10.27.10

Aerie (American Eagle) Cranberry Dress (Nightgown?) (buy it here on sale)

Target Brown Cardi (similar here)

Banana Republic Yellow/Gold/Maize? Belt (similar here)

Steve Madden Gold Flats (similar here)

Forever 21 Big 'Ole Bling (get a similar look with this)

So I know I said I was going to start doing those Friend Friday posts, and I did one...and I haven't done another. Honestly, a lot of the topics are boring to me, and they create unoriginal content which isn't what I want on my blog. But sometimes the topics are interesting, so I'll probably just do them when I feel like it, much like everything else in my life. I eat when I feel like it, sleep when I feel like it, and pay bills when I feel like it (which is on the date they are due, duh!).

Anyway, today's FF topic was just to list 10 random things about yourself. Since I'm a pretty weird person and I'm pretty obsessed with myself, I loved the idea. So here we go (PS, for more weird things about me, go here!):

1) I despise leftovers. I don't eat anything left over, unless it's my dad's soup or chili. The thought of eating Chinese food leftovers makes me want to gag. (PS, I just gagged).

2) I was never an officer in my sorority, but everyone always thought I was. I just did a lot, knew a lot of people, and had a lot of power (haha, my friend Sam told me I was the puppeteer). I honestly think it's a good thing I wasn't an officer because I probably would have failed out of college and made more enemies than friends. I let power go to my head.

3) One of my housemates my senior year of college packed up and moved out during a football game without telling our other housemate or myself. Freaking weird. And she took all the dishes that my dead grandma had given me! How rude!

4) I used to buy all shoes in a size 8, then, when I was 21, I went to Dillards and the shoe guy told me I was definitely not an 8, so he measured my foot. I'm a size 6.5.

5) The first time I was out of the country I was 2, but the first time I flew in a plane I was 16. The flight was from St. Louis, Missouri, to Kansas City, Missouri, and was only supposed to take 25 minutes. I was by myself, without a phone, and was meeting strangers in KC, and our flight ended up being delayed due to a storm for 7 hours. It takes about 4 hours to drive from St. Louis to Kansas City.

6) Nothing terrifies me more than dead bugs. I can handle crawling spiders and roaches no problem, but when they are dead? Whoo, buddy, no thank you! For that reason, I never smush bugs (except mosquitoes).

7) Okay, this is really gross, but when I was 18 (right before I moved to Columbia) I had this weird rash on my stomach. My mom took me to my doctor, who said it was probably an allergic reaction to metal (it was right where the waist on my jeans was) and gave me a prescription cortisone cream. It got bigger and worse, so we went to a dermatologist. He took a sample of it, and it turned out it was a bovine-specific form of ring worm. I had COW ring worm. Seriously. I still have some faint discoloration on my stomach from it. We figured I must have got it during the county fair that summer (I was in the fair queen court).

8) I am allergic to most frozen citrus drinks. This rules out frozen margaritas and a lot of smoothies. I'm fine with citrus, I'm fine with non-frozen margaritas, but something about the freezing process (or an additive used to aid in the freezing) makes my throat and tongue swell.

9) When we first met, my boyfriend told me that it was a good thing I'm from a small town because otherwise I would be a big b*tch. Ahh, young love.

10) I'm generally not a picky eater - sure there are things I'm not a fan of (like mushrooms or peppers) but I'll pick around them. However, I think Indian food is disgusting. I don't get how so many people like it! I mean, if you are Indian and grew up with it, that makes sense - but if you're just a random person who tries it....I don't get it! And it's so trendy and normally I LOVE trendy stuff!

And on an almost completely unrelated note, I'm wearing full-on thick tights today. I couldn't find a half slip so I figured I would just deal with any static I may or may not get. It's 8:20 and I'm hating my decision already. Seriously, how do people wear tights without slips and live to tell about it? Ahhh!

10.26.10

Forever 21 Polka Dot Puff Sleeve Tee (buy it here - on sale!)

Ann Taylor Loft Black Skirt (similar here)

Forever 21 Olive Scarf (buy it here)

Charlotte Russe Black Flats (similar here)
Charlotte Russe Gunmetal Earrings (buy them here)

As I've mentioned a million times on this blog, the weather in Missouri is completely insane. Last weekend and all this week highs have been in the upper 60s and 70s...this morning I woke up and it was 30 degrees outside. But wait, it is supposed to be back in the upper 70s Saturday! All this temperature flopping is seriously irritating, but at least with it being warm the past few days I was able to get a couple more days of bare legs!

This outfit is from the other day when I woke up and our power was off due to a storm, so I literally got dressed in the dark! I bought this lovely olive scarf from Forever 21 last week thinking it was gold and would be good for my weekend in Columbia - turns out it's olive and it was 70 degrees, so it would have been stupid to wear a scarf. Oh, well!

And, after a particularly obnoxious incident two mornings in a row with the same idiot in a freaking Yukon at my local Starbucks, I thought I would list some of my biggest pet peeves. It's therapeutic.

1) Idiots in Yukons who take THREE parking spots in a 7-spot parking lot at Starbucks on a busy morning.

2) Idiots in Yukons who don't pull forward in the drivethru at Starbucks and leave a three car gap between themselves and the car at the window.

3)When people don't remove the strings holding the slit together in the back of a pencil skirt or long coat.

4) People who use verb tenses incorrectly ("I seen that movie last night") or make very obvious grammar/spelling mistakes. I admit I'm not perfect, but come on - if you graduated high school you should know when it is and is not appropriate to use an apostrophe.

5) Foundation lines. Blend, people, blend!

6) When people won't get off their cell phone while they are checking out/ordering/etc. Odds are your phone conversation is not more important than showing respect to the person in front of you.

7) People who talk loudly on their cell phones

8) Bad tippers (fact: I once had a (now ex-) friend tell me she never tips over $4 no matter what her bill is.

9) When people talk down to someone because of their job/age/race/etc. Seriously, be nice! It's not that difficult!

10) When people have to wait in line to order/pay, and they get to the front of the line and aren't ready. Here's an idea - while you are waiting in line, figure out what you want!

11) People who lack common sense (If I could figure XY and Z out on my own, you should too)

12) When voicemails are left for me without a callback number

13) When job seekers leave me voicemails at work asking how to apply for a job when my voicemail says "to apply for a job, visit our website at ____".

14) When someone calls my work phone over and over and over again and never leaves a voicemail

15) When people call me at work with a question and when they don't like the answer, call back and ask again like they'll get a different answer.

16) People who come in to apply for a job with their pants down to their knees, boobs hanging out, facial piercings everywhere, talking on their cell phone, and being generally obnoxious. And then take all the candy out of our candy dish (for real. I've had girls empty it in their purses.).

17) Coworkers who think I'm my boss's secretary (because I'm definitely not. He's just my boss)
18) Women who wear too much perfume and guys who wear too much cologne

19) When people are smoking and they blow their smoke behind them so it doesn't get in their friend's face...but gets right in mine

20) Objective statements on resumes. You do not need a line on your resume saying you want a job. It's obvious.

Ahh, that feels better. So, what are some of your pet peeves? You know you've got some!

10.21.10

French Connection Bell Sleeved Dress (via Marshalls, similar here)

Forever 12 Purple Beads (buy them here)

Charlotte Russe Leggings (buy them here)

 Charlotte Russe Black Flats (similar here)

Last year I had an addiction. It was a serious problem, but with a lot of thought and hard work, I believe I managed to overcome that addiction.**

My addiction? Shopping at TJ Maxx and Marshalls for designer and higher-level name brands.

Seriously, it was a problem. There is a TJ Maxx and Marshalls on my way home, and I would stop at each one at least once a week (there are new style arriving daily!). To be fair, I usually stuck to the clearance rack at both stores. The areas where the stores were located were crawling with bargain shoppers, so they would pass up something like this French Connection dress because even at the Marshall's discount it was $75. However, when items stick around long enough, the get put on clearance, and no one ever looks at the clearance section - except this girl. I think I ended up paying $25 for this dress! It's one of my winter heavy-hitters for work - I wear it with leggings and tall black boots and no one says a word, and I feel like I'm in pajamas all day, so just a warning - you'll see it a lot here!

Now, I now a lot of people don't shop at TJ Maxx or Marshalls, or are scared to do so. I decided a would do a little tip sheet for checking these stores out.

1) Don't plan on finding exactly what you are looking for. Sure, there have been times when I need a embellished blue tee/plain polo/cute flat and found it, but that's a rarity. Just go when you have the hankering for a good deal!

2) Know the brands. TJ Maxx and Marshalls sell name brands and designer stuff, unlike Gordmans or similar stores that just sell cheap house brands. TJ and Marshalls do have their own house brands, but a lot of those items actually are really cute (this skirt is a Marshalls house brand). The vast majority of the items at the stores are name brand. I've seen Marc Jacobs, Lilly Pulitizer, Ralph Lauren, Steve Madden, Kate Spade, Theory, Vineyard Vines, Gianni Bini, Talbots, The Limited, etc, etc, etc. Selection does vary by store, and the selection in a particular store is based upon what sells well - so in more metropolitan areas or more well-off areas you'll probably find better stuff!

3) Give yourself time. These stores are not pop in and pop out stores - I like to hit them up after work on weekdays (weekends are INSANE and I do not recommend visiting then) when I've got an hour or two to spare.

4) Grab a cart. The stores have carts at the front, and it's a lot easy to push people out of the way when you've got one.

5) Look at your size section, but also look at close sizes. Since the brands vary so much, sizes do, too. I usually pick a rack, start at a size or two above my normal size, and go down a size or two below my regular size.

6) Check out the clearance section. As I mentioned above, the clearance section is left alone by the majority of the shoppers, but that's where you find the really good deals!

7) Know the tags! At my store, regular mall brands (American Eagle, The Limited, Express) have white price tags. Middle level stuff has blue (Ralph Lauren, Talbots, etc), and "designer" stuff has purple tags (Theory, Kate Spade, etc). The only tricky part is that the house brands typically have the blue tags, too, because the stores are assholes and want you to get excited. I think the tag system might vary by store, so if you are going to just look for designer stuff, it might be helpful to know the tag colors. Oh, and clearance stuff gets a red sticker over the tag, no matter what level it is.

8) Don't skip shoes or accessories. I LOVE the purse sections at these stores - I have found some NICE stuff there. It's also a great place to grab some tights - they average around $5 a pair and my store mostly carries HUE tights (so that's a good deal)!

9) Ignore the "compare at" price on the tag. On all the tags, no matter the level, they will have the price in a big font, with a smaller line that reads "Compare at" and then a higher price. These prices are B.S.. First of all, the house brands have these lines, and if they are house brands, they weren't sold at a higher price anywhere else! Secondly, a lot of times the buyers or whoever decides the compare at price is stupid. The best example I've got is a Theory blazer I saw with a compare at price of $100. Last I checked these usually retail for around $400. I've also seen the classic tall Uggs marked with a compare at price of $350, which is bananas.

10) If you are going just to find the good stuff, know the labels. A lot of stores require TJs/Marshalls to mark or remove any tags with identifying information. The size tags/care labels are all still intact, but the little tag with the store name is usually blacked out. It's usually a good sign that you've got a "good" brand when you find that, but just realize it's going to happen. The Limited and Talbots are the two I see most frequently with the tags marked out.

So, that's all my tips! And, it's important to note that these obviously can vary from store to store - I noticed at one store clothes from The Limited had the blue mid-level designer tags! HomeGoods (the housewares store) is the same company and those places are awesome to look at if you need something for your house - I've bought some NICE pots and pans there are bargain prices.

On a related note, St. Louis (actually, the whole state of Missouri!) just got it's first Nordstrom rack a couple weeks ago. I have yet to check it out because the parking lot is ALWAYS packed, but I'm excited. Does anyone have any tips for me? Are the stores just like nicer versions of TJ Maxx and Marshalls?

**Addiction is a serious problem, and I'm sorry if I offended anyone by making a joke about it!

10.22.10

I'm wearing:

Forever 21 Cream Lace Tank (buy it here for $10!)

The Limited Skinny Jeans (similar here)
Target Brown Cardi (similar here)
The Limited Mr. T Necklace (similar here)

BCBG Brown Leather Boots (similar here)

I forgot to ask Emily her outfit specs, but I can guarantee her jeans are American Eagle - maybe she'll let me know in the comments!

I think this picture is proof that Emily and I have a lot of influence on each other.

I think this picture is also proof that my alma mater is one of the prettiest schools ever.

I think this picture is also proof I have pretty friends, because Emily has awesome hair (NOT as awesome as Erin Andrews, though, so don't get a big head, Emily!).

Oh, and for those of you that asked about how I made my nails tiger striped, let me introduce you to this product:

Sephora by OPI Chic Prints. They're essentially DIY Minx nails (and are actually produced by Minx), if you know about those - just super sticky, patterned stickers that you put on your clean nail and file the excess off. It was the first time I used them and they turned out great, and I got a ton of compliments. Obviously they aren't an everyday thing, but they were fun for the weekend, and there are lots of other cool patterns, too. They took about an hour for me to apply, and even though the package says they last 1-2 days, mine lasted 3 days and were fine before I took them off (even though I like to wear animal print to work, I felt like tiger striped nails were a bit too much). Instead of rubbing the stickers like the instructions said, I cut out each individual nail and blasted it with a blow dryer before peeling it off the backing. I have shorter nails so I was actually able to get two fingers worth out of each sticker, so I have enough to do this a second time! They were easy to remove when I wanted to, and weren't damaging at all. The only bummer is that they aren't cheap - $15 for a set - but I thought they were worth it! I was so excited to find them - the tiger striped version has been sold out forever in the StL stores - I actually found the last set in my closest store, and the girl who checked me out said the tiger striped ones are usually gone the day they put them out - I'm sure it's just because of the proximity to Columbia, though, so you can probably find them...unless you live in Cincinnatii Bengals territory!

(And Sara, every time I wear this necklace I think of you now!)

(Also, Missouri - WTF. It's late October - it should not be in the 70s, for reals. I should be miserable and cold.)

(Also, our power went out this morning because of some crazy storms. I literally got dressed in the dark. So, when you see my outfit from today later this week or next week, please be kind.)

(Also, Anthro-philes - the Refined Cord Shirtdress in Red finally showed up on the website. I want it SO bad, but I CAN'T pay $13 for shipping (plus almost 10% sales tax!) unless that's the only way I can get it. I tried calling my local store and they said they don't have them in stock yet and have no way of telling if an item will be in stock at the store unless the item in question was in a catalog - which the dress wasn't. Does anyone know another way I can find out? Would customer service know?)

(Also, I am desperately seeking gift ideas for my dad for Christmas. My dad isn't a golfer, doesn't care about sports, and doesn't wear ties. He's a retired carpenter who works part time at Home Depot (aka doesn't need me to buy him any fancy woodworking toys), who drinks Budweiser and...metal detects (yes, my dad is one of those dudes who walks around with a metal detector. I think the coolest thing he's ever found was a quarter.). My parents both enjoy the outdoors, but they have every piece of outdoor equipment they would ever want. I would like to get him something in $75-100 range, but he would honestly rather not have anything than have something he doesn't want...any ideas?)

M-I-Z! Z-O-U!

Hey bloggy friends! I'm back from a truly fabulous weekend and just wanted to say hello! It's so strange, even though I blogged on Friday, I still feel like I've been away from you guys for so long - sure sign of an addiction, am I right?!

Anyway, I'll be back this evening with a regular OOTD post, but I just had to get this out there:

WE FREAKING WON!

Haha, I had SUCH an awesome weekend - AMAZING weather (they were predicting highs in the 50s with rain and wind - instead the highs were in the upper 70s, it was sunny and there was a warm breeze!), amazing people, and an amazing win! We had record setting attendance at the GameDay broadcast - over 18,000 people - and record setting attendance at the game - over 71,000! I've never seen Columbia more alive, and the celebrations after our big win was incredible - people were popping bottles of champagne and spraying them like athletes do when they win a big game. Everyone poured out in the streets and was chanting and cheering - the police and fire marshals had to shut the streets down because there were so many people in them!

We're not out of the thick of it yet, though - even though we toppled number 1 University of Oklahoma, we still have to play Nebraska next week on the road, which has always been a difficult game for us, and Nebraska is a strong team this year.

Just for fun, here are some pictures of this weekend from my iPhone:

Emily at one of our favorite bars at 8:30 Saturday morning

My tiger striped nails!

10.20.10

 

Old Navy Pink Tee (similar here)
Gap Basket Print Skirt (buy it here)

Charlotte Russe Grey Jersey/Chiffon Scarf (similar here)

Connie (via Famous Footwear) Black Pumps (similar here)

Hello from exotic Columbia, Missouri! The electricity in Columbia is insane right now - the city is usually buzzing during the school year, more so on game days, and even more so on Homecoming, but with ESPN's GameDay in town, it is CRAZY! My friends and I hit up our favorite bar, Harpo's last night, and word quickly spread throughout the bar that Erin Andrews (and Chris Colfer) were in the downstairs area of the bar - my friends and I went to check it out and were quickly denied access to the stairs by the bouncers. Later on in the night, my friend Emily was on the backside of the bar and actually got to see Erin as she and Chris went from the basement up to the patio to catch some air.

We actually just got back from checking out the GameDay set which is set up on our quad - there are SO many people just walking around and taking pictures, it's crazy! Everything is just a heightened experience right now and it's so much fun.

Well, we're in the middle of making spiked cider to drink during House Decs, so I'm keeping this short - keep Mizzou in your thoughts tomorrow and hope that we pull out a win!

Okay, and can I just say - at my work Wednesday have been "Wear Pink for Breast Cancer" day - I was forgetting ALL month long - I finally remembered this week and they had switched it to Thursday so we could wear purple to make a stand against hatred/bullying/harassment. I just can't win (but, for the record, I'm against hate and cancer, even if I can't remember to dress appropriately.)

10.15.10

H&M Leopard Print Puff Sleeve Tee (similar here)

H&M Olive Skirt (similar here)

Anthropologie Gift Bow Belt in Neutral (buy it here)
Charlotte Russe Black Flats (similar here)

First of all, I wanted to congratulate the girls in my sorority! They made it to skit finals (out of 14 Homecoming pairings, only 6 (is it still six?) are selected to perform at finals) for the first time since Homecoming 2006. It's a really big deal and I'm SO proud of them. The Homecoming Steering Committee set it up so the skit prelims were streaming live online so I even go to watch it!

Four Things:

1) I finally found the olive skirt that it seems like every other blogger has. It is SO comfy - but a little dangerous. All day I was putting stuff in my pockets (debit card, phone, keys, etc) and forgetting about it, then freaking out later because I couldn't find what I was looking for.

2) I realized I have a slight obsession with these tees from H&M. They're only $9.95 and I can not resist them! I now have this leopard version, the Ugly Shirt, this red one (the original!), and the beige striped one. If anyone wants to buy me an early Christmas gift, I take a size small. Thanks.

3) I was busted by the cops again while taking these pictures. This time the mall cop with a bit of a jerk, though. He drove up in his little mall cop car and asked if I needed assistance with anything (uh, yeah dude, can you take a picture of me looking effortless and relaxed? KThanx). When I told him that no, I was just working on a photography project for school (you know, with my point and shoot camera, whuddup), he told me I needed to immediately "cease and desist photography" and that I was lucky he wasn't going to make me delete my pictures. So, I determined that mall cops 1) like to use legal jargon that they picked up on the most recent episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent (aka the worst L&O out there!), 2) probably don't read fashion blogs, and 3) think I look like a hooligan or a terrorist.

4) I'm happy you guys are interested in tutorials! I probably won't be able to get started on any until next weekend since you know, Homecoming is this weekend, but I'll definitely put some together!

Oh, and one more thing: I leave after work today for Columbia! SO excited! I even have my tiger tail on my car:

10.18.10

Anthropologie Scalinata Blouse (similar here)

DIY Animal Print Skirt (similar here)

New York and Co. Beige Cardi (similar here)

Forever 21 Olive "Suede" Heels (similar here)

The Limited Skinny Gold Belt (similar here)

Ann Taylor Loft Gold Necklace (similar here)

Yay, another DIY skirt! This one has POCKETS! Now that I know how to make two pretty basic skirts, I'm probably going to go broke from buying fabric to make said skirts! Would you guys be interested in any tutorials on how to make these? Basically if you have a sewing machine (or access to one) and know how to operate it, you can make the stuff I make - I basically only sew in a straight line! If there's enough interest, I'll do one the next time I make another skirt, but if not, no harm, no foul. Even though this blog is all about me, I obviously want you guys to enjoy it, too!

Okay, so these olive green shoes (that you can't see because they blend in with the grass) - I originally bought them because they were cheap (I think around $15?), didn't kill my feet, and were olive green (which is probably one of my favorite clothing colors and so trendy right now!). When I got them home, I couldn't figure out what the heck to wear with them - I mean, they are olive green, for cripes sake! But now I want to wear them with everything! Olive is such a neutral color, and it really goes with so much stuff, so if you find a pair of olive colored shoes, I highly recommend them!

That's all I've got for today. I'm telling you, I can't focus on anything I'm so excited about this weekend!

Oh, except, as I'm sure you all probably know (but if you didn't, know you do!) the always lovely Anjali of Goldenmeans is giving away $400 worth of Anthropologie gift cards here. So go enter, because even if you don't like Anthro clothes, you can just give the gift card to me.

10.16.10

So, this obviously isn't a normal outfit post, but I just wanted to post about my weekend. Besides the football excitment, something else exciting happened - my mom and I auditioned for Wheel Of Fortune (well, kin!

My mom and I have always been really close, but since I've moved back home since graduating college we've been even more close - which results in me dragging her stuff all over St. Louis. The last thing I dragged her to was last year - we went to the free Sheryl Crow concert under the Arch for the All Star game and we ended up in the VIP section in 10th row! When I heard about the Wheel of Fortune tryouts I KNEW we had to go try our luck!

The auditions actually took place at the new River City Casino in south St. Louis - which was about an hour and a half drive for us on Saturday morning. I was really antsy to get out of the house and go, so we ended up down there just before noon, even though the website said the auditions wouldn't start until 2 and it wasn't necessary to get there early because everyone would have an equal shot. Well, I'm glad I ignored that part, because when we showed up there were already about 200 people in line, and by the time they let us in the event tent where the auditions were held, there were over a thousand people in line!

Basically (just in case you are ever interested in auditioning for the show), they have three "shows" a day - in St. Louis they were there for two days and the shows were at 2, 3:30, and 5. For each show, a thousand people are eligible to audtion. They have you fill out an "application" (just a card with your name and contact information), and they all the applications are put in a drum and 5 names at a time are called out at random. Those 5 people are then given about 30 seconds to tell the audience about themselves, and then they play a lightening round version of Wheel. In the show that we were in, they auditioned about 30 people - unfortunetely, we were not called on stage, but they keep some spots open in the final audtions (which take place in a couple months) that are for people chosen at random from all the applicants from a particular city, so we still have a chance!

But oh my gosh, you guys - I now know why they have audtions for that show. Some people are DUMB! People would get up there and say they like to watch movies, so the host would ask what their favorite movie was....crickets. Or one woman said she really likes to travel to Hawaii - the host asked her what her favorite island was. Her response? The Dominican Republic. Awesome. I mean, I get that some people get stage fright, but holy freaking cow! Out of the 30-ish people my mom and I saw, we thought two of them were worth a second audition! We wish we could have just yelled out "NEXT" and gotten someone new on stage most of the time!

Have you ever auditioned for a game show? What was your experience?

Oh, and if you are wondering about the outfits:

I'm wearing (this outfit is totally inspired by Matt, by the way!)

The Limited Grey and White Cowlneck Top (similar)

Target Blue Cardi (similar)

The Limited Skinny Jeans (buy them)

Charlotte Russe Black Flats (similar)

My mom is wearing:
Everything from Land's End. She is obsessed with their clothes.

10.14.10

Charlotte Russe Purple Dress (buy it here)

Charlotte Russe Sparkly Cardi (buy it here)

Forever 21 Polka Dot Tights (similar here)

Madden Girl Boots via Famous Footwear (buy them here)

Forever 21 Purple Necklace (buy it here)

Oh my gosh you guys! Guess what? Okay, so I've told you about how big of a deal Homecoming is at Mizzou here, and this year it's the 99th anniversary of it! Well, Saturday Mizzou played A&M at College Station, and we dominated. Since we play OU for Homecoming this coming weekend, there was instantly rumblings of ESPN's GameDay show broadcasting from Columbia. Now, mind you, in my college career there were multiple times there were similar rumblings, only for the show to go somewhere else. We were already pumped about a 7pm kickoff time (because frankly, tailgating at 6am is not that much fun), but we really wanted the recognition of GameDay, especially since there was all the conference changing mumbo-jumbo going on in the Big 12 this summer and Mizzou is CONSTANTLY overlooked in favor of SEC and other more "relevant" schools for good bowl games and media attention. Well, late Saturday (or was it early Sunday?) it was confirmed: GameDay will be broadcasting live from Mizzou's Quad this weekend!

 This is the first time EVER we've had GameDay broadcast from Mizzou, and everyone I went to school with was FREAKING out over this on Twitter - Mizzou was actually a trending topic for a while (if you don't have Twitter, trending topics are the most popular words at any given time used on Twitter). Then, as the cherry on top, the BCS poll was released last night and Mizzou is ranked #11, with OU being ranked #1! It will be a tough game next weekend, but I'm hoping with the spirit of Homecoming and the excitement of ESPN, we can pull out a win! So, tune in to ESPN Saturday morning and you might see me and my friends (and hopefully thousands of other Tiger fans) on the Quad.

Ah! I'm just so excited! AND the Rams won yesterday against the Chargers, which I know I wasn't personally expecting. It's been a great weekend!

10.13.10

Anthropologie Night Skating Top (similar here)

DIY Red Skirt (similar here)

Old Navy Yellow Cardi (buy it here in different colors)

The Limited Black Belt (similar here)

Charlotte Russe Black Flats (similar here)

Hey, I made this skirt! Haha, it's not the skirt I was talking about in this post, but a different one. It was my first time doing shirring on a waist band (that's why this skirt is just a plain one - I used cheap fabric!), and it turned out pretty well. It's actually a bit too big - I underestimated how much the fabric shrinks when it's shirred, but now I know for next time (or I have a skirt for when I gain 20 pounds).

AND! It's my five year friendiversary with my besties! Haha, Emily and I decided a while ago that it's silly how people celebrate the anniversary of dating and stuff, but never celebrate friendships which are just as (if not more!) important! Emily did some thinking and realized that we (Emily, Chrissy, Tyler and myself) all first became really good friends this weekend five years ago, so it's our friendiversary!

Just for some fun, I thought I'd post of pictures of my friends and I over the past five years!

Tyler and I at a Cops and Robbers themed party...I am wearing (very tiny) shorts under that shirt!

Chrissy, Emily and I at my 20th birthday party. It was 3rd Grader themed.

Tyler and I both in a Men's XXL Cardinal's Jacket

I think this is Chrissy and I at the apartment of a guy I dated my sophomore year (you can actually see him in the background of the birthday party picture above!)

We had a really strange obsession with posing like this during recruitment my junior year...this is skit day, and we were all in the skit (which was Grease themed)

Chrissy, Tyler, and I before Greek Week skit my junior year. Chrissy and Tyler directed. Our skit was based on Rugrats and I was Angelica - which I won Best Supporting Actress for!

The four of us one Halloween at Jeremey's fraternity's party.

Chrissy and I (with Tyler in the background) in the basement of a fraternity during Homecoming my sophomore year

Emily and I at Mardi Gras last year

The four of us with our moms (and Chrissy's sister Katie) during Mom's Weekend sophomore year

Tyler and I making a quatrefoil (one of our sorority's symbols) at Watermelon Fest one year (aka get sorority girls drunk and have them roll around in watermelon for charity - it's fun, though!)

The four of us during mom's weekend this year (yup, that's right - my mom and I went back for mom's weekend after I graduated. And we're planning another for this year!)

Emily, Chrissy and I on the drunk bus on the way to a party - I think it was rockstar theme

10.12.10

Anthropologie Perilla Dress in Navy (I'm loving this striped dress!)

Forever 21 Cream Cami (buy it here - they're only $2.50!)

Charlotte Russe Navy Cardi (similar here)

Steve Madden Nude Pumps (similar here)

Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of post yesterday (I pride myself on posting at least Monday-Thursday, and usually Friday!)! For some reason I didn't have a post already written to just stick up, so I figured I would write one after work. Well, one thing lead to another and I had to have an emergency highlighting session on my hair (what made it an emergency? I noticed my roots while doing my hair in the morning and my stylist couldn't get me in for three weeks, unless I could go after work yesterday - so I did!). So here's my outfit from Tuesday on a Thursday - I feel so backlogged!

While this outfit is pretty simple - dress, cardi, heels, I was really happy with it! I always want to be comfy on the first day of work for the week, and the Perilla dress is like wearing a night gown! I put it on in the morning initially without a cami and I was giving quite the show, so I had to slip a cami on really quick - it still looks like I was pretty va-va-voom, but the longer hemline makes it okay (haha, I hope, anyway!)

Isn't this tree so cool? I think it was recently struck by lightening - it's dead as a doornail and all the bark is stripped off one side. I was actually super nervous taking these pictures because I was worried one of the giant branches would come crashing down and kill me, just like what happened to that lady in Central Park over the summer.

I made it out alive, though, don't worry! No Ashley of the Undead posts on this blog!

Oh, and speaking of the undead, check out Kathleen's spooky giveaway right here! She's the bomb.com, so if you don't read her blog, we can't be friends (I mean, we can...but probably not, like, BEST friends.). She's pretty funny, though, so you should PROBABLY go read her blog.