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

WHITE WALLS ( and a little black )

As blank as I love keeping my walls to use for plain backdrops in photos...I had to jazz mine up a little because it looked like no one actually lived in the apartment.

The jazz cost about $2.  Making it even more jazzy.

 Taking washi tape (a tape very similar to masking tape, but with less sticky residue and a more paper-like feel)  I created a faux headboard with three quick strips!  I measured up with a tape measure from each side of the bed and marked a few spots in the middle, kept the tape taught when applying, and magically got a much more straight line that I could have ever imagined.

I've had multiple people over, and all be very surprised to find out it wasn't a headboard...it has a very deceiving 3D effect apparently!

And the only other thing on my walls, you ask? 

                           

Clear clipboards used sort of like you would a picture frame.  The "art"?  Cut out pieces from paper sacks I used as a drop cloth when painting my trunk.  I'm such a punk.

Welcome to my home! I hope you like it!

<3

Alex

p.s.-- I'm not sure why blogspot demands to make my photos look like a lumpy pile of grossness...they are originally much more crisp and white </3  if you are blogspotter and have any tips on exporting files or on the upload to blogspot, I'd much appreciate the aid

P-I-Z-Z-A P-A-R-T-Y

Today's post is to show you

"something cool"

As we've discussed previously, I enjoy raiding my parents' humble abode for odds and ends they are "not really using" to furnish my apartment.  Upon my last trip back (to pet dogs and enjoy a fully-stocked fridge)  I began rummaging....

AND LOOK WHAT THE FATES BROUGHT TO ME

P i Z z A      p L a T e S

4

P i Z z A      p A r T y i N g

Having not seen these for years AND YEARS, my face had to have been glowing when I pulled these out of a cabinet in the kitchen that houses the essential items that never get used (i.e. a shaved ice machine, some weird pineapple vodka...you know).

& my favorite thing about them?

the set of six slices makes for one whole pizza pie!

（　´∀｀）☆

I've no idea the origin of these plates, but I know they were a gift from a family friend...a whole set with a matching parmesan cheese shaker and pizza stone. (of course, my mom only ever used the pizza stone...SUCH BLASPHEMY!)

Needless to say, these are going to get a little more use out of them here in my apartment.  I can say in utmost confidence...I eat a liiittle more pizza than my parents.  I actually like to make pizza from scratch too so all the better to have pizza plates for!  To be honest,  I'm pretty sure I'm not going to just use them for pizza...even if it seems sinful.

come over soon.

we'll have a pizza party.

<3

Alex

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

BEDSIDE: THE EASIEST DIY NIGHTSTAND

As I've posted a bit about it before,  I've recently moved into my own studio apartment.  It's my first time living alone...(with my pet rat, of course) and it's been really lovely!  It's amazing what a mess I can create within minutes of sifting through my closet!  And the kitchen?!  I'm incredible at dirtying ALL of my dishes in one quick session.  But knowing you're the sole creator of the mess....makes you a bit of a clean freak, so thankfully if you come on a good day, it's pretty tidy.

Since this is my first time living sans-roommates, I had a weird amalgamation of items in my possession...and did not have a single pot or pan...man, was I a shitty roommate?  Nonetheless, I've been trying to slowwwlyy add to my collection of crap, in a thoughtful and more minimal manner this time around.

So when I realized I had no furniture and that I was going to still be picky about it...I lived in a very empty apartment for the first month.  Only now is it looking a bit more liveable.  My newest acquisition(s) are what I'm going to show you today!

One thing that is nice to have are side tables.  One thing that is expensive when you go looking for them is...side tables.  I'm not loaded here, and hey, I already had to splurge on some pots and pans recently!

THE SOLUTION:

A T.V. TRAY + A TRAY

FOR WHAT? $8-10 for a tv tray? SOLD

IT WAS SO EASY. I don't even need to explain.

The tray is nice to add because all your little odds and ends (DEAR LAWD the amount of bobby pins lurking in my apartment) are contained.  I was so lucky to stumble upon this tray too...it's heavy and ceramic and was on sale <3___<3

The maybe even greater thing about doing this is that you can use the tray for BREAKFAST IN BED

And you can not feel like a piece of scum for eating in bed, but instead, feel really cool...cuz yr cool

So...with that...who wants to come make me breakfast?  I'll be in bed.

<3

Alex