Sunny day

Dress: Elie Tahari, hand-me-down from Aunt P.; 

Sweater: Banana Republic; Shirt: American Eagle, Boots, tights: Target;

Pocketwatch necklace: Waltham, vintage. 

Hey there, Little Red Riding Hood

 Dress, belt, boots: Loft; Tights: Vera Wang; Sweater: American Eagle. 

I've had this dress for years, but I haven't put it into constant rotation until now. Something about the dark colors and flouncy skirt just epitomizes romanticism and autumn for me. I got a little haircut trim this past weekend, and so now the bangs are back.

Sort of related to my title: Have you all caught the shows "Grimm" and "Once Upon a Time"? I've always been into revisionist fairytales and so these shows seem to fit the bill creatively. It took me a couple episodes to get into "Once Upon a Time," but I'm really enjoying the plot details (and reading the show's forum on Television Without Pity), and I like all the hidden easter egg details within the scenery (like the apples at the mayor's house). Not so sure about "Grimm" yet, as I feel the character development fell a little flat in the pilot, but I thought the use of the Eurhythmics' "Sweet Dreams" during the woods sequence was genius.

What television or movies are you enjoying this fall? (I'm also quickly getting into "Hell on Wheels" -- I love American railroad history). 

The kind of eyes that drive wolves mad

Blouse: Thrifted, vintage; Shorts: American Eagle;

Shoes: Zigi Soho; Sunglasses: gift from Marilou; Bag: Thrift find; Bracelets: Gifts. 

I wore this outfit last week, when the weather was still nice and warm, like 80 degrees tolerable-humidity nice. It's since taken a turn for the windy and brisk, and I can't imagine ever going back to shorts before the end of the year. I felt like these photos made me look like a babe in the woods (very similar to this previous outfit), and so Little Red Riding Hood references seemed appropriate.

Graduate school is taking up a lot of my time. I have three projects and a test in the span of eight days, so I have holed up inside of my apartment (or the library) to study it up. On top of the stress, I must admit that my outfits haven't been very inspired lately either, and part of that is because I'm trying to figure out what's appropriate for school and work. There are things in my closet that I think are awesome signature pieces, like my ruffly 80s blouse and band jacket and sequin blouse, and I think to myself, Is this too weird to wear around my peers? I think my style evolved after I left college and went into the work world, but now that I'm in graduate school, I feel like I'm regressing a little bit back into safe basics, which isn't really me. I'm still trying to figure out how to balance my sartorial, creative flourishes with my academic side. Have you ever seen a shift in your wardrobe because of a life change?


I feel like I've been a stranger around these parts, which is something I'm trying to combat. What's up with you guys?

The conspiracies of nature

Blouse: Banana Republic; Shorts: American Eagle; 

Belt: from camp a million years ago; Sandals: Tevas:

Pocket watch (converted as necklace): Waltham; Headband: from Philippines. 

The change in weather coincided with an uptick in academic work, all of which made the goodbye to summer extra cruel last weekend. Summer lingers for a month and a half longer here in the South until well into October, but a shift happened here that I think only Mother Nature knew about herself, and so we're experiencing fall temperatures like everyone else. I wore this outfit last weekend, but now I'm actually breaking out sweaters and jeans, and the experience is a little bewildering.

I had a major project due at the beginning of this week (a 40-minute presentation on Facebook marketing, in case any of you social media-philes were interested), so unfortunately, my poor camera remained neglected for a few days. I'm still trying to figure out balancing my hobbies against my academic life, so that I don't feel like a prisoner breaking free every time I don't have readings or papers.  It's been hard, but I think I've managed a better sleep schedule so I can have more of my beloved sunrise sojourns during the week.

Happy weekend! What are your plans? Football season is beginning its stronghold here in my Georgia town, so I'll be tailgating tomorrow with Jeremiah and my family. Outdoor picnics are always a nice interlude away from the books ...

Simplify, simplify

Blouse: Loft; Shorts: American Eagle, Sandals: Miss Trish of Capri, Target;

Hair wreath: Self-made.

Total confession: I am not spending money on clothes for the foreseeable future. Part of it has to do with the fact that Jeremiah and I just paid for some of our graduate school fees, and now a good chunk of our disposable income will be prioritized towards academia (as we think it should be).

 But really, most of it has to do with the fact that I'm just over shopping and acquiring things. It feels completely vulgar and selfish to me to say there's nothing to wear when I have a closet full of clothes.  For the first time in my academic life, I didn't do any back-to-school clothing spending, after looking in my closet and realizing I have all that I really need for a while.  I suppose a lot of my wardrobe is comprised of affordable vintage clothing, but I no longer want to buy from thrift stores just because I can, and because they're cheap and accessible. In the future, I want to buy things that last, even if acquiring those things are long-term goals. I know thrift items are not necessarily excluded from being durable and well-constructed, just as newer items can still be poorly made. But in general, I'm just tired of having items that don't fit well or fall apart easily, and I want to change that. In the meantime, I've been digging deep into my closet for items I haven't worn often or at all and making accessories with bits and pieces I have left around my house (like this hair wreath). To me, there is something very satisfying about making do with things I already have. 

I've also been thinking about the direction of this blog. It's kind of morphed into a style/landscape photography thing, and sometimes I feel like it leans more on that than it does on the breakdown of my outfits. I'll continue to post my sartorial  choices on here, but I think there will be less emphasis on capturing the everyday, and focusing on photography. I'll also still do reviews/giveaways as they come, because I feel like that's giving back to you guys in some little way. But the crux of this blog (and my interests) are in style/landscape photography, so I'll be doing that. 

Anyways, onto less serious things. The weekend before school started, I had a lot of pent-up excited energy and could not sit still in my apartment. I ended up making a ton of hair wreaths (and watching a lot of "Breaking Bad") to keep me busy, and this particular floral one has been worn often in the last couple weeks. To make it, I basically pulled the fabric flowers away from their plastic stems, and then strung them on floral wire (kind of like a Hawaiian lei). I like wearing this wreath asymmetrically with all the flowers on one side, as it's a very subtle look and makes it an easy wreath to wear with basic clothing. I have made some autumn-inspired ones for the next few months and I'll be sharing a DIY tutorial about them tomorrow!

They have their exits and their entrances

 Henley: Chaps; Dress: Style & Co.; Sandals: Miss Trish of Capri;

Bracelet: Finder's Keepers, Lawrenceville, Ga; Necklace: AE, from Marilou.

I do have to share some news: I've been spending the last couple weeks getting ready for graduate school, which will begin next month. It's weird to think I'll be back in college two years after my undergraduate education wrapped up, but I'm glad I get the opportunity to start over while I'm young, to make the leap from a struggling industry (journalism) and start over. I'll be studying for my master's in advertising, and I'm excited to see how that will change my life. I'd like to explore graphic design, social media and marketing a little bit more, especially since the technology for it all is constantly evolving. This blog was the catalyst for this change in my life, and the people and readers -- you, yes, you -- have helped me get to this part of my career path. So really, thank you. 

I have a feeling that in the coming months my blog will change a bit more. Though it'll be the same in that the basics -- personal style and photography -- will always be around, I'll probably use this blog as an experimental lab for design and other features. 

I started this blog to have a personal outlet for my style, but it's evolved beyond any sartorial expectations and has helped me realize what I'd like to do for a career path. I'm curious: If you have a blog, how has its presence affected your life? 

As it stands still

 Watch: c/o The Trendy Boutique; Blouse: Fiorlini International;

Shorts: American Eagle; Shoes: Naturalizers; Bag: Fossil. 

Though I've devoted much of my closet space to dresses, sometimes it's fun to go off sartorial autopilot and do something different. Before I headed out of town on Friday for my busy holiday weekend, I had a chance to run some errands and take photos at the usual spot, just after a torrential rainstorm. I usually avoid doing blog photos after thunderstorms because of the inevitable sloppiness of trudging in the woods, but I decided to be adventurous and expose my camera to the drippy elements. I'm so glad I did -- the dramatic sky was worth it. 

I recently received this watch from The Trendy Boutique, and I'm enjoying its bright pink presence on my arm. I'm not normally a watch person, but I've recently rediscovered the usefulness of knowing the time right away (instead of relying on other means of technology), and its stone rubber band means it'll be pretty practical yet unfussy for my summer adventures. This particular watch makes me nostalgic for my teenage summers away at camp, where the ticking hands had to be in sync for everyone there, for meals to bugle calls, to campfire sessions and weekends wandering into town. Looking at these photos remind me of those awesome carefree days, and I love wearing an accessory that inspires me to wear more lollipop-colored clothing.

Want to win some arm candy of your own? Stick around this afternoon for a chance to win a watch from The Trendy Boutique!

Like a southbound train

 

Shirt: Arizona Jeans Co; Shorts: American Eagle; Bag: H&M; Sandals: Teva.

This might be the most laidback outfit I've worn in awhile, but Saturday I really wanted to be casual when I took a walk by myself near the railroad tracks to shoot photos. These tracks are pretty close to campus, and I've actually only seen a train go by once the entire time I was in school. Right before I got there, I heard the blasts of a train whistle as it whizzed by East Campus. Ever since I saw the Final Destination movies when I was younger, I've had a fear of getting trapped on railroad tracks, so I was pretty glad about my timing. Sometimes the train ends up parking on the tracks for awhile, which makes it difficult to take photos in that location.

This might very well be the blog debut of my Teva sandals! They were such a mainstay to my high school wardrobe because I spent a lot of time outdoors as a teen during my co-ed Scout days. They've lasted me seven years and several dozen mountain hikes and counting. 

I spent some time this weekend exploring my town. The weather is wonderful, the lighting is fantastic during the peak hours and I'm just ready for new landscapes. I suppose it's like mind exercise -- some people do crossword puzzles or Sudoku, and I spend my time scheming up photoshoot combinations. I'll be sharing those finds later today ...

How was your weekend?

I dream of a living jungle

 Skirt: Kensington Square, vintage, thrifted; Top: American Eagle;

 Hat: Scala Pronto; Heels: Bongo, thrifted.

Listening to: "West of the Fields," REM (the Murmur album).

 

 

After work Tuesday, I spent some time down at the ancient Murmur railroad trestle. The weather was so nice that I was just itching to take photos. This isn't the first time I've visited this historical site (most known for its appearance on REM's "Murmur" album cover), but it is the first time I've taken photos at this angle. It's hard not to think about REM whenever I visit places that have their history entwined with the band's, and so I found myself muttering some of my favorite songs while I was down by the creek. 

I wore this outfit to work, and I'm loving the skirt's dramatic length and pattern. I'm trying to find more ways to style it, though I'm pretty content with the red and black color combination. 

There are days when I feel like I've fallen out of love with photography, when I dislike the elements of my outfit, or become disgruntled with how the lighting and technical aspects of my shoots come together. But since I've comeback  to Athens, I've found myself becoming more of a hometown girl as I practice my photography here. I didn't feel much of a connection to the town when I went to school here -- my main haunts were around downtown streets and near campus. But now that I'm back, I feel like I'm building a relationship with these old, historical spots. I think about them and how they'll look under certain weather conditions. I plan outfits around them sometimes. They've become familiar as my bedroom stairs, as old friends, as measuring sticks for my growth.  I plan on spending a good chunk of my summer taking little field trips around my area to find old plantation homes and barns, mossy fields and decrepit stone chimneys. I'm always searching for the next shot, and with that, hopefully I'm establishing my style as well.

More area-related field trips:

- Murmur

- Literal REM

- Waking the ghosts

- Farm park