mental health day

Warning! Photo-heavy post coming at you. My nifty little title says it all: I took a random, unplanned, for-my-sanity, mental health day off. And I did a whole bunch of shit I felt like doing. I went running, curled my hair and did my makeup for way too long, got coffee, looked at summer dresses, looked at vintage furniture, went out to eat with Dustin's family and took a lot of pictures. Lately I have been working a lot because we are moving into a new apartment and going on a mini-vacation in the same week...two things that take MONEY. And I have been feeling like we have none. So I have been working 6 or 7 days a week and it's finally taking a toll. This day definitely made me feel better, and we even got some stuff done that we needed to! 

outfit details:

top: Gap

skirt: Forever 21

earrings: Francesca's

necklace-turned bracelet: unknown

shoes: Old Navy

The amount of photos is also due to my recent discovery of Picassa! I had fun using their editing tools and then putting the pictures together in Photoshop. I am definitely not a pro at it yet but I am having fun learning. And I need to give Dustin some photo credit because he put up with MANY photo requests throughout our day, and even came up with the spot by the water for a background.

There is a lot of construction going on in the downtown Commons area, so the city put up a giant white fence and let local artists cover it with their creations. It is starting to look pretty cool!

The coffee shop we went to has a giant Dictionary in front of the espresso machine for customers to peruse while waiting for drinks.

I love these pictures by the lake (actually the inlet) because the water is so sparkly! We saw a lot of groups of people in boats, rowing and practicing for crew. The Cornell University and Ithaca College boathouses are right near here so there's lots of graffiti on the bridge relating to crew.

We stopped in a little clothing boutique near the Commons and I bought a dress for my sister's graduation. We didn't actually eat at a restaurant here but Dustin and I both love this little neon sign so much I just had to include it. I was excited to wear my white Coach purse finally! Dustin got it for me last year  for Christmas but didn't quite understand when I said it was more of a summer bag...

This skirt is really old! I bought it in high school or college when these short, puffy skirts were super trendy but never really wore it. It was one of those pieces that I loved in the store but never felt like I loved it when I put it on. I had tried it with black, white and gray tops in the past but I absolutely adore it with the loose blue v-neck. It was a great outfit for a HOT day off and complemented my long, curled hair.

I had a good day off and it made me never want to work again! Stay tuned for photos from Chelsea's Cornell graduation!

-Lola

blue & gold

outfit details:

shirt: Walmart

necklace: Macy's

skinny jeans: Gap

leopard loafers: Gap

earrings: Francesca's

I think that it's finally Spring here! I couldn't resist taking photos in front of these gorgeous yellow flowers, they made my new royal blue shirt pop even more. Although Walmart isn't my favorite place, they are good for some amazing deals. I always get sucked into looking at the clothes and I recently scored this top for some absurdly low price like $3. How do you turn down a $3 shirt? You don't. Especially when it has sequins on the pocket. My high school's colors were blue and gold and these photos made me a little nostalgic for the good old days!

                            

 

I love this new necklace because it's the perfect piece for a casual outfit: it adds a point of interest and some bling without taking the look too fancy. The earrings might be too flashy for this easy look but I couldn't resist wearing them, and I think my hippie hair keeps the outfit casual. I have been looking for loafers ever since they became trendy but I could never find ones for a reasonable price that were comfortable until now. The loafers are the newest animal print item in my collection!

Sunny weather makes me want to take more outfit photos! Wahoo! We FINALLY booked our trip to Maine for the first week of June and I am SOO excited! It will be a nice break after having to move all of our stuff out of our apartment the week before that. Many photos to come!

-Lola

meow

I have a confession...I am addicted to cheetah print! I think it was one of those trends that I despised at first but slowly made it's way into my closet in every form; button-down shirt, cardigan, loafers, clutch and now a t-shirt. Maybe it's my deep desire to be a cat lady that allows me to connect so much with this pattern, or maybe I just love a piece that adds fun to an outfit. Whatever the reason may be, I do get a lot of compliments on my cheetah-wear! I picked up this top on my birthday shopping trip and I believe it's going to be a summer staple this year. 

The weather in upstate NY has been wacky, as usual, but it seems we have rounded a corner toward Spring. So nice to wear sandals! I wore this outfit to do some errands before work and ended up sleeping in the shirt that night, so comfy! I like that the neckline is a bit lower than a traditional crewneck t-shirt, and that the sleeves are a little bit longer. It is a super casual shirt that doesn't look too sloppy, and can be dressed up with a cardigan and long necklace. I really love how versatile the top is. I think the scarf gives it a light, bright Spring touch.

In these photos my hair is mostly air-dried, a bit blow-dried at the end. This is how I usually wear it in my lazy day-to-day life, I call it my hippie hair. I think Dustin started calling my crazy long hair that and I thought it was funny! I have been growing it for a long time and it is getting a bit hard to manage, but I think it looks good with this casual look.

Outfit Details

top: H&M

scarf: Forever 21, old

jeans: Gap

sandals: American Eagle

sunglasses: random boutique

watch: Citizen

Life has been mostly boring around these parts, although we did just sign a new lease that starts in June so that was a happy moment! I am trying to work a lot because signing a lease always comes with a fat deposit and costs for moving all our stuff... so I will feel a lot better once we are in and settled. Until then, I'm sure the sun and Spring flowers will entice me to get some outfit photos in. And my sister's college graduation is in May so that will call for some fun dresses!

-Lola

delta delta delta

Outfit Details

necklace: Francesca's

dress: Charlotte Russe, borrowed from sister

shoes: Kohl's, Elle brand

Yea I'm 24 and I went to a sorority formal... is that weird? These photos are from my sister Chelsea's formal...which happened to be in my parents' barn! My mom and dad own a small fruit and veggie farm and for the past few years my dad has been working hard to put up a HUGE barn. Recently we have started renting out the space for weddings and other events, but this was our first Greek life event. Of course Chels invited me and her friends to crash the party, and we had a blast. I unknowingly planned a get-together with my two college roommates that same weekend so they joined in. Ithaca College doesn't have sororities so it was kind of fun to pretend we were in one, even if their name isn't as cute as "Delta Delta Delta."

It was fun to dress up, drink and dance and be able to hang out with my family at the same time. We danced HARD and I felt like my knees might give out the next day, but my heels were surprisingly supportive throughout the night. I absolutely LOVE this dress of my sister's, and I will probably try to steal it...although I don't know where else I would wear it? It was so comfortable and I thought the peplum was quite flattering for a night of eating and drinking!

While Amy and Kate were in Ithaca we ran up to our old campus and reminisced about days gone by, and also walked around downtown and got lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. On Saturday afternoon we drove to Syracuse to spend some time at Amy's parents house and just relax and catch up. I fell asleep while we watched the Syracuse basketball game on TV...but that wasn't really shocking to anyone.

I hadn't seen these girls in months and it really felt like a breath of fresh air! I didn't realize how much I was missing them until they were here. It was nice to have people who truly know me and can also relate to where I am in my life better than most of my friends in Ithaca. They are pushing ahead in their careers a lot more than I am- but instead of feeling left behind, I feel inspired and invigorated to move ahead as well. We talked about some other get-togethers and trips for this summer and I can't wait to plan them!

-Lola

industrial chic

These photos were kind of a "planned" spur-of -the-moment thing...meaning that I knew I wanted Dustin to take them but I waited until the last second to ask him so he couldn't complain. I know, I'm a genius! I gave him the camera in the parking garage because the industrial background seemed like a good fit with this outfit. He always whines about taking blog photos but he's happy when he sees how they look in a new post. This look is from my sister's birthday dinner and I'm thrilled with how it turned out! 

Outfit Details

top: thrifted, Ann Taylor LOFT

belt: unknown

purse: thrifted, Forever 21

earrings: thrifted, no brand

skinny jeans: Gap

heels: Urban Outfitters, KimChi Blue brand

                                 

I recently picked up this shirt from a second hand store in Ithaca. I loved the loose, silky feel and look, the neckline, the slightly poofed shoulders and the tight cuffs...but I didn't love the color. I thought it would look good with black pants but I still wasn't in love with the color...it just didn't feel like me. But now seeing it on me in the photos I think it looks nice with my hair and skin color. I was also a bit worried about just how loose the shirt was, but I think the belt totally fixed that issue and tied in the black elements.

I also attempted a middle part in my hair! I have shied away from these for years since it reminded me of bad hair days in middle school, but I've been wanting to try it again. My hair just seemed to want to go that way after I blow dried it, so I went with it. Next time I will try to give it a bit more volume, and maybe some waves. 

You know I love weird graffiti!

Instagram pic of Dustin and I at the restaurant. We are a pretty cute couple! 

We went with a group of six to a tapas place called "Just a Taste," and had a GREAT time. We each ordered two small orders and passed the plates around so we could all try stuff. The food was AMAZING and the experience was so fun and different, I think it felt like a more "adult" get-together...sometimes it's nice to be grown up!

Later that weekend my sister's sorority had a formal in my family's barn... great photos to come!

-Lola

more saki, please

A new Japanese restaurant opened in Ithaca recently and we planned for a big group of people to go on Dustin's birthday. The place is located in a less than exciting strip mall so my expectations weren't very high...but it was AWESOME. It was so much nicer than I expected! The decor and atmosphere made it feel like a restaurant in a city, and it was big enough to have separate areas for the entry, the bar, tables, a sushi bar, the hibachi room and a private room for parties. We sat at the hibachi tables where the chef makes the food in front of you and it was entertaining, but the food was the highlight for me. SO GOOD! And they give you a lot of it! I think I may have taken 1,000 pictures during the whole meal.

Part of the whole experience is that the chef pours saki into everyone's mouth from a squirt bottle and tries to see how long they can stand it. The staff knew we had a birthday boy so I think they got a little crazy with the saki...I didn't participate (even though I looove saki,) because I didn't want it to run all down my face! Dustin's older brother and his gf visited from North Carolina so that made the night even more special and fun. 

At the end of the meal the lights dimmed and an employee brought out this mask and put it on Dustin! We were dying because the thing was so scary looking. Then we sang happy birthday and they gave him a little piece of cake with a candle.

We proceeded to go back downtown and KEEP drinking for a few more hours...which made my epic day of drinking even better. The next day was Easter and I was so hung over that I only had one beer! Oops. A least I documented every minute of the day. Outfit photos of Chelsea's birthday dinner shall be up shortly!

-Lola