Look! An Update!

The past few weeks have been an absolute whirlwind of activity and emotions. Unfortunately, my blogging has a suffered a bit from that. I'm afraid I'm no disciplined as many bloggers are with posting every day (or even every other day). Right after I started writing this blog I underwent a bit of a conviction in the clothes that I wore. Not that they were immodest per se (with the except of my very first outfit post. More on that later), but more a combination of not dressing like a lady and/or not dressing up at all. I've been learning how to sew, which in turn, has prompted me to do a lot of research into vintage clothing. After reading numerous blogs I realised that I really know next to nothing about looking polished (or at least finishing off a look). I've trying to get out of the rut I've usually find myself stuck in of wearing the same loose-fitting jeans, thermal top, beat-up old ribbed cardigan, and hair slicked back (yes, it truly is slicked in my case. I have enough grease in my hair to start a car!) in a lackluster ponytail.


Sadly, I just described what I'm wearing right now while typing this...

I'm endeavouring to actually take my mother's advice from when I was younger and build completed outfits rather than buying a piece here and there. Unfortunately that's been my buying habit for many years and so when I go to put an ensemble together, I find I can only put a couple of decent outfits together (that I wear constantly, some of which have already been featured on this blog). I'm also looking to shift my thinking a little bit in terms of how I build outfits. So my outfit posts may be fewer and far between on this blog than I had originally intended. But without further adieu, here's one!

********************************************************************************

After a particularly harrowing day of personal crisis, I stole away to the local mall to spend time with my good friend Elaine (who, of all things, was my tap dance teacher at university!). We went to our customary spot at Starbucks where I got my usual Tazo iced green tea.

I'm a big fan of the cake pops they've been carrying recently.  They're the perfect little dessert - just enough to satisfy the tastebuds but not enough to squash the stomach. At this particular location, there was a cake pop I hadn't tried before - a seriously delectable raspberry truffle. Mmm, it ranks up there with my favourite peppermint brownie pop!



How neat is her jacket? Afterwards we wandered over to Origins, my supplier for skincare and makeup. I turned to Origins after learning my skin is just too sensitive  to handle regular inorganic cleansers. I tried fully organic lines, but they were a real drain on my pocketbook. I also wanted to find a brand that I could find anywhere (so if I were to move back to New Zealand I could still find it). I've been using Origins for well over a year now and I love it! One of the main things I love are the stand-alone stores. So far every one I've been in gives excellent service and today was no exception. Due to the stress I've been under, I just wanted to relax. At Origins, their makeovers start with facials in a store that is brightly lit yet surrounded by calming natural hues of browns and greens. The store manager, a cheerful lady by the name of Erin, made Elaine and I over. It was a much-needed and much-appreciated time. She didn't rush us, even when she took care of other customers who wandered in. It was just so incredibly nice to walk into a store with someone so bright and joyful. It made me forget all my worries outside. (So if any of you happen by Nashville, drop by Green Hills Mall and see Erin at the Origins store!)

Erin helped us figure out some makeup issues (including how to get a natural look for taking blog pictures that doesn't make me look like I'm a ghost! And not the haute couture kind).



Oh right, then there's this outfit thing I need to post. Since I was originally intending to go clothes shopping, I went with a simple ensemble. I Wanted something I could usually pull on over my head to try on things, but still chic enough to not look completely underdressed. I felt like the outfit needed some sort accessory, but then I had to remember that I would have to take it all off if trying on clothes. So while this is no show-stopper, it's a practical outfit for mall-browsing.


Top: Aerie   Jeans: Ross   Shoes: Guess "Maeve" boots via Ebay   Purse: Ralph Lauren Chaps via Kohl's