Penny for Your Thoughts

Printed men's button-down, J. Crew Factory (sold out online, but 50% off everything sale going on now!). Destroyed skinny jeans, American Eagle. Red square framed glasses, c/o Firmoo. Vintage Dooney & Bourke purse. Burgundy Wayfarer loafers, G.H. Bass. 

     Rebellion doesn't suit me. If my shorts are too short, I feel uncomfortable. A bad attitude scrunches up my face into something unrecognizable. Smoking a cigarette seems as foreign to me as a sudden interest in unicycling. To be honest, I even have a hard time entering a building through a door marked "exit".

     But that doesn't stop me from idolizing the rebels of old or questioning the status quo in my own way. Wearing penny loafers instantly reminds me of James Dean, a personal style icon of mine. I love that such a classic piece of footwear can be turned subversive just as easily as it can be worn with a school girl skirt. That being said, though, even the girls who wore their scrunched up white socks and loafers with their full skirts have a certain aplomb about them. 

     To seem like such a staple in the iconic American style, Weejuns actually were inspired by a shoe in Norway. Only then did the G.H. Bass shoe company introduce the style in the 1936. Perhaps I find the shoe so remarkable because it coincides with a very inspiring era in fashion, but regardless, the classic loafer has stood the test of time.

     So with both the classic and the disorderly in mind, I came up with this combination. I never again thought I'd be yearning for a pair of destroyed jeans after about seventh grade. Practicality and perhaps good taste aside, this pair from American Eagle was the perfect solution. The rebel within me enjoys traipsing about in hole-covered jeans...but that doesn't stop me from wanting to cover up the holes on my upper thigh. 

The Summer Jacket

Black denim motorcycle jacket and white tank top, American Eagle. BDG Twig High-Rise Jeans in black, Urban Outfitters. Red mini wedges, Prabal Gurung for Target. Wrap watch, La Mer. 

     Summer seems to be all about simple and liberating styles and clothing, but when the air conditioning gets cranked up or the sun goes down, I always find myself reaching for a jacket. This denim motorcycle jacket is the perfect layer over my outfits to give them a bit more edge, something I'll admit I've been longing for lately. I'm looking forward to trying to find a similar style for winter in leather or faux leather as a substitute for a more traditional winter coat. 

     You know those items that you slip into and you just feel like yourself? I don't ride motorcycles (although owning a vintage bike is creeping further and further up on my list of wants), but I love the air that this jacket gives off. The shape is a classic in its own right and I can see myself wearing this style for years to come.

Festival Season

Ceramics It Up Dress, Modcloth (no longer available). Shrunken denim vest, American Eagle (similar here). The Essex Messenger in bittersweet, Madewell. Secondhand Ecote boots. Light as a Feather necklace, c/o Katie Dean Jewelry. Cardinal necklace, handmade locally. Floral crown, DIY. 

     The closest thing to a music festival that I've ever been to is Vollapolooza, a concert put on by UT Knoxville annually for their students. The acts used to be pretty great: it is, after all, where I got a chance to rock out to Flogging Molly for only ten dollars. However, nowadays, I never seem to have the time or willingness to find a good festival to go to. I've got several in mind for over the summer, but until then I will simply pretend and dress as if I am going to hang out and listen to music for a week.

     I wanted to mix in a bit of country charm with my festival themed outfit. I thought that the denim vest and the bird themed necklaces were a perfect touch. While the dress is certainly a stand out beauty on its own (and made in the USA!) as it is reminiscent of blue and white ceramic dishes, I enjoyed creating a layered look around it. Boots and a good satchel are a must for me when I'm on my feet or walking around, so that combination is also perfectly suited for a day of concerts. Typically, professional cameras aren't allowed, but I've found it is fun to bring along my 35mm camera, which I'm posing with in these pictures. I actually snapped a few film shots from this day which you can see here.

     I might be stuck on campus at the moment, but that doesn't prevent me from taking fashion cues from the festivals that are launching soon.

Modern Romanticism

I was skeptical that the vine would hold me...

...but, as you can see, it did!

Striped super soft long sleeved tee, Gap (similar). Denim vest and sweater tights, American Eagle. Wool printed skirt, leather belt, and leather gloves, all vintage. Boots, DV Dolce Vita (similar). Green camping backpack, J. Crew. 

     While I've always felt a certain connection to the natural world, going to college surrounded by one hundred fifty acres of woods has really brought out the Romantic in me. I don't mean roses and hearts kind of romance, but rather the ideals that poets like William Wordsworth wrote about. Wordsworth reflects on the fact that the world seems to be in too much of a hurry to go out and appreciate nature. He might have been writing in the 19th century, those themes are still all too common today. 

     My love for walking in the woods or in the expansive open fields in this area has definitely been influencing my style. I've been tending towards a lot of natural colors in my wardrobe lately as well as picking out items that look stylish but also suited for a hike. My backpack, something I purchased with a gift card I received for Christmas, is both waterproof and beautiful. I've been wanting less prissy, dainty clothing, although I still have a soft spot for prim and delicate items as well. 

     These particular pictures were taken on a brutally cold day. However, when I get stir crazy and out of sorts, a picture taking session in the woods is just what I need. Not only did I feel serenity after literally hanging from a vine (a spot I would love to revisit in an ethereal dress), but I also spotted this little fella on the way back to the car.