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September 2013

Style

Ready for Fall

September 20, 2013
Top, Vest, Skirt: Forever 21, Shoes: Bakers, Purse: American Threads, Watch: Asos, Leather Bracelet: Charleston City Market, Sunnies: Dolce & Gabbana

I’m SO ready for fall, particularly fall fashion and fall food. Yesterday, I went to a tasting event at Panera Bread where I got to sample a few of their new fall menu items. My favorite was their autumn squash soup with toasted pumpkin seeds. It was like Thanksgiving in a bowl! I also got to sample some of their popular classics like their broccoli cheddar soup and fuji chicken apple salad, both of which I had never tried. They were super yummy. They sent us off with a Panera tote, a freshly baked baguette, a chocolate chip cookie, and a recipe card for one of the items we sampled. While I have given up virtually all fast food, Panera is the reason why I have to say virtually. I love Panera. Although, technically they’re considered fast food, I think they’re in a league all their own. They use fresh, quality ingredients, and their food is delicious. Plus with the caloric information listed on their menus, it’s a lot easier to make smarter food choices.

What are some of your favorites from Panera? Tell me in the comments!
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Style

Safari Style

September 16, 2013
Top: Forever 21,  Jeans: Kohl’s, Shoes: Topshop, Bag: Asos

On Sunday I decided to take a little break from working on my PhD applications, and went to Target with my sis to see if I could snag a few items from the Phillip Lim for Target collection. Fall is literally nipping at our heels so I wanted to soak up the last few official days of summer with this breezy, sleeveless almost crop top from Forever 21.

By the time I got to Target I could tell that the collection had been picked through. Although, I’m not sure this particular Target had the collection in its entirety to begin with. The designated Phillip Lim space was small and I know he had well over 50 pieces in his collection. Anyhow, I managed to find one of his sweaters (the green and blue one) in my size. I was in like not love with it so I decided to leave without it, but I did find another great sweater that I loved for half the price…score! Of course, I also had to check out their shoe section. They had a lot of cute options but one unlikely pair stood out to me.

First, let me say that I’m not a big sneaker person. I admire them on other people, but for some reason I’ve never really liked how they look on me. Despite this, I’m trying to give them another chance. I found some really cute wedge sneakers but I wasn’t 100% sure if I’d actually wear them so I decided to think about it and come back if need be. We’ll see if they make an appearance later.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

 

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Developing Your Inspiration Stream

September 9, 2013

We all need to be inspired, which is why having an inspiration stream is such a good idea. What exactly is an inspiration stream? Great question! An inspiration stream is a collection of sources (read: anything) that you can turn to for inspiration. Yes I made that up. The idea is that you don’t have to go on a hunt to find things that inspire you when you need inspiration most. You can turn to the sources in your inspiration stream and let inspiration find you. Developing an inspiration stream is as simple as taking note of the people, places, sights, and smells that inspire you and nurture your creativity. You can keep this list on your phone, iPad, or whatever the latest techno gadget is so it’s always with you and can be easily updated when you find new sources. To help you get started crafting your own inspiration streams, I’ll share a few things on my list.

Inspiration can come in the most unlikely places or forms. These are a just a few items that I’ve come across that I’ve found to be fun and inspirational.
Some of the sources in my inspiration stream:
Long solo drives – I love the time alone to think about my future, specific goals I have, and ideas for pieces that I want to write.
Sitting outside on a sunny day – There’s something about a perky blue sky that gets me excited. Possibilities seem endless and the world seems like a happier place.
Music – I imagine this is a source of inspiration for many people. Music is so powerful. It can get us moving, change our mood, and restore faith. This is a pretty broad source but there are a few songs I immediately think of like Moon by Emily King or Clocks by Coldplay.
Books – I saw a quote on Pinterest that said “Warning: reading inspires genius” and I completely agree with this. So often when I read, I find myself putting the book aside for a second so I can jot down an idea the book just inspired. No wonder I’m a slow reader!
Do you have an inspiration stream? If so, what are some of the things on your list? Tell me in the comments!

 

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