they're calling at me, come and find your kind.

 

freeloader top/ american apparel leggings/ vintage earrings/ photos courtesy of oraclefox and the free people blog

if there's one thing i miss about having long hair, and to be honest i don't miss it all that often, it's a youthful, free-spirited braid. they're just one of those things that say summer to me. so this top is a new compromise: braids, check. free-spirited, check. totally comfy and goes with almost everything i want to wear right now, check. it's the perfect shirt for summer concerts, for dancing with leathery leggings (as worn above), with a long maxi skirt for wanderings, or thrown on over a bathing suit at the beach just as the sun's going down. as far as braids go, i think i traded up :)

a l'aurore je suis née, baptisé de rosée.

gap sweater/ thrifted belt/ diy shorts/ lucky flats

pretty spring weather and the flowers are a-bloomin'. whenever i see roses i can't help but softly sing 'mon ami la rose' by francoise hardy softly to myself. so haunting and beautiful. and needless to say i was stoked to finally be able to wear the shorts i destroyed! for some reason short shorts that hit the natural waist are so much more sexy and feminine than normal cutoffs. and they do wonders for da butt. try it. you'll see. 

mix it UP.

 

thrifted cardigan/ sparkle & fade tee/ f21 skirt/ vintage belt

had a little fun today with pattern mixing (you didn't know i owned anything patterned didja? i surprise even myself sometimes). i kept within the same color scheme and threw on a colored cardigan to tie it all together. if i'm feeling a little cheerier next time i'll try one in a brighter color, but the midterm season has me feeling not-so-sunny.  

but i did prove the hypotheses i started out with: the loudest skirt in your wardrobe can and should be amped up instead of toned down. i still live by some basic rules though: go for the extreme at either spectrum. i stayed pretty tame here by keeping the color palette neutral, but if the craziest skirt in your closet resembles a kaleidiscope, i highly encourage you to embrace that and pair it with a worthy mate. go as is or, if you don't feel up to it, a simple belt and cardigan/jacket/vest/sweater can do wonders. don't take my word for it- try it yourself! and tell me your story!

sunday/funday.

thrifted skirt and purse/ piko 1988 tee/ franco sarto sandals/ vintage shell earrings

wore this for a lazy day of shopping, hair trims, and beer and trivia with friends. although super comfy, the breezy day had me ducking into every other shop on the street (bad? maybe not) i finally ended up knotting the bottom edges of the skirt together for modesty's sake, and was pleased to see it actually looked really cute! note to self: must work unintentional wardrobe modifications into wardrobe intentionally.

also, in case anyone was wondering about the status of my url, i'll just say that i'm currently working on it :) sorry to  leave you lovely people hanging, but i'm sure it will get worked out soon. until then, business as usual. sorry for any confusion!

rock me mama.

in a few short hours i will be swaying to the sweet sweet music of edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros, mumford & sons, and old crow medicine show. and i am so excited!

 

 

 

as far as styling goes, i'm thinking along the lines of something like...

 via 4th and bleeker, somethingnavy, littlesadie, wildfox, and here and there.

... yeah. something like that :)

ALSO: don't forget tomorrow is the big day! i will be changing the name of my blog to notjustpretty.blogspot.com. followers, don't worry, nothing will change as far as access and updates. non-followers, be sure to use my new url from now on! thanks so much everyone!

nomenclature.

IMPORTANT!! after intense consideration and hours upon hours of pro-and-con-ing, i have decided to slightly change the name of blog. from now on my blog will no longer be notthatpretty, but notjustpretty. i feel that this change is an important distinction, and will enable me to tell more people about my blog without explaining the entire philosophy behind the name in the same breath while they give me a, "huh? wait, but you're pretty, and the models are pretty, and the photos are pretty... wait, are you telling me that i'm not pretty??" look. whew! 

THIS IS EXTRA IMPORTANT BECAUSE FROM NOW ON YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REACH MY SITE FROM THE OLD ADDRESS!! so make a note with something permanent on something that doesn't look like something that might be thrown away. or better yet follow me on bloglovin or through google friend connect :) this change will take place this friday, april 22, 2011.

thanks for being awesome and supportive through this change, my dear dear followers!

bubble gum lips.

pennylifeinpics and wildfox.

taylor.

ta da! i present to you my dear friend taylor, who serves as constant inspiration to me. her style exudes  creativity, nonchalance, and a healthy dose of americana. the way she pairs comfortable pieces like wrap dresses and destroyed jeans with loopy, colorful scarves and unique footwear is wonderful. even at her comfiest, i've never seen her in anything i would consider boring. more than once i've looked at my closet in desperation and channeled her energy enough to say to myself, 'just do what feel right'.

oh and how much does this girl look like jessica stam?? i mean, freelz!

How would I describe my personal style?
My mom used to say that she wouldn't wear anything that she couldn't climb a tree in. I feel myself headed that way. I try to get my style from things like color, texture and solid dependable pieces. There's no point in an outfit if you can't have fun in it! That way it'll also be special when you put on a great pair of heels.

Whose style do I admire the most?
It's easy to dress well when you have money, so I admire people who put their own twist on what they have. Bright socks, hand-made earrings and scarves.

Where do I shop?
Vintage and second hand are staples in everyone's life right now, including my own. I get all my earrings from antique stores or on Etsy, and the rest comes from little places all around. Sometimes I reserve shopping especially for when I know I have a trip coming up because that way clothes have a story behind them. I always steal at least one sweater from my mom's closet when I'm home, too.


What is the most embarrassing thing I've done the name of style? 

 Watch rings. Hands down. I thought they were the best thing in the world. So practical! So chic! There's one in every school picture of mine between 2nd and 6th grade, and I don't really have an excuse for myself.

xo m'dear!

ready for it.

 

via cherryblossomgirl, knightcat, wildfox, pennylifeinpics, fashiontoast, chris craymer, viciouslysyd, lf stores lookbook.