Be Happy

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Tonight my friend said something that didn't really sit well with me. I got mad, angry at her for not understanding, for undermining how difficult something was for me. I simultaneously couldn't figure out whether I was more angry or hurt. So now I'm sitting in my room stewing, which I know isn't good for our friendship. 

I think that sometimes, we need to just learn to let things go. I know this is something that I struggle with a lot, since I have a tendency to keep grudges for a very long time. But sometimes, especially when it comes to those we care about, we need to learn to accept that they probably didn't mean to upset us. They were probably having a bad night, or they weren't thinking, or they didn't mean it the way that we took it. After all, our friends don't want to hurt us.

So rather than taking these comments personally, we should instead learn to move on. We can acknowledge that we're hurt or upset, but we also shouldn't dwell on the moment. It's not healthy to constantly think of every little thing that's upset us. We should learn to focus on the positive rather than letting things eat away at us. I think choosing to do so is the first step to choosing to be happy. 

This is something I've been working on all semester in one of my classes, and I know I'll continue to struggle with it. Sometimes people make it sound so easy when they say we shouldn't dwell, but honestly, I don't know how not to dwell. But I'd like to think that one day, I'll get to a point where I don't have to constantly remind myself to let it go, but that it simply comes naturally. I want to choose to be happy.

Magical Monday

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Once again, Monday has come way too fast! An extra couple of days for my weekend would have been nice, but oh well. The most stressful part of my week is over.

The list:

1. Being done. I'm not technically done, but there are still a few things that I was able to cross off my list today. I had my final PR client presentation today (complete with brownies and banana bread), so it's nice to relax for a week or two before our group needs to really get into gear and write our final proposal. I also had a take home test due in one of my classes, and now that it is out of the way, pretty much all that's left is our final project and presentation (thankfully the presentation doesn't sound too bad, even if it is long).

2. Harry Potter. I absolutely adore Harry Potter, and I've been wanting to watch the movies lately, so I watched both Prisoner of Azkaban and Half-Blood Prince (my favorite) this weekend. Also, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton went on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour and it makes me incredibly happy.

3. Friends being awesome. Since the semester is coming to a close, a lot of final presentations and performances have been going on lately. Last Monday was a friend's capstone (the big senior project) presentation and then on Wednesday was the gallery opening, where she has a series of photographs on display. Then last night was my friend's senior recital. I always feel like such a proud mom at these things. Also, I feel legit by association.

4. Bread sticks. After my friend's senior recital, we went to a pizza place right by campus, and they have delicious bread sticks. Yummm.

5. Catching up on blogs. When I find a new blog I like, I like to start at the veeeery beginning (which is probably a little bit creepy). This means it's usually slow going to get all caught up, especially since most of these bloggers have been around for a few years. And I get sidetracked sometimes, but I'm finally almost all caught up on a blog I really like, so I'm excited!

High Maintenance

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I want a high maintenance life. I know that being high maintenance is generally frowned upon, but I feel like there's something incredibly glamorous about it. I don't necessarily want to be high maintenance in an "I can't get dirty or leave the house without makeup ever" kind of way, but I think there's something incredibly appealing about the idea. I want to always have plans, to wear heels every day, to have an excuse wear gowns on a regular basis. 

Part of the appeal to me is that girls with these kind of lives seem so put together. I feel like they've perfected the art of fake it 'til you make it. Even if their life isn't always perfect, they make it seem like it is. And, in the end, it ends up becoming something pretty damn awesome.

So no, I can't walk in heels very well, I never wear makeup, and my social life is pretty much non-existent. While I probably won't have an excuse to wear designer gowns on a regular basis (or the money to afford it), that doesn't mean that my life can't be glamorous in its own way. And who knows, maybe one day heels will be my go-to shoes, I'll rock a red lip everyday, and my social calendar will be full with plans for girls' nights out, cocktail parties, and Sunday brunches.

Pinterest Style: Chambray Shirt

When it comes to my clothes, I tend to get into a rut and wear things the same exact way over and over again. With my chambray shirt, it's usually with leggings and a t-shirt or belted over a dress. So I thought a good way of helping me to think a little more creatively about it would be to scour Pinterest to see how other people have worn theirs to see if I could try and recreate it with my own wardrobe. 

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This is my least favorite look of the pictures that I took, but I figured I may as well include it anyways. As much as I wanted to love this skirt, I just don't love it. It's a little too long and not very flattering (the downfall of online shopping). Every once in awhile I decide to give it another try, and this was one of those times.

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I liked this look a lot better than I thought I would. I had tried it with this skirt before (after seeing something else on Pinterest, ironically enough), but I wasn't really feeling it. Either way, this time it worked out better, so that's good to know!

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I wasn't really feeling this one, because it just felt completely wrong with the skirt. The skirt is pretty dressy, though it doesn't translate well in the picture. Maybe if the shape of the skirt was different?

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So, I bought this skirt for $3 at Goodwill about two years ago and have yet to really wear it. But I think I actually like it with this skirt, which I wasn't expecting. And the point of this was to see my closet in new ways, so I'd say this was a success.

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This was my favorite one. I didn't think the skirt would work with something this casual, but I really liked the way it dressed it down. I'll definitely have to keep this one in mind! 

I think it's definitely interesting to think of new ways to wear things, especially because I do tend to repeat outfits so much. It was fun looking at pictures and thinking about how I could recreate the outfits with my own clothes. Not to mention it's always fun to play dress up.

I'm still having difficulties figuring out how to take good photos inside. Sorry my pictures are a little out of focus.

Also, I just went through 19 pages of a blog to find the proper source for the first picture, since I don't like linking back to Pinterest/Tumblr/WeHeartIt if I can help it. Would have been helpful if I realized the caption on the picture was the name of the post. Lesson learned, search for the caption first. 

Girl Crush: Rachel McAdams

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Rachel McAdams is probably the first person that I consciously remember thinking of in terms of a girl crush. I had just gotten a couple magazines to read, and she was on the cover of one (this photo is from that issue). I had just recently seen Morning Glory for the first time, and I really liked it, so I figured, why not?

Of course, I had seen her in other things. I mean, who hasn't seen Mean Girls? And I loved her in The Notebook. But something just kind of clicked when I was watching Morning Glory and I was just like, "I really like her."

A little while later, I had also seen her on Ellen to promote The Vow, which just kind of confirmed that she's amazing. She was funny and sweet and just the kind of person you want to be around.

Not to mention that she's absolutely stunning. Because she's one of those people that you want to hate because she's so pretty, but you can't, because she's so sweet.

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And, according to IMDB, she was in an episode of The Famous Jett Jackson. I mean, that's pretty damn legit. I may or may not have just looked it up and found a compilation of all her scenes from episode. I may have also just watched all 9:31 minutes of it. It's kind of emotionally intense.

Rachel, can we please be friends?

The first photo was from a photo shoot with Elle. The rest are from a photo shoot with InStyle. 

Goddess

As much as I want to love specific designers and looking up runway shows, I just can't get into it. It's probably a combination of the fact that so many of the clothes are completely unrelatable and unrealistic, and I'm usually so overwhelmed I don't know which designers to look at (aside from the big names that everyone has heard of).

That being said, I recently came across a few photos of Zuhair Murad's Spring 2013 Haute Couture collection on Tumblr, and became obsessed. The dresses were all gorgeous. I immediately looked up the show so I could look at the rest of the dresses. I love how flowy all of the gowns are!  

They're something I could easily see a celebrity wearing on the red carpet to some glamorous premiere or award show. 

Though the one on the right in the picture above also kind of makes me think of a princess... It was one of my all-time favorites from the collection.

These two definitely looked the most bridal (with the exception of the closing piece). The one on the right is absolutely stunning, though.

I liked how as the show progresses, the gowns began to transition to dresses that looked like they should be worn by a goddess.

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They feel girly and powerful at the same time, if that makes sense? Something about the gold detailing... I love it.

These last two are my other two favorites, I think.

Though, really, the entire collection is fabulous.

Chill

When I was in Barcelona, one of the things on my wishlist was a cozy sweater. I searched all over, for weeks, to find the perfect sweater. I hadn't really packed anything warm enough to wear outside of Spain, and I was facing spending the first few days in November in England sweater-less. Worst case scenario, I could have borrowed one from my cousin (who I was visiting), but still. 

Unfortunately, most of them either made me look like I was shaped like a bag or they were too expensive. Finally, a couple of days before I left for England, I found one that I liked and that was reasonably priced.

Naturally, the one I chose basically only has half a back. So much for keeping me warm. But hey, it's cute, and that's what counts, right? 

Not to mention, I love interesting backs. Cut-outs, lace backs, low backs, I love it all. Not always the most practical, but practicality can be overrated.

This outfit is from yesterday. I was excited when I looked at the weather forecast because I knew that I would be okay wearing this outfit without a coat. It was probably around 60 degrees, so it was still a bit chilly in the shade, but the sun felt so nice!

Sweater: Berska. Shorts: Target. Tights: Charlotte Russe. Shoes: Walmart.

Also, I like making faces. It's kind of my first instinct when there's a camera pointed at me.

Magical Monday

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It's that time a week again. This weekend went by way too quickly, but I was really proud of myself because I got a lot done for one of my classes. Anyways, here's this week's list:

1. My dress. I am absolutely obsessed with the dress I bought for graduation (in case you couldn't tell, from the post I wrote about it...). It is perfect. I got the email saying it's been shipped this morning, so I'm hoping it'll be here by the end of the week. Then we'll have the moment of truth, to see whether or not it fits.

2. Maroon 5. I've been on a Maroon 5 kick for the past couple of days. I've always loved them, but sometimes I forget how much. Also, I'm in love with Adam Levine. I mean, he's talented, funny, and attractive. Seriously. What's not to like?

3. Sunshine. It's supposed to be pretty nice all week, which makes me very, very happy.

4. Fishtail braids. I love fishtail braids, but I'm really bad at doing them. It always ends up looking horrible when I try, but today it looks good and it's pretty much lasted all day. It's definitely making me feel legit.

5. A clean apartment. One of my roommates has her sister visiting her, so we cleaned yesterday. This is the cleanest the apartment has been in a very long time, and it's so nice to not see dirty dishes whenever I walk into the kitchen.

Metal

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I admit, I'm not very big on accessories. I love the way that they look, but I'm usually not willing to commit to buying them and, when I do, I tend to forget to actually where them. But this hasn't stopped me from creating my own board for them on Pinterest.

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Anyways, I've been noticing a trend lately in the things that I keep liking and repinning. I'm finding myself attracted to slightly tougher-looking metal pieces. Usually also with pretty simple, geometric shapes.

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I was definitely far more attracted to these types of pieces than to more feminine or colorful pieces. I think I like that they look a little edgy. I feel like jewelry like this kind of just adds an automatic "cool factor" to whatever your wearing, even if it's just a t-shirt and jeans.

Now, if only I could afford to buy some...

My favorite is the last necklace, from Anthropologie (though sold out), is my favorite.

Obsessed.

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Guys. I was looking for graduation dresses, and I found the perfect one on the Asos website. There are only two sizes left so I don't know if it'll fit, but I'm 99% sure I'm ordering it. I am absolutely obsessed. It is perfect.

I love all things hearts, I love red dresses (I have another red lace one that one of my favorites), and this is affordable. I think the stars have aligned. This dress is meant to be mine.

Edit: I've bought it, and I am so, so excited. Though, if it doesn't fit, I will cry. For days. Maybe even years. Because I love it that much.

I realize this may sound ridiculous and a tad dramatic, but I am seriously in love with this dress.

Get Lost

Do you have a place that's yours, that you always find yourselves gravitating towards when you're upset, need to be alone, or simply want some quiet time?

For me, my all time favorite place to be is either the beach or somewhere with a spectacular view. I could lie on a beach listening to the waves or sit in awe of an amazing view for hours. Unfortunately for me, I can't easily get to either type of place at the moment. 

I know several of my friends have places around campus or near their house that they like to go, but I have yet to find my place. Right now I usually just hide away in my room, but it's not the same as seeking solitude and comfort somewhere else. Instead, I usually just use the door as a way to avoid my problems (or to let my anger fester, uninterrupted) rather than clearing my mind, as the quote goes. Neither of which is a good way to deal with a problem. And a dorm room isn't terribly inspiring, either. 

So I'm wondering, do you guys have anywhere you like to go to think?

This picture is from one of those places that has an abundance of both beaches and vistas. I took it visiting a friend in Oahu a few summers ago.

Modern Enlightenment

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I'm in kind of a weird mood, so I thought I would just share some pictures from an editorial I stumbled across the other day. I'm absolutely obsessed with the second and last pictures. Also, they both have gorgeous hair.

"Modern Enlightenment"

Models: Luisa Bianchin and Johanna Fosslius

Photographer: Ola Rindal

Pop of Color

Confession: this is only the second time that I've actually worn this skirt. I bought it about a year ago, and I was absolutely obsessed with it, because I think it's absolutely adorable. But I didn't know what to wear it with. It was also a tad loose when I bought it, and now it's a little looser, so I have to kind of fold the side over so there's not a bunch of extra fabric at the waist.

But I really do love it. I wish that I had more to wear it with, but I feel like everything I try to pair it with looks awkward. I'll definitely have to keep experimenting with it more, because I'd love to wear it more. It's perfect for spring and summer.

One thing I always love to do when trying on skirts and dresses is spin around. I love it when something spins well. But oh man, getting a good spinning picture is hard. Most of the pictures I took were failed attempts. One was perfect, except for the fact that it was suuuuper blurry, and the rest caught me at a weird spot in the spin or in the middle of falling. So kudos to all the bloggers out there who have good spinning shots, cuz they are hard.

Shirt: Aerie. Skirt: Fred Meyer. Belt: Target (came with a dress). Tights: Fashion Bug.
Shoes: Shop in Barcelona, Spain.

Also, I've decided to quit trying to outsmart my camera. I kept trying to mess with settings, but I think I should just stick to the auto setting for now. There were a few sets of pictures that were oddly bright or blurry, but these photos required minimal editing. It was wonderful. Camera: 1, Stefani: 0.

Conflicting Style

Do any of you find that you have several, very different styles that you're drawn to? Because I've noticed that a lot of what I like tends to fall in one of three categories.

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1. Classy and put-together. I like the idea of dressing a little nicer, and every once in awhile, I go through phases where this is definitely reflected in my clothes. I feel like it adds a little bit of glamour to everyday life, even if it means you're perpetually overdressed. Not only that, but I feel like it just makes you look like you're on top of your game and you've got everything under control (even if you don't). Note: this may be a bit influenced by my love of Blair Waldorf, because pretty much anything she wears would fall under this category.

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2. Casual and laidback. That's not to say that these looks are sloppy, they're usually not. They just everyday outfits that would work pretty much anywhere. To me, this style epitomizes that concept of looking good without looking like you're trying too hard, like you just threw something together. Not only that, but the outfits also tend to be comfortable, which is always a plus.

I've also just realized how many stripes I'm featuring. It wasn't on purpose, I promise (though I do love stripes...).

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3. Summery and ready for the beach. Basically, if you throw together any combination of shorts and a loose tank top or t-shirt, I probably like it. This is probably because secretly, all I really want to do in life is be a beach bum who does nothing but tan and surf all day. Too bad I don't know how to surf. Since I don't think that will work out, I'll just have to dress like one whenever it's warm enough.

Anyways, these are the three styles that I find I'm most drawn to. Though, of course, they're pretty broad, and there is still room for a lot of variation within these three styles, which I think the pictures I chose show nicely.

I never really understood how one person can have one defined style, and stick to it, rarely straying. I think I'm too drawn to too many things to stick to one "signature" style, though I admire those that can. I mean, once you find what looks good on you and you like it, why not?

Also, random, but searching for pictures to use resulted in me spending far more time on Pinterest than I had originally planned. It can be a dangerous, dangerous place.

Magical Monday

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Oh man, today has been eventful. I heard about the bombing in Boston in class, and I was dumbfounded. I just don't understand what could possibly drive someone to do something like this. With that being said, I think it's important to focus on the positive things in life, because if we focus on the negative things we'll be completely consumed.

Anyways, I just felt like I needed to say something about what happened today. With that being said, here's what I've been loving (though it feels a little bit trivial now):

1.  Good hair days. My hair has been cooperating really well lately, and it makes me so happy! Usually my hair is impossible, but it's been such a nice change! I think it's a combination of a new shampoo+conditioner (who knew the cheap stuff would work so well?) and wearing it a new way.

2. Awards. Last Tuesday was my department's award ceremony and I got two awards. I had received an email on Monday saying that I was being honored, so I figured I was just getting an award related to my GPA. The first award I got was (it was for an honor society), but the second one was completely unexpected! I was totally in shock when they called my name. I think I'm still in shock. Whenever I see the award, I have to remind myself that it's really mine, that it wasn't an accident. It was definitely a huge confidence boost, though it definitely comes with the pressure of living up to the award.

3. Sleeping in. I've been feeling kind of off lately. Not necessarily sick, just kind of meh, so sleeping in has been much appreciated.

4. Cookies. On Friday, my friends and I had a "cookies and a movie party," and I bought those frosted animal cookies to bring (those pink and white ones with sprinkles). Anyways, it was my first time having them in awhile, and I forgot how much I liked them. They're so good!

5. Ryan Gosling. The movie that we watched was Crazy Stupid Love, and it was my first time seeing it. I liked Ryan Gosling before, but now I'm pretty sure it's love. I mean. He's amazing. That's all there is to it.

Dance the Night Away

Please ignore what my face is doing.

Last night was my school's Spring Formal. Unfortunately, it got off to a rocky start when I was getting ready. First I was feeling really sick, and then once that passed a bit, I burned my finger on a curling iron. Not my best moment. Needless to say, by the time we actually left, I was hoping all the bad luck had passed and the rest of the night would be fun.

I just went with one of my friends, but it did end up being a lot of fun, so that was definitely a relief.

Unfortunately, they didn't advertise the dance very well, and I didn't realize how soon it was. If I had realized it was this weekend, I would have bought something over Spring Break. Oh well. I borrowed this dress from a friend, since I didn't have a chance to  buy one and all my nice dresses are at home. Luckily, we're more or less the same size. I fell in love with this dress, though. I don't want to give it back!

I was also excited I finally had a chance to wear these shoes. I've had them for two years now, I think, and this is the first time I've actually worn them outside my apartment. I ended up spending most of my nights in flats that I had shoved in my purse, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Dress: H&M (borrowed from a friend). Shoes: Charlotte Russe.

Also, I really am sorry about the quality. I'm still trying to find a decent setting for taking pictures, so please bear with me! Unfortunately, they're still ending far too bright and a little blurry. My friend and I took pictures on her camera, so if any of those turned out better, I might post one of those later.

Edit: Here are two of the pictures my friend took. They look much better!

Models Are People Too

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I recently stumbled across this article, and I thought that it was something that was definitely worth talking about. The article is basically about a new code that British Vogue has adopted, which protects its models from workplace violations and ensures that they have access to basic rights during photo shoots.

I think that sometimes people have a tendency to forget that models are people too. Either that, or we focus solely on the prevalence of eating disorders among models (which is, of course, something to be concerned about). Regardless, they should still be subject to decent working conditions just like everyone else.

While their job may be "glamorous," they shouldn't have to forgo basic rights such as access to a bathroom. These aren't unreasonable requests, but the fact that this issue is prevalent enough that British Vogue has had to adopted a code to prevent it definitely says something about the industry as a whole.

That's not to say that the new code is bad. On the contrary, I think what British Vogue is doing is commendable (though, as the article pointed out, this doesn't include Fashion Week and it only applies to their photoshoots). I just think that it's sad that the industry has stooped so low that this isn't the standard for every photo shoot.

Girl Crush: Anna Kendrick

So, a couple years ago, a blog I used to read (unfortunately they're taking a break from blogging) had a semi-regular feature about who her girl crushes were. I really liked the idea, so I decided to make my own feature, complete with pretty pictures. I didn't think there was anyone better to start with than Anna Kendrick.

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I admit, when Pitch Perfect began being advertised all I could think was, "Wasn't she in Twilight?" And she was. But then I saw Pitch Perfect. All I can say is I love Anna Kendrick.

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I mean, anyone who has seen Pitch Perfect can attest to the fact that she is hilarious. And, watching interviews with her, it's clear that she's just as funny in real life. She's funny and sarcastic and I love it.

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Anna is also insanely talented. Not only can she act, but she also can sing pretty damn well. But she seems super down-to-earth. Obviously I don't know her personally, but watching interviews with her, she seems so incredibly normal. I mean, she likes to stay at home and watch Netflix. And she likes Ke$ha. Our friendship was obviously meant to be.

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Also, you should watch this. I don't really listen to K-Pop, but some of my friends do, and showed me this video, and it's pretty great. Just another reason to love Anna Kendrick.

Anna, can we please be best friends?

P.S. The first three photos were from a photo shoot with Purple Magazine, and the last was from Angeleno Magazine.