Bright Sunshiney Day

It boggles my mind how the weather can have such a profound effect on my mood. Winter I find myself listening to very melancholy music and wearing next to no color. Come summer, I love to wear bright colors and listen to upbeat music and am generally much more cheery.

Today was an in-between day. It was still definitely winter, as the air was chilly, but the rain from the other day washed away all the snow and the sun came out to warm me up. I usually wear this skirt in the warmer temps, but today I felt like throwing a little spring into the mix and paired it with this cardigan I thrifted awhile back.

I wanted to thank everybody for your feedback on my etsy store. I'm going to try and get it set up once Ethan and I have gotten ourselves settled in an apartment. Ethan is going to look at a place tommorrow ( I can't go because I'm working) so hopefully it is adequate for the both of us!
Wicked psyched!

Sweater: Thrifted, Skirt & Belt: Forever21 Tights: Target, Boots: Journeys

Springing a leak

The weather has gone completely berserk! It is fifty degrees outside, pouring rain, with the wind howling, even knocking out the power for a short amount of time. Its nuts! I'm confined inside and feel rather uninspired. I'm using the boyfriend's parent's guest room for my shoot today. Don't mind my sour expression, crummy weather tends to make me glum.

I thrifted these khakis a few days ago when I went home to NH shortly to gather some more of my belongings. I've definitely been on a high-waisted pant binge. Don't expect the madness to end, these pants are so comfy and I feel as if I could eat and eat and eat and it would barely be noticeable. My other thrifts included a springtime floral dress and a Chambray denim jumper, identical to the dress Rhiannon wished she could find in thrift stores!
So in regards to my future Etsy shop, does anybody have any advice on how to actually start one up?

Berlin Fashion Week

This youtube video of Lena Hoschek's 2010 Autumn/Winter collection debuted at the Berlin Fashion week, and boy, am I in love or what?!? Its so perfectly vintage inspired and lovely! You must watch!!

Cashmere, Feather, & Fur

Thank you everybody for your words of encouragement. Its been rough living in a place where I don't have many friends, so this blogging community has really been a nice place to seek some sort of human interaction. Everybody is so sweet here!

With everybody's advice and kind words, I have concluded that in my spare time, I am going to start up my own vintage etsy shop! I haven't been this excited in a while, so stay tuned while I get it all sorted out!
In the meantime, I ran outside to take some photos of the vintage cashmere coat that I thrifted. It is the softest and most luxurious coat that has ever touched my skin. I bought it with the intention of selling it, but we'll see how that goes!

Hang in there everybody, its almost the weekend!

Above: Forever21 headband

All by myself

Lately, I've been just so anxious for things in my life to get started. I graduated in May, not having a clue what I was going to do with my degree. I'm not sure I even want to do anything with my degree in Spanish at all. I started staying with Ethan's family so I could find a job in Massachusetts and we could get our own apartment. I have been on countless job interviews and finally got a seasonal job working as a receptionist for a tax firm. I get all the crappy shifts too. Nights and weekends, 7 days a week. Its pretty miserable out there in Jobland and since there was delay with Ethan's employment, we still have no apartment. Boo.

Thank goodness Ethan started his new job today, but now I'm left here alone with a stupid head cold and to add insult to injury, its freaking snowing outside again. Idiot me decided it would be a fantastic idea to run outside with no jacket on. I really just wanted to share the sweater that I found at a thrift store. It reminds me of a pattern on a rug. I also found some other fantastic goodies including a vintage cashmere and fur coat, some cute slingback heels, navy high waisted trouser pants, and an adorable tarnished silver trivet. I'm thinking of opening up my own Etsy store. I've got loads of free time on my hands. Thoughts, should I do it?

Sweater: thrifted T-shirt: H&M Belt:thrifted Jeans: American Eagle Duck Boots: thrifted

Mucha Respect

Alphonse Mucha was an artist, said to have been the driving force behind the Art Nouveau Movement. I came across some of his paintings which are absolutely gorgeous. His color palate really is inspiring me for the oh-so-out of reach springtime outfits. Sigh.

photos courtesy of http://www.abcgallery.com/M/mucha/mucha.html

Tonight you belong to me

I just watched The Jerk tonight with Ethan. We watched this movie on our first date almost a year ago :) I love this duet between Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters. If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it! It is wicked hilarious and Bernadette Peters wears the cutest outfits in it. I was hard pressed to find some stills of her outfits from The Jerk on the internet... just go watch the movie and take my word for it.

And once you see the movie you'll be aching to buy an adorable thermos like these cuties sold on etsy by littleneedydog

"I'm picking out a thermos for youuuuuuuu" Seriously,I could quote this movie forever.

She works hard for the money

So it took me long enough, but I finally got a pic up of my newest obsession! These high-waisted gray flannel pants fell into my lucky hands at a Salvation Army a few weeks back and I have been wearing them every chance I get. I work as a secretary for a tax office and find them perfect for work. Last week, I blogged about menswear inspired clothing and that was my inspiration for this outfit. My oxfords are from Aldo and have become a staple in my outfits. Now I just want a brown pair of oxfords. I've been scouring vintage and thrift shops for a bargain, but have been unlucky so far. I may just have to give in a buy a pair new or used on Etsy for a higher price than I would like.

In other news, Ethan got a job! This means we can finally get our own place. I am so excited to finally live on my own and gosh, to decorate it! We inherited a bunch of lovely furniture from his grandmother including a fantabulous antique pink velvet slipper chair! So excited!

Faux fur stole: thrifted, Cream Blouse: Wal-Mart, Pants: thrifted, Shoes: Aldo

You couldn't see my necklace really in any of my photos and can barely see it here, but I was wearing my favorite necklace of late which is a pocket watch affixed to a long chain from American Eagle. I love it so.

I also want to take the time to apologize for the poor quality of these photos as I have the cheapest camera around. I have to photoshop them to the best of my ability. Hence why I am not a graphic designer nor photographer.

Happy Friday everyone!

Tall as Trees

I've been living at my boyfriend's parent's house in Massachusetts until Ethan and I can get our feet on the ground and get our own place. Now for most, living with the parents sounds horrible, but Ethan's house overlooks a gorgeous pond (which is large enough to be considered a lake in my opinion) and hey can you complain with rent-free? I finally got my lazy tush out into the snow to take some outfit pics. My dress was like $15 from Forever 21 awhile back and has been so versatile and comfy. I'm also been loving these tights from NY & Co. Love me some polka dots!

Dress: Forever21, Cardigan: H&M, Tights: NY&Co., T-strap heels: Ciao Bella (found at Marshalls), Cameo Necklace: American Eagle

And here are some shots from this weekend, when Ethan and I went for a walk on the pond at sunset.

ice hunks.

Shadow us.

excuses, excuses, excuses

I had hoped to have an outfit post up by now, but work and errands have over taken my life. Maybe I'll have it for you by the end of the week, fingers crossed. In the meantime, I just want to share some music that I have been listening to lately. These two great Swedish sisters formed a band called First Aid Kit. They're only 15 and 17! Such great melodies and lyrics. These girls are way beyond their years. If only I could have been so cool at their age. Enjoy!

Accessorize like Anne

One of my all-time favorite books is Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I grew up reading the series and fell in love with the made for TV movies as well. Anne embodies everything in a woman which I admire. She is independent, headstrong, yet utterly romantic and spontaneous. I also adore her Victorian Country garb. I wish I could get away with her beautiful period costumes in my everyday life, but seeing as fashion trends are not leaning that way, I may just want to stick with some touches of Victorian here and there.

I've been eyeing some vintage straw boaters and have concluded that I need to possess one by springtime. This picture also makes me want to ride my bicycle.

images courtesy of Sullivan Entertainment

Cameo brooches and granny boots add the perfect amounts of Victorian flair.

images found via google search

Anne's carpet bag is perfect for toting around romance novels.

image courtesy of Sullivan Entertainment

Anne Shirley: Another girly-girl who isn't afraid to get dirty.

"It's not what the world holds for you, it's what you bring to it."

- Lucy Maud Montgomery

Kitschy to the Max

Alas, it was utterly frigid outside, so I was confined indoors for my self-indulgent photo shoot. I was feeling a tad quirky today when I threw together this ensemble, which is probably a result of my cabin fever. I really like how it turned out though. I'm loving these polka dot shorts from forever 21. They even have an adorable zipper up the backside!

Cardigan, shorts: Forever 21
Breakfast at Tiffany's Tee: Delia's
Tights: Stolen from Mom's sock drawer
Bow Hair Clip: Claire's

shoes: aldo

TGIF.

My Rip Roarin' Twenties

With winter in full swing, I can't find more cozy and practical fabrics than those used in menswear, which is why I believe I am so drawn to the warmth of wool, flannel,tweeds, and leathers these days. It doesn't help when you have beautiful movie stars like Diane Keaton and Katharine Hepburn looking gorgeous and independent in their masculine, yet super chic and feminine get-ups, tempting you to want to look just like them.

I just bought some flannel gray high-waisted trouser pants, which I am currently obsessed with. I'll have to share soon!

And yes, I'm already excited for spring! The pic above is from Ralph Lauren's Spring Rugby Line a few years back, but the timelessness of these girls outfits will work for every year to come. I want the pocketwatch and those spectators like woah. Must be that I'm on a F. Scott Fitzgerald binge, I re-read The Great Gatsby a few months back and now am reading This Side of Paradise. Ahh to be living in the rip-roaring twenties. Oh wait, I am in my rip roaring twenties ;)

photos courtesy of google image search

"I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."

oh why hello twenty ten.

Its been about a week since we all rang in the new year. Ethan and I were in Cambridge, Ma hanging out with some friends when the clock struck twelve. It was pretty low key, which is what I prefer. I'm excited to have a new year to look forward to and to forget the miserable year formerly known as of 2009. I'm going to spend most of my time looking for a full-time job working 9-5 somewhere, trying to figure it all out (which I've become convinced is impossible). In the meantime, I've set some resolutions for myself which I thought I could share here:

2010 Resolutions

1. SAVE MONEY!!
I work hard, yet when it comes to my pay check, it is near impossible for me to put it away and not touch it. I want to break this habit.

2. Maintain this blog
Hopefully posting either everyday or every other day. Feel free to scold me if I go back on this one...

3.Keep up with my journal
At one point I filled it within 5 months. I've had my new one since April and have only filled 15 pages. Oops.

4. Have a more positive outlook on life.
Yes, I am indeed a Negative Nancy and that needs to stop. There is enough negativity in this world to begin with.

5. Practice Yoga more
OOOHHMMM

6.Start writing a novel
I have been wrestling with a couple ideas for awhile now and would love to get those thoughts out of my mind and down on some paper.

7. Be more confident and stand up for myself once in awhile.

So there is that. We'll see how those work out.

I've been frequenting Etsy a lot lately and found some great indie artists, one being Paola Zakimi from Argentina. Her work is done in watercolor and is just super romantic and ethereal. Here are a few of my favorites: