Back to School: A Week in Outfits

What a first week to the semester! Not that it was super exciting for me or that I did anything super cool but just that I really like my classes and teachers (at least for now).  I love being an Art History student because of how interesting my classes are, and this semester promises to be especially so as I start on my Museum Studies minor and also taking my last studio art class. I don't like to brag or anything but while other people worry about Chemistry and Business classes, I am going to be building a boat out of recycled materials and put together an exhibit about combat photos in World War II!

Anyways, I just figured I'd share all the outfits I wore this week to school. Dressing up for school can be a bit of a challenge for me in the beginning of the semester, since my instinct usually is to dress up super fancy, which I feel sort of weird doing at a university where almost everyone wears t-shirts and shorts.  Usually in the beginning of the semester I tend to try to dress more "normal" but later on I just stop caring what people think (like I should've been doing all along) and dress in whatever I feel like, weather permitting.

Here is me trying to not stick out too much on the first week of school:

Monday:
Bumbling About and Figuring Things Out

Usually I have an outfit planned out in my head a bit before the first day of school, but this year I didn't. Instead in the morning I just threw on a dress I haven't worn in a while and then accessorized it in a way that coincidentally matched my notebook. I guess not so coincidental though given the thirty percent chance I'll be wearing red on any given day.
(Dress and head wire: Forever 21/ cardigan: Wet Seal/ bag: Target/ necklace: Epcot)

Tuesday:
Disney Drop/ Add Aspirations

I really like the classes I'm taking this semester but I also really wanted to try to get into the Disney Art History class that was full. My favorite (and I think currently my only) vintage Disney t-shirt of Flower, after whom I will one day name my pet skunk.  No luck getting into the class, but at least I still looked cute.
(T-shirt: vintage from Etsy/ skirt and purse: Target/ jacket: from a tourist shop in Bermuda/ head wire: Forever 21)

Wednesday:
Getting into the Spin of Things

Probably my favorite outfit this week with all the jewel tones and the beautiful necklace. The chance to paint on some matching purple and turquoise cat eye eyeliner was also wonderful. Wednesday was nice because it was the first real day of class, I had finalized my class schedule, and I invented hot chocolate ice cream floats.

(Dress: Forever 21/ open cardigan: Target/ earrings: Sale Rack in Miami/ necklace: Lulu's)

 I had a lot of fun taking pictures of this outfit (obviously) and am actually beginning to learn how to photograph myself in my new apartment with the self timer mode on my Canon.

Thursday:
Basically Friday (Hurrah!!)

I don't wear this beautiful dress often enough. I love how all the dots get closer together at the bottom and the band of flowers. Another thing I love is that I only have classes Monday through Thursday, so Thursday was a very easy day to get through.
(Dress: thrifted from Goodwill/ earrings: Claire's/ shoes: GoJane)

I have no outfit pictures from Friday, which I spent cutting and painting paper flowers for my wall in my Minnie Mouse PJ's literally all day. It was glorious honestly.

Some Summer Ensembles

This summer has come to an end and as I prepare for classes to start tomorrow, I figured I'd share a few of my favorite summer outfits from this year. My summer consisted of a lot of working (just the broke college student life) and trying to enjoy beautiful Miami whenever I was off, as well as a trip to North Carolina. Because of work I was in uniform much more often than not, so any time I was off I made sure to dress up in some really pretty outfits. These were some of my favorite ensembles:

White and Black and Red All Over:

Whenever I wear a piece of clothing for the first time, I like to really take it somewhere special and hopefully have it "match" whatever I'm doing. I've had this Modcloth dress in my closet for over a year and hadn't had the proper occasion arise for me to do it justice. I finally took it out on a special day with two of my best friends to HistoryMiami and the Perez Art Museum. I'm proud to say that the dress matched the pirate accessories I put on at HistoryMiami after making pirate flags on their Family Fun Day.
(Dress: Modcloth/ belt: Ross)

Rainbow Kid:

Casually posing with a wolf that proceeded to casually nibble and lick my face in a colorful outfit that makes me feel kind of like a little girl from the 70's. This picture was taken at Safari Edventure, a place I seriously recommend to anyone in Miami. I think I've gone four times in the last year, and my favorite part is always meeting the wolves. Dakota, their gray wolf, is my favorite.

(Shirt: vintage from Etsy/ shorts: Modcloth/ purse: Target)

Queen of Hearts:

Can you tell that I really love the color red? I love to walk around Wynwood and just take in all the art and the beautiful and usually colorful walls, and every time I go I try to dress as vibrantly as the walls. This is one of my favorite walls by Maya Hayuk.

(Shirt and hat: Modcloth/ sunglasses: Target/ necklace: vintage from Etsy)

Sunflowers & Sunshine: 

My favorite flowers are roses and sunflowers, so when I found out there was sunflower fields in Miami I just had to find one! Of course I had to wear a vintage flowing dress from L.A. Boudoir in Miami that is the shade of my other favorite flower.

(Dress: vintage from L.A. Boudoir in Miami/ headpiece: handmade)

"Where's the Cheesecake at?"

I am an absolute glutton and for the past two years have used the excuse of National Cheesecake Day to eat all my meals on that day at the Cheesecake Factory, which is basically my favorite restaurant ever. Of course I had to dress up for the occasion, and these two outfits were the result. Please note the very loose form of my dinner outfit to stealthy disguise the day's food baby.

(On the left: shirt: thrifted from Goodwill/ skirt and belt: Forever 21/ hat: vintage from L.A. Boudoir in Miami/ necklace: Claire's/ purse: Modcloth.

On the right: dress: Forever 21/ headband: Claire's/ earrings: Sale Rack in Miami)

Pastels are the Bubbles:

This Hell Bunny bathing suit is just gorgeous, and I had so much shelling in Naples while wearing it.  The fun seahorse, shell, and bubble print had me singing "Under the Sea" in my head the whole time.
(Bathing suit: Hell Bunny/ shorts: Forever 21)


Mountain Maiden:

My family was fortunate enough to get to vacation for free in our accountant's cabin in Glade Valley, North Carolina. The area around the cabin was so beautiful and full of wildflowers and pine trees,  and I loved going on two hours walks in the morning. On those walks, these were the two outfits I would wear on repeat. Both were so comfy and prevented my legs from getting soaked in the morning dew. Those morning walks were so beautiful and so worth waking up at six in the morning.

(On the left, shirt: Forever 21/ skirt: vintage found on Etsy/ flower crown: handmade.
On the right: sweater: Love Culture/ shirt: Forever21/ skirt and backpack: Target/ hat: Urban Outfitters/ shoes: T.J. Maxx)

Bohemian Blue:

Worn to the ever beautiful Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami. I'm really getting into floppy straw hats lately and all the drama they can add to an outfit. Also sometimes I really like to go all out in the jewelry department (sorry not sorry).

(Dress, hat, and necklace: Forever 21/ rings: Claire's and Forever 21)

Even though it was a bit of a stressful summer because of work (adult life sucks), it was still a lot of fun as well, thanks to friends, family, and of course my two dogs. That being said, I think I'm very much ready to embrace the start of the new semester back in Tallahassee!

Welcome!

Hello, internet-goers and blog-readers! My name is Michelle Ibarra and I'm a Miami girl studying Art History at Florida State University. I've been thinking about starting a blog about my style and adventures for a while now, and decided to just go ahead and give it a shot. However, when it comes to technology and the internet, I never know what I'm doing so this is how I currently feel:

My closet consists of all the things I love most: vintage, Disney, dresses, flowers, strawberries, and color, not necessarily in that order. Feel free to follow along as I live my life playing dress-up!

Love,

Michelle