Swamp Creature

So here I am, a month into life at Florida College... and only one outfit post thus far. Life has been really busy! Oh well. I'm not going to apologize too much. It could be worse.
My birthday was last Wednesday, and it was one of the sweetest birthdays I have experienced in the 19 years of my life! And the word "sweet" is to be taken literally. I was treated so wonderfully by all of my friends, old and new, as well as my family. One of my shelves is still full of candy and cards/notes of kind words. I cannot express my appreciation.
Branching off from the previous topic, lately I have been extremely appreciative of the simple things in life. With the stresses and seriousness of studying/college life, tiny beams of joy will penetrate the dullness and really cause me to smile: the sunny walk from the dorm to my classes, a warm cup of my daily Colombian roast coffee, the mysteriously swampy coloring of river road (the area in the pictures), finding happy mail in my mailbox, a newly vacuumed floor, unexpectedly running into a friend and having a good chat... It doesn't take a lot to brighten my day. I think a large part of it is how much I really love living on my own. I feel like I've been given this clean slate, and now I'm experiencing life anew with all of my senses wide open, and every little thing is so special. Life is just so pleasantly full of... life!

Mint is such a popular color lately, it's not even funny. It's not funny because I totally owned it before everyone began obsessing over it. (Hah, ok. I kid. Sort of.) Since it entered the fashion scene, I've seen it most prominently in nail color and pants. It's one of those colors that can easily be incorporated into most outfits. My one pair of mint denim is a treasured item as it is the only pair of "colorful" pants I own... and they aren't even that far off from light-wash denim, just more green-blue tinted. I've just recently begun to be very interested in unique colors or prints on pants. They're an alternative to a statement shirt or jewelry. Thinking about the different clothing combinations with a coral or deep teal pair makes my head twirl. If I had the money for it, I would add so many more trousers to my wardrobe.

This broach is a gorgeously dainty little piece. I picked it up along with a couple other accent accessories at an antique store back in Tennessee, but I don't feel like I do it the justice it deserves. I wish I was able to show broaches off more, but I generally only wear them in two ways:

1. On the lapel of a blazer/cardigan, or
2. To hold a scarf in place

I guess those are really the only few ways to style a broach, but I want to challenge that. Any suggestions? I'm always open to new ideas.


Top: Forever 21, pants: A'GACI,
blazer: A'GACI, shoes: ModCloth, broach: antique store



Colorblocked

It has been dangerously hot this past week. Today got up to 114 degrees! That is insane. Then again, Florida is not any better in the heat area, so maybe I shouldn't be complaining. The scorching sun has definitely discouraged me from doing much interesting layering, and for that I apologize. (My baked potato of a body, however, will not.) I may have to bore you with a simple outfit, but I do try to keep it fun. For example, everything I'm wearing in this outfit is brand new, something I rarely do. I had a list of "necessary items" that I determined not to sway from on my next shopping excursion. Having a set mind when I go to buy clothes has never worked out very well for me; whenever I'm looking for something in particular, I have no luck. But when I go with no expectations, I uncover the best finds. Surprisingly, I managed to purchase most of my goals this time! One of my quests was to buy solid colored clothing, something my closet painfully lacked. These two items are part of my new loot that fall into the catagory. I have a soft spot for shirts like this with a neck tie or some unique detail, and the coral-peach color is marvelous. Not to mention the light material is appropriate for this five million degree weather...

Erin and I discovered just how popular these types of shirts currently are. The sheer fabric is so big right now, it was difficult to find tops that weren't made out of it. And the style of these sleeveless shirts has completely overtaken stores. I found tons of shirts that I adored, but they were oh so similar to each other.

These murals are located under a bridge in the park. I think little kids painted them or something... either way, it's rather cool. I've had this wall in mind to use for pictures for a while now, and I figured it'd work swimmingly with the bold-colored theme. As I mentioned earlier, I've needed to add solid colored pieces to my collection. This notion struck me one day when I noticed that nearly all of my shirts have printed designs. I can't help it that I'm drawn to busy patterns and lacey details! Trading in the florals for this pop-of-color ensemble is refreshing for a change, even for me. It highlights my retro side. Not my most retro, by far, but it's a good introduction.
 

Top: A'GACI, skirt: Forever 21,
shoes/nail polish: Target

 

 

While spending the last of my summer here in Manchester, I've formulated a list (I like lists, shush) of some things I've always needed to experience that are significant to the town. On this particular day, Erin and I decided to cross off an item by going to lunch at a local burger joint called Jiffy Burger. I have eaten a sandwich or two from this place, but never what they are most known for: their hamburgers. So I ordered a bacon cheeseburger, all the toppings (obviously).When it was brought to me, I first took notice of how big it was and how difficult it would be to eat. I was quickly overwhelmed by the delicious smell, and my initial reservation was no longer a dilemma. My conclusion on the matter? It was very good and definitely worth the messy hands.