ruffles, knee socks and sequins

Oh, how the title of this post perfectly describes my obsessions.

 I totally underestimated how chilly it would be today and decided to forgo a pair of tights AND a scarf (A scarf! I always wear scarves! what am I thinking!!) and almost froze to death walking outside between classes.

 But it's okay because for the rest of the day I'm working (ugh), and dress code requires long pants (double ugh).

 In other news, I had the greatest weekend I've had in a while, and even better is that it was a totally sober weekend (although I did smoke hookah) - partying (i.e., drinking) in college is just kind of repetitive after a while and gets boring, so I took a weekend off. I did, however, follow my drunk friends around on Friday night which always turns out to be hilarious.

On Saturday night, my friend had a birthday dinner followed by birthday PAINTBALL which was the most fun thing EVER. I still have a few marks on me from where I got hit :D

After I got back from paintball, my friends and I decided to start ice-picking and shoveling and digging into a giant snow mound on the green and turn it into an igloo...

 ICE CAVE SPELUNKING! muahahaha

It's a work in progress. After two hours, we were about to die from hypothermia. Igloo-building to be continued...

outfit deets:
dress, selfmade.
cardigan, Target.
knee socks, Target.
sequin brogues, Forever 21.

Happy Monday!
love and right triangles,
april

PS: If you haven't noticed, I've started doing a series called Musings on a Monday which are just random thoughts I have turned into a blog post. Check 'em out right HURR
(I like the way you do that right THURR. -the immortal words of Chingy)

Musings on a Monday #2: The Wrong Soulmate

I have this fear -- probably irrational -- of ending up with the wrong soulmate. And not just for me (I know I'm too young to really be thinking of soulmates) but for everyone.

Sweet Home Alabama

The Notebook

It's always the chick flicks that have someone stand up at a wedding when the guy says, "Speak now or forever hold your peace," (as if people actually do that in real life) or have someone sprinting to the airport at the last minute to profess his or her love (which could never work in reality, especially with the TSA as an obstacle) -- it's these movies that get me to cry the most. Not when someone dies or when estranged family members are reunited (though I of course cry during these moments too) but when someone is missing out on the love of their life.

The Office

Because you know it and I know it -- that these two people are destined to be together -- but it takes them so long to figure it out for themselves, and you and I are just dying, DYING, for them to switch on that lightbulb in their brains and realize it!

When Harry Met Sally

13 Going on 30

And of course, sometimes this fear projects itself onto me. And yes, I'm only 19 and I don't plan on getting married anytime soon, if ever, but I still believe wholeheartedly in soulmates (though maybe not a totally "normal" definiton of the term).

Made of Honor

So when I watch these movies, I get anxious. But I loveloveLOVE watching them anyway!

If you didn't read this post, for whatever reason (it's okay! I understand!) at least WATCH THIS:

happy monday!

love and right triangles,

april

polka polka

 In my effort to dress more excitingly this year I'm gradually pulling out all the stops.

I spent my free afternoon today making this dress out of an old duvet cover and I can tell it's quickly going to become a favorite wardrobe staple.

 And of course, I'm wearing knee socks again! I think I'm going to wear them every day until I run out of  clean ones/money to buy more/it's too hot to wear them.

 Things to keep in mind when putting together a crazy outfit:

1. You can never have too many colors and prints.

2. Accessories are key.

3. A crazy hair accessory always adds to an outfit. (Note to self: stock up on giant bows and funky hats)

dress, selfmade.

tights, ?

socks, Target.

shoes, Target.

cardigan, Target.

belt, thrifted.

love and right triangles,

april

Musings on a Monday #1: The Power of Rainboots

A friend once mentioned in passing something about how rainboots make her feel invincible. At the time, it didn't resonate with me that much, mostly because we were probably talking about 80 things at the same time, as we often do.

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Ankle Boot, here.

But somehow that comment sunk into my subconscious, because the next time I put on my rainboots, I did indeed feel invincible.

The Original MuckBoots Finch Boot, here.

Rainboots are just this awesome bright-colored water-proof shield you put your feet into and then you can walk through ANYTHING. It's like, HI-YAH! TAKE THAT RAIN PUDDLE!

Rockport Lorraine Chelsea Ankle Boot, here. (These are so incredible RAD)

You can jump, you can stomp, you can waddle right through anything the mighty rainclouds throw at you. You can even walk through mud. How's that for invincible?

Tretorn Skerry Vintery Shiny Rubber Boot, here.

In a city like Providence, where it rains every other day, and somehow the city is very poorly planned around this very commonly known fact - there are no gutters and the drainage stinks, in my experience - rainboots are that one sliver of sun that shines through a mass of clouds on a grey day.

DKNY Niagara in Saffron, here.

The dreary mood of a rainy day can certainly take over and threaten to swallow you in its melancholy but all you need is a pair of brightly colored and awesome rainboots (and maybe an umbrella too) to show that rain who's boss. Never underestimate the power of rainboots.

Rainboots make you invincible.

happy monday!

love and right triangles,

april

still obsessed

 I seriously can't stop wearing knee socks. It's an addiction.

 My hair is starting to get unruly. The bangs just go wherever they please. My hair is disobedient, but not even in a good way - it's like it thinks it's being a rebellious punk rock teenager but mostly it's just angsty and sits in its bedroom blasting (awful) music all day.

dress, selfmade.

belt, thrifted.

jacket, thrifted.

socks, F21.

And yes that is the millionth time I've worn this jacket in the last week.

love and right triangles,

april

yin and yang

Bought these tights on clearance at Marshall's for two buckaroos today, and they inspired me to yin-yang it up. (ya know, shake it like a saltshaker? no? ok.)

 And once again, the continuous-shot function is THE BEST THING EVER.

I can just DANCE and the photos turn out CRAY-CRAY.

 

tights, Marshall's, $2.

shoes, Forever 21, $10.

skirt, H&M, $10.

top, Forever 21, $6.

lace thing, diy-slash-used-to-be-mom's, $0.

In other news, I have about 40 hours left of being here, and in those 40 hours, the following will happen:

1. OBAMA IS COMING WOOT WOOT (now you can use google to find out where I live!)

2. Finish reading Harry Potter 7 (I finished #6 yesterday)

3. Watch 13 Going on 30 (because I borrowed it from the library on a whim)

4. PACK MY LIFE BACK INTO BOXES FOR THE TRIP TO MY OTHER HOME.

5. Sew something, for pete's sake.

6. Photograph all my art and post it online (this has been put off for like, 6 months. it's ridic.)

7. Find and destroy Voldemort's remaining horcruxes. Then kill him. (or is that someone else's job?)

namaste!

love and right triangles,

april

knee socks are my jam

 I've fallen in love with this thrifted polka dot blazer, which can only mean two things:

1. I need to own more blazers with awesome prints. (sewing project or thrift store spree? hmm..)

2. I'm FINALLY getting sick of cardigans?! say whaaa?!

 Also I need to go back to Target and buy out ALL of their 2-dollar knee-high socks.

 Also I have a little too much fun with my camera's continuous-shot function :)

And my favorite new way to wear my hair?

Put wet hair in a messy bun before bed, wake up, shake it out and it's got wild waves and random curls! 

 Still got dancin' in me.

 Cheesin'

 Faux-chic.

So weird I just couldn't help myself.

dress, H&M, $8.

tank, Target, $2.

blazer, thrifted, $5?

knee socks, Target, $2.

sequin brogues, Forever 21, $25.

Hope your week is going well!

love and right triangles,

april

mix it all together

 Disco party!

Haha but for serious, I need to get myself to a dance party, STAT. I'm going crazy doing nothing at home. PLUS, the last of my friends still home leave tomorrow, and I don't leave until next Sunday!

So when I had a chance to get out of the house and hang out with a friend, I almost forgot that I had real clothes and not just sweatpants and exercise gear. I looked in my closet and I was actually surprised. I AM GOING CRAZY.

But with all my friends gone and nothing to do this week, I am very much looking forward to getting some major sewing done. I have clothes to make! Pillows to stuff! Fabric to cut! Needles to break!

boots, Marshalls, $50.

OTK socks, Forever 21, $4.

tights, H&M, $1.

skirt, selfmade.

tank, Urban Outfitters, $5.

cardigan, NY&Co, $10-15?

super cozy circle scarf, Claire's, $4.

I need more florals in my wardrobe! And fur! I don't own any of either. 

And polka dots. You can never have too many polka dots.

love and right triangles,

april

Inspiration for life

This year, I'm going to finally lose the weight I've been steadily gaining for the past...forever.

Inspired by this post from Diary of a Mad, Fat Woman, I just wanted to post my goals.

According to The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, I have to list long-term and short-term goals, along with how I'm going to achieve them and how I'm going to reward myself along the way. This I've thought about plenty before even reading about the project.

(Shoutout to Tieka of Selective Potential, whose post on her weight-loss success was a HUGE inspiration for me)

For me, I need to focus on health-related short-term goals.

In total, I want to lose 40 pounds.

After the first 5 pounds, I'm rewarding myself with new hair!

After the first 15 pounds, I'm allowing myself to buy new clothes (which I won't do before then)

After the first 25 pounds, I'm gettin' myself a new swimsuit - just in time for Spring Break

After the first 35 pounds, I'm finding myself the hottest, sexiest, fanciest dress my minimum wage income can buy and WEARING it out wherever I happen to go that day, even if it's just walking around campus.

Once I reach my final goal, it'll be summertime, and I'm going to vacation to somewhere where I can lounge around in a bikini all day, every day, with close friends :)

I'm planning on losing 2 pounds a week, with the help of loseit.com and the loseit iphone app - both of which I've been using for a while and I love.

Wish me luck!

And guys, I apologize for lack of outfit posts. I have been doing nothing all day every day so I haven't really been getting dressed.... I'll be back to school in 9 days though, so brace yourselves until then :)

Also, by 'nothing all day every day' I mean I've been redecorating my bedroom at home, so you'll be seeing that transformation shortly :)

berry swirl cupcake

I feel like a frothy, girly, berry-swirly cupcake today, and I LIKE IT.

It all started when I saw this dress hanging in my room next to this blue blouse, and I thought, hmm. 

Then I put it on.

I just bought this peachy belt last week and I knew I'd be wearing it with this dress.

Naturally, I put it on.

This berry pink tights were really the only ones that were clean (that I could find), and they happened to be sitting on top of the pile of (forever unfolded) clothes in my drawer.

So I put them on.

THEN I was like, I really wish I had purple suede boots. But alas, I do not.

These polkadot heels were the next best thing.

So I stuck my feet in 'em.

THEN I was like, cupcakes ain't NUTTIN without sparkle.

I dug out these earrings which are from my TENTH GRADE winter formal (and happened to be broken), fixed 'em up and stuck dem buggers in mah earz.

My hair happened to be in these body waves (WHICH IS MY DREAM NATURAL HAIR) because I slept with two funktastic buns popping out the side of my head last night.

AND VOILA!

dress, H&M.

blouse, thrifted.

tights, Target?

shoes, gifted.

belt, Forever 21.

earrings, Claire's?

dayum i need a manicure ;)

The world needed to see this.

I need a better place to take photos at school. At home I have all this space and big windows and no roommates and time to take lots and pick out good ones, and at school...nada.

love and right triangles,

april