Sweater Weather

Yesterday was quite a wonderful Saturday! We headed out to this tag sale that was being held at this great antique store by my job that I discovered recently. It was fantastic! Well, at least I thought so. I ended up getting two adorable vintage pieces for my wall and a fun read fall coat (it has gold owl buttons!) that you'll be seeing as soon as the weather gets just a bit chillier. There really aren't many antique stores around where I live, but in the town where I work, I'm slowly discovering more and more consignment shops, antique stores, and fun little boutiques that make up for my own neighborhood's terrible lack of them. Afterwards, we headed to the mall, did a little more shopping, and had a nice lunch/dinner. What do you guys call a meal eaten at, like, 3 o'clock? There really should be a dinner/lunch equivalent to brunch, no?

Anyway, for a blustery day of lots of shopping and walking, I opted for a cozy and comfortable outfit. This sweater is oversized and wonderful, and I can see it serving me well as the days get even cooler. Also, this fox pin is really one of my favorite accessories. Someone always comments on it every time I wear it and it's a nice conversation starter :)

Sweater: Forever 21, Jeans: Levi's, Boots: Delia's, Fox pin: Three Blooms on Etsy







Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Jack O' Lantern Festival

So, this has nothing to do with fashion, but last weekend, after apple picking, we went to the most amazing jack o'lantern display I've ever seen: The Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor. It's basically an hour long walk through a world full of intricately carved and arranged jack o' lanterns. Not only was it amazingly impressive, what with the jack o'lantern dragons, dinosaurs, and sunflowers (among other things), but it was so very beautiful - a perfect fall activity. I'm pretty sure it's all sold out for the season - and rightly so - but if you're in the new york area and want to see something fantastic and autumny, I very very highly recommend it. I tried my best to keep my camera steady and capture as many pictures of pumpkins as I could for you guys to see.

Can you spot the kitty pumpkin?

















Until tomorrow,
Nicole

You're Just A Riddle In The Sky

So, my favorite thing to do this fall apparently is to layer sweaters over dresses and skirts. Seriously - I can't stop! I picked up a few new sweaters yesterday shopping with a friend, including this one from Forever 21, which of course meant that today I had to wear one over a dress! Unfortunately, it was just me and the tripod today, and while usually I have pretty good luck with taking my own photos, these all seem to be a bit wonky and framed weirdly. Oh well, you get the picture, hopefully.

Dress: H&M, Sweater: Forever 21, Tights: Asos, Shoes: Ruche, Jean Jacket: Salvation Army











Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Girl Sailor

I'm really digging how some of my outfits lately (really only two recent ones, but still) have been applicable to the titles of Shins songs. But anyway, things have been busy busy busy. This weekend is fall break, which is really only two extra days off, but I've got a lot of work to do before then, and will probably have a lot of work to do during the break as well but, uh, at least I'll have more time to do it? Anyway, I plumb forgot about this sweater until I decided to go through and make a mental note of how many sweaters I have that still fit/aren't too ugly. This sweater used to be way too tight, but now it fits quite nicely. Also, it makes me feel like a sailor, which is a quality I admire in clothing. My grandmother gave me a bunch of her gaudy old jewelry the other day, and I was so excited that one of the items included was this fun cameo pin! I've been wanting cameo jewelry for a while now, and I can see myself wearing this one over and over again.

Sweater: Topshop, Skirt: Forever 21, Shoes: Urban Outfitters, Brooch: Grandma's














Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Apple Picking

Yesterday was the most wonderful day I've had in a long time. It may have been the quintessential autumn experience. In any case, it was fun and beautiful. We headed up to Fishkill Farms to do some apple picking. I've never been apple picking before, but it was so, so much fun! Trekking through muddy, grassy orchards to find apples - which are delicious - and then exploring the pumpkin and strawberry patches was fantastic. I may have even climbed into an apple tree (exciting!). The afternoon was completed with some chilled apple cider and apple cider donuts, both of which were delicious. Later that night, we went to an amazing Jack O' Lantern festival in the area, but I'm saving those pictures for tomorrow's post because there are just so many! God, I really love autumn.

Oh, and just a note on what I'm wearing. This dress is actually the lovely Jasmine's! We're currently doing a little clothing swap. I actually almost purchased this dress a while back, and now I'm borrowing it from her. Thanks Jasmine!

Dress: Jasmine's from Forever 21, Boots: Steve Madden, Socks: Target





First pick!



And it's delicious!



So excited, we're out of focus



Oh, the pumpkins! Possibly my favorite part of fall





Awkward field dancing





What am I doing in this tree?



What am I doing on this haystack?



Cheryl and Mike on the haystack!



So beautiful



Phew, lots of photos! But there was just so much good-ness, I couldn't help but share.

Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Sea Legs

These tights got me so many odd looks today. I wear colored tights all the time, as you guys know, but for some reason, green is the color that makes people question my sartorial choices (well, at least enough to give me a look that implies as much). Oh well, I'm still a fan of said tights. Also, they remind me of the Shins song "Sea Legs" due to their being the color of murky lake water, though I'm not sure tights are what James Mercer had in mind when writing the song. Anyway, I'm currently rambling and should really be reading some Shakespeare before going out later, so, uh, off I go!

Sweater, skirt: H&M, Tights: Courtesy of We Love Colors, Boots: Famous Footwear











Until tomorrow,
Nicole

The Times They Are Strange, But They're Bound to Change

One of the worst parts of breakups, for me, is the doubt and worry they bring. When I was still deliberating my decision, one of the major factors that was keeping me in my relationship was the fear that I would never find someone else who would love me, let alone want to date me. Now, obviously this is no reason to stay with someone, but it was for me. The thought of being alone is terrifying. You don't know how many times I've thought "I'm too weird for anyone to like. Who wants this weird girl who eats pastries like it's nobody's business and spends her Friday nights dramatically lipsyncing to Jack's Mannequin songs?" I was with someone who didn't mind those things about me and couldn't help but question the odds that there was some OTHER guy out there who would do the same. I currently have a bit of a crush on a guy that most likely will not be, uh, "falling in love with me" anytime soon for a multitude of reasons. In the short amount of time that I've known him (read: been irrationally enamored with him), I've thought a million times about how he's just "too good for me": "He's so cute! He's so funny! He's not terrifyingly awkward in social situations! He's probably a hit at parties! He's so nice! He wears plaid! He could never like me." I'm naturally insecure and doubtful of my own worth. One of the reasons I ended my last relationship is because I didn't like the person I had become in that four year span. I was terribly needy, dependent, unhappy, and insecure - all things I do not want to be. And I feel like I'm finally starting to become the person I really want to be, though, I'm still of course in baby steps mode. Today, I was having a particularly doubtful day, and couldn't shake these thoughts much at all. So on my way home I stopped by the park and did some writing and thinking. One of things I thought was that you can't get upset that someone doesn't like what they don't know about you. I'm naturally inclined to hold back when I meet new people. I'm shy, but also weird, which means I overly think about what I share with people and what I don't. It also means that I end up sharing ridiculous things I shouldn't share ("I"M NOT SPECIAL ENOUGH TO TAKE TO A FANCY RESTAURANT,") though that's a different - but related - story. I want to stop worrying about "being too weird for people" and just be myself. In reality, if someone doesn't like the eccentric things that make me who I am, I don't want to be their friend or girlfriend. But I'll never know if they like me or not if I don't give them the chance to see me in all my nerdy, hungry, lipsyncing glory, no. So instead of saying someone's "too good for me," I'd like to be saying "maybe we'd be good for each other," you know? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this stuff. I know my posts have been introspective and break-up related lately, but that's what I'm feeling and thinking, so that's what I feel like I have to share here.

Blouse, Skirt, Shoes: Urban Outfitters, Cardigan, Trench: H&M, Tights: We Love Colors











Until tomorrow,
Nicole