fantastic dresses to brighten a monday morning

photos via InStyle

It's a Monday if there ever was one. This morning I woke up an hour late. Then, when I went to catch the bus I found out it wasn't running due to construction. Can you say awesome with a capital 'A'?!

To brighten your morning and mine, here are my favorite looks from last night's Emmy's. Julianne Moore wins best dressed hands down. The color. The flowing skirt. The laid back hair. Elegant simplicity at it's best. Moore's ensemble emitted the same tone and splendor as Emma Stone's Calvin Klein frock at the 2011 Golden Globe Awards.

Ginnifer Goodwin's magnificent tangerine Monique Lhuillier confection was a close second for me. And although Julianne Hough resembled a shiny mermaid, I found myself completely on board with her look. Strange but true. It must be her fabulous hair.

What looks were your favorite?

New York State of Mind

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A thoughtful analysis about preconceived, often prejudice, notions on leadership...
 
Must Great Leaders Be Gregarious? by Susan Cain, The New York Times
"We prize leaders who are eager talkers over those who have something to say. In 2004, we praised George W. Bush because we wanted to drink a beer with him. Now we criticize President Obama because he won’t drink one with us."

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Another raw, poignant essay from Times' ongoing series about Anxiety...

Surviving the Pain at the Roots by Alexandra Heather Foss, The New York Times
"I believe that anxiety is the result of a violent culture where abuse has been so normalized it seems insignificant. We are told that to be strong means to suffer in silence, when strength really comes from giving our suffering a voice."

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An engaging perspective on the motivation behind work and its relationship to leisure...

What Work Is Really For by Gary Gutting, The New York Times 
"Capitalism, with its devotion to profit, is not in itself evil. But it becomes evil when it controls our choices for the sake of profit."

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A fascinating albeit disturbing article about the workings of child molesters, with the Jerry Sandusky scandal taking center stage...
 
In Plain View by Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker
"When monsters roam free, we assume that people in positions of authority ought to be able to catch them if only they did their jobs. But that might be wishful thinking."

Wednesday Wisdom: Romantic Optimism

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I wasn't a fan of Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat, Pray, Love, but I completely identify with this statement. It sums up my experience with love. Too often I have fallen in love with a guy's potential rather than the here and now.

You can't change someone or make them progress faster than they're ready. You also can't propel two people to be at the same place in life if they're not. Despite my knowledge of these truths, I've fought like hell to disprove them. No such luck.

It's important to remain hopeful about love, but be careful not to deceive yourself into unnecessary heartache. There's no use running a three-legged race alone. It doesn't work. I've tried.

on my bookshelf...

Although working full-time and going to school seem to afford me little time to eat healthy and exercise, I've found myself reading more thanks to my one-hour lunch break and commute time on the bus.

Last month for The Everygirl Book Club I read Diane Keaton's memoir, Then Again. Like Diane's character and talent, Then Again is no ordinary memoir. Diane intertwines her mother's life story with her own, creating a beautiful tapestry highlighted by humor, memories, failures, and triumphs.

The Receptionist's cover might lead one to believe it's a work of fiction. However, Janet Groth's tale is one composed of fact and experience. Her prose captured me from start to finish. Anyone who is captivated by writing and publishing should read this unique biography.

I'll be delving into Mary Soames' memoir, A Daughter's Tale, this week. I discovered the book in the August issue of Vogue. Soames, Winston Churchill's only surviving child, was featured as part of the magazine's annual age issue. My interest was instantly piqued. Reading will now commence.

New York State of Mind: Lessons on Self & Country

photo by sophie takes pictures

Today I have two very different works to share with you. One--a poignant essay about self, the other--a moving photo essay dedicated to a greater purpose.

On Being Nothing by  Brian Jay Stanley, The New York Times

This thought provoking essay gives meaning to our individual need for self affirmation.

"If the world is a stage, then everyone’s an extra, acting minor roles in simultaneous scenes in which no one has the lead. With so much happening, society is poorly made to satisfy pride, but well made to satisfy interest, if we will only let go of our vanity and join the swirl of activity."

The Heroes of Ground Zero by Ron Beinner, Vanity Fair

This pieces combines moving photographs with equally poignant text.

"The firefighters and police officers who risked everything; the rescue workers who came from hundreds of miles away; the families who grieve; the leaders who rallied a shell-shocked city; the vigil keepers whose candles lit the night: These are among the images that will endure. This is the New York—and the America—worth fighting for, one not of skyscrapers, but of people."

Wednesday Wisdom from Katie Armour

photo by Maia Harms

"If you want to make a lasting impression, be polished, but still reflect your own, personal style. Try to remember that dressing is a way of honoring the occasion and showing respect for those you meet. You don’t have to wear a suit to look professional, confident, and stylish. Go for the classics, but always with a hint of flair.” - Katie Armour, Matchbook Magazine

Katie's feature on Refinery 29

Remembering September 11

Pennsylvania Firefighters - photo by Jonas Karlsson via Vanity Fair

14 years old. Freshman in high school. 6:30 am seminary class. A plane flew into the World Trad Center. Piled into Ben's Dodge Spirit on the way to school. The Pentagon has been hit. First period biology class. The second tower has been hit. We watch the news in class. Lab is canceled. The rest of the school day is a haze.

Mariners game is canceled. No planes in the sky. An eerie stillness fills the air. Back home watching the evening news. Replay of people calling loved ones from Flight 93. Destroyed section of the Pentagon. Death toll rising. Two towers emitting billowing black smoke. People jumping to their deaths. Firefighters storming the area. Desperate faces.Wounded hearts.

11 years ago I witnessed, along with the rest of America, a life-altering tragedy. I didn't directly know anyone who lost their life that day, but I felt the pain of the nation. September 11 is a day that will forever be imprinted upon our minds. Let it be a day we celebrate the strength of America. Recognize the sacrifice of others. Give thanks for the blessings we enjoy.

Remembering September 11 is about honor, sacrifice, justice, and love.