Several months ago, I bought some really cute vintage hats from Etsy. This is my first time actually wearing one. I love it so much! I’m really excited to wear the other one. It’s an ivory short crown bowler hat and the ribbon has black stitching on the edges.
This skirt is fine for indoor wear, but as you can see, it’s pretty long and drags in the grass. It had been raining, so when I was done taking pictures, the bottom of my skirt (and my feet) were pretty wet.
I wore this last week to babysit three kiddos. It was my first experience babysitting, unless you count playing with toddler neighbors and friends’ younger siblings. They’re cool kids, so it was fun. I’ll likely be watching them a lot more in July. They like art, so it’s easy to keep them and myself entertained.
I intended to post this outfit the day I wore it, but that happened to be the same day my blog temporarily died…so you get it today. It’s been REALLY hot lately – like mid-90s (˚F). Today is the first day it’s cooled down a bit and it has been wonderful. The past several years, I haven’t owned many pairs of shorts, nor have I had the desire to. This year, my shorts supply is building up again. I guess it really just depends on what I find in consignment and thrift stores. This year the stores have been good to me. Haha…this necklace is a whistle. I got it for my 5th birthday (so it’s 18 years old). The three-year-old I was babysitting was obsessed with it. First, we had a pretend marching band. She played the accordion (a slinky) and sang, and I blew the whistle on cue. Then for the rest of the four hours I was there, she would randomly demand that I blow the whistle. She’s cute.
tee: secondhand American Eagle shorts: secondhand New York and Company necklace: 5th birthday gift sandals: secondhand Bandolino hat: Cooperative via Urban Outfitters
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I’m a color lover. Sure, neutrals are great. In the world of fashion they’re versatile, and some people can pull off head-to-toe neutrals stunningly. But, as I said, I love color. Lately, though, I’ve been drawn to the simplicity of black and white. I noticed a few days ago while scrolling though Pinterest, the images that were catching my eye were of black and white decor, outfits, and art. Because of the stark contrast between the two, when paired together, they are just as eye catching as a vivid color. Obviously, I still hesitate to wear solely black and white, but I’m officially declaring that it will happen soon. In the mean time, here are some of those black and white images that made me look. (Click image for original source.)
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When I was wearing this geometric print top, my mom looked at me and asked, “What does your shirt say?” Well, it says nothing. They’re just geometric shapes, I told her. She insisted that it says “Old Navy” over and over, even after I explained that it’s not an Old Navy top. Haha! I can kinda see it, though. There are some O and L shapes. I typically don’t go for tunic-length tops. I just don’t think they’re that flattering on my petite self. When I tried this on, my first thought was…what in the world will I wear this with? It’s too short to be a dress, but too long to look okay with jeans, and I’d rather not wear leggings. I really like the color and print of it though, so I got it anyway. Luckily it works well with these super skinny jeans, and belting it keeps it from exaggerating my shortness.hat: Pins & Needles via Urban Outfitters tunic: secondhand H&M jeans: secondhand New York & Company sandals: secondhand b.o.c. bracelets: secondhand & Fair Trade belt: high school years American Eagle Outfitters
(P.S. There’s lichen on that tree! The marriage of fungi and algae ♥)
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I spend my weekend exploring Asheville, North Carolina. It’s such a cool place! First of all, it’s in the Blue Ridge Mountains so it’s beautiful. Asheville doesn’t have the feel of a huge, bustling city, but it still has the culture. For people who love food like myself, it’s perfect. We visited the co-op while there (Asheville has a strong local/sustainable/organic scene), as well as a few restaurants (The Green Sage, Tupelo Honey Cafe, Stonebowl - all delicious). We also checked out the North Carolina Arboretum, and I took a class with my brother to learn about lichens at the Botanical Gardens (lichens are interesting!). I believe Asheville also has a great arts scene, and it’s well known for its abundance of craft breweries.
My mom noticed there is a plethora of consignment and thrift stores in Asheville, so I’m anxious to go spend a day touring them all. I’d also like to go on some hikes in the area. I went on a hike with my dad in Old Fort last fall, which is about 30 minutes from Asheville, but I’d love to do some more exploring. You can check out some iPhone pictures from my trips here. Most are from the arboretum.
I actually didn’t wear this outfit to Asheville. I wore it the day before. I really like maxi dresses/skirts, and I love the colors in this one. It’s also not way too long on me (I’m 5’3″), so that’s a plus. It kinda bugs me that the stripes don’t line up at the seams, but it’s not a super high quality dress so I can’t expect perfection. I’m picky, can you tell?
shirt: secondhand Banana Republic dress: secondhand hat: J. Crew sale shoes: secondhand Nine West necklace: gift from college roommate, handmade by her grandparents
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This is what I wore for a client meeting today. I love the mustard with the deep red, and I think they compliment the black and white pattern beautifully. I like the tulip sleeves on this top – they make it just a little more special. (Side note: look at that lush veggie garden behind me…mmmm). Linking up at Marionberry Style today.
It has been a CRAZY past three weeks for me! Siblings moving, travel, client meetings, lots of logo designing, baking, car washing, green smoothie drinking, visits with friends…it’s amazing how I feel busy, yet I don’t feel busy. After my college graduation, I went to a conference with my mom, sister, and best friend and right after that, I went to Ireland for a few weeks with a friend and had an unforgettable time. Then…real, post-college life started. I applied for jobs, got my hopes up about many, but nothing worked out. I turned down a few offers that I didn’t feel would take me in the direction I wanted to go with my career. Finally I started focusing my time more on freelancing. It’s going well, but obviously it takes time to build up enough business to make a living.
Problem is, I don’t feel like freelance is what I should be doing full time at this point in my life. I feel secluded and cramped. I miss the companionship I had while in college. I miss having a group of coworkers I get to see everyday…I miss being part of a team. I miss the structure that my days had while in school and working my design job there. I miss having someone beside me, across the room from me, or down the hall from me that I can get feedback from on my designs. I miss getting dressed up everyday (freelance = work at home = loungewear). Sure I could get dressed everyday and create a 9-5 schedule for myself, but it’s just not the same being at home working by myself. So I guess the reason I don’t feel busy, despite the fact that I am, is because I spend my days at home rather than in school or “at work”.
As for feeling cramped, my bedroom in my parents’ house feels smaller everyday, and I envy my brother and sister who each have their own place (plus, the interior designer in me is anxious to do some decorating).
I should be thankful that I have projects to work on, a place to live, and friends - and I am – but it’s hard when my siblings are all moving on and I’m still here. I guess I just have to keep pressing on and trust that the perfect job for me is just right over the horizon.
Sorry for the crazy long personal post. It just kinda happened.
top: secondhand Banana Republic pants: secondhand Fade to Blue shoes: secondhand Cole Haan belt: target earrings: secondhand
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Have you been as excited as I have about The Great Gatsby premiere? F. Scott Fitzgerald definitely ranks among my top three favorite authors, so I’ve been looking forward to this movie ever since I learned about it over a year ago.
I drove two hours to go to the midnight premiere with a friend (it was actually a 10pm showing, but I was absolutely fine with getting to go to bed at a decent hour). Being that I was doing a bit of traveling to see it, there was no way I wasn’t going to dress up. I got a glitzy, sequined dress for $5 at a yard sale, but when I put it on, it was a bit large on me and just looked too 1980s. I had this drop-waist dress in my closet, so I figured it was passable for 1920s. Paired with the long necklaces, the headband, and the 20s-esque purse, I really like how it came out. I would’ve loved to have worn a glamorous dress with fringe and beading, a more elaborate headpiece, and jazz shoes, but this was free and practical. Plus, I’d wear this not as a costume.
I really enjoyed the movie, and I definitely recommend it, but only if you’ve read the book. I didn’t see it in 3D (not really a fan of 3D), but I think a lot of the visuals and effects could make that a neat experience. I was worried the modern twists would bother me (the music, for instance), but it’s a very flashy, extravagant film, as Fitzgerald portrays the jazz age to be, and the twists kind of help to exaggerate the hedonistic lifestyle of the characters. The approach in terms of production is obviously anti-realistic, and everything about the movie is theatrical, so you just have to go expecting that.
There were some things about the movie that bothered me, but not enough to make me not like it. I was reading a review on NPR, and one thing the author Linda Holmes mentioned is, ”the entire moral underpinning of Gatsby is lost because it is given a romantic aspect far beyond what should be there,” and I agree with that. But I think that’s the case in a lot of modern movies – all emphasis is put on love and romance. The movie was pretty faithful to the story line of the novel, though. Most other issues I had were just petty annoyances…Gatsby’s accent seemed inconsistent and forced at times, and the insanely fast cars zig-zaging around obstacles required that I extend my belief farther than I could.
Did you dress up for the premiere? If you’ve seen the movie, what’d you think?
dress: secondhand Old Navy shoes: secodhand Maria Sharpova by Cole Haan purse: seconhand J. Jill accessories: secondhand
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Mother’s Day is this coming Sunday. Why don’t you make Mom some cookies? Or you could make some for yourself if you are a mother…or even if you’re not. I made these chai spice cookies last week when I was having a cookie craving. They were delicious - the perfect amount of spiciness, in my opinion.
This recipe is an adaptation/combination of this recipe and this recipe. I used a gluten free flour mixture, so try it out with this flour recipe if you’re gluten-free. I use that mixture for everything. It works in all of my non gluten-free recipes, and it’s the closest thing to wheat flour I’ve ever tried.
INGREDIENTS:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup white sugar (Replace 1/4 cup with brown sugar for a slightly richer, more molasses-y flavor and a bit of crunch.) 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom (I may try adding a bit more next time – I love cardamom!) 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1-4 – 1/2 teaspoon black pepper ( I added slightly less than 1/2 teaspoon. I like the kick it adds. Add less if you don’t think you’ll like it.) 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup coconut oil (You can just use butter instead if you don’t have coconut oil.) 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Mix together sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and pepper in a different large mixing bowl.
4. Add the butter and coconut oil to the sugar and spice mixture, and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy (approx. 3 minutes).
5. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
6. Slowly mix in the flour mixture until just combined.
7. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden on top.
9. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes.
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Meet bohemian Maggie. Sometimes I look through my photo archives…or even my closet…and realize there isn’t really one “style” I stick to. Boho, retro, preppy, sophisticated, tomboy, classic, urban, outdoorsy, girly, kitschy…I’ve played around with it all. But that’s what I love so much about getting dressed and having a diverse closet. I can dress how I feel on any given day, and I can interpret any of the “styles” I listed in a way that feels me. I don’t really feel a need to restrict myself to one style, because I don’t think that’s an accurate representation of who I am. Though I have my own distinctive personality, I still have many interests and many moods, and I don’t always feel like dressing the same way. And just like I enjoy exploring different arts – from letterpress to quilting – I enjoy trying different trends and styles, but I never make choices I don’t feel comfortable in. The flowy-ness of this skirt is too fun. And it has little bells on the drawstrings – not loud, obnoxious ones, but tiny ones that make a subtle noise with each step. It’s actually a pretty sheer skirt, as you can tell in some of these pictures, so it’s great for warm weather.
When I was deciding on what shirt to wear with it, I noticed the skirt’s pattern has just a little bit of eggplant color mixed in. Rather than reaching for the obvious brown or black tee, I thought it’d be nice to draw attention to that color. I have several other patterned skirts/shirts like that – I look for the color that there’s the least of, and use other pieces in my outfit to draw attention to that color. Give it a try – if you have a patterned piece, try changing up how you wear it by pairing it with a color other than what you typically wear it with. It can really transform the way a piece looks. I love making animated GIFS! This was the perfect outfit for it, so I couldn’t resist.tee: secondhand Loft skirt: secondhand cardigan: secondhand Gap shoes: secondhand Mossimo belt: secondhand
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I jokingly told my mom recently that I’m going to start putting a poll on some of my outfits…”would my mom like this outfit?” Haha, I was just kidding when I said that, but she enthusiastically supported the idea. I don’t think she’s a fan of the pattern mixing thing. She may not see it, but I carefully consider the patterns I choose to wear together. I really like this geometric print paired with the more organic, painterly print of the skirt. I got this top at a yard sale, and it’s actually too big. The cardigan hides that, but I think I may take it on the sides…easy fix.
I think my aesthetic for clothing extends into how I’d like to decorate my future apartment/home. I love loose, organic art – paintings in which you can see wild brushstrokes and drawings that show the movement of the artist’s hand. However, I also love more structured art – geometric prints, posters with beautiful typography, etc. I want a gallery wall with a vast mixture of different kinds of art and photographs.
Same goes for furniture and other decor. I love rustic stuff – like my vintage letter trays (like these) and my DIY necklace hanger, but I also love clean, more modern design, like much of the stuff from Hive Modern. I look forward to having a good mix in my home.
(My sister in furnishing an apartment at school right now, and it’s making me anxious to decorate my own space.)
top: secondhand Forever 21 skirt: secondhand Lily Pulitzer cardigan: old Old Navy belt: secondhand shoes: Crown Vintage
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