A Few of My Favorite Things

 (blouse: thrifted from my mother's closet/ jeans: Forever 21/ coat: vintage from Miami Twice/ headscarf: vintage from Ebay/ necklace and earrings: Lulu's/ boots: Target/ glasses: Sophia Loren Collection)

I had been looking for a tapestry coat for so long before I finally found this coat last year, but because I found it over spring break, when the weather was already warm, it hasn't gotten much use since. Last Friday I decided that it was time to wear it before the weather really warms up again. I paired it with one of my most beloved blouses, my current favorite pair of boots, chunky jewelry, and my go-to vintage headscarf. It was a lot of patterns, but I loved how they all worked together. The whole outfit was a beautiful mix of  pieces inspired by or from the 60s, 70s, and 80s into a unique concoction with lots of colors, patterns, and textures that made me happy and, just as importantly, kept me warm.

On a different subject: I am getting into the habit of wearing my glasses much more. I really only need them for reading lecture slides in class is slowly worsening. Although my eyesight is really not that bad, I am now unable to see as many beautiful details of the world (or of familiar faces) without my glasses. This reality is starting to help me overcome my aversion to wearing them in public, as is my continued conscious effort to care less about the way others may perceive me and be truer to myself. Rather than seeing my glasses as something that conflicts with my style and image, I am seeing them more as an extension of who I am and sometimes even truly enjoy how they look on with some outfits, including this one. I might not ever feel cool wearing glasses, but I am starting to feel more like me in glasses, and that's even better.

Spotty Coordination

(Dress and stockings: Forever 21/ coat and shoes: Modcloth)

You may have noticed that I really love color, and that many of my outfits incorporate at least one bright color. I tend to avoid black for a couple reasons: I tend to feel like I'm going to a funeral or a business meeting, neither of which I find enjoyable, and it isn't a color that makes me happy to look at. Black clothing also feels too much like a uniform to me, since it actually was my uniform when I worked retail, and that makes me feel constrained and limited.

Black and white together, however, is a color combination I love to wear. I love the extreme contrast between the two, and how classic and elegant the combination feels, like this outfit that I wore Wednesday. I love the fact that almost all of the elements of the outfit also have polka dots, from the dress to the stockings, and even the lining of my coat. It all felt so put together and consistent. I even had matching white sunglasses with black polka dots, although they admittedly stayed in my backpack for most of the day.

Sadly this will probably be the last time I wear this exact outfit, due to runs that have been forming in the stocking. It was a beautiful combination while it lasted though!

Darker Shades of Jewel

 

 

 (Blazer: Target/ top: Ross/ skirt: Forever 21/ necklace and earrings: Lulu's/ shoes: Modcloth)

I meant to post this last week, but life has been super hectic. This was my favorite school outfit from last week, worn on Tuesday, with beautiful dark jewel tones. This is the first time I've been able to wear this boyfriend blazer since early spring, which I'm pretty happy about. The colors are this outfit are very fall, even though I usually don't dress for the season since I live in Florida anyways and there are no seasons. Also even though I love theming, I refuse to let the month of the year dictate what colors I can and cannot wear.

My apologies for not posting in over a week, but that being said, I have a lot of exciting things coming up here so keep a lookout!

Love,
Michelle

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.