can i be french now please?

Let me just start by saying that I put a lot of pictures of myself on this blog. I know. I'm sorry too.

I'm going to pretend to be a fashion blogger here (and that taking self timer pics outside doesn't make me extremely self conscious) and lead with this line- You know how you hear about how snobby the French are? Well, I've got to admit, I'm snobby towards the French. I've never wanted to go to Paris; England has always won for me. And while London fantasies and dreams of Oxford still flit through my head on the daily, France has all of a sudden become wonderfully appealing. I mean, stripes and black and peter pan collars and the Eiffel tower for dayyyyyys guys. I've found my style floating from trendy to Southern trendy to minimalist and now, French. I hear French dressing tips and they sound so smart! The latest I've heard is that if your skirt is above the knee, you wear flats, and if it's below the knee, you wear heels. It makes sense! I just find myself really drawn to the simplicity and effortlessness of French style. Black pants, striped shirt, messy hair. Simple. I can just really get behind the idea of a daily uniform. Neutrals, and if there must be color, make it mustard yellow or baby blue. Live in flats. You know the whole idea of a capsule wardrobe? I listed out my favorite clothes and what I wear on the reg, and I can do 37 items no problem. I'm really thinking about going through a closet purge.

In other news completely unrelated to this blog post, we signed the contract for our apartment on Saturday and I'm feeling pretty grown up here. Also, I've discovered I have a hidden love for yoga, which come to think of it, is another thing I've always made fun of. Huh, I guess I'm really a judge a book by it's cover type of person. Whoops. So you know, if I can stick with it, I'm totally going to look into being a yoga instructor. I mean it'll take a while cuz I'm really bad, but a girl can dream, right?

Also, since I discovered the Dove milk chocolate bars in the vending machines, my chocolate addiction has gotten out of control. That is all.

Sincerely, mad

Feeling Grown Up Currently

So apparently growing up is a thing. I don't know when it happened but I'm kinda starting to feel like I could handle this whole adult business. It hit me last Friday when I was in Decatur with Megan and we sat down at a nice restaurant with waiters and everything, and I realized I wasn't nervous. Having to order didn't even make me bat an eye. When did that happen? I remember feeling so scared to do anything by myself. Checking out at the grocery store and asking for help in a store caused minor trauma. Making plans without checking with my mom was a no go. On Friday I realized that I was in a city, with my best friend, no parental supervision, and I felt fine. No nervousness, no racing heart, no checking over my shoulders for creepers who sensed my naiveté. I felt fine, great even! I was having dinner with my best friend at a nice restaurant, we had strolled our way through art stores and boutiques, we were googly eyed over our super cute waiter (who, by the way, laid our menus down with the alcohol side up. megan was excited that he thought we were old enough to drink, haha). When did this growing up happen? When did I stop acting like a scaredy cat who couldn't do anything without double checking with her parents? I'm not going to lie, I like this whole adult thing. I mean, I'm going to be out of the country for a month without my family and I'm not even nervous about it. College doesn't seem like a scary thing either. It feels good to be purely excited about the future with no nervousness tainting all of the fun. Hooray for growing up!

Sincerely, mad

Don't Judge Me But...

This is a post about fashion. Fashion blogging seems kinda awkward to me but I like it when other people do it. But I just feel embarrassed. But I love getting dressed and planning outfits so gosh darn it I'm going to blog about fashion. And take selfies in my driveway because I can, k?

Do you ever just go home and completely change your outfit? Spruce it up a bit? Change this jacket for that sweater, these shoes for those ones, add a necklace and a couple of bracelets, some glasses if we're feeling especially hipster? I do it all. the. time. Like right before I go to bed I have an epiphany about what I really should have worn that day and so then of course I have to test it out and out the window goes my sleepiness and motivation to go to bed because gosh darn it I look cute and the outfit I've created looks so much better than what I wore to school and why don't I have these ideas at 5:30 in the morning when it really matters? So yeah, this outfit was originally with a jean jacket but then I went home and well, here we are. The end.

Sincerely, mad

The Evolution of Style

Prepare yourself, I'm about to turn into a fashion blogger. (did you know i originally fell in love with blogging because of fashion blogs? yep, my secret is out.)

So yeah, fashion is kinda my favorite. Getting dressed is exciting for me. I plan outfits as I fall asleep and my Pinterest fashion board is a great source of fun. I stay dressed until right before I go to bed. Pajama days? Never been my favorite. I would rather wear a dress and heels all day than pjs. If it wasn't so dang hard to find skirts that came to my knees I'd live in them. Actually, I do really love jeans, so that's not 100 percent true. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I really love getting dressed up.

Sophomore and junior year my life was centered around classy. We're talking pearls and lipstick and dresses all day everyday. Everything trendy and preppy was my dream. If I went to school without jewelry or lipstick on I felt bare. Wearing a tshirt was a sin. My laziest days were messy buns, vans, a v-neck shirt and boyfriend cardigan. Solid colors and neutrals were nowhere to be found in my closet- I was all about patterns and bright colors. My hair was painstakingly curled every morning- I didn't wear my hair in a ponytail or bun to school a single day of junior year thank you very much- not even once.

Now I'm slowly slipping deeper into the whole minimalist/hipster/artsy fartsy vibe. I covet long messy curls and slouchy tees and midi skirts with sandals. And it's not that I just love that style- I want to BE that. I want to be an artist. Forget the classy and preppy. Let's join the popular group of nonconformists! Let's be different, just like everybody else!

To be sure, my outfits each day have fancy touches. I can't help it, aspiring to class has become ingrained in my soul. I still refuse to leave the house without lipstick on, and you will not see me wear a tshirt of my own volition ever ever. But when I shop, I look for breezy skirts and oversized tees. I'm trying really hard to break myself of my curling iron and let my curls go au natural. It's rough. But exciting. Is it weird that I'm so intensely in love with fashion?

Sincerely, mad

P.S. Although I am noticing a shift in my favorite styles, I have a hard time committing to one specific genre or decade. I just love parts of it all! Just like I'm not a full introvert or extrovert or dominantly right-brianed or left-brained, I love parts of all personalities and styles. And isn't it fabulous that you can jump around and that you don't have to commit to just one style? This post by Katie Shelton (and the one she links too) worded it just about right for me. (by the way, isn't her dress to die for?!)