Spring has Sprung!

7:48

Earth has cried so long

that her sky tears soak my scaffolding

my face like glass, I nod

and let light pour through me,

examine my hairline fractures

look –

I become light when I break it.

we are only what we destroy

the curtain cut light lacing the wall,

the spines of our fathers,

the unbuttoned breaths of our mothers.

it is early and Spring

is a cracked eggshell becoming

itself. 

(Flat Brim hat: TopShop, round sunglasses: Forever 21, denim buttondown: thrifted, floral crop top: Urban Outfitters, black circle skirt: Brandy Melville)

fashion FRIENDly

"IT WAS ONE OF THOSE MARCH DAYS WHEN THE SUN SHINES HOT AND THE WIND BLOWS COLD; WHEN IT IS SUMMER IN THE LIGHT, AND WINTER IN THE SHADE" --Charles Dickens

Friendship has always mystified and eluded me. From the moment I met Emily, it seemed that the concept of friendship would avoid me no longer. It may sound cheesy, but I feel as if we were just meant to know each other. And even now, having lived with her for months and dealt with her boyfriend issues and intense hot sauce and noodle consumption, I can still say that she is my best friend. 

...but I don't mean to slip into terribly overwrought cliches. We're both fashionable ladies with unique yet compatible wardrobes. When we go out, let's just say it's an ordeal. Here, Emily is wearing a beautiful shapeless floral dress with spaghetti straps and a light pink lipstick shade. I have on black high waisted pants, black crop top and a loose feather button down (one of my proudest thrifts). 

With spring finally showing us its sunny days and affable nights, we no longer have to cover up our well-planned outfits with layer upon layer of sweaters and coats. No more stashing jackets backstage at shows or in kitchen cupboards at parties. Here is to many more outfits to come with my lovely best friend, Emily. 

Frosted World

"Pitch-black winter nights live in my bones" -Friedrich Nietzsche 

 

In the desolate winter where caffeine and nicotine have seemed to be my only salvation, I must push to find within myself the breath of Spring that satiates. And in the depths of a seasonal depression, what better way to feel anew than to dress like a punky version of a 50-60s bombshell. 

With a pair of creepers, tights, a vintage tea length skirt hitting just below the knee, a simple black crop top and a pop of orange-red on my lips I think I can take on the frosted world. 

"I guess we often get the deep blues, both of us, and wonder what it all means - the people, the buildings, the day by day things, the waste of time, of ourselves" --Charles Bukowski

Valentines Day Blues (or blacks!)

Dateless, estranged, bitter and strongly tempted to throw sharp objects at those carrying red roses, I sauntered into valentines day... Or single awareness day as some have decided to call it. Forever alone, I've loved and I've lost and become a walking talking cliche about the material holiday dominating consumer capitalism.

                 

With a best friend battling through a long distance relationship, our only hope of salvation on this wretched day was well...cheap wine and watching west side story. A movie tragedy to top off our personal ones. 

                   

But we quickly realized that we'd need to be well-fed, clothed and housed to take care of this much self-pity. It was pathetic! So we got dressed up and took each other out to dinner. 

                 

                 

Her in a beautiful scallop lace t shirt dress, red tights and red booties; me in a loose tunic dress with studded shoulders, ballet tights and creepers, we took on the evening and shook off the bitterness.

                    

                    

Successfully we conquered valentines day. To check out more of both of our looks, check out our instagrams @emilyinemerald & @danaalsamsam

Ezra Koenig told me to be proud of my selfies

In the world of the gratuitous selfie it seems that capturing photos of oneself has become "pretentious" or "self-absorbed." I would tend to disagree; what is there to be ashamed of in capturing a moment, a shutter click of my life. If red lips and a couple inches of unconcealed skin makes me feel beautiful, I am going to feel that way and I'm going to strut and yes - I am going to take a photo of myself in a full length mirror. 

         

La Fournette French Patisserie

The other day, a Buzzfeed quiz popped up on my feed titled "What City Should You Actually Live In?" My guilty conscience swarmed for allowing myself to waste time on something so silly...but I simply couldn't help myself. Surprise, Surprise - I got Paris, France. 

This post also feels like the perfect setting to recommend two of the absolute best movies I've seen recently. Both being French Romantic Comedies - Amelie and Populaire. These discoveries make me never want to watch an American film again! Give me a plane ticket and a time machine because 1950s Paris is all I could ever want. 

Amelie

Populaire

Winter in Chicago

marked Chicagoans

we travel swiftly on taxi strewn roads,

lemons rolling in a granite bowl.

the strut of our competent heels

bites the sidewalk,

edges smeared by the ashen slush

and the salty speckles splashed

onto backs of black

cigarette jeans.

the snow releases itself

in curtains of harmony

developing the city, top to bottom,

like hand-copied sheet music.

sprinklings of climactic melody

run in sixteenth notes through stitches

of knit hats and scarves.

we don’t flinch

at the roaring of the tracks;

the subway is our lullaby (especially

in the winter when Midwestern ice slices

through ring fingers in thick layers)

discontented mothers search for nothing

in handbags because they don’t understand

that what they’re looking for will wait

for them if they just turn their head

to the sky and              see.

sometimes we walk along believing

that the veil of gray forces us to disappear,

but like the sheer tulle billowed

across a bride’s face,

winter in Chicago

amplifies the beauty of its rushing people

a concealed secret to be revealed

before the world even begins to dream

of Spring. 

I wore a beautiful black turtle neck with a keyhole opening on the chest. My beautiful friends were looking lovely as usual.The macaroons were divine and the company was even better. très belle!

Harem Pants & Flowers

"MY STYLE — IT’S BLACK, AND IT’S EXPENSIVE." --matt healy

"I WANT TO HAVE MORE SEX, TRAVEL MORE, DRINK MORE WINE AND LOVE LIFE." --Zoe saldana

You know those days when you wake up and are not sure if what's on your head is hair or a giant mass of stringy straw? I like to take those bad hair days and make them seem intentional. With my short hair finally able to get into a little ballet bun, this style makes for a sleek and quick fix to messy hair. Accent it with red lips, bronze blush high on the cheek bones and a chunky earring and you've got yourself a look! 

"I KNOW PRETTY MUCH WHAT I LIKE AND DISLIKE; BUT PLEASE, DON’T ASK ME WHO I AM." --sylvia plath

This beautiful long cut sweater is perfect for almost any outfit. It flatters forearms and balances the inch of revealed skin (and belly ring) from the floral crop top. When the sweater comes off, the best thing about this crop top is the elegantly cut back. 

The sun simply wouldn't allow me to take any better of photos....but I'm in love with these black cotton harem pants. I balanced their billow with some black suede booties.