Don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can ever go wrong"- Ella Fitzgerald

Friday, April 30, 2010



Creamy neutrals. Gold hardware. Pops of turquoise and hydrangea blue. My springtime accessories inspiration comes from this immaculately decorated foyer which I adore. Probably because it's not that much of a departure from the elements I usually gravitate towards in fashion. Elegant neutrals like crisp white tops and nude sandals, understated prints on skirts and shorts, accessories with hints of sparkle and pops of color.
Not quite the strong and vibrant hues of summer, this palate eases into the warm weather season. The gold hardware adds structure and some dressiness to what could be a more bohemian look. But that's what I love about turquoise. A little bit country, a little bit beachy, and a lot of Ralph Lauren ads, turquoise suits any style, look and skin tone. And nothing says spring and summer in Rhode Island like a vibrant, fragrant hydrangea bush. Right before my mom left my twin sister and I at our first year of college, she left us with hydrangeas in our dorm rooms. Something, maybe, to remind us of that great last summer spent at home.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

This is where I wish I was doing all of my work this week... Heading to bed early because I can't look at my books anymore but with big ambitions of waking up early ( 730 A.M early, not Lindsay of Legal Style early :) ) to dive back in! I'm craving my IKEA sawhorse desk and the natural light of my workspace back home ( get me out of this dorm room now!)... but this is what I'm going to be enjoying for the next three weeks instead. The finals flowers from dad definitely do cheer things up a bit!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Add Image
{ via habitually chic}

Eddie Ross's window for the Bloomingdales challenge (he represented Elle Decor) is so inspired. Its been commented and posted about so many times over the blogs I read (the Bloomingdales challenge ended Jan 28th - he won!) and everyone seems to have wonderful things to say about it. I smile every time I see it in my inspiration folder. I can't remember where I read this but someone ( and it may have been Ross himself, who charmingly defined his inspiration as the "modern woman who loves to travel and entertain"), commented that it was a room fit for a modern day Holly Golightly.
I LOVE this description. The idea and the execution are stylish, whimsical and must appeal to every girl whose seen Breakfast at Tiffany's and can't help but fall in love with the mess that is Holly Golightly. All of Miss Golightly's personality complexities aside, she is a style icon. And while the modern woman probably shouldn't adopt her idiosyncrasies, her personal aesthetic is classic and glamorous.

{ these little vignettes give so much life to the room, I could easily see Holly sitting on the couch eating little pink sweets and reading this month's Vogue}
In a sort of translation from this lovely room (or window as the case may be), I created a look of how I imagine the modern day Holly Golightly would dress; a look that I think is elegant, playful and modern, yet timeless.

J.Crew Minnie Pants, Marc Jacobs Purse, Tibi Silk Scalloped Tank, London Sole Flats, Ray Ban'Glasses, Burberry Trench, Kate Spade Necklace

Monday, April 26, 2010

The sun is out today in Madison! That was not the case this weekend, unfortunately, but the rain didn't stop the boy (who i'll refer to as M) and I from getting outside. Friday, we walked the 1.4 miles to trader joes. Because we were walking, I couldn't go too crazy with my purchases. I LOVE grocery shopping and finding new things, I got frozen mini croissants, new strawberry and yogurt chip cereal that I am very excited about and a huge bottle of sparkling raspberry lemonade that M had to carry home, in an eco friendly trader joes bag of course!
( I'll have my favorite cappuccino-croissant- berries combo here please!)
We had planned on going to a later dinner on capitol square, but the restaurant we wanted to go to (which also has a pretty lively bar scene) was a 45 minute wait for dinner. Since it was 9:00 we decided to head back down state street and go to Tutto's which has delicious italian food in the worlds biggest portions. ALWAYS when I'm with M my healthy eating and exercise goes down the tubes. It's hard to manage my eating when I'm with him because when we go out I just want to order whatever looks best to me on the menu at that moment... not what's best for my waist line. And I'm lucky that he makes me feel good at any size :) .
BUT.. back on track this week hopefully. I've definitely slipped from when I was working out everyday a month ago. I need to get back where working out is a normal part of my daily routine. I plan on running EVERY day this week (and hopefully getting some core work in which is desperately needed), even though I have a crazy amount of studying and work to do outside of class hours. Also, I have a delicious new healthy breakfast routine instead of my usual fiber 1 bar, oatmeal- greek yogurt parfaits. I make quaker oats with skim and then create a parfait with plain 0% fage yogurt, honey, and strawberries or dried cranberries. SO happy at 8:50 am lecture.
Saturday morning was spent at my favorite event- the Madison farmers market! I took some blackberry pics of the capitol (which looked beautiful even in the clouds) and a picture of the beautiful tulips that M bought me. Fresh flowers are probably my favorite thing, and make even the most unenlightened spaces so much happier and beautiful. I'll probably cut them down today or tomorrow to fit into the little silver cup on my desk and cheer me up through my studying. We also came home with a cherry turnover, two almond scones, and the hot spicy cheese bread, which is basically a cheese brioche,(doing.so.bad.with.diet); so delicious!
Saturday night brought formal and then brunch on Sunday before M headed back to school to take his finals this week. ( p.s. Good Luck :D ). Banana buttermilk pancakes and big hugs good bye... but 3 weeks till back home for good!

-k.a.




Saturday, April 24, 2010

Sunshine on a rainy day...

I'm having a wonderful day with the boy, Fair Trade Coffee House in the morning and then exploring the Madison farmers market, but if he wasn't here and I was left in the drizzly gloom by myself I probably wouldn't be so cheery.

This video is one of my proven methods to brighten up a rainy day :)



Thursday, April 22, 2010


... This image makes me so happy. Although I'm not really a city/ hills fan, these pictures make me wish I was. I love and would die to wear each one of their outfits (especially Lo Bosworth's pink D&G dress, center) but that's not what really speaks to me. It just reminds me of the power of girl friends, and how important it is to cherish my friendships and put energy into them because I get so much out of them. I plan on writing about my friends and the way they inspire me and make me laugh (and sometimes drive me crazy) in the future, but for now i'll just remind myself of how much they mean to me.

if she ever reads this, special congratulations to my best friend Wesley, UVA 2014!!!
( an oldie but goodie (3 years)...we definitely need to update our best friend pics!)


I'm having summer lust when I look at this picture. I used to ride my bike every day over the summer in Rhode Island, but have since given it up in favor of walking. I'm changing my tune. Biking is better for the environment and better for me. While I can't see myself zipping to class one of these (I need to walk slowly with a latte in hand to psych myself up for the day, and I feel like trekking around campus gives me a healthy dose of exercise) plenty of other people in Madison do. In fact, according to SELF magazine, Madison, WI is the number one city where people bike to work! For some reason, this makes me so proud to live here. I feel like people in Madison are really passionate about being healthy and environmentally friendly, and it's infectious. Campus is alive today. There is honestly nothing I want more than to take my bike up to the Madison farmers market and pick up a 5 $ bouquet for my basket. (This is purely fantasy, I don't actually have a bike here, but at home!
This weekend, the boy is coming to town for my sorority's formal. I am hoping and praying that it stays nice and sunny out, because I wan't to rent bikes and venture out to picnic point. Exploring Madison by bike feels so romantic. And, I want to go to the farmers market! I'm going to try and post pictures because the Madison farmer's market on the capitol is really a sight to see.

Happy Earth Day!
( photo credit: this is glamorous)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010




Alaina Kaczmarski's print is perfect. I love blogs, I read them avidly and keep all of my favorites on a pink sticky note on my computer desktop so I can check up on them during boring lectures :). But I never thought I could have a blog. The women's whose blogs I read are stylish, talented, and funny. They have beautiful layouts, and many of them work in design and fashion for a living. I'm certainly not fabulous enough to have a blog. What would I even write about?

...... "I can write a blog. I have thoughts". This quote from Julie & Julia (which I love because Julie totally reminds me of/ is my mom) kind of gave me the push I needed. The blogs I read have really inspired me in so many ways, and I do have thoughts to write about. I'm not sure if these thoughts are ready to be non anonymous yet, so I'm going to keep my blog to myself for now. Maybe some day soon I will feel comfortable sharing it with the people I love, but until then I will be anonymously keeping a diary in cyber space!
I'm at an interesting point in my life. I have to try and start defining who I am and where I'm going. I've listed some of my goals, many of which have been inspired by the blogs I read and the women who write them. Hopefully I can use this blog to hold myself accountable and keep a diary of my work along the way....

1. Find a signature look and improve upon it.

2. Become more green. Some of the things I love most exist in nature, supporting the green movement will allow me to give back and feel healthier. Not too mention some of the organic/ eco friendly products are so lovely and stylish!

3. Reach my goal weight. Fitness and eating healthy have become a lot more important to me, and I'm really trying to live by the idea that "health is the best gift you can give yourself". Obviously, my slip ups are quite common.

4. Explore potential majors and find an academic passion!
(I love writing... phase 1: blog.)

until next time! - K.A.