Thanks in All Things.

To say that the past year has been a challenge would be a bold understatement. However at this time last year, I was dreading Thanksgiving, dreading the holidays, dreading going on with my day to day life with the absence of my Poppy leaving a tremendous void in my life.

Since that time I've learned that it's okay to have bad days, it's okay to lean on people - but the past cannot swallow your entire life. These days, I'm thankful for so many things, and my life feels fuller and much more positive. 

I'm thankful for so many people, events, and memories that I have to keep pushing me through. So many events keep shaking me and leaving me to wake up and realize that while yeah, I have things that suck and things I can complain about, it makes so much more sense to shut the hell up and count the things in my life that are amazing and beautiful. 

There will always be things in our lives that are hard, or that we have trouble coping or dealing with - but at the end of the day, if you focus on only those things, you'll become a bitter, miserable person who no longer can see the good in anything. 

On this Thanksgiving, I'm realizing more than ever just how much I have to be thankful for (I know it sounds so contrite). There are the cliche things, like my family and friends, the fact that I have a steady job that I am in love with, or that I have the luxury of going out and trying new places with the people I care about most. There are the little things, like weekly dinners with my best friend, being able to vote in the most recent election, Google+ hangouts with my college roommates, pub crawls with friends, pumpkin flavored anything, things on Pinterest that inspire me and make me happy, and finding bars that serve Hoegaarden and craft beers - these are all the little things that make me happy and that I've been choosing to focus on versus dwelling on the bad things. 

These are some of the things/people/places I'm thankful for this past year - things that I'm trying to focus on despite all the negativity that life/karma/whatever throws my way. 

Best friends, and some of my favorite people. 

Work, which I love more with each day. 

Family.

My nephew, who reminds me what unconditional love is. 

Little things.

My advice would be - tell the people who you care about that you love them whenever possible, try to find at least one or two good things in the midst of every struggle or terrible day, and don't let the bastards get you down.

What are you most thankful for? (The big and little things). 

Happy Thanksgiving, to all my US friends! xox

Currently listening to: Blood Bank - Bon Iver

Versatility in Street Style.

To me (and this has been reiterated throughout the years of me blogging), there is nothing more perfect than street style. I get sick of hearing about celebrities who pay stylists so that they can run to the grocery store, especially since living in the NYC area, I see plenty of people who are hungover (or still drunk) and yet look fabulous without the help of a stylist to run to Starbucks or to the diner for some alcohol absorbing pancakes. 

The rule to fashion is that there are absolutely no rules - I'm going to post my favorite looks and things that they share, but it will seem contradictory because fashion is SUCH a personal thing. I might love a look and not be able to emulate it at all, and I might be able to pull off something that wouldn't look as great on someone else. Trying to force a trend on yourself (hello, Halston MC Hammer style harem pants that I just sold on Ebay for 1/6 of what I bought them for) is the worst fashion sin you can commit. 

If you look awesome in black, make it your signature - Carolina Herrera is known for her ridiculously crisp white button downs. Are they thrilling and in and of themselves? Probably not - but she owns it, and has turned it into her signature look. If you love accessories, ignore Coco Chanel's advice (mon dieu, the blasphemy, I know!) and pile it on. If you think you look like it's too overboard, play around with it. The most important thing is if you love yourself. 

With that in mind, here are some of my favorite street style trends. 

1. OVERSIZE. 

God, I love an oversized anything - button down, cardigan, jacket. Something about playing with the proportions of something huge and then a great pair of skinny jeans/pants or a fitted skirt make my heart swell a bit (and I have a grinch sized heart, so that's saying a lot). 

Paris street style.

Two gorgeous stars from the UK series Skins (my favorite!).

Do oversized sweaters scare you or make you feel overwhelmed? Rock an oversized scarf. Dressing warm for winter is another fashion must - no one likes that person who turned blue because they have hypothermia while walking around the city. 

2. Leath-aah Adds Instant Edge

(I say this in the voice like Stella from Project Runway who would always use leath-aah on all her pieces).

She was onto something though - a leather jacket, leather pants, or a leather skirt are totally unsuspected and can elevate a normal outfit from cute to totally badass. 

Just as always, don't overdue it so you don't look like a pimp. 

3. Play with Color. 

I cannot emphasize this enough - don't care if it's with accessories, shirts, pants, or even interior design - pops of color make everything better and keep them looking super polished and fresh. 

Try different combinations, see what looks best on your skin tone. 

Color block whenever you can.

Paris - of course. 

Wooster can do no wrong in my eyes. 

4. With that being said... Monochromatic is bold and edgy - and pairing like colors is flawless. 

Stick with a basic black.. all the way through your look. Love white? Rock it head to toe. Forget pops of color with this one - wear it head to toe and embrace it. Use makeup for a pick-me-up since you don't want your face to look flat. Pair neutrals together if a full-on single color look scares the shit out of you.

 Neutral pairings.

Wooster perfection. 

5. Go for the Unconventional - and FULLY embrace it.

This is not a time to be half-assed. If you're a guy and you want to rock a floral blazer, you go - and don't give a shit what anyone says. Want to wear a full-length  ballgown? Yeah, you might get stares, but honestly, if you're happy - it doesn't matter. Do these badasses look like they care what anyone thinks? Are they all over Pinterest? Just sayin. 

 

 

6. Dress up Denim.

Denim is not the enemy - I know many people say they  hate jeans and won't wear them, but you can LIVE in jeans and still look polished and lovely. And, as my boy has constantly told me - jeans and a white button down with pumps is one of the hottest things someone can wear (though hopefully he's talking about moi).

7. Max it out. 

This is kind of a playoff of #1, but maxi dresses and skirts are EVERYWHERE. Wear them, love them, put your own twist on them. Knot the bottom, use a belt, wear a crop top. Don't worry if you're short or tall - rock them. I promise, you can pull them off. 

8. Accessorize. 

Your accessories (for males and females) add that extra edge to an outfit. Even something as simple as a mani/pedi color gives a glimpse of you. As a teacher, I have to watch how I dress to work, but you best believe I'm piling on bangles, wearing fun shoes, and playing around with my nail colors. Do what you can and use accessories to play up your outfit or add a different spin.

What are some of the things that you think makes someone exude style? Love or hate any of the ones above?

All these images were taken off various inspiration boards via Pinterest.

xox

Currently listening to: Love Don't Live Here Anymore (cover) - City and Colour