what i wore this week.

well.. i started to get back into the swing of this blogging thing and right when i was, BAM!, something bad happens.

a couple weeks ago, our apartment got broken into. they took my laptop and external hard drive, as well as my camera. i was happy because i knew my memory card wasn't in it, but it turned out they took that as well. 

it is easy to move past losing material objects and hope the insurance company will help us out, but it is hard to get over having lost everything i have worked on.

so in trying to start fresh, here are my five outfits (and one hairdo, let's say i'm in a rut) i wore this week. for being taken with an iPhone, they aren't half bad.

so for thinking my style is versatile and always changing, i do end up with a certain uniform during the week. 

monday's are the only day i can wear something 'fancy' or long since its the day i do less running around and less carrying armfuls of stuff up and down stairs.

friday's tend to be the day i do a lot of outfitting, so i like my own outfit to be a little more inspired. 

i try to switch it up, but it is hard in this in between weather period. i am starting to look forward to some crisper weather, though i wouldn't dare say it out loud! one thing i can guarantee you is that you will find something around my waist at least three out of the five days.

yeah, this is what i was looking at in thursday's photo. crazy kittens!

crop tops aren't just for models.

if you have looked in a magazine, turned on the tv, or just walked out your front door, you know that crop tops are major right now. i, for one, know that they are NOT for everyone. i also know that they really aren't for my current body type either. with that being said, i like the way they look. i like to push the limits and break the rules. i also know there is a very certain way to wear them.

so if you are in the 90% off the population like me, here are a few tips:

- always pair your crop top with something high waisted. when i say high waisted, i mean high waisted. not a mid rise, not a high rise. it needs to hit at the smallest part of your waist and your belly button must be covered.

- add a layer. covering up more skin will make the small amount you are showing at your midriff not such a big deal. 

-tie something around your waist. this trick i use a lot, not just for crops. if you tie at your waist, the sleeves should cover up the 'belly area' that hides most ladies least favorite body part. it is also useful in styling any outfit (shortening the length, changing the waist line).

- if you are wearing shorts or anything shorter in length, try a crop with sleeves (short or long). if you are wearing pants or anything maxi, crop tanks are okay.

- think of proportions: a more voluminous bottom calls for a smaller top and vise versa.

- and as always, try mixing prints and textures. have fun!

jacket and bag were thrifted. everything else came from urban outfitters (on sale).

layering.

i am sure a lot of you work in an office, or even indoors during the summer. i am sure a lot of you have to deal with air conditioning and know that the layers are on and off all day long. and if you are like me and work in ac, run up and down stairs all day, carry arm loads of things up and down said stairs, you know the real importance of layering.

the key here is to make sure that no matter which layer you put on or take off, it still looks like a complete outfit. multiple light layers looks more interesting than throwing on that cardigan hanging off the back of your desk chair.

camo jacket from goodwill - $5 

sweater on a gift card way on sale at intermix - $75

stripe tee from madewell - $10

polka dot high waisted jeans from urban outfitters - $7

sandals from urban outfitters - $17

necklace from forever 21 - $8

beach day: revere beach.

you may have heard different views on revere beach, but for walking the strip and watching people, it is top notch. it was a nice way to spend a few hours on a sunday afternoon and have an ice cream cone.

diy: cardboard necklace.

here is the truth: this diy necklace project is something i started almost three years ago. it has literally been sitting in a basket, mostly all strung, from my portland apartment all the way to this one in somerville. the saddest part about this whole thing is that this probably one of the easiest projects to do.

now for the backstory: at least three years ago, i ripped a page out of an anthropologie catalog featuring a crazy cool layered statement necklace. around the same time, i was at the tail end of a job i hated. among many other things, they were a wasteful company and, so instead of throwing away piles of cardboard pieces, i took them home with the idea of reusing them for something. so putting the two together and i came up with this simple, simple idea. 

 originally, i had thought to paint the squares or spray paint them after, but i think it look pretty cool natural, with the string as a pop of color. leaving it natural also gives you the option to change it or add to it when you need a new necklace or need a certain color asap to top off the perfect outfit.

the best part of this project is that it cost me $0 to make. the string and tools were things i had inherited and, well, you know about the cardboard. so go forth and make your own statement piece for as little as possible!

saturday in the north end.

it's not much, but here are a few snaps from my date night with terry on saturday night. the streets of the north end are narrow, the buildings are beautiful. it was nice to walk up and down the streets and see all their hidden gems. 

we also got in a lot of people watching. we had dinner at our favorite north end spot, giacamo's, which always comes along with a wait in a line around the block. while you wait you will hear 'the locals' walk by and say they would never wait in a line. but it is just that good. if you go some where with no line, but a 40 minutes wait, it is all the same. 

after dinner, walking back to the car, i was checking out the building we took my outfit photo in front of. i wasn't paying attention and stepped in a hole. so if i look a bit disheveled, its cause about 3 minutes prior, i took a mean digger and skinned my knees. the best part of the fall was my sweet boyfriends being super upset he couldn't catch me... silver lining.