may the last voice you hear be mine

sinatra mugshot shirt - gift from my dad

skirt - old navy

cardigan - old navy

belt - forever 21

tights - kmart

shoes - marshalls

I'm really not much of a separates girl -- skirts, pants, shirts, etc -- but I have this one little black skirt that I really love. It's very simple and exactly the right shape and length for me. I guess I just don't like how everything has to keep being adjusted when you wear separates. You need to pull the skirt down, hike the pants up, tuck the shirt in, etc. It's all so messy when a dress is just really simple and comfy. It's hilarious to me that this looks more casual than my posh frock friday posts, but I'm actually more comfortable in my fancy dresses than I am in this outfit!

sunday funnies

Two weeks ago I watched the live broadcast of ACME Saturday Night on UStream because Colin Ferguson was guest-hosting. The skits that he participated in were hilarious, but this one in particular was so funny I literally had tears rolling down my cheeks. The scene takes place in 2009, when Colin Ferguson is meeting with his agent to discuss some parts he was offered -- The King's Speech, 127 Hours, True Grit and Lake Placid 3, with him choosing the latter. The premise isn't really new ... I've listened to quite a few Jack Benny episodes in which he recounts passing on Oscar-winning films in favor of The Horn Blows at Midnight, a notorious failure. But this skit is just so hilarious, the lack of originality is a moot point.

Naturally I probably find it more funny than everyone else will because I'm a fan of Colin Ferguson, but I don't think you need to be to get a kick of out it. It's only about 5 minutes long, and I promise they'll be 5 minutes well spent! :)

You can view the whole episode of the 2/11 ACME Saturday Night broadcast on their youtube channel, here. The Bulgarian/Russian food skit and the Eureka parody are pretty funny, as well!

here kitty kitty

I think this is absolutely genius. It's called the Meow Pix Camera -- a camera specifically designed for taking photos of your cats! I don't know about you, but whenever I try taking pictures of my kitties I make weird noises, clap my hands, try dangling string in front of the lens, anything to get them to look up at me in time to get a good shot. This handy dandy contraption takes care of all that -- with flashing lights and sound effects that meow (oh my gosh) cat guardians can relax, and leave all the attention-grabbing work to the camera! It's available at modcloth for $54.

Maybe if I tell myself it's actually a present for Hypatia I can justify buying it? ;-D

posh frock friday

dress - modcloth

cardigan - old navy

shoes - my grandmom

I think teal + pink is my favorite color combination ever. I used it on the walls of my bedroom, and whenever I run into something in that color scheme whilst shopping, my heart pitter-patters and flutters galore.

By the way, these shoes were inherited from my Grandmom Eve, who I wrote about earlier this week in my Style Idol feature. They're actually one size too big for me so I have tissues stuffed in the toes to make them fit, but I will never ever stop wearing them.

If you participated in posh frock friday, you can leave your link below! :D

kate and her six confessions

(via)

Playing along with this meme I saw on Diana's blog!

1. My two biggest pet peeves are women wearing coats or sweaters on their shoulders instead of using the sleeves, and the addition of the letter "s" to words where it doesn't belong. Examples: Anyway(s), All(s) you have to do, I talked to some people(s), etc. I'm not a grammar nazi or anything, but this one thing just annoys the heck out of me!

2. I once had a post up about this, but I deleted it out of embarrassment... I was a huge fan of Shane West in high school (he was in that sappy Mandy Moore movie A Song to Remember) and went to see his band perform for my 17th birthday. I told him it was my birthday, when he asked how old I was I said "legal" and then I had him sign my chest. *facepalm*

3. I am terrified of mirrors at night. We have a full-length mirror in our hallway, and I always run past it really quick if I have to go by after dark. I always think I'll see someone else in the reflection with me. Super irrational, I know..

4. I wish so badly I had a more scientific mind, because I desperately want to be an astronomer or quantum physicist. I read science books more than fiction, and I love trying to wrap my brain around scientific theories that in reality I'll probably never comprehend. I understand the words, but when it comes down to the t-x2=(c)8-n∞ stuff I'm totally lost :(

5. I really love the smell of garlic, and I don't understand why most people ridicule it. I'd burn garlic candles if they made them! And wear garlic perfume, and bathe in garlic bubble bath. I just love it!

6. I don't really want kids. I'm not a very maternal person, and I have zero desire to ever be pregnant. If I end up with someone who does want children, I'm okay with adoption, but kids aren't even remotely close to being on my checklist of things I want to do in life. I like cats better, lol ;-D

eh-hem

dress - vintage

boots - alloy

This was originally a REALLY long maxi dress. When I put it on to measure how short I wanted it, it was trailing on the floor even when I stood on my tip-toes! I ended up taking about 24" off, then re-attached the bottom hem since it was really thick and made for a nice little detail at the bottom. You can see the before/after on flickr, here.

Oh, and I made a facebook page for my blog. I have no idea why, I just thought it would be nice to be able to share some stuff in between blog posts sometimes. Occasionally I come up with something I want to post mid-day after I already have a post up, but I don't want to overload everyone's reader. Just funny little things I find online or thoughts, etc. If you'd like to 'like' it, here's the link. :)

Style Idol - My Grandmom

My grandparents got married and had my dad a lot later than most people at the time; I think they were around 40 when he was born. So I never got to meet my grandfather, and I only knew my grandmother for three years before she passed away. My grandfather was reportedly the king of corny jokes (a trait my dad has inherited) and my grandmother was a sweetheart who didn't know how to cook, and loved to play the piano. My mom said they were deeply in love for their whole lives-- when my grandfather died, my grandmother did not stop mourning him. It was over a year before my parents could even get her out of the house to a restaurant.

My grandmother also loved fashion. My mom doesn't like clothes at all, so she's always saying I inherited my sartorial interests from my Grandmom Eve :) We also look really alike.. in some pictures I feel like I'm looking at a photo of myself taken in 1939! I love that through these photos, and the stories I hear from my parents, I feel like I've gotten to know her so well. She just seems so spunky!

black and white and blue all over

dress - modcloth

sweater - old navy

bag - target

shoes - marshalls

tights - kmart

hair bow - michaels

I'm on such a black-white-blue kick recently. I think it's due in part to this really cute outfit I originally saw on The Clothes Horse tumblr (my favorite fashion one, btw.. definitely follow if you're on tumblr!) And yes, that's a blue bag I'm carrying. I went to Target to get some freeze dried fruit yesterday, and spotted this when I walked in the door. I think it's much more classy than the blue bags I was looking at online. It's not shiny, it's faux leather and it's simple. And the color matches my favorite cardigan EXACTLY!

It's so miserable outside today.. really foggy, rainy and dark. Perfect weather for cozy sweaters, tea and scary ghost movies, but unfortunately I'm super backed up with work so I'm dressed, running errands and getting caught up with overdue projects. If the weather is still this dreary by the time I'm finished, though, scary movie, here I come! Any suggestions? I like ones like The Haunting (the original), The Uninvited and The Unseen.. no gore or anything, but you're terrified to sleep with the lights on after you watch it!

By the way, I've changed my blog comments from Blogger to Disqus, since I had numerous complaints that my old comment form wasn't working. When I view my own blog, sometimes the comment link isn't even showing up anymore, so I can't tell if that's something that's just happening on my end or if you're missing it too. Also, is the sign-in too complicated? Was it better when I had the pop-up box instead of the comments being at the bottom of the post? All feedback is greatly appreciated!! :)

sunday punnies

(via)

I am such a sucker for corny humor, so I really, really love puns. Here are some more of my favorites from the Pun of the Day site (which, by the way, is a great site to bookmark for your morning internet browsing. It's a super way to start the day!)

A noun and a verb were dating but they broke up because the noun was too possessive.

Lightning sometimes shocks people because it just doesn't know how to conduct itself.

The indecisive rower couldn't choose either oar.

My brother wishes he could compose smutty verse as good as mine. Is this scribbling ribaldry?

The envelope's favorite thing to watch is on paper view.

The one who invented the door knocker got a No-bell prize.

The magician got so mad he pulled his hare out.

Old colanders never die, they just can't take the strain anymore.

A cardboard belt would be a waist of paper.

bag bag leroy brown

First, can I just say how much I hate having to come up with blog titles? ergh.

I know I had my mind set on getting a blue bag, but when I saw this one on urban outfitters I couldn't resist. It's *exactly* what I wanted, albeit not blue.. but this color obviously has its perks. It will go with everything, and it's good for dressing up or down. The blue ones were probably too casual and would clash with most of my outfits.

Urban Outfitters is seriously my favorite place to get bags. Since 2006 I've had 2 purses that I carry around non-stop, and both came from UO. The braided one I've been carrying around for a couple years now is still in perfect condition, but it was really just way too big for the little amount I tote with me. I wanted something a little more compact, classic and streamlined, not so slouchy and baggy. This is seriously PERFECT.

The outside has a little pocket for my cell phone and wallet, and then the inside has a hinge opening, which is my very favorite kind! It's like a Mary Poppins bag.. they look really small from the outside, but once you open the hinge you realize there's absolutely tons of room inside!

I just ordered an iphone (thank goodness they're finally on verizon now! I've waited SOO long!) so when it arrives next week maybe I'll do one of those what's-in-my-bag things :)

posh frock friday

dress - modcloth

cardigan - forever 21

belt - forever 21

shoes - marshalls

hair tutorial

I love this dress but hate wearing cardigans with it because it covers up the beautiful detail on the front. Solution: wear the cardigan underneath! I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but it works wonderfully with this dress! The cardigan has a deep-v neck so it's basically like adding sleeves to the dress without interfering with the design at all. I'm definitely going to do this more often now!

If you joined in on Posh Frock Friday, you can leave your link below! And if you only participate on the last Friday of each month, don't forget that is coming up next week! :)

now, how to amuse them today?

dress - modcloth

cardigan - f21

belt - old navy

tights - urban outfitters

shoes - aldo

bag - urban outfitters

hair tutorial

I'm feeling much better today, still not 100% but better. I hate being sick, but I do like that it's an excuse to flop in bed and watch tv without feeling guilty that you're not getting any work done..

One of my favorite books that my dad used to read to me as a kid was Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne. And my favorite story in the book was Sneezles. To this day when me and my brother are sick we still say we have the wheezles and sneezles :-)

Christopher Robin had wheezles and sneezles,
They bundled him into his bed.
They gave him what goes with a cold in the nose,
And some more for a cold in the head.
They wondered if wheezles
Could turn into measles,
If sneezles would turn into mumps;
They examined his chest for a rash,
And the rest of his body for swellings and lumps.
They sent for some doctors in sneezles
And wheezles to tell them what ought to be done.
All sorts and conditions of famous physicians
Came hurrying round at a run.
They all made a note of the state of his throat,
They asked if he suffered from thirst;
They asked if the sneezles came after the wheezles,
Or if the first sneezle came first.
They said, "If you teazle a sneezle or wheezle,
A measle may easily grow.
But humour or pleazle the wheezle or sneezle,
The measle will certainly go."
They expounded the reazles for sneezles
And wheezles, the manner of measles when new.
They said "If he freezles in draughts and in breezles,
Then PHTHEEZLES may even ensue."

Christopher Robin got up in the morning,
The sneezles had vanished away.
And the look in his eye
Seemed to say to the sky,
"Now, how to amuse them to-day?"

you look familiar

dress - modcloth

coat - forever 21

boots - alloy

belt - old navy

faux collar - bb dakota

As you can probably tell by the fact that I have my posts show up around 5am each morning, my outfit pictures aren't taken on the same exact day that I post them.. usually the day before, or if I'm feeling very much like playing dress-up, I'll take a whole week's worth on Monday. But yesterday I was stuck in bed wearing a pilling sweater and plaid pajama bottoms reserved for family eyes only. Even if I had felt like getting dressed, my hair even looked sick (Is that just me? Whenever I'm sick my hair just looks so flat and dull) and I had second day eyeliner smeared from my eyebrows down to my nose. Not very pretty.

So this is sort of a repeat. I took the photos a few weeks ago, then decided not to post them. Then I noticed Hypatia being hilarious in the background of one of them, so I posted it last week. And today I just posted the whole kit and caboodle since it's the only extra outfit photo I had on my computer and I didn't think anyone would be interested in yet another gushy post about my newfound tv love, Eureka. Anyway, I'm feeling a bit better now so hopefully this will be the last time you see this outfit...

Happy Birthday, Chloe!

Style Idols will be back next week -- but today I have to say "Happy Birthday!" to my little assassin, Chloe! It's hard to believe that this fat ornery rascal is the same meek, scared kitten that we brought home on a rainy night 8 years ago. We adopted her on Valentine's Day, but we usually celebrate on the 15th so that she gets her very own day. You can read her story here. She went through a lot in the one year before we adopted her, but I like to think that we've made up for her suffering by spoiling her like crazy while we've been lucky enough to have her in our family :)

somewhere there's a someone for everyone

dress - modcloth

sweater - f21

hair bow - f21

sunglasses - fred flare

shoes - my grandmom

So, today is Valentine's Day. I thought it would be a good day to confess a deep, dark embarrassing secret that I've kept hidden from all but a handful of online friends. I am perpetually single. I'm 24 years old and I've never been on a single date in my entire life. It's not that I'm super picky or anything. It just never happened.

In high school none of the guys I was interested in asked me out, so I went through high school dateless. Then right out of high school I started taking online college classes, so there was no real interaction with other humans. Choosing a career as an artist led me to work from home, so no interaction there either. Honestly I don't really even want to meet anyone while I live in my hometown because I'm afraid that I'll get tied down here, and I don't want to live here for another month let alone an entire lifetime. I'm finally moving in the fall, hopefully taking on-campus classes and getting a real live job. I feel like my life is finally going to begin, but at the same time I feel incredibly naive. I'm in my mid-twenties and I am a complete romantic novice. I'm terrified that I'll meet someone wonderful, and they'll be turned off by my inexperience. I don't even know if that's something you spill on a first date... How do you tell someone in their 20's or 30's that your first date with them is actually your first date EVER! It has such a negative connotation, like people will either think my parents kept me incredibly sheltered (which they didn't) or that I have some kind of mental problem (which I don't). It's hard to explain that it's just a series of strange circumstances, a deep-seated fear of being stuck in New Jersey (okay, my hatred for my home state might be a little less than normal) and a poor teenage dating batting average that got me here.

I'll be the first to admit, though, that deep down I do believe I'll find someone someday who is understanding and patient, and who thinks my inexperience is endearing, not off-putting. It might take a while to find them, but I think they're out there. I'm not really a romantic but I do believe that somewhere there's a someone for everyone, and somewhere there's a someone for me :)

sunday funnies

I love this comic from The Oatmeal! I bought the poster version in December, just haven't found a place to put it yet. But it's so much like Chloe! Some cats are like little harmless angels, but with Chloe I've definitely ventured into the realm of whiskered bear traps composed of claws teeth and agony! ;-D

You can view the whole comic here.

hypatia photobomb

dress - modcloth

coat - f21

collar - bb dakota

boots - alloy

belt - old navy

I took some pictures of this outfit last week and didn't end up using them.. but when I saw this particular photo and Hypatia's antics in the background I had to post it. She's such a lunatic! Here she's looking out of my window. She does that all the time, and while it might seem like a normal cat activity, I should point out that I have frosted glass film over my windows so you can't see anything but the light. She's standing at the window, wagging her tail, staring at nothing.

By the way, I'm desperately looking for a new blue bag and I've narrowed it down to these three. What do you think?

posh frock friday

dress - modcloth

sweater - f21

shoes - marshalls

crinoline - amazon

This is the light version of the dress I wore for posh frock friday two weeks ago :) I think I'm going to run out of posh dresses soon and have to start doing repeats, pairing them with different sweaters and shoes, etc. but that'll just be more challenging :) If you joined in on posh frock friday you can leave your link below!

granny chic, revisited

dress - modcloth

sweater - old navy

belt - old navy

shoes - aldo

coat - vintage

faux fur collar - asos

Remember this outfit post? I really liked the idea of pairing this dress with this coat & collar, but the shoes and tights made it way too granny-ish for me. I think ditching the stockings and wearing my new loafer heels makes it look exactly the way I originally intended :)

This old navy sweater is my go-to cardigan for around the house. I wear it with dresses, pajamas, sweatpants, whatever. It's just so comfortable and cozy! There's nothing quite like wearing it with pajama pants, a t-shirt and snuggling on my couch with a cup of grapefruit juice to watch tv. Speaking of tv, I'm sort of ashamed to admit that I haven't watched *anything* since I started my Eureka marathon. I'm not even interested in watching anything else.. movies, tv shows, the news, nothing. I basically wake up in the morning anticipating the moment when I finish my work, eat my dinner and position myself squarely in front of my television to watch four or five more hours of Eureka. I might need help.

the blues are still blue

dress - modcloth

tights - we love colors

cardigan - target

shoes - uo

You can't really tell in the photos, but the tights are bright blue. I really haven't been wearing my colored rights often enough lately, and pretty soon it'll be so hot that I won't be able to wear any tights at all! I'm not a giant fan of all the snow we're getting this winter, but I'm not actually looking forward to spring at all. I'm cursed with the worst allergies ever. I had an allergy test before we adopted Chloe, and I swear I'm allergic to the planet. Trees, dust, flowers, grass, dirt, basically everything they tested came out positive. Zyrtec helps curb my cat allergies in the winter but it's not strong enough when spring comes around to keep the blossoming earth from attacking and invading my eyes, ears and nostrils :p Is anyone else on Zyrtec indefinitely? I've been on it for about 8 years and if I miss even one day I get so itchy, my eyes water and I sneeze ten times a minute. I'm a mess without it!!

Style Idol - Audrey Hepburn in How to Steal a Million

As much as I love Sabrina and Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the iconic little black dresses featured in both, my favorite outfits worn by Audrey Hepburn onscreen are definitely in How to Steal a Million. This movie is one of my all-time favorites -- an art forgery crime caper with gorgeous clothes and gorgeous stars -- and it also happens to be the film that got me hooked on classic movies! Basically, I want everything Audrey Hepburn has in this film ... the white hat, the sunglasses, that lace mask, Peter O'Toole ....

{screencaps via fanpop}