A family of Nikons...(photo taken by my stepmom...with a Canon)
Fashion shot at the Western Wall, taken by my little sister, Sophie.
Hi lovelies,
I've been running around like crazy for the past few days, unpacking, repacking, buying last minute things, going to the doctor and playing with my puppies (who are adorably distracting, I might add). Today, I managed to squeeze in lunch with Aunt Sandy, Gigi and Pauline at my Gigi's country club.
Picking out my outfit was slightly difficult- I couldn't wear the various mismatched sweats/jeans combinations I've been donning for the past few days (for fear or dirtying my good clothes before London), so I settled on something I thought was acceptable: a pink and black leopard print cardigan, denim mini, black tights, black booties and a pink bow headband. The outfit was cute, sophisticated and chic. It made my legs look long and I actually felt sort of tall. Overall, I thought it was a success. (If I wasn't so pooped I'd figure out a way to snap a photo for you to judge for yourself.)
After a delicious lunch, my grandmother called me over to her seat and slipped a bill into my hand.
I looked down at my legs and smiled. My grandmother has never liked frayed denim, even if it's part of the piece's design. My Gigi, the fashion critic- gotta love her!
I've been in search of the perfect "London coat" for a while now. While I have a long, black puffer coat, I wanted something a bit more sleek for my adventures abroad. I took a few hours on Thursday after a final to look for a coat at the mall, but returned homed stressed and unimpressed.
After drooling over a beautiful coat on JCrew's website (they only sell their petite sizes online) for the past few weeks, I finally gave in and decided to buy it. I was slightly hesitant to purchase something so substantial as a coat online, especially with limited return time before London, but decided it was my only option. I was worried that I'd have to buy a black coat, which is definitely not my thing, so I asked my friend Eric for his opinion. He told me a color would suit me better, and that I could still be a grownup in a non-black coat. So...I bought this:
I think this coat is beautiful, classy and very Alana. I can't wait for it to arrive in the mail. Cross your fingers and hope that it fits! I think it will look adorable with a nice pair of earmuffs (maybe Burberry inspired?), or a black or white hat. (Thanks Dad and Donna- I love my birthday present!)
Well, after buying the red coat, I thought my search was over...until I logged into Rue La La and saw they were having a sale on Betsey Johnson. I loved the heart shaped buttons on so many of Betsey Johnson's coats, and with some more friendly encouragement (this time from my friend Joey), I made another purchase.
This one is a lighter material and a major score- I had a $30 credit thanks to friends making purchases on Rue La La via my invite code, which made the final cost (with shipping) $58.00...down from $260.00!
For some reason, a memory just popped in my head of a game I used to play with my dad when I was a little girl of approximately age two or three. After I finished my bath, my dad would wrap me up in a big towel, scoop me up and cover my face so I couldn't see. He'd cradle me in his arms so I'd stay warm and would carry me into different rooms of the house and ask "What room are we in?"
I'm not exactly sure what made me think of this- maybe it's because it's Hanukkah, a holiday I associate with family, or maybe it's because my dad is coming to pick me up from school on Saturday.
Honestly, I think it might be because this memory represents my childhood, a time that seems so far away. In just two days, I will take my last final on Boston University's Charles River Campus. I will pack up my dorm room and head home for my last winter break. Though I still technically have one semester to go, I feel like college, and my childhood, are over.
A part of me still wants to be that little girl, safely snuggled in my father's arms. I want to hide my face in that protective towel and not have to figure out "what room I'm in" on my own. There's a great big scary world out there, and right now, all I want to do is close my eyes and hide in my daddy's arms.
What an amazing Website. Seriously, ModCloth has everything. Cute clothes, great accessories and some fun stuff for your apartment. Plus, their products span a large price range, so many things are very affordable, while other items seem strangely overpriced. Coincidentally, I tend to have expensive taste.
It was hard to narrow my wish list to just 10 items, but somehow, I did it. Enjoy!
*Normally, I would NEVER include something this expensive on a realistic wish list, but this shawl is amazing. I definitely encourage you to click the link and check it out. Fun fact, I loved it so much, I sent my mom the link, and now she's making me my own! We picked out some pretty teal yarn and some fun buttons over Thanksgiving. My shawl is going to be EPIC. I can't wait. (My mom is fabulous.)
This was a very shoe filled Thanksgiving. As my mom called me in a recent email, I'm definitely a "boot girl." We picked out these flowered Uggs at Marshall's for just $99, a slightly steep price, but a real steal for Uggs.
Even if you're not a fan of Uggs, you have to admit, these are pretty fun! I was actually stopped by two employees at a shoe store who creepily stared at my shoes and finally asked me about them. They were absolutely SHOCKED when I told them the price.
I've been killing my feet in heels for the past few months, and after solidly REFUSING to buy a new pair of Uggs (every fashion blogger's worst nightmare), I gave in and got these. Well, technically, my mom bought them for me as an early birthday present. (Thanks Mommy, you can borrow them when I'm home for break- I promise!) I'll have to pair them with a cute outfit, because honestly, you probably still think they're ugly. (I promise you, they're not!)
Then there was the stop at Target with my dad and stepmom. Technically, we only went their to pick up some Zyrtec-D for my allergies, but we ended up filling up an entire cart! My dad helped pick out these guys for me:
...and at just $30 a pop, I was pretty proud of our purchases! Did I mention the first pair are real suede? Thanksgiving weekend was DEFINITELY a success! Thanks mom/dad/Donna for indulging my shoe habit!
Like all great irrational fears, this one stems from my childhood. After the weekly Friday night dinner at my Gigi's apartment, my sisters and I, along with an older cousin, carried the garbage from the apartment to the trash room.
Of course the job was slightly stinky, but I always enjoyed playing games on the way to the trash room, pretending scary animals lived in the spaces between the large patterns on the carpet. Sure, the animals were "scary," but at least they were imaginary.
No, it wasn't the stench of the garbage or the trip to the trash room that scared me, it was the room itself. Tiny and lacking a doorknob on the inside, that room was no place for a child, especially one who was afraid of getting thrown down the garbage shoot. What made matters even worse was that the light in the room mysteriously turned off when you closed the door. Add a clown and it was every five-year-old's worst nightmare. I remember my sister shoving me in there quite a few times, and while she never actually left me there, I still hated that room.
Now let's jump back to today:
In my new apartment, the girls and I take turns bringing the recycling to a room next to the elevator. Though it's bigger than my Gigi's trash room, it's the automatic light that throws me off. I know, I know, it's to save electricity, but still. As soon, as I open the door and see the light turn on, I chuck the bottles and paper as fast as I can, not wanting to get stuck in the room alone. I will say that this door at least has a knob on the inside, and the light takes a bit longer to turn itself off, but I can't erase the childhood trauma.
Sometimes I still feel like a five year old.
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