day 67. rain boots remix. fourteen/thirty.

I forgot how much it rains in Oklahoma in the spring. If you know me at all, you know I really don’t like being out in the rain. I like it a little more now because it gives me opportunity to wear my new rain boots, but not enough to hang out in it. I know some people are into that, and that’s fine. It’s just not for me.

Summer is definitely my season, and it’s only a few short weeks away. I’m going to say about eight weeks. Weeks sounds shorter than months, right?

Speaking of short time, I realized today that there are about 49 days until graduation, give or take a day. My counting wasn’t that precise. Forty-nine! Forty-nine days!! I’m so ready.

There was enough pause in the real rain for me to run outside and take some pictures for today, though. I feel like my outfits don’t look very remixed. I swear I’m only working with 30 pieces. I don’t know what to tell you. I need to start pattern-mixing or something.

Jeans: Target; Rain boots: Target; Socks: Francesca’s; Cardi: LOFT; Belt: Gap

I certainly am wearing the heck out of these pink socks, though, right? To be honest, I did get a little excited when I woke up to rain, knowing it meant I could wear my pink socks again. These really are the best. You should come buy some from me at work. They’re worth it.

Posting these two pictures here made me realize how similar they are. Unfortunately, none of the other pictures worked out. I took a few puddle-jumping pictures and some other allegedly cute posed pictures, but they just look kind of silly. Especially since I never made it off the ground in my jumping pictures in time for it to catch. So they look really silly.

Rain boots: Not very flattering for otherwise cute poses, I learned today.


As you can clearly see in the last picture, I struggled with a bang middle part all day. I don’t know how that happened. My bangs just decided to part down the middle today. Fortunately, all I had was class in the morning, then I went directly home to put PJs back on, watch the Greek series finale, and do some reading and portfolio-gathering for the rest of the day.

Totally worth it.

day 62. twelve/thirty.

This is round two of pictures for today. I tried to take some on the other side of the house, but I kept cutting my feet out of the picture, and as it turns out, concrete is not a flattering color for me.

Skirt: J. Crew; Top: Gap; Cardi: LOFT – Similar; Belt: Gap; Clogs: Francesca’s; Pom-pom: LOFT

I love this skirt. It’s never as flattering as I want it to be, but I can’t seem to let it go. Maybe I need to just make something else out of the fabric. It has tiny brown and mustard lighthouses all over it. It’s adorable. It would be a good headband or something. Hmm. I’ll have to think about it. I’ll miss it a lot if I cut it up. We’ll see.

I’m trying to get as much wear out of these clogs before winter is officially gone. I probably shouldn’t have put them in my 30, considering it’s basically spring here and clogs are winter shoes. They are pretty cute, though.

I’m super excited about this weekend. I’m seeing Spring Sing for the first time tonight at Faculty/Staff night, going to Stillwater tomorrow night (fingers crossed), and seeing Spring Sing again Saturday night – and seeing various friends all through that. Spring Sing weekend might be bigger than Homecoming for OC.

I haven’t seen anyone’s shows live yet, and I’m really excited. I wasn’t part of a winning Spring Sing club for no reason. I’ll be wearing my Minnie necklace from when I was little and repping Gamma all night. Have to pick out my outfit for Saturday soon – of course I’ll be wearing my black, white and red.

Just throwing this out there: Monday is the series finale of ABCfamily’s Greek. I know most of you think it’s a silly show, and it is, but at the same time, it’s one of the few shows about college that I actually like. The main characters are a year out of school – some working, some in grad school, and the younger characters are growing up. And that’s something I can really relate to right now. So I’m probably going to be emotional about it, and you can judge me for that, but I’m looking forward to it.

This is a question for my fellow bloggers. I’m currently trying to find the line between too much information and not enough information to be interesting. I love reading everyday, street style, 20-something feminine blogs. I love it. I love knowing how other young women my age are living their lives, and honestly, I read blogs of people ten years older than me – just daily blogs about life. I just like to know about life.

And I’m trying to record my own life here, and since I’m pretty new to the social part of blogging, I’m trying to figure out how to balance it all on the page.

So, for any of you established – or if you don’t feel “established,” because I sure as heck don’t, if you post regularly – bloggers, how did you find your balance?

I really do need to find a way to get better pictures, though. I think these might be my favorite pictures I’ve taken so far, but they aren’t very clear. At all. Any tips on that?
For now, back to homework and watching my cats follow each other around the house to scare each other.

day 61. eleven/thirty.

I had this post tagged in February, and then I realized that it’s March already. What? Seriously? You’re joking with me. This has been the quickest year of my life. Well, the quickest three months of what I feel like is going to be the quickest year of my life.

This has also been the longest week ever, and it’s only Wednesday. Not that I’m complaining. It’s been a great week – just seems to have been dragged out and simultaneously flown by.

Dress: Old Navy – Similar; Top: Gap; Belt: Francesca’s – Similar; Tights: Target; Pumps: Target; Bag: Francesca’s; Headband: Francesca’s; Creepy Hallway: Thomas Family

The one thing that I dislike about this picture, quality aside, is that you can’t see the ruffle neck of the dress peeking out at the top of my shirt. It was a little difficult to maintain as the day went on – aka the ruffle kept slipping under the shirt neck, which wasn’t a big deal, but I would have preferred the former. This is an outfit I’m really, really proud of. I might not choose the green tights again, but for what I was doing today (working 9:30-6:30), it was right.

I don’t have any jewelry on in this picture because I hadn’t gotten to work yet – perks, right? Maybe next time. If you saw my necklace collection, you’d be amazed. This weekend I’m going to share with you the secret of great jewelry collecting, if you live in the Edmond area. You can thank me later.

PS I almost didn’t buy this belt last summer. Fall. Whenever it was. I debated it for a really long time (like, two days), and finally caved. And I wear it at least once a week, usually an average of three times per week. I hadn’t really realized that until I started my 30×30. I don’t hate it. Elastic belts are my friends.

I do have some good news, though. Through some great luck, I was recently promoted to assistant manager at my job! Exciting! It’s kind of weird, isn’t it? I don’t really feel old enough to be a manager of anyone. I’ll be 23 in two months, though, so I guess I really am kind of an adult now. So far I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve learned in the past few days, although the hours have been longer.

But I’m fine with it.

I mean, let’s be real. Promotions are the best.

I’m sorry I only have one good picture from today. The cat kept getting in the rest of them and they look ridiculous.

I do have this, though. I took it when I was eating dinner and thinking about all of the great things about the new kitchen. Before you ask, those are tulip bulbs, not onions, as has been called into question. It’s a long story. Actually, it’s kind of a short story, but I’m feeling tired tonight and I don’t feel like getting into it. Sorry.

The pictures I take of me look ridiculous, but the still life of the kitchen looks great. What gives, iPhone? Why do you hate me?

What? Oh, yes, you’re right – that is my Pioneer Woman cookbook on the counter. Funny how all great things find their way to the kitchen, isn’t it?

day 55. six/thirty. rain, rain, go away.

I can’t believe we’re almost a week into the 30×30 already. Isn’t that unbelievable? I feel like it’s just flown by. I may have to make it the 31×30, because I still haven’t made up my pictures from day 2, and now I’m just kind of feeling like I should just try that one again another day. One photo shoot a day is about as much as I can do, friends.

My mom said I look like I’m in the mall in this picture, not in the entryway to a house. I’m not really sure how to respond to that, since it’s her house. The mirrors and glass are cool, though. I’ll have to get some good shots of the foyer area later.

Coat: Gap – Similar; Top: Gap – Similar; Jeans: Target – Similar; Scarf: Old Navy; Socks: Francesca’s; Boots: Target; Bracelet: Christchurch, NZ, street market

Today’s the first super rainy day of the new year, which is kind of exciting.

I mean, I really hate being out in the rain. If you didn’t know that, you probably don’t know me that well. When it’s raining, I would much, much, much rather stay inside, hang out, watch movies, drink coffee, do some writing, etc. Also, probably take a nap should be in there, too.

Anything except be out in the rain. Fortunately, it stopped raining in the late morning and it’s been about sixty the rest of the day. It’s looking a little grim for tonight, but I don’t have plans to go anywhere, so I’m really not that worried about it.

Things are still really bad in Christchurch. If you can, please go donate to the Red Cross effort in NZ. I know it’s hard to put together an effort for all of the things going on in the world right now, but even $5-10 helps. They find people days, up to about a week, after they’ve been buried alive in rubble. There are still hundreds missing, and they could still be out there.

I feel a little weird having such smiley pictures while I talk about such a sad thing. But just know that this does mean a lot to me, and if I could be there right now helping, I would.

My mom did take my pictures today – that’s why there are several “artsy” sideways shots. They didn’t turn out half bad, though.
This is also the inaugural day for those boots. They were fantastic and I felt preppy walking around in houndstooth rain boots. I liked it.
And by the way, I’m completely obsessed with those pink socks. They were one of those risky purchases I wasn’t quite sure about, but I wear them all of the time and they’re fantastic. We’re almost out of long-sock weather, so I’m trying to get as much mileage out of them as I can right now.

day 54. five/thirty. GRE prepster.

Top: Old Navy; Jeggings: Francesca’s; Boots: Target; Belt: Had it forever; Scarf: Thanks mom!; Bracelet: Christchurch, NZ, street market

I took the GRE this afternoon. I forgot that I signed up for the 1:00 time, and it was only last night when I looked at the email that had the testing center address in it that I realized I was taking it in the afternoon rather than in the morning. Good thing I didn’t have to be there at 8, right?

I found this shirt recently at Old Navy, and fell in love. I don’t know what it is with me and nautical stripes lately, but I can’t seem to get enough of them. Good thing they’re in season this year, right?

This is also my first foray into actual photos of me wearing my jeggings. I used to be a hater (it’s a dictionary word now, check it), but then I realized that they’re like jeans, but also like being comfortable all the time without even trying. And the best part is that most people don’t realize they aren’t jeans, if you get the right kind.

Even the guy at the testing center today asked me to turn out my pants pockets, to make sure I wasn’t hiding notes, I guess, and I had to tell him they were leggings, not jeans, and I didn’t have any pockets. That conversation was kind of awkward. But I was comfortable for the four hours of the test, that’s for sure. And that’s what counts in my book.

There hasn’t been as much text in my blogs since I started the 30×30. Does that bother you at all? I’ve realized over the past couple of days that one of the things that really does make me happiest is feeling put together every day, and having evidence of that makes me feel good about myself. I don’t know, maybe you think I look ridiculous. Who knows?

After all, a picture’s worth a thousand words, right? So this post technically has at least 6,000 words. I wish you could see how hard I’m rolling my eyes at myself right now. Cliches are the devil’s work.

I just don’t want you to think that I’m slacking, or that I’m losing interest. Because that’s not the case at all. Fashion blogging is something I’ve wanted to try my hand at for a while now – not because I think I’m super fashionable, but because I think I dress comparably to other street style bloggers on a regular basis, and I thought it would be fun to jump into that world for a little while.

And believe me, it has been fun.

I’m also trying out new poses in my pictures. Some of them are a little silly. Today, they’re mostly tame, because these pictures were the last thing I did today and I’m exhausted and I really just wanted to fugghedaboutit and go to bed, but I knew I had a responsibility to you, dear readers.

PS Do you like the redone blog header? Rachel Whitaker noticed how sad and pixelated it was, and she used her computer magic to make it a million times better. I can’t thank her enough – it really needed some help. As does the rest of the blog, but that’s going to have to wait until at least the weekend, if not until next week. I don’t know. At least I have a good header!

This is going to have to be a short post, because I have to wake up early to take my car in to get an estimate for the wreck damage. And it’s downtown, which means fighting rush hour traffic to get there. Yuck.

You should comment. Because I get a decent number of hits, but no comments. I don’t care if I know you in real life or not. Comments are what keep blogs going, or didn’t we learn anything from Gawkerpocalypse?

day 53. four/thirty.

We’ll start this one off with a funny picture. I was setting up PhotoBooth in the living room, getting ready to go outside, and my dog Phoebe jumped up on the couch behind me. I thought it might be cute to take a picture with her. So this is me, my right hand holding the laptop and my left hand waving around above the iSight, trying to get her to look at the camera.

Clearly, she knew what was up.

This is one of my favorite outfits so far, imagined or put together. I bought this shirt a few days ago at LOFT, and I’ve been dying to start mixing it up.

And hooray for outside pictures! It was a pretty nice day outside, so I thought I would try and get some natural light for my photos. I know the quality still isn’t there, but…it’s getting there, right? I really just need to suck it up and buy a new camera next time I get paid. Since I’m not shopping on my 30×30 (you know, since that’s one of the rules), I’m hoping that’ll save me some money. A camera might be a worthwhile purchase, though.

Top: LOFT; Dress: Charlotte Russe; Belt: Francesca’s; Necklace: Francesca’s: Sunglasses: Target; Bracelet: Christchurch, NZ street market; Boots: Target

There is one thing that’s been on my mind for the past day or so. There was a 6.3 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, yesterday. I don’t know if all of you know this, but that might be literally – literally – my favorite place in the entire world. We stopped there for a few days on our study abroad a few years ago (2007? really? that long ago?), and I fell in love with it.

The damage has been extensive and there have been deaths. They’re rebuilding, but as everyone knows, getting out of a natural disaster is one of the most difficult things a country could have to do.

“Christchurch, today is the day your comeback begins,” Prime Minister John Key said. “While nature has taken much from you, it cannot take your survivor spirit.”

So say a prayer for NZ. There are a lot of crazy, history-making moments in the world right now, and everyone needs thoughts and prayers, but this moment really spoke to my heart right now. That’s why I’m wearing my bracelet today, in remembrance of everything going on there right now.

And finally, this last picture is where I scraped my knee along the top of a cast-iron gate my parents have leaning up against that brick wall. Ouch!

day 52. three/thirty

It’s been a long day. It’s also been a very cold day, for having been 80 the past few days. It was about 40 all day. Brr! Warm weather, come back!

PS Day two/thirty is coming later tonight. I have to retake some pictures, because yesterday’s were just embarrassing. Wait for it. Also, wait for my picks post. Someday.

I did take my pictures in the OC library, though, in the carrels. I felt a little weird doing so, but I don’t think anyone saw me, so I feel like I escaped judgement on that one.

Cardi: J. Crew; Dress: Charlotte Russe; Belt: Francesca’s; Shoes: Target; Earrings: Francesca’s

I’m definitely still learning how to take my pictures. My options are either my laptop, self-taken iPhoto pictures, or getting a professional fashion photographer (aka my mom) to take them for me. I’m trying to minimize the laptop pictures because the quality is just so bad – so grainy. We’ll see, though. I like this first picture, except for the fact that I forgot the cardinal rule of pushing in my chair, so…there’s my coat!

I also found these super pretty books on the third floor. For as much time as I spend studying on the third floor, I rarely look at those books. I mean, these are all advanced chemistry tomes, I think, so…no thanks! They sure do make for pretty, vintage-y pictures, though.

I mean, they probably would if I weren’t holding it like I’m about to sing a hymn from it, right? Maybe next time.

Fun fact: For most of these pictures, I used the take-four option on Photo Booth, and on all but one of these, I couldn’t find the pose I liked until the last frame. Cute, I know. That’s what crop is for, right?

Closeup so you can see the actual colors. Also so I can look like my neck is broken. But hey, straight hair!

If you know me at all, you know that my favorite part of a DVD is the outtakes, the blooper reel. And no photo blog of mine would be complete without some of my own. At some point tonight, I thought this was a cute pose. What is my leg even doing? What is this?

I guess I thought it would be really cute to do a “heavy books are heavy!” take, but…that’s not exactly how it turned out. I did get a good laugh out of these pictures, though, so hopefully you will, too. If not, then I guess I’m just humiliating myself on the Internet. Whatever. That’s nothing new.

Fun Fact No. 2: I never realized how much I absentmindedly pick at my cuticles until I watched Black Swan. NEVER AGAIN! Bad habits: resolved by terror. (I know, that was a pretty gross fact. Sorry I’m not sorry.)

I hope you have a blessed night!