Weekend Read

I love to read. I love to cook. I love to eat. Naturally, I'm a sucker for reading about cooking and eating. I was first drawn to Eat, Memory because Ann Patchett (one of my favorite authors) contributed to this essay anthology. Secondly, I appreciated that the editor, NYT food editor Amanda Hesser, required that the subject matter have no sort of frou-frou sentimentality regarding the stories and recipes. Not that sentimentality is always frou-frou or a bad thing -- I could wax poetic for hours about my grandmother's chicken cutlets. I do enjoy, though, how each of the contributors take what could be a mundane memory and inject life into it. Plus, the wide variety of cuisines and locations allows the reader to hop from Paris to China to Queens, NY within an hour. The best part? Even you don't buy this for the recipes featured alongside each piece, you still get one of the most hysterical George Saunders essays ever written.

Monday Morning

Today is my first day at Allure. I hope I don't do anything stupid, which includes a number of things that will probably happen anyway. Plus, I'm already intimidated. When I'm intimidated, I become even more awkward than I already am, and when I get awkward, all of the blood rushes to my head and I reconsider the necessity of the situation. And then I run -- I'm all about flight as an emergency response. Unfortunately, if I run from the Conde Nast offices, I'm also running away from increased probability of finding a job upon graduation next year. Decisions, decisions.

On the bright side, my internship gives me a reason to purchase pieces such as this BCBG bandage skirt:

I could see it a) without those awful shoes, which would stumpify my legs in a heartbeat, and b) with a light chiffon tank tucked into it. I have a weak spot for ombre, and it looks stretchy enough that I could yank it down to an appropriate length. I hate pencil skirts because though they're super flattering, I find them impossible to walk in; this seems like it would be a perfect substitute.

Have a beautiful start to the week, everyone!

[photo cred to Wired New York]

Monday Morning

I love being the only one in my family who can speak French. Foreign languages are secrets that I always want to learn and which, in my family, I never have to share. My parents used to say that French is a beautiful yet useless language, which quickly changed when my dad broke our Europcar in Normandy and only I could communicate with the mechanic.

I'd like to start this week off with Things I'd Like to Wear But Unfortunately, Cannot. I am quite pear-shaped and my hips are going to make childbirth virtually painless. Nevertheless, I can't help hankering over this:

I love the hints of kimono about it, and the folds + stripes are definitely up my alley (I'm a sucker for fabricwork combined with patterns). The silhouette, though the most beautiful thing about this skirt, is my downfall. This design would only accentuate my hips and ultimately, make me look square on the bottom. If you have a boyish body type and are looking to amp things up, this skirt will create curves and work as a go-to piece for the summer.

As a result, it's on to Things I'd Like to Wear and Can, No Matter How Wide my Hips Are. These consist of A-line skirts with spare detail as far from the hips as humanly possible, and this happens to be the perfect candidate:

This skirt still fulfills my desire for pattern (florals!) and fabric detail - plus, I can't go wrong with the abundance of lace and that dusky blue shade. It will subtly draw the eye away from my hips and balance my proportions quite nicely. I can pair it with a pale blouse and white flats for an easy transition to the office, too (to the office! How old am I? No offense).

Have a gorgeous start to your week, my friends!

[photo cred via This Is Glamorous]

Monday Morning

How do I know summer is here? I hope out of the shower and immediately start sweating in my non-air-conditioned sorority house. I have three weeks, no fan, and eighty degree weather to endure until I go home. Plus three papers and two final exams. Can I do this? Can I?! Why am I even still at school? Why do I go to Northwestern? Why don't I just drop out and walk around Europe, like this guy?

Because my parents have me on a money string and they can reel it in. Womp womp.

I haven't bought a new bag in about ten months (this might be a rough estimate - a very very rough estimate), which means it's about time to buy a new bag. Isn't this so perfect for the summer?
The cream and tan are a fresh spin on a classic for the season, and the enormous bow brings it up to speed. I can't remember the last time I saw a cute white bag, much less with another overlooked neutral such as tan. Plus, oversized bows are less girlish than dainty ones, and the stripes on this just make it so cheeky. This will now make the cut from my want list to my need list (like everything else..).

Hope your week is off to a beautiful start!

[photo cred to SullyT64]

Monday Morning

Today is one of those Mondays that makes me want to curl up in my bed with hot tea and stare longingly at my pink tulips (hoping that they revive). On the bright side, I've figured out that I only have two more weeks of classes left. I miss my mom so much (no offense, dad). Why am I going backwards? As a freshman, I called my parents about once every two months to let them know that I was still alive and kicking. Now, I'm homesick. Karma, is that you?

I've seen Garance Doré's post offering a lovely basket-woven handbag (à la Jane Birkin) on many of my favorite blogs. It adds such a light, summery touch to any outfit and let's face it: basket matches everything. If you avoid wearing it with Birkenstocks and acid-wash jeans, you're in no danger of looking campy or too costume-like. Because Garance's purse was discovered in a tiny shop in St. Tropez, I took it upon myself to scour Etsy for an affordable and comparably adorable find:
Available here, this pick of the week redefines the word "bargain" and still fulfills my vintage fetish. The proportions and the details, such as the touch of color and metal latch closure, keep it from screaming "PICNIC." If I wasn't so afraid of looking at my debit card balance, I would most definitely shell out for this baby. Have a beauuutiful start to your week!

[photo cred to Belles Images by Sandra A.]

Monday Morning

I had such a wonderful weekend dragging my brother and sister around Evanston with me. It was nice to have them for the whole weekend while our parents are gallivanting around Italy, gleefully enjoying their freedom from our bickering, bantering, and inappropriate jokes. This week, bright fuchsia tulips, warm breezes, and the glow of the sunlight on Lake Michigan are on my mind. I really want to drink green tea and munch on fresh fruit all week, but this might be more because my boyfriend is visiting next weekend and less due to real motivation for healthy choices.

I don't know how I stumbled across Abercrombie & Fitch's website. Will all of my style cred be deleted immediately? I wouldn't blame you for it, because I haven't worn the brand since I was fifteen and trying very hard to be cool. (I failed). (Miserably). But for some reason, the Pick of the Week is indeed a piece from Abercrombie:

Reasons why I would like to have this hanging in my closet:

1. The bow! The slight cowl neckline! The detailing on this that sets it apart from a tee but retains a tee's natural ease and comfort!

2. The mental image of this, worn with grey jeans (rolled up) and beat-up leather sandals.

3. THE PRICE.

4. $34.

5. The super inconspicuous moose and the lack of any garish A & F ABERCROMBIE YEAH text.

6. The fact that if I covered up the moose with a Sharpie, I'd probably forget that I even bought it from Abercrombie & Fitch.

Deal.

I hope you're having a wonderful start to your week!

Polite Pinstripes

I haven't been around much. I'd like to blame it on the seventy degree weather that all but shoves me outdoors, but the slew of paper assignments that have rained down on me are actually to blame. Fortunately, I've had the time (of course I have) to come across this little babe, which just so happens to be the uber-belated Pick of the Week:
I'm still on my work-appropriate kick, so I've been keeping an eye out for skirts that fall longer than my fingertips reach. This skirt stands out thanks to the exquisite draping and the subtle pinstripes that are nearly invisible at first glance. The silhouette, along with the buckled strap, is modern and edgy, but the subdued stripes take it down a notch and usher it into "professional" territory (right? RIGHT?). I would tuck a slim, embellished camisole into this and top it with a black men's blazer - natch, with the sleeves rolled up. Nude heels would finish it off nicely, and it would translate seamlessly from day to night with a quick adjustment of accessories.

Monday Morning

This morning is all bright skies and fresh winds, and I just couldn't resist throwing in a shot of the Chicago skyline that is so iconic of Northwestern's campus. My weekend was delightful but completely unproductive, which is especially unfortunate as this is midterm week. I went downtown with some friends to Cusp, one of my new favorite stores and an offshoot of Neiman Marcus, and Kamehachi, which offered delicious sushi. Yesterday, I ventured into Little Vietnam (which is actually Little Asia) and bought enough dim sum to feed five people - for $12. Whenever I find myself in a Chinese bakery surrounded by other Asians, I try far too hard to put on a good Cantonese accent and instead, mark myself as the half-Asian wannabe. Fine. Guilty as charged.

At Cusp, I picked up two very cute tops that I insisted to my mother were "work appropriate," a statement which may be up for debate. Yet I also spotted a beautiful dress that was out of my current spending limit but perfect for the editorial internship I snagged for the summer:
The neckline is what caught my eye, with the uber-flattering pleating coming in a close second. The cap sleeves are so sweet and the higher neckline is demure but alluring (bad personal pun - the internship is with Allure magazine). I can see it transitioning smoothly from day to night with a pair of strappy nude heels and a sweet clutch. A lot of Black Halo's Resort 2009 line is work appropriate with an edge, and you can find the Pick of the Week here, as well as countless other adorable dresses.

[photo cred to Gerald Oh]

Monday Morning

Hello lovelies, how was your weekend? Mine was bright, sunny, and a tad chilly - enough to make me climb into to bed at 6:30 on Saturday and nap before catching up on Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (catch the flash mob scene in episode four - my roommate and I watched it about eight times).

Fortunately, I was able to steal some time in between reading Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Les Misérables (in French - naturally, my French-English dictionary has been my pillow for the past few days) to come across this pick of the week:

I love the shape of this and how buttons are completely unnecessary. It's perfect for the in-between temperatures of April and May (in Chicago, at least). And the sleeves! Oh, don't even get me started on the sleeves. I would wear this in a heartbeat, barefoot, with a fresh citrus tank and some worn denim shorts. Shoes? Who needs shoes? It's a steamy 55 degrees in Chicago.

Have a wonderful start to the week!

[photo cred to simply photo]