Be Kind On Black Friday

THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Coming for a truly kind soul whom works in the retail industry and will be putting in fourteen hours of labor and dedication this Black Friday I ask that as you all are participating in this holiday you are thoughtful of all the people working to make it possible.

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Be Grateful Everyday

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! I am trying to stay off social media and the interweb as much as possible today to just enjoy the simplicity of being with my family. I just wanted to give a quick update to a cute family tradition we started last year. We post a tree on the wall at the beginning of the month and post leaves on it everyday with things that we are thankful for. This has become one of my favorite traditions for Thanksgiving and encourage you to try it with your family.

 

Making A Statement

Making a statement is something that is important to do once in a while, especially when you tend to be a wall flower. I am not one to be shy or quiet but I do love to make a statement and make my voice heard. This doesn't only apply with a wardrobe but with your personality and lifestyle too. Chose to go against the grain once in a while and see how empowered you feel. 

Christmas came a little early with the arrival of this beautiful gem to my possession. The coin collar necklace from Free People is sure one way to make a statement. I love that you can wear it with so much as well, even though it's such a big piece it can still be paired with big patterns. But it can also be worn with something simple like I have on today.

Hey Hey, NYC For The Day!

Time to be spontaneous and take a day trip to NYC with a few girlfriends! Honestly this trip was inspired by an Instagram I saw, on the current exhibit at the David Zwirner gallery in Chelsea. This particular exhibit is titled I Who Have Arrived In Heaven, by Yayoi Kusama. Seeing a photograph of the "infinity room" inspired me to make the four and half hour trip to enjoy these wonderful installations and some great food.

I needed to be comfortable during the drive but bundled up enough to be warm enough exploring the city all day. Warm socks, my favorite pair of jeans, and lots of layers were the answer. Starting with a thin long sleeve underneath I threw my Pretty Lights tee on over top and then my aztec print cardigan to ensure warmth. Comfy jeans and some wool boot socks with my Pink and Pepper black boots for the bottom. Also couldn't forget the infinity scarf and beanie for walking around the city.

I'll have another post later in the week with pictures from my trip!

Practicing For The Holiday Party Season

Woohoo! Everyone is officially on fall break and it feels so good and much deserved. Although I am jealous of all those who are able to travel for the break somewhere warm and beautiful, I will make the best of staying home. State College is really starting to feel the chill of winter coming on and I am preparing myself for the bitter cold winter ahead.

Today I am dressing it up a notch for work and practicing a look that would be acceptable to go straight from work to a holiday party (being as this may be something I am faced with in the next month). I'm going with a classic red fit and flare dress from the LOFT, tights are a necessity in this weather. I also decided to go with a little ankle sock to keep my feet extra warm in a pair of heel booties, from Hautelook. For work I am also wearing a tuxedo style blazer over the dress, but this is something that could totally be ditched for the party look. This classic base allows you to have fun with a lot of sparkly accessories and even a scarf if you want! My favorite peacoat will keep me toasty in blistering winds.

Check out more photos here!

Under The Weather Blues

Excuse my lack in posting lately! I started my Thanksgiving break and came down with strep throat which completely took me down for a few days. However, now thanks to antibiotics and salt water gargles I am slowly starting to feel better. Back to feeling my normal, busy, never wanting to rest self versus the zombie of a human being I was the past couple days.

Getting back into the groove of things includes being able to get out of my sweatpants and oversized tee's I've been living in. Not going to lie it was a nice break for a few days to not worry really about how styled I was or what condition my hair was in. So today I decided to take it easy on myself but still feel put together. For the mixture of comfy chic I decided to go with a thermal and maxi skirt combo. Since it's starting to get particularly chilly in PA I also threw on my wool knit vest over top to stay extra bundled. Hopefully I continue to start feeling better and am able to keep up with my posts. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!!

Never Stop Dreaming

Happy Tuesday! Today I was blessed to have time to spend with my favorite little people, my niece and nephew. When hanging out with kids or surrounding yourself with them I feel as though you're reminded everyday of how to remember what it feels like to have that innocents or belief that they do. Kids have some of the strongest beliefs and most humbling opinions. Most importantly I believe kids inspire us to keep dreaming and keep setting the example that hard work and dedication pays off in life.

I was also reminded of how smart kids can be while watching Vanderpump Rules last night on BRAVO. Jax was playing video games with Stassi's little brother and was slowly gaining his and the rest of the families trust back (or trying to). But Nikolai had some very wise words for Jax about how he hurt Stassi and now he just needs to focus on trying to make her happy. While adults are busy complicating our daily lives that are already stressful enough, kids can still see what truly matters living in the moment and being happy.

It's never to late to start a completely new chapter in your book, this is your story and it's time to take charge of it. 

Today's outfit: Minnetonka Triple Fringe Boots, Tribal print Poncho from a local boutique, grey skinny jeans. 

Taking Time For Yourself

I've been so busy I haven't even posted in days! This is how I knew it was absolutely time to just take a break, even though a thousand things need done, and take some time for myself. The holiday season is one of the best of the year but it can also be the most stressful. It's important that in these next couple of months you take moments to yourself to breath and appreciate all the little things that go unnoticed while rushing to get things done.

Like appreciating the moon and sun being out at the same time. 

And of course by taking a little time to myself to relax that includes doing a little bit of shopping. I am in love with this new sweater I purchased from LOFT, it's going to be the perfect thing to keep me warm through these snowy Pennsylvania winter months. The rest of my shopping I did online starting to compile my Christmas wishlist. Here are a few items that I'm really hoping Santa comes through on: 

An all white headdress. 

Chanour Antalya Coin Collar Necklace 

Reverse Sweet Worship Velvet Fringe Kimono 

Trendabl. The Newest Must Have Fashion App

It's almost the weekend! And I have one more thing that we can be excited about, a new app came out for fashion lovers. This app is called Trendabl and is currently only available for iPhones, sorry android users. Trendabl is a start up company based out of New York City. The founder Jon Alagem is in his young thirties and founded this company in 2011. After reading this article that College Fashionista posted the other day I had to download the new must have app.

What does Trendabl do you ask? 

Trendabl allows you to connect with other people in the fashion industry who have a passion for new trends and sharing these things with others. Designers even use it to get loyal customers excited about lines they have out and being able to get these new pieces at the touch of your finger tips. 

After noticing the popularity of fashion related Instagram posts Jon had the idea to create an app dedicated to these photos and the popular question that follows them, where is that from? He has eliminated this question because Trendabl allows you to tag all your garments in a picture with a color, category, and brand. This app also is one of the first of its kind that has created it's own market place too. Find a top you like and buy it right from your phone. I'm just getting the hang of it but have a feeling it will be my new tech addiction. 

   Follow me!

I want to hear your feedback if you've downloaded the app yourself! What do you all think? 

Mixing It All Up

Well time to get creative with outfits, to have the skill of wearing just the right amount of layers so that you aren't cold outside but don't burst into sweat as soon as you get inside either. It's a balance that is hard to tackle, especially when the afternoon sun heats it up enough you have hope of being able to lose the jacket but know that hope is dashed soon after the sun sets.

As the days are getting shorter I feel as though time is running out to get things done throughout the day, it's just the change of darkness but it's so hard to not let it darken your mood too. Today I wanted to make sure I was warm and cheery as I faced the bitter cold and final exams. I chose to wear my favorite printed skinny jeans from Free People with a Blackhawks thermal and a LOFT sweater vest. It will be hard to get me out of a pair of boots for the next three months so sorry about the lack of excitement and change in the shoe department. Cuddle up and stay happy through these chilly, dark months!!

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

Well I was a little terrified and excited when I woke up to snow on the ground this morning. I'm prepared for the Central Pennsylvania winter but didn't think it would arrive so early. It does get me really excited for the holidays and Thanksgiving break couldn't come faster.

Today I wanted to snuggle up and be cozy comfy. I'm wearing a knit sweater from LOFT, with some black skinny jeans that are Current Elliot. Time to break out the winter accessories with this adorable beanie I got from LOFT and infinity scarf from Connections, a local boutique in State College. This free people jacket has most definitely been a good investment, it's durable and can pack tons of layers underneath without getting bulky. 

Well hope you are staying cozy on this chilly November day or that you live in a wonderfully warm place (and I am jealous). Happy Tuesday! 

Dressing The Part

We all have different aspects of our lives for which we need to dress the part. Whether it is getting some outfits prepared for interviews, family gatherings, church services, or a job that requires a certain attire. A girl needs a wardrobe that can be versatile and ready for any one of these situations even when we least expect it.

I've been faced with the dilemma of turning my not so professional wardrobe into including some very business formal outfits for my career path. Some staples I believe everyone should have in their closet to help them be a bit more professional are the following: a good fitting blazer, a least one nice pair of dress pants, and a plain white button up.

With these three staples you can mix and match them with other things in your closet that aren't necessarily business formal. Throwing a blazer over a dress can really dress it up, or pairing the dress pants with a chiffon blouse can be a business casual look.

DIY Gifts Are Better Than Store Bought Ones

Tis the season to start thinking about saving up for the holidays! The jolly season of feasts with friends, exchanging gifts, and enjoying seeing loved ones that only come visit once a year. However, this year I am facing a predicament; I'm a broke college student who can't afford Christmas gifts over $25. This is something that I will not let limit my awesome gift giving abilities because I am heading Pinterest for some DIY inspiration then hitting the craft stores.

Photo Frames
My personal favorite gift to make for friends and family are personalized photo frames. It's one of the most inexpensive crafts I do that also can be so customized to that person.

Materials:
Wooden Frame 4x6 ($1 at Michaels)
Mod Podge (many DIY recipes on Pinterest basically a watered down Elmer's glue)
Magazines for the collage aspect

Instructions:
Start by cutting out interesting pictures from the magazine that help you create the theme you want to create for this particular person. Then start organizing the pictures how you want them to be placed on the frame before you start mod podging. When you are happy with the placement you can put a thin layer of mod podge on the frame in the area you will be attaching the piece of magazine, then also put a thin layer of mod podge on the magazine cut out to ensure it stays.

Examples:

Hair Ties
The new fad of the elastic hair ties, that leave no marks in your hair when you put them up, is getting a little crazy. If you are one of those poor mothers who gets convinced to buy 4 of these hair ties for $10, I am here to save you a lot of money. I have found that the Sunshine Shoppe is the best wholesaler of this elastic material so that you can make your own hair ties! The variety of color, patterns, and widths is way better than any premade pack you see at Claires. Prices range anywhere from $.50-$1.10 a yard. The only other thing you'll need besides the elastic is a pair of scissors.

Instructions:
Cut the strips of elastic about 7 inches long for a hair tie, and about double that for a headband. Then just simply tie a secure knot at the end of the fabric creating the little tail end that sticks out. These are not only useful hair ties but more appealing on your wrist then the old school elastic black scrunchies.

You've Got To Free Your Mind

Everyone needs a little bit of a break in the middle of the week, so go out tonight and do something spontaneous. Last night I read this article from Total Frat Move, and was actually surprised with how much I liked it and agreed with most of the things. 67 things I wish I had known at 18 actually enlightening me a little bit to quit worrying so much, even though the stress of school is getting higher with the looming holiday breaks ahead. It's important to always make time for yourself, to always be able to recognize that you need a break, and that you deserve to take it.

My favorites from the list were:
11. Classes can be retaken. Life cannot.
23. Dancing on tables should be reserved for special occasions, like your birthday and Thursday nights.
46. Put down your phone and look around. Life is happening.
53. You never need that last shot of vodka, but take it anyways.

You are young and you will never have this time to cherish again. So screw it go out and buy a new dress to go dance your ass off in tonight. Take risks that you normally wouldn't consider, cause what the hell you can only learn from your mistakes. Life is too short to be taken seriously.

"9 am to 5 am the best part of day is the night"

Pretty Lights= Pretty Life

Wow I promised an update but had a very busy weekend, with no further delay please enjoy my pictures from Krewella & Pretty Lights. I decided to leave my butterfly mask in the car and replaced with a headband I made. During the show I found a Philly's hat that replaced all this to keep my hair from being too much of a hot mess.

I highly suggest going to the Get Wet Tour or the Analog Future Tour if it's coming to a city near you.

Dancing With The Dead- Lights Edition

Cannot even contain my excitement about today's post. As I sit hear listening to Color Map of The Sun by Pretty Lights I can't even believe I will be seeing this live in 12 hours, a-fucking-mazing. If you have't already heard this album you can download it for free from the Pretty Lights website (highly suggested). Accompanying PL tonight in Camden, NJ will be Candyland, Seven lions, and Krewella. Needless to say it is time to RAGE.

Krewella- Live For The Night

Pretty Lights with the live band!!

Since this is just a quick post for pre-concert I'll show you what I'm thinking about wearing. Of course I have to rock the Black Milk Clothing Pretty Lights leggings, available here. Since it's the dancing with the dead edition costumes will be more than appropriate but I'm taking it kind of light on the dressing up. I have this butterfly masquerade ball mask & just a simple black crop top from Nasty Gal. I'll be posting an update about this amazing show tomorrow, hope everyone has a funky Friday night.