Color Blocking

Sorry I haven't been around much. I'm having computer/internet issues. It's driving me nuts! Thank you for all the comments and followings! I promise to visit all your blogs soon! I'm so behind on everything! I miss you guys! :(








We are finally getting a little sun! I took full advantage of the sunshine, as you can see. This was my first time ever trying color blocking. I had been meaning to do it for a while. My mom saw a page about color blocking in People last month, and was all excited and had to show me because it remind her of me. Lol.
You must be brave to pull the trend off, I discovered throughout the day. I felt like I just popped out of an 80s movie! Lol. How did I do?? It was fun! :)

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit: 
Thrifted vintage red blazer by DKNY $7.99
Forever 21 black hair bow $1.50
Forever 21 black heart earrings $1.50
Forever 21 teal belt $2.99
Forever 21 teal ruffled top $4.99?
Forever 21 blue pocketed skirt $8.99
Forever 21 gray tights $3.50
Payless red bowed flats $6
Thrifted orange purse $4.99

Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

It's been raining non-stop. Flood warnings, closed highways, and avalanches are happening all over the state because of the rain. I was standing under the roof of an old carport on my property and the roof was leaking, so I kept getting pelted with big drops of rain. Which explains the face in photo #3! Haha. The lighting outside was super gloomy, so I look extra pale! :D

I'm in love with these shoes and tights. And the purse is always my go to. They were all very good purchases! I had been wanting oxfords for months and finally got a pair, and now I don't want to take them off!

Thank you everyone for the blog support! I also want to thank everyone who commented on the last post recommending tea flavors, brands, and tips for me. I appreciate it! I'll have to try your suggestions!

Be sure to enter my giveaway if you haven't already! :)

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit: 
Forever 21 white v-neck top $3.50
Forever 21 heather gray vest $5.80
Forever 21 blue colorblock skirt $14.90
Forever 21 leopard print tights $5.80
Forever 21 black oxford shoes $24.50
H&M black fringe bag $13?
Forever 21 black fedora hat $7.90
Forever 21 black glitter belt $4.80
St. Jude Protection bracelet from eBay $7.99
Turquoise bracelet handmade by me from vintage parts

I Wear My Sunglasses at Night

Well, that's my first for night shoots! The pictures turned out alright. I wanted the photos to be overexposed and sort of old fashion looking. I do prefer daytime photos. Let me just say, it was creepy being out in the pitch black! I couldn't see anything and my backyard is frequently a playground for coyotes at night so...I was a bit freaked! Haha. After taking a photo, I was completely blinded. Which explains why I look weirdly proportioned in the full body picture, I didn't see that I needed to tilt the camera at a better angle! :D

I love the striped skirt; however, it is slightly too big. Usually small skirts from Forever 21 fit me perfectly, but it's about a size too big. I have been having to safety pin the waist out of laziness. I need to take it in somehow. It'll be a pain.
I also love these boots. They are a half a size too small, but I couldn't resist! The best shoes are always 8.5! And for $6?!? My toes go a little numb at the end of the day, but I handle it in the name of fashion!

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit: 
Forever 21 cocoa cardigan $12
Forever 21 black cami tank $2
Wet Seal flower bib necklace $1.98
Forever 21 striped skirt $14
Forever 21 olive tights $3.50
Thrifted vintage brown boots $6
Black wayfarer clubmaster sunglasses from eBay $4

Rain, Rain, GO AWAY!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Anyone have any plans for today or tonight? I feel like a bad Irish, I will not be celebrating tonight. I'm a quarter Irish, but my family has never been one to celebrate today. I'm just broke and can't afford to go out! :/

Since this terrible weather hasn't let up, I'm stuck inside. It has actually gotten worse. Thundering so bad that I'll be sitting watching TV and I jump a couple inches in the air, haha. And the rain! My dog went outside today to go to the bathroom and came back so wet he looked like he just got out of the bath! :D

I haven't done an indoor shoot in over a year. I never know what to do with myself without a background behind me. I don't feel comfortable for some reason. I'm going to try and explore in my house for good places to take pictures. It'll be nice when it's summer and I can take photos outside everyday.






This navy blazer has got to be one of my best purchases. Thrift stores never let me down. I've had it about a year and I don't think I'll ever get tried of it or not find something I can pair it with.

Yes, the dress is the same dress I'm wearing in the blog header, but this is my first time having it in an outfit post. I just love it. I don't know why it took me so long to get something lace! Now I want everything lace! I can't wait to wear it in the summer, without tights!!

Thank you all for your comments, followings, and support!!

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit: 
Forever 21 sandshell lace dress $24
Forever 21 Dark brown tights $3.50
Thrifted vintage navy blazer $6
Forever 21 black oxford wedges $15
Forever 21 leopard print belt $2.99
H&M bracelets (pack of 5) for $9
St. Jude protection bracelet from eBay $7.99

Out in the Bitter Cold

Oh my, it's March already!? That means:
1) I am about a week away from being done with college!!!!
2) I'll be free from school for once in my life!
3) I'm probably going to be looking for a second job since I'll be done with classes.
4) Spring is coming! Yay!
5) A few months closer to summer, less clothing/layers, garage sales, graduation, Breaking Dawn Part I (hehe), outdoor family togethers, road trips, and sun, sun, sun! ...Just to name a few.

Wooo! Thanks everyone who recently subscribed!! So happy you're all following! :)

My cold definitely took a turn for the worse since my last post. I got really bad last week and am finally feeling semi-normal. Missing work is a killer for me and I ended up having to miss one shift (my first time ever!), kick myself in the butt for losing money, and suffered through the rest of the work week and weekend. Do you know how hard it is to work in a lotion shop (Bath & Body Works) with tons of pretty smelling things and not actually being able to smell?!? Especially when we just got some new scents in!! Lol. Thankfully, we had a sudden snow storm that lasted days which saved me from having to go to school. It's been really frustrating because I wanted to go outside and take outfit pictures so bad, but I was stuck in bed. But while resting and in between sleeping and drugging myself with NyQuil, I did get some reading done (finished Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin), started a new book (Mini Shopaholic), watched movies like one of my favorites, Beetlejuice, and finally got to look through my magazine subscriptions that never get much attention.

I took these photos a few weeks back before this miserable cold...
It was so freezing out that day that my hands were swollen and pruney like I had been sitting in a bathtub for hours. Haha. How flattering!



My view while being stuck inside...


Out my window

My cat looking out my bedroom window. My view from my bed.

I'm still disappointed I couldn't get any pictures out in the snow. It was so pretty! :(
Okay, I'm done whining now. Lol.

Stay happy and healthy everyone! :)

P.S. I'm messing around with the layout, header, and pretty much everything, so it might look a bit weird for a while.

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Forever 21 white loose fit tee $4.80
Forever 21 black cardigan $10
Forever 21 dusty pink scarf $7
Forever 21 navy rose skirt $13.50
Forever 21 gray tights $3.50
H&M white socks $3
Thrifted vintage belt $1
Thrifted vintage boots $6.99

Let's Go Back?

Don't you just wish you could rewind time? Sometimes I wonder about the "what ifs" too much. I could let them eat me up.

Anyways...



>

This outfit was all from Forever 21, besides the scarf. I'm too addicted to that place! They've got to love me with my shopping record lately.

After I took these photos, I went by the grocery store and I felt like everyone was staring at me. Lol. I hate that! Around here if you don't wear jeans and a sweatshirt, people stare...or maybe it's just me? I don't know, but it's completely awkward when you walk into a room and everyone watches you as you walk by. Lol.

Am I the only one who loves these boots?? My family makes fun of me and calls me "elf" when I wear them. I call them my "James Dean boots." They seriously remind me of him and something he'd rock. And the man was sexy! Haha. So I love them!

I'm so excited! The second season of My Life as Liz premieres tonight! Anyone else watch it? I like it. It's a bit silly and somewhat scripted, but I like it.

That's all for now...

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Teal dress by Forever 21 $13
Gray draped open front cardigan by Forever 21 $10
Black faux leather jacket by Forever 21 $19
Thrifted vintage scarf $4.99
Navy tights by Forever 21 $3.50
Black faux leather boots by Forever 21 $15

Mixing It Up

Okay...this was my first time mixing prints. Eeek! I was scared. I read in InStyle about how to mix patterns and decided to give it a try. To not overwhelm myself, I chose to mix with just black and white. I used the olive tights (I know they look black in the photo) for a pop of color. I do like the end result. I wore the outfit to school and felt pretty and ladylike. Lol. I'll have to experiment a little more and maybe be a little more risky next time. My little brother told me how he liked my outfit...he never likes the way I dress. Lol.

A few tips on mixing patterns:

• Choose pieces within the same color range or colors that flow well together. Neutrals like black, white, gray, navy, and taupe, for example, are good choices to mix together or with brighter colors.
• Don't go too crazy! =D
• Stripes, polka dots, and floral prints are great paired with each other.
• Select patterns that are relatively the same size. Example: Thin striped top with delicate polka dots on the bottom. Or a larger print on the bottom works as well.
• When mixing printed accessories, break up the pieces or separate them with a solid (black is good) . Example: a light olive paisley scarf paired with a tan/white shirt, black pants and leopard print shoes.

Hope that helps any of you interested in trying the trend.
I'm off to bed. School and work tomorrow. Have a great Wednesday all!

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Black and white striped sweater by Forever 21 $13
Black and white floral print skirt by Forever 21 $13
Olive tights by Forever 21 $3.50
Creme giant flower earrings $1.50
Black shiny black bowed flats from Payless $12

All You Need Is Love

Hey guys! Thanks for all your support and comments! They're always a pick me up!
It's definitely starting to feel like fall. It's been getting a bit chilly lately. But I love layering and wearing my boyfriend blazers and favorite jackets, so I have no complaints just yet. Something about cool weather makes me want to bake. I've made homemade sugar cookies and snickerdoodles twice this week. I feel like a grandmother. Haha. Especially when I made the sugar cookies from my own grandmother's famous recipe. If I wouldn't have ran outta butter earlier today, I'd be swimming in oatmeal cookies too! Lol.



I was going to post this earlier, but while editing, my power kept going out for some unexplained reason. It shut off the family desktop I always use to edit my photos twice before I got irritated and gave up, hah. I took these at sunset so the lighting isn't the best. I kept getting a little freaked out hanging in that tall grass. Things kept moving under the grass and I don't even want to know what was hiding under there!



I love this burgundy dress. I think it's the first piece of clothing I've ever owned in that color. I don't normally pair pink with any red shade (seems too Valentine's Day to me), but I liked the dusty pink color of the scarf and the burgundy dress together.



Gosh, I hate when people watch me when I'm trying to take pictures! I took these in a corner of my very large front yard in the area my family calls "the field," cause the grass is long and my dad can't even get his John Deer through it. My neighbors were apparently watching me for a while before they decided to come outside on their porch and act like they were casually sitting there staring into my yard. That always makes outfit shoots even more awkward!



On another note, I think my family has collected a new pet. We recently had this deer move onto our land. My dad has fallen in love with it already, haha. It likes to hang out by my bedroom window and he constantly comes in my room and reminds me to look at it, hahaha. He thinks it's amazing.

Before I took these outfit pictures, I was walking around my yard looking for a good place to take photos. I was walking through some tall grass and trees while looking down at my camera deleting pictures and freeing up space on my camera memory, when all of a sudden something big jumped and hopped out of the grass in front of me. I looked up and it was the deer! I almost had a heart attack. I wasn't expecting that AT ALL. Haha.

More soon! Have a great Friday night everyone!!

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Forever 21 burgundy dress $15
Forever 21 pink circle scarf $7
Forever 21 vintage inspired charm necklace $4
Forever 21 cream leggings $4.80
Payless brown riding boots $29

The Leaves Are Falling

Sorry I haven't been around much. My world has been spun around and flipped upside down lately. I've been having a hell of a time with school and my financial aid. It's been so stressful and exhausting. I might have to cut my schooling short or take a break for a while cause nothing is working out.



I've never done an outfit shoot where I'm sitting in each picture. I couldn't find a background anywhere so I stuck with the grass. So much green makes it hard to edit the photos though! I couldn't get the right color effect I wanted. Oh, well!
I love the look of the colorful leaves on the ground. My dad goes crazy trying to constantly get rid of them. I liked the long grass and the leaves so I had to hurry and take pictures before he mowed and used his trusty leaf blower. Lol.





I did some online fall shopping last week. Spent all my budget at Forever 21. I definitely prefer online shopping vs going to the mall. When you shop online, you can take your time, compare prices, search through all the stock, and you don't have to wait in long lines. I bought a bunch of dresses for like $11 and $13, patterned tights, leggings, scarves, and tons of accessories. I got quite a bit of earrings and hair bows/clips for $1.50! You'll see all of it in outfit posts in the future.



Everything I'm wearing is from Forever 21, besides the thrifted belt and boots (Look at the bottom of the post for details and prices). I've been searching and searching for some boots like theses for I don't even know how long. I found them at Value Village during their Labor Day sale for 50% off. They are half a size too small for my feet, but I bought them anyways. I do this A LOT. Lol. (I always buy flats half a size smaller cause I like them tighter on my feet and not sloppy.) I believe in the saying, "Pain is beauty." Lol. They were quite snug, but after cleaning them up, I took the insoles out and replaced them with some thinner ones I had and they fit MUCH better. I can actually wear them without my toes going numb! Haha.

I got pretty lucky finding the belt that same day. I was able to match the boots with leather belt colors and this one is an exact match. I like having a belt to match with my shoes. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to making colors in an outfit flow. Lol.

Well, I'm dead. Have a great Thursday all!!!

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Gray long sleeved pocketed dress by Forever 21 - $13
Black circle scarf by Forever 21 - $7
Black rose earrings by Forever 21 - $1
Black dotted tights by Forever 21 - $5.80
Black socks by Forever 21 - Pack of 7 for $6.50
Thrifted 90s brown leather belt from Value Village - $1
Thrifted brown leather boots from Value Village - $6.99

Lets Enjoy This While We Can

Okay, quick little outfit post. I know the outfit is simple, I kinda look like a pilgrim, my braid's sloppy, and my eyes are squinty from the sun, but I wanted to post something! Lol.

I LOVE this dress! I got it from Value Village during their 50% off Labor Day Sale for $2.99? (I don't know for sure, my mom got a hold of my receipt and threw it away...dang it!) I couldn't believe it! I've been searching for peter pan collars forever and never found anything until I unexpectedly pulled this dress from the rack. I almost let out a happy little shriek in the store! Hah. I didn't even notice it had cute heart shaped buttons on the cuffs and on the back of the collar until later.
I didn't try it on in the store and it looked a little big so I was trying not to get my hopes up, but I was determined to buy it anyways. Then I went home, washed it, tried it on and it fits nicely. I was very glad that I didn't have to take it in or sell it. It's all mine! =D

I've had the shoes for a very long time and they certainly have been through some times with me. They're a bit worn, but I can't bare to get rid of them. Do you guys have something in your closet that you can't seem to throw out too?

Okay, now on to blogging business.
I've decided to do a giveaway for every 50 followers that this blog gains. So right now, we are 13 followers away from free stuff. That's not much. We'll get there, I promise!
The giveaways will vary. I'm thinking jewelry, accessories, magazine subscriptions, fashion/makeup books...who knows, pretty much anything fashion related! I want to choose prizes that everyone can enjoy so I'm not sure about doing clothing items or shoes just yet. We'll see.
Does that sound good?!?

I'm also planning on doing a vlog post. My camera records in HD and .mov format (for those who know what I'm talking about, lol) and my video editor won't accept my videos so I'm trying to figure something out.

XOXO,

Courtney

My outfit:
Thrifted Erin Fetherston For Target navy peter pan collared dress
Black leggings by Wetseal
Leopard print flats from Payless
Black fedora hat by Forever 21