What I Wore Wednesday

   This one is a hold-over from my summer interning days!  Those days may be behind me, but I couldn't resist sharing this outfit - shirt-dresses, as I've written before, are great work clothes.  Here's what I wore on my last day of interning:

Dress/belt: Theory

Flats: Tory Burch

Rules Weren't Always Made to be Broken

    For my trip back to school, I picked up the August issue of "In Style" magazine.  The issue featured an article about "10 Style Rules to Break NOW!", and I have to disagree with the editors.  Perhaps edgy dressing like that may fly in the fashion world, but real women (especially preppy ones like me) should not dress like this.  Here are some of In Style's suggestions that I take issue with:

1. "Match your shoes to your bag - and to your clothing."  Coordination is one thing, but total matching?  It would leave you looking like the little girls in my sisters "Colorful Crayons" dance number when she was 5.  Head-to-toe in one pattern is not ok.
2. "Wear summer fabrics in autumn."  I don't have so much of a problem with this one.  However, I would add one condition: follow the weather.  If it's warm, wear light fabrics!  If it's cold, wear heavier ones.
3. "Go big, really big" - specifically, big blazers.  Big t-shirts may be a southern sorority girl staple, but big blazers look goofy, not professional.  Whether you'd wear it to class or a job, you would just look like you don't know how to find clothes that fit.
4. "Try lots of barrettes at once."  The look which inspired the In Style editors was inspired by the movie "Tron" (see top of the list).  Less is more.  That is all.
5. "Use a single color around your eye."  I suppose if you're going to wear eyeshadow, this is the way to do it.  But I would only wear it for special occasions, and then stick with a neutral color, not the magazine's green.
6. "Shop the boys' department."  Menswear styles may be big for women, but there is a reason that they are all made-over for us: fit.  Unless you are built like a boy, stay out of the boys' department!
7. "Embrace culottes."  There is a reason these "split skirts" died.  No, they are not sexy.
8. "Mix black and brown."  These two shades are so similar that matching them is very difficult!  I would stay away from it - better safe than sorry.
9. "Grow your nails long."  Yes, but do so at your own peril.  Mine break too easily to get very long.
10. "Shine during the day."  Yes, but in moderation!  Remember - less is more.

What do you think?  Am I too harsh?  Would you break any of those style rules?

Storm Survival Gear: Shoes

   Well, Virginia, the worst is over.  Hurricane Irene has passed, and it's time to clean up.  And although my home state is still experiencing a record-breaking drought, some places do actually get lots of rain - and I go to school in one of them.  My college, as beautiful as it is, is built on a swamp, and huge puddles accumulate all over campus when it rains.  An alumna warned me about this before my freshman year, and told me to get rain boots.  I ignored her, but guess what was on my Christmas list a few months later?  Knee-high Hunter rain boots.

$115 - $175 at Zappos.com

    As wonderful as my Hunter boots are, sometimes you just don't feel like wearing stiff, knee-high, rubber boots all day, especially if you're going to be sitting in class for hours.  And after three years in an extremely wet climate, I've found some fabulous alternatives to full-sized rain boots!  Some are stylish, some are practical, and all are 100% waterproof.

$69 at L.L. Bean.com.  Made in America!

Not so cute, but great if you have to trudge through deep puddles or snow.  $89 at L.L. Bean.com.

Skimmers!  For when it's not actually raining cats and dogs.    $69 at L.L. Bean.com, some colors on sale!

Boots by Hunter, $150 at Zappos.com.  Not so cute, but it will definitely keep you dry!

To me, yellow is the quintessential rain boot color!  By Hunter, $95 at Zappos.com.

My most stylish pick!  Again, shoes by Hunter, $95 at Zappos.com.

Swamp Fires, Earthquakes, and Hurricanes, OH MY!

    Yesterday, a hurricane watch was issued for the Hampton Roads area (southeastern Virginia).  Monday, there was a 5.9 magnitude earthquake between Richmond, VA and Charlottesville, VA.  About three weeks ago, a fire in the Great Dismal Swamp (south of Norfolk, VA) started sending huge amounts of smoke all over the area.  College students' response: FREAK OUT!!!

    Yes, natural disasters are a certain kind of exciting (especially when the earthquake doesn't really do much damage, at least not nearby).  Yes, two days of cancelled class are exciting (or, if you're Old Dominion University, not even starting class)!   Yes, it's fun to take an impromptu road trip with your out-of-state friends because your dorm is being evacuated, just in case... even if that road trip is to your parents' house.  Yes, we have all gotten slightly carried away.

    Since I am about to survive my third natural disaster of the month, I think I am qualified to write a little bit about surviving Mother Nature's temper tantrums.  I am no expert on fires, earthquakes, or hurricanes per se, just pretty good at keeping a level head.

     

DO...                                                                              DO NOT...

Buy a few gallons of water to prepare for the storm.                

Buy all the water in Walmart.

Get your valuables and electronics off the floor (ground level).  

Turn your house upside-down.

Bring whatever you can inside.                                      

Board your windows if you're not on the coast.

Stay away from things that could fall in case of an earthquake.

Assume you're drunk.

Eat as much of your perishable food as possible.                  

Worry about throwing a couple things out.

Keep your wits about you, be smart.

PANIC!!!

Back To Blogging! // What I Wore Wednesday

   Hi there!  Now that I am all moved back to school, unpacked, settled in, and starting to get into a normal schedule, I am back to blogging!  Today's post is just a quick one, but it will definitely be less than a week before my next post!

How I feel today!

   Today is my (last) first day of school!  While it is still warm and humid in Virginia (although not 100+ degrees, thank goodness!), it is nice and cool in the classrooms, so I decided to wear a first-day-of-school outfit that balances both of those environments.  Here's what I came up with:

Oops... I kinda blend into the wall!

Shirt: Anthropolgie

Jeans: Paige

Shoes (not pictured): J. Crew

Camisole (under the shirt): my roommate!

   I chose this outfit because the loose, 3/4 sleeve shirt keeps you cool outside, while also keeping you warm(ish) in chilly classrooms.  I rolled the jeans once at the hem, so that they'd be a little cooler than if I'd worn them full-length.
   What did/will you wear for your first day of school?

How to Write Thank-You Notes

    Today is the last day of my internship!  As a gesture of thanks, I will be writing thank-you notes to all of the women who helped me out in a unique way.  Since I've written thank-you notes for every occasion since I could hold a pen, I think I'm experienced enough to give a little advice!  Thank-you notes are always good manners, so when in doubt, write!  If you need to write thank-you notes but just aren't feeling too inspired, I'm here to help.
    First, the card: it helps if it's cute.  At least you like what you're looking at, then!  Additionally, make sure it's not too large - if you have thank-you-note-writer's block, you don't want to have a huge empty space to fill.  Instead, choose something no larger than 4" X 6", or with a border.
    Next, the content: Start with "Dear....".  It is always appropriate for a thank-you note.  If you're worried about it sounding too intimate, think about this: if you're writing a thank-you note to them, then they've probably given you a gift, advice or help, or they may have hosted something that involves you, so they already care about you!
   After the greeting, I always start my thank-you notes with thanks: "Thank you so much for....".  Next, write a sentence or two about how their gift/advice/help/hosting was helpful/enlightening/kind/useful, etc.  If they gave you a gift or advice, thank about how you plan to use their gift to help yourself out later.  Finally, end with another sentence of thanks: "Again, thank you so much for...." or "Thank you very much for remembering me".
   I hope this is helpful next time you write a thank-you note!

What I Wore Wednesday

Today's outfit:

Cardigan: J. Crew 

Dress: J. Crew (discontinued)

Belt: J. Crew (discontinued

Ballet flats: GAP (discontinued)

Pretty much all of these clothes are officially out of style now.  Sad day.

"The less your eyes move, the less you move": a balancing act

Click the photo for the source

   This summer, I decided to switch up my exercising habits and try yoga.  I did it for the physical benefits, not for any mental or emotional reason.  Nonetheless, yoga instructors tend to make points that resonate with me, even without meaning to.

   Yesterday, during a yoga class, we were doing some balancing poses.  The instructor told us to watch one, specific spot on the floor.  The less your eyes move, she told us, the less you will move.  I realized that this applies to a lot more than just yoga.  If you fix your eyes on one goal and don't lose your focus, your pursuit of that goal will be a lot straighter and less side-tracked.  Accomplishing that goal may have many components - my goal of living my senior year to the fullest is one that I'll focus on for academics, social life, and the job/grad school search - but if I stay focused on it, I'll be a lot more likely to succeed!  So whatever goals you have before you, don't loose focus!  The less your eyes move, the less you will move!

Saturday Craft Day

   I'm so close to getting back to college, I can almost taste it!  With school comes apartment life, and I am really excited to make it a little more home-y and a little less beige this year.  I also have a tradition of getting matching gifts for my roommate and myself.  This year, since my roommate and I are both 21, I decided to personalize wine glasses for us with a technique I found online: glass etching.  I finally got around to it yesterday.
   Glass etching is very easy.  You buy etching paste from any craft store (below)

Note: those are not my initials!

and use a brush to spread it onto your glass item.  In order to etch a pattern, and not just a bunch of brush strokes, use a vinyl stencil to make sure the etching paste stays only where you want it.  

I used vinyl for covering books (found at Office Depot), and traced my stencil from a print-out, and then cut it out with an X-acto knife.

Let the paste sit for about 5 minutes, and then rinse it off in the sink.  Peel off your stencil, and ta-da!  Beautiful etched glass!

Weekend Gratitude

   I've decided to join the club and start writing a Weekly Gratitude!  I first saw Weekly Gratitude posts on the blog Let's Be Preppy!, and I was able to trace it back to it's originator: Tatiana Mikhailovna, author of Love, Life, Lace.  I think it's a great idea!  It's way too easy to get caught up on everything that's frustrating, dull, boring, aggravating... and all too often, we don't take time to count our blessings.  So here's my first Weekly Gratitude post!

1.   I'm thankful for my God, for always being there when I look for Him.
2.   I'm thankful for time with my dad while my sister moves out to school with my mom - it's always fun to have someone around that is as nerdy as you are, and eats everything you cook!
3.   I'm thankful for a great visit from the boyfriend, and for the fact that I'll get to see him again in two weeks or less!
4.   I'm thankful for sorority rush, for giving me fun things to think about and lots to brainstorm about!  I'm also thankful that I get to be an officer with some truly impressive young women.
5.   I'm thankful for my summer jobs, both the one that pays me and the one that I enjoy.
6.   I'm thankful for my landlord, who was kind enough to measure my windows while I'm away so that I can make curtains.
7.   I'm thankful for FoodGawker, where I found a hummus recipe that I can't wait to try!
8.   I'm thankful for my legs, which can still run 6 miles at a time after my yoga summer!
9.   I'm thankful for Keith Urban's "Long Hot Summer", which has been stuck in my head all day (good thing I like it so much!).

10.   I'm thankful to time for passing, because now it's the weekend!

Dress Hunting

    One great thing about being in a sorority is all the functions that you have to go to!  Formals and date parties are great excuses to dress up and have a blast, and cocktail dresses are a must.  I have finally worked my way through all of my cocktail dresses from high school (as well as a couple that I picked up along the way), and now, at the beginning of my senior year and fourth year in my sorority, I get to go shopping for a formal dress!  Our formal will be in October, and I want to wear a dress with a little color, since I've done a lot of black (although that's not a deal-breaker).  Here are a few of my choices - what should I pick?

Lilly Pulitzer: Evie Dress, $188

Lilly Pulitzer: Julianna Dress, $198

Lilly Pulitzer: Blossom Dress, $228

Max & Cleo: Rosette Trim Dress, $148

Calvin Klein: Paillette Stretch Satin Sheath Dress, $158

Pisarro Nights: Drape Back Sequin Dress, $198

What do you think?  Comment and let me know!

Back to School To-Do List

   I love, and I mean love lists.  I make them all the time, and I really don't think I would get much done without them.  And since I leave for my last year of college in a mere week-and-a-half, I think it's time to break out my back-to-school list!  Some of it is shopping, some of it is errands to run before I leave town, some of it is random.  Here goes:

1.   Get my new favorite jacket altered.  It may be 110+ in Austin now, but I will be wearing this jacket all fall and winter in Virginia!  This is the jacket:

    It is made by Burberry, but they discontinued it last year.  I was lucky enough to find one on eBay, but it's one size too big.  Ace Custom Tailors to the rescue!

2.   Get a haircut - after a terrible haircut in Williamsburg (it was crooked!), I only trust one woman with my hair.  Delma Mays of Atelier Herve salon in Austin has been cutting (and occasionally highlighting) my hair for over 10 years, and is fabulous.

3.   Buy new rubber mats for my car floor.  Not glamorous, but necessary.  Buy shimmery, neutral-colored eyeshadow.  A little more glamorous, and necessary.

4.   Find some fun, new fall clothes, in particular, a fun, casual shirt(s).  

             

Great choices!  Click photos for sources.

5.   Eat pizza at Uno's and Tex-Mex at Pappasito's.

6.   Find a Pat Green shirt - his concert on Saturday was amazing, despite the heat!

7.   Get together with high school friends one, last time.

8.   Find some cute, yet work-appropriate black heels, and a great dress for my sorority formal!

9.   Get some new running shoes, and finally...

10.  Pack up the car, say goodbye and get back to Virginia!

"What I Wore" Wednesday!

    Here is what I wore today.  I chose the shirt because it is so, so comfortable, and the capri's are, too - nice and stretchy!

Shirt: Ralph Lauren.  Pants: J. Crew.  Coffee cup: my sister!

Necklace: Dogeared.  Watch: Fossil (discontinued).  Silver bangle: Master Craftsman.  Beaded bracelet: homemade!

   What's all that on my wrist, you ask?  I've heard it called it a "stack" and an "arm party", but it all comes to the same thing - a few (relatively) delicate accessories on your wrist, and the idea is that the result is more than the sum of its parts.  I'm fairly new to the "arm party" game, but I think I did alright for a newcomer!

Quick, Quick Post

  Hi there!  I've been slacking off on my blog for a few days, but only because I have company and I'm sharing my local knowledge in real life!  At any rate, I just had to interrupt my hiatus in order to share a gem with you all - libravox.org.

   Libravox takes its name from Latin: "liber", meaning book, and "vox", meaning voice.  Libravox records out-of-copyright literature as audiobooks, and distributes it via iTunes as a podcast.  Last spring, when I took a class on Jane Austen, I used Libravox to download several of her books.  I was able to multitask so well!  I listened at the gym, in the car, while I was cooking... all of the time!  And of course now that it's summer, I downloaded my all-time favorite book:

I think we're all a little nerdy deep down inside.

   The Libravox website pairs users with audiobooks, but I prefer to search on iTunes instead.  So for those who don't like to sit down with a book (not me) or the very busy (definitely me), enjoy!  Exercise your ability to be a bookworm without turning a page!

James Avery Jewelry

  I think James Avery is a Texas thing - I can always spot the Texas girls at school by their James Avery jewelry.  James Avery makes classic, modest, timeless pieces, and they offer fantastic customer service.  If anything breaks or bends way out of shape, they'll replace it for you, no matter how old your jewelry is!  I wear my ring (above) every day, and I think all of their pieces are just as versatile.  They'd make a perfect gift for a mother, sister, or girlfriend.  Here are some of my favorites.  Click the photos for more information.

My grandmother got me that charm for graduation, after I decided to become the first in my family to leave Texas for school.  Not real subtle, Grandmother, but I do love the charm!

This is only cute in Austin, home of a ridiculously huge colony of fruit bats and a minor league hockey team: the Austin "Ice Bats".

 I love how James Avery makes summer camp jewelry!  They even make one or two charms for my beloved Kanakuk.

Every sorority girl loves her letters!

James Avery also makes a lot of religious jewelry, too.  I got a necklace with this cross for my first communion.

Look around at their products!  With over 600 high-quality charms, I bet you can find the perfect one to commemorate that special occasion.

Cut a Rug!

   Those who know me know that I love to dance.  It doesn't matter too much what kind, although I'm not a huge fan of anything that your high school principal would disapprove of (and I went to a Christian high school - save room for Jesus, kids).  Nonetheless, I have found three great dance spots in Austin that are worth visiting if you want to cut a rug.  Here they are:

The Broken Spoke

   They call themselves the best honky tonk in Texas, although I'd take Billy Bob's in Fort Worth over The Broken Spoke.  They're still the best in Austin, though.  The Broken Spoke has live music five nights a week (they're closed on Sundays and Mondays), and for newcomers, they have Two-Step lessons from 8 - 9 PM on Saturday nights.  The Texas Two-Step is pretty tricky, so I definitely recommend the dance lessons if you've never learned before.  

The Oasis

   According to The Oasis, their restaurant is the sunset capital of Texas.  And the views are amazing - they look out over Lake Travis and a beautiful piece of Texas hill country.  Every Sunday night, from 7 - 10 PM, locals brave the tacky decor and long drive out west to salsa dance at the Oasis.  Again, they give lessons (6 - 7 PM, last I heard), so make sure to get there early!  Even if you have two left feet and hate dancing, it's worth the trip to watch the experts.  There are really some incredible dancers out there!

Austin Swing Syndicate at The Fed

    Swing dancing at The Fed is my favorite!  Maybe that's because I have lots of great memories there.  It's very family-friendly, and they also offer free lessons (although admission is $2 - $5).  Again, there are tons of talented dancers at The Fed (which is the second-largest weekly swing dance in the country!), but unfortunately, they can't show off to their full potential: because there are so many people, the swing syndicate has an "all four on the floor" rule, so no lifts or flips allowed.  If you can, go on a night with a special event, when they have a live band!

Casual Friday

   This is a few days late, but...

     I really liked my work outfit for Friday.  It was a great day - I got off work early, and had a chance to work on a project for my sister before my favorite cousins came into town.  It was great from the start, too - I could live in that striped, cropped sleeve shirt from J. Crew (it's almost like this one, but I don't think they sell the exact shirt anymore).  I paired it with J. Crew's "Cafe Capri" and their silver flip-flops (gosh, half of my closet is from J. Crew.  It's a problem...).  The shoes are shown below.

   To top it all off, I accessorized with a coffee cup from Crate & Barrel, because, hey, it was the end of the week, and I was dragging.  Sadly, the coffee cup has been discontinued, but you can find more great ones here.