The Starbucks Squadron

What to wear to the coffeehouse...so many opportunities.  Other than the mall, coffeehouses probably have the widest range of sartorial choices, with everything from sweatpants and a t-shirt to full-on pencil skirt and pumps business wear.  If you want to really blend in with the coffeehouse culture, there is a certain look to go for; comfy cool.

(photos collected from people, fashiondistraction, atlantic-pacific, weardrobe, and fashiontoast)

Taking On the Other Side

What do all of these pictures have in common?

A manmade, symmetrical background.

(photos collected from oraclefox, tumblr, and by r.hunt)

Floating Above the Waterless Flood

Flowy, swirly, sweeping, billowing sprigs of color and light dance around Natalia Vodianova in this Vogue UK editorial.  Fashion and design, mixed up to a perfectly overwhelming, close-up-of-a-snowflake-meets-tree-limbs degree.

(photos collected from artguide, and rockinthatbling, and trendnista)

I Lay it Before You, Here

As I begin to prepare for my move to Nashville and all the changes that will happen there, I've been thinking about some of the things that have already changed since graduation.

1.  I became a jeans convert.  I have my job at Express to thank for that (the Mia Ankle Jean Leggings with ankle zippers in black and dark blue denim are my favorite).  Instead of an easy throw-on-a-dress, my go-to outfit now consists of jeans, ankle boots, belt, half-tucked in shirt, and a cowboy/french/airplane stewardess silk neck scarf.

2.  Obama Reelected.  I really don't care about anything else in politics besides environmental care, and President Obama cares.  Thank you sir, and please don't let it get pushed back behind the bigger press issues such as health care and the economy.  In fact, if certain environmental laws were put into action, a lot of problems in those other categories would be fixed over time.  For example, cleaner air means healthier people, more natural food means less hormonal imbalances and cancers in the future, and a larger environmental industry means more jobs.  President Obama, if you ever read this, I would accept a job offer as one of your advisors.

3.  I bought a car, which is the most money I've ever spent at one time.  My new baby, The Dreammobile, has enabled me to get to work everyday without fear of breaking down in the middle of the road (the plus of leasing a new car).  It also allowed me to do some major roadtripping; roadtripping with my two favorite allies (name that song).  I've been back to Springfield several times, down to Nashville, and across Missouri to Lawrence, Kansas.  A smart use of my entire savings, and man, her perfect shade of orangey-red looks stunning when reflecting trees.

(photos by e.hunt, and collected from googleimages)

Such Things A Stegosaurus Should Do

The reversible dress can be worn in literally two different ways, epitomizing the meaning of reversible.  The way it is meant to be worn, with the zippered and ruffled backbone in the back is modeled by myself when I was in Greece two summers ago.  That's my old roommate, Kaitlin; her dress is pretty awesome too.

But you can also wear the dress backwards, with the black ruffly spine going down the front instead.

(photos by r.hunt, k.horner, and e.hunt)

A Basic Expression of Life

Graphic t-shirts are a wonderful way to get an inside look at someone's personality, and are usually a great conversation starter.  Whatever is stated on said shirt, whether it's some opinion or political statement, a band shirt, or a club/event/Greek organization, you can pick up clues about that person.  For example, only someone who likes indie rock would wear a Strokes shirt, and a lumberjack probably wouldn't wear a Save the Trees shirt, and if you've never been to New York City you probably don't own an I heart NY shirt (unless they were having a real identity crisis).

They also look really cool when paired with a nice skirt or dress; kindof dresses down the whole affair. These ladies got the idea.  I'm a veteran when it comes to the not-with-jeans graphic tee; my favorite is a bright green Protect the Forest short sleeve tucked into the suspender skirt.

(photos collected from celebsvenue, justinchungphotography, and by e.hunt (architecture artwork courtesy of Taylor Hunt))

The Unique Pageantry of the Moment

This upcoming Sunday marks the biggest red carpet event of the year, The Academy Awards (or Oscars).  I wouldn't be a girl if I haven't fantasized from time to time of being famous enough to go.  And oh the endless possibilities of what to wear!

If I were super famous and could pull off wearing pants (because let's face it, only the obscenely famous, and Janelle Monae, can wear pants to such high profile events), a simple yet intricate jumpsuit with a killer pair of colorful heels would be my first choice.

The grecian look is a classic and always a red carpet hit because it's so classic.  I would go for an updated version, with unexpected colors, ruffles, or drapes.

Eye-catching detail and high-class workmanship is another red carpet option that many celebrities choose.  The old Hollywood, flapper inspired, art deco-y black and nude look would certainly garner some attention, while a more victorian beaded mini dress with a train would be a little more trend-setting.  I would style it with a black belt instead of the matching nude, and probably a black beaded something in my hair.

I can see it now: people cheering, 'Who are you wearing?,' being escorted to my green-seats equivalent seats, after parties hanging out with Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, etc, and waking up the next morning to being on all the best-dressed lists.  A girl can dream.

(photos collected from urbanoutfitters, catherineneicole, tamarachloestyleclues, shopbop, mirazwillinger, modnipeklo, and thestars-themoon)

The True Essence of the Sun Trap

Today is a Laura Ingalls Wilder day.  Specifically the chapter in either Little House on the Prairie or On the Banks of Plum Creek (I don't remember which) when Laura and Mary go exploring in the fields and find a bunch of turquoise and rust-colored stones.  I think they came from an Indian tribe that had recently moved on from the site.  Anyway, I would fit right in with the two, in my worn-in school-girl boots, flowy blue dress, and knotted-up shirt, complete with plenty of pockets to carry our stone collections.

(photos by e.hunt)

Above All Red Says This

Valentine's Day is pretty much the only holiday I think it is acceptable to wear the day's designated color (and Christmas- gotta wear some red on Christmas).  Balmain got the reds and pinks down pat in the pre-fall 2013 collection, but if you want a more delicate, easy-going look, white lace and deep red lips hit the mark.  And if you're really concerned about wearing pink, dip-dye your hair in the color.

(photos collected from studdedhearts, and opiumpoppies)

When an Already Baffled Climate is at a Loss

Let's talk about jackets.  This month of pre-Spring, still chilly enough to need some sort of outerwear but not enough to merit an actual coat provides the perfect opportunity.

First, there's the classic trench coat.

Then there's the trenchcoat's wayward, cool, always getting into and then out of trouble cousin, the bomber jacket.

While the straight-laced, eternally casual baby-sitter of the two, the blazer jacket, keeps watch.

And there's always the two neighboring rebels of the group, for those especially comfy days, a flannel button-up and oversized sweater.

(photos collected from fashiontoast, fabsugar, atlanticpacific, whatchathinkaboutthat, thesartorialist, vintagevirgin, tumblr, and littlemissmargs)

Um, Uh, and Like

Being awkward is a really interesting phenomenon.  Awkward can mean a couple different things, like causing or feeling embarrassment or inconvenience, not smooth or graceful; ungainly, or uncomfortable or abnormal.  Even with all of these definitions, it can be pretty easily spotted.

Sometimes it's an odd foot placement.

Or maybe you just don't know what to do with your hands.

And then there's the facial expression.  A dead giveaway.

As you can tell, I'm a master.

(photos collected from thesartorialist, notcouture, by r.hunt, stylexicon, flickr, studdedhearts, weardrobe, and by k.horner)