Monthly Archives: January 2014
all aboard ship clutch/essex scout/newspaper clutch/all typed up clyde |
Once again, Kate Spade has thrown a surprise sale our way. This one isn’t just any sale, it’s being touted as the “Greatest Hits Sale” of some of their favorite bags. It should have been called “All the Fun Bags That Lindsay Has Always Wanted Sale” as there are some on here that I have been coveting for months. My favorite Kate Spade purses are the non-traditional ones, especially the clutches. They are just so fun and you can’t not be noticed when you carry them. I have the Great Gatsby Book Clutch and I get comments about it all the time (unfortunately, most of them are “did you really bring a book to this restaurant/party?” so apparently people think I’m terribly antisocial).
Hey, remember when I used to wear black to work everyday, but then I got a new job where I got to pick out what I wanted to wear like a regular human being, so I took pictures of my outfits everyday on Instagram and then I blogged about it every week? I know, it hardly rings a bell to me too. Once I moved, my life was in shambles for a bit and my apartment was a disaster for months. Plus it was summer and life + work was so crazy. What’s even crazier is there actually were a lot of days that I did continue to take daily #ootd shots, but I never posted them because I was so far behind that I’ll felt like I couldn’t catch up.
But it’s a new year and as you may have heard from every overly-optimistic woman, it’s time for a fresh start. So the first day I went back to work after the holidays, I decided to pick back up again. Partly because I got a bunch of new clothes that I was super excited to show off, and also because it’s really something that I enjoy doing. It’s like a digital scrapbook of all your best (and sometimes worst) looks over a period of time. I love looking back at even just the small amount of pictures I did take and seeing what ensembles I put together. Some of them are pretty cute, if I do say so myself.
So now that it’s 2014, it’s time to get back into the swing of things. I did some math and figured out that based on the first week that I started my job on Nantucket, this would be week forty three (considering the last one was week eleven, we definitely have some catching up to do). So let’s delve right in!
j.crew sweater & skirt/forever 21 tights/old navy flats |
j.crew blazer/ny & company top/gap pants/old navy flats/kate spade necklace |
gap dress/kate spade bag/payless boots/paper source necklace |
target sweatshirt/victoria’s secret top/j.crew pants/old navy flats/claire’s bracelet |
old navy jacket/j.crew sweater/boutique at stowe mercantile skirt/express tights/payless booties/forever 21 necklace |
Alright guys, this is it. We are officially in it. Awards season has truly begun. I’m not sure if any of you put my awards essentials to use, but I certainly enjoyed my evening right where I wanted to be: on my couch, in sweats (with the tuxedo t-shirt, of course) cozied up with a glass of pink wine with all my tech devices in reach (for easy access to the new Facebook page). It was another banner year filled with winners (J.Law, again), losers (E! and their “fun facts”), surprises (Brooklyn Nine Nine, anyone?) and WTF? moments (bless your poor drunk heart, Jacqueline Bisset). But of course, my favorite thing is always the fashion, or sometimes lack thereof. So let’s delve right into our Globes get ups.
l to r: jenna dewan-tatum, amy poehler, margot robbie |
l to r: kate beckinsale, michelle dockery, julianna margulies |
l to right: helen mirren, taylor schilling, olivia wilde |
l to ri: emma roberts, leslie mann, sofia vergara |
l to r: uma thurman, cate blanchett, jessica chastain |
l to r: emma thompson, hayden panettiere, melissa mccarthy |
l to r: drew barrymore, sarah hyland, maria menounos, aubrey plaza |
l to r: kerry washington, robin wright, naomi watts, kate mara |
l to r: allison williams, lena dunham, zosia marmet, jemima kirke |
Oh, the Girls. The voices of our generation. Hopefully they’re not the fashion icons of our generation, because if that’s the case, we got a problem. The normally gorgeous Allison Williams is looking a little zombie-esque in this black and white gown topped with… fur? And extra straps? Like, what is that? It’s like she’s in a zebra print straight jacket. She looks so scary and thin I just want to throw sandwiches at her. And then there’s Lena Dunham, who no matter what will never have people not talking about what her body looks like in or out of clothes (mostly out). I could care less about her body, I actually think this dress is a good color on her, but I find the top to be very ill-fitting. When I was a teenager, a guy once told me that girls shouldn’t wear tube tops (which I happened to be wearing at the time) because no matter how thin you are, it gives you armpit fat. Confidence = crushed. And now I have a fear of strapless. I’m not saying anything about her body, but I think that because the cups of the dress are too small in the bust area, it is causing things to runneth over more than they normally should. What I mainly cannot get past is that hair. I mean, did she sleep on it wrong and just threw a clip on the front? That is not a hairstyle. I think he hair looks good now that it’s growing out, and I saw a picture of her recently with a really fierce flat iron job. Find that person who did that to you and ask them to move into your house, pronto. I sort of like the dress that Zosia Marmet has on- of all of them, I think it looks the best (although it’s a tad long. I mean, what’s a hem, $9?). And I am loving this new bob on her. But why does she always look so irritated? She’s the wackiest character on that show, and here she just looks like she smelled a bad smell. As for Jemima Kirke, well, I just have no words. I’m convinced that she’s not even a real person and that Jessa is her true identity. They seem to share the same clothes. I’m pretty sure I wore a cuter version of this same dress to my fifth grade handbell concert.
l to r: lupita nyong’o, giuliana rancic, julia louis-dreyfus |
l to r: amy adams, taylor swift, edie falco |
l to r: paula patton, rashida jones, kaley cuoco, zooey deschanel |
l to r: jennifer lawrence, heidi klum, julia roberts, sandra bullock |
l to r: emma watson, tina fey, julie bowen, zoe saldana |
I did not have Emma Watson on my worst dressed list until a full twenty four hours after the show. Why? Because I feel like I was tricked. I was played. There I was, the whole night thinking she looked so beautiful, predicting her to be at the top of every best dressed list, including my own. It wasn’t until I was clicking through the full arrivals gallery when I saw the back of this atrocity. I know you can’t see it in this photo, so let me describe it to you. It’s basically a backwards bathrobe tied together over pants. Black pants. High-waisted black pants. I just… I don’t… I mean… I can’t. And Tina Fey. Talk about fashion relapse. She looked so amazing last year, and when I saw her in this Carolina Herrera floral (?) gown on the red carpet, I literally winced. Thankfully, she changed by the time she took to the stage for hosting duty. I really do not have any words for Julie Bowen. Actually, I do but they’re not my words, so I have to give credit where credit is due. Thank you to Heather, who pointed out on Facebook that she looks like one of the Red Hat Society ladies. Also I missed the moment where colored velvet is in again. And last but not least, Zoe Saldana I think takes my own personal worst dressed title for the evening. This dress is too much dress, yet half a dress at the same time. Apparently she thought more is more, and much more is like totally more, so there should just be MORE. Each of these elements aren’t even that cute on their own, and shoved together it just looks like a fashion school project gone wrong.
Three years ago today, Steve agreed to hang out with just me for like, ever.
Sometimes I’m still not sure why, but I know one thing – I’m glad he did.
There aren’t enough blog posts in the world to explain how I feel about this guy. Well, there’s a few, but I’ve written some of those already. For reference, check out this post.
They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, so I will let some of my favorite photos of us from that snowy day, exactly three years ago, do the talking.Â
It’s the most…wonderful time… of the year!
Yes, it may be January (and 50 degrees if you’re on Nantucket), but my favorite event is finally here.
Although the Emmys were in September (and no, I don’t want to talk about it) and the People’s Choice Awards just happened on Wednesday, this is the big time. Starting tomorrow with the Golden Globes all the way through March 2 when we end with the Academy Awards, we are in it. It’s all happening. And it is glorious!
Surely someone as invested as I am must throw some fabulous awards show soiree, one would think. However if you have ever experienced an awards show with me, you know that I am something of a hermit when it comes to the actual event. That’s right- I like to be totally alone. Unfortunately, I usually end up with the peanut gallery snickering in the corner, but for the most part, he’s quiet. I like to totally focus on the show and everything about it- I don’t want to miss a moment. Me and the internet spend like eight hours together breaking down every moment of it. Personally, I’d rather “watch” it with my friends via Facebook & Twitter than feel the need to entertain people in person while trying to concentrate on the show.
Is that weird? Maybe. Bitchy and antisocial? According to Steve, yes. But I don’t tell him how to watch hockey, so he has to give me this. These awards come once a year! Sports are like three times a week for months. #overit
Regardless of my preferred isolation, I have been gathering ideas over the years in case I was to ever host some sort of fabulous fete. I also have certain essentials that I help me to truly enjoy the awards watching experience. Here are a few things I have decided that no true Hollywood trophy junkie should be without:
phone/cookie/hot dogs/placecard holder/napkin/nails/album/pants/shoes/ballot/book/bingo/champagne |
The first step for any show is to be prepared. If you’re not familiar with anything nominated, you’re not going to care one way or the other who wins. You gotta have someone to root for! There’s many ways you can do this, for example, the Grammys release an album containing songs of a lot of the major nominees (it’s out January 21). Movies are a little harder, because you have to make an effort to go out and actually see them.
If you are going to entertain, jazz it up a bit! This is literally the most important time in the entertainment industry. Take a cue from the glitz of Hollywood and add a little glam to the table. These glitter cork place card holders sparkle like the bright lights of Tinseltown, and atop this envelope-style folded napkin, you’ve got a table that rivals that of the Governor’s Ball. Of course, you can always go casual with an all-American favorite like hot dogs, dressed up with a napkin tuxedo! I may start doing this with my franks just for fun.
Whether you’re toasting yourself or at a viewing party with others, you want to look like you’re ready for a party. Just because I stay in doesn’t mean I don’t put on my award show best. Two years ago, I rocked a tuxedo t-shirt so I could be formal yet comfy:
via |
As I have mentioned before, I have a history of becoming mildly obsessed with a specific group of songs that I unofficially dub my playlist of the season. And since the last time I have bestowed these highly useful musical recommendations on you was back in March (so two playlists ago) I figured it was time for an update. Since it’s officially 2014, I thought it was a good time to recap on some of the tunes that made the end of my year and are still in heavy rotation on my playlist.
“The Wire” by Haim
The first thing I thought when I heard that there was a band called Haim that it was an attempt by an offspring of 80’s heartthrob turned cautionary tale Corey Haim. Turns out they are three sisters from Los Angeles and it’s actually pronounced like “hi-me” (as in rhymes with “time”). So no relation. But besides this super fun song, my favorite thing that I learned about this up and coming band is that they were once in a tween girl group called the Valli Girls, whose greatest claim to fame was an unforgettable ditty, “It’s a Hair Thing.” I’m not joking. You can watch the video here. It may seem corny, but it just makes me love them even more now that they have been reborn as like supercool folk-rock chicks. Just remember kids- it’s 2014. There’s no escaping the internet.
“Best I Ever Had” by Gavin DeGraw
You guys, I don’t know if I can express how in love I am with this song. I have listened to it multiple times everyday since I added it to my playlist. Ryan Tedder can kind of do no wrong- do know know how many songs this guy has written? Regardless of his talent as a writer and producer, I really like the stuff that he does with OneRepublic, but unfortunately I think they get totally overplayed (i.e. ruined) by radio stations, making me resentful of their once-revered songs. Even though his super-smooth voice is always on par, for me it’s all about the background music. I love the beat in this song, especially when they get to the bridge and it really speeds up. I just can’t say enough about this one.
“Demons” by Imagine Dragons
Okay, before you completely disregard any credibility this list may have had (and if that’s what you were looking for, you are probably in the wrong place to begin with), just remember, that above all things, music is supposed to be fun. This song is pretty identical to every other club-thumper that Pitbull has done, and Kesha’s not exactly the Barbra Streisand of our generation, but hello? The main feature of this song is a sick harmonica riff. Because if there’s anything the music industry is missing right now, it’s more crossover between hip hop and country, amirite?
“Closer” by Tegan & Sara
I’m confused by these two- are they sisters or lesbian lovers? No matter, I die over this song regardless. It reminds me of a really great 80’s pop song, which I am always okay with. Bonus points because the video features the duo performing karaoke on a vintage television.
“All Night” by Icona Pop
By the end of the summer, I was slightly over “I Love It,” even though it was a really fun song. So I was extremely excited to hear a follow up single from this Swedish female duo, and I think that it’s even better than their debut song. It’s like the perfect “getting ready” song. It reminds me of something my college girl friends and I would put on while primping for a night out. They also used this song in the promos on E! for their coverage of the Emmys, so I knew it was meant to be.
“Give It To You” by Robin Thicke ft. Two Chainz & Kendrick Lamar
I know we’re supposed to be mad at Robin Thicke for agreeing to be a part of Miley’s VMA horror show (and for his affinity for supposedly “rapey” lyrics), but I can’t get enough of this song. What I can get enough of is Two Chainz. God, I can’t stand him. But his presence on this track was somehow not enough to stop me from liking it anyway.
“We Own the Night” by The Wanted
The Wanted has kind of slipped off my radar since none of them are rumored to be sleeping with Lindsay Lohan at the moment, and also because I couldn’t hear “Glad You Came” one more time without wanting to tip over a double decker bus. But after a little break, I was glad to hear this new song. It reminds me of the kind of tune you find yourself drunkenly singing with your friends at last call. It’s the perfect tempo for people who have spent the last five hours partying but aren’t really with it enough to follow a beat.
“White Walls” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Schoolboy Q & Hollis
I have always liked this song, and by “always” I mean since I first discovered Macklemore after seeing him on SNL last year and downloaded “The Heist” in it’s entirety. I know nothing of cars or rap music, but when I listen to this song, I don’t feel like I need to. I just sit back and enjoy every second of it.
“TKO” by Justin Timberlake
I have never been a huge fan of JT, but I do recognize him to be a great performer (no matter how much crap I give my college roommate KB for it). I’m not crazy about all of the songs on his new album (“Suit & Tie” being my least favorite) but for some reason I really took to this one. I think it’s something about the tracks he does with Timbaland that are always a win for me, a la “Cry Me a River.”
What were your favorite songs of 2013? I still enjoy these tracks but am totally ready for some new tunes for the new year.
~L
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