Beautiful Brows (And Winter Ramblings)

Hello, hello, and happy Friday! So. Here’s what’s been on my mind lately. Prepare yourself for some deep thoughts. Dear readers, I pose a question for you:

{Seriously?}

How does one grow out their eyebrows without looking like a squirrelly hobo who forgot to get her eyebrows waxed? I mean, Lord knows that I have the follicles to work the brows, but I can’t go more than 10 days without cleaning them up. (I wish I had a pic on hand of me in 7^th grade...I had caterpillars, people. Big, dark caterpillars, creeping on over my eyes.) I’ve read articles on eyebrows and how you’re supposed to use makeup to fill them in during the interim and let them grow-grow-grow in nice and thick, but…no. I mean, I don’t allow myself enough time in the mornings to try and shade in my brows. I barely allow myself enough time to get dressed and drink half a cup of coffee in the mornings, so I highly doubt I will get myself up 10-15 minutes earlier to shade and contour, as directed by the tutorial above. So this is obviously a huge dilemma for me, currently. Also, on a side-slash-kind-of-related note, Cara Delvigne is totally my girl crush right now. She is so darn pretty, and her brows are to-DIE.

 

Okay, I know this is a short and totally random post—I’m stretching my writing muscles and getting back into the habit of getting my thoughts down. I feel like January kind of a terrible month. February, too. But January…man, January. It’s cold, the sun goes down at 5 o’clock, all you want to do is eat salty, carby things and snuggle on the couch with a cozy blanket. (I’m hoping this isn’t just me.) Rascal does things like catch mice in the cold garage and bring them into the kitchen and let them go…and the little mice think, “ah man, it’s sure warm in here! I think I’ll stay and live under the refrigerator,” and then I am shrieking and trying to coax these dang mice out with a broom. (This happened. Last night.) And I always feel like January makes me feel restless. I want a change…I want to vacation somewhere; I want to find a new job; I want to cut my hair; I want to redecorate my house; I want to move to a new city; I want to make my life different in every way I can…and then, when I don’t (because, really, some of these changes are ridiculous—and expensive), I feel bummed. And defeated. And unmotivated. And very…blah. And then, when March finally comes and it warms up and I can have drinks on a patio and take walks outside and smell fresh grass and the sun doesn’t sink down until 7ish or later, I feel better. I feel happy. I look forward to whatever I’m doing. I don’t want to move to Dallas, because gosh darnit, it’s too hot there in the summer anyway. I want to write about my weekends for the blog. I want to vacuum because the sun is shining and I love the way it comes through the windows and reflects across the floor. I love running errands because it’s fun to find a surprise at Target. And I am content. But these 60 days of January and February…these guys just drag, and drag, and drag…

 

So…I’m going to write this here and hopefully my written optimism will transfer to my physical self. Here’s to some sunshine and to these winter months moving forward just as fast as their cold weather can blow them on outta here. I plan on spending the weekend soaking up some friend-time, family-time, and cocktail-time, and pretending that a bloody mary indoors in January is just as good as a John Daily at Woodside by the pool.

 

 

{Cara 1&2/3/4}

Rain, Rain...



{Rainy Day}

Wouldn’t ya know, as soon as I started typing this post, the sun decided to make an appearance through the clouds. So much for my cries of desperation and woe: “when will this rainy streak of weather stop?!” And poof! Looks like my wish was granted. I was going to (very dramatically) announce that the only way I could enjoy the rain would be if someone gifted me a pair of these:

{Coral Hunter Boots! Swoon!}

...and then I was going to show you all the cute ways I would wear them:

{Pink Hunters}



{Bubblegum boots and mint skinnies}

{Shades of pink}

 

{Stripes and boots}

(I would obviously need a pair of those green Hunters in addition to the coral.)

 

{I love EVERYTHING about this outfit.}



But now the sun is out. Hooray! Although, I prob wouldn’t mind a few rainy days if I could rock the wellies...

Minty Fresh

I’m kind of having a mint moment over here. These images from Pinterest have sparked some wardrobe inspiration. My quest? More mint!

{Sheer mint blouse}

{Love love love the pleats!}



{Topping this pretty dress with a peach blazer is so springy.}

Can you tell I'm craving a pair of mint skinnies? Haven't found quite the right pair just yet, but these are all fab looks... 

{Mint skinnies with stripes}

{Mint skinnies with pointy metal-toed flats (SO in right now!)}



{Mint on mint}



{Mint skinnies on the beach}

Lilac Love

{The defining scent of springtime}

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On a perfectly calm, 75 degree evening last week, I had some time to myself and decided to take a walk through my neighborhood. It was a lovely night—people were out mowing lawns, walking their dogs, or taking leisurely strolls through the tree-lined streets. As I’ve mentioned before (here), my neighborhood is so charming. Every house is a little bit different from the next. As I turned a corner a few streets down from my own, the ultimate smell of springy weather hit my nose: a lilac bush. The sweet scent made me smile, and in my recent Pinterest sessions, I’ve taken notice of the lovely soft shade of purple. I’ve definitely got to find a few pieces to mix into my spring wardrobe.

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{Flirty skirt with plum suede pumps}




{Lilac Hermes shoulder bag}



{My fav look. The pleats, the hat, the shoes (oh, the shoes!) and the setting...jadore!}





{Love the pastels}




{Lilac pants from Anthro}





{Easy way to add a little pop of spring color...OPI's Do You Lilac It?}



Welcome to the Arm Party

{Love the shot of hot pink mixed with the chunky chain bracelet}

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This spring, I am all about the Arm Party. Layer it on and layer it up (your arm, that is!). Bring on the chunky watch (I am craving one in rose gold from Michael Kors), the many bangles and bracelets, and be sure to add a pop of color. My fav look? A mix of metals (I like the gold but loooove the soft rose gold), a hint of rhinestones, and one bright color or pattern. Mix it up and let the party begin!

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Check out this inspiration I found on Pinterest…

{This might be my fav...I neeeed that rose gold watch!}

{Diggin' the leopard print}



{This is a business Arm Party. Totally wearable for work!}



Swinging Spring Looks

{A cover look from The Great Gatsby}

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Spring is upon us! Finally, finally, the sun is out and it’s already 56 degrees this morning. While the winds may be whipping around today, I’m hoping the balmy weather sticks around for a while. This semester, I’ve had a bit more time to myself and had the chance to indulge in some fun reading time. I chose to revisit one of my favs—The Great Gatsby. I had forgotten how distinctive Fitzgerald’s style of writing was. The images and descriptions of the parties at Gatsby’s marvelous home is always my favorite part to read and reread. The champagne, the singing, the revelry…the dresses! The 1920’s were such a decadent time. It’s no wonder the fashion from this time period keeps inspiring designers today. Check out Ralph Lauren’s 2012 spring line. Beautiful, soft pastels and clean whites, hats, scarves, feathers and fringe…these models would be right at home on the lawn of the colossal mansion of the literary tycoon. With the remake of the movie coming out this year (can’t wait!), what a perfect time to soak up this iconic swinging era.

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{Spring looks from Ralph Lauren. How beautiful is the blush color on the right?}

{Loving the white fringy feathers and pastel floral prints}

{I think this is my favorite...the beading and feathers are simply stunning!}

Jason Wu for Target

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I’ve gotta say, I love Target. Who wouldn’t? They have everything you need. And a ton of things I didn’t even know I needed. The best part about Target is finding that random accessory, or pair of shoes, or picture frame, or rug for my bathroom, or new brand of laundry detergent I didn’t even know existed. I always feel happy when I leave Target. The worst part about Target? I don’t think I can get out of there without spending a minimum of $100. Sure, I always come out with something darling and desired, but when I planned on running in and grabbing nail polish remover and Kleenex (or kitty food and Diet Coke…you know, whatever random items I need), dropping $100 on my darling and desired items sometimes can add up. Anyway…I digress.

One of the reasons I adore the superstore is the GO International promotion that features major league designers at pee-wee prices. (Yep, that was a baseball reference. Check me out.) As mentioned in a previous post, I have indulged in several of the affordable designs featured at Target. (I attempted to support Missoni, but holy moly, those items FLEW out of stores! I couldn’t even find the geometric print candles or weird printed storage boxes in the aisles.) Presently, I’m loving the looks from the current in-house designer, Jason Wu. The colors are bright and fresh for spring, the cuts of the dresses are flirty and fun, and I adore the girly floral prints he incorporated. (Shop the looks here.) But my fav thing about Mr. Wu’s clothes? That darling black cat, featured in his commercials and print campaign. How cute is that red bow tied around his neck? Simply charming.

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{Kitty love}



{Diggin' the stripes}




{I think I need that mustard colored blouse. And the striped shift.}



{So ready for spring!}

February Blues?



{Adding to my warm weather anticipation? Anthropologie's new spring scarf campaign. Loving the rosy, floral-y pop of color!}

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It’s officially the first day of February, which any Kansas native knows to be the worst month of the year. Sure, you get to celebrate happy times, such as Groundhog’s Day (what a holiday!) and the (ever-so-rapidly approaching) holiday of love that sappy romantics toast and singles try to ignore. Now, I don’t hate Cupid’s holiday. Anything that features curlicue hearts in shades of blush can’t be bad in my book. But more on that later…

So, back to why February is, for the most part, the least-liked month of the year. The weather…oh, the awful, awful weather. Typically, this secondary month finds me snuggled on the couch with warm, fuzzy socks, tucked in a blanket with steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Typically, the weather outside is oh-so-frightful, with snow, sleet, and slush covering the ground. Typically, by the time February finally rolls around, we Midwesterners have had to shovel our sidewalks and break out the snow boots many, many times. However…on this February 1, the sun is shining, the high today is 63 degrees, and (the kicker!) the weather has been beautiful ALL WEEK! What a great way to start out my least favorite time of year. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed and say our prayers to the weather gods that February passes quickly with more sun than snow, that our "Winter Blues" are replaced with smiles and 60-degree days, and Spring has an easy arrival.

2012 So Far...

As of now, 2012 has been a fabulous year for me (all 9 days…ha!). New Year’s Eve was pleasantly and surprisingly a super fun night, and although I had to head back to work last week, this sunny weather is keeping my spirits up. I've been trying to remember my resolutions each day, and I've been feeling pretty happy with what 2012 has brought as of yet. Lookin’ good so far, 2012…lookin’ good so far.

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{Of course, on NYE, I didn't take any pics at all except for these two before we left. My H&M dress was a hit!}

 

{With Lo...lots of sparkle, all around! And I rocked the red lipstick...definitely a new look for this girl!}

Hip Hip, Hooray for H&M



{H&M storefront on the Kansas City Plaza}



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Right before Thanksgiving, the long-awaited H&M store finally opened on the Plaza in Kansas City. Fashionistas all around the KC area flocked to the mecca of style with an affordable pricetag. While it took me a little longer to make my way down there, I was able to make my maiden visit a few weeks ago.  Yay for fashionable dresses, blazers and button-downs that even this teacher can afford. I managed to update my winter wardrobe and scoop up several darling dresses, a top (perf for work!), some jewelry, and my New Year’s Eve dress, all for ridiculously reasonable prices. The completely sequined black mini-dress was exactly what I had pictured in my head for ringing in 2012, and I was ecstatic to find this glitzy piece that didn’t break the bank. (I’ll be sure to post pics of our NYE soiree soon!) Much love for H&M in Kansas City!

Flare for Fashion

As the colder weather rapidly approaches, I've been seriously searching for a pair of super-duper flared denim. Bell-bottoms seem to have come back into style (yet again), and I must say I am quite enthusiastic about their return. While I have embraced the skinny styles (and yes, I even gave into a few pairs of jeggings, if you can believe it), I have always felt that the bootcut or flared styles are more flattering on my figure. I’m thinking I need to procure a pair of super dark, super flared jeans with a wide hem at the bottom that would ideally hit the floor, even with a tall heel or wedge. That’s the trickiest part in finding fashionable denim for me—the length. While most styles are an adequate length for ballet flats or flip flops, I have had a tough time finding a pair that are suitable for a higher heel. I’m digging the Supermodel cut from Hudson with the 36” inseam (wowzers!), but I’m not sure if they are flared enough to achieve the retro-inspired look I’m going for. 7 For All Mankind offers a fab flared pair in the Jiselle style, also with a 36” inseam, but I've been fooled by 7's promises of length before. J. Crew also offers a bell-bottomed look with their Classic Flare in jezebel wash. Their “tall” length offers a looooong 37” inseam. With their price tag looking a little more affordable than the other two, these just might be the winner!

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{Hudson Supermodel}

{7 For All Mankind Jiselle}

{J.Crew Classic Flare}

Girl Misses Man (Who Shops Globe)

{A few looks from Anthro's fall campaign. Loving the prints!}

{Fall flats}

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Not too long ago, my cable supplier decided to reorganize their networks and moved many channels around. Not only has this confused me on several occasions (what’s the channel for Bravo again??), but I found myself completely infuriated when I searched and searched (with no avail) for the Sundance Channel. I’ll be honest; I had actually kind of forgotten about this independent channel for a while, and its absence on my cable box had gone unnoticed. However, I ducked into Anthropologie the other day to pick up something cheery and bright for my kitchen (their whimsical tea towels and colorful mugs always make my day a little bit better), and as I shopped around, I recalled a delightful show I used to watch called Man Shops Globe on the Sundance Channel.

In a nutshell, Anthropologie buyer Keith Johnson has “the greatest job in the world” (so he claims—and I completely agree!) as he travels to countries all over the globe and hand picks décor for Anthropologie stores. Sometimes he commissions artists to create multiple pieces for the store to sell; at times, he finds one-of-a-kind antiques or home furnishings to add to displays and create ambiance in the stores. Each episode would find Keith in a different area of the world, finding truly unique and inspiring pieces at flea markets, craft stalls and showrooms. My reminiscence of this entertaining and fascinating show led me to attempt to find it online, since it appears Sundance is no longer in my cable line-up at all. (Frown.) Alas, when I found the website, it appeared there are no scheduled showings anytime soon. (Double frown.) I suppose for now, I can catch up on past episodes and cross my fingers that this enchanting show returns soon!

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{Keith in action; Season 2}