Three songs for your Thursday

AND BY THURSDAY I MEAN WEDNESDAY. Little INSIGHT to what kind of week it is for me.

10 absolutely great things to work on.

Good morning. Happy Monday. Wanna work on somethings with me this week? Cool. 

Count your blessings.
Never stop trying to improve.
Be your own superhero.
Aim higher.
Contribute.
Sleep in when you can.
Be compassionate.
Listen.
Give yourself time off.
Be enthusiastic.

Photo via: Crush Cul de Sac 

Little Details

Like the scalloped edge of a blouse sleeve. Killin it again, J.Crew.

File this in the 'Creative Dates' folder

I tend to think simple dates are often the most fun (but if you wanna fly me off to Italy, Mike, that's cool too). How cute is this dock picnic? All you'd need is a blanket, a bottle of wine, and some easy munchies...

...and then push him in at the end. Just kidding. No I'm not. 

For Your Inner-Perfectionist:

This was an important one for me this week. I'm by no means a perfectionist, but sometimes I let things get to me that shouldn't. Every once and awhile it's best to step back, take a deep breath, and remember you're doing your best. My roommate has a quote by her door that I love: "Life became immeasurably better when I stopped taking it so seriously."....And true 'DAT. 

Image via: Happily Ever After Now

Let's talk about the color you need in your life.

Pantone declared Tangerine the color of the year for 2012 because there are people in this world who have the authority to declare that sort of thing. On a barely-related tangent, I want to be the person who does this for food. And the winner would be nutella. Every year.

Anyway. Let's put some tangerine in your life. 

Bag//Coat//Dress//Top//Chinos

Please note how good this color looks with animal print. And by animal print I mean leopard. Please don't print this with zebra or I will find you. 

Image via: J.Crew

Become Parisian-Chic With One Dress

How cute is stylish Parisian Caroline de Maigret? She owns a record label, it's fine. 

While you can't own your own record label (or maybe you can, I'm not trying to know your life), you can own her dress and maybe, just maybe, be as cute as her.  

A Buffet Post, If You Will

With a little something for everyone...

Cool Find — Diamond lights. No, look. 

I Want — This "Love You" print.

Culture Yourself — The shooting of the TIME 100 honorees.

Wedding — A hanging floral centerpiece.

Guy Fashion — How to layer your clothes in the winter. 

Song — Bei Major "Bout that Life". 

Beauty — Art deco inspired nails (and how to do them!)

Animal Cuteness — Toronto's Polar Bear Club ... and it's newborn. 

Baking Time — Dulce de Leche Banana Bars

Turning Your Bag Into a Bracelet

J.Crew. The gift that keeps on giving. Turn the handle into the newest edition of your "wrist party" with this easy DIY. 

My Three Favorite Songs Today

If I Could Buy Another Prom Dress

Hear me out. I'm not kidding, sometimes I wish I could re-go back to prom. BUT. Only because I would pick out a super a-maze-a-balls dress that I could wear over and over and over. It's ridiculous how much girls spend on overly-impractical dresses when you can buy one for the same price that's actually WEARABLE for years to come. 

Obviously my favorites still all have sequins or are rich and red. C'mon people, I am who I am. 

I Think I Found Thee Best iPhone Case Website Ever.

I have a new favorite iPhone case store. Maybe a TISH spendy at $35 a pop but you GUYS. There are literally 100's of GIMME-THAT-ONE-NOW's. If you're in the market for a new cover, society6 is your spot. Yuh'welcome. (Gentleman this site is awesome for you too.)

Midnight Snack Box

I'll be honest, I'm a nurturer by nature. (Hahahah, get it? I didn't even try to set that up. Roll with my unintentional puns.) I get it from my mother. She's one of the most caring and thoughtful people I know. We both like doing fun little things like this for the people we care about. 

Check it out. 

How welcoming of a treat would this be for guests crashing at your house? They don't have to worry about being hungry post-bed time, they can dig into their midnight snack box for a treat. What a creative way to make people feel right at home. 

All photos via: You Are My Fave

Love.

Love: all, often, life, yourself. 

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you. 

Especially that one cool guy I kind of sort of LIKE like ;)

Branding 10,000 Lakes

Wow. This is impressive. Graphic designer Nicole Meyer has quite the project on her hands. She plans on making one logo per day for every single lake in Minnesota. If my math is correct, this will take her approximately 27 years. How COOL is that?? Am I biased because I'm Minnesotan? You can check out her project here. 

5 Things I Found Today (The February 12th Edition)

• How to give a manicure staying power.

• Google flights search is a powerful, intuitive, lightning-fast tool for finding cheap tickets. 

• Download the "NevermindTheLowEndMagik" mixtape.

• In The Door is the job search engine for the Facebook generation.

• Every recipe on this food blog is five ingredients. 

Beating The Winter Blues...

I once read in a magazine (I read a lot okay and I can't remember what magazine or what issue it was so sorry I can't be all AP citation right now) that happiness effects are longer-lasting when you spend money on something beauty-related (like new makeup, or a new hair-do) rather than something material-related (like a new pair of jeans). I do not know how one measures this sort of thing, but it makes sense doesn't it? Buying clothes is more of a one-time instant gratification while new makeup, a bright red manicure, or in this case, a great blowout gives you a little bit more swagger in your step. Treating yourself to something like this is a great way to beat winter blues, which, I don't know about you guys, but that crap hits me hard sometimes. 

So when I saw Joanna from A Cup of Jo post this article, I did an "Ugh!" Yes this sounds exactly like an "Ugh!" of disgust, but it's more "Ugh! Right on, sista!" JoAnna took herself on a solo date (also a big advocate of these) to Drybar, a salon that exclusively does blow-outs; aka the most genius idea ever to come into existence the end. 

It's so great to get out and do something just for you every once and awhile. Plus, how hot does she look?

Before...

 They bring you a fresh cup of coffee while they do your hair. ("Is this real life?!?" -- Me, if I ever go there.)

Ugh! .....There I go again. 

Other ways to treat yourself: 

• Go to a yoga class
• Buy yourself a chocolate milkshake. (The good kind. I don't care if you have to go to a restaurant and order it to go.) Then come home and turn on trashy TV.
• Buy yourself a new perfume. And actually take time picking one out that you really, really like. 
• Buy a positive print to hang on your wall. Like this one.
• Make this. Cry over how good it tastes. Have it for breakfast. 'Cause you can. 

How To: Layer Jewelry

A few pieces to get you started...

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

"Live Your Way Into The Answer."

“I beg you to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

Photo via: Sullen & Sullied

Valentine's Day Dresses for Under $100

"Oh, Liz, really cool, assuming I have a boyfriend and/or date for Valentine's Day." 

Okay, BOO YOU. WAHH WAHHH WAHHH. If you haven't yet learned that Valentine's Day does NOT need to be a day of wallowing in self-pity then I'm here to whip you into shape before I take you on a visual shopping spree. These dresses can be worn yes, on a date with a boy. OR on a date with your best girlfriends out for drinks. OR, cripes, I HOPE you wear something this sexy to stay at home and cook yourself dinner and then eat a whole bag of Dove chocolates by yourself. Because if there's one thing you need to take away from this blog post it's that there's no shame in that. My homegirl Carrie Bradshaw said it best: 

"The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself."

Are you all better yet? K good, you had me worried for a sec. If this is your first time on one of my "Hi look at all the pretty things I picked out for you" blog posts, click pictures for links to these fabfabfab frocks. And yes, all dresses are under $100 because I'm in college. Get on my level. 

I kind of want this so bad that I didn't want to share it with you. Look at the CUFFS. But we're better friends than that. 

You don't even need jewelry!

The color says 'neon red', and I like that. I like that a lot. 

I love the subtle scandy-ness.

I love this dress so much I can't even. 

Pretty backs are my thing.

Chevron is like, totes my favorite pattern. 

Pair with a leather jacket. Trust me. 

Because I know this dress has epic twirl potential. *Edit*: pair with a metallic belt like they did. This dress will look gorgeous with bronze, silver, or gold. Bonus points if it's glitter-encrusted. J.Crew usually has you covered for one of those babies. 

Frick, Urban Outfitters I just want everything you produce. 

Like wearing a strapless dress...without wearing a strapless dress. 

Somebody buy this. Do it for ME.