20/20 Surgery

Red knit sweater(similar), cotton utility jacket (similar), Target. Patterned button up, Tommy Hilfiger. Dark wash skinny jeans,necklace American Eagle. Heeled lace up boots, Modcloth (similar). Vintage Dooney & Bourke purse. Red square framed glasses, c/o Firmoo. 

     I'm going to be honest here. I do not wear prescription glasses. In fact, although I'm sure it is on the decline from years of reading by lamplight and endless hours in front of the computer for design classes, my vision doesn't even require me to wear reading glasses. But I've yearned for glasses for as long as I can remember. Embarrassingly enough, I even wore vanity glasses in fourth grade, making my teachers believe I was vision impaired without my parents realizing it. 

     However, I am not ashamed to wear these lovely frames provided to my by Firmoo. They are the perfect accessory for several of my outfits. Sometimes, I'll put an ensemble together and something just seems off. Enter my burgundy frames. I chose the burgundy shade instead of tortoise shell for something unique. I love how the red sets off the blue in my eyes and contrasts with my skin tone. The quality of the glasses is wonderful; especially because you can get your first pair of glasses from Firmoo free- all you have to pay is the shipping cost. 

     While I hope to keep my vision in the shape it is in for quite some time, I still adore wearing these glasses. If I feel more pulled together, then there's nothing stopping me (even the stereotype of "hipster glasses"). 

In the Details

Blue coat, Jack by BB Dakota (no longer available; read this to find out why!). Yellow floral blouse and mustard tights, Target. Black circle skirt, Vince Camuto. Black rain boots, Steve Madden. Vintage leather Dooney & Bourke purse. Knitted infinite scarf, handmade by my friend Sarah. 

     On bitterly cold days like this one a few Fridays ago, the pleasure is in the details. It's true that I wasn't awoken by the blinding brightness of snow outside of my window (quite the rarity here). Instead, I peacefully slept in because class had been cancelled the night before. While there wasn't a snow flake in sight, the threat of something much more dangerous loomed: an ice storm. And an ice storm is exactly what we got. Almost every surface,from tree branches to car windows, was frozen. It was a "shut in" kind of day, but I still wanted to venture outside and take a peek around.

     Similarly, little details can completely throw me off. For example, I make it a habit to remove hair ties (ponytail holders, etc. They are known by many names.) from my wrist before any photo shoot. In fact, whenever someone else is modeling for me, removing the elastic is the first thing I tell them to do. I hardly ever wear them around  my wrist because the red marks they leave just make me feel as though circulation is not what it should be. But, wouldn't you know it, for these photos, I accidentally left one there.

     It seems completely insignificant, I know. It's a hair tie. I feel as though all girls have worn them on their wrists at some point and choosing not to does not somehow elevate me. But it's funny to see what people get caught up in. Despite how beautiful everything was while encased in ice, all I can see is a brown piece of elastic. And I'm working on changing that. 

Lace and Layers

Utility coat, Target (last year's style). Lace shirt, Gianni Bini. Black and white lace skirt, Altar'd State (similar). White tights, Target. Manor Maryjane flats in beige, Marias USA. Pashmina scarf, World Market. Woven leather belt, thrifted.

     While bitterly cold days are often hard to manage when it comes to photographing outfits, I can usually still find some beauty in them. My hands ache so that only the car heater on full blast can thaw them out. My nose will sometimes get red and start dripping relentlessly. But I'm capturing the spirit of the season. I'll never be a shut in, even during the coldest months, because that would compromise my sense of adventure. Without the cold weather, I wouldn't be able to capture the moments below and then enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate in a hand decorated mug. I may have to remind myself of how much I love these little things next time I'm hating all the tights I own and just wanting to show some leg. But I think I can stay positive if it means more great memories to come.