Madewell recently released their fall collection and I am absolutely in love. Fall clothes are by far my favorite and Madewell's collection has exactly the vibe that I love for autumn: muted colors, lovely soft materials, and unique (high-waisted) pants. Here's what I would buy if I had a spare $1,000...what are you loving lately?
City Grid Coat in Colorblock, $298
Is this coat not gorgeous? From the beautiful color ("midnight spruce") to the unique zipper, it has everything I look for in a fall and winter coat.
The Elin Loafer, $158
I've never particularly been a fan of loafers, but these shoes completely changed my mind. They would look so beautiful paired with jeans or printed pants.
Asymmetrical Mini Skirt in Pinstripe, $88
The asymmetrical trend is clearly still around this fall and this skirt's pattern is absolutely gorgeous. How pretty would this be paired with a cropped black sweater and ankle boots?
Floral Lace Shift Dress, $168
I love lace dresses and this one in maroon is absolutely stunning. I might be a bit biased because maroon is my favorite color and my school color, though. I love lace dresses in dark colors because it toughens up the material a bit.
9" High Riser Skinny Skinny Jeans in Bristow Plaid, $128
Out of everything on the list, these jeans are the item I will most likely actually purchase. Just when I thought I couldn't love Madewell's high-waisted skinny jeans any more, they made them in this plaid pattern. #saygoodbyetomymoney
9" High Riser Skinny Skinny Jeans in Bristol Wash, $135
Like I said, I adore Madewell's high-waisted jeansand these lightly destroyed ones are beautiful. I think that ripped jeans are such a great fall look especially when paired with more feminine pieces.
Happy Friday, everyone! Who's excited for the month of September? I certainly am...and not just because it's my birthday month. ;)
1. Ever wondered "Which Disney Supporting Man is Your Perfect Match?" Well, wonder no more. I'm just excited that The Huntsman is my one true love...we're going with Once Upon a Time casting, right? #jamiedornanwhereareyou
2. I recently discovered the blog, Freddy My Love, even though I've been watching her YouTube channel for months and I absolutely adore it. Freddy's posts are very enjoyable to read and her photos are always gorgeous.
3. The new Amelie musical starring Samantha Barks looks absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to see more photos!
5. It's no secret that I love Maxwell Glick's videos and I like him even more after meeting him at Vidcon this summer. He recently released a song (go buy it on iTunes!) and music video that he wrote about Disney. At his meet-up at Vidcon, I got to hear the song before it premiered...and I'm so proud of how magical the music video is!
A few days ago, the Broadway community was shocked and saddened by the death of Kyle Jean-Baptiste. Kyle was a 21-year-old actor, who'd recently made his Broadway debut in Les Miserables playing Courfeyrac and understudying Jean Valjean. When he went on as Jean Valjean, he became the youngest person and the first ever African-American to play the role on Broadway.
However, Kyle was more than just a record-breaking Broadway actor. As his Twitter bio states, he was a "literal teddy bear." His cast mates and friends described him as being enthusiastic, kind, and passionate. The theatre community, and the world, has lost an incredible soul.
I never met Kyle, though we did follow each other on Twitter and he actually favorited a tweet of mine just last week. We'd talked before about how I would love to see him in a show on my next trip to New York City and his dreams of playing John in Miss Saigon. The news of his death hit me very personally and made me reflect on my life. Kyle was only a few months older than I am now and seemed like someone who was destined for future greatness. I'd been looking forward to watching him grow as a performer and hoped to meet him at stage door for his next show. I cannot begin to imagine the pain that his family and friends are feeling now. And I do not envy Ramin Karimloo, who had to sing "Bring Him Home," the night of the death of his young friend and cast mate.
In truth, I've been reflecting about life and death a lot this summer. In June, my grandmother--my Memaw--passed away. It was somewhat sudden. While her heath had been failing for years, she'd been moved out of the hospital and into assisted living following another health concern. We visited her on a Friday afternoon and she seemed her usual self, if a bit frustrated with being surrounded by people in far worse condition than her. She watched my sister do her recital dances, looked through photos from Scotland on my phone, and laughed and joked as always. Little did I know that day that it would be the last time I talked to her or hugged her.
That following Monday morning, she passed away suddenly. Her body simply gave out. My parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins gathered at the rest home that day to say goodbye to her one last time. The next weeks flew by with funeral preparations, a funeral service where I felt farther from her than I ever had, and cleaning out her house.
In cleaning out her house, I learned what a truly incredible woman my Memaw was. Despite being raised in a family with significant wealth, she was never snobbish. Indeed, she was one of the least prejudiced people I've met in my lifetime. She was in pageants and school plays and was a very stylish lady. She had an incredible love affair with my granddaddy and she doted on her many grandchildren. She had lived her life to the fullest. She had seen her children married and her grandchildren born. In fact, she'd even gotten to see most of her grandchildren married and starting families of their own. While I'm disappointed that she won't get to see me graduate from college, from a school so important to her family, I know she will be with me in spirit.
The thing I've learned about grief is that it doesn't necessarily get any easier. There are still moments when I forget that she's passed and think, "Oh I'll have to tell Memaw about this the next time I talk to her" or assume that she'll be at our house for the next family gathering before suddenly remembering. My heart goes out to Kyle Jean-Baptiste's parents and siblings, for I too know the feeling of dreading Christmas because of the heartache it will bring from the absence of a loved one.
In the past few days, reflecting on the frailty of life, I've been reminded of two things. The first is to never forget to tell people that you love them and appreciate them. Life is beautiful and terrible, but most of all, it is unpredictable. It is impossible to know when someone you love will be taken from you. Don't hesitate to let people know how you feel, whether it's your parents, your best friend, or the teacher who changed your life. It's better to stumble over your words or risk sounding repetitive than to have regrets.
The second thing that my Memaw and Kyle have taught me is to live life with passion and love. My grandmother always had a smile for everyone she met. She was quick to tell you that you were her favorite person (yes, we grandchildren all realized that we could not possibly each be her favorite grandchild and yet, we appreciated hearing it). Even the people who worked at her bank were sad to hear of her passing and reminisced how friendly and warm she'd been.
Kyle had an incredible passion for theatre and a light that he spread to those around him. In his 21 tragically short years, he accomplished so much, including one of his life dreams. His untimely death made me question if I'm living the life that I should be. So often, it's easy to live with the thought process of "It will get better later" or "I might not like my life now, but it'll be better in a few years." I know I've sunken into a "life will be better once you're done with school" mindset. But you can't count on those years being there.
In short: Do what you want to be doing. Spread love freely. Tell people what they mean to you. Live in a way that would leave you with few regrets were you to find out it was your last year.
My heart goes out to Kyle's family, friends, and all those who knew him. If you would like, you can donate to Kyle's alma mater for a scholarship in his name.
**The person who filmed the video above was encouraged to share it by Kyle Jean-Baptiste when he was told about it at stage door. He wanted to put his name out there to advance his career and give him more opportunities. It seems only fitting to share it, in hopes that his name and incredible accomplishments will not be forgotten despite his only living 21 years.
Last weekend, my friends and I went shopping at the outlets near our university. I bought things at J. Crew, Banana Republic, Off Fifth, American Eagle, and...Coach! I wanted to share what I got with all of you.
Well, I've had one week of classes and I'm already exhausted! Who else has started school already? I definitely need some time relaxing in bed with my computer this weekend.
1. I love this "What New Book Should You Read this Fall?" that recommends a book that's coming out this fall based on your preferences. I've written mine down to buy when it's released!
2. The entire Broadway community rejoiced this week when Aaron Tveit (finally) joined Twitter and Instagram. Welcome to the internet, Aaron...watch out for the crazy fangirls.
3. This 5 minute yoga-routine (shown through gifs!) is perfect for when you don't have much time. I might have to do this in between waking up and showering every morning.
5. It's no secret that Laura Osnes is basically a real life princess. This Cinderella medley she performed at her recent Princess Party concert at 54 Below completely proves it.
My little sister, Hannah, watches YouTube videos with me and some of her favorites are the "My Brother/Boyfriend Does My Makeup" challenges. She begged for me to let her do my makeup and I didn't think it could be that bad...Pro-tip: don't let a 12-year-old do your makeup.
I officially move in at university tomorrow! Who else is going back to school soon or has already started back? I decided to do a special Friday Internet Finds edition, all about back-to-school!
1. These tips can help you have a great first year of college or an even better second, third, or fourth year!
2. Ever wondered if you truly belong at an English university or an American college? This Buzzfeed quiz can sort the matter out for you. (No surprise here: I got an English university.)
3. This College Fashion article has some great suggestions for dorm decor.
4. I recently discovered "studyblr," a corner of Tumblr completely dedicated to study tips and pretty desk set-ups. This article from Glamour explains. Do any of you have studyblrs that you follow? Let me know in the comments!
5. My friend, Alyson, made a wonderful video about dorm essentials. If you're moving into your first dorm (or just trying to get it right the second or third year), make sure to watch it!
I finally got around to filming and editing my Vidcon haul! It includes all the free goodies I got at Vidcon, a few items I bought, and a few things I got in California not from Vidcon. Enjoy! xx
Last week, I talked about rediscovering Hollister...this week, I'm talking about rediscovering Old Navy! I still thought of it as a store for basics, but its fall collection is absolutely gorgeous. When I went in, their sales were fantastic and I just couldn't resist. This video also guest stars my little sister, Hannah, because she loved their children's section.
