Moving, Packing And Cleaning

I will be moving out of my first apartment in a few weeks and as the date is coming closer I find myself thinking about cleaning out my closet and room even more. I will be moving back into the dorms the weekend before classes, either on August 22nd or the 23rd. I managed to snag a single room in Hawkins Hall and I know my closet will be smaller than the one in my apartment and that I will be downsizing in my dresser size. My room comes with a bed, dresser, desk, chair, and a few other things, but I know the dresser space will be smaller. I know I'll only need to be packing enough for the fall semester (hopefully I'll be studying abroad in the spring) but I will still need both warm and cold weather items, plus my winter coat and some boots.

I have so many options I really just want to narrow them down. One way I'm thinking about doing this is by getting rid of even more of my clothing. I already have a tote full of stuff I need to donate/sell but I can't until I get home and see what the consignment shops there say about the pieces. I also know I can't take everything with me to London in the spring, so by not having so many choices I can help myself when the time comes to pack for a whole semester abroad. Also, I know I'll buy clothing while in London and I'll need the space when I get home. 

After moving out of my apartment I will be going through all of my clothing at home and then making the final decisions about all of it before trying to sell or simply donate my things. It should be fun, but also a little nerve wrecking because sometimes I can't get rid of things nor do I handle change well. But I am really looking forward to cleaning out my closet and making more space for the future. We shall see what happens! I'll post more about what I'm getting rid of and my final decisions and more about packing for my 3rd year at Purdue.

New Hairstyles

Emily looking super stylish.

This week's article for CollegeFashionista features a friend of mine that I ran into, Emily. Instead of going with a clothing route or even a makeup trick, I decided to write about her short hairstyle. I think it's really cute and stylish. I like that it's not the typical pixie cut nor is it a bob. It also looks really good with her facial features. While she has a great ensemble, I liked the idea of branching out and not just writing about clothing. Last week's article was on a way to do your nails, so I figured doing a piece on a hairstyle would add more variety to my work. I also just think her hair is cute and simple, thus the title of my article "Short and Simple." If you're interested in reading my entire article then check it out here. If you've missed any of my articles and want to read them, go here. If you want to read a little more about me personally, then check out my Style Guru Bio.

Summer Plans Turning Into Fall Plans

As summer is winding down, well my time here staying at Purdue, I've begun to think about that list of all the things I wanted to do during the summer and how I've failed miserably at achieving those goals. I had a lot of projects I wanted to get done, such as sewing dresses and working on my portfolio. However, I underestimated how much time my summer courses would require and between the classes and my job my free time is limited. Part of me wishes I could stay past August 5th, but the other part is ready for an actual break- no classes and no work until August 25th. It will be nice to just chill and not think about art projects or management homework or exams. I do wish I was able to do more of my personal projects, like make my bustle so I could start working on the skirt, or just make dresses I have both the pattern and fabric for, but I didn't do any of those projects. 

Sewing wise I've only made a shirt and serged a scarf. Portfolio wise I have actually done something! My manager at work (I work at Charming Charlie) suggested I start taking photos of the work I do for our visual displays and that I could use it in my portfolio. I'm not entirely sure she knows what I need/want in my portfolio, but I do like the idea of having some of the hands on work experience showcased in my portfolio. In my portfolio there will be all of my sewing projects, with descriptions, inspiration pages, and sketches, but after she suggested I take the photos it got me thinking that I do more than just sewing that I should showcase and share in my portfolio. So now I think I'll have a visual display section with information on Charming Charlie, like what kind of company they are and their target market, and then I'll also do a section featuring what I think are my best articles from CollegeFashionista. If you've missed some of my posts you can check out my articles here.

I think I've done a lot with my time spent here, it just wasn't what I had originally planned out for myself. I am glad I've had the opportunity for some quality work experience, both in retail and writing articles. Maybe after I go home I'll sew some stuff, but for now I plan on doing my projects in the fall since I won't have a sewing class.

Beauty Report

So far all of my articles have been about apparel or accessories. First I wrote my Style Guru Bio and since then I've written about smoking flats, boleros, and bows. This week my article features a beauty trend- nail art! I'm the kind of girl who likes to paint her nails but I usually just stick to solid colors and maybe some sparkle every now and then. For my article I found a Fashionista who has gone a different route with her nail polish decisions. If this little post has sparked your interest, well then go check out my article on CollegeFashionista "Get Nailed!." And if you've missed any of my articles and want to catch up, then go here.

New Do, New You....Right?

My new do!

Today, after about a week of talking, I got my haircut. It was definitely needed with my split ends and grown out layers. I decided I like my bangs and my part so I really just needed some inches cut off and new layers cut. After talking to the stylist I decided on this length (see picture to the left) and she asked me about my layers and she chose to cut choppy layers so I could have more volume to my hair. My hair is typically really flat so any volume I can get without product and styling is great!

I went with my friend Hale and she got her hair cut super short, though she already has a short hairstyle. Before my hair was cut she said I should get it cut above my shoulders, but I wanted to be able to put it in a ponytail for working out and such and the stylist said a little below the shoulders would let me do that to my hair. I think this is a great length and it feels so healthy and makes me feel very stylish. It's light and fluffy and I love it! I'm excited for my first full day tomorrow and for trying new do's with it and all of my outfits.

Along with my new hairdo I cleaned out my closet (well my closet at Purdue haha). I filled a whole tote with all the clothes I don't really wear that I have here with me at college. It feels great to just have a more organized little slice of life. Although my friend Hale gave me a lot of clothes I am ecstatic to wear! Thankfully my closet is more empty and I have the room for the new pieces. I'm on the road to finding my style, which right now is just a lot of chaos of patterns and colors and a lot of black. Stay tuned for more about me finding my style, it might take a while though, and of course it'll develop over time too as I get older.

Beautiful Bows

Katie, the Fashionista
featured in my article.

My most current article on CollegeFashionista is on the topic of bows and how to find the right way to incorporate them into your wardrobe and ensemble. Published on July 4th, my article "Beautiful From Head to Bow" showcases my friend Katie and how she takes a busy printed dress and accessorizes it with bow themed jewelry and accessories. It's great how Fashionistas can create such wonderful outfits and how others can interpret their choices as inspiration for their own fabulous ensembles! Be sure to check out the rest of my articles here.