I Wish I Was, I Wish I Was, Beside You

I just had to use one of my favorite 5SOS lyrics as my title, fitting since I finally got a physical copy of their album at Target on Friday (such excitement!). I’ve been struggling to come up with a post to write about. I read so many amazing blogs with people who live crazy lives of traveling, shopping, festival-going, or all of the above. I am from the middle of no-where where there is never anything to do. I traveled once this summer, and there is no decent shopping in sight. I work all day, and usually end up coming home solely to relax at night. What could I possibly show you all that is actually “fun” or “photo-worthy?”

That’s when I decided to take a closer look at my life. Yes, nothing extravagant seems to happen in my daily routine, but it’s the little things that bring joy, too.

Take, for example, Friday. I woke up early to go get our vehicle worked on (boring, I know), but we didn’t just travel to the nearest “city” (or bigger town, as I like to say), for that. My little sister, going to be a freshman in high school, was getting her braces off. How exciting for her! While this was just an average day for me, this was one of the best days for her. We stopped by Target, each picked up a copy of the 5SOS album (yes, we both like the same band), went to the orthodontist to take out the metal, and then went to Olive Garden to celebrate. I had some amazing pasta and chocolate mousse cake for dessert. I would like another piece now, please.

Look at her BEAUTIFUL, braces free, smile. (I'm on the left, just in case you didn't know!)

We headed back home on the 30-minute drive back to my teeny-tiny town and I had my sister take an OOTD photo in my street to end the day. Yes, I know I wear a lot of black/gray, but it’s my go-to, even for summer! As a bonus, I was wearing one of my absolute favorite Jawbreaking tees. They’re always so unique, so their shop is one of my favorites online.

Top: Jawbreaking (link to their site here)

Bottoms: Forever 21 (Cut by me--post on my DIY here)

Sandals: Forever 21 (borrowed from my sister)

While it wasn’t much, it was a special day for both her and me. Seeing her growing up makes me so happy & sad at the same time. Where did my little sister go? But, it’s nice being able to spend this time with her since I’ll end up having to move away soon, as college is flying by (getting a bit watery-eyed at this point). Small town life just isn’t for me.

Basically, I’m trying to share with you what I’ve been trying to teach myself. Yes, not everyday will be as fabulous and extravagant as others, and maybe you will only do one experience worth binge-blogging about all year, but be sure to take note of the little things too. Not only in blogging, but in life. These little memories are the ones that add up to make you just as happy as a singular major event. And hold joy dear, not only your own, but also those of the one’s you love.

I don’t want to get too emotional now, and I’m sorry if I haven’t gotten around to reading your blogs recently. I’m struggling writing blogs for myself, let alone reading others! I have two more 6-day work weeks coming up, and I’ll be sure to read yours as soon as I can before heading back to college the next week. I love reading about what’s been going on with your lives, especially if you have been doing some fun things this summer. If you are, then I’ve lived my summer vicariously through you. Speaking of summer, WHERE DID IT GO?! I’ve enjoyed getting a bit of blogging done this summer, and I am praying I will keep up with it this year as a second-year student at college. Much love and thanks for keeping up with me thus far—it’s only the beginning.

Much love,

Maggie D. xx

I’VE BEEN ACCEPTED!! *Cue Celebration*

I’m sitting here, writing this blog post at 2 in the morning, listening to Matty & George from The 1975 on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show (I’m catching up on my interviews), questioning absolutely nothing. I am quite content actually. After a week of stress, reading, and more stress and reading, I finally found out the best news I’ve heard all summer. In fact, besides my trip to Chicago, this was the only exciting thing to happen to me this summer (sad but true—there isn’t much to do back home where I’m from).

Last Sunday, I submitted my essay to finish up my study abroad application. I was basically shaking as I pressed the submit button. I wasn’t tooooo nervous, but there was obviously a bit of nerves. What if I didn’t get accepted? What if I looked at myself as a failure for the rest of my life? Ok, so I wasn’t that worried. But I was still scared.

They informed me that I would hear back in five business days, so I figured I would know by Friday. The days seem to drag on and on—I just wanted to know my fate. 5 p.m. hit on Friday, and I figured I wouldn’t know for the week. A WEEKEND OF ANXIOUSLY WAITING—I COULDN’T DO IT.

Then, at exactly 5:15 Friday evening, I got the email: Dear Maggie, I am happy to inform you that you have been selected to study on (college’s name) England program during the Spring of 2015…

I basically froze and wanted to cry and scream and fall down all at the same time. This is what I have wanted for years. I got accepted, and I am still in a bit of shock.

My sister was the only one home at the time, so I told her and texted everyone else that I love: “I GOT ACCEPTED!!”

I had to celebrate, so my sister and I hit up one of my favorite, summery local restaurants for an infamous “Bob’s dog” and fries. We stopped by the DQ for a shake afterward, and celebrated that night by watching House Hunters. Such a celebration, I know, but it really was a lovely evening. I posted a few photos from our little outing, including a little OOTD post. Simple tees, jeans and my new Vans are perfect for summer. I am so so so excited to take this next step in my life, and I cannot wait to travel to London next spring.

Since back-to-college shopping is just around the corner (really, where did summer go?) I was wondering if any Brits would share with me some winter/spring essentials. What should I invest in before traveling across the pond? Thanks for reading, and I have a five day break from work this week, so expect another post again soon!

All of my love,

Maggie D. xx

Chung & Tiffany's: My Style Inspirations

Because of my awkward hours at work, I seem to be suffering bouts of insomnia, or so it seems. I’m up until the weeee hours of the morning (4-4:30 to be exact… sorry if you read my tweets at this time of day). Since I can’t sleep, I took up reading, and reading has given me all kinds of new inspirations. I am currently finishing up my post at a little coffee shop in my town, and I must say I’m feeling perfectly inspired.

My first read was IT by Alexa Chung. I have adored her style and grace for the longest time, and I have been saving up for studying abroad, but I thought this was a necessary minor purchase, as a book purchase wouldn’t break me in the long run. And it was an incredible purchase. If you have been debating purchasing this book I say GO FOR IT. The book puts me in Alexa’s mind, giving me an insight as to why she wears what she wears/does what she does/what she gets inspo from/etc. Her style inspirations are fab, ranging from Wednesday Addams to Kate Moss. She shares her advice from boys to festivals, giving tips here and there for readers who, like me, want to channel their inner “Chung.”

Whilst reading reviews of the book, people complained it wasn’t much of what they were looking for. After reading it, I must add my two cents—what were you looking for? It gives us ace style tips and the photos are incredible, with tidbits of advice here and there. She gave tips to improving my Instagram photos (here is the link to my Insta if you would like to follow meee) and shared her love for dinosaurs. What more can a person want? One of my favorite quotes (among many, I might add): “Looking effortless takes a lot of effort.”

My best friend from college and I decided to start our own little book club which is honestly one of the greatest things I decided to do this summer. As English majors, it’s good to continue honing our inner lit analysts whilst reading some literary classics. (How educated did I sound right there?) In a writing class we took together, we watched the film Capote, giving us a taste about this intriguing author and his life. So, we had to pick up two of his greatest works, In Cold Blood, and the well-known Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a novella, and because it was only 87 pages long, we decided to start with this book. Audrey Hepburn brought Holly Golightly to life in the film, and her face stuck in my mind as I read the novel. Her character is complex, and, is a “real phony,” but she embodies the grace of a woman of her time. “Darling” has been on repeat in my head, and you can hear her voice as it describes the way she dresses. I embody the simplicity of Holly: “…she wore a slim cool black dress, black sandals, a pearl chocker…A pair of dark glasses blotted out her eyes.” The grace described through this one ensemble, and the twist and turns her character takes enthralls me throughout the entire novella. While I haven’t seen the film (I know, where have I been living?!), I would highly recommend the book. You can’t fully capture a literary genius on the screen.

These books both encompass styles and creativity that I absolutely adore. Literary figures and pop culture icons are perfect places to get style inspirations—where do you get your inspiration? What has been on your reading list for the summer? Please share in the comments below.

Much love,

Maggie D. xx

Mall of America Haul

Hello lovelies,

            I’m finally back! I am sorry I took a few days off—I just went on an incredible shopping trip. In and around my small town, there are really no great places to go shopping. I love going on mini family trips anyway, so the fact that we were able to go to one of the biggest malls in the United States was AMAZING. I was so incredibly happy. I was also able to meet up with one of my college friends who lives in the area which was a blast as well. I am not posting this to brag at all! I am really hoping it doesn’t come across that way. I never get the chance to splurge, so when I get the opportunity to go shopping at a good mall, then I take the chance. I have put in extra hours at work, so I figured I would let myself do a little shopping. So, without further ado, here are my purchases!

            So, the first place I stopped was Urban Outfitters. I love looking at their merchandise online, so I figured I would take a little peek inside. While most of their original priced merchandise is too spendy for me, I headed back to the sale and found an adorable denim dress jumper. It was on sale for $20, and I am in LOVE. I thought a nice printed crop top would look perfect underneath, and I found that at my next stop.

Sorry for the terrible angle--I was running out of daylight so I had to take it here!

            If you don’t know, I am obsessed with Forever 21. They have cheap prices and clothes that I just love. This store was a huge two stories, so I was in shopping shock. So, I went through the store hunting for a cheap crop top perfect for summer to go with my new jumper, and I found a cute floral one for only $8.80. It’s perfect for summer, and I love the print! I also found an adorable London tee for only $10.80 (since London is still my dream!). As I told you before, my style icon is Lou Teasdale. I have adored her striped jeans that she wore at my concert (how cool!), so I went on a hunt to find a pair. I found some on Forever 21’s website, and when I went to the store, I couldn’t find the pair I was looking for. However, I was going through the clearance, and I found the jeans on sale for $16.99. Then, I found out they were an extra 50% off of that, so they ended up being $8.49. It doesn’t get better than that. I also bought a band tee that Lou has (or a very similar) for $15.80. I was one happy girl leaving that store.

            I headed into Aerie next, in which they have plenty of dainty lingerie. I got this lacey bra on sale for $15. I thought it would be perfect to wear under a tee or tank for summer, and I love the light peach color.

            I had never been to a Nordstrom, or a Topshop for that matter, but I had dreamed of Topshop for as long as I can remember. I love everything! So, I had to take a peek and see what I could find. Of course, regularly priced merchandise is quite expensive, so I headed to the sale and found some gorgeous products. When I laid eyes on the sweater, it was love at first sight. It was regularly $72, on sale for $19.99. It was perfect. I also got this chunky, silver jeweled necklace for $9.98, originally $20.00. I also got this gorgeous, jeweled brooch for $9.98, originally $28.00. I got an over-sized, chain necklace that I thought was so unique for $14.98, originally $40.00. I had some amazing sales there! I also heard that Batiste products are incredible, and I had never seen them anywhere near me before, so I purchased some dry shampoo for $8.00. I’m so excited to try it!

            I had to stop at American Apparel and see what I could find, and I had to take a peek at their bows. I love Bethany Mota on YouTube, and she is always wearing the most adorable bows, so I had to buy one! I got this giant pink one for $10, and I cannot wait to wear it!

            When I met up with my friend from college, she recommended some stores for me to check out. I went to Francesca’s, a little boutique, and got these gorgeous earrings on sale for $4.99. Everything there was absolutely adorable!

            We also went into a jewelry store called Six, and again, sale jewelry got me. I got this adorable ring for only $1.99. It doesn’t get any better than that.

            She also took me to DSW, Designer Shoe Warehouse. I had never been to one, and I definitely never expected to buy anything. We were looking through the sale shoes, and I found some adorable shoes. They are Betsey Johnson, and were originally $104.94. I looked and saw they were 80% off, which was incredible. I got them for only $20.99. Basically the best sale of the day!

            I also took a pit-stop at H&M and got a few things. I was looking for a new bag, and this bag was on sale for only $15.00! I also got a new, statement necklace for only $5, but it was buy one get one free sale products, so the necklace was free. I also just read a blog post from a fellow blogger recommending the Smokey palette, so I figured I would try it out for only $5.95.

            Whoofta, that’s finally everything! I know this is a lot, and I know I didn’t need all of this. I am so blessed to be able to try all of these new things, and I am so glad to share it with you! Have you had any recent hauls? What are your favorites? Leave your comments below! I would love to hear feedback from you all! Thanks for putting up with this long post. And, again, I would like to thank you for reading my blog. This means the world to me, and I love you all so very much.

Thank you, and much love,

Maggie D. xx

Year in Review: Style and Beauty Favorites

Hello loves,

            Would you believe 2013 is over? Where did it go? Thinking back to last January, it’s crazy to see how much my personal style has evolved. I’ve grown so much, realized how eclectic my taste is, and decided to stick with it all. I had many inspirations throughout the year, and looking back, there were some pretty amazing pop culture and fashion icons that really made an impact on my personal style. Also, these are in no particular order—all of these trends and people had an equal impact on my style—it’s too hard to rank!

The Roaring ‘20s with Gatsby: After reading The Great Gatsby, I fell in love. I was even happier when I found out there was a movie in the works as well. I adore vintage, flapper dresses, and everything else associated with the 1920s. Seeing how the 1920s were brought to life in the film made me fall in love with this decade even more.

Link to clothes from Polyvore here.

Kate Spade’s Spring 2013 Fashion Week Runway: Literally everything about her collection made my year. The girly colors mixed with edgy accents is basically my style. The feminine combined with the textures and prints made the collection a perfect way to shape my wardrobe for 2013.

Taylor Swift: I’ve always loved Taylor Swift, but the class and confidence Miss Swift has exuded throughout the entire year is something that I envy. She never had a misstep stepping out on the red carpet for ANY event. She always looked fabulous, and after her incredible year, I can definitely assure that her wardrobe is matching her music success.

Clothing link to Polyvore here.

Embellishments—On Everything: One thing I’ve loved all year long—studs, gems, and basically everything sparkly. Whether it’s sunglasses, tops, earrings, jewelry, and well, the list can go on forever, it really doesn’t matter. Shining bright was one of my favorite fashion highlights of the year.

Clothing link to Polyvore here.

Luxe Leather: Leather has always been one of my favorites, but this year has been one giant leather crush for me. Whether it’s leather leggings, jacket accents, jackets in general, jumpers, shoes, or anything, I probably own it. And I have no regrets. It’s been one of my favorites, and I know I’ll be carrying it into the new year!

Clothing link to Polyvore here.

The Ladies behind One Direction: Whether you’re a Directioner or not, you must admit that the stylist and girlfriends behind these men have styles that make them stand out themselves. These leading ladies rock a sort of edge that is enviable—whether you’re Perrie, part of the amazing girl group Little Mix, Lou Teasedale, the wonder behind the perfect hair of One Direction and 5SOS, or Eleanor Calder, exuding the class of a perfect lady, their style has made a real, enviable impact on my year of style.

Lou Teasdale clothing link here.

Eleanor Calder clothing link here.

Blunt Bangs: Cutting bangs in my hair was one of the most terrifying things I’ve done all year, but seeing many celebrities, including the lovely Taylor Swift that I listed above, doing it, I figured I might as well take a chance and do it. And I loved it! 

Bold Brows: While I have these naturally, they have really been a huge statement this year. (Thank you Cara!) I personally like this trend, especially since it’s something that takes no work for me! We’ll see if this carries on into the new year…

Bright Pout: The daring colors and matte lips worn this year have been incredibly daring--and it was a trend I loved. I love trying risky shades and pushing the color boundaries.

Here were some of my favorite products: Clinique Chubby Stick in Curvy Candy, Maybelline Color Whisper in Cherry on Top, Maybelline Color Whisper in Berry Ready, Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Shock, Maybelline Baby Lips in Oh! Orange!, and Covergirl in Hot Passion.

Hair chalk/dye: To be honest, I think this is fun! I know there is much debate as to whether or not this is something a person should do, but I loved it. We are only young once, right? I might have to do this in the upcoming year—let’s hope I don’t get busted by the beauty police.

Here were a few of my favorites from 2013! I probably forgot about plenty of things, so if you have any favorites, please leave them in the comments below. Thanks for reading this year, and I hope to see much more of you in the year(s) to come. I will be posting a New Years resolution post tomorrow, so I hope you check back and comment what your fashion and beauty hopes for the new year will be.

Much love,

Maggie D. xx