Happy Memorial Day!

For part of the weekend my friend Kimmi visited. She's from my hometown area and I hardly get to see her anymore! We spent Saturday shopping to update her closet and I enthusiastically stepped up to the role as her pretend personal stylist. We had a blast reminiscing. I knew of her when I was still in high school and we had plenty of mutual friends, but it wasn't until I dated a douchebag in the beginning of college that solidified our friendship. Weirdly, I dated a couple members of the band her boyfriend (now husband) was in and we had so much fun going to shows together for years. I <3 you kimtim!

For the second half of the weekend I just stayed in town--bored out of my mind. I had to make it to roller derby practice so I couldn't commit to any weekend long plans. Thankfully I had SOMETHING to do today! This city has fun social stuff going on almost weekday even with today being a holiday. I met up with a few friends and met new amazing people on the patio in East Lansing, across from MSU's campus for Lansing Happy Hour Club. Yay people! And I saw Robin Hood! Loved it!

[tee by american apparel, vest by f21, denim cutoffs by levi, boots by deena & ozzy]

I wore this last week. It might've been too hot to wear the vest, but a leather vest is just what a plain tee and shorts need to give it some edge. These two leather wristbands are now staple accessories! They are my best purchase from the art festival last week.

Why I choose to publish these outtakes..I'll never know

Photos by Becky Johns

Rosette Necklace Giveaway Winner Announced!

Congrats Taylor! Taylor was selected as the winner using random.org and will receive this gorgeous necklace from Tea Accessories!

Rosette Necklace Giveaway!

Thanks to Tea Accessories by Marcela Carmargo, this gorgeous plum rosette statement necklace could be spicing up your outfits! To enter the giveaway, please comment with your email address! Open to U.S. and international readers! Please comment by Sunday evening! Will announce the winner on Monday.

Marcela is originally from Mexico, but moved to the greater Lansing area last year when her husband began working on his MBA at Michigan State University. Jewelry making began as a hobby in 2004 and now it's her full time career!

She spent a summer studying Jewelry & Design at the Central Saint Martins College of Arts & Design at London and she's now started distributing her accessories to retail stores in Mexico and selling on Etsy. 

Everything on her site is beautiful and I'm so glad she's apart of our mid-Michigan community for the time being!

A few photos of my boss lady Kate modeling the necklace! Looks so incredibly cute on her.

Spotted Moth!

15 percent off your entire first purchase using the discount code "BEDHEAD" for Spotted Moth, a new, online clothing boutique. The coupon code is good until August 25! I'm thinkin' I need to get this adorable bag!

hot hot heat

I've been feeling a little burnt out lately and I'm trying to pick a few days to take off of work just to catch up on things. New goal: stop doing so much crap. For some reason, unlike my money, I like to save up all my PTO at work and do nothing with it. I'm hoarding my vacation days. I occasionally take a day off or a half day, but never a week. Anything I think to do for a vacation is just me doing more work. I'm driving myself crazy lately.

Anywho, I wore this for Day 2 of the art festival. It was so incredibly and painfully hot and so this little cotton dress was the best thing to throw on for a day of walking through crowded streets with fellow hot, sweaty people. I picked up these glasses in Chicago for my friend Ali since she had been on a search for heart shaped sunglasses and for the purposes of this shoot, I threw them on. Ali, you will get them on Sunday!

[dress and belt by american apparel, sunglasses by h&m]

Photos by Becky Johns

Time to get ready for bed! I must be at work by 6am-ish to prep for the bimonthly legislative breakfast we host. Let's hope the legislators show up!

east lansing art festival!

The East Lansing Art Festival took place on Saturday and Sunday and I spent both days browsing the booths, listening to music and eating delicious food. It was so so hot though and I haven't yet adjusted to the heat. I quickly tracked down my favorite booths to find a few jewelry pieces and spent most of the time looking for food and listening to music at the main stage. 

It was such a fabulous weekend with my friend Courtney here visiting. She met a ton of my Lansing friends and we celebrated my friend Sarah's birthday on Saturday with dinner and dancing. Here are a few photos from the weekend!

wooden jewelry!

One of my favorite booths was the leather goods booth. My friend Jenn purchased a gorgeous leather bag and I picked up a couple leather wristbands.

Haley, me and Jess in the back and Court and Jenn in the front

Haley lookin' all kinds of cute

[hat by bdg, top, jeans and necklace by express, shoes by zigi soho, bag by bcbg, bandeau by american apparel]

extra! extra!

Snap! Another busy week, which left me not so much time to post!

This is what I'm wearing today! I bought this outfit last weekend in Chicago and today I'm heading out to the East Lansing Art Festival and I thought this would be perfect for roaming around outside with Courtney who's visiting this weekend. I've been on the hunt for a pair of destroyed denim shorts and I gasped when I saw these at Zara.

[top and shorts by zara, tights by american apparel, bracelet courtesy of lushae jewelry]

Photos by Becky Johns
Thanks to lushae jewelry for sending me this super cute bracelet!

an ode to katie blakley

Last week at work I saw a colleague, Katie, wearing this adorable cream colored headband and she has this gorgeous wavy dark brown hair and knew immediately I needed one for myself. Turns out, it's actually a friend  of herswho designs these so I quickly placed my order with her friend and had been waiting ever so patiently to receive it in the mail! It is here!

I paired the headband with my usual black attire--my favorite black pants, lace up boots and tanktop for an edge with the cutesy pastel pink cardigan, gold accessories and bright red nail polish. Katie has a very preppy, conservative style that I love and I thought of her when I made this pink cardigan purchase. Katie has just relocated to Chicago with her fiance, so we will miss her at the office! But I'm photographing her wedding so I'll be able to still see her throughout the year! Click here to see the engagement photos I took of her and Chris.

[top by f21, tank by silence+noise, pants by bdg, boots by deena & ozzy, gold necklace by banana republic, rest of accessories by f21, tan headband by tea]

P.S. Stay tuned for an amazing giveaway from Tea, the same place where I ordered my fabulous headband!

a visit to chicago

I made a trip to Chicago to visit my oldest and bestest friend, Courtney. When I moved schools and joined Ravenna in 4th grade, she was one of my first friends and we've been so close ever since. We've grown up together and she's such an amazing friend the last 15 years. I played matchmaker more than four years ago while a sophomore in college and introduced Courtney to her boyfriend Ben. Now, they have the cutest apartment in Chicago and I love coming to visit, which I need to do more often!

Courtney is so stylish yet, frugal. She's so good about not blowing her money, but remaining stylish and oh so cute. She was voted "Best Dressed" in high school and she's even more fabulous now.

I had to sneak photos of Court because she wouldn't let me photograph her solely for my blog. Instead, I kept catching her off guard. It's hard not to catch her without food. She's itsy bitsy but the girl eats more food than anyone I know, hehe!

[scarf by h&m, jacket by h&m, shirt from target, jeans by guess]

My friend Don from high school was also in Chicago. He lives in Milwaukee now and he met up with us for dinner before we head to a burlesque show where another friend in high school is playing in the band.

We went here for dinner! Nom!

Court's boyfriend, Ben!

[cute jacket by gap]

steps to the capitol

I wandered about the capitol yesterday with my friend Becky. Our capitol is so pretty and so we decided to snap some pictures on the steps. I'll have to go there more in the future for outfit shots.

For this particular outfit, I was inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Caroline. As much I'd like to drop $300 on the pair of Ian sweatpants that are either the same or very similar to hers, I just couldn't fathom spending that much on sweatpants and have been since searching for a less expensive alternative, which I found at American Apparel for $38. I feel as if this outfit is somewhat a dichotomy and that's why I like it so much. 

[pants by american apparel, top by banana republic, leather jacket by gap, purse by bcbg, wedges by aldo]

Photos by Becky Johns

Team shot of Lansing Derby Vixens at Impression 5 Science Center, thanks to my friend and awesome photog, Luke Pline!