#Trending

This post was inspired by the fact that something pretty monumental happened today. 

Get ready....

My mom went shopping for me!

 It's not that it's the first time that this has happened... she's surprised me with a lot of my favorite things (my fur vest that she bought me in high school--before fur vests were even cool, mind you, my butt zips--before butt zips were even cool too!...and I don't know what else but there were lots more I am sure)...but the first time it's happened in a long time. I am not allowed to have any of these items yet because it's not Christmas yet, but I did see them and they are wonderful. They're also very trendy and while my style usually stays pretty classic, there are quite a few trends around lately that I've had my eye on.

Crushed Velvet

Ugh I WISH I could pull this trend off. As much as I hate to admit it, I think my interest in the velvet trend is very Syracuse influenced. The Armory Square Urban Outfitters had a pair of black crushed velvet leggings and I am so interested. I feel like because everyone and their mother wears black leggings to everything these days, a velvet pair wouldn't be too outrageous. I am also interested in some sort of flppy A-line velvet skirt...which I am sure can also be found at UO. 

Patterned Leggings in General...

Despite my fear of not being able to pull of velvet leggings, I can't help but continue to swoon over patterned leggings in general. The other day, a friend said that anyone can pull anything off as long as they have the guts to actually wear it. While this can be kind of a sticky statement... I don't think I will EVER be able to rock a middle part, sorry Syracuse... I think for the most part what she said is true and I am keeping my eyes peeled for a fun pair of tights to break up all the black.

Loafers

Ok I know these shoes have been trendy for a while now but I've never really felt like I needed to own a pair until now. I just want a really durable (and cheap, preferably cheap... but does durable and cheap really exist anywhere outside of L.L. Bean? Lmk) pair of black or cheetah print loafers. If you see a pair hmu... for real though I'm on the prowl (haha get it, prowl? Cheetahs? ha ha ha haaaa).

 Cropped Shirts

You should go out and get this top. I know it doesn't look too exciting in the picture, but trust me it is. Also, it's on sale: $17. If that's not reason enough I don't know what is. My mom got me a shimmery silvery skirt from BCBG, a pair of these fantastic gold and black shorts that look like a skirt (also BCBG), and a burgundy faux leather skirt and this black crop top goes with ALL of them but each outfit looks completely different. That's magic, that is. Naturally I am going back for every other color the store had. 

Leather

There's a lot of leather stuff out there right now. Leather pants, leather skirts, I've even seen a couple of leather tops. I don't want to commit to this trend TOO much, mostly because I feel overheated and claustrophobic when I think too much about leather pants BUT I can dig it in little doses. Of course, J.Crew kills it. 

LOOK AT THE JODHPUR BUTT ZIPS I MEAN REALLY JC YOU SLAY ME. 

There's also the tuxedo stripe butt zips AND LOOK AT HOW THEIR PAIRED WITH CAT PRINT LOAFERS I MEAN COME ON. And the $695 full leather butt zips if you really want to go there. 

Booties

It literally pains me to write the word 'booties,' I hate it, it just sounds weird to me... but I want a pair so I had to do it. I have this dress that I got from Madewell a few weeks ago and I know the only thing that's going to look good with it is a pair of b**ties. These are the ones. Unfortunately I don't have $228 kicking around but you bet if I did I'd be rocking these b**ties.
 

Staying True

I know I usually stick to pretty light subjects for my blog, like Barbour coats and monograms, but it was important to me to have this said.

Tomorrow afternoon I will leave Syracuse for the next nine months.

This has definitely been my hardest semester to date.

I thought I was done finding out who my real friends were in life but I guess I am still trying to figure that out. It sucks that it never really gets easier when you find out people you thought had your back don’t. And even though I should be used to it right now, finding out that people aren’t who you think they are hurts just as bad. The good part about this semester is that it really made me appreciate the few people I do have that will stand by me no matter what.

Syracuse is a big party school and for someone who doesn’t really enjoy big crowds, or drinking, it can be really hard to find people that want to do the same things that you want to do—or more importantly, friends who care enough about you to make a compromise with you.

It’s especially hard when people just can’t understand that I don’t like the same things they like. Unlike most students at Syracuse, I don’t get a sense of relief from drinking until I black out, or being around a ton of people all the time. I don’t feel good having surface-scratchingly shallow conversations be my only form of communication. It’s hard when they can’t sympathize with being painfully homesick or wanting to talk about deeper things than fraternities and sororities and what happened at the bar last night. It’s hard when they don’t know where you’re coming from and don’t care enough to try and learn. It’s hard being considered “lame” for not drinking, not going out, and for staying true to my long distance relationship. It’s hard going out and then constantly being questioned for not drinking. It’s just hard.  

I know this school wasn’t the right choice for me, and even though that isn’t going to change I do try to make the best of it. The one thing I never complain about at Syracuse is Newhouse and the amazing education I am getting there. The other are the few friends who are true. Being away from Boston and Wellesley these past two and a half years at school made solidified for me how much I truly love home. I don’t think I ever would have truly appreciated where I come from until I left and lived somewhere else.

I think this semester taught me that even though sticking to my values and beliefs can cost friends, they’re not the real ones anyway. I am proud of myself for not compromising who I am and what I feel is right in order to fit in.

This semester taught me that being alone isn’t always bad and that I can be strong when I need to be and ask for help when I can’t. I took on a job at school and keeping busy by working hard made the time go by way faster. Going out to dinner alone isn’t quite as awkward as you think it might be and you never have to fight anyone off for a treadmill at the gym at 8pm on a Saturday night.

That being said, at times it has been incredibly difficult and unbelievably lonely. It’s made me appreciate the littlest things, like a stranger being polite at Starbucks, or a teacher making small talk in a meeting, or even something I used to hate, like working in a group project, like never before. More than anything, I crave being around family and close friends who understand the power of a Waban walk and the value of deep conversation.

I am so grateful for the true friends I do have both at home and at school and I am so happy that I get to spend my senior year reunited with them. I think that London will be the perfect (and much needed hiatus) from Syracuse and it will bring the refreshing perspective that I need.

Mark & Graham

 

Like most cool things, I found this company on Pinterest. First of all, they have this super cool monogram maker that I am not at all ashamed to admit that I spent a good 30 minutes playing with. Ugh it even has this perfect monogram guide with information on the difference between guy and gal monograms, married couple monograms, and even how to monogram a confusing last name--stuff I didn't even know about!!! So handy!!

But, most importantly, their products are ADORABLE. Monogramming is so trendy right now that I was beginning to feel like I wasn't seeing anything new. But Mark & Graham have so many cool things I had a hard time deciding what to feature on the blog.

I love the stripey shirts in the picture above. I did a similar thing with an old L.L. Bean Sailor Shirt a few summers ago and I absolutely loved it, but it would definitely be cool to have an upgrade!!

 I also love these cuffs. Having the full name in the lowercase font is really cute and quaint and I love this because its the type of jewelry that you can leave on for days at a time--just my style!

Finally these city necklaces are perfect. They don't have a Boston OR a London though so I'll just have to wait until they realize what they cool cities out there are.

Anyways, this website is definitely worth a look, even if it is just to mess around with the monogram maker for a few minutes (or 30...)!

The Best Summer Ever

I would actually give my left arm to relive one week of this summer.

yea

Kitties in IKEA! In England!!

I am SO into this. 

AND its in England! I hope everything in England is as great as this commercial.

Why couldn't they have waited for me, I would've offered up some serious volunteer work to be a part of this wonderful advertisement. 

More here.