The Effort for the Effortlessness

Today I offer up my apologizes for the millionth time in conjunction to the fact that I suck at blogging on a regular basis.  Today I blame it on having had strep last week, which is one of my better excuses, if I do say so.

In my battles of the all that ill, I still tried to look half-way decent--as I had a few friends visiting from far off states for only the weekend...I could not lie in bed ALL day.  I tried for the "effortless" look with a long skirt...and lots of blush and a hefty dose of mascara on my face to aid in looking more human.

Great for me, I was only going to family (other families...not my own, mind you) barbecues and other more casual things.  I wanted to look put together as not to embarass my friends, but you never wanna stick out like a sore thumb in such situations either!

Effortlessness can most easily be defined by a piece of clothing by the "maxi skirt".  She's a thing of beauty and a thing of real terror.  Generally I feel like a taller lump of a few limbs than I already am in a maxi...so I haven't worn one in years.  This maxi skirt i recently picked up, however, has a undeniable movement to the bottom of the skirt that bandaged all my fears and made me a believer again.  I felt alive (but it was probably all of these prescriptions for my infection).

So if you wanna be comfortable and look put together, I suggest a somewhat fitted and flared maxi for such occasions as the family meet-and-greet.

Give it a twirl.

Give it a whirl.

Be Back Soon <3<3

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS:

There are some things that just never sound appetizing.  For me that is oatmeal.  Is it the bothersome consistency, the blandness of taste and color?  I'm not sure.  But damn if I don't eat oatmeal every morning...because it is good for you and cheap cheap and can be dressed up so it doesn't even taste like itself anymore.

Today's post is mostly about that bland bland color....

but you know i love neutrals, so this is a happy post!

Taupe shorts with sequins?  It's kinda like when you put equal parts brown sugar in your oatmeal...it's real real good like

I'm so happy to have snagged these tap shorts at Zara's sale going on while i was in NYC.  I shouldn't have gotten them..but then again I shouldn't get a lot of things I get..

I decided that a simple black # on top would be fitting.  I am also really into pairing browns and blacks lately to stick it to the man and whatever

These shorts are fun! They twirl a lot like a skirt but hallelujah they r not a skirt!

I also considered what my face should be like.  This is obviously a more dressed up, going out look. But with velvet and sequins already working wonders for you...keeping your face calm and collected is probably the best look.  Clean eyeliner, brown shadow, and some color with red lips and you're outta the house on time!

It's important too to consider how to wear these kinds of "dressy" pieces in a more casual look.  Lately I've been wandering around the apartment in nothing but this oatmeal colored sweater I stole from an older brother while back home.  It's nice a slumpy and balances the tailored shorts well!

Catch me in sequins next time at the supermarket >.<

<3

THE TRAVELER & HER BAG OF TRIX

WHEEERE HAVE I BEEN?

ASK ME!

?

mhmm....I've been on a lil vacation in...

NEW YORK CITYYY

So today's post is about traveling.  In this case, about me traveling and how I pack for a weeks' worth of adventure time!  Hopefully it can help you next time you realize you haven't packed and your flight leaves at 7am and it's already midnight the night before. *good luck*~~~

Packing is a nightmare. Over and under-- we always mess up one way or the other!  For me it's the dreaded "sans-toothbrush" or "alex forgot a jacket again"  but hey, live a little! and embrace your failures...(and if you forget a jacket it just means you *have* to buy a new one!)

I'm a basic ass girl (not to be confused with a basic bitch).  I like to dress in simple things, in simple colors so my bad side can shine through.  This works well for the traveler.  Tops in simple cuts and styles in blacks and greys can mix and match until you've worn them each 10 times and you realize you smell more than a bit funky as you board your plane home.

Not only are basic tops ideal...basic bottoms will make your life one of ease!  Opt for two shades of denim.  I always pack a pair of cotton/spandex/comfy shorts to sleep in...and I also wear them under dresses because I am a 10 year old.

You must remember, you are on vacation.  And you are away to have fun!  So pack a couple of fun and loud pieces.  I like to pack a floral day dress.  Fun leggings are great to pair with simple tops too, and won't take up much extra space in your bag

If you are going to attend brunch or a museum or idk, you wanna feel a little fancy try packing a skirt.  Maxis work well and look dressier.  I packed my skirt that I blogged about a while back and it worked great worn with a black spaghetti strap tank

The thing is...wherever you are traveling...you're going to want pizza.  You're always going to want pizza even if you aren't traveling tbh. A nice T-shirt that shows you are "hip" and aware of pop culture is great for a pizza outing.

One of the most important things to remember is what you'll be lugging around all day as you pretend to not be a tourist even though you are obviously a tourist.  Pack a monster purse so you can use it as your personal item on the plane.  Pack your little purse (to take out to dinners/thaaa club) inside your big purse while traveling!

Don't fuck this step up.  Your footwear game is very important.  To be honest,  New York ate my feet alive...but it wouldn't have mattered the shoe. If it's hot, if you're walking around lost forever...you're going to get a blister or more like 10.  I hate "tourist shoes" though so please suffer with me a little and leave your hiking sandals with your friends' new puppy that's in its chewing stage >.<

Accessories are things you mustn't forget either.  Cameras are good, and mini 110 film cameras are better.  A book for plane and train rides is ideal when your phone has died 30 minutes in to the trip.  And sunnies...never forget the sunnies!

And finally, a confession:

I packed five shades of lipstick

XOXO

MIX & MATCH : STRIPES

You know the name of the game-- mix & match.

but my favorite take?  the same matching pattern with some mixing....

To me, a striped shirt can go nautical very quickly (not that that's a

 bad thing sometimes!)  but when you want to feel a little less in the 

safe, mixing up the scale of a stripe can do wonders

* you'll want to make sure there's quite a bit of difference is size of

the stripes if you are only doing two pieces of clothing...you'll just 

look messy, if so >.<

xo

Alex

SUMMER ESSENTIALS: SWIMSUIT EDITION

AHHH...THE FIRST DAYS OF SUMMER...

it means every girl can buy a new swimsuit and not feel bad about it...right?

I feel like it's just a thing....like...you get a new suit ever year (even if you only went to the pool like twice the previous summer and didn't even get wet) you NEED A NEW ONE. Lucky for me I found my Malibu Barbie dream recently (and it doesn't hurt that it makes my chest look like it actually exists in a 3-dimensional realm, hah!)  I don't think I'll want a new one next year...but don't you dare quote me on that...

Sooo this weeks' post is about summer essentials!  Obviously #1--A SPANKIN' NEW SUIT!  It's funny how trendy swimsuits can even get-- you will see a lot of crazy straps (that must take 30 minutes to put on..if you can even figure them out).  High waisted things are probably still making an appearance but like jeans...it's going back to a more basic, if not, low-rise.  Plain and simple, find one that works best for your body type...I look like a twig in nearly anything, so I was surprised when I put this on! yay!

 

Staple #2:  Sandals (weapon of choice? metallic birks ) ^^^ 

#3 & #4?

A wide brim (with a little flop to it) hat

& 

a basic pair of jean shorts-- I like the idea of ones with an actual hem because they look a bit more put together than cut-offs

To be honest, you really don't need anything else except lots AND lots of spf 100 for your very pale midsection...don't forget to get your ears, too!

Alex luvs u <3

find my hat here ----> Yellow108

A MIX: GREY SKIES & SUNNY DAYS

Ahhh...summers in Kansas (technically i'm kcmo now, but forever indebted to the sunflower state...in the very literal sense of my student loans, of course)  

U_N_P_R_E_D_I_C_T_A_B_L_E_?  

ALWAYS.

And, as a typical human being (I think)  I am never completely in tune with the current weather forecast.  If you are reading and not a Kansan or even a Midwesterner, you may not have a good picture of what this unpredictability in the weather entails.  Let's just say I wore a sweater yesterday and it's been raining for 3 days straight and the high has been somewhere in the 60s.  All being said... it was nearing mid-90s here last week *___* u feel me?

So, of course, I can't dress myself.  Thank God I can use the weather as my excuse.

Thankfully, I've created my "early-june-2014 suit"

It is all grey because...you know, I'M THE ONE THAT'S PREDICTABLE

As temps fluctuate, oh, 30 degrees or so my go-to outfit has worked well 

tank top + ankle-length pants

the perfect solution to cover up your legs you haven't shaved yet for the summer, while allowing you to sweat it all out when the sun decides to make it's undoubted appearance.

Statement things like...oh, silver birks are my cup of tea and we are still sticking to a beautiful color palette, you see? 

Intricate details are fun in a monochromatic look, like the zips on my pants 

and the weaving around the arms of this tank

Man, I need to wash these pieces...but what settings do I use for grey, Mom?

<3

Alex

MAY FLOWERS

As the month of May nears it's end, let me brighten your lives up a little with some May flowers!  Florals always seem relevant in the transition between spring and summer...floral to tropical.  This is my favorite time of year.

I have always loved bold prints and I feel like I can pull them off.  I know there's that huge stigma with prints...little ladies looking swallowed up by a print.  And although, this can happen, it's as rare as  getting swallowed up by the whale itself.  I think wearing print is all about owning it...as with anything you wear!

A few years ago I came across a small shift dress at a thrift store with an "on the verge of ugly" print.  I LOVED IT.  & THIS BITCH DIDN'T EVEN TRY IT ON.

It's still my favorite dress ever.  

So what did I do when I found a pair of leggings in a similar pattern?

SPENT WAY TOO MUCH $$ AT AMERICAN APPAREL ON THEM, THAT'S WHAT--

They are a thicker nylon fabric so I don't feel naked...a lot of the printed leggings at places like Forever21 might have decent prints but are as thin as that damn tp paper in public restrooms.

(lol...just trying to justify my purchase rn)

A simple black top and shoe pairing make these pants seem effortless.  This is probably the most practical way of wearing them

but what's the fun in 

p   r  a   c  t   i    c    a   l  ?

Wanna go on a picnic.. looking like a picnic?

This is that look.

Wanna stunt on your haters?

This is probably it.

Wanna run around in a field of...oh...idk....flowers?

THIS IS IT.

Wanna cover your entire body in everything you own that's a floral print?

THIS IS IT.

AND I AM VERY OKAY WITH ALL THESE THINGS<3

THE PERSONALITY OF AN OUTFIT (IN TIME & SPACE)

~*~*~*~**~**!*!!~~*~*~*!*~~

~*~*~*~~~*~!!~**~~**~*~*~~

Greetings! Today's post, (like many others) serves no rhyme or reason, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.  I was recently at a senior show for the KU graphic design kids (that is their official title).  Those dudes and dudettes blow my mind...and I know how fast they can crank out stuff...I can do a mediocre job on designing stuff but it takes me centuries compared to their mere minutes behind a computer.  Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a few familiar faces..ones I hadn't seen in much too long!  I stopped and chatted with a boy I'd had a technical drawing class with (he, M U C H better than I).  We flipped through his portfolio, something I didn't get to do with any of the other designers but by this point it was nearing the end of the night.  He showed me a project he did featuring objects of peoples rooms and then the rooms themselves.  It's always an interesting subject, and one that is often visited.  I liked his approach though, and he had told me he'd recently taken a pyschology course focusing on the study of personalities (a course I took my first year in school!).   It was nice that he also didn't include the people themselves in the images or design...but you know I can't resist including my stupid face on here :P

So, all this thinking (you know...~*being artsy*~) and then a few days pasted and I forgot.  And then I was like "Alex, you need to blog today" and in reply I told myself "Yeah maybe that skirt you've NEVER worn"

So in my own battle of multiple personalities, I bring you this outfit.  I didn't know what I was going to write to you about it, but upon seeing the images, I knew I must come back to this idea of the items we have and the spaces we occupy and how they more often than not reflect one another.  I think it goes without explaining...all black...all white...every...thing makes me happy

And hey, a note to myself...you should probably wear this skirt more often u dummy :)

One last thing!

If you didn't catch my last post on Sunday...I am doing a giveaway!!!!!  Click through the image below or here to get entered (it's very easy, I promise, and you might get a free t-shirt & we can be twins)

<3