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Friday, December 30, 2011

Best of 2011

Throughout 2011, my sense of style has evolved considerably. To end the year, I wanted to share some of my favorite outfits from 2011.
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13. Timing

I think my absolute favorite outfit of the year was "glamazon", followed by "half-way point" and "doing my research". I think these pictures really prove the evolution of my style. This year I experimented with lots of new looks such as colored denim, maxi skirts/dresses, and faux fur, all of which I was afraid to try before. I think spending a summer in New York City taught me to be fearless with fashion. Which of the outfits above is your favorite?

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

A Winner

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What I'm wearing: Pitaya dress, Target tights, Steve Madden wedges, Forever 21 necklace, Vintage earrings

I bought this dress on a spontaneous retail therapy shopping spree during finals week. Pitaya is a boutique on campus, and I popped in there between finals to blow off some steam. I normally try to avoid shopping under such conditions because it can lead to thoughtless purchases, but this dress has already proven to be a winner. I wore it last week for work and for Christmas Eve mass in the above pictures. I can tell it's going to get a lot of use this winter since I have some dressier events coming up. I've been thinking of ways to get extra mileage out of it, such as pairing it with my fur collar and maybe even my new fur vest. How would you style this dress to get the most use out of it?

2011

I know some people say this every year, but I can sincerely say that 2011 has been the best year of my life so far. It was filled with amazing opportunities as well as many awesome times with friends and family. Here is a quick recap of some of the things that made it so great:

JANUARY: In mid-January, I found out that the back pain I had been having was being caused by a crack in the vertebrae of my spine. At the time, this seemed like horrible news, but a few months of physical therapy later, it ended up being a blessing in disguise. It forced me to take my health more seriously and get back to working out regularly. In January, I also attended my first semi-formal of college which was a lot of fun.

FEBRUARY: In February, my roommates and I threw a Valentine’s day party. I also found out I had an interview at a fashion magazine in NYC. It was surprising but very very exciting news!

MARCH: In March, I found out that I got the internship of my dreams! I also found the courage to end a not-so-good relationship. I think this month was a major turning point that really set the tone for the rest of this wonderful year.

APRIL: By April, I was already starting to get really excited about spending the summer in NYC. I also began to document all the things I was thankful for in the form of weekly gratitude posts. I also joined Pinterest in April, which has proven to be addictive ever since.

MAY: May was all about reuniting with friends, old and new. I also turned 21 and finished up my third year of college.

JUNE: In June, I moved to New York City for the summer. I was really nervous about working at a fashion magazine, but all of the other interns were nice and a lot of fun. They made the transition a lot easier. I also hung out with my friend Natalie a lot, since she was in NYC for the summer as well.
 
JULY: I spent Fourth of July in Jersey with girls from work. It was an ideal beach weekend and a nice break from the city. In July, I also got to play tour guide for friends from Ohio which was a lot of fun. I also was honored to sit in on a lunch with the editor-in-chief of the magazine which was very inspiring.
AUGUST: In August, my family came to visit me in NYC. By then I was pretty homesick, so it was great to spend some time with them around the city. While they were there, I finally made it to Carrie Bradshaw’s front step, something I had failed to do the summer before. I also started my third 30 for 30 (which turned into a 30 for 17…oops).
SEPTEMBER: In September, my internship ended. I came back to Ohio, moved into a new apartment, and began my senior year at Ohio state. I also took the plunge and became a brunette, which made me feel like a whole new person.

OCTOBER: In October, I got really excited about Halloween. I was Cruella Deville and the statue of liberty, and threw a party for all my friends. I spent this month catching up with friends I hadn’t seen all summer, which resulted in me being a pretty neglectful blogger. I also got an iPhone in October, which resulted in lot of instagramming.

NOVEMBER: Between my cousin’s wedding, Thanksgiving, and the birth of another cousin’s first baby,  November was all about family. I also devoured as many pumpkin flavored goodies as I could get my hands on this month.

DECEMBER: In December, I finished my last fall quarter of college (so sad) and came home to Cincinnati for the holidays. I celebrated Christmas with my family, and Santa brought me everything I wanted. I'm a lucky, lucky girl! 2011 was an amazing year.
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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas [Instagrammed]

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1. Our tree on Christmas Eve...look at all those presents!
2. My favorite little boy
3. My mom'
s gift from my brother and me...a collage of pictures of us from over the years
4. Crumb
s! Courtesy of a giftcard for bad service over the summer
5. Deborah Lippmann'
s Glitter in the Air and Across the Universe (a gift from my brother)

6. Modeling my new hat and fur vest on Christmas Eve
7. My Christmas day tradition of wearing new clothes. I'm in love with my B.B. Dakota vest!
8. My new wire dre
ss form! The ultimate toy for playing dress up!

I had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you did too! Now it's time to get ready for the New Year... look for my 2011 recaps coming your way this week!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Don't Overthink It

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What I'm wearing: Gap sweater and tee, H&M fur collar (previously worn here), J.Crew outlet toothpick jeans, Aldo boots, Vintage earrings and bracelet

I've had my fur collar for months now but had only worn it twice before this weekend. It's one of those pieces I tend to overthink; I'm never quite sure how to style it. Right now I'm working with a limited closet since I'm home for the holidays, which can make decision-making a little easier. Yesterday while getting ready for church, I threw this cableknit + fur combo together and thought "eh, why not?". I ended up loving it. Lesson of the day: Don't overthink it.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Home for the Holidays

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What I'm wearing: J.Crew outlet button-down and cords, Old Navy jacket, Aldo boots (bought with giftcard), Vintage pocketwatch necklace

Winter break has arrived! After a long week of finals, I couldn't be happier to be home in Cincinnati. Last year, I was super ambitious and did a whole post about my break plans. This year's plans are a bit more basic: relax and catch up on sleep, spend a bunch of time with my cousin and the baby, and enjoy time with family and friends. I also plan on doing a lot of blogging to get a jump start on one of my New Year's resolutions. Keep your eye out for some 2011 recap posts coming your way!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

InVested

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What I'm wearing: J.Crew outlet tee, Old Navy vest and skinnies, Ciao Bella boots via DSW, Scarf via SoHo street vendor, Vintage gold cuff bracelet

This was my Thanksgiving day outfit, and it was purposely chosen because it allowed for large amounts of eating. These are my stretchiest jeans with lots of give in the waist, and this vest can hide even the biggest food baby. But beyond it's ability to hide second helpings of broccoli cheese casserole, I also loved the way this outfit looked. I've loved this vest since the day I bought it and wear it almost weekly. The scarf was a last minute addition to my travel bag, but it couldn't have complemented this outfit any better. Here are some other ways I've worn my vest in the past:
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Also, I wasn't quite in the mood to take pictures this day, which resulted in some silly outtakes:
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1. The stink-eye
2. The ninja
I'm a goof.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Traveling Pants

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What I'm wearing: J.Crew sweater and scarf, Zara pants, Steve Madden flats via DSW

This was my traveling outfit for coming home to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving. I knew I already had a few things planned for when I got back (lunch with Mom and aunt, a hair appointment, and going to meet baby Connor), so I wanted to look polished but still be comfortable. I've said it before, but these pants have turned out to be surprisingly versatile. For a recap of other ways I've worn them, see this post. These pictures were taken after my appointment; my hair is really dark again...yay! I was starting to get some weird-looking blonde roots, so I'm glad they're gone!

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At the end of the day, we went over to my cousin's so I could meet Connor, who had just gotten home from the hospital. Isn't he absolutely precious?! I'll be home again in two weeks for winter break, so I'm looking forward to spending lots of time with him and his mommy!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Thanksgiving Break (In Instagrams)

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1. A gorgeous sunrise during one of the many hours spent in the car this week.
2. My cousin had her baby on Tuesday! Welcome to the world Connor Joseph!
Isn't he perfect?!
3. My Black Friday haul. Flannel is having a moment right now, and I wanted to get on board...these were only $10 at Target!
4. Using downtime to update my inspiration binder.
5. Movie marathon with all of my Christmas favorites...it's finally that time of year!
6. Pumpkin pancakes with cool whip on a lazy Sunday. Delicioussss!


*Look for at least two outfit posts coming your way later this week!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Giving Thanks

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Lately I've come to realize how much I have to be truly thankful for. When I pause and examine my life, I realize that frankly, it's pretty amazing.

Some of the big things I have to be thankful for:
-My family. They are never anything less than 100% supportive and loving.
-My friends. I went through a rough patch where I was MIA for about 2 years and was so thankful to discover this year that strong friendships can persevere. It's never too late to make amends.
-All of the amazing opportunities I've had this past year. I'm an extremely lucky girl!
-My health. Recent events have taught me that absolutely nothing should be taken for granted.
-The good news I've received lately. I found out this morning my cousin had a beautiful, healthy baby boy who I can't wait to meet tomorrow! And I found out yesterday one of my best friends from home will be in Columbus this whole winter for an internship. So much good news!

And while the big things are important, it's good to be thankful for the little things too:
-Warm cozy blankets. My apartment is coooooold.
-Girl talk over Panera breakfasts, recapping the events of the evening before.
-Christmas music and what it can do for the spirit
-Wine nights
-Instagram. So happy to finally have an iPhone!
-Good books.
-Pinterest, for it provides endless inspiration and ideas.
-All of the delicious food that is in my near future!

What are you thankful for this year?

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Snapshots of Life Lately

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1. Still adjusting to daylight savings time. And gearing up to jump into this lake on Tuesday, all in the name of school spirit. Beat Michigan!
2. I applied for my first real job last week! This is the inspiration board that was part of the application. Can you guess what brand it's for?
3. Pumpkin flavored smoothies and lots and lots of schoolwork.
4. A care package from my aunt with more pumpkin-flavored goodies and fuzzy warm slippers. She's the best!
5. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! And I've been listening to more than my fair share of Christmas music lately.
6. Spending time with good friends, being thankful for all the wonderful people in my life.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Wedding Attire

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What I'm wearing: H&M dress, Steve Madden wedges, J.Crew bracelet, Vintage earrings

Last Friday, I attended my cousin Lauren's wedding. It was a gorgeous ceremony and fun reception, complete with an all-pink candy buffet! My date was a good friend of mine, one of the first friends I made when I came to OSU. We had a good time hanging out with my relatives and busting out our silliest dance moves. Cheers to Lauren and Mike!