all you are is....MEAN

OK, so i'm about to talk about something super serious, and i'm sort of shocked i haven't written about it yet. here it is: dum dum dum dum (or is it dun dun dun??)...TAYLOR SWIFT'S NEW ALBUM. Seriously, it's so good.  For the past month or so, my mornings have begun with a cup of joe, chobani yogurt, and Speak Now. It's a bit ironic, actually, considering I used to loathe the singer. Hmm, I should have prefaced with this next fact, but oh well. You know how we all have flaws? Well, one of mine is that I tend to be hypocritical sometimes. Fine. A lot of the time. Like, I used to publicly denounce Swift and hold a minor grudge against anyone who did like the bombshell, and now I'm here singing her praises. Whatever, I'm the first to admit to this vice of mine. Anywaaaays, if I have ever made fun of you because of your love for Taylor, I apologize (Rebecca Miller, we're going to her next concert together aw yeee). CLARIFICATION: when I'd poke fun at people it was always in good humor, never maliciously. Don't want you all thinking I'm rude or anything. 


Now to the bloggy stuff. I was looking to wear something eclectic today; something different from my usual classic, minimalist style. I don't feel much like writing about it. I chose the rough leather leggings and tie up boots to play against the feminine blouse and deep purple sweater. Also, the bow is cute. In essence, I dig the mix between rocker girl and momma's little girl. Thassss it. 

lolzzzzz

smoky eyes

Those eyes, I die. If only I didn't look so ridiculous in heavy eye make-up...

sup krupp

The other day, I somehow found myself in a humorous (and quite compelling) discussion about style with a couple friends of mine (Ben Krupp, this is for you). They were making fun of me a bit, which is totally fine, with remarks such as, “Oh, so you hate Tess ‘cause she wears Uggs” (Tess was the other friend). What really hit me, though, was when Krupp asked if I don’t like people who don’t dress like me. I immediately laughed at the ridiculousness of his question, but then realized that this may be the image of myself I have been inadvertently projecting. So, on behalf of myself, I would like to clarify. I do not judge people whose styles are not like mine. For a while, I believed in the provincial definition of style; that to be “stylish”, one had to dress like a model and mirror the images in Vogue. While aspects of those ideals may be ones that I encompass in my own style, I don’t deem them necessary to a stylish existence. Example: my good friend Christina (god, so many shout-outs in this post) recently has done this crazy cool thing to her hair where she’s braided all this cool felt-y material into a thousand hair wraps and there’s all this crazy colored coolness. I admire her for her ability to be so, for a lack of a better word, ballsy. While it’s not my look, it’s hers, and I admire her for knowing what she wants and flaunting it with such ineffable confidence. 

I also don’t judge people who may not have found a style at all. Like wine, I believe that style is a taste one acquires with age. Some find it earlier than others. My family often tells me I was born in the wrong era, that I’m an “old soul”. At age 12, my grandmother was buying me hardcover photography books on Audrey Hepburn, my everlasting muse (my collection now stands at 17 books). I soon became enamored with the expressiveness of personal style, and that love lingers in me everyday. WOW, THAT WAS SO CORNY ALEXANDRA!!! That’s all. Just wanted to get all that out there in the open.

Sup Krupp. 

pixie

I'll admit, I was reticent at first when I saw Emma Watson's new haircut. I couldn't separate Watson from her famed character, Hermione--the cunning witch whose curls and natural aesthetic made me less conscious of my own unruly hair (thank gawd for keratin treatment--i swear by it.) 

If you're like me and you struggle with change and haven't been able to let go of the Hermione within Watson, you'll love these pics from Vogue UK's December spread. She is suuuuch a sixties diva in these shots. It's fabulous. I'm SO digging the cut now. 

The eyes. The teeth. The freaking adorable "it's so windy I must hold on to my hat or it will blow away" hands. Gawsh, I die.

Her new do is totally reminiscent of twiggy. PLEASE tell me you see the resemblance? They rock identical side-swept dirty-blonde pixie cuts. And they're both teeny weeny. Just look at this.

SEE! THE SAME!

Vogue UK December 2010

images via fashiongonerogue.com

cream fur

i dig it.

trip to the city

The words "oh my god" were just uttered from my mouth when I stumbled across this photo. Kirby Kenny is so effortlessly chic, looking classy yet fierce in each ensemble (which to me resembles something of a 60's aesthetic, no?). Just stunning. 

Side note: I'm digging the bleach blonde wavy hair vibe. So hot right now.

photo cred: fashiongonerogue.com

a divergence from my usual

i wanted to share something with you all; something that once helped me in a great time of distress. if you're not familiar with the non-profit To Write Love On Her Arms, I encourage you to familiarize yourself as soon as possible. it is a source of inspiration and serves as a guide for anyone going through/dealing with anything. what i'm about to show you is their vision page. read their vision. let it inspire you like it inspires me.

(this is not my writing. this was taken from the twloha website, as found here )

VISION:

The vision is that we actually believe these things…

You were created to love and be loved.  You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you're part of a bigger story.  You need to know that your life matters.

We live in a difficult world, a broken world.  My friend Byron is very smart - he says that life is hard for most people most of the time.  We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments.  You need to know that you're not alone in the places you feel stuck. 

We all wake to the human condition.  We wake to mystery and beauty but also to tragedy and loss.  Millions of people live with problems of pain.  Millions of homes are filled with questions – moments and seasons and cycles that come as thieves and aim to stay.  We know that pain is very real.  It is our privilege to suggest that hope is real, and that help is real. 

You need to know that rescue is possible, that freedom is possible, that God is still in the business of redemption.  We're seeing it happen.  We're seeing lives change as people get the help they need.  People sitting across from a counselor for the first time.  People stepping into treatment.  In desperate moments, people calling a suicide hotline.  We know that the first step to recovery is the hardest to take.  We want to say here that it's worth it, that your life is worth fighting for, that it's possible to change. 

Beyond treatment, we believe that community is essential, that people need other people, that we were never meant to do life alone. 

The vision is that community and hope and help would replace secrets and silence.  

The vision is people putting down guns and blades and bottles. 

The vision is that we can reduce the suicide rate in America and around the world.

The vision is that we would learn what it means to love our friends, and that we would love ourselves enough to get the help we need.

The vision is better endings.  The vision is the restoration of broken families and broken relationships.  The vision is people finding life, finding freedom, finding love.  The vision is graduation, a Super Bowl, a wedding, a child, a sunrise.  The vision is people becoming incredible parents, people breaking cycles, making change.  

The vision is the possibility that your best days are ahead.  

The vision is the possibility that we're more loved than we'll ever know.  

The vision is hope, and hope is real.

You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story.