Button Up + eShakti

______Last week, eShakti sent me this lovely navy dress with chunky black buttons which trace the neckline, chunky black buttons that I adore. Adore, I say. The dress came swiftly in the mail--in under a week, which is astounding considering it was customized--and fit just as expected. In the past, I have selected dresses from them which use my specific measurements for a custom fit, but this time around since I had nobody to measure me (#foreveralone), I opted for my usual size and just customized the dress in the form of adding longer sleeves and chopping the skirt length to something shorter.

______eShakti offers sizes 0-36W and a variety of customization details beyond your body's measurements and height: varying sleeve lengths, necklines, adding or removing pockets, dress length, color, and more depending on the specific garment you've selected. So even if a dress seems a little "off" and doesn't necessarily pique your full interest at first, you can tailor it into whatever you'd like. In the end, that basically means you could customize every dress on their website into something you'd like. And that's dangerous, my friends.





Dress: c/o eShakti
Heels: Jeffrey Campbell
Bracelet: Lulus, probably an ancient artifact by now
Ring: from papa bee
Earrings: similar

Strange Tides + Wade and Belle

______Wade and Belle sent me over not one, but three pairs of sheer tights to make some outfits with for the next few posts. I received a pair of diamond patterned tights, tiny polka dotted ones, and a sheer black pair to make some outfits with over the next few posts. The best time to wear tights that aren't entirely solid is when the weather is crisp, but not freezing, which is right about now... viva la autumn!

______The first ones I'm trying out are the Diamond Tights. What I love about these is how the waistband isn't suffocating but the tights remain in place all day long without having to do the infamously awkward pull-dem-tights-up dance. I also have this issue where if tights are too restricting up top, I end up getting cramps about halfway through the day. These didn't do that to me, which is the hugest hoorah and something I myself can never seem to find in tights.

______Also, being taller than average, these tights are the perfect fit so that I don't end up a victim of Horrid Drooping Tights Crotch™. You know what I'm talking about: when it feels as if the legs of the tights aren't long enough and you're wearing tights made for small children, or worse, tights made for ants. All their tights are one size fits all and stretch just the right amount to fit you so the pattern doesn't become all skewed and elongated. Snug as a bug in a rug!





______We had the most fascinating light today: mid-afternoon, it poured through the trees in salmon pink blotches. The sky was the softest grey, almost peachy, and the entire landscape was tinted orange, as if someone had put a massive warming filter on the sun. There was absolutely no wind and it seemed eerily silent for about an hour and a half; insects stopped hissing and buzzing, there seemed to be no human activity outdoors, and the leaves of plants and trees were still as pond water. It reminded me of the calm before a storm, except after this strange light event, there was no storm.

Sheer holo top: Forever 21
Black dress: Lulus
Diamond tights: c/o Wade and Belle
Heels: ASOS
Necklace: vintage
Diamond bracelet: c/o BornPretty
All rings: c/o BornPretty

Fishing for Florals + BornPretty

______Another week has zoomed on by like the Wicked Witch of the West on her broomstick through the stormy night sky. It's been one of those weeks where there's been a faint buzz of something on my mind that's been bothering me, something that pokes at my heart, gut, and instinct just gently enough to keep me aware of it at all hours of the day. I'm a strong believer that if you're thinking about something so much you need to take action to resolve whatever it is, whether that's a conversation with someone or completing a task that's been lurking in the future.

______Regardless of these feels, I've been feeling ultra-feminine lately, doing my best to acquire all the pretty floral prints, swishy dresses, and generally feminine articles of clothing that I can. Anything adorned with lace, pearls, ruffles, and/or the color pink is catching my eye like a venus fly trap... catches... a fly.

______Totally good simile there. I'm rusty, okay?





______BornPretty sent me another round of jewelry, and of course I picked out some dainty flower items that are budding (pun!) with details. I received a magnolia flower ring in gold and silver, two delicate floral rings, one plum flower and one lotus, and a skinny silver bracelet carved with just enough details to make someone look closer. As always, you can get 10% off with the code ALT10 at checkout.

______May your minds be free of worries and well-rested. Awwwwwwuh-men.



Dress: KnowStyle (similar)
Fish purse: Betsey Johnson (exact)
Necklace: Charming Charlie
Magnolia flower ring: c/o BornPretty
Three flower ring: c/o BornPretty
Silver bud ring: c/o BornPretty
Flower bracelet: c/o BornPretty
Silver bracelet: c/o BornPretty

Starry Eyes + BornPretty

______BornPretty always sends me the loveliest accessories as I am sure you all know, and this set of items did not disappoint. I opted for some silver jewelry as I have been lacking in that area and picked a few stellar pieces: this silver star ring, twisted silver bracelet, moon and star earrings, and a pointed chain necklace. I'm always impressed with their quality as it's tough and long-lasting; I know that these will be no different, and I'm digging all things star, planet, and galaxy-related right now. And forever. Pluto is still a planet and I believe in it.

______Ahem. As usual, you can get 10% off with code ALT10 at checkout.





______Now that I've roamed around Iowa City enough both on foot and bike, I feel comfortable with my environment and excited about living and teaching here for the next couple of years. Rather than having a downtown littered solely with bars and bar food, it's peppered with delicious eateries, unique shops, and coffee cafes galore. Each place has its own personality: there's a coffee shop with Edison-style lights and knotted rugs on the floors, a bar with candles and wooden accents, a kitchen shop with hand thrown bowls and mugs, and a couple yogurt shops with brightly colored chairs and glass windows for walls.

______I know I haven't seen everything there is to offer here, either, but I look forward to peeling away the layers of this city. I've been biking a lovely, foliaged trail that hugs a river and swoops around a lake, but I know there are more trails out here. Just the the other day, I was driving and noticed a couple of neon helmets pop out from beneath and bridge and then dip down into tall grass that hides a path. As I looked over, I saw a yellow sign designating a bike trail.

______How do you explore new places?




Necklace: c/o BornPretty
Bracelets: c/o BornPretty
Moon and star earrings: c/o BornPretty
Star ring: c/o BornPretty

Bubblegum Genie + Gamiss

______Gamiss sent me over some beautiful items this week. I was sent this tie-dye wrap skirt, pearl open necklace, knot bracelet, criss-cross ring, and pink pearl earrings. Everything is in tip-top shape and the order came in just a week. I'm in my new apartment building now, and whenever an item is delivered to me, the delivery person rings a bell that actually sounds like a house alarm going off. It's the loudest beep that sends my heart up my throat and makes me scream a little more than I'd like to admit.

______Any who. Freaky alarm aside, you can check out Gamiss's Facebook page here.

______I'm going to give mega-respect to those of you who have mastered the art of taking your own blog photos. Usually, my most wonderful momma Hval snap photos for me, and the process is usually done in a quick twenty or thirty minutes. Now, however, things are different; I am in the corn-infested land of Iowa (seriously, corn is fifteen cents an ear here) and all on my own. Just me, a tripod, a self-timer, and limitless fields of corn surrounding campus. Let the games begin.





______The other morning, I scouted out a place for photos not far from my apartment. In the forest next to where I'm situated, a long set of steep, concrete stairs trail down to a wooden bridge. These woods seemed charming before, as I had seen two deer, multiple squirrels, and a little grey rabbit scuttling through them. Very Disney-esque. So down the concrete stairs I went to this wonderland where I smacked my tripod into some ooey-gooey mud and did the posing thing on the creaky bridge. I was soon stumbling around with my camera figuring out how to get everything in the frame and sharp.  It took me a solid hour to make some decent photos and I was sweating by the end of it.

______It's hard being on both sides of the camera.  But with time, I'm sure I'll learn.

Lace top: c/o Gamiss

Tie dyed skirt: c/o Gamiss

Necklace: c/o Gamiss

Bracelet: c/o Gamiss

Criss-cross ring: c/o Gamiss

Earrings: c/o Gamiss
Heels: Jeffrey Campbell

Starburst + BornPretty

______BornPretty sent me over some summery items recently: this braided bracelet, a polished set of midi and regular rings, and a gold metal bracelet. I've always loved the contemporary look of midi rings and these will definitely be a versatile set to mix and match with other rings. I'll wear them until my skin is as wrinkly and leathery as that of a dinosaur's. No offense to the dinosaurs; they work those wrinkles. Dinosaur commentary aside, you can get 10% off your order with code ALT10 at checkout.

______I'm still into the poofball trend. I hope it's still a trend because I'm kind of obsessed with poofballs and telling people to "touch my poofball" all the day long. How they respond is how you know whether or not you want to keep being their friend.




______I officially only have one month until my parents and I travel up to Iowa to move me in to my new apartment and studio for the next three or so years... and don't get me wrong, that's incredibly rad and I am pumped to start riding out the next phase of my life, but it's also coming on fast. I'm currently in the process of packing trinkets, bath goods, and other such miscellany.

______It's a ride on the struggle bus. Not only have I found about nine chapsticks, four dead flies with just a few remaining limbs, and a plethora of bobby pins lost from over the years, but also I'm questioning what items are worthy enough to endure the 12-hour road trip up to the corn-infested land of Iowa.

______Do I take my ceramic pumpkin teapot for shelf decor? Do I need to pack all three shades of red lipstick, or just the best one? Do I need to take only books I haven't read, or should I lug along a few favorites? How likely is it that I'll really need this many socks? How many pillows should be on my bed? Can one ever have enough pillows on their bed?

______So many questions with so few answers from the world.


 

______Long story short, apologies if I fall off the blog radar for the next couple of weeks; on the up side, you can always find me on the Instergrandma!

Dress: Charlotte Russe (similar)
Necklace: Charming Charlie
Braided bracelet: c/o BornPretty
Corn chain bracelet: c/o BornPretty
Rings: c/o BornPretty
Poofball hair tie: Amazon
Jelly shoes: Juju

Black Star + BornPretty

______BornPretty sent me over some summery accessories: these retro butterfly-shaped sunglasses, a tiny silver infinity ring, and an open bracelet tipped with prismatic crystal cubes that shimmer like the sun-kissed wings of a dragonfly. Dramatic description, I know. I try to go all out with these things.

______I'm pretty sure my dog could sit on these sunglasses and they wouldn't break; they're so sturdy it's like they're made from the bulging forearms of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Same goes for this bracelet; I'm pretty sure I could chuck it at Arnold Schwarzenegger and it could even knock that rock of a man out. I love me some sturdy jewelry that doubles as weaponry.

______I digress. As usual, you can get 10% off your order at BornPretty with the code ALT10.





______I am aware that I was wearing a black jacket in the swarming 90-degree heat. I did it for the fashion and immediately had to chuck it in the washing machine afterward.




______For the next week, I'll be in North Carolina for a fabric-dyeing workshop, and a day after I return home, daddy-o and I will be driving up to North Dakota and Montana to see our relatives. So much driving. So many gas station snack stops. That being said, if you don't see anything for me until late June, it's not because I went off in pursuit of David Bowie in outer space or fell ill from eating the consumption of too many Rolos and Tootsie Pops; though those are things I would likely do, it will simply be because of The Traveling (all caps necessary).

______I hope you all have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious next two weeks. I was so close to spelling that right. I interchanged an "a" for what should have been an "i."

______Keep your spelling sharp, folks.



Jacket: Forever 21
Top: TJ Maxx
Skirt: Urban Outfitters (exact)
Heels: ASOS
Bracelet: c/o BornPretty
Sunglasses: c/o BornPretty
Infinity ring: c/o BornPretty
Earrings: Steinmart
Necklace: vintage