Month: October 2018

September 26, 2018 – Oktoberfest (OOTD #382)

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I know close to nothing about Oktoberfest — I’ve never been to one in Germany, I’ve never been to one in the US, and I’ve never even done a basic Google search to figure out what it is.

But with all of the things I don’t know about Oktoberfest, I do know that women’s traditional dresses kinda look like this for it. Or at least, that’s what my roommate compared my outfit to when I came out that morning.

I was actually going for more of a vintage 60s look, but I guess traditional German villager works too.

I’m so far behind with these blogs, I’m afraid I don’t have any Halloween content to give you today, even though it’s Halloween the day I’m posting this. I hope a September Oktoberfest outfit will suffice. Don’t worry — the Halloween content is coming. It just might not being coming until like…Christmas.

If anyone has advice on how to make sure that festive content is posted at the appropriate time, I would love to hear it. I don’t like to force myself to write blogs the day I take pictures for them, so I couldn’t probably get the Halloween outfit blog out on Halloween day, but it does feel silly if it comes a month late. Should I post the Halloween content on Halloween even if it messes with the chronological order of the other blogs?

I mean, ideally I guess I’d just keep up with my daily blogs and not wind up a month behind…but…life happens, you know? Sometimes it’s Halloween and you’re writing about an unintentional Oktoberfest outfit you wore in September.

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

White blouse: The LOFT

Red top: Express (thrifted)

Skirt: Abercrombie

September 24, 2018 – Beginnings, Ends, and Instagram Posts (OOTD #381)

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I can’t believe it’s 2018 and I’m just now learning how to link an Instagram post to a blog.

I guess I’m just a little basic for a blogger. I write some words, I add some pictures, I throw in some links. In that sense, I’m not very advanced. It’s not like this is my full-time job —  I can’t necessarily take the time to learn all the SEO and marketing strategies that would get me onto the coveted first page Google spot.

I’ve carved out my tiny corner of the Internet, my few bytes of space, and I guess there’s a small group of people who like to visit me here. Half of those views are probably my mom. The other half might be me viewing from mobile. In other words, I have a very loyal fanbase.

I don’t know if I’ll ever find fame or fortune on the Internet, but I suppose that’s what college is for. So I can not find fame or fortune in the real world, all while spending $70k a year for it.

It’s funny for me to think, but when I began this blog, I never imagined continuing it into college. I didn’t really imagine anything for it — I’d just heard suggestions for years that I should start a fashion blog, and eventually, I decided to go for it. Somehow, though, when I began this thing spring semester of my senior year of high school, I figured I’d get bored of it and give on it before my freshman year even began. Now, it seems all of my blog posts revolve around college life and my exciting adventures at Notre Dame (read: exploring weird buildings at night and complaining about the weather).

How much longer will it go? I don’t know. I remember back in middle school, there was this makeup blog I used to follow super closely, Nouveau Cheap. The blogger, Giana, had a pretty decent following. I’m not certain how big her blog was,  but I know she would always have a ton of comments on her posts. One day, Giana just stopped posting, with very little indication why. She still hasn’t broken the silence — she just left.

I know everything comes to an end eventually, and I’ll quite possibly move on from this blog one day, but it’s hard to conceptualize. It’s a far cry from when I began here, when I could conceptualize the end, but not the continuation.

Anyway, I don’t know how I got to talking about this from Instagram posts. Hope everyone out there’s having a good day, and happy almost Halloween!

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Jacket: Thrifted

Top: The LOFT (thrifted)

Pants: Thrifted

September 20, 2018 – Stairway to Heaven (OOTD #380)

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The Main Building at Notre Dame = Heaven, right? So naturally, this is the Stairway to Heaven.

Actually, fun fact — popular lore at Notre Dame dictates that if you walk up the front steps of Notre Dame’s Main Building (the one with the golden dome)  as an undergraduate, you won’t graduate in four years. However, these aren’t the front steps — they’re part of a smaller side staircase. My degree is safe, at least for now.

The other bit of popular superstition is that you can’t walk on the grass of God Quad, or else you’ll fail your freshman Theology class — joke’s on them though, because I definitely stepped on the grass of God Quad many times, and I still got an A in that class. I am in a second Theo course now, though, so I’m definitely not going to continue to test my luck. Joke’s on me now.

The days are getting shorter, and I’m finding it more and more beneficial to try to get my photos in in the afternoon rather than the evening. The afternoon sun can be a bit harsh, as you can see here, but the evening sun is dying earlier and earlier. On nights where I can’t get anyone to do pictures for me until 7:00pm at night, that proves to be quite the problem.

I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again — I look forward to the day when I can live with a friend whom I can rely on to do pictures for me. My roommates are awesome this year, don’t get me wrong, but asking someone to go out of their way to take pictures of me just seems wrong.

I usually catch people by asking them to get a meal with me first. Then, when they can’t run, I ask them to do pictures for me really quick. Works every time.

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Top: Forever21

Skirt: Forever21

September 19, 2018 – Sock Feet (OOTD #379)

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It is no secret at this point that I am a sock person.

Not only did I once write a whole blog post about how I thought a pair of socks made an entire outfit work, but I am also one of those weird people who wears socks to bed. And at just about all times of the day. Basically, unless it’s summer and I have sandals on, I probably have socks on too.

I usually don’t go for thigh high socks and shorts because I think it looks a little too stripper-ish, but like…I had a jacket on here? So it was more conservative?

How does that work anyway? I technically have more clothes on with the socks than I would have without the socks, but the socks make the whole outfit look more sexual. Whoever decided socks were sexy is dumb. I just want to wear my socks without being judged.

All the more reason to wear the socks, though, right? It’s time to #FreeTheSocks from their reputation.

At any rate, I think the world needs more people who wear socks. I’ve seen the feet of kids in the library who think they can take their shoes off without anyone noticing. They are wrong — people notice, and no one thinks your bare feet are cool.

Plus, in socks, you can slide around the house on the hardwood! What else could you want from your fashion choices?

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Jacket: Hollister

Shorts: Hollister

Socks: Target

Top: Thrifted

September 18, 2018 – Hawaiian Vacation Witch (OOTD #378)

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Get ready, because this is my spookiest Halloween costume!

What? You’re telling me this isn’t in any way spooky or costume-like?

Yeah, I guess you’re probably right. This is just me in a Hawaiian shirt and a black sunhat. Not spooky. But maybe 21st century witches just aren’t spooky like we think of them. That’s probably how they disguise themselves.

You know what is spooky, though?

Asking people to take pictures for my blog. In fact, it’s so spooky, I didn’t even ask anyone to do them for me for this outfit, I just did them myself.

I didn’t buy my Apple Watch so that I could take pictures — in fact, I didn’t even know that it could do that until spring of this year– but I am so glad that it does. Seriously, the remote feature on my watch that connects to my phone has been one of the single most useful features.

Maybe that’s the kind of witchcraft I do — I can take pictures on my phone without actually touching my phone. Break out the pitchforks and the Puritan Bibles and put me on trial already.

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Top: thrifted

Skirt: Zara

Hat: Forever21

September 17, 2018 – Transition Fashion (OOTD #377)

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It feels weird tagging this with “fall” when it looks so much like a summer outfit.

I guess the colors are kind-of fall. Otherwise though, my bare shoulders and bare legs give away how warm it was.

South Bend weather is weird — it goes from boiling hot to freezing cold within a few days, and then back again. I don’t mind, actually, except for the fact that the sudden transition dries my skin out really badly. It’s just a little weird trying to figure out how to dress.

The sudden transitions are excellent for making the leaves change colors, though, or so I’ve heard. I don’t understand the science behind it, but apparently, warm days and cold nights make for beautiful fall colors.

This is my favorite time of year in South Bend. The summers are too humid, the winters are too long, and the springs are too short, but the falls are legitimately amazing. For all of the times I’ve complained about the Midwest — the accents, the wind, the miles and miles of cornfields — I do love the autumn season.

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Top: Target

Skirt: Target

September 15, 2018 – Football in a Baseball Jersey (OOTD #376)

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Not only have I got on a baseball jersey, but also a baseball hat — clearly, I don’t know my sports.

At least I got the team right. I love the Votre Père Complacent Scottish. Can’t for the life of me figure out why their logo is an interlocking ND, though….

This baseball top is once again an example of me getting something for cheaper by shopping in the children’s section of a store. It’s a little embarrassing, but I save money, so…I consider myself a winner here.

Notre Dame game day fashion is always fun for me. I like themed outfits, if you haven’t been able to tell, and so I like the challenge of trying to come up with new, creative ways to wear Notre Dame colors and logos. A lot of people just wear a generic t-shirt and jeans, but a lot of people also put in some legitimate effort to come up with some cool outfits.

It’s very different from Southern football games I’ve been to, where everyone dresses up, but in the same way they’d dress up for a day at the races or for Easter brunch. People here dress up too, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a casual dressed-up. The kind of dressed-up where you’re still in casual attire, but creative and fun casual attire.

Like I said, I love the challenge of it. How do I make myself stand out from a crowd of people all wearing the same blue, gold, and green colors?

Honestly, Notre Dame should just hurry up and hire me as their brand ambassador. I’m already clearly competent at distinguishing different sports uniforms. I’ll just show up to basketball games dressed for hockey and golf tournaments dressed for football, and I’m sure someone — Father Jenkins, the Leprechaun, maybe Touchdown Jesus himself — will notice.

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Baseball tee: Notre Dame bookstore

Top: H&M

September 14, 2018 – May I Take Your Order? (OOTD #375)

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Sometimes, an outfit just clicks.

And this is one of those outfits — even if I do look a little like a Hogwarts student or a waitress.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned my interest in ties before on this blog, but if I haven’t, take it from me now: I love ties. I’m 100% here for making ties for women a thing, and not just women at British boarding schools or women who work at Applebee’s.

This outfit combines a lot of my favorite outfit tropes — a short skirt, an oversized jacket, visible socks, and of course, a tie. I don’t normally like to brag on myself, but I think I really hit it out of the park with this one.

I’d been planning this outfit for a month by the time I actually got around to wearing it. I put it together before school even started, and I knew I wanted to wait for a special occasion to wear it.

 

Well, there aren’t very many special occasions when you’re a boring college student, so instead, I decided to wait for an occasion when I knew that I could at least get good pictures. And who takes the best pictures by my old man himself?

 

 

That’s right, my parents decided to pay a visit in mid-September for the Vanderbilt game, and what did I do when I first saw them but insist that they give me a ride, feed me dinner, and take pictures for my blog?

But really, look at these photos — my dad’s the best photographer. I’d have him come visit me every weekend if it meant getting him to take pictures for me. And that he and my mom would take me to dinner. And drive me around places.

Basically, being an independent adult is overrated, and I’ve got my heart set on moving into my parents’ basement and being a leach after I graduate. I’ll be a leach with good photos, at least.

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Jacket: Thrifted

Top: Banana Republic

Skirt: Zara

September 13, 2018 – The Secret Garden (OOTD #374)

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It still counts as secret if most people knew it existed, but I didn’t know about it for a whole year, right?

This little spot (which I’ve actually included in a blog before!) is the courtyard garden in the Hayes-Healey building. It’s really cute — and it’s only accessible from within the building, which adds to the mysterious quality. Seriously, like I said, I didn’t even know it existed for 99% of my freshman year. I’d heard whispers of a garden in the mathematics building, but since I had no math classes (shout-out to my AP Calculus teachers in high school, who allowed me to get a 5 and not take any math in college), I never had a reason to go and look.

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the ivy leagues are overrated

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Finally, at the end of my freshman year, some friends and I were trying to get some cute group pictures before summer break, and someone suggested the Hayes-Healey garden. It was actually all locked up when we tried to go, but we ended up getting some pictures with the giant globe in the building — another feature I never knew Notre Dame had.

I like how Notre Dame — a school that is notably not a part of the Ivy Leagues — has a hidden ivy garden. As the guy from the Incredibles would say, “Coincidence? I think not!”

It’s actually probably a total coincidence. The Ivy Leagues are overrated anyway — it’s not like Columbia was my dream or anything…

I’m at a total loss for how to end this blog today, so I Googled a joke for you — “How many Harvard students does it take to change a lightbulb?”

“One. He holds the lightbulb still, and the whole world revolves around him.”

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Top: Free People

Jacket: Forever21

Skirt: J. Crew (thrifted)

September 12, 2018 – Spoiled by Goodwill (OOTD #373)

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I present: another outfit that’s almost entirely thrifted. I’ve been wearing more and more of those lately on account of buying more and more stuff from secondhand stores. I just feel like I can’t justify buying clothes full-price from the mall anymore; I’ve gotten spoiled by shopping at Goodwill.

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aw, it’s nothing

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Yeah, spoiled by shopping at Goodwill. I’m sure that’s not something you hear everyday.

I have good luck at thrift shops though. This top, while a little too long, was only like $3 compared to the $25 I easily could have paid at a place like Urban Outfitters that specializes in vintage-looking hipster basics anyway. And this skirt, while is from a local speciality secondhand boutique, was still a lot cheaper than whatever retail price I would have paid for it new at J. Crew.

I know some people don’t like having to hunt through the junk to find the good stuff, or don’t like the idea of wearing something that’s already been worn by somebody else, but I actually like both of those things. I enjoy the hunt, and I like the idea of making use of something that otherwise would have been thrown away. I can’t pretend like I’m always the most environmentally-conscientious person, but I’d like to try getting better. Buying used clothes makes me feel like I’m doing something useful.

The cost bit is huge too, of course. Dressing well and having enough clothes as to maintain a lot of variety in my outfits is important to me, but so is making my college tuition payments.

Anyone else here big on thrifting? I’d love to hear your perspectives! What’s been the best piece you’ve ever bought secondhand?

That’s about it for today. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life at home at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Top: Thrifted

Skirt: J. Crew (Thrifted)