tick tock

 

December is arguably the nation's most favorite month of the year.
It's a month of holidays, winter flavors, cold weather, glitter, comfy sweaters, good cheer, family, magic, gifts, parties, fireworks, well wishes and resolutions.

It's also the month that speeds by the fastest! It all seems to go by in a shimmery blur.
This year is really strange for us. It's the first Christmas ever we'll be spending away from Arizona. Luckily my husband's family is coming to visit us, but we've decided not to exchange presents this year (which has made it a lot easier on us, because we would have to ship them all).
I'm finding myself in a panic because it's so close to Christmas and normally around this time I'm busily shopping and planning and getting ready to fly home.
But this year, it's peaceful. Simple. Strange. 

Dress: Ruche, Jeans: Target, Boots: DSW
Scarf: Gifted, Necklace: Thrifted

We're still stuck in the thick of finals season, but by Friday we'll be home free to enjoy the crispness of holiday festivities. I'm extremely excited! I'm not sure what we'll do when it's finally over -- we only have one semester left here, so it feels like a really big milestone to be done with our very last December finals.
A party is in order, definitely. But whether that "party" means going out for a fancy steak dinner and seeing Frozen again or staying at home in our pajamas for three days straight remains to be seen.

Speaking of pajamas, this dress is basically pajamas.
I bought it on super sale ($10) from Ruche back in September, and it was one of those S/M or M/L sizes that is always a gamble. It's way too big on me, but it feels like going to work on a cloud.
Simultaneously, I feel like a Greek goddess because the sleeves are twice as long as my arms and oh-so-flowy.
A dress with that kind of comfort combo has to be treasured, despite the too-long sleevage.

layering: collars and sweaters

I just recently discovered layering.
I was a classic dress + cardigan, or jeans + t-shirt kind of gal.
I had no concept of using my dresses as skirts, or using a collared shirt to peek out of another top.
It's literally doubled, maybe tripled, my potential clothing usage.

Which actually makes it a lot more stressful to get dressed in the morning.
Question: what do you start with to create an outfit every day?

It's really no joke when a girl looks at a packed-full closet and says: "I have nothing to wear."
What that really means is, "Goodness, where do I start?"

It has been frigid here.
I love skirts and dresses, so they're still the first thing I reach for in my closet even when the temperatures are ungodly.

Coat: Gifted/Zulily, Scarf: Gifted, Top: Banana Republic, Sweater: Express, 
Skirt: Ruche, Tights: Target, Booties: Urbanog (shop)
Necklace: Gifted/Etsy

This long skirt is so comfortable. It's soft and flowy and I love the colors. It was difficult to accept that longer skirts are accepted now, because for a long time all I could think of was Little House on the Prairie. 
And I still kind of think I'm channeling Laura Ingalls, especially with this wintery wilderness for a backdrop.

I'm trying my hand at curling my hair again.
In college, I was in a choir that was dead-set on killing any and all desire to ever curl hair again.
We had to meticulously curl-curl-curl for every concert. I think I've only curled my hair a few times in the last two years because of the residual disdain for the process.
Also, I feel way too fancy curling my hair around here. People look at me like I'm on my way to prom if I'm too dressy, so I'm trying to find my "it" hair style, my daily look.
I'm also in search of my "it" haircut, because I still haven't found it after 24 years. Well, maybe 20-22 years, because I was a pretty bald baby.

I plan on a good haircut this weekend, so wish me luck!
And feel free to send me some ideas.

Cait