Stumped

 I have no earthly idea why I've been sitting on these photos for so long. I took these photos about a month or so ago during my summer class session and they've been lingering in here since the New York trips. I've got a few summer outfits I need to post about before it's no longer summer anymore.

I've been practicing stunts with my photography for a while, and things like climbing fences, dangling tripods over lakes and bridges (I'm very careful, most of the time) don't really faze me, as long as I manage to get the photo compositions I want. So I was excited to see that someone (perhaps a fisherman who often sets up in the mornings) left a stump in the lake, just a few feet from the shore. I decided I wanted to, uh, take really majestic-looking photos of me balancing on the stump, overlooking the lake in some kind of zen-like "Walden Pond" way. That lasted for about two minutes, tops, because I over-estimated how sturdy the stump was and managed to fall into the lake and get all mussed up, and these were the best photos from the bunch. Lessons to take away from this: a) don't perform photography stunts before class; b) if you do, don't wear your nice stuff, either.

credits- dress: j. crew | sweater: ruche | shoes: miss trish of capri. 

I wear this J. Crew dress a lot (in fact, I'm wearing it right now as I type this), so here's a recent compilation of all the ways I've worn it.

It's empty in the valley of your heart

 Paisley dress: J. Crew; Shawl (as scarf): Burlington;

Belt: Banana Republic; Sandals: Miss Trish of Capri;

Ring: from mom, heirloom.

Listening to: "The Cave," Mumford and Sons.

I don't know how many times I've worn some iteration of this outfit, but this is definitely my favorite dress in my closet. Look how beautifully it matches the foliage of the park ...

I've been in a reflective mood lately. I spent some time hanging out with old friends who came into town for my mentor's memorial service last week. It was so good to hang out with people (co-workers at my college newspaper) that I haven't seen in years, and catch up on the many personal and professional ups and downs that happen after graduation. I almost didn't go — what if we're not the same? — but ultimately was so glad I did, realizing that I missed my ink-stained journalism pals.

Classes are wrapping up this week, and I can barely contain my excitement at being free from so many deadlines. I'll be free to roam around this area this summer, hopefully finding more awesome photo spots along the way.

Piled higher and deeper

 Dress: J. Crew; Striped blouse: Gap; Shoes: Zigi Soho; Belt: J. Crew, thrifted;

Bracelet: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI; Leather crossbody bag: thrifted.

Photos of me by Jeremiah.

The last week has been an absolute blur of starting graduate school and my assistantship. It's been exciting, and I've been full of nervous energy all week. This semester, I'm taking required research-based classes (i.e. how to do research at the graduate level), so while I won't be too far into my advertising concentration, I'll still be doing a lot (a lot!) of reading. 

I've worn some form of this outfit twice already in the last week, and have alternated wearing the blouse over or under the dress. I really like the juxtaposition of the green stripes against the paisley print. My first outfits during the first two days of school were unremarkable because I wore more business-wear for my job on those days. But I wore this the third day of class (and during some much-needed downtown time with Jeremiah later that night), and felt a little more like myself with the print mixing. 

What do you wear to feel confident on first days (of school, or work)?

P.S. I'll be picking a winner of the Easy Canvas Prints giveaway tonight.

The foundations under clouds

 Dress: J. Crew; Scarf: From Italy, gift from Val;

 Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell, won from a giveaway from Elisharon. 

Thanks for all the feedback on the last couple posts. I'm really incredibly excited about these changes in my life, and how school is going to affect things in the next few years. I've been getting ready the last few days with the necessary things, like paperwork and running errands. I've also been slightly making over my wardrobe a little bit, too -- taking out dresses that no longer fit or need alterations, and filling in the gaps with more blouses, sweaters and scarves (essential for cold classrooms). 

I've also been revisiting this paisley dress often. Ever since I got it tailored, it's been in constant rotation. If I could, I'd want to take a large sheet of it and wallpaper my wall with the pattern, because its shade of green is really re-energizing and fun to look at. Here are a few ways I've styled it before:

- This was a submission to the Everybody, Everywear "Pattern Mixing" Challenge. For more looks, visit here.

The sartoriography of bowties

 Dress: J. Crew; Sweater: Banana Republic, thrifted; 

Blouse: Ann Taylor, thrifted; Boots, tights: Target;

Frog belt: Highland & Ponce, Calivintage giveaway;

Hairbow (as bowtie): Treasure Box of Bows.

Besides our shared interests in giant graham crackers, boxcars and referring to each other with dessert nicknames (hello, cupcake!), Emily of Sartoriography and I have a mutual love for wearing bowties. So naturally, with an obsession like that, we had to play twins this week and wear them at the same time.  Go see how Emily styles hers here, and then stick around, because her outfits, writing, rural photography and stories of Chicago living will charm your socks off, buttercups.

This outfit was built upon a formula of how much green can I wear without looking too much like a leprechaun? I think one day this outfit will become more monochromatic, but for now, baby steps. This spring will see an increase of more bowtie looks for me ...

Remixed: J. Crew print dress

This J. Crew paisley-print dress started out as a regretted online purchase (never buy things on final sale without knowing your measurements!). But after some alterations, I've found this silk dress has become an interesting print to add in my closet full of lots of reds and blues. Not only that, it has pockets, which are always so practical. In the last year, I've worn it with lots of cool tones, and have even worn it over another dress. I'd like to continue to pattern mix with it some more in the coming months ...

Deja vu

Dress: J. Crew; Top: Leslie Fay, vintage, thrifted; 

Boots: Target; Belt: Camp Rainey Mtn.

Shop similar: Dress, top.

 I promised myself that when I started the 30 for 30 Remix Challenge that I would eventually wear this combination together. But because I've remixed this dress so much in the challenge, I feel like I've already worn this exact combination before. I'm so far in the Challenge (at the 28th outfit), that I'm getting a little disoriented with time and space. Thank goodness for this blog and its documentation capabilities, otherwise I might repeat the whole Remix Challenge all over again. Which might be amusing to the rest of you, and will be slightly familiar with overtones of eerie to me.

Anyway, where was I? I did like this combination a lot -- it's a bolder pattern mix than what I usually do. It's slightly cuckoo but delightful to wear.

My favorite part though, wasn't the clash of prints but the blouse's neck frill, which allowed me to emulate this dinosaur from Jurassic Park:

[via]

It's like looking into a mirror.

The duck whisperer

 Dress (as skirt): J. Crew; Sweater: LOFT; Boots, tights: Target;

Poncho (as scarf): Burlington Coat Factory; Leaf brooch: thrifted; 

Belt: from Boy Scout camp (when I worked there);

Pocket watch necklace: Waltham, gift.

Shop similar: Dress, scarf, brooch, necklace.

Outfit 22 in the 30 for 30 Remix Challenge. I could tell you about this outfit, and how every piece comes from a different stage in my life, and that I am such a sentimentalist about them. How I like how natural the colors are in each piece and how they align well with the scenery behind me. Blah, blah, nostalgia. Blah, blah, tree hippie.

What I'm actually excited about is my fashionable fowl of a friend up there. Please note the duck -- it's already made an appearance on the blog before.  It must have recognized me again, because it showed up in half my photos, and followed me from the beach to the dock. When I got to the dock and realized the duck was close by and getting (wanting to be?) in the shots, I actually said out loud, "Hold still. Let me take your picture." And it did stop, and that's the portrait you see above.

You guys, I might have a gift here -- the uncanny ability to talk to ducks. Like Harry Potter and snakes, or Jennifer Love Hewitt and the underworld. Our national nightmare of not understanding our bird friends may soon be over. We may finally know why they prefer regular white bread to ciabatta, how they manage to look calm with their legs kicking furiously underwater, and why Donald Duck wears a shirt and no pants.


It'll be hard, but I'll try not to quit my day job.