i pick up on things too late

So I just got my April issue of Vogue in the mail, and as I actually don't think I go to Georgetown anymore (based on the fact that I generally have zero work and don't participate in any activities due to the foot. Don't worry mom - I still attend college) reading it cover to cover. The editor's letter was a birthday shout-out to Grace Coddington, and included were a few shots from some of her more memorable shoots. And she is such an amazing stylist! I know, I know after seeing The September Issue (like the whole fashion world except me) everyone knows and loves Grace Coddington. But although I recognized the name, I never knew that much of her work. So I decided to look her up! And like with Annie Leibovitz, I fell in love (by the way, Coddington styled that Alice in Wonderland shoot of Leibovitz's that I loved so much. Perfection.) 

So here are some shots from her "Paris Je T'aime" shoot, my new favorite, for Vogue in September 2007 - enjoy!

I love the styling! The flapper-esque vibe (the over-the-top accesories, frilly slipdresses) combined with more tailored, put-together elements in some of the photos, is just such an amazing mix! And who doesn't love parisian (or french in general...) style? Je ne sais qui! Aren't I punny today... that was kind of bad...

So, update on my life: not much. I took photos of my outfit yesterday, but then I realized that I was sitting in bed with my computer and didn't even have the will to move over to my desk to get the camera to upload the pictures. My outfit was just that mediocre. I mean it was fine, but the sweater/necklace, buttondown/necklace combos that I've been rocking in the past few days have gotten a bit dull. It's just soooo cold and gross outside! And I refuse to wear tights for the aforementioned reason that I would have to wear them with my lovely, supportive tennis shoes and that is not even remotely a sartorial option. 

I have physical therapy again tomorrow morning, so fingers crossed that my ankle has improved enough for me to start putting weight on my foot again! I'm anxious to continue my recovery... but for now I'm going to bed! I have to be over in Dupont at 9 a.m - a.k.a getting up at 8. Its going to be rough. Good night!

photos courtesy of vogue

monday

Is there really anything else to say? Its a Monday, and to be honest, its been a pretty bad day. After going to physical therapy I found that whatever I did to my ankle this weekend (long story) isn't permanent or anything too serious, but its made putting weight on my foot painful and inadvisable for a few days. That's not very long, but the setback is just soooo frustrating, you know?

 martin&osa tank

urban outfitters necklace

h&m top

jcrew pants

 Oh, and did I forget to mention? Perhaps the reason I'm so stressed about everything going on with my foot is that today is the 2 month anniversary of that fateful day. It's just been a long road, and today is definitely been a hard day on the journey.

Wow I'm done being angsty now.... Let's see, some positive things that have happened since I last posted: We chose housing! Nicole and I had number 122 in the housing raffle (pretty average, middle-of-the-road number but still good enough to get into the Southwest Quad, where most sophmores want to end up if they are going to be in the dorms) and we got a pretty awesome room! As soon as we picked, I actually walked over to explore our new building, and even knocked on our door to see if I could possibly see our future room - and its present occupant was actually quite sweet! She invited me in, let me look around, told me her thoughts on living in the building and told me to come back if ever I had more questions. 

Ok, something else positive? Let me think... after this I think I'm going to go to the library! Why is this positive? Because at the library I get bagels and iced tea! Perfect accompaniments to working, no? And since I had my econ midterm last week and turned in my philosophy paper earlier today, this is looking like it should be a chill week. Just what I need.

So I think I'm going to head over there now... on my scooter sadly. The step back is just obnoxious. But send me healing vibes, hopefully everything will fix itself soon enough and I can be back on the fast track to walking again! Have a lovely evening :)

pretty pretty princesses

My friend posted an article on my facebook wall yesterday with photos from a disney-inspired Annie Leibovitz shoot. They are all so pretty and fanciful that I just need to put them up. And in preparation for this post I googled Leibovitz to look over more of her earlier works. And found even more of her inspiring photos! So, instead of being just the disney photos that I was sent, I also want to share some photos from an Alice in Wonderland-inspired shoot that she did for Vogue in 2003. So. Gorgeous.

And switch to Alice in Wonderland (I must also add as a side-not that I am slightly obsessed with Alice in Wonderland-esque fashion. I don't know why but the quirkiness and fantasticalness - is that word? - of it all is just so fascinating to me! Oh, and I loveeee Natalie Vodianova)

Update on my life recently: just took my econ midterm and am kind of freaking out about it... Probably I should have studied more, and as I am a cripple and therefore have no extracurricular activities, clearly I had time to study more and am just too lazy. Last semester on this midterm the curve was so extreme that 65% was an A - maybe that could happen this time? My only hope for this test is that he is merciful with his partial credit and that everyone else screwed up as much as I did and helped the curve. We shall see.

Sooo, to drown my sorrows I am now in the library writing this post, drinking a huge mango-orange iced tea, and eating bagels like its my job. I was planning to work on the reading for philosophy thats due next week, but I've decided that the only homework I will do today is the homework for tomorrow. As in only my russian. Everything else can wait for the weekend. 

So now I guess I will do that Russian homework? Seems like way too much work for my brain right now. But I suppose I must. And then I can be done thinking for the rest of the day! Just what I need. 

Have a lovely Thursday!

all photos by annie leibovitz

rainy day

Description of today, not when these pictures were actually taken (a.k.a yesterday). Its a bit sad though. Yesterday was quite a gorgeous day and today is just... ehhh. Its barely even raining, just kind of misting and cold. Enough to make a person never want to leave their room - not like I actually ever really do. Even with my cast off and the burden of having to constantly elevate my foot gone, I still find myself doing a fair amount of homework in my bed. Guess I'm just too lazy to go somewhere else. Although I have gone to the library for the last two nights! But that's mostly due to the fact that they have bagels there, and that I have an econ midterm tomorrow... we shall see how that goes. In the meantime, my outfit from yesterday:

 target tank

loft button down

vintage necklace

 jcrew pants

Yet another pair of minnies. My mom is always commenting on how much I love them - its true, I do owe her for introducing them to me, they must be my favorite pants! I would highly suggest that anyone who hasn't tried a pair to look into them. While they can be a bit pricey full-price, they often go on sale. I once found a pair for about $15! Not going to lie, it was the highlight of my day (week...)

Yet another one of my clock necklaces. Love them all, just wished they worked! But alas, they are old and don't work anymore, and I'm too cheap/lazy to see if they can be fixed

Random, but here are some little gifts I got at the fashion show this weekend! You may or may not remember, but a while ago (a.k.a before I broke my foot) I applied to work on Georgetown's spring fashion show. And I actually got the job! I was supposed to be co-chair of the talent committee (in charge of casting/dressing models - I was sooo excited) - then, of course, I broke my foot, almost had to withdraw from school and, consequently, withdraw myself from helping out. Even if I came back (which I did thankfully), backstage at a fashion show isn't really the best place for a girl on crutches. But I'm hoping that since they chose me this year that they will remember me and choose me again for next year's show.

Regardless, since I am back at school clearly I wasn't going to miss it! The theme was "A Midsummers Night Dream" and it was really great! I had a few friends model in it and one took pictures, and if I get their ok I will put some photos of it up in the next post, they did soooo well! Fun thing about the show was they gave out all these free things - gift bags, flip flops, sunglasses and, if you won a raffle (like I did) a larger item from American Eagle. And I won this bag! Honestly not something I would have necessarily bought for myself, but now that I have it I think its pretty cute and will probs get some use out of it this summer! Gotta love freebies :)

Ok now I need to finish up this post and get myself ready for class - its a long way cross-campus when you're on crutches... wish me luck!

wearing skinny pants again

Yes, I know that I wore a pair of minnies in the last post too, but I'm continually overjoyed to wear form-fitting pants now that I don't have a cast. The simple joys, right? Something I've never been good at seeing, so this is a step for me :)

 topshop shirt

 jcrew cardigan

 jcrew pants

 vintage necklaces

So, sorry its been so long since I last posted. My computer broke last week, which was quite an adventure - having a broken foot AND a broken computer is not the best combination.  One morning I woke up and went to check my email and the i key on my keyboard didn't work. I needed that key to type the password into my computer. Then I started testing other keys and discovered that the whole right side of my keyboard was completely unresponsive. Does that actually happen in real life? No, I think that things like this only happen to me. Thankfully I was still under warranty so I got a keyboard replacement overnighted to me from dell. And now I have a working computer again. Yay

Little detail shots from my outfit. I love the buttons on this cardigan, they are like shiny little beads. Only problem with these buttons (and buttons on cardigans in general) is that they bang against my crutches when I walk and make this annoying little tinkling noise. The things you don't think about with regards to crutches and clothes! There are so many outfits I'd like to wear but that I just can't seem to make work with the tennis shoes I have to wear - wearing outfits that are only cute from the ankle up is soooo awkward. And I refuse to wear tights and dresses because then I have to tuck the tights into my tennis shoes. Not happening.

Good news though is that I started physical therapy last week and I think its going really well! I'm already doing exercises where I shift over half my weight onto my left foot, and I can hobble around my room on one crutch (its really awkward and limpy and probs bad for me, so I won't actually try it in public, but at least I can!). And the physical therapist thinks she can get me off crutches faster than the doctor was planning. Its all contingent on the amount of work and pain I'm willing to put into it... large amounts of pain? Ugh. But we all have to make sacrifices, and at this point I'll do just about anything to walk normally again.

Ok, sorry again for not posting in forever, will probably put up another post tonight or tomorrow with today's outfit. But for now, I need to make my slow, crutch-y way to econ! I was going to skip since it's mostly a review day, but I'm being good... sigh. Have a lovely afternoon!

shoes

My new shoes. Aren't they lovely? I'm going for a "borrowed from the boys look"

kidding.

Except only sort of. Clearly I'm not going for any look here, except for perhaps the "I'm still sort of handicapped and this is all I'm allowed to wear on my swollen foot" look. After getting my cast off last Wednesday (yay!!) we were surprised to discover that I didn't need a boot after all - the doctor wanted me to start slowly putting weight on my foot (with the help of crutches of course), meaning I have physical therapy three times a week and have to wear supportive tennis shoes. Supportive. What a great word. It basically means I can't wear any of my cute, normal shoes. Ballet flats? No. Moccasins? Of course not. Not like I actually have any moccasins, scootering ruined them and I had to throw them away. Sad times. But at least I'm starting to walk! I'm kind of beginning to forget what walking is like, and it worries me...

vintage necklace

urban outfitters top

jcrew pants

And here's what I wore today! We bought me some flared-ish jeans last week while I was home, because we weren't sure if I could put on my skinny pants without hurting my foot. But I can! I am back in my beloved minnies, even if they look slightly silly with my socks and tennis shoes. 

I loovvee the detailing on this shirt! Normally I don't buy (or even let myself try on/look at) full price items at urban outfitters, as they are slightly out of my college student budget, but I couldn't walk by this! I love the colors, and the slight sheerness of the pink lace bits

So I went out tonight! I know, it's a Monday. Classy right? But my friend Emily writes for the radio blog and she was covering this Pete Yorn and Ben Kweller concert and had some extra tickets. It was actually really fun! I felt very hipster - we went and got Ethiopian food before the concert, then sat and listened to the folksy (and really funny, especially Ben Kweller. new love) music while sipping coffee. Good stuff. Emily called ahead and reserved a bar stool for me, which was lovely because after the standing in line my hip was starting to hurt. Goodness, breaking my foot is making me a crotchety old woman...

Best part of the night: Besides all the great Ben Kweller songs (and his hair flopping), for sure when Emily interviewed Pete Yorn in his bus (and I sat in, as her silent "co-writer) and afterward he helped me down the stairs and held my crutches. So sweet. Apparently my parents are jealous that I got to go to his show, I bet they will love to hear that I met him.

And worst part: the fact that the stools for me (and some other semi-injured/older people) to sit on were up multiple flights of stairs. Really? You put the handicap seating up stairs? Not fun. Oh, and the large stamps I got on my hand for being under 21. I hate having stamps on the backs of my hands, makes me feel like people are judging me, especially on a weeknight.

Overall, good first day back! Now I need to get some sleep, daylight savings is messing with my head...

designer spotlight: milly

So this particular post was inspired by a trip to the mall with my mother yesterday. While we were there on a particular mission, namely finding me some comfortable and supportive (yet still cute) shoes as well as a raincoat for those precipitation-filled East Coast springs (as crutches aren't really conducive to holding an umbrella)... wow that was a really long aside. So basically on our way out of Nordstrom my mom and I were both taken by this adorable little bag. We looked at the M tag and thought, who is this by? When I looked inside I was surprised to find it was made by the label Milly! I didn't know they made accessories! After our prolonged staring lured a salesperson over, he told us how the accessories line was new from the Spring 2011 collection. And when my mom saw the adorable little brown/black combo bag (she's a sucker for brown and black done together when they're done right), she just had to get it as an early birthday present. Now with typical buyer's remorse it may or may not stay, but I must say its adorable. And it inspired me to look through the Milly shows and see what they're all about! Here are some of my fav looks:

Spring 2011 RTW (a.k.a the genesis of the bags):

Actually the opening look - I'm in love with the jacket and, surprisingly, the turban headband. Don't think I could pull one off myself, but pretty cute

Loving the print and the off-the-shoulder silhouette. Some of the bags had this pattern too, which was absolutely adorable!

As we all know I don't really wear color so this is a bit much for me, but... there's my mom's new bag - yay! It's so cute and a good size and surprisingly light. Let's hope she keeps it :)

Fall 2011 RTW:

Love this. Fisherman's sweater? Check. Already own it and love it. But the sparkly maxi skirt? Wish I could pull it off, don't know if I could. Regardless, really cool look.

The color and the sheen to this fabric just make it look so luxe! I think I was made for fall dressing. The colors and the layers are just so much more me (despite all the complaining I'm doing about wanting to wear skirts sans tights - that's because of an extraneous situation, a.k.a my broken foot, and not usually my dressing)

Despite my aforementioned aversion to color, I like this. The print and the shape are just simply gorgeous

Oh, and just to add a picture of me to this post:

Here is my experience of the day: the motorized scooter at Target! We were on the way to the chiropractor so all I had were my crutches, but we decided to make a quick stop to pick up some food. And I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to try something I (and I'm thinking everyone else) have always wanted to do. The motorized scooter! One drawback: it's really, really slow. As in we were late because my mom had to wait for me to show up to the checkout line - she was just waiting and I was putzing down the main aisle. Suggestion to Target: speed up your scooters! Just because I have a broken foot doesn't mean I want to shop like a turtle. Oh, and then I almost broke it running into a checkout desk. Is that why they move so slow? Who knows...

Tomorrow we get my cast off and take a look at the foot! Hopefully I'm ready for a walking boot and to start putting weight on it. Wish me luck!

milly images by style.com

random

Looking back through my photos, realized there were a few outfits I didn't post (both pre- and post-accident). And since today was a definite sweatpants day, here they are!

topshop shirt

old navy vest

target skirt

hunter boots

Totally forgot about this outfit, but really liking it! Normally I don't like bright colors (as you may or may not have noticed...) but this floral shirt is lots of fun I think

And... the outfit from the day of. I remember it so clearly... Nicole and I were having a chat in my room, catching up since we hadn't seen each other in forever, when I asked her to take some photos of me in my outfit so I could change into some more sledding-appropriate clothes. We had a little photo-shoot then I changed into sweatpants and some rain boots; I asked her to come with but she had dance. If only she could have come... maybe the time continuum would have been changed or something and I wouldn't be sitting on my bed with this boot of a cast on my foot! But that's wishful thinking. Sadly this is my reality and I just need to get used it. At least I will heal, I will walk again; some people don't get that chance. Wow, ok, done being angsty now. Thanks for listening - or maybe you've stopped reading now, wouldn't blame you :)

old navy cardigan

vs pink tank

thrifted belt

martin&osa jeans

h&m flats

Look at me, being all cool and balancing on my crutches. Crutches photo-shoots: not only quite silly, they kind of obstruct the clothes. You can't even really see my cardigan, which is all cute and sequiny

jcrew cardigan

hanes tshirt

old navy skirt

minnetonka moccasin (notice its singular. I only need one shoe now ^^)

So there you go. Some random pictures of me, wearing real clothes. Sigh. If only that was the case today. But funny story about clothes: I was walking (or scootering rather) back from economics when I ran into a friend of mine from the dorm; he'd had a presentation of sorts in class earlier so he was in a suit. As we were walking back to the dorm, he made some comment about how many weird looks you get if you wear a suit around campus. I almost hit him with my scooter. Weird looks you get for wearing a suit!? Calmly I said, "I don't think they're looking at you. You're walking next to a girl on a scooter." Maybe I'm just being vain, but suits are slightly more common than a girl on a scooter. Maybe they were looking at the two of us together? A guy in full suiting and a girl in sweatpants on a scooter must have made an odd pair...

So once again, basically no homework whatsoever. Watched a movie right before this, and probably watching another movie after brownie and quesadilla night with Nicole. A bunch of people are out at this Basshunter concert at some club in the city. I'm so jealous! Not that they are seeing Basshunter, I don't really know who he is, but I miss going to concerts! Haven't gone to one since I came to college, and now I'm probably out of commission on the concert front for a while. Oh well. C'est la vie. Good night!

look ma... I'm wearing real clothes!!

So guess what - it was warm today!! And you know what that means... real clothing for Alison! After lunch I came out of the dining hall (looking awesome on the scooter of course - and I have a picture of it now so you can all share in my amusement ^^) and realized that it was quite warm. And I thought to myself, "Why are you wearing sweatpants when the weather is so obviously amazing?" So clearly I went straight back to my dorm and put on a skirt. Yay.

Remember when I used to take pictures of my shoes like this? Well now its my cast. Such is my life.

old navy button down

gap tank

vintage necklace

vintage skirt

minnetonka moccasins

Sorry if the photo doesn't show off my outfit too well. But self-timer photos are, well, a bit difficult when you can only stand on one foot :)

Some photos of my lovely providers of mobility. Up top is my scooter. I've really come to appreciate it, despite how ridiculous it looks. You'd be surprised (or perhaps you wouldn't? who knows) that I get a crazy amount of weird looks when I go around campus on my scooter. I mean, I understand that its a bit out of the ordinary - why am I not on crutches like the rest of the injured people? answer: because I'm more injured then they are - but still, it's been two weeks! Haven't they all seen me already? You'd think they'd be over it by now. Whatever. I go home for spring break on Friday. Soooo necessary right now.

And the other picture is of my crutch toppers. More comfortable and infinitely more sophisticated than wash cloths :)

Oh, another reason this day was exciting: I had my first excursion on the Georgetown sidewalks with my scooter! By Georgetown I mean the neighborhood, not the school. And if you are wondering why this is my first time after being back for two weeks, its because I've been avoiding them. You may have heard in my past posts (or know from personal experience), but Georgetown sidewalks are ridiculous. Little pitfalls and loose bricks galore. Fun when watching drunk girls in heels try to navigate them. Not fun when you are the handicapped girl on a scooter trying to navigate them. But we decided to brave them to take advantage of the afternoon and get cupcakes! Sooo worth it, and actually a lovely excursion for the bed-ridden, stir-crazy broken girl. 

Well, I think Emily and I are off to the library. Not to work of course! I mean at least not on my part. I have no work. To have a muffin party! I've already had a muffin and a cupcake today... probs reached my calorie threshold for the day and beyond... but I'm broken. I deserve it. Night :)