.008 POST-BLACK FRIDAY

When I woke up this morning, I realized that it was November 30th. Not the 29th, but the 30th. I had survived Black Friday, but at what cost? My feet ache, my head is killing me, and my heart is still thumping at an abnormal rate. Just twenty-four hours ago,  I prepped and opened for Urban Outfitter's "midnight madness," an event that was guaranteed to bring in hundreds of customers and thousands in sales. Sure enough, the event lived up to its title. In true apocalyptic fashion, once the store opened, people came running through the gates and towards the back where our store had set up the 50% off sale section (yes, as in, our sale was an additional 50% off). I heard people fighting, a few people yelling at employees, and watched as customers hummed happily to themselves while carrying a mountain of discovered goods. The energy in our store was next-level and to be honest, it was contagious. As much as I wanted to hate these people for making me work 11pm-5am, I wanted to be them. So careless in their sweatpants and sloppy placed messy buns...

Alright, perhaps I did not want to be them, but at least I wanted to be on the other side of things. Though lately, I have been shying away from sales. The beacon of red tags and back rooms has become less and less interesting to me as the years have passed on. I no longer want to find the best deal. Instead, I look to find the dream dress or the shoes I cannot stop thinking about, both probably could be found out on the sales floor and without a red tag. Maybe it is keeping up with trends or perhaps I started to realize something. When items are on sale, they suddenly have this appeal to them, I start to see them in another light. The dress that I thought was "alright" suddenly becomes "very cute." I make the purchase and head home to hang it in my over-stuffed closet. A week goes by. Maybe I wear the dress, maybe I do not. Suddenly a week becomes a month and soon I wonder why on earth I bought that dress. Then I remember. 

Oh, it was on sale. 

The story could be told time and time again, it just took me years to learn that I settled when the price went down. It is not to say that I do not search the sale racks to find the dress of my dreams, but I do so with a frame of mind that says, "Hey, just because it is on sale does not mean it is that cute." Sure enough, I have saved myself from some pretty awful trend disasters (I am looking at you, high-low dress of 2011). I have been testing my theory for the past year and there is little to not doubt in my mind that my theory has remained true. Just a few months ago I bought a cropped sweater for five dollars. I thought I would love it and hell, five dollars is a steal. I was wrong. Wore it once (see below, it is in my first post) and honestly, I am not that enamored with it. So the next time you are going out to find some sales, think to yourself: Do I love it because it is true to my sense of style or do I love it because it is on sale? Trust me, even if full priced are two scary words, you will save the same amount of money in the end and get more wear out of one item that you love rather than a few items you are partial to.

.007 INSPIRATION STATION

It is sixteen degrees Fahrenheit outside and eight a.m. I am tired and the biting winter chill only makes me want my bed more. Despite wanting to move as far away from the oncoming Minnesotan winter as possible, I am happy to have a little slice of early morning time to write a thoughtful blog post.

I introduced this blog stating that I draw inspiration from a variety of different sources. Fashion icons, film, music, things found hanging in a museum, time periods, etc. Whenever I come across a form of media I evaluate it and store what I can in my brain for a style opportunity later. Each day is an opportunity to express myself, so why not show a little of what I like?

Recently, I found myself whiny and tired, wanting to get lost in a film. With a cup of hot cocoa in hand, I decided I was going to watch more of Jean-Luc Godard, an auteur of the French New Wave. I landed on Une Femme est une Femme (A Woman is a Woman) starring Anna Karina, a personal style icon. From about thirty minutes into the film, I knew I was enamored with it. The unconventional sense of humor, the destruction of the fourth wall, and the lively, almost show-tune-esque soundtrack - all of which made for a memorable film.

Now, I will not be attempting to sport bangs again (after numerous attempts in 2010, 2011, and 2012, I think my dreams of achieving that Alexa Chung look are forever lost) but nothing can stop me from wanting to throw on winged eyeliner and a bit of fur to recreate the Anna Karina look.

My personal favorite outfit from the film was Angela's (Anna Karina's) pinstripe midi skirt with a quintessential red sweater. And while colored opaque tights make me think of a younger me in 2008, I can appreciate Angela's matching red tights and I may rethink my colored opaque tights aversion. My collection of midi skirts is less than impressive. I have one floral midi that flows rather than hugs and I have a plum midi from American Apparel that I find difficult to match. Perhaps I will need to hunt for a proper sweater to throw over it. Is black too obvious of an answer? Or should I dare to pair red with plum? Or a forest green?

Sure enough, Alexa Chung is already on this trend.

.006 FALL VIDEO HAUL

Wow. Here it is. Hopefully I will shoot the next one not on my webcam.

.005 CRAZY LIFE

I picked a particularly inappropriate time to start a blog -> hardertobreathe.mp3. But a lot of good has been sent my way. I was recently hired by a music venue for their social media and communications intern position [throw confetti here] and I was also brought on board the Urban Outfitters team. Holler @ your girl. So what does that mean for me? More time spent away from my computer (sob) and more time on public transport. With going to college full-time, it is already difficult enough to post. But I want to start making this blog a priority. To the two people that accidentally clicked on my blog while surfing my Tumblr...please stay.

Please know I am risking my neck to update my infantile blog. I'll have you know, I write this post as I sit at my desk job. The risks are real. Well...with no tasks on a Friday afternoon, they leave me to do whatever I want. Unfortunately this means no photos of my OOTD. Though, this whole "no photos" thing won't last for long! I return home to visit my father in two weeks time to get my tripod. Now all I need to do is find a proper shooting location that isn't outside in 20 degree weather.

As for a proper fashion update, in the last couple of weeks I have made quite the shopping haul. From Urban Outfitters to H&M to MAC Cosmetics, my closet is now bursting at the seams with new fall/winter apparel and my lips are gothic chic.

VIDEO SOON TO COME.