Spring Casual: Cropped and Ripped (OOTD)

Sadly, I got completely discouraged this past fall/winter and I apologize for that. What I thought would be an opportunity for me to embrace cold weather just didn't turn out that way. So, now what? Now...I give you spring.

Yesterday I spent the day out east with my fiance and my sister (the photographer). It was too nice out to let the sunshine pass us by, and we've been warm weather deprived for far too. I couldn't just ignore the opportunity to wear a cropped top... 

 ...Or the nude shoes I've been waiting to debut for spring and an all-purpose black, structured bag.

Bag/ MICHAEL Michael Kors

Shoes/ Aldo (on sale!)

Watch/ Michael Kors

Boyfriend Jeans/ Forever 21

Cropped Top (Similar)

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Falling for Fall: Beanies and Leather (OOTD)

Anyone who knows me knows that my wardrobe consists primarily of summer and spring clothes. I live in New York and I'm fully aware that the temperature drops at any point without warning, but that doesn't stop me from loading up on cropped tops and skirts even in October. I just live for warmer weather. I can't help that I find myself more attracted to what I see in stores for summer than I do for colder months. Not to mention, now that I don't go "back-to-school" shopping, what am I really getting excited to dress up for?

Just being honest.

This year, however, I'm really trying to turn over a new leaf for fall, no pun intended. I've been buying new boots and dusting off old ones, buying cozy sweaters and scarves and truly trying to embrace the season. I think, when done correctly, colder weather in New York doesn't have to be a miserable fashion experience. You just need to find select pieces you love and feel comfortable in and build off that. See below for Saturday's OOTD:

A knitted hat because I can't get another cold. Precautions must be taken. 

 

Faux Moto Jacket - another fall essential.

 

The Isaac Mizrahi boots that you'll be seeing me live in this season. Comfortable black quality boots are a wise investment! "I never wear those black boots I bought that go with everything," said no one, ever.  

Keep a look out for more of my fall fashion attempts, where I focus on getting it right and staying warm at the same time. It won't be easy, but I'm up for the challenge.

Messenger Bag/ Marc by Marc Jacobs

Boots/ Isaac Mizrahi

Top (Zipper in the back)/ Zara (Similar)

Moto Jacket/ Forever 21

Knit Hat/ H&M

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Fall Update: A much needed break

Have you ever specifically put aside time to do absolutely nothing? No? That's probably because you've never had to.

I think it's very easy to get caught up in your every day life. . .before you know it days, weeks, months, and years have past and you look back with no idea how it all happened so fast. This weekend in particular I decided that I was going to  make myself so busy with doing nothing just to get caught up. Instead of going out or traveling to visit people I spent most of my time indoors with J. . .

Aside from a quick brunch bite outside, we stayed in and that was exactly what I needed. It's cuffing season, after all.

PS - For a picture-by-picture view of what goes on in my life, follow me on Instagram (Carrymel). It's like my 3rd social media love. Pinterest is obviously my first.

Proud Lady-Child

I came across an article in the bible that pretty much hit the nail on the head for me. It talks about exactly how I've been feeling over the past few months...or basically since I turned 18. Let's just call it what it is: the past 5 years.

Since going through two moves, getting a full-time job, taking on my very own bills yet still relying on older, "wiser", and more experienced folks for some financial assistance I have come to terms with exactly where I am in life. I understand that I am not a girl, not a teen, definitely a 20-something female, but am I a woman? I feel like something should have happened to trigger my grown-ass woman realization. Maybe it will happen when I get married? Maybe when I have my first child? Right now though...not quite there yet.

You might have Lady-Child Syndrome if...

- As much as you might think you know what you're planning on doing with your career, you still have no idea. You have a degree, you have a job...yet you haven't completely ruled out being an astronaut or professional food taster.

- Traveling, of any kind, is an adventure to you. In fact, anything super-stable that may prevent you from doing that is seen as "holding you back". Can I live?

- Continuing your education is a way of prolonging being a student. Just admit it.

- Everyone around you is either getting married or having children. Everydamnbody. Even the ones who you just knew would never find love.

- The idea of having children or getting married is just about as scary as the thought of being kicked off your family's cell phone plan. So in a nutshell, there go your priorities.

- You'd prefer to be referred to as "an emerging adult" or a "woman-in-training".

This would explain why I love the hell out of shows like Girls, 2 Broke Girls, and New Girl...also, the fact that all three of those shows have "girl" in the titles is just a weird coincidence that I just now noticed while typing this.

I'm not complaining though. I'm still a very responsible young adult who is enjoying her youth but thinking about the future. I am in absolutely no rush for full-on adult problems. Am I using this "lady-child" syndrome as a crutch? Perhaps. But some of the things I've listed above don't apply to me as much as they used to and I'm starting to move past them. One bad-decision-turned-moral-lesson at a time.

Ways to keep busy when sick

When I get sick, my body has very predictable stages. It's been this way for as long as I can remember. It starts off with a scratchy through one morning when I wake up. I always think that immediately downing Emergen-C will help fight off anything more serious coming my way and without fail, I always don't have Emergen-C.

Because of consistent fail, the full-blown cold that follows usually lasts for two weeks (yes, TWO weeks) and I find ways to keep my mind off it. Such as, but not limited to...

• Purposeless online shopping. This weekend I bought a slave bracelet (why? Because I saw Vanessa Hudgen's wore it. Obviously.), a bedazzled iPhone case meant for someone 10 years my junior, as well as various things from Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters that I'm ashamed to go into detail on because they found the perfect time to prey on me. I was weak.

• Go outside and spread your illness. I was that person on the train who everyone looks at like they have the plague (sorry). Somehow Bath and Body Works convinced me to buy 6 lotions, sprays, and body washes! What is it about President's Day that makes people think sales are appropriate?

• Clean. I thought to myself, "How can I make my life easier for when I finally get better? Clean the entire apartment!" Am I the only one who makes epic plans for after they recover from a cold? In a way, a cold is your body's way of telling you to chill the f*ck out and stop messing with it.

• Work out. You'd be surprised how motivated you can get when you have a cold. I was trying to sweat out the cold (does that work?), and also tell myself that since my body was trying to get rid of germs, it certainly could get rid of a couple of those pesky calories. What, like it's hard?

• Make your significant other feel like their sole purpose is to nurse you back to health. J was out of the country or on some school-related trip in New York (same difference) so every chance I got I reminded him that it was his responsibility to take care of me and he was failing as a boyfriend. Dramatic? Yes, considering I was shopping, cleaning and going out like nobody's business.

• Read that book that's been sitting on your nightstand. This was part of me "bettering myself" so that once I felt better, I'd feel like I accomplished something.

I'm backwards. I get motivated to do more when I don't feel well and now that I'm 96% back to normal, I just want to lay on the couch and eat mini cupcakes.

The NYC side is overtaking my Long Island side

I've lived in the city heavily populated city-like area of Astoria for what? 3 or 4 months now? Now, I am hardly an authentic NYC girl - in my mind I am, but I can face facts and admit that since my childhood was spent on Long Island and I only have a few months under my belt, I am still a Long Island girl at heart. A bridge and tunnel-er at my core. I will say that I feel like I should get some city gal points for city next to a homeless man with a straight face as he de-robed on the subway the other day. That's his home, who am I to judge?

I won't say that I'm giving up on the Long Islander in me, but I am suppressing her. I'm becoming one of those people who hustles across the streets of manhattan avoiding lights, looking like they know where they're going, and I've finally figured out how to tell the cardinal directions of the streets without holding my iPhone up in the air and praying for a signal. Progress? I'd say so.

I even find myself getting annoyed by Long Island sometimes. Like why are Metrocard machines so damn hard to find out there? There are buses! I actually hadn't left the boroughs since Thanksgiving before my mom's birthday on Sunday, and you know what? It didn't feel like it. Maybe the city's stuck in a time loop because I swear it felt like 2 weeks.

With that being said, this video helped me realize that the New Yorker in me has been coming out, full-force. To my followers  that aren't New Yorkers - what do you think? Unfortunately (and not unfortunately), this is exactly how a lot of New Yorkers are. It's kind of funny!

Next up: Valentine's Day

I am over joyed for Valentine's Day this year.

If you haven't noticed, I completely feed in to commercialized holidays. I like the idea, and them forcing you to spend time with your loved ones/friends to celebrate unnecessary spending. To me, it's only for a couple of days out of the year when (almost) everyone's mood is elevated because of all the love in the air.

Cheesey, fine. I can admit to that, but why not celebrate it? It shouldn't be once a year - it should be every day - but because this ONE day was singled out and you get to be surrounded around other sweethearts, just enjoy it. Even if you're single, I'm sure there are people around you who you love. Enjoy that. And if there's no one around you who you love, love yourself especially hard for the day.

Another reason I'm excited for Valentine's Day is because I can't wait to ball my eyes out for The Vow. I purposely try to provoke emotions out of myself so I'll go pay to see movies I know I'll be too scared to watch through open eyes and that are guaranteed to make me cry.  I have convinced J to take me to see this even though he's a regular guy who hates romance movies and this movie is like about 3 other Rachel McAdams movies I've seen before. 

Be honest, doesn't an itty bitty teeny tiny part of you kind of want to see this movie? 

I want YOU!

. . .To help me pick out a Halloween Costume :]

I decided that this year won't be the year I grow up and resort to simply giving out Halloween candy instead of collecting it on my own. Whatever, whatever - I do what I want.

And even if I don't go trick-or-treating because I'm not sure if my city neighbors have the same sense of humor as the ones I grew up with in the suburbs, I'm definitely dressing up in some way and doing something.

So these are the options I've come up with so far:

Dionne (From Clueless)

Because I love that movie in a really unhealthy way and kind of already own the outfit. 

Storm (From X-Men) 

Because in my mind, I'll be Halle Berry for a night dressed as a superhero.

Note: I'm not crazy about the store's costume, which means I'll probably re-create it, but you get the idea.

Sookie Stackhouse (From True Blood) 

Because if you follow my blog even a little bit, you already know how I feel about that show. 

. . .Now you might be wondering - why wouldn't you be Tara, from True Blood? Well, because that's too obvious, lol. I know Tara and I have that whole "being black thing" in common but Sookie would pose a challenge. Besides - if I dress as Tara, I'm gunna need someone to be my LaFayette which would require me recruiting a team of True Blood fans and blah, blah, blah. . .

If you have another "vision" for me, I'm open to ideas. I will say that I have already dressed up as the following:

• An Egyptian Princess

• Sailor

• Lady bug

•Baseball Player

• A member of "TLC"

• Super Woman

• Cat (although not Cat Woman. . hmm.)

Thanks in advance for any advice! I hope you guys are enjoying your fake Columbus Day as much as I am. 

Also - Look out for a post later on my featured follower idea. 

What the earthquake taught me

(If you recognize this picture, I love you because you've watched Charmed)

It's very rare (though not impossible) for New Yorkers to experience an earthquake, or even an aftershock from an earthquake. It is, however, not unlike us to make the biggest deal out of any unusual situation that we might face. Dramatic and New York kind of go hand in hand like Idaho and potatoes (ever met someone from Idaho? They hate when you say that) and Florida and really, really old people retiring there and slowing up traffic.

But I'll digress.

When the earthquake earth hiccup occurred I was sitting on my boyfriend's futon and thought that someone was doing construction nearby until I looked over and saw the bed and everything on it was shaking too.

My first thought was that I was overreacting until it continued for another minute or two, and then I needed to consult a trusted source about what was happening: Twitter.

Lo and behold, after a little lagging and Twitter being "over capacity", the New Yorkers on my timeline were in a frenzy, tweeting pictures of how their picture frames had tilted an inch off the wall. And I thought I was dramatic.

Here are some things the weak aftershock that us New Yorkers are calling an earthquake taught me:

1.) In this world there does exist someone more dramatic than I am and her name is La Madre, who felt it was crucial to call me repeatedly until I answered after the "quake". Her floor apparently rocked more because she's so high up and she thought they might be having some sort of pre-September 11th thing going on. Why someone would target a small opthalmology company in Long Island is beyond me.

2.) I may need some new friends. I sent a text to one asking if we just had an earthquake and he told me that it was probably just alcohol withdrawal. Is it wrong that for a second, I thought he made a valid assumption?

3.) That maternal instinctive survival gene I thought I was missing is actually there. I called J at work (First person! Yay for being a good gf!). Not sure that I would have been able to do anything over the phone to help him, but it's the thought that counts.

4.) I am SO GLAD I was not on a Subway. I don't think there was any record of problems on NYC subs but I. Don't. Care. That is the last place I want to be when there's any kind of earth movement. This isn't a lesson, more of a me-just-being-happy thing.

Sidenote, and totally off-topic: I need your honest opinion on if I'm too old to purchase this microwave from Target. . .

I love it though.

J gets Boyfriend of the Week.

So, I'm still alive.

This picture was added because my boobs look incredible. Although my hair does not

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I feel like it's been ages since I've updated, so I apologize for that. Things have been reaaally hectic for a bunch of reasons I've probably already mentioned in here. I'm trying to figure out if you can donate organs for money beforehand, because that's how I'm living right now. But alas, this too shall pass.

*sigh*

I think this week has been a stressful week for a lot of people, judging from some of you guys' (spelling?) blogs that I've been ghost stalking.

Shoutout to the things this week that have successfully turned my frown upside down:

• An ever-patient boyfriend that can deal with my sporadic emotionally outburst. J get's the Boyfriend Of The Week award again. He's currently the only candidate and competitor, but that's besides the point.

• A lot of people around me have been getting good news so I'm hoping that some of that karmic goodness rubs off on me if I keep hanging around them. I'm ready to bathe in some good news.

• According to some girl who came into my (temporary) job with serious wrist issues, Red Mango has rainbow sprinkles. If you don't already know, I love all things colorful and particularly love sprinkles. 'Nuff said.

Photocredit

• Yet another small thing that made my day. . .

IT'S BACK IN STOCK! & I own it.

And I'm making a big deal about it because I need to hold tightly to the small flecks of happiness that I have in my life. Phew.

I'll be moving over officially to Astoria this Saturday.

TEHYF Tuesdays: Why I'd make an awesome Dance Mom

There are a lot of shows I've recently thought I'd make a great cast addition to (like a vampire on True Blood or a contestant on Big Brother or my dream of being a judge on So You Think You Can Dance), but now I think I've found a new love.

When you can get pass the reality of me not actually being a mom (let's not focus on the negative), I think I've come up with some really solid reasons for why I think I'd make a great Dance Mom. For example:

• I want me some bedazzled black yoga pants.

• Although J and I have not had a child, I'm almost positive that this kid will come out beautiful. And not because I think him and I have amazing genes that could only result in a beyond gorgeous baby. I think they'll be beautiful because even if they aren't, I'm not above using plastic surgery to help further advance their career.

• I consider myself to be viciously competitive - especially if it's something I think I have a good chance at winning. And hey, if I can't win it, I'm sure my daughter can. Living vicariously through your children, anyone?

• Kids are people too, but Dance Kids are like little dolls that you can make-up and then teach routine's that are far too mature for their age group. And it's okay. Sort of. People encourage it is my point.

• I harbor enough estrogen and emotions to fuel about five other normal women and transform them into Dance Moms.

As I think of more reasons for why I should look into this, I'll update it. In the meantime, keep sending me questions so I have something to look forward to ;]

Pic Tales: My Bday weekend in a nutshell

The day of my actual birthday I got flowers, red velvet cupcakes and a huge cupcake balloon bought to my job. Then that weekend I went to the beach (hence the "tan") and out to the club with another bday twin of mine.

Clay (the blonde) shares my bday!

. . and so did Hannah!

All in all, it was a good birthday weekend - although my bf is absent from most (okay, all) of these pics because he's been working his little tail off. Not gunna lie, I miss him. But G's don't cry.

There's a lot I wanna touch on in more detail such as me getting an award from Shane and me getting my 100 followers (woot!) but for now I'm just gunna blog stalk you guys for a lil bit and continue to get ready for my move. And by "get ready", I mean "mentally prepare myself" because I haven't packed a thing and won't be moving until mid-August. Just to clarify - me and my roommate are moving to Astoria, Queens. I know that's not the "city-city", but it's the city enough for me since I'm a Long Island girl lol. You'll hear all about it soon enough.

Minor Updates:

• I really, REALLY gotta slow down with watching True Blood. It's getting a little ridiculous. I'm at the point where I'm having dreams intertwining real-life and the characters of that damn show.

• Someone needs to hire me, for real, for real.

• My little sister looks a lot like me. Yikes!

Me.

Her. See?!

• It's AUGUST!!!!!!!!!! WTF?

Holla. It's my birthday!

*Busts a Dougie*

Yes, you've heard (read?) correctly. The day has arrived.

I know I've talked about celebrating here and here, way beforehand, and I've confused a lot of you but THIS IS LEGIT. July 27th, 2011 is here and I'm 22 years old!

To commemorate this new year in my life and start my countdown to 30 (wahhh! :(), aside from chronicling the f.cktivities I partake in (which will be outlined in further detail after this weekend), I'd like to share my 22nd year of wisdom with all of you. Some of you might have already realized these things at a younger age or still haven't realized it yourself, but I'm sharing it anyway.

Life has a way of re-routing your plans and to enjoy it to the fullest, you just have to go with it. Everything will work itself out. Don't be afraid of new experiences and new people and certainly don't dwell on old things. Those things happen to make you a better person today.

So there ya have it. Gotta take my own advice!

Also, I wanted to shout out all of you guys for being such awesome followers once again. I'm like, 5 followers away from 100 and I've only been actively updating this blog for like a month. I love that you guys care enough to read what I write or even to comment on anything. Loves it. *throws glitter everywhere*

Ohh, and special shout out to Rose and Miss Sassy Pants for sharing this birthday with me! I don't want to toot my own horn, but I'm inclined to believe that Leos born on July 27th are made from some of the best stuff on earth because everyone I met with my birthday is so awesome, it's almost not fair.