thanksgiving for two

I remember being in middle school and reading Oy Joy by Lucy Frank and getting teary-eyed in the part where they go see the balloons be inflated for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was like the personification of the exact feeling of anticipation I feel for that last Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving has always been, for me, one of the best holidays of the year. I love watching the parade in the morning, the smells, the family, the feeling that the holidays are right around the corner ... Although this isn't the first time I spend the holiday far from home, it's definitely the first time I find myself missing the drive home from college and the overall feeling of family that surrounds the day.

Last week, I cooked up a Thanksgiving feast for two, took out my autumn table dressings (not many) and introduced one of my favorite holidays to my boyfriend, making this year's dinner a very Franco-American affair.

... now on to Christmas decorations!

twists and turns

This morning I thought I would have enough time to take my outfit posts to avoid having the same self-timed pictures from the balcony once again, but the only thing I had time for after pressing the snooze button three thousand times was this one quick shot in the elevator. I'm not sure why, but all day I felt like it was later in the week, somewhere along the lines of Thursday. It would seem I'm in for a long three days - luckily I like what I do every day to not mind so much.

headband, tee, skirt: Forever XXI; denim top: American Eagle; tights: Target; booties: Style&Co; coat: Zara (old)

winter white

The cold snap is definitely snapping!! Our warm apartment is a faux friend in the morning, and I find myself wishing I had opted for an extra layer once I get downstairs and on my way.

I'm not sure what it is about the cold, but there are two extremes that come with it - the one where all I want to do is stay in warm pj's and plush slippers watching movies all day and the one where I get extra excited to go out into the cold and put on my best winter wear.

dress & blazer: H&M; tights: Target; shoes: Boutique 9; rings: Forever XXI

neutral

top: Forever XXI; cardigan: GAS (ancient); scarf: Dior vintage; pants: gap; shoes: Nine West; bracelets: The Mart and Moa

big girl

Last night I felt like a little girl getting ready for her first day of school - picking out her outfit, doing her hair, setting her alarm clock extra early, having a hard time falling asleep and wondering, "will they like me?" The only thing this little girl forgot was to change the time zone on her phone. Thankfully, something inside told her she was on the verge of oversleeping and stopped her from sleeping through the morning and into the afternoon!

I made it to work on time and with a few minutes to spare, just as I planned for my first day back. I couldn't be happier to be back at the office and into the regular swing of things.

The temperature has definitely taken a plunge since this weekend and I think it won't be long before the gloves and serious winter-wear comes out. In the mean time, I'll enjoy picking my outfits daily and using all the new goodies I found on my trip.

Happy Monday!!

dress and blazer: H&M; tights: Target; booties: Nine West

silver lining

This is probably the last of my summer-wear for a while. Even if I stayed home, a cold front is supposed to blow through this weekend and finally bring the fall down south. The past two days have been seriously rainy and the only colors I'm in the mood to wear are neutral and very much inspired by the grey clouds.

Today, I pulled this blouse out of my "don't pack yet" pile and was glad to add a little burst of color to my day, even if it was on the back. This shirt to me, is the perfect transition to more holly tones that start to take over right around this time of year.

top, jeans, earrings and ring: Forever XXI; shoes: Traffic (old); watch: Michael Kors

November

And just like that, it's November. It's hard to believe by these pictures, but I'll be bundled up till spring come a few days. I feel like lately, I've been getting the best of both worlds - the warm, sunny, welcoming feelings from being back home; and the sweet dreamyness of being in love with a new place and really enjoying making my new life from scratch - but being on the verge of opening a new chapter, I'm in for a harsh wake up call: The Real World!

That's next week but this is this week so for now, I'm enjoying soaking up the sun and being in my original element.

nails: Essie Aperitif

in spirit

When I was little, Halloween was a big deal. Costume brainstorming began in September at the latest or the summer at the earliest and October was spent taking endless trips to the fabric store and fittings for the perfect costume. So this year when I didn't have a costume on Halloween, I was pretty bummed. I had already given up on the idea of dressing up on Sunday when I asked my cousin for clothes to jump on the trampoline at her house. Instead of giving me a pair of shorts or leggings, she gave me her cheer uniforms and made my Halloween! Thanks, J!!