Pack Light

This past weekend was an eventful one. The family came down to visit me, which of course meant food, BBQ, shopping, arcade with my brother, shopping, frozen yogurt, shopping, mini golf, shopping, shopping and swimming. And more shopping. Especially for the Eurotrip.

The day that I leave is coming up fast, and I'm stoked. A little nervous, but mostly excited. I love new places and new people. I'm spending these days packing and repacking, trying to decide what I really need to take and what I just want to take.. and how to make it all fit.

I'm spending the workdays searching cool places in Europe and the nights hanging out with my boyfriend.

I feel like this is going to be one of those cliche, quintessential life changing experiences, and I'm all for it. This has been an interestingly rough year of figuring out who's who in my life... one that may have been painful but was completely necessary.

I think ending it with something exciting like this, filled with new people and new places, is exactly what I need.

xx,
Beth

P.S. Yes, I'm a student... we consider the summer the end of the year.

All Them Curves, and Me With No Brakes

I've stumbled upon a few more sites that I'm really longing for money to spend on enjoying. I like the idea of wearing what you love, rather than wearing what you think you should wear. These sites sort of feed into this idea, and I can't wait for a little spending money so I can slowly begin re-inventing my wardrobe.

First, the Dorothy Perkins website is full of dresses, accessories, jewelry, coats, denim, pant, skirts, tops, cardis and shoes in styles that fit anyone's personal preference. Just keep in mind the UK sizing, and remember to convert your dollars to euro if you make a purchase!

I already mentioned City Chic in a previous post, but I wanted to take a minute to gush about their huge selection of virtually timeless pieces. I love fashion that never changes, like a string of pearls or a black dress. While much of what this fabulous website offers is relatively trendy, there are also plenty of wardrobe essentials to last. That is one of my favorite elements of good fashion.

Last but not least, the ASOS Curve line is another page I'm stuck on right now. My favorite things on the page are the pants and dresses, particularly the chiffon-sleeve bodycon dress. I want to hunt down whoever came up with putting plus size gals in bodycon styles and buy her (or him, for that matter) a drink. What a fabulous way to show off our assets! I happen to love a good knit pencil skirt for work, class, dinner or going out! Paired with a variety of tops, this type of skirt is one of the most versatile pieces in my closet. I love clothing that makes me feel a certain way, and bodycon skirts are amazing objects that can transform how you feel about yourself on any given day. Outfits like that empower me and make me feel gorgeous and sexy. Like my boyfriend (err, um, Duke Nukem) says, "all them curves, and me with no brakes". Swoon. Everyone should have swoon-worthy outfits (and hear swoon-worthy compliments!).

I also stumbled upon another blogger I'm in love with at the moment. Jay Miranda, creator of the Fatshionable blog, is a beautiful woman with a definite eye for amazing fashion. I'm stuck on her blog, and am finding myself wishing I had all of her clothes! I love her style.

Speaking of style, I'm loving the breezy outfit and attitude I have today. The weather here in Riverside is lovely, scary summertime weather, the kind of weather that makes all Southern Californians shudder at thoughts of wildfire... I happen to love it. It's eerily overcast and breezy, but hot as hell. My favorite summer weather. Today I rode my brand new bike to work, it made me feel healthy! My legs aren't used to it, but I love the 2 mile round trip ride I'll be getting in everyday as exercise.

Here are a few shots of my baby:

Today, to match the weather and my mood and my mode of transport, I decided to wear sandals (which I hardly ever wear), a black tank and a pair of black and tan tribal print harem pants. I've actually been intrigued by harem pants (a certain kind, not a fan of the giant baggy crotch kind) for awhile but wasn't sure how they would look on my body. I finally found a pair that suit (and actually flatter, my boyfriend tells me they make my bum look fab) my body. I love dressing to reflect my mood! A breezy outfit in dark neutrals, perfect for today.

I think I may go thrifting after work. I feel like doing something fun this afternoon, alone. I've had so much up and down lately, I need a little time to myself to be happy with myself. Today seems like a perfect day for that.

xx,
Beth

A Good Day for Dresses and Bikes, a Bad Day For Justice

THIS happened... need I say more? So many questions... how could anyone doubt that she is guilty? I really don't want this blog to turn into something politically charged.. but come on. This is worse than O.J., in my opinion. How can you look at that little girl, and look at all the evidence (as concrete or not as it may have been) and think this woman is innocent? I usually try to turn these thoughts off, because no matter how much I go over it in my mind, or how furious I let myself get... little Caylee is still dead and this woman is still alive and free, and it's never going to be fair.

On the other hand, I'm happy about a lot of things.

I'm purchasing this dress to wear out next weekend. I plan on spending my last weekend in the states before a 6 week-long European research trip in one of my favorite American cities, Los Angeles. Plans are in the works for a really good weekend. Getting dressed up and going out really excites me, so I'm looking forward to the weekend.

Now, the trip itself... I'm nervous and really excited. I'll technically be studying Shakespeare (when my great aunt Faye found out that's what I'd be studying, she decided to put me in her will to receive her complete, leatherbound, very old set of his works, so her kids would stop fighting over who gets them!), but I plan on taking a lot of personal time to study the food, art and fashion of the different regions. The other students I will be traveling with are lovely, and I'm very excited to get to know everyone.

So, the apartment I live in is a good mile away from work and school. Not too bad, it really is a lovely walk... except for in the 100 degree weather we've been having. My lovely grandma got me a bike from a thrift store a few years ago, and as much as I appreciated the gesture, had no real use for it until now.. except all the years the bike spent sitting in my parents' hot garage has worn it down quite a bit. The thought of having a bike to turn a hot, sweaty 30 minute walk into a breezy 10 minute ride any day I wanted was so nice, so what's a girl to do? Grab her boyfriend and her little SUV and take a trip to Walmart, Target, Kmart... anywhere except Sport Chalet, because their bikes are ridiculously expensive.

xx,
Beth

P.S. Only God can judge.

Fashion Sites I Adore

So, in about 3 weeks I will be traveling to Europe for 6 weeks. I'm thinking a lot about money; I'm thinking about packing light, and what to take so I don't have to buy things there, and what to take so I'm prepared for ANYTHING. It's so exciting, but totally frustrating at the same time, because all I want to do is take my whole closet and every pair of shoes I own... and I know I can't. Not even close. So lately I've been hitting up Forever 21 pretty much around the clock, trying to score functional versatile but STILL CUTE clothing, shoes and accessories for the trip. I've also taken to searching the internet for websites catering to ALL women mainly when I'm bored at work.

I've compiled a few websites I really like:

Fashion to Figure
evans
Alight
Loop 18

And then of course the usuals: F21, Torrid, Marshall's, Target, H&M, etc., etc., etc. And of course I'm a huge fan of thrifting (what fashionable, creative college student isn't?) which I actually plan to do some of this weekend.

Gabi Gregg, who is perhaps one of my favorite bloggers, says it best: "I shop at straight size stores and find things that I can wear, regardless of whether it fits the way the designer intended it. When you're fat and stylish you have to be creative. Though the options are definitely getting better, I still refuse to limit myself to what's readily available for plus sizes because I'm not satisfied... I still bring my fat ass into H&M, TopShop, and wherever else I want. They may not make clothes to fit me, but they can't stop me from making their clothes fit me."

This is such a good philosophy to have: if you like something, can afford it and want it, get it. Don't be afraid of "being able to" pull it off. Make it work.

xx,
Beth

...and we have liftoff.

Hi, my name is Beth. I'm a northern gal living, breathing, working, studying, loving and laughing in southern California. I'm 22 years old. I study art- I mean I study the history of art. I live in a tiny but relatively nice apartment in Riverside.

Northern friends visiting me in

Riverside.

Friends and I out and about in Hollywood.

I do tend to be a solitary creature, but my friends and family still play a big part in my life. Of course. I'm fortunate enough to have really good friends all over California, so I do travel around the state a lot. 

I am also madly in love with the most wonderful man on the planet. I'm a very lucky girl.

 My loverboy.

d'awwwwwww

 

Silly. 

I love him. He calls me Princess. His Princess. Awww. What more could a girl ask for? Also, my parents love him, which is a good thing, now that I'm an old lady... no more rebellious you "loves" for me. 

So, you may be wondering what this blog is all about. 

In a word (err, in three words):

FOOD

FASHION

and

ART

Three things I am very passionate about. I'm an eccentric character who loves DIY, cooking, fat fashion, clutter, makeup, GQ, music and who hates stereotypes, whimsy and seafood. I'll spend one Saturday night in with my boyfriend's sister making our own face and hair masks and dishing about boys while blasting the Jonas Brothers... and I'll spend the next Saturday night in a see-through top and fishnets at a goth/industrial club in downtown Hollywood with my crew.

Again, I'm an eccentric creature.

You see me rant a lot, push products, show off outfits, tell stories, post photos, and quite possibly go into way too much detail about my life.

I'll share recipes, projects and ideas.

I may share great deals, interesting facts or event I stumble upon.

I'll always link you to some of my favorite things.

I have no intentions with this blog whatsoever. I don't know how often I'll update. It may run itself into the ground. I may get one follower, I may get 100 followers. Maybe I'll get a million. All that matters to me is connecting with anyone who wants to.

What can I say? I'm an eccentric character.

:)

Beth