Tag: December

December 6, 2018 – I Heart Repeated Titles (OOTD #418)

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I was about to title this “I heart Santa” but apparently, I titled a blog that the last time I wore this sweater. 

I like this sweater, but it’s not really me, you know? I got it from a friend for a Secret Santa exchange and…don’t tell her, but I don’t think I would have bought it for myself. I’m happy to wear it because I have it now, but it’s not my style to declare my love for someone on the front of my shirt, even if that someone is Santa.

Santa’s just the OG sugar daddy. Change my mind.

You might notice a new on-campus location with this blog! In fact, it is somewhere new. I took these photos right after I got out of my French oral exam, which was probably my most stressful final exam. Speaking to someone for a whole 30 minutes in French? Without stuttering and staring blankly at my professor when I realize I have nothing to say? I can barely do that in English!

Anyway, after my exam got out, all I really wanted was to walk around for a little to decompress. I had just finished up all of my classes for the semester, and even though I had plenty more finals to worry about still, they weren’t coming for several more days. I had time to relax.

So after I escaped my professor’s office, I went for a walk. I decided I wanted to go somewhere I’d never been before on campus to see if I couldn’t scope out some new photo locations, and I happened on this little courtyard by the business school.

I’m pretty sure all the business students could see me posing and taking pictures though a window as I stood there like an idiot outside in the courtyard without a coat on, but if they did, they probably forgot about it by now. That’s my preferred way of comforting myself when I realize someone’s seen me taking pictures of myself. Most people probably forget that they saw some random girl posing and using a camera remote to take pictures of herself for her fashion blog within a few hours, so there’s no reason to feel embarrassed.

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: Secret Santa exchange

Skirt: Vintage (thrifted)

December 5, 2018 – Christmas at Hogwarts (OOTD #417)

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There are plenty of buildings at Notre Dame that look like they could be a part of Hogwarts.

South Dining Hall is probably the most notable. Some of the arches of the Rock and certain dorms can lean that way too. It’s that collegiate gothic style of architecture — gotta love it, because it makes going to class in the buildings and living in the cockroach-infested rooms a little more bearable.

These pictures were taken in the math department’s building, a building which I never venture into, in part because I have no math classes, and in part because math is terrifying. I made sure to test out of college math for a reason — contrary to the Asian stereotype, I rather hate math.

I so hate it that for the majority of my time at Notre Dame, I’ve tried to completely avoid the math department building out of fear. That was, until last semester, when some friends convinced me to go inside for some pictures.

Turns out, the math building (or at least, half of it) is actually really beautiful and makes for great photos. In fact, I’ve gone to the ivy garden courtyard many times this year for photos because I love it so much.

This was the first time I ventured up to the second floor to look for photo locations, and as you can see, I was not disappointed. I think the second floor might be even more lovely and Hogwarts-like than the first. Don’t be too surprised if I wind up taking pictures again sometime soon.

I guess math really is magical?

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 (Goodwill)

Sweater: Abercrombie

Skirt: Forever21

December 4, 2018 – Pop Punk Christmas (OOTD #416)

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Is this punk? I’ve got my Docs on. That makes something punk, right?

Or at least, if it’s not punk, it’s pop punk — a slightly more mainstream and easily digestible version of the real thing. That’s a pretty accurate description of me. It’s also a description of my music taste.

I can’t believe it took me this long to think to pair my Docs with this dress. I mean, a dress purchased at a vintage shop in Shoreditch, the most hipster neighborhood of London, plus Doc Martins, the most British (though technically German) punk-looking shoes to exist? How did I not see the connection?

Anyway, I finally saw the connection with this outfit. And I threw on my vintage Christmas jacket purchased at last year’s Christmas sweater market for emphasis.

As much as I love this dress, it’s one of the most unflattering pieces in my closet to photograph. I have to be really careful of how I pose and at what angle I’m being shot at. These were the best pictures that I took, and being honest, they still don’t necessarily make me look the best. I mean, I’m a small, skinny person, and yet in photos, this dress makes me look like I have a beer belly.

I’m happy to let you see it though. The one thing I never edit in my photos is the actual shape of my features. Just goes to show that photos can make you look great — or not-so-great — at different times.

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: Vintage (thrifted)

Dress: Vintage (thrifted)

Shoes: Doc Marten

January 2, 2018 – Goodwill Glamour (OOTD #191)

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One of the best parts of this whole fashion blog thing is the sheer variety of how many locations I’ve been to trying to find a good background for my photos.

I’ve been from places as glamorous as Abbey Road and the Tower of London to as un-glamorous as a public dumpster. Today’s location, the outside of a local Goodwill, probably ranks up there with the unglamorous locations.

But you wouldn’t necessarily know it’s the outside of a Goodwill unless I told you, and that’s part of the fun of it. It’s something of a challenge trying to find new and unique backgrounds every day to go with my outfit; I can’t just have the plain white of my garage door every day, can I?

It’s been terribly bitter cold recently in Lexington – like, 5 or 10 degrees every morning and only going up to the teens during the day. To do today’s pictures, I threw off my coat for about three minutes to get my dad to do these shots, and as soon as they were done, I put my coat back on as quickly as I could. I guess that’s nothing compared to how cold it is at Notre Dame right now, though. I think it was -15 the other morning.

Speaking of Notre Dame, how about that Citrus Bowl win from the other day? Alright, so admittedly, this isn’t a sports blog, and I have no legitimate insights to offer about their plays. The fourth quarter was certainly exciting though.

Or so I heard. I actually napped through it.

So I’m a lousy Notre Dame fan. So I’ve only ever gone to the football games, and so I didn’t even go to all of those. I still like to wear the clothes and pretend I’m a passionate devotee. If I’m going to be a fake, at least I know it.

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!

Sweater: PacSun

December 31, 2017 – To Grandmother’s House We Go (OOTD #190)

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Grandmothers are the best.

If you’ll remember, I mentioned that over Christmas, my parents were too sick to visit my grandmother like we usually do. Instead, we hung around home and opened presents by ourselves – which was totally valid, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t quite Christmas without my grandmother.

On Sunday, we made up for that by driving over to Louisville to see my grandmother and doing something of a “Christmas part 2.” We exchanged the last of our presents, ate the cheesecake we were supposed to eat the weekend prior, and watched the Eagles lose to the Dallas Cowboys (at home, of all places). That last bit was a little depressing, but otherwise, it was a fun day.

Seeing as it was New Year’s Eve, when I made it back to Lexington, I went party-hopping with all of my 500 friends and had a crazy fun time until the dawn of 2018.

What? Does that really sound so terribly unlikely to you?

Yeah, so in actuality, I had no real New Year’s Eve plans – so instead, I went over to Amanda’s house and cooked dinner before playing some old video games and watching Eclipse with our other friend, Zach. I’m not sure it was what the kids would call, “lit,” but that’s about what happens when you put three introverts in a room together and tell them to have fun on the last day of the year.

We did venture outside once to pick up some ice cream, which was such a terrifying and harrowing experience that I think I’m going to hide myself in my room indoors for the entirety of 2018.

While it was no exciting party, it was still a perfectly fun night with friends. Also, I fell asleep shortly after midnight, meaning I spent the first moments of the new year unconscious – which is arguably the best way to spend any year.

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!

Jacket: thrifted

Sweater: Forever21

December 30, 2017 – Resolutionless (OOTD #189)

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Happy New Year’s Eve!

I guess this will be the last blog I publish before 2018. In that case, I hope you have a lovely time partying tonight or whatever it is you’re doing, and I hope you start of 2018 right, whatever that means for you.

My New Year’s Eve will consist of eating an obscenely unhealthy pasta dish I found on Pinterest, and watching old Disney Channel movies with my friends. I’ve got no parties to go to, or else I’d have a more exciting, glittery outfit to show you. As it is, I do have this fun Hollister sweater I found at Goodwill for $4; it may not be glittery enough to pop champagne in, but it’s fuzzy enough to keep warm.

I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions; I personally feel there’s no need to designate certain goals for yourself at this arbitrary time when you could be striving for improvement at any time during the rest of the year. If I were to set one, though, I guess I should post more and more consistently to this blog.

In fairness, it’s far from my main priority – I do have to put school first – but I definitely could do better. I feel like I’ve got to give myself a little credit, though: 500+ followers on WordPress and 6000+ on Instagram over the course of a few months isn’t half bad. If nothing more, this is a hobby I enjoy, and I enjoy that some of you like to follow along with my hobby.

Anyway, here’s to hoping you have a wonderful 2018, and that you succeed in whatever your resolutions may be. And if you’re like me, and you consider the concept of resolutions that you probably won’t keep inhibitory to progress, then I hope you enjoy not making resolutions and moving on with your life like normal!

Sweater: Hollister (thrifted)

Skirt: Zara (thrifted)

Shirt: the LOFT (thrifted)

December 28, 2017 – Not A Bowling Outfit (OOTD #188)

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If you’re wondering: yes, I did make it out of bed before 2PM today.

Look at this shirt. Doesn’t it just scream “bowling?” Or maybe “Hawaiian vacation?”

Unfortunately, I did neither of those things yesterday. Instead, I tried to go bowling, just to find there was an hour long wait (on a Thursday night of all times!), followed by driving around aimlessly trying to figure out what to do before finally giving up and going home and watching The Cheetah Girls 2.

That’s all fine and good, but I’m still a little disappointed that I didn’t get to go bowling with my bowling shirt on. I mean, honestly – it looks like something straight out of The Big Lebowski. Alternatively, one could also say that I look like I should be selling knockoff Rolexes out of my coat in a dark alley, and that would be equally valid.

Actually, I didn’t buy this shirt with the intent of looking like a bowler or a street vendor a or even a 90s Leonardo DiCaprio – it was inspired by this one girl in my art class my freshman year of high school. She used to always come into school with these really cute,  vintage-y outfits usually consisting of a jacket, some sort of patterned shirt, and leggings. There was some variation of course – a scarf or other added accessories – but it was always very chic.

Also very formulaic, which I was less a fan of, but I’m nitpicking.

Anyway, I have no idea what this girl is up to, or if she’s still wearing the same outfits because she was a few years older than me and graduated my sophomore year, but I guess you could say this outfit is a tribute to her. Also bowling.

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!

Jacket: Forever21

Shirt: Thrifted

Leggings: The LOFT

December 27, 2017 – A Very Lazy Day (OOTD #187)

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Wanna hear something disgustingly indulgent and also mildly impressive? I didn’t get out of bed until 2pm yesterday.

I can’t even argue that it’s because I was up late the night before, or because I’m recovering from the lack of sleep I’ve had for the last four months of college – I’m just indulging in a little extravagance and privilege because I can.

In fairness, I wasn’t asleep until 2pm: I did get up and do some work on my computer before finally crawling out of bed and shamefully pondering if it was even worth the effort to get out of my pajamas. Ultimately, though, I decided that it was worth it. I have a fashion blog to maintain, after all.

Since I didn’t have anywhere to go today, it wasn’t really necessary that I get dressed up or make any sacrifices of comfort in the name of style. My outfit, then, was put together so that I would be comfy and warm while still maintaining some personal flair.

I call this my tent shirt because it’s huge and billowing and surges out like a tent when I twirl. Conveniently, it’s a very good outfit for when you do that thing where you don’t eat all day and then you suddenly realize you haven’t eaten all day, so you consume like, 2000 calories in one sitting.

It’s a staple of any lazy day; anyone who’s ever had one can probably relate.

Tomorrow, hopefully, I’ll actually make it out of the house, if only to go for a walk or something. Even though I personally believe that this time between Christmas and New Year’s is liminal space, where nothing really exists and time doesn’t go on, I do feel like I ought to be doing something more productive than sitting at home and blogging.

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!

Shirt: Altar’d State

Scarf: The LOFT

December 26, 2017 – Liminal Space (OOTD #186)

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The time between the end of Christmas and New Year’s Eve is a liminal space.

Do we even exist here? Is life progressing between December 26-31, or are we simply in limbo? What even is time?

I don’t know the answer to those rhetorical questions; my point is just that December 26-31 is a really weird time when nothing’s really happening and life is trying to continue like normal but failing wildly.  I think we’re all still recovering from our food comas from Christmas.

So what better to do during liminal space, the time between what was and what’s next, than change up my hair? Again…

This is the second (arguably third) major haircut of 2017, and if you ask me, the most drastic. I don’t know if I’ve ever had such short hair before; not even as a kid. I’m pretty sure I had that bob with bangs that every preschooler had, and I hated it so much that as soon as my mother let me grow my hair out, I did. And I kept it that way until a few months ago when I decided to cut it short and dye it grey.

And then, a few days ago, I decided to cut it even shorter and go back to brunette. It’s not quite my natural color, but it’s closer than it’s been for years, since I dyed it blonde when I was 17. The bleached bits were just starting to look really awful, so I had to do it for the health of my hair. I have always wanted a pixie cut as well.

I might still dye it darker, but for now, I’m keeping it how it is. Besides, if I do end up changing it, as long as I do it before liminal space is over, it’ll be like it never happened, right?

Sweater: Thrifted

Jacket: Forever21

December 25, 2017 – No More Christmas Captions (OOTD #185)

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Christmas Outfits Challenge 2017: Day 15

My goodness, do you even know how hard it was to keep making up Christmas/holiday-related titles for these blogs and my Instagram posts?

It was hard, okay? I mean, honestly, I wound up with one blog so-cleverly titled “Candy Cane Costume.” Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. I’ve had some lame blog titles before, but that one was, to me, particularly lame. Like, I couldn’t have even titled it “Candy Cane Couture,” and made it sound a little classier?

Speaking of fashion, this, I admit, was not the outfit I actually wore today on Christmas day. Rather, I wore this when my friend Amanda and I went hiking the other day at a nearby woodsy area. In fact, I don’t even have curly grey hair any more…but more on that in tomorrow’s post. I may have a new haircut to show off.

The thing, though, is that I just don’t usually get dressed up on Christmas day; I’m lucky if I even make it out of my pajamas, especially if my family doesn’t go out. I mentioned this in yesterday’s blog, but my family doesn’t really do much exciting on Christmas – we don’t really have visitors, we don’t go to midnight mass, we don’t have a big fancy dinner.

We do usually have my grandmother over, but my mother was sick, so we had to postpone that meeting. It’s alright though – we had a fun Christmas anyway, and we’ll see my grandmother some other time.

Anyway, I’d like to wish anyone reading this a very merry Christmas (or, as it’s likely this won’t be published until late Christmas day or even the day after, a very merry December 26t)! And thanks to everyone who’s kept up with this blog since I started it a few months ago. It means a lot.

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!

Coat: Juicy Couture

Sweater: American Eagle

Shirt: Forever21