You know, I think I hate the holiday season.
It makes me feel very nostalgic, like I missed a whole lot of life that happened when I was a kid, even though I know I was there and experienced it and have the memories. Its like it didn't last long enough to make a difference, and now I'm stuck feeling awkward if I really desperately want to go sledding down the (man-made) hill in my neighborhood at home, and no one else wants to go.
Then, there's also the fact that there are new things to do with my friends; go to parties, go to bars downtown and flirt with boys that are the same age as the cute TA back at school (and possibly are TAs themselves) and suddenly being in college doesn't matter so much.
Because despite the fact that I thought it would make all the difference in the world and make me feel new again, I just feel like I'm in another year of high school.
The boys are skeezier, the girls are sluttier, and I don't have the comfort of being able to curl up in my bed, in my room (with my locks on the door) with my books and just forget for a while. Break is good for that.

I know that's obviously not the healthiest way of looking at it, but I'm hoping it'll do for now.

Anyways, I wanted to comment on something that I'm sure a lot of you are feeling right about now; loneliness.
It can be suffocating; you know the silence right before you can drift off to sleep? The roaring dullness of no one else's breathing, and no creaks to signal some sort of sympathetic life, can sometimes be overwhelming. Sometimes its all you think about; I know I have those days.
How to get rid of it? During the holidays it can be hard; your friends are around, but they're also with their families or on vacation, and your family obviously can't fill certain voids, but you can always make yourself busy. Take on a short-term project, or get in touch with people you haven't talked to in forever.

Or--to be honest this is probably what most of us are going to do--find a temporary fix. Find a holiday-person; someone to be with and to hang out with over the break, someone who's probably looking for the same thing. Breaks and no school can do funny things to the people you'd least expect.

Anyways, happier note? My last final is tomorrow; I'm not nearly as prepared as I should be, but I think I'll end up doing alright...I hope. :)

Another note? My best friend is an absolutely phenomenal photographer, and I'm linking her here just in case there are actually people (besides her) who read this. She's a wonderful, fantastic artist and she has a ton more stuff that she has yet to put on her Flickr that will (hopefully) be up over break. Honestly, she's amazing, and you will enjoy what you see, I promise.


Here she is: PhotograTay
Short post this week! Finals and all that, plus some family issues that I'm not going to share over the internet. :)

Have a good week!
Miss Guided

Believe it or not, I'm posting within the same week!
This won't be long, I just want to muse a little bit about something.

Why is that we're very productive, right when it's time to go to sleep? I don't get it! I feel the most motivated to do homework/laundry, or do things that need to get done (writing, reading, exercising, etc.) around 11 or 12 at night, and it's fairly frustrating, because I know that I need to get up at o'dark thirty tomorrow morning. It's weird.

Anyways, I'm procrastinating (really, really badly) on doing my Hebrew homework, so this is what I'm doing instead.

Short, sweet, and to the point.

Also, is it bad that I'm half excited to get away from home and back to school. My parents are fairly controlling so this is a whole lot for me to deal with right now. Hopefully things will work out.

Today, I went to every place that I ever fell in love, or got my heart broken. It was oddly cathartic, and I took pictures, so I didn't have to feel guilty about forgetting. I'll always remember the bad bits, but the good parts (like the trail by the lake near my house) are starting to fade. I need to focus on the way I was wearing a white summer dress, and he grabbed my hand like it was his only lifeline to the world. I need to remember big brown eyes asking me where I thought I was going, when I tried to get back in the car without kissing him goodbye.
Or, maybe instead of focusing on the bench where a whole lot of my world fell out of the sky, I'll focus on the feeling of freedom I got this past summer, flirting with everyone and feeling beautiful, because someone was actually telling me so.

Here's a bit of advise; if he tells you that you're beautiful, keep him. If he can't express it, ask him to, and if he still can't, run in the other direction. There will be other things that he won't be able to express, and if he can't explain an attraction to you, then is he really into you in the first place? Never settle for the blase cool-guy attitude. If he makes an idiot of himself in front of you, smile and play along, and depending on his personality, either sooth or joke about it with him.

You'll know when he's treating you well; you'll feel like you're on cloud nine, and you won't make up excuses for bad birthday presents or not returning your calls, because those things won't happen (often).

Anyways, that's my rant. I'm seventeen and I've had my heart broken three times. That's three times too many, and now it's my turn to break a few.

Not really, but I want to keep my options open to people who are different, who won't be careless or too frugal with my heart or theirs.

Swear, I'm done now. :)
Love you,
Miss Guided

Aren't I awful? Seriously, I need to get my act together.
To be honest, I didn't expect for college to be this...much.

It's a lot to deal with, and I'm doing the best I can, but sometimes our best doesn't reach the threshold of "necessary." I'm working hard to meet it though, so we'll see how that goes.

Here's my helpful hint of the day (that I need to start following), when you get a syllabus, make sure to assign yourself reading AHEAD of time, and make sure you get it done when you assign it. I can say quite safely that reading is the number one priority for me since it takes so much time, and is so important for passing classes.
Don't worry though, I'm not failing (not even close, actually) and I've got good grades. In fact, I just got a strange email from the Residential Programs and Services offices saying that there was a special floor of the apartment housing on campus reserved for Honors College Students.

Now, this was strange for me, not because of the whole new apartment buildings thing, but because I didn't know I was apparently in the Honors College. I have to double check with them and make sure its not a typo--which I'm halfway convinced it is--or a bad email, but it'd be pretty cool if it were true. Regardless, my goal is to get into the Psych Honors Fraternity, so we'll see how everything else turns out.

Hm, onto relationships? I think so.

My love life? Dead. Yours? Probably not so much.
Here's the thing, if you don't party a ton and don't drink until oblivion, it's really hard to meet "nice guys" or even just guys in general. To date, I've only met a handful of mildly interesting guys outside of parties, and I don't want to start anything (dating, hooking up, FWB, etc.) with someone I met at a party. There's one or two guys that I've met in classes, but I'm not even mildly interested in them because they've both made it abundantly clear that they are "party boys."

I'm not a party girl, in case you couldn't tell. I prefer a book, a movie, or a ridiculous adventure to going out and getting smashed. Not to say I don't, but only in moderation (I don't get blotto) and I'll never try anything irresponsible (driving drunk, drunk dialing, drunk hooking up, etc.) that'll get me into huge amounts of trouble.

Now here's the million dollar question. Why can't all men be Mr. Darcy? He was moody and unsightly and not really the handsomest guy ever (according to the book, the actor in the movie was adorable in a not-perfect-but-still-a-little-good-looking-in-a-"doesn't-care" sort of way), but he was respectful and kind and WASN'T AFRAID TO ARGUE. That's a huge turnoff when the guy agrees with EVERYTHING you say and doesn't actually have an opinion of his own. Or when he's just kind of "well I'm too cool to have an opinion on politics, so I'm not going to discuss them with you, partially because I think the less I talk, the less you'll talk, and the more likely it'll get that I'll get lucky."
Really. I've dated that. More than once.

Or what about the guys you see already attached? Ever notice that the girls are either A) drop dead gorgeous, B) A and/or also very very intelligent, or C) A combination of A and B or one of them, plus having a ridiculous sense of humor. You can't help hating them, but you can't because they're so gosh darn nice. It's really very frustrating.

I'm trying to keep a good outlook on things. It's only first semester, I don't need a relationship right now, I need to concentrate on friends and grades and family and blahblah blahty blah.

I should listen to my own advice more often, but I try not to listen to fools.

Lets see...ooohhhh. Holiday shopping. Now, I'm Jewish, but I call it Holiday shopping because, to be honest, a small minority of my friends are also Jewish, and we rarely exchange gifts.

Anyways, gifts for friends? Lucky Mag (I need to stop quoting them) did a gift spread, and it was pretty good, but it didn't distinguish anything for those of us who have to pay for school/books/EVERYTHING on top of the hols.

• The Best Friend: Something personal. It doesn't have to be horribly expensive, but make it matter. Make it be something you know she'll get a kick out of, because it's an inside joke, or something you know she's wanted since forever. Or make it yourself. Ideas? Bookworms, don't get them books; get her a journal, or a book diary, then make a list of books you think she'll like, plus maybe adding them in there. Sports fans? Instead of that Jersey, how about two tickets to a game? Music addicts? Make him a mix CD, but add your own recordings of your voice telling a funny story, then tag on maybe his favorite CD, or a cool vintagey clock radio.
• The Acquaintance: A nice card, and some candy or nice chocolate is nice for a girl, but for a boy that you agreed to exchange gifts with (rare, but hey, some people do it) maybe get him an inexpensive techy-gizmo or a new scarf. Believe me, boys are starting to get more into scarves as time goes on, and I've had more than one friends say that he wants one, but is too embarrassed to actually buy one. Boys are weird, but we have to indulge them sometimes, right?
• The Significant Other: Similar to the best friend, but maybe for your man, get him something that the two of you can use/do together. Is he an adrenaline junkie? Skydiving lessons, and tag yourself on there with him. Actually, an increase in endorphins is directly linked to a better love life, because people are attracted to others who do things with them, and the increase in endorphins are going to make you happy. He'll connect the happy feeling with you, and who knows, things could get very happy afterward. ;)
• The Parent: You know your parents. You don't need me to tell you what to get them! Unless your father is like mine, and throws down the cop-out "All I want for Hanukkah is my family's love and blah blah blah," in which case, good luck and let me know when you figure out what the hell to get him.

On my personal shopping list?
Best friend? Inside joke gift (it would embarrass her if I put it up here), and a combination photo album (a few pics of us inside) plus journal. She likes to write and read, so I'm also going to get her a book-review diary. Hopefully she doesn't read this. :)
Mommy? I'm going in to get her something nice when we go shopping for my birthday.
Daddy? A lisence plate cover for his car from his Alma Mater.
Brother? LOTSA MUSIC. I need to figure him out still, but I'm sure he'll be fine.

Everyone else? Cards and candy. :)

For me? Well, I'd like this pair of boots.

They're practical and pretty. Two of my favorite words. Anyways, they're Steven Boots, Frencchh.

Also, here's my big dilemma for the holidays.
PARTY DRESSES.
Love it. Okay, well lets just say I have a dress thing. I love them. I love the swingy-twirly-girly wonderful feeling you get when you get into a dress you feel sexy in. And my mission this winter is to get that, in one dress!

Here are some options, and what's so wonderful about each of them!

THE L.B.D. (Little Black Dress)
Alright, so this first one seems simple, right? RIGHT! That's the point! Despite the fact that the model looks miserable (if I were that thin, I'd be pretty pissy too), the dress itself can take on a few extra embellishments that other, more vibrant dresses can't take. Maybe a few cute chunky gold bracelets, and a pair of scalloped, fun tights, a cute pair of warm booties, and she's set for party-hopping!


Okay, so I have a thing for lace, as you'll begin to see with this dress and the next few. But I can't help it! This is one of the only embellishments that can be so classy and sexy at the same time. Sometimes with certain materials (mesh, tulle, etc.) you get a certain vibe (prostitute, prom queen, etc.) that may not be positive. I like lace because it's going to give you a cool, contemporary but classic feel; very Audrey Hepburn, I think. Also, this dress specifically has some good details. The single pleat in the center of the skirt is forgiving of wider hips or thighs, and the lace at the top of the dress can cover up a fuller bust (if you're modest) or give a girl with a smaller chest a bit of a mysterious-sexy sort of boost.

Again, the lace. This one is a little harder since it is so form fitting, but if you're comfortable with your waist and hips, this is a good dress to have. The longer sleeves contrast the short hemline, and give you more modesty on top. Always good to tease, never to leave nothing to the imagination. This doesn't need tons of accessories, and if you're cold, throw on a pair of opaque black tights and heels, or maybe (if you're daring) a pair of scalloped or designed tights, and a pair of tough ankle boots. Very chic. An asymmetrical leather jacket is always great over lace.

This one is so sweet! It's showing just enough skin through the holes so that you don't need to worry about the higher neckline being a little marm-ish. I like the way it hits too. Not everyone can wear a baby-doll hemline, so it's good that designers are throwing variety in there. You don't need anything really crazy to go with this, maybe black tights (really, it gets COLD) and a pair of cute, but not too-tall heels. The hemline is short, and it'll look even shorter the higher your heel.


This is the L.P.D. Little Purple Dress. Every girl should have one (this is on the top of my list this year as well) and it's a great staple. The fabric is such that you can go from day to night, adding or subtracting accessories and a cardigan (work appropriate) or a cute pair of sky-high heels.
Last, but my favorite! This dress is gorgeous and has everything going for it. The lines are wonderful (since it ties in at the center, but above your waist, it slims you from that point down, and draws the eye inward and up) and the asymmetrical hemline is great if you're a little uncomfortable with your thighs. It shows just enough to be sexy, but not so much to make you squirm. Also, the sweetheart strapless neckline is a great addition, definitely if you have a smaller bust!



I think that's all I've got for now, and as usual, I hope I update more often!
Love,
Miss Guided

SORRYY!!!!

Here I am, apologizing all over again for things that I promise and never live up to. I really am sorry (to whoever is actually reading this trash), but things this past month or so have gotten very hectic. I'm sure those of you who have started classes know exactly what I'm talking about; homework can take from 2 to 8 hours a night (I actually spent all day Sunday in the library studying for one class), and add on the every day stress and also the special type of stress I've been dealing with...well it's anyone's guess as to how long it's going to take me to crack.

General Stuff? I've been making tons of new friends. I don't know about you all, but I've noticed that Freshmen tend to be the friendliest groups of people. Sophomores think they know it all about the campus and are too high up on the food chain to speak to lowly freshman (actually, the word "sophomore" means "thinks he is clever" or something of that sort; a very egotistical kind of connotation), and Juniors and Seniors for the most part live off campus so they're really not mixing too much outside their already-established groups of friends. This whole freshman-friendly syndrome is sort of a good thing and a bad thing, but I'm definitely enjoying the benefits. It's easy to meet people because everyone's super eager to make friends. Everyone is in the same boat; alone in a sea of new people, and it's scary and exciting and to be honest, we're all feeling the same thing.

Good news is, some people are handling the stress better than others (I am one of the "others"). Learn from the people who seem patient, calm, and on top of their work. They probably do all their homework during the day, and have a good time at night when everyone's around socializing. They're also probably exercising at least 3 times a week for at least an hour each time. Staying healthy is a huge stressor (especially on people ages 16-25), and it'll make you feel better to actually be doing something about being stressed.
The theme of this is basically time management; you need to be able to prioritize and allocate time slots to things that need to happen.
Here's a little starter list of things that most people need to do on a daily/weekly basis, and an estimate of how much time to spend on each thing. Make your own to-do list if you're ever feeling overwhelmed, and you may find that you haven't really got as much as you think to be worried about.

• Laundry (once a week, it usually takes anywhere from 2-3 hours; do this at the same time as monotonous reading. You'll learn/absorb more because you break every 30-45 minutes to switch loads, and you'll be able to recharge and come back after thinking about what you last finished.)
• Homework (every day; depending on your course load it can take from 3-8 hours. Multi-task! You can do laundry and do homework at the same time! Studies show that for every credit hour you spend in class, you should spend 2 hours studying that material and the supplementary reading. 16 Credit Hours a week? 32 hours of studying. It sounds like a lot but if you split it up it's really not too much to handle. Besides, weekends during the day are slow, and you have plenty of down time to get things done during the week.)
• Extracurricular activities (I've only been at school for half a semester, and I've already joined a very time consuming club. I'm really excited about it, but it's definitely going to be a lot of work. My schedule usually pans out so I've got a meeting for something--maybe my scholarship program, or for a club, or for a study group, etc--every night, for about an hour to an hour and a half each. Make sure you get what needs to be done, finished BEFORE you go to your extracurricular if possible.)
• Relaxing (It sounds like it'll be easy to take time away, but really, I get maybe an hour each day to just take a step back. Make sure you set aside time for a nap, or just to mess around on facebook or read a book for fun, at least every other day.)
• Working out and staying healthy (Eat at least once every five hours, and try to get in about an hour of exercising 4 times a week, or even every day if you can fit it in.)
• Being Social (Weekends are good for this. At night, go out and have fun, but during the day, make sure you get your work done.)

That's all I've got for now, but I'm hopefully going to be posting more often now that I've got a set schedule going on!

Love,
Miss Guided

Here at last!

First of all, let me apologize for taking so long to put this post up. I know I definitely should have since it was the first day and all, but seriously I've been so busy/bored-busy that I haven't even been able to enjoy the peace and quiet of my dorm.

And that's where you get confused, right? Because I'm in a dorm, and my life is supposed to be loud and hectic and crazy and just all around insane. Well, here's the thing, I got a scholarship a few weeks back that lets me come to school early (which I obviously jumped at) to be a "community leader" (aka floor-bitch). It's been pretty chill (people say that word a lot, "chill") and there's really not too much to do since no one's here yet.

One good thing? I was able to organize myself and get my things settled into my room without another person taking up just as much space as I was at first (I tried as hard as I could to divide the room equally). It was low-key and easy and it makes me glad I moved in early.

Helpful hint; make a list as soon as you've unpacked of things you're going to need to get on campus. My biggest things to get are power strips and extension cords. There aren't enough plugs to do anything with, and I keep having to pick and choose what I want to keep plugged in. It's a pain.

Good tip to make yourself feel moved in (even if you aren't 100% unpacked) is to put your wall art or whatever decoration you want up as soon as you can. It gives the room a personalized feel and makes things a little brighter than a white-washed jail cell.

Unfortunately, I'm exhausted so I'm going to have to make this post short. I'll definitely make up for it soon, but you're going to have to give me a little time to adjust.

Goodnight for now!

Miss Guided

It's in your Jeans

So I took a little impromptu trip to the mall today to blow off some steam (window shopping, people, I'm too poor to actually BUY anything just yet), and I decided to check out exactly what it was about Gap that has the "elite" fashion world in an uproar. I'm mildly addicted to reading Lucky Magazine's blog (mostly Cat Marnell's, because she seems like a generally awesome person from her writings, and because she's got a very poignant outlook on how people use products and choose what to buy), and I always see things about the perfect pair of jeans. So, I went on a search..

(Random good news, apparently I've lost quite a bit of weight, because I went down to a size 3/4 from the 5/6 or 7/8 that I was earlier this summer. I don't know how or why, but I am not complaining. I'm a fan of having a flat tummy. :) )

I can't say I found the perfect pair, but I did realize a few things about the current trends going on, and I'll share my findings with all (none) of you.

Number One: Boyfriend Jeans are HARD.


Cute, but very hard to wear. Case in point? My thighs.
Now, I'm not super duper hippy, nor am I twig-esque; I'm average. This trend is incredibly hard for me to wear because the jeans will always have some sort of whiskering around the thighs or fading from the top of the thigh to the inner/outter leg. Obviously, that'll make my legs appear much thicker than they actually are. I'm not a fan of this. No girl is.
Your best bet with this style is to try and find a pair that's a darker wash, and slimmer through the leg than the standard baggy jean. Also, make sure it folds up and looks good with a pair of heels IN THE DRESSING ROOM. My mistake was that I wore flats and didn't bring a pair of heels with me, and that made me look even shorter than I am (nearly impossible, since I barely top 5'3").

Number Two: The Super-Skinny Jean is Easy.

Believe it or not, this trend is a go-to for pretty much anyone. If your curvy or thin or short or tall, you CAN make this work. I promise.
For curvier girls, if you like your hips and want to show them off, these jeans are a great way to do that while still being modest. Make sure the fit around the waist is snug and fits at or above your hip bone so there's no extra room in the waistband, but so that there's also not any "muffin-top" action going on. Throw on a loose peasant top and you're good to go. If you want to balance your bottom half, make sure the top is a little loose, but not too voluminous. As always, a good pair of heels makes your legs look super gorgeous with just the right amount of curve. The over-the-knee boots that are beginning to hit stores now are also great ways to balance your curves.
For those of you who are tall and slim, these jeans are obviously a great way to show off your mile-long legs. The boot trend is a great idea for you as well, since the skinny fit will obviously go right into the boot, making your legs seem even slimmer while adding some interest along the way. You'll get the up-down look like you wouldn't believe. However, stay away from heels with these jeans if you're tall. It'll only make your legs look severe, and chances are that you don't want that. Throw on a pair of flat boots like I was saying earlier, or maybe a cute pair of gladiator sandals.

Also, Cat Marnell in her little blog thing was right; there's this Coconut trend going on with lotions right now, and the Body Shop got it right. Like I said, I'm poor right now, but I've got perpetually dry skin and as soon as I get my paycheck I'm investing in one of those tubs of body-butter. And maybe their lip balm.
Surprisingly enough, when I was in the Body Shop today, I didn't find any face SPF. None. It was weird, and I'm not a happy camper. Any suggestions? My next stop is Kiehl's, but they're very expensive and I'll have to eBay it up for that one.

Until next time!

Miss Guided


P.S. I leave for school tomorrow! I'm so excited! I'm all packed, and I'll be posting pictures of the insanity of my living room right now (the living room is my current storage unit, and my mother is positively thrilled that it can go back to "living" status once my stuff is gone).

Skin-Care Obsessed

I can tell you right now that I am obsessed with one day having "perfect" skin. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, first impressions are the most important ones you'll make, and your skin is often the first thing people will look at.
I've had issues with my skin since before I hit puberty. I started wearing make-up young (BAD IDEA) and thus clogged my pores at an early age; I've been making up for that mistake ever since.
I've been on almost every topical and anti-biotic anti-acne medication available, and I've only ever had minimal results (because I'm flaky...). Recently, I got so tired of having acne-prone, dull skin that I considered making an emergency appointment with my dermatologist and having him put me on Acutane (the most potent, dangerous acne fighter on the market) before I went to school.
Then, I came to my senses.

I've been so terrified by the Acutane-mess before now that I didn't even want to think about going near it again. I decided I'd try Retinoids ONE more time to see if I got results from a super-vigilant regimen.

Here's my process: Every other day, apply pea-size drop of Retin-A Micro (pump) to entire face; moisturize 20 minutes later after product sinks in. Every day, scrub face twice with acne-fighting scrub with salicyilc acid; once in the morning, once at night. Moisturize 20 minutes later.
Only use make-up that is oil free, use sunscreen EVERY day (at least SPF 15), apply as little foundation as possible, and after swimming, moisturize.

I'm also going to try and keep my intake of fried or processed foods down, since diet can affect skin tone. I want to start eating more raw veggies (how I'm going to pull that off on campus, I have no idea, but I suppose I'll be making good use of any and all salad bars) and eat more foods with Omega 3's (ie: nuts).
This is going to be hard, but it's been something I've struggled with since I was way too young, and I'm done with having to hide my skin behind layers of make-up.

Wish me luck!

Miss Guided

The best, easiest, most flattering outifts that I found in Wicker Park

Alright, now I'm posting these a little late. They're from my trip to Wicker Park earlier this summer, and I haven't gotten around for them for one reason or another, so here they are now. I really really love these because they're sort of a starting point for the "fashion" portion of this blog. Yes, the stuff is ridiculously over-priced, but the thing is that each and every single one of these outfits can be made with staples that you've probably already got in your closet.

Number One: The Day-to-Night Outfit

I love this sort of look. The easy silhouette of the dress is smartened up by a crisp denim jacket, and laced with whimsical accessories. The only thing I would change would be the belt; make it a little more low-key with a thin brown leather belt (sort of keeping with the rustic theme of the whole thing), and instead of buckling it neatly, sort of knot it up after you've slipped it through the hole. It's a great way to do not-trying-too hard while still looking amazing. Very good shopping outfit because it slips on and off easier, and the more rumpled you look, the better it comes off.
The belt nips in your waist, and even if you're a little thick around the middle, the thicker material of the dress creates flattering shadows that give the illusion of a smaller tummy. Also, since you've got the jacket on, the 3/4 sleeves make your arms look toned; you can only see the slimmest part of your arm. Very flattering, super easy, and perfect if you need to switch from day to night. Switch out the denim for a more form-fitting blazer, and add a few pieces of jewelry. Good summer/fall style tip: Clutches are wonderful. They're so easy to carry around, and they keep perpetual pack-rats (like myself) from carrying too much around with them. Plus, they go day to night, no additions/subtractions necessary.

Number Two: The Gypsy Summer Dress

This dress has everything going on for it, and I mean EVERYTHING. First, it's a flattering cut. The empire waistline is perfect for practically every body type, and the substitute of a sleeveless shoulder instead of little tiny straps makes it easier to wear for those of you with a little extra baggage on top; no pesky bra straps showing! I've heard from a lot of my bustier friends (I'm personally a card carrying member of the Itty-Bitty-Titty Committee) that one of their biggest pet peeves for summer are dresses that don't have thicker straps; strapless dresses and these super-revealing strappy-shouldered sun-frocks have been all the rage this summer, so I hope this dress will be a bit of a relief. It's also great for those of us with smaller assets because the filmy material will add just a bit of bulk in that area.
The handkerchief hem is also VERY forgiving; since the dress nips in just underneath the bust, it silhouettes a very slim part of your body (for pretty much anyone) and if you're a little hippy or have a thicker waist (like me) it skates over your curves and sort of smoothes everything out. (I've got this beef with my body; there's this weird little indent between my hips and my thighs, and it makes my legs look much bigger than they actually are, but in this dress, you can't see it. :) )
Your legs will look AMAZING in this because of the length (just at or above the knee, give or take a few inches); it highlights the slimmest part of your calves because of the staggered hemline.
Definitely notice the jewelry here (it was actually the first thing that drew me to this outfit); the snake pendant is unique and very luxe looking, and it would look very gaudy if you were to put on anything more than that. With busier dresses like this one, it's best to have one stand out piece of jewelry (a bunch of bangles OR a big pendant necklace OR long drop earrings, etc) and leave everything else alone. More IS less in this case. However, if the dress were just a plain black, I would definitely suggest adding the bangles, and the earrings, and keeping the necklace.
All in all, a great outfit to wear pretty much anywhere, but I definitely see this as a first-date to a nice-ish casual restaurant thing to wear.

Number Three: Chic Utility





Here's a no-brainer; you are going to need a laptop, and hey, you're also going to need a laptop bag. Yes, there are some pretty brightly colored ones you can get at Best-Buy, etc, but if you're looking to splurge on something, this is the thing to do it on. You're going to use it every day, and it will serve a very important purpose; keeping your laptop (which pretty much holds your life in it if you're anything like me) safe. The cases on the top have a fuzzy lining to keep things clean, and lots of padding just in case you drop the bag. Added, you'll never mix yours up with someone else's because yours is just so gosh darn unique. :)

The picture on the bottom has a lot going on, so lets break it down a bit. The bag in front is the perfect example of what you're going to want for classes (if you want to skip the backpack deal). It's huge, and brightly colored (easy identification if you leave it somewhere), and it's got a shoulder strap. Throw it on your back if you ride a bike (which I suggest, since walking takes too long and most schools are getting to be very biker-friendly), or casually stroll with it from class to class. Also, the leather looks and feels like butter; I don't know about you guys, but I'm a sucker for well worn in leather. It's soft and amazing and it ALWAYS looks good with whatever you're wearing. Besides, burnt orange is a gorgeous color for fall.
To be honest, the bag on the left is sort of blah, but I checked inside it, and it's got a bunch of slots for pens, cords, phones, iPods, etc.; serves as an impromtu (if rather barely insulated) laptop bag.

And scarves? Come on people, you were there last year when all anyone had to do to spice up a plain white t-shirt and a pair of slouchy jeans was throw on a colorful scarf and voilà, you're done! Easy and functional; in fact, when it gets colder, layer them for extra coziness and extra style. I read in Elle Magazine the other day that layering scarves is a great way to add a bunch of punchy colors to an otherwise drab outfit.

That's pretty much it! Tell me what you all think!

Love you! (please let someone be there...)

Miss Guided

And here we are, about two days from move in, and I'm sort of completely packed. As I said in the last few posts, I'm a list-er, and I'm holding true to my habits by making a list of every clothing item that I've brought, and every single other piece of crap that I've (over)packed. What have you all packed so far?

I recently went to a cute little town with my mother (a spur of the moment bonding time) called Geneva (not Lake Geneva, just Geneva), and I found the most wonderful thing in the world.
An antique shop; but not just any old antique shop, a beautifully cluttered one, with reasonably priced knick-knacks, books, jewelry, old toys, furniture, etc. It was amazing.






I'm a little bit obsessed with old books, in case you couldn't tell, but here's the thing about them; they're useful, and they're great decoration. My mother has a book she bought purely because the title was pretty and the binding looked ancient; I recently started collecting them (and by collecting I mean I've got one book thus far), and to be honest, the hunt is the best part. If I had any money whatsoever, I'd totally buy this Hardy Boy's set. I've noticed with collections though, it's best to narrow your search. I'm currently looking for anything by the Bronte sisters (ie; Jane Eyre, my favorite book).





In other news, I'm currently coveting two things; one, a shrunken blazer with 3/4 length sleeves, preferably one button only and a little loose. The other? Perfect skin. I've had so many issues with mine over the years that I'm almost to the point where I've given up. I've tried over the counter EVERYTHING, and pretty much every prescription (topical and antibiotic) that you could think of, and so far, I've had very minimal results. The one thing I haven't tried and am very reluctant to is Acutane because I've been terrorized by tales from friends who have been on it; problems like urinary tract infection, yeast infections, etc...I just don't want any part in that. However, if my skin keeps this insanity up, I'm heading back to my derm to see what he says.

Right now, I'm on Retin-A Micro, so we'll see how that works...

Until next time! (Which will probably be on the way to moving in!!!!!!!!)

Love you all (there's probably no one reading anyways...)

Miss Guided

I'm sitting here at work and I can safely say that I'm thrilled that I won't be working here anymore. I hate looking through dirty clothes. Esp. underwear.

eBay, Roommates and Lists, Oh My!

Here's a new post, just because I want to. :) Hopefully this whole regular thing will work out.

What to talk about...? Hm...well, I just started my foray into the magical world of eBay. I've never been so overwhelmed before, but I suppose it's for the best that I start. I need to find cheap ways to satisfy designer cravings.

It's funny, because before last year, I never considered myself a fashion lover. I mean, I liked to look good, and I liked to have nice things (not that I or my family can afford them...but resale shops have become worlds better than they once were) but it was never a big part of my life. Now, I've begun toying with the idea that it may not be a horrible thing to love/work on. Regardless, I'm sticking with my 11 year plan.

Yes, that's right, you read it correctly. ELEVEN.

One-One.

It makes me cringe just thinking about it, but I know I can do it. Right? Everyone has things that they want to do, and everyone has goals. Are anyone else's goals as long term as mine? I hope so...

Enough with the heavy stuff. Onto fun things!

Well, there's a 10 day count down until I hit the road. Here's a quick list of what you folks should be doing if you've got the same amount of time left.

• Make sure you're collaborating with your roommate and figure out who's bringing what.
• START PACKING. Get the things that you're not going to need for the next few days into suitcases or storage or something, but get them out of the way. Having a cleaner room will make you feel more ready to get out.
• Get rid of old clothes. If you haven't already cleaned out your closet, you should, and you should also think of selling them to a resale or consignment store for cash to get a good jumpstart on your new clothing. I actually work at one such place, Plato's Closet, and you should DEFINITELY consider selling there. They don't give you a ton of money, but it's better than nothing. Check the website for more info/stores near you. platoscloset.com
• Make a list. I am a list advocate (in case you couldn't tell) and I seriously have like 4 or 5 that have to do with moving in/out. Make one for the clothes you want to bring/just plain want eventually, make one for what you need to have "stuff-" wise, make one for things you want to ask your roommate, etc. Seriously. It'll help your brain compartmentalize the issues going on right now and you'll feel a million times less stressed.
• Get to know people that go to your school now, or will be going. I swear by Facebook. You're school WILL have a group. I promise. If it doesn't, tell me. Or better yet? Go make one yourself.
• Have fun and say goodbye to all your home-friends! You're going to miss them!

Here's a little personal story of my own. I have a friend, someone I've been close to since the first day of our freshman year of high school with us sitting next to each other on the bus and being nervous and dorky about it. He has seen me through weight loss, and boy problems and friend problems and like 3 or 4 school dances. We're close. Anyways, recently I've noticed that his "friends" (we don't hang out in the same groups anymore) are very very much stuck in "high school mode."

What I mean by that is that they refuse to let go of the whole idea of drama being their only way to socialize. Girls are catty to one another, boys are backstabbing jerks...its one big mess made by eight or nine people who refuse to let go of lame stereotypes or are just plain scared of moving ON.

Anyways, the point of this story is that my friend is miserable. He hates being caught in the middle (he's more of an instigator than a participant) but he doesn't want to sever his ties because--here's the kicker--HE'S ROOMING WITH A HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND. One from the group.

Now, I don't care if you and your friend have been best buds since you were in diapers. You probably haven't ever lived together. You may end up hating each other. I hope you don't, and I know a lot of people who have gone through the rooming-as-bffs thing and have still been close, but it will be hard and it will probably suck at times. It will probably suck more because your bff KNOWS your buttons and knows when to push them if she/he wants to piss you off.

Obviously, it's going to suck with a roommate at times anyways, but here are some helpful hints to make it more bearable.

• If you can, go potluck or by survey or with someone you meet at orientation. Rooming with a close friend is like asking for a disaster. You don't want to TRY to ruin your friendship! Distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that trash.
• If you cannot live without your bffae (best friend forever and ever) as your constant companion, schedule "alone time" every three days for at least an hour at a time. You'll want it.
• If you get to the room first on move in day, DON'T claim all the best parts of the room! It's rude and it sets a bad tone. You may, however, lay your stuff on a bed. Don't start un-packing personal things until your roommate gets there. Get your microwave/fridge/rug/lamp, etc set up, or maybe go out and see who else is on your floor and get to know them while you wait.
• If you move in early, like I am, you're going to have to unpack, but an easy way to make this more polite is to make sure that the first thing you say to your roommate on the day she moves in (after the "hellos" and "its so nice to finally meet you") is that you're totally okay with moving things around and you just put your stuff down for the transitory period.
• Follow through with all promises to be flexible.
• Don't crowd her. If she crowds you, spend less time in the room and more time in the library.
• Don't steal her clothes unless she says explicitly that it's alright. Also, KEEP THEM VERY CLEAN.
• If you borrow, let her borrow too.
• Split food costs.
• Enjoy her/him. They're going to be a big part of your life this year, and it can go a number of different ways. Make the best of any situation, and find the good parts about your roomie. She/He will have some excellent traits, no matter how weird they may seem at first.

In other news, I hate my job, and am so happy that I am done with it in 4 days. You really have no idea.

Helpful hint; NEVER WORK RETAIL. Unless the discount proves to be too tempting to resist, in which case the blood, sweat and tears are all worth it.

Alright, that's all I've got for now...I think?

Goodnight!

Miss Guided

As Promised...

Alright, so here's the post you've been promised!

Now, for those of you who live around the city of Chicago, you've probably been to the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Mag Mile, the Bean, and so many of the other kitchy tourist attractions. You've also probably been bored to tears by most of them after an hour. A lot of the tourist industry in Chicago depends on these landmarks, but I've learned that the best places for actual shopping are the places the locals go.

The locals LOVE Wicker Park. It's this alterna-hip area of Chicago right off the blue line that serves as the thrumming pulse of fashion in the city. I went here with a friend a few weeks ago, and as you can see from some of these pictures, everyone has a great sense of humor and they all make the most of the harsher economic times, making the atmosphere playful and energetic.

One of my favorite stores was Stitch (online at stitchchicago.com); they had an array of really eclectic stuff from utilitarian briefcases to cute bohemian-inspired laptop bags and a ton of well made furniture and other accessories. A lot of their stuff was very high priced though, so if you do go in, make sure to brace yourself.

If you're looking to avoid the splurge, there are also a TON of resale stores in the area (known to the locals as Bucktown; on the maps it'll come up as Wicker Park). All down North Ave and Damen, there are a ton of cute hole-in-the-wall shops with steals that you wouldn't believe. Lucky Magazine actually did a spread about one of the resale stores down there that specializes in Cowboy Boots (real, honest to goodness, beautifully made and beat-up-just-right cowboy boots) and I went to check it out. It turns out that I was misled by the magazine in thinking that the boots would be at resale prices because they were at a resale store, but it made for pretty, rustic decoration nonetheless. The boots ranged anywhere from $150 to $500.

Also, go into the store that says that it's really boring. It literally says that it's "really boring" on the outside. I swear, you need to go in, it's such a trip.

If you guys are into art-deco, I would also check out this AMAZING little chinese gallery; it's got furniture and beautiful household items all over the place. Obviously a little over priced, but very fun to browse in.

Now, that's going to conclude this post; I want to keep them shorter now just so that I can make actually getting these up more regular.

Is anyone reading, by the way? Drop a line, something...let me know that you're there!

Love you, whoever you are!

Miss Guided

delayed. :(

Hi everyone! Sorry it’s taken me such a long time to send this post, but a lot has been going on in my life. I recently found out that I’ll be heading to school two weeks early (instead of the mandatory one week early for Welcome Week) to start training for a “Community Leaders” program that gets me $1,500 a year off of my rooming costs.

Helpful hint: I don’t care how much time you may have to put aside for training stuff, if an opportunity like that comes along, no matter if it sounds lame or sounds like its not going to be fun, take it. You’re going to make friends and network your way through the system. It’ll make it easier for you to climb into leadership positions all around campus if you start small. Mine is through my dorm, and the selection is based off of experience. Your might be merit based, or athletic, or academic based; whichever, you’re going to have something to give to it.

Okay! Onto the real post! I’m just going to list what you should have all packed up, just to make sure. Check out Bed, Bath and Beyond (can you tell I like that place?) for good deals and a good amount of variety for stuff like this. Target is also a great place, especially since their storage options are A) a bit cuter/more colorful than BB&B and B) about ten bucks cheaper.

Towels (probably a good idea to have at least 2 face towels and 2 body towels. I’m bringing 4 with me though, because I know my own laundry habits, and to be honest, they aren’t pretty)

Robe

SHOWER FLIP FLOPS (do I really need to explain to you all the nastiness of communal showers?)

Shower Caddy (don’t leave your stuff in the bathroom unattended; it will not be there when you come back for it)

Toiletries (soap [please], shampoo, conditioner, squeegee sponge, razor, shaving cream, etc.)

Laundry Caddy (I know this isn’t technically bathroom-related, but I think I forgot it in the last post.)

Now, onto study materials.

Okay, those of you on PCs right now are probably going to want to kill me, but to be honest, I don’t care. If you are still in the market for a new laptop, make the plunge, and get a Mac. I recently made the switch from PC to Mac, and I’m telling you right now that I am never going back. I have never, not once, had an issue with my computer (I’ve had it since the beginning of June), and I can tell you right now that its unlikely that you will. It’s solid, and if you’re going into the Arts (ie; Film, Studio, Photography, etc.), you’re obviously going to want one of these. Even if you’re not, it’s got every single organizational tool known to mankind, and all of them work efficiently and coordinate with each other. I’m also a Blackberry user, and I had so many issues hooking my phone to my computer to transfer music, my addresses, my schedule, etc when I used a PC (a dell, if you must know), but there’s this nifty little application you can download for free on the blackberry website that syncs perfectly for Macs (it’s called PocketMac for Blackberry). Needless to say, I’m in love, and you will be too.

Okay, now I’m serious; we’re talking about study and more bedroom stuff now.

You’re going to want a desk lamp; I don’t know about you all, but I took one look at my soon-to-be home and thought immediately of prison. It’s dark, there’s very very little natural light, and the tiny light on our ceiling barely works. I can tell you right now that Indiana University is not known for having state-of-the-art dorm room lighting.

So, it’s recommended that you get a few different types of lighting. If you hit your head on the ceiling every morning upon awakening (ie: if you’re on the top bunk) then you may want to invest in a clamp-light. I went to camp a lot when I was a kid, and one of the best things to have on the top bunk was one of these things because it doesn’t bug your roommate/bunkmate, and it gives you the perfect amount of personal light to finish whatever it is you need to finish. Or start. Another light is going to be a stand up floor light, and obviously a desk lamp.

Something I learned when I was overseas (quick synopsis; I lived in a dorm-room situation in Israel for 5 months when I was a junior in high school), and when I lived in D.C. (quicker synopsis; leadership program, one dorm, three girls, one mirror, pure hell) is that its very easy to let yourself laze around during the day when there’s nothing to do, then socialize at night, and then scramble to finish last minute projects in the wee hours. Something I also learned while away is that THAT’S A REALLY BAD IDEA. You end up doing a crappy job on whatever you’re working on, and you’re cranky and tired the next day. It sucks, it’s a bad idea, do your homework during the day during breaks, hang out and do whatever at night, and please, get some sleep.

Beyond lighting and getting sleep, you’re going to want your laptop accessories (charger, sleeve, bag, etc.), a few notebooks, and lots of highlighters. Write in your textbooks, highlight in them, do whatever; you bought them, they’re yours to do with as you please. However, if you plan on selling them back to your local campus bookstore, then keep it neat if you can. Beyond tangible things, your most important asset is going to be a “comfort spot.” For me, at home, it’s always been our dining room table. It’s a quiet, low traffic area of the house, there are no distractions like there are in my room (ie; my bed, my computer, etc.). In Israel, it was the kitchen table in my dorm; although it wasn’t low-traffic or low-distraction, it was a place to spread out with fewer people around. See a pattern? Try and find a place with space, that has a relatively quiet, calm atmosphere. If you know your friends sometimes hang out there, don’t try and study there. You’ll never get anything done.

If I think of anything else dorm-wise to get, I’ll let you all know, I promise.

Now, I’ve promised you a synopsis of a special neighborhood near Chicago, and I’ve been really excited about this part of the post, but I’m going to keep you in suspense a little longer just because I want to separate a few things from each other. This whole blogging thing is new to me, and I’m really going to try to keep the posts more regular (at least once a week, hopefully every other day), so I’m stopping now, and I’m going to get that new post up separately.

See you soon!

I Actually Have to Live in This Box?

My first suggestion is going to be to check out Bed, Bath and Beyond's website; they've got a really cool feature under the "shop for college" tab that gives you a seriously in depth list of what they think you'll need. To be honest, anyone with half a brain and a pair of working peepers can see that you're not going to need half the stuff on that list, so let's be real and put down what you're really going to want.

Kitchen stuff; 

Okay, so you're not going to want to eat in the cafeterias every night, and be real, you cannot afford to eat out all that often either. So, you're going to want the following: forks, knives, spoons, plates (decide how many depending on how many people you're living with), a microwave, and a mini-fridge. 

Extras that not many people think about (luckily, my mother is anal-retentive, so obviously she does) are: ziploc bags, tupperware containers, can openers, chip-clips, coffee mugs, dishwashing soap (please, please, please use it), and a coffee/tea maker if you are so inclined. 

Some campuses don't allow students to bring hot-plates or toasters, but if yours does, you may want to err on the side of caution in taking advantage of them; they're extra bulk, and even if having a daily panini sounds really appetizing, you may want to be realistic about how often you're actually going to use them. 

There's this really, really wonderful book out called "Healthy College Cooking," by Alexandra Nimetz, Jason Stanley, Emmeline Starr, and Rachel Holcomb that'll help you keep off the freshman 15 (or 50, if you're not careful). Obviously, the healthiest way to eat is organic (even if it tends to be fairly expensive), but the problem with that is finding the actual organic stores. Organic.org is a good website to go to if you're searching for some of the good stuff nearby.

Bedroom Wares;

We all get the newsletters and crap about the whole extra-long twin bed sheet fiasco. Since neither of us have had the experience with the whole college-bed thing, we're just going to tell you to listen to the people who want your money, and do as they say. Yes, it may be a little pricier, but really, what's more expensive? Getting one set of XL twin sheets, or getting one set of regular twin sheets, then finding out that you actually do need the XL set and having to go buy those too. Return policies are usually not all that forgiving.

If you want a cute one (and really, who doesn't?), I would definitely suggest checking out Overstock.com for some options if you're willing to spend a little more for style. If you're okay with getting an aesthetically pleasing set, Bed, Bath and Beyond (again) is going to have these really great bed-in-a-laundry-baskey deals that don't go over $70.00. Good deal, right?

Others: Pillows (if you're like me and need three or four, cheap ones are easy to get at Target), two sheet sets (you need to wash them at least every two weeks, so rotations are a good way to go), a comforter, a mattress pad/protector (it's not that you don't know what's been on the bed, its that you do; which obviously should make you want this even more), a blanket (the microfiber ones are super ridiculously comfortable), an alarm clock and a nightstand. There are actually these really cool clip-on surfaces that attach directly to the side of your bed, so if you're unfortunate enough to be stuck on the top, you've got a convenient little place to put all your nighttime necessities. Again, Target is going to be a pretty good friend of yours in that endeavor.

Next Post:

Bathroom Stuff, Study Stuff, and a guide to a very cool neighborhood in Chicago for all you city-schoolers.