I can be 21 forever?

Screw you, I'm already twenty-two.

When I get dressed in the morning, I literally always try to put on something that will be the most flattering to my appearance.  I figure out what I have, and then I come up with an outfit that is the absolute best I can do that day.  Does that mean things get a little struggle-y on laundry day?  Yes, yes it does.  But I persevere, and I like to think it turns out okay more often than not.

This is also an approach I use when shopping for new articles of clothing.  I always look for something that will accentuate my best features.  I don't think there's anything wrong with my approach.  In fact, I think I might go so far as to say my approach is the right one.  And I don't like expressing opinions, if I can avoid it.

THIS ITEM WILL NEVER BE THE MOST FLATTERING THING ANYONE CAN WEAR.  I don't care how hot you are.  I don't care if you bought your breasts from a very nice surgeon, ensuring you would never need to wear a bra again.  I don't care if you literally have the perfect body, which I am reasonably sure isn't actually a real thing.  There is no excuse for a $25 animal printed tube top jumpsuit made of cheap, very thin fabric.  It seems to me that this item was created as an experiment to see if someone could make an article of clothing destined to fit everyone wrong in at least one place.  I'm calling shenanigans on this one.  For shame, for shame.  Let us not reduce 70s Bohemian revival to this travesty.

Also, this:

I'm pretty sure I wore something like that that as a costume circa 1994, when the neon wreckage of the 80s was bleeding all over my childhood.

Happy Wednesday!  Blog name change still pending, although I am shocked to see the support for the good old placeholder "Bitches Ain't Shit."

Stranded in Chicago?

Dear readers,

I am faced with a conundrum.  The title of my blog is now a lie.  As I take up residence in the New York Metropolitan Area once more, I find myself at a loss as to what course of action I ought to take.  I know not what to call it.  Woe to the location-specific blog name!

Seriously, though, any suggestions?  I am not good at naming things. Forty percent of the reason I started a blog was because I thought of an amusing name.  The hardest part of writing each post is figuring out what to call it.  I wish I were lying.  You should see some of the paper titles I came up with in the last four years.  My standard placeholder until I come up with something is "Bitches Ain't Shit."  Clearly, my creative process is flawed.

Help meeeeeeee!

Everyone have a great week!

Graduation, Day 2

Not content with one ceremony, Northwestern actually handed me my degree last Saturday -- but only after I turned in my rented robe to them. As a result, I have no pictures with my diploma and my robe on. A small price to pay for a college degree, I think.

In the morning, we wandered around Chicago a little bit, gazing at the bean in all its reflective glory and catching the end of the annual Puerto Rican Parade.

 

So many bicycles!  I like the guy dressed as Captain Puerto Rico.

Naturally, a different day necessitates a different outfit, as I mentioned when I decided to rent my dresses from Rent The Runway, and I went with something a little less sunshine-y, as this ceremony took place in the evening.  As I look back on the picture of the model, I realize that I was supposed to tie the sash in the back, which I'm sure would have avoided the limp bow situation happening in these pictures.

It was extremely comfortable nevertheless.

Milly Dress

Tahari Heels

Gifted Jewelry

Also, I just noticed that this is only my fifth post for June.  I am an embarrassment to blogging.  Prepare for anxieties galore as I explore life outside of the formal education system!

Graduation, Day 1

"I was a Wildcat when Wildcats were wildcats."
                                                      -- Stephen Colbert

Lilly Pulitzer Dress

Tahari Wedges

I'm not good at taking pictures when I'm distracted, so that's why you are not gazing upon the visage of Stephen Colbert, who gave an absolutely hilarious speech at our Commencement last Friday.  What was apparently the only picture taken of me with my camera on this day was taken before I figured out that I would have to give up on my bangs as long as I was required to wear a mortarboard.

And speaking of academic regalia, let me tell you a little something about those purple robes.  Based on my experience at Stephanie and Nina's graduations, I thought I would be in your standard, tea length, flimsy, synthetic robe, just purple instead of black.  Oh, no.  What I got was a nearly floor length, thick-materialed, suffocating mass of purple synthetic fabric.  It was, in case you were wondering, very hot out on the field.  My apologies for the lack of pictures, but the heat definitely contributed to my unwillingness to make any unnecessary movements such as reaching for my camera.

Stay tuned for day 2...

A Walk in the Park

As I mentioned, I went to the Chicago Botanic Garden on Saturday with my lovely friends Kelsey and Lauren as part of my school's Senior Week activities.  I thought this was an odd activity, but it was extremely inexpensive, and since that is why it interested me, I assume that is why it interested the school.  The weather was really quite miserable, threatening to rain the whole day and hovering in the vicinity of 57 degrees.  Yuck.  I decided to go the maxi dress route because it would keep my non-pants-wearing self from freezing too quickly.  I feel borderline negative about how this outfit looks belted.  You tell me.

Gap Dress

J. Crew Sweater

Fossil Belt

Old Navy Flipflops

What's life without a little prancing?  Tragically, the weather meant I actually wore a purple hoodie over my outfit most of the day, so the garden-going public didn't even get to enjoy the majesty of my navy striped maxi dress.  Clearly, it's their loss.  Thanks to Kelsey for taking the pics of me!

In addition to worrying about my outfit and my bangs, I managed to see some pretty wild looking plants and appreciate the wonder of nature.

Really quite lovely, isn't it?  In spite of the weather, I'm glad I went and got to spend a relaxing day with my friends!  Hope you're all having a wonderful summer so far, I hope to experience warm weather soon, too!

WOAH

Clearly, things have gotten a little out of control.  I seem to have forgotten my little lovely bloggy here, haven't I?  For shame, Harris, for shame.

Since the last time I posted (a tragically long two weeks ago, yikes!), I completed my last class, turned in my last assignment, and done some world-class lounging in preparation for graduation.  Which is Friday.



Dear.  God.



How could such a thing happen to me?  How could I have finished college?  Yesterday, someone asked me, "Do you go to Northwestern?" and I had to say "I went to Northwestern."  And then I vomited everywhere from shock.  Not really. (Duh.)

One of the senior week activities they planned for us was a trip to the Chicago Botanical Gardens, which are not in Chicago, by the way, and I went with my friends Kelsey and Lauren, and took many lovely photos which I will share with you in a post dedicated to our outing.  You all can hold me to that.  And outfit posts!  I promise them! (I know, I am a terrible promiser, and you don't trust me as far as you can throw me.)  There will also be many graduation photos, I'm sure, if the two I've already been to are any indication.

In summary: I miss you all, I miss my blog, and you can yell at me if I am not prompt with the pictures of pretty flowers.

More like Abandoned in Chicago

And I'm not referring to myself.  My poor blog.  So neglected.  So lonely.  Of course, I have a final tomorrow that I need to study for, so this is the perfect time to do a blog post, right?  That's exactly how being a student works.

This past Saturday was my school's annual spring let's-pretend-we-go-to-state-school-or-at-least-that-we-don't-have-any-homework-to-do music festival day thingy.  Despite the fact that it was the worst weather we've had for it in my four years here, I really had a great time with my friends, and I got to see B.o.B.  I can't say I was all that familiar with most of his music, but the show was super fun, and I am now interested in becoming a fan of B.o.B.  Which I guess is the point of doing shows like this.  So job well done, pal.

I think the obvious conclusion to be drawn here is that Dillo Day leads to the making of great faces for the camera.  And yes, I am wearing a fanny pack.  Thanks to my friend Kelda and her faaaaancy camera for the pictures, and everyone that I got to hang out with on Dillo.  It was a great day and night, start to finish, and I wouldn't trade the experience for the world :)  Hopefully I'll be more alive at blogging soon, because I miss you all.  Everybody have a great second half of the week!