Going Red

The first time I went red was my last year of college. Inspired by the fabulous Kate Walsh and motivated by the need to change things up after a love life disaster, I took to the bottle. It was fun for awhile and then, come summer, I transitioned into blonde highlights.

By fall I'd moved from Logan to Salt Lake City and started a new job. More change meant another hair style. I went back to my standard, natural brown hue and chopped my should length bob into a pixie cut in an attempt to resemble Carey Mulligan's Vogue cover. Easiest haircut...ever.

When I moved to Chicago a year-and-a-half ago, I decided to grow out my Carey Mulligan cut. Combined with a botched haircut at the Aveda salon (most of the time their $16 grad student budget-friendly cut is fabulous, but this girl didn't know what the heck she was doing) and the glacial pace at which my hair grows, I'm still working on reaching my desired length. I can finally put it up in a high ponytail without bobby pins. Hooray!

Most of the time when I'm hanging out at home, HIMYM is playing in the background. I've lost track of how many times I've re-watched the seasons. Lately, Lily's hair has caught my eye. I especially love the hue and cut she has in seasons five and six. My hair isn't quite her length yet but it's getting there. On Saturday I decided to take the plunge and go red again. And....I love it!

I'm toying with the idea of getting some soft blonde highlights like Lily's for more dimension and depth. But, I don't dare do it myself and I'm not sure I can really afford it. I have several weddings coming up in the next few months so I don't want to botch my hair. We'll see how I feel in a few weeks.

If you're looking for good, DIY hair color I highly recommend Clairol Perfect 10. The shade on me is 5R Medium Auburn.

Lily photo

Style Files: Meredith Grey

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The moment I saw the Tequila Is Not My Friend tote from Kate Spade I immediately thought of the one and only Meredith Grey.

If you're a Grey's Anatomy fan you know tequila is Meredith's kryptonite. After a hard day's night she and Cristina dance their troubles away accompanied by their favorite bottle.

While I don't drink myself, I completely relate to the need to blow off steam and cut loose. In college my roommates and I had epic dance parties courtesy of Pitbull's "The Anthem"--the best dance song ever.

 Meredith, you take your tequila, I'll take my diet coke. Dance party tonight. It's on!

P.S. Combine this tote with classic pieces and maybe you'll find your own McDreamy. A girl can dream.

winter dreams in red, white, and blue

snow / moss stitch / fair isle / zigzag / striped

Hats are a major winter necessity here in the Windy City. Even if the temperature seems mild, gusts of wind regularly materialize seemingly out of nowhere. The city has definitely earned it's nickname.

Lately my winter hat musings have taken on a red, white, and blue theme. I particularly love the snow hat from Target. I think it's very Kate Spade (and at a fraction of the cost)! 

Cozy Nights...

polka dot pajamas / leopard socks / blanket / breakfast at tiffany's / monogram mug

plaid pajamas / owl socks / blanket / you've got mail / owl mug

The weather has turned cold here in Chicago. Over the weekend temperatures teased us at 60 degrees but by Monday we'd dropped into the 30s. Time to pull out the hats, gloves, and scarves!

Cool temperatures also make me long for cozy nights at home bundled up in adorable pajamas, a soft blanket, and warm cup of cocoa watching a fabulous chick flick. Who doesn't want a PJ set after watching Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail?

All of these items are very affordable. I'm a grad student so I'm always doing things on a budget. The mugs are $10 dollars or less and the pajama sets are both $25. At those prices you can afford to get the whole ensemble!

What's one of your favorite chick flicks to watch on a cozy night in?

the long and short of it...

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I've always had a love-hate relationship with my hair. In middle school all I wanted was a straight bob. My thick, wavy hair never quite cooperated. If only I'd known about CHI straighteners. That wouldn't come until college.

In high school I desired long, straight hair. Early morning seminary class required me to get up at 4:30 am to achieve my luscious locks. A shoulder injury saved me from that insanity. I couldn't raise my arm above my head. Consequently,  I was forced to come to terms with my curly hair. Total blessing in disguise on more levels than one.  

I wish I'd known and understood as a preteen and teenager that celebrities wear wigs and hair extensions. They have access to the most expensive hair products and best stylists money can buy.

Reality check. You're never going to look like Jennifer Aniston on your genes or budget, Clarissa. Don't obsess too much. Take a chill pill girl.  

Last night I was talking to my best friend, Sarah, on the phone and suddenly her tone changed. "Ok, I have to ask you a serious question." I braced myself for the unknown. "I'm getting my hair done tomorrow and I can't decide if I want to go light or dark. What do you think?" Phew, this was a serious matter I could handle!

We discussed at length the pros and cons of going lighter vs. darker. Eventually, we settled on her keeping her blonde highlights and not going significantly darker. She's going to spice it up with fun bangs. That will satisfy her need for change without doing something drastic.

These are important decisions people. 

Two years ago I chopped my hair off to look like Carey Mulligan. Currently, my hair is close to Rashida Jones' length without the bangs. Don't get me started on bangs. If I'm patient enough, hopefully I can get my hair to SJP's length. I really want to be able to do a sock bun but my hair grows SO slow. We'll see if I can hold out. 

What are you hair struggles? Do you prefer long or short? Curly or straight? Favorite products?

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?

Polka Dot Persuasion

This fall it's all about polka dots! J.Crew's Fall/Winter 2012 Lookbook set the tone and rightly so. Kate Spade has also unveiled it's fair share of polka dot inspired pieces, but like J.Crew, they fall in the category of unattainable when it comes to my grad school student budget. Luckily, other more affordable retailers are following suit. Hooray! 

I've already scooped up a boatneck sweater and tank from Old Navy, top from Forever 21, and a dress from Land's End Canvas that looks strikingly similar to the J.Crew dress I've included above. It was a major summer sale steal at only $27 (originally $130)!

Obviously the collection above are my dream purchases. Below you'll find more affordable options that I'm currently coveting or have already purchased. Have you embraced the polka dot persuasion?

The 25 Most Fashionable Films of All Time

Today, I stumbled upon Vanity Fair's photo essay of The 25 Most Fashionable Films of All Time. While the images are fantastic, as you'll see below, I was completely charmed and impressed with the intimate, colorful copy that accompanied each photograph. The caliber of writing is superb and reveals thought provoking details about each movie, its iconic actors, and the clothing that is as relevant and poignant as the movie's storyline. Costume designers are indeed remarkable artists whose confections possess the power to reveal the souls of characters.

Here's a portion of the feature introduction to spark your interest:

"Since the beginning of movies, the clothes that characters wear have been part of the draw and thrill. Well-designed costumes not only concealed the physical flaws of actors and actresses, they delineated character and added texture to a scene...the presence of models and beauties doesn’t necessarily make a film fashionable...there are those movies distinguished by a totemic piece of clothing." READ MORE

Audrey Hepburn - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Marlene Dietrich - Morocco

The Best of Everything

Faye Dunaway - Bonnie and Clyde

Mia Farrow & Robert Redford - The Great Gatsby

Richard Gere - American Gigiolo

Jimmy Stewart & Katherine Hepburn - The Philadelphia Story

Audrey Hepburn - Roman Holiday

iphone covers

I don't have an iphone. T-Mobile keeps letting me down. While droid land has been an ok place to live, the lush iphone landscape has been calling my name for quite some time. My contract is up in November and I will most definitely be switching providers.

What I'm really looking forward to is buying a fabulous iphone cover. Ridiculous. I know. They're all so cute I might just have to buy two! Which one is your favorite?

kate spade polka dots // keep calm and carry on // cath kidston hampton rose // abstract chevron // kate spade note to self // yellow circles

The Statement Necklace

Adding a statement necklace to your ensemble is an easy way to be on trend without spending a lot. There are plenty of wallet-friendly options that mirror the high-end versions you love.

Forever 21 and Target are my favorite places to shop for affordable accessories. I also recently discovered Bauble Bar. Their pieces are amazing! Anna of In Honor of Design also prompted me to search for deals on eBay.

I've been lusting after the J.Crew Bubble Necklace all summer but it's price tag of $150 definitely doesn't fit my grad student budget. After reading this post by Anna, I went to eBay and searched "J.Crew Bubble Necklace". I found a kaleidoscope of color options for under $20 including shipping! My yellow bubble necklace, which I bought for $16, should be here on Friday. Bauble Bar also has a great version for only $38.

Whether you desire a piece echoing ladylike simplicity or funky originality, here are several comparable necklaces sure to fit a variety of tastes and budgets. Check out my Pinterest board for even more options!

J.Crew - Bubble Necklace $150                   BaubleBar - Violet Princess Bib $38

 Forever Now - Kathryn Necklace $29.99                   Forever 21 - Horn Fringe Necklace $12.80

 Kate Spade -Moonlight Pearls Necklace $378      Forever 21- Pearl Rosette Necklace $14.80

Bauble Bar - Beaded Link Collar $44                   Target - Glass Bead Link Necklace $19.99

I wrote about statement necklaces for The DePaulia: Weekend Edition last week. Click here to read my article!