Struggle City Skirt Search

I have been shopping for a plain navy mini skirt for what feels like years. I have a pencil-type skirt, but I'd like one that I could wear more casually. Just a plain, navy skirt. You'd think it would be easy to find, right? Wrong. It is impossible to find one in the right size at the right price. My ideal? The J. Crew City Mini. Currently "on sale" for $70.

 Someone help me. I want to find one for under $30 and similar to this.

Essential Fall Outfit

After resisting for so long, I've finally come to terms with the fact that fall is coming. As a result, I am completely okay with fall shopping now. And what better way to start than with cozy sweaters and suede flats?

 For one, that sweater is perfection. French bulldogs are absolutely adorable, and this version is totally affordable. Add a pair of worn-in jeans, and some burgundy flats for a pop of color and voila! Fall perfection. And how gorgeous is that Asos bag? I'm having a terrible time resisting it.

J. Crew Look-Alike

Remember these embellished blouses from J. Crew?

 I was and still am, very obsessed with the style. What I'm not obsessed with, however, is the $110 price tag. Luckily, the other day I stumbled upon this look-alike style from Kohl's.



I'm not one to shop there normally, but I couldn't resist. The ruffled collar and my favorite oxford blue color? Perfection. I can't wait to wear it on it's own or layered under a sweater in the coming seasons.

 

Memento Necklaces

The closer I get to graduating and moving on, the more sentimental I get about New York— the City and the State. Knowing that I'm probably leaving for a while makes me sad. I love all parts of New York. I love where I grew up and I love where I went to school. I can't think of another place I love more.

I've been hinting to my mom for a while that I'd love a necklace with my home or state on it, so I can always carry it with me. I'm very symbolic and sentimental like that. And these necklaces are perfect.

 This necklace from Three Jane New York is perfect because you can have them engrave any street address, and they'll add a tiny diamond to your home's exact location.

 I actually have one of these map pendants already, and I love it. My best friend, Erin, gave me one for my birthday last year, and she has a matching one.

 I love the idea of a necklace with the coordinates of a location. Plus, this ring is super simple and elegant, and the little heart charm makes it a little sweeter.

 I might actually be obsessed with this necklace. It is so tiny and so delicate. I love that you can choose to get a longer chain, so I could potentially wear it all the time, without it getting shown off and being too flashy.

Confidence Project

Before I was blessed with Wifi in my apartment, I spent a lot of time reading Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. I had heard a lot of things about how great this book was, but I was hesitant to pick up a "self-help" type book.

However, Gretchen's style was friendly and like something I would write, rather than being filled with useless research and preachiness. I was hooked. Just reading the book made me feel happier and more confident, and I've been inspired to start my own type of "confidence" project. And that's how my Confidence Commandments were born:

1. Reach out to one friend/make plans at least once a week

I am terrible with making plans. It gives me so much anxiety for no reason. But The Happiness Project, and countless research suggests that interaction with other people is absolutely essential to being happy. Plus, every time I make plans with someone, its an instant happiness and confidence boost.

2. Act the way I want to feel

There's a little wisdom in faking it until you make it. Acting confident actually helps me feel confident and the faster I get that through my head, the easier confidence will come.

3. Flip negative comments and ideas into positive ones

I easily get sucked into negative thoughts and bad gossip. It's a terrible habit and something I'd love to change. Instead of saying, "I'm terrible, I can't," I'm trying to flip it to "I can't right now, but here's how I can."

4. Research something that interests me 

I'm a real sucker for googling things. And listening to iTunes U podcasts on different subjects. So my goal is to start learning about things that interest me. There's no more putting things off. I will invest my time and learn about things that I want to.

5. Save money, but reward myself

I got a paid internship (yay!) and I can't wait to be able to save money for post grad life. But I also think it's important to reward myself from time to time. Like after I was offered my job, I ordered a pair of Jack Rogers that I had been holding off on for years. Balance.

6. Take time to relax

As much as I love being busy and productive, I really do need to decompress and relax from time to time. Similarly, I want to start stretching more often. It makes me feel so much more relaxed and calm.

So, here's my project. I just want to work on myself and work through the confidence issues I have. I want to be successful and confident and a fully functioning adult.

image

No Apologies

In between episodes of Tara this weekend, I spent a lot of time on the Internet and on Tumblr and I stumbled upon this post. I'm trying to really be myself and love myself and this post just really made sense to me. I should be able to like something if I want. I should be able to dislike something if I want. It's who I am and I should never have to apologize for expressing myself. So there's that.

Netflix Binge

So, my schedule is open completely on Tuesdays and Fridays, until I start working in a few weeks. And so, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday have been five days of complete laziness. And after we got wifi Friday (YAY) I've just been laying around, occasionally doing something productive, and watching Netflix. I finished Orange is the New Black, and Netflix suggested The United States of Tara. I had no idea what it was all about, but after the pilot, I was hooked.

Essentially, the show follows Tara around, who has Dissociative Identity Disorder. She had a traumatic experience in her youth leaving her with several alter personalities who appear when she is most distressed. It not only delves into the issues with DID and other mental disorders, but also issues related to gay rights and family dynamics.

And I'm hooked. In the interest of not displaying how lazy and lame I am, I won't say how many episodes I've watched, but I have watched a ton of episodes. It's a truly amazing show and I would recommend it to everyone.

Side note, one of the stars is Brie Larson. You might wonder why you know her name. Courtney Enders from Disney Channel Original Movie Right On Track. Boom.

image