well, I like it

I have been looking forward to Anna Sui/Target since I heard about it. When the rumor went around that the line was canceled due to Target not wanting to endorse Gossip Girl, I panicked. Luckily the line came out on September 13 as promised. I loved almost everything when I went to Target and spent about an hour in the dressing room...

This "metallic feathers" dress is so cool. My only dilemma- where on earth would I wear it? The body is a tweed, the cut is revealing, and the neck-embellishments are fancy.

I love the back.

I was hoping I could throw on a blazer to make it work-appropriate, but, uh, no.


The only other disappointment came in the cream-lace "Blair" dress that I loved so much in the pictures. It looks really cute from the front, and the details are great.

Unfortch, it was a potato sack from the side. A belt would ruin the look. I wish it would have been just a bit more tailored, and I would have been really tempted to drop $70 on it...


I was really impressed with the details in most of this collection. Maybe the detailing had something to do with the wayyyy higher-than-average-Target-price points. I ended up leaving with 2 dresses; one "Blair" and one "Jenny". I could have bought a lot more. I will style them later this week!

best boots

These boots were my Christmas present to myself.

Just like every other Gossip Girl fan, they've been on my radar since Serena wore them in the first season. I finally found them at a good price and in black leather, and I've been wearing them an almost inappropriate amount since they landed on my doorstep. I was hesitant to buy them since they are pull-on, over-the-knee, but my sister (who bought Serena's exact pair last year) assured me they were easy to wear and so worth it. I agree and highly recommend these to anyone-- but watch out, they have no traction on the bottom. No traction + snowy ground + walking in the bus aisle when the bus starts moving = I think I may have broken my tailbone.

Someday I will remember to take pictures again! Happy Superbowl Sunday! None of the teams I like made it this year, but it is an excuse to have friends over and eat junk food!

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...

oh yes.

I just found this, hallelujah. I can't wait til August 19:



pre-order here.

I have been in a GG-related depression ever since I recently finished reading the Gossip Girl prequel "It Had to be You." It was extremely emotional (shut up) because I knew it was the last Blair/Serena Gossip Girl book. Ever. *sigh* I don't know why I became so obsessed with these characters but at least I know I'm not alone! I just know these dvds will keep me sane when I'm stuck studying for hours every day this fall.

couldn't live without it in 2007

Wow, the end of the year sure crept up on me. I was going to break this category down into health/beauty and fashion, but tomorrow is the deadline for 2007...no one wants to read about 2007 once the calendar flips to '08!

For skin care, my best find was the seaweed line from The Body Shop.

I have always battled with horrible skin. Tetracylcline, Minocycline, and every other --cycline; clearasil, neutrogena, Proactiv, Dr. Murad; Retin-A, Benzaclin, Differin, Suphera, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, soap-and-washcloth only, and finally even Accutane have left me frustrated. I was fortunate enough to never have the full-face deep acne that leaves scars, but any girl who deals with acne knows how depressing it is and how hard it is to feel pretty when your face is dull/oily/bumpy. I don't know if it's partly due to age, but my skin has really been looking better this year. I really enjoy the seaweed scrub (I use it twice daily, it is very gentle), the daytime mattifying lotion, and the nighttime exfoliating moisture gel.

To stay healthy, I try and drink Emergen-C everyday.

It's great for people like me who can't eat a big breakfast first thing in the morning. I just have a glass of this, eat a small breakfast late morning/early afternoon, and I haven't even gotten a cold this year (knock on wood) thanks to the 1000 mg of Vitamin C in each packet.

Somewhere out there, at this very moment, a beauty editor is writing the words, "The best mascara EVER is still Maybelline GreatLash"!! And then I will read these words, and it will make me barf. Why? I despise Maybelline GreatLash! It has a small little brush and is very clumpy. I have only bought it twice in my life, admittedly not recently, but this year I tried out a lot of new mascaras. I do agree that DiorShow is amazing, but the $23/a tube price tag is hard to swallow for a mascara-holic like me. That's why I was so excited when I found MAC Plush Lash. It is only $11, but has the big fat brush that I loved in DiorShow. It is very smooth and silky, and I haven't had a single problem with clumping or flaking.

My favorite accessory this year? Headbands!

I have really strayed away from wearing noticeable jewelry, so a great way to spice up your look is with a little headband. I'm a fan of everything from a thin black Alice band to a thicker, embellished band. I have been even more inspired since headbands became a part of Blair Waldorf's signature look.


Working retail is killer on your feet. I have come to depend upon Dr. Scholl's foot powder to ease friction, and Body Shop's foot care scrub and thick peppermint lotion. Without that lotion, I could never wear strappy shoes again!

Skinny jeans are definitely not new, but this year I have become obsessed with them and find myself snubbing my nose at the flare-leg pants in my closet. I am not a skinny-mini, but I think they're flattering and so much more fashionable than the flare legs of high school girls. Every pant I bought this year had a straight leg, and hopefully they will stay en vogue for years to come.

2007 has been a crazy year for me, and I'm especially excited to see what 2008 will bring both fashionably and personally. Blogging has been such a fun experience so far and I'm sure it will only get better. Anyway, I won't get too mushy here!! What were your favorite things this year?

shopping + 12 x 12

Today was my first real day off working retail in over 2 weeks, so what do I do?

Go to the mall.

By the end of the excursion I was kicking myself for the idea, but I did find some good, uh, finds. I am really trying to stay away from Forever 21, but I stopped in to see if they have any of the stretcy $4.80 plain t-shirts that I love (they did!) I noticed that they converted a huge part of the store into Twelve by Twelve, their new "line". It is trying to be more design-forward and the prices are much higher than traditional F21 stuff. From far away,it looks very similar to Zara. But up close, you definitely know you're at F21. The fabrics aren't improved; the endless jersey dresses are just as chintzy and clingy as the other dresses that I always pass up. I think they just added some extra embellishment to their regular clothes then doubled the prices. Some of the outerwear was ok, but nothing you can't find at every other clothing store right now. The one item that stood out to me was this trench:

I saw a cute girl trying it on and it fit nicely, but for $80, I'd rather buy something, um, not from F21.

Then came literally hours of birthday-gift searching for mom (finally ended up withthis and this from Banana Republic). Then, of course I had to stop in to Anthropologie to see some of the sweaters in my previous post. First off, that beautiful dress I wanted is no longer drool-worthy.

The top half is cute; the bottom cheap-looking (lace over flimsy polyester). And it isn't exactly flattering, ick (is my arm really that huge? yikes).

The sweaters, however, were super adorable.


If there was ANY way to justify spending $98 on a sweater when it is still 90 degrees outside, that first baby would be mine right now. The second had such cute detailing (close up here), but the neckline is just a little wrong: the square shape shows the corners of my bra, but an undershirt would ruin the look.

Lastly, their clearance section wasn't the usual disappointment. There were some cute vesty things that I would wear over a t-shirt to make it interesting.


At $20, I had to have one. Which one do you like better? I went with the neutral one. I will wear it to my painfully less fashionable place of employment tomorrow and probably get some raised eyebrows from the polo wearing crowd.

Must go watch Gossip Girl...even my man is SO addicted (but would never admit it)! To be fair, he is flipping to the world series during commercials :)

*EDIT* holy crap, Vanessa is SO not supposed to be a homegirl! or so creepy/annoying!

xoxo

It's time once again to talk about my most blatant obsession. I SO love Gossip Girl. I tell everyone I know to watch it, and even my man is involved! I have used my newly brunettiness as an excuse to become more like Blair (um, in the non-evil way. although she is deliciously evil, I could never plot & scheme like her).



I have long wished to dress like a fictional 17-year old, which is sad, but have you ever seen a fictional 17-year-old pull off a serious blazer like this? So perfect. She is my fashion inspiration for the polished yet unstuffy look. Just watch the show or browse the photo gallery. Watching her flawless wardrobe helps me stick to my plan (buying only high-quality, nice clothing) even while I am working in a trendy, heavily discounted retail environment.

Thank you, Gossip Girl, for restoring my desire for style!

of course i watched it.

So, Gossip Girl. I loved the books ever since they came out, even if I'm a little old for them (23). I wrote about my obsession a few months ago, and now I can finally see Blair, Serena, Nate, Dan, Vanessa & the crew in the flesh. Although I was a little disappointed with the portrayal of the Humphreys and the fact that they tried to cram way too much into the first episode, of course I loved the show (even if I always pictured Serena as more of a Mischa Barton-slash-Kate Bosworth type). Blair is definitely my favorite character, and I think the actress to play her(Leighton Meester) can carry off her snark/bitchiness perfectly.

I am definitely looking forward to seeing all the great fashion that's sure to grace the show. Those dang high school girls have amazing taste & limitless budgets. The CW even has a cool feature where you can click on a character and see/purchase some of the items they wore in each episode. Too bad Serena's awesome minidress from Kiss on the Lips is by Tory Burch & costs $450. But I can afford her knee socks!

move your body

Well I am officially unemployed, my gym membership is finally cancelled after doing everything short of getting a signed letter from the President saying that yes, I am in fact moving more than 25 miles away from your stupid fitness center, and I am mostly somewhat packed. I am leaving tomorrow on a flight back to Florida, and the rest of my stuff (a boy, a dog, and our furniture) is coming in a week. I am going back early so I can see my good friend get married. I am a fairly frequet flyer, so I feel like I've got the proper plane attire down. You should always dress for comfort, and your toes will get cold if you wear sandals, but I still like to look a little cute because airports are such places of opportunity...you never know what cute/interesting/famous people you might interact with there. I think for my 5+ hour flight tomorrow, this is what I have chosen:

A simple black dress (with pockets) from Target. It actually has a great neckline for layering tees underneath, plus I'm taking a cropped jacket because I ALWAYS freeze on airplanes. I'm going to add some opaque leggings underneath and for shoes, some flat argyle print slip-ons in the style of keds.

So here are my decidedly non-expert tips on traveling for next time you fly:

• You are going to be sitting for a loooong time. Make sure you are comfortable or time will pass very slowly (comfort to me is when my pants will not ride down! Hence the leggings!) This may sound odd but don't forget to wear comfortable earrings. You know you have some pairs that irritate your ears, some posts that are long and dig into your head behind your ears, or hoops that don't stay closed. These become huge annoyances when you're trying to get in a comfortable position for a nap.


• Smell nice, but don't wear strong perfume. You will feel more confident and everyone around you will appreciate it too. I spray my hair with some yummy coconut-scented Frederic Fekkai leave-in conditioner, put on some extra deodorant, and wear my favorite moisturizer, Basin body butter in sesame cream(it has a really light, nutty/sweet scent)


• Wear real shoes. I made the mistake of wearing comfy flip flops on a plane once, and it was pure misery! The air was blowing on my poor toes the whole time.


• Check the TSA's website for a continuously-updated list of prohibited carry-ons. Ever since the ban on liquids happened last year, the standards are changing. Right now, your liquids have to be in containers 3 oz or less, and have to be in zip-locked plastic bags. Which brings me to another point...


• Drink tons of water. I used to bring that hugest size of Smart Water until this liquids ban. I get so thirsty up in that artificial air, I have to drink a ton. There is nothing worse than landing at your destination with a headache because you're dehydrated. Now I'll have to make time to stop at a post-security shop to get some water before I board...those little plastic cups of water from the flight attendants just aren't enough for me!


• Bring fluff reading material. I used to try and do homework or read complicated books on planes, but I am always so fidgety that I just can't concentrate. This time I saved Gossip Girl #11 just to read during the flight..perfect!


• Take a baggie with some snacks. The in-flight snacks are usually so fattening (and not even yummy) that I try to bring my own. I like to snack on Wheat Thins, Zone bars or Terra chips.


• Pack a light carry-on. Reading material, snacks, wallet, cell, makeup, and keys are just about all you'll need. It sucks to lug around an overflowing backpack and dig through it to find your boarding pass.

I really don't like anything about moving/traveling...packing, waiting, flying, waiting some more, unpacking. All the fun for me comes in being somewhere new! I am especially excited for my huge shopping spree that will happen this weekend...just in time for Patrick Robinson's Target collection! We may not have TopShop & Kate, but good ol Target will be enough for me this weekend.

confession

Some fashionistas get their inspiration from lookbooks, some from the runways, some from celebrities. I look to all these places, but I am especially inspired by a certain series of tween novels. Yes, one of my guilty pleasures is the Gossip Girl series. My younger sister got me hooked on them when they first came out, and I have waited impatiently for each new release. Even though the main characters are 17/18, their lifestyles are enviable...especially their clothes! They talk about their DVF dresses, Tod's and Marc Jacobs shoes, Pucci bikinis, Chanel bags, Milly and Chloe shirts, Tory Burch tunics. Their teenage lives are much more glamorous than any life I'll have- drinking Stoli and Dom Perignon at the Chelsea Hotel probably isn't in my near future. I will just have to sit around and read about the gorgeous, fictional high schoolers that I not-so-secretly envy.