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November 15, 2017 – Notre Rain (OOTD #160)

Published on November 20, 2017November 20, 2017 by lensembledujour2 Comments

You know, my photographer made a very valid point as she was taking these photos – this is a very discordant outfit.

I’ve got the rainbow raincoat and yellow rain boots, but also a plaid scarf, and sunglasses. What am I dressed for? The rain, the cold, or the sun?

The rain and the cold are actually completely accurate answers – it was very rainy and drizzly that day. But in late November in South Bend, IN, what day isn’t rainy and drizzly? Who can escape the permacloud of the Northern Midwest?

In fairness, the sunglasses are only there to conceal the fact that I’m not wearing any eye makeup here. Let’s just say it’s quite obvious without sunglasses how much of a sleep-deprived college student I am.

Not to mention, I’ve got my short grey hair, which I’ve already discussed looks kind of strange with preppier pieces, like rainbow raincoats and plaid blanket scarf. I also wore my black gauge-like earrings, just to confuse people even more.

I like to keep people guessing with my outfit, but I don’t necessarily want them to be scratching their heads either. I personally feel like this outfit’s a little closer to that “head-scratching” territory than I would’ve liked, but you know – you win some, and you lose some. I do really like the colors going on here, regardless.

Just because the sky and the weather is going to be dreary and grey, that doesn’t mean my outfit has to be as well. I mean, part of it, sure – my hair, my earrings, and my personality will always be there to bring the melancholy – but some part of me gets to be cheery. Or at the very least, look that way.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life here 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!

Coat: Target

Pants: The LOFT

Scarf: Chinatown

Sweater: Kohl’s

November 10, 2017 – Oops, I Did It Again (OOTD #157)

Published on November 16, 2017 by lensembledujour5 Comments

No, that blog title does not have anything to do with the fact that I’m wearing denim on denim, like something out of a music video with 90s Britney Spears in it.

(Besides, if I were ever to title a blog “Oops, I did it again” with the purpose of referencing 90s Britney Spears fashion, I’d have to be wearing all red or something)

No, my reference has to do more with the concept of making a mistake, rather than anything fashion-related! You see, I posted the outfit from Sunday, November 12, in which I looked like a dementor yesterday, not realizing that I had neglected to post about November 10!

So once more, my blog’s continuity is interrupted in a brief blip in the chronological timeline – this time, though, without me even realizing it until after the fact. In my defense, I usually decide which blog to post based on the photos I have stored on my phone, as, even with the photos I take on my camera, I can just upload them to my computer and then Airdrop them to my phone. So, yesterday, when I sat down to write my blog and I checked my photo albums on my phone, my Sunday November 12 photos popped up, as I had taken them with my camera phone, while my Friday November 10 photos did not, as they were still stored on my camera.

That’s not really a good excuse, but are there any of those?

Anyway, I haven’t really got a lot to say about this outfit at all: just that I really wish I had rolled up my pant legs one more time so that my boyfriend jeans didn’t just swallow up my boots and make it look like I have tree trunks for legs. Also kinda wish the exposure wasn’t so bad in some of these photos, that I hadn’t messed up the order of my blogs, and that I had started working on my history paper earlier this week, but such is the nature of mistakes.

For example, the Meilin of November 10 made the mistake of believing that Notre Dame was going to the playoffs, and she turned out to be proved horrifically wrong just the next day.

Top: Target

Jeans: American Eagle

November 8, 2017 – Edgy Teen Aesthetic (OOTD #154)

Published on November 12, 2017November 12, 2017 by lensembledujour8 Comments

Get you a photographer you points out that one of your socks isn’t pulled up all the way before she starts taking photos.

Seriously, I owe so much to the spectacular people who have agreed to take my photos after lunch every day. I don’t know if they really do it because they want to…but they never complain and don’t look too judgmental when I inevitably ask “Hey, so uh…could you do my pictures today?” so for that, I’m eternally grateful.

You know what else I’m eternally grateful for? Finally being over with my edgy teen years.

What…you mean to say that my outfit still looks I’m a 16 year-old with a My Chemical Romance obsession?

Though my days of exclusively listening to the Emo Trinity and obsessively waiting for new tweets from Gerard Way are over, I’ve kept some of the stylistic influences from the era. That includes my grey hair, which is totally not at all hearkening back to 2006 Gerard Way.

That also includes a taste for black clothes and anything that looks vaguely punk! While I can hardly claim to be a true punk – have you seen the effort that icons like Vivienne Westwood put into their looks? – I like to wear things that have a punk influence.

After all, I am only 19, meaning that I only have one year left during which I can blame my pessimism on teen angst – might as well dress like it.

Sweater: Forever21 (thrift)

Skirt: Target

November 1, 2017 – Birthday Blob (OOTD #150)

Published on November 7, 2017November 7, 2017 by lensembledujour11 Comments

That’s not a typo, friends – I really meant “blob,” rather than “blog.”

I had actually originally titled this post “birthday blog,” but that was simply too generic and boring for me, so I had to take the self-deprecating route and refer to myself as a “blob.”

I mean, I don’t think that that’s really a bad thing here – that’s simply the way the dress was designed. It’s another one of my vintage pieces, which means perfect fit is probably not going to happen, so you’ve just got to settle for whatever doesn’t drag four feet on the floor behind you. In which case, something a little bit too blob-like is perfectly acceptable.

So now you know the relevance of the word “blob” – but what about “birthday?” Could it possibly be that November 1 was my birthday, or something ridiculous like that?

Yes, on November 1, 1998, I was born into this world! I’m 19 now, which means I only have one year left that I can blame my angst upon being a teenager; after that, I just have to that I’m an unpleasant human being. How unfortunate.

Dress: Vintage (thrift)

Top: Forever21

Tights: Target

October 31, 2017 – Even More Late to the Halloween Party (OOTD #149)

Published on November 5, 2017September 4, 2019 by lensembledujour4 Comments

Fun fact: I had to look to a WordReference forum to find out how I should word this blog title – “even more late” or “even later.”

My findings: neither one really sounds right, and no one on WordReference knew what was proper and what wasn’t. One user suggested saying “even more behind schedule,” but then I wouldn’t have the fun continuity from the October 30 blog titled, “Late to the Halloween Party,” and the October 31 blog titled, “Even More Late (Even Later?) to the Halloween Party,” so I just went for what I felt like.

Feel free to leave me a comment telling me I’m wrong.

Seeing as I already devoted an entire blog to the topic, I’m not going to whine today about the issue of my blog delay resulting in awkward moments where I’m posting about a festive Halloween outfit days after Halloween is over.

Do note, however, that it bothers me, and I’m still trying to think of a way to post topical date-specific blogs on their respective dates without giving up the comfort of not needing to rush to take my outfit photos and write about that same outfit in a single day.

Anywho, I’ve barely left my room all day today, and it feels fantastic. The Meilin of October 31 was put-together, dressed for a festive holiday, and posing in front of the most beautiful building on campus (the Basilica); the Meilin of November 5 hasn’t looks like a slob, hasn’t gotten out of her pajamas, and has been sitting in the same place that she has been for several hours, alternating between doing her French homework and looking at WordReference forums.

It’s been a dull, unproductive day, but that’s alright. Some days are like that; they’re balanced out by days that are exciting and productive.

…which, you know, I can’t remember the last time I had, but I’m sure they’re out there. Look, I just want to feel justified for being lazy today, okay?

Sweater: Target

Top: River Island

Skirt: Rue21

October 27, 2017 – Warm Colors, Cold Person (OOTD #146)

Published on November 1, 2017 by lensembledujour2 Comments

If I wear wear colors, I’ll be warm, even if it’s cold out…right?

I wish. Rather, it was chilly and autumnal outside while I was doing these photos, and my thin orange swearer and burgundy scarf only helped so much.

I’m still getting used to how different the weather here in South Bend is compared to what I’m used to in Kentucky. The weather we’re getting right now in late October/early November is actually more like the weather we get in December in KY.

So basically, what I’m saying, is that it feels like Christmas and I’m ready for it to hurry itself up and get here.

Actually, on the contrary, I’m not one of those people that is really very interested in celebrating Christmas as early as possible. I’ve got a friend whose family puts up their Christmas tree on HALLOWEEN NIGHT – as in, they have trick-or-treaters coming to their house in their costumes as they put the ornaments on their tree and listen to Christmas music – and that to me is just too early.

I, personally, am a staunch believer that one should not celebrate Christmas until Thanksgiving is over. But when it is time to celebrate Christmas, I do it with intensity – I bust out the Christmas sweaters, the Christmas playlists, and the decorations, pretty much all at midnight on the day after Thanksgiving.

So what’s my point here? I like Christmas, quite a lot, and I’m definitely excited for it, but even though I’m excited, I don’t want it to start celebrating it for another month still. Halloween and Thanksgiving must be given their equal share of time before Christmas comes.

But when Christmas does come, you’d better be ready.

Dress: Forever21

Sweater: Target

Bonus: me being interrupted by a jogger

October 17, 2017 – The Most October Day (OOTD #138)

Published on October 23, 2017October 23, 2017 by lensembledujour9 Comments

This is it folks: the day I finally got to do all of the stereotypical American fall things I’ve been prattling on about for the last month.

Last year, my senior year of high school, my father and I went out to a local orchard for an afternoon to pick pumpkins. As it turned out, we didn’t pick any pumpkins – by the time we went, I guess it was too late into the season and all of the good pumpkins were gone – but we did have a lot of fun wandering around, picking apples, and going through the corn maze.

Thus, being a sap for anything nostalgic, even if it’s only from a year ago, I requested that, when I went back for fall break, my father and I go back to the same orchard.

It was a rather different experience this time, though – we went on a Tuesday, when all of the Fayette County schools were still in session and all of the kids were stuck in classrooms doing work (heh, suckers), whereas last year, we went on a weekend, when it was super busy and crawling with children. Thus, it was pretty nice to be there when it was fairly quiet – I got to climb up on the jungle gym since there were no kids there, which was pretty sweet, and there was no line for the hay ride out to the pumpkin patch or the corn maze, which was also pretty sweet.

The best part of any farm adventure, in my opinion, is eating a caramel apple. I rambled on about my love of caramel apples for a while in a blog from a few days ago, so I’m not going to do that here, but allow me to say: a caramel apple from a farm is the best caramel apple you can get.

Also, if you don’t eat your caramel apples with nuts, I don’t know what you are (unless you have a peanut allergy – then it’s acceptable).

I don’t necessarily know how Kentucky farms compare to farms in Idaho or New York (or really anywhere else in the US, or the world), but if I had to make an overarching generalization based on little evidence and/or experience, I would have to say that Kentucky farms are the best in the world. There are hills, for one, which I know you don’t get in some parts of the Midwest (South Bend Indiana, I’m looking at you), and chances are, if you’re heading out to a farm in Kentucky in October, it’s probably still warm enough to go without a jacket.

I must say though – latitudes further North do have better leaf colors in October. I do suppose that would be one gripe about my farm adventure, that there wasn’t much color in the trees other than green and a touch of brown. It’s really odd, coming back to Kentucky after having been in Indiana, as the weather is so different, despite only being one state over.

This year, my father and I did manage to find some decently-sized, attractive, and carvable pumpkins at the orchard, so I will be sure to show you guys what our Jack-o-Lanterns turn out looking like as soon as we get them done. We also found some apples, a bale of hay, an abandoned flag football belt, and the joy of…something, I don’t know, I was trying to come up with a charming and insightful, but I’m not good at that. All I can do is point to my own inadequacies and hope people laugh.

Vest: Altar’d State

Sweater: Target

Shirt: American Eagle

Boots: LL Bean

October 3, 2017 – Generic Autumn Outfit (OOTD #127)

Published on October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 by lensembledujour7 Comments

You know how I went on waxing poetic about how much I loved falling the last blog?

I’m going to spare your ears (eyes?) and not do that again here, even though my outfit is so painfully obviously a manifestation of my love of fall. I mean, just look at those oranges and greens – is there even a doubt in anyone’s mind in what season I bought this at Target?

(Plot twist: it was actually spring, and my parents got it for me for Easter. Pretty sure it was on sale…but the point still stands)

Lol, fall’s not even my favorite season – winter is. I guess I just really love the changing seasons and getting to talk about it. I can even get into summer a little at the very beginning in June when it’s just getting warm enough to start wearing shorts and flip flops without being chilly in the mornings.

Midterms week is beginning to kick in here at College ™ , and it’s beginning to kick my…my parents read this, so I’m going to say “butt” to spare their mentalities. I don’t even have that many midterms this week – my godawful testing week actually fell about two weeks ago, when I had a few papers and a few pre-fall break exams all at once. I do have one in Astronomy, which I am 4394308% not looking forward to as well as a short essay for my Chinese history class, but that’s really not bad compared to what some people have. One of my roommates has five exams this week – bless her soul.

I think it’s just the overall vibe of stress that’s getting to me. Like I said, I don’t really have much of a reason to be stressed – especially since it’s October and October is a part of the holy trinity of holiday months – but seeing other people be stressed makes me feel like I ought to be as well.

In a few days though, it’ll be all over and I’ll be back home in Kentucky for fall break, which should be fun. Not sure what I’ll be doing for that whole week – probably just contemplating how unappreciative I was of Lexington and its status as a city. I used to complain about how Lexington was small and there was nothing to do, but I see now I was wrong: South Bend is small and has nothing to do. Lexington might as well be New York City in comparison.

I’m exaggerating of course – but I do rather miss being just a short car ride away from things like the mall, the movie theater, downtown, etc. South Bend, I assume, has all of those things too, but, without a car, I would never know that. You’re saying there’s a world outside of Notre Dame’s campus? Are you sure?

Dress: Target

Sweater: Altar’d State

September 14, 2017 – Goth Kid at Catholic School (OOTD #112)

Published on September 20, 2017September 20, 2017 by lensembledujour5 Comments

I spent a decent portion of my adolescence complaining about public school, but I have to give it this – it made for a nice, diverse collection of people.

You want art kids? Public school has those. You want jocks? Public school has those. You want people who fit any racial, cultural, or stereotype imaginable? Public school has you covered.

And the nice thing about my high school was (wow, never thought I’d use those words together…), you never had to stick to any particular group – people were pretty free to float around the different social categories at will. And there was really no such thing as rivalries between the groups – no Jets vs Sharks stories here. Or, I don’t know, maybe we did have gang fights with choreographed dance sequences, and I just never realized. It’s entirely possible that I just never learned the social structure of my high school in the four years I was there – just like I never learned anything about physics or how to pay taxes.

But here I am now at private Catholic school, and gone are the diverse social groups. I mean, I’ve only been here for a month, and maybe I just haven’t gotten a feel for them, but it’s definitely less likely that I’ll encounter anyone in a Black Veil Brides t-shirt or with rainbow hair here than I was in high school. And I miss that.

The typical Notre Dame kid is probably athletic, white, well-dressed (but not creatively dressed…I went to a party once and all I saw were Kylie Jenner wannabes), the son or daughter of an alumni, and from one of the suburbs of Chicago. If it’s a dude, he’s probably named Jack. If it’s a girl, she’s probably a Katie.

(Also, if I hear one more Midwestern kid with that nasally Chicago accent talk about which suburb they’re from, I’m gonna lose it. Why isn’t anyone from like, the actual city of Chicago? Do people even live in Chicago?)

Anyway, fed up with the perceived normalcy of my peers, I just had to go for an outfit that had a darker edge. You know, the commercial, non-offensive version of “darker edge” – basically, nu goth.

Essentially, I dressed in all black and put my hair in Wednesday Adams braids. Simple, but effective – I was basically edgiest kid on campus. Which, if you ask me, if pretty sad, considering a blonde girl in braids and a black hat is hardly edgy or goth. The architecture at Notre Dame is more goth than 99% of the student body, meaning I’m pretty sure the architecture would have the better taste in music than the student body – goth kids have great taste in music.

Top: Unknown (thrifted)

Pants: Altar’d State

Jacket: Forever21

Hat: Target

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September 8, 2017 – I Think They Call This A Pop Of Color (OOTD #107)

Published on September 14, 2017September 14, 2017 by lensembledujour5 Comments

I don’t usually even like wearing color.

I mean, look at my blog posts – it’s pretty much a sea of neutrals. Black is probably my favorite, followed by camel, grey, white, and navy. Though I’m probably never going to be one of those people who can create a minimalist capsule wardrobe out of only neutrals, I must admit – they do look pretty chic.

Unfortunately for the part of me that wants to rock the all-black everyday emo look, or the part that wants to look like a chic Parisian whose wardrobe only knows the occasional hint of red, I still come from the South. And the women in the South rather like their color.

Just look at the quintessential Southern brand, Lilly Pulitzer. It’s nothing but color. Is black ever a major component of her patterns? Does she even know that black is?

So every once in a while, I have to give into my Southern roots and go for some kind of color vomit outfit. And what better day to do that than a rainy day, when the rest of the world is grey? Talk about a pop of color.

This rain coat is one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe, even though it’s not 100% my style. I just get so many compliments when I wear it; I can’t help keeping it around even if I personally find it a little too bright for my comfort. I’ve actually had for years, since I was in 7th grade or something ridiculous like that. If I remember correctly, I think it came from the children’s section of Target; I was with my parents, and we were just about to check out, when I glanced it out of the corner of my eye. I just had to have it.

It may be one of the oldest pieces in my wardrobe, but it just never seems to stop getting attention, and it has yet to go out of style.

The rain hat and boots are newer additions to my wardrobe. I’ve been dreaming of owning a yellow rain ensemble – yellow raincoat, rain boots, and hat – for ages, and I’ve finally managed to gather each piece. I have yet to wear them all together though; that’s for another rainy day.