par-tay

I definitely recommend Las Vegas as a place to go to unwind. I was able to completely forget about school! And, er, just about everything in general. I'm back home and ready to do some extreme relaxing for the next few weeks.

Everyone have a safe, stylish, and party-filled holiday!

almost un-buried...

haha...don't you just love stupid stock photos?

I have 2 full days left until finals are over. I have almost survived my first semester of law school. Survived...but thrived? We'll see. I feel like I'm just flopping and flailing around. If I can get through Friday, there is a no-holds-barred weekend waiting for me in VEGAS.


image from flickr

the saddest thing in the world

...to this:

second chances

One year ago, I found the holiday sweater of my dreams, online. (Pictured at the end of this post). I waited around, looked in the physical store, and ultimately missed my chance. I honestly thought about the sweater a few times since then...and then today, it appeared again...


here in gray, navy, or red.

Exciting! This had never happened to me before...almost always, once something I loved is gone, it is gone for good. The holidays feel infinitely far away, but the air is chilly and I am in dire need of warmer clothes. This sweater may very well be part of cold-weather wardrobe additions!

'08

Since I couldn't not mention it somehow...

Could you have asked for a more stylish First Lady? She loves Narciso Rodriguez and J.Crew equally; she looks stunning in a cocktail dress or a polished pantsuit. Michelle Obama is just stunning.





..it also doesn't hurt my opinion of her that she is a successful attorney :)

all photos from Mrs O

ALIVE...sort of

You know how people say that law school is tough, especially the first year?

wow.

Does anyone know of a remedial law program? Anyone?

Luckily it has been a little more comfortable thanks to Danielle at solestruck. These shoes are great on my 1-mile, uphill walk to class (and of course my 1-mile, downhill walk home too!)

Found here.

It also snowed like crazy today. I'm talking blizzard. (I'm told it was not even close to a true blizzard, but coming from Florida...yeah...blizzard). I walked to class and the snow was falling so fast...I couldn't help but think of this:

...the snow barrel blast level from Donkey Kong Country. I love that game.

I am trying to keep up with the weather, but it is hard. Last week it was 75, this week 25. How will I ever survive the long snowy winter?

Alice Temperley for Target sweater...AA skirt, same Target boots

Target sweater, Rogan for Target tunic, Levis, Report booties, Great-Grandma's brooch

Anthropologie top, Target sweater, old brown cords, F21 velvet flats.

hey hey fall break

Today after all my classes, research, and a long walk home, fall break finally began.




Dress, F21
Coat, Old Navy
Leggings, generic
Boots, Target

...now-noticeably-filthy mirror, ikea

The dress is a lame/tired trapeze shape, but looks a lot better with the coat on top. And I would highly recommend these boots, which I wore for the first time today. I put them on at 7:30 this morning and wore them up through my mile walk home without a single pinch.
After I made some pumpkin cookie bars and pumpkin bread, my only other big plans for break include sleeping in and doing lots more research!

wearing today...outfit catch-up

I committed myself to take pictures of my outfits every day, and have succeeded at about 20% so far. Oops. And funny enough, I just happened to document the (only!) 3 days that I wore jeans!


Confession: I still like Kenley. Yes, she talks too much sometimes, but I love her style, her clothes, and she's been my favorite from the beginning. I wore my headband the day after Kenley wore hers...when she got totally torn apart and snipped at Heidi.
Headband, F21
Beaded shirt, Urban
Jeans Levi's
Shoes Urban
Jacket Old Navy


Sweater, Target
Tee, I'm Your Present
Jeans, F21
Brocade flats, F21


Today...Blazer, Savers
Blouse, Express
Jeans, Express
Booties, Report

I think this is the last day I'll be able to get away with not wearing a coat. It is getting so chilly. I am not prepared!

am I just crazy??

...or are these pants actually really great?



I can't decide.

I can't lie...

As school gets harder and more overwhelming, I can't lie...reminding myself that I am working toward the purchasing power necessary to buy things like this...



is helping to get me through these long days.

I love loeffler

So, I got those boots. My local Target had them in stock, so I didn't have to order online and fret about the quality after I had already parted with my precious, precious $34.99 (+tax). The quality isn't top-notch, duh, but they really don't look bad in person. I tried them on, looked in the mirror, and chanted "Until I can afford Loeffler...until I can afford Loeffler..."

Yes, they look kinda like a poor man's (woman's) version of Loeffler Randall's gorgey half-wedge boots. I'm sure Jessie Randall wouldn't mind, right? She did a collabo with Target earlier this year. For now I'm a Target girl, but my eye's on the prize...

Just swooning:






All can be found here at Shopbop.

I found it!

My perfect holiday dress!

...oh that's right, I don't need one.
If you happen to be so lucky and have an extra $340, this Carmen Marc Valvo dress is here.

power of positive thought?

The frigid temperatures inside the reading room forced me outside for lunch, where I'm eating on the steps of the Met Pioneer Theatre next to Constance Billard the law school. Besides trying to NOT pretend I'm in GG fantasy world, my biggest challenge so far has been keeping my mind right.

4 weeks in, and I've already had a few bad days. More than time management or simply the hefty load of work I've been given, I have struggled most with keeping the right attitude about the task in front of me.

Today is a good day. Today I look at the assignments and know that I'm actually working directly towards my professional goals. I look at the job postings and clinical listings on the cork boards and get excited about the prospect of soon being able to apply to both. I know that I'm going to be at school for 6 more hours today (after already having been here for 4) and I'm ok with that. Days like today, I can tell myself to work hard because the end will be worth it.

On bad days, I can't even remember why I wanted to come here. The work stretched out in front of me is endless, with little relief for the next 9 months. I can't imagine grinding away at these casebooks every single day. I can't handle carrying around my 100 lbs worth of text books all the way to the bus stop, then to the school, and back again. I am trying to keep those days to a minimum, and truth be told, time is actually going by pretty fast. I'm sure I'll beg it to slow down as we get closer and closer to finals and final assignments, but I will be fine as long as I work day-to-day and keep my perspective right. I have found that I can't think about the end result when I'm tired or cranky...I have been getting better at stopping when my mind is in the wrong place, taking a break, and coming back later. My mind is pretty useless when I'm exhausted and irritated.


Sigh. Now I just need to work on getting more sleep...

today, I..

Today I went...

...to the street fair and signed up to help the economy's effects on family pets.

...to the dog park so my little girl could socialize


Today I watched...

...The Messengers (Two thumbs down!)

...The Queen (Two thumbs up!)

...The Biggest Loser boot camp with Bob on Exercise TV (soberingly harder than expected)


Today I coveted...

...a perfect winter coat


...some oh-so-cozy-looking sweaters from J.Crew and Anthropologie






And now I'm fighting off yawns...sweet dreams

shoe of the day

Today is shoe of the day-- budget version! A girl in my class (from AZ) and I were lamenting our lack of cold-weather appropriate footwear for the upcoming winter. We both come from climates where little flats and some heeled sandals will do you good all year long. Last February on my trip to Idaho & Utah, I attempted to wear my flats in a blizzard. I guess I figured if they were closed-toe, I would be fine. Wrong! My shoes got soaked through (not to mention the uncovered tops of my feet) in minutes. So I have been searching for some (VERY) budget-friendly/cold friendly shoes. I found today's pair here from Target.



It's really hard to find boots on a budget, but I think retailers are doing a better and better job of putting some affordable and not TOTALLY chintzy options out there. For only $34.99, these might do the trick.

changing of the colors.

I have gone to my first home football game, seen my breath and felt a chill in the morning air, and felt a few crunchy leaves under my feet.

And, my toenails will no longer be hot pink. When the weather's chilly, only burgundies, reds, and other dark hues will do.




That's right, Fall has officially started to creep in.

I think Fall is definitely more fun when you live somewhere where the leaves turn colors. As much as I love Florida, it just doesn't feel as festive for all the fun Autumn holidays when the air is hot and the palm trees all stay green. I like a little chill in the air...but I will be eating my words come January when I'm trudging through snow to school everyday!

I just wish I wasn't stuck in the reading room during the last of these sunny, mild days!

it has begun

I'm a law student! 2 weeks done, endless to go, but it has been a blur thus far. I have more to read and less money to spend than ever before in my whole life. It's a little overwhelming but exciting too.
I have a 3-day weekend and I am all caught up for Monday so I'm taking my time watching some tennis, reading blogs, and snuggling with my dog. She has been so annoyed with the decrease in attention.

I'm also having fun playing with my brand spanking new MacBook Pro. Almost worth the increase in crushing debt!

More soon.

not a cake...it's a torte

the top looked good...

...the sides unfortunately, not so much

I had the hardest time stacking the layers without them falling apart, and I had to spend a small fortune on all those raspberries! Otherwise, the recipe was pretty easy and completely delicious...find it here.

This adorable jewelry looks a little more perfect than my leaning torte!


$16 from seller FatallyFeminine.


$32 from seller La Patisserie.


$20 from seller Pendientuda


$18 from seller Le Pink Chocolat.


$58 from seller La Patisserie.

wearing today

I wore an open-weave sweater from Saver's,
shorts from Target,
and shoes from Payless.

I was running around getting things ready for my guy's birthday tomorrow. Expect to see pictures of the most magnificent cake you've ever seen!

(erm, actually, to see magnificent desserts just go over to Tartelette. Stunning!)

black...out?

It has only been a couple months since I read Fashionista's declaration that black nail polish is dead. This hasn't stopped me from wearing my so-dark blue-it's-almost-black Russian Navy from OPI, but it is saddening to see how a polish chosen because it stands out has become so common.

I have never had long nails in my life (starting back when I had to keep them short for piano), but I still feel that short shiny nails are far superior to fake acrylics/French manicured/long pointy nails. This summer I have been wearing mostly clear polish, corals, oranges, or hot pinks, but I have kept my toes dark blue for the most part and still keep the option to wear dark polish on my hands.

Although I do hate when something I enjoy is also enjoyed by people (like the Lohans, LC, etc.) that I view as, well, unsavory, should I throw it out or keep on sticking with it? I think I'll stay with dark colors...as long as half the girls in my school aren't matching me, I'm okay.

To try some fun new almost-black (but not black up close), check out OPI's new line for this season: La Collection De France. I couldn't right-click the detail shots so you'll have to see it up close through the link. I am very interested in trying "You Don't Know Jacques!" "We'll Always Have Paris," and "Eiffel For This Color."



Will you still wear dark polish this fall?

Image from Polish Addict.

shoe of the day

Today's beauties come to us from the Prada F/W 08 collection. If you remember the runway collection, the shoes were real showstoppers.





I haven't seen real-life versions of these runway shoes yet, but the ruffle peep-toes from Neiman Marcus are more wearable while still keeping that extra-large-ruffle-flair. Both the real life and the runway versions are definitely fantasy shoes...only wearable in my dream life in which I sit by the pool in heels sipping bellinis all day. The new Linda Evangelista ads only add to their whimsical appeal.




pictures from Style.com and foto_decadent.