Neglected My Life

So while I'm procrastinating, I thought I'd share an update. My life is in utter chaos right now. I'm taking 16 hours of really difficult classes on the main campus, and trying to finish a 3 hour calculus in independent study. My major is now chemical engineering/biomedical engineering/pre-med. I'm also going to get a minor in Arabic. I'm taking my bellydance class, and have now moved up from introductory level to beginner level, which means that I will begin to perform at festivals and restaurants sometime in the spring, maybe March. More on that will come later.

In short, I really don't have much time to peruse stores in search of the perfect shoe or dress. Maybe I'll see something in the window at Shoetopia while I'm on my way to Starbucks to get my desperately needed caffeine fix (which will no longer happen, since I realized that my diet sucks), but in general I'm terribly busy.

But I will try to update this more often, and in lieu of an entry with a ton of shoes, I offer you my go-to shoe for instant it-girl status:

Impereal by Steve Madden ($90 at Piperlime)

Wildly Plush Bank Account

That's it. I've just woken up with a wildly plush bank account. What do I do with it, Sarah wants to know. I experienced this on a small scale last week, and I did about three things.

1. I bought the new MacBook Air. Yes darlings, I got the new MacBook Air. Yes you read that right. I bought the thinnest laptop in the world.
2. I added Beginning Arabic I to my schedule.
3. I bought a pair of dance shoes so I no longer have to bellydance barefoot.

Wildly Plush:

1. I would have founded my own University that didn't just raise billions of dollars from private donors to just build new buildings while hiking up tuition 10% per year.
2. UNICEF: they help kids all over the world combat poverty, hunger, violence, AIDS/HIV, and illiteracy.
3. Central Asia Institute: If you haven't read Three Cups of Tea, do so now!
4. Save Darfur
5. Kiva: Users give entrepreneurs all over the world loans starting at $25.
6. Pay off my student loans.
7. Move out of my mom's house.
8. Have a homes in Paris and New York.
9. Make sure that every home I own has its own library.
10. Set up college funds for my niece and nephews.
11. Travel to France, Spain, Israel, Italy, and Egypt.
12. Make sure that my parents are taken care of as they get older.
13. A closet of nice clothing, some designer, some not, but I definitely would want to be treated to a private viewing and fitting of Christian Lacroix couture like in What Not to Wear.
14. One of those Artisan Kitchen-Aid Mixers
15. A Bottle of Dom Perignon for my 21st birthday so I can make a toast to my fabulous self.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

If you are about my age, you remember that annoying commercial from Staples that epitomized every child's worst nightmare and every parent's dream. It's time to go back to school. When I was little, going back to school meant that I wore a pair of white tights, a red plaid skirt, and black boots that went up to my calves. There was always the kitten sweater and the French braids to anticipate.

Now that I'm in college, I don't know what I'm going to wear. Clothes do not seem nearly important as they were. My focus is now on waking up in the morning and getting ready as fast as possible without any kind of hassle, leaving the house early enough to sit in my car as I impatiently wait for a parking space. I've gotten to the point where I do my make up at long stoplights, keeping one eye on the red light. Usually I arrive at school, looking somewhat put together.

For most college students, this is usually the case. We do not care what we look like, and beauty is on the back burner. Late nights of studying and drinking take their toll on skin, and there isn't enough time to properly apply makeup. I've come up with a list of three things that you can use to achieve a pretty, natural look in very little time.

Secret #1All-Over Face Color in Clear Radiance by bareMinerals ($18.00 at Ulta)

Even if I've stayed up all night studying, I still look as if I've had a full 7 hours of sleep if I wear this. I assume it would also be good to combat the hungover look. I just swipe this all over my face after applying powder and concealer and it gives me back the beautiful skin that college sabotaged.

Secret #2

Diorshow Mascara in Black by Dior ($24 at Nordstrom)

I skip caffeine and use this instead to create a wide-awake look. It's probably now a classic or at least a cult-favorite, and I can definitely see why. After using this, I never want to use another mascara ever again. You get bonus points for taking 10 seconds to use an eyelash curler.

Secret #3

Minted Rose Lip Balm by Rosebud Perfume Co. ($7 at Sephora)

My sister first introduced me to the original Rosebud Salve when I was 15 years old. She gave it as part of a gift bag full of goodies for her bridesmaids, and I loved it instantly. The original has a light rose scent that I love, but I recently ordered the Minted Rose Lip Balm with my Quotidian Dress from Anthropologie because the original was out of stock. I love this one even more than the original! It's easy to use and gives my lips a rosy tinge.

Sadie

Out, damned spot!

I have to say that this week, I had one of those awful, Vesuvius-sized pimples that comes around when I'm catching the crimson wave. So, I went to Origins, which helped with my outbreak of acne in middle school when no dermatologist that I saw could reduce it. The salesgirl pointed me toward Spot Remover. She applied a very small amount with a Q-tip and the next morning, the pimple was flat and had dried up. I could then apply concealer to the spot and cover up what little redness remained without anyone noticing it was there. I recommend this. It's one of the few things that I've seen that actually works.Spot Remover by Origins ($12 at Origins)

Oh, Joy! My New Shoes Arrived!

Aren't they divine?

Please excuse my mottled pale feet. There is a reason why I am not a foot model, and that reason would be my feet. But aren't the shoes lovely? They make me stand taller and stand up perfectly straight. You can always tell when a woman feels good in her clothes by the way she walks. The same should be truer for shoes!

Vintage Pretty

I don't believe that I can quite express how much I dislike weddings. The creamy parchment, the spidery handwriting, and finally the dark embossed print on a sheet of vellum terrifies me as I open an invitation. The honour of my presence is requested. Immediately I begin to feel as if I should send them a blender and get it over with, but go I must. Really my biggest problem with weddings is that I always end up overdressed or underdressed and can never tell the dress code by the invitation.

My mother, however, always knows exactly what to wear to weddings and various social events because her mother taught her proper etiquette for everything. She always looked flawless for weddings, so I thought I'd look at photos of her back in the day and figure out what is proper for a Sunday morning wedding at a country club in Texas.my mother at age 19

I think for a morning wedding, it should be somewhat conservative and it should definitely be pastel-colored. It'll be quite warm in September, so I don't want anything heavy or long-sleeved. I found this silk dress from Anthropologie, and fell in love with it. I can wear it again too, because this is the kind of dress I would wear to meet his mother. It's polite and sweet with a whisper of innocence.

Quotidian Dress by Fleurwood ($168 at Anthropologie)