In case you haven't heard

I can't believe I've lived long enough to see a major trend come full circle. I officially feel old.

P.S. I want

a french press. I saw an ad outside of Peet's as I was passing by, and I'm planning on stopping in later this week.

Yup. I want one bad.

On Cowardice

I have a problem.

I'm scared of the blank page of MS Word, that large, white, relentless expanse that evaporates my words into dilapidation. And while this is a pretty common fear, it poses a particular problem when my entire college career (and future one, I hope) is dependent on writing.

You see, regardless of how I come off, I'm actually a huge coward. I'm scared of my own freaking shadow. And I think the reason I avoid the wordless .doc like the plague, more than anything, is that I'm afraid of what I'll end up with, or more specifically, that what I'll end up with won't be good enough or worse, good at all. If I don't try at all, then I can't be bad. Unfortunately, I can't be good either. I would be nothing at all.

I'm scared of the judgment. Your writing is a little convoluted, Esther. Your writing could do without that paragraph. You could do without that paragraph. You sound contrived. You sound archaic. You are unoriginal. You are just not good enough.

Where do I get my value from?


Time to buck up and write that essay.

(photos via pinterest)

The Weekend Post

Hey lovelies. There's a wedding happening tomorrow! And while I'm not attending, it's exciting all the same to see old faces back in town, and I'm kind of embarrassed to admit how much I'm looking forward to the pictures. I love weddings. It's a celebration of love, and dancing, and candles, and flowers, and handwritten vows, and a ridiculously indulgent, big, white dress, and everything beautiful -- what's not to love?! So in the same spirit, here's some weddin' lovin'. Congratulations Grace and Nate!!

Natural. And perfect.

"Spread the Love" wedding favors. How clever is that?!

Forget diamonds.

Well, unless it looks like this.

Or this. Actually...diamonds are fine.

Loubies are fine, too.

Or better yet, Wellies.

Tons of votives = Completely romantic

And these things are all great, but we all know the most important thing in a wedding is

the dessert table. Kidding! (sort of)

It's the bride and groom...

and family and friends and champagne and celebration and laughter and love.

Wedding gift for the newlyweds

My future hubby and I will be doing this after our wedding. You can quote me.

I'll leave you with a photo from one of the most unreal wedding shoots ever.

And me? I'm pretty busy this weekend, too. Norman's parents are visiting, and we're gonna show 'em the town! (The parts with central heating systems.)

Have a love-filled weekend.

(photos via pinterest, stylemepretty, oncewed, kreativekloset, Patterson Maker, Delphine Manivet)

A girl named Mary Jane

       I understand Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes are like the holy grail of shoes, but I'm kind of falling for these, and at a fraction of the cost, well, they sure know how to get a girl.

Little Things

My spring break has been full of little indulgences, like...
Trying on shoes I can't afford:

like these Balenciaga shoes I found at Nordstrom Rack, originally $1200 and on sale for $300. I don't normally feel this way about shoes, but I was contemplating selling old clothes on eBay, taking up extra babysitting gigs, giving up my firstborn to get my hands on these shoes.

And $2 gold kiwis:

I know paying $2 for a kiwi is a little psychotic, but trust me -- for those times when you want to treat yourself, these babies are worth it.

And there's the $(too expensive) magazine I don't normally buy myself:

I'd say it was a pretty successful spring break, but way too short! Spring break, where did you go?!

I almost forgot

One last thing I'm desperately rummaging for:

The perfect little everything clutch, like Carrie's vintage Dior. I'd also like that bustier, too. And that trench. And the skirt. In fact, there's just nothing wrong with this entire picture.

F/W 2011

Can we skip summer? Maybe it's the weather, but instead of skirts and sandals, I'm dreaming of really fantastic boots and Fall neturals.

The perfect wool coat I've been looking for this entire past season. Too bad it's sold out everywhere. [Endeavor coat by Sunner]

Considering this alternative to my current headband (consequence of a terrible cut). [Rust Turband at Nastygal]

Isabel Marant substitute? I think so. [Mixed Knit Sweater at Nastygal]

That hat...is everything. [Madrid Wool Hat at Nastygal]

But the real stuff I've got my eyes on:

Lace-up Buckle Boots by Jacco

and this:

How freaking fabulous is this Elizabeth and James coat? And how terrible is it that I rediscovered the joys of eBay?

This doesn't have anything to do with the real F/W 2011 collections, obviously, but I can't wait for Vogue Collections to come out!

I love you, Chicago

I slept for thirteen hours. Thir. Teen. Hours. In my body's defense, I had a pretty rough day of travel yesterday that started at 4 a.m. (eastern time). But still, that's pretty obscene.

New York was everything. (Besides the whole getting-my-wallet-stolen thing, of course--sigh--but c'est la vie, my friends.) I just kept thinking to myself how incredible it would've been to go to school in New York. It would've been beyond (and yes, I realize I would've been broke -- that isn't the point). But I did come to the conclusion that the only way to truly enjoy New York for everything it has to offer is as a non-New Yorker (meaning living there for less than 10 years). People there need to lighten up. The entire planet and everything it has to offer is in Manhattan, but New Yorkers don't know how to enjoy it. Live a little!

And I'm back in Chicago. It's funny -- I never realized how much Chicago felt like home until I left it. I've only been here for four years, but it's become a pretty special place to me. Now, we just need to work on this weather...

(photo via pinterest)

Photo Diary: New York

"This is what happens when there's a recession!" -- my cousin in reference to the cupcake size

Crumbs on Broadway (right in my cousin's office building!), Alice's Tea Cup (my cousin's favorite cupcake), Chelsea, West Village, Soho with...

my cousin, Sue Jean! She's one of the most fabulous people I know, and she always takes such good care of me when I visit. I love you, Sue Jean unni!