2018 – Page 13 – L'ensemble du jour

Saturday Musings + Coffee – It’s Not Saturday and There’s No Coffee

Published on March 18, 2018March 19, 2018 by lensembledujourLeave a comment

Happy Sunday from me and my empty coffee mug!

You know, I do rather like to do these Saturday Musings blogs because they keep things interesting and more diverse than if I just did OOTD posts (plus that would be a lot of OOTDs to do), but sometimes, I don’t actually drink any coffee on Saturdays.

For example, yesterday, I swear I was so busy packing and going grocery shopping with my parents and then going to dinner with my friends, I don’t think I had time to really sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee. I didn’t even time to post this blog on Saturday like I was supposed to, haha.

Anyway, 24 hours, and it’s back to school again.

These breaks seem to go by so quickly — to be cliché, I swear it was just yesterday that I was flying home from Midway (after having sat in the airport for three hours, of course).

My spring break wasn’t the most dynamic experience I’ve ever had, but it was pretty relaxing, and think that’s what I needed. I got some good sleep (including sleeping for nearly an entire day on Monday!) and ate some food that wasn’t from the dining hall, and I was pretty satisfied with that. Going to the beach might’ve been fun, but that also would’ve been exhausting, and I was already pretty exhausted come midterms week.

Plus, I don’t much like the sand. It’s coarse…and it gets everywhere.

Anyway, looks like my flight back to Chicago is about to board, so I ought to go. Can you believe that I actually got here at a normal time and only had to wait a very reasonable one hour at the airport this time around? Wild.

March 6, 2018 – The Most Glamorous Location in the World (OOTD #239)

Published on March 16, 2018 by lensembledujour7 Comments

You know something I’ve noticed? My poses become significantly more dynamic when I take my photos by myself.

It makes sense, of course – it’s awkward to try out new, dramatic poses when someone else is looking at you from behind the camera. You don’t want to look stupid, flailing around your arms or gazing dramatically into the distance when someone else can see you, right? It’s better to test out new poses when you don’t have to worry about embarrassing yourself.

So where better to go to prevent embarrassing myself than the privacy of the bathroom in the bookstore?

Yep, you heard it here — I’m actually standing in the bathroom in the bookstore for these photos. Admittedly not a very glamorous location shot, but I really liked the pale yellow wallpaper they had.

I set up my camera against the sink, and, keeping an eye on the door the whole time to make sure no one walked in on me while I was posing…for my fashion blog…in a public bathroom…that sounds pretty silly, doesn’t it?

It just goes to show how much improvisation goes on in these fashion posts I do — I hardly ever plan out where I’m going to do my photos, I just pray that I eventually find some place I can do them.

And sometimes, the place to do them is a bathroom with pale yellow wallpapered walls.

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, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Jacket: Forever21

Shirt: thrifted

March 5, 2018 – No Capes (OOTD #238)

Published on March 15, 2018 by lensembledujour5 Comments

This outfit/background combo makes me feel way classier than I actually am.

The residence hall behind me, Dillon (or maybe it’s Duncan?), has this wonderful little Harry Potter-esque courtyard that makes for a really dramatic, castle-like background. I don’t use it as much as I should.

The whole aesthetic reminds me of something out of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” video — something about the theatrical outfit paired with the rich manor behind me. Or, alternatively, as one of my friends passing me in the dining hall said, “it looks like something Rowena Ravenclaw would wear.”

With an already dramatic outfit and dramatic background, it just makes sense that we would also get a dramatic and well-timed gust of wind to get my cape to blow out behind me as well!

I wasn’t counting on the breeze, but I’m glad I got it! Why wear a cape if it doesn’t catch in the wind, am I right?

Actually, the cape-in-the-wind thing was mostly just a nuisance all day trying to walk around to class. I finally ended up tucking it into my backpack — which probably wasn’t a very fashionable look. There’s a reason it’s not pictured here.

As Edna Mode from The Incredibles would say:

Cape: H&M

Shirt: Banana Republic

Skirt: Abercrombie

March 3, 2018 – Farmers’ Market Fashion (OOTD #237)

Published on March 14, 2018October 6, 2019 by lensembledujour5 Comments

Oops…so it’s been a while.

Ironically, in my last blog post (well…not the last — but the second-to-last) , I said something along the lines of, “don’t worry, I’ll have a nice long blog post for you tomorrow!” And then, not only did I not have a long blog post, but I didn’t post a blog at all!

For three days.

I don’t typically have long periods of time between blog posts, so I guess three days isn’t the worst. I’m usually pretty good at posting consistently here, so here’s to hoping that I’m able to keep up my schedule for the rest of the year?

The other day, about a week before I left for spring break (so, a week before this blog was posted) some people in my section from my dorm all went on an outing to the South Bend Farmers’ Market. I don’t believe I’ve ever gone to a farmers’ market, but after what I saw on Saturday, I would 100% go again.

Maybe I was just really excited to see things that were for sale for money other than Flex Points or Domer Dollars, but it seemed like a nice little market they had set up. If I were rich enough to buy my produce locally every week, I could definitely see myself going with some friends on a Saturday morning, picking up our groceries, and then stopping somewhere for brunch.

Like I said, if I were rich. As it is, I bought one pound of grapes and that about wiped out my bank account, so I’m going to have to stick to every once in a while for now.

It was fun to get off campus, though. I think I’d been stuck at Notre Dame for about eight straight weeks when I finally got out for this little field trip, and I was definitely craving it.

We came across this little tea and spices shop, and the colors were just so delightful I couldn’t help but ask to get some pictures with it. I love a good background, so even on days where I don’t usually do OOTDs, like Saturdays, I’ll make an exception if I see a colorful, well-lit environnement. Lord knows I don’t always get those at school.

Top: Zara

Jeans: Abercrombie

Scarf: American Eagle

Saturday Musings + Coffee – Ready For Takeoff

Published on March 10, 2018March 10, 2018 by lensembledujour2 Comments

This is like, my third time flying home through Midway airport from Notre Dame, and every time, I forget that there’s a one hour time difference between South Bend and Chicago.

My flight’s at 1:45, and so, not realizing the time difference, I figured I’d get the 8AM bus from campus, get to the airport around 11AM, and have plenty of time to make it through security and find my gate.

Welp, I do have plenty of time, because I actually arrived at the airport at 10AM local time, and then realized I had pretty much three hours to kill before I would even need to think about boarding.

Better early than late though, I guess. I hate the process of getting through security and all of that, but once I’m actually in the airport, I find it fine. Midway’s not my favorite ammenties-wise, but it’s significantly better than that one time I flew through Atlanta, got stuck for nearly two days, and had a battle with a cockroach in the bathroom at midnight.

Anyway, I’ve been chilling here for a while, trying to muster up the energy to write this blog — or better yet, get caught up on some reading for class. Traveling kind of sucks the motivation to do productive things out of me, though, so mostly I’ve just been sitting at the gate and looking at baby animal GIFs on Reddit.

I’ve almost made it — a few more hours and I’ll be back in Louisville, which isn’t quite home but it’s close enough. Assuming my plane doesn’t get delayed and I don’t do anything stupid, it should be smooth sailing (flying?) from here.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one! Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

March 2, 2018 – Bookstore Blues (OOTD #236)

Published on March 8, 2018March 8, 2018 by lensembledujour5 Comments

School is hard.

I’m down to one project and two papers before the end of midterms week, and I actually cannot wait for it all to be over. Hopefully, that will only make spring break all the more rewarding though.

I’ve started spending a lot of time in the bookstore lately, as it’s close to one of the buildings where I end class on Tuesday/Thursdays, and it feels significantly less soulless than the library.

Since I’m here so much, I figured I might as well do my photos here, right?

I wasn’t expecting much out of this location, but I actually really like all of the colors the books provide in the background. I’ve been making an effort to get more variety in my locations for my photos so I’m not just showing off the same five buildings on campus, and this is part of that effort.

Speaking of efforts, I really need to get back to studying. Sorry to make this such a short blog, but this is honestly all I have time for today. Tomorrow, after my work is finally all over, I’ll do a nice long blog, alright?

Sweater & Pants: The LOFT

Boots: Doc

March 1, 2018 – Hopeless Romantic or Romantically Hopeless? (OOTD #235)

Published on March 7, 2018March 7, 2018 by lensembledujour6 Comments

I’m a little bitter — there’s a really lovely print on my shirt here, but it’s not visible in these shots.

It’s a really fascinating abstract line drawing of a face that’s placed around the left side of my ribcage, and the reason why I bought this shirt in the first place. Luckily though, I find the architectural design of the shirt artistic and interesting too, so all is not lost.

This is probably one of my favorite outfits I’ve worn for awhile. With the structural top and swingy, flowy skirt, it’s very romantic and feminine. Not that I’m really using my femininity for any romantic purpose at the moment, but I like to pretend.

Midterms are about halfway over at this point, and while it’s not time to celebrate yet, it’s getting pretty close. I’ve got two papers and a project (which still has hours and hours of development yet to go — yike) still to do, and two more days to get them done. I’m basically living for 1:40PM on Friday when my spring break begins. That is, arguably, not a very good life philosophy, but it’s what’s keeping me going while making less than six hours of sleep every night for the last week, so I’ll take it.

As Billy Joel puts it in “Vienna,” (which is my favorite song of his, by the way) – it’s romantic on the borderline.

I mean, the point of the song is that you’re supposed to slow down and not work yourself to death — which is probably advice I could use to listen to at the moment — but since that’s not an option for me for a few days, I guess I’ve got to hang out here on the borderline and make the best of it.

Welp, that took a much more introspective turn than I expected (that’s what I get for drafting this blog during my Philo class I guess). Anyway, wish me luck on my midterms, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Top: H&M

Skirt: The LOFT

February 28, 2018 – Greetings from Sunny South Bend (OOTD #234)

Published on March 6, 2018March 6, 2018 by lensembledujour7 Comments

You know how yesterday’s post was all about dressing for the weather you want, not the weather you have?

I think it actually worked! I’m pretty sure yesterday’s Hawaiian shirt brought today’s (well, er…February 28’s), warmer temperatures. I think it made it all the way up to the 50s — which, by South Bend standards, is worth of a short sleeve-shirt and bare legs.

Seeing as it was so beautiful and sunny out, my friends and I decided to go out by the St. Mary’s lake and take some pictures all together. And here’s the best part — I didn’t have to propose the idea!

I don’t know about you guys who are also fashion bloggers, but I can start feeling a little guilty about constantly asking people to do my pictures for me. I know it’s probably a little irrational, since it’s not like it’s really a huge inconvenience to anyone, but I’m always afraid someone will get fed up of me constantly asking them to support my narcissistic hobby.

It reminds me of having to for rides after school in high school and always feeling guilty that I had to ask for help when I should’ve been able to drive on my own. Similarly, having a fashion blog is a pretty self-interested hobby, so I feel like I should be able to maintain it by myself, and to ask for help is being a nuisance to other people.

Anyway, my point is, I love it when someone asks me to take pictures of them or with them — really, just as long as someone else proposes the idea, I love it. It’s nice to be behind the camera every once in a while, so I feel like I can pay back the people who have helped me so many times.

Actually, I have thought about doing something at the end of this school year for the people who have consistently taken photos for this blog. I don’t have a ton of money, so I don’t think I could pay for dinner or anything like that, but I may bake cookies or something small like that. It’s the gesture that counts, right?

It was definitely nice to take a break from all of my studying to go outside by the lake and enjoy the weather, though. At the time of writing this, I have three papers and one project still to go (down one paper and one exam from yesterday!), so wish me luck! Spring break is just around the corner, and then, I can bother my parents for pictures and feel slightly less guilty because me being a nuisance to them is nothing new!

Shirt: Pitaya

Skirt: Forever21

February 26, 2018 – Snow More Snow Please (OOTD #232)

Published on March 4, 2018 by lensembledujourLeave a comment

Look! It’s finally sunny enough for me to have my sunglasses on again in these pictures!

Ever since I transitioned to doing some of my pictures in the evening rather than the afternoon (owing to needing to accommodate to the schedules of my friends who do my pictures), I’ve been trying to avoid wearing sunglasses in my photos so much, since it looks silly to have sunglasses on when the sun’s nearly down.

But now that winter’s nearly over (thank goodness), it’s staying lighter for longer, and I can feel less weird about slipping on my shades at 6pm.

As much as I love winter, I’m very much glad for it to be nearly over. It’s rather overstayed its welcome for me, even though it was more mild than usual here in Chicago-area. Or so I’ve heard – I’ve never lived in this part of the country before, so it was definitely colder than I had ever experienced in my Kentucky experience, but from what I’ve heard from Chicago locals, it was actually quite a fair winter.

A few weeks ago, we had several feet of snow accumulate over the course of several days, melting and freezing over several times before it finally all melted away, and that was pretty much the end of my tolerance for this season. I’m usually a big fan of snow in any form, but by the time it finally all melted away, it had pretty much all turned to grey slush and wasn’t really much to look at any more.

Spring break is in under a week for me, though, so I’m excited to head back to Kentucky and experience some of that lovely sunny weather my parents have told me they’ve been getting.

Assuming I can make it through the rest of these midterms though – one exam, three papers, and one project still to go! Wish me luck!

Jacket: Thrifted

Skirt: Zara

Sweater: Kohl’s

Saturday Musings + Coffee – Let’s Gogh

Published on March 3, 2018 by lensembledujour4 Comments

Shoutout to Google for always being there for me when I need some kind of dumb pun to title one of these blogs with.

Getting back into art again after having pretty much done none at all during the entirety of last semester hasn’t been quite as easy as I had hoped. I wouldn’t really say it’s been difficult, by any means, but there is a little bit of extra thinking I’ve had to do when I draw. How would I accurately portray that? How do I get these two lines to be symmetrical? That sort of thing.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m considering a minor in studio art, and I think I’m going to keep with that intention for now, assuming I do alright grades-wise in this drawing class I’m in now.

I guess my biggest complaint about the class I’m in now is that there’s very little creativity in the work we’re doing. It’s an introductory course, so we’re starting with the basics – still lives, color wheels, gesture sketches, the like. The thing is, I was doing still lives and color wheels and gesture sketches way back in early high school and middle school – which isn’t to say I don’t still have a lot to learn about how to draw accurately, but I feel like I’m in a place where I can do that without having to draw the same apple again five times.

In one of our most recent sketchbook assignments, we were tasked with using colored pencils to portray simple objects in unnatural colors, which I found to be a lot of fun in that it offered a chance for more creativity than usual. Hopefully, as the class goes on, we’ll have more opportunities like this.

In the mean time, I’m just going to do my best to stop working in the art building so late into the night that I fall asleep there and have to be woken up by the cleaning lady who comes in at 7AM. That happened once, and it was quite awkward.