You See the Photo in the Album

Blouse: Mailbox Mavens, via Tabitha of Fashion Therapist * Jeans: Gap 1969 Always Skinny, hemmed by me, remixed * Platform loafers: Bass, remixed * Gold Circles Necklace: available at Objects Found

After my big ol' in-depth touchy-feely existential post the other day, all I really want to talk about today is my clothes. This blouse is a part of the Mailbox Mavens' exchange, and I totally love it! It was originally Tabitha's, and then she sent it off to Terra, and both gorgeous women styled it beautifully. I love how Tabitha paired it with a bright gold belt, and I think Terra's red skirt makes this awesome blouse looks absolutely stunning. I kind of feel like my low-key version of the blouse doesn't quite do it justice, but I still really like the outcome. I really wanted to embrace the boxy shape of the blouse, so I decided to pair it with a simple pair of darkwash skinnies and my trusty platform Bass loafers. The pattern on this blouse is just fabulous, and I'm very sad to see it go. I may just have to wear it one more time before I let it out of my clutches!

Tabitha and Terra rock the crap outta this blouse!

Brief non-blouse-related side note: see those plants behind me? I currently have three (count 'em, three) healthy plants on my little windowsill. A gorgeous basil plant (yummy pesto on the way, nom nom nom!), a bright happy little Gerber daisy, and my monster amaryllis which just will. not. stop. growing. I don't typically have much of a green thumb, so I'm thrilled that these babies are doing so well! Joe and I took a trip to the Old Town Nursery on my birthday weekend, and I'm really hoping to expand my little greenhouse a little bit as the summer goes on!

What about all of you? Are you fans of gardening? Joe and I hope to have an outdoor garden someday. Are you windowsill gardeners or backyard gardeners? Any green thumbs out there? What about black thumbs? :)

Title song: Cyprus Hill, "Dr. Greenthumb"

What Could You Do?

Dress: Forever 21 via Mailbox Mavens, courtesy of Megan of The Discerning Fashionista * Sweater vest: Old Navy, remixed * Tights: We Love Colors (Navy) * Sandals: Clarks, remixed * Necklace: made by Joe, remixed

Happy Earth Day, everyone! I've always been really fond of Earth Day, perhaps because it's always very close (or on the same day as) my birthday. It's like sharing my special day with the whole world. This year they don't actually fall on the same day, but I'm still a big fan of Earth Day. It's like global validation for tree-huggers. Keep on huggin', you crazy hippies! Anyway, it felt appropriate to post this outfit today, since it's a bit environmentally aware itself. The Mailbox Mavens project, while being a delightful way to expand our wardrobes without spending a penny, is also like a major recycling project. Green fashion for the win! I actually wore this outfit on another springtime holiday, Easter, and am just now getting around to actually posting it (fail). The dress, with all its ruffles and bright springy colors, just felt perfect for a warm Easter walk to the zoo. And I was so thrilled to dust off my bright orange Clarks for the first time this season. These suckers got a ton of wear last summer, and I know they will again this year. They're just so fun and spunky and comfortable that I can't help but reach for them 9 times out of 10.

Anyway, so back to Earth Day. What are you guys doing today to squeeze a bit more life outta this ol' world of ours? Joe and I are big on recycling, and turning off lights, and all that jazz, but that always feels like a very superficial way to make a difference. This article at the Huffington Post suggests some slightly more influential ways to save the earth, including going vegetarian and not having babies. So far so good on the baby front, but I'm not making any promises for the long run with that one. Mother Earth, you understand, right? But I'm getting more and more intrigued by the possibilities of vegetarianism, or at least greener eating. The global meat industry takes up a ridiculous amount of energy, both in the form of carbon emissions and other environmental drains like water consumption. Buying locally (which I'm thrilled to be able to do much more once farmers' market season starts in Chicago) and being more aware of production standards in the foods I eat are two of my make-the-world-a-better-place goals. I'm also all about not having a car, though Joe and I may have to crack and get one soon. Hopefully we'll be able to save enough to get a hybrid, or at least something a little more environmentally friendly than his old beater, a Ford Taurus that is more of a boat than the HMS Beagle.

Anyway, I'm super interested to hear your thoughts about Earth Day? Is it a one-day thing for you? Do you believe in small, incremental changes, or are you of the opinion that drastic lifestyle shifts are the only way to implement change?

Title song: Jimmy Cliff, "Save Our Planet Earth"

I'll Be Sittin' When the Evenin' Come

Blouse: Ann Taylor, via Tessa of SWF, Mailbox Mavens * Jeans: Old Navy, remixed * Linen espadrille flats: Old Navy, remixed * Belt: Forever 21, remixed * Glasses: Burberry, remixed * Purse: vintage Kenneth Cole, remixed

Can I get a big huzzah for the Mailbox Mavens, please? This Ann Taylor blouse, that was passed on to me by Terra of Stylish White Female, has been so much fun to style. I already wore it once, with my favorite Target skirt, but I knew I had to have another go at it before I sent it back. I immediately envisioned pairing it with a baggy pair of boyfriend jeans and colorful heels, and these bootcut jeans and espadrille flats were the closest I could muster. Honestly, though, I love the result. I'm especially crazy about the skinny belt and purse; I feel like the pops of leather really tie it all together. This was such a comfy outfit, and I'm really starting to love these simple flats. I'm relying on my super-trusty nude socks to break in some of my new shoes, and accustom my feet to spring and summer shoe-wearing. My poor little feet are so used to socks and boots that they're probably going to end up with a good share of blisters once I start wearing sandals and heels sans socks and tights. So these nude socks are really going to save me, I think.

This outfit, and these pictures, are such a perfect example of how great it is when it's spring in Chicago. For six months out of the year (at least), it's completely irrelevant that Joe and I live six blocks from the lakeshore. From November to March, that 15 minute walk may as well be 15 hours. But now that the days are longer and the sun is out, being able to stroll out to the lake after work is so awesome. Joe and I have been taking long evening walks most days after work, and I love how gorgeous the lake looks in the early evening.

I'm really looking forward to summer, when we can spend even more time outside, along the lake and on the beach. Joe and I have big plans to start riding our bikes along the lakeshore bike path, taking picnics and drinking coffee downtown, having fresh dinners from the farmers' market, barbecuing on Promontory Point, watching the fireworks off Navy Pier, and enjoying all the other delightful things about Chicago. There's something about Chicago in the summertime that is so intoxicating, and I'm so excited that we'll get to spend it together. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this already, but Joe will be quitting his job in June to take the summer off before starting grad school again, so we'll finally have evenings and weekends together. I couldn't be more excited that we get to spend a Chicago summer together!

Title song: Otis Redding, "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay"

To Have Been Where I Have Been

Polka-dot blouse: from Stylish White Female via Mailbox Mavens * Skirt: Target, remixed * Tights: Target, remixed * Boots: Steven by Steve Madden, remixed * Belt: thrifted, remixed

Before I get all into this post, can we all take a minute to appreciate how awesome Terra looks in her polka-dot blouse:

...pretty fab, right? I'm so glad I got to give it a styling whirl (and I have another outfit in store for it later on). Anyway, I actually did have something I wanted to write today. I'm reminded sometimes of how lucky I am to do such frivolous things like blog (now, I know blogging isn't entirely frivolous. I put a lot of stock into this hobby, and I love doing it. I'm not using the word "frivolous" to marginalize the importance or impact of anyone's blog. But, in the grand scheme of things, blogging is a luxury), or swap clothes with women from all over the country, or to be able to have new clothes and shoes each season (though I'm trying to cut down...). I have lots of things, and lots of extra things, things that are interesting and fun but don't necessarily impact my ability to survive and stay healthy and comfortable. Even just having internet access is a major luxury, if you really look at it. Anyway, I've been thinking a lot lately about all that I have and all that I can do and all the things that I don't have to worry about in my life. And I've concluded that I'm a very lucky gal.

I am lucky for lots of reasons, not just the "extras" - phone, internet, fancy clothes, an ample DVD collection - or the "classics" - my job, my family, my friends, Joe - but also what I like to think of as the "mega" things in life - I have a roof over my head, I can afford to pay rent each month, I can buy the things I need (and a lot that I want) for myself, I have clean drinking water, my apartment is fully equipped with a working plumbing system, I am healthy, I am safe. These are all of the "I-usually-take-this-for-granted-but-holy-BALLS-there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-struggle-to-simply-get-through-the-day-and-I-should-be-grateful-that-I-am-able-to-get-through-life-as-easily-as-I-can" things. I mean, seriously, I'm sitting here in my living room, watching a beautiful sunset, drinking a glass of red wine while my boyfriend cooks me Indian curry and I have the audacity to be remotely stressed?!?? Sure, work is hard, and sometimes tiring and stressful, and those are very real things, too, but maybe I should strive to remember the whole "clean drinking water" thing a little more often. And the "Indian curry" thing. And the "loving partner, supportive family, and beautiful sunset" things. Because I am strong, and I am independent, and I work hard and strive to do bigger, better, more exciting things with my life, but at the end of the day I am happy to have a comfortable mattress (or a mattress at all), and a hot shower, and a warm body to come home to. These things are what truly fill me up, make me better, teach me lessons. I am lucky, and I am infinitely grateful to the people and circumstances that have helped shape my life into this moment right now, watching the sunset and feeling content.

So what's the verdict, folks? I mean, I guess Easter's as good a time as any to do some reflecting (though this is probably the extent of my celebratin', as I was really more about colored eggs than anything else for this particular Spring holiday). What are you grateful for? How are you lucky? What do you sometimes take for granted that makes your life infinitely easier to get through? And when things truly are hard, how do you take the reins and lead your life back into that comfortable place?

Title song: Jason Mraz, "Lucky"