A quick post:

Good evening! I have an OotD for you!







Tiered Rush Dress (Anthropologie)
Super old scarf
Gifted flip flops

I wore this on a date and kept the styling simple. I love this dress. It's so comfy and easy to wear, and I can't believe I got it for only $30!

Anthropologie fitting room reviews: Mompos, Tippi, and more!

Good evening! Last weekend, I paid a visit to the mothership Anthropologie, and I was able to try on some new (and "new") arrivals I'd been lusting over. I was definitely surprised by my reactions to several of these items, so read on to see what I loved and what I found less-lovable!



Sunday Shopping Skirt, $88

I've had my eye on this skirt for a long time, and I'm in love with the light blue color and soft fabric. My main issue with this skirt is that my store only had a size 4, and it was huge! You can see in the photos that it's way too big, so maybe in a 0 or a 2 I would like it more. This size was just way too much volume and quite overwhelming/unflattering, though. I did love the length and shape, as this is one of my favorite styles of skirts ever, and I don't own any skirts close to this color. The price is way too steep for me, and I'm not sure if I'd love it enough even at first cut. Maybe in my proper size I'd feel differently. I'll re-evaluate at sale time.



Sing Sweetly Dress, no longer online

I had a similar problem with this dress in that my store only had a 2, and I definitely need a 0. I'm not even sure a 0 would fit, because oh wow was the top huge. The girls and I were definitely not holding this one up. I do love the cute print with the matching sash, but strapless dresses really aren't too flattering on me, so this one's a pass. If it works for you, it seems lovely and very high quality, but I'd consider sizing down if you're smaller chested like me.



Tippi Dress, $268

Oh, dress, you know I love your amazing mint color, swingy hem and adorable print that reminds me of Halloween. However, I tragically fear that you are unflattering on me. This is a very beautiful and well made dress, but I just didn't feel like the shape did anything for me. The top was very blousey and seemed to have issues with poofing out in an unflattering shape when I moved. I do like that it ties at the waist, but I think the size 0 that I tried on was a little big -- tying it as tightly as I did may have contributed to the poof effect. I dunno, guys. I've wanted this dress forever, but I feel like the fit just isn't loving me. What do you think? The price is a definite no-go even on first cut due to my fit issues, but I may reconsider if it gets a second cut because, seriously, beautiful dress. Just maybe not for me. Sigh.



Mompos Dress, $228

This dress has been getting a ton of love in Bloggy Land, and I can see why! It's got a gorgeous shape, and I love the color, scalloped hem, and abundance of crinoline underneath. What I didn't love was, again, the fit. This may be because I have the wrong size in these photos: I read that this dress ran small, so I grabbed a 2, but I think that was a mistake as it seems a bit frumpy, and I had a bit of extra room on the top and sides. I think the super high neckline isn't doing me a lot of favors, either. The love for this dress just wasn't there for me, so I think this one's probably a pass, but I definitely think it's a great item if it works for you.



Midsummer's Chemise< $68

Oddly enough, this lovely was probably my favorite of the items I tried on! You know by now that I have a problem where I enjoy wearing loungewear as daywear, and I think this chemise could totally fit into this category. It's a very pretty blue in person that would look great with a brown belt and accessories, and the material is super soft and comfortable. If you were planning to sleep in it, it's definitely comfy enough. I didn't find it sheer at all. I'm wearing an XS and thought the fit was slouchy and comfortable, so I'd get your regular size or size down if you want a more fitted look. I just noticed that this chemise comes in a pretty turquoise, too, so I'd like to see that one in action before deciding on a color. I'd probably buy this on first cut.

All in all, this round of reviews was pretty disappointing, though my lesson of the day is that I need to see things in my true size to really know for sure if an item works for me. I was bummed that not many of the things I tried were flattering on me, but at least my wallet will be happy!

And finally, here's what I wore on my shopping extravaganza, just to prove that sometimes I really do keep it casual:



AG Stevie Cords (Anthropologie)
Intimidator tee (best rollercoaster ever! -- If you are a thrill junkie, you have to try this one; it's a hypercoaster, and the experience from the front row is amazing)
Gifted flip flops

That's about it for me tonight! Do you guys agree with my reviews, or do you think I should rethink some of them? I'm hoping that some of the May arrivals at Anthro make my heart sing a bit more than these did!

I'm back (and so is Ria) with a fun new feature!

Good evening! Sorry that it's been a few days since I posted; I've been going through some personal stress and haven't had a lot of mental energy to blog. I have a special treat for you tonight, though, because I am finally putting together my new blog feature!

Styling Sisters: Ria and Katie's Outfit Interpretations

One thing that many shoppers consider when evaluating a new item for purchase is "How many different outfits/looks can I create?" My sister Ria and I noticed that we owned several of the same pieces from Anthro. Ria and I have different shapes, styles, closets and preferences, so we thought it would be fun to each put together an outfit using an Anthro piece that we have in common. Hopefully this feature will show you the versatility of some popular Anthro items and give you new ideas to wear them! Without further ado, for our first item we chose a top that many of you know and love: the Climbing Cowlneck! Let's see how Ria styled this lovely top:


Sweater: NY and Co
Anthro:
Climbing Cowlneck
Dotty Clusters tights
Glad Rags T-straps
Modern Masters Watch
Tria Sweater Skirt

Ria loves wearing mustard, and I love how it looks with the mint green Climbing Cowlneck. The hem of her skirt and her watch add a girly-yet-funky touch, and her gray accessories pull the look together. I think this look is perfect for a young, fashionable college student like Ria!

And here's my outfit:





Climbing Cowlneck, Leifsdottir skirt, Gossamer hair clips (Anthropologie)
Target cardigan
Softwalk shoes
Gifted necklace

You know that I have an affinity for girly shapes and quirky prints, but I also need to be child-friendly and office appropriate due to my job. I chose a skirt that had some of the mint green hues of the Climbing Cowlneck and whose volume offset the fitted top. I think this look would be perfect for a more casual-dressy office like my own or for a weekend lunch date.

Well, that's about it for our first series of Styling Sisters. But don't go away because we have several more Anthro pieces in common that we can't wait to style for you! Do you have a particular piece or occasion/look that you'd like to see us attempt? Tell me in the comments!

Happy Easter!

New York, New York dress (Anthropologie)
Kensie shoes

I wore this outfit to work last Thursday for our egg hunt. I thought it was pretty Easter-appropriate. Today my OotD consists of my bathing suit since my friend and I have spent most of the day at the pool, but I did buy an adorable new dress at Target yesterday and some shoes, so you should be seeing it soon!

A much-needed celebration

Well, I made it to my three-day weekend, and I came out of my lab final alive! So excited that that class is over. I'm just not cut out for pathology, and it was such a struggle to even pass. I can't believe I did it. I'm really proud of myself, and now I just have one more lecture exam before I'm done with class FOREVER. I can't wait. I love school, but seriously, I am almost twenty-five years old, and I'm tired of taking tests.

To celebrate, I'm off to the mall in a few minutes for some shopping, dining, and (of course) a trip to Anthro. Hopefully I'll be able to review some great new arrivals for you guys. For now, I wanted to post my outfit that I wore to my poster presentation last week. For those who were curious, it went really well! I got good comments, and I was really pleased with how I spoke to the judges. There's nothing I'd change about it. I have another chance to practice presenting a poster in about a month, so hopefully that one will go just as well.







Laced with Grace dress, Hallowed Halls Oxfords (Anthropologie)
Necklace from my work hospital

Everyone seemed to love this outfit, and people were complimenting my shoes and/or dress all day. Woah. Still not something I'm used to as a Fashion Disaster in Hiding (see this post), but I'll take it!

Enjoy your weekend (if it starts now!), and have a great day!

Running on fumes

It's been a rough day or two over at DLaCS, and I'm just counting down the days until my glorious three-day weekend. I need a break like you would not believe. I'm hoping to make it up to Anthro on Friday, as well as to my favorite restaurant (hello, Cheesecake Factory!), so expect some fitting room reviews soon if I can make that happen. For now, here's an outfit:





AG Stevie Cords, Wind Rippled Tee (Anthropologie)

I kept things casual again today (or yesterday, more accurately, since today I've been home studying for my last exam in a certain class that I can't wait to be finished with!). Did I mention that I have too many Wind Rippled tees? I have every color except gray, and the purple Claudine tee from the spring. I found a style I liked, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? I continue to adore these pants.

Back to studying with me!

Breakin' some rules

"Good" Monday evening (definition of oxymoron? I think so) to you all! I don't have a lot to say this evening, so I think I'll just post an outfit. Today's outfit is so not flattering or fancy, but I wanted to post it to show that sometimes I am neither! This is a typical 'I don't care what I look like casual' outfit for me:





Claudine tee (Anthropologie)
Necklace from Macy's a year or two ago
Skirt: Middle school. Seriously. That is how much I am not caring in this outfit.
Not pictured: Flip flops. I'm so fancy sometimes.

Being 5'3 with short legs, long skirts typically look like poop on me, and this is really the only one I still have and wear. I remember my thirteen(?)-year-old self thinking this skirt was so cool, and after rediscovering it last year, I can't bring myself to part with it. From a certain angle, I even like how it looks! It's very comfy, too. Sometimes fashion "rules" are meant to be broken, especially when you just want to have a lazy day. When these pictures were taken, I was not having one of those, alas, but this look is acceptable in my lab for days when we don't have research subjects. Lucky me, right?

Turns out I had more to say than I thought! I'll leave you with good vibes about a sale tomorrow, although I have to say that my wallet still has no room for sale purchases, so I'll probably be abstaining from any offerings. I need to start saving up for my birthday in June because there are several cool things I really want to do, and I'll want to have a little budget to use my Anthro discount, too. I'll post more about that when it gets closer. For now, goodnight!

Blustery Day

Happy weekend! Our area is getting hammered with storms today, so I hope everyone is safe! Tornadoes are one of my worst fears, and we just had a warning this afternoon, which was really scary. It was not, however, stormy when these pictures were taken, so hopefully they will bring you a bit of sunshine if the weather is not-so-sunny where you are, too.







I-can't-remember-the-name dress (summer 2009), Looping Lanes Belt, Gossamer Hair Clip (Anthropologie)
JCrew cardi
Old flipflops

This dress could be the Beda's sister, though it's not the Beda. I found it at Anthro at the beginning of fall 2009 for only $20 and waited all year to wear it that summer. It was one of my first Anthro purchases, and I absolutely love it.

I'm off to attempt to decide what I'm going to eat for dinner. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and be safe!

Present Yourself

Good evening! I have a short post for you before bed!





Circle the Globe Skirt (Anthropologie)
Macy's top (oldddd)
Also oldddd shoes

We have a crepe truck that stops by every Thursday (lucky us!), and I thought this outfit was a bit French-inspired and fitting for the occasion. I remembered, btw, why I do not wear these shoes. Hopefully you can't see the mountain of band-aids plastered to my poor, blistered feet, but those straps are killers. This is yet more evidence that I need better summer shoes, sigh.



What's that I'm holding? Tomorrow is another poster session for me, so I'll be telling lots of scientists about my research while (hopefully) looking cute. Wish me luck! I'm afraid that our latest research is really confusing to people outside our field, so I'll definitely need it!

(PS: OMG. 51 FOLLOWERS. I am such an overexcited dork about this, you have no idea. Love to every single one of you!)

Tips for looking cute when the temperature... isn't.

Exercise update: So I dragged my butt out of bed at 6:30 this morning, got some cleaning done, stretched, and then did a five mile run! YAY! I did really well for being the most anti-morning-person ever. This totally won't work for me as a regular routine, but it's nice to change it up sometimes. I ran comfortably the whole way, too, which is really nice.

With summer fast approaching, and since I live in an area that gets miserably hot (as I'm sure some of you can relate to), I wanted to show you a go-to look for nasty hot summer weather. The temperature ended up being not nearly as hot as forecast, so I was slightly chilly at the end of the day, but hopefully you can get an idea of a look that is cute and will keep you cool!







Looping Lanes Belt (Anthropologie)
Old Navy dress
Super old flipflops
NY and Company Necklace

(Thank you so much, Sara for cluing me in to these dresses! They're easy, comfy and cute, and I don't worry about messing them up. I bought three colors and wear them all the time in the summer as an alternative to "shorts and a t-shirt." ON may have a version out this summer that you can pick up.)

My basic formula -- because I'm a nerd, it had to be a formula -- for a summer outfit is:

(COTTON (critical piece) dress or skirt that is on the loose side of fitted + cotton fitted tee if applicable) x (cute accessories + sandals, flip flops, or other open, summer shoes) = Cute, Cool, and Comfortable!

I had to add parenthesis to maintain proper Order of Operations up there. See my epic dorkiness coming out?

If it's mind-bending-ly hot outside you may want to eliminate the accessories just to cut down on the sweat factor, but that piece is optional if you have the perfect dress or skirt.

Hair: I pin a small section of hair at the top of my head to give it some volume. If it's super hot and your hair length allows, you then will want to tie the whole thing in a low-to-mid ponytail. This is my key for getting a ponytail that I actually like and that doesn't make my hair look flat: remember to pin it up first, as I've done in these pictures. You get the exact same relief from the heat but look twice as cute!

Hope that helps give you some ideas on how to dress for warm weather! I'm back to studying for this quiz (yuck). Have a great day!

Exercise like a cute scientist and OotD

How 'bout that sale, ladies! Did you pick up anything? The Gathering Blossoms Top is beautiful and on my wishlist, but first cut price is too steep for me. If this one gets a second cut and I manage to track down a 0, I'll be all over it, but for now I'm sitting this sale out. Hope everyone got what they wanted!

In the spirit of positive thinking, today I wanted to share one of the (amazingly, non-Anthro ;)) things that makes me amazingly happy: exercise! You may remember that Jewish Girl has inspired me to enter the 2012 Disney Princess Half Marathon. I'm not the greatest runner, but I'm going to give this a shot like you wouldn't believe. For me, exercise is about regulating my mood and hormones, improving my strength and health, and having an outlet for all the stress and complications of life. I also love to eat everything from oreo milkshakes to mac and cheese, and let's be real: while I do love some healthy foods, healthy eating is not always feasible for a junk food addict like me. Give up cheesecake? No way. Eliminate French fries? Not gonna happen. Blame my long history as a competitive swimmer (we have a long history of ... not the healthiest eating habits). My dad got kicked out of all-you-can-eat buffets, no lie. I want to be able to eat the things I love and still feel like my body is decently healthy, so I turn to exercise to keep things running the way they should. I typically exercise 6-7 times a week, and my routine consists of everything from swimming to strength training (rare these days, sigh) to playing Dance Dance Revolution! I do not exercise for weight loss. Actually, physical change to my body of any kind is not really a goal, but I have had the pleasant experience lately of liking almost everything I see in the mirror, and I credit exercise for building that confidence.

Of course, what would exercise be without cute outfits to wear while doing it?



I'm wearing a Sweaty Band, and I can't thank Jewish Girl enough for recommending them. They do exactly what they say they will and are so cute and comfy! I'm also wearing these ridiculous shorts that my kid assistant coaches from last year's swim team wanted us all to wear to our big championship meet. They thought these shorts were the coolest things ever, so wear them I did. See what I do for "my kids"?

My favorite part about running is being able to listen to all of my awesome (read: usually obnoxious) music as loudly as I want and pretend that I'm a cool kid. I'm going to show just how dorky and shameless I am and post some choice "greatest hits" that I've been running to on repeat lately. Don't knock them until you've tried running to them!

Cute Scientist's Dorky Running Playlist:

Rebecca Black -- Friday (Oh yes, I went there.)
Stephen Colbert -- Friday (sensing a theme?)
Sean Kingston -- Fire Burning (Thank you, Maria!)
Taylor Swift -- I'm Only Me When I'm with You; The Story of Us
Ke$ha -- We R Who We R
Tata Young -- Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy
And to round this out, I'll add basically the completed works of Miss Hannah Montana, but lately I've been into "I'm Still Good," "Are You Ready?" and "Kiss it Goodbye"

Are you still here? Good! I have one last thing for you today: an OotD!





Anthropologie top (forgot the name) over Creative Outlet Tank, AG Stevie Cords
NY and Company necklace
Rack Room shoes

I had people commenting all day on how weird it was that I had pants on, no joke! Ever get the weird urge to straighten out a skirt that doesn't exist when you sit down wearing pants? It's like having a phantom limb, I tell you.

Have a great day! And get out there and get moving for me!

Ootd: Better Than Revenge

Hey guys. I've had a bit of a rough evening, and I was going to make a post about it, but I decided that "the best revenge is a life well-lived," and I'm not going to dwell on mean people and give them power. Instead I am going to post a very happy OotD and focus on the good things in my life: my friends, my sister Ria, the wonders of science, Adam's Peanut Butter Fudge Ripple Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, the possibility of an Anthro sale tomorrow, my blog, and, of course, my awesome readers. Speaking of which, I can hardly believe I almost have fifty followers! I never imagined that so many people would want to read this blog when I started it, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share my outfits with you. You really make my day, so thank you all for reading this silly space!







Minas Tank (Anthropologie, a steal for only $20!)
Macy's leggings
Headband: from a shop in Charleston, my favorite place in the world
Necklace: gift from Kendall, who will always remind me of Charleston
Shoes: from my mom on her Key West vacation

"I'm a lucky girl whose dreams came true," and my life is too busy and full to waste it worrying about small, angry, bitter people. Times like these call for a bright yellow tunic, a smile, and gratitude that you have better things to do than push others down.

But someday, I'll be livin' in a big ol' city, and all you're ever gonna be is mean.

Tips from a Fashion Disaster: How to Trick People into Thinking You Know How to Get Dressed

Okay, so some of you will not believe this, but here’s my confession: I have a long history of being awful at fashion! No, really. I might hide behind some cute outfits, but inside there is this ridiculously awkward geek who has no idea how to get dressed in the morning. My adventures in fashion have been an exercise in tricking people into thinking I know how to get dressed. Seriously, I think this at least half the time I put on my clothes for the day: Ha, ha! I got you suckers! You think I’m put together! With that said, if you are a fashionista who knows how to get dressed, you do not need this post. If, however, you are like me and leave your house every day wondering if the world will discover your dark, fashionably-challenged secret, do I have the post for you! I was absent from class the day the "Rules for Wearing Cute, Put-Together Outfits" manual was passed out, and I wanted to do a post for all the girls who were playing hooky with me. Here you will find six tips for tricking the world into thinking that you know how to get dressed. The following are tips compiled by a fashion disaster who suffered years of “oh my dog, why am I not cute?” to bring you this list. With that said, welcome to:

How to Trick People into Thinking You Know How to Get Dressed

1.) You have too many neutrals. Yes, you. Get some bright colors. My mother used to tell me that “this {black/white/brown/ivory} {item} will go with everything!” Okay, yes. That’s true. But if you use this rule every time you shop, as I used to, then you have a bunch of {item} and none of “everything.” If you’ve been following this “rule” to the letter like me, you probably have too many neutrals. Your mission now is to find that “everything” – and then wear it! Don’t put that black cardigan with every outfit just because it will go with everything. Pick a blue cardigan instead. To do this, follow my fool-proof method: A.) Put on the cardigan. B.) Try not to have a heart attack because you are wearing something that will not, in fact, “go with everything.” Actually, you may even be wrong about that. Colors can go with tons of things, too. Neutrals aren’t the end-all and be-all, and stepping away from them is a key step into tricking people that you know how to get dressed.

2.) “It doesn’t need to match; it needs to go.” – seriously! Whenever I heard this on What Not to Wear, it would always fly right over my head. I don’t think I really appreciated what they were talking about until I started seeing it in action on blogs. I used to buy, say, a pattered skirt and think that I could only pair that skirt with a solid top that exactly matched the most prominent color in said skirt. That is not true! Complimentary colors can look even more polished and put together than matching things exactly. Two ways I get around this: A.) I intentionally pair crazy things together just for fun in the privacy of my closet to get over my “fear” of not matching. Sometimes what I think will look nutty actually gives me an idea for a great outfit! B.) When I’m actually getting dressed to leave the house, I try to go for contrast over matching. A slightly different shade of orange on top and bottom might look like you couldn’t match your top and skirt, but if you pair orange with, say, purple, it looks deliberate. Sometimes just looking like you’re not trying to match helps you pull off a look. Bam! Instant “I know how to get dressed”!

3.) Tights are your new best friends! … And other not-so-obvious footwear solutions. Years ago, I thought the only time I could wear a skirt or a dress was in the spring and summer. Any other time, I would either freeze my tail off, look like I had no idea what month was on the calendar, or both. Coordinating tights can be a huge part of what pulls an outfit together, and they’re also my “d-oh!” solution to how the heck I was supposed to wear all my cute shoes in the winter. I thought all tights were the horribly uncomfortable, feel-like-nails-on-a-chalkboard-on-my legs spandex that my mother forced me to wear to Sunday school when I was six. WRONG. Tights can be even more comfortable than pajama pants if you look for cotton or other soft materials without control tops. They will not necessarily squish your midsection to the point of internal organ damage! At the same time, one of the things I didn’t realize was that it was perfectly acceptable to wear heels/flats/etc without socks. My assumption made me believe that the only time I could wear these shoes was with pants, which led me to think there were no acceptable footwear options to wear with skirts/dresses, which led to a skirt-and-dress-free lifestyle. And remember that knee socks are great for wearing with boots. They exist!

4.) Define at least one part of your figure in an outfit, and if you don’t know which part, it’s probably your waist. I used to think that any flowy part of an outfit made me look about as wide as the Great Wall of China and as shapeless as a water balloon, but this is not true! As long as you have a defined silhouette, it can also include flowy elements. If you’re like pre-fashion-blog me and that sentence made your eyes glaze over, the English translation is “when in doubt, put on a belt.” I’d recommend looking in the mirror and figuring out if you see an hourglass. If you don’t, put on a belt. Yes, Virginia, the belt can actually go where there are no belt loops, and it can go on the smallest part of your waist!

5.) You don’t have to wear That thing That way just because you’ve been doing so for the past nine thousand years. When I tried to dress myself in the past, I’d get caught up in these weird little “rules” I had for myself. I didn’t think I could tuck in skirts because I thought it made me look stuffy and big as a child. I had no idea how to wear dressy shoes with anything but pants, so I assumed you couldn’t do it. I paired things together just because I did it once and felt like it didn’t look awful. Even things that I liked on other people – such as creative layering – I, for some unknown reason, assumed wouldn’t look right on me. I thought I’d look like I was playing a part, trying too hard. In my head, everyone was wise to my “I know how to get dressed!” act. Get yourself out of this rut by deliberately breaking these “rules” you’ve made for yourself, even if you don’t actually wear the outfit out. Every time I wore a top tucked into a skirt, for example, it looked a little less like an abomination to me. Pretty soon, you’ll stop feeling like an imposter and be confident enough to wear your rule-breaking creation outside!

And finally, for our most important way to trick people into thinking that you know how to get dressed, here’s one tip that you must always remember:

6. You are a fabulous rock star, and you don’t care what they think. What’s the worst thing that can happen if an outfit doesn’t work? You aren’t going to get beheaded by the Fashion Police. Trust me. I ought to have a PhD in wearing outfits that didn’t work. If you don’t love the way something looks one day, remember that it’s just one day, and you lose so much more in not taking that risk, learning from your mistakes, and challenging your perception of what you’re “allowed” to wear. Anything you wear is going to be fabulous because you are wearing it. When all else fails, throw out the rules and wear what makes you happy. A smile is the most versatile accessory, and ultimately your own confidence is the best way to trick people into thinking that you know how to get dressed.

The kind of woman I'd want my daughter to be.

You're so mean when you talk about yourself; you are wrong
Change the voices in your head; make them like you instead
-- Pink

I was really struck by Dea's blog post tonight, and it got me thinking about the voices we hear in our heads, especially as women. We're bombarded by constant messages from society to have the perfect bodies, houses, skin, hair, lives. If we don't look like the pictures in the magazines, we're nothing. Every "flaw" gets shoved under a microscope, and sometimes all the wonderful things about ourselves get overlooked in the name of chasing perfection that doesn't exist. We hear this endless litany of not-good-enough everywhere we go, from the ads on television to the glares of coworkers we pass in the hallway. But for many of us, myself included, the worst voice of all comes from the inside.



Enemies take what we need and sell well-worn lies
I am my own worst of these. I can't say why.
-- Shannon Curtis

Tonight I wanted to make this post to encourage you not to believe the lies that you hear every day that tell you there's something wrong with your coworker, your friend, your fellow blogger, the woman standing next to you at the bus stop. The same lies that tell you there's something wrong with you. I think that many of these lies are constructed by society to keep us from moving forward as women. Divide us, and you conquer us. Turn us against each other, and the world that has worked against us for so long will win. I have struggled for years with the lies in my head, as I'm sure many of you have, and in the past year or so I have begun to make a conscious effort to fight them. I have my off days, and there's still a long road ahead, but the change it's brought both inside and out has been amazing.







Anthropologie Budding Romance Skirt
Talbot's cardigan
Old Navy tee
Softwalk shoes
Necklace: gift from my sister

I put on this very feminine outfit to show that there are all kinds of strength and all kinds of beauty. There is strength in being true to yourself and in dressing to reflect that. I will not let the world assign a set of labels to me based on how I dress. I command respect both from the world and from myself, flowy skirts and all. I hope that this post helps all the women who may be reading this to silence that ever-present voice that seems to haunt all of us. No matter how you express yourself, remember that I am on your side. The world isn't always kind to us as women, but I hope you remember that we're in this together.

I am a woman. There is nothing wrong with me. I am not going anywhere.

I'm gonna be my own best friend. Stick with me till the end. -- Jewel

Sale is here, and an OotD!

My oh my, that was a big sale, wasn't it? What did you guys pick up? I have to give a shoutout to Heidi who helped both me and Ria score gray Maryam tanks today! I've never even tried this thing on, but Ria convinced me that I needed it. We'll see how it works out on me and if I can come up with some ways to wear it now that warm weather is starting to take over. On that note, Ria and I have a new idea for a feature here at DLaCS, so stay tuned for that!

With that said, I have another old OotD for you:







Dreamy Drape Dress (Anthropologie)
Target cardi
Macy's tights
Softwalk shoes

Hair: click here for a tutorial! It is super easy even if you are dumb with hair like me, and it stayed in all day plus a 5.5 mile run! Seriously!

OotD: Something sweet

Well, folks, Monday is finally over, and I hope you survived! I have yet another test this week, so my Tuesday promises to be filled with the wonders of the endocrine system. Word on the street is that there will be an Anthro sale tomorrow, though! What are you guys hoping for? Nothing on my wishlist is due to hit sale I don't think -- plus, I haven't even tried this stuff on; Anthro is moving too fast for me lately! -- but I hope you all get everything you're wanting.

I have an old OotD for you tonight, and a little surprise!







Gathered Alyssum Dress, Looping Lanes Belt, Zodiac Heirloom Necklace, Sweater Cuffed Booties (Anthropologie)
Target tee
Macy's tights

This outfit is one that I'd call "Classic Katie," as Maria said a few months back. I love wearing this dress as a jumper, and it's so cute overload and so me. I've worn it with tons of different color combinations, and I liked this one just as much as my other attempts. It's a pretty safe "I have nothing to wear" outfit for me.

And finally, I was inspired by AmyK to make a raspberry tart When I saw this on her blog, I knew I had to try it. I'm no baker, but I love fruit and sweets. I replaced about half of the cooked berries with strawberries because raspberries were (of course) not on sale. Also, I love strawberries. I think it worked nicely though! Here are the results:



My interpretation of "arrange berries attractively." I'm about as skilled at baking as I am at hairstyling.



I decided that this recipe called for some homemade whipped cream, which is one thing I actually can make. Where was the other beater, you ask?



Oh, it was around.

I was pleased with this recipe, especially for my first time making a homemade pie crust, and I think I'll be trying something similar in the future!