Define Yourself.

Sweater Maxi Dress: Pull & Bear (Barcelona).

Tan Coat: Zara (Florence).

Boots: H&M.

Earrings: Thrifted.

Lipstick in MAC's Diva.

I used to think I couldn't wear things like this outfit. I was too short, had too big of hips, I wasn't cool enough. Sweater dresses would just never be something for someone like me. 

I was in a Pull and Bear store in Barcelona though while over in Europe and thought everything was so cute. I had never been to one of their stores, and I was really excited. It was mostly younger teen girls shopping in there, with perfect little bodies that could fit into anything. It made me feel self conscious, and trying some pieces on in the store made me feel even more self conscious when I couldn't fit in them. I was getting ready to leave, discouraged, when I came across this sweater maxi dress. I thought it was so lovely and cool, and figured I didn't have anything to lose by trying it on. I ended up absolutely loving it, even thought it highlighted my large hips and the things I usually felt insecure about...it also made me feel confident and in love with this body.

Still a few months later I love this dress and am proud to wear it. Don't let anyone or even yourself define your boundaries when it comes to fashion. You gotta do you! x

With much love, Lauren.

And We Run.

Sunflower Dress, Sherling Coat, Boots: Thrifted.

Wide Brimmed Hat: c/o OASAP.

Infinity Scarf: H&M.

Lipstick in MAC's Myth.

Hello there!

We got a gorgeous little taste of what the New York area got the other day in snow fall. Around my apartment and campus it's already all turned slushy and brown...but when you go outside the college to outskirts you see the simply untouched beauty. A good, heavy snow fall will always be one of my winter favorites!

This outfit was inspired by a spread in the latest February Teen Vogue issue I picked up when I was home. It used Bella Hadid as a model, and it was all 1970's inspired with bulky coats, cool hats, undone hair, and the best "rock star" vibe ever. I've never been much into 1970's fashion, but I have actually been quite intrigued by it lately and tried working some of its influence into my style. We're doing a project for my fashion forecasting class on mapping the zeitgeists of an era, and instead of choosing my usual 40's or 50's, I decided to test the water out in 1970's territory for once. Going well so far! x

With much love, Lauren.

Winter Magic.

Snow flake Sweater: c/o OASAP.

Blue Pencil Skirt, Red Hat: Thrifted.

Cream Loafers: c/o Pink and Pepper.

Hello everyone! ♥

Was apparently wanting to match the weather today; a snowy, winter-y look! I always feel a smidge awkward when wearing pencil type skirts/dresses instead of fit and flare because my hips are just so much more...out there! I'm not embarrassed of them or anything, but it's different to have a silhouette forming so much closer to my body. It affects the way I pose, the way I feel...and I can definitely see it somewhat in my face/poses that I'm not quite sure what to do since I don't have a skirt to pull out and play around with!

I've been feeling super bad/guilty lately when it comes to an aspect of blogging I just am not as good of keeping up with as I used to be. In high school and even my first year in college I was super involved with the community around me; always commenting on other blogs, interacting with them, replying back to comments...and then when I started my sophmore year and things really started picking up in my life, I found I just couldn't do these things as much as I liked to any more and then it just became less and less....it's gotten to the point now that ever since Italy I don't even read any of the blogs on my feed, but rather go to the direct URL of a few I love and just binge read a bunch of their posts, and I'm never able to comment really any more...it makes me so sad. This community has always just been there for me so much through the last five years, and it feels wrong to be so distant from it. I want to be out there supporting you all; leaving the kind, considerate, helpful comments you do for me. But time just evades me every single day, and I find myself hardly having enough time to post myself anymore. I still love it, am passionate about this, and it never feels forced; but it is still a struggle to get pictures taken, posted, and such that by the end of all that there's not time or energy left for engagement. It discourages me because I guess I feel like I just can't keep up with it all. There's so many amazing girls out there I want to commend; I have so many great readers of my blog I want to get to know and answer ALL their questions...and when I can't, it makes me feel like a failure who isn't showing appreciation for all of the lovely people of this community.

I don't know. Something that's just really been on my heart lately. I'm so sorry if you've ever felt neglected by me or that I don't care. That breaks my heart if it's the case! I just have such a hard, overwhelming time juggling everything in my own life right now, that it's hard to juggle the responsibilities of this virtual life, as well. My apologies to each and every single one of you; I'm going to try to start doing better. x

With much love, Lauren.

Little Red.

Striped Shirt, Cape: Forever21.

High Waisted Jeggings: Aeropostale.

Black Boots: Thrifted.

Hello everyone! ♥

It's been SO lovely to be home for a bit; even if it hasn't been long. The weekend just flew by. My little sister snapped these photos today of my outfit in the woods and I really like them a lot! She's always the best little photographer and we have fun when we go on adventures. Can't talk long, want to spend as much time with them as I can! x

With much love, Lauren,

Baby You're a Firework.

Firework Sweater: Thrifted.

Dress Underneath: c/o Deb.

Black Heeled Boots: H&M.

Lipstick in Wet N' Wild's Rose Bud.

Hello ♥

I mentioned a few posts ago how I went thrifting over the weekend and this firework turtleneck was one of the items I got, ha. It's kind of horrifically ugly, but at the same time...charming? I don't know, ever have a piece of clothing that is inherently ugly, but something draws it to you at the same time? That's how I feel about this sweater. I placed it in and out of my cart so many times throughout the Goodwill trip, but in the end it won out a spot in my shopping bag over a denim jacket. Which I do regret by the way. Not regretting that I chose this over the jacket, but just that I left the perfect vintage denim jacket ;'(

Surprisingly, I am actually going home this weekend. It's only been two weeks since I've come back up for school, but I've found I'm just having a really hard time. It was a bad week in general and it's been harder than I expected to getting used to "real life" after coming home from Europe. I know a lot of people would say that going home doesn't solve things; that I should stick it out and whatever, but I just really need my family right now and am lucky enough to only live an hour and fifteen minutes away. It's not that I don't like Kent anymore or want to be back in my hometown...but I just want a little break to clear my mind from the burdens I'm facing and have some encouragement from my family. 

I'm driving alone on the high way for the first time and I'm super nervous. I know...what 21 year old hasn't driven on the high way by herself...? I've just never really had to, so I never practiced it, and then I didn't have a car up at college my first two years. I know it will be fine and I need to get over the fear I've developed, but I'm honestly ready to get this drive over with tomorrow morning! Say a prayer for me, guys, ha. x

With much love, Lauren.

Simplicity.

Black T-Shirt, Loafers: Thrifted.

Trousers: Zara.

Beret: AA.

Hello.

Today I was craving simplicity. Life has been overwhelming enough on its own accord lately, so sometimes I don't want to further complicate it with my style. I don't think I've ever actually taken photos in an outfit this simple on here. No patterns, no jewelery, clean lines. I kind of really like it. I was surprised at myself yesterday when I had on a dress with a huge peter pan collar, matching keds, and a matching hair accessory and I cringed at my reflection. It was actually kind of shocking to react like that to this outfit, because it's something I would have worn in a heart beat a year ago and described as very "me." I guess I just don't want to do the twee, little girl thing anymore. Not that there's anything wrong with it all-- I still love to look at bloggers who wear this kind of stuff, but for me it doesn't fit who I am anymore. I kind of wish it did. I want to go back to that girl and where I felt more "sure" of the style I dressed. But for whatever reason of having more responsibilities, living in Europe, growing older...I've just grown out of old parts of me that I thought were essential to who I was. Strange how that can happen I guess.

With much love, Lauren. 

Coffee at Midnight.

Striped Shirt, Collared Blouse: Forever21.

Faux Leather Jacket: H&M.

Wine Colored Circle Skirt: c/o OASAP.

Boots: Thrifted.

Hat: Handmade from an older lady. 

Lipstick in MAC's Diva.

Hi everyone! 

It's warmed up a little bit in Ohio (aka above 32 degrees), so I've been snapping photos outside the past few days, taking advantage of the "warmth." There's a little park less than five minutes away from my apartment, so it's been nice to just pop in my car and head on over there. 

Since I had the day off school today, I took the chance to go over to the local Goodwill and check out what they had. I've been to this one in the past and haven't been too impressed, but today must have been my lucky day! I walked away with a plaid flannel, a firework sweater (lol), the perfect black t-shirt, and a really cool shearling jacket. I found also the perfect, worn in denim jacket... but they wanted $7 (because it was a "winter coat") which I was not willing to give over. With my new apartment now and having just got back from Italy, I don't have a ton of money and am really trying to watch what I spend, so I was sad to let it go...maybe if I'm lucky it'll still be there in a few weeks! 

Also, I've found another smart way to save money on a college student's budget. When it comes to buying groceries, the Dollar Tree is actually really great. They have surprisingly a ton of food, a lot of it name brand, each thing only for $1, never any more. It's not out of date, there's nothing wrong with it...so I don't see why more people don't go there! They also just have so many cute decorations and such for my apartment to make it more lively and "me"--obsessed with their Valentine's Day section right now!

Hope you all are doing swell! :)

With much love, Lauren.

Snow Bunny.

Cream Dress: H&M.

Green Army Jacket, Necklace: Thrifted.

Wide Brimmed Hat: Brandy Melville.

Faux Fur Lined Leggings: c/o OASAP.

Brown Boots: c/o Pink and Pepper.

Lipstick in MAC's Craving.

Hello ♥

College years are scary. What I've started becoming aware of since coming back to Kent State this semester is just how soon my time here is ending. I really don't have much longer left. This sort of thing raises questions of where I'll be living after I graduate, what my job will be, who I'll be with... Most people wouldn't worry about these sort of things yet because they're a year and a half away and it's silly to worry about something that much into the future. But since an internship is required for me this summer for my fashion program, it seems like I'll be going through a little trial experiment of what it'll actually be like to graduate.

I'm just really scared. I'm applying to all these places all across the country, with no idea who will hire me, what city I'll be in... it terrifies me to think about how soon all of this is happening and that this is the reality of my life. Most majors can just stay in the same state they live/go to college in because there are jobs readily available. With fashion...it doesn't usually work like that. You have to live in the bigger cities, away from home and what's familiar. It's not really a choice; it's what you do in order to get a job.

And I really can't complain. I can't moan and groan and act like I have it so badly because I chose this. It was my decision to go this career field; it was my decision to make my life uncomfortable when it comes to job stability and location. You think about these things when you first go into the major and kind of tell yourself all along that you'll have to prepare yourself for it...but until it actually starts happening, there's just no way you can. It's kind of like Florence. I was so worried about surviving in a foreign country for four months but in the end, there was just nothing I could do to really prepare. I just had to go out, live it, and do it.

I'm sure it'll be the same way with finding an internship/job, as well, but the idea of it is just scary. I tire of never knowing the path of my life and how things are going to be. I suppose no one knows, really, but for someone like myself who likes to plan out every detail of their life and hope it goes that way...soon I'll realize through experience that life doesn't work that way. 

Right now I'm just in the praying stages of things. Praying it all works out. Praying it's in God's hands. Praying I can have peace of mind. Praying and just doing the best I possibly can to try my hardest. That's all I can do.

With much love, Lauren.