Something Different

What I Wore: Top - Urban Outfitters, Skirt - Loft, Shoes - Seychelles

It's a been a little while since I've posted about an outfit, but I wore a crop top today (for the first time in my life) and bought this new skirt so I thought it would be appropriate to share. Aside from the usual "I haven't been wearing anything very interesting" excuse I mainly just haven't been feeling too good about myself lately and really have not wanted to have my photo taken. Today was different. Today I felt good and wanted to share this outfit and a few thoughts I've been having.

I recently had a bad day. A day when I felt really really horrible about myself to the point where I was allowing it to ruin my entire day. After trying to spend the morning out with friends I ended up essentially locking myself up in my house to be by myself and get the negative thoughts out of my system. That day I was reminded of a previous day when one of my friends had been feeling a similar way. That day I had done my best to try and listen to her and tell her what she needed to hear, which I now realize is I what I needed to be hearing (and listening to) as well.

Here are the two things that I need to tell myself more often and actually listen to:

1. You are allowed to take up space. The more 'you' there is in the world the better because you are good and valuable and important.

2. Your body houses so many good things and allows you do so many good things. Focus on those things and not the way your arms looked in that photo or how it feels when your legs rub together under your dress. Nourish the good things your body allows you to do/think/feel.

I am realizing more and more that on my bad days I am not mad at my body but that I'm more mad at the way I think about my body. My body does everything I could ever want or need it to do, but I am in desperate need of a paradigm shift in my relationship with it. I am continuously learning how to inhabit, use, and honor the shape I was lucky enough to be born into.

And with that, I encourage to do something to honor yourself today (and tomorrow and the day after that).

Ruffled

What I Wore: [Dress: Anthropologie, Shirt: old Gap (similar), Earrings: old Anthropologie (similar), Shoes: old Lucky Brand (similar)]

Sometimes you have a week where you wish there were six extra hours in every day and that you could spend those six hours simultaneously sleeping and doing all of the work that you're behind on, this week was one of those weeks. I know it's quite cliché (admittedly I like clichés) but focusing on little happy things really did make the long days a bit brighter. This week those little things included the ruffled neck on this dress, feeling the sunshine on my bare legs, seeing the piece I am choreographing for my school's Spring dance show come together, and getting massive chocolatey ice cream cones from Salt & Straw.

Oh, and this quote by Warsaw Shire:

“The sun is perfect and you woke this morning. You have enough language in your mouth to be understood. You have a name, and someone wants to call it. Five fingers on your hand and someone wants to hold it. If we just start there, every beautiful thing that has and will ever exist is possible. If we start there, everything, for a moment, is right in the world.” 

Here's to a productive and stress-free upcoming week, for us all! 

Misty Mornings

What I Wore: [Jacket: old Forever 21 (similar), Skirt: J. Crew, Booties: old Sam Edelman (similar), Bag: Madewell]

I've been back at school for about two weeks now and I've definitely been feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to readjust to school life and get this whole semester figured out. Things around campus definitely feel different this semester. The majority of my junior class is gone on abroad programs, including 4 of my closest friends, and since my roommate and I both studied abroad our sophomore year we feel as if we're the only ones left! So we've made it a plan to expand our friend circles and meet more new people this semester! I've also had to kind of hit the ground running in terms of classes and extra curriculars this semester. There has been lots and lots of reading, many meetings, and seemingly endless emails. It's all very exciting, and new, and a bit stressful, but definitely all good.

Morgan and I found some time in-between classes to take some outfit photos on Monday. We headed to south campus and were able to capture just how eerily beautiful campus can be when the fog rolls in. That's one of the things I love most about the Pacific Northwest, everything here is so beautiful no matter what the forecast is!

Turtlenecks & Tartan

"Time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees" - Emily Bronte

What I Wore: [Top: Gap, Skirt: Vintage (similar), Boots: Franco Sarto (similar), Earrings: J. Crew (similar), Lipstick: Bite Beauty "Cranberry"] 

I can't believe Christmas is already here, it seems like the weeks leading up to the holidays are always  such a blur, making it so that once break finally begins and I get to lay around watching Love, Actually with my dog for three days straight even better than usual. Since I go to school so far away from home being able to come home and be around my entire family at Christmastime is very special to me and something I look forward to all year. For my family, Christmas means food, movies, moon-lit walks through our woods, board games, and more food - AND I LOVE IT. 

Since Christmas day is usually spent in my footie pajamas, or some other comfy equivalent, I try to be a bit more festive on Christmas Eve. Granted, in my family all holidays are extremely casual so this is an outfit that I would just wear to class or any day of the week really, but I thought the tartan print wool skirt and cozy turtle neck made it feel a bit more Christmas-y than my usual "warm dress and black tights" option that I've been known to go for in the past. 

I hope you all have a lovely holiday season, are surrounded by those you love, are perpetually stuffed with delicious food and drink, and get some time to relax before gearing up to take on the new year! 

xo

Just A Touch Of Sparkle

What I Wore: [Jacket - old Target (similar), Sweater - old Zara (similar), Skirt - J. Crew, Oxfords - Minelli (similar), Lip Color - Nars "Dolce Vita" Lipgloss]

I love Portland because I can wear a short sleeved sweater and skirt with just a leather jacket draped over my shoulders on December 7th and be WARM - this is madness to me, especially compared to how I was dressed while being at home in my last post. 

I wore this outfit on Sunday for a day of eating, shopping, and play attending with my mom while she was in town over the weekend. On Friday and Saturday night I had the final performances for the dance show that I have been rehearsing for all semester (so so so much fun, my favorite part of every fall semester) - and my mom flew all the way out to Portland to see me dance! (She really is the best person I know). We spent the remaining parts of the weekend eating a lot of fantastic food, doing a good bit of shopping, and overall just enjoying each other's company. It was so nice to be able to take a break from everything school related right before finals start and spend a weekend doing things I love with people I love.

Now, off to tackle all the homework I've put off until Sunday night!

4 Degrees

What I Wore [Shirt: American Eagle (similar), Skirt: American Apparel, Fleece Tights: Target, Boots: Lucky Brand, Bag: Madewell, Coat: Lands End (similar), Hat: American Apparel, Earrings: J. Crew (similar)] 

Hello! It's been a while but I'm happy to have another outfit to post. Life for the past few weeks has been crazy and will continue to be until the end of the semester but I was able to fly home on Wednesday so that I could spend Thanksgiving weekend at home in Minnesota - I couldn't be happier for a little time away from everything. 

I was definitely not prepared for just how cold it was going to be when I got home, so when I walked outside to take these photos and it was 4 degrees I immediately turned around and went back inside because there was no way I was going to stand outside and smile without the coat. Hence why I look like a large burnt (very cozy) marshmallow. But, I do love any chance to wear this hat so it's not a total loss.

Anyway, I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving and got to relax, eat a shameful amount of pie, and spend it with people you love! The countdown to Christmas begins!!

Keep Your Chin Up

What I Wore: [Top: &otherstories - similar, Jeans: Old Navy, Hat: Target - similar, Shoes: Lucky Brand, Necklace: Kate Spade New York]

On Friday two my of girlfriends and I headed off campus and up to the North East corner of Portland for an afternoon of catching up over coffee at Barista and wandering around Alberta while enjoying one of the last few sunny afternoons before the cold weather and rain hits. It was the perfect way to spend a Friday free of class and responsibly - and this was the perfect outfit to do it in. The jeans are the most comfortable things I have ever put on my lower half, the top is such a classic it's impossible not to love, and I really have no words to describe how much I love being able to wear hats, (they are my go to "I want to feel cool/glam/vintage all at the same time" item). The particular one I am wearing in these photos used to be quite a bit bigger, and thus quite a bit floppier, but because being able to see is important to me I took it upon myself to trim the brim to a more manageable width (good thing the hat was only $10 at Target). I'm hoping now that it's the perfect size I'll be able to get more wear out of it this fall and winter!

I hope you all are having a lovely weekend, thank you so much for stopping by!

Eva

The Perfect Pair

What I Wore: [Top: Anthropologie, Skirt: American Apparel, Shoes: Bass via DSW, Bag: TJ Maxx]

You know those outfits you have that you just put on and never want to take off because you feel so great in them? This is mine. It's 100% my style, extremely comfortable, and works perfectly with my body type. I also love this look a little bit more than usual because my hair is now (finally!) long enough to put up into a tiny top-knot! Because of my 17 years of being a dancer I think having my hair up in a bun is just always going to be the most comfortable and natural style for me. This look was perfect for a day full of running around town and checking things off my extremely long to do list, but I've also worn it during a long day of classes and for nicer occasions with a pair of wedges instead of my flat sandals. You've gotta love versatility! 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead of you - mine will be filled with breaking in my new running shoes, seeing "The Fault In Our Stars", some hot yoga, and plenty of sleeping in :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Eva