December 26th, 2011 Structured Elegance

J.Crew Edie bag
“Edie” handbag from J.Crew

To be honest, I didn’t think I was getting anything for Christmas this year. I didn’t ask for anything, not to mention that I much prefer shopping for others than myself. But I tagged along with my mom to pick up some last-minute gifts for our family, and we both fell in love with the J.Crew Edie bag in red. The leather is so smooth, the style is so classic, and the build is very structured. Originally I had wanted the black or the leopard, but all of the local Dallas stores were sold out of both of those colors, and seeing the red in person made me reconsider – and I’m glad I went with something more adventurous! Thanks so much to my parents, grandmother, and great-grandmother, for a beautiful gift that will last me for years. ♥

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Christmas. I personally had a wonderful weekend spending time with my family eating good food, watching Midnight in Paris, and playing Zedla: Skyward Sword. I couldn’t have asked for a better holiday!


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  December 22nd, 2011 Perfect hair bows for holidays

Hair bow by Rob & Sioux

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you probably saw me gushing over the arrival of my Rob & Sioux hairbows. Perfectly sized, proportioned, and pleated, these are the sweetest hair clips around. And nothing suits the holidays more than bows! Although Christmas is maybe a bit too clutch at this point to order one, a patent leather or a leopard-print bow would look so good with a lace mini dress or black sequined skirt for New Year’s parties.

Hair bow by Rob & Sioux
Bow by Rob & Sioux, dress by D&G Dolce and Gabbana (also seen here)

Hair bow by Rob & Sioux

Hair bow by Rob & Sioux

In addition to the lovely off-white cotton bow, I also got a beautiful leather one. I love how the texture of this bow really grounds it; it’s cute, but not at all saccharine. Here I’m wearing it with my J.Crew boys’ sweater:

Hair bow by Rob & Sioux

I’ll be posting a few different ways to style these bows over the next few days!
(Also, much thanks to my boyfriend who took the pictures. He adjusted the settings all by himself, this time!)


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Posted in Fashion, Hair Tutorials, Outfits.
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  December 20th, 2011 Inspirational Links

DIY Chalkboard Mug

Wit & Whistle has an easy-to-follow DIY Chalkboard Mug tutorial up at their site. What a cute idea – I’m sure these would make inexpensive yet amazing gifts.
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Posted in Inspiration, Lingerie Lover, Photography.
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  December 18th, 2011 White Christmas

All of my grandiose plans of posting daily as soon as school ended were shattered when I came down with a cold and fever on my first day of vacation. At least I got around to (mostly) finishing my Christmas tree, which is white, gold, and silver this year.

Something about Christmastime and bokehs always seems right. It’s been a while since I’ve experimented with them, so I figured now that my Christmas lights were up it would be as good a time as any. A couple of years ago I did a heart-shaped bokeh with my Miu Miu bag, but it’s doubtful many of you would remember it since it was so long ago.


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Posted in Photography.
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  December 13th, 2011 Moon Duster

Nothing cozier than a long, knit sweater dress with a slim fit and buttons running from top to bottom. I picked up this dress from Free People a few weeks ago for Thanksgiving parties and I’ve already worn it for countless other events (including a music video my friend is filming). All I need now is some sunlight so I can get proper photos of it! Worn here with a Noemi Klein necklace.

Also, I have Instagram now! My username is seecreatures, feel free to add me. I wore this outfit to work today: the above FP maxi dress, ASOS button-down shirt, J.Crew little boys’ lambswool sweater, and a One Language bag.


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Posted in Fashion, Outfits.

  December 12th, 2011 Season’s Greetings: Holiday Cards

I never send out holiday cards, but as a graphic designer, I really love looking at holiday cards from independent designers. Here are some of my favorites!

Holiday Christmas cards

Letterpress cards by Inhaus Press, $18 for set of 6 // ‘Twas the Night cards by Rifle Paper Co., $10 for set of 10

Holiday Christmas cards

Happy Holidays arrow cards, $17 for set of 6 // Winter cardinals holiday cards by Vandalia Street Press, $28 for set of 12

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Posted in Art.
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  December 2nd, 2011 Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet matte lipstick in La Furtive

Ever since the Chanel RTW Fall 2011 show, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of the limited edition makeup that they used in the show. The nude lips and smokey metallic eyes were beautiful and timeless. A couple of weeks ago, the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet matte lipstick in “La Furtive” (the shade used in the show) finally dropped online, and with the offer of a free shipping with a Chanel gift keepsake box, I couldn’t resist ordering it.

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in La Furtive

I love the simple and sleek design of the Chanel lipstick; it’s one of those products that make you feel like a princess when you reach for it. La Furtive is a slightly rosy beige lipstick that on me, is almost invisible. I was a bit disappointed as I was hoping for something slightly darker, but I do like that it’s very understated, even demure. The more I wear it, the more I love it.
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Posted in Beauty Review.
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  November 29th, 2011 Gift ideas for the holiday season

Back when I wasn’t paying all of my bills, I used to love giving gifts to everyone. Now, I usually just buy for my younger siblings, parents, and boyfriend; my twin sister and I have a mutual agreement that our gift to each other is not to expect gifts from each other. Nonetheless, during the holiday season, I like to think about what I would buy my friends if I weren’t trying to save money all of the time. Here are some gift ideas that I’ve bookmarked on Pinterest:

Row 1:

1. A bottle of wine and/or tumblers. I loved the typography on this With Love bottle of red wine, but certainly you can find a much cheaper (and equally good) wine at the grocery store. And Gilt is selling these lovely tumblers in a set of 4 for $12, and Target has some nice ones for around the same price!

2. Madewell Foxtrot earrings, $18. Adorable and whimsical – perfect for Christmas, and stylish year-round.

3. A Faux Fur Collar with ribbon, $18 on Etsy.

Row 2:

1. Burt’s Bees. Friends don’t let friends have chapped lips. Perfect for stocking stuffers or small gift bags, everyone loves Burt’s bees – guys included (not to mention they’re a very affordable gift)!

2. A good book. 1Q84, the latest Haruki Murakami book, is available now at Barnes & Noble for $15. A perfect gift for a friend who loves to read, this is a book everyone is talking about right now.

3. Thick, warm, cheerful socks. Socks are one of my favorite things to get for Christmas, in part because they’ve usually disappeared by the same time the following year. (What is it with dryers eating things that come in pairs?) I love these fairisle crew socks from Sock Dreams, $12. Also, Sock Dreams offers free shipping all the time!

Row 3:

1. Tuberose scented balm pocket watch from Modern Alchemy, $35. Okay, maybe this one is on MY wish list. Still, it’s a beautifully-packaged personal scent “watch” that I think any woman would love to have.

2. Fuzzy boudoir slippers from Faire Frou Frou, $46. One of my philosophies about gift-giving is to buy things for people that they wouldn’t normally buy for themselves. And while I know many ladies who would love a pair of these slippers, I don’t know many who would treat themselves to a pair.

3. Sleep mask by Hopeless Lingerie, $20. These beautiful sleep masks by Hopeless Lingerie (one of my favorite independent brands) can be ordered in custom colors. And for crafty gift givers who don’t want to shell out $20, this could be a great DIY present idea!


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Posted in Fashion, Lingerie Lover.
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  November 23rd, 2011 First Flannel

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve had Twin Peaks on the mind lately. It just seems so appropriate for fall/winter; it has the right amount of suspense and hilarity to bring people together in a warm huddle when it’s cold and dreary outside. Needless to say, it has influenced my tastes quite a bit, and I’ve found myself gravitating towards flannels, wine-colored dresses, and shoulder pads. Last week I featured this flannel shirt on my Pinterest, and soon after I caved in and bought it. I have never in my life owned a flannel shirt; 12 years of Catholic school scared me away from plaids, and it took me this long to recover. We’ll see how much use this gets.


Flannel shirt by American Eagle (in “red light”), oversized cable knit sweater by Free People

For everyone celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, have a great holiday and travel safely!


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Posted in Fashion, Outfits.
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  November 22nd, 2011 Dreary

French Connection Jumpjack Twill Classic Coat and Theysken's Theory cross-strap wedges
Jumpjack Twill Classic Coat by French Connection, wedge platforms by Theysken’s Theory

The past few days have been chilly, overcast, even rainy – and I’m loving every minute of it. After a record-long, record-hot summer, it’s nice to finally get to break out my coats. This wool French Connection one is a favorite of mine! It’s a bit too big so I have to belt it, but other than that, I’m totally smitten.


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Posted in Fashion, Outfits.
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