Wish List Wednesday - Modcloth Bags

Lately I have found myself admiring several Modcloth bags. Here are three of my favorites:

Rebel Without a Purse Backpack Wouldn't this bag be just great for long days out of the house (at the museum, zoo, etc.) or traveling? It's nice and big so you can put everything you need in it, and yet still super cute! I'm so wishing it wasn't so far out of my price range!

Too Legit to Quilt Bag I just love this bag! I don't have any bags with a long strap, but there have been times lately I wished I did. I'm also a huge fan of bows, and the quilting detail is just so pretty! <3

Friday Night Fever Bag I don't usually go for silver, but this bag would be just perfect to go with my LBD for the wedding to spice it up and make it less classic!

Shutter Speed Bag I think I just might love this bag most. I love the look of SLR cameras, but, as much I would love to be an SLR girl - walking around with her cool, big camera hanging around her neck - I think I shall be a tiny point an shoot kind of girl. I'm too lazy to play with the manual focus, and a camera I can stick in my pocket is just much more practical for me. With this bag I could - dare I say it - have the look of an SLR camera while my tiny point and shoot could rest inside. Tragically, however, this bag costs even more than said point and shoot did. :( Oh well, I can still dream of SLRs... ;-)

Find of the Weekend - My LBD

The past several months I have been on the look out for a dress to wear to a friend's wedding in the spring. I have scoured Modcloth (several times) as well as any other place I could think of. I found a very nice dress at the Limited, but it was out of my price range, and not quite what I was looking for...

Well, Friday night I found the perfect dress - at a resale shop, of all places!! I now introduce you to my new love:

It's a Saks Fifth Avenue dress - I'm guessing from the 90's or maybe 80's - with original tags. The tag says it was originally nearly $200 - and I got it for $10! I am overjoyed! I just love the neckline and shoulders - it totally reminds me of a dress from the 40's!

It's a little more classic than I was planning on, but that's fine since I can get some more fun accessories to loosen it up. :)

Music Mondays - #2 Taylor Swift's Mine

I was going to share a song by Loreena McKennitt today, but in honor of the release of Taylor Swift's newest album, Speak Now, today, I decided to share one of the songs from it.

Mine was released several weeks ago as as single. Being a fan of Taylor Swift, I quickly downloaded it, and instantly had a new favorite song.

I have not always been a fan of Taylor Swift, though. In fact, it wasn't until last year that I started liking her. Before then I had thought she was just another annoying teen star - like Miley Cyrus. It wasn't until I really listened to the lyrics of Love Story that I began to like her.

And said, marry me Juliet

You'll never have to be alone

I love you and that's all I really know

I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress

It's a love story baby just say yes.

I thought it was cool that Romeo talked to her dad, and that the song ended with them engaged instead of just getting together. I liked Love Story that that was "the only one."

Well, one lead to two, which led to three and the next thing I know I like her entire two albums and am anxiously counting down the days till her third is released - something I haven't done since And Winter Came... by Enya came out two years ago.

And, also like Enya, it's not the just music I like about Taylor Swift - I like her. She does what she loves because she loves it and because she loves it she does well and is successful. She sings about boys a little too much for my taste, but she says she doesn't need a boy friend and is happy single - she also won't put up with dating jerky boys. She's 5' 11" and still isn't afraid to wear tall heels - something I'm shy of doing at just 5' 8"!

All and all she is a huge inspiration to me. She's far from perfect, I know, but I admire her attitude.

The End of Autumn

November seems to have snuck up on me. Granted it's not November yet, but it feels like it.

I know most people consider November to be part of autumn, but I count it as part of winter since the last few leaves are shed early in November, and towards the end of the month the snow starts to come. It just doesn't feel like autumn to me.

So, here's to winter! I can't wait for the snow! (Though I am wondering where I'll take my photos if my yard is covered in snow. Good thing I have a couple months to ponder that before the snow gets deep... O.o)

Outfit Details:

Tee shirt - So...

Gold Locket - Plato's Closet

Jeans - So...

Boots - Charlotte Russe

Jacket - The Bee's Knees (local reasale shop)

Purse - H&M

Flower pin - Charlotte Russe

It's that Time of Year Again!!

Well, November is nearly upon us! For those of you who don't know, starting November first I will be embarking on a month long journey of insanity and bravery for the third time in three years. Yes, it's NaNoWriMo time again, ladies and gentlemen!

What is NaNoWriMo, you may be asking yourselves? NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month. Each November thousands of people from around the world come together with the common goal of writing a 50,000 novel. (That's one each person, not one they all work on together, mind you.)

I first participated in 2008 - when I managed to finish with a couple days to spare. The book was absolutely terrible, though. Don't get me wrong! I liked it the, and spent over a year revising it. But at the end of that year I realized that the story had a lot of messages in it that I didn't like, and no longer agreed with.

Last year I tried again - and barely got to 25,000 words. That was not a great month for me. *sighs*

This year, however, will be the oddest yet, as I am no longer willing to give up everything else for NaNoWriMo. I am still going to have fun with my family, I am still going to have fun with my big sister at night, and I am still going to blog. If my novel suffers, so be it! Writing is no longer the center of my universe, and I like it that way! :D

So, is anyone else reading this planning on doing NaNoWriMo?

Outfit Details:

Skirt - H&M

Leggings - Target

Boots - Charlotte Russe

Tee Shirt - Old Navy

Cardigain - Old Navy

Gold Locket - Plato's Closet

Flower Head Band - H&M

Take Two

I threw this outfit on yesterday after work since, once I got outside, I realized that it wasn't as cold as I had planned on it being. >.<

Since I only wore it for a couple hours I decided to keep things simple and wear it again today so I could get some decent pictures.

When I wore it yesterday I also wore my awesome gold chain necklace with it. Unfortunately, I forgot that little detail today. (Dang it!) Oh well, I guess you all can use your imaginations to imagine how it looked with the chain. ;-D

Outfit Details:

Tee shirt - Charlotte Russe

Jeans - So...

Jacket - Gift

Bow Headband - Forever 21

Boots - Charlotte Russe

Kat in Boots

(Close up detail of the boots and the pattern on the dress)

So today I have two new pieces to introduce you to! First of all...

My boots came yesterday! Yay! I wasn't expecting them till Thursday! Needless to say I was very pleasantly surprised. :D

I ordered the boots from Charlotte Russe after eyeing them for several days. You can't tell real well in the pictures, but they are very cow-boy inspired. I don't usually go for the western look, but these are perfect. They are not very westerny, they are nice and tall, and can be worn in a romantic way, or more edge if I so wish. You will be seeing lots of them this autumn/winter I know. :D

And secondly, my new dress. :D I got it at Goodwill on Sunday. I think it is handmade vintage. It has a metal zipper, no tags and appears to be handmade - so that is my guess. (but don't come after me with pitch forks or anything if it isn't. Please!)

At first I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to style it in a way that I would actually enjoy wearing, but I actually pulled it off, I think - despite some major doubts this morning when I tried it with my black cardigan. Yeah, that didn't work so well. :D

Once I realized the black cardigan wouldn't work I went searching in my closet for something else to keep me warm. I found my green blazer, (which I took in in the back using a couple safety pins) but the I decided to get a pic of the dress with leather jacket too, and I ended up liking that look even more! Which do you think looks better? O.o

Outfit Details:

Dress - Thrifted

Green Jacket - Gift

Leather Jacket - Wet Seal

Tights - Walmart

Boots - Charlotte Russe

Purse - Charlotte Russe

Music Mondays - #1 Enya's It's in the Rain

Today I am starting something new: Music Mondays. Each week - on Monday - I will share a new song that I like. I'm going to start by briefly going through a few of my favorite artists over the past two years.

The first one is Enya - more specifically her song, It's in the Rain. The first Enya song I ever heard was May It Be at the end of the The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I really liked it, but it took me a while to get into her other songs. This was one of the first non-LOTR song I found that I really liked - and I still love it to this day.

She's been labeled as a New Age artists, but I think that that doesn't completely fit her. I've heard a lot of New Age songs - most of which have absolutely no beat whatsoever and very little vocals. Most of Enya's songs, especially her latter ones, however, have a very good, steady - albeit rather slow beat. The main tune is also carried out by her own voice, which is a good thing considering it's her voice which make her songs so enjoyable. Enya's voice is like nothing ever heard on earth before. It has such a mystical quality to it and adds such depth to all of her songs - it's the main thing that sets her apart from all the other New Age artists.

Another intriging quality of her music is it's wide range of appeal. I know people who like Bob Dylan, people who like hard rock, some who like soft classical, and still others traditional Celtic music, and yet they can all come together in that they all enjoy Enya's music - and uniting such different fans is no easy feat!

I first loved Enya when I was a frightened, bitter little girl typing madly away at a book that would never fulfill my dreams of acceptance and fame; and now that I am a strong, confident, fashion loving girl who is not afraid to be herself - I still love Enya.

I Remember How Much I Love You

This what I wore yesterday. I didn't wear my belt much in the summer (it was too tight to wear in the heat), and I'm only just now remember how much I love it! Now I really want to get more!

Yesterday my mom and sister and I went to Goodwill, and I got a couple things. I also ordered something online Friday night. It should be here this week, so I'm really eager to show you all my new purchases! Keep your eyes peeled this week!!

Outfit Details:

Shirt - Candies

Jeans - So...

Shoes: Old Navy

Cardigan: Old Navy

Bag - H&M

Gold Necklace: Vintage

Belt: Charlotte Russe

Flower: Charlotte Russe

Hat: Vintage

Operation Beautiful

Today I'd like to spotlight a wonderful website called "Operation Beautiful."



Operation Beautiful is dedicated to stamping out negative self-talk ("fat talk" as Caitlin, the founder calls it) in girls and women. People all over the country write encouraging notes on post-it-notes (or any paper they have handy at the time) and post them in public places - mostly on the mirrors of restrooms.



The blog posts pictures of some of the notes people have left around and stories of people who have been touched by the project. It's really fun and encouraging to read.




I found the site earlier this year. At the time a friend of mine was just beginning to recover from her anorexia, and I was very touched by the site and began to post notes myself. I've gotten out of the habit since then, and I want to get back into it again.



God has really worked a great change in me the past few months. I used to care a lot about what people thought of me, and often felt a lot of pressure to like certain things, or dress a certain way. Lately, however, I've stopped caring. I am who God made me and I'm not changing for man. That's why I'm "beautifully me." Now I want to help other girls see the beauty that is in themselves. So, I am going to start posting notes again, and once a week I am going to blog a picture of one of the notes I have posted. Will anyone join me?




It really doesn't take much time, and who knows - your note could be just the thing some poor girl needs to hear. If anyone is willing to join me comment and let me know - if you have a blog we could even keep each other accountable. ;-)



Here's to stopping "fat talk"!

All photos are the property of Operation Beautiful and used with permission.

An Artsy Little Fairy

Ok, let me just start by saying I love this outfit. I feel like a fairy in it. I was sb-consciously making up for yesterday. :D

I got the turtle-neck sweater from my cousin, Molly, when we were shopping at Goodwill a couple months ago. I've worn it once before with skinny jeans, but I didn't blog it. I really love it. It's very flattering, and I absolutely adore the sleeves. When I got it I was actually wishing it was black, but now I'm glad it's not. Gray is growing on me. :)

The belt and the flower are both from Charlotte Russe - and no, they are not one piece, though I have worn them together before. When I bought the belt it had a black satin rose where the pink flower is now, but it fell off a couple days after I got it. I could have exchanged it, but I decided not to, since all it needed was some hot glue, and my mom has a hot glue gun. Fortunately she didn't have any hot glue sticks at the time, so it sat in my closet waiting to be glued. (The silver studs that hold the hooks on are visible on the front so it needs something to cover them.)

After waiting a while to get it fixed, I finally had the idea to put the pink flower clip over it, and absolutely loved the look. I have since decided just to get a clip for the back of the satin rose that came with it, instead of permanently affixing it to the belt. :D

So, that is the story of my outfit. I also have a few more pictures from my photo shoot on my Tumblr account, if you're interested. ;-)

Outfit Details:

Turtle Neck: Thrifted

Skirt: H&M

Belt: Charlotte Russe

Flower: Charlotte Russe

Tights: Walmart

Boots: Thrifted

Bag: H&M

Alice in Wonderland Inspired Gloves

A couple days ago I stumbled onto Brielle's Costume Wardobe Etsy store. I'd been to her blog years ago, but I had never been to her Etsy shop. Mostly she makes and sells custom made costumes based after movies, but she has a few little things in her Etsy store - like these Alice in Wonderland Inspired gloves, which I really like.



Those would be so nice to spice up a dull outfit, don't you think? And they also come in gray, and blue.

My only questions now are: can I afford a pair? And what color should I get if I do buy them?

Another Girl

I got this jacket last autumn from my favorite thrift store. I loved it tons and waited all summer to wear it again. Now that I have, I find it doesn't fit my style as much as I thought it did. It's so bold - not at all the soft, flowing neutrals I like. I tried to ground it with neutral pieces, and a girly flower head band, but I'm not thrilled with the look, and I can't for the life of me think of a better way to work it.

It reminds me again of how much I've changed this past year. I really am a whole different person. I don't feel like the scared little girl I was last year - I'm a confident young lady now.

Outfit Details:

Jacket: Vintage Thrifted

Jeans: So...

Shoes: Xhilaration

Headband: H&M

Gold Bracelet: Gift

I Told You So

In an effort to start branching out on my blog and post about things other than outfits I wear, I am going to try to post twice a day Mon-Fri from now on. I'll post my outfit posts in the morning, and something else in the afternoon. (So if you're looking for my outfit post for today, it's below this one). Most posts will be about fashion but every once in a while I'll post about something else that I'm passionate about - today is one such day.


I've never liked poetry much. I wrote a lot of it when I was between ten and eleven years old, but other than that I've mostly disliked it. Then, this spring I wrote a poem. It was terribly random. I didn't plan to. It just sort of happened, but it opened the door and I found a new passion.



Now, don't get me wrong - I'm still not a huge fan of reading poetry. There are less than half a dozen poets I really like, but a lot of times when I am really upset poetry is the only way I can express myself.

So today I thought I would share one of my favorite poems. Please let me know what you think.

I used to cry with fear at the thought
Of you forgetting me later
You used to tell me not to
That could never happen
That's what you said
Isn't it?

You were my best friend - my best friend,
At least I thought that's what you were.
I gave up so much for you
How could you leave me now?
Forget me?

And I just want to tell you now:
I told you so.
But no,
You swore it wouldn't happen
You said nothing could make you forget
Well that didn't last long
Did it?
I told you so
But you swore it wouldn't happen
I told you so.

You asked me to trust you and I did -
I fought with myself to do it.
You said you'd not let me down,
But the first chance you had
You did just that.
Admit it.

And I just want to tell you now:
I told you so.
But no,
You swore it wouldn't happen
You said nothing could make you forget
Well that didn't last long
Did it?
I told you so
But you swore it wouldn't happen
I told you so..

I think in my heart I always knew
That I was just a crutch for you
Why'd you have to be so sweet?
That only makes it harder now.
I trusted you -
Relied on you.

And I just want to tell you now:
I told you so.
But no,
You swore it wouldn't happen
You said nothing could make you forget
Well that didn't last long
Did it?
I told you so
But you swore it wouldn't happen
I told you so.

And so I hope you have fun with them -
I told you you wouldn't need me.
You made me believe different,
But still I always knew,
You would forget.
And you did.

I can't go on with empty promises,
The fairy tale is over now.
And all I've got is memories,
That I'll think fondly on.
We had lots of fun then,
Too bad I fell with a thud
Since you weren't there to catch me
Just like you said you would.

And I just want to tell you now:
I told you so.
But no,
You swore it wouldn't happen
You said nothing could make you forget
Well that didn't last long
Did it?
I told you so
But you swore it wouldn't happen
I told you so.
You forgot.

It Smells Like Fall

Ha! Until I typed the outfit details I didn't notice that half of my outfit is from Walmart! :D I got the dress early this summer, but I've only worn it once. This time I wanted to do something different, so I changed the belts and decided to go for a more muted, neutral look with my black cardigain instead of brightening it up with my pink one. I wore my big heart locket, and when I realized that my Sherlock Holmes hat matched - well I just had to try it on at least and I love the way it looks!

The ballet flats my sister gave me were a little too dressy and delicate (it was raining and I had to walk to work) so I went with my black ankle boots, which gave the whole look a more edgy feel, I think.

All and all this was not at all what I was going for, but I love the way it turned out!

On a side note my baby sitting job is going well. The little boy is adorable and very well behaved and sleeps for half the time I watch him! :D

Outfit Details:
Dress - Walmart
Cardigan - Old Navy
Tights - Walmart
Boots - Faded Glory
Belt - Thrifted
Locket - Thrifted
Hat - Clair's