fall festivities

so it's not quite fall yet in palo alto - it's still 80 degrees and sunny, with no fall foliage to be seen. regardless, i've been thinking about fun fall looks that i would love to start piecing together.

i've made a smorgasbord for the occasion:

neon colors were my favorite thing for summer, but now that it's fall and the tans have faded, i'm looking towards bold and bright options that are a little more seasonally appropriate. circling around, we have some beautiful deco bangles from j.crew that might be an option once they go on sale, but would add a great contrasting color to an outfit. next we have a knit cream colored circle scarf from h&m...i love circle scarves, especially ones that are warm, but a little lighter. and this cream color is kind of dreamy. the gold accent necklace is also from h&m, which i like because it matches the hardware on the shoes. 

next, we have sinful colors nail polish in big daddy - tangerine is my favorite color for fall, and i got this nail polish about a month ago to test out how much i actually like tangerine before investing in tangerine colored clothing. turns out i love it. 

these pants, from the gap, combine two of my favorite denim styles: skinnies, and a little bit of flare. i don't go for boot cuts because they don't flatter my figure, but i really like how clean and elongating these pants are. i also like these cole haan loafers - i'm not usually into brown, but they look really nice with this color palette. plus they have some sort of nike air situation going on, so they're meant to be really comfortable. and they're on sale.

and lastly, the blazer of my dreams, from jcrew. the color is fabulous, and i love the thin collar that you could pop without looking like a tool. the asymmetrical pockets are awesome too.

so that's the fall look i aspire to achieve, once the weather turns more chilly and my pocketbook turns less empty. what fall looks are you excited to sport in the coming months?

i can't afford it friday

i can't afford it friday is back with something i've been wanting for a looong time. friends, i give you: the home stylings of thomas paul.

these pictures were actually really hard to get, so i only added three. i highly recommend you check out his website to drool over the rest. i especially like the melamine, scarves and accessories, and pillows and home sections. happy coveting. cheers, loves.

in memoriam

this post is lovingly dedicated to nerds everywhere. science nerds...

word nerds...

and nerdy nerds. 

rest in peace, steve. you made being a computer nerd oh-so-very cool. may the world be blessed with a bounteous supply of dweeby smart kids just like you, forever and ever, amen. 

p.s. i'm writing this on my mac. 

tote notes

friends, i bring sad tidings. my beloved and incredibly fabulous orange tote bag which i got at my step-brother's wedding has gone the way of all the earth. and since my only remaining powell's bag is stuffed full of rock climbing gear, it's time for a new tote. here are three etsy shops with promising options, all of which are $20 or less:

1. idiopix

i was sold on this shop when i saw the categories by which it was organized: anatomy, asian/orient, floral/birds, sealife/animal. etc. and yes, they make more than just octopi totes. i'm a sucker for the cephalopods. ba-doom ching.

2. squarepaisley design

fact 1: i will be referencing not one, but two different etsy shops with "paisley" in the title. fact 2: these totes are delightful. i particularly like the hedgehog. fact 3. this shop also makes insanely charming (and quite inexpensive) onesies, so friends-with-babies and friends-with-friends-with-babies, take note.

3. paisley magic

mustaches are awesomely silly. peacocks and giraffes are just plain awesome.

4. topshop bonus!

friends, i regret to say that this final tote is no longer in stock. however, i present it to you anyway because it is just that wonderful (and who knows... maybe it'll come back).

cheers, loves. happy toting.

ephemeral bad-assery

hullo loves! i've had this post in my back pocket for a while now, and I'm really excited to share. some of you have probably seen this already, since it's been making the internet rounds, but if you haven't, then you need to. the end.

so i do not have a tattoo. i expect that i will never get a tattoo. while i've seen some i really loved (for example, see maggie gyllenhal in stranger than fiction), i'm just not that interested in something that permanent.

my marriage excluded. obviously.

anyway, even though i'm not interested in a permanent tat (are we still calling them tats? were we ever calling them tats?), i have a deep, nostalgic affection for temporary tattoos; as a kid, nothing in my sweet little wholesome life felt more vaguely illicit. so i was thrilled when i followed a link to tattly, a shop that excusively offers what it has termed "designy temporary tattoos." the best part? they're super cheap, with $5 buying you a set of two delightfully quirky, often colorful, pieces of ephemeral bad-assery. in the words of my dear friend, kathayoon, "let's browse:"

i would put the camera on my shoulder blade.

octopus tramp stamp!

rocket man would go on my shoulder.

kitchen utensils obviously need to go on ankles and feet and other sharpish places.

delightful, yes? and no, by the way: i have not actually bought one of these yet. but when i do, it will probably be this guy, because i like the way it seems both vaguely sleazy and comfortingly bookish.

which one would you wear where?

cheers, loves.

mea culpa

dear amours, 

so, summer happened. and it was insane (due to my crazy job, which unfortunately i can't name because i'm paranoid and i really need them to give me a good recommendation). i hardly ever saw my spouse, or my cat, or anything except windowless rooms, reluctant students, and cranky parents. with a few exceptions, good times were had by none. all of which is just my way of saying that i'm sorry for my ridiculously long absence (although obviously kathayoon took good care of you). but now i'm BACK (from outer space) with lots of good stuff to share including, as my apology to you, a week of posts. a whole week! because i love you. and I'm sorry. so stay tuned, my friends. it's going to be great.

cheers, loves,

haylie