Edith Head turns 116.

Yesterday, Google honored the 20th century costume designer Edith Head on what would have been her 116th birthday. While I am a day late, I felt as though a proper tribute was in order. 

Costume designers and stylists alike typically go unnoticed--but they often have the hardest jobs in the fashion and entertainment industries. They create the images that become iconic in our culture. They create history. Head won eight Academy Awards for her costume designs that appeared in films like Roman Holiday, All About Eve and A Place in the Sun. 

Head was responsible for many of the unforgettable dresses and outfits that we associate with the Golden Girls of Hollywood. She worked for both Paramount and Universal Pictures. She regularly dressed and designed for Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor--yet so many today have never even heard of her name. 

People like Edith Head deserve so much more recognition than they receive. I couldn't be more delighted that Google decided to give Head a new life on their homepage yesterday. 

A Place in the Sun (1951)

All About Eve (1950)

Roman Holiday (1953)

The woman herself.

Fun fact: Edith Head is actually the inspiration behind the character "Edna Mode" from the Incredibles. Can't you just imagine her yelling, "Pull. Yourself. Together!"

On birthdays and milestones.

Yesterday was one of my best friend's birthdays, and it also happens to be yet another month anniversary for Kyle and I. My friend has always been the type of birthdays to think of birthdays as both happy and sad--she loves to dwell on the fact that yet another year has passed, and that we're only getting older. 

It made me think how interesting it is that we put so much emphasis on birthdays and other milestones in our culture. Today, girls are known to turn their birthday celebrations into week-long extravaganzas (yes, my friends and I are guilty of this) and couples seem to celebrate every week of being together. 

Perhaps we celebrate to avoid thinking about the time that is passed, or perhaps give these dates meaning merely as an excuse to throw a party. I love celebrating milestones--but I am also the type of person that thinks every day should be celebrated. 

I believe that even the simplest of moments in life can be made special if we take the time to cherish them. Every moment is fleeting--so why not celebrate? Throw on your party dress, add a little lipstick to your pout. 

Life is a beautiful thing. You will never be this young again, so have some fun. Every day is different, and should be embraced because of that. 

Sometimes I struggle with spending too much time wishing it away. And that makes me sad, because I will never get that time back. I want to spend my time being happy, and creating happiness for others. 

As my guest ballet professor said last week, "If you send out good vibes to the universe, they're sure to come back to you." It's time we stopped wishing away time, brushing off birthdays and anniversaries. These days are what remind us of the happiest moments of our lives--and why should we push those moments away? 

//image via Kate Spade New York's Pinterest

Things I adore...

Tory Burch's new home collection. Tory Burch is certainly taking over with the recent launches of her new beauty and home collections. I love her home collection particularly because you get to see more of her quirky side--these needlepoint pillows are so cheeky. Shop the full collection here. 

The new HarpersBazaar.com. The magazine just relaunched their website this week--and it is gorgeous. I could spend hours playing with all the elegant and innovative features. 

C. Wonder Friends + Family Sale. I have been a C. Wonder devotee ever since I scored the perfect navy quilted jacket with a hot pink lining for 75% off last Black Friday. I jump at the sign of any sale. I've been eyeing their sweaters, especially the adorable Scottie Intarsia. 

Something I don't adore: Conde Nast discontinuing its internship program. Conde Nast announced this week that it will be discontinuing its internship program next year. I can't even begin to say how disappointed I am--this is what I've been working towards since my freshman year of high school, when I decided I wanted to go to college in New York to pursue internships at the most well-known fashion magazines. Read more about it at Refinery29. 

Everything's going to be ok.

I've been dealing with a lot of unexpected stress lately. Oddly enough, it really hasn't been a result of classes or schoolwork. My life has simply been presenting me with strange surprises at the most interesting times--and it's definitely taking some getting used to. 

I've been making my way through these obstacles in stages. While I may not be able to hurdle over them, I carve my own path in due time. I'm learning how to accept different things in different ways, and I can feel myself growing because of it. 

While I despise vague blog posts and social media updates, I felt as though this was necessary. I needed to send this into the void. So in honor of one of my most beloved films, I say goodnight dear void. Thank you for listening.

"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, valuable, but small. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don’t really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So goodnight, dear void."

-You've Got Mail (1998)

Things I adore...

Fall treats. Fall is my favorite time of the school year. Nothing is better than the crisp weather that's just perfect for pairing a cable knit sweater with worn-in boots. Lately my roommates have been coming back with plenty of treats from home, including freshly picked pumpkins and hot-out-of-the-oven apple cider donuts (which I love, and I sincerely lament the fact that we don't have them in California). Check out this homemade recipe on Say Yes to Hoboken. 

How (Exactly) to Look Like a French Girl. This beauty feature by Refinery29 is cheeky and cute (and completely helpful). Who doesn't want to look like a French girl?

SoulCycle. I've heard about SoulCycle from other bloggers for ages, but I've never had the opportunity to take a class. Until recently. One of my sisters in my sorority works at the SoulCycle studio in Scarsdale, and was able to secure a free month of classes for students at our college. I am in LOVE. It's so painful, but so exhilarating all at once. I am definitely going to mourn my loss the day these free classes end. 

The Sartorialist: Fall inspiration. The Sartorialist used to be the first website that I visited every day in high school. It was my style bible. I haven't been checking it as much lately, and it's definitely something I regret. I was perusing the site today and this photo resonated with me most--I feel like it captures the style I want to channel this fall exactly. Sign me up for grunge-y plaids, leather boots and paradoxical cable-knit sweaters. 

Think pink.

In the spirit of October and Breast Cancer Awareness month, I have been inspired by all things pink lately. These particular images from Pinterest have been causing me to pull the few pink pieces from my closet more frequently. 

What has inspired you lately?

Fall semester goals.

Fall semester is flying by. I can't believe next weekend is Homecoming (which I am beyond excited for) and that I am in the midst of midterms season. Tomorrow marks the two-month countdown until I am home for winter break. My mom is already telling me, "The end is near!" 

For the most part, I'm trying not to think about the passage of time. What I am thinking about, however, is what I would like to accomplish for the rest of the semester (or aim for). Here are some little (and very big) goals I have for the remainder of 2013:

-Learn how to French braid my hair. 
-Make every day a special occasion--live life to the fullest at that very moment. 
-Send surprise letters and packages to loved ones.
-Skype with my parents on a regular basis--whether it's every week or each month.
-Learn how to bake something new. (Pumpkin Banana Spice Bread, anyone?)
-Say yes to more unexpected dinners, study dates and late-night conversations. 
-Bulk up on basics: plaid shirts, chunky sweaters, and thick tights for winter. 
-Go camping for the first time. In Yosemite. With Kyle. 

Of course, this is only the beginning of what I could hope to accomplish by the end of the year. But for now, I think that's quite enough. 

//image via Kelly Cummings

Things I adore...

J. Crew Extra 40% Off Final Sale. Need I say more? Head over to the site fast, before all of the best pieces are gone! 

Matchbook Magazine. I have followed Matchbook Magazine since its inception, and with each issue it gets better and better. I am definitely a Matchbook girl. 

Recruitment week. Recruitment week is always one of the weeks I look forward to most during the semester. You're instantly reminded each night why you joined Greek life, and why you fell in love with your sorority. Accepting Phi Sigma Sigma's bid has been one of the best decisions I've ever made, and I can't wait to see how the best will get better tonight at bid night. 

Pompeii. I have been listening to all of Pompeii's music on repeat lately. They have such on-point albums that you can't help but listen to all the way through. It's the perfect music to study to, or relax to on a rainy fall day. Check them out on Spotify. 

Happy Friday!

Insta-crush: Stone Fox Bride

Every time Stone Fox Bride's Instagram photos appear in my news feed, I am overcome with happiness. The undeniably cool bridal shop based in Manhattan is my guilty pleasure. My favorite posts of theirs are when they photograph a client's engagement ring, and caption the photo with a quippy story about that client's proposal or the ring's ancestry. Check out some of my favorite captions below, and prepare to fall in love with SFB's adventures here.  

-"Asked her in their friends restaurant in Brooklyn. They've been dating for fifteen years."

-“Proposed in the morning in pjs. I said today would be a good day to get engaged. He went upstairs and got the rings, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was like is this real??? I started crying and shaking and we hugged and drank champagne and danced to a Beach House record.”

-"Got down on one knee in the mist in December on top of the Empire State Building."

-"He planned a trip to Paris. After a long day of walking around and soaking in all the sights we stopped and bought cheese, bread and some wine. We went back to the apartment and he set up a picnic on the roof. I turned around and he was on one knee, holding a piece of baguette smeared with cheese, with the ring on top and asked me, "Will you marry me?" I laughed and said, "Are you sure?!!!!" and, "Yes!!!"

-"Proposed at the summer camp in California where they met."

Creativity.

Sometimes, it feels like life gets in the way of what we want to do or who we want to be. Instead of being the very thing that inspires creativity, life stumps it. We become so caught up in obligations, so tied down by what we think we have to do instead of what we want to do that we forgo originality for getting the job done. 

Especially during this time of the semester, I feel as though I start to become swamped by schoolwork, meetings, events and more. When I try to come up with creative ideas for a new blog post or story ideas to send out to my newspaper staff, I am at a loss for words. The thought that runs through my head quickly becomes: "I don't have time to be creative."

Yet this is disheartening to me, because you should always have time to be creative. Creativity can strike at the randomest of times--and that's often when you get your best ideas. It's a matter of being open at any time to ideas instead of trying to force ideas to come to you. It's a matter of looking up instead of down at your phone. 

Last week, I wrote a column for my college newspaper (the Ionian) about falling into the 'busy' trap. I don't want to fall into that trap any longer. I want to be open to life and all that it has in store for me, and to feed off life to find inspiration. 

Every one of these tips is obvious. Yet sometimes its the most obvious things that we forget. Every once in a while, we need to be reminded of what's important. And I really need to be reminded of number 2, 8 and 10 right now. 

My creativity is one of my favorite qualities I possess. I shouldn't be suppressing it in place of "more important" obligations. It's a work in progress.

How do you stay creative when life gets busy?

The little things.

Lately, I have been in love with my weekends. My weekdays seem like they stretch on forever--oftentimes I'm out of my apartment for over 12 hours on the days that I intern. I'm constantly running from place to place. 

Yet when I walk out of my last class on Friday mornings, I couldn't be happier. A weight is lifted from my shoulders, even if I have many obligations to fulfill that weekend--there's just something about knowing that the long week has finally reached its term that's indescribable. 

Those long weekdays have also made me appreciate my weekends more. I treasure the hours that I get to spend lounging around my apartment in the comfiest clothes possible with my roommates. I treasure the extra minutes that I am able to linger in bed, cuddled up under my white sheets and white comforter with the morning light just barely seeping in through my navy curtains. 

What I treasure most, however, are the little things. I love when things turn up unexpectedly, and become something better than you ever imagined. I love when a movie night becomes a night of sharing stories over homemade guacamole. I love when my roommate and I both decide against cooking, and end up going on a date for Italian food and some spontaneous catching up.

Yesterday I called my mom, and we talked about absolutely nothing important for over an hour. I FaceTimed with Kyle before falling asleep. My dad and I exchanged photos of where we were today via text. I ran into my big sis at a walk for autism unexpectedly, and I finally spent time with my little sis after not seeing her all weekend. When I got in the car, my roommate who I hadn't seen all day gave me the biggest hug. 

These are the little things that matter the most. These little things are what put a smile on my face, and remind me just how lucky I am. As I lay in bed on a Sunday night typing this, I couldn't feel any more grateful. But I'm sure I will, and that is what excites me the most.

Happy Monday, all.

//image via bluepueblo.tumblr.com

Things I adore...

The Pacific Coast Highway. When I stumbled across this picture on Pinterest, I thought it must be the coast of a foreign country. Much to my surprise, I saw it was of the Pacific Coast Highway that runs along the coast of my very own home state. The PCH is easily one of the most beautiful drives in America--and this photo has me yearning to go back. 

Ernest Hemingway. I love all things Hemingway. He had such an interesting life, and its obvious that much of his writing stemmed from it. This summer, I read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain which is written from the perspective of Hemingway's wife, Hadley. It's a great leisure read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't know much about Hemingway. I love the quote above.

J. Crew Camp Socks. Acclimating to New York winters has certainly been interesting. Growing up in the state that has no seasons certainly did not prepare me for when I would have to walk to class in several inches of snow. During my freshman year, my mom came across these camp socks at J. Crew and mailed them to me. My feet haven't been cold ever since. They're currently on sale here. 

Domino Magazine is back! When Domino folded in 2009, I was just beginning to avidly follow magazines. I am extremely excited that they are publishing in print again, with the holiday issue due out on newsstands Oct. 8.  

Favorite find: The Cut's Paris Fashion Week

At Issey Miyake.

One of my favorite parts about each of the fashion weeks every year is the increasing amount of coverage on those that attend the shows. While fashion critics lament the rise of the attention-seeking street-style stars that cause nothing more than a circus outside the tents, I love being able to see what goes on behind the scenes at the shows and watching the "watchers" of the shows. 

Dina Litovsky captured many of these oddly beautiful moments at Paris Fashion Week for New York Magazine's The Cut. All of the photographs in the series are entrancing, and can be seen here. 

Here are a few of my most favorite photos: 

At Akris.

At Givenchy.

At Stella McCartney.