Belated New Year // What I Wore + My Resolution

{dress//Target via thrift store :: necklace//Betsy Johnson :: belt//Franchesca's Collections :: boots//Dansko lipstick//Kat Von D Painted Love in Underage Red}

Well this is an extremely late outfit post. This is actually what I wore for New Years Eve. The gold embroidery on the dress seemed very festive, and I lined my lower lash-line with a gold metallic eyeshadow pencil, to spice up my makeup for the occasion.

I can't believe it's 2014 already! It feels like it was *just* 2012 and I was graduating high school, and now I've been out of school for two years and am twenty years old. Where does the time go??

Speaking of the new year, did any of you make any interesting new year resolutions? My resolution this year is to live my life more boldly. I feel like I let my laziness shyness dictate a lot of my life. Like, when confronted with the choice of going out with friends, or staying at home with my Netflix account, it's really hard for me to resist the urge to stay in my jim jams bingeing on sci-fi shows. This year, however, I want to work on that. I want to go out more, say the things I'm too scared to say and all around just take control of life again.

Whatever your resolution this year, I hope you succeed. Let's kick 2014 in the butt!

Why Spock is My Favorite Star Trek Character

This post has been in the making for quite a while. Late last year my friend, Rachel, finally got me to sit down and watch the new Star Trek movie - which, of course - led me to a new fandom. My favorite character, however, surprised me. No, it's not the dashing, bad boy Captain Kirk. It's not the sassy Scotsman, Scotty - it's not even the serious, but caring Doctor McCoy. It's Spock. I love Spock.

My mom hates Spock, and can't understand why I like him, but to me it seems so simple: Spock is so much more relatable. And for all of you over there rolling your eyes because Spock is a vulcan with no emotion, let me remind you that he's actually half human, and as much as he tries to hide it, he does feel things.

For those of you that don't know Spock's back story, let me explain quickly: Spock's father is a vulcan, who married a human, resulting in Spock: a half human, half vulcan, who was raised on the planet Vulcan, with a father who has no emotions, friends who have no emotion, and a mother who is a regular, emotional, human woman. So he finds himself literally caught between two different worlds.

And that's what I love about him so much. He's caught between two different worlds, not quite knowing where he belongs until he finds the Enterprise, and even then there is doubt. Even there there are people who think that he's something he's not - a cold, hard vulcan who feels neither pain nor joy - and meanwhile he's still trying to figure out exactly who he is.

I think that that's something we all struggle with from time to time. There are times for all of us when we wonder where - if anywhere - we belong. When we feel like a freak, trapped on the outside looking in. Friendless. We can't all be Captain Kirks - dashing and over confident with not a fear in the world - at least not all the time. Sometimes we have to be Spocks - lonely, holding everything in because we just don't feel like we fit in anywhere. And that's ok - good, even. It's struggles, and trials like that that make us who we're supposed to be.

Yeah, Spock is kind of a stick in the mud sometimes, and sometimes he's a little too calculating, but he keeps Kirk grounded - seriously, how many times would Kirk and/or the Enterprise have died/been destroyed if not for Spock?? And that's not to say that Kirk isn't fantastic in his own way, but I think Spock has merits that are often over looked. He may seem emotionless at first, but just wait a bit and you'll see that he really does care. Like with Kirk in the original series and new movies, and Uhura in the new movie. That's what I love about his character. That's why he's my favorite.  Most people just see what's on the outside and don't look any further - about Spock and about people in real life. Spock's character shows that there's more to people than meets the eye.

Like the saying goes: you can't judge a book by it's cover - or a vulcan by one episode.

Live long and prosper.

Life is a Party // What I Wore

Goodness gracious this outfit is late! I wore this on the drive back from my dad's Christmas party the first weekend in December - so basicially this is what I was wearing when my car went off the road. *winks*

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! I had a lovely, relaxing day with my family - who all did absolutely fantastic on the gift front. I received some great makeup from my lovely parents, and a bunch of Doctor Who merch from my sisters (including a TARDIS tea steeper, a tee shirt and jim-jams fashioned after the 10th/11th Doctor's costume).

Speaking of Doctor Who, today is a very sad day for all of us Whovians. Today is the final episode with the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith. He's definitely not my favorite Doctor (anyone who's had even a ten minute conversation with me probably knows that David Tennant is, and forever will be, my favorite Doctor) but he is my second favorite and I loved him with the Ponds, and I've even grown to love Clara, and now he's leaving! I really am very sad, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous about Peter Capaldi's version of the Doctor... Well, I guess here goes nothing...

Geronimo!

Love While We're Young // What I Wore

{shirt//Hot Topic :: jeans//thrifted :: sweatshirt//Aerie :: jacket//Top Shop :: purse//Emma Fox via TJ Maxx :: boots//Sorel :: necklace//Francesca's Collections}

I feel like ever since I graduated high school I've had trouble with friends. When we're in high school we don't have much control over our lives, so we're all more or less going through the same thing. Once you graduate and start making decisions for yourself things get a little more difficult... Sometimes after graduation you realize that people you thought you had a lot in common with in high school, actually couldn't be more different than you. Sometimes you loose friends, and it sucks.

The good thing about graduating, though, is that you're no longer stuck with the people closest to your age at social events anymore. You're able to meet people older than you from different places in life, and sometimes those people can turn out to be fantastic friends.

While I was in high school I obsessed about what I wore. I used it as a shield when I felt out of place or awkward. Since graduating I've really come out of my shell, made some fantastic new friends, and my style has really come down a notch. I've been loving more casual, laid back outfits. If I could describe my ideal style it would be "effortlessly fabulous." Like I just got out of bed, threw on an outfit and dashed out the door.

This is what I wore last month to see Echosmith live. They're a new-ish band comprised of four, home schooled teenagers/early-20-year-olds, and they're really quite talented. The show was fantastic and I had a fantastic time.

♫ Post title // Let's Love by Echosmith ♫

Right This Second // What I Wore

{dress//local boutique :: cardigan//thrifted :: necklace//vintage :: boots//local boutique :: bag//Emma Fox via TJ Maxx :: lipstick//Rimmel London Kate Moss in 104} 

Sometimes I feel like I have nothing to say whenever I sit down at the computer to write a post. This time, however, that is far from being a problem.

My family spent this weekend in Springfield IL for my dad's family's annual Christmas party. We had a fun weekend and ate way too much food and left early this afternoon to head home. It was starting to snow a little, but it was blowing off the roads like no big deal. I came down before my parents, so I was driving my little Volkswagen Jeta with my 17 year old sister Maddie while the rest of my family drove in my mom's mini-van. Maddie and I accidentally took the wrong exit and had to turn around so we ended up about 10-15 miles behind my parents.

Now, if you've never been to Illinois let me explain something before I go further in the story: there is a reason Illinois is called "the Prairie State." It. Is. Flat. The edges tend to be more hilly/have more trees, but central Illinois is one giant, flat corn field, and you can see for miles. Maddie and I were driving across such a stretch when a big gust of wind blew my little car off course. I turned the steering wheel to put the car back squarely in the lane, and the car slipped on an invisible patch of ice on the road, spun way into the right lane, and I lost all control. I have a vague memory of trying to point the wheels toward the ditch, (but to be honest my memory of the whole event is really hazy and I couldn't even remember what caused us to spin out of control for several minutes after everything was done) and stepping hard on the brake, but mostly I just remember praying "oh God help us!" and "omgsh I am living Jesus Take the Wheel." Yes, that is where my mind goes. LOL. My little sister was in the car and I was honestly more scared for her sake than I was for myself.

We spun completely around at least twice but I think it was three times before stopping in the middle of the ditch between the two directions of traffic. I looked at Maddie and honestly couldn't believe we were both completely unharmed. The airbags didn't even go off.

Maddie called my parents who came back, checked out the car and walked be through getting it back on the road. We pulled off at the next exit where my dad took a better look at the car, and decided that roads were too bad to even attempt going back to my grandmother's house, so we drove five miles north to a hotel in Bloomington, IL, where I'm currently sitting, writing this.

All-in-all the most terrifying day of my life.

On a happier note this dress is what I wore to the Christmas party but on a different day. It didn't look like much on the hanger, but I love how it looks on, and the color is so pretty. A very fitting Christmas dress, I think. ♥

♫ Post title // Right This Second by Deadmou5 ♫

Lace and Leather // What I Wore

{jeans//target via Maddie :: lace blouse//Maurice's :: sweatshirt//Aerie :: necklace//Old Navy :: boots//Sorel :: jacket//TopShop :: watch//Franchesca's Collections :: lipstick//Urban Decay in Anarchy}

This outfit is comprised of all my favorite things - comfy black ankle boots, my new favorite jeans, and a comfy sweatshirt. I also really loved my makeup today - it was inspired by the Beauty Department

For some reason I've been feeling really burnt out lately. I haven't been doing much - I've even been working pretty mild hours at work considering it's the holiday season, but I still feel like I just need a break. I'm hoping this weekend will help. Tonight I'm heading down to Springfield for my dad's family's Christmas party, but my cousin, Molly, and I will be spending all of tomorrow in St. Louis. I love St. Louis and I'm really hoping that spending the whole weekend with friends and family will be the break I need. Wish me luck, you all! <3

Florals + Polka-dots // What I Wore

{dress//F21 :: sweatshirt//Plato's Closet :: jacket//TopShop :: flats//Me Too :: beaded necklace//local botique :: gold necklace//vintage :: purse//Emma Fox via TJ Maxx :: lipstick//tinted lip balm by Cailyn in "Big Apple"}

You guys/gals, I have a confession to make: when I first got this sweatshirt I may or may not have worn it 2-3 times a week for the first month. *sheepish grin* But seriously - it goes with everything! I think pairing it with this polka-dot dress was one of my favorite outfits, though. And I love the double necklace detail. <3

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like my style has changed so much over the summer. Then again, I think I've changed a ton this summer, so I suppose it only makes sense...

For the first time, I actually feel like I've grown up - like I'm not the same fourteen year old girl I was five years ago. When I think about turning twenty in seventeen days it feel right. Like, I don't feel like "I can't believe I'm going to be twenty!" I feel twenty. How weird is that??