V is for Victory

{target dress (similar)  |  hand me down vest  |  watch  |  payless heels (crazy similar)  |  inpink necklace (similar)}

Last night was date night, so my boyfriend and I cooked a really tasty meal together ("Swiss Alplermagrone" made with pasta, potatoes, caramelized onions, gruyere, and baked apple - recipe coming soon because you need to try this), then dined by candlelight in our yard.  After, we came inside and watched the Wizard of Oz (because, really, is there such a thing as watching that movie too many times?).  The dinner & the movie were pretty great, but the most remarkable part of the night was the fact that I did not get one mosquito bite.  Considering that around here those little jerks are already in aggressive attack mode at least week before spring even starts makes hanging out with them for an hour at dusk and not getting bitten a big victory for me...and for the deet I doused my entire body in.  Well, I guess it's mostly a victory for deet.  (But I'll take credit; deet would be cool with it).



Linking up today.

Something Old

{tank: old navy  |  skirt: wet seal (old)  |  jacket: h&m (similar)  |  shoes: payless (crazy similar)  |  necklace: etsy}

Shopping in your closet is like going through a fabric-filled time capsule.  This skirt is so old, I barely remember buying it.  All I know is that I got it at Wet Seal, back when I was still young enough to shop at Wet Seal; ie. about 12 years ago (granted, I'm currently much too old to still be shopping at Forever21, but that's beside the point).  More confounding than the fact that it still fits (thank you, elasticized waist!), is that I've managed to drag it around with me from dorm room to summers spent living at home to off-campus housing to a smattering of different apartments.  This skirt's probably been with me through a total of 10 moves.  And I haven't worn it in over 7 years.  All for the big payoff - wearing it to go out for one night.  If that's not commitment to a $15 article of clothing, I don't know what is.

I'm linking up with these ladies today.

Loosey Goosey

{top: f21  |  jeans: gap  |  shoes: payless (similar)  |  necklace: diy  |  earrings: gift (similar) }

You know that rule of dressing where if it's loose on top, then it should be tight on the bottom, and vice versa?

Well, I ignored that rule when I got dressed yesterday.

I say, go ahead and pair loose with loose!

Because as a wise, quirky, hilarious, bow-tied man-child once said, "I'm a loner, Dottie.  A rebel."

You don't want to get mixed up with a girl like me.

Come party with me here!

This is Not Summer

{sweater: gap  |  jeans: target  |  shoes: payless (similar 1, 2)  |  watch: sprout  |  belt: steve madden}

Well, yes, technically it isn't summer.  It's still spring until June 20, but we all know the official beginning of the summer season starts Memorial Day weekend.  And when 90 degree temperatures coincide with the holiday, it seems as if Mother Nature's saying she agrees with our unwritten rule and is happy to oblige.

But yesterday was a different story.  I was cold.  I stared longingly at the thermostat, torn between flipping the little switch that would turn on the heat, and feeling ridiculous even considering using heat in June.  (Ridiculous won, by the way.  I mean, it's June!)  Instead, I tried to remember how to dress for 60 degree weather, cozied up in a sweater, grabbed a scarf just in case, and was out the door.

Then quickly back in the door to shut all the windows I had forgotten were open, which were most likely to blame for my polar-like predicament.  Being cold makes you do crazy things, I tell ya.

Today you'll find me playing here.

Highlights & Lowlights #3

 

 {cardi: joyce leslie, similar  //  top: diy from t shirt, similar  //  skirt: delias  //  shoes: payless, similar  //  tights  // necklace: diy}

       Lowlights:

• Having writer's block practically since the beginning of April.  Not fun.
• Getting a bad haircut.  I'm putting out an official request for my amazing hairdresser of a sister to move back to NJ so I don't have to fly all the way to Florida for a fantastic haircut.
• Being (mentally) prepared to face the DMV to renew my license, and then being absolutely, positively unable to open my safe to retrieve the necessary-to-prove-I'm-really-me documents the DMV requires.  I'm talking straining, grunting, squeezing, pulling, trying as hard as I can to lift the damn latch for over 2 hours before giving up out of sheer frustration.  Hunny bunny gets home and realizes I simply had to push down before lifting up.  ...............Oh.

       

        Highlights:

• Going out to celebrate National Cheese Fondue Day by eating a cheddar/beer/jalapeno/salsa fondue!  
• Waking up on Sunday morning to find that the Easter (hunny) bunny visited and brought two baskets of my favorite Easter candies including two full sized bags of Cadburry mini eggs.  Yes that's right, this full grown woman still gets Easter baskets from her boyfriend and is not ashamed to admit it.
• Starting a new book that I became instantly enamored with.  It's called Cinder, it's made for teens, and it's loosely based on Cinderella.  Except now she's a cyborg living in the future, her best friend is an android, there's a plague spreading around Earth, and there's an evil moon queen who wants her dead.   Sound too ridiculous to be good?  Pick up a copy and see for yourself. 
• Looking forward to baking (my own) birthday cake with hunny bunny tonight.  We're going to attempt ombre cake layers.  Successful results will be shared with you; failures will be eaten before photographic evidence can be acquired.

Check out where I'm linking up today here.

A Little Bit of the Blues

{sweater, tights: old navy  //  skirt: tulle  //  scarf: mandee  //  shoes: payless  //  earrings: claire's}

The only blues I'm feeling today are the shades of my outfit.  Otherwise, it's a beautiful, warm day.  The squirrels are playful, the birds are chirping, and I'm absolutely loving strolling around in the sunshine.

The monochromaticality (yep, that's a new word) of this outfit is thanks to the 10 day challenge I'm participating in over at Freckles in April.  If it wasn't for Kayla's prompt, I probably never would have thought to wear these pieces together.  

But I'm so glad I did.

Happy New Year's Eve Eve

{sweater, sparkly top: old navy  //  jeans: gap  //  wedges: payless}

I can't believe 2012 is right around the corner.  The end of December is such a wonderful time of year - time to spend with family and friends, time to reflect on the past year, and time to look forward to whatever the coming year has in store.

Also, its abbreviation is NYE which just happens to be my last name, and that's pretty sweet too.

This is what I plan to wear on New Year's Eve, but I'm wearing it now as a test run.  I tend to do that.

On the big day I'm thinking fancier hair; maybe some sort of up do that isn't my usual top knot.  But I'm kind of clueless about how to do my hair.  You'd think my sister being a hair dresser would rub off on me, even just a little bit.  But when it comes to my mane, I'm a mess.

What are some of your favorite holiday hair do's?

I wish you all a wonderful evening saying goodbye to 2011 and welcoming in 2012!

**update**

Thank you all for your hair suggestions!!  I didn't think I'd get so many ideas.  You all warm my heart.
I thought you might like to see how I wound up wearing my hair.  I tried the sock bun.  It looks so pretty and is sort of effortless once you get the hang of it, but one piece of advice - this hairstyle is not made for dancing.  My bun must have disintegrated about 5 times during the course of the evening.  Luckily I have awesome friends who:
a. didn't care how silly my hair looked
b. took the time to help me make it look pretty again anyway

caught by surprise

distracting the dj (aka my boyfriend)