hey mama

I'm working in the office today, Which would lead you to believe I... 1. showered 2. dressed in business attire 3. am actually doing work.

Instead though, I... 1. Have dirty hair in a messy ponytail 2. Am wearing 3 different patterns (at the same time) 3. Am listening to old-school Kanye West (hence the blog title) and drinking excessive amount of coffee (as per usual) 

Before I left the house though, I walked into the kitchen to pick up some outgoing mail & my mom and I realized we kind of match. We are both super into the holidays. Like for real. But we try to save the Santa suits and light-up sweaters for the week before Christmas. We keep it festive the rest of December, but in a subdued kind of way. This is our take on semi-seasonal style. So you can be kind of Christmasy without looking like you work in your local mall's "North Pole," ya dig?

[patterns in action; stripes, leopard, and laceprintfloral? Yeah, I went there, but the black keeps the look grounded. and if anyone even tries to question my legitimacy, I'm wearing a massive timepiece, so clearly I mean business.]

Mom's scarf (by CAbi) is the perfect shade of red, and it's lightweight, making it appropriate for this 65 degree day.

Ok, so maybe we don't match, but our approach is similar. Relaxed and causal with bold pops of color. 

p.s. You might recognize my sweater, it's made it to the blog before. For some reason, every time I wear it I feel like a fashion blogger. Go figure. 

rut

I came here today wanting to tell you something funny, or creative, or insightful. I wanted to share something brilliant and ground-breaking, or maybe something lighthearted but inspirational. Instead though, I woke up feeling tired. I didn't sleep well and I was tormented with the worst kind of dreams, the ones that you wake up and your mind is reeling because you can't tell which parts were real and which parts were your subconscious playing nasty tricks on you.

It happens sometimes.

There's a lot to do and there's even more to look forward to, but sometimes I just get stuck. One part writers block, professionally speaking, but when that stuck feeling digs its cold fingers deep into other aspects of life and grabs hold of you? I guess you could call it a rut. 

Hot coffee, the soft glow of the most delicious Christmas candle, and a few inspirational quotes all encouraging me to continue powering through, and before you know it, there's the old, familiar sound of yesterday's glitzy, gold manicure clicking away along the keyboard...

All this & more here. xo

Artisan by John Varvatos

I opened my November Birchbox to find a men's cologne sample. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little perturbed. The theme for the month was "Give" and the idea was to give this little sample to a special man in your life. (I hope you're reading that in a bratty voice.) I figured I could pass it off to my dad or one of my brothers, but boys just don't get it, you know?

To a girl, a perfume sample is a little slice of heaven. It's excitement, adventure, the opportunity to try something new without the commitment of a whole bottle. To a boy though, it's just a shrunken vile of scented water. Guys just don't appreciate stuff like that and removing the miniature cap is often more trouble than it's worth (I tend to agree to some extent, those caps are a royal bee.) 

I decided to smell it before giving it away though, and I instantly fell in love with the refreshingly clean, citrusy scent. I dabbed on just a little (feeling 1 part rebellious and 1 part transgendered) but my mom and sister both confirmed that it smelled really wonderful. I will admit it is masculine, but in a sexy, irreverant kind of way. Nothing like my high school days when pubescent boys doused themselves in Axe to mask the stench of their post-PE sweat.

I've never been a fan of overly sweet perfumes, and I certainly believe less is more when it comes to the fragrance department. That's why I really love Artisan by John Varvatos.   

So dish. What do you think of women wearing men's fragrances? What do you wear? My everyday is Twirl by Kate Spade, but I'm really tempted to mix it up with Artisan. 

if you must...

The past few years I've felt kind of silly asking for anything for Christmas. I'm 23 and I have more than I could ever dream of. But still, year after year, December rolls around and my grandmother turns into Mrs. Claus, my siblings complain that they don't know what to get the girl who has everything, and I'm pretty sure my mom is just looking for an excuse to shop (I'm on to you, woman) So here it is... a list, of sorts. I think shopping for me is pretty simple... If it's gold, a little luxurious, or in any way related to coffee or wine, you're set.

1. Starbucks mugs (Taylor gave me a pretty white mug with a dainty gold handle a few Christmases ago, and I'm thinking it't the perfect start to a lovely collection, no?)
2. a plush stole with the perfect pop of red
3. kate spade iPad sleeve, for the girl who "works from home" (and you can put a new iPad in there, while you're at it.)
 4. fair isle leggings, to mix it up from last year's pajama sets. I like the idea of pairing these with an equally eye-catching, cozy sweater for opening presents and drinking mimosas on Christmas morning.
5. Sugar's berry merriment set, for obvious reasons. 
6. this print would be perfect in a kitchen
7. fancy French tea, overpriced and moderately indulgent
8. this jeweled barrette, because it's glitzy enough to make black leggings and a broken-in, men's v-neck tee feel fabulous.
9. the best wine glasses. Confession: I'd rather drink mediocre wine out of a nice glass than a fabulous vintage out of a dixie cup. Maybe it's a little pretentious, but I think the glass truly makes the experience. These by Schott Zweisel are my abs fave, bar none.  They are break/chip/scratch-resistant, and shockingly lightweight considering how remarkably durable they are. 
10. kinfolk vol. 6, to read by the fire of course

Guilt-free Friday!

Hi, remember me? I know, I feel like an absentee parent, neglecting this little spot so much lately. I certainly do miss it, and the ideas and inspirations are overflowing, but life just seems to be tugging in a million different directions. Tomorrow starts one of my most favorite months, and with lots of new & exciting things on the horizon, I can't help but feel a little giddy. I'm beyond thrilled to share this most wonderful time of the the year with you. 

Lots of good things coming up, I tell ya, lots of good things. 

Until then though, hey, it's ok...

... if you know more about who the NFL players are dating than you know about the actual rules of the game. 

.... to gain a little weight around the holidays. We'll call it the "festive fifteen" and tell ourselves it's to stay warm through the colder months. 

... to still have boxes from college waiting to be unpacked, if your diploma sits neatly unopened in it's original mailing envelope, and if you still ask for the student discount. There's nothing wrong with holding on to your youth, and if a pile of boxes in the attic and an unframed diploma makes you feel like your college days remain in the not-so-distant past, by all means. 

And just for tomorrow, one of my current favorites...

"December" by Norah Jones

[image via here]

Icon

My mom has always been exceptionally stylish. She has great taste, and we are about the same size, so stealing borrowing her clothes is ideal. I trust her taste, too. Whenever I'm not sure about something, she's the first person I ask. Even when I was off at college, I'd text her pictures of shoe options or jewelry or whatever the indecision of the day was.

Saturday afternoon though, she hit it out of the park in the wardrobe department. Really. She walked out wearing this and I couldn't help but remark, "MOM you look like such a Pinterest girl!" 

She's a master layerer, and this mixture of textures is spot on. Mixing different materials can be tricky, and you have to pay careful attention to weight. The lace skirt, cashmere sweater, chambray shirt, and sweater tights combo is perfection. The distressed boots are the perfect counterpart to monograms and vintage pearls, as they keep the look from being too preppy.

What can I say... my mom, the fashion icon. 

Whose style do you admire?

hands

I saw a picture of two hands laced together and I couldn't help but think of how things ought to be. 

There were fine lines and wrinkles in the creases of the fingers, and though I have no indication of the bodies attached to them, I could tell that those two hands probably match two happy faces, adorned with the lines of lingering smiles after years of laughing and loving and hand-holding. They match the fine lines of crows feet around four crinkled, squinty eyes that have shed happy tears at babies births and funny tears at inside jokes and relieved tears at knowing everything is going to be alright. That's the way things ought to be. I'm not saying that things are happy and blissful all the time, there are probably a few wrinkles from furrowed brows and the occasional frown at a misbehaving child or a dinner date forgotten. But I choose to believe the smile lines run deeper. And you should have someone's hand to hold when things get rough. Or when you're fingers are icy and it's November and nobody else is ready for Christmas but you're making your way to the tree lot. There should be a warm pocket for those two hands to share and there should be a big part of you that wishes your whole self could fit inside that little pocket, because truthfully, a big part of your heart and soul resides in that cozy spot already. 

"If you're in love it ought to make you happy. You ought to laugh." F. Scott Fitzgerald.

That's the way things ought to be.