Fall leaves and leggings

Welcome back, leggings.  You help keep my legs warm when I continue to wear my summer dresses in fall.  :) 

Shirt (or short dress): Forever XXI // Leggings: vintage // Boots: Charlotte Russe // 

So, I took these photos in a tiny [somewhat creepy] cemetery behind a rural church on my way home from work the other day.  This is the only full outfit shot I managed to take though... I'll do better next time - I promise.

Shirt (or short dress): Forever XXI // Leggings: vintage // Boots: Charlotte Russe // 

One of my students informed me this week that I needed to re-do my purple streaks in my hair, and that the streaks had turned to white.  You can see the whitish yellow streak blowing in the wind here.  Student, you were right.

Shirt (or short dress): Forever XXI // 

This lacy shirt (/dress) makes me happy.  I mean, it's made of see-through lace with flowers that look like doodles embroidered on it. What's there not to like?  I'd like to think that this shirt could be a dress, but I think that its inevitably constant companion will be leggings.

Here are some pretty fall leaves, and a beautifully worn tombstone. 

Happy fall, people. 

♥ Meg xoxo

I Was Told There'd Be Cake

Essays by Sloane Crosley

"This is where the bridesmaids come in. We live in constant fear of "ruining the wedding." Weddings don't get damaged, they don't get mediocre: they get ruined.  One lost limo driver and the entire day goes from Zero to Destroyed faster than you can say Swarovski-encrusted Vera Wang."

Here is my thought process when I chose this book from the library:  Ooh what a pretty cover. Cake?! I love that title. Oh - it's essays.  I LOVE essays; I used to write one practically every week.  Shut up - the author's name is Sloane.  Like in Ferris Bueller?!  She's got to be awesome.

And with that, I brandished my library card and was on my way.  Not all of my book choices are as frivolous as this one.  

I judged this book by cover, by author, and by name.  I was blown away by how much I loved this collection of random essays.  Sloane tells these fantastic stories about her life in NYC; she makes losing her wallet, moving a few blocks, volunteering at the Museum of Natural History sound exciting and hilarious.

It should be noted that these stories aren't stories, though; they're essays. Each one has a strong lead, and a great conclusion.  Each one highlights her skills at turning catastrophic situations into learning experiences.  As a character, Sloane is a mis-adventurer.  As an author, Sloane writes with a familiar, yet educated, voice.  She crafts brilliant metaphors, while talking about her random collection of toy ponies given to her by ex-boyfriends, for example.

I liked Sloane because she was real to me.  I felt like I was reading her diary, at times.  Although I connected with her and her experiences as a 20-something female, I think that readers of different ages and genders could enjoy her highs and lows.  The bizarre collection of essay topics that find themselves between the cover page and the end sheet are hard to describe.  I liked all of them. Maybe you'll like a few.

♥ Meg xoxo

PS.  There is no cake in this book.  "I was told there'd be cake" is sort of tongue-in-cheek this way. And it makes me think of the Portal video games I only know about because of M; the cake is a lie. 

Mismatched

A Grade One told me that my outfit was all mismatched today.  She said that she loved it, but if she wore it - her mom would make her change.  I held her compliment in my heart and loved it all day.  My Grade One self would be proud of me.

Shrug: Old Navy // Tank: Old Navy // Skirt: Joe Fresh // Heels: Aldo // 

I'd like to make the bold statement that animal print isn't supposed to match.  I often see it in accessories.  People add animal print for a fun little pop of pattern.  So I added more than a pop. Sue me. :)

Shrug: Old Navy // Tank: Old Navy // Skirt: Joe Fresh // Heels: Aldo //

Let's talk about these shoes for a minute.  They are sky high, mustard yellow, ultra-suede, skinny-heeled beauties that I wore all day.  The ankle strap makes them comfy.  I promise.  I should have taken a side view; this front view does not do them justice.  Next time.

 Skirt: Joe Fresh // Heels: Aldo //

I'm livin' it up with bare legs again.  Oh, October weather, you confuse me. 

♥ Meg xoxo

Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

"Friends see most of each other’s flaws. Spouses see every awful last bit."

This book was amazing. All at once I loved it, I hated it, I was wrapped up in it, I couldn't stop thinking about it, and I couldn't stop talking about it.  I found it extremely hard not to spoil this book for everyone I talked to about it.  

The story starts out on Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary.  The day of.  Every part of the story after this is centred around or after The Day Of.  The day of Amy's disappearance, that is.  Amy goes missing on her and Nick's anniversary leaving behind a seemingly staged crime scene, a trail of questions, and whole lot of fingers pointing towards Nick.  While searching for his wife, Nick reminisces about the past a lot, wondering about his wife, her disappearance, and the state of their marriage.  Interspersed throughout the present, are passages from Amy's diary starting from the time her and Nick started dating.

Each year on their anniversary Amy leaves a romantic scavenger hunt for Nick to follow, to chronicle their year together.  This year, Nick is forced to complete the scavenger hunt correctly to hopefully help him find his wife.  As he goes about the hunt, Nick finds that everything is not as it seems.  The hunt reminds him of his wife's brilliance, foresight, and immense knowledge of his every deed or misdeed.

This read was very suspenseful.  At first, I believed everything that Nick told me and the police.  Also, at first, I believed everything Amy told me in her diary.  But as things came to be revealed, I didn't know who to trust.  This is a strange feeling as a reader; usually your narrator tells the truth, or at least some of the truth.  Deceitful and intelligent narrators, pristine word choice, excellent use of voice and pacing, along with detail upon detail made me want to stay in Flynn's world.

I listened to this book as an audio book, because there was such a long queue for the actual book at my library.  Let me tell you, I am happy there was such a line.  The voice actors who read the audio book were amazing.  I think that I could connect to the characters even more than usual because it was as if they were actually speaking to me.  If you get the chance, I one hundred percent recommend listening to this book on audio book format.

Read it. The critics aren't wrong.  It was gripping; I never knew what would happen next.  It made me think about how much we really know about one another, about lies and how they can be built upon for years, and about toxic relationships and how far one would go to be correct.  Flynn is a force to be reckoned with, and an extremely talented writer.  I can't wait to read more of her work.

♥ Meg xoxo

Tattoo Tuesday

Guys.  I didn't get a tattoo.  BUT.  I got these sweet tights that look like I got a tattoo.  Everyone, and I mean everyone, freaked out.  It was pretty fun.  And I felt pretty hardcore for a day.  haha.

Shirt: Old Navy // Shorts: RW & Co. // Tights: TopShop // Heels: Nine West // 

I loved rocking shorts today.  I love dresses and skirts, but they often leave you worrying about how you sit and what you wear underneath them and so on.  Shorts are freeing :) You can sit how you like and still look profesh.  Obvi, you don't sound so profesh if you say profesh, but you get the point.

Shirt: Old Navy // Shorts: RW & Co. // Tights: TopShop // Heels: Nine West // 

In these pictures, my tights definitely look like tights here.  But I guess in real life, they were enough to startle people.  For the record, I don't think that I could ever get a tattoo that I'd love forever.  I'm too indecisive; I chose a double major and minor to avoid choosing one thing over the other, and I sometimes change parts of my outfit four times before I leave the door.

Tights: TopShop // Heels: Nine West //

Even though I don't have a tattoo, I think it's cool if you have one.  I am a big fan of self expression.  That being said, M and I were in love with watching tattoo reality shows on Spike TV in the summer.  My guilty pleasures are Ink Master and Tattoo Nightmares.  They are epic in a Spike TV kind of way.  Sadly, we've been so busy that we have a million episodes to catch up on.  Tattoo Tuesday might turn into Tattoo Saturday this week.

Tights: TopShop // 

What would you tattoo on your left leg if you only had to have your tattoo for a day?

♥ Meg xoxo

PS. I'm listening to a book on CD, that's why it's such a strange shape in the photo.

Hello autumn

I know.  It's been forever.  Sorry.  That's all. :)

Shirt: Forever XXI // Belt: borrowed from another dress // Skirt: Old Navy

Fall leaves are here.  I love the crunch of fall leaves underfoot.  But, I also love bare legs.  Et volià: perfect fall weather.  The sky is super blue, the sun is shining an autumn sort of shine, I'm wearing a long skirt with bare legs.  Happiness.

Shirt: Forever XXI // Belt: borrowed from another dress // Skirt: Old Navy // Boots: Burlington Coat Factory //

I think this is blurry because it was so sunny. . . C'est la vie.

Skirt: Old Navy // Boots: Burlington Coat Factory //

I'm continuing my love affair with lace from the summer right into fall.  It makes everything feel a little prettier.

Shirt: Forever XXI // Belt: borrowed from another dress // Skirt: Old Navy // Boots: Burlington Coat Factory // 

My shirt in this outfit is actually a really short dress that I tucked into a skirt.  I rode the skirt really high (above my waist)  and added a big belt.  Also, I thought that adding scrunched down knee socks could only add to this outfit.  :)

Boots: Burlington Coat Factory // 

Breathe in the fall air.  Crunch into a crispy apple.  Dance around in a lacy skirt and bare legs. 

♥ Meg xoxo

Bridges and fields

Pumpkin Spice everything has hit stores and the internet.  In my part of the world, though, summer and summer dresses are both going strong. Today it was 40C (around 100F), in the shade.

Dress: Topshop // Boots: Burlington Coat Factory //

I wore this outfit last week to celebrate the end of summer.  Little did I know that the hot, hot summer would be continuing on into September. I know, my laces are untied and my hair is crazy.  This outfit sums up my summer :) I bought this dress in Chicago, along with a few others with the sides cut out.  It appears that my love of exposed midriff in my beloved bikinis has seeped over into the rest of my summer style.

Boots: Burlington Coat Factory //

My tough black boots made my white sun dress seem even more girly, in my opinion.  I like contrasting different styles in one outfit.  You can't see it because of my book, but I am also wearing a gold chain headband as a crown on top of my wild waves.

Dress: Topshop // Boots: Burlington Coat Factory //

I traipsed through this field to get to the bridge for my pictures.  I decided on the way back that the field would've been just as nice a location... so I snapped some more pics.  I love the feel of the summer breeze floating through the lace cut outs in my dress and in my boots.

Dress: Topshop // Boots: Burlington Coat Factory //

So long wild summer outfits.  That is, until the weekend ;)

♥ Meg xoxo

Cum Laude

by Cecily von Ziegesar

"For the first week of school you cling to the people you met on orientation, not because you have anything in common, but because you don't know who else to talk to..."

This novel follows the lives of a group of freshmen students through their first year at Dexter College, in the 1990s.  The narratives include those of Shipley, a beautiful blonde who the boys love and the girls hate.  She focuses her early weeks at college on trying new things, in order to shed her good girl persona.  Her roommate is Eliza, a loudmouthed, "edgy" sort of girl.  Then there's Tom, athlete turned artist, and his roommate Nick, a hippie who appreciates marijuana - a lot.  These four navigate the waters of living away from home together in residence.  Alongside their stories, is that of Adam and his younger sister Tragedy.  Adam is a day student who lives in the countryside near Dexter.  With the help of his outgoing high-school aged sister, Adam becomes involved in school and with the other students.  

This story is told in a strange sort of style.  At times the author addresses the reader, as if he or she is coming to college and experiencing its drama.  Other times, the author uses free indirect discourse to describe what is going on in the minds of her characters.  I usually love this style of narration, but found it to be "just okay" in this novel.  It's gets a bit confusing when the perspective jumps around in the same paragraph.  

The themes in this novel are very adult, especially coming from the author of the YA Gossip Girl series.  There is a lot of sex, drugs, and alcohol at Dexter College.  The events in the novel are super extreme.  It seemed like a bad soap opera to me for a while when I was reading it.  All at once, though, I stopped looking at it as a Sweet Valley University book on acid, and saw it for what it really was: a satire.  Once you figure that out, the book proves to be more enjoyable.  

Overall, I thought it was an alright book... nothing too challenging or thought-provoking.  And no real definitive ending for these characters. Read it and let me know what you think. 

♥ Meg xoxo

Purples overalls

So, September's here... and the madness of back to school has left me a few post behind.  This is an end-of-summer outfit if I ever saw one ;) 

Shirt: Forever XXI // Overalls: thrifted and diy // Sunnies: Target // 

When I bought these overalls at the thrift shop, they were beige.  I bought a box of purple Rit dye from the dollar store, and dyed these bad boys in my kitchen sink. They turned out even more beautifully than I ever imagined. They are well worth the $2.99 spent at the thrift store, and the $1.25 spent at the dollar store.  I'm in love.

Sandals: Target // Overalls: thrifted and diy // 

Take a look at the beige thread.  I love when the thread stays the original colour when you dye something.

Shirt: Forever XXI // Overalls: thrifted and diy // Sandals: Target //

I'll tell you a secret.  This shirt is actually a crop top.  I know, I know - I fully reverted to the 90s with this outfit.  It fit so well under these overalls because there was no bulky fabric to tuck in.  Genius, right? 

Get yourself some overalls before summer is over.  They are comfy, and come with a bunch of pockets.  What's not to love?

♥ Meg xoxo

PS. Please note how bizarre the face on the book looks on my face in the first pic. I only noticed right now.

Eleanor and Park

by Rainbow Rowell

"He knows I'll like a song before I've heard it. He laughs before I even get to the punch line. There's only one of him."

Rewind to high school in 1986.  Mixed taped and comic books are the important things in life.  At least they are to Park.  Half-Korean, and small in stature, Park tries to lie low on his bus to avoid being bullied, on his way to and from school.  He has a seat to himself and likes it that way.  One day, an eclectically dressed, new girl with curly red hair is forced to sit beside Park.  Eleanor sits down next to Park, and changes his life forever.  

This teenage romance is much more complicated than it seems.  Park and Eleanor are so unlikely.  They don't talk at first; they simply share Park's comic books and avoid the obnoxious popular kids on the bus.  The reader is treated to perspective switches every few pages or paragraphs, so we are able to read what is going on in both Park and Eleanor's minds. Park struggles with making his father proud, learning to drive standard, taking on Eleanor's tormentors, and trying to focus on what Eleanor is saying instead of just looking at her beautiful mouth.  Eleanor struggles with keeping her guard up around Park, and wanting to tell him about her family situation and abusive stepfather. Although they both know that their all-consuming first-love can't last forever, they try courageously to make it last. 

I loved Park - he's a comic book loving, mixed tape making, sweetheart, who stands up for his girlfriend to everyone who's always picked on him.  And I loved Eleanor too - she's got a love for strange outfits, and doesn't seem to fit in anywhere.  She valiantly tries to protect all of her younger siblings, and herself, while falling in love with Park and his family. 

Although this is technically a YA novel, I think that it deals with themes that can be appreciated by older audiences.  I laughed and cried with Park and Eleanor when I read this. Their story is familiar, yet complicated.  It's fresh and new.  I recommend this read to those of you who can remember high school, the 1980s, or that giddy feeling of falling in love.  

♥ Meg xoxo