as the winter turned the meadow brown

lie down with me, my dear

i speak because i can

My blog has undergone some big changes in the past few days; all outfit pictures are gone. I'm not really sure what I'm doing with my blog and if I even want to keep it anyway because for myself at least, all it does is feed my desire for new things and I'm honestly too shy to take pictures outside or anything, so I'm pretty limited in my creative direction, which is frustrating. I theoretically enjoy an outlet for my thought process, but what's been posted on here is just feeding my materialism so I'm taking a step back. (Well, that coupled with the fact that I have no idea how to dress when it's 85 during the day and 60 at night.) But while I decide what I'm doing with good ol' Color Shows, I thought I might share this delicious recipe.

So, two things that are not my forte: icing cupcakes and taking pictures of cupcakes. I had some time before I left for school and decided to spend it watching Switched at Birth (oh ABC Family, you know my guilty pleasures so well) and making snickerdoodle cupcakes. I've made this recipe before and though I was initially scared by the thick batter, it's one of my favorites. These cupcakes are so soft and delicious!

Find the recipe here: A Farmgirl's Drabbles - snickerdoodle cupcakes and cream cheese frosting.

colored jeans

One trend that I'm really excited to see come back is colored pants. I remember in my freshman and sophomore year I had the most beautiful cobalt blue jeans that I wore with everything, but I finally had to pass them along to a friend (a younger male friend who is now a full foot taller than me, in fact) because they got too small. I have yet to do any serious back-to-school shopping (unless the planner, lipstick, and third book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series that I bought over tax free weekend count) but I'm heading up to Raleigh on Tuesday to see my sister and I plan on going crazy at the H&M.

As far as my life goes, I just have to say that I'm itching to go back to school. I need that mountain air in my lungs! Being home this summer has been nice, but weird, because it no longer feels like my home. More like a waiting period. And I'm done waiting.

(Credit for the images: Flashes of Style here, knight cat here, Life of Boheme here, and Clothed Much here. Follow me on Pinterest if you want to see more of what I'm into!)

hearts

My family celebrated Father's Day yesterday because it was my dad's birthday, so what I'm celebrating today is my boyfriend's birthday.

You will probably never read this, but I love you and you are the best. Happy birthday, you and your stupid face.

weekly favorites

Apparently, I'm not so much into color lately. But can you blame me when these adorable, neutral outfits are popping up?

1. Transient Withdrawal - I love the simplicity of this outfit and the lovely accessories. Jasmine's sandals are so cute!

2. HollyDolly - What a great pair of shorts! I love the color combination of this outfit, as well as the great hat.

3. Girl and Closet - The pop of color of Veronika's shoes against the neutral floral dress is wonderful. Another great hat, too!

4. The Clothes Horse - A great dress and a denim jacket is a tried and true pairing that I've been itching to try out myself. I'm all about summery outfits that don't look like you're about to head out on the beach.

Check back for an outfit post tomorrow and some pictures of Niagara Falls!

pictures from last week

Psst, check back for an outfit post tomorrow as I go trek through Gettysburg.

today's the day!

The big day is here! Can you tell where I'm headed? I'm going to Niagara Falls! I'm so excited! But first, I get to accompany my boyfriend's family to Bald Head Island for a week. This means that I'll be gone for a little over two weeks! It's been a busy week so I haven't really had time to create any posts, but I'm sure you'll forgive me for my absence. See you in June!

(And in case you were wondering, I'm not doing guest bloggers just because I initially thought that the Niagara Falls trip would be later in June and that I'd just schedule some posts for the Bald Head Island trip and worry about guest bloggers for my next two trips. By the time I found out that we'd be leaving for Niagara Falls on the fifth, I didn't feel it was right for me to ask people to step in for me with only a week's notice. 

Next vacation, you'll get to see some faces besides mine on this blog, hopefully!

Also, so many exclamation points! Can you tell I'm both excited and extremely nervous?)

weekly favorites

Back to normal on the "weekly favorites" front, but I feel like I should apolgoize for the lack of outfit posts lately. I've had some trouble sleeping which in turn makes me feel like crap and makes me even more prone to anxiety and this week has just felt like a whole mess. Tomorrow, I should have an outfit post (or two!) for you because my older sister is graduating! I still have no idea what I'm wearing, though. D:

Onto the outfits! This week's theme is essentially Women Who Are Infinitely More Fierce Than Me.

1. eat.sleep.wear. - The shorts, the elbow patches on the striped sweater- this outfit was pulled out of my dreams.

2. Kendi Everyday - Are you guys tired of seeing bright pants in my posts? Too bad, because if Kendi will keep wearing them, I will keep drooling and cursing my adolescent body for not fitting into Gap clothes.

3. Selective Potential - Tieka's outfit was not only cute, but featured a killer backdrop. And I have to say, I do like a good themed post.

4. The Daybook - I love this entire outfit so much that I want to frame it and put it on my wall. Is that creepy?

pinned

In lieu of a weekly favorites post (because I've alternated between being swamped and having no energy all week which doesn't make for the best blogging experience), I thought I would show off some things that I've pinned on Pinterest.

(1, 2, 3, and 4)

I'll let you guess what item I just bought based on what these pictures have in common. I hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll be back to the normal weekly favorites next week!

weekly favorites

Hi everyone! I probably won't be able to take any outfit pictures or anything until at least Tuesday, but most likely Wednesday after I've moved back to Winston-Salem. I'm in full exam mode, so I doubt anyone would want to see my outfits anyway!

1. Postcards From - I love Kate's daring pink pants. As I mentioned last week, I really want a pair of bright pants myself, but I'm definitely not going to look as good as Kate does here.

2. Raspberry and Red - Weronika's drapey outfit looks so comfy. She's a repeat from last week where I loved her use of yellow and black and here I am fawning over it again.

3. Po mojej stronie lustra -  I found this girl through Teen Vogue's Fashion Click and I wanted to pin her entire blog to my Pinterest. I love Maddy's polka dots in this Easter outfit.

4. Orchid Grey - Julie is a pro at thrifting and this outfit shows. I love the professional vibe of a blazer paired with relaxed jean shorts.

Also, I have a formspring! Hit me up if you have any questions. I'm off to go see Fast Five. My  boyfriend had to bribe me with "one gay musical and one episode of Doctor Who." Tomorrow he's in for a treat with Were the World Mine (the gay musical he was referring to because I've been trying to get him to watch it with me for the longest time) and the first Doctor Who two parter of this season. I can't wait!

weekly favorites

Guess where I'm posting from? Winston-Salem! Yep, I'm home again for Easter and it feels good.

1. Kendi Everyday - A few years ago, I had a pair of bright blue skinny jeans that I adored, but eventually had to trade with a skinnier, less hip-y male friend. The colored pant trend seemed to die down in the years following but all of a sudden recently, I found myself wanting that pair back. I love Kendi's colored pants and the checkered shirt paired with them. Gorgeous!

2. Raspberry and Red - I love the combination of black-and-white stripes and mustard. When I get my late birthday present of a mustard skirt from my sister this weekend, this is a pairing I'm going to try.

3. Orchid Grey - I love Julie's rainy day gear. The striped dress with the bow belt, the sandals, the adorable umbrella- it all makes me want to idk, spin around in the rain or something!
 

4. Transient Withdrawal - Jasmine's shorts are basically perfect, as are her sandals and the adorable bow tie.

les amours imaginaires

bratty b

I'm having major closet cognitive dissonance. What I imagine is a closet full of pastels, lace, and chambray but all that exists in my closet are dark, wintery clothes. I just feel lost when I get dressed in the morning, which means I probably won't be taking any outfit pictures until this weekend when I get home. My fingers are itching to go on an online shopping spree but since I just ordered a pair of shoes impulsively the other day, I know I should limit myself. So instead of window shopping or anything like that, you'll be getting a lot of inspirational posts this week. I'm sorry in advance.

I did one of these music posts before when I saw Grace Potter, but I felt the urge to do one again for Best Coast on my third replay of "Crazy For You" today. 

Best Coast is a band fronted by Bethany Cosentino, who writes all of the band's songs. While none of the songs really contain an abundance of depth (all of the songs are about Bethany's cat, her boyfriend, or weed.) I saw someone once compare her to Taylor Swift in that if T. Swizzle represents adolescence, Best Coast represents the stage after that, where you just want to be lazy and hang out. It's perfect spring/summer pop music.

weekly favorites

I meant to have this up earlier, but then I took a four hour nap and it was wonderful and here I am posting this with only a half hour more of Friday still here.

1. A Thought is the Blossom - I've really been feeling red stripes lately, as well as two-tone oxfords. Starr's pictures are absolutely gorgeous in this post.  

2. Liebemarlene Vintage - Rhiannon's park going outfit is simple, but cute and light. It makes me want to go read in the park!

3. Ruby Slipper Journeys -  Emily's outfit is a bit similar to Rhiannon's but I love the cropped top and floral combination in any form, especially paired with oxfords.

4. jennifhsieh -  I'm not going to lie, I had a hard time picking between Jen's owl outfit (I collect owls in real life, why not on blogs?) but this outfit was the winner. Jen pulls off the longer skirt really well. I love the polka dot print!

This weekend will be spent either at the gym or working on my paper for Religious Studies that address the problem of evil in Elie Wiesel's "Night." It shouldn't be too hard (it's only three pages, thank goodness!) but I'm still not excited to force myself to write it. I'm so glad school is almost over! 

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

spring/summer wishlist

As you can tell, someone might have had a little too much fun in Photoshop this afternoon. After I got finished with my Astronomy exam, I dragged myself back to my room and did some much needed window shopping to make myself feel better. And then I played Pokemon (no, not the newest game; I'm playing Soul Silver again) and finally remembered that I'd started this. 

1. Toms Classics in Chocolate (I need a new pair; I can almost stick my big toe through the hole forming in my black pair.)

2. Rhinestone Bunny Ring (Animal rings, always a good idea.)

3. Coral Print Square Scarf (I love scarves in warm weather.) 

4. Rainbow Stripe Umbrella (For April showers!)

5. Black Lace Collar Dress (Give me all the Peter Pan collars. ALL OF THEM.)

6. Sweetheart Sunnies (Simply adorable.)

7. Black Check Skater Skirt (How many more black skirts do I really need?)

8. Polka Dot Bag (Perfect summer tote.)

9. Loving Heart Ring (I love both colors.)

10. Cooperative Canvas Strap Wedge (I need a new pair of black wedges and black sandals. Multiple options!) 

11. Beige Polka Dot Cropped Cardigan (Give me all the polka dots as well.)

12. Orange Peter Pan Collar Dress (This dress is to-die-for. Goodbye cruel world.)

13. Ecote Toehold Simple Gladiator Sandal (Long name, cute shoe.)

14. Cooperative Trompe L'Oeil Eyeglass Case (For my heart shaped sunnies.)

15. And for the sake of an even number, here's one more thing on my list that didn't quite fit: Jersey Pocket Skirt (I loathe American Apparel but I've needed this skirt in navy for about four years now. It's time to make the plunge this summer.)

What's on your wishlist? What trends are you looking forward to?

weekly favorites

There's no real theme to this week's favorite looks aside from simplicity. Today was the most humid day we had to date and in jeans and a cardigan, I was dying. All I want are some pretty dresses and cute shoes. 

1. DearBeatrice - The thing I always appreciate about Beatrice's outfits are the attention to detail. Though her dress and flats might be simple, the gorgeous bag and her jewelry keep it interesting. The bunny ring is adorable.

2. flattery - I love the green color of Breanne's dress is gorgeous! I love the wedges she paired it with.

3. blushing ambition - I love the pairing of a gingham shirt with Annabel's pleated skirt. I still need that tote bag in my life.

4. calivintage - The colors in Erin's outfit are divine. I was just checking out a pair of red flats the same day she posted this outfit and it basically cemented my need to have money right now.

I'll hopefully be posting sometime this weekend if the weather isn't as rainy as the weather's predicting, stay tuned!

out of print clothing

If you love literature and you want a cute printed tee or a fleece sweatshirt to get cozy in, Out of Print is a great place to look. They have an amazing variety of classic book covers at a price that's not too shabby, considering that for every shirt they sell, they donate a book to a community in need through Books for Africa. I basically want every one of their shirts and hopefully, come summertime when I have a job, you'll see me in any of the three shirts above.

Okay, fangirling over and back to normal blogging sometime this week!

weekly favorites

1. the other emily - I love this outfit. The fox tee, the color of the skirt, her jewelry, the socks with the oxfords- I love it!

2. The Clothes Horse - So, I go back and forth with my opinions on denim jackets. Sometimes, I feel like it just looks dated, but then other times, as with Rebecca's outfit, I love it. Perhaps its the combination of denim and floral, but there's something really great about this simple outfit.

3. blushing ambition - I don't even like the beach, but I'm already looking forward to some outfit pictures on the beach when my family heads off for vacation this summer. I love the combination of lace, a long cardigan, black boots, and a cute tote.

4. Jen Loves Kev - If there's one look I will always love, it's the school girl 
look. I love the sweater over Jen's plaid dress and the oxfords. 

Check back next week for more looks!

weekly inspiration

 So I know I missed last week, but it was due to the crazy amount of astronomy homework I had to finish, which isn't to say I don't I have a crazy amount of astronomy homework to finish today (I do) but my earliest class was canceled today! Blog time!

So, I didn't realize when I was picking out my favorites for this week that I paired them in a semi-themed way! The top two outfits both feature tights, while the bottom two are rocking the bare legs. The weather is going a bit crazy lately (though I'm saying damn the weather as you'll find out in my outfit post later today) so it's not quite time for me to give up my tights.

1. Orchid Grey - I have a pair of leopard flats and I've been too afraid to wear them with anything besides black. I love the way that Julie mixes patterns in this outfit (and who am I kidding, I love the way she mixes patterns all the time.) I'm thinking I need a striped dress in my life.

2. bow ties are cool - While I love this entire outfit (especially the panels on her shirt), Meg's hat is just the icing on an adorable cake. 

3. Kendi Everyday - I love how pleated skirts are popping up all over the blogging world and I really love the way Kendi styled hers. I popped over to the Payless site to look at the shoes she's wearing and most people seem to think they're terribly uncomfortable, so even more props to her for wearing them anyway!

4. calivintage - Fun fact: I love birds and bird cages, something that I probably got from my aunt, who collects them. Erin's skirt, therefore, is like my dream skirt. I love the bow shirt and espadrilles paired with it.

weekly inspiration

       

 

It's obviously no secret that I am more of a casual dresser than someone who dons sky-high platforms to the grocery store (though I am completely jealous of those people.) The combination of being in college and hating drawing attention to myself do not make for someone who's willing to deviate too much from the normal wear. So, the looks I normally draw inspiration from are cute and casual. These looks aren't all from this week, but they're what I've been looking at lately to get me through the last dregs of winter.

 

1. Jennifhsieh - How great is Jen's skirt? This is what I look like most of the time- simple shirt, skirt, and cardigan. I just need that long brown belt!

 

2. the other emily - I loved all of Emily's (oh gosh it is so weird to call someone else by your name!) 30 for 30 looks, but especially this one featuring black shorts. Hello new look for my black shorts!

 

3. Jen Loves Kev - Jen can rock both fierce and more casual looks. I love the combination of the floral top with the pleated black skirt. I may already have two black skirts, but I need that one in my life!

 

4. Transient Withdrawal - I'm not going to lie, when I first got back into looking at fashion blogs, it was Jasmine's love of bows that led to me buying five new bow headbands! Her style is always so colorful (something my wardrobe definitely lacks) and in this outfit specifically, I love the combination of green, yellow, red, and the black and white. 

 

Tomorrow, I'm hoping to do a little Target shopping with my mom. I saw these adorable lightweight rain coats last time I was there and I have to have my hands on a floral one! Luckily, my mom agrees that I could use a raincoat for the upcoming spring showers. I'll hopefully get some outfit pictures up later tonight.