faux fur stole.

i was completely inspired this weekend by syandsam on chictopia. their article [click here to read] demonstrates how to make your own faux fur stole [for all you DIYers!!!]. 

me, on the other hand. i'm much too impatient [or ADD]. i'll have brilliant DIY ideas... but it stops there. lol! if only i could get someone else to create for me... :)

my faux fur stole actually came from another jacket. i ended up removing the collar from one of my old UO coats... now I can actually put this color on any coat OR wear it on it's own! in these photos it's attached with safety pins beneath the collar. easy peasy!!

today's outfit:

h&m jacket w/UO collar

zara high-waisted shorts

tretorn boots

... with my fav UO knit cap

xoxo, blair. 

asylums & DIY halloween nails.

i've never really been into halloween. 

you'll never find me at a haunted house or watching a horror film. nope, never. i'm a scaredy cat!!!

it seems though in keeping with the spirit of halloween that i would have a photo shoot in an old asylum... the week before halloween. eek! the photo above is the asylum, built back in the late 1800s, complete with vacant/rundown patient rooms, and old tunnels running beneath the grounds. the perfect location for a alfred hitchcock film!!! spooooky...

nail art:

i originally tried the "splatter" effect by blowing colored polish through a straw onto white nails. yep, EPIC fail. i decided instead to do a "backstroke" halloween nail.

paint nails a matte base color

take a darker color, press firmly at the tip of the nail, then quickly brush backwards while lifting the brush off the nail

[i thought about doing red, but didn't want it to look like blood. yep, i'd get queasy]

paint a top coat... and voila!

easy halloween nails!

my colors:

OPI's "alpine snow" & "baby it's coal outside"

xoxo, blair

p.s. a halloween orange or ghoulish green polish would look sweet too!!

renegade engagement shoot.

just got back tonight from a two-day photo shoot in northern michigan. the hubby [he hates it when i call him that... but i love it] treated me to take-out at one of my favorite restaurants. nothing like tomato bisque and a fancy grilled cheese on a chilly autumn evening! mmm... 

i finally decided to post our "renegade" engagement photos from this summer. we took these on a whim with our photographer/friend kelbert [click here for his official website]... his work is very organic & raw [as it should be considering he only shoots film]. these photos are all unedited [true to kelbert's style] and were shot at ross' parents farm [the "eventual" backdrop of our september wedding] -- enjoy lovelies!

xoxo, blair. 

bruised.

heading up north today! 

whenever i travel [planes, trains, cars] i HAVE to be comfortable. i'm not the typical american wearing sweatpants and a northface jacket [not slamming those who do but...] -- my traveling attire always has to be practical, yet chic. 

i don't know if you've noticed, but you won't find me in a ton of pants. i prefer shorts/skirts over pants any day. here's why -- note the tucked-in-socks look. my lifelong dilemma has been finding pants/jeans long enough for my 5'10" frame. it's tricky! i wanted a pair of colored denim so badly -- i bought these even though they're awkwardly short on me. definitely not vertically challenged here!!!

today's outfit:

sheer black button up: h&m

colored denim: jolt

bag: bdg [urban outfitters]

lipstick: "casablanca" by aura skincare & cosmetics

xoxo, blair. 

melancholia.

this always happens to me -- wearing black on my day off. i promise i do like color [maybe]!!!

the hubby was gone most of this weekend working out of state [boooo]. he got back early [4am to be exact] this morning. once again we whipped up our sunday morning "cinnamon-french-toast-w/peanut-butter-and-blueberry-syrup" brunch! for some reason i only have a sweet tooth in the morning. the rest of the day it's SALT! mmm. 

let's talk films here for a moment. ross just showed me this trailer for the movie melancholia -- i usually don't get geeked for films, but this one looks incredible! plus, i think kirsten dunst is adorable... and the cinematography is stellar!!! yes?! movie date anyone?

today's outfit:

blazer: halogen

cotton harem pants: h&m

necklace: h&m

bag: h&m

xoxo, blair. 

tangerine lips.

my new american apparel skirt arrived yesterday! woot woot! i've been checking the mailbox since last friday... just itching for it to get here [okay, i know, i'm like a kid at christmas]. there's a cobalt blue one in the same style that i might have to snag too! 

this post will have to be quick -- my baby sis won homecoming princess so i'm off to the football game [first high school football game since i graduated 34958293... years ago]. go princess whitney!

today's outfit:

leather jacket: joujou

pleated skirt: american apparel

tank: bdg

shoes: mia

necklace: francescas 

lipstick: "so chaud" by MAC

xoxo, blair.

graphic.

i've been dying for an aztec-print shirt lately. i finally found one i liked at forever21 [of all places] -- now i'm searching for an aztec-print poncho so if you've seen one, let me know!

the reverse french manicure from yesterday works perfectly with this outfit. still a little matchy-matchy [i think i have a complex about being too matchy-matchy or something], but eh, i'm okay with it!

okay, so honestly... i wasn't sure about leather shorts for autumn. i knew i liked them on other people, but didn't want to cross the classy/trashy divide. now that i've bought them, i'm hooked! they go with everything and can be dressed up or down! so get some meow! ;) heh.

today's outfit:

aztec top: forever21

leather shorts: rampage

boots: diba

bag: h&m

ring: bought it in bratislava, slovakia like 5 years ago! still love it! handmade by the owner of the shop too :)

bracelet: aldo

xoxo, blair. 

reverse french mani.

after trying [and succeeding] at ombre nails -- i figured i ought to step up my game with a reverse french manicure!

so i'll shoot straight -- this is not for the faint-of-heart. probably my trickiest nail-feat yet [you nail techs out there, don't look too closely]! 

directions:

trim, buff, & file down your nails

1 coat bond aid

1 coat base coat

pop some stovetop popcorn w/salt & pepper for a "post-nail-art job-well-done" snack. trust me, you'll be hungry after this!

paint lighter color in a triangular shape [this doesn't have to be perfect since you'll be painting over it anyways]

paint darker color over triangle to smooth out lines and fill in the rest of the nail [a fine-point brush makes this step a bit easier]

add top coat

munch on popcorn

bask in the glory of your reverse french mani!

[my colors: opi's "you don't know jacques" and "skulls & glossbones"]

enjoy!

xoxo, blair

yellow submarine.

oh the weekend!! another lazy sunday [again] ...

honestly, i haven't been feeling the best this weekend. pretty sure i caught something at work yesterday. i ended up dozing off a little before 9pm last night and slept, and slept, and slept. i think i'm functioning at 80% today -- hopefully 100% by tomorrow!! [plus i'm believing this yummy soy latte i'm sipping on right now will magically cure me. lol]

today's outfit:

chunky sweater: vintage 

faux leather leggings: forever21

knit scarf: bdg [urban outfitters]

i didn't mean to be all matchy-matchy with the yellow nails and sweater -- i actually have a new nail concept in mind -- i'll post it soon!

xoxo, blair.

therapy.

hello invisible readers! hehe. 

i love blogging. it's almost like therapy for me. i get to play dress-up by MY rules, write about what I want, be MY own boss...

[well besides ross giving me modeling direction. lol] 

so welcome! welcome to my style diary :)

today was a workday. i spruced up the black/white/gray combo with a few earth-toned accessories -- plus these fabulous aldo boots [my feet are paying for it now. foot rub, please and thank you!]

today's outfit:

top: lush

skirt: calvin klein [vintage]

tights: betsey johnson

booties: aldo

bracelets: vintage [flashback on leonard] and h&m

xoxo, blair. 

blazing glory.

the husband snapped these photos across the street from my favorite coffeeshop -- the sparrows. right now i'm totally obsessing over their seasonal "chaider" [chai + cider] -- you might say that i'm fixated on the drink. mmm. just took another sip. and typed some more. and sip. heh.

this warm weather has totally been throwing off my styling groove. i'm torn when selecting my outfits since it's been blazin' hot during the day and chilly at night. what happen to autumn?!? 

I WANT TO WEAR PANTS [and not roast]

today's outfit:

white blazer: h&m

tank: h&m

cut-off shorts: DIY [my jeans from forever ago]

shoes: high-top converse

clutch: forever21

nail polish: OPI "need sunglasses?"

xoxo, blair.

bluebird fly.

today's post title was inspired by the song "where do my bluebird fly" by the tallest man on earth. me looooves it!

if you can't tell, i [finally] got my color touched up today. it's a bit darker than normal... usually takes me a couple washes until i'm completely in love with it. why are we girls so complicated [and high-maintenance]?! gah! :)

don't mind the last photo on the right. i accidentally bumped the hue tab, but decided to leave it -- psychedelic, eh? lol

today's outfit:

crop top: zara

midi skirt: salvation army (99 cents too!!)

satchel: nordstrom

xoxo, blair. 

site:lab

sunday mornings are the best. 

we slept in, made some mouth-watering blueberry pancakes (topped with peanut butter & blueberry syrup), and savored the peaceful morning. sigh. 

once again today was uncommonly warm; which was okay with me considering i wanted to get out and see a bit more of artprize before it ends...

we strolled down to the uica [again] and finally hit up site:lab where we snapped these outfit photos! this post is a smorgasbord of us with a dash of art. enjoy!

xoxo, blair. 


today's outfit:
ombre tank: b jewel

maxi skirt: nordstrom
vintage bag: my momma's closet ;)
necklace: gift from my sis-in-law (h&m, i think)

indian summer.

okay, so this week's weather has been all over the place. first it feels like autumn, then it suddenly turns 80 degrees! what the freak?!? :) it was warm today, and being in a hurry to get out the door to work i opted for my sheerest top to ensure extra breeziness... lol. so glad i got my new "nerd readers" in this week from my eye doctor... totally MADE this outfit work! ya ;)

alright. time for bed. schweepy...zzz...

xoxo, blair.