Sun Fire Festive

((bein' all dramatic))

NOT the best picture, but the setting sun makes everything look better.

Well, I went ahead and did it. I'll discuss the elephant in the room first. I cut off 8 inches of my hair! 

Where my hairs???

It was definitely a well-mulled-over idea, since I've actually never had "short" hair before in my life.

Honestly, it was one of the bigger decisions I've made in the past few months, as trivial as it sounds. For the first couple of days I was feeling odd and highly uncomfortable with my appearance, as I'd been hiding behind a curtain of hair for as long as I can remember. Chopping it off was a sure step on my journey to embrace the face. My face, specifically. I think the relationship with yourself is the most important you can cultivate, and I'm having a terribly fun time exploring the dynamics. Yay experimentation and self-love!

Now for the outfit itself:

I'm not one to celebrate too ostentatiously for the holidays, so after yet another morning of hurriedly throwing clothes on my body, I was surprised to see that I had been unknowingly subtly festive with my red shorts and green stockings.

To me, velvet is the fabric of winter. It's stirring, warm, soft, and surprisingly sexy and sweet all at once. Like a warm glow from a street lamp on a blustery night- or a decadent holiday dessert. Decadent is definitely a word of choice if I were only to describe velvet in adjectives.

So, when I scored this scoop neck at Goodwill, I was ecstatic!

I've also always been a huge fan of any sort of brown or any earthy tone- as well as having a bit of an obsession with sea salt caramel gelato lately- now wonder I fell in love with the subtle variations and the richness of the color. I paired it with my clock necklace on a long, golden chain to offset its sheen.

shirt- thrifted | stockings- SockDreams.com 

shorts- MM Couture | necklace- thrifted | boots- Steve Madden

I realize these pictures aren't fantastic, but maybe Santa will bring gifts of tripods :)
If not, I shall! Mwahah.
Happy holidays!
-Emmaline

The Jocundity of Simple Juxtaposition

Top- J. Crew | Pants - CottonOn | Shoes - thrifted

The shoes, while comfortable and pretty nifty looking, definitely give me a  headache as I anxiously try to keep them looking pristine. White is a bit of an impractical color for tennis shoes, I think. These are like a knock-off converse alternative manufactured in the 80's by the brand Candie's. I really enjoy the corrugated toe piece as opposed to the Chuck Taylor's Converse's smooth front. Not to mention the complete absence of color! Keepin' it simple.

lips- elf lip gloss in Cherry Tart

 This shirt immediately caught my eye from a distance. The pattern is - in my humble opinion- quite divine. Im in love with the juxtaposition and contrast. 

                                                    

I'm still really enjoying the monochromatic / B&W vibes this fall season. It probably has something to do with my soul (or lack thereof). - Just kidding!! Mwahaha.

The pants are a good example of these new Harem trends. I find them to be incredibly comfortable and easy to slip on, yet they maintain my figure and they look chic enough. You really couldn't ask for an easier option. The silver beads at the ends of the tassel add a nice touch as well. 

No Matter What the Weather

 | sweater - UO | shirt - dad's | jeans - DailyLook | socks - Target | boots - UO | beanie - Target |

     

 

No matter what the weather... I got the sweater. 

No, I just desperately wanted that to rhyme, that's not true.

But I wore this outfit on a super weird weather day. It doesn't usually get too cold in Louisiana, but it's always has this awful humidity that can chill you to the bone. This day started off near freezing point so I geared up in high waisted jeans (more coverage), an old shirt of my dad's from the early 90s (men's shirts are way thicker!), and a big oversized sweater that was a gift from my brother last Christmas (thanks Michael!). It was a wet day too so socks, boots, and a beanie were essential.

Then later in the day it shot up to the 70s (that's Shreveport weather for ya.) So I shed the sweater, buttoned down a few, rolled up my sleeves, lost the beanie, and tied my hair in a blogger-friendly "top knot." Voilà, a winter to fall outfit in a matter of seconds!

Always come prepared friends!
xo- Sarah

Low-key Lace

| dress - ASOS | flannel shirt - thrifted | tights - Francesca's | necklace - Glint & Gleam | hat - Target | boots - UO |

This necklace from Glint&Gleam though ShopLately was actually my first online shopping purchase!

(Not sponsored but click through if you're interested in one of those invited coupons on your first purchase.)

~interacting with nature~

I wore this grunge-y ensemble on a day with equally subdued weather. It was so cloudy and dark that the pictures came out way too gritty on my low-q camera (booo *thumbs down*) It was kind of a neat effect actually but I still felt like retaking them in a better light. So now, you're welcome for this exclusive sneak peak into the blogging habits of Sarah Dai.
The necklace I'm wearing was actually the first online shopping buy with my own money so I was very delicate about the transaction. At this point in my life, I've spent more than an appropriate amount of time online shopping, and one thing I love about blogs in general is reading/hearing about someone's personal experience from a real person and not a commercial. Something I personally haven't seen before on the internetz is a compiled online shopping review forum-type conglomerate. I'm really enthusiastic about online shopping, and I'd love to share my experiences (like I'm picturing some diagrams, very systematic stuff here, that's how into this I am). So, sometime in the future (maybe early 2014) expect some serious shopping low down!
I put in a click-through link for an "invitation" to ShopLately. I'm not working for them or anything but I included it because, hey, a coupon's a coupon. The site is like a host to smaller companies that sell all kinds of trendy accessories so if you're interested, check them out. The transaction was very safe and easy with reliable shipping. My experience is limited to a few purchases there though and all through Glint & Gleam, but I hope this little blurb is still helpful!

xo- Sarah

Ready, Set, No

| dress worn as top - h&m | skirt - thrifted | sweater - American Eagle (gift!) | shoes - Jeffrey Campbell |

I wore this outfit for a casual/but still looking nice situation that didn't even pan out in the end. I was invited to help give a tour of the school to a finalist for the new school board superintendent, and I was low key panicking on what to wear. For me, outfits set the tone for the day. How I choose to present myself affects the mood I'm in, and the day before, in the back of my mind, I was in constant search of finding the optimal outfit.

I was looking for nice in the words of my beloved principal, whatever that broad idea meant exactly. I finally decided on this blanket-like flannel A-line midi skirt (that keeps me super insulated!) which would guarantee me in the school-appropriate zone in terms of hemlines. I wore an H&M dress I got from a big garage sale as a shirt to keep the outfit interesting with different patterns. Then I tossed on a wool cardigan which happened to match perfectly with the color some of the stripes in the skirt! School-appropriate and still sticking to my style, optimal outfit achieved. But it turns out, the finalist cancelled on us and others forgot to inform me. *womp womp*

This has been my small anecdote of the day. I guess better completely ready but canceled, than not ready and having to put something mediocre together. At least I got a cute outfit out of it!

xo- Sarah

Feline Fancy (or at least somewhat)

Hello, loves! Here is a quick OOTD for you. I've been feeling super monochromatic lately. That is to say I just feel like decking myself out in black from head to toe and lurking on the periphery of things. So it goes! But, thank goodness, I've had enough prints to keep the wardrobe versatile yet. Besides, who doesn't like cats??? (okay, admittedly, yeah, probably many, many people...)

Skirt- Cooperative | Tights-  Target | Top- Loft | Necklace- thrifted

The skit is fun and flared but not too "flippy."

Necklace details ~ I wear this one quite often- too often, really...

The barette. I really wish I knew where it's from. My grandmother handed it down to me.

-Accessory In Action-

 BUT IT GETS BETTER.

AKA this skirt has POCKETS. I feel very passionately about pockets. It seems like we ladys get especially shortchanged in the pocket department these days, so sinking my hands into the folds of this skirt elicited undiluted bliss!

IT GETS BETTER.

I like to look for little, unique details that sets clothing apart. The buttons on the left sleeve of my dotted shirt have always caught my eye as a subtle touch of refinery. I was really lucky to find a skirt (with such a wicked print, firstly! meow!) that buttoned down the front- with practically the same buttons!

Buttons on the skirt accompanied by my necklace to the right

not quite an epaulet, but still pretty neat.

The buttons were so similar!

Rare tech note: I acquired some lighting! Yippee!

Aha! I forgot to remove my glasses from my head for this shot. I'm posting it as a tribute to the work I've been doing. Nine times out of ten during a tough school week I'll walk around like this. I've even developed a weird phantom syndrome. I can kind of feel them on my head right now, actually... Hahah!

Tuesdays are always exhausting for me, what with my studio art class.  With this, I bid you adieu. I'm falling asleep typing...

Until post time meanders into my mind,
Love from,
Emmaline c:

Encouraging Intimacies

...In which Sarah accompanies me to the doctor's office for a flu shot,

We eat copious amounts of bread, endeavoring to end Panera Bread as we know it,

Exlpore the graffiti downtown and the aperture of the camera simultaneously,

Sarah sees every red light as a photo-op,


...For some reason...

Is this what it means to be 18?

one selfie, two cameras?

lookin' fine as all get-out

cylopes unite!

tragically beautiful, don't you think?