spin lately. While I love to use the products featured on the glossy pages for collages that suit my personal style more, I just can't stop pondering the idea of trends in general. It feels like I was finally learning to suit the 1950s/60s feminine style to my own look when FLASH the 1970s are what is big for Spring. An evolution of style that took a decade or more was glossed over between the Fall 2010 and S/S 2011 runway shows. To me, this slightly debases to social reasons behind why trends are what they are. The meaning behind clothing is what makes it interesting and more than just a superficial art form, as many may think.

     Trends are not all evil, of course. Sometimes they can give just the right confidence boost to finally use that cool colored dye you've had (ombre/ pastel hair trends, anyone?) or break out of your rut and wear bright, cheerful colors.If a trend suits my personal style, I love to adopt and adapt. But as I flip through the pages of my beloved March issues, I really have to ask myself: Do I like this trend because I'm being bombarded with it or do I like it because it suits me?

     Stay tuned for my next edition of "Trends and Personal Style": Trends and the Style Blogger

You Want Love, But You Fear It

Sweater,vintage. Shirt, Walmart. Skirt, Silence & Noise via UO. Necklace, Armani Exchange. Shoes, Vintage.

     My good friend told me today that I looked "so much like Valentine's Day, but without overdoing it like BLAGH." True eloquence. As far as the holiday goes, my boyfriend and I don't do anything terribly special. We had our dinner date over the weekend, but other than that it was a pretty low key occasion.
     Although I have decided after wearing it only a few times, this skirt isn't necessarily a purchase I would make again. I find it beautiful still, but less so for the wear and tear that has occurred over time. However, the vintage sweater pictured is one of my favorite pieces of all time. I found it at the local Goodwill then shrunk it from its mammoth proportions with a wash. And the tee shirt: pretty basic addition to my wardrobe, but it is the exact color of my favorite ice cream (Daquiri Ice from Baskin Robins).
     Despite all the proclamations that color blocking with jewel tones is huge for Spring, I am really feeling compelled to pastels. I've seen a lot of head to toe pale shades from the shows (whether it is white or otherwise). I'm much more of a pastel partaker than a color blocker.
     I hope you all had a fantastic day, whether it was festive or not!

So Go Press Your Skirt, Word is There's a New Girl in Town

 

 

 Skirt, 1950s vintage. Lace cami, Intimately Free People. Jacket, Hurley. Necklace, AE. Bag, Mulberry for Target. Shoes, F21.

     Although my boyfriend and I aren't exactly a "crazy, romantic" couple, we did partake in a little bit of Valentine's festivities by going to dinner and frozen yogurt tonight. Considering that the temperature here is increasingly steadily, I chose to bear a little leg in order to appreciate the warmth. This is one of my all time favorite skirts and one of the only reason I'll be sad to see the colder months go (after all it is one hundred percent wool!). For this outfit, I had a particular editorial from Teen Vogue in mind, called "Wild at Heart", two of my favorite shots are pictured below.

     Although my interpretation isn't exactly the same, I love the idea of mixing 1950's nostalgia wear with something more "punk".

The Little Things:002

The Little Things: 002

• Abandoned buildings: Living in a fairly agricultural state, I often see a lot of abandoned farms and other types of buildings. Oddly enough, this building used to be a restaurant and is now on a main highway. It's weird how these things tend to slip through the cracks, but I truly admire the beauty in things falling apart.
• Fat stack of magazines: I have magazines from the January to the March issue just waiting to be dissected. I always do an initial run though with magazines and then come back later to rip/cut out every single thing I find inspiring.
• The Triple Bind: This book essentially sums up what it is like to be a girl nowadays, with a nice shout out to blogging and the internet. It actually shows the true nature of societies pressures on girls and divides it into (you guessed it) three contradictory expectations that are usually had for girls today.
• Seeing my work on display: There is something wildly gratifying about seeing something I put so much hard work in hanging on the walls for an art show. 

What little things are you loving this week?

A Very Holga Spring Break

     Holga photography is nothing new for experimental photographers and film enthusiasts. The often called "dreamy" effects lead to many,. many rolls of color film being used. Whether you prefer 35 or 120mm film, I suggest using a little extra money to get whichever Holga model you prefer. Of course, there are more options for Lomography enthusiasts, but as of publishing this post, I am loyal to my two Holga models.
     I took these pictures on last year's spring break. I was visiting College of Charleston and spent a few days in the city. It really is a great vacation destination, as I tend to prefer cities that are close to the beach but not necessarily on the beach. My favorite shot is the triple (quadruple?) exposure on the very bottom.

A Love Affair with Shoes

 

Starting with the navy wedges with red bow:

1. Daisy Wedge Platform, $168

2. Bed of Roses Platform, $128

3. Rose Cloud Lace-up Boot, $138

4. Daydream Saddle Shoe, $109

5. Worn-in Original Docs, $268

6. Lace Oxfords, $138

7. Toni Suede Espadrille, $82

(All from freepeople.com).

     Lately I have been a bit more preoccupied with shoes than I probably should be. I don't often fantasize about owning a stellar, expensive wardrobe, but the foot hugging beauties featured here have all been on my mind quite a bit lately. Shoes have got to be one of my favorite things to shop for, but as a petite person with even smaller feet, finding size six shoes that are narrow enough for my tiny tootsies is a "feet" in itself ;).

     As another interesting note, when I was saving this gif on Photoshop, a color palette popped up that I quite liked. Maybe I will incorporate more colors like this into my spring outfits.