The Rundown

A friend once told me that all beauty was relative. I thought it was a tad abstract at the time and chalked it up to one too many Dixie Cups of frat punch. Now the statement finally rings true.

The average girl at Cornell does not get dressed up for class and is not what I would classify as high maintenance. (Yes, I know there are exceptions.) Most of the time I find that I feel overdressed on campus. Well I got a firm reminder of how my habits have changed since coming to this small town. Recently I enjoyed a lovely little trip down to the South. It was warm, sunny, and generally made me wonder why I had left this for the cold of New York. As I was having a yummy dinner on an outside patio I noticed the girl at the table next to me. She had on cute True Religion jeans, strappy gold sandals, a floaty chiffon shirt, and a tiny Gucci clutch. Of course, she had a perfect mani/pedi and had obviously spent some time making her hair flawless. My ego plummeted. I had thought my wrap dress was cute but now everything else about my appearance seemed awful. Before dinner I had changed out of heels into J. Crew flip-flops. They seemed excessively casual now. And my poor nails were in an unmanicured state; something I had been thinking about fixing lately but had not had the time. My simple black Prada bag was too boring. My hair was flat compared to her slightly curled ends.

But then I reminded myself that this girl probably was not in the midst of completing papers, exams, and presentations. I had a valid excuse. And hey, I still had a great dress. This Southern girl had nothing on my Northernized self.

Maybe beauty is relative. If so, I am ready for the challenge…

Juicy Feet

During one of my classes this week I was very distracted by my friend's lime green pumps. (Yes, my friends are those girls who wear heels to class.) They were so stinking cute! I love bright, juicy citrus colors. I have an adorable yellow Marc Jacobs top that is patiently waiting for the frozen tundra to warm up a bit. (Global warming has yet to help Ithaca in any way, today it was snowing. Arg!) Anyway, on to the shoes... (Note, "shoes" must be said like Kelly.)

First up, lovely green Sam Edelman flats. These green snakeskin beauties will brighten up even the most drab outfit.

These lemon yellow wedges just scream spring to me. I would love them with a flirty printed skirt and a cute straw purse.

Everyone loves a tropical vacation and these Pucci shoes are like wearing a tropical party on your feet. I am pretty sure these are the ideal Happy Hour shoes. Here is my reasoning: 1. You want to look festive when sipping half-price 'ritas. 2. The wedge heel means you are less likely to fall and embarrass yourself after one too many. 3. Any spills will blend into the pattern.

And to satisfy your orange craving, some wood platform sandals. These Theory wedges are nice and tall so you can tower over boys. (Evil laugh.)

Whether it is lime, orange, grapefruit, or lemon, treat your feet to some citrus this spring...

Southern Charm

I will say, on the record, that seersucker is a wonderful fabric. This is despite the fact that many of my acquaintances seem to think the fabric is reserved for “complete douchebags.” (Their words, not mine.) I am positive my love of seersucker dates back to my childhood when my mother would tell me how it was such a great lightweight option for summer. No joke. Of course, this is the same Lacoste-wearing woman who dressed me in countless adorable sundresses, so her feelings toward the fabric fit well.

In celebration of my trip to the deep south, I figured a tribute/post to seersucker was in order. The past weekend I was in J. Crew and this seersucker suit was calling to me. I had to rationalize that neither the capri pants nor bermuda shorts were very appropriate for a work setting. (As a rule, I prefer a skirt suit.)

Although they did lure me back in with their St. Barth’s seersucker bag. (Also a possible post-graduation vaca spot? Hmmm.) I wish it came in more colors than just the light blue but oh well. Come on J. Crew, be nice to me!

In terms of all things preppy, Lilly is always a good, safe choice. (I apologize to all those who despise the pink and green brand, I still like it.) These pink seersucker sandals make me want to kick back on a shady porch with a tall mimosa. Ahh, delish!

Since summer is just around the corner, you may be on the lookout for a new bikini. Given the theme, this one is also (gasp!) in seersucker as well. The Juicy Couture bikini has blue and white seersucker with brown piping. Prepare to be the cutest girl at your next beach party. Or maybe just the cutest girl laying out in your backyard, they both work!

If you are looking for inexpensive options, Isaac Mizrahi makes some seersucker pieces for Target.

Happy seersucker-lovin’ shopping y’all!

Always a Bridesmaid

Anyone who has ventured into a wedding boutique can tell you how simply amazing it is. (No, David’s Bridal does not count.) This girly response has more to do with the desire for a beautiful new dress and a lot less to do with the actual impulse to get hitched. It turns out the thieves like these wedding dresses as much as I do.

According to Reuters, the border patrol caught thieves who were trying to smuggle over a thousand wedding dresses into Mexico. At least I have never had the urge to break the law over a gown. (Surprisingly.) The sad thing is that the dresses were meant to be sold at a charity event benefiting breast cancer. I bet those thieves feel even worse now.

Lesson learned, buy your wedding dress fair and square or you will be wearing a very unflattering orange jumpsuit on your big day.

Pack It Up

The backpack is an omnipresent feature on college campuses. Even though your Northface backpack is handy to, say, lug around heavy textbooks, they are not exactly the most stylish accessory. As the real world looms nearer, I am on the hunt for [even] more totes to haul my stuff!

First up, this Steve by Steve Madden tote. I like that it is simple with nice hard wear. It also comes in white and black, so all the basics are covered. Unlike some of my current totes, I could see this one working well for school, work, and life in general. Plus, you have to love that it is less than 200 dollars.

Isabella Fiore purses are always beautifully detailed. This tote is pretty neutral as well but the buttons and cross hatches make it special. (It also comes in an olive color if that is more to your liking.) Of course, it is more expensive than the first option. This pretty canvas and leather tote comes in just below 400 dollars. Hey, Isabella does not come cheap!


In the same neutral zone, this Hogan tote just stole my heart. The structure is more distinctive than a normal rectangular type tote. Even though the design is fairly simple, it is still eye catching. No one is going to think you picked this lovely accessory up at the nearest Wal-Mart. (Ick!) Too bad it is almost, gulp, 900 dollars which can take a big bite out a college students budget.

I love Tory Burch as previous posts have noted. This causal tote is right up my alley. Unlike some of the other totes in this post, this is easily in my price range too. It is only 175 dollars! Nice!

All these options make the tired backpack look even worse. I guess they will still have some use if I take a hiking day trip...

An Unstylish Celebration

I usually love shopping, but ordering a graduation gown is a tad different. Of course, it is wonderful since it means that graduation is in sight. On the other hand, it is perhaps the most hideous item of clothing ever. Calling the gowns “clothing” is a tad generous; a better description would be “tent.”

One of my friends obsessively worked out to lose weight for graduation. This made absolutely no sense to me. I could hide another person under my graduation gown and no one would be the wiser. Who cares about a measly five pounds?

When I ordered my gown the sizes are calculated by two measurements, first heights with shoes on, and second, weight. The second category is so broad that we should all indulge in that piece of cake! (Or perhaps second piece of cake…) I fit into the oh-so-skinny “Under 200 Pounds” category. At my height someone who is 200 pounds is considered obese. No wonder the gowns end up looking like someone threw a bed sheet on you. What a way to celebrate an accomplishment such as graduation.

I will just have to settle for a cute sundress under my school-required tent. At least I will be pretty under the voluminous yards of fabric and cap-induced hat hair…