Blue and Yellow

"The Best Camera is the One That's With You" - Chase Jarvis

I have to apologize for my blog being over run by quick iPhone snapshots lately. But really I should be apologizing to myself. While I agree with Chase Jarvis, there is just something about getting the right shot on my DSLR that feels so good. My photography has always given me that sense of pride and creative accomplishment that one truly needs, and I have been slacking hard. I made a promise to myself to pick it back up before all the leaves have fallen. Autumn in Nashville has proven to be quite a beautiful sight and I have those fuzzy fall feelings that I was hoping for here, and I'm happy. My outfit today displays my quintessential fall uniform - oversized sweater, warm socks and boots.

Speaking of fall, I'm on my dear friend Michele's blog, Short Girl, Long Island, guest posting for her super cool Teach Me Something Thursday feature. It's Dia de los Muertos themed and educational! ;) Check it out!

(p.s. You earn major points with me, or at least teenage me, if you know the inspiration behind today's posts title!)

Creative Styling Tips With Anya Sarre

Hey guys! I'm really excited about today's entry which is coming to us from Anya Sarre, who is a celebrity stylist as well as a stylist with ShoeDazzle, a new mom, and an all around awesome lady. Anya reached out to me (how lucky am I?!) and has some really great ideas about creative styling and wardrobe recycling. I was totally into the idea of sharing them on my blog.
Thanks for the inspiration, Anya!

  

• You don’t have to own a huge closet filled with designer clothes to look good. You can mix and match the clothes that you already have in your closet! Create a stylish looks that fits your personality. The most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to dressing is that no matter what the latest trends are, the outfits you choose should be a reflection of who you are. If you feel comfortable in your clothes, you will feel confident. A person with a confident attitude will look good in anything.

• The best thing about fall and winter fashion is that they involve more dark and neutral colored clothing. Most looks involve several layers of clothing. This is ideal because you can create new looks with items that you already have in your closet. One of my favorite looks for the colder months are a pair of dark colored jeans, knee-high boots, and an over sized sweater. If you want to update this outfit with the current trends then wear a Peter Pan collar shirt under your sweater. A huge trend this season is embellished collars. You can easily make a collar necklace out of an old shirt and embellishing it with beads and sequins. If you have button down shirts then you sew on a few beads to the collar and wear it under a sweater or blazer.

I've never met a collar that I didn't like.

• Don’t put away your summer dresses just yet. Think about how you can transition them into fall and winter. If you have neutral colored dresses, add some patterned tights, ankle boots, and a sweater or blazer over them. You can wear a chunky sweater over a dress so that it looks like a skirt. You can also use some of your summer skirts and pants by pairing them with cold weather items. If you fell into the colored jean trend this summer then pair them with darker colors and chunkier knits to go with the season. Another way you can save some of your older jeans or pants is by dyeing them. I have several pairs of white jeans that have turned yellowish and dyed them using fabric dye. Now I have pants for these coming seasons in trendy colors, such as hunter green and maroon.

Floral printed shorts with green tights and a sheer long sleeved top.

• Creativity can turn any closet into a fashionista’s closet. If you are lacking inspiration, follow some fashion bloggers for great ideas. This is a great way to start working with the items that you already have and after a while you will find that you no longer need to look for inspiration to bring life to your choice of shoes, apparel and accessories.
• You can be that girl that always looks good in anything they wear. The important thing is to feel confident about what you are wearing. Get creative and start creating new looks from the clothes that you already own.

Anya Sarre is one of Hollywood’s most influential trendsetters. A nationally recognized celebrity stylist, Sarre is known for her impeccable eye and ability to tie any look together with the perfect accessory. Named “Best Television Fashion Stylist” for her appearances on Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and countless other media outlets, Sarre is the go-to fashion expert for Hollywood’s biggest celebrities. 

Be sure to visit the ShoeDazzle blog for more tips, tricks and inspiration!

Favorite Things

Fresh haircuts are one of my favorite things, ever. Every celebrity who cuts her hair short says the same thing, that they've never "felt more like themselves" - but it's true. That, or it's so easy and cute that the zero maintenance aspect is what feels so good. I actually shouldn't say zero maintenance - because I get some gnarly cowlicks and spiky pieces in the morning that need to be tamed.

 But the pixie cut is here to stay.

That first picture - that's how the hairdresser actually styled my hair. I thought it was so funny, and also not the worst look! But now I know why $14 haircuts are priced that way.

Yellow Polka Dot

This right here, is my favorite dress ever. A bold statement for something I picked up on my lunch break three days ago. I love this dress so much that today is the second day in a row that I've worn it. You fashion blog ladies have a lot of guts, I must say. Earlier, I took my tripod, camera and remote out into the courtyard behind my building.. there are pretty trees and twisty sidewalks back there. But as soon as I heard somebody approaching I packed up shop. Now you get this glimpse into my living room though. Pretty sweet, huh?

Thrift Haul: The Sweater Edition

I haven't done one of these in a while, but this past Sunday I struck gold at Southern Thrift. Not two, not four, but SIX color tags were half off this weekend! It felt like Christmas.

 Maybe too much like Christmas, because I wound up mainly buying big chunky sweaters :)

Tell me that eagle crest is not totally rad? I've been finding a lot of amber colored home goods and trinkets, which is great because it's pretty much my favorite color.

Lately all I want to own and wear is cable knit? Conveniently I found this basic black sweater for just around $2. The gray thing is sweatshirt material and hooded. The lazy girl in me could not help but bring that home for cold days in the office when I don't want to look like a total bum.

Belts! And a bucket that will serve as a home for a future plant.

These sweaters weren't thrifted. The green one (which is definitely a kelly green in real life) is from Urban Outfitters and the brown cardigan is from Forever 21. Just further proof that the cable knit bug has bitten me hard. It's all stemming from Mad Men. I can't wait to wear these with ankle length black skinny slacks (so many adjectives!) and embody the goddess that is Megan Draper. The frames are from my recent Tortoise & Blonde home try-on kit. The style is called Rivington, and they will be mine. Oh yes, they will be mine.

Then I decided, since I'm sharing, here are two more fantastic items I've picked up recently during Free People employee appreciation. The shorts will be paired with tights and boots this fall (and cost me ELEVEN dollars) and that scarf? Yeah that's just an American flag print with dogs all over it. Just the most awesome scarf ever, that's all.

xo, Corinne

Absent Note

It's been a while! Lately I've been pretty busy. I work 50+ hours a week, explore my new city, write to my pen pals, watch a lot of Netflix and Hulu+ on the Apple tv with Andrew... you know, important tasks. Honestly, I don't think I will ever become a consistent blogger. I've been really enjoying my time away from the internet, and while I peruse my Bloglovin' feed almost daily, I like to keep that time to an hour or less to focus on real life. My blog is more like a journal, and at times my outlet to share more creative endeavors like crafts and favorite outfits and such. I don't think I'll ever have a blog routine, or scheduled posts, or a consistent weekly feature. But, whatever right? Who cares. I'm here when I'm here and that's what counts.

Here's some more of what I've been up to lately!

 

Hanging out with Melanie, Sam and Alex a few times a week has become one of my most favorite past times. I'm so happy that Melanie and I found each other. We're instant friends in the most genuine way. We call each other "kindreds", because we are kindred spirits. We like to work on projects, watch movies, drink fancy beers, and just hang. It's the best, and Sammy the basset hound is just icing on the friendship cake. 

Friend art is the best art.

Oatmeal squares & Sabrina.

Pete Campbell, I can't hate you.

If loafing around my apartment with this boy and making hilarious videos with the VidRhythm app wasn't a notable activity before, it certainly has become one. It's yet another one of my favorite things to do. I've been nesting lately. Adding pieces (like free geometric shaped wall hangings from my store's last floor set, Halloween decorations, and cute baby succulents re-potted into thrift store glassware) to the walls and the table tops. I spent a good part of the weekend intensely cleaning, and last night as I was getting ready for bed, I took a look around the apartment. It's warm and cozy and reflects a lot of our interests and tastes. There are things like exposed wires and the lack of a kitchen table that I would change, but regardless, I love our home. Our friend James has been sending us some of his art, which I adore and we display it wherever possible.

Revived an old charm for a new necklace

 

I have been doing my fair share of shopping. Working for Urban Outfitters has a lot of perks, especially this month because of Employee Appreciation. Mel and I got drinks and pizza at Whiskey Kitchen on Friday and then did some shopping at Urban in The Gulch. I only needed a few pieces to spruce up my fall wardrobe (which has already been my favorite part of my closet). The temperature has dropped here a little bit in Nashville, and today I'm wearing tights and boots and a cardigan (last photo above was taken this morning), and my new favorite shirt which Melanie actually bought for me because I'm driving her to the airport next week. She's the cutest. I'm stoked on this entire outfit.

We're ready for fall at Free People too! All of the new fall items are so lovely.
It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Aside from autumn (and crisp air and falling leaves and pumpkin spice and Halloween and sweaters), I am also excited for: a new car come September 1st!, birthday season (my dads, my sisters, and Andrews), more hikes and bikes and kettle bells, a Nashville coffee shop tour, dog sitting Sammy while Melanie and Alex are on vacation, my Romwe mysterious universe skirt to arrive at my door, and my cousin's wedding in Manhattan! yay!

Thanks for taking the time to catch up with me! What have you been up to? And what are you excited for?!

My Fall "Must Haves"

It's August second, and already Michaels has their fall displays of artificial mums and styrofoam pumpkins and Halloween decorations out on the floor. Also some cute paper mâché fall shapes. I just picked up a skull mask to paint all Día de los Muertos style. It's the most wonderful time of the year! Granted, I'm looking at 90+ degree weather for at least another month or two in Nashville, but a girl can't help but get giddy over the arrival of her most favorite season.

These photos of Tavi Gevinson from the most recent issue of Bust magazine gave me that perfect fall feeling. When the sun is still kind of bright in the sky, but you can feel the change in the gradually dropping temperature and a cool breeze grazes your skin and everything just seems to look and smell richer and better. You just want to be outside all the time in a sweater, with a coffee, for no real reason except to just enjoy the beauty that is autumn. God, I love it. I'm so passionate about my love for it. Permanently inked falling maple leaves take up half my height! I can't wait. I can never wait.

(Side note: I think Tavi is the coolest girl in the history of teenagers and I'm really glad that little ladies these days have such an intelligent, driven and original role model.)

Every time I go in to work at Free People lately, there is always brand new fall shipment steamed and hung on our pretty floral hangers just waiting for me to try on, and walk around the store, and pretend it's mine for a half hour. Some things I know I'm going to need to own are:

Plaid Pullover - FP employees get a whopping 60% off of this item this month ;)

Kombucha Cuff Thermal - I'm always stocking up on new thermals, but this one is special. Look at those sleeves!

Poetic Verse Sweater Blazer - What they're describing as dark chocolate heather on the website looks more like a dark olive green to me in person. I am obsessed with this thing and I think it's going to become my go-to jacket for most of fall/winter.

Floral Mesh Lace Dress - I want every color. I especially love that the hem comes to a point in the front and the back. The black one feels very witchy. Very Lydia Deetz, who I've been known to channel the essence of from time to time. Though I may take the pink route because it's fun to dress super feminine with a boy's haircut.

While most of Nashville rocks their boots this fall (they're rocking them now in the summer! Nashville is like boot capital of the world), I think I'm going to make a pair of these Dr. Martens mary janes a standard. I can't decide which pair though!

The top pair has basically my name, subtract two letters. They're simple but cute and extremely comfy. It felt like fate, but the bottom pair has that 90's Dr. Marten mary jane feel and I think they'd look especially cute with socks. Help!

And finally, I've decided that I really need this ring:

It's the Dena fingertip ring from Lush Jewelry. I think it is so pretty and unique. Most of my rings are silver so the brass would be a nice change.

Can you tell I'm SUPER excited?! If you love fall as much as I do, tell me. Let's talk about it. And share your fall wishlist here with me :)

Renewed

Sometimes all it takes are some new knee socks to make an old outfit feel fancy. Getting back into retail really put a shift on my financial priorities for a second, and now I'm trying again to do the most with what I have. Everything else I'm wearing (aside from the fancy new knee socks) is over two years old. I love the feeling when I kind of forget about things, then rediscover them and remix them into an entirely new outfit.

I also chopped most of the rest of my hair off. This pixie/boy cut thing is so freeing. I literally just brush my wet hair into place, mess it up a little with some product, and I'm good. Loving it.

Free People Post v.1

As I've mentioned (a few times!), I've recently become a stylist (which is a rad way of putting "sales associate") at Free People! It's a part time job that I work on nights and weekends, but it's really become my favorite thing to do. Already I've met such interesting and genuine girls, and that's a total perk since I'm still new to Nashville and work a 9-5 as an office manager with middle aged men. I met Melanie, who I've also mentioned, who is my most favorite new friend ever. And on top of the social aspect, Free People is so colorful and fun. If you've ever been in a store, you know it's an airy and almost whimsical experience (that will be the first and last time I ever use the adjective "whimsical", don't worry). Not to mention the discount! I've already started making over my wardrobe with some Free People pieces (which I've justified with frequent trips to Plato's Closet to sell clothing I've held onto but never wear). Today, while taking a break from monotonous data entry at my "real job", I got onto the website and instead of heading straight to the BLDG 25 blog, I browsed the Pre-Fall collection. Six items really stuck out, and in typical "me" fashion I've decided to share!

Molly Dot Swing Dress: Really, everything about the way they styled this dress is perfect to me. It's totally "back to school", which is something I still hold dear - even as an elementary education major college dropout. Pretty sure this dress is a definite "to buy" given how layer-friendly it is.

Cleary Tall Boat Shoe: I have a pair of faux-leather riding boots that desperately need replacing. These boots are such a fun mix of riding boot/moccasin/boat shoe. I think I love them.

Vegan Leather Hoodie: From what I'm hearing, it's basically hoodie weather all winter long here in Nashville. This hoodie is the perfect combination of bad-ass and comfy, and I think I could rock it. There's a pair of vegan leather shorts currently on clearance in our store, and they're so smooth and buttery (that's how you describe soft leather, right? "buttery"?). Could become a staple!

Colored Skinny Jean in khaki green: A standard. I've been searching for good khaki skinny jeans for over a year now, and if these fit like the Printed Ankle Skinny, then they're perfect. They come in a few more colors too!

Collegiate Cardigan in buttercream & Shaggy Knit Pullover in driftwood: Fall and sweaters are pretty much synonymous in my mind, so these pieces just make sense. I've been into the letterman jacket thing for a while but can't seem to find one that doesn't make me look like I'm auditioning for Grease. And that pullover, ugh. I think I speak for all of Free People Nashville when I say we need these. It looks like a pretty, wearable cloud, or with my color selection, smog, but whatever.

Home of the Brave

Bought myself some new, very patriotic shorts (not shown: stars ALL over my butt), realized I had the perfect shirt to match, and hung curtains. I've been celebrating, since I finally landed a "real" job, and I get to work there full time on top of my Free People gig. It's a big relief, and I feel like I can finally get really comfortable. This weekend has been fun so far. We attended Porter Flea today and that was tons of fun. Also got brunch at Mad Donna's, and it was delicious. More on that later. I actually went to the gym yesterday! AND we bought a tv! So today I started 30 Day Shred on said tv, and I'm looking forward to what should be my next and FINAL foray into fitness (since I won't wuss out this time). I'm feeling super positive and super happy. Things are falling into place and the future is looking bright.
xo, Corinne :)

Sister, Sister

First, I'd like to take the time to acknowledge that this is my 100th post!

Psyched on that. Here's to 100 more. (I just clanked the end of my soup spoon against my wine glass to signify a toast? I'm having a classy night alone at home..)



Now, why I'm really here. Last weekend my sister was home to celebrate Easter with the rest of our Long Island family. She and I met up on Saturday morning for some iced coffee and photo taking at one of our favorite spots, Avalon, which is a nature preserve in the Setauket area. In the summer there is a BEAUTIFUL, I'm talking GLORIOUS flower field growing wild in the middle of the preserve. I love it way too much and I'm pretty bummed that I won't be around to watch it grow this year, but I'm sure there will be a bunch of great things waiting to fascinate me in Nashville. Plants and trees are just starting to bud over here. The earth was more blue than green that day. It was really nice to be outside though, enjoying some sunshine. And we saw turtles!





Of course we both wore stripes. Totally unplanned, but we've had the most similar style for as long as I can remember. Looking back on it, it's really funny the amount of times we both caught each other borrowing clothes without asking. I would get so mad then, but now it's funny. And now I wish we shared a closet so we could swap every day!









I wish she was home all the time. Or that I could visit her in Albany all the time. Or that I could pack her in a box and move her to Nashville with me. But we did enjoy our time spent together last weekend and we have many more adventures ahead of us.
I really love my sister.

Outfit Details:

Mine
Dress, Tights, Backpack - Target
Cardigan - H&M
Thigh High Socks - American Apparel
Moccasins - American Eagle, ages ago
Earrings & Belt - Forever 21
Sunglasses - Charlotte Russe

Hers
Denim Vest - Thrifted
Dress & Hat - Forever 21
Boots - Bakers