Month: February 2019

February 4, 2019 – Legit (OOTD #449)

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Apparently, I liked the law school because I went back.

There’s a nice environment in there. It’s quiet and studious and there’s a lot of good natural lighting. Consequently, that also makes it good for taking pictures for my blog.

This is actually right in front of a lecture hall. My hope was that all of the students were paying attention to the professor at the time, and not on the mysterious shadowy figure behind the wall of the classroom trying to take pictures of herself for her blog. There was a semi-transparent set of windows between us, so I don’t think anyone could see me, and even if they could…I guess it’s not like I’m going to know any of the law students.

I am sort-of running out of good locations to take pictures in the law building, however. It’s a pretty building, but it’s surprisingly not got a lot of places for pictures. I want to try the library sometime, but it’s always packed with students studying.

How dare the students study in the library, right? I just want to take pictures of my outfit without their interference. It’s so inconsiderate of them to get in the way.

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 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!

Sweater: The LOFT (sad story — this sweater actually got completely torn to shreds in the wash thanks to my dorm’s garbage washing machines immediately after I wore it! It may never appear on this blog again)

Skort: Zara Kids

Tuesday Musings – February 2019 Bullet Journal Spread!

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Hey look, I know I’m late — but at least this post is getting done before the end of the month.

Believe it or not, I actually finished the spread for this month at a decent time this month. I can’t tell you exactly when I finished the cover page, but it was toward the beginning of the month.

So why did it take me so long to share my designs on my blog? In truth, I just didn’t have a chance to do the photography. I also hadn’t finalized some fo the doodles for my calendar portion (like what you see under February 22 and 16, and I didn’t want to post pictures of my designs until I’d included those extra little drawings.

I like the spread I did for February, though I kind-of wish it were a little more representative of what February in South Bend is really like — that’s to say, while I like the flowers I drew, flowers aren’t exactly something I saw once this entire month. I saw a lot snow, that’s for sure. Unfortunately, snow is a little harder to draw, and not nearly as colorful.

And so I think the February spread represented more my hopes for what the month would be like, rather than my expectations. I mean, you’ll notice, I also included lots of Valentines Day-themed drawings, and it’s not like I actually did anything exciting for Valentines Day (more on that in the February 14 blog).

The winter is definitely wearing thin. At the time of writing this blog, it’s February 26, and I’m about a week and a half out from spring break. “Spring break” — that should imply that spring is around the corner, right? Not here. It’s still definitively winter here in beautiful Northern Indiana. I think it made it all the way up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit today — so basically, it was a scorcher.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one. 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!

Bullet Journal Supplies (with Amazon links)

Bullet journal: The Scribbles that Matter Pro, A5, 

Pens: Pilot Frixion 

Markers: Prismacolor Brush Tip

 

February 3, 2019 – Rule of Law (OOTD #448)

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For a prospective law student, I hardly ever stumble into Notre Dame’s law school.

One explanation might be that in truth, I’d really rather not go to law school here. I’ve loved my time at Notre Dame, and I’m very grateful for the four years that I’ll have here — but I don’t want those four years to last any longer than they have to. I don’t want to be what ND students call a “Double Domer,” or someone who does both their undergraduate and graduate studies at Notre Dame.

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a rocket (wo)man

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I’ve got nothing against ND’s law school — I’m pretty sure they’ve got a good program, and if they accepted me, I’d be a fool not to at least consider it. In fact, I probably will still apply (mostly out of convenience and the hopes that having done my undergraduate studies here, I’ll get extra points in the admissions review), but like I said, I hope I don’t actually have to stay here for law school. Four years of Northern Indiana weather and the general lack of anything to do in South Bend but service work is enough for me.

Since I’m hoping to not end up attending Notre Dame’s law school as a student, I decided to venture inside for the very first time. I was actually drawn in by the library — there were a few books I wanted to look into for a paper, and it turned out they could only be found at the Kresage Law Library.

I’d always been a little afraid of the law school. I’m just an undergraduate, of course, and I thought I’d stick out as gawky and awkward to the older students. And maybe I did — I don’t know. But if there’s anything this fashion blog has taught me, it’s how to ignore bouts of minor social anxiety and the feeling of being watched in order to get a task done. Whether I looked like a stupid, confused undergraduate wandering around the halls of the law school alone or not, I managed to find the books I was looking for — and get some OOTD pics for this blog.

Two birds in one stone. I win.

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 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: Pretty Little Thing

Pants: Hot Topic

Boots: Ralph Lauren

February 1, 2019 – Back to Work (OOTD #447)

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After a half-week break from classes, it was back to work for me.

But by back to work, I don’t mean back to classes — I’m now back to work work. Like, adult work, at an office.

I’m interning at the St. Joseph County Prosecuting Attorney’s office with their Special Victims Unit this semester. The downside: so far, it’s been a lot of paperwork. the upside: the paperwork has been of a more interesting nature than the paperwork I was saddled with while I was interning at the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office (surprise: annual business reviews are not that fun to scan for hours at a time).

One of these days, I hope to get an internship (or you know, an actual paid job or whatever) where I get to do something other than somebody else’s paperwork for hours at a time. I’ll be interning in Washington DC next semester in the fall, and I’ll have to work 20 hours a week. I’m really hoping to avoid the paperwork intern scene, which I imagine is the role of a good chunk of interns in DC. And if I’m going to be stuck as a paperwork intern, at least make me a paid paperwork intern, you know?

I’ve found that my “office work” outfits often tend to look pretty similar — Banana Republic Sloan trousers,  blouse, and a blazer. Since I only have to go to the office twice a week, that’s not a huge problem, but I do hope not to get into too much of a repetitive rut. With the restrictions of what constitutes appropriate office clothes, it’s a little more difficult to be creative.

It’s also super cold right now, which makes wearing skirts or dresses impractical. I also have to walk ten minutes to the bus stop and another ten minutes to the office, often through unsalted sidewalks coated with slush and ice, which also limits my choices.

I’m going to try to get better though. I recognize that I’m slipping into a rut, and I’m going to make a conscious effort to change that. By announcing that on this website (to all…2 of its regular readers? Hi Mom and Dad), I’m hoping that I’ll feel as if I’m being held accountable.

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 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 (Salvation Army)

Top: Abercrombie

Pants: Banana Republic Sloan Skinny-Pant

January 30, 2019 – Frostbite Fashion (OOTD #446)

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January 30, 2019 was the coldest day I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.

This was a part of the Polar Vortex that swept the Midwest, and it hit us pretty hard. Maybe not as hard as it hit Chicago, which is a bit further north, but it was still pretty cold — and by that I mean -40 Fwindchill levels of cold.

It was so cold that they even cancelled classes for us that day, which Notre Dame never does. Class stops for religious holidays only — not even national holidays, so Columbus Day and Labor Day and President’s Day doesn’t count. The fact that they cancelled classes because of the weather means that this was some serious business.

And I guess it was. You probably saw everyone on social media in the Midwest doing that experiment where you throw boiling water into the air and it turns to snow. I can confirm that all of those videos were real — I tried it myself outside of my dorm, and it worked.

Because of how cold it was, I only ventured out of my dorm once that day, and that was to get food. Everything but the dining halls were closed, so there was no reason to brave the cold.

And when I did go out that one time to brave the cold, oh boy was it cold. In Kentucky, the coldest I’ve probably ever experienced is maybe -10 F windchill. This was -40 F — the kind of windchill where you can get frostbite from being outside for more than 10 minutes. I could literally feel the ice crystals forming in my nose and throat each time I breathed in. For the people who live off campus, or who live in dorms that are on the outskirts, frostbite could actually become a concern.

And hence, I stayed inside for the majority of the day. It was actually really nice. It’s so rare that I ever get off from classes. I don’t expect that it will ever happen again while I’m at Notre Dame. This was likely my first and last snow

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 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!

Sweater: Forever21

Jeans: Hollister

Boots: Doc Marten

January 29, 2019 – Reiterations (OOTD #445)

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Does this outfit look familiar to you?

It does to me. It looks very familiar. It looks like something I’ve already worn before.

Here’s a fun fact — as much as I can, I try not to repeat outfits, where “outfits” are loosely defined as ensembles that I put time and effort into constructing (in other words, not lazy days where I throw on a sweater and leggings and walk out the door). That means even if I really love an outfit (for example, this guy here or this guy here) I won’t wear it again — ever.

Or at least, I won’t wear it again and then blog about it. We’ll see if I ever end up going back on that self-imposed rule, but for now, I’m doing my best to stick to it.

So this outfit isn’t a total violation of the rule, since it’s not actually a repeat of an outfit I’d worn before. It is, however, very reminiscent of another outfit. I added a pair of tights, a scarf, and different shoes, but it’s fundamentally still very similar — my carpetbag skirt  and a form-fitting, tan-ish sweater.

I’m sure I’m just being overly-critical, just like I’m sure that no one out there but me actually remembered the similar outfit from October 23, 2017 that I referenced earlier. It’s okay — someone has to do the job of being overly-critical and remembering all of my outfits from the past two years. It’s a good thing I’m here to do the job.

Sweater: Forever21

Skirt: Forever21

January 26, 2019 – Student in the Library (OOTD #445)

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This doesn’t look like studying, does it.

As it turns out, the creepy upper floors of the library have some good lighting for photo-taking! There are only a few tiny windows per floor (bad design, I know — but they had to make room for the giant Jesus mural somehow) but each one is situated by a desk, which makes it easy for me to set up my phone for photos. Plus, since it’s, you know, the library and no one actually wants to be there, I don’t have to worry too much about people walking by and wondering what I’m doing.

I do wonder sometimes how often people see me setting up my phone and taking pictures in a strange public place and then just….keep going about their day. Like, what are they going to do? Ask me what I’m doing? That’d make things awkward for the both of us.

I have to think that some innocent stranger was going about their day at some point or another, came across a little Asian girl fiddling with her camera and her watch as she posed in between bookshelves on the 8th floor of the library, and then just decided to keep walking. They might have thought it was a little weird, but it would have been even weirder if I’d seen them and I had to explain what was going on — so might as well just carry on as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

I have yet to have a true nightmare situation where someone confronted me about what I was doing while I was taking pictures for my blog (or worse — asked me if I wanted them to take my picture), but I still fear that one day it will happen. I could get hit by a train tomorrow and I think I’d still fear the awkward situation of having to explain my fashion blog to a stranger more than death itself.

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 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!

Coat: Thrifted (Goodwill)

Top: Thrifted

January 24, 2019 – I Like It (OOTD #444)

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I really like this outfit.

I don’t know, I just felt like mentioning that. I like most of my outfits — or else I wouldn’t…you know, wear them — but I like this one in particular. I liked it when I wore it, I like it now looking back, and I really like how all of my photos turned out.

This pair of pants was a particularly good purchase. I got them at a Salvation Army near my campus while I was moving in at the beginning of the semester, and I’ve already worn them several times. I actually almost didn’t buy them — as you can see. they’re pretty big on me, and I was concerned about finding a way to wear them that was flattering. I was also concerned about whether I could even find a way to keep them up on my hips in the first place.

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let’s play a game of name that pose

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Thankfully, we’ve got a wonderful little invention called belts, and, by putting the buckle on the smallest setting, I was essentially able to hoist these pants up on my waist. Will I ever be able to buy pants that aren’t a children’s size and have them fit perfectly without modification? The jury’s still out on that one.

This is a fun place to take pictures. It’s right outside of one of the gyms, but ever since the new student center opened last semester, no one comes here anymore. It’s also way far off on the south edge of campus, which means it’s inconvenient for anyone other than people who already live on South Quad.

That inconvenient factor is perfect for me, though, trying to take pictures somewhere outside in a way that’s inconspicuous and won’t have random people staring at me was they go by. Every time I think I’ve completely gotten over my discomfort at taking pictures of myself in public, one puzzled look from some stranger walking by reminds me that no — I’m not really over it.

I’m more over it than I was this time last year, but there’s nothing more awkward than making eye contact with some confused

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 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!

Long-sleeve top: Zara

Pants: Thrifted (Salvation Army)

January 23, 2019 – A Sense of Direction (OOTD #443)

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How come the math building has become my favorite place to take pictures?

This time last year, you couldn’t drag me away from the art building. I would stay there for hours at night in the empty classrooms to do work, steal plants, and take pictures next to whatever random works of art struck my fancy.

This year, however, my 24 hour card access to the art building was revoked since I’m not in a studio art class anymore, so I almost never find myself going over there. If I set up camp before about 5pm in the evening and I don’t leave, I can stay — but I can’t open the door to get in if I want to go there late at night anymore, which is sad.

Since I’ve been forced to find another place to haunt, I’ve been trying to branch out and spend more time in other ND buildings that I wouldn’t otherwise hang out much in — like, for example, the math building. I’ve never had a math class at Notre Dame (shoutout to Mrs. Brooks and Mr. Young for helping me get a 5 on AP Calculus), and so it was never a building where I ventured. My first time I visited was actually last spring, when I went to take some pictures with my friends.

I actually do have a class in the math building this year (it’s a history class, though, interestingly), and so I’ve found myself in here a little more often. As it’s turned out, there are some really great places to get pictures.

These maps are in the same room as the big globe, which I’ve featured as a background on this blog before. I thought they were colorful and pretty and would make for a nice backdrop to my outfit, and since I’d used the globe before, I wanted to try something different. As the maps (and globe) also situated in a rather central location in the building, I had to be careful about not getting caught posing for pictures by anyone walking by (not that it’s like, illegal to take pictures of yourself for your fashion blog — but it is a little weird) , but otherwise, it was an easy place to use for pictures. Maybe I’ll feature these maps again.

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 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: Anthropologie

Sweater: The LOFT

Pants: Abercrombie (thrifted, yard sale)

January 22, 2019 – Primary Construction (OOTD #442)

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You know that big iconic building on Notre Dame’s campus with the golden dome on top? Here’s the inside of it.

You’d think that, being such a prominent feature of Notre Dame culture, that Main Building would be somewhere the students go all the time. It’s even got a (boring) name like Main Building that implies its prominence. But nope — in actuality, I almost never venture inside here.

There are no classrooms, no restaurants, and no study spaces, and so there’s no reason to go. About all of the space in Main Building is devoted to offices, and whatever’s left is for Father Jenkins’s living quarters (probably?), storage space for the Christmas tree, and some questionable murals of Christopher Columbus. In fact, if you have to go to Main Building for a meeting, it implies that something out of the ordinary is going on.

And for me, visiting Main Building on January 22, something out of the ordinary absolutely was going on! I had just received my acceptances to study abroad programs, and I had a few questions to ask of my advisor. As it turned out, her office was in Main Building.

Long story short — this coming fall, I’ll be studying in Washington DC, and in the spring, I’ll be studying in Paris at Sciences-Po. There’s a lot more that went into that meeting with my advisor and my decision-making process, but I’ll spare you the details for now. I know it’s a subject that’s going to come up a lot in the coming months as I start getting ready to go.

Anyway, on my way out from my meeting, I decided to stop by window and get some pictures of my outfit. Going into Main Building is a momentous occasion — I had to get some photographic evidence to preserve for future generations.

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 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!

Turtleneck: Free People

Sweater: Forever21

Pants: American Eagle