Currently

Life has been nothing if not extremely busy and stressful lately, I am just counting down the days until I get to hop on a plane and head home to Minnesota for Thanksgiving weekend. I'm hoping to find some time and a non-rainy day so I can take some outfit photos soon but until then more non-traditional posts will have to do.

Here are the things that have been brightening up my last few weeks!

Reading: 

I. am. obsessed. with. this. book. One of my good friends gave it to me for my birthday this year, which was only about two weeks ago, and since then I don't think a day has gone by that I haven't made time to read at least one chapter in it. It's witty and smart and funny and honest and exactly what I need to be reading right now. It's nice to hear the stories and advice on love, body image, friendship, etc from a girl who is older than me, but not so much that I can't relate to her on basically every level. I really can't recommend this book enough, I feel like all of my conversations lately just end in HAVE YOU READ LENA DUNHAM'S BOOK? (my enthusiasm usually either excites or terrifies people)

So read it. 

Hearing:

I have been a long time Taylor Swift fan, and completely unashamed of it, but I've never felt quite as obsessed with her music as I do right now. When 1989 came out I didn't listen to anything else for a straight week (I really am not exaggerating, I forgot what other music sounded like). Finally, I feel like I have sufficiently binged on the album now, and also have all of the songs memorized, so that I can listen to it a normal amount now (at least twice a day). My favorite songs are: Style, Wildest Dreams, and I Know Places. Again, the music on this album is especially important to me right now,  similarly to how Lena's book is speaking to me. #iwanttobebestfriendswithtaylor

Wearing: 

I wouldn't normally call myself a huge fan of cream blush - I've had phases where I got really into wearing it but it was usually during the summer when didn't mind about my makeup lasting all day or not (because cream blushes usually never do) but this Clinique Chubby Cheek Stick may have just changed me. My mom sent it to me for my birthday and I've been wearing it pretty regularly since then. The color I have, Roly Poly Rosy, is a really beautiful mid tone rose color that blends out into a really nice natural "I've just been out in the cold color", but I'm most impressed with the staying power and how blendable the product is. I usually do my makeup at around 9 am every morning and don't take it off until about 11 pm and this blush lasts the WHOLE DAY LONG. That combined with the fact that it doesn't take off my face makeup when I blend it onto my cheeks has caused me to reach for it most mornings while getting ready. I think the next time I find myself in a Sephora I might have to check out the other colors. 

That's all for me at the moment! What have you been loving?

Halloween + Turning 21

Halloween

Having my birthday on the day after Halloween has always made the holiday that much more fun for me, I always look forward to staying up until midnight and ringing in my birthday with my friends - and this year was definitely no different. I think I decided to be Carrie Bradshaw from Sex & The City on about November 4th last year and had been planning the costume since. Over the summer I repurposed the tulle on an old dance costume and recreated the infamous skirt, paired it with a pink tank top and my most "Carrie"-like heels, and accessorized with her iconic "Carrie" necklace. (I made that from cutting the name out of thin poster board, spray painting it silver, and taping it onto necklace I already had.) It was the perfect costume for the evening, and despite most people thinking I was dressed as a ballerina I thought my recreation was pretty spot on! 

Turning 21

Dress: ASOS

still dreaming about this stuffed Fritta

Cupcakes from Cupcake Jones

Red Wine + Pizza = the only things I need

Since the night before my actual birthday had been a pretty wild/late/eventful one the plan for the next day was focused on spending quality time with people I love and eating a lot of good food. Both of which were accomplished. The day started with donning my new sparkly birthday dress and heading downtown for birthday brunch at one of my favorite spots in Portland, Mother's Bistro & Bar. The food, as always, was perfect and being able to catch up with all of my best friends in one place was just wonderful. The past few weeks have been incredibly busy and stressful for all of us, so it was nice to be able to just sit down, eat, and chat for a few hours. And to top it all off I got a free gigantic piece of birthday cake out of the whole deal! 

In the afternoon I gave myself some much needed "me" time by letting myself lay in bed, read Lena Dunham's new book (obsessed), and not even think about doing ANY homework on a Saturday - which is something that hasn't happened in a long time. The night ended with trying out a new pizza resutrant in SE Portland called Cibo (it was amazing! highly highly recommend) and then visiting a few bars in the same area with my other of age friends. 

I have to say that this was my best birthday yet, by far. I felt so spoiled/loved/giddy the entire time (even during the whole week leading up to the big day!). I am so incredibly thankful to have a such an amazing group of friends out in here Portland and to have family + friends back home that put in so much thought and effort into making my day special even from far away. I am very very happy and lucky 21 year old.