I want to be your last first kiss.

I'm feeling very romantic today.  It's beautiful outside, and I can feel the sunlight seeping into my outlook and making everything in life seem brighter.

Anyway, I found this cool little survey deal that's all about sharing tidbits/facets of yourself on one of my favorite blogs, Autumn, Coffee, and Inspiration (<--click the link!  You will like what you find.).  It really intrigued me, so I'm going to fill it out myself.

i am the definition of eclectic

i think too much

i am happy in the sunshine, rain, and snow

i have a dog
i miss high school…times of creativity and discovery

i fear too much

i feel like I’m in love

i smell fresh air

i usually laugh at every-little-thing

i search for myself

 i wonder if I’ll ever find myself…probably I’ll find myself in all the places I’ve looked

i regret often

i love as well as I can

i care about caring about people

i tell everyone exactly how I’m feeling

i worry waaaay too much

i am not shallow (even though I adore clothes), OK?

i remember almost nothing!  I’m terrible…

 i believe in God

i sing ALL THE TIME (I’m singing right now while I type.)

 i don’t always feel important

i don’t like that.

i write poems and short stories

i win at poker

i lose my mind whenever I can spare it

i dance by myself

i wish soooo many things

i never swear

i listen to all kinds of music

i don't understand a great many things, both about people I love and people I hate

i can usually be found pacing around my living room

i need quiet confidence

i forget almost everything; even my own anniversary!

Anyway, enough pictures of my [apparently narcissistic] face, and 

onto today's outfit! 

It got up past 70 degrees today, so I was finally able to show some skin that has been desperately missing being touched by the sun!

This dress is by far the most fu-fu thing in my closet (for clarification: fu-fu is different than lacey is different than elegant. Fu-fu is like...hm...well, let's say that fu-fu is like Juicy Couture and Paris Hilton and purse dogs.  Get my drift?)

Feeling a little "Sex and the City."

I adore this handbag!  It's another vintage piece I thrifted, and it's simply ancient! but it's in phenomenal shape, and its style is wonderfully unlike anything else I see being carried around.

My sick gold shoes.  Thrifted, of course.  How fun are these???

Today's golden arm party.

This dress is certainly pink-er than pink!!!  Whee!  Never thought I'd like anything with tiers, especially semi-distressed tiers, but I do like this little dress.

Lookin' fierce in the office!  Grrrawr.

Dress: Express || Arm Party: thrifted & gifted || Shoes: thrifted || Handbag: thrifted || Sunglasses: Marshall's

F L Y L I K E P A P E R

Celebrating!!!!
Celebrating so many things...life, love, my beautiful mother (HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY! I took her out for lunch today), my wonderful hubby, gorgeous weather, and...

...pretty jewelry. 
Also, the comerades who compliment a girl on her pretty jewelry.  :)  I got a bunch of compliments at the restaurant.  I love when people are jovial and go out of their way to be nice to total strangers.  It makes a girl's eyes sparkle just as bright as the shinies she's wearing.  [It makes a girl think that maybe, just maybe, this world's not going to heck-o in a handbasket, and that she'll be able to feel OK about raising her future kids in it.]  I try ardently to make strangers' days a little brighter; I grew up in a small town and that friendly mentality will haunt me (thank God) to the grave. 
The only bad thing about that mentality?  Well, there are two bad things, actually: 1.) Boys seem to take it the wrong way when I thank them for holding a door, and 2.) I tend to just 'pedest' across any old street when- and where ever I darn well please, 'cuz that's just how we do it in my old-school hometown.  haha...

Speaking of being old-school: a couple of my photos looked pretty sweet in b/w.

My shirtdress has a funny bump in it in the back..looks like I've got quite the "bubble butt"...oops.

Anyway, I MUST take a moment to point out introduce my new bag (pictured above).
That, my lovely friends, is the thrifting find of this century.  At least, of my life up 'til now.  I haven't delved too deeply into it as of yet, but of all my thrift finds, it's the one that I'm the most sure is genuine (and I'm pretty skeptical about this stuff).
SO.  What I'm saying is that I'm pretty doggone sure that that phenomenal red handbag I'm holding is actually-for-real-gen-u-ine Louis Vuitton, and not only that, but I'm pretty sure it's VINTAGE Louis. 
I'm so in love with it, it almost hurts.  I slept with it next to my bed the night I found it.  I call it "Louis," and ask if it missed me while I left it on the kitchen table to go to the gym. 
No joke. 
Maybe I should get myself into therapy. 
But only if Louis can come with me.

Shirtdress: H&M || Belt: Express || Linen pants: Kohl's || Shoes: ? || Bag: thrifted || Sunglasses: Marshall's || Jewelry: gifted & thrifted

Anyway, I'll sign off for today. 
Thanks, as always, for reading, my loves!  xoxox

May the Fourth [be with you]

Go figure, I'm a geek.
Really, I am!  (As if you doubted.) 
I'll prove it to you once and for all.  (If you somehow still doubt.)

Exhibit A: a peek back to Halloween 3 years ago.


My "frousin" (friend/cousin), Kati and I.

Yes, yes, that is the Princess Leia metal bikini.


HAPPY DAY!!!

Anyway, no, I did not make a post just to share my [not-so-fab] abs from 2009 BG (BG stands for "Before Gym," much to my current chagrin.).  I have a real outfit post, but the Star Wars geek-out was completely neccessary.


Anyway, we return to our regular broadcasting.


IT GOT UP TO 80 DEGREES the other day!!!  I'm such a summer baby...why do I live up north?  I was born during one of the hottest summers on record up here, and I think that set the bar for my preferred temperature.  :)

My legs look a lil chunky-monkey in this photo...ohhhh well.

The over-exposure makes me look like an angel or an elf...something ethereal...with a sadly goofy smile...but I still like it.

Did some minor pattern-mixing.  It's not something I've really experimented with much before, so I figured we'd take it slow for now and see how serious the relationship gets.


detail of pattern-mixing and accessories (looove these shoes).  Also: I'm sooo happy I went tanning before sundress season.  For once in my life, I thought ahead and was prepared!  It's a miracle.

See?  Polka-dots with stripes!  That counts as pattern-mixing, right?
Also: I did my own French mani (and it was much more difficult than I had anticipated).

Can't wait for real summer...

Jacket: JouJou
Dress: Target
Bracelets: thrifted
Sunnies: Marshall's
Espadrilles: Payless
Belt: H&M

Geometric Love

My bag and shoes match, but that's about all that's traditional about this ensemble.

Check out my DOUBLE COLLAR ACTION.

Taken with my phone and sent to my girl, Emilee the day I wore this. 
(I had to include this photo on my blog, though, because I didn't get many photos of this outfit.)

Circles, Rectangles, and Lines, oh my!

This is my Nerdy Chic at its most outrageous...I am well aware that this outfit is completely ridiculous.  In fact, I wore it two weeks ago, and this is the first it's made it up onto my blog. 
CONFESSION TIME:
Honestly, I was nervous to post it, 'cuz it's so "out there."  In fact, I went on a 'date' with my brother that night, and I even changed before he could see me or take me anywhere public. 
Then, I figured, this outfit is part of my style, and I haven't cared about being considered "cool" since the 8th grade!  I'm dissappointed in myself for giving into my self-conscious and second-guessing nature.  I got into blogging/styling my outfits precisely because I wanted to combat my lack of self-confidence. because I wanted to celebrate freedom of personal expression and artistry. 
So basically, by getting anxious that my outfit wasn't main-stream palatable and throwing something else on, I was simultaneously [hypocritically] throwing all my big ideas/talk about the art of personal style out the window.  And really, that's what's not cool. 
Therefore, I'm posting it LOUD and PROUD on my blog.

I hope it doesn't offend those of you with more delicate sensibilities...take a deep breath and just hang in there: my summer posts will be more demure (I think).

Denim blouse: H&M || Skirt: thrifted || Tights/Socks: ? || Shoes: thrifted || Clutch: thrifted || Scarf: thrifted || Detatchable collar: thrifted || Nerd glasses: Forever21

(Gracious, that was a lot of parts to that outfit!!!)

Things that suit me.

|| Blazer: MaxRave || Blouse: Jason Wu for Target || Skinnies: ELLE || Shoes: Dana Buchanan || Purse: Prada || Tote: Chaps ||

I'm happy that the weather is getting warmer.  It's easier to dress more sophisticated/femenine when its warmer.  I know it may sound like a cop-out, but please remember I live in Wisconsin!  Chunky sweaters and too many bulky layers are a must to survive in the winter!  haha  :)


My current favorite film for fashion inspiration is "Sabrina" starring (the one and only...the absolute ideal...the glorious) Audrey Hepburn.  It's been making me want to dress elegantly every day...
I even went out and bought some sparkly earrings and a cholker (the sparkles are crystal and not diamonds...[but only for now? heh heh...maybe someday]).  Now I just need to buy an evening gown and find some elegant balls and parties to attend. 
Here.  In Wisconsin.  You betcha.



Anyway, I'm just going to blogspam some inspirational pictures that I found on the marvelous internet of women just BEING ELEGANT.

Parisian, Chinese, and American elegance...Elegance will never go out of style: it transcends time and crosses oceans.  <3 

I'm working on making my closet more elegant in total.  I have hats, gloves, jewelry, shoes...I need more pretty dresses to wear them with (what girl doesn't want more pretty dresses, though???), and I need to learn how to pick out good slacks.  I also need to learn how to do my hair.  >.<;;;  MAJOR shortcoming there...

I wish more [American] women cared for elegance...life feels more special when you're dressed to celebrate it.