Music Monday - Josh Groban's Higher Window

Have I mentioned that I really love Josh Groban's music? Well, I do. *grins* This song really reminds me of visiting my sis in Wyoming, but I don't know why, because we didn't listen to it there. Odd...

Anyway, I hope you all love it as much as I do. ♥
 

But when Beauty Met a Prince she Froze // Daily Outfit

 {dress//Delia*s :: tan skirt//thrifted :: boots//Merona :: hat//from my big sister :: sunglasses//ModCloth :: necklace//a gift}

Things that make me feel like a princess:

wearing this dress ♥ feeling my hair blow in the wind ♥ being treated like a lady ♥ swinging in a dress ♥ picking flowers ♥ my best friends ♥ wearing flowers in my hair ♥ drinking tea ♥ sitting in the sun ♥ twirling around in a full skirt ♥ people doing sweet things for me ♥

School Marm

{dress//made by me :: blouse//thrifted :: sandals//Merona :: purse/from my mom :: sunglasses//ModCloth}

So how is everyone's school year going so far? I hate most of my classes, but with the way I am towards school I guess that's to be expected. At least this is my last year (woo hoo!) I'm also working again, which is great. I work for a neighbor who does home day care. When she has to take her kids to and from the private school they attend, I watch her day care kids. This year she has two 2 year olds and a seven month old most days - sometimes she has a couple other kids, as well. But it's not as hard as it sounds since all the kids are really cute, really well behaved, and play together really well. I'm loving getting to play with them. ♥

Here We Go Again // Daily Outfit

 {dress//made by me :: leggings//no idea :: boots//DSW :: leather jacket//Wet Seal :: bow bracelet//made by my big sister :: sunglasses//ModCloth}

So, I wore this outfit a few days ago. Once again there are shoddy pictures, but I was in a hurry and liked this outfit too much to not get pictures of it. It was very Demi Lovato-inspired since I was in a bad mood that day and needed a pick me up. I love all the black with the pop of color on the dress and the lip stick. (Whoever said you can't wear bold eye make up and bold lips? I reject that reality and substitute my own!)

So... I don't have much to say besides that... I had a lovely outfit planned for today but my Blowfish shoes package did not come yesterday as I had hoped. I. Am. Heartbroken. We are going to my favorite forest preserve tomorrow to get some supplies for a science experiment, and I wanted to get some pictures there. :( Oh well, I suppose I'll wear t to the apple orchard on Saturday, instead.

Yup! That's right, on Saturday we are going to the apple orchard, and we are going to get some non-apple fruit so I can make jam! I'm so excited! I haven't made jam since I was twelve years old helping my grand aunt. And it was sooo much fun! I will for sure get lots of pictures when I do! ♥

So, what's your all favorite part of autumn? Mine is definitely the cool weather; cardigans, boots, jeans and tights; and how beautiful Illinois looks this time of year.  I'm not a fan Il the rest of the year, but in autumn it is really lovely. Hopefully I'll get some good pictures on Saturday, since the drive to the apple orchard is gorgeous.

A Bit Fairy Tale // Daily Outfit

 "Amelia Pond s a brilliant name!" "A bit fairy tale."

~ Doctor Who The Eleventh Hour

{blouse//thrifted :: shorts//thrfted :: leggings//no idea :: Converses//my big sister :: key necklace//my big sister}

The first time I wore this blouse Maddie informed me that it looked sorta like Amelia "Amy" Pond's sweater in The Time of Angels. I couldn't help but agree with her, so I knew I had to do an Amelia Pond outfit. Here's what the actual outfit looked like. I know mine was quite a bit different but I was still very pleased with it. I even flattened my hair (which turned out very frizzy) and wore my TARDIS key. ♥

Have any of you ever watched Doctor Who before? Who is your favorite companion? Mine is Rose, then Donna in a close second, and then Amy right behind Donna. Style wise, however, Amy wins hands down!

Lately // Daily Outfit

 Lately, I've been the quiet one waiting searching the lines of the songs, you played for me.

~ If I walk Away by Josh Groban

Sorry these pictures kind of stink. They looked better on the camera. I was tempted not to post them at all, but I really loved this outfit. It felt so mod 60's and I was seriously wishing I knew someone with an old 60's convertible to take me for a ride in . ♥

{dress/thrifted :: sandals/Merona :: belt/Charlotte Russe :: sunglasses/ModCloth :: bracelet/from my Mom}

Today I spent most of the afternoon organizing my room since I got a new dresser and listening to Josh Groban. I never used to like him but ever since this spring I've liked him a lot - especially since his songs remind me of such good memories.

Speaking of spring, after doing some research online I've decided that if I do, indeed get to visit my friends in Wyoming again this spring I am bringing one of my vintage suitcases. Why? Because it's cool, it will be easy to spot my suitcase that way, and because, well, it's just so much more mod! All I need to do now is decide which of my bags to take - which depends on how light I manage to pack. I'd like to take the small, yellow 60's/70's suitcase from my great grand aunt, but if I can't fit my clothes in there (the shoes will be difficult) I'll either take the bigger yellow one or my big blue one from the 50's or 60's. In which case I'll have to decide if I should do this DIY project to it.

What do you all think? Should I do the DIY project or leave my bag as is? And am I crazy for wanting to bring a gigantic, wheelers suitcase half way across the country on a train or plane? Have any of you ever traveled with vintage luggage before? How did it work out? I'd love to hear any advice/stories you have!

Musc Monday - Josh Groban's Love Only Knows

Lately I just can't get enough Josh Groban music. I think it is because I'm sorta lonely/thoughtful lately and his music reminds me of some really awesome times. ♥

So, anyway, this is one of my favorite songs of his. It's so beautiful (as all of his are) and I just love the chorus.

She said love only knows
Love only knows if we'll give into fear and choose life undercover
She said love only knows if its special enough that we'll choose one another
Choose each other

I'm a total hopeless romantic and I love the this chorus because I don't believe lasting love is something that just happens. It's two people deciding that something else (their love) is more important than their own selfish desires. And that's what this song sounds like to me. That's why I like it so much.

Friday Favorites - My Top 10 Favorite Posts

So, in honor of my one year blog birthday, I decided to do this Friday Favorite's post on my top ten favorite posts! I had so much fun looking back on all my favorite outfits and memories, but it was so hard to pick my favorites! At long last, however, I did (with some help from my big sis!

10. Bow Ties are Cool
I loved this outfit. Floral dresses are some of my favorite things in the world and combine it with a chance to totally geek out and have a blast with my friends and you've got a pretty awesome day, which makes for an equally awesome post!

9. I'd Run with You Through Space and Time
This is one of my favorite outfits ever. My Milly Dress is probably my favorite dress ever,  and I absolutely adore it with my oxfords and bowler hat - especially since it's from my big sister. And I love the fact that when I wear this outfit I feel I could be one of the Doctor's companions on the TARDIS. ♥

8. Through the Looking Glass

I love the way my cousin, Molly's graduation pictures turned out - despite the fact I was using my film camera for only the second time. Her dress and bow were adorable; I loved the 2011 sign she made; and the pennant banner, lace and ribbons looked amazing in the background (if I do say so, myself).  Plus, it was so much fun to stage!

7. Ice Cream Social

This day was so much fun! I loved hanging out with my sis and Christina, and I absolutely adore how the pictures turned out. Enough said.

6. Dreams
Even though this post was really simple it was really fun to write! I loved the pictures and it was just fun to jot down all my little hopes and dreams. Maybe I should start doing these periodically...

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5. Friday Favorites: Wedding Inspirations

Oh my goodness gracious this post was so fun! I absolutely adored sharing all the beautiful wedding inspiration pictures I've found! I mean, what girl doesn't love planning her wedding years in advance??

 

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4. "I'm not a psychopath I'm a high functioning sociopath - do your reasearch."

I wasn't as good at getting a picture an hour as I was hoping (mainly because I was in the water most of the day and had the good sense not to take my camera with me) but it was still a really fun way to document a really fun week end with my family. ♥

3. The Birthday Girl Part Two

My seventeenth birthday was one of my favorites. I loved seeing The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I loved the dinner I got and I loved my outfit! It was so fun and colorful with so many little details. Looking back on it makes me so excited for my 18th birthday!

2. Sail Away

Goodness. That day was so much fun! While riving from Wyoming to Alabama with my best friend and her mom, we saw a sign for a lake, pulled off the highway and spend some time running around and taking pictures. It was tons of fun, I got some really nice pictures, and yes, I do love my outfit!

1. Pictures from my Week End

When I decided to do this post I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this post would be number one. This. Is. My. Favorite. Post. Ever.  I had such a fantastic, mind blowing-ly awesome week end. And I've got pictures to prove it!

So, there you have it, my top ten favorite posts. Did you have a favorite post? Comment and let me know!

One Year // Daily Outfit

Today is Beautifully Pure's one year blog anniversary. I was looking through some of my old posts for a post I'm planning for later this week and found this post: Bring on all the [contenders]. It was very enlightening to read again - especially since I had completely forgotten about it until just now.

If I fail I will be the little girl with a dumb dream. But if I succeed I'll stay the vain, superficial, shallow young lady.

So am I going to stay the scared little girl who is only ever really herself when all the rest of the house is in bed? Dressing up and dancing around to Taylor Swift thinking of all the things she would love to do if only she weren't so scared? 

It's very rare for me to be completely myself around anyone. All my life I've worried about what others would think of me. The few times I've ever felt like there was someone who understood me have usually ended tragically. But this year has been different. God has used the blogosphere as well as some surprising people in my life to show me that I am not wrong. I'm not a weirdo. I just don't know many people like myself.

For years I've not really been myself - for various reasons. But God is slowly changing that. This past year since I've started this blog I've made lots of new friends - all of which are awesome. Some are just plain amazing. They've excepted me so much - the proper, girly side of me as well as the rash, wild side - without acting like I'm a total weirdo for having such opposite interests. They made me feel special - and they have no idea how much that's meant to me and helped me.

So now I can honestly say that I am going to "become a contender. Because only after I've become a contender can I become a champion. I am going to be the girl I want to be - the one I am sure is the one God wants me to be."

{dress/Red Dress Shoppe :: white skirt/thrifted :: cardigan/ModCloth :: tights/Simply Vera by Vera Wang (Kohl's) :: boots/DSW :: bracelet/Charlotte Russe :: sunglasses/Xhilaration}

So in this post I want to thank all my amazing friends: my big sister, without whom I'd have given up on this blog long before any of you found it. Her regular comments and encouragements kept me going when I saw no point in it. Even now her lovely comments always bring a smile to my face and make my latest crisis seem not so very important after all. ♥

My dear friend, Amber, another person without whom this blog would have ceased to exist. I had just about given up hope of ever making friends on this blog when I got your comment. Having a fellow fashion blogger friend has been so nice, as only fashion bloggers and truly understand fellow fashion bloggers.

To all my other friends who have accepted me and been a friend when I needed it: thank you. You have no idea how much it's meant to me. ♥

And to all my loyal readers. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! I can't believe 103 of you girls (guys?) care enough about what I'm wearing to subscribe to my little blog. I'm even more surprised when I go into a emotional ramble and you all care enough to comment with your support, encouragement and advice. It means so much to me. Thank you.

Here's to another great year!!