Update

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to let you all know that I am in fact alive.  I've been so busy studying and getting ready for the bar and the move that I just haven't had a chance to take pictures or to post anything.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to read others' blogs for a while either.  I'm a bad blogger.  Sorry guys!  I guess other than bar stuff and moving, the only other thing that I've been able to do is craft.  I've been posting stuff on etsy regularly and surprisingly (to me anyway) I posted the green makeup brush holder and within an hour I sold it.  So that's been going better, but there's still a lot of room for improvement.  So yea, I'm still here.  Sort of.  

Better in person

    This outfit definitely worked better in person.  Although it could be by the time I took these pictures the shirt had been stretched out as I had tried on a couple of bras while at the mall.  Either way, I'm disappointed the pics didn't capture the true cuteness of this outfit.  

The Details:
T-shirt: ON
Skirt: refashioned Mango dress
Necklace: gift

My Friend Neubia

    While studying for the bar, there aren't a whole lot of things to entertain.  Lately we've been playing the World Cup on our computers while watching our bar video lectures on the projector.  Another thing that's entertaining?  The Blog.  Last week both Jenn and Neubia showed up looking cute.  Since I've already shown you Jenn's cute outfit, this is Neubia's outfit post.
    My favorite part of Neubia's outfit is her shoes.  These sandals are so cute and a great alternative to the plastic ON flip flops that I've been wearing for the past 2 weeks.  To me, sandals tend to either be plastic flip flops or heels.  Neubia's super awesome sandals have shown me that a great (and cheap!) alternative exists.  These set Neubia back only $15 at Burlington Coat Factory.  I also really liked how Neubia embraced plaid and took the green from the plaid and incorporated it in her top. 

    When I was talking to her about her outfit, she told me that the whole thing cost less than $25.  She also told me that the reason she was looking cute was because her boyfriend was coming in to town for the night.  She wanted to make sure he knew she could look cute and didn't just live in sweats (which, by the way, is the standard girl bar study outfit).
    This started my thinking muscles.  Why do we dress cute and for who do we do it?  As Neubia told me, she was dressing for her boyfriend.  Without judging Neubia, I think a lot of women, certainly myself included, often dress for others, and especially for those we are attracted to (ie. men for straight women, women for gay women, etc).  This brings to mind preening.  I find myself in front of the mirror for much longer when I'm dressing to impress The Fiance.  And even though he is the intended audience, I also do it for myself.  I dress up and apply makeup and preen to feel good about myself.  If it didn't feel good to look my best, I wouldn't do it.  I do it for me.  
    But what about when we dress up and preen for others?  Does that make it any less good or even bad?  Is it "bad" to dress for others?  I would say that using words like "good" and "bad" don't really apply in this context.  They are overbroad and don't really apply as they are value judging words and this isn't a context in which value should be assessed.  Rather, I would say that "healthy" and conversely "unhealthy" are more appropriate.  While it is unhealthy to look outside of ourselves for approval and to judge our attractiveness and self-worth by the way others perceive us all the time, I don't think its unhealthy to look to others for cues some of the time.  What I mean is that its natural to look to others for social cues and opinions on what we're wearing and how we look.  It becomes unhealthy when we base our entire opinion of ourselves on others' opinions and allow the outside to decide how we feel inside.  So while I like to look cute and preen for special occasions for The Fiance, what matters is that I do it because I feel good, not because he requires or expects it. 

 

The Details:
Tank: ON
Pants: Megathrift 
Shoes: Burlington Coat Factory

trending AND layering

    LOVING this maxi dress.  Its just plain amazing.  I wore it yesterday and layered a tank under it to keep from exposing too much boobage.  (don't you just love that word? :) ) 
    I got several compliments on this dress yesterday which made me super happy.  Isn't it awesome when something comfortable also looks cute? 







 



The Details:
Dress: Target
Tank: ON
Necklace: Etsy

P.S. check out my shop on the accessories showcase: http://www.etsy.com/showcase.php?ref=fp_banner_showcase_main_043010

 

Pretty Things

Can all be found at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ACsCrafts

Summer Layering

    We all know how awesome layering can be when its cold.  Layering provides warmth and can include different colors, textures and patterns to make outfits more interesting.  What often happens is that when it gets warmer, layering goes out the window.  While its often cooler to wear one skimpy layer during the summer, sometimes outfits require layers.  
    Yesterday's outfit most definitely required an extra layer.  There is too much boobage for me to wear this polo without a layer under it.  In an ideal world I would have an unlimited closet which would include crop tops in all colors of the rainbow so that layering in the summer would only require 2 layers of clothing  where necessary and not all over.  However, we don't live in my ideal world (damnit!) so I had to wear a full tank top under this light pink polo.  It wasn't too bad for most of the day.  In fact, while at school the extra layer was quite welcome since its so cold inside.  However, once some friends and I were out studying on the quad, I had no choice but to take the polo off and just sit in my tank and skirt.
    So in review, layering in the summer can create warmth in the frigid cold inside and can keep your decolletage from getting out of control.    


The Details:
polo: American Eagle (OLD!)
tank: ON
Skirt: me!
Necklace: Tio Gordo on Etsy

Trending

    Have you ever seen a trend, thought it was absolutely terrible and sworn you would never try it only to try it and love it sometime later?  I have in the past and am doing it again.  I got this maxi dress from Target's Daily Deals about a week ago and LOVED it the second I put it on.  It may not be the most flattering silhouette in the world on me, but what the heck.  I love it! It is incredibly comfortable and makes me happy, and really? that's all that matters.


The Details:
Dress: Target
Necklace: gift from Parents from Greece
Flip flops: ON




    Also a quick Etsy announcement.  I have bought an ad on etsy for Wednesday.  Hopefully I'll get a bunch of sales, so, if there's a necklace or other item you've been thinking about, I recommend you get it now before my ad goes live.