Saturday, September 21, 2013

casual saturday



shirt/shoes: modcloth // jeans: gift // photos taken by Matt





This is a super casual outfit, but it features my very first modcloth purchase! I got this shirt and shoes (and a pair of shorts) on super sale, and I'm so excited to finally be able to own something from them. It's just a great company filled with inspiring people, and I love the values that they stand for in terms of products as well as models and body image. It's a great work that they're doing, and I'm happy to be able to support it.

Also, it's finally the weekend! I cooked some fancy homemade macaroni and cheese tonight and finished up on some photography work, and fiiinally finished my latest photo that I've been working on for the past few days, which you can take a look at here if you're so inclined. It's nice to start to get back into the art of photography. I actually wrote down a couple of ideas for new photos (what, Lauren actually has more than one photo idea?), so cross your fingers they'll actually come to fruition!





Hope you have a great weekend!





Thursday, September 19, 2013

autumn hues



shirt/blazer: thrifted // skirt: borrowed from Ivy // hat/tights: forever 21 // shoes: target







Hello you beautiful people! I can't talk long because I have a ton of homework tonight, but I thought I would give you a weather update. Oregon weather has been pretty weird these past few days. One moment it's hot and I'm sweating a ton, and the next moment I have to pile on five jackets and drink hot chocolate. As for a hair update, my friends and I have decided that I officially have the weirdest hair because it cannot hold color to save its life. Parts of it are still a dark purple shade, some parts are dark brown, some seem almost black--I'm not complaining about it at all, it's just interesting to see what it does. Needless to say, everyone is having a hair dying party this weekend and I'll touch it up then. Purple hair is way too fun to give up just yet!

Hope you guys have a great day!




Wednesday, September 18, 2013

let's talk about: tights



With fall quickly approaching us, people are starting to break out their tights and leggings once more. And like every other blogger out there, I'm incredibly excited for fall. Hello layers! After emailing a very sweet girl back and forth about tights, she inspired me to write a fun little post about the things. I scanned through my archives and found some examples of different ways to wear tights in the hopes that it will also inspire you this fall and winter season!


(here & here)

These tights I purchased from Walmart, I believe, and they are a very versatile pair. With tights like these, I sometimes even wear another pair of tights underneath them (on especially cold days), and the color peeks through the slits. This makes a really fun effect and adds even more interest to the outfit.


(here & here)

Now for some fun colored tights! The green lace tights are from forever 21, and the orange ones were borrowed from my friend. In regards to the green ones, I don't wear them very often because I accidentally bought a couple sizes up from what I needed, and they like to, ahem, fall down a lot, so if I wear them I have to constantly adjust them. In this example, I wore them with a purple dress to contrast the green color. You can read more about mixing colors together here! For the orange-y ones, I decided to go a little bit more natural and pair them with yellows and browns and blacks.


(here & here)

These vertical striped tights I received from romwe when they were having their whole "receive one free pair of tights by signing up" sort of thing, and they are definitely one of my favorites. They're basic black, but with a fun twist. These two looks are a bit "edgier" for me, so it might be fun this autumn to try to style them in a more girly sort of way.


(here & here)

Aaah, my trusty maroon tights. I wear these things once a week, I swear. They're so comfortable and warm, and I've worn them so much the heels are all worn through. And yet I still hold on to them because I am convinced I can wear them with anything (in fact, they're going to be featured yet again in an outfit post for tomorrow!). If you're on the hunt for tights, get these ones. I purchased mine at forever 21 years ago, but I'm sure there are other pairs like them out there.


(here & here)

White tights are also good to have on hand. I borrowed the ones on the left from my mom, and the ones on the right are from forever 21. They are really easy to dress up or down. You can either pair them with a little black dress and red heels, or with a denim dress and boots like I did in the left photo.


(here & here)

These star tights I diy-ed using my friend Annika's tutorial, and even though they are pretty torn up now, they're still one of my favorite pairs. Any patterned tights instantly adds more interest to an outfit, and in the case of the red color here, they can add even more color variation.


(here & here)

These heart tights from forever 21 are another example of patterned tight goodness. It gives an outfit just a touch of magic (though I have to say that people sometimes think I have the chicken pox with these tights on, haha).


(here & here)

Finally there are my thrifted green tights (I also have another pair in blue). Even though green isn't really a neutral color, these dark green tights have worked really well with a lot of outfits I and my friends have worn.


So if you're looking to buy tights for fall, I would say start with the neutrals: first a black pair, then white, then navy, brown, and potentially green. If you're looking to add more, go for some different colors, or even go for some patterned tights, like stripes or polka dots. You may have also noticed that I wore shorts in several of these shots, and it just goes to show that tights aren't just for dresses! With the right combination, you can make tights work with shorts as well, which is perfect for transitioning seasons that are a little too cold for shorts, but not cold enough for pants or thick tights.

What's your favorite pair of tights that you own?