Some of us have great besties

And it just so happens mine has a birthday today.  Happy birthday, Jordan!

25 and fabulous!

xoxoxo

To Live And Die, a video experience

Hello lovelies!  I know I have mentioned that I work with college students.  My student staff made a video of us if you would like to get a glimpse at the AMAZING people I work with!  I couldn't be more proud or more humbled than I am by working with them.

Happy Wednesday!

xoxoxo

Midi

Hello lovelies!  You may have noticed that I've been posting more often.  It can be difficult to post daily during the week, but I'm giving it a go.  Forgive me if I find I can't manage it.

You know what I'm very excited about?  Midi length skirts and dresses.  I know, I know, I've been posting on that for about a year now, but I still love it.  I think it is a lovely and sophisticated length.  It works better on me than most casual maxi cuts.

{Top and Cardi:  Express; Skirt:  Marc by Marc Jacobs; Booties:  Colin Stuart; Hat:  n/a}

Okay, Ms. Palething, just because it warmed up doesn't mean anyone wants to see that!

Something else I'm excited for?  Mixing patterns.  I love it.  It is ridiculous how much I love it.       It reminds me of elementary school when I declared Tuesdays as "no match day" and would wear things that didn't match intentionally.  Though with this outfit, I like to think I only took inspiration from those days.

Have a happy Tuesday!

CSNstores.com; a review

If you remember from this post, I mentioned that I had a special surprise collaboration with CSNstores.com.  There will be an upcoming giveaway, but first I wanted to do a proper review of my experience of ordering from their site.

My arrangement with CSNstores allowed for me to place an order with a credit provided for me.  This way, I did all the same steps as a typical purchaser.  I selected the London Fog Dome Bag to accompany me on my travels.  This review is of my experience with the service provided, in addition to the London Fog bag.

The pros:  CSNstores.com has a wide selection, making it difficult for me to choose!  It was between this weekender bag and a marble cheese cutter.  Looking through the variety of categories and items available gave me lots of gift ideas.  I also appreciated the consumer review sections with each item.  This is something that I look at when ordering anything on line.  I want to know what others who have ordered the product thought when they received it.  It is clear and available through this website.  Tracking the shipment online was simple.  Shipping was fast.  The bag itself is quite unique to anything I own.  It comes with a shoulder strap that isn't show in the picture.  The size is perfect for a weekend getaway.  I used it in my last overnight out of town adventure.  It is great on its own, but also can easily travel with other luggage.  There is a strap on the back that allows you to secure it to the handle of other luggage.  Perfect when you are rushing in the airport between flights.

The cons:  When looking at the pictures of the product online, it would be nice to see multiple angles.  For bags, it would especially be nice to see the bag next to a model of some kind.  The dimensions of the bag are posted, so that is helpful.  While I was pleased with the email communications about my product, the shipping tracking, and the timing of the shipping itself,  I was not as pleased with the packaging it was shipped in.  Because this was my first time ordering, I did not know what to expect.  The bag came in a London Fog box with not tissue paper of any kind inside.  The bag was free to roam around in the box during shipment.  This may be an oversight of London Fog.  I got the impression that it was stocked with CSNstores.com prepackaged from London Fog.  From reading the reviews on the site, in no review did it say there had been damage to anyone's products upon arrival.  I am very happy with the bag.  I would have purchased this in store without hesitation.

The overall:  I will be ordering from CSNstores.com again in the future, especially for gifts or interesting items.  The prices were fair and as I said, I appreciated reading what other consumers had to say about their orders.  After I order again, I'll be sure to comment about packaging my items are shipped in.  The bag itself is perfect for what I needed.  A bag big enough for 2 or 3 nights worth of outfits and toiletries.  It looks very chic compared to my normal carry on.

AND get excited about an upcoming giveaway with CSNstores.com!

xoxoxo

Friday confessions

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I read The Alchemist over and over.  It makes me believe the universe has something for me in mind.

Your turn.

xoxoxo

Parisienne

Ever since getting my bottle of YSL Parisienne, I can't help but sniff myself throughout the day. People might look at me strange, but it is probably because they are wishing they smelled so good.

xoxoxo

Getting away

The first weekend of spring break, I took an overnight trip to Spokane.  Normally I would want to invite a friend {or several}; however after the month I'd had, having some alone time was in order.  It was remarkably therapeutic to explore downtown on my own.  I went shopping, spent hours in the bookstore, got take out sushi and cupcakes, then retreated to my room.

The best part?  It was being cuddled up on a pile of pillows and reading for pleasure.  It was exactly the kind of getaway that I needed.

If you took a quick getaway alone, what would you do?

xoxoxo

Feeling like...

... A trip is in order...

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I'm yearning for a fun getaway with a friend.  Experiencing the streets off the beaten path, delicious local food, dancing inducing music, and pillowy nights in a cozy room.  Where would you like to go?

xoxoxo

When it's hailing

Hello lovelies!  It is another Monday.  On this particular Monday, I am refreshed and ready to go!  Last week was spring break for the university so I had far less commotion than normal for an entire week.  It was fantastic.

{Jacket:  Express; Shell:  The Limited; Skirt:  Zac Posen for Target; Tights:  DKNY; Heels:  BCBG}

This past week has been full of relaxing, reconnecting with friends, and catching up on the stuff that matters.  There were a few birthdays so we had lots of sushi {which always makes me happy}.  

On a very happy note, my brother, who was deployed in Afghanistan, is now home and done with his tour!  I couldn't be more thankful!  We've been catching up on the phone; however he lives in upstate New York, a good 2500 miles away.  He and his wife have talked about visiting here in the summer.  Keep your fingers crossed for me :)

Lucky for me, my good friend Ray has volunteered to help me with photos again.  He has been so fun to work with and has been really helpful.  It has made all the difference in my outfit photos!

I know I've posted this skirt time and time again, but how could I not?  I love the pleats.  It makes me feel like  human cupcake.  Because I've worn it in such frilly ways before, I wanted to rough it up a bit with my moto jacket and leather booties.

While other bloggers seem to have nice spring weather, it has been fickle here.  It hailed right before and after these photos were taken.  Hailed.  Dear spring, I'm still waiting.

xoxoxo

For Japan With Love

Tomorrow I am participating in the Bloggers Day of Silence.  It can be easy to get wrapped up in our daily lives, focusing on work, school, fashion blogging, etc.  For tomorrow, let's be focused on who we can assist.

I mentioned in my previous post that I have family there.  My young cousin and Aunt now in Malaysia.  My uncle remains in Japan, working on humanitarian aid.  Please keep him in your thoughts.

Blogger Behavior: Shoe shopping

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My love for shoes is no secret.  I tend to lean towards a rather muted wardrobe with shoes as my statement pieces.  While I enjoy shoe shopping with others, my best finds usually occur when I am shopping alone.  Maybe it is because I don't want to inconvenience my shopping partners with my meticulous shopping strategies.  {Don't worry Jordan, I love shoe shopping with you!}  It got me thinking, how do other bloggers shoe shop?

My technique:

*First, I do best when shopping alone.  I don't find myself being concerned with wasting someone else's time or boring them as I walk back and forth repeatedly, trading out pairs.

*I scan the shelves for shoes that catch my eye and pick out lots of pairs before trying any on.  My collection already covers the basics {black pumps, brown pumps, black boots, brown boots, etc} so I purposefully push myself to select pairs that would add to my wardrobe.

*I try on every pair and stroll around in them.  Sometimes I wear shoes from two different pairs at the same time to compare.  Being able to walk in them is important.  I have learned I don't like heels higher than 4 inches, or at least "feels like 4" with a platform.  Traction is also important.  The last thing I want to do is worry about falling flat on my face in them.

*The materials used to construct a shoe is something I also pay attention to.  Man made materials can mean sweaty feet.  Gross.  Swamp feet.  However, for a very trendy, fun pair, I don't mind having man made materials because I don't like to spend much for trends.  I typically think of shoes as investment pieces.

*I ask the opinions of strangers.  Most of the time, they are very honest.  They don't have a vested interest in appeasing me and can see the full picture.

*My Droid has given me access to all kinds of fun, like price checking on line.

Your turn:  How do you shop for shoes?

xoxoxo


Brief sidenote:  This is my 200th post.  Of course it is about shoes.

On the hunting trail

I am back after my week long break from posting.  Last week has very busy for me professionally and academically.  Fortunately, this week is Spring Break and with the students gone, I'll be able to catch up on everything.  I'm especially looking forward to reading up on my favorite blogs.

A wardrobe must have for the Northwest is a great pair of rain boots.  The weather here has quickly turned soggy.  I finally invested in a fantastic pair of Hunter Wellies in graphite.  Buying a pair of Hunter's is something I've put off for a while, but I've got to tell you, I wish I'd done it sooner!

{Blazer:  Express; Sweater:  F21; Tank:  H&M; Rain coat:  Metro by Kristen Blake; Boots and fleece socks:  Hunter}

Photo credit goes to my wonderful friend, Ray {see here}!  He and I had so much fun roaming around these tracks by a local abandoned building.  It was a completely silly adventure and will forever be one of my favorite moments in this town.

On a side note, my quest for the fitted blazer is over!  While I'm not sure a fan of the gap under the row of buttons, I appreciate it's tailored look and rouched sleeves.  It is as close to perfect as I've been able to find!

Happy Monday, Lovelies!

xoxoxo

Humanity

I'm sure all of you are aware of and concerned about conditions in Japan right now.  The news reels playing constantly have me mesmerized and haunted.  I am feeling very fortunate right now, not only for my own safety, but also for the safety of my uncle, aunt, and cousin who currently live in Japan.  This is one of those events when we need to set aside boarders and assist each other as humans.

For a blogger's personal story, see Rumi of Fashiontoast's post on her experience. 

Brief Hiatus

Hello blogworld!  I'll be taking a brief hiatus this week.  I've got quite a few commitments and can't imagine being able to give posts the effort needed.  In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful week!

I'll be getting lots of work done, studying for my course work, and planning a fun adventure for next week.  More details to come!

xoxoxo

Pucker up {revisited}; A product review

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Hello Lovelies!  BIG NEWS!  I'm pretty sure that Nivea reads my blog.  Not only that, but I'm pretty sure that they have been reading all my old posts too.  Why do I think this?  Because I did a review of one the Kiss of Moisture lip balm last year in this post.  The only thing I wanted more out of the product was a bit of tint.  Enter the Kiss of Flavor balms they have now released.

The pros:  My favorite is the strawberry.  The tint compliments my skin tone.  It is visible without being "too much".  It still is very much a lip balm with all the benefits of the original.  It has a very pleasant scent without an overpowering flavor.

The cons:  I apply it constantly because I adore it.  It rivals my favorite lip balm, which happens to be several times more expensive.  Because I am constantly applying it, I have a feeling I am going to be purchasing it often. Good think I got it at Right Aid for a buck..  Check for sales near you.  I'll be going back to stock up at the incredibly fair price.  I do find that the "moisture" doesn't seem to last as long as the original.  It also could be that my lips are extremely dry in this winter weather.

The overall:  The color is subtle, yet just enough.  It feels wonderful.  I definitely plan on repurchasing and I hope, hope, hope that Nivea will always sell this product!

What are your must have products?

xoxoxo

Starting anew

Even though there is nothing but snow on the ground, the need for a good spring cleaning is pressing.  I am feeling a serious need to shed some dead weight.  By that I mean, it is time to clean out the closet.  My closet has left me feeling uninspired lately which is ridiculous considering the awesome things I have in there.  However, there are several {okay more than several} items taking up space {I'm talking to you feathered platform slingback} that only clutter my imagination from the incredible outfits I could be putting together.  There are clothes that don't fit, no longer look good, and have quite frankly been loved to death.  What can I say, I'm carnal.

In response to this, Rebecca from See You in Sweden and I are teaming up for the Closet Clean Out Challenge.

{Before pictures.. Messy I know.. don't judge..}

The Closet Clean Out Challenge will consist of Rebecca and I sorting our belongings into categories:  throw out/donate, 2nd opinion, to the tailor's, and keep.  She has problems with getting rid of things she still needs and I have a problem with "needing" things that should go.  With our powers combined, we'll have streamlined wardrobes.

As part of the process, you, dear readers, will get regular updates on our shenanigans and After pictures of my closet.  My closet, as you can see from the above Before pictures, is a walk through {yes, different from a walk in}.  It is Narnia-esque in nature and I have to walk through it in order to get to my bedroom.  Because of that, I want organization that is easy on the eyes and stays out of my walking path.  It also is limiting because I can't move much around.  I'm sure I'll be asking organizational advice and for "2nd glances" at pieces that are likeable but lack inspiration.

And for kicks, this is what else I've been up to:

xoxoxo