Thankful! Part 2

Your two favorite fashionistas are back! Rachel and Madline Rose, all dressed up for Thanksgiving.

I love Thanksgiving. It's the best holiday. It's like Yom Tov without all of the rules. The whole city quiets down, we spend time with the family, and there are mashed potatoes. What else could a person want?

Okay, that picture is not the most flattering. Even a little. But it's actually a great dress, so here it is at a weird angle, and another time I'll wear it again and we'll try again. It's a little big on me, so I took off the fabric belt and added a more structured one to make the top more blousy. It actually worked, this picture aside.

Maddie, meanwhile, was wearing her fancy dress that my mom bought her, and these fun striped tights. She looks like a pilgrim, but that was not intentional. And by the end of the night, it was covered in cranberry sauce. I think it's safe to say she's a fan of Thanksgiving now too.

I, meanwhile, am still feeling very thankful, even though Thanksgiving is long over. I am finished grading for the semester (yay!), have many fun things on the horizon, and (I think?) I might have a dissertation topic for real this time. Still to come, Rachel's holiday season adventures!

Also, in clothing related things to feel thankful for, Boden is having a MAJOR sale. So if you want to stock up on things up to 70% off, now's your moment.

What I'm wearing: Charter Club dress (similar here), HUE tights, Lucky Brand booties (similar here), GAP Factory cardigan (similar here)

Summer Bucket List: Coney Island!

Summer fun continues, friends! I'm making good progress on my bucket list, but all the fun means I'm behind on my blogging. So while I crossed something else off the list today, let's backtrack to last Friday, when some of my friends joined me on a Coney Island adventure.

Unlike many people, I suppose, I actually love the beach in almost any weather. Of course, it's nice when it's hot, and you can go in the water. I also love it in the late fall, when it's sort of cold and gloomy. Last Friday was unseasonably cool and cloudy, but it meant we had the beach all to ourselves. I'm telling you-- just put on a sweatshirt and you'll have a great day.

Of course, there are many other fun things to do at Coney Island, including going out on the pier, seeing the Brooklyn Cyclones play, and hanging out at Luna Park and riding the Cyclone. We mostly stuck to the beach, but I hope to go back later in the summer to see the Cyclones play, so hopefully I can get some rides in then as well.

Sarit's Instagram Masterpiece

There's something really beautiful about the beach on a cloudy day, I think. And it means you get to spend as many tries as possible to get a picture of yourself jumping in the air without anyone getting in the way, so that's always a win.

The beautiful view from the pier

Coney Island, guys. The 50s live on, in the best way possible. Where do you like to go for kitschy fun?

What I'm wearing: Esprit sweatshirt (super old), GAP long sleeved shirt (similar here), Lucky Brand jeans via TJ Maxx, chacos (not shown, because who wears shoes on the beach?)

Summer Bucket List: Walking in the Rain

The weather here this year has been crazy. We had a week of psycho heat and humidity, followed by a week where I should have been wearing tights, but instead chose to freeze because it was June and after a certain point, enough is enough.

Unlike some others, I actually don't mind being outside in the rain. In the movies, rain is usually used to either show that something sad is happening, or that there is a giant romantic gesture coming. However, remember how when we were kids, rain was just FUN? Jumping in puddles, getting super, wet, etc. It's time to bring that back.

Last Sunday, it was raining, so I decided to knock another item off the summer bucket list and go for a walk. If I'm wearing the right shoes (in this case, my Chacos) and I don't have my laptop, I find being in the rain pretty enjoyable. I should have worn a hat to protect my glasses, but getting wet isn't so bad if you know you're headed home after.

This time, Mother Nature said, Ok Rachel, challenge accepted. When I set out, it was raining lightly, but not hard enough for me to put up an umbrella. And then the skies opened up. It was not raining, so much as there was a giant showerhead in the sky dumping down buckets and buckets of water. I hung out under an underpass for a while, but then decided to set out anyway. And you know what? I was super wet, but it was sort of fun!

The best shoes for rain

I think the random gentlemen who took my picture thought I was sort of nuts, but it's all good. And in case you don't believe me that it was pouring, take a look at these shots:

Does this not look like some sort of ghost ship? Creepy!

Today is shaping up to be a beautiful day, so it's time to stop blogging and go outside. Have a great Sunday, friends!

What I'm wearing: Lucky Brand top, Downeast Basics cami, Old Navy cropped khakis, Chaco sandals, Goody head wrap, and one super hardcore umbrella.

Warning: Giant Hair Ahead

We tried to get an action shot, but instead it just looks like I'm attacking.
Sorry Sarah. I would never attack you.

I've been trying to write less about the weather lately, as I know it's sort of dull to read, but today is my friend Ruthie's birthday and she loves to talk about the weather. So Ruthie, I will use the anniversary of your birth as an excuse. Hope you don't mind too much.

You know how sometimes, when you log onto weather.com, there are special weather warnings? Dense fog, low visibility, icy roads, strong storms, etc. Well, as a curly haired person, I always want them to add another one: warning-- giant hair ahead.

Dear readers, I love my curls. I do. I can't imagine life without them. However, New York in the summer is rough. High heat + high humidity = giant ball of frizz. Mostly I don't even bother trying to wear my hair down, because I know that within an hour or two, it will look like I stuck my finger in an electrical socket. So what is a curly haired girl to do? In my case, lots of buns and headbands. They aren't as elegant or as interesting, but I've found that it beats the alternative. And since we've already had a few stretches where it felt like summer came early this year, you can see a good example from the pictures above, taken on Mother's Day.

The main event.

And if anyone has suggestions for keeping my hair under control that don't involve permanent relaxers, I and my curls would thank you. Otherwise, ponytails it is.

What I'm wearing: Lucky Brand shirt, Old Navy cropped khakis, Downeast Basics cami, Claire's headband, Bare Traps sandals (similar here)

Suburbs Have Yards!

As I mentioned on Friday, I took the train this weekend up to Boston to visit my friend Amy. Amy lives in Newton, which is suburban in a hard core kind of way.

To normal people, suburbs probably aren't especially interesting. However, as an eternal city dweller (I have never lived in anything other than an apartment, one year in a dorm room aside), I never cease to be fascinated by the suburbs. It seems likely that I drove Amy crazy because every five seconds I would say, What do people do with so much space?? (Sorry Amy.) And look! Here I am in her front yard! Because she has a yard! How fascinating.

For those of you who are in the North East, you might remember that on Friday, it was super cold, at least for May 1. Cold enough that I chose to wear jeans, because if I had worn a skirt, I would have had to wear tights, and I think we can all agree that tights in May are simply unacceptable.

Amy told me to strike a pose. So struck.

Looking at these pics, I realize that this is neither the most interesting, nor the most flattering, outfit I've ever worn. Oh well. You can't win them all, especially when spending 5 hours total in transit. I should really get these jeans shortened, but I never think of it until I want to wear them, so the cycle continues.

In other news, I think I'm going to start a Q and A feature on the blog. A few of you have reached out to me with questions, either relating to modesty or looking for fashion advice. While I am far from an expert, I'm happy to offer my thoughts on any and all related topics. So if you have a question you want me to answer on the blog, email me here, or leave it in the comments. We're going to have so much fun!

I should probably start working, as it is already noon. So that's all from me for now. Have a happy Wednesday!

What I'm wearing: Lucky Brand jeans via TJ Maxx, LOFT striped shirt (similar here), LOFT cardigan (similar here), Gap tank top, Toms shoes, super old scarf via Loehmanns