Hello, 2016!

I feel very preppy/70s inspired in this outfit. It's not exactly what people technically think of when they think of that decade, but the button-down skirt and cowl neck sweater definitely finds their origins in the 70s. I had been looking for a skirt like this since the fall, and finally was able to get one this Christmas. I found the sweater at the same time and they just seemed to be meant for each other. I paired it with my favorite boots to finish the look.

Tomorrow is not just a new day, but also a new year. For me, the last few days have also felt like 2016, and I have referred to them as such, but I actually am excited about this new beginning. I think it's the first time in my life that I have felt like the change in the year actually mattered or had any effect on my life. Perhaps this is just because I also start back to school in four-ish days, so my life really is about to be different. Regardless, I feel anxious and I'm ready to use this new year to get things done that I have previously neglected. I know everyone says that, and maybe it's true that in a few weeks I'll revert back to my old ways, but I really want to use this energy towards progress and hopefully advancement.

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope that 2016 is the year things start to fall into place for all of you and is filled with lots of love, experiences, and joy.

Winter in the South

At 75 degrees, This year was certainly not a white Christmas. So I had to ditch the tights for today's look, but I was not willing to give up on my sweater. I figured a tulle skirt and flats was just enough to keep me cool on this warm day. I added a statement necklace, and was ready to celebrate Christmas day with my family. 

Christmas is my favorite holiday, probably like most who celebrate it, and today really was one of the best days this year. I love spending time with my family, taking the time to truly remember who the day is actually about, and seeing the smiles on my friends and family's faces as they open their gifts. I decided to be crafty this year, and even though I might have broken one of the gifts yesterday and had to redo the entire thing last night, I think it really makes the whole thing more personal. 

Tomorrow, my family leaves for Kentucky to see my father's side of the family, and I'm excited to continue to celebrate the season long past the actual day. 

Plaid Intentions

One of my favorite things about Fall and Winter is the ability to create new outfits through layering. All it takes are a couple basic items, like this grey dress, and you can take something old and make it feel new. I decided to add boots and a leather jacket to make this simple dress have an edgy feel. And of course I couldn't forget my favorite color of the season, so I added a pair of tights and a scarf that I picked up from Charlotte Russe. Not much effort for a great look.

I took my last final today so I am done with my first semester of college. A lot has happened in a very short period of time, and I'm still in shock that it's gone by so quickly. I'm excited to go home, but as I was walking to the library last night, I realized that Randolph-Macon was starting to feel like my home. I have my own house, which is really unorganized right now thanks to finals, I have my own schedule, and I'm the only person that's responsible for me now. Don't get me wrong, I cannot wait to spend almost an entire month back at my real home, but there's a new me in the works and that's thanks to college. I think I understand why my mom cried on move-in day. 

Classically Trained

Whenever I'm in search for a nice outfit during a busy week, I always fall back to the classic pieces in my closet. I find it's the easiest way to look nice in a short amount of time and feel good about what you're wearing. For me it's usually a fit-and-flair dress, tights, and a pair of flats. I added a printed sweater and a belt to finish the look, and just so happened to have the perfect jacket for the occasion. It was great for a presentation during the busiest (and that means very little sleep) week of the semester. 

My first semester of school is almost over, and I have to admit that it's a bit bitter-sweet. I have had so much work recently, that I am ready for it all to be over, but as my dad pointed out I have already completed 12.5% of my college experience (I obviously did not get his ability to do math). I'm excited for the classes I've signed up for but I'm going to miss the people I've met who started this journey with me. I don't talk to a good portion of the people in my classes, but it's the thought, right? I feel like I'm experiencing growing up in a microcosm right now, and I as much as it excites me, it also scares me a little. I think that's normal. 

Anyways, that is enough teenage angst for one post! On a shallower note, I decided to embrace my inner Arya Stark and cut off a good portion of my hair. I'm really liking it so far, and would suggest it for anyone looking for a low maintenance hair style. I call it "get it up and go." (Not in these pictures though; I definitely did my hair. Didn't want have any false advertising...)

Menswear

I am pretty sure it's a known fact that men's clothes are more comfortable than women's. Take for instance, this insanely comfortable flannel (similar here), which I thrifted last spring, and my DIY boyfriend jeans (similar here), made from actual men's jeans. By adding a pair of heels to this outfit as well as a feminine makeup look, I took these pieces and made them work for my style.  My college goal is to continue to look my best and feel my best, and this outfit definitely helped me achieve that. I developed a sort of motto as I've transitioned my style recently and it goes, Look like New York, act like Mathews County. I've started to pick up a more relaxed, city vibe in my clothing, but everyday I continue to act like my parents and my community raised me, which I think is important. People should change, but they shouldn't forget where they came from. 

Thanksgiving break is fast approaching, and I can't wait to see my friends and family from back home. I haven't seen my best friend since August, so she better be prepared for me to annoy her to death. We are going to spend quality time together whether she wants it or not. I am also going to get the chance to sleep in my bed again and hang out with my family, which is always the best part of going home. I may call my parents almost everyday, but that doesn't make up for actually being together in the same room. Plus, I could definitely use some home cooking at this point. No offense mom, but I never would have said I loved your cooking until I went to college. I took so much for granted before this year. I can only eat chicken tenders and fries so many times before it gets old.

But moving away from food, it seems so strange that my first semester of college is almost over. My communications teacher continues to encourage me to fight for a spot in a comm class next semester, but alas the burden of a Freshman trying to register has fallen on me. I feel like just yesterday I was scared out of my mind to be starting college and now I'm almost half way through with my first year of college. Time definitely gets faster as you grow older.

She Wore Maroon Velvet

I am in love with this velvet dress (similar), which explains why I've worn it for the past three falls. It's so flattering and one of my favorite colors. I got the idea to pair it with my mustard tights after seeing a girl on campus do the inverse, wearing a mustard dress with maroon tights. So shoutout to you, if you're reading this. You looked amazing. 

       My mom came and visited me on Monday and it was really great being able to see her again. I was given lots of candy, which I have sadly eaten more than I should have already, but really the best part was just getting to talk about what was going on in our lives at the moment. I talked about my renewed obsession with America's Next Top Model, she told me how her job was going, and we conversed like we would if I was home. It's those times that make me realize how homesick I get sometimes. 

        However, I am excited about what the rest of the week has in store for me, as I finally become an initiated sister of Alpha Gamma Delta, travel to DC for the day, and participate in the Big Event (a service project) in Ashland. My week is going to be busy, but I'm prepared for it.

Everything Was Blue

Fall is my favorite time of year, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to give up my Spring florals. By adding a jacket, tights, and some wedge booties, I was able to transform this spring dress (similar) into the perfect outfit for a 70 degree, Fall day. The leaves have finally started to change in Ashland, so I might be leaving behind my blue tones for a little bit, to move into a more red-centered style, but blue was perfect for when these pictures were taken, especially considering the amount of rain that followed. 

I also want to give a special shout out to the fraternity men who walked past me taking this pictures and didn't make a comment, the couple that passed by me and let me pet their puppy (who might have been the cutest puppy to ever exist), and the large group of bicyclists who scared me unintentionally went they rode by. You made this shoot interesting for me at least. 

Also, I just registered for my spring semester classes, which is extremely weird because I still feel like everything is so new to me, but at the same time I can see how far I have come in the past few months. My best friend and I were texting the other day, and we talked about how much we felt we had grown and changed since coming to college. We both went to separate schools, I came with no one from my graduation class and she went with one other person from our school, but they never see each other, and because of that we felt like we grew during the first week of school. We remarked on how scary it was to walk into the dinning hall and not see each other and/or not having anyone we knew to sit with. It might be a little thing, but no one really ever prepares you for that before going to college. Sure, I understood that I was going to school by myself, but no one can really articulate how it feels to be pretty much on your own for the first month of school. And the funny thing is, over half of my Freshman class was in the same boat, and we still didn't talk about it. Eventually we all make friends and you start to feel like you belong finally, but until then there is a lot of growth that you undergo as a person. As nerve-racking as it was at the time, I'm glad that I experienced that, because now I make a point to eat by myself sometimes, just to have that time to organize my day and think through my week (because College is also jam-packed with stuff to do, and ultimately you will be like me and miss two interest meetings because you forgot to put them in your planner). 

I remember the episode of Sex and the City where Carrie had to be comfortable with being by herself. The few times I've seen it before it hasn't really meant much to me, but that first month of school it really sank in. Sure, I'll still take eating with friends to going solo any day, but at least now I know how to be okay on my own, and I think that's an important to learn, since we are the only constant in our lives.