Kris Allen likes my shirt.

WELL, HELLO! Bet you didn’t expect to see a post here. To be truthful, I didn’t either.

In the year+ since I last posted, I: quit my job in Chicago, started dating someone, moved to New York City, tried to make it for a few months, ran out of money, moved back home to Illinois, broke up, became a walking cliché (college graduate English/women’s studies major living in her parents’ basement and working as a Starbucks barista – naturally), got asked to be in two weddings (one as a bridesmaid, one as the maid of honor), quit my job at Starbucks, started working as a vintner’s assistant and social media manager at a winery, got back together with my boyfriend, and, apparently, grew my hair out a bit longer than the kicky bob I was last sporting.

How’ve you been?

Annnnyway. I decided to post because yesterday I loved my outfit, and I wanted to share. So I dusted off my embarrassing, self-indulgent little corner of the internet. For y’all. Because I love y’all.

Also I’m pretty much obsessed with everything I’m wearing.

~Controversial French Hen sweater: J. Crew
Raisin corduroy skirt: LOFT (I got it in mustard too – they were 40% off.)
Mulberry ankle boot: Seychelles (via Amazon… via Endless – apparently they’ve merged! which means I had another coupon code.)

stripey & strappy

Sometimes when I’m bored, I go to Target. Terrible habit. But it’s a 5-minute walk from my apartment! So last night, when my plans were in flux, I walked in for no reason and walked out $93 poorer. Oops.

But I also walked out with this little number:

Draped Double Layer Tank Dress (Grey/Pebble): Mossimo (size M). It mystified me on the hanger, what with its curious double layer/tank lining, but trying it on was a pleasant surprise – especially considering the stripes… cuz that’s a lotta stripes.

big style, small price

What’s this, another blog post? To think I used to do it nearly every day… but summer is a busy time. The last week or so has been a blur – but a fun, sunny, musical blur (U2! pool party! shopping! grilling!), so I’m definitely not complaining.

As a thanks for hooking her up with U2 tickets, my friend Andrea bought me this dress from H&M when we were walking around State St. the day after the concert:

Such a fun print and color palette, right? The best part? It was $15.

regina george presents: a Mean Girls birthday party

My birthday was on April 25, but because it fell on the Monday after Easter weekend, I decided to have my party yesterday. This turned out to be a pretty great decision because instead of it being gross any rainy like the last, oh, I don’t know… 5 years?, it was springy and 69° here in Chicago. Unbelievable!

Also a great decision? I decided to make my party Mean Girls-themed. Yes, theme parties can be cheesy, but I think they’re fun, and I knew my friends would too.

So of course I had to dress in my best Queen Bee Regina George ensemble:

A little bit dramatic – who, me?

a royal wedding party!

Pip pip cheerio! Did everyone enjoy the Royal Wedding? Or did you just care about letting everyone know how much you don’t care? (Do you want a cookie or something?) Months back, I was like, “Eh, whatever.” But then I realized just how fun and exciting it was gonna be, and I was all for it. In the words of @ecctv, it is just fun, dang. Plus, pop culture and fashion? I had to see it live!

Which is why, after too-short disco naps, Katy and I got up waaaaay too early Friday morning to get ready for my friend Roxanne’s Royal Wedding party.

These photos are some of the most crap-quality ever, but it’s dark out, and did I mention waaaaay too early to be awake?

braided & bitten

Oh, hello! Let’s skip the I’m-a-bad-blogger part and get right to it, shall we?

My friend Julia invited me to a couple of concerts this week that I probably wouldn’t normally have gotten tickets for: 30 Seconds to Mars and My Chemical Romance – holy guyliner, Batman! But who can resist Jordan Catalano?! And who can turn down free shows? Not this girl!

While I am definitely not the, uh… key audience? for such shows, I thought I’d kinda “rock”-ify my hair a bit.

This is totally rock, right?

walk like an egyptian

Perhaps now and then you find yourself wondering, “What should I wear to an Egyptian-themed ‘three-quarters birthday’ party (planned only 4 days in advance) for which costumes are ‘strongly-encouraged’?”

Well, I don’t know what you’d wear, but I wore this:

I don’t know why this top (Express: size M) read vaguely Egyptian to me, but I didn’t have a lot to work with. I’d say it’s not bad for 4 days’ notice, right?

happy 2011!

Hope everyone had a great NYE! My night was, uh… eventful, to say the least! But I did rock the good old gold dress. And I made a post for it anyway.

From Express, years ago. It was just too perfect a party dress to pass up. And despite feeling like a stuffed sausage when I tried it on earlier in the week (ladies, you know it happens), I ended up feeling great in it.

owl be home for christmas

Oh hey, poor little neglected blog! I haven’t forgotten you. I have simply gotten way too boring and comfortable with my clothing lately. It’s been lots of sweaters and jeans, which just didn’t seem worth posting.

But my brand new owl earmuffs – owlmuffs, if you will – are definitely worth a look. Let me give you a better view.

pumpkin carving purr-fection

Hey there! I’m off to a pumpkin-carving party (it’s B.Y.O.P.), so I’ve gotta make this quick, but here’s what I’m wearing:

Festive but hopefully not over-the-top!