Style

It's no secret that I've been editing my wardrobe lately ("lately" loosely encompassing the past year and a half...or more) and I am excited to announce: mission completed! Interestingly, purging and organizing has only opened up a new challenge to me, which would be defining my personal style. (This is #10 on my list of resolutions this year, ahem). At first, I thought this would be relatively simple. Look at my wardrobe champions, describe them, and voila! Then I realized, not so much.

Here are a few words that describe the clothing in my closet:
-floral prints
-lace details
-dresses, dresses, dresses
-understated, I'm-in-the-background pants

Okay......that is not making much of a statement. Those words are not making my heart (and style) SIIING! (Sing a pretty, high note whilst reading that). So I am going to approach this from a different angle and ask myself, "How would I like others to describe my personal style?" This starts with a list of elements that goes more like....
-feminine (first and foremost! I am not a girly-girl necessarily (as I type this with a Barbie-pink manicure, wearing a skirt at 9pm, describing my closet of lacy floral print dresses) but I DEFINITELY am super feminine)
-blousing
-sheer layers
-conversational prints
-a few whimsical details
-bright jewel tones
-dark slim bootcut pants
-A-line/ fit and flare
-belting
-statement necklaces
-a slight hint of new-age-y-ness (yes that's a word...think quartz pendants and crystal stud earrings)

I do not know where this basic, basic mish-mashy list of elements will take me but I think it somehow gets me a little closer to curating a more succinct style. I feel like this process will help highlight the things I'm doing right and the areas where I can honestly assess my daily look and see if I'm projecting what I want to visually project into the world. If that makes sense. I've not done it before, but perhaps a goal is to start photographing my outfits and using those to sort out what's working REALLY WELL and what's...not. I feel like defining my style will always be a process for me but hopefully it will get easier with time.

One last note, I totally picked up a pair of tan suede booties with fringe on them today. Calm down, no not these, but THESE. Fringe is completely unlike me, in any form or fashion, so this is exceedingly unusual. I am, however, planning to wear them tomorrow as part of a (lovely! elevated! sophisticated!) ensemble I put together for a work event. For extra incentive and as proof I can make these work, I promise to post a photo of said outfit tomorrow...so be on the lookout...eeep.

A little something

Just a little "hello!" to announce that I have not fallen off the face of the earth, as much as it may seem so. I've been incredibly busy lately, but still have a goal of writing more/ updating more frequently, so hang in there with me, please?

This weekend has been fairly typical of a working weekend for me. I had Friday off and used the time to clean my apartment, run random errands, and grocery shop. I made a gigantic vat of vegetable soup. I also nursed my baby kitten who went in Thursday for The Big Snip-Snip. When I brought her home she acted as though she'd been in a cage for 24 hours (which she had, essentially), which means she tore around the house incessantly for oh, four hours. At least she didn't make pity-me eyes.

My sweet boyfriend came to visit me yesterday. I worked from 7am to 4pm, and ran out the door as soon as I could to go meet him at my place. The plan was to hit a local Halloween festival but in the end I was just too tired so we ate Indian food, cozied up on the couch, and ate pumpkin ice cream whilst watching "An American Werewolf in London," one of his favorite movies. I will admit, it was pretty good. Tonight I'm going to attempt to finish "Don't Look Now" while crafting a bazillion tissue paper tassels for a little something I have up my sleeve. Have I mentioned my new passion for garlands of every make and sort? I could make a million garlands, hang them all, and be very pleased for quite some time.

Planning

I like to think of myself as a go-with-the-flow, let-the-day-take-you-where-it-may kind of gal. I realize that there are many people who would not describe me in this way at all, so please don't laugh if you are one of these people! I kinda like to have an agenda when entertaining out-of-town guests, I want to know all the options of a movie's start times, and I feel better knowing what's on the dinner menu. I am a Planner.

Before I moved for grad school, my week was very structured and unchanging. I was always off on Sundays and Thursdays, and I spent Sundays relaxing and Thursdays Getting Stuff Done. I loved this arrangement, but I hated not having weekends to spend with my friends and family. I missed so many cookouts, brunches, camping trips, and community events and it was such a bummer. I vowed when I started grad school I'd be done with wonky schedules (well, and retail, but that's a story for another day). Little did I know how wonky a schedule could get!

Moving, starting a new job, and beginning a graduate program all together created a Defining Moment of my twenties. It was lucky I was so energized by the prospect of meeting new people, trying my hand at a different work pace, and taking supercool classes because...I never slept. A few months of this and I was officially best friends with my tidy moleskin planner. (This is the time in my life when I started sprouting gray hairs). I am very proud of myself for pushing through this awful adjustment and keeping most of my wits about me!

Last semester I was taking more classes than before (and still working full time with haphazard scheduling) and went a little nuts organizing my schedule. I basically began planning every minute of every day in an attempt to control the chaos around me, and ultimately would be left feeling low about myself for not sticking to the plan. I would even schedule in "breaks" and meals and showers, and list suggestion times for going to bed at night depending on what time I was to be at work! Before you start thinking I am some sort of control freak, you have to understand some days I go to work at 7am, some days at 9am, some days at noon, and some days at 6am. All in one week! Add to that a full-time class load with all the reading, writing, and physical in-class time. So!

I decided to take this semester off and focus on my actual work, my personal goals, cultivating my relationships, and...not being so busy! Best decision ever. But I'm still over here a-planning!

I like structure. I love checking things off my list. And I LOVE reaching a goal! A month or so ago I realized I am at my best and can achieve my goals faster with a little forethought. So far, so good! More on this later!

One of the things I now do is create a chalkboard calendar at the beginning of every month, and the first thing I put down is my work schedule. After that, I have a clear picture of where my free time is and then plan from there how to spend that time, which is so much more fun when I don't have to account for classes or studying! Whee! It's also helpful in showing where I have time to plan for visits with the boyfriend, who lives out of town. I cannot even begin to describe how huge it is for me to be able to visually see when we're next going to be able to spend time together!

This was intended to be a short, generalized post about planning. Someone else can quote  "To a Mouse" and finish this out for me.