Helloooo Texas!

Yesterday, I flew in from Nashville to Austin, Texas and spent the whole day going around to some of my favorite spots and even some new spots as well.  It is funny how home never feels so strange when you come back.  I was welcomed into Spider House with some good southern hospitality and a tasty iced chai latte.  The weather here is great; overcast, warm and windy! 

I pal-ed around with my dear friend Sarah to Buffalo Exchange, Urban Outfitters, and Pangea.  For lunch I ate some tasty enchiladas at El Patio, snacked on some Horchata at Chango's, and dined at Trudy's with my favorite dish, stuffed avocado. 

I cannot wait to post about my fun accessorie finds at Buffalo Exchange.  It was funny, I didn't even thumb through any clothes.  In fact I kept my eyes above rack level so I would not be tempted.  Instead I bought a sparkly gold belt from J.Crew that will be an easy addition into my wardrobe.

Sam revealed that he went to Forever 21 to buy me the necklace that I posted in my statement necklace post and my dream New Year's Eve outfit, but they didn't have it.  He then went to order it online, and its sold out.  Well, while I was at Buffalo Exchange yesterday, I shrieked while I was looking through the jewelery because I found it!  Buffalo Exchange had a few of the necklaces hanging there, and I knew one of them would be mine.

I wore it yesterday to dinner with my mom, and already got complimented on how great it was! 

**********

Don't look for any new posts for this rest of the week.  I am taking some time off to spend with my family here in Texas.  I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or generic holiday.  :) 

Blogs I Follow - Whip Up

I love to craft as you may know, and although I may not have the chance to craft as often as I like, I always see amazing ideas on Whip Up.  They bring all of the best crafting, sewing, and knitting projects from all over the web.  In case you need any last minute Christmas ideas, check out this site.

I am writing this post in the airport, thank you Google (I guess) for providing free wi-fi to the Nashville Airport.  I cannot wait to get home to Texas. 

A bit of summer to winter? Yes, I did it!

Before I started my year break from shopping, I wanted to find a pair of fall/winter shorts to wear with tights.  However, I never found any, therefore I either have to make a pair or make do.  Now, since my sewing machine is still in repair, I had to make do. 

This summer I purchased a black jumper from American Eagle.

I wanted to give this a shot.  This is what I came up with:

Blouse: Anthropologie
Jumper: American Eagle
Sweater Tights: Target
Flats: Old Navy

Verdict:  Well, it was incredibly difficult going to the bathroom.  But overall, I was pleased with the look.  I felt warm, but not a heavy feeling of so many layers.  I am not sure how it would have worked with a less blousey shirt.  I wore it bowling with my co-workers for our Christmas party, and I bowled my best game!  A 140!

I am going to be traveling on Tuesday, so I am frantically planning out my blog posts for the week, packing, and doing laundry.  I will be going home to Austin for Christmas with my family and I am so excited!

Fashion Tip Friday - White V-Neck T-shirts

Any compulsive layer-ers?  Oh here's one!  I love layering.  Sometimes just a white line under a shirt can really break some monotony in a monotone or funky color palette.  One of my favorite layering options is so inexpensive; packs of mens white v-neck t-shirts. I started wearing them about 5 years ago in college.  They were great to layer under hoodies, sweatshirts, and jackets.  I wore them with skirts, jeans, shorts, etc.  Now, I layer them under cardigans, henleys, and track jackets.  They are my favorite items to wear because they have the comfort of a plain old t-shirt, yet still look classic and chic. White shirts are never something I can have too much of, as I wear them under things all the time. 

These shirts can vary in quality, but I really love Hanes Premium.  They are a little thicker than the regular Hanes shirts.  There really isn't any big reason to go really high end, just stick with Hanes.  They shrink really well in the wash too, and are super soft.  Besides, they come in packs of three which is awesome.

How do you wear these?  You want them to be a little fitted.  In order to pull off this look, you want the bottom of the shirt to skim close to the body, and not be hanging.  You also don't want it to be really tight either.  I get a size small because they are mens and those usually fit me like a glove.

Here are a few shots of me sporting my favorite shirts.  These shots are not me posing for a fashion-shot, I had to actually go fish these from Facebook!

Great to wear with a track jacket, this is Halloween two years ago, I was Mel from Flight of the Conchords, and that is Bret on my shirt.

One of my favorite layering pieces in the winter, paired with a Brown V-neck sweatshirt from Old Navy.

Perfect for a sheer sweater to add a little warmth.  Also, this is a perfect example of me being goofy, yes, I have head shots of Amy Grant taped to my leg.  Just because...

These are an inexpensive addition to any wardrobe, and easy to find at Target!

Thanks again, looking forward to next week!  Have a great weekend!

A few brave goals and some direction

Yeah, I just needed a picture for this post!

If you frequent this blog, you may have noticed that I changed up the colors and design once again.  I am going to stick with this one because it makes me happy.  I hate to admit it but I love pink, and gray.

The past week or so, I have been dreaming of fabulous blog ideas and making mental notes to remember to do things on here.  Some of these mental notes are goals and some of them are just ideas.  Here are some brave dreams:

• Become not just a blogger, not just a fashion blogger, but a Nashville Fashion Blogger.
• Wear or use something once a week that I have made.
• Buy my own domain.
• Actually connect with the bloggers I follow.
• Stop drooling over clothing, and browsing online (or at least cut that time down).
• Be able to ride my bike to work.

I am really going to push hard on getting this blog traffic and expanding my audience.  I would love any advice.  If you live in the Nashville area, I would love to get coffee and talk fashion, blogging, and life with you.  I want to start making connections.

I am going to work on getting a content schedule going, that way if you frequent my site you know what you are going to see.  So far, I have Blogs I Follow happening on Tuesdays and then of course Fashion Tip Fridays.  Can I be really honest?  I love writing Fashion Tip Fridays!

I'm also going to start posting more on my fasting from shopping for this whole year.  It has not been a huge focus of my blog, yet.  I really can't express enough how difficult and how hard this is for me.  I am a shopaholic, and when I get frustrated with my wardrobe, often I get to the point of tears.  I want to show you how I am coping, and remixing my clothing.

All this to say, I want this to be bigger and better.  Thank you so much to everyone who reads this.  You have no idea how much it means to me when I get a comment, or when I see how many people have visited, or who click on a link from twitter or facebook.  I am so thankful.

So here we go, thank you again for coming on this journey with me!

My dream New Year's Eve Outfit

Yesterday as I was getting dressed for a date night with Sam (oh no, we forgot to take pictures!!!), I tried out what I had envisioned for my New Year's Eve Outfit.  I am happy with it and it looks really great.  I just have a few more stylings I would like to make before I confirm it.

However, in my dream New Year's Eve, I would definitely be wearing an outfit with all of these pieces:

Starting with this JCrew Bow-Tie Skirt (my breath gets caught in my throat its so pretty!)

This light pink Truly Madly Deeply Slub V-Neck in First Blush because I love gold and pink together.

 

This Glistening Knotted Necklace from my statement necklace hunt.

These A Leg Up Socks in Stone from ModCloth are perfect, because they will keep you warm.  I would prefer over-the-knee socks here because tights with a band around the waist start to really hurt me after extended wear.  I have a pretty straight waist in comparison to the rest of my body.

This jacket isn't a dream item.  I actually own this thanks to Sam and my birthday.  I wear it A LOT because it instantly adds a "badass"-ness to any outfit.  This Heritage 1981 Zippered Fleece Jacket is also, very very warm.  

Black Mirror Wedges from Mod Cloth would be perfect.  I prefer a wedge or pump if I am looking fancy and drinking.  They provide stability yet still look great.  I could also wear my steal of a deal Nine West Mary Jane Pumps too.

I would love to take a stab at making a skirt like this.  Do you have the bravery to pull off an all over look like this?  I would definitely be willing to try, especially on New Year's!

Blogs I Follow - Citizen Couture

Something resonated with Jason's story of how he started Citizen Couture.  It was the idea that he started in a place that was his job, and then left and did something creative.  It was a story of describing yourself not by what you do, but by what you are passionate about, and then doing what you are passionate about.  I feel ya, Jason.

His street style blog features women and men who are stylists, editors, and fashion bloggers.  His shots are beautiful.  Every photo makes me wish I lived in New York City.

These shorts are AMAZING.  High-waist, leather...

I envisioned doing a full white skirt for a New Year's Eve outfit, and very inspired by Karla's outfit here.

I love the casual cool of this outfit, with a studded cardigan.

She is a teacher... A TEACHER!  I can't believe it.

After looking at this picture, I put on Sam's high top Chuck Taylor's just to see what I look like in them.  Can't pull them off just yet, but this lady can!

Blogs I Follow is a feature that currently runs every Tuesday.  It depicts blogs that I follow.  In no way are these sponsored, just out of the kindness of my heart!

Getting that creeping feeling

Again sorry for the crappy quality of pictures, its really hard when you are home alone and only equipped with an iPhone or an iSight camera.

Before I get to what I really want to talk about today, I wanted to display my outfit that I wore Saturday night to see Brendan Benson with Sam. 

Shirt: Gifted, Banana Republic mens shirt
Leggings as pants: purchased junior year of high school from Wal-Mart probably
Belt: Target
Necklace: vintage costume jewelery from Mamaw
Boots: Anthropologie

Lately, I have been having this burning feeling of really wanting to go shopping.  It all started when I went to Forever 21 with a friend as moral support and fashion adviser for a New Year's Eve dress.  However, I ended up trying on two ridiculous dresses, one of which was covered in sequins.

As I peruse the daily bloggers, and see beautiful and creative dresses, tops, and jackets, I find myself in the mood to covet.  I am sure that it has not helped that my sewing machine has been in repair for the past month, and found out today it will take even longer because another piece broke.  I am experimenting with my serger and have slimmed down a lot of great pieces to make them available for me to wear, but I am craving something fresh and new.

But as a feel the need to shop, I also realize there is a greater purpose to why I have this feeling to cope.  I am beyond stressed about Christmas gifts for Sam and my family.  Work has been additionally stressful (as the end of the year winds down and what not).  Needless to say, in a nutshell.  I. Am. Stressed. Out.  My tendency when I do stress is to either shop, sleep, or be a brat.  I have definitely slept, and definitely been brattier than usual.  I am trying to combat these feelings with positive thinking, setting up boundaries and guarding my heart, and yoga. 

I downloaded a basic class from Yoga Today last week.  Neesha, the instructor, says specifically to focus on an intention for why I am doing yoga and what I would like to get out of it.  Lately, my intention has been peace.  Just to breathe peace in to my lungs, and exhale.  I have done this exercise three times since I downloaded it, and I will be doing it this evening.  Just to gain a little more peace, and a little more strength.

Fashion Tip Friday - What I have to say about underwear

I am going to start this post off with a disclaimer.  This post is about underwear.  I write pretty honestly, so if you do not want to know about women's issues and underwear, do not read this post.  Instead go look here.

Why do we hold on to underwear?  A lot of the time, our undergarmet drawer can be the most neglected area of our wardrobes, and lets be honest, our lives.  Yet it is something we put on everyday, that we look at everyday, and something that usually only a person or few people see (husbands, roommates, and fortunate friends).  Most women have a laissez faire view of bras and underwear... which is wrong.  Why would you put something on your body that is a)unflattering, b)puts a big crease across your butt, or c) doesn't make you feel good about yourself?

I have a few rules when it comes to underwear.

Damaged? Throw it away!
This means holes, stains, snags, rips, etc.  Throw it away, if not for the sake of someone seeing you in those, but for hygiene at least.  Get rid of it.


Nix panty lines, bra lines, and bunches.
You shouldn't buy clothes that don't fit, and you should not buy underwear that does not fit.  One of my biggest pet peeves on people is being able to see their under garments from underneath their clothes.  Now, I'm not saying all you die hard bikini style wearers out there switch to a g-string.  There are plenty of options when it comes to comfort and invisible without having to sacrifice coverage, such as: Soma's Vanishing Edge, aerie boyshorts, and the Bikinis at GapBody.  They key is to look for underwear that has a soft edge, rather than a tight elastic.  The goal is to blur the line between your panties and your butt.

Buy sexy and cute underwear
It really does not matter if anyone sees it or not, but it should matter to you.  Putting something on that you look forward to wearing can make a huge improvement in the way you feel and the way you carry yourself.  Also, you don't have to go to an expensive boutique; stores like Target, aerie, or Gap Body all have affordable and beautiful options.  Look for lace, polka dots, stripes, ruffles, rhinestones, and black.  All of these options can give your undies a flirty and fun feel. 

Make sure it fits
This deals more with bras than anything else.  The statistics I have heard about women wearing the wrong size bra are pretty staggering.  Get fitted for one.  Most lingerie departments will have a sales associate trained to help you get the correct fit.  Just ask before you go into the dressing room.  Also, to get the most wear out of your bras, make sure that the straps are released all the way and it is clasped on the largest setting.  As you wear a bra, it will stretch.  This ensures that it will last a while, because it will fit awhile. 

There is a deeper purpose to this however.  This deals with the matter of loving yourself and loving the body you have been given.  We all have things about our bodies that are a struggle but, I truly believe that wearing the right type of bras and panties can improve our self image.  If you can love your body in your underwear, surely you can love your body clothed.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Wednesday's outfit

Yesterday started off totally mild and then turned into a bitterly cold day but I loved my outfit I wore yesterday.  I first want to say sorry for the horrible quality.  I had no one to take my picture, I was using my iSight camera in Photo Booth.

 

Sunglasses: Thrifted, Buffalo Exchange Denver

Cardigan: Urban Outfitters

Black V-Neck: Urban Outfitters

Belt: Birds in Flight Stretch Belt, Fred Flare

Skirt: Self made using Ready Made's tutorial

Tights: Gap

Shoes: Random shoe store off Milwalkee Avenue in Wicker Park, Chicago, IL

This was the debut of the skirt I made.  I had issues with the gathers for this skirt, so it ended up being a little big.  I needed a stretch belt in order to cinch it at my waist.  I was buying a few Christmas gifts off of Fred Flare the other day and loved the bird belt.  I love the way it looks with my outfit. 

The Necklace from Gossip Girl... kind of found

Okay, I have some information on the necklace worn by Lily on Gossip Girl Season 3 Episode 12: The Debarted.  The necklace is through a brand I am assuming is called Green Beads.  However, there is no data on the site. 

How did I find this out?  Basically, I work with someone, who knows someone, who works with someone?

Got it?  Hopefully they will have some information up soon.

On the hunt for statement necklaces

I am on the prowl.  On Monday night I was watching Gossip Girl (totally without shame).  Lily had on the most beautiful statement necklace.  Trust me I have been scouring the internet looking for the exact necklace.  My first guess was J.Crew, but it was not there.  I have someone on the case though and surely will update my blog as soon as I find out.  (Apologize for the low quality screen shot, but this was the best I could do for now)

In the meantime, I decided to hop on over to Forever 21 and peruse their statement necklaces.  Forever 21 always has the greatest selection of jewelery at a price that is easy on the bank account.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Jeweled Ribbon Necklace, $6.80

 

Native Bead Necklace, $6.80

Chain Maille Drop Necklace, $6.80

Glistening Knotted Necklace $15.80

The last necklace is my favorite.  I wear a lot of gray and I love the way something sparkly looks up against a gray top.  I want this to wear for the holidays!

I will definitely update as soon as I find out where Lily's necklace is from!  

Blogs I Follow - Still Dottie

Still Dottie is a wonderful blog by Ann who lives in Seattle, Washington.  I don't really know much about her, but I love her blog.  She features really great finds, DIY adventures, and some great music.

I first was drawn to her blog because of her DIY J. Crew embellished t-shirt.  I too saw those shirts at J.Crew and loved them!  Although, my patience is a little thin when it comes to sewing on beading and sequins, I loved her transformation.  Besides, I am a such a sucker for a great gray t-shirt.  I think that sparkle and gray go so well together during the winter.



Blogs I Follow is a feature that currently runs every Tuesday.  It depicts blogs that I follow.  In no way are these sponsored, just out of the kindness of my heart!

Feeling nostalgic, looking for oxfords

I will be honest, I was not too keen on the oxford shoe trend until I saw Orchid Grey's pair of oxfords.  I love the way she wears them and I have since been looking for a pair for myself.

In an ideal world of a never-ending flow of cash, these would be my top picks.

BDG Leather Saddle Shoe, $48  - Urban Outfitters

Elsbeth Leather Oxfords, $225 - J.Crew

Tuxedo Cognac Leather, $89.95 - Steve Madden

I think I may spend some time really searching at thrift stores for some oxfords, that may be an even better bet than buying new.

Where do you like to look for shoes?

Fashion Tip Friday - Find a Good Hair Stylist

People tend to have an interesting relationship with their hair. We fight with it, we praise it, fluff it, and pamper it. One of the biggest struggles of being a woman (and even a men too) is finding a hair stylist that gets you. When I was in college, I went to several different hair stylists and got a lot of bad cuts. The worst was the last one I got in Texas. I went to a new salon, and when she got done, I CRIED, and kept crying for days.

When I moved to Nashville, I knew it was important to find a good stylist, and boy did I find a good one. I don't want to make this post all about how amazing my hair stylist is, but this paragraph will be. Amanda is AWESOME. My first time getting my hair cut by Amanda, I told her that I wanted something different. For four years I had the layers and some sort of side swoop. I told her about my hair texture and the way it acts (my hair is really fine on the top of my head and then thicker in the back). She asked me, "What do you think about bangs?" I knew, this was the beginning of something beautiful.

My hair looking fly, and me making gravy for Thanksgiving.

A few tips on getting a great cut:

Talk it out.
It is so important to find a hair stylist that understands your hair and you. The key is to sit with them and tell them your concerns about your hair, the way it acts. The more information you can give them about you and your lifestyle, the better they will be able to give you something you want.

Just ask!
Also, if you see a hair cut you love on some random person, ask if you can take their picture and get the name of the person who cuts their hair. Don't be shy! Just do it! Some people even carry their business cards for them (or maybe that's just me). I found my stylist through my roommate because she always had great hair.
Get creative.
In a financial bind? There are great stylists in training most likely in your city. Check out the local beauty and cosmetology schools. Most often they offer services at a discount price, and there is always an instructor there. A great place to start is to see if there is a name brand school that you recognize, whether its Toni and Guy or Paul Mitchell.

Be honest!
Yes its hair, yes it grows back, but if you see the stylist missed a piece of hair say something. If the guy doing your flooring just forgot the bathroom, wouldn't you say something? If your stylist is styling it different than your normal every day routine, say something. It is okay to speak up.

It grows back.
Don't be afraid to try something different. Hair does grow back. Try a new color, or bangs, or something a little asymetrical. If you have been in a style slump, do something different with your hair. Your hair is one of your best accessories!

Be good to your stylist.
And they will in turn be good to you. Cognito Salon had their Five year anniversary. They had a scavenger hunt, and I went on it. It paid off, I got an amazing flat iron. I always recommend people to Amanda.

Update - The boots

A few months ago I talked about how I was going to invest in a pair of boots. I went into Anthropologie and actually had the chance to try on each pair. Once trying my choices on, the choice was clear.

The winner is:

The Tawny Acres Boot!

These boots are really amazing. I apologize for not posting a picture of me in them, one day soon. They took a while to break in, in fact a three day weekend traipsing around Chicago with my roommate. I had some pretty BAD blisters and realized I should probably put insoles in them. However, if you don't walk a lot everyday, it should be pretty easy on your feet. I do recommend insoles though.

The color is perfect. When I put them on in the store I just knew. I went around to my friends afterwords telling them to touch and smell. They still smell like beautiful decadent leather. I get complimented on them wherever I go, seriously! I was at the post office and an 80 year old man complimented me on them! And he knew his style too, I could tell!

I also have calves that are on the large side Not crazy large, but enough to give me trouble with boots and skinny jeans. These boots perfectly accommodate for my ample calves.

They are still available for purchase from the Anthropologie site and totally worth it. One of the best investments I ever made.

Responding to critcism, and how I suck at it.

Photo courtesy of the beautiful and talented Adrienne Rush.

I will be the first to admit that when it comes to teachability, I have such the short end of the stick. I do not respond to criticism well at all. As much as my stubbornness to change is learned, it is also innate (two days... two days my mom was in labor...). For those out there that are not only children, you have no idea how blessed you are. This only child curse can turn anyone into a brat. Again, first to admit that I am a brat, sometimes... a lot. You never realize how often you get your way, until you stop getting your way and then you realize, you are a brat.

I recognize that this road that I have taken seems alien to some. Why leave the emotional, mental and physical support of friends and family? It is hard to recognize you're own strength when you are constantly being held. We are meant to struggle. If the opposite were true, we would be clouds.

My friends and family know that I am a thinker. It takes things a while to sink in. Yes, often my first response is defense, but I'm working on that. I am learning the difference between reacting and responding. I am learning to become more open to criticism and advice. However, I do take the things that people say in very deeply. I tend to be easily wounded by others. Often, when it comes time to cope, I just need a minute to think and process. I will say, I just need some time to think about it. This is another thing I am learning, and it is all part of growing. Forgiveness is huge in this, but also making people aware of their words. Maybe its the southern woman in me or maybe I held the movie Bambi too close to my heart, but if you are going to criticize someone or something there are words, and for those words there is a time, and for that time there is a place and they should all be taken into account before a word is uttered or typed.

I was listening to Talk of the Nation on NPR and came across an interview with Amy Dickinson, a syndicated advice columnist (Think Ann Landers?). She was talking about graceful comebacks. How do you handle it when someone says something to you that burns? I encourage you to listen, she has some very great wisdom and application and stories to back it up.

I know this post isn't about fashion, or shopping, its actually about me and every once in a while, I'll do a post about me.

Blogs I Follow - What I Wore

Another new feature here at AlysonIsNeat is Blogs I Follow. I am constantly adding new blogs to my Google Reader and I want to be able to share them with people in some sort of large scale format.


I wish I could say that I have been following the What I Wore blog since its inception, but I haven't. I started following Jessica Schroeder just recently but I have to be honest, I am in love! She is also incredibly positive and honest in her writing (which is something I strive to be also). I am inspired by her words and her style. I am constantly telling my friends about her posts, or showing off her outfits to my boyfriend, Sam.

Lately, I have been really trying to put things together that are different and refreshing, and Jessica's blog has been a huge part of that. Maybe its because I am listening to the soundtrack for Glee and specifically the song "Taking Chances", but this blog has really inspired me to take chances.

So go, visit, give her some love!