Swimsuit Edition

The wintery wind is going crazy outside and temperatures are freezing. Despite (or because of) that, I couldn’t help but look up some new bathing suits online and daydream of heat waves to come. In general, I adore retro, pin-up looks. Polka dots are a particular favorite. And while the look is quite sexy, the cuts tend to remain rather modest. I don’t have what they call a “bikini body".” I may not be overweight but I am not toned. I prefer to keep myself covered, as I feel more comfortable and confident that way. I still adore my Jantzen find and my yellow polka-dot bikini from last summer, but it’s always nice to grab a new suit for the season. These retro-inspired looks hit the spot.

Again, there’s a pattern. Since I already have a one-piece, I would adore a two piece with a high-waisted bottom. I love that they accentuate curves and hide your belly button…the tummy area can be a tricky one. And the suit in the last photo is reversible!

The top two are from ModCloth and the bottom two are from Anthropologie.  None of them are in my price range. It does seem, though, that the cheaper you get your bathing suits is equivalent to how easily worn they become. Just something to consider (or a clever way to trick myself into think it’s okay to spend nearly 100 dollars or more on a bathing suit).

EDIT: I ended up ordering the polka dot number at the top on Friday. Hopefully it will fit well (or be easily exchangeable if not)…I just couldn’t pass it up.

Brand New Shoes

Zooey Deschanel is adorable, stylish, has killer hair, is a great actress and, on top of it all, she can sing. Not really fair. This song nearly made me cry last night…but in a good way. Love the adorable little animation accompanying the song.

Unfair.

There’s no better way to say it…Mila Kunis is just plain hot.

The weekend and love…

This weekend was exactly what I needed. I had no plans, just a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants attitude. And that always leads to plenty of relaxation and joy.

Casino trip. Sweet potato fries. Diner breakfast. Salvation Army thrifting. Discovering that the Blockbuster I worked at for two years is closing. Driving out of town to rent movies. Cheese fries and wings from Tommy’s simply because being in the area made us crave it. Naptime. Barnes and Noble. Iced Green Tea. Weird and random Target purchases. Wegmans shopping for snacks. Brad’s new Canon 7D. Edamame. Organic chicken dumplings. Ghirardelli Turtle Brownies. Biore Pore Strips. Sleeping in. More brownies. Leftover wings. E! channel. 127 Hours and Love and Other Drugs. Wendy’s Frostys.

This is when Brad told me he was cleaning things up. but actually watching some alien show on the History Channel.

It was tough leaving Brad’s house. A wintry mix started, which was so disappointing since the sun has been shining and it was a little warmer yesterday. It also doesn’t help that it’s back to work tomorrow, and Brad is heading to Vegas this week. I won’t be seeing him until after next week. Considering we pretty much only get the weekends, I’m sad. But Maria’s birthday is Sunday, so we will be doing plenty of celebrating. And it’s always nice to have some downtime at home. So, hey!

I’m glad I got this fantastic weekend. I cried a lot. Sometimes sad. Sometimes from the movies. Sometimes just because I realized how lucky I am. It’s nice to have such a lovely someone.

A “The Weekend is So Close” Happy List

I’m putting it lightly when I say that the last couple of weeks have been tough. One of the lessons in the book Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (an amazing book I received as a birthday present from Brad last year that I couldn’t recommend more) is “Be Aware of the Snowball Effect of Your Thinking.” And it couldn’t be more true. When you’re in a good mood, everything seems perfect. You love your friends and family, your job, the weather, everything you’re doing. But when a bad mood strikes, that’s it. You hate everyone in your life and want to be alone. You curse yourself and feel like you can’t do anything right. Work sucks. People suck. The world sucks. Life sucks. It’s so easy to get sucked into the negative downward spiral of a bad mood…and it can totally consume your life.

I suppose that’s where I’ve been lately. Every ache and pain, which can be normal, gets my brain cogs moving in overdrive. My skin is annoyingly pubescent at the moment. Waking up is a dreaded and complicated process. The thought of wearing anything other than my Danskin comfy pants is exhausting.

I cannot just snap out of these things, unfortunately. It’s not in my blood, in my genes. But little steps help. Watching a movie with friends. Brad visiting me at home (it feels like I haven’t seen him in ages..). Reading happy blogs. Whatever. I’m hoping that, with a little extra help and some rallying inside of myself, I will snap back to the regular me…the one that randomly disappeared a couple of weeks ago.

But back to the original purpose of the post…the happy list! The good things in life! The silver lining in the cloud.

• Gold Peak white tea with citrus
• Community. I didn’t like it at first, but it really grew on me. Such a funny and happy show.
• My Tuesday/Thursday TV nights with friends. Glee, Parks and Rec, Jersey Shore. Yes I watch the Jersey Shore. And I absolutely love it. Whatevah.
• Ke$ha songs. This might get me in trouble too, and my boyf hates her. But they are so catchy and fun. Sometimes I just want to dance, forget about worries, listen to things that don’t drag me in deeper.
• Peel-Off face masks
• Planning outfits in my head for the weekend and fun times
• Spring will be here soon enough
• Planning out my summer vacation

Hey Shorty.

March has arrived and, though it has the tendency of being a very finicky month weather-wise, the appearance of sun and blue skies has already left me daydreaming of the warm weather soon to come. Around this time of year (and it’s official now), I get incredibly sick of jeans. I try my best to wear skirts and tights and change it up but it’s very tough in the cold, single digit weather an NEPA winter brings. When it comes down to it, you need to be sensible, right? So it’s time to look ahead and start rotating leggings and skirts and dresses.

Shorts may seem like more of a summer option, but I believe they can be spring-y too. I think a lot of people are undecided about the shorts/tights look. I’ve done it with denim, wool, corduroy and even sequin shorts. Ultimately, it depends on the look you want to convey. But I’m very willing to try all my shorts with tights and over-the-knee socks for the coming season.

I perused the Forever 21 site and found quite a few adorable (and as always, affordable) pairs! It’s safe to say that I’m starting to stray away from the denim shorts. I already have a couple of reliable pairs that have stood the test of time. As my closet grows with skirts and dresses, I tend to gravitate towards them. But when skirts become too short or too dressy, a pair of nice patterned shorts can give the same effect while being comfortable and a bit more modest.

It’s not hard to guess what styles I’m into this round. Fun prints will dress up casual tees and tanks, and I adore the nautical high-waisted look of button plackets. It screams ‘50s pin-up, which is one of many looks I admire and envy.

Spotted Woven Shorts – 14.80
Floral Woven Shorts – 17.80
Herringbone Nautical Short – 17.80
Roses Garden Matelot Shorts – 10.50
Striped Linen-Blend Shorts – 15.80

All shorts and pictures from Forever 21

Oscars 2011 Recap

I can’t express enough how much I adore the Academy Awards. I don’t make much time for any other award show but this. Even if I haven’t seen half the movies, even if the hosts are lame, even if the people I want to win lose…I love them. I wish there were some reason I’d be able to attend them one day. Perhaps it’s because it seems to be a classy, drama-free and respectful night for the arts. There are puns but hardly any low blows. Everyone is dressed nicely. Everyone claps and supports one another. In an otherwise gossip-filled Hollywood, the Oscars seem to be a positive night for actors. It’s about the work (Okay, and the outfits) for once. But okay, let’s focus on the dresses (there seems to be a running theme of purples and creams).

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab

Should I have saved the best for last? Ehh, whatever. I think it’s safe to say that Mila stole the top spot for Best Dressed on many a list. The moment I saw her, I knew right away. It was a pretty perfect Mila Kunis Oscars dress. It was unlike the rest, sexy, pretty, gorgeous, classy, and show-stealing. She showed a lot of skin/body, but it was still elegant. Loved it.

Cate Blanchett in Givenchy

There’s something about Cate Blanchett. She is very different, from her facial features to her short hairdo…she can’t just settle for a simple, pretty gown. This has structure and style. It’s classic and gorgeous and formal, but there’s something funky about the shoulders and beading. I don’t know who else would be able to pull this off, but she did, wonderfully.

Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa

This is the perfect Oscars dress for a 14 year old. I didn’t get to see True Grit yet, but I cannot wait to see Hailee’s performance. The way she handled herself last night was perfect. I hope (and believe) that she will continue to be a classy young lady. This is an adorable tutu-esque dress (that she helped design!) that screams youth and class all at once.

Michelle Williams in Chanel

Michelle Williams, how desperately you make me want to chop all my hair off again. Unfortunately I don’t think I will look as fantastic and ethereal and delicate as you. This dress was quite simple in its shape, but it complimented her entire look so well. I was jealous of her the whole night.

 
Natalie Portman in Rodarte

My girl won last night! Okay, we all saw it coming. She was probably getting sick of making so many acceptance speeches. But good for her! Black Swan was honestly the greatest film she’s ever done, and Nina was by far her best role. I’m glad she is winning for it…it was a once in a lifetime performance. As a huge fan, I’m proud of her. Her dress may not be the flashiest but it’s elegant and it seemed perfect for her ever-growing shape. When she first arrived, she seemed so uncomfortable and her man had to help her on stage, simply because her bump is growing. I’m so glad she had such a perfect maternity dress. A lot of people gave her crap for the Golden Globes Viktor and Rolf gown, and now they can zip their lips.

 

 

Now I just need to see a ton of movies. The show was yet another reminder of how pathetically behind I let myself get.