COCO BONGO CLUB

Hypothetical New Years Eve Outfit

2011-12-31T09:08:00.000-08:00

So, I'm not really doing anything special for New Year's Eve. But if I were, maybe I would wear this:

1. All About Meow Coat from Modcloth, $61.99 2. TFNC Sequin Dress with Long Sleeves from Asos, $99.99

And maybe I would wear that with these accessories:

3. Cartier Love Bracelet Gold 4. Pump It Up Platform Court Shoe from Asos, $99.99 5. Slot Through Portfolio Clutch from Asos, $36.36 6. Crescent Collar from Gina Tricot

This is all hypothetically speaking, because in reality, I'll probably be wearing my leopard print flannel pajamas while cuddling on the couch with my boyfriend and my dog.

What are your plans for New Years?

Link Round-Up: Christmas Edition

2011-12-29T07:38:00.001-08:00

How was everyone's Christmas? Mine was pretty awesome. I got some of the things I asked for and a lot of surprises. Sadly, my presents are spread out all over the state, so I don't think you'll be getting a gift post any time soon! So, how about we do another link round-up, this time with a few Christmas themed-posts?

The Vogue Diaries: My favorite looks from the Vogue Diaries here, here, here, and here. Also, is this real life? Emma Roberts with a clutch that defies everything I've ever known...

The Fancy Teacup: I love this look, especially the pine green blouse mixed with the burgundy shoes.

Vixen Vintage: Solanah went on an amazing Christmas-themed trip to Disneyland.

Sea of Shoes: Jane has some awesome hair inspiration here and here.

The Cherry Blossom Girl: I mean, come on, you know I love any 60's inspired look.

Child of the Moon: An amazing collection of photos of one of the most beautiful women of all time, Grace Kelly.

The Wild Fleur: I love this collection of cold weather inspiration.

Ghosts and Garters: How cute is this idea?

Late Afternoon: Another inspiration post, but this one is more colorful and springy.

Style Scrapbook: I think Andy picked up all the good pieces from the Versace for H&M collections, and this is my absolute favorite!

Strutt: I really want these shoes!

Have an awesome weekend! What are your plans for New Years?

All I Want For Christmas...

2011-12-23T08:44:00.000-08:00

...Is the job that I interviewed for last week. I haven't heard back yet and it's driving me crazy! If you guys knew what this job was you'd be like, "Girl, that job is perfect for you!" And I would say, "I know, right?" And if I don't get it, then I will be in a very awkward position, mooching off of my parents, with increasing pressure to take an hourly job somewhere.

That's not happening.

Anyhow, a few weeks ago, my mom and my boyfriend's mom asked me for Christmas lists, so here's a few things that I asked for this year:

From left to right: Chanel: Collections and Creations by Danielle Bott, Ava: My Story by Ava Gardner, Black glitter wedges from Aldo, Lulu in Hollywood by Louise Brooks

Juicy Couture parrot charm, Red Moleskine weekly planner, Viva La Juicy perfume, Red bow flats from Modcloth

Gold shamrock pin (as seen on Kate Middleton, style icon), Swamplandia by Karen Russell, Green purse from Modcloth, a turntable

A rose gold watch, Too Faced eyeshadow palette, The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides, an iPhone

I don't expect to get all these things, and I actually do think the most important part of Christmas is spending time with your family. Food is the second most important part, obviously.

What's on your Christmas list?

What I Did This Weekend

2011-12-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

This lovely weekend, my dad's side of the family celebrated Christmas at my aunt's house. We ate, exchanged presents, drank, and played games. It was a lot of fun (I think). The next day I woke up and apparently I'm cooking dinner for my grandma on Wednesday? I think she took advantage of my drunkenness.

My mom, my sister, and I. Mother Nature was festive and gave us a lovely sprinkling of snow, specifically for the background of pictures.

I think this picture is a pretty fair representation of my behavior.

Almost the whole family. But do you see that orb, near the top of the tree? IT'S GRANDPA! Proof that ghosts exist.

On Sunday, Eric and I went to see The Nutcracker at the Ohio Theater. I should have taken pictures! It was amazing. Afterwards, we went to a restaurant called Barrio and ate paella, which is one of my favorite things and I never get to have it. Here's some pictures of the Ohio Theater.

Just watch out if you go there though, because the parking garage next door is literally the scariest thing in existence. Each floor is about as big as my apartment and it goes up eight stories, so the ramps are super-steep. On the upper levels, there's pretty much nothing stopping you from driving your car off the side, eighty feet into the park below. Fun!

What did you do this weekend? Anything fun?

Link Round-Up

2011-12-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

Well, would you look at that? I've actually been posting fairly regularly. This is because, now that I know longer have to worry about school nonsense, I've added a "Blog" category to my Todoist account. What is Todoist, you say? Um, it's your new obsession. I love making lists of things I need to do, and Todoist is the best website I've found for keeping track of this stuff. It has a ton of options for organizing your lists, so you can be as OCD about it as you want to be.

They're not paying me to say this. It is out of the kindness of my own heart, because I want to help you to be more productive. Especially if you're someone like me, who needs to be reminded EVERY SINGLE DAY to do the dishes.

I have a lot of links today since I've been saving them for a while. Deal with it.

Atlantic-Pacific: I just started following Bee's blog about a week ago and I'm so glad I did. Her style is fabulous as demonstrated here and here.

This Time Tomorrow: Another girl I just started following, whose style I also admire. Exhibit A and Exhibit B.

Russet Street Reno: My boyfriend and I have been talking about moving in together. If that does happen, I'm going to need my own Woman Cave, separate from his mess/Xbox. I think this is a good woman cave to aspire to.

The Vogue Diaries: Loving Olivia Wilde's look here and Emma Stone's look here.

Vixen Vintage: Some ideas for presents for my boyfriend (the fashion icon).

The Beauty Department: Beauty resolutions for the New Year. If I had a printer, I would print this out and tape it up in my bathroom to remind myself to wash face every night. Or maybe I should just add it to my Todoist? Oh wait, I did.

Late Afternoon: Another new blog for me. I'm loving all the different texture and colors going on here.

Donatella Says: I used to hang out with this girl in high school. She cracked me up then, and she cracks me up now. Check out her post on 12 ways to spot a crazy girl. I swear, I'm only one or two of those (but I really don't watch TV since I don't have cable - only Netflix!).

Cocorosa: I have some weird issue where I really, really like to look at people's closets. Apparently Cocorosa also enjoys this hobby, and posted 10 fashion blogger closets.

Cupcakes and Cashmere: Look at these home-made infused liquors! Jalapeño tequila? Sign me up!

Monki: I got kind of obsessed the other day with watching these videos. They have inspired me to be more creative/crafty/clean.

Hiya: Kirsteen went to some gorgeous island with no internet apparently populated by 14 adults and two dogs. I'm not sure that I'm jealous of that experience, but the pictures are amazing to look at.

That's pretty much it. Happy Friday everyone! Try to be productive!

I'm Crazy About Tiffany's!

2011-12-14T17:00:00.000-08:00

On top of graduating from college, I have another thing I can check off my bucket list:

A gift from Tiffany's!

My aunt gave me this adorable necklace with a "C" on it for a graduation present. How nice is that?

Graduation Day

2011-12-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody.

Guess what?

I'M DONE WITH COLLEGE BITCHES!!!

So, after 4.25 years in college, I have FINALLY graduated! With two degrees!

Most people would say here "I can't believe it's over...it went by so fast..." blah blah blah. But you know what? It didn't go by that fast. I feel like I've been in college my whole life. I hardly remember what life was like before college. What did I do? Who were my friends? What did I wear? My life is completely different now and I've grown so much from this experience. It was SO WORTH the amount of debt I'm in. And while I had some major fall-outs, made some really stupid mistakes, and threw up more times than I care to remember, it was overall a really fabulous time. I chose majors I loved, I got great work experience, I had a shit ton of fun, and I met some amazing people. I feel like I really made the most of my time here, and I'm looking forward to where life takes me next.

But first, let's look at some pictures from graduation, shall we?

On the way to the ceremony...

Even though it was just Autumn Commencement, there were still 2000 people graduating. It took FOREVER. I wished that I brought a snack.

My mom and dad came to support me and were festively attired in scarlet and gray.

Posing with my boyfriend, the style icon.

After the ceremony, I went to Lindey's in German Village with my family and my boyfriend's family. I really wish I would have taken pictures there, because it's gorgeous inside and my food was TO DIE FOR. I ordered a root vegetable salad (beets!), duck, and for dessert I had a Payday martini. I am telling you, if you have the money to go to this place, YOU SIMPLY MUST.

Afterwards I went to the bar that was formerly McFadden's. I don't remember what it's called now, but Sunday night was their last night open before closing for remodeling. Thus, the drinks were cheap. Really cheap. Like, they were mostly free. Irish car bombs for all! I took some pictures and videos there, but none that anyone would ever want posted on the internet.

Do you have any advice for this new grad? Please share in the comments!

Who Do You Know?

2011-12-06T17:56:00.001-08:00

My sister just sent this to me and I love it. You should listen to it to.

December Inspiration

2011-12-05T09:22:00.000-08:00

Source: Atlantic-Pacific

Source: NATIVE FOX

Source: La Vita Mia

Source: Scarletlily

Source: Cherry Blossom Girl

Source: Lace and Leather

Source: weheartit

Source: Beautiful Vintage

If I get this job that I'm excited about, I might not be able to wear black to work anymore.

I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't think I feel good though.

Where I Have Been

2011-12-04T15:57:00.001-08:00

I'm not going to make apologies for my almost four month hiatus because I don't believe in nonsense like that. I am, however, going to give you an update on my life.

1) I graduate in one week

2) I have a third and final interview with a very awesome clothing company next week

3) I may have finally gained control over my hair

4) Santa is coming!

It's all happening!

I'm really looking forward to blogging more now that school is over. It's so annoying to come home from a hard day at work, and instead of relaxing or enjoying a hobby, you have to slave over homework all evening. I'm so glad that's all over now! I am also looking forward to having moneys to spend on new possessions. My closet is seriously in need of some help. I have clothes in there from sophomore year of high school and I am lacking in many staples. Luckily this potential job would come with a nice discount for some nice clothes...And I plan to document the whole experience here!

Now it's time for a pictorial representation of my experiences in the past four months.

I went to the beach...and what I wouldn't do to go back there right now!

Eric and I went to the zoo and made friends with lots of animals.

The goats were particularly interested in Eric.

We went to a club? It was fun?

My cousin came to visit and we had a lovely time.

I was Easy A for Halloween, although you can't really tell since my boobs obstructed the lovely scarlet letter I had sewn on my corset.

I stormed the field.

And actually made it to a game or two.

Eric and I went to Notre Dame and had the GREATEST SEATS EVER! Except I guess for the people in the two rows in front of us. We even got to take a picture on the field during halftime!

Eric and I also visited my old hometown of Monroe, Michigan.

My sister and I wearing on Thanksgiving, wearing masks of our faces that our cousin drew for us. I think they're pretty realistic depictions, don't you?

I don't know why this picture is so grainy, but this is my dog, Gibson! Doesn't he have the saddest baby seal eyes?

So, that's pretty much it. I might post a picture of my interview outfit and you can let me know how competent and responsible I look. Cheers all!

They Call Me Frenchie

2011-08-15T18:25:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm back from vacation, but now I'm in the process of moving. I have to be out of this apartment by Saturday at midnight. Most of my belongings are going to my boyfriend's basement for a month while I stay with relatives so I can continue working in the city. Why not just stay with my boyfriend, you ask? Have you ever seen Animal House?

Anyhow, while at the beach, I rediscovered the magic of French braids. I used to wear them all the time when I was a kid. and then I remembered this book. Was anyone else obsessed with this when they were a kid?

In this re-vamp of 90's styles we are experiences, I am really wishing that I still had this book. Also, long healthy hair.

I have a feeling that The Beauty Department has a copy...

Socks and Heels: It's What You Want

2011-07-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

I really, really want a Mulberry Alexa bag. In my opinion, it is the most perfect-looking bag ever made so far (by a human).

I mean, look at that thing. Light of my life, fire of my loins, right? Unfortunately I don't have $1,150 (plus tax) and I'm coming to terms with the fact that I will probably never have this kind of money to spare. And if I ever did, I probably wouldn't want this bag anymore because I'd be old and it wouldn't be cool anymore.

But there are some things about Mulberry that I can make happen for myself. Check out these looks from the Mulberry Resort 2012 line:

Source: Fashionologie

I'm loving these monochromatic socks and heels combination. Ladies, we can do this! Check my suggestions below for a more poverty-friendly version of the look (in every color of the rainbow, because why should we limit ourselves to fuschia and black?):

Socks: American Apparel, $10; Shoes: Aldo, $90

Shoes: Asos, $155.15; Socks: American Apparel, $10

Socks: American Apparel, $10; Shoes: Asos, $86.20

Shoes: Aldo, $90; Socks: American Apparel, $10

Socks: American Apparel, $10; Shoes: Topshop, $110

Shoes: Steve Madden, $84.96; Socks: American Apparel, $8

Socks: American Apparel, $10, Shoes: Asos, $77.58

Now, go out and conquer!

In personal news, I am going to the beach soon! If anyone would like to do a guest post situation, please let me know. Really, even if you're not a blogger. Like one of those people who read this thing from Facebook...

What I Did This Weekend: Ate Too Much Delicious Food

2011-07-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

Oh, the food! Today I bought a gym membership, which should give you an indication of how out of control the food was this weekend. In a good way. But I'm going to the beach in two weeks and I need to get things under control!

So on Wednesday, Eric's dad and brother came into town and we went to the legendary Thurman's. I had the Jaeger burger...look at that thing! It was so good. I have yet to master food photography, but you get the idea.

Thurman's was featured on The Travel Channel, which is pretty much all I watch on TV.

The interior was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. No wonder it's so difficult to get a table! This was the third time I'd gone there but the first time I'd actually got to eat. Usually the wait is too long and I just wander away somewhere else.

I guess you could say that the restaurant is Columbus sports and beer themed. Note the deer in a Crew jersey and the Budweiser-plastered ceiling.

On Thursday I went out with my friend Zoe and got wasted. Look at my eyes. This was literally the best picture. My God.

On Friday I went to dinner with my dad at Brazenhead and had a delicious Rueben, but I forgot to take a picture. Bummer.

On Saturday I went to the Reds game with Eric's family. As is their tradition, we went to Hofbrauhaus and got wasted and ate sausages.

I had the Hofbrauhaus Dunkel...it was so good that I drank two liters!

And still managed to be sober enough to take a picture on the way to the ballpark.

Is this the first baseball park you've ever seen on a fashion blog? Just wondering. I feel like it's not a topic that's usually covered.

Now I'm so ridiculously bloated, but that's okay. I have my workout guru Zuzana to guide me. I love doing these workouts from BodyRockTv. They are SO CHALLENGING but also fun. I've sort of done them on and off for six months, but even with minimal effort I can tell that I'm a lot stronger than I used to be. I'm also beginning their eating plan. We'll see how that goes. Obviously I'm not going to Thurman's again anytime soon.

How was your weekend?

This Week's Outfis and Link Round-Up

2011-07-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

Dress, Sweater, Purse, Sunglasses, Earrings: Forever 21, Shoes: Aldo, Necklace: Juicy Couture

I bought this dress on clearance at Forever 21 for like $4, and I think it was a good find! The fabric features parrots and plants, very Resort 2012. The shoes I refer to as my "sandal alternative" because the basketweave allows my feet to breathe, but they're not as awkward to walk in as flip-flops.

Dress: Express, Blazer: H&M, Shoes: Target, Earrings and Belt: ?

I'm in love with the fabric on this dress, even though I'm not crazy about the cut (ruffles on D cups? I think not!).

Shirt, Necklace, Brace: Forever 21, Bag: Express, Jeans and Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Look at these goddamn BDG pants. I feel like maybe I should retract my previous positive review of these babies because they really don't age well. Look at that stretched out shit! But in their defense, they are my only pair of jeans and I wear them all the time.

These shoes are really, really comfortable. I'm attempting to embrace heels more. I broke my toe a few weeks ago and have found flats to be extremely uncomfortable. However, heels don't hurt my toe for reasons that are unknown to me.

I'm very happy of myself because I have actually been keeping up with my blog reading!

Speaking of being happy of yourself:

How great is this? I think it's Autotune the News's greatest accomplishment (musically) to date. I can't stop listening to it. I think maybe I just want to listen to the Jackson 5.

Let's just get to the links now.

1. Liebemarlene Vintage posted this Vivietta Spring/Summer campaign that I'm kind of obsessed with

2. I love The Blonde Salad rocking her mom's old clothes

3. Foxtail and Fern has some great tips for thrifting

4. I love this Mulberry Fall 2011 campaign that Le Blog de Sushi posted

5. I want to go to this vintage bus that Sea of Shoes posted

6. I think I could be persuaded to become a smoker if all cigarettes came in pink like the ones that Alice in Wardrobe Wonderland posted about (bonus points for my lady-crush Julianne Moore in 60's garb)

7. I wish I had longer hair and could try this tipping tutorial from The Beauty Department

8. The World Tour (an incredible travel blog) is has a giveaway for their followers - you can win an amazing looking rum cake! I want to eat it real bad.

9. I love this post featuring Making Magique's house, especially her kitchen! To die for

10. I love this make up look from Into the Gloss

Doing anything fun this weekend? I'm taking it easy tonight since I went hard last night, but tomorrow I'm going to a Reds game. I'm very excited! I also can't wait to see the last Harry Potter movie, but DON'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS! JK, I read the book.

Harrison Ford: A Birthday Tribute

2011-07-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to go ahead and toss this out there. Harrison Ford is the hottest man that has every walked the face of this earth (that I know about). I don't care what you say, it's true, and in addition I believe he was my first crush ever. Like, when I was an infant and saw Raiders of the Lost Ark. Today is his 69th birthday. Look, Harry, I know you got a lady friend, but I'd still do you. Call me.

I had a different post planned for today, but this seemed a lot more important. Don't you think?

Who's your foxiest male of all time?

What I Did This Weekend: Sat in My Apartment and Watched Movies

2011-07-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I wrote with excitement over the coming attractions of the weekend. But then I just got sick and sat in my apartment. It really wasn't too awful, because a lot of my favorite movies were on TV, including Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Batman Returns, Pineapple Express, Superbad, and Napoleon Dynamite. Sadly, I didn't get to watch any movies in entirety because I kept flipping channels during the commercial and then forgot what I was watching. Sadness.

So, before I got sick, I went to a party at Eric's house on Friday. It was one of those college Animal House-style free-for-alls. It was so hot that I didn't really bother taking pictures because no one wants to be remembered as a hot sweaty mess. Everyone was doing shots, but I just didn't feel like it, and then everyone was positively wasted and I was not. It's a bit of a catch-22 because while I didn't want to be super drunk, it really wasn't that fun not being super drunk. Goddamn college. I can't wait until these house parties are done with. I believe this picture best sums up the night:

On Saturday I was invited to an Under the Sea themed party, but I didn't go because I was sick and fell asleep really early. Besides, snot rags aren't exactly the season's hottest fashion accessory.

On Sunday Eric and I went to a few happy hours since we hadn't hung out that much over the weekend. One of my favorite Sunday happy hours is Ruby Tuesday (not the restaurant), and here's why:

Nobody goes there! It's a little annoying when you walk in to order a drink and the bartender is like "How dare you ask for a beer!" but whatever. You can't beat $2 draft imports and not having to deal with anyone.

I enjoyed a Bell's Oberon...yummy!

Oh God, my hair is SHAMEFUL! Why is this sex god dating me?! I have approximately $23 in my bank account, and that is definitely not enough for a hair cut AND food. I'd also like to dye my hair, but the only shade I have at home is a darker red. What's the point if it's just going to fade in 3 days? I've also been air-drying a lot so I can grow it out and have it cut like Kate Middleton, but now I'm not sure that that will even look good on me. What do you think?

Hopefully you had a more exciting weekend than I did...

On the Fringe and Link Round-Up

2011-07-08T05:43:00.000-07:00

Have you been on this Fashiolista website yet? I seem to fall prey to these types of websites. Anyhow, it's a great way to find items that inspire you and keep track of them, as well as communicate with others. Who, if you're like me, are people you follow on Bloglovin anyhow.

Lately I've been "loving" everything with a fringe. Fringe leather jacket? Love it. Fringe leather purse? Love it. Fringe moccasin boots? Love it, may possibly buy it come fall. But my absolute favorite fringe items are not Western-themed. Instead, they feel like something Ann-Margret would wear in Viva Las Vegas. I call it Show Girl Chic.

I think this only further proves that I am slowly morphing into Dolly Parton. And would that be such a bad thing?

You can check out more of my picks on Fashiolista here.

I'm trying to improve this blog, and one of the ways that I am attempting to do this is my creating some weekly features. On Fridays I plan to feature a link round-up to highlight my favorite blog posts from the week. I read A LOT of blogs and have a hard time keeping up with my Bloglovin feed, but I will try my darndest to keep up so you can get the best of what I've read this week. This week will feature two weeks of blog loving (ha!) since that's how long I've been saving them up in Stickies.

1. I've Got a Lust for Life wore this FABULOUS dress to prom that her sister designed. How jealous are you?

2. Child of the Moon ran this awesome birthday tribute to Paul McCartney (my obsession) and posted a lot of inspiration pics of 1960's Saint-Tropez

3. The Hairpin's spot-on description of what it's like for awkward women to go to the gym

4. Sea of Shoes posted a lot of pictures of vintage It girls, including Jane Birkin and Jerry Hall and movies with great style

5. Vixen Vintage melted a bunch of lipsticks together and it turned out awesome, like pretty much everything else she does

6. Have you seen The Cherry Blossom Girl's pictures from Kenya? They are completely amazing, and are really making me wish that I had a VCR so I could watch my copy of The Lion King! This is just one set, but there's many more...

7. Child of the Moon also posted a really interesting account of 1940's fashions with lots of examples

8. Young Shields shared a Claudia Schiffer-heavy post of 90's Chanel campaigns

9. Take-out in Couture provides an amazing neon mood board

10. I'm obsessed with this outfit from Fashionvibe

11. WOULD YOU LOOK AT THIS BUNNY?! Making Magique may in fact be the luckiest girl alive (other than the Duchess of Cambridge)

That about wraps it up. This weekend I have two major parties and I'm relatively excited, although for some reason I've been feeling more like staying in and reading. I guess I'll just have to suck it up, put on some fake tanner, and go outside.

What are your plans for this weekend?

Inspiration Wednesday: Red, White & Blue Edition

2011-07-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all. Sort of missed the obligatory "Happy 4th of July!" post. Can I make it up to you? Here's some inspiration picks brought to you by the colors red, white, and blue.

Source

For more inspiration pictures any time of day, check out my tumblr.

I just made this recipe for Chicken Piccata and it was DELICIOUS. I probably weigh like 5 pounds more now, but that's the price we must pay for the sinfulness that is butter. I had a pretty good weekend. On Friday I went to our city's fireworks show called 'Red White and Boom' and let me tell you, it was very exciting to see my taxpayer dollars blow up in my face. Actually, it was pretty awesome and we had a great place to watch it. On Saturday, Eric and I headed back to my hometown and went to a BBQ with my mom's side of the family. On Sunday some family friends came over, including one friend who is also a magician! I'm not totally sure, but I think watching someone eat fire might be more exciting than fireworks. Basically, there was a lot of good food and good times. And sadly, no pictures.

What did you do for the fourth?

I Like It: Prada Spring 1992

2011-06-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

Good things came out of the spring of '92. Namely, my sister and this collection from Prada.

Source: styleregistry

I don't understand how a campaign can be simultaneously future-retro, retro-retro, and also somehow current. This pretty much rocks though, and is helping put the white trend (which I've seen everywhere) into a context I can actually understand.

I Call Her Red

2011-06-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

You know that part in Clueless where Cher is picking out an outfit, and has her friends take Polaroids of her because she doesn't "trust mirrors"? Remember?

Now I see why that's a good idea. I should always take my picture before leaving the house! I thought this would look good because it would allow my food baby some room to breathe. Alas, it looks like I'm actually pregnant. I guess I'm going to have to face facts and cool it on the beer and fourth meals!

This weekend was relatively fun. Thursday night I hit up some happy hours in the Gateway. On Friday, Eric and I lamented our lives drinking at an empty bar that was playing Deathcab (why would they play that a bar? Do they want their customers to kill themselves?). On Saturday we went swimming at our friend's apartment complex, then headed to Comfest to meet some friends. Being out in the sun and drinking beer all day made me so tired that I had to go to bed at like 10 on Saturday night. On Sunday I was fully committed to doing nothing, and it worked out perfectly because as soon as I woke up, Titanic was just starting on TV! There is really nothing that makes me cry like that movie, and I love it. Then last night, Eric came over and I cooked him some cheeseburgers and corn on the cob. That's about it. Summer is so boring, isn't it? I'm already looking forward to going back to school and I'm almost sad that I only have one quarter left! Then what will I do with my life???

PS: If you have Netflix and you aren't watching My So-Called Life then you are really missing out! You're missing all kinds of key pop culture references, such as the title of this post. Get a clue!

Summer Wishlist

2011-06-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

Happy summer! To kick this lovely season off, I thought I'd present you all with some things I wish I was going to be buying this summer. Of course, I probably won't buy any, but a girl can dream right? The good news is I'm beginning to see the light at the end of my poorness tunnel...Some day in the not too distant future I might be employed with a salary. Imagine!

Nautical Nonsense by CooCooforCoco featuring a buckle satchel

Sheer dress, $48 Parallels Skirt - Francesca's Collections, $34 Ivory pumps, $114 Buckle satchel, $65

Nautical is eternally chic. I would have worn these things five years ago, and I'm sure I would wear them five years from now. I don't think the same thing can be said about, say, buffalo check.

Emerald City by CooCooforCoco featuring cut out wedges

Ruffle cocktail dress, $90 Leaf skirt, $35 Keen Footwear cut out wedge, $40 Chic Pencil Skirt - Green Skirt - Tiered Skirt - Ruched Skirt - $40.00, $40

Hello, gorgeous green. As a ginger, I can never have enough of this color in my closet! I really wish I had some place to wear the Ruffle cocktail dress from Modcloth so I could buy it!

Clubbing American Style by CooCooforCoco featuring a striped skirt

Lazy Oaf striped skirt Jeffrey Campbell sequin shorts, $45 Illamasqua Nail Polish, $23 Advanced Search Result at LuLus.com, $122 Shop | STYLESOFIA.COM, $30

This is my "going out" wishlist, complete with sparkles and Americana! Seriously, I would kill for that skirt. How awesome is that thing? Mom, are you reading this? I have a half birthday coming up, you know.

What's on your wish list for the summer?

What Would Kate Middleton Do?

2011-06-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

You know what? College is hard. Classes, stressful social situations, hangovers, etc...all these things tend to get the best of me. When I am feeling violently nauseous with worry, I just think to myself:

What would Kate Middleton do?

Kate (ahem, the Duchess of Cambridge) would remain poised and not let drama get to her. And so, I will too.

This summer I'm only taking one class and working part time, so I should actually have some time for some side projects. Here are my goals for this summer:

1. Drink less (less than three times a week)

2. Hike more (once a week, at least)

3. Stop eating at so many restaurants and actually cook something (once a week, at least)

4. Exercise more (four times a week, at least)

5. Read more (one book a week, at least)

6. Wear sunscreen! (everyday!)

7. Clean more

8. Keep in touch with friends

9. Explore my city...and that doesn't just mean try a different bar

10. Launch my jort-making Etsy business

11. Work on my writing

12. Blog!

What do you think of these goals? Hopefully this keeps my head out of drama and in productive/healthy mode. It's what Kate would do!

Selling My Life Away

2011-05-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, I'm selling some of my stuff. I have a variety of expenses coming up this summer, and I don't have a whole lot of money. Also, since all of my things are going to be moved out of my apartment and into storage unit for a month (yay homelessness!), I should probably get rid of the things I don't really need/want anymore. My room mate has been having a lot of success selling her things on Ebay, so I'm giving it a shot.

First up, we have this lovely dress from Asos. I wore it to my friend's wedding last year, and while it's really a cute dress, it's just not that cute on me. The bidding starts at $5 on Ebay, you can check it out here. It's a size 8 and has some signs of wear, but it shouldn't be noticeable when you have it on.

I'm also selling a size 6 pair of Doc Martens. I bought these because I think they're really cool, not realizing that they would look pretty terrible on me. Woe is me. They're in perfect condition, I wore them precisely once. Bidding starts at $50, check them out here.

That's about it, I hope these things find a good home! I am also selling a ton of books on Half.com, you can check out my items here.

How To Be Chic on a Rainy Day

2011-05-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Here in Ohio, we have had the rainiest spring ever. I am literally losing my mind. The good news for you is that I have pretty much mastered how to be chic when it rains because I have had no other choice for such a long time.

First, you have to build up your rainy day accessories. Every self-respecting girl needs a nice pair of rain boots. If you live in a climate where it rains more than a few days a year, do NOT buy rain boots at Target. I used to have rain boots from Target, and after a few wears, the rubber ripped, allowing water to pour in all over my feet. Gross. However, if you live in a place where there's not a lot of rain, you could probably get away with it, and they're DEAD CHEAP. Check it.

Like snow boots and vacuum cleaners, rain boots are something you probably shouldn't skimp on if you have reason to wear them. So, like, spend some money. You get what you pay for. These are supposed to last forever, so no cute patterns. Some classic colors might be okay, but will you really want hot pink rainboots when you're 35?

Probably not.

Here's some of my picks (click on the picture to go to the shop):

Hunter Original Gloss in Black, $125

Tretorn Kelly Rubber Rain Boot in Black, $55.25

Sperry Top-Sider Pelican Boot in Green Embossed Croc, $60

Kate Space Randi in Black Rubber, $125

Hunter Arolla in Black, $150

You also need an umbrella. There are basically two options here: the big umbrella and the little umbrella.

The little/collapsible umbrella

Pros: Small, can fit into your purse

Cons: You can't put it in your purse when it's wet and it's really easy to leave it somewhere. I've lost my small umbrella in the couch at my boyfriend's house like three times. The small umbrella will also take the opportunity to lose itself at bars, in bathrooms, under the seat of your car, and on city buses.

Conclusion: Buy two

The big umbrella

Pros: You can use it as a cane and it's hard to lose because it's so big. Also, it looks awesome.

Cons: Sometimes it's annoying to carry, especially when you're weighed down with a huge purse. Also, it can get annoying at a bar.

Hold up. A cane, you say? Let me show you all the cool things you can do with a cane:

Conclusion: Go for it if you can rock it.

Now, I am a big fan of matching your umbrella to your boots. I think it looks pulled together, and a black umbrella is always classic.

See what I mean?

When it rains, the humidity is also high, which can be detrimental to whatever you have going on with your face and hair. A little trick I use to keep the frizzies down is to spray some hairspray onto a bristle brush and run that through my hair after straightening. Alternatively, I recommend keeping a tiny hairbrush in your purse. There is no end to the amounts of times I'm so happy I have that thing. As for the face, a compact will keep humidity-induced shine to a minimum. I just ordered Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder in Invisible Matte from Sephora, and it works awesomely.

A lot of people will give you some big life lesson about why trench coats are a must-have and blah blah blah. Frankly, my friends, I would feel like a total hypocrite telling you to buy a trench coat or a rain coat, because I have neither. I figure if you have an umbrella, why worry? I do sometimes wear my faux leather coat, as its made out of PVC and is waterproof :)

How about you? How do you dress for a rainy day?

What I Did This Weekend

2011-05-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, my friends. What a weekend. Where to begin?

On Thursday I had intended to stay in and do homework, but you know how that always goes. We ended up having a cookout on my boyfriend's porch, listening to classic rock and drinking beer. And we saw someone get taken away on a stretcher (across the street).

I wish I had one of those boyfriends who happen to be professional photographers, but alas, that is not the case. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

On Friday I went to Dayglow. I know I was sort of bitching about it in my last post, but it was actually great fun! Being in the mind set for partying made all the difference. We hopped a bus downtown where my friend won a happy hour at Park Street Saloon. I've never really been to the bars on Park Street even though my friends always go there. I don't know why I waited so long! There were cheap drinks and dueling pianos. What's not to love?

We caught a cab to the venue of Dayglow and I was shocked at how big the place was. It was GINORMOUS!

See? Maybe you can't see because I took that picture with my cell phone. I didn't want to risk ruining ANOTHER camera so I didn't bring mine. I'm sure it wouldn't have been that bad. I kept my phone in a sandwich bag to keep it safe from the paint. And I had no problem fitting my belongings in my pockets. Turns out men's pants have HUGE pockets. Who knew? So Eric and I danced the night away and got super, super sweaty. I don't know that much about techno, but I guess it wasn't "hard core" or whatever. The crowd was mostly college students, and we actually ran into people we knew there. I found a really sweet Yankees hat on the ground and got it all kinds of fucked up:

Yeah, we got pretty dirty. I think we may have messed the cab up a little on the way home, but the driver should have known what he was getting into when he pulled up at that place! The night was completed by watching American Pickers (our favorite) in Eric's room and passing out.

Oh yeah, we saw someone get taken away on a stretcher.

Saturday we slept in super late and the hit up Hangover Easy for breakfast/lunch/my only meal of the day. I like going there, but it kind of bums me out since I'm allergic to eggs now and I hate being confronted with so many delicious egg dishes. There aren't that many breakfast items I can eat now, but I got the breakfast skillet (minus the eggs) and a mimosa. Later, Z and I went out for half-price Fraps at Starbucks.

So THEN we got ready for the Americana-themed Woodfest 2011, a block party right off of campus on Woodruff.

Things started normal enough...but once we got there it was crazy! There were house parties all down the street. One house had a DJ and disco lights on the porch so you could dance in the front yard. There was free beer and American flags everywhere, and nobody cared when it started raining.

Obviously I didn't care about the rain either.

I made this video of people singing "Hang On Sloopy." I know the quality is terrible, but please keep in mind that I was sort of in a riot! At this point it was not a riot, but within an hour we were all mased and had to clear out for other house party adventures.

I think this picture better describes the mayhem, and also captures my favorite outfit of the night: a cut-off Hooters Racing shirt and jorts. America at its finest...

And we saw someone get taken away on a stretcher. Are you seeing a theme here?

Well anyhow, in all this excitement, I got a bit of a cold/cough and I feel like getting mased really didn't help that at all. Thanks a lot police. Now I can't go to work today. I'm so glad that I pay taxes so that the government can poison my lungs with pepper spray.

Sorry, that got really radical there. Well, how was your weekend?

New Jorts and Link Round-Up

2011-05-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

In case you're not aware, jorts are the shit.

All images from dirtylittlestylewhoree

I believe the point may be to dress as much like Kelly Bundy as possible.

And is that, like, a bad thing?

So anyhow, I'm going to this thing tonight called Dayglow where apparently there is techno and people squirt paint all over you. I didn't really want to wear any of my shorts that I paid normal amounts of money for, so I headed over to my local Goodwill, picked up a pair of men's jeans, and cut away. Here was the result:

You like? I also painted my nails to match the alleged colors of said paint:

It's going to be...interesting. I'm not really sure how I feel about having paint thrown on me. I'll get back to you on that one.

Here's some blog articles that I was really into this week. Maybe you'll like them too? You never know unless you try!

1. The Little Black List had this post on Stars and Stripes Litas...so jealous!
2. Mod Fox writes about the different between mods and rockers...although I was disappointed that she chose to exclude mockers :(
3. Bobby Pin Blog has a really cool old Maybelline ad...I love that eye make up!
4. The Cherry Blossom Girl took a visit to Trianon, which are little castles surrounding Versailles. Could I be any more jealous of her?
5. [jessica]january has a really cool graphic of Ginnifer Goodwin at the Met Gala...I'm kind of obsessed with that color

Have a great weekend! I'm sure we'll talk again soon.

Hot Pink Lip Stain and Other Presents

2011-05-10T15:36:00.000-07:00

Holler holler! My Sephora gift to myself just came in the mail. After the trauma of two extremely difficult take-home midterms, I decided that some presents were in order. Pictured above is Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Forever Fuchsia. Love it! It's kind of a weird texture because it's lip stain, but I figure I'll just put gloss over it and it will look fabulous. I purchased to emulate my sexiness role model, Megan Fox.

Actually, now that I'm looking at this picture, the color I got isn't the right color at all. Where do you find hot pink lipstick? Clearly not Sephora. The search continues...

I also bought Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder because I seriously cannot deal with how shiny my skin gets in the summer. In addition, I purchased an eyebrow brush so I can emulate my eyebrow role model, Kate Middleton.

Excuse me, I mean the Duchess of Cambridge. Regardless, her eyebrows are royally awesome.

Then I bought the Fabulous in Fiji Travel Palette because it was on sale.

So I put on the lip stain and decided to have a little photo shoot with myself, and I remembered how every picture I took in high school looked like this:

No, but really.

It was my signature look.

Now my face always looks like this because I'm so traumatized by adulthood.

New Hair

2011-05-09T05:20:00.000-07:00

Ew, winter hair. I accidentally dyed my hair super-dark "red" right before St. Patrick's Day, and the above was the product of six weeks without dyeing in hopes of fading the darkness a bit.

Well, that's all over with! Last week I lightened up a bit and even added highlights.

You like? It's much more summery and closer to my wishlist haircolor for spring: Michelle from US Skins. I'm obviously not a professional hair colorist, but I think it turned about pretty well, if I do say so myself.

Don't I kind of look like Sea of Shoes in this picture?

Also, I have been experimenting with curling my hair using only a flat iron. Have you heard of this? It's amazing. Maybe I will film a tutorial if I ever master the skill myself.

I hope all is well with my lovely readers, and be on the look-out for my next how-to post, which will deal with looking good even when the weather is rainy. And for my more northern readers, check out my posts on how to look good in the winter:

How to Be Chic in Winter: The Coat

How to Be Chic in Winter: Boots That Are Cute

Hopefully I won't need those skills for a long, long time...

Follow me on Twitter, Bloglovin' and LastFM

I'm High-Fiving a Million Angels!

2011-05-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

OMFG! I just finished all my stupid take-home midterms. I've written like 20 pages in the past two days and I sort of feel like getting drunk. I just might, but first I should probably shower off the sweat and toil of the past two days. Yuckzors!

Anyhow, I may just have a little time to blog now, so you can look forward to that!

Oh wait, I have a huge paper and two take-home finals to look forward to in the near future. Fuck that.

I'M ALMOST DONE WITH COLLEGE!!!

In December.

Why the hell am I writing a blog after writing all that shit? BYEZ!

The Red Shoes

2011-04-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for the 1948 movie The Red Shoes, you should check out my other blog (Girls on Film), where I did a post on it here.

That movie is cool, but pretty much the only reason I watched it is because I've always loved red shoes. I'm sure my love began with The Wizard of Oz, a movie I watched about 900 times when I was a child (yes, I was babysat by the VCR).

Black shoes are great, and brown shoes are neat. Hell, I sometimes even rock a pair of yellow shoes. But red shoes are totally ballin.

Anyhow, I had totally forgotten about my secret desire to cloak my feet in red, until I found these boat shoes from Express:

I'm completely obsessed with these shoes. I've considered buying another pair for when the ones I have worn out.

Alternatively, I could just buy more red shoes. And you know what? You should too. Here's some of my picks (click on the picture for a link to the website):

Get them while they're hot! Oh wait, they always will be because red never goes out of style.

Happy Belated Easter!

2011-04-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

Do you like my new name/layout? I made it just for you! Happy belated Easter!

I'm not really very religious, but Jesus Christ Superstar was on television yesterday, and since my mom LOVES that movie, we had to watch it. It's bizarre hippie take on the passion story, but the music is really good. I also dig the anachronisms in it, like tanks coming over a hill and chasing Judas.

Yeah, like I said, it's bizarre.

Anyhow, this was my favorite part:

I suppose that means I'm a total heathen. Oh well!

I'd love to write a longer post and actually include something about fashion, but I'm just so busy right now! I'm about to hit up the kitchen and eat some baguette, then get back to studying the history of anthropological theory.

Yes, this is what my life has become.

I Must Move

2011-04-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

This blog has officially become about The Zombies. Not really, but I'm obsessed with this song and can't stop listening to it:

Now, wasn't that an amazing experience?

According to last.fm, I've listened to The Zombies like 6 times more than any other band in the past few months. And that doesn't even include the times I've listened to them in the car...

Let's have a 60's beach party!

2011-04-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

I'm having a 60's beach dance party and you're all invited!

Just look like this:

And I'll wear this:

And we'll listen to this:

Oh wait, shit. I forgot that I don't live by a beach. I guess we'll have to settle for the Oval Beach.

I'm baaack

2011-04-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hello, I'm an attention whore. Let's just get that out there. I've been missing blogging because getting those little comments as I go through my slavish existence really helps me to deal. But you see, the whole fashion blogosphere kind of drives me crazy. I feel like we're all trying to be a little bit too nice and well, that makes for some boring reading material.

No offense.

Ha ha!

Anyhow, this blog is going through a painful and messy rebirth. Namely, I changed the title at the top to "TASTE" and that's about it. I'm also going to write more about other shit than just fashion. It shall be a blog on "taste." Yes, taste. Taste in music. Taste in movies. Taste in fashion. Taste in men. Taste in whatever the hell I've decided that I've developed good taste in.

Can you believe no one has taken that blog title? I found one but it was from like 2002 so...you snooze you lose.

That's all for tonight. I should be reading Dubliners for class, but I think I would rather do about anything else. Including cleaning the vomit off of the balcony. But I'll settle for going on Tumblr.

Which reminds me, have you seen Fuck Yeah Hipster Ariel? Memes really do it for me, I hate hipsters, and I love The Little Mermaid. So, duh, I just went through the whole blog.

Some faves:

And on that note, I bid you adieu.

Two Things

2011-04-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

1. This blog is not dead. It's on hiatus until some stuff happens. Like, inspiration or time, mainly. You can still visit me on Tumblr, which I some how manage to update fairly regularly. Posting pictures just takes so much less effort than writing cohesive articles.

2. I'm thinking of changing the name for this blog. Call me stupid, but I realized that "Cuckoo" is not spelled "Coocoo." It's rather ironic that I am an English major and I made this mistake, but what can you do? Change it I guess. But to what? Hmmm...

Bad Blogger

2011-02-22T05:46:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know. I'm a bad blogger. I don't keep up well with the blogs I follow, I don't update, and I don't remember to comment back on all the nice/funny comments I get. I will be better, I swear! I've been very busy with schoolwork. I'm in a science-fiction/fantasy class that requires me to read a book every week, and I'm also in a creative writing class where I have to write two short stories this quarter! I have my second due on Thursday, and I promise that after that I will have more time to dedicate to you, my lovely followers.

So here's a picture of my favorite bad girl, Effy from Skins, to make up for it (I hope).

Zombie Attack!

2011-02-16T19:45:00.000-08:00

My friends and family gave me some pretty awesome presents for my birthday, but I gave myself one that I want to share. Namely, I discovered this amazing band, The Zombies, and I'm really wondering how I never heard of them before. I'm all about the 60's, but I'm often really irritated about the terrible quality of recordings from that era. Like, don't even get me started on Jimi Hendrix. Such a tragedy. Anyhow, The Zombies are both wonderfully produced and brilliant songwriters. They sound kind of like The Beatles, but not in a sad and desperate way. I heard that Chester French was inspired by The Zombies' album "Odessey and Oracle," so I was like, what's that? And thanks to the wonders of Hype Machine, I can't stop listening! You'll like it if you like The Beatles or if you realize how amazing The Beach Boys are. Also, there's a good chance you'll like them if you just like modern indie music. I'm developing a theory that The Zombies are time-travelers, because they don't sound "old."

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

You like? I never find any music to listen to on my own, so I was totally excited about this.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

In honor of this incredibly ancient and spiritual holiday (just joking), here's a collection of pinks and reds and hotties.


Source: Paris in Pink

Source: le blog de sushi

Source: prettymajorpop

omgthatdress

Young and shirtless John Travolta


Source: Making Magique

Source: Alice in Wardrobe Wonderland

JORDAN CATALANO!

And tomorrow is my birthday. Holler holler!

Spring is Coming!

2011-02-02T08:22:00.000-08:00

Did y'all hear? Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow, so spring is supposed to come early this year! I mean, if a groundhog says it to be true, I'll definitely believe it.

Everything in my neighborhood is currently covered with a thick layer of ice...including my car. And of course my ice scraper is frozen inside. The half mile to campus is almost impossible. You have to walk in the road because the sidewalks are completely ice. As my friend Z wrote on Facebook: "no cars on the roads, folks staggering down the street instead of using the sidewalk...it's like The Walking Dead out there." TRULY. I heard a girl broke her arm on the Oval. I just want to thank the two kind people from my class who helped me to get home without breaking a limb.

So, obviously I'm not going outside today. But I did buy this bathing suit:

So I guess I have that to look forward to?

I'm also really excited about this editorial from Vogue Turkey. I'm a terribly selective person, and most things don't impress me. But I really like this shoot because it has the nautical/70's/girly feel that I'm going for this spring.

I just love that picture.

Now you must excuse me. I have to get back to my busy day of doing nothing.

Earmuffs: Yay or Nay?

2011-01-26T16:22:00.000-08:00

Is this an awesome alternative to hats, or completely ridiculous? You be the judge.

I Die: Gucci Pre-Fall 2011

2011-01-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

I am so happy right now. I have had no inspiration lately. I see all these pictures on Tumblr and in blogs and I'm like "eh..." But then I saw Gucci's Pre-fall 2011 collection, and it's actually giving me something to look forward to. It's very 70's-tastic and perhaps a little Carmen Sandiego inspired.

Which is a good thing, in my opinion.

I die.

And I need a hat.

How to Be Chic in Winter: Boots that are Cute

2011-01-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

I keep seeing all these spring inspiration posts popping up everywhere, so I better get this series out of the way before winter is totally over!

If you live anywhere where it snows, you need a snow boot. Now, I know what you're thinking. You don't need snow boots, you can get away with regular boots or tennis shoes or whatever. But I say: Why ruin your other shoes? Water, salt, and dirt are terrible for your shoes, so you might as well invest in one pair of nice snow boots that you can wear forever. You might wear them once a winter, you might wear them everyday for a month. But you never know with winter, and you should always be prepared.

Now, if you have a black coat, as I advised, you should also get black snow boots. I know that everyone likes to express their individuality with colors and patterns, but if you're keeping this boot forever, what are the chances that you will be the same individual in a year? Two years? Ten years? Do you really want to have pink snowboots when you're 27? I think not. Individuality is for colorful scarves and beautiful gloves, not snow boots.

Other than that, it's really up to you. I favor taller boots to keep my legs warm, and I like fur accents.

Oh yeah, and I don't like uggs. For more on why uggs are apparently the root of all evil, see this article by Penny Dreadful Vintage. They are not made to be worn outside, they have no arch support, and most importantly, they're just not that cute.

Sorry, I have offended 85% of the female population of my college. Ladies: get a clue.

I have the Gillian snowboots from Aldo ($100). They are super comfortable, super warm, and super cute. However, I would recommend that you order a size down because they run rather large, even wearing two pairs of socks.

Other chic snowboots (please click the picture for a link to the website):

Sorel Joan of Arctic, found on Endless. com for $129.95

Sorel Cate the Great Snowboot, found on Endless.com for $142.50.

Sorel Sorelli Tall Boot, found on Endless.com for $140.

Cougar Ringo Star Waterproof Boot, found on Endless.com for $179.95.

Sporto Ivy Faux Fur Boot, found on Endless.com for $94.95.

The North Face Alana Lifestyle Insulated Boot, found on Endless.com for $165.

I realize that all these boots are a bit expensive, but snow boots are just one of those things you should spend more money on. Like vacuum cleaners. You really get what you pay for. And if you pick out a boot you really like and can really be proud of, then maybe, just maybe, you'll actually be excited to go out in the snow.

Thank you for your time, and please look forward to my next installment when I talk about all other winterwear accessories!

Skins America

2011-01-18T20:07:00.000-08:00

I just watched the first episode of American Skins, and I'm just going to go ahead and say it. American accents just aren't as cool. I think it's a strange creative choice to choose to basically remake the first episode of British Skins, but I'm still pretty interested to see where the show goes next. Mostly because of this:

Michelle's fabulous hair! I'm pretty sure this is the future of my own 'do.

What do you think? Of Skins or this hair on me or anything else.

And yes, this is really all I could bother blogging. I'm busy melting my mind with sci-fi and tales of prehistoric Indians of North America.

How to Be Chic in Winter: The Coat

2011-01-15T12:54:00.000-08:00

After suffering twenty or so harsh Midwest winters, I think I've finally got the hang of how to be chic during winter. Unfortunately, as I skip across campus in my snowboots, I feel like a lot of people just don't get it. This is unacceptable, in my eyes. I realize that some people might just not care, but if you do, I want to help you. Thus begins my new series "How to be Chic in Winter." It takes some planning and practice, but like riding a bike, you'll never forget.

This first article focuses on the coat. The coat is the centerpiece of your winter wardrobe that all your other pieces will work around. To have a winter wardrobe that truly functions, you need three coats. These three:

1. The black coat

This is your everyday, go-to coat. I understand that some people are more into brown, and I guess that's fine, but black is the best color and here's why: science. Black absorbs sunlight. Thus, you get the maximum amount of warmth from the tiny amount of sunlight that may shine through the grey clouds. Also, black is commonly known as the chicest of colors.

It's important that this coast is AWESOME. It must fit perfectly, be well-constructed, and most importantly, you must LOVE it. You live in this coat. It is your second skin in winter. I think wool is probably the best choice for its material. As Irish and Scottish people have known for many hundreds of years, wool is still warm when it's wet. And it's totally classic.

2. The casual coat

If you've picked your black coat right, you hopefully didn't choose a Northface. I don't have a problem with the Northface brand, but their coats are just too casual to wear every day. You wouldn't want to put on a nice chic outfit and then throw a Northface on over it, would you? The coat does count as a part of your look, after all. I saw this girl walking into a bar yesterday with her hair done, a gold sequin dress, and great heels, but she was wearing a Northface on top of it all. They wouldn't let her into the bar, and I think it was the Northface that did it. Anyhow, what I'm saying is that your everyday coat should be too dressy to wear to the gym. So you need a casual coat, for all your gym/shoveling the driveway/making snowmen needs.

3. The statement coat. It's important to remember that a coat is a part of your outfit. When you walk into a room, your coat is the first thing everyone sees. If you want to make a statement, you need a statement coat. A bright color or a fun pattern with classic tailoring will suffice. Alternatively, fur is fun. Etsy is a great place to find fabulous vintage coats.

And so on and so forth. If you click the pictures, the link will take you directly to the website where the coat is sold. Good luck on all your shopping adventures. Next up: other winter accessories.

What I Did This Weekend

2011-01-12T15:47:00.000-08:00

I realize that as it's Wednesday evening, this post is a little late. You know, blogging takes up a lot of time! And according to a very wise blogger (aka Gem of Gem Fatale), it's more important to read other blogs than to write your own. So, I've been focusing a bit more on getting caught up with my reading. I had like 98 posts on Bloglovin! I'm down to about 20 now. I can't believe how fast that adds up! I'm always finding new blogs that I want to follow and then, obviously, I cannot force myself to unfollow them. It's a tough situation.

I didn't have to go to work today on account of all the snow, so I took the day and did a MASSIVE cleaning in my apartment. I scrubbed floors, vacuumed everything, washed windows, disinfected counters, etc. Our apartment really needed it. There were parts we had never cleaned before, and we've lived here since August! I feel a lot better about life now, but I'm sure it will be messy again in three days.

One reason our apartment was messy was because we had a fabulous birthday party for Carly. She referred to the celebration as the "one year anniversary of turning 21." We had gummy bears soaked in vodka and a variety of other alcoholic treats, all of which led to things getting totally out of control. Do you want to see a few pictures? I know you do!

Obligatory outfit picture: blazer: H&M, leopard print top: H&M, faux leather skirt: Forever 21, party heels: Forever 21

I was really impressed with myself for keeping those heels on most of the night! It was so nice to feel like a normal height for a change...

On the left: I love this photo because it allows me to have a fantasy where I am a 5'11" amazon woman walking on stilts! In reality, my friend here was crouching or sitting or something, I'm not sure. On the right: Z and birthday girl Carly enjoying a laugh.

Me, John Travolta, and Eric. Who is who? I don't know.

Hang on people, I have a really big and important post coming up. Namely, HOW TO LOOK CHIC IN THE WINTER. Yes, it's possible, and I'm going to tell you how...

For Once In My Life

2011-01-12T05:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the lack of updates! I will be back soon, I promise! I've had an awful lot going on with starting school again and my room mate's birthday party. I'm in a class on science fiction and fantasy, and basically have to read a book every week. In addition, I'm in another creative writing class, and I must produce two short stories this quarter. I'm really worried that I used all of my creativity on my last story. What if I can never write again?! I'm also in a class on prehistoric Native Americans of eastern North America (or something like that), and it's really making me want to watch Pocahontas all the time.

To hold you over, because I'm sure you're so sad, might I present you with the most joyful song of all time?

This song basically requires that you learn the words and sing it at the top of your lungs.

Might I add that Stevie Wonder dances better than those back up dancers, and he's BLIND?! What is wrong with those girls? Get a clue!

Maybe they are also blind...

Enjoy the snow. Winter only comes once a year!

Champagne Superwasted

2011-01-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years, everyone!

If the way we bring in the new year sets the tone for the rest of the year....then this year is going to be rough and possibly bloody. I wouldn't exactly call last night "fun," but it was certainly drunk. I ran in the streets banging pots and spoons together, ripped my pantyhose, cut my leg open, fought, yelled, screamed, yada yada yada. Now I can't find my underwear and I'm wearing someone else's pajama pants! Happy 2011 to me!

It's also me and Eric's two year anniversary! I always knew I'd meet my Prince Eric :)

Here's some pictures from last night:


Shirt: Rag-O-Rama, Hose: Target (RIP), Shoes, Bracelet, Shorts: Forever 21

Can you believe it was this nice on New Years Eve in Ohio?

To whomever used this fire extinguisher: NOT COOL.


Roomies!

Alright, I'm going to clean out this cut before it gets infected and take another nap. I can't wait to see what else 2011 will bring...

New Years Resolutions...Both Old and New

2010-12-30T16:14:00.000-08:00

While in the process of being bored to death while at home, I read through my old blog entries a bit and found a list of New Years resolutions I made for 2010. It seems to be the norm that everybody forgets about their resolutions after a while, and we make the same resolutions every year. However, looking over mine, I think I had some big successes in 2010.

These were last year's resolutions:

1. Listen to something other than The Beatles. A series of events caused this to go quite well. First, my Geo started dying. Second, my dad bought me a new car, equipped with a CD player that mystically does not play burned CDs and does not have a tape deck. Thus, I can only listen real CDs in my car. IMAGINE. So I started actually buying albums, and my boyfriend let me borrow his (since he has an ipod in his car...bastard). Now I listen to Animal Collective, The Black Keys, Gorillaz, Vampire Weekend, Queen, MIA, Sleigh Bells, Eagles, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, etc. But let's be honest, I still put in The Beatles every now and then. I will never lose affection.

2. Be more positive. Maybe I just stopped being depressed or something, but this definitely happened for me. Now I can't stand to listen to people bitch about shit (sorry, that's bitching). I'm always trying to look on the bright side, probably because I am actually living on the bright side now.

3. Employ good hygiene before bed. Well, I still usually can't be bothered to wash my face after a night of drinking, but overall, I've gotten better with this because I've noticed how much better I feel in the morning if I wash my face and brush my teeth. No more second day mascara!

4. Spend less time on the internet. Well...you win some, you lose some.

GREAT SUCCESS! Now let's move on to some resolutions for this year...

1. Tone and tighten. I have been swimming once in the past two years. I am never in a bathing suit, so why would I have any motivation to actually care what I look like in one? Well, this year my family is allegedly going to the beach. I want to be stronger and fitter than in summers past. And this resolution will also help me with my second...

2. Take more outfit photos. I probably need a tripod before I can really get going on this, but how can I call myself a fashion blogger if no one ever knows what I wear? I'd like to get more involved in Chictopia, but I feel like I don't "get it."

3. Eat less processed foods. Now that I have my fancy knives, I really want to start cooking again! I need to stop eating Lean Cuisines and canned soup all the time. It's just not healthy. Imagine all the chemicals! I've always really enjoyed cooking, and I want to get back into that hobby.

4. Build a better wardrobe. Lately I've been shopping more, and I feel that I've been buying some really interesting pieces. I want to continue on in this fashion, employing my new knowledge from Janie Bryant's The Fashion File. People, pick this book up! It's awesome!

5. Be a better blogger. I'm not really sure how to do this, but I want to reach more people through blogging and build relationships with fashion- and vintage-minded people all over the world.

6. Write in my diary more. This seems to have gone by the wayside in favor of blogging, but I've been keeping a diary since 1997 and I really need to keep on in that tradition.

7. Be more clean and organized. Enough said.

8. GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE!!!! I am predicting that I will be done in December of 2011, so I can get one last football season in!

And no, I don't want to talk about that whole suspension thing. UGH.

So...I hope these work out. I mean, they will. See, I do think positively.

What are your resolutions?

New Years Outfit

2010-12-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

Yay, new followers! I got a few new followers right after I began using my new camera. And that, I believe, is no coincidence.

I'm really looking forward to New Years Eve this year. This is the first time I'll actually be on campus, going to parties and having a good time. Usually I prefer something more quiet, though not necessarily less drunk. But since I'm going out, I need a sparkly and fabulous outfit. Here are my thoughts:

This fabulous ass sparkly top, for reasons that are obvious.

Then I might like to try some leather shorts. However, it is the holidays, and I'm not at my thinnest. So if these don't work out, I might go with something a little bit more modest...

You know, like these. Then I plan on wearing some sheer black tights. It's going to be rather warm on New Years Eve (a low of 40 degrees...which is warm in December around these parts!), so I think I can get away with the shorts and tights combination. I definitely am not going without tights because I am pale as a ghost. My paleness is REMARKABLE.

Isn't that girl's knee cap freaky? What the hell?

Then I can wear these shoes:

These seem like appropriate party shoes. I think I might be able to do a wedge while drinking, but there's no way I can negotiate regular heels. One time I tried. I really wiped out in my boyfriend's living room...or so I was told :)

With such a sparkly shirt, I think I should relegate all jewelry to the hand area. I don't need any more sparkle up top. I'm thinking that something along these lines will do:

And then I will wear this coat, which I already have. Sorry it's not a better picture, but I don't have it with me at my parents' and it's sold out on the website.

So what do y'all think? What are you wearing for New Years Eve, the most sparklicious night of the year?

Christmas Fun

2010-12-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas was tons of fun! My family and I always open our presents on Christmas morning. My dad made us sweet rolls which we ate with coffee before tearing into our presents. I got lots of really cool things that I'm very excited about.

1. 2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
7. 8.
9. 10.
11. 12.
13. 14.

1. Mad Men Christmas! I got Mad Men Season 3, The Illustrated World of Mad Men, and The Fashion File by Mad Men's costume designer Janie Bryant

2. Inside The Fashion File. I really recommend this book, it's fantastic!

3. A jewelry box that I made my mom buy for me two days before Christmas

4. A Juicy Couture charm from my sister and a gold pen necklace from my parents

5. Detail on my parrot Juicy Couture charm

6. Detail on the gold pen necklace

7. Viva La Juicy gift set

8. Detail on Viva La Juicy

9. My sister got me a Bruce Jenner action figure! What a find! It's so cool

10. Detail on Bruce Jenner action figure

11. My sister also got me leopard print flannel pajamas and a very pretty pink sweater

12. Detail on the crystal buttons of the sweater

13. I don't know how excited other people would be about this, but my parents bought me new knives and a cutting board! We don't have either at my apartment. Thus, I've been eating a lot of Lean Cuisines and canned soup instead of home-cooked meals. I can't wait to actually cook again!

14. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris. I love him!

15. (not pictured) I got a goddamn camera!!!!! Couldn't you tell? It's Nikon, and I think it's pretty nice, even though I haven't read all of the user's manual yet.

After we opened our gifts, we ate bagels with cream cheese, onion, tomato, and smoked salmon while watching DVDs of our home movies. They were very embarrassing...and it was really strange to see our poor dead doggies and all these people I was friends with in high school and haven't really thought about since. Last night I had some freaky ass high school dreams, no doubt influenced by those videos. After lunch, we showered and headed over to my grandma's house to hang out with my mom's side of the family.

Other pictures of the day:

Seconds before Gibby almost ripped Morgan's face off.

PEACE OUT! This is my Christmas outfit (Velvet 90's mini dress: Rag-o-Rama, red tights: Forever 21, green heels: Charlotte Ruesse - lost to my closet for many many years!, reindeer necklace: Forever 21, charm bracelet: Juicy Couture). I was pleased to see that the other little girls at the Christmas part were also wearing velvet.

An awesome Elvis blanket that I got for Morgan!

This is almost too festive.


At Grandma's, drinking moonshine.

Anyhow, it was a really fun time! Dare I say, the best Christmas ever? Now I'm just wearing my pajamas all day while I do laundry and watch 27 Dresses. Yay winter break!

Bonjour, Pere Noel! (Anna Karina Christmas Make-Up)

2010-12-24T07:59:00.000-08:00

I tried out some Anna Karina-inspired Christmas make-up yesterday.

Except I swapped the sky blue eyeshadow for bright green and the pink lipstick for a corally red (duh, that's what makes it Christmas-y).

Then my doggy came downstairs and wanted in on the photo action.

He proceeded to follow me around the house for three hours. He is very strange.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas. I CAN'T WAIT TO OPEN UP ALL THESE PRESENTS!!!!!!

Red & Green

2010-12-23T08:16:00.000-08:00

Folks, it's the only time of year when red and green are an appropriate sartorial choice in America, and I hope that you are taking advantage of that to the fullest! Although red and green are actually look really cool together, the general public just doesn't "get it." They will ask you, "Why are you wearing Christmas colors?" or "Did Christmas come early this year?"

Well, I am here to say WHATEVER. IT LOOKS COOL WHETHER IT'S CHRISTMASTIME OR NOT. Check it:

Perhaps it's not a color combination that you should wear, so much as it is a color combination that makes for interesting photographs. Well, okay. You win this one, America.

Today is the eve of Christmas Eve! Hopefully I get a camera for Christmas so I can update you people more on my life and less on what's going on in my Tumblr. Merry Christmas, everyone!

This is pretty much just for my sister, who swears that Hanson's Snowed In is the best Christmas CD. I have to agree, I wish we could find it!

Amethyst Dreams

2010-12-15T19:28:00.000-08:00

February is probably the best month to have a birthday because

1) it gives you something to look forward to in the winter

2) it makes you sort of special (even though it seems like everyone i know has a February birthday)

3) you could possibly be an Aquarius

4) your birthstone is amethyst!!!!

Oh my god, how I love the amethyst. It's so pretty and purple and totally classic. Plus, they are not that expensive and you can get a beautiful stone for a relatively cheap price.

Suck on that, April. You and your blood diamonds.

Anyhow, I've really been loving my reindeer necklace. I've been loving it so much, that the gold tone is coming off of it. And do you know what Forever 21 keeps under their gold tone? Nickel. And that, my friends, is something I am very allergic to. So, basically, I will have to stop wearing my reindeer necklace after Christmas for medical reasons as well as holiday reasons. Damn.

But I love the length of the necklace. It hits me at about the belly button, which I find is very slimming and makes even boring outfits look fun and modern. This thing needs a replacement, and I found the perfect piece:

This new love is from Urban Outfitters, and if Santa doesn't bring it to me, I'll probably have to buy it myself. But that's okay, because it's only $29! I love the raw amethyst on a long chain, and it's pretty cool because none of the necklaces are exactly the same.

And that's definitely more than Forever 21 can say.

The Cherry Blossom Girl has one and she has some pretty pictures of it:

WANT!

Oh Santa, please? I've been sort of good this year. I mean, it's not like I killed anyone.

PS: If you have a Tumblr, have you ever looked at your archives? It's crazy! It's like seeing the inside of your brain or something. Look at mine: http://coocooforcoco.tumblr.com/archive

There's so much lace and glitter in that, it could be a kindergartner's Valentine.

Disposables: Fall Quarter

2010-12-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

Finals are done, and from now until the new year it's all about Christmas beer, buying gifts, and reading lots of books! It's a beautiful day today, so I really want to go down to the Short North and walk around for a while. We'll see if my boyfriend ever wakes up...

As I've written many times before, I lost my camera right before school started at my friends' wedding. It's a tragedy! In lieu of a real camera, I've been capturing my fall quarter memories on a disposable camera that my boyfriend had from freshman year. Check it:

Football game fun.

Eric with the girl from Sleigh Bells.

Halloween (obviously, why else would I wear this?)

My new party shirt!

I was really impressed by this clawfoot tub and wanted to get inside.

Wow, don't disposable camera take AWESOME pictures?!

If Santa doesn't bring me a goddamn camera for Christmas, I'm going to kill him.

Little Buddy

2010-12-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

I'm supposed to be studying for my final on the Ancient Maya...but sometimes I have a hard time concentrating.

So look at this little friend I picked up at Forever 21. He's a little gold reindeer with diamond antlers on a big long chain. I'm pretty much in love.

Okay, back to studying/tumblr.

The Ultimate: Anna Karina

2010-12-02T06:05:00.000-08:00

I'll be posting more screen caps in my other blog soon, but I just couldn't wait to share these pictures of my ultimate glamour icon with you. I love Anna Karina!

For me, she is the perfect combination of early 60's, eyeliner, and France.

Isn't she adorable?

If It Ain't Baroque, Don't Fix It

2010-11-29T11:07:00.000-08:00

I feel a little silly whenever I write about something from the runway, because I feel really out of my element. Yes, I know a great number of terms for clothing (cowl-neck sweater, anyone?) and basically everything about the Beatles, but I know very little about what goes on at runway shows. So, bear (bare?) with me.

What does that phrase even mean?

Anyhow, look at this!

Um, Roberto Cavalli, did we just become best friends? Yep!

The F/W 2010 collection is filled with all the things that I've been dreaming about lately (other than zombies):

fur

brocade

leopard print

and a general Baroque/rockstar feel

It's a little Prince and a little Russian snow princess, and I totally love it!

And yes, let's drool over this look one more time:

I see what you're doing, Cavalli, and I LOVE it!

I have like six different searches with the term "brocade" and "fur" on Ebay right now. Hopefully I'll find something wonderful soon so I can get my fix. Until then, I will continue to mourn over this jacket from Bardot in Blue that I really wanted and didn't buy:


Source: Bardot in Blue

WHYYYYY?

Also, a little update on my BDG jeans situation: I wore my jeans during Thanksgiving dinner and never needed to unbutton them. They are really that stretchy! Way to go, best friend/pants!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

It's time for my second favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! This year, it's just the five of us: my parents, my sister, me, and our dog Gibby. I have lots of things to be thankful for.

My wonderful family.

My fun friends.

My eternally entertaining boyfriend.

My health and happiness.

The Beatles.

And all my clothes!!!!

Now I'm just gonna kick back, drink some Great Lakes Christmas Ale, watch Freaks and Geeks, and pretend I don't have a shit ton of homework due on Monday.

One Pant to Rule Them All

2010-11-21T13:37:00.000-08:00

Jeans are just the worst. Maybe I would have never gotten into fashion if I could just pull off the jeans and t-shirt combination that everyone seems to be so into. But alas, I look terrible in plain t-shirts, and I can NEVER find pants that fit me. I try on jeans all the time, and it's always crap. It's because I have a lot of specific needs:

1. no low rise, mid rise preferred

2. short inseam (28" or 29")

3. no stiff fabrics

4. no whiskering, tears, holes, embellishments, or other weird shit

5. skinny

See, I don't think that's a lot to ask for, but apparently it is! Luckily, while at a sale at Urban Outfitters the other day, I tried on some jeans and found a perfect match!

Fabulous, right? I know they make the model's butt look huge, but trust me, it just makes my butt look normal-sized. They were so perfect, I had no qualms about forking over $54. In fact, I was happy to pay them! And they're so soft! It's like wearing pajamas. It has been soooo much easier to dress myself since I made this investment. However, I am trying to lose weight, so these may not fit me for long. But now I know EXACTLY where to go when I change sizes. Isn't it sad that the perfect pair of jeans was just down the street all along?

New Blog

2010-11-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

I'm starting a new blog! It's focusing on my love of costumes and fashion in film. Whenever I watch movies, I get really excited about costume design. In fact, my second most dreamy career is being a costume designer! Anyhow, so far, it's called Girls on Film. Do you like that name? I'm not sure about it. Z told me to call it "Screencap in your ass," but that's not really what I'm going for. Check it:

GIRLS ON FILM

Pic is unrelated.

Holy Shit

2010-11-17T18:50:00.000-08:00

Oh my God you guys. Guess what.

MY FILES WERE NOT ALL LOST!

I got my computer back yesterday. After paying a rather high price, I took my little laptop home and started to look through my recovered files (okay, I stopped at Taco Bell first, whatever). And there were all my files! All my old pictures, the stories I wrote when I was 10, all my papers from college, the drunk videos of my friends, all were there! Huzzah!

To commemorate this special occasion, I'd like to share some of my favorite pictures that I thought were lost forever. Let's all appreciate them together.


Lake Erie

Yeah, one time I met Ron Jeremy. And he put his arm around me. NBD.

I love this picture! I'm pretty sure that I took it the night of me and Eric's first kiss. It's this stuff that I would have been the most upset about losing!

Brian Wilson costume: always easy, always classic

Looking forward to this particular hell again.

I'm pretty small...sometimes I worry that the tininess of my hands will freak people out.

Saw Gordon Gee at a party...he's sort of a local celebrity where I come from.

This is typical Eric. Look how oblivious his room mate was...

After our faces went back to normal...following the poison ivy disaster. I would have posted pictures from that but I don't think that Eric would want his nasty, swollen face all over the internet. Trust me, he was irrecognizeable.

"Smizing"

WOW. Thank God, right? I wonder what all of this means...

Sorry this post was so picture heavy. I mean, I'm sure you don't care, but it was definitely fun to go back and look at my life in pictures for the last three years. Really makes me wish that I had a camera now because I've missed almost a whole quarter of excitement and adventures...

I Need to Buy Stuff

2010-11-12T10:07:00.000-08:00

This is the large post I've been promising for some time now. Maybe I should have broken it into pieces, but oh well. I'm all caught up on Bloglovin (for once in my life!) so I wanted to throw something out into the blogosphere. Plus, this thing has become and obsession/the bane of my existence and I need to stop working on it.

Anyhow...

For the past three years, money has been pretty hard for me to come by. I mean, that's normal. I've been in college for the past three years, after all. Unfortunately, all of my high school crap is REALLY starting to wear out. I finally had to break down and throw out my two pairs of boots from Charlotte Russe because cardboard and crap was falling out of the back of them. Let me tell you, that made me feel classy. Anyhow, I'm on a quest to replace a lot of things, and also add more frivolous things to my collection. Here's some of my picks.

First of all, my shoe situation is kind of whack. As with most of my wardrobe, I feel like I have a lot of weird stuff, but my staples are either non-existent, or have been beat into submission.

BOOTS

HEELS: I never wear them, but I really want to start. Unfortunately, even though I work in an office, it's pretty casual. I guess that's not really unfortunate because I can wear jeans and tennis shoes if I feel like it. But I think I could pull off kitten heels at the office, and I love the blue velvet shoes for holiday parties!

FLATS

My friend Z and I are constantly lamenting our lack of shirts. We go to Forever 21, plan on buying shirts and pants, and end up with three dresses each. I'm afraid that's just not going to cut it. I need more casual shirts for school, dressy shirts for work, and slutty shirts for going out.

WORK

SCHOOL

HO TIME: I could also wear these shirts under a really cute black H&M blazer I just bought for work time.

In addition, can you have to many sweaters when you're living in Ohio? I think not. I have tons of cardigans, including three black cardigans. So I think I'm set there. I'd really like more sweaters that I can wear alone and not have to bother finding a cami to wear under it. Actually, camis are another big problem area for me...

My least favorite category for clothing is things that go on my bottom. However, I really need to force myself to buy some new jeans. I would really like some mid-rise or high-waist jeans, because I'm really sick of my ass falling out of my pants. And we must remember that in the winter, exposed butt means cold butt! It's just really difficult for me to find jeans because I'm pretty short (29" inseam).

I have gone as far as I can go with short coats. I need longer coats! Short coats look stupid with dresses and they leave your butt out in the cold! I'd really like some longer, early 60's-inspired tweed coats. Also, I'm into fur these days (but who isn't?).

With my new coat, I think I'll also need to winter accessories. I spend a lot of time outside in the winter hiking to class every day, so I need to keep warm!

I'm currently on a quest to lose weight, and once I've lost a bit more, I think I'll be open to body con dresses. They look hot for going out, and I want to look good for my boyfriend. Especially since his birthday is coming up and we're FINALLY going to be able to go to bars together! Thus, I need more "bar wear."

Note: I went to a bar a few days ago and remembered that everyone at my school dresses like crap, and I probably shouldn't draw unnecessary attention to myself by wearing a sequin dress. But just look at it! Isn't it adorable?

I want more leopard things! My inner sex kitty wants to be draped in leopard print 24/7.

I also want more red things! Specifically, this red thing. Is this not to die for?

I'm obviously going to need things to wear under all of these clothes. And if I'm going to look so cute during the day, shouldn't I just go ahead and look cute at night as well?

Plus, you know, whatever else...

If you actually got to the end of that post, then I must give you my TERRIBLE NEWS! My hard drive on my MacBook crashed yesterday! On Wednesday night I fell asleep watching The Swan Princess, and when I woke up the next morning, my computer was horribly mangled! It would only show a folder with a question mark when I turned it on. Luckily, I live close to an Apple store. So I popped over there, and they couldn't even fix it! They sent me to another place, the ICU of the Apple store I guess, and they are going to install a new hard drive because mine is totally fucked. And the worst part is, I may lose all my files because I'm a horrible idiot who doesn't make any back-ups! I devastated. All my pictures, especially the ones with my boyfriend! Our entire relationship was documented on that hard drive, and now it's all gone. I'm really sad. Plus, there's tons of papers on there. Any paper I've written in college, basically. I was also (sometimes) working on a novel, which has been lost. They are going to run some kind of file recovery, but it may take up to 3 months and there's not guarantee how much I'll get back. UGH. People: BACK UP YOUR SHIT!

Wedding Dresses

2010-11-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

I'm not trying to jump the gun here, but some day, I want to get married. I've been watching a lot of Say Yes To the Dress, and I'm thinking that I need to get a better idea of what kind of dress I would like. Because I really have no idea.

First, I'd like to say no to ballgowns.

At 5'2", a curvy 5'2" at that, I'd probably look more like a hobbit than a beautiful bride in a ballgown.

I would, however, like to say yes to sheaths.

Like, correct me if I'm mistaken, but for someone short, this has to be the most lengthening type of dress, correct? My self-perception is that my body looks like Snooki's, so you'd put her in something like this, right?

As if she's ever going to get married. Hahahaha

But I am going to give a hells yes to sequins.

In conclusion my perfect dress has this bodice (except in white):

And a chiffon bottom that just sort of hangs there:

I hope my boyfriend doesn't wake up and realize what I'm doing!

PS: This is not that super long post that I was promising! It's coming, believe that.

Irony and Music

2010-11-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

I just noticed that I missed my blog anniversary! I started my blog on November 1, 2009. Oh well. Thanks to anyone who's read my ramblings for the past year!

I also have realized why Pandora and Last.fm are almost completely unable to recommend anything relevant to me. They don't recognize irony! Come on, do they seriously think I listen to the Spice Girls seriously? Apparently so, because they have recommended almost all of their solo recordings. I don't want to listen to that shit! And unfortunately, about half my music taste is ironic.

The last time I made a CD, this was the playlist.

I thought I was really clever when I was making it, but then I listened to it in the car with someone, and I was really embarrassed.

I have a really big shopping list post coming up, so get excited!

Hello Dolly

2010-10-26T05:24:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to report that I am going as Dolly Parton for Halloween! I just need some cowgirl boots and I'll be good to go. It's such a good idea, even Dolly is doing it:

Barry

2010-10-18T05:40:00.000-07:00


Source: The Lantern

So...didn't get a whole lot done homework-wise last night, because I was too busy seeing the President. It was sweet. Also, I didn't take this picture because the only time I actually got to see him over the 35,000 or so was when my boyfriend lifted me up. But no big deal.

Gee, maybe I'll make a serious update to this blog some time. But it wouldn't really matter because I don't think anyone reads it!

P.S. last night I had a dream that a woman who looked just like Natalie Wood was asking me who Natalie Wood was. WTF is wrong in my head?

Megan Fox Isn't Hot Anymore

2010-10-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid that I am going to have to renounce my Megan Fox girl crush. Why would she do this to her face? It's so sad. I like my girls natural. And anyhow, I'm more into the curvy look these days.

You just got judged, girlfriend.

Speaking of Joan Holloway/Harris, I've started my Christmas list. This is my first wish:

Autumn Inspiration

2010-10-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

Source: It's All Happening

Source: Guns, Babes and Lemonade

Source: Alice in Wardrobe Wonderland

Source: Feather

Source: Alice in Wardrobe Wonderland

Source: Lace & Tea

Source: Alice in Wardrobe Wonderland

Right now I like:

Red

Gold

Olive

Brown

Joan Holloway/Harris

Reading

Naps

Sweaters

Red nailpolish

Red lipstick

Classy purses

Classic style

I don't like:

Jeans

Disposables: Wedding and Other Shenanigans

2010-10-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

FINALLY, we have our cable situation sorted out. I can't even tell you how ridiculous our cable and internet situation has been at the Fox Den for the past month. Anyhow, I'm pleased to announce that I am now able to connect to a reliable internet source, and thus will be able to continue on with my blogging life.

As mentioned before, I lost my digital camera about a month ago, so I've pretty much been relying on a disposable camera for all my memory-capturing needs. And no, I do not just throw away disposable cameras after I use them, as described in last night's episode of The Office. Instead, I chose to have the photos developed. Which, in retrospect, may have actually been a mistake. It cost THIRTEEN DOLLARS. Plus the eight dollars to buy the camera. I mean, is that bullshit or what? I should just save my money and buy myself a nice camera instead of wasting my time with these low-quality, yet kitschy, photos.

But I bet you'd like to see them anyhow, wouldn't you?

Most of these photos are from Grace and Jon's wedding, but a few are just from whatever and a 90's party. Seeing my long hair in these pictures, I don't miss it at all.

What, was this wedding in 1997?

My sister, my mom, and me. I wonder if anyone else was in this picture? I guess we'll never know...

We learned this dance from Clueless.

Obviously, we were about to hit up a 90's party. Do you think we wear beaded chokers and berets and jorts just every day?


HOW 90'S IS THIS?! HAHAHAHAHAHA! I mean, like Myrtle Beach spring break 1998.

I hope you liked this post because I had a complete nightmare with the html and I have no idea why.

New Haircut!

2010-09-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

I finally got a haircut! If you've been keeping up with my blog, you may have noticed that I haven't had a haircut since...um...March. My friend Tori had an interview at a salon, and she used me as a model to demonstrate her obviously awesome skills. She even colored my hair! I color mine by myself, but I'd never had it done by a professional before.

I wanted my hair to look like Nicole Richie's, and now it does! Except redder. I also like Nicole Richie's hair choices and try to replicate them. We must have the same shaped face or something. (BUT WHO EVER REALLY KNOWS WHAT SHAPE THEIR FACE IS??? I hate that lie magazines tell us)

Well, I've got to head back out to my classes now. Smell ya later.

Back to School!

2010-09-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

I'm FINALLY going to start school on Wednesday. I have been looking forward to this for a long, long time. It's amazing that by the time I start, some people will have already been in for a month. Those lucky souls. And you know what's even better than getting back into the classroom and learning about ancient Mayans and British literature? Getting my student loans! Hello, Forever 21!

My room mates and I have been reading more magazines lately, and the Young Hollywood spread from Teen Vogue really caught my eye. Now, I would not have actually purchased this particular issue as Justin Bieber was on the cover. I'm not a pedophile! He's gross. But anyhow, it was sent to my friend's apartment and she didn't want it, and I can't turn down a free magazine.

This spread is very late 60's/70's, which you know I love. I'm also completely obsessed with this first look and I am making a vow to incorporate leopard back into my wardrobe.

Source: The Fashion Spot

Looks like I'm going to be needing more sweaters.

I'm getting my internet fixed on Tuesday so I may actually become a reliable blogger again!

Tragedy

2010-09-10T05:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from my adventures of late:

I know it may seem like all I ever do is go to baseball games...and it's true

I just noticed that creeper behind me.

An extreme game of Scrabble where Eric and I each earned 250 points (and he played "Jiggers")

Carly's portrait of me.

Pin curl explosion!

I found this at the Poland library. I always knew that place was racist...

Did you like those? GOOD BECAUSE THAT'S ALL YOU GET. These photos were taken with my phone, so I hope the quality is okay. I was experimenting with two apps, FX Camera and Retro Camera for some of them. But anyhow, I lost my goddamn purse at my friend's wedding with a bunch of shit in it INCLUDING MY CAMERA! I mean, I know I didn't have a nice camera, but it was still loads better than using my phone. I suppose this is good incentive to actually save up and get something nice, so that I may one day rival The Cherry Blossom Girl in both glamour and photography skills.

Ya, like that's ever gonna happen. Anyone want to make donations?

Also, one of my English teachers has emailed me to tell me I should already be working on a short story for my "Intro to Writing Fiction" class. Okay, if I sign up for INTRO, don't you think that means I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING?! I admit it. I don't know anything about creating characters and writing short stories. So, I'm going to have to devote some of my precious free time to that, and sadly not to blogging :(

Unless you want to read what I'm writing, which I doubt you do. Yesterday I tried to write about a fun night Carly and I had together, and it turned into Carly's character yelling at my character about how she needed to keep on writing and not go back and read what she had already written.

So basically I'm screwed.

I'll upload shitty cell phone pictures of my apartment after I clean it.

Wood for Natalie Wood

2010-09-04T05:38:00.000-07:00

Things are going so well for me lately! I've moved into a lovely new apartment with two of my best friends in the whole universe (Carly and Suzanne), and my financial situation seems to have finally turned around! Thus, I was able to get Netflix back, and let me tell you, it was missed.

So, on Thursday night, I stayed in and watched Sex and the Single Girl, a 1964 romantic comedy loosely based on the book, starring Natalie Wood and Tony Curtis. The movie itself was cute, but I wasn't too concerned with the plot because I was staring at all the WONDERFUL COSTUMES AND SETS! I capped some of the costumes and sets for all you wonderful viewers to see the elegant yet youthful magic of Natalie Wood's black and white wardrobe.

But first, I need to tell you about my new girl crush on Natalie Wood. My mom told me to watch Sex and the Single Girl, knowing my love of early 60's fashion, but also because she loves Natalie Wood, and I think that she wanted me to understand that love. And now I do.

Isn't she adorable? You have to see her in action to get the full picture, but I look forward to renting more of her movies.

So, here's all you need to know about the gorgeous early 60's fashion in Sex and the Single Girl:

How do you think I'd look with this haircut?

I was also inspired by this movie to begin wearing more rings.

Lauren Bacall looking fantastic in black sequins.

I need these chairs, right now.

That guy was married to Audrey Hepburn, btdubs.

So now, wasn't that just fabulous? And the best part is that I believe I could replicate that look with items from Forever 21. Where, by the way, I shopped yesterday and bought some fantastic things. And I also bought some incredible lipstick at Sephora. Maybe I'll do one of those haul videos, but I'm not really sure if I'm ready to make my foray into Youtube.

I have a lot of wedding festivities this weekend, and I look forward to taking a lot of pictures and posting them here!

PS: Now that I've learned how to take screencaps of movies, what do you think about changing the format of my blog to focus on fashion in movies? I mean, that's sort of what I do anyhow. But it would just be more official. Yes? No? Maybe so? Think about it, I've got to go hop in the shower and get ready for my big day.

PPS: It's not MY wedding I'm talking about, it's my friends Grace and Jon's.

I'm Sinkin' Down Here Darling in Youngstown

2010-08-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

I decided to go home this weekend since it's my sister's last weekend before college (OMFG!) and also because I have a lot going on for the next million weekends, so I should see my parents and my dog while I should.

Um, HELLO?! Look at this face! Why would I not go home?

Also I wanted to score some Belleria sauce! I used Ragu the other day on some eggplant parmesan I was slaving over, and it SUCKED. I must remember: the sauce makes the dish.

So I drove up on Friday after work and my car promptly BARFED all over the driveway. My parents took the car in and it wasn't fixed until last night at like 8...and thus, I was stuck in Youngstown. However, this situation isn't rare. TONS of people get stuck in Youngstown. But I guess tons of people also escape, as demonstrated by this chart:

BAM! When have you ever seen some statistics like this in a lowly fashion blog? I think I just crossed into a whole other realm of blogging.

But seriously, 51.3% of the population has left? I feel sort of bad that I'm contributing to this. I love Youngstown, the way someone might feel an affinity towards their shitty worn-in shoes which, while they are comfortable, because they're broken down, you just can't wear them for very long.

Once I saw Bruce Springsteen in concert (FO FREE! Thanks OSU!), and when he played this song, I was one of the three people that screamed.

Bruce acts like it's so bad, but it's really not because the food is awesome.

Anyhow, I'm still leaving today.

Elixir of the Gods

2010-08-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

Four Loko is the greatest thing when you want to have a party for cheap. It's like 2.50 to get totally wasted...and something about the combination of alcohol and caffeine makes people's clothes off. I highly recommend.

I heard they're taking it off the market though. I found a place where I can invest in a few cases but I think life might get too insane if I had a lot of these in my apartment. I want to get my security deposit back when I move out.