Honeymoon on Ice

suspended in gaffa

2012-02-24T11:40:00.007-08:00

jacket (anthropologie), top (thrifted), high-waisted pants (marc by marc jacobs), boots (antelope)

A proper update, at last! Recently splurged on these boots; I fell in love with them hard and fast. I have the biggest thing for chunky heels, it's terrible. I feel like my go-to lately has been cuffed jeans with boots... it's just so sleek yet fancy-free.

I spent all last weekend holed up in the library working on a paper so now I'm feeling a temporary and slightly foreboding sense of relief. There was a brief moment of sunshine yesterday so I figured it'd be best to document my outfit out in nature.

Other things:

- My roommate introduced me to Kate Bush (had heard of her, but never looked into her music) so I've been having fun with that.

- Enjoying the "What's in my bag?" series on Amoeba's Youtube channel way too much.

- Experiencing bouts of winter doldrums.

- Less than two weeks until I leave my teenagehood behind :'(

dystopian dream girl

2012-02-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

Been looking to neutrals and earth tones more than anything as of late.

hidden place

2012-02-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

I'm really horrible at creating a space that feels coherent. My room often just feels like a place where things are kept rather than something more unified. I recently took it upon myself to at least organize my shelves and make them something more aesthetically pleasing. Also, I don't even want to talk about the chocolate container on top (it really should be opaque).

the heart harmonicon

2012-01-19T14:23:00.000-08:00

top (h&m), cashmere sweater (gifted), skirt (h&m), bow (anthropologie)

Winter has truly started (and I'm quite thankful for the even lighting even if I must suffer through the cold)! I find myself constantly inspired by the movie Secretary as well as any opportunity to wear a cardigan. Wore my dominatrix-y heels to provide the outfit with a bit more complexity and give a bit of a nod to the movie.

I've also developed an increasing love of stud earrings. I feel like I haven't worn a pair in forever, but they add an instant polished aesthetic to any look.

I'm heading back up to school again, but it's time I think... at least I'm excited for my psychopharmacology class!

I'm sorry if my blogging has been a tad spotty- I've been in and out of town for a lot of break so there hasn't been much stability. I just wanted to stress that I love catching up on my followers' blogs and I'm so thankful that people even read this :)

getting nowhere fast

2012-01-13T14:03:00.000-08:00

dress (modcloth)

Something new to try: refurbish necklaces as headpieces.

Okay, so I guess I lied about doing something for my blog's second year anniversary. Maybe this counts?

I hope to do a better post featuring this dress as it definitely deserves a head to toe shot at some point. I'm such a slave to collars...

new year, new jeans

2012-01-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

flares (alexa chung for madewell), top (urban outfitters), embroidered cardigan (anthropologie)

Ok, so! I think the last time I owned any type of flare was in junior high. After that I had become a strictly skinny or straight-legged jean owner. That said, I have been re-developing some feelings of love toward bell-bottoms (especially high-waisted ones!).

These do need to be hemmed (I have to wear like 5 inch tall shoes to make them work for now), but I love these new pants! I feel a bit older when I wear them and I like that feeling.

Oh, I almost forgot- last night I won $40 on lotto scratchers. Isn't that the best?

I also have a recommendation- my roommate got me a lipstick from the brand Lipstick Queen and it's probably the best formula of lipstick I've ever worn on my lips (and I can be pretty picky). If you want something with nice pigmentation, but wearability that resembles more of a lip balm, you should look into it.

Have any of you guys made resolutions? If you have, you should tell me about them!

on and ever onward

2011-12-31T14:01:00.000-08:00

sweater (nasty gal), shoes (topshop), nail color (chestnuts about you - sephora by OPI)

Hello! It's been a while, I know... I'll blame it on the lack of daylight and garden variety laziness.

I've had this shimmery Grecian mini dress since summer, but had been waiting for the holidays to actually wear. It's so pretty and I got it on super sale at a boutique in the Marina. I'm currently in the Bay Area which means that winter is resembling summer (I'm not complaining!). Bright daylight kind of sucks for taking outfit pictures though.

Also, is it looking like I might need a bang trim in that second picture? Well worry no more, I have an appointment scheduled in a few days to get my hair cut! I'll probably just go for a trim, but I have to admit I've been lusting after some shoulder length styles. Any thoughts or suggestions? I've kind of been enjoying having long hair while it's still healthy and nice looking.

I am posting this on New Year's Eve, folks. My plans so far aren't exactly poppin', but I'm excited about them at least. I think I'm going to stay in with my parents, eat cioppino, play Wii games, and watch a movie with them.

Since it's been so long, I'll share some recent favorites:

- the Bjork/Dirty Projectors collaboration Mount Wittenberg Orca

- currently in the middle of Michael Showalter's book Mr. Funny Pants

- trying to get my hands on Make Up For Ever's Aqua Cream in #13 (so fucking pretty)

- new iPhone (forever grateful for this one)

- oh, and take a look at my magic garden below!

And I'm so excited because Robby finally got his Christmas gift in the mail. It's this vintage electric organ. Couldn't resist!

My second year blog anniversary is coming up, guys! I'll have to think of something fun to do for it. I hope my group of small (but wonderful) readers are doing well!

winter wonderlanding

2011-12-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

skirt (modcloth), cowl-neck top (marc by marc jacobs), jacket (anthropologie)

It's been so long, oh my gosh! I'm finally back home in California and made it through quite a long finals week (but finals are boring, let's not talk about that). Right now as I type I'm actually making sugar cookies and a couple nights ago I decorated the tree. I've been making my way through The Wizard of Oz and Home Alone, and it's been so much fun- haven't seen either in years. I believe I have most of my Christmas shopping completed/figured out except for a few important ones (ahhh! out of the frying pan and into the fire... but not really).
I'm so excited to show off this skirt I got from Modcloth during the Cyber Monday sale. It's been so long since I've found a skirt that's actually flattering and I was so pleasantly surprised that this one was!

In my spare time I made a garland and hung it over my bed (pictures below). So easy and so cute! I'll leave the link to make your own here.

true blue december

2011-12-03T15:38:00.000-08:00

sweater, high-waisted shorts (uo), jacket (anthropologie)

So I wanted to try something new and decided to pull out my more summer-friendly high-waisted hot pants. A lot of times I catch myself thinking, "No, I can't wear these... my thighs, my ____, etc." But that's so ridiculous! I love how the same piece can look so different on different body types. I don't know, I just think that it's possible to view the wearing of clothes without such value judgments like that only looks good if you have that. Of course, there is such a thing as flattering vs. non-flattering, but who says you have to wear flattering clothes all the time?

Weird, disjointed rambling aside though, it was fun to give these pieces of mine a new life in a truly new arrangement. By the way I'm so in love with the detail of the striped collar popping out of the sweater (I just had to mention it!). I have a long couple weeks ahead of me in terms of school, but somehow I've been able to keep a clear head about it. It's all about striking the right balance between work and play. Last night I saw The Muppets and it was so cute and funny! I had a great time and even shed a few tears, but that's because I'm a sap. I seriously recommend it! Also, Miss Piggy is fly as hell.

pink on pink

2011-11-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

shirt (urban outfitters), blazer (vintage, mom's), skirt (american apparel), shoes (marc by marc jacobs)

photo credit: r. massey

First blogpost after my 24 hours of yuckiness! It's good to be back.

What should I talk about first: this outfit or my stomach flu?

I'll skip over the gross details and talk about the outfit. I had some fun closet shopping while I was home and decided to incorporate one of my mom's old blazers into what I was already wearing. It's such a neat blazer with beautiful detailing, but I'm not sure if I found the right fit for it here. Oh well, I guess I'll have to play around with it more.

I intend on bringing lots of warm things back with me to school for these next upcoming weeks. Sweaters and scarves, oh my! I also had a little too much fun with "Cyber Monday" today. I ordered two MAC eyeshadows and a skirt from Modcloth. Did you guys find any good deals? I want to hear about it! Hearing about other people's shopping definitely calms my own urges and stops me from bleeding money (hence my weird fascination with Youtube "Haul" videos).

Well, I better get back to chipping away at my piles of schoolwork and casually watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 with my hunk. I wish all of you a nice start to the week!

giving thanks

2011-11-26T12:48:00.000-08:00

collared sweater dress (uo), sweater (uo), tights (h&m), shoes (hush puppies), waist belt (j.crew)

I spent Thanksgiving at my aunt's house in Capitola- a beautiful beachside town in California. It was chilly, but once the sunshine broke through it was golden and wonderful outside. Robby's family was nice enough to loan him out to spend Thanksgiving with us and I think he passed the extended family test with flying colors!

By the way, a comfy sweater dress is the best outfit (outside of maybe pajamas or sweatpants) for stuffing yourself with stuffing.

It's been so nice to have this quick snippet of time at home. It's kind of sappy, but I've finally been coming to terms with how thankful and happy I am with where I grew up (small town politics and all!). Also, it has been an absolute joy to see family who I don't get to see all the time. Today is my family's traditional turkey sandwich day- we put out all the fixings on the table in conjunction with about 20 bags of chips. Delicious! Then I'm hoping Robby and I can allocate some time to see the new Muppets movie later tonight.

I hope everyone has been having nice days. I'm so excited for the approaching holidays! It always comes so fast so I really need to get my act together now.

p.s.

Robby calls this my Big Lebowski sweater, UGH. At least he finds it endearing...

rose hip november

2011-11-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

top (uo), jacket (les folles de joie for uo), high-waisted pants (marc by marc jacobs), shoes (swedish hasbeens)

Happy Sunday, everyone! Today was cold as shit, but beautiful all the same. Something about waking up with sunshine pouring through the blinds and crisp air combatting my rather musty room was so refreshing (also having Robby beside me!). We ate a late breakfast/lunch at our favorite Cuban restaurant and had to indulge in mango milkshakes garnished with mint leaves (so good!).

My days have been waxing and waning between feeling very busy + cramped and restlessly still. Saturday lent itself to breaking that annoying pattern as Robby and I drove to the outskirts of the city to pick up a dresser for his new place. We ended up stopping by a secondhand store in the area and found some neat items. One of the things we found is the Minolta pictured above (Robby was really concerned about me putting that photo on my blog as I guess my finger isn't on the shutter button...? Oh well, I guess the truth is out that I didn't take a picture in that picture!).

I'm so pleased with this jacket- the lining is the softest thing! It's like constantly having a baby lamb wrapped around my torso.

I'll wrap this post up with a list of things I've been enjoying lately:

- midday coffees

- bagel + cream cheese

- my new candle warmer + angel food cake wax

- discovering less city-oriented parts of where I live

- cat-eye glasses

- wide, knitted headbands

I want to know what my readers have been up to and are interested in right now! Also, never be afraid to comment- it's so encouraging and I love checking out other's blogs.

checking in, bright colors, dreary weather

2011-11-17T16:31:00.000-08:00

photo credit: r.massey

Bright colors have been keeping me going on these grey, wet days. Didn't get to take an outfit shot, but I did a mustard-magenta-navy-aqua color combination (gave color blocking a try months after the trend was relevant: good job me!)

Anyways, I have this tendency to try to dress in new ways or in a way that makes me happy on days that I know are going to be long/stressful/bleh, hence the bright colors on a dreary, exam-centered day. I ended up rewarding myself by going to a local cafe and getting a big, delicious latte (hence the smile).

pink trash dream

2011-11-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

high-waisted pants (topshop), sheer top (therapy), wedges (earthies), lipstick (NARS jungle red)

Getting back into the rhythm of regularly updating. I'm doing well (for now)...

It looks like I'm going to be swamped with schoolwork until Thanksgiving day, but I keep repeating my mantra of "I can do this. I can do this." and it seems to be working fine. I bought this top while I was visiting home a few weeks back and have been so excited to feature it on my blog! Underneath, I'm wearing a peach, Betsey Johnson bra. I definitely have one of my favorite bloggers, Jessica Celebre at The Tragic Sense, to thank for the inspiration for this look (hopefully I'm not doing too much of a disservice!).

I was wearing the top earlier with some high-waisted denim short-shorts (which may have showcased the top better than these pants), but felt it was way too ridiculous to walk around in the drizzly 50 degree weather in them.
As a side note, aren't the leaves outside amazing? I'm not used to yellow-orange-red leaves in autumn, so I've been taking in the sight whenever I leave my room.

That's about all. Oh- except for an update on my escapades in moisturizers. Yesterday, I bought some Jojoba oil and it's already doing wonders for the softness of my skin and the pores on my nose. So far, it gets a good rating from me.

puddles on the playground

2011-11-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

sweater (uo), dress (h&m), backpack (fjallraven), leggings, shoes (ecote)

photo credit: r. massey

Hello all! It feels as though the rainy season has set in... so there's that. I've been having a nice time spending my days with my roommate and my boyfriend. This upcoming week though has the potential to be stressful as shit schoolwork wise, so send me positive-productive vibes!

Hmmm... what else can I talk about? Dry roasted almonds! They have become my new, compulsive snack item. So delicious. Also, Robby brought me back some of the best gifts from Japan, including a vintage kimono, Hello Kitty tea cup, sake glass, and Totoro banner. He's the best of the best!

With winter coming, I've noticed that my face skin is turning into something resembling sandpaper. It's awful! I'm normally an oily face gal so this is a new problem for me! I've been slathering moisturizer all over it everyday and my lips are a wreck as well. I bought a thing of blistex, but I feel like it isn't helping my lips at all! Argh!

I guess I should talk a bit about my outfit of the day... I have a soft spot for this combination. This is a summer dress (which somehow became really unflattering on my figure when I tried it on again recently). That was fixed though by this cozy sweater! And that's all, folks.

strange form of life

2011-11-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

photo credit (mostly): r. massey

I recently picked up my numba one boo from the airport. It's so nice to have someone around who actually knows what they're doing behind the camera! I really just tend to click a button and hope for the best, haha, but I've shown improvement!

Anyways, I know these aren't strictly 'outfit' posts, but they really just capture the feeling of where I've been at these past few days... enjoying the crisp weather and sunshine and scrunching and snuggling up in bed.

I definitely had a dilemma with the last picture in the series as I love it in general as a picture, but I hate myself in it- so blob-like. Oh well, this is real life folks. Right now I'm enjoying an album that Robey's friend's boyfriend made circa '91 and it's so good. We've also been indulging in the new Jay-Z/Kanye album. Yeah.

the witching hour

2011-10-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

I celebrated my Halloween this past Friday. I also assembled my costume on Friday, HAH. I really struggled with what to be this year, but I'm pleased with the end result. While being a witch isn't the most creative thing, I had so much fun bringing the idea to life. My ultimate goal was to look like a "Scooby-Doo"esque witch or like if you had an aunt who was a witch. I think we achieved that! I really needed some nostalgic spook in my life. By the way, who knew that a handheld broom could be the ultimate dancing accessory?

You can't tell in the pictures, but my roommate and I both thrifted black velvet dresses for the costume (I thought it was a nice touch). Also, I love these spider web fishnet tights! They're kind of kitschy, but we're all about attention to detail.

I hope everyone has a great Halloween, I can't wait to see the costume posts to come!

Desolation Wilderness is here.

2011-10-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to provide a reminder that you can now watch Desolation Wilderness HERE until Halloween. Do yourself a favor and give it a whirl! If you like it, spread it around!

fall crowns

2011-10-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hey! I just wanted to share this 5 minute craft I did at like 10 PM last night. I used Elsie of A Beautiful Mess's tutorial (here) to figure out the best way to go about it, and it's surprisingly simple. If you have a hot glue gun or super glue, you should be good! For the berries crown I didn't even need to use glue as the berries and leaves were on wires that I could just wrap around the hairband.

If you're looking for a fun, festive craft give it a shot! It's honestly so simple and I'd love to see the finished product :)

I hope everyone is having a nice Saturday. I've been pretty unproductive, but I'm going to a play tonight!

knick knack

2011-10-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

jacket (gap), dress (uo), shoes (swedish hasbeens)

Busted out my floral dress. It's getting stinky though so I better wash it before busting it out again HEH. A fun detail about the dress that I didn't capture in the pictures is that it is shorter in the front and longer in the back (well, I think it's fun). Anyways, I am so excited about this new plum jacket that I picked up! I found it on the sale rack and I just felt like it was nice and boxy without being overly unflattering. Plum is just such a solid color. So goddamn solid.

Today I went out to lunch with my girl and afterwards I picked up some seasonal treats from my favorite bakery in town (pictured below). I was a bit upset that I forgot to say I wanted the chocolate-dipped butter cookie, LYFE IS H4RD.

Well, I think I'm going to work on a craft and finish up my television programs and call it a night... in a few hours.

royal orange

2011-10-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

top (LF), lip color (fresh amour, MAC)

After a couple of outfits on the more conceptual/themed side, here's a pretty casual/boring look. I did manage to work in orange though- that color is supposed to be big this season, right?! Anyways, I spent the day in San Francisco with my mom. We did a Mission-Fillmore-Hayes Valley trip- very fun. I also got to eat at one of my favorite Southern inspired eateries, the Elite Cafe.

I recently splurged on a new lip color, which brings me to a dirty secret I wanted to reveal about myself: I am really, really into makeup. Low-end, high-end, whatever! I love it all (kind of). I'm not sure when it started... maybe a couple of years ago? But I know I didn't used to be this way. I'm not really into foundation and all that jazz though, but that's just more personal preference. Something about sitting down in the morning at my mirror and taking the time to decide on what colors, what techniques, what products is so relaxing to me. It's kind of like "my time" and gets me ready to take on the day. Somehow doing my makeup has become a bit of a hobby over the past couple years and I will happily sit down to listen to some sorority girl talk about it in a youtube video (I'm so bad!). Anyways, having said all that, I just wanted to also say that I place no value judgment in wearing or not wearing it. I think either way is great! It's just a fun way for me to channel some artistic energy when I'm groggy in the morning.

On the topic, do you guys have any favorite products? I've made a post about it in the past, but it could certainly use an update and I'm always happy to provide recommendations as well!

Enter Desolation Wilderness: Vimeo Oct. 24th

2011-10-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

dress (fcuk)

Today's look goes beyond a regular outfit post as it is inspired by the feature-length film "Desolation Wilderness" written and directed by my boyfriend, Robby Massey, and his friend, Derek Mungor. The movie will be released for free on Vimeo (here) from October 24th - October 31st. If you enjoy beautiful cinematography, unnerving plotlines, and 80s-horror-inspired scores, please check it out! But more importantly, if you care about or want to support independent filmmaking, please look into it. This movie was made on a next-to-nothing budget and serves as an inspiring example to anyone who wants to get out there and just make something outside of the industry.

You can watch the trailer below:

Synopsis:

"Noah and Russell are two art students caught in a generation that is far past the old world of white-collar life goals but currently in the throes of commercialized subcultures. With no room to grow on their own without a path already carved for them, they quit college, flee the city, and head to a cabin in the woods of northern Wisconsin to escape the paradigm and pursue a greater creative plane. While there, the wilderness begins to close in around them and the two begin to drift into a state of surrealism."

And here is a great clip to pique your interest:

long sleeves, short dress

2011-10-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

Feeling so inspired by all the 60s looks that came down the Fall '11 runway! Also, being constrained by my lack of a full wardrobe while at home has been motivating me to come up with new ways to wear old things. That's one of the things I love most about keeping this blog: it makes me strive to come up with new looks with a rather finite collection of clothes (of course I do add here and there). I actually picked up this gold mini-dress at a thrift shop last spring for a school celebration/costume event. With a little confidence though, something like this would totally work for some sort of holiday party paired with jewel tones and chunky heels. I gave myself a dramatically nude lip to accent the vintage feel of the look too. I'm so in love with mini-dresses that have long, bell sleeves- so adorably 60s. I'm going to be keeping my eye out for those kinds of styles this season.

Anyways, I just got the time to start looking through what's supposed to be big in fall. I'm not the biggest trend person, but when they happen to fall in line with my usual taste then that's fantastic! I'm thinking I need a bit more orange in my life and I'm still on the hunt for some high-waisted bell-bottoms. Are there any other things (abstract or actual garments) that you guys are looking to add to your wardrobes this season?

french navy

2011-10-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

lederhosen-playsuit (free people)

Enjoying being back home for a week. Decided to test the waters with this jumper I found on super sale at a Free People store. It's a bit big so I have to get creative with holding it in place, but otherwise, I like its aesthetic. It was abnormally warm today so I went out to my favorite dive-y seafood restaurant on the water. I'm overly excited about adding a gold nameplate necklace to my jewelry collection.

Otherwise... I am so sleepy! I rented Big Trouble in Little China to watch later and I took this morning to catch up on both Community and Parks and Rec. Gotta keep up with my entertainment!

I'll be your mirror

2011-10-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

dress (thrifted), rainboots (hunter), trenchcoat

I keep missing the actual rain, but every time I step outside the pavement seems to be wet. I thrifted this dress and am so pleased with how well it fits! It's a tad short, but otherwise A+.

Taking indoor pictures has posed a few problems so I might try to get outside soon-ish (if my self-esteem can bear it).

I realized only recently that all my midterms/projects are piling up and will be occurring in the next week. Yikes! Is anyone else buried in schoolwork?

I've also been battling a cold, so I've been sticking to a nice hot mug of tea at night. My favorite currently is peppermint.