What I [did not] Wear To The Ballet

First of all, I'm very excited for all the new followers from this past weekend!  Thanks!!  I had a request to post the outfit I wore to see The Nutcracker at the Detroit Opera House last Friday.  Well... for some reason I neglected to take outfit shots!  But I plan on recreating the outfit for some time over the holidays so I'll post it then.  In the meantime, I can pretend that I wore the outfit below to the ballet, when I actually was just testing out outfit ideas.  But I like the story of wearing it to the ballet better.  Shhh!

dress: Pitaya

tights: ?

shoes: DSW

scarf/shall: Target

bracelet: my mom's

green necklace: gift

"pearl" necklace: ?

I absolutely love the shoes I'm wearing for these pictures (and I did actually wear them to the ballet too).  I've been waiting since last winter to wear them again since they're pretty wintery looking with the velvet.  They're surprisingly pretty comfortable to wear since the straps are made from elastic, and also positioned closer up to the ankle.  Minimal hobbling involved!  The only problem is that I've worn them so much that the velvet is wearing in a few spots and I'm not sure how to re-blacken them... anyone have any suggestions?  I'm all ears!

The weather report for metro Detroit calls for snow tonight!!  I'm actually really excited.  The whole day has been constant rain, so I'm hoping it turns to snow!

Until next time...

Also, happy birthday to my dad today!!

Thanksgiving Apparel: Brown&Comfy

Happy Black Friday!  I hope you all are finding good deals today!  I personally cannot make myself go out into the Black Friday madness.  It's just way too overwhelming and frustrating with so many crazy shoppers.  It would be nice to get some cheap stuff, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I hope you all had a great one.  This is what I wore to Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt's house yesterday:

sweater: Apt. 9

shirt: H&M

jeans: Levi's

jacket: Target

scarf: Target

shoes: Payless

I don't usually wear fancy make-up (lipstick, eyeliner, and eye shadow are all considered "fancy" in my mind) but I took the time to have some fun with it for a special occasion.  I'm by no means very talented at the whole make-up thing, but it was fun anyway.  Oh, and that brown sweater is SO COMFY I wish it were a blanket.

And what a warm two days it's been!  Yesterday and today have both been in the 50's, and today was even sunny!  I'm soaking it all in before the cloudy, dreary days to come.  Tonight I'm heading down to Detroit to see The Nutcracker at the Detroit Opera House.  I'm excited to dress up and watch a ballet!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

photo credits to Kate Pruitt of Design Sponge, tfelix on Flickr, & Jessica of Craftily Ever After (yay Pinterest!)

I'm so thankful for so many things, especially my family and friends.  Without them I wouldn't be where I am today.  With graduation from college coming in just a few weeks, I am extremely thankful for my parents who have supported me all of this time, and also that I have a job to step into where I will be doing my passion: graphic design!  And, of course, I'm also very thankful to all who have supported me in this blog, and all of my followers!  Your comments always make my day, so thank you!

This is the best holiday.  Right now I'm watching the America's Thanksgiving Parade on TV, which takes place right nearby in downtown Detroit.  I love watching all of the Detroit marching bands!  Then later this afternoon I'm heading to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving dinner with the family!  How are you spending your Thanksgiving this year?

Happy Turkey Day!

A Revisited Dress Is The Best!

Happy birthday to my big sister Emily!! Today she turns 27, and my parents and I are going out to Grand Rapids to celebrate with her.  I'm starting to feel the holiday joy.... it starts with my sister's birthday, then Thanksgiving, and then comes my dad's birthday, and then all of the Christmas celebrations.  I'm allllmost ready for Christmas music... but not yet (gotta wait until after Thanksgiving).

dress: Delia's ca. 2006

sweater: Gap

boots: Alloy

ring: Stella & Dot

I wore this outfit a week or two ago on a day that it was randomly warm-ish (warm as far as November in Michigan standards go).  It's great to rediscover clothing pieces that you haven't worn in years.  This dress is one of those.  I bought it back in high school when I attended a fall wedding and have been looking for opportunities to wear it since.  Now that I'm working in an office, I have the opportunity to wear dresses more often!  So I wore it to work.  I love this dress.  It's really comfy, it's not too short, and the detail at the upper chest/neck area is gorgeous.

This week is a short one!  Only two work days and one school day before Thanksgiving arrives Thursday!  My Women In Literature class is canceled this week, which will give me extra time to finish up the current book for that class, Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.  I saw the movie a long time ago, and now I get the opportunity to read the book!  So far, so good!  And apparently this blog post is all about opportunities, since it seems I'm using that word a lot today...

Happy birthday to my sister!

A Purse Of Old Books

It's been a long day.  I'm ready to just sleep.  But instead I'll post an outfit!  The below photos are of my outfit this past Saturday.  I spent the afternoon at a local craft fair supporting my friend Paris of Bittersweet Nostalgia. I gotta say, there are some strange craft shoppers out there.... interesting people watching.  Anyway, it was fun and I bought a necklace that I'll have to share on here as sooooon as a photograph it (lost the light too early today to photograph... the whole day was one big cloud and thunderstorm!)

sweater: LC Lauren Conrad

jeans: Levi's

shoes: Target

purse: Target

necklace: American Eagle

ring: Stella & Dot

When I decided to use this purse for the photos, I grabbed a couple books to fill it so it would weigh enough to stay on my shoulder... and then I discovered upon taking them out that the colors went well with my outfit!  So they were photographed too.

Plus, who doesn't like an old book?  I know I do.

Happy Monday!

Saturday Night: on the couch/on the town

Well it's a Saturday evening and I'm at my house all nestled in on my couch.  Sounds boring, right?  But I've been pretty busy this weekend and it's nice to have a night to just decompress and be by myself.  Anyone else feel the same?  I've already been out to a fancy dinner for a friend's birthday, and then spent the majority of my day at a local craft fair today.  I'm ready to just sit.

These photos were taken a few weeks ago when I actually went out on a Saturday night!  I hadn't seen one of my good friends since Labor Day weekend (fail!) and we finally got together for a night on the town.  It's great when you can go for long periods of time without seeing a good friend, and then when you finally do get to see them it feels like no time has passed.  You just pick up where you left off.  That's a good friendship.

blazer: Target

shirt: LC Lauren Conrad

jeans: Levi's

boots: Apt. 9

purse: Roxy

ring: H&M

scarf: Wet Seal

I want to thank everyone for the lovely comments lately!  They really brighten my day.  I've also noticed a lot regarding my hair and how I get it that way.  I'm thinking I should do a hair post soon... but to answer the basic questions I've been getting: the color is all natural, I've never dyed or highlighted my hair at all.  Any highlights come from the sun :)  And as for style, my hair has a natural wavy curl to it.  I usually just let it air dry and it ends up somewhat like this.  However, sometimes there are a few pieces that refuse to curl along with the rest and those I usually curl with a curling iron just enough to make them fit in with the natural wavy curl of the rest of my hair.  If people are interested, I might do a tutorial on this since I've gotten so many questions about it! :)

Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

That color, that chrome, those fins!

I'm not liking this end of daylight savings thing.  It was getting dark on my way home from work at 5pm this evening!  Not cool.  Not cool at all.  I'll have to start taking outfit photos solely on the weekends now since it will be my only time at home in the daylight!

Well, in happier news, these pictures were taken on a sun-filled afternoon a few weeks ago.  Ahh.

Every fall my dad likes to take his 1958 Cadillac out to photograph with the beautifully colored leaves.  This year he took me along as it was a great opportunity for a combo car/outfit photo shoot!

sweater: LC Lauren Conrad

skirt: LC Lauren Conrad

belt: Gap

shoes: Payless

necklace: gift

There's nothing like being in a huge classic car to make you feel like you rule the road.  I love it.  Classic cars are just so beautifully designed.  That color, ahh.  That chrome, ahh.  Those fins, ahh.  Just delightful.

Happy end of daylight savings to all!

And may you be able to stay awake even though it is now dark so early! :/

The Perfect Sweater Dress

Happy November!  I can't believe it's already that time of year.  November is when IT starts.  IT being the non-stop holiday madness.  Before we know it it will be Thanksgiving, and then rolls in all of the Christmas parties, and then we're at the new year!  What??  Okay, I'll stop.  It's only November 3rd after all.

sweater dress: LC Lauren Conrad

belt: H&M

tights: H&M

boots: Civico 10

bag: Nine & Co

necklace: American Eagle

ring: gift

watch: Target

I took these pictures really quick in between work and school yesterday.  Wednesdays always seem to be quite crazy for me, first starting with work in the morning and then coming home and eating, finish up assignments that haven't yet been completed before I drive off to school for the evening.  But yesterday was such a beautiful day I had to take advantage of it.  It could snow anytime now!  It's Michigan, I should be prepped for the worst...

Now, onto my outfit.  I'm really glad I came across this sweater dress.  In catalogs I usually think that the sweater dress idea is cute, but whenever I try them on in stores they always seem to be really really tight.  I'm not a fan of wearing clothing that looks like it was painted on me.  It really doesn't look that great on me... or anyone for that matter.  So this sweater dress is nice because it's not fitted!  And I can use a thin belt to give it the appropriate amount of shape for me!  What a great idea.

I gotta say though, I don't recommend these tights from H&M.  I've only worn them once and there's already a hole and a bunch of snags in them.  I wasn't climbing trees or hopping fences... I was sitting at a desk..?  Live and learn I guess!

Have a great weekend!