In Search of: Spring Denim

I'm currently on the hunt for a new pair of dark wash skinny jeans to replace the Forever 21 pair I've been wearing for the past couple years, which finally bit the dust this month. But in addition to a practical pair of denim, I'm looking for a fun pair as well. Everywhere you look, store windows and magazine pages are full of colorful and patterned pairs of jeans. And I think a pair is just the thing to punch up my wardrobe this spring )a bright pair of pants will make my lazy day outfits 100x more exciting). Because I am both small (approximately 5' tall) but not completely lacking curves, finding pants that fit me is a bit of a chore. So I plan on doing a thorough search of the mall (yes, I live in the suburbs) as soon as possible. Any suggestions? 

{denim images via Piperlime}

And the winner is...: the Shabby Apple "Academy Award" skirt

Since I posted about my ever evolving personal style yesterday, which includes a healthy dose of tutu-love, I figured it was a great time for this post. Back in February (or was it January?) I entered a Shabby Apple giveaway on Fashion Is Spinach (a blog I've followed since I've followed style/fashion blogs) for a tulle skirt and by some small miracle, I won (it was a weird month - I also won a Banana Republic Mad Men collection ring and a year's subscription to New York magazine over the course of a few weeks). I ended up with an awesome black tulle skirt. But though it is awesome, I couldn't help but wonder how on earth I would incorporate it into my wardrobe and what I would wear it for. But then I got an idea. I could use it to fulfill one of my high school style dreams (which will give you an idea of how my style has evolved). I could use it to fulfill my dream of dressing like a dead girl. Not just any dead girl though, the dancing corpse from My Chemical Romance's "Helena" video...or at least one of her funeral attendants. So that's what I did.

{worn with Charlotte Russe bustier, Target heels}

The Personal Style Conundrum

  Me on March 10, 2010 and March 6, 2012. I don't wear quite as many knee socks nowadays.

As a person who writes a blog that focuses partially on fashion and style, reads a lot of fashion and style magazines/blogs and has to dress herself every day, I think a lot about personal style. As much as I know what I do and don’t like (hint: you’ll never see me wearing or suggesting any kind of romper) I have a hard time trying to explain my personal style. In the fall, when applying for a class that I took in the winter, I had to describe my personal style (it was a class about fashion). And though I’m sure I should have used adjectives it came out in some sort of roundabout stream-of-consciousness jumble. 

Sometimes I’m envious of people with a set personal style. People who identify as “bohemian” or “preppy” enough to put it in the name of their blog or Tumblr and don’t have to change it because their style doesn’t change. On some level, I feel like it would be nice to have a signature style. But then I think, wouldn’t that get boring? Not to say that people who have a signature style are bored or boring, just that without the ability to experiment I would quickly get tired of my wardrobe.

When describing my personal style, I’d love to be able to say that it’s classic, prep-inspired and color-infused. Doesn’t that sound simple and chic? But that wouldn’t account for my love of anything that resembles a tutu or the fact that I own (and occasionally wear) a flower crown or the fact that khaki pants and shorts make me want to throw myself off a tall building. I used to say that my style was traditionally feminine (even though the word feminine irks me. I won’t get into it.) during a period when my friends would ask me if something was wrong when I wore pants, but because I’ve since welcomed pants back into my life it feels a little strange to say. 

For now I’ve decided that my personal style doesn’t have to be anything but what I’m wearing or what’s in my wardrobe. My clothes and the way that I wear them are my personal style. Maybe someday my closet will be carefully edited and all of my outfits will exude the same essence. But for now, I’m young. I like the idea that one day I could look one way and the next another. Maybe my personal style isn’t easily definable, but it’s me.

All About Spring Colors

 Sephora by OPI nail colour in Havana Dreams, Revlon Nail Enamel in Minted, 

Sally Hansen Smooth Perfect ColorCare in Whisper

I'm all about spring colors right now. As I clean out my closet it becomes ever more apparent that, except for replacing a few certain things, I really don't need any more clothing right now (though we'll see if that keeps me from shopping). So I tried to seek out some of this season's pastels and bright shades in my wardrobe. The nail polish above and the mint shoes below are part of what I found. I'll be honest, the lavender polish was a February purchase and the shoes (which I wore to a job interview) are less than a month old, but everything else has been in my closet at least since summer. I'm so excited for the chance to break out bright colors again without getting weird looks (people aren't quite used to bright pink in the middle of winter in Chicago).

Michael Michael Kors loafers, Jessica Simpson pumps, Zara court shoe

Flower Power: Spring's Floral Statement Necklaces

Kate Spade Gerbera Garden Statement Necklace / DKNY + BaubleBar Pink Poppy Bib / J.Crew Flower Patch Necklace

With the start of spring and the early blooms thanks to unseasonably warm weather, I can't help but think of incorporating florals into my wardrobe (cue Miranda Priestly disdain here). With the cherry blossoms out, the dogwoods just emerging and the azaleas budding, I'm in search of some flowery accents to add to my already overflowing wardrobe. I'm enamored with several floral statement necklaces this season - I can't think of anything more cheery to go with all of my spring outfits. And since they're necklaces and not floral pants or blazers, they wouldn't take up any more room in my closet. I'm partial to the ones above (and even more of them from Kate Spade) but I'm going to have to do more searching to find something in my price range.

Spring Cleaning: Closet Edition

Now that I've moved back home and all my boxes from school have arrived, I'm going through a major organization and purge, especially of my closet. My closet and other clothing storage space (pictured above and below) are fairly limited. That said, I have more than enough space for a full wardrobe. The problem is, I have way more clothes than what one would call a full wardrobe. So it's time for a little spring cleaning and purging.

Here's my space:

So what am I going to do with it? My goal is to remove the smaller drawer unit in the closet to free up some space for hanging clothes (the bottoms of my dresses tend to get smushed against the top of that unit). I'm also hoping to free up some space on the top shelf so that I can store out-of-season clothes (like my bajillion fall/winter sweaters) up there. And I'm replacing my plastic hangers too and replacing them with the slim velvety huggable hangers I had at school - I could definitely use the extra space they provide me. Of course to do this I'm going to need to take a hard line with my clothes - time to get real about what I really will or won't wear. I'm not going through this alone though - I've got tips from Lucky's amazing closet organization guide and Real Simple's checklist, plus my mother is more than willing to encourage me (especially when I'm getting rid of stuff). Have you ever received any great closet organization advice?

Write this Down: In search of the perfect stationery

 From top: Inslee by Design 'chamomile' notecard / Minted 'paris + from stripes to chevrons' personalized stationery / Kate Spade monogram notecard / Rifle Paper Co. 'hello' telephone card

Once I confirmed the date and time of the interview I had almost two weeks ago, I immediately started to panic. What would I wear, what did I need to pack? As I started making my list (and I did start making a list immediately) I kept thinking of all the various things I would need to bring with me, including my computer, toiletries and copies of my resume. A couple of days later it hit me that I would also need to send my interviewer a thank you note. Which meant that I needed stationery. And though I knew that Papyrus was right down the street from the building I was interviewing in, I didn’t want to leave anything up to chance. Now, I do in fact own stationery – some beautiful embossed cards with my name on them that were a gift from my mother a few years ago – the kind of stationery that makes you feel like a super elegant adult. But it was at home. And so I started my search for the perfect stationery on which to write sophisticated interview thank you’s. The selections above are what I’d buy if I had an unlimited stationery budget (Wouldn’t that be ridiculous?).

p.s. I did just end up going to the Papyrus down the street and picking up some sweet Martha Stewart peony print cards.

The Start of Spring

It may just be the first days of spring here, but it feels a little more like we're rapidly approaching summer. I'm enjoying the warm days at home by breaking out my spring/summer wardrobe (like the platform wedge sandals that have been in hiding since summer and my new, bought-on-sale-as-a-grad-gift-to-myself, striped sweater) and admiring the flowers. We're in all the stages of bloom right now - the azalea bushes are budding, some flowers are just blooming and the daffodils have been smiling at us for long enough that some of them are already dying. Are you having unseasonably warm weather where you are? Or is winter still rearing its blustery head?

{outfit details: J.Crew sweater / Old Navy shorts / Aldo wedges}

That's Just Swell

Do you remember Swell?

With the news of Domino's quasi-return, I got to thinking about the now defunct line of housewares that Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig designed for Target back in the early 2000s. I remember loving the fun, slightly kitschy, whimsical home goods and their equally fun commercials. I think it's time for a comeback, wouldn't you say?

Trend Crush: Neons

Clockwise from top left: BaubleBar necklace / Aldo sandals / Diesel watch / Aldo wedges

As a lover of bright colors, I'm pretty excited about all the neon hitting the market right now. A couple weekends ago, I spotted the shoes pictured above on a shopping trip and I knew that I must add some saturated electric hues to my wardrobe (I think I pointed to the shoes and said to my friend "later this spring, those are happening"). I'm not quite the type to go all out on a trend, so I'm partial to the items above. The necklace and watch provide a point of interest without being overwhelming (important, because I'm so petite) and the shoes with their neon trim on neutral bases can be worn with just about anything. I'm really crushing on the necklace (which also comes in a pink/yellow combination) and with a ship date of late April I can't help but think it would make a perfect 22nd birthday gift.

The Graduate

I technically finished up college yesterday with the conclusion of my last exam, presentation and paper, but I still plan on walking in my graduation ceremony. As a result, I'm on the lookout for the perfect grad dress (sure, you have to wear a gown over it, but everyone knows you take that off - or at least open it up - to take pictures with the family). While browsing Piperlime a little while ago, I came upon what I think would be the ideal graduation frock. This Nanette Lepore 'Balloon' dress comes in five colors, but I'm drawn to the violet, since purple and white are my school's colors. The floral eyelet pattern makes it perfect for sitting in the sun with a robe over it and the demure neckline and length makes it even grandparent-friendly. I'm in love with the grosgrain belt and slight-v back. It may be a little pricey, but how often do you graduate from college? Plus, I could see myself wearing this beauty at all types of summer events.

When Life Gives You Lemons

I feel like everything in my life is happening today. One of those things is the launch of the 3rd issue of Sweet Lemon Magazine (for which I am a copy editor)! This issue stars Design Darling's Mackenzie Horan as our cover model (and there's a great feature on her as well). I highly recommend checking out the mag and all the great articles inside!

Obsession: Rachel Antonoff 'Birdie Forever' Sweatshirt

Anyone who knows me really well knows that 'Bye Bye Birdie' is my favorite musical of all time. So when, while browsing pictures from Rachel Antonoff's Fall 2012 presentation, I saw this sweatshirt with 'Birdie Forever' printed on it, I just about lost it. It reminded me most of the 1995 TV version (can we bring back Wonderful World of Disney TV movie musicals?) and this clip - in which one of the characters actually wears a 'Birdie Forever' sweatsuit - that I subsequently watched about five times in a row. I don't wear too many sweatshirts, but I'll totally change my ways to channel Kim McAfee or any of her Conrad-crazed friends.

New Shoes: Milly for Sperry Top-Sider

When I saw the first images of the Milly for Sperry Top-Sider collection, I wanted everything. But, being a (marginally) sane person with a limited bank account, I decided to only buy one pair. After much deliberation, and looking at the collection on every single site on which it was available, I decided to go with the rose print Top-siders. And I couldn't be happier. They came with a super cute dust cover storage bag printed with another signature Milly pattern (I have Milly for Hue tights in the same pattern - just in black instead of navy) and I love that the pattern is continued on the insole of the shoe. They're the perfect spring shoe and I plan to wear them everywhere I possibly can. (I wore them on my trip to New York and they're the perfect traveling shoe.)

New York, NY

As you may know, at the end of last week I embarked on a whirlwind trip to NYC. I was only there for one full day so I thought I'd share what my day looked like through the eyes of my phone (aka please excuse the picture quality and very small photos).

Pictorial Guide: What I wore for my interview, daffodils blooming in Bryant Park, the most complimented shoes I've ever worn (from Zara), Laduree, a raspberry macaron
Not pictured: my nemeses - aka pigeons, my trip to the Met, a late dinner at Shake Shack with one of my NYC friends, multiple trips on the A train

Three Things I loved this week

The new issue of Lonny came out today (I'm so excited that they're switching to a monthly later this spring!)

I loved this post on Sequins & Stripes - especially on a stressful day

I don't even watch The Bachelor, but one of my favorite parts of the week is reading Marc Lisanti's posts on Grantland about it (and Jennifer Weiner's tweets). It doesn't matter if you watch. Read it, laugh and then go through every other post about The Bachelor on Grantland. You won't be sorry.

The hunt

Because I’m graduating in (gulp) less than a week, I’ve spent a lot of time this quarter thinking about what happens after college. While (f)unemployment sounds slightly appealing after four years of collegiate classes, I’m really the type of person who wants to get a job as soon as possible. Last spring when I was interning at SELF, I found that I like working a lot more than I like being in school. So, while I’m jealous of my grad school-bound friends because they know what they’ll be doing next September, I only envy their certainty, not their destination. Others of my friends already have jobs – working for the government, a bank and Groupon – but unfortunately, the journalism field doesn’t work like others. There are no recruiters and you don’t get a job offer at the end of an internship (at least for most of us).

Instead, you send out your resume to everyone who might possibly be interested, stalk mediabistro like it’s your job and spend days hoping that every time your phone chimes it’ll be someone getting back to you about an application you submitted. It’s a little bit stressful and when added to the stress of trying to complete your degree while also trying to keep up with extracurricular activities and make the most of your senior year, well…it’s a lot stressful. That’s why today I’m extra thankful.

Today I have a job interview (which is why I was so quiet yesterday - I was traveling to NYC!). Thanks to connections forged in past internships I have an interview for a job that I really want. And though interviews don’t mean jobs – I mean, I hope they do, but they don’t automatically lead to jobs – they give me hope. Hope that I might make it in the magazine world, hope that I won’t be living at home for the next couple years (though I love my parents dearly), hope that all these years of reporting and writing and editing haven’t been for naught. So cross your fingers for me, I need some luck today.

Real People love...

New websites. This quarter I took a web production class and today my class launched our website! Aimed at 20-somethings in a transitional point in their life (like me), Real Person Moments has information and advice about money, jobs and lifestyle. We took it from concept to site in ten weeks and it's been a long journey. I wrote three articles (about apartment decor, building a professional wardrobe and living alone), so check it out!

Inspired by: J.Crew

A few months ago, this image popped up on my Tumblr dashboard. I was of course taken with the bright colors and perfect J.Crew styling, but one thing stuck in my mind: that scarf. Never mind the magenta gloves or orange sweater; the teal of that scarf was perfection. But there was one problem (well, maybe more than one). I wasn't a big fan of the shape and I wasn't willing to pay J.Crew prices for a scarf. So, I decided to make my own. I decided that I wanted a super-long, thick scarf that would keep me warm through a normal Chicago winter (which this winter wasn't) in a color I love. Though I didn't find teal, I did find the perfect emerald green (Patons' Classic Wool - bought at a discount from Michaels - in, you guessed it, "emerald") and I spent a few weeks in December and January working on it.

Once I finished my scarf, the weather turned out to be, well, not quite wintry. But I've still been able to wear  it a few times (it made its first appearance here). I guess it'll have to wait for next winter (hopefully) in New York to really reach its potential.

{J.Crew image via J.Crewing}

I'd Rather be at the Beach

Target Swimsuit / Asos Sunglasses / J.Crew tote / Aldo sandals

With what would be spring break for me (if I wasn't graduating) approaching fast, all I can think of is going on vacation. And after nearly four years of college (and 16 years of school in general) I think I deserve one. I'm dreaming of spending a week post-grad lying on a beach somewhere with my teen-lit-stocked kindle and a club soda with lime (or maybe a mojito) by my side. And of course I'm dreaming of doing it while dressed in a cute sun and surf outfit. I'm coveting this neon two-piece from Target (I never spend too much on something that's just going to get drenched in saltwater, sweat and sunscreen), a simple pair of sandals, some movie star sunglasses and of course a roomy tote to throw all of my beach essentials in. Will someone just book me a flight already?

Places I've Brunched and Loved: Hub 51

One weekend in February my friend Molly and I took the El to downtown Chicago for the purpose of getting our brunch on. I love brunch - it's basically the perfect meal and I'm pretty sure my life would be about 50 times more awesome if I went out to brunch every weekend. Of course, my wallet would be about 50 times emptier, but whatever. That particular Sunday we had reservations at Hub 51, a hip restaurant in River North.

I had heard good things about the restaurant when I was interning at a Chicago magazine last winter so I was super excited to try out their brunch offerings which, from the menu online, sounded pretty delicious. And it was. Molly and I both had the River North Mimosa (brunch is for day-drinking at its finest and most acceptable) and shared baked apple french toast and breakfast nachos. Have you ever had breakfast nachos? Because they are what dreams are made of, Hilary Duff style. Tortilla chips, melted cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole and scrambled eggs in a pile of tasty goodness that leaves you wishing you had more stomachs (you can see a grainy cell phone pic of them here). All in all, it was amazingly good and I only wish I had more time in Chicagoland so that I could go back.

{image via GrubStreet Chicago}

A Few Things I Loved This Week

New month = new issues of some of my favorite online magazines.
I'm still drooling over the Soho loft featured in Rue and I loved Matchbook's Trina Turk (above) profile (so many patterns and colors!). Plus, the March issue of my campus fashion magazine STITCH came out with a feature I wrote on menswear.

Mackenzie Horan of the blog Design Darling launched her super cute online shop, Design Darling {The Boutique} - I'm coveting the navy blue clutch and the monogrammed acrylic tray.

Technically this happened last week, but I'm still loving the new site The Everygirl - especially since the founders are both Chicago-based bloggers.

{Image via Matchbook Mag}

Blogger Drag

Shirt: J.Crew; Jeans: Forever 21; Shoes: Aldo; Vest: Lilly Pulitzer; Scarf: Homemade; Bracelets: H&M, Forever 21

I thought it appropriate that my first outfit post on this blog be what I thought of as "blogger drag" when I wore it. The silk shirt + ankle-bearing skinny pants + leopard print loafer combo just seemed like such a blogger outfit. Just give me a pair of Karen Walker sunglasses, put my hair in a topknot and give me a photographically inclined boyfriend and I'll fit right in with the rest of the internet.

Now that I'm not doing daily outfit posts like I was on my old blog, you can find my outfit of the day on my Tumblr.

P.S. Now you can also follow my blog with Bloglovin if you're into that kind of thing.

Shameless Self-Promotion

I may be graduating in two weeks, but I haven't been taking it easy my last quarter of college. Along with my class work I also wrote a feature for the March issue of my campus fashion magazine STITCH. I interviewed Seth Putnam of the wonderful blog The Midwestyle for my menswear (or should that be #menswear?) article and I think it turned out pretty great. See the whole issue here.

Orange for girls who hate orange