put together

Working in retail will open your eyes to the bounty of the style world and its trends. One style I've recently fallen in love with is the clean, classic look of the All-American Modern Prep. Minus the logo ridden polos. Never any polos. Think more J.Crew meets Audrey Hepburn relaxing at home with a good book and a cup of tea.  

On this particular day, I was trying to squeeze in a celebratory birthday breakfast for my boy before class, so I didn't have my usual 40 hours to get ready. I pulled out my basics, threw on a trench for the lingering winter air and slapped on red lipstick for instant polish. 

The ingredients -- stripes, neutrals and a dash of color here and there -- are fun to work with. They also happen to be very easy to work with. The careful pairing of simple items help you look very put together, which you realize is important when you don't actually have it together. 

And by not having it together, I mean that after breakfast my day went like this: speed to class from a longer than anticipated breakfast. Remember that I forgot to print off an essay. Print essay at school which makes me late to class. Receive death glare from professor. From class speed to work so I'm not late for that either. Work. Go home. Die. 

So you see, this is why I at least need to look put together. 

shirt - F21 (similar) | pants - j.crew (similar) | trench coat - mossimo via thrift (similar) | shoes - nine west | purse - thrifted

love list #1

Some weeks are a real bitch to get through, but I can always count on the universe to send some karmic goodness my way. Here's what made me smile this past week.

(clockwise)

1. THIS WhoWhatWear article pokes fun at the ever popular "fashion girl Instagram" trends. We're all guilty of these cliches, okay? 

2. I finally SUBSCRIBED to Glamour magazine and I couldn't have chosen a better time. To celebrate their 75th year, they have special pricing of $7.50/yr + a digital copy. I love that I can flip through on my Kindle and the bonus content is ace. 

3. Ru Paul's muthaeffin' Drag Race is back on and I am liiiiiiiivvvvvvviiiiiiing. This show makes any bad day better. I put $20 on that. I really do. It airs Monday nights on Logo, but I usually catch it online in between classes. Peep the last episode below!

4. Here's a fun fact about me: I'm a born New Yorker. When I lived in Brooklyn, it wasn't quite the trendy, hipster-friendly borough that it is now. Even though I'm in the south now, I'm still interested in the goings-on of my old 'hood (I intend to move back). And what's going on is some serious gentrification. Some serious Brooklyn takeover. From the home of the Notorious B.I.G. to the location of the newest vegan bake shop. What an evolution? But, is it good or bad? HERE'S a great article on Spike Lee's opinion on the situation.

5. Okay, so I know Coldplay has been made fun of for being too moody or boring or whatever, but I love them. This week I rediscovered their song, "Strawberry Swing," and it was the most perfect song for putting me in a spring mood. It's calming and airy and just happy. Do yourself a favor. Press play and enjoy the feeling.

give a twirl

Pink has not always been an easy color for me to wear. I think at some point during the early-to-mid 2000's Paris Hilton had a monopoly on the color which sent me running in the opposite direction.

Now that I'm confident that I can wear pink without it being related back to a spoiled heiress or other similar stereotype, I wear it a lot more. 

I'm especially attached to the softer shades of pink -- blush to be specific. The paler the pink, the easier it is to blend with the rest of my closet. I can think of 50 ways to wear this dress right now (chambray shirt, sweater over, sweater under, tied patterned button up, crop top, leather jacket, etc.)! 

And besides the versatility of it, there is the fact that it is pink. And how can you feel anything but fabulous when wearing pink? Fabulous enough to twirl, perhaps?

shirt - thrifted (similar) | dress - F21 | glitter flats - faded glory | purse - h&m | jewelry - fiore boutique (similar)

head check

If I'm not mistaken, the only requirement for wearing a hat is that you have a head. Despite the fact that about 100% of us posses that body part, I've heard a lot of people (self included) say "I'm not a hat person."

So, let's take a quick quiz. Check your body. Do you have a head? Well, ding-ding-ding! You're a hat person! Now, all you have to do is find the right one. 

I'm partial to the instant luxury of a 70's inspired floppy hat. It's perfect for that weird fall-to-spring-to-fall in between weather Atlanta's been having *insert heavy eyeroll* which is why I've been living in layers this past February. I feel like a Russian nesting doll when I get dressed these days *even heavier eyeroll followed by disgusted grunt*. 

hat (similar) | overcoat - goodwill (inspired by similar) | booties - cathy jean | dress - h&m