gonna run your body right into the ground

what do you get when you spend eight hours a day, five days a week chasing after forty or so little ones?

frequent headaches and a hopelessly battered pair of keds, not to mention an epic tan. i believe this is what they call 'burning the candle at both ends.'

i've been pretty good about saving my money lately - the prospect of shelling out broker fees on an apartment will turn you into a pennypincher quickly - but when i stopped to observe the sorry state of my once-pristine white keds, i decided to quell my inner scrooge and find some suitable replacements.

i'm adamant about the bottoms my sneakers being as thin as possible, which has led me to run through more pairs of flimsy urban outfitters canvas lace-ups than i like to admit. so when my future roommate, jess, sported a pair of delightfully slim-soled kicks last weekend, i immediately pounced, demanding details. i was surprised to learn that they were converse, since they seemed so much more refined than the slightly clunky star-stamped high tops i sported back in high school.

i wasted no time - one week later, i was in a no-name soho shoe store, snapping up a pair of size eights for myself. i've still got one week of camp left, but these bright whites are will be staying home until i find a slightly lower-risk environment for their debut.

such a fright seeing them in my dark cupboard with my great big cake

there's something about holidays that sends my stress level skyrocketing.

i can pick any calendar day at random and hype it to the high heavens if it happens to coincide with something planned like a vacation, a party, or even a particularly exciting ups shipment, but when it comes to something that should inherently be kind of a big deal, like christmas or thanksgiving, i'm suddenly stricken by a major bout of performance anxiety.

i deal with the stage fright by compulsively downplaying imminent jubilees with a vengeance, but the irrationality hits a fever pitch when it comes to my birthday. i'm not being coy at all when i implore friends and family to treat my birthday like any other day. i'm a shy girl to begin with, so all of that annual attention and fanfare paired with my longstanding anxieties is about enough to send me scurrying into birthday hiding.

a peek inside pandora's closet, circa 1990.

it wasn't always like this - as the only girl and baby of the family, i have vivid memories of compiling a long list of birthday wishes (barbies, mostly) and expecting the full princess treatment on my special day. well, friends, i'm happy to report that at long last the pendulum is beginning to swing back. no, i'm not reverting back to spoiled brattiness, but i am actually excited about celebrating my birthday after several years of merely tolerating it.

" hop in my chrysler, it's as big as a whale,
and it's about to set sail... "

my boyfriend - mr. pandora? mandora? - and i will have been together for four years come september, but far-flung summer plans always prevent us from being together on my birthday. this year, he's taking me upstate to kate's lazy meadow, a cluster of quirky cabins and stationary airstream trailers in the catskills. all the "suites" are decked out in kitschy mid-century decor by owner kate pierson of the b-52s, and though the tinkerbell trailer we wanted is booked (top right), we're equally excited to hunker down in the sakajawiya suite instead.

to be perfectly honest, this whole great outdoors thing is pretty new to me, so i don't know exactly what to expect. still, when i let my imagination fill in the blanks, i see home-cooked meals, swimming in the lake, and breathtaking mountain views. so despite our lack of a trailer and my lack of cooking skills, i'm modeling my getaway wardrobe after lucille ball's tacy collini in the long, long trailer - all silk scarves and sunhats, cuffed button-downs, full skirts, and high-waisted slacks. i'm no good at playing the happy homemaker, but i can certainly dress the part if i put my mind to it.

i spotted this striped top when i was at monk in williamsburg the other day and couldn't let it pass by. just the night before, i had been browsing modcloth and lamenting the fact that a practically identical sea green version was already sold out. coincidence? hardly. and at fifteen dollars, i didn't even have to dip into my savings to bring it home with me. next on my list? a great straw hat and a picnic basket.

twenty-two days and counting..

[via lovely disco, we heartit, kate's lazy meadow, modcloth, google]

i'm on fire and now i think i'm ready to bust a move

the first word that comes to mind when i think about the summer to come is "purgatory."

of course, i'm terribly thrilled to be done with school, back in new york, and finally a stone's throw away from my boy after three summer seasons spent a world apart. it's just that i'm spending the next two months at home. with my parents. need i say more?

add this minor setback to the fact that a serious spate of ebenezer scrooge-status penny pinching is just about my only hope of getting my own place in the fall, and i find myself indulging almost exclusively in autumnal fashion fantasies in spite of myself.

i've had coats in particular on the brain for the past week or so, which led me last week to isabella oliver to check on the status of my beloved shirt coat. to make a long story short, i've been drooling over this coat for almost an entire year. with a fantastic swing shape and all the easygoing nonchalance of one of my favorite oversized button-downs, i knew i had to have it - immediately, and in camel. but as it turns out, my paychecks flew by just as quick as senior year did, and several months later i found myself looking at the shirt coat in a new thirty-five percent off light.

we both know what happened next, right? bought it, gift boxed it, and wrote myself a cute little note to boot. naturally, this puts my aforementioned penny pinching mission in a time-out corner of shame, but i can't help feeling like this is the perfect start to a great fall season nonetheless.

back me up on this one. me and my savings account aren't on very good terms right now.

[via isabella oliver]

how soon is now?

when i foresaw the nostalgia that's bound to engulf my memories of higher education in a rose-tinted haze over the years, i forgot to mention the essential first step of the process - the brief but heady rush of sentimentality that accompanies the closing of nearly every chapter of my life.

i'm talking about those premeditated, self-consciously sappy bonding sessions and the last-ditch attempts to document the final moments of an experience with a couple hundred photographs. i managed to stay fairly aloof during these last opportunities for wistful revelry - after all, i'm not planning to lose contact with anyone who's meant something to me during these past few years and all those senior events were getting to be pretty damn expensive - but i knew it'd be difficult to leave campus without snagging a bit of sartorial nostalgia.

the aesthete in me would like to pretend that i spent my time in the ivy league surrounded by people as enthusiastic about cultivating their personal appearances as they were about their scholarly endeavors, but the inconvenient truth is that sweats, uggs, leggings, flip-flops, and similar atrocities dominated the yard on a daily basis. even those who felt inclined to channel a classic prep vibe often botched the effort by either a) opting for a bastardized version of the look, complete with prominent logos and a horrific fit, or b) being an general douchebag. of course, there were more than a couple of my classmates who truly mastered their own style across a wide spectrum of genres, and whenever they crossed my path on the way to class, my eyes would silently thank them for rising above the frumpy fray.


in any case, on move-out day i packed up my things, stuffed it all into the back of my parents' rental truck and promptly requested that they take me to the coop. i wasn't sure exactly what i was looking for - since i'm not a huge fan of sweatpants with my alma mater emblazoned down the left leg, i'd become accustomed to avoiding the store's apparel section altogether. besides, i'd already picked up an alumni canvas and leather duffel a few days earlier and wasn't interested in spending too much more money on memorabilia.

and then i spied this gray and crimson raglan - casual with vintage appeal, i'm currently using it as a nightshirt, but i can also see it tucked into '70s style high-waisted shorts and chunky platforms like a collegiate jodie foster in taxi driver...or for a more traditional approach, maybe paired with a creamy cableknit cardigan when i head back to campus to see the game - wait, too soon?

[via drinkin' and dronin']

the weather is good, the fishin' is fine, now what do you do with all of your time

well, the good news is i got through last week unscathed. the bad news is that there's still another week and a half of heavy duty work to come. luckily, there's a sunbeam at the end of tunnel, and it's hovering just above the great state of florida, where i'll be heading for spring break in just over two weeks.

when it comes to traveling, it's always a thrill to dive headfirst into the sights, smells, and quirks of a completely new place, but i reserve a special sort of well-worn affection for locales that i've visited once or thrice before. i've been to florida so many times i've lost count, but instead of indulging in the bustling tourism of orlando or the semi-dilapidated art deco decadence of miami, i'll be heading back to st. petersburg, a spot i've been hankering to return to since the last time i left.

"stop jumpin' around, you'll run out of breath, why don't you sit back and calm yourself?"

st. pete doesn't offer too much in the way of high-octane entertainment, but what it lacks in roller coasters and fireworks, it certainly makes up for with scenery and charm. my last visit felt like one extended lazy sunday, with long strolls along the boardwalk, languorous museum outings, and daily trips to a gelato shop so divine that i couldn't find a better one during all my time in europe.

if this all sounds like a senior citizen's version of heaven, that's because it pretty much is. the elderly population of st. pete is booming to say the least, but oddly enough, that's where i'm drawing inspiration from as i put together my travel wardrobe. i already know that st. pete living is easy, so i'm aiming to dress the part.

i wanted a single piece to function as a layering canvas, but didn't really feel like rustling up a flattering jumpsuit, so i opted for this simple black maxi dress instead. i followed up that purchase with a black turban (my fifth and final purchase for the month of february) and i admit it's all a bit reminiscent of a certain gushing missive i once dashed off about carmen miranda, but i'm actually going for what might happen if katharine hepburn, dorothy zbornak, and janis joplin had to share closet space.

i'm thinking uninterrupted ankle-length silhouettes, billowy tops, boyish vests, and striking accessories, perfect for everything from self-administered pedicures by the pool to dinners at slightly tacky seaside restos. just a couple more essential pieces to get a hold of, fourteen more days and i'm there.

i can not wait.

p.s. any suggestions on where i can get my hands on a flattering one-piece swimsuit?

[via google, flickr, babooshka boutique, asos]

let your backbone slip, do the watusi like my little lucy

hmm.. i suppose i should have seen this coming.

i thought the shopping list i laid out was firm, but if my two latest purchases are any indication, they were more like loose guidelines all along. i fully blame sarah, who likes to refer to me as her enabler, but took me along on a tuesday afternoon shopping spree that softened my steely resolve quicker than i could say 'frugal.'

sarah was the one who picked out both a pristine leather wallet and stellar pumpkin-hued sweater from heaps of vintage merchandise, convincingly proclaiming them "just my style," but once i took the wool and kid mohair confection for a test drive, there was no turning back.

a swingy, boxy cut paired with that punchy orange makes this the perfect love child of velma dinkley and laura petrie's sweater collections. every time i pull it on, i just want to pair it with black pedal pushers, curl up on a pistachio mid-century sofa, and crack open my first edition copy of "sex and the single girl." that said, it also works just as swimmingly in the present as it does in my retro fantasies, and since that's what's at the core of my shopping allotment system anyway, i guess i'm not doing so bad this month.

on another note, i'm learning that it's nearly impossible for me to give good face on cue - that brooding, pensive stare that fashion bloggers seem to have locked down. and on top of that, my posing abilities are just as reckless, so i can only predict more silly faces and randomness like this for the future. so it goes.

bowler: shotwell; earrings: vintage; glasses: charles jourdan (vintage) sweater: glasgo ltd. (vintage); pants: forever21; belt: h&m.

out on bail fresh outta jail california dreamin'

well, i slogged through the boundless mires of literary criticism and feminist theory and broke on through to the other side, and oh, how sweet it is. this year's christmas gift exchange with the boyfriend resulted in a slick and sturdy crosley record player, and i've been holed up in my room for days, bringing it all back home and revisiting highway 61 on vinyl.

of course, i could've been home in new york by now, but i'm sticking around for a few extra days to make extra cash for the long winter break ahead, which will include a trip to los angeles and san francisco. since i've never been further west than colorado, i'm incredibly excited and somewhat overwhelmed by the possibilities. i mean, we're talkingdisneyland, venice beach, cable cars, hollywood, haight-ashbury.. disneyland?! expectations are high, to say the least, but all the travel guides in the world aren't going to give me the juicy details that you all can. if you have any la/sf recommendations for vintage shopping, restaurants, cool areas, thrifting, people watching spots, and other generally cool things that stray from the typical tourist fare, get in touch - all tips would be much appreciated!

[via basilio silva]

pretty eyed, pirate smile

my absolute favorite pair of jeans - the ones i wore every day like a uniform - recently kicked the bucket with a couple of humongous matching thigh rips, and after preserving their memory by tearing them into cutoffs, i found myself in no rush to replace them. i stumbled across these levi's while shopping with cameron, and i knew i had to have that rich cornflower hue, which screamed late sixties road trips and music festivals in the countryside. according to the tag reading 'seventies wash', i was little off, but i love them all the same.

anyway, i've been planning on posting about these jeans for awhile now, but i kept forgetting. these lovely shots were done by meg for her photography class and just happened to include them. i'm in love with the look of her photos.. miiiight have to get her do my outfit shots from now on.

[image credits: meaghan lyons]

i was a key that could use a little turning

for once in my life, i'm not going to complain about the weather. it's been unusually sunny and warm for the majority of september, so as a show of gratitude, i'm going to man up, buy some sweaters, and take the impending chill in stride. 

here's me playing around in my own little penn's corner, which just so happens to be the only spot that's not overrun with clutter and mess. i wore this on wednesday after blair warned me that i couldn't get by on a t-shirt alone anymore. i got the sweater over the weekend at monk vintage in williamsburg. it felt equal parts cosby sweater and nineties grunge - in other words, perfect. 

i was looking to put off my medieval theater reading for a bit last night, so i switched out the high tops for oxfords and headed out to a local bar. i was a tad underwhelmed by the scene, but at least i was cozy.

sweater: vintage ; t-shirt: madewell, jeans: levi's ; sneakers: fred perry ; clutch: klein tools.

laughter is calling for you down at our rendez-vous

it was just about the stroke of midnight on labor day when i swear i felt an autumn chill sweep the quad and rustle the still-green grass. it sent me scurrying immediately to my room, diving underneath blair's blanket on the couch and dreading that chill in my bones that i know i'll be feeling until probably early may. i immediately started contemplating the wardrobe that i'd hastily packed and recently drove up from new york—what i'd imagined as streamlined just two weeks ago now seemed paltry and ill-equipped for the long, cold road ahead.

boredom and a recurring shopping addiction eventually led me to gilt fuse, whose emails i'd studiously ignored all summer long due to my nonexistent salary. the 80%20 sale caught my eye, with a small but sweet collection of hidden wedge beauties, but i tried to stay focused on the task at hand, namely autumn-appropriate pieces. open-toed boots need not apply. then i saw it—the navy canvas and patent leather atop a mid-height heel, kind of like acne's atacoma wedge, only more pared down, casual, reasonably priced, and just low enough to avoid wiping out on centuries-old cambridge cobblestone. in other words, perfect for me. just waiting on that two to three week estimated shipping time.. rough.

p.s.: i was twittering a few days ago about an interview that i was keeping under wraps, but it's up now, and it's a feature on r.j. cutler.. super psyched, check it out!

[image credit: gilt fuse]

i believe in love, don't you believe in love?

i finally broke my unspoken moratorium on jewelry purchases! and it's all thanks to the help of a brooklyn-based genius named erica weiner. i've heard her name here and there in the past, but like most passing information, i filed it away in what i thought was a sealtight file of things to look further into, when in reality i simply forgot. anyway, i found her website via a link to her krakatoa necklace and my jaw dropped. for a vintage junkie like myself, the site couldn't have been more perfect-like a page ripped out of a turn of the century naturalist's journal. and then the necklace itself, so whimsical and a perfect representation of everything conveyed by the text.. i was hooked.

i immediately checked out every single piece and realized that i want just about everything, but with only a few pieces topping out at over a hundred dollars, i noted with glee that, once i resume having a salary, of course, i can actually get my hands on these divine pieces. amaaazing. and then i got so darn excited, i lost my cool and bought a set of two belt bracelets for twenty bucks. next up? the "freewheelin' necklace." i swear, my heart literally leapt when i laid eyes on that title, and the descriptive text didn't disappoint, either: "named for our favorite jew from hibbing, minnesota." i am so sold. after that, i'm thinking i'm gonna go for the porcupine quill earrings, and then those cheeky name bracelets..

friends, i believe my dry spell is over.

p.s.: this is my last jewelry-related post for a while, promise. you all have probably noticed my unfortunate habit of becoming fixated on one thing or another, and lately it's been baubles on the brain, but with my last year of college looming on the horizon, i'm definitely on the brink of moving on to bigger and better things. stay tuned.

[image credit: erica weiner]

hello, lover

the blogging gods are not my friends these days. for starters, whenever i get home from my internship, i pretty much pass out until the next morning, leaving little to no time to post.. ever. secondly, my digital camera - less than a year old, mind you - has essentially quit on me.. no more flash, and grainy, poor quality pictures even in the daytime. but at the end of the workday, i was suddenly overcome by a can-do attitude, so here i am, dashing off a mini-post before sleep overtakes me yet again.

since my camera butchered these visuals, i've included a company shot.

unlike the blogging gods, the internship gods seem to have taken a liking to me. i was stunned yesterday when my editor told me i had received a gift and handed me a white shopping bag. digging through the burgundy tissue paper, i pulled out an envelope with the sweetest message above from tamara taichman, designer of the impossibly chic tila march accessory line, whose fall '09 collection i wrote about on the pipeline a little while ago. when i wrote the article, i remember thinking, well, that it was impossibly chic.. as in impossible for me to attain. as i glanced over her words and spied a sliver of brown leather, i'm pretty sure i briefly went into shock. i continued to freak out as i pulled out an absolutely gorgeous bonnie bucket bag in moka.. i swear, i could have stared at that beautiful bag for the rest of the day. i consider myself a very lucky girl, indeed - thanks so much to tamara taichman at tila march!

full disclosure: i haven't been able to stop listening to the new broadway cast recording of hair since it came out. also, "let the sun shine in" seems like a very appropriate sentiment, considering this endless monsoon we're having in the city.

aquarius ; i'm black/ain't got no ; sheila franklin/i believe in love ; easy to be hard ; hare krishna/be-in ; where do i go? ; walking in space ; what a piece of work is man/how dare they try ; good morning starshine ; aquarius goodnights/ain't got no/yip up the sun

follow me and my new favorite bag on bloglovin'

all i can say is that my life is pretty plain

ahh, t-shirts - too easy to live with them, can't live without them. i'm constantly telling myself i'm going to put a moratorium on tees and work on building up the rest of my wardrobe, and then i find another one that fits just so or has such a great color or image that i just have to go back on my word.

this time, i'm allowed to point the finger at my dear boyfriend, who stumbled across this sweet chip & pepper university tee. i take this as a sign that he's truly starting to understand my sense of style. i never, ever wear harvard tees at school, except to bed, but this one's vintage look and feel deserves an exception. the cut is straight and resembles a men's tee, just the way i prefer it, and he even had the presence of mind to buy it in a roomy size large for that oversized fit i adore. well-played, honey.

after prancing around the house in my new unbelievably soft tee, i returned to my regularly scheduled programming, but what happened next is no one's fault but my own. within five minutes of being online, i stumbled across the danny roberts 'girls in glasses' tee, which i've seen before on several occasions, but ignored as a result of my proposed moratorium. i guess you can imagine what happened next.. incorrigible, that's me. it arrived in the mail today, which was a bit of sunshine in an otherwise gray day.

speaking of which, the weather lately has been despicable. even my playlist is spelling out a not-so-subtle to mother nature. my mood will never clear up if the weather doesn't.

forecast::jason mraz ; buckets of rain::bob dylan ; eight days a week::the beatles ; how long has this been going on?::audrey hepburn ; rainy day women #12 & 35::bob dylan ; the longest time::billy joel ; dammit::blink-182 ; the tide is high::blondie ; it's all good::bob dylan ; here comes the sun::the beatles

[image credit: danny roberts art store]

follow me and my copious amount of tees on bloglovin'

from the kentucky coal mines to the california sun

there's nothing worse than browsing a sale, either online or in-store, and realizing, "wow! they took [insert significant amount of money] off the original price!.. anddd i still can't afford it." i suppose i'm getting what i deserve for lusting after items with ridiculous price points, but still, it's nice to snag something on sale guilt-free every now and then.

last week i accompanied sara into the square to celebrate finishing her paper (even though i hadn't started mine), and she suggested stopping in to urban outfitters while we waited for adventureland to start. i told her it was a dangerous idea, as i really couldn't be spending money, and at urban i'm very likely to do just the opposite, but she couldn't be convinced.

i dove into the bargain basement, fearing too much temptation on the upper floors, and immediately spied these beauties. a rugged mix of coarse canvas and buttery leather, set atop a four inch heel - the type of thing i'd wear to road trip across the states with shredded cutoffs and a well-worn tee, but will happily repurpose to pound the concrete of the urban desert this summer. and when marked down from one hundred fifty dollars to twenty, the price is so, so right.

oh, and speaking of summer, the songs below remind me of summer, and are therefore on very heavy rotation:

your love::the outfield ; bette davis eyes::kim carnes ; you get what you give::new radicals ; alright::supergrass ; 1901::phoenix ; more than a feeling::boston ; (don't fear) the reaper::blue oyster cult ; the sunshine state wins!::jeremy elijah ; i want you::bob dylan ; try a little tenderness :: otis redding

[image credit: urbanoutfitters]

never seen so many people want to be there by your side

the weather continues to indulge me with sunshine and clear skies, even if it keeps me permanently distracted from my studies. the other day, i sat for my senior portrait, a throughly cheesy affair, complete with cap and gown, fake diplomas, awkward poses and all. having turned in the first of my final papers, i celebrated the completion of the day by stopping in to the american apparel across the street from the photo studio.

i didn't wander in completely aimlessly - after reading refinery29's swine flu post, i knew i had to get my hands on the super sheer circle scarf. i have the regular version in olive, and it's been very good to me, but i can't tell you how many times i've wished that it was made out of something a bit lighter so as to lend itself to more options. i snagged the atlantic blue and i'm already a huge fan. i also spied a pair of glasses that's the closest thing i've seen so far to the glasses in "notorious" that i was lusting after back in february. i'm still contemplating going back for them.

as i left the store, i planned to rush and catch a shuttle back to my house, but decided on a whim to stop at the theater in the square and see "valentino: the last emperor." i've been dying to see it forever, but when i hear 'limited release,' i typically assume that cambridge won't be included in that select number of theaters. still, i really dropped the ball on this one, considering the title had been displayed on the huge marquee for weeks before i noticed. the theater was practically empty, with the exception a couple of pairs of elderly women. i've only been to a movie alone once, for a press screening of "i love you, man," but i found the experience rather pleasant, so i was glad to do it again, especially for a film that most of my friends wouldn't really appreciate - i'd been asking around for a couple days and couldn't really find a willing participant.

i didn't expect to dislike it, but i was surprised by just how much of a reaction it evoked in me. it was more than a fashion geek's paradise, with glimpses of the valentino lifestyle, atelier and runway shows - i was delighted to spy the same silver mannequins and designs that blew me away in the "valentino, thèmes et variations" exhibit at the musée de la mode et du textile last summer in paris. it was also more than just an aesthetic feast for the eyes, with an endless supply of european urban landscapes and beautiful architecture. it was the strong relationships and the emotions attached to them that were the most potent aspect of the film. watching people melt into tears at the sight of a collection and valentino chum it up with karl lagerfeld were definitely some of the film's best moments for me. all in all, a lovely day - those others papers will get done eventually.

p.s.: as of last night (and a lot of hazing), i'm officially a writer for the harvard crimson!

look at me, i'm in tatters!

things i bought last night when i should have been working on papers, articles, and other important shit.

tan mickey mouse raincoat from the sixties; lime/black checkered bike shorts.

on cloud 1999

i've often been told that i have an old soul. at times, this judgment is meted out kindly, with a generous smile and approving glance. more often, it's asserted as a pithy quip, eyes twinkling with harmless mockery. even my parents chuckle at my reluctance to leave voicemail and wonder where i picked up an ardent affinity for the andrews sisters and peggy lee. i'm fully aware of the peculiarity of my situation - where does a girl born in 1988 get off thinking that it's "unnatural" to talk to machines, anyway? - but i've learned to embrace it, despite the general confusion of my peers.

i scoff at the experiences of those younger than me like a grumpy old-timer, illogically convinced that they could never compare to the years i've lived through. my only acknowledgment of an era that could possibly rival mine are the ones that came before it, probably even more idyllic in reality than my projected images of them, crystallized in my mind's eye. in true retiree form, i'm constantly marveling at just how quickly the years have gone by - for me, the y2k crisis seems like it happened just yesterday. while the eighties-inspired looks on the runway delight me, the ones remniscient of the nineties disorient me - do we really have enough temporal distance from the decade to revisit it already?

still, i figure as long as it's here, i might as well revel in it. ten years ago, i was ten, finishing out the fifth grade, and creatively stifled by a boring school uniform. naturally, this was the bane of my sartorial existence, but i reveled in the rare dress down days when we could show off our non-regulation wardrobe. i'd corner my mom and force her to pore over my top choices from the delia's catalog, nagging a commitment out of her to buy me at least two pieces. it was the best of times, and while i'd be hard pressed to recapture the fun innocence of that time, delia's has managed to remain relevant, even to my older and wiser reincarnation. yeah, i said it - delia's is still pretty cool.

i promise i'm not on one of my usual misguided nostalgia trips. before spring break, i was desperately searching for an inexpensive one-piece swimsuit and failing at it when i checked out the delia's website on a whim. not only were they stocked, the options were actually viable. i decided on a simple black strapless suit, which i plan on wearing with hot pants, wedges, and a loose frilly button down for a iris from taxi driver-type vibe when the temperatures hit swelter status in the coming months. the other options were equally enticing - i loved the rugby stripes collection, but deferred in the end because i couldn't tell if the yellow was matched with navy stripes (cool, nautical vibe) or black (trite, punky, vibe).

of course, at least part of the thrill has gone missing over the years, with plenty of pieces best left to precocious high schoolers and aspring tweens. the bulk of my grown-up wishlist is focused on their shoes, with the bass loafers poised to be one my next purchases. the multiple and constant sales, plus the twenty-five dollars towards my next purchase i received with my swimsuit also keep me coming back. call me crazy, but if we can resurrect neon bike shorts and crop tops from my childhood, then i'm reserving my right to start shopping at delia's again.

fun fact: on this day in 1999, the number one song on total request live was 'n sync's 'i drive myself crazy.'

[photo credits: plan 59, delia's, google image search]

and them young girls, they sure get weary

rain, gray skies, class, homework. repeat 'til may.

i couldn't tell you why these pictures look like they were taken with a camera phone, but i kind of like the grainy quality. at first i thought my olive circle scarf threw off my color scheme, until i realized that my glasses and new celtic cross from ireland (thanks, cam) both have the exact same shade of green. inspired, i bought a couple of grassy-hued moleskines to resume journal writing after a five-year hiatus. unfortunately, that'll have to wait until i've finished reading babbitt and read for seventeenth century travel/transformations and formulated my thesis for my final paper..

halfway home, and i tried running with the flow

stepping out of logan international yesterday evening, i was dismayed to discover my breath, all too visible in smoky puffs beneath the heavy boston fog. this morning, my dreams of kiawah were interrupted by the somber staccato rhythm of cold rain on my skylight. tomorrow, this sad transition back to the daily grind will be complete, but it comforts me to gaze at these trinkets acquired over the past week, each piece permanently infused with the joy of sunshine, travel, and the open road.

roz, josh's mother, was gracious enough to bestow some of her sartorial history upon me, since she was in the process of giving things away and preferred to see them go to someone she knew. the trove consisted of a cashmere cardigan in tiffany's blue, three beaded necklaces - one slightly nautical, another perfectly feminine with a floral pendant, and the last begging to be layered with lots of thin gold chains, and a crocodile pin with a maniacal grin - "i used to think it was kind of cute to wear it on sweaters, like a lacoste sort of thing," she said. the gold chain bracelet is an estate piece found at green tomatoes, a south carolina antique shop, replete with dior lingerie and advertisements for the titanic.

though these pieces all stray a bit from my usual aesthetic, they may be just what i need to wait out the early spring doldrums.

time sensitive material*

picture it: a quiet saturday evening in the room. i'm poking around the online ceremony online store, and experiencing thrills and excitement at every click. to be honest, i've already browsed the site several times, but i keep coming back to gaze at this pendleton backpack. i depend on my trusty, understated jansport whenever i can't stuff my things into a nicer tote, but this could redefine the very foundations on which i judge backpacks. the print is so bold, and the pattern embodies my spring fashion agenda to a tee. i picture myself overstuffing it with my mac, literary anthologies and such, and proudly hauling it across campus, bulky and beautiful.

and the next thing you know, i've bought it. i tell myself that this shopping vice of mine needs to be reined in, but look forward to its arrival nonetheless. except that when it arrives, it's not at all what i expected - at less than half the size i imagined, i can barely fit a notebook in there, let alone my macbook, which brings me to my current dilemma. i've got about fourteen days to return it, but what do you guys think? could i possibly make this miniature bag work to my advantage, maybe like a nineties-esque alternative to a purse, to be paired with rompers, gold-rimmed sunnies, and other similarly bold pieces? all opinions appreciated.

*now that i think about it, this post's title is kind of twofold, no? as in, i have only two weeks to decide if i want this bag or not, but also time sensitive in that this material good might only have been a viable and stylish option before the year 1997..