yays! of the week

Saturdays are the best.

They're the end of the week.  There's one more day in the weekend after them.  They are known for their fun, outgoing lifestyle.  Saturdays rock. 

As a way to celebrate the week, I figure I will do a 'yay!' post where I talk about me, myself, and I- well, mostly the good things that happened this week.


Yay! Hot yoga!

I have heard a ton about hot yoga- people either love it or hate it.   There seems to be no middle ground.  One of my very best friends in the whole wide world told me she got a deal at a place about 10 minutes from my mom's house- 10 classes for $10.  She asked if I wanted to try with her, and curious, I figured- why the hell not?  I went with her on Tuesday night and we got our asses in that blazing hot room and contorted our bodies into pretzel positions that are "good for you" somehow and it was awesome.  We did a simple class meant for "relaxation" and I left sweaty as hell- but somehow, relaxed.  There is a very distinct sweaty smell that used to follow sparring classes at tae kwon do that just have their own special stench and I'm pretty sure I smelled like that after hot yoga.
Verdict: awesome.


Yay! Free Starbucks!

Lame, but it's the simple things, right?  I'm one of the obsessed frequent customers at Starbucks, and therefore I hold my very own gold Starbucks card with my name on it.  (Not my whole name.  I'm not an Alexandra by personality.)  Peppermint has been slowly been making its way back into my life.  I have never denied the fact that I am a total peppermint junkie for the last third of the year, as well as the first eighth of the year.  Grande Peppermint Mocha Frappucino was on the house this time.  Thanks, Starbucks, for recognizing your truly loyal caffeine freaks, and giving them free drinks every 1/12 visits.

Yay! Jour 214!

Part of the journalism major at my school (and any other school, I would think) is being on the newspaper staff for at least a year.  I've been waitlisted for Journalism 214 (The first newspaper staff class available) all stinking summer, and I finally woke up one morning to a text message notification that a spot had opened up for me.  The sooner I get this class done, the sooner I can apply for the major, and be done with school.  Ahhh!  Western Front, I'm coming for you.

Yay! Non-cracked computer screen!

This is a little bit of a cheat since this happened last week but it continues to affect my life in a very positive way.  I made the silly mistake of bringing my Macbook Pro camping with me in Osoyoos.  (Actually, someone told me to bring it, but pointing fingers is wrong.)  I left it in a 'safe' spot in the trailer- which ended up not being safe because when I went to use it after a week there was a nice big half-heart shaped crack in the screen.  I cried a little inside because I bought this computer with my graduation money 2 years ago (my dad helped me out quite a bit as well, because he didn't want me to just get the cheapest mac that I could afford- If I was going to splurge, I was going to get the best computer I could get).  I took it into the apple store expecting a $300+ fix, but the guy working there- technician? I don't know what to call him- told me that he would be able to fix it for free because he didn't see any "point of impact"- AKA, he didn't think I dropped it.  I did my very best happy squeal because that was $300 that I really didn't have.  I picked it up the next day, crack-free and cost-free.  My beautiful computer is now in a pretty blue hardshell case at all times and in a neoprene case when I'm lugging it around anywhere.

Yay! September!

I am having a little bit of an internal panic attack over the fact that tomorrow is September goddamnit. I realized when I woke up this morning that today was August 31st- but it didn't occur to me until I saw someone's facebook status about "holy shit tomorrow is September" that HOLY SHIT TOMORROW IS SEPTEMBER.
That means many things.  That means that I can say "next month is my birthday!" (yes, the entire month).  That means salted caramel mochas.  That means that the weather is going to start changing even more drastically.  That means school is going to start (uuuuuuuuuuugh but yay at the same time- I like having a schedule).
This summer has been awesome in so many aspects.  I'm looking forward to fall and its crispiness and the beauty of Bellingham when the leaves turn over- but I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye to summer just yet.
August, I'm breaking up with you.


What have been your "yays" this week?

bring me back to europe

Today, I'm reminiscing a lot about the amazing trip we had to Europe earlier this summer.

It occurred to me that I never made a post about it aside from the small bucket list post, so I figured as a way to feel nostalgic for the not-long-ago I would finally write a post (well, mostly pictures) about the amazing trip.

sunday morning

Many people choose to go to church on Sunday mornings, but this morning, I find my own kind of worship on the start of a new week.

I've never considered myself religious in any of my conscious 'adult' being.  I believe in other sorts of things- being a good person, bringing happiness to other people's lives, and selflessness- but those aren't inherently restricted to any kind of deism, or anti-deism for that matter.

I believe in a warm cup of coffee in your favourite mug.

I believe in good acoustic music.  (I'm obsessed with this song right now.)

I believe a smile is the prettiest accessory of them all.

I believe in lazy days once in a while.

I believe in being purely, truly, unapolagetically you.

That's my Sunday morning reflection.

Happy Sunday,

want right now: forever 21

I'm an online window shopper.

By that, I mean that I go online every day and look at the same few websites and admire the beautiful clothing and think about how good it would look on me but then I don't buy it due to lack of funds.

One of the websites I look at on the daily is Forever 21+.  Normally they only add new items once or twice a week- but these past few days I swear to god they have updated daily.  It's also the beautiful time of year when there are lots of back-to-school deals, and fall is approaching (sorrynotsorry for mentioning fall in every post lately) so it's totally acceptable to be a fashion freak.

Forever 21+ has super cute clothes, but they're not the best quality.  That being said, they're usually trendy enough that they go out of style by the time they start to fall apart.  Having worked at a Forever 21 for almost a year, I'm very well aware of the quality of the clothes.  I've also purchased enough that I can usually tell just by looking at an item what size I will need.  Pathetic, right?

Anywho, I compiled a small list of the top 5 things I would love to get in my closet for fall 2013 from Forever 21.

1-  Sweet Cat Sweatshirt

I have always been a cat lover.  I have never shied away from a crazy cat lady joke- I fully embrace the fact that one day I will probably live alone in a house with dozens of cats.

Okay, hopefully not.  But unless I marry someone who is allergic to cats, I am having a cat.  I have always loved widdle kitties and their widdle meows and widdle whiskers... thus, the dire need for this sweatshirt to be on my body, like, five minutes ago. 

2- Basic V-Neck Sweater

Is this sweater NOT the perfect TARDIS blue or what?!  Need. In my life.
I just got an adorable and also comfortable pair of black skinnies from Torrid that would be perfect with this sweater. And a black scarf.  And some cute flats from Targét.  God, I'm weird.

3- Forever Cool Combo Dress
First of all, Forever 21, if you have to directly tell the customer that it is "cool"- usually that's one of the biggest red flags that any store could throw at you.  I will be the judge of its coolness, thanks.  Luckily, this dress actually is cool- well, cute- and I would totally wear it.  Put it on with some tights and boots and a cute cardigan and it's totally fall-ready.

4- Studded Utility Jacket
This is kind of a cheat since I already have the same jacket in olive and wear it ALL. THE. TIME.

I also take a lot of selfies. 


BUT- This is how I justify wanting the black one:
I have also recently become obsessed with the color olive.  I have olive jeans, olive shirts, and an olive vest.   There have been many a time when I've been wearing my olive jeans and wanted to throw my olive studded utility jacket alone with it, but then I LOOK LIKE AN OLIVE.   I love me some olive, but I don't wanna look like one.  So the need for the black jacket comes in.
Is that a first world dilemma or what?

5- V-Neck Cardigan
Nothing says 'fall fashion' like maroon.  And cardigans.
This cardigan SCREAMS fall.
At least to me.
Maybe I would wear it over my 'forever cool' dress.

A little Fairly Odd humor to close out this post.

If anyone has any overwhelming urge to buy me any of these items, go right ahead.  I would love for you to stop losing sleep over my need for these things in my wardrobe.  

Happy Friday!

august 2013 playlist

I know I totally wrote a Summer Playlist 2013, but soon after I got sick of that playlist and made a whole new one.

These are songs I've been obsessed with since then. 

This playlist is actually larger than the others- but I'm only writing about five of the songs because these are my favourite of the playlist. 

1.  Comes and Goes in Waves | Greg Laswell

"This one's for the torn down, the experts at the fall; Come on friends get up now, you're not alone at all."

I know I've mentioned it a LOT, but it still stands true- I can't wait for fall.  This song reminds me of being a little gloomy on a fall day, curled up in my room with a hot cup of coffee in my hands, with this blasting in my headphones.  It's a total feel-better song with beautiful acoustic guitar.  It sounds like overcast 45° weather, if that makes any sense.  But only on a day where you're happy to see the clouds rather than the sun.

2.  Dirty Paws | Of Monsters and Men 

Of Monsters and Men was all over the radio with Little Talks (which I totally rocked out to while driving down the I-5, pretending there was a dude next to me singing the dude part of the song, but alas..) but dirty paws caught my attention way quicker.  These guys sound like a little more folk-y version of The XX, and I can't get enough of them right now.

3.  Hopeless Wanderer | Mumford and Sons

Again, Mumford.  Like a good pair of jeans, Mumford is classic and works with every mood ever.  Coralie played this song a lot while we were camping in Osoyoos, and when I gave it a listen at home, I found the music video, and oh. my. god.  If you watch any of these videos I post, make this one your first priority.  As a 19 year old girl with a taste for older men named Jason, this video speaks to me.  I guess the song's okay too.

4.  Safe and Sound | Capital Cities 

This is a total windows-down-sunglasses-on-hair-blowing-in-the-wind summer song.  

That is all.

5.  O Alexandra | Said the Whale 

Sweet Caroline, Roxanne, Mambo No. 5- these are all songs that have women's names in them.  As an Allie/Alexandra, I have never had the privilege. Until this song. Well, there is "Aly Walk With Me" but it's not spelled right.  Humph.

Not only is this song totally written about me (duh), the lyrics are freaking adorable.

"Oh Alexandra, 

So completely undeniable 
So completely beautiful 
You teach me to sing again 
So sweetly I will sing for you 
If you let me in"

Tell me those words didn't make your heart grow three sizes and I'll shank you.

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nine goals

Goals.

Everyone has them, and achieves some of them.

I have so many little ideas fluttering around in my head around goals- both short and long term.  I figured, what better way to straighten them out by posting them online where the world can see? Ha.

Some are silly.  Some are far-fetched.  But I don't care.  These are my goals.  These are things I want to do.    Accomplishments to be made.

1. Run a 5K.
Running is something I got into (reluctantly) when I was 14 in order to train for my black belt test.  It was a short-lived hobby to say the least- as soon as I got my black belt, I stopped, and I've wanted to start again for a while but haven't done so.

2. Make my blog well known.
Or at least somewhat popular.  Enough to get comments on every post (even if it's just one!), guest post for other blogs, etc.  I want to get my name out there.  It'll take a lot of work, but I will do it!  Making money from my blog wouldn't hurt, either.

3. Graduate.
This is a given.  Unless something completely out of my control occurs: I AM GRADUATING FROM MY UNIVERSITY.

4.  Before graduation, study abroad.
After visiting London this summer, I've had an overwhelming urge to go back.  Even before we went- I've wanted to study abroad, and London sounded like a good idea, and visiting just solidified the thought.

5. Take better photographs.
I'm an amateur photographer at best.  This needs changing.  I need to make photographs I'm proud of.

6.  Get another tattoo.
Another given.  This will happen.  I love tattoos.

7.  Dye my hair red.
Not fire-engine red, but more like a ginger.  I love red hair. Love love LOVE red hair.  I want to try it at least once.

8. Work for a magazine.
As an intern.  As a writer.  As the head editor.  I don't care.  Fashion magazine, preferably.  (I just need to build my real-life closet as close to my pinterest closet as close as possible).

9. Write for Rolling Stone magazine.
Just once.  Regularly.  This is a big goal.  If I get this, I will reach the jackpot.  I will win at life.  (Or at least my life).



Do you have any goals?

thrift shop

I've never been one to thrift, really, until these past few years.

I've always been all about new clothes.  I thought it was absolutely awful to buy something that someone else has worn.  Why would you do that when you could just buy new clothes, that haven't been worn? Well, because I had money.  Well, my parents had money.  They were the ones buying my clothes.

It wasn't until I moved to Bellingham that I learned to appreciate stores like Value Village and Goodwill and other various consignment shops.  For those of you who don't know about Bellingham, it's a granola-crunching college town about 20 minutes from the Canadian border.  There's more than just the college, for sure- lots of families choose to live in Bellingham- but it's the young adults who make the atmosphere.

I also didn't think I could thrift as a plus size woman.  I didn't think that many plus size women would give their clothes up, especially to shops like goodwill.  Plus clothing is expensive and there's a venn diagram I've seen on the internet that completely wraps up the experience of plus size shoppers (if I find it I'll post it as an edit) but it basically says "cheap", "good quality", and "fits correctly": and then tells you to pick two.  Nothing has ever been more true for plus-size shoppers... In my experience, anyway.

Back to the point.  Where was I? Oh, right- I moved to Bellingham and learned to thrift.  I started to go to stores like Value Village and Goodwill with my roommate, Bridget, who is one of those people- you know, the ones who you bring with you and then you can suddenly find all the cute clothes.  A thrifting leprechaun of good luck.  Tawny introduced me to Labels- an awesome consignment shop in Bellingham (which now has its own plus size shop!) that has lots of cheap clothes that are cuter than those from goodwill due to the fact that they turn away clothes that aren't trendy enough.

I've slowly started to find more and more clothing at thrift shops, not to mention furniture for our new home.  Here's a small collection of some of my favourite finds from thrift shops in Bellingham that my roommates and I have found.

Vases- Goodwill $.99-$1.99

Shelf which has been 100% filled with my extensive mug collection
Value Village - $14.99

Caridgan - Value Village $7.99

Vintage Instamatic Camera - Value Village $3.99

Polaroid Painting- Value Village $3.99 

Horizontal Running Team shirt (fat amy FTW!) - Value Village $5.99

Flats- Label's $15.99

Rug - Value Village $9.99
Tray - Goodwill $2.99

I'll probably do another post later on how we furnished our house on a college budget- lots more thrift store, dollar store, and target clearance finds. You have no idea how the word "clearance" makes me feel, especially at target.  Ohhh boy.  That's another day.

rainy day

Tiny post, but it's rainy today.

It's kind of nice to have that same constant rain again.  I will bitch about the lack of sun starting in December, but for now, I kinda like the rain.

As I mentioned in my last post, I can't wait for autumn and all the goodies it brings.

Today I busted out my nail polish collection (for those of you who know me, you know how large this is, I've got at least 50 bottles and paint my nails at least two times a week) for the first time since I got home from Europe.. almost a month ago.  My summer favourites have been Essie's Mint Candy Apple and Tart Deco, but today I opted for Stylenomics - a dark grey with some blue/green undertones.  The description online says a "dark green", which I suppose is true, but it appears grey except for in certain lights.

I can't wait for the comfort that autumn brings me.  I can't wait for an excuse to wear my new Steve Madden combat boots.   I can't wait for my best friend's wedding.  I can't wait for layers, and for a hot cup of Starbucks coffee.  I can't wait for my own birthday, and for halloween, and finally for winter to  start so I can go to Milwaukee and visit my other half, Nathan.

That is all.

wish list

It's only August.  On one hand, I feel like this summer has gone by so fast and there is absolutely no way that it is August already.  On the other, I feel like this summer has lasted so long.  It could have something to do with the fact I have been away for 75% of the summer so far... yeah, that's probably it. First three weeks in Europe (which was AWESOME for watching what people are wearing) and then a week and a half camping in Osoyoos, British Columbia.  My liver is still recovering from that trip.

That being said, being home for the short time I have been home, I feel like school will be starting soon and in turn, so will autumn.  I absolutely love autumn.  Maybe it's the crisp air as I walk around campus in the morning, or the regularity of getting my salted caramel mocha at Starbucks, or the fact that it's perfectly acceptable to curl up in my room with a cup of coffee and just relax.  Maybe it's my birthday. Mostly it's the fashion.

Fall fashion is, again, my favorite.  Spring is nice because you get to start wearing dresses; summer brings tank tops and shorts; winter has peacoats and hats and scarves, but fall has a mix of them all.  It's acceptable to wear a pair of shorts (wear a pair of tights underneath and some boots and you're all good).  You can wear a peacoat- but wear it unbuttoned so you can see your cute top and so that you don't overheat.

Like I mentioned earlier- London was so. damn. good. for creeping on what people were wearing.  We were staying near Victoria Station, which was a pretty ritzy part of town, so people put a lot of effort into what they were wearing.  I saw dozens of girls wearing their jeans and blazers, button up tops with statement necklaces, combat boots with lace dresses, peter pan collars... et cetera.  In the states- or at least where I live- people sometimes dress up, but mostly just stick to the same consistent few outfits.

If I had the money, I would have the coolest closet ever.  Anyone who follows me on pinterest probably gets sick of my random pinning sprees.  I've been creeping around and seeing what some of the trends are going to be this fall... and there are a few things I've added to my want-list.

I was one of those girls in high school who didn't really care about what I wore.  I cared about my hair and makeup- well, makeup more consistently than hair, which would usually be thrown in a big messy bun about halfway through the day.  I would wear jeans and a Victoria's Secret Pink sweatshirt.  That was it.  I could have given zero shits about what I wore.  Most of this was because I couldn't find clothes that fit me right- I refused to shop in the plus section.  (This is another battle I'll talk about in another post).  Freshman year of college, it changed into yoga pants and sweatshirts.  I literally didn't care at all.  Then I got hired at Forever 21.  I remember thinking as soon as I got the call- this is the perfect excuse to start building a cuter wardrobe.  Working at Forever definitely helped me develop my own sense of style, and made me realize what I do and don't like, and that it's okay to take risks.  Also, fuck the rules- if you want to wear it, wear it.  I don't exactly know how I'd describe my style.. I like olive greens, blacks, and greys- but I also enjoy a cute mint chiffon top or cardigan every now and then.  It depends on the weather I guess.

So, as of today, August 8, 2013- this is my "want" list for Autumn fashion.
Keep in mind- this is only two shops: Forever 21+ and ASOS Curve.  I could go on and on, but I need to limit myself at the moment.  If I added accessories... this post would be a million miles long.
If anyone has the urge to buy me anything, you'd be my best friend forever and I would bake you a million cookies.
Kidding! But not really.

Heathered Cross Patch Top
$19.80

Edgy Destroyed Skinny Jeans
$29.80

Star Studded Utility Vest
$32.80

Technicolor Galaxy Leggings
$14.80

Lace Cutout Shirt
$24.80

Edgy Spiked Flats
$22.80

Duffle Coat with hood
$126.57

Elbow Patch Cardigan
$37.13

Swing Dress in Bird Print
$42.19

Skater Skirt in Jersey
$27.00

Swing Top
$25.31

Denim Jacket
$54.00

Biker Parka
$54.85

Skater Dress in Mexican Floral
$42.19